Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1908-12-20

Right at the beginning of the pre-
parations for the planting season
for cotton, it would be proper for
the farmers to consider well the
acreage which they propose to de-
vote TO the fIeecy style, and what
TO other products.
AT the present price of cotton
there is no money in raising it. Last
season money was made by those who
had the cotton, but at prices pre-
vailing this season returns have been
very disappointing.
1t it not as if cotton were the
only thing which Southern farmers
could raise on their land. The rich
soil which produces cotton, a bale to
the acre, viii also grow cane, vege-
tables, corn and the multidinous
wealth to which the farmer is heir.
Besides this, the establishment of g
creamery in Americas has made the
dairy business a profitable one,
while the raising of poultry al
ways been a money maker.
A powerful object lesson is given
by the success of a Doughert ycoun-
ty farmer in cultivating a 200sacre
farm. Only "a acres were put in
cotton this season, the bulk of the
tract being devoted to corn, oats, hay,
;anteloupes, peas and other smaller
products. Yet the farmers net pro-
fits were $4,000 or about $1,000 to
the plow. Next season he will not
put an acre in cotton. This was in
teiligent farming, done with, a reali-
Eation that the profits were not to
be found in cotton, but in diversified
farming.
The South has a large monopoly in
the cotton growing field The size
of the crop is controlled largely by
the disposition Of the Southern plan
ter to make a large or small crop.
For generation the chief thought
was to raise cotton, cotton, until the
price fell so low that it was a posi-
1--WE loss to grow it, even when a
good part of the labor was done by
the farmer and his sons.
This continued clinging to cotton
as THE crop is all the more amaz-
ing when it has been proven time
and again that other crops are more
profitable than cotton 1t is not like
big factory, where a curtailrns Mt
of a particular output leaves M :
inery idle and capital invested LARGE
ly unproductive. 1t is more like d.
verting the powers of an engine
to more profitable work.
1t is chimerical to seek to keep
up the price of cotton by holding.
To make this a success the output
would have to be in the hands of a
close corporation with almost un-
limited means. Such a combination
is manifestly impossible where each
small farmer can undersell II CEN
trail house. and keep the mills sup
piled. at least in moderate aaeas-
ure
The only sure and effective way
to raise the price of cotton is 10 cut
down the yield And when this can
be done, especially by the larger
Planters at a profit over the old cot
ton planting plan, it would seem that
such a result should not be diff
cult to attain.
Many planters have few bales OF
cotton on hand, and would thus be
able to take advantage of any rise
in price for another season which
resulted from a decrease in acreage.
Once this diversified farming gets
established and the farmer gets di-
vorced from the idea that cotton
must be raised regardless, then the
outlook for cotton prices will be
bright
No such measures as prevailed in
The tobacco districts of Kentucky
would be necessary. The tobacco
lands are not adapted to diversified
crops, and the owners OF the Land
were restricted almost to that one
crop. 1t is far different with the
Southern cotton grocer, as already
pointed out
1t is to be hoped that every farm
er in the Soutr will seriously con-
slider the PR POSITION to greatly res
trict the acreage for the new sea-
yon. That is the only sure gay to
Gree the spinners to terms.