The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-04
TOPICS
Of the Farm and Garden.

The farmer puts his shoulder TO the
-,hoeln now, or rather his hand TO the plow
Nd enters upon the employs Of another
1sar. The plans, we assume, are all laid.
The work of the year is cut out-the line is
dawn and, doubtless, he will hew TO 1t a.
closely as be can.
circumstances Of one kind or another may
,ouse some considerable departure from the
original plan before the season is over in in
dividuaI cases. but in the aggregate the
.crssge of the several crops will be based
rnon the apportionment made this month
in all probability.
So many acres in cotton, so many in corn,
80 many in oats and pease, etc. 1t is
,bonchtIess farmer who has not by January
arrived at a conclusion as to the policy he
will pursue the coming year. His plans
nav be, may have to be, modified
more or less as the season advances,
nevertheless the practical farmer starts out
this month with very we'll defined plans as to
the area to be devoted to the different crops
that he proposes to grow. Perhaps there
hes never been a time when the average
farmer has been more sorely puzzled IN lay
ing out the plan Of the years work than he
is this ytar.
There is no need for mincing words about
the present condition Of agricultural affairs
+, the south. 1t Is bad. 1t is deDlorable.
II is we'll to recognize the fact and freely
admit it-then strenously seek after what
ever remedy there may be. Let every far
rner whose head is still above water use
every energy to keep it there until the tide
changes.
Overproductiou of cotton and underpro-
duction of all food crops have had their
natural elimination. Will the lesson that
II teaches be needed! If not, woe unto the
country. Let our farmers be farmers
henceforth and cease being one-horse
"plsntsrs.n
The Southern Live Stock Journal, speak
ingoS 1.-THE aspect of farming in the cotton
bolt. SAYS: "The years business is we'll nigh
brought TO finish. Farmers know whether
or not they have made money-that is,
whether they came through with anything
over what they started with. II they did
not, it is reasonable to suppose they have
made nothing. If were going to guess, we
should say few have made money. Many
have lost, to say nothing Of the go-to-town-
oue>day-in-the-week fellows, and you can
count them by hundreds. who are behind
with the merchant CT the landlord for land
rent, mule rent and supplies.
The first-class real farmers, the back
bone of the earth's production, will put
their wits to WORK and commence at once,
undaunted by failure, to repair their losses.
They nave land. teams, corn and some meat.
The question that is now puZzling them
most IS how to raise cotton at cents-a
question that has not fairly confronted them
before. How will they meet its Not all
alike The men who are independent, the
farmers that have made living at home,
not in dabt to their merchant, will tie che
first to decide as to how they will arrange
their crops for the coming year. 1t will be
no struggle with them TO decide to bave
less to do with cotton than ever. They will
be IL tine to plant some oats, in we'll pre-
4 pared land, nor will they stop with small
patch. This work should be done by
q Feb /. II not already in the
ground. better wait for the jan
4 January freezes to pass before planting,
& They will not wait, however, TO prepare the
land especially if it has not been summer
Y plowed.
"A small proportion Of these provident
& farmers will include few acres to be seeded
TO some OF the native grasses that can with
stand the heat Of summer. Their staple
crop, corn, will receive a still better share
Of attention. 1t is now q settled fact that
q by good preparation and by the aid of cot
ton seed, early planting and rapid cultiva-
a ton, large yields Of corn can be made to
n overpay all expenses and good land rent
basdes, especially when the pea crop, that
can be made TO occupy the same ground, is
not overlooked.
Just here it may not be out Of place to
81 suggest that the corn rows be laid wide
enough TO permit Of close planting in the
q drill, by which means the corn can be made
cheaper. as it will require less blowing and
less hoeing-the spaces between the corn
s rows can DO devoted to pea culture that will
finish up the corn. This ia no new idea. II
q y old, but NOT practiced to the extent
\ that the eIigencies of the situation de-
serve; owing TO the fact that cotton las
& been too much in the way. there has been
no time to plant and harvest peaSe.
Now, to come down to smaller things
these good farmers will plant rice, potatoes
Tor the family and to fatten hogs, few
banks extra to feed to the city people in ex'
& change for shoes, cloth. etc. The garden
end sugar cane patch will, of course, not bt
forgotten; y aud in his determination to be G
real farmer and live at home henceforth h'
WIN give attention to many more things
& THAN Is above named. Besides corn and cot
z Ton aud oats and pease aud rice and sweet
potatoes ne will raise beef and hogs anC
y poultry and tobacco, hay, nut and frui
uees, grapes, onions, Irish potatoes, plenty
VI milk and batter, honey and garden
mat ne can almost live off Of six or eight
months in the year. s. A. c.
The Cbeaneet Manure