SOLON ROBINSON, 1845 457 



course, utterly annihilating "straight rows." This great 

 and indispensable improvement upon Mr. Leigh's farm, 

 was done by his very intelligent son, Randolph, who until 

 the present year has had the sole charge of overseeing 

 the plantation; thereby proving, that one rich planter's 

 son could make himself a useful member of society. I 

 wish I could say all sons were like this estimable young 

 man — particularly my own. In this connection, I must 

 not forget to mention Mr. Leigh's son-in-law, Dr. Town, 

 whose plantation is adjoining, and cultivated under the 

 same system, and which he wholly oversees himself. 



Mr. Leigh works 17 mules and horses, and three yoke 

 of oxen ; has about 200 hogs, 50 head of cattle, 70 sheep, 

 which are sheared twice a year, and from which he makes 

 all the light negro clothing, — he also makes all the cotton 

 clothing used. 



He hauls his cotton about seven miles, where it is 

 shipped on steamboats in high water, upon the Yalla- 

 busha river, which empties into the Yazoo, and thence 

 into the Mississippi, above Vicksburgh. All his supplies 

 come through the same source, even a year's stock of 

 flour, which he gets from Richmond, that being the only 

 kind that will keep good through the summer. Who can 

 tell why? It is important to Ohio millers, whose flour 

 can always be had considerably cheaper. 



Mr. Leigh has what but few others in this region have, 

 an abundance of stone. It is a mixture of iron and sand, 

 very hard, and is found in layers, with natural smooth 

 fractures, that fit it for building purposes. It stands fire 

 when the edge is exposed to the heat, but if reversed from 

 the position that it is found in, it scales off and flies all 

 over the house like grape shot. 



Mr. Leigh is very successful in keeping his sweet pota- 

 toes packed in cotton seed, in a well ventilated room; 

 and as a very strong evidence that his negroes do not 

 suffer much want for food, I observed that this potatoe 

 house had no fastening to prevent them from helping 

 themselves if badly pinched with hunger. 



