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4 THE REELECTOR. VOL. l. MILLTCDGEVILLE. G. TUB* ^AY, DECEMBER 9, 1817. NO. g. TOPOGHAPHICi ALABAMA TERRITWN ■ public curiosity iu Alive to this istimtal domain, theft can w well Whilst the _ part of the national —, authenticated facts with relation to it,** b will he altogether uninteresting. One Oftoft *>cipal enquiries made ate distance, is, wbat fcW*- and its principal geaports ? From the published in sortie of the newspapers, a would be induced to believe that there » some towns of magnitude and import**) dv sprung into existence in the Alabama ritory, The fact, however is, that it is only by -ay of courtesy that we speak of aay towns in 1 * Ala bama territory ; and it must depend ea tl. p«ne tration, the judgment and exertions of th.-re Vba are emigrating to the country to say when- torn* shall be, and where flier ought to be. Mat of business are more powerful than legislator The general assembly of the Mississippi ter-ifccy, which heretofore governed the preset)' tr. Ltrjr *- »> -hi XftTJSZC ». U u htiu :,K sorely an object well porta likewise can be t sittf. ■fflS {sarara •»— r. ld b s t be a great article of exBaSatmo. ia much endan- rnr not only as it respects the qua lty, but the "ft. .«* some, q- f»dty of cotton, if Planters wouldpaymore broken into Ami bv taswr ami the late) %> , tion to selecting their seed from those plants months maybe luat in amomoot. r" w .* are most productive—there being,^among The Pascagoula river lies west of the Mobile, It ia not navigable for vessel* destined for distant countries, The penile who nakfa on its waters have been in the habit of trading to Mobile; it will be more convenient to must of thaw to trade to Shipping Port. Yet Shipping Pout itself, to well aa Mobile, and the ideal town of Blakeley, is certainly farther than could be wished f on any too -others have, in their opinion, derived no tl 1 plants of £otton, a very material difference in oth these respeots. Much cotton is made in th/ district by those who, from neeessity have at I tituted the plough for the hoe. The land is n< /only prepared by the plough, but the cultiva tin' continued with little, in some instances, no as, dance from the hoe. This mode of planting is apposed by many to be as productive as the pari of the country at present possessed of a nu-I ho’ culture. I cannot dismiss this article with- merons population. But it isthe highest point of mticnig the great loss of this year scro|>,, oc- elevated land below tb* juncion of tho Toqtblj^y and Alabama rivet*; and 4hase rivurs lire too crooked to render it advisably though prSctibli . for a— Wnd* MWniadsUsVisw tamat durable ‘distance. Shipping Pert is about half way between the town of Mobile, at the head of the bay, and that part, of the country where something like a compact population begius to shew itself. It will after a while become perhaps the centre of the richest settlementin the whole country. There is probably a greater body of rich river low grounds within three leagues of the spot than there is within the same distance of any other spot on the river. It. will be the centre of sugar cultivation, should the cane be attempted with success. But the lands on the eastern side of the river have not yet been offered for sale. The pine woods at the back of Shipping Fort are high and rolling, and the fine springs and com manding views on a range of hills between two and three miles to the west Of it, will afford a va riety of beautiful situations for those wjio may wish to retreat from the river in the summer season. No settlements as yet are mode, nor any establishment in tne j r p >8ed town : for it was on ly in July last that the lands in question were of fered for sale. Shipping Port, therefore, like o- ther places already mentioned, is at present a mere paper town ; it does not even boast of legis lative patronage ; this could be obfairted by ask ing Tor it: but some of the proprietors have im bibed the strange conceit, that they may rely with greater confidence, on the patronage of nature ! It is not the wish of the writer of this article to bias the mind of any one, emigrating to the Ala bama territory, in favor of any particular spot. No man can safely select a situation for another ; nor can any man safely select one for himself when at a distance. He should endeavor to visit of Alabama, seldom refiusd to pi**- % K j LfeHslM inaHt-dbahH tawt* «,«/man.