The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-01-28
Anofrson Snttlligtnttr,
The Future Of Southern Agriculture.


greater variety of the necessities and
luxuries of human life. Within its limits
are soil and climate by nature adapted to
she growth of every animal and vegeta-
BILE known 10 ths temperate zones and to
most OF those OF the tropics. In the past
these natural advantages have been but
indffercnlly used by the people of the
South. But now. we do not hesitate to
declare the timc rife for the introduction
and general adaptation of all the arts and
implements know to the most liberal aud
advanced system OF agriculture. Nay
more, VIC confidently anticipate for agri
culture in the South, Il career more bril-
liant, with results more astounding, than
the world has yet seen.
Southern Agriculture consists naturally
Of two great departments. that differ
widely and demand widely different sys-
TENS of culture and management. There
are farming which differs in no essential
degree from the same calling as practlced
elsewhere, and planting which is peculiar
to the South. Ignorance of this difference
has misled MANY writer's, and disregard
of it has wllcd many others into recon-
mending to the planters plows and sys-
TENS most excellent, perhaps, for the farm,
but wholly inapplicable to the plantation.
And because the planter, seeing their un-
fitness. declines TO lopt tEou, it has
come to be quite the fashion To abuse him
as antiprogressive and stupid, Many OF
these writers have, of late gone SO far as
to advocate the rubbing out OF the word
Planter. and substituting Farmer III its
stead. Now, all such advice is simply
absurd When the practice Of planting
ceases the word planter will go out OF nsc
Bntifthen, its use is right and proper and
will be continued. But, though pIaniingis is
destined TO continue the chief occupation
of the people il, eight of the Southern
States, i. BY no means follows that it is to
remain in statu quo. On the contrary, it
sin The culture Of cotton, sugar and rice,
the three specalities OF the plantation,
that we anticipate the greatest improve
men:; greater, indeed, than has been
workedin any other branch of agriculture
during this century. This revolution is
TO hegin or rather it has begun, III the
dcvelopement OF unimagined productive
ness-id 1.-The cotton plant, through the
agency of applied manures and improved
cultivation; and is to be continued and
extended through the agency OF machln-
ehfs Slave labor was OF so low grade
that, in measure it compelled those who
used it to retain ali Interior system OF cul-
iivation. While slavery lasted, it would
have been difficult, perhaps impossible, for
the planters to introduce any very high
grade OF culture.
But slave labor had one great virtue
which counterbalanced all its vices, and
that was its fredneSS. 1t might not be
best, but 1t was always at hand. This, to
the planter, is an indispensable requisite.
He must have his labor always at COM
mand. This, the only superior virtue OF
slave labor, was abolished along with
slavery. Negro laboris no longer fixed
it is no longer bddable This last virtue
can be supplied only by machinery. During
the existence OF slavery the planters ieit
themselves able to ignore the aid OF ma
'chinery But they cannot ignore its help
now. Nor will the attempt be made. On
the contrary, the time is but short when
the whistle of the steam plow will resound
through the plantations OF the South. In
no long time, all the powers ofmechanism
will be taxed to meet the planters de-
mands for biddable labor. And as the de-
manG is met, the number OF field hands
employed will dimiuisli-untl the lowest
nunaber is reached. This indeed, is now
the problem for the planter to solve: HoW
to do the ,cork required acith the te,cest hands
Another piece Of advice that The class
of writer's, above referred to, are contln-
niIly. OF late, urging upon the planters, is
the breaking up OF plantations into small
farms. Now, the Dirie Farmer is par er-
ceilence the friend of mixed husGandry,
aud never will advise the putting OF all
the eggs in one basket. But variety OF
crops is just as easily grown on planta-
ton as on farm. And the Dirle Far
ner prefers to see the planters add other
crops TO their cotton, sugar and rice, in
stead of substituting other crops for those
staples Planting is naturally whole
sale business. 1t never has been success
fully carried on by retail, and in all proba-
hility, it never will be. On the contrary.
the effect of machinery on planting will
undoubtedly be the same that it has been
on manufacturing, that is: to increase the
scope and compass OF establishments. and
She absorption OF all ncighboring little
shops. This introduction OF machinery
will increase the breadth of land in cult
vation under one proprietorship; and it is
about as absurd to regret such result,
,,s it would DC to desire that innumerablc
little shops should take the place OF the
giant factories among manufactures
From this outlook the future of The South
}ern planter is very brilliant 1t depends
on themselves alone whether this future
be realized, or remain only creation of
the Imagination.
The tu,urc Of Southern farmers is not