The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-10-30

views anu opinions Oh ouf CoIiesPoluouo.; /. tr,,,
an communications should be addressed to Ed
itor Intelligencer" and all checks, drafts, money
orders, &c. should be made payable to the order OIL
E. B.. .MURRAY Co.
RAISING STOCK IN THE SOUTH.
Every Cotton Planter Should Raise at
Least Stock Enough for his Own Use
rropical Animals, like Tropical Plants
the Bcst for this Climate.
Gen. Johnson Hagood before the State Agrf-
cultural and Mechanical Society.
Tn response to the request to say some
thing at this meeting upon the rearing OF
live stock, I have not had the time to
prepare an exhibit of profit or loss in the
pursuit; nor does the space allotted to
the discussion, amid other matters OF IN.
terest claiming your attention, warrant
the going into detail upon the methods
to be successfully followed. A consider
alton of the balance sheet, and OF the
minutie, by attention to which credit
is established, have most interest for the
practical farmer when q new subject IS
brought to his attention, or he is urged
to resume neglected branch OF his bus
iness. Twill only, however, attempt TO
present in this connection some general
views, which may elicit from Others an
expression of experience and opinion
more valuable perhaps than my own. L
propose, too, to consider the subject
FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE COTTON
PLANTER.
Stock farms pure and simple, in my
Judgment, can be successful only in par
ticular localities in our State, VIZ: tnose
where alluvial lands permit perennial
medows without commercial fertilizers,
or those, as in some of the lower coun-
ties, where "range" over lands OF little
market value may be had. 4,
On the other hand, / am persuaded
there is scarcely q cotton planter IN the
State whose interest would not be pro-
NOTED by judicious attention to the
rearing of live stock, and the conversion
of his pursuit from the production OF a
staple to that of mixed husbandry.. TO
what extent this change would be judi
cious depends upon his special surround
ings. ;,
The minimum Of stock that his plan
tation should carry may however be safe
" nut at so much as will consume the
waste of his barnyard, with the summer
pasturage of his lands not under the
plough; and to be carried through the
winter upon the gleanings of his corn
and cotton fields, with the shucks and
straw necessarily harvested with his
crops. Without stock these products OF
the plantation are waste; with them they
are money. The maximum of stock to be
carried each planter must determine TOT
himself. 1t depends upon the special
adaptation of his lands to the cereals and
grasses, and the natural pasturage his
unploughed lands afford.
The facility and extent of his market
is an element to be considered, II his
production of live stock is to 60 beyond
bis own consumption, and the character
and abundance of labor available is OF
prime consideration. The cotton plan
tation needs numerous human hands.
Machinery may do large part of the
labor upon stock farm, but the labor
ers, fewer in number, must have more
fidelity and intelligence. White labor
cannot be successfully worked in gangs
upon cotton plantation; it Is we'll
adapted to stock farming, and in any To-
cality the higher wages stock farming
can afford, in consequence OF the small
number needed, will always attract the
best laborers, whether white or black
Before emancipation, our planters gen
erally exceeded the minimum above indi-
Gated ofstock on their plantations, without
making special provision of cereal and
forage crops. In consequence, except IN
horses. our stock was inferior in quality;
but the abundance of the supply was
nearly equal to our needs. Since the
war, the abnormal circumstances OF our
condition have made homemade bacon
almost a myth, homemade beef and
mutton a luxury, and home-raised mules
and horses are scarce enough to be placed
the in same category.
The increased supply of cotton caused
by the direction of an intelligent indus.
try almost exclusively to its production
has, however, so reduced the price that
our people are beginning to realize their
error. They are beginning to see that
all cotton is poor business, and that live
stock at home is better than live stock
on the prairies, however cheap the latter
may be placed on the marketo When
we see the day in which South Carolina
shall produce all the live stock, cereals
and forage used or consumed within her
borders, and her valuable staple, rice
and cotton, 20 to market as the expo
nent of profit, then, and not till then,
will our agricultural industry be placed
upon firm and enduring basis Of sue
cess.
THE KIND OF LIVE STOCK,
to the rearing of which the greatest
prominence should be given, is also a
matter to be well considered. Of course
it should be that kind, whether horses,
sheep, cattle or hogs, to which the local
ity Is best adapted. On the average
plantation all kinds may be to some e1-
tent adyantageously reared. They rath-
er supplement than interfere with each
other.
BREEDS.
Upon the subject of breeds, however,
experience and observation have led me
to very decided convictions. South Car
olina is q semi.tropical country; the
products of the warmer and the colder
regions alike grow and some extent
flourish within her limits; but the ex-
nerience of her agriculture shows that