Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

BY E. B. MURRAY&??. ANDERSON, S. G.s THURSDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER Li, Jffl)._'--VOL. XV-NQ. 18. TUE GRASSES FOE TUE SOUTn. How to Cultivate Them?Am Essay Bead Before the South Carolina Agricultui-al and Mechanical Society a id State Grange by I>. 1*. Duucan, Esq., of Union Comity. When invited by the executive com? mittee to prepare something on the "Grasses" for this occasion, I said yes! for as I had been experimenting with grass for the past tea years I felt as though I would be at home with this sub? ject ; and then, again, it grows so well for rue, and it seems like I can have more of it on less space than an v one I know? in fact, I think Dean Swift would have called me a benefactor, for you remember be said, "that man was a benefactor who could make two blades of grass grow neighbors tell men I can get a little guano I will make forty blades grow where there uever was any before. And then, again, I thought it would be "just the thing" for a young man like me to be up here reading an essay along with all the agricultural aud Grange magnates of the land, and furthermore, it has become so highly fashionable to look after and cul? tivate these Grange and agricultural meetings. All our great men "do it," and who knows but what I may make a vote by iL Well, farmer like, I kept putting off !preparing for this occasion until suddenly there came a notice, "Sum? mer meeting of the Agricultural Society, second Tuesday in August, at Chester, S. C," aud I said to myself, "you had bet? ter be seeing about that essay." but of ' course I knew it was a small matter, and that anybody could write an essay on frass. So one of those late hot days ia uly wbeu the thermometer was some? what up in the nineties in the shade, I put a little table by a northeast window where there was a little breeze slipping in between the blinds as though it was ashamed of being around on such a hot day. I had chairs all around me on which were ray Encyclopedia, my bound copies of the Mural Carolinian, American Agriculturist, &c. My "Webster's Un? abridged" had a chair all to itself.? Then I said, now I'll write an essay that will surprise the folks over yonder, and . so I concluded I would write a very sci? entific article, it would show more learn? ing. But I found after writing a while about clover, orchard grass, timothy, tall meadow oats, Rescue, Italian rye grass, and last, but not least, our own dear old crab, that I was not displaying any scien? tific attainments whatever, ana that I was only getting up a very dull and prosy concern. I then decided, as I was pretty well "read up" on these subjects, I would put together what I bad learned in an elo? quent and grand worded way, and that would take; but I did not get far on that line before I found that that essay was going to bo a great mistake, and I awoke to the sad, sad fact that all my wits were badly in "the grass," and that in my con? ceit I had consented to do one of the greenest acts of my life. It was too late now to turn back, my band was already "at the plough." the meeting was on band, the essay had been announced, and if not forthcoming the epitaph would be, "Whipped out by Gen. Green." So I just concluded, as I had been having some grass patches, I would write my experience in a plain, farmer-like manner, bring it up here to be thrown into the heap produced by this meeting, and if it was productive of even a stimu? lating thought to any farmer I would be more than repaid for my exertions; and if there was no good metal in it, it could be thrown into the fire and burned with the rest of the "stubble." I dare say in your reading of Ramsay's History of South Carolina this question offered itself, "Where is the necessity of artificial grasses?" For you read there about magnificent and endless forests, clear, pure streams filled with fish; all these thousand bills, whenever the leaves were burned off, would be soon covered with a luxuriant growth of native grass and a wild pea or vetch ; all kind of game abounded. Wo of to-day think it must, indeed, be a romance as we read of this picture, and then look at the one the face of our poor, dear old State presents. Why in a ride of less than thirty miles across the coun? try, from Union Courthouse to this place, whilst it may not literally be so, yet it seems as though nothing meets the eye but a bea of gullies, with islands of ball spots; and I hope you won't smile, or the Society think me extravagant, when I say in sonic places these are so thick that tbey seen to be oil top of each other, and the few spots left for the broomsedgo and pines s<;em so lonely and sad, like the man who found himself in the wrong ? c.v, and wished ho had not come to be tft in such a hopeless minority. I had a gentleman on the Union side jf Broad River tell me sometimes be would get on one of those broomsedgc strips, on a long bill, and have to ride a quarter of a mile before be could get out. Now whilst we are all cognizant of the many drawbacks there are to those who are trying to build up and improve a home in this dear old sunny South?for "with all the faults we love thee still"? yet it is sometimes a struggle to keep down a harsh feeling towards that genera? tion which the country's history tells of: "One generation spending its life pulling down, the next one at tbe bottom round to build up again." Pardon me for reading from that histo? ry : "The art of land manuring is little known and less practiced. The bulk of planters, relying on the fertility of the soil, seldom planting any but what is good, and changing lands when it begins to fail for that which is fresh, seldom give themselves much trouble to keep their fields in heart. Beds of compost are rare. Some twenty years from this writing (some seventy-five years ago) there was no fixed price in Charleston for manures, and it was often given to the first who offered to carry it off." Could such a process give us any other sequel? And the all absorbing question to every wide awake farmer is, what is the quickest, surest and cheapest route by which I can recuperate these old worn lands, make a competency for my? self and family, and leave the latter something otherwise than gullies ? My answer would be, our own native green crops and the artificial grasses. 