The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-10-07


\ late bulletin Of the Census Department
is devoted tostatistlcs on most interesting
matter-tho size and number Of farms in
several of the southern states, and the man
ner in which they are Observation-Disclosures
by paid laboHrs, by renting, or under the
share system. Unfortunately, Louisiana,
Is not one OF the states, concerning
which this information is given but there
are statistics from Arkansas, Georgia.
Alabama and others of our ncighbors, which
furnish us with fair idea of the present
condition OF agriculture in tho south, and
the changes that have taken place since the
war. All of the states returned show a
large increase in the number and conse-
quent decrease in the size of farms Evi-
IDENTITY. the era of big plantations Is
rapidly passing away, and we are
trying the small farm systsm which, il has
been found, produces more to the hand
and to the acre than any other. Thus, in
Alabama, the number of farms has more
than doubled in the past decade, springing
from 67,e35, SA, although there has been but
n slight increase in the population of the
state during this period. The number #
farms IN Arkansas has doubled during these
ten years, while in Florida, they have
sprung from 1921 20 3.I3S. In Alabama
there is now one farm TO every
nine people, men, women and child
rren, and in Arkansas, one 10 six
in other words, two ont of three adult
males in that State have farms to cultivate.
There is considerable divcrSttyin the sever
nj States, as to the manner in which the
land is cultivated. In Alabama, for in
stance, half the farms are worked by their
owners, one-siNth rented and one-third Cul-
tivate on sh res. In Arkansa, two-thirds
are cultivated by their owners, one-tenth
rented and nearly ono-litlh worked on
shares, In Florida, two-thirds are worked
by hands Of their owners one-siNth worked
on shares and oue-sixth routed. In Georgia.
half arc run by U owner, a third on shares
and sixth rented. In South Carolina, half
by the owner a fourth rented and fourth
cultivated on shares. The advantages of
these three modes of cultivation have been
made the subject of a special investigation
by the census department that will prove
highly interesting to the southern farmers.
This matter has been discussed at length for
years, whether tho share or wages system was
the best--aud yet both sides remain as I'M
concerned as ever. The result OF the inqui-
rios into this matter in Louisiana has al
ready been published in Professor Hilgard's
report on Cotton production, but it is very
difficult TO arrive at any certain conclusion
from this us the reports are about equally
divided-half them declaring the share
system the best, producing larger crops,
but at the same time somewhat deteriora.
ting the soil, Will. the other half protested
against 1t as both injurious to The farm
and demorali2ing 10 thelnborers. TWAS gon.
orally admitted, however, that the negro
preferred the share system as II gave him
more Independence and prevented him
rom spending his wages as soon as he OBJ
tanned them., The weight ofeyidenco, how
ever leans slightly toward the share sys.
tenn: The returns from nineteen parishes.
the heaviest cotton producers in the state,
favor it, while only eight, mainly white
parishes the country Of small farms, pro-
nounec in favor OF wagcs.-lN o. Democrat.