Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-04-16
From the Southern Cultivator.
Diversity your Products.

MEssRs. EDToRs.-It has always appeared to
me surprising that the planters of the South
should persist in the cultivation of large crops Of
cotton, to the manifest injury Of their lands, and
the lessening of the amount fmoney received
for their crops. That the lands of the South are
deteriorating, must be evident to the most super
fetal observer. .....-.....
How is this evil to be remedied9 1t must be
plain to every one that to plant less cotton, and
more of every thing else, is the only way; but
will the planters do it! IT is so obviously their
interest; and that they are intelligent, I think a
doubt cannot remain on the subject. The only
difficulty it seems to me is to obtain concert of
action. The large space over which cotton is
planted renders it difficult to get the planters to-
gether to consult on what is best for them to
do; but at the next meeting Of the Cotton Con-
vention, system of sub-societies, or sub-com-
mttees, in every county in the Cotton States,
might be adopted, that would effectually accom-
plish the purpose. If half or two thirds of the
present breadth of land was put in Cotton, the
crop would yield MORE MONEY than the whole
breadth. Then the remaining land might be
proftably cultivated in sweet potatoes, turnips,
and in small grain, with an additional quantity
of corn. What additional quantities of hogs,
sheen, cattle and mules might be raised, and the
lands enriched more and more every year. If
this system was adopted, the South would be-
come the most beautiful the richest, the most
abundant, the happiest and most independent
country in the world. Add to all this, every
county might have Cotton Factory, to spin
warns, and export them to the north of Europe
The spinners in Lancaster county, in England,
are Weather, and subjected to fewer vcissitudes
than any of the other cotton manufacturers IN
the country. Isay then to my fellow planters
begin to manufacture, even with one hundred
spindles, begin. l say again begin-you can
find labor in abundance as cheap as any where
else, and all the materials and appliances in
the greatest abundance. Isay again begin, nay,
l beseech you to begin.
To descend to few particulars suppose a
planter to lessen his cotton crop, and plant one
hundred acres Of sweet potatoes, one hundred
acres of the red top turnip, rye, oats, wheat, In
such quantities as he may deem sufficient. Sup
pose he puts one numbered sheep in the fall on
his turnips, dividing off the field in small spaces
at time, allow the sheep to feed, trample and
enrich the field during the whole winter at proper
intervals, would not that field produce nearly
double the quantit- Of cotton or corn the next
year that it would do without this preparation {!
And the field of sweet potatoes treated in the
same way with one hundred eogs, would it not
produce a great improvement? And then the
rye for your Devon Cows what yellow butter,
what abundance and improvement would follow,
and still have MORE MONEY for your cotton, than
you can possibly obtain at present.
Hear me, my fellow planters, for tell you the
truth wish this might be published in every
paper of the South, and the cry enter every
ear. RusrIcUs.