Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-05-20
FARMER AND PLANTER.
SOME PLAIN FARM FACTS.
The Southern Farmer Must Diversity His
Crops II He Would be
Prosperous.

In letter TO Messrs. Latham, Alex
ander & Co., of New York, Messrs. r,
X. Dancy 4 Co., of Houston, Tex, have
something to say on the subject of di-
versifications which should have
healthy effect upon every cotton grow
er. 1t is as follows:
THE planters must diversity their
crops and plant less cotton, or our
beautiful land, with the most produc-
tive soil on earth, will produce pauper-
ism, want and misery to those who
have the power in their own hands to
mold their destiny
They claim unless the tenant and
average farmer will agree to plant n
certain quantity of cotton acreage the
merchants can not and will not supply
his wants. We have seen considerable
OF Texas life, and state, without hesi-
tation that the average Texas farmer
lives poorer than any other. The land
he tills will produce equal to any in
the world, and if thrifty he could,
within short time, make himself al
together Independent of the merchant,
Instead of contracting debts he would
have money to spend with his mer-
chant.
ION most plantations the luxury of
the garden is ignored. Luxuriant
grasses, ready for hay, about the time
cotton picking commences, are neg
lected, allowed to waste, instead of
housing, because all time and labor
must be given to cotton. On the
opening of spring he must buy
provender for his working animals
| Those things which countryman in
Europe or the eastern states of our
land would consider necessaries of life
and health are ncglected-certainly
not from ignorance, for you seldom see
n grown man or woman that can not
read and write.
Note the following facts and ponder
over them:
The planter hiss not rised the corn
orwheat to provide his own house with
bread.
HE has not raised the horses or
mules required to keep up his own
farm.
"lIe has not raised the cows and hogs
70 supply milk, butter and meat for his
own table use.
He has not raised tobacco, potatoes,
peanuts or sugar-cane or sorghum to
make sugar and strip. for home con-
sumption.
"lle has not raised even a few chick
ems aud turkeys to have eggs, and on
some special occasion good fowl for
dinner.
He has not raised any of the many
vcgctables-cabbage, turnips, lettuce,
tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, etc, SO
nutritious and easily cultivated in this
climate and soil.
"lle has not raised any melons, but
knows the luxury of one on hot day,
taken from u well or spring. upon COM
ing from hard work in cultivating the
one and all-important cotton crop.
lie has not raised any apples, pears
peaches, plums, aprico.s, figs or grapes
any of these he could raise, if he
would.
But the head of the farm by prefer
cncc takes his team, drives to town and
buys from his merchant all the various
necessarics; also, butter, cheese, lard
coffee, tobacco, eggs, peanuts, sugar
cabbage, turnips, melons, candy, a jug
= of sirup, sack of corn and bale o
hay. Anything his merchant has no
: in stock he must do without, or tht
merchant must send out and get it fol
him. Still he seems blind to his owl
;7elfarc, continues to plant cotton, lie
the price be what it may.
America produces about three
!. fourths of all ths cotton grown in tn
world, and no other country can TAX
precedence. The very low prices exist
lag now for cotton are not of specia
benefit to anyone. On account of over
production the planter must sell hi
product at n price below its cost to pro
duee. The merchant must take it il
payment of the planters account AM
do his utmost to clear himself on clos
margin, if at all. The buyer must scel
the world by cables and telegraphi
meeting competition for any outlet TO
it, often simply swapping dollars t
make sales and relieve himself an
? bankers of the load.
The manufacturer, learning from eS
/ perience, buys close and is willing som
!. one else should carry the cotton, sine
il saves interest and risk, and becaus
the contracts he can make tor his good
| IN oil n no ali tnt I'D Ia
B capital is necessarily employed in tn
manufacture of goods he must carr
because of the ovcrproduction. Hence
d the enormous crop, besides entailin
heavy losses to the farmers, is disat
V vantage, and the entire responsible
lies with the farmer. The balance c
o the power is his TO success or rui
all must follow him.
with such experience and actuf
facts the planter should be willing
call halt, use some judgment, dive
sify his planting, and next fall the r,
suit will already begin to show such
wave of prosperity for this land of I'll
south that every man reducing h
y acreage in cotton rs per cent. or MOI
. would feel that lie had been INSTR
- mental, in part, in bringing it abou
\. that it was the turning point of su
cess in his farming life, and he ha
lived to learn and be convinced thu
something was better than all cotton
ut Southern Farm Magazine.
THE VALUE OF THE COW PEI