The Southern States, March, 1894: An illustrated monthly magazine devoted to the SouthVarious
History
The Southern States, March, 1894: An illustrated monthly magazine devoted to the South
Various
Agriculture -- Southern States -- Periodicals; Southern States -- Industries -- Periodicals; Southern States -- Periodicals
“We contend that the South is the most promising section in the Union
for enterprising farmers who will conduct their business in the right
way. The Northern and Western farmers are beginning to see this. They
are coming to the conclusion that it is short-sighted policy for them
to purchase land at $100 or more per acre when they can buy plenty of
good farming land in the South at from $5 to $25 per acre. A Northern
farmer needs at least forty acres, and this will cost him in his own
section $4000. This sum would buy him at $25 per acre a Southern farm
of 160 acres, but he can easily find good land at much lower figures.
Indeed, with $1500 or $2000 a farm of 150 or 200 acres can be purchased
in a productive region. The Northern farmer who comes South and sticks
to his diversified crop plan will keep out of debt and make money
from the start. He will find, too, that he will enjoy here the same
conveniences, facilities, institutions and society that he has always
been accustomed to at home. He will suffer none of the drawbacks
of moving to a new country among strangers. Our people are native
Americans--98 per cent. of them--and the Americans from other sections
who come here easily assimilate with them, and there is no sectional
prejudice to make it unpleasant for strangers. When an immigrant makes
it apparent that he is a good citizen his Southern neighbors readily
extend the right hand of fellowship without asking him where he hails
from.”
* * * * *
Here is the opinion of an editor who moved from Nebraska to Tennessee
and is now editing the Advance of Harriman:
We came South from a State as fair as any under the sun. In some
respects it is unequalled by any land we have ever seen. But that is
not what makes a country desirable for a life-long, all-the-year-round
residence.
With all the desirable qualities of Nebraska, and there is no Northern
State that can excel or even equal it, there are some disadvantages
that render it more than a hundred per cent. inferior to this country.
In the first place, there are no minerals, no timber, and,
consequently, no manufacturing to supply a home market for produce. All
surplus grain must go to a foreign market, and the distance and freight
are so great, as to leave but very little for the farmer. Corn more
frequently sells for less than twenty-five cents a bushel than it does
for more than that, or even that figure.
Then the long winters and severe blizzards. We know what they are, for
we battled with them for a good number of years, and are in a position
to judge between the climate of that country and this.
Concerning the outlook for farming in this country, we are convinced of
two facts.
The first is, that the same kind of farming given to this Southern soil
that is given to the the land in the North will result in just as good
crops. Of this we have no doubt whatever.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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