The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-06-13
AIKEN ON AGRICULTURAL BILL


Mr. Aiken: Mr.. Chairman, while I
am not member Of the Agricultural
Committee, feel the deepest interest
in all that pertains to agriculture and
to any legislation looking to its ad.
vancemert. .'.-'
I desire to direct special attention
TO certain provision Of the agrioul-
tural bill, and incidentally to refer to
the general matter Of appropriations
for agricultural purposes.
The item Of the agricultural. appro-
priation bill which authorizes the ex-
penditure OF $4,000 "to further de-
velop the dairy industry of the South.
eru States by conducting experiments,
holding institutes and giving object
lessons in dairsing," separate prop.
osition Incorporated in the bill at the
instance Of my colleague (sIr. Lever),
is q good measure, and ! wish to ex-
press my i.eartiest indorseme Mt of it.
The only objection chat I have to the
measure is thet the amount appropri.
atsd is TOO small. But many meas.
ures which prove to be of the greatest
Importance have had just such o small
beginning and so this one, once its
advantages have been impressed upon
the public mind, may find. more liberal
support in Congress-. - .......... !,
There ars many advantages which
peculiarly recommend the South as o
dairying gection; and that this is not
one Of it's chief industries, to-day is
due more to the lack Of information
on the subject than TO any other
cauBs. - '''' T.. : >....: j.. -.
Perhaps one Of tae greatest advan-
tages that the South offers as q dairy
ing section is the cheapness Of land and
the sparceress Of it's population. Pas
ture lands are necessary for profitable
dairying, and pasture lands come pref
ty high at forty and fifty dollars per
acre, the common price in populous
sections. II. ...-.., ~. =: :,
In South Carolina we have some
19,0o0,0oO acres Of land, Of which only
about 100000 acres are in oultiva-
tion,: and South Caroline perhaps
offers little advantage over; other
Southern States in this: particular.
more thar sWo-thirds Of 9iir land 10
idle, in q measure profitable: TOR the
lack of sufficient farming population.
Alarge per cent Of this land is we'll
adapted to pasturing for beef and
deiry;ng purposes: If only our farm
ers could DO brought to realize the
profits Of dairying as an indspendent
industry these lands, row unpro6ta.
bic, would + furnish . new source OF
wealth TO that Rection; or if ,dairying
could be carried on more extensively
or more systematically as an:adjunet
20 the we'll elltconducted farm, the advan-
tage to the farmer in land building 80
well as ID. receipts from dairying pro.
ducts would make it we'll worth his
while.:% @ #5:3 VI !. 4 3: So 4 p i: 4: :.
Most Of the Southern States have q:
luxurisnt growth of nstsrs. grass that
is green nine Or ten months Of the
year; and in: my own State bermuda
and many other introduced grasses
grow in / perfection Ii The hay from
Bermuda grass is sunexoelled In the
world. This 8 oan personally yonoh
for. S. yss a. %S5S ;:
While grass3 .slone cannot be relied
onSfor: profitable dsirying Il is an 3es,.
sentisl aud properly used with cotton
seed: bulls md, ,Imsal pToausss splendid
results. Tie aaturaI grasges of South
Carolina would 3ntnia ample psstar,I
agetsfor u j grsat Q herdas ofs9 & cattle tsn.
months "a ssthe S:ssaiss &, so ~ : : sexseasiys
effort has over been sInad tp grow ;wil-
!. terS Sgfasasa, but ia thousand % yhrds.
and laWns "a nay m mbes seen 4 pyactical de-.
m,,o,nrssration oe tha fast nat blue grass'
and lawn grass ibso,tt 81 nav here beau-.'
! tisnllyundss. pro psf conditi ions. 5fg
!. rhs greAt daii..Hcal uiit our South,
ern people has been the one 3 crop idessf;
7 aud I'd B piicf table hsa been this crop
forshe5 past 4 ea y s ears that they haye
!; not ;felt the neaeseasit ivsrsidoa.s
+ tKas The q 81 ii sn lhlo & ia B doing vsli
!; raising cotton navet thin thst ~
I might ao better ssiising saomss hing
/ vsn III iiscal is dasnae sps dairy
psoausts nths seuti iai M Sesds tss
4 & supply, u bso say i ii nothsng Sos shs aesaand.
3 } at snoss lpRoa lsss,f f1omiag 4s9m
!: otss lara d 81 ! hald
Il iind; sssa 81 b soath at
4: III hss ss, HID iss y r1rio bntssr tstns