The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-08-20
COLUMBIA.
Tuesday Morning, August 20. 1857.

Agricultural Resources of the South.
Mr. T. 9. Peters having been COM
missioned by the Bureau of Agricul-
ture to make q tour through the
Southern States, did so. and gave
much study to the industrial problem
of the South. From his report to
the Department of Agriculture, we
quote:
ITO the mass of the Northern peo-
ple-by which I mean of the free
States before the rebellion-but little
is known OF the agricultural resources
of the South. In Europe, the people
fail to comprehend in the slightest
degree the vast field which is there
opened up for the future home of the
emigrant. While slavery existed, the
South was sealed book to the indus
try and enterprise of the North. Free
labor could not penetrate, and hence
the great current of Northern and
European emigration would not seek
an entrance into country where it
was not wanted or tolerated.
"But slavery having been abo-
ished,I there is vacuum created for
labor so large that q million of labor
ing people would now find profitable
employ nlent; and when the Southern
people have once mustered supply
of provisions for their own use, and
to feed the emigrant, means should
be taken by the General Govern
ment, or by the States, to inaugurate
broad system of emigration.
"The effective labor of the South
has been reduced to such On extent
that careful and experienced men es-
innate it at one-fcurth what it was
before the war. My own observation
satisfies me that it is less than one
third. There are, therefore, large
quantities of land already opened up
or cleared and fenced, which cannot
be cultivated, and is fast growing up
with brush and briers, for the want
of labor.
"Few understand the variety of
climate, soil and production of the
South. Its productions include those
of the temperate and torrid zones.
All the cereals can be grown there as
well as at the North, while oranges,
bananas, figs, in addition to most Of
the fruits of the North, abound. In
addition to the cereals, cotton is
grown everywhere. have seen, on
the same farm. cotton, corn, wheat,
oats, rye and red clover, all looking
we'll; the clover was nearly past bloom,
and the wheat almost ready for the
harvest"
Mr.. Peters, in the last paragraph,
presents briefly the advantages which
make the South an inviting field to
emigrants, and, his report being pub
lished, and, we hope, extensively cir
culated throughout the North and
Europe, it must have the effect Of
sending among us that which is most
necessary to regenerate these States,
and make them far more prosperous
and powerfulthan they were in their
palmiest days. OF course, Mr. Pc
ters, in his report, has avoided any
reference to the political condition of
the Southern States under the Recon
struction Acts of Congress, assuming,
in all he says, that they are States.
What he writes, therefore, is free
from all sectional prejudices, and
based solely upon the natural re-
sources and capabilities of the South
ern region.
Mr.. Peters gives the reason why
the South became SO PROSTATE and
so poverty-stricken for the past year
or two. He says that everywhere
in his travels he found scarcity of
labor and means inadequate to give
the proper attention to the soil.
Domestic animals were sadly re-
duced in number by the war, and
every species of brcadstuffs was alb
sorbed by the same insatiate giant
which devoured everything. The
people of the Southern States, after
their defeat. had to commence life
anew, without money and with
empty granaries. They were un-
skilled in labor, and had many les
sons OF economy to learn, while, in
the midst of their embarrassments,
n had caocon hrOuo1f J,otro,, s,oo,,