The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-01-19
THR FERTILIZER FOR COTTON.

Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
With the low price now prevailing
for cotton, most farmers are of the
opinion that it does not pay to buy any
fertilizer at all for this much abused
crop. I say much abused, because it
is slandered in the South more than all
the other crops put together. Where
intelligence is exercised in the growing
or this crop, it can be made to pay as
we'll as the corn, oat, or wheat crop of
the North and West. Now if our values
are relative why complain so bitterly
of low pricesR I know that am not
voicing the sentiment of the Southern
farmers in gay ing this, but believe in
taking the bull by the horns and max
ing the bGst Of our bad situation. Let
the troublee causing the low prices of
cotton be what they may, it is low and
there is no mistake about it, buf we
will not raise the price by repining.
Whether caused by overproduction,
cheap labor in India and Egypt, or what
not, the result to US is the same IL is
true We can lessen the production and
diversity our crops, which of course
will be very great help both ways,
but we can go further and endeavor TO
raise more per acre and at less cost
For instance, if we get $50 per bale
aud it cost $50 to raise it, the result is
the same as if we had gotten $25 with
a cost of $l5. In both cases $40 Is the
clear profit. What is the difference to
US as far as the cotton crop is con-
cerned; but if we raise the said amount
Of cotton on lees land it is clear we have
that many more acres to devote to
other crops. Cotton has been King"
In the South and will always be en-
throned. Now if we have Fl ure- head
for king that does not command a
good price, we can partially maintain
the net balance by reducing his ex-
penses. IL in former times ne sold for
more than he Was worth and the world
has found it out, then we must accept
the inevitable, and be'reconciIed to our
fate for the king cotton" is here to
stay notwithstanding the terrible abuse
of his subjects,
Now let US make the best of bad
sovereign, and if he does not coin money
for ut at good premium we must cut
down his expenses that the profits may
remain normal The que tion is how
to accomplish this purposel By diver
styling our crops and raising as much
on one acre as we have been raising on
several, Is this poesible9 1t is not
only possible, but can be done by the
average farmer if he goes about it in
the right way. Every body knows that
cotton will grow better on land that
has produced several other different
crops for four o. five years previous,
than if the land had been in cotton for
the same time. In other words, not
only diversity, but rotate the crops.
That is another way of bringing up the
land. Then if you have diversity of
crops it will pay to keep some stock,
and the manure will aid greatly Then
chemistry and commerce have come to
our aid with remedy for the remain
ing evil. The first tells us what com
mercial fertilizer to use and the second,
ever ready to supply demand, brings
US what we call for. hear some one
say, yes, if you depend on CONNER
cial fertilizer ou depend on a broken
stick and our land will deteriorate