The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-01-15
SOUND ADVICE
FOR FARMERS
Commissioner Harris Gives Plain
and Comprehensive Advice

Columbia, Jan. 1l-Commissioner
Harris says that it is not yet too lato
for the farmers to get in some small
grain and he thinks that it is neces-
Sary for them to do so, as his observa-
ton is that little has been planted
up to now.
"'Januhry is the month for the
farmer to begin to make preparations
TO finance his 1921 cotton CROP" says
Mr.. Harris. 1T has been shown to
the farmer very plainly this year
that he need not look for help beyond
his own efforts. 1t has been stated
by the highest authorities on such
matters that he must fight his own
battles. To prove th'" I see after Il
conference with W. 2. G. Harding,
governor Of the federal reserve bank
ing system, Warren c. Harding. pres
ident-elect has endorsed the defiation
policy of the federal reserve board,
mat the farmer would have TO take
his own medicine along with the
rest"
Now, the farmer is able to take
his own medicine but he is not able
to take the other fellows as he has
Deen doing. From the conference
between the Messrs. Hardings we see
plainly that the farmer must arrange
to finance himself. Whenever he
can do this successful, the farmer will
be man and not mere peddler.
How can the farmer finance his
operations in 1921? BY using econ
| omy and by so diversifying his crops
as to make home self supporting and
finally by adopting the Memphis ac-
reage reduction plan Of planting only
one third Of the cultivated lands in
cotton in 1921. If the farmers will
do these three things. they will have
done the greatest good that they could
possibly do for ther own prosperity
II they don't adopt thcm-I fear that
the present generation and future gen.
lerationS OF cotton farmers will eX-
list in financial slavery and illiteracy
Il urged the farmers in September
to SOW largely OF oats and wheat and
vetch. l fear that not many have
needed that warning. From my own
Observable 1 do not find much grain
sown. Some have told me- that they
did not have the money to do the
| seeding. It is not TOO late yet to
make Il fair crop OF oats sown on good
land.
Let me appeal to the farmers who
have not planted grain to prepare
at once an acre to every two horses
or mules and sow it in beardless bar
Icy. This will be in the dough stage
and ready to cut by the middle of
May. If it is cut and cured the farm
er has virtually corn and fodder in
one.
The next best thing to do Is to
prepare several acres Of good land,
we'll manured, and sew it in Fulghum
oats or 80 day Burt oats, and SOW
along with it half bushel Of Can
ada peas. Cut this in the dough stage
and you will get the finest hay you
have ever fed your stock. This should
make two tons to the acre as the Can
ada field peas will be ready to cut
when the oats are harvested.
With half ration of this hay
and the other half corn, horses and
mules will flourish better than on q
whole ration Of corn, without this
mixture. By this method the ground
will be ready the first of June to plant
in corn and peas.
"As feed for livestock is one of
the most important things a man can
raise on his farm, this plan should
be used on good land, of course, and
we'll manured, for the season is short
This is the quickest way l know of
this late in the season to get horse
feed.
Let this be one var that the farm
erS will do one thing that they have
not done In SO years, see to it that
they do diversity their crops that they
will make their homes self-Sustaining
There is no other way out Of the diff
Guilty that cOnfronts US except to re-
duce the acreage of cotton and in
crease the acreage Of food stuffs. So
long as we stay in the old ruts, buy
ing all the fertilizer that we can buy
borrowing all the money that we can
borrow, to put into cotton crop, we
need not expect cotton to sell for a
price above the cost Of production
For the producers will be in no condi.
ton to protect their cotton to keer
it from being forced on the market
THE cotton farmer must realize a
once that the system of selling cotton
is all wrong and has got TO be chang.
cd and he is the man who must
change the system.
The cotton farmer today is VI
against one of the biggest organiZa
tionS that has ever got together since
cotton has been planted. There is nc
competitive buying in spot cotton, as
the mills no longer recognize the
farmer, only 10 produce the cotton
They look to the bear spectators tC
supply them and they are out of tn,
market as buyers.
Il can cite an instance to prove
this. \ farmer living in AbbevillC
county has lao bales, a few more oil
less, cor Il certain grade and staple
used by a certain mill in Anderson
He took this cotton to the president
OF the mill, who said it was the kinG
"a fOttOn hn nSp1 l,nt thn ~, i'll N-.c ~ ~,