New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-05


AUGUSTA-CoTTON FACTORlES-AiKEN, AND
SOUTHERN FRUIT GROWING AND VINE
MAKING.
IFRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
AUGUSTA Ca. May 90 lSG9.-Ihere Is no raliroau
from Charleston to Savannah, except around by Au-
gusta, so made the journey by sea in the night
could have gone by day, and taken the inside pas
,age among the islands but the boat by this route
.uns infrequently, and as the journey through the
South was to be made in two months something was
10 be sacrificed was told that the crop OF Sea
island cotton grown on the islands and shores mas
failed every wear since the surrender and that vast
sums have been lost. To great extent the plll'a-
lions are owned by residents of Charleston, VINO go
down in the morning and return at night as IL Is
NOT considered safe for white men TO sleep on we
islands over night for the reason that tey ~ IOi9
70 attacks of Country fever which geheIaiiy -
fatal The blacks however are exempt, ana u Is
singular that they who gave me this I"IoIt .F "a
said in talking Of emancipation, tnao ~ 30 rocc
result in the total extinction OF the c0oreu Laoe. -
Savannah Is some 20 miles from the ocean ana IN
approaching early in the morning Vast heius Oh leNei
green stretching TO the distant hoIllon NelJ ut t
eithcr hand mostly devoted to the growing OF rice.
The WELD of this grain is from 90 TO % ouSheIS pei
acre. the land is held at high hgures, sun ulu ny
hear of any for sale, but the whole section Is IoVoi
o,,slv unhealthy and only the colored peoPle aIo
residents; nor do they live on the lowest Lau Do vi
some ridges made, think ny fis - % 81 the
even with them the average OF ne rs IoH' ~ 1 wy
whole the growing Of nee rs attended Win suc losS
of life that barrel of tins gram may De COhSiueIcu
rs connected with the sigh of dying man; SaVan-
nah is an uncommOny well built CITY, the streetS are
wide and often they are planted WIN Ionr lows %
trees two of which are IN the middle; DuI I1eIe n no
paving and the deep sand Is great obstruction Inc
sidewalks are well kept, though frequently, tHe
crossings are in the sand. Bull-st is me- ahdlt is
onamented with many parks WHERE o!hor GA SI r,s
cross and 1t terminates at beautiful anu tsIgo
,roye in the center of which Is magnlncehJ lSun-
fqin where statues drip with waters, and surround
ing it were roses, dahlias ana other Eo" on5
~ a wild wiry nature / visited the freedmens
schools and found Northern lady teachers, some OF
whom were from Detroit, and they seemed 70 ENJOY
fair health. The Superintendent MI, sharp snoG G
me through the various classes, ana Ine EXERCISES
indicated general faithfulness Inc teacheIs NeIo
ali looking forward TO the few mQhths NacaIQi luey
were 10 enjoy. commencing III june When they re-
turn TO the North and to the homes OF their YOnth.
I was informed that the cost of the annual passage
Inorev Of tbe teachers of the American Missionary
Association alone is $4,000 which gives some lndl-
alton of the number. Formerly the lady teachers
found the greatest difficulty In getting board, ana
sometimes they were obliged to live with the ne
gIOes who have little no Idea of what iOod and
home should be, but this has been remedled, ana
now they have good houses, and II there Is no Iay
to take charge, they are their own hOuSekeepsls,
having cOlOTed help and thus II may De sara lueJ
Keen "bgchelor's halLD Savannah being an impor-
tant point they have large, eOmmodl0us mouse LOT
The accommodation of the teachers there and beside
tOT those gong TO or coming from the interior, ana
especially for those who are sick and are on their
way home, which reminded me OF the account IN IL
grims Progress of Christian passing the lions that
lie might stop and rest IN the Palace BeautlIuI on
was told by the natives of Savannah that their
city is remarkably healthy, and Charleston people
said the of their city, and they might add IN
proof of this that the climate has such remarkable
effect on the body that people with gray halr are
seldom seen.
steamboat runs once a week to Augusta. Sharks are
abundant aud all gators are so common that saw
shop where young are kept for sale. yeaTllng
is about foot long, and he brings from 20 cents 10
81 %, according to the state of the market SAW
several doubled up in common candy jar, and when
the shOpkeeper pulled one out 1t squlTmed and
opened its mouth as if it wanted to bite. A
young man who present said he kept one III his
back yard several years, but 1t never became
good for anything for whenever 1t could get chance
it killed the cats and chickens by striking them With
its tail neglected to inquire what food they relish
best OF the palmetto tree, of which so much has
been said have seen but few, and these were IN
gardens. but am told that they grow abundanty on
the island and sea coast The magnolia seemed by
no means common, for was directed TO one as q
Curiosity: think saw few of these trees in the
woods | inquired if there was a real estate agency
in the city but could hear Of none, nor could learn
that any land was for sale, there an agrcul-
tuTal society nor could any direct me TO gen.
teman who was informed on the agricultural inter
ests Of the State eXcepJ in regard TO nee AS gen
era thing they seemed to know the least about their
DeighbOTs affairs Of any people ever saw.
Leaving Savannah, we entered almost lmmedi-
ntely into the wilderness. Where an opening APP
pcared was reminded of such improvements as are
made in q Western State on poor land by squatter
who lives by making ax-hclves. In many places
AMI furnished what seemed excellent food but there
were no cattle, In one place, however, was large
section of woods fenced III, and many cattle were
feeding. At first the timber was wholly pine, but IN
Passing low land there were cypress IN the wettest
and oak gum and few poplar IN the dryest places.
This is called " bay land" and when cleared and cul-
Iyated il is highly productive but for the most part
il was untouched by the AK The growth OF lumber
in these moist places, and in latitude so far South
was far less than expected and 1t was not near 90
heavy and thick as is the original forest growth OF
Western New-YOrk Even where corn helds had a
good stand there was an unequal CROWN ana SPOT
ted appearance, while the average yield IS not above
eight bushels TO the acre. The usual vegetation by
rhe roadside and in unculivated fields is Wild and
quite thinly set grass, dog tenne and occasionally
sprgs of white clover. In some OLD helds, along
with the ever present sedge, was high plant called
bear grass. AS TO Bermuda grass ana Japan clover,
there were scarcely more than specimens;
Blackberries were everywhere, and dead
ripe but TaspbeTTies were nowhere seen.
Thistles mullins, and iron weeds were rare,
and the whole appearance OF the soil indicated that
vegetation made slow and reluctant growth.
When tbs train stopped was out TO talk with the
peOple-nOt with the farmers. as We understand
such but with those who sit in pOrches, or keep
stores OF saloons. To the inquiry to the prices of
body wanted 10 buy il could be had in tracts from
500 to 200 acres at from g to 50 acre. mostly in
cultivation, and was always added that the right
kind of man could mako fortune. DID l want to
buy | was struck with the answer Of postmaster,
express agent stOrekeeper who had one eye, red
nose, and whose clothes had seen better days, and
who was about % years old that he had 800 acres
IL one place and 1900 in another and that he would
sell for 81 80 an acre. When asked if il was not
worn out. he said il would last four OF five years
more, i have no doubt but he had the land Tor
have learned that every man who wears clothes any
way decent has land TO sell The faTm-bOuses Cd
these large plantations by 10 means costly or
tidy; generally there were few peach trees but
apple OF cherry trees The gardens contained
onions lettuce, beans, and Irish potatoes, and
we're worked wholly by the women. Currents and
.0OsebeTTies | did not see and flowers were rare
pa il a al Inns of ahnut