The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-03-22
Farm Crisis in Georgia; Pessimism
The Dominant Crop.

Editor Dawson News: Georgia's farmers
are in the doldruns Pessimism Us the out
standing feature. And it is hanging like a
goom-coud over practically every farm house
in the state.
Money for farm operations is difficult to
obtain. Many farmers cannot get it at all.
Seed and labor are high Commercial fertiliz-
ers are offering at prices practically the same
as prevailed during the world war. The farm
ers declare they cannot pay these prices Deal
ers in articles used on the farms are, i'll general
unreasonable in their demands. Farm prod
ucts are selling at pre-war prices. 1t must
be plain enough from all this that the farmer
cannot farm on the present basis OF things
and make ends meet Not few OF the farm
ers say that financially they are down and
out.
There must be a turn for the better and
soon, from the farmers viewpoint. Unless
there is there are going to be thousands and
thousands of Georgia's best acres lying idle
this year. The farmers need and must have
immediate substantial help.
Considerable cotton has been sold since the
first OF the year at low prices. The producer
has been very heavy loser. The time is fast
approaching when the next crop must be
planted. Most farmers are without funds,
And they cannot secure credit from
the merchant or bank that made them ad-
vances last year. Result: they are selling for
10 cents or Whereabouts cotton which cost
Year after year hundreds of Georgia farm
ers have demonstrated a unique capacity for
working for the cotton Speculator. In a meas
ure, lack of farm organization and effective
marketing methods rendered this fatality in
evitable. But if the farmers are to be believed
| this year things going to be different. Most
farmers say they are going to slash the acre
| age anywhere from Is to SO per cent and
| plant food and feedstuffs instead. Some declare
they will buy contract cotton from the spec
ulator rather than sell cotton to him, and in
| that way make money. 1t is amazing how
many cotton farmers have awakened to the
realization that il they want to work for moth
ing and get deeper into debt the sure way to
do it is to plant this year a normal acreage OF
cotton.
Many farmers reports say that the boil
Weevil has survived the mild winter and is al
ready modifying to commence activities
| Thousands and thousands OF bushels of
peanuts, velvet beans and sweet potatoes are
reported on the farms and cannot be disposed
OF at any price. A market for this surplusage.
Including cotton, is the crying need.
More wheat and corn and oats from the
old crop remained on Georgia farms March
1st this year than on same date a year ago.
There is woeful shortage reported neverthe-
less, in localities, and many counties are ship
ping in considerable quantities of these grains
to tide the farmers over.
The area planted to wheat is about 10 per
cent over that planted last winter. and the
condition OF the crop is good There is a
slight decrease in the acreage planted to rye.
The area planted to tobacco in southern
Georgia promises to be as large or larger
than that OF last year.
An average decline OF about so per cent has
been sustained in farm land values the farm
ers say, due to the low prices OF farm prod
ucts and no demand for farm lands lust now
Not few farmers are reported as quitting the
farms because they cannot pay the cash rents
demanded, and the land owners are unwilling
to accept cotton as rent. per custom.
Live stock on Georgia farms shrunk during
last year in total value about sol, 1914 600 or
50 per cent. This shrinkage, however. is due
more to the lower value per head than to de
crease in numbers. JOHN 5. DENNEE. Sta
tistician for Georgia Crop Reporting Service.