The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-03-19
A COMBINATION OF oRops.
An Edgcfield Farmer on the Situa-
tion-Hc Advises N Limited Cotton

An ruScheIu Harincr on the Sftua
tion-He Advises IA Limited Cottol
Crop.
w. ID. QUITS in Southern oultivator
Under the pressure OF hard times ar,
seen extreme ideas developing in re
gard to the growing of cotton, and it 4
even difficult for the more intelligen
farmers to keep themselves upon al
equilibrium on the subject.
In soiland climate like that OF oul
southern States, where the cottol
plant Is SO peculiarly adapted, field
1T would seem, that the God of natur,
had set apart especially for the culture
OF this plant, we cannot for man,
reasons abandon the culture OF cotton
10 speak of reducing the area de
voted to cotton is sensible, but to sa,
we mustnaitogcther abandon the cul
ture OF this important plant would mo-
coincide with the views of those wht
are best informed in regard to the true
condition of the Southern people, and
who know their needs. Even at the
price !ot four to five cents per pound
most OF the Southern farmers car
afford TO make a limited quantity Ol
cotton, provided his lands have been
! previously improved, and the crop is
managed on business principles. To
Illustrate, Mr.. a might make three
bales OF cotton at Il profit on improved
land and tho judiciOus use of tho right
klno OF iertliizers, aud proper cultiva-
tion. On the other hand, he might
mako six bales at loss on u soil that
had beeu exhausted NO fertilizers and
neglect. 1t follows, then, that to
make cotton at Il profit, only II few
| acres OF the best cotton lands on the
| farm must be selected, and that must
| have been previously brought to u high
state of cultivation, and then ONLY so
many acres as will occupy the spare
time OF the farm hands from other
crops.
The laboring class who have families
the troopers and tenants-cau make
lew bales of cotton at u profit, even
on unimproved lands, for the reason
that 1T affords employment for the
women and children that would other
wise have none.
Again. with fceding value of about
" cents per bushel, the seed will play
no little part ia the making of milk
aud butter and boef, aside from the
manureS Of the cattle So fed. And
still another advantage in The planting
of cotton is tbattt comes in nirf4y as Il
rotary crop.~ft is "a good subsoiIer,
and almost anything will grow better
after cotton than any other crop. NV
views, then, are to plant only limited
area oi such lands as are we'll adapted
to the production of cotton, and which
nave already boon brought to II high
state OF cultivation. Secondly, plant
only so many acres OF land as will keep
the hanls employed when not engaged
IN the cultivation OF other crops.
Thirdly, to substitute, as far as pos
sihle, manurcs for labor. That is to
say, If it cost fifty dollars to cultivate
ten acres in cotton, plant only five, and
spend the amount it would cost To
cultivate tho other five in fertilizers
on the five planted. Fourthly, utilize
all the seed on the farm by feeding
cattle and saving all the manure, both
solid ami liquid.
How. can farming be made re-
munerative ?"
First. Farming must be conducted
upon strictly business principles. No
ore crop must be relied upon to keep
up the farm. The lands must be SO
cultivated as they will become on
hanced in value each succeeding ycar
Inc scrub stock must be replaced by
tho new and improved breeds
Farmers, as Il rule. arc lacking in
business qualifications, and are the
poorest tinancicrs in the world. They
40 not raluc time, nor do thoy read
and study their vocation rs do men of
other pursuits. Few OF thcm are
subscribers TO agricultural journals,
nor do they ever spend dime for farm
literature. And hcrcin lies, perhaps,
one of the greatest draw backs 10 ro-
muncrativc farming.
As ~ rule, the more intelligent
classes desert the farms, and they
are ieftin the hands Of mon whose
educational advantages have been
limited, and who cannot do otherwise
than mako few bales of cotton If some
one else will furnish ihN ratiou5. Put
farming into the hands OF an educated
class of men with business uualifica-
tions, and ii viii become profitable.
No ono crop. no matter whether it be
t4fs'-S- eQtn n-ar4ssyAeat. i'll support
farm aud pay debts. We mlistt-..hll ..haEs .llase g
com bination OF crops; everything per-
tanning to farfning demands it. There
must be a surplus OF corn, bacon, lard,
beef. mutton, milk and butter, small
grain, m"lasscs, potatoes, poultry,
etc; IN TACT, norman should be consider
cd a farmer who hasn't something to
sell aside from cotton.
Another burdcnsomc and useless tax
the Southern farmer icvies voluntarily
upon himself, is tho yearly buying of
Western mules. Tho South with her
natural advantage in this direction
could raise AL the mules and il, .4es
needed To cultivate hcr soil.
Our lands have. generally speaking,
dcpreciated IN value year after ycar.
and we have COTTON no compensation
for it. Here is another tax. Land
cultivated and rotated will
improve annually, but when run for
years In an exhaustive crop. such as
cotton, it will most assuredly wear out
after Il timo. Still another heavy tax
placed hy the average Southern furmer
upon tho camel's back, which is we'll
nigh broken, is the keeping OF scrub
stock. [ regard scrub stock as being
IL great deal worse than none. Bacon
made out of scrub hogs viii cost moro
than 1T soils for in the markets; tho
same might be said of butter. To
make farming remunerative, q farmer
must havc an oyo to all these things.
They may appear small in detail but
IN the aggregatc amount to n consider
able sum, perhaps moro than this cot
ton crop at five cents per pound or
twenty dollars per bale.
ElmwoOd, S. G..