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.

PlanC corn.
We arc fearful lest the present high
price Of cotton shall induce the 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 fs. Hecare
not what price Gotten may bring, the first
duty of those planters who would pros
per is to secure full and ample provision
orops.-
we hear 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 bo able to
perform full work, and every living thing
abont- the plantation will speak trumpet
tongued against such q false system.
It matters not how much cotton the
slanter produces, no can never make
largo net gain so long as he is compelled
to purchase at high prices everything
consumed in making the crop. a large
crop of cotton, mado in this way would
tend to depsoss prices, while the cxtraor-
dinary demand for grain and provisions,
growing out of a 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
hfge cotton to the exclusion of corn
planting-low priced cotton-high priced
corn-lean and weak work stock-starv-
ed farm animals-empty peckets-shoe..
Acss children-threadbar clothing and
Sour dispositions.
The experience of cur planting friends
will bear us out in tie declaration that
planters will not feed sufficiently when
they have to buy provisions. They will
also purchase cheapsupplcs-musty corn,
poor bacon, etc.-which in turn produces
disease among their stock and often heavy
losses in the very midst of the plowing
season. Have We all forgotten so soon
the distress and want, and disease of the
year 1867, following an almost total fail
re of the crop of 1866? Will not plan
tcrs be warned in time of like and I'M
sinent danger growing out of failure
to-sry to make provisions
In this connection we beg to call attcn-
tion to the following iudicious remarks of
the Memphis Aralanche on this subject:
In the year 1866 the cotton crop was
equally as large as it is this year, and the
nost Of the crop of that year was sold for
twenty-five cents pound, or upward.
Notwithstanding these facts, the,c was
great distress among Southern planters
ahe following year. What was the cause?
Gt was the result OF not having raised in
tho South, during the year 1866, enough
of provisions to sustain tile plantations.
Corn was bought during the year 1867,
by tho planters, at from one dollar and
fifty cents to two dollars per bushei, and
bacon ut twenty-five cents pcr pound.
Although the crop of this year is selling
for 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 the people of the South would
raise all their own breadstuffs, supplies of
meat, and their own mares, mules and
eattle, which they might easily do, they
could better afford TO raise cotton at ff-
teen cents per pound than they could to
raise it Mt 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
tai; and,nene of it ought to be required
TO purchase supplies. If a 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 farmor the next
year should raise and sell only five thou
sand dollars worth Of cotton, and in ad-
dition all; bis supplies, hs would make
Eve thousand dollars more 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. valuc has been made upon
many other articles than cotton. when
we take into consideration the cost Of
producing, the various articles. A, coun-
try which 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 re-
markable fact that the stocl-raising and
provision growing countries, even before
the war, were much more prosperous
than those which were devoted exclusive
" to cotton and sugar, growing 1t is