THE PIEDMONT REGION. 155 



the endorsement of one or more of his neighbors. In this way it fre- 

 quently happens that three neighbors endorse each others notes, so that 

 if ill-luck beftill one during a crop season, the others help him through, 

 and it is found that such assistance is equalized in a series of seasons. 

 Besides the direct assistance this bank affords, its indirect influence is 

 highly beneficial, not only does it encourage personal trustworthiness and 

 integrity, but by the circulation of its capital during the active season of 

 the year, it gives a healthy cash tone to business ; where a large propor- 

 tion of the sales are for ready money, the purchases by merchants are 

 more carefully and economically made, and even advances on liens are 

 less exorbitant than elsewhere. 



Field labor is performed exclusively by natives, and chiefly by colored 

 laborers. In Spartanburg, two-thirds of the field labor is performed by 

 whites, even where the colored population largel}^ preponderates. The 

 reader will find by reference to the township reports, that a considerable 

 amount of it is done by whites ; not unfrequently a much larger propor- 

 tion than one would infer from the ratio between the races. The laborers 

 are healthy, easily managed, work moderately and live easily. Their 

 condition is reported as good in eight localities ; as improving in two ; 

 and as poor, but contented and happy, in one. Very few negro laborers 

 own land or houses in Newberry, York and Abbeville ; sixteen per cent, 

 own a house or land in Greenville; and five, per cent, in Spartanburg, 

 Fairfield, Chester and Laurens. 



The prevailing wages of field labor is eight dollars by the month, or 

 one hundred dollars by the year. In Greenville it is seven dollars, and 

 in Laurens it is eight dollars to twelve dollars by the month. In portions 

 of Edgefield it is seventy -five dollars per the year. In all cases the la- 

 borer is furnished with shelter, rations and firewood, and almost inva- 

 riably with a garden and the privilege of raising poultry and some stock — 

 a cow or a hog. The farm work is light, and the extreme care formerly 

 given to preserving the health of the slaves, has bequeathed regulations 

 regarding labor not customary elsewhere. Work commences at sunrise, 

 and is over with at sunset ; no night work of any sort being required ; 

 the time allowed for meals varies ; for dinner it is from one to three hours, 

 according to the length of the days. All exposure to rain or bad weather, 

 even in pressing exigencies, is scrupulously avoided, and during excep- 

 tionally chilly weather little work is obtained or expected of negro 

 laborers. 



A large proportion of the land is worked on shares. When the land- 

 lord furnishes the tools, stock, and stock-feed, he takes one-half the crop 

 in Laurens, Chester, Abbeville, and York, and in portions of Fairfield 

 and Spartanburg. In Greenville, and in portions of the counties last 