<Mwted Sir it, they were ones on the point «T provid ing by law fur thu election of a mayor-and cor poration for the governmentarf a town in which there was not a single inhabitant! These paper towns, therefore, are by nu means scarce in the Alabama territory. In the first place there is the paper town of Wakelfcld, now twelve or fourteen years of age, and ceated by the legislative wisdom of the Mis sissippi territory, in which it is said tlieie lives the half, or perhaps the fourth part of one whole family. There is then the paper town of Dum fries, the old Sarum of the country tor its power in filling the legislative assembly, which possesses a court-house ami empty goal, and one family in the suburbs. Then ceinea another legislative pa per town called Bel I . something, (for I have not the statute at hand in which its name-is recorded, and which boasts of one whole family, who cer tainly occupy one of the most beautiful spots in nature.) And last of a!l is the town of Blakeley (♦he rival of the ancient city of Mobile,) which toe legislature decreed should be a town in the year of our Lord, 1814, and which, if report be true, although nu corporation is yet elected, there is laid the foundation of one or more respectable store houses. It does not, to be sure, possess the same handsome view of the bay as the town of Mobile * but it it said to possess a much better harbor for vessels, which will probably be found to be the fact when vessels shall visit the place; and that its water is excellent,is already declared by travellers, and will be ascertained to a certainty by the inhabitants when the town shall possess a- ny. That none are to be found there at present may naturally enough be ascribed to the want of . ...... ... 2 w Weh-ir M .w^cted .a new countrv with h ( s mind open and disengag- ■■■ • ..... rs hv ™* But it is of vast importance to him lufciiww would have been provided for it two years ago by legi.dative foresight. Strangers who have visited the Alabama terri tory, ana others who have long resided there, have been much struck with a situation about 40 miles above the town and bay of Mobile, and the site of toe proposed town of Blakeley. This situation was pu,chased at the late public sales in St. Ste phen’s, b} thirty or forty persons, who happened to be present at tne sale. The shares did not cost SO dullars each; but they presently rose to 4 and S500, and all the land adjacent to the site was immediately entered. This place, which is nvw called Shipping Port, occupies the ground where Fort Stodilart formerly stood. It is about a league below the junction of the Tombigby and A V a rna, and about the same distance above tiial divi sion of the river which occasions the formation of one channel communicating with the bay on its western side, near the town of Mobile, and another which communicates with the eastern siJe of the ba^ about three leagues distant from the former, and below the town of Blake ley. The river at Shipping Port is about 600 yards wide, and its depth is more than suf ficient to allow any vessel which can come up the bay, to unload close to the shore. The situation of the ground is remarkably handsome and com manding; and a natural terrace, running par allel to the river, at toe distance of about 70 E les from it, will afford a variety of elegant sites r the dwelling h iuses of families who will not be compelled by their business to reside imme diately on the river bank. River lots of 42 feet in front are already estimated at 230 dollars each, though no improvement has yet beeiupiade; for the value and importance of the spot as a place of deposit for St. Stephen’s, Jackson,Fart Claiborne, toe proposed town of Alabama, and other esta blishments on the Tur.'iigby and Alabama rivers, as well as those adjacent to the Big-Bend of Ten nessee, are fully understood in the upper coun try. The navigation is good at all seasons of the year. The depth of the water in the river, between Shipping Port and the bay of Mobile is greater than that of the bay itself; and as the river is on toe whole remarkably straight, thp same wind which will bringa vessel up toe bay, will bring it up to Shipping Port. ‘ It is another circumstance of considerable im portance with relation to this place, that there are wot, and probably never will be, any settlements of importance between Shipping Port and the sea coast. Thg.land will not admit of them. Though this is a cotton country, yet if the town of Mo bile .orthe projected town of Blakeley, be taken as a centre, and a circle be described, hawng a radius of forty miles, it is probable that one hundred acres of coVton would not be found within the whole area of the circle. In fact, nothing would be found of consequence. There is equally a want of population and of soil. Hencer it is cer tainly desirable, that the port of importation which is to supply the upper country; should