The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-08-08
FOR TIE CAMDEN JouRSAE,
sour Native Land" :"

"
necessary to divide the subject viewing
it from two stand points. One, in the
general aspect relating to us as a COM
munity. The other, in relation to us
as individuals. The one applicable to
an increased population. The other ts
us as individuals of a sparse and I'M
poverished population: The latter@is
of more Immediate and pressing impor-
tance to us, but as the former is the
weightier subject, more comprehensive
and to some extent includes the latter,
T will first present the general view.
Kershaw District lies on both sides
of the Wateree River, which flows
through its whole length from North,
to South, while its tributaries, Single
ton, Beaver, White Oak, Granney's
Quarter, Sanders, Pine Tree, Swift
sawneys, speers, Twenty-Five milo
Creeks and Lynches Creeks, and the
head waters of Black River, furnish
abundant supplies of water for all con- co 4.
ceivable uses and add their fructifying
influences to o1.r soil
Within the district, there are three
hundred and sixty thousand acres Of
land, ofwhich only seventy-thousand are
improved, one fifth part, supporting a
population Of fifteen thousand, one third
white, two thirds colored, and produ
cling six thousand bushels wheat, twen-
ty-tour thousand bushels of rye, oats
&c., three hundred and sixty thousand
bushels of corn, fity-fve thousand BUSH
els Of potatoes, twenty-five thousand
bushels peas, and nine thousand bales
of cotton. These figures are the ap-
proximate round numbers deduced
from census reports and official esti-
mates made before the war. They sug7
gest important information and deduc-
tions which are so patent, that do not
purpose to dwell upon them, only re-
cording them as premises, justifying
conclusions, which will be attained in
the course of this article.
The climate of this district is most
propitious, being dry and healthful,
while the cold of winter, and the heat
of summer never reach such extremes
as to interfere with the safe, healthful
and profitable labor of the white man
in the fields, as has, been abundantly
proven by the experience of six gener-
ations, and our. combined advantages
of soil and climate enable us success
I 7 full, E -and prnftahly 70 produce wheat,
rye, oats, barley, rice, corn, potatoes,
peas, cotton, indigo &C., with all the
varieties Of vegetables and fruits COM
mon to the temperate zone, with many
which have their more congenial home
amid the tropics.
Political economy has, as the result
both Of experience and logical dedue-
ton, announced two propositions as es-
sentials to high agricultural success in
a national point Of view. First, q va
riety Of agricultural products. Second,
a dense population. AS to the first it
is announced that "Nations which
thrive most by their agriculture are
those that cultivate the greatest variety
of products, for where one article fails,
another may succeed and make up the
deficiency ; season may he unfavora-
BILE for wheat or potatoes and good for
corn, or unsuitable for the three, and
yetgood for fruits, vegetable and grass"
and we may add, for cotton. fu,
The soil and climate of Kershaw Dis
t,ict, fully complies with the above re-
QUESTIONS, and fits greater variety Of
products than is common to the most
favored agricultural regions Of the
world, and in addition, it has the great
advantage arising from an exception
which may be taken TO the general
proposition, for it has in common with
the South, a somewhat monopoly of
the great staple, cotton It is true,
cotton is largely grown in many por-
tions Of the world, but no where 90
cheaply and advantageously, as in the
Southern States. The greatly enhanced