The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-02
FREE LABOR A GREAT SUCCESS.
SUGAR. COTTON, RICE, sc.
Condition and Prospects Of the
Colored Men.
JACKSON, Mss, May 2, 1876,

cotton culture; the lower 10 the production or SUI
gar. but as In some OF the northern and western
parishes stock raising Is also practised, so the
low alluval lands iatersccted by the Mississippi,
the Atchafaaya and the Numerous bayous which
lead out OF these streams rice is considc rable
and profitable crop as well as sugar and lattorly
the small planters begin TO set out orange
orchards, the few orchards now in bearing being
very profitable. The tree requires ten years In
this climate to come into full bearing and Is la
BILE while young TO be cut down by irost 1t is not
sure crop here, Is subject to the scale insect,
and the orange planter needs TO select with some
care the site OF his orchard and to seek protection
against the cold north winds Of the spring season.
But the tree bears we'll and has much less care
than 1t should have, and the crop finds o very
ready sale for cash, tho orchardist usually, find,
selling MS fruit on the tree and at gross valua-
tion made when the oranges are ripenng. The
flowers, Also have q market value. few large
sugar planters are beginning tho systematic cul-
ture OF the orange, and where the situation Is
favorable to the tree IL makes very profitable
crop. At twelve years alter planting 1t should
yield $1,000 an acre, with very trihng cost for
cultivation and care.
THE LAY OF THE LAND.
Along the river or the bayou there is usually
strip or land from half mile to a mile deep; baoK
OF that comes forest and swamp, and be-
yond thar, probably, the face OF another
bayou. The land Is nat, but falls
q little from the river toward the
swamp, 50 that when rise OF tho waters comes
the plantation Is overnowed from the back first,
unless, OF course, the levee In 'front.' breaks. Many
plantations have back as well as front levec,
and often you see pumping wheel ana engine,
which are needed 10 get rid of the rain water.
They say OF Florida that the water Is so close to
she surface that you may dig down anywhere two
feet deep and go a fishing These sugar and rice
lands are at this season not much drier. Tie
banks OF the stream are iriDged with live OAKS
and In the shade OF these the plantation house
IS usually placed, with the sugar house near by,
and the cottages OF the latorers beyon that On
some Of the Dayous, which are quite narrow, the
plantation lines extend on both sides, and tho
fields are connected with tho sugar house by
floating bridges, which are swung to one side to
allow . steamboat to pass. On the Mississippi the
Agh levees partly conceal the buildings, aud from
the deck or steamboat the view or roof lines
above the evee give the landscape very gaunt
appearance.
In many places rice is the crop or the small far
mers-men with 100 or 200 acres OF land. 1t
requires less capital than sugar, and Is sum-
GENTLY Profitable. 1t depends, OF course, on the
waters rising sufficiently high to nood the land at
the proper time. TO accomplish this bitches are
cut and water is let in through the leyee By simple
noodgates. Above Point Ia Hache such bitches
and gates are found at intervals OF every few
hundred feet for miles or tue river 'front.' In
good season the yield, am sold, Is from twelve
to fifteen barrels per aero, which ought
20 bring S. per BARREL The expense
IN about $40 per acre, which includes taking
on the crop. In some parts the people continue
10 cut 10 with SICKLE and have seen IL threshed
rut nv drtvtnU horses over m n large circle. But
reapers and steam threshers are coming into use.
and the rice country has always mills to which
the farmers tako their rice 10 get II nulled. In
the rice deIds the colored laborer receives 81
day and feeds himself
TIMBER AND MOSS.
In some places, as on the Atehafalaya and
about Grand Lake, live oak timber Is cut aud
ghipped thence 60 different parts or the world.
one OF the important petty industries OF
Lower louisiana IA the collection OF the moss
whIcn hangs In long festoons from ell the trees,
particularly rom tho oak. Negroes and white
men alike devote themselves to this, and the
quantity brought TO New orleans annually is quite
large. On the sugar plantations. wnen frewooa
Is cut, the moss Is usually the perquIslte OF he
colored men. ana they understand how TO prepare
II for market ana make some pocket money In
this way
SUGAR PLANTING.
Sugar, however, Is tne main crop OF Southern
Louisiana. Various causes make IL just now
q precarlous crop; ana sugar plantations In
some or the bess locations In the State
may be bought at THIS time for less money
tnan the machinery or the sugar houses
cost. Twas surprised to find that large number
or Northern and Northwestern men have como
down hers since the war and bought sugar estates.
Some or these manage their plantations with the
help OF overseers and live here only In the winter;
others manage their own places. Az Jou pass up
bayou on the steamboat the whItewashcd cottages
and ncater culture generally tell yeu that
here Northern man has settled with
capital enough TO carry on his business 10 sdyan-
tsge. Many or the plantations are stu In the
hands or the old planters, and occasionally these
have dIlapidated look, which shows that their
owners are In embarrassed circumstances.
The bad condition or the levees has brought Sc
rious oss TO many planters. especially In the Atcn-
afaiaya and Teche country, and there Is general
complaint OF high taxation and waste!ul expend-
iture Of public money.
TRE LABoRERs.
The planters, without exception, so far have
heard them speak, are thoroughly satisfied with
the colored man as laborer. I do not mean TO
say tnat they have no fault to nnd; but they say
that the negroes are orderly, docile. faithful to
their engagements, steady laborers In the Geld,
readily submitting 70 0lrectlOne ana lnsbructOnss
ana easily managed and made coniented. This
applies TO cotton as well as sugar planters, and
all is summed up in The phrase most frequently
heard used:--" We have the best laooring
class in The world" Their faults are mainly
OF careIessness with such property as mules and
farming implements ana killing cattle and hogs.
AS to the FIRST several planters told me they had
found IL useful to give the charge OF animals en-
tlrely to a special person. who fed and cared for
them. Bot II appears to make no difference
whether the mules belong 10 the planter or TO the
latorer The latter IS rs consCientlousIy careless
o. bis own as or snothsrs property. IL is part OF
the heeclessness bred OF slavery, and IL VIII take
time to be bred out, as IL was bred in As to KIN
ing cattle and hogs this Is q custom which arises
In part out OF q sovenly way OF letting animals
marks special ownership. IL Is a matter which the
L.AL a