Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-10
LETTER FROM MIDDLE GEORGIA.
Some Chance for the CrOps-StrIvIDg
TO Balance the BOOks-The Dearth
of Land-Want OF SYstem-An In
evftable Exedus-Camp Meeting.

Editor Morning Netes: After month spent
with the farmers in Middle Georgia, In Spald-
ing. Pike and other counties, we are prepared to
put down a few facts worthy Of note. And
first, corn and cotton is not total failure. The
drought was very severe. and with some dis
astrous; yet little below an average yield will
be harvested in Middle Georgia. Rains have
been very partial-even farms adjacent show
this. The recent rains helped both corn and
cotton very much.
The one who did not use guano, and had gray
land and some bottom land, is best off. Guano
on red soil, without plentiful rains Is a failure
The compost or homemade fertilizer is bet
ter than guano any way. They might be
mixed to profit. Early deep plowing is prac-
ticed by few. The majority cultivate only TO
keep the weeds and grass down. That was
not hard to do this dry year, hence an early
lay-by was INDUCED by both white and col
ored laborers; and, though most Of the bot
tom cotton crop is open, they seem to be still
A vigorous. energetic ingathering of the
crop they are slow to begin. Many were
fifty cents a hundred. Tenants pay eight dol
lars bale for picking Say bale nets forty
dollars, and they get one-haf, that leaves
them twelve dollars. A tenant makes eight
bales, or seventy-two dollars. His grocery and
clothing bill is double that. The man who
furnished the stock and supplies is loser.
Cotton was the main crop, hence the other
crops won't make up this deficiency. Had
corn, peas, potatoes, millet, turnips oats,
wheat, ETC., come in with due proportion, a
failure in cotton would not have been so disas-
trous.
Land rents high. l saw one farm of one
hundred and ten acres rented for ten bags of
cotton, nearly ene-third of what the whole
place was worth. The lands are taxed at from
six to seven dollars an acre, sold at from ten to
fifteen, rent from four to six dollars. Good
per cent. The capitalist who lays back In the
shade makes the money. The renter works
hard and loses. Yet the poor man must have
place to work to live.
There is more land in cultivation here than
ever before-almoSt every spot, and but little
woods left-hardly enough for wood purposes
to each family. No room for emigrantS. In
deed, unless they soon learn to make more on
less land there must be a seeking of new homes
for the uprising generation. The old man can't
settle his sons and sons tn-law about him. as
used to be the case.
Farming has been and is yet, with some, the
most profitable industry ia the country. One
man, owner of one thousand acres, who was
an overseer before the war, makes money
every year, is now lending money and counted
rich among his neighbors. His freedmen he
teaches economy they never come out behind.
They make plenty for themselves and enrich
him.
There is want of system Your Farmers
Monthly would do much good il it were cir
eulated and read. The average farmer reads
but little and the present system Of education
l tremble when / see even the freedman in
some sections outstripping the white youth in
obtaining an education. Parents can't spare
their children, only after crops are laid by,
and home education is obsolete; not even q
newspaper is read in home circle. This is too
true, yet not universally so.
We fell in at a large camp meeting gather
ing. 1t is en- old plat OF ground, two hundred
acres, decided fifty years ago to the Methodist
Church for this purpose. Twenty-four tents,
built of substantial boards, circle the grand
stand-the most magnificent for the pur-
pose in the South. 1t Is 100 by
100 feet, hipped roof. with ventilator
10 by 40 feet, Ornamented with crosses The
interior is painted and whitewashed The
seats are as comfortable as church pews A
very large public tent was nicely kept for
strangers. With bold, pure spring Of water
and splendid shade trees, the best preaching
from the Methodist pulDit, and singing thai
was really charming, five days were very
proftably and pleasantly spent on this old plat
of ground. WEST MARVIN.