The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-07-10
SUCCESS IN FARMING.

and Merchants.
In order that we may be successful
farmers, to begin with, we need good,
deep bitches. In all of my wander
:ngs I have never seen so little atten-
ton paid to this most essential thing
to successful farming. Most of the
Clarendon lands that I have seen are
low and fiat, and according to my
Judgment they are about as good as
the average lands, and if they were
properly drained their value would be
enhanced fully one hundred per cent.
There is just as much sense in plant
ing low lands with no bitches, as to
plant without first breaking the land.
Of course there are few things that
will yield pretty fair crop on low
lands without bitches, but the same
lands, if properly drained, would at
least double the yield. So let's rally,
brother farmers, and have our lands
drained. It will not cost near as
much as you suppose, if you will start
at it right and il earnest. I have
seen men, yes, smart men who worked
hard, so into these low, wet lands with
no bitches to take the sourness out Of
them, and plow and SOW their guano,
enough to make a thousand or more
pounds of cotton per acre, and would
do it on the same lands if they were
drained, but what do they make !?
Comparatively nothing, not enough to
pay for the guano, much less the la
Dor. I always think when I see that
kind of work going on, what will the
harvest be?
was reading the other day an ar
ticle written by Bill Arp, in which he
was going back on improved methods
and machinery for farming, and init
mated that the old way was the best.
We cannot agree on that score, and I
do not think that he would have so
written did be live in this county. We
are far behind the times as regards
improved implements to farm with;
and we will have to pay more atten-
ton if we expect to make living out
of farming here. I say here, for we
seem farther behind than others where
l have been, and there is more neces-
sity for it here than almost anywhere
else, for lands are cheap and almost
every darkey has tract bargained
for or rents one at his own figures,
consequently he will not work when
you want his labor most, unless out OF
rations, or it suits his convenience.
do not mean to go back on the darkey
in speaking as do. It is more our
own fault in the beginning, in not
paying enough for their work. and not
having them sign contracts. There is
more necessity in having binding con-
tracts here than almost anywhere else,
on account of so many mills. When
needed most, laborers will frequently
pull up stakes and go to mill to get
a little cash, and the influences from
this source alone is very demoraliz-
ing to the farming interests. Ny mot,
to is, good prices for labor, tight con-
tracts, and hard work. Get improved
implements to work with, hire few
hands, pay them better wages, and
work them harder, raise everything
at home that your land will produce,
raise your own bacon, &c. We are
working ourselves to death and not
making anything at farming, and say
that farming does not pay. I say en-
ghstieglly that i 9ees sS,,.rss3 nsy h,ls; l's5
right,
We are letting our bays or low lands
lie idle, nd,working the poorest lands
we have got when if we had few
acres Of our bay lands cleared and
drained for corn, we would make more
without guano than on three or four
times as much other lands with
it. If we can make our corn without
guano, we can afford to pay for guano
for cotton, even at a high price.
Merchants are to certain extent to
blame for the condition of the lands in
this county, and I say it withoutfear of
successful contradiction, but OF course
they all don't look at it from the stand
point I do. I do not blame mer-
chant for getting all he can for his
goods, but credit in one sense OF the
word is too cheap, and man that is
inclined to do right and make some
thing is on pretty much the same
footing for getting help, as the most
worthless rascal who has always been
failure. I think it a mistaken idea
for a merchant to sell a mule, horse,
OF OK, rent a man piece of land,
and advance him about twenty-five
or thirty dollars and no guano, and
expect him to make a big crop and
pay out the first year. In the first
place, take only those that you are
willing to trust, furnish them with
good stock and enough to do the
work, guano enough to pay him for
working over the land and at living
price, and if he pays for his ratlons
and guano, and some on the horse,
don't say that he is a failure and close
him out, for it is worth something to
your land to put guauo on it and pay
for it and the other things he buys,
and you can afford to carry over
balance till another year. On the
other hand, let those that You know
are not inclined to work go, don't
touch them. Leave them for the
farmers to contract with, and nine
times out of ten they will do better.
Come to the front, farmers; you