The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-04-08
FARMER AND PLANTER.
FARMING IN THE SOUTH.
Necessity of Crop liberalization
In the Southern States.

In the Southern States.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson, in
discussing the productive possibii-
ties of the south and the problem of
negro labor, made the following OBJ
servations:
The pressing question is, what is the
laborer down south, who has been
growing cotton and is not getting
enough for his product to in the
future enable him to live comfortably,
not to speak of improvements in his
condition, education and all that, to
do? The cotton crop leaves very little
that is valuable for domestic animals
after the picking is done, thus differ
ing from the corn crop of the north
western states. There is by-product,
the Gotten seed, that is exceedingly
valuable rs nutrient, and much good
work is being done by scientists at ex-
pertinent stations to show how valua-
BILE cotton seed is for feeding pur-
poses. The great cotton-growing in-
dustry of the south is not up to date.
The nitrogen content is greater than
of any of the grains, it is richer in nj
trogencus matter than peas or beans,
richsr than gluten, meal or oil cake.
The northern feeder and the European
feeder have been using this by-proG-
uc<.of the cotton fields with great adj
vantage to them, while the loss of its
fertilizing qualities to the south has
been very great. The south has more
marked advantages over the north
with regard to production. It has
more heat and moisture, the two
great factors of production, and if the
cotton grower is to diversity his crops
he must use those natural advantages.
The dairy COW and mutton sheep
would succeed admirably in the south.
but something for them to eat must
be provided first. The winters in the
south are mild; grasses and grains
sown in the fall, grow abundantly
through the winter, upon which the
dairy COW and the mutton sheep may
thrive and produce.
From fifth to a fourth of all the
fat of all the milk on the farms of the
United States is lost because people do
not thoroughly understand when to
churn cream. The churning process
is an art having much more science
underlying it. But the cotton grower
of the south only needs to learn the
way, while the man who teaches him
can understand the science.
Much vof rornaspc IN bo lfconyoraI
in the art Of breeding animals, but
enough is known to indicate to the in
structor of the colored cotton grower
of the south, who is to be diverted into
work of this kind to enable him to
breed his herd intelligently.
The south can prepare the spring
lamb much earlier than the north can.
The southern land owner understands
his situation. There is always a
greater demand for saddle horses than
is supplied. The world wants carriage
and draft horses and good roadsters.
Early spring chickens can be pro-
duced down there because they have
milder winters and milder springs
than we have, and the northern mar
ketcan be supplied. Should the market
become over supplied we can send this
product abroad in the refrigerated
compartment of our steamships.
There is a diversity of opinion in
the south as to the ability of the coll
ored man to be used in diversified Ia
Dor. The colored man is learning the
trades at Tuskegee; he is mining coal
and working the manufacture of iron
at Birmingham Some southern men
whom you win raeet will say that they
have the best labor in the world, and in
some respects i am inclined to think
they have. The south has reached the
point that most of the states of the
northwest reached. Years ago section
after section devoted itself to corn and
wheat, until the land refused to yield
their crops, and the farmer was driven
to seek Investigation. Prosperity
came to the northwest through the d.
versification of industries on the farm.
I know of no other way through which,
it can come to the south. 1t seems 70
me that the necessities of the occasion
are up to the intelligent land owner.
He should inform himself on these
lines. He should have done it years ago
The sciences which relate to agricul-
ture would stand him in gocd stead
while his diploma from a literary in
stitution is worth very little TO him. II
it not too late. Improvement along
these lines cannot be expected to origi-
nate with the laboring men of the
south, it must begin with the men OF
education.