The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-10-03

as fatal to his interests as are the lnexoraole
demands OF an unsatistied mortgage, he views
1t with increased satisfaction. Each terrace
plat becomes the special object OF his care and
attention. He bestows his labor upon it free
| ly and chccrfully. 1t Is practically the appll-
cat ion of tho intensive system OF farming,
and carries with 1t all its benelts. Let Inc
bleak and barren hilltops be encircled with
proper terraces, and under the influence, OF
| the air, water and heat they may again be-
como fruitful, with little expenditure OF time
and money. adding vegetable mold ny the use
of TIC pea vine first, then rye, Tor oats is bet,
| tcrO then clover. The hiliSidcS, now Scared
and flrrowci with gullics, may again become
the favoritc resort Of grazing herds, ana the
whole surface Of our once fertile md produc-
| tive country may be again reclaimed. and
made TO yield an abundant harvest: we 40
not wish to DC understood as teaching that
the terrace is panaeea ior All tnG ,oaa ahlerS h,,
from other requirements which lie Is bound to
observe al his peril. 49,
An accurate observer has said that very lew
countries In the wide world afford better ad-
yantages for making an easy living than the
Southern States. This Is n truth so we'll
known that 1t is useless to repeat IT. II the
present condition OF the agricultural CLASS Is
not generally what 1t ought to be-. the fault
lies in tho detective system OF raising crops,
in the want of knowledge to avoid wastage
and In the absence of wisdom TO provide 1or
the future In connection with tho terrace
supreme effort should be made to find the
best means to preserve our lands from eX-
haustion, renovating the soil by thorough
system OF manuripg ana rota.on Oh GrUPS' Its
cles with the introduction of new and more
remunerative ones.
Experience has shown that we cannot, un-
der any circumstances, or any system OF rota-
tion whatever, continue to raise useful crops
ON any land for a length of time unless we re-
turn to IL, In the shape OF manure, part, at
least, of the ingredients which the crops have
abstractcd from it.. With very few exceptions
the largest portion of tillablo high lands is
nearly eX hausted, under q destructive system
of continuously raising the same crops on the
some ground, with hardly any helping lngre-
dients returned to the soil.
We cannot very much longer afford to lose
sight OF this very serious fact, for unless pro-
per steps are taken to provide remedy our
lands that are not already wasted away VIII
soon become worn out almost beyond recu-
peration. There are natural laws that govern
the use of soil as they do that Of animal and
vegetable life, and we cannot ignore mem en-
sources Of our soil by proper system OF rota-
tion Of crops and protect our land by thor.
ough terracing, applying to cur helds AZ tne
manure we can possibly obtain. falllng 10
will haye to yield to the ineXorabie law that
no land will remain permanently fertile un-
less there be returned to 1t regularly the min
oral ingredients which successive crops nave
withdrawn. ,
When we avail ourselves of the full natural
resources of soil elements and products WIN
which God has blessed US, and when TO theSe
natural advantages we have added the appll-
ances OF modern agricultural science, the
South will have attained prosperity that
shall make her marvel among the natlons
of the earth. In our humble Judgment. the
terrace Is the basis on which we are to build
our success, for it alone secures to us the per-
manent use of our soil, and, having secured
that, 1t is for us to determine Whether we VIII
improve or abuse It,. Senator'S may discuss
the great question of the tariff, or the relative
condition of South Carolina in the days Of 10
and 'SS, but of what avail is that If the very
sands OF the SOIL from which comes the sup
Of the people are rapidly passing aWsy
ton than that of finance and trade.
This question of the preservation and res
toration OF our soil Is the question OF the hour
statesman and philanthropist of every rank.
from the highest dlgnitary to the humolest
son of toll. Is IL true that the State is to be q
victim to that irrational and obstinate trait
of peoples character by Whlch they VIII n9G t,I
adopt any measure of general reform until
necessity forces 1t upon them? | shall offer
no apology for uttering sound Presbyterian
doctrine in q good Methodist com mmunlty,
that when wisdom and prudence nave ialleH .es1
hedge in people and compel them to adopt
measures essential to their preservation.
We have forcible illustration Of this truth
in the recent history OF tnis Stae cv lne S e
impossible otherwise to protect their nelds,
when, as an economic measure, 1t should
have been adopted fifty years earlier: Let not
erate in this instance. Let tho State agricul-
tural bureau and the South Carolina Agricul-
tural and Mechanical Society press this mat
ter with all possible zeal, by Offering such In
ducelnents for retaining wasted lands as
will command the attention Of the people. If
not the surface soil of the Piedmont region
will, in the period OF the next hundred years,
lie upon the bosom OF the lower country, and
lint
ccnce it, indeed, we will not have impover.
ished them with our red clay, or submerged
them beneath food of turbid waters.
the sqpq % S of nfy that iSuntfg 5 @Soh FS ow our
ters are flowing down upon them. In irresist-
Bile fury, and filling up the channels Of their
rivers and causing them TO overflow ana pro-
ducc destructive freshcts They CANNOT pro-
tect themselves against this evil, because they
cannot reach It's source. The obligation Is up
on us of the highlands to remedy the evil by
discharging our duty to ourselves, to our
neighbors TO posterity and TO the State IN this
vital matter. While the lower country needs
:: thorough system Of drainage the highlands
have been and are Gtill being drained too
much. They need projection; and II not IN
the sense ofa high tariff, yet 1t Is a protection
shall be preserved at home and made to fulfil
the ends for which they were ordained by the
Lord of all the earth in the hands of His peo-
pie, His intelligent agents.
adopting this needed reform Is the supera-
bundance and, as consequence, the cheap
ness or our lands. 4 false idea OF economy
induces the landowner to cultivate far
greater area than he is able to manage, except
IN the most superficial, and hence unprofita-
BILE manner. But should the extent OF our
territory excuse the folly Of our practice? BY
no means. Put your lands in condition Of
preser4ation from washing rains; flll up all
lent pine tops, another evidence OF Providen-
tial care and goodness, and let them remain
for the occupancy of your children, who are
springing up as olive plants all over the State.
Our sons and daughters are the immigrants
land they are coming into the country very
fast, and the more the better) In whom lies
the germ OF the future greatness Of the South;
and what bettGr heritage can you Leave them
and what grander vocation Can they engage
in? The professions OF to-day other than the
ministry and its handmade, the professors
chair, dwindle into insignifcance when COM
pared to the length. breadth and depth of tho
Influences pertaining to and emanating from
the study and practice Of the farm. 1t lays
under tribute q vast range OF knowledge. 1t
is a field for the scientist, the philosopher the
artist the mechanic, and in sense for the
lawye er and physician, but above all, It Is emf:
uenLly conIp0ive to the moral elevation and
development OF q peoples character If l
have failed TO impress upon you its import
ance, l have at least given you my conception
of the necessity, design and value Of the ter
race. If am in error, either as TO its con.
struction or ends 10 be attained by 1t. tho OBJ
lieatlon is on you to point 1t out and give us O
better plan for tho preservation OF our lands.
MOUNT cARMEL's BUDGET.
u