The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1846-11-18

II
five tentsiand yet make nancy. This the,
are enabled to do, by raising everything
on their plantations necessary for thei
wants. nn.! considering cotton us The resul
9 of their surplus labor. How many plan
, tcrs are there in this aud other States
who make large crops Of cotton TO til,
: hand. but save little money. On the con
. trary, are there not very many who nink,
little cotton, but arc enabled 10 put up ul
; it sells for. Any one the least acquainted
with dnmcstic economy, will see how lIi
arises. Every plantation has certain want.
To satisfy, aud expenses 10 incur: suppl,
The one aud dcfray the other, and all oveI
will be clear again. A system Of figures
has frequently proved il best. to nuke
more cotton, ana buy all the plantation
) wants; but few rlan,ers have ever growr
rlch' who did otpnrsuc an opposite course
Take few instances. New England q
few years since found agricultural pursuits
NEST proh,lrss business. Her farmers
invested most Of their capital in lands, un,
none in improvements. Such n practice
was. shoL found ruinnus; and the remedy
was Immediately applied. II became ob.
vl"us that it was more profitable 10 culii-
'ntc an imProCcd soil than an Impoverished
one. And those people being most excel.
lent economists, were apt enough 10 learn
The maxim ll,at "Ihcy who would get the
right sort "f riches. must first gel the right
SORT of wisdnm - They set tn work and
learned better, and The improved condition
at their agriculture is evidence whether
they have he"n disappointed in the fnrm,r.
! We would here combat a prejudice
which exists in the minds nf many planters.
ns regards agricultural in,provcmcnls-in
d"ing which we have Ia acknowledge our
selves indebted lnr many our views Ia an
address "( the late Senator Robbins, Of
Rhnl" Island. highly approved. aud com
n'rndrd IN n letter OF MT. Jefferson. Some
OF our planters conceive that planting is
altogether business nf experience and
skill; that il must adapt itself to each
ones silua'i"n; and will be, and ought
T." he, different in different Countries
These opinions we will not dispute
But when Planters MAINTAIN that no in
strurIi"n is 10 he gathered from the
experience md skill Of other countries;
II" useful ligh's to he gained from books;
n" advantages /" be rca ped from understand
IN. HE theory "f those results. To which
their business mechanically conducts them,
they are deceived, nnd should he other.
wise instructed. Lei them he taught tina,
though productions vary with situations
and modes Of culture with productions, ye,
principles arc every where tho same. Let
them he taught further, that experience is
aud ever has been the teacher in all apcs,
and that her lessons are not confined 10
any particular men, or rlass Of men; iha,
she has suggested different means To The
same ends in slitirrcn, places; aud lha, !,
Is rrcs"mntunus, and too much to believe,
that she has already tnuSht us The very best
means. and lrf us nothing to learn. All
farming knowledge, valuable as il is. was
"ncc theory; aud only became practical
from experiment.; an.l familiar from ,radi.
ti"narv experience. But how is this know
ledge 1" be taught! BY introducing the
study of agricultural science into onr
systems of education; into our schools,
academies, mud colleges. and by making
our people convcrsant with its prnci.
pies aud improvements, through means
Of agricultural societies; and by means
more cllicaci"us than all, by inlrndu-
cling the agricultural surveyor and lee
turcr amongst them, 10 awaken their minds
teach them their interest, and convince
them il Is better in experiment a little, than
I" live altogether in inSlnrious, dealh.cams-
ing case. Lct us not be mistaken in The
last suggestion. We wish il distinctly un.
dcrSt"o1, VIC arc no advocates for a gcolne-
ical survey nf the State at this time. Our
people are yet unprcparcd to appreciate its
benefits; and the great ma nrity Of them are
yet to learn the very alphabet If agricul-
tural sricncc-lo be taught The true ccono
my of lnbor-to understand the use Of even
The conmoncst tools Of husbanhry-thc
application Of the ordinary vegetable aud
animal manurcs; The value Of certain seeds
and staples, and the actual wealth contain.
cd in thousand common tHings around
them. Such information can only be inn
parted by the popular lecturer going
amongst our planters, tnmilia:ly conver-
sing with one and another, and wearing
away prcjudiccs by bringing the result Of
one neighbours experience TO bear upon
nnothcr's. Ii lis such system Of ugricul-
tnral surveying and lccluring, that has
brought the agriculture Of massachusetts
up to its present point Of excellence, and
gained for Colman, who was employed foi
The purpose, the just fame which at.ache:
to him wherever known. When such {
II lecturer is procured for Sou.h Carolina
you will find our citizens every where ga
lhering to hear him; you will discover yea,
after year prcjutliccs wearing away, and lht
people every where waking up to true
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