The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-03-09
The pARjlEjRR'S
0RJDCP LESSON.
What One Farmer Can Do.
WORTH CAREFUL READING.

Atlanta Constitution.
Individuality, pluck and common
sense are as essential to successful
farming as to any other occupation or
profession. This fact has been firm
ly established by the course OF
tarmer of Wilkes county. His iora-
sight led him, two years ago, to adopt
practically the ssraa programme IS
that outlined by the Southern Iotto.
Association. Subs qH2nt events ,e
vindicated his wisdom and he can
afford to snap his iingers at !; stub
bornly bearish cotton market.
The story Of NJ. Heard, IS Eeia ed
in The Constitution few days ago,
should certainly elicit the thoughtful
interest of planters similarly cream
stanced who find themselves FAC
ing decidedly difficult problems.
When he came to the conclusion that
the ALLEGATION policy was founded on
folly, he made up his mind to reduce
his cotton acreage so per cent.--AND
DID 1T. The outcome of his shrewd
methods is shown in the following
eloquent summary
On Is acres of bottom land he raised
475 bushels of corn, 1000 pounds Of
fodder and 1900 pounds of shucks.
The total cost of producing this crop
was, according to his ltemized account,
SIG so. The fodder be sold at Is cents
per hundred pounds, which netted
$50 80; tie sbueis brought, at 30 cents
per hundred, 1928, making $50 30 when
he received for The fodder aud shucks.
which was only 81 less than the cost Of
producing the entire crop of corn, f0d-
der and shucks.
On three-hOrse farm Mr. Heard
raised twenty-five bales OF cotton,
which he disposed Of when the price
ranged around the 1O-cent mark. His
cotton crop being surplus crop, he
added the proceeds therefrom to lis
bank account. With no corn to bay
for another wear, with a neat bank
account and smoke house full Of
home raised meat that will last until
next Christmas, Mr. Heard can sit at
his family fireside with calm resigna-
ton, while his brother farmers are
devising ways and means for bringing
about batter price for their one and
only crop-cottOn.
Here is objective demonstration of
the profit and feasl bllity of diversi-
fcation, more convincing than twenty
times the space occupied in abstract
or theoretic speculation. What Mr..
Heard has done other farmers own
ing their land may undertake and
bring to an equally successful Issue.
His enterprise and discretion are now
rewarded by freedom from anxiety
that will enable him to concentrate
all his energies on his work during
the coming season, and make him
absolutely independent of the bank or
the me.chant. There can be little
doutbt that having once tasted the IN
finite content OF this se|f-reiiant state
he VIII not be lured again into putting
all his trust in cotton aud depending
on conditions over which he has no
control to bring him an equitable re-
turn for his labor.
1t does not require even the gift oil
prescience with which Mr.. Heard
seems to have been gifted to ap-
>preciate the necessity for the adop-
ton OF similar methods, on an elastic
scale, all over the south. The radical
break In cotton in December has
brought the problem home to tie
most hide bound cotton farmer and
he must indeed be Of dogmatic and
narrow temperament who does not
read the lesson i'll the obvious logic
OF events. 1t is this factor, in com
bination with the organization of the
Southern Cotton Association and the
Integrity Of its members, on which
The Constitution IS largely counting
to materlailze the remedies pre-.
scribed by the recent convention IN
New Orleans.
Meanwhile, we desire to heartily
commend the individual case of E1r
Heard. He has displayed ability tc
read the business future ard M
doubted inltiative--two character
lstics which must inevitably. play
stellar roles in the development o.
tie agricultural and Industrial south.