Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-03-10
AGRICULTURAL.
IINW Ut 'lVH7W v 2 - 10 "
Manage meat of Negroes.

| Fran he .Soeshsin CRi ica'or.
Manage Eient of Negroes.
Mr.. Editor,-As the proper manage
ment Of our negroes is a subject not second
in importance to any discussed inyour col
umns | hope it viii not be deemed amiss
if, in giving my views, enter somewhat
into detail. That on some points shall
be found to differ i'll opinion from some of
your readers and correspondents, is to be
expected. / shall not, however, object to
any ones expressing his dissent, provided
il be done in the spirit of kindness.
Our first obligation is undoubtedly to
provide them with suitable food and cloth
ing. Here the question arises-What is
sufficient food! For as there is a differ
cnce in practice, there must be also in
opinion among owners. The most COM
mon pratice is to allow each hand that la
hors, whether man woman or child, (ior a
boy or girl ten years old or over, who Is
healthy, and growing rapidly, will eat
quite as much as full grown man or wo-
man, 81 lbs bacon, il middliug, or lbs.,
il shoulder, per week, and bread at viii; or
If falowanccd Ill this also, peck Of meal IS
usually thought sufficient. With plenty Of
vegetables, this allowanceisq quite sufficient;
but if confined to meat and bread, negroes
who work hard viii cat peck and half
Of meal per week.
As live on my flrn~and occasionally
inspect the cooking for the negroes, | see
that they have enough, but nothing to
waste; and | speak from personal obser-
vation, when state, that if without vcge-
tables, they viii eat this quantity.
With very little trouble we can always,
during spring and summer, have plenty OF
cabbage, kalc or mustard for greens, also
squashes, Irish potatoes, and beans III
talland winter rsweetpotatoes turnrs pump
kins and peas. believe the-c is no labor
devoted TO provision crop, that pays equal
to that bestowed on a plain kitchen gar
den. As there is no vegetable Of which
negroes are more fond than ofthe common
field pea, 1t is well to save enough Of them
IN the fall to have them frequently during
the spring and summer. They are very
nutritious; and if cooked perfectly done,
and wcll seasoned with red pepper, are
quite healthy. If occasionally a little mo-
lasses be added to the allowances the cost
win be but tnAe, while the negro will es-
TEEN it as a great luxury. As most per-
sons feel great reluctance at paying out
money for little luxnries for negroes,
would suggest the propriety Of sowing a
small patch of wheat for their benefit
The time and labor viii never be missed.
Many persons are in the habit Of giving out
the allowance to their negroes once
a week, and requiring them to do their own
cooking. This plan is objectionable on
various accounts. Unless better provided
for taking care Of their provisions than is
common among negroes, some viii steal
the meat from others, and the loser is com
PEELED, forthe remainder Of the week, tolive
on bread, or the master must give him an
additional allowance. The master can not
expect full work from one who is but par
tally fed; while on the other hand, If he
will give the loser an additional supply.
the negroes soon learn to impose upon his
kindness, by being intentionally careless,
or by trading off their meat and pretending
it has been stolen. Another objection is
that some are improvidcnt, and will get
through with their whole allowance of
neat before the week is gone, and conse-
quently are a part Of their time without
any.
To making the negroes do their own
cooking the objections are still more weigh
~. 1t encroaches upon the rest they
should have both at noon and at night
The cooking being done in hurry is bad
| ly done; being usually burnt outside while
it is raw within; and consequently is un-
healthy. However abundant may be their
supply of vegetables, the hands have no
time to cook them, and consequently are
badly fed, and have not the strength 20 do
as much labor as they could otherwiseper-
form with comfort.
The plan pursued by the writer is, to
weigh out a certain amount of meat for
each day; a portion Of which is given to
the cook every morning, to be boiled for
dinner, and with it are cooked as many
vegetables and as much bread as the ne
groes viii eat; all Of which is usually divi-
ded among them BY the Foreman. In the
| evening enough Is cooked for both supper
and breakfast; so that by the time we have
done feeding stock, supper is ready, and
the hands'ha only to eat and they are
ready for bed. When the nights are long
the Neat for supper and breakfast is some
times divided without cooking. In addi-
tion tothe above, the negroes, during spring
and summer, usually get plenty Of milk
once day, During fall and winter the
quantity Of milk is more limited, and what
molasses they get, they are made to asiA BY
| picking cotton.
To makeone negro cook for all is saving
of time. If there be but ten hands, and
these are allowed two hours at noon, one
Of whichis employed in cooking their DIM
ner, for all purposes of rest that hour had
as well be spent IN ploughing or hoeing;
and would be equal to ten hours work Of
one hand: whereas the fourth Of that time
would be sufficient for ono to cook for all.
As there are usually n number of negro
children to be taken cure OF, the cook can
attend to these, and see that the nurses do
their duty. I would add that besides oc-
casioual personal inspection, 1t is made OBJ
lgatory on the Overseer, feqnentlv to ex-
anime the cooking, and see that it Is pro
perly done.
One OF your correspondents has endeav-
ored 70 prove that lean meat is more nutri-
1ous than fat. It Is, however, a well
known fact that the more exhausting the
iahs- tb, f,.+a- II q. mo-, ,,.L;ol IL ,,,-,