The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-08-25

"i"So IhiS year around MOntgOm-
cry.
About 2 p. m. Friday, we started
Tor Selma, Ala. This route led us
over a prairie country with very few
trees and fully half Of the land was
IN pastures. Not more than ten TO
hrteen per cent. of the land between
Montgomery and Selma was planted
TO cotton and one member of our
party said that he counted them
ana that he saw only two negro cab
ms that were not deserted between
these places. Wherever we saw fields
OF cotton we saw happy negroes.
wherever we saw the fields planted
TO something else we saw the negro
houses deserted. At Selma the coun-
ty agent showed us a creamery that
made 1.400 lbs. butter the day before
our inspection and they were also
making a quantity Of ice cream. We
went out In the county and saw some
good cotton that had been raised ac-
cording to government methods and
also some that was badly injured by
the weevil. We were told in Selma
that more than a hundred and fifty
car loads OF cattle had ueen shipped
out of the county during last year.
Upon inquiry as to how the weevil
had affected business it was stated
that the wholesale grocery stores had
to change their business as there was
no longer any demand for heavy
groceries and that some of them had
reorganized and were doing a good
busiress selling the farmers products
After leaving Selma Saturday
morning we came back to Montgom-
cry, thence on by Tuskeegee, where
We stopped and inspected the splendid
plant which Booker r. Washington
built up. We were shown how all of
the students were trained in the diff
ferent trades, and saw n number of
students working during vacation. The
buildings were all we'll designed and
all the members of our party remark
ed upon the cleanliness. After leav-
Ing Tuskeegee. we went through Au-
burn, Opelika, and spent the night at
Columbus. Here the Rotary Club
gave us banquet at which the boil
weevil was discussed from every
standpoint. Columbus Is a splendid
city and I feel sure that it's progress
sive business men will Pull through
without suffering any setback by the
invasion Of the boil weevil. We did
not find the weevil doing any Sc
rious damage near Columbus. Nearly
all of the farmers had followed the
instructions of the government in
picking weevils and forms.
Nearly all Of the members Of our
party being married men and it
suddenly dawning upon them that Il
had been about a week since they had
seen the girls they left behind them
so nearly all Of the party started for
home. Two of the cars went on
down to Americas. where we found
some fine farming land and about
forty per cent. of the land planted
to cotton. Several South Carolina
farmers have located at this place,
among them being Mr.. Shaw and r.
p. Stackhouse. These gentlemen took
us around and showed us some as
good cotton and corn as can be
found in Sumter county. We missed
the entertainment these gentlemen at
Americus were planning for us by
being behind our schedule. Some of
the business men pointed out to us
farms that had been sold under the
hammer on account Of the weevil. Af-
ter leaving Americus we went through
the Fort Valley peach belt, where for
about twenty miles both sides of the
road were lined with we'll pruned, and
Spt oySu PSuCIl tIccS. IL tuOSc DeOplS
can care for so many thousands of
peach trees, why Is 1t that the farm
ers Of Sumter county will neglect
their few hundreds of peach trees ?
We have belt in Sumter county
that will make just as good peaches
as this famous Georgia peach belt
From Macon We came by Milledge-
vile. Sparta, WarrentOn, Thomson,
Augusta, and thence home by the
shortest route.
l forgot to mention the pecan
groves that we saw around Thomas
vile and Albany and all through
Georgia. 1t looked as if they had
enough young pecan trees to set the
whole Of South Carolina.