Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-10-21

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win Cotton Planters Grow Rion.
We regard it as.utserfolls fef rs to toll
the year round, and be like the boy who,
had twenty-five cents, and purchased a
pocket book with it and then haanothing
to put in it. 49, Z ess3 -
Therefore, in order to become wealthy, :
we must not be dependent upon any Sec
ton for the prime articles of peeessity,
but we must raise them. x = =
We think we have shown. conciusi7ely
that it will take at least half of the cotton
crop at % cents per Id. to pay the expense
| OF these articles of prime necessity that
might be produced at home. Now, sup
pose cotton should decline to twelve or If
teen cents per pound, then the cotton sec
ton will be on the low pressure. We then
shall be exactly as the boy with the empty
pocket book. With no pork, -four, farm
implements, and many of US with no credit
to get supplies to run tho coming crop, as
pocket book and all will have to go to
cancel past accounts. In order TO succeed
We must not only have the pocket book,
but must have enough in it, at the COM
mencement of the year, to run that years
crop this will enable you to meet the ex-
penses of the farm with much less loss
than If you were on credit, those who
operate on cash can purchase cheaper than
otherwise. The planter who borrows
money from his factor, and gives mort
gage upon his farm for it, pays first 7 per
cent. as interest on the same then he pays
- to per cent. more comm missiOn on
that advanced, then he sends his crop to
him, sells 1t, and charges % per cent on
the sales, which will amount IN the aggra-
gate at least TO II per cent, which Will be
equal to one-eighth of the whole CROP
This does not include the stealage which is
practiced by many factors, upon their CUE
| toners, which will swell the amount to at
! least Is per cent The farmer who prac-
tices this, is not freeman, although he
may meet expenses annually, for he must
send his crop to his merchant, and it is at
his option when be sells it, besides he is at
all times annoyed in bis arrangements,
which causes him never to breathe the pure
air of independence. In order that you
and your children may be thrifty and grow
wealthy beyond your most sangu1ne expec-
tations, let us admonish you to adopt the
following system, in the year 1871, and
practice it steadfastly, and success is inevi-
table.
1st. Plant sufficiency in corn and small
grain to produce full supply Of Ordi-
nary crop year, not only to feed mules and
laborers, but to raise an ample supply of
pork, &c.
There is no use in talking about ra ising
your edibles unless you raise the grain,
then it is a small matter to do 1t, If you
will give portion of that attention which
is almost entirely devoted to the cotton
crop.
I'd. The cotton planters know very we'll
that two or three millions of bales of cotton
will bring them as much money as four or
five millions. Then Is it not plain to the
capacity of every planter, that they are
pursuing ruinous policy to cultivate three
acres in cotton, when at the seme time he
can become prosperous by planting one
| third less All ''cottondom" must know
that if one third of the labor that is ap-
propriated upon the cotton farms was
added to the grain and stock department,
they would not have to rely upon the
North and West for horses, mules, cattle
and hogs.
Let us suppose two farmers, A. and B.,
commence farming under similar circum-
stances. A. adopts the rule to plant enough
of the cereals to raise an abundant supply
The remainder he plants in cotton. AS
matter of course, he cannot cultivate, at
most, more than two-thirds as much as B.
in cotton, consequently " he produces two
thirds as much as B. IF cotton should
fall to IL cents per pound, he can we'll
afford to take the plice or hold as he may
choose, end go on with bis crop the com
ing year. How about B He has three
bales to AS two, but is unprepared to take
II cents per pound, end be able to run the
coming crop, as it will take the last bale
to pay the cost of producing. We will ad-
NIT that if you give B. 20 cents or upwards
for his cotton, he can succeed by the use
of economy, to raise cotton at the present
cost of production. But we hold that,
with cotton at 20 cents, B. will not grow
rich fast as A, who produces his own
| supplies, neither does he enjoy this life as
we'll as A, who is dependent upon no one
| for food and raiment. His is q business
of no uncertainty in peace or war, in
panic of high or low prices his home be-
| longs to no one.
Let all the BIS adopt AS rule and re-
ceive as much money for two bales as they
do for three. We hold to the idea that
| the present policy of the cotton planter is
to make capital dependent on labor by
making the demand for labor greater than
the supply. Then two laborers will do as
much as three now, and they will be in
| better condition than OF present. It is
clearly evident the laborers we have to de-
| pend upon, never look beyond the present
| 50 far as providing for the future. Conse-
quently, if they get one dollar for days
work, and can live with half that amount,
they will not work more than half the
time. We propose to plant less cotton in
| 1871 than we have ever planted to the
| hand, and endeavor to improve our farm
| by the commencement of a rotation of
| crops. The system of rotation which we
intend to adopt, we will give in the next.
Reconstructed Farmer.