The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-01-14

CThe Southern Planter.)

81 Twelve months ago when writing our
# article on Work for the month. we re-
q marked that the prospects for the whole
III Of the neople of this Rountry appeared
. better than ever before in its history
# The Iaboring people were ali fully en-
# ployed and the demand for the products
As OF their labor vas world wide and at
'# good prices, and that we saw iio reason
81 to doubt but that this general higher
ID range of values was likely to continue
y during the year To day we are able
s# again to say the same thing, with The
81 addition that not only has the higher
. range of values of products then re-
ID ferred to continued, but has made still
81 greater progress than in the year pre-
sd ccding. Beef and pork has mounted tc
III prices not touched for years. corn is
sS bringing more money than at any time
u during the last decade, wheat is fast
]. mounting to the dollar marl-. whilst OATS
. are selling for twice the price they sold
for a few years ago Whilst labor con-
stinucs to be as we'll employed as is tie
fT case at the present time, there is not
III likely TO be any fall in prices Of staple
5 products, and corn, from its scarcity, is
III likely to go still higher. Cotton has Ie-
s Gently taken an upward bound, and as
81 the crop appears likely to be much
N shorter one than was at one time eX-
# rected we shall not be surprised to see
. still better price for the staple To
Sd bacco both light and dark, is selling for
. much higher prices than a year ago, and
u is likely. we believe, to sell we'll through
Il the season. as the demand is good and the
crop short. All this is most encouraging
II for farmers who for many years have
Il seen tie products OF their laborS selling
for barely the cost of production There
u would appear to be every reason why
III farmers should in the year now opening
ID seek to enlarge the products Of their
III farms. There is not likely to be any
Il surplus at the end Of the crop year TO
@ weigh down prices; and even if large
crops be made they will come upon prac-
tically bare markets. The great defic-
iency in the corn crop this year, and the
heavy demand for wheat by Europe
(which has already in ten months taken
over II 900 600 bushels mere than the
year pravious,) Will certainly find these
two staples in demand, however large Pc
the crop made this year. Those who
make live stock breeding and feeding
leading feature III their work (and
hope 10 see very many more Southern
farmers engaged in this branch of hus-
landry because only through this means
stored 10 pristine fertility at a cost with
in the competency OF the average farm
er), may pursue their way with conf
dtnce. as the enforced selling Of young
end half-fat stock in the West. on ac-
count If the corn crop failure. coupled
with til" brisk demand of the markets
to meet the calls of we'll employed peo-
lie, will ensure good markets for some
years 10 come. We realize quite fully
that this advice to make larger crops
is going 10 be attended with some diff
Guilty on account Of the scarcity and high
pric" Of labor, but this difficulty must
be sought % be overcome by the produc-
tiCn Of larger crops on smaller areas
and by the use of labor saving ma
chinery. There is a large margin Of
cost to be saved when lands are so cul-
tivated anG manured and fertilizad as
to produce maximum yields instead CT our
present miscrably small returns; ana
these maximum yields can be made and
handled with very little more labor than
is now employed when made on smaller.
areas. \ crop of 10 bushels of wheat or
= bushels of corn, OF 1900 pounds of to-
bacco or a bale of cotton 20 the acrv can
be made and saved with about the same
number OF hands as now Suffices to pro-
Guce half these yields. especially if sup
p."mentcd with the labor saving impIe-
4 MentS low so cheaply to be had. All
u ne Yields we nave mentioned are being
ID maze ON lands not better situated and
Il naturally, not better than the lands OF
u the South: indeed, we have reports of
!. much higher Yields than ever those We
want to see an end made of tho svetcm
ct working large areas Of 1ana .i,,,.,I, To-,
the purpose of gotti,,~ to,1. -o,,,,,
\ or working them vbiIot OF tt,l ,o,,a .iys
stiII further re1ncinq +bnir for,i1ft,. aa
making it harder, for tb., noxt gonar.+;c,
10 make a living 4 tir,o ,f bior ,>ioo,.
like the present is the ona IN etart . 80
form III this matter and we fr,.+ t,.t
cur readers Will make a reso1,o NOT io,
ger to defer it, 1t means n,tcr, CREATE,
prosperity and comfort for all ,.bo,, ,,,ioo..
again fall as they undonhtea,. ,,,s,