The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-07-29
ANDERSON s. G., THURSDAY, JULY 49, 1S69

ANOENOOIN, ~. W.,
The Inducements Offered Emigrants to
South Carolina.
We clip the following communication
from the columns of the Cincinnati CON-
mercidl of the 18th inst:
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, J
BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS,
COLUMBIA, S. c., 1869. )
Sir Senator Robertson, of this State,
has forwarded me your letter OF the 2Oth
ult., inquiring what work contains the
most information in regard to the agri-
cultural resources of this State, with the
request that I shall furnish you with a
copy.
regret to say that heretofore we have
been compelled to rely entirely upon the
census reports OF the United States, as
no provision was ever made by the State
Government to procure such information,
nor has private enterprise, as far as l am
apprised, ever exerted itself in that dircc-
ton. The present General Assembly,
however, with lively appreciation of the
advantages derived by other States from
the possession of full reports of their ag-
ricultural resources and productions, Gre
ated o Bureau of Statistics which is now
being organized, and will hereafter sup
ply a deficiency that has lately become
more and moro manifest, as under the
operation OF the free labor system we ad-
vance steadily TO condition of perma-
nent prosperity. A few weeks official
experience as Commissioner of that Bu-
reau has already acquainted me with q
multitude of facts which would long since
have largely contributed to attract the
labor and capital which have recently
gravitatcd hitherward, had they been op-
portunely and properly brought to public
attention.
Scarcely one-fourth of the land in this
State has ever been titled, and the residue
now lies in original forest. Such of it as
has been improved, even by the almost
primitive system of agriculture hereto
fore prevailing in South Carolina has
Welded harvests which, in general COM
pare favorably with the most prolific
lands of the West, and in many cases far
surpass them in variety and abundance of
their productions. Over one hundred
bushels Of corn and sixty bushels of
wheat have, with ordinary cultivation,
frequently been made to an acre in this
Stale, and there are instances, since the
close OF the war, where, by good plough
ing and o moderate use OF manure, three
hundred bushels of corn have been gath
cred in the same acre. Under my per-
sonal observation two hundred and twelve
bushels were made on an acre, within the
corporate limits OF this city last season.
on land that can hardly be classed ordin-
ary, and yet it is confidently expected
that the same soil will, with the employ
mcnt of little more care, yield third
larger crop.
Prior to 1860, our average harvest per
acre, according to the official reports OF
the United States, was six hundred pounds
Of cotton, twenty-five bushels OF corn, ff;
teen bushels OF wheat, forty bushels of
barley, forty bushels of ricc, one hundred
bushels of Irish and three hundred bush
els of sweet potatoes, and this despite the
carelessness of slave labor, the lack OF
improved agricultural implements, the
parsimonious use of manures, and many
other disadvantages of similar charac-,
ter. Since the close Of the war this aver.
age has been largely increased under the
operation of the free labor system, and
will, beyond question, be greatly aug
mented by liberal use Of modern fortil-
izing agencies.
Our climate and soil are adapted to the
growth of the most of the grain and
fruits of more Norlherly latitude, al
most as much so as to that of those which
are naturally found to prosper here, and
it has been said with great truth, that
there is scarcely foot in the whole do
main of South Carolina where a plant
would not flourish. In The distribution
of the seasons we are peculiarly blessed,
it being neither too warm nor too cold
here as in the States of the West and
North. The planter loses but few labor
ing days in the year and enjoys the ines
timable advantages of a succession of
crops. Thus, he is enabled to produce
cotton of long and short staple, rice, up.
land and swamp, corn, wheat, rye, oats,
barley, tobacco, peas, hemp, fax, hops,
&C., and every variety OF garden vegcta
BILE. In all parts of the State grapes
grow abundantly, whilst peaches, apples,
pears, aprlcots, figs, and other fruits OF
almost every description arc raised in i'm
mensc quantities; OF peaches alone, a
single county sends 10 the city of New
York hundreds of thousands of bushels.
In brief, South Carolina presents, in her
peculiar location and advantages, induce
ments to farmers such as cannot be sur
passed by those of any other State in the
Union. These she holds out with open
hands, and cordially invites the children
of every section and cline to draw their
sustenanco from her fruitful and generous
Loso,, WITH Tho ,alna en- Mt dntu of nx-