Farmers' gazette, and Cheraw advertiser. (Cheraw, S.C.) 1839-1843, June 24, 1840, Image 1
$
VOLUME V.
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
TERMS:
j f paid within thrco months, . - $3 00
11 paid within three months after the
close oft he year, - - - - 3 50
If paid within twelve mouths after the
close of the year, 4 00
If not paid within that time, ... 5 00
Two new subscribers will be entitled to the
paper the first year for Jive dollars, paid at the
tirhe of-subscribing , and five new subscribers
for ten dollars paid at the tiino of subscribing.
No paper to be discontinued but at the option
oftho oditor till arrearages arc paid.
Advertisements not exceeding sixteen linns,
v inserted for one dollar the first time, and fifty
cents, each subsequent ins irtion.
Persons sending in advertisements are requests
to specify the number of limes they arc to be
i'V80Tted; otherwise they will be continued tiil
ordered out, and charged accordingly.
0*Thc Postago must lie paid on all oommun'cations.
ASFjqULT'JRALA
LARGE FAMILY FED FROM A SINGLE ACRE.
"The Editor's notions may he peculiar,
bu(he"hardly thinks that it is necessary for
a man to skim over his hundreds of acres
for the security of stinted crops, in order to
qualify him as a practical writer on the subject
of agriculture. On the contrary, heis
inclined to think ibat even "a little land
iceU tilled," by him, gives him as good a
^ claim to suggestion and advice, as if he
were a larger and more slovenly firmer.?
True, oil his land is a garden; but this is
only what?or nearly what?every farmer
should make of all which he cultivates.?
What is the use of skimming over ten acres
to obtain what might be secured from a single
acre.' Must ho who does thai be called
ii fifaner> whilst he who does this should be
set down as wanting in a practical know!edge
of the principles of agricultural economy?
?
Ttie Editor actually cultivates but a single
acre of land, but that he docs cultivate,
and makes it yield all that land can yield.?
Nor, small as the quantity isi is t|ie amount
of.substance obtained from it unimportant
in the support ofa large family.?One-third
of an acre he devotes annually to corn?
the long eared, clevclled,eight rowed yellow
corn, that is not very early, and not verylate.
With him, it has ripened every year
for the last ten years that he has cultivated
it. The soil he mnkos rich. He applies
to it, before ploughing, at the rate of eighteen
or twenty cords of long manure to the
acre, (or six to the third of an acre) and j
turns it under !>y the plough. He plants
the hills three feet and a half apart one way
and three feet the other?exactly by measuring
with a lino. In each hill he deposites
cither a shovel full cf old rotted hog manure,
or as much night manure as will net over
stimulate the crop. From this third of nn
acre he has realized on the average for
years, over thirty bushels of sound corn for
grinding, besides a little pig corn for the
hogs in the fall of the year. This is as
much corn as he needs in his family; be.
sides a sufficient surplus for fattening one
. large or two small hogs. From the same
land, he ordinarily obtains some two or
three hundred of pumpkins, which serve important,
purposes in the family, besides be?
^ tug an excellent article for boiling up with
the hog's potatoes, giving a cow, <Scc. From
the same land, too, he*hus generally obtained
all the dry white beans he has needed in (
his family to go with his pork?which he j
raises by the avails of his land without
purchasing of others. The corn fodder is
carefully cut and cured, and iielps as a subsistence
for the cow. So much for onethird
of an acre.
A small portion of land is set apart for
the culture of onions. Ordinarily he has
raised from fifty to seventy-five bushels on
? I.?J I...J#* > /In.m, m-ia cnii.nrn TllPefi
tt dflJF fl'tli U UULtil I V/^U v? ??vww
he sells, on the average at one dollar per
bushel- say for $60 per year. This purchases
his Hour and rye at common prices.
So that from the first third of an acre, and
an onion bed, he raises, all his bread brown 1
and wh'te.
On two o:her large beds, he grows generally
about fifty bushels of mangle murt.
zel and carrots. Thos > are for tho cow's
0 winter provender. They more than pay
for themselves in the milk and butter?In
say nothing in the saving of hay and other
provender. With a very little hay, together
with the corn foddrr a::d roots, a good cow
?and he finds it economy always to keep
the best?may be kept through* the winter.
