The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-07-21
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Notes OF Travei From Raleigh
TO Topeka.
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Leaving Baltimore At $50 se com
cludcd 10 sleep. but find il somewhat
dithcult VIII e piuutiug through tunnel,
4Ld whirlng around sharp curve, al
ihruugh the mountains of w ct MARY
Anl 1T the rate ut thirty-tivc miles an
hour We are aroused by the porter
bawliug C,n4berLuoi - We raise the
window and >ce splendid hotel, aud
although ii i, : } clock the ball ROOM l.
still lively with music aui dancing
he morning OF the 10Th dawn, still
raining and wc look out 10 lind oar
selves amid the grand mountain scenery
talns of Western Carolina, here almost
every acre i cleared and IN cultivation,
either III grain or grass, both OF which
are very fine. Large herds OF fine cattle
and sheep are TO be seen IN every dIrcc
ton. This is indeed a lovely land, and
tue people are evidently prosperou, and
happy. Reach Grafton for break
fast. Striking the little kenawha river
we soon bid ad.eu to the mountain
scenery, and for some distance along the
river | can imagine | am on the upper
Neu>e or Crabtree At 1880 a. III. we
reach Parkersburg. This is quite u
manufacturing town IN oil, stoves, Ac.
AT ! ! 0 clock We bid adieu 10 Dixie,
and enter the land of the "llooSier, " by
crossing the Ohio river ipto Ohio The
face Of nature changes to beautiful and
fertile plains. Last Junc's crop OF corn
is still standing on the fields III the
shock Soon we are again IN the midst
Of rugid, towering hills. The valleys
are now being prepared and planted IN
corn. Much of the land bias not yet
(May 3Oth) been touched by the piow,
and very little corn planted. | will say
here that the same plan Of planting pre-
walls everywhere without exception.
The land is turned over with from two
to four horse sulky turn plow, Oh walk.
ing plOw, he former being more com
mon, and used exclusively further W est
The rlows are followed by very heavy
harrow, upon which man rides, as in
the other case, using same number OF
horses This Is followed by lnal ker
which marks about four rows at a time
f.om : to 3 feet wide; this is cross
mark ID IN the same way, which puts
the hills about - or 3 It, each way
The corn is then planted in the checks,
leaving from four to SIX stalks In each
hill. In this portion OF the State the
land has the appearance Of being poor,
the old stalks of last June crop.
though several to the hill do not appe.
to be larger than man finger This
may be the best plan for planting corn
here, but doubt It,
We reach Chillicothe for dinner; get
the best meal we have had since leaving
the steamer at Baltimore as also the
cheapest, paying only fifty cents. We
are now in splendid farming country,
everything seems full of life and actiyi
ty. The valleys are being planted in
corn, while the hills are a perfect carpet
of green.
We are constantly meeting car loads
of hogs going East, and also see numer-
GUS pens of fat hogs along the road side
awaiting shipment The principal
breeds seem to be Burk hire and Poland
and cross between these two. Don t
think have seen any Chester.
Nearly every acre Of land Is either IN
corn, grain, or meadow. The old Vir-
gina worm fence Is most common here
with some plank and some hedge fences,
but The latter seem to be neglected and
are inefficient Apple orchards are
abundant and very fine
Between Vienna and Blunchester Is
one vast plain Of splendid meadow and
corn land. All the road crossings have
signal boards extending entirely across
the road over head painted III large let
ters, which may be seen from considera
bic distance, look out for trains " We
reach Cincinnati about dark and take
lodgings at the Grand Hotel, which
- indeed grand structure, finished III
Hue marble, provided with elevators,
hot and cold bath for each Of the
several hundred rooms and IN fact every
thing to make one comfortable. All
the servants are young negroes, and the
first negro servants | have seen at any
hotel yet, the Others being either white
gnls or boys from II to 10 years old
very active, polite and attentive. 4,
the hundred OF guests enter the dinnlng
room hall, small white boy, apparent
ly about ten years old, receives eac /
! ones hat and present him with the sun'
,, on retiring, How he can remember (
many faces Is a mystery to me. He,'
for the first time we witness d ties
Of the electric light which IS very bril-
, .lant. One lamp In front Of the Oper;
house lighting several blocks. This i
quite city but being enyeloped in per
petual cloud Of smoke gives 1t quite
dlngy appearance.
10 be continUed