Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-06
LETTER FROM PROF. WILLIAM
NJ. BROWNE.
Timely warning.

Correspondence AUGUSTA Chronicle.
UsTvERsITY OF GEORGIA, DEPARTMENT OF
| AGRICULTURE, ATHENS, Ga, August 30,
1SS1.-1he unfavorable reports that reach
| us from every quarter as to the effect Of the
| drought and intense heat upon the corn and
cotton crops in the Southern States, fore
shadow eight" times for the farmers dur
/ ing the coming year, unless they exert
| themselves, while there Is still time. to
| make up as FAR as possible for the failure,
| by planting larger area than they intended
/ in small grains, millet, lucerne, turnips,
and such other crops as will afford food for
both man and beast during the winter and
| spring. The present price Of corn and the
reports or the short crop In the Western
States. whether they be the fabrications of
rings" or Corners" or stern realities,
show plainly what is to be expected by those
| who propose to rely on batyiIaQ corn with
borrowed money. Dear corn necessarily
makes dear meat; therefore, we may conf
IDENTIFY look for an advance in prices of pro-
visions Of all sorts. How is this state of
things TO be met?
The ssnguine believe that the falling off
in the cotton crop will, of necessity, cause
an advance, in the price, and that
this advance will compensate for
the loss Of the corn crop. This
is fatal delusion, as every one will
| find out who is rash enough to trust to it.
AC SACab nAd1c VI buC OCAuk III 0CDb
to the merchants for fertilizers, supplies,
etc, are compelled to sell their cotton as
fast as they can prepare it for market. By
| November 18th, three-fourths Of the cotton
will have passed out Of the hands
OF the producers. The spectators
will own it; and as they hold the
purse they can and will control
| the market so as to depress
| prices until they have taken full advantage
Of the farmers necessities and become the
owners Of all the fruits Of their years labor.
In February or March the price OF cotton
may, and probably will, advance; but how
will that benefit the poor farmer who, in
order to meet his obligations to his mer-
chant, was compelled to sell all he made at
whatever price the Spectator thought
proper to give Were the farmers out of
debt, so that they could sell or hold their
cotton as they might see fit, they might oe
justified in INDUCING the hope to make
| good by the increased prices of cotton their
| loss in corn; but, as they are over head and
ears In debt under bonds to sell and nav
over the proceeds bya given day-it is more
than unreasonable to expect relief from any
| such source.
Ny advice, then, to the farmers of Geor-
| gia, given respectfully but earnestly is:
l. Cut, save and put under shelter every
blade of glass upon your farms.
2. Sow millet Immediately on the richest
spots that are available, and you viii be
able, probably, to cut and cure good crop
OF millet hay before frost.
3. Prepare thoroughly an unusually large
"turnip patch" enrich it literally with a
good superphosphate, and SOW rutabaga
seed In drills.
4. Save carefully all your peas and pea
vines, and II, as fear is the case to wide
extent, you have fields of corn stalks with
out corn. cut them down and cure them in
shocks for the use of the stock. 1t is utter
| lY vain now to expect they will make corn.
3. Sow largely small grain-oats, rye, bar
ley, wheat. Prepare and manure the land
well, obtain the best seed, and put it in
carefully. Rye and barley should be sown
as early in September as possible. Oats
sown the latter part of September or early
in October produce the best crops. Wheat
should be sown In the third or fourth week
of October.
6. Select a rich spot, from one to two
acres in extent, break it deeply, and SOW lu-
cerne in drills. Keep clear of grass and
weeds for the first year, until the lucerne
stakes the ground" and you will find that
1t r. the most profitable "pAtch'' on poor
| farms.
If these precautionary measures are taken
| speedily, we can weather the storm. II not,
l see nothing but ruin in the immediate fu-
| ture, in which merchants as well as farmers
will be involved. WILLIAM NJ. BROWNE,
Professor Agriculture, &c.