Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1921-07-15
i N HARPER.

]. N. HARPER flation of prices
had hurt the farmer more than any
other class. and that on this account
the farmer Is entitled to every consid.
Grafton within reason.
At such q time as this when the
farmer is facing the problem of which
crops to grow, and how much he can
venture to spend in their production,
Mr.. Harper says. that he, as a farmer
himself, knows that it is the most diff.
ficult situation of the kind he has ever
confronted.
This Is the way this agricultural
authority figures out the proposition
Of profitable crop production in 1921:
Grow enough food and feed crops
to supply as far as possible the needs
OF the family, the tenants and live
stock. Then pick out the kind of cash
crops that seem to offer the best pros
poets.
Cotton will always be one of the
best cash crops that Southern farm
or can grow. No cotton farmer can
afford to throw cotton aside alto
gether.
But cotton should not be the only
cash crop. 1t would only be another
case Of carrying all the eggs in one
basket. It is better to go to market
with more than one crop. Among
these other crops are peanuts, legur,e
hays, tobacco, sweet potatoes, sugar
cane. sorghum, rice and perhaps other
crops. In addition there should be
. gradual adding, as means will allow.
Of more livestock, beginning with hogs
preferably and taking on other ami
mails a. soon as possible.
In facing the problem of profitable
crop production for the year 1921, two
facts must be considered. ~ Crop
prices are low, ~ Crop producing
expenses have not fallen correspond
ingly.
The farmer must remember that
when crop prices are low, 1t takes
more Of the crops to cover the pro-
duction cost. This narrows the mar
gin of. profits. Therefore, III Q farmer
does not look well to keeping up his
acre yields, there will be no margin
left above the cost OF production.
always, the most expensive yields
are the low yields and the most re-
munerative are the high yields. II
there are losses to be sustained, as
was the case in 1920. the farmer who
grew the greatest yields per acre lost
least.
"A safe and sane policy that needs
especial emphasis for 1921, is: Guard
your profits with high acre yields
This involves good preparation of the
seed bed, the use of high producing
seed, liberal fertilization and thorough
cultivation. A neglect to employ any
one Of these to the proper extent may
mean that the farmer will find him
self poorer at the end Of the season
than at the beginning.
Labor IL the greatest item Of cost
In producing crop yield. It must
be used to the extent Of thorough cul.
tivation. Fertilizers are next in the
list of cost items. Since high yields
Der acre are so essential in times OF
low prices of crops, and since fertiliz.
ers increase acre yields more than any.
thing else, they cannot be reduced In
1891. In fact, 1t may be that they will
have to be depended upon more than
ever, to make acre yields that will
be profitable.
IAN investment in good seed is one
Of the best that a farmer can make
ct any time.
"In q word, this Is Q time for farm
efficiency, faith and courage. These
virtues exercised, the farmer will
emerge from the postwar struggle vic
toriously."