Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1881-08-17
Southern Agriculture.


agricultural matters. has urged the
Southern planters and Farmers To
produce their own food supplies.
Facts, figures aud arguments have
been freely used to show that the
cotton growing section of the Sonth
would increase in wealth aud prop
erty much more rapidly If less cot
ton aud more corn. wheat. hay and
other food products were cultivated.
There is no doubt that the very
general opinion Is HAT Planters
make "A mistake in giving such ~
elusive attention Ia cation. The
planters themselves are not unNIll
ing tn admit that it would be bet
ter for them To produce enough
grain, hay aud bacon To supply then
wants. This matter WdN dI,ru- ~rd
~ the late meeting of the MI>>l>
sippi Valley Cotton Planters h>>o
citation, at Memphis, and II Sc arr
not mistaken there was but one
opinion expressed. aud that VAS IN
favor of diversified crops. why Is
it then that planters continue the
old system Of producing nothing
but cotton and of buying their sup
plies! The only answer that We
can think uf is that his next crup
will he better than his last. and
that he Will get better priC" for it.
IL would hc more profitable, perhaps.
to raise nothing but cotton II the
al, L.,
ed to be aud the price of cotton
were always good. Unfortunately.
however, the planters expectations,
are seldom realized either with re-
gard to the crop or the price. It
not unircqucntly happens that when
the crop il poor and the pIjcr OF
cotton low, the prices of supplies
are high. Poor crops aud weak
market for two successive Sca>oi.S
are enough To ruin most planters.
The Prairie Farmer, one of the best
agricultural publications of the
Northwest, has been giving some
attention to. This matter. aud, III
though the South draws her SUP
plies largely from that section. II
does not hr>l'at" To ailI~c cotton
planters t. abandon Il plaza that has
been produrt.," of such lijlic profit
To them. II SAYS:
"1hc policy that has ATTAINED ="
generally al the South, OF RAISING
that which is best adapted To the
soil and climate, and that alone. Is
traught with danger. No man can
forecast the vlClS~tuhrS at season
(the weather prophets" to the con
trary Notwithstanding, nor certain
Is toIctcll the price that his products
will bring when ready for market.
In either ease, failure of crops or
unrcmuncratlvc prices, disaster tol
lows. 1t is. therefore, but following
the dictates of prudence in guard
ing against possible unfortunate
contingencies, to devote portion
of the plantation to crops other than
cotton.
Tho cotton fields of the South
have added vast amount annually
TO the wealth OF the world, bring
ing profit To the middlcmcn OF fac
tors, the manufacturers. and mrr
chants, aud in fact To all connected
with the industry, save those who
have raised the crops. Such. at all
events, has been the ease during
the most OF the Years HAT nave M
tervcncd since 1851. The energies
OF the planter have hccu strained To
produC" maximum crop OF tins
single staple, and III doing ~ bee
has reduced his means in order tu
meet his necessary wants. lhr
past year was an exception perhaps,
but there Is abundant authority tul
saying that. rs a rule, the statement
made is true. In AL these Years
there was no over production ui the
staple IN the cotton growing regions
OF the world. The demand has ~
hanstch the supply, and although
the crop Of Last year WAS exception
ally large and good. there has been
Increased consumption, 80 that the
price of goOdS-and, in sympathy.
the raw staplc-has advanced.
But 1T no time. of hate wears.
have the returns been satisfactory.
If We except 1879. for after paving
the necessary expenses for produc .
ing the staple, little was lrtt on the
right side of the planters ledger.
while frequently the final balance has .
been on the wrong side. The show
ing il not subject for pleasant
contemplation. Favorable seasons. /
irAAl l.rnIAs III L.....l -. !