Newspaper Page Text
Agricultural Department
Cox's District, |
Monroe County. Nov. 17, 1884.f
An Englishman who has oc-cuntU
latod a large fortune by farming j
was asked how ho managed to
amass so much rielios by cultivating
the sojl. He replied, “I feed my
hind before it is hungry, rest it be
fore it is tired, and weed it before
it is foul.’’
Sti it appears that Ibis English
farmer considered that thorough
cultivation, high manuring aid jra '
provement of land, the way to ae- j
emnnlnte money farming. Fur- j
man in his celebrated speech before j
the Agricultural Society in North
Georgia, said, “If a man should j
Work his mule without feeding him i
he certainly would perish his uni- 1
mil, and if a man should continue
to work his land year after year,
taking everything oil' the land that
it produced and never returning
anything to the soil, he would cer
tainly perish his land.”
The old system of cultivating
land year after year in a eleafi crop
without either rest or manure, ha
nearly ruined one of the finest ag
ricultural sections on which the sun
has ever shone. We must bear in |
mind that this section of Middle
Georgia is, comparatively, anew
country; less than fourscore years
ago this land was covered with the
original forest. In many of the
Atlantic States the lands have been
in cultivation 200 years, yet it is
doubtful if any section of the I'nit
ed States is worse worn than Mid
dle Georgia. There is but litttle
original forest left land in this sec
tion, and if we continue to culti
vate on the old plan of
working the land until it is
worn ous, it will not be many de
cades before the people will he com
polled to leave the country because
land will not make a support for
the owners. Farmers, we must
look this question squarely in the
face. Something must hi; done, a
change must he made, or one vast
ruin must swallow all. For agri
culture is the source from which all
profits spring. If agriculture and
the farmers fail all classes of socie
ty will bo dragged down with them.
It is easy to sec that a change must
be made, but it is not so easy to say
what that change shall he. Me
chanics, merchants, manufacturers,
bankers and professional men meet
often to consider what is best for
their respective vocations, and far
mers must do the same. It is true
we have a number of agricultural
clubs scattered over the country
hut how few attend most of the
meetings, and even of those who do
attend how few of the successful
and money making farmers talk at
those meetings. Very few of such
farmers will give the society
or the club to which they at
tend thebenelilof their experience l .
Is this right? Iftlio eternal God
in II is infinite goodness has given
one man more judgment and skill
in cultivating the soil successfully
and profitably than most of his
friends and neighbors, he ought
not to be selfish, but lend a helping
hand by imparting to his friends
and neighbors the plan by which he
has succeeded.
Some years since in looking over
nn agricultural paper published in
Nashville, Tenn., I saw it letter writ
ten from Gen. Washington’s army
while encamped at Valley Forge,
New York. The writer was a
Georgian and it was written to a
friend in Georgia. The writer spoke
of the poor worn but land in that
section of New York and drew a
contrast between the rieli and fer
tile soil of Georgia and the poor
land in the neighborhood of Valley
Forge. It bus now been a little ov
er a century since that letter was
written, and what a wonderful
change has taken place in each sec
tion. It was also stated by this
writer that this poor worn out land
around Washington’s army could
be bought for To ets. and 11.00 per
acre. How stands the case now?
Why the lands around Valley Forge
to-day sell readily at $l5O to $250
perjacre. while tne lands of Georgia
that were then rich are poor, and
are dull sale at $5 to $lO per acre.
Now, how did this come about?
Why the people in that section of
New York pursued the same suici
dal course that we are now follow
ing. They cleared up the original
forest land and worked it to death,
and after it got too poor to pro
duce a living for the farmers they j
were forced to make a change. 1
They began to improve their lands
by deep ploughing, growing peas 1
and clover, and by using! plaster
ami other manures to enrich the j
soil. As the land increased in fer-|
tility the owners increased in rich-1
os and they are to-day holding their j
lands and making money by farm
ing.
We must do like those people of!
New York did and improve our
lands or they will certainly wear
out and we will not he able to make
a support from cultivating the soil.
