The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-03-11
: farmer's department.
From the augusta Chronicle and Sentinel.
Plant Corn.


We arc fearful lest the present high
price of cotton shall induce tho Georgia
planter to devote too much of his land
this year 10 the production of that staple
to the neglect of full corn crop. Such
policy, if adopted, will surely lead to the
ruin Of those who engage in 10. Wecar
not what price Gotten may bring, the first
duty of those planters who would pros
per is to secure full aud ample provision
crops
We hear a great deal Of nonsense talk
cd these days about its being cheaper to
buy bacon than to raise it, when pound
OF cotton will bring the price required to
purchase pound of bacon; and that an
acre Of land planted in cotton will bring
money enough at present prices to pur-
chase as much corn as three or four acres
will produce. Those who argue in this
way and act in accordance with these
theories will always be poor. Their stock
and work-animals will mover be able to
perform full work, and every living thing
abont the plantation will speak trumpet
tongued against such false system.
1t matters not how much cotton the
glanter produces, he can never make q
large net gain 80 long as he is compelled
to purchase at high prices everything
consumed in making the crop. a large
crop of cotton, made in this way would
tend to depscss prices, while the cxtraor-
binary demand for grain and provisions,
growing out Of failure on the part of
cotton planters to make their own sup
plies, would send prices up. This, then,
is tho inevitable result to be derived from
hrge cotton to the exclusion of corn
planting-low priced cotton-high priced
corn-lean and weak work stock-starv-
ed. farm animals-empty psckets-shoe-
hess children-threadbar clothing and
sour dispositions.
Fhe experience of ouc planting friends
will bear us out in the declaration that
planters will not feed sufficiently when
they have to buy provisions They will
also purchase cheapsupplcs-mnsty corn,
poor bacon, etc.-whicl in turn produces
disease among their stock and often heavy
losses in the very midst of the plowing
season. Have VIC all forgotten so soon
the distress and want, and disease Of the
year 1867, following an almost total fail
ure of the crop of 1885,? Will not plan
tcrs be warned in time of like and inl-
ajnent danger growing out of Il failure
so.sry to make provisions
In this connection we beg to call attcn-
tion to the following judicious remarks of
the Memphis Avalanche on this subject:
In tho year 1866 the cotton crop was
equally as large as it is this year, and the
most Of the crop of that year was sold for
twenty-five cents a pound, or upward.
Notwithstanding these facts, tha,c was
great distress among Southern planters
tbe following year. What was the cause?
M was the result OF not having raised in
tho South, during the year 1866, enough
of provisions to sustain the plantations.
Corn was bought during the year 1867,
by tho planters, at from one dollar and
ffty cents to two dollars per bushel, and
bacon at twenty-five cents por pound.
Although the crop OF this year is selling
tor Icss than did the crop of 1866, and
probably will not exceed the crop of that
year in bales, yet the farmers are in a
much better condition, because they have
few supplies of bread and meat to pur-
chase. If tho people of the South would
nafse oil their own breadstuffs, supplies of
meat, and their own mares, mules and
cattle, which they might easily do, they
could better afford to raise cotton at ff.
teen cents per pound than they could to
raise it at twenty-five or thirty cents per
pound, and, have all these things to buy.
Wisdom requires us first to raise our sup.
plies, and that in great abundance, and
then we can afford to raise cotton and
risk the prices.
Cotton should be our permanent CAPT
tal, and, none Of it ought to be required
to purchase supplies. If planter raises
and sells ten thousand dollars worth Of
cotton, and has to pay for horses, mules,
corn, fodder and meat ten thousand dol
hrs, it is evident he has made nothing
clear; but if the Same farmer the next
year should raise and sell only five thou.
sand dollars worth Of cotton, and in adj
dition ALI his supplies, be would make
Ave thousand dollars moro than he diii'
the year before. The agricultural re,
ports of the United States Government
of this year show that much greater net
average IN. value has been made upon
many other articles than cotton: when
we take into consideration the cost Of
producing the various articles. A. coun
try wh;el. relies alone on ono staple,
whether that be wheat, corn or cotton,
can,nevor become wealthy. Variety in
productions is the real Secret Of agricul-
tural wealth. Let our farmers remember
that it is not the high price of cotton that
is now enriching them, but it is the abun
dant supply of provisions. 1t is a re-
markablo fact that the stocll-@ising and
provision growing countries, even before
tie war, were much more prosperous
than those which were devoted exclusive
ly to cotton and sugar, growing. II is