The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1872-09-11
Granrcs in the cast can


manner deal direct with Oranges
! in the west and south for such
! products as the former consume
and the latter produce, as corn,
wheat, pork: beet, &c, to the great
material advantage OF both par
ties.
But the greatest and most beneti-
cent work OF the order is the de-
livery of the agricultural produ-
Ger, and incidentally Of all other
classes of producers and consum-
ers, from their present helpless,
impotent and deplorable bondage
to the great grain elevator, ware
house and transportation monopo-
lies.
X *
Another Of the practical bene-
fits that the order will confer upon
agriculture, is the facilities that it
will afford to it's members to pro-
cure, experiment with and ex'
change new and improved 7arie'
tics Of seeds.
The importance of this subject
is not only not properly under
stood, but is not dreamed Of gene
rally among farmers, tn GU 6 h
through the experiments institu-
ted and encouraged by the Agri-
cultural Department it is annually
attracting more attention.
For many years past, the Amerl-
can farmer, in every section OF
the country, has observed that the
average product per acre of all the
staple grains has been steadily di-
minishing in quantity. 1t is
now an ascertained fact, that the
principal cause ofthe deterioration
is the slight attention paid to the
selection and renewal Of seed
Farms that form crly yielded 80 to
40 bushels Of wheat now can be
made to yield only II to IS. As
shown by the last agricultural re-
port, the production of wheat in
the United States for the year
preceding was 224, 100000 bushels,
being an average Of y 1-1O bush
els per acre.
A variety Of wheat has been
imported and largely distributed
by the agricultural department
which, sown upon the same land,
and subjected to the same culti-
vation as the general crop, has
produced an average yield of %
bushels to the acre. If the entire
acreage Of the United States had
been sown with this wheat with
the same result, theproduct would
have been an increase Of 237 1885,
900 bushels, giving an increase in
money value of 1897, 100000.
The productions of oats for the
same year amounted 254,960, 900
bushels, being an average Of 26
6-1O bushels per acre. A variety
of oats has been imported and
largely distributed by the depart
ment known as the excelsior oats,
which have produced the aston.
ishing results Of from 40 to 90
bushels per acre. Taking the ave-
rage as 40 bushels, and supposing
the entire acreage Of the United
States to be sown with this seed,
the result would be an increase of
1877 ,256,OOO bushels which, at the
average price Of 55 cts, would
represent a money value of s75,-
479,9OO. Here, then. is an aggre-
gate of over s412. 100000 a year
that might be ssred, or rather by
which the wealth Of the farmers
may be increased by procuring
the best seed. Is not this subject
worthy of your careful attention !
How, it may be asked, can this
result be brought about by the
Oranges better than by individual
effort? +? I answer first by arousing
attention to the Importance OF the
subject by discussions in and cor,
respondence among the Oranges
Second, instead Of waiting to re-
ceive a pint package from the ag
ricultural department, let the
members Of different Oranges con
solidate their orders and purchase
direct from Scotland or other
places of production in Europe. In
this way they may receive tht
best seed grain in such quantities
as desired, at the actual cost O.
importation and freight which, II
most cases will not exceed twice
the price Of common and inferior
varieties here.
Heavy fires are now raging II
49, -ooJc ha1or Richmond Va