1st. Whilst strictly speaking it is not anu treated as such, aud that is red clo? ver. Its uses are threefold?as a fertili? zer, a haymaker and a grazer. As a fer? tilizer I am not prepared or competent to throw much light, that is as to its scien? tific or chemical action. You are well aware that Prof. Voclcker has been for many years making the clover plant the subject of special study. From an ab? stract of a late lecture of the Professor, published in the Country (JaUkman, 1 quote as follows: "In connection with other field experi? ments, one was undertaken to investigate the causes of the benefit of growing clo? ver as a preparative crop for wheat. ft is well known in England that if farmers can succeed in growing a good crop of clo? ver, they are almost certain of getting a good paying crop of wheat. All agricul? tural matters depend upon each other. If we can euablo tho farmer to procure before," and my good crops of clover, we shall place him io the very best position to obtain pay? ing crops of grain. Hence it is conclu? ded that the best preparation, the very best manure, is a good crop of clover. Now, at first sight, nothing seems more absurd or contradictory than to say you cau remove a very large quantity of both mineral and organic food from the soil and yet make it more productive, as in the case of clover. Nevertheless it is a fact that the larger the amount of miner? al matter you may remove in a crop of clover, and the larger amount of nitrogen that is carried off in the crop of clover bay the richer the land becomes." The explanation, as I understand it, is that by growing clover a vast amouut of mineral matter is brought within reach, and rendered available to the roots of the grain crops that otherwise would remain in a locked-up condition. Clover, by means of its long roots penetrates a large mass ot soil. It gathers up, so to speak the phosphoric acid and the potash dis? seminated thoughout the soil, and when the land is ploughed and the roots left in the surface they leave in an available con? dition the mineral substances which the wheat plant requires; and whilst a large amount of such matter is removed in clover, still the amouut rendered availa? ble and left for the succeeding crop of grain is very much larger than the quan? tity removed in the clover bay. Clover protects the surface, hence it may be called a mulch. A thick mat of clover prevents the escapo from the earth of fertilizing properties that would other? wise bo wasted. We all know if a com? mon board is left on the ground for a few months, and no matter how poor the soil, a profitable amount of fertilizing materi? al will accumulate under the board. Just this way does the clover plant bring up barren, worn-out land to a producing state. Possibly as much humus is kept back to the earth in this way as is drawn from the air by the leaves of the plants. Now, to come home on this subject, it seems to be the greatest complaint from our people against clover that it won't grow on poor land. Well that is so, and neither will anything else that is of any value. I bavo often heard and read of things done on "land that wouldn't sprout peas," but I could never do it. We have none of that kind of land, yet I have never found any one who bad failed with clover but what be bad, as is usually done, sown it with small grain. The grain appropriated all the plant food that was available, and when its shade was taken away the little sickly clover JLints were too weak to stand the hot une Buns. Hence the verdict, "my land won't make clover." Every man that reads is aware of the estimate put upon clover as a fertilizer throughout Europe, and many of our people saw during the war what it had and was doing for Virginia and Mary? land. But my time will not allow me to go into aoy details as to these two sec? tions. Now, I will be pardoned for speaking of my own experience, for it is all I real? ly can say I know practically. In 1868 I cleared up, as wc may say, three acres of pine old field that with favorable seasons and good cultivation would make about 500 pounds seed cotton per acre. Having been pretty well ploughed and harrowed, a small amount of rotted cot? ton seed and stable manure was applied, and clover, orchard grass and timothy 60wn. For four years this patch was kept as a pasture. I don't believe if it had been left alone it would have reached up high enough to have been cut as hay without a heavy top dressing, and yet in the spring or summer it was just the place for a horse, mare, colt, or for the mules an hour or two on Sundays. After the first two years the timothy was all gone, little clover left, aud the orchard grass ruled supreme. Since 1773 the said patch has been cultivated, first in grain and then in cotton, being fertilized at a cost of about $3.50 per acre each year. The crop this year was about thirty-seven bushels of wheat; the year before" it was three bales of cotton. The past season, as we say, was a "bad year" for wheat in our neighborhood. The same quali? ty of land cleared about the same time made an average of 5ve bushels per acre. Now I am satisfied that the increase of the crop has always paid for the manure j used, and wo have three acres of land ' that made 500 pounds seed cotton now making just as easily 1,200 pounds.? How much that clover sod had to do as the base of this fertility you have the facts and can judge. In 1873 I sowed three and a half acres in barely in September, and brushed in clover.' I fed all the barely green but about an acre and a quarter, which thrash? ed out twenty-five bushels. For three years the patch was kept in clover, receiving once a top dressing of plaster and one of acid phosphate. The first crop each year of clover hay averaged two large second crop began to sejd the hogs were allowed to run at will on it until heavy frost. In September, 1876, the clover sod was turned with a two horse plough, Edoughed again with small ploughs; 150 tushels of cotton seed that had been killed by being kept a few weeks iu the stables was applied, and the patch again sowed in barely. It was fed the Bamo way, and about the same amount of luud thrashed out fifty bushels and a fraction. Did the clover make the difference? My experience as to time of sowing is that September is our mouth. I have tried several times sowing in the spring. In February of 1876 I sowed clover ou a field of twenty acres that had been sowed the fall before, or rather. I should say, the winter, for it had been in cotton aud oats. The books said how just after a rain or during a light shower. It had been raining lor about a week or more, and one evening after a hard shower, that I thought to be "the clearing off one," 1 took a patent sower and put down my seed. In about an hour there came what you call a trash-mover, and I don't think it could have been many days before my clovgr seed were listening to what the "wild waves are saying," for all of a stand I saved out of the twenty was about an acre, which was a sort of basin? like spot, the rest being just rolling enough to wash in a heavy rain. 2d. My experience as a grazer is ra? ther different from what I have heard from others. For hog.