The Bulletin 9 



J^;iter, with au influx of settlers, the agriculture was broadeued. The 

 individual plantation of the western settlers of the county comprised a 

 larger acreage than those of the eastern settlers, thereby giving those 

 settlers a better opportunity to diversify their crops. The large open 

 "prairies" or glades in the western part of the county were covered 

 with a luxuriant growth of grasses which afforded excellent and exten- 

 sive pastures for cattle and sheep. These were driven in large droves 

 to Columbia and Fayettville and sold. 



Until a few years before the Civil War the growing of corn, small 

 grains, and various home supplies continued to increase wdth the in- 

 flux of new settlers. Practically no cotton was produced in the eastern 

 half of the county prior to the war, but a considerable acreage was de- 

 voted to that crop throughout the western part of the county. The 

 growing of cotton, however, lessened the surplus product of the corn 

 and grains, and in some instances it was necessary to import some of 

 these articles into the cotton belt. The live-stock interests declined as 

 cotton assumed more importance. 



According to the census for 1860 Cabarrus County produced about 

 124,000 bushels of wheat, 368,000 bushels of corn, 33,000 bushels of oats, 

 about 5,000 bales of cotton, about 5,000 tons of hay, and 6,000 bushels 

 of peas, together Avith a large quantity of sweet and Irish potatoes, 

 some rye, and a large number of live stock. Until 1880 there was prac- 

 tically no change in the production of corn, wdiile the quantity of oats 

 grown was almost double that of 1860, and the amount of cotton had 

 increased to 7,500 bales. The quantity of wdieat produced decreased 

 considerably, as only 84,000 bushels were reported in 1880. Following 

 the war many of the large plantations w-ere divided or small tracts sold 

 off and consequently the size of individual holdings of land had greatly 

 diminished. This tendency continued until 1900, Avhen the average size 

 farm in Cabarrus County was about 102 acres. By 1900 the amount 

 of cotton produced in the county had increased to 8,000 bales and wheat 

 to 127,000 bushels, but the production of corn had diniiiii^hod to 284.- 

 000 bushels. The quantity of oats produced remained ))i-actlcally the 

 same as in 1880. During the period from 1890 to 1900 agriculture was 

 being carried on upon a more scientific basis and a much greater variety 

 of products were grown. A small acreage was devoted to the production 

 of clover, millet, tame grasses, and forage crojis, while tlie valui- .»t 

 vegetable and orchard products greatly increased. 



At the present time cotton is the important money crop. Too much 

 attention is being paid to its production in proportion to the other 

 crops grown. While it is Avell to grow this money crop, the present 

 production could well be secured form a smaller acreage, thereby giving 

 a larger acreage to other crops, providing an opportunity for greater 

 diversification and promoting more scientific. methods of soil manage- 

 ment. 



