The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1892-12-15

iCoIA uSGAfo pOlICy are so serious LlaC
today we find ourselves confronted by
conditions which we must meet and
conquer or own ourselves defeated.
These unsatisfactory methods do not
meet the demands of our more enhght-
ened age. They are wrong from any
standpoint, and with hired labor they
are absolutely ruinous.
If we are in debt is it possible Cor us
to lessen that debt by taking on us obli-
cations to make cotton crop, which, as
| have already stated, costs under our
present methods more than it will bring
in the markets. Let us study this ques-
ton thoroughly, consider our surround
ings, examine carefully the condition
and requirements of our lands, count
the cost and then apply ourselves dill
gently to the task of ascertaining which
methods. which crops will pay the
largest dividends. Having determined
these let US use our best judgement and
energy to produce the best results.
Select some good agricultural publica-
ton, nothing better than "The Southern
Cultivator" and its contemporary 1.-THE
Southern Farm" both published in At
lanta, and as you sit around your fire
sides these long winter nights read and
study the results which are being
obtained in every section by live and
wide awake farmers. The day with US
is passed when we can do superficial
work, because the elements once so
abundantly supplied by our soil are
from unwise and careless management
greatly exhausted. Any one with ordi-
nary intelligence and energy can on
rich land dig support from the soil.
Only intelligent and properly directed
skill can Wrest success from our changed
condition. But here science comes to
our aid, points out the Trouble and sug-
gests the remedy and common sense
tells us that we have the conditions for
success in our grasp if we will only con-
troll them. Science says there are GER
tain elements necessary to the growth
of your crops, supply these in greater
quantities than your crops require and
you keep up the fertility of your lands.
Common sense says you have monopoly
on crop which is absolutely necessary
to the world keep it in proper bounds
snd your independence is secured
Build up small acreage each year by
careful system of rotation, green crops
and manuring. Take few acres and
every spare moment haul out the scrap
ings from lot, stable and fence corners,
| also from rich spots in your woods.
| Now and during the winter months is
| the time for this work. 1t has been
| demonstrated that stable manure spread
on the land and allowed to remain
during the winter has produced 70
bushels of corn per acre. The same
quantity plowed under in the spring
the same season yielded only so bushels
per acre. Purchase your acid cotton
seed meal and potash now, and during
| the bad weather mix these ingredients
on tight floor in the proportion of 900
| pounds meal /, 200 pounds acid and 200
| pounds Ger1San kainit. You will save
from 81 to 50 per ton. have first class
fertilizer and know just exactly what
you are using. Or you can take acid.
cotton seed meal and stable manure IL
the following proportions and have
fertilizer equal, if not superior to any
on the market: Acid, $50 pounds, stable
manure, 675 pounds, cotton seed meal,
225 pounds, or green cotton seed, 675
pounds. When land is deficient in
| potash add 200 pounds of kainit. In
this formula deduct IS pounds each, of
| green cotton seed and stable manure
and so pounds of super phosphate.
Again let me warn you not to be led
into the mistNke of raising too much cot
ton. Don't be tempted to leave the only
true plan to success, that is plenty of
! food supplier. and then all the cotton
you can cultivate without having to
borrow more than it is worth tomakei it.
The present condition of the cotton
market is sufficient proof of the unalter-
able laws of supply and demand" The
theory that we cannot produce too much
cotton is entirely exploded by the ex-
periences of 1891 and 1892. In 81 we
| produced the biggest crop on record,
| %ba oil fav hal
| duction, AM many farmers, more
especially those who bought their pro-
visions are yet struggling to pay off the
! obligations incurred in making that
crop. In '92 by reason of reduced
acreage and unpropitious seasons, the
yield has fallen below the average, and
now that this fact is established beyond
controversy, we see the price bounding
up in spite Of speculative effort to de.
press it, and notwithstanding the fact
that we have no more money in circpla-
ton than We had one year ago when
there was q popular theory that scarity
of money and underconsumption, and
not over production depressed the
market and. was the cause Of the disas-
trously low price.
Had the III sjority of farmers by pur.
sueing sound agricultural policy been
able to hold this years crop, that is the
crop of '99, they would now be reaping
the golden harvest over which the spec.
ulators are rejoicing. 1t is true there
are farmers who by raising an abun-
dance of provisions. reducing the cotton
area and by careful methods increasing
the yield while lessening the cost, are
I today reaping the benefit from their
wise forethought. But unfortunately
they are the exception. The bulk of the
cotton has gone out of the hands of the
farmers, and they are compelled to see
their crop, the result of much anxious
thought and weary toll, enriching others
instead of themselves. Let me urge
you in planning your crops for '93 to
remember th1t when we glut the mar.
kets of the world, we have to accept
such prices as the buyer sees fit to give,
but when we have our supplies and a
cotton crop just sufficient to meet the de-
mands Of trafs, we can, to a certain
extent, dictate the price. Don't allow
yourselves to I've allured into false meth.
DDS by the present high price of cotton.
This will be my last talk with the