The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1841-02-03

Iments and improvements that indicate
wealthy and prosperous community woul
meet his eye. And if, by one of thos
great political revolutions which over
whelmed the ancient Greeks and Romans
our race should be merged in race 0
conquerors, and our name only descend
to posterity, what classic memorial, wha
substantial monument would bear testimo
ny that this "delightful region of the sun
had been once inhabited by a civilized
and enlightened people, eminently distin
guished for their industry, their wealth
and the freedom of their institutions?
In thus urging more provident regard
to the future in our general economy, il
will be perceived that l have still kept in
view the important object of diminishing
the aggregate cotton crop of the country
by giving a more useful direction to por.
ton of the capital and labor devoted toe
exclusively to its production. 1t will also
be perceived that have made no disclo-
sure or recommendation of any improve
ment by which large cotton crops may be
made. I have Intentionally abstained
from any suggestion of this kind, believing
that every one may be safely left to his
own impulses and his own resources on
this point, and regarding over-production
as one of the greatest evils to which the
cotton planting interest is exposed. In
deed, if l could now reveal a process by
which our'common soils could be made
to produce two bales of cotton to the acre;
should have great doubt whether the
revolution would be a blessing or curse
to that great interest. | am aware that
as I have obtained some reputation for
making large cotton crops, it may be sup.
posed that l preach one doctrine and
another. But such supposition
would do me injustice. With the largest
cotton crop ever made-that of 1880
combined all the other branches of econ
omy I have here recommended. l have
now surplus of 1900 bushels of corn
made that year, hogs sufficient 10 supply
my wants, that have been fat enough to
slaughter since July, and very large
stocks of cattle and of sheep, the latter of
which supply all the wool required for the
winter clothing of my negroes; and a
stock of young horses and colts fully ade-
quate to meet the exigencies Of my plan
tation. After making due provision for
all these objects, it is of course the true
interest of every planter to make as large
a cotton crop as he can without over
working his operatives. In doing this,
however, he should never lose sight Of
the great object of improving the produc-
tive power of his estate, instead of ex-
hausting it.
To this end, it should be his constant ef-
fort by manuring and resting the soil, and
by superior cultivation, to produce given
result from the smallest possible number
of acres. 1t is scarcely possible to over
estimate the value of this rule in the ac-
tual condition of the old planting States.
Every resource for making manure should,
therefore, be improved to the uttermost,
without begrudging the necessary labor
and attention. No labor exerted on the
plantation is half so well rewarded. Every
description of stock should be regularly
penned every night in yards constantly
covered with straw, leaves or other litter.
The quantity of manure that can be thus
maue in year is quite inconceivable to
those who have not made the experiment.
Corn should be habitually planted in old
land, of quality least adapted to cotton,
and every hill should be thoroughly ma
nured, scrupulously avoiding the misera-
bic economy too often witnessed, of los
ing one half its utility, to save the incon-
siderable labor required to apply it pro-
perly. l can bear personal testimony that
by these means the crop per acre can be
invariably doubled on soils originally
strong. My corn is principally produced
on level lands that were considered to be
exhausted when they came into my pos
session, and yet by thorough and careful
1 have reduced the number of
acres cultivated in corn fully one half,
making more certain and abundant crops
than I did before with double the number
of acres and more than double the labor
Of cultivation. All the manure not re-
uuired for the corn crop, should be applied
to the most exhausted of the cotton lands,
and it should be made an invariable rule,
both in regard to corn and cotton, to list
j., .nd buru all the stalks and vegetable