The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1869-11-26

lheSc statistics may be valuable as
enabling us to approximate what
Will be, or what should be. tho
number Of negro laborers in tho
South during any year up to 1890
and to ascertain what effect free
dom has had on the mortality and
the ratio Of increase among the
blacks.
Turning, now, from the labor to his
work, we have to consider what sys
tenn OF culture is the most productive
and here l have no hesitation in
saying that the system which calls to
it's aid all the appliances Of skill and
science will always, other things be-
ing equal, prove the most successful.
do not propose to enter into the de-
! tails of cotton planting, nor tn give
the best plan for its cultivation. be-
bausc the same rules will apply to all
localities, and because time will not
permit me to do more than touch. on
the grand fundamental principlcs
which should govern all intelligent
planters. The problem for our solu-
ton is how we can obtain the maxim.
um production at the minimum cost.
We cheaper labor by increasing its
producuveness, for while we may.
in doing the latter have to pay higher
wages, we receive for the work done
larger profits. Our object should be
not to enlarge the area of cultivation,
but make every acre yield to its high
est capacity. The labor with which
VIC cultivate one acre producing from
GOO to 1000 pounds of seed cotton
| costs as much as that which would
make that same acre bring 5000
pounds IL is economy to use labor.
which is now money, so that it will
only make from ten acres what il can
as easily make from five? If our la
bOrts cultivate ten acres to the hand.
Is it not best to plant only half that
quantity in cotton, working our crops
| under the improved system which cx-
rcrcnce and science have taught, and
t" devote the other moicty to grain
ami gr:,sscS These propositions do
NOT admit of y doubt, and the question
then arises, how is the productivcncss
Of our lands to be brought to it's high
est price? Here, again, refer You
'oyour OWN great authorities in Geor-
yia, only saying that the prime secret
"t planting is in thorough prepara-
1inn and careful! culture a crop tha:
Is property planted is already half
! 'na;ir, and its subsequent cultivation
T. comparatively easy. But in order
1" prepare ana cultivate our land
'"oi"ry, We must Use all the means
which modern skill ani recent science
nave offered. This skill has placed in
our hands improved implements o.:
huoi;andry. while science teaches Us
how to use them, what fertilizers 20
apply and the hrss node OF their ap-
pllcaiipn II waS by means Of her
lnbor-Saviny machines that the North
was able 10 keep up her agricultural
and mechanical interest during the
war, Notwithstanding the heavy drain
Oh her labor;ns population. England
has Increased the yield of wheat four
bushels per acre by the use Of the
steam plough, while Mccormick $
reaper performs The work Of many
men in harvesting the golden shravc:,.
1t should be q source Of pride 10 ls
that these two great lahor-saving ma.
chimes, which arc rcvoIutionizins the
agricultural operations Of the world
! are the inventions Of Southern men :
for BclIingcr the inventor OF the
| plough, was Il South Earoin,nn. an
Mccormick Il Firginisn. Ii VIC hop.
t" keep peace with the enlightened
farmers Of other countries, VIC must
hasten /" employ the means that give
them Success. Every advantage OF
soil and Of climate is with as, and il
we fail in the great race the fuaIt will
be ours. Let us then, my brother
planters, strive manfully for that Sill
premacy which our kind mother, Ma
ture herself, intended us to enjoy
Let us prove ourselves worthy Of hcl
bcnefccnce; let us leave to place
men and partisans the troubled field
of politics to seek peace, recreation,
and happiness in those more cong
niai, more aIIuriny and more honol,:,
bic ones giv'n by her.
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" charm. t" Nature bv lite h"Ip "f Art
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| flowers,