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THE TVEEKLY CONSTITUTION: TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1SS2.
A MODEL FARM,
AND THE SYSTEM UPON WHICH IT
IS MANAOED.
A Trip I a to tta Country With Colonel U. J. Hntchla*
-Nftwi from tbo ArMstmn Center-Bainbrldce.
Thomaston, Canton, Borne, Tort Valley
and Varioue Other Place*.
Special Correspondence of The Constitution.
Marsha, llville, Mny 29.—Your correspond
ent accepted a very kind invitation last week
from Colonel Marshall J. Hatcher, one of the
largest and most successful farmers of the
southwest section of Georgia, to go out to his
farm and see the working of some new ma
chinery of great use and value to farmers.
I was met at the depot by Mr. Hatcher, who
soon had me beside him in his buggy, bowl
ing over a good road to his place eight miles
from Marshall ville, in Macon county. A ride
in the country, when the breezes blow unfil-
lered and untainted, is always enjoyed by a
city man, and this was doubly enjoyed be
cause of the fine conversational powers of my
companion, who, though a young man, is an
old farmer, a true Georgian and a man whose
mind is unhampered by narrow views.
We arrived at his place about noon. In
alighting from the buggy my eye happened
to light upon a moving object in the field
which seemed to me to be a portion of a cir
cus procession that had strayed off" or got left.
I was straining my eyes to make out whether
it was the golden chariot of Mars or the ele
phant cage when I thought to ask Mr. Hatcher
what it was.
“That’s a header,” he replied.
“What's a header?”
"It's a machine drawn by four horses that
cuts oats or any kind of grain. Stand it at
the edge of an oat field and it cuts a path
through it ten feet wide as clean as if you
hand gone over the ground cutting down
■ every stalk with a sharp knife, each stalk a
certain distance from the ground. It cuts
thirty acres per day with e:ise, and if neces
sary will cut forty. It saves every oat, and
the work of many hands. This is the Hodge's
Illinois header, the only one in the south.”
“When did you get it?”
"Well, with the high price of labor and its
scarcity and unreliability, grain planting
with Georgia formers was a poor investment,
and we never gave much of our lands to
small grain. I found out something about
this header and concluded to send for one.
My neighbors laughed at me; but I made up
my mind that wo had to find some way to
meet, the laziness of hands in the south as
this indolence is growing more and more
prevalent year by year and perfected labor-
saving machinery is the only euro for it. So
I sent for the header. Iliad already invest
ed from $1,500 to$2,000 in labor-saving ma
chinery, and was fast reducing my force of
hands thereby. When I wrote to Hodges it
Co., l'ekin, 111., the firm were surprised to
receive au order from the south and were
reluctant to send one. It was several
weeks before I could induce
them to send it. To satisfy
themselves that I was in earnest, and also to
see how grain would grow’ in the south, the
firm sent Mr. Samuel Ingraham with the
header. This gentleman was considerably
astonished when he saw our fields of waving
grain, and made use of the remark that “I do
not believe there is a farm in Illiuois better
adapted to the use of machinery.” He was
agreeably surprised with Georgia, and
appeared delighted with our people, our
lands and their fertility. The header is all
that is claimed for it. It does its work
effectually and better than any machiuc for
the purjKise I ever saw. My iieighliors now
see, as 1 do, the importance of devoting more
land to grain, and hereafter you will hear
of us more as grain planters than believers in
the kingliness of cotton.” I also saw
on Mr. Hatcher’s plantation the work
ing of the Senor pulverizer, which
break front fifteen to twenty acres of laud per
day, and sows oats, peas, etc., plows it under
end drags it over, all with one hand and six
mules, doing the work of fourteen hands and
fourteen mules.
It is tints seen that by the use of these ma
chines the oats are not touched by hand front
sack to bam.
Mr Hatcher has now under cultivation
2,700 acres; of this 700 are in oats, 700 in com
and 1.300 in cotton. He started twelve years
ago with comparatively nothing, and from the
above statement it will be seen that lie has
mode a big success of farming. Hence, his
^xperiincuts with machinery and his opinions
thereon are of value and importance to the
pltii'ing people of Georgia.
After witnessing these machine operations,
nty chaperone carried me to the farms of the
.Feltons, which are models in their way. At
tiiis point in the journey we ate dinner, aud
a iQTOl dinner it was. The Feltons are noted
for theft' .gAtu.rous and princely hospitality,
and the stranger within their gates fares most
sumptuously on the fat of the land. The
couniry scat of Mr. W. H. Felton, about three-
quarters of a mile from town, is an elegant
place, and few city houses are so well ap
pointed with conveniences and comforts. Mr.
L. M. Felton lives just opposite, and he is not
much behind our city people in the knowl
edge of wliat constitutes good living. Mar-
sltallville occupies the highest attitude be
tween Macon and the coast, enjoys an air sa
lubrious and balmy and a water clirystallish
and cooi.
The farmers in this section are in a most
pros no rous condition, and on every side are
seenevidenees of thrift. This section of the
oonntrv is now teeming with oat and other
grain fields, and corn and cotton form com
ponent parts of the planted soil. Seasonable
rains are all that is needed to make this gar
den spot of Georgia an Eden, for besides grain
and ttie cereals, fruit seems to thrive splen
dully, and a nursery not fur from the spot is
proof positive of the assertion that the land
is adapted to everything that makes money
and fat living for the industrious farmer.
