The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-01-12
WHAT We NEED
DIVERSIFIED FARMING WILL
MAKE THIS SECTION RICH
The South Can Compete With the
World Growing Corn, and We
Should Grow It

World Growing Corn, and We
Should Grow It
While the general tendency Of
human efforts has been towards
Specialization" the cry Of those who
have assumed the duty o. advising
the farmers OF the South has been
"dire7ssfcation," says the Progress
s!Te Farmer. which goes On TO give
the following good advice on the
subject Of corn planting:
Unquestionably. It is advantageous
to specialize The man who makes
shoes only will learn to make bet
ter shoes than he would IL he made
shoes. harness. plows, wagons and
ell the other things needed and
used oy man.
II seems that this may be accept
ed as fact. and II It be. then there
is limit to which the farmer will
fnd II advantageous to diversity. We
are not one OF those who believe
that the farmer 70 be successful
must necessarily return to primitive
conditions and produce everything.
II with given amount Of money
or effort we can make an amount OF
l tor h~.
more corn than we can make with
the given amount Of labor and NON
ey used il the production OF the
cotton. then does It pay to raise
corn? II this were all there is IN
the question OF diTersifcat:on and
crop rotation. common sense would
F! plainly dictate that under such a
condition It will not pay to grow
corn.
But while a man may make cot
ton 70 buy corn proftabiy one year,
be cannot do It for term OF years
for the simple reason that the grow
ing Of one crop on the land IS not
oonduc!7e to large yields. Again
when the crop Of corn is given the
same attention IN respect to its
requirements as cotton receives. corn
will be as good crop for the
Southern farmer as cotton.
To make the best yields Of cot
ton may require as good land as to
make the best yields Of corn. but a
crop Of cotton that will pay expens-
es. and little more. may be made
on land and with management which
vii, uot produce paying crop OF
corn. To grow corn proftably bet
ter land and more intelligent man
agement are required than are nec-
essary to grow cotton that will pay
a small profit over cost OF produc-
ton.
Because Of these facts, and the
further fact that most Southern
lands are too poor to produce corn
proatably some Southern planters
and most Of our friends to the
North. enormously conclude that the
South Is not adapted to the growing
Of corn. The only reason the South
is not adapted to the growing OF
co7n-and just as well adapted to
this crop az the so-called corn States
OF Illinois, Iowa. Missourta. etc
are that we have not given enough
attention to building up and main
tanning the fertility OF our lands
and that we do not apply the same
agricultural knowledge to its pro-
duction-
That there Is nothing IN our c].-
mate and nothing in our soil except
lack Of fertility-which may be easi-
iy supplied-to Justify the state
ment that this section Of the country
is not well adapted to the growing
OF corn. is uamistakably shown all
over the South. and frequently by
school boys When school boys in
North Carolina. Alabama, Mississip-
pi. and Louisiana make 125 10 1o0
bushels Of corn to the acre, and
make It ct a cost Of from Is to
25 cents a bushel. and when men
make 2s6 2-3 bushels on an acre
rs NJ. Bats. Of North Carolina. did
this year. or 254 bushels on an acre
as did Mr.. Drake. OF South Carolina,
some years ago. it IS absurd to state
that this country is no. as well adapt
ed to the growing Of corn IS any
other section.
When we improve our lands. as
we may easily do. and give that in
telligent attention TO its production
which corn demands. this will be q
eorn-producing country. and until
We do that. no crop will be pro-
duced proftably by the average man.
We do not advise the growing OF
wheat. and some other food crops
which We use. as money or sales
crops, nor do We advise growing
some OF them ct all unless the indi-
ridual farmer first demonstrates
that be can grow them cheaper than
he can buy them: but we do contend
that corn. meats. fruits. legumes.
and many other crops which we
might mention. can be grown by the
Southern farmer cheaper than any
other people on earth can grow them
for him. and that. therefore, he
should grow these crops for his own
use and for sale.
Even under present conditions It
has been demonstrated. time and
again. tha, The Southern farmer eau
produce hogs at to cents pound.
| live weight. and make money on
them. II this be so, and It is. then
why should he not rejoice at the
fact that live hogs are selling az
! cents pound. and by growing hogs
as money crop reap rich har-