1838] 



FARMERS* REGISTER. 



59 



niers' Register, I drank his health in a glass ofi 

 persimmon beer. 1 am not only pleased with his 

 remarks, but lii^lily liralilicd that tiie genlleii\;in 

 has employed his able pen on the snbjeL-l of this 

 valuable tree. I find very little diderence between 

 his opinions and mine, and il rarely happens that 

 two eommunii'.aiions on the same subject, acci- 

 dentally (ailing together, should correspond in so 

 many particulars. We agree perlectly, as it re- 

 gards the use and value of the persimmon tree. 

 It will be seen, however, by the reader, that he 

 has discovered an astrin<rent acid quality, in the 

 leaves and unripe fruit, which, when conibiiied 

 with iron, gives a black color lor ink. To make 

 amends lor this, I have given the medicinal pro()- 

 erties of the bark. He has discovered vinegar 

 for table use; to meet this, I have given a good 

 receipt for making beer, lie has also informed us, 

 that the wood of this tree makes shoe-lasts; ami I 

 have told you, the Avood of the persimmon tree 

 makes bed-posts. His molasses and sugar stand 

 ready to sweeten my cofi'ee and tea, and the two 

 communications are so nicely poised and equally 

 balanced, that it is impossible to tell which will 

 kick the beam. I regret, however, that the learn- 

 ed gentleman has obtained brandy by the distilla- 

 tion of persimmon beer; ji^r it may have a very de- 

 moralizinff etiect in eastern, Virflfinia; the brandy 

 drinkers will require such a demand on the product 

 of this tree next lall and winter, ihat we may lose 

 our sugar, molasses, pies and puddings. Should 

 this be the case, there will, 1 suspect, be a tumul- 

 tuous scuffle, and all make a siuiultaneous move- 

 ment in ortler to obtain ine great pr'ze. Then, as 

 Jim Black would say, 'Hhe longest pole takes the 

 si'm/fto/is." I am of the opinion, that persimmon 

 beer contains no alcohol, and although it is Ibund 

 in most fiirmented fiuids, 1 have never witncf^sed 

 any intoxicatuig effects from the use of this bever- 

 age. Our slaves make it in great perfection, and 

 use it li-eely wiihoutany apper.rance of inebriation. 

 An old servant in my family was remarkal)le lor 

 making good persimuion beer, and whenever ! 

 would pass the door of his house, he never fiiiled 

 to invite me in to taste his beer. "Come, master, 

 drink some beer; simmon beer and ash-cake is 

 equal to cash; but it don't make glad come like 

 wliiskey." Although the old man was a movea- 

 ble swill-tub as long as his beer lasted, yet I never 

 knew him to be intoxicated. I diH'er with Mr. 

 Garnett, as it regards the presence of alcohol in 

 ripe fruit. Speaking of the persimmon, he says, 

 "it contains so much of the alcoholic principle as 

 npverio ti-eeze." I have been educated to believe, 

 that alcohol is never present in ripe li'uit; its com- 

 ponents, oxygen, hydrogen and carbon, are not 

 developed or properly evolved, previous to fer- 

 mentation. Alcohol forms the true characteristic 

 of vinous liquors, and is obtained from wine and 

 other fermented fluids by distillation. 



1 will call }'our attention again to the persimmon 

 seed, as a substitute for cotiee. It has not the gen- 

 uine coffee taste, and some individuals may not 

 like it at first; but if tl#y will continue its use, 

 with one-third or one-lburth West-India coffee, 

 they must be pleased with it, and l)ut fnw can dis- 

 tinguish the tasie from genuine cofi'ee. l*,luch de- 

 pends on parchintj the seed; they should be care- 

 flilly stirred wiih a stick while parchinir, in order 

 to prevent them from burnin<z, which never tiiils 

 to give the cofi'ee a bitter taste. Twelve jjallons 



of water, to eiirhl frallons of persimmons, makes 

 the bf^er luscious, rich and very fine; it may be 

 loo brisk and sharp for delicate |)alaies; the beer 

 we generally meet with, lias doul)le the (piantily 

 ol water. Although I am of the opinion that per- 

 simmon beer is not intoxicating, yet I have wit- 

 nessed great glee, and liighly pleasurable sensa- 

 tion, produced in our slaves, over a jus-gourd of 

 beer; but I ascribe this reverie or pleasurable hila- 

 rity, to the wild notes of the "banjor," which 

 give zest to the beer. There is an indescribable 

 something in the tones of this rude instrument, 

 that strikes the most delicate and refined ear with 

 pleasing emotion; the uninterrupted twang or vi- 

 bration of its striuiis, proiluces a sound as it dies 

 away, that borders on tlie sublime. I never could 

 account ffjr its wonderful effect on a well-orgatiized 

 ear, capable of distinguishing and appreciating 

 agreeable sounds; unless it be admitted, that con- 

 cord and discord are so completely blended as to 

 produce perfect harmony. I'his opinion, however 

 absurd it may seem at first view, is not without 

 its supporters. Pope says, "all discord is harmony 

 not understood." 



The honorable (jentleman, Mr. Garnett, has in- 

 dulged in a little innocent merriment in driving us 

 a "Munchausen story" — a "mutton machine," 

 which would really be invaluable if reduced to 

 practice. With all due respect lor your valuable 

 columns, { must ask the privilege of being indulg- 

 ed in a similar strain, in giving an account of a 

 "beer dance" that came under my observation. 



Some years ago, I rode in the night to visit a 

 patient, and as 1 passed the house of Mr. Samuel 

 Poe, in the lower end of Prince Edward, I heard 

 the tones of a banjor, and was told by the old gen- 

 tleman, (Mr. Poe,) that his servants had brewed 

 a barrel of persimmon beer, and he gave them the 

 privilege of having what they called a "beer 

 dance." Curiosity induced me to ride to the door, 

 accompu ied by Mr. Poe, and the other gentle- 

 men. And here we saw rare sport ! "an unco 

 siirht !" Nor, however, such a sight as Tarn 

 O'Sh^nter saw when he peeped into "Kirk-Allo- 

 way,'" for the dancers there were ^'warlocks and 

 witches:" here they were Virginia slaves, dancing 

 jigs and clapping "juber," over a barrel of persim- 

 mon beer. It occurred to me, thai if Tain could 

 have made his appearance about this time on his 

 Li'ray mare Meg, the scene would have frifrhtened 

 Maggie more than the '^bleeze''^ of "Kirk-Allo- 

 way;" and Tam might have roared out, "weel 

 done Cutty ■Sark!"'a thousand limes, and the 

 torch-lights would not have been extinguished. 



The ball was opened with great ceremony by 

 singing a sonof known to our Virginia slaves by the 

 name of "who-zen-John, who-za." 



"Old black bull come down de hollow, 

 He shake hi' tail, you hear him bellow; 

 When he bellow he jar de river, 

 He paw de yearth, he make it quiver. 

 \Vho-zen- John, who-za." 



This was a sky-rocket thrown out, as a prelude 

 to the grand exhibition, and will ijive the reader 

 some idea of what is to fijllow. Those who could 

 not get seats in the house, took their stand outside, 

 peeping in the door and throuirh the loirs, making 

 remarks on the dancers; and here I will observe, 

 that there was a complete Babel jargon, a confu- 

 I sion of tongues ! 



