The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-08-27
ONE CROP SYSTEM Is BAD ONE
FOR FARMERS, GILLIAN DECLARES

THE best way for southern Okla
homa farmers to meet prosperity more
than half way, and insure better
return for their labor. is to forget that
cotton is the only thing that they can
raise. diversity their crops, be strict
In crop rotation. and raise livestock
to the extent OF their ability.
This will not only keep them upon
good terms with their banker but viii
insure an income every year regardless
Of conditions.
Thus spoke j. Robert Gillian, en-.
thusiastic stock raiser and oil man, who
more than any one person, is respon-
sible for the introduction of pure bred
livestock in Carter county, and whose
slogan to Swat the scrub swept over
the entire state, and helped carry on
the movement.
Continuing Mr.. Gillian said:
THE safety and security of the peo-
pie depends greatly upon the produc.
ton OF food necessary to feed the peo-
pie in ample abundance; upon reason
able livestock industry to balance the
farming by economical labor, and con-
suming otherwise waste products, and
upon a sufficient diversified cropping
system to guarantee an increasing in
place of a decreasing soil fertility.
One Crop Bad.
mo one crop system ever made a
people prosperous, the speculative
changes are too great. and It makes no
difference whether the disaster be the
boil weevl. the pink boil worm, or
other insect pests, the plan for the
farmer to follow, is to diversity suffic
iently to produce always the food for
the people and the feed for the live
stock, to utilize the labor upon the
farm the maximum number OF days In
the year, and to produce for market
ing more than one product Of the farm
for its cash income.
81 am not one who will say that the
Carter county farmer should give VI
raising cotton altogether, believe that
a small acreage should be planted every
year by most of them, but do believe
that 1t is folly for the farmer to jeop
ardize the peace and happiness OF hi:
family by planting all cotton, to have
the season fail him, and to leave hin
stranded upon the rocks in the end
He should at least grow enough fooC
stuff on his acres to feed his family
and keep his stock, and this can b,
done by putting some of the intended
cotton acres into feed stuffs for tn,
family and for the farm stock.
Study the Records.
''If the one crop farmer will stud!
records for the past few years 1t will
be easy for him to see why he is no
prosperous, when cotton was bringinj
good prizes, his crop failed, when price
were so low that 1t would not pay 70
harvesting. he had bumper crop tina
vas left to rot In the field because tn
one cropper' as a rule had no stock L
turn into the field TO eat the crop.
These experiences should be enougl
to convince any thinking man tina
speculation by the farmer In cotto
acreage is an Improbable business
they tell you that cotton is the onl
crop that brings the farmer read
cash, but II is a noticeable fact tha
, the only farmer one sees riding in a
4 automobile. is the farmer who depend
ed upon something beside cotton to fui
nish him an income. while the poo
man who bet it all on a cotton Gro
and lost. is still riding to town on tn
old mule or coming afoot.
ut is a very simple proposition
people would take 10 the idea. any Ian
owner who does not encourage dive
sification among his tenants is not d.
ing himself. or the tenant justice, cor
tinued cotton crops soon reduce tn
fertility OF the land TO a point where
Is valueless. and to rehabilitate ru