New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-06-20
dDAY on 4 RICE PLANTATION
From The SalIbury WdteAmaz.


To many of your readers, doubtless, The mode OF
planting and cuvajng this great article Of food IS a.
uch unknown if it were only grown IN the East In.
dies AL, however, are acquainted WIKI '' eA''"'"'
The plantation which visited was that Of Col L. ID.
Meares of Brunswick. The broad hat piece oi ground
of maby acres, extends along the ryer ana ont upon
adjacent creeks; the land a divided into " tasks by
diiches running through in every direction. though
moetly crossing each other at right angles No plows
are nsed the whole work being done with short hoe
ard long narrow one. When a set Of hands are put
into one OF these tasks they mus, smooth il of, make
the litile trench rows The seed md cover ~ all in
The same day. The tasks really given 20 only one
as for instance ii Is the work Of to smooth 80 much
gronpd of another TO trench after him; of another 10
sow the seed and another 10 H. The numbers NJ
these tasks make field; this field is not fenced but
surrounded by large ditch and emblnkment. These
are designated Nos ], > 3, &C., and contsn ~, 10
or 20 acres. There is no fencing, the great body of
land, containing number OF nelds being surrounded
by large canal.
Hayi,g gwen you fan. idea OF how me lsnd lies,
We will see how il il cultivated Ia the Fall, after tao
nee is cut, as soon as perfectly dry, the stnboe IL
burned off, Sometimes the weather Will not allow TINS
then il remains and il chopped under in the Winter.
In December the whole land intended for cultivation
is gone over with the hoe, breaking c.ods, &c. In
March the planting begins aud from IN st time
onward is the rush. As field is planted it is
covered with water, ard remains until the rice Il
pretty well Crowd The water IS then let of, and
after the field gone with the boe 10 chop ont
grass and work the This i done twice before the
crop Iipens. The irrigation l. manager sn thA when
ore fed il under wuter another may be dry. Several
HANDS are constantly employed IN clearing on, bitches
stopping leaks in entertainments, &C.
tvey kid Of bird II Il lover Of rice, and an enemy
tn The I'M, rrst, Of the rice planters but the mos.
Dire adeo i. the rcebr. /; il small bird, ot darkish
brown color. with sharp stout b'l, with which y
gasps the stalk Of nee and squeezes the milk from
as ,lecuslly a. II done with T. PAIR of npper3 The
ouly mean: Of getting rid Of them is by powder and
l. l,lo hon. nd ~ I'D
fhfv s,l appear as thick a. nc r-t. During the sea
son of kiilDg, hogs AID dogs upoa the plantation all
get fat. The negroes are provided with guns, aud
stand upon the banks and shoot from morning until
night When flock Of these birds coaIe down near
rice field they swoop down with a noise Ike thunder
and the beautiful green rice--tslks fall down before
them as does the rice before the reaper hook. Lelt
,o themselves but few aOGrs would suffice 20 clear
the field bat half a-dozen mukets scare them of for
time Bn few who do not live in that section have
idea of the immense damage which they DO "a the
nee. planters, and suppose there j. means Of cor
rect calculation, a. they never fail to appear, though
more numerous some years than Others. Mr.. Mearrs
informed he that Last year be consumed - kegs Of
powder IN shooting them. and that year he had
u.ed as much ~ kegs. TIE shot IN proportion
OF late years extensive trade had grown up in the
rice straw. The scarcity Of bay and the inenJrlty O
the article brought from lie North, Induced VIZ. hearrs
some YEAR sgo 20 Try cured nee straw, b pat up with
clover with salt ard water. IL succeeded we'll acd Tor
that which he sent to market he found resfy sale
Other planters adopted II. and the nee stfaw Is now
very generally Used food lor horse, Ac. Though
by no eqas! 10 the hay which you have and il
everywhere in the West yet il is far superior 10 the
Northern spo1gy for hay, which mas for 20 long been
an article Of food ~ the Cape Fear gi0n.
The plantation Of Col Mesres j. one II the Oldest
uuon the nyer, there fields IN Il which have been
rapsd regularly for ~ year, and still produce
uxurar,ly Tie machinery for clearing tue rice Il OF
Ir beet pattern. The rice it ia sold by the planter
IN the husk passes through the nee MIL aud IS exposed
fIr ssle IL tierces a. we use il npon the table.