Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-07-23

Tor this section can never become q rich
agricultural country The creeks and
branches are SO numerous, and from their
courses can be so easily made to flow over
fields, and frequently with little or no cost
that / wonder that the more enterprising
and Intelligent .4rmers have not inaugn-
rat ed it. 1t must be done sooner or later,
aud the pioneers in this enterprise will
not only reap the reward of their labors,
but will confer great boon upon the entire
country.
! There is another point in which the
farmers of Middle North Carolina are far
behind their Eastern contemporaries. They
use but little manure. And in this respect
am forcibly struck with the marked diff
ference between this section and similar
sections in Middle Georgia, which have
recently visited There found the trains
and depots filled with fertilizers, and
wagons were busy hauling loads of guano
to the neighboring plantations. l suppose
would not overshoot the mark were to
say that more efforts are made and more
money expended TO enrich the soil on some
plantations in Edgecombe county,
than in whole county hereabouts.
This is the more reprehensible, because
| the lands in Middle North Carolina
need them more, and the soil would
retain the beneficial effects of the fertilizer
longer. In many visits to this section l
do not remember ever to have seen a
compost heap" or a bag of guano.-
These people must arouse from their long
slumber, or they will be left far in the rear
by their progressive brethren in other parts
of the State.
Lime seems to be the only fertilizer in
much demand, and, in fact, it is one which,
| if bountifully and iudioiously used. would
do much good. but the price which it
commands debars the farmer from liber :
| al use thereof At Salisbury, lime is sold
at eleven dollars per ton. And just here, l
think new and profitable business might
be opened with this section from OURS
Under liberal tariff between the railroads,
marl with eighty-five to ninety per cent.
of lime, could be delivered at Salisbury,
Jul ocCtlOi1s OLA uOIIdlNS NhtOu
would bring it within the power of all to
use, and would admit of no question,
at that price, of its availability as a
fertilizer This is a matter of inter
est in connection with the recent visit of
Professor Kerr to the mari beds of the
| lower Cape Fear
It is not to be wondered that under so
many difficulties, agriculture lags aud peo-
than tilling the ground. They will find
ere long that there is no solid reward in
merely skimming the surface for a liveli-
hood. Agriculture, intelligent, Jealous and
persistent agriculture is the only real foun-
dation for permanent wealth and prosperi
| ty to any country. Among the most pop
ular, and at present, | believe, the
most lucrative, occupation In this immedi
ate section, is the collection Of ''herbs aud
roots, and their shipment to Northern
markets. | was not prepared TO see the
extent to which it is carried here. Mr..
Shuford, the polite and attentive agent of
the Western North Carolina Railroad at
Hickory Tavern. afforded me the opportu
nifty to investigate this matter so far as the
shipments at his station was concerned.
These herbs and roots are put up with
much care, in bales about the size Of cotton
bales. weighing from three hundred to
three hundred and fifty pounds, but much
heater in their appearance. From Hicko
CG,k;o Ahn Be-
car load a day, bringing to the railroad
about twenty dollars. Those shipped
from that station are from Catawba. Cald-
we'll and Alexander counties. They are
sent principally to Boston and Phiiadei-
phia, but [ saw bales directed to Chicago
and Detroit.
From Mr.. Henry Wilfong, All enterpri-
sing merchant at Hickory Tavern, learn
ed that he was paying the following prices
for the various articles mentioned from tho
neighbors who brought them in for barter
i'll greater or less quantities. 1t will be
seen that many of these articles are to be
found in great abundance in orr section,
and could he gathered with more profit
ROOTS.
Angelica t. cents Blood cents Butter
fly 10 cents Indian Turnip 10 cents; Pink
20 cents NORWOOD IS cents Snake - 10
50 cents Parsley IA cents.
LEAVES.
Sage IL cents Boneset cents; Comfrey
10 cents Peppermint cents Hoarhound
10 cents; Elder (Flowers) 10 cents: Thorn
apple 10 cents.
BERRIES AND SEED.
Prickly ash 20 cents =; Sumac 6 cents
Sunfower Seed II cents Watermelon
Seed 10 to II cents Prickly- ash Bark 10
cents.
Mr.. Wilfong had an order from Philadel-
phia for .fee Hundred pounds Of taoate'naellon
seed. 1t is really wonderful at the enor-
nous trade which is springing up in these
articles. The gathering and preparation
Of these roots and herbs for market is rap
idly growing into one of the leading in
dustries of the mountain section of our
State