The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-05-04
WILSON ON HER OUTLOOK
SHE RUNS HER FACTORIES BY
ELECTRICITY.
wEAves ONE THIRD COTTON GROWN TIL RE
FAIRY Farms, Sheep and Hogs. Progress at
The Agricultural College. State Can
Produce all the Tea Used by
The Americans.

Washington, May o.-lne secretary
of Agriculture returned this morning
from visit to South Carolina, where he
has studied the conditions of agriculture
and of truck gardening along the coast,
the manufacturing industries, the tea
culture. the Agricultural College of
South Carolina and other matters of in
tereSt.
In an interview the Secretary said that
South Carolina is making rapid progress
in all these directions. The farmers are
learning how to take better care of their
soil: how to fertilize and cultivate it
with more profit. The diversification of
crops has not extended so far as it
should or 50 far as it very soon will,
but the people are gradually working to
that end.
The State manufactures about one
third of the cotton produced, and the
most striking development of South
Carolina is perhaps found in that direc-
ton Home enterprise and to great
extent home capital has been utilizing
the great rivers of the State in the
manufacture of cotton through electric
appliances. Wires extend from the
rivers as far as fourteen miles, up to
the tops of the hills, where healthy con-
ditons are found and great factories
costing as much. as million dollars are
located This work is going on and will
continue to progress until the State
manufactures all the raw cotton pro-
duced within its limits. Eighteen years
ago, when the attention of the South
Carolina people was drawn to the manu-
facture of cotton. S3S0,0OO was paid to
labor. Now the State is paying $6.00O,-
600 annually, which is about two fifths
of all paid for manufacturing in the
Southern States along the cotton lines
The Secretary said that with little
exception white labor is being used in
the mills. In the city of Charleston the
experiment of colored labor is being
tried. and it is hoped the plan will sue
coed. 1t is still an open question, how
ever. and is being watched with great
interest. He said that other cotton
manufacturers will have to take note of
the progress being made along this line
in the South. They are getting the very
newest machinery: the hands work prob
ably somewhat longer hours. and perhaps
for lite lower wages. The Southern
people seem to he entirely satisfied with
home labor. and evince no desire for
immigration. The farmers throughout
the State are getting better markets for
their products. receiving a large per
cent. of the $4,000, 900 paid to the mill
hands. This encourages the keeping of
dairy cows, the feeding of hogs and the
raising of chickens to supply the de-
mand of the factory people in villages.
Mr.. Wilson said the tobacco industry
has been taken hold of and is making
good progress. The people are studying
this plant and it's products, in order to
ascertain how they can produce it more
profitably.
The individual farmers are giving at
teniion to the production of fine horses.
such as bring big prices. not only at
home. but in foreign countries-gaited
horses. hunting horses. and fine car
riage horses. The Southern people have
a taste along this line and will certainly
succeed.
There are not enough dairy cows in
the State, Of course. but encouraging
progress is being made i'll that direction
also, the Secretary said. They have
some as fine dairy cows as are to be
found anywhere They make as fine
butter as is to be found in the North.
..1'hey keep sheep in the South but
not enough, Sd1u lie. ueH HdNt lIot
quite realized that it is peculiarly their
privilege to furnish the early spring
lambs for the Northern markets, where
they sell at a very high price.
1.-THE conditions in the South are en-
tirely favorable to the production of the
bacon hog. The people in the great
corn belt of the Mississippi Valley want
market for their corn and feed the
|. H. .a1-,
The producer of the bacon hog. however,
disposes of the animal sooner, at a
younger age.
CAS- soon as the Southern people give
attention to the dairy industry there will
be Il great increase in its products"
The Secretary made point of inn
pressing upon the people of the State
the wisdom of increasing their pastures,
and of setting their wood lots to work
TO produce grass for the colts and the
dairy COW, the mutton sheep and the
hog.
Great progress has been made he said,
Mt the Agricultural College. They are
doing work there that is probably not
being done anywhere else.
The Department of Agriculture, for
the last two years, has been conducting