FARM CROPS. 



117 



Probably four-fifths or more of the crop is produced 

 on the credit or advancing system. The farmer pur- 

 chases on credit from the merchant his implements and 

 provisions, and pledges his crop for payment. The 

 merchant in turn pledges the crop to the commission 

 merchant or banks to secure money on merchandise to 

 advance the farmer. At the gathering time the crop 



TOOLS USED IN THE CULTIVATION OF COTTON AND CORN. 



I, Middle buster or middle splitter; 2, stock with half shovel or turning plow; 3, small 

 solid sweep; 4, Georgia stock with half shovel with fender attached to use in barring off; 

 Sjio-inch heel sweep; 6, diamond scooter; 7, duck-bill plow; 8, solid sweep with i8-inch 

 heel sweep attached to Georgia stock; 9, i8-inch heel sweep; 10, i8-inch solid sweep 

 attached to Georgia stock; n, harrow; 12, hoe typical form of those used in chopping 

 cotton; 13, fertilizer distributer; 14. cotton planter. 



is rushed into the market in a few months, and the ac- 

 counts are settled if the crop brings enough to pay the 

 debts. If not the old debts are carried over to the 

 new year with the hope that better yields and better 

 prices will be secured the coming season. 



EXERCISE. What is the average production of lint cotton per 

 acre at your home? What price does cotton bring? Does the 

 price vary? What price did your neighbors receive for their cot- 



