USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historical collections, Vol. II > Part 32
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But the most effectual method is to employ the hands who attend the crop at this period, to go through the field and catch the moth : this, it is said, requires about ten hands a day to examine a field of 100 acres. This should be done two or three times, at periods of three to four days, to have a good effect, which will pay well for the expense. The next pest of the cotton-planter is the caterpillar, which makes its appear- ance from the 25th of August to the 25th of September. When they come early, they do vast damage to the crop. At first, this scourge has but little or no effect, but when it ar-
394
SOUTHBRIDGE.
rives at a certain growth and period of their work they are the most voracious eaters imaginable. It is stated that luxu- rions growing crops of hundreds of acres are destroyed in the short time of three or four days, after they commence this eating process.
They are not annual, but periodical ; generally once in seven years.
Being now through with insects, heavy gales of wind are destructive, especially if accompanied by powerful rains.
Lands to be planted with cotton should be well plowed in the autumn, as deep as the soil will permit, as by loosening the ground deep it allows the roots of the plant to penetrate down to keep a supply of moisture in a dry season.
The usual planting season is from March 15th to the 10th of April, depending upon the dryness of the land and its mel- low condition ; care being had that all lumps are well pulver- ized, and the soil fine and soft, to allow the young sprouts to pierce through and show themselves, without being crippled by hard surface.
To cultivate thoroughly, three to four times of plowing and dressing of the ground and earthing of the plants is re- quired. The thinning of the setting, in rich ground, should leave only one plant in a distance of 12 to 18 inches in the row, which is 4 to 5 feet distant in parallel lines. In light or poor soil, 2 to 4 standings of the plant is permitted, to sup- ply the defect of branches that grow in rich soil.
PICKING.
After the pod opens, the sooner the cotton is picked the more valuable to the grower. There is a degree of oil in the cotton when it first opens that adds much to its weight, which by remaining open to the atmosphere, is to a considerable degree lost. Furthermore, all delay increases the liability to damage in various ways.
395
SOUTHBRIDGE.
The cotton-pods begin to open about the 15th of August, from which time to the 1st of December the whole attention of the cultivator is directed to the picking. Fifty pounds of cotton in the seed is a good day's work, which is about 15 to 18 lbs. of clean cotton when ginned. The seed preserved for planting should be saved from the second picking generally, and from cotton pieked from mid-day till night, and such as appeared vigorous; dryness being necessary. But all other cotton should, as picked, be kept in close bulk, except it be wet, when it is necessary to expose it to the sun, to free it from moisture not natural to the cotton.
The cotton should remain in bulk from four to eight weeks, to allow it to heat moderately, but not too much ; this pro- cess causes the oil in the seed to diffuse itself through the fibre, imparting to it a favorable tinge, desired by buyers and manufacturers. Ginning should be done moderately, not to break the staple ; and packing should be done only in rainy or moist weather, as the staple is a great absorbent of moisture, adding to its weight and the retention of the natural oil in the cotton. This is also an advantage when it is manufactured, in preventing flyings, which are produced by dry cotton.
BALING.
The compressing for good baling is about 30 lbs. to the square foot. The bagging should always be put on loose to allow for the swelling of the bale, so that when taken from the press the cotton shall remain entirely covered. The ropes or iron bands should be six in number, and the dimensions of the bale 22 inches by 24, and 4 feet 6 inches long in the press, uniformity being of great advantage in packing and stowing on shipboard.
CROP PER ACRE.
The cotton product varies much in the different cotton- growing States, and in fact in the same State, per acre ;
396
SOUTHBRIDGE.
depending both on the quality of the soil, and the skill and care used in its cultivation. Bad husbandry with cotton is more injurious, as regards the securing a good growth, than with most any other kind of agricultural crops; and all pro- ducers know perfectly well its ill effects in producing any favorable results.
The average product of cotton, per acre, before it is ginned, that is, with seed aspicked in the field, is about as follows :
In South Carolina, -
320 pounds seed cotton.
" Georgia,
500
" Florida,
350
. .
..
" Tennessee,
300
" Alabama,
525
. .
" Louisiana,
550
..
