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THE  SOUTHERN 


PLANTER  &  FARMER 


DEVOTED  TO 


AGRICULTURE,  HORTICULTURE, 


AND    THE 


MINING,  MECHANIC,  AND  HOUSEHOLD  AKTS. 


NEW  SERIES.    Vol.  III. 


CH:   B.  WILLIAMS,        -        -        Editor   and   Proprietor. 


RICHMOND: 

TZRGCSSOK  &  EADY,  PRINTERS, 

1869. 


CONTENTS. 


JANUARY  NUMBER. 

Commencing  at  page  1. 

AGRICULTURAL    DEPARTMENT. 

Concentrated  Fertilizers,  by  Frank 
G.  Euffin 1 

Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society 
— The  President's  Address — Re- 
ports of  Executive  Committee  and 
Secretary  and  Treasurer 10 

Sbeep  and  Wool  Growing  in  New  Zea- 
land, with  Hints  as  to  Best  Sheep 
and  Grasses  for  North  Carolina....     19 

The  Dignity  of  Labor,  particularly 
when  applied  to  the  cultivation  of 
the  Earth,  by  Dr.  Th.  P.  Atkinson,     24 

Lespedeza  Striata,  Per  Contra,  by 
Frank  G.  Ruffin 27 

Report  of  Gadsden  County  Agricul- 
tural Association  to  the  State  As- 
sociation of  Florida,  Concluded...     28 

Measuring  Land - 32 

HORTICULTURAL    DEPARTMENT. 

The  Work  Before  us 33 

Market  Gardening  Around  Richmond     38 

To  Correspondents 38 

.How  to  prepare  Land  for  Orchards 

ard  Gardens 39 

Asparagus,  by  David  Z.  Evans,  Town 

Point,  Maryland 40 

Winter  Api  le3  in  Piedmont  Virgin'a 

and  North  Caroli  a,   by  Dr.  J.  J. 

TLaxtcn,  Milton,  N.  C 41 

Protection    tf   Cabbage    Piants    in 

Winter 42 

Pea  Nuts 44 

MECHANIC     ARTS. 

Mechanical  Ingenuity  of  Farmers....     49 
Labor  Saviig  Implements 50 

EDITORIAL     DEPARTMENT. 

To  the  Readers  of  the  Pian'tr  acd 
Farmer— Salutat:ry  of  F.  G.  Ruf- 
fi),  Esq.,  a*  Co-Editor 51 

Addtndum— Ch.  B.  Wi:liams,  Editor,     52 

The  Situ^tim  —  Retrospective  and 
Prosi  ejtive  

An  Agricultural  Society  in  Siuth- 
wesura  Virginii 


53 
56 

PLANTER    AND 


CORRESPONDENCE     OF     SO. 
FARMER. 

Agricultural  Society  of  the  Shenan- 
doah Val'ey 58 

To  Remove  Lice  from  Hogs 58 

The  Crops,  &c,  in  Yazoo,  Mis 69 

Book  Notices,  &c CO 

Commercial  Report 62 


CtXd 


FEBRUARY  1UUBIBER. 

Commencing  at  pvge  65. 

AGRICULTURAL    DEPARTMENT. 

Improvement  of  Land  in  Mr ntgomery 
county,     Maryland—  Latter    from 

Benjamin  Hallowell 65 

What  Do  You  Think  of  Bai  1  y? 70 

About  i he  Diseases  and  Purchase  of 

Heroes 72 

The  Easiest  V ay  to  Make  Corn 76 

Thick  vs.  Thin  ^-owing 77 

The  Economy  ai.d  Advantages  of  Cut 

Feed 79 

Time    to    Sow  Cljver — Propriety  of 
Srr  ng  Seediug  of  Spear  Grasses — 

Minuring  Com  iu  the  Hill 80 

Cheap  Food  a  Necessity— Use  More 

Vegetable' — Less  Animal  Food....     82 
Gestation — The  Period  Animals  Car- 
ry Young 85 

Chronic  Rheumatism  in   Horses 87 

Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society..     88 

Fast  Corn  Husking 90 

Feading  Stock 91 

Manual  Labor  Schcol 94 

HORTICULTURAL  DEPARTMENT. 

Our  Fruit  s;nl  Trucking  Farms 97 

Novelties 98 

Early  Corn 99 

Navy   Beans 100 

Early  Goodrich  Fotato '. 101 

Propagating  Vines  by  Eyes 102 

A  New  Fertilizer  for  Grapes 103 

Philadelphia  Raspberry 103 

Advantages  of  Keeping  Hogs  iu  Or- 
chards   105 

Seedl'or  Lawns 108 

HOUSEHOLD    DEPARTMENT. 

Domes'ic  Poultry 109 

About  Painting,  Papering,  ec Ill 

Carving  and  Helping  at  Table 113 

Cioking  Hams 114 

Household  Rcceipes 114 

MECHANIC    ARTS. 

How  to  Split  Wood  Easily 118 

Preserving  Timber 115 

EDITORIAL    DEPARTMENT. 

Value  of  the  Shuck  Crop 116 

AGieit  Difference 118 

What  is  a  Good  Rotation  for  Lands 
in  Middlesex  county,  and  What 
Kind  of  Patent  Manure  is  Best  ?...  118 
Chemical  Reseat ches  iuto  the  Com- 
position of  Tobacco — Letter  from 
Professor  Mallet 119 

20; 


I» 


INDEX. 


Scientific  and  Practical  Departments 

of  Collegiate  Education 120 

Agricultural  Fair  in  Winchester 122 

Editorial  Courtesies 122 

Defend  the  Weak  Cattle 122 

Warm  Bed  for  Pigs 122 

Agricultural  Commissioner  of  the 
Virginia    State    Agricultural    So 

eiety  123 

CORRESPONDENCE  OF  SO:  PLANTER  AND 
FARMER. 

Letters  from  Warren  and  Yazoo  coun- 
ties, Mississippi 124 

Farmers,  Giv?  Your  Experience  with 
Fertilizers  Tried 125 

Bright  Tobacco  from  the  Mountains 
of  Buncombe,  North  Carolina 12(3 

Experiments  with  Bituminous  Coal 
Ashes 12fi 

Experiment  in  Cultivation  of  Com...   127 

Books,  lit  views,  and  Cata'ogues 12S 

MARCH    >T1BER. 
Commencing  at  page  129. 

AGRICULTURAL  DEPARTMENT. 

Bottom  Lands — Their  Co  idition  and 
Irr.provement — Ditehiug  and  Dik- 
ing   129 

A  Picture  or  twr. — The  Profits  of  Cat- 
tle in   iha   Tobacco  Regions,  &c, 

No.  1 133 

Corn  Fertilizers 135 

Experiments  ij  Bee  Hives 137 

Orchard  Grass,  by  John  Washington,   140 
Irish    Potatoes   from  Virginia   Seed, 

by  Theo.  S.  Garr.ett 142 

How  to  Save  Trees  Girdled  by  Mice,   142 
Fecundyof  Grade  South  Down  Sheep 

by  R.  B.  Chaffin 143 

Domestic  Servants  at  the  North 143 

A   God   Walk  the  Best  Gait  for  a 

Horse 146 

Directions  tor  Sprouting  Sweet  Pota- 
toes     147 

The   Cranberry  in  Johnson  County, 

Tennessee 149 

Don't   Come   to    the    City,    (Young 

Man) 152 

Cutting    Fcod    fcr    Common    Farm 

Stock 153 

Virginians,  Make  Your  Own  Sor- 
ghum    155 

Keep  a  List  of  Your  Friends,  Gifts, 

Mercies,  Hopes,  Sorrows,  <fcc 158 

Ploughing  by  Steam 159 

Iri-h  Potatoes  and  Tomatoes 160 

Big  Heid — How  to  Cure 162 

Are  Onions  Profitable  ?  168 

Hay— Its  Value  as  Food,  &c 166 

HORTICULTURAL    DEPARTMENT. 

Virginia  Wine  Grape,  with  an  Illus- 
tration   168 

Nuts— Cultivation  of  them 169 

Melons 170 

Foliage  Plants .* 171 


Market  Strawberries _  171 

The  Month — Things  to  be  Done 172 

Lawns — How  to  Treat  Them 173 

Saje — How  to  Raise  it  174 

Horse  Radish — Cultivation  Recom- 
mended    174 

Some  Rose  Bush.     Tomato  Sugar...  175 

Osier  Willows 176 

The  Feeling  Roots  of  Trees 178 

Virginia  Horticultural  Society — Pro 
ceediDgs 180 

EDITORIAL     DEPARTMENT. 

Fertilizers  for  Corn,  Lespedeza  Stri- 
ata, Colworts 182 

Lice  in  Hen  Houses.  Acknowledge- 
ment for  Seeds,  Flowers,  and  Veg- 
etables   183 

Mill  for  Grinding  Bones  in  Rich- 
mond   183 

Horace  Capron,  Esq  ,  desires  Cuts, 
Descriptions,  &c  ,  of  Virginia  Ag- 
ricultural Implements 184 

Death  of  Thomas  Affleck 184 

Answer  to  Inquiry  about  Mlci  (Isin- 
glass)   185 

Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society — 
Proceedings  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee    186 

APRIL  MMiliEIi. 
Commencing  at  Page  193. 

AGRICULTURAL     DEPARTMENT. 

Physical  Survey  of  the  State — "Ab- 
stract Log"  of  Amelia  county.  &.c, 

Prof.  M.Y  Muury 193- , 

How  to  Manage  Bones 201 

Effects  of  Chesapeak  Guano,  by  Ster- 
ling E.  Edmunds 202 

Exoeriment  in   Cultivating  Tobacco 

by  Wm    M.  Bagley 203 

Advice  about  Hogs 203 

Mammoth  or  Sapling  Clover 204 

The     Future   Supply    and     price  of 

Pork 206 

Management  of  Breeding  Sows  2  8 

A  Novel  Method  of  Catching  Mice...  209 

Arithmetic  in  Farming 210 

Earth  a  Disinfectant 212 

Rolling  Wheat 213 

Value  of  Lands 214 

Do  you   want  to  buy   Sheep  ?  Letter 

ofE.  A.  Rawlins 215 

A   Home  made  Fertilizer,    by  Prof. 

J.  L.  Campbell 217 

Diseases  of  Horses  and  Cattle  by  Hon. 

A.  W.  VenabU 218 

Frauds  in  Fertilizers — Massachu- 
setts Law  to  Prevent 221 

Professor  Mallet's  Lecture  at  Char- 
lottsville 222 

HORTICULTURAL  DEPARTMENT. 

Hate  Horticultural  Society 228 

Bedding  and  Border  Plants 228 

Seed  Growing 230 

J  Blackberry  Llustrated „ 231 


INDEX. 


Notes  on  Grapes,  &\  Hurmann,  Mo.  231 

Sweet  Potato  Culture 23' 

Preventive  of   Fly  on  Tomatoes 234 

Soil  an  J  Aspect  of  the  V:neyard 2:55 

Virginia  Horticultural  and  Poraolog- 
ical  Society  —Standing  Commit- 
tees   23G 

MECHANIC    ARTS 

Black's  IluyJHoisting  Machine  Illus- 
trated   237 

Hughes'  Hand  Corn  Planter  Illustra- 
ted   239 

HOUSEHOLD    DEPARTMENT 

Diseases  of  Poultry,  by  J.  W.  L 210 

EDITORIAL    DEPARTMENT. 

Concentrated  Fertilizers  for  corn 243 

Editorial      Notices — Prof.     Mallet's 

Lecture,    Richmond    Whig,    Capt. 

Maury's  Communication 240 

What  may  prove  a  fraud  in  Cuano...  247 

Fish   Gum»  vs.  Pressed  Pish 247 

Excelsior  O  .ts 248 

Wild  Goose  Plum 248 

Fertilizers,  Flour,  and  Woolen  Mills 

at  Charlottesville 249 

Correspondence  So.  P.  &  F 251 

Redonda  Guano 251 

Euquiries  Answered 253 

Pamphlets,  &c 254 

MAT  NUMBER- 

Commencing  at  Page    257. 

AGRICULTURAL     DEPARTMENT. 

Tropical  Fruits.     Clear  Water  Har- 
bor, Florida 257 

Norway  Oits 203 

Description    and    Illustration    of    a 

Good,  Cheap  Gate 204 

Horses  for   Farm    Woik,    preferable 

to  Oxen 206 

Breaking  Colts  —  Rarey's  Method  of 

Horse  Training 208 

Distemper  in  Cattle — Preventative...   209 

Condition  of  our  Bottom  Lauds 270 

Raeult^'f  Experiments  with  several 

Fertilizers,  by  Paul  C.  Edmunds...  271 
Postage  on  Seeds,  Vines,  Grafts,  &c.  273 
An    Essay  on  the    Social  and    Mate- 
rial luterest  of  Virginia,  by  Hon. 

Willoughby  Newton 274 

Cheap  Fares  and   Freights,  the  true 

Policy  of  our  Railroads 283 

Beet  Root  Sugar  iu  England 285 

Illustration  of  the    Relation    of   the 

bony  Structure  of  the  Horse  to  his 

Body 286 

M    Vile's    Book  on    High    Farming, 

without  Manure  Reviewed 287 

Left  11  ind  Ploughs — the  use  of  them  292 
A  Large  and    Paying  Application  of 

Gj auo 293 

Manipulated     Fertilizers — Gil  ham's 

Wilson's,  &c— by  J.  M.  McCue...  294 


'^Practical  Working  of  Mr.  G  Imer's 
System  of  Farming  by  G.  C.  Gil- 
mer   295 

Thinning    and    Weeding    of   Drilled 

J1     Corn,  by  Archibald  Thweatt 299 

Corn  Husking    Machine  —  Inquiries 

>  by  G.  B.  Stacy 300 

:  French  Rorfs — A  Valuable  Sugges- 
tion    301 

South  Carolina    Negroes  —  Mortuary 
L    statistics  of 301 

HORTICULTURAL     DEPARTMENT. 

|  Is  it  Ti  ue  that  Nurserymen  and 
Seedsmen   Oppose    the  Spread    of 

I      Horticultural  Magazines? 302 

:j  Virginia  Horticultural  and  Pomolog- 
|      ical  Sjciety — Meeting  of  the  Execu- 
tive Committee 303 

Navy  Beaus— Inquiries  Answered...  303 

Nut  Culture 304 

Hops-r-Wby  their  Culture  will  not  be 

Profitable 305 

\  Experiments  with   Potatoes 306 

i  Transplanting  Raspberries  and 

Blackberries 308 

J  Augers  Quince 309 

\  Tap  Roots— Theory  of  Grape  Rot  &c.  321 

EDITORIAL     DEPARTMENT. 

;:  An  Example  of  Rutatiou  of  Crops...  313 

>  Editorial  Notices 316 

£  Correspondence     Southern     Planter  317 
;  Sorghum  S  igar — Premiums  for  New 

s      Subscribers 320 

JUNE    NUMBER" 

Commencing  at    Page  321. 

AGRICULTURAL  DEPARTMENT. 

^  Virginia  Staie  Agricultural  Society. 
I  Address  of  W.  T.  Sutherlin,  Presi- 
\      dent 321 

<  Farming  as  a   Profession 327 

;  Care  of  Hogs  iu  Summer 329 

A  Shot  in  the  Citadel  of  Hambugery 

New  Seeds  and  Plants 331 

s  Redonda    Guano.       Defence    of,    by 

|      David  St  evart,  M.  D 336 

;  Fish  as  a  Fertilizer.  Swamp  Muok, 
s      by  W.  Gilbam,   in    the    Richmond 

Dispatch 337 

|  How  to  Prevent  Cows  from  Kicking 

when  Milked 339 

;;  The  Phosphate  Beds  of  Charleston. 

Agassiz  340 

;  Northern  Capital  coining  S.uth 340 

$  Plaster  and  Salt  for  Clover 342 

<  A  S!edd  for  Hauling  up   Hay,  by  Dr. 

J.  R    Gainett 343 

j  The  South  and  the  West 344 

,  Report  on  Specimens  of  Plaster,  by 
W.  Gilham,  State  Agricultural  So- 
ciety's Chemist 345 

<  The  Horses  of  Am<  rica 345 

•  Mammoth  or  Sapling  Clover 352 

^Straight  Dittkis 353 


INDEX. 


Lynchburg  Agricultural  Society 355 

International  Exchanges 356' 

HORTICULTURAL   DEPARTMENT         \ 

Specialties  357 

Experimental  Garden 357 

Eoses 358 

Mildew  on  Roses.. 359 

Tomaio  Sugar  Inquiries 360; 

Ma«hodoc   Club.       Report   on    fruit 

Giowing  and  Trucking 360w 

Strawberry    Exhibition — Virginia 

Horticultural   and    Portological 

Society 363  \ 

Remedy    for  the   Striped   Bug 364 

HOUSEHOLD  DEPARTMENT. 

Lamp  Explosions,  by  J.  L   C  365 

The  sale  of  Explosive  Fluids — Ord- 
nances  of  the   Board   of  Health, 

New  York 366 

Canning  fruits,  Directions  for 368 

EDITORIAL   DEPARTMENT. 

How    to   get    Money    for   FarmingJ/--  j 
North    Carolina    Liw    for    Securing*      ** 

advances  on  Produce 37k: 

Cruelty  to  Animals 373 

Calcareous  Tufa 374 

Correspondence  of  Southern  Planter  374 
Letter  from  a  Northern  imigrant  in 

Amelia  county  to  his  friends 378 

Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society 
Meeting  of  the  Executive  Commit- 
tee   378 

Department  of  Agriculture — Com- 
mendation of  the  Commissioner....  378 

Agricultural  Fairs  in  Virginia 381 

Frauds  in  Selling  Improved  Swine...  382 

Editorial   Notices 382; 

Death  of  B.  P.  Johnson,  late  Secre- 
tary New  York  Slate  Agricultural 

Society 382; 

Commercial  Report — American  To- 
bacco   383. 

JUI/T  NUMBER. 

Commencing  at  page  385. 

AGRICULTURAL   DEPARTMENT. 

High,  Medium  and  Low  Farming... 

Making  Manures 3  8 

Olover  as  a  Renovating  Crop 39l) 

The  Farmer — A   Beautiful  Work  of 

Nature  and  Art ,393  ' 

Knowledge  is  Power 395 

Mr.  G.    E.  Gilmer  working  out   his 

Problem  by  F 397 

The  Best  Farmer  in  the  Country 3^8 

Rye  for  Early  Green  Food 401 

Relations  of  Plants  to  their  Food  ...  402 
Hints  on  the  Cultivation  and   Man- 
agement of  Tobacco 405 

Disappointment  in  Swede  and  Ger- 
man Laborers 400  I 

Fertilizers  in  North  Carolina,  by  the 
State  Geologist,  W.  C.  K^rr,  Esq.  4C8  { 


Will  Lime  Kill  Sorrell  ? 413 

Cooked  Fojd  for  Hogs  416 

Deep  ploughing  in  Autumn 418 

New  Fodder  Plant 421 

Sabbith  for  the  Working  Man 421 

The  Effects  of  Gathering  Clover  Seed 

on  the  Fertility  of  the  Soil,  &c...  422 
Let  us    Manufacture   our  own    Pro- 
ductions   422 

Improvement  of  Worn  out  Farms 423 

Steam  Plough 431 

Straight  and  Crooked  Streams 432 

HORTICULTURAL   DEPARTMENT. 

Strawberry  Exhibition   of  the    Vir- 
ginia Horticultural  and  Pomolog- 

bal  Society 433 

Raspberries 436 

Strawberries 4.SS 

Guhoo 437 

Harvesting  Navy  Beans  and  Gather- 
ing Potato  Crops 483 

How  to    Preserve  Meions   from   the 

Striped  Bug 438 

Nut  Culture 439 

Must   a    Berry    Box    have    Slopiug 

Sides? 442 

Pruning  Tomatoes 442 

HOUSEHOLD  DEPARTMENT. 

Alsike  Clover  for  Bee  Pasturage 443 

Yellow  Wash  for  Buildings 443 

EDITORIAL  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Great  Reaper  and  Mower  Trial 

at  Wpstover 444 

Correspondence  of  Southern  Planter  445 

Extermination  of  Sassafras 446 

Editorial  Notices,  &c 447 

AUGUST  NUMBER. 
Commencing  at  pige449. 

AGRICULTURAL    DEPARTMENT. 

Cis'.en  s—H>w  to  construct  them....  449 
When  to  cut  Griss  tor  making  Hay,  452 
Notes   of  Southern  Travel.     "New 

York  Tribune," 456 

The  Alkali  Earth  of  the  Rocky  Moua- 

tiaus  as  a  Fert Tzar 457 

Clipping  Horses,  by  J.  R.  F.e^uian, 

V.  S 459 

True  System  of  Farming 459 

Making  a  poor  Farm  Rich 461 

Lespcdeza  Striata  in  the  South  463 

The  Crow's  Value  to  the  Farmer 464 

Is  Farming  Profitable  in  Person  Co.,' 

N.  C? 3  465 

Norway  Oat?,  by  W.  B.  Wtoten 468 

Soil    Diagnosis,  by    David    Stewart, 

M  D i 470 

Straight  Ditchec,  by  J.  V.  B 473 

Experiment  with  Baugh's  Raw  Bone 

Phosphate,  by  C.  M.  Reynolds 474 

Value  of  Super  Phosphate  of   Lime 

for  Fertilizing  Purpi  sa 475 

Schedule    of   Premiums  of  Virginia 

State  Agricultural  Society 476 


INDEX 


*U 


HORTICULTURAL     DEPARTMENT. 

Fall  vs.  Spring  Planting .. 491 

Melona 492 

Letter  from  Frederick  County  by  J..  492 

Five  Acres  too  much,  reviewel 4<-'3 

The  Americau  Pomological  Society,  49 J 

How  Cattle  Kill  Trees 495 

Mushroom  Culture 49ti 

Horticultural  intents 497 

Gripe  Grower's  Maxims 497 

Scledil;  of  Premiums  of  the  Va. 
Horticultural  and  Pomological  So- 
ciety   498 

HOUSEHOLD     DEPARTMENT. 

Itiral  Taste ^56° 

Southern  Women  and  Children 50^ 

Domestic  Recipes 504 

EDITORIAL     DEPARTMENT. 

To  our  Subscribers 505 

Chief  Marshal  for  St  ite  Fair 505 

A  new  Bone  Hill  in  Richmond 50tj 

Co-'  n.ittee  of  tho  Virginia  State  Ag- 
ricultural    Society  —  Address    to 

People  of  Virginia  50G 

Seed  Wheat— Time  to  Select  it 508 

Norway  Oats.. 612 

SEPTEMBER  NUMBER. 

Commencing  at  rage  513. 

AGRICULTURAL    DEPARTMENT. 

Saving  Thoroughbred  Seed  513 

Best  Method  of  Counteracting  Ma- 
larial   Poison,  by  Prof.  J.  B.  Mc- 

Caw,  M.  D  517 

Addr-.ss  of  Prof.  M.  F.  Maury  to 
Graduating  Cla:S  of  Va.  Military,- 

Institute  "521 

A  Fact  for  Farmers — Infallible  Cure 

for  Fouidirin  Horses  ..528 

How  to  make  Fanning  Attractive...  '#29 
Agricultural  Societies  and  Farmer's 

Clubs  \6cG 

Fpculatioii  in  Farming *31 

Harvesting  Navy  Beans  —  Culture, 
Harvesting  and  A'a'keting  Pea- 
nuts    533 

Proper  Depths  for  Covering  Wheat..  538 

Dirt  as  a  Curative  Agent 539 

How  to  Meet  the  DrougU 541 

Home-made  Mauures 542 

Orchard  Crass 543 

Osige  Hedges 544 

HORTICULTURAL   DEPARTMENT. 

Fruits  and  Vegetables  i  i  18r9 545 

Seeds  to  le  .-own  this  .Month 54ti 

loA'ft  Tree   Planting 547 

New  Varieties  of  Summer  Apples....  517 

Order  Your  Trees 54S 

Nut  Culture — the  Persian  or  English 

Waluu; 549 

The  Pino  Apple  in  Florida 552 

Americn   Wines — What  they  could 

and  should  be  to  America 553 


The  Camellia  in  Japan 555 

Drying  Fruit 555 

Printing  on  Fruit 556 

MINING    DEPARTMENT. 

Historical  Sketch  of  the  Iron  Interest 
of  Virginia,  by  Gen.  C.  P.  Stone..  557 

MECHANIC    ARTS. 

The  Piano  Factory  of  Knabe  &  Co., 
I  lustrated  and  Described 560 

HOUSEHOLD  DEPARTMENT. 

Rural  Architecture,  No.  1 562 

Domestic   Reeeipes 665 

EDITORIAL   DEPARTMENT. 

Renting  Land 566 

The  Dmught  cf  1869 568 

Concentrated  Fertilizer  for  Wheat...  570 
Historical  Sketch  of  the  Iron  Inter- 
est of  Virginia, by  Genera!  S  one  — 

Notice  .f 574 

Correspondence  of   the  So:    Planter 

and  Farmer — \  Visit  to  N.  York,  576 
Saltpetre  Solution  for  Wheat 576 

OCTOBER   NUMBER. 

Commencing  at  page  577. 
AGRICULTURAL   DEPARTMENT. 
Field   Experiments  on  Clover  Seeds 

and  Permanent  Pasture 577 

Agricultural  Education  in  Germany,  685 
Tne    Michigan  Agricultural  Society 

Industrial  Education 690 

Tobacco 691 

The  most  Fc  gnomical  Fertilisers 594 

Rotation  of  Crops 696 

Agricultural  Resourc s  of  the  Cape 

Fear  section  of  N.  C 598 

Great  Truths  in  Agriculture 598 

Attention  to  Cattle 699 

Improvement  in  Agriculture  Demand- 
ed     C 

Peat  Fuel  GC0 

Tying  Horses G01 

Grease  Your  Wheels 601 

Hoe  out  your  Row (J02 

Indian  Corn  and  its  Uses 602 

Harvesting   Potetees 603 

Sow  Timothy 601 

Application  of  Manures 605 

Stone  ou  Land 605 

Agriculture  in  Austria 606 

When  to  Gather  Beans 606 

Insects  and  Their  Exterminators 607 

Rust  on  Wheat  609 

Underdrawing  Land 610 

How  much  Manure  do  we  Use  on  an 

Acre? 610 

Sleep  Raiding 610 

HORTICULTURAL  DEPARTMENT. 

Editorial  C  rrespondence 611 

American  Pomologioal  Society. 613 

Pennsylvania  Hort.cjltural  Society,  615 


INDEX. 


Napoleon  III.  Strawberry 616 

Poison  Oak 616 

Potato  Bug 617 

The  K'ttatinny  Blackberry 617 

Cost  of  Grape  Trellis 617 

Sugar  Beet 610 

Flowers  at  Marriage  Feasts 6i'J 

Tomato  Sugar 619 

Laws  of  Sex  in  Plants,  by  Thomas 

Meehan 620 

Harvesting  Navy  Beans 628 

How  shall  Gardening  be  nude  Profit- 
able ? 624 

Hollyhock 624 

MINING    DEPARTMENT. 

Goal 625 

Iron  Interest   of  Virginia,  by  E.  T. 

Tayloe 626 

The  World's  Minerals 627 

MECHANIC  ARTS. 

Murfee's  Subsoil  Ploush 628 

Routt's  Hny  Rake  and  Seed  Sower...   629 
Naval  Clock-  Straw  Paper 629 

EDITORIAL  DEPARTMENT. 
Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society 

— Supplemental  Premiums 630 

Railroad  Arrangements 631 

Agriculture  our  Hope 635 

Historical  Sketch  of  the  Iron  Interest 

of  Va. — errors  corrected  637 

Editorial  Notices 637 

XOTOIBEB  XUMBER. 

Commencing  at  page  641. 

AGRICULTURAL   DEPARTMENT. 

Dr.Voelcker's  Experiments  in  1868 — 
Clover  as  a  Preparation  for  Wheat, 

&: 641 

Carbolic  Acid  as  a  Disinfectant 653 

Hints  on  Horse  Fiesh,  by  Dr.  Lemer- 

cier 654 

Lotion  for  Cutaneou*  Itritation 655 

Bots  in  Horses,  by  Dr.  Wm.  Abram 

Love 655 

Pigs — Their  Riaring  and  Fattening,  662 

Book  Farming 663 

International  Industrial  Exhibi  ion..   664 
Manures — How    and    When    to   Use 

Them 665 

Norfolk  and  Great  Western  Railroad,  666 

Self- Culture 6fJ7 

Agricultural  and  Mechanical  Fairs,   669 

Wheat  Culture — New  Process  In 670 

Cotton  Manufacturing  South ,  ...  671 

Woman's  Power — Where  it  Lies 672 

Greasing  Wagons 673 

How  to  Keep  the  Hay  Crop 673 

HORTICULTURAL   DEPARTMENT. 

The  Augusta  County  Fair 674 

Grapes  Under  Glass 6'5 

Parlor  Flowers 676 

Nut  Culture 677 


Care  of  Newly  Planted  Trees. 

Autumn  Transplas.ting 

Root  Pruning  of  Fruit  Trees.. 

Trenching  for  Roses 

Pear  Growing  in  Delaware... 

Successful  Plum  Culture 

A  Briliiant  Flower  Bed 


678 
679 
680 
681 
681 
«82 
682 


683 
686 
688 


689 


MINING    DEPARTMENT. 

Mineral  Wealth  of  Nations — Iron 

Coal 

Gold  and  Silver  Statistics  of  Mexico, 

HOUSEHOLD  DEPARTMENT. 

Rural  Architecture — No  2 

EDITORIAL  DEPARTMENT. 

Address    of   Prof.  J.   W.   Mallet    at 

the  Augusta  County  Fair 691 

Correspondence  Southern  Planter 
and  Farmer — Letter  from  Wash- 
ington   697 

The    Plough     from    a     Philological 

Standpoint— The  Root  AK 700 

Book  Notices,  &c 701 

The  Cbariottesvillr  WoJen  Mills 704 

The  Norfolk  Oil  and  Fish  Company,  704 
*Drain  Tiles "..   704 

DECEMBER  NEMBER. 

Commencing  at  page  705. 
AGRICULTURAL   DEPARTMENT. 

Ninth  Annual  Fair  of  the  Va.  State 
Agricu'tjr;.l  Society — Address  of 
Welcome  by  the  President — Report 
of  the  Executife  Committee — Gen- 
eral Meetings,  at:d  Official  Fc^iort 
of  Premiums  awarded 705 

Address  of  Prof.  J.  W.  Mallet,  de- 
livered at  the  Augusta  Co.  Fair, 
continued  from  page  697 725 

Letter  to  Col.  Ruffin,  and  Memorial 
to  the  Legislature  of  Virginia  on 
the  Taxing  of  Dogs  to  preserve  our 
Sheepfolds ., 736 

The  Culture  of  Tobacco  in  Western 
North  Carolina,   by  S.  C.  Sheltcn.   740 

Treatment  of  the  Horse 741 

HORTICULTURAL   DEPARTMENT. 

Fair  of  the  Virginia  Horticultural 
Society  at  its  Third  Annual  Meet- 
ing—Annual Report  of  the  Execu- 
tive Committee — Address  of  the 
R;v.  Leonidas  Rosser,  D.  D  — 
Election  of  Officers,  and  the  List 

of  Premiums  Awarded 742 

Seed  Peanuts 757 

Curculio 757 

EDITORIAL    DEPARTMENT. 

The  Southern  Planter  and  Farirer....  758 

Fairs  of  1869 760 

New  Eclectic 760 

Editorial  Notice  of  Dixon  Fertilizer,  760 


"wrawTawMnj, 


THE  SOUTHERN 

PLANTER  &  FARMER, 


DEVOTED  TO 


Agriculture,  Horticulture  and  the  Mining,  Mechanic  and  Household  Arts. 


Agriculture  is  the  nursing  mother  of  the  Arts.— Xenophow. 
Tillage  and  Pasturage  are  the  two  breasts  of  the  State.— Sully. 

CH:  B.WILLIAMS Editor  and  Proprietor. 

FBAXK  G.  RUFFIN, Co-Editor. 


New  Series.  EICIDIOND,  Y.l,  FEBRUARY,  1SG9.  Vol.  Ill— No.  2. 


Improvement   of  Land   in    Montgomery  County,  Maryland— Letter 
from  Benjamin  Halloweil. 

We  prefer  to  publish  as  origiral,  rather  than  use  as  editorial,  the  letter  of  the 
venerable  Benjamin  Hallowell,  formerly  of  Alexandria,  now  of  Sandy  SpriDg, 
Maryland. 

We  had  -written  to  him  for  an  account  of  the  farming  of  his  particular  sec- 
tion, because  wo  had  learned,  through  Mr.  Pleasants,  of  the  great  improve- 
ments that  had  been  made  there;  and  we  knew  that  the  labor  had  been  mainly 
performed  by  freedmen. 

The  attentive  reader  will  note  his  observations,  brief,  but  full  of  significance, 
on  that  sutject.  He  testifies  that  laborers,  the  descendants  of  emancipated 
freedmen,  are  "industrious,  efficient  and  reliable-"  On  this  point  we  shall  seek, 
and  give  to  our  readers,  further  information. 

Again,  it  will  be  noted  that  all  crops  are  conveyed  to  market,  from  eighteen 
miles  inland,  wi:hout  either  a  railruad  or  canal;  and  that  hay  will  bear  that 
amount  of  transportation. 

We  reserve  comments  on  the  rotation  for  another  occasion,  when  we  can  get 
more  information  on  the  subject.  Suffice  it  for  the  present,  to  call  attention  to 
the  fact  that  a  calculating,  economical,  pains-taking  farmer,  of  the  sec!;  of 
friends,  a  term  synonymous  with  go:d  farming,  finds  his  account,  in  present 
return  and  pre  fit,  in  dressing  his  land,  during  a  six  year  course,  with  thirty- 
five  bushels  of  bone-dust,  400  lbs.  Guano,  and  fifty  bushels  lime. — Ed.  So.  P.  &  F. 

Esteemed  Friend, — Thy  kind  letter  of  the   2Gth   ultimo,  post- 
marked the  4th  instant,  was  received  last  evening,  and,  I  can  assure 
thee,  our  mutual  friend,  Thomas  C.  Pleasants,  was  correct  in  telling 
VOL.  in — 5 


60  THE   SOUTHERN  [February 


thee  that  it  would  afford  me  pleasure  to  impart  any  information  I 
possess,  and  particularly  in  relation  to  the  important  interest  of 
agriculture.  It  is  a  matter  of  regret  that  thou  couldst  not  act  out 
thy  desire  to  make  a  visit  to  our  neighborhood,  converse  with  our 
farmers,  and  see  the  condition  of  things  amongst  us.  It  is  to  be 
hoped,  however,  the  impediment  thou  mentions  will  soon  be  removed, 
and  that  we  will  yet  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  thee  here. 

The  land  in  our  immediate  neighborhood  is  not  above  third  or 
fourth  quality,  naturally.  It  is  principally  stiff  clay,  with  white 
quartz-rock,  and,  although  rolling,  having  a  tendency  to  being  wet 
and  swampy  even  in  uplands.  The  timber  consists  principally  of 
black  oak,  white  oak,  hickory,  poplar,  chestnut  and  maple,  and, 
though  now  a  good  deal  thinned  out,  it  has  been  very  heavy.  Some 
oaks  on  my  farm  when  I  purchased  it  were  as  much  as  four  and 
five  feet  in  diameter,  and  of  corresponding  height.  Those  persons 
who  originally  settled  here  were  deceived  by  the  large  timber  in 
regard  to  the  quality  of  the  surface  soil,  the  timber  deriving  its 
support  from  a  stratum  of  talcose  earth,  into  which  the  roots  run, 
which  lies  only  a  few  feet  below  the  clay  and  quartz-rock,  and  in 
some  places  crops  out.  Experiments  have  been  made  of  dressing 
the  land  with  this  talcose  earth,  which  lies  below,  and  with  decidedly 
beneficial  effects ;  but  other  manures  being  so  much  more  conve- 
nient, they  are  now  generally  resorted  to. 

In  addition  to  this  original  inferior  quality  of  our  soil,  it  had, 
when  the  present  generation  of  farmers  commenced  their  improving 
operations,  say  twenty-five  years  ago,  been  long  under  an  exhaustive 
process  of  cropping,  and  was  in  a  very  low  condition.  In  1843, 
some  experiments  were  made  upon  a  small  scale  with  the  applica- 
tion of  ground  bones,  and  with  very  good  effect,  six  bushels  of  bone 
to  the  acre,  increasing  the  crops  of  corn,  oats  and  clover  fourfold 
at  least.  The  results  of  these  experiments,  and  corresponding  ones 
with  Peruvian  Guano  which  soon  after  came  into  use,  justified  a 
larger  expenditure.  My  land  was  very  poor  when  I  commenced  to 
improve  it  in  1842,  and  perhaps  as  hard  a  case  to  contend  with  as 
any  in  our  district,  as  our  friend  Pleasants  will  telL  thee. 

The  system  I  adopted  for  its  improvement  was,  first,  to  get  the 
wet  places  dry  by  under-drains,  made  with  stones  carefully  placed 
to  admit  the  passage  of  the  water,  and  having  regard  to  good  sxir- 
faee  drains,  which  the  tight-clay  character  of  the  soil  seemed  to 
render  indispensable. 

In  a  lot  of  eight  acres  of  meadow  land,  besides  surface  drains,  I  had 
nearly  a  mile  of  under-drains.  I  then  worked  it  well,  gave  it  a  dressing 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  67 


of  ten  bushels  of  bone  to  the  acre,  and  sowed  it  with  Timothy.  The 
cash  outlay  for  work  and  manure  on  the  eight  acres  was  §  13G— 
$17  per  acre.  My  neighbors  passed  some  jokes  at  my  expense,  I 
being  a  citizen  farmer,  which  I  endeavored  to  bear  with  becoming 
equanimity.  The  season  previous  to  this  improvement,  the  produce 
of  the  whole  eight  acres  was  a  small  wagon  load  of  swamp  hay; 
and  the  first  year  after  I  had  twelve  tons  of  good  Timothy  hay  and 
three  bushels  of  Timothy  seed,  and  the  next  year  fourteen  tons  of 
hay  and  about  the  same  quantity  of  seed,  so  that  I  got  the  full 
amount  of  my  original  outlay  for  improvement  back,  clear,  every 
year,  above  the  value  of  the  previous  product  of  the  lot  for  several 
successive  years. 

On  the  upland  I  first  tried  lime,  but  there  being  no  organic  mat- 
ter in  the  soil,  I  could  perceive  no  benefit  whatever  from  it.     The 
plan  I  finally  adopted  was  to  take  one  new  field  each  year,  grub  it, 
drain  it,  remove  the  stones,  break  it  up  well  in  the  fall  or   winter, 
and  in  the  spring  give  it  a  dressing  of  ten   bushels  of  bone  to  the 
acre,  and  put  it  down  in  oats  and  clover.     The  crop  of  oats  gene- 
rally paid  for  the  manure  and   labor.     The  clover   I   permitted   to 
grow  and  fall  without  a  hoof  going  on  it  that  season  and  the  next, 
my  object   being   to   get  an  accumulation  of  organic  matter  in  the 
soil.     When  the  clover  seed  was  fully  ripe,  a  little  over  a  year  after 
the  oats  were  cut,  I  turned  the  clover  under  well,  ploughing  the  land 
every  time  a  little  deeper,  so  as  gradually  to  increase  the  depth  of 
the  soil ;  dressed  the  land  with  ten  bushels  of  bone  and  200  pounds 
of  guano  to  the  acre,  and  put  it  down  in  wheat.     The  wheat  would 
average  twenty  to  twenty-five  bushels  per  acre.     The  clover,  from 
the  seed  turned  under,  would  generally  be  a   good   crop,  which  we 
mowed  once,  and  then   permitted  what  grew  afterwards  to  fall,  not 
pasturing  it  still.     On  this  sod  I  put,  at  any  time  when  convenient 
within   a  year  after  the  wheat  came  off,  about  fifty  bushels  of  lime 
to  the  acre.     The  next  winter  or  spring  it  was  broken  up  for  corn 
and  planted,  giving  a  dressing  of  compost,  made  of  bone,  prepared 
privy  manure,  &c,  &c,  in   the  hill ;   the  next  spring  put  it  in  oats, 
with  a  dressing  of  about  five  bushels  of  bone  to  the  acre,  and   that 
fall  put  it  down  in  wheat  and   Timothy,  with   ten   bushels   of  bono 
and    200   pounds   of  guano  to  the  acre,  and  sowed  clover  seed   the 
next  spring,  when  that  field   would  be  up   to  a  fertile  condition  for 
our   land,  producing  twenty  to  twenty-five   bushels  of  wheat  to  the 
acre,  forty  to  fifty  of  corn,  and  one-and-a-half  to  two  tons  of  hay. 
I  had,  besides   orchard,  truck-patch,  &c,  six  fields   of  twenty-five 
acres   each,  one  in  corn,  one  in  oats,  one  in   wheat,  and  three  in 


T"~    SOUTHERN  [February 

grass,  two  of  which  were  to  mow,  and  one  for  pasture.  1  s  rota- 
tion is  the  one  generally  adopted  by  our  farmers.  Some:;  res  a 
portion  of  the  corn-land  is  seed:  the  fall,  making 

the  breadth  nf  land  in  oats  the  next  spring  that  much  the  1 
The  potatoes,  too,  varying  from   one  to  twelve  acres,  or   perhaps 
more,  are  frequently  planted  in  the  field  where  the  corn  was  the 
precedir  _  .nd   then  the  land  put  down  in  wheat  and   grass, 

after  the  po:  e  off,  with  the  other  part  of  t 

The  crops  for  the  market  are  principally  wheat,  corn, 
and  potatoes.     Some  few  farmers  graze,  and  aim:  one,  in 

order  to  have  the  straw  and  corn  fodder  used,  kee:  head  of 

stock  cattle  over  winter  to  fatten  and  sell;  but,  having  a  good  turn- 
pike from  the  settlement  to  the  Washing:  :;en 
nn~.  ;  been  found,  with  the  price  hay  has  commanded,  more 
profitable  to  sell  hay  than  I            ore  cattle. 

I  spoke  of  getting  the  land  up.     A  fact  in  this  connection   is 
important  for  those  to  know  who   are   about   to  pure  rm, 

which  is,  that  there  alwaj  in  land  a  tendency  to  rei 

the  natural  condition  of  the  soil.     Land  of  first  quality,  if  worked 
down  or  exhausted  by  cropping,  tends  :     get  better,  and  improves 
with  rest :  while  land  of  second,  third  or  fourth  quality,  rai 
high  degTee  of  fertility,         is  to  go  doicn  again   to   its  orig 
condition. 

It  may  be  safely  stated,  I  think,  that  since  the  commencement  of 
a  systematic  effort  to  improve  the  land,  say  twenty-five  years   i 
the  annual  amonnt  of  agricultural  productions  has  increased  in  I 
neighborhood  fully  tenfold,  and  the  yield  of  the  improved  land 
increased  in  nearly  the  same  proportion. 

the  forthcoming  Report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Agriculture 
(for  1868)  will  be  found  an  article  on  the  agriculture  of  this  neigh- 
borhood, by  my  brother-in-law.  Wm.  Henry  Farquhar,  in  which  I 
feel  assure i  both  thou  and  Thon:  ill  be  interested. 

As  I  rite  slowly  and  with  difficulty,  owing  to  a  stiffness  of  the 
wrist,  and,  as  about  what  I  would  have  to  say  on  soils,  their  compo- 
sition, fertilization,  k  is  contained  in  two  of  my  agricultural 
addresses  which  were  published,  I  herewith  send  thee  a  copy  of 
each.  See  page  8  of  the  address  :■.:  RockviHe,  and  pages  7. 
and  10  of  the  one  at  Leesburg.  I  may  add  to  what  is  said  at  bot- 
tom of  first  column  on  page  9  of  the  Leesburg  address,  that  ail  the 
eleven  inorganic  elements  not  usually  existing  in  a  soil  are  contained 
in  Plaist  :mmon  salt,  epso-  and 
much  benefit  may  be  derived  by  experimenting  with  these,  intelligently. 


18C0.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  69 


Thou  art  at  liberty  to  use  the  contents  of  these  pamphlets,  and 
of  this  letter,  as  editorials,  or  in  any  way  that  would  be  most  useful. 
I  do  not  feel  possessed  of  enough  original  information  to  write  a 
formal  essay  upon  the  subject,  not  having  been  practically  engaged 
in  the  pursuit  for  some  years  past,  the  farm  being  carried  on  by 
my  son  ;  but  at  the  same  time  I  would  be  glad  to  render  that  inter- 
est, and  thy  journal,  every  aid  in  my  power. 

In  regard  to  labor,  our  settlement  has  long  been  favored  with  an 
industrious,  efficient  and  reliable  laboring  population,  principally  the 
descendants  of  the  slaves  whom  the  Friends  formerly  owned  "and, 
from  religious  duty,  liberated,  and  settled  on  small  lots;  and,  hav- 
ing been  taught  how  to  do  work,  this  knowledge  has  descended  to 
their  children. 

Most  farmers  have  one  or  two  tenant  houses,  in  which  the  hands 
live  who  have  families,  and  are  hired  by  the  year,  and  the  wives 
and  children  often  afford  extra  help  on  the  farm  or  in  the  family. 

Some  farmers  let  out  fields  to  be  cultivated,  under  their  direction 
with  respect  to  kind  of  crop  and  manure,  on  the  shares,  to  very 
good  satisfaction  to  both  parties,  the  tenant  being  thus  able  to  ren- 
der the  labor  of  his  family  directly  available  in  making  a  living,  bv 
assisting  him  with  his  work. 

W  ell,  I  have  written  thee  a  long  letter,  and  although  with  feelings 
which  would  strongly  incline  me  to  interest  thee,  I  fear  I  have  suc- 
ceeded in  doing  so  to  a  very  limited  extent  at  most,  or  in  adding  to 
the  information  thou  previously  possessed.  Therefore,  using  an 
expression  which  is  very  common  under  such  circumstances  in  this 
neighborhood,  thou  must  please  accept  the  will  for  the  deed. 

Thy  sincere  friend, 

Benjamin  Hallow bll. 

Frank  G.  Ruffin,  Richmond,  Va. 

Sandy  Spring,  Md.,  1st  Month,  6th,  1S69. 


The  best  test  of  good  farming  is  this — that  every  successive 
crop  is  better  than  the  one  which  preceded  it,  and  that  the  profits 
of  the  farm  labor  are  annually  increasing.  A  farmer  who  can 
realize  these  prospects  is  doing  well.  His  land  and  his  purse  are 
improving.  And  he  should  never  hazard  this  certainty,  and  the 
comforts  which  it  confers,  for  wild  experiments,  or  hazardous  specu- 
lation. 


70  THE    SOUTHERN  [February 

What  do  You  Think  cf  Barley? 

We  solicited  information  on  this  question  from  our  friend,  Dr.  G.  W.  Semple, 
now  of  Hampton,  formerly  of  Williamsburg,  and  have  the  pleasure  of  laying 
his  reply  before  our  readers.  We  commend  it  to  their  careful  consideration, 
and  for  these  reasons  : 

There  are  certain  districts  of  Virginia  vhich  are  so  much  infested  with  wild 
onion  as  to  interfere  very  seriously  with  the  profit  of  the  wheat  crop.  As  that 
pest  is  more  objected  to  by  the  millers  than  any  other  that  wheat  can  have,  the 
crop  must  either  be  sold  subject  to  a  heavy  discount,  or  be  kept,  subject  to  all 
the  risks  of  storage,  until  the  early  winter,  when  the  onion  can  be  blown  uut 
by  the  fan.  ' 

The  bpst  known  plan  of  getting  rid  of  onion  is  to  take  three  successive  crops  of 
oats  on  land  ploughed,  if  possible,  before  spring,  the  crop  to  be  put  in  with  the 
one  horse  pl<u<jh  ;  and  the  land  will  be  benefitted  and  the  crop  increased  by 
the  process.  But  the  oat  crop  is  not  a  productive  one  in  Virginia,  nor  profita- 
ble, further  than  as  a  cleaning  fallow  crop,  preparatory  for  wheat,  except  in  the 
vicinity  of  towns  where  sheaf  oats  are  used  as  forage  ;  and  though  we  advocate 
its  culture,  yet,  where  a  iiood  substitute  can  be  found,  we  think  it  advisable  to 
adopt  it.  We  see  no  reason  why  barley  cannot  be  used  a*  a  substitute,  espe- 
cially on  good  land,  nor  why  it  should  be  more  exhausting  than  oats. 

In  product  per  acre,  and  as  food  for  horses,  it  is  equal  to  corn  ;  and  in  the 
market,  where  brewer9  keep  up  a  fair  demand  for  it,  it  sells  for  about  seventy- 
five  per  cent.  more.  It  has  been  supposed  to  be  much  more  uncertain  than 
oats;  and  some  complain  that  the  protracted  heat  of  our  summers  prevents  the 
proper  tilling  of  the  grain. 

But  Dr.  Semple's  testimony,  and  we  vouch  his  accuracy,  is  adverse  to  this 
opinion;  nor  do  we  see  how  the  climate  can  be  unfavorable,  seeing  that  in 
Arabia  and  Spain  it  is  a  common  product,  and,  in  the  former,  the  main  grain 
fed  to  horses. 

It  is  said  in  other  countries  to  be  adapted  to  all  the  lighter  soils,  and  to  good 
loams,  but  not  to  thrive  on  stiff,  wet  clays. 

