The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-04-13
PLANTING COTTON.

AS was remarked some weeks ago and
now repeated less has been said this sea
son about the area to be planted in cot
ton than for many years. What does this
silence portend? | presume ii indicates
that every farmer is going to turn him
self loose 50 to speak, and plant a
large area in cotton. Some writer's claim
that the limit OF cotton production is
about reached in the south and that flu
ture Increases in the size of the crop will
! be due almost solely to natural increase
| in the population. They go further and
say that consumption has run ahead Of
production and that. herea fter there will
always be a shortage in the supply. | do
not believe in the ity of either of these
claims. They do not seem to he based
/ on reasonable grounds; they are not in
/ accord with pas experience; they are
! simply CHEEKY. optimistic guesses at flu
/ ture conditions.
| Old patrick Henry said. II have hut
one lamp by which my feet are guided.
and that is the lamp of experience" and
It is a mighty good lamp for the guild
ancc of the farmer as well as the revolu-
tionary patriot. The farmers of the south
/ have burned a good deal Of the oil of ex-
perience in the last thirty-eight or forty
years and some of them have found the
jewel wisdom by means Of the light thus
afforded. On this very subject | wrote
three years ago as follows:
"A word of cXhortation may vet arrest
some erring farmer who has his eyes set
on big crop of cotton and is tempted
to curtail the area in food crops in order
to spread over broad acres Of cotton to be
made and sold for or cents. All that
can say is, don't do it. ! care not if you
have curtaied your corn area because Of
=
cause YOU have resolved to plant more
forage crops. / have often remarked that
We do not need TO produce more corn in
the aggregate but rather to get a larger
Weld to the acre. and at the same time
to plant larger area in potatoes. COW
peas. pinders. sorghum and other food
crops that cost but little to raise
THE temptation IS very strong to in
crease the cotton area, and | confidently
believe hat the majority Of the farmers
are going to do that very thing in spite
Of the warnings and advice of all who
speak and write in the interest Of a pros
porous and successful agriculture. Every
farmer wishes that all the other farmers
would control his habitual inciinations
toward a large area in cotton. SO that he
may reap the reward Of a large iudivd-
ual Weld. small aggregate production
and big price
II believe in cotton, | consider it a
very valuable crop a providential bless
ing to the world. a crop suited to the
soil. climate and genius Of our people.
But the certain and generous rewa rds Of
cotton production win not he gathered by
those farmers who plant cotton on poor
land. poorly prepared and scantly fer
tiilzed-land that will produce no more
than one bale 10 three or four acres.
There is no money In such farming for
man who wants his family and himself to
live like white folks. even If the market
does remain at cents.
1t is the sklful and Industrious and
long headed farmer who understands the
vital Importance Of reducing the cost Of
production that will come out all right
a the end Of the coming season. whether
he makes a big crop or itue one Cheap
cotton cannot bo made on poor land.
poorly prepared. poorly fortified and
pooly cultivated"
The foregoing is equally applicable to
the conditions of today as il was IT, the
conditions Of AprH, 1900. and the sug-
eestions set forth arc earnestly com
mendcd TO Inc attention Of tho farmers Of
tine south. If every farmer win produce
an abundant supply If corn, oats. peas