Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-21

work, due to the fact that the
south has been following a sys-
tenn OF single crop production
for so many years?
The people of the south are agi-
tated and distressed by the presence
of the boil weevil. 1t. has accom-
plished an appalling degree of de-
struction throughout the length and
breadth of this great empire during
the last few years. Fortunately,
believe we have reached that point
when we now understand how 20
combat and control this insect with
a high measure of success, and so
[ think we should be able to cut
down our losses materially in the
future and still continue to produce
cotton on an acceptable basis in so
far as our own needs and those of
a considerable proportion of the bal
ance of the world are concerned
If we are to continue to grow cot
ton successfully, it is manifest that
we must proceed along new lines.
We have talked about diversification
for the last one hundred years. We
must now make it an actually. We
have said that cotton must be q
surplus money crop, but evidently
we did not mean what we said, for
certainly we have failed to make it
such, though assuredly we can do
so.
To produce cotton on a profitable
basis in the future, it will be neceS-
sary to curtail the acreage and plant
only selected varieties on land of
much higher grade than has been
used in the past and fertilize and
cultivate the crop with an intelli-
gence and skill not previously con-
sidered necessary. Today we are
possessed of millions of acres of
poor land. 1t is doubtful if we can
grow cotton thereon with profit or
advantage until it is materially inn
proved. How can this be accom-
plished in the quickest and most
effective way? BY establishing a
definite system oil diversification.
What does this now mean or in
clude? The production of a greater
variety of surplus food and grain
crops, How shall. these be disposed
of? Locally, Of course. If we are
TO build up the soil, they should
primarily be fed to live stock on
the farm. How is this to be trans
lated from a theory into fact?
Only and solely through the develop
ment of our animal industries to
that point at least where we will be
self-sustaining in so far as our
home needs for beef, milk. butter,
cheese, pork and poultry products
are concerned. Can we raise and
maintain these classes of animals on
our farms to the extent needed at
profit? Certainly, we can, with
the right kind of leadership This
fact has been demonstrated over and
over again. To do this, we must
quadruple our attendance upon our
agricultural colleges and strengthen
and enlarge our activities in both
the research and extension fields
as they relate to agriculture.
Unless we supply our needs for
live stock locally, the money we OBJ
tain for cotton will so elsewhere for
will continue the agricultural prac-
tice that has impoverished all the
generations which have passed since
the time Of O2lethorpe.
1t is useless to talk about making
cotton surplus crop until we learn
to diversity. If we diversity, we
must have live stock to consume
our surplus fa::ss crops. There is
a great deal of idle talk at present
about there being no market for
what the farmer grows. There
ought not to be market except
for properly finished farm animals.
Our own experience here on the
college farm, from which we have
sold nearly $500, 100000 worth of live
stock products. shows what can be
done in any other section of the
south. were the landowners so mind
ed. We have handled many of our
flocks and herds at a profit. We
have taken an old, abandoned cot
ton plantation and made it a pro
ductiVe live stock entity. We have
sixty acres in alfalfa. Some of this
alfalfa has been cut for ten years
The average yield has been five tons
of cured hay per acre. At $4,000
per ton, what is such land worth?
There are 100000 acres of this
type of land in the foothills of north
Georgia alone.
England has been two thousand
years developing her generations of
expert animal huSbandmen. We
have long way to so and hard
and difficult road to blaze out and
follow. But it can and will be done
The future prosperity of the south
and OF the southern farmer depends
absolutely upon the institution and
carrying into effect of a stabilized
program of live stock production.
This and this alone, will enable us
to function independently of the rest
of the world in so far as the animal
food requirements of our local pop
ulation is concerned.