The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-04-23

tiic coutHtTi INtllWdy, is SJdtCDurS,
which on account of its natural beau
~ was the choice of General Sumter
for the location Of South Cardinals
state capital. When Columbia was
chosen by narrow margin, it is re-
lated that General Sumter challenged
to a duel the successful advocate of
the rival site.
Col. John j. Dargan is principal Of
THE General Sumter Memorial Acad-
emy' where for number Of years
and his assistants taught boys to read
Latin and make corn, and instructed
girls in music and making homes.
Cultivated farms for cultivated
farmers" is the schools motto. The
main building burned about a year
ago, but plans for rebuilding are un-
der way. This school was given ac-
tive support by DR.. S. A. Knapp,
through whose efforts a federal dem
onstration agent was stationed here.
to supervise the agricultural work Of
the students
Yields of IS and 90 bushels Of corn
to the acre have been made, and on
10 acres 10 bales OF cotton were pro-
duced, lacking 80 pounds of lint cot
ton.
vegetables of all kinds are grown.
and asparagus does especially well.
Figs thrive and yield bountifully, and
Colonel Dargan has on his farm 800
peach trees, $50 figs, apples, pears,
plums, ounces. cherries. pecans and
the following varieties Of grapes: Con-
cord, Niagara, Delaware, Scupper-
nong, Thomas and Flowers
Large land owners in this vicinity
have considered plans for reducing
their holdings in order to provide at
tractive farms for progressive set
tiers, and homeseekers would do we'll
TO investigate opportunities here. Z
1t is 10 miles from Claremont TO
Camden. in the heart OF the pine belt,
where the charms of dry, sunny win
ters attract thousands every year and
where golf, riding, hunting and polo
furnish sport. There are three pre-
tentiOus resort hotels and the polo
tournaments are important features
each winter. In March Of this year
teams participating in the annual
match came from Chicago and other
Northern points to meet Southern
players.
Soils hereabouts are generally light,
sandy foans, and along the TSyateree
there are deep, rich .alluvial lands
which produce big crops when prop
erly drained
l.. !. Guion has q plantation of 81
600 acres near Camden, 1000 acres
of which are bottom lands, we'll dix
ed and drained. Corn and peas grow
luxuriantly on the alluvial soil, max
ing rs bushels OF grain on the best
acres. In 1912 Mr.. Guion averaged
40 bushels per acre on 400 acres in
corn.
On this plantation there are 800
acres in Johnson grass and Bermuda
A combination of vetch and Johnson
grass has proven particularly sue
cessful. The yields run from / to .
tons per acre, and vetch has made a
ton to the acre. The hay is baled
just before Christmas, and Is per
cent Of the crop is sold in Columbia
and other nearby towns. Last year
prices averaged $40 ton, and this
year SIS. One buyer feeds peavine
hay until the middle Of February and
then uses Johnson grass.
After oats are harvested, cowpeas
are sOwed and cut in with a four
horse disc harrow. the yield of pea
vine hay averaging ton to the acre,
with two tons to the acre on some of
the best fields
Cotton is grown extensively and
Mr.. Guion has been pleased with bur
clover as cover crop in cotton fields,
thus providing also excellent grazing.
He has built Il dipping vat and will
feed beef cattle.
1t ic believed that the alluvlal,
black lands will do well when celery
is tried, and it is planned to devote
experimental plots to celery growing.
Through the efforts of the Camden
Chamber of Commerce number of
Dig plantations have been surveyed
for subdivision and will be placed on
the market at an early date. Land
prices in this section from Columbia
to Camden and including the country
around Claremont vary greatly ac-
cording to location and soils. There
are many places where farms can he
bought for less than SO an acre, but
prices for lands i'm better condition
nd .tIss 4