The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-04-03
Planting the Crop.

Although planting. cannot be regarded as
having yet fairly commenced in the Southern
States, owing to the backwardness of the sea-
son, the preparations for it have so far pro-
grcssed as to indicate its probable nature and
extent. So far the facts variant the conclusion
that there will be considerable increase in
the breadth of land. The present and the
last seasons were prosperous for planters, and
notwithstanding the drawbacks of partial fail
ures of the crop in. various localities yet the
profits were large and satisfactory sufficiently
so to demonstrate beyond all question, that
cotton is still the most advantageous and
profitable product Of Southern industry. This
fact is producing The natural result OF fncreas-
ing the culture of the staple and if the wealth
er should present even ordinary inducements
for planting, there can be no doubt that the
area placed under cultivation will largely
As an illustration of this tendency, it may
be stated that the. Southern papers commence
their annual campaign for extensive cotton
and large corn planting with more than usual
vigor and vehemence. They ignore the fact
that an acre Of cotton is worth More than an
acre Of corn, and predict general bankruptcy
unless the South raises more corn and less
cotton. Some journals even insist that the
only hope of the South is to limit her prodnc-
tion, thus adopting the now almost exploded
fallacy of the trades unions, that the best way
to increase wealth is to limit production. In
reality, Southern prosperity is best promoted
by large crops and low prices. Dear cotton
limits consumption, enhances the prices of
textiles and all kinds of exchangeable COM
modities, and operates as a direct bounty on
foreign competition. Tie Southern planters
instinctively comprehend their true interests
in this matter, and are not likely to forego the
cultivation where il may be practicable to any
considerable extent. -
Another evidence of an enlarged breadth of
cotton culture is afforded by the very marked
activity of the trade in fertilizers Accounts
from the cotton States concur in representing
that the quantity Of fertilizers taken this year
is considerably in excess of last year, when, it
may be remembered, the amount was regarded
as unprecedented. The various firms in this
city engaged in the trade are very busy filling
orders, and it is known that the trade is equally
active in other distributing centres. The car
rying capacities of the Southern railroad COM
panies are beginning to be taxed to the utmost
to move the consignments OF fertilizers to the
Interior: 1Y..-t g. ~ IS. 7,i'i't = -
This increased use of fertilizers may be-re1
garded as new and marked feature of cotton
planting Experience shows that no invest
ment pays better Fertilizers carry the crtp
through vicissitudes 6f weather that would be
otherwise fatal to it. It permits later: planting
and earlier picking, and thus saves nearly two
weeks time at the first and last of the season,
when the weather is liable to the most extreme
and dangerous vicissitudes. Besides these ad-
vantages, amounting almost to an exemption
against the usual chances of the weather, it is
found that the increased yield more than pays
the cost of the fertilizers. They can be gener-
ally relied on to afford sure and paying crop
under circumstances where without them a
corn crop would be the only alternative. In
view Of these facts it is no wonder that the
trade in fertilizers should be active beyond all
precedent. Planters are finding out that they
cannot afford to dispense with their use.-Meao
York Bulletin. ...1., -, i .,.