Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1882-04-06

soil i benefited rakhes By the shade
afforded by clover and fnally by ifs
decay than hy the removal from the
land u ell that has grown upon it,
Again this systsm Of pasturage leads
to trespasn upon cultivated Seeds, aud
the damage sustained by almost sv-
cry farmer frcm this source i annual
" large. II occurs most frequently
when the pastures are poor BY reason
Of dronth or early frosf; but a. farm
fences are not slways perfectly proof
against 9 bad animal. che entire stock
OF the farua are frequently found TO
kava spent the night In grain 6eld.
Good soonomy demands that there hs
less of this 10 the faturs. IA perma-
nent pmslnns nmpIy pznlaetas1 pleus.
tiful supply Of food for animals con-
fined there. which can be secured BY
selling. If not otherwise. and the sta
bling Of working animals will entire
ly prevent this lOss from trsspassing
stock.
Better and more fsithful laborsrs
are needed throughout this section Of
the State. Those colored men who
have remained since the emancipa-
ton constitute the bnlk Of the labor
and expect the rewards Of ffreemen as
to compensation for service, and
freedom TO 60 aud to come at pleasure,
but demand the privileges which were
accorded the bondsmen By their mas
tsrs. The holidays at Christmas, East
er and Whitsuntide. which were ac-
corded them as slaves when permitted
by the work of the farm. they now
demand regardless of losses thereby
sustained. whilst as freemsn they insist
upon holidays known in the State as
legal holidays. including ofcoarss slsc-
ton day. Too often are these eoIored
laborers devoid of the honorable de-
sire TO compensate their employers BY
earnest work for board aud wages as
per agreement. Rarely indeed do
they evince interest in the work, and
often are they utterly worthless
Why this is 30. is an enigma not easi-
ly solved. but to certain extent il
is due to the poor incentive in the
shape of wages given for their labor
Tobacco requires cheap labor, and
man must be well paid to feel an
interest in his work. The tenant sys-
tenn vogue throughout Southern Mary
land must cease ere any great change
Tor the better will be visible in its
farming. No other than the present
rotation of crops. with tobacco - the
chief product. viii everprevail so long
as large portion Of its area is worked
By tenants. who. with exceptions. are
unskilIed and unsducated. Holding
only annual leases. they feel no inter-
est in increasing the fertility Of the
land. and look to the present, not TO
the future, for compensation for labor
expended. IfdiSposed to try the cul-
ture of other products they are pre-
vented by the terms Of their contract,
which demands large planting in to-
bacco; and conscious that their own
portion of the crops grown must be
taken to pay the cost Of producing the
whole. they look to their increased
stock for the years profit. and this Of
course to the further impoverishment
Of the soil.
The prescribed limits Of this article
preclude . more extended notice oI
existing errors in the farming Of this
section. They are not hidden under
bushel. but are visible especially 90
to the stranger unaccustomed 70 them.
The remedy cannot come all at once.
1t may be years before other practice.
viii prevail here; the present customs
are the natural sequences Of slavery
and comparative wealth. but the ad-
vantagss Of an easily worked soil and
healthy climate will ultimately make
Southern Maryland one Of the richest
sections Of the State.