University of South Carolina Libraries
COUNTY CORRESPONDENCE. mWIY LETTERS FROM OUR SPE? CIAL CORRESPONDENTS. Hi of Interest From ell Parte of Samter end Adjoining Counties. HOT I CS TO CORRESPONDBNTS. Meli your Utters so that they will Seeon this office not later than Mon? day when Intended for Wednesday's temper end not later than Thursday ?er Saturday's issue. This, of course, eawilss only to regular correspond essee. In ease of Items of unusual um ralue. send In immediately by seen telephone or telegraph. Sueh jsiwe stortsa are acceptable up to the is si of going to press. Wednesdays Bfjpsjg is printed Tuesday afternoon <ead Saturday's paper Friday after Hummerton News letter. Bummerton, Feb. 7 ?It can not be many weeks before spring will glad? den our hearts with her cher? ished arrival; but at this time, visit? ed as we are with typical winter weather. It Is hard to believe that only a short time separates us fiom mete mild and pleasant days. Since the middle of November there have bessn in this section but few wi.rm days; nor have there been many rainy days, but for biting c61d and strong winds this winter is far sur? passing any recently spent. Those who congratulated themselves three months ago in having laid in a sup ury of wood or coal sufficient to car? ry them through the winter are look" lag abut for re-lnforcements; and only a few days since a car load of eoal wee disposed of here within two days after Its arlval. Many farmers of this locality who can use the power from gasoline engines for so many different pur? poses have Invested in private en? gines, but as yet this as a means of lighting has been employed but little In town. It seems quite practicable, in view of the fact that good keroslne oil and good lamp burners are be? coming almost unobtainable, that Individuals or a number of individ? uals conjointly might Install these emrmee to their lighting purposes. Dr. D. O. Rhame is Just in receipt of a small engine, which he expects to piece at his residence to furnish lights therein. Until that day shall arrive when an electric plant is put fa Summerton. these gas plants are destined to be substituted. The Heroic Dutchman of 76" shown in the Oraded School Audi? torium of this place on Friday night by the local talent of Panola was quite a success from the financial Standpoint as well as that of perfor? mance. The character of the Dutch? man taken by Mr. W. R. Davis, was particularly well played, and the "be? tween-acts" attractions presented by Mr. D. C. Mason, attained to Mr. Mason's usual degree of excellence. The principal, Mr. Andrews, and his asH*stant, Miss Friday, are to be con? gratulated for their undertaking, es? pecially so because of the purpose for which the receipts are to be used, namely, to procure a piano for the eehool-huse. On Friday afternon Mrs. J. Fred Lanham entertained the Matrons Book Club from 4 to 6. An inter? esting and amusing contest was en? tered by the members, who by their asswers to certain perplexing quest? ions showed their ability or inability to adapt themselves to circumstances. Mrs. Lanham. assisted by Mrs. W. R. Mood served a dainty sweet course; Upon each waiter was to be found most appropriate favors in the shape of books which proved to be boxes of eandy. In spite of the cold afternoon eery few memb .rs were forced to de? cline Mrs. Lanham s hospitality? As St. Valentine's Day approach ee the young people of every '"set" are eagerly anticipating a celebration In some one of the many available ways. Miss Iva Bell Hughson of Sumter was the guest of Mrs. L. K. Howie and likewise Miss Msy Wells during last wsek. Mr. John Fewell. of Rock Hill Is a visitor at the home of Mr. B. C. Begin. Mr. Tim Howie, of Manning, spent a day with his brother, Dr. L. K. Howie, last wek. Hon. O. C. Scarborough Is spending today at home, the Legislature hav? ing adjourned until Tuesday morn? ing. W<Nxtftten Monument. The monument to the memory of the late Stephen A. LaCoste, a mem? ber of Hollywood Camp, W. of W., was unvleled at Mt. Zlon Cemetry Sunday at 11 o'clock by a delegation from Hollywood Camp. The ceremonies were conducted by tee Consul commander of the campt J. A. Warren, and the orator of the occasion waa Capers C. Smith. S. H. Kdmunds was the reader and there was singing by the camp, scompanied by a deatll from the Sumter band. The attendance at the ceremonies eras very large, there being present about 350 members of the camp, and about 250 onlookers. THE COTTON CROP HOW SOUTH CAROLINA