The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-11-29
Some Random Thoughts.

1t is very gratifying to read the let
ters of commentator Of the plans to
distribute the fertilizer payments
over longer period. 1t looks like
there will be a more general approval
of this than Of anything else the Far
mers' Union has so far proposed.
Williamsburg county union acted on
Saturday before our meeting in Sum-
ter and proposed to refuse to buy
from any company that will not make
its fiscal year run from February to
February. The argument being that
we should have five months in which
to market the crop, to take stock Of
our assets and be in a position to act
intelligently.
From another county comes the
suggestion that We can then know
how large the crop is. From another,
that we have lore time to sow small
grain and properly harvest other
crops, do fall plowing and the neces-
sary work that goes with a right sys-
tenn ~ farming. The Executive Com
mittee Of the State Union was called
to meet, hut OWNS 70 shortness o
notice, TWO members failed 70 attend
hut 10th have written their hearty
approval. One says TINS has DeeI. I.
hobby Of mine for years."
The News and Courier thinks it is
a matter Of individual contract. But
what is the Union for if it is not to
enable its members to make indi-
vidual contracts that will be for his
protection and the general good of
the country? We recognize that
there are some customers that it
would not be safe to have their con-
tracts run to February unless safe
guarded, but the dealer could easily
provide that all such must put cotton
enough in his care in a warehouse to
cover these contracts. One sug-
gestion is that the farmer should
have the option Of making earlier
payments, if market conditions war
ranted his making sales.
The same newspaper says in this
connection that the advice Of the
business agents not to buy so much
fertilizer is not sound. that South
Carolina farmers have to use ferti-
lizers, that the use of fertilizers dou-
bled in the twelve months before
last April. In controversion of this
statement the writer asked the News
and Courier to publish the closing
paragraphs of Dr. Bakers address
before the Chamber Of Commerce
last Tuesday, and to remember the
address Of Mr.. Garrison of the Jed
burg Experiment Station before the
Charleston Commercial Club Friday
before last, and to recall the teach
ings Of the Southern Cultivator, the
Progressive Farmer. and the farm
Representation station agents Of the
Department Of Agriculture, and of
the Agricultural colleges.
If we have doubled the use of
fertilizers in a twelve month, il is
high time for somebody to call a
halt and ask whittier are we drift
ing? If we are using so much fer
tilizer that it will take so per cent
of the cotton crop to pay the fer
iZer bills, it looks like we are farm
'ug largely for the benefit Of the fer
izer industry. If, on the highly
pr lands Of the county we can
make one crop without any fer
i,.|"r at all, then there Is something
radically wrong with our system OF
fertilizing and the sooner our pro-
gressive farmers find out what is the
matter, the better it will be for them
and for the country at large.
This is one thing that does not re-
quire the consent of ANYBODY else to
make effective as far as each indi-
Vidual is concerned. He can name
his own terms Of purchase or do
without. and no one can compel
him TO buy fertilizer against his will.