Vol.il AUGUSTA, GA., JUNE 2G, 1844. No. 13. 
(*) 
Cominuuicatious. 
For the Southern Cultivator. 
Mr. Editor — By referring to the last number 
of the Columbia (3.C.) Carolinian, you will 
perceive that the subject of overseers is under- 
going an able and thorough discussion. No 
question connected with Southern Agriculture 
is more interesting in a pecuniary view, nor 
more important to the rapid improvement of the 
science : and, singular as it may appear, it is 
true, that, in the astonishing progress which has 
been made of recent years, in the analysis and 
adaptation of manures, in the mode ofameliorat- 
ing lands, and of cultivating the staples, little 
or nothing has been said or done, in relation to 
the practical operator, in the application of these 
changes. 
The general practice, heretofore, has been to 
select an overseer, with regard, simply, to expe- 
rience of planting, and to sobriety: and, consid- 
ering the frequent and often long-continued ab- 
sence of the employer, the entire control of the 
business, which it has been usual to intrust to 
the agent, and the universal custom of looking 
only to the result of the crop as the sole test of 
good management, these qualities, superadded 
to industry and energy, would perhaps have been 
e.iough. Relying fully upon the judgment and 
experience of the overseer, this functionary is 
permitted to direct the mode of preparing and 
manuring the land, the period and manner of 
planting, the extent of tasks, with the inequalities 
in them, applicable to difierence of sex and age, 
of health and strength of the laborers, and the vi- 
tal part of cultivating the crop. Thus, master 
of his own actions, and responsible really to no 
one, he rides over the fields, and inspects the 
work and the s ock, at his option ; experiments 
with implements and with soils at pleasure, and 
always fruitlessly, since he is unaided by the 
knowledge of any scientific principle; and, 
knowing that neither his situation nor his repu- 
tation will be compromised while his crop can 
compare with those of his neighbors, the better 
naid of them, sometimes indolently visits his 
charge in a carriage,’^ and often keeps his dogs 
and his boat, and indulges in the agreeable pas- 
times of the chase and the rod. Happy lot is 
that of overseer — for a man without education 
generally, and born to labor. He is well paid 
for playing the luxurious part of gentleman, and 
possesses, tor the time, the plantation in his 
care, with all its means of contributing to his 
comfort and pleasure. 
But a revolution is at hand. The system is 
not to be modified, but to be reversed. Planters, 
thus far, — at least, it is generally so with us— 
have enjoyed the bounties of virgin soil, of large 
products from them, almost spontaneously, and 
of fair prices. Receiving a liberal return from 
their investments, and from trifling labor in cul- 
tivation, and living in a country where the 
standard of wealth is low, and the means of sub- 
sistence abundant and cheap, and extravagant 
luxuries are almost unknown, they have been 
able to give good wages to their employees, and 
furnish them with every requisite comfort, — and 
beeninduced, by their easy independence, to ex- 
act little from them, beyond a loose attendance 
* Afact: one instance has certainly come to the 
knowledge of the writer; 
on their places, and to pay little attention them- 
selves to their own afiairs, further than to pock- 
et the proceeds of the crop, and replenish the 
plantation deficiencies. The times, however, 
have now changed. Our lands are becoming 
worn, and it will be necessary to supply them 
periodically, with those essential ingredients 
that are periodically abstracted. They must be 
properly fallowed and rotated, and judiciously 
and carefully tilled. Our negroes, if possible, 
must be more gently worked. Amid the multi- 
plying blessings of civilization, and the vastly 
improved system of agriculture we are striving 
to introduce, it is our duty to conve}’' some of 
their ameliorating effects to the operative. 
Competition in the product of our great staple is 
increasing, too : the growth of it is extending in 
India, — and, from late accounts, they mean not 
only to surpass, in quality, our Orleans and 
Mobile Cotton, our Georgia’s and Santee’s, but 
to rival also our long staple. Should Texas be 
immediately annexed, it will open a wide field 
for its cultivation ; and, from the vast extent of 
its fertile and inexhaustible soil, and its benifi- 
cent clime, will probably one day monopolize 
its culture. And, it the Union is deferred, it 
will only defer our doom as extensive cotton 
growers. Our Southwestern brethren are in- 
vesting more largely each year, in its produc- 
tion, and with superior advantages of climate 
and soil. It is enough to cite these, without al- 
luding to less enterprising and less favored com- 
petitors, like the Brazils an i the Eastern Isl- 
ands. 