We  will  be  much  obliged  to  any  of  our  friends  to  enlighten  us  and  the  Vir- 
ginia public,  especially  the  cismontane  part  of  it,  on  this  subject.  We  think 
some  of  our  Gloucester  subscribers  can  do  that  service ;  and  will  thank  them  if 
they  will. 

Messrs.  Yucngling  &  Beyer,  of  Richmond,  brewers,  offered,  some  time  ago, 
to  furnish  seed  to  all  disposed  to  try  barley,  and  to  buy  the  product  at  market 
prices.     We  suppose  they  will  do  so  now. — Ed.  So.  P.  &  F. 

My  Dear  Sir, — I  reply  promptly  to  your  first  inquiry,  and 
reserve  the  other  matters  for  consideration  and  investigation. 

My  father  cultivated  barley  for  many  years  prior  to  1829,  and 
considered  it  more  profitable  at  seventy  cents  than  wheat  at  one  dol- 
lar, being  much  more  productive  and  adapted  to  a  much  greater 
variety  of  soils,  as  well  as  far  more  certain  and  regular  in  product. 
In  1829,  he  made  a  very  large  crop,  about  2,700  bushels  from 
eighty  acres  of  land.  The  land  was  top-dressed  with  castor  oi, 
bean  pummice.      Between   that  and  1835,  the  land  was  greatly 


1839.]  PLANTER  AND   FARMER.  71 

improved  by  a  second  marling  and  other  manures  and  clover.  It 
was  cultivated  at  least  twice  in  wheat,  and  the  largest  crop  was  not 
more  than  twelve  bushels  to  the  acre."  Barley  then  fell  very  sud- 
denly in  value.  He  sold  about  1,500  bushels  in  Baltimore,  which 
did  not  net  him  more  than  thirty  cents  a  bushel.  Corn,  however, 
bore  a  good  price,  and  he  kept  the  balance  and  fed  it  to  his  teams, 
and  I  never  saw  animals  kept  in  better  condition  than  those  fed  on 
it.  It  was  always  soaked  twenty-four  hours  before  being  used.  It 
was  given  in  the  same  manner  as  corn,  and  is  certainly  a  better  feed 
for  horses.  The  straw  also  is  a  valuable  forage — much  superior  to 
wheat  or  oat  straw,  and  eaten  with  a  better  relish  by  horses.  The 
barley  he  cultivated  was  the  winter  barley,  and  raised  as  a  substitute 
for  wheat,  which,  at  the  time  he  cultivated  barley,  was  quite  as 
uncertain  a  crop  as  it  has  been  for  the  last  few  years. 

In  1854,  I  sowed  a  lot  of  five  acres  of  sandy  land  in  four  rowed 
spring  barley.  The  lot  had  the  year  before  been  cultivated  in  corn 
and  peas,  and  produced  twenty-two  barrels  of  corn.  It  produced 
one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  bushels  of  barley.  No  manure, 
except  a  light  top-dressing  of  lime,  was  used.  In  1855,  a  good 
stand  of  clover  was  cut,  and  in  185G,  the  lot  was  again  cultivated 
in  corn  and  peas,  having  a  good  dressing  of  compost  of  stable 
manure,  marsh  mud  and  lime,  and  produced  thirty-six  barrels  of 
corn.  In  the  fall,  it  was  seeded  in  wheat  with  an  application  of 
one  hundred  pounds  of  guano  to  the  acre,  and  produced  just  sixty 
bushels,  which  was  very  clean,  and  kept  separate  for  seed.  On 
equal  land,  it  seems  to  me,  it  would  be  safe  to  calculate  on  at  least 
twice  as  much  barley  as  wheat.  I  sent  my  barley  to  Baltimore,  but 
no  market  was  found  for  it,  and  I  used  it  for  horse  feed.  Mr. 
Robert  Hudgins  got  a  few  bushels  of  the  seed,  and  seeded  it  on  light 
sandy  land,  but  it  was  seeded  too  late;  and  though  it  made  good 
growth,  failed  to  produce  much  seed.  Mr.  Thomas  W.  Lowry  also 
seeded  a  few  bushels  on  stiff  land,  with  like  result.  Both  crops 
were  put  in  about  the  middle  of  April.  It  should  have  been  stated 
that  my  crop  was  seeded  about  the  20th  of  February.  There  was 
some  pretty  hard  frosty  weather  after  it  came  up,  which  did  not 
injure  it.  Oats  invariably  produce  but  light  crops  when  seeded  late, 
and  barley  is  more  injuriously  affected  by  late  seeding.  You  can 
cull  out  from  this  what  you  want,  or  use  it  as  you  wish. 

Very  truly  yours,  &c, 

G.  William  Semplb. 
Hampton,  January  11,  18G9. 


72  THE    SOUTHERN  [February 

About  the  Diseases  and  Purchase  of  Horses. 

In  publishing  the  article,  to  which  we  subscribe  in  the  main,  we  reserve  one 
or  two  points: 

1st.  We  do  not  know  how  far  it  is  possible  to  alter  the  present  practice  of 
buying  horses.  The  scarcity  of  Veterinary  Surgeons  would  seem  to  forbid  any 
reliance  on  them  as  substitutes  for  the  knowledge  of  the  buyer. 

2d.  We  are  persuaded  there  is  such  a  disease  as  sweeney,  i.  e.,  the  palsy  and 
rapid  shrinkage  of  a  particular  muscle  of  the  shoulder;  and  equally  are  we 
convinced,  by  repeated  observation  and  the  testimony  of  others  qualified  to  tes- 
tify, that  "wolf's  teeth,"  as  they  are  called,  d>  frequently,  but  not  always, 
produce  weak  eyes  running  on  to  total  loss  of  sight  in  one  or  both  eyes  if  the 
tooth  or  teeth  be  not  removed. 

3d.  Whilst  it  is  perfectly  true  that  "hollow  horn"  is  a  symptom  of  di=ease 
which  originated  elsewhere,  and  most  of  the  remedies  practiced  are  mere  igno- 
rant barbarity,  yet  the  horn  does  become  involved,  its  inner  substance  inflamed, 
and  often  completely  destroyed  ;  and  then  it  is  necessary  to  discharge  the 
resulting  pus  by  an  orifice  which  should  be  bored  near  the  base  of  the  horn. 
See  "Southern  Planter,"  January,  1852.  pp.  5,  G,  for  a  brief  but  able  article 
on  this  Bubject,  by  the  late  Dr.  Charles  Minor,  of  Albemarle,  a  very  able  man, 
reporting  the  treatment  and  post  mortem  examination  of  a  case  of  Hollow 
Horn,  so  called.— Ed.  So.  P.  &  F. 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Planter: 

Sir, — If  agreeable  to  you  and  the  readers  of  your  paper,  I  shall 
be  happy  to  write  you  a  few  articles  upon  the  horse,  his  diseases 
and  their  causes,  and  the  popular  errors  entertained  and  practiced, 
or  allowed  to  be  practiced,  upon  the  most  useful  of  our  domestic 
animals.  It  is  an  unfortunate  truth  that  the  majority  of  persons 
who  have  ever  owned  a  horse  imagine  themselves  able  to  prescribe 
for  any  disease  with  which  the  animal  may  be  affected.  The  ab- 
surdity of  this  will  appear  on  a  moment's  reflection.  The  physi- 
cian, when  called  to  a  sick  man,  asks  the  sufferer  concerning  his 
feelings,  and  the  answers  he  receives  are  his  main  guides  as  diagno- 
sis— the  pain  felt  here  calls  attention  to  the  lungs,  the  pain  felt 
there  to  the  bowels,  and  so  on  ;  but  the  Veterinary  Surgeon  must 
rely  upon  observation  alone.  The  anatomy  of  the  horse  is  as  com- 
plicated and  delicate  as  that  of  man.  He  is  subject  to  most  of  the 
diseases  which  affect  humanity,  (excent  those  engendered  by 
excesses,  &c.,)  and  these  diseases  present  themselves  in  all  their 
varied  forms.  Take,  for  example,  the  air  passages.  We  have 
laryngitis,  bronchitis,  and  pneumonia,  three  distinct  diseases,  all 
involving  in  their  primary  stages  only  simple  inflammation,  may  pass 
into  effusion,  hepatization,  ulceration,  &c,  as  well  in  the  horse  as  in 
the  man.     How  keen,  then,  should  be  the  powers  of  observation — 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  73 


how  discriminating  the  judgment — to  he  able  to  determine  the  seat 
and  progress  of  disease. 

It  is  only  my  desire  to  suggest  to  your  readers  how  absurd  it  is 
to  suppose  that  the  study  and  experience  so  needful  to  the  physician 
can  be  dispensed  with  in  the  case  of  the  Veterinary  Surgeon,  and 
to  expose  the  erratic,  absurd,  and  empiric  acts  of  quack  horse  doc- 
tors and  pretenders,  who  handle  and  administer  drugs,  and  hack  at 
living  flesh  without  comprehending  the  parts  they  are  interfering  with, 
or  having  any  knowledge  of  the  medicines  they  venture  to  adminis- 
ter. There  is  no  animal  men  pretend  to  know  more  about,  and 
know  less  about,  than  the  horse.  Virginia  stood  pre-eminent  as  the 
nursery  for  thoroughbred  horses ;  consequently,  Virginians  have 
inherited  a  passion  for  the  noble  animal  which  conduces  so  much  to 
their  pleasures  and  pastimes,  yet,  to  me,  it  seems  remarkable  and 
inexplicable  that  when  their  most  useful  servant  is  stricken  with  dis- 
ease they  at  once  summon  to  their  aid  a  conglomeration  of  imbe- 
cility. Uncle  Ned,  the  coachman,  or  Uncle  James,  the  hostler,  or 
some  stable-keeper  or  sweeper,  is  supposed  to  be  the  possessor  of 
some  secret  panacea.  He  or  they  are  ushered  into  the  presence  of 
the  sick  animal,  with,  perhaps,  a  host  of  advisers,  whose  opinions 
van*  widely  both  as  to  the  nature  of  the  disease  and  remedy.  After 
sundry  elongation  of  faces,  nods  and  winks,  (supposed  to  be  indica- 
tive of  wisdom,)  it  is  agreed  upon  as  a  case  of  botts. 

Your  readers  will  be  surprised  when  I  declare  (and  defy  contra- 
diction by  competent  authority)  that,  if  present,  in  no  case  ever 
produced  death,  or  even  inconvenienced  the  animal.  Some  writers 
argue  that  they  prove  of  service  to  the  animal,  aiding  the  cuticular 
coat  in  the  trituration  of  the  food.  (But  more  of  this  anon.)  Hav- 
ing agreed  upon  the  cause,  the  order  is  to  bleed.  A  knife  is  at  once 
stuck  into  the  horse's  mouth  and  some  nostrum  given  internally.  The 
first  with  the  absurd  supposition  that  the  botts  leave  the  stomach  to 
.feed  upon  the  blood;  the  second  to  expel  the  botts.  Neither  do 
they  feed  upon  the  stomach,  as  these  wiseacres  suppose.  How 
many  thousand  horses  have  been  sacrificed  at  the  shrine  of  i^no- 
ranee  ?  How  many  more  are  to  follow  in  their  wake  ?  The  pro- 
fession of  Veterinary  Surgeon  is  thwarted  on  all  sides  by  these 
ignoramuses. 

I  see  evidences  of  most  arrant  quackery  every  day  in  this  city. 
If  malpractice  were  punishable  here  as  in  England,  these  loud- 
mouthed braggarts  would  be  silenced  by  the  hand  of  justice.  I  am 
surprised  that  an  intelligent  public  are  the  willing  dup_\s  of  such 
specious  humbug,  and  at  the  same  time  unloose  their  purse-strings 


74  THE   SOUTHERN  [F 

to  remunerate  fraud.     I  would  her  .  the  owners  of  animals 

a  valuable  shnnmitig   :    ".  ignorance. 

suffering  fr:-m   disease   is   an   object   of  commiseration  at  all 
times;  more  especially  is  he  so  from  the  inveter:::         _     the  doctor 
ys    gainst   his   life.     A  continuous  onslaught  of  balls,  drenching, 
purging,  and  bleeding  is  the  routine.     If  the  animal  survives,  the 
doctor  congratulates  himself  upon  a  ful  cure  and  a  fee  for 

\:U.     If  lame,  a  seton  is  put  in  the  chest  to  cure  foot  lame- 
:   or  to  cure  broken  wind,  a  ditto  ;  ditto  for  pu'minary  trc 
ne  treatment  for  laminitis  and  noviculartheritis,  (commonly 
called  fou  :on  in  rheumatism,  sweenie, 

r,  &c.    If  ophtalmia.  the  empiric  looks  into  the  mouth  for 
wolf  teeth  as  the  cause.    Into  here  you  alv,  t  protrusion 

of  the  membrane  of  the  eye,  (a  premonitory  symptom  called  by  the 
-.)  the  protrusion  of  the  membrane   is  pointed  out  as 
the  seat  of  .  and  cut  out.     Much  to  the  chagrin  of  the  ope- 

rator, however,  the  horse  does  not  improve,  and  in   :  )f  a 

few  days  -.  These  fellows  mistake  symptoms  for  cause,  and 
attack    them    vigorously,    but   fail    in  \  The   all 

healer,  Time,   accomplishes   a   cure,  and   the   quack,  robbing 
1  the  owner,  (the  former  of  credit,  the  latter  of  m 
largely  increases   his  reputation   wirh   every  horse  he  fails  to  kill. 
The  majority  of  the  di;  :  the   horse   are   traceable  to  man's 

inattention  and  stupidity.  All  intestinal  troubles  are  caused  by 
man's  injudicious  feeding.  Too  long  abstinence  from  food,  witb 
bles  badly  ventilated  and  worse  drained,  are  also  sources  cf  much 
evil.  Even  over  exertion  and  consequent  exhaustion,  without  proper 
stable  management,  is  sure  to  produce  disease.  The  horse  is  the 
im  of  more  humbug  and  fraud  than  anv  other  animal,  and  is 
surrounded  by  men  who  are  given  to  sharp   -  .  who  palm  off, 

by  misrepresentation,  an  unsound  animal  upon  a  customer  and  flatter 
themselves  they  are  smart.  If  a  merchant  were  to  pursue  the  same- 
line  of  conduct,  how  long  would  he  be  patronized  ?  Yet  these  men 
meet  their  victims  with  unblushing  effrontery  and  ask  further  pat- 
ronage. The  rogues  often  associate  themselves  with  a  low  horse 
doctor,  who,  through  his  supposed  knowledge  of  the  equine  race 
help  to  fleece  the  public. 

The  remedy  for  all  these  fraudulent   vampires  is,  in  all  cases,  to 
protect  yourself  with  a  written   "warrai  r  have  the  animal 

examined  by  a  Veterinary  Surgeon.  The  dealers  will  not  submit  a 
quadruped  of  known  unsoundness  to  such  a  test,  because,  in  case  of 
rejection,  the  property  is  not  only  deteriorated,  but  the  owner  has 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  75 


to  pay  for  the  process,  which  casts  a  taint  upon  his  stables  ;  whereas, 
should  the  examination  be  passed,  the  purchaser  takes  the  horse  and 
pays  for  the  certificate,  which  assures  him  of  its  value.  This  pre- 
caution being  taken  before  the  bargain  is  concluded,  always  specify 
for  a  trial,  which  alone  can  inform  the  future  master  of  matters  most 
essential  to  his  personal  pleasure,  but  which  no  veterinary  inspection 
could  discover. 

It  is  prudent  to  attend  to  these  particulars,  and  it  is  folly  to 
imagine  a  warranty  can  shelter  the  person  who  knowingly  disre- 
gards the  security  which  the  certificate  and  trial  alone  can  afford. 

The  customer  is  thus  fenced  in  and  protected  on  all  sides.  The 
conduct  of  the  dealer  should  declare  the  personal  opinion  of  the 
man  who  is  best  acquainted  with  the  animal.  The  professional 
judgment  being  deliberately  pronounced  and  duly  certified,  guards 
the  points  where  a  gentleman's  knowledge  may  be  deficient,  while 
the  trial  permits  the  individual  to  ascertain  such  traits  as  mouth, 
temper,  habits,  step,  spirit,  and  mode  of  going.  After  such  quali- 
ties are  approved,  the  horse  may  be  safely  accepted,  and  no  war- 
ranty can  be  necessary  if  such  directions  are  observed. 

I  will  at  some  future  time  write  you  a  series  of  articles  upon 
"Popular  Fallacies,"  viz.,  botts  or  grubb?,  sweenie,  shoulder  and 
foot  lameness,  chest  founder,  founders,  hooks,  wolf  teeth,  shoeing, 
etc.,  etc.  Hollow  horn  in  cattle,  by  the  way,  is  currently  believed 
to  be  a  disease,  whereas  it  is  merely  a  symptom.  This  being  the 
case,  why  allow  the  absurd  practice  of  boring  a  hole  into  the  horn, 
and  filling  it  with  salt,  vinegar,  and  the  like.  This  is  another 
vagary  practiced  by  the  doctors.  What  would  a  physician  be 
thought  of  who  would  bore  a  hole  into  a  patient's  leg  or  arm, 
because  the  extremities  were  cold  ?  The  animal  is  so  entirely  given 
up  into  the  hands  of  man,  and  is  so  submissive  to  his  treatment, 
that  the  active  supervision  of  its  master  is  doubly  necessary  for  its 
protection. 

I  am  yours,  very  respectfully, 

J.  R.  Freeman,  V.  S. 

Veterinary  Infirmary,  cor.  \itk  §  Ross  streets,  Richmond,   Va.,  Nov.  18G8. 


Agriculture  is  a  science — which  teaches  the  artist  the  best 
mode  of  improving  and  fitting  up  his  laboratory — instructs  him  in 
the  properties  and  economical  use  of  his  raw  material — learns  him 
how  best  to  apply  his  power,  and  to  profit  by  his  agents — and  it 
thereby  enables  him  greatly  to  abridge  his  labor  and  multiply  his 
products. 


76  THE  SOUTHERN  [February 

The  Easiest  Way  to  Make  Corn. 
Prepare  the  land  -well  by  deep  ploughing  and  harrowing,  as  late 
before  planting  as  can  be  reasonably  done.  If  the  land  is  wet  and 
springy,  throw  it  up  in  single  beds  five  feet  apart.  When  planting 
time  arrives,  open  a  furrow  with  a  five-tooth  harrow,  the  front  tooth 
being  out  and  a  small  shovel  hoe  in  the  centre-piece,  but  in  rear  of 
the  other  four  teeth.  Drill  the  corn  from  six  to  ten  inches  apart  in 
this  furrow  made  by  the  shovel,  hoe  according  to  the  strength  of  the 
land,  and  with  the  same  instrument  (the  shovel  hoe  being  off)  cover 
the  corn,  or  cover  it  with  a  three-tooth  harrow  (the  front  tooth  being 
out);  this  will  be  equal  to  what  may  be  called  crossing  corn  ground 
the  first  time.  When  the  corn  is  about  five  inches  high,  give  it  one 
furrow  with  the  five-tooth  harrow,  having  the  teeth  longer  and  nar- 
rower than  ordinarily  made,  (the  front  tooth  out,)  by  making  the 
horse  walk  on  the  centre  of  the  row,  and  the  two  front  teeth  not  so 
close  together  as  to  cover  up  the  com,  or,  if  preferred,  run  one  fur- 
row on  each  side  with  a  double  shovel  one-horse  plough,  which  is  a 
little  more  work.  The  second  time  run  one  furrow  with  a  trowel 
hoe  on  each  side,  with  a  small  mould-board  to  throw  earth  to  the 
corn,  or  with  a  one-horse  double  shovel  plough.  The  middle  not 
yet  broken  does  not  affect  the  corn  injuriously,  as  the  roots  have  not 
extended  to  their  distance.  Then  go  over  the  crop  one  furrow  at  a 
time,  making  the  dirt  meet  between  the  stalks,  by  the  two  first  fur- 
rows with  a  Dagon,  until  the  whole  row  is  finished.  If  you  wish  the 
ground  to  be  left  more  level,  run  one  furrow  with  a  five-tooth  har- 
row in  the  middle  of  the  rows.  Thus  it  will  be  observed  that  a  good 
crop  of  corn  can  be  made  with  half  the  ploughing  that  was  done  in 
old  times — this  plan  requiring  only  eight  furrows,  and,  if  necessity 
compels,  you  can  dispense  with  the  two  trowel  hoe  furrows,  but  the 
crop  will  not  be  quite  as  good.  The  thinning  and  hilling  of  the 
corn  with  the  hand  hoe  will  not  be  as  much  work  as  the  checking 
the  land  and  replanting  the  corn  ;  and  it  will  not  be  absolutely 
necessary  to  hill  the  corn,  if  the  ploughing  has  been  well  executed. 
An  ox  or  a  cow  can  make  as  much  on  this  plan  as  a  good  horse  on 
the  old  one  of  running  from  sixteen  to  twenty  furrows  to  make  a 
crop.  I  prefer  a  cow,  as  we  can  appropriate  her  to  more  uses  than 
the  ox.  When  the  ground  is  very  dry,  plough  every  other  row 
instead  of  every  row  at  the  last  ploughing.  This  plan  will  answer 
for  many  other  crops  besides  corn,  with  variations  as  to  distance 
between  the  rows.  Akchibald  Thweatt, 

San  Marino  P.  0.,  Dinwiddie  county,  Ya. 

The  Purl:,  Dinwiddle,   Ya.,  January  5,  18o3. 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  77 

Thick  vs.  Thin  Sowing. 

In  publishing  the  following  extract  we  -would  like  to  call  attention  to  ODe 
matter  that  we  think  of  great  importance.  If  you  sow  thin  and  don't  work  the 
grain  the  weeds  have  got  you.  But  if  yon  do  work  and  weed  as  in  Eng- 
land, then  won't  the  rust  gat  you  ?  This  is  a  matter  that  baa  never  been  exper- 
tuented  on,  to  our  knowledge  in  this  country.  Yet  it  is  well  worth  it.  "Would 
it  not  be  well  nr  the  varion9  Societies  to  offer  premiums  for  the  best  experi- 
ments de  hoc— Ed.  So.  Planteb  &  Farmer. 

The  question  of  Thick  versus  Thin  Sowing  still  remains  a  deba- 
table one.  As  the  Season,  however,,  for  wheat  sowing  is  now  com- 
ing in,  it  may  be  useful  to  call  the  attention  of  our  readers  to  an 
experiment  made  in  France,  where,  as  in  England,  the  custom  of 
thick  sowing  has  been  the  rule  time  out  of  mind.  M.  Yilmorin 
gives  the  usual  amount  of  seed  wheat  in  France  at  three  hectolitres 
(8^  bushels)  per  hectare,  or  rather  more  that  three  bushels  per  acre, 
which  is  about  the  average  sown  in  this  country  ;  and  he  estimates 
the  number  of  grains  per  square  metre,  or  yard,  in  that  quantity  at 
450.  "It  is  evident,"  he  says  "that  no  one,  in  sowing  so  thickly 
thinks  or  expects  that  this  numbqr  of  seeds  on  the  square  yard 
should  germinate,  grow  up,  produce  grain,  and  ripen  so  many 
plants  of  wheat  :  for  experience  proves  that  the  richest  and  best  ma- 
nured soil  would  be  insufficient  to  carry  out  such  a  production,  which 
reckoning  only  one  ear  to  the  stem,  and  forty  grains  to  the  ear, 
would  represent  a  return  of  no  less  than  120  hectolitres  per  hectare 
(or  about  133  bushels  per  acre( ;  but  we  know  that  many  grains 
burried  too  deep  do  not  vegetate,  and  that  others  near  the  surface 
are  the  prey  of  birds,  field-mice  and  other  causes  of  destruction; 
in  fact,  we  sow  too  thick  to  have  the  plants  thick  enough. 

But  we  set  out  with  the  intention  of  giving  the  results  of  the  ex- 
periment of  M.  Yilmorin,  and  must  now  hasten  to  do  so.  The  ex- 
tent of  land  on  which  it  was  made  consisted  of  five  acres,  of  about 
120  yards  each.  This  was  divided  into  five  equal  parts,  numbered 
one  to  five- — In  number  1,  the  rows  are  about  7  inches  apart,  and 
the  seed  in  the  row*  at  the  same  distance — there  bein£  there- 
fore,  '25  to  the  square  yard. — In  No.  2  the  rows  were  the  same  dis- 
tance from  each  other,  but  the  seeds  at  about  6J  inches,  or  say  33 
to  the  square  yard.  In  No.  3  the  rows  were  preserved  at  the  same 
distance,  but  the  seeds  were  planted  at  3^  inches  or  50  to  the 
square  yard.  In  No.  4  the  rows  are  only  3J  inches  from  each 
other,  and  the  seeds  are  the  same  distance,  giving  100  to  the  square 
yard.  In  No.  5  the  rows  were  3|  inches  apart,  but  the  seeds 
only    If   inches,  giving   200    to   the    square    yard.      We   should 


78 


THE    SOUTHERN 


[February- 


state  that  the  soil  was  of  a  sandy  character,  and  of  an  average  de- 
gree of  fertility,  and  hair:  light  manuring  with  horae  dung. 
The  following  were  the  results. 


No     1. 

!     .    2   8 

.   3.  So.   4  No.   5. 

ins  per  square  yard. 

25 

S3 

' 

] 

200 

"Weight  of  Seed  in  grammes. 

125 

165 

5C0 

1,000 

Gross  i  rodace  in  b 

119 

117 

98 

107 

99 

Weight  of  grain  in  kilos. 

18,100 

17,700  16 

700 

13,800 

12,300 

Weight  of  grain  per  hire,  in  grammes. 

700 

- 

• 

742 

710 

712 

These  figures  the  author  says,  speak  for  themselves,  for  a  glance  at 
them  shows  that  in  proportion  as  the  quantity  of  seed  increases  we 
find  not  only  the  quantity  of  grain  produced,  but  also  its  specific 
ht  decreases  in  regular  proportion,  or  in  other  words,  its  quality. 
The  quantity  of  straw  in  each  does  not  much  differ  except  in  No.  3, 
which  was  lodged  more  than  the  others.  The  seed  was  Red  Scotch. 
The  little  difference  in  the  straw,  as  the  experimenter  observes, 
shows  that  a  plant  of  wheat  requires  more  from  the  land  in  forming 
and  ripening  the  grain,  than  it  does  to  develope  itself  from  its  ger- 
mination to  the  period  of  flowering;  and  that  where  we  plant  ten 
.  we  must  not  look  for  more  than  two  or  three  to  arrive  at 
perfection.  The  writer  adds  that  the  ears  were  finer,  longer,  and 
contained  more  grains  than  the  thin-sown  parcels,  and  that  the 
straw,  while  stronger,  was  neither  too  harsh  nor  bent,  nor  were 
there  amongst  them  a  greater  number  of  backward  than  amongst 
the  close-planted. 

In  Italy  they  grow  wheat  expressly  for  planting — the  straw  be- 
ing the  first  and  the  grain  only  the  secondary  consideration.  They 
there  sow  very  thick  to  get  the  straw  as  white  and  fine  as  possible. 
ears,  the  finest  are  not  more  than  an  inch  and  a  half  (five 
centimetres)  long  and  most  of  them  not  more  than  half  that  length  ; 
ise  the  grain  for  seed,  if  harvested  well,  and  obtain  good 
average  crops  from  it. — Mark  Lane  Express. 


"Labor  relieves  us   of    three  great  evils — indolence,  vice  and 
want." 

"Nothing  is  bestowed  on  man  in  this  life,  withojit  great  labor." 


18G9.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  79 


Economy  and  Advantages  of  Cut  Feed. 

To  the  Editor. — As  a  reader  of  the  New  York  Tribune,  I  have 
often  been  much  amused  at  some  of  the  statements  and  discussions 
which  are  made  to  take  place  at  the  meetings  of  the  so  called 
''American  Institute  Farmer  s  Club." 

Its  prominent  members  seem  to  be  as  ready  at  physic  as  agricul- 
ture and  as  good  on  law  as  religion,  and  on  practical  questions  good 
on  neither. 

For  instance,  at  their  late  meetings  the  "Agricultural  Editor  of 
the  New  York  Tribune"  stated  that  he  doubted  the  economy  of  cut- 
ting hay  and  coarse  fodder  for  fattening  and  working  stock.  Now, 
I  find  by  a  circular  issued  by  a  prominent  New  York  firm,  a  certifi- 
cate from  this  same  gentlemen  speaking  in  high  praise  of  their  patent 
fodder  and  hay  cutter,  which  he  then  had  in  use,  and  which  saved 
him  more  than  enough  fodder  every  year  to  pay  its  first  cost. 

It  is  not  always  that  theory  and  practice  coincide  ;  but  cutting  food 
is  happily  one  of  the  operations  in  which  they  both  agree.  Surely  the 
gentleman  above  alluded  to  has  never  had  charge  of  a  working 
team  fairly  tried  upon  cut  and  uncut  hay.  In  feeding  our  work  horses 
we  invariably  cut  all  the  hay  which  they  eat  with  one  of  Wilson's 
Telegraph  cutters,  into  half-inch  pieces,  and  the  meal  is  thoroughly 
mixed  up  among  the  dampened  hay.  The  horses  are  brought  in  at 
dark  and  the  above  feed  given  to  them  in  box  troughs — and  they 
are  done  eating  and  laying  down  full  one  hour  and  a  half  before  they 
would  have  been,  had  the  feed  been  fed  uncut. 

I  am  a  strong  advocate  for  cut  food  for  all  kinds  of  stock,  but 
not  without  good  reason,  and  the  experience  of  more  than  one  year. 
Last  season  we  cut  all  the  hay,  straw  and  corn  fodder  fed  to  forty 
head  of  stock,  and  are  well  satisfied  that  by  so  doing  we  were  well 
repaid  for  our  trouble  three  or  four  times  over — although  our  ex- 
perience with  corn  fodder  is,  that  if  fed  without  steaming  it  should 
never  be  less  than  from  three-quarters  to  one  inch  long — for  a  large 
corn  stalk  cut  up  into  half-inch  pieces  will  turn  on  end  in  the  animal's 
mouth  and  wound  his  jaws  ;  but  cutting  double  the  length  avoids  this 
difficulty. 

As  has  already  been  remarked,  it  would  surprise  an  English  far- 
mer to  bear  some  of  the  discussions  of  this  Club  which  are  often  re- 
trograde rather  than  progressive  in  their  tendency. 

I  consider  cutting  the  food  of  our  farm  stock  as  one  move  in  the 
course  which  sooner  or  latter  must  end  in  steaming  "or  in  some  way 
cooking"  coarse  provender.     Cutting  is  not  only  a  great  saving 


80  THE  SOUTHERN  [February 

in  the  muscular  strength  of  the  animal,  but  it  also  enables 
us  to  use  much  "which  would  otherwise  go  to  waste.  As  it  is 
usually  fed,  the  stalks  of  our  corn  fodder  are  seldom  consumed  by 
our  animals ;  but  if  cut  and  fed  with  their  grain,  all  or  nearly  all 
•will  be  consumed.  Last  winter  in  stall-feeding  we  mixed  our  cut 
corn  fodder  and  hay  together,  in  about  equal  quantities,  and  with  it 
mixed  the  meal  which  is  usually  fed  alone,  and  found  that  at  the  end 
of  a  week  there  was  seldom  a  bushel  of  refuse  corn  fodder  to  be 
found  in  all  of  the  twelve  stables. 

Our  learned  friends  of  the  Club  will  probably  try  to  convince  us 
by  an  analysis  of  corn  fodder,  that  it  contains  little  or  no  nourish- 
ment ;  but  if  well  taken  care  of,  I  believe  that  five  tons  of  it  are  as 
good  if  not  better  than  three  of  hay,  and  know  from  actual   exper 
iment  that  it  will  winter  stock  cattle  quite  as  well. 

Science  is  a  good  thing,  and  has  no  doubt  been  of  great  assistance 
to  the  practical  farmer  ;  but  where  one  of  your  correspondents  lately 
undertook  to  argue  that,  because  analysis  had  shown  that  seventy- 
five  per  cent,  of  potatoes  was  water,  four  quarts  of  boiled  potatoes 
contained  only  one  quart  of  nutriment,  he  gave  us  an  instance  in 
which  theory  and  practice  did  not  agree.  After  several  years  ex- 
perience, I  am  satisfied  that  for  winter  food,  for  horses  only  worked 
occasionally,  two  quarts  of  oats  and  three  of  raw  small  potatoes  are 
better  than  four  quarts  of  oats;  and  that  horses  if  not  at  too  severe 
work,  will  thrive  better  on  part  grain  and  part  roots,  I  have  tried 
too  often  to  doubt,  even  when  backed  by  a  scientific  analysis. 

If  the  Farmers'  Club  w7ould  give  us  a  little  more  practice  and  less 
theory — more  agriculture  and  less  law,  physic,  and  divinity,  they 
would  confer  more  benefit  on  the  class  they  profess  to  instruct,  viz: 
practical  farmers. — J.  D.  Acker,  MilJ'ord,  Delaware,  in  the  Prac- 
tical Farmer. 


Answers  to  Correspondents. 

TIME    TO    SOW"    CLOVER — PROPRIETY    OF    SPRING    SEEDING    OF     SPEAR 
GRASSES — MANURING    CORN    IN    THE    DULL. 

Editors  of  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer : 

Gentlemen, — Will  you  permit  a  young  and  entirely  inexpe- 
rienced fanner  to  make  some  inquiries  in  regard  to  one  or  two  mat- 
ters of  very  great  interest  and  importance  to  him,  and,  perhaps,  to 
others  who  are  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  wanting  in  that  practical 
experience  so  necessary  for  successful  farming? 

1st.    I  have  a  piece  of  wet  land,  partly  low-grounds  and  partly 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  81 


upland,  which  was  cultivated  in  tobacco  last  year,  and  is  now  sown 
down  in  wheat.  For  reasons,  which  it  is  not  necessary  to  state  here, 
it  was  impossible  to  sow  orchard  grass  over  this  piece  of  land  at  the 
time  of  seeding  wheat,  which,  I  am  well  aware,  should  have  been 
done.  I  desire,  however,  to  sow  it  down  in  clover  and  orchard 
grass  this  spring,  unless  it  maybe  deemed  altogether  improper  so  to 
do.  What  I  desire  to  know  particularly  is,  what  quantity  of  each 
seed  should  be  sown  to  the  acre,  and  in  what  proportions  they  should 
be  mixed  ?  I  am  well  aware  that  clover  sown  during  a  snow,  or 
freeze,  or  just  before  a  rain,  will  generally  sprout  and  vegetate, 
without  being  covered  in  the  ground  by  the  labor  of  the  farmer; 
but  in  the  case  of  orchard  grass,  sown  in  the  spring,  would  it  not 
be  better  and  safer  in  every  respect  to  cover  them  in,  either  by  har- 
rowing the  land  now  in  wheat,  or  by  dragging  a  brush  over  it? 
Again  :  would  it  not  be  advisable  to  sow  very  early  in  the  spring 
or  late  in  the  winter,  in  order  that  the  young  grass  may  get  a  firm 
hold  in  the  ground,  so  as  the  better  to  stand  the  heat  and  droughts 
of  summer  ? 

2d.  What  would  you  recommend,  cheapness  and  all  other  things 
considered,  as  the  best  fertilizer  for  corn,  to  be  applied  in  the  hill  ? 
Last  year  I  used  Peruvian  Guano,  which,  besides  burning  the  corn 
so  pushed  it  that,  long  before  the  drought  was  over,  the  stalk  had 
hardened,  and  it  had  pretty  much  exhausted  itself.  The  conse- 
quence was,  I  made  no  corn  ;  whereas,  my  neighbors,  who  used  no 
guano  or  other  fertilizer,  made  comparatively  good  crops  on  land  no 
better  than  mine.  Somes  parties  in  this  section  have  used  bone 
dust,  as  I  understand,  with  good  results.  I  know  nothing  of  it 
myself,  but  would  be  glad  to  have  the  opinion  of  either  of  the  Edi- 
tors of  the  Planter  and  Farmer.  Your  Mr.  Ruffin,  I  suppose,  is 
as  well  prepared  to  answer  the  questions  above  propounded,  or  any 
others  relating  to  agriculture  in  any  of  its  branches,  as  any  man  in 
Virginia.  His  long  experience  in  farming  on  an  enlarged  and  scien- 
tific basis  gives  him  a  vantage  ground,  enjoyed  by  but  few,  if  any, 
of  the  farmers  in  Virginia;  and,  consequently,  his  opinions  are 
deemed  justly  valuable  on  all  subjects  relating  to  agriculture.  For 
my  own  part,  I  would  accept  his  opinions  on  any  of  the  matters 
inquired  of  above  as  decisive. 

Permit  me,  Messrs.  Editors,  to  suggest,  in  conclusion,  what  I 
think  would  be  a  great  improvement  to  your  already  valuable  pe- 
riodical. I  mean  a  page,  or  a  couple  of  pages,  devoted  to  Answers 
to  Correspondents,  fin  my  opinion,  it  would  certainly  add  greatly  to 
the  interest  and  value  of  the  Planter  and  Farmer,  and  although  it 
VOL.  in — 6 


THE   SOUTHERN  [February 


might  impose  increased  labor  upon  its  Editors,  it  would  be  an  incal- 
culable benefit  to  its  numerous  readers. 

A  Young  Farmer. 
Campbell  county,   Va.,  January  13,  1S69. 

As  to  clover,  the  best  time  to  seed  that  is  from  the  first  to  the  middle  of 
March.  As  to  orchard  grass,  we  cannot  say.  We  have  never  sowed  it  in  the 
spring,  and  to  a  very  limited  extent  arywhere,  as  our  land  is  better  adapted  to 
Timothy.  Either  a  very  light  harrow  with  wooden  teeth,  or  a  brush  ;  or,  what 
we  prefer,  a  spring-tooth  horse  rake,  will  do  to  put  it  in,  and  will  be  a  bentfit 
to  the  wheat. 

The  spring  seeding  of  spear  grasses  is  not  generally  deemed  good  farming  in 
our  lititude.  the. heat  of  summer  coming  on  too  soon  and  before  the  grass  has 
made  deep  roots,  and  being  apt  to  parch  the  tender  plant  when  the  protecting 
crop  of  grain  is  removed.  This  is  so  generally  received  as  the  proper  view, 
that  we  have  never  tried  spring  seeding  of  Timothy  but  once,  and  then  it 
failed.  In'view  of  the  risk,  we  would  advise  our  correspondent  not  to  sow 
orchard  grass  this  spring  ;  but  to  follow  the  present  crop  of  wheat  with  another 
this  fall,  apply  a  full  dressing  of  bone  dust,  or  some  ammoniated  phospha:e. 
taking  care  to  get  a  genuine  article,  and  seed  down  orchard  grass  upon  the 
wheat  immediately  after  the  last  harrowing  or  after,  or  with  the  drill,  at  the 
rate  of  two  bushels  per  acre. 

Or  sow  the  clover  seed  this  spring,  and  in  1870,  fallow  the  clover  for  wheat, 
(in  June  or  July,  if  possible,)  and  then  sow  the  wheat  and  grass  seed  down. 

We  shall  try  and  get,  or  give,  suitable  directions  for  manuring  corn  in  the 
hill  next  month.  Meanwhile,  we  invite  communications  on  this  head  from 
experts. — Ed.  So.  P.  £  F. 


Cheap  Food  a  Necessity. 

USE    MORE    VEGETABLES — LESS    ANIMAL    FOOD. 

A  great  want  in  the  economy  of  Southern  living  at  the  present- 
period  is  a  variety  of  cheap  food.  Pork  or  bacon,  so  universally 
used  by  all  classes  of  our  population,  and  so  almost  exclusively  used 
by  our  poorer  classes,  was  introduced  by  the  first  settlers  of  the 
country  on  account  of  the  facility  of  rearing  hogs  on  the  then  rich 
and  extensive  range,  and  has  continued  to  be  the  staple  food  from 
habit,  and  espec.ally  from  its  little  interference  with  the  occupations 
of  a  planter's  life.  But  since  we  are  no  longer  to  be  planters,  but 
farmers,  seeking  the  comforts  and  decencies  of  life  directly  from  the 
products  of  our  farms,  instead  of  purchasing  them  in  a  great  meas- 
ure, as  heretofore,  from  the  proceeds  of  our  monied  crops  as 
planters,  as  we  assume  the  habits  and  occupations  of  farmers,  we 
will,  of  choice  and  from  convenience,  as  well  y  from  the  difficulty 
of  raising  pork,  (of  which  more  hereafter,)  introduce  a  more  varied, 


1809.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  83 

and  healthful,  and  civilizing  diet.  In  the  meantime,  it  is  thought 
that  this,  so  desirable  a  revolution  in  our  mode  of  living,  may  be 
anticipated  by  attracting  public  attention  to  the  subject.  It  is  at 
least  thought  to  be  of  sufficient  interest  to  occupy  a  place  in  the 
pages  of  an  agricultural  journal. 

The  rearing  of  pork,  except  in  limited  quantities  and  at  a  cost  beyond 
its  value  in  market,  may,  on  account  of  thieving  freedmen,  be  num- 
bered among  the  things  that  were ;  so  that  there  is  a  pressing  occa- 
sion to  provide  right  away  other  means  of  subsistence,  to  supply  the 
place  it  has  so  long  held  on  our  tables.  In  this  connection,  the  subject 
appeals  to  the  benevolence  of  every  man,  especially  in  behalf  of 
the  class  of  honest  freedmen,  many  of  whom,  often  from  an  improvi- 
dent and  wasteful  application  of  their  means,  live,  they  and  their 
families,  for  successive  months  of  the  year  on  dry  corn  bread.  But  it 
also  appeals  to  the  personal  interests  of  every  industrious,  providing 
citizen  :  for  the  best  stored  larder  is  ever  liable  to  the  depredations  of 
the  starvelings  surrounding  it;  and  hence  the  inducement  to  multi- 
ply the  general  sources  of  living  from  the  motive  that  sailors  throw 
a  tub  to  the  whale.  We  were  taught  this  lesson  as  slaveholders,  and 
it  now  more  than  then  needs  to  be  heeded.  A  lighter  and  varied 
diet  might  be  introduced  that  would  be  both  more  plentiful  and 
cheap,  as,  on  the  authority  of  physiologists,  it  would  be  more 
healthful.  Furthermore,  from  the  observation  of  philosophical  in- 
quiries into  the  causes  of  the  distinguishing  characteristics  of  the 
different  classes  of  society,  especially  in  European  communities  in 
which  these  characteristics  are  so  marked,  its  tendency  would  be  to 
the  civilization  and  refinement  of  manners. 

To  show  what  may  be  done,  on  the  score  of  cheapness,  towards 
the  accomplishment  of  the  proposed  object  by  the  multiplication  of 
milch  cows,  I  quote  from  Johnson's  Elements  of  Agriculture  under 
the  head  of  the  relative  proportions  of  food  for  man  yielded  by  the 
same  herbage  in  the  form  of  beef  and  milk  :  "  According  to  Sir 
John  Sinclair,"  says  the  writer,  "the  same  herbage  which  will  add 
112  pounds  to  the  weight  of  an  ox,  will  enable  a  cow  to  yield  450 
wine  gallons,  or  3,600  pounds  of  milk  *  *  *  *  that  is  to 
say,  the  same  weight  of  herbage  which  will  produce  less  than  thirty 
pounds  of  dry  human  food  in  the  form  of  beef,  will  yield  500 
pounds  in  the  form  of  milk."  And  fearing  this  statement  of  Sir 
John  Sinclair  is  not  to  be  relied  on,  the  author  gives  another  from 
Beidesel,  a  Continental  authority,  according  to  which  the  quantity- 
of  milk,  though  not  so  great,  "  contains  still  five  times  as  much  as. 
is  contained  in  the  beef."     I  incline  to  believe  that  of  vegetable 


84  THE    SOUTHERN  [February 

food  the  best  substitute,  in  itself,  for  hog  meat,  is  sorghum.  This 
opinion  is  supported  by  the  experience  of  the  South  during  the  "war. 
Its  cultivation  at  the  close  of  the  "war  -was  generally  abandoned 
among  other  reasons,  because  of  its  supposed  exhaustion  of  the  soil. 
This  evil,  to  say  the  le^st,  was  certainly  exaggerated.  'Tis  true  no 
remunerating  crop  can  be  grown  the  year  succeeding  its  cultivation. 
But  this  is  owing  to  the  undecayed  condition  of  its  rocts,  and  the 
almost  impossibility  of  breaking  the  sod  on  account  of  their  strength 
and  number.  By  the  year  after,  these  roots  become  decomposed, 
and  because  of  their  multitude  and  the  advantage  of  a  year's  rest, 
by  the  testimony  of  my  own  experience,  I  incline  to  the  opinion 
that  the  soil  may  be  restored  to  its  previous  fertility. 

Much  might  be  hoped  for  from  the  more  extensive  and  careful 
cultivation  of  garden  vegetables.  Perhaps  not  one  man  in  a  thou- 
sand in  the  South  ever  tasted  of  the  palatable  and  nutritious  dish, 
the  navy  bean,  boiled  in  simple  salt'  and  water.  These  vegetables, 
many  of  them,  might  be  used  as  ingredients  in  soups.  Count  Rum- 
ford  recommends  a  soup  as  highly  nutritious,  made  of  equal  parts 
of  potatoes,  peas  and  rice  boiled  for  three  hours. 

Nor  in  the  catalogue  of  new  dishes  ought  the  mushroon  to  be 
slighted,  a  dish  so  delicious  as  to  be  esteemed  a  delicacy  on  the 
tables  of  the  rich.  Lord  Bacon,  in  his  natural  history,  among  sev- 
eral processes  for  growing  the  mushroon,  which  he  enumerates, 
writes  :  "  It  is  reported  that  the  bark  of  white  or  red  poplar,  which 
are  the  moistest  of  trees,  cut  small  and  cast  into  furrows  well 
dunged,  will  cause  the  ground  to  put  forth  mushroons  at  all  seasons 
of  the  year  fit  to  be  eaten.  Some  add  to  the  mixture  leaven  of 
bread  dissolved  in  water." 

I  might  extend  this  catalogue  of  specific  articles  of  food,  the 
most  of  them  within  convenient  reach,  to  an  indefinite  length.  But  I 
forbear.  My  purpose  being  merely  to  bring  the  subject  to  the  at- 
tention of  the  intelligent  readers  of  the  Planter  and  Farmer,  on 
the  supposition  that  they,  thinking,  that  by  presenting  it  in  another 
and  better  form,  it  may  result  in  practical  good.  I  am  sensible 
that,  so  far  as  the  above  relates  to  the  colored  population  in  our 
midst,  it  is  liable  to  be  slightly  regarded  by  the  thoughtful  observer 
of  the  negro  character  for  the  reason  of  the  degree  of  civilization 
implied  in  its  consummation,  which,  though  not  high,  is  yet  not  the 
lowest.  We  fully  recognize  the  difficulty  of  bringing  the  negro  to 
an  abandonment  of  his  accustomed  ways.  That  the  sharpest 
pinches  of  necessity  cannot  move  him,  through  his  own  volition,  to 
take  one  step  in   a  systematic  amelioration  of  his  condition ;  nor 


1869.] 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


85 


ought  we  to  be  surprised  at  this.  But  a  few  degrees  removed  from 
his  savage  stock,  according  to  the  history  of  other  and  superior 
races  of  mankind,  his  reason  is  still  under  the  sway  of  his  passions — 
a  mere  creature  of  instinct,  without  thought  of  the  future — cutting 
down  the  tree  to  come  at  the  fruit.  And  these  attributes  of  barba- 
rism are  confirmed  and  illustrated  in  his  daily  life ;  nevertheless, 
there  is  a  hope  that  his  employers  and  others  in  relation  to  him 
might,  by  example  and  continued  exhortation,  force  upon  him,  as  it 
were,  the  varied  means  of  subsistence  indicated,  and  that  custom 
rendering  him  sensible  of  new  wants  and  desires,  his  mind  may  be 
awakened  and  his  industry  stimulated  to  seek  their  continued  indul- 
gence.    And  in  this  hope  I  conclude  this  undigested  essay. 

Tull. 


Gestation— The  Period  Animals  Carry  Young. 
In  reply  to   a   correspondent,  we   copy  the  following   interesting 
article  and  carefully  arranged  table  from  Blain's  Encyclopedia  : 

Table  showing  the  Period  of  Reproduction  and  Gestation  in  Domestic  Animals. 


Proper 
Age  for 

Repro- 
duction. 

1                    1 
Period  of  Number 
the  pow-    of  Fe- 
erof  Re-malesfor 
produc-1      one 
tion.        j    Male. 

Period  of  Gestation  and 
Incubation. 

KINDS  OF  ANIMALS. 

Shortest 
Period. 

Mean 
Period. 

Longest 
Period. 

4  years 

5  " 
3      " 

3  " 
2      " 
2      " 
1      " 

1  " 

2  " 
2      " 

4  " 

5  " 

Years. 
10  to  12 
12  to  15 
10  to  14 
8  to  10 

6 

7 

6 

6 

6 

5 
10  to  12 
12  to  15 

Days. 

322 

Days. 
347 

419 

20  to  30 

Low „ 

210 

2S3 

3°1 

Bull 

30  to  40 

Ewe 

146 

154 

161 

40  tooJ 

lu9 

115 

143 

6  to  10 

She  Goat 

150 

156 

163 

He  Goat 

20  to  40 

365 

380 

391 

He  A-s 

She  Buffalo 

281 
55 

308 

60 

3« 
63 

Bitch 

2      '• 
2      " 
1      " 
1      '« 
»i  mos. 
6      " 
6      " 

8  to   9 

8  to   9 
5  to   6 

9  to  10 
5  to   6 
5  to   6 
5  to   6 

She  Cat 

4S 

50 

56 

He  Cat 

5  to    0 

30 

12  to  15 

Doe  Rabbit 

Buck  Babbit 

20 

28 

35 

Cock 

Turkey,  sittiny  |  Hen          ( 

17 
21 
24 
26 
19 
28 
27 
16 

24 
27 
26 
3ii 
21 
30 
30 
18 

28 

on  the  egg  of  J-Duck       < 

30 

the                   )  Turkey    1 

• 

30 

Hen  sittingon  the  »  Duck/ — 

34 

egasoitne           /Hen   1 

3  to   5 

24 

Duck . 

