The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-03-04
NEEDLESS ADVICE.
Some Random Shots ut Folly as IL
Flies.

1t occurs 10 US that the newspapers assuuIe
to give the farmers unlimited ana unsousno =
advice. The number OF papers that naus e,, :
warned the farmers against three cenls. louI
cents and five cents cotton will never be
known by this editor.
Some old owl long ago said that the way 10
keep the price and profits on the COTTON was
TO reduce the crops, and then great muitl
tude OF "ne'er do weels" nave resounoeo tne
We wish 1t distinctly understood that the
Press and Banner has no advice to give 10
ANYBODY Wenever give advice. 1twould be
presu mption to do so. But we can give our
individual opinions without urging ANYBODY
to accept or adopt them.
The price of cotton Is question which IN
terests all of us, and the question deserves
thoughtful consideration by each individual
farmer. His own condition and the suitable.
ness OF his farm for the production OF tne
most profitable crops are the hrst questlons 70
he solved. The policy which is pest ior one
farmer may not be best for his height bor.
How the owls expect farmers 10 have any
money at all, without cotton. Is more than we
can understand. Their predictions that the
price will be low furnishes a rational reason
or motive for producing a greater and not
lesser crop. If the price Is low, then the iar-
mer 1t seems 10 us ought TO re.double his en-
ergies for making big crop, while reducing
his expenses.
Let wise and intelligent thought govern the
farmer. There is no sense In yielding up TO
the Texans the best money crop IN tne Worlo'
There is no need, or reason. either, for the 1ar'
mers OF this country to desert the crops Wild
which they are most famili liar.
The idea Ia, to make the lands more pro-
ductive, and to make greater amount OF the
staple at a less cost, 80 az TO meet the Ie4as
competitor.
How this increased crop is to be raised at
reduced cost Is q question which no wise lar.
mer may disregard. There Is great cost oi
abor and stock which should receive our best
attention. Mules are 10 be fed every day 10
the year. Hands are fed, clothed and paid IN
like manner and the cotton crop comes ~
but once year. The drain on this crop for $50
days in the year will exhaust the profit OF the
cotton.
Instead OF feeding idle mules and idle hands
all winter through, devise some means 10
give them such employment as will cut down
sity for stock OF all kinds, and no man need
expect TO prosper who has not cattle and pas
ture land.
White pastures for stock should receive at.
tention. While II seems impossible TO have
good winter pasture throughout the cold sea.
son, yet 1t is true that some OF the cultivated
grasses come In very early In the Spring, while
others continue good far into the winter:
live on the pastures Ior greater part OF the
year, should save the expense Of mercantile
Good barns should be provided, and there is
no good reason why the hands which are u.s.
ually idle for four or rive months in the year,
should not build good barns on every farm on
which they live.
There Is almost no trouble In growing forage
TO keep cattle and horses. and IL can be housed
at no cost at all, IL the idle time Is thus util.
lied.
There are many farmers who have neither
turnips nor barley nor potatoes. Without
these crops the cotton farmer is laboring un.
der great dlsad advantage. Such crops could be
planted on Saturday evenings that are gener-
ally wasted in going 10 town, and thus pre-
vent the reduction on the cotton crop.
The labor question deserves thoughtful con.
sideration. A great multitude OF Idle people
who have 10 be fed through long winter will
too often eat the heart out OF q farm. II
might In many Instances, be better to pay one
dollar a day for hands when they are needed
and when not needed, TO stop all expense.
Good milk COWS are OF great value In sup
plying a family with the greatest known lux
ury, namely: fresh sweet milk and nice but
ter. Such food in many instances may be
had at almost no cost at all. The milk and but
ter from COWS that Craze on good grass, where
plenty of pure water is 10 be had, Is wit&ou,
an equal in either healthfulness, cheapness ol
palatableness. They contain nearly all the
requisites Of food for man. The cattle gather
the grass, convert 1t into the best of food fol
men, and deliver it to us at the lot gate free
of all charge. The family who have COW
need not Duy rancid meat at exorbant prices
and the head of that family need not lose bill
time going after inferior and very expensive
food.