Smyrna times., 1882-06-07
Letter from the South,
f0r the SmVnu Time,

DEAR Times If but to observe tho
contrast OF seasons were the oaly object
OF trip to the sunny South, we sb0uld
say the month OF May would be onr
choice. We have emerged fron the
winters SHOWS It's true and seed timn
mas come, but the chilling northwestcr
mas not ceased his visitations and what
'he husbandman has done has too often
only hlled him with anxious cares .s
TO whether he would ever reap the re-
ward OF his labor. Perhaps no section
would give more than Delaware for an
immunity from late Springs and the
managing effects OF late frosts on fruit
ana early market gardening. Not
many days travel i'll Il tropical direc-
ton, lifts all that anxiety and brin@s
irultion in the fruitage itself.
Down here in the Carolinas strow-
nerIIes are about numbered with the
shinSs that were and dewberries and
nucKleDerrles are on sale by the ouon-
uty,. All such things as beets. cabbage
carry turnlpS, potatoes. onions. meas
ana cherries are plentiful and reason,
aolc. / he fruit OF the hen is :, most
abundant crop here, and some one has
remarked that the product of that Iittla
ioWl Is nearly equal to the cotton cron
we are inclined to think that an over
estimate, but the climate is sucb thot
She does her best all the wear reund
and her children deserve LONGER Iifa
which would readily be accorded ~
them if il were not for the fact tbat tbo
deilcacy Of the dish has never been
AnoWn i 10 become unpopular or run out
OF style. They come in, in cars and
carts, crates and stringed buncbes
anu While so many of them are sacri-
need young, large armies attain to
maturity and they are still sold nj 20
much head say 10, - or Il cents
each: We could astOnish your readers |
Dy giving prices of the other members |
OF the teathery tribe including the bird
mat generally graces the centre of the |
table of Christmas dinner.
GRAIN CROPS.
| want yOur readers to give me credit
Tor candor, when ! say ! see fields of
oats fully grown, headed out, and the
topmost bough showing signs of ripen-
ing. This is brought about by reyer-
sion OF the time of seeding, having been
sOwn IN October. Winter oats are tho
most prolific if they escape "etting
Killed by freezing, ana if sown early 90
as 10 get vigorous and well rooted in
the earth, they generally escape and
rlpen early before dr0uths and hot snns
blight them. Wheat harvest will he nm
very soon and the grain thrown
On the early market. Cotton is tho
great staple product here and commands
me cash, either growing in the ground
Or packed in the bale ready for market
lt Is profitable to grow at any thing
above 10 cents a mound Th;s f,r
North the crop is ten days late. but on
,er cent. Is now considered u good
stand on the ground and if early frosts {
tue ran do not come they expect an
lverage crop. The effect of frost is to :
tam 1t, and the more frost the deeper l
ne stain. The stain takes place in the l
'ail when it has but partially bursted /
'pen. The bolls ripen not all at once. l
'ut IN what they call three pickings' t
ay four to five weeks. The bolls ON q
ne top bangles ripen first and when t
ne plant is vigorous it is seldom that t
ne hollis nearest the ground all mature c
S lar North as the OaroIinas A sliobt '
tam is damage Of one cent a Mound, i
ueep stain is n damage of 3 cents and
Iue, which Injuries the staple DAMAGE p
1 = cents pound. v
helore we had ever travelled South
I seen cotton field, we had in the
cope OF our imagination supposed that
1lth the wealth of plenty of slaves for
fe and plenty of bales of cotton for p
ale, that we should see a land highly \
improved for all the appointments Of
ersonal e comfort and that the resi- =
ehpss q the far famed planter was "
place villas where the n
lxui1es of life abOUnded, to leave :
men It was impossible to do other n
IAN as Lots wife did, lock back though q
OH turn to a pillar of salt. q
CONDITION OF THE SOUTH.
we have never found a realization of Il
lr ideal, Virginia tho oldest of the fc
"a hlrteen is the shabbiest looking h
ate in the galaxy of thirty-eight, The
'wns possess what there is of luxury al
nd comfort, Richmond Is the gem Of CO
le south, city well built and grow
g, IKE Norfolk, extending their rail "
'aa communications and increasing di
lelr manufacturing facilities and ma N
rial wealth, but the rural population =,
Is not caught the spirit of enterprise. u
rom the car windOW tke plOwman W
ay be been scratching the gravel al
rlckeh soil with one mule or a small
1ke OF oxen, one man holding and ki
le driving the team. Careful selec- DC
on ia made of the best spots of ground ga
DC titled, the other is lying waste =,
altlng either for phosphate of lime or ~
return to a growth of pine timber VI
III alter rest Of fifteen; or twenty SO
e:.iS is Iteoil hhrn thfl siiAininntIu a.. .l'