The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-03-17
Corn and Cotton VS.. Cotton.

time past | have been thinking that L
would write an article setting forth the
profits aecruing to the cotton planter VINO
raises his own corn. :
You may demonstrate to any class OF
men that if they pursue certain cour;y l1,;,1
of conduct, the good of the country WIN WIN
be subserved thereby, still they will nU' ~;
pursue it, unless it conduces 70 thell ''.I. .Ie
vvidual interest. You might ADDRESS IN. tne
cotton planters of these Southern otases as
month after month, for the next ntty
Years on the patriotism of planting more
corn and less cotton, and not induce them
for that reason, to raise an addltional
amount. sufficient to pay for the ink and
naner consumed in the publication OF
rorr addresses. Their answer will ever
be II cannot afford to sacrifice my indl-
uidual interest for the little good it will
do the country" If by concert of action
YOU could secure pledge from all, to
nlant one hSlt their land in corn and the
balance in cotton, doubtless much good
would be accomplished. But apPre-
hend that it is next to impossible 70 orlng
about this concert of action. In the wln,
ter of 1867, 80 many persons suffered
throughout this section Of country, (and
doubtless other portions also,) that there
was a general ventilation of this subject,
and apparently universal determination
to. plant enoug III land in the future, to In
sure a supply of corn. What was the re-
suit? l will give you an illustrative anec-
dote, in reply.
Italy. as YOU know, is wine-growing
county. and it is customary for every one
there to drink wine. The people IN
certain neighborhood agreed among them
selves, that they would furnish the parish
priest with his wine. For convenience
an empty barrel was placed at the door
of the Cathedral, and every man was to
bring his contribution with him the next
Sabbath morning, and empty it in the
barrel. One man, Mr.. Sneak Thrifty,
reasoned with himself after this wise !:
81 have no more wine than l want to
consume or sell, and as all the others Will
carry wine. q little water will not be de-
tected- so I'll fill my two bottles with
water" He did so, carried them to the
Cathedral, and inserting the necks OF the
bottles into the bung of the barrel, as did
the others, emitted them, and went into
the house. Now Sneak Thrifty felt as it
he had played a very cute trick. After
4 service. the priest went to sample his wine,
and to his astonlshment, and that also OF
his congregation, discovered that the bar,
rel contained nothing but water All
had reasoned as Sneak Thrifty. The re-
suit was. the priest, as their confessor,
condemned them to pay four barrels, BY
way of penance, for duplicity. Now aor
the application.
In the spring of 1867, all concurred in
the opinion that it was the best policy to
plant more land in corn and less in cot
ton. and nearly every one thought that
corn would be plentiful in the fall: But
before the time for planting arrived, most
! Lad decided that every one would plant
large-7,-S - .esfQgn, and would of necessity
p,r' be short cott50ather tat5a there would 'aerY oarD
crop. Corn, in consequence; @ Esd s be
cheap and cotton high. Tney Psrased"
Iheir crops according gly. Thus it will ev-
err be-, Mr.. Editor, unless you convince
men that it is to their individual interest
TO raise provisions, whether others do 30
or not.
No one will deny that the produce OF
one or one hundred acres of land cultiva-
ted in cotton, will sell for more than the
same plumber in corr. We will give the
figures but before doing so, let US settle
u few preliminary points: 49,
One (D bale of cotton to three (3)
acres OF land, is a good crop for the plan
tation in this country-in fact it is above
the average. Weighed as picked in the
fields, it will require 1900 lbs. of seed cot
ton to make one bale of lint. Any three
(3) acres of land that will yield one ~
bale of cotton, will yield thirty-six (36)
bushels of corn-twelve (l2) bushels to
the acre. Valueng corn at Sl.5O per
bushel, "a low average price.l and cotton
at 20 cents per pound net, the figures Will
stand thus:
8 acres of land, bale, 500 lbs, -
~ cts. olVo Vo
acres of land in corn, 36 bush
els, Sl.0O... .pot wv
8 acres of land, $50 lbs.
fodder, $1.25. ......... 37-5S 81
$41 63
Showing difference of $41,37 in favor of
the 8 acres cultivated in cotton.
Suppose we take these figures and ap-
ply them to practice. Every observing
farmer knows, that for each additional
acre OF land planted in cotton, two must
be deducted from the number in corn.
In other words, if 81 farmer is able TO cul-
tivate 20 acres to the hand-lO in corn
and 10 in cotton-he will not be able to
cultivate more than Is acres in cotton
alone-134 would be nearer correct.
20 hands, Is acres each in cot
ton, 800 acres, bale cotton
to acres, 100 bales, 20c... $4,000 90
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