The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1872-12-25
Z, Agricultural Comforts.
To the Eaitoref The Plantation:

To the Eaitoref The Plantation =,
t., An:articie in your issue ofthe 25th instant,
over the signature of D. T., ;on 'FAgrieultd,
raj Comforts" suggests to me the propriety
OF giving to your readers the benefit Of my
cleaning from experience and observation
We areimpossrished many discouraged and
almost bankrupt, while we have Q soil and
climate thatwill compare ayorably with the
best. There il nlio soil OF climate more adapt.
ed TO as great variety Of agricultural,
horticultural, and fruit crops as this lis.
These, faetssimpress the fact that there is "a
radical wrong some where. 1t may be in
part. bad legislation, or defective labor; bat
more probably, defective agricultural eeonos:
my. We have not scrntinized The new
order IF things sufficiently TO make US master
of the situation and command der-in.chief Of
our own. 21.i Start tigE55 2 - K. y
A great defect is in pitching our crops.I
D. l.: says: Thousands pitch their crops
for comforts aud reap disappointments,
Their error lies in depending too much on q
weak (referring to the negro unstable mind,
which is governed by impulse, 81 While
I admit his premises, in reference. to the
character Of our labor, are correct, the
trouble is not all there, for notwithstanding
bad legislation and imprudeht department or
bad policy on our part toward the negro, no
is the best and most effective laborer for the
cotton States. / might say he is the only
effectiye lahorer for us. and when brought
under the proper influences and restrictions,
which we can and must accomplish, not only
by wise Legislation, but good discipline on
the plantation, we viii not areap SO much,
disappointments,| especially if we correct
some defective arrangement :oferops
Now; to my main thought: i~fhousands
pitch their crops for comfort; " and thous.
ands in pitching their crops, then and there,
SOW the very seed which produce disappoint-
ment, alf corruption These seed which
produce; these disappolntments are OF two
characters, VIZ: Inc kind OF crops planted,
and the nature OF the contract Wltn iaDorers
Suflce it TO say on the latter, 1t should DC
upon just and equitable basis on the for-
mer we should determine with great caution
and discretion, the proportion. on each crop
planted. !,
comparatively few OF our planters read
agricultural papers-in fact, their preludlcess
are: against shook farming The great ma
jority read political papers, IN which edltofsi
merchants, cotton factors, who know nothing
practically OF farming, seeing TINS abundant
harvest OF disappalntments ana Win an no
nest desire to DO good, are constantly press
ing ndtellIng the tarmes, 70 raise more corn
or they will bankrupt themselves and the
country. The tendency OF these appeals Is
injurious, for they are wrong theoretically.
and practically, and the planter sees tine
practical inconsistency L will here lay
down this proposition. (Ihe application IS
to this section or cotton! belt.) Corn is the
most expensive (feed) crop raised. II we
were required to raise indian corn, with free
labor, sufficient to feed the stock of the
plantation and .fatten the hogs, our land
would not pay a dividend of seven per cent.
at an estimated value of one dollar; per acre.
When we refuse to make cotton The leading
production, we will fail in the whole worse
than we have done; md il is NOT because
our, lands are poor, but.their peculiar adap-
tedrfsss to certain crops. To establish this
proposition, it IS only necessary to direct the
mind to the fact, that to take our lands in
the aggregate, for a series of FIVE years, and
the average yield Of indian corn, per acre
will not be exceeding seven or eight bushels
Now, hire laborr: upon wages, or upon any Of
the eouitable plans Of co.partnership. one
fourt6 on1e.third or one-haif and failure il
4 the result. Failures seem inevitable.
4 A majority of my neighbors are being
I;mpoyerished annually; while few are
/ growing rich upon like soils under like cir
4eumstances. This establishes the fact thai
there is eeurse Of management that is pro
ftable. have made cotton the leading
I production, and my farm, per Sc, has paid aI
exceedingly good dividend. Every planta
tion, to succeed, must raise and supply tn.
nrovision and forage consumed on it by mar
and beast, but not by raising indian corn
The cheapest and best crop we can raise
for our mules, isoats. Our lands grow then
we'll. Landthat will make seven bushels o
I LII u.,Lo fruont,, bnebalo of oofa. Fl,