The Van Buren press., 1895-05-18
FARMER AND PLANTER
MISLEADING ADVICE
Whjch Farmers Would Do Well 70 newsr
81 In Changing From Old Methods

wl,ch Farmers would Do Well to Beware
81 in Changing From Old Methods.
In the present depressed condition OF
agriculture many southern farmers
are casting about for something that
will take the place OF cotton as .
money producer. Diversity OF crops
stock-raising, tobacco culture and vari-
ous other plans are suggested. Ihere
can be no doubt that any OF these
may, with proper care and foresight
be made to pay. But the average farm
er, in experimenting with new and un-
familiar methods, is in danger OF ac-
cepting as truth advice from incom-
petent sources, and thus bringing upon
himself disappointment and serious
loss. My attention has been drawn TO
this subject by the following para
graph, entitled Facts for Cotton
Growers" accredited to the Birming-
ham (Ala.l News:
"Suppose each acre Of cotton pro-
duces one bale, and that bale brings in
the market s25. 1t cost $3.50 to gather
it. The bagging and ties are worth 81.
which makes 50. so to gather and get 1t
ready for market. This leaves $3.50,
not counting anything for rent or cul-
tivation. The acre Of land will produce
fifty bushels of corn. Fifty bushels OF
corn will feed and fatten five hogs that
will average in weight 300 pounds. Say
the five pigs cost 81 each-$lo. 1t will
cost IS to slaughter them. The five will
make 800 pounds Of pork, worth say
cents per pound, makes S75. Deduct
expenses, s15, leaves $50. From that
the net amount Of proceeds Of cotton,
and it leaves balance OF S44.50 in
favor of the pig raising"
Now, in this short paragraph there
are several misleading statements.
The average cotton land in the south
which will produce one bale of cotton
per acre, will not yield so bushels OF
corn; 25 bushels would be considered a
good crop. But even granting that it
would produce SO bushels, it is absurd
to suppose that this quantity of corn
will raise and fatten pigs aggregating
1900 pounds OF pork. If the writer of
this paragraph has a variety of pigs
which can be made to weigh 800
pounds on 10 bushels of fcorn, he would
confer an inestimable favor upon the
farming class by offering the stock for
sale. The truth is that so bushels of
corn alone will not raise and fatten
two pigs of good stock-in fact, it
would not be too much for one.
The conclusion of the News writer
is good, though his premises are false;
pig raising does pay when it is proper
ly managed. But if the experimenter
relies solely upon corn as food, he will
lose money. As prominent South
Carolina farmer remarked q few years
ago. raising hogs on corn alone is as
absurd as raising dogs on fried chick
en-. In most parts of the south, where
land is plentiful, by planting sorghum,
peas, sweet potatoes, peanuts, chufas
and artichokes. the farmer may keep
his pigs in good condition without a
grain Of corn for eight or nine months
of the year, and at very little expense.
This is the method pursued by those
who have been most successful in the
business. Experience will show that a
three hundred pound pig, raised and
fattened on corn alone, will ihave ''eat
en- his head off" two or three times
John Hawkins, in Southern Farm.