Potatoes for summer and autumn use, are
planted on the margins, wherever there
is a vacant chance for a hill, and a department
is expressly devoted to them, large
enough to raise all that are wanted for the
table?and enough to spare for the hogs,
&.C.
So far, as relates to bread, butter, pork?
and he might add, poultry.
Then the rest of tho land is devoted to?
too many things to mention here?beets?
parsnips cabbages? turnips green
beans,?peas?green corn.?cucumbers?
melons?squashes, summer and winter
sorts?&c. &c., besides fruits and flowers
& of various kinds;?grapes, Antwerp rasbcr.
res, black do., currants, white, red, black
and yellow:;?English and common geo.;eberries?and
a few choice apple, pear, plum,
cherry, peach and quince trees. All th's is
from a single acre, which he cultivates most
ly with Irs own hand?the same that guides
this pen;?preferring to do the work himself,
not only by the love lie has of it, but
because he can do it more to his own satisfaction
than can any gardener ho can hire.
As to the practical labors in this matter, ho
would not willingly yield tu any one hero ,
*
J1 JV D C I
l w "4.1? _ ?c^xTestfi^iL.a~e: 3KJn.'~'. sc
CHER J
1 ahou's. At least ho has never had a man
to work for it m?how high soovor lie might
stand as a gardener?whom he could riot
teach."
BUCK-WHEAT.'
Why is it tha* this grain is not more cultivated/
Few luxuries equal good buckwheat
cakes, and ihoy are as easily made us
common corn bread. It can be raised after
~ . . - I L
a-crop oi wheat, outs or rye nas ocen
tnken from iho ground, and yields more
abundantly than either. Notwithstanding
some assertions to the contrary, we know
that the straw cut makes excellent food for
horses. One year after our crop was
threshed out, the straw was thrown away as
useless; soon after, our barn was shedded,
and protected the pile from rain?we noticed
the horses, which had access to it, fre- J
qucntly eating'it greedily. This induced
us to cut it into chop, and mix it with rye
or corn Meal, it was eaten by every horse
on our place in preference to oat or rye
straw prepared in the same way.?
Hogs devour the gia n and fatten most
kindly upon it. We have heard of an
int< li gent farmer in this State, who sows
it at the time of the last ploughing, with the
corn he intends feeding down to his hogs,
and be thinks that its value is almost*equal
to that of die corn, without diminishing the
product of the latter, besides an immense
addition of fertility to the hand, by the re.
turn of the straw. The hrijrs are to give
little preference to the corn. If this could
be realized generally, or the bu.*k-wheat
was of half or a fourth of the value of the
corn, it would be worthy of extensive cultivation.
The labor of sowing and cost of
seed would bo nothing. In some parts of
the United Stales it has been sown after a
r II ...1 ' 1 .
j crop ol srna.i grain was Mian uu, uuu turn!
eJ in as a green crop for the manure alone,
and is esteemed of great yulue. The /lour
is always in good d< mandf'and grain hears
a fair price in this viciui'y. We would be
pleased to have the experience of those who
have cultivated it. Franklin Farmer.
From the Salem Observer.
PRUNING PCACH TREES.
I sent for your %i Observer," a few weeks
since, a few hints relative to the cultivation
of the most delicious fruit?the Peach ; but as
nothing was said in that communication relative
to the mode of pruning, I now send you
the following:
The trees shou'd be headed down from the
top to within, say six feetof the ground, every
third season; they will then throw out more
healthy and vigorous shoots, and produce more
fruit. Young wood will be forced out (if the
season is favorable) and the fruit will form upon
the laterals, or second year's growth.
If peach trees arc trained high, the lower
limbs are exceedingly apt to die ; the tops running
up, being exposed to high winds, are frequently
broken or split to the very bottom of
the tree. I consider the best season for pruning
to be from the last week in May to the
first in June.
Yours, J.*M. I.
