Selections from the publications of the Department of Agriculture of the state of Georgia, 1891 [1892]

SELECTIONS
FROM THE
PUBLICATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE
OF THE
STATE OF GEORGIA FOR THE YEAR l89l
R. T. NESBITT, COMMISSIONER.
ATLANTA, GA.: GEO. W. HARRISON, State Printer.
(Franklin Printing House.) 1892.

SELECTIONS
FROM THE
PUBLICATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE
OF THE
STATE OF GEORGIA FOR THE r~EAR 1891.
'R. T. NESBITT, COMMISSIONER.
ATLANTA, GA.: GEO. W, HARRISON, State Printer.
(Fra.nlrlin Printing Honse.) 1892.

ASummary of Some Important Work
ACCOMPLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT DURING THE YEAR 1891.
The first year of my serviceas Commissioner of the Agricultural Department has c~osed, and I feel that it is due to the farmers that I give them an account of my stewardship. Some needed changes I have succeed in bringing about; others equally important, perhaps, have been delayed for lack of funds.
NllW J,AW AS TO INSPECTION OF ]'ERTILIZERR. NO MORE INSPECTING IN BULK.
My most earnest efforts have been directed to perfecting a bill in
regard to the inspection and sale of fertilizers. This new bill, which
has now become a law, is not only more effective, but more comprehensive than the old. Under its provisions the chances for fraud are much lessened, for the inspections are made after the goods leave the 'manufacturers' hands) none being made in bulk, all inspecting is donP after the goods are sacked and shipped. In advocating this bill I feel that I have redeemed my promise to the farmers, and while the system may be a little more' expensive on account of additional traveling expenses, I have saved many times that outlay in cutting down other expenses of the l)epartment.
FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS SAVED IN THE RUNNING EXPENSES OF THE DEPARTMENT.
In the item of clerk hire, alone, I have made a reduction of about $2,200. The salaries of fertilizer inspectors I have also cut down from $1,500 to $1,200 pe.r annum, a redur'tion for the six inspectors of $1,800, which, added to the $2;200, makes a total of about $4,000 saved in the running expenses of the Department. Therefore, if the present law is a little more expensive, I feel. that here, too, I have been as good as my word to the farmers, for this money is expended directly for their benefit and protection, and not in unnecessary salaries to employees.

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICUJ.,TURE.-GEORGIA.

THE LAW SHOULD BE RIGIDLY ENFORCED.
With the large amount of commercial fertilizers used in this State, the law for the protection of the farmer cannot be too far-reaching or too rigidly enforced. Honest mannfacturers will cheerfully aid me in the enforcement of a statute which, while subjecting them to occasional inconvenience, will ultimately redonnd to their interest and protection: I hope parties directly or indirectly interested will send me all information which they may obtain in regard to the introductiqn into this State of fertilizers which have not been properly tagged. Parties seeing or hearing of sotton seed meal, or any other fertilizing material being offered for sale or exchange in this State, whether manufactured wit}lin its borders or introduced from without, if not registered and tagged as the law directs, will confer a great favor on this office by reporting tlie saine, for even with the most vigilant care such good3 may be introduced into the State and offered for sale.
Another pledge, which I have redeemed, is in placing the Chemist's office and laboratory in the capitol. The wisdom of this change is proved by the large number of additional analyses made during the year, aggregating 1048 analyses.
FROM $8,000 TO $10,000 SAVED TO THE STATE FROM THE INSPEC-
TION OF OILS.
The new law in regard to the inspection of oils, which will be in full force by the 1st of January, 1892, will also place in the State treasury from $8,000 to $10,000, which was formerly paid to oil inspectors, they, in some instances, having received as much as $4,000 to $5,000 per annum. From these statements it will be seen that the Department is being run as economically as is compatibl with the interests of the farmers and the large amount of work involved in its various branches.

A GENERAL REVIEW OF THE AGRICULTURAL SITUATION.
It is apparent at even a casual glance over the following reports, issued during the year '91, that I have not failed to urge upon the farmers the manifast importance of raising an abundant provision crop. That the advice was sound is proven by the present outlook. For the only independent farmers just now are those with home-made supplies, who are not looking to 7 cents cotton to meet corn and bacon bills, as well as guano accounts, and who are encouraged by the

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5

sight of well-filled barns and fat and sleek cattle. To even the most careless observer, the fact is patent that the effort to glean a support from the farm is becoming each year more and more difficult, and this is owing in a great measure not only to the character of the crops heretofore- raised, but to the shallow preparation and clean cultivation; by which our rolling lands especially are rendered peculiiuly susceptible to leaching and washing. Necessarily, much of the soil is carried off with every rain, reducing the fertility of the land and rendering the production of subsequent crops more expensive and more uncertain. In looking over the unsatisfactory results of farming in Georgia for the past year, I am more than ever impressed with the necessity for a change. But to reclaim all these lands at once would be a gigantic, hopeless task. Each farmer can, however, do his part and at the same time add much to the general comfort and security, by beginning, if only on a small scale, to plant clover, grass, peas, rye, etc., as suits his soil and circumstances, and as I have so often urged in these reports. Once he makes a start, my word for it, he will never be satisfied to return to the one~crop system. This system has worked irretrievable ruin to thousands of our industrious, but misguided farmers, who have staked their all on 10 cents cotton.
This plan amounts simply to a game of chance with all the odds against the farmer. When we see destitution and poverty following close in the wake, and, in striking contrast, witness the prosperity and independence of the man who, by foresight and welldirected business energy, plants such other crops as are suited to his locality and circumstances, we can but profit by the lesson; and I beliflve there is be~nning a general awakening all along the lines.
Let each individual farn1er take hold of this matter, and, though he may sometimes meet with disappointment, he may even turn this to advantage-for often failure is the pivot on which turns our subsequent success. Even the present general depression may result in the prosperity which comes from diversified and well-directed farming. Surely we have reached the darkest hour in our experience; let us take fresh courage, and build up our homes and improve our farms. A little whitewash, a needed paling here and there, a gate put in the right position, an occasional fruit tree planted, all show home enterprise, and further serve to favorably impress visitors in regard to our section. The intelligence and thrift of a people are most frequently judged by their surroundings. Impoverished lands, dilapidated

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRlCULTURE.-,GEORGIA.

buildings, neglected fences, not only tend to cause depression among the farmers themselves, but speak in unmistakable tones to visitors or would-be purchasers. This is the season to inaugurate these reforms, and to do the fall and winter plowing so generally neglected in. the South, and which in our climate it is always possible to accomplish. It has been demonstrated that land deeply and thoroughly plowed, without one pound of fertilizer, will produce mare than when scratched over and fertilized, and is then left in ,better condition for future crops. Our mistakes are very serious and of long standing, and have so fastened themselves upon our industry that it will require a most heroic effort to break away from them; but in the planting of
TOBACCO

I hope we will receive help-as unexpected as it is welcome. I would, however, warn the farmers against engaging in tobacco raising on too extensive a scale at first. As in every other industry, a certain amount of experience is requisite to success, and until that is gained it will be the part of wisdom not to take too great a risk. In the management of this crop it must also be remembered that qu.ality, not quantity, is most to be considered. The following from The Tobacco Leaf, a journal considered good authority on this subject, may help those farmers desirous of beginning the cultivation of tobacco.
NEW TOBACCO GROWING DISTRICTS.

The cry is, "Still they come!" and every day we hear of parts of the country

where the farmers are experimenting in growing tobacco with more or less

success. 'rhe experimenters generally make the mistake of trying one or two

varieties of seed and planting too much ground, in same cases with a view to

selling that which is raised. Too often they are disappointed, for the tobacco

turns out unmarketable, either the variety not being adapted to the soil, m

the grower is igporant of the proper manner of handling the crop. Small

patches of several different kinds of seed is the proper way for the grower to

experiment, and he should acquire some knowledge of the necessary means of

tending and curing his crop.



The subjoined plan of a tobacco barn is on a smaller scale and cheaper than the Stiow barn, of which the plan was given in the October report. Mr. Harrison, of Cobb county, formerly of North Carolina, and somewhat familiar with the tobacco plant, its habits and the different modes of curing, furnishes me with the following, which may be of use to those farmers who are not willing, or in many cases, not able to aiopt the rriore Pxpensive plan. The plan

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7

has been largely used inNorth Carolina and Virginia, and has met

with success. Mr. Harrison's samples, some of which are on exhibition at the

Department of Agriculture, are pronounced by The Tobacco Leaf

of good texture and quality.

R. T. NESBITT,

Commissioner of Agriculture.

A TOBACCO BARN.
Log barns, ranging from sixteen to twenty feet square, are the sizes mostly used. These should be built about twenty feet high in the body, and covered with shingles or boards. Large logs may be used until the pen is built about seven feet from the ground. 'rhen, if the size is twenty feet, lay off for five rooms, four feet apart, and place tier poles a,cross to form the lower tier. Raise two logs higher all around, and put on another course of tier poles directly over thtl first. Then, using smaller logs (cabin size), place all three logs higher all around, laying on tier poles as before, and continue to elevate the body of the barn until you have five tiers. Then place two more logs around and the plates, and the pen is ready to_be roofed. You will then have a barn with five rooms and five tiers high. Mark you, the lower tiers, are not firing tiers, 'but placed in the barn for the convenience of hoisting, and for storing cured tobacco when necessary. By this arrangement the tiers are about three feet apart vertically, the body of the barn a cube-as high as it is wide and deep-and the whole arrange~ent conformable to the process of curing. The roof is so constructed, conforming to the plan of the tiers below, as to contain three tiers above the joist, varying in length. Such a barn will hold about 650 to 700 sticks of medium tobacco, six plants to the stick. To prep!U'e for curing brights, it must be chinked and daubed close inside and out.

Cut out two or three logs from the end of the barn as represented by the brick work (see diagram). Then first construct the two furnances A B and A B with brick or stone, as follows: Let the mouths of the furnaces A A pro. ject fifteen inches outward beyond the wall-the cut fails to show the projec tion properly-and extend the furnaces to B B, about five and a half or six feet. The outer wall of the furnaces should be about fifteen inches distant from the logs or sills of the barn. Build the walls of the furnaces eighteen inches apart and eighteen inches high at A A, running back to fourteen inches high at B B, and let the bottom of the flues slope upward fron1 four to fiye inches from A A to B B. The furnaces should be arched with brick or covered with fire-proof stone, or No. 16 or 18 sheet iron, from A to B.
Be careful to see that the furnaces at every point are so constructed as not to come in near contact with the sides or walls of the barn, lateral or vertical, and that the exits of the pipe are protected by brick or stone, as seen in the diagram.
Insert sheet-iron pipes at B Bon castiron eyes made for the purpose and placed into the ends of the furnaces, as near the tops thereof as possible. The

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICUI..TURE.-GEORGIA.

eyes ate not absolutely necessary, but they greatly protect the pipefrop1 burning,:and being fixed into the ends of the furnaces, the pipe is more readily adjusted. For a 20 by 20 feet barn use pipe eleven or twelve inches in diameterf~r barn 16 by 16 feet use ten-inch pipe. Extend the pipe all around from B B to D D ; with a gradual elevation of one foot rise from B to U, and with two feet elevation from C to D. Cap the ends of the pipes with an elbow.

EX'l'RACTS FROM PUBLICATIONS.
For small barns, the pipes may be brought together midway between C and C, by a V-shaped connection into one twelve-inch return pipe, through the middle of the barn. This flue operates well and is very popular with the planters working a small force and using only small barns, which are betterfor them than large ones, and is the cheapest good flue made.
Any tinner can make the pipe, and foundries and hardware stores furnish the eyes. . The cost of pipe varies from five and a-haif to six and a-half cents per pound, and ten-inch cast eyes cost about two dollars a pair, and twelve-inch ,eyes about two dollars and fifty cents. The cost of piping for a small barn varies from eight to ten dollars or less.
The process of curing will be published later on, and will be furnished by an expert tobacco grower.

SEASONABLE ADVICE.

Lest the advice in my last crop report should escape the attention of many

farmE:rS who intend planting tobacco, I would again warn them against engag-

ing too largely in a busines8 of which they are comparatively ign<want. We are

all familliar with the numerous failures of many of our Northern friends, who,

full of hope and energy, have attempted to make money out of cotton. In many

respects, our experience with tobacco may prove the same as their's with cotton,

xcept that while the Northern man may be entirely ignorant of the habits of

the cotton .plant and its cultivation, he employs laborers who have spent their

lives in the cotton fields; while the Georgia farmer in planting tobacco, is not
only ignorant himself but employs a class ot labor which is new to the work,

and which, as a general thing, objects strongly to all innovations, to any devia-

tion from; the old beaten track of all cotton and corn. All authorities which

I have consulted on this subject agree. The Tobacco Leaf of October 7th, 1891,

has this to say :

~

"The advice of our expetts to our Georgia growers is to go ahead, do not ex-

pect too much in the way of price for your tobacco at first; and be sure to

strive for quality'"a:n,d not quantity-raise a limited quantity and try to make

as fine tobacco as you can. We notice that a number of planters in Georgia

propose raising hogshead tobacco. Don't do it, there is enough of this kind of

tobacco grown already. Cigar leaf will pay you much better. Try both Con-

necticut, Havana and the Cuban seed, and if this advice is followed we have

every reason to believe that tobacco will prove a remunerative crop, to you."

Tobacco requires rich lands of a certain quality, which, when suited to the

crop, and this can be determined only by experience, are known to clear

more money than cotton has ever done, even in its most prosperous days, and

I have strong hopes of the ultimate triumph of tobacco growing in Georgia; but

until we learn the business thoroughly, it will be best not to venture too rashly.

)nee firmly established; we will have a certain paying money crop, which,

~hough it may not supersede cotton will divide the honors with it, and our

hard-pressed farmers can then throw off the burden of debt which an all cotton

policy has fastened upon their shoulders.

10

DEPAR'f'MENT OF AGRICUJ,TURE.-GEORGIA.

