The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1906-03-08
-rhaPian. nf cnrton.

ers of America have a practical mouop-
oily in production of the most generally
useful and widely used of vegetable
fbers. Hitherto all attempts to grow
cotton on a commercial scale in Africa
and other ~subtropical lands have
proven financial failures. A syndicate
of British cotton manufacturers,
backed by unlimited capital, have con-
Quoted experimental plantations in
various African colonies. but in every
case the cotton SO produced could not
be laid down in any English port ex-
cept at prices of about two cents per
pound above the average price OF
American cotton. The quality of the
African cotton was also much inferior
10 the American fiber.
The worlds consumption and de-
mand for raw cotton are yearly in
creasfng at a much faster rate than
the worlds population. 1t is certain
then that the demand for the product
of American cottOnfields will continue
TO increase, and with the increased
demand must come an increase in
price.
Cotton is almost an ideal "money"
or surplus crop. Under intelligent care
and good management, cotton is a safe
and sure money-maker. But good
management does not consist in "sin-
gle CROP planting, Single crop farm
ing of whatever kind is a species of
gambling in which the odds are all
against the player.
Cotton planting" by which is meant
the exclusive and continuous cultiva-
ton of cotton on the same land as
long as the crop will yield enough to
pick, has ruined thousands of acres of
once fertile land. and disigured the
cotton region with torn and quilted
old fields. This type of cotton-growing
has been an unmitigated curse to 1.-THE
Southern States.
The most profitable satisfactory sys-
TEN of farming inIthe cotton region is.
one in which cotton comes on the land
not oftener than once every three
years. Four and five year rotations
are better still. The crops to be in
cluded in the rotation must differ with
soils, localities and the tastes Of the
farmer. The chief endeavor should be
to, make the farm self-sustaining with
out counting the area in cotton. Cot
ton should be the surplus, or Savings
bank" account. In such a system.
when the market is too low the farmer
simply stores and holds his crop until
prices rise. In arranging Il good rOta-
4SO, f0p I1oIoVoI SnofinnC nf fhn Rnffnn
belt, the following crops are all avail
able: Corn, winter oats. winter wheat,
sorghums (sweet and non-saccharine),
sweet potatoes. peanuts and cowpeas.
AS d rule, it will be more profitable to
depend upon ieguminOus crops for
hay and pasture, or a mixture of such
with winter oats. than to lay down
cotton fields in temporary or short
term grasses.
In the cotton region the soil should
be kept at work all the year round.
Care must be taken that the soil does
not become acid. To insure this pow
derry. watery s!aked lime. at the rate
of 1000 or 3000 pounds per acre. should
be applied. aud smaller doses after q
crop of green was turned
down.
The intelligent farmer should. Oh
small areas of his fields, vary the
AMOUNT VI er'iii~eI "ppileu ~ MS ciop
ahu use ever! enueaFor 10 ueterInlne
1n. leeuiue capaciiS u 'he
Hoi' anu ctops, NC snoulu 'nen leeo
ep u tie lihiL WIN the three impot-
"u' ni1neLai pan. loous' u VIII fot-
Ssn. oSpnotl aciu anu llne'
III" are lorlnuias lor corn
anu cotlon "hicn nave oeeh Iouhd
e~a1slactor5 W 'atuiers III Nortn Car