The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-02-25
TIME TO GET READY.

near at mana, we ueoh siiS
the actual commencement OF tli1ng
the soil. On we'll regulated farms the
+;noa TO commence work is always at
hand and there is always work to be
done. But while the time for plowing
the lands preparatory to making an
other crop is at hand, very little has
heen done leading to the financing OF
the farms. It is true that not much
Of this is ever done at this season.
but people should take into account {
that there is much more to be done
this year than in previous years. De-
cause of the decentralization among
farm workers and because of credit
conditions.
To speak the truth there is great
probability that if the people DO not
get busy there will be a large num-
her of the farms of this section not
worked the coming year. In order to
farm arrangements must be made for
advances and for farm supplies.
Heretofore, the procuring Of these
supplies has been matter OF asking
But it is not so this year. 1t must be
remembered that few people have
paid their obligations for making last
wears crop. AS a consequence the
accounts due the merchants and the
notes due the banks have not been
paid. In addition to this, in those
cases where the crops have been sold,
or in many of these cases at least,
the accounts have not been paid in
full and the notes have not been paid
in full. In a good percentage OF cases
there has been, or there will be con-
siderable losses by those. who have
made advances.
In addition to this it may be as
certained with the least amount of
inquiry that the fertilizer people have
made but poor collections. In many
cases their losses have been enor-
nous. We may in most cases be able
to make crops with not much fertili-
zers, but some small amount of COM
mercial fertilizers should be used, we
think, in order to obtain even fair
results. No arrangements have been
made looking to the procuring of the
fertilizers which are to be used on
the farms. AS with advances, hereto
fore we were able to buy all the fer
tilizers we needed without trouble,
but this year it will not be so.
Unless a party who desires ad-
vances, or who desires to purchase
fertilizers, is able to offer good Sc
curity this year we expect to see him
go lacking. The merchants have lost
so. much, and the bankers have lost so
much, and the fertilizer people
have lost so much, and the demand
for credit is so large and insistent,
that even where advances in money,
supplies or fertilizers may be made,
they will not be made except upon the
best security.
The fact that cotton is going down
just now is but adding to the trou.
bles of those who are seeking tc
make arrangements for the next crop
The perplexities of the people, of the
farmers, merchants and fertilizer
manufacturers alike, are but >hsine
added to.
We are not saying this to frighter
anyone, nor are we saying it to dis
cehrage anyone. But we believe tina
the people should be advised tina
! credit conditions are not what the,
have been in the past, and that tn,
man who desires to secure ass stanc,
from either the merchants or bank
ers or from others the present yea
should be looking about him. HI
should be prepared to furnish prop
er security for the advances
either of money or of supplies, h
desires, and he. should arrange nov
for securing the same. i,
We have indicated heretofore tina
we take little stock in the annual or.
for curtailment of the acreage to b.
planted in cotton. As desirable as
is that there be a curtailment, expe
rience has shown that such curta:l
ment in many instances is impracti
cal, and in most instances the peopl,