Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-01-16

seed of various kinds for the colo
nists. This shows the wisdom of the
proprietors and also the real interest
they took in the colony. Seed grown
in the Barbados, they no doubt
thought, would be more likely to
flourish in Carolina than that grown
in England Everything was to be
paid for by the proprietors. This
was the case with respect to the SER
wants which West was ordered to
procure from Ireland. From Barba-
does, West was ordered to furnish
himself with a supply Of cotton seed,
indigo seed and ginger roots, together
with wines of various kinds, canes
and olives. The roots were to be
placed in tubs, partly filled with
earth, so that they would not perish
before arriving at Port Royal. When
he arrived at Port Royal, he was
then to plant these roots and seeds
in what we may call an experimental
farm or nursery. On this farm the
cotton seed, indigo seed, ginger roots
and cane roots were to be planted,
and all the seed produced the first
year to be saved for planting the
next year. On this farm which seems
to have been under the absolute con-
troll Of Joseph West, he was ordered to
erect for himself and thirty servants,
good warm houses. So soon az the
houses were built, West was to put
the servants to clearing up the forest,
so that it would be ready for culti-
walton the next spring, when it was
thought the roots Of the previous
year would be ready for transplant
ing. Ginger was to be the main crop.
More attention was to be paid to it
than anything else.
Whether Admiral West went to
Kinsaile, Ireland. or not, does not
appear 1t Is certain that he arriv-
ed at Barbados in February, 1870.
and in all probability brought with
him the first cotton seed that was
ever brought into the state of South
Carolina. No doubt 1T was planted,
and we may conclude that South Car
olina commenced her existence with
the cultivation of cotton on the west
bank Of Ashley river. Cotton was
found growing in Mexico, Peru,
Texas, Louisiana when these re-
gions were discovered, and Sir Wal
ter Raleigh found cotton cultivated
in Virginia and North Carolina. 1t
is thought that the cotton found In
Mexico, Peru, Texas end Louisiana
was what is now called the short
staple; but what West brought with
him was the long staple or the Sea-
Island cotton. The botanical name
of this variety indicates very clearly
the region from which 1t came. 1t
is known amongst botanists by the
Gossypium Barbadense; literally,
cotton from or of Barbados. We
may as we'll add that very little ef-
fort was made to cultivate cotton in
the state Of South Carolina, at least
sea-island cotton, for a number OF
years. Prior to the Revolution OF
1875, only small quantities Of the
variety called green seed was pro-
duced for home consumption. Very
little was shipped.
In 1747, seven bales were shipped
from the city Of Charleston and when
in 1884, seventy-one bales were
shipped to England, the authorities
seized them as stolen goods, alleg-
ing that all America could not pro-
duce so much cotton. The first
successful effort to grow sea-island
cotton in the state, was made by
William Elliott, in the year 1870,
near Hilton Head, in the neighbor-
hood of the spot where Ribault at
tempted to plant colony in 1862.
The proprietors instructed West
to take with him from Barbados
half a dozen young sows and a
try This is a fact Of some interest.
No doubt, in the swamps around the
present city of Charleston these
animals proved very prolific. Cattle
and sheep were brought to the state
from Virginia. The circumstances Of
bringing them were these: On the
first of May, 1870, the proprietors
sent out Captain Halstead with sup
plies, to the colony planted at Ash
ley river, now called the Ashley river
colony. So soon as the supplies were
unloaded, he was instructed to load
the ship with lumber and take 1t TO
the Barbados and exchange 1t for
rum and sugar. These were to be
taken to Virginia, and exchanged for
cattle for the Ashley river colony.
When America was discovered by
Europeans there were neither horses
hogs, COWS nor sheep in the country
We cannot refrain from remarking
that the increase of these domestic
animals Is most wonderful. Previ-
Gus to the war Of 1875, the country
was full of wild horses, wild cattle
and wild hogs. This is more Won
derful when we remember that the
country was also full of bears, wolves
and panthers. Guthrie, an old geog-
rapher, informs us that the beasts
of prey were not so ravenous In
America, as the same kind of animals
are in Africa and Asia. AS the
the country became settled and the
number of wild animals decreased.
and food for those which live on
flesh became scarce, the wolves and
panthers became more troublesome
to the planters and made greater
havoc on their domestic animals.
Capt Halstead arrived at Ashley
river in the month of August, 1871.
He brought further orders to the
colonist respecting their organization.
The orders were addressed Ito the
governor and council of Ashley river"
Before this the proprietors had learn
ed that the colony had given up the
idea of settling at Port Royal and
had already located themselves TI
the Ashley river, on high point
which they had named in honor Of
one of the proprietors. Albemarle
Point.