The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-02-14
VOLUME XIX.---NO. 81.
THE AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK.
Crops In 1888 and 1ss2-The Prospects o
the Farmers In South Carolina.
Ne,rs and Courier.

! CroDS In 1888 and 1SSH-Ihe prospects ol
the Farmers In South Carolina.
Nc,rs and Courier.
CoTToN.-The upland cotton crop Of
1883 was 468,227 bales of 400 pounds
weight against 69S,593 bales in 1882
The area of the crop was 32,660 acre:
greater, or about 81 per cent; the yield
per acre declining from 1872 pounds in
1882 to 129 pounds in 1888, or about 80
per cent. With such season as that OF
1882 the State in 1883 would have made
at least 100000 bales Of 400 pounds
weight A season that cut the crop down
in Middle Carolina from 2l7 pounds per
acre to 1873 pounds, or about 81 pounds
of lint cotton per acre, can but be regard
ed as singularly adverse one, if not one
Of most unprecedented character. A
propitious season in 1854, with such an
increase of area as took place in 1883,
will give an upland crop of 800, 600
bales of 400 pounds. With fair aver
age season the crop will easily reach
700, 1000 such bales.
CoRN.-The corn area in 1883 was II.
359, ,593 acres, or 3,2S8 acres more than
in the previous year. The product was
1O,S76,744 bushels, against 1927 1878
the previous year, showing the enormous
and entirely abnormal decline of 1881, :
129 bushels, and in yield per acre 5-l3
bushels. With fairly propitious season,
the yield in 1882 was 135 bushels per
acre for the State. Such rate of pro.
duction, with an area of 100000 acres,
would give us crop for 1884 of 1920
600 bushels.
SMALL GRAIN.-The area in oats in
1883 was 41 900 acres less than in the
previous year, being 32l, 1858 acres to
1862, 1873 in 1882. The crop was 4, ,1S7 ,0S2
bushels, against 7, 1929, $40 in the previous
year, showing the serious decline OF g.
| 742, 1888 bushels. In wheat the area de-.
clined from POI ,815 acres in 1882 to 1872
215 acres in 1883. The crop also de-
| clined FROM ], 1884, $40 bushels in 1882 to
| 1885, ,791 bushels in 1883. :.
The present outlook so far as the small
grain crop is concerned is most encour-
aging. The area of the growing crop is
stated on the best authority as 10 per
cent. more than in 1883. This gives as
the small grain area for the present year:
Oats, 353, ,153 acres; wheat, 200, O,436 !;
rye, 1870, and barley, 1852. Such an
acreage with the rate of yield of 1882
would give in oats 7,497,2lS bushels,
worth, at an average of fifty cents to Il the
bushel, $3,71S,60l; in wheat 1903 ,924
bushels, worth 81, 100000; in rye $4,000
bushels, worth 10000; in barley $4,000
bushels, worth $4,000, and aggregating
for the four grains S., $780, 900, which sup:
plemented by an ordinarily good yield
Of potatoes, peas, sorghum and other
subsidiary crops would amount to at least
sS,OOO,000, with the possibility of reach
ing $9,O00,0O0 in an abundant year.
Such production of food crops is evident
ly of more value than so much moneys
worth of cotton expended in buying
Western supplies. The crops we have
described equal 2O0, 1000 to 225,OOO bales
of cotton at $40 to the bale.
The area of rice underwent some small
reduction in 1883 on that of 1882.
There was but little change in the area
of sea islands. Both of these crops have
suffered serious decline; the former
from the cold and unfavorable spring
and swarms of devouring birds later on !;
and the latter from unpropitious seasons
and the presence of swarms of worms.
1t is likely then that these crops declined
on The previous year by about 20 per
cent. for rice and 40 per cent. for Sea
Island. The rice crop of 1884 is
then about $4,000 tierces against 42,4o6
tierces in 1928. The sea island crop
has possibly declined from 1915 bags
in 1928 to $500 bags in 18S3-84.
The subsidiary crops also suffered de-
cline of from Is to IS per cent.
The FLESH CRoP.-Under the opera
ton of the Stock Law there has been
necessarily diminution in the numbers
of cattle, swine, &c. Taking the stats
tics of swine we see that the number in
1883 was 553,525 against 564,587 in 1882 !;
showing decline in numbers of ll,062,
or less than 2 per cent. 1t cannot be
doubted that the value of the stock has
been enhanced by much greater per-
centage than the above decline in num-
bers. We may fairly take these same
figures for horned cattle, whilst sheep
have suffered sharp decline, pc 'Hr >
owing to the want of much needeu aLd
stringent "dog law"
Improved Stock.
CATTLE.-According to close estimates,
based on the county reports, there arc
1872 Jerseys, LIT Ayrshires, so Devons,
az Holsteins. l Guernsey in the State,
besides a number of Short horns and
Brahmins. In most of the counties the
Jersey stock is preferred. In one case
the Devon with an eighth Brahmin is
mentioned as a valuable cross. In
Charleston the Holstein are esteemed the
most valuable as milk stock, and it is
thought that this breed Of cattle, as soon
as it is well known, will "take the lead
of all Others" In nearly all the coun-
ties general mention is made of the pres
ence of imported stock, though the
number be not given. There is an
awakened interest in the improvement OF
stock in all sections of the State.
SHEEP.-Merinos, South Downs, OK.
ford Downs and Broad Tails are reported
from many parts of the State.
HoGs.-The Essex and Berkshire are
most mentioned and preferred.
There can be little doubt that there
are not over FIVE or six counties in the
State where the improvement OF stock
has not become an object of much prac'
tical effort and attention. Spartanburg
and Marlboro stand at the head, each
returning 200 head of Jerseys. Laurens,
perhaps, ranks first in sheep. Beaufort,
Georgetown, Colleton and Hampton
stand at the foot of the list as regards
improved stock. They are heavy
colored counties.