32 

33 

2d 

"According  to  the  observations  of  M.    Teissier,  of  Paris,  in  582 
*     *     *     the  shortest  period  was   287  days,  and  the 


mares, 


S6  THE  SOUTHERN  [February 

longest  419  days;  making  the  extraordinary  difference  of  132  days, 
and  of  89  days  beyond  the  usual  term  of  eleven  months.  The  cow 
usually  brings  forth  in  about  nine  months,  and  the  sheep  in  five. 
Swine  usuallv  farrow  between  the  120th  and  140th  day,  bein^  liable 
to  variations,  influenced,  apparently,  by  their  size  and  their  particu- 
lar breeds.  In  the  bitch,  on  the  contrary,  be  she  as  diminutive  as 
a  kitten,  or  as  large  as  the  boar-hound,  pupping  occurs  on  or  about 
the  63d  day.  The  cat  produces  either  on  the  55th  or  56th  day. 
The  true  causes  which  abridge  or  prolong  more  or  less  the  period  of 
gestation  in  the  females  of  quadrupeds,  and  of  the  incubation  of 
birds,  are  yet  unknown  to  us. 

"  From  some  carefully  collected  and  very  extensive  notes  made  by 
Lord  Spencer  on  the  period  of  gestation  of  764  cows,  it  resulted 
that  the  shortest  period  of  gestation  when  a  live  calf  was  produced 
was  220  days,  and  the  longest  315  days  ;  but  he  was  not  able  to 
rear  any  calf  produced  at  an  earlier  period  than  242  days.  From 
the  result  of  his  experiments,  it  appears  that  314  cows  calved  before 
the  284th  day.  and  310  after  the  285th  day,  so  that  the  probable 
period  of  gestation  ought  to  be  considered  284  or  285  days.  The 
experiments  of  M.  Teissier  on  the  gestation  of  cows  are  recorded  to 
have  given  the  following  results: 

"  Twenty-one  calved  between  240th  and  270th  day,  the  mean 
time  being  259| ;  544  calved  between  the  270th  and  299th  day,  the 
mean  time  being  282;  10  calved  between  299th  and  321st  day,  the 
mean  time  being  303. 

"  In  the  most  cases,  therefore,  between  nine  and  ten  months  may 
be  assumed  as  the  usual  period  :  though,  with  a  bull  calf  the  cow 
has  generally  been  observed  to  go  about  forty-one  weeks,  and  a  few 
days  less  with  a  female.  Any  calf  produced  at  an  earlier  period 
than  260  days  must  be  considered  decidedly  premature,  and  any 
period  of  gestation  exceeding  300  days  must  also  be  considered 
irregular  ;  but  in  this  latter  case  the  health  of  the  produce  is  not 
affected.  I  will  conclude  this  article  by  the  remarks  of  Mr.  C.  Hil- 
lard,  of  Northampton,  who  states  that  the  period  of  gestation  of  a 
cow  is  2^4  days,  or,  as  it  is  said,  nine  calendar  months  and  nine 
days;  the  ewe  twenty  weeks;  the  mare  eleven  months.  The  well 
bred  cattle  of  the  present  time  appear  to  me  to  bring  forth  twins 
more  frequently  than  the  cattle  of  fifty  years  ago.  The  males  of 
all  animals,  hares  excepted,  are  larger  than  the  females.  Castrated 
male  cattle  become  larger  beasts  than  entire  males." — American 
Stock  Journal. 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  87 


Chronic  Rheumatism  in  Horses. 

Chronic  rheumatism  is  occasionally  a  sequel  to  the  acute  form  ; 
yet  it  may  come  on  without  any  previous  perceptible  acute  attack, 
and  entirely  independent  of  it.  The  principal  difference  between  this 
and  the  acute  disease  lies  in  the  less  activity  of  the  attack  and  in- 
flammatory fever,  and  the  indefinite  duration  of  the  symptoms ;  the 
lameness  is  not  persistent,  but  goes  off  after  exercise,  and  returns 
again  while  the  animal  is  at  rest. 

As  regards  the  Causes  of  this  Malady. — It  is  known  to  be  of 
hereditary  origin  ;  sometimes  arising  in  a  sort  of  spontaneous  man- 
ner, without  any  assignable  cause  :  it  frequently  follows  hard  driving, 
exposure,  and  chilling  the  surface  with  cold  water. 

Horse?,  after  having  been  driven  a  long  distance,  sometimes  come 
into  the  stable  in  a  very  exhausted  state,  and  instead  of  rubbing 
them  dry,  clothing  them  with  a  warm  blanket,  and  paying  that  at- 
tention to  them  which  their  circumstance  demand,  they  are  suffered 
to  drink  cold  water,  driven  perhaps  into  a  cold  corner  of  a  stable, 
neither  wind-tight  nor  water-proof;  the  legs  are  sluiced  with  cold 
water  to  clear  them  of  mud,  and  the  knight  of  the  stable,  a  humane 
man  perhaps,  out  of  charity  for  the  poor  horse,  gives  him  a  double 
allowance  of  food  just  at  the  very  time  when  the  digestive  organs 
are  unequal  to  the  task.  Next  morning,  on  attempting  to  back  the 
horse  out,  his  fore,  and  sometimes  the  hind,  limbs  are  as  stiff  as  a 
poker.  "  My  horse  is  foundered,"  exclaims  the  owner — a  term  very 
expressive  of  the  ruined  condition  of  the  poor  brute.  The  founder, 
or  rheumatism,  whichever  the  reader  pleases  to  call  it,  may  finally 
locate  on  the  muscles  of  the  shoulders  and  fore  extremities,  or  it 
may  run  to  the  feet,  and  there  spend  its  fury,  in  the  form  of  lami- 
nitis — inflammation  of  the  lamina?  of  the  feet:  this  finally  becomes 
chronic  ;  produces  atrophy — a  wasting  of  the  muscles.  The  horse 
is  then  said  to  be  foundered  in  the  chest.  When  the  disease  locates 
and  remains  within  the  horny  covering  of  the  foot  during  its  several 
stages,  and  finally  leaves  the  foot  in  a  contracted,  ruined  condition, 
the  horse  is  said  to  be  foundered  in  the  feet.  We  do  not  mean  to 
'give  the  reader  an  idea  that  all  cases  of  laminitis  arise  in  this  way, 
for  it  is  known  to  be  the  sequel,  through  a  process  termed  metastasis, 
to  diseases  of  the  respiratory  and  other  organs. 

With  regard  to  the  treatment  of  chronic  rheumatism,  that  which 
is  known  to  be  the  sequel  of  the  acute  kind,  without  swelling,  going 
off  by  exercise,  and  attended  by  a  sort  of  chronic  fever.  This  form 
is  always  benefitted  by  the  warm  bath,  and  if  a  steaming  apparatus 


88  THB    SOUTHERN  [February 

could  be  brought  into  requisition  in  such  cases,  we  could  reckon 
■with  some  degree  of  certainty  on  a  cure.  Cold  water,  and  even  a 
cold,  moist  atmosphere,  only  aggravate  the  malady ;  the  patient 
must  be  placed  in  a  moderately  warm  box  stall,  and  have  the  bene- 
fit of  local  warm  water  bandages,  followed,  in  some  cases,  bv  fric- 
tions, with  liniment  of  ammonia  and  rosemary.  The  internal 
medicine  (and  we  are  satisSed  this  is  the  best)  consists  of 


Tincture  of  Guaiacum. 

"         "    Balm  of  Gilead.     >■  of  each  two  ounces. 

"         "   Jamaica  Ginger,   ) 
Syrup  of  Garlic,  ...       sjs  ounces. 


1 


Mix.  and  give  one-sixth  part  of  the  mixture  in  a  pint  of  camomile 
tea,  night  and  morning. 

This  medicine  will  go  the  rounds  of  the  circulation,  and  there 
excite  action  in  the  remote  parts,  differing  from  the  morbid,  and 
thus  assist  in  removing  the  affection.  We  have  found  that  flannels 
saturated  with  warm  vinegar  and  water,  bound  on  the  limbs,  and 
occasionally  removed,  have  a  beneficial  effect.  Finally,  time,  perse- 
vering in  the  use  of  simple  means  and  proper  attention  to  diet,  will 
do  all  that  can  be  expected. — American  Stock  Journal. 


The  Virginia  State  Agricultural    Society. 

An  adjourned  meeting  of  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society 
was  held  at  the  Exchange  Hotel  on  Wednesday  evening,  the  loth 
January,  18G9.  In  the  absence  of  the  President,  the  Hon.  Wil- 
loughby  Newton,  the  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  Vice-President 
Frank  G.  Ruffin,  and  on  motion  of  Mr.  F.  N.  Watkins,  of  the 
county  of  Prince  Edward,  Mr.  J.  Bell  Bigger  was  elected  Secretary 
of  the  meeting. 

A  full  quorum  being  present,  either  in  person  or  by  proxy,  the 
meeting  proceeded  to  an  election  of  officers. 

Mr.  F.  N.  Catkins  was  requested   to  take  the  chair,  whereupon 
Mr.  F.  G.  Ruffin  nominated  for  the  office  of  President  Mr.  William 
T.  Sutherlin,  of  the   county  of  Pittsylvania,  who   was  unanimously  ( 
elected. 

The  Chair  appointed  Messrs.  F.  G.  Ruffin  and  W.  C.  Knight  a 
committee  to  inform  Mr.  Sutherlin  of  his  election. 

Major  Sutherlin  came  into  the  hall  and  returned  thanks  for  the 
distinguished  honor  conferred  upon  him.  There  was  much  work  to 
do,  and  he  hoped  that  if,  in  the  progress  of  building  up  the  Society, 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  89 

he  appeared  to  go  too  fast,  members  would  remember  that,  to  keep 
up  with  the  mighty  march  of  events,  rapid  movement  is  now  neces- 
sary. To  the  old  men,  to  whom  the  oak  in  the  yard  recalled  the 
time  when  they  could  sit  beneath  its  shade  and  count  their  hands  at 
work  in  the  field,  if  it  makes  them  unhappy  because  of  the  change, 
he  would  say  cut  it  down  and  move  it  out  of  the  way.  Prejudice 
has  to  be  eradicated  from  the  people — its  walls  to  be  battered  down — 
and  there  is  more  of  it  in  Virginia,  said  the  speaker,  than  most  of 
us  dream  of.  Within  twelve  months  past  he  had  seen  the  finest 
agricultural  implements  at  work  on  Virginia  soil  to  be  found  in  the 
world,  and  yet  some  farmers  could  not,  owing  to  prejudice,  be  induced 
to  travel  two  miles  to  see  them  operate.  In  conclusion,  he  pledged 
that  he  would  do  everything  in  his  power  to  make  the  Society  and 
the  Fair  a  success,  and  hoped  that  official  co-laborers  would  be 
selected  who  would  give  him  energetic  aid  and  support. 

On  motions  severally  made,  the  following  gentlemen  were  elected 
Vice-Presidents  of  the  Society : 

James  Lyons — 1st  Vice-Pres't,  S.  W.  Ficklin — 5^  Vice-Pres't, 

Wm.  T.  Scott— 2d         "  Ed.  Ruffin,  Jr.— 6th         " 

F.  G.  Ruffin— 3d  "  Lewis  E.  Harvie— 1th     " 

R.  B.  Haxall— Uh         "  J.  M.  McCue— 8th  " 

On  motion  of  William  T.  Scott,  of  the  county  of  Charlotte,  the 
following  gentlemen  were  elected  as  the  Executive  Committee  : 

Messrs.  Richard  Irby,  W.  C.  Knight,  R.  H.  Dulaney,  R.  W.  N. 
Noland,  F.  N.  Watkins,  William  Martin,  R.  E.  Haskins,  F.  Stearns 
and  W.  T.  Walker. 

The  report  of  the  Secretary  and  Treasurer  was  presented  and 
appropriately  referred. 

Mr.  J.  Bell  Bigger  nominated  for  the  office  of  Secretary  and 
Treasurer  Mr.  Charles  B.   Williams,  who  was  unanimously  elected. 

Mr.  Martin  offered  the  following  resolution  : 

Resolved,  That  a  Federal  tax  upon  agricultural  products  is 
unwise  and  unjust,  and  that  the  tax  upon  manufactured  tobacco 
should  be  abolished. 

Mr.  Branch  moved  that  the  resolution  be  laid  on  the  table,  which 
was  agreed  to. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Lyons, 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed  by  the  Presi- 
dent, to  report  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  Society  what  changes  are 
necessary  or  expedient  to  be  made  in  the  Constitution. 


90  THE    SOUTHERN  [February 

The  President  appointed  as  said  committee  Messrs.  Lyons,  Har- 
vie,  Irby,  Edmund  Ruffin,  Jr.,  and  Watkins. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Noland, 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural 
Society  be  tendered  to  the  Virginia  Legislatures  of  1865-'66  for 
the  benefit  done  to  agriculture  by  the  amendment  of  the  law  of 
enclosures. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Lyons, 

Resolved,  That  the  action  of  the  Executive  Committee  in  pur- 
chasing the  Fair  Grounds  of  the  Central  Agricultural  Society  is 
hereby  approved  and  ratiBed. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  McCue, 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  Society  be  tendered  to  the 
Presidents  of  the  several  railroads,  and  to  the  proprietor  of  .the 
Exchange  Hotel,  for  courtesies  extended. 

Cn  motion  of  Mr.  Lyons, 

Resolved.  That  the  former  owners  of  the  property  of  the  Central 
Agricultural  Society  be  made  honorary  members  of  this  Society. 

Mr.  Irby  offered  the  following  resolution,  which  was  unanimously 
agreed  to : 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  this  Society  are  hereby  returned 
to  Hon.  Willoughby  Newton,  late  President,  for  the  able  manner  in 
which  he  has  discharged  the  duties  of  the  office  he  has  held  for  the 
last  three  years,  with  so  much  honor  to  the  Society  and  so  much 
credit  to  himself. 

That  the  Secretary  transmit  a  copy  of  this  resolution  to  Mr. 
Newton. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Lyons,  the  Society  adjourned  sine  die. 

J.  Bell  Bigger,  Secretary. 


Fast  Corn  Husking. — Wm.S.  Hastings,  of  Coleraine  township, 
Lancaster  co.,  during  the  past  husking  season  commenced  work  at  6 
o'clock  in  the  morning  and  continued  until  6  in  the  evening,  during 
which  time  he  husked  76  barrels,  or  117  shocks.  There  were  a 
number  of  persons  present  who  witnessed  the  performance. — Ex. 

A  Michigan  farmer  has  husked  100  bushels  of  corn  in  eight  hours, 

id  • 

and  won  $25  premium. — Exchange. 

If  corn  husking  means  what  we  in  Virginia  call  corn  shucking,  it  can't  be 
done,  gentlemen,  at  the  rate  you  state.  The  half  of  it  is  more  than  an  ordi- 
nary day's  work. — Ed.  So.  P.  &  F.  ♦ 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  91 

Feeding  of  Stock. 

With  respect  to  the  feeding  and  management  of  dairy  stock,  a 
most  interesting  and  important  branch  of  farm  economy,  it  is  essen- 
tial that  we  should  have  correct  notions,  and  correct  notions  would 
involve  a  very  material  change  in  the  methods  generally  prevailing 
in  New  England  practice.  Though  great  improvement  has  been 
in  this  respect  within  the  last  quarter  of  a  century,  very  much  re- 
mains, and  it  will,  probably,  be  many  years  before  we  arrive  at 
perfection  in  our  general  system  of  low  feeding  and  reach  anything 
like  the  highest  results.  A  vast  number  of  experiments  have  been 
made  to  test  the  feeding  value  of  various  kinds  of  food,  while  chem- 
ical investigation  has  done  much  to  throw  light  upon  the  constituents 
of  feeding  substances,  and  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  we  have 
the  materials  on  which  to  base  a  far  more  rational  practice,  but  as 
yet  the  interest  in  adopting  a  more  advanced  and  improved  system 
of  management  is  in  this  country  confined  to  a  few. 

Chemical  investigations  of  feeding  substances  are  of  great  interest 
and  of  very  considerable    practical    value ;    but  the  difficulties    of 
availing  ourselves  immediately  of  all  the  advantages  they  are  capa- 
'  ble  of  affording  us,  arise  from   the  fact  that  we  have   to  deal  with 
living  organisms,  that  will  often  introduce  a  conflicting  variety  of  cir- 
cumstances to  modify  our  deductions.  If  the  chemist  tells  us  that  under 
certain  circumstances  a  certain  number  of  materials  will  combine  and 
form  a  certain  substance,  he  may  be  perfectly  true  so  far  as  the  results 
in  the  laboratory  go,  but  we  have  in  the  barn  a  very  different  set  of 
circumstances.     We  have  "the  living  being  with  all  its  fine  adjust- 
ments   of    nervous    and    muscular    organization,"    and  we  cannot 
predicate  with  the  same  degree  of  certainty  the  effects  which  any 
particular  combination  of  feeding  substances  will  have.     If  it  were 
not  so,  if  practical  results  would  always  come  out  as  we  are  led  to 
think  they  ought  to,  the  whole  art  of  feeding  would  be  reduced  to  a 
very  simple  set  of  rules,  of  easy  application  and  of  invariable  results. 
But    we    find    in    practice    a    great    variety    of    "physiological 
peculiarities,"  which  we  have  to  consult  in  our  animal.     They  have 
their  "likes  and  dislikes,"  and   over  these  we  have   comparatively 
little  control.     Even  the  food   which  at   one   time  they  relish  may 
be  turned  from  at  another  with  positive  dislike,  and  the  results  which 
one  kind  of  food  produces  at  one  time  may  produce  the  very  oppo- 
site results  at  another.     And  under  the  same  circumstances  of  feed- 
ing, shelter  and  management,  the  yield  of  milk  in  the  same  cow  will 
be  all  the  time  varying,  and  while  one  cow  thrives  on  a  particular 


92  THE  SOUTHERN  [February 

course  of  treatment  another  may  not.  Many  of  these  points  con- 
stantly coining  up  in  practice  are  well  calculated  to  puzzle  even  the 
most  observant  farmer.  But  there  are  others  that  we  can  more 
readily  understand.  We  know  that  bad  or  stormy  weather,  the 
want  of  proper  ventilation  in  the  barn,  the  irritation  of  excessive 
heat  and  the  attacks  of  insects  in  the  field,  the  worrying  by  dogs, 
sudden  thunder  storms  or  other  causes  of  excitement,  will  materially 
reduce  the  production  of  milk.  We  know,  too,  that  it  is  not  merely 
the  kind  of  food  but  the  condition  in  which  it  is  given  has  a  pow- 
erful influence  upon  the  product  of  the  cow,  and  so  we  have  a  variety 
of  questions,  upon  the  cooking  and  preparation  of  food,  the  mixing 
of  varieties,  and  others  of  a  practical  character  to  consider.  In  fact, 
the  whole  subject  of  feeding  is  not  without  its  difficulties,  but  for- 
tunately many  of  them  are  of  such  a  nature  that  we  can  rea- 
sonably hope  to  surmount  them.  On  this  point  of  the  difficulties 
attending  investigations  into  the  nature  and  practical  values  of 
food  for  stock,  and  the  circumstances  which  modify  the  milk- 
producing  qualities  of  food,  some  very  sensible  views  appeared  re- 
cently in  the  journal  of  the  Central  Agricultural  Society  of  Belgium, 
from  the  pen  of  its  late  able  Secretary,  M.  H.  le  Docte,  and  the 
following  is  a  translation  from  the  original : 

Every  farmer  knows  that  the  milk  of  dairy  cows  is  liable  to 
remarkable  phenomena,  which  occur  frequently  during  different 
periods  of  the  year.  Thus  it  is  not  uncommon  to  see  the  milk  of  a 
farm  increase  or  diminish  according  to  the  season,  and  without  any 
apparent  cause,  always  affecting  the  milking  in  a  similar  number  of 
cows.  After  that,  the  milk  is  by-and  by  of  good  quality,  while  a 
little  latter  it  has  a  mixed  taste,  and  is  soon  spoilt,  or  liable  to  mor- 
bid changes.  In  one  farm  this  substance  is  bitter,  vitiated  and  inca- 
pable of  coagulating  ;  in  a  neighboring  farm  it  is  sweet,  soft,  rich  in 
buttery  and  caceous  substances,  and  agreeable  to  the  taste.  Here  it 
is  of  a  dull  tint,  gray  or  whitish  ;  there  it  is  strongly  colored  with 
blue,  with  red,  or  even  with  a  shade  of  lead  color ;  elsewhere  quite 
the  contrary  is  observed,  and  the  milky  secretion  is  seen  to  increase, 
diminish,  or  cease  entirely.  What  is  the  cause  of  these  changes  ? 
What  mean  the  various  peculiarities  which  we  have  just  noticed. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  nature  and  quantity  of  the  food  given  to 
the  cattle  have  great  influence  on  the  quality  of  the  milk.  If  rea- 
son did  not  give  the  force  of  law  to  this  observation,  the  facts 
that  can  every  day  be  collected  in  the  district  of  Herve,  Dixmunde, 
Neufchatel,  everywhere  in  short — where  animals  of  the  bovine  species 
receive  abundant  nourishment — would  soon  establish  the  justice  of 


1809.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  93 

the  principle.  Starting  from  this  line  of  consideration,  several 
German,  English  and  French  writer?  have  pretended  that  it  is  pos- 
sible to  classify  the  food  given  to  cows,  and  afterwards  to  determine 
their  value  according  to  the  quantity  of  milk,  which  they  cause  to 
be  produced.  They  have  thus  admitted,  in  a  general  manner,  that 
100  pounds  of  good  meadow  (or  English)  hay  well  harvested  are 
worth 

200  lbs.  potatoes, 

400  lbs.  beet  root  with  leaves  on, 

c50  lbs*   Siberian  cabbage, 

250  lbs.  beet  roots  without  leaves, 

250  lbs.  carrots, 
80  lbs.  clover  hay,  or  vetches. 
50  lbs.  oil  cake, 

250  lbs.  pea  straw  and  vetches, 

300  lbs.  barley  or  oat  straw. 

400  lbs.   rye  or  wheat  straw, 
25  lbs.   peas  and  beans  or  vetch  seed. 
50  lbs.   oats, 

500  lbs.  ffreen  trefoil  or  vetches. 

If  these  proportions  are  just  and  well  established,  which  we  will 
readilv  admit  to  a  certain  point,  it  is  also  right  to  say  that  there  are 
certain  inaccuracies  which  it  will  not  be  useless  to  mention.  Thus 
is  it  not  plain  that  the  straw  and  hay  grown  on  a  rich  and  loamy 
soil  is  much  more  nourishing  than  that  grown  on  exhausted  ground? 
Does  this  not  prove  that  there  is  a  great  difference  between  fresh 
straw  ami  that  which  has  been  long  thrashed — between  the  straw 
produced  by  cereals  completely  ripe,  and  that  of  cereals  cut  before 
maturity  ?  between  the  produce  mixed  with  bad  herbs  and  that  which 
has  been  kept  in  a  proper  state  of  cleanliness  ?  It  must  be  remarked 
that  each  kind  of  food  exercises  a  different  action,  according  to  the 
nature  of  the  animals  which  consume  it.  One  likes  straw,  another 
prefers  hay ;  one  fancies  English  hay  rather  than  clover,  while 
another  thrives  better  in  a  pasture  than  in  the  stall.  The  nutritive 
power  of  the  food,  moreover,  is  influenced  by  the  state  of  the  tem- 
perature. The  nourishment  acts  differently,  according  as  the  weath- 
er is  dry,  dull  or  rainy — according  as  the  animals  are  left  at  rest  or 
used  for  hard  work,  and  according  as  they  are  well  or  ill-treated  ; 
it  is  equally  unquestionable  that  the  milk  is  much  more  abundant  in 
one  season  than  in  another,  which  must  necessarily  be  attributed  to 
the  direct  influences  of  the  atmosphere. 

This  is  not  all — the  dispositions  materially  affect  the  milk.     Give 


91  THE  SOUTHERN  [February 

any  horned  animal  new  and  particular  food  and  you  will  immedi- 
ately perceive  a  change  in  the  flavor  and  color  of  the  milk.  This 
fact  has  been  again  recently  established,  by  an  experiment  made  at 
an  institution  for  instruction  in  agriculture.  Food  consisting  exclu- 
sively of  spergula  had  been  given  to  the  cattle  at  this  establishment ; 
and  this  food,  to  which  are  attributed  such  precious  properties  for 
milk  in  nearly  all  the  other  districts  of  Belgium,  had  been  almost 
forsaken  by  the  animals  ;  it  is  needless  to  add,  that  after  that  the 
milk  suffered  a  considerable  diminution,  both  in  quantity  and  quality. 
This  example  shows  once  more  that  the  natural  disposition  of  each 
animal  acts  for  good  or  for  evil  upon  the  organs  of  digestion,  and 
has  consequently  a  direct  influence  upon  the  animal  economy  and 
upon  the  improvement  or  deterioration  of  the  milk. — Ruralist. 


Manual    Labor   School 


The  idea  of  an  agricultural  school  implies  that  the  science  of  ag- 
riculture is  taught.  Practical  farming  should  also  be  taught.  This 
implies  manual  labor.  Manual  labor  schools  have  been  long  regarded 
as  an  exploded  humbug.  Experience  has  shown  that  the  associated 
labor  of  a  number  of  boys  during  part  of  the  day  is  not  sufficiently 
remunerative  to  justify  the  outlay  of  capital  and  the  employment 
of  teachers  necessary  for  the  support  of  such  an  enterprise. 

Still  in  the  impoverished  condition  of  our  farming  and  planting 
population  and  amid  the  lamentable  obstacles  in  the  way  of  educa- 
ting the  present  generation  of  boys  every  patriot  asks,  Is  there  no 
remedy?  Cannot  the  boys  in  some  measure  educate  themselves? 
Can  they  not  earn  a  livlihood,  while  they  go  to  shool,  or  at  least  do 
much  towards  it? 

It  seems  to  me  that  many  an  earnest  minded  young  man  seeking 
an  education  might  at  least  earn  his  board  by  laboring  part  of  the  day. 

Suppose  that  he  rises  early,  perform  a  few  morning  chores  till 
breakfast  (at  sunrise),  then  spend  the  forenoon  at  his  books  till  12 
o'clock  ;  then  dine  and  after  dinner  labor  till  night ;  then  study  till 
9  or  10  o'clock.  Also  work  every  Saturday  and  during  the  entire 
summer  vacation  of  10  weeks  which  is  the  most  important  part  of 
the  cropping  season.  Why  may  not  an  industrious  boy  16  or  18 
years  old  earn  his  board  in  this  way  ? 

Will  such  a  system  detract  too  much  from  the  hours  of 
study  ?  I  think  not.  I  have  seen  boys  on  this  plan  learn  quite  as 
rapidly  as    those    who  pay   their  way   entirely.     Success  in   study 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  95 

depends  on  a  "  willing  mind."  I  do  not  believe  that  the  mental 
vigor  is  at  all  impaired  by  the  labor  mentioned,  but  rather  strength- 
ened. It  would  be  well  if  every  growing  boy,  at  school  or  away, 
could  be  required  to  labor  a  few  hours  every  day  in  the  open  air. 

From  a  limited  experience  I  would  deem  it  necessary  for  a  boy 
to  pay  his  tuition  fees  at  least ;  for  he  certainly  cannot  earn  board 
and  tuition  both.  *  Such  fees  are  from  the  nature  of  the  case  high 
and  out  of  the  reach  of  many  who  greatly  desire  to  be  educated,  ran- 
ging from  $200  to  §372  a  year  in  schools  of  a  high  grade.  Now 
suppose  the  boy  to  pay  from  $60  to  $100  a  year  tuition  and  work 
for  the  remainder;  cannot  teachers  aiford  to  make  the  arrangement? 
True  it  is  more  than  the  boy  can  make  at  home.  He  cannot  save 
enough  in  one  year  at  home  to  pay  his  way  at  school  the  next,  get- 
ting the  use  of  his  father's  land  and  tools.  Still  in  a  well  regulated 
household,  with  a  little  farm  attached  to  the  school,  it  seems  that  a 
few  such  boys  might  be  profitably  employed.  Will  not  some  of  our 
schools  make  the  experiment  ? 

I  do  not  propose  that  our  schools  be  converted  into  "  manual 
labor  "  schools,  but  rather  that  a  manual  labor  feature  be  engrafted 
on  them,  for  such  a  proportion  of  the  boys  as  need  the  help  of  the 
system  or  can  be  employed  with  profit.  Some  who  have  ample 
means  might  also  very  properly  desire  their  boys  to  be  taught 
practical  farming.  Some  may  object  that  it  is  not  proper  to  engraft 
this  system  on  a  regular  boarding  school.  For  those  who  labor  would 
be  looked  down  on  as  an  inferior  caste  and  their  position  would  be 
uncomfortable  unless  all  are  subjected  to  the  same  rule.  In  prac- 
tice this  objection  has  no  force  I  think,  for  boys  are  great  levelers. 
The  idea  of  caste  originates  with  older,  I  cannot  say  wiser  heads. 
It  is  high  time  that  old  and  young  had  learned  the  dignity  of  man- 
ual labor.  The  disposition  and  character  of  a  boy  alone  regulates 
his  standing  amons  his  schoolmates. 

'Tis  no  uncommon  thing  for  other  boys  to  take  a  turn  at  labor 
sometimes  for  sport,  sometimes  for  pay  by  the  hour  or  by  the  job, 
and  sometimes  to  secure  an  extra  holyday  for  a  favorite  in  the  man- 
ual labor  department.  If  the  head  of  the  school  is  discreet  there 
will  arise  no  difficulty  about  caste. 

There  are,  however,  practical  difficulties  to  be  encountered. 
One  arises  from  the  difficulty  in  selecting  suitable  boys.  The 
teacher  may  do  his  best  and  he  is  in  danger  of  being  mistaken  in  his 
material ;  E.  G.  one  boy  who  has  lived  on  ashcake  at  home,  imag- 
ines, by  some  strange  hallucination,  that  he  ought  to  live  on  pound- 
cake at  school ;   or  another  who  has  read  of  Ben  Franklin,  becomes 


96  THE    SOUTHERN  [February 


suddenly  fired  with  the  idea  of  being  a  "selfuiade  man',  obtains  a 
place  in  the  manual  labor  department  and  goes  to  work  with  great 
promise,  but  when  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day  comes,  his  visions 
of  selfmade  greatness  are  dissipated  like  the  morning  dew,  and 
there  are  ten  chances  to  one  that  his  place  will  be  vacant  some 
morning  and  when  you  hear  of  him  again,  you  can  be  amused  as 
well  as  offended  with  the  stories  of  hardships  and  persecutions  with 
which  he  satisfies  the  queries  of  a  fond  father,  and  arouses  the 
indignation  of  a  sympathysing  mother  ;  or,  again,  some  parent  or 
guardian,  who  has  been  wholly  unable  to  persuade  an  idle  boy  to  earn 
his  salt  or  learn  a  book  at  home,  sends  you  his  boy  with  instructions 
to  use  jus:  "a  little  mild  authority,"  at  times.  He  counts  largely 
on  your  teaching  him  industrious  habits  in  a  very  short  time.  De- 
liver me  from  all  such  ! 

Another  difficulty  is  found  in  the  profitable  use  and  training  of 
unskilled  labor.     Boys  have  but  little  skill  and  less  judgment. 

Another  source  of  difficulty  lies  in  the  oversight,  control  and  dis- 
cipline of  this  labor,  even  when  the  boys  are  inclined  to  do  well. 

The  -  gn  remedy  for  the  most  of  these  practical   difficulties 

is  to  require  partial  fees,  paid  invariably  in  advance.  Xone  but 
teachers  know  how  much  advance  payments  simplify  the  whole  ques- 
tion of  discipline. 

I  would,  therefore,  propose  that  every  school  take  a  limited  number 
of  select  and  deserving  youths  on  this  plan,  charge  partial  fees, 
and  require  partial  labor  to  pay  the  rest.  In  this  way  many  a  noble 
youth  may  be  educated,  at  least  without  loss  to  the  teacher,  and  a 
great  favor  will  be  done.  The  boy  will  learn  habits  of  industry  and 
self-reliance,  which  is  the  foundation  of  all  true  independence,  and 
at  the  same  time  learn  the  details  of  practical  farming  better  than 
he  could  have  done  at  home. 

Who  icdl  experiment  in  th  lion  I 

A  Teacher. 


.  r  Stat' 


Which  of  the  two  will  be  able,  with  the  greatest  security,  to  con- 
fide in  his  own  powers  in  a  moment  of  adversity — he  who  has  in- 
dulged his  mind  and  pampered  his  body  in  many  luxuries — or  he 
who,  contented  with  a  little,  and  provident  for  the  future,  shall  like 
a  wise  man,  prepare  in  the  time  of  peace  for  war  '. 

Every  man,  in  his  prosperity,  should  make  provisions  to  meet 
auvers::y. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  97 


iorticultural  Department. 


JOHN  M.  ALLEN, Editor. 

Fruit  Growing  and   Trucking  in  Virginia. 

We  clip  the  following  from  the  Norfolk  Journal. 

Our  Fruit  and  Trucking  Farms. — We  have  been  favored  by 
the  secretary  of  our  Pomological  Society  with  the  following  exhibit 
of  the  various  productions  of  the  fruit  and  trucking  farms  in  the 
neighborhood  of  our  city  during  the  past  year  which  have  been  sent 
from  this  port  to  the  northern  market :  1,000,000  baskets  straw- 
berries;  50,000  barrels  potatoes;  40,000  barrels  peas;  10,000 
barrels  snaps  ;  050,000  heads  cabbage  .  20,000  barrels  cucumbers  ; 
160,000  boxes  tomatoes;  5,000  barrels  squashes;  2,003  barrels 
beets;  40,000  bunches  radishes  ;  100,000  cantelopes  ;  50,000  water- 
melons. The  estimated  value  received,  for  the  above  is  §1,043,200. 
This  calculation,  it  will  be  observed,  does  not  include  what  has  been 
received  from  the  sale  of  apples,  pears,  plumbs,  cherries,  etc.,  which 
would  probably  amount  to  §25,000  more. — Norfolk  Journal. 

We  regret  that  the  estimated  average  price  of  each  article  is  not 
given,  but  the  gross  value  shows  that  these  were  highly  remunerative. 
The  price  of  Strawberries  for  instance,  may  be  safely  estimated  at 
20  cents  per  basket  (quart).  Allowing  3,000  quarts  per  acre,  we  have 
an  income  of  §C00,  giving  a  net  profit  of  at  least  $400  per  acre  and 
proving  beyond  question  that  this  branch  of  industry  is  profitable 
around  Norfolk.  Per  contra,  we  make  the  following  extract  from  a 
review  of  the  year  in  Whitlock's  Recorder  published  in  New  York: 
"  Strawberries  were  abundant  and  late  in  the  season  sold  at  prices  far 
too  low  to  yield  a  profit  to  the  grower.  None  but  the  largest  and  best 
commanded  a  good  price  during  the  entire  season,  which  shows  that  our 
Strawberry  growers  must  give  more  care  to  the  selection  of  kinds,  as 
well  as  to  culture,  or  find  that  they  are  losing  money." 

It  is  just  here  we  make  a  point  for  the  benefit  of  our  Northern 
Truckers — It  is  this,  while  culture  and  attention  to  varieties  are 
always  essential,  still  these  will  not  avail  them  now.  Care  and 
vol.  in — 7 


98  THE    SOUTHERN  [February 

culture  cannot  compete  with  soil  and  climate.  We  can  supply  their 
markets  two  or  three  weeks  earlier  than  they  can,  and  of  course  we 
will  get  the  higher  prices  and  they  must  be  content  with  the  closing 
rates.  Admitting  New  Jersey  soil  to  be  as  well  adapted  as  Virginia 
lands  to  the  production  of  fruits  and  vegetables,  New  Jersey  climate 
is  not  so  favorable,  and  now  that  our  people  are  alive  to  the  value  of 
these  crops,  Northern  growers  need  not  hope  to  compete  with  us. 
The  better  plan  is  for  these  gentlemen  to  come  to  our  State,  invest  in 
our  lands,  which  are  very  cheap,  and  push  their  business  from  anew 
base,  where  they  can  always  be  sure  of  receiving  remunerative  prices. 
'Tis  true  that  more  Southern  localities  are  earlier  than  ours,  but 
then  the  distance  is  too  great  for  us  ever  to  fear  competition  in  the 
Northern  markets,  and  Virginia  growers  will  always  control  the 
early  markets  in  New  York,  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia. 


Novelties. 

As  the  spring  approaches,  the  usual  number  of  new  vegetables, 
fruits,  &c,  &c,  are  advertised  with  recommendations,  which,  if  they 
possess  no  other  value,  certainly  sustain  the  reputation  American 
venders  have  acquired  as  the  princes  of  puffers.  Could  we  believe 
one  half  (and  have  our  faith  confirmed  by  experience)  that  is  said 
of  the  numerous  new  varieties  of  Potatoes,  Tomatoes,  Cucumbers, 
Melons,  Strawberries,  &c,  horticulturists  would  certainly  be  the 
happiest  of  mortals.  But,  alas  !  "all  is  not  gold  that  glitters," 
and  we  fear  that  the  results  of  the  year  1869  will,  like  those  of 
former  seasons,  demonstrate  the  fact  that  while  new  things  may  be 
good,  old  ones  are  generally  more  trustworthy.  We  are  not 
opposed  to  improvement,  nor  are  we  disposed  to  condemn  anything 
because  it  is  new,  on  the  contrary,  it  gives  us  pleasure  to  chronicle 
recent  improvements  in  the  vegetable  world,  and  we  hope  that  those 
interested  in  horticulture  will,  as  far  as  practicable,  test  all  varie- 
ties of  vegetables,  fruits,  and  flowers  which  are  introduced  by  par- 
ties having  any  claims  to  credence.  This  much  is  due  to  the 
producers,  as  well  as  to  ourselves.  But  with  the  experiments  of  the 
past  to  guide  us,  we  should  be  careful  of  investing  in  any  of  these 
novelties  to  any  greater  extent  than  is  sufficient  to  give  them  a  fair 
trial.  This  is  the  prudent  course,  even  if  able  to  do  otherwise,  poor 
as  we  are — any  other  course  is  miserable  folly. 

We  are  often  asked  why  we  do  not  aid  more  in  introducing  these 
novelties.     Our  reply  is,  that  advertisers  are  sure  to  tell  all  that 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  99 

can  be  said  in  favor  of  them  while  they  are  novelties.  As  soon  as 
they  cease  to  be  that,  or,  in  other  words,  as  soon  as  we  are  able  to 
do  what  our  readers  can,  viz.,  test  them,  we  hasten  to  give  our  expe- 
rience. More  than  this  ought  not  to  be  required,  as  we  do  not 
claim  to  be  prophets. 

In  this  connection  our  advice  has  been  asked  concerning  the  Early 
Rose  Potato,  which,  according  to  advertisers,  is  remarkable  for  its 
earliness.  good  quality,  and  astonishing  productiveness.  As  we  have 
not  tested  it,  all  we  can  now  say  is,  try  it.  It  is  highly  recom- 
mended by  responsible  parties ;  but  as  every  variety  has  its  respective 
friends  and  opponents,  experience  alone  can  decide  whether  it  is 
desirable  in  this  section.  At  twelve  dollars  per  bushel,  its  present 
price,  we  would  advise  careful  handling. 

Good  rules  to  guide  purchasers  are  these  :  Procure  the  Catalogue 
of  some  dealer  in  whose  judgment,  as  well  as  integrity,  you  can 
rely,  and  select  such  varieties  as  he  recommends,  but  touch  lightly 
all  articles  you  see  introduced  with  the  phrase  "said  to  be  "  very 
early,  very  prolific,  &c.  Never  purchase  anything  in  the  horticul- 
tural line  from  parties  you  do  not  know  personally,  without  good 
references,  else,  in  many  cases,  counterfeit,  as  well  as  worthless  varie- 
ties, may  fall  into  your  hands. 


Early  Corn. 

In  "  Old  Virginia,"  "roasting  ears  "  are  still  a  sine  qua  non  for 
the  summer  table,  and  few  will  have  the  hardihood  to  deny  the  jus- 
tice of  their  title  to  popularity.  No  summer  vegetable,  with  the 
possible  exception  of  the  Tomato,  is  so  generally  useful  as  green 
Corn.  It  is  palatable  and  nutritive,  and  being  easily  grown,  is 
within  the  reach  of  all.  Heretofore,  its  culture  has  been  mainly 
confined  to  the  farm,  and  the  table  generally  supplied  from  the  first- 
lings of  the  field.  This  was  very  well  as  long  as  it  lasted,  but, 
unfortunately,  that  was  not  long,  and  roasting-ear  season  did  not 
extend  over  a  few  weeks,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  corn  crop  was 
all  planted  at  the  same  time  and,  consequently,  matured  about  the 
same  period. 

Green  corn  should  be  cultivated  as  a  garden  crop,  where  with  a 
little  care  in  the  selection  of  varieties  and  time  of  planting,  a  con- 
tinuous supply  may  be  had  from  the  beginning  of  summer  untiL 
frosts  sets  in. 


100  THE  SOUTHERN  [February 

We  append  a  description  of  some  of  the  earliest  and  best  varieties, 
which  mature  in  succession,  and  are  well  adapted  to  table  use: 

Adam's  Extra  Early. — Small  ear,  high  flavor,  juicy  and  prolific; 
matures  in  seven  weeks  from  time  of  planting. 

Tuscarora. — Large  ear  ami  grain,  with  little  flavor,  having  rather 
a  mealy  taste,  prolific,  matures  in  eight  weeks. 

Large  Sugar. — The  best  of  the  sweet  corns,  good  size,  fine  flavor, 
yields  well,  matures  in  from  eight  to  ten  weeks. 

Stowell's  Evergreen. — Not  so  well  flavored  as  the  Large  Sugar, 
but  possesses  this  great  advantage,  that  it  is  very  slow  in  ripening, 
and  can  be  used  for  a  long  time — while  other  varieties  soon  become 
too  hard  for  use,  this  retains  its  juice  and  tenderness  for  several 
weeks  ;  succeeds  the  Large  Sugar  in  maturity. 

A  good  plan  is  to  plant  some  of  each  as  early  as  the  season  will 
permit,  and  repeat  the  planting  at  intervals  of  a  month  which  will 
insure  a  constant  supply. 


Navy  Beans. 
Editor  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer : 

Will  you  be  kind  enough,  in  a  future  number  of  your  valuable 
journal,  to  give  some  information  on  the  mode  of  planting,  culture 
and  harvesting  of  the  White  Navy  Bean  ? 

A.  J.  H. 

Rockbridge  county,   Virginia. 

The  Navy  Bean  is  a  bunch  or  dwarf  bean,  and  should  be  culti- 
vated like  all  others  of  that  class.  A  sandy  loam  is  best  suited  to 
them,  but  they  will  succeed  in  any  light  loose  soil.  The  ground 
should  be  in  good  heart,  but  high  fertilization  is  not  desirable.  Plant 
the  same  time  as  corn,  in  drills  three  and  a  half  feet  wide  and  three 
to  four  inches  apart  in  the  drills,  covering  them  about  two  inches 
deep  with  light  soil ;  cultivate  with  plough  and  hoe.  When  ripe, 
they  may  be  mown  with  a  scythe,  or  pulled  up  and  flailed  out,  or 
better  still,  they  may  be  hand-picked.  When  grown  for  sale  as 
seed,  they  should  always  be  gathered  by  hand.  They  are  quite 
profitable.  Fifty  bushels  per  acre  is  a  moderate  yield,  and  two 
dollars  per  bushel  below  the  average  price,  with  a  demand  greater 
than  the  supply. 


"  The  greatest  dupes  are  those  who  exhaust  an  anxious  existence 
in  the  disappointments  and  vexations  of  business,  and  live  miserably 
and  meanly,  only  to  die  magnificently  rich. 


1869.] 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


101 


v    j        &  *'    i      ^    „iiil/       I  L#l      I)   t  $ 


The  "Early  Goodrich    Potato." 

Jfr.  Editor, — As  there  seems  to  be  a  general  desire  among 
farmers  to  diversify  their  crops  so  as  to  avoid  the  disastrous  effects 
of  the  recent  failures  of  the  wheat  crop,  and  as  many  have  turned 
their  attention  to  Potatoes  as  one  of  the  best  and  most  profitable 
crops  for  that  purpose,  I  think  a  statement .  of  mv  experience  with, 
one  of  the  newer  varieties  may  be  acceptable  to  your  readors. 

I  planted  last  spring  a  considerable  crop  of  the  "  Ea?ly  Good- 
rich" using  for  seed,  potatoes  grown  on  my  farm  the  previous 
year  from  seed  purchased  in  your  city.  I  gave  the  land  a 
moderate  manuring  only,  of  a  well  rotted  compost  stable  and 
barn-yard  manure,  spread  on  broadcast  and  ploughed  in,  har- 
rowed well  and  laid  off  in  rows  three  feet  apart,  and  scattered 
along  in  the  drills  Soluble  Pacific  Guano  at  the  rate  of  250  pounds 
per  acre,  with  a  light  dressing  of  hog  hair.  (I  think  hog  hair  the 
best  manure  in  the  world  for  potatoes.)  Planted  small  zvhole  pota- 
toes nine  inches  apart  in  the  drills.  I  made  no  note  of  the  date  of 
planting,  but  it  was  at  the  same  time  that  I  sowed  my  early  May  peas, 
and  the  potatoes  and  peas  were  fit  for  the  table  at  the  same  time. 
I  gave  good  ordinary  cult'vation — no  extra  care  or  attention — and 
dug,  by  actual  measurement,  o50  bushels  per  acre  of  good  mer- 
chantable potatoes — realizing  TO  bushels  for  one  planted.  I  have 
cultivated  the  "Early  Goodrich"  for  two  years,  and  think  it  very 
well  adapted  to  our  climate  and  soil.  It  has  improved  with  me  in 
quality  and  yield  instead  of  degenerating,  as  the  Mercer  and  other 
old  varieties  have  done.  It  is  superior  in  quality  to  any  I  have  ever 
cultivated,  and  for  earliness,  freedom  from  disease  and  keeping,  fulfills 


102  THE   SOUTHERN  [February 

all  that  was  promised  for  it  by  those  who  introduced  it  among  us. 
If  any  of  your  readers  want  a  first-rate  early  potato,  the}"  will  find 
it  in  the  "  Goodrich,"  at  lest  such  is  the  experience  of 

Yours,  respectfully,  B.  C.  Watkins. 

Powhatan  county,  January  IS,  1869. 

We  heartily  endorse  all  our  correspondent  -ays  as  to  the  good  qualities  of  the 
E.irly  Goodrich,  t  ut  would  suggest  that  even  better  results  might  hare  been 
obtained  if  he  had  cut  his  potatoes  instead  of  planting  them  whole. — Ed.  S.  P.  it  F. 


Propagating  Vines  by  Eyes. — When  the  proper  time  arrives 
for  pruning,  preserve  the  prunings  by  sticking  them  in  the  ground, 
or  in  a  flower-pot  filled  with  rather  moist  but  not  very  wet  soil.  In 
January,  or  early  in  February,  you  may  prepare  the  eyes  by  making 
on  the  back  of  the  shoot,  opposite  the  eye,  a  cut  with  a  sharp  knife, 
bringing  the  knife  out  almost  three-quarters  of  an  inch  below  the 
eye.  The  same  proceeding  is  to  be  repeated,  bringing  the  knife  out 
above  the  eye,  and  you  have  an  eye  with  a  portion  of  wood  above 
and  below  it,  and  slanting  from  the  back  to  the  side  on  which  the 
eye  is  situated.  The  eyes,  when  prepared,  are  to  be  inserted  in 
pots  or  pans  filled  to  within  an  inch  of  the  rim  with  turfy,  light 
loam;  the  eyes  being  placed  either  horizontally  or  vertically, 
about  an  inch  and  a  half  apart,  and  covered  with  half  an  inch  of 
fine  soil.  They  should  be  placed  in  a  house  or  frame  where  there 
is  a  hot-bed,  in  which  they  should  be  plunged  ;  the  temperature 
being  not  more  than  90°,  nor  less  than  75°.  The  top-heat  may  be 
from  60°  to  65°  at  night,  and  75°  by  day.  and  80°  or  85°  with  sun- 
heat.  The  soil  ought  to  be  kept  moist,  but  not  wet,  until  the  eyes 
have  begun  to  grow;  then  keep  it  moist,  affording  a  light  syringing 
morning  and  evening.  When  the  eyes  have  pushed  a  few  inches, 
they  may  be  taken  up  carefully,  and  potted  off  singly;  and  if  kept 
in  a  hot-bed,  and  a  moist  atmosphere  is  preserved  for  a  time,  they 
will  grow  freely.  The  young  vines  thus  produced  must  be  repotted 
as  often  as  the  pots  become  filled  with  roots.  Give  them  their  last 
shift  about  June. — Journal  Horticulture. 


