The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-05-15


fourth of the time to produce as much cotton
as he can gather, the remaining three-fourths
may be devoted to the production OF those
crops most essential to the comfort of both man
and beast, which will consequently enable the
farmer to keep the proceeds of his undiminished
cotton crop at home Thus it is, we think,
that the general introduction of labor-savlng
machinery in the South will prove of most in
estimable advantage; it will necessarily en-
force diversified industry and afford opportu-
nifty for the development of her many but now
latent resources. In the Southern States the
introduction of labor-saving machinery has
been slow, nor is it matter of surprise that
such has been the case when we contemplate
the great clouds of depression and gloom which
peryaded the minds of Southern agricultural.
lists as they gazed upon the shattered ruins or
the very foundation upon which all their hopes
for prosperity were based, aud the effect upon
the laborers, the bulk which, as is well-known1,
was composed of negroes, was no less MARKED
but was of an entirely opposite nature, pro-
ducing the widest enthusiasm. But time and
force Of circumstances have, to large extent,
closed the chasm thus formed between the
owners of the soil and the laborers; and, as
before stated, it is gratifying to notice that Q
reaction has taken place, and that general
tendency towards improvement is manifest that
will prove eminently salutary and beneficial
Upon almost every farm, from the verdant
mountain slopes to the seaboard, may be seen
labor.saying machines of some SORT The in
novation is insidious in its progress, like all
other great changes continually going on
around us, both in nature and art, but of which
we are scarcely aware. For illustration, behold
the tiny spears of wheat or grass, just peeping
through the soil, we see it all the while, but
cannot discover the change that has taken
place from one day to another, yet in short
space of time appears the golden waving grain
in all its beauty ready for the harvest. So it is
with the great agricultural progress of the
South. There arc those now living and wit
Messing the operation of the magnificent cotton
gin, propelled by steam, turning out from eight
to twelve thousand pounds of cotton per day,
who will tell you that in their boyhood days it
was customary for the farmer to fill his own as
well as his childrens shoes with seed cotton,
recurring that each one should finger pick the
seed from the lint, until the shoes were emp
tied, as their winter evenings task.
And without going further back we learn
that grain was harvested with sickles or reap
ing hooks, by which means it would be hard to
say how little could be done per day. Compare
those primitive methods with those of the pre-
sent time and note the wonderful change that
has been wrought. Now with aspan of horses
and q reaper or mower broad fields of grain
are harvested per day.
In the cultivation of cotton, as before init
mated, there are many labor-saving machines
in use--such as fertilizer distributors, seed
planters, sweeps, harrows, cultivators, &C., BY
which one laborer and horse can cultivate sixty
acres as easily as he could fifteen few years
ago. Cotton seed planters especially have been
introduced with great profit and saving of labor.
Under the old labor system it was necessary to
have four hands and two horses employed to
make auy headway in planting, to say nothing
of the time occupied in rolling seed. Now, as
we can attest from personal experience, one
laborer and horse with seed planter, without
any ssoppage to roll or rub seed, performs as
much or more labor in the same length of time
and in q more satisfactory manner. Most OF
the labor-saving machinery used in cotton cul-
ture are automatic in their character and are
therefore best adapted to Southern labor.
As to the adaptability of labor.saving ma.
chinery to Southern labor we think there can
be no question. The brief history of the negro
since his emancipation shows that he is srscep-
tible of much higher degree of mental de-
yelop,nent than he has had credit for in the
past.
With proper treatment and patient instruc-
tion he may become skilful operator of all
the labor-saving machinery necessary to place
Southern agriculture, surrounded as it is by so
many natural facilities, in state of prosperity
unsurpassed by any in the known world.