The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-04-08
Sound Diversification Platform.

There is a feeling in the minds OF
many people that farmers ought to
raise a great variety of money crops
this year. In the writer's travels in
the Southern country, in his CORE
spondence, and in public meetings
which he has addressed during the
winter he has noticed this feeling
apparent among both the business
men and the farmers. AS an Arkan-
sas banker who was encouraging the
farmers to plant potatoes, canta-
loupes and various kinds of truck for
the market put it to me, he wanted
to get the farmers to plant little OF
everything for the market. but not
very much of anything so that they
would not lose much if the market
should be bad
We believe the attitude Of this
banker is a grave mistake. In. the
first place, very few farmers know
how to raise or how to market these
new and untried crops, and this is a
very ill-chosen time in which to try
to learn. In the second place, the
man who scatters his shot to the four
winds of the earth usually fails to
bag anything at all. In farming. as
in everything else. concentration and
system are absolutely essential.
Therefore let us keep just two things
in view, namely: To raise what our
families and stock will need to eat,
and to raise half crop Of cotton as
our money crop. We know how to
raise these things: they are all wa
need to raise; and that biggest of all
Southern>farm problems-a market
will give us not an houp's distress.
What About a Money Crop?
When urging the live-at-home plan
upon our farmer friends we are fire.
ouently met with the objection that
the farmers must raise crops that
will sell for cash. I'VE farmers must
have money" we are told, land we
must raise money crops to get IT
with" This is perfectly true: but it
is, in fact, the very strongest posi-
Bile reason why we should raise the
living at home.
1t is as plain as daylight that II a
man will make his garden, his chick
ems, his COWS and whatever eke he
can get hold of to eat keep him out
of debt this spring and summer. and
next fall he finds himself with a crib
full of corn and hay, a smokehouse
full of meat and lard and molasses. a
backyard full of poultry. and boun-
tiful supply of canned fruits and veg
etables, he will have his cotton crop
every last bit of it--as an unen-
.cumbered money crop. But. on the
other hand, if he tries to raise half
a dozen or more supposed money
crops which he knows neither how to
grow nor how to sell, he is practical
ly certain to find himself without
either a money crop or living fol-
his family and his stock.
Often we are reminded. also. that
farmers must have a basis of credit
for advances of money and supplies
Cotton" they say, lis the security
we have always put up for our money
and for our bread and meat. and II
we cut down the cotton crop we shal
have to raise other money crops as
basis of credit This is faulty rea
soning. In the first place. If mar
produces most of his family supplies
at home by keeping two or three
COWS. by starting good garden earl!
and keeping it going, by raising
chickens. and by planting an ample
crop of early forage for the stock. ne
will not need much credit. In the
second place. honestly and candldly
what will an ill-assorted conglomera