The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-02-20
SEA Island corroN PLANTING.
Edisto Island.

Correspondence OF the New YORK POST
Ep1sro ISLAND, February 10.-Edisto Island,
which is of somewhat irregular shape, anu
very much cut up by cstuarics or creeks set
ting in from the North and South Edlsio XIV
ers and from The Atlantic Ocean, is SO nearly q
level plain that probably its highest point is
scarcely moro dha len feet above ordinary bigh
water mark. Probably onc-haf OF the more
sandy portion Of the island hes 30 near to tide
level that its drainage is very difficult, and at
best. under the o!d system OF open bitches,
| very imperfect. .,5 s.o,,
| These wetter portions are separated 1Ioh
! each other by slight ridges: making wnat 10
there called "turtle-oack" formptlon. fAeso tho
turflc-backs consist almost entirely OF the
finest conceivable sano, fit for writing sand or
for use in an hour-elas and constituting from
n,nety-three to ninety-fve per cont. OF the soil
to an indeii ate depth. OF course, it is under
al circumstances sufficiently dry. aud Is IN
many respects admirable for the purposes to
which it is devoted.
Almost invariably the 6cpressiors between
these slight ridges, as we'll as frequent ''Pock-
| et-holes's upon them, are underlined by strata
of clay and bog iron ore, which keep ttem
| constantly wet, and the capillary action OF the
sand itsef Is so stro that Wcll sunk IN
ridge seven feet above the level o. the sur
r5unding water is sually filled to within three
| or fonr feet of tho surface OF the ground. The
salt water creeks, bordered by marshes, fur
pish an inexhaustible supply OF the best mate.
rial with which 10 enrich the lighter soils; and
| 1t is an almost universe! practice, wherever
| the operation can be afforded, to give each
acre an annual ''muddlns" OF fcom forty to
| fifty cart-loads.
The fertility of tho soil is evinced by tho
most pI oflse growth Of every species OF natu-
raj vegetation. Pine, magnolia and live oak
Of enormous size cover every acre ti'at IS not
kept in cultivation, and the tropical and hide
ous palmetto tree pushes from every neglected
patch of open ground. Tho trees are draped
with the beautiful gray moss that IS supposed
to Indicate insaluDrity OF climate; aud the
fold which was last year in excellent cuitiVa-
tion is now coated with dense mt or Ter
muda grass, whose cancbrakcs and sedges OF
luxuriant growth occupy the wetter portions OF
the ground.
In the Ordinary sense the island can By no
means b, considered good agricultural terri
tory. The sluglc romuneratiyo Industry Is the
growth OF sea island cotton. Under ordinary
cultivation corn yields only about eight BUSH
els 10 the acre. and with the best care North
ern planters have thus far only succeeded IN
ralsins the yield to twelve bushels. The food
of the poDulation is almost entirely imported
and the whole urea Is 10 be regarded as prop
crry devoted TO the production or the finest OF
textile materials.
For the raising Of sea island cotton probably
no tract on the whole soaboard has so high L
reputation, or has earned 1t so we'll. A portion
of last wears crop OF Very fine variety (the
Eureka) has been sold for 81 30 pound, the
average price for the ordinary crop being about
81 40. The cultivation OF this cotton Is more
nearly akin to gambling than anything else
outside of Wail-strect. The plantation OF Mr..
John Wright, formerly Of Now J.rscv, which
came more thoroughly under my examination,
will be run this year 1T an exponso OF from
& IN b-,DdrnI
be planted and & reeula, working focca OF one
hundred contract hands. about the samo num-
Der OF day hands aud fifty mules will be en-
ployed. Forty-saven carts Aid forty -tive Co..
Inns steel ploughs arc required for the manur-
ing and preparation OF tho ground. Almost
tue entire food of tho ami aais, Us wen rs o.
the hands, is brought from the Nortn ~ great
excuse, and the whole organlz .tion IS SO oN-
tens,ve, and III some rcspcc go intricate, us
TO re 1uiro the constant attention or Cooae.
