Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-07
THE RICE INDUSTRY.

Are the Planters Embarrassed Dy inc
Scarcity of Competent Field HANDS =
Opinfons of Leading Savannah GROW
ers.
1t has been stated that the rice planting
interest was being seriouly affected by
the scarcity of experienced field hands,
and that in consequence it would be but a
few years when the cultivation OF rice
would be abandoned. The idea al nrst
might not seem to be well FOUND
ell. but in order to learn upon
what premises the statement was
based. a reporter of the MORNING NEWS
called on some of the leading mil men
and DIanters to obtain their views III i <
card TO the matter. some OF the 9ent..SI
men whom the reporter converse" 49, 80
said that while there nave pSen 49, 49,
when labor was scarce theH IS't - NOV
seriously Inconvenience, ana Ju"t 'nO =
80 ,1,,,,renared to say whether, even j
ne hands left the fields altO8eJht,I - ~!
might not. with labor-saylng llacuIfiJi
continue to grow the product
CoI Jobn Screyen. whose pldnIaVlOl -
| an tho north side of the savannah river;
vas asked if il were true that Ine oIs "a.
rice field negroes were QyInS On
raTidIv He replied that the
oId rice field hands was not as great as
many supposed, but that many oil theln
had succeeded in obtaining small Tracts '
of land and were farming in small way
on their own account. ,.ho.
HAS the want of that kind OF LABOR
caused any embarrassment " '"0
planter:' r,-t,4,,o
Il think not. At least, have had no
trouble on that account, ahd' III idCt
have always secured whatever IaDoI was
| required H., .ho uo,ortar
..that when the old and experienced rice
/ field negroes leave the plantations or de
he Young ones refuse TO 90 mo Tue
fields. Is the assertion well founded:
.sJudging from my own experience win
that class of labor, l should say tnat the
number of Young hands who refuse 10 go
to the fields is not sufficient to cause en-
! barrassment to the planter. VI course
the labor is not as plentllul as II was
| wears ago or as cheap, but new TABOR saw
| inc machinery mas been introduced since
rbe war. so that whatever diminutlOn may
| have taken place is compensated LOT IN
that way. Nearly all the seeding ana
drilling is now done by machinery " NAT
| is most needed Is improved reapers, ana
| if il probable that they viii be invented
| so as To do the work which Is now uoue
| bv the field hands. 1t IS probable thaI inc
! location of a rice field has great deal 70 40
with the supply Of labor. Thus the plah-
tations across the river are IN better
situation for obtaining labor imam Ihose
| ON this side, near the city. The laooref
ON this side is tempted to engage IN work
ON the wbarves. But / am OF the opinion
that where the fields are some distance
from cities there is no scarcity Oh the ID
bOr.o
rs it likely that labor saving machin'
cry can be introduced for dItchlnS ana &c
| build farm embankmentsE
ssTbere will hardly be a demand for ma
| chinerv of that kind. We can obtain al
| the white labor needed for that work.
care white laborers better ditchers than
| the cOlOred?"
ssThere are as good colOred ditchers a;
the white. but as a general rule the latter
work faster. cut cleaner bitches, ana make
| better entertainments, so that no emOar
| rassment is likely to follow for want O
| labor in that line; nor is it probable ina
| labOr-saving machinery to do that WorE
| will be needed. There may be some trou
| BILE at times when the crop Is to be har
| vested. but. as ] said before, improved
| reapers may be introduced. There nave
| been many improvements made IN rlc'
/ working machinery during the past lev
| wears. and doubtless the time VIII CONF
| when all but the ditching and emDankln!
| will be done by that means
Capt. Thomas Screyen also remarked
| that nearly One-half of the rice sold II
| this country was imported, and that tn
| salvation OF the rice planter depended II
| a great measure in keeping duty on I'm
ported rice.