The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-06-07

Ramfotioa-An Energetic Planter
Tile Farce required to run the Pioughs
/ -Cmtirotiny tile Cane by Steam-M.
Crceley's Conclusions.
Mr.. Greeley writes to the New York
Tribune from New Orleans, under date
Of May 18th:
On our way down through Mississippi,
We made the acquaintance of MIR. h. Il:
Lawrence, a life long and successfu!
sugar planter, who, on learning my
anxiety to witness ploughing by steam,
mot for show, but as business invited
us to visit the plantation of bis brother,
where that style of breaking up the
earth is in fashion. Accordingly, tug
boat vas chartered, and some forty or
City geutlemen devoted yesterday to
sugar-planiing by steam
Masnoha plantation lies some fifty
miles below this city, with front Of
two miles on the west bank of the river,
with the Gulf of Mexico but FIVE miles
distant Oh either hand. Most of the
teu-mile strip which here constitutes
the county (la;e parish) Of Plaquemine
is a rcedy marsh. the haunt ofalisators,
mosquitoes. &C.. which tempest in the
Cult may subnerge at any time; but a
fine forest Of live oak on the rear Of this
plantation Indicates that the surface,
usually dry, is wider at this point than
The average. The famous lcvees are
slight afflirs so near the Gulf, where
the rise and fall OF the mighty stream
(here nile aud half wide) rarely
exceeds three feet, and at the utmost is
seven. The river surface is now but
two to three feet below that of the
lcvecs, and has recently been two feet
higher. Water leaking through the
levee is caught III the substantial bitches
that everywhere traverse the plantations,
and runs swiftly away till lost under
the rank vegetation Of the swamps or
absorbed BY some bayou of the adjacent
gulf. This whole region has Of course
been formed of the muddy sed.men de.
posted BY the Father Of Waters wher-
ever the >wiftucss of its carrcnt is arrest
ed Thus py ten thousand annual over
flows, mainly in April or May, Louisiana
has been projected tar into the Gulf;
aud the process Of making new land at
The expense Of salt water is still in
progress. Though the tide rises IS
inches at New Orleans, and is felt at
D jacksonville, 10 miles further up,
The force Of the current keeps the river
here wholly fresh at this season. though
it is somewhat brackish at times when
/ less water is passing out. That the
soil is rich. black and of unfa,homable
depth necd not be added. Ditching or
deep pou=hing is coustantl: unearthins
Immense expresses which have been
in.bcddel here Tor thousands Of years
same Of them still sousd and service
able
Mr. Ef:ngham Lqwreaoc, the owner
Of Magnolia plantation, is scion of a
we'll known Long Island falnily, the son
ola good farmer, aud himself invented
plough when but ten years old. Culsi
vation is not only his pursuit but his
passion. lie came thrl:er while still
young. ana has planted since his mlnori-
ty. Tie machinery iu his sugar house,
where he rcfines more sugar than he
makes. has cost S3o0.0O3, and little Of
i has been superseded By later and more
perfect devices. OF his 5000, he cult
Yates 1000 acres, which is nearly all
that stands we'll out of water. Some OF
the most efficient Of his former slaves
have left him to plant rice on small
places below him, whore they make
3l000 10 S.O01 each per annum, being
superior workers Most Of his ex slaves
choose to remain with lim, and some OF
them are here earning $40 per month.
His arabic acres are divided into tracts
or fields of five to ten acres each BY
deep bitches on the north and south,
crossed by frm high roads on the east
aud west These acres have been sixty
Or seventy years cultivated, mainly 10
cane, aud have received little or no
fertilization, unless an annual burning
Of The waste stalks or trash" of the cane
to :, It rid of it may be called such. Ne
sroes aud mules have, till recently,
furnished all but the brain power en-
ployed.
SIr. Lawrence was accustomed to use
| teams Of eight mules to each plough
and was then able to pulverize but
eight to ten inches in depth. Had no
not been an experienced and capable
p!ouehman, constantly in the field and
often between the plough handles, he
could not have got below six inches,
even by the aid of all the persuasives
known to plantation management. OF
course his soil, annually drawn upon by
such exhaustiug crops as caue and coru,
grew gradually less productive; and he
was among the earlies, to realize the ne
cessity Of bringing steam to the aid OF
agriculture. Re he'd meaos and credit;
he thoroughly understood bis business
and It's needs; he visited Europe, and
scrutinized the workings Of various
steam ploughs, and he concluded that
Fowler's machinery. whereof two power.
ful engines stand at each side os the field
aud draw the ploughs back and forth by
winding up and unwiudiug wire ropes
around their respective drums, was the