The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-12
TIE FARMER AND TIE NEGRO.
The EcSt Method of Attaining Pros.
perity---COmmercia FertiIizers.--
TerracinS and LevelinS.-.CompOst
--.SystcInatic Work.
Southern Cultiuator.

Having read the views Of correspondents rs
to best methods Of attaining prosperity. we
shall give our own. While one writer rings
out the kpcil Of the negroes existence among
us, and invites other labor before we can hone
TO redeem our fallen State, another asserts as
q cause of our decline, too much guano, Great
ing false st!lnulant to lands, and our people
don't work enough; we must look for other
causes ana other remedies. Ills true in one
sense, we tlO not work enough. Too many
droncs to feed. And our work is spasmodic ;
too much to-day, none tomorrow. In our
judgment, il the negro IS closely and unre-
mittingIy " atched, lie is at present the best
labOrcr the Southern farmer can employ.
What evolution may lie in the womb Of fl-
ture agricultural science, demanding the de-
parturc OF the negro and the use OF more
skilled labor, we know not. ButsOfaraS NOR
tai ken c;ln reach, his exodus will aud ought
to be slow, and after tlr-reaching efforts and
preparations on the farmers part to forestall
the cnminG event. 1t seems to the writer the
proper solution to this rcNcd question we
have this proposition 10 assert: II needs be
that we continue 10 employ the negro, 1t Is
our duty to make him work. We doat mean
to make him work by "ftS and starts but
Systematically and continuously, ns do the
merchant and manufacturer their operatives.
Feed "tutlpr' well; convince him that you
have some regard for his welfare pay him
what You agree to do and there Is IS much
work i'm him as in ante-bellum times. 1t Is
our duty to him, because all accord to MIN
brain and endurance; because he Is an I'M
provident spcndthrlft. caring not IL for the
bread of tomorrow, SD his hunger tor to-day
is satisfied His want of Il Scinillla OF care
would hcggar IN empire. 1t is oar duty to
him tn Sr,'--;li Tie tinc-Scc that he works,
brc:lus, in making him SELF supporting we
support ourselves and render the country
prosperous.
. We claim the brain to direct. If the negro
will labor l:iit!!lui,y, ii we stick to him. whose
fault is ii that VIC cdonot succeed? !Ah. there's
,1,f l,\rI, f,f IA
par!nncc, but laztncsS i'll pure Old English
must answer. Uut from the restraint of dire
necessity we'll idle just like "rnilcc.' Let
o M hek POT rhs r "utnern !" nHPIh Pwh,e Se n
to- day is to blame for the decentralization
which cnvirons the land and hangs its black
pail upon ii.
: Commercial fertilizers. when they arc ferti-
liZ%rS and not dirt. and iudiriollsly used Will
not impOversh US, though the prudent farm
or needs only the phOSphatcs with the mill
ions of tons of material piled around him to
make all the fertilizer required TO secure sat-
harvcSl$.
\ chief remedy, in the writer's Judgment,
for the impovcrShment of onr fields will be
found in levcing our rows. Oursoil, especial:
~ in "Stork law, counties. can be preserved
inLctinitrly if due attention Is paid TO the
above. Any one can satisfy himself of this |
fact by observing the difference between rows
run on II level accidentally it may have been,
and those with too great fall. In the former,
I'LL uClh,SllS llpIll tuc SlONlIS iiIl S'ttliCIcu
crops are retained, forming hunlus and re-
paving the land. On the latter, harvested
crops have been removed and falling leaf and
blade and boil find their way to the nearest |
trld.
Some may object to careful lcveling OF rows
from the fact that it necceSitatcS many short |!
ones. The many longer ones than formerly
run will be found to more than compensate in !
saving OF time of powman lin turning around
upon the short ones. Those who had pursued |
this policy could have but felt gratified and !
satisfied under the comparatively little dam
many portions Of this State.
To summarize, then, let us go "in and OUT
with our labcrer: see that he works, and
works as we say to him; make all the com
post we need for our every crop and terrace
level our rows, and o new era will gladden. our
land. !