Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1885-10-22

.. I0 OWL, 30 mucn q year ago. -
What both these snowy hands? Ahl
s then -, 49,.
81 I'm ha9s to soy goodnight again.
Thomas Bailey Aldrfch.
Cash vs.. Credit In Farming. e
AnsEssay Read Before the Edgefieid
Agricultural Society, by A. j..
Norris, ESD, at Its October
Meeting.
Edge6eld County is one of the larg-l
est Counties in the State, having about
FIVE thousand farms. according to the
census of, 1880, averaging one hum
. dfed and twenty acres each, and ag-
gregating about six hundred and fifty
thousand, ,acrea; rof which about two
hundred and fifty thousand acres are
improved. The total value Of farms,
buildings and -fsnces, together with
: farming implements and live stock, is
| in round numbers about ;6ye millions
! of dollars. TIE totsl value of all
| farm products inslS79, was two mil
lions and a half -dollars-say about
ffty per cent. on the value of the
capital invested.
3Yaihs came censhs it eppears that
two Thousand farms are cultivated by
the owners, fifteen hundred are rented
for shares ofthe crop, and fifteen hum
drsd- are rented for a fixed money
value. The people Of Edge6eld are
!; devoted almost exclusively to agri-
culture. Edge6eld has alafge mum.
bar Of intelligent, well-to do, thrifty,
entsrprising, progressive and success.
,tful farmers, who own their farms and
plantations, and are free from debt
and membranes, and who conduct
successful and profitable business.
These can bepointed out in goodly
numbers in every one Of her town.
chips. Ons-hslf the land owners, and
possibly q larger proportion, are run.
ming their farms on sound business
principles, and although they are not
sufficiently up in all scientific meth.
DDS, they are gradually improving
their condition and making respect
abls and comfortable living, and in
smaaniysscasss they are aceumulating
some money, Butsthese constitute a
comparatively small proportion of the
whole population. The other half OF
the land owners are not doing 80 well.
Their estates are neglected and dilapi,
dated, they are epcumbered with debt,
;.ss 90 ped illia ri -
; means and Implements necessary to
carry on their business, and they
work without the con6denceand cour.
age necessary to engender success.
Farmers, or persons engaged in ag-
rioulture, may be divided into three
Glasses. let. The owners Of the landa.
%. Persons who. cultivate rented
lands, who are usually called tenants,
and, Bird. Persons who work the lands
for shares, Of the crops or .or stipu'
latedswsges.
Thsre are many tenant farmers In
Edge6eld who manage we'll and who
make good living, and some who
save money and accumulate property.
And there are some of the 3rd class
who. do the same. 1t is demonstrated
therefore by the success Of some land,
holders and aome tenants and some
choppers and 1iaborers, that farming
can be made profitable in Elgeheld
County. But it is lamentable fact
that a large proportion Of the people
engaged in agriculture in this County
are not doing we'll; they are eking
ont a bare living; they are not thrifty
and prosperous as they should be.
The soil is generous, the Earth does
not refuse to yield its increase, the
rains descend alike upon the just and
the unjus.; but many an unfortunate
mariner or the agricultural sea, is
swamped and engulied and over
whelmed because he embarks wi, ,Aout
supplies, and without chart or COM
pass or sail or rudder. Thousands
labor and toll and sweat, and roll the
stone up to the summit, like Sisiphus.
orly, 10 see it roll back to the start
ing place again. They fail, not be:
cause they do not make gallant and
heroic struggle, but because of bad
management, iii luck, inprovidence,
e1travagancs and reckless disregard
ofall or many OF the elementary prin.
ciples that enter into the success OF
any business "A ship should not go
to sea until it has been properly,
manned, equipped and supplied. A
general does not move his army until
Gs has all the Implements of war,
and supplies for man and horse. Un'
less the preparation and outfit be com.
plete, failure is inevitable. So ii
muat be with every farmer, small and
preat, ,who does not make it his first
business to provide himself at the
outset with implements and supplies.
/, is Indispensable TO success that the
farmer must be supplied with good
work animals, suitable farming i'm
plements and the necessary supplies
Tor man land beast. II he has not
these, he should devote all his ener'
gies and resources to procuring them
bsiore.heigoes any further: Having
these all in hand, success is not yei
assured. IF he is farmer who en-
ploys labor, he should be careful te
employ his labor 80 as to have enough
and YET not to have too much where
it is employed for wages. he shoulc
fertilise literally under the guidance
Of. science and experience, and b
skould cultivate skillfully and rapid
ly. And still more, he must be bless
ed with favorable seasons-these las
he cannot command, but without then
a q