204 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



this plantation, even during the rolling season, upon the 

 Sabbath. As the bishop himself is necessarily absent 

 much of the time, he employs a curate, who preaches to 

 his people, every Sunday, and conducts a large Sabbath 

 school, and performs all the marriage and sepulture rites 

 required. About one third of the whole number are mem- 

 bers of the church, and are as consistent Christians as 

 are usually found in any community. 



The average yield of corn upon this place, is about 26 

 bushels to the acre, and the amount required for planta- 

 tion use, about 11,000 bushels. 



Mr. Botner, the very intelligent overseer, is of the 

 opinion that green bagasse injures land; but when rotten, 

 is the best manure in the world. 



He is also of the opinion that subsoil plowing won't pay 

 cost. In this, of course we differ. But I give opinions 

 as I find them, for what they are worth, for the use of 

 others. He uses the "Beranger plow," but thinks the 

 "Jacob plow" the best of any ever tried in stiff land. He 

 also thinks the "sidehill plow" one of the most labor- 

 saving kind of tools in plowing back ditch banks. Much 

 of the land in cultivation is newly cleared, and, of course, 

 full of vegetable matter. Upon this, he thinks it abso- 

 lutely necessary to burn the cane leaves and tops, as it 

 would be very troublesome to attempt to plow them 

 under, and would be of no real benefit. The distance 

 apart of cane rows, upon this place, is eight feet. 



I am not willing to close the sketch of my visit to this 

 place, without bearing testimony to the high character, 

 both as a gentleman, an improving agriculturist, and a 

 kind master to those whom Providence has placed him in 

 charge of, which is universally accorded to Bishop Polk. 

 As to his most excellent wife, she is certainly such a one 

 as a great many planters' ladies might well imitate. 



