Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-01-02

The South is to-day rich in land and poor
in almost everything else. Part of her soil
| is badly cultivated, the larger portion un-
productive, while her mines arc unopened,
and her water-power runs to waste, because
she has no capital wherewith to develop and
and improve them. = m U 20 - 10
The very best thing that men OF means
can now do for the South and for themselves
IS to invest libcrally in the purchase of her
lands. They are amazingly cheap-often
offered for less than one-quarter of their
intrinsic value, yet offered in vain. Money
wherewith to buy them is not found at the
South; the few who possess it have too
much land already. Families which hold
thousand acres Of mainly good soil, but
generally in bad condition, are absolutely
harassed by debts of few hundred dollars,
and know not how to meet them. They try
to borrow; but no one wishes to lend them;
the security is good, but repayment is slow
those who made advances to Southern
planters in 1865, expecting payment from
that years CROP are often awaiting it yet,
with cloudier prospect than that Of two
years ago. 1t is not possible to obtain loans
in such amount as will afford sensible relief
to the South; but real estate is now so low
| there that money can be invested to great
advantage, even though the land were to lie
idle and taxes be paid on it for the next two
or three years. 10000. .l l...,-.
There is no question of willingness to
sell; the owners must sell, or the sheriff will
save them the trouble. AT least quarter
OF the soil of the former slave States is in
the market at low prices to- day. Some of
t is as rich laud as the sun ever warmed;
far more has never yet been plowcd to a
depth of six inches, and though worn and
exhausted on the surface, is deep and strong
below. There are thousands of acres OF
choice timber in market for sums which
quarter of their trees, properly dealt with,
would pay, leaving the residue and the soil
clear profit. There are water-powers Of great
prospective value which are not counted
at all in the prices asked for the estates
which include them. Beds of ore and mines
OF coal that will soon be worth tens of thou
sands of dollars are included in tracts of
mainly timbered land that are offered for
$50 per acre or less; while plantations of
one or two thousand acres seek purchasers
Tor less than the cost of their buildings.
Laborers in abundance cling to or surround
these plantations, anxious to be hired for
$40 per month and rations that would cost
less than five more. As good labor as
theirs cannot be hired this way for less than
$40 per month Gneluding board), and the
Blacks expect to work long and hard in the
crop-making season. The Peach, the Grape.
e.S oSiiJ. 10 BloWu luAuTldDIlY
almost everywhere; so may early Vegeta-
Dles along the coast: Tea and Silk will vet
be Southern staples. Lands that were worth
$50 per acre for cotton growing, but would
rarely command that sum, will be eagerly
bought for ten times that price when cover
ed, as they will be, with orchards and vine
yards and accustomed to more varied and
thorough culture than the rude husbandry
OF the planter, who. will learn how to make
better living from q hundred acres than he
ever did from thousand. . 81
Every dollar invested by strangers or i'm
migrants in Southern Lands does good to
every interest and section There are thou
sands Of extensive landholders now lodging
the sheriff, unable to hire and pay labor un.
fitted by embarrassment for any earnest.
persistent effort, who, if they could sell hal |
their land even at a sacrifice, would be once
more on their feet. They could pay their |
debts; they could buy seed, implements, and
fertilizers; they could hire, feed, and pay |
laborers; and they would thus produce far |
more on the residue OF their estates than
they now do on the whole. And the pur-
after paying scores of debts,
would return to the North in satisfaction Of |
debts or in payment for new purchases, and |
would thus do more good here than though |
1t had never left u.s.. $40
Men who would gladly revive the flagg-
ing energies of the South, tighten her miser-
les, and restore her vigor and prosperity !
take or send down your money and buy
Southern Lands