Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-07-26


of the grape has assumed a very important status
in the budget of the State. Besides many foreign
varieties, which cultivated with rare success,
the vines indigenous to the soil and highly pro-
ductive are the ScuppernOng the Catawba, Lin
coin, and Labella the three first name yielding de-
licious fruit and excellent wine. ''All the South
ern and Eastern portions Of the State, writes
valued correspondent from Newbern, to the Journal,
offers more inducements to the grape grower,
than any other part of the country. Our grapes
are natives and flourish with but little care. Blight
is seldom, if ever heard of, while land is cheap,
and markets The whole Eas tern region
waits but the touch of capital to spring into Won
derful activity In this elegant branch of culture.
The people wiling and it only requires Judi
cious investment of some small portion OF the cap
tai now abundant at the North, to create here
of the finest grape and wine producing dis
Grcts in the world. But money and experience
ire absolutely necessary, and these, it must be
confessed, not at hand in this fine portion Of
the Old North State at present. The main diff
Guilty. however, is the want of thorough knowledge
If the culture required to subdue the wilderness
Of the native vines, and tone down the flavor of
The fruit and beverage they yield to those deli
cious shades, SO highly appreciated in the wines
If Italy, Hungary, Germany and France.
In TIMBER the Eastern portion of the Common
wealth is, as we nave said, peculiarly prolific
The marshes abound in cyprus juniper, and oak,
holding out imitless wealth to the explorer
The districts known as the swamp lands,
usually above the level of the rivers and creeks,
and when cleared and drained produce in cotton
from 800 to 400 TBS nett, in corn from 40 to 80
bushels per acre.
The section known as Bay River, may be men
toned as an example of the development the
country is attaining, even under circumstances
no more favorable than those that Immediately
follow long and wasting civil Land for
merly sold for 81 per acre. has been cleared, and
is now bringing many hundred per cent. advance
upon its old price, including all expenses. One
well-known owner who is spoken of by our lnfor-
mant last year, planted nine acres of his proper
ty on Bay River in cotton, and realized more than
81 700 for his crop, which amounted to 5000 lbs.
the ground having cost him ginally 81 per
It will not be uninterestlng to those who read
this article to know that rich egion still Of
fers numerous opportunities to the settler from
the North.
Again, there is quite an opening for trade in
garden vegetables. Until 1866, none sent
any considerable distance away from the point
where they were raised. But within the twelve
month they have been shipped in quantities to
New York. at ample remuneratlve prices Good
substantial labOrers of correct habits and some
slight means to start with, and small farmers, who
could take up and work minor tracts OF 80 and 100
acres, would find in this beautiful, but undevel-
oped Southern country, the most inviting pros
poets of early competence. 1t seems passing
strange that such alluring chances should have
been so long overlooked.
In addition to the advantages already enumera-
ted, the reader must not forget that the geogra-
phical position of North Carolina, secures for her
a climate exempt from the extremes of heat and
cold. The mean temperature of the year is con-
siderably below that of Southern New York, and,
excepting among her mountain peaks, the heavy
snow falls and piercing winds, SO familiar to us
are unknown, while it only on the most exposed.
open strand of her sea coast, that such tropical
heat as has been endured here within week, is
| ever experienced. Moreover, North Carolina po-
iticaly and financially has come out OF the wal