The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-08-22
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IL souo VI tne OOutnefn states,
especially in Arkansas, Louisiana and
Florida, there are large tracts of wild
land inviting settlement, and great
inducements are held out to Northern
people to go aud take possession of
them. The soil is SO rich as to re-
quire no manure, the timber is so
valuable that it will pay for the clear
ing, and if one will engage in the
growing of fruit and vegetables for
Northern cities, he will get rich.
There is some truth in this, but men
with small means should be upon
their guard. To engage profitably
in the lumber business REQUIRES capi-
tai and hard work. More money has
been sunk in saw mills than has been
made in them; and unless one is on
the banks Of river, where the sale
of cord-wood is certain, it will cost
not less than $40 an acre to clear
land. There is no other business SO
little profitable rs that of preparing
the trees of the forest for sale, whe-
ther it be in the shape of lumber,
cord-wood or slaves. The reason is
that coarse, Woodworking and illite-
rate men, who can do nothing else.
compete with. each other, aud in fur.
nishing large supplies, they keep
down the price of labor and the price
of their productions.
One who purposes raising fruit and
vegetables should consider first that,
to be successful, o good knowledge of
the business and considerable capital
are required. Take the tomato crop,
for instance. No matter how far
South, on shipping waters, one may
go, somebody will=b found already
there, with extensive hot-beds and
sashes, for the production of early
plants. However short the winter
may be, there is an attempt to make
it shorter. It is q great mistake to
suppose that in going South you will
get the start of somebody else. An
energetic fruit-grower will bo likely
to do well with m orange plantation,
but it is indispensable that he knows
what fruit-growing is, and he must
not be afraid of work. Still, there
will be no great success without capi-
ia! and good management, either
taken thither or acquired on the
ground, and with them one will sue
ceed in New York or in Minnesota.
But it is we'll to consider the fact that
in oil Northern seaboard cities one is
urged to buy oranges ut from fifteen
to twenty cents dozen, while apples
are sold on the stand at fifty cents n
dozen. 1t is doubtful whether apples
will not bring as much in the orchard
Ill November as oranges will in their
orchards in March. There is one
thing, regarding the South, which is
scarcely understood; that is, it is an
undeveloped country. The time is
coming when new and valued pro-
ducts are to be introduced, and, per-
haps, in comparison, cotton will be
Insignificant But to secure this re-
suit. not only men of large minds will
be required, but Government patron
age, widely administered, is indispen-
sable.
There is good reason to suppose
that many of the statements about
the semi-tropical South are made by
land spectators. For n Northern
man to go thither and pay from So to
$40 for wild land, except in some
choice localities, can end in nothing
but disaster. The truth is, there are
thousands Of acres that can be bought
at S1.25 nn acre. The only way to
settle such regions is in colonies, and
the cost of land should not exceed 50
an acre. If large landed proprietors
had not so much confidence in the
effect of their statements, they would
be wise in giving q part of their land
free to actual settlers; that is, pro-
vided they were able to pay for it..
Each member of the colony should
go with means to carry on work and
to support his family for two years,
at least. At the best, there will be
privations and disappointments, and
many things must be learned which
neither they nor the people of the
country know. But let no one ex-
pect that riches will come suddenly.
Prosperity and even the common
comforts of life result only from time
and patient industry. Still, by their
help, they will come.
NeU York Tribune.
Ill.,,