The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1884-01-16
ADVICE TO COTTON PLANTERS

BIr. W. P. Tarpley, of Henry conn-
tv Georgia, writes as follows to the
Farming World of Cincinnati, ohlo'
on the subject of "all cotton" farming
We have planted and cultivated, and
borne the the heat Of the day, and the
season has come for q few days rest.
How many have made success, Or adj
vanced in the old mother profession by
reflection and experiment Each can
now see the fruits of his labors devel-
oping. The Western farmer, that is
akin to everybody, looks over his
broad acres of corn and smiles at the
thought of weighty corn crib and a
disappointed winter. The Southern
farmer, with diversity of crops, feels
himself an American citizen. He has
gathered his wheat and oats and now
enlarges his cotn crib, and makes new
barrels for his syrup, while his few
acres in cotton bring him a few sur
plus dollars.
But what is the condition of the man
who planted all cotton? Truly he is
melancholy man. He began his work
tie first day of January, and has toll
ed through heat and dust, and now
finds himself in the same tracks that
he stood in fifteen years ago-so far
as financial progress is concerned.
He is perfectly exhausted, but worst
of all is, he realizes that new year
will dawn upon him again with empty
hands. If that man does not need the
sympathy of his people, who does? l
have endeavored to picture the condi-
ton of the two farmers, just as they
exist. The one will then ask, how
can / better myself? Tell him to quit
raising cotton, and he will invariably
say that am obliged to raise it; Fam
in debt and | have no other way to
get out, and furthermore [ have not
the necessary means to commence a
different plan of operations. The
truth is, he does not know how to quit
He has been going the same way SO
long that it has become habitual with
him. This is not supposition. but it is
the real condition of two-thirds, if not
three-fourths. Take the two different
plans of farming and compare the fig
ures. Take the one-horse farm, fol
instance. The farmer should SOW five
acres in wheat, clean and break the
land well, NOW and harrow in some
half an acre of rye in September fol
early use, SOW another half in Novem.
Der, commence the first of January and
SOW ten acres of rust proof oats, and
put thirty bushels of cotton seed to the
acre. If your land is not good, plant
twelve acres in corn as early as posi-
BILE; if the frost does bite it down it is
that much the better, but plant it on
your best land or manure it, if only
with muck or rich dirt. Plant eight
acres in cotton and five hundred bar,
rels of compost to the acre of your own
make which will not cost you over rwo
dollars per acre. Plant two acres in
sweet and Irish potatoes, one acre in
sugar cane upon loose sandy loan il
YOU have 1t. You now have in the
thirty-nine acres. The oats will make
twenty bushels to the acre at the least
calculation, or two hundred bushels for
the ten acres, at seventy-fve cents per
bushel, is worth one hundred and fftv
dollars. Cotton seed, worth thirty
dollars deducted, will leave one hun
bred and twenty dollars. Your corn
will make at least one hundred and
twenty bushel, worth one hundred and
twenty dollars. The two acres in Do
tatoes will make at least one hundred
dollars. The one acre in sugar cane,
if it makes anything will make seven
ty-five dollars worth of syrup. The
eight acres in cotton upon average
land, if planted as directed, will make
five bales of cotton, worth two hundred
and twenty-five dollars, expenses Of
compost and ginning twenty-five dol,
lars, which leaves two hundred dollars,
You have made upon your diversified
crops six hundred and fifteen dollars
with wheat, rye, fodder shocks, etc.
thrown in for good measure, and have
put everything at its least figures.
Now, take the man that plants al
cotton. Twenty-Five acres is as much
as one man can work, from which if he
gets seven bales of cotton he we'll. i
he manages to gather it all, himself
which is more than he can do, his ex
penses will be for guano, ginning, etc.
sixty dollars; his seven bales of cotton
is worth three hundred and fifteen del.