The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-05-05

Silas Bunker wits at home again.
Three of his neighbors had come over
to chat with him. It was a warm
spring-like day. The robins were hop
ping about In the yard and the blue
birds were hunting for cosy place in
the cherry tree to build their nests.
The men were sitting on the front
porch talking Of Bunker's speeches
at Concord and Rockport. One Of
them. John Mastcn, had heard his
Rockport speech. He had been
deeply impressed with 1t. He was
one Of the many Southern farmers
whose main dependence was in cot
ton. The other two. Joe Cooper and
Dave Barton. were almost exclusively
cotton farmers. These three men
were there to talk the matter. over
with Silas.
TITS hard to learn an old dog new
tricks. but I'll be skinned for a pole
cat II there amt something the mat
ter" said Dave Barton.
"It's easy enough to see what IL is
II youth take OF your blind bridles,"
replied Silas. "The Southern farmer
has got into q rut and it's hard to
get him out Of It. don't undertake
to say that we are raising too much
cotton--that Is more than the market
demands. but the majority Of South
ern farmers are raising more than
they can properly handle. Cotton Is
not perishable crop. yet most cot
ton farmers are forced to sell It as
though II Is. This marketing the
crop In few months overstocks the
market. As the spinners cannot take
1t all as fast as 1t Is placed on the
market. the speculator comes In and
hammers down the price II every
farmer had a years living ahead he
could AFFORD to hold his cotton until
the price was SUFFICIENT to make 1t
q profitable crop. But II a farmer
diversifies his crops. raises his own
pork, corn and hay he Is not spend
Ing the income before 1t comes in.
This may not be accomplished in one
year. or two. but the beginning can
be made at once"
1T looks easy enough, said Coop
er. but fellow who has always de-
pended on raising cotton Is a little
afraid to risk IT,
II know It replied silas. ''I've been
all over the trail. knew all about
how 1t could be done two years be-
fore tried It. I'll tell you, fellows
when cold mossbacks like us get into
the rut of farming like our fathers
did. Il takes dynamite to git us out.
Yet we all know the world IL progress
Ing and that the present methods Of
farming are much better than the
old ones. When I did make up my
mind to cut loose and try the. way OF
diversifying my crops I was scared
half to death. OF course. had no
money: nobody has that who depends
entirely on cotton. The. nrst thing /
did was to trade a COW for a couple
OF sows and pigs. Then cut my
cotton land half In two. That was
before cleared up the West field. I
sowed little patch Of oats for early
feed. I planted six acres of corn and
nfteen OF cotton. You see I was let
ting loose easy. Wen that oat crop
came In good time. When It was
gone the corn was ready to feed. I
saved all the fodder. It lasted till
the oat crop came the next year. The
next spring put four acres down in
meadow. That year commenced
raising plenty Of vegetables. found
that was about half our living. Then
put out some fruit. apples. peaches,
pears and smaller fruit. That helped
a whole lot more.'
"And you think II pays better than
raising cotton exclusively" asked
John Maston.
why. john" exclaimed Silas as
he relighted his pipe which had
gone out while he was talking,
there amt any comparison. I'd
rather be poor mans dog than to
raise cotton at cents a pound. Do
you see that corn crib out there :?
There's three hundred bushels OF corn
In 1t now. I've been feeding on 1t ever
since 1t was ripe enough. and have
sold one hundred bushels at 90 cents
bushel. Under the shed at the
side Of 1t Is six bales Of cotton. I had
In twelve acres Of corn and twelve
acres Of cotton. I suppose I raised
ak hundred bushels Of corn which
would be worth $3.50. The cotton at