92 
THE TRAVELLER. - NO. 4. 
government and people by a course of educa¬ 
tion, shall disprove that foolish falacious doc- 
trince —there is no science in agriculture. 
Fifteen miles from the Potomac, we pass the 
town of Fredericksburg; from thence to Rich¬ 
mond, 63 miles, ther© is no town nor village of 
any consideration, and but few well-improved 
looking farms in sight. The cheapness of land, 
healthiness of the country, and convenience of 
the road, I should think, offer great inducements 
to immigrants from the north. The president 
of the road, a worthy branch of the old Virginia 
family of Robinsons, told me the company 
would transport lime at a very low rate for the 
purposes of improvement. 
December 18th was a clear lovely day at 
Richmond, and the fact that stores kept open 
doors and small fires, will show my northern 
readers a contrast to their own condition upon 
the same day. 
Left this evening at 6£ o’clock upon the Peters¬ 
burg Railroad, which is now in excellent con¬ 
dition, and of much importance to travellers—it 
would be more pleasant if it connected by cars 
instead of stages, with the road at Richmond 
and Petersburg. The length is 22 miles. Fare 
$1. Passengers take supper at Petersburg, and 
continue their journey at 9 o’clock to Weldon, 
63 miles—five hours. Fare $3. Thence to Wil¬ 
mington, 160 miles, eleven hours. Fare $5. 
Having driven over the same route several times, 
I am able to speak of it in a manner I could not 
do by a mere night passage. Some twenty miles 
south, the land is very level, sandy surface with 
clay subsoil, which holds the water and gives 
the country an appearance of sterility to which 
it is not entitled. These lands, if well drained 
and manured, and set in grass, would give more 
profitable returns than any corn farm in the 
state. I understand some New-Jersey farmers are 
already developing their value. This railroad 
also offers great facilities to farmers both to 
improve their land by lime and in transporting 
produce to market. Travellers who grumble at 
the bad condition of the road would not do so 
if they knew what difficulties the company have 
had to encounter, and how poorly as yet they 
have been paid. Passengers for Raleigh leave 
this train about midnight, right in the woods ; 
and those for Wilmington have to change cars 
at Weldon at 2 or 3 o’clock, in the open air, 
which, although a serious inconvenience, is far 
better than the old mode of staging. 
Weldon is an inconsiderable village on the 
Roanoke, and there is one other upon the road 
between there and Petersburg; but from Wel¬ 
don to'Wilmington, there is scarcely a place of 
importance enough to bear that title. Nearly 
the whole length of this road is now in admi¬ 
rable order; and when it is considered that it 
has been built by the persevering industry and 
energy of the small town of Wilmington, through 
an almost entire wilderness, I am disposed to 
give them a tribute of high praise for the great 
work they have done. 
From Goldsboro’ to Wilmington, nearly the- 
whole produce of the country is turpentine. 
What a curious appearance to a stranger is pre¬ 
sented by pines upon a turpentine place. The 
white sides of the trees look like so many mar¬ 
ble monuments, when seen by a dim light 
through the dark forest. Forty miles of this 
part of the road is level and straight—the land 
is poor, surface water in a wet time nearly cover¬ 
ing the whole vast extent. 
Wilmington is the great emporium of America 
for pitch-pine lumber and turpentine. It is 
situated upon the side of a very sandy hill, 30 
miles above the mouth of Cape-Fear River. 
Here we take steamers for Charleston, 180 
miles. Fare $5—time 17 hours. There are 
some valuable rice plantations upon this river. 
Dr. Hill, whom I chanced to meet on the steamer 
going down to his plantation, told me he made 
70 bushels to the acre last season, and has made 
90. A railroad is now building to connect the 
Wilmington road with the South-Carolina roads, 
in order to avoid the unpleasant sea voyage to 
Charleston. 
I arrived at Charleston December 2&th—per¬ 
fect balmy May morning—think of that ye men 
of frost and snow and December storms ! 
Charleston Market .—December 21st., I have 
just returned from viewing the abundance of 
green vegetables, flowers and spring-like pro¬ 
ductions for sale, and now sit writing at an 
open window, enjoying the luxury of such deli¬ 
cious weather in winter. How unfortunate it 
does not continue throughout the year; but the 
difficulties, connected with summer in South 
Carolina, are equal to those in winter to the in¬ 
habitants of Canada and Vermont; perhaps 
more so, for health is more affected. How much 
every one should study contentment with his 
own lot, striving more to improve his situation 
than to change it. 
Small Corn Crops .—In a visit to John’s Island, 
I find much of the corn planted last spring did 
not produce over five bushels to the acre. What 
a difference between this and the premium crops 
of Kentucky, 190 bushels to the acre! Sweet 
potatoes did not average probably over 50 
