8 



TRUCK-FARMING AT THE SOUTH. 



even kindness, render him satisfied with his lot, to the 

 end, that, instead of being an irritating element of the 

 body politic, he may become a contented and useful mem- 

 ber thereof. Exceptional instances of self-elevation and 

 independence should be correctly appreciated and encour- 

 aged as a spur to others. 



The death of slavery was, so to speak, the birth of 

 truck-farming on an extensive scale in the South- Atlantic 

 and Guli States; indeed it would otherwise have been im- 

 possible. I was probably the largest slave-owner, engaged 

 in vegetable culture, in this section; but of forty-five 

 grown negroes, twenty-six only were available as field 

 laborers, the others being mechanics, house-servants, etc. ; 

 and at no time could I have controlled more than that 

 number of hands, and few, or none, could have been 

 hired. At the present time there are in the vicinity of 

 Savannah many truck-farmers who employ one hundred 

 to two hundred laborers during the picking season. 



Ex-Governor Hammond's prediction : that the negro, 

 in case of emancipation would "seek the towns, and rap- 

 idly accumulate in groups upon their outskirts," has cer- 

 tainly been verified. It is the better class of this popula- 

 tion, those who are willing to do some work, which sup- 

 plies the truck-farmer with sufficient labor during the 

 pressing season of gathering his crops. The table below 

 gives the usual average rate of wages, without board, 

 paid by truck-farmers in the vicinity of Savannah. 



For men 

 For women . 



so- 



H 



60 c. j12*-l5c 

 50 c. Il2i-15c 





P| 

 fe |ll 



^% 



s 





20 c. $1.00 $0.75 

 20 c. 



I!! 



H c. i c. 



He. Ic. 



Three baskets fill four crates. When boys and girls 

 are hired the pay is at half rate per day. 