In China the emperor on a certain
day in each year assembles all the
men of his court and all the people
in the neighborhood of his palace
in a field, and he plows the first fur,
row and with his own hands puts j
the first seed in the earth. This is
done to teach his subjects the great |
mpertanee of farming. And Chi-!
nn, which contains 400,000,000 of;
inhabitants was self-sustaining for
more than 2500 years.
Mr. Howard who contributed so
‘many excellent articles to the South
era Cultivator some years since
stated that lands in Lombardy Italy j
rented for SSOO. per acre. Is it pos-;
silde that farmers in Lombardy i
can pay SSOO. rent per year for
land and still make a support for
themselves and families while the
farmers of middle Georgia can
scarcely make a com fort abe sup
port by farming? Farmers of Geor
gia there is t 'methiiig radically
wrong in our method of farming.
Why, in the thickly settled sections
of China the people grow more veg
etablrs on the house tops, window
sills, and on floating rafts and gar
dens, than art; grown oil our lands
in some sections of Georgia. Ev
ery foot of unoccupied land is made
to produce to the utmost capacity
of the soil. For thousands of years
China held no commerce with for
eign nations, and her people had
to resort to the very best methods
of cultivation to make a living.
It is a remarkable fact that where
nature does most for a country art
does least for that section. New
England lias always been regarded
as a poor barren soil, and it is nat
urally so, hut the farmers of Con
necticut make more corn to the
acre than some of the farmers on
the rich lands of the West. Some
men suppose that on account of the
climate that it is impossible for
Southern farmers to produce as
much corn to the acre under the
heat of the scorching sun of the
Gulf States as is produced in the
middle and western States, hut this
is a mistake. Some eight or ten
years ago Conrad Wilson, a weal
thy and public spirited farmer of
New York offered a premium of
SSOO to the man who would make
the largest amount of corn on an
acre of land. A man in Alabama
took the premium over the formers
of the North and West, Dr. Dark
er in South Carolina produced the
largest amount of corn to the acre
that ever was put on record up to
that date. Last year the Home and
Farm offered corn premiums.
Isaac Wynn Lyon Cos. Ky. took
first premium. He made 140$
bushels to the acre. The largest
amount reported north of the Ohio
j was that of W. C. Tomlin, Wash
ington Cos. lli. who made S4 bush
els on an acre, while J. Earl Sims
of Pendleton, S. C. took as second
premium an old Hickory Wagon,
llis yield was 85 bushels to an acre.
Col. Hardaway produced near the
Florida line 110 bushels corn to
the acre a few years since. It would j
appear from the above accounts
that as much corn can be grown to
the acre in the south as in any sec
tion of the nation. Those who take
the Southern Cultivator would do
well to refer to the January num
ber for the year ISXI and read \V.
L. Jones, “Thoughts for the month”
Mr. Jones argues that if a man
wishes to increase his crops that
instead of increasing the amount
of acres of land and mules and
hands, lie should cultivate the same
amount of land but should pre
pare better and cultivate more
thoroughly and increase the
amount of manure three or four
fold that such a system is more
economical than increasing the
area and multiplying the number
of mules. It has occured to the
writer that if the Barnesville Ga
zette, the Southern Cultivator or
some journal in middle Georgia that
devotes much of its attention to,
; agriculture would offer a handsome
1 premium to any one of its subscri
bers who would produce the lar
-1 gest amount of corn to an acre, or
the largest amount of cotton, that
it would greatly increase its sub
scriptions besides it would be con
! dueive to agricultural progress,
1 C. F. T.
♦
j Improved Farm Machinery.
! gJlfW* OF. A PROGRESSIVE YOU .VO FAR
MER.
[CONTINUED, j
I will now attempt to finish my
letter that appeared in the Septem
ber Cultivator. 1 left off under;
this head, viz: “The regulation
of our labor, and elevating it from
its present unreliable an inefficient ;
condition to that of a higher and
j nobler standard.”
I know that I cannot near do jus-;
tiee to this subject in this letter,
I partly because I do not cure to in
trude so much upon your space;!
| neither do I care to continue, for!
r much dislike continued letters;
and mainly because I have been j
too busy to think much for the
past three weeks. My time bus
been closely occupied occupied in j
j hay making and building a dairy
and cattle farm, preparatory to
I starting this fall a “gilt edge” dairy
jand fruit farm. However, I will do ;
mv best, and will ask my young .
brother farmers to correct me if I
go wrong; and help me out if I fail
to come up to the full measure of;
my duty in this discussion owing j
to circumstances which 1 have just J
mentioned.