" Mississippi,
650
" Arkansas,
700
66
" Texas,
750
For Sea Island, -
400
The shrink by ginning, ready for market, is about two thirds to three fourths ; that is, 1,000 pounds of cotton from the field, when prepared for the market, will generally yield 250 to 300 pounds of clean cotton.
In dry seasons the plant is checked in its growth, and in wet seasons it runs more to leaves than cotton ; and, again, much depends upon the frosts. Late frosts in the spring, and early frosts in the autumn, are very effective in cutting short the crop.
It is more difficult to cultivate than Indian corn, wheat, and other small grains; it is more seriously affected by sudden changes of heat or cold, droughts, or excessive rains ; and, what is worse, a multitude of vermin, the worm, lice, ant, bug, fly, and the caterpillar.
Although heretofore cultivated by ignorant slave-labor, much success has been attained in the growth of this, one
..
..
397
SOUTHBRIDGE.
of the most difficult of agricultural crops. This fact may appear singular, when it is claimed that no one crop requires so much intelligent direction and methodical management, as the cultivation of cotton, to secure success.
This is accounted for by the almost exclusive attention of slave planters to this one crop; the master embodied all the intelligence, while the slaves acted under his direction, as mechanical power adjusted to a specific purpose.
Cotton culture in the cotton-growing States was principally under the control of the most able and intelligent portion of the men in that section of this country. They had, through two or three generations, successively, made this business a specialty, to understand its requirements, to wit : the species best adapted to the climate and soil, time, and mode of plant- ing, manner of preparing the ground, and treatment of the plants in process of cultivation.
They thoroughly understood its liabilities by climate and weather, and the insects which infested it while coming to maturity, and all the known modes of protecting the crop against them. Furthermore, the soil was unexhausted gener- ally, by the discontinuing for a time of the same crop. Their breadth of ground was ample for giving alternate years of rest to fields once occupied, rotation of crops, or rest, being indispensable.
The talent embraced in the class called planters in the planting States, and they were the chief producers of cotton there, may, without derogating from the merit of any other class of men engaged in other pursuits, be placed on an equal level, in point of intelligence, with those of any other section of this country; and no other class better understood the busi- ness in which they were engaged.
The question now arises as to the future of cotton culture ; with the revolution in the labor system of these States, can equal results be effected ? With the old system, the principal
398
SOUTHBRIDGE.
managers and the means have alike ceased to exist. In most instances new landlords and new systems prevail.
To determine the result of the future, two points are im- portant to be understood : will that section of the country continue its exclusiveness in the culture of cotton, or diver- sify its crops by the production of corn and small grain, as has been the case since the close of the war of Rebellion? It has been suggested that Northern men and Northern capital will now naturally tend there ; that may be ; but with a class of labor adapted to other pursuits, as well as cotton-growing, there is little or no probability of following exclusive cotton- raising, as did the slave planters, with a system specially adapted to that business, and not to an intelligent diversity of pursuit.
The evidence is ample to show that cotton culture is not in the main a more profitable erop than corn or other grain, with former prices ; but should the present price of 20 to 25 cents continue to prevail, an increase from the present prod- uct may be realized, but not to the extent of the future in- crease of population, compared with the crop of 1860 (nearly 5,000,000 of bales) and the population of the United States at that time.
It is agreed by those best acquainted with the expense of producing cotton, that 125 to 150 pounds of clean cotton is a fair average yield per acre ; and that five acres is a fair estimate per hand for proper cultivation, which at 150 pounds per acre is 750 pounds of clean cotton for each hand for his season's labor, and at 40 cents, is $300 ; this refers to Sea Island cotton, which requires more care and labor than the short-staple cotton.
The same estimate per acre for clean cotton is the same for both long and short staple cotton, but with the short-staple, the amount of labor for producing being less, one good average field-hand can cultivate 8 acres, which, at 150 pounds per acre, is 1,200 pounds, and at 25 cents is $300; same as Sea Island.
399
SOUTHBRIDGE.
This estimate of $300 per hand includes, of course, the full suun received by the planter for the use of his land and all other cost connected with the producing-ginning, baling, and placing the same in market. Almost any agricultural product will yield, with the same expense, quite as favorable results .*
ANNUAL PRODUCT OF COTTON, AND PRICE, IN UNITED STATES.
