The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-01-19

AVaried Industry thetrue Source
of Wealth.

mOSC OF pTeSeLG dufai'aSS, ~
gardless of the probable but remote
chance of an ultimate loss is often
too great for even sagacious man
to resist. For those whose motto
is let us eat and drink for to-mor>
row we die the desire for present
gain rather than prospective profit,
is too absorbing to allow of even a
passing doubt ofits propriety, And
especially is this, true as regards
the business of agriculture. A
fertile soil adapted to a single sta
pie, a climate suspicious, a demand
constant and remunerative, are
sufficient to induce the planter to
invest his means in a single crop
whose success may enrich, but
whose failure may ruin him; while
mora varied investment, though
it may not offer so great induce
ment, would not impoverish him
by his failure; because on the one
hand, failure cannot be in this case
complete, and on the other, the
success Of one part would 60 to re-
imburse the loss of another.
The economic advantage arising
from varied agriculture are not
to be narrowed to a single item.
viz that of profit and loss to the
individual operator; they in fact
affect the social and moral status
of the whole community. But the
limits of this article would be in
adequate to enter fully into this
subject. 1t will be sufficient here
to show to the Southern agricultu-
rist that it is matter of serious
consideration whether it is in the
end, a more profitable course to in
crease the variety of his crops than
to confne bis attention TO the great
staple-cotton. That there is mo-
ney in the cotton crop under all
circumstances may make it remark
ably profitable, is sufficient to blind
a casual observer to many draw
backs that lie hidden under the
surface, but such drawbacks are
not the less potent for all that, A
person who sees an ordinary South
ern plantation for the first time, is
struck with dreary aspect offelds
out of cultivation, waiting their
turn to be again put into crop,
thus necessitating a large surface
for comparatively narrow cultiva-
tion. Here is a loss Of interest on
capital which would not be borne,
but for the fact that the capital
represented by the land is small.
In other words land is cheap.
Now it may be taken for an axiom
in agriculture that where land is
cheap the population is poor, that
is, Of course, in the aggregate
There will be the rich proprietor
on the one hand and in the close
contiguity, and in strong contrast,
the poor laborer. This is every
where, and at all times the inevita-
BILE result of a restricted agricul-
ture. Apastoral community, where
the wealth exists in the shape of
hocks, herds and extensive domains
furnishes a parallel to that one
whose sole product is a single sta.
pie. Whether the capital invested
In land and improvements under
such regime produces fair in
terest may we'll be doubted, even
during a course of moderately sue
cessful years. But under the in
fluence of adverse circumstances,
when a crop made at so many cents
per pound will not sell for more
than cost, as is sometimes the case,
the disaster is the inevitable con-
sequence. Compare this system
with that of New England, will
not say of the Northern States,
because while here agriculture is
of necessity mixed, yet is not of
that completely varied kind as
exists in England. There, under
system of mixed agriculture which
produces grain, roots, grass, diary
products, wool, beef, mutton, all in
profusion and perfection, land is
worth an annual rental equal to
the fee simple of many a we'll i'm
proved plantation; and while the
proprietor gains from his land a
handsome income, the Tenant who
farms it, is man of capital, intel>
ligence, foresight, and business
capacity sufficiently so, to enable
him to live often in style which
few American farmers can do who
own their land. And this is due to
the varied industry of that country
which enables them to keep at
home the profits of their labor
instead of sending them abroad to
purchase necessary articles of COM
fort, finds for them a market at
their doors, and spares them a tax
in the shape of freights which, in
our country, not seldom, eats up
IS per cent. of our produce.
It must be admitted that the