Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-02-02
!" Independence in Oconee.'
SENECA CITY, February /, 1873.


Little Malone shuts ono cyo half up at Ben.
Hill and smiles because Old Virginia has gone
Independent. Big David Davis ohuokles over
his two millions oash and his Independent party;
while in Georgia and our own State tho leaders
of this new movement are active and seem to DO
bent on fight. Now Oconee must not be loft
out. She is chuckcd up against the mountains,
but only the better for that since her sweet ar
and water lend spirit and vim to her sons and
daughters. So on with independence. Wo vii!
take up tho chorus and send it over our whole
up country If we can.
Now wo had better explain what kind of in
dependence II is to which we refer. 1t has not
for its purpose the election of State and county
officers and to got lots of the poor peoples
money, which is being squandcred fast enough
by our rich law makers; nor is it the kind ono
hears so much of now.a.days, as being 'inde-
pendent" or "liberal;' nor have wo any desire
to break q lance with these kind of independents.
Our independence begins nj homo. It is the
golden thought of being Independent Of Western
corn, bacon, wheat, oats, hay, cheese, SO.
What mean these cur loads of supplies that arc
brought us each day? II means no less than
that we do not raise our own bacon, ooru, hay,
Until wo remedy this evil we arc not free nor
Independent, but are held down by chain that
will keep us poor and dependent away down tho
ages.
Cotton is King" we hear you say. Wo will
raise cotton and buy corn, bacon, hay, &c., for
ii is cheaper and less trouble. We grant you
that "Coton is King" but most kings have or
ought to have queen Then let that queen be
"Thc Grasses" a great voice comes to us from
the West which says, Grass is King" Eng
land speaks out, too, saying that she refers her
greatest wealth and prosperity to the time when
she began to plant largely the grasses
Until We plant less cotton aud moro clover and
grass we cannot expect to become really pros
porous. Grass is only another name for bacon
corn, wheat, hny, cheese, butter, fine stock, and
in short, wealth and beauty at home Many q
Western fnrmcr will tell you that his land is
"corned TO DEATH" and that ho must seed to
clover and grass and rotate crops to keep i,
fresh and rich. We say truly that our lands are
"cottoncd to DEATH" But seldom do we seed
our lands TO clover aud rotate crops to keep
them rich and make them richer. The sooner
we do this the better for us. think l henr
somo farmer laugh and say we have not lands
like those in the West. Another asks will our
lands prcsucc clover and grass? Can we make
success of il? We answer most cmphaticaly
yes TO prove il We have not to resort TO far
fetched arguments OH the chemical composition
Of our soil, &C., but we have the proof at hand,
and that, too, where any one may see it. Look
out upon the uplands, especially in the Southern
part OF our county, where you may sec the
fields green with clover and orchard grass and
some plats of low land we'll set with timothy
Go to some we'll filled barns and the sweet scent
of clover hay will send thrill of joy through
you. Then will you ask again whether all our
lands willproduce ii? I will say and that not
ut random OF from hcnrsay, but from actual
knowledge, that any of our lands that have
good clay bottom will produce clover. OF
course if the land be poor it will require
dressing Of some kind Of manure TO give il a
start and cause it to get good catch. After it
is once well set and properly managed your
land need not be poor again, nor need you want
for Western bacon, corn, wheat good beef, hay,
&c. Many Western farmers have told mo that
our lands would produce clover we'll if they
were given fair trial. Wc have several ad-
vantngcs over the Vest There, from The
severity Of the winters, clover is liable to
freeze out" Here the winters, being shorter
and more mild, there is little or no danger Of its
"frcczing out" Another a,lvan go here, We
can SOW earlier in the latter part of winter or
in the early spring, because the ground thaws
earlier and The SHOWS, if we have any, are soon
gone. by thus sowing We are almost sure to get
catch early that will fit it to stand the sum
mcr's heat
What do We see many Of The farmers doing
now? Why, they arc askingto buy corn, bacon,
hay, oats and guano OH a credit! This rich dirt,
and not very rich either, is curse 10 this
country, used rs it now is. On analysis the
best brands have been found TO contain only
three hundred and twelve pounds of really
valuable, active manuring matter to the ton
This amount of manure could be made twice
told from single pig-pen in less than six
months, if leaves and q little lime wcro thrown
in TO rot the leaves and disinfcct the pen at !ho
game time Or from single COW yard, where
Two COWS are kept, moro than o ton Of the best
manure can be procured in three months if
properly managed, being scoopcd up and de-
posted, at regular intervals, in pen containing
leaves, straw and little lime. Some wit, who
was by no means fool. has said that in order
to make good guano one need only Aing pole
cat into Il sanl bunk, then sack aud brand.
We would not speak light Of gunno did VIC
have nothing better to take its place. for poor
statesman indeed is he who dccries present
customa and offers no better substitute for
them. Now clover is not only splendid hay,
but it is moro valuable rs fertilizer, as we
H.