Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1891-09-26
Cor ,Li'0ntfeiicr.

EDITOR OF ENTERpRIsE-Will you
kindly allow an outside observer
one without personal interest, but
also is nevertheless deeply interested
in all that pertains to the welfare OF
the people of the Eastern Shore, to
offer II few sugge stions in regard to
the farming outlook for another year.
The almost fatal failure in the
sweet potato market this fall is en-
tirely due to two causes, the most inl-
portant of which has been the enor
nous crop and exceedingly low price
of peaches. The market has been
literally gorged with that fruit since
the first of August, the best fruit
sometimes selling for 20 cents u
bushcl Both private families and
hotels have used scarcely any other
fruit this season.
Farmers should know that the
sweet potato is not Il staple but a
luxury: :tnd'is subject to the same
fluctuations as any other article in
the market.
The other cause of low prices is the
too heavy shipments of small pot;l-
toes early in the season.
In fact, there are 100 many nf them
raised, unless they vera used In n
greater extent than thov are NV.
Virginia farmers would do well to
iurn their attention lnt least IL ereal
or part of il, to the producing of st /
y e articles OF fonG-brcadstuifs, irish
potatoes and oniane.
irbc heavy toy on the two Init ar.
-;clre IS bound 70 max" them in de-
mand next season: while the scarcity
of hrea dstutl's and the ever menacinG
prosnec- of war in iIurore are equally
bound r. make q strong market for
corn and wheat.
No farmer shoulh plant ovnr la.c01
sprouts of sweet potatoes. An rarly
cron OF irish potatoes, well farti'ized,
IL moderate OUTPUT OF peas, some
strawberries I'D hal of he farm. III
least. IL cora, would ~ tie opinion
Of the writer hc much better than tn
risk EVERYTHING Oh ""''n which is
only in de.na,d during 81 f. W months
in the Autumn, and 'hat Il limited
demand
Neither should the barn yard lie
neglected. Cattle. logs and horses
we mnst have. Ergs are taxed ) cts.
n dozen. anlayill Va high NEXT WIN
ter. Pork is nes'er y drr", and GOOD
horses always in demanl.
But there is one cr%'ing evil on The
Eastern Shore as we'll rs in other
parts of the World. tits the evil Of
landordisin. Ii r,incd Ireland. and
is the blne Of civilization. So long
us the majority of fl"lnc"s hive TO
rent their farms. the far1nc: himself
MS we'll us the soil must remain poor.
The poverty of ONE inSures The nov
criy OF the other; while I'll" l"rdlord
finds in his poor and uncollectei rem
| tails Il prccarious il.ves' ut best
aud if men must rent they should ef-
feet leases of many wears, instead OF!
the year to year system, which can-
not POSSIBLY be beneficial to landlord
or tenant. Indeed, Il poor man IS
better off With ten acres and Il cabin
of his own, than to be the tenant of
II hundred acre farm with no mems
or capital to curry it on. and having
to depend solely upon his one crop of
sweet potatoes from which to support
hi. family and pay his rent.
Look around you, my friends, and
YOU will see that every industrious
man who owns his little farm goes
ahead, while the ln;lu who has to
move from year to Year and lives on
rented lad, but leaves one poor
place to find another poorer still, and
himself ut last a beggar.
If capitalists would invest in some
thing else than real estate, and poor
men make it their object TO secure an
humble home of their own, times
would he better.
OBSERVER.