The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-04-12
One Hope for the South.

WASHINGTON. March 26.-Secretary
Of Agriculture Wilson in discussing
the productive possibilities Of the
south and the problem Of negro labor,
made the following observations:
"The pressing question is, What is
the laborcr down south who has been
growing cotton, and is not getting
enough for his product, to do in the
future to enable him to live comfort
ably, not so speak Of improvements in
his condition. education and all that?
"The cotton crop leaves very little
that is valuable for domestic animals
after the picking is done, thus differ
ing from the corn crop Of the north
western States. There is by-pro-
duct, the cottonseed, that is exceed
ingly valuable, and much good work is
being done by scientists at expert
ment stations to show how valuable
cottonseed is for feeding purposes.
The nitrogen element is greater than
that Of any Of the grains. 1t is rather
in nitrogenous matter than peas or
beans, richer than gluten, meat or oil
cake.
s.The porthern feeder and the Euro
pean feeder have been using this by
product of the cotton fields with great
advantage, while the loss of Its ferti-
lizing qualities to the south has been
very great.
"The south has more marked ad-
yantages over the north with regard to
production. It has more heat and
moisture, the two great factors Of
production, and if the cotton grower
is to diversity his crops he must use
these natural advantages. The dairy
cow and mutton sheep would succeed
admirably in the south, but some
thing for them to eat must be pro-
vided first. The winters in the south
are mild; grasses, grains and legumes
can be sown in the fall, grow abun-
dainty through the winter, upon which
the dairy cow and the mutton sheep
may thrive and produce.
"From one.ffth to one-fourth Of all
the fat Of all the milk on the farms Of
the United States is lost because peo-
pie do not thoroughly understand
when to churn cream. The churning
process is an art, having much science
underlying it. But the cotton grower
Of the south only needs to learn the
way, while the man who teaches him
can understand the science.
s'N1uch yet remains to be discovered
in the art Of breeding animals, but
enough is known to indicate to the in
structor Of the colored cotton grower
work of this kind to enable him to
breed his herd intelligently.
HThe south can prepare the spring
lamb much earlier than the north can.
The southern land owner understands
horse raising. There is always a
greater demand for saddle horses than
is supplied. The world wants car
riage and draft horses and good road
stcrs. Early spring chickens-the
broilers-can be produced down there
because they have milder winters and
milder springs than we have, and the
northern market can be supplied.
Should the market become over-sup-
piled we can send this product abroad
in the refrigerating compartments Of
our steamships.
:Thc colored man is learning the
trades at Tuskogce; he is mining coal
and working the manufacture Of iron
at Birmingham. Some southern men
whom you meet will say that they
have the best labor in the world, and
in some respects I am inclined to
think they have.
"The south has reached the point
that most of the States Of the north
west reached. Years ago section
after section devoted itself to corn
and wheat until the land refused to
yield their crops and the farmer was
driven to seek diversiicasion. Pros
pcrity came to the northwest through
the divcrsi6cation of industries on the
farm. know of no other way through
which it can come to the south.
cit seems to me that the necessities
of the occasion are up to the intelli-
gent land owner. lie should inform
himself on these lines. He should
have done it years ago."'-4Ncm forh,
| World.
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