Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-04-25
RUTLAND HERALD
MONDAY, APRIL %, 1867.
Southern Agriculture.

As the military reconstruction bill
can hardly fail to establish upon firm
basis the liberty, peace and order of the
unreconstructed States, and thus enable
them, instead Of being threatened with
famine, to contribute largely to the
wealth of the nation, their products an
terror to the war may not be out of
place in order to show their standard OF
agricultural capacity.
In 1860 there was produced 100000
900 pounds of rice, which staple can be
and is produced not only in the irrigated
rice fields of Georgia and South Carolina,
but in many other portions of the
South.
Their sugar plantations yielded in
1860 221 ,726OO0 pounds OF sugar and
3,439, 1872 gallons of molasses, or about
third Of our importations.
The Southern States are particularly
well adapted to the growth OF tobacco
The soil OF portions OF Arkansas, Loui-
siana and Florida is similar to the soil
of Cuba, on which the finest brands OF
Havana tobacco are grown. The total
product of the unreconstructed States in
1860 was 100, 1893, 1896 pounds. Tobacco
was grown in nearly all the counties OF
Arkansas and Alabama, and in many OF
the counties of Florida, Georgia, Louisi-
ana, North and South Carolina and
Texas.
OF cotton, the unreconstructed States
produced in 1860 more than 100000
bales of 400 pounds each. There ATE
several large districts adapted to the
growth of long-staple cotton, similar to
the Sea Island variety, on which its Gull
ture has never yet been attempted on a
large scale and the universally of the
culture of ordinary cotton before the
war is illustrted by the fact that in 1860
it was grown in all the counties OF
South Carolina, Alabama and Missls-
sippi in one hundred and twenty-eight
counties of Georgia, and in nearly all
the counties of Florida, Arkansas, Loul-
siana, North Carolina and Texas. The
intrinsic value of cotton lands, if they
were judged by European standards, is
very great. Some years ago the United
States consul at Naples officially in
formed our government that the cotton
lands of southern Italy, which are less
productive than our own, were held at
$3.50 per acre.
But we must remember that the South
has hever been exclusively devoted &c
the growth of few staples. The last
census shows that there was not sin
gle product common to the North that
was not raised in each of the States
south of Mason and Dixon's line witt
the exception that Florida produced NJ
buckwheat, clover seed, grass seed o.
hops.
Indian corn was grown in all theil
counties except three in Texas and ont
In Florida. Wheat, rye, sweet and Irisi
potatoes, peas and beans were not only
grown in every southern State, but IL
nearly every county. Their product o
food, per head, was much larger thar
that of New England or the Middle
States, or of any portion of the worlt
except our fertile Western States.
To the raising of live stock peculia
advantages are afforded by the milC
winters, genial climate, and luxurian
heritage Of the south, and there was
large return in 1860 of horses, mules
cattle, sheep and swine from nearly ev
cry Southern county, amounting in tn,
aggregate to nearly 100000 horses
nearly 100000 mules, nearly 100000
cattle more than 4,000,0 900 sheep, anC
more than IS, 100000 swine, valued alto
gether at 1881 ,567 JIG, and making
much larger supply of live stock, pc
head, than was possessed in any Othe
section Of our country, except the Paci
&c States.
And these results were effected will
the disadvantages of slave labor, wher
the tiller of the soil done no more o
cared to do no more than was wrunl
from him by a relentless and cruel ot0na
But now that the bitter cup OF SLAYER.
has passed away, and each and ever,
man, of no matter what race or color, i
his own master, can it not, and justly
too, be expected that these results will
be enlarged upon until the above favor
able showings will be more tha
doubled, thus proving the Southern
States the most productive soil upo
the face of the earth, and entailing UP
on their inhabitants degree of prosper
its and wealth hitherto unknown to an
people.
DECREASE IN CUSTOMS RECEIPTs.-Th
statement of the receipts for custom