The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-09-22
The Year 1854,

ing in almost any direction, the eye is met with
The traces OF pest!ence. desUialon and death. In
The West Indies the dread cholera has moved
down It's thousands; and in the island of Barba-
does, above seventeen thousand victims in The last
few months sadly attest the might and power of its
arm. On The shores Of the Euxne and Baltic,
from the ranks Of the "arious armies marshalEed
for glory and conquest, hundred thousand
soldiers have fallen by the same unseen, yet re.
sisess foe. They have been denied even The
hero's desperate wish, of dying at the cannon's
mouth, with the music Of battle sounding in his
ears; bat ingIoriousIy, in the dense and plague.
scented hospital, they have made the last sacrifice
to fame and country.
And al own doors, what spectacle! The
last fall and winter were almost unprecedented in
the destruction Of life and property by fires In the
Northern cities, and by storm and shipwreck
along the extended path Of commerce. II cannot
be forgotten, how, day after day, we were called
10 chronicle the loss of some noble ship, gone
down with her and cargo to the chambers Of
the deep. Spring returned, and with II the la bors
and the hopes of the husbandman. The seasons
were propitious, and all things promised ahun-
dance. In South Carolina, never before did the
prospects seem brighter. Cotton, rice, aud the
provision crops, all looked NelI.
And this condition of things continued with but
little change until one week ago, when storm
unparalleled in the memory Of the present gene.
ration swept us, leaving in its track desola.
nn aud ruin. In our city, its work is to be seen
in almost every object which meets the eye; while
from the country every mail brings in the most
sickeniDg ,idngs Of loss and destruction The
rice crop is cut off ne.half. The Sea Island COT
ton fields strewn with their just maturing
fruit. The entire low country of Carolina and
Georgia has been severely and bitterly visited.
But disasters have not stopped here. A
worse calamity is upon US in the ravages Of the
yellow fever Our sister city Of Savannah has
been a lazar. house for a number OF weeks past.
Her people have fed by thousands from the
iaws of the unsparing pestence, and stand afar
off, watching while it sweeps away the few who
remain. 1t is spectacle to excite the deepes,
sympathy, and cali forth our best aid. Charles.
ton in abundant gratitude be it spoken, has thus
far been less sorely stricken. But 1t s impossible
to note the hearses which are constantly vending
their sad way through our Streets and every day
more frequent, without feeling that we too, are
afflicted. Our season, which opened with such
far promise, has been darkened by cloud o
mlslortunes. When we thus sum up our sorrows,
We are reminded Of the history OF Job, as mes.
senger after messenger followed each other in
quick succession, with their tales of disaster and
DISTRESS Charleston Mercury.
To RAISE GIANT AsPARAGUs.-A writer in
one Of the early volumes of the HortlcuAu71St
(Mr. Downing we beIieve,) tells how to grow
common asparagus so that it will rival any giant
production. He says:
Every one who has seen my beds has begged
me for the seed-thinking it was new sort-bu,
have pointed to the manure heap (the farmers
best bank )-and told them that the secret all laid
there. The sight was only such nigh: be III
every garden
About the first of November-as soon as the
frost has well backened the asparagus tops-l take
a scythe and NOW all down close to surface of The
bed let it lie day two, then set fire TO the
heap Of stalks burn it to ashes and spread the
ashes over the surface of the bed.
then go to the barn yard take a load oi
clean, fresh stable manure, and add thereto hall a
bushe OF men dung turning over and mixing The
whole tugeIher throughout. This makes pret-
ty powerful compost | apply such load
TO every twenty feet in length to my aspara-
gus beds, which six feet wide. With a
strong three pronge spud or fork, dig this
dressing under The whole is now left for the
winter
In The spring, early as possible, turn the
top of the bed over lightly, once moro. Now, as
the asparagus grows naturally the side rf the
ocean. aud loves salt water. | give 1t an annual
supply Of lis favorite condiment | cover the sur
face Of :he bed about quarter Of an inch thick
with fEe packing salt il is not too much. AS
the spring rains come down. it gradually dlssoIves.
Not weed will appear during the whole season.
Every thing else, p;gweed, pursane, all refuse to
grow on my asparagus beds. But it would do
your eyes good to see the strong, stout, tender
stalks Of The vegetable itself pushing through The
the surface early in the season. | do at all
stretch point when say that they are as large
around as my hoe handle, and as tender and
succuent any | ever tasted. The same
round treatment is given to my bed every year.
The GrinnelI Arctic expedition under DR.. Kane,
was last heard from 23d July, 1853, when he was
al Uppernavac, west coast Of Greenland. He is
expected to report himself n New York in the
course of next month. Should he not be iea I'd