New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-09
VHERETHE RICE COMES FROM
AN OLD COLORED AUNT FROM CAROLINA
TELLS OF THE EARTHQUAKE.

Charleston. s c. Dec. "a field OF growing rice
is a beautiful sight Its color is rich vivid green,
ard when planted in regular rows the slender.
grasslike blades. destined to become afterward
the wel-known rice straw" range themselves In
luxurious precision. a delightful contrast 10 tne
rich black soil in which the roots are set Rice
viii grow on the high lands of Carolina. but
produces double the yield when planted In the
rich swamp lands. generally unfit for anything
else unless il be corn and has to be planted very
late in order to avoid the spring freshets
4 certain Landgrave Smith. in 1888. first intro
duced rice into South Carolina by planting small
quantity OF seed in his private garden on East
Bay. in Charleston \ vessel from Madagascar
being in distress. anchored in Charleston Haroor.
and small bag OF rice obtained from the
cook after consultation with the vessels captain.
The seed rice grew luxuriantly; the little crop
was distributed among Mr.. Smiths planter friends'
and from this small beginning the nrst staple
commodity OF Carolina took It's rise NO dinner
table in South Carolina. especially in the 10"
country is complete without or two large
vegetable dishes OF plain boiled rice tboiled so
that the snow white grains stand apart from eacn
other though thoroughly done,. from which all
the family are plentifully served.
Rice is planted in March or April. begins TO head
early in August and month or six weeks later
&c roadv TO cut and stack out to cure on long
poles supported on upright poles several feet
from the ground II looks wonderfully smoo'"
and even arranged in this way. The long lines, OF
squares or trianges. stretched across the HELD IN
the sunlight. and even on cloudy autumn DAYS
the cleaning golden color OF the sheaves make
bright spot IN the otherwise coorless landscape
Tho rice rpens earlier later, according 10 tho
time OF the planting and the character OF tho
soil Each blade bears its heavy weight OF soiuen
grain wrapped tight in the husky covering wnch
clings close the treasure within IL is said .ha'
many exnerlments we're tried in the early days
-i.-
The grain from this closely adhering husk' but
nov the machinery in use in Carolina is even
superlor to that used in China. though the IN
senous people of that ancient country had ihVeh'eo
machinery TOR threshng and beating out rice so
long before young America began 10 experiment
on IT, The rice mills in Charleston are "o'Aen
bv the force of the tides with the help OF Few
bands but a quantity OF rice is yet beaten out In
rho primitive way by colored women and chill
,lren with the mortar and pestie lHeF "a'c"
for a conveniently burnt-out tree. rendered noIo"
IN rho heart by the accidental fires which often
rage in the pine woods. and by saving IL OH CON-
vert II into mortar of convenient height.
, certain Old "maumer." strong and vigorous.
though the wool is whitening beneath her turoan'
makes an interesting picture as she beats out her
measure Of rice beneath the COTTONWOOD tree ON
one side Of her cabin on Saturday afternoon her
strong bare arms raise the pestle high anu orihs
I. down with a leisurely determined "thud. thud
revival song in keeping with her monotonous task:
De Gospel train am gwne by
Is hear de whistle blow;
ri Jump on haul cen your fag.
I'm bound for Canaan.s shore, believer
I'm bound for Canaan's shore
on, believer. etc.
Thus she sings bringing her peste down with 70
newei vigor as she worms with religious terVor 70
rating over and over the assurance that shes
bound for Canaan's shore.
p,ce Il difficult to cultivate unless KEEP; under
and grass do not then int rfere with It's growth
When il is planted a large scale arrangements
are made for flooding the fields five or SIX inches
.icep by machinery. snd for withdrawng the wafer
when desired by l'se process. In Middle Caronhs
.ho large ponfs are drained and planted In RICE
Sometimes the hands men and women work knee
deem in mud and water. the women hitching up
choir skirts about their waists In peculiar fasnon
win a string which holds them secure. ana calmly
DESTROY the snakes. which ever ana anon present
themselves about their feet without exhlptihs ,hs
east fear Of them. Two little "buckra boys eh'nu-
siastc fishermen. have standing agreement Win
Maum Winnie OF the rceheld hands. me te ss
40 which are that she is TO furnish them WIN pat
dug of The ree While hsy give sv asr hsn fat
which she turns up WIN he' noe f anu dem
chiliun" explaining that 'dey so love to hsh "'o
bait oIt o dis yere groun'.' ,.,,,,,, a.
Maun Winnie IS character: Her descrlpuuon u
her sensations at the time OF the Irs XIII
could they b. recorded In her peculiar nnso, MAJ, Wtn
crous She had gone zen de bed she tells. but
haG i,uned up TO ''outen de light'ood which was
III, ing 100 hlgh and again retired leaving only
little light Her sister who had been out WISHING
discussing plans for cotton picking. Her nrst mt
ma tion that anything unusual was taking place vas
the noise OF the tin coffee-pot falling on the snei:
- tonight sure certain. twas de cat jump at rat
sho savs ''and reach round and peer In TO ther
r,orn 10 see and dere de cat set right stll cen de
chimney lest where hit settin' when ! lay down.
Den a little bell had stretched on string cross
10 window for a show begin to ring and knoweo
wasn't nuthin' natural what was gwine on ana
! nevn 10 say Lord. ha' mercy; Lord ma mercyE
and Tiida she neber know what 1t was. but she be-
gin to say Lord. ha mercy. too, and de bell keep
on n rIngin' and Tilda say. IT'S sign o Judgment:
len de Chicken begin to mex fuss. an de dog howl.
an de ole gray mule what neber does whinneyy; ne
les Whitney and Whitney an paw an paw, TIL 10
20 an turn him out: den jes' put out for Har,:
son house II twas sign OF Judgment us woui1
ali be togedder an dat bell jes keep on ringinI
Dey tells me de debbl done broke loose cen Char.es'
ton two months before dat; dat mex de shake come.
And tinkin' twas de cat lump at rat. Dat Wa