The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-09-29

The advantageous position OF Hen
derson on the Seaboard Air Line and
it's substantial and rapid growth have
stimulated to a marked extent the
industrial activities of the surround
ing country. Until of late cotton
was raised almost exclusively east of
town, and tobacco west. Now the
crops overlap each other, and both
sections are alike devoted to cotton
and the yellow leaf staple, and with
equally gratifying results. Many
Northern settlers have located here,
and all are doing well. Both coun-
try and town governments are we'll
managed, and tax rates are kept at a
minimum.
The tenant feature of Mr.. Sharp's
plantation Che prefers the Southern
nomenclature to that of ''farm') is a
pleasing and interesting one. The
colored tillers of the soil, all more or
less to the "manor born" are a
cheerful, docile, happy lot. Their
cabins, numbering ten or dozen,
cleanly and comfortable (see illustra-
tion of one example), are distributed
over the tract, each convenient to
living spring of pure water and
flanked by vegetable and flower gar
dens, to say nothing OF the fruit
bearing orchards and grape vines
close at hand.
The leading products of this plan
tation are corn, cotton and tobacco,
as we'll as fruits of every kind. Clover
coming in last April was knee high
when we saw it, and will doubles
attain a much greater height next
| season. 1t has taken firm root, and
seems as native to the soil as in more
Northern latitudes. Mr.. Sharp has
strong faith in the future of clover
as Southern grass. 1t needs some
!, encouragement as first, but when
once domesticated it pursues its own
confident way in the world. asking
no odds of any other grass in the
race for supremacy.
The condition of horses, cattle,
sheep and hogs at ''Poole's Rock"
clearly demonstrates the nutritious
quality of the domestic grasses, plant
life and grain on which they browse
and are fed The animals are all in
good form, sleek, fat and docile.
Sheep require little more than the
outdoor pasture they get during
winter-which means here about one
month Of cool, hut never excessively
cold, weather. They are easy to
raise, make mutton as tender as
Southdown, and their meat when for
sale always brings large percentage
of profit. When roaming over the
fields the sheep find ever new past
ures by the side of springs and run,
ming streams. AS to horses, those o1
this section have been distinguished
for their fine breeding before and
: since the days of Tar River" MAR
maduke" and other of their celebrated
} predecessors, and it goes without
} saying that MIR. Sharp (who is grea
admirer of good horses and notes
their "points" at glance) keeps tn
best that are to be had, as we'll as tn
best stock of all kinds.
The guest who is privileged to 81
at Mr.. Sharp's table is very likely
when he rises from his ''festivit..
e board" to appreciate the pertinenc
&, of the often quoted lines:
"Serenely full. the epicure might say:
b. Fate cannot harm me, l have dined to-day.
: The vegetables, meats and fruit
e prepared and served abundant
: demonstrate the luxuriant fertility {
r his gardens, the variety and qualit
i of his orchards Gn which sewers
Z thousands of trees are bearing), an
n succulent pasturage upon which hi
y stock at all times Craze. Our illus
II trations reinforce these statement
with scenes and "object lessons
l. precisely as they look, or did look
d that eventful Fourth Of July to whie
g reference has been made. One seldo
o. sees finer stand of growing corn
10 the great corn producing States
t. the West. while the cabbages sho"
10 can only be paralleled by tho
al stimulated to phenomenal size IN Il
"a hot beds of the Sans Souci' tru'
in farms near Wilmington, n. {. Il
8. Scuppernong spreading out like
n banvan tree furnishes convincing e.
co dence of the success that would s
3. tend the cultivation Of all kinds
he grapes Chops also) in this locality a
It, in other sections equally favored
ty soil. climate and water. Plum a
n flo trees also bear we'll. while vain
"a. and hickory nuts. and some pecal
N. can be gathered in the neighborho'
I'D The plantation owned by Mr.. Shs
'e' is very similar in characteristics
Its soil. living springs and product
raj capacity to the tract reserved Tor
es' Pennsylvania colony at Eaugh'
les which is in the same Golden Be
in and is only thirty miles dista
me What has been accomplished on
Sharp's land he freely admits can
equally as well done on the Eaugl
ice tract. and in a comparatively sh
len time. He also affirms that orch
ge) and blue grass, as we'll as clover
at. millet. will grow as lnxuriantly th
We. as they do on his own ground, wi
ing equally adapted to cotton, corn
IN bacco. trucking, grapes, berries
iii. fruits.
and
co. Not only is .'Poole's Rock {
to- venient to Henderson, but it is
also two and half miles from Villa
ales boro. q progressive town with P
'uy- office, stores and mills. in the n
try. OF An extensive lumber district.