TIDE SWAMPS FOR RICE. Peedee rivers, and subject to their tides, are of similar general char- The rise and level of the tides have necessarily fixed the final elevation and grade of surface of all such lands. The earthy matters brought down the river by its floods would continue to be deposited on the marshes, and wherever else the water was most tranquil, until such deposited earth reached to the level of the height of tide water. The lower the surface was at any previous time before this height, the more water, loaded with materials for alluvium, would be over it, and the more it would receive of the tribute. And when, by such additions, the surface had risen to the full height of ordinary high Thus, there was for ages a tide, it would no more be covered, except on rare occasions, and of course its increase would almost cease. constant tendency of the waters to raise all the lower parts the fastest, and to make the lower equal in height to the highest. And when this was done as nearly as might be over any certain extent, the operation ceased there, and was continued lower down toward the sea. Thus, the alluvial lands formed by the deposits of tide rivers necessarily have surfaces very nearly level. The only general and slight exceptions are seen in the channels of small creeks or "slues" as they are called, which are needed to give discharge to the retreating waters, the rapidity of the motion of which serves to keep such passages open and deeper; and also that the land next the river side is generally higher than that farthest off, and next to the high lands. The cause of the latter effect is also obvious in this, that the water first leaving the more rapid course of the river, and spreading over the swamp, must necessarily deposit most of its suspended earthy matter first, and carries only the lighter portions to the more remote ground. However, the slope thus made is so gradual, that the difference of elevation is very slight between parts of the same swamp. This general evenness of surface is in a remarkable degree favorable to rice culture, which requires overflowing the crop at a depth as nearly equal as possible. The trees forming the natural growth and dense cover of such lands are of great size and vigor-principally of tupelo gum, ash and cypress. The undergrowth of cane, and numerous perennial or annual vines and water grasses, serving in summer to make a dense thicket. The earth, always saturated with water, is rendered firm only by its close and deep mat of roots of every description, and but for this, would be a quagmire in its natural state, and the more so in proportion to the excess of decomposed vegetable matter in the marshy soil. Also, according to the large quantity and excess of vegetable matter, will be the subsequent sinking of the land, after draining and cultivation. The excess of vegetable matter in any soil, over and above all that is chemically combined with the soil, is liable to rot and waste away. And such must be the case, sooner or later, on all tide marshes, the drying and cultivation of which produces the commencement of rotting, which the before continual wet state of the earth prevented. All the tide swamps are not capable of being properly subjected to rice culture. There must be a sufficient "pitch of tide," or ordinary variation between the levels of high and low tides, to enable the lands to be, at any desired time, either quickly flooded, or as quickly to have the overflowing water discharged. The latter object is opposed more and more by the freshets the higher the rivers are ascended, so that the upper tide lands are from this cause too precarious for rice culture. Again, salt or even brackish water is fatal to rice; and therefore the usually fresh water tide-lands near the sea are as much in danger of "salts;" that is, of the water, when needed for flowing the crop, being contaminated by salt, owing to a dry season and a scant supply of river water from above. Thus, omiting the upper tide lands, too much endangered by the river being swollen by rains, and the lower lands, too much endangered by salt tides in dry seasons, there remains on all the rivers but an intermediate body of tide lands fit and safe for rice culture. THE GENERAL MODE OF EMBANKING, DRAINING AND CLEARING TIDE-SWAMPS FOR RICE CULTURE.* WHEN a body of new tide swamp on the Waccamaw or Peedee was to be brought under rice culture, the first process has been to cut down and clear off all the trees and under-growth of bushes, cane (or reeds), &c., along the course designed for the outer embankment, for the width of about 50 yards, or such distance as would prevent the subsequent cutting down of the remaining large trees injuring the works. In making this clearing, care is taken to leave untouched a margin next to the river-side; which ought to be, but rarely has been, as wide as from 50 to 80 feet, varying according to the irregularity of the water-line. The trees, &c., cut from the cleared space, are moved inward among the standing trees, or far * For the substance and for all that may be of any value in the following statement and description of rice culture and management, I am indebted to verbal information, which I derived in conversation with practical and