The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-05-25

thickeis which grow along the ditch
banks, and little strips OF fallow to
be used later for The YAM crops which
the negroes intend to plant. Every
thing is a standstill. The cotton
is rarely rdvanced beyond its fourth
leaf and the chopping operation has
not begun yet, but the hot weather
must come soon and under it,, inRu
ence it will develope incredibly.
did not realize how far we had
gone, and | don't think anyone was
reminded of it until we came in sight
Of the tenament houses belonging to
the next plantation The host thought
it high time we were returning, so
we turned INTO another "iurn row.
and before long found ourselves
facing the gin house, having made a
complete circuit of the farm.
"Ju,t see. papa !" exclaimed one of
the Chi! lrep, there are three planks
missing from H., GIN i.ouse wall"
"Oh YES vas the reply, "we need
never expect any improvement in that
respect. /. 1t is os necessary for a
negro TO indulge his iogueng pro.
pensities as it is for him to assuage
his hunger. He can't live without it,"
Turnins 10 ne, "You see the proxim-
ity of the woodland Ii is full Of
fallen timber, they need not even cut
it, yet spite of all this, they will come
here IN preference and rip holes in
t he side of that house. And worst
Of al, i is their cotton which is to
le protected, and they know they
will have that place to fix before the
summer is out. The expense will
fall 10 my share, but the labor they
will do themselves"
"What do you think OF the negroes,
Mr.. l.: are they on the road to
improvements
1T is hard tc say. l sometimes
think Trey are hopeless, but | guess
we ought hardly to expect anything
else than decentralization, as the effect
Of free dom and education upon the
minds Of ignorant slaves. l hope
their prese Mt state is the precedent of
something better.
| wonder that there is not more
complaint about negro education.
They exceed in population the whites
Of Mississippi, they own little or no
taxable property, and yet they share
the same schoolprivileges,"
go, OF course i, is principally at
he expense OF the whites that they
have schools, but as yet | can't see
that such has been the case. Think
Of the small number who ever learn
to read even.
eyes, know they are not gener-
ally bright, and suppose some of it
is due to inefficient teachers"
"Their teachers are poor, bu, they
are the best to be had. Educated
whites would not teach them and the
best of the negroes are far from
learned"
On returning, | did not feel too
tired 10 inspect the kitchen garden
which / found in beautiful order.
The palings embrace an acre Of
ground, most OF which is planted in
vegetables. a large bush of roses
ado,ns the center, and rows of fig
trees grow around the extreme edges.
1 guess we will be able to enjoy the
figs this summer; they are about re-
covered from the injuries Of the Sc
we're weathe- of 80 and 81 when
they had to be cut almost to the
ground They bore almost none last
year, but the bushes look finely this
season and though no fruit can yet
be observed, ! guess supply can be
expected with safety A grape arbor
the length of the garden promises
later to furnish many good things
and this, / believe, completes the list
of detiations from the garden plants.
The early spring vegetables are all
gone, but others have taken their
place and although the season is so
backward, potatoes are already large
encuoh for use