The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1893-11-16
COMMISSIONER NESBITF,
Ills MONTHLY TALK WITH THE
GEORGIA FARMERS
IN subjects Of General Interest Per.
tanning to the Farm and
Garden Good Advice.
ATLANTA, Nov. 1st, '93.

ATLANTA, Nov. LIST, '93.
Inc past month, with local executions.
mas ceen uniformly favorable for the
sowing of all crops, and in this work
our farmers have made fine headway.
THE COTTON
crop is virtually gathered and, with
few exceptions, never were its results
more disappointing. At one time the
crop outlook through the state, with the
exception of northwest Georgia, was
most encouraging. From unpropritious
seasons IN that particular section the
crop has been almost uniformly unprom-
lslng, and from the time it came out of
tne ground all through the growing and
making season, and until fully matured
and gathered, offered little hope. In
other sections, however, the crop at one
time promised WELL and the general
failure in results, combined with I'M
fortunately low prices, have brought
disappointment and gloom to almost
every farmhouse in Georgia. The per-
picking and unsatisfactory condition of
our monetary affairs has added its de-
preston of influence, and altogether
our farmers as class are troubled by
anxious forebodings. More especially is
this true of those who have neglected
diversity of crops and ample home
raised provisions.
ECONOMY
has been the watchWord and making
the present crop, and its principles have
been more generally practiced this year
than for several years past. In many
instances men have denied themselves
and families necessary comforts. But
the sacrifice seems unavailing, and
farmers, in common with workingmen
of all classes, are suffering, though it
may be in less degree, from the desig-
mated condition of the times.
But, while much of the present I'M
rest and dissatisfaction can be traced to
defective financial laws, we, as farmers,
must admit that, as class, we have in
vited disaster by ignoring some of the
plainest and simplest business rules.
We readily admit that in our efforts to
cultivate much of our land, we are
yearly taxing it beyond that point where
could we expect even under the most
favorable seasons and with the most
persistent and faithful work to realize
more than the cost of production. Nc
hope of profit, even under the best sea.
sons and best management. With un
propitious seasons the result is actual
loss, and oftentimes suffering. Will we
never learn wisdom from hard expert
ence, or is the absolute loss of our prop
erty and total inability to secure sup
plies on time the only sure check on
our
SPECULATIVE SYSTEM OF FARMING?
Our farmers should remember from
their past experience that they cannot
afford to start crop in the vain hope
that after advancing it to certain stage
some one else will be willing to risk the
supplies to keep it going. The mer-
chant, like the farmer, has drifted along
in the same current, both shutting their
eyes to the dangerous snags all along
their course. He, like ourselves, has
hoped against hope, striving each year
to recover some part of the losses which
he has borne in the shape of advanced
and unpaid for supplies. Our mutual
hopes have been built upon sand foun-
dations and the props seem entir ely
swept away. The lesson for us as farm.
ers to learn is, that under existing cir
cumstances, it is worse than folly to at.
tempt to work our lands under the OLD
methods, and with supplies obtained or
credit. 1t must be evidont to every
thinking farmer, in the light of his owl
experience and that of hundreds OF
others who have bravely struggled and
JAILED, that if we continue a course sc
:raught with danger, nothing but a mir
dele will save us from ruin. Let III
arouse ourselves to our true condition
and realize at once that if we expect tC
make our farming successful and self
supporting, we must follow Legitimate
and sensible business rules, and not the
speculative plan, which has character
lied our management for so many years
Let us
LOOK CAREFULLY OVER THE GROUND
and determine just how much of on
land under favorable, or, should say
average seasons, with careful manage
ment, will give us home supplies, hom
comforts. We but invite failure whel
we attempt to cultivate land which, de
pleted by a long and continuous system
Of clearly hoed and exhaustive crops
holds out little hope of remunerativ
returns unless different plan is adopted
Our towns are today being filled will
DISAPPOINTED FARMERS,