The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1893-05-20
FARMER AND PLANTER.
WINTER IN THE SOUTH.
Thoughts Suggested by the Unusually
Severe Winter.


thoughts Suggested by the Unusually
Severe Winter.
This has been an unusually severe
winter for the south, and farm work is
behind and good weather much needed.
The success or failure of farmers de-
pend In great measure on the way we
manage our work now. Much land is
shaded around edges, SO that at least
ten per cent Of the labor put on the
neid Is total loss; this may be pre-
vented now, many poor spots that
make nothing may be supplied with a
load or two of manure and made to
make good crops Last year 1 hauled
manure to the poor spots of field and
placed shovclful of manure to the
hill OF corn. When gathared last fall
there got more corn than anywhere
else; when II not manfred would
have gathered but little, BY this
means | have been treating what
was an old pasture field a few
years ago until now realize the
best OF crops from it, and have the sat
isfaction of knowing that 1 am building
on solid foundation; as long as we
add more to a field than we take from,
1t follows that we leave 1t in better con-
dltion than we found 1t. am opposed
to the use of commercial fertilizers on
general principles, because it increases
the volume of cotton and depreciates
prices; in other words it carries the sup
ply lone way and brings the price the
other" and that other is always lower.
Now If a farmer can supply his own
manure for his land, he stands an equal
chance, IL not better one than his
neighbor who buys fertilizers, for
good crop, and be the cost of the fertil.
izers better of, and never miss the
time when gathering time comes that
1t takes to haul and apply it Those
who use commercial fertilizers are
renters of land, as compared to those
who do not use and can make equal
crops without it. ''Steel's Ba-
You" can make, and in fact all
delta and river men can make better
cotton without fertilizers than we can
by the use of them; our cotton brings
as no more than theirs. The rich
prairies of Texas will make more cot
ton without them than ours will with
a heavy application of commercial fer
tilizers; our cotton sells for no more
than theirs Therefore, as compared
to them, we virtually occupy the posi-
ton of renters, and IL upland farmers
make cotton at all it must be as sur
plus crop, being certain that we raise
nj ~ "a
petitors holds us at decided disadvan-
tage.- As / said at the conclusion of
my last article that universal pros
perity depended upon individual pros
perity." on the same principle we must
act with the management of this years
crop; let no man consult his neighbor
but each individual see TO II, that he
plants fuller crop of everything else
than cotton, and at the end of the year
all will be prosperous. Hard times can
find no room in country where there
is plenty for man and beast.
People who have plenty of homegrown
supplies have but little need of money.
Money has contributed but little TO hu
man happiness, but the love of money,
the effort to get money has destroyed
the happiness of millions. The less we
ere controlled by this great commercial
crop-cotton-the better our financial
affairs will be. Cotton is king that
rules with a heavy hand. Peace, plenty
or happiness is seldom dispensed by
him. Ours is goodly land, we have
perverted it, our troubles in the past
are all dine tn ourselves. we Gan grow
an abundance of almostan crop our
soil and climate embrace everything
that is desired by man or beast almost,
and If we will only give it a fair share
of our time and attention we are amply
rewarded. and while figures sometimes
tell us that it is cheaper to buy than to
raise them, experience teaches US that
IT is much safer to raise them.--Cor.
Home and Farm.