The Van Buren press., 1871-05-02
MISCELLANY.
A Talk With Planters
From the SELMA (.Ala.l Argue.

Passing through the market this eve
ming, and pricing various articles. fount
that a moderate sized head Of cabbage
cost fifty cents. three large turnips TWEEN
ty-five cents, bushel sweet potatoes tive
dollars and twenty-five cents. a poor
chicken fifty cents a pound Of beef llf
teen cents, pound of pork twenty cents
and bushel of peas two dollars and fif
ty cents A little calculating showed
that it takes at present prices four and 4
half pounds Of lint cotton to pay for Ont
head OF cabbage, two and third pounds
to pay for three turnips, four pounds to
pay for one chicken. twenty pounds tn
pay for one bushel of sweet potatoes,
one aud half pounds to pay for one
tpound beef, two pounds TO pay for one
pound pork, etc, etc. ] could not help
asking myself the question. Why is this
Why do our planters devote all Of their
attention to cotton, and make that article
50 superabundant as to be a drug on the
market. and thus reduce the price below
paying point. and why do they devote
AZ little attention to cabbage, turnps,
potatoes, poultry, beef, pork, etc, as to
run those articles up to prices that are
out OF the reach OF many Of our popnla-
ton who are in moderate circumstances.
Medium land viii yield per acre on an
average six hundrei pounds seed cotton,
worth at the present price, say twenty
four dollars The sane acre, with less
labor. will Weld scyents five bushels po
tatoes. at fifty cents per hushel, being
less than half the present price, worth
thirty seven dollars and fifty cents. A
half an acre in cabbage, with the same
amount OF labor &c on cotton, will yield
eight hundred heads. worth two hundred
dollars; in turnips it will yield four hun
dred bushels, worth four hundred dol
lars. And 50 on all through the list
Eatables will pay profit over cotton
ranging from fifty per cent. to eight hun
dred per cent.
l have never vet been able to find a
man who could answer the question,
Why is this course pursued By the plant
crs of our country Surely madness
rules the hour" or these things would
not be. Every one who gives the sub.
ject moments serious consideration
will agree to the declaration that a two
million crop will Yield as much clear
money as a four million crop will, and
still every energy is put forth to make
q large crop that does not pay the cost
Of production to the utter neglect OF nu.
merous other crops that will certainly
pay handsome profit on the cost ofpro'
duction
Planters Of Alabama, pause and re
feet! Let the raising Of provisions he
the grand consideration, the production
Of cotton the minor consideration. Make
provisions so abundant that corn will
not he worth more than fifty cents bush.
el. potatoes twenty five cents, heal OF
cabbage five cents; and when that day
arrives, your cotton being mere sur
plus crop. will bring you twenty five
cents per pound. YOU will require no ad-
vances from commission merchants to
purchase supplies with which to make
your crop. peace and plenty and con
tentment will abound in the land, and the
era Of real prosperity will have arrived
You have tried cotton faithfully for six
years, and you are, with few isolated
exceptions, poorer than when you be
gan under the present system. X.