The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-21
LETTERS TO EDITOR
What the Negro Farmers of the South
Are Doing for Themselves


To the Editor of The Age-Herald.
It should be interesting to the white
people of the south to note what the
negro farmers Of this section are doing
for themselves. When the war between
the states ended and 100000 slaves were
emancipated remember distinctly that
there was some talk OF the government
giving each ex-save 40 acres and d
mule" This was not done. Since that
time many a colored farmer, by his own
thrift and economy, has earned 1000 acres
and 40 mules. This is much better.
An interesting chapter In the Negro
Year Book" published recently at Tus-
kegee institute, shows by carefully col
lected statistics that In 1912 the negro
farmers in the south were cultivating
AZ, 900 acres of land and owned about
900 acres. The value of the land
and buildings on farms owned or rented
by these farmers Is about one billion
dollars.
The declarations adopted 1913 by the
Tuskegee annual negro farmers confer
ence, attended by leading negro farmers
and white planters of the south, pointed
out that there were 150,000 more negro
farmers in the south than there were 10
years ago; that they have done their
share in adding 24,000,0o0 acres to the
amount of improved land in this section.
and have done much to make 1t possible
for land values here in the same period
to increase s4,000,000.
For example, Isaac D. Martin, a negro
farmer of Pratt City, raised last year 200
bushels of corn on one acre OF land and
he was presented with the second state
pride of $3.50 by Commissioner Kolb.
Take another example of intensive farm
ing by negroes in the state A bulletin
hxr tha Init cd fptn
of agriculture declared that Sam Nc
Cord, negro farmer of Wilcox county,
aged 70 years, raised seven bales of cot
ton on two acres of land, and McCord is
now striving to raise nine bales on the
same amount of land. McCord has also
shown what can be done by rotating
crops The department officials declare
that this aged negro has set a great ex-
ample for other small farmers of the
south.
Thomas M. Campbell, in charge of ne
gro demonstration agents in Ala bama and
Mississippi, has made frequent visits to
Sam McCords small farm and states that
half has neevr beep told of McCord's re-
markable methods of fertilizing and cul-
tivating his little tract of land.
The question is often asked, Does the
negro farmer take to improved methods
of farming?" Mr.. Bradford c. Knapp
director of the farmers cooperative dem
onstrative work, carried on under the
direction of the United States department
of agriculture, declared recently that
The result Of demonstration work among
eolored farmers in the south has been
extremely gratifying 1.-THE "a colored
agents who work entirely with farmers
of their own race" Mr.. Knapp continues.
'hace enrolled about 5000 demonstrators
and co-operators. 1t is estimated that
altogether probably 10000 colored farmers
are being reacted by this work.
Mr.. Knapp further declared that
These men accept instruction willingly
and are rapidly becoming better farm
ers."
During a visit I made recently to Will
cox county l met Harry Simms the eff
ficient negro demonstration agent for
that county. Simms pointed out Prince
Moultre the first negro farmer of Will
cox county. who was visited by the boil
weeyil. Moultre owns n small farm Of
about 60 acres near Richmond, Ala. I'm
der the direction of Simms Prince Moul-
tire is demonstrating the possibility of
cotton production under boil weevil con-
ditions. His first step was to burn all
cotton stalks. He then broke up his land
early in the fall. By early planting, he
expectsNto beat the weevil to the cotton
ball. Last year Moultre made $50 gal
Ions of molasses and 800 bushels of corn
besides raising sufficient meat to run
him during the year. Harry Simms is
confident that Moutre will demonstrate
to negro farmers that the boil weevil is
blessing in disguise. He is one of the
most energetic and progressive negro
farmers of the black belt. The result of
his efforts will be eagerly watched,
In my next article, l will point out a
few more concrete examples of what ne
gro farmers are doing for themselves In
the south. A. r. OWENS. Dean.
Selma University, Selma, Ala, December
20. 1913.