The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1917-04-16
PLANT ABUNDANT FOOD CROPS
By So Doing Farmer Can Render His
Country a Real Service-No Great
er Service Can be Rendered at the
Battle Front-FOOd is Bound to be

Battle front-foo i 10 Dou"u u NC
High
To the Editor Of The Robesonian:
We read with much interest in the
ADr. 9th issue Of The Robesonian an
article Of great interest, or which
ehouI interest every Southern man,
whether OF not.
This article was headed, "ShaH
The .5or1h suffer for Food:" and we
th:rl. without { great change in our
present plans there can be but one
answer. This article reveals some
startling facts ard We think it should
not be passed over lightly by any
one. If possible it should be printed
in red letters Oh the front cover of
every farm paper in the South, and we
don't see why any paper should not
publish it. 1t should be published ov-
er and over and if necessary pait for
bv the county or State. No greater
service could be rendered the people
at so little cost; and If the advice
contained in this article be adhered
to, We believe it would mean a direct
saving to the people Of Robson coun-
! ~ Of a half million dollars, besides
much suffering and want.
Brother Farmer. yoa had better
read that article, if you have not, for
coming as it does from a disinterest-
ed party 1--WE mean from a party not
expecting a direct profit FOR such adj
vice. it means much to Us and should
have our careful attention.
Now, what l mean, Brother Farm
er, is that you have got to look after
yourself to very large extent, and
not take the advice of every one who
comes along giving advice on what to
plant, etc., expecting in turn to get
his own big slice. For instance, take
the man in the tobacco business and
he is going to advice you to plant
tobacco, let what n1ay come and go
l Well, you can plainly see that's to his
interest and his business and he's
looking after it very much closer than
we are looking after ours. You see
he gets So to $40 on every hundred
dollars business you do with him
which pays him very nicely for few
hand shakes and the little trouble he
has with you. Of course he is not
: going to say plant all of your crop
in tobacco in the face of war, so he
, says raise plenty Of foodstuffs and
plant tobacco as a money crop. But
at present food prices, what will pay
!, better than to have enough to sell
. some?
Then, too, the merchants are to q
, large extent going to advise US tt
plant cotton and tobacco. You see
these two crops go through the mer-
!, chants hands and should you make
a big crop of each and buy your corn
hay and other provisions of him, YOU
l. are usually not any better off in the
|, end, and certainly not under such con-
. ditions as we now face.
: Well, they can't do such work fol
| nothing, but from ten per cent and or
up certainly must pay them hand
solnely.
:, Did you know that large percent
: of Robeson's Representatives are mer.
5 chants? Yes, and they came very
: near forgetting the farmer when 6
} chance came to do him a turn fol
! common justice. One instance of this
: was when the bill was up to prevent
| an overcharge above the cash price
to the time man. Yes, it was work
ed against, and, too, was backed by
: our Governor. We are glad he didn'
forget US, out stood by and took NJ
compromise. You see he had chance
: t. help the poor and dependent NAL
i who has, as the saying is, had hi
e nose to the grind stone ever since i
has been turning, and from the wa!
: the Governor went, it looks like h
S must have really a heart of flesh.
The farmer who wants to do hi
: country real service in this critica
n time should not forget to plant al
abundant food crop. We doubt if
e greater service could be done at tn
: battle front. Food is going to b
S high even if. the war should clos
e now, for millions are looking to u
d for help, and what they want is some
e thing to eat.
f Are you going to help by growin
your own supply and some to spare
o" are YOU going to be 4 burden in
J. stead of a help?
'R. F. D.
| NJ