The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-08-24
Farm and Home.
Diversified Farming in the South.

Diversified Farming IN the South. !
A few months ago, in an article 1
designed to show the Importance of
diversified crops in the south, we
presented some carefully compiled
statistics pointing out that during
the present crop-year the foodstuffs
bill tn at the southern states had to
pay to the west footed up nearly
S2OO,O0O,0O0, of which $50, 100000
was for wheat, 100000 for corn
and $72,OOO,0O0 for provisions.
These figures have been republished
by the leading papers of the coun-
thy, generally without any acknOwl
edgement of their source, and some
times credited to wrong papers, I'M
til probably dozen or more differ
ent papers have received the credit
for them.
1t was natural that they should
attract much attention, for while it
was known that the south was
largely dependent upon the north
and west for its bread and bacon,
few, if any, realized how great was
this annual drain. When it is re
membered that the total value of
the cotton crop, the south's main
source of money, averages only
about $275, 100000 to $300,000,0O0
a year, fully two thirds of which
goes out for food, it is really a won
der that the entire section has
steadily increased in material pros
perity. With the entire profits on
cotton culture in any one year form
ing but a very small percentage of
what was paid for flour and proYis
ions, it is somewhat of mystery to
know how the south could stand
such an enormous annual loss. The
New England states, as well as
Great Britain, do not produce
enough grain or provisions for
their own consumption, and they
are compelled to pay good many
millions of dollars to the west for
these necessaries Of life; but then
they are not like the south in being
dependent upon one staple, the prof
it upon which at the most is very
small. They are largely engaged IN
manufactures, which produce hun
dreds Of millions of dollars worth of
goods.
That this unfavorable condition
Of affairs in the south is undergo
ing a rapid change is n matter of
deepest interest. This of its elf
means a wonderful improvement in
that section, and is fully as impor-
tant as the increased attention given
to manufacturing and mining by To-
cal as well as by outside capitalists.
The area in wheat in the south this
year shows an increase of 100000
acres compared with 1881, while in
corn and oats there is a proper
tionately large gain. The chang
ing condition of affairs is well illus
trated by Tennessee, which last
year produced 100000 bushels of
wheat, and purchased from the
west nearly 100000 bushels at a
cost of over $4,000, 1000; while the
wheat crop Of that state this year is
about 100000 bushels, which
viii provide for domestic wants and
IcdNC u SUI p1uS III Sttlc VI ttDOuO
100000 bushels. In Georgia,
Kentucky, Texas, North Carolina,
and other states, the change is
as great.
The acreage devoted to corn and
oats, as previously stated, is also
much greater than in former years,
and this means more home-raised
bacon, and also less provender
from the west for live stock. We
think that we are fully within
bounds in estimating that the de
crease to be paid out by the south
for foOdstuffs during the crop-yeaT
1882 SO, as compared with 1SS2-S2,
viii be not less than $35, 100000 to |
a revolution in the
affairs of the south so great as this
will undoubtedly tell upon the fu-
ture prosperity of that whole sec
ton, and a few years more Of the
same course of diversified farming |
will make the southern states prac- |
tically independent Manufactur
er's Record.