Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-10-20

mighty mountain. There are questions
of public import, as we'll as questions OF
economic utility, which to me have the
same effect as does the mountain.
The topic you have assigned me is one
OF them. There is so much in it, and
Of IL, and about II, that I despair OF
presenting II in a manner adequate 10
its dimensions. / hope you viii PARDON
therefore, all narrowness of measure
ment or mistaken Interpretation, for this
address is launched upon the sea of south
ern opinion with the hope mainly that
II will be taken up by the constructive
thought OF the farmers of the south,
whereby demonstration Of a better char
aeter than my theories shall follow.
II / rightly estimate the condition OF
southern agriculture, the first great ne
cessity is to do something that shall re-
store its wasted fertility. / place fer
tility. productiveness Of the soil, ahead
Of all other considerations. Next in nat
ural sequence, something must be done
to arouse the brain, the intellectually,
the mental perceptions, of the southern
farmer, not concerning politics or any
thing else than the farm itself.
To borrow a phrase from our revival
preachers, the farmer needs to be hap
tized with the renewing influences Of the
spirit of inquiry of hope, and Of a
deeper understanding OF the meaning Of
the problem as he holds Il in his hands.
It adds fearfully to the danger of every
situation to have doubt, misapprehen-
sion and lack of knowledge, at the helm.
The history of southern agriculture has
been one of appalling waste of fertility.
Yet the southern farmer is not "a sim
ner above all who dwell in Jerusalem"
The same sin is to be charged to the
farmers Of New York, New England, Ohio
and Indiana, and thirty years ago 1t was
true of the farmers Of Wisconsin.
The average American seems to be en-
dowed somehow with a genius for vast
ing the natural resources of the country
almost wantonly. He has destroyed the
forests Of the country, and wherever he
has lived for a few generations he has
improved the fertility Of the soil to a fear
full extent. The conservation of fertility
is not a living vital question with him.
He does not farm II with that In view as
one Of the rigid cardinal principles of his
farming. What he is after is present
gain, with the comforting remark often
made TO himself or in excuse to others:
20, there will be land enough and TO
spare after I am gone"
One OF the chief considerations In favor
OF dairying and indeed all kinds OF ami
NAL farming, is that If rightly carried on,
Ii promotes fertility. Certain kinds of
dairy farming. like cheesemaking and the
shipping of milk to cities, unless handled
with a clear eye to this consideration,
will result in soil Impeachment But IL
farmers know where the danger lies, it is
easy to guard against II. Every 1000
pounds of milk contains. say. thirty-hve
pounds of casein, which Is almost pure
nitrogen. This is worth at least seven
cents a pound as a fertilizer. 1t will take
10000 pounds of such milk to make a ton
of cheese. or the average yearly produc-
ton say, of i've cows. At the value we
have given the casein, this would show
a fertilizing loss of $2450 for every 10000
pounds Of milk or ton of cheese shipped
from the farm, or loss Of $3.50 per COW,
annually. Where butter is made and the
skim milk is consumed on the farm in the
growth Of pigs, calves or poultry, this
loss is nearly all avoided Every 1000
pounds of such milk will make 50 pounds
of butter. or 500 pounds per 1000 pounds.
This amount of butter contains only 10
cents worth of nitrogen, showing a saving
In loss of fertility. where butter making
is carried on, in 10000 pounds of milk, of
$3.50 over milk shipping or cheesemaking.
This would he a saving per COW of $4.sO
annually. This calculation is based on the
price that must be paid for nitrogen of
equal value in the commercial markets
of the country.
This will serve to explain somewhat the
loss Of fertility and consequent value of
the decline of farm lands in the old
cheesemeking and milk shipping states
of the north.
1t viii also explain the increase of fer
tility seen in the butter making districts
Of Wisconsin. Illinois, Iowa and Mime
sofa. Everywhere that this increase of
fertility occurs. there has come CORES
ponding increase of the selling price of
farm lands. Let me illustrate this con-
dition of things by our county, that of
Jefferson county. in Wisconsin.
In 1870 the average production of wheat
had declined through wasteful cultivation
to eight bushels per acre. There were
but few cows-about 6000-in the county.
The mortgage Indebtedness OF the farm
ers was about 60 per cent of the assessed
value of the farm lands. The selling price
Of farms was from $50 to SIS per acre. A
wasteful agriculture that of wheat grow
ing, prevailed. The farmers were dis
couraged and were selling out as fast as
they could, going farther west to despoil
other sections Of their natural fertility
by the same old wasteful methods.
There was little thought in the brain or
practice at the hand OF intelligent farming
An agitation was started in favor Of dairy
farming. The COW proved a most excellent
school mistress. great educator and the effect
where In the country. The average production
OF wheat Is now twenty-five bushels per acre.
Win ike IallO OF increase IN the production
OF other cereal crops as we'll as In grass and
hay. The selling price Of farm lands now ranges
from $40 10 over 500 per acre Forty thousand
cows support one hundred creameries and six
cheese factories, bringing annual cash rev.
enue for butter OF about 500, COO, 600 The value
Of agricultural production OF the county for
the year 1902 will equal 5000. 900. The banks Of
the county carry a deposit OF S2,00000O from
the dairymen alone.
This is the change wrought by the COW in
thirty-tWo years. The main secret of this sue
cess is organized dairying. Organization Of
forces lies st the bottom of all progress. wheth-
er commercial, manufacturing, political, social
or agricultural. Go where you may over the
earth, II you find the farmers unorganized in
their thought, industry, purpose and spirit
there you will find a weak, wasteful agricul-
into cheese factories and creameries, has es-
tablished in them a community Of interest
This spirit OF organization has spread through
out the north II Is weak in the south. Its
power and influence as affecting national leg
islation IN the interest Of the farmer, can be
seen in the passage of the oleomargarine law at
the last session of the national congress.
When speak on this question to my south
ern brethren am met by host of objections
This is but natural, yet the objective mood
sometimes becomes chronic and there Is danger
OF our becoming opposed to more than we are
in favor of. The first objection that is urged is
the unreliable character OF negro labor. 1 ad-
patience and liberal spirit. We must realize
that the keeping OF cows is combining bust
ness; that there is but little chance for social
relaxation in Il. For this reason the northern
hired man often objects 10 II very strenuousy.
a great many farmers demand that their farm
help shall do full days work In the field and
besides. milk ten TO fifteen cows at both ends
Of the iav extra This is tinrea soma HE and