New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-23
SUGAR CULTURE.


IN CoLoNIZING LABOR - GALlClANo
THAN CHINESE OR NEGROES.
frRon AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE IkiD'"
w-ORLEAEs, Aug. 10-The greatest anu
most perplexiug problem TO he solved aiter the wa" %
ceased, and the southcrn people had suDulI'o" W.
emancipation OF their 100000 Of slaves was the eNeo
It would have on Southern labor and consequently n
production The result OF this great experiment as Lar
the yet been made, has surprised ana us
appointed every one both,the advocates OF abolition
and ITS opponents Thus far the impartial observer AZ
the South both phases OF its conatlon'
must be forced the conviction that the person eeny
intended to be benefited by emancipation, tine negro
has thus proted by it least, and that under tue
changed aspect of his labor and its present remit
neraoD IL is his former master and present employer
who gained the most in the diminished cost Oh MS
labor His political privileges have been bought at TINS
p1ce, far the astute carpet-bagger vino con-
trolls him pocketed all the profits lawful and I'M
lawful sprnglng the control OF the states where
| that coalition has possession OF the public ana
| the public purse. without entering into specu-
| lations this topic, let me give inc io
suits OF my inquiries the sugar planters resnehe
at NewOrleans 10 tho condition and prospects vi
their slaves, working, in many Instances On
the plantations in that vicinity and hgher up inc
| river. An experiment which now has undergone the
test Of eight years has had some time for trial. ano must
| at least foreshadow its final results.
| ...i CHANGED CONDITION OF THE NEGRO
Briefly then, the condition of the former slave as re-
spects his former master In Louisiana seems less at
tered than one, not eye witness could imagine Fer
sonally their relations amcable and friendly as
ever where the carpetbagger does not SOW dissensoh
between them This the plantations he cannot do'
SO there between tbem and rapid restoration
OF confidence there. AS shrewd observer SAID 10 me-
4" the lash OF hunger Is more stimulating to the
black than the lash of the overseer" Now
| be must work OF starve, and Is paid only In pro-
portion TO the work actually done. Moreover, III
sickness, his pay stops, and the inhrm and
young members of the family. are no longer a
burden his employer, but on himself In
assuming the privileges OF freeman, he has also
assumed its responsibilities and they weigh heavily on
his careless nature, chdke and needless of the NOR
row as it is Where he has forciby seized upon the
soil and keeps possession of it, his failure TO keep 1t in
cultivation has been so signal and his suferings
great that phanthropist would venture to repeat
that experiment. Tie Sea Islands, Edisto and the
City Of Beaufort, we'll the ogeechee plantations
| near Savannah, attest this melancholy fact Once
smiling with fertility peace and plenty while IN the pos
session of whites they rapidly reapsing into waste
fields and jungle under their new possessors VINO ehef
| viii not or cannot cultivate them
DECLINE IN SUGAR PLANTING.
In Louisiana sugar culture, which three successive
had seasons and the changed conditions Of labor not to
mention political causes, had most seriously anected up
to the present season, promises better ana gives
hope Of relief last to its cultivaors Many OF the
largest estates nave ceased 10 DC
these combined causes Northern capital and and having
been withheld in consequence of the failure Of the first
rash expermeuters who rushed in Immediately after
the war; and sank the money they invested NOT only
have the elements proved unproptOus for three years
mast but man also has msmanaRed The present season
seems promising The crop will be ready for the hli
in about three months time. Last year the entire
sugar crop Of the State was 10000 hhds lt Is
estimated that the present yield will be much greater
although the area Of culture has been greatly diminished
since the war On the plantations near the CITY Oh new
Z Orleans is seen the encouraging indication OF the
expenditure Of several thousands Of dollars In new ana
mproyed machinery 70 work up the coming crops. In
the most southern parish Of the State where l2O hogs
heads used to before the only 5000 are now
made and even this is larger proportion than IN most
OF the sugar districts In many other parishes the cu-
ture has been discontinued and other crops put IN or
the lands left waste. Under the new regime and the
system hired labor the policy Is pursued Of cutyat-
ing less land and forcing larger production through
the aid Of fertilizers, now very extensively employed
throughout the Southern States.
THE FREEDMAN IN THE SUGAR FIELD.
The gentlemen with whom have talked this sub
ect have a thorough practical acquaintance with sugar
planting before and since the some Of them having
employed their former slaves alone and others in com
bnation with Chinese aud Spanish Gallcans, few OF
whom have brought into the State under the new
system; the negro gets his hOuseren fuel garden spot
with privilege OF raising pigs and poultry, which he
rarely does These he gets free Of charge In addition
to this paid each month at the rate OF one dollar
day. He STIMULATES TO work ten hours day. With
few honorable exceptions he never gives fair, fun
DAVIS work. Although fully understanding the work re-
qured OF him, from long practice he will almost surely
neglect it, unless watched and compelled to do IT, This
watching very costly the planter who must employ
Trustworthy persons for the purpose who can do nothing
else Iii tax superadded to his necessary expenses
To find evidences OF thrift in the freedman a
cepon Those who have lived for three or more years
in the same for eight years-whether
| married or SINGLE have accumulated nothing They
have no saving instinct They spend all their earnings
for food fine clothes whisky and tobacco They are as
fond az children canned fruit and other sweets To
get these Injuries they deny themselves almost bed
stead to lie upon chair 20 sit on They can better
dispense with the than with the luxures Of
life Cleanliness Of their persons which used
| 10 be enforced by their former masters, are gen
| orally neglected by them. and hence in
| creased sickness and much larger mortality
| among them Of all ages. The death-rate among the
children whose also has greatly diminished is in
greatly increased ratio With the vegetables which can
be 80 easily raised around his cabin that fertile soil
with scarcely any labor the food Of the aboer ought
| NOT 10 cost him 10 cents per day. Irish and sweet
potatoes peas BEANS and cabbages can be grown with
minimum OF labor but he will not plant them He is
rarely seen warmly clad in Winter and would rather
crouch over fire cool weatherfor there is little cold
in this cmate-to warm himself than o0the himself
| warmly and 10 out to work.
| BOTH SEXES GENERALLY IDLE AND sHrrLEss.
The women work little in the field, most them
| not at ALL AS rule they are simply consumers and
drones which they not before the war, constituting
then important element in the labor together with
the children, idle too who superior for some
purposes grown people, especially in the cotton fields
for picking &c. This idleness might be tolerated
dured If they good housekeepers, and took good
| ~ hair N = flpV
have deterioraed too They do keep their us
bands houses clean and inviting and neglect their chill