The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-07-21

middle OF the row. In a few days
cowpeas will be sown thickly in the
alleys. Next January the dead tops
will be removed for litter, a great
many Of the twigs and the peavines
plowed down into the alley the
grass" barred off as close as possible
fertilizer applied. the dirt removed
from the crowns by hoes. After
standing a few days they begin to
pTow the dirt back on the "grass"
crowns until It is IL inches deep, so
the stems OF this much priced veget-
able when put on the market are
about IL inches long and one inch
thick, II properly fortified.
There are great many other
phases of farming down there could
write about. but one other. the seed
problem. struck me as being unique
Only as very especial acts of friend
ship win one planter let another have
any Of his seed at all. This seemed to
nee very selfish, and hardly believable
of people. who work together -,
harmoniously along other lines. Some
years ago they would sell their seed
to Georgia. Florida and West Indian
planters. but not to one another. The
competition from these sources be-
came so keen that they quit shipping
the seed. 1t seems that only on these
islands between Charleston and Beau
fort can the plant be kept up to the
high standard of 40 to 60 cents
pound and other points need to re-
new their seed; so by keeping the
seed at home and letting every man
see to his own selection they hope to
control the, market.
word as to water transportation,
and / must close this letter. In my
Judgment that is really the greatest
advantage our coastal friends have
over us here in the interior. A boat
costing $4,000 including a gasoline
engine of or Z horse power, will
carry two tons of freight or twenty
passengers, six or seven miles an hour
against tide and about double that
with the tide. A landing place can
be built at very little more cost than
we have to keep up our private roads.
The gasoline will not cost as much
as the feed Of one mule team, and 1t
would take two mule teams and wag-
ons. costing $1,000 to $1,000, to haul
as much freight. The government
keeps up these roads Of the waters,
surveying and marking the channels;
dredging, revetting and jettying.
wherever necessary. saw the stakes
and flags Of recent government sur
vey Of the inland water from Johns
Island to the city. At great expense
the channels are shortened by cut-offs
at the bends. All this without any
cost to the people who live along the
waterways. If this Is a function Of
government, and unbroken precedent
for a hundred years makes II so, / be-
gin to think the national government
should build the roads, at least the
most important ones. Say, direct
roads from one County Court House
to another, North and South and East
| and West. Our interior towns should
not rest until every stream that has
the water flow is opened 10 boats, and
In other ways by railroad and trolley,
open up direct avenues Of traffic with
the seaports--the termsni of the
worlds great high way-the ocean.
One Of the delightful experience
Of this trip by my little girls and my
self was to be shown over the finest
ship Of the Clyde Line. the Mohawk,
in company with the harbor master
The officers Of these ships are alway 80
very courteous and lan'ismen should
avail themselves of The opportunity
to 60 through one a, least once.
E. w. d.
| Made In Atlanta" Is an article
worth. cur serious consideration.
Many Sumter County farmers could
we'll take some special line Of crops
or stock and build up q reputation
on them that would beat growing
staple crops as money proposition
| and wOuld tand IN thot di,,ar,,t,, a.,
our agriculture which would make US
independent.
| The great trouble Is to determine
just what crop or stock to make our
speciality and then Of more impor-
tance, to stick to 1t until we produce
none but the best Of that class.
r. w. ID.