,For the encouragement of those wishing to embark in this business, I q11ote the following from the Bainbridge (Ga.) Dmnocrat: " In this section (Decatur. county) the experiment has succeeded beyond a doubt."
The last week's issue of t.he Tobacco Leaf came freighted with the following cheering words to the tobacco planters of South and Southwest Geol)l:ia: "Read the expressions of the expert tobacco dealers and take courage."
[Here follows the Tobacco Leaf's comments on the Tobacco grown by W. H. Mitchel, of Tho.masville, Ga., and some words of advice to the Georgia planters.]
The Democrat also says : "More than three thou8and dollars was paid out by one firm in town for tobacco last Saturday.
"Let's see. This represents about one hundred bales of cotton, the product of about four hundred acres of average land. The tobacco grew on less than twenty-five acres. See? How about your cotton crop for next year. The Attapulgus section is aglow with tobacco talk and success.
"It is a common occurrence to see a colored tobacco farmer with from $100 to $300 in cash, the product of a small patch of from one to two acres of tobacco. 'fobacco will prove the redemption of this country if intelligently planted and pursued. Mark that."
HANDLING THE CROP.
In reply to questions as to handling the crop, an expert says to sell it for what it will bring. It is difficult for us to advise you about handling your crop, as that is the result of experience, and not of book learning. The best way for your fellow growers to do is to get an experienced tobacco grower of North Carolina or Virginia to come to your section and tel! you what to do.
If I find that the number of acres planted in this State will warrant the out lay, I will employ a capable and experienced tobacco grower, paid by the Agricultural Department, to travel through the different sections and give the farmers the benefit of his superior knowledge.
One important aid to this work would! be Tobacco Growers' conventions. On this subject the Tobacco Leaf has the following:
''We notice that the late convention of the New England Tobacco Growers' Association has attracted th'e attention of the preso in the Southern Tobacco Growing States, and it is suggested that similar conventions be held by the growers in the South and West. These proposed conventions would be after the manner of those held in the cigar leaf sections. At them there would be discussious on the best methods of planting, curing, packing and handling tobacco, and papers dealing with these subjects from a scientific point of view would be read by experts.
Conventions of this kind would assuredly be of much benefit to the Southern and Western planter, and would be of great value in the new tobacco growing districts. Much can be learned in the interchange of views, and the grower would leave the convention with the knowledge that his own system of raising a crop was commended, or that he had learned something of value to make use of in the future. Besides, the conventions would be pleasant meeting places, and thus break into the monotony of tbe farmer's life. The -conventions held in the cigar leaf growing sections have proven

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11

that they can be made very beneficial to the ~grower, and the planter in the SOt~th and West will not regret forming associations for the purpose of hold-
ing them. )fARKETING

The following shows that there is no danger-of overstocking the market with a good quality of tobacco:

The Bainbridge (Ga.) Democrat says: "Mr. Cohn, the leading man of the

firm of A. Cohn &; Co., New York, is in the city looking after our tobacco. He is-charmed with our product and our country, and says there is no danger

of over-producing too much of such tobacco as the better varieties grown in

Decatur county; that such tobacco will always command a big price in any market. Mr. Cohn has cabled to Cuba for hands to class, select and pack all

the Decatur county crops he has bought, and they are expected to arrive very

soon. So our tobaccos will go upon the New York market in the very best

possible shape, and its reputation be at once established."

The Tobacco Leaf has also the following in regard to cigars and tobacco in Savannah:

"The tobacco business in this city is improving and increasing to an appre-

ciable extent, and all grades of goods are in growing demand, and the balance

of business is getting greater every year. This may be attributed generally

to the fact that as the grade of tobacco is improving, consumers of smoking

and chewing material are indulging in the staple more extensively. The fact

is capable of easy demonstrations. A few years ago the dealers in tobacco, in

its crude and manufactured state, would not dare to believe that the sales in

this city would aggregate anywhere near a million dollars, while statistics care-

fully approximated would give sales in the several millions.

"In cigars alone the business in this city will amount to $1,500,000. This includes the local sales and the orders filled by dealers for country consumption.

The trade in cigars has increased amazingly in the past five years, and various

theories are assigned as the cause. The most sensible and feasible one ad-

vanced is the development of the taste for the cigar in preference to the use of

pipes and granulated tobacco so promiscuously indulged in by Southern peo-

ple up to a few years ago. It has been estimated by competent and responsi-

ble authorities, in a position to know, that there were 4,000,000,000 domestic

and 137,000,000 imported cigars handled in this city last year, and the indica-

tions are that a larger business will have been done this year when the season

closes."

I have been thus explicit in giving different authorities, both to encourage and discourage farmers; to encourage them to persevere in an experiment

which I believe will eventually emancipate them; to discourage them from too largely engaging at first in an enterprise which is, as yet, but an experi-

ment.

I have for several weeks been in correspondence with eminent tobacco

growers and experts, and have made arrangements to distribute a large amount of seed. Parties wishing seed should write to the Department of Agriculture, stating quality and kinds wanted, which will be furnished as long as the

funds hold out.

R. T. NESBITT, Commissioner of Agriculture.

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICUL'l'URE.-GEORGIA.

ADDRESS TO THE FARMERS OF GEORGIA.
(From May Crop Report.)
OATS.
The winter just pv.ssed has been remarkable for two things, an almost uniform temperature, and an excessive rainfall, the latter amounting to. about twenty-one inches, or nearly one-half the annual fall. Consequently, on a large majority of the farms, the work has been not only se.riously retarded, but the usual area put in oats has been sensibly diminished. This shortage, owing to the scant supply of corn in Middle and North Georgia, amounts to a miofortune.
PLANT FOOD CROPS.
This trouble can still be met and overcome to a certain extent by planting the millets, cat-tail and German, also kaffir corn and the sorghums. The land should be put in good condition, highly manured, and for the millets and Rorghum given two good plowings. By this plan the farmer can still secure ample food for his horses, cows and hogs. Corn is higher than it has been for ten years, and will continue so until the pre3ent crop is made and put upon the market. Should the crop prove a short one, there will be no material decline in price. It behooves the farmers, therefore, to supplement the corn crop as far as possible with every available food crop.
PLANT PEAS.
If whippoorwill peaH are planted in drills 2~ feet apart, manured with acid phosphate and given two plowings, there will be ripe peas to feed to stock during the summer. Should there be any land that can be so utilized, broadcast acid phosphate and sow peas in the same manner. If the seasons are at all favorable there will be in August two or three tons of splendid vines ancl hay to the acre.
IMPERFECT PREPARATION FOR COR~.
On many farms the corn crop, in consequence of the protracted rains, has been put into the ground by simply running a furrow, dropping the manure and corn, and covering with a single furrow, or in ~orne instances with a double foot. .Just as soon, t)lerefore, as the land can be broken it should be done, and on stiff clay soils with a four inch scooter. This work should be accomplished at the earliest moment practicable, as the deep plowing of corn after the first working often results in serious injury to the plants. This crop matures in a few weeks, aud the working of it must be accomplished in that time, and must be done in such a way as to leave the land in mellow condition, and yet not disturb the little rootlets which are reaching out in every direction and which will eventually extend entirely across the rows. When the breaking of the ''middles" has been accomplished, the opportunity comes for harrowing the cotton. (The plan for.this I have explained under the head of "cotton.") Having harrowed the cotton, hurry back tn the young corn and give it the first working with a long two inch scooter, running.very near the young plants.

EXTRACTS FROM PUBLICATIONS.
Leave this furrow open to have the sun rays penetrate as near the roots as possible, which will tend to drive them deeper into the soil, thus protecting them more fully from drouth, and at a later period from th~ points of plows running too deeply. The after cultivation should be done with a cultivator or scrape. On our bare fields, denuded of all vegetable matter by years of clean culture, good distance should be given corn. Where tbe manure has been broadcast, the crop will stand a better chance to resist drouth, and while it may not in the early stages of growth show any marked benefit, at the maturing season, the time that the plant requires a steady and continuous food supplY\ thlol good results will be most apparent and most satisfactory. That stable manure put on late in the season frequently fails to give good results arises from the fact that the manure has not, either from its mechanical condition or the dryness of the soil, undergone the chemical changes which make it suitable for plant food.
EXPERIMENTS.
There is nothing so improving to the farmer as an experimental plot, where the different crops are under different modes of preparation, manuring and cultivation. We must get most valuable information from such experiments, and ideas gathered in this way are generally not only correct, but can be applied with almost absolute certainty to our leading crops. No teacher is so valuable and so reliable as experience, whose hard blows imd often cruel disappoint.ments, impress us in a way that no well written essay or carefully prepared address can.
COTTON.
As the cott9n crop will be well up and ready for cultivation ere this is published, and as most of you have tried every plan known to the Georgia farmer, I will only make a few suggestions, which I beg that some farmers in every county will take hold of and try. The cost of cultivating cotton must be reduced, and in no way can this be done so effectnally as by increasing the product per acre, and this must be accomplished first by reduced acreage and increasing manure. Second, by more thorough preparation, and then more skillful and rapid cultivation. If every farmer will provide himself with a smoothing harrow, and run it diagonally across his rows, and then again in an opposite direction across that harrowing, he will find that all young grass will be killed, the crust thoroughly broken, and the young plants thinned to a degree that will wonderfully promote their growth, and should the hoe force be short, the cotton will be left in condition for continual development, while the farmer will have more time to bring the crop to a "stand .." The month of May should be the vet.y busiest on the farm, and our standard crops should not only be brought to a stand, but hurried forward with rapid surface culture, which now become so absolutely essential. Lay your plans to plow over your crops every two weeks; and if for any unforseen or uncontrollable cause you are unable to cultivate rapidly, be sure that it is not from :want of a determined effort on your part. A great many farmers are devoting their time and talents and energies to farming simply to get a bard living from mouth to mouth, and in' many instances do not feel the necessity, or experience the desire, to make the farm anything more than a place to raise cotton with which

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.-GEORGIA.

to buy other supplies. My fellow-farmers, if your ambition is not higher than this, I would advise you to quit. The man who undertakes to raise only cotton, when the cost of raising corn is scarcely more than the freight we pay on it; who neglects the many sources of comfort, as well as revenue, to obe found in other crops, will always be in "doleful dumps," an object of pity to his wiser and more prudent neighbor. The fact that some of the best lands in our State are in the hands of tenants, who rely almost entirely on a single crop-to meet all their wants, is one principal cause of our impoverished and straightened condition. Our lands are left naked all the year, and our cribs and barns are inhabited by bats and owls for six months out of the twelve, constant reminders of our want of sound ideas on farm economy. Are not the successful farmers in every neighborhood those who devote themselves to their calling, exercising a sound and wise discretion in rotating their crops, resting their lands, proportioning their crops so as to insure an .ample supply of food for home consumption, and after thorough and deep preparation giving rapid surface cultivation? With them cotton is the surplus crop, and such men usually have surplus money.
Small it may be in many cases, but can the all-cotton man say as much? Our prosperity and happiness demand that we change our entire system. Pic" ture our helpless condition should the European countries using our cotton become involved in .war. The staple which now plays such an important part in the commerce of nations would scarcely bring the price of the baggii:Jg in which it is wrapped, and a large majority of our farmers would be forced into abject want. Stop the trains from the North and West just one month, and the cries for meat and bread which would go up from the cotton-producing Hection would excite the surprise if not the sympathy of the civilized world. I understand and appreciate all the difficulties which come up whenever we attempt any work out of the rPgular line. No crop draws so largely on the' resources of the farm as cotton, and where every available acre is crowded in, the smaller, but equally, if not more important, crops must suffer.
TOBACCO.
I would call attention to the article on tobacco culture 'from the Experiment Station. This crop will be tried again the present season, and under better conditions, when we may expect more satisfactory results.
THE CASTOR OIL BEAN POISONOUS.
I would also call attention to the fact that the castor: bean, whieh grows so luxuriantly about our yards and gardens, is a deadly poison to horses and cattle when eaten in any quantity. A few sound seed are rather benefieial than otherwise, but when the seed are undergoing decomposition the poison is of such a character as to produce death in a very short while. Several animals near Atlanta died from eating seed from stalks thrown out of a garden.
GLANDERS.
Glanders, a most disgusting and fatal disease, made its appearance early in the season in several counties, causing heavy loss to individuals. This disease, always fatal to stock, and equally so to man, should receive our careful atten-

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tion. In those Northern and Western States which produce fine horses and eattle the laws for their protection are very thorough. Even our sister State, Florida, has, through the Board of Health, entire control of this matter.
A FUND SET APART.
After all the expense of the Agricultural Department, including salaries and traveling expenses of inspector and the $5,000 for the Experiment Station, have been met, there will still be a surplus from the inspection fees on fertilizers. Now, as the farmers pay these fees, why would it not be just and fair that this surplus should be set apart for th~ purpose of meeting just such emergencies? This Department should be clothed with authority to employ a skilled and competent veterinary surgeon, paid by the State, from the fund I have just mentioned, whose duty it should be to examine and report upon all suspicious cases of diseases among tha cattle. and horses of our State. When people are satisfied that the State will furnish them competent authority upon all questions of this nature, they will at once realize and' appropriate the benefit from the work of an expert.
In a town in our State one man has lost his entire winter's trade, in addition to five or six head of good stock, because he was misled as to the nature of the disease. Another lost his entire plow team, ten or twefve, from the same cause. Suppose that at the first outbreak of the disease they had known that they could get reliable advi.;e and asssitance from this Department; that an expert, emplayed by the State, was ready at a moment's notice to go to their assistance, would they not have availed themselves of the opportunity, and, in all probability, have averted a direful calamity? I will advocate a bill at the next session of the Legislature covering this entire subject, and earnestly appeal to our people for a generous support of this measure.
INSPECTION OF OILS.
Under the new law regulating the inspection of oils, there will be a surplus of seven or eight thousand dollars deposited in the treasury. Heretofore the ipspectors have received all the fees, in some instances amounting to (~ouble the salary of a judge of the Supreme Court, and two and a half times as much as a judge of the Superior Court. I have always advocated good wages for good work, but in the case of these oil inspectors, I am satisfied that the salaries were exorbitant. Now, from this saving let us ask the representatives of our people to appropriate a fair sum with which to conduct experiments, in the four sections of the State, under the direction of this Department, in intensive culture of our standard crops, thereby demonstrating to our farmers the immense possibilities of our soil under a system little tried by us, and thA results feared becau.se not understood. Necessity will.eventually drive us to tbe intensive system, but if the State will take hold of the experiment and push it vigorously grand results will be achieved at a much earlier day. Why should not our State lead iu a measure that, which at no distant day, is bound to supersede our present scratch-over-allthe-earth system?

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.-GEORGIA.

~THE INSPECTION OF FERTILIZERS,
which bas absorbed most of our time for the past five months, is assuming vast proportions. The consumption has increased from 40,000 to 300,000 tons. This tremendous increase should convince the farmers that the law regulating and governing this matter should be changed to suit, the changed conditions, and must be so rigid and so thorough, that all chances for fraud woulrl be removed.
I have given this subject my close and careful consideration, and:rom my experience of the past six months, I am convinced that the only satisfactory plan to the farmers will be to have all the goods inspected after they are prepared:for market and have been shipped into the interior, in other words, after they have left the manufacturer's bands. I would therefore suggest the following plan: Frame a law requiFing all manufacturers doing business in the State to register their goods at the Department, giving name of brand and the manufacturer's guaranteed analysis. Let the manufacturer send, as at present, application in duplicate for inspections, stating !number of tons, consignee, brand and ma1~ufactnrer's analysis. Let the Department then issue tags to the manufacturer, which will only indicate that the law as to registering, etc., has been complied with. Then divide the State into ten (10) inspection distr:cts, with a local inspectot in each district, who will be required to draw samples from goods in the farmers' hands, as well as from the stock of merchants, and forward to this Department, as is done at present. When this Department shall have received a fair number of samples of the same goods from different sections of the State, let these samples be well mixed, and from this mixture let the commissioner draw a sample and send to the chemist for analysis. This plan would give a fair sample of the goods; would be just to the manufactu.rer; would afford the farmer all the protection he would desire or expect, and the chemist would have only one analysis instead of perhaps a dozen.
As I said in a former communication, the manufacturers have such large sums invested, that they are constantly apprehensive of unfriendly legislation, but they will cheerfully co-operate with the farmers in perfecting a measure, that will protect their industry, while it makes the farmP.r absolutely safe.
Under this law the work of the chemical department would be reduced, but it is absolutely important that the chemist bas assistance, in order to complete and publish the analysis early in the season, thus enabling the merchant to give the State's analysis, and the farmers to act intelligently in purchasing their fertilizers.

