The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-11-06
LANDLORDS AND CHOPPERS.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS ON AN IMPoR
TANT SUBJECT.

TAM oubJhOl.
Some Reasons why the Town Farmer
try Earnen-..The .Cr0pper Plan
u RuinOus One to the LandIOrtl-..
I.abOrcrs should be Paid in Cash.
At this season OF the year some Of the sub
scribcrs to The Press and Banner may be cast
lands cultivated for another year. Whether
We propose n practical measure or not. little
thought OH the part of the landowner, may
develop some plan whereby he may be bene-
fitted.
The 'cropper'' plan seems to us 10 be object
ionabe alike to landlord and "croppcr,' for
the simple reason that the"cr0pper' and the
'rentcr for part OF the crop" are both re-
dustrlously than when they loiter away their
tlme-the "crupper" plan being little less
than premium on laziness. Having been as,
sured of home and rations for himself and
family, why should the thriftless cropper
work?
It is often the thriftless or idle class OF peo-
pie who make "cropper" contrncts with land
lords. If they are prosperous and have stock
of their own, they, as rule, prefer TO rent for
n stipulated amount.
When the landlord has to furnish the land.
the mules, and the feed,-for both mules ana
croppcrs-why should he not 90 Just one step
further, and furnish the labor?
AS rule, any man who owns farm Is
more intelligent and more able to direct Il
farm than the croppcr.
to hold on to large farm, will, In all prob
ability, find 1t to his interest to control 1t,
rather than To open his purse to cropperS.
whom he must support. whether they work
or not
The much.sneercd.at "town farmer sell
dom or never fails to make money. and 1t
hay not be easy for the reader to account for
~ f,ry, fall tIttrn to
except in the methods of hiring labor.
The "town farmer" hires all Of his labor.
The country farmer, as rule, does much
labor with his own hands.
Then why the difference In result?
The town farmer hires one or two OF the
best "all round hands" that he can get TO
this hand, or hands. he pays monthly q llb-
eraI price IN casn; IN one opdths nd ode when sJw
they are needed, he often hires extra plows.
In the Fall Of the year, extra cotton plckers
are always employed.
BY this method from eight to twelve bales
No town farmer undertakes to feed hoe
hands and cotton pickers oil the year, merely
to get their services for few weeks. The
true secret of success at farming Is to reduce
the number Of consumers. Better pay hlgh
price for month or two than to feed all
year. - ,
The country farmer, like the town farmer,
might find II advantageous TO make arrange
ments to have ready money oil the year
round. This can be done at the Abbeville
Bank or the Greenwood Bank.
With ready money, extra Doe hands may
be hired In the Spring. and extra cotton PICK
ers can be had In the Fall.
No matter about the cost for the busy Sc
ason. 1t will be Infinitely less than the cost or
keeping there extra hands all the year.
1t is on the extra hands that the profit or
loss Is sustained.
Supposing that few landowners will con-
tinue the unsatisfactory plan OF cropping
we would submit few suggestions Tor con-
sideration:
l. Make such arrangements at,the Bank as
will en- able you to draw In monthly INSTALL
ments, sufficient cash to pay all laborers,
daily, or weekly, or monthly, as the varying
necessities demand. Then pay instantly for
all labor.
the best 'all round" hands that can be had
and great requisite. Pay liberal price, and
pay il monthly in cash-ihe contract to con.
tinue only as long as it may be pleasant or
profitable to both.
3. Hire all other help by the month, by the
week, or by the day, whenever needcu-anu
only when needed. Give such prices as VIII
ensure sufliciency of help at the right
time-and pay every one the instant they
work.
4. Ifplows and mules are needed. have no
hesitancy In hiring rs many rs you want,
and give such prices as will ensure the get
ting OF the help.
5. Plant as much cotton as can be possibly
well planted. Hoe hands can be had, and
should be had, at the right time, If you have
the cash.
about pick ing cotton. a good price VIII get
that work done, and the seed Will bring
enough money to reimburse the cost.
Treat kindly all families who may now be
living on your place. Let them occupy their
homes free OF rent, and when you need work
done, give them the preference. Lend them
your wagon TO haul their wood, ana make IL
undertake TO feed and clothe them. II neccs-
sary, give them contract or day jobs for spec
flied sums Of money and pay them In cash for
all work.
cotton pickers are needed. Better, pay
double price for one month than 10 feed anu
clothe them for year.
The cditor OF this newspaper undertook
once to furnish supplies to one.horSe ten
ant. That tenant had IL large lam ly, and his
necessities were great and pressing. THINK
ing he was boring with big nugur, we eX-
amined the work, which he had done IN the
Spring, and, according to his own estimate.
he had not earned more than one.fourth OF
the sum which had been advanced To him.
He had cleaned trash off little piece OF
ground. and had plowed some. This was our
experience, and we didn't "auVancc any
more.
OF one thing, we have no doubt, and thatis,
that landowner should make contract
which would bind him or the laborer Tor
may wish II ended. Have no enforced labor.
Have no laborer who is not loyal and who
does not wish to stay.
1t will be found we'll to treat laborers not
only Justly, but kindly. Our experience ls,
that iaborers are sensitive to ill-treatment,
and are susceptible TO any kindness or respect
which may be shown TO them. The land
owner often, without special inconvenience,
finds 1t in his power to return favor 70 the
landless, and In turn, the tenant W Ill find 1t
often In his power to confer favor in very
substantial and inexpensive way.
We repeat, make no yearly contracts. Let
each day stand for ITSELF with liberal pay.
fair treatment, and kindness, this course VIII
One word more 1t Is difficult to see how
any farmer can well DO without an agricul-
tural paper. TO n man. with Il large farm ana
much stock, such publication Is lndlspen-
sible. 1t is worth to him hundred times
m orc than It's cost. There are many excel
lent agricultural papers. any one of which are
worth more than the subscription price, put
we would recommend as especially valuable,
the Southern CultiUator. 1t Is printed In our
own latitude and devoted exclusively to the
discussion of farm and household topics.
The cIninently practical monthly farm top
les, which are discussed In this paper. Is
taken from that paper, and Is only spec
linen of all that the book contains. II IS
firmly n valuable publication. Address. S0Htii-