The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-12-05
AGRICULTURAL.
THECosT OF RAISING COTTON.

9S"h PefusSh VI your, paper, that you
do not desire to circulate erroneous iufor-
nation, / take the liberty of correcting
very iucrorect staetment which appeared
in your tri-weekly issue ofthe 2sth ultimo,
in a communication headed "The Gulf
States of our Union and the Valley of the
Mississippi" The misstatemeut, doubtless
an unintentional one, occurs in the follow,
ing paragraph:
"The cost of raising cotton is four cents
pound; one bale of five hundred pounds
to the acre is considered fair crop. A
twenty acre field yielding twenty bales
or ten thousand pounds, at eight cents
pound, only yields profit of four huud-
ned dollars.t
The true state of the case can lest be
reached by taking the case ofan improved
plantation of the most available size and
with proper number Of slaves upon it,
and making the estimates from that basis
This is most favor able way of making
tae estimate to exhibit the largest profit;
for it is well known to every experience
planter and how dearly some have purchas-
ed their experienced tn { the expenses
incident to the opening and improving Of
a Plantation for several years after the
Undertaking is begun, eat mp all tho
profits and often leave load ofdebt behind
sometimes forcing a sale Of the whole
property, which thus leaves the hands of
the original proprietor to fall into those Of
some wiser man who has eschewed the
toll and hazard Of opening new piece.
A plantation of sixteen hundred acres
one thousand ofmhich is cleared land, and
has the necessary cabins and other build
ings necessary for carrying on place cf
that size, is worth from forty to sixty
dollars per acre, according to locality.
Estimating its value at the lowest rate, cav
$40 per aero, and it makes $64, 600
10 work this place to advantage-that is,
to cultivate seven hundred and fifty acres
In cotton and two hundred and fifty in
corn, peas, potatoes, &c-will REQUIRE a
force OF rs effective hands, which, with the
young and old, who do not go to the field
or work who would ordinarily be united
ted to the IS hands, would costitute
about $50 or l40 slaves on the placs
would be worth obout SIS, 900; SO mules
mules worth $3.50 each, would make
S6, 400 more; 100 head Of cattle may I've
estimated at 81, l,2oo;soo hogs may be
estimated at 500; IL yorke OF smith and
carpenters tools, and all the other necas.
saries, including gin stands, mill, &c, NAV
be estimated (and It is an under estimate>
ut $4,000; SO that any one, by simply
adding these different amounts, will see
that the entire value Of such place as
have supposed wi 'be about $40 900: and
this upon the supposition that the place is
worked without steam engine to gin
the cotton with.
Such place, with favorable seasons,
will make ten bales to the hand. or abou,
one bales to the acre, and sometimes when
everything is prosperous, an early spring
and a late dry fall, as many as twelve
bales to the hand, and in some very exta-
ordinary instances even as high as fifteen
bales have been gathered. But on a,
average OF ten seasons every experienced
planter will agree that eight bales to tho
hand Is an outside estimate, making q
crop Of about six hundred bales; and taking
cents as the average price per pound.
which for swamp cotton is again a full
estimate. and the gross income for
single bale Of 400 pounds, which is the
well-known uniform weight, will be sa2.
exclusive oethe cost Of shipping, and soil
ing the crop which amounts To at least
" 5oper bale in every case, and where
the place is distant from maket nearer
twice that; leaving say a nett income of
Of about $4,000. From this must now
be deducted the cost of cultiyating the
place, overseer's wages, feeding, clothing,
and doctoring the negroes, supplying wear
and tear Of tools, and. losses Of muels and
stock, altogether, on place OF the size
have named, net failing short Of SO, 600
many planters estimating their expenses
at 500 TO the hand, ,sswould make $500.
Taking 10 at the former sum and we have
the nett profits Of such place as I have
descibed amount to $fAo0o, being Just
about an interest Of 8 per cent on the
value of the capital invested
This, Messrs. Editors, I believe a fair
statement Of the profits Of the cotton pJan-
ter; and you can now see how /. comports
with the fancy sketch Of your corresponds
emit III have exaggerated a. all il has
been In giving Loo favorable and aspect
70 the sideof A PLAHLKR.
,s NDtioaal Intell;6acey.
Kscksburg, Juiy, 1855.