EMIGRATION.
(From June Crop Report.) I think it well to call the earnest attention of my fellow farmers to the importance of using every effort to keep our boys at home when they grow up. If we had in Georgia to-day all the citizens we have lost since the war by the constant tide of young men going West, we would have no need to stir ourselves on the want of population. And as a rule they are the very best class. The brainest and most ambitious go from us, and give their adopted homes the benefit of their energy and enterprise. Our annual loss through this channel is incalculable. Had we kept them here what a mighty impulse

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17

th~y woul\l have given to every branch of business, especially to improved

farming. Thousands of our waste places would be dotted with beautiful atlll

attractive homes. Schools and churches would abound over all the country;

and the necessity which i!l now forcing so many farmers to towns and dtieH

would not be upon us. If half the thought and energy had been given to thi~

sqbject that has been wasted upon trying to persuade the European emigrants

to come among us, our condition would to-day be prosperous instead o! ilitl

guishing.

Thousands 9f dollars have been spent, and the time and talent of successive

legislatures have been exhausted on ways and means to induce immigration.

Men have proposed to divide up their thousands of acres into fifty and one

hundred acre lots and give, or sell on cheap and accommodating terms, each

alternate section to the foreigner who would come.



But when our boys grew up and wanted homes no State appropriation waH

found ready to help them buy; no paid agent soliciting them to settle here or

there, giving them all desired information as to the special advantages of this

or that section. No legislative brain has been taxed in this direction. Often

no land could be found fo'r sale by these young men, except for cash and high

figures at t'hat. They have not been kindly and generously assisted to get a

foothold and a start in their native State. Hence, when they have heard of the

wondrous attractions of the great and growing West, and the ease with which

homes could be secured there, they have picked up bag, baggage and gone.

'fhe home instinct is strong in the human heart, and we should encourage

and foster it in our boys and girls. Encourage them to marry and settle

down to manly life in our midst. Help. them by dividing our two large es

tates, and S"llling or giving them homes on living terms. Cultivate love of

home and State pride in tqem from their infancy. Cease grumbling at our lot;

and above all, show them ho.w to make home happy, by presenting them

daily the living type. If you are careless and slipshod in your way,s of farm-

ing, hard pressed and in debt all your life, your boy will leave the farm as

soon as he can. But if .you make your cotton a surplus crop by learning how

to raise it cheaper; if you raise your leading supplies at home ; show your-

self contented and happy ; pursue your calling wfth leisure and pleasure,

your boy will settle by you and do the same.

If you make yourself a slave and raise your boy a slave, he will be a free

man when he grows up and hunt another roosting place.

But if you lead a free and independent life on your farm, and surround

home with elegance and comfort, your boy will walk in tbe way his father

trod, and bless his race and honor his God.

IMMIGRATION.
This course pursued will largely solve the immigration question. A happy and contented people, with peaceful and prosperous farms, will be so attractive that good people seeking a better land, will freely come and be truly welcome. And this is the kind of immigrants needed here.
We need and are ready to welcome home-seekers, able and willing to help us build up our country and develop our resources.
2

18

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.-GEORGIA.

As a thriftless, homeless class of mere workers, it is doubtful if the negro would be improved upon by the scum of Europe.
SHALL GEORGIA BE REPRESENTED AT THE WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION AT CHICAGO IN 1893?
This is no idle question. It is upon us and we must meet it. The query naturally arises, what good will it do us? Will the good to be derived from such representation justify the outlay of time and money? The object in view will be to let the world know, who we me, where we are, and what we have. The average man has no just conception of who we are. So persistent have been the misrepresentations of our traduces, and so ndustriously have they been circulated that we are largely looked upon by the outside world, as half-civilized ruffians. The idea very largely prevails that it is not safe to come among us. We are not known and recognized as a high toned Christian people-civilized, refined and cultured. The world does not know that we dispense a generous hospitality far ahead of other sections of this our great and growing country.
we need to meet and mingle -:;vith the representatives of all nations and
other sections and teach them who we are. That we have no occasion to bow the head in sha:me in any presence. That we are the equals of God's people anywhere-open hearted, generous, brave, hospitable, honest, industrious and law-abiding. This exposition will offer us a rare opportunity to show these qualitieR to the world.
WHERE WE ARE.
There is a prevailing impression that our clime is inhospitable; that Georgia is largely a sickly marsh; that miasmas and microbes fi~d here a congenial home-in short, that our climate is too hot for comfort or health. We need to let the world of home-seekers know that this is emphatically a mistake; that we have a climate peculiarly healthy and pleasant; that our nights are clelightful even during .July and August; that we have mountain air and water and sea breezes imd baths.
WHA.T WE HA.VE.
Again, we should; by all means, have a fair and complete exhibit of our mineral, manufacturing and agricultural products. Especially should we show them what a wide range of fruits, vegetables, cereals and textiles we can grow profitably. What a variety of soils and elevations we ,have, how cheaply a man can live, and what sources of income he can find here.
'Ve have never shown the world our agricultural products. Through the alliances, dubs and granges, and individually, let us begin in time and get np exhibits from each county, showing its resources and capacities.
Forethought and concert of action will enable us thus to set before the world an exhibit that we would justly feel proud of. Such an exhibit would direct the attention of the best class of immigrants to the fact that we have ~me of the best sections of this great country.
If the farmers will take hold of this thing it will be the pleasure of this Department to render them every assistance in our power. We think the time has come when the farmers should lead off 'in this matter.

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The expense would be so small in comparison with the good to be gained

that: it should not deter us for a moment in undertaking this great work.

This is' emphatically the age of advertising. And if we do not advertise we

will be left behind in the race of progress.

1 beg that the farmers will read and consider these suggestions carefully,

and act promptly and energetically.

R. T. NESBITT,

Commissioner.

MONTHLY TALKS TO THE FARMERS.
(From J'!f!lY Crop Report.)
I have recently visited different sections of the State, and from careful observation I am more than ever impressed with the grave necessity for a change in our system of agriculture. The evidence of our oft repeated agricultural mistakes is seen on every gullied hill-side, and where lands are more level, in their constantly lessening productiveness. There are exceptional cases where men have realized. the difficulties of the situation, and have grappled with and overcome them, but the la:rge majority of farmers are pursuing a policy, which, ~f continued, will bankrupt the fairest country on the globe, for in this ruin are involved almost every class of our cittzens. There are merchants, professional and business men, as much interested in this question as the farmers themselves.
COTTON PLANTED AT AN ACTUAL LOSS. 1~ requires very little mathematical knowledge to understand that if each pound of a crop costs, .in its production, more than it commands when put upon the market of the world, this loss, if continued froni year to year, muf?t eventuaJ!y assume gigantic proportions, and will finally overwhelm the short-sighted farmer who pursues such a policy.
LANDS EXHAUSTING BY COTTON CULTURE.
It is also as absolutely true, that if our lands, which once responded spontaneously and bountifully to the farmer's touch, are gradually yielding less, the time will come when there will occur an enforced halt. The general method of applying commercial fertilizers, while it may stimulate present production, does not affect this question of preserving the fertility of our lands and, the methods of terracing and, ditching, as at present practiced, often result in more injury than benefit. The situation is a grave one. Let us face it unflinchingly, and endeavor to wrest from it something of good for ourselves and our children.
MORE FOOD CROPS, LESS COTTON.
National legislation is undoubtedly Reeded, but where will be the benefit of plentiful money, if, the farmer buries his share in a crop which does not pay, br allows his lands to run down to such a degree that low commercial fertilizers

20

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.-GEORGIA.

cannot force from them remunerative return~. More money and cheaper money is one of the needs of the country, but the need for more food crops, and less cotton is equally great. No sensible farmttr needs to be told of the folly of continuing to bny corn !1-t high prices, when we can produce it at about the cost of the freight, and yet we repeat this folly from year to year, preferring to plant cotton at an actual loss! I can point to farm after farm, where this defective system, long <'ontinued, has not only reduce:l the owner to a state bordering on despair, bnt has literally exhausted the once fertile lan'C!s.
ME'rHODS PURSUED BY COL..fAMES M. SMITH.
Recognizing the need for a radical change, let us look around for the best means of remedying these two glaring defects. To the farmer who h8.s allowed hirnself to go on from year to year in the old slipshod fashion, the remedies must be heroic, but there -are thousands of wide-awake, energetic progressive men in our State, who are seeking the best methods, and who ar~ willing to adopt them, although the effort to get out of the old ruts may involve present sacrifice, and, perhaps, future hard work. They realize that the cultivation of cotton, so expensive from any standpoint, wheri persisted irr to the exclusion of necessary food crops means ruin; and that lands cultivated year after year in an exhausting crop and denuded by elean culture of every p;trticle of vegetable matter, must eventually fail. It is to these men that I would speak of the methods pursued by Col. Jas. :M. Smith, one of the most successful farmers in Georgia. I have recently visited his place, and take this method of giving the farmers the benefit of my observations while there. He began twenty-six years ago on the old, fields of one of the oldest counties in the State, without money or experience or knowledge of the fertilizers best suited to his lands or the method of application that would pay best. He had, like every other successful farmer, to learn by daily observation, and after various trials and disappomtments, to .discard defective plans, and adopt only those which gave the best results. ' He has demonstrated most emphatically that in Middle and North Georgia, rye is one of the great sources from which our forage supply should come, and also is an agent with which to build up our waste places.
He sows in the fall about two bushels to the acre, after a liberal application of such fertilizer as the land calls for, and of course, the land is thoroughly prepared. The seed he obtains from the mountain regions of Georgia and North Carolina. Sowed in North Georgia in September, and lower Georgia in Octol:ier, this crop can be cut in March, getting one good cutting that mo1;1th, one in April, and with seasons, a fair cutting in May. From three to six thousand pounds can be made per acre. Cut when young and tender, thrown up in cocks in the fields, and allowed to remain until cured, we hav,e a most nutritious hay, thus obtaining an abundance of roughage, of which stock of all kinds become very fond. We get this crop, at latest, in May. Now manure a~ain, turn under the stubble and plant in corn or cotton; there is ample time to make a good crop, and the land, instead of being robbed, is furnished with the vegetable matter so much needed. Under this system, Col. Smith has brought up a worn farm to a high state of productiveness, and each year is adding to the fertility of his lands, by keeping them loose and friable, 9.1\d

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returmng to them, at a reasonable cost, elements for future use. Mark the fa~t that be gets two crops from the same land, and instead of exhausting, is actually building it up. Every farmfJr is not so situated as to avail himself of the advice here given but many can try this plan with every hope of success._ 'fhe imperative question of the hour is not how to make more cotton, but how to produce economically, and with the facilities at our command, an abundant food supplv making at the same time and by les.~ costly methods, enough cotton to' pay the money expenses and lay by, ii only a smallslpn each year for the time when we must drop out of the ranks of busy workers. We must learn to do thiH and at the same time keep up the fertility of our lands.
OATS.
'fhis plan should hy no means stop the sowing of largP oat crops, and while this crop occasionally proves a failure, by sowing both in the fall and spring, one or the other may result handsomely. Let ns resolve to sow largely in all small"grain this fall, selecting as good land as we have, fertilizing liberally with-cotton ~eecl, lot manure and commercial fertilizers. Here is the place to put the green droppings from horse and cow lot. When these are exhausted, treat your lan<l to a liberal dose of any of the complete fertilizers. If you don't find time to sow in the early fall, sow later, and if this sowing does not result satisfactorily, don't be discouraged, but make another effort. Don't 11llow the gathering of the cotton to stop this all important operation. Energy, pluc!': .and forethought bring about as fair results in farming as in'other avocations, and tHere ilh;;uld be no such words a~ " give up" in the farmer's vocabulary.
CI,OVER AND GRASfol.
I hope to see these crops gradually increa>ed, and, as far as possible, the department will aid the farmers in seGuring gooct seerl which are expensive.
TOBACCO,
_-\.!so, is attrading a great <leal of attention just now, and the improved method of curing puts this crop in reach of every farmer who has land suitable for its cultivation. This Department will continue to send out seeds, and I trust the rl.'sults may pr,ove that this erop can be mad<' a paying one.
PEAS.
We should sow every acre poRsible in peas. This is one crop that will pay, even if we stretch our credit to buy the seed, and it must remain one of the most powerful renovators to our exhausted soils. If only a few acres can be pnt in, sow them, let them die on the lattd, and the succeeding year note the -difference in the~ iri1prov~d yieltl of crops taken from lands so treated. Although a month earlier would have been better they can be sowed now, and for protecting and improving the land will do well over the entire State. I fear tl1e farmers, as a class, do not realize the importance of
RESTORING AND PRESERVING OUR LANDS.
We are so aeeustol)J.ed, when one field is exhausted, to seeking a fresh one and following the same destructive processes there; that we .can_not at once ~rasp the faet that we have reached the length of our tether. Another stumb-

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DEPAR'fMENT OF AGRICULTURE.-GEORGIA.

ling block is the difficulty and expense of deciding on the best and most expeditious methods of repairing our past mtstakes. Few farmers can afford, in the present state of affairs, to enter into expensive and perhaps disappointing experiments. I believe the State should help them solve this all-important question. I will save from the two large salaries of fertilizer and oii inspectors lind unnecessary clerk hire, about $12,000 per annum. I shall appeal to the Legislature to allow me to use this money in aiding the farmers to better methods. This wi1l cause no extra tax, but is money I will save from the running expenses of this Department. In this important undertaking I hope the farmers will give me every aid. If they will establish in every county
FARME}{S' INSTITUTES,
For the discussion and better understanding of tl~ese questions, so import1mt to our prosperity, I will give them every aid in the power of the Department. At the Experiment Station are being conducted experiments which, when understood and appreciated, will save thousands uf dollars to the farmers. But how many farmers are at present benefited by them? My idea is to send out from this Departllient, after the crops are '~laid by," men thoroughly qualiP,ed
a and practical, who can take these experiments and so thoroughly illustrate and
explain them, that there will not be county in the State where the farmer~ cannot profit by them, if they so desire.
The possibilities of our lands in intensive farming are almost beyond belief, 'and while a few pioneers have " blazed out" the way, the great body of fan;ners have yet t~ learn that the scarcity of labor, and other difficulties surrounding the agricultural situation, will gradually narrow us down to a smaller area, and from this reduced acreage we must produce larger crops. How to do thi,.; is not within the grasp of everyJarmer, and it is here that these farmers' institutes, the Experiment Station and the Agricu.ltural Department could work together. The heautifully level and receptive lands of Middle and Southem Georgia1 are peculiarly adapted to this system and will, perhaps, bring the quickest returns. If the entire tax on fertilizers were appropriated to elucidating this question, it would only amount. to the small sum of one and a half cent' to each child, taken from the school fund, and it could not be better applied, for, 1f the farmers can only be aided to independence, the question of educating children will be at once settled. As far as possible, I wish to advise with the farmers on this and other important questions affecting their interest. If this .department can demonstrate the most effectual, expeditious and the cheapest methods of reclaiming and preserving our lands ; also that the cost of making cotton can be reduced, and that farmers are prosperous only when they raise their own supplies, T will feel that my work has not been in vain.
R T. NESBIT't', Commissioner~

GRASS CUL'fURE IN THE SOUTH.
It is no part ot our purpose to treat this subject scientifically or exhaustively. We wish to offer a few practical thoughts, hoping to get the farmers generally to thinking about it. We, of course, expect this thinking to be .followed by experimenting.

