The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-21
WORK FOR 1895.
A Young Farmer of Mississippi Oher
Word or Two of Advice.


a Word or Two of Advice.
This is the time of but little farm work
as general thing but we must not yield
altogether 10 Willing away the hours in
idleness. and thereby accomplishing moth
ing; but on the other hand. this is the
time for reflections, and let a fun exercise
of your brains be the result. Only a short
time and the planting season will again
be upon us, but during that time the
plans for the years work must be formed
The fences. fertilizers. planting seeds and
all farm hands must be in readiness
when the proper time comes, which, of
course. depends upon the condition of the
season. Now is the proper time for farmers
to review the intelligence TO be cleaned
from tine agricultural journal and bUlle-
tins of the experiment stations of some
of the different states. as much valuable
information can thus be learned. Look
over the old farm records stored away
in the library, study the failures and sue
cesses of the past years, and profit by
past follies. II is useless to urge any re-
ductlon in the cotton acreage. for any
well-to-do farmer knows that he cannot
further prosper by growing his chief crop
of cotton. The experience we have had i'm
handling and gathering the cotton crop
for The past two or three years, has
taught lesson not soon to be forgotten.
Added to this is the fact that not since
the war has cotton been so cheap. Even
at Sc per pound farmers realized but lit
tie prout, much less 4 or 5 cents. Probably
farmers of the great delta of Nazoo Miss.
and other important cotton belts can af-
ford TO raise cotton at less expense than
the farmers out in the "hilr country.
still il seems almost imaginary TO sup
pose that cotton can be raised at an eX-
pense of from to cents per pound, /
noticed an article in "A former issue OF
the Morning News from the pen of that
we'll known writer on agricultural topics,
JEFF WellbOrn of New BOSTON, Tex, i'm
which he assumes the position that cot
ton can be raised with profit al extremely
low prices OF course, it can't be denied
that I'm the region he lives in and writes
from cotton varies in the cost of produc-
ton, and probably he writes correctly in
regard to that section. But our hill farm
ers must not suppose that the same rule
applies TO them The principal sueges-
ton l offer at this time is a more useful
attention to the growing of grain crops. ]
would urge every farmer south of Mason
and DiNon's line TO plant a good portion
of the farm In peas, potatoes, oats, rice,
sugar cane, and other crops of like value.
The success Of the southern farmer de
ponds upon the cultivation of crops that
not only increases the fertility of the
farm soil, but also be self-sustaining. or
in other words, bring fun value for the
cost of production. l have always urged
the growing of sufficient grain crops for
home use, and cotton only as a surplus. 1t
Is to be regretted that this advice has
not been needed; but for that matter
Let the past bury the past" Shake off
past supersutions and old-year disap-
pointments too, and begin to weave a
new the tangled web Of life"
Cicero F. Watts.