Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1881-06-30


supply, say twenty per cent. OF that
number used, We would add about
twenty million dollars more to our
dividends. But why procoea2 the
reasoning ia apparent, that in order
to decrease cost Of cotton production,
the planters must save the millions
they pay ont by raiaing their own
wheat, hay, corn, oats and live stock.
viii they do it? Will they listcn to
book farming and the so.called the
orists?? Possibly not till forced by
bankruptcy and ruin. Now, my
friends, one who proposes a reform
is often called theor;st, and if the
theory never be carried out, he is
apt to be termed besides visionary;
but this is too vital subject to our
country for any one to be turned
aside by such epithets. boldly as
sert that the all-cotton planter IS the
most deluded and pitiable Of all vi
sionists, and or the contrary, thai ne
have only to look around MS for prac-
tica. examples Of planters who have
successfully diversified their farming,
and made cotton their surplus crop,
thereby attaining independence and
riches, to nail such expressions as
shameful calumnies. uttered in most
instances by men who ale too con-
ceited to imagine any one can tell
them anything about farming, or too
ignorant to understand and appreci-
ate the Great fundamental truths Of
political economy, which they so out
rageously violate in their all'cotton
farming: or, by those too lazy or timid
to try anything but the beaten track.
A stranger TO our country might,
With good reason, infer that the South
conld moi produce anything but cot
ton, to Judge by the thousands OF
tons Of corn, Data, hay, ilour, lard,
butter. canned meats and vegetables,
and wooden nutmegs OF all kinds
with which steamers ana railways
come laden to our shores. II this
were iii The slightest degree true !
wonid nob deem the term tneorist an
improper application Tor those who
! cali on the South 10 10 impossible
ties ioy raising these articles; but ev'
arv man within the hearing OF my
| voice knows, and vel! knows, that
with like care and attention, and, in
| deed, ] hesitate not to say, with much
lcse cultivation and care the South
will produce, acre nv acre, wheat,
corn, oats, hay, and all other produce
crops, equal to any OF the Northern
States from whom we now buy these
articles; and The same is true 81 OIL
ability to raise horses, mules, cattle,
sheep, hogc, etc. The United States
| agricultural report for 1879 gives to
| Georgia an acreage OF nine bushels
per acre OF wheat, anG Mt ccotton State
falls below seven bushels: while the
great grain State Oh the North, iowa
averages only Ten bushels. ] men.
tion the wheat CROP because it is con-
sidered to be ihn most difficult grain
crop to raiae in thu cotton States, and
! I venture 10 say With good cultiva
ton the average could be eaaily rals
ed to over ten bushels per acre. or 6
| greater average Than Iowa now has
Do not understand me 70 say that ev.
cry part o. the South will raise tEese
products equally well, Tor in all coun
tries some lands are better snited fol
certain crops than Others, but | dc
mean to say that know that every
cotton State, with possibly the excep
tion OF Florida, has snch q variety 6
soil and climate a6 will produce il
the greatest abundance all staple pro
duets necessary for home conaump
! tion, without in any wise curtailins
the extent OF tins. cotton crop. 1t il
not The extent Of the cotton crop pe'
| ST thaG / object to--though it woulc
be better If that were cnrtailed--ano
that impoverisnes us, bn; the ruinous
cost C; it's production. No sane man
will }retend to say the South can al
| ford TO pay twenty dollars per barre.
! for mess pork, seven,y.fvc cents pc!
busheI ,or corn, sixty cents io" oats
ami thirty dollars per son 1or hay,
which ara present cash rates del!v'
cred from first hands, and raise cot
tor to pay the bills AT eight cents
| per pound. TO these nrices you mnst
! add a, leasr twenty-five per cent.
i and III many instanc' . much more
to find o,li wha, many o! the plan
| ters and nearly ali the iaborers pay
and. therefore, l assume very logical
ly that all planters and laborers who
nave 10 buy these necesearies ar such
nrices to make the!r cotton crop, in
stead OF raising them, make no money
and more often come out in debt
Dwell on it my friends n oale ol
cotton tor u barrel of PORK, or half a
ton OF hay, and wonde. not longer
why The deluded and infatuated
visionist Of planter. with all-cotton
}