The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-01-09
FARMING in
THE SOUTH
OTHER MONEY CROPS FOR
SOUTHERN FARMER.
Many Things for Many Markets
Stock Raising-Sugar Cane as a
Money-Maker.

Money-Maker.
The prevailing belief that cotton
is the only money crop for the south
has almost bankrupted many of our
people. And its universal growth up
on the same soils year in and year
out has been fearful drain upon
their fertility. No record is given
where an agricultural people have
maintained the productiveness of their
lands, and themselves grown in
wealth, where a one-crop system has
been the rule.
Nine out of ten men growing cotton
today will tell you that it is the one
and only money crop. Many are hon.
est in this claim, for they know very
little of the possibilities of our soils
in producing other crops, and less
about making, gathering and market
ing any other crop.
Some of our leading argiculturists
have been advocating diversification
of crops for decades, with apparently
little reward for their teachings. But
the time is rapidly approaching when
this system will be forced upon us
whether we want 1t or not. Several
changed conditions are upon us, which
will make this method the only tenable
one for our farmers. One of the
chief factors in bringing about this
oh fu 6a 1<l ltn6 Il
state of our agricultural labor, which
makes 1t utterly impossible to culti-
vate or gather cotton as formerly.
Another cause for the change is the
sure and rapid impoverishment of our
lands by the constant growth of one
crop on it. This method soon robs our
most fertile soil of all its human and
vegetable matter, leaving 1t in a condi-
ton to be worked on by the excessive
rains we have at certain seasons.
Besides we are nearing the limit in
available cotton lands in this country,
there being comparatively small areas
to be cleared and brought into culti-
walton, after. we have worn out tie
soils we already have in cotton. Our
forefathers followed this method too
long for 1t ever to be adopted to a
great extent by ourselves.
The Boil WssvII Factor.
While all the above are factors to
be reckoned with, the most to be
dreaded. and the one with the most
far-reaching results to our entire
country, is the rapid, unchecked. and
seemingly uncheckable march of the
boil weevil. which is unquestionably
destined to cover our entire cotton
growing states within the next few
years.
To show that other crops can be
grown from which money can be OBJ
tanned, with less labor, less financial
risk. and with far less drain upon
our initial savings bank-the soil
will be the object of the writer Of
this article.
We will start out with the assump-
stion that any crop that can be sue
scessfully grcwn, and will furnish food
for man or beast is money crop,
whether consumed on the farm where
grown, or sold to other parties. For
II we grow all cotton, and buy all
our foodstuff for man and stock, as a
great number do. it is very evident to
any sensible man that they are all
money crops to some one. and we
think this season, Judging from open
ting prices for these articles. the farm.
er. who has them to buy, win decide
that they are very much of a money
crop.
So let's start out in 1909 to grow
Everything we need to feed ourselves
and stock, with some to spare, and all
the cotton we possibly can. after do
ing this. My belief is that we will
not need warehouse to put it in for
fair prices. and that the terrors of the
boil weevil will be greatly lessened.
We have noted during our thirty
odd years. experience that the man
who follows this plan is the one thai
feels hard times, money panics. short
crops, ETC.. with the least degree of
concern.
Many Things for Many Markets.
There is great number of things
the worlds hungry markets are clam
soring for. which our genial climate
and fertile soils will produce in abun-
dance. The variety is SO great that
none need grow any but those that
best suits his fancy and surrounding
conditions.
Fruit and truck growing may be
the proper thing for some people and
localities, In fact, some sections have
abandoned all other farming, and are
becoming Independent by it. Our OBJ
servation is that very early. and very
choice goods in this line always find
olxr bat M Pot =