QUANTITY EXPORTED AND MANUFACTURED, AND TOTAL EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.
Date.
Crop. Bales.
Exported Bales.
Retained. Bales.
Price, cts. 1b.
Value of Exports. Dollars.
Exports of Country. Dollars.
Imports of Country. Dollars.
1790
3,750
625
3,125
14 22
20,800,000
23,000,000
1791
5,000
500
4,500
26
19,000,000
29,200,000
1792
7,500
358
7,142
29
20,700,000
31,500,000
1793
12,500
1,250
11,250
32
26,100,000
31,100,000
1794
20,000
4,167
15,833
33
500,000
33,000,000
34,600,000
1795
20,000
15,000
5.000
3612
2,000,000
48,000,000
69,700,000
1796
25,000
15,000
10,000
3612
2,000,000
67,000,000
81,400,000
1797
27,500
8.750
18,750
34
1,000.000
56,800 000
75,400,000
1798
37,500
22,500
15,000
39
3,000,000
61,500,000
68,500,000
1799
50,000
22,500
28,500
44
4,000,000
78,600,000
79,000,000
1800
87,500
42,500
45,000
28
5,000.000
71,000,000
91,200,000
1801
120,000
50,000
70,000
44
9,000,000
94,100,000
111,300,000
1802
137,500
67,500
70,000
19
5,000,000
72,500,000
76,300,000
1803
150,000
102,500
47,500
19
8,000,000
55,800,000
64,600,000
1804
162,000
95,000
67,000
20
8,000,000
77.600,000
85,000,000
1805
175,000
100,000
75,000
23
9,000,000
95,600.000
120,000,000
1806
200,000
92,000
107,500
22
8,000,000
101,500,000
129.400,000
1807
200,000
165,000
35,000
2112
14,000,000
108,300,000
138,500,000
1808
187,500
30,000
157,500
19
2,000,000
22.400,000
57,000,000
1809
205,000
132,500
72,500
16
8,000,000
52,200,000
59,400,000
1810
212,500
232,500
20,000*
16
15,000,000
66,600,000
85,400,000
1812
187,500
72,500
115,000
1012
3,000,000
38,500,000
+77,000,000
1813
187,500
47.500
140,000
12
2,000,000
27,800,000
+22,000,000
1814
175,000
42,500
132,500
15
2,000,000
7,000,000
+12,000,000
1815
250,000
207,500
13,500
21
17,000,000
52,500,000
$113,000,000
1816
310,000
202,500
107,000
2912
24,000,000
81,900,000
147,000,000
1817
320,000
237.500
82,500
2612
22,000,000
87,600,000
99,200,000
1818
312,500
230,000
82,500
34
31,000,000
93,300,000
121.700,000
1819
417,500
220,000
197,500
24
21,000,000
70,200,000
87,100,000
1820 |
400,000
317,000
83,500
17
22,000,000
70,700,000
74,500,000
1821
450,000
310,000
140,000
161.
20,000,000
65,000,000
62,600,000
1×22
502,500
360,000
142,500
16 1-10
24,000,000
72,100,000
83,200,000
1823
462,500
432,000
30,000
11 1-10
23,000,000
74,700,000
77,600,000
1824
503,750
355.000
148.750
15 1-10
22,000,000
76,000,000
89,500,000
1×25
627,500
440,000
197,500
20 1-10
$9,000,000
99,500,000
96,310,000
1826
620,000
510,000
110,000
12 1-10
25,000,000
77,600,000
85,000,000
1×27
675,000
510,000
165,000
10
29,000,000
82,300,000
79,500,000
1828
812,500
520,000
292,500
10 1-10
22,000,000
72,300,000
88,500,000
1529
912,500
660,000
252,500
10
26,000.000
72,400,000
74.500,000
1830
825,000
745,000
80,000
9 1-10
30,000,000
74,000,000
70,800,000
1831
962,500
602,500
270,000
9 1-10
25,000,000
81,300,000
103,200,000
1832
975,000
930,000
45,000
9 1-10
32,000,000
87.200,000
101,000,000
1×33
1,112,500
810,000
302,500
11 1-10
36,000,000
90,100,000
108,100,000
1811
200,000
155,000
45,000
1512
9,000,000
61,300,000
53,400,000
* See Andrew Ure's Cotton Manufacture in Great Britain, in 3 vols .; Bohn's Scientific Library, vol. 1, pp. 158 and 165; also, see De Bow's Industry and Resources of the South- ern and Western States, in 3 vols.
400
SOUTHBRIDGE.
ANNUAL PRODUCT OF COTTON .- CONTINUED.
Date.
Crop. Bales.
Exported. Retained. Bales. Bales.
Price. Cts. lbs.
Value of Exports. Dollars.
Exports of Country. Dollars.
Imports of Country. Dollars.
1834
1,150,000
960,000
190,000
12 8-10
49,000,000
104,300,000
126,500,000
1835
1,254,000
968,340
216,880
16 8-10
€4,000,000
121,700,000
150,000,000
1836
1,361,000
1,059,200
236,773
16 8-10
71,300,000
128,700,000
190,000,000
1837
1,422,930
1.110,520
222,540
14 2-10
63,200,000
117,400,000
140,000,000
1838
1,801,490
1,489,830
246,060
10 9-10
61,500,000
108,500,000
113,100,000
1839
1,360,530
1,034,060
276,010
14 8-10
61,200,000
121,000,000
162,000,000
1840
2,177,830
1,859,850
295,190
8 5-10
63,900,000
132.000,000
107,100,000
1841
1,694,940
1,325,510
297,280
10 2-10
54,300,000
121,800,000
127,900,000
1842
1,683,570
1,461,790
267,850
8 1-10
47,600,000
104,700,000
100,200,000
1843
2.378,870
1,980,770
325,710
6 2-10
49,100,000
84,300,000
64,700,000
1844
2,030,400
1,459,080
346,740
8 1-10
54,100,000
111,200,000
108,400,000
1845
2,394,500
2,182,260
389,000
5 9-10
51,700,000
114,600,000
117,200,000
1816
2,100,580
1,368,890
420,500
7 8-10
42,800,000
113,500,000
121,700,000
1847
1,779,000
1,318,050
427,620
10 3-10
53,400,000
158,600,000
146,500,000
1848
2,347,634
2,035,680
606,044
7 6-10
62.000,000
154,000,000
155,000,000
1849
2,728,596
2,566,500
642,485
6 4-10
66,400,000
146,000,000
148,000,000
1850
2,096,706
1,588,450
613,498
11 3-10
72,000,000
152,000,000
178,100,000
1851
2,335,257
2,318,090
485,614
12 1-10
112,000,000
218,000,000
216,000,000
1852
3,015,029
2,758,070
699,603
8
88,000,000
210,000.000
213,000,000
1853
3,262,862
2,778,920
803,725
9 8-10
109,500,000
231,000,000
1851
2,930,027
2,469,580
737,236
9 5-10
93,500,000
278,000,000
1855
2,847,339
2,521,060
706,412
8 7-10
88,000,000
275,000,000
1856
3,527,845
3,378,570
770,739
9 5-10
128,400,000
327,000,000 363,000,000
360,900,000
1858
3,113,962
2,794,560
595,562
11 8-10
131,300,000
325,000,000
282,600,000
1859
3,851,481
3,466,710
927,651
11 6-10
161,500,000
357,000,000
338,700,000
1860
4,669,770
3,774,173
895,597
11 1-2
192,000,000
400,000,000
362,200,000
1861
3,656,086
768,790
2,887,296
1214 to 3112
34,000,000
230,000,000
275,800,000 252,200,000
1864
35 to 165
302,000,000
329,670,000
1865
36 to 56
337,000,000
238,400,000
1866
2,196,987
1,552,457
644,530
53 to 35
416,000,000
432,000,000
1867
2,019,774
1,558,787
460,987
35 to 16
335,000,000
392,000,000
1868
2,498,895
1,657.015
841,880
16 to 26
353,000,000
349,000,000
1869 | 2,366,467
1,466,000
900,467
26
In the foregoing table the bales of cotton in the years up to 1834, inclusive, are taken at 400 pounds to the bale ; but after that date, the number of bales as they entered the market, without any average. The weight, since 1834, of the bales have usually been from 400 to 500 pounds.