FARM? ERS MAY GET BEST RESULTS. Minute Direction* as to Preparation, Planting, Spacing, Cultivating Ap? plication of Fertilizer and Depth, of Cultivation. The foilowing statement of the methods advocated by Dr. S. A. Knapp, special agent in charg? of the farmer's co-operative demonstration work, will be of interest to cotton grwers: For the beet results the held should be ploughed in the early fell or win? ter on moat soils, not later tian the 1st of December, and earlier, if pos? sible. If the farmer uses an ordinary plough, then the fall ploughing (breaking) should be 1 or S Inches deeper than usual and the lurrorws should be set on edge. If a disk I plough can be secured, use It and I plough as deep as possible. Full di? rection for preparing the seed bed for J cotton and corn are given In Crlcu ! lar No. "A"?*8, "Deep Fall Break I ing and the Preparation of the Seed Bed." Disk or harrow thoroughly before I planting. Tillage Is manure. The soil gets air by stirring, and plant I food which could not otherwise be used by the growing crop becomes I available. Most plants first throw out their I feeding roots In the warm surface I soil If finely pulverized, and 1 is best, therefore, immediately before plant? ing, to use a tooth or disk harrow, I shallower than the ploughing. Time spent In making a good.seed I bed is not wasted. Oo over the field J several times with the harrow if nec I essary. Plant aa early as Is safe from frost. I The actual date of planting depends I on the locality. The important point I is to plant as early as the weather I and the soil conditions permit. More I stands are lost by too early planting I than by waiting till the weather and I soli are warm. Nothing Is gained by I planting before the soil has become I warm enough for the seed to germl I nate and the plant to make rapid I growth. I Whether it is best to flat plant or I plant on a bed is a question so whol I ly local that every farmer must de I termtne It for himself. Depth of planting is a similar prob I lern, dependent upon the soil, season, I rainfall, climate, etc. Usually shal I low planting Is best. The tendency I is to plant too deep. With rich soil more space will be I required between the rows; with I thinner soil, less. The general rule for spacing row? I is that the distance between the row? I shall be a little more than the height j of the cotton on the land In average j years. Where cotton usually grows I 2 or 3 feet high the rows should be I from S 1-2 to 4 feet apart. Where I cotton normally grows about 3 1-2 I feet high plant in rows 4 feet apart I Where It grows 4 or 5 feet high put I the rows 5 feet apart. It Is better to I have the spaces between the rows a I little too wide than too narrow. Air I and sunlight are of the greatest 1m I portance in pushing the crop to ma? turity. Plant early-maturing varieties of J cotton. Some large-boll varieties are I even better than the small-boll cot I tons under weevil conditions because I of a thicker calyx, and consequently I the half-grown bolls are less likely I to be punctured by the weevil. If fertilizers are used, the follow I Ing general rule should govern: On I rich lands use mainly fertilizers that I will stimulate the fruit and not the I stalk growth. On lighter lands use I more of the elements to force growth, I combined with others which will ma I ture the fruit. High-grade acid phosphate, not less j than 14 per cent, may be considered I a basis for Increasing fruit and has I tenlng maturity of crops. Even the J richest land It has been demonstrat I ed that a small percentage of nitro I gen added to the acid phosphate I gives belter results. For fairly rich I soils mix 3 parts of acid phosphate I and 1 part of cotton-seed meal. A mixture of 1 part of cotton-seed I meal to 2 parts of high-grade acid I phosphate will greatly increase the growing condition and will be better for medium soils. On thin or impoverished soils equal quantities of cotton-seed meal and acid phosphate can be used to ad? vantage. In case the foregoing cannot be ob? tained standard-grade commercial fertilizers muy be used. These should contain In the mixture not less than 8 to 10 per cent of avalh ble phos? phoric acid and 2 to 3 per cent of n 'rogen. Usually 1 to 2 p??r cent, of potash Is sufficient, but In some sec? tions more may be used v lth profit. On fresh lands or lands where a heavy crop of peas, beans or clover has been turned under, a ilgh-grade (14 per cent.) acid phosphf to may be used alone. On black