Working With the Hands / Being a Sequel to "Up from Slavery," Covering the Author's Experiences in Industrial Training at Tuskegee

by Booker T. Washington

In 1897, cowpease were planted, using $5 worth of kainite and acid phosphate per acre—mixing them together and putting in the drill. The seed, preparation of the land, planting, harvesting the light crop of vines, etc., amounted to $6.50, making a total of $11.50. The crop sold for $9.10, leaving us $2.40 behind.

In 1898, this same acre was planted in sweet potatoes and fertilised with $5 worth of kainite and acid phosphate, the same as recommended for the pease. The after-operation cost $6. Fifty-five bushels of marketable potatoes were harvested and sold for 60c per bushel, equalling $33, and leaving a net balance of $22 on the acre.

In 1899, cowpease were again planted and fertilised exactly the same as in 1897. The returns were fifteen bushels of pease, at 55 cents per bushel, equalling $8.25; also one and one-half tons of cured hay, worth $22.50, giving a total of $30.75. Less the cost—$11.50—equals $19.25 gain.

In 1900, it was planted in sorghum cane, fertilised with $5 worth of kainite and acid phosphate, plus fifteen one-horse wagon-loads of swamp muck and decayed forest leaves, at a cost of $3.75; plus the cost of harvesting, etc., $4.25, making a total of $13. Seven tons of hay were harvested and sold green for $5 a ton, leaving a gain of $22.

In 1901, cowpease were planted and fertilised exactly the same as for the sorghum. Twenty-five bushels of pease were harvested, worth $13.75; two tons of cured hay worth $28, making a total of $41.75; less the cost, equals $28.75 gain.

In 1902, it was planted in garden truck—cabbage, onions, beets, squash, tomatoes, melons, beans, turnips, mustard, kale, kohl rabi, rutabagas, etc. Fertilised the same as for sorghum and pease, except half of the swamp muck was replaced by stable manure. The total operations cost $21; the entire crop sold for $60, leaving a gain of $39.

In 1903, it was again planted in cowpease. Fertilised the same as for the garden. Twenty-seven bushels of pease were harvested, worth $14.85, and three tons of cured hay worth $43, equalling $56.85. Less the cost, gives us a gain of $43.85 per acre.

In this same year, a portion of this field, subject to the same rotation, was planted in white potatoes, using the same amount of muck, kainite and phosphate, at a total cost of $9. Eighty bushels of potatoes were harvested and sold for $1 per bushel, equalling $80. Before the potatoes were dug, cowpease were planted between the rows and yielded $25.22 worth of peas and hay, giving a clear profit of $96.22 per acre.

Another acre subjected to the same treatment was planted in early corn and followed by sweet potatoes, at a cost of $16. It gave a crop as follows: $44.60 in corn and fodder, one hundred and five bushels of marketable potatoes, and $4.05 worth of hay; making in all $111.65. Less $16.90, gives a profit of $94.75.