Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-02-05

Port Tobacco. January Is Charles
county was formed 10 1858, and derived
its name from Charles. Lard Baltimore
II contains four hundred aud thirty square
mi.es. sad bas population, according to
the ,si CENSUS. Of i5.1l5 TIE taxable
basis is 81 100 7s7. and lis lax rate is
eighty six cr,,ts ou the SlJ0 Its soun-
ty seat, Port Tvbacco. is situated at the
head of creek uf the same name, and is
me OF the oldest towns in the State. Up
70 within lew yeirs ago il was Hour
i>hius business place. but since the build
Jag nf the Bal,im ire and Potomac Rail-
road. w..icl, passes within two miles Of
its limits, its business his gradually de-
creased. the surrounding couu ny trad
ing With the vii ages and towns on tba'
road The removal Of the county seat
to Ia Plata, ore of those towns. has been
much agi:ated for years past. and there
Is but little doubt that in the near future
change If county sites will be made,
aaii the taxable basis Of the county greatly
increased in consequences. Owing to the
f.iurc Of the people to make known its
advantages, aud the great opportunities
awai ing ihose Of limited means in need
Of homes. Charles county h $ not one
fourth Of the population which it could
support in camfurt and plenty, and hun
dreds Of acres Of 6uc ind are growing
up in stnnsed undergrowih 1t has eli
mate not excelled. for it is mild and sa-
luxurious in winter, never beirg bitterly
cold. rs 10 the North and West. the Their
mometer never registering in the eldest
weather lower thar fifteen degrees above
zero. and in the summer rarely going
above eishty-6ve degrees, the average
temperature being given a iifty.six de-
grces. Carefully prepared statistics show
and the death rate proves. that there Is
10 more healthy section Of the country,
and a more robust and hardy people can
not be found anywhere.
ITS SOIL AND IT'S CROPS.
} The general character of the surface il
slightly undulating, and the soil, with
+ proper culture. is capable Of great pro
duction 1t is of several different kinds
Alone the water-courses it is principally
: Of sandy loan. with clay sub-soil; il
the interior it il mostly a clay soil. in
terspersed here aud there with tracts o
mail loan.
The crops grown are wheat corn ant
tobacco. with few persons alcng tn
: rivers engaged in the raising Of truck =
} The yield OF corn per acre averages abou
five barrels; that Of wheat ahuut tel
bushels, but there arc notable exceptions
where thrifty. energetic and pains.akin
; farmers, by higher cultivation. hav
/ secured. of corn. fifteen barrels per acre
{ and OF wheat twenty-five AID thirt
bushels.
The principal reliance of Charlie
county farmers for moneyed crop
now. az it has been since the formstio
Of the county. the tobacco crop. tn
yield averages eight hundred to on
thousand mounds per acre. and the pric
ranges from three to twelve dollars pc
bundled pounds These prices could /
greatly improved if different system
curing was adopted. but the planters ger
] orally cure and handle their crops in tn
most primitive s,yle--that is, they han
their tobacco, the plant crowded toge:h
er, on sticks and swing it in barns. an
! leave il to cure either bright or dark, &C
. cordiIg to wind and weather. A fe'
D planters have introduced new varieties 4
tobacco and cured their crops BY firs
and hare found thsEs1f{. bs Fac6 cfeis
RI err prutlfe than t<4~ - - lie fpliov
i finE the old time methods.