And what is more alarming still, is the fact, 
that production is at last outstripping consump- 
tion. In 1831, we produced I tt'e over a million 
of bags : in 1844, with the continuance of a good 
season, we cannot calculate on less than three 
millions, while the markets of the world are 
glutted beyond example, and the raw material 
about as low-priced as it has ever been, with the 
prospect of sinking still lower; and this, too, 
under a crop of only two millions of bags. The 
hopes entertained of the Chinese market, are all 
fallacious. No great benefit could accrue to us 
immediately, from the opening of all their ports. 
They are too poor to buy : they are almost as 
destitute as the Irish : they have mainly their 
great staple of tea to exchange, and the con- 
sumption of it is insignificant, compared with 
what it should be, to aid us materially in the dis- 
posal of our cotton. If a prohibitory tariff were 
imposed upon coffee, and tea were to become 
the univer.-al beverage, it would not vary the 
result to the required point. The theory so 
fondly cherished by many, that the increase of 
negroes will not be in proportion to the increase 
of consumption — that increased production is 
dependent upon the increased force to create it, 
and that ere long consumption must exceed itby 
a large proportion, is equally ideal. There are 
nearly three millions of negroes in the Southern 
Slates: nearly two millions of them ate work- 
ers. Concentrate these, as ere long under valua- 
ble returns and active competition they would 
be, in the best cotton growing region. Suppose 
a yieM of 2300 lbs. neat coiton, or 5 bags to the 
hand, and you will have nearly ten millions of 
bags. These negroes, if well fed and clothed, 
and not overtasked, (and the mass of them are 
so treated, and their condition in these respects 
is yearly improving,) it is asserted, by a late 
wmiter, will double their numbers in 25 years. 
The crop, at the end of that period, (without 
considering the changes to be made, in tl e 
meantime, in the system of planting, and which 
may increase largely the product to the hand,) 
would bo nearly 20 millions of bags, or 10,000 
millions pounds, and enough to clothe the whole 
human family, even if it should double itself 
likewise; which, cf course, it is far from doing, 
or ever havdngdoue, in that period. The notion 
is fanciful, and can only be indulged by those 
wiio are neither calculating ;ior practical. 
No, we must abandon the ivell-spun theories, 
which are seducing us into dreams of prosperi- 
ty and security; and yield at once to the convic- 
tion, that it is necessary to accommodate our- 
selves to our new circumstances. We must be 
prepared to meet the crisis when it comes. We 
must begin at once the practice of frugality and 
economy. We must combine farming with 
planting; produce all that is practicable at 
home, and no longer permit ourselves to be fur- 
nished with any of the means of support or of 
labor from beyond the mountains. But, first of 
all, we must turn our undivided attention to our 
own business ; study fully the theory of ourpur- 
suit, and practically apply its principles. We 
must test the discoveries and improvements that 
are con-stantlp being made ; and, by original ex- 
periments, add to the knowledge of the country. 
And, to do all this efiectually, we must be aided 
by industrious, energetic and intelligent over- 
seers. This important and indispensable class 
must be improved. Their arrogant ideas of ex- 
emption from work, of optional inspections, of 
independent action and irresponsible power, 
must be eradicated. The only mode of accom- 
plishing this, (and it must be done first or last,) 
is by learning thoroughly ourselves, and impart- 
ing our knowledge practically to them ; by direct- 
ing, in detail, all our planting operations ; by 
frequent and minute inspections of work, im- 
plements, stock and laborers ; and by enforcing 
prompt obedience to every order, and rigid ac- 
countability in the discharge of every duty, and 
in the observance of every precept of plantation 
economy. It is erroneous to suppose that plant- 
ing is an easy and indolent vocation. Properly 
pursued, it is one of the most arduous; demand- 
ing untiring activity and energy to regulate the 
negroes, divide and task them judiciously, desig- 
nate work, mode of doing it, and to observe from 
day to day that it is correctly done ; attend to 
stock ; the manure pit ; the experiments going 
on ; with many other matters depending on the 
variety of his collateral works. And exacting 
constant mental exertion to acquire a know- 
ledge of all the physical sciences, so indispen- 
sable to enlightened and successful planting, and 
to keep pace with the improv^ements in the 
country ; and a cultivated judgment, to investi- 
gate the thousand theories that are broached, to 
experiment, to compare facts, to combine and 
to apply them. And while the overseer maybe 
exempted from verj" much of the mental labor 
of the owner, his physical activity should be in- 
creased ; his time, his efforts, and his thoughts, 
should be devoted to the welfare of his employ- 
er, and he should take the deepest interest in 
every operation tending to promote it. 
But my remarks are extending too far. I in- 
tend them as introductory to the request, that 
you will publish the articles on overseers, sign- 
ed Franklin : coming, as stated, from a scienti- 
fic and successful planter, they will carry a 
weight additional to their intrinsic merits. 
A Burke Planter. 
\ 
