The patron of husbandry., 1881-06-25
The Tendency Toward Staple


President Morehead in his adj
dress to the Mississippi Valley Cot
ton Planters Association at Mem
phis dwelt at length upon the policy
of cultivating cotton in the South as
an exclusive staple. His arguments
were good and his facts true. The
economist can easily demonstrate
that as production expands prices
decline. The South received as
much for 900, 900 bales as she does
for $500, 900. Any event or COM
| bination of circumstances that de-
presses the cotton trade prostrates
every branch of business throughout
the South. 1t can be shown on pa
per that the Southern States can
with two-t thirds of their labor pro-
duce all the cotton that the world
will buy at price very remunera-
tive to the producer, and that with
the other third she can supply the
foodto sustain her whole population
All these arguments have been
made time and again, and there is
probably not an intelligent planter
in the South who has not given
them full consideration Whether
they are generally truths or not,
they do not present themselves for
cibly to the individual. Year after
year the men who have given most
consideration to the matter, and
who have their capital at stake. GO
on enlarging their cotton planting,
1t is certainly rash to assume that
so many thousands of intelligent
men do not understand their own
intererts, nor is it wise to assume
that what does not benefit the indi-
vidual will benefit the country.
1t is true that education and habit
cause men to follow pursuit for
some time after it may have become
Improbable, but what is really un-
profitable cannot be followed long
without ruin. The agricultural in
terests of the South have followed
cotton production eagerly for a time
that precludes all supposition about
the profits. We know beyond ques
ton that it must have been profita-
BILE, or the entire substance of the
people would have been long since
exhausted. 1t was said after the
war that the gang system of labor
growing out of slavery was respon-
sible for the exclusive staple culture
south of the Potomac and Ohio, but
we find the small farmers of the
South Atlantic States, and the new
settlers coming into Texas and Ar
I kansas, more persistent cotton plan
ters than any of our agriculturists.
In fact the white labor that has
come into the South west of the
Mississippi from Europe and the
West is mainly responsible for the
increase of cotton production that
has characterized the history of late
years. The new corners were nearly
all converted form miscellaneous
| farming into exclusive cotton grow
ing. These facts establish the pro-
position that it is neither habit, edu-
cation nor the system of labor, but
rather.individual preference, promp.
ted, we must presume, by individ-
ual interests, that is astonishing the
world with such enormous and
steadily swelling crops OF the fieecy
staple.
Besides we do not conceive it to be
a question even as to whether cot
ton cultivation is very profitable, but
whether it is more profitable than
other agricultural pursuits, and this
is question that relates solely to
the individual and the locality.
There may be lands upon which the
same labor and capital will give
greater results in the cultivation of
corn than cotton, and we may rest
assured that there the former will
soon take the place of the latter In
| lower Louisiana, where it has been
question between cotton and su-
gar, the latter has prevailed.
Looking beyond our own section
we find decided tendency towards
exclusive staple culture Grain is
absorbing more and more attention
throughout the West. The surplus
of wheat, corn and hogs is expand
ing with great rapidity The econ
omist have been warning the far
mers that they would glut the mar
kets of the world, and bring ruin
upon themselves, but they have not
done SO, nor have they ceased to
break and seed new lands.
There may come time in cotton
culture, as well as all other agricul-
tural pursuits, that the market price
does not equal the cost of produc
ton, but it is extremely difficult if
not impossible to name the figure.
1t depends upon SO many elements
that no prudent man would attempt
to say what average price would
exclude profit. The present sea-
son there has been unusual econ
omy practiced throughout the
South, and there is good ground for
expecting that with a fair season
and an everage yield the cost of
production will be less than last
year, so that with prices no higher
there will be larger margin for
the planter.-N O. Picavune.
vi all occupations in existence to-
day, none requires greater versa
tlllty OF talent, broader scope OF