The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-03-27


of agriculture. The replies have been care
fully condensed, and Mr.. Capron makes re-
port on the subject, from which We gather the
following:
The average fall Of the price OF land IN w W
pinia. since 1860, is twenty per cent, tne
averare increase in value in this state ranges
from one dollar an acre IN the soutnWes!eern L
counties, to fifty dollars in the best parts Oh tne
fideWater counties. There are, however, very
: few purchasers in the market. Properly omH.
ers. as rule, do not sell when they can possl,
bly avoid,ft: Mr.. Capron adds, however, that
the evidence is abundant OF growing dlspo-
sition to invite immigration. At present the
Virginia farmers devote themselves mainly to
stocMaising. The average price OF pasturage
is less than one dollar month. A large amount
of wheat has been raised in the Shenandoah
SSTalley. The sugar maple is fast dlsappearng
from the mountainous countries. The farmers
in all the counties, especially in those lying on
the slopes Of the Blue Ridge, seem to be turn
ing their attention to the subject OF frLit-grow-
ING. q culture for which the soil and climate
are well suited. The valuable forests OF the
State are at present, as rule, entirely unpro-
ductive.
NORTH CAROLINA.
The average fall in the price of lands in North
Carolina since 1860 is fully fifty per rent. In
two counties, however, prices have not decreas-
ed. Timbered uplands and swamp, or POGO
SIM lands, can be bought at from hfty cents
to ten dollars an acre; exhausted and abandon
ed lands ut even lower prices. The agriculture
of the State is primitive and not very profit
able. Mr.. Capron says:
Corn is the staple for bread in many coun-
ties. Halifax reports the yield on best lands :
Cotton, four hundred to five hundred pounds
lint; corn on uplands, twenty to thirty, and on
lowlands, thirty to fifty bushels; but on COM
mon lands throughout the State che average is
one hundred to three hundred pounds lint;
twelve to twenty bushels Of corn; five to ten
bushels Of wheat.
Here, as in Virginia, the early Tappahannock
is rapidly supplanting other varieties OF wheat.
Nearly all the counties are adapted to fruit
growing. There is little meadow land In the
State, the farmers usually turning their STOCK
loose in the woods.
T. SOUTH cARoLMA.
In South, Carolina; the average decrease in
the market value Of land since 1860 is about
sixty per cent. Wild lands can be bought IN
most counties for from fifty cents to two dol
lars am acre. Reports from all the cotton
growing counties, agree in declaring cotton
to be, at present, "a pro6tless, and, in most
cases, losing crop" In Union district the
Yield OF Farm lands is "generally 500 TO loO0
pounds seed cotton, 8 to so bushels corn, ~
to 40 bushels rice, to Is Of rye, and 10 TO ~
orgh tnage, and good use Of mari and other
materials and manure, would greatly increase
these products" From April to October or
November, only working cattle and milch COWS
are fed. The rest Of the stock run loose ID the
woods and abandoned lands until after harvest,
when they are turned into the grain fields.
Very little profit is derived from hult-groW-
knI kha%o ho Ia
month to six weeks earlier in South Carolns,
market gardening TOR this and other northern
cities might be made very profitable.
GEORGIA.
In fifty counties OF Georgia the price OF lands
has fallen off since 1860 fully one-haf. In
three counties prices remain the same. AS In
the other States, the number Of sales is very
small. Cultivated land can be found at from
TWENTY-FIVE cents to fifteen dollars an acre;
wild lands throughout the State at nominal
prices The State can produce great variety
Of crops, but hitherto wheat, corn ana cotton
have engrossed the attention OF the farmers.
The latter crop is at present out Of favor. The
improved methods of farming have not yet
made their way into many Of the counties.
The average yield in 1866 was as follows Corn
6.2 bushels, wheat bushels, rye Is bushels,
oats 1917 bushels, barley SO bushels, potatoes
62 bushels, tobacco 625 pounds, hay nine
farmers very little; often nothing at all. But
little attention has been given 70 fruit-grow-
ing, vet it is asserted that "all fruits not
strictly tropical may be cultivated in Georgia
with success
The returns from Florida are meagre. The
prices OF lands are merely nominal, hardly any
sales taking place. The average decrease IN
value since 1860 is believed to be about fifty
a k.>Tk kna tri1d 1or16 q
not, at present, valuable for farming uses.
The agriculture of the state is rude, and not
very profitable. 1t is thought that wheat can be
grown on the hammock" lands. Pasture costs
nothing. Northern immigrants are settling
along the coast and on the islands, and there
is little doubt that Florida will become great
fruit-groying and timber producing state
ALABAMA.
Ii Alabama the price Of land has fallen of
since 1860 about sixty per cent. AS IN otneI
states, the large plantations have depreciaaIeo a
average price of unimproved lands is about one
dollar seventy-fye cents an acre. The report
saws San almost universal complaint is made
of the unproftableness Of cotton culture al
present prices and in the unsettled condltlon
OF labor, and determination expressed to de.
vote more attention. to the cereals ana roo,
crops. some of which are we'll suited to the SOL
and climate" But little care has been glve1
to the cultivation Of grasses or fruits.
LOUISIANA.
In Louisiana the value Of land seems tt
have deprecated since 1860 about twenty pei
cent. Tne prices put upon unlmpioved lands
are merely nominal. But few sales are report
ed. Much valuable land is lying idle for want
of capital and labor. Those who have plantec
cotton have lost money. But little wheat has
vet been raised. More attention has been
given to corn. In the southern tier OF parishes
sugar, rice, tobacco and fruits yield good
profit. Indeed, the report predicts that fruit
growing will become 4 leading interest OF the
state. The grazing districts are among the
best in the country, and, in general, Louisiana
planters and farmers are not put to much e1
pence for feeding their stock.
ARKANSAS.
Two counties in Arkansas report an increase
in The value Of land since 1860; the others re
port an average decrease OF sixty. per cent
Farms worth s1OO an acre before the war arr
now, in some parts of the State, valued at 80
Much OF the soil is Of the finest quality, and
under good system of cultivation, will ylelt
very heavy aud profitable crops. No farm
meadow lands are needed-the stock grazing
on ranges until after harvest. In many coun
ties fruit grows readily, and will some time be
an important interest.
The twenty-seven States represented iI
Congress will cast total electoral vote in the