Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-25

ali living things except reptiles and
insects. Mosquitoes thrive in them
fearfalIy. With good fertilizing,
fields are made to produce twenty
bushels Of corn to tire acre, but this is
large average. Sweet potatoes lux
uriate In these sands and peanuts are
ut home, the vines ravaging about
at their own sweet will.
Figs seem to thrive when cultivat-
ed. Oranges and lemons require
the more southern shores OF Florida
for perfection. Garden vegetables,
common to the North, with careful
attention do reasonably well, yet do
not reach the luxuriance of the West
ern States, and seeds have to be got
from Vick's, Henderson's, and other
reliable sources to ensure success
with care and pains.
December is (about) pleasant AS
May" People have been enjoying
peas, beans, new potatoes, beets, rad
ishes, lettuce, etc, since January.
March will bring US strawberries,
and April will strew all faliow cot
ton fields with blackbefries in profu-
sion. Before the rigors Of winter
are fairly gone in Iowa, we are rev.
cling here in fruits and flowers, the
last Of our spring, accompanied too
often, with mosquitoes, fleas, and
sand flies, which are a sore trial to
the flesh but one must not expect
all good and no evil. Eight months
in the year the Sea Islands are de-
lightfuI. July, August, September,
and parts Of June and November are
very warm, but we often have days
in Minnesota and Massachusetts
when the thermometer indicates a
higher degree Of temperature than
here among the sea breezes and
shifting waters Of the coast. Malari-
Gus fevers are somewhat prevalent,
and yellow fever has once startled the
people since 1864, but was not viru-
lent; both are becoming less fire.
quent by drainage and cleanliness.
Port Royal Island proper is about
twelve miles long, averaging four or
five miles broad. Level lands once
used as cotton fields, within a few
miles of the city, can be purchased
for two dollars an acre. The city has
been greatly improved and repaired
since the war and now numbers | 100
inhabitants of all nations and colors.
The freedmen show decided progress
To eyes that saw them twelve years
ago. They have once bought lands
and many OF them paid for them,
but the purchases were decided for
the most Part illegal, and the superior
race turned them adrift and pocketed
their cash. They started Freed
mems Savings Bank and deposited
hundreds Of thousands of hard earn
ings. But white men understood all
these things, and were president,
cashier, directors and clerks--ce,y
honest, having the interest Of the in
ferior race at heart-and in course of
time the bank broke, and though one
white man lost two or three hundred
dollars the rest withdrew all their
deposits in season, and the freedmen
asked in vain for their money. OF
course they trust the superior race.
They are found to be ap: political
scholars, and can take bride and
sell a vote as easily as an honorable,
educated, white gentleman.
DO we not expect too much Of the
colored race after ten years opportu-
nifty as freedmen? Here let me be
emphatic i'm my assertion: All
Northern men who have made
homes in South Carolina are not
carpet baegers. There are many
who came here with desire to ben
eft the colored men. Men and
women of pure hearts and clean
hands, who still remain as
true friends to those who were
twelve years since goods and chat
tells, and are now free men endowed
with power as voters to sway the
destinjes Of States.
Never did they need good counsel
Tors and advisers more than now.
For If those who have all their life
long up to half century in years
been free to think, act and learn,
scarcely can see the ways Of wisdom,
what can we dare expect Of these
who were compelled by law under
penalties to be ignorant, thoughtless
and improvident, until war gave
them their rights.
There Is progress, and there are
honest men even in mismanaged,
,n;Crnlad mapouua-riddan Snufh