Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-02-17
NEW CONDITIONS IN FARMING
MAKE NEW METHODS NECESSARY
Many Things Formerly Done by Hand Labor Must Now Be
Performed by Horse or Mule Labor and More Efficient
Class of armng Implements

STATE COLLEGE OF AGRIcUL-
TURE Athens. Ca. Feb. IA wonder
fui economic change has taken place In
the south In the past few years. The old
field labor OF ante-bellum days has passed
away. The Development OF industries has
opened up many channels for the labor
which formerly found occupation In the
tillage OF the soil There has been re-
markable Increase Of population, not only
in the south but IN the country as q
whole. and as a result OF the tendency 70
crowd into cities, the cost OF both pro
ductfon and living has increased very ma
terfally In the past few years There
has also been depletion OF soil fertility
and there Is a steady tendency for the
Yield TO decrease on most lands which
have been devoted TO crop production for
any considerable length OF time Thus, q
new situation confronts the producer and
the man who few years ago could raise
sufficient cotton on a little farm by sim
ply scattering the surface Of the ground.
finds himself confronted with new set
Of conditions which are slowly but sure
" forcing him 70 change his methods as
q matter OF self preservation
BETTER THAN HAND LABOR
There are a thousand things which were
formerly done By hand labor. and many Of
which are stin so performed, which can
be better and more satisfactorily per-
formed BY horse or mule labor and a
more eficient class Of implements A
few years ago many farmers never broke
their land more than four inches deep, a
BOY Dixie being the favorite implement
for the wo1x- Even then the field was
not plowed from border TO border, but
furrow opened where the corn or cotton
was to be planted and a bed built up by
throwing several burrows together The
nEddles were often not broken at all. or If
broken. the work was done at any con-
venient season after the crop was planted
and up and growing. II was not surpris-
ing Under these conditions that erosion
should become the curse OF any country
where this shallow method of cultivation
was followed. II was not surprising that
the crop. even though stimulated by con-
siderable quantities of fertilizer, should
fail 70 make a proper response and the
yield remain stationary and in some IN
stances decrease It was not surprising
that the farmer found il difficult to make
a living for himself and family under
these conditions. because he was using
minimum amount OF horsepower and an
excessive amount Of hand labor in the
production OF his crop AS result Of
these conditions the tenant made but lit
tie progress while this class OF farmers
as q whole tended 10 increase, and ex-
hausted farms multiplied Under such
condition IL was not possible for any sec
ton to be prosperous. and yet IL Is clear
" evident that part Of the trouble az
least was due TO the use OF an excessive
amount OF hand labor in proportion to
the amount performed BY horses and
mules.
INTERESTING STATISTICS.
n is reported that In 1900. 2l3 acres of
Land were cultivated per laborer in the
north Atlantic division 452 acres in the
north central division: $50 acres in the
western division, and only 1913 acres in
the southern division. Statistics also
show that a much larger per cent OF
horse and mule power is used in the
northern and western section In proper
ton ia. laborers than In the southern.
This fortifes the contention that horse
labor must be multiplied IN the south
and hand labor reduced 10 the minimum.
Can this be Accomplished Il certainly
can. and wonderful strides in this direc-
ton are observable on every hand. There
4 = distinct tendency to reduce the area
turned over to the tenant. and to require
him to work n more thoroughly and fer
tiIize Il better. Not only the owner or
the land is taking this position. but the
tenant himself realizes that II is TO his
G4N ana s. " A@A0W ~@--~ A-~N~e~ - -
tfce.
On the average plantation IL has been
customary TO speak OF running so many
pIows. meaning. OF course, one-horse
plous Now Il Is common to hear the
farmer speak Of turning his land with
a two-horse pillow. and. IN fact. many both
large and small owners realize the wis
dom OF this practice. The result Is that
the land Is broken with a good type Of
turning pillow 10 a depth of eight TO ten
inches. Subsoiling on the heavy red
cIays OF the Piedmont section is becom-
Ing more and more common
Two-horse cultlvators. disk harrows.
grain drills and other types OF farm inn
pIenents. which enable more than twice
a. effective work 20 be accomplished with
half the number Of men. constitute the
rule and not the exception on many plan
tations- For a few years the fact that
the negro was leaving the country and
moving into town 20 take up industrial
occupations seems to constitute a great
menace TO the production OF a SUFFICIENT
amount Of cotton to meet the needs Of the
world While this tendency may cause
some anxiety in the future. the mere fact
that the four-horse or mule pillow. the
kasolfne tractor and other implements
which for many years were used in the