The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1915-01-19
!, IN GROWING OIR SALVATION

anderson county ranked as one of the
great grain growing counties Of the
United States and harvested annually
from two to four million bushels OF
wheat. corn and other small grain
AT every crossroad there was Il roller
mill, and grain was shipped into
Georgia. Florida, Mississippi and even
Texas. The county was noted for the
grade Of the grain raised. and Ander-
son county grain seeds were sold in
almost every State.
The grain was raised ON the large
plantations then owned, and was
handled by the plantation owners and
the supervisors under them almost
entirely by negro labor. who were es-
pecIally efficient In the handling of
same. They made excellent grain
hands and were thoroughly convers-
ant with what were then the most up
to-date and modern methods OF grain
production, handling and distribution.
Up until tho Civil War broke In all
Its devastating furry over the Caro-
tinas. the great money crop of the
Piedmont was wheat and corn. Cotton
was seldom planted and was consid-
cred a poor crop beside grain. At that
time the county lised all its own
meats and It's hams were daily quot
ed on tho New York, Philadelphia.
Baltimore. Charleston and New Or
leans marktts. Piedmont pork was
then better known than Chicago beef
products are today. Anderson county
pork brought premium whenever
sold. Beef was entirely raised at home
and butter was made by approved
methods.
The coming Of the Civil War. the
opening up Of the cheap lands of the
middle west. tho Inability Of the
urge plantation owners to secure
money to finance the crops, and the
deplorable condition of negro labor.
caused by carpet-bag methods. forced
the death Of the industry, and as a
result tenant cotton farming, requir-
ing little at that time to finance, came
in: later to be followed by modern
and approved cotton methods. such as
we have today. The people forgot
about their prosperous days In rails
ing grain, and In the early eighties
the importation Of pork. western
beef and grain began in Anderson
county and throughout the Piedmont.
People today little realize the damage
that was then done: for instead Of
living at home. our farmers became
exclusive cotton planters and import
ers OF foods. The high price Of cotton
seemed to warrant such change. Lit
tie by little the industry died away,
until about six years ago when the
planting Of corn became more and
more the custom. until this past year
Anderson county for tho first time in
fifty years raised enough corn at home
to feed herself. 1t Is not generally
known. but In 1914 Anderson county
raised ahort one million, one hundred
thousand bushels OF corn. a mammoth
crop. Practically all of 1t was used at
home. 81, j. ~.a
The war In Europe this year has
caused a gigantic increase in wheat,
oats and other small grain paintings,
and tho estimate Of Clemson College Is
that about 10000 acres of land in
Anderson county Is planted to small
grains. indicating a gross crop of L.
100000 bushels OF grain. which at
prevailing prices, practically sure to
be maintained. mean a new revenue
to the county this summer. when not
less than $650.000.00 will te turned
loose by buyers OF this great grain
crop. approached In, size the crops
raised before the, war. when Anderson
county had hardly $4,000 people with
In her borders az against her s5. 900
today. Grain as q crop, In Anderson
county, after a lapse OF fifty years
as a commercial crop, has como back.
It has come back to- stay. and shall
henceforth be q great commercial
money crop for Anderson county and
in lesser degree for other Piedmont
counties. The construction of The
grain elevator here, and the magnifi-
Gently high prices for grain guarantee
this. The results Of the sale Of the
1914-16 grain crop will he 80 large
and satisfactory that each year will
see a steady increase In grain acreage.
and 1t may Go that before the boil
weevil gets to the Piedmont. which
viii be In 1919. Anderson county shall
have definitely swung around again
from cotton to gra.n, becoming almost