In a future letter I shall pay my respects to
the blooming city of Marsh all ville, the Felton
farms, aud sonic'of Marshnllville’s most sub
stantial citizens, among them M. S. Ware aud
K. 11. Baldwin and others, whose interests are
divided iu the city and in the county, being
merchants as well as farmers.
CROPS, WELLS AND POLITICS.
Special Correspondence of The Constitution.
Ai.rany, May 28.—Judge Vason, who is an
excellent practical fanner and good authority
on agricultural topics, although he happens
to be a member of the political clique, yclept
the “Georgia agricultural society,said yes
terday, after his return from Terrell county,
that the oat crop he saw along the road be
tween Albany and Dawson would average
front 20 to 30 bushels per acre. For lands not
hitherto known to be well adapted to this
species of grain, this is a showing somewhat
remarkable; yet a good many others around
here say the same of their crops. Much of
the crop is already gathered, yet probably the
greater portion ot it still remains uncut, to be
more fully matured by the copious rains we
are having in this section—a mutter now of
almost daily occurrence. Yesterday afternoon
a fine rain fell here for about an hour. Yes
terday Captain W. E. Smith brought to town
from one of his places an ear of corn of good
average size nearly fully matured. It was of
the Golden Dent variety—a species which is
much in favor with all our farmers this year.
The analyses of Albany’s artesian water I
spoke of a few days ago were made—one by
l’rofossor H. C W hite, stole chemist, and one
by Professor H. C. Bolton, of Trinity college,
Hartford. A third analysis, by Professor Ira
Benson, of the Johns Hopkins university.Bal-
tiuiorc. lias not vet arrived. They will be
published in the'News and Advertiser next
Yesterday Mr. A. B. Weslow, a prominent
cotton buyer of Albany', bought 650 bales of
cotloi: at one sweep from Colonel Lee Jordan,
throoeii bis factors. N. & K. si. Tift. We did
not leant the price paid.
Mr. D. F. Sibley, oi this county, whose cou-
■BJSXS&SSSSKa
dition I mentioned a few days ago as critical,
is still very low.
The Albany theatrical amateurs have re
ceived and accepted an invitation front the
Atnericus library association, to give one of
their representations in tbeir town on the 3th
proximo.
The democratic executive committee of
Dougherty, yesterday appointed the 4th day
of J uly next for a county convention to meet
and select delegates to the state democratic
convention to be held in Atlanta on the 19th
of July.
A CRIMINAL ARRESTED.
Special Correspondence of The Constitution.
Home, May 29.—Charlie Jackson, colored,
was arrested yesterday and carried to Kewnan.
He is charged with cutting his wife’s throat
in Newnan sometime ago. and other crimes.
A reward of §200 was offered for his appre
hension.
A convention will be held on the first Tues
day in July, to nominate three candidates for
the legislature, and delegates to the guberna
torial and congressional conventions. Floyd
county is overwhelmingly lor Mr. Stephens,
for governor.
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION.
Special Correspondence ot The Constitution.
Bainbbidge, May 28.—Virgil M. Brown,
a clever citizen of town, died at his
residence Saturday morning of pneumonia.
Miss Flora Shackelford’s calesthenic
class, exhibited their skill with dumb bells
at the fair ground building Tuesday night.
It was a very creditable performance, wit
nessed by a large audience.
Harry Miller endeavored to assassinate W.
H. Harrison, in this county, Sunday night
week. He scattered twenty odd buckshot
around his intended victim, fortunately miss
ing iiis aim, and then heeled it. Cause—old
f rudge. He was subsequently arrested in
'hontas county by Bailiff Stephens but
broke guard and is at large.
/. T. Crawford, judge of the county court
of Manitee county, Fla., and Henry John
son, editor of the Apalachicola Tribune, are
here wrestling with pool and beer.
MUSIC’S CHARMS.
Special Correspondence of The ConsUtution.1
Canton, May 29.—R. H. Randall’s conven
tion and concert company gave a free
concert at the Methodist church
last Saturday night, which was
quite entertaining. Tbeir object was to or
ganize a class irPsinging. After singing a few
pieces on Saturday night, papers were circu
lated among the crowd, and 58 subscribed
to the school; others have since subscribed.
Their singing was the best your correspondent
has heard in some time, and seemed to en
liven the whole town and give it a city air
during Sunday. On Sunday afternoon they
held song service at the Methodist church.
Prof. Cltas. H. Gabriel and wife will remain
and teach a class in singing. Prof. Gabriel
will also teach our cornet band.
A FISHING PARTY.
Special Correspondence of The Constitution.
Thomaston, May 30.—The large party oi
ladies aud gentlemen that left here Monday
last for McComb's fish pond, in Taylor coun
ty, returned Saturday, bringing with them a
large lot of fish, turtles and eels. The party
was joined on Tuesday at Butler by a large
delegation from Grifiin, among others Colonel
Fred Dismuke aud Judge John 1. Hall. All
fish that could not be caught were bought and
eaten.,
KNIFE AND RAZOR
Special Correspondence ol The Constitution.
Hawkins ville, May 29.—A difficulty oc
curred on Commerce street this morning be
tween Tom Williams on one side and Wash
Boon on the other. Both the men are col
ored. Tom used his pocket knife and Wash
his little razor. Wash received some painful
wounds and Tom was seriously, perhaps
fatally, cut. The cause of the trouble was a
dollar which Tom claimed that Wash was due
hint. Wash has been arrested and Tom is
undergoing repairs at the doctor’s shop.
