The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-02-16

II ~
more extensively into the livestock
business.
Unfortunately for Sumter county
there have not been SUFFICIENT hogs
and cattle raised so far to warrant the
esta blishment OF cold storage plant
or q regular cattle market In Sum-
ter. while there IL at the same time
more dressed pork and beef offered
than the local consumers are pre-
pared to buy.
Regarding the markets for grain To-
cal grain dealers contend In some in
stances. that they have taken all OF
the oats offered at market prices, but
that In some instances the oats are
not offered in merchantable shape,
and deliveries. after contracts are
made. are delayed by the local pro-
ducers. Others say they have to have
oats and corn shipped to- them from
distant marhsts because they can't get
enough Sumter county or South Caro-.
lima grown grain. i'f
When q Sumter dealer contracts to
take 30 many hundred bushels of oats
or other grain from q farmer it is
necsssary that the grain be delivered
In the time specified. and that It be
sacked according to custom weights
and regulations. and that the grain
Be clean according to custom re-
|quirements - 'e'
Local dealers can not pay local pro-
duosrs more for grain than they can
have Grain delivered at their places
OF business simply because local grain
dealers have to compete with. other
cities and towns on standard market
Quotations. ~ ~. a,
The factithst corn. oats. wheat, or
other produce u "homs raised: outs
very little ice In the sale of the goods
BY the local dealer. When a saw fniN
man or other customer wants a hun.
dred hushels or oats he gets prices ON
tfhdes and prompt delivery. Notwith-
sanding the fact that there ID much
20 b said on both Sides of the local
merket situation. nsverthslsss It is
tfus tAat the farmers are not going
Into the sTrain; :hok. ana cattle bYsi4
me- Sxtsaslvsly as they ought until
tthty Ars aSbued' OF local storins ana
Irnafketins facilities that will buy ain
q the surplus grain. hogs. and cattle
re pfont&bie rsises tostha produoers.l i
The idea Of encouraging farmers to
prepare for the cotton boil weevil by
raising Thousands Of hogs and beef
cattle advances the practical rather
than, the thsoretical side Of the ques-
tion, and the practical. view. Of the
problem 10 thai there will have to be-
produced by Sumter county farmers
hundreds OF times moro grain. hogs.
and cattle than the local consumption
will take. before this; country can be-
gin to get ready for the cotton boil
weeviL ,A
Admitting. fer sake Of argument,
that the local consumption Of pork
ana beef. and OF oats. corn. and whea.
is sutncient to buy all that may be Of
fered. at present of these home raised
or Grown commercial commodities, 1t
has to be admitted that the present
home production. Of these commercial
Icommodities Is q mere bagatele com
pared, with what is necessary in the
shape OF livestock and grains to put
these agricultural sections in shape to
meet the baleful influences Of the boil
weevil.
The local business men are afraid,
on one hand to put money In. local
marketing facilities to any greater ex-
tent on the uncertainty Of permanent
diversification. while on the other
hand the farmers contend that 1t
doesn't pay them to raise hogs and
cattle beyond their domestic needs
because OF the uncertainty Of markets
and Of the low prices offered in Sum-
ter.
But the farmers are rather slow on
some things themselves. For instance
sumter county could have had a sys-
tenn OF teaching II culture In the
rural schools ~ Clemson Col
lege. had ther~ Deen ,ficient interest
manifested by q sufficient number of
rural schools in this county. The fact
that the Clemson agents sent here to
sec II five rural schools in this coun-
ty would furnish few acres Of land
for demonstration purposes. were not