The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-03-26
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
THE OUTLOOK.
c,nital .t Present Ahead of Immigration

Capital at Present Ahead of Immigration
in the South.
It NAV 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 10
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
short time all such feelings will change,
for where capital settles down lmml-
grafton follows. AS l said, capital IS
ahead of immigration now, and Will De
for some little time to come, so IN
the meantime a heavy draw Will De
made on the negro population by the
iron and other manufacturing Industries
to supply their demands for labor; and
even now the Trans-Mississippi States
are making a heavy draw on North ana
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, it Is al
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, 1t
will give employment to a large number
of people; also bring immigration to the
country. Such opens up market 1or
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. Bu,
if labor becomes so scarce as to curtall
the amount of cotton planted, theI
North Georgia must become grain
grass and stock-raising country, to fur
nish the mines, furnaces, rolling-mlll
and manufacturers that are among us
| know of one farmer in this count.
that does not plant a seed OF cot
ton, and with his fruits, grass ant
grain crops, makes more none.
by his farm than any farmer that plant
cotton. The hands required to max
cotton, their wages and expenses, con
sumo the profits of the cotton, Leaving
the proprietor of the farm merely hi
vision crop, and none to spare at thai
whilst this farmer / allude to, pays bu
little out for labor, as most OF his farr
work is done by machinery. The paper
report this fall, of the large increase
colts, horses and mules being raised /
Georgia, and still we read and hear {
the unprecedented demand there is &c
imported mules throughout Georgi;
the demand is greater than it has bee
for several years past, and when tn
mules and fertilizers wanted by tn
farmers have been bought, it will
seen that there is nothing left G
their credit sheet in their favor.
large crop has been made, but all go1
for supplies. There is too much routi1
farming still carried on in Georgi
and that is the trouble with u.s. Cote
is still the prime crop, when it cos
nearly It's worth to make it, and tt
scarcer labor becomes the dearer it wi
/ cost. Less cotton, more grain, mo-
grass and more stock, where machine
can supplement labor, which reduc
expenses and gives more profit.
There is another matter that shou
claim the attention of all Georgian
Save the timber; it has been 50 wanto
|: ly destroyed, that in many parts OF tt
State there is not a sufficiency of til
Der to fence the farms. The stock IL
> should be the law of the State; let {
who want to fence their farms, fen
them, but save the timber by making
general law of no fencing, which h
!. become necessary in many parts OF
s' State for want of timber to fence wit
j, II. Dent, in Southern Cultivator.