Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-16
MADISON COUNTY. FLORIDA.
A Fertile and Thrifty SectiOn-SOme
Mistakes C0rrected-Tlae outlook
for Crops = Black Hearts and
Caterpillars-The Need of "Hog
and HominY.o

HAMBURG, MADISON COUNTY. FLA, August 1S.
Editor Morning Neics: Seeing but little in
your extensively circulated paper from this
county, and knowing. too, that 1t Is especially
devoted to the progress and development of
Southern Georgia and the Land of Flowers, -
1 thought, as you invite information concern
ing crops, ETC.. that a short letter at this time
relative to the interests of the county would
not be inopportune.
Madison county while among the wealthlest
and most productive in the State, has, since
the late war. on account of the murderous pro-
pens1ty OF some of its deniZens, acquired, es-
peclally abroad, a notorietv not at all enviable.
Inc inhabitants have suffered all the evils
and they are numerous-which followed in the
wake or the internecine conflict between the
North and the South. And il is a wonder that
there was not a worse state of affairs at the
close Of this conflict, when the might of gloom"
spread her sable wings DER this fair and beau
ful land and threatened to blight every pros
pect calculated to cheer and encourage peo-
pie lamentlng over the sad and unfavorable
termination of a cause upon which they had
staked everything. But the courage of brave
people did not forsake them, for while the
oigoted interlopers were in tpeir midst fran
ing laws OF Procrusteau rigor by which
the people should be governed, the farmers, as
Wen as those of other vocationS. went peacea-
DlY 70 work to repair their shattered fortunes.
Ihese vampires. while preying upon the scauty
assiduously engaged In infusing bad blood into
the Ignorant masses of negroes, already too
connding; and they are either directly or indi-
rectlY responsible for many of the dark deeds
tnat nave been committed in the borders Of
the county and now serve to stain its record.
NO: the people here are not set Of outlaws
and cut Threats, as is gone abroad, but belong
70 the class OF conservative law abiding and
hardworking yeomanry. The frowning Scylla
OF Radicalism, which once menaced the liberties
or the people and the prosperity Of the State,
Is thing of the past; so the people, with hope
for the future and confidence in the admins
tratlon or the laws, can begin anew to redeco-
rate their homes and repair their shattered
fortunes
THIRD In the production Of cotton, and the
average per acre compared with other coun-
ties In the State is high, thus showing the fer
tility Of its soil.
along the Withlscoochee is better adapted to
the growth of long than Of short cotton; while
the western portion is much better adapted to
short.
Crops have suffered great deal this year in
portions OF the county for rain. In the south
ern and eastern portions the corn crop will
be almost failure In consequence Of the con-
tinued drought.
This immediate section has not suffered so
much, though the crop even here has been
made with very little rain since the early
spring. Rains lately have been abundant. A
great deal of cotton has died this year with
what Is known, in the parlance Of the farmer,
as the "black heart" stalk laden with fruit,
and apparently In thrifty condition, suddenly
begins to wither, and soon dies This is par
ticularly noticeable in cotton where it has been
planted several successive years on the same
piece Of land, thus palpably demonstrating the
necessity OF the rotation system in crops.
The pestiferous caterpillars have made their
appearance ia force, and threaten almost in
slant destruction to King Cotton. while the
farmer stands in awe-of his provision bill
This is an argument in favor of diversified in
dustry and more hog and hominy, =" for should
the caterpillars come unusually early some
year and sweep away the cotton crop before
matured, the farmer would then be left in the
lurch. They, however talk more seriously
than in past years about quitting, to a great
degree, cotton, and giving their time and at
tention more to other products.
RUNNYMEDE.