Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-01-23
Commercial Fertilizers.


holders and woalthy corporations, and interest
holders from thirty three to forty cents on tho
dollar. Railroad rings and combinations
control freights against the interests Of tho
producing class. Speculating rings control
the priceb Of cotton. raising or lowering it
according rs thoir interest requires, and tho
faFh6ris not consulted or considered by the
junto of speculators. lie tolls and sweass
through the summer aud in tho winter drags
his crop to market, through mud and snow,
for the profit Of overy class moro than his
own. We now have new combination,
which, by raising tho prices of fertilizers,
strikes directly at the farming class. Tho
price offertilzers which, for years, has been
too high, has been raised, whilc labor and
the products of hbor have declined.
AT recent meeting of tho manufacturers
Of commercial fertilizers, held in Augusta,
Georgia, it was resolved to increase tho prco
of fertilizers, and that for every ton of am
moniated fertilizer delivered ct the seaboard,
500 pounds Of mddling cotton. and for ono
ton of acid phosphate $50 pounds of middlips
cotton. This, 1t seems. puts the freight both
on the fertilizer and the cotton on tho farmer,
and largely increases the cost Of tho fertilizer.
This action Of tho manufacturers has been
met with counter movements by tho farmers
IN some sections, md we think every county
and township in the State should tako steps
to resist it, refusing, if necessary. to buy at
all at suoh figures. Corn, cotton, meat the cost
of materials, machinery and labor entering
into the manufacture Of thoso fertilizers. have
all declined, and tho result should be largo
reduction in the cash price of them, and cor
tainly no increase in the price with cotton
option. What profit has the farmer now
after deductng expenses ia growing cotton2
is it not better to refuse to buy these fcrtili-
:zers at the increased price. trusting if less
crops are raised, prices will be batter, than to
become slaves to these combinations7 Now
above all other times tho farmers need intel
ligent cencert Of action. and with thorough
Grange organization, they could either buy
at fair prices or break up those companies.
The companies have large capital invested
In these manufacturing enterprises and VIC
arc willing to accord them honest profits, but
If they se1k to extort more than fair profit
determination Of the farmers not to buy
their fertilizers would break the companies
or secure fair reduction in prices. Can We
DO thiss IF wo farm without fertilizers, We
can expect only small yield and small
income. If we farm with thom, these CONF
, panies and not the farmers get the profit
The result is tho same only that such action
would work out fair dealing and reasonable
profit to both farmer and manufacturer
The companies represented in tho Augusta
meeting were chiefly Southern manufacturers,
and whilo wo prefer ito buy from these, can't
we get some agencies for Baltimore fertilizers
established in the county and trump this
combination with it's own card2 ftho prices
now demanded boadherol to our pcopo should
ut onco plant less cotton, making their own
manure and seeding their surplus land. We
must grow cotton to somo extcnt, but there is
sN.no wisdom in growing it for tho benefit Of
Others, reaping mono Of it ourselves. Cotton
at thorpresont prico hardly realizes moro than
the expense to tho farmer. and the prospect is
better for q reduction than 40 incronsc of
proo next fall.
10 show tho increase Of pricc We quote tho
prices Of tho Carolina for two years past,
which wo regard ono Of the best fertilizers in
the market. In 1878 tho Carolina was sold
for 470 pounds Of middling cotton at l5 cents
per pound, this price including tho froights.
This year the samo fertilizer is held at $40
pounds Of middling cotton at l3 cents, this
including freights, showing an incroaso in
tho cotton option prico of seventy six pounds
Of cotton. In 1873 the cash prioo, frcipbts
inoluded, was $50, and this year it is $50.
Acid Phosphate in 1873 was sold ut $38 cash,
froights included, and is now offered at $35.
The decline in the cash prco is triflo, while
bacon and othor provisions are sixty to eighty
per cent. lower than in 1873. The prico thon
was too high and tho increase only shows tho
greater wrong
A fsw years ago lawyers and doctors in
several counties united and established q
aystem Of fees, but tho farmers and people
generally soon squolohed out tho oorpulont
fee bill thus established. BY proper action
and union they can bring these fortilizing
ft.rings to torms. Will thoy do it, or will they
mouth and complain and finally subn,its
In many counties Of Georgia moctings have
ass f,een hold With view to lower. or at least.
@@ IS keep at the aanno figures, the prieo of fertli--
ses. So, too, in some parts Of our State sip,iy
lar nssetings haye been held: &
ssSs iSa Az