Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1883-03-01
PROGRESS o. THE PLOUGH.
A Wonderful Story Of our Mate
rial Progress.
Cor. Ne,ys and Courier.

a W0nueFIul StOEy VI OuT Mdse,
rial Progress.
Cor. Ne,gs and Courier.
COLUMBIA, February Col. L. A.
Ransom. the statistical agent for South
Carolina of the National Department
of Agriculture and the secretary for
the State of the National Cotton
Planters Association, has compiled
at the request of the MeaOs and Cou-
rier, statistics showing the increase
in the staple agricultural productions
Of the State during the twelve years
from 1870 to 1882, the authorities re-
lied on being the United States cen.
suses of 1870 and 1880 and the
thorough compilations of the State
Department of Agriculture in 1882.
Certain facts, when expressed in fig
ures are SO positive and apparent
t, ,s..iey need no argument to en-
asize their Importance. The fol-
wing are of this class, and they are
submitted to the people of the State
and the Union as accurate records of
, , South Carolina sagricultural progress,
requiring no explanation to make
them plain and no asseveration to
prove them true.
KING CORY.
In 1870 South Carolina produced
7,8l4,co7 bushels of corn, in 1880
IL, ,764, $40 bushels, and in 1882 IT,.
045, ,735 bushels. Between 1870 and
1880 the increase was 4, $50, l42 bush.
els or "a per cent, and between 1880
and 1882 5,29l 1856 bushels or A per
cent. The total increase between
1870 and-lSs2 was 9,431. .52S bushels
or l24 per cent. The area planted
in ccru was in 1880 1903, 100 acres
and in 1882 1,356,5O5 acres, an in
crease of only 4 per cent. in acreage,
while the increase in yield was Il
per cent. Taking into account tie
fact that last year was one OF more
favorable seasons than 1880, it still
appears that the larger part of the
increase was due to improved cnlti-
walton, the highest evidence OF agri-
cultural progress.
\ TWELVE FOLD YIELD OF OATS.
South Carolina made in 1870 6l9,-
593 bushels OF oats, in 1880 2,7l5,445
bushels and in 1882 7,929,970 bush
els. The increase in the yield, there
fore, between 1870 and 1880 was
2 1Ol ,852 bushels or 542 per cent.
and between 1890 and 1882, 5,2l4,-
525 bushels or 1872 per cent. iasto. e. to.
tai increase in the oat yiesIAA land in
1870 and 1882 was 7,3l6,@ ease in
or ], ,l92 per ger cehe: VINE the.in-
se IN yield was 1872 per cent. I'm
proved cultivation again. The un-
paralleled increase in the oat crop is
largely due to the introduction of the
red rust proof oat, a6ne grain, a sure
crop and satisfactory substitute for
corn, the straw furnishing also for
age of very good quality harvested
at season when stock feed is most
needed. But the advance Of oats
from an incidental and insignificant
crop to a staple ofimportance is main
ly the result of the determination OF
South Carolina farmers to be inde-
pendent in their food supply OF the
West, their former granary.
THE GREAT WHEAT YIELD.
Of wheat South Carolina produced
in 1870 7SS,6l0 bushels, in 1880
o62, $50 bushels and in 1882 1884
97O bushels. The increase in yield
between 1870 and 1880 was IFS. .720
bushels or % per cent. and between
1880 and 1882, 972,640 bushels or
lOl per cent. The increase between
1870 and 1882 was ,l5l 1850 bushels
or l46 per cent. The area planted
in wheat was l70,S9S acres in 1880
and 201,sl5 acres in 1882, an increase
of is per cent. Again the dispropor.
tionatsly large increase in yield shows
better cultivation. The large unpre.
cedented shipments of grain from
South Carolina last year attest the
correctness Of the figures quoted.
DOUBLING THE RICE CROP.
South Carolina produces more than
half of the total quantity of rice
raised in the United States. The rice
crop of the State was, in 1870, 32,-
3O4,S25 pounds, in 1880 62.94S,537
pounds, and in lSs2-despite the bad
season-64. .6s4,577 pounds. The in
crease in the yield between 1870 and
1880 was 3O,643,7l2 pounds or "a
per cent, and between 1880 and 1882
l,7S6,04o pounds or nearly 8 per
cent. The increase between 1870
and 1882 was 32,579,754 pounds or
100 per cent. The area planted in
rice was, in 1880, 1922 acres and
in 1882 1920 acres, a decrease ol
nearly I per cent. Yet the yield in