Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-26
BY REX COLLIER.
HE Mississippi Valley flood has

TIME Mississippi Valley flood has
accomplished something that
years of intensive agricultural
| i education had failed to do for
the Soulful has turned the
minds of planters away from the ira
ditional "one-crop" system to pro-
gram of diversified crops.
| The "one-crop" plan had become so
firmly intrenched in the land Of cot
ton that all the advice and pleadings
of Federal and State agricultural ex-
perts were powerless to dislodge 1t.
| 1t was cotton, and cotton only"
for most Of the valley plantations, and
any suggestion that variance from
the established policy would prove
safer and more profitable was passed
off with smile Of incredulity or a
shrug to indicate satisfaction with
things as they existed.
Is Good Paying Crop.
| Cotton, the experts admitted, Is a
good money" crop, when the weather
is right and the floods don't delay
Spring planting too long-but the
elements not always are kind and
the Mississippi not always is consid.
crate. Hence, it was argued, farm
ers of the delta should learn how to
raise something other than cotton,
4 ~
ing and also less liable to ruin by in
sect pests.
J Not until this years great flood
came along, to make virtually impos-
sible the raising of any cotton at all
in much of the alluvial territory, did
the valley come face to face with the
bold fact that its one, pampered, pre-.
ferred crop had received the blow of a
lifetime. Cotton cannot be planted
later than the first week or two in
June, and in many of the valleys most
fertile sections the flood waters still
| lap against the farm buildings and
linger over vast cultivated fields.
Down in Louisiana the waters may
not drain off for nearly a month.
Many Crops Suggested.
| For the first time in their farming
careers many of the cotton planters
are looking around anxiously for coun-
sci in their dilemma. They are begin
ming to agree that maybe there is
something to that diversified crop
| propaganda, after all. They realize,
in fact, that If some substitute for cot
ton is not found right away there
won't be any crops at all from their
inundated fields this season.
| Secretary Hoover sensed the situa.
| ton that confronted agriculture while
the flood was yet young. He was ia
miliar with the faults of the one-crop
system and he foresaw the necessity
for preparing beforehand for the agri-
cultural crisis that was Impending.
| His first move was to call on the
Department of Agriculture and the
State commissioners of agriculture for
all information available as to crops
which may be raised in the valley
after the time limit for planting cot
ton has expired. Numerous confer
ences were held and out of the general
discussion came a general recon-
mendation for soy beans: Other crops
suggested were sweet potatoes, corn,
beets, cabbage and other vegetables
Soy beans were favored more than the
others. however. principally because "
their productivity, STABILITY and hardi'
ness.
May Aid Oil Mills.
Some one pointed out that soy beans
have a high oil content, and Hoover
instantly inquired as to the possibility
of selling them to the cotton seed
crushers as a substitute for cotton
seed, the supply Of which is seriously
depleted. He was informed that a
change in machinery was necessary
to adapt the plants to the beans. so
he requested State officials to commu-
nicate at once with the cotton seed
crushing industry, with view to Sc
curing it's cooperation.
One of the leaders in the soy bean
movement is Harry Wilson, commits
sioner of agriculture for Louisiana.
He volunteered to interview the cotton
seed men, explain the agricultural re.
Mobilization plan and request their aid
in making the soy bean program a
success. Last week he reported to