Birmingham age-herald., 1895-09-08
THE FUTURE OF COTTON PLANTING.
Louisville Courier-Journal.

Louisville Courier-Journal.
 MT. James Richardson, the biggest cot ton planter in the world, has been giving some of his impressions on his business to a New York reporter. MT. richardson aims to grow about 10000 bales of the great staple every year, and his father once had a crop of 1S,O00 bales.
 The views of such a large planter are in their way quite as interesting as a dissertation from big spectators on stocks, and they are not open to the sus- picion of being made to influence the market. The subject is really or Wluer interest. for cotton is still king in the south, and more people are concerned Tn it's production and manufacture than dabble in Wall street Ten thousand bales at $25 a bale are worth $250, and this is about one-tenth per cent or the value of the whole American crop. 1T he chose to do so, MT. Richardson could bear the price of cotton just as young Gould put down Missouri Pacific by pass ing the dividend. Being planter as well as merchant, it is to MT. Richard sons interest to keep up the value of the staple.
 It is encouraging to find him speaking hopefully of the outlook, though his conclusions are not likely to be widely accepted He says that he made more money off cotton when it was low than when it was high, because then he had to study to take advantage or every turn of the market, every facility of trans portation and every possible scheme 10 augment the yield and improve the quai- ity. For instance, Q bale of cotton IS always a bale, and freight and other charges are based upon this unlt, nos upon it's weight. Ordinarily pale or cotton weighs 300 pounds, and 1t costs S450 to get cotton baled, shipped ana delivered to ultimate buyers. MT. R.ch-
 
 said he compressed 1250 pounds into each of these trade units, with no addition to inc cost of transportation and other ex- penses The margin saved was qulte enough to make a low-priced crop proI- itable. He must have been misquoted as to this, for bales weighing over ioo nounds are regarded as unmechantaple, hut this point is not material.
 The planter must first produce the crop before it can be baled and marketed, and there are quite as many problems lo De considered in this important branch or the business. What will be news to most people is MT. Richardsons remark that he "breeds" cotton with the same care other men devote to horses. There are many varieties of the plant, ana to produce the best staple requires constant admixture of these. The negro nelu hand must be fed abundantly, and as he is passionately fond of pork, that kind or food must be produced as economically as possible So with mules and oxen, both of which are used to such great extent on the plantation. MT. Richardson is convinced that the negro is determined not to be a finanoier; hence to get the hest results he must be hired and not taken into partnership.
 In other words, the white planter must own the land and do the thinking. This is not naftering to the believers in the necessary uplifting of the colored man into the landholder and employer, put coming from a planter of such wide ex- perience 1t Is worth serious consideration The plan that had to be adopted soon after the war of furnishing the ground, team and tools, and supplies for part of the crop must be given up for employ ment at straight wages, though by south ern custom the planter furnishes cabins gardens, wood and other things free.
 Mr. Richardson sums up the following as the essentials for the successful cotton planter of the future:
 Cotton must enter upon a new life It can have no divided ownership The man who grows it must be solely respon- sible for the management. He must have the machinery as far as possible to absorb not only his staple, bsat refuse. He must