THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



415 



upon the place as if it were all your own, hav- 

 ing been entrusted to you by another. Unless 

 you feel thus, it is impossible to do your em- 

 ployer j astice. 



The health of the negroes under your charge 

 is aii important matter. Much of the usual 

 sickness among them is the result of careless- 

 ness and mismanagement. Over-worked, or 

 badly-cooked food, and night rambles, are all 

 fruitful causes of disease. Well-cooked food, 

 including plenty of vegetables, should be sup- 

 plied to them at regular hours ; that the sick 

 be cheered and encouraged, and some extra 

 comforts allowed them, and' the convalescent 

 not exposed ; that pregnant women be particu- 

 larly cared for, and in a great measure exemp- 

 ted from labor, and certainly from exposure 

 and undue exertion for some time before con- 

 finement ; and that while nursing they be kept 

 as near the nursery as possible, but at no time 

 allowed to suckle their children when over- 

 heated ; that the infant be nursed three times 

 during the day, in addition to the morning and 

 evening, until eight months old, when twice a 

 day suffice ; that no whiskey be allowed upon 

 the place at any time, or under any circum- 

 stances ; but that they have whilst heated and 

 at work plenty of good cool water ; that care 

 may be taken to prevent the hands from carry- 

 ing their baskets full of cotton on their heads — 

 a most injurious practice — and, in short, by 

 using such means'for their comfort as every ju- 

 dicious humane man will readily think of, you 

 will find the amount of sickness greatly dimin- 

 ished. 



Next to the negroes, the stock on the place 

 will require your constant attention. It is a 

 part of the duty in which overseers are gene- 

 rally most careless. The horse and mule stock 

 are first in importance ; unless these are kept 

 in good order, it is impossible that the work 

 can go on smoothly, or your crop be properly 

 tended. Put your stables and lot in good order, 

 and keep them under lock, and have them lit- 

 tered and cleaned .out at proper intervals ; to 

 attend to sick or maimed animals — to see that 

 the gears are always hung up in their proper 

 place, kept in good order, and so on. It is an 

 easy matter to keep horses or mules fat with a 

 full and open corn-crib, and abundance of fod- 

 der ; that overseer shows his good manage- 

 ment, who can keep his team fat at the least 

 expense of corn and fodder. Hogs are gene- 

 rally sadly mismanaged. Too many are kept 

 and kept badly. One good brood sow for every 

 five hands on a place is amply sufficient ; in- 

 deed, more pork will be cured from these than 

 from a greater number. The implements and 

 toolsrequire a good deal of looking after. By 

 keeping a memorandum of distribution of any 

 set of tools, they will be much more likely to 

 be forthcoming at the end of each month. 

 Axes, hoes, and other small tools, of which ev- 

 ery hand has his own, should have his number 

 marked upon it with a steel punch. The strict 



enforcement of one single rule will keep every- 

 thing straight — " have a place for everything, 

 and see that everything is in its place/' 



Of the provision crops there is most com- 

 monly enough made upon most plantations for 

 their own supply. Rarely, however, is it saved 

 without great and inexcusable waste, and fed 

 out without stitl greater. And this, to their 

 lasting shame be it said, is too often the case to 

 a disgraceful extent, when an overseer feels 

 satisfied that he will not remain another year 

 upon the place. His conduct should be the 

 very opposite of this. 



It is indispensable that you exercise judg- 

 ment and consideration in the management 

 of the negroes under your charge. Re firm, 

 and at the same time gentle, in your control. 

 Never display yourself before them in a pas- 

 sion ; and even in inflicting the severest pun- 

 ishment, do so in a mild, cool manner, and it 

 will produce a tenfold effect. When you find 

 it necessary to ube the whip (and desirable as 

 it would be to dispense with it entirely, it is 

 necessary at times,) apply it slowly and delib- 

 erately, and to the extent you are determined 

 in your own mind to be needful before you be- 

 gin. The indiscriminate, constant and exces- 

 sive use of the whip is altogether unnecessary 

 and inexcusable. When it can be done with- 

 out a too great loss of time, the stocks offer a 

 means of punishment greatly to be preferred. 

 Never threaten a negro, but if you have occa- 

 sion to punish, do it at once, or say nothing 

 until ready to do so. A violent and passionate 

 threat will often scare the best disposed negro 

 to the woods. Always keep your word with 

 them in punishments as well as rewards. 

 Never forgive that in one that you would pun- 

 ish in another, but treat all alike, showing no 

 favoriteism. Never be induced by a course of 

 good behavior on the part of the negroes to re- 

 lax the strictness of your discipline ; but when 

 you have, by judicious management, brought 

 them to that state, keep them so by the same 

 means. The only way to keep a negro honest 

 is not to trust him. This seems a harsh asser- 

 tion, but it is unfortunately too true. 



In conclusion, bear in mind that a fine crop 

 consists, first, in an increase of the number, and 

 a marked improvement in the condition and 

 value of the negroes ; second, an abundance of 

 provision of all sorts for man and beast, care- 

 fully housed ; third, both summer and winter 

 clothing made at home ; also leather tanned, 

 and shoes and harness made, when practicable; 

 fourth, an improvement in the productive qual- 

 ities of the land, and in the general condition 

 of the plantation ; fifth, the team and stock 

 geuerally, with the farming implements and 

 buildings in fine order at the close of the year: 

 and young hogs more than enough for next 

 year's killing ; then, as heavy a crop of cotton 

 as could possibly be made under the circum- 

 stances, sent to market in good season, and of 

 prime quality. 