IT IS WORTH A DOLLAR.
Special Correspondence ol' The Constitution.
Calhoun. May 29—What is an American
silver dollar, coined in the year 1799, worth?
It has a mans head with date 1799, the word
liberty and thirteen stars' on one,
side and on the other an eagle,
arrows, olive branch and scroll with E, Plnri-
bus Ununt, thirteen stars and ihe words Uni
ted States of America. We have bad a dis
pute about it and agreed to leave it to you.
Answer in Wednesday’s daily paper. ‘
DEATH OF A LADY. S3SS
FoKT Valley. May 27.—Mrs. J. VV Mathews,
a very jKtpular and 'highly esteemed Christian
woman, was buried here today, 'flic funeral
was preached in the Methodist church, and a
large concourse of friends and relatives fol
lowed the remains to their last resting place.
A Mule in a Hail Storm.
From the Griffin News.
Just before the hail storm last Sunday a ne
gro in the employ of Mr. Stilwell was driving
out on the road near Mr. Beatty’s farm. He
had tin old mule who moved along in such
stolid apathy that his progress across the land
scape was scarcely perceptible, sullenly ignor
ing all solicitations to increase his pace, al
though the rain was coming down and the
sky was ominous with storm signals. In fact,
the obstinate brute bad almost come to a
standstill, when suddenly the hail storm
came up, anil chunks of ice the size of a
dornick came down thick and fast. The ntul
seemed to conceive the idea that he was pass in
through a bad shower of rocks, and as the
hail descended with a constantly increasing
velocity of about a million miles a minute,
he was'perceptibly moved—quite perceptibly,
as you tnay say. He bumped up his back,
drew all four legs into a bunch and jumped
as high as the man’s head the first leap. On
the second jump lie did better, nearly passing
out of the negro’s reach, who was now stand
ing at his head vainly attempting to hold hint
down. With a wild snort of defiance the
mule dragged the negro along down the road,
over a ditch and a fence, and finally stopped
in the middle of a forty acre field, having got
out of the range of the narrow belt of bail
which hud pelted hint so unmercifully.
GEORGIA SKETCHED
BY THE HUMORIST OF THE DE
TROIT FREE PRESS.
The Value of Farming Land in Georgia—80 Acres
Worth Zlor-j than a Hundred In Michigan—^Tha
Difference Between the Systems of Work
—The Yankee in Georgia.
Some Wonderful Facts.
From the Walton Vidette.
Mr. John Stephen Hester was married
twenty-two years ago, and at that time his
undo gave liini one shtep and her two lambs.
Ten vears ago he had raised over 500 sheep
from that one sheep, and now the number
goes largelv over one thousand.
Mrs. Austin, who died last week, .was seven
ty-two vears old, never took a dose of medi
cine in'her life, aud never saw a doctor.
Mr. Berry Bostwick, of Morgan county, has
on exhibition at High Shoals a bunch of oats
consisting of one hundred and sixty-three
heads, and over sixteen thousand grains, all
of which grew from one grain of oats. Who
can beat it?
A little half grown cow in Monroe, only 19
months old, is giving 3J4 gallons of milk a
day, wt ich makes over a pound of butter.
A LITTLE PEACH.
A little peach In an orchard grew;
A iltrls peach of emerald hue.
Warmed by the sun aud wet by the dew,
It grew.
One day. passing the orchard through,
Tmtt little peach dawned on the view
Of Johnny Jones aud his sister Sue—
Them too.
Cp at the peach a club they threw;
Down from the stem on which it grew
Fell the little peach ol emerald hue.
Mon Lieu!
She took a bite and John a chew.
And then the trouble began to brew—
Trouble the doctor couldn't subdue.
Too true!
Under the turf where the daisies grew
Tltev planted John and his sister sue.
And' their little souls to the angels flew.
Boo-hoo!
But what of the peach of emerald hue.
Warmed by the sun and wet by the dew?
Ah! well;’its mission on earth is through.
Adieu!
“Wliat is farming land in Georgia worth per
acre?”
I have answered this question in a general
way two or three times, but will again reply
that there is the same difference as in Michi
gan or Illinois. A Georgia farmer who has a
good thing of it wants a good price. One who
is in debt and discouraged will let go of his
land at a bargain for the man with money.
Fairly good farms can be had for $20 per acre.
Farms in good repair and having natural ad
vantages run as high as $50 per acre. There
is, however, any amount of good land in
Georgia at §10 per acre. That state has taken
the lead in splitting up the big plantations
into small farms, and the result has been a
great gain in the number of agriculturists
and amount produced.
In speeking of farms here is one fact which
the northern man must not overlook. He
can raise more on eighty acres in Georgia
than on 100 acres in Michigan. He
will have three months more in every year to
work. He can raise more wheat, more oats,
more barley and rye, anti his corn will run
considerably more to the acre. He can raise
two crops of potatoes and cut four crops of
fodder. He can plant in March in Georgia,
while lie must wait until May in the north.
I saw a new variety of rust proof wheat put
into market at Atnericus oil the 2d day of
May. On that same day, before the north
had planted a kernel of corn, it was in tassle
in a dozen counties in Georgia. Oats were
ready to cut in northern Georgia by the 12th
of May. A northern man who had a farm
of seventy-live acres in that state would culti
vate every foot of it, and unless he went into
cotton or grass very extensively he would
not want above 100 acres at the outside.
