The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-06-15
THE WATCHMAN
WEDN ESDAY. JUNE is.
A. A. GILBERT .E0iTllR
THE Sumter Watchman has by
far the largest circulation (espe-
cially IN the surrounding cou,atry)
Of any paper published IN Sumter,
and acas established IN 1850.
FRRTILIZRRs.

| FRRTILIZERS.
| It is now manifest that the agricul
turalist of this section cannot continu
the use Of commercial fertilizers at th,
present ruling prices. There must an,
should be greater equality between tn
profits realized by the manipulators o
these manures and the planter Of
producer Of cotton. The truth is, tha
with cotton even at thirty cents, anG
with the most successful planting
obtainabIe under existing circumstances
the greater profit derived from the
growth of tho great staple is realized
by the manipulators Of the fertilizer.
that have been employed in its produc-
ton. With cotton at twenty cents, the
disparity is of cour greater /; but with
the prospect of still lower prices, or, v ith
prices considerably lower, as now seems
to be the prospect, to pay for commercial
fertilizers at the prices now demanded
for them, must prove nothing less than
ruinous to the planter.
If the information at hand be correct,
the profits derived from the manipula.
tion Of the phosphates and other ferti.
lizer" now sold, is simply enormous.
Enthusiasm in their behalf, and an cor.
nest and Legitimate purpose to realize
the advantages in increased yield to the
land and labor and other capital en-.
ployed, which are the results Of judi.
cious system of feeding the soil, has so
produced and excited demand for them,
that, tho present year, even at tho high
and disproportionate prices demanded,
in some instances tho supply has not
been commensurate with the demand.
The cry was still for more. Tho result
of this, as previously intimated, may be
disastrous to the country. In fact,
should there be any considerable failure
Of the crop or dropping Of prices Gone
or the other Of which would seem to be
inevitable, because, if thero bo an aver.
age crop from the increased area in
cultivation, the price must tally then q
very large and ruinous portion of its
proceeds must go to pay for the fertili.
GERS which have been used, and to a
great extent bought on credit. If this
should bo SO, and the great scarcity and
nigh price of corn, and inability to buy
it, which must be tho result, be cousid-
cred, it will be seen that the condition
Of our country must bo deplorable
indeed. Aud the result will be attribu-
table entirely to the eztravagant prices
paid for the large quantity Of CONNER.
oial manures used and tho absorbing
attention given to cotton.
In any evont-whother the price of
cotton advance or fall, or remain ev on as
Il now rulos--forcign fertilizers must be
Aud. it would be we'll for
our planting community to see the
difficulties and complications which are
net at this junoture, and aot according.
y.
We have no doubt, that in the rage
or foreign manurcs, our own valuable
domestic resources in this departm ent
are too much neglected. The almost
nexhaustiblo supplies Of hum,.s which
'uv swamps aud forests afford, as we'll
's vegetable uattor in a greater or less
iesroe Of decomposition, our alluvial
deposits, as we'll as the common barn
Iard and stable manuros, and the
variety ofother and more local substan>
ses, all ofthem Of suoh great value as
|sod for our soils, now attract and en-
gage but comparatively little attention.
It ono half Of the money expended in
The purchase Of foreign tertilixers was
appllod to gathering and preparing aud
applying the elements Of fertilization
whiah ,alumber9 ia such abdpdauce
around US, It Ia. baliovod that the result
would Be Tar moro to the advantage of
tho plAntor,y ltdt fow years ago, all
tho holp our Colds had was derived from