Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-07-12
Tho Present Potential Agricultural
Power Of South Carolina.

Power OF South Carolina.
The potential agricultural power Of
South Carolina is greater to-day than
any time in its history. know this
IS startling statement. OF course,
| appreciate the seriousness Of the
present situation.
Let me sum up briefly my reasons
for stating that the potential agricul-
tural power Of the State is greater
to-day than at any time in It's his
tory:
l. There has never been time in
TIE history Of the world when there
was such store Of practical and use-
full information for the guidance OF
the farmer as to-day.
2. There was never a time in re-
cent history when there was greater
sympathy and a more. general under
standing OF the farmers problems by
the general public than to-day.
3. There was never as much ia
vorable legislation enacted Of flnan-
cial and economic character in the in
terest Of agriculture as there is to-
day.
4. Therepis no soil that will re-
spond to intelligent treatment more
readily than the soil OF South Caro-
lima.
o. There Is no country that can
produce as many soil-building crops
rs South Carolina and the adjacent
States.
g.. There is no country that can
produce a greater number of nitrog-
enous crops for forage than South
Carolina.
Z. There is no country that can
produce a greater number Of money
crops than South Carolina-namely
cotton, tobacco, peanuts, soy beans,
sweet potatoes, and practically all
the truck crops in the lower ties.
s. There is no country that can
produce pork and dairy products
more economically than South Caro-
lima owing to our ability to produce
such a variety of forage crops.
g. There Is no country that can
produce moro profitably peaches and
grapes and small berries than South
Carolina.
10. And last, but by no means
least, now that the farmers have at
last determined to put the business
end Of farming, which is largely the
marketing of farm products, on a
business basis, by organizing farmers
cooperative community marketing
associations.
! admit that it is one thing to pos
sess the potential power and another
thing to develop and use it intelli-
gently. But l have sublime faith
In the fibre, the stability and the ul-
innate common sense of our people,
for the agricultural record they have
made within the last twenty-five
years justifies this faith.
Twenty-Five years ago the average
yield Of corn per acre was eleven
bushels. To-day it is nineteen. The
average yield Of oats per acre was
13 bushels; to-day it Is "a bushels.
The average yield Of wheat was five
bushels; to-day 1t is twelve bushels.
The average yield of cotton per acre
was 1877 pounds Of lint; to-day it is
BAT pounds. The average yield of all
the great staple crops Of South Caro-
lina has increased within the last 25
years, expressed in percentages, So
per cent-nearly doubled. And we
have just scratched upon the sur
face. The next decade will see fur
ther increase Of 100 per cent.
But just think, gentlemen, what
infinite labor 1t has taken to secure
these results. For it must be remem-
bered that Southerp agriculture 25
years ago consisted simply in a series
Of motions inherited from Adam, and
the time merchant t. and factor were
the only agencies the farmer could
turn to for financial aid, and they de-
their pounds Of flesh ex-
pressed in the usurous rates Of in
terest ranging from so to $50 per
cent.
Year after year he produced, and
year after year he offered his pro.
ducts below the cost Of production.
I am as firmly convinced as I am
of anything that in few years our
agriculture will be readjusted. Our
present antiuuated systam ne toxo