Every farmer —whether he be
Northern or Southern, who has any
experience; or observation in our
Southern farming will readily no
knowledge that our labor, in its
present condition, is utterly worth
less for successful operations —the
laboring class of whites, that were;
raised here, as well the negro. The
whites have been discouraged to j
some extent, in their attempts to i
make themselves reliable and intel
ligent laborers, by the presence of i
the negro ; claiming that we have,
only one price for farm labor, and !
that is based upon what we can hire
a negro for; that we fail to grade
our labor. One man, it lie is able
bodied, can get as much for his ser- !
vices—though he he a rogue and
an ex-convict—as another. Wheth !
or he lias more skill, or is more re
liable and honest than another, is
not taken into consideration by the
average farmer, if the laborer is
able bodied. Our native white la
bor has, in a great measure, been
contaminated by the negro—being
thrown in contact with him in the
fields and being obliged to associ
ate, to some extent, with him;;
which neeeessnrv associotion of the
laboring races always results in the
negro’s influence predominating. 1
It is strange, but nevertheless true. ■
that the negro has a wonderful in
fluence for bad, with the ignorant;
classes of even our whites. I don’t i
know how to account for it, but 1
can remember when I was a boy,
what impressions were made upon •
me bv negroes that were then
slaves of my father, and under;
strict discipline wijh the fear of us- j
ing obscene or other obnoxious lan- i
guage in our presence or inciting I
me or my brothers in any way to!
do wrong, from positive orders j
from my father. Yet they would
do it, and influence us in some way I
not to make it known. They are
strange creatures in this particular
characteristic. They are strange
and are now, much worse since all
restraints have been removed. I
would warn parents who compel
their children, both girls and hoys,
to work on the farms with them,
thereby subjecting them contamina
ting influence living brought to
bear upon their young minds. But
as 1 am now discussing the whites
as a laboring class, I will desist
with this note ofvvarning regarding
the negro until 1 reach him in prop
er order.
There is a want of good feeling
between the white employer and em
ployee ; and really much antipathy
exists between the two classes in
j this country, (1 mean farmers and
farm laborers) which L think can
be accounted for only on the ground
that the employer fails to look up
on the white laborer superior to the
negro laborer. He mistrusts him
fully as much; shows him that he
has no more confidence in him than
he has in a negro; and it is <f en the
case that ho will give the negro em
ployment in preference to the white
man. And it is certainly true that
if the white laborer gets into troub
le for any act of misdemeanor or
otherwise, he must get out the best
way he can, without any assistance
with funds or influence from the
farmer. And should he he convict
ed, he cannot look with any hope
to the farmer to pay his fine and al
low him to work it out with him on
a farm, as is the case with the negro
—but he must serve out his sen
tence in the chain gang. And when
his term of service expires there he
can expect no sympathy from the
fanner: neither can he expect any
favors in the way of employment
or otherwise, but must carry the
stigma forever upon his character,
so long as he remains in the com-1
munity; nor cun he expect any l'or
giveness. While, on the other
hand, if the negruaommits a misde
meanor, any white farmer is ready
and willing to assist him, pay Ijis
fine, tukefihiirion tile farm and 'al
low him to work it out. and noth
ing is thought of it. lie is trusted
as much of, as those who have nev
er been convicted of any crime.
And should he serve a term in pris
! on. he can come Home after his
time is up with perfect assurance,
of employment, and be thought as
much ef and shown as much in aryl
shown as many favors (if he will
only work) as those of Ids race who
have never born thus stigmatized,
j I appeal to you, brother farmers, to
avoid this unjust discrimination be
| tween thh two races; and i: any
j partiaiity is to he shown, I think it
. behooves us to show it to our race,
;asit is due them, if to any. I must
t sav that it appears r o me that we,
| North and South, are more intcrest
|od about the negro —his elevation
: morally and mentally, and hi- wel
| Hire generally, including his rights
; socially, politically and religiously
I—than we arc about our own race,
|or than the negro is himself. We
j have numbers ( four own race who
jure no better off than the negro in
! these respects and our interest in
j their beholf is due them at our
\ hands above all other races.
