Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-04-16
FARMER AND PLANTER.
sEAsoNAeLE WORDS
For ihe beginning OF the Years Aetna
Wurk IN TIM Fielda.

SEASONABLE WORDS
For ihe beginning OF the Years Actual
Work In tho Fields.
In this month, except for unforeseen
delays, the main body Of the cotton
crop throughout the south will be put
into the ground, and while most farm.
ers have decided on the number OF
acres they intend to plant, IT Is not TOO
late perhaps to utter word OF warn
Ing to those who contemplate putting
In large area at the expense OF the
more important provision crops. We
use the words more important" ad-
visedly, and rs supporting this asser'
ton, we point to the genera! condition
of the farmers to-day, as compared
with what II was ut this time last year
and the year before. Then they were
hampered in their preparations for an
other crop by a lack Of sufficient sup
plies for man and beast; to-day the
barns and storehouse groan under the
accumulation Of food of all kinds.
Though the profits on the past years
operations may not have reached
high figure, farmers, as rule, are now
resting secure, while in all other occu-
pations and professions there Is TO-
verish anxiety and apprehension. Hav-
ing taken no chances, they have forth
fed themselves against market fuctu-
atoms, and thus their investment Is
more certain than il placed In stock
companies and syndicates. No one
will deny that this is a great and IA
vorable change, and yet there is dis
position, in some quarters, by reduce
ing the provision crop and charging
on cotton, to cut off the only means
which will maintain us In our posi-.
ton of assured security. The dispo-
sitiou to purchase mules and guano
is usually an indication Of an in
creased cotton acreage. To those
men who have already invested In adj
ditional stock and fertilizers for the
purpose of planting largely in cotton,
we would urge the following reasons
why they should pause and reconsider
their plans: In the first place II each
farmer assists in keeping down the
cotton acreage, he, to that extent, in
creases the chances Of profit for all.
On the other hand, II there Is a gen.
eral and large increase in cotton pro-
duction, the individual farmers who
restrict their acreage to reasonable
bounds stand less chance ofloss, should
the price fall below the cost Of pro-
duction, which it almost inevitably
will, than those who plant heavily in
the hope that by some means Provi-
dence will bless their lack Of business
sagacity and save them from the con-
sequences of their folly.
Another cogent reason for Unite d
cotton crop, and full, even super
abundant provision supply, is the I'M
settled condition of national affairs the
world over. Should the present dis
turbed relations between European
governments result in conflict, no one
can predict the extent to which, either
as to time or geographical boundary,
hostilities might reach, still less could
we estimate the disastrous effects to
our immediate agricultural interests
The mere rumor of war between Ger
many and England caused the pro-
vision markets in Chicago to advance
several points, with corresponding
depression in cotton prices at other
places.
The following figures, taken from
the report OF the department Of agri'
culture, give comparative estimate OF
the corn crop Of the south for three
yeas: 1898, 435,744,766 bushels; 1894
4s3, 421 ,982 bushels; 1895, 6O7,665, OF
bushels. The estimated grain crop Of
the south for 1895, including corn, oats
and wheat, will make grand total Of
over 700, 100000 bushels.
AS a result of this large provision
crop, and the better prices for cotton
following the reduced area for 1895
everything has taken on q brighter
aspect, and farmers all over the
country are in better condition thar
for years. Experience and common
sense both urge the obvious conclu
sion, but will farmers profit by the op
portunity which their vantage grount
gives them? VIII they raise theil
bread and meat and cotton at profit
or will they simply plant cotton II
order that others may reap the benefit
The coming month must answer thes'
questions. May the decision be sucl
that the farmers will come out on thu
winning side, when the results ar
summed up at the close Of 1896. -South
ern Cultivator.