The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-10-03

mand, tho Staple Is Bringing a Cent
Less Than at the Same Time Last Year.
Importance of Saving First PicSings Be-
fore Equinoctial storms set In.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
ATLANTA, Oct. l, 1897.
COTTON.
The cotton crop, which few weeks
ago promised to be the largest ever
grown, has suffered a severe backset.
Notwithstanding this indisputable con-
dition, as we'll as the fact that the
worlds surplus from the past season is
very small, both indicating the proba-
bility of strong demand. prices have
opened very low, ruling at least cent
less than at the same period last year.
The large surplus of manufactured
goods on hand will partly, but not en-.
tlrely, account for this anomalous con.
dition of the cotton market. 1t is GER.
tain that large supply of cotton will
be necessary to meet current demands.
1t is also certain that the crop will fall
short of our August expectations, but it
is always a risky business for farmer
to speculate on his cotton crop. In an
experience of over 80 years we have
found that, generally speaking, it pays
better to sell the crop as it is gathered.
Loss of weight, and if stored. insur-
ance, storage, etc, run up the ex.
pense account very rapidly, and
often, as was the case last year,
though there may be !every reasonable
probability of higher prices. the farmer
is, in the end, disappointed. The truth
is no advice can be given which will
suit all cases. A mans own Judgment,
his obligation, his peculiar environment
and financial condition must all exer-
else a deciding influence as to when
and at what price he can afford to sell.
A matter of far greater Importance just
now, and one which he has almost un.
der his entire control, is to save the
first pickings in nice, clean condition
before the equinoctial storms damage it
beyond remedy. The earliest picked
cotton usually sells the best, and it is
folly to leave it i'll the field to waste
from the bolls. or to become stained and
spoiled by rain and wind. If handled
carefully and neatly from the time it is
picked from the bolls until it is safely
landed at the nearest shipping station,
we will hear less complaint of the
wretched condition in which American
cotton reaches the markets of the world.
CORN.
The general corn crop will also be un.
doubtedly shorter than that of last year,
which, it will be remembered, was the
largest ever grown. Corn is now ad-
vancing and prices will, in all probabil.
ity, be steady. which is a strong addi-
tional reason for seeding a full area of
fall oats. and also for saving every part
of the corn crop. 1t has been often
stated in these columns, and in many
other agricultural publications, that a
very large part of the corn crop is acttA
ally thrown away by our usual method
of allowing the stalks to rot in the
fields. We have been gratified by the
number of letters of inquiry on this sub
ject which hav@ been received by the
department. All over Georgia attention
is concentrating more or less on this
important matter. In my own county
know of two shredding machines re.
Gently purchased. one by an individual
and the other by a combination of farm
ers. Their reports can but be favorable,
and another year we hope to see the en-
tire product of our Georgia corn fields
successfully housed for winter feed 1t
is probable that corn will maintain a
higher price the coming year than has
ruled the past season, and this may in.
duce some of our farmers to plan for a
larger area in corn. A better policy,
however, would be to put in heavy
crop of
FALL OATS
In the more northern sections of the
state progressive farmers have already
seeded down the area intended for this
crop but in southern Georgia there is
still sufficient time to add to the num-
Der of acres originally intended for oats.
There is no better stock food than clean,
we'll developed oats, and the fall sow.
Ing has this advantage, that the crop
may be taken off in the spring, and a
crop of peas or late corn planted and
matured on the same land thus real
izing two crops instead of one from the
same area. 70 get the best returns from
an oat crop, the land should be thor
oughly prepared and fertilized and a
liberal early seeding secured, that the
plants may be we'll set before cold
weather checks their rapid growth. A
better plan than increasing the area
will be to increase the productive ca.
pacity of the land by thorough prepare.
ton and high fertilization.
WHEAT.
October is usually the great wheat
sowing month except in the far south,
where most of the wheat is sown
in November. If we could regulate this
matter accurately we should peter to
sow just long enough before frost to get
the wheat well started, otherwise there
is danger that the dreaded fly may de-
stroy the stand. The high price of
wheat may tempt some farmers to plant
more largely than usual, but we think
this a mistaken policy. because our
lands are not especially suited to wheat
and almost without exception, will pro.
duce better paying crop of oats, even
at the high prospective price of wheat.
1t is delayed and then hurried, and con-
sequeutly careless preparation and seed
ing, which so often causes both these
crops to be Disappointing. Although |
thi- years crops are not yet all gath.
cred, we may now regard our farming
operations for another year as we'll |
started. Wheat, oats and other fall |
grains and grasses, though seeded now.
belong TALLY to another year, and !
must be included in our plans and esti
mates for '9S.