Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-09-23
ONE CROP PLAN UNSAFE.
Rational Diversihcation Has Proved
to Be the Better Way for
the Farmer.


Progressive farmers. ever alert for
the newest and best. have discussed
both sides OK the question OF diversih-
cation versus Specialization. Each con
clusion is doubtless based upon individ-
ual needs and capabilities. The spirit Of
the age-worldns through the law Of
the division OF labor oints TO the ad-
tantages accruing 20 him who does one
thing and does that we'll" Continuity
or concentration counts. The man who
hnds his proper sphere and sticks 10 it.
succeeds. The man with two many
irons N the Are often burns his fingers.
on the other hand nature seems 70
protest at production OF any one
OF her species. TOO many hens. for ex-
ample, co not thrive together. Ex-
elusive crops are followed by diseases
and disaster. Nature strives always
10 preserve a balance aRd--as in in
ternauonal 3e-permits no husky
member OF the family too much
power
The eastern former divides his do
main into ten-acre fields. He uses
much chemical fertilizer He practices
rotation persistently and intelligently.
He raises every year his small crop
or clover. corn. wheat barley and
timothy tthis being about the order Of
succession from year 90 YEAR,. lie has
a Few pigs a small dock Of poul-
try, two or three COWS. a truck patch
an orchard and 4 wood lot. He usual
iy makes comfortable or not
as his temperament demands. but he
seldom makes more.
The westerucr aims also TO make his
homestead self-supp0rti and buys
nothing he can probably raise. but he
generally selects some one feature. as
wheat, corn. beef cattle. hogs. fine
horses. or dairy COWS. which he works
for all he's worth On his big money
crop he concentrates his energies.
Many Kansas and Iowa farmers are get
ung rich. This is a fact. whatever the
causes.
The southerner grows one-halF bale
Of ten-ceut cotton 20 the acre and buys
western corn FOR man and mule and
loses money. A bale Co the acre costs
about six cents a pound. but two bales
can be grown or ar acre and AFFORD a
profit at five cents. Let the southern
farmer on 90 acres raise five acres Of
COW peas and i've acres OF corn. when hts
cotton does nor require his attention
and on The remaining tcu acres he can
raise eight bales and be need buy no
fertilizers. he would make money
The average cotton planter derives no
benefit from his salubrious climate and
his mules ear their heads of from July
TO December.
The lesson Of all these Illustrations
Is TO specialize alons lines OF rational
diversity.
The westeruor has learned Il. the
eastern and southern agricultural prob-
lens must be solved along this direc-
ton.
For example. one man has a cucun-
Der farm under Elass and ships thou
sands of cucumbers to New York and
Boston az $50 20 $3.50 a dozen. He
makes money I'm his speciality. Near
Hastings more than $500 acres of Irish
potatoes have been planted. A northern
doctor who came Co Florida for his
health Las pineapple farm OF more
IMAM an acre under a slate roof-no
glass-and uses speckled sunshine or
wood fires az viii one gardener sold
nom one acre last winter 900 heads OF
lettuce-l2 inches across and solid as
cabbages for from three 20 five cenrs
a head Another specialist lost 20 acres
Of sugar cane by the January. 1905. cold
wave
Every tale has a moral. writes IT. A.
BERGMAN. In Farmers Voice. and thatof
the practice of varied agriculture is.
Put not all thi1e eggs fn one basket ..
which is as good now as in Ben Frank
Inns day because too many eggs in
one basket means havoc Tor some OF
them
The motto ~ the specialist who can
control his conditions is Put an
thine esss In one basket and watch
that 1.a-f.s +tr