Another reason why f think the
| white laborer fails to make reliable
! mid efficient workers, and fails to
! have that re-pect for his employers
j that they would have for him, is
I because the white people of this
j country, as a mass, look upon farm
j work somewhat with disgust. Most
lof till 111 talk about it as if it was
j degrading to work in the field, and
; will not do it if there is any possi
i bio wav to avoid it. And they look
! upon those who are willing and do
j perform such labor, as underlings
, belonging to a lower and less aspi
| ring class than those who are 100
! proud to work on the farm —but
; think nothing of working in a store
!as clerk, in a shop as a mechanic,
jas a painter, shoemaker or even as
a barber. As I have said before,
j such a disgust for and improper and
j unjust estimate being placed upon
I farm work, has well nigh caused
j the forms to be deserted, by driving
the labor into the towns and cities,
; thronging the doors of nearly cv
j cry other kind ofbusiness in search
j for work that is not looked upon
; with so much disgust. Such a state
of things is good tor the other pur
suits, giving them plenty of appli
cants for work who, in their desire
to learn the trades, are willing for a
season to work very cheap. But it
is death to the farms, and will so*n
he the ease with every pursuit,
since they arc directly dependent
I upon the farms.
■ The white laborer knows that
! the farmer looks upon him with dis
gust, if he consents to perform
j work for him on the farm that he is
(to proud and feels above doing him
self. He feels keenly the estimates
! placed upon him and unlike the
negro, lie hits some resentment in
jhi s composition; and such being
[the ease, it is an easy matter for
j trouble to spring up between his enx
| plover and liimscit about any frivo
[ lons matter ; and thus bad feeling
grow up between the two classes,
and you often hear farmers say
'that they had rather have the mean
lest negro on their farm than a poor
ji white man. Such assertions are
j ; unkind and unjust. Asa remedy
[for these evils, I will say that w<-:
j must look upon farm work as being
las honorable as any other class ot
work. We must talk it, and show
it in our practice. Wo must let
the white mar. know that we do
not consider him below us, or mi
worthy of our esteem simply lo
calise he is a farm laborer, if he is
otherwise. We must show to him
that we appreciate his value as a
laborer; tlmt reliable honest and
inteligent qualities are highly ap
preciated and desired in him. We
must mistreat him because he is a
lalx.trer, but be as careful of his
feelings in our dealings with him
as with any other honorable class
Always tne punctual and prompt in
keeping our promises to them.
Show them that the one who stud
ies the'more his employe's inter
est* and requires the least watching
performs more and better labor, po
life and respectful in his manners,
is more desirable and better paid
for such services. By thus culti
vating the white labor of our coun
try, we think it can be made as effi
cient and as reliable as that or any
others section. So much for the
white laborer.
We will now pass on to the negro j
and so in doing I must say that I
shrink, and would not discuss him
at all if he did not come under
this head as a farm laborer, and
specially so since it is highly im. i
portantthat he l>e either made a ;
potent factor in the develoment of;
our agriculture or he regarded as ;
an obtsacle in the way of its devol
oment. I shrink, as I above stated
from this discussion, since so
many eminent writers, eloquent j
speakers, both of church and state
and statemen politicians and phil-1
anthropists, both Northern and
Southern, have had him under con
sideration for a term of years mak
inghim the subject of many volume
in books and of many speeches on
the rostrum and the, subject of ma
, iiv plava on tlic stage. And they j
! have succeeded at last in making |
nothing <Hit cif him but a negro ; j
' the same perplexed problem un- 1
; solved ; the same enigma unraveled j
leaving him. still as an incuihus upon
j the country, and as lie stands at j
1 present a nuisance. His elevation '
| socially and religiously, and his 1
' many rights which arc due and
which he is always getting-hut;
didn’t seem to know it-has been an ;
all absorbing theme in some sec-j
j lions with many individuals. And j
in my opinion many if not all have
j had more selfishness of purpose.!
