256 
Variation in the Pi-ice and Supply of Wheat. 
The late war has very materially interrupted the industry of the State, and 
the capital of all who invested in bank and many other joint stock companies 
has been nearly annihilated. 
The new system of free labour has of necessity been (without experience or 
organisation on the part of employers) an experiment, upon the results of which 
data for future operations will be furnished. 
As respects the labour performed by the freed class, reports are various. The 
majority would indicate that a good day's work is not obtained by the employer 
for a good day's wages ; and also, that in many cases, little dependence can be 
placed on their adhering to a contract ; and in most cases, where they have 
rented land, or worked " on shares," they have failed in fulfilling their engage- 
ments. In other respects they have generally conducted themselves well under 
their newly-acquired privileges. 
Agriculture. — Indian corn is the staple cereal of the State, and ujwn a good 
or bad harvest of this grain much of domestic prosperity depends. The north- 
eastern counties, in most seasons, supply other parts of the State, and send a 
considerable surplus to Baltimore and Norfolk. 
Rice. — Under the new system of free labour many believed that the cultiva- 
tion of this cereal would be abandoned, because of the unheal thiness of the rice 
lands and the expected scarcity and unsteadiness of labour and labourers. The 
production has vastly decreased this year ; but it appears probable that the 
cultivation will henceforth considerably increase, as the stimulus of high prices 
is beginning to be felt. 
Tobacco. — The cultivation of this product is confined to the northern counties 
of the State which border on Virginia, and nearly all the tobacco grown in 
North Carolina finds a market or outlet in Norfolk, Petersburg, or Kichmond. 
It cannot be said that Wilmington is a tobacco market. 
WJieat. — This grain has been, during some years, produced in such abund- 
ance as to furnish nearly the domestic demand. The same cause that has so 
materially curtailed the corn crop the two years last past has hkewise nearly 
ruined the wheat crop, viz., unseasonable drought. It may also be remarked 
that the culture of this cereal is very defective ; but a change for the better has 
begun to take place, which, in due time, may eventuate in greatly increased 
production. 
Cotton. — The State of North Carolina was scarcely reckoned in former years 
as a cotton-producing country. A large portion of North Carolina cotton 
finding an outlet from the southern counties via Charleston, and much more 
through Norfolk in Virginia, it happened that but a comparatively small 
portion of the cotton of North Carolina was shipped through the ports of the 
State — Wilmington and Newberne. 
On the further extension and completion of the Wilmington, Charlotte, and 
Rutherford Railway, the cotton of the southern counties of the State will be 
shipped at Wilmington. 
The iron and coal beds in Chatham country were worked during the 
war. 
Eafts of timber are floated down the Caj^e Fear River to Wilmington, 
and are there sawed into lumber — boards, planks, and scantling. 
Turpentine, Crude — is the gum which exudes from the wounding or 
" chipping " of the pine-tree. It is collected and put into barrels in the forests, 
and carted to the still. 
On distillation, the spirits arc put into 40 or 42-gallon casks, and the 
residuum undistilled is rosin. Tar is produced by cutting down old tur- 
pentine trees, and sweating the tar from them in close kilns. A great many 
of the inhabitants of the eastern counties are employed in the turpentine 
business. 
In Wilmington there are the following distilleries : — A. H. Van Bokkelen, 