WHAT HE WOULD RAISE.
The average Georgia farmer who has 100
acres of land puts at least eighty into cotton,
another ten is divided between corn, potatoes
and truck, and the remainder is occupied by
the house, sheds, etc. If it is a bad year for
cotton he is cleaned out. If it is a good year
he pays his debts and has something left oyer.
A northern man would take the same laud
and put thirty into corn, the same into pota
toes, ten iuto grass, and. the remainder into
wheat and oats. If it was a good year the
wheat would run ten bushels to the acre more
than in the north. If it was a bad year it
would run no less than the northern average.
His other crops could be counted on with cer
tainty. His ten acres of oats would bring
bint more money than thirty of cotton. His
thirty of corn would yield better than fifty of
cotton. His potatoes alone would bring more
cash than double the acres in cotton. He
would make more clean cash from bis ninety
acres thus planted than any Georgian has ever
made front 309 acres of the fleecy staple.
TIIK REASON WHY.
You will then naturally ask why they don’t
farm that way in Georgia. The reason is be
cause the southern merchant and capitalist
has the agricultural proiiuser by tlie throat,
and he is holding on with tenacious grip.
When a northern farmer wants tools or pro
visions the merchant gives him credit and he
pays as he can. When a southern farmer
sta'rts in he goes to a merchant and gives a
iien on everything he may raise in order to
trooure guano, tools and provisions to run
rim through the season. The merchant not
only charges him exorbitant prices, but obliges
him to plant cotton. He will not let him split
up his land into gotten, corn, oats, potatflflBy
etc, but insists that every acre shall go into
cotton alone. When that cotton is ginned
and baled it must go to the merchant who has
the lien. He sells it on account, and he gets
a commission for selling. If there is more
than enough to pay him it goes to the farmer;
if there is not, then the farmer must make
another lien and hope for better luck. The
merchant won’t let him plant corn or potatoes
because he wants to furnish him these things
at a big profit. it is the same
with oats and hay. By keeping bint on cot
ton lie makes a profit on whatever the farmer
eats and wears, and lie makes another when
be sells the cotton. It is a system which has
been practiced for seventy-five years iu vari
ous southern states, but it is probable that it
has at last received its death-biow. The Geor
gia farmer is kicking against it with great
vigor, and the northern men who have gone
down there with cash to buy farms and run
them have struck hard blows against ihe
evil. Sum up the system and it is from
twenty to thirty per cent interest. Not oae
farmer in ten who starts in that way ever gets
out of debt. During the last year or two a
money-loaning association formed in the east
lias had agents all over the south lending
money on real estate at eight per cent and
hundreds of planters have found in it a way
out of their difficulties.
Ten years ago Georgia was all eotton. To
day she is reaping the benefits of mixed crops.
Her big planters raise h-ss cottoii and more
oats, wheat and corn, and her small farmers
have a mine of wealth in truck-farming. Her
farming population is nearer out of debt than
in any other district in the south.
THE YANKEE El GEORGIA.
Arc there many northern mea in Geor
gia?”
“Yes—hundreds of them. I met them in
every county in the state.”
“Do they iike the country?” •
“They are charmed with it, and I found
many whose health had been greatly bene
fited’ by the change.”
How are they welcomed?”
Just asa neighbornood in Michigan would
welcome a stranger who had come to make his
home in it. Your native Georgian is an open-
hearted, hospitable ntan. Even the “cracker,” ■
who is supposed to be the essence of laziness,
and who represents the lowest strata of intel
ligence, will share bis humble meal with a
stranger and feel insulted at sight of pay.”
Say to a Georgian: “I was in the northern
army, and I fought you and gave you the
best I had.” And he will reply:
Bully for you—lei’s shake! I was around
there myself about that time, and I guess you
were too many for ns.”
That ends it. If you get another word
about war out of him you’ll have to pump
for it., If you have coiue down to be his
neighbor lie’11 neighbor with you.
THE SOUTHERN LABORER.
“What help must I employ on my farm?
If 1 was going down to Georgia* to lun a
farm on which hands must be employed the
year ’round I would take white men. It is
nonsense to say that white men can’t stand
the hot weather down there. The July and
August months of Georgia call for no harder
farm work than the same mouths in the
north. A white man who can cradle wheat
in Michigan in July can stand any summer
work in the sc-utb. The negro, as the Georgia
people say, has become unreliable iu many
districts, and a nuisance in others. Where one
works twenty' loaf tlieir time away around
the towns. Where one is honest fifty are
thieves and liars. Let a planter buy hogs on
Monday, by Saturday lie will have lost the
greater number. Negroes in bis employ, well
fed and well paid, will have slaughtered
them. Let him buy a b'ooded calf and he is
safe no longer than a pair of eyes are watch
ing hint. A farmer who keeps fowls must hire
some one to guard them, and it must be some
one besides a negro. Set a dozen nogroes at
work on a farm without a boss and in an
hour ten of them will be lying in the fence-
corners. If there is a call for a political
meeting the farm is deserted. They belong
to orders, lodges, societies, churches, etc., and
things are so managed that he must have
nearly every night out aud about two holidays
per week. *A shower of rain in the morning
uses him up for all day, and if there is no
other excuse he has cramps or dizziness
Such are the complaints that Georgians make.
