14 SEVENTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OE THE 



1 799, Captain Peter Gaillard, of the Rocks planta- 

 tion, averaged three hundred and forty dollars per 

 hand ; and in the same year Captain James Sinkler, 

 at Belvldere, from a crop of three hundred acres, 

 realized the amount of two hundred and sixteen 

 pounds per acre, for much of which he received 

 seventy-five cents per pound, and for none less than 

 fifty cents — total, five hundred and nine dollars per 

 hand. When first planted as a crop, various were 

 the modes adopted for its cultivation, both as to the 

 distance most proper and the amount of tillage 

 necessary. The crop of Captain Gaillard above 

 alluded to was planted on hills four feet square, and 

 two stalks left in each hill. Four workings were 

 deemed sufiicient for making a crop : the first hoe- 

 ing was invariably a flush or hoeing down process ; 

 afterwards it was drawn up. The seeds were uni- 

 versally planted in drills on the beds, which were 

 four feet apart and about their present size ; the 

 thinning was done by careful hands selected from 

 the gang, doing daily three half acres the first and 

 four at the second thinning. 



Peter Gaillard was born at the residence of his 

 father, at Wambaw, St. James' Parish, Santee, in 

 the year 1757, being the youngest of a family of five 

 sons and three dauo^hters. He and David were full 

 brothers, his father having a second time married 

 after the birth of the first six children. The parents 

 were among the Huguenot emigrants from France 