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A large part of the world live and grow rich by cultivating and selling hay, while we are kept poor by buying hay and killing grass. And we spend about as much to keep the grass from growing as we do buying hay to feed with. For a long time we thought we could not grow the hay-making grasses in the South; but experience has proven this idea to t>e false. Quite a variety of them grow as well here as anywhere, and some are especially adapted to our soil and climate.
Red clover, timothy, orchard grass, tall meadow, oat grass, red top and lucerne flourish almost anywhere in the South. All that is necessary, is to prepare the land well by deep and thorough pulverization, and sow the seed~ properly at the right seasons. For most of. the country, September and February are the proper months to sow in. Besides these, the Johnson grass the Guinea grass, Rescue grass and Bermuda grass are valuable, both for grazing and mowing.
These grasses ft.equently yield from one to three tons per aere, and furnish two or three cuttings per year. The hay always finds a ready market, and thP profit far exceeds a crop of cotton or grain. The expense attending the raising of grass is very little compared to raising cotton. Land that will produce half a bale of cotton per acre, and give you three or four dollars profit, will yield three tons of gool hay, and give you forty dollars profit.
Besides this, the labor is so much lighter and more pleasant than cotton ra1smg. Nothing can surpass the loveliness of a rural home, with green fields of grass surrounding it, and fat colts and lambs sporting in them, while the new mown hay in the adjoining fields fills the air with an aroma that at once soothes and cheers and comforts. There is an idea of plenty and home hap piness associated with such surroundings. And thie is easily in the reach of the poorest, and a little labor and attention is all that is necessary. Any man who can bear the expense of starting ~ff a cotton crop can sow grass. The grass once well set is a permanent sonree of income for year8 without any expense, except cutting :tnd hauling.
It iE cheaper to feed on good hay than to pull fodder, to say nothing of the cost of raising the fodder, and besides this 1t is so much cheaper to graze than to feed ; to let stock gather their own food instead of gathering it for 'them and carrying it to the'm. The feeding of stock is tl~e greatest drain on the Southern farmer's resources. And this will continue until we learn how much cheaper grass is than corn or fodder.
The culture of grass will soon do away with washes, and the land, instead of being worn and exhau,sted, will be preserved and improved. We can make money, and yet our land will be getting richer all the while. The grass not only prevents the rain from washing the best of the soil away, but actually gathers fertilizing properties from the rain and sunshine, and storeR them in the soil for future use. The top covers the ground, and protects it from injury by the scorching heat of the sun, anti the roots pulverize the soil and enable it to absorb the ammonia and other manurial qualitieil from the rain water and dews and atmosphere. In this way they give to the soil more thar: they take away. And when you get all the hay you can, you still have a coating to be plowed in that iR worth as much to the soil as a thousand pounds of com mercial fertilizer per acre.

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DEPARTMEN'l' OF AGRICULTURE.-GEORGIA.

This is especially true of dover, crab grass and Bermuda. The Southern farmer has no better friend than the crab grass, and yet he often impoverishes himself by fighting it. Twenty acres nicely plowed, harrowed and rolled, with the same fertilizer put upon it, and crab grass allowed to grow, will yield a much larger income than the adjoining twenty in cotton, and at a much, less expense. Try it and see. If this article was not already long enough, I would like to say something about Bermuda, which is seemingly sent by a kind providence to restore the lands our folly bas ruined, and save the farming interests from bankruptcy. Instead of being dreaded, it Rhould be welcomed everywhere.
For Bermuda sod, plow with coulter or subsoil plow one furrow every ten inches, and top dress with a fertilizer containing a high per cent. of pbos" phoric acid and potash, and harrow with a light harrow, and the yield of hay will fully r11pay you for all trouble and expense.
Nitrate of potash and bone flour are both excellent for all grasses. For clover, gypsium or land plaster is a very superior fertilizer, and cheap.

MONTHLY TALK TO THE FARMERS.
(.From AugWJt Crop Report.)
At the risk of being considered tiresome, I must reiterate what I have so often advised, viz. : That the farmers consider seriously the important problem of produefng an abundant food supply at home. Let us, after careful deliberation, settle on a line:of .policy, which will eventually assure onr independence and then adhere to it, undismayed by the many difficulties which loom up whenever a change from the "all cotton" system is attempted. Now is the time to make this decision, for September is the month in which much of the small grain, rye, oats and barley in North Georgia should be sown. It is true that the corn harvest will, in all probability, be an abundant one; but we should not allow this to prevent our making "a9stuance doubly sure," by putting in a large small grain crop. I have recently taken observations in the different sections of the State, and what I have seen but confirms my previous statements, that the majority of Georgia farmers are making a grand mistake in pursuing the cotton myth, when they could gain from the substantial provision reality the competence to which they are entitled and which they deserve. Understand me as advocating, not the abandonment of cotton, nor even its restriction to such a degree as to bring other countries with cheaper labor into ruinous competition with us; but I do advise that this question be adjusted on a strictly business basis, and that the farmers, having the light of reason and past bitter experience to guide them, lift themselves out of their pi"esent difficulties.
Last week the first bale of cotton from Dougherty county, classed middling, :;old in New York for seven cents! The price ;f corn in Georgia is ~1.00.
The grain crops of Europe are reported almost a complete fail_ure. Now should our farmers provide for abundant supplies at borne, we are not only

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fortified against probable high prices, but will have an opportunity to bring back from Europe some of the gold which has flowed there in such large quantities. We must not, therefore, be satisfied with our large corn crop, but resolve at oncs to sow a large small grain crop. A winter oat from North Carolina, sowed in the cotton fields, of North Georgia in August, will, unless we have an almost unprecedented winter, result most favorably. If killed, sow again in the late fall or early winter, and supplement this crop with as much rye as you can afford to buy, and have the time to put in. It will protect your land from leaching and washing, fill it with the vegetable matter so much needed, and J\"ive an abundant forage mpply.
CLOYEH AND OHl'HARIJ <iHA~S.
Prepare a few acres thoroughly this fall by breaking deeply and harrowing until all clods and lumps are broken; apply any good commercial fertilizer in such quantities as to assure an abundance of plant food; if you have lot manure nothing is better. Sow about one peck of red cloYer seed and two bushels orchard grass to the acre; you will thus have a pasture which can be made to last f01 _;ears, by simply giving a spring and fall top dressing of some good fertilizer. To the farmer who has once done this it is an easy matter to raise a colt or two, and when this plan becomes general, the big leak, which now flocks to the "rest for our mules and horses will be checked, and one somce of prosperity will be established. It is through these apparently trivial reforms tha't our farmers must work themselves to a higher plane. We must learn to produce our cotton at less cost, a maximum production controlled by a minimum cost. I have never been so thoroughly impressed with the great .advantages resulting from deep preparation, careful seeding and then rapid and skillful cultivation, as the present crops show. Where these conditions exist, the outlook without exception is encouraging. Where men have prepared on the broad acre plan, have been harassed in obtaining labor or by unpropitious seasons, the result is most unsatisfactory.
Radical changes to be effective must be made gradually, and, admitting that a cllange is needed, let us start at once to make these necessary reforms. Start with.,the fall crops; make a beginning if only a small one. If from any cause the stand should fail, don't give up but try again.
rlie farmers of Holland now own one of the richest grass and grain countries in the world, the lands are worth anywhere ftom $200 to $500 per acre, and yetthese same lands. were wrested from the great sea itself, and the' farmers in gaining a foothold had to fight, not only the usual difficulties, but to struggle against the encroachments of wind and wave. The great dykes have been built at immen~e cost of time, money and labor, and once established must be watched day and night lest one little break destroy the work of years. As with liberty, so with success in farming, "eternal vigilance" is the price of both. A man must first be sure that he has chosen farming as the business best suited to his tas~es and capacity, and having decided this lie must use every means and bend every energy to making his special branch of agriculture the greatest success.
R. T. NESBITT, Commissioner of Agriculture.

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.-GEORGIA.

VALUES FOR

AVAILABLE PHOSPHORIC ACID, AMMONIA.
(From Bulletin No. 16.);

POTASH

AND

This Department, after careful investigation, has decided upon adopting the following values for available phosphoric acid, potash and ammonia (or its equivalent in nitrogen) in eommercial fertilizers and chemieals. admitted for sale in the State of Georgia for the season of 1891-\1'2:
Available Phosphorie Acid, 4 cents a pound, or ..................... 80 per 11nit. Ammonia (or its equivalent in nitrogen), 12 cents a pound or 2.40 per unit. Potash, 4 cents per pound, or...............................................80 per unit.
The ana'lyses which follow are all figured upon this basis, with $2.60 additional added to each ton to cover cost of inspection, sacks, mixing and handling.
To obtain the reiative commercial value of a brand of goods, add the per centages of available phosphoric acid and potash together and multiply by 80, as each per cent. is 20 pounds to the ton, valueJ. at 4 cents a pound. Multiply the per eentage of ammonia by 2.40, as each per cent. represents 20 pounds at 12 cents a pound. To the two results add the $2.60 for inspection, sacks, mix~ ing imd handling. To illustrate by a sample eontaining
Available Phosphoric Acid ...................................................... 10.15 Ammonia. .. .... ... .. ....... ... ... ... ...... .... .. ...... .. .... ...... ...... ...... ...... 2.05 Potash........................ :.. ...... ..... ......... ...... ...... ......... ...... ...... 1.25 Available Phosphoric Acid, ..... ...... ........ ..... 10.15 by .80=8.12 Ammonia.. ...... ... ... ......... .... .. ...... .. ..... .. .... 2.05 by 2.40=4.92 Potash..................................................... ... 1.25 by .80=1.00 Inspection, sacks, mixing and handling................. :.............. 2.60
Relative commercial value......................................... 16.64
THese values are necessarily only proximate, and are intended to be comparative rather than absolute, as it is impossible to fix exact values for an entire season upon mercantile goods subject to the various fluctuations of' the market. Char.eston Phosphate Rock, from which such a large portion of the phosphoric acid of fertilizers is obtained, is at this time $1.00 a ton more than last season, :;tnd sulphur, which is the source of the sulphuric acid used for rendering the phospl:Joric aeid in phosphate rock available as plant food, i~ several dollars a ton higher than last year; cotton seed meal, which is used largely as a source of nitrogen, is in the anomalous condition of being somewhat higher in price just now, than last winter, while the crude seed are selling for less than they brought a year ago._ We have given a little lower value~ than last season, notwith>tanding these advances, but do not feel that they are too low for wholesale prices. These values are for goods in large lots for cash, in either Atlanta or Savannah, and are based upon actual quotations at these points. To get the cash value of small lots the farmer should add the freight and a fair profit to the manufacturer upon his investment. The freight from Atlanta or Savannah will rarely exceed $3.00 per ton to any point. in the State,

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27

if goods are shipped from the nearest .of the two markets and over only one line of railway. When sold on credit the manufacturer is compelled to charge a larger profit to cover interest on his money and the usual percentage of loss by bad debts.
Georgia is one of the most liberal users of fertilizers of the States of the Union. This is due to the enlightened condition of her farmers and the 'l'ise laws whicG, exclude worthless fertilizers from the State. Without. such laws unscrupulous manufacturers w~uld soon flood the State with inert goods while claiming every excellence for them, thus disappointing the agriculturalist and making him lose faith in all chemical manures. Such misrepresentation is now detected by the State Chemist, and promptly exposed. The protection afforded to the farmer is evidenced by the enormous increase of the fertilizer business of the State. Outside of the large revenue to the State froin the inspections, there is a tremendous addition to the taxable property in Georgia going on from the constant erection of new mil!R and plants for the manufacture and manipulation of these goods.

UUARANTEED ~~NALYHIS.
In this Bulletin is published, for the first time, the minimum guaranteed analysis of the manufacturers. The maximum guaranteed analysis is omitted as being misleading in some instances, the goods not approximating it, iior ~ing intende~ to do so. While this is not true of the majority of brands, yet as the maker is only legally bound by his minimum guarantt>e, no other
a is given. It is matter of congratulation that, of the many goods offered this season so very few fall.below their guarantee, most of them e;xceeding it by a liberal margin. Those few that are below their ~uarantee. are but slightly so, an<J in nearly every instance haveimore than made up the deticit by an unusual excess of the other ingredients, thusjshowing imperfect mixing instead of short w~ights. During the; months of !December, January and February, when most of the inspections were made, the weather was excessively wet, which probably made some goods run lower than they would ha\'e <lone in drier weather.
FERTILIZERS IN GEORGIA.
Fifteen years ago Georgia passed her present fertilizer law. During those fifteen years great changes have taken place in the fertilizer business of the State. Georgia is now probably the largest consumer of commercial fertilizers auiong the States' of the Union. She is also one of the largest manufacturers oi such goods. Every large city in the State now has several extensive plants, an(l smallet' factories are located in almost every section. The amount of capital invested reaches an enormous sum, the taxes upon it adding largely to the income of the State.

21l

DEPARTM.ENT _QF AGRICULTURE.-GEORGIA.

