How to Prosper in Boll Weevil TerritoryAlford, George Howard
Science
How to Prosper in Boll Weevil Territory
Alford, George Howard
Boll weevil; Cotton growing
_When corn is planted_ on fertile soil thoroughly prepared, _properly
fertilized_ and cultivated, the yield is usually about fifty bushels per
acre. The average price per bushel is about 80 cents. Peas planted in corn
at the last working will usually average about eight bushels of peas and a
ton or more of valuable hay. The peavine hay can be harvested by live
stock.
_The growing of live stock_ will help to create extensive home markets for
roughage and leguminous crops, keep the money at home that is usually sent
to the north and west for pork products, mules, horses, hay, beef, and so
on, and at the same time add greatly to the fertility of the soil. Pork
can be produced in the cotton belt more easily than any other live stock.
It would not be wise for the average cotton farmer to devote his farm
exclusively to hog raising, yet it will certainly pay him to produce
enough pork for home use and some to sell to supplement the money formerly
obtained for cotton.
Chickens, turkeys, ducks and other poultry sell for good prices and every
cotton farmer in the weevil territory should raise some poultry for sale.
The Labor Problem
Plenty of good labor is an absolute necessity in growing cotton under boll
weevil conditions. The tendency of newly infested districts is to neglect
the laborer at the time when he needs support and encouragement. Thousands
of families have moved out of a single county in one season to other
cotton sections, while if they had been given a little encouragement to
grow corn, grain, cowpeas, hogs, vegetables in his own garden, etc., he
would have remained in the community where he is much needed.
The farmers, planters, merchants and bankers must unite and see to it that
the laborers have the actual necessities of life. He should be encouraged
to grow his home supplies, a little cotton, a few chickens and his own
pork. This method would put farming on a basis which will eliminate and do
away with the necessity of sending to the north and west for bacon, lard,
mules, corn, hay and other supplies. By working together and keeping our
laborers satisfied we will keep them in the community where they are
needed to till the soil and help build up our farms.
The Debt Problem
When traveling in weevil territory, we meet farmers almost daily who are
anxious to sell their farms at from one-third to one-fifth of their real
value. The farmers tell us that they are in debt and will never be able to
pay out. They say that the boll weevil has come to destroy their
cotton--their sole cash crop.
Now these farmers are mistaken on two counts. First, cotton is not the
only surplus money crop; second, the boll weevil does not prevent the
growing of profitable crops of cotton in normal seasons. The cotton money
is now used to pay for corn, bacon, lard, mules and hay. When the tenants
and farmers all live at home and practice the most rigid economy, the
cotton money will soon pay all debts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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