St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-01-23
MUST COME GRADUALLY.

For several years the Department OF AgrI-
culture has endeavored to impress the farm
ers of the South with the value and the ne
cessity of crop rotation in maintaining the
fertility of the soil, and since the advent OF
the boil weevil this necessity for diversified
ton has become more strongly marked and
pleaded as an imperative prerequisite to a
successful combat against it. A still
stronger plea has been made by conventions
of farmers themselves to reduce the cotton
acreage and plant other crops. While few
intelligent farmers will be found to deny
the soundness of this advice, the innovation
carries with it such radical change in farm
conduct and such a revolution in business
relations and methods that the obstacles in
the way are almost insurmountable.
In illustration of this, a consideration of
the immense capital used in the production,
handling and manufacture of cotton will
give some idea Of the difficulty Of breaking
away and entering into new fields of compe-
tition. The value of the cotton crop exclu-
sive of seed and not considering the $780,
| 600 900 invested in cotton seed Oil mills) for
the year 1908 was $672, 286, 093, an increase
since 1880 Of $3.50, 589, 093, or $44, 873, 093
more than double in tWenty-seven years,
showing a steady and active development
and investment of capital, accompanied by
the necessary settlement and training of an
adapted class of labor, the forming of habits
lof living and routine of business that have
become second nature to many, and the
farming of land on shares by a class of la
Dor unfamiliar with and unwilling to take
up another class Of work.
AS still further incentive to the business
there is invested in the South 1855, 500, 900 in
cotton mills, with 10, 551, 308 spindles against
an investment Of $21, O00 600, with 667, 900
Ispindles in 1880, showing a still greater ratio
of increase than in cotton value, adding to its
stable condition and increasing the difficulty
of withdrawing into other ventures. Moth
ling short of the impossibility of raising cot
ton is going to materially reduce its produc,
ton wherever large farm holdings are
centralized or in the hands Of few owners
and the abandonment of the industry fol
even a season means the exodus of class
of labor that is difficult to replace, renting
on shares creating the worst condition to be
overcome. AS the growth of this industry
is the result of years of application and de
velopment, so must it be expected that the
withdrawal from it or even the partial with
drawal by the introduction of system O
! rotation will likewise be gradual.
But it must not be concluded from thi
that the advice given by the Department i
! not good. While cotton will always be tn
leading agricultural industry of the soutl
and it's products and manufactures continu
to increase and develop, the small farmer
who is less handicapped in making tn
I change, will place himself upon much safe
t ground if he attempts some of the crop
9 recommended and gradually acquaints him
: self with the requirements of the marke
: and the. crops best adapted to his soil. TIL
J, difficulties which now beset the the cotto
i fplanter, both by reason of the ravages o
insects and the inadequate price, will ult
mately and by slow process of eXperienc
sufficiently curtail production and institute
h change in the products of the farm, if in tn
J, meantime an increased demand is not pro
+ vided for the staple; but the most inlmediat
influence in that change viii be the advanc
:, prosperity of the small farmer in successful
lt lengaging in the production of other crop:
e aided by the increase in population and raj
q road facilities.