505 



people are fast awakening to the importance of raising all our supplies 

 of every kind as nearly as possible — corn, small grains, bacon, and 

 beef — and not devote so much land, time, and labor to cotton-planting, 

 to our own injury. Marengo : A favorable change in our mode of plan ting 

 is apparent this season. Cotton and corn are not the only products 

 raised ; oats, tield-peas, sorghum, and sugar-cane are attaining the im- 

 portance of crops. A wide-spread interest, also, is shown in improved 

 cattle, sheep, and hogs. We can raise almost everything we need to 

 feed and clothe ourselves, while we are blessed with a climate healthful 

 and delightful. This portion of Alabama cannot be surpassed in the 

 world as a farming country. Russell: More grain, especially rust-proof 

 oats, will be sown this fall than ever before. The low price of cotton 

 has forced the majority of farmers to change their smoke-houses and 

 corn-cribs from the West to nearer home. The general topic is, more 

 grain and less cotton. The bulk of the latter has already been gath- 

 ered and sold ; yet times are tight and tighter, and meat is scarce and 

 scarcer. Hundreds of families, both white and black, have not had 

 a pound in a week — some, in months; rabbits and opossums are all the 

 meat they get. 



Mississt])][)i. — Loivndes: An abundant supply of corn has been housed, 

 and in many places a surplus. There is a great demand for hogs and 

 stock of all kinds to breed from ; indications are hopeful. There is a 

 general determination to diversify products, plant less cotton, and 

 become self-sustaining. Cotton is below the cost of production, and 

 necessity will force the planter to raise home-su^jplies. GJioctaio : The 

 farm-stock numbers about 30,000. There appears to be a great improve- 

 ment in every branch of agriculture ; also in procuring new and 

 improved farm-implements, in reducing expenses, and bestowing better 

 preparation and cultivation on a decreased acreage. Kemper : There 

 is a greater disposition to diversify crops. More small grain is being 

 sown, particularly wheat. :, 



Texas. — Falls: It is an unmistakable fact that cotton is ruining us. 

 Our people must try mixed husbandry, or all go into bankruptcy. Har- 

 rison : There is a disposition here to sow grain, and to plant less cotton 

 and more corn. Many farmers have already sown wheat, oats, barley, 

 rye, &c., for pasture next spring. This is a move in the right direction, 

 for almost anything will beat cotton, as the price now is. 



Arkansas. — Prairie : The drought of last year has been of great benefit 

 to our State in turning the attention of farmers to other crops than 

 cotton and corn, Nearly all our farmers will be out of debt with the 

 proceeds of this year's crops. Quite a number of our farmers have 

 bought steam-power for gins, and several new steam gins and mills 

 have been built. Saint Francis : Farmers are intending to abandon cot- 

 ton and go into the production of small grains, in order to avoid bank- 

 ruptcy. Sebastian : Our success with wheat, oats, and barley has very 

 much encouraged us to go ahead with further experiments. There will 

 be less cotton and corn and more small grain planted in 1876 than ever 

 before. 



Ohio. — Medina: We have .Qeased to grow sorghum; I hardly know 

 why. The extent in the western reserve counties in 1873 was as fol- 

 lows: Ashtabula, 9 acres; Lake, 1; Medina, J; Portage, f; Mahoning, 

 7; Geauga, Cayuga, and Lorain, none. According to the State statis- 

 tician, we have decreased from 4,696,089 gallons of sirup in 1866 to 

 692,314 in 1873. The southern and sonie of the new western counties 

 continue to grow it in considerable quantities. 



Michigan. — Sheboygan : This county is new, but is^being rapidly^settled 

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