be higher up the river than the head of the bay; and if one, two or even three days tie consumed in advancing with a cargo forty miles farther into before hand what the points are which may merit his attention. The preceding sketch may afford some addition to the stuck of memorandums al ready scattered through the public papers, in this point of view it may be acceptable and useful. [National Intelligencer. AGRICULTURE. rnOM Til* SOLTHMDI PITHTOT. Without presuming I could communicate to the public, through the medium of your useful pa per, any information of much consequence, rela tive to the best method of cultivating any of the Staple Articles of our State ; I take the liberty of requesting your insertion of a few remarks, relative to such as are most usually cultivated in my district. It is much to be regretted, we had not in most of our Districts, a Society for the promotion of Agriculture, and by means of small premiums in duce a competition among Farmers, to cultivate a certain part of their land, in such a manner, that some idea could be farmed of the method best calculated to produce the greatest Crop of any article. What appears in my humble opin ion, to be most wanted in our State, is a set of Agricultural Experiments, upon the plan of the celebrated Arthur Young, of England, relative to the distance and the quantity of seed which the different articles require to produce the greatest crops. We often hear of great crops of Cotton Corn, &c. &c. having been made to the acre, but they have been cultivated only in one way, and no comparative trial has been made.# It is the province of- the opulent part of the community, to set the example, and, I feel satisfied, that the lands in our districts would produce niach more, if from any cause, a spirit of good husbandry could be’ excited 1 among our Farmers. No meth od could be better calculated to produce this, than well authenticated accounts of great crops pro duced, from peculiar methods of cultivating any one article. I have in some instances, deviated from the usual method of planting, sometimes with suer, ss, at others with a loss, and always regretted that I could not resort to (he experi inents of some farmer of our own state. Without a longer preamble, I slutfa commence with Cotton :—There exists much d'vfrsity of o 'pinion upon the best method of cultivating this plant; we often hear of great crops made by some, who have planted cotton thin, not only as it respects the distance of the beds, but the num ber of plants left on the bed. Some great crons of cotton have been made on land, which the growth of cotton indicgjgdto be rich, when plan ted in a manner which woBld be considered thick planting, on land of moderate strength. A di versity of opinion also exists, as to the most prop er time to commence planting, for the season be ing generally sufficiently long to mature short cotton ; some prefer the last of April or begin ning of May. From tea years experience I should wish to plant by the 10th of April, and not later than the 20tW if it could be availed. Some planters, much approve *f topping cot* c*j med by the _ rot. This disease, has iujured th<- cotton, as well on the rich and manured lands, as ' poor and exhausted. There u no doubt tr * from e*« -y information ou this head, the crop of this, year is reduced, at least one half, caused, in some instances, by the rot—in odiCrs, by the rains flowing the low lands. Some attri bute this disease of the cotton to the influence of heat aad moisture—others suppose some bug or insect perforate the pod, of cotton, and produce a destruction of the same. There are a number ot animals in the rotted pod, such as small black bugs with wings, small worms, and sometimes large worms ; but whether these animals are the consequence of putrefaction or in any way con cerned in the production of the rot, is not suffi ciently clear to form any thing like a decided o- pinion ; I shall merely notice that it often hap pens while,one part of the same field is much in jured by the rot, other parts, similarly situated escape with little or no injury. So great and general a cause as heat and moisture, I would ex pect to produce appearances of injury to the cot ton plant, other than the destruction of the cot ton pod, such as falling of the leaves, injuring the growth of the plant, &c. 8tc. which does not take place. I must not omit to state in this dace, in corioboration of the statement you not ong since gave in the Patriot, that much of the produce of this district, such as cotton, corn and lumber, are sent to the Savannah and Augusta markets. Your publishing these brief observations upon the culture of cotton, I