The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-01
HOG AND HOMIAY
Virginia Farmers Do Not De-
pend IN Tobacco.
visi, to Copper Mine on Dan Riysr---Story of
An lnteresti,g Old Woman Nny
Three Years of Age.
Especial to News and Observer

tSpeCldI TO news anu OUSeTNef.)
Buffalo Lithia Springs Va, Oct. 81
II you ask farmer here how long TO-
bacco has been the money crop he viii
answer you that it has been the money
crop as long as he can remember, and his
father before him cultivated it as a
money crop. The farmers here think and
speak of their tobacco just as the North
Caronna farmer thinks and speaks OF cot
ton. But they show wisdom IN not coun;-
ing as completely on their money crop az
some North Carolina farmers do. They
follow the true system OF independence,
and raise their farm supplies at home.
am told that quite a good proportion OF
the farmers here have money III bank,
and their home independence explains IT.
When two farmers meet here now about
the first inquiry is, Have you shuckea
out your corn?' Two months from now
when they meet the inquiry will be, Haze
you killed your hogs?" They shuck their
corn here by helping ach other just as
they did fifty years ago, and are re-
called by the songs of the colored people
who help much like they did in the
olden time. Besides tobacco for money
crop and corn For bread and to fatte:l
meat. the farmers also raise wheat, bus
/ have observed that across the line in
Halifax county they raise more wheat
than they do here.
Now and then a few persons spend a
few days on a hunt. Manager Wagstaff,
& the Springs, together with some IrielI,4-,
spent sometime at their hunting camp re-
Gently and enjoyed several fox chases.
They were hunting foxes exclusively, AMI
they were troubled with deer considerably.
To lump buck meant annoyance with
the dogs, for i'll running deer the hounds
were led too far away tor fun.
visit to the Highill Copper Mine IN
HaLffa8 county was interesting. The
mine has been IN operation only Il few
years, but much work has been done.
The output OF copper concentrates s
about ton day. Some of the macmn-
cry Is quite heavy. The mines are near
Dan River, eight miles from VirgiliI,:.
and I am told 1T took forty-eight mules
and horses, all in one team, to draw the
engine and BOILER from Virginia To the
mines. The machinery was so heavy the
trucks on which il was carried would
sink into the ground and they had to be
run on skids a foot square. Only few
feet could be made at a pull and then
the skids were taken up and placed III
front of the track wheels for another
short move. 1t took two weeks to make
the distance of eight miles.
Well Grandma Blanks" whom l mon-
tened in recent correspondence from
this place.. interests me more and more
every day. Although she is niaety-tnfee
years old, she sings IN clear tone and
enjoys It az long as her niece can hold
it She tells about q peculiar school teach
err who long ago taught school here
abouts He knew nothing but what was
in his text books which were perhaps
oGlv speler arithmetic and an old
tine dictionary He planted snap beaSs
and when they come up he thought the
wrong end o. the bean was out OF the
ground, so he pulled them UP and stuck
them back reversed. He tried to be
helpful 10 his VIE by setting a hen for
her. When he had placed the eggs I'M
der the hen he went in and told his wife
he thought the eggs would hatch well fer
he had "pipped" them.
Grandma R;anxs" tells about witches
in the olden tine--row people were afraid
for certain old women who were calico
witches to come into their house. She
tells about one witch who was said TO be
able 20 carry butter 20 market when she
wished, although she did not have any
COW OF her own ''They said she would
throw rope around some object anc
milk il as cow and thus get the milk
from all the neIgiibor's COWS. This Well
preserved old lady tells these tales OF the
long ago with the zest and laughter OF one
in middle life. T.. f. HlLL1ARD'