The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-08-22
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
The Land of Flowers-Cotton the Princi-
pal Crop-How They Grow Corn
in the South-Odd Means
of Cultivation, etc.
n mpsn,,,c G n Au0,st

BATEsBURG S. c., August 18th, 1908.
Messrs Editors This being my first letter
reckon it will be necessary to state in what part
of the world am now living. 1t is the Land OF
Flowers or what is called by our own people
S Sd9ny ay 6etWeen Columbia and Augusta
thirty-one miles west from the former ana lily
two miles northeast of the latter, on the oidsCo7
lumbia and Augusta Railroad, now owned anu
operated by the Southern. The last census gave
this place about twelve hundred lnnaDltants,
but since that time several hundred nave Deen
lions to accommodate them have been erected.
This country is generally known throughout
the entire South as 1.-THE RIDGE" or fruit Delt
which runs parallel with the Southern Railroad
for about thirty miles, being the dividing line
between the sand, or low lands. and the clay, or
high lands Like nearly all small towns we nave
a cotton mill, which employs several hundred
hands. Mills locate in small towns to get low
rate of taxation. The life OF the average planter
in this county will make quite an interesting
letter in itself, so will not expatlate on MIN at
this writing but devote the space to crops, &c
The thermometer has been ranging for the
past two or three weeks close to the lUU marx,
but as everything has its results in some manner
the hot sun is doing what is best for the cotton
aft this season. 1t is now in full bloom and in
some sections we'll fruited. While the crop TINS
year will not be more than two-thirds one, It
will be about one-third better than that OF last
season, and with the present advanced prices, II
they hold out. the planters Will net more TINS
two weeks late, owing to the rainy spring and
late planting.
a few words on the corn crop will greatly
amuSe the BalIlnOTe COUNTY ldTIuer WHICH, say
a good crop of corn here means from ten to
twelve bushels to the acre, and in many cases the
average is five bushels, mot barrelS.) While the
farmers in Maryland plant their corn in squares
three by three feet the planter here puts his in
rows ranging from five to six feet apart and
from two to three feet in the drill, with one grain
to the hill instead of two or three. In the fall
cowpeas are planted between the rows for rough
| feed.
The wheat this year was decided failure,
| averaging from three to six bushels to the acre.
bfOadcasr' '' - N' 49, ~ ""'" 10 cow"
watermelons and peaches are also scarce,
| owing to the poor market last year and the rainy
| spring. But one car load has been shipped from
! here against fifty or sixty last summer. There
have been shipped about Is 900 crates of peaches
this season. Last year this section shipped 60 600
| crates.
The hay crop here is entirely pea-vines, plant
ed broadcast and cut like hay with moving ma
chimes. The corn fodder is generally stripped
Shredder, that goes around the country pulled
by oxen. traction engine is almost unknown
here. Wheat threshing machines go around
from plantation to plantation to thresh crops of
| from six to ten bushels. One seldom sees two :
horse pillow, the greater number using what you
would call shovel pillow, such as corn is worked
with and pulled by one horse. In some instances
they pillow without either horse or man, by using
an OK and negro woman. Many women can be
seen in the fields, and in fact they are the best
harvest hands.
Tobacco was cultured quite extensively this
year and many drying barns and other houses
for the purpose of getting it ready for market
were built. A good crop has been cured, but
the trusts have cut the prices in half from what
they were last year, so now the planter will have
! it to store or sell at loss.
will say in conclusion for the benefit of the
| housewife that there are three negroes to every
! white person, and yet servants are harder to get
| than in Maryland. N. ROGERS BAYLY.