Prcseraing Plums from the Circulio.?A
correspondent of the N. Y. Farmer, in 1831,
says,?" One of mv friends has had plentiful
crops of plums for 18 years in succession, by
keeping hogs in his fruit garden, yet trees
within fifteen rods of that garden have annually
lost all their fruit by the curculio."
Pear Trees promulgated from Roots.?It is
stated upon good authority, in the New England
Farmer, that choice varieties of pear trees
tnay be produced, and the fruit preserved by
means of roots. Small roots are selected,
| which have terminal fibres, and eome kind of
composition is usually put on the large ends of
the roots to protect the wounds . afterwards ,
they are placed obliquely in the earth, and j
fine trees, with the fruit of the parent stock, j
arc the consequence, without the trouble or
expeuse of grafting.
from the cultivator.
PUDDINGS.
Plain Indian Puddings?Baked.?Scald
a quart of milk, (skimmed milk will do,) and
and stir in seven table spoonfuls of sifted In.
dian meal, a tea spoonful of salt, a tea-cup full
of molasses, and a great spoonful of ginger, or
sifted cinamon. Bake three or four hours. If
whey is wanted in the pudding, pour in a little
cold milk after it is all mixed. This is both
economical and guod.
Rich Baked Indian Pudding. Boil a
quart of milk,and a pint of fine Indian meal. Stir
it well. Mix three table spoonfuls of wheat
flour with a pint of milk, so as to have it free
from lumps. Mix this with the Indian meal,
and stir the whole well together. When the
vvnoie is moacraipiy warm, sur in tnree eggs. j
well beat, with three spoonfuls of sugar. Add
two tea spoonfuls of salt, two of ground cinamon
or grated nutmegs, and two table spoonfu!s
of melted butter. When the pudding has
baked five or s;x minutes, stir in half a pound
of raisins, and add half a pint of milk for them,
as tlicy will reuder it too dry.
Rich Bread Pudding.?Cut a pound of
good briiad into thin slices, Spread theni with
butter as for eating. Lay them in a pudding
dish?sprinkle between each layer of bread,
seeded raisins, and citron cut in small pieces or
strips. Beat eight eggs with four tabic spoon,
fuls of rolled sugar, mix them with three pints
of milk and half of a grated nutmeg. Turn
the whole on the bread in tbe pan, and Jet it
remain till the bread has taken up full half the
milk; then bake above three-quarters of an
hour.
In making boiled puddings it is essential ]
that there should be water enough to keep the
i pudding covered, and that it should not be allowed
to stop boiling from the commencement
to the close. Water may be kept boiling in a j
tea kettle to pour in, as that in the pot boils
away. An old plate at the bottom of the pot
will prevent the pudding from sticking, and
when it is done, if the bag is dipped 111 cold
water it will come out of the bag easier. m
j Indian Uoided Pudding.?Make u still'
| batter by stirring Indian meal into a quart o
v*,j
i e n .1 .1
4agaaggggragajgw
g? g*gg^|ggggj|WPggiwjgigS
VW, SOUTH-CAROLINA,.
lUIIJ-JlUWOLi ? kJU.L'1 L. LI nil I I I HI??
boiling milk cr water. Then stir in two table i
spoonfuls of flour, three of sugar, half a spoon- j
ful of ginger, or two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, f
and two teaspoonsfuls of salt. If any thing {
extra is required, add two or three eggs well
beaten, but they can be dispensed with, and .
some add a little chopped suet. Such pud-- 1
dings require a "long boiling. They wi.'i bo
good in three or four hours, but better for be.
ing boiled five or six, and some give a boiling
of eight or nine. Tlioy require good sauce at
eating. ?
IJI
jj
boiling water, and sweeten to jour taste with ^
molasses or sugar. Add a spoonful of rose g
water, aad a lump of butter half the 6tze of a u
hen's egg. A glass of wine added with grated c
nutmeg, will make it very good. If sauce j<
rather better than common is required, take a ,
( quarter of a pound of sugar, and the same of t
butter, m >uld them well together with your ^
i hand, adding a little wine. Mould it into a "
luigp, and sot it away to cool. Nutmeg must s
be grated over it, and it is fit for use. p
OIL AS A MANURE. j!
