Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-23
TALLAHASSEE TOPICS.
THE CHANGES OF A DECADE.
The LeCOnte Pear-ModeI Planters
A Bright OutlOOk-NeW Cotton.

TALLAHASSEE, August 21.-Edito, MOT1ainS
NeaCS; 1t was the late Benjamin Hill,
think, who some twelve years ago, in ad-
dressing some of his constituents, remarked
that the planters in Georgia were getting
poorer and poorer every year. This was
true at the time, not only of Georgia, but
the entire South. A large majority would
work in the old grooves. Their poverty
prevented them from putting into
execution the necessary improve
ments on their places, and in their
impoverished condition, they dreaded the
risk of every system of culture different from
what they had been accustomed to- Their
worn out lands yielded an insufficient re-
turn, not enough in many instances TO
| cover the advances made by the commission
merchants from year 10 year. The natural
sequence was, that many were soon reduced
| from comparative sfiuence to dire poverty,
and their lands were sold, either by volun-
tary or forced sale. So 1t was in this county
of Leon, and doubtless elsewhere.
I
place, and the new South
of to-day is already beginning to outstrip
the old South OF former days. Particularly
was struck with the change while visiting
various sections Of this county during the
past week. Many places no longer have a
| dilapidated appearance, but new paint on
the dwellings, whitewash on the outhouses,
and trim fences, betoken signs of thrift and
| comfort. As timber for fencing purposes is
beginning to be scarce, many Especially
near Tallanassee) are using the wire fence
| Blooded stock, too, is not uncommon, and
| | found that the Alderney breed was quite
numerous. Mr.. r. H. Bradford, now an
| octogenarian of eightY-two, was the first
| importer of this breed, his bull and COW
having been imported direct from England
| just before the late war. As mixers they
are said to be superior to the Durhams or
auy other. So many Alderneys are there
| now in this county that the yield of butter
| is greater than that of any other county in
this State. The planters, too, are
raising their own meat, and as they
find the Berkshire and other
| improved breeds are better
than the old lank, long nosed porkers they
have been accustomed to, the latter are
disappearing, giving place to the former.
| At Mr.. Bob T. Bradford's | saw a large
| number OF home cured hams. He assured
| me that he had some that were over two
| years old, and doubtless at the next Middle
Florida Fair he will demonstrate that Florida
cured hams can be kept as long here as
| farther north.
The famous LeConte pear tree found
almost everywhere. In nearly every garden
there were vigorous shoots from cuttings
that had been set out early in the year. One
| gentleman showed US g tree that had grown
ten feet from a cutting set out In January
| last Notwithstanding the unusual cold
z{pfo Of ruhaV,
trees were killed by the intense cold, this
gen leman did not lose tree. He has quite
a number that are bearing heavily. l asked
him about his cotton crop. He said he
raised no cotton, that 1t did not pay, but
that hencetorth he should turn
his attention to fruit and vege-
| tables The only cotton he handled
| was that received from his tenants. In few
years he will have fine orchard of the lie
Contes, which alone will afford him hand
| some income. Throughout the county the
hands were engaged in picking cotton; the
| roads had been worked, the gin houses re-
| paired, and preparations made for pre-
pairing and marketing the coming crop. The
cotton crop Is not as good In this county as
In Wakulla. l was informed that the Yield
will not be as good as it was last year, as
| the heat in some instances Is causing the
| plants to die. passed one small field In
which one-fourth of the stalks were dying.
But the present high price, and possibly a
| still higher, may make amends for the pres
| ent deficiency In the yield.
| One of the most energetic planters in this
| county is Thomas P. Roberts, Esq man
Of indomitable pluck, he knows no such
word as fail. Twice within few years he
has had his gin house destroyed-the last
| time only four weeks ago. He had been
with his family North and returned home
the day after the fire. He knew that
| hand, and if he was to rebuild
be must do so at once. But what task!
A new engine, grist MILL gins and gear, and
large gin house. Could he have all ready
in a few weeks? But pluck accomplishes
wonders, and friend Tom Roberts went to
work and in three weeks from the time of
the fire he had three story gin house built,
its roof covered with sheet iron, his old en-
gine "a 20 horse power repaired and run
ming his grist mill. In another week
he expects to have his gin running, and
his fine hydraulic cotton press in opera
tion-all within five weeks from the time
of the fire. such rapid work is uuprece-
dented. The engine and boilers were re-
paired by w. H. Cromwell, of Boston, at a
cost of 5000, and looked as good as new.
As went over the spacious building and
saw the machinery and all the conveniences
Mr.. Roberts had planned, l could but mar
vel at his accomplishing SO much In such
short space of time On my asking him
how he managed to accomplish so much,
If he had relays OF hands, so that
work would go on night and day, he said
"no," but he did It all by "sticking to It,"
Though his residence was near by, some
days he would be Sd much engaged that
his meals would be sent TO him. Mr.. Rob-
erts engaged In the culture of Irish pota-
toes for market for the first time this year,
and was so successful that he will 90
into it still more extensively another year.
The pioneers In this industry are the Brad
ford brothers, of Bradfordville. Carefully
selecting their seed, using literally the
right kind of fertilizers, and selecting only
the largest for market, their brand for a
long time commanded the highest prices.
Others followed their example, and last
season thirty thousand dollars worth of
truck was shipped from Tallahassee
against none ten yearsa go.
Among those who have been foremost in
introducing improved agricultural machine
~ is Col. John Bradford, of the firm of
Bradford 81 Ross, Bradfordvilie. He has
now an improved threshing machine, which
is different from any other in the
county, as it not only threshes the
grain, but cleans and seeks it.
A small portable engine is to be connected
with 1t, and the machines with the engines
can readily be carried from place to place
for the convenience of those having grain to
be threshed and cleaned. Colonel Bradford
designs exhibiting this and other machinery
at the coming fair in January next.
Wherever went found planters much
more hopeful than in former years. They
are no longer entirely dependent upon the
feecy staple; they see other avenues Of com
petence than those their fathers trod, and
they are availing themselves of them. They
find that many products, once consid-
cred almost worthless, can be utilized
and made profitable. The blackberry
that formerly had no market value is now
being bought up in the spring and either
dried and shipped to New York, or pressed
and WiHe obtained equal to the best claret
AS trucking requires nearness to depots of
transportation, there seems to be a unani.
nous wish for a connection with
the Georgia system of rail-
roads. Indeed, If Chattahoochee,
Monticello and Madison have their connec-
tion, Tallahassee must also have hers. Vege-
tables and fruits, unlike cotton, cannot bear
long transportation over rough roads, and
hence the urgent necessity for a railroad
running north through the centre of this
county.
In my last / noted the arrival OF the first
bale of cotton. Since then twelve other
bales have come 10, and from this time cot.
ton will be coming In daily. On Saturday
some five or six bales were brought fn. and
one planter remarked that he had four al
ready packed. TIE dull seasons now over.
and though many Of our citizens are absent