The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-07-28

A MORE interesting or more
"A difficult piece Of work than
~ that which the Carolinas,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi
pi Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and
Oklahoma, the nine distinctively cot
ton states, have for years been en-
gagged In has never taxed the inGenui-
ty and the energies of any people
namely, the production of quite all of
two-thirds of the worlds cotton crop,
and at the same time growing with a
high degree of success large number
of other valuable crops.
1t is true that the general average
yield per acre of the larger portion of
those extra crops is not just what it
should be. Conditions control as to
crop production, as in all other under
takings. With the exception Of Okla
homa, conditions are peculiar in the
states named. A gripping factor is
the "share tenant"-the man who has
no interest in the land the mule or in
the landlord, except in the matter of
rent, which he promises to pay. e.,
a bale or two bales of cotton for n
one horse farm, according to the pos
sibilities of the soil. If seasons be ia
vorable and he should make the rental
that would really be the limit of his
ambition in the premises. If seasons
be unfavorable, well and good. He
accepts the situation and uncomplain-
ingly hangs up the shovel and the
hoe and pulls out for the next farm,
where he finds instant employment,
finds employment inStanter not be-
cause the tenant has a good reputa-
ton, but for the reason that labor.
good, bad and Indifferent, is constant
ly in demand.
/ emphasize the "share tenant" for
the reason that he is ''the fly in the
ointment" He is the man that writes
the low average yield of all crops. in
the making of which he takes part.
That yield discounts all our claims
and sets at naught all our well CON
sidered assertions as to opportunities
for successful farming south. ] en-
phasize the share tenant" because 1
am anxious to have the landowner re-
alize to the fullest extent how thor
oughly inimical to his interests the
former is. not that the "share tenant
would do the landlord personal injury,
not at all, but that under his touch
the farm he affects to work is being
run down year after year.
| dwell on the low average yield per
acre of cotton, corn, etc. because the
government blue book. an accepted
authority in this country and abroad
on things agricultural, presents the
facts to which reference Is herein
made
am persuaded that the people
should know the cause of the low av-
erage yield per acre Of crops south
and thus be prompted to discover and
apply the remedy. 1t is to the interest
of every home owning farmer in the
cotton states that he should know all
about the evil mentioned and how it
affects his holdings of every kind.
LeC us tulu HUH lulS SuDJcCl u
batch of official facts which cannot
fail to interest you. They show what
was done by the cotton states in 1910
in the matter of corn production.
1t is well we should make record of
facts of this character for reference.
They will be found seryiceable.
l am DESTROYS to bring ont the facts
as strikingly as possible; therefore |
resort to a comparison Of the cotton
states with nine eastern and western
states which latter know nothing Of
the turmoils with which the southern
farmers are perfectly familiar: