The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-12
coon ADVICE TO FARMERs.

The address of Commissioner Stevens of
this state delivered before the convention
Of Associated Commissioners of Agricul-
lure of the Southern States at New Or
leans on Wednesday, contained a great
deal of good advice to southern farmers.
The part Of the address, however, to
which we desire to call particular atten-
ton is that in which the farmers are adj
vised not to make the mistake of increas-
ing the cotton acreage
If they will but think moment they
will see that a small crop is almost certain
to bring them more money than large
one. If a large crop is produced-a crop
as large as that of 1S9S-99-the price of cot
ton viii probably drop to AZ or cents
pound. on the other hand if a small crop
is produced the price win be IL cents and
probably cents a pound. Commissioner
Stevens thinks that if the acreage could
be cut down so that the crop would not
exceed 5000, eco bales, the price of cotton
would be as high as 9 cents "A
pound A crop of 100000 bales at 5 cents
a pound would bring $275,0oOO0O, while n
crop of 100000 bales at cents a pound
would yield $3l5 100000. And it is appar-
ent that it costs a great deal more to raise
and market a 11OOO,OOO-bale crop than it
does a crop of 100000 bales.
matter that farmers should keep in
mind is that it is going to cost al least
30 per cent. more to raise crop this year
than it did last. There has been a great
advance in the prices of commercial fer
tilzers, mules, agricultural implements,
meats and manufactured goods of all
sorts To raise a big crop of cotton, and
to incur debts in dong so, would almost
bankrupt the cotton growing states if the
price of cotton next fan should be low;
and that the price would be low, if there
should be an enormous crop. is almost
certain
Every farmer is ready to admit that it
would be unwise to plant for a big crop,
but the comparatively high price which
cotton is now bringing is a very great
temptation to farmers to plant their entire
farms in cotton. Each farmer seems 20
think that his nelghbor will take the ad-
vice about cutting down the cotton acre
age, and that therefore little harm will
| be done if he increases his acreage. If
| the farmers act on this idea there Will
| be a great increase in the cotton acreage,
and consequently in the size of the
crop. The safe thing for each farmer
| TO do is to reduce his own acreage, or at
| least see to it that there is no increase
in it.
Commissioner Stevens is of the opinion
| that the South is more prosperous now
| than she has been at any previous time
| in thirty years. The opinion is a sound
one. The cotton farmers raised their last
cotton crop at a very small cost fertilizers
and all kinds of farm supplies being cheap,
and they got about cents a pound more
| for their cotton than they expected when
! they began planting. Besides they plant
ed rather extensively of food crops and
were not compelled to go into debt for
food supplies. They are now pretty wei
out of debt, and it is safe to say that the
| great ma Orty of them have more money
now which they can cali their own than
they had for a long time previously. Let
them live economically keep out of debt
and diversity their crops and at this time
next year they Will have excellent rea-
sons for being thankful that they resisted
| the temptation to greatly increase theiI
|