The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-06-29

From the Atlanta 1nteligencer.
HONDURAS--AS SEEN By ONE WHO HAS
BEEN THERE--BOTH SIDES OF THE PIC
TURE.
We announced some days ago the return
of D. P Ferguson, Esq, to this city, after
sojourn of six weeks in Honduras. For the
benefit of all concerned we publish the fol
lowing interesting result of his observations
in that by no means inviting tropical region:
ATLANTA, June 10, 1867.
To the IntelLigencer Many persons being
desirous of obtaining information of Hon
duras, propose, at the solicitation of several
friends, to give the result of my observations
during six weeks sojourn in that country.
Lands may be easily obtained at from ten
to fifty cents per acre; or parties may get
them under recent immigration act as a
donation from the government. They are
rich-in fact, cannot be exhausted-and will
produce in abundance almost everything
that grows, such, for instance, as corn, cot
ton, sugar, coffee, rice, tobacco, indigo,
cocoa, beans, potatoes, pumpkins, squashes
cabbage, tomatoes, turnips, etc. Wheat does
not prosper. Corn will grow three crops
from the same ground every year, yielding
at least fifty bushels to the acre each crop,
without any cultivation more than simply
planting the seed, Cotton produces two
crops in eighteen months, each crop yield
Ing, as I was informed, from two to three
thousand pounds of seed cotton to the acre.
This is long staple sea island cotton, and
from my experience in cotton raising. have
no doubt as to the correctness of the state
ment. The stalks are six feet apart in hills
each way, and from six to nine feet high,
and heavily laden with bolls to the top, all
10 ole
without cultivation. The stalks, after each
crop is gathered, have to be cut down, as
they will grow so tall that the cotton cannot
be gathered. If left alone they would be-
come large trees. saw one six years old
that much resembied in size pear or apple
tree of the same age. There can be two
crops of sugar made in enc year, and the
yield is abundant. The cane is very large
1t is not necessary to plant the sugar cane or
the cotton oftener than every ten years.
Two crops of tobacco are made every year.
Coffee, one crop only, but it continues to
grow for many years. Rice, one crop and
very fine; it grows on any kind of land
Cocoa, one crop, but it continues to produce
from the same stalk for many years. Pota-
toes grow and Iuature at all seasons, some
of them enormously large, but believe they
are not SO delicious as our own here. Cab
bage can be grown all the year round, and
other vegetables the same. Melons grow
finely. Vegetables require cultivation, and
for this reason but few of them are used by
the natives. Garden seeds are quite scarce
there.
The timber is generally very large, but
not dense. The valuable woods are ma
hogany, rosewood, cedar, iignum vitae,
ebony India-rubber, logwood, chincona,
and others. The medical plants are not yet
developed.
Stock mules aad horses are small but very
stout and serviceable, and plenty of them in
the country. The cattle are very fine and of
good size-are similar to the English breed.
Hogs are Of large size, and all black. Sheep
the same as those of Georgia, but, together
with the goat, are not numerous, only being
raised as kind of pet Mules and horses
vary in price from $50 to $50. The COW
and beef from S. to $12; in herds they can
oe purchased for less. Poultry is raised in
great abundance There is plenty of game,
sach as deer, turkey. duck, prairie hen, wild |
Pig, &c. The first is said to be plentiful
saw but few. There are oranges, lemons, |
ooeoanuts, pineappies, bananas, alligator |
pears and many other fruits at all seasons of
the year.
l heard of several valuable gold, silver,
copper, lead, iron, and saltpetre mines
,oL ean pe nad at 81 cents per Gay, the
oassH @Oo'er maintaining himself 1t is not ne
fSessary to feed stock at all, as they keep fat
oS S grazing. Corn is only used for purposes
u Iiuae bread. A short time befose hogs are
A'ita Is they are fed upon corn.
nai" .ii'und the natives very friendly, supplying
asl.al asSm every instance with all the comforts
9n"aI 9nsa 1or. Provisions sell as follows: Rice
flo .ts Gnu per pound; sugar $3.50 to S.; cat
cioss ~ 70 50; sheep and goats, rs to $1,25;
81 per 1000. So to S.; dry hides, each,
At a. any kind of merchandise can be bought
The The seaport towers at less prices than here.
msnu country is most mountainous, with
The voeu beautiful streams flowing from them.
Cool as a".er 4a Is very pure and clear, but not so
dance In mat OF Georgia. There is an abun-
Streams oI water for mill purposes The
toms, run rapidly, and have pebbly bot
little Is dug, the natives saw or heard of but
who b,nking bann Ilg or gambling, and Americans
HE that .tte tbo lived there for years, informed
rare amonny ,ney We're very honest, theft being
'nem. Being of peaceable and