The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-12-19
OUR SOUTHERN BUDGET

OUR SOUTHERN BUDGET
From OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
SOUTHERN PINES, Nc, Dec. I2.
Why do like North CarolinaP Why,
because l am always well when / am
there. That'sa good reason, isn't itP
The climate is very delightful. The
winters are short-but they are winters.
That is to say, the thermometer runs
down below the freezing point, that ice
forms, frosts make the air nipping, and
snow drifts down and covers the ground.
But 1t is never bitterly and continuously
cold. The snow goes away in as many
days, as rule, as its fall is inches deep.
The rain melts the ice, the sun thaws
out the ground, and the weather is cool,
and bright and bracing again. A man
of good fair constitution can walk, ride,
work every day in the year, and there
are but few days an invalid would be
debarred the pleasure of good time at
midday. In the Middle and Western
sections there is no malaria, and no
consumption. That's why like it.
take up the Raleigh Register of Nov.
IS, and extract the obituary notices just
as they come. 1t is as fine commentary
as one wants on the health and longevi.
~ oF its inbabitapts.
Judge Almond McKoy, age so; Samuel
Bingham, age 90 years, born in Pittsfeld,
Mass; James McNulty, age 81; Ruth Bar
nett, age rs; Mrs. Smith, (molhcr of Sheriff
Smith, of Vance county, age 80; Aaron
saunders. age 81; Miss Adelina Rogers. age
81; Mrs. Durham, age 9l
The climate is not eneryating by reas-
on of long continued heat, as is the case
with the climate of Florida, and that of
Louisiana. 1t is hot enough here in
midsummer, but the heat of the day is
tempered by pleasant nights; and then
after a spell of hot weather general
rain is apt to cool out the atmosphere.
So far as climate goes there is nothing
to be asked for that is better. The
people do not live in near the comfort
that they could if they would. They do
not avail themselves of their environ
ments. They are fast getting over-but
they have not got over-the habit of
being waited on" They cut the wood
to get breakfast with in the morning
instead of over night. That gives you
an idea of the way that things are done.
Plows and harrows are not put away
under shelter, as a rule, when they have
been used. Cattle are not fed or cared
for, nor poultry, nor hogs. As fact
it is so easy to live in this country that
people get out of the habit of providing
for the future. The lands are not very
rich, but they are good, reliable lands
that with proper care, cultivation and
treatment will yield one hundred fold
literally, and in a stretch of say ten years
will beat very fertile soils in production.
Why? Because they are subject to very
few blghts and calamities such as rust,
insect life, floods, dc. Then the farmer
has always health to till the soil and
gather the results OF the labor.
propose to write you series of
letters from different points in the State.
and l will send this one from Warren
county, in the northern middle part, on
the Virginia line and Roanoke river
sixty miles from Richmond, Norfolk,
and Raleigh, the State Capital, eighteen
hours from New York, and half day
from the Capitol of the Nation. The
climate is what have described. It's
products prove it. The staple crops are
corn, wheat, tobacco, cotton. Cotton
cannot grow in cold, unfriendly air,
while the cultivation of berries, fruits,
and grapes is dividing the attention of
the farmers, which cotton formerly held
spell-bound. never saw finer grapes,
sweet and Irish potatoes, snap beans
and peas than / have seen there. Along
the line of the road probably two
hundred acres are set to Strawberries
and peaches, while more than a thou
sand are set in grapes. The grape
growers average from 500 to $500 per
annum per acre. Last year the last
picking, which is often not worth gather
ing, because late in the season is sold
very cheap, was all taken by the manu-
facturers of Grape Milk, as they found
that the grapes of this section answered
their purpose better than those bought
elsewhere. | saw on all these farms
nice cattle and an abundance of hay
from pea vines, clover, and timothy.
Wire grass, a coarse but nutricious
grass, grows everywhere, and the stock
eat it with great relish. Under a recent
law the cattle are required to be fenced
in, and this will be of great advantage
to lands, and will enable the vegetation
to mature, cast its seed, and carpet the
land again.
was very much interested in the
tobacco culture. The average yield per
acre is from 500 to 700 pounds of bright
yellow tobacco, and of the brown or dark
tobacco from 1000 to 1900 pounds
Every variety is grown here on account
} of the variety of soils, ranging from
dark red to grey and light sandy soil on
} the ridges. As these poorest lands are
some of the best tobacco farms where
7 the famous Golden Tobacco is grown
, which fetches from 65 TO 70 cents Del
pound, of course the intelligence and
patience of the grower come to his good
, just here, because the tobacco to bring
7 the best prices must be well cured, well
, handled, and well selected. That is.
the leaves and bundles must be of as
near uniform texture, quality and size
as possible. Then it will bring all it is
, worth, each according to its kind. |
append list of prices of an actual
day sale to show the reader what prices