A  new  system  of  rose  culture  is  now  being  practiced  in  Europe, 
the  principal  points  of  which  are  to  prune  out  all  the  old  wood,  to 
shorten  the  new  wood  a  little,  and  peg  it  down  flat  to  the  earth. 
The  rose  is  thus  allowed  to  bloom  only  on  the  wood  of  last  year's 
growth.     The  effect  is  very  fine. — Rural  Americdn. 

*\  err  good,  except  the  novelty  part.  We  commenced  this  system  fifteen  years 
ago.  and  still  continue  it,  with  such  varieties  as  are  benefitted  by  it. — Editor 
So.  P.  ft  F. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  103 

A  New  Fertilizer  for  Grapes. — "The  California  Farmer" 
says,  "  Some  two  years  since,  we  spoke  of  a  system  practiced  by 
some  scientific  growers,  of  enriching  their  vineyards  by  cutting  into 
fine  bits  the  spring  prunings,  and  ploughing  in  the  same,  thus 
returning  the  needed  material  for  manuring  the  vine. 

"We  have  seen  this  experiment  carefulty  and  successfully  tried, 
and  have  seen  its  good  results  ;  which  is  the  keeping  the  soil  light 
and  porous,  and  giving  to  the  vineyard  a  wholesome  look  and  a 
heavy  erop. 

"  We  hope  those  vine-growers  that  have  been  in  the  habit  of 
burning  up  their  grape-wood,  or  carting  it  off,  will  hereafter  chop  up 
the  wood  finely,  and  plough  it  in  deeply,  and  they  will  find  their 
vineyards  very  greatly  benefitted  thereby." 

"  Mirabile  dictu,"  "  Eureka,"  etc.,  etc.  Here  we  have  been  for  years  search- 
ing after  fertilizers,  when,  if  we  had  only  known  it,  we  might  have  chopped  up 
our  corn  stalks,  ploughed  them  in,  and  continued  gathering  good  crops.  So 
with  our  orchards,  rose  beds,  &c,  &c.  The  point  of  the  joke  is  that  the 
"Journal  of  Horticulture  "  copies  it.  without  comment,  apparently  endorsing 
it.     Pretty  good  for  our  Boston  cotemporary. 


Philadelphia  Raspberry. 

I  would  like  to  say  a  few  words  in  defence  of  this  berry,  because 
I  believe  it  possess  in  a  high  degree  those  qualities  that  are  needed 
in  a  variety  for  general  cultivation.  I  have  seen  it  growing  on  very 
light  land,  unmanured,  where  it  maintained  its  size  and  general 
character  of  fruit  perfectly,  and  gave  a  very  fine  yield.  I  fruited 
it  myself  on  very  choice  land  and  under  the  most  favorable  circum- 
stances, giving  it  the  very  highest  possible  cultivation,  using  rotted 
manure  plenteously  when  planting,  and  in  the  spring,  before  fruit- 
ing, covering  the  ground  with  it  completely.  The  result  was,  not 
an  overgrowth  of  canes,  but  a  very  great  increase  of  fruit.  I  have 
seen  it  besides  on  different  soils  and  in  widely  different  locations, 
have  made  inquiry  in  different  directions  north,  west  and  south,  and 
have  yet  to  learn  of  a  single  failure,  either  from  disease  or  the 
extremes  of  heat  and  cold,  or  the  peculiarities  of  any  location,  soil  or 
climate.  Thus,  where  most  other  red  varieties  fail,  the  Philadelphia 
is  sure  to  succeed,  and  where  they  succeed  it  is  equally  sure  to 
surpass  them  all  in  those  two  great  requisites,  quantity  and  cer- 
tainty of  fruit. 

Those  who  go  to  encounter  the  extreme  cold  of  Minnesota,  the 


104  THE    SOUTHERN  [February 

bleak  winds  of  the  "western  prairies,  or  the  burning  sun  of  the  south- 
ern climates,  can  take  this  variety  with  them  as  a  constant  friend 
that  will  always  yield  its  supply  of  fruit  for  the  comfort  and  suste- 
nance of  the  family. 

As  to  its  quality,  no  one  ever  claimed  that  it  equaled  some  of  the 
delicate,  high-flavored  sorts  that  need  to  be  shaded  in  summer  and 
wrapped  up  in  winter  to  produce  their  scanty  crop,  and  which  would 
exhaust  even  the  resources  of  "Wall  Street"  in  the  unavailing 
effort  to  produce  fruit  enough  to  supply  our  people's  need.  But  it 
is  a  question  whether  its  flavor,  or  rather  want  of  flavor,  is  any 
objection  to  it.  The  wisdom  of  the  Creator  is  seen  in  his  giving  to 
every  class  of  his  "  blessed  fruits  "  a  great  variety  of  flavor,  thus 
humoring  the  veriest  whims  of  appetite  ;  and  the  Philadelphia  Rasp- 
berry finds  appreciating  tastes  among  thousands  of  consumers,  and 
never  disappoints  their  expectations. 

Two  gentlemen  stepped  into  our  office,  a  few  days  since,  and, 
during  the  conversation,  one  of  them  spoke  of  seeing  some  Diana 
grapes  that  had  been  kept  till  the  month  of  May,  and  he  thought 
them  better  than  when  fresh,  as  they  had  lost  in  some  measure  their 
musky  flavor.  "But,"  interrupts  the  other,  "  that  is  what  I  like, 
and  my  tc if e  thinks  the  Diana  far  superior  to  the  Del aiv are."  Now, 
these  persons  are  all  intelligent  in  fruit,  yet  to  one  the  Delaware  is 
tame  and  insipid,  and  to  another  the  Diana  is  rank  and  offensive; 
but  neither  of  them  would  be  "good  horticulturists,"  if  they  should 
condemn  or  fail  to  recommend  either  of  these  grapes,  however  offen- 
sive to  themselves,  knowing  as  they  do  that  they  are  favorites  with 
many.  This  shows  how  absurd  it  is  to  suppose  that  all  fruit  must 
have  the  same  high  flavor  to  be  valuable.  What  we  want  is  more 
fruit,  an  abundance  of  it  everywhere,  so  as  to  become  a  staple  and 
universal  article  of  diet ;  so  plenty  and  so  cheap  that  the  poor,  and 
the  children  of  the  poor,  can  gratify  their  desire  and  nature's 
demand  for  it.  How  many  children  are  there  in  the  country  that 
would  refuse  a  dish  of  Philadelphias,  or,  if  allowed  to  go  into  the 
patch,  would  not  help  themselves  liberally,  and  never  once  think 
that  their  goodness  all  lay  in  "sugar  and  cream?"  The  universal 
demand  for  fruit  cannot  all  be  met  by  the  market-gardener,  nor  from 
airy  other  source  but  the  family  garden,  and  to  encourage  home 
fruit-groioing  should  be  the  aim  of  every  "good  horticulturist." 
The  best  fruit  any  man  ever  eats  i3  that  he  raises  himself  in  his  own 
little  yard  or  garden  ;  and  though  he  may  be  comparatively  poor 
and  unable  to  purchase  costly  adornments  and  surroundings  for  his 
family,  yet  in  this,  among  the  best  of  home  comforts,  he  stands  an 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  105 

equal  chance  with  the  rich,  and  may  "gather  round  him  fruit  and 
flower  as  fair  as  Eden  had."  But  if  in  his  first  attempt  his  plants 
all  winter  kill  or  fail  to  produce  fruit,  he  will  be  discouraged  from 
any  further  experiment ;  and  this  cause  has  given  a  more  severe 
check  to  general  fruit-growing  than  any  other,  as  a  want  of  success 
will  in  any  business.  If,  then,  we  would  encourage  fruit-growing, 
we  must  disseminate  those  varieties  that  will  recompense,  not  disap- 
point, the  hopes,  that  will  strengthen,  not  weaken,  the  faith  of  the 
masses  in  the  enterprise.  And  for  this  purpose,  the  Philadelphia  is 
among  the  red  raspberries  what  the  Wilson  is  among  strawberries — 
not  by  any  means  the  best  flavored  of  them  all,  but  still  of  good 
quality,  perfectly  hardy,  and  a  sure  and  great  bearer.  And  I 
would  cheerfully  recommend  it  for  family  culture,  even  though  hard- 
earned  money  may  be  paid  for  it,  as  it  will  always  answer  the 
expectations  with  a  bountiful  yield  of  really  good  fruit. — The  Hor- 
ticulturist. 


Advantages  of  Keeping  Hogs  in  Orchards. 

Notwithstanding  all  the  evident  advantages  of  jarring  the  trees 
daily,  and  arresting  the  operations  of  insects,  we  still  believe  that 
the  practice  of  allowing  hogs  and  poultry  the  free  run  of  the  orchard 
will  prove  the  simplest  and  most  practical  means  for  overcoming  the 
insect  attacks  on  fruit.  Dr.  Trimble,  being  once  asked,  "What  is 
the  easiest  and  best  means  for  subduing  the  curculio  ?  "  replied, 
"iZi^/s."  Well  said.  Now,  let  us  look  at  a  few  instances  of  suc- 
cess in  following  out  this  treatment. 

David  E.  Brown,  one  of  the  largest  fruit-growers  near  Alton, 
South  Illinois,  has  for  about  five  years  kept  both  hogs  and  sheep  in 
his  apple  arid  peach  orchards.  His  fruit  is  not  infested  by  insects 
nearly  as  much  as  that  of  his  neighbors,  although  he  employs  no 
other  precaution  whatever  to  guard  against  the  depredations  of 
fruit-boring  insects.  His  peach  trees  are  also  free  from  borers, 
though  he  takes  no  pains  to  worm  his  trees.  His  hogs  keep  in  good 
condition  on  the  fallen  fruit. 

Mr.  S.  B.  Johnson,  of  Alton,  had,  last  year,  (1868)  the  best 
crop  of  peaches  out  of  forty  orchards  in  that  neighborhood.  He 
attributes  the  largeness  of  his  crop  greatly  to  the  fact  that,  in  183V,  he 
allowed  a  gang  of  hogs  the  range  of  his  peach  orchard  all  through 
the  months  of  May  and  June,  until  the  end  of  summer. 

The  Country  Gentleman  says  : 

"  "W  e  know  a  cultivator  who  had  heavy  crops  of  plums  for  seven- 


106  THE  SOUTHERN  [February 

teen  years  in  succession — his  swine  for  these  seventeen  years,  with- 
out a  season's  interruption,  being  allowed  the  run  of  the  yard." 

At  Duquoin,  Illinois,  Messrs.  "Winter  Brothers  have  a  peach 
orchard  of  nearly  eighty  acres.  For  the  past  five  years  they  have 
allowed  a  large  drove  of  hogs  to  pasture  in  this  orchard,  that  pick 
up  all  the  fallen  fruit.  The  second  year  a  small  share  of  the  fruit 
was  stung,  but  for  the  past  three  years  there  has  been  no  loss  on 
this  account.  The  experiment  gives  great  promise  of  success.  In 
the  garden,  where  the  hogs  are  excluded,  there  are  a  few  peach 
trees,  but  these  are  badly  stung. 

All  other  peach  crops  about  Duquoin,  and  at  Centralia,  had  the 
fruit  nearly  all  ruined  by  insects. 

W.  C.  Flag*,  of  Moro,  near  Alton,  has  for  five  years  tried  the 
plan  of  allowing  hogs  the  range  of  his  apple  orchard,  and  finds  it 
very  beneficial,  by  checking  the  depredations  of  fruit-boring  insects. 

An  apple-grower  in  Southeast  Michigan  has  for  many  years  back 
allowed  hogs  the  range  of  his  apple  orchard.  His  apples  have  been 
but  little  infested  by  the  apple-worm,  even  in  years  when  those  of 
his  neighbors  were  swarming  with  this  insect. 

Benjamin  Bacon,  of  Niagara  county,  New  York,  has  an  apple 
orchard  of  about  ten  or  twelve  acres.  Fourteen  years  ago  he 
turned  his  hogs  into  it,  and  has  continued  this  practice  ever  since. 
Before  he  allowed  hogs  the  range  of  his  orchard,  his  crop  of  apples 
was  always  a  very  poor  one;  since  he  commenced  this  system  he 
has  raised  good  ones ;  ten  or  twelve  of  his  neighbors  have  followed 
his  example  with  equally  good  results. 

Jotham  Bradbury,  residing  near  Quincy,  Illinois,  has  an  old  apple 
orchard,  which  many  years  ago  used  invariably  to  produce  nothing 
but  wormy  and  gnarly  fruit.  A  few  years  ago  he  ploughed  up  this 
orchard,  and  seeded  it  to  clover,  by  way  of  hog-pasture.  As  soon 
as  the  clover  had  got  a  sufficient  start,  he  turned  in  a  gang  of  hogs, 
and  has  allowed  them  the  range  of  his  orchard  ever  since.  Two 
years  after  the  land  was  ploughed,  the  apple  trees  produced  a  good 
crop  of  fair,  smooth  fruit,  and  have  continued  to  bear  well  ever 
since. 

The  benefits  of  this  practice  may,  in  the  case  of  beginners,  not 
be  so  apparent  and  decided  the  first  year ;  but,  by  faithfully  follow- 
ing up  for  a  series  of  years,  there  will  be  found  such  a  direct  advan- 
tage, as  to  lead  to  the  adoption  of  the  principle  as  a  general  rule. 
As  fast  as  the  wormy  fruit  falls,  it  is  picked  up  by  the  hogs.  The 
larvae  of  the  insect  are  prevented  from  going  underground  and  pro- 
ducing a  new  brood  to  sting  the  fruit  the  next  year. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND   FARMER.  107 

The  American  Entomologist  wisely  says  : 

"  There  are  three  practical  difficulties  in  the  way  of  carrying  out 
this  system  of  subduing  fruit-boring  insects  by  hog-power:  1st. 
The  necessity  of  having  all  the  orchard  land  under  a  separate  fence, 
which,  of  course,  in  many  cases,  involves  a  considerable  extra  out- 
lay for  fencing  materials.  2d.  The  necessity  of  giving  up  a  prac- 
tice which  is  conceded  by  the  most  intelligent  fruit-growers  to  be 
otherwise  objectionable  ;  namely,  growing  other  crops,  such  as  small 
grain,  corn,  or  small  fruits  between  the  rows  of  trees  in  bearing 
fruit  orchards.  3d.  The  necessity  of  giving  up  the  modern  fashion- 
able theory  of  low-headed  trees ;  for  otherwise,  if  apple  and  peach 
trees  are  allowed  to  branch  out  like  a  currant  bush  from  the  very 
root,  any  hogs  that  range  among  them  will  manifestly  be  able  to 
help  themselves,  not  only  to  the  wormy  windfalls  that  lie  on  the 
ground,  but  also  to  the  sound  growing  fruit  upon  all  the  lowermost 
boughs. 

11  It  is  important,  when  hogs  are  employed  for  the  purpose  of 
picking  up  fallen  fruit,  that  they  should  be  kept  moderately  hungry, 
and  not  be  gorged  every  day  with  corn  so  as  to  make  them  too  lazy 
for  work." 

Intelligent  fruit-growers  are  rapidly  being  convinced  of  that 
practical  proverb,  "  When  fruit  trees  occupy  the  ground  7io  other 
crop  should." 

They  find  that,  with  the  changes  of  our  climate,  fruit-culture  is 
not  an  easy  task,  but  one  demanding  more  skill  and  intelligence 
than  ever. 

Fruit  is  becoming  scarcer  and  dearer  yearly,  and  there  is  more 
demand  for  it.  If  fruit  is  worth  anything,  it  is  worth  as  much  care 
as  any  other  farm  crop.  Farmers  can  afford  now-a-days  to  let  their 
orchards  lie  unused,  uncultivated ;  they  can  easily  let  their  hogs 
have  free  range  in  them  ;  they  can  afford  to  incur  the  expense  of 
necessary  fences  to  confine  the  swine  from  depredation,  because  the 
labors  of  the  hog  will  cause  a  better  return,  in  the  increased  yield 
of  fruit,  in  the  freedom  from  disease  both  in  tree  and  fruit,  and  in 
the  fact  that  they  are  a  complete  and  permanent  preventive  against 
all  further  insect  spoliation. 

In  the  cultivation  of  plum  or  apricot  trees,  the  fruit  will  repay 
ten  times  the  cost  of  hogs,  or  such  crops  as  the  ground  might  other- 
wise have  produced. 

We  shall  yet  see  the  time  when  the  hog-pen  in  the  orchard  will 
be  quite  a  common  sight,  and  declared  "a  'paying  thing." — Horti- 
culturist. 


108  THE   SOUTHERN  [February 

Seed  for  Lawns. 
This  month  is  a  good  time  for  seeding  down  new  lawns.  Let  the 
ground  be  first  thoroughly  prepared,  that  is,  dug  at  least  one  foot — 
better  to  be  eighteen  inches — deep,  and  all  of  this  depth  to  be  of 
good  rich  loamy  soil,  not  ten  inches  of  poor  clay  or  sand  with  two 
inches  of  top-dressing,  but  all  the  depth  of  good  loam  suitable  for 
growing  a  heavy  crop  of  corn  or  a  bed  of  carrots  ;  make  the  whole 
depth  anc  quality  of  soil  uniform,  without  regard  to  the  rise  and 
fall  of  the  grades ;  in  other  words,  do  not  form  the  soil  in  one  place 
fourteen  inches  deep  and  in  another  ten,  and  then  calling  it  an 
average  of  one  foot;  because  the  lawn  hereafter  will  tell  of  your 
work  by  its  exhibit  of  rich  green  grass  in  the  deep  soil  places  and 
of  yellow  dried  spots  in  the  shallow  ones;  but  make  it  all  an  even, 
regular  depth,  whether  on  a  rising  knoll  or  a  low  level. grade.  Rake 
and  pulverize  with  the  roller  all  the  top  surface  as  fine  as  an  ash 
heap.  "When  ready  for  sowing,  procure  for  one  acre — or  in  propor- 
tions according  to  the  surface  to  be  seeded — two  bushels  of  Blue 
Grass,  two  bushels  of  Red  Top,  half  a  bushel  of  Creeping  Bent, 
and  one-eighth  bushel  of  White  Clover  ;  mingle  them  well  together, 
and  then  divide  into  three  equal  parts.  Sow  first  one  part ;  then 
go  over  the  ground  with  a  fine  rake,  say  from  north  to  south,  raking 
the  whole  surface  back  and  forth  to  lightly  cover  the  seed  ;  then 
sow  another  third  portion  of  the  seed,  and  repeat  the  raking  cross- 
wise, or  from  east  to  west ;  then  sow  the  last  remaining  portion  of 
seed,  and  with  a  heavy  roller,  roll  or  press  the  whole  surface,  both 
for  the  purpose  of  cementing  the  seed  in  the  soil  for  vegetating,  and 
also  to  prevent  measurably  the  wash  liable  to  accrue  from  rains.  We 
sometimes  see  advice  of  one  bushel  of  seed  to  an  acre  :  again,  of 
two  or  three,  with  a  sprinkling  of  rye,  as  they  say,  to  shade  the 
young  grass — the  adviser  probably  forgetting  that  the  strong,  rank 
roots  of  the  rye  do  more  injury  by  extraction  of  moisture  and  food 
from  the  roots  than  the  benefit,  if  there  is  any,  obtained  from  its 
shade.  London,  we  believe,  was  in  the  practice  of  using  from  six  to 
eight  bushels  of  seed  to  the  acre;  Downing,  from  four  to  six;  and 
our  experience  of  twenty  years  over  many  and  many  an  acre  is,  that  if 
a  good  firm  lawn  is  expected  the  first  year,  it  is  always  unsafe  to  use 
less  than  four  bushels,  and  that  the  addition  of  one  or  two  bushels  more 
well  pays  in  the  thick  nest  of  grass  readily  grown  and  the  lessening 
of  labor  in  extracting  weeds,  that,  where  no  grass  is,  will  surely  grow. 
A  top-dressing  of  bone  meal,  ten  bushels  to  the  acre,  with  two  bushels 
of  salt,  and  one-half  bushel  of  gypsum  (plaster),  will  also  always  be 
found  a  profitable  expenditure. — Horticulturist. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  109 


|)ousc|]ofo  JlejKtrtinntt. 


Domestic    Poultry. 

The  fall  has  come  and  gone — old  winter  is  upon  us,  with  his  icy 
hands  and  chilling  breath — and  as  all  animate  nature  require  extra 
attention  till  the  rigors  of  the  season  are  passed,  I  resume  the  sub- 
ject of  "Domestic  Poultry,"  with  the  hope  of  increasing  each 
farmer's  interest  in  the  comfort  of  his  feathered  family,  and  insuring 
him  greater  profit  and  pleasure  in  rearing  the  young  when  gentle 
spring  shall  assume  her  reign. 

Reader,  are  you  a  farmer,  or  gardener  ?  And  do  you  attempt,  or 
hope,  to  rear  your  own  poultry  for  the  present  year  ?  If  so,  you 
should  remember  that  your  birds  can  no  more  enjoy  health,  without 
protection  from  the  pelting  rains,  the  drifting  snows  and  piercing 
winds,  than  can  your  children.  They  need  a  sufficiency  of  sound, 
substantial  food  in  the  day,  to  keep  them  strong  and  vigorous  ;  they 
need  a  sheltered  ash-bank  in  which  to  dust  themselves ;  they  need 
clean,  broad  roosts  on  which  they  can  rest  and  protect  their  feet 
from  the  cold,  by  covering  them  with  their  bodies;  and  they  need  a 
comfortable,  dry,  well-ventilated,  yet  warm,  lodging  room,  where  the 
chilling  draughts  of  winter  nights  will  not  reach  them.  If  you 
have  made  these*  preparations,  you  may  look  for  a  bountiful  supply 
of  eggs  very  soon,  if  you  are  not  already  getting  them.  If  you 
have  made  no  arrangements  for  their  care  and  comfort,  then  do  so 
at  once,  or  get  rid  of  the  birds  you  have  around  you,  and  thus 
escape  the  annoyance  of  expecting  spring  eggs  and  chickens  from 
hens  that  have  become  diseased  and  rendered  almost  barren  by  your 
own  neglect. 

In  previous  numbers  of  this  journal  I  have  given  brief  descrip- 
tions of  a  "hennery,"  "sitting  boxes,"  the  mode  of  hatching  and 
and  rearing  broods,  a  "coop"  for  the  young  chicks,  some  of  the 
diseases  which  attack  and  destroy  poultry,  and  my  mode  of  treating 
those  diseases.  Would  that  I  could  say  that  my  remedies  were 
never-failing;  but  I  cannot.  If  an  ounce  of  prevention  is  worth  a 
pound  of  cure,  I  can,  however,  say  I  have  given  that,  as  my  readers 
will  admit  when  they  give  it  a  fair  trial.  And  that  preventive  is: 
Sound  food,  frequently  changed  ;  clean,  fresh  water ;  comfortable 
roosting  places ;  clean  nests,  and  a  dry  ash-bank  to  wallow  in. 

On  many  farms  in  Virginia  the  domestic  poultry  has  been  bred 


110  THE    SOUTHERN  [February 

"in   and   in,"   with  no  care  for  its  comfort  or  health,  till    there  is 
scarcely  a  sound  bird  in  the  barnyard.     Where  this  is  the  case,  the 
house-wife  needs  and  must  have  a  new  stock  for  a  fresh  start.   What 
breed  it  shall   be  is  a  matter  of  fancy  with   all.     Some   prefer   the 
white  face  Black  Spanish,  because  of  their  superior  laying  qualities. 
A  more  beautiful  bird  could  nol  be   desired ;  but  the  hen  is  a  non- 
sitter,  and  the  young  chicks  are  delicate  and  hard  to  raise.     Some 
prefer  the  Cochin  China — a  large  bird  of  good  laying  qualities,  but 
too  indolent  to  provide  for  itself,  or  to   protect   its  young.     Others 
prefer  the  "Brahma"  and  this  is  decidedly  my  choice,  after  testing 
several   varieties;  but   the  difficulty  in  the  way  is,  in   getting   them 
pure.     After  repeated  efforts  and  failures,  I  succeeded  last  year  in 
purchasing  of  a  private  gentlemen  in  New  York  twenty  odd  of  these 
birds,  and  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  they  are  the  most  beautiful 
fowls  my  eyes  ever  beheld.     They  do  not  seem  to  be  affected  by  the 
winter,  lay  regularly  at  all  seasons,  and  are  as  healthy,  as  thrifty, 
and  as  cheerful  in  cold  weather  as  in  spring  time.     So   much   am  I 
pleased  with  my  "Brahma's,"  after  giving  them  a  trial   of  summer, 
fall  and  winter,  that  I  would  not   part  with  them  for  ten  times  their 
cost,  if  I  believed  I  should  not  be  able  to  replace  them.     They  lay 
large  eggs,  sit  well,  are  good,  provident  mothers  :  the  young   birds 
are  fit  for  the  pan  and  griddle  at  six  weeks  old,  and  the  flesh  of  the 
Brahma  is  inferior  to  no  other  domestic  bird  that  I  have  ever  tried. 
For  farm  purposes,  I  feel   quite  sure  they  will    speedily  succeed   all 
others,  because  of  the  many  good  qualities  which  I  have  enumerated. 
For  winter  layers,  I  doubt  if  tbey  have  their  equals.      Those  in  my 
yard  have  laid  all  winter  thus  far,  and  I  am  now  sitting  their  eggs 
to  have  early  spring  chickens. 

SPRING    PREPARATIONS. 

As  every  poulterer  desires  to  have  early  chicks,  every  one  should 
prepare  for  the  sitting  hens  at  once.  Whitewash,  cleanse,  and  purify 
your  henneries,  this  month.  Make  down  new  nests;  scald  and  smoke 
the  old  roost  poles,  or  put  in  new  ones  of  sassafras;  thoroughly 
cleanse  and  fumigate  your  hatching  boxes;  prepare  anew  ash-bank, 
and  see  to  it  that  the  watering  and  feeding  troughs  are  tight  and 
sweet.  Then  commence  a  systematic  examination  of  each  hen. 
After  being  satisfied  none  of  them  are  infested  with  vermin,  exam- 
ine their  tongues  and  remove  all  indication  of  "pips" — a  disease 
which  proves  fatal  when  neglected,  but  which  yields  readily  to  pro- 
per treatment.  This  being  done,  you  have  only  to  feed  well  to 
insure  success. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  Ill 

Next  month  I  propose  calling  attention  to  the  various  diseases  of 
poultry,  and  giving  such  remedies  as  I  have  found  efficacious. 

Very  many  letters  have  reached  me  from  various  sections  of  the 
States,  both  from  ladies  and  gentlemen,  relative  to  poultry,  and 
especially  the  "  Brahma  fowls."  Such  as  required  it  have  been 
answered.  Others  will  be  through  the  Planter  and  Farmer  and 
the  Postoffice.  I  could  fill  a  volume  with  praises  of  the  "Brahma," 
from  poulterers  in  Europe  and  America,  so  highly  are  they  esteemed. 
My  great  aim  is  to  improve  our  stock  of  barn-yard  fowls,  and  if  I 
succeed  in  getting  the  farmers  of  Virginia  to  thinking  on  the  sub- 
ject, I  shall  be  well  repaid  for  my  labor.  I  know,  by  experience, 
that  poultry  can  be  made  profitable,  and  for  that  reason  I  have 
introduced  the  subject.  J.  W.  L. 

Grove  Cottage,  near  Richmond,  P.  0.  Address  125,  Richmond,   Va. 


About  Painting,  Papering,  Etc. 

Select  paper  with  quiet  tints,  as  being  in  better  taste  than  guady 
colors.  Some  paper  the  ceilings  also.  For  this  a  white  or  nearly 
white  watered  paper  should  be  used,  with  a  broad  and  delicately 
colored  border. 

Side  walls  can  be  papered  by  women.  Trim  the  imprinted  edge 
from  one  side  of  the  paper,  cut  into  strips  the  right  length,  match- 
ing the  figure  as  you  cut,  then  lay  one  strip  at  a  time  on  a  long 
table,  and  with  a  good  whitewash  brush,  or  even  a  clothes  brush, 
spread  on  the  paste — common  boiled  flour  paste,  made  rather  thin, 
and  perfectly  smooth — then  with  your  assistant,  lift  the  strip  to  its 
place,  and  with  cloths  in  your  hand  pat  it  thoroughly  from  the 
top  downwards  and  the  middle  outwards.  In  putting  on  the  second 
piece,  lap  its  trimmed  edge  over  the  untrimraed  edge  of  the  first, 
and  match  the  figure. 

Do  not  begin  in  a  corner,  for  these  are  seldom  straight,  but  begin 
by  a  door,  so  that  when  you  come  around  to  the  place  of  beginning, 
there  will  not  be  a  strip  of  broken  figure  to  close  up  with.  In 
papering  the  corners  of  a  room,  always  cut  the  paper  instead  of 
turning  the  corner  whole,  and  then  lap  a  little,  so  that  the  paper 
will  go  in  smooth  to  any  irregularities  in  the  corner,  and  not  bridge 
acros3;  as  it  will  do  if  put  on  whole. 

If  your  house  is  nice,  and  you  wish  to  repaint  within  doors,  do 
not  fail  to  get  the  zinc  paint  for  the  last  coat.  It  costs  more,  but 
is  vastly  more   durable,  has   a   beautiful   polish,  and   is   very  easily 


112  THE    SOUTHERN  [February 

cleaned  without  soap.  But  if  you  are  building  a  nice  bouse,  by  all 
means  have  the  "wood  work  varnished,  and  dispense  with  paint 
entirely.  Almost  any  wood  is  handsomer  varnished  than  any  paint 
can  make  ir.  and  a  simple  damp  cloth  will  then  remove  all  dirt. 

All  the  old  varnished  furniture,  bedstc  -.  chairs,  tables,  etc.,  can 
be  made  to  look  almost  like  new,  if  well  rubbed  with  turpentine  and 
oil.  If  past  such  a  remedy,  buy  a  cup  of  varnish,  get  the  loan  of 
a  brush,  and  varnish  the  furniture  yourself.  A  nicely  varnished 
table  is  handsomer  to  my  taste  without  a  spread  than  with  one. 

If  new  curtains  are  wanted  for  any  part  of  the  house,  get  buff 
chintz,  and  the  size  of  the  windows,  run  a  flat  rod  into  the  lower 
hem,  and  nail  the  upper  edge  to  a  round  rod,  such  as  you  can  get 
at  the  stores  arranged  to  draw  up  by  a  cord  at  the  sides  :  or  if  you 
cannot  do  better,  put  a  round  rod  at  the  bottom  and  rol!  up.  tying 
with  a  cord  and  tassel  thrown  over  the  top.  White  curtains  can  be 
added,  if  wanted. 

Carpets  should  be  taken  up  at  least  once  a  year,  thoroughly 
beaten  with  pliant  whips,  and  all  common  ones  should  be  turned  the 
other  side  up.     Good   straw  e  id  down  is  the   best   to   keep 

dust  from  wearing  carpets.  Carpets  that  are  to  be  stretched  much 
should  be  bound  all  around,  and  oil  cloths  should  also  be  bound  with 
carpet  binding. 

In  purchasing  a  carpet,  remember  that  large  patterns  are  only 
suited  to  large  rooms,  and  that  a  carpet  wi-h  a  small  figure,  cover- 
ing nearly  the  whole  surface,  will  last  longest,  especially  if  the  car- 
pet be  three-ply.  Let  there  be  a  harmony  of  colors  between  the 
carpet  and  wall  paper.  Select  substantial  colors  as  well  as  substan- 
tial cloth,  don"t  get  a  green  carpet,  and  then  keep  the  room  dark  to 
protect  it,  but  get  one  that  loves  the  light.  Cotton  car]  is  or  even 
linen  are  poor  economy,  but  for  honest  wear  give  us  the  old-fash- 
ioned rag  carpet  yet. — Ohio  F.i 


GrRASS  Lawsb,  newly  made,  must  not  be  so  closely  mo^n  as  old 
turf;  but  mowing  must  be  performed  with  regularity,  or  it  is  impos- 
sible to  obtain  a  uniform  velvety  green  surface.  To  mow  cl:- 
well  established  turf  is  to  encourage  the  fine  grasses  and  kill  out 
the  coarse  kinds.  Salt  and  plaster  are  good  manures.  Use  at  the 
rate  of  one  bushel  of  plaster  an  I  three  bushels  of  salt  to  the  acre, 
and  sow  just  before  a  rain. 

"It  is  not  enough  to  aim — you  must  hit." 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  113 

Carving  and  Helping  at  Table. 

It  is  considered  an  accomplishment  for  a  -lady  to  know  how  to 
carve  well  at  her  own  table.  It  is  not  proper  to  stand  in  carving. 
The  carving  knife  should  be  sharp  and  thin. 

To  carve  fowls,  (which  should  always  be  laid  with  the  breast 
uppermost,)  place  the  fork  in  the  breast,  and  take  off  the  wings  and 
legs  without  turning  the  fowl ;  then  cut  out  the  merry  thought,  cut 
slices  from  the  breast,  take  out  the  collar  bone,  cut  off  the  side 
pieces,  and  then  cut  the  carcass  in  two.  Divide  the  joints  in  the 
leg  of  a  turkey. 

In  carving  a  surloin,  cut  thin  slices  from  the  side  next  to  you, 
(it  must  be  put  on  the  dish  with  the  tenderloin  underneath,)  then 
turn  it,  and  cut  from  the  tenderloin.     Help  the  guest  to  both  kinds. 

In  carving  a  leg  of  mutton,  or  a  ham,  begin  by  cutting  across  the 
middle  to  the  bone.  Cut  a  tongue  across,  and  not  lengthwise,  and 
help  from  the  middle  part. 

Carve  a  forcquarter  of  lamb  by  separating  the  shoulder  from  the 
ribs,  and  then  divide  the  ribs. 

To  carve  a  loin  of  veal,  begin  at  the  smaller  end  and  separate 
the  ribs.  Help  each  one  to  a  piece  of  kidney  and  its  fat.  Carve 
pork  and  mutton  in  the  same  way. 

To  carve  a  fillet  of  veal,  begin  at  the  top,  and  help  to  the  stuffing 
with  each  slice.  In  a  breast  of  veal,  separate  the  breast  and  brisket, 
and  then  cut  them  up,  asking  which  part  is  preferred. 

In  carving  a  pig,  it  is  customary  to  divide  it  and  take  ^off  the 
head  before  it  comes  to  the  table  ;  as  to  many  persons  the  head  is 
revolting.     Cut  off  the  limbs  and  divide  the  ribs. 

In  carving  venison,  make  a  deep  incision  down  to  the  bone  to  let 
out  the  juices,  then  turn  the  broad  end  toward  you,  cutting  deep, 
in  thin  slices. 

For  a  saddle  of  venison,  cut  from  the  tail  toward  the  other  end, 
on  each  side,  in  thin  slices.  Warm  plates  are  very  necessary  with 
venison  and  mutton,  and  in  winter  are  desirable  for  all  meats. — 
National  Agriculturist. 


The  Kitchen  is  more  important  than  the  parlor.  It  should  be 
kept  perfectly  clean,  well  lighted,  properly  ventilated,  and  supplied 
"with  necessary  conveniences.  Dry  wood  and  a  brisk  fire,  and  an 
abundant  supply  of  soft  water,  will  greatly  facilitate  the  labor  of 
housewife  or  servants. 
VOL.  in — 8 


114  THE   SOUTHERN  [February 

Cooking  Hams. 

I  have  learned  much  in  the  half  dozen  years  since  I  have  assumed 
the  responsibility  of  beiug  my  own  housekeeper,  as  to  the  best  mode 
of  boiling  a  ham.  I  knew  very  well  that  it  was  spoiling  a  good 
ham  ever  to  fry  it  when  it  can  be  broiled.  But  I  found  there  were 
ways  of  boiling  a  whole  ham  so  as  to  ruin  it ;  and  this  is  the  way 
how  I  now  boil  it:  If  it  be  a  Maryland  or  a  Virginia  ham,  or  any 
one  rather  old  or  hard,  it  should  be  soaked  over  night  in  plenty  of 
•water,  then  put  into  a  suitable  cooking  pot  of  cold  water,  which 
should  be  raised  to  a  gentle  boil,  or  rather  simmer,  and  this  should 
be  continued  for  fifteen  minutes  for  every  pound  weight  of  the  ham. 
Then  take  out,  remove  the  skin,  and  dust  over  plentifully  of  bread 
crumbs  and  set  in  the  oven  to  bake  from  fifteen  to  thirty  minutes. 
A  ham  cooked  in  this  way  should  be  very  tender,  juicy  and  of  fine 
flavor,  provided  it  was  originally  good. 

If  this  will  assist  any  one  in  her  knowledge  how  to  improve  upon 
the  "  old  way  "  of  preparing  a  whole  ham  for  the  table,  I  shall  be 
satisfied.  I  know  very  well  that  if  once  tried  it  will  be  always 
tried. —  Germantown  Telegraph. 


Household  Recipes. 

Coffee  Cake. — One  cup  of  butter,  one  of  sour  cream,  one  of 
coffee,  five  eggs,  one  cup  of  currants,  one  of  stoned  raisins,  one  tea- 
spoonful  cinnamon,  one  of  allspice,  one  nutmeg,  one  teaspoonful 
soda ;  add  flour  to  mix  hard  and  bake  slowly. 

Loaf  Cake. — One  cup  of  yeast;  one  cup  of  sugar;  one  cup  of 
lard;  one  cup  of  milk;  two  eggs;  stir  stiff  as  you  can  and  let  it 
rise  over  night.  In  the  morning  add  two  cups  sugar ;  two  cups 
butter;  one  egg  and  a  very  little  soda;  one  pound  raisins. 

Sour  Milk  Doughnuts. — Take  two  cups  of  sour  milk,  one  tea- 
spoonful  of  soda,  two  tablespoonfuls  of  cream,  one  cup  of  sugar, 
and  one  egg  put  into  the  mixture  without  beating;  add  flour  enough 
for  a  stiff  paste ;  salt  and  spice  to  taste. 

Sour  Milk  Loaf  Cake. — One  pint  of  flour;  one  coffee  cup  of 
sugar;  one  coffee  cup  of  sour  milk;  one  teaspoonful  soda  dissolved 
in  the  milk  and  stirred  to  a  foam  ;  cne  egg  ;  four  spoonfuls  melted 
butter;  one  teaspoonful  cream  tartar  mixed  with  the  flour;  nutmeg 
and  raisons  as  desired.     This  makes  too  good  loaves. 


1800.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  115 


Mechanic  givte 


How  to  Split  Wood  Easily. 

A  great  many  hard-working  men,  who  have  never  been  accus- 
tomed to  commit  their  ideas  to  paper,  understand  that  any  kind  of 
firewood,  or  timber  that  is  being  split  into  oven-wood,  or  riven  into 
staves,  or  wagon  spokes,  will  separate  much  more  easily  when  split 
"slab  fashion"  than  when  separated  in  the  direction  from  the  heart 
toward  the  sap  portion  of  the  log  or  stick.  There  is  a  philosophical 
reason  for  this.  When  a  stick  is  split  "slab  fashion,"  the  parts  are 
separated  between  the  annual  and  the  concentric  circles  of  the  tree, 
one  of  which  is  formed  every  growing  season.  The  union  between 
these  annual  layers,  or  rings  of  wood,  is  not  so  perfect  as  it  is 
between  the  parades  which  form  a  ring  or  circle  of  the  wood. 

Inexperienced  laborers  and  boys  do  not  always  understand  how 
much  advantage  may  be  taken  of  their  hard  labor,  when  splitting 
wood,  by  understanding  this  fact.  When  a  log  is  sawed  into  short 
cuts,  for  example,  to  be  split  into  firewood,  two  iron  wedges  and  a 
beetle  would  be  necessary  to  open  a  cut  through  the  heart.  But  by 
taking  off  thin  slabs,  most  of  the  splitting  may  be  done  with  only 
an  axe. 

Sugar  maple  is  sometimes  so  difficult  to  split  through  the  heart, 
that  a  laborer  may  drive  in  all  his  wedges  and  gluts  without  being 
able  to  open  a  log  four  feet  long;  whereas  were  the  cut  slabbed,  the 
splitting  could  be  pet  formed  with  comparatively  little  labor.  Then, 
after  a  log  is  split  into  slabs,  the  labor  of  splitting  the  slabs  the 
other  way  will  be  comparatively  light. — Hearth  and  Rome. 


Preserving  Timber. — To  builders,  gardeners,  and  others  who 
employ  home-grown  timber  for  fencing  and  other  purposes,  a  cor- 
respondent in  the  London  Gardener's  Chronicle  recommends  a 
preventive  of  dry-rot,  which  he  says  has  been  thoroughly  tested  by 
experiment.  It  consists  in  soaking  the  timber  for  a  short  time  in 
lime  water.  A  pit  or  tank,  or  good  sized  tank,  according  to  the 
extent  of  requirement,  will  answer  the  purpose,  the  lime  being 
added  to  the  water  in  the  proportion  of  eighty-eight  grains  to  the 
gallon.  Timber  prepared  in  this  way  is  said  to  stand  the  weather 
remarkably  well. 


THE  SOUTHERN  PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA, FEBRUARY,  1809. 

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Value  of  the  Shuck  Crop. 

We  have  now  in  full  and  practical  operation  in  our  city  a  branch  of  industry 
that  is  new,  and  yet  exercising  a  very  important  influence  upon  agriculture, 
namely,  t"  e  hackling  of  shucks  for  mattress  tilling.    • 

This  article  was  manufactured  first  in  New  Jersey  by  the  Olcotts,  who,  perhaps, 
found  a  market  in  1845  or  1846  for  about  twenty  tons  a  year.  From  this  point 
the  demand  steadily  increased,  and  presently  a  New  England  firm,  Boorham 
&  Son,  located  with  some  kind  of  a  machine  in  New  Jersey  as  competitors  of 
the  Olcotts,  but  theirs  was  a  very  inferior  article,  and  they  never  did  much. 
Subsequently,  the  manufacture  spread  over  the  country,  and  became  an  impor- 
tant branch  of  production.  Mr.  F.  O.  Kittridge,  in  New  England,  took  the 
lead  in  that  section.  But  it  was  divided  among  many  small  producers  in  New 
Jersey,  the  State  of  New  York,  and  most  of  the  other  States.  In  1855,  Mr.  G. 
B.  Stacy  put  up  the  first  machine,  run  by  power,  in  this  State,  three  miles 
below  Richmond.  It  was,  however,  only  of  sufficient  capacity  to  supply  his 
own  wants  as  a  manufacturer  of  mattresses  for  the  trade  of  Richmond. 

In  1859,  agentleman  from  Michigan  came  to  this  city,  and  put  up  a  machine  on 
■which  great  calculations  were  based,  in  Talif'erro's  Old  Mill,  in  R  icketts.  A  Mr. 
Sharp  was  associated  with  him  in  this  enterprise,  but  like  their  successor,  who 
purchased  their  machine  and  interest  (Mr.  Justis),  they  were  not  pos'ed  in  the 
business,  and,  therefore,  did  not  succeed.  Mr.  Stacy,  however,  continued  his 
operations  successfully,  adding  steam  power  and  improved  machinery  progres- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER,  117 

6ively,  until  the  condition  of  the  country  in  18G3  compelled  a  cessation  of  his 
operati  ins.  But  at  the  Xorth  during  the  war  the  demands  for  hospital  bedding 
stimulated  the  production  to  a  wonderful  extent,  but  it  in  no  w  iy  contributed 
to  the  improvements  of  the  machinery  by  whic  1  it  \vi<  produced  ;  and  it 
remained  for  our  own  Mr.  Stacy  to  push  his  experiments  and  improvements  to 
the  last  result,  -which  he  has  steadily  dune,  until  he  has  succeeded  in  producing 
a  machine,  for  which  he  has  applied  for  a  patent,  and  which  has  given  him  the 
control  i  f  the  market  of  the  States.  His  machine  not  only  strips  the 
shucks  from  their  butts  and  shreds  them  tine,  but  it  effectually  separates 
the  butts  and  all   short  refuse  from   the   prepared   article    a  market. 

It  produces  twelve  tons  every  twenty-four  hours,  and  the  quality  is 
admitted  to  be  the  best  ever  sent  to  market.  Mr.  Stacy  admits  that 
many  of  the  points  of  importance  in  his  machine  were  suggested  by  the 
observations  he  made  of  the  operations  of  varied  machines  exhibited  at  Agri- 
cultural Fairs.  And  while  on  this  subject,  we  may  as  well  state  that  the  firm 
of  G.  B.  Stacy  <.V"  Son  are  prepared  to  pay  a  handsome  price  for  every  pound  of 
shucks  that  can  be  transported  here.  They  have  made  a  market  for  one  of 
Virginia's  products,  and,  as  we  understand,  they  are  aiming  to  place  them  on  the 
Northern  market  at  a  price  that  will  effectually  displace  the  Excelsio  (a  pre- 
paration of  wood),  produced  in  the  Eastern  States,  and  thus  secure  a  permanent 
market  for  all  that  Virginia  can  grow. 

Let  it,  then,  be  remembered  that  the  old  adage  "not  worth  shucks"  is  obso- 
lete. Shucks  have  a  standard  value  henceforth,  and  Stacy  &  Son  will  buy  all 
that  can  be  produced  in  Virginia.  And  where  persons  canuot  bale  them,  they 
will  purchase  them  on  the  farm  and  have  them  baled  at  their  expense.  We 
deem  this  important  to  be  known,  first,  that  there  is  a  market  for  all  of  Vir- 
ginia's shucks,  and  next,  that  it  is  a  market  that  tends  to  enhance  the  value  of 
all  other  provender. 

"When  it  is  remembered  that  the  shucks  of  each  barrel  of  corn  weighs  from 
forty-five  to  sixty  pounds,  and  that  the  corn  crop  of  Virginia  is  estimated  at 
3  698,000  barrels,  and  that  the  average  value  of  the  shucks  is  fifty  cents 
per  one  hundred  pounds  on  the  plantations,  it  can  be  seen  at  once  that  the 
shuck  crop  of  Virginia  has  bee  >me  of  considerable  importance,  and  this  new 
branch  of  industry  is  worthy  of  all  the  co-operation  the  planting  community 
can  give  it. 

At  the  rate  of  firty  pounds  per  barrel,  and  eighty  cents  per  hundred,  the 
present  price,  each  acre  will  produce,  at  eight  barrels  per  acre,  four  dollars, 
which,  where  the  crop  is  economically  worked,  will  be  about  the  cost  <>f  culti- 
vation. We  think  the  present  price  will  probably  increase  as  time  develops 
demand  and  competition,  but  we  confess  that,  for  the  present,  we  do  not  wish 
to  see  the  Messrs.  Stacy  impeded  by  higher  prices,  even  if  they  could  be 
obtained. 

We  ought  to  have  said  there  is  also  a  concern  in  Petersburg,  conducted  by 
Mr.  W.  S.  Harrison,  who  is  buying  shucks  for  the  same  purpose,  but  we  have 
no  information  as  to  his  capicity,  or  the  extent  of  his  operations. 

We  know  that  Stacy  &  Son  are  giving  direct  employment  to  one  hundred 
and  fifty  men  in  this  branch  of  Virginia  industry,  and,  perhaps,  fifty  or  more 
indirectly. 

The  transportation  paid  on  this  Virginia  product  to  the  X  >rthern  markets 
during  the  last  three  months  has  exceeded  $4,000,  which  is  another  encourag- 


118  THE  SOUTHERN  [February 


i  •.- _-  It  is  one  of  the  ir  tending  I     give  motion 

and  power  tj  the  progressive  development  of  old  Virgini 

the   wa»te   produced  in   this  manufacture   is 

declared  by  the  :.  makers  the  test  paper  material  outside  of 

•wn  to  the  trade,  and  that  the  fioe:«t  writing  paper  can  be  made  from  it. 

The  quantity  that  can  be  thus  furnished  at  a  n  minal  price  is  a  great  premium 

in  favor  of  another  important  Richmond  mani 

The  practical  query  now  is.  will  Virginia  planters  avail  themselves  of  this 
their  advantage,  and  see  that  this  improved  machinery  shall  find  a  sufficient 
supply  of  raw  material  to  keep  it  ru-  -  be  compelled  to 

seek  another  born  region  to  find  the; 

The  shucks  are  baled  as  hay  is,  and  weigh  in  bales  from  250  to  350  pounds 
as  in  order. 


A  Grest  Difference. 

A  few  laya  Bg    we  went  :    New  Y  r:      W  lilst  there  we  stepped  ir.' 
office  of  ai  Itural  journal.     It  was  in  a  part  of  the  city  where  rents  were 

-  high.     Bat  the  i  ffice  was  large   and  full  of  clerks  and  other   ag 
sending  off  the  paper  and  receu      g    -  -      We  came  back  home  and 

walked  into  the  i  ffice  of  the  Planter  and  Farmer,  and  instead  of  the  squad  of 
clerks,  ftc.,  we  found  only — we:l.  no  matter.  But  we  th  ught  hjw  much 
smarter  the  farmers  of  Virginia  must  be  than   the   Yankees,  wh  run 

..Itural   papers   to   tell   them    how  to  farm.     It  is 
really  a  surject  of  congratulation  that  in  Virginia  farming  comes  by  nature. 


What  is   a    Good    Rotation  for    Lands    in    Middlesex    County,  and 
What  Kind  of  "Patent  Manure''  is  Best? 