-, if there is or? chard grass with it, I think there is nothing better than clover, i have raised hogs that netted two hundred and fifty pounds that were raised nine months out of the twelve on clover and orchard grass entirely. Some three yenrs ago, I found myself, alter many dark "days aud darker mor? rows," living by myself, and you know how things will get "mixed" when there is nobody around but a man. Very of? ten the news from the milk department was, "Little Joe dun lei de caf git wid de cow. olid he dun suck all dc milk." Or in the morning the dispatch would he, "Dey aint no milk dis mornin, some nig? ger loll dem 'cuppen' bars down last night; if taint dat dey den jumped de fence, just like Mars Hay good say in his essay, he know dat cow gwine do." Of Course, being one of these "sons of the soil,-'' who has such a quiet, easy country life to lead, so far away from the world's troubles aud vexations, I therefore did not lose ray temper at ail, but said midly to my milker, you turn all those cows : down in the pasture with the dry cattle 1 but the oue with the youngest calf, and put her every morning in the clover I patch for about two hours, and the same thing in the afternoon. In a short time I baa more milk and bulter from the oue cow attended to than I was getting : from the eight neglected ones, and every visitor I had complimented me on my milk, &c. But I will close this part of my subject with a statement from belter authority. Arthur Young, who is considered the father in Old England, states that he pastured sixty-four swine of various sizes on two acres of clover ground, and they did well. Dr. Deane. the head of improved farniiug in New England, says: "I suppose that one acre of rich lauo iu clover will sup? port twenty or more hogs, large and small together, throughout the summer, and bring them well forward iu their growth. By all means have a clover patch. In my humble opinion the grass proper for the South is orchard grass. I believe II am an enthusiast about this grass, and before I say anything of my own knowledge about it let me, as the law? yers say, give you some of the authori? ties. These could be multiplied indefi? nitely, but I will give you one from John Washington, of Virginia, iu the Southern Planter and Fanner. After expressing to some length his surprise at Virginia farmers not raising more hay, instead of saving fodder, he comes to speak of orchard grass, and says: "Take for example an acre of land the coming spring that will produce three to four barrels of corn, plough it deep, manure it with good manure of any kind, seed on it from three quarters to one bushel of oats, (this quantity will shade the grass and not crowd,) putting them in nicely, then seed on the fresh surface oue bushel of orchard grass and one gal? lon of clover seed ; pass over the surface with a light harrow or brush, and roll it with a roller or log of wood, and let it alone. If you can afford it, let the oats fall as an improver to both land and grass. After the oats are harvested see that nothing grazes it until after the crop of hay has been saved. "Now for the result. The next spring or early summer, so soon as the orchard grass is in blossom (not brown or seeded] the clover will be ready also. Cut all for feed, or cure aud put away as hay in place of fodder. You may safely ex? pect two or three thousand pounds of bay. Suffer nothing to graze it under the first of December, then let your cows run on it an hour or two each day in open weather until the 15th March. This acre will supply the horses with more hay and grass in the fall, winter, spring and summer than any other grass yet intro? duced iuto Virginia. It is the only grass that grows with us all the year round, except only when the ground is frozen, It is not as exhaustive to laud .is timo? thy. It will grow on any dry land, not excepting a sand bank. Aud here let me say, the best grasses love a dry soil. We usually seek the bottoms and moist places to grow timothy. Why ? Because the grass is not well suited to our cli? mate. * Nor are we the losers thereby so long as orchard grass and cloveY arc accessible. "The orchard grass will stand the inva? sion of broom-straw. If you will prac? tice a little patience and not suffer it to be grazed until it has formed a sod, then you can't hurt it except with hogs or ploughs. If any farmers are usually scarce of fodder about the first of June or a little sooner, let them try an acre lot. It will be jnst in time lor your wants. If you want a lot always green for an idle horse to run in, this will supply it; or green grass in winter for your cow, this is the only grass that will furnish it. Try it on a sand bank if you can't do better. I have never been with? out a orchard grass patch since I com? menced with it in 1870. I have had an acre adjoining my yard that has been in this grass for six years. It was used en? tirely as a pasture. The fowls lived al? most entirely upon it, aud all the stock were allowed to run ou it, as soon as it would get a good start. "I ploughed it up Ibis year for the purpose of rcsecdmg, but more to thoroughly manure it, as I really believe if everything had been kept off the orchard grass would have reasserted itscli. I had another patch of lour acres that had been in this grass for three years. It had been pastured so constantly by hogs, colls and calves, and often mules that I thought, as the saying is, 'it had run out,' and I concluded that late in the fall I would sow orchard grass; that I would manure it heavily with cotton seed, sow in oats and then this fall sow again iu grass. The winter was very severe and most of the oats were killed out, but in the spring I saw something putting in an appearance that I knew was not oats, and I round on examination that I had a fine stand of orchard grass. I mention this incident to show the hardihood of the plant. "My choice of time for sowing is Sep? tember. Sow with oats, or best, if you will do it, sow it and clover by them? selves. I would be glad if you could have seen some hogs I have raised almost entirely on orchard grass and clover. They would make believers if there are any doubting Thomases. "Our next best artificial grass. I think, i.~ Lucerne. Some few years ago I sowed a few handfuls of Lucerne seed in one corner of a clover patch, more for curios? ity than otherwise. I soon found if any kind of stock were turned iu the patch to graze they would find the Lucerne spot and seemed to prefer it. So I concluded to try more of it. Last fall I took an old garden spot of half an acre that was liter? ally run away with nut grass and sowed ii iu Lucerne. Now all the books said sow iu drills two feet apart; cultivate un? til it takes possession of the ground, but my idea has always been in sowing any forage crop to get rid of this cultivation. So mine was sown broadcast, it and the dock chicken-weed, &C., and had a lively time in the spring. Hut by pulling in a band every wel day and pulling up the weeds the Lucerne soon got the mastery, und whilst it has not entirely killed out the nut grass, its dense shade has crowded more of it ouL than an* *' '"ig I have ever tried. 