The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-10-12
Products of Our Agriculture.

Products OIL Uuf Agriculture.
The Investigation of agriculture is thing
that has engaged the attention of many of the
ablest, most scientific, philosophical and prac-
tical minds in our country, and although the
impression is that these efforts do not accom-
plisb much among the farmers, yet it is fact
thateverything that is said or written on the sub
iect does in some shape reach even the COM
monest and rudest farmers, either through his
local newspaper or in the way of example set
by some one who does read and'prott by what
he reads. Farmerslare in some sort now COM
pelled to consider to greater extent than for
merly, what crops they shall cultivate, as the
facilities for reaching markets are now on such
scale that an excessive production OF any
thing causes serious loss to all growers.
Ground-nuts now constitute standard crop
and profitable one, too, in Virginia whereas
formerly our markets were entirely supplied
with the imported article. So, too, OF sumac,
which has become reliable and valua-
BILE crop of Virginia, in competition, with ST.
made such progress that the supply of table
grapes is quite large, and growing larger every
year, while the production of native wines is
considerable. The sorghum yields good molas-
ses and much of it with good profit in GER
tain sections; and efforts are being made to
establish the culture of the sugar beet 80 as to
ensure larger. crop of domestic sugar. In
California japanese colony has been trying
to naturalize the culture of tea and raw silk
is also produced, though in limited guam
titles in many districts, and silk factories are
being established among us.
Cotton, rice, sugar, tobacco, wheat, rye, hay,
oats, barley, hops, buckwheat, hemp, fax, but
ter, cheese, fruit and provisions are still the
great staples of our agriculture and absorb the
Overwhelming attention of farmers and plant
ers, as the success in all of these has been very
great. But the number of those who strike
away from these beaten paths and seek out new
ones increases with every succeeding season.
In the way of fruits we used to be restricted in
cultivation of apples, peaches and pears chief
ly. But the strawberry crop has now attained
great proportion, and the cultivated blackberry
is now rising up into an important Interest,"
Cranberry plantations enlist degree of care
and attention that formerly no one would have
thought possible. Oranges are raised now in
considerable quantities in the Gulf regions. In
fact the variety of soil and climate in our coun-
try is so extensive that they are probably very
few crops that we cannot raise, nor do we see
any good reason why we should not try.
In many of these crops we have to labor un-
DER RreaC QlSauVauLdSe III consequence VI tAC
low cost at which the competing foreign arti-
cles can be imported. This is the case with su-
gar, which is produced by slave labor in Brazil
Cuba and PortcRico, while our sugar has to be
raised by paid labor. Still we do raise cane
sugar in Louisiana in competition with the i'm
ported slave grown sugar; and the white labor
of France and Germany produces beet root su-
gar, also in competition with success. In the
production of oranges we have formidable
rival in the slave labor of Cuba, and the very
cheap labor of Sicily. -.
Tt is possible that we may some day be able
to raise coffee in Southern California, Texas or
Florida. If the Chinese emigration continues
we shall certainly grow tea in California In
the era of slavery, coffee and indigo were great
crops in Mexico, but neither hare yet been at
tempted in the United States or at present
seem likely to be. In Texas stock farming has
risen to such propositions as to bid fair to rival
tie far-fained cattle interest OF the La Plata,
especially since direct railway connections
with the north are being opened to Texas. The
native wooden production has risen to general
and widespread investment of capital and en-
terprise. There are other leading and growing
interests which we shall take occasion to refer
to hereafter, not having room to pursue the in
teresting subject in the present number.