The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1894-11-15
GENERAL REMARKS.
Our Clay Soils Susceptible to q High
State of Cultivation.

~ ~ ItSNG III NI NIlTNSs
Our Clay Soils Susceptible to q High
State of Cultivation.
The weather during the month has
been very propitious for gathering crops
and the work has progressed rapidly.
COTTON.
Notwithstanding the low price of ouI
staple money crop, there has been nc
tendency to hold for better market,
and the bale, as soon as it comes from
the press, has almost in everyinstance
been offered for sale.
The discouraging effect of low prices
is particularly felt when we consider
the fact that in our section there has
been little, if any, increase in the gen
eral yield compared to last year.
The reports of correspondents of the
department will, in our opinion, be yer.
flied. These reports have at no time in.
dictated much greater yield for this
year than last. That they are correct
are shown by the receipts at our interior
towns, which, Notwithstanding the I'M
usually fair weather, are little, if any,
in excess of last year. In regard to oul
yield, it Is to be regretted that even
though we have no increase the present
year that our increase in the past has
been due to an increase of acreage and
not to an increase in the yield per acre,
so essential to our success.
The commissioner says in his report
on this subject:
Recently, the department has had un.
der investigation the yield and acreage
of staple crops in the state with view
of ascertaining whether the progress
! made towards developing the varied re.
sources of our soil has been accompanied
by an increased yield of staple products
per acre. We regret to say that the re.
suits of this investigation have not beer
satisfactory, and that, beginning with
1850, and up to the present time, no i'm.
provement in yield has taken place. Elk.
ceptional years have occurred in which
the yield has exceeded that Of several
years previous, but this has not been
followed by a gain in the succeeding
year, and shows an increase from ia
vorable season rather than permanent
improvement of the soil.
When we consider the immense sun
Of money expended annually for fertili
zers, this is far from an encouraging
statement, and clearly demonstrates
that our expenditures do not accomplish
the proper purpose, j. e., the enhance
ment of the value of our lands by in
creasing their yielding capacity In
the distributed literature of the depart
ment, both through the press and in
pamphlet form, we have endeavored to
impress the necessity of upbuilding our
soil; and, as before stated, we feel as
sured from the interest and inquiries as
to fertilization, and the use Of legumin.
Gus plants, that what has been said on
this subject has not been lost, and that
the coming year will find more farms in
Georgia conducted with the end in view
of securing better yield the following
year than hitherto in the history of the
state. We have frequently referred to
the susceptibility of our clay soils to a
high state of cultivation, and Georgia,
like France and Germany, should wit.
ness gradually improved condition and
increased yield through a series of years.
CORN
The yield of this crop is gratifying,
and from the reports at hand will equal
or exceed 100000 bushels for the
state. In view of the failure of the
crop in the west and the low price of
cotton, our farmers are fortunate to
have a supply of food on hand with
out being dependent on the crops of the
west. 1t is well also to note in this con.
nection the increase in hog products as
evidencing that our efforts towards ag-
ricultural independence is being accom-.
pushed. This increase appears in this re.
port under the head of statistics.
ORCHARD, ETC.
AS now is the season of the wear to
set out orchard, we call attention to
what the commissioner has said as to
this adjunct to our agriculture, which
is becoming one of our large sources OF
revenue.
1t would seem from the foregoing,
that is. from the fact that we show nc
gain i'll general yield of staple crops,
that it would be found difficult to find
any encouragement in the outlook. 1t
must be remembered, however, that our
improvement has been in the direction
of the smaller, and what has hitherto
been considered the non. essentials, of
our agriculture. Thus, while the cot
ton crop from 1850 to the present date
shows no increase in yield except from
the increased acreage from total value
of about 800, 900, for orchard and other
fruits we have increased to several mil
lion dollars; from gardening for house
hold use alone we have progressed until
Savannah is now the center of one of
the trucking districts of the south We
have illustrated that fruits of all classes
and of the finest flavor can be grown