SOLON ROBINSON, 1850 365 



tide-water marsh, and part of it timber swamp. Besides 

 this, Gov. A. cultivates 500 acres in corn, oats, and pota- 

 toes ; the balance is gardens, yards, lawns, and in woods, 

 pasture, and unreclaimed swamp. Wood is becoming 

 scarce on the island, so much so, that he drives the steam 

 engine to thresh the crop, by burning straw, which an- 

 swers a good purpose, but is of doubtful economy ; though 

 he intends carefully to save and apply the ashes, which 

 are very abundant, and note the difference in value, be- 

 tween that application and the manure made from the 

 decomposed straw. It is generally calculated that two 

 thirds of the straw will be sufficient fuel to thresh the 

 crop ; but Governor Aikin has not found it so. He says 

 there is no more danger of fire in the use of straw than 

 in any other fuel. The flue is carried off fifty or sixty 

 feet along the ground and there rises in a tall stack that 

 never emits any sparks. Sugar planters, and all farmers 

 who use steam, may do well to notice this. I recollect Mr. 

 Burgwyn carries his off from his barn in the same way, 

 with the same effect. 



Governor Aikin, however, has one improvement that 

 I recollect mentioning to Mr. B., that he would require ; 

 that is, a "man hole" into this flue, to enable him to clean 

 out the great accumulation of cinders at the bottom of 

 the stack. In Gov. A.'s, there are two which are closed 

 by iron covers. 



The threshing apparatus is a most convenient one. The 

 sheaves are brought from the stacks in the great smooth 

 yard, to a large shed where all the sheltered grain can be 

 saved, and are there opened and laid on carriers, similar 

 to cane carriers, which carries them up to these machines 

 in the second story, where the grain is separated from 

 the straw, and falls down into winnowing machines, 

 from whence it is removed by hand, (it might be carried 

 by machinery,) to another part of the building over a 

 canal, and is let down into boats to carry about half a 

 mile to the hulling mill, which is exactly like Col. Car- 

 son's, and driven by tide. It is carried from the boats to 



