The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-11-04
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Mr. Wakefield s Letter.

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In. my article published in your last
issue, headed ''The Negro and Mule"
have well nigh eaten up. Abbeville
County," l promised to show the
banker, merchant and farmer, how
our n.ggeredly' system of farming
could be changed and, bring prosper
ity and happiness to Abbeyille coun-
ty, "and not bankruptcy. as see it
now" =. s-..."' :, ;.
To" show this system does; not ap-
ply to Abbeville county, but is state
wide, I will produce few figures. We
have. censusS1s1O, 1,515,: 400 people in
South Carolina white. and black. Now
assuming we produce 100000 B. 6.
and market this at 6 IL cents pres
ent price, we. find it will bring s4S,-
100000 or if sold at 1Oc. :s75, 900, 600.
But did you know that we have used
in South Carolina .s32,OOO,oOO worth
of fertilizer, take this>from the sale Of
crop of cotton at 6 1-2c and we have
left $16,75O,OOO or just s11O5 per1cap-
ita and at 1oc we have ,s2S.S7per cap
ita. Are these figures not appalling?
am aware. that there is small per
cent of our people that do not get
their living direct from raw cotton,
but this per cent is SO small that it
would not materially change. above
figures. SO you see .Abbeyille County
is in just. good fix as the State, as;
a whole: But does not s11O5 or even
$28.37 per capita look very small to
pay for all expenses incurred in II
months, In shape Of food for man and
beast, taxes. insurance, the preacher,
wagons and. buggies, autos and every
other imaginable thing we find II. nee
essary to spend money for, in twelve
months. d -"
In my last estimated $16O pet cap
ita and think we are spending at least
this amount per capita. What 4 shall
say below, as to the betterment of our
farming system, as conducted Nat
present, let me say to the farmer, that
is now making a good living. paying,
his debts and satisfied with things as:
he now conducts them, the landlord
or tenants. have not one: word to say,
for if he is doing all Of above he may
be doing better than I can show him
in this article, but Of this class, we
find few in our county. In my last I
think I must have made it clear, that
no one can farm out his. lands on
halves and make bales :. per- plew,
and not have a clear loss from '25 to
100 dollars per plow. .'.q'ii. :
> Now to theflandlord who has been
working;2 mules himself and letting
Jim and Bob. negroes work other
two on halves, and eating up all he
and his family had worked for. Here
is my plan for him. Say you have 100
acres OF more in this farm, keep two
of your best mules sell other two and
invest the money in hogs, wire, har-
rows and good tools to fence up sur;
plus land, take go acres Of your best
land. put. in Is. acres, cotton, 5 acres
corn, 10 acres oats using $500 fertl-
izer per acre, SOW corn and oats
stubble in peas, cut what you may
need, and turn under balance in three.
years reduce your fertilizer to 200. lb
acid per acre 5"all-most cutting. out
fertilizer" Put out few acres: In
burmuda adjoining barn for hogs and1
COWS, also two or three acres, in, rape,
peas, sorghum, potatoes and goober1s
for your hogs to gather while you are
at work, not depending on corn for
feed. You should have on this farm
four to six sows and raise 100 pigs
annually. If can't sell pigs carry un-
til weighing 100 to $50 lbs and sell
for $1,000 to 1900 per head, have two
to four mich COWS selling your sur
plus butter; 100 hens selling spring
and fall friers and eggs the year
round. Christmas has come and lets
sum up, as to- how you have come out.
Is. bales cotton. ........... 5 10000
seed 10000
9oo bushels corn 10000
5oo bushels oats 800 .OO5
: toms nat hav 5000.
Do, vino and sorghum ~. 10000
p;rs cold and m hand 10000
$4,000