waxy land the best prac? tice is to have the cotton follow a crop of cowpeus. Wtaere lands are greatly worn by year* of cropping It Is better to raise some green crop upon them, such as rye or buckwheat, and turn It under for renovation of the soil. Air-slaked lime is of value for use on stiff or gummy soils to loosen them up, permit the air to enter, and prevent a sour condition of such soils when too wet. The benefloeal effect of commercial fertilizers depends largely upon the presence of humus In the soil, hence the importance of using stable man? ure and ploughing under green crops. In applying the foregoing Instruct? ions the farmer must use consider? able judgment and modify his practice when necessary to fit local conditions* How To Apply the Fertilizer After the Soil Has J*ccn Thoroughly Pul? verized. In the absence of a good machine apply the fertilizer as follows: Mark out the rows or bed up spacing as before stated, and distrib? ute the fertilizer in rows. Follow after with a shallow bull-tongue, or scooter, to thoroughly mix the ferti? lizer with the soil. The fertilizer should be distributed several days be? fore planting, as there is danger of Injuring the seed If brought In im? mediate contact with strong ferti? lizer. A very careful mixing of the fertilizer with, the soil Is necessary for the same reason. On most soils the judicious use of commercial ferti? lizers Is advisable. On black waxy land and some other soils stable man? ure and humus seem to give the best results. Where lime is used, scatter it broadcast when the lam' Is broken, using about 4 barrels of air-slaked lime per acre, or apply In the row about 2 barrels per acre a short j time before planting, mixing it thoro I ughly with the soil. Use a section harrow thoroughly I before and after planting. Begin cultivation as , soon as the I cotton is up. A section harrow or I weeder will do splendid work to I loosen the surface soil at this time. I In using It drive at right angles to I the row. Let the first cultivation after the I harrow be deep, the later cultivations I shallow. I Cultivation every seven or ten days, I weather and soil conditions permlt I tingf, will be best. This allows on an I average nine cultivations. All our I instructions are based upon the I theory that the Intelligent farmer has I not allowed his crop to become I grassy. If this is unavoidable, I owing to continuous rains, the cotton J should be cleared of grass and weeds I as soon as possible and then the shal I law cultivation continued as before. I For shallow cultivation, when the J corn is not too tall, the weeder stands I first, but a narrowing sween does I good work If the dirt is allowed to I fall loosely over it. Room for the Roots. I If soil has been prepared as we j direct, it generally contains sufficient moisture for cotton. The safe advice I is to cultivate shallow and let the I roots have all the space possible for J feeding. The unsafe advice is to break shallow and to cultivate deep. In regions of light rainfall or of seml-aird condition a deeper mulch may be found advisable. It Is usually best to chop cotton j twice, having It thicker at first than necessary and afterwards thinning I to the proper stand for the soil. The J distance between plants in the rows, J howew r, must be determined by the usual growth of plant on such soil, j It is our opinion, based on extensive I te?-ts. that cotton should be planted In hills properly spaced, so as to j avoid most of the chopping out. A J good seed bed and excellent seed are J required. I Bedding up land is a precaution against a heavy rainfall after plant I Ing. In sections where there is no I danger from excessive moisture, flat J planting is preferred, and In some I cases It may be necessary to plant a few Inches below the surface. Seeds j must have moisture, but they must be kept out of standing water in I the soil. UNION EDUCATOR DIES. Dr. H. G. Clifford Called to his Re? ward After Long Illness. Union, Feb. 5.?Dr. B. G. Clifford died at his home in this city about 12 o'clock last night. The end came suddenly, though his death was not unexpected, as he has been In declin? ing health for a number of years. Dr. Clifford was born In Haverhlll, New Hampshire, on December 1,1843. He came South at an early age and graduated from Davidson College In his 26th year, and became a Presby? terian minister, in which capacity he served a number of churches In this county and elsewhere. In the War between the States he served as a private In Company D, 23rd regiment, North Carolina Volunteers. Dr. Clifford was married on Jan? uary 4. 