The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-05-13
The Most Valuable Land.

Mr.. T. W. Wood, of Richmond, Va,
makes a point In the Southern Farmer
which should put many a Sorthern farmer
tossthinking on a subject to which he has
given but little thought heretofore. IF
YOU take the map of the United States"
aays Mr.. Wood, land put your finger on
States, or parts OF States, in which land
sells Ut the highest price, you will find
that In these States, or parts OF States,
the greatest attention Ia paid to the Guilt
walton of grass and forage plants."
And "if we open the map OF Europe we
shall find that the same rule holds good
there"
1t 10 q significant fact, he says sgain,
that the rich lands In upper Georgia in
which a mixed %husbandry prevails have
rather increased than decreased In value
since the war. "The depression in price
has occurred only in lands dsvoted e1-
clusively to cotton and rice culture,
both of which require q large amount OF
labor"
We believe that this Is true, snd OF gen.
eral application throughout the South,
wherever there are grass farms and cot
ton and rice plantations to be compared.
Ohservant farmers, and especially those
who have travelled about much, and have
thus had the opportunity to note the diff
fering conditions in rice, cotton and
grass. growing districts can determine
for themselves whether and how nearly
the statement conforms to the conditions
which come under their notice. The very
comprehensive test proposed by MI.
Wood is a fair one, and a suggestive one
at any rate. If the comparison is made
broadly between States and parts OF
States where the greatest attention Is paid
to the cultivation Of grass and forage
plants and the States and districts where
such crops are neglected, and 1t Is found
| that the rule Is as stated, thAt farming
lands are more valuable in the former
districts, the fact Is certainly significant
enough and suggestive enough to inter-
est any Intelligent farmer and per.
haps to affect his future plans and opera
tons.
1t ia certain that more attention Is paid
to grass culture in the Northern States
and in Europe than in the Southern
States, whether they grow grass from
preference or from necessity, does not az
feet the main proposition that the lands
on which 1t Ia grown so extensively are
| more valuable than lands In the South
on which it is not grown at all, and which
are devoted to other crops. Perhaps 1t
would be q wise policy for our farmers to
experiment more with a crop which ap-
pears to promise better returns TO them.
They can grow grass as we'll as they can
grow cotton or as we'll as their fellow
farmers can grow 1t on less favored land.
o. this point Mr.. Wood says:
"In the South land Is cheap, while at
the North land ranges from $50 tc, $500 per
acre. We look to England, Holland or
Belgium, and find it averages from $500
A. cson -. JIIH- chic n TITO roy,rs2
Is the land in these countries better than
ours? Not by nature II it is better, 1t
Ia BY difference in treatment. Is their
climate better than ours? The acknowl-
edged superiority is on our side. Are the
prices of their products any better than
ours? On an average not 30 good. Are
their taxes lighter than ours? If we
were compelled to pay their tax, either at
the NORTH or South, our land at once would
be sold for axes. Have they valuable
crops which they can raise am whi ] we
cannot raise ? There Ia not q fl. N pro-
duct in either Old or New England which
we cannot raise In equal perfection at the
South Is their labor cheaper than ours?
The cost of labor at the North nearly dou-
bles the cost of labor at the South. II,
then, all these things are 80, why is II
that their land ia 30 valuable and ours 30
valueless?"
The answer, MI. Wood believer, Ia to be
found in the grass. The lands are valua-
BILE where grass Is grown, and are value
says. finally:
EGrass, once we'll established, is the
farmers bank, which, with q little care
and attention, produces crops year after
year with very little outlay, which eau
either be sold or used probably on the
farm, thus making adj to improve
the soil and raise the money crops,
such as cotton and tobacco, doing away
with the necessity of commercial iertili'
zers.
"a small, well-manured and Well-cul.
tiyatsd area of land in cotton and cereals
with a large proportion of forage plants
and grasses, will give to the cotton plant.
or O pleasure in bis business, and an
amount of profit which he has never be-
fore known.
"Grasses mean less labor, less worry,
fewer hands, more enjoyment, finer stock
and more charming homes, n IS q
consequence, happier families, more
education, more taste and refinement,
and q higher elevation OF moral charac-
ter"
It is an attractive theory and the a!gu-
ment is almost convincing. What do our
%cottentots think OF it? What do they
think Of trying the experiment to see
what will come OF 1t? Several valuable
prizes have been offered in the farmers
contest this year for the best crop Of hay.
It is q good year to experiment with
grass crops. Try one, ifyou have never
done 30 before. All the experiments and
reports together will make an instruo-
tive lesson, and no doubt a very valuable
lesson for all the farmers in the State.
Every intelligent and progressive farmer
should contribute something to 1t. We
ms7 make South Carolina a grass State,
and South Carolina lands worth "from
$500 to $500 an acre.; yet!-News ana
Courier.