! either for self or party than they!
i have had for the wellfare of the ne- j
j gro. The North has used him as a j
: toot hail to throw at the South, and
as a stumbling block to put in their ,
i way; and have kept him as a subject;
Liver which to disagree. Both sec-i
; lions having somewhat a spite at;
each other, have used the negro!
! more as a loathsome mors* 1 than
j for any personal attractions he has :
j for either of them or for any sym- ;
j | lathy they have for him as a poor
j down-trodden oppressed race as
! they would have it appear: But J
i have said enough on this line as I
jam no politician and take no fur
j thcr interest in polities than I am
j necessarily compelled to do as a cit
j izen; and do not desire nor intend
j.o mix any polities in our young
farmers’ organization.
The negro in his present condi
tion, is a tail ureas a laborer; and
as he now stands we cannot hope to
j utilize him to much profit in the
development of progressive ngricul
jture. He is unreliable inefficient,
land unappreciative. He has no as
: piratious cares naught for eharae
j ter and has no industry beyond
j -.vhat is actually necessary for him
to have in order to keep alive. So
; long as lie has a day’s rations
; ahead he will not work. He has
I no enterprising disposition ; never’
[ invests anything, never learns any
; thing new of his own accord- lie
j had rather he looked upon as a
| fool not knowing how to do anv
t thing,after you hire him than to he
! considered smart industrious and
i trust" for fear more will he requir
ed of him. He had rather tell a
lie than the truth although the
truth will answer a hotter purpose.
He prides himself on his ability to
deceive and play the perfect hypo
crite. He makes promises only for
the oppoitunity to deceive and to
disappoint; he glories in such. He
teaches his children that it is not
wrong to steal from the white man
if t hey can avoid he caught when
reported in such matters hut give
them to understand that the pun
ishment is not administered for the
crime hut to make t iciii more on j
tiie alert and cautions here-after
that they may not he found out in
! committing the act.
T could go on and enumerate
I page after’nice of such traits pi
euliarto thenegrobut I think it un
necessary as i presume they arc j
well known in The Cultivators cir
culation and the facts regarding
! them as unprofitable laborers ful
ly understood. S I shell make it
jmy purpose so far as lam able, to
| state the causes for such a state,
j relative to him as a laborer. I
j think most of the young formers
will agree with me in saving that
the white people of this country —
prominent among whom are the
farmers—are directly chargeable
with, and arc accountable to the
country for, much of the failure on !
the part of the negro to be a profit-!
able laborer and a quiet, submissive
land industrious people, aspiring!
I somewhat for character and eager!
[td make himself more intelligent;
jand efficient as a laborer. 1 will
j admit that ho naturally would be j
| just as he is, if circumstances so;
shaped him, as he is certainly a ;
creature of circumstances; but if;
; circumstances were different he
would he different.
Our farmers have never required
recommendations from them, if
they apply for work as strange r>,
hut it is seldom they apply for work
in this country—it is the farmers
that apply to them for their servi-l
ees, and not only pay them hut it
is generally the ease now that they
have to beg them ; and being thus
begged to work, the negro feds that
he is conferring quite a favor on
the farmer, and feels no special ne
cessity for jierforming good labor
or very much of it. The farmer be
ing so very dependent upon him, is
compelled to take such as he is wil
ling to give, and is powerless to do
or say anything. Now, is not this
a deplorable condition fora man to
be in? The farmers, who should be
the lords of creation, allowing and ;
contenting themselves to be in a ,
condition so utterly dependent up- j
on such a class of people to carry j
on such important workas agricul-!
time, which cannot wait the time of
the laborer’s convenience to work
at the proper time without, in many
instances, almost a total loss is sus
tained. Farmers employ each oth
er’s hands, in the push of work,with
impunity. They will hire one if
he leaves his employer without a
cause, or without even investigating
or making any inquiry to ascertain
if his leaving is by permission of j
his employer, or whether or not
his employer is willing for him to
leave. Ami it is not infrequently
the case that one farmer will create !
dissatisfaction among bis neigh
i hor’s hands, in order to*get them
|to leave, by offering them some
. thing extrain the way of wages or
privileges,'which he'claims their
present employer is not allowing'
! them. : uch men are t<> he dread
|ed in every neighborhood. They
! certainly are no friends to the
! country, and do not look beyond
tkeir own selfish interests in mat
ters pertaining to the general good
of the country. I have been much
worried myself with such people;
and 1 have thought and said that
any man who would thus steal his
! neighbor’s laborers would steal his
horse, if punishment therefor was
i no more certain.
