The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1855-05-23
from The Darlington FTag.l
~HHcEpCERng.

E'cECElnSS.
Mn. EDIron 1T Is gratifying 70
perceive that the public mind is grad
ually becoming aroused on tic subject
Ut the present system Of enclosures
Permit me to contribute my mite,
however small, to the mass OF lcsii.
1nony which has been already addnced
in favor Of IN entire change Of the
present w;tsiciui and destructive poll
.cy of being compelled by law to en-
close our corn and cotton feds to
prevent the incursions Of gaunt and
furnishing cattle aud hogs which rrowl
like speclrcs about our fences i'll search
Of something TO prevent ~starvnt!un.--
The present is the old colonial system,
which was adopted in the Infancy O.:
the country when the fields were small
and the stuck very extensive, and the
advocates of reform have to contend
with the invcteratc prcludiccs which
attach to ancient usaccs, and the re-
yercd authority Of an honored a:!crs'
Try. If our fathers (bless their mem
ories!) with all their prude..cc and
foresight in many ,hings,--yct with
the iniirlnity common l" humanity,
chose to carry their wheat III one end
oflhc bag and q stonc OF CORES ond'
ing weight for a balance in the other,
We are surely not bound by the laws
of reverence and tilial devotion 10
them, to resist our convictions that
the grain can be balanced without the
stone, and it be dispensed with as a
dead weight. The present system a!
fencing is Il dead weight upon the vital
interests Of the agricultural comlnuni'
ty. Let us then drop the stone aid
put half the weight in the oti,r enl OF
the lag Can it be done? The ques'
ton is sureriluous, unless my iiIuotra'
ton be considered as inappropriate
and inapplicablc. That it j, not, is !
think, susceptible of convincing proof.
With. the exception Of Il few localities.
stock cannot maintain IL thrifty cundl'
ton By exclusive dependence upon the
range. The crib and the g!cu!i.:gs Of
the fields must cotne to tnrir rescue,
or their hides soon adhere 20 Ia ir
bones, With a ~;cnaity which no;!.ins
short OF decomposition cnn dctAch.
The fencing necessary to keep stock
out OF our fields involves III outlay oi
timber and labor utterly dispropor'
toned to the value Of stock. While
this is frequently Admitted, it is sill!
urged by some that the supply OF tim
Der warrants the outlay. l. it true
that*the abundance of timber iust!iics
the extravagant and unnecessary wants
to which it is subjected ~ the ~l.!eSc".
system? lsubmit that il is nut. lh"
noble Forest is u magn!iicen. gilt q!
the Author of nature, to be priZrd like
all other gifts from The same source,
rs q treasure to be preserved for lice
essary rses. Any other appropriation
off, is equivalent to tie destruction
of SO much capitai--,!c throwing in;o
the fire, Of SO murh mn:,cy. "Ay
should we thus continue TO slight 81
noble a gift, and thereby sob rnaiciity
of q valuable inheritance! Timber
however is becoming very scarce IN
many sections Of our country, and
hence the more urgent necessity Of
4 ccononising it. The saving OF labor
too, is a consideration Of very grca,
importance. Were the labor Eow so
unprcitably expended upon fencing,
employed in mannriug, dilc;'iug ;.i!d
raising and gathering the surplus pro-
eyender necessary to the support tf
enclosed stock, it would Work IL change
in the value of land and stock invoIv
ing millions Of dollars.
A law requiring the enclosure Of
stock would reduce fencing to All in
considerable item, and tend TO reduce
the timber and greatly improve the
quality OF stock. One well fed Cow
might then be made more. profitable
than n dozen of the gaunt skeletons,
that now haunt our lanes, and advrl.
tise our want Of humanity. y few
hogs we'll fed and cared for, could then
be made more valuable than n nerd OF
the present pine DOT eaters tina, scarce
ly betray by their looks; the genus to
which they belong. The pcnuinI sys.
tenn would then follow, and by indus
try and we'll directed economy, an
astonishing amount of uinnure, proper
toned in value to the improved keep.
ing of the animals, might be made.
l hope that every Agricultural Soci
ETY., and every secular paper in The
State, will agitatc this subject with IL
zeal and ability equal 10 its import
ance. hope every argument in favor
OF tho present system, will be present
ed and fairly weighed; for | acknowl.
edge that there are arguments in its
favor entitled 10 consideration; at the