The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-24
HON. S. +. PATTERSON.

HON. S. i. PATTERSON.
price Of products going down and price
Of money gong mp, it was a poor chance
for the farmer to drop one system and
take on another 1t was like swapping
horses III the middle Of the river, the
ford deep and the river rising.
But before this final period in the
history of our experiences IN North Caro-
lima had been reached, new element
had been introduced, a new force that
must be considered in the farm economy
The early nse Of commercial fertilizers
gave high hopes TO the cretluions anu
was followed by IN extrayagant use Of
them in 4 vain endeayor to recover the
Losses following the neglect and mistreat-
mnnt Of the SOIL
Let us take the case Of many farm
ar iii the cotton and tobacco sections Gf
tho State.
After year or two Of privation and
pintlline and hard work with his OLD
army mules. he began once more to be
inspired with hope for the future and
courage to go forward. Clearing up new
grounds for tobacco which WAS bringing
dollar a pound. or adding new lal.d to
his cotton crop, which was worth % to
20 cents4-his success was 50 encouraging
fields, paying good wages, fixing up his
house and premises that had been rum
ming down for the years past. Things
were promising and he went in debt.
Year after year prices gradually fell and
for various reasons expenses increased
and his lard was giving way Then CONF
narcial fertilizers came and for time
promised relief Encouraging yields fol-
.owed. but prices got lower and lower.
and the land poorer and pcorer-tbe fer
tiIizers had no abiding snbstanee-What
,aoney he had laid by had to be drawn
out for sunplies-for all this time ne
had been banking on cotton anu tobacco
and figuring To his own satisfaction now
much cheaper he could buy his corn and
bacon than raise them.
I am not criticising or condemnlng the
farmer described He Is only one OF
thousands who have been Victims TO ap-
nornaal conditions, and who We're for
funate indeed If they saved their homes
from the ruinons vortex. ] believe THESE
conditions have changed and are chang
ing-I am explaining for him why the
changes did NOT come about sooner
Only when the sharp spur Of stern ne
cassity prodded him that, rising III HIS
might he determined to break loose
from the environments that had 50 long
hampered and almost overcome MN. IL
required intelligence. strong and per-
sistent effort, but | believe he is achlev-
Ing success.
While many of the farmers have been
thus unfortunate, others, especially In
the Piedmont and Western counties,
have been successful from the beginning
in saving money, improving their homes.
and increasing the value and productive
capacity of their farms.
Evidences Of new epoch in the his
tory of farming in North Carolina are
lmmistalsable. and one that will record
heretofore unknown Improvement in
farm methods.
The first essential IN good farming Is
to make the farm support itself: that is,
to raise its own supplies as far rs posi-
Bile. The evidences abound or this being
true in all sections Of the State to
greater extent than for 30 wears past
This system may net bring i'm SO much
money. but it certainly STOPS paving on
so much. persisted.in, it viii relieve the