The Southern herald., 1911-04-28

plants, which are liable to anthrac-
nose, to wilt, and to rootrot. All Of
these facts go to show that we must
change our methods, and we must
have more or less rotation Of crops.
such as cotton followed by a corn
crop or a grass crop, because a GER
tain amount Of humus must be kept
in the soil. This will require more
work per acre, and OF course with the
present labor It means fewer acres
will be cultivated We hear 1t said on
all sides that I'VE should diversity
and raise less cotton" | agree with
you. We should diversity, but we
must raise more cotton per acre with
fewer acres to the crop. 1t will be
necessary to raise more corn. more
alfalfa, more cowpeas, have more
winter cover crops, and use certain
portions of your land for pastures; or
it may be advisable in some cases on
alluvial lands to have farm pastures
in the hilly section where the stock
can be kept during the summer.
Hitherto you have usually leased
your lands and allowed the tenant to
farm at his will. In the future the
successful planter will be obliged to
have his plantation supervised and
his work done according to definite
plan. In the case Of planter having
several farms It can easily be ar
ranged. In the case Of small farm
ers It will be necessary that one man
be employed to supervise and give
special directions, because 1t will
never be safe under boll-weevil con-
dltions to permit the old loose way Of
cultivating crops. This is sure to re
suit in failure. In fact, It has always
been failure to the extent that the
soil yielded only third Of the pos
sible crop.
The advent Of the weevil is only
Fastening some things that must have
come sooner or later, and one i'm
portant item is better economic con
ditions. The planters, the small farm
ers and the tenant farmers must raise
their food supplies for themselves
and their work stock. II the boil
weevil had not made this necessary,
world competition would have ulti
mately forced 1t. For farmer to buy
everything with one crop Is unsafe
and uneconomic, and therefore mus
ultimately be a failure. The south
has had greater opportunities to gair
wealth than any portion Of the United
States. 1t has made the money but Il
has not kept 1t, because 1t has failed
to produce the things necessary fol
sustenance upon the farm and ha'
chosen to buy them at greater ex
pense from abroad.
We are in the period Of highe
prices for labor. 1t is here to stay,
believe, and the man who will win Il
the one who will see to 1t that he get
more work out Of his labor by the US
Of better teams and tools.
The south should be the riches
country in the world; that is, from al
agricultural standpoint. You have ad
vantages over every other country 70
the production Of good crops, and
you do not succeed 1t is your fault
because you failed to apply the prope
methods for planting and making
good crop.
Don't get scared by the boll-weevil
1t can be whipped. Diversity you
crops and get more out Of the sol
When you talk about abandoning CO.
ton you are laying the foundation 70
agricultural distrust, and that mean
an agricultural panic. You might Jus
as we'll put dynamite under you
cities and blow them up as to destro
your agricultural districts. The pro-
perity Of the two must go togetbe
The government gives you a mstho
BY which you can succeed, II you vii