The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1919-02-28

In weeds and filth are now productive of profit.
able crops OF corn. wheat oats, hay cotton tobac-
co, potatoes vegetables, and truck crops. Sec
lions that formerly had never exported a carload
OF cattle, hogs, or sheep are now extensive pro-
ducers OF mutton, beef, pork, WOOL and dairy
products Families which formerly lived drear
life OF merger existence are now not only enjoy
Ing plenty Of the staples but also many Of the
luxuries OF country life.
How was that revolution effectedf How was
mirage transformed into an actuality In the South
iandf The war presented the opportunity for re-
formation along agricultural lines due to the un
limited demand on the American food store
houses. The second reason is because the United
States department of agriculture and the state
agricultural colleges, through the medium of 1850
county agents, located in the Is states from Tex
as to Oklahoma and from Florida to Maryland,
have been steadily urging farmers to Increase
crop production; to practice better farming meth.
DDS; to maintain more live stock and to produce
In the South the majority of what food the South
annually consumes utilizing cotton as the leading
surplus cash crop.
Heretofore the South has be,n the Eden Of the
one-ulule, onenegro cotton farming corporation.
The negro farmers have raised cotton largely to
the exclusion Of all other money crops Then
they have about faced" and converted their cot.
ton money into imported beans, bacon and bread
at the local supply stores. In view of this preva-
lent and traditional practice of buying instead OF
raising the bulk Of food, the United States depart
ment OF agriculture operated under severe handE
cap when II began food work south Of the Mason
and Dixon line.
Great credit Is given to the county agents, who
have not only shown Southern farmers In Is
states how to raise and produce vegetables, truck
Aoif auA
been successful In getting the farmers to raise
such products on large scale Despite the fact
that the record price OF cotton has operated
against the popularity of other crops. tn. average
farmer backed up the food program. Southern
farmers and townsmen raised plenty Of potatoes,
as wei as sorghum for sirup in their home gar.
dens. The farmers increased their production of
small grains, corn, hay. peanuts velvet beans
soy beans cowpeas. as well as meat milk and
eggs
For example, during 1918 Alabama increased frs
production Of potatoes IS per cent; cotton 80 Der
cent; hay. u per cent; oats. per cent: hogs, p
per cent; sheep. 10 per cent and sweet potatoes.
per cent. over the yields of 1917.
The South has been heavy buyer of hay, .fe
majority OF her yearly forage coming from the
Western states. The services of the Southern
county agents have increased the local hay pro
tuction to the extent that Alabama produced
l,2e3000 tons Of hay during the year 1918, as
compared with 10000 tons in 1909. During the
period from 1909 to 1918. Georgia increased hay
production 426 per cent: North Carolina. 1873 per
,ent: Florida, 362 per cent: and South Carolina.
,5S per cent According to recent crop estimates
he hypothetical value OF the farm crops of Ala
,ama, Florida, Georgia Mississippi North Caro-
ina, and South Carolina. amounted to ssaa21a-
90 In 1909 and y 106 $4,000 in 1917, an increase
n go per cent.
II Is only logical that as the production OF corn
md hay Increases In the Southern states. the
numbers of hogs, and cattle raised and kept show
gains. The razorback hog has
zen traditional Of the South since the Civil war,
ut Of late years these native rustlers have been
eplaced By well-nnlshed porkers Of desirable con
ormation and breeding which are more econom-
cal In the manufacture Of pork under Southern
ondltions than are the granted hogs OF the corn
cit In middle Westss. territory.
Asserting to recent estimates hy the bureau Of