Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-11-06
Georgia S Food Markets:

Georgia's progress as a food-producing State is
strikingly shown in the recent development OF
grain elevators and warehouses for farm staples
other than cotton. At Thomasville, Moultrie,
Cairo Fitzgerald and Quitman elevators capable
of handling thousands of bushels of corn have
been built or are nearing completion; and con-
nected with most of them are plants for crushing
velvet beans. At MouItrie. Pelham. Boston, Bar
wick, Pavo. Jackson City, Sale City and Doerun
there has been established in the past month or SO
a chain OF sweet potato warehouses, each equipped
for storing from six to twelve thousand bushels
OF potatoes and all under the direction OF single
company At Valdosta, thoroughly modern stock
yard with a capacity for several thousand head OF
cattle has been opened while plans are being per-
fected for a new milling and canning concern OF
extraordinary proportions. is to be noted more
over, that the meat packing houses which have
sprung up with astonishing rapidity in the last few
years, are all thriving and in some instances are
doubling their capacity.
These items, gathered from a recent investiga-
ton by the agricultural bureau of the Southern
Bell Telephone Company, are noteworthy because
they show that one of the most important of the
economic problems with which Georgia Is con-
cerned, the problem of convenient and adequate
markets for food crops, is being happily solved
While these storage and marketing facilities rep
resent the effect Of great increase in both the
volume and the variety Of food crops, they will
prove to be also the cause Of incomparaby greater
production. War conditions, together with the
boil weeviI menace, compelled thousands of farm
ers who formerly staked their all cotton to
raise foodstufs; and therein lies one OF the chief
reasons for Georga's present prosperity. But sup
pose this extraordinary output Of grain, beans po-
tatoes and kindred staples had found profitable
channels OF sale? Suppose that instead Of netting
the grower a goodly cash return for his faith in
Investigation, they had remained on his hands or
had sold at beggarly prices? The result would
have been fve-year backset to the cause of food
production instead OF the ive-year forward push
which actually has come.
The establishment of storage warehouses for
sweet potatoes will save millions of bushels which
otherwise would spoil, and will enable the farmer
to sell his crop gradually prices warrant in
stead OF dumping ii on glutted market In the
system of South Georgia warehouses to which we
have alluded space is sold Just in cotton ware
houses and valuable assistance is rendered in
grading and Grating. It scarcely need be said that
in every district where such warehouse is estab-
lished potatoes will be permanent and impor-
tant crop. In like manner the grain elevators,
the -four and grist mills, the velvet-bean crushers
the peanut-oil mills and the canning plants which
are multiplying so steadily will sustain and pro-
mote food production by assuring the grower con-
venient and dependable ---~-ket.
The consequent good to Georgia's material in
terests, those of commerce and industry we'll as
Of agriculture, will be incalculabe. Vast sums Of
money that have been drifting to distant regions
for the purchase of food supplies will be kept at
home for the development OF new industries and
fresh resources Prosperity will no longer ebb and
flow with the uncertain fortunes OF single crop,
will ho
hardly a month without its profitable crop income.
Business no longer will lean cotton. but will
draw strength from wide range of harvests.
Georgia no longer will lean on the West, but VIII
be a royal contributor to the nations needs.