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Slaveholders and Agricultural Productivity
In corn and wheat production per acre there was relative equality among most slaveholders and nonslaveholders. For those
few farms with the highest numbers of slaves, however, slavery enabled much higher rates of productivity.
| Number of Slaves |
Wheat Production |
Average production |
Number of |
|
per acre |
in bushels by farm |
cases |
| 0 slaves |
1.4 |
163 |
236 |
| 1 slave |
1.2 |
246 |
32 |
| 2 - 5 slaves |
1.8 |
308 |
57 |
| 6 - 10 slaves |
1.8 |
385 |
36 |
| 11 - 20 slaves |
1.4 |
494 |
43 |
| 21 - 30 slaves |
1.5 |
500 |
1 |
| 31+ slaves |
3.6 |
1500 |
1 |
|
Corn Production |
Average production |
Number of |
|
per acre |
in bushels by farm |
cases |
| 0 slaves |
3.5 |
371 |
236 |
| 1 slave |
2.9 |
557 |
32 |
| 2 - 5 slaves |
4.3 |
670 |
57 |
| 6 - 10 slaves |
3.2 |
707 |
36 |
| 11 - 20 slaves |
3.4 |
1192 |
43 |
| 21 - 30 slaves |
1.8 |
600 |
1 |
| 31+ slaves |
4.8 |
2000 |
1 |
|
Swine Production |
Average production |
Number of |
|
per acre |
by farm |
cases |
| 0 slaves |
0.22 |
18.4 |
236 |
| 1 slave |
0.17 |
22.4 |
32 |
| 2 - 5 slaves |
0.18 |
22.9 |
57 |
| 6 - 10 slaves |
0.12 |
23.6 |
36 |
| 11 - 20 slaves |
0.12 |
37.3 |
43 |
| 21 - 30 slaves |
0.09 |
29.0 |
1 |
| 31+ slaves |
0.48 |
200.0 |
1 |
|
Cows Production |
Average production |
Number of |
|
per acre |
by farm |
cases |
| 0 slaves |
0.04 |
3.7 |
236 |
| 1 slave |
0.05 |
4.3 |
32 |
| 2 - 5 slaves |
0.04 |
5.0 |
57 |
| 6 - 10 slaves |
0.03 |
5.9 |
36 |
| 11 - 20 slaves |
0.02 |
7.4 |
43 |
| 21 - 30 slaves |
0.03 |
9.0 |
1 |
| 31+ slaves |
0.02 |
9.0 |
1 |
The data are based on the GIS of Augusta and Franklin households--maps are derived from a D. H. Davison map of Franklin County,
published in 1858, and a Jedediah Hotchkiss map of Augusta County, published in 1870, and based on surveys completed "during
the war." The maps have been georeferenced at the Virginia Center for Digital History, using ESRI Arc Info to produce a Geographic
Information Systems map and database of households based on U.S. census data from the population, agricultural, and slaveowners'
schedules.
Edward L. Ayers and William G. Thomas, III
Slaveholders and Agricultural Productivity
2001.
Points of Analysis to this Data:
 "Slaveholders in Augusta did not monopolize the best soil nor did they crowd out nonslaveholders or small slaveholders."
"The richest farm households in Augusta, however, had a high correlation with relatively high wheat production and low corn
production, and slavery enabled even greater success on these farms."
"The visible differences that slavery made in the arrangement of the landscape were apparent to many observers, but Northerners
and Southerners interpreted them differently. Northerners focused on land value per acre and Southerners on the dollar value
of their crops."
Citation: Key = E145
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