The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-12-05

. Citadel, and to the better equipment OF u
institution. Cadets are beginning to ente
} from other States, and the Governor cor
ours in the opinion of the Board Of Visit
ors thst the school should so enlarge it
!, facilities as TO retain this patronage and il
1 vite more of the same.sort.
; The institution for the education of tn
{ deaf and dumb and the blind is admirabl,
managed and continues to do benehcen
: work for those children of the State VIII
need its instruction There are 102 in
, mates There is need of new building
: for colored pupils and also some improve
ments in the water supply. For these th'
, Governor concurs in the request OF tn
Board of Commissioners for special ap
preparation.
Ciatlin University, for negroes of Gott
sexes, is reported as doing good work TO-
that race.
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
The annual report of this department il
commended to the earnest consideration ol
the Legislature The duties with which il
is charged are of vital interest to all the
people of the State, and the manner il
which these duties have been performed
amply jastities the wisdom of the Legisla
ture in establishing this department of the
State Government During the year just
closed the department has continued the
experiments on the two agricultural expert
mental stations, located at Darlington and
Spartanburg; conducted State and County
Farmers Institutes; inspected and analysed
commercial fertilizers on sale in the State;
supervised the phosphate interests; investi
gated contagious diseases among domestic
animals, and adopted measures for their
prevention; enforced the fish laws at various
points; established observation stations,
where climatic data are collected, and sent
daily weather indications TO the numerous
display stations under its control; issued
monthly reports containing matters of in
terest to the farmers, and weekly crop bull
letins; collected, compiled and published
statistical information; published PAM
phlets, maps sc, showing the recources
and industries of South Carolina; placed on
exhibition splendid collection of the pro-
ducts of the State, and conducted an extern
sive correspondence.
These are all matters of great importance,
and they are fully treated in the annual re-
ports of the Board and Commissioner.
The Commissioner urges the establish
ment of river observation stations, where
the rise Of streams may be promptly noted
and food warnings given for the benefit Of
stock raiSers and farmers. The recent dis
astrous foods prove the necessity for such
stations. The Commissioner calls atten-
ton to the defects in the fish laws, and
shows whe,e they should be amended. He
also endorses the recommendations of the
special assistant of the department regard
ing changes needed in the laws regulating
phosphate mining. All of these matters
will doubtless receive your favorable con-
sideration.
The Department of Agriculture asks for
no appropriation from the Legislature. 1t
is supported entirely by the privilege tax
on commercial fertilizers and its finances
are so managed that the income from this
source is sufficient to meet all of its ex-
penses. Its good work is apparent, and is
more appreciated the more it is investigated
and understood.
EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS.
The Experimental Stations, as now es
tablished, comprise the following: A central
scientific staff at Columbia, with the neces-
sary offices and laboratories, and three
| farms-one at Spartanburg, one at Colum-
bia and one at Darlington. The upper
farm contains 800 acres, the middle farm
120 acres, and the lower 227 acres. Each
farm is supplied with stock, implements
and machinery, including engines, gins,
presses, mills, cutters sc. Besides the
work Of preparation required to bring these
farms into proper condition, large num-
Der of field tests were planned and con.
Quoted. There were 656 experimental plats
in cotton, 420 in corn, Sc in wheat, 4S in
oats, and about so in miscellaneous crops,
such as grasses, clovers, peas, sofa beans,
millets, sorghums, &C., or upward Of 1900
in all
Each test was carefully duplicated and
repeated on esch farm. The checking and
verihcation thus obtained give great weight
to the results. About 80 different varieties
of cotton were tested.
In the laboratories at Columbia, analyses
were made of typica! soils Of the State Of
farm crops at different stages of growth, of
diffe rent mannrial materials, &c.
Numerous varieties of commercial seeds
We're examined to determine their purity
and vitality. Rust, cholera, and other dis
eases Of plants and animals were studied,
and an elaborate series of meteorolcgic o.
servaton bearing upon the physical proper
ties OF soils was begun. An account of
some of these tests and analyses has been
given to the public in the quarterly bulletins
and the operations for the entire year will
be fully discussed in the annual report
which will appear, in accordance with the
requirements of the Hatch Act, on the first
of next February.
The stations are ably office.ed, the farms
are being rapidly brought into good condi-
ton for the work in hand, important lines
of investigation have been entered upon,
and much valuable experience has been
acquired, and results of the highest i'm
portarce to our agricultural interests may
be expected. in some time, to follow from
the thorough establishment of these
stations
PENAL AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.
The State peri1entary contains S94 con.
vics Of which number S43 are colored
and 81 are white; there being As colored
and 2 white females. OF these Mr.. r. S.
Pringle has PIT at work on phosphate
mines near Summerville, S. c., 199 are
employed on shce and hosiery inside the
prison, and tie balance on the various
farms, with the exception of small num-
ber leased by the contractors of the Colum.
bia Canal. The financial condition Of the
prison is good, the collections from all
sources the past year having amounted to
So, IA IA % more than it cost 10 sustain it.
When the expected collections are applied
to the liabilities, it is expected that there
will be q clear balance of about $4,000.
In Consequence OF loss from floods and
IL, bn,,o bn,,, ~,