The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-07-15
FARMERS COLUMN,
n9n Communications from our Farmers
on any matter pertaining to Agriculture,
are respectfully solicited for THIS column.

on any matter pertaining to Agriculture,
are respectfully solicited for this column.
SOME COMMON CAUSES OF FAILURE
TO SUCCEED IN FARMING,
/ An Essay Read by Col. W. Z. Walters BE
fore tho Storeville Farmers Club, snd
Published by Request.
GENTLEMEN Having been appointed
to write an essay for this meeting, with
the privilege of selecting my own subject,
| I confess that have had much difficulty
in deciding upon subject altogether
suitable and appropriate. Not that there
is any sparseness in the way of subjects
appropriate to our system Of agriculture,
to our circumstances and surroundings,
but from the multitude of subjects, it is
difficult to determine which would be
most appropriate. On every hand and
from every section, especially of cur
Sunny South, we hear the cry of herd
times, and the poverty and consequent
failure of our agricultural population.
"Farming don't pay" is heard on every
hand, and its truth vouched for by thoas.
auds of witnesses from sad, though real,
experience, as the great mass of our
farming population are growing poorer
and poorer each successive year. Liens
and mortgages cover the country and its
productions to an extent which is pitialole
and alarming. Indeed, the dire calamity
of our position, and the urgent necessity
of relief and assistance at once, has called
for organization among farmers, and q
universal casting about for help, imnle.
diate help, to save the sinking ship of
our agriculture. And under such cir
cumstances, it is easy to perceive the
great danger of doing the wrong things,
or even the right things in the wrong
way No people, therefore, can more
appropriately adopt that maxim Of wis
dom, "make haste slowly" than the or.
ganization Of farmers 10 South Carolina
! in seeking relief from oppression and
environment, for any mistake in this ,li.
rectiou will simply augment our disaste rs
and increase our distress. And while
| there are many things which affect our
interest and deserve legislation and cor.
rection, and should he urged and insisted
upon by the farmers in the approaching
election, yet 1 have decided to omit their
discussion insthis essay, and apply myself
to the discussion of "some of the com.
ing" !,
list. The want of>a fixed purpose and
determination to choose, study and pur-
sue the cultivation Of the soil as the avo-
cation of life. The effort to make out of
tia simple living; to- cultivate the land
after the common custom Of the country,
until something better and more promis-
ing in its remuneration shall open up, is
feeling and sentiment which is preva-
lent and general among the farmers.
How readily the farmer abandons his
farm, on which he was born and raised,
and where he has spent more than ha.lf
OF the probable life of his manhood, ard
with what eagerness he enters other avo-,
cations more promising Though yisiona-
ry and'more uncertain) is wonderful 10
every dispassionate observer. Farming
as q makeshift, a last and only resort,
upon general principles can never sue.
ceed. What lawyer, physician or mer.:
chant ever succeeded in their ayocaticn
who pursued it y.till something better
should open up? None. So the farmers
who are the most successful are tho,e
who study and pursue their avocation ,ls
the chosen and fixed business of their
lives, and with unfinching zeal and per-
seyerancs, determine to make it succeed.
To such, failures seldom come. And
while it is desirable that our. young men
of ability and education should devote
themselves to farming, yet if they settle
upon the farm as dernier resort, ard
only for the.time being, in nine cases out
of ten failure will be the result, aud it
would perhaps have been as well for
them and the country if they had never
undertaken it. If you would succeed,
make it your choice, your business
End. The failure to devote our entire
time to it. While it is not true of all,
yet by far the great majority of farmers
only work a few months in the year, say
from six to eight months, while the other
months are spent in comparative idle.
ness. How common to see people in the
country, of every class, for from four 10.
six months in the year unemployed, and
| if questioned they say eve are through,
!. with our work." or "we have caught tip
with our work and have nothing to do"
This is an extravagant waste of time by
the farmer, which no management, how
ever iudicious, can overcome, aud should
not be practiced, allowed or countel-
anced. If everythingis done which the
necessities and well.beiug of the farm
requires, there will not be day but what
each and every hand may be proftably
employed. All contracts with laboreIs,
whether they work for wages or part Of
the crop, should embrace their entire
time. It would rebound to the interest
of all parties. making the labor more
systematic and consequently more valua-
Bile, and the employer could afford to pay
better wages. Is not the sterilily ard
poverty Of our soil in a great measure
attributable to that common waste Of
time, which could be so well spent in its
preservation and improvement? Chow
glad would be to ditch, terrace and save
my land" and chow glad I would be 10
improve this poor soil, if I only had the
time and ability" are remarks heard
upon every side, and yet one-third of the
tine of those who say so is spent in idle:
ness. The lawyer is most prosperous an d
successful who can always be found at
his place of business, UP with his pro.
fession and ready at all times to attend
to business entrusted to him., And in all
4 this broad land there is no place where
work, profitable work, can more easily he
found for willing hands to do than on the
farm. If eight months labor do not
bring compensation and living for twelve
months, need we be surprised? Time is
money, and if farming be your avocatio1,
give it your time.
3rd. The want of system in the care ,f
and attention to the necessary tools, inl'
/ plements, vehicles and stock kept upon
III fo-,n Tba n1o,ya and hoes scattere d