judicious rice planters, and principally from Dr. Edward Heriot and John H. Allston, Esq., in regard to the subject in general, and as to the more usual modes of culture and management of Rice; and to Messrs. Stephen Ford and S. C. Ford in regard to "Leggett's" and the "All-Water" plans of flooding and cultivation, as practised on Black river. CULTIVATION OF RICE. 507 enough to be out of the way both of the outer embankment and the inain ditch within and next to it. The site of the outer embankment is then determined precisely; and along the centre of its intended base there is dug a ditch 3 feet deep, 3 feet wide at top, and as much or nearly so at bottom. This digging is for two purposes: first, and principally, to remove all stumps and roots of trees from below the bottom of the future outer embankment, which, if left, would, in subsequent time, by their rotting, cause leaks to be produced; secondly, the earth dug out of this central ditch is laid regularly and closely just outside of its edge, and forms a bank sufficient to exclude the ordinary high tides from covering the land, and troubling materially the main operations which are to follow, for thoroughly embanking and clearing the land. Through this first low bank, at a suitable outlet, there is put in one of the ordinary tide-trunks, such as will serve afterward for one in the finished embankment, and which will serve sufficiently to exclude the high tides, and at low tide to discharge any accumulation of water in the area, from rains, springs, or leakage of the low bank. When carrying around this first ditch and slight embankment, all the low places which serve as outlets of small creeks or "slues" are omitted at first. When all the other parts are finished, these lower parts are undertaken, for which a different and more laborious procedure is necessary. For the length across each such slue, two parallel lines of strong stakes or piles are driven perpendicularly and deeply into the mud, and the lines wider out from the designed large embankment than its two base lines. "String-pieces," or long horizontal timbers, are placed outside of and against these upright stakes, 2 to 3 feet lower than the designed height of the bank; and these string-pieces kept in place, and made to brace and support the lines of stakes, by upright and much stronger and longer piles driven at intervals of 4 or 5 feet outside of the string-pieces, and opposite to each other across the intended embankment; and, as high as its top is to be raised, cap or cross pieces, made of round cypress poles 6 or 8 inches through, extend from each of these piles to its opposite pile, securing them in place, and the whole structure together, by mortises in the cap-pieces held by tenons on the posts. The embankment is then made within this frame-work, fully as high as the general level of the small bank, if it be not convenient then to complete the full intended size at once at these low places. The central ditch being completed, with its bank and the trunk fixed (its bottom, as in all cases, being even with lowest tide), the inner and outer lines of the base of the outside embankment are staked off-which is usually not more than 12 feet wide (and sometimes less), for a designed height of 5 feet. It ought to be 15 feet, or thrice as much as the height, at least. Within the inside base line of the embankment, stake off another line parallel to it, and 15 feet distant, if the soil be stiff, or 20 feet if light and porous, which space is for the inner margin. This width is for the river-side, or exposed parts of the embankment. If along narrow creeks, or crossbanks, the inner margin need not be more than 10 to 15 feet. Along the inside of this margin is laid off the main ditch, 8 fect wide, and 5 deep, with sides nearly perpendicular.* Out of this ditch all stumps, roots and buried bodies of trees should be entirely removed, But this is not often faithfully done; nor is the ditch always dug 5 feet deep. The earth dug out should be thrown by the ditchers as far as they can toward the site for the embankment. Afterward, when it has stood long enough to be in good condition, or is neither too wet nor too dry, this earth is thrown by women and other inferior hands to first fill the central ditch, and then to build up the embankment; keeping the earth nearly within the limits of the base. After standing long enough to be somewhat consolidated, the sides. of the bank are trimmed to their proper slope, making the embankment 5 feet high, generally, 3 feet wide at top, and as before stated 12 feet (or more) at bottom. The rise of ordinary tide is 4 to 5 feett-spring tides, 12 to 15 inches more. The general level of higher land at first usually above common high tide. If the main parallel ditch does not furnish earth enough to make the bank everywhere, the deficiencies are supplied by digging earth where it can be best spared from the wide outside margin; but care should be taken, if this course can be ever justifiable, at least not to dig anything nearer than 15 feet from the outside base line of the embankment. Unfortunately this care has been in general practice but little regarded. Generally, too little margin was left at first; and nearly all which was left at first has