The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-31
MAKERS
What "Home Supplies" Means.
ALL 1T COVERS.

| CIV. j. Northern in Southern Cultiyator.
In all the discussions had upon
the depressed condition of tue farm
ers at the South, it is argued that
| one among the main causes will be
found in failing to make the farm
selfsustaining. This means that
the farm should not incur any ex-
pense that could be met III it's own
products This view is intended
to cover mainly what is known in
common farm parlance, as "sup-
plies" Ii this term is intended to
cover only the bread and meat re-
quired to maintain the working
forces, and the corn, oats. hay, etc,
to feed the stock, | DO not think
the case is fully covered as to the
term "self.sustaining."
A farm is not self-snstalning in
the best and fullest senSe--that
buys It's munares. In opposition to
this statement, 1t is SAID by our
farmers that manures Can be much
more cheaply bought than they can
be made on the farm. This is the
stereOty pc reply made about meat
aud corn and oats. 1t is, in my
opinion, just as misleading in the
one case as in the other. We have
believed too long, without testi-
mony, that 1T Is cheaper to grow
cotton to buy corn than to grow
corn All We need 70 explode this
theory is to put it to the test.
We cannot possibly hope to cover
so 'atge an aTea by homc made
mannres as by commaIc:al :eItih-
ZeTs, Uuj tie reSu Is will be more
satisfactory, much less expensive.
much more permanent
here Is no use discussing or de-
laying the matter. We are COM
PEELED to i'egln some system of
manuring that will bring oui lands
up and give them renewed lite and
streght. Clean culture has about
lost its fertility.
The best manurlng is good care
of soil. l. we l.Iev, mt Washing, we
will, iu one sense, accumulate fer
tiIity. We have allowed too much
of Our land carried away s'y rairs.
If ia mcIs Will husband their soil
they Will reduce tie nect ssity for
| fertilizers. Ia that sense and to
that extent tue farm will be made
selfsustaining. AGAIN, the lands
can be ttftctually brought up by
turning under stubbie aud green
rye, peavines, clover, etc. The
route to fertility for thu farm, after
green munurlng, is through the
barnyaId.
| Another "poverty maker" is the
wearing out and continued purchase
of mules and farm stock.
Talking to-day with farmer
from Kansas, SAID I, "TelI NE about
your agricultural people. We un-
derstand here at the South that
your farmers are III greatly dis
| tressed circumstances Is this
true?" Said he, ain Kansas, when
ever a farmer takes care of his
| machines, his land and bis crops,
| manages his farm on good business
principles, aud has sober habits
ynu will lind him prosperous and
with money V beIeyer you find a
farmer neglectfuI of his implements,
aud car, less about the condition OF
his farm, he is IN debt"
Can We not say that this is
pretty generally the case with us?
" heneyer farmer buys mule and
urnS him over TO negro tenant to
be abused and starved, and then
replaced by another good one at the
end OF the year, you invariably find
bin in debt and under mortgage.
We find quite good deal OF such
management practiced on our farms
Farm stock is not well cared for,
and then comes the necessity. too
| frequently, to incur expense to re-
place it. Every mule used on the
iarMs IN Georgia and at the south
should be raised upon the tarm. 1t
has been repeatedly demonstrated
that mules can be grown TO three
| ! ears Ia this state for sixty dollars,
they are then worth one hundred
and twenty five. A farm is not
SeIf-sustalning unless it raises all It's
own stock.
Thee are two of the main sources
of exhaustion on our farms. To-
gether With the purchase of what
Is commonly known as "supplies,"
these two expenses are enough to
bankrupt any farmer who follows
them.
Georgia spent SS,OOO,OOO the past
year Tor fertilizers, and $3,O00,OO0
tor mules and horses, to say nothing
of cattle and hogs. If all the money
could now be turned loose in the
State, and return to those who paid
| IF ont it U0uId aoSa mn mattorS