The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-07-29
The Wages System of Planting.

The Orangeburg News publishes the follow
ing thoughtful article on the subject OF the
''wages" system Of planting. We agree with the
writer in saying 'what We reed in this district
is progress in farming as iu everything else"
After careful notice of all the various syR-
TENS which have been the subject OF expert
ment IN our country since emancipation, IN
order to make the labor OF the freedmen avail
able for the cultivation Of our lands, and alter
numerous conversations with the most success
full and unsuccessful planters in our vicinity, it
seems to us very evident that there ls but one
system OF agriculture that fully remunerates
the planter for his outlays of capital and super
intendence, and that is 3 system OF wages b.
the month, and leave to discharge or to quit G ;
the expiration OF any month upon reasona-
the laborers sharing the risk Of failure IN the
contract system;-strip it to the naked truth,
tits a copartnership between employer and en-
ployeee. As well might merchant agree to
give set of clerks, picked up promlscuously
here and there, share OF his profits instead
Of stated salary. And although you may say
theoretically, in the contract system that the
employee shares the risks Of failure, is it really
the case practically By no means, for, on
failure of the crops, the laborer has to live;
add, at the end of the year, the employer will
find his hands indebted to him, and unable to
paw, or that his corn has been stolen IN his
fields, or his barns broken open, to make the
freedmen come out square and to throw the
loss on the employer.
Il is fast becoming self-evident fact that
the contract system is curse to the communl-
ty. It is the fruitful source Of half the steal
ing in the country. Does any one suppose that
the freedmen, If found by their employers in
rations, and paid nall sums Ct money through
the year, will indulge in as many bqrglarles
and stock-killing scrapes as is nov the G case 1l
By no means. Let the employees be fed by
the employer, in stipulated rations,. and let
him pay them even q portion Of their wages
monthly, and you will see complete change
for the better in the whole agricultural system
Of the country.
But one will say, that he has no money to
nav wages. The objection is worth nothine.
Many man has had no corn and provisions
on which to commence his farming operations;
did he not get advances? And il he were des-
titute now, would he not apply to some source
for advances? Well, he can get advances or
money, as we'll as Of corn or bacon, and propar
bly, at cheaper rates.
We have lately visited by invitation the plan,
tation Of DR.. William F. Barton, who has tried
the wages system this year with marked sue
cess. 81 completely satisfied is he OF the ad-
yantaees it possesses over the contract sys-
ten. y that he says he would rather quit
the country than return TO 30 unprohtable
a plan, DR.. Barton has under cultivation
fifty-three acres of corn and forty-one acres
OF cotton, besides rice, potatoes, &C., and
all in the most complete order. We WALK
ed over his plantation, and we're much
interested in the narration OF the experiments
made BY him, in the uses Of improved imple-
ments, and in the adoption Of new systems
of culture. For instance, DR.. Barton has
planted one-hak Of his cotton crop in checks,
instead Of in drills, and has worked it with the
plough both ways. In breaking up ground,
instead OF relying on the old homemade plough,
he has found, by trial, that the :Rriniey
Plough" :" Kentucky invention, is the best foI
our Southern soil, and that he saves time and
labor by it's use. HIS success is the best evl'
dence Of the correctness Of his views on plant
ing. HIS ffty-three acres OF corn will, WIFI
ordinary seasons, yield at least eleven hun
dred bushels aud his cotton will easily MAKE
a bale to the acre.
In another particular. the example OF DR.. Bar
| ton-is worthy OF imita ton. 1t ls the judlc1oui
use Of fertilizers, and the adoption OF every e1
pedient to make as many Of his own manure'
as possible. To this end, his own stables ar
well arranged to save every fertilizing element
and every old bone is saved, because, by belnt
treated with sulphSric acid, at trltilpg ex
pense, a valuable fertilizer is obtained.
What we need in this district lie progress II
farming, as IN everything else. And let US hav'
an agricultural society, where practical mel
can talk these things over, anu dlffuse valuable
information on these subjects. Who will star
the ball in motion