Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1903-09-25
AMER1CUs, GA. SEPT. IS. 1903.
PREPARE THE LANDS BETTER

Captain John A. Cobb, one of the
leading and successful planters of
south Georgia, a man thoroughly ac-
quainted with the situation locally
and whose opinion upon vital ques-
tions carry full weight, addressed
letter to the Atlanta Constitution two
days ago, which the Times-Recorder
takes the liberty, of re- producing.
Captain Cobb's remedy for existing
conditions is the better preparation of
lands and the better treatment of our
labor; two matters of greatest impor
lance. Capt. Cobb says;
ga number of causes contributing to
the present scarcity of labor for work
upon the farms might be cited. But
no matter what the cause, there can be
no doubt of the fact that there is such
a scarcity. How is this to be remedied?
Some have suggested the introduce
tion of coolie labor. We have enough
ignorance and vice now and we want
no more. The remedy is worse than
the evil.
eve have fine lands and a climate In
which anything that does not belong
exclusively to the tropics can be grown;
lands that are susceptible of a high
state of cultivation; we have the best
labor for our purposes that can be OBJ
tanned. We know the negro and he
knows us. he may be stupid, but as
a rule he is not malicious, vicious or
revengeful; he does not bear malice.
Let us be just and kind to him, pun
ish him when it becomes necessary by
due process of law, protect HIM from
wrong and oppression from any source,
comply fully in all of our promises to
him, no matter how trivial they may
appear to us, and do not be too exact
ing in making him comply with all of
his promises to us.
ACdu HulbG 61Gu LldhC u4Sdu Al9
gers" This has been often said and
has large grain of truth in it Prior
to emancipation humane masters had
good slaves and mean masters had
mean slaves. The same holds true
now as between the employer of negro
labor and their employees.
Another remedy for the scarcity of
farm labor is to prepare our lands bet
ter by deep blowing and fertilization
and the use of improved agricultural
implements. We can in very short
time bring our lands to the condition
In which they will produce 40 to so
bushels of corn, wheat and oats to the
acre, two bales of cotton to the acre,
sugar cane and other things suited to
this particular section in large album
dance.
deep blowing, thoroughly harrow
ing and the use of improved nipple
ments will enable us to decrease the
amount of manual labor on the farms
and increase our animal power.
1T is cheaper to feed and keep
mules and horses than it is to hire
laborers. Have rotatio n of crops so
as to as rapidly as possible have vege
table matter to turn under, thereby
enabling you to have the soil in such
condition that the amount of CONNER
clal fertilizer you can apply to your
land will be unlimited.
Change your system of applying
fertilizers by placing some In the
ground before planting and apply two
or three times more during the Guilt
walton of the crops. Have pastures
and raise hogs, sheep and cattle.
Necessity is now forcing us to what
our better judgement has long dictated,
and doubt not in the end that the
scarcity of farm labor, which has ap-
peared to us great evil, may be
blessing in disguise from the benefits
that will come from improved methods
In agriculture, and that in a few years
the lands of Georgia will blossom like
the rose and the profits and pleasures
OF country life will attract our white
people from the allurements of town
and Georgia will have a prosperous,
happy and contented rural population
throughout her borders"