Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1914-11-27
URGE REDUC1ION
0E ACREAGE



throughout the south. that should be
given the serious consideration OF the
farmers and business men alike.
This letter is too long for publlca-
ton but the following excerpts win
give the general idea OF It.
The error of depending upon one
crop for the support OF the country
Is always manifest In the time of a
crisis. The one crop ia open to too
many dangers; no one can guarantee
the quality from year to year, nor
can the farmer depend upon the uni
form cost Of production. The objec-
tions 70 the one-crop system are,
therefore,:
First. u is economically unsafe.
When the production fails or the mar
ket fails the country Is in distress.
Second, Il does not pedmit the
proper rotation for the maintenance
Of the soils fertility.
Third, it does not give proper op-
'portunity for the livestock industry
as part Of the complete system OF
farming,
Fourth, II fails to give opportunity
for wise plans OF farms management
in which team and tools may be Civ
en- the maximum OF days of use per
annum and labor may be properly
distributed
Fifth, such a system limits the
knowledge, narrows citizenship. and
does not foster hone-building. but
Edoes promote commercial farming
With proper system Of diversi-
fled farming the South win get away
from the economic weakness Of It's
present system.
The Southern states az the present
lime do not produce sufficient food
and feed crops to supply their own
Necessities Unless they have an In
creased acreage in these crops they
cannot hope to establish the livestock
industry in the south.
The census of 1910 shows la
mentable lack Of livestock in the
south.
| Let us compare Illinois. Iowa, and
Indiana, with some of the Southern
states. The number Of work horses
per farm in Iowa is six; Illinois SIS;
Indiana. slightly over s.5; in South
Carolina I; Virginia little less than
q; in Alabama 1.5. or milch COWS
Iowa average 6.6; Illinois AZ; Indi-
ana. 30; North Carolina. IL; South
Carolina. 1; Alabama 1.5. In the
number Of hogs per farm in Iowa 1t
shows 34.S; Illinois 1876; Indiana
16.S; North Carolina as; South Car
olina 3.S; Alabama 49, Number or
poultry per farm in Iowa shows
1922 Illinois 85; Indiana 63.S;
Whereas North Carolina shows 1919;
South Carolina 1871; Alabama 1911.
In the south we produce more In
value per improved acre in crops
than the northern states but the val
ue Of our farms is far less and our
farmers are less prosperous. The
secret of the difference is 10 be
found very largely in diversification
and livestock.
The present crisis in Europe and
the decentralization Of the cotton mar
ket is the best chance the south has
ever seen for changing its system.
Cooperation between the business in
1 terests, bankers. merchants, and the
farmers. to get into diversified farm
ing and to fe-establish credit upon a
different basis viii be the only thing
that will bring about the desired re-
suits.
In 1915 We must cut the cotton
crop to at least fifty per cent of the
1914 crop. This is imperative II is
our only hope of safety. In doing
that we should take up plan OF di-
versification and livestock as per-
ment part Of our farming. and not as
a mere makeshift.
The Department earnestly urges all
farmers to think Of this. Let us do il
now. II we do II only for the year
we shall be at the mercy of the next
crisis. Let us be independent.
The United States Department Of
Agriculture. most OF the State Col
ieges and other forces. the agricuI-
tural press and the Farmers Union
have been advocating dsyersificAtion
for years.
Il Now is the time to put this great
principle into effect.