Year: 1869

river and some other points the damage will be Be-
rious, unless relieved by an early fall Of rain.


Notwithstanding the experience Of two seasons
disastrous from the operations Of the caterpillar,
the planters of the long staple cotton have planted
nearly the area of last year. The plant was some
what put back by the late cold spring, but the
weather has since been dry and warm, and the
progress of the crop has been favorable. No GER
tain indications Of the yield can be given, until
more advanced period of the season is reached the
plant having to run the chance Of worms, storms,
and other casualties -


A moderate amount Of corn was planted in this
division, but the cold and unfavorable spring. with
the absence Of rain since, have nearly destroyed
the crops where they were planted on light soils,
and the yield Of this grain will be extremely limit
ed. This will render the purchase Of considers
bic amount Of corn necessary as the season advan-
oes. Labor on the Sea Islands is sabundant, and is
only scarce in the rice district. The negroes are
reported to be working well. There being but lii.
tie money in the sea coast region, the negroes are
generally paid for their labor in land. A planter,
for instance, who wants twenty hands, hires sixty
hands on the 1.-TWO day. system. Every one Of
the sixty has land to cultivate for himself, and
works for the planter two days in the week. In
this way the planter, in exchange for the land used
BY the sixty hands, has the labor Of sixty hands
for two days each, equal to the full work Of gang
Of twenty: This plan, with different notifications,
has been widely adopted this year. The prospects
Of the division are good, and the planters believe
that the dry spring will make the caterpillar harm
less. s'~-


Weighing carefully the condition of the crops in
the different parts Of the State We arrive, then, at
the following conclusions: '-


/. The wheat and corn crops of the year will be
sufficient for home consumption, but as the yield
will be unequaIy divided, some counties having
more and some less than they will need, q consid-
erable quantity of grain must be bought before the
crop Of 1870 comes in. Not nearly as much as
was bought in 1858 should, however, be neces-
sary More oats will, it is believed, be raised than
ever BEFORE ~ -' -,


2 The cotton crop Of the State will more likely
fall short of than exceed the crop Of 1888 The
increased area in cotton and the liberal use Of fer
tizers will be fully neutralized by the cold spring,
and by the fact that the freedmen are now more
largely than ever planting on their own account
The land so planted is included in the increased
area of the year, but the yield per acre will, on ae
count of careless cultivation, be much less than
where the land is titled by negroes directed by
white men. For these reasons we set down the
crop Of South Carolina for lse970 at, say, l75Oo0
bales


3. The prospects of rice are fair, and with good
seasons the crop Of lSe9-70 should reach $4,000
tierces. -


The freedmen are working at least as well as last
year. and in the upper parts of the State are work
ing better. Politics are growing less attractive
and the laborers are gradually settling down to the
conviction that they can make bread and meat
more easily by working, than by running to the
polls and waiting for acres and mules which will
never come, unless as the reward of patient indus.
try.


Our estimates may, Of course, be affected by the
events Of the future, but they represent fairly the
condition and prospects of the crops at this time.
There is nothing in them to discourage U.s. On
the contrary they show that by the use Of fertil-
izers and thorough cultivation, We may, even in a
year which opened disastrously, obtain fair aver
age return for our money and work.