The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-10-06
STATE LEADS IN CROP
VALUES TO ACRE.
Production Above $40 on Each Acre
of Improved Land in South Caro-
lima and Takes First Rank in Gen.
sus Figures For All States of
Union.

Atlanta, Ca, Sept. 22.-With a
farm value of 5000 per acre for
crops grown in the state, little
South Carolina leads the states of the
union in value of crops grown on her
acres of improved land. Director j..
y. Harper, of the Southern Soil I'm
provement committee, has just finish
ed a digest of the report of the census
bureau and finds that South Carolina
has an enviable report for the year
1919, for which year the census fig
ures were gathered. Her acreage of
improved land was 6,206,644 acres
and the value of her farm crops
grown on this land was $437,121,S37,
which gives a value of 5000 per
acre.
1t is interesting to note in this con-
nection that South Carolina's expen-
ditures for fertilizers amounted to
$50, 2,546,795, or that for each acre she
spent an average of $S.46. This would
not be so significant were it not for
the fact that North Carolina, her
nearest competitor in the south,
with over two million more acres
of improved land spent $3.50 per acre
for fertilizers and has farm value
of crops per acre of s61.50. North
Carolina had 8,194,409 acres in i'm
proved land and total value OF
farm crops amounting to $5O3,229,-
313, or a value per acre of $61.5O.
This state spent 4S,796,694 for fer
tilizers during that year.
Now compare these figures with
those from two other states of the
same region.
Georgia had 13,054,010 acres of
improved land and a total value OF
farm crops amounting to S540,613,-
626. This gives Georgia farm value
of crops per acre of s41.4O. She
spent $46,196,434, or only 1888 per
acre for fertilizers and her value Of
crops per acre dropped corresponding
ly. Alabama with 9,S93,407 acres of
improved land had a total value OF
crops amounting to- S304,34S,63S,
which is an acre value of $30.4O.
Alabama, however, spent only s14,-
O66,10S or just about S1.42 per acre
for fertilizers and her value per acre
of farm crops dopped below half of
the value secured on South Carolina
farms. North Carolina spent just
about Sc per acre for fertilizers, and
doubled the value per acre Of Ala
bama's crops. Putting this in an
other way, North Carolina spent a
little over four times as much for
fertilizers as Alabama and made 100
per cent. on the investment.
According to Director Harper, it
seems that as is the use of fertilizers
so is crop production. These figures
issued by the census bureau seem to
bear out his assertion. 1t brings to
mind the old argument that a less
number of acres intelligently farm
ed and literally fertilized can be
made to pay more actual profit than
by trying to farm large areas and
securing low acre yields. With the
changing system of farming that is
gradually coming over the south, 1t
becomes more and more imperative
, that the acreage be reduced.
This is especially true Of cotton.
Under boil weevil conditions, farm
ers can not hope to farm large areas
in cotton profitably. This has been
brought forcibly to their attention
this year when the boil weevil has
reduced the yield in some sections
to where the farmers will not make
a bale on from six to ten acres OF
land. This is a conservative estimate
given by some leading farmers in the
districts seriously affected. It. would
seem that fewer acres Of cotton, lib
orally fertilized and carefully tended;
the growing Of all food and feed
| crops and plenty of hay and rough
age for the cattle and hogs: the
keeping of sufficient COWS to furnish
all the milk and butter needed; a
home poultry flock; and an orchard
and garden will work for the com
plete financial independence of the
southern farmer.
Figures show that crops must be
fertilized to give highest yields per
acre and greatest profit, and when
there is a good income from every