The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-09-25
all Of the markets Of the world

her agriculture. My observations to-
gether with the history Of agricul-
ture convince ne that no nation can
rely with confidence upon a one crop
system as the basis Of its agricultur-
al welfare
The story Of the northwest with re-
ference TO wheat Is only a renetition
or the conditions that have existed
in the South for years and years.
The northwest depends entirely up-
on wheat. II the crops were good.
the farmers were happy, if it hap
pened to be bad they were not and
go 1t is with U.s. If the seasons are
propltious, We make money on our
| cotton. II the rain comes and the
grass grows and the crop is a failure,
there is a complete failure. The doc
trine that ] have taught is that cot
ton as far as possible should be made
| surplus crop. No farmer can afford
to buy the ordinary necessities Of
life, when they can be raised upon
his farm.
No farmer can afford to buy his
meat in Chicago. or his wheat and
corn in Iowa. when his own soil Is es-
pecially adapted to the growing Of
these. Farmers organizations and
farmers resolutions will amount to
nothing unless the farmer himself
has made himself independent Of his
cotton crop.
What We are trying to do for the
South through the department Of ag-
riculture, through its demonstration
farm work. it's soil surveys, its
breeding work and all Of that Is to
bring the Southern people to the
point where they may be independent
OF king cotton, where they shall. be
able to make Of this tyrant a SER
want, who shall contribute TO the hap
piress and welfare OF all of the peo-
pie. We are now slaves to it, and
can never realize our full possibili-
ties until We have shaken off his
shackles
| do not preach the doctrine OF re-
ducing cotton production. l plead
only for an increase in the acreage
of other crops. l plead for an in
crease IN yield per acre in cotton and
an increase in acreage for other
crops. To this eud the department
has begun soil demonstration work.
| believe that this work is the begin
ming Of new era In Southern agri-
culture. l do not belive that it is
100 much to say that it is fraught
with more possibilities for good than
any work undertaken in the South
within recent years. with the possible
exception OF rural delivery
What we want to do is to put the
farmers in position to hold his cot
ton as it pleases him and not as it
gratif!es some one else and this can
never be done until the farmer is
taught successful agriculture and sue
cessful agriculture means diversified
and intensified agriculture. 1t is
new work, the results of which can
not be seen in day, but will go on
and on and on gathering strength
with each day.
In my experience as a practical
farmer and my observations l have
been struck with the fact of a lack
Of uniformity in the grading of cot
ton in the different cotton markets
II the country and l have had the
idea in mind for a long time that the
lack of uniformity has caused the
cotton producer to suffer largely.
In a bulletin on cotton just issued
at the South Carolina experiment
station. the statement is made, that
IN account of the lack of such uni
formity the variations and differences
sometimes amount to twenty dollars
per bale. This is loss TO the far
mer who does not know whether he
has middlng or strict middling. He
must depend upon the judgment to
say the least OF the cotton merchant
and to that extent he is at the alb
s'lute mercy of the buyer.
Having this fact in mind l put up
On the agricultural appropriation bill
at this session. an amendment
winch provides for the establishment
If 1t national standard for cotton
grading.