The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-06-03
THE EASTERN VIRGINIA SHORE.
How the Country and It's Inhabitants Ap
pear TO Northerner.

Our path leads through the odorous piny
woods that cover the peninsula wherever
"cl'arings" do not prevail. These clear.
ings are the farms. They comprise from
200 to 1000 acres, and are usually separat-
ed from each other by narrow belts of for
est In the centre, preferably on the bank
Of o creek, II one flows there, stands the
farmers dwelling, with usually row Of
small negro cabins In the rear-relics of the
slave era. The house is the exponent of the
owners character and condition. If IL is
neat, white-painted, shaded, yard filled
with flowers in front, with walks stars,
squares, and pentagons bordered with
conch-shells (they have no turf here), one
may conclude that the cultivation of the one
staple-sweet potatoes-has made the owner
prosperous. If on the other hand It is a
brown, dilapidated structure, yard untidy,
gate on one hinge, window pane gone,
you may know that tho farmer has had a
"poor crap" for years back, and is in ar
rears to the butcher, baker, and fertilizer
dealer, with long score at the tavern bar.
A cluster of graves surrounded by wood
en- railing is often seen, private burial be-
ing the rule rather than the exception ON
the peninsula.
I crossed the clearing to chat with farm.
err, whom saw on the other side turning
up the sandy loan with one-mule power.
He threw up furrow, O colored woman
followed dropping kernel every two feet,
and negro came behind with harrow to
cover it-this was his method Of planting
corn. The workman--tall, lank, with that
sand-hued complexion which an exclusive
diet of hog and hominy, the curse Of the
Southern poor white, Is almost certain to
produce-was quite willing to sit ON his
plough-handles and talk. Meantime took
mental inventory Of his effects-four.room
frame dwelling, hot-beds in the rear filled
with growing sweet-potato plants, 500 acres
Of good sandy loan cleared and fenced, two
sorry mules with rope harness--and the
background of sombre, all-enciroling pine
forest. He spoke in slow, drawling way
which quite despair Of reproducing.
"Yis, the land ia good-takes kindly to
manewre when we can git it. Not good for
sorn-Ave barrels is a big crap good fur
yaller backs (sweet potatoes), and they du
say good for oil kinds of truck melumg,
onions, peas, beans, berries, an SIGH. We
raise yaller backs, nothin' else. Sell 'em
all over the world. Net us $3 barrel, ear
ly and 90 later. A right smart crap is fifty
bushel to the acre some farmers make 9
thousand barrels to crap. Sometimes the
crap fails and then we don't have any
money till the next crap comes.n The
"manewre depended ON to bring this
"crap," found, was pine needles, shad-
1ers" he called them, raked up in the
ueighboring forest and composted with
creek mud and wood mould. Continuing,
asked if it would not be better to raise
early vegetables and fruits, and not depend
altogether on one crop.
Z" Yis, mister" he replied, 81 reckon
'twould. Their was O trucker hyar from
Jersey, last week, talkin'. If I had tina
pertater PATCH SEE he, Indicating squar
Of about five acres), I should put four ton
| Of fertilizer on her fust thing then will
my peas, beans, onions, melons, and toma
toes, should take 300 of her where yo'
git $l0."
"And why don't you do 2" / asked
"Well, mister, we don't know how. w
knows all about raisin' yaller-backs, bu
about the rest we's dubersome we amt NJ
money to trade of for 'speriments. E
some Northern trucker 'ud come down an
show us how, 'twould be blessin', I reck
on. We uns is way down in the rut, an
we can't git out by pullin' on our boots
STRAPS"