The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-03-10
STRAWBERRIES
AND Farm LABOR
3 8 9 9 - g q 8 g
From United States Department {
Agriculture Bulletin.l

possible solution Of the labor prob
lem. The present practice Of a one
year lease system is very unsatis-
factory and should be done away
with. The discussion in the bulletin
is as follows:
"One of the great curses to the
agricultural prosperity Of certain
sections of the South today is their
practice of the one-year tenant sys-
tenn Many states have already
faced a Nseriously threatening crisis
in this and have solved ne problem
by different methods, thus 1tting
themselves on a .firmer lancial
basis and in a healthier spirit to-
ward natural cooperation.
Tennessee, too, is having her La
Dor and tenant troubles. Although
these have not vet reached the stage
Of decidedly widespread dissatisfac-
tion on the part Of both tenant and
landowner they are in a fair wav
to bring discomfort Of her natural
and dormant resources.
"It seems to us that the simplest,
safest easiest and ul1ickest solution
Of this problem for Tennessee is in
the growing If Strawberries. The
strawberrv, if grown bv tenants
under the proner system Of co-ooer-
alton with landowners. will make
their interests nntnal over longer
period Of wears than anv other crop
we have N r,ird
H. MI NJ.
"The strawberry will bring farm
labor to its highest value over
greater period of the year, increas-
ing the farm output and net income
and making it easier to pay higher
wages. 1t comes in like new as,
set, making a quick profit and en-
abling more even distribution Of
work for both grownups and youngs-
tiers. After the berries are gath
cred, other farm work is pressing,
so there is no time lost. We have
records where tenants have made
more clear money from three acres
Of strawberries in one year than
their gross income has been for two
years before.
Scatter the farmers work eff
GENTLY for more months in the year,
increase his net income, and he will
soon add the comforts Of the city to
the beauty Of the country. So here
comes the little strawberry with its
early delicious freshness and tender
beauty, its heavy yields and large
net income, unconsciouslv perhaps
solving the problem. Just the right
berry ait the right time and place.
cheerfullv giving all its sweet and
nodes freshness in an effort to call
and hold the people closer to the
soil.
"Get man to plant few acres
of Strawberries on your place with
the understanding that if a success
is made with them other acres may
be planted and you have gone a long
way toward getting contented
worker and yearly increasing re-
turn in profits. He feels that he
has planted possibly for years and
naturally the roaving, greedy dis
position Of getting everything pos
sible out of the soil and surround
ings and of moving on after a year
is to some degree eliminated. He
feels that instead of of draining the
land of its last resources, it will
pay him to conserve and build up
soil energy. Outbuildings, farm
tools and machinery and the gem
eral appearance Of his home will all
speak Of a new force and growing
power made possible by his CO.
operative interest in the growing Of
Strawberries.
Will Check Drift to City.
During the last few years the city
drift has been enormous. This de-
creases the production without de-
creasing the consumption Of the
food ~products. Why not
use some of Tennessee's idle capital
and low priced land and make from
it a proposition appealing to both
tenant and owner. A few business
men have in the last year or two
financed some of the country peo-
pie on a cooperative basis in the
raising Of berries and it has been
found extremely profitable to both
labor and capital. When this is
done, they have performed a. SER
vice to the nation, to the state, to
their neighbors and to themselves.
They have made it possible for men
to live in peace and plenty in a
land which is sacred to them, thus
developing true and loval type of
citizenship; they have added to the
natural resources of the state by
bringing direct revenue from here
tofore barren places. They have
given to their neighbors an open
field for financial success with
comfortable, uplifting home life,
while to themselves has come an in
creasing return in profits, the
health-giving deliciousness of the
strawberry and the good will of
their fellow-men.
Back to the farm with berries,
flowers and fruits is the wav to
make Tennessee prosperous and hap
nv and to give to her peonle the
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