The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-06
peTHRsBURG, July A, 1868.

PETERSBURG, july a, 1000.
The negroes, among whom young Atrics
is taking his part, have the freedom OF the
streets to-day, bearing scimetars In Mill
tary attitude, and marching to the souno
of martial music, great crowd OF women
and girls accompanying the PROFESSIONS,
The tobacco factories are all closed, and
there is n general suspension OF labor, save
That n few drivers of drays and other yehi-
Giles are lazily plying their vocation. The
npbl;c Offices and some Of the banks are also
closed. and the chnin-gang enjoys cessa'
ton from their daily drudgery but the
stores are all open, and the owners were
never more willing to welcome their friends
and customers and to receive contrlbu
tions to their tills, however small the
amount.
Yesterday afternoon went out to take q
look Mt the hop-yards on the Chesterfield
side Of the Appomattox. They are nearly
ali of recent planting, but the young vines
look well, and the stand seems to be good,
DR.. Whitehead has fourteen acres, and
Messrs. Newberry and Raulston about TOUR
besides plantation of two-thirds OF an
acre now in the third year Of its growth
This is sufficient to give very good idea
of the culture and treatment of the plant.
The grounds also present quite q plctu-
rescue appearance. The vines have mostly
reached the tops of the poles, and put on'
numerous branches. On some few the hoPs
have attained nearly half their size, bu,
generally speaking the vines are in full
bloom. The harvest will be in the latter
part of August. The proprietors estimate
a product of 900 to ! 900 pounds per acre,
for which they expect to get not less than
seyenty-fve cents per pound. Last year
they sold at dollar. If any of your read
ers have hop culture in contemplation II
would be to their advantage to visit these
gentlemen and witness the practical ma
nnpement of the crop. Before | saw 1t Tor
myself. | had an idea that there was q
great deal of labor and difficulty in it; but
Il all appears simple and easy enough up
to and including the picking of the hops:
The curing doubtless requires judgment and
skill, but not more than the curing OF
barn of tobacco by fires-propably not SO
much.
The teachers and scholars of the Byrne-
street (Baptist Sunday school are orgnnlz-
ing a picnic excursion to Westover, tocomc
off on next Wednesday. Including invited
guests from other schools, the party Will
consist of four or five hundred.
When the first paragraph of this letter
was written l was under the impression
that the tobacco factories had only closed
for the day. Since then | learn that the
manufacturers-all except one--have de-
termined discontinue operationstllltheta tax
bin now before Congress is finally disposed o.
This will bear hard upon the operatives,
whose wages are not more than sufficient
for bare support, though doubtless as
much as can be afforded under the present
burdens on the trade.
The match game Of baseball between the
Richmond Pastimes and the Petersburg In
dependents commenced on Poplar Lawn
this morning at . o'clock, and was CON
tinued till . o'clock, when, at the end OF
the seventh inning, the game was brought
to close at the request Of the Pastlmes,
who were unable to keep on on account OF
the heat. At that time the Pastimes were
six ahead. The Pnstimes were skunked
three times and the Independents once
The following is the score: