Note 38 — Chapter XXVIII · The “Jeff. Davis Cotton Plantation.”
Reading edition
In the Helena (Ark.) District, negro lessees, cultivating small farms, were in numerous cases comparatively successful. Ten of them, to whom land had been allotted by direction of Mr. Mellen, realized from their crops an aggregate of $31,000. The following were favorable specimens:
“Jerome Hubbard and George West leased sixty acres—planted forty in cotton; their expenses were about $1,200; they sold their crop for $8,000. Napoleon Bowman leased twenty-four acres; he had some capital to begin with, and borrowed some; he employed one hand; his expenses were less than $2,000; sold his crop for $6,000—realizing over $4,000 clear profit. Robert Owens leased seventeen acres; having nothing to start with, he borrowed his capital; he earned by the season’s work enough to purchase a good house, with a residue of $300. Samuel Beaden leased thirteen and a half acres; expended about $600 in its cultivation, and sold his crop for $4,000.”
They averaged, according to an official report, about $500 profit on every ten acres cultivated.