The soil is well adapted to the cultivation of the vine and olive trees ; for the woods abound with native grapes, from which, as well as from the fruit of imported wine has been occasionally made ; and from the olive trees which have been naturalised in Carolina, olives are pre pared and preserved equal to any that can be imported. The culture of these excellent fruits. however. has been almost entirely neglected, in the general eagerness of the planters to have extensive crops of the more profit able articles, rice and cotton. Hemp and flax have been raised in considerable quantities, and in the year 1784 were noted as articles of export, though only to the trifling amount of three tons of the former. and 171 casks of the latter. Tobacco, which is an indigenous plant of Amc rica, thrives remarkably well in Carolina. The expor tation of it amounted in 1799, to 9646 hogsheads, and it might be raised to any extent ; but the superior value of cotton has left the culture of tobacco compa ratively neglected. The soil, both of the swamps when completely drained, and of the highlands, is admi rably adapted to the growth of maize or Indian corn. But the culture of that grain, which is considered as a more nutritious aliment for labouring people than even rice, has given place to that of cotton, and it is even im ported in great quantities on the sea-coast for domestic use.
Such are the articles of agricultural produce in Caro lina, with the relative importance assigned to them by the planters. The genial soil of that country is equal to almost any production, and with proper culture might be made to yield at least ten times its present value. A society was incorporated in 1785, for the purpose of pro moting the improvement of agriculture. Their object was to appropriate a farm to agricultural experiments, to import and circulate such exotics as were suitable to the climate of Carolina, and to award premiums to those who introduced any important improvement into the art. Till lately their efforts were much restrained by the want of funds, but this obstacle has been removed by the successful issue of a lottery, established for the benefit of the institution. The society is now clear of debt, and possesses a farm of forty-two acres in the vici nity of Charleston, in which agricultural experiments are occasionally made. It consists of forty members, whose annual subscription of twenty-five dollars each, added to the proceeds of the late lottery, will enable them to proceed with vigour in the objects of their asso ciation The period of vegetation in Carolina comprehends, in favourable years, from seven to eight months, com mencing in January and February, and terminating in October or November. The frosts which generally prevail in the months of November, December, Janua ry, and February, are too severe for the delicate pro ductions of more southern latitudes. Carolina cannot he reckoned a remarkably good fruit country, yet there is scarcely a month of the vegetating season which does not furnish some species of fruit. Blackberries, straw berries, raspberries, and apricots, are ripe in April and May ; plumbs, blackberries, early pears, apples, pc-aches, figs, and nectarines follow ; water melons and musk me lons continue from June to October; pomegranates, late peaches, pears, apples, grapes, and winter plumbs, conic in towards the termination of the hot weather ; haws, sloes, and fox grapes, in October ; chinquapins, ches nuts, and persinions, still later. Gooseberries, currants,
and cherries, have never grown to any purpose in the low country. Wild cherries are common in the woods, but in gardens, cherry trees, though they grow well, have never good crops of fruit. Figs, apricots, nectarines, pples, pears, peaches, olives, pomegranates, almonds, and the pechan or illinois nut, though exotics, have been naturalized to good purpose in Carolina, and en dure all the varieties of season ; orange trees can stand the frosts of winters, but in very severe seasons their stems are occasionally destroyed. No species of fruit thrives so well in this country as pears, pomegra nates, and water melons; the latter, in particular, grow to an enormous size, and are superior perhaps to ally in the world.
The forests of South Carolina abound with many va luable species of timber ; and its fields yield a profusion of plants, whose curious structure, singular beauty, or medicinal virtues, render them alike interesting to the botanist and physician. Of these Dr Ramsay has given an extensive list, which we regret that our limits will not allow us to transcribe.
Of the aboriginal animals of South Carolina, several species have disappeared. Of those which remain, the most remarkable are the bear, panther, wild cat, wolf, beaver, grey fox, red deer, otter, wild rat, black squir rel, grey squirrel, flying squirrel, ground squirrel, pole cat, mink, opossum, racoon, lizard, alligator, scorpion, toad. The following animals have been imported and domesticated : the cow, horse, ass, hog, sheep, dog, and cat.
Of the immense variety of birds with which South Carolina abounds, the most remarkable are, the bald eagle, fishing hawk, pigeon hawk, grey hawk. swallow tailed hawk, night hawk, turkey buzzard, carrion crow. large owl, screech owl, Carolina cuckoo, perroquet, blue jay, purple jackdaw, red-winged starling, or black bird, rice bird, large white bellied woodpecker, gold winged wood pecker, red bellied wood pecker, hairy wood pecker, yellow bellied wood pecker, small spotted wood pecker, nut hatch, great and small sanguillah, wild pigeon, turtle clove, ground clove, May bird, robin, thrush, Carolina bull-finch, large swamp sparrow, little sparrow, snow bird, mocking bird, blue grosbeak, pur ple finch, painted finch or nonpareil, blue linnet, chat terer, blue bird, crested fly-catcher, black cap fly-catch er, swamp red bird, highland red bird, summer red bird, crested titmouse, yellow titmouse, pine creeper, yellow throated creeper, humming bird, king fisher, chattering plover or kill deer, whistling plover, pooping crane, blue heron, little white heron, crested bittern, cormorant, white curlew, brown curlew, oyster catcher, Canada goose, small white brans goose, great grey brant goose, duck and mallard, canvas-back cluck, (found in Carolina every spring,) gannet, large black duck, ball neck duck, round crested duck, summer duck, little brown duck, blue winged teal, white-faced teal, black cormorant, fla mingo, water pelican, wild turkey, pheasant or mountain partridge, small partridge or quail, wren, swallow, mar tin, whip poor-will or goat-sucker, snipe, wood cock, marsh hen, Indian pullet.