The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-11-30
Cotton Planting.
lRichland in Augusta Chronicle.1

COLUMBIA, S. c., Nov. 22.-[Special. !
Capt. Paul +. Hammond, of Beech
Island, Aiken county. has contributed a
most interesting and valuable article to
the. annual report of the Commissioners
of Agriculture Of this State, regarding
the cost of producing cotton in South
Carolina. Capt. Hammond says that 4
cents n pound seems a very low figure
at which to place the actual cost Of max
ing cotton, and yet while it costs many
planters 8 cents, some 10 cents, and not
avery few even IL cents, the fact stands
as fact within his own knowledge, that
lit has been made for less than four
cents, and he claims that it can be
demonstrated by figures that on finer
land, with judicious and economical II
methods, industrlously pursued, it can
be made, and should be nude, at four
cehts, three cents and even less than
three cents per pound. even that"
Capt. Hammond continues. selling
his crop at an average Of seven and n
half cents net, there is no great income
left to the producer on thirty, fifty or
even hundred bales Of cotton.
| He then submits a detailed estimat @
Of the cost of making cotton per acre,
showing the net cash expense to be
about ~. If the product was $40 pounds
Of seed cotton, or $50 pounds Of lint, the
cost would be 8 80 cents per pound;
where it was 200 pounds lent 81 cents,
and where it was ESQ pounds, .2.4-5 cents
a pound.
Capt. Hammond continues: sThe
planter who makes cotton at q cost of
three cents and sells it for eight cents,
ought not certainly to complain Of the
percentage Of profit upon expenses SO,
too, as rule, the per cent Of profit, on
the total investment in land. mules, ma
chinery, implements, etc., will be found
one which business men are accustomed
to regard as large, Property is so ex-
trcmely low that planter making an
average crop OF 100 bales will not need
to have invested more then $4,000 to
$13, 3,OOO-$1O,OOO in land and buildings,
and Sc, 900 in stock, supplies, machinery
etc.
'If then, he be a good planter. on
moderately fair land for none is really
good land which will not bring 800
pounds of lint cotton, when manured he
will make from $40 to $25 bale and his
income will be from $1,000 to $2,5OO-a
very fair return from his capital "What''
than, he asks is the matter? Why is there
so much complaint? Are not cotton plan
ters fast sinking into condition OF
almost hopeless poverty? might answer
he says that the whole world is grow
ing poorer. The business depression
everywhere is marvellous, unprece-
dented, and agriculture among the worst
sufferers, as ishe always is. The great
Northwest can not stand wheat at 80
cents. Three fourths of the farms are
mortgaged to their full value. and their
nominal owners and tenants can only
endure their miserable lives because
they were reared in the poverty of the
Old World. For some years it has been
known that in every county in England
scores Of rich farms are lying tenantless
and unworked; and now we have the
statement on good authority that'renr on
the average, is not more than I5s. an
acre, Of this los; is required to pay in
terest on the investment in buildings
which the landlord has made, leaving
the mere pittance OF 5s. ($l I5) to repre-
sent the rental of land which makas
from 20 to 50 bushels Of wheat. Why
in the cotton growing section Of the
South, where it is healthy for white
familey to live, land rents for from
two dollars to ten dollars per
acre"
Capt. Hammand then discussed the
different modes of living in the North
and West and in the South, and thinks
that one Of the csnses Of poverty in the
South is extrayasanS living, but the real
cause is debt and an outrageous rate OF
interest. "If" says he, "the manufac-
turers want cheap cotton they, must give
US cheap money.
But there can be 10 interest withou,
debt, and the South is deeply in dcbt
Neither for this is her agriculture or heI
planters 80 much to blame. What peo.
4 a. 4