Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1893-05-05

The FIRST annual report Of a. . Howard,
Chirf Of the Bureau Industrial Statistics has
been issued and copy has been sent u.s.
After a hasty glance We confess To- be pleased
with il, but we think he might have been a
little more elaborate in whooping up this
county. This section is naturally the garden
spot Of the State, and our young friend might
have been a bit more profuse in describing its
advantages We will let him OF, however, il
he win promise to do better next time. Here
is what the report says Of the county.
Area, 500 square miles population, IS l9l;
white, O,975; negro, s.2l6. Decrease since
1880, 1857, or 1910 per cent. Area per cap
tia, 10 acres, or 80 persons to square mile.
Assessed value Of property, s., 46l,937. Coun-
" tax rate, 95 cents Size Of farms, so to l., :
200 acres. Price Of farming lands, 81 to $50
per acre Principal industry, agriculture
Principal farm products, tobacco, wheat and
corn. Transportation facilities, Baltimore
and Potomac Railroad, aud the Wesms Steam
boat Line and Potomac Transpol tation Com
pany. County seat Port Tobacco.
10 Charles county exceptional advantages
are offered to the cultivator Of farm produce
The soil in many portions Of the county is
rich loan, which is particularly adapted to
the raising of fruit and grain. In various
parts Of Peninsula is also found substrat-
um of mari which renders tho cultivation of
these lands comparatively easy and inexpen-
sive. The general condition Of the farming
lands is poor, the most of the farmers owning
much more land than they can give proper at
tentiou, and the lands are, therefore, not cs
highly cultivated as they would be if in SINH.
lar holdings. There are in some sections,
however, some notable exceptions to this rule,
especially on the Potomac, Wlcomico and Pa
tuxent rivers, aud in various parts Of the cas-
tern section Of the country.
The size of the farms averaging about $50
acres, is tue greatest difficulty encountered by
the residents of the county. Prior to 1860
this locality included large slaye-holding
community, and consequently the lands were
concentrated in the hands Of a few owners,
and, upon the emancipation of the slaves,
these large holdings were suddenly left with
out proper labor, and the effect of this with
drawal of labor is still felt to a great extent
II is safe to say therefore, that at least thirty
per cent Of the land under cultivation ia 1855
IA now abandoned. Of course much of the
land is untitled, owing to the lack Of mean;
on the part of the owner, but the scarcity O.
labor is an important element to be consider
ed. The negroes, to whom most OF lhe farm
ers look for helr, have proved very unsatis
factory class of labor, and tie young Whit
men have generally sought employment in thu
cities, SO there appears to ee no remedy fol
this condition Of affairs short Of the introduc
ton into the county of thrifty small farmers
who would he enabled to work the lands tt
the hest possible advantage Farm laborer
would not be SO desirable AS farm owners 70
though seine Of TIE present owners might tax
ADVANTAGE Of an inEux OF lahorers, most own
ers would he unable to emp'oy them proata
bl,, as the Ia 4 Of capiui is greatly felt.
Abort Que dtrd OF the farur lands are work
ed i,y the owner, aud OF the two-ti irds work
ed W tenants, at least oue-hifis in tie band
Of negroes. Latorets are paid from 5ects t
81 II day with board Good labor is alwas
in dep.i,d, ard the absence efsuch labor ha
greatly restricted farming opera'ions in receu
years From these facts il is obvious that al
movement which sill bring Immigrants I
Charles county win acct with heatiy sppro