The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-07-05
{ Monroe Journal. }

(MOnrOe JOuTnal)
Don't bother to go to the valley or
the Nile or the delta of the Mississippi
If you want to see rich land-go to
Hyde county, North Carolina The
editor OF the Journal had occasion to
spend last week in Hyde. and he really
fears to tell the full truth of the rich
ness Of that spot, lest those Of his
readers who already regard his repu-
tatiou for Veracity little shaken, get
impatient and turn over the W hole
structure. But something will be told,
all Of which is Set down with due
moderation
Many folks up this way, knowing
that Hyde is situated on the fat
lands on Panhcp Sound, and hearing
that corn grew pretty rankiy down
after the corn, the principal crop was
chills and feVers. When one who has
thought of Hyde in that way, makes
q visit to the county he is likely to
have his eyes opened So suddenly and
80 vice that the glare viii hurt. This
wrtter drove in a buggy one hundred
and thirty miles through the heart OF
Hyde, and if there is a spot OF richer
soil and greater diversity of products
not till this day heard Of It The soil
Is composed OF pure decayed veSeta-
bie matter for an unknown depth, and
there is simply no end to the variety
and richness Of the products. We
boast that anything can be grown
somewhere in North Carolina Hyde
county can grow anything that can
be made in North Carolina except
mountain dew, and even as to that, q
40
Things. says that the color Of the
streams there reminds him OF good
Old brandy. And the health Of that
community is not what folks up here
think. The people are as robust and
healthy as live anywhere. The deep
bored we'll gives them a pure sulph ur
water from hundreds Of feet below the
surface and the health officer IS no
longer needed. Their lands growing
everything needed, the waters at their
uoors teeming with fish and oysters.
the woods and marshes full Of game.
cattle and sheep and hogs lining the
AeidS and roads, the people have lived
easy They have had time for hosp1-
sanity, for culture, for education, and
despite the fact that there is not a
newspaper nor a railroad in the coun-
~, the average of intelligence is very
hlgh. Ex-Governor Jarvis, who
hhoWs thoroughly every county IN
NoFth Carolina, told the writer tha1
al audience of a thousand people
turned out in Hyde to hear d speech
would not be excelled in health or in
teIhSence by d similar number gath
efed In any other North Carolina
county
:. me one permanent drawback to al
shat section is the lack of drainage,
put TINS is especially true of HYDE
winch is surrounded on three sides by
IdHiico sound. Centuries ago this
tand was rescued from the sea by
uFooSlts from the uplands and the
ttohSequent growth OF vegetable mat
ei' In the thousands of years that
~Hs process was going on, successive
unions of tons of vegetable matter
tle" and rotted on the land. Thus
t"e SOIL IS almost pure vegetable mat
10 the depth of many feet. In
ny seasons most Of the land is in
1~IdIed The problem is to drain it.
tu tI as the land is but little higher
a. S[' the sea level, this becomes a
anNuit matter. But in the years to
sie THIS will be done even if a sea
no 1l mas to be built along the entire
a"' ana the water pumped out as is
-'AAC IN ii Gllan1 the