New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-03-20
Profits Of Cotton Planting.

A correspondent in Washington county,
Mississippi, writes as follows to the Louis
vile JoWaat.
1t has been matter of astonshmcnt to ne
often, and is so now, that n farmer in Ken
lucky, orin the North generally, wi ldelve and
work as labpriously as common hand here,
has invested from thirty to one hundred
thousand dollars, and receive for it no more
than an Englishnmn gets on his consols
Occasionally large crop of wheat and hemp,
at big prices, would give him per cent, but
as rule, to per cent. is realized. How
does this compare with the percentage of
profit on valuations in this country? have
place of near eleven hundred acres of
cleared land, which value at $50, 900 cash,
but which could not be sold for over $40, 200,
and say s. 900 worth of mules, and 50 900
for implements; say total of 900 in
vested.
am only Cultivating this year two-thirds
of the place, and will make corn enough to
do me another year, with plenty of oats and
clover hay, and about 400 bales of cotton
weighing 400 pounds each. One-half the
cotton comes to me, the balance going to the
hands-say 200 bales at $50, net, per bale,
will bring $1,000, from which deduct 5000
taxes, 5000 repairs on machinery. $3.50 re-
pairs on fencing, 10 per cent. off valuation o.
mules, $500; same off valuation of imple-
ments, 5000; cost of household expenses
proper, 81 ,00O-say total of s3,05O-from
sl2 900, leaves $50; throwing in the $3.50
to cover small items of expense not eaumer-
ated, will bring the net proceeds Of this years
labor $4,000 on an Investment of 357 900, or
very nearly 10 per cent. If the whole place
were cultivated, and 800 bales raised, the
reader can estimate the additional profit. /
have heard persons say they would not live
on plantation under the present system Of
labor if they could make 100 per cent, or, to
use some OF the more exaggerated express
siOns, if all the plantations from Memphis to
New Orleans were given them.
have tried every kind of labor since the
war-Irish, Dutch, Canadians, Swedes, and
Yankees-and must say L prefer the negro
to any Of them. The negro is not 80
quick as many white laborers, but he de-
mands so much less in the way Of supplies,
is more acclmated, and generally easier to
get along with. This country is rapidly in
creasing its laboring population, many me-
grOes mmigrating and being brought here
from the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama.
Owing to the fact of many Of the planters
spending the whole year on their places,
their Improvements and comforts generally
have been vastly increased since the war.
Indeed, far from the deterioration and dilap-
idation generally attributed to plantations
since the war being the case, | know of NJ
plantation in my neighbOrhood on which the
improvements are not more substantial and
the general appearance better than before
the war. This may be judged Of partly when
/ tell you that two saw-mills, turning out ii
the past eight months over ,000,0 feet o
| lumber, have found sale for it all in my i'm
l. <snt - 80,
plantations. Few plank fences were seer
here before the war now miles Of them vii
be met with in a days ride. SO you see tina
we are not absolutely the lazy, '.nigger
walloping" set that our charitable Northern
| friends denOminate us.