The Wilmington morning star., 1940-07-08
FARM INCOME hike
PROGRAM OFFERED
Circular On Development Of
N. C. Agriculture Pre-
pared By Goodman

THO answer 10 tnlS queSLlOn IS
.anlied in a circular entitled
ssqryIpaomental Principles Essential
tbe Develop; ent of North Caro-
Ina Agriculture which has been
nrenared by John W. Goodman, as
t;stant dire tor of the State Col
1aoe Extension Service, for fl e G
4r;h,1tion to inter :sted farmers
n acc -plish his annual in
,-esse of 5000, 900, 900 in gross farm
income. Goodman outlines a three
point program:
1-Produce adequate food f o r
+ba family and feed for the live
Use a cropping system and
fertilizer practices that will main
tain the sol! in a highly productive
condition.
~3-Produce cash crops combin-
ID with sound livestock, dairy, and
no,ltrv activities in such degree
as will lrovide the cash needed
by the family.
The second point in the program
means the rotation of crops, and
strict adherence to the Agricultural
Conservati,r Program of S i
lime and phosphate where needed,
building terraces, growing legumes
ar winter cover crops, and the
plalting of trees to halt severe
erosi All of these things the
Federal Government will pay a
farmer for doing.
.-ust Maintain Fertility
Under the cash crop system
we have been following, little at
tention has been given to main
tanning the fertility of the soil but
instead childlike trust is placed in
numerical fertilizer for main
tanning acre YIELDS" Goodman de-
clared. Any program to increase
farm income must be based on
maintaining the soil in a highly
productive condition."
For specific recommendations on
the first and third points of the
program. the Extension leader
turned to the conclusions reached
by 81 ,755 farmers who participated
in 1874 planning meetings in SO
counties in 1886. The recommend
ed adjustments were brought up to
date by j. E.. Mann, Extension
Studies Economist.
All of the adjustments in acres
of crops and numbers of livestock
are based on 1899 figures. For a
balanced agriculture, the recon-
mendations first call for a 5 per
cent decrease in corn, a 18 per
cent decrease in peanut, and a %
per cent decrease in tobacco. That
is the minus side of the picture,
and since tobacco acreage is this
year more than Is per cent below
1889 acreage. no further adjustment
woulaa be needed in this No. l cash
crop.
On the plus side, the recon-
mendations call for a 80 per cent
increase in open pasture, a IL per
cent increase in cultivated land,
50 per cent increase in potatoes.
a q per cent increase In small
grain, a Is per cent increase IN
hay, a q per cent increase in cCt-
ton, a 80 per cent increase in cat
tie. a % per cent increase in milk
COWS, a 81 per cent increase IN
swine, a 20 per cent increase in
chickens, a 16 per cent increase
in workstock, and a 157 per cent
increase in sheep.
Needs Unified Effort
These are the adjustments which
Mr.. Goodman says should raise the
gross income of North Carolina
farmers from 300 to 500 million
dollars annually. and provide more
abundant living on the farm. But
it is a program that will need the
unified effort of all the people. -
he declared, adding 1.-The program
Of the Southern Governors Con-
ference will add impetus and
encouragement to the movement.
10 show that it is a sound pro-
gram, Goodman pointed out that
the production of all food and feed
crops except potatoes is inadequate
on the basis of the present yields
per unit to meet the rural and
urban requirements of the State.
For instance. the State produces
annually 1854 million pounds
meat; its requirements are 1853 mil
non pounds. North Carolina pro-
duced in 1888 about 20 million
chickens, and Sc million dozens OF
eggs; it needs 80 million chickens,
ana 95 million dozens Of eggs an
Sually. Milk production is 1853 mil
Ion gallons annually: the State
should have 1853 million gallons an
hually.
Comparisons of vegetable,
wheat, oats, and hay production
WIN requirements show the same
~ul1erences," Goodman declared.
lhls raises a number of pertinent
questions. We have already seen
now requirements can be met by
slowlng more grain, and raising
more cattle, milk cows, S W il e,
chlckens, and sheep.
But here is another way: In
lrease the yield per unit. On the
pasls of farm demonstrations con-
puc1ed with county agents, it has
eeeh Shown conclusively that if all
.almers used improved practices
sne production of eggs by the pre-
sent number of chickens could be
ntcreased from Sc million dozens
eggs to 81 million dozens, which
MOuld be mora Than enough