Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-03-12
FARMER AND PLANTER.
A VITAL QUESTION.

culture from it's early history to the
resent time it has always been, and
still remains an unsolved problem. It
Is a fact that the advance made in sci
entific agriculture has been greater in
the last quarter century than ever be-
fore. This seeming want of interest By
those who were directly interested in
farming was caused mostly by the fact
that the country was new, with very
fertile soil, and the finest labor system
the world has ever seen; all of which
was owned and controlled in most part
by southern gentlemen of culture and
refinement. These circumstances with
the fact that cotton has always been
ready money crop and paid
satisfactory returns To the farmer
for the time and money ex-
pended on it's production. All
these conditions have combined to
make cotton culture" our most invit-
ing field, and until recent years moth
ing better was sought for or desired.
However, it is a well-known fact that
very little skill is required to make and
prepare cotton crop for the market,
and of late years the unskilled colored
laborer has become a strong competitor
in its production with the best farmers
of the country. In this way overpro-
duction has been brought about, and
the crop is steadily increasing in mag
nitude and the price at which it can be
sold getting less and less each year, the
selling price now being less than the
cost of making with the present method
of culture and handling. When the
price was forced below ten cents per
pound, in our home markets, the think
ing white farmer knew the profits on
the money crop of the south would be
small to the produder, which fact caused
him to look for some other crop to mix
with his cotton.
do not believe the southern farmer
will ever abandon the culture of cot
ton entirely. 1t is especially adapted
to our southern conditions. We all
like to cultivate it and to see it grow;
we understand how to work aud
handle it. Our climate and soil are
both well suited to the tropical nature
of the plant, and the perfect develop
ment of both plant and fiber. For
these and other reasons l think the
south will continue to raise cotton as
long as 1t is needed However, the
method which we have pursued in it's
culture will have to be changed.
The questions which confront us to-
day, as farming class, are the most
serious any people have ever been
called on to meet. We all appreciate
the fact that the necessaries of life
were never cheaper than they are at
the present time; and no one can COM
plain at the price for which they can
be bought How to get the dollar with
which to buy is the trouble. The
farmer can't obtain many of them by
growing cotton, which brings only five
cents per pound. Then, what are we
to do? ] can only suggest mixed farm
ing to overcome in measure these diff
ficulties. Such a system will make
cotton more of surplus crop, and
place the price of it, to certain ex-
tent, in the hands of the producer
This can be done by giving more at
tention to the production of grain
crops and the grasses, the culture of
sugar cane for sirup, sorghum for soil
ing, ensilage and hay, field peas, sofa
beans, Spanish peanuts, sweet and
Irish potatoes, turnips, melons. vegc-
tables and fruits.
The farmer who produces all of these
crops can care for and raise more
horses mules, cattle, hogs, sheep and
poultry.
have seen Texas strawberry fields
which made net profit of two hun
dred and fifty dollars per acre, and
they had to be shipped to Chi
cago and other distant cities for
market. Large profits can be made
from grapes, apples, peaches, pears,
watermelons, cabbage, tomatoes, on
ions, Irish and sweet potatoes. Of
course one must be near market or
railroad station to proftably grow
small fruits or vegetables, both of
which pay handsome profits to the
producer. Such crops as the sweet po-
tato, Spanish ground pea, common field
pea and sofa beans, are easily grown
on almost any soil, and the farmer who
produces them is independent of local
markets or railroads, as these are
products which can readily be con-
verted into good butter, beef, pork and
mutton, all of which are articles of
food the southern markets are not
likely to be overstocked with.
In mixed husbandry a man can be a
real farmer, and have many comforts
and pleasures the cotton man knows
nothing of; and if a certain crop fails
to bring the cash, he has another, and
possibly another. to put on the
market, all of which go to
make his home more comfortable
and attractive and add some
thing to his bank account. With such
system, l am sure we would hear less
Of hard times, and see less of our young
people leaving the farm and seeking
employment in our already-overcrowd-
ed cites.
/ do not believe truer happiness can
be found anywhere than on q we'll
managed farm. To get this man must
be his own master, responsible to his
Creator for all good things intrusted to
him. We want money, and work for
it, that with it we may supply our
needs and make our homes comforta-
BILE and attractive, which is natural
and commendable, though take it to
be misplaced energy and want of the
knowledge of business principles for
man to confine himself ito the produc-
ton of cotton at present prices. We
will be forced sooner or later into a
broader field of husbandry, which be-
licve will prove greater blessing to