The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-11-03
From the Southern Cultivator.
Facts and Conclusions-Or is GuanO a
Blessing.
The People Drunk-Will They Ever
Get Sober?

Editor Southern Cultivator:
AS the preacher said, propose max
ing a few indirect remarks upon my
text. .>..
After the war the guano fire broke out,
at first in few isolated spots; but it
continued to spread, until finally, lit
streached out its arms like seas and
graspedpsh all the Shore"
The great desideratum, or philoso-
piers stone the agriculturist had now
discovered! Something to supply the
deficiency connected with free labor.
Something to restore our old fields to
their virgin fertility. Something to roll
out the cotton bags, and roll in the
greenbacks, and restore the losses occa-
stoned by the ravages of war. Some
thing to enable parents to send their
daughters to High Schools and their
sons to Colleges. Something to enable
the country to endow Colleg es, and the
churches to spread the gospel to earth's
remotest bounds. Something that would
enable US to fill SAINT bo's pockets with
greenbacks with which to buy his whis-
kew and tobacco and make him content
ed and happy. Something that would
make it no longer necessary to undergo
the labor and toll of making home ma
nure. The latter was called insoluble,
costly, weak, trashy and inconvenl"nt ;
while guano was said to he concen rat
ed, strong, soluble, and ready to be as
simulated by plants, and convenient;
so 1t rolled up and down our Railroads
iu neat 200 pound sacks; and one Of
them was considered worth half a cow
pen full of ordinary home made ma
nure.
Blt we have discovered that "all is
not gold that glitters."
First. We increased the number OF
cotton bales; but unfortunately in so do
ing, decreased the price of the great sta
pie; and the result was, many bales, but
little money! and after the guano was
paid for, none.
Second. Guano was offered to us for
cash, or credit, or cotton at q stipulated
price to be delivered in the fall-O, how
accommodating THE temptation to 20
in debt was irresistible, and often at the
end of the year, on account of drought,
or the low price of cotton, it took our
last red cent to pay the guano bill; and
our wives the next year had to trot to
to get our sugar and coffee!
Third. We required Sambo no longer
to make manure-a tremendous misfor-
tune-so after he laid by the crop he
froIicked round with pipe in his mouth,
or took cats and eels out of the wet. In
winter he had nothing to do, but to
build good lightwood-knot fire, and
with pipe in in his mouth and another
darkey in the corner, talk politics or dis
cuss the last raccoon hunt.
Fourth. The guano made large cot
ton stalks which put forth powerful
roots comparatively, in every direction.
These roots soon found and devoured
what little plant food was outside OF the
drill. Therefore, after several years, the
cotton roots had nothing to feed upon
but the guano in the drill as soon as
that was exhausted, or little drought
occurred, the cotton was withered and
blasted-and then came the cry from q
thousand tongues, ''guano wont pay
and it kills the land !"
Fifth and last. Guano has caused
many bitter regrets and unhappy dIsap-
pointments. 1t has gobbled up all the
money that we could make on lOW-pric-
ed cotton. Ithas caused vast amount
of idleness, and the neglect of making
home manure, which is almost Infinite
ly superior to it. 1t has worn out vast
amount Of land where vegetable matter
was not supplied. 1t has made US and
our country poorer than we ever were
before and bids fair to drive our labor
ers to the virgin lands of the West, or
the rich bottoms of the Mississippi riv-
er. Finally, it has made us clothe the
worlds back at our own expense And
has spread over our once bright land the
dark pail Of bankruptcy and despair
MISCELLANEOUS REMAKs.
Guanoed cotton at its best, has dark,
thick, unnatural, unhealthy looking
green color showing that there is some
thing in it's status not in harmony with
the laws of nature; hence, it caves in
under the pressure of short drought.
1t grows very rapidly for short time,
and though it throws off many roots,
the latter do not keep pace with the
size of the stalk, and are mostly con-
gregated along the drill; hence few
hot DAYS and scalding winds cut short
its progress. Guanoed cotton is so del
icate and unnatural in it's nature, that
it requires seasons almost perfect.
Lastly. Will guanoed pay::o Not in the
way we have been wont to manage it.
A little used in conjunction with plenty
of Vegetable matter, 1 think will do
very we'll. Whiskey is great
evil in the land stupendous curse
that beggars all description! Yet if it
were used in small quantities judicious-
ly, or in harmony with the laws of ma
ture, it would prove great blessing.
Tie Southern people have been drunk
upon guano they must wake up, reform,
sign the pledge; and hereafter, use it on
;ai.,a if thn1 1uish To make ii 8