Pulaski County GaArchives History .....Agricultural Products 1853 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 July 28, 2004, 11:12 am AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS OF PULASKI COUNTY IN 1853 Pulaski County has always been an agricultural county, and more than likely will remain so. For the past few years the lumber industry has boosted the resources almost as much as the agricultural crops. Lately, however, the lumber industry is dwindling while the production of crops is increasing. Pulaski is producing a greater variety with greater production than ever. Below are some statistics taken from the Pulaski Times in 1853, showing the crops that were produced that year in Pulaski. At that time Pulaski p. 64 County was much larger in size than at the present time, other counties having been made and cut from Pulaski's area. Number of plantations 290 Number of acres in cotton 21,016 Number of bales of cotton raised 6,783 Number of acres in corn 24,811 Average number of bushels per acre 11 1/2 The above statistics show the crops that were produced in 1853, which consisted of corn and cotton only. Since that date, new crops have been added and have increased Pulaski's resources to many hundreds of thousands of dollars. There are over twenty-five thousand pecan trees in the county, many thousand peach, pear, and numerous other fruit and nut trees. A new variety of sweet potato, the Big Stem Jersey, has been introduced into the county, and now several hundred acres are being planted for early market to be shipped north. Several hundred cars of watermelons and many truckloads of cantaloupes are shipped annually. Practically every farm produces some hogs, and some farms are producing a surplus. Each year ten to fifteen cars of hogs are shipped away to market. Over three hundred farms have at least some pure-bred poultry on them, and each year the number of pure breeds is increasing. At least three carlot sales are held each year to dispose of the surplus poultry on the farms. For the past few years there have been sixty to seventy farms producing sour cream which have realized a profit from this source. Pure-bred cows are proving to be more profitable and are taking the place of the scrub, which has been here so long. Peanuts have been gaining in popularity until now there are around five thousand acres planted in this crop, bringing in an annual income of over one hundred thousand dollars. Our soils are adapted to almost all kinds of crops, and the seasons are such that we can produce truck crops and get them on the market when prices are most attractive. The Florida crops come on before our crops, and by the time their crops are off our crops are ready to go to market. We then have the markets north of us to ship to, and Florida south of us will take all we can produce. The crops that are proving most profitable are onions, Irish potatoes, snap beans, lima beans, asparagus, spinach, and cabbage. Diversification and soil improvement have taken hold in Pulaski, and now hundreds of acres of soy beans, velvet beans, peas, vetch, and other clovers are covering the land and making it more fertile each year. p. 65 The following is a Summary of Soil Survey of Pulaski County, by A. H. Meyer, in cooperation with the State College of Agriculture, showing its adaptability to diversification. Pulaski County is situated in the south-central part of the State of Georgia, in the Coastal Plain region. It has an area of 258 square miles, or 165,120 acres. The topography prevailing is gently rolling to rolling. The county is drained by the 0cmulgee River. The general direction of stream flow is to the south, and in general the drainage is fairly good. Pulaski County was organized in 1808. The first settlers came from North Carolina and older settlements to the north. Hawkinsville, county seat, is located in the north-central part of the county. It is the largest town, with a population in 1910 of 3,420. The railroad facilities in Pulaski County are only fair. There are no main railroad lines, but several branch lines traverse it. A good system of public roads has been developed. The climate is warm and equable. The annual precipitation averages 46.31 inches, and the mean annual temperature is 64.2 degrees. The normal growing season is 235 days in length. Corn and cotton are the principal crops. The production of pork and beef is becoming more important. Crop rotation receives a little attention, but the adaptation of soils to crops is scarcely taken into consideration. Excluding swamp, fifteen soil types, representing nine series, are recognized in Pulaski County. The Norfolk sandy loam is the most extensive type. It is devoted principally to the production of cotton and corn. The Norfolk loamy sand is an important soil, largely under cultivation to the staple crops. The Norfolk sand is very inextensive. It is a poor soil and scarcely any of it is under cultivation. The Ruston sandy loam, the second most extensive type, is considered a moderately good soil. It is largely devoted to cotton and corn. The Ruston loamy sand occurs in a number of small areas scattered throughout the county. Corn and cotton are the chief crops. The Orangeburg sandy loam is a gray soil, with a red, friable sandy clay subsoil. It is well suited to cotton and corn, to which it is largely devoted. The Greenville clay loam is the heaviest of the upland soils. It is well suited to cotton, corn and small grains. The Greenville loam appears to be the most productive soil in p. 66 Pulaski County. It is characterized by a dark red surface soil. Cotton, corn, and oats give good yields. The Greenville sandy loam is well adapted to general farming. It is fairly easy to handle, and can he worked into a state of high productiveness. Cotton and corn are the principal crops grown. The Susquehanna sandy loam usually occurs on stream slopes. Most of the type is under cultivation, but yields are not as high as on the Norfolk sandy loam. The Plummer sandy loam is a low-lying, poorly drained soil, occurring along practically all the drainage ways. It is not farmed, and cannot be, until reclaimed by drainage ditches. The Grady clay loam occurs in sinkholes and other depressions, and is poorly drained. Little of the type is cultivated. The Kalmia fine sandy loam is an alluvial soil occupying narrow stream terraces. Most of the type is sufficiently well drained for use as farm land, but not more than 15 or 20 per cent is under cultivation. The Congaree silty clay loam occupies the first bottoms along the Ocmulgee River. It is poorly drained, and none of it is under cultivation. Swamp comprises the low, wet bottoms along stream courses. It is frequently overflowed and cannot be farmed in its present condition. Pulaski County is making a bid for recognition of its marvelous possibilities agriculturally. Additional Comments: Extracted from "HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY GEORGIA" OFFICIAL HISTORY COMPILED BY THE HAWKINSVILLE CHAPTER DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION PRESS OF WALTER W. BROWN PUBLISHING COMPANY ATLANTA, GEORGIA File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/pulaski/history/other/gms82agricult.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 7.7 Kb