The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-07-22

have learned how to take advantage OF
new opportunities. Two examples will
illustrate the progress which has been
made.
l. There are in South Carolina seven
teen cotton factories with 95, 1888 spindles
and 1888 looms. They produce lOl ,33S
yards of cloth and II ,438 pounds OF yarn
for each working day, and consume for
each such day 81 1894 pounds of cotton.
They employ 2,6l2 operatives, who sup
port 8, ,l43 persons. The capital employ.
ed amounts to s2,293, 500. The profits
range from Is to so per cent. on the cap.
italinvested. For those who believe in the
economic principle of bringing the mills
to the cotton" there are opportunities
in South Carolina that cannot be surpass-
ed in any other State of the union. The
water-power in the middle and upper
counties of the State is immense-enough
to turn the spindles of all the cotton
mills in the United States. At Trotter's
Shoals, on the Savannah River, Abbevil'e
county, there are tweuty-one miles OF
water-power, with only single ancient
grist and saw-mill! At Mountain Shoals,
on Ennoree River, Spartanburg county,
there is q fall in the river of 125 feet in the
distance of one mile. At this point
there is only one girls: and Touring mill.
All,through the State there is abundant
water-power, with available sites for the
establishment of cotton manufactures.
offering an open field to the enterprise
and capacity of The world.
2. The Sea Islands of South Carolina,
which appeared to be ruined beyond re-
demption, are so improved by the new
system of subsoil drainage and heavy ma
nuring that lands on the islands range in
value from $40 to 5000 an acre. On
James Island, near Charleston, last year
one planter realized net profit of Sl00
an acre, after expending $50 an acre for
fertilizers, labor and ginning.
This will give an idea of what has been
done, and is at the same time happy
omen of the future.
South Carolina abonnds in timber.
There is an almost inexhaustible supply
of pine, hickory, walnut, maple, cedar,
poplar and other woods, valuable for use
and ornament. The forests abound in
game. Fish are found in all the streams
of fthe interior, and are brought in regu-
lar supply from the rivers and banks near
the sea. Pisciculture is receiving system
attic attention, and young salmon, shad
and other fish are being distributed by
the commissioner of agriculture. The
climate corresponds with that ofthe south
OF France and Italy, and even in the low
country perfect health may be enjoyed
with proper care for personal cleanliness
aud regular living. The climate, too, is
strikingly uniform, being neither so hot
nor 30 cold as in the North and West.
Cotton is grown in every part of the State
up to the very slopes of the mountains
on the borders of the State. The yield
ranges from 200 to 400 pounds Of ginned
or commercial cotton an acre. South
Carolion rice is the finest known in COM
merce, and its culture is exceedingly
profitable. The prairies of the Great
West do not give larger yield of corn
than can be obtained in South Carolina.
Over 100 bushels of corn to the acre have
frequently been raised, and as much as
200 bushels have been made. The aver.
age is 25 bushels of corn per acre, Is
bushels of wheat, 20 bushels of oats or rye,
and 40 bushels of barley.
Scientific farmingis largely increasing
the average crop. For instance, it has
been established that on the light,
sandy lands of the lower part of the State,
which sell for four or FIVE dollars an acre,
there can be made from 40 to so bushels
of oats to the acre, from 20 to 80 bushels
of wheat or two crops of fine hay. This
is effected by fertilizing with the cow-pea
and mixture of phosphate of lime and
calcined mari. The cost does not exceed
SIS an acre, and the average net profit
will run from $40 to SIG. Itis easy to see
that there is no need to ego Vest" when
so large and sure returns can be made in
State like South Carolina, where the
markets are within easy reach, and the
newcomer enjoys advantages which can
not be had in newly.settled State.
Besides cotton and rice, the usual pro.
duction are tobacco, sorghum, hemp, fax,
indigo, hops and all kinds of small grain
and peas. The grape grows luxuriantly,
and excellent wine is made in Darlington,
Aiken and other counties. Fruits of ev-
cry kind reach high state of perfection.
On the coast near Charleston the cult.
vation of the strawberry is an important
branch of trade, as we'll as the growth of
potatoes, peas, cucumbers, tomatoes,
beans, asparagus and garden vegetables
generally. The value of fruits and vege-
tables raised around Charleston every
year is about S500,00O. Experiments
show that the tea plant can begrown sue
cessfnlly, also the olive. In vegetables
South Carolina can grow almost what
ever can be grown in any garden in the
world.
The mineral wealth of the State even
now is not fully appreciated. Iron is
found in Union, Spartanburg, Greenville
and Pickens counties. There is gold in
these same counties, and also in Abbe-
vile, Lancaster and York. Several gold
mines are in successful operation. Lead
is found in Pickens county and copper
in York, Spartanburg and Pickens. Be-
sides these, South Carolina has manga
nese, bismuth, plumbago, soapstone, coal,
black lead an asbestos. There is also
granite of the finest grain, as we'll as
sandstone, burr-stone, fag.stone and ma
terials for pottery and porcelain clay.
The discovery of the value of the phos-
phatic rock or nodules as fertilizer took
place in 1866, and was of vast benefit to
the low country directly and to the whole
State indirectly. The total production 50
far is 100000 tons, worth $4,000, 900.
The accessible deposits cover 10, 900 acres,
estimated to contain s, 100000 tons ofrock,
worth at about the present prices, $780,
100000. The yield to the acre is at least
500 tons, making lands which were almost
worthless for agricultural purposes COM
mand what would have been deemed a
fabulous price. The rock is found in the
beds of the rivers as we'll as on land, and
the State Government has received as
royalty on the rock mined in rivers and
navigable streams over half a million
dollars. The exports of phosphate rock
amounted last year to 210,2S4 tons, and
10000 tons of commercial fertilizers, with
l ~