Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-07-23
agricultural department,
GOrigillal.)
SMALL FARMS.

w
cipation of slavery, was conducted in way
very different from what it is carried on in
any other part Of the world. The wealth of
the southern States consisted in slaves. An
individual was estimated rich or poor in pro-
portion to the number of slaves which he
owned. The man who was possessed Of a
large number of slaves, was regarded rich, no
matter how great were his encumbrances.
Land and money, of themselves, gave man
but very little property position. The senti-
ment of the country forced every one who had
money to invest it in slaves. Until this was
done, an individual was scarcely regarded as
bona fde citizen. Farming was carried on
simply to procure livelihood, and support
the increasing slave population. All that
those who owned large numbers Of slaves
could accomplish by farming, was to support
slavery. Their wealth increased as the num-
ber of their slaves increased. In order to
feed and clothe these slaves, large farms were
cultivated but only in rare cases, was the
farm directly profitable. Generally, those
who owned many slaves, were involved.
Heavy debts were incurred year after year.
Their farms scarcely supported the slaves, and
the expense of the owners family was gen.
orally met by contracting debts. Creditors
were easy, because they knew that their mon
ey, with interest, was sure some day. The
system of slavery forced slave owners to cul-
tivate large farms. The farms were pro6ta-
BILE in no way except that they supported the
slaves. By the results of the late war, the
institution of slavery was abolished. Wheth-
er this was right or wrong, has nothing to do
with the facts, or their legitimate results.
What was possible in the country during the
existence of slavery, is not possible now, since
slavery is abolished. Large farms we're once
a necessity; now they are not necessary.
In fact, large farms in our present disorganiz-
ed condition, are nuisance. 1t is vain for
men who once run forty and fifty plows, and
cultivated several thousand, or even several
hundred acres in crops, to suppose that they
can do the same thing at present AS there
are exceptions to almost all rules, so there
may be some men who are proftably cultiva-
ting large farms; but the instances are only
few. The great multitude of persons who are
farming according to ante.war notions, are
making rapid progress toward bankruptcy.
1t is only a matter of time as to what the re-
suits will be- To run large farm requires
much ready capital. No man, we care not
how skillful he may be, nor how much energy
he may put forth, can make ends meet who
attempts to run farm on what is known as
the lien system. 1t simply an impossiblity.
Whilst it is impossible, at present, profta-
bly, to cultivate large farms in the South,
small farms may be made remuuerative. No
one has any doubts about the productiveness
of our soil, and its general adaptation to a
great variety of crops The best evidence
that can be produced to prove that small
farms are remunerative, and large ones ruin
GUS, are the facts themselves. Small farmers
are steadily increasing in wealth and pros
perity, and large farmers are pushed to keep
up appearances. The moneyed men of our
country to-day are those who farm on what
once would have been regarded contempti-
bly, small scale.
We may safely say that agriculture will al
ways be the principle pursuit Of the southern
people. For number of years yet to come,
it will be the only pursuit The question to
be decided is, will our people sacrifice their
all in attempting to do as they once did, or
will they accept the condition of things and
do the best they can under the circumstances?
Really, it is not an onerous task to support
life comfortably; but it is onerous in the ex:
treme to keep up the absolute forms and
fashions of a system of things which is dead:
1t is no disgrace for man to work on small
scale when he cannot work on large one.
Appearances are nothing. 1t is reality that
we want. Large farms, with all their ap-
pearances, are reducing their owners and the
whole country to beggary. The only props
that the South has to-day, are those small
farms which are cultivated by the real own
ers.