The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-03-28
ANDERSON,S BRAG FARMERS.
Three Men who have Proved that Intel
ligcnt Farming Does Fay.
Correspondence N,sps and Courier.

ANDERSON, March 9.-Your cores
pondent has endeayorei, at considerable
effort, to secure an honest opinion from
three ofour most prominent aud success
full farmers as to the best way to farm,
manage labor and make farming pay.
The FIRST I wish to give are The views
of Col. Lewis L. Campbell, who lives
about seven miles east Of Anderson. The
following is substantially what | got
from Col. Campbell:
Isaid: "Colonel, what is your system
of farming?''
His answer was: 81 try to make my
farm self supporting. | diversity my
crops, and purpose in the future
to plant less, manure more and
work better. keep as much of what |
produce on the farm as possible.
HOW TO MAKE IT PAY.
"How, in your opinion, can farming be
| made to pay?" asked.
He replied: by giving your favm as
close attention as merchant or any
other business man gives to his business,
by diversifying your crops, raising on the
farm everything you use as far as posi-
BILE; by paying cash for what you are
compelled to buy, thereby avoiding time
prices"
then asked why are there 30 many
complaints that farming does not payS
Because, as a rule, people do not at
lend to their farms, plant too much, work
too little, plant all cotton, do not try to
economize, do not make their own man
ure, and do buy their supplies on credit
at time prices. They do not otstudy farm
ing. They do not diversity their crops or
try to raise what they use."
COTTON TIE MONEY CROP.
next asked Col. Campbell to give me
his views a, 10 the comparative value of
the different crops.
81 think" be said, "lhat cotton is the
most paying crop, when ra.sed purely as
asurplus; but when one relies on it as
sole crop, it is, in my opinion, q suici-
dal policy in nine cases out often. Barley,
rye, grass and clover patches are proba.
bly, as profitable as any crops, when
considered as helping to produce the sur
plus crop.
/ asked: "NYhat do you think of the
comparative value Of homemade manure
and commercial fertilizers?"
He answered: "In order to n. ie them
both most profitable, they must be used
together. Commercial fertilizers do not
pay we'll when solely relied on, but are
very valuable (payiug sometimes as much
as 50 per cent? when used in connection
with home. made manure. Fertilizers
pay we'll when properly used.'
coLoRED LAEoRERs THE EEsT.
"What laber..do you. like best ?"
"Our native born colored people" WAS
his answer.
"How, in your opinion, can labor be
made most. .etGcieu!?" was my next ques-
tion.
To this he replied: ."Go With the
laborer, work with him, take the fore.
most row, see that he doea his work we'll,
and then pay him promptly according to
contract
"Does farming pay? % qucried next.
"It certainly does, as we'll now as it
ever did. 1t pays as we'll asany business
in proportion to the capital, labor and
attention given it." He answered with
emphasis
1 hesitated and then said: Colonel,
will you tell me what you think about
the Farmers Alliance"
Hereplied ~ certainly will. Far
mers Alliances, or any other association
of farmers, will rebound to great good,
good, both to the farmers and the country
at largo, when carried on only for the
elevation and improvement of the farm
ing interest ofthe community; but when
they undertake to control railroads, mer.
chandise, &c, in my opinion they are
failure, for every tub must stand on its
own bottom
COMMON SENSE MUST BE Used.
l also interviewed Mr.. William G.
Watson, who resides about two miles
south Of the city. He is now worth
thousands Of dollars, which he made on
the farm. Tread to him my interview
with Col. Campbell, and he said: "Well,
7 can endorse whsthe has said There
is no system in farming that will make
fine crops every year. The seasons must,
to great extent, ofcourse, control that,
and the tine to plant, and the amount Of
work requisite, are also dependent on the
weather. a man must give his farm
close attention, and use common sense
in its management.
"The way TO get the best results from
farming is to plant less, work better and
manure more. That farming pays there
can be no doubt, for if farming did not
pay the country at large would gel poorer
and poorer. When the farmer suffers
every ether business suffers with him, for
to him all others must look for bread.
In my opinion the cause of the great
complaint that farming does not pay is
very much due to tho fact that people,
as rule, do notg give their farms proper
attention. They do not study farming
and they do not ecouomize. The reason
that farming does not pay, if it does not,
is due to tie farmer and not the farm.
COTTON AS a SURPLUS.
"Cotton should be raised solely as q
surplus crop, for it can only be used as
such, and when raised as surplus it
pays to raise it; people undertake
/