Burger the Skiifu. superintendent OF the p!an-
Latlun, and OF three exp .rlenced anu conlpc-
tent toremen. The latter arc negroes, as the
| former saves seem to entertain u iastlnS pre-
iudco against working under White ,oocr,
shar,' although they take the hlg2rlGt Oh OF
their black "Dosses" without complaint In
addition to the enormous qudntits o. muc
| that is now hauling Oh 10 the l.nd, sixty IONS
| of Peruviau gu:no, costing XtS doaiars per
| ton in gold ~ New York. have been sh!ptcL
already for use o.. ,h.s years crop
And Low TOR The +, salt: suod crop wlt' DC
| not less than 10000 pounds OF cotton, weTih
| n. q moderate eslimatce gny ccntS per roG.d
making Sl2O 0GO. and icaVi.l" q rr,fis OF
SO 900 or $50 GJ0 ON tho !c-Ts operations,
enough surrey 10 tempt capital and enterprise
| to embark in the business, especially Wien IL
ia remembered that the profit may be even
much moro briiiiant. Unfortunately, the cat
erpilla1, the dreaded enem' OF all cotton p an-
ters, and especially OF these on the sea Is and :;
has it IN it's power after the crop has been i:tld
by and the fruit set in tho most promising
manner, to Almost entirely destroy the wnoie
within the short space OF few weeks.
Strong hopes aro entertained that the clt-
| erpillar will not appear thls year, Tor tEc rea-
| son that 1T rarely comes in force oven TWO wears
in succession, aud IL both 1867 aud lSGS Il
almost entirely destroyed the crop OF he Island,
| and has reduc> q the entire popu,auo.i, except
n few Northern capt. lists and Their dcrcii-
dents, 10 u STATE ot a1so.ute poverty "aich is
uainttli 10 see. In more than enc instance,
| the owpors Of magnificent piautatous are
ohIiaed 10 earn their daily brad by m 'uu Il
labor: for without the CAPITA necsss ry 10 car
nv on their planting operations, thelr lIAo Is
| OF 10 more value THAN SO mncn pc'cu s':,o'
and tho trainlug that they have received undar
the Old slavery svsiem has lrclpac'tatea theni
fur am o;har occupation r3qulria: cItlior Skll
OF judgment.
Tue drlini, operations undertaken By Mr..
Wright. contemplate tno walhu ,-in OF iaf::c
It'd i creeii giving it di- cIlrse BY means OF q
waived .runl; ~ low water mark, and tho ior-
ma ion Of Il cana, or valley through the rage
tliat ylcuiii irc Gno ot! OF tir .,ianI-liOd &c
the otn,r, IN urGcr O red.c5 :ha DIR image out
let nf tlo :c.r PORTO. 10 low water marE
After this has hccu 4 Jnc. five ur -lx hu"dret
acres a:o TO be undcrdraiae, with tics, aoo
that am mt OF and. Which is bow cOIl.mra-
lively worthless lUr a'y cultivation will De
come probably the mes valuable ot al.
r.ic gro.. advantage OH rel bT the circuIn
stanc ., both tvr tho cuitva,ion Of large Z. OPS
aud tho Carrying cut OF exclusive pas, oi an
provcment, lies in the fact tlat labor i. OK
ceedrngly cheap aud abundast. Fac negroes
work ch 'crful and well. Tho old Slavery
system of tasks" IS still adhered to, and t.
allotted days work IS completed by. tha more
active hands by N day. wbic but little worl
is done by an, after tnree O'Clock III the al er
noon. The wages OF the contrac' hands aver
aSo six dollars por month in Il':noy, aat
rations-cou ss;ins Of ono peck f meal, thrc
uounds OF bacon, one pint VI noius5gs aud on'
hint If salt per weok. The other hands re
criyc tfty cents day, which is paid ever.
night in tie form IF al order on the planta
non store. wu.re 30 much as i absolutely
:, 1 4 ,I,n