Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-11
Old POtlikker Prosperity

ers-in the South, at least-have
formed a new conception of their
trade. Perhaps it is because they have
given up hope Of being saved by legisla-
ton and the products of the legisla-
tive bodies. But more likely the new
conception is due to the fact that they
are we'll fed for the first time in years.
For until this year garden on cot
ton farm was the mark of its owners
eccentricity. Making a garden was a
Job for women and children after the
days labor in the cotton fields was
oveJ, and the colnty agents live at
home" doctrine was just as much high
falutin language from an expert who
has never seen a farm before"
King Cotton has lost ground in favor
Of the lowly squash and the whippoor-
will pea now, and a wave of "potlik-
ker prosperity is sweeping the land
which this time last year was parched
and bare. The farmers in the South
have no money, but they are taking
their troubles lightly, what with full
stomachs and plenty Of cornbread
hog jowls and turnip greens in the Of
cotton would have thrown a funeral
pail over any village in the cotton
belt. Now it is different. The farmers
meet IN the town square and greet each
other with Il saw your name In the
paper" this referring to the fact that
the land holdings of the greeted one
were advertised in the delinquent tax
list OF last weeks county paper.
Broader Aspects and Future
If the farmer is inclined to take his
immediate troubles with jest, 1t is nc
indication that he is not casting O more
searching eye on the broader aspects
of his profession and its future. The
drought, the bank failures the credit
collapse, and the ruinous cotton prices
have taught him that he cannot 60 or
forever as he has in the past. Looking
around him for possible ways out he
now sees farming as a mode of living
rather than a way of making "bie
money" He remembers that only in
abnormal times has he made any big
profit was often consumed Immediately
in paying for the food his family con-
sumed during the lean years.
Calanities have sent the cotton
farmer back to fundamentals. Instead
of regarding his land much as the
manufacturer does his factory, the
farmer is beginning to look to his farm
first of all, for living" Let profit
come when it may. Farm experts sent
into the cotton country years ago by
the Federal and State Governments
are at last seeing their Live at Home
and diversified crop doctrines tried out
And they are working effectively.
Just as the craze for excess profits
has meant the death of many a bust
ness venture in recent years, the farm
er's inclination to attempt continually
to reap gold from his fields often has
resulted in his undoing Cotton
crazy" was what the county agents said
about them even when cotton prices
were high. Now the farmer agrees that
he was cotton crazy" but he has re-
formed. And he gathers his crop OF
food first feeds his family without 60
ing to grocery store except for coffee
and sugar, and then looks to his cot
ton fields for his profits. If any
The South has never lacked for ex-
an-)les of good farming. In almost
evry community there have been in
dtS1duals who have survived and LIVED
veil" as they say in the Red River bot
sims. Even the drought year ago wa!
not much of a setback to Charley
/ Hunter. Charley came to Glenwuod
Ark, good many years ago, bought
| himself poor hill farm overlooking thu
! Caddo River and settled down for life
He rebuilt the already substantial
| farm house, bought a COW or two anC
| planted a garden the first year. Thu
rest of the place went in cotton.
Bank Account Increase.
| Charley raised cotton just three years
/ that's all Now, there isn't cottoI
! plant on the land. but every yea
| Charley's bank account has shown
steady increase. Last years drough
came and Charleys crops were
T1oFahnd al 1jf 4hAca ~ h. Sali
countryside He didn't grow a crop o
anything except a few strawberries
which mature early in the Arkansa!
sunshine. Total receipts we're not more
than 5000. But when his neighbor!
f1ocked to Glenwood along in the mex
Spring to borrow money from the Gov.
eminent to plant more cotton, Charley
wasn't among them. He wasn't plant
ing any cotton. and anyway, he hac
calculated hazards in farming in hi!
accounting. and his bank balance woulc
take care Of the lean year, or ever
years. if necessary
The writer had good country din.
ner at Charleys house few weeks ago
There was fried chicken. of course. anc
beaten biscuits. yellow vans and corr
on the cob and to make it really look
like Arkansas. large dish Of succulent
turnip greens. flanked by cornbread
Charley took time out between bites tc
explain his plan of farming and to say
few things about cotton farmers, par
ticularly tenant farmers.
First Of all. Charley Hunter makes
his farm a place on which to live. anC
he draws from it the major part of hi,
sustenance. That's essential he says
Outside of this. diversif1cation of risk,
has been his greatest aid. Any one
crop farmer. Charley says. is bound Il
be a, failure: the hazards are too great
The man who scatters his risks. cal
ctlates his markets with a fair degree
of accuracy and takes advantage Of
cooperation in the marketing of his
produce. makes money out of farming
The profits and the losses are proper
tionate to the amount of risk.
Instead of raising cotton. Charley
raises lot of things. In the early
Spring there are strawberries. small
garden vegetables and early fruits
raised in small quantities. but each
contributing its share to the general
Golfer The Summer finds him attend
ing to several other crops. Sometimes
there may be tomatoes. If the forecast
for the tomato market is good. or there
may be cucumbers. or half a dozen
other vegetables which may be mar
keted in quantities. On top Of it all
there are the staples-corn, apples
sweet potatoes, cantaloupes, cowpeas
hay and fodder. The by-products
which in some years assume the role OF
meinstays. are poultry. eggs. butter and
milk. Cows and chickens consume the
surplus grains and feedstuffs that he
doesn't sell to cotton farmers who grow
none of them.
Some Crops Thrive.
If it is bad year for some CROPS
tt1Tf4yA o..