As-..'-  ^j  questions  and 

we  answer: 

n  depends  so  m^ch  on  the  character  of  the  land,  and  the 
demand  for  the  products,  that  the  quest  t  be  answered  jud: 

without  a  kcowlr  ints,  which  1,   -  n  as.     0. 

we  venture  nuw  to  say  though,  because  it  could   not  be    -  often,  and 

that  is,  plant  corn  as   seldom   a-  pt  on  the  richest  alluvions.     A 

great  deal  of  error  prevails  on  the  surject  of  ir  siting  from  a  re'. 

of  small  grain  crops,  but  more  injur;  .    in  cultivating  one  crop  of  corn 

than  from  sever..  stops  B   other   thing  on 

this  querv.     A  very  excellent  farmer  liviaion  of  a  farm  into 

fields  was  a  great  convenience  ;  but  that  the  idea  of  a  fixed  rotation  was  only 
suited  to  the  ignorance  of  a  man,  who  would  be  1-st  if  he  once  quit  the  beaten 
track.     And  finally  on   this   head  :    If   the  land  be  suitable  for  grass,  make 
_   ...-•■-  I     _-.      e  it  with  suitable  stock,  of  whatever  kind  may  have  m  st 
:m  in  the  special  ca-  market  if  that  shall  be  pre- 

ferred :  or  to  do  first  one  and  then  the  other.     The  letter  of  ou:  ndent, 

Mr.  Ilallowell,  may  be  re  read  with  profit  by  the  q  . 

As  :j  "  patent  manures,"  we  cm  only  refer  our  correspondent  generally  to 
the  article  which  we  published  in  the  January  number  of  this  paper.  We  can 
only  say  generally  that  the  best  is  tLat  which  c  ..monia  and  bone  phos- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  119 

phate— not  necessarily  composed  of  bones,  however.  A  mixture  of  these, 
■which  will  give  twenty-four  pounds  of  ammonia  and  one  hundred  pounds  of 
phosphate  of  lime  per  acre,  is  a  good  manure.  As  to  whose  is  best,  we  trust 
our  friend  will  excuse  us  from  going  into  that  matter.  The  utmost  caution  is 
requisite  in  selecting  a  good  article. 


Chemical  Researches  into  the  Composition  of  Tobacco. 

Professor  Mallet,  of  the  University  of  Virginia,  sends  us  the  following  com- 
munication. "We  earnestly  commend  it  to  the  class  appealed  to,  and  will  take 
great  pleasure  in  publishing  the  results  of  the  investigation.  Few  more  impor- 
tant subjects  can  engage  the  attention  of  the  planters,  v*ho,  we  are  sure,  will 
be  much  obliged  to  Professor  Mallet  for  the  aid  he  proffers,  and  is  so  well  quali- 
fied to  render. 

University  of  Virginia,  January  lid,  1869. 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer: 

Sir,— In  the  present  condition  of  Virginia— just  beginning;  but,  as  we  hopt, 
really  beginning  to  recover  from  the  wouuds  inflicted  by  war  and  from  the  yet 
more  deadly  paralysis  of  the  years  which  have  followed — it  is  admitted  on  all 
hands  tha^  our  industrial  resources  must  be  carefully  husbanded,  and  that  for  the 
abundant  but  crude  labor  that  we  have  lest  we  must  substitute  more  skilful, 
more  intelligent,  and  more  economically  directed  labor  in  the  future. 

With  limited  means,  both  of  labor  and  capital,  we  must  endeavor  to  obtain 
the  largest  product  which  the  best  application  of  our  industry  and  the  judicious 
investment  of  our  money  and  employment  of  our  land  are  capable  of  yielding. 

This  is  in  a  high  degree  true  of  agriculture.  Our  farmers  cannot  afford  to 
cultivate  the  soil  in  a  rough,  imperfect  way  by  ,;rule  of  thumb;"  but  must 
examine  closely  the  conditions  necessary  to  make  every  acre  of  ground  produce, 
not  only  a  crop,  but  the  largest  crop  and  the  best  crop  which  can  possibly  be 
obtained  from  it ;  and  this  with  the  least  possible  expenditure  of  labor  and 
n.oney. 

In  some  particular  directions  there  is  great  lack  of  such  information  as  intel- 
ligent farmers,  who  wish  to  improve  their  methods  of  cultivation,  now  require, 
and  in  these  directions  a  wide  field  lies  open  for  scientific  research  that  may  be 
expected  to  furni>h  results  of  thoroughly  practical  value.  I  trust  that  the  fine 
laboratory  for  agricultural  and  industrial  chemistry  of  the  University  of  Vir- 
ginia, now  nearly  completed,  may  be  made  to  aid  in  such  useful  work  ;  but,  in 
order  that  investigation  in  the  laboratory  may  be  made  to  assist  the  farmer,  the 
farmer  must  be  willing  to  perform  a  portion  of  the  work  himself,  by  careful 
observation  and  practical  experiment  in  the  open  fields. 

My  object  in  troubling  you  with  this  letter  is  to  appeal  for  aid  in  such  inves- 
tigations to  the  farmers  of  Virginia.  Surely,  there  are  intelligent  men  in  all 
districts  tf  the  State,  who  will  be  willing  to  give  a  little  time  and  attention  in 
the  course  of  their  summer's  work  to  observing  and  setting  down  on  paper  such 
facts,  bearing  on  particular  branches  of  agriculture,  as  it  may  be  desirable  to 
ascertain,  and  who  will  agree  to  carry  out,  on  a  small  scale,  instructions  or  sug- 
gestions as  to  experiments  with  manures  and  the  collection  of  specimens  for 
chemical  analyses. 

My  present  aim  is  to  make,  during  the  coming  summer,  a  careful  chemical 


120  THE    SOUTHERN  [February 

examination  cf  Tobacco  with  special  reference  to  the  mineral  matter  which  this 
crop  removes  from  the  soil,  hoping  thus  to  throw  some  more  light  than  we  as 
yet  possess  upon  the  proper  competition  of  manures  fur  this  important  plant. 
Recorded  analyses  of  the  ash  <.f  tobacco  are  so  far  few  in  number,  by  no  means 
accordant  in  their  results,  and  refer  almost  wbuliy  to  the  plant  as  cultivated  in 
foreign  soils.  It  is  extremely  desirable  that  a  proper  study  should  now  be 
made  of  a  staple  S3  prominent  among  the  products  of  Virginia  agriculture.  Our 
present  limited  information  points  to  the  proprie:y  of  using  in  tobacco  fertili- 
zers materials  of  a  costly  kind,  especially  salts  of  potash,  and  hence  it  becomes 
a  matter  of  obvious  prac.ical  interest  to  ascertain  in  what  quantity  and  in  what 
form  these  materials  may  m  mically  be  used  to  produce  the  best  result. 

I  am  already  indebted  to  some  farmers  of  the  State  for  the  promis 
ance  in  this  investigation  during  the  coming  season.  If  any  others,  especially 
those  living  in  the  principal  regions  of  tobacco  culture,  will  kindly  agrt-e  t)  help, 
I  shall  be  glad  to  receive  from  each,  through  the  Post  fiL-e,  a  line  stating  the 
adires?  to  which  may  be  sent  a  memorandum  of  the  specimens  anl  informa- 
tion required.  I  can  safely  promise  to  make  no  extravagnt  demand  upon  the 
time  and  attention  of  any  one  who  maybe  so  kind  as  to  respond  to  this  request, 
and  trust  that  sorre  practical  good  may  come  of  the  proposed  work. 
I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully, 

Y.ur  obedient  servant, 

J.  "W.  Mallet, 
Pre  Industrial  Chemistry,  University  of  Virginia. 


Scientific  and  Practical  Departments  cf  Collegiate  Education. 

red  a  little  pamphlet,  entitled  "Plan  for  the  Extension  of  the 
fie   and   Practical  Departments   of   Washington   College."      The   main 
:n   this   "plan,"   drawn   up  under  his   direction,  are  thus  set  forth  by 
General  Lee: 

The  establishment  of  new  Departments  of  Agriculture,  of  Commerce, 
and  of  Applied  Chemistry. 

2d.    A  more  complete  development  of  the  Engineering  Schools  now  in  ope- 
ration, so  that  to  the  courses  in  Civil  and  Mining  Engineering  shall  be  added  a 
".  course  in  Mechanical  Engineering,  to  embrace,  besides  Machinery,  the 
important  branches  of  Practical  Me  banics. 
The  opening  of  a  farm  and  workshops  in  connection  with  the  instruction 
in  Agriculture,  Industrial  Mechanics  and  Practical  Chemistry. 

This  plan  is  the  most  extensive  and  thorough  we  have  yet  seen,  ard  proposes 
to  give  us  a  school  equal  to  those  great  European  institutions,  which  have  given 
such  an  impulse  to  these  must  important  branches  of  industry  in  France,  Ger- 
many and  Eng  and. 

AVe  hail  with  great  pleasure  this  movement  on  the  part  of  General  Lee.  The 
cause  of  education  in  the  Sjuth  already  owes  him  much.  lis  influence  and 
example  have  contributed  most  largely  to  the  rapid  recuperation  which  has 
marked  the  pr<  gress  or  our  educational  interests.  "Whilst  politicians  both 
North  and  South  have  been  devoting  themselves  to  vain  schemes  of  recon- 
struction, he,  unbroken  by  misfortunes,  unmoved  by  the  temptation  to  spend 
in  quiet  ease  the  saddened  remnant  cf  an  eventful  life,  has  been  earnestly 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  121 

giving  to  his  countrymen  a  lesson  in  practical  reconstruction  infinit.ly  more 
instructive  than  all  we  have  heard  in  the  last  few  years  about  the  "rights  of 
the  conquered." 

He  deserves  especial  gratitude  for  the  broad  and  liberal  views  be  has,  from 
the  first,  taken  in  regard  to  the  development  of  our  system  of  education,  for 
the  great  changes  he  has  been  and  is  working  in  the  views  of  those  c  ntrolling 
this  system.  L  >ng  and  bitter  has  been  the  contest  wagei,  by  what  are  called 
the  practical  sciences,  for  re©  gnition  in  our  leading  institutions  of  learning. 
M  \8%  grudgingly  has  Literature,  from  time  to  time  in  deference  to  public 
clamor,  yielded  anything  to  her  more  homely  sisters.  This  has.  in  many 
instances,  produced  the  opposite  evil.  The  practical  sciences,  unable  to  force 
their  way  into  our  colleges,  have  oftentimes  "  set  up  for  themselves."  General 
Lee  has  wisely  and  fearlessly  pointed  to  the  true  solution  of  combining 
them,  so  as  to  allow  each  its  fullest  scope. 

The  present  step  forward,  which  he  takes,  is  in  every  way  worthy  of  the 
man.  No  time  could  be  more  opportune.  We  have  often  urged  through  these 
pages  the  necessity  for  the  recognition  of  Agriculture  as  a  subject  to  be  thor- 
oughly taught,  both  practically  and  theoretically,  in  our  schools.  In  the  words 
of  General  Lee,  "  Agriculture  is  at  present  the  most  important  interest  of  the 
S  iuthern  people,  and  must  continue  so  for  years  to  come.  No  effort,  therefore, 
should  be  spared  to  advance  it,  and  to  extend  to  it  all  the  advantages  which 
science  has  bestowed  udou  manufactures.  An  Agricultural  School,  where 
scientific  principles  and  processes  may  be  applied  and  illustrated,  will  be  of 
efficient  service." 

We  have  never  been  able  to  see  why  farmers  should  not  have  an  opportunity 
of  being  trained  as  such  :  why  young  m-n,  af:er  leaving  college,  should  have 
to  enter  upon  the  management  of  their  farms,  really  far  less  fit  to  do  so  than 
many  a  youth  who,  debarred  the  advantage  of  a  "liberal"  education,  had 
spent  three  years  in  a  practical  apprenticeship.  •  What  we  want  is  practical 
and  theoretical  training  combined,  and  this  is  the  want  that  General  Lee  him- 
self, formerly  one  of  the  largest  farmers  in  the  State,  has  appreciated  and 
undertaken  to  supply. 

This  effirt  on  his  part  deserves  a  hearty  response  from  the  farming  commu- 
nity. As  a  people,  we  already  owe  him  a  mighty  debt  of  gratitude.  The 
quiet  vigor,  earnestness  and  love  with  which  he  ha*  prosecuted  his  purposes  for 
the  public  good  since  the  war.  have  increased,  if  possible,  the  unbounded  admi- 
ration and  affection  felt  for  him.  Without  a  di  liar  asked  or  received  from  the 
State,  whose  brightest  jewel  he  is  today,  he  has  founded  a  seat  of  learning 
already  yielding  a  vast  influence  throughout  the  South,  and  destined,  by  his 
energy  and  skill,  to  still  greater  eminence.  He  now  proposes  to  give  Virginia 
what  she  greatly  needs — an  Agricultural  School.  There  can  be  no  more  fitting 
time  than  the  present  for  such  an  undertaking.  We  can  never  hope  to  organize 
such  a  Bchool  under  better  auspices  or  with  greater  prospects  cf  extended  suc- 
and  utility  than  under  the  direction  of  General  Lee.  He  has  our  most 
earnest  wi?hes,  then,  for  speedy  and  complete  success.  Our  people  should 
heartily  eno  inrage  an  enterprise  which  will  be  of  much  valuable  service  in 
promoting  the  growth  and  improvement  of  our  Agriculture. 


122  THE    SOUTHERN  [February 

Agricultural  Fair  in  Winchester. 

We  regret  to  see,  from  an  article  in  the  Winchester  Times  of  January 
that  the  .Agricultural  Society  of  the  LoTer  Valley  is  not   nia'-jin^  much   head- 
way.    Whv  «o?     We  had  been  led  to  believe  that  the   quantity  of  land   sold 
there  and  the  trices  obtained  indicated  a  greater  degree  of  prosperity  than  was 
96ed  by  any  other  par:  of  our  unhappy  Stdte. 

The  bu-ine*s  men  there  ought  not  to  be  behind  none  of  their  brethren  of 
Staunt  n  or  Lexington  ;  and  we  do  not  believe  they  will  be  when  the  question 
•  erly  presented  to  them. 

They  have  io  that  Valley  everything  necessary  to  make  a  first  rate  Society — 
fine  lands,  brave  men,  and  noble  women, 

Assuming  to  sp?ak  for  the  State  Agricultural  Society,  we  beg  our  friends 
there  to  encourage  us  by  helping  themselves.  Gentlemen,  put  yonr  sh.ulders 
to  the  wheel. 

If  v<>u  want  to  sell  your  lands,  collect  a  crowd  from  contiguous  Maryland  and 
Penn-vlvania  ti  see  your  farms  and  products  and  population.     If  y>u  want  to 
-    let  all  the  makers  of  improved  machinery  exhibit  to  you   at 
home  a  sample  of  their  wares. 


Editorial   Courtesies. 

The  thank-  of  the  Associate  Editor  are  due  and  freely  tender? :i  for  the  hand- 
some things  said  of  him  by  var  ?men  of  the  press.  He  will  try  and 
deserve  the  praise  so  generously  given  in  advance. 


Defend  the  Weak  Cattle. 
:  farmers  are  not  as  care  nl  as  their  true  interest  require  them  to  be  in 
:k  from  the  strong  and  ajgre-sive  when  the  seasjn  of 
storms  and  feeding  come  round.  In  most  herds  embracing  any  c  nsiderable 
number,  will  be  found  some  diminutive  in  size  and  timid  in  proportion 
to  their  physical  weaknes.-,  which  the  more  vigorous  attack  whenever  a  d 
eff  rt  is  mile  to  share  in  tl  olied.     Toey  are  hooked  here  an!  chased 

there  bv  the   str  i  _-.  and  should  enlist  the  care  and   sympathy  of  their   owner. 
It  will  pay  well  to  provide  a  Bepa  ~.;ch  animals  till  - 

developed  t  i  hdd  their  own,  at  feeding  time,  or,  till  they  are  rendered  fit  f 

— i  .  f  in  s:aje  way  or  other  to  advantage.  If  left  to  shirk  for  themselves 
they  will  be  likely  to  go  under  before  spring,  or  sh.  uld  they  winter  thr  u^h 
they  will  be  in  a  c  edition  so  exhausted  as  to  render  them  nex:  I  less  for 

that  season. — Exchange. 


Warm  Bed  for  Pigs. 

If  pigs  are  kept  warm  and  dry  during  the  winter  they  will   &)  much  better 

for  it.     In  building  a  straw  stack,  it  is  very  well  to  provide   a  shelter  at  one 

s'de  or  end  of  the  stack  around  and  over  the  pen,  leaving  a  gap  suitable  for  the 

-  in  and  out.  and   will  make  a  delightful   house  for  them,  and  they 

may  sleep  there  warm  and  comfortably  in  the  coldest  weaiher. — Exchange. 

Oh,  ves !  and  take  the  mange. — En.  So.  P.  i  F. 


1869]  PLANTER  AXD  FARMER.  123 

Agricultural  Commissioner  of  the  Va.  State  Agricultural  Society. 

We  leem  ir  proper  to  insert  the  following  resolution  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee, appointing  the  Associate  Editor  of  this  paper  to  the  office  of  its  Com- 
er. The  office  was  established  in  the  early  stages  of  the  Society,  and 
conferred  on  the  late  Edmund  Rurrin.  whose  labors  in  the  discharge  of  the 
duties  assumed  stand  recorded  in  the  transactions  of  the  S>ciety,  of  which,  un- 
happily, so  few  copies  have  survived  the  war.  In  coming  after  him,  we  feel  as 
Mr.  Jefferson  said  when  a  French  courtier  complimented  him  on  filling  Dr. 
Frauklin's  place  :  '"  I  merely  succeed  him,  sir.  Xo  one  can  fill  his  place."  The 
offi*e  was  important  then.  It  is  much  more  so  now  ;  for  the  State  has  to  be  re- 
constructed as  much  in  its  agricultural  as  in  its  financial  and  political  condition. 
"We  beg  everybody  to  read  the  resolutions,  which  set  forth  the  thirgs  to  be  done, 
and  show  what  assistance  and  eo  operation  the  Commissioner  will  need,  "When 
the  spring  opens  we  hope  to  enter  on  our  duties  and  to  prosecute  them  with  as 
much  vigor  as  the  encouragement  we  shall  receive  will  justify.  It  was  the 
original  plan  of  the  Society  that  all  other  Societies  within  the  State,  both  Agri- 
cultural and  Horticultural,  should  be  affiliated  with  this  a*  the  centre  of  them 
all ;  and  to  this  end,  its  officers  were  selected  frcm  every  section.  The  time  is 
now  suitable  for  the  prosecution  of  that  plan,  which,  if  carried  out,  must  prove 
of  great  value  in  displaying  and  developing  the  resources  of  the  State  : 

That  an  Agricultural  Commissioner  be  now  chosen  by  the  Execu- 
tive Committee  for  service  of  eight  months  only  from  the  first  day  of  March, 
whose  duties  thall  embrace  the  following  general  sutjeers,  and  whatever  else 
may  be  necessary  or  incidental  thereto,  and  the  performance  of  so  much  of  such 
service  as  the  time  and  ability  of  the  Commissioner  and  the  means  and  the 
facilities  afforded  to  him  may  allow,  viz  : 

To  vi>ir  >uch  counties,  agricultural  districts,  or  particular  localities,  as  may 
med    by  the  Commissi!  ner  most  suitable  to  aid  and  to  be  aided   by  his 
services  for  the   Society  :  to   gather   (either  directly,  or   by  and   through    any 
farmers  ur  others  aiding  his  inquiries.)  useful  agricultural  information  ;  to  en- 
:  •  and  induce  the  establishment  of  e  igricultural  Societies,  auxili- 

ary to  the  State  Society,  and  formed  and  working  uon  a  proper  and  uniform 
general  plan;  to  conversational  discussion  with  such  Societies,  or  with  other 
meetings  o(  farmers,  and  to  address  suen  meetings  in  furtherance  of  his  duties 
on  any  subjects  designed  to  promote  agricultural  instruction  or  improvement; 
to  endeavor  to  obtain  agricultural  reports  of  particular  counties,  or  to  collect 
facts  and  materials  for  future  reports  ;  to  solici:  and  obtain  new  niemb- 
donations  for  the  State  Society;  and  to  report  to  the  Society,  thm  qgh  the  Ex- 
ecutive Committee  in  general,  whatever  he  may  have  done,  and  especially  and 
particularly  the  useful  agricultural  facts  and  instruction,  not  generally  under- 
r  practiced,  which  he  may  have  colle:tcd  or  received  from  other  persons. 
Iced,  That  the  compensation  of  the  Commissioner,  for  the  time  of  service 
stated,  shall  be  the  reimbursement  of  his  daily  traveling  and  other  expenses, 
actually  and  necessarily  incurred  ;  and  further,  fifteen  per  cent,  upon  all  new 
donations  and  subscriptions  for  new  memberships  paid  to  and  accounted  for 
by  him. 

Richmond,  Va.,  January  14,  18G9. 
In  conf.  rmity  with  the  foregoing  resolutions,  Mr.  F.  G.  Ruffin  was  this  day 
eh  ?en  Agricultural  Commissioner. 

W.  T.  Si-therlin-,  Prest.  State  Agricultural  Society. 
J.  Bell  Bigger,  Secretary. 


In  noticing  the  handsome  Catalogue  of  Messrs.  Allison  &  Addison,  we  omit- 
ted at  the  same  time  to  thank  them  (and  we  take  occasion  now  to  do  s>>)  for  their 
kindness  in  lending  us  the  cut  used  in  illustration  of  the  Goodrich  Potato  in  the 
Horticultural  Department  this  month. 


121  THE  SOUTHERN  [February 

Correspondence  of  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer. 

WEATHER    AND    CROP    PROSPECTS    IN    MISSISSIPPI. 
Editor  Southern  Planter  unci  Farmer: 

We  have  had  a  great  deal  of  rain  in  the  last  eight  or  ten  days,  and  on  last 
Sunday,  the  10th,  it  commenced  snowing  at  nine  o'clock.  I  was  up  frequently 
during  the  ni^ht,  until  two  o'clock,  and  it  was  still  snowing,  and  on  Monday 
morning  I  measured  it  in  several  places,  an  1  it  was  nine  inches,  the  heaviest 
fall  of  su  w  that  I  ever  heard  of  in  the  State  ;  and  most  of  the  old  citizens  s:iv 
that  it  was  the  heaviest  show  that  ever  fell  in  Mississippi.  I  was  in  Yieksburg 
on  Monday  af:er  the  snow,  and  I  heard  a  gentleman  say  thai  he  hud  seen  a 
dispatch  from  Xew  Oilcans,  La.,  that  the  snow  down  there  measured  eight 
inches  ail  over  the  city.  Up  to  this  time  we  have  had  a  good  deal  of  cold  wea- 
ther, bo  me  very  cold.  Oa  Christmas  day  the  thermometer  stood  at  twenty-live 
degrees  io  the  morning,  and  only  thirty  in  the  heat  of  the  day.  and  then  it  was 
over  the  fire-place  where  there  was  fire  all  the  time.  The  Mississippi  river  is 
rising  rapidly  now,  and  has  been  for  the  past  ten  days  at  the  rate  <.f  twenty-two 
inches  in  twenty  f<  ur  hours,  and  the  farmers  on  the  river  begin  to  think  that 
she  will  be  over  the  whole  country  in  a  short  while;  but  it  is  so  early  that  it 
would  suit  us  better  now  to  come  over  than  it  would  in  March,  the  usual  time. 

I  am  now  living  on  Old  river,  four  miles  from  where  it  empties  into  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  if  the  water  does  take  a  notion  to  come  over,  I  will  get  the  benefit 
of  it  as  much,  or  more,  than  any  plantation  is;  the  vicinity. 

I  will  just  give  a  small  description  of  my  place,  and  the  number  of  hands  I 
expect  to  work  this  year.  I  have  four  hundred  acres  of  cleared  land — all  fine 
for  cott  n  and  corn,  indeed,  most  anything  else;  but  my  team  is  scarce,  only 
eleven  mules  to  twenty -five  hands.  I  want  to  work  as  much  as  I  can, 
then  rent  out  the  balance.  I  have  rented  sixty  acres  at  five  dollars  per  acre, 
and  I  think  pretty  good  rent  for  land  that  oveifl jws,  but  if  no  oveirlow  should 
CJtiie,  the  person  that  rents  makes  a  good  thing  of  it. 

I  want  to  put  in  cotton  about  two  hundred  acres,  and  orn  about  one  hun- 
dred, and  I  want  to  plant  peas  and  potatoes,  not  more  than  ten  acres  of  each, 
and  if  the  last  mentioned  turn  out  well,  there  will  be  a  great  many  of  them. 
I  also  want  to  plant  about  five  or  six  acres  in  Pindars.  Pindare  do  very  well  in 
these  parts,  only  when  they  have  to  be  dug:  then  comes  the  trouble,  as  there 
is  no  one  in  this  vicit.ity  that  knows  much  about  digging  them. 

I  received  the  other  day  two  fine  Chester  pigs  from  Pennsylvania,  and  the 
planters  of  this  county  are  perfectly  delighted  with  them.  It  the  freight  on 
them  was  not  so  high,  a  great  many  could  be  sold  in  the  State  of  Mississippi. 
The  pigs  cost  me  twenty-eight  dollars,  and  the  Express  charge  on  them  to 
"\  icksburg  was  thirty  dollars  aod  seventy  five  cents.  I  would  send  and  get 
another  pair,  but  the  charges  are  such  thai  I  will  wait  a  while  longer,  and  then 
the  Express  may  conclude  to  take  something  less  than  Warren  county  and  old 
Yazoo  will  give  at  present. 

Respectfully  yours, 

John*  McKee. 

Old  River  Plantation,  Warren  co.,  Missi,  Jan'y  15,  1SG9. 

The  matter  of  Express  freight  on  live  stock  is  one  of  vital  importance  to  our 
people.  The  stock  of  cattle,  hogs,  sheep,  ki.,  was  pretty  well  killed  out  in  the 
Sjuth  during  the  war,  and  farmers  fiad  it  necessary  to  send  long  distances  for 


18G9.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  125 


improved  stock  of  all  kinds  to  breed  from.  We  know  that  live  Btock  requires 
attention,  and  the  feeding,  etc..  while  in  transitu,  is  troubles  me  and  expensive, 
but  we  are  convinced  that  our  Express  companies  charge  entirely  too  much  for 
the  service  they  render.  If  they  want  to  confer  a  public  benefit,  and  at  the 
Fame  time  render  their  business  in  the  transportation  of  live  stick  more  remu- 
nerative, let  them  reduce  their  rates.  Just  as  cheap  fa"es  induce  travel,  so  will 
a  reduced  tariff  greatly  increase  their  bu.-iness. — Ed.  So.  P.  &  F. 

CATTLE   DISEASE    IN    YAZOO    COUNTY,  MISSISSIPPI. 

Mr.  Editor,—  Dear  Sir:  The  great  cattle  disease,  "hieh  has  been  so  preva- 
lent throughout  the  entire  country  for  the  past  twelve  months,  has  brought 
forth  the  ideas  and  opinions  of  many  scientific  and  agricultural  men,  but  none 
as  yet  have  been  able  to  make  a  proper  diagnosis  of  the  disease,  or  prescribe  a 
cure.  Some  call  it  "  Charbon,"  others  an  acute  form  of  "Glanders."  Not,  I 
do  not  pretend  to  know  the  name  or  a  cure  for  the  disease,  but  I  do  know  this : 
That,  during  the  past  summer,  the  epidemic  raged  most  fearfully  in  this  State, 
and  especially  in  this  vicinity.  On  all  sides  of  my  plantation  mules,  horses, 
hogs  and  cattle  died  at  a  fearful  rate,  and  yet  I  escaped.  I  had  as  much,  and 
probably  more,  stock  of  all  kinds  than  many  of  my  neighbors,  and  I  had  but 
one  case  during  the  entire  summer  (which  died,  of  course,  as  I  knew  no  rem- 
edy). When  the  epidemic  was  in  full  blast,  I  went  among  my  neighbors  and 
saw  hundreds  of  cases  (nearly  all  of  which  proved  fatal).  I  inquired  in  regard 
to  their  feeding  and  general  attention  to  stock,  and  I  found  I  was  the  only  one 
for  miles  around  who  gave  stock  sail  at  all  times  and  kept  it  by  them,  and  I  at 
once  settled  upon  the  opinion  that  salt  kept  away  the  disease.  My  views  were 
further  strengthened  by  the  fact  that  the  case  which  I  had  (a  fine  Durham 
heifer)  never  went  to  the  salt  trough  ;  and  during  the  past  fall,  when  the  disease 
had  entirely  abated,  I  was  short  of  salt  and  did  not  give  it  regularly.  One  of 
my  mules  was  taken,  and  I  gave  it  as  much  salt  as  it  wished  (with  no  other 
treatment)  and  it  recovered  in  a  few  days.  I  give  this  to  you  as  a  matter  of 
experience.  Should  any  try  it,  and  it  prove  with  them  as  ivith  me,  I  shall 
think  that  this  hour  spent  in  writing  you  is  nut  altogether  fruitless. 

Saturtia,  Yazoo  county,  Miss.,  Jan.  4,  1869.  J.  M.  Bonnet. 

The  disen-e  above  mentioned  was  described  in  a  letter  from  Mr.  John  MjKee, 
of  Yaz  hi,  Mississippi,  published  in  the  September  number  of  last  year. — Ed. 
So.  P.  &  F. 


FARMERS,    GIVE    TOUR    EXPERIENCE    WITH    THE    FERTILIZERS    YOU    HAVE 

TUIED. 

Mr.  Editor, — *  *  *  *  Please  continue  the  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer 
to  me.  I  consider  it  second  to  no  agricultural  paper  in  the  United  States,  and 
could  hardlv  get  on  without  it.  Can't  yju  get  some  of  your  distinguished  cor- 
respondents to  give  us  their  experience  in  fertilizers  the  past  season  through  ? 
I  think  it  very  important  to  the  agiicultural  community.  Let  us  hear  what 
kinds  they  used,  and  how,  and  th  !  results  in  detail.  Encourage  the  honest 
manufacturer,  and  stamp  the  swindler  with  infamy.  There  is  some  on  the 
market  that  is  good,  but  much,  very  much,  that  is  perfectly  worthless,  and  is 
made  and  sold  as  a  cheat  and  swindle,  and  known  to  be  so  when  they  sell  it. 
Wishing  you  that  success  which  you  so  much  deserve, 

I  am  very  truly  yours,  &c,  R.  H.  Allen. 

Lunenburg,  January  10,  18G0. 


126  THE    SOUTHERN  [February 

BRIGHT    TOBACCO    FROM    TUE    MOUNTAINS    OF   BUNCOMBE  COUNTY,  N.  C. 
Editor  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer  : 

Dear  Scr, — I  send  you  a  specimen  of  Tobacco,  the  production  of  the  moun- 
tains of  Western  North  Carolina,  and  cordially  invite  you  to  smoke  a  pipe  with 
Buncombe. 

Very  respectfully, 

Mrs.  W.  J.  Brown. 
Cabin  Home,  December  18,  18G8. 

We  acknowledge  the  courtesy  extended  to  us  by  our  friend,  Mrs.  Brown,  and 
regret  that  we  received  the  package  too  late  in  December  to  make  th»3  acknowl- 
edgment in  January.  Buncombe  is  great  in  all  that  Bhould  constitute  a 
county^  and  we  shall  think  of  her,  and  our  good  friend,  niauy  times  when  we 
take  a  whiff.— Ed.  So.  P.  &  F. 


EXPERIMENTS    WITH   BITUMINOUS    COAL   ASHES. 

The  following  extract  from  the  Courier  des  Etats  Unis  of  January  16,  1809, 
has  been  kindly  sent  us  by  an  unknown  friend,  and  we  cheerfully  give  place  to 
it.— Ed.  So.  P.  &  F. 

"Bituminous  Coal  Ashes. — It  is  generally  thought  in  the  country  that  the 
ashes  of  mineral  coal  are  nut  only  useless  as  a  fertilizer  and  improver  of  the 
Soil,  but  that,  on  the  contrary,  they  are  hurtful.  Hence,  we  see  that  farmers 
reject  these  ashes,  greatly  to  the  detriment  of  agriculture,  while  quantities  of 
them  might  be  procured  trom  the  iron  works  with  no  other  cost  than  that  of 
gathering  them." 

"  It  is,  therefore,  interesting  to  report  an  experiment  undertaken  by  a  corres- 
pondent of  the  Journal  de  V Agriculture.  He  filled  in  the  fall  three  flower  pots 
with  pure  bituminous  coal  ashes  without  mixture  of  any  kind,  and  sowed  in 
the  first  wheat,  in  the  second  oats,  and  in  the  third  some  strawberry  seed. 
These  pots  were  buried  in  a  bed  in  his  garden  and  left  to  themselves. 

"The  germination  took  place  successfully  during  the  winter,  and  in  March 
following  the  plants  presented  a  fine  appearance.  In  April,  the  wheat,  oats, 
and  strawberry  plants  were  in  fine  growth.  The  wheat  and  oats  ripened  per- 
fectly ;  the  berries  were  large,  clear,  very  well  fiiled,  and  heavy.  The  wheat 
straw  attained  a  height  of  more  than  fifty  four  inches  ;  that  of  the  oats  forty- 
three  inches.  As  to  the  strawberry  plants  they  came  on  finely,  and  continued 
to  grow  well  until  October,  when  it  became  necessary  to  transplant  them.  Set 
out  in  the  open  ground,  they  are  now  the  greenest,  the  strongest  of  all  the  seedlings. 

"  Thus  it  is  seen  that,  without  the  addition  of  either  soil  or  manure,  coal 
ashes  was  sufficient  in  itself,  according  to  this  trial,  to  nourish  and  bring  to 
maturity  both  wheat  and  oats,  and  to  support  the  growth  of  strawberry  plants 
during  a  year.  Coal  ashes,  from  its  nature,  should  effect  a  division  of  soils, 
and  be  very  useful  in  overcoming  the  stiffn°ss  of  compact  lands;  it  would, 
then,  at  the  same  time,  act  as  a  manure  and  an  improver. 

This,  moreover,  should  be  the  case  judging,  not  only  by  this  experiment  just 
described,  but  from  analyses  made  by  several  chemists,  among  others  Davy, 
who  Lund  that  these  ashes  contained,  in  proportions  varying  with  the  localities 
whence  the  coals  came,  sulphates  of  potassa  and  lime,  carbonate  of  lime,  clay 
and  silica." 


18G9.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  127 

EXPERIMENT    IN    THE   CULTIVATION    OF    CORN. 

Mr.  Editor, — You  say  "give  us  facts,  not  theories."  I  suppose  you  would 
not  object  to  a  Mending  of  the  two,  a  theory  practically  illustrated,  and  brought 
to  the  test  of  experience.  The  acknowledged  importance  of  the  great  Ameri- 
can staple,  Indian  corn,  precludes  the  necessity  of  apology  for  reporting  any 
experience  or  observation  which  may  possibly  increase  its  production  ;  and  as 
the  time  is  now  at  hand  for  preparing  for  this  year's  crop,  I  take  the  liberty  of 
reporting  a  plan  of  tillage  which  1  pursued  last  year  with  very  satisfactory 
results.     I  do  this  the  more  readily,  it  being  my  first  effort  at  high  farming. 

I  proposed  to  cultivate  a  certain  piece  of  land  in  corn,  which  I  had  reaai  a  to 
believe  was  capable  of  producing  something  like  a  premium  crop.  Id  was  an 
old  blue  grass  sod  of  seven  or  eight  years  standing,  which,  from  location,  had 
received  unusual  additions  to  a  stock  of  fertility,  which  was  originally  good. 
I  had  the  land  thoroughly  ploughed  in  February  to  a  depth  of  eigbc  or  nine 
inches,  without  subsoiling,  and  suffered  it  to  remain  until  about  the  1st  of  -May, 
dressing  it  liberally,  meantime,  with  farm  pec-manure,  old  allies,  &c.  After 
the  manure  had  been  scattered,  I  had  the  land  thoroughly  and  closely  cross- 
ploughed  with  long,  sharp  bull-tongued  ploughs,  and  then  harrowed  off 
smoothly.  And  now  came  the  nice  point — how  should  I  plant  it  so  as  to 
develop  the  full  productive  capacity  of  the  land'/  The  customary  mode  of 
planting  corn  in  this  mountain  district  is  to  check  it  three  and  a  half  feet  each 
way,  leaving  two  stalks  where  the  land  is  sufficiently  level  to  admit  of  cross 
tillage.  But  I  knew  that  woull  not  give  the  full  capacity  for  the  svaut  of  stalks 
upon  the  land.  I  next  considered  the  plan  of  the  continuous  drill,  which  might 
have  given  me  stalks  enough,  but  would  have  confined  me  to  tillage  on  one  side 
of  the  row  of  plants,  thus  leaving  a  certain  parcel  of  land  uu tilled  by  the 
plough — the  spaces  between  the. stalks.  I  determined  to  strike  a  compromise 
between  the  two  modes,  so  as  to  retain  the  advantages  of  each,  and  to  obviate 
their  disadvantages,  as  far  as  could  be  done.  I  bad  the  land  checked  by  rows 
three  and  a  half  feet  apart  in  one  direction,  and  three  feet  in  the  other.  I 
deposited  the  seed  at  the  intersections  of  the  rows,  being  careful  to  scatter  it  a 
little,  so  that  the  corn  might  be  not  strictly  in  hills,  but  m jre  properly  in 
bunches — the  stalks  from  six  to  ten  inches  apart  in  the  bunch — marking  off  the 
rows  sufficiently  to  be  conveniently  ploughed  in  both  directions.  It  was  my 
intention  to  leave  four  stalks  in  each  bunch,  but  finally  determined  to  leave 
only  three.  From  many  of  these  bunches  we  gathered  five  or  six  good  ears  of 
corn,  and  from  none  of  them  less  than  three.  I  planted  a  small  variety  of  corn, 
cultivated  thoroughly  with  fnur  ploughings  and  one  hoeing,  dressed  it  heavily 
with  plaster  and  ashes,  and  realized  the  finest  yield  I  ever  made.  Ic  was 
judged  that  it  would  render  one  hundred  bushels  per  acre,  but  l>v  a  measure- 
ment, which  I  regard  as  reasonably  accurate,  it  yielded  eighty  five  bushels  to 
the  acre.  Of  course,  it  could  not  be  crowded  to  the  same  extent  in  any  part  of 
Eastern  Virginia,  but  the  climate  and  soil  in  this  mountain  section  are  such 
that  the  staiks  may  be  safely  crowded  to  a  degree  that  is  astonishing  to  eastern 
farmers.     With  best  wishes  for  the  success  of  your  valuable  journal, 

I  am  y^urs.  &c.,  II.  M.   Fowi.kes. 

Montgomery  count;/,  Va.,  January  20,  1869. 


Me=sr«.  Edward  J.  Evans  &  Co.,  of  York,  Pa.,  propose  to  club  the  Planter 
and  Farmer  with  th?ir  Napoleon  III.  Strawberry.  See  their  prop. sal  in  the 
advertising  department. 


123  THE    SOUTHERN  [February 

Books,  Reviews  and  Catalogues. 

We  hare  on  our  table  the  January  number  of  Dec  w'b  Review,  now  edited 
by  that  accomplished  writer  and  statist,  William  M.  Burwell,  late  of  Virginia; 
also  the  December  number  of  the  Xorth  British  Review,  from  the  Leonard 
Scott  Publishing  Company  of  Xew  York,  with  the  usual  attractive  table  of 
contents.  That  entitled  "Our  Iadian  Railways,"  is  alone  worth  the  purchase- 
money  of  the  number. 

We  have  als)  the  February  number  of  Mayne  Reid's  Magazine,  which  we 
have  had  no  time  to  look  into. 

We  hive  also  just  received,  and  too  late  to  examine  it,  we  regret  to  say,  the 
Annual  Report  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  fob  the  year  1867,  from 
Col  Horace  Capron,  the  accomplished  Commissioner  of  the  Department.  On 
a  recent  visit  to  the  Capitol,  we  were  pleased  to  find  Col.  Capron  full  of  zeal 
and  patriotic  spirit,  and  hard  at  work  fructifying  and  beautifying  his  depart- 
ment with  as  much  energy  a3  when  years  ago  he  had  the  Laurel  Factory  and 
Farm  in  full  blast.  And  we  saw  enough  on  our  brief  visit  to  induce  us  to  ad- 
vise every  farmer  who  visits  Washington  to  call  at  the  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture both  for  pleasure,  profit  and  a  cjrdial  welcome  from  the  Commissioner. 

We  have  also  received  from  the  distinguished  author,  Prof.  M.  F.  Maury, 
the  Preliminary  Report  of  the  important  work  he  has  undertaken — The 
Physical  Survey  of  Virginia.  We  give  Com.  Maury  a  hearty  welcome,  and 
earnestly  ask  it  him  the  c  >-operation  of  all  who  wish  or  are  willing  to  con- 
tribute to  a  systematic  exposition  of  the  physical  resources  of  our  State. 

In  the  matter  of  Horticultural  and  Floral  Catalogues  we  ought,  in  deference 
to  the  ladies,  to  give  the  first  notice  to  Vick's  Illustrated  Catalogue  and 
Floral  Guide  for  1SG9.  It  is  a  matter  of  course  that  Mr.  Tick,  who,  in 
Rochester,  hardly  felt  the  war,  should  present  a  better  gotten  up  Catalogue,  both 
in  style  and  variety  of  illustration  and  of  plants  offered  for  sale,  than  we  can 
pretend  to  offer  from  our  impoverished  section  of  the  Union;  but,  all  things 
considered,  we  think  our  own  citizens,  Messrs.  Allison  &  Addison,  have  shown 
as  much  enterprise  and  taste  if  they  have  not  exhibited  as  much  money.  But 
we  advise  those  who  wish  to  mak?  the  comparison  to  send  for  both  Catalogues 
and  compare  for  themselves.  For  Mr.  Tick's  addre-s,  James  Tick,  Rochester, 
New  Yurlf,  enclosing  ten  cents,  and  for  the  other,  address  Allison  &  Addison, 
1318-20  Cary  street,  Richmond,  who  sends  theirs  gratis. 

We  have  also  received  Dreer's  Garden  Calendar  from  Philadelphia,  and 
Wade  &  Armstrong's  Amatuers  Guide  to  the  Kitchen  Garden — a  Descrip- 
tive Catalogue  of  Garden  Seeds,  &c,  for  1869 — from  the  same  city. 

And  lastly,  we  have  a  plain,  modest,  unpretending  Catalogue  from  Allan  & 
Johnson  of  this  city.  As  it  is  mainly  from  here  that  our  people  will  get  their 
seeds,  and  we  are  frequently  asked  which  is  the  b;st  firm  to  buy  them  from, 
Allison  &  Addison  or  Allan  &  Johnson,  we  think  we  may  safely  say,  after  full 
trial,  as  the  Irish  gentleman  said  on  another  occasion:  "If  there's  any  differ- 
ence, they're  both  alike." 


THE  SOUTHERN 

PLANTER  &  FARMER, 


DEVOTED  TO 


Agriculture,  Horticulture  and  the  Mining,  Mechanic  and  Household  Arts. 


Agriculture  is  tne  nursing 
Tillage  and  Pasturage  are 

mother  of  the  Arts.— Xenophon. 
the  two  breasts  of  the  State.— .Sully 

CTT- 

B.  WI] 
LXK  G. 

LLIAMS, 

Editor  and  Propr 
Co-Editor. 

IETOR. 

Ftr 

RUFFIN 

New 

Series. 

RICHMOND, 

FA, 

MARCH,  1869. 

Vol. 

III- 

-No.  1 

Bottom    Lands — Their  Condition  and  Improvements— Ditching  and 

Diking. 

Though  I  am  not  a  subscriber  at  present  to  your  valuable  farm  jour- 
nal, yet,  feeling  as  I  do,  a  deep  interest  in  its  success  and  in  the  pro- 
gress of  agricultural  knowledge  it  is  your  province  to  supply,  I  have 
thought  to  communicate  a  few  topics  of  inquiry  upon  the  condi- 
tion and  improvement  of  our  bottom  lands,  hoping  thereby  to  elicit 
from  some  of  your  correspondents  an  article  upon  this  subject, 
which  shall  be  more  worthy  of  your  valuable  space.  The  fact,  that, 
in  this  portion  of  the  State,  these  lands,  heretofore  considered  very 
valuable,  have  become  almost  profitless  in  consequence  of  frequent 
overflows,  has  suggested  an  inquiry  into  the  causes  and  possible 
remedy. 

Some  old  farmers  say  that  the  rains  have  become  more  frequent 
and  abundant  than  they  were  many  years  ago,  end  that  the  destruc- 
tion of  our  bottom  lands  by  freshets  is  due  to  that  cause.  Though 
this  may  be  true  to  a  certain  extent,  yet  we  cannot  think  it  the  prin- 
pal  cause  of  the  damage  sustained  :  especially  as  we  have  not  seen 
it  stated  as  the  result  of  scientific  experiment  that  rains  have  become 
much  more  abundant  in  these  latter  years  ;  aad  while  it  has  not  been 
our  good  fortune  to  travel  much,  yet  the  little  that  we  have  seen  of 
bottom  lands  in  the  Northern  States  and  other  sections,  and  their 
vol.  in — 9 


130  THE    SOUTHERN  [March 

general  good  condition,  would  seem  to  indicate  that  the  almost  val- 
uless  condition  of  such  lands  with  us,  is  due  to  other  causes  than 
excessive  rains.  Be  the  cause  what  it  may,  however,  it  is,  never- 
theless, a  fact  much  to  be  regretted  that  most  of  our  farmers  have 
been  compelled  to  give  up  their  rich  bottom  lands  of  grazing,  for 
which  they  are  not  well  adapted  on  account  of  the  difficulty  in  keep- 
ing them  fenced,  while  others  who  persist  in  the  cultivation  of  such 
land«,  heretofore  immensely  profitable,  are  generally  rewarded  by  an 
entire  destruction  of  their  crops,  and  by  having  the  whole  fallow 
soil  washed  away  year  after  year. 

This  state  of  things  we  think  is  due  to  a  combination  of  causes, 
many  of  which  it  will  be  in  the  power  of  the  intelligent  farmer 
ultimately  to  remedy. 

Of  course  it  would  seem  to  be  the  natural  result  of  clearing  and 
draining  the  forest  lands,  that  the  water  courses  would  thereby 
become  more  abundantly  and  more  rapidly  filled  from  a  fall  of  rain, 
but  might  not  this  be  remedied  in  a  great  measure  by  deep  ploughing 
and  subsoiling,  and  bv  having  our  hill  sides  well  set  in  grass,  which 
which  would  retain  the  water  even  more  effectually  than  wooded 
land,  and  conduct  it  through  the  soil  along  its  roots,  as  so  many  lit- 
tle veins,  while  at  the  same  time  it  would  hold  the  soil  together  and 
keep  it  from  washing  into  the  streams,  to  fill  them  up  and  contract 
their  channels  ?  Thus  it  is,  we  imagine,  that  most  of  our  farmers 
and  land  owners,  by  that  ruinous  system  of  gutting  their  lands  year 
by  year,  in  order  to  get  out  of  them  all  that  was  possible,  and 
counting  their  yearly  gain,  not  by  the  improved  condition  of  their 
land  nor  by  their  net  profits,  but  by  the  quantity  of  corn,  wheat, 
tobacco,  fee,  that  has  been  made  without  any  reference  to  the  num- 
ber of  acres  cultivated  and  the  consumption  of  material,  have  not 
only  exhausted  the  up-lands,  but  thereby  rendered  the  bottom  lands 
otherwise  inexhaustible,  almost  worthless  for  cultivation.  They  have 
decidedly  killed  the  goose  to  get  one  golden  egg,  and  left  their 
children  the  heritage  of  her  poor  gutted,  gullied  carcass. 

It  is  a  notorious  fact  that  our  streams  are  filling  up  and  becoming 
more  contracted  year  by  year,  and  the  bottom  lands,  unless  they  are 
diked  of  the  creeks  widened,  will  become  entirely  useless  for  cultiva- 
tion. Ditching  and  diking  appear  very  expensive,  but  it  seems  to 
us  that  a  portion  of  our  money  might  be  more  profitably  invested  in 
that  way  than  in  many  of  the  fertilizers  now  so  abundantly  and  ex- 
pensively used.  And  while  on  this  subject  allow  us  to  suggest  to  your 
readers  the  propriety  of  having  all  ditches  as  straight  as  possible 
especially  when  they  carry  much  water,  because  it  is  very  difficult  to 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  131 


turn  a  current  of  water  out  of  its  straight  and  natural  course;  and 
on  this  account  it  is  much  more  difficult  to  dike  a  crooked 
stream,  unless  it  be  on  a  bank  that  is  gradually  convex,  which  is 
perhaps  more  easily  diked  than  a  straight  bank,  because  the  force 
of  the  current  being  always  in  the  direction  of  a  tangent  to  the  arc 
of  the  dike,  is  continually  spending  ite  force  against  the  undiked  bank, 
and  thus  rendering  the  dike  less  liable  to  damage.  It  is  generally 
useless  to  attempt  to  dike  but  one  side  of  a  stream,  and  as  diking 
one  side  will  of  course,  render  the  other  side  more  subject  to  overflow 
it  will  often  be  found  profitable,  where  the  low  grounds  are  broad, 
to  cut  a  new  channel  nearer  the  hills,  on  the  side  to  be  left  open, 
thus  widening  the  land  enclosed  by  the  dike  and  at  the  same  time 
be  enabled  to  get  a  straight  or  convex  bank  upon  which  to  erect  the 
dike. 