The quantity retained for manufacture does not exhibit the exact quantity used for that purpose, after the year 1860; and before that date it was quite as large, as that part used in the South is not included.
* War.
t Peace,
314,600,000
1857
2,939,519
2,620,700
819,936
12 6-10
131,500,000
244,000,000
286,600,000
1862
53 to 80
1863
62 to 163
322,000,000
168,000,000 304,600,000 261,500,000
401
SOUTHBRIDGE.
COTTON, 1869.
QUANTITY IN THIE PRINCIPAL PRODUCING COUNTRIES.
Produced in the United States, 400 lbs. to the bale. 2,900,000
..
British India, 2,300,000
Egypt, 66 310,000
66
Brazil, 66
272,000
All other countries, to wit: The West Indies, Cape of Good Hope, West Coast of Africa, Australia, and coun- 317,000
tries bordering the Mediterranean,
Total,
6,099,000
MANUFACTURE.
QUANTITY USED IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
Great Britain, bales of 400 lbs. each,
2,490,000
United States,
1,080,000
France, 630,000
Germany,
420,000
Russia,
..
250,000
Holland,
140,000
Spain,
..
140,000
Italy,
100,000
British India,
630,000
China, rec'd from India, 135,000
Belgium,
90,000
Total (customers for the above product), 6,105,000
China produces probably more cotton than all the other parts of the world together ; neither that country nor Japan is taken into account. .
THE SOUTHBRIDGE BANK.
This bank was incorporated by an act of the Legislature of March 31, 1836, with a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars. The stock was divided into shares of one hundred dollars each, which was originally subscribed for by ninety- tive stockholders.
The corporation was organized on June 1, 1836. Twelve directors were chosen at this time, to wit : Samuel A. Hitch-
402
SOUTHBRIDGE.
cock, Moses Plimpton, Ebenezer D. Ammidown, Bela Tiffany, Chester Clemons, Linus Child, Holmes Ammidown, John M. Warren, John Seabury, William Beecher, Larkin Ammidown, and Theodore Field, Junior.
At a meeting of the directors, June 7, 1836, Samuel A. Hitchcock was elected president, and Samuel M. Lane was chosen cashier.
The number of twelve directors was continued to October, 1842, and then reduced to seven, to wit : Samuel A. Hitchcock, Ebenezer D. Ammidown, Linus Child, Benjamin Bullock, William Beecher, John P. Stedman, and Larkin Ammidown.
Samuel A. Hitchcock was continued president of the corpo- ration until his resignation, November 29, 1852. He was suc- ceeded by Jacob Edwards, Junior, who held the office till October, 1862, when he declined a re-election, and Samuel M. Lane, the cashier, was elected his successor. Mr. Lane had continued in the office of cashier from the organization of the corporation in 1836 till his resignation, October, 1862, when he was elected president. Henry D. Lane was now appointed to that office.
This bank was authorized by an act of the Legislature, ap- proved, April 1, 1854, to increase its capital stock fifty thou- sand dollars. The provisions of this act were accepted by the stockholders, May 1, 1854, and the additional capital was sub- scribed and paid in the same year.
The bank was converted into a National Banking associa- tion, under the act of Congress of June, 1864, and commenced business as such, April 1, 1865, with a capital of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
The board of directors elected, Jannary, 1868, were Samuel M. Lane, Jacob Edwards, Manning Leonard, Calvin A. Paige, John Edwards, John O. Mckinstry, and John P. Stedman. The directors chose S. M. Lane president, and appointed Francis L. Chapin cashier.
403
SOUTHBRIDGE.
The same officers were continued by re-election January 1, 1869.
Mr. Chapin was appointed to his office after the resigna- tion of Mr. Henry D. Lane, January 7, 1867. He is a son. of Luther Chapin, of Ware, Massachusetts, and received the office January 28, 1867.
The ill-health of young Mr. Lane, which induced his resig- nation of the office of cashier, continned to increase, and terminated in his death, April 24, 1867, at the age of 24 years and 6 months.
CURRENCY AND BANKS OF MASSACHUSETTS.