1 don't think it 'stand our hot suns hardly as well as ?iuver, hut all stock arc fond of it, us well as clover, and its great advantages over clover is it never salivates, it is ready for use sooner in the green in the early spring, iu the summer made itilo hay, and iu tiie autumn again cut and fed green, ft is highly prized in England, but can only be cultivated iu the southern counties, In France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy and in fact iu all the warm and dry countries of Europe, it is the chief reliance for stuck feeding." But I am occupying too much lime and must hurry through. Timothy I have only sown from curiosity aud don't think it will stand our hot .summers. IUiie grass Italian rye, perennial rye grass, 1 have sown iu a mixture of what the seedmen call a "lawn grass." Ii grew Very well and nourished iu ordinary shade. than clover, il can be cut ami fed Tall meadow out isa good deal like and ; of the nature of orchard gras.-. J have I never sown it, but have seen it growing. ; 1 should think it was not aear so hardy : as orchard grass. It is a luxuriant grow : er in rich land aud heads out very much like oats, from which it takes its name, j Of Bermuda J have no acquaintance, I and from what I hear from those for whose ! opinion J have u-uch respect, I can't say ' ; that my mind is easily made up about lit. Sonic think it is the "salvation of the South," others can't speak of it with? out losing their tempers; so as wo ! have none of it down on Tiger, I am will ; ing to remain a safe distance from Scylla and Charybdis, and watch it work out its 1 destiny from afar. As to our own old "crab" I need have little to say ; it is a familiar enemy and I friend. For three months everything is "under whip and spur" to keep it down, and then when you have an idea your fodder is going to he "short" you are hunting around in your stubbie and rich spots to see if you can't save a little hay. But this grass was so ably and thoroughly discussed at the last meeting of this Soci? ety that I feel that anything I might.say would simply be superfluous. I come now, in conclusion, to what I think is indeed, the clover of the Soutb, and that is the field pc-a. I believe, all j things considered, it is belter for the South than clover, both as a mauurial agent and as feed for stock in the sum- j mer and fall. Ja saying this I don't intend, if you will allow the expression, ! "to go back" on clover, but as you know the field pea can be grown successfully in every sectiou and on almost all soils throughout the South. Peas are easier sown, are sure to germinate, grow faster and afford more protection to the land j at the right time than clover. Two crops | can be grown yearly on the same land in ] every Southern Stale. It is unsurpassed for fattening hogs, unsurpassed as a green manure, and to crown .all it will grow on all sorts of soil and won't be loug about it anywhere. It has been and is a won? derment to me. Why ? Our farmers will not use it more, and I have thought it was because it was so easily used and at so little cost; or it was not patented, or did not require some agent to come round and sell the right; and then, again, it is not something new under the sun ; for hear what Mr. Edmund Baffin said about the pea in an address he made before the South Carolina Institute, in Charleston, in 1853, on the subject of "Southern Ag? ricultural Exhaustion and its Remedy:" "The native, or Southern pea, (as it ought to be called,) of such general and extensive culture in this and other Southern States, is the most valuable for manuring crops, and also offers peculiar and great advantages as a rotation crop. The crop may be so well made in your climate as a secondary growth under corn, that it is never allowed to be a primary crop or to have entire possession of the land. Jt will grow well broadcast, and cither in that way, and still better if tilled, is an admirable and cleansing growth. It is even better than clover as a preparing and manuring crop for wheat. I have made this crop a most important member of my rotalic, and its culture as a manuring crop has now become general in my neighborhood, aud is rapidly extending to more distant places. If all the advantages offered by this crop were fully appreciated and avail? ed of, the possession of this plant in your climate would be one of the greatest agricultural blessings of this and the more Southern States. For my individ? ual share of this benefit, stunted as itis by our colder climate, I estimate it as ad? ding at least one thousand bushels of wheat annually to my crop." The experiments made by Dr. Kose other Charleston gentlemen with the pea and the ash-element have been so com? plete, and I might say to the uninitiated wonderful, and have, indeed, now so become facia of history, that any com? ments on my part would be presumptu? ous. In closing this subject I will allude to one line of experiments I have been fol? lowing for some years. 1 have been sow? ing my oats stubble in pea's; get a stand of oats, allow the peas and vines lo fall on the ground, and make a second crop of oats without sowing any oats seed. Lastsummer I sowed .seventy-live acres of oats stubble in July in peas, aud also twenty-five acres of wheat ttubble. Al? though the oats were badly killed by the severe winter, yet they made a better crop than many who I knew paid 75 cents for seed and sowed in the spring. J now always make two crops- of oats on all the oals I sow. The wheat stubble was put in corn, and I can only say up to this date theicis a marked difference iu the crop from other stubble not treated with the pea. If yon will only treat yuur land iu this way you nevercan wear il out. Just keep ouc-third always on this "bill of fare." 1 can now show you a beauti? ful stand of peas and oats on all my fresh oats stubble. In conclusion?for I know 1 must be tiresome, but I do wish Iu say something on this subject of grasses in another light, an that is as an ornament The books, you know, speak of ornamen? tal grasses. How cheerless and uninviting is the appearance around many of our country home.-. A blue grass plot or terrace, a border of these grasses, differ? ent shaped beds of lawn grass, composed of blue, orchard, Italian rye ami perenni? al rye, cost so little iu the end, and yet add so much to "looks," and gives home, no matter how humble, such a cheery look. I have never yet found a place with these things hut 1 have always found wide awake people who "lived at home." I ask, in the name of the love we bear to this dear old Sunny South--1 ask, can't our homes bo made attractive enough to keep our young men on llio farm, instead of seeking their fortunes in our over-crowded town.- and cities? A political economist has observed that labor, unless used at the moment of production, is lost forever. In most vo? cations il is impossible to produce be? yond the day's needs. The doctor can j only cure diseases as tliey mainifest themselves. The best lawyer cannot anticipate next year's legal business. The carpenter and mason cannot build houses except us I hey are wanted. Not so with our fanner ; he can always be ad- | vanciug; he may drain, subsoil, fertil? ize; he may plant trees, beautify his' home, increase his bank slock, for his j farm is his bank, until ils production is doubled or trebled in the future. If a hundred thousand additional lawyers und doctors were lei loose upon the community f do nol feel sure that the net result would he more justice or less disease and death, while 1 am quite sure that the national wealth would not be increased thereby; but :t hundred thousand enlightened, ef? ficient farmers added to those we al? ready have could hardly fail lo add one hundred million per annum lo the prop? erly which shall be the heritage of your children. 