Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-11-20
IMPROVE YOUR ORCHARDS,

We see many items going the rounds of the
papers, tending directly to prove that our South
ern climate is peculiarly adapted to perfecting al
most every kind Of fruit All we require TO make
our country land of delicious orchards, Us well
cotton fields, is little more taste, little less
ayarice, and considerable modification of the
spirit Of Southern enterprise. Our people have
become grossly insensible to the true luxury Of
living from an overweening desire to magnify
their dimes into dollars, their dollars into eagles,
and their eagles into hundreds and thousands
Many are content to pass through life with no
more delicate qualification of the palate than long
collards and fried middlings can afford, SO they
c,,n sea rnttan- an-ho.y~ ~->..-L- ri -I--i-tr
gin houses in the Fall. Now we do not mean to
sncer at bacon and greens, for we like them well
enough in their place. Mach less would We
speak disrespectfully Of cotton bags, for we know
them TO be the foundation of Southern prosperity.
But while we are willing to recognise these SUBJ
s,antial goods as the proper sub-strutum upon
which to begin to build, yet We are clearly for
identifying and cnriching the superstructure to
the full extent of rational indulgence. What are
your cotton bags worth TO you, if their possession
result in increased exhibition Of comfort beauty
and luxury! What does your gold for which
you can change them, benefit you, if you make
use of it only with the hand of usurer! Is stherc
any philosophy or religion in thus perver,ing the
blessings of Heaven! Did the God of nature
ever intend that you should gloat in secret over
your bags of cankered silver, or that you should
draw forth only to double them upon the misfor-
tunes or indiscretions of others We cannot
imagine how human beings, not to speak Of
christian men, can hold up their heads while per.
petrating such abuses.
1t has been said that "he who makes two
blades of grass grow, where only one grew be-
fore, is to that extent bcnefactor of hi, race"
But it is matter of doubt with us whether the
same could properly be said of him who makes
two bales OF cotton where only one was made be-
fore. Cotton is too nearly identical with money.
and the love of cotton bags is too nearly akin to
"the love Of money" which ST. JAMES pro-
nounces I" the root Of all evil" A grasping after
wealth being the raging epidemic of the day, it
becomes serious question whether too much at
tenton to the cultivation of m article, directly
worthy Of the commentator either of the world
ly philosopher or of the religious teacher. Yet,
if men, endowed with reason, would be reasona.
Bile men, it would be exactly right, and our cotton
bags, after all, would be the very greatest Of
blessings And what we mean here by "rea-
sonable man. is one who has much larger fields
Of the " fruges terra" than he has OF cotton-onc,
who uses the surplus proceeds even of his cotton
crop mot in shaving notes) but in improving and
adorning his iaria with every variety of comfort
and beauty which his circumstances in life will
fairly warrant him in doing. Such man, in
stead of helping to impoversh his native soil, will
be- lending hand nobly towards making his
country garden of loveliness and plenty. Such
man, instead of raising children for new coun.
tries, will present such home attractions and home
preferences TO his sons and daughters, Us will
cause fhem to cluster around the spot Of their
birth and to draw forth the complete resources of
their mother EARTH Such man, instead of as
sisting to swell the crowd of mere spectators
and adventurers, will be giving to his State the
best and truest of patriots. But we are running
into disquistion without intending it. All that
we would say may be embraced in single sem
tence-and it is this The Farmer is doing more
for his country than the Planter.
We have been led to these few reflections, by
having brought to mind that portion Of farmers
occupation which may be called fruit culture
And the immediate circumstance which brought
it TO mind was single apple, presented to us by
gentleman who gathered it from tree in this
very piney-woods neighborhood of ours. Our
readers need not laugh, for we assure them that
il large, firm, rich looking, and highly IA
vored Us most Northern appes-and besides it
was real winter apple. If any one is still dis
posed to laugh and say "well, you might have
told us about the apple without all this stuff"
We ask them the following question and leave
them: If NEWTON learned the great law Of