Ditching  in  order  to  be  effectual  should  be  continuous,  for  the  whole 
length  of  the  stream.  It  is  almost  impossible,  even  when  one  consents 
to  make  the  necessary  outlay,  to  induce  his  neighbors,  above  and 
below  him,  to  do  likewise,  and  as  a  consequence  his  own  work  is 
more  or  less  profitless.  Therefore  unless  the  land  owners  along 
the  whole  route  of  a  stream  will  consent  to  ditch,  it  seems  that  the 
intermediate  land  owner,  is  forced  to  the  necessity  either  to  dike  his 
bottom  lands  or  turn  them  out  for  pasturage  and  await  a  better  day 
when  they  will  either  consent  to  do  so,  or  when  the  uplands  get 
so  improved  as  to  imbibe  a  larger  portion  ot  the  water  which  falls 
upon  them,  by  having  become  set  in  grass  or  more  deeply  ploughed 
an  1  subsoiled  where  cultivated. 

As  the  cultivation  of  such  lands  under  the  circumstances,  is  gene- 
rally  attended  with  loss  of  crops,  even  if  it  does  not  lead  to  the 
ultimate  and  utter  destruction  of  the  land  from  continual  washings, 
it  seems  to  us  to  be  the  better  policy  to  desist  from  the  cultivation  of 
these  lands,  that  the  vegetation  upon  them  may  hold  the  soil  together 
and  at  the  same  time  gather  material  for  new  soil  from  the  frequent 
overflows. 

Owning  as  we  do  some  rich  bottom  lands,  both  upon  large  and 
small  streams,  the  question  of  how  to  preserve  them  and  turn  them 
to  profit,  is  a  question  of  peculiar  interest  to  us,  and  we  trust,  that 
though  you  may  not  deem  our  common  place  suggestions  as  scarcely 
worthy  of  a  place  in  you  journalr,  you  may  be  compensated  by  an 
article  from  some  one  on  this  subject  more  instructive  to  your 
readers. 

AVe  look  forward  to  the  day  when  this  subject  of  breakwaters,, 
and  systematic  diking  and  draining,  shall  be  more  fully  studied  and.. 


132  THE  SOUTHERN  [March 

explained,  both  in  our  agricultural  schools  and  in  our  farming  jour- 
nals, as  of  scarcely  less  importance  to  the  interests  of  agriculture 
than  the  currents  and  trade-winds  of  the  ocean  to  that  of  navigation  ; 
and  if  some  one  will  devise  a  method  to  render  our  bottom  lands  as 
productive  as  they  were  even  twenty  years  ago,  by  being  less  liable 
to  overflow,  we  feel  assured  that  he  will  be  a  greater  benefactor  to 
the  farmer  than  he  who  shall  discover  the  cheapest  and  best  ferti- 
lizer— a  question  now  discussed  by  almost  every  farmer  in  the  land. 
The  frequency  and  destructive  character  of  the  freshets  are  com- 
paratively of  so  recent  date  as  to  have  been  attributed  by  many  of 
our  old  weatherwise  farmers  to  the  cannonading  during  the  war, 
which  was  supposed  by  them  to  have  had  some  mysterious  influence 
over  the  "waters  above  and  the  waters  beneath  the  earth;"  but,  to 
the  disappointment  of  many,  our  water-courses  are  even  more  pre- 
carious since  the  surrender  at  Appomattox  Courthouse,  and  it  turns 
out  that  that  affair  has  no  more  settled  the  turbulent  condition  of 
our  streams  than  it  has  the  political  status  of  the  nigger. 

In  conclusion,  allow  me  to  request  that,  as  we  fear  there  may  not 
be  enough  in  this  article  even  to  excite  a  criticism  from  any  of  your 
readers,  you  will  at  least  be  good  enough  to  give  us  what  you  know 
of  the  condition,  cultivation  and  management  of  the  bottom  lands 
in  Europe,  where,  we  are  sure,  they  shoot  as  many  big  guns  as  we 
do.  J.  V.  B. 

Halifax  county,  Va.,  February  3d,  1809. 

Being  in  consimili  casu,  with  our  correspondent,  we  having  one  hundred 
acres  of  alluvion  on  James  river,  we  have  looked  at  the  European  books  to  see 
their  remedy;  but  have  never  found  one.  We  shall,  however,  at  the  instance 
of  our  correspondent,  renew  the  inquiry.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  however, 
that  the  rain  falls  here  are  so  much  heavier  than  there,  that  they  do  not  feel  the 
same  inconvenience — at  least,  not  to  the  same  extent.  We  shall  be  pleased  to 
have  the  views  of  some  other  of  our  subscribers  on  this  very  important  sub- 
ject.—Ed.  So.  P.  &  F. 


A  correspondent  of  the  Lamoille  News  Dealer  says  he  suc- 
cessfully defends  his  vine  patch  by  laying  boards  between  the  rows 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  afford  shelter  to  toads  in  the  day  time,  and 
leave  it  undisturbed,  so  that  they  will  make  their  home  under  it, 
which  they  will  do  in  great  numbers.  At  night  they  sally  out  and 
devour  every  bug,  and  grow  as  fat  as  aldermen.  He  says  he  has  a 
dozen  or  more  of  these  little  philanthropists  making  their  home 
under  a  single  board  not  more  than  six  feet  long. — Philadelphia 
.Weekly  Press. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  133 


A  Picture  or  Two— The  Profit  of  Cattle  in  the  Tobacco  Regions,  etc. 

NO.    I. 

Some  years  ago,  the  writer  had  occasion  to  make  an  early  start 
from  his  home  in  order  to  accomplish  a  long  ride  late  in  winter,  say 
18th  of  February,  185 — .  He  passed  the  house  of  a  neighbor  just 
at  sunrise;  here  he  witnessed  the  following  scene  : 

1st.    A  cow  "on  the  lift." 

2d.    Two  negro  men  in  the  act  of  lifting  up  the  cow. 

3d.  The  milk-maid,  pail  in  hand,  standing  ready  to  draw  the 
milk  so  soon  as  the  cow  was  made  to  stand. 

4th.  The  master  of  the  premises,  in  half  dress,  calling  out  just 
as  I  turned  the  corner  of  his  yard,  "I  have  been  expecting  that." 
Query :  If  he  expected  the  cow  to  be  down,  how  could  he  expect  to 
get  milk  from  her  ? 

NO.    II. 

Taking  tea  with  Mr.  ,  the   owner  of  near   two   thousand 

acres  of  land — and  much  of  it  rich — late  in  winter;  found  it  hard 

to  suppress  a  smile.     The  light  was  dim,  and  Mr.  reached 

out  a  plate.  I  could  not  see  anything  but  the  plate.  It  contained 
a  little  pat  of  butter,  white  as  snow,  thick  as  a  knife  blade,  and  as 
large  as  a  cup  plate.  His  tone  was  polite,  almost  persuasive, 
"  Won't  you  have  some  of  this  butter?" 

NO.  III. 
A  gentleman  pays  a  visit  to  a  house  in  winter,  in  which  butter  is 
scarce.  The  land-lady  did  up  a  little  plate  (all  she  had)  so  as  to 
make  it  look  respectable.  The  gentleman  was  very  fond  of  butter, 
and  helped  himself  very  largely.  A  little  son  of  the  lady,  also 
very  fond  of  butter  and  expecting  to  "grease  his  bread,"  looked  on 
in  amazement  and  exclaimed,  "  Mother,  he  has  taken  all  the  butter  ?" 

NO.    IV. 

A   gentleman,  rather   verdant,  dining   with   a  friend — a   wealthy 

farmer— said:   "Mrs.  ,  has   not   this   milk    rather   a   bluish 

caste?"  The  lady  very  politely  replied:  "I  think,  sir,  it  has 
rather  an  azure  tint !" 

The  writer  will  hazard  the  opinion  that  in  three-fourths  of  the 
families  in  the  tobacco  growing  region  of  Virginia  and  North  Caro- 
lina there  is  a  stinted  supply  of  milk  and  butter  from  1st  of  Janu- 
ary until  the  1st  of  May  every  year. 

I  have  also  been  told  by  tanners  that  they  ordinarily  "  take  in  " 


134  THE    SOUTHERN  [March 

as  many  hides  in  spring,  "  voluntary  surrenders,"  as  they  get  in  the 
fall  from  slaughtered  beeves.     ki  April  is  the  month  for  cows  to  die." 
Now,  Messrs.   Editors,  I  will  leave  the  reader  to  draw  the  moral 
from  all  this. 

I  desire  to  present  a  few  figures  in  connexion  with  this  subject : 

Is:.    The   price   of  an  ordinary  scrub  milk  cow.  fresh  to  the  pail 

with  her  first  calf,  at  three  years  old,  would  be  eighteen  dollars,  or 

fifty  cents,  per  month.     Deduct  from  this  the  percentage  of  those 

that   die  from   poverty,  lice,  bogs   and   ditches,  and   say  does   that 

_  .  I  have  during  the -last  ten  years  traded  for,  butchered,  and 
weighed  a  good  many,  "yearlings  They  do  not  average  above 

fifty  pounds  to  the  quarter  at  eighteen  months  old.  Five  quarters, 
fifty  pounds  to  the  quarter,  is  250  pounds;  this,  at  seven  cents,  is 
1 1 1 .50,  or  a  fraction  under  one  dollar  a  month.  Deduct  one-fourth 
for  those  that  die  during  the  first  spring,  and  we  get  seventy-five 
cents  a  month  for  feeding  and  grazing. 

3d.  I  have  made  some  experiments  in  raising  calves  on  better 
treatment  and  more  careful  breeding,  fee.,  ^c.  In  1865.  I  had  a 
couple  of  calves  dropped  by  two  fine  cows.  I  did  not  allow  them 
to  be  beaten  with  the  churn  staff  until  they  were  old  enough  to  sup- 

rl  ^i.emselves  on  grass.  They  were  wintered  on  grass  sod  with 
access  to  straw  and  chaff.  Sold  at  eighteen  months  for  8  20  ;  i.  e?., 
§1.11  1-9  per  month  for  feeding. 

In  1866  I  gave  my  calves  a  good  chance.  One  I  swapped  (to  a 
neighbor  who  wished  to  improve  his  stock)  for  a  yearling.  The 
yearling  weighed  thirty-five  pounds  to  the  quarter  ;  175  pounds  at 
seven  cents  make  (12.25,  or  8-  per  month.  For  another,  same 
age,  I  got  8  14:  8-. 33  per  month.  Another,  killed  at  eighteen 
months,  was  worth  $'25:  paying  S1.33J  per  month.  Another 
heifer  came  to  the  pail  at  twenty-seven  months.  Another  fell  into 
a  ditch  and  died. 

1867.  Encouraged  by  these  results,  I  paid  special  attention  to 
my  calves  this  spring.  One  was  so  fine  that  I  sold  him  at  four 
months  for  8  20.  Another  I  killed  at  six  months,  weighing  about 
forty  pounds,  and  worth  814.  One  I  sold  at  twelve  months  for 
8  16.     Two  I  killed  in  fall  of  1868 — worth  about  8  25  apiece. 

The  conclusions  from  these  experiments  I  shall  briefly  express: 

1st.  Fewer  anc  better  cattle:  provision  for  the  winds  of  March 
and  the  damps  of  April. 

-  I.   Mire  grass  for  summer;  more  hay  for  winter;  more  butter 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  135 

for  the  table  ;  more  milk  for  the  pigs  ;  more  manure  for  the  lots — 
a  long  stride  towards  contentment  and  prosperity. 

3d.  Beware  of  the  churn  staff.  The  history  of  a  calf's  life 
beyond  the  reach  of  the  city  market  for  veals  is  this :  A  few  drops 
of  milk  and  a  dry  yard  the  first  summer  and  fall;  a  shaky  life  on 
straw  the  first  winter ;  a  lean  and  louzy  springtime ;  the  beginning 
of  better  times  after  harvest. 

Mind,  I  am  writing  entirely  for  those  who  cultivate  a  staple  and 
are  out  of  reach  of  a  city  market,  and  to  these  I  say,  that  after 
many  and  careful  experiments  I  am  certain  that  the  rule  is,  to  do 
the  best  you  can  for  all  calves  that  you  have  ;  then  select  such  as. 
you  wish  to  raise  for  stock,  or  for  work,  and  kill  the  rest.  A. 


Corn   Fertilizers. 

Norfolk,  Feb.  12,  1869. 
Col.  F.  G.  Ruffin, 

Dear  Sir. — Yours  of  the inst.  to  hand  asking  me  to  give  my 

experience  in  the  application  of  Fertilizers  upon  corn,  which  I  pro- 
ceed to  do.  In  the  year  1852,  the  commencement  of  my  experi- 
ments with  Peruvian  Guano,  upon  corn,  I  applied  it  broadcast 
before  breaking  the  land,  150  lbs.  upon  two  acres,  2001bs,  broad 
cast,  upon  two  other  acres  adjoining,  and  ploughed  both  under  with 
a  two  horse  plough.  I  then  applied  100  lbs.  to  the  acre  in  the  drill, 
after  breaking  the  land,  and  before  planting  the  corn  upon  two 
more  acres  along  side  the  others  ;  upon  these  six  acres  the  ground 
paid  a  fair  profit,  less  upon  the  two  last  than  either  of  the  others; 
but  upon  all  six  acres  I  noticed  too  much  stalk  with  considerable 
firing.  In  June  of  the  same  year  I  applied  immediately  upon  the 
corn  row,  after  turning  the  dirt  from  the  corn,  125  lbs.  to  the  acre 
upon  t^n  acres,  just  spreading  the  guano  about  12  or  15  inches  on 
the  com  and  covering  with  the  plough  and  hoes,  for  the  corn  was 
so  small  that  the  plough  could  noL  turn  the  dirt  to  it  without  cover- 
ing it  up,  this  ten  acres  of  land  was  a  worn-out  corner,  that  would 
not  have  produced  5  bushels  of  corn  per  acre  without  the  guano, 
and  upon  this  land  I  gathered  more  than  thirty  bushels  of  shelled 
corn.  I- found  from  this  experiment,  that  the  guano  was  taken  up 
by  the  ear  and  not  in  the  stalk,  as  in  the  other  experiments.  I  after- 
ward made  many  experiments  with  guano,  and  always  found  that 
the  guano,  applied  just  before  turning  the  dirt  to  the  corn  and  sowed 


136  THE  SOUTHERN  [March 

on  as  narrow  a  space  as  pos-ible  and  just  upon  the  corn,  paid 
much  better  than  any  other  application,  one  half  the  guano  produ- 
cing as  good  a  crop  as  double  the  amount,  applied  before  planting 
the  corn.  I  have  made  by  actual  measurement  25  bushels  shelled 
corn  more  than  the  same  land  produced  the  same  year,  by  applying 
s.  Peruvian  Guano  as  mentioned  above.  As  to  my  experimenst 
with  manipulated  guanoes  and  manufactured  manures,  which  have 
been  many  in  the  last  15  years,  I  have  only  to  say,  the  money  expend- 
ed was  all  lost,  except  when  ground  bone  or  bone  ash  and  Peruvian 
Guano  were  the  only  ingredients.  I  have  also  used,  before  the 
war,  ground  bone,  and  was  satisfied,  in  order  to  make  it  pay  well, 
there  should  be  used  from  400  to  600  lbs.  to  the  acre.  Since  the  war 
I  have  used  small  quantities  of  Peruvian  Guano  upon  corn  and 
wheat,  tomatoes  and  cabbages,  and  while  I  believed  I  was  paying 
for  20  or  30  lbs.  of  water  in  every  bag.  I  found  it  far  the  cheapest 
article  I  purchase!,  and  by  using  a  small  quantity  more  to  the  acre, 
the  products  of  corn,  tomatoes  and  cabbages  were  equal  to  any  I 
ever  raised  from  its  use.  and  upon  wheat  I  made  but  a  poor 
crop,  although  the  growth  of  straw  was  fine.  I  used  stable  manures 
by  the  side  of  it  on  land  of  the  same  quality  upon  which  I  put  100 
lbs.  Guano,  and  the  manures  made  no  more  wheat  than  the  Guano, 
so  it  was  no  fault  of  Guano. 

I  will  here  remark  that  from  my  experience  in  the  use  of  Peru- 
vian Guano  for  the  last  22  years,  I  consider  it  the  best  and  cheap- 
est fertilizer  that  can  be  purchased,  and  when  used  upon  limed 
land,  several  months  after  the  lime  had  been  applied,  or  u-ed  upon 
land  where  bone  dust  is  applied,  the  land  improves  rapidly  and 
even  when  neither  of  these  articles  have  been  used,  if  the  Guano  is 
applied  at  the  rate  of  2  or  3)0  lbs.  and  always  ploughed  in  the 
ground  with  single  ploughs,  tie  lands  improves  as  fast  as  from  the 
use  of  domestic  manures,  and  really  costs  less  money,  as  the  labor  of 
making  and  hauling  and  spreading  home  made  manures  costs  as 
much  or  more  than  the  Guano. 

From  reports  from  others  and  from  observation,  I  feel  sure  that 
Guano  does  not  produce  the  same  effect  upon  the  stiff  river  lands  as 
upon  the  lighter  forest  lands  in  Eastern  Va.,  and  now  I  close  by 
.g  our  farmers  to  look  well  to  what  they  buy  in  the  market 
for  fertilizers,  for  I  have  used  many  kinds,  now  largely  sold  without 
the  slighest  benefit. 

Yours  &c 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  187 

Experiments  in  Bee   Hives. 

A  correspondent  from  somewhere  sends  us  the  following  article  on  Bees  and 
Honey.  On  that  matter  we  confess  our  entire  ignorance.  Two  things  only  do 
we  know:  the  one  that  bees  make  honey,  which  is  very  sweet  :  the  other  that 
they  sting  sometimes,  which  is  very  unpleasant.  It  has  struck  us  that,  perhaps, 
our  correspondent  meant  in  a  cheap  and  unpretending  way  to  advertize  his 
hives.  If  so,  we  head  him  off  as  best  we  may,  by  suppressing  his  name  and 
residence  and  the  name  of  his  patent.  If  not,  we  at  least  give  currency  to  his 
ideas  for  what  they  may  be  worth,  and  attract  attention  to  a  branch  of  rural 
economy  which  has  been  entirely  too  much  neglected  by  more  people  in  Vir- 
ginia than  ourselves. 

"Sic  nos  non  vobis ."  — Editor. 

In  I860, 1  commenced  my  experiments  in  bee  keeping.  Satisfied 
that  the  securing  of  surplus  honey  depended  much  upon  the  capacity 
and  arrangement  of  its  surplus  boxes  for  success,  I  made  five  hives, 
and  introduced  swarms  into  them.  Each  of  the  hives  were  so  con- 
structed as  to  receive  boxes  for  surplus  upon  both  sides  and  the 
top  of  the  breeding  and  wintering  apartment  for  the  bees.  The 
hives  differed  some  in  size,  and  in  the  number  and  size  of  the  sur- 
plus boxes.  The  average  capacity  of  the  boxes  was  probibly  about 
seventy  pounds. 

In  the  course  of  the  season  I  purchased  and  had  placed  a  swarm 
in  each  hive.  The  first  season  I  received  enough  to  pay  for  my 
bees  and  the  material  for  building,  reckoning  in  the  receipt  the  pay 
for  one  hive,  and  bees  sold  for  8  15. 

In  1861  and  in  1862,  I  made  some  improvements,  and   procured 

a  patent  for  the  hive,  under  the   name Hives,  in  1862, 

September  2d. 

In  this  season  I  have,  in  the  two  seasons  in  which  I  have  kept  an 
account  of  all  my  hives,  received  an  average  surplus  in  the  boxes  of 
six  and  a  half  to  two  and  a  half  pounds.      The  last  account  was  in 

The  best  in  one  of  the Hives  in  my  apiary  has  been 

103  pounds.  Several  have  given  from  90  to  100  pounds.  Mr. 
House,  of  Hillsdale,  New  York,  wrote  the  Country  Gentleman  that 
he  had  taken  137  pounds  in  this  hive  from  one  colony  the  first  year. 

In  1866,  I  built  three  hives  with  a  central  apartment  for  the 
breeding  and  wintering  of  the  colony,  in  which  either  bars  or  move- 
able comb-frame  may  be  used,  with  surplus  box  room  upon  the  two 
sides  and  top  of  the  central  apartment  of  the  hive  of  125  pounds 
capacity  in  the  aggregate,  and  placed  a  swarm  in  each.  In  1867, 
when  the  colonies  in  my Hives  gave   an  average  of  62^ 


138  THE    SOUTHERN  [March 

pounds,  the  colonies  in  the  new  hives  averaged  125  pounds,  giving 
in  the  aggregate  500  pounds  of  surplus  honey.  In  addition,  two  of 
the  four  gave  two  swarms  each.  One  that  gave  no  swarm  gave  174 
pounds  surplus,  requiring  the  removal  of  surplus  boxes  that  were 
filled  and  substituting  empty  ones  in  their  place  of  about  50  pounds 
aggregate  capacity. 

In  1863,  our  season  was  so  poor  that  seventeen  colonies,  old  and 
new,  in  the  old-fashioned  hives  within  eighty  rods  of  my  apiary, 
gave  less  than  100  pounds  of  surplus.  In  rny  apiary,  four  colonies 
in  enlarged  hives  giving,  one  nearly  200  pounds  box  room,  the  other 
three  150  pounds  box  room  each,  gave,  the  largest,  117  pounds; 
the  other  three  105,  79  and  75  pounds. 

The  aggregate  of  my  nineteen  colonies  was  917  pounds,  an 
average  of  52  11-16  pounds.  These  four  that  gave  no  swarm  and 
gave  the  largest  surplus  were  in  the  hives  giving  the  greatest  sur- 
plus box  room.  As  a  rule,  the  hives  in  review  decreased  in  the 
amount  of  surplus  given,  as  the  surplus  box  room  was  diminished  in 
amount. 

These  facts  have  led  me  to  construct  three  sizes  of  the  hive:  1. 
One  with  twenty  boxes  of  110  pounds  surplus  box  capacity.  2.  The 
medium  size,  twenty-seven  boxes,  of  150  pounds  capacity.  3.  The 
largest  size,  with  thirty-six  boxes,  of  200  pounds  capacity. 

I  draw  a  few  conclusions  from  the  foregoing  facts  in  my  experi- 
ments thus  far  : 

1.  The  boxes  for  surplus  for  market  are  better  not  to  exceed  five 
or  six  pounds  in  size.  They  find  a  quicker  sale,  and  at  a  little 
advance  in  price. 

2.  The  boxes  should  be  placed  upon  both  sides  and  top  of  the 
wintering  and  breeding  apartment  of  the  colony.  The  queen  de- 
posits her  brood  in  the  commencement  of  the  breeding  season  in  or 
near  the  centre  of  the  central  comb  in  the  hive.  The  surplus  is 
stored  in  the  top  and  sides  of  the  centre  combs  and  in  the  outside 
sheets  of  combs.  This  fact  points  to  the  top  and  sides  of  this 
apartment  for  placing  the  surplus  boxes. 

3.  Neither  the  top  or  sides  of  the  hive  present  all  the  room  desira- 
ble for  placing  all  the  surplus  boxes  which  would  be  best  to  use  to 
secure  the  greatest  amount  from  the  colony. 

4.  It  will  give  the  greatest  success  in  securing  surplus  honey  to 
give  sufficient  room  in  the  surplus  boxes  for  all  the  labor  of  all  the 
colony  for  all  the  season.  Then  the  colony  will  not  be  apt  to 
swarm,  or  lose  time  in  preparation  for  swarming,  or  in  delaying  to 
enter  an  empty  box  substituted  for  a  full  one  removed. 


1839.]  PLANTER  AND   FARMER.  139 


5.  This  will  make  it  desirable  to  have  room  to  place  upon  each 
hive  boxes  giving  room  for  200  pounds  surplus,  or  at  least  150 
pounds. 

(3.  It  is  important  to  have  the  surplus  boxes  brought  into  imme- 
diate connection  with  the  central  apartment,  and  have  the  passage 
to  and  from  the  boxes  very  free  and  unobstructed. 

7.  Lee  keepers  cannot  afford  to  lose  the  labors  of  their  colonies 
in  preparation  for  swarming,  sacrificing  fifty  pounds  or  more  of 
surplus,  when  swarms,  if  needed,  can  be  so  easily  increased  to  any 
desirable  number  artificially.  The  danger  is  of  having  too  many 
colonies  for  the  field  for  the  best  success  of  the  keeper. 

8.  If  natural  swarms  are  preferred,  after  the  heart  of  the  honey 
season  is  past,  the  boxes  can  be  removed,  and  the  bees  confined  to 
their  breeding  apartments  by  the  moveable  partitions,  and  thus 
crowded,  the  bees  will  throw  out  a  swarm  in  a  few  days. 

9.  Non-s warmers  are  greatly  to  be  preferred  for  use.  Mr. 
Quhnby,  in  his  first  edition  of  his  work,  estimates  the  surplus  given 
by  them  at  five  times  the  amount  given  by  swarm  era.  In  his  second 
edition,  he  raises  his  estimate  of  the  surplus   of  swarmers  from  one 

dollar  to  three  dollars  worth  in  a  good  season.     Four Hives 

gave  me  more  than  five  times  his  estimate-amount  for  the  non- 
Bwarmer  in  one  season.  Instead  of  five  dollars'  worth,  reckoning 
it  at  twenty-five  cents  per  pound,  they  gave  me  an  average  of  more 
than  twenty-five  dollars'  worth.  So  we  may  still  reckon  for  them, 
instead  of  five  dollars  for  one,  twenty-five  dollars  for  three — a  little 
more  than  eight  for  one. 

Mr.  Langstroth  says  of  the  non-swarming  hives  :  "  In  such  hives, 
very  large  harvests  of  honey  are  often  obtained  from  strong  stocks 
of  bees  ;"   but  gives  two  objections  to  their  use: 

"  1.  It  is  evident,  if  the  formation  of  new  colonies  were  gene- 
rally discouraged,  the  insect  would  soon  be  exterminated." 

Answer  :  If,  by  artificial  swarming,  new  colonies  may  be  increased 
to  any  desired  length  in  less  time  and  with  less  trouble  than  to  watch 
for  and  hive  natural  swarms  when  they  issue.  This  fact  fully  an- 
swers the  objection. 

2.  The  second  objection  is  :  "  To  say  nothing  of  its  preventing 
the  increase  of  stocks,  bees  usually  work  with  diminished  vigor, 
after  they  have  been  kept  in  a  non-swarming  hive  for  several 
seasons." 

Answer  :  This  fact  is  true  of  all  hives,  when  the  bees  have  occu- 
pied them  several  years  and  the  comb  has  become  old,  and  very 
manv  of  the  cells  filled  with  bee  bread.     As  a  remedy,  we  either 


140  THE   SOUTHERN  [March 

confine  them  to  the  central  apartment  and  have  a  natural  swarm  issue: 
then  place  the  new  swarm  in  an  empty  hive,  place  it  upon  the  old 
stand,  and  drive  out  all  the  bees  from  the  old  hive.  J  rt  to 
the  new  swarm  on  the  old  stand.  We  then  cut  out  allthe  worker 
brood  and  set  up  the  comb  on  its  edges  in  a  1  :e  the  box  in 
communication  with  the  new  hive,  and  thev  mature  the  whole  brood, 
en  have  :  stock  of  bees  again  prepared  :  _  "very 
large  harvests  of  honey."  It  is  proper  to  add:  the  central  apart- 
ment  of  the  Hive  may  be  used   either   with  bars  or  with 

moveable  comb-frames,  at  the  pleasure  of  the  user.  If  comb-frames 
are  used,  they  may  be  removed  literally  from  either  or  both  sides  at 
pleasure,  without  any  danger  of  crushing  the  bees  or  bruising  the 
comb.     All  the  advantages  for  artificial  swarms.  >n  against 

enemies,  raising,  changing,   or   supplying   queens,  oplied 

with  at  least  as  great  convenience  as  in  any  other  hi 

It  will  be  seen  that  this  hive  gave  surplus  enough  from  four  hives 
in  one  season  to  pay  g  11.50  per  hive,  the  medium-sized  one  8  5  for 
each   swarm.  8 10  for   a   right   to  use  in  one  a: 
balance  of  849  clear  gain.     This  is  estimating  th  renty- 

five  cents  per  pound.     It  was  mostly  from  white  id  for 

thirty-seven  and  a  half  and  forty  cents  per  pound. 

Your  readers  may  judge  of  the  course  ruos:   .  re  the 

greatest  profits. 


Orchard  Grass. 


The  want  of  time  has  prevented  my  complyi:  _  r  with  the 

request  to  contribute  to  your  valuable  paper,  and  these  hasty  sug- 
gestions must  be  received  with  charity. 

The  greatest  blunder  committed  by  Eastern  Virginia  farmers  is 
their  neglecting  to  ly — any  hay — many  -?i   ihem.     To   save 

fodder  in  the  usual  way.  with  hired  labor,  as  a  remunc  _  reed  is 

The   substitute   is   easy  of  access   and   :  hand. 

Take,  for  example,  an  acre   of  land,  the   coming  .:    will 

produce  three  to  four  barrels  of  corn;  plough  it  dc:  m  :  are  it 
with  good  manure  of  any  kind  (except  guano,  so-called,  and  super- 
phosphates)— bones  will  do:  then  apply  twenty  bushels  of  ashes 
scraped  from  the  farm  houses ,  scatter  with  a  shovel  from  the  cart : 
if  not  enough  to  so  scatter,  cast  them  with  the  hand ;  let  the  land 
lie  thus  until  you  wish  to  seed  oats  ;  seed  on  it  from  three-quarters 
to  one  bushel  oats  (this  quantity  will  shade  the  grass  and  not  crowd), 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  141 

putting  tWrn  in  nicely  ;  then  seed  on  the  fresh  surface  one  bushel 
of  orchard  grass,  and  one  gallon  of  clover  seed  ;  pass  over  the  sur- 
face with  a  light  harrow  or  brush,  and  roll  it  with  a  roller  or  lojr  of 
wood,  and  let  it  alone.  If  you  can  afford  it,  let  the  oats  fall  as  an 
improver  to  both  land  and  grass.  After  the  oats  are  harvested,  see 
that  nothing  grazes  it  (neither  calf  or  pig,  young  grass  is  as  easily 
injured  as  young  corn)  until  after  the  first  crop  of  hay  has  been 
saved. 

The  Result:  The  next  spring  or  early  summer,  so  soon  as  the 
orchard  grass  is  in  blossom  (not  brown  or  seeded),  the  clover  will 
be  ready  also;  cut  all  for  hay,  and  then  feed  or  put  it  away  to  use 
in  place  of  fodder.  You  may  safely  expect  2,000  to  3,000  pounds 
of  hay,  worth  at  least  $20.  Surfer  nothing  to  graze  it  until  1st  of 
December ;  then  let  your  dairy  cow  run  on  it  I J  hours  each  day  in 
open  weather  until  15th  March.  This  acre  will  supply  one  cow  with 
food,  and  a  family  with  milk,  during  the  winter  months,  if  not 
longer.  It  will  supply  the  horses  with  more  hay  and  grass  in  fall, 
winter,  spring  and  summer,  than  any  other  grass  yet  introduced 
into  Virginia.  It  is  the  only  grass  that  grows  with  us  all  the  year 
round,  except  only  when  the  ground  is  frozen.  It  is  not  an  exhauster 
to  land  as  is  Timothy.  It  will  grow  on  any  dry  land,  not  excepting 
a  sand  bank.  And  here,  permit  me  to  suggest  that  the  best  grasses 
love  a  dry  soil.  We  usually  seek  the  bottoms  and  moist  places  to 
grow  Timothy.  Why  ?  Because  the  grass  is  not  well  suited  to  our 
soil  or  climate.  Nor  are  we  the  loosers  thereby,  so  long  as  Orchard 
Grass  and  Clover  are  accessible.  The  Orchard  Grass  will  stand  the 
invasions  of  broom-straw,  if  you  will  practice  a  little  patience,  and 
not  suffer  it  to  be  grazed  until  it  has  formed  a  sod.  Then  you  can't 
hurt  it  except  with  hogs,  or  the  plough.  If  any  farmers  are  usually 
scarce  of  fodder  about  1st  of  June,  or  even  a  little  sooner,  let  them 
try  an  acre  lot,  it  will  be  just  in  time  for  your  wants.  If  you  want 
a  lot,  always  green,  for  an  idle  horse  to  run  in,  this  will  supply  it. 
Or  green  grass,  in  winter  for  your  dairy  cow,  this  is  the  only  grass 
that  will  furnish  it.  Try  it  on  a  sand  bank,  if  you  can't  do  better. 
And  if  not  next  spring,  try  it  next  fall  with  wheat,  only  put  three- 
quarters  of  a  bushel  of  seed  in  fall,  and  the  rest,  one-quarter,  in 
spring,  followed  by  a  roller. 

John  Washington. 
Spivey  Rill,  Caroline  co.,   Va.,  Feb'y  3d,  1869. 


142  THE   SOUTHERN  [March 

Irish  Potatoes  from  Virginia  Seed. 

We  comply  with  pleasure  with  the  request  of  our  friend,  Mr.  Garnett,  and 
call  attention  to  his  statement  below.  In  doing  so  we  ougit  also  to  state  that 
he  stands  high  as  a  gentleman  of  character  and  position  ;  and  he  ought  to  be 
an  experimenter,  for  he  is  a  son  of  the  late  James  M.  Garnett,  of  Essex,  one 
the  boat  men  of  the  old  times,  and  a  most  inveterate  experimenter  himself. 
The  common  opinion  has  been  adverse  to  Mr.  Garnett  on  this  suljeet;  but  we 
are  not  aware  that  it  has  ever  been  tested  by  experiment. — Ed.  So.  P.  it  F. 

Editors  Planter  and  Farmer  : 

Gentlemen, — I  venture  to  address  you  on  a  subject  of  general 
interest  to  farmers  and  gardeners  in  this  latitude,  and  hope,  if  you 
approve  what  I  say,  you  will  publish  it  and  call  attention  to  it.  I 
assert,  without  fear  of  contradiction,  that  Irish  potatoes,  of  all  sorts 
raised  at  home,  anywhere  in  Eastern  Virginia,  and  kept  in  mound, 
in  open  air  covered,  as  all  farmers  and  gardeners  here  cover  them, 
will  come  up  better  than  those  we  buy  from  the  North.  I  will  fur- 
Dish  three  dozen  potatoes  of  the  Michigan  White  Sprout,  the  Early 
Goodrich,  and  the  Peach  Blow  to  any  address,  if  the  orderer  will 
pay  express  charges  hence  to  his  residence,  and  if  he  will  plant 
them  alongside  of  Northern  raised  potatoes  of  the  same  names  and 
mine,  and  those  raised  here  do  not  come  up  twenty  per  cent,  better 
than  the  Northern  raised  I  will  send  him  at  my  own  cost,  without 
cost,  a  bushel  of  anv  kind  I  have.  We  have  been  buving  Northern 
seed  too  long.  Every  farmer  in  Eastern  Virginia  can  raise  his  own 
seed  of  all  sorts,  and  he  ought  to  do  it.  I  raise  Early  York  seed, 
despite  the  theory  to  the  contrary.  I  have  invariably  found  that 
seed  raised  at  home  come  up  better  than  any  I  can  purchase.  I 
can  prove  the  above  by  the  testimony  of  five  or  six  gentlemen  in 
this  neighborhood,  whose  experience  in  the  matter  corresponds  with 
mine,  and  we  have  tried  it  for  more  than  ten  years. 

Respectfully, 

Theodore  S.  Garnett. 

Cedar  Hill,  near  Junction,  P.  0.  Hanover,   Va..  F-.b'y  3,  1866. 


At  a  meeting  of  the  Northern  Illinois  Horticultural  Society,  D. 
B.  Weir,  of  Lacon,  said  he  had  saved  over  a  hundred  trees,  com- 
pletely girdled  by  mice,  by  banking  the  snow  around  them,  and 
when  the  soil  had  thawed,  banking  that  a  foot  hifrh  about  the  trunks. 
If  the  wounds  are  too  high  to  reach  by  banking,  clay  may  be  bound 
on . — i? ural  A m er ica n . 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  143 

Fecundity  of  Grade  South  Down  Sheep. 

The  following  from  our  friend,  Mr.  Chaffin,  accords  with  our  experience  last 
winter.  But  to  raise  these  lambs  well,  the  ewes  will  need  extra  keep,  say  a 
half  pint  to  a  pint  of  clean  (or  6eed)  oats  per  day,  beginning  with  the  fiafmer 
quantity,  unless  the  pasture  is  extra  fine. — Ed.  So.  P.  &  F. 

Mr.  Editor, — Dear  Sir:  Being  a  constant  reader  of  your  val- 
uable journal,  and  thinking  something  about  the  fecundity  of  South 
Down  Sheep  maybe  of  interest  to  you,  I  take  pleasure  in  acquaint- 
ing you  with  the  following  facts :  I  visited  my  flock  on  yesterday, 
and  was  pleased  to  find  that  twelve  ewes  had  eighteen  lambs.  One 
had  three,  and  four  had  two,  each. 

Yours,  respectfully, 

R.  B.  Chaffin. 
Amelia  county,  Fa.,  February  5,  18G9. 


Domestic  Servants  at  the  North. 

The  following  from  the  Philadelphia  Press  ought  to  make  our  houfe  keepers 
thank  their  good  fortune,  that  since  they  are  not  in  foreign  parts,  they  are  at 
least  in  a  country  where  the  labor  of  freedmen  and  freedwomen  can  be  used. 
So  much  for  the  ladies.  Let  the  men  read  and  ponder  what  we  insert  from  an- 
their  column  of  the  same  paper  on  the  growing  importance  of  the  wages  class. 

It  will  set  them  to  thinking  what  universal  suffrage  may  do  thirty  years 
hence  or  perhaps  before  that. — Eds.  S.  P.  &  F. 

We  of  America,  excepting  of  course  the  slave  States  in  slave 
times,  have  always  been  peculiarly  unfortunate  in  the  matter  of 
servants.  Not  that  the  stock  of  servants  has  ever  been  low.  On 
the  contrary,  there  has  ever  been  a  superabundance  of  the  article. 
But  good  servants,  it  is  now  and  has  been,  as  far  back  as  the  mem- 
ory of  the  oldest  inhabitant  reaches,  almost  an  impossibility  to  get 
them.  Ireland  weekly  pours  upon  our  shores  hundreds  of  poor, 
ignorant,  men  woman  and  children.  The  men  ere  long  become 
street  laborers ;  the  women  go  into  service,  and  the  children — 
well,  they  run  "  around  loose,"  as  newsboys,  orange  girls,  or  as 
members  of  whatever  else  of  the  many  juvenile  professions  suit 
their  fancy.  The  intelligence  offices  are  overrun  by  women  who 
wish  to  hire  "out"  as  cooks,  chambermaids,  etc.,  seldom  having  the 
least  idea  as  to  how  the  work  of  the  position  they  seek  is  done. 
They  soon  learn  from  their  friends  here  before  them  that  America 
being  a  free  country,  one  woman  is  just  as  good  as  another,  and 
that  "Missus"  does  not  in  reality  hire  them — they  hire  her.    This 


144  THE  SOUTHERN  [March 

influx  of  Irish  women  has  driven  off  American  help,  and  house- 
keepers are  seldom  able  to  obtain  a  servant  of  any  other  nationality. 
Bad  as  these  ''servants"  are,  the  great  reason  that  they  are  bad  is 
found  in  their  management  by  the  "lady  of  the  house."  They  are 
not  made  to  understand  that  they  are  servants  :  they  are  treated  too 
much  as  if  their  position  was  in  all  respects  as  high  in  the  social 
scale  as  the  lady's.  They  are  threatened  with  dismissal  but  seldom 
discharges.  This  is  all  wrong.  Servants  and  especially  those 
from  Ireland  should  be  ruled  with  a  rod  of  iron.  Treat  them  kindly, 
of  course,  but  compel  them  to  do  their  work  faithfully.  Have  it 
understood  that  dismissal  will  surely  follow  certain  offences,  and 
never  break  the  rule.  In  fact,  govern  your  own  house  and  do  not 
allow  your  hired  people  to  govern  you.  This  plan  if  followed  out 
would  soon  teach  the  ignorant  that  they  must  learn,  and  prove  to 
those  who  cannot  or  will  not  advance  that  they  have  mistaken  their 
own  vocation.  The  annexed,  from  Tinsley's  Magazine  (written  by 
an  American),  is  true  every  word.  We  could  ourselves  speak  of  the 
general  excellence  of  English  servants,  having  had  ample  time  and 
opportunity  to  study  them  during  a  stay  of  several  months  in 
London : 

One  pregnant  advantage  that  the  English  have  is  that  their  ser- 
vants are  their  own  countryfolk.  A  native  born  American  servant 
is  almost  an  impossibility.  In  old  times  we  used  to  find  them  in 
some  of  the  Eastern  States,  but  they  were  chiefly  farmers'  daugh- 
ters sent  out  as  "helps"  to  neighbors,  in  order  that  they  might 
learn  house-keeping,  and  so  fit  themselves  for  becomiug  industrious 
.vives.  This  is  the  reason  why  they  were  called  "helps,"  and  not  ser- 
vants ;  for  being  of  the  same  social  rank  as  their  employers,  there 
was  nothing  servile  in  their  occupations.  Naturally,  the  same  term 
came  in  time  to  be  applied  to  all  servants  ;  but  it  is  now  very  seldom 
used.  The  servants  in  America  then  are  all  foreigners — Irish  in 
the  East,  Germans  in  the  West.  English  and  Scotch  servants  are 
more  scarce,  and  are  always  sure  of  commanding  better  places  and 
higher  wages.  Germans  are  prefered  to  the  Irish  because  they 
know  more  about  domestic  duties,  and  are  generally  neater  in  their 
appearance.  The  Irish  go  from  the  emigrant  ships  to  the  "inteli- 
gence  offices,  or  servants  agencies,  and  often  they  have  places — 
that  is  to  say,  are  hired — next  day  after  they  leave  shipboard. 
Coming  from  homes  destitute  of  every  comfort — from  straw  thatched 
cabins  where  the  only  housekeeping  consists  in  piling  peat  upon 
the  fire — from  hovels  where  all  the  meals  are  cooked  in  the  same 
pot,  and  gaunt  poverty  casts  its  curse  upon  the  scanty  fare,  they  are 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  145 

transferred  in  a  moment  from  the  horrors  of  the  steerage  to  what 
seem  to  them  palaces,  and  are  transformed  in  a  twinkling  from 
emigrants  to  "culinary  artists,"  or  "first-class  general  servants." 
They  have  never  had  any  money  before,  but  they  are  too  shrewd 
to  squander  their  large  wages.  Their  first  thoughts  are  for  their 
poor  relatives  in  Ireland ;  their  first  savings  are  sent  to  bring  these 
wretched  sufferers  to  the  promised  land.  These  Irish  servant-girls 
subscribe  immense  sums  of  money  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
for  the  support  of  priests  and  for  charity.  They  have  always  a 
trifle  left,  too,  for  Fenianism  or  any  other  "ism"  that  assumes  the 
garb  of  the  champion  of  old  Ireland.  They  soon  learn  their  indepen- 
dence; their  self-respect  takes  the  form  of  unbridled  insolence;  they 
are,  almost  without  exception,  virtuous  while  in  service,  but  they  are 
very  fond  of  drink;  they  assume  unservant-liKe  finery,  despise  those 
caps  which  English  maids  wear  so  jauntily,  and  make  frequent  drafts 
upon  their  mistresses'  wardrobes.  Cousins  are  always  coming  to 
see  them  ;  and  as  every  Irishman  is  a  cousin,  a  thief  or  a  burglar 
often  turns  up  in  a  well  regulated  household.  Funerals  are  their 
delight ;  and  as  some  Irish  friend  is  always  dying,  and  as  they  are 
invited  to  every  wake,  a  considerable  portion  of  their  time  is  devoted 
to  the  dead  rather  than  to  the  living.  They  domineer  over  the 
real  mistress  of  the  house,  order  her  out  of  the  kitchen,  and  give 
her  the  full  benefit  of  a  temper  spoiled  by  early  brutality.  Regar- 
ded philosophically,  they  are  excellent  patriots,  but  regarded  prac- 
tically they  are  very  bad  servants,  in  every  way  inferior  to  those 
of  England  and  Europe. 


"While  we  do  not  strictly  endorse  the  method  of  calculation,  nor 
accept  as  literally  true  the  results  arrived  at  by  certain  statisticians 
who  aim  to  show  the  coming  importance  of  the  purely  wages  men 
in  the  country,  there  is,  nevertheless,  a  plausibility  about  the  exhi- 
bition which  should  not  escape  attention.  Any  argument  built 
upon  must  have  great  weight,  and  its  proximate  effects  prove  almost 
the  same  as  the  reality.  The  classification  of  people  adopted  is  into 
money  men,  middle  men  and  wages  men.  In  1840,  with  a  popula- 
tion of  17,000,000,  these  classes  stood  as  follows ; 

Classes.  Able  men.  Population' 

Money  men 300  000  1,800.000 

Middlemen 1,600,000  0. 000. 000 

Wages  men 950,000  5,600,000 

Total  2,850,000         17,000,000 

VOL.  Ill — 10 


146  THE    SOUTHERN  [March 

The  calculation  for  1900  with  a  population  of  84,000,000,   gives 
the  following  : 

Abl*  men.  Popvla'inn. 

-  men                       700.000  4  200.00 

Middlemen                         S  "'  :: 

l   -men                         9.550,000  57.300,000 

T;  14,000,000       84,000,000 

Thus,  in  less  than  half  a  century,  the  purely  laboring  classes 
will  vastly  preponderate.  'The  problem  of  their  independency  is 
_•  into  importance.  The  relationship  that  all  these  millions 
of  men  must  then  bear  to  all  the  millions  of  capital,  which  will  then 
be  in  existence,  will  constitute  the  political  economy  and  social 
science  of  the  near  future. 


Thb  eest  gait  a  horse  ever  had  for  every  day  use.  is  a  good 
walk.     It  is  a  gait  not  one  in  ter.  3.      Colts  are   not  trained 

to  walk  in  all  the  Eastern  -     i  :.::._•  America  wants  more  speed. 

Kentv  '..as  more  good  walking  horses  than  any  other  State,   for 

there  horseback  traveling  has  long  been  in  fashion  for  men  and 
women  over  a  country  where  m  is  at  times  render  anv  other 

■  impossible,  and  so   horses  have   been  bred  to   the  saddle,    and 

ined  to  awal":     .   .  is  also  the  case  in  all  the  Western 

St  ites,  and  perhaps  might  have  been  so  in  New  England,  when  oar 

grandn:  ;e  to  meeting  on  a  pillion  behind  our  grandfathers  : 

one-hors  :  out  of  fashion, 

.  now  a  good  walking  horse  is  more  rare,  than  one  that 
can  trot  a  mile  in  2:40. — Rural  World. 


Chicago  possesses  the  largest  bakery  in  the  world.  In  the 
months  of  October  and  November  eight  thousand  nine  hundred  and 
ninety-nine  barrels  of  flour  were  converted  into  crackers  in  that 
establishment. 

And  this  remind*  us  that  •when  the  Confederate  war  broke  oat  there  was  not 
a  hard-bread  establishment  in  the  city 'f  Riohnini.  The  Inspection  laws  of 
:       State  had  been  so  rigidly  enforced  char  the:  demand  for  the  class 

of  wheat — inferior — out  of  which  crackers  are  made.     Bo  that  kind  of  wheat 
D  the  manufic:  ries    :  Bait; m  re  and  New  Y  rk.     Shall  our  legis- 
lation be  more  enlightened  under  the  new  crder  of  things  I — Eds.  P.  £  F. 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  147 


Directions  for  Sprouting  Sweet  Potatoes. 

In  the  first  place,  arrangement  should  be  made  early  in  the  win- 
ter to  have  frames  and  covers  made,  and  seed  potatoes  and  all 
necessary  material  for  the  hot  beds,  engaged  in  due  time.  The 
potatoes,  when  received,  should  be  kept  in  a  warm,  dry  room,  until 
they  are  placed  in  the  hot-bed,  which  must  be  warm,  as  they  will 
not  bear  a  lower  temperature  than  forty  degrees,  without  injury. 

The  location  of  the  beds  should  be  on  dry  ground,  with  a  southern 
inclination,  and  convenient  to  pond  or  branch  water.  The  best 
material  for  hot-bed  is  fresh  horse-stable  manure,  that  has  not  been 
rotted ;  and  if  mixed  with  one-fourth  its  bulk  of  either  fresh  leaves 
or  straw,  the  heat  would  be  more  mild  and  durable  and  less  liable 
to  scald  the  potatoes. 

About  the  first  or  second  week  in  April,  in  this  latitude,  haul  the 
materials  for  the  bed,  and  mix  them  together  in  a  ridge  where  the 
bed  is  to  be  made — and  as  soon  as  it  is  hot,  shake  it  thoroughly, 
mixing  the  cold  and  hot,  wet  and  dry  portions  together,  forming  a 
bed  on  the  top  of  the  ground,  running  east  and  west,  which,  when 
settled  with  fork,  (not  trampled,)  should  be  fourteen  inches  hi^h, 
more  or  less,  as  there  is  a  greater  or  less  proportion  of  manure 
used,  and  six  inches  wider  on  all  sides  than  the  frame  to  be  placed 
over  it. 

Hot-bed  frames  should  be  made  of  two-inch  oak  plank,  framed 
together  at  the  ends,  with  keys  to  be  taken  apart  and  placed  in  the 
dry  when  not  in  use.  They  may  be  twenty  feet  or  less  in  length, 
and  for  convenience  should  not  exceed  four  feet  in  width.  The 
front  or  south  side  should  be  eight  inches  high  ;  the  north  from  eight 
to  twenty,  according  to  the  slope  of  the  ground  on  which  the  bed 
stands,  as  the  top  of  the  frame  should  have  a  pitch  of  eight  to 
twelve  inches  to  receive  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  to  shed  off  the 
rain  freely. 

