Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-10
T. PROGRESSIVE FARMER AND THE MODERN HOUSEWIFE

duced in 1919 was 2O,663, Psi dozen.
OF that number only one-third were
sold. We are presumed to have
raised about 100000 chickens, but
only to have sold approximately g.
100000. Therefore, our returns from
the poultry industry were approx
mately 100000. This is another
| direction in which we can make
great advances with profit to every
landowner and material advantage
to the family as well. 1t is true
we consume a considerable number
of eggs and chickens, but there is
no reason why we should not use
many more. The more eggs and
chickens we use the less the demanq
for meat and other supplies now
produced in other sections of the
country and which we purchase at
high prices. AS a result millions Of
dollars of money which should be
kept at home in constant circulation
within the state are sent elsewhere
and so lost as a permanent asset
to the state of Georgia. Moreover,
the poultry bushes is pleasant and
profitable and practically no capital
is needed to make a start in this
line. With climatic and soil condi-
lions such as they are we cannot
in justice to ourselves, neglect this
very important business any longer.
In 1919 1O,46S, S34 acres were de-
voted to crop cultivation. The value
of the crops was $540,613,626. Cere-
ais were cultivated on 4,62O,96O acres.
Corn occupied by far the greater
part of the land. Only 1S7,525 acres
were devoted to oats, and about
140,861 acres to wheat. We are
reglecting the cultivation of two of
the most important and essential ce.
reals. We can grow oats as win.
ter crop more successfully than they
can be produced in almost any state
in the Union. What excuse can we
offer for our failure to raise our own
bread supply? AS a matter of fact,
we do not need to increase the corn
| acreage, but we need to improve our
methods of soil preparation and
| management so as to further add to
the yield. Through the matter OF
seed selection we could materially
| increase our. returns per acre, yet
we are giving very little considera.
| ton to this important matter.
We grow 344.372 acres of edible
beans and peanuts. Production is
| still urderdone rather than over
done in this direction. We are neg
Letting the cultivation Of alfalfa. &C
cording to the census figures, and
we are still not producing nearly
enough hay. You will recall that
| fOodStuffS were purchased by nearly
| $1,000 of our farmers during 1919.
Vegetable production is being
neglected in many respects, and
| the fruit and nut industry will not
| be oVerdone for long time. Cotton
occupied more land than corn. and
| represented approximately $500, 000,-
| 600 of our gross income. At the
| prices then prevailing we were justi-
| fled in devoting this area to cotton.
| The boil Weevil had not proved as
| serious a menace as at the present
| time. With conditions as they are
| now we must undertake to material
| ly reduce the acreage of cotton per
| farm and diversity along the other
| lines which are being neglected in
order to keep our production and
consumption on a proper basis.
Another matter to which consid-
Grafton must be given is that of
! farm ownership. OF the 10000
| farms operated in Georgia in 1919
| but 102,123 were operated by the
owners. This represented only 1928
per cent of our farms. There were
S6,O81 white owners and 16.042 ne.
| gro landowners. Only @ small per-
| centage of our farms are operated
| by managers. On the other hand,
entirely too many are operated by
tenants. The figures indicate that
| 206,954 were so operated during the
i last census period. OF this number
95,O16 were in control of white men
and 1898 in control of negro men.
There were 45.035 share tenants,
97,497 choppers. 1915 cash tenants,
43,642 standing renters, share cash
tenants 355, and unspecified 2,247.
1t is noteworthy that more than one
third OF the farms in the state were
operated by negro tenants with com.
paratively crude equipment and
with very little supervision or direc-
ton on the part of the owners of
the land. Under these conditions 1t
| is surprising that our yields have
| measured up as we'll as the reports
indicate. The comparatively unsu-
pervised negro farm labor cannot
be regarded as constructive factor
in our society. He contributes moth
| ing to the economic DEVELOPMENT of
the community. He is miner
rather than a farmer in the least
desirable acceDtation of that term
| One of the most certain ways of
increasing our agricultural produc-
| ton, conserving the present waste
| and destruction of our lands. and
! making our landowners more pros
| porous and successful will be accom-.
| plished through the intelligent con-
troll and direction of the negro farm
tenant. This is matter of grave
concern to the white landowner and
one which he must give his direction
and attention from this date for
ward. The presence of the boil
weevil and the necessitated change
in our farm practice will no longer
enable him to handle his land on an
acceptable basis through the agency
of an uneducated negro tenant This
is one of the great economic truths
with which we are face to face at
| the present time. The state has pro-
| vided agencies through which the
information desired may be obtain
| ed. The next move in reorganizing
our agriculture and putting it on a
more intelligent and profitable basis
in so far as the negro tenant is
concerned is in the hands of the
white landowner.
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