Nevada County picayune., 1890-06-25
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL
THE OUTLOOK.
Capital at Present Ahead of Hmm grafton
 in the south.

Capital at Present Ahead of Hmm grafton
 in the south.
 IL may be said that Northern capital has but fairly begun in Southern invest ments Previously only small amount of capital ventured South, but now large plants and millions of money are being brought from the North to be invested South. Capital is ahead of immigration, as the Northern people are afraid to venture South until they hear how these investments turn out; and again, they do not wish to come in contact and com petition with negro labor. But in 8 short time all such feelings will change, for where capital settles down immi- grafton follows. As l said, capital is ahead of immigration now, and will he for some little time to come, so in the meantime heavy draw will be made on the negro population by the iron and other manufacturing industries to supply their demands for labor; and even now the Mississippi States are making a heavy draw on North and South Carolina for laborers for their cotton fields The negroes are also drifting from the farms, and seeking other kinds of work. All such will make labor scarce in the cotton States, and hard to procure. In fact, 1t is all ready so in some parts of Georgia, par ticularly in the Northern part of the State. The scarcity of labor must bring about a change of system in our farm ing, for where labor is scarce, cotton planting must be curtailed, and grain, grass and stock-raising enlarged.
 Circumstances alter cases. If the mineral regions of North Georgia are developed as they are now being done, and manufactures of various kinds springing up all through the country, it will give employment to a large number of people; also bring immigration to the country. Such opens up market for food supplies, an everyday cash market the year round for meats, bread. vege- tables, poultry, eggs, milk and butter and fruits. Such supplies have hereto fore been furnished the South, and still are, by the Northwestern States. But if labor becomes so scarce as to curtail the amount of cotton planted, then North Georgia must become grain, grass and stock-raising country, to fur nish the mines, furnaces, rolling mills and manufacturers that are among us. l know of one farmer in this county that does not plant a seed of cot ton, and with his fruits, grass and grain crops. makes more money by his farm than any farmer that plants cotton. The hands required to make cotton. their wages and expenses, con sume the profits of the cotton, leaving the proprietor of the farm merely his vision crop, and none to spare at that whilst this farmer alludc to- pays but little out for labor, as most of his farm work is done by machinery. The papers report this fall, of the large increase of colts, horses and mules being raised in Georgia, and still we read and hear of the unprecedented demand there is for imported mules throughout Georgia; the demand is greater than it has been for several years past, and when the mules and fertilizers wanted by the farmers have been bought it will be seen that there is nothing left on their credit sheet in their favor. A large crop has been made, but all gone for supplies. There Is too much routine farming still carried on in Georgia, and that is the trouble with us. Cotton is still the prime crop, when it costs nearly it's worth to make it, and the scarcer labor becomes the dcarer it will cost. Less cotton, moro grain, moro grass and more stock, where machinery can supplement labor, which reduces expenses and gives more profit
 There is another matter that should claim the attention of all Georgians Save the timber; it has been so wanton- ly destroyed, that in many parts of the State there is not a sutlicicncy of tim Der to fence the farms. The stock law should be the law of the State; let all who want to fence their farms, fence them, but save the timber by making a general law of no fencing, which has become necessary in many parts of the State for want of timber to fence with. J. II. Dent, in Southern Cultivator.