A good white workman, such as are em
ployed in the north, will do more work in
one day than tiie average negro will accom
plish in three. The negro demands the
same pay as white farm hands receive in the
north. His money is gone within half a
day after he receives it, and generallv for
luxuries which his employer cannot afford.
He then begins a new' month—a siege
against time. The north would not bear
half as much from him as the south does.
Let a thousand of them stand on the streets
of Detroit day after, day, as they' do at At
lanta, Macon, Montgomery and other places,
guffawing, disputing and quarreling, and
there would soon be a call for a new wing
at the work house. M. Quad.
A Huge Bear.
From the Arlington Advance.
On last Wednesday, on Mr. J. R. Mills's
plantation,north ol Arlington, Pick Williams
killed a large male bear, weighing 237 pounds,
five feet and four inches long and three feet
and two inches high. He was seen in the
neighborhood the day previous, and on Wed
nesday was jumped by a party of hunters and
run from 3 o’clock until sundown before be
ing killed. Pick is the best hunter in the
state and deserves much credit for his untir
ing efforts in killing this pest. Considerable
excitement was created in the chase, there
being no less than fifty-six persons gathered
on the grounds when the bear was Killed—
some with hoes, axes, sticks, old empty mus
kets that had not been fired in six months,
and every conceivable weapon, and such as
were likely to get a fellow in a tight when he
most needed trusty means of defense. Among
the men present was J. R. Mills, who was go
ing to shoot old bruin right off the tree and
catch hint. I. S. Mills, the bear-tinder, was
so scared he could hardly' tell which way the
game went. Well. “Sook.” putting joking
aside, you were scared some. Old Profit, with
the biggest dog and the least sense o? any
present, was there. Pick has proven an as
sertion that his dog would run anything he
wants hint to. And, like Pick in hunting for
pay, can’t be beat I send you one of the
bear’s feet that.you may see I have not lied.
The Great Grain Crop.
From the Pike County News.
There lias been raised this year an unparal
leled grain crop. It will certainly prove a
great blessing to our country if used aright.
But how many of our people make abundant
ly only to waste! We want to see our farmers
take care of this crop, and wonderfully will
it sell for the prosperity of our section. Some
of our people probably remember how lightly
esteemed was wheat, bran a few years back.
Look now to its importance as a stock food,
not only for hogs and cattle, but horses
also. Some of our farmers have
learned the use of the oat and wheat
straw. What are you going to do with yours
this year? Leave it in the field to rot or put
it where it will be trodden on by the stock
until useless? Let us suggest. Have yonr
threshing done near your cotton press and
have all your straw neatly packed into bales
of say four hundred pounds. Next winter
and spring when others are complaining for
lack of long forage have a bale of this straw
where all of your stock cun get at it and see
with wliat reiish they will eat it. Besides this
throw a bale or two occasionally on your
wagon and bring it to the town for cow food
and carry back some good warm clothing - for
your family. Let us take care of this grain
crop every straw. “A word to the wise is suffi
cient.” •
Met By a Rattlesnake.
From the Quitman Free Press.
On Sunday last as Misses Mattie and Cornie
Hubert,' daughters of Mr. H Hubert, and
nieces of Judge Morton, aged 14 and 16 years,
were going home from Mrs. Young's they
found themselves suddenly brought to a
standstill by a huge rattlesnake which had
taken possession of the road. The usual
thing for girls to do under such circumstances
is to scream and run away. Not so with the
heroines of this story, they immediately
armed tfieniselves each with a fence rail and
commenced hostilities. The monster made
fight at first, but finding himself overmatched
attempted to get away, but the girls bad got
their dander up and followed the reptile into
the woods, belaboring him with the rails.
There is no telling what two determined girls
can do, (it took only one determined lass to
capture us). Miss Mattie and Miss Cornie
were .victorious and succeeded in killing the
snake, wnicli measured over five feet iu
length and nine inches in circumference. It
was a t>rave deed and deserves comiueada-
THE SILKEN THREAD,
WHICH BINDS A COUNTLESS
WEALTH TO GEORGIA.
The Silk Culture Aids to Georgia Another tank in the
Golden Chain or Blches—The Caterpillars, the
Chrysalis and; the Butterfly a'l Contrib
ute to Fill the Harvest Basket.
A Lost Lotts Missive.
From the Cartersville American.
We print the following letter for the edifi
cation of our readers as well as for finding its
owner. The writer or the lady it is written
to can obtain it by calling at this office. The
letter was dropped in a store last week:
November It, 1881.—My Own Darting E: I have
not time to write but a few-Sines, ana I really do
not know whether I should write them or not, but
l eanuot resist the temptation oi at least writing a
few wards. This separation hi» at last become un
bearable. I am just compelled to see you soon. 3
i.m going to call on Mist A to-night. Can you
not spend the night with her? Please do. If you.
could only for one moment, judge of the pain I en
dure I know that you wou.u see me. 3ut I must
close. Forever yours,
“Old Dan Tucker's” Horse.
From tbe-Berrl n County News.
Mr. Daniel Tucker, of Irwin county, had
the misfortune to lose his horse a few days-
ago. While at supper a Hash of lightning il
luminated the house and a loud report fol
lowed. I't was evident that the lightning bad
struck near by, but Mr. Tacker did not ap
prehend that any damage had been done un-
lil next morning, when he went to feed Iris-
horse and found him dead. A peach tree in
the lot had been shattered, from which the
electricity went to the stable, doing but little
damage ether than killing the horse. The
neighbors have been very kind to Mr. Tucker
by assisting him in buying another.
