Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-24
Farm, Prospects.

Although the farmers have eneouhterel |
serious difficulties in the opening Vi '"e
croD season for 1883, such, for instance,
rs the scarcity Of reliable farm labor and
tho lone, continued rains, rendering opera
tions ON the farm slow and unsatisfactory,
there are many evidences Of increasing
thrift and hopeful signs that the progress
made last wear will be more than MAN.
tanned through the present. The winter
oats have been partially killed by cold in
some localities in the northern part OF the
state, bat these can still be replaced by
spring sowing, and if not quite 50 good as
the winter sOwn crop would have Deeh'
can lie supplemented with grasses. But
the farmers in that region are better on IN
the meat supply than they We're last
year. Having an abundant corn crop
from last year the young hogs
have been well fed, and growing
OF rapidly during the winter-many
farmers are now slaughtering this young
er stock TO avoid feeding through the sum-
mer. as Well as to avoid the risk OF loss
from disease and other causes. The local
press represents that much less guano
will be used in some localities than last
wear. and more compost or home made
fertilizers. which indicates closer atten-
ton to the Improvement Of lands, and
better system of economy on the farm.
We notice, too, with great satisfaction,
rapid increase throughout the State of
the purchase and use-Of improved farming
tools, adapted to the economy of labor and
the increase of the harvest. 1t
is to improved farming tools and
machinery that our farmers
must resort to make up the deficiency
Of hand labor, and it is probably best for
them that they are thus early compelled
by the scarcity of labor to seek relief in
this direction. The high perfection to
which agricultural machinery has now
advanced enables the intelligent farmer
using it not only to cultivate many times
! the area he could manage in the old way,
but TO do it better, with more ease to
himself and his stock, to prOducelarger
/ crops on the same area, and leave his soil in
much better condition for future crops.
| There is no doubt that our farming opera
/ tions in the South viii be seen to improve
and our crop yields per acre increase
/ in proportion to the intelligent use we
make of improved implements on the
/ farms. What has already been gained
/ proves this, and farmers have but TO COM
/ pare the present with the past to be con-
/ WINGED. That the Middle, Northern and
! Western States are more prosperous agri-
! culturally than the Southern, is generally
/ admitted, even without the census re-
/ turns, which contrast us very unfavOr-
/ ably, and their superiority is as generally
/ attributed to the use of improved ma
| chinery. The income of the average
| farmer in the Middle States is stated by
! the census to be S454, while that Of the
| average Southern farmer is
| SlSJ. difference against the
! south not warranted by climate, soil,
/ markets. or facility Of operations. If the
/ Middle states more than double our in
comes by growing grasses, combining
/ stock raising with the farm and using i'm
/ proved implements, we ought to consider
the example worth following. We have a
! longer summer, suffer much less damage
/ from cold; can raise some Of the clOvers
/ and many Of the grasses; have raised fine
! stock i'll every part of the South, and far
/ beyond their capabilities, and we have a
( grand variety of valuable productions pc
/ culiar TO our own climate and sought after
/ in all the markets of the world.