The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1892-06-02

bility 10 the soil or tho crop IL was in
tended to benefit, and most Of this large
amount has been applied to cotton. The
present season witnesses
A REDUCTION OF ONE HUNDRED THoUS-
AND TONS
In the use of commercial fertilizers, rep
resenting saving to the farmers of
about two and half million dollars.
Another significant Fact is, that much
OF what has been purchased has been
used under corn and small grain.
THE MARKED INCREASE IN THE SHALL
GRAIN CROPS
Is also cause for congratulation. We
have promise, by faithful cultivation
and the blessing of the early and the la
ter rains, of an abundant food crop for
man and beast. To make assurance
doubly sure, however, would advise
that full crops of
MILLET AND SORGHUM
be planted. A few acres we'll prepared
and nanured with phosphate will give
an abundance of most nutritious food
for cattle, hogs and mules, and will save
many ears of more expensive corn.
FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS
the very best generalship is required in
handling the crops. Rapid and thor
ough, but shallow cultivation should be
the cry from one end of the State to the
ether. Never let crust remain longer
than you can get to it to break it. Moth
ing pays so well as repeated shallow
stirring Of the surface soil. l have re-
peatedly urged the grave necessity of
reducing the acreage and
REDUCING THE COST OF COTTON,
our staple crop, by increasing the yield
per acre. Here we have the solution of
a problem which for twenty years we
have vainly endeavored to master. Dur
ing that period we have steadily in
creased the acreage, and only by the use
OF tremendous amounts of commercial
fertilizers have we been able to keep the
average yield up to about one-third of a
bale to the acre. The immense increase
In the crop has not come from any i'm
provement in the land, but simply from
the fact that, as a rule, farmers have
been stralning every nerve impairing
their credi6 and impoverishing them
selves and their families, by adding acre
after acre to the already too large cotton
area. Too large, because in many cases
1t has been planted at the expense of
other even more important provision
crops. have never ceased to urge the
absolute necessity of
BUILDING UP OUR LANDS
by renovating crops and by better meth
DDS of preparation and culture. To
make ourselves an independent and
prosperous people. we must change our
system of farming. The day has passed
when large holdings, except in rare ca
ses, are made profitable. The small
land owner will be the man to redeem
this land of ours from the blight of
mortgages, and tel t system which
draws everything possible from the soil
and returns nothing for the bounty.
The farmer can produce but a small
crop of cotton at cost of less than sew
en- cents pound. But would it not be
better to produce that small crop and
realize even small amount on it than
to make large one at cost of from
seven to ten cents, and lose from one to
four cents on each pound? Indeed our
common sense would teach us that we
should plant no crop, unless we can re-
alize on 1t more than it cost US to make
1t. And yet the south has, in the season
just pissed,
LOST NEARLY ONE HUNDRED MILLION
DOLLARS,
this amount representing the difference
between the cost of making our crop OF
nine million bales and the price we have
received for it. Every practical farmer
in the entire cotton belt realizes that we
cannot continue this losing game. and
has been eagerly and anxiously casting
about for some plan of relief.
That the advice so often given has
been largely acted upon is illustrated bv
a comparison of the acreage devoted to
cotton and the acreage devoted to grai,,
and provision crops. The lesson SO Sc
verely taught by the low price obtained
for the cotton crop for the last season is
one which l believe we will moi soon
forget, and having declared ourselves
in favor of the self-sustaining farm, we
have done much towards LAYING the
foundation of our future agricultural
independence.
Our staple crops having been pitched
and planted, while paying strict atten-
ton to their proper cultivation, let us
not neglect the
SMALL THINGS OF THE FARM
which add SO much to the comfort Of
the household and save many a dime
and dollar that would otherwise have to
go to purchase necessary provisions.
The garden and poultry yard afford
splendid sources of a wholesome food
supply, and in many instances where
market facilities are afforded, can be.
come the means of purchasing articles
which would otherwise have to be
bought on a credit at higher price,
and paid for out of our money crops in
the fall
It is essential to the successful man.
agement of our farms that attention be
paid to the demands OF the markets of
our neighboring town or city, where ia
cifities for properly placing the results
of our labor are to be found. By cast.
ing about in this direction we will often
find ourselves able to supply for cash or
goods, farm products that can be made
with little labor, and which in the end
will greatly reduce the amount which
we are compelled to pay out of the pro-
ceeds of our staple crops.
Having made start in the right di-
rection. let us not turn back, allured by
speculative hope of very large in
crease in prices. But let us use our ell
kkok