Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-20
OLD AND NEW PLANTATION DAYS

BN FItEDEI,
'IiARl.ESroN. \, g.. March ir-Tnn
South is going back 10 lis plantations.
Lands that HAY" lain faiIow foi a gen.
Grafton are being tllcd again. ana
long deserted mansions repaired ana
opened. sometimes IS permanent homes
o'tenc: as country places and shooting
lodges. Wide hropluccs blaz. again on
autumn evenings. balls tina, nav. been
silent for tifty wears ar" filled with
music and voiccp Swarnps n,d min,
forests echo the horns OF hunting par
ties and the trumpcttug bay Of hounds
There i something peculiarly ap-
p"HiihE about tho rehabilitation OF
these old mansions. suiu" az which
hay" stood through Tho whole Amer
can story since Colonial dav. am,
American wars hfr"r Ices surreu-
dor - variety uf conditions forced the
Southerncrs =" l"nv. their plantations
on the coastal plains The rice indus
Try could not stand til" competition
from the West Sea Island cotton.
which had long ruled the market
dropped In price. Thcr. was no noues.
u, the South 10 bcriu agriculture on
new lines. Tn" people left their lands
and crowded to the cities. Now they.
have found prospcri'y again. and thcy
are going back
-, - ~ '''''''iE Il
weeks ago three brothers hero bought
back 1000" acres, which had belonged
10 their family befor" the war. Th.y
''l''' - 49, -
M, ~ -. W ~
from tho National department. or Agri-
cultUr" ia town uow 10 adVIs" som"
.rin, ,,,1i,,. "a,
~, t,,,'
.', 1900
80 i -" ~ 80 =
1r. ,if,.iJ,,, 80 s,.,r,
,'t,o,,,.S 800 ''''' '"''
'hmr preserves N~nr charleston.
Most unique Is the utilization OF these
old plantations ns hunting preserves.
Nearly all Of them contain great areas
OF swamp and woodland. ana thes" ar"
alive with game. Deer. wild turkey.
foxes Wild fowl aud partridGcs are
abundant within a few miles OF Char
lesion. There is probably not another
city OF its siZ" IN the United states
that commands finer hunting. Now
those estates which Co'nhin" excellent
game covers with comfortable man
sions are being purchased hy clubs.
The old homes make excellent hunt
ing lodges. Men from as far North as
Boston and as far West as 81 Paul
gather here In November often bring
ing their families with them and stay
in.: the whole season Some or tho
clubs have thirtv az forty members.
and force Of game keepers Tho
initiation fee is USUALLY 50 600 10 SIn. Ono.
and the annual dues run from $500 to
1000 There ar. many smaller clubs.
ana some iasse tracts Of land are kept
by individuals as huntin" grounds
This conversion Of plantations into
shooting preserves has many advaut-
ages ~ Keeps "r an" IMPROVES 'h'St
"'Stv'i''' MONIES. p''"rS u" 'hC1haIu
"i""'' "'h""'' "' '''"'cN ~ wv 'ou,''
"'h S"N'H '"e f"'"' an % VI"
.'"oS nave '"o i""S' S''S' "' gam"
laws an" vigorously suppress p""ch :
ing
icFhapS me most FAMOUS oil me olu
estates "h'ch arc mus hc'nH reclaimed
are those Of the coastal islands. whcrc
once the planters "i the famous sea
lsiahG vo''"n hNc" IN '"f"n'nl H.S re-
All '''' was n'St III me ~" ' "",'''' u
regime WAS !" he round w ia, P''tuIc g
uu" ne Oh me 'SIa"" pi'h'"''""H'
lterc grew Il lccu!''r COTTON "' N''
i"hg S'apic "h''h nr""Sh' l""'''
IN thos" DAYS btloI" "I"'!''hc' q"
creased t!c S'iui''SH "i '"t S""i ~
staples me son was 'e' ~ "''u
the iaporcfs were saves We"it" N''
abundant ana chS'lF VOL l,hht'"S 'tn'
social Nle were me "i\trS'"ns W '''
planters, VINO traNeled tio'h 'H''h" 80
island In great canoes W"hhe" ny
eight or ten staiwhrt heEI" "nrSIhe'',
These crews "ttaihe" trea' Sh'h, an
there we're iieauch' cE".'"H ' M"ith
canoes