It has been recently discovered that com. o
mon lamp oil is a capital manure. An cxperi. ?
ment made with it last year, is thus stated by j?
a correspondent of Gov. Hill's Monthly Visi- j,
tor:
In the spring of 1830, I divided a plat of S
ground which was ten feet by twenty, into two *
beds of ten feet square each; to one bed, good a
stable manure was applied in proportion of r
about forty loads to the acre; to the other, j,
common lamp oil was applied in proportion of 0
one pine to the square rod; the oil was thoroughly
mixed with dry sand in sufficient quan.
tily to absorb it, and the sand was then sown on ll
the square. In all other respects the two w
beds were treated exactly alike, and were k
sown at the same time with sweet majo'ram. t'
which came well, and both appeared very much q
alike for the first three weeks; when that to ,r
which the oil was applied gradually gained the j3,
ascendancy and showed so visible a difference
in favor of the oil that it was often noticed by "
. . y fl
visitors.
In the fall the products of the two bed? were *>(
correctly weighed, with the following results; a
that to which the manure was applied produced
37 1-2 lbs. while that which received the
oil produced full 08 3-4 lbs. making a difference
of 31 1-4 lbs. in favor of the oil. But wheth- ei
er the oil wid be equally beneficial for all kinds fr
of crops or not, we are not prepared to say, or
whether this is the best mode of application, u
or not, we cannot say; but we have underta.- s<
ken a series of experiments on a somewhat t
larger scale and by various applications, with e:
the common blubber, the result of which we ff
shall be happy to comnununicatc as soon as ff
practicable. ^
From the Maine Farmer. 1
PRUNING ORCHARDS, &c. 0
Mr. Holmes:?Five years ago this spring I w
ploughed and pruned a part of iny old orchard. NV
1 find a groat bonofit from so doing'. Tbo opple6
are much larger and fairer than they were It
before. I consider apples worth two-thirds as h
much as potatoes to feed for cattle or swine,
To boil for swine, I should choose one bushel u
of apples to two bushels of potatoes. Some ^
consider apples of equal worth. It is about
twenty-five years since I noticed that my P
swine were very fond of apples, but then my lv
orchard was yoilng, and my hog pasture fence p
stood near the trees; when an apple dropped *|
off in the pasture, they run for it as quick as pwhen
I threw over an ear of corn, though I 0
n?? n/-mcidnr f hpm u*nrth fin much. Since
the trees have become large. I have fenced
off part of the orchard for them. I am rather
of the opinion that hogs in the fall of the year
after the apples and potatoes become ripe, do
as well in a good" orchard to pick and eat the
apples, as they would in a potato field to dig
and eat the potatoes. . ol
I wish Bome of the orchard growers would V(
this season try an experiment with some part l(,
of their orchards if not all. Dig about the
trees, prune them, and in some damp weather n'
when the trees are wet, scrape off the rough s(
bark and moss, and if convenient, in fair c<
weather white wash them. I am of opinion ?i
that they would b? well paid for their trouble. V
Take one half or one fourth of,an orchard a,
of an average quality, and the abovo operation C(
and see if it is not the better way. In the
course of three years (it will not want much
done in that time) I think they will iu ^iat
time conclude that part apples for swine are
? I l?on ?-w\f n tnno T W 1*1
CIlC'clJJCl 1 (iiOtU liiaii pviuwv.u. V* If
??? te
VALUABLE IMPORTATION OF pi
CATTLE AND SHEEP. m
We yesterday inspected the valuable col- al
lection of cattle and sheep brought out in T
the packet-ship Philadelphia, Captain Mor- w
gun, from London. Tiioy consist of the
following: 10
w
A cow, called Gray, 5 yeurs old, cost 20
guineas, V|
A calf, Sir George, G weeks ojd, 40 do. Q(
A cow, Lumpy, 8 yeurs oi l, 100 do. ^
Ditto, Maria, 3 years old, 105 do.
A calf, Martilda, 9 weeks old, 20 do. I,
Ditto, Major, II weeks old, 50 do. p
A heifer, Spot, 2 years old, 100, do. ^
Ditto, Astor Beauty, 2 years old, 80 do. ..
