2 
H. G. Hastings Co., Seedsmen, Atlanta, Georgia. 
SAFE FARMING FOR 1920 
We want to sincerely thank Mr. Bradford Knapp, head of the 
United States Demonstration Service, for inventing a new term, 
“Safe Farming,” as applying to the needs of the South under pres¬ 
ent conditions. The old term, “diversified farming,” never did fit 
in exactly in describing wliat was best for the South. 
The farmers of the South are nearer being firm on their feet 
financially than they have ever been before, more in a position to 
be largely independent of demands of supply merchant, country 
banker or landlord for exclusive planting of cotton up to the 
farmer’s ability to tend, and this is the best thing that has ever 
happened to the South. 
“Safe Farming,” as we understand the term, means the produc¬ 
tion on home acres of every pound of food, grain and forage pos¬ 
sible for the needs of family and live stock for the year and wlien 
that is provided for in the plantings, then all the rest of the avail¬ 
able acreage that the farmer can work properly can and should 
go into cotton. 
With the exception of North Carolina and a part of South Caro¬ 
lina all the rest of the cotton growing territory is infested with 
the boll weevil and from now on our cotton growing must be on 
the boll weevil basis of early varieties, thorough preparation, a 
quick start off, good cultivation that will keep the crop clean, 
growing and fruiting fast. 
The planter who figures on going on in the old way of planting 
the later maturing varieties, on poorly prepared ground; only a 
sprinkling of low-grade fertilizer, more acres than can be kept 
clean easily and taking all summer to make the crop is headed for 
bankruptcy as sure as the sun rises every morning. 
If on top of growing cotton the old way he depends on the supply 
merchant for his food and grain, one year’s operations under a fav¬ 
orable season for boll weevils will wind him up and it will be 
either a case of sell out or having the sheriff selling him out. 
Somehow our folks won’t take the boll weevil seriously until he 
has eaten up a crop or two for them. Even when weevils are in 
the next county they won’t believe it. When the first light infesta¬ 
tion comes getting a little of the top crop they won’t believe the 
weevil amounts to much and go on in the same old way. 
Our good friends from Alabama, west to Mississippi, know all 
about the weevil. They have gone through the fight in years past, 
know how destructive the weevil is unless handled right and the 
only way to grow cotton under boll weevil conditions is to do 
"Safe Farming.” 
The reason we are stressing this boll weevil matter is that 
there are tens of thousands of farmers in Georgia and South Caro¬ 
lina who have boll weevil on their farms for the first time. Where 
the infestation is light many are indifferent, others are seared and 
discouraged and don’t know which way to turn or how to pitch 
their 1920 crops. 
There is absolutely no need for any farmer who is working his 
own land himself or with wage hands under his direct and con¬ 
stant supervision to feel blue or discouraged over the weevil if he 
is willing to work his place on the “Safe Farming” plan. He may 
not plant as many acres in cotton but we can guarantee that in 
five years he will have a “built up” Instead of a “run down” farm 
and be worth more than ever before. 
Boll Weevil means the absolute wiping out of the old renting 
system to both negroes and whites where the crop gets planted 
with any old seed on poorl.v prepared land and worked by the 
tenant when he gets good and ready, and the few bolls getting on 
the plants in August. The weevil will certainly get that crop, the 
tenant’s time is lost and the landowner who furnishes the supplies 
and rations has the bag to hold. 
Cattle, hogs, chickens, corn, peas, hay, sorghum, peanuts, velvet 
beans, oats, rye, wheat, barley, sweet and Irish potatoes, grass, 
clover and pasture lands, all have a place in the “Safe Farming” 
along with cotton and this combination will fatten the bank ac¬ 
count and enrich your soil. 
THIS WILL BE A DANGER YEAR FOR ALL OF US 
We don’t want to be considered as alarmists without cause but 
we are perfectly frank to say that we don’t like the looks of the 
situation either in this country or Europe at this writing in De¬ 
cember. It loolj^s as if a large part of our folks have lost their 
heads and there is no telling how things will wind up. 
We have had the Steel strike, which, while it failed, stopped steady 
production for a while with a result that is reflected down to the 
farmer’s plow in higher prices. As this is written the Coal strike 
is on and a blizzard is sweeping across the country causing suffer¬ 
ing to millions and death to many. 
The railroad employees are grumbling and talking of a strike 
that will tie this country up from one end to the other despite the 
fact that they, in common with the steel men, draw the highest 
pay of any employees in leading lines of industry. 
