SOUTHERN AGRICULU 1U. 179O-1860 285 



there were no climatic disadvantages for whites throughout the 

 greater part of the cotton belt, where the use of slave labo: 

 directly responsible for the perpetuation of the " one- field " system 

 of agriculture long after that method of tillage had survived its 

 period of usefulness and had succeeded in completely exhausting 

 the fertility of the once productive soils. 



Slave labor probably cost absolutely, though not relatively, less 

 than free labor, and the owner had the advantage of absolute 

 control over the laborer's services. But this was more than offset 

 by the lack of interest which the slave took in his work. His low 

 cost of maintenance did not make up for his waste of his master's 

 property. The slave learned methods of agriculture slowly, and he 

 therefore worked best when employed in cultivating only one crop. 

 And as to allow him to remain idle was to lose for the time being 

 the use of almost the entire capital of the planter, it became 

 -sary to furnish employment which should last throughout 

 the year. The cultivation of cotton spread over three-fourths of 

 the year, and, together with the clearing of new lands, furnished 

 continuous employment to slave labor, which the cultivation of 

 Is, the raising of grasses, vegetables, fruits, etc., would 

 not have done. The slave, therefore, stood in the way of the 

 adoption of a rotative system of agriculture. While cotton r. 

 by means of slave labor was an industry of increasing or 

 constant returns, the profits of the planter were invested in new 

 lands and more slaves. When the industry reached that point in 

 diminishing returns where the profits ared, the planter. 



hieing his labor force- and landed property for the 

 purpose of adopting an intensive system of fanning, found greater 

 profit in breeding slaves for the planters <>n the still uncxha. 



n lands. 



The one great advantage which Mr. Russell, who seems to have 

 favorably impressed with 6 i<>und in th 



of cotton by m was the 



and division of labor," of which their numbers permitted on the 

 plantations. This seems to have been a conclusion d< i 



:.ither th observation. !"i then- 



no large plantations worked by free labor previous to the 



