The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-11-21

In answer to the question whether
corn in great quantity could find a
market In this state, he replied that
1t would be very easy. The native corn
should sell for the market price OF
Illinois corn plus about 22 cents, the
amount Of freight from illinois here
Tho people Of the South need to for
tify themselves by going into the
stock business, he said. In Illinois
1t Is considered that when they have
la surplus Of corn, one bushel of corn
Will make ten pounds Of hog meat,
and the farmers there give their sur
plus into making meat as a money
crop.
There Is no occasion for the farmers
to fear the lack of q wheat market.
he pointed out. The average farmer
consumes on his place enough foreign
made flour to make wheat profitable
merely If he makes enough to save
buying flour. Five bushels will make
a barrel Of flour and pay for the mill
ing. One acre of wheat will grow two
barrels of flour and one acre will grow
20 bushels of oats to supply the farm
er's own needs. Us this not cheaper
than paying for the grain that must
be hauled hundreds Of miles?" he
asked.
He deplored the lack Of market ia
cilities and said that Is one thing that
must be accomplished ar once. Three
years ago he got an urgent appeal
from a Sumter county farmer to as
sist him to sell 100 head Of hogs. Two
years ago Sumter farmer told him
he could not get rid Of 5000 bushels
OF corn and that very day a Sumter
commission man had sold in Sumter
seven carloads of corn and hay. Each
one wanted what the other had, and
neither knew it.
Mr.. Smith was followed by Col.
Watson, who made some statements
that were notable for their earnest
n ess and for the big facts which they
carried. He declared among other
things that the farmers will need no
fertilizer for next year, for what they
have wasted" there in years gone by
in making cotton has left enough resi-
due of mineral matter and Of organic
matter to produce a fair grain crop
without additional fertilizers. Col
Watson commented in the outset that
he had been present when the cam
paign was begun in Sumter which had
placed Richard I. Manning in the gov
ernors chair and while he wished to
acknowledge his sense Of obligation to
others who were candidates for that
office yet he had especial cause to be
proud that Mr.. Manning had been
elected. for the new governor had
come this day all the way from Rock
Hill just to be at home for few
hours and to give his approval to this
movement and that Mr.. Manning had
declared that his whole soul is wrap
ped up in this movement which he
trusts will produce wonderful har-
vest.
Col. Watson set out that the law as
to the acreage to be planted in cotton
is mandatory and he believes the peo-
pie of South Carolina will not break
the law. lie denounced the "ferti-
lizer faker" who, he said had caused
the cost Of producing cotton to be in
creased to about IL cents per pound.
The expenditure per acre for ferti-
lizer has been about 81 in this State.
The sick soil has been "tonicked' to
get the money to send away and the
farmers have thrown away $4,000,
900 on things that ought to be pro-
duccd ut home. A farmer can rcise
a hog cheaper i'm this Stat: than it can
be done in the West and yet this state
spends S13,0OO,0O0 u year for bacon
He told Of the work of the inspectors
of the department in trying to protect
the people from impure corn and
'loCr. The people OF this state can
raise corn and wheat that would suit
them better but they wii so 10 miles
to buy some old cheap stun, he sail.
| Mr.. Watson then real some statis-
tics showing to what II startling cX-
tent the city of Columbia is involved
in buying food products from abroa,
when South Carolina farms shuul,
supply South Carolina cities. Thi,
was one OF the most effective part!
of his address. Among other thinGs;
he said, Columbia buys $3,OO0.OO0 ;
year of meat prod'i,ts from forci&r
packing houses; $4,000 bushels @
corn; FIVE carloads of tlrnips have re
Gently come To Columbia from Can
ada. and New York state furnishes tht
people Of this state with cabbage; th'