The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1909-04-01
Live at Home.
Last call for diversifcation |


too exclusive culture of cotton has
exhausted the humus, the life-giv'
ing principle in our soils; the wash
ing of the clean cotton fields have
gone on to such an extent that mil
lions of acres of the best land In
this State have been ruined. The
too exclusive culture of cotton has
caused over-production and there
by forced the price far below an
equitable one so that there is but
little more than bare living fol-
the cotton farmers. The too ex.
elusive culture of cotton has estab-
lished the credit system. As long
as our farmers raised their supplies
at home there was no necessity for
the credit system. The TOO exclu-
sive culture of cotton forces us to
buy OH a credit and dump all of our
cotton on the market in the fall in
order to satisfy our creditors and
thereby force the price down. The
too exclusive culture OF cotton
makes it necessary to send the
money obtained for cotton North
and West to pay for corn, oats,
hay, bacon, lard, mules, horses,
butter, cheese and other farm
products.
I realize that many agricultural
writer's and speakers are now busy
shaking the foundation of our pres
ent evil the one-crop system.
However, their work is TO a large
extent destructive, not construct
i've. They seldom suggest prac-
ticable method to take the place of
our badly balanced, lopsided farm
ing that compels farmer to wear
out about fifteen acres at time.
It is not enough to expose the
many evils of the one-crop system.
We must show on general lines
what system to establish as a sub
stitute, and OH general lines, how
the average cotton farmer can do
so.
The simple plan that shall now
suggest may be followed by every
cotton farmer, however poor he
may be. l am a staunch believer
In the old Dutch proverb: mo
grass, no stock; no stock, no ma,
nure; no manure, no crop" Now
as at least one-third of the land
cultivated in cotton does not pay
for the fertilizer and labor of culti-
waiting, it ought to be fenced as
soon as possible, thoroughly pre-
pared and set in bermuda or carpet
grass. When either carpet or ber-
muda grass is well sent on fairly
good land, no better summer pas
ture can be found in North Ameri-
ca. Hairy vetch, white. crimson,
or burr clover may be mixed with
either the carpet or bermuda grass
for winter and early spring pasture.
The vetch or either clover will die
down in the spring by the time the
carpet or bermuda grass gets good
start. All kinds of live stock can
obtain the larger part of their liv-
Ing from such pastures.
Let us divide the remaining two
thirds into two equal parts and
plant one part in cotton and one
part in corn and peas and peas fol
hay. The richest land of one par
maybe planted in corn, peas aud the
poorest in peas for hay. The mem
ium land that is planted in cottof
may be planted in peas when th'
cotton is laid by.
This plan will cut the cotton acre
age more than half; will enable II
to utilize about 80 acres per hanc
in such way that its prod uctiveu
ness will rapidly increase instead
of wearing out about fifteen at
time; raise plenty Of live stock tC
manufacture grasses, corn, peas. anc
other forage into bacon, lard, but
ter, wool. beef, and other product:
and manure; almost destroy thl
credit system, enable us to hold on
cotton until au equitable price Il
offered; and will make the State o
Mississippi the wealthiest In th'
Union.
| long to see the time when w