The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-08-05

On the subject of diversified indus
tries the Raleigh Times says it not
only wants to see the farmer diversity
his crops, but it wants to see DIVERSE
fed manufacturing industries also.
Enlarging upon the subject that pa
per says:
1t is all right to raise cotton or
tobacco, but the farmer Is learning
that it is mistake to put all his time
and energy and money and brain into
the making OF one crop. lie has
learned that the constant planting
OF the land to one crop will in the
end impoverish the land. He has
learned also that when his one crop
fails or prices arelow that the farmer
who raises more than one crop is iii
better condition to weather the storm
than he. He has learned also that
the farmer who has his smokehouse
in his back yard and his corn crib in
close porximity to his stock doesn't
have to ask the merchant for an eX
tension Of time in which to meet OBJ
legations when the bottom drops out
OF the market.
What is here said OF the farmer is ap-
pIicable to some extent at least to the
manufacturer and to the promoter
of other lines OF industry. Certainly
diversified manufactures are better
for the section as a whole than for
all the capital to be invested in one
line OF production.
Along the line of diversified agricul-
tural pursuits the Spartanburg Her
aid has an inspiring article under the
head. "NOt All Our Eggs in One Bas-
ket" The Herald says:
1t used to be SO, but thank God it
is no longer so today. Right now,
three months in advance OF cotton
and corn and tobacco, hundreds of
thousands Of dollars are flowing into
the CarOlinas, Georgia, and Florida
from Northern cities to pay for the
early fruits and vegetables which our
people near the coast have learned to
grow and market prOfitably. Once
We did nothing TO speak OF except
raise cotton. We grew cotton, talked
cotton, shipped cOttOn-and had eyes
for nothing else. ii the price OF cot
ton was high and we made a good
crop, everybody was flush. lfdrOught
or floods knocked out cotton or the
price took a downward slide, every
thing looked blue and everybody had
a case of the dumps.
But now, i'll this State at least,
we manufacture more cotton than we
raise. This year within a radious of
100 miles from Wilmington the
strawberry and lettuce crops alone
netted million dollars. The potato
crop brought $15O,OOO, while dew
berries and garden vegetables will
add, when the season is complete,
over half q million more. Thus, within
the extreme Eastern section OF the
Carolinas, will be earned this year
81 $50, 200 on Il business not two
decades old BY the time we add to
this handsome sum all that the years
business in numerous other lines will
earn, and including the traditional
cotton crop, it is clear that the total
years earnings will amount to some
thing utterly beyond the dreams OF
our people a generation ago.
This wide Investigation OF indus
tries means freedom from heavy fiuc-
tuations of business, from incessant
alterations Of,fush times with hard
times, and farsOunder condition of
affairs in every way. 1t means also
the more complete realization OF our
potential possibilities throughout
this section. And the best of it all is
that our people have hardly more
than made good beginning as yet.