Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-07-26
NO. XXXII.
A Day on a Rice Plantation.

! To many Of your readers, doubtless, the mode
of planting and cultyatirg this great article OF
food Is as much unknown rs ii it were only
grown in the East Indies. All, however, are
acquainted with its excellent qualities as
pourishiDg diet. 2.
The broad fat piece Of ground of many acres
extends along the river and out upon adjacent
creeks: the land is divided into tasks" by
bitches running through in every direction,
though mostly crossing each other st right an.
giles. No ploughs are used, the whole work be-
| ing done with short hoe and o long barrow
one When q set of hands are put into one OF
these tasks they must smooth it of, make the
little trench rows SOW the seed and cover It all
in the same day. The tasks are really given to
only one, as for instance, it is the work OF one
to smooth SO much ground OF another to trench
after him; of another to sow the seed, and
of another to cover it over. The numbers OF
these tasks make field this field is not fenced
in, but surrounded by a large ditch and einbank-
ment. These are designated as Nos. l, 2, 8, &c,
and contain 10, ID or 20 acres. There is no
fencing, the great body of land, containing
number of fields, being surrounded By large
canal. 9hs ~
Having given you a faint idea Of now the land
! lies, we will see how it is cultivated. In the
fall after the rice is cot, as soon as perfectly dry,
the stubble is burnt off, Sometimes the wealth.
or will not allow this then it relnsins and is
chopped under in the WINTER In December the
whole land intended for cultivation is gone
over with the hoe, breaking clods, &c. In
March the planting season begins, and from that
time onward is the rush. AS soon as the field
is planted it is covered with water, and SO re.
mains until the rice is pretty well grown. The
water is then let off, and soon after the field is
gone over with the hoe to chop out grass and
work the rice. This is done twice before the
crop ripens. The irrigation is managed so that
when one field is under water another may be
dry. Several hands are constantly employed IN
clearing out bitches, stopping leaks IN embank-
ment, &c.
Every kind of bird is lover of rice, and an "
enemy to the interests of the rice planters, but
the one most dreaded is the rice bird. 1t isa
small bird, of darkish brown color, with sharp
stout bill, with which it grasps the stalks OF rice
and squeezes the milk from it as effectualiy as II
done with pair OF nippers. The only means OF
getting rid of them is by powder and shot; and
though thousands are killed, they still appear as
thick as at first During the season Of killings
hogs and dogs upon the plantation all get fat
The negroes are provided with guns, and stsId
upon the banks and shoot from morning until
night. When o flock of these birds come down
near rice field, they swoop down with noise
like thunder, and the beautiful green rice stalks
fall down before them as does the rice before the
reaper's hook Left to themselves but few
hours would suffice to clear the field, but halt
dozen muskets scare them of for q time. But
few who do not live in that section have an idea
Of the immense damage which they do to the
rice planters, and | suppose there is no means OF
correct calculation, as they never fail to appear,
though more numerous some years than 9TH
ers. Mr.. Mears Informed ME thai last year he
consumed thirty. FIVE kegs Of powder in shooting
them, and that one year he badused as much as
fifty kegs. The shot was in proportion. ..l-o
OF late years an extensive trade has grown up
in the rice straw. The scarcity of hay and the
inleriority of the article broughtfrom the North
induced Mr. Meares some years ago to try cured
rice straw to put with clover with salt and wa
ter. 1t succeeded well, and for that which he
sent to market he found ready sale. Other
planters adopted it, and the rice straw is now
very generally used as food for horses, &C.
Though by no means equal to the hay which
you have and is everywhere in the West, yet it
is far superior to the Northern apology for hay,
which las for SO long been an article OF food In
the Cape Fear region
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