The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-10-06
BANKERS URGE FARMERS
OF STATE TO D|VERY|FY
Issues a Circular Letter to
Planters of South.
TO COMBAT BOIL WEEVIL,
Thi They Should Plant Cotton
Ireage i'm Small Grain at
Once.


The following is taken from The
Columbia Record of yesterday:
That by the adoption of a diversi-
fed system of farming the South
will be better prepared to combat
the cotton boil weevil pest, which is
rapidly covering the cotton belt, is
the opinion of Robert l. Woodside,
chairman of the committee on agri-
cultural development and education
of the South Carolina Bankers AS
sociation, contained in circular
letter addressed to the farmers of
the state. The circular urges the
farmer to SOW all his cotton acreage
in oats, wheat and other small grain
at once so that he would be in
better position to curtail next spring.
Tire circular letter follows:
THE European war is forcing on
our country unprecedented prob
lens. While these problems are
coming to all lines of business, it is
especially true to the farming pur-
suits in our Southland where the
farmers have depended on n cotton
crop as the one money crop. We
are realizing now as never before
just how dependent we have been
on this crop. Also, we are realizing
as never before how very essential
it is to our farming interest that we
do not depend on any one crop as a
ready money crop.
while it is evident that under
the existing circumstances our far
mers are likely to sustain some loss,
it is also evident that a forced
change in methods of farming Il
greater prosperity will ultimately re-
suit to our farmers. 1t can be seen
also that by the adoption of a di-
versifed system OF farming we will
be better prepared to successfully
combat the cotton boil weevil pest
which is rapidly covering the cotton
belt
Many worthy plans have been
| suggested for temporarily assisting
| the farmers, but, after all, the per-
manent remedy lies entirely within
/ the control of the farmer himself.
We all know that supply and de-
mand must control the price of any
commodity. With a greater supply
of cotton on hand than can be used
by the cotton mills of the world un-
d. der existing circumstances, our only
recourse is that of curtailment of
production.
with the view of curtailing the
production of cotton, some steps
must be taken at the present time,
and our committee would urge that
the farmers of our state, as we'll as
of other cotton growing states. start
now by sowing all the cotton land
to oats, wheat and other small grain.
With this grain started it will be
much easier to carry out the curtail-
ment plan next sprnig, as, in this
case, farmer will then be in posi-
tion TO plant a portion of this grain
land in cotton or harvest the grain.
"We urge that especial effort be
made to gather the present crop OF
peas and save for next years plant
ing. 1t is certain that there will be
an unusual demand for peas for
sowing next year. More hay must
be grown for feeding cattle and
other live stock. There is no bet
ter way of building up and maintain
ing the fertility of the soil than by
the raising of a certain amount of
live stock on the farm; and certain
ly there is no better way of putting
a stop to the continuous drain on
the farmers income for commercial
fertilizers.
More and more attention is be-
ing given to improving the quality
and increasing the quantity of corn
produced in the state Time and
labor can be saved and larger and
more valuable crop yields can be
robtained by a careful study of the
II Question of seed selection. IL has
beensoun, observation that the farm
er who grows bountiful crops OF
4 corn. together with other crops, al
ways has ready money at his com
{ mand. ~
4 I'VE would urge the adoption OF
] n A