Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-07-08
A Day ON a Rice Plantation.
From the Salisbury Waterman.


To many of your readers. doubtless, the
mode of planting and cultivating this great
article, of food is much unknown az
if it were only grown in the E-st Indies. Ali,
however, are acquainted with its excellent
qualities as nourishing diet.
The broad fiat piece of ground of many
acres extends along the river and ont upon
adjacent creeks: the land is divided into
"tasks.' by bitches running through in every
direction. though mostly crossing each other
at right angles. No plougbs are used, the
whole work being done with short hoe and
a long narrow one. When set of hands
are put into one of these tasks they must
smoothe it off. 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 smoothe
so much ground; of another to trench after
him; of another 20 sow the seed. and another
to cover it. The numbers of these tasks
make field; this field is not fenc' d in, but
surrounded by large ditch and embank-
. ment. These are designated as Nos. l. 2, 3,
&C., and contain 10, Is or 20 acres. There
is no fencing, the great body of land, contain
ing number of fields, being surrounded by
large canal.
Having given you a faint idea of bow the
land lies, we will how it is cultivated.
In the fall. after the rice is cut, as soon as
perfectly dry, the stubble is burnt off. Some
times the weather will not allow this; then it
remains and is chopped under in the winter.
In December the whole land intended for cul-
tivation is gone over with the hoe breaking
clods, &c. In March tile planting season be-
gins, and from that time onward is the rush.
As soon as the field is planted it is covered
with water. and SO remains until the rice is
petty well grown. The water is then let
of. and soon after the field is gone over with
the hue 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 en-
bankment, &c. fGt tl~
Every kind of bird is lover of rice, and an
enemy to the Interests of the rice planters,
but the one most DIR, adrd is the rice bird. IL
is d small bird, of darkish brown color. with
sharp stout bill, with which it grasps the
stalks of rice and squeeZes the milk from 1t as
effectually as if done with pair OF nippers.
The only means of getting rid OF them is by
powder and shot; and though thousands upon
thousands are killed, they still appear as
thick as at first. During the season OF kill
= ing. hogs and dogs upon the plantation all
get fat. The negroes are provided with guns,
and stand upon the banks and shoot from
morning until night. When flock OF these
birds come down near a 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 a half dozen
muskets scare them OFF for a time. But few
| who do not live in that section have an idea
of the immense damage which they do to the
rice planters. aud suppose there is no means
of correct calculation, as they never tail to
appear. though more numerous some years
than others. Mr.. Meares informed me that
! last year he consumed thirty-ive kegs oil
! powder in shooting them, and that one year
| he had used as much as fifty kegs. The shot
was in proportion.
Oflate years an extensive trade has grown
| up in the rice straw. The scarcity of hay and
| the interiority of the article brought from
| the North, induced Mr. Mears some years age
| to try cured rice straw, to put with Glove:
| with salt and water. II succeeded well, and
! for that which he sent to market he found Q
| ready sale. Other planters adopted it, and
| the rice straw is now very generally used al
| food for horses, &c. Though by no meant
| equal to the hay which you have and is ev
erywhere in the West, yet it is far superior Il
the Northern apology Tor hay, which has fol
so long been an article Of food in the Caps
| Fear region csss.--