The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1874-07-08
] U LY
THE AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK.

Messrs Editors For several
years I have been q Irregular con-
tributor" to the agricultural press
Of the Southern States, and though
I have been frequently denounced
as 'sscold' and a crustyill-temper-
ed "old fellow" I have been persist
ent and consistent in my advice to
planters and farmersto abandon the
foolish course which has led them in
to their present unfortunate co@di-
ton. The satisfaction Of saying to
ones friends in trouble, "Didn,t !
tell you so?' is very poor one, un-
less by sayingit you can turn your
friends from the errors which caused
their trouble, and cause them to seek
and pursue the only path that will
lead to relief.
The experience Of the past year
has-demonstrated to the most con-
frned unjelieyers that the all-cot-
ton and no-provisions system Of
planting will not pay, and that even
good cotton crop, raised on money
borrowed at . per cent. j month,
will leave us poorer than We were
before we put u seed in the ground.
For seven years we have depended
exclusively on big cotton crop to
be sold at big prices to y;ieldmoney
enough to pay our debts, purchase
all our provisions and plantation
supplies, and ''run US another year.
We have made the big cotton crop,
and, taking an average Of the last
seven years, We have received 4
good price for it, but when we had
paid the grain dealers and pork
packers, the mule raiser and fertili-
ger manufacturer, and had paid our
factors what We owed for advances
and endorsements, we have found
that instead Of having money to
t'run US another year, we cannot
begin to pay what we owe, and that
flour >mnrchants cannot agree ''to
tote US until we make another
CROP" we must abandon our plan
tations. I know that such is
the case in the State in which |
live, and I believe it is true Of all
the cotton States. Is it not as
plain as the sun at monday, that
had we pursued the opposite policy
raised our own meat, breadstuffS,
mules and horses-we would be to-
day rich, happy and independent
people We would Lave kept our
capital at nome, increased our i'll
come, improved our stock, enriched
our land, and known nothing Of the
1niseries Of q per cent. a month
and mortgage liens. We have
been the overseers of Northern ard
English spinncrs, with wages d.
minishing i'll proportion rs our pro
duction increases, with farms poor
er, stock leaner, fences in worse
condition, cribs ard smoke houses
AID pockets emp:ier, credit weaker,
lid everything but debt and mis-
fortune scantier than when We
reached our homes in 1865, after
our weary march from Appomattox
and Greensboro.
We boast Of our genia! climate,
teeming soil, and our capacity to
raise everything that is required
for the support and comfort of man
and beast, and our boast would be
Just did we avail ourselves Of our
opportunities; but what is the fact:
Go into our towns and villages
see the barrels upon barrels Of
-four, sacks Of corn mountain high,
hocshcads Of meat, bales of hay,
and where do they come from:
Not one bears the stamp Of cot
ton State. Why the very cabbag:s
and onions that We eat come to us
in crates from Massachusetts,
eve haven't time to fool with veg
etables." The lesson has been
very rude. We are just now en-
tering upon another agricultural
year. Are We going to profit by
our severe experience by mending
our ways, or are We going to try
to get some merchant to ''tote us
another year" and with fer+ilize., ,,
provisions and supplies purchased
on credit at . per cent. a month.
gather more hands and 90 in for
bigger cotton crop than ever?
/ hear some sturdy farmer an
swer, "What do you mean, by
mending our ways!" I answer,
hesitatingly, SEMy friend, if you
have been Of one those who
have relied on = big cotton crop to
make you prosperous; have had
your corn crib in St. Louis, and