Ditto, Nancy, 2 years old, GO do. p
Ditto, Victor, 1 year old, 80 do. *
Ditto, Flora, 1 year old, GO do. e
Ditto, Cherry, 1 year old, GO do. 9
Three rums, 75 guineas; 10 ewes, 75 ^
do; 1 do, 10 do; 1 do; 20 do; insurance, ^
freight, and passages, 4G3 do?Total 1,518 p
guineas, or 87,761 56.
Wo have never seen so fine a selection of c
stock landed on our shores. The cows are C
prodigious in size, and their forms denote i<
great strength and power. They are all li
from Herefordshire, and are the very best t
bracd that England can produce. The sheep f
are of extraordinary size, being the Cots* f
\\ olJ cross with the Uakewell Lincolnshire, s
I and the very best animals of the kind we \
i have ever seen. They are imported by t
Mr. Wm. Henry Southard, of Jefferson
county, in this State, who went expressly i
to England to select then), being for himself 1
and Mr. EtusUis Coining, of Albany. The i
p?- *
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* i
?A5
F? ? T
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2
ntroduction of valuable stock like this is of
rfimense importance to our agricultural and
arming interest, for which Mr. S. deserves
ho thanks of the Public. They have been
nought out in fine condition by Captain
Morgan, and without any accident.
* Express'
ORCHARD GRASS.
Of the grasses cultivated for meadows or
>astures on moist but not wet land, there
ire few more valuable than the orchard
;rass (d-actylis glomerata.) It is a very
lurable plant, springs early, grows with
jreat rapidity when mown or fed ofF, continles
green late in the season, makes an expllnnt
listv. nrwl n a noefliro le munh r<?l
"J ' J'""-"' .W.. |
shod by all animals. It is particularly
aluable as a grass to sow in orchards or
loodlands, from winch the under brush
as been cleared, as it thrives well In the
hade, by occupying the ground in sucIh
laces, not only furnishes good pasture,
ut cxclud s weeds that would otherwise
ake possession. A mixture of clover,
rchard grass, and timoth seeds makes
ood mowing or pasture; the two last
preading and occupying the ground as
ic clover d es out. Where the orchard
rass is used, as if thin it makes large
ufts, and will not mow or feed as'evenly
s when growing closer. There frequent
otations of gran crops are practiced, as
i some of our wheat growing districts,
rchard grass would no: be equal toclovr,
and indeed nothing could bo substituted
for that grass, for alternating with
'heat. Orchard grass seed is quite bulv
and light, a bushel weighing under
? o " o ?
wenty pounds, and thcncc those unacuainted
with its appearance and use
enerally, but inperlectly, seed their
md. We have made considerable use
f this grass in mowing and pasture, and
link it well deserves the ecomiums passd
upon it in England, and in tbe b st
gricultural districts ol Pennsylvania.
Columbia Carolina Planter.
Growth of Potatoes.?A correspond,
at of the Inverness Courier mentions a
lode of growing potatoes, which may be
seful.in the saving of seed in seasons of
:arcity, and also of furnishing a supply a
lonth earlier than the usual period. The
xperimont described consisted in planting
iu shoots thrown out from potatoes kept in i
ic cellar, on the 26th of May, about a
lonth later than the usual period of sowing,
hey were planted in a garden and raised
n the 19th of September, and the result
as highly satisfactory. At one stalk there
ere nine potatoes the size of eggs; atanothr
two large ones, one of them weighing 1
>.2 oz. The cultivator is of opinion, that
ad the shoots been planted a month sooner
lere would have been an excellent and earr
crop. The shoots should be about ten or
velve inches in length and dibbled into
repsred ground, and all covered except the
vo small leaves at the top. None of the
otatoes should be planted along with the
loot ; but they are tho better to have a good
inny fibres thrown out from the root end
f the shoot.?English Paper,
From the Southern Cabinet.
AGRICULTURAL SURVLY
OF TIIE PARISH OF ST. MATTHEWS, (SO CA.)
BY THE EDITOR.
Introductory Remarks.?In pursuance
four plan of making an agricultural surdy
of tht: sou:hern S:at<'s, we recently visiicl
tlie Parish of St. Matthew's, and will
ow proceed to give the results of our ob.
