In the woods the grass grows during summer from one to one and one-half feet high, and makes a splendid pasture, especially for six months, commencing in April. The cattle, sheep and hogs are never fed. At this time of the year all are poor, but in May both cattle and sheep are in good order. By having some winter pastures to keep the cattle fat for winter market the beeves would bring fancy prices in the home market. There is plenty of good beef here in summer; in winter our beef comes from the West (cold storage) and costs by the quarter eight cents per pound.
We sow oats from September to February; I pasture mine some in winter, but there are a number of grasses that make here a good winter pasture. Alfalfa is being grown with success in some portions of this State; no doubt would do well here. These cattle, sheep and hogs on the range have never been improved by crossing with improved breeds; the rule has been to leave every tenth male for breeding purposes. By crossing the native ewes with some of the improved breeds, and feeding some on pasturing in winter, lambs could be put into Northern markets much earlier than from the States farther North. These cattle and sheep are all gotten up at a certain time for shearing and marking, when those for market are sold to buyers who ship them to the cities to sell to butchers. Some of the stock is never seen by the owners. The young are marked with the mark of its mother, the fleece of wool tied up and marked, the owner notified, he pays for sheering and gets it. All land not fenced is range and free to all. One might own 1000 head of cattle and not own an acre of land. Hogs live and grow on range but do much better when fed some; those near river get fat from acorns.
Building material is cheap. Kiln-dried and dressed flooring and ceiling from $8.00 to $12.00 per M feet; No. 1 Brick at kiln $5.00 per M.
Butter is worth thirty cents per pound, eggs fifteen cents per dozen, sweet milk ten cents per quart, buttermilk five cents per quart.
A number of parties from Ohio came to this section last February; some bought when they came, others bought this winter; all remained. They say they do not feel the heat any more than in Ohio, as we have more breeze and the nights are pleasant. Sunstrokes are unknown. A few days ago a party from Ohio bought 300 acres of land one and one-half miles from Abbeville, thirty acres of which is cleared, all salable timber cut from the balance, but enough for farm purposes on the land; buildings worth $150; no orchard; 250 acres fair pine lands, fifty acres of but little value, price paid $1600; $1150 cash, $450 in twelve months. The buyer intends going into the dairy business; also fruit and improved stock. Lands can be bought at from $2.00 to $10.00 per acre, according to distance from railway, improvements, etc., and my experience is a better profit can be made farming from an acre here than from an acre in the Northern States, where their lands are valued at from $50.00 to $75.00 per acre. Taxes are about fifty cents on values of $100. Near rivers, ponds, etc., are subject to some fevers. I have lived here for past twelve years; have not had case of fever among my family or hands on the place.
We have no sand flies nor mosquitoes, except near ponds and water courses there are mosquitoes. We are not subject to tornadoes or cyclones as in some parts of the West. Our labor is mixed, mostly negroes. Farm hands are paid from $8.00 to $12.00 per month and rations. A ration consists of four pounds of bacon and one peck meal for six day’s work. Where it is white labor they are boarded in the family of the farmers. The negroes here are strong competitors in many of the trades, especially carpenters, blacksmiths and painters; also masons. Our climate is so mild that it is not necessary for comfort for a house to be plastered or ceiled inside; very few farmers’ houses are; neither is so expensive clothing required as in the North. On the nights of the fifth and sixth instant we had very little ice on shallow water on the ground; those were the coldest nights this winter. I have seen snow a few times in last twelve years; have seen none this winter. Ploughs can run all winter. A few peach trees are in bloom now (February 14th). There are no government or State land to homestead or for sale in this State, but plenty of lands for sale either unimproved or improved. We cultivate too much land here; we should cultivate less and work and fertilize better.
The people are anxious for Northern farmers to come and settle here and will render home seekers any service in their power, furnish them stock to ride or drive and take care of them whilst they are procuring locations, etc. I would not advise anyone without some capital to come; anyone coming should come with the expectation of working for himself and not for others. I notice that the Big Four and St. Louis Railway are selling round-trip tickets to points in Georgia, good for twenty days, for one fare. These tickets are issued for March 8th and April 9th.