1 was surprised to hear this reply, a few days ago, when a farmer was urged to plant some shrub-, vine- ami grasses lo adorn the home: "Ah! well, them tilings will never do inciio good ; 1 will be dead and gone before 1 Ley come iu ; 1 don't believe in working for other folks." Was that selfish or meau 1 L ccrlaiuly , was not the spirit of the o'.d Scotch bards, "who sang others' fame, but left their I own unsung." An Eastern legend tells us that once a , Persian Pasha, perceiving an old man I planting a fruit tree asked him bis age. : The peasant replied. ".Sire, I am four years old." An officer rebuked such seeming absurdity uttered to his superior. ! "I did not speak without truth," replied ' the old man, "for the wise do not reckon ; time by years lost in folly and the trifles | of the world. I count my true age only I that which has been passed in serving I the Deity and discharging my duty ! to my day and generation." The Pasha said, "Thou cannot hope to see the tree I thou art planting grow to perfection and repay thy labor with fruit?" "True," an | swered the'sage. "but since others have planted that we night eat, it is but right that I should plant for the benefit of oth? ers." "Excellent," exclaimed the mon? arch, and the royal purse-bearer present? ed to him who bad received the applause of his sovereign the customary gift of a thousand pieces of gold. The peasant prostrated himself on the ground and added, "0, King! other men's trees come to perfection iu the space of many years, but mine has produced fruit as soon as it was planted." "Bravo!" shouted the Pasha, and a second purse was cast at the feet of the old man. "The trees of others only bear fruit once a year." cried the old man, "but mine bos yielded two crops in one day." '"Tis truly beautiful to find one so humble and yet so wise," explained the Emperor, and a third purse fell from the obedieut hands of the treas? urer. The monarch galloped . way saying, "Keverend father. I dare not stay longer, lest thy genius and good sense should ex? haust my treasury." We may not be repaid, like the old Persian, in purses of gold for labor of his kind, but this consciousness of performing an act which some will gratefully enjoy who may tread in our footsteps hereafter should be sufficient reward. A Northern farmer remarked that he considered his farm one thousand dollars more valuable on account of an avenue of elm trees planted by his father. Per? haps if not for that one link, instead of a wide-awake, live farmer, we should have bad in some town or city one more ten cent (or three for a quarter) calico clerks. If the past generation could have Lad more of this spirit, there would not be so many worthless acres to he re? cuperated or left iu an idle waste of gullies. Then let us each and every one do something in his day and generation to beautify the waste places, until our own country homes shall be as beautiful and fresh as a new spear of gra-s, and all these thousand hills blossom and bloom like those of our many Northern States. There is a work and there is a reward for all. Let the fathers and brothers re? store our abandoned lands, then will the mothers and sisters beautify these homes by planting flowers, shrubs and vines; for as Dome one has beautifully said, "The breath of flowers is far sweeter in the air whence it comes and goes like (he warbling of music, than in the Land." Then let the perfume of the rose, jasa mine and violet, and the other thousand floral beauties of the Sunny South, breathe around our homes in spring, summer and autumn. Then, indeed, will the coming generation say, when magic pictures of the fertile West arc held luringly toward them, when our young men dream of fortunes beneath each city paving-stone: "My home, my ov.1. nome, I cannot and \ will not leave thee. These fertile lands my father res? cued from their sterility. These flowers my mother and my sisters planted ; here I spent my happy boyhood; here I re? ceived my father's counsel and won my mother's love ; this is my own vine and fig tree. I will not forget thee ! Let my right hand forget its cunning if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I prefer nut my Carolina Lome above my chief joy." Convict Labor. There is such a manifest justice in the demand of the manufuclurers ami work ingmen for the abolition of convict labor that the platforms of political parties are compelled to recognize it, and the peo? ple of all classes are coming to see the iniquity of a policy which saddles the expenses of our prisoners upon the in? dustrial community and practically places workingmen on an equality with felons. Schuyler Colfux says upon this subject: "There are in round numbers about 30,000 convicts in the various State Prisons of the Union, of whom between 13,000 and 14,000 are employed under contract in mechanical industries. At 40 cents per day, the earning of these contract convicts wuuld he ?1,600,000 per year. At ?1.00 the price fur laboi outisde, these men would earn from ?6, OOO.OOH to ?8,000,000 per year. As the products of the mechanical industries iu the United States amount to about ?5, 000,000,000 per year, the bureau that collected these figures estimates that the injury dune to honest labor by convict labor in the United States must be small ?but a few million dollars, or less than one per cent. Lut this represents only a tithe of the whole grievance, because it compels a reduction in Ihe.waces of the workers receiving higher prices before who labor at any of the kinds of work at which convicts are employed. There can he objections presented to any ami every proposition, lillt the least evil would result if the contract system in prisons Was abolished, and the convicts worked under the authority of the officers, with the proviso that their work should be offered ami .-old iu the market at the. current rates for sim? ilar rates produced oul.