The first or most primitive currency of Massachusetts was beaver, wampum, or wampumpeague, or the shell money of the natives. The mint that produced this Indian money was the Quahaug and periwinkle shells of Long Island ; the shores abounded with these shells, which when made into beads were frequently called Seawan, from the Indian name of that island. known among the natives as Seawan Hacky, or the "Land of Shells." Its value in trade was three black or six white, as an equivalent for one English penny.
Sometimes grain, wheat, corn, and again cattle, were a legal tender ; and when war prevailed, legal aets were passed that each able-bodied person should provide ammunition for him- self-powder and balls; these were, for a time, used as a legal tender-one bullet for a farthing-about the time of the Pequot War. To obviate this difficulty of currency, and to substitute a popular and known medium of exchange, the General Court. in 1652, established a mint for silver coin. This was known asthe "Pine-Tree Money," it having the picture of a pine-tree on each piece. This led to the story of Gov- ernor Temple's explaining the species of this emblem to Charles II, calling it the royal oak. This coinage at first was three pence, six pence, and twelve pence.
404
SOUTHBRIDGE.
It was made of about 25 per cent. more alloy than the English money ; the object was to retain it in the country. This may be said to be the first step in the supply of New England currency. This continued until the recalling of the colonial charter of Massachusetts, in 1686. About this time a bank was established on the basis of real and personal prop- erty ; of the latter, such as was imperishable ; but this was of short duration.
To relieve the colony from a want of a proper medium, bills of eredit were issued by the government. The first of these were used to provide for the expense of the disastrous expedi- tion against Quebec in 1690. These bills of 1690 and 1691, and those issued afterwards up to the second expedition against Quebee, in 1711, passed at par with gold and silver ; but on the issue of £40,000, at this time, payable in two years, with the privilege of continuing the loan, began the deprecia- tion of government bills of credit. This depreciation was not great at first, but there arose in 1714 a great difference of sen- timent upon currency matters ; some sustained the side of a specie currency, another party urged the establishing of a bank, whilst a third party desired the continuanee of province bills. A bank was now started in Boston and issued £100,000 in scrip, denominated merchants' notes, which sustained a good credit; at the same time the government issued £50,000 in bills, and, added some other issues soon after; but instead of remedying the evil of the searcity of currency, it operated to add to the stringency existing, from the fact that all articles of necessity or convenience advanced in price in a greater pro- portion than the increase of the circulating medium, and it really left less money in proportion to the amount of business transacted, than before; and such, it is believed, is the general effeet of the expansion of paper money.
To relieve tax-payers, an act of Government was passed in 1735, permitting the receiving of hemp, fax, and bar iron for
405
SOUTHBRIDGE.
tax bills. Alltrades and business at this time suffered greatly by this depreciation.
Two banks were started in 1742-one the Hard Money, and the other the Land and Manufactory Bank. Still, paper money depreciated, greatly to the damage of the creditor ; enabling the debtor to pay, for a dollar received, in paper that had depreciated after the contract was made 25 to 50 per cent., thus paying only one half or three quarters of valne re- ceived. To remedy this evil, Parliament passed an equity bill in 1742, and ordered the closing of the two banks created as above. The Land bank proved ruinous to many of the stockholders, they being liable for redemption of all issues.
To add to the depreciation of existing currency, the war against Cape Breton came up, in which Massachusetts fur- nished most of the troops and their outfit, and for its expense issued largely of other bills of eredit to the amount of £260,- 000. The previous bills amounted, in 1744, to £3,259,747, 9s.
This left Massachusetts greatly in debt, with her serip so much depreciated, that 9 to 10 of serip were given for one in silver. Thus its value was only about one tenth of its nom- inal or par value. As the Cape Breton and Louisburg expe- dition was for the benefit of England, an agent, William Bollan, Esq., a lawyer in high standing, and son-in-law of Governor Shirley, was sent to intercede for the refunding this large expenditure, which resulted in the capture of the strong fortress of Louisburg in 1745, and the treaty of Aix-la-Cha- pelle, October 18, 1848, much to the advantage of Great Britain. There was some delay before Mr. Bollan could bring his negotiations to bear with sufficient force upon Par- liament for that body to favor this claim, from the fact, not that the province of Massachusetts had not been loyal, or was not justly entitled to this reimbursement, but that she had ex- hibited a military power that had astonished them ; it created a jealousy ; she had done too much ; their fears were excited 27A
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