The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-02-25
DIVERSIFIED FARMING.

III tido INV bCOOiiIC dl tdCl
among the thinking and progressive
farmers Of the South that diversified
tion and the raising Of everything
necessary to supply the farm at home,
is the only true solution of the prob
lem which has been confronting them
for several years. And they are now
almost everywhere preparing to put
this policy into practice.
We are very glad to note this, be-
cause we believe that il properly car
ried out and strictly adhered to by
our farmers it will prove to be the
salvation OF the South.
But we think that upon the very
threshold Of adopting this policy it
would be well for our farmers to put
on their thinking caps and to use good
judgment to avoid falling into some
errors which might prove disastrous
to the final success of this commend
dDle movement.
One great error which is likely to
be made by many is the policy of at
tempting to raise a certain thing be-
cause M Of their neighborS has made
money out Of it, without making any
sort Of investigation to learn why and
under what circumstances this neigh
Dor has succeeded.
To illustrate: Farmer A raised q
large crop of sweet potatoes last year
and sold them for a good price, MAX
ing a great deal of money per acre on
them. A's neighbors hearing of this,
imagine that if A can make SO much
on sweet potatoes they a do the
same, and without further cOnsidera-
tiOn they all rush into sweet potato
raising, and most likely either make a
failure for the want of proper Guilt
walton, or else they oyerStOck the
! market and thus put down the price,
not only failing themselves to make
money out Of them, but preventing a
also from making any. Whereas, if they
had given the matter proper con-
SideratiOn, had made the necessary in
vestigation, and exercised good jGdg-
ment in determining whether or not it
would be better to raise sweet pOta-
toes or some 0ther crop, by studying
the adaptability of themselves and
their lands to the proper growing of
sweet potatoes, and many other such
questions which it is necessary to be
considered and weighed before decid-
ing what they should raise, they would
most probably have decided that they
could each have more successfully
raised other products, and they and A
too would have made money.
In those branches where the pro-
ducts have to be shipped to distant
markets it is of course to the interest
of all that a large number in each
neighborhood should join in and raise
the same thing in order to obtain low
freight rates and rapid transportation
for their products. This is especially |
true of strawberry and fruit raising
and vegetables. And good Judgment
would dictate that those farmers who
desire to engage in these branches of
farming should cooperate with each
other. On the other hand, there are,
many other products for the disposal of
which the home market must be re-
lied upon exclusively, and where this
is the case it would be folly for the
whole neighborhood to attempt to raise
the same thing and expect to obtain
good prices for it.
S., that in order to make a success
of diversified farming it is necessary
for the farmer to do a great deal OF
good hard, sound thinking: to make
careful calculations and investiga-
tiOns, and to exercise good business
Judgment and common sense.
If they will do this, if they will
give their business the same care and
thought and consideration and atten-
ton which every successful profcs
Sional man gives to his business or
profession, the farmers of The South
will, in Il few years become the wealth
lest class % Jul citizens, for when you
properly tickle mother earth she laughs
and brings forth an abundant harvest.
La Grippe and Pneumonia.