
Written in the early days of the first World War, the follow- 
ing statement by the late Mr. David R. Coker, founder of 
Coker’s Pedigreed Seed Company, is, because of its timely 
significance and sound advice, herewith reprinted. 
To THE SOUTHERN FARMER: 
Our country is at war. To insure the safety 
and freedom of the world we must win. We 
must furnish men—possibly millions of them— 
but we must also furnish billions of dollars and 
millions of tons of feedstuffs for our own armies 
and those of our Allies. It is the literal truth 
that the safety of the Nation depends on the 
American farmer and the American housewife. 
If they produce liberally and consume eco- 
nomically, the necessary food and the necessary 
money will be available. Our President has called 
upon all to step into the ranks and do his or 
her part toward the success of the war. Every 
patriot will respond and those who do not may 
be termed slackers or traitors. Every farm, every 
home and every business should be so conducted 
during the term of the war as to be of the greatest 
possible assistance to the government. 
The average Southern farmer has in prospect 
for this fall a greater net profit than he ever 
before enjoyed. What will he do with it? Will 
he show prudence and patriotism, pay his debts, 
invest liberally in liberty bonds, contribute to the 
Red Cross and other charitable war agencies, 
respond to all other patriotic calls made on him 
by the Nation and the State Councils of Defense, 
and put aside the balance for those emergencies 
which the future is almost sure to bring forth? 
Or will he launch upon various speculations and 
extravagances which will make the temporary 
prosperity a curse rather than a blessing? 
Great changes will be needed in farm methods 
to meet the new and threatening conditions. 
Labor shortage will require large investments in 
carefully selected labor-saving machinery. The 
prospective shortage and very high prices of 
fertilizers (especially nitrates) suggest an in- 
crease in livestock, the universal employment of 
cover crops and the saving and utilization of all 
animal manures, leaves and woods turf on the 
farm. Diversified farming and a reduction of the 
cotton acreage must come in North and South 
Carolina to prevent great disaster from the 
approaching boll weevil. 
In order to do his full duty to his business and 
his Nation, the farmer should look the situation 
squarely in the face and at once take steps to 
meet it. Both money and thought will be required 
to meet the new conditions and the surplus 
dollars must be put aside and wisely used. 
We send out this catalogue with a deep sense 
of our responsibility to our customers and a 
desire to help them in every way to meet new 
and constantly changing conditions, and to dis- 
charge their full duty to the Nation during these 
times of stress. We trust that our facilities for 
serving them will be utilized to the utmost. Our 
great store of experimental data accumulated 
during years of patient, accurate and scientific 
work qualifies us to answer intelligently inquiries 
upon a variety of practical subjects. It is always 
our pleasure to answer promptly such inquiries 
and to give the maximum of free service for the 
upbuilding of Southern Agriculture. 
Yours for National Service, 
Fall 1917. D. R. COKER. 