-ide. The market price then would only be affected by the additional products of less than 113,000 convicts throughout the United Stales in manufacturing." We can only conjecture the nature of the legislation which will he made upon this important subject at the coming ses? sion of the General Assembly. There is a growing sentiment in this Stale against the laws which permit (he Penitentiary Directors to lease out convicts to corpo? rations and private individuals. The re? cent barbarities practiced upon convicts at the stockade along the < Ireenwood and A tigusta Railroad have opened the i?yes of our people to the working of a law which if it does not sanction yet makes possible fur such inhumanities to be committed by brutal guards or overseers, die of (he first subjects which will demand the attention of our law-makers will he ibis subject of convict labor. A search? ing and vigorous investigation of the ii cent outrages will he demanded. When a true fxjitae is made, we have no doubt that some decisive action will be taken. In the meantime it will he meet for the people tu write, talk and think about the question that enters so largely into our civil, social and commercial standing and life. We invite a full discussion of these questions iu our columns. Lei all com? munications he brief, pointed, decorous, and they will be published; hut if the" are the reverse tiny will nol see lite light. - A negro shot aud killed another negro iu Llberlon, Ga., on the 25th nil. TUE NEXT PRESIDENT. lJmii)itiiiinnd Butler Thiiili II. .t liayitrd is (Iii- .Man. I _ Cvi'rcfjiotulcHU of the AVi? u.nl Conner. CuESTKR, October, 28. As the representative of the Niict nnd Covrier, sent to write up tlie Chester Fair, boarded the northward hound train < of the Charlotte, Columbia and Augus? ta Railroad at Columbia this morning, he found South Carolina's two senators sitting together in the coach. Gen. But? ler wore his cork leg, aud walked I with the assistance only of bis walking ! cane. Senator Hampton was without an I artificial limb, and a pair of crutches at his side told the .story of his unfortu? nate accident. lie looked well and hear? ty, however, and joined with Senator Butler in the expression of surprise as well as gratification at their accidental meeting. Before I had time to exchange greetings with the two senators the train ; was off with such a clatter as rendered conversation almost impossible. About fifteen miles from Columbia, however, the train struck the steel rails, the clat? ter ceased, and the representative of the New? and Courier plunged at once in nie din* ret by asking both senators what they thought of the Bayard boom. "THE J1AVAKD BOOM," replied Senator Butler, "J have never had but one opinion of it, and J have had that opinion for several years. I thought Mr. Bayard should have been nominated by the Democratic party for the Presi? dency in ]S7(i. Jfe could have beaten Hayes much easier than Mr. Tilden. Senator Hampton, interrupting: "Yes, and I think he can heat Mr. Tilden ;iow in his own State. He can command more votes in this country to day than any man in it." Reporter: "Is he your choice for the Democratic nomination ?" Senator Hampton : "Undoubtedly. I think him the most available man." At this point the noise interrupted the inter? view, which, however, was renewed when the train reached Winnsboro'. "How did Ohio strike you ?" asked the Reporter, looking at the two statesmen sitting in front of him. "Bight between the eyes," quickly re? sponded den. Butler, and Senator Hamp? ton as quickly replied : "I think the de? feat of the Democratic party iu Ohio a blessing in disguise for the country, es? pecially if it secures the nomination of Bayard." Reporter: "Do you think it will be likely to do that?" Senator Butler: '1 don't know about that. J see from a ktier published in the News und Courier that Tilden is on what a correspondent describes as a "still hunt," and the old fellow is so smart, and has tuch lots of money, that it will be hard for Kelly and Cornell both to beat him. Reporter: "Do you think that Mr. Bayard will get the Southwestern Demo? crat", among whom there seems to be some opposition to Bayard. There is Texas for instance. J don't think Bayard will get the Taxas vote." Senator Hampton: "J don't know about that. There is of course opposi? tion to Mr. Bayard in that quarter, but J think it will all die out. J don't see how there can be two opinions on the subject of nominating Bayard." The Conductor: "All out for Ches? ter," and this terminated the tripartite interview, for the present at least. A POST J'ltANlHAJ. CHAT. A committee of the Agricultural Asso? ciation met Senators Hampton aud But? ler at the depot and escorted them to the Cotton Hotel. After dinner your corres? pondent managed lo lock himself up with the Governor, as he is still called in this part of the country, sufficiently long to obtain from him a very decided and emphatic expression of his views upon the Presidential question. Senator Hampton said that he had a very decided preference for Mr. Bayard for President and for Senator .McDonald for Vice President. In reply to the question whether he thought that that would be the Democratic ticket in 1880, he was not so emphatic. Said he: "if the Democratic parly are wise they will nominate that ticket; but whether they will do so or not, I, of course, can't say, al? though I think it probable." "Have you ever before expressed that opinion V J asked. Senator Hampton : "J have not said much upon the subject heretofore, be I cause I didn't like to say anything for or against any candidate for the Presidency, but after our defeat in Ohio J think the people ought to look around aud see whether there is any si length in Bayard. If Mr. Bayard can carry New York and I Senator McDonald can carry Indiana, we are sure of the election." Reporter: "Then you arc in favor of Senator McDonald for the Vice Presi? dency?" Senator Hampton: "Yes, 1 think he is ".good man, ami as Indiana is the only Western Mate that is Democratic J iliiuk We oii^hl to place McDonald on the tick el. If Mr. Bayard can carry New York, and Mr. McDonald Indiana, we have our ticket elected ami three1 votes to spare, but in addition to this Mr. Bayard can can y New Jersey and Connecticut, which will give us 18 electoral majority." Reporter: "That is counting tin- solid South?" Senator Hampton: "Of course, the South will he .-olid, ami should be Solid for Mr. Bayard. He is the strongest man iu the South, and deservedly .-o for the reason that he has done more for the Smith than any other Northern man. lie can poll more voles in the North too than any other Demo? crat, and he will get more of the con? servative lo publican vole than tiny Other man that can be named, if he can't carry New York thi n no other Democrat can, and then: is an end to llie whole ques? tion ; but f believe he can cany it. Per? sonally he is very popular in the South, although some Southern senators seemed to think he was mistaken in financial matter-. But the result of the Ohio elec? tion has proved that lie was right, and has proven the sagacity aud judgment ol the men who supported him. His popu? larity now is so great that there will scarcely be any opposition to him. His character is so high that his enemies cm say nothing against him. I think that with liayanl and McDonald the Demo? cratic parly are as sine of the next Presi? dential election as anything humanly speaking can be." The < iuvcrnor spoke at some length in Ibis strain, ami spoke very cheerfully and hopefully. The interview was short? ly afterwards interrupted by the appear? ance ol' a committee who called to escort the two senators to witness Pinafore. J. A. M. A Mr.