The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-01-17


on its eastern border. and abound
in almost all the fish which are most
valuable for food. Some of the
largest fisheries In the world are
situated on the Chowan and Roam
oke rivers, and in Albemarle Sound,
where shad, herrings and rocktish
are caught BY the thousands every
spring. The soil of the uplands IS
productive, and produces corn, cot
ton, wheat, oats, rye, peas. potatoes,
tobacco, peanuts and c~rab-grass.
Having a clay subsoil, and beng
underlaid with almost every kind of
mari, it is susceptible TO the high
est Improvement in its productions.
Apples, peaches. pears, grapes, and
almost all Of the smaller fruits
flourish here. 1t is Il fine country
for raising horses, cattle, sheep II
hogs. | have seen a field which
had been cultivated in cotton every
year for thirty-three years, which
produced a bale of cotton to the
acre for a number of years. The
Weld Of cotton to the acre on this
land. where it has been improved,
is from eight to thirteen hundred
pounds of seed cotton. In the
counties Of Halifax, E~dgecombe and
Pitt this amount, and more, is pro-
duced to the acre. This country is
well timbered, being the home of
the long-leaf pine, and oak, hickory,
poplar, dogwood and cypress are
abundant. The swamps, where
drained, are very productive, and
produce from fifty to n hundred
and ten bushels of corn to the acre.
The former was the product on the
swamp of the late Col. p. G. Evans,
of Craven county, the first year it
was planted, without a pillow being
used in the field, and the corn being
hoed only once ; and the latter was
the yield of the swamp Of the late
Sheriff Latham, Of Craven county,
and is now in Pamlico county. The
swamp lands will produce from
eight to eighteen hundred pounds
of seed cotton to the acre, and peas,
pumpkins, potatoes, oats, clover
and grass in the same proportion.
Some of this swamp land in Hyde
county has been in cultivation over
one hundred years without losing
its fertility, and the late Professor
Emmons, after having analy zee
this soil. said that he saw no rea.
son why it should not continue
equally productive for another hun.
dred years.
The principal towns in this par
Of the State are Elizabeth City
Edenton, Plymouth, Tarboro
Washington, Greenville, Wilson
Goldsboro, Kinston, Newborn, Fay
etteville and Washington, the las
being the largest town in the State
Lines of steamers are run from
Edenton, Plymouth, Washington
Newborn and Washington, to a
, the Northern cities, and ships d
, rect to European ports from Wi
mington. Beaufort harbor, til
terminus of the Atlantic and Mort
!, Carolina Railroad, is one of tn
, finest harbors on the Atlantic coas-
| A steamer drawing nineteen fee
> can leave the railroad wharf f;
Morehead City, and in thirty mil
t utes be fully out at sea. The Wi
mlngton and Weldon Railroad
. located its whole length, as we'll
the Atlantic and North Carolir
e Railroad, and about fifty miles
the North Carolina Railroad, al
/: about fifty miles of the Carolil
b Central Railroad in this portion
a the State, 90 that transportatio
IL either by water or rail, is abundal
V and accessible.
! The climate is mild and healtl
a In the larger portion of this cou
try: in the other portion, the mo
eastern, chills and fever do som
times prevail. BY draining al
marling this portion of the Sta