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PAST AM) FUTURE.
The year approaches its close, with the far
mers of the South discouraged and dispirited;
the hopes of the past not realized, and visions
of the future obscured liy doubts and uncertain
ties. The great decline in the price of cotton
within a twelve month, lias upset all calcula
tion, disturbed all values and locked the wheels
of trade. The wiseacres, whose by-word is “ I
told you so” —who always see results very clear
ly after they have happened, are disposed to
taunt the farmer in his misfortunes; for our
part, we cannot find it in our heart to do so, and
are much more inclined to sympathise with him
than to “ mock at his calamity.”
Impoverished by the war —ground down by
taxation, not to say robbery, since its close—it
was extremely natural for the Southerner to de
sire earnestly to make money. The education
of his children —provision for old age—to say
nothing of immediate present wants, pressed
heavily upon him. Under this pressure the
Southern farmer unfortunately was induced to
do tw T o things: First, to undertake more than
the remnant of capital left him warranted—
hence, the borrowing of money, lien on crops,
Ac., Ac.; and secondly, to give too exclusive at
tention to cotton, as the crop most easily and
rapidly converted into money. Everything be
ing staked on cotton, when, as at present its
price unexpectedly goes dow T n, he necessarily
finds himself pressed to return his borrowed
capital and realize any profit. It is fashionable
now to raise the cry of fertilizers, and attribute
all losses to them. Would it not be equally sen
sible to raise a hue and cry against the employ
ment of labor, mules, Ac,, Ac. ? On every acre
in cotton, the farmer expends fully twice as much
in these last two items, as he does in manure.
On all forms of capital employed in making a
crop, a certain risk is unavoidable ; but the loss
es of one year will, in the long run, be counter
balanced by the gains of another, if the farmer
is self-possessed and prudent—neither allowing
himself to be too much depressed by the former,
nor too much elated by the latter—if he is quick
to learn the lessons of adversity, and wise
enough to avoid the errors of the past. Our
faith in Southern agricultural prosperity is not
in the slightest degree shaken, by the disastrous
termination of the labors of the present year.—
In the future, we confidently look for greater at
tention to grains and grasses and all the articles
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR.
needed for home consumption, and less disposi
tion to borrow money to make cotton ; and with
this faith we not only heartily but hopefully
wish our readers a happy new year.
Another year is about to close, and the
lessons of its experiences and experiments should
be put on record —not only in each farmer’s pri
vate farm book, but in some public work, like
the Cultivator, where it may become the proper
ty of the agricultural world, and contribute to
its solid progress. “ Full many a gem of purest
ray serene, the dark unfathomed caves of ocean
bear,” and many a valuable fact is hidden away
in the brains of the quiet, secluded farmers of
the land, who would perhaps he surprised if
told that others did not have them. Let each
one remember, that giving his experience, stimu
lates others to do the same; and as all the farm
ers in the country can’t get together and talk
over matters in person, let them do the next best
thing, and talk to each other through our
columns.
Catalogues Received.
Descriptive Catalogue of the Georgia Nursery,
near Augusta, Ga., by Wms K. Nelson.
Descriptive Catalogue of Langdon Nurseries,
near Mobile, Ala., by C. C. Langdon A Cos.
Allison A Addison’s Fall Circular of Seeds,
Implements, &c., for 1870. Richmond, Va.
Descriptive Catalogue of Humboldt Nurseries,
Humboldt, Tenn., by 13. F. Transou A Bro.
Descriptive Catalogue of Cherry llill Nurse
ries, West Chester, Penn’a, by Hoopes, Bro. A
Thomas.
Descriptive Catalogue of Genesee Valley Nur
series, Rochester, N. Y., by Frost A Cos.
Descriptive Catalogue and Wholesale Price
List of Bloomington Nursery, Bloomington,
Illinois, by F. K. Phoenix.
BOOKS AXI) EXCHANGES.
Diseases of the American Horse and Cat
tle and Sheep; Their treatment, with a list
and full description of the Medicines employ
ed. By Robt. McClure, M. D., V. S., Pi of.
Veterinary College, Philadelphia, Ac., Ac.
This seems to be as complete a work on the
points embraced, as the limits of a p. duo
decimo would permit, and so far :.s we car.
judge, is concisely and clearlywrit.cn, Ly ore
who is a master of the subjects treated. That
the reader may judge for himself, we have
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