The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-02-23
Observations of South Carolina Ag-
ricuIture

Is. Is. Hare, agricultural StatiStiCian
for the bureau of crop estimates,
United States department Of agricul-
ture, makes the following statistical
observations with reference to South
Carolina agriculture:
Total area of the state is approx
mately 100000 acres, about one
third Of which was in cultivation in
1920
OF the 1925 farms about 55 per
cent are operated by owners and As
per cent by tenants.
Cotton, the leading money crop,
represents As per cent of the acreage
planted to all crops in 1920, and SO
per cent Of the total value of 13
leading crops. Production in 1929
was 100000 bales.
The state ranked 4th in acreage and
End in production OF cotton in 1920.
Corn is the End crop from the
standpoint of value, the production in
1920 being 42,370, 900 bushels. valued
at $49,0OO,OO0.
Compared with other states South
Carolina ranked 5th in production OF
obacco in 1920, total yield being Co.
100000 pounds.
Stands 5th in production Of rice.
Total yield. 100000 bushels.
Ranks 9Th in sorghum syrup. To-
tai production 100000 gallons.
Ranks 9TH in peanuts. Production
100000 bushels.
Total acreage of corn, wheat, oats,
rye, tobacco, hay, peanuts, rice, Irish
potatoes, sweet potatoes sorghum for
syrup, cowpeas and cotton, in 1920
was 6,562,OO0 acres, total value of the
crops being 1921, 100000, with an av-
erage yield per acre of $3.50. The
total value Of these crops in 1919 was
$4O4 900, 900.
The value per acre of these crops
is reported as follows: Corn s22.04,
oats $24.73; wheat $2S.05; rye $500;
tobacco $3.50; rice $3.50, peanuts
s95.40; cowpeas $20.25; hay (wild)
S21.00; cotton $36.8S; hay (tame)
$500; sweet potatoes s122.s5; Irish
potatoes $3.50; and sorghum syrup
500.
In March 1920 the average value of
all plow lands in the state was SCI per
acre, or $29.01 less than the average
for the United States. South Caro-
linas rank with the other states in
this respect was 2Sth.
The lowest average value of all
plow lands was $40 per acre in Ala
bama, and the highest $219 in Iowa.
There were 27 states in which the
average value Of plow lands was high
er bat only II states where the to-
tai value of all crops exceeded that
Of South Carolina.
Tho avora Ua0aS NJ n1qlQ farm
labor in the state, where employed by
the month and without board in 1920,
was $41.S0. The only state paying
lower wage was Mississippi where the
average was SAL per month. The av-
erage for the United states was
s64.95, while the average for a group
of western states comprising Mon
tana, Wyoming, Clorado New Mexico,
Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Wash
ington, Oregon and California was
$99.43. The highest wages, s107 per
month were paid in California and
Nevada.
Counties I'm the State Leading i'm Va
rious Crops
Colleton, with S53,120 acres, is the
largest.
Anderson has the largest number
of farms, S,91O, and leads in cotton
acreage.
Orangeburg leads in acreage Of
corn, oats, rye and sugar cane.
Horny has the largest number of
acres Of sweet potatoes, 5000.
With 1000 acres each, Charleston
and Beaufort lead in acreage and pro-
duction of Irish potatoes.
Union ranks first in sorghum cane
for syrup.
Barnwell first in acreage Of peanuts.
Anderson and Spartanburg lead In
acreage OF wheat-16, 900 acres each.
Florence and Williamsburg sur
pass other counties in tobacco acre
age, 5000 acres each.
Orangeburg leads in production of
cotton, corn, oats, rye and sugar cane.
and IS one Of the largest. if not the
largest, cotton producing counties in
the United States
Anderson leads in the production OF
wheat and sorghum syrup.
Barnwell excels in the production
of peanuts and grows considerable
quantities of asparagus, watermelons.
cantaloupes, and cucumbers for spring
markets.
With 100000 pounds Of tobacco
each, Florence and Williamsburg lead
other counties.
Orangeburg has the greatest num-
ber of mules, horses and swine.
Spartanburg and Anderson surpass
in the number of milk cows and 9TH
er cattle.
Horny leads in number of shepe, s.
2O4
Marlboro leads in yield Of lint cot
ton per acre, 336 pounds.
Beaufort leads in yield Of corn per
acre, 25 bushels.
Darlington and Marlboro tie in
! yield of wheat per acre, IA bushels.
Calhoun. Lee and Marlboro lead in
oats, 80 bushels per acre each.
With a yield Of Is bushels per acre