1874, to Miss Mary C. Soo fleld, and after moving to Union, Dr. and Mrs. Clifford conducted schools, later founding Clifford Female Seminary, of which he was president at the time of his death. THE LEGISLATURE. APPROPRIATIONS ARE $144,913.63 GREATER THAN LAST YEAR. General Appropriation? Are Lese But New and Additional Appropriation? Amount to $150.000 ? Graydon Child Deed Bill Sent To The Hous^ Columbia, Feb. 4.?The Richards pistol toting bill was hilled on the third reading in the house. All the Asylum bills were made special orders for next Tuesday. The Wells bill prohibiting any de? duction for bagging or ties in cot? ton business passed the house. The house passed the bill provi? ding for circularizing the public schools in the campaign for the prevention of tuberculosis and other diseases. The Senate did not reach a vote on the Graydon milage book bill, but no further amendments were adop? ted. A similar bill in the house was mrde the special order for Tuesday. Columbia, Feb. 5.?The appro? priation bill was handed in today. The total appropriations are $1,777, 352.82 for this year. Last year they were $1,632,439.19. The Increase Is $144,913.63. The bill carries an ad? ditional appropriation for the Asylum of $71.000.00. On account of this being election year it carries $31. 000.00 in excess of last year. For the Citadel, it carries $35.000.00 more than last year for additional fourth story to the building and, owing to the burning of the Dormitory of the Negro College $14.000.00 to replace it. making a total of $156,500 ad? ditional and new appropriations; therefore, the general appropriations carried by the bill this year are several thousand dollars less than last year. The senate gave Graydon child deed bill the final reading and sent it to the house. Otherwise both houses devoted the time to local and uncon' *ste matters. springs Elected. Columbia, Feb, 7.?Springs beats Claffey for Lieutenant Colonel, twenty four to fifteen. DRAINAGE ITEM THROWN OUT. Representative Lever Much Disturb? ed by an Act of the House. Washington, Feb. 5.?Represent? ative Lever is much disturbed be? cause of the fact that during the consideration of the agricultural ap? propriation bill on Thursday Repre senative Perkins, of New York, made a point of order against the item in the bill which carried the ap? propriation for the continuance of work of drainage investigations, and thus knocked it out of the bill. Mr. Lever made a strong but unsuccessful personal appeal to Mr. Perkins to withdraw the point of order and permit this work to go on. This is a division of the department which Is doing especially fine work in South Carolina, areas having been investigated and reported upon near Charleston, Georgetown and Columbia, and requests are now on file for surveys near Colur ia and on James Island. Unless this Item can be put back In the bill when It reaches the Senate, the good work of this division and all it meant to the lower part of South Carolina will have to be discontinued. Mr. Lever called this matter to the attention of Senator Simmons of North Carolina today and in a con? ference with him, and expressed the hope that the Senate committee would act favorably upon his sug? gestion that this item of $80,000, Involving so much to the swamp lands of the country, be acted upon favorably by the committee. Un? less this is done no more such inves? tigations will be made after June 30, 1910. MEETS DEATH UNDER WAGON. \\ illlamsburg Farmer Killed while on his Way Home. Kings^ree, Feb. 5.?J. B. Lemon, living across Black River, on the Manning road, left Kingstree last evening about sundown, driving a mule in an open wagon. This morn? ing early passers found him ly'ng face down in the ditch by the road? side, the head burled in the mud and water, the wagon turned upside down on top of him, and the mule down on her side In the mud and water almost frozen, tied up In the harness. Lemon's body was frozen stiff and he had been dead for many hours. In his pockets were found a purse containing $19 and three let? ters unopened, one from the Germo feert Company, of Charleston. A bot? tle of Hayner's whiskey, half emptied, was found under the wagon. Lemon was said to have left town tilth about $100 on his person. The ver? dict of the coroner's jury was that J. B. Lemon came to his death by the upsetting of his wagon In the ditch, he being pinned down !n Ute water by