The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-07-03
southern AgricuIture.

rnent IN draining, made by Major Starke, OF Sa-
yannah. Our. readers will be interested, not oply
by the magnitude and result OF the experiment
itself, but ia the polished and humorous manner
in which il ia relatsd e1sfT -T ~ s,nt iasfgias
We have been for some time aware that ue0t-
gia is full of activity and enterprise, and that she
is rapidly outstrippiag sinwea,h and population
every other Southern Stale. With such citizens
the writer Of this letter, other result can be
looked for. Examples ike this ha te Wonderful
effect they stimulate enterprise in all the pursuits
of life, and those who set them are public .bene.
factors:
.'The subscriber has plantation of several
thousand acres, fftyfmiles below Augusta on the
Georgia side Of the Sayannah river. Nearly in
the centre of this body Of land is was Mobley .
poEd u large, and in Scriven county, celebrated
sheet of water, seven miles round and eight feet
deep, heretofore fruitful source Of dsea SO to ihe
neghboihood and of revenue 10 the doctors.
The upper half was an, open plain Of more than
thousand acres, where hundred steamboats,
could ride in safety, and where, ffcm any point,
bird could be distinctly seen. ITheslower Sec
tion IS covered with cypress, whose rich foliage
and dropping moss, interceping The suns rays
and overshudowing the waters, presented to the
view dismal canopy above. and n horrible land
scape beneath. Here millions of noxious vefinin
lived and fiounced and died. Here The horned
owl chanted his melancholy dtties. Here the
white crane gathered her food, buiither nest, and
reared her young, and, when, congregated by
thousands on the branches of this ma gnifcent
tree, resembled q vas, shrubbcry Of seringoes in
bloom The open parts were the resort of innu-
merable wild fowls, and wele covered with count
less focks of ducks This loquacious bird, dur
ing the long winter nights, kept up an eternal row
his carousas and jollification pcnics transcribed
everything of record in the achievements of Ve-
nus and Bacchus, and were almost a match for
the uproarious frolics Of John Bull and Brother
Jonathan on the anniversary birthdays of majesty
and independence. ih.H a'l' s'a' 81.
b ''1he alligator was the king bea st of this pom
tine marsh; armed with formidable tail and a
pair Of more formidable jaws, he was the terror
Of the women and boys and negroes Compared
to him m bodily appearance, the onrang-outang
was beauty and the jackass iorely. His most
interesting posi- Ion'was recumbent posture, with
his upper jaw elevated at right angles, and his
teeth shining in the sun. When lying in ambush
for his prey, he could flourish an eye that would
shame a catarcunt, ard trunk the like Of which
never tiounced IN the w:itersi Of Phegethon or
Cocytus. This redoubtable animal was frequently
10 be seen prowling upon, the banks with the
agility OF the hppopotnmus, and floating upon
the waters with the stiffness of serpent, strong
ly suspect that his reputation for manliness had
its origin in the writings of the zoologst who, in
stead Of manipslqting him gently q lap7dog,
peeped at him through spyg'ass from most re-
spectful distance. Although soldier among
calves, and pigs, and lambs, his courage and fe-
roclty are evidently Oyerrated; it is seldom that
ful-grown hog realizes the honor Of being digested
in his ca p,cious ma,v a7aifi - tHA . 50
-a''The terrapin could be counted by thousands,
and the finest front in Georgia were tsre.l To
this horde Of vermin the draining of Mobly s
pond was an epoch. The fish, left BY the reced-
ing waters In the weeds and grass, fell an easy
prey to tho yultures. The terrapn. junambitious
Of distinction among men, plugged into the ditch,
and hurried himself into the swamps Of Savannah.
The duck !, with heavy heart, mounted into the
AR, and, like The Skinner Of the seas, bade
final farewell TO this memorable scene of his fes-
tiviies. The alligator, with melancholy steps
und SLOW no doubt reached some land Of prom
Use where, ffeefrom danger and the WORLDS NAL
Ice, he could enjoy in summer his mud hole, and
in winter his, lightuood knots. .,f, ,.s.... -..a
Having stated somewhat prolixly, and per-
haps with too much levity, what MobIy's pond
srGs, now proceed to state what Mebiy's pond
ls,, Seven years ago, solitary and Alone un-
dertook TO drain this body Of water, and, although
out Of pocket some $4,000, l do not regret the
result. The landed estate (pond included) cos,
$50 600 and am vain, enough sometimes to
think thatthe spade has doubled its value Origi-
naliy this pond was joint property, but, from want
OF concord among the propretors, was seemingly
destined TO remain a nuisance to the end Of time
Eventually it fell into my hands, and now, in thi.
year of our Lord, lSl9, so prolific of prodgies,
and 50 memorable to n,onarchs--with a natural
atmosphere full Of poison, and political one full
Of repuJiicoaism--with The lower sten thousa nd ;
with fright-with despotsm standing on n rolca-
no, and freedom Upon afeck, Mobly's pond (what
bathosD is as dry as an ashbank. or the throat
Of a loafef in the honey yamoon Of his temperance
pledge. 3'<' '''
''ln the FIRST place, ! caused to be excavated
centre ditch fonr miles long, and on some points
from sixteen TO twenty feet deep ginning nt the
Savannah swamp and passing en,lrely through
the pond Secondly were dug spring bitches Of
several miles in length, in all suitable places; and
lastly, parallel ditchess lending from the centre to
the spring drains these lateral bitches were
placed at intervals of l40 yards, The cypress
part, formerly visited only by a canoe, is now
easily accessible, and furnishes abundant and du-
rable timber for building and fencing. The open
uncultivated part - covered with grass averaging
1000 pounds to The acre, Palatabe and nutritious
to horses and other stock. Last year sixty acres
yielded sixty heavy bales Of cotton and the best
acres Of The corn land seventy-s bushels. .a97q
bis work was accomplished by Irish ditcbers
INestoess IL IL sdiu, couIu nave UOne IL CnedpeIs i
but, governed by the maxim ne sufor Uitra cTe-
pidam,' con6ned the black man to the culfiva-
ton Of the staple, commodity.'' .,.. b.. .,.b
Z" MExIco.-Tbe present state Of Mexico,
is melancholy indeed. A letter dated May
12, from Zacatecas, says, 49, s,,
"We are in "a most miserable state here
at present. We have had no rain of any
consequence since August last, and the
country IL actually burnt up. Mary Of our
roads are i,Dpassihe for want of water
Corn is $3.50 per fanega, (about 1 so lbs. }
and in some parts of the State of Zacatec
is selling at SO. Flour just ground down is
worth $40 per 500 pounds, and other things
in proportion. The loss Of animals would
not be credited in any other place. We
know of one estate which lost 400 head Of
sheep in March last, and il has been worse
since. OF course, there is literally no trade
at present, as the people are either main
tanned by charity, or are eating everything
that comes 10 their way. Every day until
il rains will be worse, and we cannor expect
any commercial prosperity until anoIher