Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press., 1926-11-18
ASSOCIATION PRESENTS
THE ONLY WAY OUT FOR
GEORGIA AGRICULTURE
(By II. G. Hastinss)

In q mlQ0Ie GeoTBia County SAe
other day, as reported j ma news
story, farmer complained about the
high price of hoys.
"Last week." said the report, "a
blank county farmer, who made fif-
teen bales of 11-cent cotton, COM
planned to this writer because the
price of hogs on the hoof is so high
out of all reason; enough to break a
man, is the way he expressed it.
Asked, in astonishment, why he, a
farmer, should grumble about the
high price of hogs, his answer was
that he had to buy to winter supply
of meat for himself and a large fam
ily".
This farmer-a tenant farmer, by
the way-had raised crop of cot
ton; still he was beset with the prob
lem of feeding his family.
His problem is Georgia's outstand-
Ting problem-feeding the family.
We can't solve it by raising cot
ton, or any other one crop.
Georgia must diversity. She must
feed herself. Instead of being con-
sumer Of pork, beef, eggs and dairy
products of the states north and west,
where agronomic and climatic condi-
tions are not nearly so propitious for
the production of those commodities
as they are here, we must produce
them at home.
Georgia must diversity.
The next ten to fifteen years will
mark the doom of cotton growing in
Georgia.
Texas can produce cotton approx
imately seven cents per pound cheap
er than we can produce it anywhere
in the southeast, for the reasons
First, Texas does not have to use
fertilizer to make cotton.
Second, Texas does not have to
support it's labor twelve months in the
year. Mexican labor comes in over
the border and works during cotton
picking season, for three months
then returns home.
Third, Texas is free from the boil
weevil pest.
Recently 100000 acres in Texas
western Texas-was brought in fol
cotton production; and 18,OOO,OOt
more will be brought in from time
to time as conditions warrant.
Georgia cannot compete with Tex
as in production.
Georgia must diversity. 1t mus
curtail it's cotton acreage.
Georgia has curtailed its cotto1
growing to some extent, but this ha;
been done, not Intentionally, but in
voluntarily and by force of compul
sion through the agencies of the Dol
weevil, excessive rains and excessive
droughts, etc. It has been done
against the urge and the will Of
Georgia farmers and Georgia lane
owners and Georgia bankers-who fl
nance the making Of Georgia crops.
But, while Georgia has curtailed te
some extent it's cotton production
Georgia has not diversified to any
extent. Peach growing, apple grow
ing, pecan growing, which are spec
ialized industries, are being engaged
in to gratifying extent, but thus
far they have not greatly affected
the average farmer.
Tn eaverage Georgia farmer stall
kicks because hogs are high!
He feels hard done to because he
has to pay so much for his bacon,
the eggs and cheese and butter that
he needs for his family table!
That is the truth; and that is the
incongruous situation that obtains In
Georgia.
That is the situation and it needs g
remedy.
AS I see it, the remedy is a gen.
eral diversification of farm crops, and
the curtailment of cotton growing
except where cotton can be extensive
ly grown to the amount of upwards
of a bale to the acre.
This will require education, owing
to the peculiar situation, mentally, in
Georgia-which applies to Georgia
bankers, merchants and commercial
interests generally as we'll as to Geor-
gia farmers.
It will require not only education,
but education accompanied and but
tressed by example and demonstra-
ton.
That can be supplied only by and
through an organization-an organ
ization that is sound in plan, that is
unselfish in purpose and that has a
valid claim upon the confidence OF
the public.
Georgia has such an organization
in the Georgia Association, that has
been on the battle line and preaching
the doctrine of diversification and
human uplift for close to ten years.