The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-04-29
Improved Cotton Culture.

ly studied the cotton question writes thai
there is no use attempting to beat around
the bush any longer to avoid fatty stat
ing that there must be an improved sys.
tenn of cotton culture to make cotton all
eminent success in the American Cotton
Statcs-it lnust come. In the days oil
slavery the old system worked well
enough, perhaps, but those days are oil
the past-the days Of the present are
something entirely different, so fur as re-
lates to labor at least
The improved system must consist OF
better culture, greater economy in agri-
cultural processes, a general practice OF
enriching lands by the application of fer
tilizing agents, the introduction of labor
saving implements, and a thorough adap-
tation to the changed condition of affairs
generally. He believes this new system
is coming; slowly, as must be admitted,
but surely. Already it is beginning to
show itself here and there at isolated
points, where it is yielding valuable
fruits. The planters are becoming
reused to the necessities of the case, and
already a large proportion of them have
taken at least one step in the right direc-
tion-they are using fertilizers; and the
comparative value of these, with mode Of
application, and results upon different
soils, are more eagerly canvassed than
ever before. 1t is but fair to say that
pecuniary inability has proved bar to
improvement dictated by the deliberate
Judgment of many planters,
This writer also refers to the efforts of
Mr.. David Dickson, of Georgia, as an
illustration of what may be done by a
system of improved cotton culture. He
says Mr.. Dickson has produced the most
successful results in growing corn, cotton,
oats, potatoes, &C., on q larger scale for
the last twenty years, of any one in this
vicinity. He originated the mode which
be has so successfully pursued and which
is now generally followed. It is pecu.
liar only in the fact that he gives more
distance, both to corn and cotton, than
was formerly given; that he has used
more manures, ploughed deeper in the
preparation of the ground, cultivated
shallower, and with more care for the
young plant, especially, than our plant
ers generally have done. 1t is but just
to him to add that these results were OBJ
tanned with more satisfaction to himself
and laborers than is often found on other
plantations. He uses Peruvian guano,
bone dust, plaster and salt, combined Or
mixed, under bis own watchful eye, with
such domestic manures as can be eco
nomically raised and applied.
Mr. Dickson pulverizes the soil thor
oughly in preparation for cotton, and
manures an acre (when expecting the
best results) With 16O pounds guano, 240
pounds dissolved bones, 100 pounds salt
and 160 pounds plaster, thoroughly
mixed, costing about SIG; the mixture,
deposited in an eight-inch furrow, is
covered with long scooter running
deeply on each side, leaving rich and
mellow seed-bed. He cultivates cleanly
with sweeps and uses the hce once or
twice. His crops are remarkably reli.
able, the most destructive casualties caus-
ing only partial failures; and though he
often suffers from worms or drought, he
rarely gets less than bale per acre, and
oftener obtains nearly two.
Our writer goes on to state that large
results in cotton have undoubtedly been
obtained from poor soils by liberal ap-
plication of fertilizers. An instance is
reported from Onslow County, n. c., of
product of 2,700 pounds of seed cotton,
or about 800 pounds of lint from one acre.
The cotton was cultivated in the usual
way, the land highly manured with a
compost manure containing a large per-
centage of stable manure. Other cases
are reported from the "Old North State" !"
A. B. Davis, of Carteret County, pro-
duced from an acre of land $500 pounds
of seed cotton, using for manure fish
only, which he caught himself. Calvin
Tucker, of Pitt County, also produced
from one acre 1900 pounds of seed cot
ton, using barnyard manure, shell lime
and leached ashes. j. T. Pearson, Of
Wayne County, produced from one acre
1900 pounds Of seed cotton, using with
barnyard manure cotton seed and Baugh's
superphosphate of lime. r. W. Pellet
tier, of Lenoir County, produced from
one acre 2,061 pounds of seed cotton.
The mode of cultivation in these cases
was not unusual, the increased yield
being mainly due to the fertilizers used.
The season was an unfavorable one, and
the yield would have been much larger
in good season. Instances are given of
similar increases of production in other
farm crops, as the cereals and roots.
The labor question is one still perple1.
ing the planter more or less how shall
be employ his labor to make it work to
the best advantage of all concerned
We have before US report from Mr.. B.
F. Ward, Of Georgia, on that subject,
which is worthy of careful consideration.
He says:
~ began operations by hiring my
laborers (all negroes) at Sl2O year for
men and S75 for women and boys, sup.
plying them with rations. Some worked
as we'll as I wished; about one-third
would not work unless was present, and
then not cheerfully or we'll. l lost my
provisions of corn and meat, and made
about enough cotton to pay them their
wages in full. settled with them fair
~ OH NCAo cuIioACoj auN hohlNo w oso-
another year. They were all worked to-
gether. I selected for the next crop
those with families who worked we'll and
turned off the drones. I kept married
men altogether. l had great many ap-
plcations to hire, which gave me choice
of the laborers around and to get as many
as 1 wanted to work my land. | then
divided them into squads or families, or
let them make selections Of their own CO.
workers. l measured off to each squad a
portion of land, and gave mule to each
two workers. gave them one-half the
| corn and fodder, peas, potatoes, sorghum,
melons, and half the dried peaches, and
one.third of the cotton. fed the plough
stock, and they fed themselves and found
their own clothing. They went to work
very earnestly. The heads of squads
we're good, practical farmers. l had rent
ed portion of the land to white labor
ers, and 1 was soon enabled to get up a
good state of excitement and ambition to
Al. ~ Il,