Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-05-30
THE BUSINESS MANS PART.

The production phase of the national
flood campaign is now well under way
in the South, where the crops are well
advanced as compared with those in
other sections of the country. To an
extent that is not fully realized the
farmers of the South have responded
to President Wilson's appeal for d
greatly increased production of food
crops thise year. Greatly increased
acreages in corn, peanuts, velvet beans,
and kindred products have been
planted and with average weather. con
ditions, the crop of food stuffs in the
South this year should far surpass any
thing that has been done along this
line
But the production of food crops is
merely the first phase of the situation
which must be met and the farmer is
not the only factor in the problem
whose solution is of such vital import
ance to the nation and to our allies in
the great struggle against German
barbarism.
The business man must accept his
part of the responsibility in the plans
to provide an ample supply of food
and forage for the country at large and
without his assistance, the best efforts
of the agricultural workers must neces
sarily fail to accomplish the desired
result. The marketing system
through which the products of the
farm are finally distributed to the ulti
mate consumer and by means of which
the farmer receives a financial return
that encourages him to continue along
the line advocated by the nations leac-
ers, must be handled by the men who
direct the business enterprises of the
towns and cities.
The business man is properly the
man to consider this angle of the sit.
uation and the arrangement of the eff
fcient facilities by means of which the
farmer can advantageously dispose OF
his products, is particularly the prov
ince of the men who form the pillars
OF our business structure.
The marketing problem is, in the
South, given very little attention, fol
with the exception of cotton, naturally
our principal crop, practically no study
has been devoted to the matter of prof
itably disposing of our farm products
J The farmer must be made to see thai
his products should be placed on the
market in prime condition, properly
packed and made as attractive as pos.
sible in order that he may receive the
best price therefor. Grading as one OF
the important factors in successful
marketing must be impressed upon
him by the business man.
In Sumter county the marketing sit
uation is gradually showing improve
ment, due to the efforts made by pro
gressive business men who are awake
tc the opportunity offered by the pres
ent national situation in the matter OF
food production Business enterprises
based on the best principles of modern
marketing and production are coming
into existence throughout this section
and when the result of this years OPP
erations is seen, it is probable that new
establishments of this kind will be in
augurated.
In the agitation for increased food
production and food conservation. let
Ius not lose sight of the fact that the
farmer is only one cog in the complex
machinery and that the business man s
efforts must dovetail in with those OF
the tiller of the soil if the nations
larder is kept full
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