The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-04-23
SMALL FARMS FOR 1MM1GRANrs.

OF our planters that, for a long time to come
large plantations will not be available as sourc'
| Of profit. There are two great difficulties in tht
way-labor and capital. The planter, now thai
he has wages to pay to his hands, in order t.
make his operations remunerative will have tc
resort to fertilizers, in order to make one acre
| yield what he formerly obtained from, four OF
i've of his half-exhausted land, when laborers
were plenty and provisions cheap. How can
| any one now make money on worn-out land
after paying from $40 to SIS per month to hired
hands, without liberal expenditure for ferti
lizers? And these, like everything else in the
country, are expensive at first cost, which cost
is largely increased BY transportation.
10 this way the amount of money necessary
to improve large plantation would be i'm
mense, and in our present impoverished state it
is beyond the means of most of our planters.
We have information that by the use of pro-
per measures abundance of laborers may be OBJ
tanned 10 England and op the continent Of
Europe. The agent of the Virginia Immigra-
ton Society is now in Liverpool, endeavoring to
direct emigrants towards the Southern States,
and to influence them in making settlements
among U.S. It is found that of the thousands
who weekly land on our shores, nearly all of
them, expect, sooner or later, to obtain land for
themselves. Many of them, it is true, for the
present, must be hirelings, but with the hope of
eventually becoming owners of real estate. + 2
1t will be great encouragement to immigra-
ton that this lnducement shall be offered; and
they may become the tenants of lands either for
term Of years or IA fee simple, as they may be
able. Our large plantations must be divided
into small farms, and sold or leased for term
of years. Settlers, then, as proprietors of the
soil, will have greater interest in the yield
than as laborers, and coming from country
where every foot of land is made available,
where the soil is taxed to it's utmost capacity,
they will understand the various methods of
making and using fertilizers, and soon the worn
out plantation would become various thrifty lit
tie farms. Where one bale of cotton is now
made three would be raised-and coru and
Indeed, all the products of our country would
be rapidly increased, and thus new impetus
would be given to commerce, multiplying our
lines of railroads and steamers, and giving new
life and vigor to all channels of trade.
1t is quite evident that great many cleared
acres Of land in Virginia and North Carolina
are now lying idle, without the necessary illers
of the soil Even if labor was plentiful at a
reasonable rate of wages, still, in their present
condition, the cultivation of these lands would
not be remunerate. But if inducements are
held out to the immigrant that he may at once
or prospectively become landed proprietor,
not only will our uncultivated lands be speedily
disposed of, but change would soon become
apparent in the quality and quantity of their
products. Lands would increase in value, and be
everywhere in demand -Norfok Day Book
WHAT A GENTLEMAN MAY DO
WITH HIS HANDS.
MI ! r ~
large number of our people are trying to live
by their wits; large number are only nominaly
engaged in business, loupging and dawdling
ing loose, waiting for something to turn up
We doubt if one-half of our population en-
gagged in real hard work. The absolute neces-
saries of life cost so little in temperate climate
where land is abundant and rich, and the popu-
lation sparse, that it is not difficult to live on
half work. The production of the South, we
doubt not, if all the muscle aud brain in the
South were fully taxed and the labor properly
directed, could be just about doubled.
There are young men pretending to practice
law or pbysic, young men instruc.ing half
dozen pupils, young men selling few yards of
ribbon per day, young men who have DO bust
ness there at college-all of whom ought to be
differently occupied. There are young men
clerking in hotels and banking companies where
there is not full employment for them. There
are young ladies by scores-engaged in reading
novels, or entertaining beaux. There are all
sorts of agencies-ten thousand shifts to live,
no matter how, SC that it is not by manuel Ia
bor. In word the market of head work is
glutted in the South-while the hammer, the
plane, the trowel, the hoe, the axe are crying
for stalwart arms to grasp them.
4 =. IL l.
for young man who considers himself as good
as anybody. 1t is thought better thing to be
jack-l lawyer or to murder people with
doctors diploma, or to weigh butter than to
build house make sewing machine or con-
body's vegetable pills is thought more elligi-
BILE match for your daughter than an intelligent
man who prints newspaper or book So it
is foolish aud often fatal pride makes thous-
ands shrink from the mechanic arts; and those
very DeE who 6y life of honest industry have
secured a high position in the community and q
respectable competence for their families, turn
their backs upon their occupations. and trim
their sons out for something that will not soil
their white hands. ..
Farming" in the South is the most prolific
source of idleness. In all directions you meet
not very handsomely dressed young gentlemen
on horse back who inform you that they are
'farming" 1t is vague, floating term, that
means, perhaps, strictly that they live in the
country and, may be, overlook hand apiece.
They have traditional idea that the farmer
must confne himself to head work. They sit
on the fence until au early dinner watching a
one horse ploagh-and artlessly think that they
belong to the great agricultural fraternity. The
first thing you know, one of these young fellows
gets married-and has to borrow clean shirt
to 60 to his wedding. We shall not prosper in