the store or village, there to
spend the day loafing about in friendly discussion with neighbors. The
condition of the crops has little preventive influence, and the handicap
to successful husbandry formed by the habit is easily perceived. Many
efforts are being made to break up the custom, but it is up-hill work.
Another habit of the Negro which militates against his progress is his
prowling about in all sorts of revels by night, thereby unfitting
himself for labor the next day. This trait also shows forth the general
thoughtlessness of the Negro. His mule works by day, but is expected to
carry his owner any number of miles at night. Sunday is seldom a day of
rest for the work animals. It is a curious fact that wherever the
Negroes are most numerous there mules usually outnumber horses. There
are several reasons for this. It has often been supposed that mules
endure the heat better than horses. This is questionable. The mule,
however, will do a certain amount and then quit, all inducements to the
contrary notwithstanding. The horse will go till he drops; moreover,
will not stand the abuse which the mule endures. The Negro does not bear
a good reputation for care of his animals. He neglects to feed and
provide for them. Their looks justify the criticism. The mule, valuable
as he is for many purposes, is necessarily more expensive in the long
run than a self-perpetuating animal.

In all parts it is the custom for the Negroes to save a little garden
patch about the house, which, if properly tended, would supply the
family with vegetables throughout the year. This is seldom the case. A
recent Tuskegee catalog commenting on this says:

"If they have any garden at all, it is apt to be choked with weeds
and other noxious growths. With every advantage of soil and
climate, and with a steady market if they live near any city or
large town, few of the colored farmers get any benefit from this,
one of the most profitable of all industries."

As a matter of fact they care little for vegetables and seldom know how
to prepare them for the table. The garden is regularly started in the
Spring, but seldom amounts to much. I have ridden for a day with but a
glimpse of a couple of attempts. As a result there will be a few
collards, turnips, gourds, sweet potatoes and beans, but the mass of the
people buy the little they need from the stores. A dealer in a little
country store told me last summer that he would