The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-11-23
SOME PLAIN THOUGHTS FOR THE
FARM ER6a

=
SOME PLAIN THOUGHTS FOR THE
FARMERS. :
The effect of excessive purchase Of COM
mcrcial fertilizers, in this section, is now
! severely felt in every department. Of
business. Every indiyidual feels it the
whole country is poorer than it was
twelve months ago, and the coming
year will be one Of the hardest to get
over that has been experienced since
the war. This is indispatable fact, and
calls for calm reflection with reference
to the course to be pursued 10 the fu
turc.
There can be no doubt, We think, Of
the correctness Of the general idea that
there is now too much reliance on COM
mercial fertilizers. The soil must be
fed, aud judicious and liberal system
), OF fertilization, there can also be no doubt,
underlics all successful agriculture in
|. this State. But the country cannot af-
ford to pay out heavily for foreign ma
nurcs, willis. it negIccts and allows to
go to waste, the valuable domestic cle-
mcnts that lie scattered all around.
/ Prosperity eau never be obtained upon
Esuch u basis as this. The whole princi
pie and practice is radically wrong. Ma
i nure making should be busiuess-a
{ leading part ofthe business of every
! farmer, and, if carefully followed, it
+ would be found the most profitable
h Every animal upon the farm-man and
II beast should be made to assist in in-
Il, crcasing tho concentrated mass Of fer;i-
lizing matter, year ny year. When
\. this has been done, and ouly when this
II has been done, we contend, will it pay to
II invest even in the best foreign elements IS
that are offered. Commercial fertilizers
n in the main exhaust rather than resus.
i citate tho sol, and no farmer should leave
his land, when crop has been matured,
i in weaker condition than he found it
Fat planting season. The purpose should
be to inYuore the soil, from year to
|Eycar; and. this car be done by restricting
f:the area cultivated and applying freely
|Efrom the stable, the cattle shed, the
hog pen, the com post heap, and even
y from the crude surface Of the native
forest itself.
/ Another general idea, and one which
cannot be too strongly urged, is the
+ personal disadvantage and misfortune
to the country of making cotton the all
absorbing effort Of the agriculturist.
& We can never be prosperous people
whilst VIC buy our meat, our manures
aud large part Of our bread. These
out of the country all that por-
Hilton Of it, earnings which should be
kept at homo to insrcaseour wealth, and
Blbuild up our internal industries.
IN Almost as BY common consent, the
H9effect ofthc discouraging results Of the
HAwar, our people have abandoned the
Mlidca Of ok raising, except to limited
}3extent. he great mass of tho bacon
DHconsumcd, is furnished us by the West,
Hand, necessarily, is paid for at cxhorbi-
Ntant prices, from the proceeds Of Il, c
Nsalcotton crop. Every thing depends upon
MFhs source uncertain in its profits as il
Mfs, aud the result is that the mass of tho
Hpeople live from hand to mouth. Every
p aiarmcr should and can raise pork sufi-
Bfient for his domestic use. We know
Etherc arc discouragcmcnts in this di
Hkection barassmcnt and uncertain
!Sfy attending thievcry being among tho
81 most formidable. But this, with all sAa
Hfest, may be measurable overcome by care
Mhnd attention.
Al True, energy and industry, with high
MFcsolve, stops not at diffic ultics but meets
fhcm with invinciblc spirit, and over
Hsomcs many OF them by increased and
81 more assiduous effort. Onr people can
Mot afford to give up the business ol
itIhog raising, because their stock is prey
He'd upon by thieves. And, moreover, the
N condition Of .inss, in this respect, is
Akvidenily improving. Let every good
Mfitizen bend his influence towards fur
n her improvement. That state of soci
|nsty is radically wrong which abandons
#fo vastly important an interest because
&lbf an internal bcsctmcnt like this, oi
T. (which seeks not to overcome the Obsta
;#tlc by we'll directed and persistent eff
fort. The county can produce, even in
Ifts present condition, largely Of pork
"a And let it be remembered that every
8tlolrr's worth raised is dollar made
kept at homo, bc'tcring the condi'
Edion Of the raiser and increasing tho
Sa}vcal,h of the community in which he
Llllivcs. We trust that our planters nnt
WI,ycry one, will 90 back to this pleasin.