Pledger Con-sictsd.
From the. Athens Banner.
W. A. Pledger, surveyor of tlie Atlanta cus
tom house, was arrested on an indictment by
the grand jury, of Clarke county, charging
him with aiding and incising the late disturb- J
ance at our jail.* He was convicted upon the j
testimony of negroes engaged in this riot, i
Pledger gave bond for bis appearance before j
tlie city court, with E. A. Buck, of Atlanta,
as security. His bond was fixed at §100.
A High-Prised Deg.
Fjora the Hartwell bun.
Judge William Scott has the largest, black
est and most intelligent Newfoundland dog
in Georgia. He paid his brother Chesley five
hundred and sixty dollars for hint—in two
fox-hounds valued at two hundred and eighty
dollars each. J udge Scott appears satisfied
with the trade notwithstanding he paid such
a large sunt for the Newfoundland.
Struck a Pine Root.
From the Amerieus Recorder. .
A few days ago a son of Mr. George Seig, of
this county, aged about twelve years, while
on a visit to some relatives in Worth county,
engaged in a wrestling match with another lad,
and falling s'ruck a pine root, which put out
his right eye. This should be a warning to
boys not to engage in such rough sport.
The Destructive Bad Worm.
From the Arlington Advance.
Several of our farmers report unusual dam
age to the corn crop by “bud worms.” It is
said they eat off the bud where the tassel
shoots out. and the stalk is ruined, and will
make nothing. We are glad to know, how
ever, that their ravages are by no means gen
eral.
THOUGHTS TURNED TO LOVE,
From the Thomaston Times.
The nignts are getting too short for spoony
lovers.
From the Gumming Clarion.
We never did object to a girl with a big nose.
Two of our sweethearts have lnnre noses and they
are remarkably intelligent as well as sweet.
From the Dublin Gazette.
There is a young lady in this town, who is so
esthetic that she goes to the kitchen with kid gloves
of the most delicate color on, to cook with.
Georgia is to have another boom, and the
seed from which this new boom is to spring
are now budding forth in Atlanta.
Probably no state in the south has been so
singularly favored as Georgia, Her soil', her
climate and her people are the three elements
which, blended into one, will yet make her
the central point of the south. There is hard
ly a cereal that cannot be cultivated in this
state. The soil is naturally productive and
the climate is of suoha character that it rem
edies all defects that have their origin in the
earth.
Then, too, her manufactures embrace the
catalogue of work. Everything—animal,veg
etable and mineral, which is produced in the
state, can, within the same state, be convert
ed into marketable goods. The iron ore dug
from the bowels of the earth are at home in
Georgia forges, and the cereals need no great
journey to be utilized.
But add to those many advantages the one
coming enterprise and then Georgia is com
plete within itself. This enterprise is the
silk culture, and that it not only can be made
but now actually is a success, was clear
ly proven to a Constitution representative
yesterday.
At the corner oi Harris and Calhoun streets
there resides an Americanized Hungarian
whose early life was spent with the caterpil
lar, the crysalis and the butterfly. He is a
small man of about thirty or thirty-five years
of age, attd is now doing more towards devel
oping the silk culture in Georgia than proba
bly any one man in the state. His association
with the silk worm in his youth gave him a
thorough education uj>on tiie subject. Then
lie learned their wants, tbeir habits and tbeir
worth, and now that knowledge stands him
well.
For several days past an investigation of
this gentleman’s cocoonery has been contem
plated by a Constitution representative, but
it was not until yesterday that the contem
plated investigation was made. Early in the
morning the reporter sought the gentleman's
home. He was found busily engaged behind
the counter of a small grocery store, and
greeted the scribe with a pleasant smile.
“This is Mr. Dittler, I guess,” remarked the
reporter by way of introduction.
"Yes, tllai’s my name. What can I do for
you?” was his reply.
“I am told that you are engaged in raising
silk worms and I have called for the purpose of
seeing just what you are doing, what you
think of y our enterprise, and what your pros
pects are?”
“Well, I have a few worms, and am doing
well with them. But if yon will come with
nte you can see for yourself,” and leading the
way* Mr. Dittler went into a small room in the
rear of his store.
The room was about eight by twelve feet,
and contained nothing but two common
tables, some baskets aud a couple of chairs.
Upon these tables the reporter saw as he
entered the room an immense pile of green
leaves and >wigs, but upon a closer examina
tion his optics took in a “million” caterpill
ars. They were crawling lazily over the
leaves, and created anything but a favorable
impression upon the reporter.
“Here you see tiie beginning of the fabric
which is so much coveted by ladles,” began
Mr. Dittler. “But there are only a few of
those who wear silk who know its origin.
See,” continued he, picking up an ugly, slimy
worm and stroking it us quietly as a lady
would her pet poodle, “here is the beginning
Of the silk. Notice this fibre or thread I ant
ura\ving from its mouth. This is what silk is
made of.”
“How many worms have you here?”
“A hoot live thousand, I guess. I bought
five thousand eggs in the spring, and I have
had splendid luck.”
“How long have you been in this busi
ness?”
“In this country only a few months, but in
the old country a long time?"
