The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1894-03-10
FARMER AND PLANTER.
THE BEST MONEY CROP.

, reasoning with southern farmer an
} trying to show that cotton, at presen
} prices, does not pay, that he replies b
asking the question: "What else can
raise that will give me ready none
IN Inc fall?' When it requires prac
ticaliy all that he gets for his cottol
70 produce it. it is certainly a poo
money crop.
we have, in several articles. urged
the advisability of change in our sys
tenn OF almost total dependence upor
cotton, and resort to system o.
combined stock raising and cotton
farming, whereby n larger weld Of
cotton may be produced upon smaller
area by using larger quantities of ma.
nure' made from the keeping of stock,
and at much less cost per pound.
10 say that there is no profit in stock
raising IN this country; that we can
not compete, SO far as the supplying of
our home demand is concerned. with
the rich virgin corn lands of the west
is a mere assertion, and is not true. AS
well, and perhaps with more truth.
might we say. that with the present
rate OF production per acre, we can not
compete, in the raising of cotton. with
the rich lands of the Mississippi bot.
toms and the fertile prairies of Texas.
Inc United States census shows that
.ne average yield of cotton in this state
is about $50 pounds of lint per acre:
That is, three acres are required tn nro.
duce one bale of cotton. At present
prices, this gives gross income. in
GUIDING the sale of the seed. of s12. 20
per acre. After deducting feed of the
morse, labor, tools and fertilizers. this
must necessarily leave very little. If
any, ready money. Twenty-Five acres
OF land, we believe, is considered a ONE
Morse crop of cotton. To each horse
will be required at least two good
hands to properly cultivate this num-
Der OF acres. A simple calculation will |
show that there will be but little left |
ior the farmer after all expenses are
paid.
Inc eight bales ofcotton, now requir-
ing twenty-five acres for its produc-
ton, should be grown upon eight acres
to be profitable. 1t is of no use TO saw
snat IL can not be done. 1t has been
lone, and it can be done again, if Won
viii bring yonr lands up to proper
'tate OF fertility by the mixed system
u stock raising and cotton.
We assert, without fear of successful
that there is more profit !
o-day in raising pork than there is in
otton. Let us suppose, for instance. I
nat any OF our farmers should de- ]
ote twenty-five acres-a one-horse I
rop-to raising hogs, and should
CT ten acres in clover and {
rass, and the remaining fifteen acres e
corn and peas, or better still, in corn I
nd sofa beans. We know from experi-
nee that one acre of land set in clover t
and that none of the best-will main @
LIN nve hogs in full growth, without il
ny other feed, from the LIST of April to r
he lst OF September. So that the ten j,
res OF clover will support fifty pigs g
p SIX months of their life, and the n
lteen acres OF corn and peas will fat t
n them. We believe that the labor e
one man and one horse will prow t.
"a fatten fifty hogs per year on this 81
an, that should average 200 pounds a.
en- and worth, at present prices, O
20; sum OF money equal to twenty ia
bales OF cotton, at present prices. p
against eight bales of cotton, as at b
esent grown upon twenty-five acres.
here rs wide margin for any over.
timation l may have made. The
God sows to.raise this number of MOS a
we also know from experience. NAV IN
wintered upon turnips. beets and
tatoes, and kept in better condition m
an on grain. In fact, their keep will ar
st very little, as they are good scav- IN
gers and will eat much that other On
Sc would go to waste on the farm.
We hope our farmers will think seri- in
sly about this stock question. with fo
view to making it a part of 90
'ir farming operations, and not
miss the whole thing from their vo
nds as Improbable, without giving me
hat consideration which any propo- dis
on that proposes to bring about an tb.
orovement in the present system de- eff
yes.
GU can not point to single country tbt
'ection, either in the present or mast an,
tory of the world-and this is cover = :
good deal of space and time On,
ere the farmers have been perma- ter
tly prosperous when engaged in
growing of special crop. wr,
one-crop idea has, sooner or san
r, resulted in disaster, either 6c;
n over-production, followed bv str,
prices. or from. a gradual impover- dra
nent of the soil which necessarily f;c;,
ows. when no rotation of crops or
* raising is practiccd. In proof of d;a,
fact, we may cite you to the pres viii
condition of our southern cotton Inv
ners, the tobacco regions of North ra;s
anu virginia, and to the tier
at growers of the great northwest.
re. from over-production, the price mil.
wheat has fallen lower this season one
ever before in the history of this this
ltry.-Rowland Black, in York as 3
Is CO. Enquirer. 49, 80