La Junta tribune., 1910-04-02

cones had been sown by the hand
Of man. and where one could and can
1t was left when the last crop was
grown. | have seen lands and trees
more recently abandoned where the
pine was small and so dense that
one could not see more than ten
feet or rod into the pine bushes,
and there. too, are the burrows OF the
last cotton crop. Some of this land
has. no doubt. been quite exhausted
OF its fertility. but much of IL, | SER
iously believe, would still grow prof
table crops could the land be used
in diversified farming. In fact. some
OF these old, abandoned farms have
been taken up after lying out for
years and have proved productive and
profitable.
One is struck fully as forcibly by
another alarming picture and that Is
the sight OF thousands and thousands
OF acres of the rich Red River Valley
lands lying untitled and without a
fresh furrow and growing to weeds.
This is caused by exhausting the
soil, or the lands being worn out.
The cause is quite different but none
the less fateful This too rises from
the one crop system. the growing OF
cotton to the exclusion OF all other
crops. In 1903 the cotton boil weevil
crossed the Rio Grande river from old
Mexico into southern Texas and II
has marched like an invading army
stately and irresistibly. spreading de-
vastation In its march. destroying the
cotton crop and. with the destruc-
ton, impoyerishing the farmer and
the planter. often resulting In bank.
ruptcy. The approach OF the boil
weevil strikes terror into the
hearts OF all classes, not only the
planter and farmer. but the banker
and merchant as well. for the pros
perity, the business. OF this fair land
depend almost solely upon cotton. The
boil weesil has Just reached and
crossed the Mississippi river. The
boil weevil is an insect much smaller
than a house fly. II deposits its
eggs In the flower bud and the boil
OF the cotton. where worm hatchcs
and destroys the blossom and the
cotton boil or pod It's rayagos are
so great that. at times, IL destroys
the entire crop. while IL always re-
duces the crop TO at least one.fourth
or one-half full crop.
But this is not the whole history
OF the causes that have turned these
wonderfully rich valley lands into a
common, so To speak. These Red
River Valley lands are owned In great
plantations. generally from one thous.
and to even eight or ten thousand
acres. There are generally great
headquarters establishment and then,
scattered over the plantation. small.
cheap tenant houses or often shanties
for the nexroe tenants or laborers.
A. the Headquarters there IL gcn.r
ally = commissary or large store. n
residence tor the foreman and n
cotton gin and other buildings. all
owned by the planter. Here are. M a
rule. the only white people In the
country. The rest OF this vast coun.
try is occupied BY nexrpcs. or mig.
Gcrs." ~ they are always called. I
rode from Shreveport to Couchatta.
. distance OF nifty miies. down one
side Of the Red river and back on
the other side. The whole country
y In plantations. Thse = not n
town or city on either side. Couchatia
Itself ID scarcely deserving tho name
of . town. There Il . switch or
station every three or four miles.
which 10 merely the headquarters Of a
plantation such ~ have above de-.
scribcd. Now and then there may
b. store outside Of tho plantation
store. = doctor and the clerks and
white help. These plantations arc
run either BY tenants or on the wage
systs@. Tho tsaants got three-fourths
of tho cotton and tho hired niggcrs
get anywhere from sixty cents to ono
dollar . day and board themselves.
but ~ the planter always furnishes
the Niger with bis supplies and also
with mules. implements. etc. At tho
end OF the crop season. tho Niger
often hes little 10 show for hk sea.
son's work. above his living and the
money which hs has seuandersd. Tho
niger never saves aay noacy. Il