“Where are you from? Mow long have you
been in this country?”
“I came from Hungary, and have been in
America twelve years.”
“Were.you a silk cultivator in Hungary?”
“Well, yea. Iu that country it is custom
ary for tlie boys to raise silk-worms. They
thereby secure their pocket money,and many
have made tlieir start in life by bundling co
coons. Whew I was a hoy at home 1 made
quite a little sum by adhering to this habit.”
“What indiaced you to try it here?”
“Well, for some time past I have thought
that this climate was just the thing fotr silk
worms, and early in tiie spring I saw the card
in Tub Constitution about a gentleman in
Memphis who bad eggs to seli. 1 wrote to
bint and purchased five thousand eggs, and
you see the result before you.”
“What do the eggs look like atid what did
you do with them?”
“They are small, being about the size of a
mustard seed and are of a sl-ite or violet
color. It vvas 'ouite warm when I got them
and I spread them in this room on paper.
About toe Cth of April the first hatched.
Ti:e worrit then* was about the size of a small
forest ant and was very biack. Immediate
ly after they were hatched I covered them
with mulberry, leaves aud they began at once
to eat and grow. At this aga-. as weil as at
all other ages antil after the fourth moult
for that matte', the worm is a good eater.
(They shed their skins four times, this is
called moulting, and at such times they are
very delicate anil require the-greatest care.
With each new skin they become larger in
size,increase in their demand stor food and be
come lighter in color.”
“Yes, but where docs the silk come from?”
“Well, give me time and I will tell you all
about it. In about ten days after the hist
moulting they begin to spin.oc, as you would
have me say, make silk. This process is very
strange to one not acquainted with the worm.
The spinning apparatus is near- the mouth,
and is connected with the siikbags, wlticb'are
long and slender, containing a liquid
gum. The- thread is produced through
two ori fires in the nose of
the worm aud the two fibres on issuin,
forth are sutured together by the glutinous
matter which accompanies them and forms
nearly one-fourth their weight. The average
size of each of these primary fibres is about
one two thousandth part of an inch.”
“But where do they put the silk, and what
is this ball? What is tliisinside that rattles?”
That »the silk itself. When the worm
begins to spin we put it in a receptacle pre
pared for Itiat purpose, and then they begin
to move. First they' drop this floss, we call
it floss, but it is the same as the cocoon for a
protection to the cocoon, and then begin an
endless march which lasts until the caterpil
lar is transformed into the crysalis. Within
this outer covering the worm spins fine silk,
bending the head and body up and down and
crossing to every side until the entire Itody is
covered. The inside of the cocoon is fine
silk.”
“Then, after the crysalis is formed, wliat?”
“Next comes its escape, its life as a butter
fly, its deposit oi eggs, from which the worm
gets its origin, and then death ends its ca
reer.”
“Do they eat much of the mulberry?”
“I don’/ feed them on mulberry. The tra
ditional food for the worm is the mulberry,
but I have found here in Atlanta that osage
orange even beats it, and my fine cocoons
show it. In fact, I think they like the osage
orange better than the mulberry.”
“And you think the climate will let the
worm prosper here?”
“I know it. Why, in European countries
where they make so much silk, the climate
is not half so favorable. There they have to
resort to artificial heat—men carrying the
eggs on their bodies to make them hatch.
Here the natural temperature batches the
egg, and the rare cold days during the season
can be set aside by a iittlelire.”
“Now, the the leading question is, will ihis
pay?’
“I have no doubt of it. In fact I
ant so well satisfied with my experiment
that I ant going to sell my store and
stock and go a few miles front Atlanta and
buy ten acres of land. See, bore are the
figures. It is estimated that 40.000 worms
will produce 125 pounds cocoons, but I sav
let us take 50,000 worms to prouttce ldo
pounds cocoons. I can easily handle one
million worms which would give me 2 ,000
pounds of cocoons. The cocoons will sdl
readily for $2 per pound which would be
§4,000. We deduct one-third for expenses,
and that is twice too much, and you have
cleared $2,500 and done it inside of ten Weeks.
Iam satisfied it will pay big.”
Our Railroad.
From the Cummiug Clarion.
It is now pretty well settled that a railroad
will be built front here to Roswell. The peo
ple along the line are becoming aroused,
many being teady to do their part in the good
work. A preliminary survey is now being
made and as soon as the route is definitely
determined on, the money, or its equivalent,
will be raised at once, a permanent survey and
grading commenced, and in twelve or fifteen
months the snort of the iron horse he heard
in the land. This is no delusion—it is a fact
which the near future will develop. All
should be ready to help. It will be the mak
ing of the county- will benefit everybody in
it. Now is the time for every man, woman
and child to talk railroad. The anvil is in
place, the iron is hot, let every one strike
while he may. The Clarion is enthusiasti
cally for a railroad. Active and energetic
men who mean business are pushing away at
the good work. Roswell is aflame, Milton
booming, and Forsyth not lagging. We tue
bound to have a railroad.
A Scandal Sensation.
From ihe Waycross Reporter.
Our town has been the scene of an excited
populace, over a scandal too revolting to ad
mit of comment in detail through our decent
columns. We reprobate all such offenses
against decency, and while they deserve at
our hands, as a journalist, the severest con
demnation, we forbear to do more than say
we hope such a shocking crime will not again
happen in our midst, lest we may feel called
upon to hold it up to the public gaze in an
unmistakable transparent light, by telling the
whole story and giving names, too.
