The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-03-14

An Interesting Paper from Professor II. Q.
White on tho Snqject.


Editor Constitution--The address the
subject of "Village Farming" which re-
Gently delivered before the State Agrlcultu
raj Society, has been so kindly received and
has brought me so many assurances Iron
thoughtful men Of cordial endorsement OF the
suggestions which were made that am con-
strained to believe the subject timely one
worthy more extended discussion, and
gratefully accept the use OF your vailaDie
columns, which you courteously offer me-
for the purpose. 4 =, o.
claim originality for all Of the views Whicn
may express. L have no desire to advocate
or pose as the leader of, any lndustriai re-
volution." l shall be glad 10 nave sucn
statements as l may make corrected IL tney
not true; my views criticised IL tney mrt
not sound; and the plans which l Suggest pst
bettered if they not good; but l 90 not
wish TO be involved In controversial discus
sion for which ! have neither the ~ nG nnint
1on NOR the Leisure n% merely " can % certain
grave disadvantages and dangers which seem
TO to attend the present method OF con
agrcultureand to suggest. therefor. certain
reasons as plausible and certain remedies az
practicable.
to my views the subject because, 1or
number Of years l have had peculiar oppor
tunities to observe and obligation to consid-
er the matters whereof 1 speak; because it
is the privilege of every citizen to interest
himself to the extent Of his ability In mat
because as an officer of the university, a
public institution entrusted by the state
with an important educational work, the in in
crease of it's usefulness being intimately
connected with the material and soclai pro,
gress of the people. am deeply interested
in any movement which directly or indirectly,
Immediately ultimately, may promise an
increase of Its opportunities for service TO
the state.
the consideration, not only OF those OF our
people who engaged in agriculture, but
also, as a purely business matter. OF those
the profits of which are dependent upon the
profits Of agriculture and Of CAPITALISTS, phi
lanthropists and patriots all of whom are
called upon to cooperate to make effective
certain plans which | propose.
shall for sake Of breyity,, present what
I have now to say mainly In the form OF dis
tinct propositions.
1.-The Situation.
1. Our rural population-especially of the
whitcs-is relatively and in some countless
absolutely decreasing, and the urban popula
ton cofrespondng,y incr e s rms rs n 1or
gia and the south, it Is true and indeed. it
is, perhaps somewhat less marked here than
because
>. Georgia will always be, essentially, an
agricultural state. Natural conditions are
such that no large proportion of our people
will probably ever find profitable employment
in manufactures or mining Commerce is
the exchange Of products and our growth in
agricultural production. Our climatic con
ditions are such that we may hope always to
vored agricultural regions In the production
of not only, our peculiar staple crcps-cotton
etc.-but also general crops, fruits, vegeta
blcS, dairy products, etc
). The depopulaton of the country is a
menace to the prosperity and the safety OF
the state. Oar cities and towns will be
able to furnish profitable occupation in legiti-
mate industries to any large relative increase
in population The limit of safety has al
1r hnnp rI1 CHI 1 in Soma nctn
contented, prosperous rural population is
the best citizenry state may have. Histo.
it, and Jefferson emphasized it when he said:
"'rhe proportion which the aggregate of the
other classes of citizens bear in any state TO
that of its husbandmen. is the proportion of
its unsound to It's healthy parts. and is a
good enough barometer whereby to measure
Its degree of Corruption.'
H.-Tho Causes.
he causes of the relative depopulation of
the country ! believe to be
l. Farming, as now practiced in Georgia.
is. in the main, not n profitable business to
the farmer.
This | believe to be the truth as to the
great bulk of our agriculture, though well
aware that number of prosperous farmers
are exceptions to II general rule, The rea
in poverty of the soil. for our soils are rea
Sonablv fertile and may be made abunduntly
climate. for this is unexccled in perfect
adaptation to many varied crops; nor, alto
gether, in unjust provisions of our laws,
though these, perhaps, may have had some
part in making unequal the distribution Of
the farmers profits; nor in Incidence or lack
OF thrift for these | do not believe to be
chan acteristic of our people
The unprofitabeness or orr agriculture I
believe to be mainly due to the inability or
neglect of our farmers 10 apply to their bust
ness the great economic principles unon which
success in other pursuits is based such as
concentration
the division of labor and the cooperation of
industries; and the reason why they have
failed to do so is chiefly because as n rule
they cultivate. impcrfectly too large areas of
land. The imperfect cultivation of large
acrcagCS may have been profitable (Which is
doubtfu) with slave labor; it certainly is not
profitable under our present conditions. Debts,
mortgages and credit at ruinouS interest
rates for the actual necessities of subsistence
based upon the acreage planted i'll single
crop (cottonl are the results of persistent adj
herence to such u practice. And inasmuch as
the chance Of net profit in farming, by this
system, is slight MS compared with that
promised by other business, agriculture is
abandoned for other pursuits.
,. The conditions surrounding ordinary farm
life in Georgia land the south gencrally) AZ
present are not such as are conducive to hap
piness and c0ntentment. Isolation of families
upon large tracts of land in sparsey settled
districts; the impossibi!ity or serious incon
Yenlence or social intercourse. OF regular at
tendance upon school and church, of oppOrtuni
ties for developing commercial Institutions
which alone can satisfy the craving of civil
lied man for social and intellectual enjoy
ment; certain dangers tor the dread of them)
of isolation which attend upon a condition of
society peculiar 10 the south; these the
reasons why our farm life is, i'll the MAN,
not enjoyable.
If agriculture, we practice it, produces
neither profit pleasure, it is small wonder
that our people are unwilling to follow it.
III-Ihe Remedy.
An effective remedy is the adoption Of
system Of agriculture that shall insure both
profit and contentmcnt As adequate to the
purpose | make the following suggestions
l. A profitable method Of farming is found
in the high culture of small areas; or, rs it
Is sometimes called, ''intensive farming"
The capabinty Of the soil. when highly cult
waited, to produce enormous crops cannot be
disputed. 1t his been demonstrated on a
small scale by q multitude of individual farmers
and large scale by whole nations of
successful and prosperous agricultural peoples.
That large crops upon given area may be
produced at relatively less cost than small
ones has been repeatedly demonstrated and
cen be easily provAl. Space is not now
afforded me for illustration. but l am pre-
pared to prove both these propositions if
necessary.
=. Contentment and pleasure in rura! life
can be secured by grouping the people in