The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-29
EpIsro ISLAND. June %, 1869.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS.


pect. &C.. Of the growing crop OF sea island
cotton, have deferred an answer until now,
when I can speak more reliably. The fine
growing weather, with its hot and dry days,
and heavy dews at night, which we have had
for the past month, has caused our crops Of
cotton to recover from the effects Of the cold
spring, and is pushing them rapidly for ward
to state Of fruitfulness and promise. Blooms
are to be seen everywhere over our fields, and
the crops are in good and well-worked con-
dition. This remark, however, does not apply
to such planters who are again repeating the
thrice-tried experiment Of planting largely and
reaping sparingly. Report says OF them that
Gen. Green has taken possession Of some por-
tions Of their extended domains, and when, in
response to the call Of eulsting sergeants, who
recruit over the whole island for fight. they
meet, 'tis said the battle is terrifc-the dead
are left to bury their dead-dead cotton over
laying dead grass. These calls upon the agri-
cultural forces Of the planters make labor at
times hard to be got, and only at ruinous
prices. This practice must result in disaster,
aud uutil then, the small boats must keep near
shore.
The crops OF corn have suffered from the
effects Of dry weather.
There is q very marked improvement in our
laboriug population. Since the removal OF the
Freedman's Bureau, the freedman iuds he has
to rely upon his own exertions for support,
and he works more cheerfully, more contented-
", and altogether more efficiently. The sys-
tenn Of labor is by contraction t1oo days work
out OF every week for land, in place OF wages
AMI rations. Some fsr three days for land and
rations in place of wages, and some for wages
for the whole time, at the rate OF hundred
d.llars per year, and rations equal to fifty dol
lars more. The latter contract is in every re-
spect the best, both for employer and en-
ployee; but the freedmen much prefer the first,
as it gives them more time at their own
disposal, but much less money in their
pockets in the end. In order to support them.
selves under the first system they wander
about the island for two days in ea,h week,
with their hoes on thsir shoulders in search for
s'day labor" which is usually paid for in pro-
visions at no small profit to the employer. The
area Of land under cultivation is about the
same as last year, but as nearly half Of this is
under the sole management Of the freedmen,
and almost invariably badly attended, the yield
will necessarily be one.f,urth less.
About month ago there was great hue
and cry raised about the appearance of the
dreaded caterpillar already in our fields. 1t has
passed away, as predicted. II such cool
and dry spring as We have had produces the
caterpillar, then the experience Of forty yesrs
is worth nothing, nor are thu sea island lauds
worth planting in cotton. I have no doubt
that this enemy to the cotton plant is always
present when the plant grows, but it requires
Q wet and hot May and June to producs them
destruotiuely. Bad and improper cultivation,
by which the plants are kept back and made to
produce young and tender branches at time
when they should be ripenipg to maturity, will
furnish suitable food for this worm late in the
summer; whereas by iudcious cultivation the
plants would have been too matured to be in
jured by them or to encourage their increasing
10 numbers. The system of cotton planting
speculation which has prevailed for the three
past years has had something to do with the
regular appearance OF the caterpillar in our
fields. Several hundreds, or even thousands,
of acres are put in cotton, little or no manures
are used, the cultivation bad and slovenly, the
plants contending all the while with grass and
poverty, no progress toward frutfulness is at-
tanned until the grass growing period is over,
when the cotton plant starts to put forth its
young and tender branches just in lime to feed
these worms, always more or less present
about the first Of September.
Money, and plenty of it, is 10 be made by
sea island cotton planting, but it must be done
by high manurlng and good cultivation. "What
is worth doing at all is worth doing WE'LL" Our
forefathers acted on this principle and made
princely fortunes. Labor is as cheapnow, il not
cheaper, than it was then, but the desire to grow
quickly rich was not as prevalent with them as
il is with US, and the result has been that es-
tates which it took them their lifetime to ac-
qulre, many Of us have lost in two years.
believe there is q brighter f1ture awaiting US,
and those who may survive this transition
state will witness condition of things better
suited to their permanent peace and enjoy
ment. NJ.
The Canadians hope at some future time
| a. hoya q monarch ar in ha TInifod Stotao