Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-06-22
To the Sugar Planters.

| Messrs. Editors In short trip made up
the coast on Bayou Sara packet, few days
since, was quite surprised to notice the large
quantity of corn, flour, pork, bacon, and even
boxes of preserves, ETC., landed at almost every
plantation at which we stopped. On inquiry, I
learned that for some weeks past the boat had
taken up an average Of 1000 bags of corn per
trip, making two trips per week. The fact led
/ to reflections upon the bad and ruinous policy
on the part Of our planters, of purchasing such
articles as they can just as well produce them
selves. ! asked an intelligent planter on board,
why he purchased corn? His reply was, that
he could buy it cheaper than he could raise it.
What fallacy, and what short sighted policy!
contend, that could they purchase these ar
ticles at one-third their present prices, they
would still be gamers in the end by producing
them themselves, instead Of buying them. We
all know that the price of an article is governed
by the comparative amount of supply to de-
mand, all other contingencies being equal. If
the former exceed the latter, prices must be
low--if the contrary, they are high in proper
ton to deficiency. We need no other proof Of
this fact than our present experience in cotton,
the article having gone to q much higher point
than at any time within the last ten years, in
consequence Of short crop, and at the same
shortscrop will exceed, by millions that of any
example. This is not theory unsustained by
facts; on the contrary, every days experience
must satisfy the most superficial observer oft
correctness. assume, then, the position, that
if our sugar planters will diversity their, labor,
Withdrawing say 20 per cent. of their force from
the cane fields, and apply It to the production
of such articles Of provisions ETC., as are of in
dispensable use, and even luxuries, such As
fruits, etc., the whole product of the labor Of
this 20 per cent. of his force, will be so much
clear gain to them at the end Of the year.
Prove this, says the planter. That, think, 10
very easy, upon the premises laid down. S. ~
We will consider the crop of 1649 to be
csc, 900 hogsheads of sugar, and the average
price to the planter think it fair to estimate at
cents. 1t is assumed to be fair average
crop. Suppose one-iifth Of the force required
to produce this crop had been diverted into
other channels, thereby reducing II to 100000
hogsheads, is there planter in this State that
would not have cried ont, 'shoft crop" and held
back for high prices! Is there one Of them that
would not have insisted upon obtaining 1t least
one cent per pound more for his sugar, in con-
sequence? Not one oS And they would also
have obtained il, thereby getting per cent.
more than the reduction Of their force in its
cultivation amounted to, and save themselves
from the necessity Of purchasing large amount
Of provisions, iuxuries, etc.
This IL not all. A planter who raises his
own provisions of every kind, can feed with less
expense his negroes, and feed them better, Civ
ing them change of food, thereby insuing
better health and more ability to perform their
tasks, than those fed simply upon pork and
bacon.-New Orleans Bulletin. a-e@s ef'