St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-11-26
FARMER AND PLANTER.
DIVERSIFIED FARMING.
A Old Cotton Planter Giver His Views on
the subject ct Diversifying the
Farm CrOpS.

Cotton opened at cents. and has
fallen to ACCENTS, with downward
tendency. The cotton raiser who aver
ages one-half bale per acre is barely
paying expenses, while the one who
only makes .one-third of bale per
acre is losing money. Corn at 40 BUSH
els per acre, now selling in our local
markets from 90 to - cents, would
bring 40 cents if judiciously fed to
hogs weighing 100 pounds and over. A
day or SO ago a successful feeder of
hogs said he considered that one BUSH
ell of soaked corn would produce ten
pounds of pork, and if fed in connec-
ton with a ration of wheat bran
would give larger amount, CORE
spending with tests made in an experi-
ment station. The output of wheat
this year of about 25 bushels per acre.
1t 50 to IS cents. has induced many
of our large farmers to SOW an in
creased acreage. Those who have
raised cattle this year are really in
better fix than any other class of rural
people. 1t is about time to quit break
ing pasture lands, especially in west
ern Texas; for, in the language of Bill
Arp, of Georgia, "there are too many
raising cheap cotton to cover peoples
backs for the sentiment there is i'll it;
we need more consumers than produc-
ers." A preacher in the pulpit here
describes our present anomalous con-
dition by stating: 1.-The past years OF
depression have been brought about
more from a superabundance than
otherwise, i. e., there is too much
land in cultivation" "Overproduction
produces hard times and stagnation
in all lines of business. Many wise
acres and celebrated political econo-
mists have differed and still disagree
as to whather 1.-THE law of supply and
demand" is the real cause of the pres
ent low price of farm products. The
one is confident as the other in the
practicability of his theories. The
great American press is equally divid-
ed in its efforts to solve the difficult
problem. Diversification of crops may
give partial relief, but it will cause
many to risk more than they can af-
ford in the raising of crops Of little, If
any. marketable value.
At the Farmers congress, which met
at college station, there were many
fruit raisers who had lost much money
for the want of canning factory, the
local trade consuming but small por-
ton of the surplus. To attempt sys-
tenn Of diyersification in complete
style is more apt to increase the diff
Guilty than otherwise. The reason is
plain, because the old aphorism be-
comes true: TOO many irons in the
fire, ETC." A farmer may be situated
SO he can raise corn and hogs success
fully, and not be able to do SO if he
adds to them several other commodi-
ties which will require equal care,
trouble and expenditure to make
them give yield that will
add to the profit side of the
ledger. Farmers must not overload
themselves with more than they can
shoulder Two specialties, with sew
eral side auxiliaries, are the safest.
There are few expert farmers of
ample means, j. e., plenty OF land for
pasturage, large. rich, fertile, pre-
viusly well titled fields for grain. hay
and some cotton, can diversity his
crops in the fullest sense of the term;
but even then his entire time, brain
and energies will be fully required.
There are farmers owning their own
zoo acre farms who could better their
present condition if they would prac-
tice Investigation upon the old-time
Georgia plan, namely. first, one-fourth
in pasture, one-fourth in corn, one
fourth in cotton and one-fourth in
patches. devoted to the raising of feed
stuffs for hogs. and fruits and vegeta-
bles. There are land owners (for real
" there is no such term applicable
to and landed proprietor in this demo-
cratic country as 'landlord'') in Col
lin county who are arranging their
farms in the way of building better
houses and barns with a view of Civ
ing their tenantry such advantages as
will admit of their practicing diver
sification of crops. 1t will no doubt
work somewhat Of = hardship on those
renters who will be compelled to go
elsewhere to get homes, because to di-
versify means less labor than is re-
quired under the present '.all cotton
system."- Texas Farm and Ranch.
COMPOSING MANURE.
4 Judfcloua and Useful Practice to Mix the