The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1891-04-23
From the Southern Cultivator. -

me pOsSlDllltelS OF diversified
farming in Georgia and the opportu-
mites for large profits on an average
cotton farm may be appreciated
when say that Mr.. Schmidt, from
Walker county in this State realizes
the past season from one acre of
ground, forty dollars for fruit, two
hundred and twenty-five dollars for
Irish potatoes, and one hundred and
sixty dollars for turnips. 1t is prop
err to say that the members of Mr..
Schmidt's family consumed good
portion Of the turnips and potatoes
grown upon this acre and not in
cluded in the above estimate.
The climate and soil of Georgia
are adapted to the growth of quite a
variety of profitable crops. 1t is
altogether a mistaken idea to sup
pose that cotton is our only paying
product. We cannot grow wheat in
middle and lower Georgia to very
great profit, and our farmers in these
sections give little or no attention
to it's cultivation. Oats are grown
with great success and make for us
a profitable farm product. Some
seasons since | cleared fifty six
dollars upon an acre Of ground sown
to oats ard then put In forage corn.
The grasses grow well With US; OF
course we cannot grow, with equal
success, all the grasses grown North
and West. In my former article l
stated that | had not found timothy
profitable. Farmers in the northr
ern part of the State do we'll with
it. AS | have before said, Bermu=
da more than takes its place, and
clover is as good in Georgia and
at the South as in any sections Of
Ohio. Upon oVr white lands, OF
course, the clover is not so good.
Fruit growing is bcco.ning quite
an industry at the South. Indeed
our early crops are taking the cream
from growers Of the North and the
West. Many farmers north of us
are beginning to realize this condi.
ton, and they are seeking farms il
our section to get the benefit of ear
ly grown crops.
Grapes are especially profitable
The crop seldom tails of a large anc
abundant yield, as the soil, in many
sections of the State, seems specially
adapted to their growth. One grow.
er from grape section in Western
New lork has recently bought $500
acres Of land in South Georgia with
a view to planting largely in grapes.
Basing his opinion upon long ex-
perience i'll the cultivation of grapes
aud his information received as to
the success reached in this section.
he seems satisfied that his purchase
in Georgia will bring him much
larger yield than his lands in New
York, especially when he considers
the advantage IN cheapness of lands
in this State.
AS | am writing in reply to the
inquiry Of an Ohio man, | must re-
cur again to our early crops. Dur
ing recent visit to the farms in
Ohio, called attention of fruit grow.
ers to the advantage We secured in
Georgia in early crops; since then
many of them have bought small
farms in this State and some OF then
large areas of land to be given to
nurseries.
There can be hardly any measure
to the possibilities of agriculture in
this State. Our people for a long
term of years have devoted them
selves to cotton exclusively. and
they have really not known until
with in the last fifteen or twenty
years the adaptation of our soil and
climate to diversified agriculture.
When these facts are generally
known and appreciated our system
will be entirely changed, our lands
will be in demand a. greatly advanc-
ed prices, and our people will be.
come far more prosperous and con-
tented. w. J. NORTHERN.