190 THE ALPINE REGION. 



pine belt. Still it is not one-third of the yield in the remainder of the 

 State. 



The work stock number 5,798, against 4,096 in 1870. This is 4.1 to 

 the square mile, the average for the State being 4.4. The ratio of work 

 stock to the population is less than elsewhere in the upper country, but 

 more than in the regions below the red hills. There are twenty-two acres 

 of tilled land to the head of work stock, which is more than elsewhere in 

 the State, except in the red hills and the metamorphic region. 



Other live stock numbers 66.035, being more per square mile than else- 

 where in the State, and more per capita of the population except only 

 anions the sand hills. 



LABOR AND SYSTEM OF FARMING. 



The farms are very rarely larger than can be worked by four horses. 

 The landholdings average from one hundred and fifty to three hundred 

 acres, including woodlands. The larger portion of the farm supplies are 

 raised at home, but near the towns, and along the Air-Line railroad sup- 

 plies from the west are largely purchased, the system of credits and ad- 

 vances to the smaller farmers prevails, absorbing with rents, not unfre- 

 quently, seven-eighths of the entire crop. Most of the land is rented or 

 worked on shares. The cash rental varies from two dollars and fifty cents 

 to four dollars an acre ; the usual terms are one-fourth the cotton and 

 one-third of the grain ; where stock and implements are furnished by 

 the landlord, he gets one-half the crop. The average market value of 

 lands is stated at five dollars an acre ; improved lands sell at from six 

 dollars to ten dollars an acre. About one-half the field laborers are ne- 

 groes, and since attention has been given to cotton culture they are on the 

 increase. Wages are fifty cents a day ; six dollars to eight dollars a month, 

 with board ; seventy-five dollars a year, with board. The condition of in- 

 dustrious laborers is good. The number of negro laborers owning houses 

 and land varies from one to five per cent, according to the locality. 



TILLAGE AND IMPROVEMENT. 



One-horse plows are generally used, very rarely two horses. The 

 depth of the furrow on the land side varies from three to four inches. 

 Subsoiling is not practiced. Occasionally lands lie fallow, and the result 

 is beneficial if stock are not allowed to destroy the crop of grass and 

 weeds. Cultivated fallows are unknown. There is no system in the ro- 



