St. Tammany farmer., 1901-08-24
The system certainly increases tho


cotton crop to the exclusion of provi-
SION crops, and is very destructive to
the hilly farm lands, by causing neg
lect of the proper rotation and the
rest absolutely demanded to sustain
the fertility Of the largest portion Of
the hill lands, if not the level lands
as well. Any system or idea is mis-
leading, which causes farmer or
worker to think he can successfully
manage q farm while working the
same old hilly lands in cotton, with
Which to buy provisions for himself
and family. rather than grow them
upon his own premises with his own
hands. 1t is absurd for the land
owner as the lands will deteriorate,
and folly for the tenant and work
er as time prices will certainly follow
and ruin him.
Unwise laws that encourage a sys-
tenn, the operation of which destroys
interested and intelligent control of
farm lands and enslayes the worker
and his family to the commercial
world.
To develop sufficient sentiment to
overcome and Danish this monster
evil, l say let Harvey Jordan proceed
with organizing the farmers into pro-
tective associations, and better farm
ers institutes, for we need the elbow
touch of the larger number of farm
ers' to cope with the willy argument
and ways of interested traders and
commercialism.
J During the last ten. years one
fourth at least Of the lands in the
older states which have been planted
IN cotton were SO exhausted that the
I'D on this fourth has not paid ex-
penses and the workers rating the
pay of themselves and family assist
ants at two-thirds of fair wages, to
say nothing of less of fertility, etc.
If others did not carry the risk for
them by credits the workers would
change their methods of cropping
and leave off planting exhausted
areas continually in cotton and
would endeavcr to live more directly
control. We're it not for credit be-
ing popular, a large number of land
owners themselves would leave out
these exhausted areas to resuperation
and thus benefit the lands and pos
terity as well as curtail the cotton
crop. Credit enables too many to
grow cotton who are really not able
to grow it, and on lands that are too
exhausted to pay fair wages. Too
many are thus fooled into the bus:-
ness.
Let avarice cease to mislead the
many merchants and professional men
who engage in growing cotton, max
ing in January and February large
crops on paper, yet, in November, be-
sides the trouble of looking after the
operatives, the net proceeds of cotton
yield is only about sufficient to reim-
burse the cash outlay; the rent or
deterioration of land not counted.
Let these be content with their trades
and professions, and have them know
the sin of increasing the crop merely
" uCH1 CSS CuO t4ASCo VI IAC La ACA
money crop.
Yes, one of the best means to cur
tail the cotton crop would be to let
exhausted areas rest and recuperate
for the sake of those coming after us,
rather than buy fertilizers on credit
to further exhaust the lands and half
pay the workers.
Scorn the misguided judgment Of
those having a suficiency, taking the
money out Of their other enterprises
and professions for the purpose of
growing cotton in competition with
their farmer friends, whSSe opportun-
ity to coin their time into money 10
fivefold less than the opportunities OF
merchants and men in professions or
Office. Let these keep out of the busi-
ness, for they have no right to COM
pete where the farmers have so much
at stake in proper prices, and there
is so little profit to them growing cot
ton by hirelings. Let the cotton crop
be curtailed thus, and by dropping off
the one-fourth exhausted areas which
pay only half wages for the working,
but add considerably to the total
yield we curtail, at least to the ex-
tent of efforts which return sone-
thing in excess of the outlay.-Lin-
coin P. Elerm, in Agricultural Epito-
mist