The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1915-01-17
GRAIN GROWING OUR SALVATION

United States and harvested annually
from two TO four million bushels of
wheat, corn and other small grain.
At every crossroad there was a 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
then owned, and was
handled by the plantation owners and
the supervisors under them almost
by negro labor, who were es-
pecially efficient in the handling ST
Same. They made excellent grain
hands and were thoroughly co.ivers-
ant with what were then the most up
to-date and modern methods of grain
production, handling and distribution.
UP until the Civil War broke in all
It's devastating furry over the Caro-
linas. the great money crop Of the
Piedmont was wheat and corn. Cotton
was seldom planted and was consid-
cred poor crop beside grain. At that
time the county raised all its own
meats and its hams were daily quot
ed on the New York, Philadelphia,
Charleston and New Or
leans markets. Piedmont pork was
then better known than Chicago beef
products are today. Anderson county
pork brought q premium whenever
sold. Beef was entirely raised at home
and butter was made by approved
The coming of the Civil War, the
opening up Of the cheap lands OF the
middle west. the inability of. the
large 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
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. or farmers became
exclusive cotton planters and import
ers OF foods. The high price OF cotton
seemed to warrant such schange. 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 the first time in
nifty years raised enough corn at home
to feed herself. 1t. Is not generally
known, but In 1914 Anderson county
raised about one million. one hundred
thousand bushels of corn. O mammoth
crop. Practically. all Of It was used at
home.
The war In Europe this year has
caused a gigantic increase In wheat,
oats and other small grain paintings,
and the estimate of Clemson College is
that about 10000 acres of land In
Anderson county is planted to small
grains. Indicating gross crop OF L.
100000 bushels of grain, which at
prevailing prices, practically sure to
be maintained, mean q new revenue
TO the county this summer. when not
less than, $3.50. 10000, will he 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 as against her $4,000
today. Grain % n crop In Anderson
county. after a lapse OF fifty years
as a commercial crop, has come back.
1t 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 rnagnifi-
Gently high prices for grain guarantee
this. The results or the sale or the
1914-15 grain crop will be 90 large
and satisfactory thet each year viii
see steady increase in grain acreage.
and It may, be that before the boil
weeyiI gets to the Piedmont, which
viii be Ia 1919. Anderson county shall
have definitely swung around again
from cotton to grain, becoming almost
entirely q grain county. and handling
as incidents thereto hogs. livestock.
aud dairying products. Some. who read
4 .fS.. 49, n =. 49, "a.