The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-07-26
WE NEED OTHER CROPS.

gentleman who owns lands IN almost
every Southern State to Mr.. Barrett,
vice president of the Georgia Agricul-
tural Society, upon the cultivation OF
Chinese hemp as a profitable crop IN
the Sauth. We had intended giving
our readers the benefit OF the article
in full, but through some means
when we wanted the clipping it was
misplaced. 1t may sound just now
like dry subject, but it impressed
US so favorably that we will endeavor
to give our readers some light upon
this crop in the future.
II is claimed that millions OF dol
lars worth of this Chinese hemp, as it
is commonly called, is imported an
nually from Italy and other Eastern
countries, and that the same soil and
climate that we have in the Southern
States to poduce the finest cotton
will make the finest hemp. 1t is
claimed that it has been grown most
successfully in Mississippi, and also
in Georgia right near Augusta, where
the soil and climate is practically the
same as ours here in Clarendon
county. Tie methods OF preparing
the hemp for market by getting it
into bales is not near so troublesome
as the preparation OF cotton for mar
ket, when we consider the ginning
and baling OF cotton, and is scarcely
so troublesome as tobacco. It is
easily made and brings good price
when put on the market, and our i'm
preston is that it can easily be made
profitable crop to go along with to-
bacco and take the place Of cotton,
the continued planting Of which is
making the farmers OF the South
poorer every year.
We hope some OF our more wide
awake farmers will keep this subject
in mind, and by writing to Mr.. Bar
rett at Augusta they can get some
valuable information. There is ap-
parently no reason why it cannot be
raised to advantage. The eastern
part of South Carolina, including our
own Clarendon county, is now recog-
nized throughout the whole country
and abroad as being one Of the best
tobacco growing sections in the Unit
ed States, and twelve years ago such
thing was not thought of. About
all the tobacco that vas grown in
this county ten or twelve years ago
was few stalks that some Of the old
aunties planted near the chimneys to
make their private smoking, and now
what do we see? Any one who is
in Manning next Wednesday will be
impressed with the change, and there
is no reason why other and just as
profitable crops as tobacco cannot be
made to take the place Of cotton.
About twelve years ago the late
Dr. Ingram made an experiment with
tobacco in Manning, but was unfort-
unate with bad seasons and sban-
doned the crop. Shortly afterwards
Capt Alderman planted crop near
Alcolu, but for some reasons did not
continue It. Then few enterprising
citizens of Salem, notably Messrs. J..
E. Beard, Lige and r. r. Tomlinson
and a. T. Buddin took up the plant
ing OF tobacco and made success of
it. These gentlemen might almost
pc called the pioneer successful to-
bacco growers in Clarendon. But it
was not long before the Messrs. Tur-
beville, Baker, Morris, Floyd, Green,
Mcintosh, Worsham and others went
into the business, and one has only
to ride through the neighborhood Of
these gentlemen now and note the
changes OF the past seven or eight
years to see what tobacco has done.
1aere are other sections of our coun-
ty which should be under lasting OBJ
legations to the people OF the New
Zion and Douglass Swamp sections
for beginning the cultivation OF one
of tho most profitable crops that our
farmers have ever planted.
We want to see other crops planted,
and with tobacco, hemp and the
many other crops that we can raise
Just as soon as We learn how, We will
yet some day have the best State in
the Union. We often imagiue that
there are other States or countries
which are better than ours, but when
We visit them we 10 80 to find that
we have only heard the bright side
and nothing Of the disadvantages and
drawbacks. There is little that peo-
pie need that We cannot make here,
and diversified crops will do more
towards making usa happy and pros
porous people than anything else.