Cover  the  beds  four  inches  with  mellow  earth,  on  which  set  the 
frames,  and  proceed  to  lay  the  potatoes  two  inches  apart,  with  the 
top  end  of  the  potato  towards  the  north  or  upper  side  of  the  bed, 
and  opposite  the  middle  of  the  adjoining  potato,  placing  the  lar^e 
ones  at  one  end  of  the  bed  and  the  smaller  ones  at  the  other. 

Cover  the  potatoes  with  three  inches  of  good  soil,  that  is  free 
from  foul  seeds  and  will  not  bake — top  soil  from  the  woods,  and 
around  old  logs,  would  be  preferable. 

During  the  first  ten  days  the  beds  should  be  carefully  examined 
by  running  the  hand  down  in  the  manure,  and  if  it  becomes  so  warm 


14S  THE  SOUTHERN  [March 

as  to  feel  unpleasant  to  the  hand,  there  is  danger  of  scalding  the 
potatoes,  and  should  be  cooled  by  making  holes  through  the  bed 
and  pouring  water  down  the  holes,  being  careful  not  to  apply  too 
much  at  a  time. 

Pulling  the  plants  before  all  are  of  proper  size  is  the  cause  of 
thousands  being  destroyed;  and  to  avoid  this,  the  bedding  may  be 
continued  a  week  or  ten  days,  that  the  plants  may  be  pulled  in  suc- 
cession. 

The  beds  must  be  carefully  covered  at  night,  and  in  cold  and 
we:  weather  ;  and  be  particular  to  uncover  them  every  fair  warm 
dav,  to  toughen  the  plants  and  enure  them  to  the  open  air. 

Glass-covered  hot-beds  cause  the  plants  to  spring  up  tender  and 
weak,  and  such  plants  do  not  grow  when  set  out  in  hill,  like  those 
raised  in  open  beds. 

The  best  covers  are  made  of  strong  oiled  muslin,  tacked  on  lath, 
so  that  they  can  be  rolled  up  conveniently.  These  covers  will  ad- 
mit the  light,  shed  off  the  rain,  and  be  cheaper  in  the  end  than 
other  covering,  and  sufficiently  warm  except  in  extreme  cold  wea- 
ther, when  straw  or  some  warm  covering  should  be  thrown  over 
them. 

The  beds  should  be  watered  in  the  evening  with  a  suitable  water- 
ing-pot to  keep  the  earth  in  a  good  growing  condition.  If  spring 
or  well  water  is  used,  it  should  stand  in  the  sun  or  be  warmed  before 
using. 

After  the  plants  are  up  they  should,  if  the  weather  is  warm,  be 
kept  tolerably  moist,  to  encourage  the  growth  of  good,  strong  roots; 
and  light,  warm  showers  would  be  better  than  watering ;  but  cold 
and  heavy  rains  must  be  be  guarded  against,  as  they  would  soak 
into  the  beds  and  ruin  them.  '  Ditches  should  be  formed  around  the 
beds,  and  the  earth  thrown  up  to  keep  the  water  from  running  under 
and  chilling  them. 

When  the  plants  are  three  inches  high  and  well  rooted,  they  are 
ready  to  pull,  which  is  performed  by  taking  hold  of  the  sprout  with 
the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  one  hand,  while  the  potato  is  held 
firmly  in  its  place  with  the  other.  Careless  drawing  by  inexpe- 
rienced persons  frequently  destroys  half  the  profit  of  their  beds. 

"When  plants  are  to  be  sent  a  distance,  they  should  be  set  in  shal- 
low boxes,  with  their  roots  in  wet  earth  or  moss;  but  they  must  not 
be  packed  in  wet  weather,  nor  have  their  leaves  ivet,  or  they  will  rot 
immediately.  Plants  may  be  taken  off  the  bed  and  preserved  in  a 
cave  or  cellar  for  a  week  or  more,  with  their  roots  packed  in  damp 
moss  or  earth,  if  not  packed  too  close. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  149 

It  is  a  common  error  to  lay  the  potatoes  too  close ;  they  should 
lay  two  inches  apart,  as  I  have  stated.  A  bed  four  feet  by  twenty 
feet  will  hold  two  bushels  of  medium  size  potatoes.  If  potatoes  are 
small,  more — and  if  large,  less  room  is  required. 

Want  of  time  prevents  any  remarks  at  present  on  planting  and 
cultivating,  or  of  keeping  sweet  potatoes  the  whole  year  round, 
which  I  have  done  for  several  years  past,  and  had  them  good  ;  but 
perhaps  at  some  future  day  I  will  communicate. — A.  C.  C,  Bur- 
lington county,  N.  J.,  in  the  Practical  Farmer. 


The  Cranberry  in  Johnson  County,  Tennessee. 

The  culture  of  the  Cranberry  has  proved  a  success,  and  at  pres- 
ent constitutes  an  object  of  prime  importance  in  the  United  States. 
The  experience  of  our  most  successful  and  scientific  farmers  in  the 
North  and  Northwest,  has  given  the  most  convincing  proofs  that  it 
yields  the  most  remunerating  profits. 

It  is  not,  however,  generally  known  to  the  public  that  Johnson, 
the  extreme  eastern  county  in  the  State  of  Tennessee,  presents  a 
most  inviting  field  for  the  successful  cultivation  of  this  valuable 
fruit.  It  may  be  truly  said  that  here  is  its  natural  home ;  for  here 
it  has  grown  spontaneously  from  time  immemorial.  It  may  be  safely 
affirmed,  that  there  are  twenty  thousand  acres  of  wet,  marshy  land 
in  this  county,  particularly  suited  to  the  cultivation  of  the  Cran- 
berry, and  at  many  places  on  this  land  it  annually  grows,  matures, 
and  is  gathered  for  use  without  the  aid  of  cultivation.  These  lands 
are  situated  chiefly  on  Roane's,  Little  Doe,  Laurel  and  Beaver 
Creeks,  and  their  tributaries. 

There  is  a  portion  of  the  county  called  Shady,  or  more  anciently 
"  The  Glades,"  on  the  Sullivan  county  line,  and  composing  the 
Eighth  Civil  District.  This  is  much  more  elevated  than  any  other 
portion  of  the  county,  and  constitutes  a  beautiful  basin  amid  the 
summits  of  the  surrounding  mountains.  In  this  basin,  on  the  head- 
waters of  Beaver  creek,  there  is  a  large  body  of  level,  wet  and 
marshy  land,  containing,  perhaps,  five  thousand  acres,  peculiarly 
a  lapted  to  the  growth  of  the  Cranberry.  Many  large  springs,  as 
well  as  smaller  ones,  rise  out  of  the  edges  of  the  marsh,  and  with 
their  abundant  waters,  spread  out  and  overflow  hundreds  of  acres  to 
the  depth  of  several  inches  ;  and  although  by  reason  of  its  great 
elevation,  this  is  a  cold  region  for  this  latitude,  yet,  owing  to  the 
constant  supply  from  these  springs,  the  water  never  freezes.     The 


150  THE   SOUTHERN  [March 


grass  grows  all  winter,  and  cattle  feed  and  thrive  as  upon  a  good 
summer  pasture.  Farmers  who  live  near  the  marsh  never  find  it 
necessary  to  feed  their  cattle  in  winter.  In  past  years,  Cranberries, 
to  the  amount  of  twenty  bushels  or  more,  have  been  gathered  from 
the  marsh  in  one  season,  and  many  yet  are  annually  gathered  ; 
though,  owing  to  the  depredations  of  swine,  which  root  and  destroy 
the  vines,  the  crop  is  lighter  than  in  former  years.  For  the  Cran- 
berry culturist  in  this  marsh  lies  a  mine  of  wealth. 

On  the  first  visit  to  this  country  by  the  white  man  this  marsh  was 
the  home  of  a  settlement  of  beavers.  Here,  every  facility  being 
afforded  for  the  purpose,  they  built  their  dams,  and  doubtless  for 
many  ages  lived  in  a  state  of  great  peace  and  prosperity.  It  may 
well  be  imagined  how  happily  they  lived  and  luxuriated  in  these 
warm  temperate  waters,  until,  the  tide  of  civilization  having  spread 
over  their  colony,  man  came  and  destroyed  their  little  paradise  of 
bliss. 

Taylorsville,  the  county-seat  of  Johnson  county,  is  beautifully 
situated  on  a  slight  elevation,  almost  surrounded  by  a  natural  Cran- 
berry marsh,  comprising  several  hundred  acres.  Cranberries  grow 
spontaneously  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  Courthouse.  It 
is  true,  much  of  this  land  is  cultivated  for  other  purposes,  but  with- 
out thorough  draining,  by  ditching,  it  is  too  moist  for  most  crops  in 
the  usual  routine  of  farming,  and  particularly  suits  the  Cranberry. 
The  reader  might  be  entertained  by  a  particular  account  of  many 
other  interesting  localities,  but,  perhaps,  enough  in  this  regard  has 
been  said  to  call  public  attention  to  a  subject  of  much  importance 
to  the  prosperity  of  the  county. 

For  the  information  of  those  unacquainted  with  the  yield  and 
commercial  value  of  the  Cranberry,  the  writer  will  be  permitted  to 
make  a  remark  or  two.  From  an  article  in  the  Patent  Office  Report 
for  the  year  1857,  Agricultural  Department,  page  238,  we  are  in- 
formed that  a  gentleman  in  the  State  of  Massachusetts  raised  from 
one-fourth  of  an  acre  65  bushels  of  Cranberries,  which  would  be  at 
the  rate  of  260  bushels  per  acre.  In  the  New  York  market,  at  the 
present  time,  Cranberries  are  quoted  at  $17  per  barrel,  at  which 
price  260  bushels,  the  produce  of  one  acre,  would  be  worth  $  1,105. 
When  put  up  in  bushel  boxes  they  are  quoted  at  $6.25  per  box,  at 
which  price  the  produce  of  one  acre,  260  bushels,  would  be  worth 
$  1,625.  These  figures  would  indeed  seem  incredible  were  they  not 
sustained  by  ripe  experience  and  well  authenticated  facts. 

The  climate  of  Johnson  county  is,  perhaps,  about  the  same  as 
that  of  the   State   of  New  Jersey.     It  is  true,  Johnson  is  situated 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  151 

farther  south  than  New  Jersey,  but  its  great  elevation  brings  the 
former  about  on  an  equality  in  point  of  temperature  with  the  latter. 
In  the  former,  the  thermometer  scarcely  ever  rises  above  86°  in 
summer,  and  very  seldom  falls  below  zero  in  winter. 

Two  railroads  are  projected  through  this  country,  viz  :  The  Mine- 
ral Home  Railroad  and  the  Norfolk  and  Great  Western  Railroad. 
Both  are  provided  with  large  means  for  their  construction,  and  no 
doubt  both  will  ere  long  be  completed.  Taylors ville,  the  county- 
seat  of  Johnson  county,  is  distant  twenty-eight  miles  from  the  Vir- 
ginia and  Tennessee  Railroad.  These  facts  are  given  for  the 
encouragement  of  those  who  may  wish  to  make  this  county  their 
home  and  engage  in  the  cultivation  of  the  Cranberry.  A  personal 
observation  will  convince  all  who  may  have  doubts  that  what  is  here 
said  is  spoken  in  the  spirit  of  truth  and  candor.  If  fortunes  can 
be  made  anywhere  in  the  Cranberry  culture  they  can  be  made 
here. — Clio,  in  the  Abingdon  Virginian. 


Care  of  Dexter. — At  six  every  morning  Dexter  has  all  the 
water  he  wants,  and  two  quarts  of  oats.  After  eating  he  is  "walk- 
ed" for  half  an  hour  or  more,  then  cleaned  off,  and  at  nine  has  two 
quarts  more  of  oats.  If  no  drive  is  on  the  card  for  afternoon,  he  is 
given  a  half  to  three  quarters  of  an  hour  of  gentle  exercise.  At 
o'clock  he  has  oats  again,  limited  to  two  quarts. 

From  three  to  four,  he  is  driven  twelve  to  fifteen  miles  :  after 
which  he  is  cleaned  off  and  rubbed  thoroughly  dry. 

He  has  a  bare  swallow  of  water  on  return  from  drive,  but  is 
allowed  free  access  to  his  only  feed  of  hay,  of  which  he  consumes 
from  five  to  six  pounds. 

If  the  drive  has  been  a  particularly  sharp  one,  he  is  treated,  as 
soon  as  he  gets  in,  to  a  quart  or  two  of  oatmeal-gruel ;  and  wher^ 
thoroughly  cooled,  has  half  a  pail  of  water  and  three  quarts  of  oats, 
two  quarts  of  bran  moistened  with  hot  water. 

Before  any  specially  hard  day's  work  or  trial  of  speed,  his  allow- 
ance of  water  is  still  more  reduced. — Rural  World. 


The  Vermont  State  Journal  says  that  Mr.  Zulmon  Pierce,  of 
Calais,  wintered  two  geese  and  a  gander  from  which,  the  past  sea- 
eon,  he  raised  twenty-seven  goslings.  When  fattened  for  market 
they  weighed  278£  pounds,  bringing  $55  66;  seventeen  pounds  of 
feathers  sold  for  $21  25;  total,  $7b'  90. 


152  THE    SOUTHERN  [March 

Don't  Come  to   the  City. 

Stay  away  from  the  city,  young  man. 

Why  ? 

Because  you  are  not  wanted  there.  Too  many  young  men  already 
are  there — too  many  struggling  for  the  fortune  that  never  comes, 
and  acquiring,  instead,  tastes  and  habits  which  lead  to  perdi- 
tion. 

Are  you  a  farmer's  son  ? 

Be  a  farmer's  son — one  of  the  bone  and  sinew  of  the  land  !  Don't 
look  enviously  at  that  equipage  as  it  rolls  past,  bearing  the  rich 
merchant  to  his  three  months'  siesta  at  his  "  country  seat."  You 
are  as  independent  as  he,  and  far  more  happy.  If  he  lives  to  see 
fifty,  it  will  be  a  wonder,  while  it  will  be  a  wonder  if  you  don't  live 
to  be  seventy.  If  he  has  gold  and  soft  raiment,  you  have  more — 
you  have  that  consciousness  of  ownership  in  the  soil  which  makes 
you  a  very  lord  in  the  manor,  and  though  that  manor  be  but  a 
few  acres,  it  is  enough  for  your  happiness,  if  content,  industry  and 
intelligent  use  of  time  rule  your  ways. 

Are  you  a  young  mechanic  ? 

Remain  in  the  neighborhood  where  you  are  known,  and  where 
your  services  are  required;  or  if  a  brooder  field  is  necessary, 
don't  come  to  the  over-crowded  citv,  but  20  to  the  west, 
where  every  energy,  every  talent,  is  in  demand,  and  every  man 
is  reckoned  at  his  true  worth.  Thousands  of  mechanics  in  the 
great  cities  struggle  for  years  for  a  simple  livelihood,  and  never 
hope  to  obtain  a  competence,  because  they  see  that  it  is  of  impossi- 
ble acquisition.  Can  you,  too,  hazard  that  result  to  all  your 
young  energies  and  well-grounded  ambition  '.' 

Are  you  a  student  ? 

Stay  away  from  the  city  as  from  an  evil  genius  !  Here  are  libra- 
ries an  1  celeries  and  learned  men.  it  is  true:  but  these  are  hard  to 
reach  and  enjoy;  the  learned  men  are  busy  and  reserved;  the  so- 
c  eties  are  either  very  exclusive  or  very  common  ;  the  libraries  are 
of  practically  little  value,  save  to  mere  readers.  A  small  library 
i  1  a  country  town,  with  the  encouragement  and  aid  which  a  studious 
young  man  always  there  receives  from  the  ministers  and  doctors  and 
liwyers,  is  far  more  sure  of  reward  than  any  influence  which  the  city 
can  promise. 

If  the  city  is  the  place  where  men  of  talent  rise  to  the  surface, 
it  is  equally  true  that  there  men  mediocrity  go  down  ;  and  also 
true  that  not   one  in  a   hundred  is  successful  in  obtaining  just  the 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  153 

position  for  which  he  is  fitted.  Competition  is  so  strong  and  per- 
sistent that  few  men,  even  among  those  who  are  deemed  successful, 
but  have  changed  their  business  or  calling  many  times — compelled, 
as  they  have  been  to  avert  disasters  by  abandoning  what  at  first 
seemed  promising  enterprises. 

To  come  to  the  city  is  to  encounter  odds  against  your  industry 
and  ability  which  do  not  exist  anywhere  else — the  odds  of  capital, 
of  combinations,  of  aggregated  numbers,  of  superior  talent ;  while 
haunting  your  footsteps,  and  dogging  your  very  shadow,  are  influ- 
ences and  temptations  before  which  even  the  stoutest  of  principles 
quail.  What  are  these  influences?  Let  the  records  of  ten  thousand 
wrecked  lives  tell — wrecked,  though  clear  of  head  and  firm  of  heart, 
because  the  temper  assumes  so  many  shapes  and  forms  that  they 
grew  weary  of  combatting  him. 

Stay  in  the  country  then  !  Grow,  expand,  flourish  there,  sure 
of  becoming  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  village,  county  town, 
or  district,  if  you  really  have  merit  and  worth.  You  might  succeed 
in  acquiring  a  competency  after  years  of  struggle  in  the  city,  but 
the  odds  are  so  heavily  against  such  success,  that  it  is  painful  to 
witness  any  attempt  to  achieve  it. 

Be  content  and  happy  in  the  country,  always  doing  your  best,  and 
the  result  will  prove  the  wisdom  of  your  course. — Bonhams  Rural 
filessenger. 


On  Cutting  Food  for  Common  Farm  Stock. 

LETTER  FROM  THOMAS  J.  EDGE,  OF  CHESTER  COUNTY,  PA., 

To  Paschall  Morris: 

The  inquiry  on  the  subject  of  "  cut  food  for  common  farm  stock," 
was  duly  received,  and  I  will  endeavor  to  answer  the  questions  in  the 
order  in  which  they  are  presented. 

Understanding  the  question  to  apply  to  the  kinds  of  provender 
usually  fed  on  a  farm,  viz :  hay,  corn-fodder  and  straw,  I  will  an- 
swer the  query  "Will  it  pay?"  in  the  affirmative.  Except  for 
mixing  hay  for  horses,  I  do  not  think  there  is  much  if  any 
saving  in  cutting  good  hay ;  for  any  kind  of  stock  at  work  it  may 
be  found  profitable,  because  it  enables  them  to  fill  themselves  in 
much  less  time,  and  hence  allows  them  more  time  for  rest. 

After  considerable  practical  experience,  I  am  satisfied  that  there 
is  a  saving  of  full  twenty  per  cent,  in  cutting  corn-fodder.  Last 
winter  having  to  buy  all  the  hay  consumed  by  twenty  five  head  of 


164  THE  SOUTHER*  [March 

stock,  I  was  desirous  to  make  the  best  possible  use  of  my  corn  fod- 
der, and  tried  the  experiment  of  feeding  it  in  the  usual  way  in  the 
sheaf,  and  also  after  cutting.  A  yoke  of  oxen  weigh- 
ing :"200  lbs.  were  taken  for  the  experiment; — the  intention  was 
to  carry  them  through  the  winter  for  spring  work,  without  any 
material  increase  in  weight.      For   the  first   thirty   d  were 

fed  corn  fodder  in  the  sheaf,  and  cleared  the  leaves  an  1  hu- 
four  bundles  every  day,  and  had  one  quart  of  corn  meal  morning 
and  evening  for  each  ox.  At  the  end  of  the  month  they  had  gain- 
ed sixty-two  pounds.  Daring  next  thirty  I  ys  thejT  had  the  same 
amount  of  meal  and  as  much  cut  fodder  as  they  would  eat  up 
clean. 

A  trial  proved  that  the  eight  sheaves  would,  on  an  average,  make 
fourteen  I  F  corn-fodder.     During  the  thirty  days  they  con- 

sumed 3310   baskets   of  fodder,  or   an  average   of  eleven  per  day. 
:r  gain  during  this  month  was  eighty-eight  pounds. 

m  this  it  would  seem  that  by  cutting  the  fodder  I  saved  three 
baskets  in  every  fourteen  or  more  than  twenty  per  cent. 

M j  experience  during  the  present  winter  has  fully  confirmed  the 
above  experiment:  and  I  am  now  even    led  to  estimate  the  B 
ing  ng,  somewhat  higher  than  twenty  per  cent. 

Thee  asks  whether  cattle  will  eat  the  cut  corn  fodder  all  up: 
This  I  must  answer  in  the  negative :  the  proportion  which  they 
leave  depends  upon  several  circumstances  ;  first  the  size  of  the  fod- 
der; If  it  is  from  strong  land  and  large  stalks,  I  sometimes  find 
them  to  leave  one-fifith  to  one-eighth  uneaten.  The  amount  left  also 
depends  upon  the  care  of  the  fodder  in  the  field:  if  at  husking  time 
the  ground  is  soft,  the  lower  or  larger  end  of  the  stalk  is  dirty,  and 
is  refused  on  thi  -  well  as  from  its  be  og  harder  and  more 

difficult  to  masticate.  The  amount  not  eaten  will  also  depend  upon 
the  amount  of  other  kinds  of  foods  which  may  be  given.  If  the 
cattle  are  fed  hay  and  meal  as  well  as  fodder,  they  will  leave  more 
than  when  they  are  kept  upon  rough  food  alone. 

actual  expense  of  cutting  is  very  small,  and  as  it  is  done  at 
odd  times,  when  the  team  and  hands  are  at  leisure,  we  do  not  usu- 
ally take  it  into  account,   and  may  say  that  the  twenty  per  cent. 
sd  is  "  clear  of  all  expense-. 

Respectfully,  thy  friend, 

E..  in  Practical  Farmer. 


1809.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  155 


Virginians,  Make  Your  Own  Sorghum. 

I  take  advantage  of  a  question  asked  through  the  columns  of 
your  enterprising  paper,  to  speak  what  I  know  respecting  the  suc- 
cess of  the  cultivation  of  Sorghum  cane  in  this  State,  and  its  pro- 
ducts as  a  sugar  plant.  It  is  a  question  which  well  deserves  the 
attention  and  thoughtful  consideration  of  all  classes,  but  more  par- 
ticularly the  farmer.  A  glance  at  the  unsettled  state  of  affairs  in 
the  sugar  Islands,  (which  are  even  in  a  worse  condition  than  Louisi- 
ana,) and  the  decrease  in  the  sugar  crop  of  Louisiana,  make  it  a 
matter  of  prime  importance  to  Virginia  farmers  to  know  whether 
they  can  make  the  cultivation  of  sorghum  cane  profitable  by  making 
from  it  a  good,  palatable  and  marketable  article  of  sugar  and  mo- 
lasses. The  estimated  quantity  of*  sugar  consumed  in  the  United 
States  is  about  822,000,000  pounds.  Of  this  quantity  in  1855 
382,000,000  pounds,  only,  were  produced  in  the  United  States — 
Louisiana  at  that  time  making  231, 420, 000  pounds.  Under  the 
present  system  of  labor,  and  in  consequence  of  a  deterioration  or 
defection  in  the  seed,  it  has  fallen  oil  to  75,000,000  pounds.  "What 
the  result  of  this  state  of  facts  must  be  is  easily  foretold.  A  large 
amount  of  capital  will  be  sent,  not  only  out  of  our  State,  but  out  of 
the  ITnited  States  fcr  sugar  and  molasses.  Now,  we  maintain  that 
this  immense  revenue  may  not  only  be  retained  in  our  own  State, 
but  bring  capital  into  it.  The  most  important  fact  connected  with 
this  question  has  been  most  fully  demonstrated,  namely,  that  sor- 
ghum cane  will  grow  most  luxuriantly  with  a  most  abundant  yield 
of  saccharine  matter,  usually  containing  from  fourteen  to  twenty-two 
per  cent,  of  sugar,  varying  according  to  the  character  of  soil  and 
the  fertilizers  used.  We  must  remember  that  it  was  a  comparatively 
new  crop  in  this  country — the  seed  only  having  been  distributed 
from  the  Patent  Office  a  few  years  before  the  war — and  we  must 
make  proper  allowance  for  ignorance  in  its  cultivation  and  want  of 
due  care  in  the  selection  of  the  seed.  When  we  consider  these 
things,  we  may  safely  and  reasonably  conclude  that  our  soil  and  cli- 
mate are  adapted  to  its  growth.  Cur  climate  in  many  respects  is 
exactly  what  it  requires,  resembling  that  of  China,  a  wet  spring  and 
low  temperature,  followed  by  a  hot  August  and  September.  All 
have  noticed  that  when  the  hot  summer's  sun  has  parched  all  else 
into  the  sere  and  yellow  leaf,  this  plant  alone  seems  nourished  and 
invigorated  by  it.  But  we  are  met  by  objections  which  have  force 
in  them,  and  which,  if  true,  would  be  fatal  to  the  position  we  take, 
».  e.,  that  it  is  ruinously  exhausting  to  the  soil.     The  same  might 


156  THE    SOUTHERN  [March 

be  urged  against  any  crop  under  'which  an  improvident  system  of 
farming,  particularly  as  against  the  great  staple  production  of  our 
State — tobacco.  The  waste  lands  in  the  first  settled  portions  of 
Virginia  smiled  with  an  abundance,  that  made  the  heart  of  the 
pioneer  to  feel  that  the  God  of  Israel  was  truly  their  God ;  yet,  the 
continued  cropping  of  tobacco  has  cursed  them  with  the  blight  of 
the  desert.  Thus  it  would  be  with  sorghum.  One  who  has  studied 
and  analyzed  this  cane  writes  thus,  after  giving  the  analysis  of  the 
plant :  "  These  ingredients  are  present  in  almost  every  soil  in  suffi- 
cient abundance,  when  they  have  not  not  been  removed  by  improvi- 
dent cropping.  As  sugar  is  composed  of  elements  derived  entirely 
from  the  air,  (carbon  and  water,)  it  is  evident,  as  in  the  case  of 
Louisiana  cane,  there  would  be  no  necessity  for  solution,  if  all  that 
has  been  taken  from  the  soil  has  been  returned  in  trash.  Practi- 
cally, however,  this  cannot  be  effectually  accomplished.  The  uncrys- 
tallizable  portion  of  the  piece  contains  calts,  which  are  annually 
removed  with  the  molasses  that  is  marketed.  These  are  chiefly 
phosphate  of  lime,  potash  and  the  carbonate  of  lime."  AVe  have 
fertilizers  in  our  midst  containing  these  ingredients  and  with  a 
return  of  the  crushed  cane,  in  the  shape  of  manure,  and  rotation  of 
crops,  we  think  this  difficulty  obviated.  And  so  it  is  with  every 
other  crop.  That  taken  from  the  soil  must  be  restored  by  nature  or 
artificial  means.  In  our  limestone  regions  the  disintegration  of  the 
rocks  will  generally,  with  the  ordinary  fertilizers  found  on  the  farms, 
fully  restore  it,  and  in  the  other  sections,  gypsum  may  be  used  advan- 
tageously, or  marl,  which  is  clay  and  lime.  Now  we  come  to  the 
question  of  real  importance  : 

CAN    SUGAR    BE    MADE    FROM    IT  ? 

All  have  believed  for  a  long  while,  and  some  have  known  the 
fact,  that  it  could.  It  has  been  in  common  use  in  China,  and  in 
1853,  some  was  sent  to  California  from  China.  But  among  us  it 
was  left  for  the  enterprising  people  in  the  AVest  to  take  the  lead  in 
this  matter.  A  process  was  discovered  by  two  farmers  in  Ohio  for 
making  sugar,  beautiful  and  astounding  in  its  simplicity,  and  ad- 
mirably adapted  to  the  wants  of  our  people,  because  of  its  com- 
pleteness and  cheapness.  There  is  in  this  city,  and  may  be  seen  at 
the  store  of  George  D.  Davis  &  Son,  a  small  quantity  of  sugar 
made  near  Louisville,  Ky.,  brought  on  by  the  agent  of  the  Southern 
Sorgo  Company,  which  is  not  inferior  to  any  brown  sugar  we  have 
ever  seen.  It  has  been  mistaken  by  some  of  our  sugar  merchants 
for  Demarara  and  New  Orleans  refined   "  C  "   sugar.     It  is  of  a 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  157 

bright  straw  color,  with  about  the  body  and  quality  of  the  sugar 
before  mentioned.  The  process  is  so  simple  that  any  person  of 
ordinary  intelligence  can  operate  it.  No  chemicals  or  foreign 
agency  whatever  are  used  throughout  the  entire  process,  and  yet  no 
trace  of  that  disagreeable  taste  so  familiar  and  unpalatable  to  those 
who  have  made  the  molasses  by  the  ordinary  mode.  It  is  the  yield, 
though,  which  will  most  astonish  every  one.  There  is  not  an  acre 
of  ground  in  the  State  which  will  not  yield  from  50  to  300  gallons 
of  syrup.  This,  however,  varies  very  greatly  in  different  soils. 
Average  corn  land  will  produce  generally,  with  careful  selection  of 
seed  and  proper  preparation  of  the  soil,  from  125  to  150  gallons  of 
syrup,  and  from  one  gallon  of  syrup  made  by  this  process  you  get 
from  five  to  seven  pounds  of  sugar,  with  a  residuum  of  from  three 
to  five  pounds  of  molasses.  A  gallon  of  syrup  weighs  eleven 
pounds,  and  hence  there  is  only  a  loss  of  one  pound  in  separating 
the  molasses  and  sugar  after  granulation.  In  other  words,  an  acre 
of  land  ought  to  produce  from  750  to  1,000  pounds  of  sugar,  and 
from  50  to  68  gallons  of  molasses.  Our  merchants  say  that  this 
sugar  would  retail  in  this  city  at  fifteen  cents  per  pound,  and  the 
molasses  at  from  eighty  to  ninety  cents  per  gallon.  The  skimmings 
make  a  fine  quality  of  vinegar.  The  seed  or  stalk  will  make  a  dye 
for  dyeing  red,  purple  and  yellow,  and  extensively  used  in  coloring 
silks.  The  cane  leaf  makes  the  finest  of  forage.  The  seed  are  not 
surpassed  by  either  corn  or  oats  as  food  for  stock  ;  will  produce  in 
distillation  as  much,  if  not  more,  whiskey  per  bushel  than  corn. 
The  product  of  the  seed  per  acre  is  from  twenty  to  forty  bushels. 
The  cost  of  the  necessary  machinery  will  not  exceed  the  follow- 
ing estimate  for  a  field  of  thirty  acres : 

Two  self-skimming  coagulators  and  furnaces,           -             -             -  $  90  00 

One  finishing  pan  and  furnace,          -             -             -             -             •  65  00 

An  ordinary  sorghum  mill,                .....  100  00 

Contingent  expenses  fur  boxes,  troughs,  &c,  75  00 

This  machinery  should  be  under  a  shed,  with  room  attached, 
which  can  be  kept  at  a  pleasant  temperature,  with  a  stove  to  assist 
in  granulation.  We  do  not  add  this  in  the  above  estimate,  as  most 
any  farm  with  the  ordinary  out-houses  will  have  such  a  room  on  it. 
An  ordinary  sorghum  mill  will  do,  though  the  aggregate  loss  with 
an  inferior  mill  is  very  great.  This  estimate  is  made  up  from  the 
prices  furnished  by  the  company  at  Louisville,  and  will  probably 
exceed  the  cost,  if  purchased  here.  Here,  then,  within  the  reach 
of  almost  every  farmer  is  an  additional  source  of  wealth  and  inde- 
pendence for  a  small  outlay,  which  the  first  year's  crop  will  return 


153  THE  SOUTHERN  [March 

■with  a  handsome  profit.  The  crop  is  less  troublesome  than  tobacco, 
and  under  the  present  system  of  taxation  will,  at  the  end  of  the 
year,  put  more  money  into  the  farmer's  pocket,  and  not  interfere  so 
materially  with  the  cultivation  of  other  crops.  The  farmer's  clubs 
in  the  different  counties  of  the  State  should  take  this  matter  into 
consideration  at  once,  with  a  view  to  obtaining  a  patent  right  for 
this  valuable  discovery.  The  agent  is  in  this  city  at  present,  with 
authority  to  dispose  of  it  at  such  prices  as  will  place  it  in  the  reach 
of  every  farmer  in  the  State.  In  counties  where  no  farmer's  clubs 
exist,  let  some  energetic  man  take  hold  of  it  as  a  public  blessing  in 
our  prostrated  condition.  The  gentleman  who  has  charge  of  this 
right  courts  investigation,  and  to  that  end  will  pay  the  expenses  of 
of  a  committee  from  this  State  to  Louisville,  to  examine  the  process 
and  machinery.  The  crop  should  be  planted  in  May,  and  there  is 
no  time  to  lose  in  this  matter.  We  believe  there  is  money  in  it  to 
the  Virginia  farmers,  and  the  capitalist  who  will  purchase  the  right 
for  the  State  with  the  view  to  selling  county  right  or  farm  rights. — 
Lynchburg  Republicayi. 


Keep  a  List. 

•   1.  Keep  a  list  of  your  friends  and  let  God  be  the  first  in  the  list, 
however  long  it  may  be. 

2.  Keep  a  list  of  the  gifts  you  get  and  let  Christ,  who  is  the 
unspeakable  gift,  be  first. 

3.  Keep  a  list  of  your  mercies,  and  let  pardon  and  life  stand  at 
the  head. 

4.  Keep  a  list  of  your  joys,  and  let  the  joy  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory  be  the  first. 

5.  Keep  a  list  of  your  hopes,  and  let  the  hope  of  glory  be  fore- 
most. 

6.  Keep  a  list  of  your  sorrows,  and  let  sorrow  for  sin  be  first. 

7.  Keep  a  list  of  your  enemies,  and  put  down  the  "  old  man  " 
and  the  "old  serpent  "  first,  and  pray  for  all  the  rest. 

8.  Keep  a  list  of  your  sins,  and  let  the  sin  of  unbelief  be  set 
down  as  the  first  and  worst  of  all. — Peoria  [III.)  Young  Men  8 
Christian  Association. 


At  the  late  farmers'  convention  at  Manchester,  N.  H.,  Colonel 
T.  S.  Lang,  of  North  Vassalboro',  the  owner  of  the  famous  stallion, 
General  Knox,  stated  that  his  horse  had  netted  him  sixty  thousand 
dollars,  and  increased  the  value  of  the  borse  stock  of  Maine  many 
hundred  thousands. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  159 


Ploughing  by  Steam. 
An  exchange  states  that  a  mammoth  steam  plough  has  been  built 
in  Oroville,  California.     The  huge  machine  has  six  driving  wheels, 
each  is  furnished  with  cogs  and   a  pinion  connected   with  a  main 
driving   shaft   by   self-adjusting   drums   and   pinions.     It   is   about 
twenty  feet  long,  and  can  turn   within  its  own  length.     A   mova- 
ble pinion,  with  lever  attached,  enables  the  pilot  to  guide  it  by  steam 
when  in  motion.     The  four  forward  wheels  are  connected  together 
by  a  frame,  upon  which  rests  a  universal  pivot,  and  upon  the  latter 
rests  the  boiler,  supported   at  the  sides  by  projecting  frame-work. 
The  boiler  retains  an  upright  position  while  running  on  uneven  or 
sideling  ground.     In  the  rear  of  the  boiler  are  the  engines,  the  pis- 
tons  connected   with  the  main    shaft   in    the   rear.     The   ploughs, 
thirty-nine  in  number,  are  attached  to  a  revolving  shaft,  which  gets 
in  motion  from  the  main  driving  shaft.     Thirty-nine  ploughs  occupy 
a  space  of  but  twelve  feet.     There  are  raised  or  lowered  at  will  by 
means  of  a  segment  at  either  end  of  the  shaft.     The  whole  weight 
is  about  eight  tons.     The  engine  has  a  fifty-horse   power.     The  first 
test  seems  to  have  made  a  very  favorable  impression.     Its  ploughing 
was  done   handsomely  and  rapidly.      The  space,  twelve  feet  wide, 
was  left  in  the  best  condition  possible  for  planting.     It  was  thor- 
oughly pulverized  to  the  depth  of  six  or  eight  inches,  and  turned 
over,  and  resembled  ground  that  had  been   ploughed  and  run  over 
by  a  cultivator.     The  universal  expression  from  farmers  present  was 
that  it  performed  its  work  well,  but  fears  were  entertained  by  some 
that  the  weight  of  the  machine  was  too  great  for  cultivated  land. 
During  the  first  test,  however,  it  was   running   upon   new   ground, 
softened  by  recent  rains  so  that  a  loaded  wagon  could  not  pass  over 
it. — Xeiv  York  Times. 


Owing  to  the  rapid  growth  of  the  Peach  tree,  it  would  if  left  to 
itself  eventually  become  straggling  and  awkward  in  shape  and 
appearance.  To  prevent  this,  the  tree  should  be  headed  in,  and 
kept  as  low  as  possible;  by  so  doing  it  will  become  symmetrical  in 
shape,  and  at  the  same  time  be  more  convenient  to  the  fruit  gath- 
erer, when  the  time  comes  to  pick  the  fruit.  It  is  claimed  by  those 
who  have  practiced  this  method  of  heading  in,  that  it  prolongs  the 
life  of  the  tree  ;  that  oftentimes  the  extreme  ends  of  the  peach  tree 
do  not  ripen,  therefore  they  are  winter  killed,  and  consequently 
would  be  better  off  than  on  the  tree.  If  this  practice  of  heading 
in  is  followed  out,  the  trees  are  kept  nearer  the  ground,  and  the 
fruit  is  less  subject  to  injury  by  storms.  The  operation  of  heading 
in  can  be  performed  either  in  the  spring  or  autumn,  it  being  imma- 
terial at  which  season  of  the  year  it  is  done. — Rural  American. 


160  THE  SOUTHERN  [March 

Irish  Potatoes  and   Tomatoes. 

"We  are  indebted  to  General  "William  H.  Richardson  for  several 
letters  on  the  cultivation  of  Irish  Potatoes  and  Tomatoes,  from  some 
of  the  most  successful  growers  about  Norfolk,  where,  as  is  well 
known,  these  two  important  esculents  are  very  largely  cultivated  for 
the  Northern  markets,  and  we  regret  to  say,  to  some  extent  for  the 
supply  of  Richmond  also. 

Potatoes. — The  ground  having  been  deeply  broken  and  thoroughly 
drained,  harrow  to  put  it  in  good  order.  Then  run  furrows  at  least 
six  inches  deep  and  four  feet  apart,  and  strew  guano  along  the  bot- 
tom at  the  rate  of  one  peck  to  two  hundred  yards  ;  then  fill  about 
two-thirds  full  with  unfermented  farm-yard  manure  made  from 
horses,  hogs,  and  cattle  that  have  been  well  treated.  Then  drop 
the  potatoes,  cut  into  pieces  containing  two  or  more  eyes,  in  the 
manure,  about  nine  inches  apart,  with  the  skin  up,  and  cover  with 
the  plough  not  more  than  from  three  to  four  inches  deep.  Two 
light  furrows  of  a  one-horse  plough  are  best.  As  soon  as  the  pota- 
toes are  beginning  to  come  up,  run  four  times  between  each  row 
with  a  one- horse  plough,  throwing  the  dirt  to  the  potatoes,  and  fol- 
low immediately  with  a  light  harrow,  running  on  the  top  of  each 
bed,  taking  care  that  the  harrow  teeth  do  not  run  deep  enough  to 
displace  the  manure.  When  the  potatoes  are  about  six  or  eight 
inches  high,  reverse  this  operation,  by  throwing  the  soil  from  them ; 
and  in  three  or  four  days  give  the  last  ploughing  by  running  four 
times  in  each  row,  giving  the  dirt  to  them  as  in  the  first  instance. 
If  there  be  any  oats  or  weeds  growing  amongst  the  potatoes  which 
the  plough  has  not  destroyed,  make  small  boys  follow  and  pick  them 
out,  at  the  same  time  uncovering  and  straightening  the  weak  plants  that 
are  sometimes  buried  by  the  plough.  They  should  never  be  worked 
after  the  blossom  has  expanded.  No  boe  is  ever  used  in  the  crop. 
They  are  harvested  more  expeditiously  by  the  plough.  The  twen- 
tieth of  February  is  considered  early  enough  for  planting  in  that 
climate ;  and  no  difference  in  size,  or  quality,  or  early  maturity, 
has  been  perceived  between  plantings  of  the  last  of  February  and 
the  last  of  March. 

This  is  the  plan  recommended  by  Colonel  Edward  H.  Herbert, 
the  President  of  the  Seaboard  Agricultural  Society. 

The  practice  of  Mr.  Henry  Irvin  is  slightly  different.  Guanoing  at 
the  rate  of  fifteen  pounds  to  the  hundred  yards,  he  drops  the  cut- 
tings on  the  guanoed  furrow,  and  then  follows  with  a  slight  dressing 
of  horse  manure,  or  a  heavy  dressing  of  half  stable  manure  and  half 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  161 


woods  litter,  which  has  been  mixed  some  months  before.  In  cover- 
ing he  throws  up  "  a  good  ridge  "  to  protect  them  from  the  cold 
weather  in  March  ;  and  as  soon  as  that  month,  or  as  he  thinks  the 
severe  weather  is  over,  he  harrows  down  the  ridges  to  let  the  sun 
have  its  full  force  on  the  potatoes,  in  which  condition  they  remain 
till  they  are  high  enough  to  work, 

This  seems  to  be  also  essentially  the  practice  of  Colonel  Thomas 
A.  Hardy,  who  uses  his  oldest  manure  first,  "  putting  the  newest 
manure  on  the  last  planting  to  help  the  potatoes  forward  as  fast  as 
possible  by  means  of  the  heat  generated  by  the  fermentation  and 
decomposition." 

"If  the  land  is  heavy  the  quantity  of  guano  may  be  increased, 
provided  the  land  is  well  drained,  otherwise  the  crop  will  not  mature 
so  soon,"  says  Mr.  Irwin.  But  "guano  alone  will  not  answer  for 
potatoes,"  says  Colonel  Hardy,  "  unless  the  land  be  very  rich  in 
organic  matter  and  of  a  loose  texture." 

Seed  potatoes  raised  in  our  climate  in  the  fall  will  be  two  weeks 
later  than  good  Northern  Mercers;  but  they  will  keep  better  through 
the  winter. 

Tomatoes. — Sow  the  seed  about  the  20th  of  January,  in  a  hot- 
bed, prepared  as  follows:  Take  the  litter  from  the  stable,  composed 
of  manure,  stalks,  leaves,  &c,  and  put  it  at  the  bottom  of  the  bed 
to  the  depth  of  five  inches ;  on  this  put  three  inches  of  soil  made 
of  old  horse  manure  and  rich  earth,  thoroughly  mixed  and  as  fine 
as  possible.  Keep  this  bed  warm  ;  but  after  the  plants  have  come 
up,  take  great  care  not  to  let  the  hot  sun  shine  on  them  unless  you 
give  them  plenty  of  fresh  air  at  the  same  time  by  raising  the  sash. 
If  you  find  the  plants  growing  up  very  thin,  they  have  too  much 
heat,  and  must  be  aired.  When  the  plants  are  from  three  to  five 
inches  high,  which  is  early  in  March,  they  are  transplanted  into 
another  bed,  called  "the  transplanting  bed,"  prepared  as  the  first, 
only  with  less  heating  matter  below  and  deeper  soil  on  top.  In  this 
set  the  plants  in  rows  six  inches  apart,  and  water  them  and  stir 
the  ground  around  them  as  you  wish  them  to  grow  fast  or  not.  The 
transplanting  bed  should  be  well  warmed  before  setting  the  plants, 
and  for  several  days  must  be  kept  warm,  and  the  sun  not  allowed  to 
shine  on  the  plants.  To  keep  it  warm  cover  the  sash  and  ends  with 
straw  or  thick  cotton.  In  very  cold  weather  too  much  care  cannot 
be  taken  to  keep  out  the  frost.  If  the  mice  trouble  the  plants,  trap 
them.  When  all  danger  of  frost  is  over — say  20th  of  April  in  Nor- 
folk county — take  up  the  plants,  earth  and  all,  and  set  them  in  the 
field,  having  the  ground  checked  four  feet  each  way,  with  a  spade- 
VOL.   Ill— 11 


162  THE  SOUTHERN  [March 

full  of  well-rotted  horse  manure  under  each  plant.  In  the  market 
gardens  they  are  cultivated  chiefly  with  the  plough,  the  hoe  being 
used  to  hill  up.  In  case  of  drought  they  use  the  plough  freely. 
They  never  support  the  vines  wfith  sticks.  If  the  season  is  dry, 
guano  alone  will  bring  them ;  but  for  a  certain  crop,  horse  manure 
is  the  thing. 

It  will  be  seen  that  tomatoes  thus  raised  are  a  difficult  and  expen- 
sive crop.  It  requires  several  seasons  experience  to  grow  them 
successfully,  and  this  is  the  reason  they  pay  so  well.  Very  few 
attend  to  them  properly.  The  above  mode  may  do  where  they  are 
raised  on  a  large  scale  for  market,  but  it  will  hardly  do  to  pursue 
this  plan  in  an  ordinary  kitchen  garden,  where  most  probably  none 
but  amateurs  will  take  the  time  and  trouble  which  are  involved. 
Certainly  no  one  should  do  it  who  is  sure  of  an  opportunity  of  buy- 
ing the  early  plants,  which,  for  a  family  of  moderate  size,  will  not 
C03t  more  than  from  fifty  cents  to  a  dollar. 

Tomatoes  are  very  difficult  to  force,  and  it  is  not  possible  to  bring 
them  in  more  than  three  weeks  before  the  regular  time  of  ripening 
in  the  same  quality  of  soil  with  ordinary  garden  culture ;  and  the 
small  volunteer  is  generally  of  better  flavor  than  the  monsters  we 
so  often  see,  which  are  nearly  all  pulp  and  no  seed.  Indeed,  mar- 
ket gardeners  have  discarded  these  latter,  and  we  rarely  ever  see 
them,  except  with  those  who  like  to  make  a  dish.  They  are  acid, 
hard  to  ripen  properly  and  uniformly,  apt  to  rot,  and  very  trouble- 
some to  prepare  for  the  table. 

It  is  said  that  all  sorts  will  bear  better  if  shortened  in  the 
branches.  It  is  possible  they  may,  but  very  likely  the  vine  will  be 
exhausted  more  speedily. 


Big  Head  may  be  cured  with  very  little  trouble.  A  horse  with 
the  big  head  becomes  stiff  all  over,  and  the  large  muscles  leading 
from  the  eye  to  the  nostril  becomes  perfectly  rigid.  Anoint  those 
muscles  well  with  the  oil  of  cedar,  and  sear  it  in  with  a  hot  iron 
three  or  four  times,  with  an  intermission  of  six  or  seven  days,  but 
rub  the  oil  on  every  day.  Take  a  piece  of  poke  root,  about  as  large 
as  a  goose  egg,  put  it  in  six  quarts  of  water,  and  boil  down  to  three 
quarts  ;  drench  the  horse  with  one  pint  of  it  every  other  day  as  long 
as  it  lasts ;  fill  the  drenching  bottle  with  a  pint  of  fresh  water  after 
the  poke  tea  has  been  put  in  it.  This  prescription  has  cured  horses 
when  they  were  so  very  stiff  that  they  could  scarcely  step  over  a 
door-sill  six  inches  high. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  163 

Are  Onions  Profitable? 

A  subscriber  wishes  to  know  how  to  make  onions.  For  his  benefit,  and 
others  like  him,  we  re-publish  from  the  Farmer  of  1SG7,  an  article  on  that 
subject,  whicb  contains  all  that  we  could  now  say. 

The  greatest  trouble  about  the  crop  is  in  keeping  it  clear  of  grass.  That  is 
absolutely  necessary  to  a  crop: 

We  think  that  they  are,  or  at  least,  that  with  proper  care  and 
attention  they  may  be  made  so. 

There  is  a  constant,  large  and  increasing  demand  for  this 
vegetable,  both  for  Naval  stores,  and  as  an  article  of  commerce, 
quite  a  large  quantity  of  them  being  shipped  annually  to  Cuba  and 
other  West  India  Island,  so  that  there  is  no  question  as  to  the 
sale  of  them. 

The  crop  is  a  very  sure  one,  not  having  many  enemies  among  the 
insects  and  being  liable  to  very  few  diseases ;  the  only  question 
then  is,  whether  the  cost  of  production  is,  or  is  not,  so  great  as  to 
render  them  unprofitable.  We  think  it  can  be  demonstrated,  that 
the  cost  of  production,  although  heavy,  is  still  very  far  under  the 
market  value  of  the  crop,  and  sufficiently  so  as  to  render  them 
valuable. 

In  order  that  we  may  arrive  at  correct  conclusions  on  this  subject, 
we  will  give  somewhat  in  detail,  a  statement  of  the  work  that  is 
necessary  to  be  done,  in  preparing  the  soil,  sowing  the  seed  culti- 
vating, securing  and  preparing  for  market  the  crop,  and  then  our 
readers  may  test  for  themselves  the  correctness  of  the  estimates 
we  may  make  of  the  cost  of  production.  The  value  of  the  crop,  and 
the  average  yield  per  acre,  are  matters  easily  settled  by  official  sta- 
tistics. 