Farm ers have failed to act in <-on
j cert with regard to labor. They
j should meet at the beginning of
■■ every important period in the culti
vat ion and harvesting of the crop,
an • decide according to the pros
pect vhat they can afford to pay
for 1: Lor, and stand by it. At the
In-ginning of the year they should
! have . ome agreement regarding la
! bor the ensuing year, etc. Such
! action can only result in good, not
only to every farmer, in the long
| run, hut to the laborer as well. V, e
| should discourage day labor, and I
! think we will find that tlie negro
will be 1 letter satisfied and in bet
iter condition, with permanent
| home and regular work for the year.
; We should avoid renting houses to
i them on their farms unless they
: are regular laborers, for it is en
-1 cotiraging laziness in them, and to
some extent crime ; for unless they
■ have rgular employment, upon
which to support themselves and
1 families, they will commit depreda
tions upon the fields. Hocks and
herds of the surrounding country,
as they have to live; and if they
jure not forced by circumstances to
I earn a living they will steal it rath
er than work for it.
Wo should always pay them ev
! cry cent we promise—-never prac
tice any deception, and in every in
! stance he just to them. But this is
! the white man’s country, and we
! should by no means allow it to.be
controlled by ignorant, unaspiring
I non-progressive class of its people.
We are aware that the negro has
! been treated wrong in many ways;
they have been deceived by politi
cians and evil designing men, to
subserve their selfish purposes and
to carry measures at the polls
which are detrimental to the best
interest of the country. Many of
the evils from which we now suffer
from the negro as a laborer, have
been brought about by the white
people of our country, by a failure
•upon their part to act in harmony
concerning the greatest good to the
greatest number.
1 could write much on the negro
question —as to his future influence
upon the country in many ways,
and the probable trouble that will
|he precipitated upon our country
j by him if we do not act wisely and
! justly —but enough, I trust has been
written here relative to him to
serve the purposes of this letter.
And in conclusion allow me to offer
you as a panacea for most of the
evils from which we are now suffer
ing agriculturally, improved farm
implements, such as the reaper,
mower, horse rake, Acme harrow,
walking cultivator, manure spread
er, corn dropper, cotton picker,*
and many others that are before the
public, which have been thoroughly
tested and found altogether praeti
feal. By the use of these tmple
’ meats one man, in many instances
can do the work of it dozen, and
(performit vastly better. There is
great economy in. their use, not on
-1 Iv as regards labor, (which, howev
j.er, is the most important item) but
in the quality of the work done.
With a line of these implements a
! man is in a lgrgo measure indepen
dent as to hired labor. We can se
; !ect our best lands, and with less
trouble, perhaps, than any other
country, adapt it to the use of these
implements. We have no stumps
of any consequence in this old
country; and where there are only
a few rocks they can be removed at
! leisure seasons and soon gotten rid
of. The machines are so perfected
novr-a-days that they can be used
with but little trouble on very rough
land. Such has been the constant
improvement in them by the
progressive manufacturers, that
they have well nigh met the obje
ti-. -n to them on aecouut of rough
land. All that is necssary for a
reaper or mower to glide as nicely
as a ship at sea over our lands, is to
smooth the surface perfectly level
but will thoroughly crush all clods
and perfectly pulverize it, filling up
j all holes and dead furrows that cof
llect water and produce gullies, ard
puts in the grain at the rate of tin
to fifteen acres per day, requiring
two horses to pull it and one man
or boy to ride and drive. As it is
with the Acme harrow, so it is with
other implements, each performing
its particular class of work equally
as well with as little expense. I have
thoroughly tested each class of
these implements, (except the cot
ton picker, which has not as yet
been placed upon the market, when
it is I intend having it) and I know
whereof I speak. The}’are practi
cal ;anto be without them now,
since I have been using them for
several years, I would quit farming
and give up all hope of its success
in this country. For—as I have