The Lancaster news. (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, June 27, 1906, Page 7, Image 7
forage.
Fallowing is nowhere practiced,
and the benefit derived from
the rotation of crops is unappreciated.
Cotton and corn occasionally
follow each other. On the
Norfolk sand crop rotation is
even more necessary than on the
heavier soils, and the following
excellent three-year system has
given very satisfactory results j
to the few leadings furmprn wKnl
have practiced it: First year,
oats and cowpeas ; second year,
corn; and third year, cotton.
The oats, maturing in .June, are
followed by the cowpeas, which
are harvested in {September and
October, and the roots turned
under. Stable manure, which
has been composted with pine
straw, is spread along with the
oats. Not much stable manure
is used, however, as stock raising
plays no part in the agricultural
interests of the couuty. Commercial
fertilizers are extensive^
ly used, the Twelfth Census
showing $70,380 expended for
this purpose in the county in the
year 1899.
No subsoiling is carried on,
though in other localities the
T66Uits irom that practice have
been beneficial. Plowing to the
same depth each year explains
in part why the heavier types of
soil are rendered so compact, and
why, as a consequence, they suf
fer so materially from drought.
Such soils require deeper plowing
to secure more thorough
aeration and to aid 111 the conservation
of moisture. An application
of lime would tend to
improve the structure of the Cecil
clay by rendering the particles
less cohesive. It is claimed
ha the expense attendant upon
fa' i'owmijc does not warrant its
t?ei ** -**? *od on, Bince the soils,
in consequence of the winter
rains, are about as compact in
-1- spring as they ordinarily
^ be without fall plowing.
AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS.
Although the soils and climatic
conditions are identical with
'hose found in other highly de^eloped
sections of the Piedmont
Plateau, agriculture in Lancaster
County is backward and is
unquestio* ably retarded by the
system o^ifarming practiced. The
large acreage devoted to certain
crops is out of proportion to the
amount of labor employed and
cultivation given. A larire number
of farms are rented to those
who hava no personal interest in
them, aside from the (jirect returns
obtained therefrom. The
Twelfth Census shows the total
area in farms to tie *271,.'{Id acres,
of which 110,117 acres are im^
proved. Only about 2t? per cent
of the farms are operated bv the
owners.
Wlnle most of the landowners |
who work their own farms are
progressive and prosperous, the
tenants as a class are not in a very j
enviable condition. This is evi- j
deuced by the lack of. comforts
and conveniences which charao
ti/.es their homes. This condition
I
is in great part the re-n't ot tf o
) lien system which prevails to a'
large extent within the area As
ii rnlu fho fonunfo litum
I no ca* "*al to carry on their work.
Theft.mlt is that in order to
snpp themselves an 1 their
fari>i.? jb while the crop is beio^ ,
cultivated, the merchant or land
!
owner is allowed to take a mort :
gage on the crop or part ol it, i
and it frequently happens tha*
the value i?f one third, tim e
fourths, or even of the whole cr ol
is consumed before :t i h i v
ested 1 e a v i n e nothing with'
winch to commence the next |
year's' work. This system is very i
'
i
unfortunate. Ah a natural conse- A
quence, the maintenance of soil ^
productivity is a minor consider- "
ation, and statistics show that
the lands thus utilized on most
of the tenauted farms are steadily
deteriorating in productiveness.
Several different systems of
tenure prevail in the area, the
share system being the most
popular. In this case the landowner
furnishes the stock, implements,
and half the fertilizers,
and the tenant furnishes the
labor; and equal division
of the crops being made.
In some instances a specific rental
is preferred,whereby a certain
amount of cotton is taken by the
landowner for rent of each "onehorse"
farm?in other words,
from one to two bales for as
much laud as can be cultivated
with a single horse, which is
huuui ,-tu acres. $
The average farm containa
about 1)0 acres, but this average
ia considerably lowered when the
amall tracts tenanted by the negroes
are taken into consideration.
Many plantations comprise
1,000 acres or more. The farm
values range from $2 or $3 an
acre in the more inaccessible
parts of the county to $25 or
more near the towns, the average
for improved land for the county
at largo being something over $14
an acre.
The farmers of Lancaster
County have no troublesome labor
questions to deal with as yet.
Field handp, usually colored, are
available during all the seasons
of the year. They receive while
working by the month from $8 to
$15, and 50 cents a day when
a ? -- ~i?* -- j
cuipiuj i ui niiuriur periuuH.
During thecotton-picking season
hands are paid according to the
amount picked, the price ranging
from 40 to 50 cents per hundred
pounds.
The interests of the farmers
are largely absorbed in the cultivation
of cotton. According to
the Twelfth Census, 40,646 acres
were devoted to this purpose in
the county. Corn is the next most
extensive crop, the acreage for
1800, the latest available exact
figures, being 33,050.Oats, wheat,
peas, and truck, in the order
named, are cultivated to a less
dpgree. Small patches of sorghnm
are seen on many of the farms,
the sirup made being used for
domestic purposes. In the southeastern
part of the county the
sandier soils around lleath
Springs and Kershaw are ernin
eiiuy adapted to melons, which
are grown to a considerable extent.
