The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-01-18
Prospects in Texas.

From the Houston (Texas) Tele-
graph we clip the following statement
of the agricultural prospects in that
State:
We hear of a great many contracts
having been made for the next year.
In fact, we believe that more than
half the agricultural freedmen in this
lower country have engaged their
homes and will be ready to go to
! work after the holidays. Contracts
are various. Some are for specific
monthly pay, also clothing, food,
doctors bills, al acre of land, and
Saturday afternoons; others 1or spe-
cific monthly wages, without anything
but board; others for q share of the
crop, and Others still on wages now,
and so much hundred for cotton
picking. Some pay monthly; others
quarterly; others the first quarters
wages at the end of six months, and
balance at the end Of the year. Some
furnish clothing and medical attend
ance, and charge it against wages.
In fact, no fixed rule has been made,
and the matter, as it should be, is left
as much as possible to the law of
supply and demand
Those who are undertaking the
! plantations are mostly their owners,
though we hear of large farms being
rented both by Northern and South
ern men. One Northern man has
taken a place of 1000 acres, and en-
ployed 14O hands to work it. A friend
of ours, who has planted all his life
nearly, has taken three plantations,
and contracted with all the labor he
wants for them.
These encouraging facts show that
the agriculture of the country is not
to be given up without an effort; nay,
more, that the experiment of work
ing freed negroes on plantations is to
be trietl in all ways. From the differ
entmethods of employment, it is to be
hoped and believed that the best will
be discovered. To this end, we shall
be glad to receive as frequent reports
as possible from the planters in all
parts of the country. We shall be
glad to know how the negroes are
working, how they settle difficulties,
what remedies are employed for mis-
| behavior, and what the promise is of
the crop.
The future is anything but promis-
ing, save in the fact that our people
do not despair. So longs as they keep
up good courage, and lay hold of the
difficulties with spirit, there is at least
all the hope possible in the circum-
stances. That so many are confident,
is ae,.5d sign
We are glad to see capital from
anywhere, North or South, engaged
in our agriculture There is room for
all; whoever succeeds best will be en-
titled to the credit of it, as well as to
the enjoyment of his profits. If
things work favorably the coming
year, these profits will in many in
stances swell to fortunes of them
selves
CoTToN AND SUGAR IN MEXICO
Maximilian is making great efforts to
secure a sugar growing and cotton
cultivating population in Mexico.
The New Orleans Bee has the follow
ing interesting facts:
On all sides agricultural colonies
have sprungup, and are in prosperous
progress. Six haciendas, Ca hacienda
is an estate often containing 10000
or 10000 acres, in the immediate
neighborhood of Cordova, have been
subdivided and allotted among the
recent emigrants from Europe. Two
vast plantations of cotton have been
established by Mr.. Wood, of Alaba-
ma, upon the Rio Verde, and pro-
mise an abundant crop The official
journal contains an application of
NJ. Gil for permission to rent the
stock of Mesquital to twenty Belgian
families. 1t produces one hundred
fold of corn.
Senator Gil adds:
Mr. Terry and family, with ten other
persons, have arrived They were
officers of the Confederate army.
They desire to obtain large extent
of country suitable for the production
of cotton, sugar and corn. They have
been offered various locations, and
there are many persons who take
deep interest in securing the success
of this colony NJ. Jimenez has
imported 500 European laborers with
their families. He will settle them
upon the hacienda of Santa Rosa
IMPORTANT M1LLER's INVENTION.
MI. Clinton Roberts, miller, at
Greenfield mills, in this County, has
invented, and secured by patent,