-. Ilradly, of Ellis county, Tex? as, recently picked liOO pounds of cotton iu eleven hours. N aicc lo druggists and storekeepers. I guarantee Shrincr's Indian Vermifuge to destroy and expel worms from the hu? man body, where they exist, if used ac? cording to the directions. You are an thorized lo sell ii on the above conditions. David E. Foutz. Proprietor, Baltimore, Md. AS OJ)J> FISH. A Carolin;) Court a* Seen Uy a Carolinian. \Sjicaal CviWjxmdente Chnmidi and Cuttrti tiUknudut, ElKJEEIEl.D, S. C, Oct. 28. Tlic term of Court which has just j closed here has been such a very remark . able oue that I cannot resist the tempta ; tion to analyze, criticise and satirize it, i so as to "place it upon the record," for all lime to come, as abounding iu scenes varying rapidly from the sublime to the ridiculous. Opening with the tragic and ' sublime Booth and Touey trial, in which : genuine eloquence was displayed, it ' closed with a ridiculous "mock session" i on Sunday morning, at -1 o'clock, the bar ' furnishing the sublime?the Court the ; ridiculous! Since the memorable days of '70'Edge field has hailed the advent of Judge I Mackey much as she would a traveling I circus, or to pervert an old couplet we I may say that "A little Mackey (folly) now and then, Is relished by the best of men" ! In Edgefield. where he was converted, or I rather saw, that it was a good time to de I sert Chamberlain, and successfully ride j the political wave, from one party to j another. It is not that Edgefield does not sec and appreciate the marked dif? ference between this "relic of Radical barbarism" and the other judges of this State. "It is not that his wit is rieh or rare, The devil of it is, ho* it came thero." But if we interpret it aright, it is be cause he serves as a contrast?a strong contrast?to warn and remind the people of the day of their redemption ; of the day "when the Saxon wore the iron col? lar of the Norman," or "when South Car? olina hung like a rick jewel iu the Eihiop's ear." But really aud truly Mackey is a wonder ! A sort of univer? sal genius, in fact! for his record in short shows bim lobe a natural filibuster; a border adventurer; a scheming politi? cian ; a Radical proselyte ; a Democratic convert; a foreign ambassador to Hayes' Court; a public lecturer; an amusing wag; a vulgar wit, and a sophistical monstrosity. We would also add * * * but we have shown enough to put him far ahead of anything you have over in Georgia. Now wc have given the amusing side of the question, bul we feel serious when we see a Circuit Judge of South Caro? lina playing the role of die sensational? ist ; electioneering from Circuit to Cir? cuit, throwing aside bis judicial dignity, and spending his Sabbath mornings amusing crowds upon the public square (the subject of remark to every passer? by); the retailer of vulgar anecdotes; the partisan even upon the bench, where he bullies the lawyers and juries, argues with counsel, indulges in low, envious flings at other Judges (his superiors), ridicules the Legislature (which elected him), and while uttering his stale witti? cisms or doublful law, is always casting bis eyes around the Court room to catch the cheap applause for which he is con? stantly bidding. Making a great show of bis night sessions, he really consumes more lime than any other Judge on the bench by his unnecessary and uncalled for efforts at wit; bis quarrels with mem? bers of the bar; bis vain, voluminous and partisan charges to the juries. When we see this man sitting on the bench, with his head bobbing up and down (as he talks like a lizard on a log) who cares more for an oft-repeated, well worn witticism than be does for a time honored principle of law, and amuses himself, whilst be wearies the lawyers and juries by the sound of his own voice, pi 1 of which is evident to the people, who are standing around freely expressing their opinion of "his Honor;" when we see lawyers trying to avoid a trial of their cases for fear of bis prejudice (to say the least); and at last, when we see one of the oldest and ablest members of the bar making an affidavit that he believes the Judge is prejudiced, and therefore asking a continuation of bis case, wl- are forced to say, "this does not and could notoccur with Judge Kershaw, Pressley, Wallace, Thompson, or others on the bench, who are above suspicion, and this man is not fit to be a Judge in South Carolina." All of this, and more, occurred at the last sitting of the Court at Edgefield, and though we may this time "forgive" those who are responsible for the election of such men, as a reward for political treachery, we pray that no "political ne? cessity" may ever make such another election even possible. This article may seem bard, but the great question is it true? What nearly every one believes and many know, I have written. A.MUT* Cl.Ki.K. The Portrait of Gcucrul Gordon Pre? sented to South Carolina. The following letter tells the particu? lars. The portrait was boxed ami placed in the express office yesterday. The ex? press company, with its usual liberality, wilt convey it free of charge: Atlanta, Ga., Oct. 31, 15711. Iii? Excellency \Y. D. (?mjtton, Governor hi South Carolina: Deak Silt: We have been requested by Mr. Albert Guerry, "the iirtist," lo deliver to you the portrait of General John 11. Gordon, painted ami tendered by him, some time ago, to the State of South Carolina. In thus practically executing this gen? erous ami public spirited gift of Mr. Guerry to bis native State, we feel that honor is due alike to Georgia and South Carolina. The illustrious public services of General Gordon have won for him a deserved national fame. His military and civic genius have adorned the great Commonwealth of Georgia, that had the honor to give him birth, aud whose civilization be so worthily represents as a Senator. His devotion to South Carolina and his un? speakable agency in her restoration from bayonet despotism to the blessings of constitutional government have endeared him lo the lasting affection aud gratitude of all Carolinians for all time to come. Mr. Guerry is an artist of whom the .Slate of South Carolina may be proud. He has painted portrait.- that have stamped him as one of I he foremost artists of the age; he has handled great subjects with a master's touch, and made imperishable pictures for posterity, ami he lias hail no heller theme for his brush than the gifted ami gallant Georgian whoso noble and familiar form ami linea? ments he has painted as a "labor of love" and admiration. The portrait of Gordon by Guerry is a vivid and magnificent work, true in like? ness, a faithful reproduction of the origi? nal, and a brilliant artistic achievement. Iiis a noble gill, a lilting tribute of filial remembrance from a true sou of Carolina lo his own Stale. ft is the "Alchemy" of Carolina genius linking iho memory of Georgia's soldier statesman to the thought of Carolinians as Carolina's cherished benefactor. We have the honor to he, yours, very sincerely, &c, Signed by John fj. Seals, W. h. Cul boiin, Albeit Howcll, Charles II. Wil? liam.