Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-02-06
ARMERANDPLANTE
THE YEAR AND ITS WORK.
The Lessons Learned In the Year
That Has Passed and Their
Application to 1901.

The old year of 1903 has passed away
never TO return. 1t is now part of the
eternity behind US. We only pass along
the journey Of life once. What is done
is done, and can not be undone.
In many respects 1903 was a very re-
markable year. The weather was I'M
common. The seasons were extreme.
There was but little time in the first
half of the year for work to be properly
done. Very many plans failed because
Of the weather. But through all the
mishaps a fair measure Of success came
to the w%ide-awake farmer. Many les
SOM may be drawn from our last years
experience which will be very valuable
in the future.
The first lesson we wish to call atten-
ton to is the difference between tenn
porizing and planning. The man who
never plans, but waits for the emergen-
cy to come and then tries to meet it,
did not succeed last year. He was not
equal to the emergency. But the man
who looked ahead and planned wisely
finds that he is amply repaid for the
trouble and cost of looking ahead.
Poorly-prepared land, scratched three
inches or not plowed at all, failed to
make crops such as would pay. Many
did not get more than three and four
bales of cotton for each plow. Bat the
land that had been well and deeply
prepared was ready to handle the ex-
cess of water, and hence made good
crops.
We know OF one acre that made about
two bales, while near 1t there were
fields that did not make more than one
sixth of a bale per acre. We know Oh
a small farmer who made 10 bales on
20 acres, while some Of his neighbors
got three bales from 20 acres. The land
was the same quality, but the farming
was not. 1t pays to look ahead and
prepare our land for any kind of sea-
sons that may come.
We know of a man who lends money
to farmers. He watched his customers
and inquired of them about their farm
ing. He found that all of those who
had plowed deep and subsoiled, had
made good crops and paid him prompt
~ and cheerfully, while those who went
on in the old way could not pay up,
and were not cheerful.
These instances are selected from
hundreds that we have knowledge OF.
and from different sections and very
different soils. The result is the same
in all sections and on all kinds of soil.
OF course there are a few exceptions,
but whenever We had an opportunity
to examine we have had a good reason
for the exception. The rule stands:
Deep fall plowIng pays.
We are very often met by the asser-
ton that we can not find time to do
this deep fall blowing. The cotton is
on hand to be picked, and labor is
scarce. Again they say we could not
do this deep blowing because the cot
ton was on the land, and II was too
late before it was all picked. These
seem to be very real difficulties. But
we wish TO say that neither of these is
o good objection. If you plan well,
you will always have part of your farm
in condition for fall plowing. Either
the small grain stubble or the land
from which you have cut your corn
crop, or both, will be ready for the
pillow. As to the team while the cot
ton is being picked, the teams will be
idle, and all that is needed is to get
q hand to drive them. There is almost
always some very slow picker at hand
who can make a good plowman. Think
and rfan, and you will fnd that 1t can
be done. Here as elsewhere, Where
there is a will, there is q way
But back of all this and more i'm
portant, is The fact that we plan to
make everything subservient to the
cotton crop. This is the present error.
plant too large a part OF the farm
in cotton. This Is not necessary, nor
is it profitable. A smaller number of
acres, better prepared and cultivated,
will yield as many bales and cost less,
and leave us more independent to man
age the rest Of the farm.
Another great lesson from 1908 is
that we are no longer dependent en-
tirely upon cotton for a money crop.
Every kind of farm produce has
brought fine prices, and furnished
ready money at all seasons of the year.
need not trade on account and
give mortgages IN crop and farm to
secure our debts. A few acres devoted
to a few of the many truck and fruit
crops will pay our bills as we go.
Often they will leave a surplus.
In raising these crops we raise much
that is needed to support our families,
and thus greatly reduce the need for
so that we often find that as
we learn to sell more, we need to buy
less.
The old year winds up pretty well.
Only those who staked everything up
On cotton and failed to make it are in
So the lesson TO learn is
plant crops which mature early and do
not require SO much work or expense
as cotton. Study to have them follow
each other so as not to cvercrowd you
with work. BY doing this and using
manure and fertilizers freely and all
kinds of improved implements. we can
make money with a few laborers and
less worry?
The outlook for 904 in indeed bright. q,
Cultivator. 8
nOY ETED TUE TEDDACEC