:rvations, and of the information we have
jllected in our tour. We left Charleston
a the 28th February last, in company with
/m. E. llasgell, Esq. of that Parish, and
rived at his residence (Zantc,) on the evling
of the 29;h. Our ride was marked
ith no incident worthy of notice.
To Mr. llasgell we are under many ob?
Rations for his kindness and hospitality dung
our visit, not only bestowing every atntion
on us while at Ins house, but accominying
us in all our rides, he furnisned
iucIi local information, and directed our'
Kenton to such things as were interesting,
'o several other gentlemen of the Paiislr
c are also indebted for much hospitality.
In our future surveys, we shall endeavour
i proceed rather more systematically than
e have hitherto done. We will give a gen. I
ral survey of the Parish or District we may
isit in the first place, and afterwards an
ccouut of the crops, &c. &c.
PARISH OF ST. MATTHEWS.
Situation.?This Parish is one of lije
ighest in the Stat'*, and with that of Orange
irms the District of Orangeburg. It is a?
out fifty miles long and thirteen broad,
ounded on the north, by the District of
.exington and the Congaree river which
eparatcs it from Richland District ; on the
ast, by the Sarilue south, by the Parish of
It. John's, Berkley ; and west, b} the Parish
f Orange. Its southern boundary is be_
.vecn eighty and one hundred miles from
:io sea.
Climate.?MiliJ but variable : it is, how
ver, colder than in the neighbourhood of
Charleston. We met with no meteorology
aal observations; and therefore can say but
ttlc on this point. Vegetation is from ten
o fourteen days later than in the neighbouriocJ
of Charleston, and the fig-tree requires
>rotection *in the open ground : when not
;o protected it is killed to the roots. Corn,
vhich is one of the. first crops put in, is planed
from the 5th to 20th March.
Surface?Rolling and broken, especially
icar the watercourses, some oftho hills are
high and steep, and the banks of the rivers
are precipitous; removed from these, the
. i
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* * % i
* ' 5
\** '
KET1
I Z E R.
grounds are^nrrally merely undulating
Some portions of the Parish are quite ele.
vated, being as high as the site of Columbia,
The height above the sea we did not "ascet.
tain.-*
Soil.?Various ; Upper section oklie Pa.
ish sandy, and sandy loam resti^ on n
clayey substratum, which, however, is ol
considerable depth below the surface (about
two fedt.) Middle section sandy, light clayey
loam, stiff*clayey loam, stiff* clay,?all
on a clayey substratum,?in some few
places rising to within an inch or two of the
face, hut Pennrallv vnrviinr from five to surJ
, ___ n J J "O -
twelve inches b< low. The sandy soil is
only found in a few small ridges. All of
these are met with in close proximity. Lower
section, sandy loam interspersed with low
flat bays. On the rivers deep alluvial mixed
with miea : there is but little of this in the
Parish as the swatrfjft are'principally on the
opposite side of the rivers.
I Water.?There are many fine streams,
' which though comparatively small, yet are
powerful enough for machinery. This power
has been principally applied to the propelling
ofsa v and grist mills. Of the former
there are not as many as the wants of the
Parish require,?the latter are more numerous.
The power is amply suflieient for as
many as may be requ?red of both.
Minerals.?Our research was entirely too
limited to enable us to determine what minerals
are here to be found. . We therefore
mention those only on which we came across
in our rides. These were marl, line s'one,
iron ore, sand stone, quartz, and several varieties
of plastic clay.
The marl \v:e found in a number of places,
and from all accounts it is very generally
diffused over the Parish,?in some places
rising to the surface, in others hurled several
feet below. Its character also varies; some
being quite friable and containing'a large
per cent age of carbamate of lime, while others
arc hard and compact, containing but a
small proportion of lime, and unfit for agricultural
purposes. Wc found some specimens
which wero- quite of a loose texture,
apparently composed of numerous small
shells ; these were completely silicified. We
| found other specimens, which were more
compact,and which were also silicificd. The
iron ore is principally in small nodules; we
also found in various places a thin stratum.
