The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-05-23


View of the short supply of That Cere-
al Now In the Wheat Comes
In For Notice as Well as the Proper
Care of Land
From all parts of the state the agri.
cultural Indications are more encour.
aging than at this date last month
though the heavy rains in the early
part of the month somewhat retarded
work, and the cool nights and unusu-
ally low general temperature have
delayed vegetation. We have, all
things considered, backward spring,
which is somewhat di3couraging to
general farm work. yet hope is again
in the ascendancy, farmers are busy,
farm work is assuming definite shape,
and the retarding of vegetation has
proven such an advantage to our fruit
crops that the prospect for abundant
yields of all kinds is most fiattering.
Corn is well up, in some sections
growing off vigorously, and the bulk
OF the cotton crop is planted. The in
dlcations are that the acreage has been
reduced, and that the grain crops are
correspondingly increased. While fall
oats were a failure, the spring crop is
promising, and the vivid green of the
wheat fields attests the healthy and
vigorous condition of that crop. Farm
ers have all over the state profited by
the sunshiny working days which have
predominated in the month of April
and the truck gardener, as we'll as the
fruit grower and general farmer, are
throwing OF che depression of the last
few weeks and looking forward hope.
fully to year Of hard work and boun-
tiful harvests.
That there has been q reduction of
the cotton area for the state there can
be no doubt. exactly how much we are
not just now prepared to state, but the
falling off of 100000 tons in the pur-
chase of fertilizers by the farmers of
Georgia is almost an unerring indica-
ton of reduced acreage. 1t is true that
much more attention has been given to
the making and saving of home ma
nure, but it is equally true that much
more commercial fertilizer than usual
has been used under the small grain
and corn crops-two propositions which
practically counterbalance each other,
and leave the reduction of the cotton
crop an unchallenged fact.
In view of the present short supply
of corn in the markets of the world, the
increase in the area of our corn crops is
important, and it is equally important
that full supply of food crops of all
kinds be assured. The reports from
different sections of the state indicate
that heavy crop of corn has been
! planted. The farmers have taken no
chances for short market, and with
the blessings of Providence we NAV
/ meet a decline in the price of cotton
! without experiencing the deadly chill
which that fact has so often carried to
our hearts. quote the following from
| the Manufacturers Record to, if posi-
BILE, bring home to the minds of our
farmers the Importance of this subject
and to emphasize the necessity of plant
ing and saving every pound possible of
hay, forage, peas, peavines, ensilage.
and OF putting in green crops for sum
mer feeding, besides groundpeas and
chufas to start the fattening hogs in
the fall:
"The total production of corn in the
United States in 1894 was 1922, 900, 900
bushels, a decrease of over 400, 900, 900
bushels as compared with 1888, and a
decrease of $50, 900, 900 bushels as com.
pared with 1891. Fortunately the south
had large crop this year, or other.
wise it would have had to purchase its
corn at very high figure, because of
this great shortage As the average
crop of the United States for some
years has been about l, 750, 900, 900 bush.
| els, the production of the last two
years is over 500, 900, 900 bushels short
| of the average. The country will
therefore enter upon the next crop year
with very small stock of corn on
hand-so small, indeed, that even
| should we have another 1900, 00O 900
bushel crop, as in 1891, it would require
all OF this enormous yield to make up
for the deficiency of the last two years.
Even should such crop as this be pro.
duced, prices would probably still be
high, because of the decrease in 1894.
Another small crop following the one
of last year would necessarily mean ex.
orbitant prices for corn.
Because of these facts it becomes
more imperative than ever before that
the south should increase its corn acre.
age this year. The south's large crop
last year was due more to heavy yield
| per acre than to large increase in
acreage. II this section is to maintain
! it's independence of the west so far as
corn is concerned, every effort should
be made to urge upon farmers the i'm.
/ portance of planting larger acreage
this year than ever before. With big
corn crop the south is better prepared
to stand low priced cotton than it could
in any other way.
1T behoovesevery trade organization
in the south, and every business man
individually, as well as the press. to
persistently exert all possible influence
to encourage an increase of acreage in
corn and other food supplies.
"If the vigorous work of the press ia
supplemented in this direction by the
active personal cooperation Of bankers,
business men and all others who dea;
with farmers, it will be possible to Sc.
cure an increase of 25 or more per cent
in the acreage devoted to corn and
foodstuffs compared with last year.
1.-THE vital interest which the entire
south has in the increase of its grain
production, which also means an in.
crease in the supply of provisions.
prompts the Manufacturers Record IN