The Tupelo journal., 1903-04-03
The Crop Outlook.

~ W. SAA0 A0UV A0 SVUoOA AAOO l
been a most unpropitious one for
the farmers. There has been
scarcely a day Of this year when a
pillow could be put to good service
in turning the soil. The rains have
fallen in floods, aud they come so
rapidly, n after another, that
they seem interminable. This is
very discouraging but the great
rain fall, with all its forbidding
features, is not all disaster. In
some respects it is a blessing, an
obscured one in fact, which will
make for the good of the farmer
in the end. The rich salts which
60 to make up the nutriment for
the plants which are to spring
from the earth yet are brought
back to it through the showers
which fall and in time 60 into its
roots and stems and make them
strong and healthy that they may
bear good fruitage. Nature OBJ
serves the law of recompen Sc full
ly aud for every hour Of darkness
gives an hour Of light. Let this
reflection cheer our friends and
give them courage to labor while
they are gloomy and discouraged
in the hope tnat the bright sun
shine may come in time to bring
full reward for their labor.
1t is now the lrst of April and
the spring is fully upon us. There
has been scarcely a furrow laid
for the coming crop. There has
been no corn planted and "March
corn" will cut no figure in the
coming crop. There was very
little Of it last year and there
will be less this year. Corn plant
ed in March is considered safer
and retter than that planted in
any other month. In this region,
thanks to our fine climate, corn
can be safely planted during five
months of the year and has a long
err time to mature in than in any
other part of the United States.
Fortunately for u farmers, and
the county, last years crop Of corn
was a record breaker, and there
is an abundance of it on hand to
keep the people and the stock well
fed while another crop is being
made. The farmers, in the light
of the past years experience, can
see the advantages and blessings
of having full cribs and smoke
houses. They should resolve to
never let them get empty again
an should plant larger corn crops
than ever before. Where there is
abundant and cheap food there is
always prosperity.
The outlook for the cotton crop
is at present gloomy. The pres
ent good prices are maintained
mainly on account of this con-
dition. Every part of the cotton
region has suffered because of the
excessive rains and in Texas,
where planting begins early in
March, there has been nc. progress
made with this crop. High prices
at this season of the year always
stimulate the disposition to plant
large crops. Doubtless many plant
ers are in that mood now, especial
ly in those sections where the crop
natures and is marketed early.
We trust our farmers may not be
misled into extremes in planting
cotton because Of present appear
ances. There is no product of the
soil that is more under the con-
troll Of the non-producer than cot
ton. There is none so liable to
fuctuation of prices and none so
easily affected by the political stu
atoms in those countries which
manufacture it. The producer has
no control over its price and the
law Of demand and supply does
not operate as strongly in its con.
troll as it does in all food products.
If every southern farmer will
make his corn and meat at home
every year the south will soon be-
come the richest part of the globe.
The southern farmer has it in his
power to make himself the most
Independent man On earth. If he
will only make the corn and meat
to feed the people of the south he
will be the instrument of confer
ring more political power, more
individual happiness, broader in
telligence and, at the same time