The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-05-19
surplus cotton, weeds and grass from

&
, the rows.
Upon the timeleness and thorough
f ness of the work largely depends thu
success of the crop, and the farmel
finds the chopping season the ont
making most urgent demand on hi
labor. Most cotton crops are based OF
: fair working season, but when un
propitious weather comes and hinder'
the war against weeds for few day:
the "man with the hoe" finds the
chances of battle sadly against hin
and the cost of his crop hugely in
creased.
Under the most favorable rondi
tions cotton can not be raised and
sold with a profit at cents, and
when the conditions are unfavorable
and the cost of production largely in
creased the result must be dis
astrious to the planter. The only
hope see for the cotton farmer is to
plant few acres, cultivate them thor
oughly and employ every devise that
will tend to reduce cost.
The average cost of cbopping cotton
to stand in this section may be fixed
at ST. an acre. That is in dry, fav-
orable season. When long continued
rains have given the grass a good
start it may cost 81 an acre, and have
offered So without finding laborers.
When the operation has to be repeat
ed twice, this forms serious item in
the expense account.
have long advocated checking cot
ton with sweep, and do so again as
valuable aid in time and expense saw
ing. Horse power should be used
whenever practicable to save hand
labor.
Machines for chopping cotton have
been on the market for some years,
but have not found much favor with
planters. They are all open to one
objection, and some of them more.
Their action being automatic
they cannot discriminate between
cotton and vacuity, and they some
times cut out plant, leaving va
cant space on either side. That is the
one objection common to all, but
some of them do the chopping in such
a way as to injure the soil, unless i'm
mediately followed by the pillow, which
is not always practicable.
A few days ago 1 witnessed the
trial of a new machine invented by
Mr.. l.. M. Poole of Liberty Hill, which
is open to fewer objections than most
others. In fact it did the work per-
fectly where the stand was perfect. 1t
cut out clearly everything except the
little block meant for stand, and left
the soil just where it was before the
cut, thus avoiding the fault of other
machines, which remove the soil and
leaves bare surface. The only thing
needed to make the machine popular
aud profitable is perfect stand.
This would involve a much
heavier seeding, and increased cost
for seed, but that extra cost would not
cut much figure, as the more seed
used, the more fertility given to the
soil, to be returned in the next crop.
With perfect stand the machine
could chop out or acres day,
with the aid of one hand and pair of
horses. This means great reduction
in labor and expense, but there is an
other point equally important and
that is the rate at which it gets over
the crop. Rapidity of chopping some
times means the difference between
losing and saving a crop.
AS l looked at Poole's machine it
occurred to me that it would be an
easy matter to construct one that not
only chopped the cotton to stand,
but would do all subsequent chop
ping. Such q machine would be
boon and would find favor with every
practical cotton raiser. Let mechan-
les take this hint and set about max
ing fortune.
DOING HIS BEST.
Discussing the condition and pros
poets of the average Texas farmer with
friend who belongs to the class, L
ventured to express the belief that
farmers would be more prosperous if
they employed methods in the cultiva-
ton of their crops and the manage
ment of their affairs. With this my
friend disagreed and asserted that the
farmers did the best that was possible
for them to do with their means and
knowledge. My position is that by
the exercise Of a little effort and wise
ly applied mental and physical labor
their means and knowledge can be de-
veloped to point where they can
be used to greater advantage.
There may be few embeciles
and cripples incapable of the neces-
sary exertion, but their number must
be small.
l believe that the vast majority of
unsuccessful farmers could improve
their condition if they would honestly
try to make the most of their position;
and that it is not because they do not
know better that they fail, but that
they are careless and unambitious
They seem to be satisfied with their
daily bread, even if eaten six months
before it is paid for, and perfectly con-
tented with the meanest domestic
copveniences and surroundings. That
they do not know better is not more a
proof of ignorance than of idiocy
They are quite satisfied that they are
doing their best and that their posi-
ton is not due to any lack of effort or
torethought on their part, but
to misfortune and the blighting influ-
ence of a corrupt government and still
more corrupt capitalists who fatten on
the fruit of their labor. While there
is some truth in this belief, it is not
the whole truth, and the remedy for
depression in agriculture matters is
not to be found in any sub-treasury,
land nnnt intoraut