The limestone is only indurated marl; the
quartz is found in small stones, and the sand
stone is also in small musses mixed with
iron.
Property.?The estates along the river
arc large, some of them being from six to
eight miles in length. From the river they
are of but modeiate size, and on the western
borders they are small.
Woods.?The principal growth of this
Parish is pine, oak, and hickory, intermmglod
willf maple, dogwood, ash, &c. Ti e
pine prevails in the upper part, interspersed
with dwarf oaks and hickories. Wherever
these last are found in any quantities the land
is considered as well suited to the growth
of cotton, but it is of a light texture and not
lasting. In the lower part of the Parish
the pine predominates, forming immense
tracts of" pine barren." The growth of
the middle section is generally oak and pine
of larger growth. The soil is* more compact
and of a more enduring quality than
either that of the upper or lower. When
newly cleared it produces excellent crops of
cotton, com, potatoes, &c. The growth of
; the swamp lands on the river we did not notice
in particular. We recollect observing
the overcup oak, cotton tree, muple, and
many others of large size. The canes were
also very larg.*; some too much so to be
used for fishing rods.
BuiUlings.? The residences we saw u^re
! all very comfortable, but with the exception
j of two, (Mr. Hasgell's and Col. Lewis,);
I they were ofuncient date, and generally in
excellent preservation. Wc had the pleasure
of visiting the house at Belville, which
I *
was one of the posts of the British during our
; revolutionary struggle. At this pluco several
skirnrshes took place between iiie*Amorican
partisans and the Royal troops. The window
shutters, and doors, perforated witli
bullets, s ill remain as they were, and we
hope they will be permitted to retain tbeii
places as long as they can be made useful.
At a distance of one mile is rather worse,
Fort Moite," on a high ami etevaiou picre 01
land immediately on the banks of the Congarce,
which are here very steep. It commands
a distant and beautiful view, but unfortunately,
owing to the great haziness ol
the weather, we enjoyed it but on a very
limited scale. Manchester and Statcburo
wo were informed could be seen from this
spot. Belvdle was in sight, separated by a
valley, and stream of water which flows
through it. The rail road to Columbia
passes about a half mile from the house,
This place became celebrated in history
from the heroic conduct of Mrs. Moth;, whi
who when the post was beseiged by the American
troops, and could not be capturet
owing to the Royal troops having taken shel
ter in her house, and which having no can
non they could not reduce, brought forth ai
Indian bow and arrow, and placed them it
the hands of the commanding oflicer, to bt
used for the purpose of setting fire to he;
own dwelling, which was then occupied bj
** nirnnt It
the enemies ol ner couniry. iii? ..
well known. The arrows wilh lighted lov
attached were discharged at the roof, whicl
soon set it in a blaze, and the English n<
longer able to hold out, capitulated. Tin
house was burned to the ground, and tin
present one was built not long af;er, near
not exactly on the siteofiho old. A sma
The name is still retained Cur the plantation.
*
* A m ^
r e ;
?
* 4
NUMBER 32
. hillock, which was once a part'of tho breast
? work, still remains to show where the last
, line of approach was established.
The houses usually found on all of the
plantations, are negro houses, hospitals,
. cotton houses, corn houses, pea houses, gin
i houses, lumber house, gear houses, smallf
-grain houses, stables, sheds for'cattle, wagt
ons, carts, and implcnffbnts. These arh in
most instances distinct and" separate front
I those Attached to the residence. These*
' latter, arc a kitchen, houses for servants^
i poultry houses and a house for poullry-min^Mer
(built near,) smoke houses, pigeon
: houses, dairy, carriage houses, and sta*
b'os. The negro "houses are generally
frame buildings. Some few of brick were
erected by Col. Lewis, but they are
not approved of by the Planters, as they are
i tooclose and confined, especially in su miner, _
and themforp. T "
th's account some Planters prefer the log
cabins. Most of the negro houses we ?aw
were of good size, containing four dormitories
and two sitting rooms, with a chimney
in t! e centre and between the sitting. Attached
to these are usually small enclosure#
cultivated by the occupants as gardens.
