St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-02-25
Lincoln Parish.
THE TROUBLE THERE AND ITS CAUSE.
Lincoln Sentinel.l

Lincoln Sentinell
Bacon is selling for fifteen cents Del
pound cash, and hundreds of people
throughout this country have not 9
pound, nor cent to buy it with. Alb.
Ject want is already beginning to stare
many OF our people in the face and re-
mind them of the sore trials and priva.
tions they will have to undergo during
1hls year. The merchant, who has
been their sole dependence for the ne
cesslties of life for number of years
mas become tired of waiting for his
money. which has so long been due
ana which year after year grows larger
cuts loose from his protitless customer
and he is left to his own resources fol-
meat and bread to supply the demands
of nature.
How many are there in this country
that are similarly situated and who
know not how they will get through
the year, without credit, without money
and without meat and bread? 1t the
truth was known they are all over the
country. Pride forces many to conceal
their wants and sufferings, while Others
frankly acknowledge it.
The question naturally presents it
self, what is the cause of this condi-
ton of affairs, and why is it thus
The answer is as simple as the answer
to any question, and may be given as
readily, and is this: Incidence in the
first place, extravaganza in the second
place, and complete diregard of the
principles of successful farming as
practiced by those who are successful
and prosperous.in the pursuit.
Experience, il not common sense,
fnn nrhn 1,N &c
cheaper than when bought and paid for
fed for three-fourths of the year, pro-
vided the feed is raised at home also.
Most all kinds of grain and grasses
that grow at all in Southern climate,
grow we'll in this country, besides a
large number of other kinds of meat
producing crops, such as peas, potatoes,
plndars, chufas. grass nuts and numer-
GUS other root crops that make excel
lent meat without the use of any corn
at all.
These crops need comparatively no
cultivation at all, and are but little
trouble after they are planted, land is
plentiful in this country, and it is no
trouble for any farmer to have as many
patches" as he wants for the trouble
of fencing. Then, is it not infinitely
better to plant small patches OF such
crops, and keep your hogs up all the
time if it be necessary, and thereby
make your meat at home, than to buy
it and pay cash realized from cotton at
eight cents, and raised on land that re-
quires four or five acres to the bale !?
We certainly think so.
A Berkshire pig, well fed, will weigh
from two hundred and fifty pounds at
one year of age, ten or fifteen such
hogs will supply the wants of the most
numerous family in this parish, and
leave them some to spare to pay for
day labor during the year. Two or
three good milk cows will furnish an
ample supply of milk and butter for an
ordinary family, and two or three good
beeves year. A small flock of sheep,
half attended to, will yield enough
wool during the year to knit all the
socks for the family and furnish cash
enough to partly if not wholly pay for
the sugar and coffee and other little
comforts that cannot be made at home,
besides furnishing an ample supply of
good, fat mutton in the spring, summer
and fall.
Poultry, such as chickens, turkeys,
geese, guineas and ducks will furnish
plenty of eggs and poultry for the
table. One half acre planted in cane
will produce all the syrup family will
of moderately good land planted in
two hundred and fifty bushels, enough
60 answer all the demands Of a one
horse farmer, for bread, stock, poultry
feed and all, and keep everything in
fine order around him.
IL he wishes to carry the economical
idea still further he may plant five
acres in wheat and make all the flour
he needs during the year, which will,
i'm quality and healthfulness, far exceed
that made by manufacturing establish
ments and shipped south. Allowing
ten acres for corn and five for truck
patches the farmer will have five
acres to plant in cotton, which, If we'll
yertilized and thoroughly cultivated,
will make one bale per acre any ordina-
ry year.
home with the whole of the cotton
crop as net profit. The excess of but
ter, eggs, poultry, beef, mutton, wool,
etc., in farm such as we have de-
scribed, should, by all means, pay for
the clothing, sugar, coffee and other
little things necessary about q home,
which cannot be made at home.
Will any one, with this array OF
facts before him, pretend to say that
syery farmer should not be indepen-
dent and constantly growing richer all
the time
Under such management the increas-
NO value OF mans property will make
i'm rich. Take away your provision
from your yearly expenses, and
low much is Ieftf We dare say very
some will doubtless say that such .
,lan looks well on paper, but will not
10 practically. To such. we will say,
Ne Challenge you to try the experiment
'aIthfully, and il at the end OF three