In 187li the average cash price of ammoniated goods was a little over $!7.00 a ton, and ::~f acid phosphates abont $38.00. Prices now are just one-half of those figure~. Before the institution of the Department of Agriculture the Htate was flooded with low grade fertilizers at high prices, ordinary, worthless, dirt being, in Rome instances, one of the ingredients. The Department of Agri-culture soon broke up such concerns with their tremendous profits and miserable goods. and now, thanks to the bright light shed by the laws of the State upon the manufacture of chemical manures, they are all compelled to stand upon their aetna! merits; each maker appears to be striving to make a more excellent ;.wods than his competitor. Only good materials are used; no one cares to risk putting in worthless -dirt. While the' profits are cut down tremendously they are still large enough to be remunerative. In evidence of this the quantity of fertilizers made in Georgia is steadily increasing. New plants are being constantly erected. With South Carolina phosphate rock on one side and Florida paosphate on the other, and deposits within _her own borders;Heorgia is peculiarly well located for the manufacture of phosphatic manures. Phosphate rock and sulphuric acid mixed in nearly equal proportions form ''acid phosphate," which is the chief ingredient in nearly all manufactured fertilir.ers. Until quite recently all the sulphuric aeid made in this country was obtained from sulphur imported from Sicily. Excellent sulphuric acid is now procured in this State from iron pyrites, a combination of iron and sulphur containing about 42 per cent. of sulphur. 'rhis is a much (~heaper source of sulphuri(~ llCid than the imported sulphur. Iron pyrites -exist in large quantities in Georgia, and will soon be furnishing the acid makers a cheap raw material from their own State. It. is probable that fertilizers will continue, to grow cheaper, anrl as freight becomes more and more out of proportion to the value oUhe goods, manufacturers will bestir them-selves to rid their output of all inert m'lterial possible. By this means a large Having in freight can be accomplished. This will doubtless be done when the -savings in freight will more than pay for the expense of concentration. By the use of proper means it is possible to run the amount of available phosphoric acid in an acid phosphate to almost any point desired. High grade fertilizers, and plenty of them, at low prices, is one of the needs of the time. W!len farmers can afford to broadcast their fertilizers and give up sowing thetn in the drill, they will then fertilizE:' the s<~il as well as the crop. With such fertilization the vigorous roots push strongly in every direction, feeding as they go, and the plants are able to bear up bravely in unfavorable weather, when a ~rop nourished by a mass of short roots erowded in the drill, would languish and die, or only produce a miserable result.
As fertilizers are usually inspected, a ;~mall Hample of from two to four <Junces is taken to represent lots of from five to hundreds of tons. In this bnlietin there ocenrs sometimes as many as from three to five analyses of lh~ same brand of good!', yet so well are most of them mixed, that in spite of the small samples taken, their variations are quite small. In some instances, how; ever, the analyses show that this mixing at the factory has been very imperfect. This' Department desires' to give a fair average analysis of each maker's goods. Anything higher would be unjust to the farmer, and anything lower would be unfair to the manufacturer. One small sample taken by an inspector

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may, in the majority of instances, fairly represent the aventge composition of a

fertilizer; yet cases uo occur where the sample is consiuerllbly better than tht' u~ual output of the factory; and on the other hand some samples run too low

to fairly represent the goocls in question. It would be better if the inspections.

were so arranged that the chemist could secure from three to five samples of ~ach brand of fertilizer sold in the State, the samples to be taken iu different

parts of th~ State, and at different times; these samples to be all mixed thor-

oughly and an analysis made from the mixture. This would give a fair aver,

age and be just to all parties.

No State enjoys better fertilizers, nor lower prices for them, than the State

of Georgia. There arc several reasons for this: The enterprise of her citizens,

her proximity to the phosphate fields, her splendid railroad systems, the

accessibility of her ports to foreign vessels, and her tremendous production of

cotton seed, which is used so largely as an ammoniate in manures. Adjacent

States charge the small fee of twenty,five cents a ton for inspection; other

States charge a license of $500.00 for each brand. One of the New England

States charges $30.00 for each analysis of ammoniateu superphosphates with

potash, and $10.00 for those of a single ingredient. But Georgia only charges

the tiny sum of ten cents a ton for inspection. Often a five-ton lot is inspected,

for which the maker pays only fifty cents to the State, for which amount the

Department sends an inspector to him at an expense of several dollars on the

railroad and makes an analysis worth $20.00. The tax of the State of Georgia

upon the manufacture of fertilizers amounts to almost nothing, the smaller the

the manufacturer the less he has to pay. The business is free to all. Small as

the inspection fee is, it enables the Department to save hundreds of thousands

of dollars to the farmers of Georgia each year. The Department with its

analysis reveals the true composition of all goods offered. There is no oppor-

tunity for fraud; each brand is thrown squarely on its merits; there is but little

chance for the big concerns to squeeze out the little ones. The usual complete

fertilizer of the market averages to-day, in economical Connecticut $33.80 a ton

'cash. The same goods are selling in this State at from $5.00 to $10.00 per ton

less. Taking the difference at only $5.00, and .multiplying it by 30,000, the

number of tons sold in the State this season, we have the enormous amount

of one million and a half dollars saved to the farmers of Georgia by the

straightforward, open manner in which the fertilizer business is compelled to

be carried on under the laws of this State. And at an expense of only $30,000

is this one and a half miliion saved to the farmers; or simply stated, every dol-

lar paid to the Department by th~ manufacturers is saving Georgia fanners

$150.00, and of each dollar one-third goes back to the State Treasury to be

applied to other purposes. The Department of Agriculture is doing a great work, and with more means at its command could achieve still more. No ~tate

in the Union can show such a record. 'rhree hundred thousand tons of fer-

tilizers inspected, over one thousand analyses made, and all expenses of com-

missioner, chemist, inspectors, clerks, printing and postage not exceeding

$20,000.

GEORGE F. PAYNE, State ~Chemist.

:lo

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.-GEORGIA.

REPORl' OF THE CHEMIST.

LABORA'rORY OF STATE CHEMIST, STATE CAPITOL,
A"CLANTA, GA., August 25, 1891.
Hon. R. T. Nesbitc, Commis8ioner of Agriculture:
DEAR Sm-As you !tre well aware, the amount of work demanded in the analysis of fertilizers by the Department of Agriculture, during the past season, has~been the largest in its history. During the past two years the number of tons of fertilizers sold in Georgia luis increased over fifty per cent. In the '8eason of 1874-1875 there were about 48,000 tons inspected; this season there' were inspected over 300,000 tons, or more than si]( times as much. The man nfacture of these goods in the State is constantly increasing. With Florida phosphates on one side, South Carolina phosphates on the other, and rich deposits within her own borders, with heavy mining operations in each State, Georgia now stands in the. centre of the most extensive phosphate business in the world. With our tremendous production of cotton seed, which is now only second to that of the enormous State of Texas, our beds of iron pyrites for the production of sulphuric acid, our fine seaports for the importation of potash salts, and for shipping phosphate rock abroad, and our low. inspection fee, we have many advantages, and already enjoy the most reasonable prices for fertilizers of any State in the Union. Our increasing factories are steadily broadening their business. One establishment alone will make 50,000 tons the coming season, which is more than was used by the whole State sixleen .years ago.
The discovery of rich phosphates in the State iii large quantities, will doubtless make Georgia a still larger consumer and mannfaturer of phosphatic manures. The discovery near Boston, in Thomas county, I find to be richer than the well-known South Carolina rock;. the deposits in Camden county are also quite promising, but have not yet been fully investigated. Samples sent by a party from Cuthbert also show up well, but as, exact locations were not given, I surmise that they are a prospector's samples, and are as likely to be from Florida as from Georgia. Analyses' of all these samples accompany my report.
Assuming the duties of my office over a month after the opening of the season, and changing my laboratory from Macon to its present position in the State Capitol, made the work peculiarly onerous, all of the inspections of the ~onth of October and those of a portion of November awaiting me, and the equipment of my laboratory, with gas pipes, water pipes, etc., being necessary, before I could begin work. In spite of these drawbacks, I have accomplished from one to five analyses of every fertilizer sold to the farmers of Georgia, during the season of 1890-1891.
I note with pleasure an increase in the number of farmers who mix their own goods.. As an instance of this, the number of kainits alone analyzed this season is three times that of last year. The increased manufacture of acid phosphates within the State, and its immediate change into ammoniated goods, has caused the amount of acid phosphate inspected this season to run below that of last year. This is most gratifying, in view of the fact that the total

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81

-amount of fertilizers consumed bas been the largest ever known in t~e State. Georgia, with her poor soil, produced over one million bales of cotton last season, a crop larger than that of any other State, except Texas, which has five times her area. Over half the fertilizers used on this year's crop were made in Georgia.
In Central and Southwest Georgia are found large quantities of buhr stone and marl. These resemble some varieties of phosphl1-te rock so closely that it is impossible to decide their character by mere optical inspection. They are constantly brought to me in enormous quantities, under the impression that they are phosphate rock. As a homely definition of the siliceous composition of the buhrstone, it might be called sand rock. It is usually full of petrified .~bells. The marl often contains a decided quantity of phosphate of lime, and .a small amount of potash. This could be used to advantage on many soils, particularly after being burnt. New Jersey annually sells from 20,000 to 30,000 .tons of a similar marl, at an average of $10.00 a ton. More concentrated fertiiizers are becoming so low in price, however, that their use is falling off.
I have analyzed four samples of fertilizers during the season which fall below the requirements of the Georgia law. Their numbers are 5106, 4327,5567, 266R. With the exception of 4327 they are excellent goods, but the Georgia law demands for ammoniated superphosphates 8 per cent. of available phosphoric acid and 2 per cent. of ammonia, which they do not contain. A ferti-
1
lizer with 8 per cent. available phosphoric acid at 4 cents a pound, and 2 per cent. of ammonia at 12 cents a pound, (with $2.60 allowed for mixing, inspection and bagging 1\S is usual), would be worth $13.80 a ton. All of these four samples exceed this amount: No. 5106 contains a large quantity of potash; No. 4327 has more ammonia than the law demands and some potash, Nos. 5567 and 266R each have a large excess of both ammonia and potash. All four, while technically too low, actually exceed the value of 8 per cent. available phosphoric acid and 2 per cent. ammonia. No. 4327 contains a large quantity of common salt.
I have found the great majority of goods to be in excellent condition; a few however, were badly prepared, lumpy and sticky; the water in several ran up to sixteen and twenty per cent., which means from 300 to 400 pounds of water to the ton. A few goods were also not well mixed. As only fifty pounds of
muriate of potash are needed to yield ll- per cent. of potash per ton when
mixed with 1,950 pounds of fertilizer, the mixing bas to be very thorough to get . such a small quantity perfectly distributed. A. large manufacturer acknowledged to me recently that be could not get a thorough mixture. without running the goods through the machinery four times, and this he could not afford to do. A number of brands run below their guarantee on potash, and probably an equal number run above what they are entitled to, on account of this want of thorough admixture. It bas come to my notice that a few manufacturers, in purchasing muriate of potasli, buy it on the German ahaly&is:of eighty-odd per cent. "chlorkalium," and consider the eighty-odd per cent. "chlor-kalium" to mean eighty-odd per cent. potash. Such is not tb~ case; "chlor-kalium" means muriate of potash. If a substance contains only 80 per cent. of "chlor-kalium" or muriate of potash, it represents but 50.40per cent. of actual potash; 50 pounds of such muriate will only furnish about 1} per cent.

32

DEPARTMEN'I'. OF AGRICULTURK-GEORGLL

actual potash instead of 2 per cent., as these parties figure. It does not appear

reasonable that a manufacturer should be so~poorly posted in regard to his own

business, but two or more of them have actually sent their formula to this

Department figured on the basis that SO per cent. "chlor-kalium" meant SO per

cent. actual potash, as evidence of their putting in more potash than the analy-

sis gave them.

'

It takes three days to make an analysis of a complete fertilizer. By running

a number at a time an expert chemist can average one a day. It is not a mat-

ter of looking, handling, smelling and tasting, as some people imagine, nor is

it done by putting into a machine and turning a crank to separate the ingre-

dients. It is a careful, painstaking process separating each ingredient which

takes three days, and the spilling of one drop of the liquids, or the losing of

one speck of the powders, necessitates the whole work being done over again.

THE NUMBER OF ANALYSES MADE DURING THE SEASON WERE AS FOLLOWS:

Acid Phosphates.................................................................................. 14ll

Acid Phosphates with Ammonia.................................

.. ................ 10

Acid Phosphates with Potash.............................................................. 52

Acid Phosphates with Ammonia and Potash (complete fertilizers) ............. 535-

Kainits... .. ... .. ...................................:.. .. ... ... .. ... . .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .......... 33

Cotton Seed Meals................................................................................ 24

Chemicals not otherwise enumerated ....................................................... 23

Natural Phosphates ................................................................................. 51

Minerals......... .... ..... .. .. .. ... .. . .. .......................................................... 146

Mineral waters.................: ...................................................................5

Marls,......................................................................................._. ........... 12

Buhrstones...... .. .. .. .. . ...............................................................................8

1,048: Besides these analyses I have identified quite a number of grasses, plants

and insects.

While fertilizer analvses constitute the work required of me by the State, it

bas given me much pleasure to aid in every way in my power in the material

development of the great resources of our grand old State. I have the honor

to be

Very respectfully,

GEORGE F. PAYNE.

State Chemist.

MONTHLY TALK TO THE FARMERS.
(From September Crop Report.)

As this is perhaps the last report to be issued from this Department until another crop is "pitched," planted and growing, I would urge upon the farmers the important fact that their agricultural salvation rests, in a great measure,.

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33

in their own hands. Legislation will undoubtedly luilp them in this fight. but government aid, without determined, and, in a measure, united effort on their part, is like extending suecor to a tlrowning man who makes no effort to save
himself. It is true that agricultural eomlitions vary widely ir1 the different sections
-of the State, and with individual farmers the difference is e\en greater, but in .all one fact is patent, that the farmer who raises his own supplies is the only -one in condition to take the advice jtBt now HO freely off<Jred from every quarter-that is, to plant less cotton.
The effort to pay debts eontractetl for supplies with i and R cents cotton is like trying to force a No. (i boot on a No. 10 foot; the agony is all with the ioot, and the result of the e.Kperiment will depend entirely upon the texture of the boot. This is the ~eason that we spend in anxious conversation with otir neighbors and acquaintances in discussing and suggesting plans, and forming good resolutions. Every intelligent farmer contends most eloquently for an abundance of home-raised supplies. \Ve resolve, and resolve, until otlr fertile brains are well nigh exhausted with effort to bring about the needed reforms. But when in reality we endeavor to make the break, what stumbling blocks confront ns! First, the cotton crop matle at such heavy expenditure of time and labor and money, is white to the harvest, labor ~carce and exacting, the weather t.hreatening and unpropitious. But the crop i~ made, and to save loss irom the weather and othet causes must he gathered and marketed as soon as. circumstances.will permit, and thus the purchased seed of rye and wheat re main in the barn until too late, nuder ordinary seasons, to yield a remunerative crop. So from year to year we satisfy f\Urselves with good resolutions, and our lands, under the one crop system, are declining at such a rate that the sa(l effects are witnessed on almost every farm n the State. This false system, pursued year after year, has almost depri\'ed the farmer of the prerogative of a freeman, and chained as lw is to his misfortunes he can only throw off the yoke by degrees. But no honest creditor will push a man to the wall when he shows a willingness to meet his obligations promptly, amt furthermore, when he evidences a desire to reform and adjust his farming operations on a basis from which others have worked suecessfnlly. .Let us, therefore, ~~:ather rapidly, and sell our cotton as fast as it is prepared for market, meet our honest obligations promptly, and thereby relieYe those who have aided us at a time when we needed credit, and place them in position to face their overdue balances. 'l'his plan will do much to restore the confidence so greatlJj needed just now. Our obligations complied with to the extent of our ability, let us put some of our good resolutions into practice. Sow the rye as recommended in my Jnly report, ant! such other grain as time and opportunity permits.
Where it is possible and conditions are favorable sow clover. I quote .from a recent pul,lication: Wkeat, barley and other Sl,llall grains obtain their nour ishment from the fh'e or six inches of top-soil, and when that is materially .(iiminished these crops are reduced, and the fertility must be renewed before large crops can again be raised. Leguminous plants, such as peas, red clover and alfalfa, must go deeper for nutriment. Peas draw mostly from six to ten ,inches; clover, from eight to sixteen. It has often been estimated, based upon
3"

