The Colfax chronicle., 1890-05-24
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL
THE OUTLOOK.

capital ut Present Ahead Of Immirr.t,o
In the South.
~ may be said that Northern cauits
nas nut fairly begun in Southern inyes
wen1s. Previously only a small amour
=, capital ventured South, but now larp
planss and millions of money are bein
Drought from the North to be inyeste
south. Capital is ahead of immigration
as the Northern people are afraid 3
venture South until they hear how thes
investments turn out; and again, the
10 not wish to come in contact and com
peution with negro labor. But In ;
snort time all such feelings will change
tor where capital settles down immi
grafton follows. As / said. capital i,
anead OF immigration now, and will be
tor some little time to come, so in
tne meantime a heavy draw will be
inaoe on the negro population by the
iron and other manufacturing industries
70 supply their demands for labor; and
even now the Trans-Mississippi States
are making heavy draw on North and
south Carolina for laborers for their
cotton fields. The negroes are also
uriitlng from the farms, and seeking
oeher Kinds of work. All such will
make labor scarce in the cotton States
ana hard to procure. In fact, it is al
ready 50 in some parts of Georgia, par
.iculariy in the Northern part of the
oeate. The scarcity % labor must bring
ABOUT change Of system in our farm
ing' Tor where labor is scarce, cotton
pianting must be curtailed, and grain,
grass and stock-raising enlarged.
circumstances alter cases. II the
mineral regions of North Georgia are
developed as they are now being done.
ana manufactures of various kinds
sprlnging up all through the country. it
VIII give employment to large number
OF people; also bring immigration to the
country. Such opens up a market for
Iood supplies, an everyday cash market
tne year round for meats, bread, vege-
cables, poultry, eggs, milk and butter
ana fruits. Such supplies have hereto
Iore been furnished the South, and still
are, by the Northwestern States. But
II labor becomes so scarce as to curtail
the amount of cotton planted, then
North Georgia must become a grain.
grass and stock-raising country, to fur
nish the mines, furnaces, rolling-mills |
ana manufacturers that are among us.
know OF one farmer in this county
tnat does not plant q seed of COT
ton, and with his fruits, grass and
grain crops, makes more money
py his farm than any farmer that plants
cotton. The hands required to make
cotton, their wages and expenses. con-
sumo the profits of the cotton, leaving
Inc proprietor of the farm merely his
vision crop. and none to spare at that,
whilst this farmer allude to, pays but
ittle out for labor, as most of his farm
work Is done by machinery. The papers
'eport this fall, of the large increase of
'oits, horses and mules being raised in 4,
ieorgia, and still we read and hear of
ne unprecedented demand there is for
imported mules throughout Georgia:
ne demand is greater than it has been :
or several years past, and when the 5
nuies and fertilizers wanted by the
armers have been bought, it will be !.
cen that there is nothing left on :
heir credit sheet in their favor. A :
arge crop has been made, but all gone :
Or supplies. There is too much routine
'rming still carried on in Georgia,
nd that is the trouble with us. Cotton
still the prime crop, when it costs =
early It's worth to make it, and the !,
'arcer labor becomes the dearer it will :,
'st. Less cotton, more grain, more =
rass and more stock, where machinery :,
IN supplement labor, which reduces "
tpenses and gives more profit. !"
There is another matter that should g
aim the attention of all Georpians.
I've the timber; 1t has been SO wanton-
destroyed, that in many parts of the
ate there is not a sufficiency of tim
II to fence the farms. The stock law ca
ould be the law of the State; let all a,
no want to fence their farms, fence
EN-, but save the timber by making a he
neral law of no fencing, which has re
come necessary in many parts of the M
ate for want OF timber to fence with. oI
}. Il. Dent, in Southern Cultivator. lv