The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-01-31
A QUESTION FOR TIE FARMERS.


pensation to the laborer? This is an
important question, and one concern
ing which rather vague ideas prevail.
Let us look at it briefly, in the light
of first principles. All capital repre-
sents SO much labor. The value Of
a house when finished, is measured
by the labor expended in getting the
lumber, dressing and fitting it, &c.
The labor expended in making an en-
gine, melting the ore, forging the
iron and fashioning and putting it to-
gether, measures its value. Now,
suppose the gross earnings of farm
hands labor, after deducting rent of
land and horse hire, cost Of ploughs,
&c., is invested in land, his earnings
another year, after like deductions,
is invested in a horse and implements.
We have three equal things-the la
borer's work for one year-as much
land as the work can purchasc-and
as good horse and as many imple-
ments as that amount of work can
buy. Now if these three equal things
are formed into q copartnership to
make a crop, ought not each one to
be entitled TO an equal share Of it
in other words to one-third of the
crop; the laborer one-third, the land
one third, anG the horse and implc-
ments one-third.
But, enquiries one, are these three
factors in the case equal? Let us
see. Assume that hand can cult
vate so acres s-one-third in small
grain, one-third in cotton, and one
third in corn. Let the land be sufli-
ciently good to produce 800 lbs. oats
TO the acre, 1-3 bale Of cotton, and s
bushels of corn.
AT S1.00 a hundred, 5000 lbs.
oats would bring. $50 90
3 bales of cotton 100 90
80 bushels corn...... ....... co 90
Total. ........................ S24O 90
From this deduct for rent of! We
land $500 per acres. 49,. $50 90
Hire of horse. go 90
s Total. .:. -. 1920 90
And there rs left to represent
the value Of labor proper. .S12O 90
Any one familiar with farming,
will admit that the above calculation
is very favorable to the laborer the .
crops are above the average without
manure, and rent and horse hire are
placed at very, low figures; and yet
the net proceeds of the years labor
proper, would not buy 80 acres OF
land at the low price of $500 per
acre, and would not more than buy
good horse and the necessary tools
to work the crop. If there is any
inequality in the three factors, lano,
labor, stock and tools, the ,alior is
certainly the one which is rated too
high. For let it be remembered
that TO get 80 acres Of cultivated
land, the farmer must buy and pay
taxes on at least 40 or more acres, to
say nothing of barns and other i'm
provcmcnts.
Arrangements for labor made, the
next question is, what crops to cult
vate. The testimony is universal
and without exception that those
farmers are most prosperous who buy
least-in other words who raise what
is needed for home consump ion.
Excessive cultivation of money
crops has cursed rs for years past,
and there is not a shadow of doubt
thatiour true policy is to ourtail them
to the very last degree. What par
ticular crops to plant, must be left to
each ones discrction-soil, climate
and surroundings ei.tcring largely
into the problem. Let every one
scan closely his past experience and
see what crops have paid, and what
have not, and discard promptly all
that have not paid. 1t is far better
to let land rest and grow vegetable
matter for its enrichment, than to ex-
baust it by cultivation and at the
same time lose Ivy the operation.
Sowing down largely in small grain,
is another cheap method of utilizing
;land-if profits are small expense ac-
counts ere small also. We know all
this is trite and old, but men like
wagons run in ruts-follow old hab-
its-and it is only by repeated urging
that they can be turned out Of them.