The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-05-08
4 LESSON IN FARMING.
SOME GOOD ADVICE THAT is
WORTH NEEDING.
How the Farmers of the South May be
Debt-free and Prosperous, if not
Rich and Independent.
IGOldsboro Argus.l

(GOldsboro Argus
There is lesson to the Southern
farmer-and when we say Southern
farmer we do not confine ourselves to
North Carolina, but include the entire
South-in the suggestive facts and au-
thentic statistics We are going to here
publish.
The cotton crop of 1850, produced
in the South, sold for s25o, ,ooo, 900.
How much of that vast sum went to the
Northwest for supplies, all of which
could have been raised in the South,
would be interesting to know. We do
know, however, that but an insignifi-
cant portion of this S25o, 900 900 was
realized as profit to the farmer, when
he should have received all of it. The
cotton planter can raise all the corn,
oats, wheat, hay, bacon, beef and NUT
ton, and mules and horses needed on
the farm, cheaper than any one or all
of these are produced in the States
from which they are purchased.
There is no part Of the South where
corn cannot be grown prohtably, and
it is crop that need not interfere with
cotton, for it can be planted and
worked before time for planting cot
ton and before the cotton is upon the
farmer, the corn can be out of the way,
with but little more work required
until it is gathered, and that may be
delayed, if necessary, until cotton
picking is we'll nigh over.
Excepting droughts, which seldom
seriously affect the corn crop in the
South, and then only in localities not
generally large, there is no farmer in
all this section but can make more
corn than is required on the farm with
out the slightest interference with his
cotton crop. And where the corn
crop from any cause should be cut
short in particular locality, the
farmer should not need to go out of
his neighborhood to get his wants sup
piled.
Yet we see the majority of cotton
planters in the South, taxing their en-
ergies and paying high rates of inter
est to the commission merchant, to
make cotton with which to buy corn
that they should have produced at
home. Oats and hay can be raised in
the greatest abundance in the South
for less than the freight paid on these
articles.
The South can raise hogs cheaper
than Illinois. Mules and horses can
be raised here for less than one-half
the cost in Kentucky or Missouri, and
better and more serviceable, acclimated
and ready for use.
The beef from our available rich
pasture lands, that with proper a!ten-
ton can be made to feed and support
a larger number of cattle to the area
than any of the cattle districts, would
run the monster meat monopolies out
of our Southern markets and build up
great industry at home, giving en-
ployment to thousands and supplying
our people with good, wholesome meat,
free from the dangers of contagious
diseases and infected food, and cheaper
than we are now furnished.
We contend that there is not one
farmer in 100 in the South, who can not,
without materially increasing his ex-
penses, and without materially dimin-
ishing his cotton crop, produce all sup
plies needed on the farm, and hold
and have the cotton as surplus and
money crop.
With the annual profit of s25o, 900,
900, the farmers of the South would
be the richest and most prosperous
people in the world and the South
would become, with the means which
nature has SO bounteously provided,
the fairest and best of earth's posses
sions.