The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-05-01
THE ONE CROP MENACE.

1t is DR.. E. NJ. Nighbert of the United
States Department of Agriculture who
remarked recently, Gin connection with
the wintry blast Of last week: Depend
ence upon a single crop means that we
can never reckon with safety upon the
stability of good times"
In this observation is epitomized vol
lImes of suggestion and of gratuitous
advice generally offered filters of the
soil, upon whose prosperity the whole
world is dependent.
Applied intelligently and practically,
the observation of Df. Nighbert must
be construed in the sense that in diversl-
fcation of products is TO be found the
basis of success which leads to the. bet
terment of all conditions.
It will not be questioned by intelligent
men Of experience that the one crop sys-
tern is a menace TO prosperity.
In the years gone cotton was grown
to the exclusion of all other products,
and notwithstanding the price then pre-
vailing I5c to 25c pound, thousands
were involved in bankruptcy for the
reason that the money obtained from
this cotton yield was applied to the pur
chase of meat and meal and corn and
other supplies which should have been
obtained from the farm or the planta
ton.
Since these years. when the owners of
plantations and of farms were pauper
lied growing cotton and drawing their
necessities from the North and the
Northwest, there has followed through
sheer necessity Investigation dictated
by the boil weevil, which has demon
strated the security and the prosperity
resting on Investigation.
However, it would seem that encour-
aged by the high price of cotton OBJ.
tanned through shortage of the crop,
the acreage in cotton throughout the
cotton belt had been increased TO one
third if not one-half the acreage of last
year, whose yield under favorable
season would have produced a bumper
crop with prices gagged accordingly.
What would have been the result :
From the philosophie view the reason
able conclusion may be reached that
after all, the blizzard of last week, as
the boil weevil, may be esteemed bless
ing in disguise.
In brief, it will not be gainsaid that
the independence of the tiller of the soil
lies IN a common sense system of diver
si6cation. He can not expect to prosper
on one crop, as too much cotton or too
much of anything is check to progress
iveness in that when the market becomes
gluttsd or there is what is styled over
production and consequently when prices
are down, the producer is the victim of
such conditions.
The remarks of DR. Nighbert are sig
ni6cant and comprehensive: Depend
ence upon a single crop means we can
never reckon with safety upon the sta
bility of good times
In briefer words, the one crop system
is menace to prosperity
In the record Of the past is demon
strated that no country nor people can
long experience prosperity on the basis
Of the one crop system. Therefore it /
is incumbent upon the tiliers of the soil
to engage in an intelligent diversified
hon Of all the products of the farm, in
Gliding live stock and all the things
which are needful to mankind
In the one crop system there can be
10 comfort or happiness or prosperity
for the filler Of the soil nor his kihsmen
n the towns and cities.