Birmingham state herald., 1896-03-01
THE SOUTHERN FARMER The Marked Betterment of His
 Condition. LESS COTTON, MORE CORN Explains It in Breath-The Many Advantages Which He Enjoys Over His Brother in
 the North and West.


 bama for the past year or more Indicate that the farmers of Alabama have suf- fefed far less from hard times than the farmers from any other part of the coun- try Since the harvesting of the 1895 crop there have been multiplied evidences of the fact that the southern farmers were as a rule better off than they had been for many years, and incomparably better off than the agricultural classes in the north and west. The local papers throughout the south have published in almost every issue accounts of improved conditions, and have told how farmers were raising their own provisions, in stead of importing them from the west as formerly, and a consequence were less in debt to the merchants and had food supplies stored away for the com ing year.
 Wherever, for example, 1t is stated that the farmers are in a conspicuouSly bet ter condition now than h therto, it will be found to be stated that the country food supplies raised in proportion to cot ton have been very greatly increased. Where it is said that farmers are mod erately better off than in recent years it is found that they have slightly in- creased the amount of food stuffs raised, and in such exceptional cases as show that the farmers are no better off than formerly it will be found that there has been nc diversification of their products. That is, the condition of the farmers has improved in proportion to the extent to which they are raising corn, meat and other food products. Ever since the war the predominant crop has been cotton. This was the one thing that would sell for money anywhere and at any time. When cotton brought such prices as pre- vailed for many years after the war it seemed to the planter much more prof itable to devote himself entirely to cot fan nd h,1y hic raise these at the cost of raising less cotton. And he was right then; but the unWisdom of this course as a fixed pol icy became evident when cotton con tinued to decline in value until 1t reached price lower than what 1t cost a great majority of the growers to produce it.
 Moreover. most of the planters began to live on their crops a year ahead by ] buying all of their living supplies on a credit, pledging their prospective crop to the merchants as security. Under this practice they paid enormous prices for what they bought and at the end of the season, after turning over their entire crop to the merchant at the market price they were fortunate if they were not left an debt to him. With the price at which cotton has been selling for several years past this sort of thing could not continue, of course, and the farmers began to re- hhZe that to keep from starving they must raise things to eat.
 Gradually from year to year the num- Der of hogs raised and the acreage given up 10 corn and to other cereals and to hay and sorghum have increased. and in many parts of Alabama these products With fruits and vegetables, were given predominant attention, while cotton was made a subordinate crop. As con- sequence farmers who adopted this pol icy had plenty to eat and possibly some thing to sell, and what money their cot lon brought them was in large part a surplus
 The manifest good effects of this meth od' led to it's wider adoption in 1895 with a corresponding improvement in the condi- ton of the formers.
 Farming is far less expensive in the south than in the north Pork costs less to produce because hogs can almost sup port themselves the year round. There are no long, hard winters through which they must be fed. The same may be said of other meats. Milk and butter cost less for the same reason. Because of the short mild winters the outlay for feeding stock generally is insignificant in com parson with the expense in the north, and the cost of fuel and winter clothing is greatly reduced. Moreover instead of having the soil locked up by frost for a considerable period of the year, the southern farmer can be getting some thing out of the ground nearly all the year. His table may be supplied from the garden for much of the time that the northern farmer is obliged to be pay ing out money for canned goods and gro- ceries. And there Is a wider range of products in the south than in the north. Not only are all the staple field garden and orchard products of the north grown in the south, but many other things be- sides. Nearly everything that can be profitably raised in the north can be raised in the south but there are many profitable southern crops that are not profitable-te the northern farmer at all.
 It may be said by way of summarizing that southern farmers. as class, are less burdened with debt than they have been at any previous time since the war that they are now more and more every year producing at home their own pro- visions and becoming less and less de- pendent upon the west for corn, flour and pork. hay and supplies; that, grow ing these things themselves they are saving the enormous profits on them for merly paid to supply merchants, and that living thus on their own, resources f they can count largely as profit wha tev- CT they may receive for such cotton as they grow. While, as a rule, there is lit- tie money in circulation the farmers are living better than ever before, not, of course, because of the scarcity of money, but in spite of it and because of wider utilization of natural resources and capa- bilties. It is shown, however, that in some sections the proceeds from the sale of cotton and the surplus of other crops has been more than enough to pay up back debts, and that farmers, besides buying new furniture, vehicles, farm implements. are, in some cases, lend ing and investing money
 That this condition of existing and in- creasing comfort and comparative pros peiity can be found at all anywhere in these times of universal business depres- sion and stagnation. with the present low and continued falling prices of all farm products, is thing to excite sur prise and wonder There Is wide room for conjecture as to what might be the outcome of right methods of farming in the south under the conditions of general prosperity and good prices. and the pres cnt status under the circumstances is the most complete and conclusive demon ration of the marvellous agricultural capabilities of the south It is not sur pr.sing that farmers in large and daily increasing numbers are moving to the south from other parts of the country.
 The Southern States, monthly maga- zine published by the Manufacturers Record Publishing company, Baltimore NtJ ,aoanfIy -a,,t ont tho falIowipo e,a-