flatter myself will, at least, have the effect of inducing spine experien ced Planter to favor the public with a detailed and approved method df cultivating cotton to the, most advantage. A Farmer of Barmctll District. ORCHARDS. *♦ Ou- ancestors erred greatly in planting trees in orchards too close ; twenty feet was thought by them to be a proper distance. But they seemed not to consider that in a tew years the branches of each tree would touch the next, and. thus by inter fering with each other, prevent them from bring ing blossoms and fruit. At that distance a plan- tation of trees must in a few years become like a wood, and prevent either grass or vegetable# from being cultivated under them. Nor in such a sit uation will three trees produce as much as one, if at the distance of 40 or 50 feet. planting an orchard, care should always be taken to fix on a situation sheltered as much as possible against the violent north west & north east winds. Plant the largest growing trees, such as Priestly’s, on the north side, and so descending towards the south thst there may be a regular gradation of height, ■mil that the tall tiecs may not overshadow the smaller. Apples and pears for an orchard ought not to be planted at less distance than in rows at about forty feet, and each tree in the row at 30 or 35 feet apart. Pears alone may be 30 by 25, and these in general, spread less and grow more erect than apples. Cherries the largest growing sorts at 80 by 20. Peaches, apricots and nectarines, at 15 feet. Nothing in tne various parts of agri culture and gardening is so little understood and consequently neglected, as the planting of trees. The root is generally forced into a small hole, anil afterwards left to chance, without the slightest attention either to pruning or manuring. The ground designed for an orchard should be in til lage one year at least before planting; and if well manured so much the better for the trees. The holes should be dug a foot deep, and at least five feet over, and left to lie a few days to receive the influence of the atmosphere. If you are to buy the trees, procure them at the nearest nursery you can, for the sooner trees are planted, after be ing out of the ground, the better. If the small fibres are not dried, they need not be cut off,* but if dried, as they almost always are in carrying a distance, they should be trimmed off, otherwise they will mould and do certain injury to the tree, ami often entirely destroy it. Always keep the roots*as long as convenient, which will give them a disposition to run horizontally, from which the roots being more under the influence of the sun, the sap is richer and produces the sweetest, fairest fruit. Nursery men, in taking up trees, are, in general, not sufficiently attentive to give them a good spread of root. All bruised and broken roots—all suoh as are irregular and cross each o- ther, and all downright roots, should be pruned smooth off. As to the top, the small branches should be pruned close to where they are produced, as also the irregular ones, which cross each other ; and all such as have by any means been broken or wounded, should be cut down to the next goud eye, but by no means take off the main leading snoots, which are necessary to attract ihe sap from the roots, and thereby promote the growth of tlie tree. Observe the utmost cart not to place the tree too deep in the earth. More mischance to a new nlantation of trees arises from this source than all tne others combined. The Best rule is to place the tree in the hole so that the roots may be about the same depth as they were before taken up. Place all the roots in their natural position as near as may be, but rather horizontally than otherwise, break the earth fine, and scatter it in the hole so that it may fall betwaen every root, that there mar be no hollowness. Thus fill up the hole, ana gently tread down the earth with your foot, but not too hard, which is a great fault, especially if the ground be strong and wet. New ly planted trees should be well staked and defended from cattle; and it is best to keep thn land continually in tillage till the trees have nearMB" ly attained their full growth. But great car^^f must be taken that the roots be not disturbed by « ing, nor the bark of the trees wounded.— ound near the tree, which the pleHgh leaves, should be mellowed with.a spade for two or three year? before the roots have far extended.” FCME1GN. Another Revolution at Algiers.