Question

Plantation agriculture was wasteful largely because

a. it relied mainly on artificial means to fertilize the soil.
b. it required leaving cropland fallow every other year.
c. excessive water was used for irrigation.
d. it was too diversified, thus taking essential nutrients from the soil.
e. its excessive cultivation of cotton despoiled good land.

Answer 1

Plantation agriculture's wastefulness is primarily due to its excessive cultivation of single crops, particularly cotton, leading to soil erosion and loss of soil fertility. This method favored short-term gains over sustainable land use, such as leaving land fallow or using crop rotation, which is crucial for maintaining healthy soil. The answer is option E.

Step-by-step explanation:

Plantation agriculture was wasteful largely because excessive cultivation of cotton despoiled good land. This method of agriculture resulted in soil erosion, loss of organic matter, and disruption of natural nutrient cycles, mainly due to the lack of diversification and reliance on cash crops like cotton.

The ecological unsustainability of this system arose from methods that increased short-term yields but depleted the topsoil, without the existence of trees and natural grasses to protect the soil during harvest times. Furthermore, the push for immediate financial gain often led to ignoring sustainable practices like leaving land fallow or crop rotation, which were critical for maintaining soil fertility.

In the context of sharecropping in the Deep South, many were driven to use fertilizers and methods that stripped the land of its nutrients to maximize yields in attempts to escape the cycle of debt. However, these practices had long-term negative impacts on the soil and were ultimately counterproductive.