The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-03-07
Worn.Out, Lands.

In South Carolina, and in all the Southern
States that we have seen, there are vast bodies
of what is called worn-out lands. The name
is appropriate. These worn-out lands are lite
rally ruined. All the top soil is wasted away.
The hills have been washed down into the
branches, creeks and rivers. The destruction
of the hills has been the destruction, in many
cases, of the bottoms. The clay which has
been washed down from the hills has been de-
posted on the bottoms, thus entirely covering
up all the fertile soil of the bottoms and rem
dering them unfit for cultivation. There is
scarcely farm in South Carolina in the Sec
tion best adapted to cotton that is not dlstlg-
ured, and its value materially injured by gull
lies. These are the facts in the case. What
has been the cause, is the practical question
which demands solution7 To the farming
part of the community this is an important
question, from the simple fact that this wear
and tear system is still going on as rapidly as
ever, and if something is not soon done, large
sections of the State will be rendered scarcely
inhabitable.
Various reasons would be given by different
individuals for these enormous and innu-
merable gullies that are to be seen in all the
cotton growing sections of the State. Every
farmer would try to shift the blame from him
self on nature. Some would give as reason
for those worn-out fields, that the land is so
billy that it cannot be prevented from wash,
ing. Others would assign as reason the fact
that the soil is composed of clay and very fine
sand, both of which are easily foated and car
ried off by even moderate rain. This is true,
but South Carolina has only her share of hills.
There are hills in western Virginia, but they
are not ruined by gullies as most of our hills
are. The true cause of the gullies and worn.
out lands in South Carolina, is found in the
system of farming, which has been practiced
in this State since the first introduction of cot
ton. The cultivation of cotton will ruin any
land if continued for number of years. We
are aware that there are many persons who
will deny this statement, but unfortunately for
them they have to make the denial in the face
of facts. Everybody knows that it is impossi-
BILE to cultivate hills in cotton for number OF
wears and prevent the soil from washing away.
Every root and in fact all vegetable matter is
worked out of the soil and there remains moth
ing to hold it together. To protect these hills
from washing away, they ought to be sown IN
grass or clover. This will most certainly pre-
serve the SOIL We have seen hills in Western
Virginia so steep that COW or horse could not
ascend them in direct line, and yet .therewere
no signs of gully on their faces. These Vir-
ginia hills would wash away if they we're cul-
tivated as ours are Properly cultivated, land
will never wear out. The soil of England is
richer to-day than it ever was. We suppose
that it would be impossible to find gully in
either of the three Islands that form the king.
I'M of Great Britain.
In this country, we work on the principle of
the prodigal. Our motto is, come easy go
easy.b Land is plenty and cheap, therefore
there is no need to save it. This is desperate
principle. Land ought to increase In value
and in price in proportion to the length of
time it has been under cultivation. This is the
case all over the world except in the Southern
States. What is the reason these form an 'ex-
ception2 Simply, because we Southern people
make it point to ruin plantation and then
get up, like Sythian, and go some place else.
Some may say man has a right to work his
land as he sees proper. Nobody doubts this.
A man may be said to have q right to make
himself poor and miserable, and then to get rid
of his misery, he has Alright to starve himselfto
death. When we say he has right to do these
things, we only mean that the laws,of the coun-
try would not force him to do otherwise. We
do not believe any man has moral right to
let his property 60 to ruin by practicing an er-
roneous system. There are some people who
are continually complaining about this poor
old worn-out State. To such we would say, 60
to work and renovate the old State. You may
travel all over the world and not find as lovely
spot us your own home. There is much
worn-out land in South Carolina, but it can be
reclaimed and made rich. To do this is small
lob compared with settling in the wilds of the
West.-Yorkviile Enquirer.