34

DEPARniENT OF AGRICULTURE.-GEORGIA.

pareful experiment, that the roots and stubble of red clover are equal itv weight to a large crop above ground, and thus they estimate the manurial value of th'l roots of well cut clovPr as equal to 5,000 pounds of clover hay."'
Sir J. B. Laws made, perhaps, the most thorough investigation of the stubble and root growth of clover. After the last crop of clover was cut in the fall he found tbat the dry weight was, of-
Stubble .................................................................... 2,669 pound:; per acre.. Roots 1st 9 ineheR ........................... ,........................ . 3,017 pounds per acre.. Roots 2d 9inehes ..................................................... . 275 pounds per acre.
Roots 3d 9 inches ................................................... . 191 pounds per acre..
Total. ................................................................. G,l52 pounds per acre-
He went deeper, but this ifl quite sufficient to show that the stubble and roots are equal to the best crop of clover hay. It is thus safe to say that the stubble and roots of well set clover would furnish the fertilization for three to four crops of wheat or other crops of small grain.
The late Dr. Voelcker made a study of the clo~er plant in England, and in. an admirable paper in the .Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society for 18GS he made a very concise summary of his views aR to the effect upon the soil of the clover crop, a few of which I will give:
" There is fully three times as much nitrogen in a crop of clover as in the average produce of the grain and straw of wheat per acre."
"During the growth of clover a large amount of nitrogenous matter accumulates in the soil. This accumulation, which is greatest in the surface soU, is due to decaying leaves dropped during the growth of clover, and to abundance of roots, containing when dry from one and three-fourths to two per cent. of nitrogen."
"Clover not only :)rovides abundance of nitrogenous food, but delivl"rs thi" food in a really available form (as nitrates) more gradually and continually and with more certainty of good results, than such food can be applied to the land in the shape of nitrogenous spring top-dressing."
"Neither clover nor atfalfa should be plowed under as manure, when all the nutritive qualities may be utilized by the dairy cow, and ninety per cent. of_ the fertilizing power remain in the droppings for the land."
By this plan of sowing clover, where climatic conditions are favorable, anll.' rye in the lower portions of the State, which are unsuited to clover, the soil, whi~h is really the farmer's capital, is being gradually improved. what man, having a sum in bank from whieh he is continually drawing large supplies, would expect the same interest eachyear? Yet this is exactly what the farmers are doing. They are exhausting their !awls and still expecting them to yield the same returns. By planting, if only a little each year; in rye, or clover and grasses, the important beginning is made, which, I hope, will usher in a. brighter era. This once accomplished the way will be open for the reduction of the cotton area; for the worn lands, being supplied with the humus so mueh needed, we cannot only reduce the area, Inti z,:s~en the co.t of production-the consummation so devoutly to be wished.
The danger from rust and fruit failure, at the most critical period of plant development, will also be greatly lessened. 'Ye ean give more attention to

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.,.-.
o>()

the raising of stock, the cultivation of fruits and vegetables, the beautify in~ of farms and homes, and the promoting of those conditions which are so neeessary to the happiness and prosperity of a people.
AXALYSIS.
BERMUDA-Albuminoids, total. ........................................................ . 10.10 Albuminoids, digestible .................................................... . 6.0() Crude fibre, total,............................................................ . :!0.:!0 Crude fibre, digestible ....................................................... ll.il Nitrogenfree extract, total.. ............................................. .. 46.00 Nitrogen free extract, digestible ........................................ .. 28.\JS
Fat, total ..... ~ ............................. ,..................................... .. um
Fat, digestible ................................................................. .. Nutritive ratio ............................................................... .. l:i.S

INORGANIC )fA'l'TEHS IN.~ TOX OF .UR DI!Y 1I.IY, COXT.UXIXn 14 PJCH CEXT.
WATEH.
BERMUDA-Nitrogen .....................: .......................................... :14.20 pound,;. Phosphoric acid ................................................... !U9 pounds. Potash .................................................................. H0.22 pou!)(h'. Roda......... ..... ... ......... ......... ......... ......... ............... 9.20 pounds. ~Iagnesia ..................................................... ........ 6.48 pounds. Lime .................................................................... 1i.45 pounds. Sulphuric acid ...................................................... 1ti.84 pounds. Silica .................................................................... 49.35 pounds. Chlorine .............................................................. 1:?.G8 pouncl".
BER)ll'lJA.
In many sections of the State the once despised and much dreaded Bermuda grass will play an important part in the system which we wish to inaugurate. ln tl:iis grass we have. a crop furnished by kindly nature, which by actual analysis, as above, ranks higher than any other grass, and makes a splendid summer pasture. It can also be cut several times during the season and the hay cured for winter use, affording a valuable food supply during the enti1e year. A Bermuda pnsture, once well set and intelligently managed, is a valuable and lifetime investment, and with proper care can be restricted to necessary or desirable bounds.
~R. T. ~ESBITT, Commissioner.

36

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.-G'.':ORGIA.

TOBACCO.
ITB CFLTURE A~D ClJim.

(From Octobe1 Crop Repmt.)
Tobacco raising as a money crop has in the past claimed hut little of the attention of the farmers of Georgia, and its snccessful cultivation has been considered a difficult undertaking, out of the ordinary line of agriculture aml requiring extraordinary skill.
The primitive methods in vogue, the absence of fertilization, the utilization Qf virgin soil only, the want of method in marketing have all aided in limiting the production. The low price of cotton, pointedly bringing to mind the absolute nesessity of a reduction in the acreage of that crop, has recently directed the minds of the farmers to tobacco growing, as its culture and manufacture occupies the sixth place in the great industries of the United States, and a .large portion of Georgia soil has usually been considered adapted to this plant.
Under these circumstances, a short review of late and improved methods of raising and curing the plant may not be considered uninteresting, and may furnish those who are seeking information on this subject a more detailed account than the Department wotild be able to give by letter, and may serve to interest us all more in the culture of tobacco, thus enabling us to increase the price of cotton, our money crop, by another money crop.
SELECTION AND PREPAHATION OF THE SOIL.
The first step necessary to raising tobacco successfully is the selection and preparation of the soil. Tobacco thrives best in a deep mellow soil, either naturally rich or made so by some good fertilizer. If old land is selected, it should be turned over in the fall if there is anything on the land to turn; if not, apply some coarse farm manure. There is nothing better for this purpose than half-rotted straw and lot manure. Follow your turning plow with a subsoiler, so that the land will be rendered sufficiently porous to permit the watlilr to pass downward.
Land treated in this manner in the fall or early winter will be pulverized by the action of the frostl', an<l will be in excellent condition for the final preparation for the plants iu spring. After the frost is all out o.f the ground, a good coating of compost should be spread broadcast and the land broken about half as deep as the first plowing, running across the first. Just before yon are ready to set out the plant~, run a heavy harrow over the land and lay off the rows three feet apart, with a shovel plow. In this furrow put some good fertilizer, at the rate of 200 pounds per acre, or even more, if your land is thin. Then run through it with a narrow plow, in order to mix the fertilizer with the soil. Then bed on thi~ with a one-horse turning plow, and on this bedrua a roller, and your land is ready for setting out the plants, which should be about two feet and a half apa1t.

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New ground, or an old field that has grown up and been cut down, shonld be treated somewhat differently from old, smooth land that has been in cultivation, but thorough brealdng and clearing the land of tufts and roots is all that is necessary_
PREPARATIOX AXD C.\RE OF SEED BEDS.
It is of the utmost importance to the planter to have an early and abundant supply of tobacco plants. To secure this the seed may be sown any time between the 15th of December and the ].5th of l\Iarch-the earlier the better. The ground selected should be Yirgin soil of sandy texture, rich and moist,_ with full exposure of the sun, b'nt sheltered to the north and we3t by rising ground or growing timber against the cold winds of early spring.
The ground having been well chosen, clear it of rocks an(l weeds and rake it off wE'll. Then burn it thorimghly by building a good fire of brush and wood on it, which should be kept burning until you are sure that all vegetation and germs of insects ani killed. A good brisk fire kept up for about two hours will
accomplish this. After the ground has cooled off it should be cleared of ever :v
thing except the ashes, and then dug up tlwr.-,ughly and raked off nicely. Tlie soil should not be innrted however. Tobacco seed are very small and too. much care cannqt be taken in preparing a seed-bed for their reception.
The bed is now ready for seeding; the seed may be sown broadca;;t over it, or a better plan is to mark off drills with a sharp stick about one and a half or two inches apart, and into these little drills sprinkle the seed; they should not be raked in, but the bed should be trodden with the feet, or l"olled or patted with the back of a hoe; a simple but very effectivtl method- is to take a piece of plank and lay it on the bed and tramp on it, then take it up and place it down where the first impression stops, and so on until the entire bed is gone over. The writer has found this a better plan than treading, as the soil and seeds al"e not so apt to adhere to a smooth plank as they are to the feet. The bed should have a trench all round it so that it will be thoroughly draine<l; nothing drowns more easily than a_ tobacco plant.

Q"GANTITY OF SEED.
One and ont>-half tablespoonfuls of seed will sow 100 square yards or thirty by thirty feet of bed. The seed should be mixed with a convenient quantity of dry ashes before sowing, as there is great danger of sowing too thickly.
If the ground on which you prepare your seed bed is not naturally rich it should be made so by applying fine, well rotted stable manure, which must be free from seeds of weeds and grass.
The bed should be thickly covered with fine brush, to prevent both drying and freezing of the soil, by which the plants are either stunted or uprooted.
'fhe tobacco bug generally makes its appearance about the firat of April. An excellent preventive against this enemy of the young plant is to nail a twelve inch plank to stakes driven in the ground at each cornor of the hed, and throw some earth against the lower edge of the planks, and then sow the outer edges' of the bed with black mustard seed. The cold frame will serve the additional pmpose of keeping the bed warm and mo.ist, and should not be

38

DEPART;\'lENT OF AGRICTILTURE.-GEORGIA.

omitted; the mustard will spring up quir<kly, and upon it this bug loves to feed, and will attack it and let the tobacco alone. 'l'he plants will show themselves about the first of March, when an additional tablespoonful of seed should be sown on the bed; after the plants are well up, they should be pushed forward as rapidly as possible by top dressing before each rain with some good fertilizer, at the rate of a gallon to every 100 square yards; the fertilizer should never be applied while the plants are wet with either dew or rain for fear of scalding them. Dry leaves and young grass or weeds should be hand-picked off the bed, but the covering of brush should not be removed permanently until the plants are nearly large enough to set out. If the, plants begin to parch from drouth the bed should be well watered and covered with green boughs laid upon a scaffold several feet above the plants; they should not be shaded too much, and indeed it is sel(lom nece.ssary to shade at all unless U'ry' d,.y.
PLANTING.
A tobacco plant will ripen in about 100 days from the time it is set out. Transplanting should not be earlier than 10th of l\Iay, nor later than the 20th of J nne. The plants are set out very much as cabbage plants are by inserting them to the bud and pressing the earth well to their roots.
Plants should never be suffered to wilt before they are set out. A good plan is to select~ good time, just before a rain if possible, and put all available forces to the work of setting out. The plants should not be' bo small but should be of good size, and if given the same care that yon would give a tomato or cabbage plant they will live and grow off rapidly.
CULTIYATIOX.
Tobacco should receive only surface culture. As soon as ,the plants have taken root they should be gone over with the hoes, breaking the top crust, and drawing fresh earth to the plant; this destroy~ the first crop of grass and kills the cut worms. If the land between the rows has become foul, it should be plowed with small bull-tongue or shovel at this first working.
When grown to say a breadth of twelve inches, they should be cultivated thoroughly with plow or cultivator and hoe; they should be kept clean and some eaith drawn to the plants. This is all the plowing the crop will need, but should grass or weeds appear it should be scrapped out with the hoe.
TOPPING.
The buttons or seed pods should be pinched off as fast as they appear. This usually begins about the'micldle of July, maybe a little earlier with us. 'l'hose plants that are ready should be pruned at the first topping, that is, the lower leaves should be taken off. There is no definite rule as to the nmnber of leaves to be left on a stalk where the old method is mmd, but there should never he more than twelve pr thirteen, generally eight, to ten. As the season advances 1educe the number of leaves left on the stalk, as quality more than quantity will regulate the profits realized.
The suckers should be pulled off every week as they appear, and should never be allowed to get over two inches long. No one need expect a crop of

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39

fine grade tobacco who does not pull oft' the ;;nckers while small, and prevent the horn-worms (the worst enemy to tobacco) from cutting the leaves to pieces.
WORl\If'.
There are three varieties of. worms that are enemies of the tobacco plant at different stages of its growth, the cut-worm, bud-worm and horn-worm ; the cut-worm will cut the stalk of the young tobacco plant as it will any other young plant in our gardens, an<l is best gotten rid of by early working; the bud-worm makes its appearance about the time the plant is coming into top, and feeds upon the bud, cutting it into small holes which enlarge as the leaf grows; the third, or horn-";orm, is the same specieH as that foun<l on Irish potatoes or tomatoes.
Some recommend planting the eommon .Jame~town weed at intervals in and around the tobacco field, and injecting a solution of Paris green or of cobalt in the flowers thereof; another plan is to place lighted lanterns around in the field set in pans of molasess or coal tar. All these, together with early .planting and pushing forward th~ crop, aml going over the crop at least once a week (early in the morning), and waging relentless war upon the worms that may be found upon the leaves of the plants, will insure a good crop. As the season advances and the days become cool, it is best to go over the crop in the afternoon and look for worm~.
:FERTILIZER~.
There is nothing better than well preserved stable manure for tobacco; but there are many good commercial fertilizers t.bat can be used to advantage. 'The following formula will be found to be a complete fertilizer for tobacco:
~0. .I
.Nitrate of soda......................................................................... 300 pounds. Acid phosphate ......................................................................400 pounds.
Sulphate of lime......................................................................:loo pounds.
XO. II.
Kainit ....................................................................................500 pounds. Nitrate of. soda...................................................................... 200 pounds .Acid phosphate ........................................................................ :300 pounds.
Mix thoroughly and apply from :WO to .J.OO pounds to the acre. It must be borne in mind that the tobacco plant is a gross feeder, and responds readily to generous fertilization.
By following the foregoing simple rules a much larger profit can be realized from tobacco than cotton. Try it on one or two acres and be convinced.
GATHERING AND CURING.
As the market value of no crop depends more on the quality than that of ctobacco, it follows as a necessary conclusion that not only should proper care be 'taken in the selection of seed and soil, and attention paid to the preparation -of the latter, but that the best methods of harvesting should be considered and

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.-GEORGJA.

