The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-05-16
AIKEN ON AGRICULTURAL
BILL.
Urges MORE LIBERAL SUPPORT
OF THE AGRICULTURAL
DEPARTMENT +.
Helps to Secure Appropriations FOj
Experiments In Dairying In tn
south.

ENpcEluuCuko III - !" sAAS
South.
MIR, Aiken. Mr., Chairman, while l am not
q member of the Agricultural committee, l
feel the deepest interest in all that pertains
to agriculture and 10 any legislation LOOKING
to It's advancement.
r desire TO direct special attention to q Ger
tain provision OF the agricuttursl DILL aaa
ter OF appropriations for agricultural. puI-
poses.
bill which authorizes the expenditure OF
S2O, 900 Ito further develop the dairy industry
OF the southern States by conducting expert
ments. holding Institutes, and giving OBJECT
lessons in dairying," q separate proposition
Incorporated in the bill at the Instance OF my
colleague (Mr. LEVER, Is d good measure,
and l wish 10 express my heartlest lndorse'
ment OF 1t. The only objection that l nave
TO the measure is that the amount approprl-
eted is 100 small. But many measures Whlch
prove to De of the greatest importance have
had just such q small beginning ard so thls
one, once It's advantages nave been impressed
upon the puolic mino, may lind more liberal
support in Congress.
There are many advantages which .pecu-
liarly recommend the South as q dalrylng
section; and that this Is not one OF It's chlei
industries, today Is due more 10 the lack oi
NOR alton on the subject than 10 any other
cause.
Perhaps one OF the greatest advantages that
the South offers as a dairying section Is the
cheapness OF land and the sparceness OF its
population. Pasture andsa are necessary for
profitable dairying, and pasture lands come
pretty high AT forty and nfty do lars per acre,
the common price In populons sections.
In Sonth Carolina We have some l9,OO0.V0O
acres of land, OF which only about 6.WO.UOU
acrey are IN cultivation, aud South Carolina
perhaps, offers little advantage over other
Southern states in this particular. More
than two-thlrds OF Our lanu Is idle, IN q meae'
ure Improbable, for the lack OF sufficient
farming population. A large per cent VI this
land IN we'll AdADt6d 10 DaSturlnR fOr De6I
and dairying purposes. II only our farmers
could be brought 10 realize the profits OF dali
rying as an Independent Industry these
lands, now Improbable, would furnish e new
source OF wealth TO that section; or II dairy
ing could be carried on more extensively OF
more systematically as an adjunct 10 the
farmer in and building as we'll as IN receipts
from dairy products would make IL VEL.
worth his While.
Most of the Southern States have a luxuri-
ant growth of natural grass that Is green
nine or ten months Of the year; and IN my
own State and many other intro
duced grasses grow In perfection. The hay
from this Bermuda gra's Is unexcelled In The
world. This l Can personally vouch Tor.
While grass alone canuot be relied ON Tor
profitable dairylng 1t Is an essential, aud
properly used with cotton.seed hulls and
meal produces splendid results. The natural
grasses Of South Carolina would furnish am
pie pasturage for great herds OF cattle ten
months IN the year. No extensive effort has
ever been made 70 grow winter grasses, but
In thousand OF YARDS and lawns may be seen
q practical demonstration OF the fact that
blue grass and lawn grass both grow there
beautifully under proper conditions.
The great difficulty with our southern peo-
pie has been the one crop idea and 80 prof
liable has been this crop Tor the past few
years that they nave not fell the necessity
Tor diverslication. The man VINO Is doing
well raising cotton never thinks hat he
might do better raising something else.
.Na. Euan Tho lOcQi n6man0 for dairy DIO0ncth
In the South far exceeds the supply, 10 BAY
nothing OF the demand, at most profitable
prices, coming from our large cities. II
would be hard to find a small town In the
South that has not had It's periodical butter
famine, and yet nature has made this d ia
vored spot for the production Of that article.
Much In the way OF object Lessons has been
done by Clemson Agricultural Coll. ge, which
has resulted in higher grades OF cattle In the
counties surrounding the college, and In bet.
ter and more profitable use OF the products.
instance, individuals and corporations are
successfully manufacturing cheese, for which
itney find a ready market.
Dairyiag is q growing industry. The pro-
ceeds IRON this source during the Year 1905,
we're. in round numbers, $500 OO,O 600. and The
demand far exceeds the supply. With the
possible exception OF the corn crop, no single
iarm. product reaches this %stupendous
mount. The South could easily add at least
80 per cent TO this amount without the loss OF
q single dollar from Its present sources OF
revenue. The Government could not spend
/, money TO better advantage than in encourag-
ing this industry there, and IN instructing
the people In It's proper management.
For Agricultural purposes l favor the most
liberal appropriations. The products of the
soil, and that which goes with the ordinary
farm, constitute the basis OF our wealth.; ali
else Is but 80 much margin on the crude
products. What blood Is, coursing through
the veins and arteries OF the human system,
thai the farm product 10 distributed througu
the great railroad lines Of this country.
Each carrier In its composition the llfe-sus-
tanning essence.
States last year aggregated the stupendous
sum Of So, AS 100000. and each year brings an
increase OF over $3.50. 0Oe, 600. Literally we Iced
and clothe the world, furnishing, as we do,
more than 30 per cent OF the grain, q still
larger per cent OF the meat, and fully so pei
cent Of the cotton OF the world. In the pasl
six years the farmers have secured a balance
of trade amounting to $5,635, 00,UO0.
The Government is year by year 'lepgthen'
Is 1t not the part of wisdom 10 lend every
encouragement TO that which constitutes the
basis OF Its strength, II not It's very life
(. Su rely, there Is q giving that enrlcheLh and
q Withholding that impoverished"
Although agriculture stands incomparably
first in the production Of wealth, 1t occupies
the lowest place in the scale Of appropria
lison, covering the average annual appropri
atoms as we'll as the aggrevate appropriation
for various purposes Tor the past SIX years
will doubtless prove of.interest, and hence ]
give 1t here:
PURPOSES OF APPROPRIATION.
q, Total six yrs. Annual Av