The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-08-25
A DAY IN TIE COUNTRY.

A Well-Managed Farms Splendid Cot.
~ton-Fine Wheat4 Stump -zss
tuous DinhsE + -;
Accepting the kind invitation of o,tl
townsman, Mr.. w. Joel Smith, extend
ed to US with a number of other gentle
men on Friday last, to visit the farm
owned by himself and Mr.. William
Wilson, near Calhoun's Mills in the
Flatwoods, known as the Parker
Place." we had most delightful tday
and all of us returned enchanted with
the excursion.
OUR PARTY.
The party consisted of some fourteen
that several Of the invited guests were
unable to attend. Among them was oul
respected Postmaster. Mr.. ii. w. Law
son. who took 4 rarere spite from his
onerous duties in Uncle Sans Depart
lnent; Mr. w. II. Penney, who conclu,
ded to throw "physic to the dogs fol
one day; Mr.. w. r. Brauch, who for
got his insurance policies for the enonce
Col. J. II. Robertson his merchandise
and his farming interests; Major An'
drew Wardlaw his fine new store and
its future profits; Mr.. II. II. Tusten bis
watches and his jewelry and his cotton
Mr.. J. D. Chalmers his furniture and
his chromos; Mr.. S. a. Breazcale, the
scissors and the sewing machine and
the twins; Mr.. r. L. Hill, the money
bags Of the Treasury; Mr.. L. F. Parker
his present employment in the grocery
line, for the cherished memories of the
farmer; our host, W. J. Smith, his Va
ried avocations in town and country
his son Alien his literary musings, and
lastly the editor his books and bis pa
pers.
We all had pleasant ride behind fast
trotters, in the balmy morning air,
over one of the best roads in the Coun-
ty for ten miles, and made quite all inn
posing cavalcade. Our friend Tusten
WAC brought up the rear, was very
much troubled occa .ionally in satisfying
the curiosity Of those we met, as to our
character or Observation-Disclosures we
were q funeral escort or a bridal party.
why he in all cases was the party selec-
ted to respond we leave it to others to
solve.
TIT: NOTED LOCALITIES.
Sweeping along at rapid pace, we
passed two parties Of road-workers VINO
were industriously carrying out the
programme so recently sci forth by Com
missioner Jones and his Board and
then all the noted points on the road.
"the cabins" once the Summer resort
for the planters; Lebanon with it's taste
full new church and its, post Office; the
old "Patrick Calhoun place. where re-
pose the ashes Of the parents and rela-
tive of the great Carolina statesman,
and where marble monuments and
tombstones mark the spot of their in
terment; then 10y the old artillery mus
ter ground; then into the old Charleston
Road, and then after two hours ride,
into the mansion of our friend and host,
where Mr.. William Wilson, a joint pro-
prietor and superintendent of the
place, with his estimable family, was
prepared to open wide the doors and to
give us Carolina welcome.
LARGE FLOCK OF SHEEP.
A large flock of about one hundred
and thirty sheep, greeted our vision as
we rode up. and gave such evidence Of
abundant hospitality that some of the
= knowing ones Of our party remarked
that they needed no further evidence of
the bountcous dinner that awaited us.
THE FAMOUS CIIEAIIIAM COTTON.
After resting and cooling off for
awhile, the party followed the lead of
Mr.. Wilson, on visit to his field Of the
famous Cheatham cotton, and the sight
which here greeted us was well worth
the ride from the village. Here was 4
field of one acre, which in spite of the
dry weather, which made it necessary
to water the plants for y time, it is es-
timated would yield at least two bales
of lint cotton, and the appearance Of
the cotton fully justified the estimate.
y to1 1l,c liph
head and loaded with fruit, some stalks
bearing at least one hundred large bolls,
and many OF. them falling down under
the weight of the fruit. A popularity
of this cotton is that it branches but lit
tie, and the weight Of fruits about the
stalk. The bolls are unusually large,
and some of them exhibited the rare
popularity of having some fifteen diff
ferent divisions. The field will, it is
estimated, yield fifty bushels Of seed,
and this at the price obtained by Mr,
Cheatham-S5 for 1900 seed, or $3.50 for
q bushel or 10000 seed, would be equal
to gold mine. At even S25 q bushel
this acre Of cotton would bring in an
enormous income. Most of the party
were amateur farmers, but it required
10 special intuition to see the i'm
mense superiority Of this cotton. Mr..
Wilson who has been successful plant
er all his life says that he has seen moth
ing like it. In the same field and all
about the house were other fine spcci-
mems of cotton but nothing to equal
this.
A FINE MULE.