The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1839-12-14
From the Cher1,D Gazette.
CDnD,p

From the Cherap Gazette.
REPORT
On the Agricultural Statistics Of Marlbo.
rough District, read before the Pee Dec
Agricultural Society, a, It's seui-annual
meeting, in October, 1880, by Gen. Jac.
MQueen.
The committee appointed BY the society
CT its June meeting. TO take and report
statistical account OF the agricultural inter
csts Of Marlboro District, state; that The
general Indifference prevailing with plan.
ters, both as to the quantity of lanl culri-
waited by them, and its product per acre,
renders it exceedingly difficpi: to make
such report, as wonid be entirely satisfac-
tory 10 themselves. and devoid Of some err
ror. Yet from the best exertions they
could well Use, and the most accurate in
formation in their power, they believe .ha.
the following may be as correct as can az
any time he made in the same way, and
under the same circumstances.
There was cultivated in corn in the year
1893, 8.5al acres, which yielded 2lo,05o
bushels; making an average OF few quarts
lass than 10 bushels per acre. There was
in cotton 1852 acres, which yielded 4,93s
bllcs; and in the absence of any better
data, if we suppose each bale TO contain
llGO pounds seed cotton, it makes s, ,43i,-
500 pounds, an average Of 42l pounds
and fraction per acre; or suppose l20O
ponnds of seed cotton TO the bale, (Which
would pchaps be moro correct estimate,
as the weight Of the bales ranged from 300
to $50 pounds) makes al average of with
in fraction OF 400 POUNDS per acre. The
number of negroes is $3.50, and the a.
moant Of money paid for foreign horses,
mules, bacon and pork is $685..
1t would perhaps have been better, ifthe
committee had been able to report the pre-
else number of hands employed in raising
the above productions; but as the variety
of negroes on plantations is so great, from
the aged 10 those but just able to commence
some service, it would be impracticable
to extract from amongst them, the exact
amount OF labor engaged; and therefore
the entire number VI slaves is rendered.
The committee were not required 10
take any account of small grain, bat as
the planters have, for the last fe years,
cndeavorcd more generally TO raise their
own flour, il is deemed as a matter of no
inconsiderablc importance 10 their inter-
esi, and snme attention was therefore paid
to it, by which six or seven thousand BUSH
els were found to have been made, princi-
palIy OIL the uplands Of the District, aver
aging very satisfactory production to the
acre, and making flour equal to any from
any other section.
The lands cultivated in corn and cotton
vary from the very best low lands on the
river, to the lghtest and most exhausted
sand hills; and Of course yielded CORES
ponding productio =; but whether upon the
best or most exhausted lands the commit
tee have been decidedly impressed with
the wholesome advantages arising from the
process Of manurng, even with decayed
vegetable matter, which requires but little
preparation to,render it valuable and which
abundantly surrounds the field Of almost
every planter.
Although no great quantity Of this ma
nure has yet been uscdin the district, it
pleasing to find that the minds of our plan
ters are now rapidly turning to this sheet
anchor of their agricultural interests, and
to believe tina. the time is not far distant,
when thousands of acres of our now al
most barren lands, will smile with such
harvest, as will reward the laborer for his
toll.
Although your committee could wish,
for the interest of our planters, that the
sum reported as having been paid for for
eign horses, mules, pork &c. were less
| than il is, they are satisfied, had the &C.