The enterprise-recorder. (Madison, Fla.) 1908-1933, 1909-08-05
How to Diversity.

The value to the farmers OF the
Gulf States, Of the crops which are
profitable other than cotton, to-wit,
tane and corn, has not attracted as
much attention as In all probability
1t would have done il the one-crop
question had not gained such ground
with the agricultural classes in gen.
eral.
No community, State or country
can long remain prosperous that de-
ponds almost solely, IL not entirely,
upon one crop for its money support.
The chief crop of the South and upon
which nearly the whole business Of
the country, banking included, is
based on is not sufficient, no matter
how many bales of the feecy staple
we stack up year after year. nor the
price 1t fetches when marketed, TO
feed, clothe and do the general bust
ness of the land, that is, If progress
is expected to follow. For this rea-
son, II no otherJ contend that the
time has come that business demands
that the farmers be encouraged to
plant and grow at home more meats,
milk and butter, vegetables of most
sorts, fruits, poultry and eggs Thus
to become as near as possible self
sustaining and more independent than
the great majority find themselves A!
to-day.
The farmer, or a farm district, can |
to-day purchase a canning factory |
outfit from So up to $500, or more
for that matter, set the factory up on
the farm and do his or his neighbors'
pears, peaches, tomatoes, beans, peas,
corn-in a word all vegetables grown /!
for canning purposes, at a cost much
less than the same goods can be pur-
chased from the store.
Again, permit me to ask why pur-
chase canned sauerkraut or pickles
OF any sort when the same as good,
If not better, can with care be made
on the farm and put up in the home
cannery?
When we look at the matter, al
most everything we eat comes to us
from the North and West-potatoes,
cabbage, beans, peas, corn Canned
and not canned), meats, fruits, butter
and cheese. In fact, nearly every
thing, Including glucose syrup, and
that, too, in our sunny land, where
the juicy sugar cane grows; why not
make our own pure syrup, If nothing
else-to help the home cause to that
extent, il no more?
l would suggest planting as a
starter, one-fourth an acre of Mayo
beans, known as South Carolina
beans. OF course, no one here is ex-
pected to compete with the Sunset
State bean raising, where from 100
to 200 acre fields are planted solid
to beans and raised under irrigation
Yet, these, the Mayo bean, will
thrive and do well in our soil and ell
mate, and they are worth retail on the
market eight and ten cents per
pound. The bean straw makes a fair
article Of hay and goes into beef, milk
and butter for the home and the
market.
The peanut is profitable to grow,
from the fact that the Pinder usually
sells well and the vines when properly
gathered and cured make an Al quail
ity of hay.
The home cannery has been tried
in the Sugartown district
in Calcasieu parish, where there are
dozens Of small canneries ranging in s
cost from $40 to $500. The Sugar
town home canneries have been sue
cessful and they are on the increase.
They can both fruits and vegetables
and nearly every Sugartown farmer {
has one.
, In the rice belt, where enormous l
sumed, the home cannery could be
used to advantage The owner of a {
home cannery would never be at
loss to find market for his surplus. &
Correspondent, Baton ]
C4of1 T{,,1r Z