The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-05-16
The Cost of Cotton Culture.

One good, active hand can culture II
acres in cotton or Is acres in corn, which
may be increased or diminished, accord
ing to the character of the soil. The
length of time required will be about II
months for the cotton, and Z months for
the corn. Putting tho wages of this
hand ct $S per month. $500 with ra-
tions say 81 lbs. of bacon per week and
one peck Of meal, say $50, feed of the
mule to plough at $40 and the smith bill
at IS, would make the whole cost of cul-
tivating 12 acres in cotton S159. If
these u acres would yield only 400
pounds of seed cotton per acre, then the
amount made would be 1880 in seed, or
1000 in lint. So the expense of making
1900 of lint will be 1853, which, at s93
per hundred pounds, would simply cover
the cost. But if the lard should make
1000 pounds, per acre, then the whole
yield would be 10000 pounds in seed or
1000 pounds in lint; but as the one
hand could not pick over half the crop,
the cost of picking the balance, 5000
pounds, would be about s27, making the
cost $3.50, which, at 4! per hundred, vii!
cover the amount, $3.50. So it is evident
expenses of making 100 pounds cannot
be uniform as to the cont. The richer
the lands the greater will be the reduc-
ton of the expense, and the reverse, for
if only 200 pounds had been made per
acre, then the expenses would have run
up to $40, and if the yield had been
1000 pounds, the cost would have been
$3.50 per 100 pounds; tie cost of the
hired hand and the feed OF the mule be-
ing the same in both cases. This plan of
estimating the cost will held in making
corn, though less than that of cotton, as
the time of working and gathering the
crop need not be over months, instead
of II.
From this view of the subject, it is evil
dent there are but few pursuits yielding
such heavy profits on the capital invested
as a well.managed farm ON productive
lands. In the one case, the cotton at
$eI Just covers its productive cost, leav-
ing nothing to the owner, while in the
other, the 1000 pounds at 81 will bring
$3.50, leaving clear profit of 5000, which
is sixteen dollars and half per acre.
Hence, the answer as to the cost cannot
be correctly made, without taking into
consideration the productiveness of the
soil, as we'll as the price of the hired
labor. The expense of production is
rarely ever looked to by planters.
When farmer, at the erd of che year,
settles his store account, pays his smith
bill, with that of his teacher, doctor and
preacher, which tax is generally in the
rear, and if anything is left from the
amount realized from the sale of his pro-
duce, that amount is called the profit;
but if it falls short, then he has made
nothing. That is not correct estimate
of results, for the bills have no connec-
tion with the cost of planting, except the
smith bill. A merchant doing business
on capital of $40 900, wanting to ascer-
tain the result of the years operation,
takes an inventory of the unsold stock,
the amount of available accounts, with
the money on hand, after paying his store
rent, his clerk hire, interest paid on bor-
rowed money, and other expenses Incl
dent to his business, but does notinclude
the expense of supporting his family,
which might, if e1travagant, absorb all
the profits, though it might be 80 or 40
per cent. on the capital. There are
large number of farmers, whose real es-
tate with all the working stock and farm
ing implements, cannot BE- valued at
more than $1,000, yet by their profits re.
allied have raised, clothed and educated
from to 10 children, which, to do this,
must make profit of 80 or so per cent.
on the capital. Yet many will say we
are making nothing; sell out, move to
town or some country depot and play the
merchant, to their regret and ruin, prov
ing the truth of the satirical saying OF
Horace, that every man praises the occu-
patton of Others more than his own, be-
cause he realizes the troubles of his own,
but is ignorant of the other.-R. l. Nc
Do,CeN, in Southern Home.