Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-20

1ALLAhASSEE, may lO.-EuttOT morning
Netos: The successful establishment Of silk
factories in the country. while it may not pro-
duce another Blorus nlultfcduliS mania as hap
pened forty years ago, yet will do much to-
wards fostering and encouraging long desired
industry. For years and years repeated efforts
have been made to develop silk culture. Why
is it that the Eastern silks are so superior to
those of American manufacture? Why should
China and Japan excel inventive America in
this respect? Our American fabrics are sleazy,
while the European and Asiatic are rich and
heavy. But Yankee pluck is beginning to tell,
and now American silks are of a better quality
than in former years. A brisk demand is
created for cocoons, the DlorlES nlulttcditIiS is
again cultivated, and the silk worm is carefully
nurtured. In this section considerable atten-
tion is being paid to this industry, and hear
OF quite number of persons who are engaged
in it. Formerly there was no market for the
cocoonS. and the party was under the necessity
OF slowly unwinding the delicate thread-a
tedious, and then almost prof1tless operation.
But now the silk worm raiser can readily find
a purchaser for his cocoons, and we thus have
the prospect of still another industry in our
midst. Our Innate is admirably adapted to it,
and there is no reason why it should not prove
as profitable here as in France 1t is said that
the hrSt SILK dress from raw material ever
made in America, was made by Mrs. II. /.
Blocker, Tallahassee lady. This was in 1874.
Her husband informed me that his wife's
silk dresses, stockings and thread were all of
her own manufacture, and that they were
nearly equal TO the spun and woven fabrics
from improved modern machinery Indeed so
great was Mrs. Blocker's skill that her fabrics
were the wonder of the surrounding country.
Another new industry in this section is the
cultivation of tobacco on larger scale and the
manufacture Of cigars. Some two years ago
an energetic German settled in the ADJOINING
county of (fadS0AO- and iOdnpad q bar Nf
persons to raise tobacco from Cuban seed as
suring them that the soil was such that the
tobacco raised would be equal to the best Ha-
wanna, and at the same time giving intelligent
directions for its culture. He has now started
a cigar factory In this place, and from the to-
bacco thus raised makes cigars equal to many
OF the choice Havana brands. His business is
steadily increasing, and he informs me that,
Notwithstanding he has increased his working
force. he cannot supply all the orders that are
pressing ON him The tobacco of Gadsden
county has always commandeda good price
and was considered thirty years ago very re-
munerative crop. Now, with the imported
Cuban seed and intelligent cultivation. it will
prove still more profitable. On the other hand
the cigars made from it, being equal to the
Havana. can be sold at a good price
The recent sale OF some three hundred thous-
and acres II the Forbes purchase lands in the
counties of Wakulla, Liberty and Franklin, to
certain Northern capitalists, is regarded
favorably by all classes of our citizens
Heretofore, the previous owners had not
tent To sell small quantities of from forty to
three hundred acres to the few settlers in that
section. But now, in the hands OF energetic
capitalists, the thousands of we'll timbered
acres will be made available for lumber as
well as tillage To effect this convenience to
market will be necessary, and steamboats, and
railroad will of necessity follow. The grow
ing scarcity of timber in some parts Of the
United States has turned public attention to
Florida. And although many mills have been
put ia operation in East and South and West
Florida vet the Mid1la bnc Cuffa
overlooked with its vast stretch of pine
forest But the recent acquisition of
the Forbes purchase by numbering company
with large capital will infuSe new fe and
energy in all that section. 1t will cause our
Gulf coast to be dotted with new settlements
and the steamer. with her regular schedule
from point to point, will inevitably follow.
The prevent cool spell of weather will ma
terlally effect the growth of cotton. Some of
our planters are very uneasy, while others say
that its effect will be only to retard its growth
and that in week or two it will be as flourish.
ing as ever. Some of the older settlers assure
me that in 1897 there was a severe frost here
at this time of year, and both the corn and
cotton we're de stroyed.
There is a complaint from one or two COM
mission merchants in New York that some of
the truck from this point POTATOES especially
did not measure out well, and in consequence
the prices realized were not as good as might
have been; thas sO-called barrel or potatoes
amounted to but two-thirds of barrel On
the other hand the shippers of those particu-
packing, and that their barrels mu It have been
robbed an trdnSitu This is a serious charge
against the railroads, and calls for increased
vigilance on their part in protecting the in
terestS Of the shipper. However tempting our
fine potatoes. cabbages and potatoes may be-
it behooVeS the public carriers to see that the
property intrusted to them is securely
guarded.
AS / remarked in previous letter, one i'm
provement leads to another. she impetus
given to one branch of agricultural industry
ic fn hA bU
branches. Truck farming produces improved
tilsge, and then follows the various agriculltu-
raj labor-saviDg machines. In ante bellltnt
times. it was corn, cotton and sugar cane
Now the planter diverSifies his crops and oats
are largely sown. In this connection, consider |
ing the heating properties Of corn, it has al |
ways been mystery to me that not more of |
the former cereal was sown. 1t is better for |
horses and mules in the summer, and in the |
Northern States is almost exclusively used |
But improvement is the order of the day, and |
now some of our planters sow heavily in oats |
every year. The old-fashioned scythe is insult
ficient, and hence of late number of patent |
mowers have been introduced. So great a |
cha ge has been wrought that may safely say |
that in twelve months larger number of i'm |
proved farming implements and machinery is
imported now than in ten years at any time |
before the war. The spirit of Improvement is |
pervading our entire agricultural community,
old Rip Van Winkle has at last awoke from his |
long slumber, and a new era has dawned upon
us.
The success OF one industry. too. creates a
demand in others. On looking over the stock
of one of our enterprising merchants the other
day, was surprised to see a large stock Of
barrel heads. why is this?" l asked His
reply was, that they were for the truckers
who, buying empty flour barrels. found that
their produce was better protected by the bar
rel being properly headed than by securing it
with begging, as was at first done. But the
demand for empty barrels has been so great
that in another season a cooper can do a good
business by establishing a factory here In
deed, such proportions has this interest as
sumed that during another season barrels must
either be imported or made In our midst.
LEON.