The Savannah morning news., 1904-02-15
FARM,

Southern farmers are almost as much
excited about cotton growing as they
~-re tnfrty-nine years ago. Farmers
in every section of the South, it ap-
pears, are celebrating the one question
how 10 make the biggest cotton crop
of their lives. All the good land is to
be given to cotton. Mules are in de-
mand, and heavy orders for them are
reported from the various trade cen
tiers and at prices that are very pleas
ing to those that sell There is
larger demand for cotton fertilizers and
a larger inquiry than usual for good
varieties of cotton seed. Everything
points conclusively to the fact that a
larger acreage of cotton is projected for
1904 than has ever been the case be-
fcle.
The farmers may not be wild over
the subject, but clearly they are very
enthusiastic and hopeful concerning it,
IT is to be hoped that they will realize
half their expectations at least. But
il is greatly to be feared that many
will overdo it-that they will have
cause a year from now to regret any
unreasonable change in their farm pol
icy. If the great mass of farmers fol-
low the lead or exmaple of those who
have decided to plant all their good
land in cotton and neglect, as they
must, all food crops-corn, peas, sugar
cane, grass, etc, there will surely come
the DAY of regret to many.
The very high price of cotton that is
now quoted is only temporary in all
Ha nd Il
altogether temporary there could be no
greater calamity to the South than
for the present generation of farmers
to become re-imbued with the old idea
that cotton is king" and thus cause
them to bend all energies to make
good crop Of cotton, if nothing else was
ever made-no corn. no peas, no hay.
What a fix" we would be in this
time next year if we raise a big crop
of cotton-such a crop that will run
prices down to Z or cents perhaps,
and find us with less than half crop
of those most essential things neces-
sary to the life of both man and beast.
Cotton farmers have been through such
an experience a good many times in
the past forty years and often enough
1t would appear to impress the truth
upon their minds that Southern farm
ing cannot be substantial, abiding
in prosperity, when making cotton is
the chief concern of the majority of
the farmers.
Make cotton as we may and should,
but at the same time not neglect corn
and potatoes and sugar cane and peas
and hay and rich pasture and cattle.
This squirt in cotton should not cause
US to pillow up one acre of Bermuda
grass or any other permanent grass
that makes good pasture. 1t should
not reduce the acreage of corn and
peas and potatoes one single acre 1t
should not tend in the slightest to
wean us from that we'll conceived de-
termination to take some advantage
of our splendid opportunity for es-
tablishing our farming on IA correct ba-
sis, with grass and stock as the true
cornerstone
Georgia farmers may not have to
reckon with the boil weevil for a year
or two yet. There is no telling when
IT will make its appearance within our
borders. 1t is possible that the van
guard is with us already. We will
know definitely this fall. Grant that
il will be five years before this in
sidious foe will be with us in such
force as to destroy one-tenth of the
bolls that form, still there will be no
time TO lose in learning to farm profit
ably without cotton.
AS stated before, we are of the num-
Der who believe that no remedy will
be found for the Mexican boil weevil.
We hope something will be found
sooner or later that will diminish the
damage, but confess that we do not
suspect the nature of the remedy to
be found. Accident may provide what
design fails to do.
The man of silence and the man of
common sense aided by commendable
design and splendid accident have done
a good deal in the way of enabling
the farmer to contend with the war
ring forces of nature. But for this aid
in recent years mans work in field
and grove must have narrowed down
considerably
We have been taught how to contend
with many insects and blights and but
for such knowledge the cultivation of
many things. desirable if not essential,
might have ceased for a time at least.
If no remedy is found for the boil
weevil. if little or nothing can be done
TO mitigate its evil influences, If this
season or the next there are evidences
of its presence in a dozen or more
counties of this state will any reason
able farmer acquainted with the true
nature and habits of this insect con-
tinue to plant cotton after it's pres
ence is positively known?
Could farming be satisfactorily car
ried on in Georgia if cotton were sud
denly and completely eliminated from
all probability it will have to be in
the course of time, it is certainly a
very fit subject for intelligent discus
sion. We would invite our readers to
participate in it.