SOLON ROBINSON, 1845 467 



farm in the county, until the present season, side-hill 

 plows have been almost unknown. Those of Barnaby & 

 Mooer's, that I have seen, are entirely too large. If 

 they will make a light, one-horse size and send them here, 

 they will find a market. The few now in use are the 

 tumbling shares. 



If any of my readers are anxious to know how such 

 steep hill sides can be cultivated, they must come and 

 see — I cannot tell them. There are many farms that do 

 not contain a spot of level land large enough to build a 

 house upon; but the fertility of the soil is so great and 

 so inexhaustible while it remains unwashed away, that 

 it has tempted men to overcome difficulties that never 

 would have been encountered upon poorer land. Although 

 the cultivated hill-sides are much steeper and more num- 

 erous than those of Capt. Eggleston, yet I believe the 

 same system could be adopted to save this excellent soil 

 from utter destruction. Though it does not appear to 

 wash away quite so easily as the lighter lands up north, 

 yet I find places here gone past all redemption, and 

 worthless for every purpose except Bermuda-grass pas- 

 tures, over which nothing could range but sheep and 

 goats. In fact the whole country looks more suitable 

 for a sheep range than for anything else, and in no part 

 of the United States could wool be raised to better ad- 

 vantage. Of the feed for them I shall speak hereafter, 

 and as to the deterioration of the wool on account of 

 the climate, I have only one word to say, and that is 

 "fudge!" If any one chooses to contend for the contrary, 

 I will bring witnesses. 



We left the Doctor's place for our ride on the 25th 

 of February, which was so hot that it was very uncom- 

 fortable. On account of the high water in the Chitta- 

 loosa, the Indian name for the "Big Black," and a much 

 better one, to my notion, we had to go a round about way. 

 We passed during the day, in our twenty miles ride to 

 Vicksburgh, some very good plantations, and as is almost 

 universal in the state, all well fenced, and but very few 



