Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-27
THE CROPS OF THE STATE.
COMMISSIONER HENDERSON'S
REPORT.
The Outlook for Cereals-The Crow
Ing Cotton. Rice and Sugar Cane
SILK CuIture-The Stock Law.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
ATLANTA, GA, August Is, 1881. !

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
ATLANTA, GA, August 10, 1881.
CORN.
The corn crop of the State has been Sc
riously injured by drought, and to some ex-
tent by insects. In many localities, upland
corn is almost total failure, while in lin
tied localities in every section OF the State
the crop is remarkably fine. The rains have
been unusually partial, and In some locali-
| ties the drought has been distressing. 1t is
| not thought now that more than three
| fOurths Of a crop OF corn can be gathered.
| The prospect for the State, compared to an
average crop, is only 7S. Rains occurred in
many parts Of the State during the last
week in July, but there are yet considerable
areas which have been dry since April.
Tpe averages in the five sections Of the
| State are as follows, viz: North Georgia,
| 81; Middle Georgia, 76; Southwest Georgia,
SO; East Georgia, 6S. and Southeast
Georgia, so.
The partial failure of the corn crop in
1880, together with the short crop Of small
grain, followed by an unusually severe win
ter, created the necessity for large importa-
tions OF forage and grain this year. Owing
to the continued rains during 1880, a limited
area was sown In wheat and fall oats. This
necessitated large spring seeding of oats
indeed, much of the wheat crop was sown
in January and February. The spring-sown
/ OabS HOAC LudJCIldAl1 luJuIGO ny uEOOkuS
| in May, and wheat suffered from rust The
prospect, therefore, for a home supply of
grain and forage is st present mesgre. 1t
! is not. however, too late to supplement the
corn and small grain crops by liberal seed
! ing, in the early fall, Of oats, rye and barley,
to supply green forage during the winter
and early spring, and hay and grain next
summer. Farmers are, therefore, urged to
| plant turnips, oats. rye and barley, In more
| than usually liberal quantities, and to de-
vote an area prOportiOnate to the size OF the
| farm to grass, If soil suitable to its growth
is attainable. September is the proper sea-
son for sowing grass seed.
OATS.
AS before stated, this crop was reduced in
area by the continued rains during the fall,
winter and spring, and in yield by the
| drought IN May. The yield in the State
compared to an average is, Of rust proof
varieties. 672; other varieties, 90 8; fall
sown, 81 4, and spring sown, $50. 1t will
| be seen, therefore, that not more than two
thirds Of crop has been gathered in the
State.
Apart from the necessity of sowing oats
| to supplement a short crop Of corn and
! small grain, the fall sown oats are more re-
! liable than spring sOwn, especially II the
| former are sOwn sufficiently early to take
| good root before the freezes commence.
| They should be grazed by light stock to pre-
vent iointing, but not so closely as to expose
| the roots to freezing.
WHEAT.
The area sown in wheat was small, on
! account of the unfavOrable weather for
| preparing the land and sowing during the
last fall and winter The area sown was
! only 60 per cent. of an average crop, and
much of that was sown in January and Feb
ruary; consequently it was more subject to
! rust on account of late ripening.
Notwithstanding these disadvantages, the
| yield is reported at 78 per cent. of an aver
age crop. The varieties principally recon
mended are the Purple-straw, Dallas, Red
| May, Tappahsnnock, Fultz and Orleans. A
few other varieties are locally commended.
COTTON.
The average condition of the cotton crop
of the State, August 1st, was 81, compared
to an average crop. reduction of this
percentage may be expected within the
present month, as the effects Of the July
drought were not fully manifested when the
| reports on which these remarks are based
were made. The caterpillars are reported
in some Of the counties In Southwest Geor-
gia in considerable numbers. In North
Georgia the average is Sc; in Middle Geor-
! gia, IS; in Southwest Georgia, IS; in East
! Georgia, r. and in Southeast Georgia, 90.
Expensive credit has been INDUCED In to
such an extent by cotton planters this year
| LnaE serious Tears are entertained as TO Jle
| consequences to result next fall both to
| planters and merchants. Cotton culture on
! the terms on which supplies have been pur-
chased this year is only a deception and a
snare.
Farmers are noted for their adherence to
the teachings of experience, and yet there
| is not county in the State in which expert
ence does not teach the wisdom of a self
sustaining system Of agriculture and the
| folly of making cotton on supplies pur-
chased for credit prices, or even for cash.
The most prosperous farmers In every
section of the State are those who have uni
| formly made their supplies at home. Such
farmers are to be found everywhere, and
are conspicuous for their prosperity; and
| yet their neighbors refuse to follow their
| example and prosper, but are eagerly pur-
| suing the ig1eiS fdtltLS of all cotton on West
| ern corn and bacon, with the road in front
| of them strewn with the wasted lives and
wrecked fortunes of their exemplars. Re
monstrances against the suicidal policy have
been uttered until they have become pain
| fully monotouous. Example, observation
and experience have taught their lessons IN
vain. Figures founded on false data lie,
and the farmers are led to ruin by them.
RICE.
The importance and value of this crop is |
being more fully appreciated every year,
and the area devoted to 1t annually in |
confined to a few counties in South and |
East Georgia; now it is cultivated in every /
section OF the State, and is being expert |
mented with in nearly every county in the |
State. Lowland rice is reported at 81 In the |
State and upland at n per cent. of an
average crop. Southeast Georgia reports IS
lowland and 81 upland.
SUGAR CANE
is reported in the State at 50 per cent. of an |
AI,ao - 7.
west Georgia the stand Is SO and condition /
81. In East Georgia the stand is 81 and |
condition Il. In Southeast Georgia the /
stand is "a and the condition S8.
MISCELLANEOUS CROPS AND TOPICS.
Sorghum is reported at 50 In the whole |
State; field peas at 76; the stand of sweet |
potatoes n and condition IL; chufas are re-
ported at "a, and the yield Of hay at IS.
SILK CULTURE.
Since it has been ascertained that the |
leaves of the common mulberry and of the /
Usage orange furnish as appropriate food
for the silk worm as the morus multicaulis
or white mulberry, there has been increased
inquiry in regard to silk culture. Mr.. John
Stark, of Thomasville, Ca, who has expe-
rience In the culture, has promised paper
on the subject for publication in the No
vember report, which will be ample time
for those who wish to experiment next |
year.
Silk culture affords neat and pleasant |
occupation for ladies II a reasonable good |
market can be secured for the cocOons.
Mr. Stark's letter will supply reliable infor-
nation on the subject.
STOCK LAW.
Since the last quarterly report was Issued,
four counties of this State have adopted the /
stock law, which requires the fenceing of /
stock instead of crops. This is the entering
wedge to the most important measure Of az
ricultursl reform that has been inaugurated
in Georgia in the last half century. There
are portions Of the State, especially the
range country of Southern Georgia, and
some Of the mountain counties Of North
Georgia, In which the stock law would be a
hardship, but it has become a necessity in
the farming and planting regions Of the State,
in some of which the timber suitable for
making rails is nearly exhausted. The
adoption of the stock law in all except
the range and mountain counties is only a
question of time, being a necessity which
must impress itself upon the minds of all
thinking men. 1t is wise, therefore, for all
farmers in the farming and planting coun-
ties of the State to prepare for the stock law
in advance of it's adoption by planting per-