Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-11-03
Wednesday, November 3, 1897.

The route from Washington goes
through the broad and fertile valleys of
the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers, and
presents a variety Of beautiful and pic
turssaue scenery which was constantly
changing from the placid waters of the
rivers to the rich fields of corn and wheat
on their borders, large orchards of fruit
trees heavily laden with peaches, apples,
plums and pears, handsome country resi-
dences, spacious barns, and on the other
hand the rugged mountains and the gi-
gantic trees with their variegated and
lovely tints of autumn foliage.
Hollidaysburg, q town of about 1000 in
habitants, is the capital of Blair county.
1t is nestled down among the spurs and
ridges near the summit Of the Allegheny
mountains, and is surrounded by grand
and beautiful scenery. Many of the citi-
zens are wealthy and prominent in the
affairs of the state. They are intelligent,
progressive, social and hospitable, and,
except for the influences of climate and
location and the advantages of more
money and better circumstances since the
war, they are not different in general
character from the inhabitants OF the
Piedmont region of North and South
Carolina.
We might we'll initiate them in some
respects, however, and one is in the COM
pleteness of their work. When they
begin building or piece of work, they
do not stop it until it has a finished and
neat appearance aud looks as il it was put
up, not Just for few years. but whole
century. Another is that they take better
care of what they have; their land, fruit
trees, vineyards, stock, farming uten-
sils, etc.
They have better roads than we have,
and their teams can pull heavier loads,
travel further in day, and there is not 80
much wear and tear on the vehicles.
The virgin soil is, not much deeper or
richer than ours, but by rotation of crops,
the use Of green fertilizers, of which red
clover is the chief, and deep plowing, the
soil now is a rich loam of from two to
four feet deep, and both upland and bot
tom will produce from 80 to 40 bushels OF
wheat, rs to 100 bushels of corn, 300 to 500
bushels of potatoes and other products in
proportion, to the acre. This condition of
the soil has been made by years and years
of care and diligence and patient work,
and gradual but constant adding to each
year. Only 2-horse plows are used, and
during my visits through the country l
did not see l-horse plow or one horse
blowing. Nearly all the work is done on
the farm by using latest improved farm
implements and machinery, and three or
four men can cultivate 100 acres of land
and take care Of all it makes.
Corn is cut and shocked in the fields,
and wheat sown in September, and then
the corn is husked or shucked in the
fields, thrown into piles and hauled to the
crib, and the stalks, with fodder and
shucks, are taken to the barns. Wheat,
barley, oates and clover are all gathered
into the barns, which are very large and
roomy, during the summer, packed away
in the different apartments or "mows"
and threshed, by steam power, during the
winter when no outside work can be
done on account Of the cold and frozen
condition of the ground. w. A.
ITO be continued in next ISSUE,