The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19
Wednesday. May 19, 1886.
Farm Talk.

There has been and is still much talli about
the onc-horsc negro farmer, his lien al the
store. and the idlcness or misdlrrctcu lan"r OF
tho aforesaid aCriculturSt. The mistake
which nearly every man makes in the dls-
cussion of the condition of the farms Is IN
4ho su,nosition that no negro is competent
,o conduct a successful farm, and that every
white man has the ability to make money ut
farming, if he could only "control LABOR Ill
other words, if the law would give nun sl"'e
labor. free OF cost.
The fact is, that success IS thc measure VI
merit. Hundreds of men in every county
make money by farming, and what one man
docs another may do, if he apply inc Sa'le
amount of energy and business tact 10 inc
work, The man who owns a farm. and lallS
TO make a living only procaims his personal
1acI of the clements of success. we pclie'e
that every man who possesses energy
integrity, and business tact can control ''
!the labor he needs, and we further beleFe
that any farm which is properly looked after
and properly titled will yield generous sup
mort for its owner and his family.
We must abandon the idea that every white
maj, no matter how little he works, can get
rich on the farm which he neglccts. 1t has
heen said that vigilance is the price OF llber-
Nv Itmiuht be said with equal force, that
economy. industry, and well directed labor is
tho nricc of prospcrity. 1t is also true that
prosperity seldom fails to award the effort OF
those who deserve her flvorS.
Asumatter of f,ct. no man reed expect 10
prosper who neglects to provide fooo LOT MS
stock. 4 pasture is Indispensable TO the pros
perity of any farmer. With good pasture,
which every farmer may secure by well oi-
rected effort, sufficient stock may be raised 10
snpport the farm. The farmer who has Sood
simply of cattle and horses need not buy
commercial fertilizers in the spring. II lie
will build comfortable houses, and provide
good pastures, his stock will not only in
a.re.se hut his manures will be a source OF
profit and q saving OF great eXpence. Many
mistakes are made in buying fertilizers "hich
are deficient in the requisites Tor the crops
Stable manure being perfect manure, never
ulias to yield large return IN increased
crops.
If the grass which now goes to waste IN
Abbeville county, were turned into flesh,
milk and butter, we could supply ourselves
md our neghbors with these necessary
articles. Can any man reasonably expect
prosperity to come to our doors as long as I'M
mensc quantities Of grass in every part OF the
.countysand on every farm is allowed to go
waste? If we would be sclf-sustanlng ana
independcnt we must husband our resources,
and stop all unnecessary waste. The crops OF!
grass on many of our farms are worth as
much as the cultivated crops, but the grasses
are lost and allowed to dry up, while we are
compelled to gather the cultivated crops at
great expense, but by fencing our lands, the
cattle. mules and horses would turn our
grasses into flesh without cost, and our cattle,
unules and horses could be turned into money.
When it is remembered that milk and but
ter may be had so cheaply, is IL not strange
that so much money is paid annually for
Western bacon? No family should be with
out pasture and good milk COW. Every
farmer will find it profitable to have hog
and colt in his pasture. hog can be rals-
ed for little cost, and a colt may be kept all
winter on the corn which it. takes to f;tten
hog. For six or eight months in the year the
colt need cost nothing at all. If kept IN
GOOD pasture When Il mule is two years old
he can 90 to work. Even if he docs not 40
full work he can earn more than his food, SO
that good mule can be raised for nearly no
cost at all.