Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-02-19


SO light and friable is it. Tt is very fertile
and is capable of producing, and has pro
duced, with proper culture, from fifty tt
seventy-fvc bushels of corn per acre. M.
upland, Immediately adjoining, kas for seve
raj years been in high state Of cultivation
| producing on an average, for several success
sive years, from three fourths to one four
bundred-pounds bag of cotton to the acre.
/ I hired and put upon this place rthe pas
year, in all, fifteen hands; eight men. five
women, girl fifteen yesrs old, and two boys
one fourteen and the other twelve. years old
all able bodiad and haslsaS people, their age:
/ varying from twelve yeasA 70 forty-6ve, with
the exception Of one man and one woman
who were over the latter age, but still healthy
and capable of doing good service in the crop
In addition to this, I had employed an el.
derly white man, who was q good mechanic
and whose business it was, to take charge o.
the keys aud keep up the repairs on the
plantation. / had another white man Ia
GERMANY to milk the cows and take charge Of
the dairy. There were twelve horses and
mules on the place, nearly all young animals
and capable of doing good work, as they were
all in good order when placed in the hands of
the freedmen. There vas an abundance Of
superior agricultural implements, together
with gear wagons, &C., &C., also a complete
stock of provision, both for man and beast.
The wages Of the hands were paid, some
all money; the hands taking part crop and
the balance money, had the money part paid
them in regular monthly installments, and
those receiving all money, received portion
CT their wages also monthly. They were
comfortably quartered, had their rations, "a
peck Of meal and three pounds of good bacon
weeNy,) together with most Of the skinned
milk aud butter milk from five to ten COWS /;
they also raised an abundance of chickens.
had plenty of eggs, and some of them had
pigs which gave them. The women were
allowed every Saturday afternoon to them
selves, all had their medical bills, medicines
included, gratis, were allowed SIX days each,
lost time, during the year without charge, and
also the privilege of a garden spot and a
piece ofland to cultivate for themselves extra.
should state that the amount of wages
paid to the grown hands, varied from seven
to ten dollars per month, with those receiv-
ing oil money, and to those receiving part
crop and part money, was paid thirty dollars
in money and The entire proceeds Of two
acres OF my best bottom lard each, which
land I allotted to them (giving them choice
as regards quality in The Spring, planting
and cul;lva!ing it in regular order wi!f''my
own crop.
The operations en- the plantation and their
results | will now give. There were sixty
seven acres Of bottom land and fifteen acres
on highland planted in corn, and fifty FIVE
acres in cotton on the uplands, also two acres
in sweet potatoes and two acres in tnrlips,
making in all, one hundred and forty one
acres, averaging nine and two.fifths acres to
each hand, or counting the two older and the
three younger hands as three full hands, an
average of about eleven acres to the hand or
eleven and tArec.fourth acres to each horse,
(tho old average being twenty acres bottom
land and from twenty. five to forty upland, ac
cordirg to the land, to the horse and plcw.)
should state, however, that later in the sea:
son, twenty-five acres Of the cotton were
abandoned, on account of grass, which will
reduce the average to the horse and Land
considerably.
will say, in explanation, the large pro-
portional amount of horse power used is re-
quired in the cultivation of our river bottom
lands.
Tho receipts and expenses were as follows:
Receips. Or.
By 6lbs lbs. Cakon Lint G l2lcls nett, S76S,7j
" Hses bu. Com. iaeleaibg crop of
Rresd,asa, g q. $780,
" ls Ia. siesu pstesa9 Ssd Slips,
@75c,s. II 25
~ 1905 lbs Fodder, q Sl@, $50 90
f" Sheaf Oats, 5000
(" 10 blu. Cow Peas, q 81. 1000
" Turnips, 10000