The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-08-15
From le South CdroliniaH.
The Agricultural Convention.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 8.


The Convention met at 10 A. M, and
was organized. The Committee on Bust.
ness being called for, made the following
REPORT:
The Committee to whom was referred
the preparation of business for the conside.
ration of this Convention, respectfully ro-
port:
That they have calmly aud maturely re-
fectcd upon the objects which have caused
so large and intelligent n number of our
citizens to convene 1t this place. Your
Committee have come to the conclusion,
that period has arrived in the agricu hural
history of South Carolina, where something
ought and must be done to stop the retro
grading motion of our agricultural interests
some means mus. be adopted, by which
her citizens will be aroused from their pres
ent state of lcthargy, and some effort made
to unite them in one common band Of
brotherhood, for the purpose Of advancing
the agricultural, scientific, and mechanical
interests of our State.
Your Committee would earnestly bring
to the attention Of this Convention, the
mournful fact that the interest heretofore
taken by our citizens in agricultural i'm.
prorcment, has become stationary that our
old fields are cnlarging; our homcsteads
have been decreasing fearfuIly in numbers.
and her energetic sons are annually seeking
the rich and fertile lands of the South.
West, upon which they imagine that treble
the amount of profits can be made upon
capital. than upon our own soils. Nor is
this all. We arc not only losing some of
our most energetic citizens, to supply the
bone and sinew of other States, but We are
losing our slave population, which is the
true wealth OF the State our stocks of
hogs, horses, mules and cattle, are diminish
ing in size and dreceasing in number, and
our purses are being strained for the last
cent, 10 supply their places from the North.
Western States. This state Of affairs
should not exist. We must arouse, by
some means, tho dormant energies of our
people. We must bring them in contact
with each other, where they can sce and
hear, each for himself. some useful and prac
ticable suggestion of his .nrighbors, and
from the citizens Of other parts of the
State. We must sec and hear how our
citizens are restoring our worn out lands--
the improvements they are making upon
their stocks Of mules, hogs, cattle aud sheen
what great increase in the yield Of their
crop 10y judicious selection Of seeds the
mode and manner Of planting and tilling
their iand-and lastly, TO see the great i'm.
provement that ARE daily being made in
agricultural implements. When our people
see and hear these things for Themselves,
there will be aspirit of inquiry awak. ned
in the breast of every one, and the echo
will fly from the mountain to the seabonrd
We vii stand by the old Palmetto State !,
Our sons will no longer seek The god Of
mammon, in the fertile Lands OF the South.
West but m attachment and zeal will be
engendered in the bosom Of each for onr
homes and the land Of our birth, that will
never die as long rs this spirit Of inquiry
and emulation is kept alive. When We
] take into consideration the natural .dyan.
tages we enjoy, our great system of Rail
Road intereommunication, by which is dsilv
developed the hidden resources of our State
-om easy access to one Of the best and
cheapest markets on the AtIantic--the com.
forts of life and health we enjoy in ,be
middle and upper districts, and then con.
trast them with the low waters I, ,hs 100.
tern rivers--the cholera, The yellow s,y.r
and mosquitoes which scourgc the sou,b.
West, we " III then be convinced ,bst. our
homes in South. Carolina arc more durable
and our lard will yield us n greater NET, IN
come over the lands in the South>We,,
The question then, suggests itself, how
are the energies Of our people TO be awaken.
ed upon the alLimportant subject of ngri.
cultural improvement We answer, Il can
be done by the establishment of State
Agricultural Society, aided and assisted by
district socleties--by collecting useful facts
and instructive opinions. whish are known
4 IN MS afK,lts n H.