The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-09-02
DIVISION OF PLANTATIONS.

Tho evils OF poor land cultivation in
the United States arises mainly from
the effort of tho farmer to attempt
more than he can properly perform.
Ihc advantages of peasant proprietor
ship i'll Franco have been frequently
reierrcu to as an illustration of the
Wisdom of small farming. There is n
proper limit FOR tho energies of any
one proprietor or tenant. a man who
mlsh, succeed well with but nny
acres, often rctircs discouraged anu
unsuccessful after vain attempt to
spread himself over a hundred acres.
He dissipatcs his efforts over a large
area to no purpose. This is tho uispo-
sitlon OF tho average American farmer,
especially i'll the South and West. The
New Orleans Times calls attention to
tho fact that Mississippi produces
double as much cotton now as she did
twenty years ago, although the amount
Of land under cotton cultivation Is less
than il was then. The abolition of
slavery Is resulting in Il division of tho
large plantations with excellent effect.
This process is far from being ia an
advanced stage, but it seems to have
prevailed in Mississippi to Il greater
extent than in tho other Southern
States.
Tho Inference is that ii Is true policy
of tho Southern agriculturist to goner-
ally adopt tho plan suggested by tho
Mississippi experience. Tho right man
i'll tho right place is ono who has just as
much land us no can Wcll attend tc and
no more. The distribution of farms OH
this basis is the almost invariablc char
actcristic of Il cheerful ana productive
agricultural region, and it seems
especially adapted to the present state
of Southern society. Each freedman,
with tho caro- of a reasonable number
of acres, will bring in much moro to
the general yield than hc can when
his ambition leads him, to use tho
vulgar expression, to ssbito of moro
than he can chow.' Ii no is n tenant,
rs is generally tho case, tho proprietor
usually shares his bad luck with him.
Half 4 plantation had better lie idle,
If 1t is necessary, TO insure tho good
cultivation OF tho other half. Or, what
is better, IL one man cannot proGtably
make uso of all of his land, he Ind
better sell part OF it to somebody who
can protitabty uso that part, and tho
whole country, as we'll M himself,
would profit by tho change.
Another advantage would accrue
from tho Willingness OF land owners to
diminish tho sizo of their property.
q suitable size for immigrants to pur-
chase. The system OF large plantations
has an exclusive tendency. 1t TIN
doubtcdly keeps out many new
comers who would otherwise locate in
| the South--men who have capital
enough to be independent small farm
crs, but too much caution to so in debt
for large purchases, which they would
be i'll ablo to manage il thcy made
them. Should the desired change pre-
vail 10 any great extent, tho in,mi-
grant would recognize tho general
features OF the situation Mt once and he
ut homo with thcn, for nine out or
ten immigrant farmers who come
across the Atlantic have been acUs-
toned to small holdings and careful
culture. Other things being equal, he
would prefer tho soil of the South to
that of tho Northwest, and tho differ
cncc would compensate him for n con
siderable change Of latitude.
The disposition of Soutllcrncrs to
remain lanu-poor is provcrbaI, but if
it is truo that better appreciation of
the situation Is beginning to prevail,
IL may be hailed ~ Il very fortunate
circumstance, and one which Will icad
to an Increased harvest OF Southern pro-
ducts rs well rs to increased pOptlla-
ton and general prospcrity.-,%.I I>,ti3
G/DbC- Dc1llO,yUt.