The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-07-22
From tie Salisbury IVatchman.
A DAY ON A RICE PLANTATIoE--THEC CUL.
TURE OF RICE.

mode OF planting and culliva,ing this
great article of food is as much unknown
Ms If it were only grown in the East Indies.
All, however, are acquainted with its excel
lent qualities rs nouri>Ling diet.
The plantation which visitc.l was that
OF Col T. ID. Meares, of Brunswick. The
broad. flat piece Of grounl Of many acres
extends far along the a'ljacent creeks. The
land is divided into "ta>ks," 10y bitches
through in every direction. though, mostly
crossing each other at tight angles. No
pIows are used, the whole work being done
with short hoe anl long narranw one.
When set of hands areput on one of these
tasks they must snonthe it off, make the
li.tIe trench rows, SOW the seed and cover
it, all in the same day. The tasks arc re.
ally given to only one, as for instance, it il
the work of one to smoothe so much
ground, Of another to trench after him. and
another to cover it. The numbers of these
tasks make a field !; this field is not fenced
in, but is surrounded by large ditch and
enhankment. These are designated as No.
l,2. 3, &c. and contain 10, Is or 20 acres.
There is no fencing: the great body Of land
-containing a number Of 6elds-surroupd-
ed by large canal.
Having given you faint idea of how
the land lays, we will see how it is culliva-
ted. In the fall. after the rice is cut, as
soon as perfectly dry the stubhIe is burned
off. Sometimessthc weather will not allow
this, then it remains, and is chopped under
i'll 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
field is planted, it it is covered with wa
ter, and so remaius until the rice is pretty
we'll 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 doue twice before the crop ripens.
The irrigation is managed 80 that when one
field is under water. another may be dry.
Several hands are constantly employed in
clearing out bitches, stopping leaks in em-
bankments. DC.
Every kind Of bird is lover of rice,
and All enemy 10 the interests Of rice plant
ers, but the one most dreaded is the rice bird.
1t is "A small bird, Of darkish brown color,
with a sharp stout bill with which it erasps
the stalk of lice, and squeezes the milk from
it M affrctually as If done with pair of
"ippers. The only means Of getting rid of
them is by powder and sho:; and though
thousands upon thousands are killed, they
still appear as thirk rs at first. During the
season Of killing, hogs and dogs upon the
plan,ati"n all got fat. The negroes are pro-
vidrd with guns. and stand upon the banks
and shoot from morning until night. When
h,"k Of these birds come down near
rice field, they swo"p with noise like hun.
der, and the beautiful green rice stalks fall
before them as does the rice before the
rrapers hoop. Left to themselves, hut
few hours wnnhl suiIi..e to clean the field,
but a half dozen mu>kets scare them off for
time. But few WHO do not live in that
section have any idea of the im,nense dam
age they do to the rice planters; and I sup.
pose there is no means Of correct raIcua,
tion, as they never fHilsso4 appear, though
m"re numerous some years than Others.
Mr.. Mrares informed me that last year he
consumed 35 kegs of powder in shooting
them, and that one year be had used us
ffsuch rs SO kegs. The shot was in pro.
portion.
OF. late years an extensive trade had
grown up In the rice straw. The scarcity
Of hay. and the inferi"ri'y of the article
brought from the North, induced Mr..
Meares some years ago to try cured
rice straw, 10 put up with clover with salt
and water. It succeeded we'll. and for that
which he sent to market he found a really
aale. Ouher plan,era adopt it, and dbe rec
straw lis NOW very generally used as food
for horses. 90. Though by no means equal
to thehay which you have, and is generally
everywhere in the West, yet it is far superb
or to the Northern apology for hay, wl'isS
has for 90, ung been ap article Of food iq,
the Cape Fear region. - .-.".<' ~.
The pIantationef Col. Meares Is one Of
the oldest on the river, there are fields 10 i.
which have bsen planted regularly for forty
years and stiH produces Iuxuriantly. Tie
machinery for clearing the rice is of the
best pattern. The rice as It is sold by the
planters III the husk. passes through the rice
shiH, and it is exposed for sale in ,isrcss
- Ne .nss It upon the table. .. -.
-v---T.s-s-s'---=--
When so'ss. one WIS lamenting ,Foets's
.un'ucky fate III being Kicked in Dublin,
IA. L. u - q. .s.rSw