The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1869-09-29
From tho Charleston Courier, July %, 1909.
PORCM]IlE|!R2S4 y
Resources Of THE South,

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Tho title Of this wcll>known and valuable
volume. is comprehensive one, and fully
conveys the idoa Of its contents. 1t devel'
tho Southern fields and forost medical
commercial and agrcultural;" and provldct
complete "medical botany Of tho Southern
States,' far moro comprehensive than any
yet Notwithstanding, in fact, the ndya,i'
tago Of using all previous publlcattons-ol
use. 1t affords practical information, Of the
most valuable kind, IN respect to tho fuse,
full properties of the trees, plants and
shrubs" ahounding everywhere IN the
tropical vegetation of tho South.
All the conditions Of this promise Of the
titlo arc fulfilled IN thopages of this copiouS
and most valuable iyolumei and, whether
we consider tho politician. the planter, the
speculator, tho housekeeper, or the simple
citizen, this should be q household book
with all. In brief, It takes rank with tho
absolutely necessary histories Of tho couu,
tryi and whore they exhibit little less than
the slrifcs, the struggles, tho wars, and tho
throws us back upon God: shows us what
havo been tho blessings and D0unties wo
owe to His handsi shows us where to turn
for resource ut tho hour Of ncGdi shows tho
statesman how bcst to calculate tho proba>
bic products Of tho soil tho farmer how to
avail himself Of Its natural productionsj tho
domestic mediclner how TO meet tho emcr>
goncics Of dsouse, from his native woods {;
and the domestic economist how to find, in
probably the most miserable weed, an herb
Of grace rs we'll us utility, giving relief to
his pains, and SAVIOR to his soups.
Conveying almost every variety Of instruc>
ton OH all these vital suljcts, this volume
OF DR.. PoRClIER was admirably calculated
TO meet tho cXigencics of the great civil war,
forced upon the Confederate States Mt q mos
mcnt when their materials III food medicine,
metals and machinery were almost wholly
simple agriculture, wns deficient in training
and experience, aud when our people Suf>
fercd from privations which rendered ncces-
Sary tho exercise Of every agency to meet
the cXigcnccs of daily life.
Tho preparation OF such work rs tho
present happily occurred to tho Surgeon>
General of the Confederate States; ind with
u like felicity of Judgment, he chose for It's
preparation the editor In whose able hands
is achieved the most singular success, and
bccnme Of general use throughout the war.
DIR. PoncnER brought to his task nll tho
osscntinls Of study, science, thought and
medical training so essential to the work.
5or 12 ycnrs, rs ply sican aud surgeon. he
had dwclt In charge Of the hospitals, enjoys
ing daily opportunities for experimental in
vcstisatons III Therapeutics and Practical
LIedicine. lie hnd made the best use Of
these opportunities; OF most incOrrigiblo in>
dustry, his experiments were conducted
through tho incest details, and subjected to
all the most scientific tests. lie was ut once
scientifically md practically naturalist; an
explorer Of woods and forests iii annIiSt Of
shrubs. roots and herbs-gifted with q hap
py QuiclSncss in discriminating them, and an
equally happy nrt IN discovering their mcd>
icinnl and other qualities.
Nor, In these studies in tho open fields,
did he limit himself to the teachings simply
OF mntcrial nnturc. lie was well read in the
best books Of science. and tested their nj.
legged truths by. hiA own experience. The
catalogue uf scientific works which he has
examined. consu ,utcs. Of itself most cas-
pNcions library. From tho woods fields
md forests, tho swamp and tho rocks, from
tho writings of learned men, he turned
again to contemporary authority and sought
from the individual citizen the forester, the
farmer antl planter, and Oil houscI1eepcrs,
all that they conld tell Of their own dlScovr
cries IN the domestic province. There were,
and still nro 4 thousand simple secrets Of old
people, OF the rcd mon and Of the negro,
which yield remedies against hunger and
disease ofwhich science rs yet knows no.
thing.
With curious search aud industry, DIR.
poRonEa sou tht out AMI followed all the
cluo'. through whatever medium, which
might conduct him to tho new truth; md
tho result IS. this most cOpious and comprc>
hensive dictionary of Southern resource;
whether FOR pencc or war, for health or di>
scnsc for toll TO procure aud art to manipu
lntc, nn,l rcllncc to human use.
Whether, as regards stnp,c or farm culture,
the proper modes for raising cotton, rice,
sugar, indigo corn and tho cereals, or tho
humber ambition Of tho fruit, vegetable and
garden grower. in all Of these our author
boon almost IN
euro tho comp!ctcst Information md give
the wiseS. counsel. No interest is oycr>
looked, hardly single object of use, how
cVor unkno%n or however much despiscd,
nnd the volume rises into the rank Of his,
tory, as essential to TINT Of tho South in gen.
eral, ms any that tcuches the progress Of so
cicty and its experiences through tho two
hundred years Of its pust existence. The
book may and should DC kept alongside the
Stnto's history Of its civil and military af-
fairs; OF Its growth and development in hu.
man respects and character. 1t provides n
fitting auxiliary and companion volume to
every such history in each Of tho Southern
States.
Tho style Of tho author Is clear and unaf>
fccted, neat and sufficiently compact He
seldom falls below his subject. and exhibits
no vain ambition to rlso above It, In his
preface, he narratos tho manner Of his pros
gross, without assumtion us without disguise.
Tho alphabetical index to tho COMMON
names of plants will gratefully meet the
needs of tho simply practical, while tho In.
dox of tho botnnicnl names Of genera aud
hpocIes, will satisfy the scientific student,
to wtiom tho common nam IS may bo unfn>
millar. These indexes arc valuable additions
to tho work, necessary, in fact, in volume
30 crowded with Its thousand topics not ono
of which is without its interest and value to
tho people Of tho South. It should bo In
tho library of every Southern household
and deserves to DO we'll tllumbcd
The volume, beautifully printed OH fine
paper, with clcar new style is from tho
press of Messrs. Walker, Evans mud Cogs>
woll, who have acquitted themselves Of their
share of tho work with the most commenda.
bio skill, neatnoss and good taste. 1t Is
argc octave, neatly bound, and contains
moro than seven hundred pages of letter
prcss. Such publication is highly honora>
bio to our local literature, especially whom
wc onsldor under what circumstances it
was orig Inally prepared, under what dis
coura9fDg aspects Of society, It has boon re-
published In such handsome costume.
From Charleston Daily News, July 28th.
.~ OUR YIELDS AND FORESTS,
we arc glad that DR.. Porchcr has met
utiicfCnt announcements to warrant him I'm