99 



cient to jiay taxes and other necessary expenses, leaving nothing to compensate for im- 

 poverishment of the laud. Charlotte : The only reliable and paying crop in this county. 

 liockbridge : One tenant of mine made $:330 on 4 acres. His family, consisting of a wife 

 aud three children, under 12 years of age, helped him work his crop. Meckknburgh : 

 Decidedly. It is the only crop we can cultivate that will i)ay well after deducting 

 expenses to market. Goochland : Decidedly. The crop was a heavier one than for 

 many years, and the quality as a general rule is good. Fluvanna: Our farmers con- 

 cur in the opinion that tobacco pays better in the general than any other crop. Caro- 

 line : Beyond all question. Henry : Because no other crop will bear transportation. 



NoKTH Carolina. — Stokes: A good hand «an raise from 1,.'300 to 1,800 pounds, if 

 skillful in managing, which will bring 20 to 30 cents per pound. At the same time he 

 can make a superabundance of corn, wheat, rye, oats, hay, beef, pork, and vegetables 

 for family supplies. Person: The only branch in the county followed for profit. Cas- 

 well : Almost the only crop relied ou as a source of profit. 



Georgia. — Decatur: The cultivation of Florida or Cuba tobacco (used, I am in- 

 formed, for wrapping) has undoubtedly beea the most nrolitable. 



Tennessee. — Montgomery, Jackson, Dickson : One acre will pi'oduce 800 pounds, 

 which, at the low price of 6 cents, gives $48. One hand will work aud house the to- 

 bacco on 6 acres. The hand, horse, and plow will cost $20 per month for (5 mouths. 



West Virginia. — Tyler : One acre of new ground planted in tobacco will yield 

 800 pounds ; at f:{.75 per hundred, will give $:jO. One acre idanted in corn will yield 

 20 bushels ; at 45 cents per bushel, will give $'J, sliovving an excess of $21 per acre iu 

 favor of tobacco. Again : one acre of old ground (sod) iu tobacco will yield 1,200 

 pounds; valued at 4 cents pt^r pound, will give $48. The same ground planted in corn 

 will produce 40 bushels, at .50 cents ])cr bushel, amounting to $20, showing a balance 

 again in favor of tobacco of $28 per acre. Mercer : Ten acres of raw laud planted in 

 tobacco yielded a crop of 10,000 pounds ; and this, at an average value of $10 per cwt. , 

 gave the producer $100 per acre. 



Kentucky. — Craves : There were about 8,000 acres iu cultivation with tobacco last 

 year, at an average of 700 pounds yier acre, making a total of 6,300,000 pounds pro- 

 duced in this county. Christian : Tobacco rarely fails, and the average price is from $.5 

 to $10 per hundred. Three thousand pounds to each baud is considered a good yield, and 

 requires about one-half of the hands' time. Davies : Our land often produces 1,.500 

 j)ound8 of tobacco per acre, ranging iu price from $8 to $10 per cwt. Lewis: In one 

 instance a farmer cultivated 1,500 pounds of tobacco to the acre, and realized $22.50 

 per hundnid ; this, however, was ou superior tobacco-land. Land that will grow to- 

 bacco without the aid of fertilizers can be bought for $10 per acre. Adair : Tobacco 

 yields more actual money than any other crop. Grain is generally fed to stock, such 

 as mules, cattle, and hogs, and they have not commanded good prices. Parties taking 

 mules South have lost money. , 



Ohio. — Adams : Tobacco pays from $50 to $125 per acre, aud the cost of producing 

 amounts to only from $18 to $30 per acre. Vinton : We calculate on 1,100 pounds of 

 tobacco to the acre, and even at the present low price would be worth $53..50, and the 

 cost would not be more than $18 to put it in the market. 



AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENT. 



The second question proi)oiin(Ied in the March circular embraced three 

 leading points: First, economy and efficiency of labor ; second, system- 

 atic aud rational processes for its employment ; third, advanced intelli- 

 gence and skill in its direction. 



From the replies of our correspondents, we gather fresh evidence of 

 the fact that the amount of muscular force iu the country available for 

 agricultural labor is relatively if not actually diminishing, and that it 

 bears a smaller ratio to the work expected of it than formerly. Every 

 year it becomes a more costly element of production. This is a very 

 troublesome fact, but it has a deeper significancy than the mere de- 

 rangement of existing social settlements. More generous remuneration 

 for manual toil is a tendency in the direction of a higher civilization. 

 It implies the elevation of the laborer to a more independent and digni- 

 fied social position and a higher development of individual manhood. 

 The temporary inconveniences which result from this elevation of the 

 laboring classes will, of course, bear heavily upon vested interests, but 

 such collisions have marked the course of civilization in every stage. 



To adjust the economic disturbances created by the increased price of 



