The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-01-03
The Tennessee Farmers.

| The Tennessee Farmers.
| NASHVILLE, Tenn, December 28.-TStaff
Correspondence,l- I'm 1915 there were 81 1881
! acres of land returned for taxation in Tennes-
| see.
In 1886 the number of acres had fallen to
! % ,122 500.
| Where are those ., 126072 missing acres?
| 1t might be well to organize joint stock
| company with large capital, to go mining after
| the missing acres, Certain it is that they eX-
| listed in 1873, for the taxes were paid on them,
ana people do not pay taxes for nothing, if
! they can help it.
| There are no figures to be obtained rs to
| agriculture in the state before the war. Dur
ing the war, and especially the latter part of
it, there was more attention paid to the mark
ing off of graveyards than anything else For
the first ten years after the war the struggle
with adversely was grim and deathlike, and
when, at last, relief came, it was in the
shape of
A blade of grass
Truly great results from small occasions
grow, when a blade of grass can decide the fate
OF an empire!
Perhaps no state in the south suffered more
| than Tennessee in the late war. The great
| number of union men i'll the state, especially
i'll East Tennessee, made the state a scene of
| lnternecine strife Fathers and sons were, in
many places, at da%ger's points, while brothers
enrolled under opposing flags. Those who
could not reach the lines of the army they
wished to join became bushwhackers, and
foraged upon the enemy, who
were their neighbors. When Tennessee
became the scene of active military
operations, it was not single track of comi-
try, like Shermans route from Atlanta to Sa-
vannah, that was devastated, hut hostile armies
crossed and re-crosSCd in several directions,
leaving desolation and terror behind them.
The first efforts after the war were in the
direction of raising cotton wherever that was
practicable OF course the people got poorer
every year. 1t was only as diversity of pro
ducts begansto creep in, that relief was expert
enced. In 1870 general selling off of land
began, and the number of small landowners
rapidly increased The census returns of 1850
show that tho area devoted to the cutiva-
ton of corn in Tennessee was 2,90l ,S73 acres,
which produced 60, 76l APO bushels being an
! average of PIG bushels per acre. The area de
voted to wheat was 1,l96,563 acres, the yield
1851 1913 bushels an average of Gig per
acre; -, 492 acres were devoted to rye; 1856
to oats; 4,907 acres to buckwheat 1900 to bar
ley. The state that year produced AZ bushels
of cereals for every man, woman and child
within her limits. This determined effort to
feed themselves was the beginning of 'rennes-
sees revival. In only - of the 80 counties
was there cotton produced
Since 1880 according to information receiy-
ed by the agricultural bureau, the increase in
grain crops has been steady. The increase of
the wheat crop this year over last
was ten per cent in middle Tenn
essee, and averaged seven per cent in
the other sections There is great improve
ment III the preparation of the soil, and the
use of labor-saying machinery has accom-
| plished much. One farmer in East Tennessee,
! for instance, TepoNts that he has doubled his
yield Of corn by the use OF scientific methods,
which cost him nothing but an exercise Of his
| intelligence.
The census reports show that in 1880 there
were 266 1l9 horses in the state; 1888 mules
and asses: BOB, So mich cows; n ,}iO working
oxen, and 49,, 462 other cattle These are tho
living witnesses of the growing wealth OF mod
I tt,..tN ,Yfe, N lf.t
Grass
The soil Of the state is well adapted to the
cultivation Of the grasses. In fact in many
sections Of the state, blue grass springs indi-
gcnous to the soil. Clear the undcrbrush away
from the forests, and the first rain brings in re-
Spouse from the earth the verdant blades which
mature animal life. Among the other grasses
which grow i'll great lnXurianCe are timothy,
herds-grass orchard grass and even our much
abused bermuda grass, which does its best ser
vice when the intense heat of summer dries
up all others. Red clover grows picntcouSy
making from two to three tons of hay.
When first progressive farmer, here and
there, noticed that there was moro money in
turning grass into live stock, and that even
then the livestock could be bred up to a high
er pitch Of excellence, which meant money in
his pocket, he but paved the way for dozen
others to follow his example. The number of
stockmen increased, and it became a part Of
pride to own grade or n full blood.
The effect of this change is best seen in the
answer given everywhere that the people Of
Tennessee are out Of debt, and steer clear of
the moneyending corporations which are
running other parts Of the south.
The increase of the hog product Of the state
has doubled since 1870. The diffusion Of i'm
proved breeds is general, such as the Berk-
shires, Essex, Sussex, Yorkshiles, Poland
Chinas and jersey Reds.
THE ILLS or THE FARMER.
1t must not be supposed that because the
Tennessee farmer is out Of debt that he haqno
ills. The fact Is that prosperity brings with it |
ills fully as irksonc as those which accompany
adversely. The man who has something to |
sell is Just rs anxious 10 get the most for it as
is the man who has nothing TO gain something.
Nearly every farmer has produce, Of some kind |
or other to sell and ~ he has ready money, |
there is something which he wishes TO buy. IN
either case he is confronted by the middle |
man and if it were not unlawful to do so, the |
middle man would be roughly handled some |
times. As a consequence, there is a big move |
ment throughout the state 10 drive the middle
man out Of existence There are in almost |
every county local bodies Of farmers known rs |
Wheels In Iorty-niue countic8 there are 5000 |
members. These Wheels rcsote within dis |
trict and state Wheels. They hayc purehas- |
ing agents, whose dutF IL is To bay at whole !
sale such articles a the members need, which |
are distributed At cost price. The state wheel |
has its headquarters in this city, aud proposes
to do some extensive buying for the brethren. |
The farmers complain also that "cOrncrs" ar /
made in wheat, pork aud other products,
whereby prices arc either ran up or down.
Through the aid Of the National Wheel which. /
it Is hoped, viii draw the union to ITS side it is
expected that some day congress viii resolve
itself INTO g'cat big wheel, and !
tumble PHI Armour into the lake, together /
with his companions. Then, these farmers ,
say, win come that time when ever, man vii .
get his own, and there Wll be no sharp prac
tice in trade.
PEA JAY.