The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1880-01-22
agricultural.
sOUTHERN's ADVICE TO NORTH
ERIN SETTLERS.

mere are many oNluouSSs VI ah
increasing interests in the South and
its lands among the Northern and
Eastern men contemplating change
inquiries are numerous, and buyers
more frequent. There is room for
them and for men of industry, per-
severance, and good Judgment
lands, homes, and success are IS fully
assured as anywhere in the country.
Fall or early winter is the best
time to visit the South with a view
to buying. The wheat and small
grains have been threshed so recent
" that a little inquiry will tell bow
good or poor the crops we're the
corn will either be still in the field
and show for itself, or can be seen
in the crib; the bay will not have
been cold, or fed, and the stacks can
be readily examined, while the
weather may possibly be sufficiently
depressing to prevent any undue en-
thusiasm on that score. The man
who leaves the North amid snow
drifts and ice, is, unless cool>headed,
in danger of becoming too much in
fatuated with the southern climate
on an insufficient acquaintance; for
quite likely he will find the ground
bare and dry; blowing, fencing,
ditching, and almost any outdoor
farm work except planting and reap
ing, going on and occasionally a
succession of days that makes one re-
ioice to live, when the house fires go
out unnoticed, air and earth suggest
spring time, and in warm hooks the
grass is green and buds are SWELL
ing. But, if he stays long enough,
he will see plenty sleet and snow,
frost and mud, before settled spriDg
weather,
When a real estate agent, or any
body else, takes the Northern visitor
to a farm for sale, and tells him,
"This land has been skinned about
two inches deep by these natives, TIL
it don't produce much, and they call
it worn out but all it wants is to
have a good Yankee farmer take
hold, and farm if in your Northern
style" with a great deal more Of the
same sort, mixed with abundant fiat
tefies, let him take what he is told
with grain of allowance. II takes a
great deal of hard work, money, and
years Of good farming and economy
to bring a run down Southern farm
to cleanliness and fertility. Deep
blowing is by no means specific /;
on the coptrary,it should be attempt
ed very cautiously. ! have seen
fields thrown out to the commons,
"dead poor which, after years of
exposure to sun and frost, bore in
spots meagre vegetation with a
film of mold, but which wero made
as sterile as before, by tuSning the
surface under six inches OF subsoil
Other things being equal, buy OF
Southerners. They kept the best
lands and uniformly, because they
qcere the best, while the poor would
sell to Yankees If Northern man
wants to sell his farm, ask yourself,
first of all, whether, if he can't make
living on it, you can. Attach no
weight to the reason he gives for
selling--"my wife isn'e satisfied
here" 1t is laughable how universal
is this excuse.
Then, too, don't be above taking
advice from the people among whom
you settle They supported them
selves on this soil long before you
came and know at least how to make
a living by farming here, which
some Northern men have not been
able to do. Some Of tho most COM
plete failures have known were of
men who came South with the idea
that the, "natives' knew nothing of
farming, and that they were going to
show how to do il. Scores Of corn
crops have been lost, simply by neg
Iectiug to thin to two stalks per hill.
Half the farmers who come from the
extreme North and New England
lose their first corn>crop from this
cause, and usually in spite Of advice,
warning and entreaty from hired
men and neighbors. A farmer from
Western New York, who had been
used to raise so bushels of wheat per
acre on his clover fallows, selected a
handsomely lying field, make ed except
for a mere fringe of hen grass, plow~
ed il in June, again in July, and q
third time in August; abundant har>
rowiugs were given, and in Septem>
Der wheat was sown without fertili~
ger. He was astonishe3 that he got
only four bushels per acre--his
neighbors were astonisbed that he
got so much.
Most important Of all, when man
has decided to settle in the South,
he should have an eye as sharp as to
perceive the good qualities Of the
country and people IS to see faults /;
be should wish TO think well of his
country and neighbors he should
cultivate q charity that hopes all
things. aud thinks no evil S +,
IA Land and Home.
-s <~ps s---
In Cobb county, Mr.. Marsh Lin,
ley made five heavy bales of cotton
on four acres of upland last year.