its weight. COTTON GOODS TRADE FAIR. While Business Did Not Become Active, Hesitation in Buying De? creased During Week. New York. Feb. 6.?Hesitation in buying cotton goods decreased as the week drsw to a close, and while trade is not yet active, there li ? very fair business being done. Job? bers have not gone behind the selling of 1908, ami the slight weaknes-s shown in the primary market '?.as not been reflected in jobbing prices, which from the start of the season were below a parity of 15-ccnts cot? ton. There has been a very good tilde done In the leading lines of fall c?u ton. During the past week, advances of 1-4 cent a yard were made on mot" tied flannels, and of 5 per cent, on Nashua cotton blankets and twilled flannels. In napped cottons for fall delivery the business booked has been in excess of that of last year. Drills and sheetings continue quiet. Print cloth m Id to extent of 50,000 pieces for the weak at Fall River. The mills have reached a point where they will sell nothing but spots or nearby goods unless buyers will pav nearer to a basis of actual cotton. Fall ginghams have sold well and the Lancaster line has been sold up and withdrawn. Staple prints are in quiet request at shortened discounts. Bleached cottons have been selling a little better, arid agents expect that present values will hold for the sea? son. Mills are disposed to curtail, In preference to building up stock from high priced contons. Export trade H quiet, the best business going on be? ing done with Manila. AVANT STILL IN PRISON. Slayer of Mrs. Bigiiam to be Releas? ed when he Furnishes $3,000 Bond. Columbia, Feb. 3.?W. B^ Avant has not been released from the Peni? tentiary yet. Capt. D. J. Griffith, the superintendent of th>e Penitentiary, stated tonight that the bond of $3, 000, double the original, required by the Supreme Court, had not been furnished by Avant. The order of the Supreme Court is as follows: "This is a proceeding in habeas corpus for the discharge of the petit loner from alleged Illegal confine? ment In the State prison under an order from Walter H. Wells, solicitor of the 12th circuit, based upon the ground that no notice in writing was served within the time required by law, (ten days,) signifying the Inten? tion of the defendant to appeal from the sentence imposed upon him by his Honor. Judge Watts, that he be confined In the State Penitentiary for a period of three years. "The question in this proceeding is not whether the appeal was prop? erly taken, exparte Hutto, 78 S. C, 560, but whether the sollctor cou'd make an order directing the sheriff to rearrest the defndant and deliver i?im to the authorities of the State Peni? tentiary, after the deefndant had given bond under an order of his Honor, Judge Watts, in which it is recited that the deefndant had serv? ed notice of appeal. "The order of his Honor, at most, was only voidable and not void and could not be disregarded or set aside, except in a proper proceeding for that purpose. "As the order of the solicitor di? recting the sheriff to arrest the de? fendant and deli\ ?r him to the au? thorities of the State prison was without authority of law, the defend? ant is entitled to be discharged frora his present confinement and It is so ordered, upon entering into a recog? nizance in the sum of $3,000, with two or more good and sufficient sur? eties, conditioned to abide the result of his alleged appeal." LEGACIES FOR WOFFORD AND EPWIRTH. Former Gets Bequest of $2,000 and the Latter $1,000 From Estate of John W. Tuesdell. Lancester. Feb. 6.?The will of John W. Tuesdell, who died recently at his home in Kershaw, was probat? ed in Camden Friday, T. S. Carter of Lancester being the executor. After giving to his widow, Mrs. Elizabeth F. Tuesdell. $:,000 absolutely and the rents and profits of all his real estat? during her life, the testator leaves the sum of $1,)00 to Epworth orphan? age, near Columbia, to be used as a nucleus for a new building fund; and the sum of $2.000 to Wofford college, at Spartanburg, the same to be known as th<* John W, Tuesdell loan fund, to be lent to "he young men desirous of entering- the institution who are without the requisite means to do so, said sum to be loaned In such man? ner and upon such terms as the offi? cers Of said college shall direct. The remainder of the estate, both personal and real, Is left to tlve Mehodlst church at Kershaw, the same to be permanently invested and only the revenues therefrom to be used, as the proper officers of