a moaern system of curing adopted, involving, as the process doe~, more or less. of scientific principles.
For years no method of curing was used except the ordinary log tobacc(.) barn, a system which failed to utilize the space within the building to any advantage, which required the stalk for the purpose of hanging, and thus deprive<l the soil of the ammonia and po~ash which it contains, and wh~h sacrifices the primings and otherleaveR that may ripen prematurely.
That by the modern syRtem the Rtripped stalk is left standing in the field,. which, with the suckers that will shoot from it, can be turned under to enricll tlw soil, immediately recommendH it to the thinking farmer, and, when the many features of extravagant waste attending the stalk cure are considered, almost imperativelv demands that it be adopted if the farmer desires to raiRe tobacco as one of his moderate or larger sources of revenue.
Under the modern barn ~ystem, the farmer places himself in position to take advantage of every condition, and whether his tobacco ripens early or late in the season, he is prepared to cure it. Not only this, but by the use of the modern barn or the stick for the old log barn, the neces~ity of carting in useless stalks to be used as a handle on which to cure the leaves, and the consumption of so;much fuel with which to dry then.1, is avoided.
By the use of baskets, with small labor (but little more than would be required forpriming), the leaves can be gathered aH they turn the proper mloron the stalk without waste. And next it is prOlJerto say that the best method is to commence taking off the leaves at the bottom as o;oon as they cha1ige from a dark to a pale green.
The stick invented by Mr. W. H. Snow, of High Point, N. C., holds six steel wires, nine inches long and about six inches apart; each wire has two points,. and with these points women and children can easily place the leaves on the wire, six to each, by pushing it through the butt of the stem.
A first-class modern barn of the Snow system will cost $325, and will cpre twenty acres; and while it is patented, it may not be out of place to give a complete description with specifications.
1
SPECIFICATIONS FOR BUILDING A " MODERN TOBACCO BARK" 16x20 FEET INSIDE 1\IEASrRE AND 20 FEET HIGH.
Select a hill-_side with a slope of about 2~ inclH's to the foot. Commencing at the lower side, dig an excavation 16x20feet into the hi!J.side. This will bring
the upper side about 51 feet from the surface, the floor being level. Then dig
a trench around the~four sides of the excavation, on the in8ide, one foot wide, of the same depth. Fill it with small cobble stones or coarse gravel to serve as a foundation and to act as a drain ; on top of the stone or gravel build an 8-inch wall of good l;lrick or stone with strong lime mortar. The wall should be 5~ feet high on the four sides, level on top making a basement. In the lower or exposed side of the wall leave an opei1ing for the door in the centre
of the wall. The opening should be 5 feet high and 22 feet wide. Lf~ave
openings on each side of the door 3 inches from the ground and 22 inches frmn the side wan, through which the ends of the stoves may project far enpugh to be within 4 irrches of the outside face of the wall. The doors of the stoyes open outwards and the fuel is fed from the outside. Set the stoves 3 inche~

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41

.above the ground floor of th'e basement. ..Cover the stoves with brick arches
extending 2 feet beyond .the rear ends of the stoves, and leaving an nir space of
6. inches above, .ande on each side of the stoves, forming jackets, the rear ends of the jackets to be left open. Directly over the stove doors, and under the line or crown of arches, leave openings in the wall 2x8 inches, the longer line horizontal. ''rhese are to admit fresh air as needed around the stove and within the arch. Covers to fit them; regulate the quantity of air as required. In addition to these openings, two others are left, one alongside each stove, 10 inches square and with the tops level with the surface outside. 'fhrough these openings conduits made of one inch oak plank 10 inches wide for the top and bottom, and 8 inches for -the sides, project and are e11.tended inside the basement its whole length, sunk even with top of the earth floor. Provide these conduits each with four holes 10 inches long and 4 inches wide through the cover, with sliding covers. These are to allow cool air to be admitted to the basement independent of what is let in through the open arches. This completes the ba~ement. The barn superstructure is built as follows: Sills 4x& inches are framed and set on the wall, the 4-inch side resting on the walls. Set
the joists and lay the floor strips 3.}' by l l inches, leaving open spaces ,in strips 1t inches between f'ach of them except those within 2 feet of the walls on three
sides. Heretheflo01isclosely laid. The floor is open in strips at the door end of the building, 'Set the studding exactly 18 inches apart. Set the rafters one third pitch, make the sheeting of good square edged planks. Shingle the roof. In the sheeting and shingles leave an opening 15 feet long and 8 inches wide at the peak of the roof for ventilator, which is made and shipped by us. Sheathing paper is nailed on the joists and the whole is ceiled. Each pair of rafters must have collar or wihd beams made of plank {) inches wide and 1} inches thick, fastened securely at the foot 6 inches above the plates. The first aet of scaffold beams is set 7 feet from the floor on two sides and one end of the building. The next set is set 6 feet above .the first. The window frames are for two 6 light 10x12 glass. The frames are set one in each end 8 feet from the floor. The stanchions will be set by us in in ali cases. The conduits above mentioned when prefered.

BILL OF .FRAMING FOR MODERN BARN.

20xl() EKET IN~IDE )fEASUREMENT.

~ Sills 4xG-21 feet long................................. . 84 feet.

2 Sills 4xG-17 feet long.................................. 6S "

11 Sleepers 2x9-17 feet long............................, 208 "

4 Corner posts 4xfi inches-20 feet long.......... .. lGO "

4 Door and window posts 4x4-20 feet .............. 108 "

44 Studding 2x4-:l0 feet long ........................ .. 572 ''

2 Plates 2x4-21 feet long ................................ 28 "

2 Plates 2x4-1i feet long ........................., ... ..

"

8 Pieces 1lx6-16 feet long............................ .. S!l "

24 Rafters 2x4-12 feet long............................. . 200 "

Sheeting lx12 inches.................................. .. 450 "

Flooring 1x3 inches................................... .. 300 "

Total........ ... .... .. .... ... .. .. ........................2,280 " @ $ 1 00-$22 SO

DEPARTNlENT OF AGRICULTURE.-GEORGIA.
DRESSED LUMBER.
Drop siding lx8 inches-2,000 feet@ $1.10 ........................$22 00 Ceiling ~x8 inches-2,000 feet @ 75 cents .......................... 15 00 Corner boards lx4-80 feet@ $1.10.............. ...... ...... ......... SS Ventilator eomplete ......... ,........ ......... ...... ......... ......... ...... 4 00 Seaffold braces-50 feet @ $1.00.. ......... ......... ......... ...... .. .... 50 Seaffolds 1x9-225 feet@ $1.00..................................... ,... 2 25 Paper lining-72 lbs. @ 6c................ .............................. 4 32 4,000 Shingles@ $.'3.00 ....................................................... 12 00-$60 95
DOOR FRAMEs; ETC.
Door frame 3xG feet......... .. .. ... . .......................................$ 1 20 Door 3x6 feet...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......... ......... 1 :1n Hinges and lock................................ .. .. .. ... .. ... .... .. .. .... .. . 50 Nails for entire building ............ ......... .... .. ..................... G 00 "2 Window frames and sash-8 lights glazed-10x12 ............... 4 00-$13 05
I~SIJJE FIXTURES.
I
4 Sets stanehions (<1) $3.00 per set.. ....................................... $12 ()() 52 Racks@ 35c..........................................................: ......... 18 20 728 Sticks @ Gc...... .......... ... .. . .... .. .... .. .... .. .. .. ...... .. .... .. .... .. ... 43 G8
1 Set pulleys, drums, ete... ... .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .... ... ... ............ .. .. .... 5 00 25 Baskets @ 35c .................................................................. 8 75-$87 63
BASE~mNT.
4,300 Brick, wall i>1 feet high-price.............. ~ ...................- -
2 Stoves 17x24 inches by 4 feet $12.50 each ...........................$25 00 Flues for stoves in basement......... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . ... .. .... .. .... ...... 12 00 Terra-cotta chimney, 27 feet high ................................ 13 50 Conduits for basement-120 feet @ $1.00....... ......... ...... ...... 1 20 Door and frame..................................................... ......... 1 50-$53 20
CIGAR TOBACCO.
It should be remembered that what has been said in tpis article does not ap ply to the eurin~ of eigar tobaeco, whieh is mainly by aiJ:-drying without artifieial heat, with barns constructed for the purpose, so that currents of air can pass through the housed tobaeco.
THE LA\Y.
In conclusion I give the seetion of the last act of Congress relating to the sale of leaf tobacco, with the construction put thereon by the Commissioner {)f Internal Revenue, in order that in this regard there may be no misapprehension:
'' '.rhat all provisions of the statutes imposing restrictions of any kind what:Soever npon farmers and growers of tobaceo in regard to the sale of leaf tobacco, .:and the keeping of books, and the registration and the report of their sales of eaf tobaeco, or imposing any tax on account of such sales, are hereby repealed; Provided, however, That it shall be the duty ot every farmer or planter produc-

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43

ing or selling leaf tobacco, on demand of any internal revenue officer, or other authorized agent of the Treasury Department, to furnish said officer or agent a true and complete Rtatement, verified by oath, of all his sales of leaf tobacco, the number of hogheads, cases or pounds, with the name and residence in each .instance, of the person to whom sold, and the place to which it is shipped. And every farmer ov planter who wilfully refuse~ to furnish information, or knowingly makes false statements as to any of the facts aforesaid, shall be _guilty of a misdemeanor, all.d shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding five h\lndred dollars.
"Farmers and planters are not required to pay an internal revenue tax for .selling leaf tobbacco of their own growth and raising, or leaf tobacco received by tbem from tenants who have produced the same on their lands. The previous ~imitation of an amount not exeeeding one hundred dolla-rs annually is il'epealed by the law above quoted.
"The executor or administrator of a farmer or planter, and the guardian of .any minor is exempt from registering as a dealer in leaf tobacco produced by such farmer or planter or by said executor, administrator or guardian as such, -or :t;eceived by either of them as rents from tenants, who produced the same .on the land of said farmer, planter or minor.
"A farmer is not required to pack or prize~ his tobacco before offering it ior oaale, in hogheads or otherwise, but he may sell it loose as he has heretofore been in the habit of selling, keeping sueh an account as will enable him to ren-der a true statement of amount sold when called for."
R T. NESBITT.

NEW LA\V GOVER~ING THE INSPECTION OF FERTILIZERS AND FERTILIZER MATERIALS.
wasOn the 19th of Oetober, 1891, an Act, the full text of which is here given, approved by the Governor. In many respects it changes the method of inspeeting fertilizers and fertilizing materials, and in these changes the Commissioner t-rusts that all manufacturer;;; and dealers, or their agents, will willingly acquiesce,'a.s the Department will require, and will see that the law and the regulations established by the Commissioner are carried out. The assent .aud co-operation of manufacturers and dealers, or their agents, will obviously
will .. \rende~ their dealings with the Department more pleasant, and at the same time better enable the Commissioner to give an efficient, service, aud will aid him more readily to detect any spurious article that is sought to be imposed 'Upon the people of the State; and in protecting the farmers at the same time tO protect the honest manufacturer and dealer.

DEPARTl\1ENT OF AGRICULTURE.-GEORGIA.

AN ACT

To amend and c:msolidate the laws governing the inspection, analysis and sale of commercial fertilizers, chemicals and cotton seed meal in the State of Georgia; and to repeal all other laws and parts of laws in conflict therewith, and for other purposes.

SECTI0:-1 1. Be it enacted by the General A.~.~emhly of the State of Georgia, That

all manufacturers of, or dealers in, commercial fertilizers, or chemicals, or

cotton seed meal, to be used in manufacturing the same, who may desire te>

sell or offer for sale in the State of Georgia such fertilizers, chemicals or cotton

seed meal, shall first file with the Comnussioner of Agriculture 'of the State

of Georgia the name of t>aeh br;:tnd of fertilizers or chemicals which he o1

they may desire to sell in said State, either by themselves or their agents, to-

gether with the name of the manufacturer, the place where manufactured, and

also the guaranteed analysis thereof, and if the same fertilizer is sold under

different names, said fact shall be so stated, and the different brands that are

identical shall be named.

SEc. 2. Be it further enacted, That all fertilizers or chemical~, for manu-

facturing the same, and all cotton seed meal offered for sale or distribution in

this State, shall have branded upon; or attached to, each bag, barrel or pack-

age, the guaranteed analysis thereof, showing the percentage of yaluable ele-

ments or ingredients such fertilizers or chemicals contain, embracing the fol-

lowing determinations:

'

-

Moisture at 212 deg. Fall. ............................................................ per cent. Insoluble Phosphoric Acid.......................................... ~.................per cent. Available Phosphoric Acid .......................................................... per cent. Ammon ill, Actual and Potential.. ................................................... per cent. Potash (K2 0) .............................................................................per cent.
The analysis so placed upon, or attached to, any fertilizer o~ chemilfll shall be a guarantee by the manufaetnrer, agent or person offering the same for sale that it contains substantially the ingredients indicated thereby, in the percentages. named therein, and said guarantee shall be binding on said mlmufacturer, agent or dealer, and may be pleaded in any action or suit at law te> show total or partial failure of con~ideration in the contract for the ><Hle of said fertilizer, chemical or cotton seed meal.
SEc. 3. Be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the Commissioner of Agriculture to forbid the sale of either of the following: Any acid phosphate which contains less than ten per centum of available phosphoric acid; any acid phosphate with potash, which contains a sum total of less than ten per centum of aYailable phosphoric acid and potash, when the per cents. of the two are added together; any acid phosphate with ammonia, which contains a sum total of less than ten per centum of available phosphori<~ acid and ammonia, when per cents. of the two are a<lrled together; any acid phosphate with ammonia and potash, which contains a snm total of less than ten per centum of available phosphoric acid, ammonia and potash, when the. per cents. of the three are added together; thRt no brands shall be sold as ammoniated superphosphates unless said brands contain 2 per cent. or more

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45

<Qf ammoma. And also to forbid the ~ale of all cotton seed meal which is a)lown by official analysis to contain less than 7~- pel' centum of ammonia.
Nothing in this Act shall be eo_nstrued to nullify any of the requirements of

an Act entitled an Act to require the inspection and analysis of cotton seed

m.eal:



SEc. 4. Be it farther enacted, 'rhat all persons Ol' firms, who may desire or

intend to, sell fertili)lers, chemieals or cotton seed meal, in this State, shall