*-The account of a Revolution in Algiers is confirmed by the arrival at Boston on Sunday morning last, of the Urlg <! Prt«*4faLCiirt. Janes, in 40 days from Gib raltar. AgXKbr paper, brought by toe Or leans tnfiMHMRne event in the following man ner :—■“ On we"sth of September, a auniber of Jannissaries assembled round the palace of the Dey, called upon him to descend,-a» it Was their intention to put him to death, his reign having been a series of -disasters both by sea and land/ The Dey, being obliged to comply, was taken by the soldiers to the house of the Kishna-Aea where lie was strangled, and a man named Ali Cogia, a retired merchant, was declared his suc cessor ; the Ministers of the late Dey have been exiled to different cities of the regency.” Cap tain Jones confirms also the account of the arri val of the American squadron at Gibraltar.— They arrived oq the 3d of October, and were ly ing at quarantine, when the Orleans sailed. Dreadful Hurricane—Arrived at Norfolk on the 17th ult. captain Williams, of the brig Louisa, from Antigua, we learn that a dreadful hurrican* arose on the 2tst ult. in the West-Indies, the vio lence of which was particularly felt at St. Lucie, Barbadoes, Dominque and St.‘ Vincent’s, where considerable damage was sustained by the ship ping and the estates generally. At St. Lucie the gale was more severe. All tlie vessels in that port were entirely lost; the government house was blown down,and all its walls, comprising the go vernor, his lady and child, his staff, secretaries, servants, &c. amounting in all to about 50 persons were buried in its ruins. Not one survived 1 the dreadful catastrophe. And, still more horrible to relate, the officers and soldiers’ barracks were by the same pitiless blast demolished, and all witliiu them at the time, about 200 souls, were precipat- ed into eternity; and the estates- of tlie island rendered a heap of ruins. At Dominique nearly the whole town was inundated, and the destruc tion of property immense. Some few lives were lost; the island nearly desolated. At Martin ique about 50 sail of vessels were driven out to sea from St. Pierrre’s, (principally Americans) and having no ballast, provisions, or other neres* series for a voyage, have probably been lost. On ly one of the above vessels have been heard of, a French ship, which got into St. Eustatia. The es tates here are also greatly damaged. At St. Vin cent’s ten sail of vessels went on shore, and were nedrlyall lost. Capt. VV. could not with certain ty recapitulate all the horrors which marked this awful visitation ; at Dominique and St. Vincent’s as well as St. Lucie, the devastation was so com plete as to amount almost to annihilation. It will be many years, at least, before those islands can be restored to their former condition. It was re- portid at Antigua, that his majesty’s ship Ante lope, of 50 guns, rear admiral Hervey, was lost in the gale. She sailed from Pigeon Island for Bar badoes the night previous to tne gale. Oihraltar, Sept. 27.—We are sorry to learn that intelligence has been recieved of the arrival at Fez, about the 1st of a Caravan, with merchan dize, direct from Algiers. The number of deaths in Algiers, according to official intelligence have amounted to 150a day; but the disease has sub sided to about 40 deaths daily. October 4.—At Oran, and on the frontiers of the kingdom of Morocco, not the smallest pre caution is taken against tlie plague ; notwith standing this, the disease has not yet shown it self to tho westward of Algiers. Caravans pass daily from Algiers to different towns in Morocco. The Msors at Telemzen, and other cities of this Province, communicate with the kingdom of Mo rocco as formerly. At Bona the disease is said to have subsided : at Constantia the daily num ber of deaths amount to about 100. Baltimore, J\Tov. 18.—Some further particu lars have been'recicved, by the way of Havana, of the siege and evacuation of the fort at Cama- jua r which place is situated about one hundred leagues north westerly from the city of Mexico. After having been besieged twenty-one days, by the royalists under Gen. Linau, the garrison of the fort under the command of Gen. Moreno, one of Mina’s officers, finding themselves closely pressed, successfully fought their iwaythrough the royal troops in the night, in which desperate act they are said to have lost a considerable num ber of men. Their object was to proceed to join Gen. Mina’s corps, which was not far distant, and which, it was supposed, 4as not sufficiently strong to have afforded relief to the garrison.— This event look place on the night betweeu the 19th and 20th of August. .4# Cornwall, U. C. Oct. 30.—The board of com missioners for carrying into execution the 6th and 7th articles of the Treaty of Ghent, after an un remitted occupation in the performance of its duties since th« beginning ot May last, held Its