Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-07-18
Portland Press please copy.]
Southern Correspondence.


southern life. tho manner OF farming,
&c. Tho farms are generally large,
from two hundred to two thousand acres
each; the land is oamy soil, but will
bake down almost like bricks light
shower Will make it sticky rs mortar, but
few hours sun will dry il up.
will give q detail OF crops. aud their
mode of cultivation in this State.
PEACHES The ground is first broken,
then narrowed, then it lays till rottcd;
then plowed again, narrowed anu fur
rowed out two feet wide. three inches
deep then The pits arc planted or SOW.
cd in the rows, then light fulrow Is
turned over them, where they lay I'LL
spring. rs they are planted IN tho fall
AS soon rs thoy begin TO start, they are
taken up and set in drills two feet by
four inches; inAugust they are buddcd.
A smart man will bud \ thousand Il day.
In March following they are topped
above tho bud; they Stand one year, and
then arc ready for tho field; the ground
is iurrowed out twenty feet each way,
with large three horse pillow. mar
takes n bundle OF trecl in his arms. and
drops one in every cross furrow. another
follow, with horse and plow, another
goes along and sets The trees up; FUR
row is turned each way against them
the setting is done. They are ploughed
once year. and planted TO corn or po'
tatoes the first year. They will bear
some the second year. but tho best crops
are realized the third or fourth year
A good thrifty tree will yield from two
to six baskets OF fruit.
WnEAr-is planted in September or
October. They have machines 10 SOW or
drill their grain. II is MI sowed in rows
six inches apuIt. and very thick in the
drill. \ good drill, one man and u pair
OF horses. will SOW eight acres per day.
1t is generally ready Tor the reapcrs in
July; this year il WAS ready the goth OF
June; tho wheat was all reaped before
the twenty sixth.
CoRy-is planted from the twentieth ot
April to May twenty fifth. in rows four
feet each way; only two stalks allowed
to grow in u hill. They plant The fiat
corn but they cannot come up TO The
farmers OF Maine. rs they do not &c!
over twenty bushels TO the aero. They
use no hoes the work is done with The
cutivator and horse; they 80 over it
from two to six times = season.
SWEET POTATOES -are put out IN u hot
bed rs early rs the season will admit
Soon rs the shoots are up two or three
inches, they are pulled off to set IN the
field. The ground is furrowed, then
filled with rolted manure. then light
furrow is turned on it each way. The
plants are then set out about two feet
apart, no we set the cabbage. Light.
gravclly land is best. No matter how
poor the land sweet potatoes will grow.
We have some; The vines are tour feet
long; we think we shall have new pota-
toes the fourteenth Of July. We have
tomatoes, raised in the open ground,
large as mans fist. Tilden's variety
We have had green peas and string
beans from our garden, planted the sixth
of May, also squashes Of the bunch vari-
ETY. we arc also ieasting on blackbcrrles
they have been ripe ten days. and are
very plcan,y. Peaches arc ripcning; one
load went to market Friday night. The
earliest Varieties are IIale's early and
early reds.
THE ProrLE. They arc great part
OF them very ignorant, or deiicien' in
learning There are but very few schools.
II is two miles 10 school from US each
way, but in the same distance and oe'
tween these schools are five public rum
shops, where we will see The young men
congre gate OF Saturday night, and
drink till the small hours before thcy
think of home. Thank God, that was
born under The Maine Law banner. where
it was disgrace to see young man
drunk. There is no society. but few
churches. and they very inferior to our
churches at home. have attended the
Methodist church twice. They all knecl
in prayer; The young men will pass their
tobacco to each other; the young ladies
whisper and make fun, all seem TO make
a gala day oil it. The farmers that have
large farms hire foreman who sees to
all the work. calls the men and goes out
to work with them. The boss, rs he is
called, rides out horseback, and gets in
the shade when he can, and watches to
see that The men work, they are compell.
ed to get oul before the stars are done
shining, have their breakfast at sunrise,
and work till noon before they get any
thing more 10 cat; supper at dark
They never ask man to do anything
here, it is go, get along. &C.. were some
of our yankees 10 work for them, there
would be some broken heads right soon
as they say; bat they ale good neigh
bors TO live by, kind hearted as we'll as
free hearted.
Will G. II. b. favor us with Items from
Mason, A. s. B.