EVOLUTION OF THE COTTON SYSTEM 73 



ment on cotton plantations was approximately $1.83 per 

 acre in crops. 



The labor on plantations is divided between wage 

 hands, croppers, and share tenants. The terms as to ten- 

 ure are the same as those on rented farms in the South 

 not in the plantation area but, as suggested, the workers 

 are more closely supervised. A greater per cent of the 

 workers are wage hands than in other tenancy areas. At 

 least 25 per cent of the work is done by utility hands who 

 feed stock, dig ditches, and do carpenter work, extra day 

 hands called in for the emergencies of chopping and pick- 

 ing, and regular hired hands who raise feedstuff for live 

 stock and work the landlord's crop through and through 

 on the old gang system. In 1913 such hands received $18 

 to $25 per month without board or $12 to $16 per month 

 with board and rations. By 1920 wages had increased al- 

 most 100 per cent. Day hands who had received $1.25 

 per day received $3.00. The landlord is relieved of the 

 risk of advancing supplies to the wage hand for he pays 

 as he goes. The monthly rations resemble those of the 

 old plantation: 16 pounds of salt pork, a bushel of meal, 

 and one or two gallons of molasses. 64 



The position of the cropper is about half way be- 

 tween that of a tenant and a hired servant. The landlord 

 furnishes the land, a house, tools, and work animals to the 

 cropper who furnishes the labor for half the crop. Ex- 

 penses of fertilizer and ginning are usually divided 

 equally. In addition, the plantation owner furnishes sup- 

 plies for which he takes a lien on the crop. If the cropper 

 needs extra money he may work on the plantation as a 



64 For discussion see ibid., pp. 19-27. 