They also have hertr. a small poultry house
for such fo wls, &c. as each may be inclined
to raise. The hospitals we did not visit on
any of the plantations, but understood that
every attention was paid to those who wpre
sick and carried there. Col. Lewis hase-'
rected a very fine and large one, which we
s uv at a distance, but did not visit the. interior
of it. . ..
Implements.?The bull-longue an<\ shovel
ploughs are principally used in breaking up
and cultivating the crops. Wc saw but few
mould board ploughs, and none io Use. Seraperst
or winged ploughs, are used to destiny
the grass and weeds on the sides of
the beds and in the alleys. The other im?
plements are the common hoe, grubbing.iioty 4
pick.aze, shovels, spades, and axes. The
harrow is not made use of. Wagons are^
principally employed in the operations of
the plantation, though on most there are ft
few carts.
Machines.?The principal ones on every
plantation are saw-gins, (these are usually
of forty "five saws, made by Boatright,?colton-whippcr,
thrushing.macbine, corn.shel,
1 r, cotion-press, and straw-cutters. The
gins and press are worked by animal and
water power. We hffve already mention-*
ed Cue saw and grist mills.
Enclosures.?The fields are usually very
large, as timber is becoming scarce in some'
1 parts. Many of the Planters have already
resorted to the diich and bank with a straight
rail fence on the latter ; the most common
is still the old worn fence.
Arable Lands.?-These are cultivated in
cotton, corn potatoes, peas, oats,rye,ground,
nuts, and small quantities of rice and wheat
for honio consumption. The cotton crop
is the only one grown for market, though a
fmv groundnuts are sometime# sent down.
No rotation of crops is observed, though it
is now becoming more common thon formerly
to rest cotton fields two years, and
plant them two* (some only one.) The
cotton is scarcely ever manured. Mr.
Husgell is the only person we heard of who
does so regularly ; others give what they ?
have left from their com, which too frcquen
tly is little or none. The corn is invariably
manured with compost, and cotton seed.
None of the other crops are manured. The'
ccrn and potatoes are principally relied oa
for feeding the negroes,?the otlicr crops,
with the exception of rice and wheat for
feeding their horses and stock. The rida
is grown on low grounds, well drained,
generally near water courses. In the adU % ?
joining Parish, (and no doubt also in this,)
it is likewise grown on high land and cultisomewhat
like corn.
The lands in ihis Parish were once uncommonly
fine and productive, but by improvident
culture they have greatly deterio-*a'ed.
The system has been to crop severe,
ly, on J plant largely to the hand, while maf
nuring jvus deemed of tco little consequence
i to merit attention. The field* were worked
. as long as they would produce any thingr
and then abandoned,and other.fields cleared
and exhausted. A better course has of lata
been adopted, and more attention is being
f paid to tho resuscitation of their old fit'ldu.
. The whole of the corn crop as we have al.
ready observed is manured, and a lirde of
fh,> cotton. The discovery of marlin var
r ious parts of the Parish is attracting atlent*
1 tion, and several planters will experiment
; with it. All seem now awake to the imi
portance of collecting and applying munureg,
, and we hope soon to see the lands in this
i Paris!) resorted to their original fertility.
i We have come across no lands which.
, appear to us, so susceptible of permanent
r improvement as the lands of this Parisfe
> generally. The product of the cotton,
- crop averages from one hundred to one
j hundred and fifty pounds per acre; on
. choice lands from three to three hundred
. and twenty pounds per acre; corn from
x? i.. iumnttr hncholc Tho ntlipp rrnna
] ICU IU mwuuj. utuuvim * >IW VVWVI
] are not taken account of. The quantity
. of ground planted to the hand is still
r v?ty large, being from twelve to ninei
teen acres. The usual allotment is from
3 nine to fifteen of cotton, three to five of
ir corn? and three-quarters to one-half of
! root pota'es, besides there are planted
3 some slip po:atoes, (principally for seed,)*
e oats, rye, peas, and rice. In order to1
e get through with so much the plough has
if to be resorted to freely, and one plough
Ij to every three negroes is usual. There
- are several fine native grasses which
grow in the swamps, especially where