-, 1. W. A very, (Secretary Executive Department,) W. S. Walker, W A llcinphill, W. Izatd lieywa.d. ueseral news summary. ? Texas has sheep. ? The Confederate uionuuieui at Ma con, Ga., will be uuvailed on llie 2'Jib in.-, laut. ? Tbc President has issued a procla? mation appointing the 27ib of November I as a day of thanksgiving and prayer. ? Colonel King, the great Texas cattle rai.-er, has a pasture of 337 .-quare miles, which will supply food for 110,000 cat? tle. ? Tlie increase of cotton export at New York this year is thirty-eight per ceut. over lhat of the same period last year. ? Georgia's gold mines yield over $1 000,000 a year, and the work of getting out the "yellow boys" is increasing aud expanding. ? The Mississippi Democratic-Con? servative party has reduced the ordinary expetises of the State government from j $700,873.42 to $225,100. . ? Governor-elect Charles foster, of Ohio, says he is not a candidate for the United States senatorship, but will scve out his term as governor. ? The cholera is rapidly subsiding in Yokohama, Oflicial returns show up? ward of 150,000 cases since the outbreak in April, and 85,000 deaths. ? Capt. John r. Wilder, a prominent citizen and steamship agent of Savannah, Ga., was found dead iu his bed at the Kcuuesaw House at Marietta, Ga., No? vember 1st. ? Iu J8G0 there were 1,311,210 hands engaged iu the manufacturing industries of the United States; in J 870 the num? ber was 2,053,006; iu 1880 the number will not be les* than 3,500,000. ? Gen. Chalmers is announced as a candidate for the Mississippi senatorship, to succeed Senator Bruce, and be will probably make it lively for Congressman Sing'etou, who is his principal rival. ? Miss Maud Banks, daughter of Gen. Banks, has made he debut at Brooline, Mass., as an actress in an amateur com? pany. She intends to go on the profes? sional stage. The general was once an actor. ? The great actress Rachel bad a small scar upon her cheek. In the extreme poverty of her childhood she one day in the street contested with a dog the right lo a bone with some scraps of meat on it. A bite from the dog caused the scar. ? Assistant Postmaster New, of Pitts field, Mass., added $1,000 to his income in a year by removing fresh postage stamps from letters, putting on those that had been used and selling the stolen ones, lie used the money in maintain? ing his social pretensions. ? Two prizes have been offered by the Royal Agricultural Society of England for new varieties of wheat, combining the largest yield of grain and straw per acre, with smooth aud thin husks, full and white kernels, high specific gravity in the seed, and with bright, firm, and sliff straw. ? Two women at Union, Tenth, had a duel iu regular man style. They both fired at the word, and one hit a boy who was climbing over the fence with a watermelon, and the other hit a calf in the field. Both having drawn blood ibey acknowledged that they had received salisfaction. ? Some linn in Germany is attempt? ing to substitute paper for wood in the manufacture of lead pencils. The paper is steeped in an adhesive liquid, and rolled around the core of lead to the required thickness. After the paper is dry it is colored, and it resembles, when finished, an ordiuary cedar pencil. ? It is a generation of old men which troubles the peace of Europe to-day. Prince Gortsehakoff is 82, Lord Beacons field 71, Prince Bismarck ?35, Count Von Moltke 79, and the Emperor William 83. The youngest of the leading figures in diplomacy arc old?Count Audrassy 56 and Count Schouvaloff52. ? There is one citizen of Mississippi who is doing a good work for the future of his State and section. Dr. C. M. Vai den, of Vaiden, Miss., is supporting and paying tuition for seventy-five student", in the State University at Oxford. He is a wealthy man, and every year gives thousands of dollars towards the educa? tion of the youth of Iiis State. ? The Augusta C'firunirie says: "Wo learn from a gentleman who has fine cornfields on the river, that the grain was completely covered, and has been seriously damaged by the sudden and se? rious overflow. The damage to one field above Augusta was from $1,200 to $1, 500, while several other plantations count up losses at $500 and upwards. ? There arc fifty-three cotton mills iu operation in North Carolina, and the consumption for past year is estimated at 38,131 bales, or 17,2011,800 pounds. Ac? cording to the figures of the National Cotton Exchange, this was an increase of 16,011 bales over the previous year. Three large mills are now being erected, with the prospect thai others will be ad? ded within the next twelve months. ? The oldest timber in the world, which bas been used by man, is supposed to be that found in the ancient temples of Egypt. It is found as dowel-pins in connection with a stone-work which is known to be at least 4,000 years old. These dowels appear to be of tarniarisk or shittim wood, of which the ark is said to have been constructed, a sacred tree in ancient Egypt, and now rarely found iu the valley of the Nile. ? Nearly 150,000 emigrants have ar? rived in this country since the first of Jan? uary, aud it is estimated that al least 10, 000 more will come by the end of the year. In point of numbers the Germans arc first, and next, in the order named, come Irish, English, Swedes, Scotch, Norwegians, Swiss, Russians, Welsh and French. The commissioners of immi? gration estimate that upon an average ihe Immigrate have brought $70 each in money and personal property to the same value. This would make a total of $22, 260.00H thus brought into this country and distributed in this year. ?This is what Hobt G. Ingersoll says of the women: "I tell you women are more prudent than men. I tell you as a rule, women are more faithful than men ?ten limes as faithful as nun. I never saw a man pursue his wile into the very ditch and dust of degradation and take her in his arms. I never saw a man stand at the shore where she had been morally wrecked wailing for the waves to bring back even her corpse to his arms ; but I have seen woman with her white arms lift man from the mire of degradation, and hold him to her bosom as though he were an angel." -- James Nash went into his log barn al Richmond, Ya., with a lighted candle. He was drunk. A heavy bale of hay, against which he stumbled, fell against the door, and the candle ignited it. The lire spread fast. Nash yelled for help, but his family could not get him out, though liiey could tec him through the wide cracks between the logs. They threw water into the building, but lhat only retarded the fire slightly. Nash worked desperately in his fiery prison, Hying to roll the" bale away from the door, and lo put out the tlamcs by shov? elling corn on then. He was driven into a corner, and there slowly roasted to death.