The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-07-19
PRACTICAL TALK.
The Ideal Farmer Fast Disappearing
in the West - How About the
South p Something About Good

South p Something About Good
Roads.
"There is now no question but that the coun
try will raise a short winter. VI heaIcrop." said
President Chas. H. Hulburd, Of the Elgin't
| Watch Co., to q representative OF the Key
stone, Journal devoted exclusively to the
jewelry trade. few years ago this news
the W est; today 1t is scarcely noticed. the
fact is, the policy Of diversified industry has
developed 30, that the failure OF one thing nc
longer cripples anybody but the "one.idea'
| farmer and he has become minority In mosl
| sections.
| The question fol. US to decide is. does this
hold true here. We are afraid not. We believe
the lone idea" farmer is still is the majority.
! even among the better white farmers, and the
failure OF the cotton crop, or 9 low price O
staple. has still the same effect as II would
| have had 10 years ago. However. we belleve
the farmers are learning, are paying more at
| tention 10 other crops, such as grains, etc.
but there are still many other things that onl
| farmers should 60 at, such as raising tneii
own stock, cattle and sheep. making buttel
and cheese, and we believe the time fs not fal
distant when the lone idea' farmer will be
out numbered even here. But there Is one
| thing that we need In this country before the
farmer can make diversified crops TO advan
| tage and that is
GOOD ROADS.
| By good roads we do not mean dirt roods
that will cut up in the winter aud become
| lmpenetrable mud paths, but good graded
this matter, however, is, that most people whe
never stop to calculate the cost OF the dirt
road To the county at large will tell us'thai
these roads cost too much, we can't AFFORD
them. Let us see about this. The United
States Department OF Agriculture, IN making
inqueres as to the cost Of hauling farm pro
duce, received replies from over 1900 counties
The average load hauled was found 10 be
2oo2 pounds. the average ienstn OF naui ~ ~ ~ ~
market $500. while the average hauling ton
for distance of one mile was Is cents.
The writer does not now how many bales
| OF cotton are raised in this county, but there
are about II, 600 bales sold at Abbeville, and
we will only suppose II 900 more In the other
towns, certainly small estimate. Four bales
TO the ton will give us goo tons hauled on
the average 10 miles at 81 30 cost per load
brings the cost OF putting the cotton on The
| market to Sl5. 900 In our county.
Now by comparing the cost here. with the
cost OF hauling crops over the fne roads IN
Europe, we find that the average taking Eng
land 10 cents. France 10 cents. Germany 81
cents, ETC., is only 88.5 cents per ton per
mile, therefore only "a the cost OF ours here
A6bev!lle In os6e1 her words 6.,o the county
alone had we proper roads. Theee figures
will show what macademized roads would
do for our county. 1t surely would pay to
raise money enough by direct taxation TO
year.
about this matter we found, that most far.
mers do not know what maoademized road
Is, they have never seen one inch OF 1t. This
man told US these roads are too rough, and
when questioning him where he ever rode on
such a road, we found that he compared
macadam with few places in the roads
here, that were covered with loose rock In Or
der to prevent them from being cut up 30
easily. Well now sticking a few loads OF
loose rock Of any and every size In hole In
the road is not macademizipg, and We be-
lieve the men that call 1t such are greatly re-
sponsiole for our had roads, and we are sure
II we ever could have one mile OF proper
macademized road In this county, 30 the far.
mero could see how fine and smooth such q
road Is, we soon would have all main roads
paved, as 1t Is q fact, that wherever expert
ments In good road construction have been
made, the reform has been continued yearly
at an accelerated rate, and as such reform
would benefit all, we hope this matter will
he brought up until the experiment Is made.
Besides, we wish to state, we are not hun ting
a county office, nor do we have anything TO
do with selling road machines, but believe In
the motto, 1.-THE greatest good to the greatest
number" r. &. Bernau.