The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-06-24
A DAY ON A RICE PLAN TATI0N.
From the sali.bury watchmAnI

To many pf your readers, doubtless the mode
OF planting and cultirating this great sr,icfs OF
food Ia AZ much unknown Is If is we're only grown
10 the Esst tndios. All, however, are sequ aintsd
with its excellent qualities as a nourishing diet
The plantation which visited was that Of Col
L. d. meares, of B-ulswick. The broad n At piece
OF ground OF many acres, extends aIsng the river
and out upod adj scsnt creeks the land il divided
into tasks' by bitches running through 10 ovsry
dirsction, though mostly crossing each other 1t
right angles No plows are used, the whole work
being Done with short hoo and long narrow
oss When set OF hands sre put into one of
tasks they must smooth 1t off, make the little
trench rows, sew the seed and cover H. all in the
same day. The tasks are really given to only one
As, LOT inssance. 1t 10 the work Of one to smooth
so much ground; ef another TO trench after him:
oi another to SOW the seed aud asother to cnver it
The MURDERS of these tasks make q field: this
heid 10 not fenced In, but surrou odsd by . large
at'cn ana embankmens. These are designated ~
nos L, Z, ), &C., and contain 10, Is or 10 acres
There 10 10 fsDcisg, ths great body of land con
tanning number of fields, being surrounded by a
large canal
Having given you fcnt idea Of how tie land
lies, We will s9s how il Is cultivated. In tn. fall
afer the RIGS is cut, az seon a. perfectIx drx thu
stnbb!e 10 burnt off. Sometimes the wssshor will
not allow this, then IL remains aud in choppsd
nodsr In the winter. In December the whole
land intended for cultivation ia ropa over vth IN.
hoe, breaking ciods &c. In March tho plaatinv
season begins, and froru that time onward is the
rash As soon as the field is planted Il Ia coyared
with water, and so remains until tho rice 10 pretty
we'll grown. The water is then let of. an .oon
after the field 10 Como over with the hos 10 chon
ca. grass and work the rico This 10 done twice
before the crop ripens The irrigation Is IN. naeed
SO that when ons field ia under water another
may oe dry Several hands are constantly en-,
ployeh IN ciosripg cut ditches stob ping Leaks in
emhankment, &c.
Every kind Of bird 10 lover of rice and an en-.
eEy to the interests of tn. planters but the
ono mo.t dreaded is the rice-biri. It sis a ANAL
kisa hrnz
bill, With which 1t graaps the stalk of rice and
squeezss the milk from it effsctsslIy as if done
with pair of nippers. Tho only no sans by getting
fio rio OF then IS by powder aud shot; and though
thousands upon Thousands are killed thew sti,l
appear as thick as at hrst. During the reaxop of
Killing hogs and dogs upon the plantation all get
fas. Tho negroes are provided with guns, asd
stand upon the banks aud shoot from morning
untll night. When Il ,ck of these birds coma
down near rice-fieid. they swoop down with
noise Ike tEaader, and the beautiful grecn rico.
s'a'ks fall down before them az docs the rice he.
lore the reaper's hook Loft to themselves hut q
low hours would suffice TO clear the field, but
half dozsn IDuskets scare them N 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, and suppose there is no means of cor.
rect calculation, as they never fail to appear tho
more numerous s0me years than others Mr.
n9ares informed me that last ysar he ccnsumsd IS
kegs OF powder in shooting them, and that one
year he had used as much so kegs The shot
WAS 10 proportion.
OF late years az extensive trade had grown up
IN the rice straw. The scsrcity of hay and tho
inferoritJ of the article brought from :hs North,
induced Mr.. Meares somo years ago to try cured
rice straw, to pu. with clover with sat aud water
1t succeeded we'll, and for that which he cent to
msrket. he found ready sale. Other planters
adopted ii, and the rice straw isnow very generally
used as food for horses, &C. Though by no means
eqaal to tbe hay which you have aud is svsry.
where in the West, ys. is far superior 10 the
Northern apology for hay. which has for 80 long
beon an article OF food in the Cape Fe.r region.
The plantationof Col. Meares is one of the oldest
upen the river, there ara slds in which have been
planted regularly for over 40 years, and still pro-
duce luxuriantiy. The machinery for clear ing the
tce 70 OF ths best pattern The ric' as it is sold by
the planter in the husk, psssss through the rice
mill, and is exposed for sale 10 tiercs. ss ". use it
upon the table.