Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-10

fact that the farmers nave Deen dDle u
hold back their cotton from market is
one of them.' continued Mr.. Scott. THE
movement of cotton has been very slow
this year while they have been waiting
for higher prices. This has reacted upon
the movement of both fertilizers and mer-
chandise, because If the farmer holds his
cotton back and does not sell 1t. he Is
without the cash necessary to purchase
vast number of articles included In the
name of merchandise.
He curtails his purchases in many
things, not only conducive to the comfort
of his family. but of everything which
can be claSsed under the head of luxuries.
Then too he defers the purchase of fer
tilizer for his next planting until the latest
possible moment.
There has been a very large decrease
in the movement of general merchandise
and still larger in fertilizers. The prep
aration Of the soil for the next crop Is
very backward this season, due to differ
ent causes. One of them is the unwilling
ness of the farmers to strain their credlt
while they are holding their cotton to
purchase fertilizers which they want to
put on the ground about the same time
they SOW their seed. 1t is quite possible
that the planting season will be protracted
through the month of May this year In
Georgia and that in the meantime there
will be large movement in fertilizers
Hope and Confidence.
l find that every one have talked with
down here agrees with Mr. Scott con-
corning present conditions and future
prospects. Everybody is hopeful; every
body is confident. and as long as the
present feeling continues, there need be no
anxiety concerning the financial or IN
dustrial prosperity of this section. As
Mr. Scott has said. the farmers have very
generally escaped from the clutches OF the
money lender. They have not only pait-
off their mortgages. but are now WORKING
on a cash basis. Only few years ago
so per cent Of the planters in the south
were compelled to sell or mortgage their
crop before it was planted. The commis-
sion houses or the merchants or the
money lenders would advance the funds
to pay for their seed. their implements
and their help and even furnish thelr
living supplies during the meantime.
charging a high rate of interest for such
advances and taking practically every
dollar of the proceeds of the cotton that
was raised Very often the crop "ouid
not sell for enough to meet these au-
VanceS and the credit would lap over on
the next years crop or a mortgage placed
upon the land. That method OF manage
ment kept the south poor. but success
sion of fat years and fat prices has en-
abled, the planters to pay up their deots
and to secure their release from the OBJ
legations which made them miserable.
1t is also a significant and gratifying
fact that the planters of the south are
diverSifying their crops. Ihey are ra1s-
ing a large part of their own supplies
Instead of sending north for their corn
meal and bacon they are producing 1t on
their own farms. They are going in for
all kinds of crops. particularly fruit, wa
termelons and vegetables of all kinds.
The statistics of agricultural development
in Georgia and other southern states show
nf
of the northern states. While the volume
of cotton produced has grown larger and
larger every year, the corn, wheat, oats.
barley. beans. peas and other staples have
increased in the same degree. The num-
Der of cattle. sheep swine. horses and
mules has grown every year until now
Georgia ranks high in the list of pork
producers. and is second only to Missouri
in the number of mules produced.
Effect of Northern Invasion.
This change is due. in a measure, to the
advent of northern men, who have
brought down northern ways and have
demonstrated the advantages of diversi-
fed crops
1t is also due to a considerable degree
to the influence of the Department of
Agriculture at Washington, to the gov
eminent experimental stations and the
establishment of agricultural schools and
colleges in the south. Thirty. or even
twenty. years ago a southern planter
would have laughed in scorn at a sug-
geston that he send his sons to school
to learn how to run plantation. But
today there are agricultural schools all
over the south. and they are filled with
Intelligent, eager young men, learning
the science of farming, the economy of
management and the most profitable
methods of applying labor. These schools
have been of enormous practical value.
and have increased the income of the
plantation population to a degree that is
almost incredible.
Another important reason for this
change in conditions is the division of
the large plantations into small farms.
While there are several very large estates
in this part of the country under a single
ownership and management. the tendency
is to divide the land and for the owner to
work it himself without trusting his in
terests to the indifference or dishonesty
of an Overseer.