The Natchitoches enterprise., 1917-02-01
Balanced HuSbandry.

I we nave DeIOEG us circular OF
Bradford Knapp, chief of the United
/ States Agricultural Department Exten-
sion Work. Its contents should be be
fore every farmer in the South I'm
fortunately it is like everything that
comes from that epastment5- too long
for the average country papers to use.
The small farmer loses about one-half
of the valuable information given out
by the department because of the verb
osity Of the officials who send out these
circulars. The small country paper
would be glad to handle them, but few
can spare the room. and it is the local
country paper that reaches most farm
erS.
We give our country readers the let
ter, with what is most important to
him:
SAFE FARMING. BALANCED HUSBANDRY
To Farmers, Bankers and Business
Men in Cotton Territory:
"Whenevel the greed for money
crop unbalances the wisdom of hus-
bandry, the money crop is a curse.
" hen it stimulates the general econ
omy Of the farm, it is profitable
farming.
These words were written by the late
Henry W. Grady, many years ago.
They are true today. You are face to
face with great question. Are you
going to permit the agriculture of the
south to again become an unbalanced
husbandry, or are We still to push for
ward toward safe farming.
High prices of certain farm products
may tempt farmers to pursue an unwise
course Now is the time to take stock,
to make an inventory and consider the
situation.
Compare the present prices of food
products with the present prices of
cotton. The test is the exchange value
of cotton. How much will a pound OF
cotton purchase il food and feed pro-
ducts? BY growing all cotton and ex-
changing it for living you are Simply
a high priced product pro-
duced by your labor for high priced |
product produced by the labor of the
other fellow. When you follow safe !
farming, however, YOU produce your
own food and feed at cost and sell your
cotton for the other fellow dollar.
The South has made great progress !
and has enjoyed wonderful prosperity I
IN The past year, because it produced
50 much Of Its own living.
what do you mean by safe farming!
dere are the items that should consti-
.ute your program:
l. A home garden for every family
IN the farm. 10 this should be added
)ne-fourth Of an acre of potatoes, either
irish or sweet or. both, to be used as
food for the family. An acre Of sorg-
lum or sugar cane should be produced
o supply the family with syrup ii
means can be found Tor grinding the
al e and making the syrup.
2. Produce enough corn on each farm
q last thefamily and the livestock with
for one year, with little ex-
.ess for safety.
3. Produce sufficient oats and other
mall grain to supplement the corn as
God tor one year with certainty, re-
that these small grains con-
erve the soil in winter and provide
ONE grazing for livestock.
4. Produce the hay and forage crops
to supply the livestock On the
arm for one year. with a little excess
or safety.
5. Produce the necessary meat, eggs
nd milk tor the family. The meat
hould be produced by increased atten-
ion to poultry and hogs because of the
apidtty with which these can be pro-
uced. Every family should have at
east two cows, so that one can be in
nix all OF the time. A sufficient num- t
er of brood sow5 should be kept to {
reduce the pork foc the family, with =
ONE excess for sale. {
s. When the living he's been amply {
roVided for, grow cotton for the main
honey crop. !
7. Plan to sell or exchange the sur 6
lus products of the garden, the or
hard, the poultry, the livestock, the !
ggs and feed crops, to cover the neces- !
airy running expenses of the farm and
ave the cotton as a real cash crop. t
The fact that cotton has been up )
ghteen and twenty cents per pound o
lould not in any sense tempt farmers, e
erchants or bankers TO depart in prac-
ce or influence from this program.
re you going to play SAFE or gamble .
! the European war and bet that cot t.
N will be nigh and food products low? II
ne of the serious problems of this ma -
on today is the production of food. il
t this time no man IN the South can W
ford to be tempted to reduce the pro-
action of food and feed crops. Rather .
lould they be increased. 1t is the Ii
lly SAFE plan. /!
We need more of the three Fs- O
GOD, FEED and FERTILITY. Let E,
feed the people, feed the livestock
I'd feed the sill. When we have done