The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-05-30
Middle St. Matthew'S Items.


/ Middle St. Matthew'S Items. tal
Editor Orangcburg Democrat 2''
|. / do not propose in this communi-
cation a reply in full to 81. G. H."
on the cotton question, but will defer
until we hear from him on Phosphate
Of Lime and Potash, as plant food.
On the subject Of rust in cotton, it
will be necessary TO discuss fully The
different manures, when l will give
them and 81. c. HIS" views of them
the attention they demand.
1t may be as we'll to state here that
81. G. H." in his growth of weed,
makes no allowance for difference in
soils, seasons, Sc, when he must al.
nit that these have more to do with the
size Of the cotton plant than the differ
ent manures applied. The application
of manurcs TO any kind Of crop is for
the purpose Of increasing the yield
and not Of enlarging the stalk solely.
If in 1874 we had very wet July
giving us a large stalk as well as a
good yield, it doesn't necessarily fol-
low that we haYe weed every
year. In IT, our seed did net
average two feet, The yield was very
nearly rs good rs in IA. The guam
tity and quality of the manure ap-
piled had nothing TO do with this, but
the very dry June prevented the
growth of weed, and the seasonable
rains in July, made the fruit. very
much doubt if 81. G. H." had anv
cotton hotter fruitcd TO its size than
mine was that year, but enough of
this for the present. Did you get to
any Pic-nics last week, Mr.. Editor? ?
We heard Of several within riding dis
ta2cc, and were present at one by spe-
cial invitation, where we expected
to see you, us it was in your old
neighborhood, among your friends
and kinsfolk. Havo ycu ever been
at one OF these gatherings at Ulmer's
Spring on Four. holes? If not we n
vite you now to join us there next
year, or perhaps again this year du-
ring the holidays, as Mr.. Daniel u
mcr intends fitting up the place for
these social meetings. The spring
is to be brickcd in, the grounds
trimmed up and seats arranged, when
it will be one Of the finest places in
the county for such gatherings. l
didn't hnow there was such q spring
Of water on this creek. The spring
is never failing and furniahes enough
water to supply your town, clear,
cold and pnre. There are q number
of springs about here in the swamp.
but they are so strongly impregnated
with limestone rs to be not only un-
palatab'e but unhealthy. Your old
friends and young ones Too were out
in force. We all sat around, drank
this cool, delightful water and talked
until dinner was announced, and such
q dinner! ! thought of you when l
faced up to the table and saw great
dishes Of fried chicken, stewcd chick
en, roasted chicken, chicken pies, and
chicken fixed up in that other style
with the French name to it. Then
there were fish, trout, red-horsc, jack,
pike, red-breast, Dream and cat
home raised hams, cabbage, rice, and
those other things that come in after
ward, that the ladies over here are so
famous fer fiKing upt but never
could keep up with all their names.
After dinner the young folks enjoyed
themselves as young people will, and
older ones looked on lived over their
young days, and scenes and faces of
the long ago passed across their men
tai vision, as these happy young faces
before them called to mind the times
and places when thcy too were as
young and free from care and thought.
And why should not the young folks
enjoy themselves in this way9 The
time will come all TOO soon when life
with it's sterner realities will unfit
them for real enjoyment.
A word or two about the crops oyer
here as this letter is confined to no
particular subject. Corn is backward,
but clean and growing. The stand
of cotton is bad in places, and the
cry Of grass is pretty general, and