St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-01-21
FARMER ANDPLANTER.
A SERIOUS SITUATION.
The Cotton Planter Has Lab0red for . Year
and Probably Comes Out Deeper
Al Debt.

Il
the farmer. He has worked and la,
bored for a year. and at the end of i,
finds he has made nothing. possibly
has sunk money. His debts are as big
as they ever were, and his taxes are
| greater than they ever were. An
stare him in the face. He must change
his farming plans and methods, and
he must work for reduction of pub
lie expenditures. AS to the economic
problem. one thing is SO patent that il
calls for no thought or discussion-he
must raise less cotton. Reason and
good sense have suggested this for
years past; facts. hard stern facts,
now COMPEL it. The average farmer
has been slow to learn the lesson, but
necessity now beats 1t into his head;
he can not deceive himself any long
er. Change or bankruptcy are the two
horns of his dilemma. What can he
substitute in the place of cotton, is the
great economic problem now before
him. 1t is one which calls for the pro-
foundest thought, the deepest study,
and one about which conclusion
must soon be reached. The new year
will soon be here. and work in new
directions must soon begin. A Sec
ond point in the economic problem is
just as apparent as the one already
mentioned; namely, he must devote all
the land. labor and other things requi-
site to raise an abundance of home
supplies. This is an old song. but it
can not be sung too often. The wis
dom of substituting a full supply of
provisions for it's equivalent in cotton
is as plain as the MONDAY sun. No
one will dispute it. 1t only remains
to go to work and do it. The details
in carrying on the substitute will vary
somewhat with ones conditions and
surroundings. In the extreme south
ern portions of the cotton belt, it may
not be practicable to raise wheat, but
in those regions rice may take the
place of wheat, for if lowlands are
not universally available, upland rice
can be cultivated with success. And
rive can very largely take the place of
wheat. 1t can be beaten or ground
into -four, with which great variety
of breads can be made. We speak on
this point from a wide experience.
In the mountainous and northern
portions of the cotton belt where the
tropical sugar cane can not be grown
sorghum can be, and sirup and even
sugar obtained thcrefrom. Corn can
be grown everywhere. and where
sweet potatoes do not thrive the Irish
potato fiourishes. Milk and butter
can be had in all regions. and so can
chickens and eggs. With an abundant
supply of milk, butter, chickens and
eggs farmers family can dispense
with almost all other kinds of ami
nal food. There is vast room for ex-
development of the dairy
md the poultry yard on most farms,
ond they call for very trifiing ex-
penditure of labor or money. 1t be-
hooves our farmers to awake to the
possibilities in these directions. in
place of going to town to buy western
pork. Another available source of
heap wholesome meat is the raising
IF the European or domestic rabbit.
They breed with great rapidity and
.hrive in confinement. a yard fenced
With wire netting and cheap shelter
o supply dens are the outlay needed.
The goat is also worthy of more at
ention as source of cheap and ex-
H.
most any other animal will starve,
md wire fencing combats successful
y his climbing propensities. In many
'egions sheep can be raised success
ully and supply both excellent meat |
or the table and wool for a money
rop. Beef, of course. is available |
The difficulty i'm consum-
ng whole carcass in hot weather |
nay be overcome by establishing |
clubs. the members of |
which kill animals in succession and |
livide out. rotating the choice parts.
ome hog. of course. must be had. but |
here is no need. and he should not be /
llowed to monopolize the meat house.
! few pigs dropped in early spring
nd pushed through the summer on
rops easily raised. and which have
cen discussed heretofore in these
will be ready for slaughter
he ensuing winter and furnish the
eeded supply of pork at very cheap
gures. Added to above supplies of
BOD vegetable garden and an or
hard can make the farmer almost in
ependent of the outside world.-l
Dufhorp Cnlfira<nr