Двенадцать лет рабства

           Asugarfieldishoedthreetimes,thesameascotton,savethatagreaterquantityofearthisdrawntotheroots. BythefirstofAugusthoeingisusuallyover. AboutthemiddleofSeptember,whateverisrequiredforseediscutandstackedinricks,astheyaretermed. InOctoberitisreadyforthemillorsugar-house,andthenthegeneralcuttingbegins. Thebladeofacane-knifeisfifteenincheslong,threeincheswideinthemiddle,andtaperingtowardsthepointandhandle. Thebladeisthin,andinordertobeatallserviceablemustbekeptverysharp. Everythirdhandtakestheleadoftwoothers,oneofwhomisoneachsideofhim. Theleadhand,inthefirstplace,withablowofhisknifeshearstheflagsfromthestalk. Henextcutsoffthetopdownasfarasitisgreen. Hemustbecarefultoseverallthegreenfromtheripepart,inasmuchasthejuiceoftheformersoursthemolasses,andrendersitunsalable. Thenheseversthestalkattheroot,andlaysitdirectlybehindhim. Hisrightandlefthandcompanionslaytheirstalks,whencutinthesamemanner,uponhis. Toeverythreehandsthereisacart,whichfollows,andthestalksarethrownintoitbytheyoungerslaves,whenitisdrawntothesugar-houseandground. 

           Iftheplanterapprehendsafrost,thecaneiswinrowed. Winrowingisthecuttingthestalksatanearlyperiodandthrowingthemlengthwiseinthewaterfurrowinsuchamannerthatthetopswillcoverthebuttsofthestalks. Theywillremaininthisconditionthreeweeksoramonthwithoutsouring,andsecurefromfrost.