The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-01-27
What Farmers of the State
pay for Foreign Live Stock.

Ddy IOI VI c16u 1.-Two oooSA'
To the Editor of The News and
Courier Everybody who is at all
posted ia ready to admit that the
farmers of South Carolina have made
several very advantageous business
reforms during the past FIVE years,
and as result are in better condl
ton to-day than at any time since
the war
refer to the fact that for twenty
five years previous to 1892 it was the
almost universal custom of the farm.
ers to buy everything used on the
farm from an axehandle to mule,
and to pay "tlme prices for the
same. Since that year they have
been raising all the corn required for
home consumption, and also their
pork, and have been exercising great.
er economy in regard to the manage
Of their business than ever before.
There is no doubt that the buying
of hog and hominy from the West
were heavy drains, and the farmer is
to be congratulated on his being able
to stop the leak.
1t strikes me that there are still
several very expensive leaks that
could be stopped as effectually and
with as beneficial results as the
others, if those wLo are especially
interested will only use the means
at hand will only mention two at
this time.
The first to which | desire to refer
is the wholesale purchase of farm
stock every year. l am informed
that not less than 600 mules are sold
to the farmers of York County an
nually, and that the average price
paid is not less than 500 per head
Thus it will be seen that $50, 900 are
paid each year by this one county
for stock with which to raise cotton,
corn, etc Some one may claim that
the estimate is to large, and in order
to be entirely safe l will cut it in
half, and say that 300 are bought,
and am confident that that many
are sold in Yorkville alone, Which
would cut the purchase price down
to $4,000 Now suppose all the
other counties in the State average
as many, and believe they will. not
less than 100000 are paid by the
farmers of the State annually for
mules and horses
Some one inquiries "Wbat are you
going to do about it p reply that
instead of buying mules the proper
thing to- do is for each farmer to raise
them. While | have no practical ex
perience. believe that mule can
be raised on South Carolina farm
from the time 1t is weaned by it's
dam to the age of 2 l:2 years, when
it shonld be ready to so to work, at
an expense of less than $50 A
farmer told me few days ago that
it did not cost any more to raise
mule than cow, and heard OF
another saying that he could and had
raised good. serviceable mules to the
work age at at a total expense of
1925 1t seems to me that the mat
ter is worthy of careful investigation
I helieve SontIl Carolina can
raise as fine and as good mules
as Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana
or Missouri and at as small expense
as they can be reared in those States,
and if she can is it good business
sense for her to continue to pay
those States for doing the work l
hope, Mr.. Editor, you will take this,
matter up, and push it with your ac-
customed zeal, energy and intelli
gence, and / believe that if you do
in less than five years the amou'
money to go out Of the State anL
~ for farm animals will not exec
one-half of the present sum.
The second heavy drain to which /
desire to cal: attention is the amount
that is paid ont annually by the farm
ers for -four | have no data at hand
on which to make even an approx
mate estimate, but am sure that the
amount paid for -four by the farmers
of the State cannot be less than S5,
100000. Of course / know the
opinion is abroad in tine land tina,
wheat cannot be raised as successful
ly in South Caaolina as in the Dako-
tas, and TIE opinion is in measure
correct, but notwithstanding this the
farmers IN Oconee, Pickens, Green
vile, spartanborg, Union, York,
Lancaster, Chesterfield, Marlboro.
Chester, LaureDs, Anderson, New
berry, Saluda and Edge6eld, and pos
sibly others, can. if they will only