New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-02
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
DIVERSIFIED CROPS IN THE SOUTH
FIGURES TO SHOW THAT THE LOW PRICE OF COT
TON is NOT ABSOLUTELY RUINOUS

TO FARMERS.
To the Editor OF the Tribune.
Sir: In The Tribune of last Friday. in discussing
the low prices now prevailing for wheat and cotton
a very dismal picture of the condition OF Southern
planters drawn. After stating that the pros
pect for the cotton-planters appears to be rainier
darker and more dismal than that Of the wheat
growers. 1t is said
Moreover, the cotton-planter can't eat any OF MS
cotton and can't feed II to animals; while the west
ern wheat-grower can consume part OF the wheat
which he produces and feed part at least OF IL 10
hogs and other animals"
The writer of The Tribune article Is iaoorng uhder
a misapprehenson that seems to prevail very gen.
orally throughout the North. Apparently, ne Is Oh
the opinion that the Southern farmer raises little
but cotton, and as the price for that Is low MS
financial condition is very distressing. do not hesi-
tate to say that the low price of cotton Is piess
ing to the South. although the coton-grower WHO
selling cotton at from > TO cents pound may not
gee II lust in that light but there is no such cond
tion of financial distress The Tribune article
wou,d indicate. For years the South mas peeh
learning TO return TO the condition OF agriculture
prevailing before the and raise its own loou-
stuffs with cotton as surplus crop as II uiu 'e'
10 large extent. Last year the South ra'seu "
large corn crop The Low price of cotton ana inc
general financial stringency forced Southern farmers
10 produce their cotton on very economical OASIS
Loss money was borrowed on advanced mortgages
than in any year since the war up 10 'iial 'ii"e'
With almost enough corn and bacon 10 carry 'iei'
through last spring. with comparatively niue money
borrowed in advance on cotton. the Southerh ia'''
produced his 1894 crops lower cost ana with less
debt than in any year since 1860 His cotton crop III
fact, was TO surplus money crop IMAM '''oe
that date .,
The word has heard so much about Southern
cotton that probably few people reaIze 'he iAc'
that the corn crop of the South OF 1884 Is "ol'"
more money than the cotton crop. and that tie
aof he
averages less than nethird of the aggregate 'aiue
of all Southern farm products Inc TACT H. .ne
Increased production of grain and other crops ioi 1871
fully counterbalances the decrease IN COTTON uue ~
low prices The Western farmer, when MS "nea'
or his corn has failed him, or when prices are low
has bu, little TO fall back upon but Inc southern
farmer has a diversity unequaed elsewhere. L
know that this Is contrary to the general uhue'-
standing Of Southern agricultural cohuitions' ou'
any careful investigation will prove It's coiie0.ie
In 1898 the fourteen Southern States prouueeu
ls57l5O0O bushels Of The advance reports oi
Ahe Agricultural Department shows that the 'ie'u
sor 1904 was 4S 400 600 bushels although the actuai
facts of the case are that the output OF southern
corn was larger this year than THESE s'a''
show In other words. the corn crop was ~ HUGS
better than usual that investigation coh'ihees nio
that the Agricultural Department did not fuiiy
cover the increase. But even accepting these ny
,r.s here Is a gain in the South of 4SOoOWU busnes
of corn and as the average price In that section
&c over fifty bushel here Is an increase
added to last years corn crop OF S2iV"Vv'' "i'Hou
considering the increase in value OF corn over e
increase in value last year The central cotton pet
region shows an increase in production OF corn Vi
. nOo ooo bushels In North Carolina 6,aVW ousheis
an South Carolina or gain in that state OF ~ per
cent: 100000 bushels in Georgia o""V" o"o"'''
IN Alabama and 100000 bushels IN MISSISSIPPI
Contrast this increase in grain production WIN u
great decrease in the West and the strength OF 'ie
great orn-producing State and the state III VIM.
corn is so essential TO prosperity the aVerase !
for 1894 as given by the November report Vi '''
Agricultural Department. was 10 pus"." P
acre In Kansas the average was H. ous"es' 80
Nebraska bushels in South Dakota, AZ pushes'
,,hue the average for the entire South from Mary
land to Texas 100 bushels per acre. 81 =, South
III oosrIrulturaI prosperity does not depend upon
cotton TO the extent that Is generaiiy suppE onii
eud thai the value of the cotton crop is oniy ABOUT
anu ma or less of the value OF Southern agrcult-
ural products. a few statistics Ded''"e VA ~
pS be general output of farm products in the south
IN 1894 was greater than In assam crops ~, hnd
tion, with exceptions. having Deen Veii ne re-
ant but 1t is impossible as yet TO get an t fr
turns of this years crops ana so tne s' ,h South
preduced SSOOOO bushels of wheat value, q. al zoo;
10000 s5scoo bushels OF oats va harlev of which
small amounts were produced, ana me vau oive q
corn Of over ego 600 600 as the value OF the South
Grain crops which exceed the vaiue o, .ne eontTv
STO Icna OF the ne sea- Of pounds worth $500
go SIS 7ss 900 pounds valued at SsS5eVo Were bs
IN the South was 1885, 900 bushels. valued at W.
a 600 The South is not generally cred,s a WIN nd
az hay Was $4,000 tons worth CO., but IN TINS
connection should be stated ths' ~ rrsze during
much Of the year. and consequently tne nay n The
cut and the value asceranea as es of the grass
crop OF the South was far beyond the ''i'V""" IT,
porseu. ,or, tho South there Is a steady increase
in diversified agriculture increase which Is max
ing the Southern farmer less n and the Farmer
but is steadily furnishing better Ss arc re' da
pendent upon agriculture The increase OF rice
much rc 81 Ine s o that
State greater profits than are made by any cereal
growers Of the country. Fruit growing and truck
Taising are making gigantic strides. and from South
Georgia alone over 10 900 carloads OF watermeitSns
are annually shipped TO the North and West Wn nh
trees have been set out in South Georgia while IN
parts Of that State In Carolina asa hs bulletin Of
the United States Census. giving the yeid OF trut
ton Of So ss7 600 bushels Of peaches in the entire
country q 7ea 900 bushels were produced IN tne
wear the State OF Georgia led with a production of
bs2sW0 bushels Of peaches while Ark 0 naa
The total Of apples for the country In sso was
i4sIoo0Oo bushels. and nearly one,third or ]
bushels were produced south of Mason ana DIXON
Turning 10 the smaller things It is found that in
$50 the south had q cOO BARNARD fowls and in
500 60 5s 600 The production OF eggs rose from 100
"a oO0 dozen in 1880 1s4344ooo dozen In 1890 IN
dairy products the increase was even more remark,
ebla In 1880 the South made 12Og0og POUNDS OF
hutter and in 1890 2 900 900 pounds the retu I1oe
~ milk production for the entire country IN ii s%
We're evidently dehcient-every state reporting nns
cononaratiyely small amount OF milk INC South
orteS for that wear 3 900 gallons; in 1890 there
was tremendous gain reported throughon ut I'm, ,ne
entire country the reports OF this year having
been more complete than in 1880 but me actua,
gain In the South was something rensrKape' anu
Sha 6e1,rcs reported were S3S 7lS 900 gallons ~,
study OF these figures will show that the sour
&c dyersfving rs farm interests. Cotton AT ana
cents does not mean bankruptcy to southern farni-
ers: II simply means that cotton raisers VIII nave
iittle less money spend than they would nave
rad al higher prices. These low prices. however,
uli empba size just as the low prices OF two wears