The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-07-30
THE LABOR PROBLEM.
Same Conditions in North and West
as in the South-Farmers Should
Cultivate Fewer Acres-MuCh Keller
Might be Obtained by Intensive
Farming.

Might De ODtdiueo Dy hte"oi'S
Farming.
Written for the GOLD LEAF
The labor question as far us it re-
lates to the agricultural interest OF
the country seems to be a knotty
Droblen. Nor is this question con-
fined to the South. We read that
the West has the same experience as
to labor. The farmers OF Kansas
and Oklahoma have been severely
put to it to save the vast wheat crop
lust harvested, while the fruit grow
ers of California are losing large
amount of fruit rotting on the trees
for want of hands to gather it.
The man who can solve this prob
lem will be esteemed a benefactOr ut
least to the farmer. We believe. how
ever. that as far as we are concerned
in Vance county. and for that matter
the entire State, much relief might be
obtained by intensive farming. Moth
inc is more certain than that large
holdings of lands has become un-
profitable. Big farming seems to
have played out and many OF our
people not only own poor land, but
are really land poor. 1t does not
pay to cultivate poor land ana 1t
takes more money than falls to the
lot OF most farmers to enrich q very
large place. But ii our people could
ever be induced to see the advantage
of the small farm we'll titled and lose
sight of the old idea that large hold
ings of land that has come down
from ante-belum days, when the
slave was thought to be wealth itself.
then would we be on the road to in
dependence The question so long
asked, How much land do you cul-
tivate?" should be changed to that
other Glow much did you get from
that one, two or five acre field, and
at what cost per acre?
Every well cultivated garden we see
is but an object lesson i'll intensive
farming, and we have but to take a
pleasant walk around our town to
see the advantage of small spots OF
land enriched over large fields OF poor
thin soil There are men in Ourcom-
munity who are not aspiring to be
noted farmers and yet who are unin-
tentionally giving object lessons in
agriculture that many so-called
planters might learn with profit. Ii
we, as people, are ever to be pros
porous the first step to be taken is to
get our farming people thoroughly
done
until the present system OF farming
is changed and our farmers learn to
reduce their acreage in area and III
crease the yield per acre.
But YOU say this is visionary.
Well, We have to acknowledges that
the lands OF OurcOunty are worn and
thin, much of it hillside, and washed,
some of it sandy, but all of it suscept-
IDLE of the highest improvement. As
an evidence that the last declaration
is true, YOU have but to visit Glover
Dale farm owned by W. S. Parker
get his figures us to cotton, clover.
| corn, &c. 4 then visit J. ". Beck S
| farm. s.~Mhat he is doing in cotton,
clover, peas and corn. You will be
| SURPRISED and pleased, and as you &C
aronnd town take a peep il lsham
Rfvland's garden and his six OF
lven acre plat and you will be aston
Ashed to find what he does make or
khis small area. And if you will look
| in at Sam Watkins acre lot, really
his garden, you will wonder more
than ever why other people do not
follow suit. And if our people ever
do make the change we will find the
| county blooming like a rose. They
will be self-supportin2; no longer vii
our meat, corn, hay and oats come
from the North and West; no longer
will it be said of US that if the rail
road should cease to run for 90 days
we would have a famine in Vance
county.
The object of this article is to- gel
our farmers to thinkingraiiong these
lines. The writer wishes to see then
giving their views and experience
through the columns OF the COLI
| LEAF for the benefit of others. w,
want to hear from them on the sub
| ject of intensive farming because w
believe this method of farming vii
render them independent of the pres
sure they now endure. and that farm
ing, instead of being looked upon a:
a life OF drudgery. debt and care will
really be what it ought, pleasant
healthful, happy, free, and the farm
| ers will have more leisure and bette
pay. 1t costs no more to cultivat,
an acre of good land than one 0
| pool soil OCCASIONAL.