Tunis Campbell’s Return,
From the Darien Gazette.
After an absence of just eight years, old
man Tunis G. Campbell, sr., ex-state senator,
ex-penitentiary convict and ex-boss of McIn
tosh county, arrived in town from Washing
ton on Sunday evening last. We have not
seen tlie old man, and learn that he is keep
ing close until after court, when he proposes
to make a big speech to his people. The ob
ject of the old man’s visit to Darien just now
is not known by any but those in his confi
dence. We will keep our readers posted as to
his doings iu this section.
Death of Two Aged Ladies.
From the Wrightsvillo Recorder.
Mrs. Dent, an aged lady living in the upper
part of this county, died on Thursday, the
18th instant, and Mrs. Powell, living in the
lower part of tint county, died on Friday, the
19th instant. We.failed to get the exact ages
of these two women, but from the best infor
mation that we could gat, they were each up
wards of ninety years old. They both leave
in our county many descendants.
Cherokee Farming. »
From the Cummin g Clarion.
Silas Paine, five miles southwest of Canton,
last year raised 540 bushels of sweet potatoes.
The cultivation, gathering and preserving this
crop cost $33.80. He now hits on three and a
half acres 24,000 plants set. If seasonable, he
expects nearly one thousand bushels of pota
toes. He says this will beat twenty acres of
best cotton.
Growing From the Topi
From the Athens Banner.
At Paper, last winter, a willow tree washed
over the dam, the body standing entirely out
from tlie earth, but one of its to]? limbs rests
in a pool of water. It is now in full leave,
and bids fair to grow into a fine tree, taking
root from its top.
TOPICS FOR THE TABLE.
From the E'berton Sun.
Cherries. Mulberries. Snap-beans. Wormy plums.
I.ilghniug bugs. Green apples and salt.
From the Thomaston Times.
Plums are ripa. Growing weather. Wheat eut
ting is in order. Flour will soon be cheap.
From the Fort Valley Mirror.
Berries are abundant. The cherry crop is almost
a failure. Watermelons are doing remarkably well.
From the DwMin Gazette.
We have received a very large beet from Mr. W.
F. Harvard, of Laurens Hill, ,ut tlie Siamese twin
order. The root is ihe same but has two separate
and distinct heads. We are el,id to know that Will
has proven himself a good gardener, but must sug
gest to him that it might not be prudent for him to
eat such double beets.
From tiie Atnericus Recorder.
Mr. W. K. Dorn, of Friendship, on Friday brought
in a load of the finest cabbages tvo have seea any
where. One that he left at our office weighed
twelve pounds. He planted 1,200 head last spring,
and this fall intends to put out about 5,UW>. He
says truck fa. swing beats cotton.
From the Perry Home Journal.
The editor ef this paper measured a collat'd plant
in his garden which he though: \v<P> extra targe.
The measurement uus, 23 incites high, t.% inches
across, and l:’.” 1 ! inches in circumference. It is
seen that this phial might be described as “low up
and high around.”
From the Perry Home Journal.
We in a inclined to the belief that onr wsfe is pre
paring to deal “fnwliy” with some of the delegates
or visitors to the disiriet meeting here in July next.
Ishe has had chickens hatched since the lith of
March last, ISO of which arc still living. She also
positively asserts that one of tier hens laid; two eggs
yesterday morning, both fully developed. The hen
is still hearty.
- MAIDS AND MOONLIGHT.
Fron the Augusta News.
These beautiful moonlight nights arabeing Util
ized for delightful buggy drives.
From the Talbottoit Register.
The girls of Talbotton, already the fairest under
the sun. j;ost look delicious iu their new hats and
sweet calicoes.
From the Walton News.
Red hair is all the rage now, and black haired
girls will have to dye. * fop is known by his dress,
a gentleman by his address.
From the Amerieus Recorder.
Nothingcan be more beautiful or appropriate lor
summer than pure white, and it Is with pleasure
that we observe so many of our young ladies ar
rayed in white dresses.
THIRTY YEARS OLD.
From The Chicago Tribune.
Only a bit of paper.
Crushed, and torn, and old—
Only a verse and a scripture line,
A ml a name my glance to hold;
But a gentle face and a loving smile
Float out from ihe mists of years,
Aud tender eyes are seeking mine,
Now dimmed with memory’s tears.
I feel the toueh of a kindly band—
I list to a voice that was low and sweet;
I am led, as of yore, through the foreRt shades—
« iid flowers are blooming about my feet.
Oh beautiful skies! Oh fragrant flowers!
O woodland haunts and bird notes sweet!
O childhood’s careless, happy hours!
O dreams so pure and joys so fleet!
How are ye pictured iu colors true
As I gaze on these faded lines!
How the wine of Life is quaffed anew!
How the sun of the future shines!
How stranve that fingers these lines could trace
Are only dust in a graveyard now;
That tlie mold should cover the beautiful face
And hide forever the placid brow;
While flowers still bloom, and grasses wave,
And cloudlets float iu tlie azure sky.
And cast their shadows upon a grave
That holds its tresisure as years go by!
O friend of my childhood, stoop from the skies.
And whisper thv counsels sweet, as of yore.
And say that in Heaveti is a purer prize
Than the Earth-bores f&dtu to bloom no more.
—M. Adelie Hazlett