The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-13


| less than one-third of a bale 70 the acre,
worth about so. Cotton could not be pro-
/ duced at profit at this rate, except with
/ starvation labor. he said. The average
/ production of corn TO the acre is reported
! TO be twelve bushels per acre, worth -.
| Il Is impossible to produce corn at protlt
| at such a rate, ne said, and consequently
| ne was forced to the conclusion that the
| great agricultural interest Of the state Is
| not prospecting. He cOntrasted the differ
ence In profits with a bale Of cotton ana
forty bushels Of corn to the acre lie
showed by statistics that the value OF the
agricultural property of the state has been
practically al a stand-st for years, while
| the value of railroads, merchandise, man
ufactures and banking capital has in
| creased greatly.
His conclusion was that the Individual
| prosperity of the Georgia farmer is de
! pendent upon smaller acreage and in
| creased productiveness. As much cotton
can be raised on half the land and with>
out too much fertilizer, at a cost OF cents
a pound. While cotton had decreased In
price, he said. the price Of all manufac-
tured articles had also been decreased so
that bale of cotton will purchase as
much to-day as il ever did. One
thing 1t will not do how
ever, 1t viii not pay taxes nor debts
as fast The farmer in debt, with high
rate of interest and cotton falling in price
wonder is that every acre of the south
| land has not been sacrificed. Education
of the kind especially applicable and bene-
fetal to the farmer was dWelt upon as
one Of the most necessary things in i'm
proving the present condition of the
farmer.
Prof. Wellborn said Mississippi spends
S1,000,O00 for the common schools besides
supporting industrial colleges and insti-
tutions and yet she has only two-thirdS
the population of Georgia and only half
the taxable wealth. They believe they
have the cheapest institution of learning
in the United States he said. He believ-
ed that he could prove that fully 100 stu
| dents attend the agricultural college each
| year at an expense for boards books,
| clothing and travelling expenses of less
than 800 year and many, he knew, go
through for less than $50. It is this very
| idea that IL is an economical college that
keeps the institution full.
An interesting address upon THE Poul-
| try Industry" was delivered by Mr.. Geo.
| NJ. Downs, editor of the Southern Fancier
! of Atlanta, who surprised his audience by
| showing that his subject was not an unim-
/ portant one when the poultry product of
| the country exceeds in value that of the
| cotton crop.
The Importance and profit of this indus
/ try on either a large or a small scale were
| well dwelt upon by Mr.. Downs.
! Col Waddell moved that the society give
| its moral endorsement to the Thomas
/ county agricultural fair. The resolution
! was amended so as to give the moral en-
| dOrsement of the society to all county
| fairs. A request for endorsement of the
! Waycross fair had also been made.
one of the chief features of the session
was the address by Col. j. r. Nesbt, state
! commissioner Of agriculture. Four years
/ ago in addressing the agricultural society
/ at Savannah. Col. Nesbit said he predict
/ ed it would be the bona fide landholder,
who would build up Georgia. This predic-
! ton IS being realized, he said. Conditions
/ are such that they could rot easily be
changed or improved. While the average
4 yield of cotton and corn to the acre has
| not increased there has been a great devel-
/ opment in every nook and corner of the
| state and in every line of industry. While
| the average has not increased, hAsaid, in
| diVidual instances have. Georgia Is to-day
| the second cotton growing state of the
union and although Texas would make five
states the size of Georgia and has great
| er population, Georgia produces more
cotton to the acre than Texas.
This is due to the industry and activity
of the people, he said. All the progress
sive and prosperous farmers of Missis-
sippi and of Texas. he said. are either
from Georgia or claimed a Georgia father
or a Georgia mother. He had been a
cotton raiser all his life, Col. Nesbit said,
and he had never yet seen the man who
| had too much cotton. He always wanted
a little more. While other cotton growing
nations Of the world have increased their
| product by only 10 per cent. In the last
| thirty years, the southern states have
| increased their production 30 per cent.
In accounting for the present condition
| of affairs, Col. Nesbit contrasted the con-
dition of the sons of men who were veal
thy al the close of the war who are now
/ tenant farmers, and farmers who had not
| a dollar at the close of the war who now
have comfortable bank accounts. The
| duties Of farm life, Col. Nesbit said, have
been onerous and disa greeable, and, as a
result. there has been a large movement
to the towns, some seeking an easier meth
cd of making a living. The towns are
! filed with disconnected people, who do
| not know what they want to do. His eX-
| perience in advertising for a dairyman.
| Eighty-seven applications were received
had come TO the city, thinking
| il would be easier to make
a living there than I'm the country. Some
| of them had come there with means 10
| enter business but being unaccustomed
to business methods had failed and were
/ forced to take any sort Of work TO get
bread for themselves and families.
! "Our people have got to go back TO
the farms" he said. There is nothing
else for them to do. The towns are filled
20 overlooking with people who have moth
ing 10 do They have got TO go back to
the country. Encourage them to come
back. The towns have been built up at
the expense of the country. Hereafter the
outflow will be from the towns 10 the
country"
Col Nesbit gave the experience OF the
! state chemist, who advertised for a
stenographer az S25 a month. Just sixty
seven women applied for the position next
day.
Col Nesblt said that the farmers OF
Georgia will face heavy bill for fer
ulizers this year. lie warned the farm
crs against the excessive use OF these fer
tilizers. Many lands are poorer to-day
than they were when the use OF these
fertilizers was commenced. Commercial
fertilizers judiciously used were valuable.
ne said. but they should not be depended
/ upon alone.
Col. Neshits address was well received
and the views advanced by him were evil
IDENTIFY approved by the convention.
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