San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1881-03-03

DOES 1T PAYI

crop to the neglect OF all others
That isa question which has often
been suggested by our observation
of farming in Texts. We believe,on
D careful consideration, the question
will have to be answered in the neg
alive. Even cotton will be found TO
be no exception. We are convinced
tho true idea is TO cultivate all the
staple crops on the principle of rota-
ton, as is practiced in the older states
to allow no one crop to ensross the
soil and monopolize the labor to the
neglect Of others, each in its appro-
pirate place.
y There is q striking parallel between
the production OF cotton in the South
and that Of pork in the North. Each
ia the one crop relied Oh by the far
mer or planter for sure cash returns
Hence taere is a strong tendency to
oysrtlo in both. The corn and hog
style of farming at the North, exclus-
lively, has been found destructive to
the soil, and hence,where persisted in,
ruinous, and has been abandoned.
Instead each farmer raises and lat
tens such u number of hogs rs no can
without neglecting other crops. He
is thus enabled to alternate his crops.
by which tho fertility OF the soil is
maintained, and even improved, while
lie actually realizes more from small
number of well fattened hogs than he
you'd by making that the sole crop,
Just a. he does in any case by cult
waiting q small place well, than by at
tempting to till more than he can to
good advantage.
Cotton growers in Texas we think
might probably adopt similar plan.
It is just NJ absurd to raise more than
can be gathered rs it is to run over
more ground than you can cultivate.
Take the past season. A smaller
crop of cotton, that could all have
been saved ia season with the labor
which tho country affords, so as to
have allowed time to gather and mar
ket the corn crop, and put IN good
small grain crop during the fall and
winter, would surely have been great
ly more satisfactory, and we doubt
not upon the whole more profitable,
than the extra large one which was
raised last season.
Instead Of the state Of things we
have Indicated, what have we seen =?
A crop of cotton 10 large that, con
sideripg the price, it scarcely paid to
hire hands to raise OF to gather, even
if hands could have been had to gath
or, which they could not. A crop so
large that the work of gathering was
often done in slovenly manner, and
was strung out to the end OF the year
yes, even now, when all hands are
needed for planting new crops, cotton
picking still 'hangs fire" and stands
right in the way of the needed spring
work A crop 80 large thatall other in
terests have been subordinated to it;
corn remained ungathered; scarcely
any wheat or oats was sown; the
important work Of fall and winterplow
;pg was neglected; children were
kept from school at the proper sea-
son; improvements in fences, build
Jugs, etc, planting orchards, stock i'll
terests, and u thousand and one other
matters of grave Importance have been
given the go-by ut the command of
KING Cotton" who, ''iike the old He
brew walking stick, eats up its neigh
bors, and we greatly fear, will yet eat
up his subjects and devotees also.
Well, here we are, at any rate; ev
erything postponed to the cotton crop,
and it not all gathered; too late to
SOW small grain with the best pros
pect; and hence we are again closed
in to the ancient regime Of corn and
cotton, II they yield well, all may be
well enough, but there is about an
even chance of their failure, and in
that case, what will we have to fall
back uponi The cats crop may be
sufficient to be partial substitute for
corn. but if cotton should be short,
what will we have TO look to to bring
in money to buy the flour and bacon
from the North which we ought. but
have failed. to produce for home con
sumption
Our idea of agricultural reform in
Texas Is 10 cultivate cotton simply rs
one important crop. in connection
with Others, aud only to such an ex-
tent that each farmer could cultivate
and gather without much hired help