Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-03-10


of every day clothes Will not keep negro
decent, and many Of them require more
Children, particularly boys, are worse than
grown persons on their clothes. and CON
sequently require more Of them. have
never been able 10 keep boy, from ten TO
sixteen years of age decently clothed with
less than four suits a year; nor would that
answer, if some of the women were not
compelled to do their nending 1t is also
important that womenwho work out should
in addition TO their usual clothing, have a
change of dratcers for winter
As no article of waterproof, suitable for
an outer garment, and sufficiently cheap
for plantation use is to be had in the stores,
the writer would suggest the propricty Of
having for each hand, long apron with
sleeves, made of cotton osnaburgs, and
coated with well boiled hnsced oil. In
the fall, when picking cotton, this apron
may be worn early in the morning until
the dew dries off, then laid aside. BY
making it sufficiently loose across the
breast, it can be used as an over-coat at
any time that the nogrc is necessarily ex
posed to rain.
Patching may be done by the women of
wet days when they are compelled to be
in the house. Or when woman, from
certain causes, is unfit to go 10 the field
she may be made to do general patching
for all the hands,
In furnishing negroes with bed clothes,
it is folly to buy the common blankets,
such as sell for dollar or a dollar and a
quarter They have but little warmth or
durability. One that will cost double the
money will do more than four times the
service
Besides whole clothes, negroes should
have clean clothes, and in order to do this,
they should have little time allowed them
to do their washing. AS it is not convent
ent for all hands to wash at the same time,
they may be divided INTO companies, a
certain evening assigned to each company.
Those whose time it is to wash should be
let off from the field earlier than the rest of
the hands, and on that night should be
free from all attention to feeding stock
The rule works equal; for those who have
to do extra feeding on one night are in
their turn exempt. 1t should, however
be an invariablc rule not to allow any Of
them to wash on Saturday night, for they
will be dirty on the Sabbath and render as
an excuse that their clothes are wet. On
some large plantations it is the daily busi-
ness Of one hand 70 wash and mend for the
rest.
In building houses for negroes it is i'm
portant to set them well up, (say p or 3
feet from die ground to the sills) so as to be
conveniently swept underneath. When
thus elevated if there should be any filth
| under them, the master or oversccr, in pass
ing can see it. and have it removed. The
houses should be neat and comfortable,
and as far as circumstances will allow, it
looks best to have them Of uniform size
and appearance; 16 by IS feet is a conve-
nicnt size for a small family. If there be
many children in a family larger house
will be necessary.
Many persons, III building negro houses,
IN order 10 get clay convenient for filling
the hearth, and for mortar, dig hole un-
| der the floor. As such excavations uni
| tornly become a common receptacle for
filth, which generates disease, they should
by no means be allowed. In soils where
the clays VIII make brick, the saving of
fuel, and the greater security agains. fire,
render it matter Of economy to build
brick chimneys. In all cases the chimneys
should be extended fully two feet above
the roof, that there may be less danger in
discharging sparks. They are also less Ii
able to smoke. In consequence Of negro
houses being but one story high, the low
ness Of the chimneys renders them very
liable to smoke from currents Of wind dliv-
ing down the hue. This may be effectual-
ly prevented by the following simple pre-
caution. Around the top of the chimney
throw out base some or 10 inches wide
and from the outer edge of this draw il
the cap at an angle Of 80 or 40 degrees
with TIE horizon until true with the hue.-
No matter IN what direction the wind
blows, on striking this inclined plane the
current will glance upwards and pass the
chimney, without the possibility of blowing
downit. A coat Of whitewash inside and
ont every summer, adds very much to the
neat and comfortable appearance Of the
buildings and is also, by its cleansing and
purifying effect conducive tohcalth. The
cost is almost nothing, as one barrel Of
good lime win whitewash dozen common
sized negro houses, and any negro can put
it on.
If there be not natural shades sufficient
to keep the houses comfortable, row Of
mulber1lcs, or such other shades as may
suit the owners fancy, should by all means
be planted in front, and so as to protect the
houses on the south and southwest
The negroes should be required to keep
their houses and yards clean; and in case Of
neglect should receive such punishment as
viii be likely to insure more clcanly habits
in future.
In no case should two families be al
lowed to occupy the same house. The
crowdingof number into one house is I'M
healthy. 1t breeds contention; is dcstruc-
tive Of delicacy Of feeling, and it promotes
immortality between the sexes.
In addition to their dwellings,, where
there are a number of negroes, they should
be provided with suitable number Of pro-
perly located water closets. These may
contribute an income much greater than
their cost, by enabling the owner to pre-
pare poudrette; while they serve the much
more important purpose cultvating feel
ings of delicacy.
There should a; all times be plenty Of
wood hauled. Surely no man ofany pre-
tensions to humanity, would require a ne
gro, after having done heavy days work,
to toll for quarter ora halfmile under
load Of wood before he can have fire.
An economical way of supplying them with
wood is to haul logs instead Of small wood.
This may be most conveniently done with
a cart and pa. o. hooks, such as are used