Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1871-06-24
Our Southern Correspondence.

u
ing Cotton.
This portion of Sumter County is
known, in the subdivision of the coun-
Is. as Rafting C'efk, and is the west
eln portion OF it bordering on the Wa
teree River and extending from Swift
Greek on the north (kerShaw County,
to Rafting Creek on the south and the
High Hills of Santee" on the east. The
land rises gradually from the river until
1t reaches the famous Sand Hills, so
often mentioned in the Revolutionary
history Of this country. They extend
southwark from the kershaw line, par
allel with the Wateree, and are about
- miles in length, and vary from one
TO five miles in width on the summit,
and are famous for the salubrity of the
atmosphere, which is quite perceptible
to one coming up from the slow
grounds, and for medicinal springs. A
recent ride over this portion of the dis
tyict was greatly enjoyed by your cor
respondent, who called to mind many
of the Revolutionary incidents connect
ed with 1t, and viewed with interest the
scenes Of the exploits of Marion, Sum
ter, Hampton and Greene, and could
see in the distance the modest village of
Statesburg and near it the residence of
Gen. Sumter, after whom the district
was named The lands decrease in
productlycness as you near the Hills,
and il makes one feel sad to see so many
fine plantations gone to waste, and so
many comfortable and beautiful residen-
ces gone to rack for want of labor and
means to keep them up. Col. c. G.
Porter, of your County, has been invest
ING in these lands, since the war, and is
now the owner of thousands of acres,
and is justly held in high estimation by
the people Of Sumter
A huge alligator was caught, with
hook and line, in lake close by, few
days ago, and brought to this depot,
where it was dissected, his oil saved and
flesh cooked for a pack of hounds y
Some of the curiou, tried the virtue Of
Alligator steak, but | was satisfied to
take their word for it. 1t measured 10
feet in length and its ugly four and hu-
man shaped hands, used as feet were by
no means attractive. l would have
been glad to have preserved his hands,
as = curiosity for your readers, which
made one almost convert TO "AnclS'
doctrine Of the origin of the negro race
They make night hidcous, with their
Believing around the lakes in this Vi
cipity.
The planters have 'laid by" their
corn, which is now sin shoot" and the
prospect of good crop very hopeful
I was struck with their mode ofplowing
it, after it had gotten some size. They
plowed only every other row and then
several days afterwards, plowed the
missing ones, and on enquiring the rea-
son, they said, that in this way they on
" broke the roots of the corn on one
side at q time and allowed them 10 grow
fast before blowing the other side. This
is q good idea in dry weather and in q
dry, sandy soil, as it is here. The last
time they pillow it they plant a row of
peas in every other corn row, and thus
raise two crops from the same ground.
They have now turned their whole at
tention to the cotton which requires
constant care, and hot, dry weather to
make a good crop. In the latter part OF
March they GO over the cotton lands
and with club break off the old stalks,
then with single pillow they run down
the middle of the old rows and throw
up new beds, leaving the old stalks in
the centre upon the top Of these beds
about the 10th of April, they drop pref
" thicklv the cotton seed and cover it
Nv running a drag over it. As soon as
it is well up they put careful hands TO
"chopping out some OF 1t and what
grass may have sprung up, and IN few
DAYS afterwards, another set OF hands
with hoes. to ''shave down both sides
Of the ridge and ''chop out" some more
cotton. then comes the single shovel
blows, which run next the cotton and
throw of the earth, and after them an
other plow to dig up the old cotton
stalks in the centre, which Is the hard
est work to be done. Now comes the
tug of war. to keep the cane grass down
both in the row, l-2 feet wide, and
among the Young cotton, and about the
first of June they thin it out, by hand,to
"a stand, i e. the stalks about 4 inches
apart. From this time until the crop IS
made the whole labor is directed to
keeping the cotton clear Of grass, They
commence picking about the 1st of Au-
gust and keep it up until January. As
it is picked it is carried to the Clubhouse
large building, with horse power ma
chincry below, like that to a common
,hreshing machine, is worked by two
mules. The room above is sufficient TO
hold the cotton and gin. The latter IS
a small box, containing cylinder and
knives attached, like spikes in the drum
of thresher, which is moved by strap
and pully attached to machinery below
and cuts the lint from the seed, which
is carried off to a room fitted for that
purpose, like straw from thresher,
while the seed comes down like wheat.
The lint is then carried to press, close
by, and packed in bales, weighing about
500 lbs. each covered with bagging,
strapped with iron and sent to market
The seed is put under shelter and the
next Spring is used for manure, after be-
ing well moistened ito kill it" The av-
e -