The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
DIVERSITY IN Farm CROPS
Raising Other Things Than Cotton
Offers Hope to the South.
Several States and Localities Or
Ranize Colonization Plans TO
Occupy Old Pine Lands.
Frvn the Southern L1mse-nan.

I Fr0U the southern LGm5eru1sH.
Such obstacles as low prices az cotton
marketing time, long droughts in the late
summer. and the assaults OF the boil wee
VII seem certain in the long run 10 pro-
duce changes in the kind OF crops growE
in the far South. and with the diversity
( In the production there VIII be fewer lean
and fat years and more certainty IN the
annual revenue from the farms This
reorganization OF Southern farming VIII
attract settlers 10 the pine belt. and add
more rapidly 20 the steadily increasing
value OF cUt-Over pine lands.
Throughout the cotton belt The lease
and loan" system has been against any
departure from the growing OF cotton as
a money crop The lender was not will
ing to make advances on anything else.
But two things have occurred TO change
this condition. The farmer IS more fnan-
efally independent and does less borrow
ing from the merchant OF the bank. He
IS. therefore. freer TO exercise his own
judgment than under the old regime.
Texas seems to be IN the lead IN max
ing the change in crops Even with in-
creased farming area there was a change
from a cotton acreage OF 4o6s.0oO IN 1906
70 one OF z.S57OO0 acres in 1907. OF recent
years the uncertainty OF the other crops
has diminished. and such things as grain.
truck farming. and 1--we stock under the
prevailing prices OF the past year have
had 2 decided advantage over cotton In
the general market.
It is this premium on changes that has
driven many OF the cotton farmers along
the Gulf Coast TO incorporate other crops
into their farm systems. People who
never before paid any attention 10 any
thing but cotton are this year growing
many commodities that market regularly
and early, with the prospect Of a much
better cash income for the farmers and
a much better distribution Of that income
over the succeeding months IN the year.
The value Of the cotton crop OF the
South should not be underestImated. II
is the South's best crop. and there is but
little composition from any source ex-
cept that created by the Southern cotton
farmers among themselves. By control
ling the acreage they can control the
price and make each year a profitable
one. This can only be done by having
knowledge OF the profitable raising OF
other crops for the market. 10 fall back
upon when much Of the last years cot
ton is yet unsold, OF the price Is too close
TO the cost Of raising
A good move has Just been made by the
board Of trade OF Hattiesburg. The lum-
beTne1 have listed their cut-over lands
at prices that viii encourage immigra-
ton. and the board Of trada is To act ss
the real estate agent IN making sales.
This organization IS to tel the farmers
IN the Northwest Of the South's advan-
tages, and to go after and TO bring
cOlonists to the section. securing those
cOlonists wherever desirable residents can
De found Many Swedes and other farm
ers, who make the most desirable OF citi-
zens. have been kept. away from this
part OF the country By the belief that the
crops they we're accustomed 10 raisins
would not grow in the South. which de-
pended upon cotton. and cotton growing
they did not understand.