The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-06-13
FARMER AND PLANTER.
Notes Suggested by Recent Trip Through
the Southern states.

Notes Suggested by q Recent Trip Through
the Southern States.
A recent trip through some of the
southern states afforded good oppor-
tunity to study their advantages. The
scenery is usually quite interes ting
and picturesque. The climate Is In
viting ana healthful. The people are
courteous and obliging; in fact. they
are extravagant in their entertain
ment of visitors. The resources are
rich and varied. The development of
trade and manufacturing interests is
marvellous. The growth of some of
the cities has been rapid and substan-
tial.
1t can scarcely seem possible that
only thirty years ago this entire region
was made desolate by war. Homes,
farm, towns and cities were In ruins
then; to-day they are full of life and
activity. Small hamlets have grown
into large towns; villages into
busy, bustling and prosperous
cities. The desolation of war has
given place to the busy hum of COM
merce. Even the feelings which once
engendered strife have been buried
deep beneath the memories of the
past, and one can only see or hear the
spirit of progress leading on to higher
success and more complete develop
ment. Let ali rejoice together in rec
ignition of this fact.
Though the great staple. crop of the
southern agriculturist has long been
cotton, and will probably ever remain
cotton, there are many who see the
advantage in diversity of products
and the advisability of rotation in
crops. Cotton is a very exhaustive
crop to the soil, and where land is
planted to this crop year after year in
regular succession, the soil is soon ex-
hausted and the farmer must resort
to commercial fertilizers. Where a
variety of crops are grown, and where
more or less clover is grown, the pro.
cess of degeneration of the soil is less
rapid.
There is scarcely locality to be
found in which some variety of clover
may not be successfully grown, and
that, too, with very marked benefit to
the soil. The common red or medium
clover succeeds in some places when it
has fair chance, and crimson, Japan
and Mexican clovers come in to 3ll ex.
ceptional requirements. and alfalfa
may be relied upon in many localities.
All of these are well-known renovators
of the soil, as we'll as crops of great
value for forage or provender.
A number of southern farmers have
long ago established the fact that it is
more profitable as well as more salts.
factory to grow their own meats, hay
and grain than todepend entirely upon
cotton alone. This class of farmers
has not only suffered less from the
late depressed markets, but their farms
are to-day in better condition.
| There are most excellent openings
in thesouth for dairy and stock farms.
Butter commands good price. The
winters are not long nor severe. The
numerous springs of pure water pro-
vide an abundance of stock-water,
Midsummer is easily tided over b.
soiling. The advent of the cream
separator no longer admits of any diff
ficulty in securing the cream, and the
markets are not yet half supplied.
The few dairy-farms already estab
lished are proving very satisfactory
and return good profits to their own
ers, yet it win be some years before
the business can be ovcrdone. for the
native farmers is loath to give up cot
ton, and it remains for those who com,
from the north or west to prove the ad
visibility of other productions. Then
too, the rapid development of railroad
and manufacturing interests is open
ing up new demands for provisions o
all kinds. The south has gloriou
future before it, and he who prepares
now to share in its prosperity will real
a golden harvest.-John l.. Shawver
in Farm and Preside.
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