West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-08-16

On nearing the Savannah river we
came TO Thunderbolt--a most singular
name for quiet summerIng place
The rice fields were now entered.
which form SO important portion of
the wealth and trade OF Savannah.
] They extend on each side up and down
the river for many miles, until the lin
Its of the brackish or salt water are
reached. The best rice lands are those
which feel the influence of the tides
without, however, being touched by
salt water, which kills the rice. lt
may not be generally known that the
Incoming OF the tide checks the dow OF
rivers, and to degree pushes back the
fresh water until ebb tide sets out
again. A rice field should also be be-
low the limo of freshets. There are
many varieties of rice, aud sCme kinds
can be raised ON IA dry soil but most of
the Southern rice requires marsh lands
easily overflowed. The preparation of
rice field requires "a large outlay; em-
bankments must be raised, ditches,
sometimes large enough to float boats To
carry of the crop, must bc dug, and
ilood-gates and bridges muse be- con
structcd. The land is ploughed during
the winter; it Is allowed To dry In
March, and In April the seed is sown,
sometimes soaked tn clay water to keep
1t from blowing away, and sometimes
1t Is merely covered with thin layer
OF earth. Great care Is requisite In "A
selection OF seed. Water Is then turn
ed on IL Tor several days, until il
sprouts. After five or six weeks it IL
hoed twice, and then what Is called the
long water" Is let on, and allowed to
remain fortnight. with the appear
ance of the first joint I'M the stock the
rice Is hoed again, and is then over
flowed for two months by the "Joint
water" BY that time the grain has
matured, and It Is harvested with "A
sickle and carefully dried by being
spread on stubble. When cured IL is
stacked. Formerly most OF the South
ern rice was threshed In mortras by the
slaves on the plantations. But now,
with the exception of what Is re-
served by the negroes. IL ls all sent TO
the large mills In the cities and thresh-
cd. The largest of these is to be- found
at Charleston. In these mills the grain
Is rubbed between stones until freed
from the husk IL is then shaken i'm re-
volving sleeves or wire screens with
perforatiOns gradually increasing In
Size. First the flour IL sifted then the
fli - a.
last and best, ranked as prime, which
Is swept In brushing screen and
cleaned of all the flour clinging TO Il.
The average yield of rice to the acre is
thirty bushels on the best land, sixty
bushels are not uncommon, while nine
ty bushels have occasionally been OBJ
tained. The crop from the Southern
States reaches an average Of 100, 900
tons per annum, The rice lands are
very unhealthy, and no white maI.
should spend the night In their vicihi-
~ after the crop begins 10 come up.
They are infested with the most pols-
onOus malaria. The negroes build
their rude shanties on the dlkes and
hummocks In the midst Of the rice
swamps, and dance and play on their
one-stringed hddles with infantllc Sc
curity. No doubt they endure mala-
rial exposure and blazing torrent of
sunlight far better than the whites but
even they sometimes succumb. A
planter told me that In one deadly
summer he lost most Of his negroes ON
rice plantation.