None arc shipped, however,
ttie home market receiving tin
greater part of the supply. 1 here
are a few orchaads, 1 >111 very li'~
tie i-i done toward keeping them
in g.xnl condition. There is every
reason to believe that the growingot'
fruits, such as poaches,
pears, and plums, would tie at
tended with great success. Roi ^
th-se crops the sandier koi h i ^
would prove better than the ^
heavier types. I ?
It is rather singular that o j ,m
little attention is given to the gl,
production of vegetables for je,
home consumption. I'here are to -n
be found on almost every farm fal
suitable soils for tiie cultivation |},(
of garden truck, which would ' cr(
help the farmer not only to >"e- J RC
duce his living expenses to a I ??
mini mum, but would furnish a i Qll
greater diversity id <lief for hiiu? 3ll(
s?11 and bis family, yet theiejtt'
is a marked lack of interest ,n | '
ilie j?r'"iin"nou in mo-H nec-^iH ""
Ml
r! M?I#
CM
Since Rti?okraipinn in not follow a.;
eii in tliia county, hik! uilequate j th
I
I Trejc
THAT IT li
PARENTS TC
CHILDREN v
|T\ CREDIT UP
Vhf?X AS V/ELL /
I k J$ CHILDREN|/M7
B w
The mother and father v
dren well seem unworthy ir
and they haven't many frie
kind enough to give you
do you not owe it to them 1
appear well ? Of course w
clothes. For every-day w<
knitted out of steel wire, :
iron and knee pants and sl
ship armor plate?if we coi
next best thing and in orde
for everyday wear we get t
?and cheap, 75c to 5.00.
wish for your little Buster
you? A nice 2.50 suit will
In men's mid summer li
have a very full line and tl
For 4.00 we can fit you in
better grades from 4.00 to
bargain counter a big job 11
and see these?the price v
line ol sample hats going
to see us for any of your w
hi nosier 11
I
1
tnunal elements can not ho east direction,
pplied from this source, the I( *cil line sand,
;ume til 11 ht he chiefly upon as equally well hi
, . . I here is lit t
economical soil renovator. 1 he (l ... ,7 .. ..
i however, lor .
rmers are gradually realizing I ()t (>rons a.
a beneficial results of sucliiol 1,monster (t
?ps. and a more extensive likely continue
reage is beinir devote<l to i h( ir !" ' h-1: t ci o: . .
t - Jl i i i -. . t
. . . . . il II l >! c I l-I J I > V I II
ltivation. It can not be pointed , ^ |
t too clearly how in valuable} j|,n <>ro'itor iii
cli crop" are in almost ail xiic- Ur;ovvn in ilie
>n? ot the South, not only lit < R >c.Uh: .1. ?*i (
pp!\ ing plant fot d to the *oiI, tin- mm !ue.
i ?l-o i :j improving lta phyai I I* <ir. v torn!
I Htructnre In addition to h. i all rih-d bv tn
wpea, alf ili a Ion been growi vhich niter th
th Huecea* in other localitter on err. Hub ad :
e Cecil Handy loam, ami the county in a iioi
i
)lveb 1
> the dutyor 1
> dress theif- |
\/elu.it reflects! _ '
ON THE P/1RENT3 <
?|S ON THE
TER PROVry. ^stfeSSR
* B^ownCo C'hicmeo. 7lf^)ufejA No.l'.t.
vho neglect to dress their chil1
the eyes of their neighbors
nds. When nature has been
bright and beautiful little ones
to do your part and make them
e know little boys are hard on
tar we would have stockings
shirtwaists made of galvanized
lits manufactured from battleaid,
but we can't. We do the
iring our stock of boys' goods 5
he best wearing stuff possible J
When Sunday comes you
Browns to appear well, don't |i
cost you only 2.00.
ght weight two-piece suits we
he prices are in reach of all.
a nice suit, and have them in
1 o 00. We h ave put on our
1 ladies' hue shoes. Come in 8
vii 1 astonish you. Also a hi^
at most any old price. Come
ants.
l>h>nnii through I <ho kuvh < ! 1. uica-lt r ; tin* Seav
i :n would be board Air Line niton eels the
1 j pled to it. j p ton it 1 le in I lie exf r nio n > r t file
encouragement, vv?-stern t-?rt, tnurhiat? the vi 1 i
wider liitrodur ll-igi-s of \' niwy.k and Oseola ;
ilupted fo the col It* pv hi If* th?? Lancaster and 1 hf>'er
niutv. C'o i ton will Rnln-ad offers a moans of t:- Ific
to be the ail-irn j h- tw -en I he towns nt Lancaster
\ l?i m * market iRland Chester. The eastern I? -?' <1
* ' ?* i >.*?? innl situat | the county is Hinncv\ hal at :i tli-r.
which con-ume . v ... t:; a< r uai\i> : i ..:. r ,1
i t i tin* ?:<>iti?u 1t ion, aiice mo railroads traverse
roiiMtv, <'11 ?.r ' that section.
> ttnden i".tMv 111 ^ I I... p111.'ic highways i- t
v- v "i isfm't .rv. Several years
transport 'Moo i^ a ; >'?.c. we to w irked by convictthree
railroads t labor, but the farmer - are now
? urea The S uith require ! to do thi< work, and the
uo' t ? r m:'i t he j roads a re not ho good as former11
u west a ml south -1 I v
r