Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1893-05-04
THE LIVING QUESTION OF IMMI-
GRAFTON.
Attractions We Can Offer for It-Why
We Need 1t, How 1t Will Help Us and
How to Get It-Manifest Advantages
to the Farmer and the Country.
From The Greenville News J

AS the subject of immigration is under
consideration by the citizens of our
county as well as the people of the entire
South, thought it might not be out Of
place to call attention to few facts, and
thereby bring prominently to view the
great advantages of our soil and climate.
The soil of upper South Carolina is
surpassed by none in the United States,
in variety and possibilities. The sandy
soil and the tenacious clay lie adjoining
each other all over our Piedmont section.
The first is adapted to the early and
quick maturing of crops that require a
warm and porous soil: the other, IN its
various grades, is well suited to success
r1lly grow all varieties of grain and
grasses. What we most need is energy
backed by money to develop our lands.
Let there come over our people who are
engaged in agriculture the same vitaliz-
ing energy that pervades those engaged
in manufacturing enterprises and ere
long we will vie with any class of citl-
zens under the sun in progress and pros
perity.
The question will be asked how can
you nring this about? l would reply,
organize. and, through organization, show
to those who are engaged in agriculture
with capital, in other sections, the great
possibilities of our soil. No other State
in the Union, but South Carolina, has an
official record of raising two hundred and
fifty odd bushels Of shelled corn on one
acre. This was done by Mr.. Drake, Of
Marlboro. South Carolina, a few years
ago. OF cours liberal manuring and
high cultivation produced this result
Fifty to one hundred bushels OF oats is
often raised. Twenty to forty bushels OF
wheat is raised by good preparation and
manure. AS fine clover and orchard
grass can be and is raised as anywhere IN
the United States. A bale to a bale and
half of cotton per acre has been raised
on large fields and over three hundred
dollars worth of strawberries have been
sold from one acre.
Fruit raising is in its infancy and as
soon as our people can be induced to
raise large quantities, the railroads will
give US special through quick scheduled
cars and thereby convey to the hungry
cities of the North and West, large guam
titles of early fruit at reduced freight
rates, bringing into our midst thousands
of dollars from the sale of fruit from May
to September, just at the time when it is
most needed on the farm to make and
save the grain and cotton crops, thereby
enabling the producer to hold his grain
and cotton until the needs of the con-
sumer call them into legitimate m 1'Aet.
instead of being forced upon the market
when it is not really needed, and thereby
opening the door to speculation upon the
necessaries of life. The raising of large
quantities of fruit will also induce the
establishment of canning factories and
evaporating establishments to consume
all the surplus frait in years of abund-
ance.
1t has been only few weeks ago the
writer met gentleman of Western New
York returning from Georgia, where he
had planted 5000 peach trees. l asked
him what he expected to do with his
peaches when he had full crop? His
reply was: "Can and evaporate them to
supply the market when the fruit crop
fails" This is the kind of immigrants
we need and will get when the citizens
of the blizzard and drouth-cursed North
west and barren hills of the Northeast
are aware of the possibilities OF this
favored Southland of ours.
The following article from the New
York Sun warns our people it is time to
bestir themselves if they would take the
front rank in agricultural progress-that
position genial climate and generous
soil entities Us to.
Respectfully,
April 10th, 1895. !