The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-04-03
The South's Crops.
Plenty of Room at the Top
For Economy, Corn and
Bacon.

Within the last two years, slnce tue
pressure OF hard times began to be felt
so keenly, it has been claimed by those
most interested 10 industrial conditions
10 the South that the lesson Of economy
taught by cheap cotton have enabled
the people of that section to accommo-
date themselves to the trade and bust
ness depression more readily than have
the residents of other parts Of the
country. Authorities on cotton have
eudeavored to impress upon the world
the fact that less credit was required
10 raising the last two cotton crops
than had ever before suf6ced in the
production Of a staple Southern crop.
By way of contrast with the shortage
10 the last Western corn crop. it has
been widely announced that the
South has had a larger home supply
of food crops in the las. season than
at any time 10 a long period of years.
There has been abundant evidence Of
the stability Of the South under the
trying conditions Of the last two years ;
but facts that are DOW available tend to
show that this has been due m,re to
rigid economy than to any great IN
crease 10 the home supply OF provisions.
In fact, making allowance for the in-
crease 10 the population it is found
that the South has had less home
raised corn, pork and beef IN the last
year THAI 10 1891. when an overwhelm-
ing cotton crop wrought universal hard
ship.
Statistics just issued by the Depart
ment of Agriculture show the smallest
corn crop in 1894 Of any year since
1881. The estimated production last
year was l.212.770,0 900 bushels.
against l ,6l9, 494. 600 bushels in 1893
"a decrease of 406. 724, 900 bushels.
The fourteen Southern States, including
Texas. raised 483, 1923, 900 bushels of
corn last year and while this is an 10
crease of Al. 678, 900 bushels over the
crop Of 1898, it is still $685. 900.
bushels below the yield of 1891. the
year Of the 5000. 09O-bale cotton
crop. The credit upon which that
tremendous cotton crop was raised, even
With the very large home supply of
corn. has been a heavy burden upon the
South ever since and vet in 1894, with
a considerable increase in population
and with 10 per ceot. less homegrown
corn. there was raised a cotton crop
which already is known to exceed by
so. 900 bales the great crop of 1891.
The cotton crop of 1891 amounted to
9.035,379 bales; aud a mouth ago the
Department of Agriculture accounted
for 9, 1888. 900 bales of the crop raised
ia 1894 and aow being marketed.
What is true Of corn in the South is
equally true Of beef and pork. On jan
uary l, 1895, the total number Of cattle
in the South, exclusive Of mich COWS,
was II ST. .049. OF 702.960 less than a
year ago. and 1925. $50 less than in
1890. More than ooe-half of these cat
tie we're 10 Texas. which. while it is the
largest cotton State. is more Western
than Southern 10 its condition. Hogs
make a slightly better showing; for the
number on January l, 1898. was 49,
$50, 1876, an increase Of 1861 93 during
the year, while there was a loss of l.
O42. 49, in the whole country. Ia all
the distinctively cotton growing States
the number Of hogs increased largely 10
the last year, notably 10 the Carolioas,
Georgia, Alabama aud Mississippi
While emphasizing the fact that no
Southern State raised as much corn III
1891 as 10 1891, it is but fair to show
how rapidly several States are return
ing to their former maximum produc-
ton. Last year Mississippi raised 3d.
931 900 bushels of corr, or nearly TO-
600, 600 bushels more than ln 1893 No
such crop had been grown io that State
since 1868. Alabama raised "a, $50. 900
bushels in 1894, 5000. 900 bushels
more than iu 1898. and the largest crop
since 1870 Arkansas produced 49,
1873, 600 bushels last year, against 3D.
Ill 900 bushels in 1893 The Texas
crop of SO, 339. coo bushels and the
Tennessee crop of 68,0o0,000 bushels
were gains of 5000, 900 and $780,
900 bushels respectively, but still were
far below the average crops of those
States.
This survey of crop statistics shows
plainly that the South is actually rails
ipg more cotton and less corn than she
did four years ago; and while the val
ue of the cotton has largely decreased
in that time. the cost of corn has ad-
vanced to an even greater degree. 1t
is evident, therefore, that the planter
has not yet been wholly freed from his
tbraldom to the country merchant;
but The fact that there has been. a very
large departure from the loug.estsb-
lisbed credit system shows how deter