The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-04-30
TuRAL IMPLEMENTS


The first essayist, Col. J. J. Dargan,
was enthusiastically received and fre.
quently applauded during the reading of
his thoughtful paper. His subject, "Im.
plements best suited TO agriculture in its
present stage of advancement us" +"
was one of much interest to the audience,
as was fully attested by the close atten-
tion given to the speaker. After allud-
ing to this age as mechanical age, the
essayist said that the Southern agricul-
turist could not afford to neglect the
tireless arms of steel that improved ma
chinery places in his reach. Everyother
department of work makes use of ma.
chinery, and the future development of
the South, in an agricultural point Of
view, largely depends on the use of inn
proved machinery. The negro, while Of
great use as farm laborer, when proper.
" managed, is certainly the most expen.
sive ever employed. 1t is as absurd to
think of running wagon inicompetition
with freight train as to put the negro
against the screw pulverizer, riding cul-
tiYators, mowers, self.binding reapers
aud other improved agricultural imple-
ments. The chief objection to the use
of machinery on the Southern farm has
been that cotton is our principal crop,
and that it has to be picked by hand. If
this be true then "King Cotton" is the
most uukiud ruler in all history, who has
done nothing but rule and ruin the
South. "Within the next ten years."
said Col. Dargan, "Chas. T. Mason, jr,
will do more to relieve the South from
the shackles which the genius of Eli
Whitney placed upon her than all our
best politicians could do in fifty years.
The success of Mason's Cotton Picker is
a matter of infinitely greater Importance
to the South than the election of Mr..
Cleveland struests and brayest man
who has filled the Presidential chair since
John Quincy Adams. The labors of
Chas. 7. Mason, jr., for the good of the
South Will be profoundly felt when the
superficial effects of Cleveland's impair
tial Administration have passed away.
The name of Cleveland will grow dim in
history at the point where, that of Mason
will shine the brightests;I for more and
more are students of history coming to
understand that Kings and Queens, and
Presidents and Governors are but leaves
on the current of events set in motion by
the great genius of men like Whitney,
Mason, franklin and Fulton.
COL. GRAFTON GIVES SOME GOOD AD'
VICE.
A call was made for speech from the
Hon. B. r. Crayton, of Anderson, who
was present at the invitation of tie As.
sociation. He. said he had long desired
to visit Sumter, and was glad to have an
opportunity of meeting the farmers OF
the banner county. In Anderson cotton
is not king-there they plant diversified
crops. His advice to the farmers of
Sumter was to diversity their crops and
be prepared for the cotton millennium
that the Mason cotton picker would
bring. He had no war to make on
cotton, but had always found that he
could buy it cheaper than he could make
it. Farmers should plant peas, SOW hay,
ditch and improve their farms. Don't
be like some farmers, who are born poor
and are determined to stick to it.
HOW TO KEEP THE SOIL PRODUCTIVE.
The next essay was a carefully pre-
pared paper by Mr.. R. NJ. Cooper. an
educated and progressive young farmer
on "The best modes of preventing the
exhaustion of our lan's, and the reclaim
alton of the salne." The speaker rapidly
gave history of the geological forma:
tion of soil, and showed what chemica
properties were essential to plant growth
Chemical analysis will not show in al
cases what soil is best adapted to certain
crops. The only sure plan is by practi
cal experiment. Use single crop on {
piece Of land aud apply single manure'
end note accurately the result, or plant
different crops, making different demands
upon the soil, and note which do we'll
Mix manures with special reference tt
certain fields. Whenever the soil is de
6cient in certain properties essential te
plant life, supply the needed substance
| in the manure. It is a mistake to sup
pose that all aoil can be improved to
point of remunerative cultivation. Tht
natural growth is the best indication o
the strength. of the soil. Whenever w
! find weeds making heavy demands fo