The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-03
Small Grain and Grass.

OF the open or arabic land in Georgia
how much, or how little rather, is in grass
or even grain from year to year. Not
counting the land that is simply thrown
out" for rest, what percentage Of the open
lands of Georgia is devoted to grain and
grass culture? The recent census returns
shows that very little is set apart for such
purposes, and it is a sad reflection upon
the wisdom of our southern farmers. No
section of this great country is better
adapted 10 grass and stock culture than
the state Of Georgia-from one end to the
other, from the mountains to the sea-
board. And yet how little attention Is given
to beef raising. or hogs or sheep. There is
not a farmer In Georgia who has given
stock and grass growing a fair trial, but
what says 1t is a most profitable business
when conducted in proper manner
it is a fact that Georgia can no longer
compete with Texas in growing cotton or
Ohio in growing corn. For years and years
It has been impossible for us to export the
latter, as we cannot, do not, grow enough
even for our own use. And while, on ac-
count of the lack of factories,we are COM
PEELED to export our raw cotton, we do it at
an actual loss. The aggregate of our cot
ton exports makes a fine showing, II Is
true, but Individual experience says II is
grown at a loss three years out OF five,
taking the past fifteen years as test.
our farmers recognize that cotton grow
ing-to the extent that we grow it's
losing business, and yet they do not know
how to turn Il loose and go into something
else. Each one waits for his neighbor TO
make a change, fearing 10 risk his own
judgment, it appears, and make the
change that he feels Is called for. SO 1t
goes on year after year, cotton and corn,
cotton and corn, z cents cotton and 80
cents corn.
with the yield per acre Of these crops,
how can farming be made a profitable
business by the mass of farmers? The
average yield of cotton in Georgia is less
than 80 pounds lint per acre, and the
average corn Is less than ten bushels per
acre. These are the average of the nearly
100000 OF acres planted to these crops In
Georgia. While some make more than
these amounts per acre, others make less.
The above figures are higher than the
average.
the case OF cotton about $40 per acre and
In the case Of corn about IS. OF course,
n costs more to put the l40-odd pounds
cotton on the market than Il does the 10
(call Il 10, though Il Is not that much)
bushels OF corn SO the difference In the
actual results Is not much.
The one-horse farm Is the unit OF south
ern farming, though, Of course. with the
improved implements OF the day a three
horse or four-horse can do more than
three or four times the work Of a one
horse farm II the improved implements
are utilized In the fullest manner. A one
horse farmer can take little or no advan-
tage of the improved implements. He
may be said 10 have made no advance
upon the practice Of thirty years ago.
Tho clean culture--we call II clean,
though Il u far from Il In many instances
of the past thirty years, or forty or fifty
years, has brought out lands in such a
condition that they will no longer produce
very profitable crops even with the aid OF
commercial manures. These lands can be
cultivated IN hoed crops no longer
They must be planted In those crops
that will permit Of restoration Of that
element Of fertility that Is 70 essential and