The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-04-30
From PiclSens'to Johnston.


one hundred miles by private convey
ance. Such however is the fact. Two
r. Els and one p. T.. started for the
town of, Johnston, on Wednesday
the 9th instant, from different points
from Pickens, Liberty and Hamilton
and came together on Thursday
morning the 9th, at Capt. William
Meals, in the county OF Anderson.
At this point, we took breakfast, and
arranged to travel together in the
same vehicle, drawn by two horses,
but our team reminded us of DR.. rs
two horse churches, cone was a
mule" Capt N. contributed much
to the comfort and convenience of
our journey, by fixing us up in va
rious particulars. Before leaving this
point we can not refrain from giving
expression to impressions made upon
us by Capt. N. as farmer. Not by
what he said, SO much as by what we
saw. The very place has the appear
ance and air Of industry and thrift.
Capt. N. is certainly o. wide awake,
progressive farmer. He is enriching
his lands with homemade fertilizers
which we regard as q most com
mendable practice. There were huge
piles of compost in his lot, which
were being pulled down and distrib-
utcd in the fields. We were told that
the great quantity we saw, undis-
tr1buted WIS a small faction of the
amount composted, and carried away
from the same place this season. By
this process the arabic lands of Capt.
N. are increasing in value every year,
and the net proceeds of the farm are
also on the increase Is it not pass
ing strange that the great majority
OF farmers will subject themselves to
rninous tax i'll the purchase of com
mercial fertilizers, that exhaust them
selves and render the soil less produc-
tive in the making of our crops
when, If they would take more fore
thought and avail themselves of ma
terials at home, they would mahke
both themselves and their lard richer
capt N. believes in,a"Nariety of pro
duction. On small piece of bottom
Aand ast'year, which was planted in
rlce;;"ne made a net profit of between
fifteen hundred and two thousand
dollars. He believes in the thorough
preparation OF the soil for all the va
rieties of crops, whether for cotton,
corn, wheat, rye, rice, &c, and the
consequence is that he is repaid, by
the richest yields possible. He is
also greatly improving his stock In
n word, he IS pushing forward all the
farm interests, and keeps up with the
most improved machinery and imple-
ments of husbandry. It is a great
pleasure to visit such farm, and to
hear such a farmer talk. He mag
mites his works, and by so doing he
proves himself to be an important
factor in the progress of agricultural
interests. We regret that our stay
with him WAS SO short.
After leaving this place, our next
haltat-nOon, was at the h0sDitable
home of our friend Major Thomas
Martin, who gave us dinner and gave
US much information with regard to
the people and affairs of Anderson,
and certainly from what we saw and
heard, Anderson county has made
great progress since the war, m is
now doubtless the most thrifty co,m-
ty OF upper S. G. Major Nj. is one
OF her most successful farmers, and
as proof OF his success he is the own
er OF near two thousand acres of the
finest land in the county.
Our next objective point was Due
West, in Abbevile county, which we
reached late in the afternoon, and be-
came the guests for the night of Mr..
VIM. Power. Mr.. p. has valuable
property in the town of Duo West
and most enjoyable indeed was the
time spent with our friend and his
lovely family. Here we met another
"Auld Lang Syne" friend James r
Calhoun who is temporarily residing
here, in order to give his children
the rare advantages, in the way OF
education, which this place affords
If we were not afraid of giving to our
friend a vain pride, which he does
not profess, we would speak of some
Of the striking traits of his. which