The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-02-06
What'lI the Harvest Be-


commercial fertilizers in South Care
lima will be greatly curtailed this sea-
son, and the best informed men pre-
dict that the falling off from last year
will amount to fully 40 per cent.
This is big reduction and the rail-
roads of the State are already feeling
the effects of such decrease. The
State in the past few days has inter-
viewed several Of the largest planters
in this section and from them finds
that majority of the planters have
made up their minds to use fertilizers
only to very limited extent. Many
of them claim that at the present and
prospective price Of cotton they do
not feel justified in contracting guano
debts and will try to make their crops
one season at least with such fertili-
zers as can be made on the farms.
One Of the largest planters in Fair
field county was in the city yesterday,
and, talking on this line, said that last
year and for several years past he had
used on his place about ten car loads
of guano and that this season he would
use only three cars. He further said
that the reduction with others in his
neighborhood would be in about the
same proportions.
Usually at this season, the railroads
are rushed and can hardly supply
enough cars to move the great amount
of fertilizers offered them for ship
ment, but at present, while they were
fully prepared to move this class Of
freight promptly, they are virtually
doing nothing in that line, and from
the present prospect, will have but
little to do in handling guano. This,
Of course, is having very material
effect upon their earnings and they
are beginning to feel it very sharply.
While Columbia has two Of the fin
est and best equipped phosphate
plants in the State, capable of turning
out an immense amount of the stuff,
they have found but little to do so
far. In a talk yesterday with an off,
cial Of one Of the mills in this city, he
remarked that up to this time this
season, not car had been shipped
from this city TO the territory along
the Southern Railway between here
and Charlotte; a section of country
that the mills in Columbia usually
supply with large portion Of their
output. With other mills in this
State the story is usually the same,
and only very small amount Of guano
is being shipped, there being but
| few orders. The mill in Greenville,
which has large capacity for turning
out fertilizers, has shipped but six
cars so far this season.
From these stray shots, it will be
seen that so far as guano is concerned,
the farmers in South Carolina are
going it alone the coming season, and
as a matter Of fact, competent judges
say that the planters will use less fer
tilizers than in any of the last twenty
years. How the experiment Of max
ing cotton in South Carolina without
the free use of fertilizers will turn out
remains to be seen.
Many planters say that the price of
phosphate is too high, but the fact is
the price has steadily decreased in
proportion to the price Of cotton and
is down as low now as it can be manu-
factured for. When cotton in this
State brought Is cents, guano sold at
SIS ton. Then, when cotton declin-
ed to 10 cents, guano dropped to $50
ton, and now, with cotton at 8 cents,
guano is selling at only about $40 a
ton. These figures will show that the
fertilizer manufacturers have steadily
reduced their prices from time to time
and have followed right along the de-
crease in the value Of cotton.
There is a great clamor everywhere
that the railroads should reduce their
rates on guano, but as yet they have
not signiied their intentions Of doing
80. and claim that their rates are as
low as they can make them.
The matter of reducing fertilize,
rates has been agitated SO much Of
late that the chairman Of the railroad
commission has called a meeting fol
next Wednesday, when the commits
sion will hear all parties interested
the farmers, the railroad people ano
the fertilizer men-and consider what
they have to say.
Recently, the commissioners decld
ed not to reduce the rate, and sc
stated in their announcement, saying
that such action had been taken after
they had most carefully considered
the matter. Columbia State.
Growing Miniature Trees.