srid church shall direct. BXPUMHOM KILLS SKVKX MEN. Motorman Drives Vehicle C*U? to SputMag Fuse and Pay's Penalty for Carelessness. Phoenix. Ariz.. Feb. 6.?Heedless of the warning of a foreman in charge of excavating operations along the line of the private motor road from Kelvin to the Ray Copper mines, the motorman of a gasoline ear containing six passengers ran his c:,r close to a sputtering fuse of a heevy charge of dynamite today and the car and Its seven occupants were blown to atoms. The foreman had discovered -a missing shot in the excavation at noon and before the motor car came in sight he had relighted the fuse. As the car approached he signaled to the motorman and warned him of the Impending explosion. Motorman Lyalle, believing that he could take his car past the charge to safety, paid no heed to the warning and started again at full speed. Just as the car was passing the charge the explosion came and the car, with Its load of human freight, was blown high In the air amid a great cloud of debris. The dead men were all prominent in mining affairs In Arizona. COSTS LESS IX SOUTH. Sworn Statements of Department of Agriculture Sliow Difference In Ex? penses Incurred. Washington, Feb. 6.?The differ? ences in the cost of living for the traveling employes of the depart? ment of agriculture In the different sections of the country has been shown in testimony just submitted to the house committee on expenditures in the department of agriculture by Chief Disbursing Officer Zappone of that department. In the South the expense for lodg? ing and meals, as shown by sworn expense statements, averages be? tween $1 and $2.50 a. day; In the far West $2 and $3.50; in the central West $3.50 and $4.E0, and in the East $4 to $6. BOYCOTT IS UXLAWFUL. Verdk't of $222,000 Awarded Against Hat Makers. Hartford, Conn., Feb. 4.?"It Is a new declaration of independence," is what Attorney Daniel Davenport calls the verdict of $222,000 rendered today in the United States court by the Jury in the suit of D. S. Loewe of Danbury against 200 hat makers of this State for alleged conspiracy. After having been out over two hours the jury ordered actual damages of $74,050 to the plaintiff but as the suit was brought under the Shermsm anti-trust law triple damages can be recovered. The action grew .out of the boycott instituted against the plain? tiff's goods following a strike of its voikmen in the summer of 1902. There was a remarkable scene in court when the verdict was announc? ed. The defendants in attendance were stunned for a time and then in groups dejectedly discussed the blow. It is estimated t>.at the costs in the case will amount to at least $10,000. and these with the counsel fees may bring the bill against the United Hat? ters of North America to fully $250, 000. The verdict in the case is said to be the most important of its kind ever rendered in this country. The plaintiff, D. E. Loewe, said that if he had not won he would have had to go out of business. Judge Platt In his charge practi? cally instructed the Jury to bring In a verdict for the plaintiff. Hhe said the only question for them to decide was one of damages, and these were to be based upon the losses sustain? ed by the plaintiff between July, 1902, and September. 1903, the period during which the boycott against the Loewe factory was maintained. A bill of exceptions will be filed by the defendants and the case will be carried to the federal court of ap? peals and the United States supreme court. The suit, which was for $240. 000 damages, has been on trial for 11 weeks. It was instituted by the Anti-Boycott society through Mr. Loewe, but it is understood the damages awarde 3 are to go to the Danbury hat makers. W EPT HIMSELF TO DEATH. I^exlngton Child Cried so Violently as to Burst Blood Vessel. Lexington, Feb. 6.?Carlisle, the 2-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Hask ell Shull of near I*exington, died last night about 7 o'clock, under most peculiar circumstances. The little fellow was Innocently playing In the room, when he mashed his finger be? tween a door. The child is said to have cried with such force as possibly to cause the rupture of a blood vess? el, and death soon followed, the little one crying until death relieved its suffering. Medical aid was given the little fellow promptly, and every? thing possible was done to relieve the trouble, but to no avail. The child, however, had been having a slight attack of the croup, which n>> doubt helped to bring on death.