The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-05-29

he dsyeloped his COW pea So that i
would not>shed it's leaves has devel-
ocped some little interest in this most
important subject. 1t has surprised
me no little that none of the farm.
ers III South Carolina took enough
interest in this subject to ask about
the matter. Why was this; because
tney had also developed this pea, and
therefore, had no need to ask9 and
IL thls Is the case why did they not
give THIS information to their brother
farmers as Mr.. Brabham has done 2
l fear that it is because the major
lty OF. farmers do not yet realize the
value OF this plant, and, therefore.
90 not take the interest in it that
they should. The same applies to
many other advances as well as to
the subject Of this letter. The aver
age farmer has not yet realized that
one crop (cotton) will not as a rule
pay.
L am glad though that we are be-
coming more and more diversified
and that we see the value of raising
everything on the farm for home
consumption that can possibly be
raised. This is the salvation of the
farmers of the South, diversifying
and raising cotton as Il surplus cron
which can then be sold at price fix
ed by the farmer instead of the spec-
ulator. The farmer can do this if
he diversifies, but not until he does.
Look for moment at the condition
OF affairs if this was universally fol-
lowed by the farmers of the South.
BY raising everything on the farm
needed and less cotton there would
not be the same necessity for money,
but ii there was, as diversified farm
ing is more profitable than the one
one crop plan, the farmer would have
the money if he needed it, and have
it all the year round instead of in the
fall as with the cotton crop, and then
with one-half to two-thiris of cot
ton raised that we now have the
price would be sufficiently high as to
net the farmer as much as he is now
getting for his cotton. This he
would have as clear profit, as he has
been "living at homc.' This thing
narrows itself down to this nucs-
tion: which had you rather do. raise
great deal Of cotton, no home SUP
plies, and take the price for your cot
ton that is offered you, or raise every
thing at home and have something all
the time to sell and then raise one
half the cotton you now raise and
get as much for it as you now get
as much for it as you now get for
get as much for it as you now get for
it with the probabilities much in IA
vor Of getting moreq It seems to me
that the last would be the best in
every particular, for it seems that
everything is in its favor and moth
ing in favor Of the one-crop plan. If
it is possible to get the same price
for one bale of cotton we are now get
ting for two we save the expense of
raising and marketing one-half
which. would make the profit about
four times as much as it now is.
The things that to my mind will
make the South the garden spot of
the world, will be diversified farming
tilling, we'll, few acres rather than
many acres poorly, securing good and
fertile seed and then improving them,
using such farm machinery as will
decrease the cost Of producing crop
and taking care Of this machinery
after it is bought and then using
judgment in marketing the crops
whatever they may be. Good roads
may we'll be included.
If these things will make the South
more prosperous are they not worth
striving for?
Would it not be well to have Prof
Newman, Of Clemson, give us an arti'
Gle on the COW pea?
Yours truly,
r. +. Mason, NJ. d.