Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-09-30
For tho Advertiser.

MR. EDIroR I'm the lust issue of the Adrcr-
tiser Sou introduced your well-desorved compli-
mentary notice Of "Mr: Berckmans' farm near
Augusta" with the following general remarks: :,
"Progress and Improvement in fruits, flowers
and the common vegetables, of the kitchen garden
are, nova dnys, quite as marked and rapid MS in
any other material development. But ,oc of the
south. MS general thing, do not keep pace with
this progress aud improvement" &c.
1t is not my purpose to cha 'lenge the truth Of
those remarks. But permit me to ask, Do the
people of the North, "as n general thing" keep
pace with this progress and Improvement" The
expression i have emphasiscd-no doubt used
inadverscntly-implies that they DO. On the
contrary, I assert that they do not-no more at
least than do q we of the South" 1t is tho habit
of our dearly beloved and very loving brethren
of the North, especially of that section which
rsvolves around the hub Of the universe" 20
arrogatc to themselves superiority over US Of
South, not only in "material Development" but
also in educational and moral "progress and i'm
proveneut." But this superiority has its origin
in n constitutional superciiiousness, and has no
foundation on facts. 1t is simply prcsumptuous
arrogance characteristic OF the Puritan round
head the world over. l regret to odd that too
many in the South, through inadvertence or igno-
r.nco, concede tho assumption. For one deny
that it is true in tho general and in the particular
in tho whole andallits parts; and in support
of the denial confidently appeal to facts. 90
Even in the department Of horticulture, en-
bracing the cultivation Of fruits as we'll as vese-
tables, the South ia no laggard in tho march of
"progress and improvement" Georgia can point
with just pride to Camak, Peabody, Van Buren,
Berckmans, Redmond and others. South Caro-
lima can boast of lIerbemont, Hammond, Sum-
NOR, Nc Donald, Caraduc, Raycnol, Wyllic, Pur-
| Wis and many othors of equal desert, though per-
haps less known to fame. What two States OF
The boastful North can show q greater array of
| intelligent and successful horticulturists? The
reaul,s of tho abors of these representative men
arc seon in the improvement of great variety Of
fruits, land in the valuable additions of new varie
ties t.. the long catalogue; such, for instance, as
tho IIerbcmont, Scuppcrnong, Catawba, Pauline
and other species Of grapes, tosay nothing OF
other kinds of fruits The results Of their labors
arc It'll further seen in the expectation, each
. year, Of thousands of boxes and crates of fruits
and vegetables to the land of "steady habits and
great moral idens.' Another fact attosts our
"progreus and Improvement in this branch OF
"matcrial development Those desiring to es-
tablish orchards do not now import from the
North, but find an abundant supply in the EUR.
series of the South. Where, then, is the much
vaunted superiority of the North even in the
/ speciality of fruits and vegetables?
But it is to agriculture that VIC are to look for
evidence Of the "progrcss and Improvement o.
the South. do not besitnte to say TINT, in this
departments of material development" wo have
surpassed the civilized world. Our achievements
in this regard are moro wonderful than the fn-
bled wonders of Aladdin's lamp. But more of
this anon. DOB SHORT.