The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1902-05-08
HOME FROM GEORGIA.



IHoNA~vILLE, Ga, April u, 1902
once more we are homeWard bound and
the d.4;7 train On bright Southern morn
ips IS bearing us away from our winter
home laden with roses as a reminder of
d sojoum in the Sunny South. The
country between savannah and Thomas
vile is much the same as that previously
described III writing up The latter city:
but We pass through a section of much
poorer population, where there are
negro lutS, hardly suitable for occu-
pancy, yet filed with a ''happy family
of at least seven mp" They are far
from neighbors, in an almost laWless
section, and see nothing but the swift
moving daily trains
Much Of the country about here is
swampy and filled with tai, scrawny
pines. Then we pass numerous turpen-
tine stills, all quiet now, but soon to be
working when the sap runs freely. \ ear
each still are large barrels of pitch
ready for shipment to northern mar
kets. The turpentine is secured from
the pine tree by cutting the bark from
the side of the tree and allowing the
sap to run down, forming d pitchy sub
stance. This accumulates Oh the side
of the tree. Wher- it is gathered by the
turpentine workers. 1t is sad to see as
one rides Oh tree after tree gilded
and doomed to a SLOW death
Then We see miles OF cotton fields,
Just beil2 pIouglled and put i'll shape
for the planting. No rocks are to be
seen. and the ploughman merely guides
the plough ard steers lis horse. mule,
OF OK as the case may be over the flat.
loamy soil On the large fields machine
ploughs are used. Women are seen as
Frequently as men ploughing aud pre-
pairing for the future harvest.
Our party were soon at Savannah,
where the usually crowded depot was
more crowded than usual because of the
hundreds en- route to Charleston to
attend the Georgia Day" at the expo
sition. We avoided the steamer
because of the probability Of allied sea-
sickness, and also avoided the EXPOSE
tion, with its huge crowds, continuing
our journey direct by rail. Savannah is
a busy and a typical southern city. 1t
was first settled in 1913 by Gen. James
Oglethorpe, who led an English colony
here.
No decided change i'll the climate was
noticeable as we passed through South
Carolina, and while the roses were
fewer and the verdure was observed to
be changing the country was very
inviting. South Carolina, a short dis
lance back from the sea coast, is re
markedly like Georgia and aside from
possible changing of some grOWths of
trees it had a great sameness. When
we neared the sister State, North Caro-
lima, and were crossing the border we
saw liIacs in full bloom, the first since
those at home last spring. North Caro-
lima brought change of atmosphere;
rather a chilly cold, and with each mile
as we rushed along the weather seemed
to grow more bleak. There was little
to be seen of interest. There were the
usual negro hutS and planters homes,
and evidences of flooded lands and over
flowed rivers were apparent on every
hand. Virginia brought chilling cold,
and while all were heavily clothed yet
the change seemed severe. This State
proved interesting from its great tobac-
CO crops, and one could not but be in
terested in the large tobacco fields
Last seasons crops were considered the
most successful in many years and the
planters reaped rich harvests. The de-
mand was good, and we were informed
by a planter that nearly every one had
sold out their entire crop. About the
tenth of May the ground will have been
put in readiness and the planting will
be done. Tobacco grows very fast after
it has been planted, attaining its
growth in about ninety days. The
plant runs up very high, and if the
planters did not nip off the tops it
would reach a growth of not less than
nine feet. We saw some of the tobacco
as it grew before being cured and
other specimens just as it is picked.