The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-21
In addition to the protection afforded
o,,--,r,o,., e ~ ~

Consumers Of fertilizers by the official
analyses. the department can, with
reason. claim that it has. by these an
a?yS">. bccn Of great benefit to the
Ia"mrrs in cticr ways. In 1880 the
:>0i!th Carolina companies sold only 81
! icr cent. oi the fertilizers used in this
. State: and lS>5 ti!"ir sales had increased
| to - per ccnt. OF the total consumption.
! The average cash prices OF ammoniated
! fertilizers in 1856 Was $3.50. and of acid
! 1ho-Dha;c~ :3l.Go. These prices had
| drc!i;lcd in 1SSJ 20 $50 for ammoniated
! fertilizers and 800 for acid phosphate; a
decrease i'll the price OF fertilizers of 80
| Icr CENT. alG OF acids 81 per cent. Be-
| irrc tie analyses were made the farmers
! purchased largrlv from foreign compa-
!icS 4; high prices. Is the statement OF
! prices shows. because the claim was
!!:adc thai they We're superior to our
home nr0Gi!ci; but when both were sub
jrcicd 70 analytical tests, and it was
! then shown THAT there was no difference
i'll their agricultural value, the price of
al declined and the sales of our home
companies Increased: the total sales in
crca>inT from 90 900 tons in 1890 to 49,
| 0UD tons III ISSJ.
II 1881 III" Department of Agriculture
mad" an exhibition of the resources and
productions OF the State at the Atlanta
exposition. and although it was under
taken without the time necessary for
! proper preparation. it was said to have
! been crrdtaJlc exhibition. The State
competed with some OF the principal
StltcS OF the South and West. and was
awarded Tie second premium for its az
-om" IDA OF the value OF the exhibit as
comIp"rv,i with those OF other States.
'Ehc department expended i'll this work
$2.IJS.
SoHlh C1roliua'S exhibit at the New
O"ica..> exhibition was universally pro-
ncUncri one Il the largest and most
comprehensive collections brought to-
.rrth"r by any Of the States. 1t con-
taiEv,! specimens of our natural resources
ana manufactured products. 1t was
maic by direction of the Legislature,
and $4,000 was appropriated and eX-
pended iOT the purpose. 1t required
nearly the entire time OF the Commis-
Sioucr his assistant for about one
year TO make this collection, place it in
Ncy@-94ICanS and maintain it there for
Six months. At both Of these eXposi-
tiOHS numerous documents relating to
ihc State were distributed, and the re-
suit has already been to attract atten-
ton to orr State and her undcvelOped
resources anil advantages.
In Ill OF the annual reports of the de-
partmrut full statistical statements have
been submitted. showing the area and
yield Of the various crops, and the num-
bnr anH value CT live stock in the State,
compiled by the department through its
we'll organized corps Of county and town.
slip correspondents. The act creating
the department required the County
Auditors to fill out all blanks sent from
the department; but this was tried for
one year and abandoned because it was
found impraclicablc, but the Auditors
we're paid 1.Drl Tor the work performed.
Besides this. &2ll was paid for the sta
IiS;;c;i! work il 1883, making total Of
%l.3:2. There has been no other eXpend-
iturcS for statistics besides the cost OF
printing blanks and the postage on the
reports OF correspondents. These eX-
pcM>cS are ali includcdin the general eX-
l,cnGit,yc Tor printing and postage.
~ tie work Of the department expand
ed it bccamc evident that it could not
be satisfactorily performed in the small
rooms occupied IL offices in the State
House. 1t WIS necessary to have room
FORA laboratory. for offices and for the
proper display Of the products OF the
STATE. which the law required the de-
I1artmcut TO collect and exhibit. 1t was
decided to purchase 4 building suitable
FOR all these purposes, and having suffi-
cicut room for agricultural conventions
and all the needs of the department.
Such building was found in a good To-
cation on Main street, in Columbia, and
was bought in 1883. The price paid was
$1,000: $4,000 cash. and the balance in
annual in>talmcntS. One Of these in
stalmcnts has been paid and the bal
ance will be paid the present year.
There has been paid out for repairs ST.
lSG; part payment and interest on de-
fcrrcd payments. Sll,17G, and for ln-
Surancc 1852, making the total to date
$20.214. There is still due on the build
in" $500 and interest for one year at
! per cent, which added to the amount
already expended. will make the total
cost OF the building, repairs and in
surancc, :25.029. The architect Wig
was in charge OF the repairs ,stimXed
that the value Of this property was sss35.-
900. including the value of the loK
The Uard-book Of South Carolina is
regarded lis one of tie most valuable
publications iSsucd>"bv any State. 1t
WIS prepared by & e competent compiler
rm9joyo" Specially for this work, and
~ Wa. IHagcd on it for nearly three
years: and had the assistance of some
or II" ablcSt writers in the South. Its
c":55mpilation and the printing OF 5000
copies. with the geological maps which
are found in the report, and 1000 geo
graphical maps. cost 12,G12. This book
has been widely distributed in the United
States and in Europe. 1t has no doubt
aided materially i'll maintaining the
credit OF the State by showing the
ability OF our people to meet their pub
lie obligations. In addition to tins
, book the department has Issued over
22O.G00 monthly reports at cost OF
:3.!21. and over 10000 other publica-
! tiors. at Il cost Of s1,179. These have
! been devoted more especially to agri-
! cultural matters. and haze been dis
irihutcd largely in the State.
The Department OF Agriculture has
appropriated *1.SGo the present year, to
encourage practical experiments in to-
! bacc0 culture in each county IN the
! State. Farmers have been appointed
20 make these tests, and furnished with
seeds. Information. &c. This amounts
! 20 the establishment OF experimental
>tations in each county, and will secure
! better results than il the work had been
undertaken by any one section. 1t Is
not rrono<cd TO confinc these expert
mrnl< to one crop. but to increase the
i number IL the funds OF the department
, p,rmir. Each farmer making these eX'
D"rimcnt> will be furnished with ther'
momrtcrs and rain gauges, and they
viii MAKE monthly reports OF the daily
condition OF lie weather. The meteoro
inw;cal ,lHta obtained from these report;
=, III w., ~: crrr..; ,..r1IIr heron oftpr