The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-30

BY HON. HENRY W. GRADY.

caster county, Pa.-shown by the
census of 1880 tn be the richest
agricultural county in America. l
was anxious to know by what means
Lancaster had wrested fromDunchess
county. n. Y, this distinction.
"What's the secret of your suprem-
acY?" | asked a farmer. Tobacco"
be replied.
Shortly after, 1 was ridiLg through
a scorched and stricken strip of
North Carolina-now happily re-
claimed. | wondered what was the
cause of the uDthriftiaess, and in
quired. "Tobacco," was the reply.
The difference was that in Caro-
lima tobacco was made tie sole crop.
In Lancaster 1t is made the crown
and money crop Of a diversified
agriculture. The one-crop system
never made any people prosperous
1t very nearly ruined the farmers Of
the South | have shown in 8 former
letter how the high price of cotton
in 1869, Pot every available acre
in the South in cOtlon-hOw the
merchant advanced money and sup
plies taking lien On the crop not
ri h0
The farmer started with nothing, the
war having robbed him. He bought
on credit the bread and meat his
labor consumed while il made his
cotton, and borrowed money with
which to pay the lahorers' wages. He
w1s thus in bondage to the money
lenders of the East and to the corn
ralser8 and hay growers of the West.
In this mad race between a money
crop and mortgage, the smaller in>
duStres Of the farm were utterly
neglected-the farmer bought his
hams, his lard, his bacon and often
his butter and his fruit from tie
merchant. Cotton was king-and
then despot.
WHAT COTTON DOES FOR THE SOUTH.
Cotton is plant worthy of hom-
age. The soil has not yet given to
the hand of man its equal. Let Us
see. This years crop, 1900, 600
bales, will furnish 5000, 100000
pounds Of lint, which would cIothe
in a cotton salt every human being
on earth, and yield to Southern
farmers $35O,O0O,000 in cash. The
lint sold, there will be left 3.750.00O
tons Of seed. This will supply l50,-
600 600 gallons Of oil, which, sold at
forty cents gallon, will bring $780,
0OO.000. Or II may be reduced to
lard when it will produce l 1,125, 900,
900 pounds OF edible fat, This
grease, healthfuI ard nutritious is
equal in pounds to 5,625,0OO hogs of
200 pounds each. Allow 200 pouada
of edible fat to enc person per
annum, and this would keep in meat
5,625,000 citizens. Bat the wonder
full plant is not exhausted. After
the seeds are stripped of lint, and
the OIL pressed from the seeds, there
remain the hulls and the meal. o.
each ton, the oil takes only 25(
pounds. leaving 1000 pounds o
hull, aud $50 pounds OF cake o.
meal. This is unequalled as fer
tilizer, of which we should have lef
5000 900 tons. But 1T is also th,
very hest food for cattle or sheep
Fed to either, it will first make mea
or wool snd then, as animal man
ure, go beck to enrich the soil. O
stock food, it will furnish 6,56S, 500.
900 pounds, enough to stali-feec
1,175,000 beeves for one year. Thee
IN turn would furnish meat for 5000,
! 900 more of people. Such are som
of the possibilities Of this roya
plant.
Those who read these stunninJ
figures will hear with astonishmen
that the farmers who grow this plan
are not the richest farmers in th
world. And yet even more is t
be said Of its advantage. 1t give
to those who grow it a monOpol
that is beyond the reach Of cOmpeti
ton. How important this is in thes
days when steam and electricit
have annihIlated distance, can b
seen from a stu}y of the situation
What other product does theAmer,C
an farmer grow in growing whic
he is not thrown in direct Compel
ton with the cheap labor or bound
; less area Of other countries?
l THE GREAT COMMERCIAL
CHEsSBOA3D
' Steam has made Of the earth
5 chessboard, on which men play f