The Bossier banner., 1893-05-04

force; the best conditions with the
necessary management is required
with one and all to realize the best re.
suits. No stockraiser' could afford tn
buy the feed, nor could the tobacco
grower depend on its profits tn
supply the stock and . food to
make the crop under the delu-
sion that hfs time and labor
wholly devoted to this one product
would be more profta BILE than giving
part of the time to other indispensables
that must be made OF the farm or
bought with large share of the to-
bacco made. There is not shadow OF
doubt but that this delHsfop. this al
most Universal practice of cotton row
ers giving nire-tenths of their labor to
the production of the one crop, cotton.
has brought poverty when wealth is in
easy reach by the simple practice of the
rule of self-support ! understand the
difficulty of adopting this as a rule so
long as there are tenants and croppe-s.
who are continually changing homes.
but let the system of labor remain as it
is no permanent or general prosperity
can come to the south until the farm
is, to a very large degree, self-support.
ing to owner and tenant or laborer.
1t may be that the production of one
staple, one money crop, demands less
attention and less care, for it is easier
to clean up the one and quit than To
look after several interests, but here is
where the loss comes in if neglected,
and profits made if given attention.
That is the word, attention, that pays
for the larger part of the substantial
plenty that should be obtained on the
farm and by the labor Of the farm. To
say that labor could not be had to feed
and care for stock would be to place
the farmers north in worse condition
than ourselves, for the ca.~e of stock is
their main dependence for living, and
help can always be found for this pur-
pose.
Admitting that the farmers eytry-
where in our country have been shame
fully imposed upon by the law-makers,
the limit has been reached, and taxa-
tion will be cqualized, and placing the
burdens one upon another alike will
bring about the same competition with
manufacturers as with farmers, and the,
same rule will govern them. They
must make each implement as the
farmer makes each product, where con-
ditions are most favorable. Profits will
be larger the more favorable the plant,
whether it be for steel rails or clothes
pins. And so with each product of the
soil, the conditions deciding the small
or large profits iH the production of
cotton as with all other crops. This
much is sure-that competition will
force the best methods for many years
to come in the culture of all staple
crops, and to obtain a reasonable
profit the most economical methods
must be adopted, or else the hand-to-
mouth system of paying two prices for
necess1ries that could be made on the
farm at less that half the cost, paid in
attention to crops that would go to-
wards sustaining life in man and beast
There is not to my knowledge one sta
pie crop that will justify keeping up
work stock for it's culture alone Wheat
comes as near as any, but II no Other
work for the teams necessary for the
planting and harvesting this crop could
be found, it's culture would be aban-
doned to large extent in the north.
The farmer has the first chance for
a good living. If he fails to obtain it he
has no one to blame but himself. More
especially is this reprebensible in tbs
southern farmer whose soil and climate
would give such bounteous support
withoso little effort.-Elisha Williams,
in Home and Farm.