It was stated recently that since the Armistice on November 
11th, 1918, there has been over 0,000 strikes in the United States 
and in the majority of them the causes were so trivial as to lead 
one to think that it was more of an excuse to stop work than any 
real sound complaint. 
Evidence is rapidly developing that shows that several of these 
big strikes have been led by men who are to all Intents and pur¬ 
poses anarchists and what they are really seeking is to create such 
a disturbance that the overthrow of the United States Government 
can be brought about. 
No one can tell how long these disturbances of a revolutionary 
and anarchistic nature are going to be continued. The effect and 
aim of every one of these strikes is to shorten hours of work, 
largely increase pay, all of which goes to the consumer and adds 
to his burden. At a time the whole world needs Increased pro¬ 
duction of food and materials these revolutionary agencies are try¬ 
ing to cut production still smaller. 
We have confidence in the sense of the American people ac a 
whole and when the issue is sharply drawn so they can see it the 
great majoritiy will be found on the right side in favor of law and 
order and our Government. There can be no combination or co¬ 
operation between our farmers and these radicals that are trying 
their best to line the great farmers’ organizations up in with them. 
A leading paper said recently that the farmer is largely inde¬ 
pendent in the way of food in case of a general strike that would 
tie up transportation and all the operations of business in gen- 
'eral. This is true of farmers in some sections, it is true of a 
larger number of farmers in the South than ever before—yet how 
many of us could go a month on food on hand on our own farms? 
There is no tetling how long this present dangerous and revolu¬ 
tionary situation may last. It may gradually dwindle away in the 
face of constantly increasing public opinion against it or it may 
come to a general tieup that will smash prices of everything, stop 
business and bring bankruptcy to tens of thousands. 
Again, the price of cotton this winter, if continued until plant¬ 
ing time, is a terrible temptation to throw “Safe Farming” prin¬ 
ciples to the winds and plant cotton on every acre that can be 
turned up by planting time, gambling that cotton will stay up and 
food will go down when the chances are that food will stay up and 
cotton go down. Don’t increase cotton acreage in 1920. 
This is no time to gamble on cotton either on the Cotton Ex¬ 
changes or in your own fields. Plant such cotton as you can easily 
and properly tend and no more. Plant plenty of food, grain and 
forage crops that are money-savers and require far less labor to 
make and save than cotton. With this kind of “Safe Farming” 
whatever cotton we do make will come right close to being clean 
profit and you need do no worrying as to w'hether your cotton will 
bring enough to pay you out. 
Here’s hoping that the clouds of anarchy and revolution will roll 
away but if they do not and trouble comes we will be out of dan¬ 
ger if we follow “Safe Farming” ways. 
HASTINGS' CAN SERVE YOU BEST IN SEEDS 
Not only is Hastings’ the largest seed house in the South with a half million seed buying customers, but this season we have the 
largest stock of seeds we have ever been able to assemble and long before this catalogue goes to you our warehouses will be full. 
While the State of Georgia has no seed law yet we have during the past year voluntarily established one of the most completely 
equipped seed laboratories in the United States in charge of a thoroughly competent seed analyst. Every lot of seed coming into the 
house is examined for purity .and germination. 
We are operating now exactly as if we were under one of the most stringent seed laws on field, farm and grass seeds. We did not 
wait for'a law to be passed. 'iVe wanted to know more closely than we ever had before the purity and vitality of every lot of seed and 
our customers have the right to know tliese things. ' 
The war upset things generall.v for the seedsmen and we are just now beginning to get Itack to something like normal conditions. 
For the first time in nearly five years our stocks are practically complete and we are in position to supply the heavy demand on us bet¬ 
ter than ever before. 
We would urge, however, early orders for seeds to go by freight or express. While we can handle your orders more promptly than 
ever yet the freight and express service is nothing like as good as it used to be and longer time should he allowed. 
Just a word about our location. Atlanta is the greatest distributing center in the South for anything going by mail, express or 
freight. We are served by hundreds of trains a day, coming and going in every direction. Orders come to us quickly, are handled by 
our splendid force of some 250 people promptly and in a few hours after the arrival of your order the seeds are in the transportation offices. 
Without boasting, we have a great location and a great organization as well as right seeds. We are here waiting, with 100,000 feet of 
floor space packed to the ceilings with seeds, ready to serve you promptly and carefully, no matter how small or large the order may be. 