been since cut away to heighten the embankment, so as to leave it exposed to the winds and waves, and requiring enormous annual labor and expense to oppose the destructive action of storms upon the embankment. In beginning to bring in any one body of marsh, no matter how large, it is sometimes better to carry the first operations, already described, around the whole (except the land side, of course), although the subsequent entire clearing of the forest may require a long time for completion. Of so much of the land as is designed to be cultivated the first year, after the above-described operations, all the cane, bushes, and smallest trees are cut down, then the smaller size only of larger trees, which are lopped, and the bodies cut into lengths of 12 or 15 feet, leaving from 5 to 7 of the largest trees standing in each half acre. At a dry time the next spring, and with a good wind, fire is put to the windward side. The effect is according to circumstances; but it is deemed "a good burn" if all is consumed except the logs. If there is much cane, it serves so well as fuel, that the fire is much more effectual; in other cases, much less. The remaining logs are heaped and burnt when convenient; but by some persons often left scattered on the ground for years. The large trees left standing are afterward killed by belting, or taken out for timber as needed for use. The land cleared should be divided into fields of convenient shape and size, and each one be separated from the next by cross embankments, and surrounded, except on the sides where joining the high land, by large ditches parallel to the cross embankment. These em *This is wrong. A wider ditch, with well-sloped sides, would stand much better, and need less clearing out and subsequent repair. The greatest rise of tide low down the river-the least highest up-and in proportion between the extremes. CULTIVATION OF RICE. 509 bankments being only to keep out of one field the water admitted into another, need not be more than 7 or 8 feet wide at base, and 3 feet high-or 2 feet less high than the outer or main embankment. If however they could be as large, it would be better; as then a breach in and overflow of the outer embankment might be kept from overflowing all but the first field. The ditches furnishing earth to make them, need not be more than sufficient for that purpose, or 5 feet wide and 4 to 5 deep. The margin between the bank and the ditches is 10 to 15 feet wide. Each field thus separately embanked and ditched, should discharge and receive its water by a separate trunk connecting with the river or creek. Or if it be a back field not joining such natural outlet, then into a canal confined within two banks, and discharging through a trunk into the river. However, when such a canal is needed (as is usual) for navigation to the barns, &c., as on many plantations, then it is dug 15 feet or more, with margins say 10 feet wide, and in time becomes sometimes 20 to 25 feet, by its sides falling in, and successive clearings. There is no trunk in such case, to exclude the tide; and therefore the two banks on the sides must be high and strong enough for that purpose. Sometimes, however, the navigable canal, instead of being always open to the river, is separated from it at its outlet by a floodgate, wide enough to pass the largest flats used in transporting the crops. This is the better plan, where the canal is long, as it protects the banks on each side of it. In laying off the land into separately embanked divisions, or fields, regard ought especially to be had to having the surface of each one as nearly equal in level as possible, so that it may be flowed and drained equally. This consideration should have most influence in shaping the fields. As to the proper size, if the level be alike, that depends much on the amount of working force; as no one separately embanked division ought to be larger than the hands can finish any one operation upon in one day. Twenty acres make a very good quantity for the size of trunk used. The tide trunks used are well planned and constructed for this purpose. The trunk is 4 feet wide by 2 deep. Both ends are cut sloping, so that the bottom of the opening extends 1 inch farther out than the top. The valve or door to close the end, hangs from upright arms rising 10 or 12 feet from the bottom, by long mortises in the arms, or hinges far above the trunk, and closes it by the mere pressure of the water, when higher that side of the bank than on the other. The other end of the trunk has a like valve. But a great improvement in the trunk, which has not been very long introduced here from Savannah, is to have each gate to be raised by sliding upward (as a floodgate does), as well as to swing open by pressure of water from the opposite end. Thus, a valve can be hoisted by sliding up, by use of a lever, when the tide is pressing the valve to the aperture; whereas were it merely to open by its hinges, it could not be done until after the fall of the tide on that side, or higher rise of the water on the opposite side. This simple improvement is of great convenience and utility. When thus embanked, wide ditched, and as yet but very imperfectly cleared, the land is put the next season under rice culture. |