Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-19


i, - interesting as vel las pathetic TO
So the farmers of our country begin OPP
arations for another crop. knowing as
- from long experience the many Things
.hat can possibly happen Detpre the year
vrorar ts done. il looks to me as IL the
farmsr shows more faith and perseyer-
ance than any other class OF people IN
the world. other calIings expect to see
returns at least monthly. generally once
n week. but the filler OF the soil under
stands his long years wait for the cash
IRE weather Is a prime consideration.
II the sun shines and the dirt dries OF.
he can phepare his land. but IL IT rains
ana halls and is cold. stormy weather,
ne rnrsr hold down his impatience and
wait
Then Il can get so dry that the seed
won't come UP and that makes another
wait.
spring frost can XIII every living
plaut and then IL Is all TO do over again.
/ hvae known hail storms TO beat the
tender plants to death in an hours time
I have known whole wheat helos 70 DC
DESTROYED by the Hessian fly, and cater
pfllars can eat every green sprig and even
Young bon on the cotton stalk.
We all know how one night OF freeze
and frost can wipe off a peach crop and
not leave enough fruit TO make one pie
Ear the moor owner. when there were
coolies OF money in sight, when he went to
be6. II ne could save his peaches. nave
known good cotton TO sell at and cents
! pound after the bulls and bears OF wan
street had battIed and the bears whipped
the cotton crop to starvation ngure.
/ have seen a barn go up In smoke
within thirty minutes time. burning up
81 mules. four hundred bushels OF corn
and all, the poor farmer expected 10 use
n making a crop that year. and while II
was reasonably sure that sorry negro
had set IL on fire. there was no nelp' no
arrests and no insurance money TO tide
over the hard places.
90. when drive along the road TO our
farm and see the renewed effort tnas
Is being made-the zeal and earnestness
and cheerfulness Of the faithful farm
ers-their hopeful endeavors, their close
economics and endless efforts to do the
right thing at the right time in the right
Mace. 1 feel Ike waving my old bonnet
10 every one of them and saying, God
bless and keep you in peace and pros
perityt'
/ would also tell them 10 grow plenty
Of foodstuffs and raise some meat TO live
on. and when corn is selling close TO
dollar a buShel. Il Is simple folly to pro-
nose 10 buy corn at that price TO feed
farm mules. and raise cotton TO pay the
bills
cotton is the southern farmers money
crop. and brings in the cash, and II Is
useless 10 tell him not 10 raise cotton
he must be able to buy sugar. cofIee,
shoes and guano and have something TO
pay the doctor and the preacher. and II
takes cotton TO put money In his purse
10 meet emergencies; but he can raise
hay and SOW some oats and never miss
the time in doing il. and even II IL Is
rented land. there are side crops that viii
pay well in securing these additional sup
plies ard In feeding man and beast.
We 10 not know what is ahead Of us,
but seed time and harvest time are
promised BY the good book, and the
faithful farmer wiz remember that the
righteous are never forsaken. or Their
seed win not 90 begging bread
II il well that the farmer must look
10 the Almighty rather than feeble man
IN a business Of such magnitude and
such dependence on sunshine and rain
showers. and the nearer the human mind
gets 10 nature. the more that mind can
look up from nature 10 natures God.