The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-09-08


table increase in their numbers seems
to be better than that of any other in
dustry now open to Southern farmers:H
The estimated number now in the
United States is 37,000,c00, while the
estimated number necessary to pro-
duce the wool consumed by her peG-
pie is 120, 600, 900. OF the 81, 000, 900
now in this country only4,536,07l are
in the eight cotton States named.
Texas alone has 2,911, 991 Of this
number, while North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia and Alabama COM
bined have less than ], GOO, 900. South
Carolina making the miserable exhibit
Of 10000. If the entire seed from an
8 ,OeO, 900 bale crop, ~deduetiug one
fifth for planting; were edftois sheer
at the rate of one pound per head each
day they could be consumed within
year by less than 20,000,0O0 sheer;
so that the. question of over,produc
ton need not trouble US for some time
to come.
Third, sheep return in their eScre
ment a larger part Of the; iertilizing
matter contained in their food than
any other domestic animal, estimated
by competent authorities at rs high as
95 per cent. and in best possible mes
chanical condition for uniform 8istrl-
button to the sol.
What would be the gain 70 theScotf
ton farmers under the system suggest
ed, as compared with the present prac
tice Of manuring with whole seed :
changing with the mills for meal or
selling them for cash?
Four-ffths Of the seed from y
eight-million. bale crop of cotton won
give 1900, 900 tons. The manureal
value, at the present price Of $40 per
ton for meal, would be $22,400,000.
This the farmer would receive t he
used whole seed as a fertilizer, if be
exchanged with the mills for meal, or
/ sell to them for cash at current rates
he would receive in cash or its con
mercial equivalent $$33.G., 00O,0W il fed
to 20,0O0,0O0 sheep uponh his farm he
could reasonably calculate upon the
following returns, Co wit: Ninety
per cent. of fertilizipq4value returned
in manure, s2O,OOO,0Do; sixteen mil
lion pounds Of wool, at Is cents.
0OO, 600. Total, S64,160,000, or
margin Of S41, $50, 900 over usinggreen
as manure, and $50, 16D,0 900, asagainst
selling the mills. Againstthese gross
profits it wouldbe proper tocharge IN
terest on Investment In and pasture
and care Of sheep, but ,inasmuch as the
| two latter items would consistiof such
portion Of each as is not now utilized
toany advantage, it is fair to state
that the system advocated wouldsTe-
suit in a substantialgai Of $4,000,
.000. anuuall to the cotton farmers OF
eight States.
When we reflect that suchsa sum is
equal to IL per cent..on the gross i
come from the annual crop lint
cotton in recent years, the Importance
of. saving it becomes apparent. I'll
quite likely represents the entire pos
isible profits Of a mammoth industry
and if annually accumulated and COM
pounded, would soon add immense
wealth to a region where poverty Is
now a curse, If not q crime.
Under such e system " ecouldfuliy
appreciate the significance of the
spanish proyerb: sThe foot of the
sheep is golden.
CHOW, afewwords as tothe 9relatioa
and Importance of this subject5to the
farmers o. this State. South Caralina
produces aboutone-tenth of ,thecotton
crop Of the eight States, which pros
duce 95 per cent. offthe total, butsshe
only possesses one-tenth OF the total
number Of sheep credited to these.
/ eight States for 1896. Statistical
Abstract, 1922 Ohio has an area
one-fourth larger chan South Carolina
with land values ranging about $50
per acre, while here they are about
S5 per acre. Ohio is snow;bounds
about one-third5 Of the year, and all
live stock are stabbed and fed, while
sheep thrive in our open fields the
year round, browsing on the waste q
the fields and spontaneous. grass and
herbage which everywhere abound.
Yet South Carolina has 70,e10 sheep,
as against Ohio's 1000, 600. Would
it not seem that here might be found
the key that will unlock the door.of
prosperity to our worthy farmers who
have so long been in search Of
form" ~. i
Seamen, your ship floats inFwholess
some water lower your buckets, and
draw from a boundless source.
V. P. CLAYTON:
Shelton, S. c.. q