'forward to the Commissioner of Agriculture a printed or plainly written re-

quest for the tags therefor, stating the name of the brand, and the name of
the manufacttner, the place where mannfactme(l, the number of tons of each
brand, and the number of tags required, and the pen;on or persons to w~om the same is consigned, the guaranteed analysi~, also the number of pounds contained in each bag, barrel or package in which said fertilizer,

chemical or cotton seed meal is put up. And shall at the time Df said

reque1:for tags forward directly to the Commissioner of "\griculture the sum of ten eents per ton as an inspection fee; whereupon it shall be the duty

of the Commissioner of Agriculture to iBsue tagH to parties so applying, who

shall attach a tag to each hag, barrel or paekage thereof, which, when so at

tached to sai(l bag, barrel or -package, shall bP p1ima fucie e\idence that the

seller has complied with the requirements of thiH Aet. Any tags left in the

possession of the manufacturers or dealers at the end of the season shall not be used for another season, nor shall they be redeemable by the Department of Agric1~lture.
8c. 5. lleit jurthe1 enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any person, firm or corporation, either by themselves or their agentH, to sell or offer for sale in

this State, any fertili11ers, chemicals or cotton seed meal without first registering the same with the Commissioner of Agriculture, a,; requirect by this Act,

and the fact that the purchaser waives the inspection and analvsis thereof,
shall be no protection to ~aid part)' so selling or offering the sam~ for sale.
SJ>e. li. Be itfHrtlter enacted, 'l'hat the Commissioner of Agriculture shall ap-

point twelve inspectors of fertilizers, or so many inspectors as in said Commissioner's judgment may be necessary, who shall hold their offices for such

terms as said Commissioner of Agriculture shall in his _indgment think best for

carrying ont the pr0visons of this Act. The greatest compensation that any

one inspector of fertilizers "hall 1;eceive shall be at the rate of one hundred dollars per month, and his actual expenses, while in the discharge of his duty as such in~peetor. lt shall be their duty to inspect all fertilizers, chemicals or -eotton ~eed meal that may be found at any point within the limits of this State, and go to any point when ~;o directed by the Commissioner of Agriculture1 and shall ,;eo that all fertilizers, chemicals or eotton seed meal are properly

tagged. SEc. 7. Be it j1uther enacted, That each inspector of fertilizers shall be pro

vided with bottles in which to place the samples of fertilizers, chemicals or

cotton seed meal drawn by him, and shall also be provided with leaden tags, n:nmbered in duplicate from one upward, and it shall be the duty of each inspector of fertilizers to draw a sample of all fertilizers, chemicals' and cotton

seed meal that he may be requested to inspect, or that he may find unin-

spected, 1md he shall fill two sample bottles with each brand and place one

46

DEPARTMENT OF AGIUCULTURE.-GEORGIA.

leaden tag of same number in each sample bottle, and shall plainly write on label on said bottles the number corresponding to the number on said leaden tags in said bottles, and shall also write on the label on one. of said bottles the name' of the fertilizer, ehemical or cotton sePd meal inspected, the name of the manufacturer, the place where mannfactun~d, the place where inspected, the date of inspection, and the name of inspector, and shall serid or cause to be sent to the Commissi:uner of Agriculture the f'amples so drawn by him, annexed to a full report of said inspection, written on the form prescribed by said Commissioner of Agriculture, which report must be numbered to correspond with the number on said sample bottles, and number on the leaden tags placed therein ; and it shall also be the duty of said inspectors of fertilizers tokeep a complete record of all inspections made by them, on forms prescribed by said Commissioner of Agriculture. Before entering upon the discharge of their duties they shall take and subscribe, before some officer authorized to administer the same, an oath faithfully to discharge all the duties which may be required of them in pursuance of this Act.
fSEG. 8. Be it further enacted, That the Commissioner of Agriculture shall have the authority to establish such rules and regulations in. regard to tht; inspection, analysis and sale of fertilizers, chemicals and cotton seed meal, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as in his judgment will best carry out the requirements thereof.
SEc. 9. Be itfwther enacted, That it. shall be the duty of the Commissioner of Agriculture to keep a correct account of all inoney rec~ived froin the inspection of fertilizers, and to pay the same into the Treasnry, after paying out the said sum of expenses and salaries of the inspectors 'and for the tags and bottles used in making such inspections.
SEC. 10. Be it further enacted, That all contracts for the sale of fertilizerH or chemicals in the State of Georgia, made in ;my other manner than as required. by this Act, shall be absolutely void; Provided, That nothing in this Act shaH be construed to restrict or void sales of acid phosphate, kainit or other fertilizer material in bulk to each other by importers, manufacturers or manipulators who mix fertilizer materials for sale, or as preventing the free and unrestricted shipment of these articles in b~lk to manufacturers or manipulators who mix fertilizer material for sale.
SEc. 11. Be it further en(tcted, '!;hat any person selling or offering for sale any fertilizer o-r chemicals, without having first complied with the provisions of this Act, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be punishEd as prescribed insection .4310 of the Code of Georgia.
SEc. 12. Be it further enacted, That all laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act be, and the same are, hereby repealed.

L With the provisions of the above law the Commissioner requests that all manufacturers and dealers in commercial fertilizers, chemicals and otherfertilizer material immediately comply.
While the law itself is sufficiently explict to be thoroughly understood to facilitate its operations, the following form for registration is prescribed:

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41

l{EQUEST FOR REGISTRATION.

To R. T. :Vesbitt, Commissioner of Agriculture, Atla.nta, Ga. :
You are hereby requested to register for sale and distJribution in the State of Georgia ............................................. manufactured by ..... at... :....................- ....................................

THE FOLLOWING IS THE GUARAXTEED AN.\LY!';lS OF THE BRAND:

Moisture at 212 Fah.. .... .. ........................................ . Insoluble Phosphoric Acid....... .................................. Available Phosphorie Acid.......................................... . Ammonia-Actual and Potential.. ................................ . Potash (Kz 0) ............................................................ .

...............per cent. . ............. per cent. ............... per cent. ............... per cent.. ............... per cent.

The ammoniais in the form of .................................................................. The...................................................... is put up in ........................... of
.....................................lbs. each............................................................. It is identical with.......................................... . ... ... ... ... ... ... .. ... ... .......... ..

In consideration of being allowed to sell and distribute the auo\e brand before the official analysis thereof is made.................................. agree and bind ................................................... to cancel all sales thereof and forfeit all claims for purchase money therefor, if after the official analysis is made the Commissioner of Agriculture shall prohibit its sale in accordanee with law.

2. Under section 4, relating to rPque,.;t for tags, in order that no delav mav occur in shipments, the manufacturer or dealer need not notify the Department at the time of the request for tags of the name of the purchaser or consignee, but :must notify the Commissioner in writing of every saie or consignment, on the day in which the same is made. This notice must distinctly state the brand of the fertilizer, or the name of the ehemical or fertilizer material, and the number of tons, together with the name of the purchaser or consignee and their place of residence. It must request inspection and contain an agreement to cancel all sales thereof, in the event the Commissioner shall prohibit its sale in accordance with law. The following form may be used, substantial compliance with the above rule being regarded as sufficient:
NOTICE OF' SALES AND CONSIGNMENTS, AND REQUEST FOR INSPECTION .
......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ...... , 189...
To R. T. Ne,bitt, Commissioner of Agriculture, .Atlanta, Ga.:
You are hereby notified that ............. ,............. have this day made the following sales and consignments, a11d requt>st that the eame be inspected:

48

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTT7RE.-GEORGIA..

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In consideration of being allowed to sell and distribute the above before the official analysis thereof is made ............................ agree and bind ................. ................to cancel all sales thereof and fo'rfeit aY claidts for purehase monP.y therefor, if after the official analysis is made the Commissioner of Agriculture shall prohibit its sale in accordance with law.

Manufacturers and dealers; by .this rule, are not. required to delay shipment in order that the inspection may be made, but are required to see that their goods are properly tagged,. the inspection being made while the Iertilizer or fertilizer material is in. the hands of the purchaser or. consignee.
3. All orders for tags must. be sent direct to the Department, and, the request must be accompanied with the fees for inspection, at the rate of'ten cents per ton for the fertilizer or fertilizer material on which they are to be used.
Manufaeturers and dealers, or their agents, may request tag<~ in such quantities as they see fit, but each request must state distinctly the brand or brands on which they'are to be used, with the number of tons of the brand or of each of said brands.
order It is not necessary that the fertilizer or fertilizer material be actually on
hand at the time the request is made, but manufactmers or dealers can sucl1 a number of tags as they maj need during the seasqn, b!)aring in mind that no tags carried over will be redeell!ed by the Departmellt.
In the event that more tags are owered for any brand than it is ascertained can be used on the sales and consignments of that brand, by proper notice, with the consent of the Commissioner, the tags can be used on another brand put up in packages or sacks of the same weight and sold or con~igned the Eame
seasol1. 4. If a fertilizer be offered for registration, inspection or sale, branded as
either of the following: "Ammoniated Superphosphate," "Ammoniated Dissolved Bone," "A.mmoniated Guano," "Guano," "Fertilizer,"
or other wmds implying that the same is an ammoniated superphosphate, the guaranteed analysis must claim that it contains not less than two per cent. of
ammonia (actual or potential).
5. That part of section 8 excepting from the operations of the Act: "An Act to require the inspection and analysis-<)!' cotton seed 'meal' " leaves the inspection of that article under the Calvin Lill, which requires that all cotton 1-leed meal, for whatever purpose to be used, be inKpected. It iR, therefore, necessary and is required, that a request for inspection be sent to the Commissioner, and that the inspection Le made in the hands of the manufactmer, dealer

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4!)

t~r their agent, or if shipped in the State, at some copvenient point, before the meal is sold or distributed .. In all cases fees will be sent di~ect to the Commissioner, who will immediately order the nearest inspector to. make the inHpection.

THE ELLINGTON BILL.

No. 168.

An Act to regulate the sale of fertilizers in this State; to.fix a method for determin~ng the value of the same, and for other purpose!'.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Georgia, and it is here-

by enacted by the ailthority of the same1 That from and after the passage of this Act it shall be lawful for any purchaser' of fertilizers froni any owner

thereof, or agent of Buch owner, to require of the person selling, and at the

time of the sale or delivery, to take from each lot of each brand sold a

sample. of its contents.

SEC. 2. Be it furtber enacted, That said sample so taken shall be mixefl

together and placed in a bottle, jar or such other receptacle as the purchaser

may present. It shall then he the duty of such purchaser and seller to de-

liver said package to the Ordinary of the county, who shall label same with

the name of tlhe parties and of the fertilizers.

SP...c. 3. Be it further enacted, That said' 0rdinary shall safely keep sai1f

package,-allowing neither party access to the same, save as hereinafter pro-

vided. The Ordinary shall receive a fee of ten (10) cents from the party depos-

iting such sample for each sample so deposited.

SEc. 4. Be it further enacted, That should such purchaser, after having

usE\rl such fertilizers upon his crop have~rP.ason to believe from the yields

thereof, that said fertilizer wa.S totally or partially worthless, he shall notify

the seller, and apply to the Ordinary to forward the said sample deposited

with him (or a SQfficiency thereof to insure a fair analysis)to the State Chemist,

without stating the names of the parties, the name of the fertilizer or giving

its guaranteed analysis, the cost of sending being prepaid by purchaser.

SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of said State Chemi~t

to analyze and send a copy of the result to said Ordinary..

'

SEc. 6. Be it further enacted, That should said analysis show that .said_fer-

tilizer comes up to the guaranteed analysis upon which it is sold, then the

statement so sent by the State Chemist shail be conclusive evidence against a

plea of partial or total failue of considerati6n. But should said analysis show

that such fortilizer does not come up to the guaranteed analysis, then the sale

shall be illegal, null and void, and when suit is brought, upon any evidel}ce of

indebtedness given for such fertilizer, the statement of such Chemist, so trans-

mitted to the Ordinary shall be conclusive evidence of the facts, whether such

evidence of indebtedness is held by an innocent third party or not.

SEc. 7. Be it further enacted, That in lieu of the State Chemist; should

the parties to the contract agree upon some other chemist to make 8aid

analysis, all the provisions of this Act shall apply to his analysis anq report.

to the'Ord~nary.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.-GEORGIA.
SEC. 8. Be it further enlcte l, Th \t should the seller refuse to take said eample when so required by the pnrchaser, then, upon proof of this fact, the
of purchaser shall be entitled' to his plea of failure consideration, and to sup~
port the same by proof of the want of effect and benefit of said .fertilizer upon his crops, which proof shall be sufficient to authorize the jury to sustain defendant's plea within whole or in part, whether said suit is brought by an innocent bolder or not.
SEC. 9. Be it further enacted, That all laws and parts of laws in contlict with this Act be, and the same are, hereby repealed.
Approved December 'l7, J890.
Special attention is called to SEc. 1. Requiring ~eller to take the sample. SEc. 2. Requiring. purchaser and:seller to deliver package to O~ina,ry.. SEc. 3. Requiring Ordinary to keep package, allowing neitli~r part'vac-
cess tO the same.
SEc. -!._ Requiring' the forwarding of samples after seeing the yield of crop.
SEc. 5. Requiring cost of sending being prepaid by purchaser.
COTTON SEED MEAL.
IT MUST BE INSPECTED UNDER THE CALVIN BILL.
The Calvin Bill, relating to the inspection and analyses of cotton seed meal .does not seem to be thoroughly understood by manufacturers and dealerS in tthat article.
Under the bill, all cotton seed meal must be inspected and analyzed before )_t.,can, without violating the law, be sold or offered for sale. to be used as a fertilizer, or for any other purpose.
Rules and regulations governing these inspections have been prescribed by tp.e Commissioner, and will be printed, but in order thllt through misapprepension no sales in violation of the Act may be made, the Commissioner issues the following:
CALVIN BIJ.,.L.
Abil~~to be entitled an Act to require all cottonseed meal to be subjected to an~ysis and inspection as a condition precedent to being offered for sale, and t~>~f;l?id the sale in this State of such cotton seed meal if it be shown by the offic\a\_ analysis that the same contains less than 7! per centum. of ammonia, to prespribe a penalty for the violation of the provisions of this Act, and for other: purposes. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Georgia, and it is
hereby enacted by authority of the same, That from and after tb.e passage of

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~1

this Act, it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to offer for sale iu this .State any cotton seed meal until the same shall have been duly analyzed by the State Chemist and inspected as now required by law in the matter of all fertilizers and chemicals for manufacturing or composting purposes;. nor shall it be lawful to offer such cotton seed meal for sale in this State if it be shown
by the official analysis that the same contains less than 7! per centum of am-
monia; provided, that the provisions of this Act as to the per centum mentioned in this s~ction shall not apply to meal man)lfactured from sea island ~otton seed; but the Commissioner of Agriculture shall, upon the passage of .this Act, fix and make public a minimun per centum, which shall control. as to :the cotton seed meal referred to in this proviso ; provided furt.he;, that if any cotton seed meal shall not analyze up to the required per centum of ammonia, the same may be offered for sale as second-class meal, provided the true analysis be made known_ to the purchaser and stamped on the sack.
SEc. 2. Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That there shall be branded uppn or attached to each sack, barrel or packa~e of cotton seed meal -offered for sale in this State the true analysis, as determined by the State Chemist, and the number of pounds net in such sack, barrel or package.
~EC. 3. Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall be the .(i~ty of the Commissioner of Agriculture to take all steps necessary to make -effective the provisions of sections 1 and 2 of this Act.
Section 4 of the Act makes the person or persons violating the provisions of the Act guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction punished as prescribed in section 4310 of the Code.
Section 1) repeals conflicting laws.

I desire to call the attention of all manufacture~s of and dealers in cotton seed

meal to the above law, which rt>quires the inspection, tagging and analysis of

all cotton seed meal, whether sold for cattle food, fertilizer purposes, or other

u.Ses. This law will be enforced, and I most earnestly request all manufacturers

to promptly comply with its requirements. And in case of doubt as to the

method, to apply to the Department of Agriculture for the rules and regula-

tions governing such inspections.

R. 'r. NESBITT,

CommiliiiiDner ot ~