When  onions  are  grown  as  a  field  crop,  the  only  profitable  meth- 
od of  raising  them  is  from  seed.  The  cost  of  sets  is  too  great  to 
make  them  desirable  outside  of  the  Kitchen  Garden.  The  varieties 
best  adapted  to  field  culture  are  the  large  red  onion,  known  in  va- 
rious sections  under  different  names,  such  as  Wetherfich  red,  Large 
Globe  red,  and  the  Yellow  Danvers,  &c. ;  they  are  hardy,  keep  well 
and  yield  abundantly.  The  Silver  Skin,  the  White  Portugal  and 
other  white  varieties,  although  commanding  a  higher  price,  do  not 
yield  near  as  well,  are  liable  to  mildew,  and  are  better  suited  to 
the  garden  than  the  field.  Onions  will  grow  on  almost  any  soil, 
provided  it  be  rich,  or  if  not  naturally  so,  if  it  be  made  so  by  the 
addition  of  well  rotted  manure  from  the  hog  pen  or  barn  yard. 
Very  wet  locations  should  be  avoided,  as  also  stony  land.  The 
preparation  of  the  soil  must  be  thorough  as  follows : — Gather  off  all 


164  THE    SOUTHERN  [March 

the  stones,  then  haul  on  a  heavy  coat  of  manure,  say  sixty  cart 
loads,  (twenty  bushels  to  the  load)  per  acre,  if  the  land  be  in  tolera- 
bly good  heart ;  but  if  very  poor  double  that  quantity  will  not  be 
too  much.  Plough  this  in  deep,  and  then  add  a  top-dressing  of 
ashes  or  bone  dust,  about  two  hundred  bushels  to  the  acre,  harrow- 
ing and  reharrowing  the  land  until  it  is  made  perfectly  level,  and  then 
run  the  roller  over  it  to  pulverize  the  smaller  lumps;  for  the  surface 
must  be  made  level  and  smooth.  It  is  customary  after  using  the  com- 
mon harrow  to  drag  a  brush  over  the  land  and  then  with  rakes  to 
gather  off  the  small  stones.  When  the  ground  is  thus  prepared,  the 
most  expeditious  way  of  sowing  is  with  a  machine  made  for  this 
purpose,  which  describes  two  drills  at  once,  twelve  inches  apart,  and 
sows  the  seed.  There  are  two  kinds  of  these  machines,  one  which 
bows  the  seed  regularly  along  in  the  drills,  the  other  sows  it  in 
hills  six  inches  apart  in  the  drills.  Either  of  these  answer  very 
well,  and  both  have  their  advocates;  we  are  inclined  to  think 
the  one  which  plants  in  hills  the  best,  as  it  saves  some  labor  in 
weeding.  The  cost  of  these  machines  is  about  seven  dollars.  They 
are  drawn  by  the  hand,  and  the  seed  is  covered  by  a  boy  following 
with  a  common  hand  rake  or  hoe,  or  with  a  light  roller.  It  should 
be  sown  as  early  in  the  spring  as  possible,  and  covered  lightly. 
Four  pounds  of  seed  will  sow  an  acre.  As  soon  as  the  onions  are 
up  high  enough  to  distinguish  the  rows,  they  should  be  hoed  over 
lightly  so  as  not  to  cover  them  with  earth  ;  in  a  few  days  they  should 
he  weeded  carefully  with  the  hand,  and  so  on  nntil  the  crop  is  ma- 
tured, for  if  the  weeds  once  gets  the  start  the  crop  is  lost.  When 
the  crop  matures,  about  the  middle  of  August,  the  tops  will  turn 
vellow  and  fall.  The  onions  should  then  be  pulled  and  scattered 
on  the  ground  to  dry  After  leaving  them  in  this  way  for  three  or 
four  days,  gather  them  in  piles  and  let  them  remain  ten  or  twelve 
days,  then  open  the  piles,  turn  them  and  let  them  remain  two  or 
three  days,  when  if  they  are  quite  dry  they  are  ready  to  be  housed. 
If  it  is  intended  to  keep  them  during  the  winter,  let  the  tops  re- 
main on  them  (as  they  keep  better  and  can  be  pulled  off  when  pre- 
pared for  market)  and  place  them  on  a  dry  floor  where  they  will  not 
be  exposed  to  very  severe  frosts  ;  slight  freezing  will  not  injure 
them  provided  they  are  not  disturbed  while  in  that  state.  There 
is  doubtless  a  great  deal  of  labor  and  care  required  in  the  cultiva- 
tion of  onions  ;  still  we  think  they  will  repay  it. 

Let  us  estimate  the  actual  cost  of  cultivating  an  acre  of  them,  or 
five  hundred  bushels,  which  is  the  average  yield  per  acre : 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND   FARMER.  165 


Plowing  and  harrowing — two  days  work  with  team, 
Sixty  loads  manure  and  hauling  at  50  cents, 
Two  hundred  bushels  ashes  at  15  cents 
Raking  and  sowing — four  days  at  §1   00,    - 
Four  pounds  seed  at  $1  50,         - 
Hoeing  three  times — two  days  each, 
Weeding  three  limes — five  days  each, 
Gathering  and  curing — Fifteen  days, 
Housing,  _._..- 


i,       $'  5 

00 

30 

00 

30 

00 

4 

00 

6 

00 

6 

00 

15 

00 

15 

00 

10 

00 

|121  00 


Thi3  a  liberal  not  to  say  extravagant  estimate.  Now  take  a  low 
average,  viz  :  four  hundred  and  fifty  bushels,  and  take  a  very  low 
price  as  an  average  also,  viz:  fifty  cents  per  bushel  and  we  have  a 
gross  income  of  $225,  or  a  net  profit  of  §10-4  per  acre.  But  if  we 
take  what  is  a  fairer  average,  viz  :  five  hundred  bushels  at  sixty 
cents,  we  have  a  profit  of  $179. 

We  may  remark  that  care  should  be  taken  in  procuring  seed  ; 
purchase  only  from  trustworthy  seedsmen,  or  you  may  lose  the  whole 
crop. 

We  think  that  this  crop  may  be  made  doubly  profitable  by  those  far- 
mers who  have  freedmen's  families  on  their  plantations,  as  much  of 
the  labor  may  be  performed  by  boys  and  girls  equally  as  well  as  by 
men,  and  at  much  less  expense;  the  same  ground  may  be  cultivated 
in  onions  for  many  years  with  increasing  success  and  proportionately 
less  labor,  as  the  weeds  decrease  in  consequence  of  careful  culture. 

In  the  Northern  States  the  Wethersfield  Red  is  most  generally 
cultivated  on  account  of  its  hardiness.  But  in  our  climate  the  Yel- 
low Danvers  is  also  perfectly  hardy,  and  is,  we  think,  the  best  va- 
riety. It  combines  beauty  of  form  and  appearance  with  a  mild 
and  pleasant  flavor.  They  command  the  best  price  in  the  market 
and  we  recommend  that  a  large  portion  of  every  crop  of  onions  be 
of  this  variety. 


High  Aims. — Aim  at  perfection  in  everything,  though  in  most 
things  it  is  unattainable.  However,  they  who  aim  at  it,  and  perse- 
vere, will  come  much  nearer  to  it  than  those  whose  laziness  and 
despondency  make  them  give  it  up  as  unattainable. 

"  It  should  be  our  care  not  to  lead  a  long,  but  rather  a  good  life." 


166  THE  SOUTHERN  [March 

Hay— Its  Value  as  Food,  Etc. 

Agriculture  being  a  progressive  science,  he  that  would  understand 
it  best,  must  be  a  constant  practitioner  of  well  matured  plans,  as 
well  as  a  careful  observer  ;  noticing  the  results  of  application  in 
practice,  together  with  a  close  investigation  of  their  merits  in  the 
research  for  knowledge  adapted  to  it. 

In  a  former  article  I  stated  that  hay  was  the  cheapest  food  ob- 
tained from  the  cultivated  field.  This  is  so,  notwithstanding  we  fre- 
quently hear  it  does  not  pay  to  raise  hay,  &c. ;  that  corn  and  other 
crops  pay  us  a  much  larger  return.  Considering  the  advantages  of 
this  crop  in  all  its  bearings,  I  beg  leave  to  differ'with  those  who 
think  thus,  and  in  the  way  of  illustration,  I  shall  give  some  of  my 
views,  for  the  benefit  of  your  readers  and  those  who  may  differ  with  me. 

It  has  been  shown  in  my  former  articles  that  the  cost  of  obtain- 
ing one  and  one  half-tons  of  good  meadow  hay  is  $4.12|  including 
land  rent  with  its  contingent  labor  paid  for  at  a  fair  valuation, 
which  estimate  intelligent  farmers  will  have   no  reason  to  doubt. 

I  propose  in  this  article  to  briefly  show  that  hay  is  the  cheapest 
food  obtained  from  the  cvltivated  field,  (as  I  have  shown  that  it  is  the 
easiest  and  most  speedily  obtained  by  the  aid  of  machinery)  taking 
into  the  account  its  value  for  feeding,  purposes,  the  amount  of  nu- 
trition it  contains  (compared  with  other  crops)  capable  of  making 
fat  and  giving  strength  and  tone  to  the  blood  and  muscular  system 
of  animals ;  estimating  the  cost,  and  comparing  with  it  the  cost  of 
procuring  the  same  amount  in  the  next  best  crop,  (the  corn  crop,) 
basing  my  calculations  on  the  basis  of  an  average  crop  of  each. 

In  order  to  arrive  at  the  correct  estimate    of  cheapness,  I  bring 
the  following  table  into  requisition,  to  show  the  number  of  pounds  of 
nutritious  matter  contained  in  one  hundred  pounds  of  each  crop; 
100  lbs.  Meadow  hay  contains  50  lbs.  of  nutritious  matter. 


Clover 

" 

ti 

5oi 

Corn 

<< 

<< 

95 

Wheat 

(C 

c< 

95 

Rye 

<( 

(( 

90 

Barley 

<( 

a 

82 

Oats 

ii 

it 

70 

Buckwheat 

CI 

a 

78 

Thus  maintaining  that  one  and  a  half  tons  of  hay  is  a  good  crop, 
forty  bushels  of  corn  per  acre  is  also  a  good  crop,  and  generally 
realized  with  proper  cultivation. 

Estimating  one  acre  of  corn  to  be  produced  at  the  following  rates: 

Ploughing  per  acre $-  00 

Marking  and  planting 75 

Cultivating 2  25 

Harvesting 2  00 

Land  Rent 3  00 

Total  cost  $10  00 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  167 

Thus  from  one  acre  of  corn  we  obtain  2,128  pounds  of  nutrition, 
costing  us  $10.00  per  acre,  including  land  rent.  Whilst  from  one 
acre  of  meadow,  yielding  one  and  a  half  tons  of  hay,  we  have  1,500 
pounds  of  nutritious  food,  costing  us  $4,123  including  land  rent. 

It  will  be  observed  that  we  got  one  hundred  pounds  of  nutrition 
in  corn  at  a  cost  of  forty-seven  cents,  whilst  we  got  one  hundred 
pounds  of  nutrition  in  hay  at  a  cost  of  twenty-seven  and  a  half 
cents.  Which  facts  show  conclusively,  that  our  hay  is  the  cheap- 
est food  obtained  from  the  cultivated  field,  by  nearly  one  half,  and 
the  easiest  and  most  speedily  obtained. 

That  it  can  be  fed  out  at  a  less  cost  than  any  other  feed,  except, 
perhaps,  corn  in  the  crib,  or  other  grain  after  it  has  been  threshed 
and  put  into  the  bushel,  no  one  has  reason  to  doubt.  For  gen- 
eral feeding  it  is  the  best,  having  more  medicinal  virtue  than  any 
other,  and  is  capable  of  imparting  more  pure,  healthy  vitality  and 
sustenance  for  the  blood,  except,  perhaps,  to  old  work  horses  and 
stock  that  requires  quick  and  speedy  fattening ,  or  in  cases  where 
severe  labor  has  to  be  performed,  or  heavy,  stimulating  food  is 
required.  For  horses,  especially  young  ones,  and  colts,  it  is  deci- 
dedly superior,  as.it  does  not  fill  the  system  with  inflammatory  hu- 
mors, as  does  other  grain.  The  flesh  it  creates  is  generally  good,  pure 
and  lasting,  and  if  there  was  more  of  it  fed  to  our  horses  and  other 
stock,  and  less  heating  grain,  we  should  have  better^stronger  and 
healthier  animals,  less  likely  to  engender  disease,  which  is  ofttimes 
the  results  of  an  injudicious  use  of  corn. 

As  to  production,  I  claim  that  it  is  the  surest  crop,  when  properly 
set,  there  being  no  crop  that  will  as  quickly  restore,  and  impart 
fertility  and  tone  to  the  soil  for  the  successful  production  of  other 
crops. 

I  would  here  remark,  that  it  is  too  often  the  practice  of  farmers  to 
farm  their  lands  in  corn  and  other  crops  entirely  neglecting  the  grass 
crop,  until  their  lands  become  filthy  with  weeds,  and  their  fields  fail 
to  produce  sufficient  remuneration  for  their  labors.  Lands  can  thus 
be  reduced  and  impoverished,  until  they  will  fail  to  produce  even  a 
good"  crop  of  grass,  and  frequently  from  such  managed  lands, 
farmers  expect  to  realize  a  good  meadow.  In  this  they  invariably 
get  disappointed. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  they  would  plough  deeply,  properly  drain, 
seed  their  fields  to  grass  in  their  turn,  before  they  get  much  worn, 
and  yet  not  otherwise  abuse  them,  they  would  show  their  gladness 
from  year  to  year,  and  stand  the  vicissitudes  of  the  season. — Hay 
Raiser,  in  Prairie  Farmer. 


168 


THE   SOUTHERN 


[March 


horticultural  department. 


JOHN  M.  ALLAN, 


Editor. 


jA 


Virginia's  Wine  Grape. 

The  Norton  (a  cut  of  -which  appears  in  the  present  number)  is 
steadily  increasing  in  favor  in  all  sections  where  the  snmmer  is  long 
enough  to  mature  its  fruit.  In  the  Western  States,  notwithstanding 
the  strenuous  efforts  of  the  admiaers  of  the  Ives,  Cynthiana  and 
others,  to  claim  superiority  for  their  favorites,  this   wild   Virginia 


1869  ]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  169 

seedling  still  occupies  tbe  most  prominent  place  in  the  list  of  red 
•wine  grapes.  Here  in  its  native  State,  where  it  attains  an  excel- 
lence that  no  other  section  has  as  yet  given  it,  there  is  little  pros- 
pect of  a  successful  rival  being  found,  and  even  the  Middle  States 
are  beginning  to  find  in  it  that  desideratum  they  have  long  sought 
so  earnestly,  viz:  a  vigorous,  hardy,  healthy  grape,  capable  of  pro- 
ducing a  first-class  wine.  Very  heavy  shipments  of  wood  for  pro- 
pagation have  been  made  from  this  point  to  New  York  during  the 
past  winter,  showing  a  large  increase  in  the  demand  in  that  section. 
But  as  "every  rose  has  its  thorn,"  so  the  Norton  has  a  single 
drawback.  It  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  propagate,  and,  conse- 
quently, the  price  of  young  vines  is  very  high.  The  wood  is  so 
hard  that  it  will  not  root  at  all  from  cuttings  in  the  open  air,  nor 
can  more  than  forty  per  cent,  be  realized  from  single  eyes  in  pro- 
pagating houses,  even  with  the  utmost  skill  and  care.  Layering  is 
certain,  but  expensive.  Heretofore  we  have  grown  them  from  sin- 
gle eye  root  grafts  started  in  a  propagating  house,  succeeding  gene- 
rally in  getting  eighty  per  cent,  of  good  vines,  but  this  method  is 
too  costly.  We  are  now  experimenting  largely  with  root  grafts  in 
the  open  air,  and  if  successful,  shall  feel  that  a  great  step  has  been 
accomplished  towards  putting  this  established  favorite  in  the  reach 
of  all. 


Nuts. 

Our  exchanges  are  urging  upon  their  readers  the  importance  of 
cultivating  the  various  nuts  indigenous  to  this  continent.  That  this 
interest  has  heretofore  been  sadly  neglected,  indeed  entirely  over- 
looked, is  certainly  true,  at  least  in  the  Southern  States.  Apart 
from  the  fact  that  there  was  in  many  sections,  previous  to  the 
destruction  of  timber,  consequent  upon  the  late  war,  an  abundant 
supply  found  growing  in  the  forests,  the  main  reason  of  this  neglect 
was  doubtless  the  length  of  time  required  to  attain  any  proBtable  re- 
sults. Since,  however,  so  large  an  area  of  our  forests  have  been 
destroyed,  nut  culture  assumes  a  different  phase.  Fruit  is  no  longer 
the  only  object  to  be  attained ;  shade  and  timber  are  now  to  be 
sought  for;  and  if,  in  securing  these  latter,  we  can  combine  profit 
from  the  fruit,  it  is  deserving  attention. 

The  Hickory,  Black  Walnut,  and  Chestnut  all  make  good  timber 
and  handsome  trees,  besides  being  quite  profitable  fruiters.  The 
Walnuts  averaging  two  dollars  and  the  Chestnuts  at  least  four  dol- 
lars per  bushel. 


170  THE    SOUTHERN  [March 

It  seems  slow  work  to  plant  a  nut  and  wait  for  a  crop,  but  it  is  a 
very  cheap,  and  ultimately  a  very  profitable,  investment  for  a  young 
man  at  twenty  to  plant  a  seed  that  will,  at  forty,  and  annually 
thereafter,  yield  him  an  income  of  at  least  one  hundred  per  cent, 
upon  his  outlay,  making  a  liberal  allowance  for  the  use  of  land, 
labor,  &c,  all  of  which  may  be  counted  as  capital  invested ;  those 
more  advanced  in  years  can,  by  this  means,  at  little  expense,  leave 
a  good  inheritance  to  their  successors. 

Especially  is  this  subject  worthy  the  consideration  of  those  located 
at  points  remote  from  or  inaccessible  to  market,  and  who  are  conse- 
quently debarred  from  the  culture  of  more  perishable  fruit.  If  any 
of  our  readers  are  engaged  in  nut  culture,  or  have  any  experience 
upon  the  subject,  we  shall  be  glad  to  have  them  communicate  the 
results  of  their  experiments. 


Melons. 

This  is  a  section  which,  if  it  does  not  "  flow  with  milk  and  honey," 
certainly  lacks  not  for  Melons,  Sweet  Potatoes  and  Oysters,  hence 
it  may  seem  like  carrying  "  coals  to  Newcastle  "  to  say  much  on  the 
subject  of  Melon  culture.  We  will  presume,  therefore,  that  all  of 
our  readers  know  as  well,  perhaps  better  than  we,  how  to  grow 
them,  and  take  up  another  branch  of  the  subject,  viz.  :   varieties. 

Among  the  Muskmelons — Green  Citron,  Skillman's  Netted,  and 
Nutmeg  have  held  their  own  as  first-rate  kinds.  The  only  new 
variety  of  note  the  past  season  was  the  Hunter,  which  is  not  pro- 
perly a  new  variety,  having  been  in  existence  some  years ;  but  for 
the  first  time  prominently  introduced  least  season.  We  gave  it  a 
fair  test,  and  found  it  to  be  worthy  of  the  most  extensive  culture. 
It  is  large,  finely  flavored  and  very  prolific,  combining  the  sweetness 
of  the  Nutmeg  with  the  size  of  the  Cantaloupe.  "We  cordially  com- 
mend it. 

The  Jackson  has  so  long  stood  at  the  head  of  the  Watermelons 
in  this  part  of  the  State,  that  one  hardly  dares  to  intimate  that  it 
may  have  a  superior,  nevertheless  a  formidable  rival  appeared  last 
year  in  the  person  of  "Joe  Johnson,"  introduced  by  our  friend,  W. 
L.  Cowardin,  Esq.  A  large,  round  melon,  with  dark  green,  striped, 
thin  rind,  and  of  the  very  finest  flavor.  It  was  eagerly  sought  for 
the  entire  season  in  this  market,  and  commanded  fully  one-third 
higher  prices  than  any  other  variety.  We  feel  confident  that  the 
"Joe  Johnson"  will  be  the  melon  in  this  section,  and  we  see  no 
reason  why  it  should  not  be  adapted  to  other  localities.  It  is 
worthy  of  a  fair  trial  everywhere. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  171 

Foliage  Plants. 

Those  who  have  the  time  and  the  taste  to  decorate  their  yards 
and  gardens  will  find  a  valuable  addition  to  their  collection  in  the 
recently  introduced  "Foliage  Plants" — so  called  from  the  fact  that 
beauty  of  foliage  constitutes  their  charm  ;  the  bloom  of  all  the  va- 
rieties being  quite  insignificant.  The  richness  and  variety  of  color- 
ing in  the  leaves,  however,  amply  compensates  for  the  want  of 
flowers,  and  have  the  advantage  of  lasting  all  through  the  season 
without  once  presenting  the  unpleasant  eifect  of  a  fading  flower. 

There  are  many  varieties  and  of  such  varied  hues  as  to  permit 
their  grouping  in  beds  or  borders  with  great  effect.  They  have 
generally  such  outlandish  names  as  would  most  break  one's  heart  to 
remember,  but  their  beauty  and  value  are  unquestionable,  and  we 
would  advise  all  who  can,  to  visit  the  green-houses  of  our  city  where 
they  can  be  seen  now  in  perfection. 


Market  Strawberries. 


Wilson's  Albany  Seedling  stands,  by  common  consent,  at  the  head 
of  the  list  of  market  strawberries.  It  is  unfortunate  that  it  does 
so,  very  unfortunate,  if  we  are  going  to  be  contented  with  fruit  of 
such  inferior  quality.  It  has  earliness,  fruitfulness  and  firmness  to 
recommend  it,  but  whether  it  is  best  adapted  to  eating  or  making 
vinegar  is  a  problem.  We  are  inclined  to  think  that  outside  of 
countries  where  sugar  is  a  spontaneous  production  it  is  best  adapted 
to  the  latter  purpose.  Market  men  say,  we  acknowledge  this, 
but  becauce  it  is  early,  prolific  and  stands  transportation,  therefore 
we  grow  it.  But  have  the  proper  efforts  been  made  to  secure  as 
early  and  firm  a  berry  of  better  quality  ?  We  think  not.  New 
varieties  are  annually  produced,  but  size  seems  to  be  the  main  ele- 
ment sought.  This  is  very  well  for  domestic  purposes — size  and 
flavor  are  most  desirable  in  berries  for  home  consumption — but  for 
market  purposes,  earliness  and  firmness  combined  with  a  good  yield 
are  essential.  Cannot  some  of  our  growers,  by  hybridizing,  produce 
a  variety  which  shall  add  good  flavor  to  these  necessary  qualities? 
In  this  connection,  we  commend  the  Russell  Prolific  to  the  attention 
of  dealers  and  amateurs  as  a  first-class  berry,  superior  to  the  Wil- 
son in  every  respect,  except  earliness.  A  hybrid  from  it  and  the 
Early  Scarlet,  or  some  other  early,  good  flavored  berry,  would  pro- 
bably supply  the  desideratum  of  a  good  early  market  fruit. 


172  THE   SOUTHERN  [March 

The  Month. 

Generally,  in  this  latitude,  the  weather  is  sufficiently  open  during 
the  present  month  to  admit  of  a  great  deal  of  horticultural  work ; 
and  while  monthly  calendars  are  not  to  our  taste,  nor,  as  a  rule, 
very  useful,  still  a  synopsis  of  what  may  be  done  in  these  busy  four 
weeks  will,  we  hope,  prove  of  some  value. 

The  first  work  in  point  of  importance,  as  well  as  time,  is  to  exer- 
cise patience.  Get  ready  to  work  the  ground  ;  but  be  careful  not 
to  do  it  until  the  soil  is  ready  to  be  worked.  Far  better  to  plant 
late  than  plant  in  wet  land.  White  waiting  on  soil  and  season, 
arrange  your  work  in  somewhat  the  following  order : 

The  Orchard. — If  young  trees  are  to  be  planted,  put  your  order 
in  the  nurseryman's  hands  at  once,  and  if  the  trees  arrive  before 
you  are  ready,  "  heel  them  in,"  and  have  them  at  hand. 

The  Kitchen  Garden. — Procure  your  seed  immediately.  Put 
manure  on  the  ground,  and  plant  as  soon  as  the  ground  becomes 
warm.  It  is  useless  sowing  in  cold  wet  soils,  as  the  seed  not  only 
will  not  grow  without  some  warmth,  but  may  rot. 

The  Flower  Garden. — Plant  hardy  roses  and  shrubs,  but  wait 
until  April  to  sow  annuals  and  set  out  bedding  plants. 

If,  by  the  first  of  April,  you  have  accomplished  one-half  that 
you  wished  to  have  done,  be  satisfied,  and  congratulate  yourself 
upon  your  progress.  This  much  in  general ;  for  particulars,  con- 
sult your  seedsmen  and  nurserymen's  catalogues. 


Horticultural  Exchanges. 

The  Horticulturist,  Henry  T.  Williams,  Editor  and  Pro- 
prietor.— Accidentally,  we  failed  to  notice  in  our  last  issue  the 
change  in  the  proprietorship  in  this  old  horticultural  favorite.  We 
do  not  now  regret  the  omission.  For  while  the  first  number,  under 
the  new  management,  gave  promise  of  great  improvement  both  in 
mechanical  and  mental  execution  ;  the  second  not  oniv  fulfils  the 
promise,  but  improves  upon  it.  Mr.  Williams  evidently  understands 
his  work,  and  combines  with  the  knowledge  of  the  wants  of  the 
public  the  fullest  capacity  to  satisfy  them.  We  wish  him  all  the 
success  he  and  his  magazine  so  richly  merit. 

The  Gardener's  Mohthly  continues  to  come  laden  with  good 
things,  nothing  useless,  no  long  spun  theories,  but  scientific,  practi- 
cal, plain,  valuable  truths  and  instructions. 

The  Journal  of  Horticulture  drops  in  upon  us  semi-occasion- 
ally.  Our  recollection  of  it  is  that  it  was  a  very  handsome  book. 
If  we  saw  it  oftener,  we  might  find  something  desirable  in  it. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  173 

Lawns. 

BY  H.  W.   SARGENT,  ESQ..  WODENETIIE,  W.  T. 

I  perfectly  agree  with  your  views  in  the  December  Monthly, 
about  top-dressing  lawns  "  with  fine  soil,"  as  I  think  the  constant 
top-dressing  during  the  summer,  by  allowing  the  grass  to  fall  is  not 
sufficient  in  itself,  without  occasionally  the  heavier  food,  of  the 
"fine  soil,"  once  in  three  or  four  years — applied  during  the  winter. 
But  in  my  neighborhood,  and  generally  throughout  the  country,  an 
application  of  soil,  as  a  top-dressing,  invariably  brings  in  a  great 
accession  of  that  destructive  weed,   "The  Summer  or  Crab  Grass." 

It  seems  so  peculiarly  congenial  to  our  places,  that  I  am  afraid 
to  use  any  fresh  or  even  old  sod,  unless  where  it  can  be  kept  cleaned 
or  weeded.  The  older  our  lawns  the  more  completely  (from  July  to 
16th  September)  are  they  overrun  with  this  pernicious  weed. 

For  two  years,  while  I  was  abroad,  at  the  suggestion  of  Professor 
Gray,  I  did  not  cut  my  lawn  after  1st  of  June  until  October,  hoping 
to  crowd  it  out,  and  I  did  to  some  considerable  extent ;  but  still  last 
September  I  had  six  men  for  three  or  four  weeks  digging  out  what 
remained.  Should  I  top-dress  my  lawn  with  "  fine  soil,"  I'  should 
have  it  as  bad  as  it  was  three  years  ago,  and  yet  I  have  sufficient 
fine  soil  from  an  old  grape  border  to  cover  it  half  an  inch  thick,  but 
I  am  afraid  to  use  it,  though  my  lawn  requires  it,  and  as  the 
grass  has  very  much  run  out,  and  though  the  lawn  is  very  green, 
yet  its  verdure  is  principally  from  moss,  veronica  and  other 
creeping  weeds. 

By  far  the  cleanest  and  softest  and  greenest  lawn  in  this  or  any 
other  country  is  Mr.  Hunnewell's,  at  Wellesley.  Neither  summer 
grass,  dandelion,  or  any  weeds  are  ever  seen  there,  and  yet  his 
lawn   is   constantly  top-dressed   with   soil,  but  soil   that    has   been 

bllDit. 

Mr.  Hunnewell  is  in  the  habit  of  getting  out  of  a  swamp  vast 
quantities  of  muck,  and  stocking  it  in  alternate  layers  with  old 
brush — when  quite  dry — it  is  set  on  fire  and  damp  brush  kept  con- 
stantly heaped  upon  it  to  dampen  the  flames ;  this  is  kept  up  for 
several  weeks  a  smouldering  fire.  By  the  autumn  it  is  turned  over 
several  times,  and  then  spread  upon  his  lawn.  The  seeds  of  all 
weeds  are  probably  destroyed,  and  I  am  satisfied  that  where  crab 
grass  or  summer  grass  prevails  as  it  does  in  this  State,  the  soil  used 
as  a  top-dressing  must  be  either  burnt  or  else  turned  over  so  often 
as  to  vegetate  and  destroy  all  seeds. —  Gardener's  Monthly. 


174  THE    SOUTHERN  [March 

How  to  Raise  Sage. — Mrs.  Sarah  Ann  Browning,  "Watertown, 
"Washington  county,  Ohio  :  I  see  through  the  Club  report  that  there 
is  a  man  in  Missouri  who  wishes  to  know  how  to  raise  sage.  Years 
ago  I  had  some  experience  in  this  plant.  I  heartily  give  him  my 
experience.  Twenty-two  years  ag)  I  set  out  three  sage  roots  on  a 
loose  sandy  soil,  thirteen  miles  from  Little  Rock,  Arkansas.  Every 
spring  I  took  them  up  and  split  them  as  much  as  they  could  be  split 
(which  should  never  be  omitted),  and  set  them  out  again  on  the  same 
ground  as  far  as  it  would  go,  without  ploughing  any  of  the  ground, 
merely  digging  a  hole  with  the  spade  in  rows  about  two  feet  apart 
one  way  and  eighteen  inches  the  other;  every  year  putting  in  not 
less  than  one  pint  of  hog's  manure  to  the  hill,  which  had  been  piled 
up  in  the  fall  and  well  rotted.  Till  the  sixth  year  I  manured  with 
cow  manure  prepared  the  same  way.  That  was  an  uncommon  wet 
year,  and  I  picked,  I  have  forgotten  just  how  much,  but  less  than 
half  glutted  the  market.  I  picked  not  less  than  115  pounds  that 
year,  perhaps  more.  I  thought  there  were  fifty  pounds  wasted  on 
account  of  sickness.  That  was  my  last  year  of  raising  sage;  not 
because  I  die  not  find  it  profitable,  for  it  was  very  profitable.  I 
could  earn  S  1.25  a  day  by  selling  my  sage  for  thirty-five  cents  per 
pound  (as  I  did),  and  work  eight  hours  a  day  in  any  ordinary  sea- 
son. After  letting  your  sage  leaves  get  their  growth,  pick  by 
breaking  off  the  little  tender  branches  with  the  leaves  on  them. 
They  should  be  picked  while  they  are  tender  enough  to  rub  up  into 
powder  when  dry.  By  so  doing  you  will  have  two  or  three,  and 
sometimes  four,  new  branches  where  you  had  one  old  one.  Xever 
allow  your  sage,  if  you  can  possibly  help  it,  to  start  to  seed,  for  if 
you  do  you  will  not  get  much  sajre.  I  have  always  heard  it  said 
that  sage  must  be  dried  in  the  shade,  but  I  was  obliged  to  dry  the 
most  of  mine  in  the  sun.  It  looked  very  fair,  and  there  were  not 
any  questions  asked  as  to  where  it  was  dried.  I  did  not  perceive 
that  it  suielled  or  tasted  any  different  from  that  dried  in  the  shade. 
It  must  be  stirred  occasionally  while  drying. — AT.  Y.  Tribune. 

[This  ■will  do  for  those  who  want  a  permanent  sage  bed  :  hut  those  who  want 
a  gool  annu.l  cro  •,  hai  bj:ter  s  >w  the  seed  every  spring  and  trai-p'.ait  from 
8eed  bed  a-^  they  do  cabbage  plants.  The  young  plants  spr?al  rapidly  into 
bushes,  and  may  be  cut  down  in  September  and  October,  precisely  as  cabbage 
is  cut.  This  is  more  economical  and  profitable  than  keeping  up  old  sage  beds. 
Editor.] 


Horse-Radish. — This  is  a  very  valuable  plant;  and  yet  its  cul- 
tivation has  been  very  much  neglected.  A  few  plants  may  be  found 
about  the  garden  of  almost  every  old  homestead,  receiving  no  notice 
except  when  some  of  it  is  wanted  for  the  table.  It  will  grow  in  any 
good  soil,  but  prefers  one  that  is  moist  and  rich.  It  is  very  easily 
propagated  from  pieces  of  roots,  planted  in  rows,  and  covered  five 


I860].  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  175 


or  six  inches  deep.  If  the  land  has  been  well  prepared,  after  the 
second  year's  growth  it  will  be  fit  for  use.  The  large,  straight, 
smooth  roots  are  more  valuable  for  the  market,  as  there  is  less  waste 
in  grating  it.  The  time  for  using  it  is  during  the  winter  and  early 
spring  months;  and  it  should  be  taken  up  in  November,  placed  in 
the  cellar,  and  covered  with  earth  to  keep  it  moist,  and  prevent  it 
from  shrivelling.  It  is  said  to  possess  healthful  qualities,  which, 
added  to  its  agreeable  flavor,  when  eaten  in  limited  quantities  with 
meats,  all  render  it  very  desirable.  Every  owner  of  a  garden  should 
be  sure  and  raise  enough  of  it  for  family  use. — Journal  Horticulture. 


Some  Rose  Bush. — The  Agricultural  Editor  of  the  Augusta  (Ga.) 
Chronicle  and  Sentinel  tell  us  the  following: 

For  example,  we  stated  that  we  could  exhibit  a  Rose  Bush  twelve 
inches  in  diameter  at  the  butt,  seventy  feet  high,  and  extending, 
from  the  extreme  of  the  branches  on  either  side,  sixty  feet ;  and 
that  this  Rose  Bush  was  a  Cloth  of  Gold,  growing  in  the  open  air. 
Now  we  re-state  it,  stick  to  it,  and  put  it  down  in  print,  that  we 
have  such  a  Cloth  of  Gold;  and  that  it  is  to  be  found  and  can  be 
seen  by  all,  trained  upon  the  front  wall  of  the  east  building  of  the 
Augusta  Factory.  We  invite  our  horticultural  friends  to  revisit  us, 
and  apply  their  own  admeasurements,  to  this  our  Rose  Bush,  as 
well  as  to  other  things ;  and  we  promise,  while  enjoying  their 
"goodly  companies  to  spare  no  pains  to  satisfy  them  on  all  points, 
including  even  our  "opinion  of  Rogers'  Hybrid." 


Tomato  Sugar. — Mr.  Joseph  S.  Williams,  Cinnaminso7i,N.  J., 
writes:  "It  is  no  uncommon  yield  to  take  1,000  bushels  of  toma- 
toes from  an  acre,  and  100  bushels  will  press  4,000  to  5,000  gallons 
of  juice,  which,  if  distilled  after  the  proper  ingredients  are  added, 
with  due  time  to  complete  fermentation,  from  500  to  700  gallons  of 
proof  spirits,  which  have,  by  liquor  dealers  not  knowing  the  liquor, 
been  pronounced  new  peach  brandy,  apple  brandy,  &c.  I  have 
made  it  an  object  to  get  the  opinion  both  of  the  physician  and 
liquor  judges;  and  believe  it  to  be  a  liquor  which  is  healthy  and 
medical,  and  can  be  manufactured  at  lower  figures  in  larger  quanti- 
ties, and  with  tenfold  the  certainty  of  any  other  fruit  spirits,  and 
must  in  time  be  the  great  resource  for  obtaining  alcoholic  spirits,  as 
there  is  no  crop  which  will  yield  as  many  bushels  per  acre  with 
same  certainty,  with  as  little  expense. —  Gardener  s  Monthly. 


176  THE  SOUTHERN  [March 

Osier  Willows. 

Recently  a  correspondent  asked  us  about  the  culture  of  the  bas- 
ket-willow. A  correspondent  of  the  Country  Gentlemen  at  Havan- 
nah  N.  Y.,  furnishes  an  answer  to  our  correspondent's  inquiries 
as  follows ; — "Large  quantities  of  the  basket-willow  are-grown  in 
this  vicinity,  especially  on  the  marsh  at  the  head  of  Seneca  Lake. 
The  demand  for  peeled  willows  is  always  brisk,  but  we  understand 
that  unpeeled  willows  do  not  find  ready  sale.  Our  experience  is, 
however,  that  for  all  practical  purposes  baskets  made  of  the  unpeel. 
ed  willow  are  altogether  the  best.  In  Scotland,  some  years  ago, 
almost  all  the  baskets  used  on  the  farms  were  made  by  the  farm 
hands  while  sitting  around  the  fire  during  the  long  winter  evenings. 

The  peeling  of  the  willows  is  performed  by  very  cheap  and  simple 
machinery  driven  by  a  horse,  so  that  the  capital  required  in  this 
department  is  not  very  great* 

It  is  stated  by  most  writers  that  osiers  do  not  thrive  well  on 
peaty  soil.  If  they  are  correct,  there  must  be  something  wrong 
about  my  ideas  of  'thriving  ;'  for  most  of  the  osiers  here  are  grown 
on  soil  which  looks  very  much  as  if  it  were  peaty,  and  we  have  a 
little  patch  of  a  few  square  rods  which  grows  on  a  peat  bed  of 
greater  depth  than  has  yet  been  fathomed.  They  will  not  grow 
well  in  stagnant  water,  but  they  do  best  in  moist  ground.  It  is  said 
that  they  will  not  do  very  well  on  very  dry  upland.  I  have  seen  a 
remarkable  exception  to  this  in  willows  grown  on  the  farm  of  the 
Ag.  College  of  Pennsylvania.  There  is  no  water  on  that  farm,  and 
except  along  a  small  strip  it  is  found  impossible  to  reach  water  by 
the  ordinary  process  of  well-digging — and  yet  willows  thrive  well 
there.  There  is  a  small  collection  of  willows  in  the  College  Gar- 
den  (S'tlix  vitellina,  purpurea,  viminalis,  aunuralis,  and  some  oth- 
ers) and  they  all  seem  to  do  well,  our  impression  is  that  any  good, 
rich  soil,  not  covered  with  stagnant  water  will  produce  good  crops 
of  osiers.  It  has  been  found  that  the  osier  is  much  benefitted  by 
thorough  drainage  as  is  any  other  plant. 

Osiers  are  usually  set  out  in  rows  two  feet  to  thirty  inches  apart 
and  the  stools  or  cutting  twelve  inches  apart  in  the  rows,  After  a 
time  the  plants  will  be  found  to  be  too  close  and  then  every  alternate 
plant  should  be  grubbed  up.  This  requires  about  twenty  thousand 
cuttings  to  the  acre.  There  are  two  methods  of  setting  out  osiers. 
One  is  to  use  cuttings  twelve  to  sixteen  inches  in  length,  inserted 
in  the  ground  vertically.  The  other  is  to  use  long  poles  buried 
in   the  trenches   one  or  two   inches  deep.     These  poles  send  out 


18G0.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  177 

roots  and  throw  up  shoots  from  every  part  of  their  length,  so  that 
in  a  short  time  the  young  shoots  form  a  perfect  hedge. 

Whatever  may  be  said  to  the  contrary,  it  is  the  opinion  of  our 
best  growers  that  no  plant  is  more  benefitted  by  clean  culture  than 
the  osier. 

A  Massachusetts  correspondent  of  the  New  England  Farmer, 
who  has  had  large  experience  in  the  culture  of  the  basket  willow, 
writes:  "The  soil  best  adapted  to  the  growth  of  European  basket- 
will'iw  has  been  generally  supposed  to  be  a  heavy  soil — nearly  every 
wet  plantation  which  has  come  within  the  range  of  my  observation 
having  been  set  on  meadow  land, — but  from  experiments  made  on  a 
variety  of  soils,  I  am  satisfied  that  this  is  a  mistake.  To  my  sur- 
prise I  have  found  them  to  make  a  much  better  growth  on  a  sand 
bank,  than  on  a  rich,  wet  meadow.  They  seem  to  make  the  best 
growth  on  a  warm,  rich  sandy  loam,  where  either  corn  or  potatoes 
would  grow  luxuriantly.  On  such  soil  they  sometimes  make  a 
growth  of  ten  feet  in  one  season  and  will  make  an  averaged  growth 
of  Bix  to  eight  feet;  being  very  straight  and  slim,  surpassing  in 
quality  anything  I  have  ever  seen  imported.  Our  hot  sun  seems 
exactly  adapted  to  its  growth.  During  our  hottest  clays  in  July,  in 
a  warm  soil,  they  will  make  a  growth  of  from  three  to  four  inches 
in  twenty  four  hours,  while  in  a  wet  day  they  grow  not  more  than 
one-half  an  inch. 

To  prepare  the  soil  for  a  plantation  it  should  be  ploughed  and 
planted  two  years  with  some  crop  which  requires  the  land  to  be 
well  cultivated  ;  and  should  also  be  made  rich  enough  to  produce 
not  less  than  fifty  bushels  of  Indian  corn  to  the  acre. 

In  transplanting  the  willows,  tops  are  preferred  to  roots  ;  twigs 
about  one-half  an  inch  in  diameter  should  be  selected  and  cut  from 
twelve  to  fifteen  inches  in  length.  As  early  in  April  as  the  weather 
will  permit  the  land  should  be  well  ploughed  and  furrowed  three 
feet  apart.  In  these  furrows  the  cuttings  should  be  set  one  foot 
from  each  other,  not  perpendicular,  but  on  an  angle  of  about  forty- 
five  degrees.  The  first  year  the  land  should  be  well  cultivated. 
After  this  they  require  but  very  little  attention,  except  harvesting 
the  crop. 

The  first  year's  growth  should  not  be  cut,  but  after  the  second 
year's  growth,  sometime  between  October  and  March,  they  should  be 
cut  as  near  the  ground  as  possible.  This  crop  is  worth  but  little, 
except  to  make  cuttings  for  a  new  plantation  ;  but  after  this,  a  val- 
uable crop  may  be  cut  every  year  between  December  and  March — 
February  being  the  best  month,  if  the  weather  is  not  too  cold  and 
VOL.  Ill — 12 


178  THE    SOUTHERN  [March 

the  snow  is  not  too  deep.  Xo  injury  will  occur  to  the  roots  if  the 
crop  is  secured  before  the  warm  days  in  March  start  the  circulation 
of  sap.  The  canes  should  be  bound  in  bundles  of  about  fifty  pounds 
each,  and  set  in  three  or  four  inches  of  water.  Some  time  in  May 
it  will  be  found  the  bark  will  peel  oif  very  easily.  They  should 
then  be  stripped  and  sent  to  market. — Rural  New  Yorker. 


The  Feeding  Roots  of  Trees. 

[We  bespeak  from  our  readers  a  careful  perusal  of  the  following 
article  from  the  Gardener  s  Monthly.  Mr.  Meehan  in  this  as  in 
most  matters  pertaining  to  Horticulture,  speaks  from  the  book  of 
nature;  and  while  the  position  he  assumes  on  this  subject  militates 
against  all  the  teachings  and  practices  of  our  forefathers,  neverthe- 
less, our  daily  observation  and  experience  sustain  his  views,  and 
prove  our  former  ideas  to  have  been  erroneous.  Better  a  thousand 
times  sow  the  orchard  down  in  grass  than  to  be  constantly  tearing  off 
the  fibrous  feeding  roots  with  the  plough. — Ed.] 

It  is  not  without  some  pride  that  the  Editor  of  the  Gardeners 's 
Monthly  finds  so  many  of  his  observations  and  opinions,  which,  on 
their  first  promulgation  regarded  as  wild  theories,  finally  come  to  be 
received  as  scientific  truths.  He  owes  his  success  in  these  matters 
to  being  in  no  haste  to  publish  his  views.  In  many  cases  he  has 
spent  several  years  in  endeavoring  to  be  sure  of  his  facts,  before 
tittering  a  word.  These  facts  he  prefers  to  gather  with  his  own 
senses  from  the  great  book  of  nature,  rather  than  to  reading  about 
them  in  the  best  libraries  ever  formed.  There  is  no  other  way  in 
which  one  can  properly  advocate  a  point,  if  he  would  not  be  at  the 
mercy  of  every  critic  that  chooses  to  object  to  him.  The  only  in- 
convenience is,  that  pressing  our  views  with  the  positiveness  of  one 
who  knows  he  is  right  and  believes  in  the  value  of  what  he  teaches, 
■we  lay  ourselves  open  to  charges  of  vanity,  perversity,  or  notoriety 
seekin cr.  The  following  from  Column  $  Rural  World  is  an 
"illustration :" 

The  Gardener  s  Monthly  seems  to  wish  to  make  itself  notorious, 
by  advocating  the  growing  of  fruit  in  grass,  or  having  the  roots 
very  near  the  surface,  and  not  to  cultivate  as  we  would  a  field  of 
corn.  We  consider  such  advice  and  teachings  a  damage  to  fruit 
growing.  It  leads  many,  whom  we  think  otherwise  would  cultivate 
and  crrow  fruit,  to  meet  with  failure  of  time,  and  faith  in  fruitgrow- 
ing in  many  sections  of  our  country.  This  new  system  of  non-cul- 
tivation and  pruning  may  answer  very  well  for  some  limited  lo- 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  179 


calities,  but  for  us,  of  the  West,  will  not  answer.  To  be  success- 
ful— when  our  trees  corae  into  bearing — they  need  Ions:  roots,  that 
go  down  into  the  damp  clay,  to  keep  life  and  vigor  in  them  through 
our  long  summers  of  intense  heat  and  dryness.  A  tree  to  acquire 
vigor,  health  and  long  life,  should  be  thoroughly  cultivated.  How 
often  do  we  see  old  and  infirm  orchards  brought  to  renewed  life — 
recuperated  from  almost  barrenness  to  thrifty,  productive  orchards 
by  plowing  up  the  gras3,  manuring  and  cultivating  the  same. 

Now  we  thank  all  who  point  out  any  errors  we  may  start,  a=s 
cordially  as  we  value  the  commendation  of  admirers.  Of  course  it 
is  pleasant  to  have  these  objections  made  in  a  friendly  spirit; 
but  yet  better  have  an  error  flayed  out  of  the  public  body,  even 
though  a  sugar  pill  would  do  as  well,  than  have  a  festering  sore 
remain. 

Now  in  the  extract  we  have  abo^e  given,  there  is  nothing  much 
that  we  can  say  here  without  great  repetition  ;  of  course  our  readers 
knowT  that  we  don't  care  for  the  grass  in  an  orchard.  If  this  writer 
chooses  to  put  enough  compost  on  his  fruit  orchard  annually  to  pre- 
vent a  blade  of  grass  from  growing,  we  should  say  he  did  very  well, 
much  better  than  by  letting  the  grass  grow.  The  grass  we  have 
spoken  about,  is  but  a  means  to  an  end.  If  that  end  can  be  better 
accomplished  by  other  means,  so  be  it. 

Now  it  is  strange  that  this  cry  about  the  damage  our  views 
about  fruit  growing  would  do  if  adopted  generally,  should  come  from 
the  West  along  with  another  cry  that  fruit  growing  is  now  a  failure. 
President  Brown,  of  the  Illinois  Horticultural  Society,  says  in  a 
recent  speech,  that  Fruit-growers'  Societies,  originally  instituted 
to  tell  us  "what  varieties  to  plant,"  now  have  a  graver  duty  to  tell 
us  "how  to  grow  fruit  trees."'  He  speaks  of  failures  every  where. 
So  in  the  East,  the  advocates  of  deep  rooting  are  every  where  ad- 
mitting their  failure  ;  but  we  shall  not  enter  into  this  matter  here, 
our  present  object  being  to  show  where  those  who  think  as  the 
writer  of  the  extract  above  thinks  are  radically  wrong. 

Nearly  twenty-five  years  ago,  we  found  that  the  root  fibres  of  trees 
were  only  annual — like  the  leaves,  they  died  everv  year.  In 
lv">3  we  published  it  as  a  fact  ;  we  have  fought  it  through  until  we 
believe  it  is  now  accepted  as  scientific  truth.  They  have  the  same 
relation  to  the  main  roots  as  the  leaves  have  to  the  branches,  ex- 
cept that  while  the  leaves  are  the  preparers  of  the  food — the  cooks, 
— the  fibres  are  the  providers — the  husbandmen  of  the  cooks.  Just 
as  the  branches  are  of  use  only  as  supporters  of  the  leaves,  which, 
like  the  ancient  rib  of  Adam,  are  formed  by  morphological  laws  out 


180  THE  SOUTHERN  [March 

of  tree  bodies ;  so  the  main  roots  are  only  of  benefit  in  so  far  as 
they  afford  the  material  out  of  which  fibres  are  formed,  to  hold  the 
tree  in  position,  and  possibly,  in  a  very  small  degree,  to  draw  in 
moisture. 

Remembering  this,  now  take  up  very  carefully  a  young  tree,  and 
we  find  that  the  fibres  are  nearly  all  on  the  surface,  and  that  they 
decrease  in  number  and  importance  with  every  inch  of  depth.  In 
the  largest  trees  scarcely  a  fibre  will  be  found  one  foot  from  the 
top,  large  roots — tap  roots — you  may  and  will  find,  but  no  root  that 
is  of  the  slightest  benefit  to  the  nutrition  of  the  tree.  How  then  a 
tree  can  be  benefitted  by  the  destruction  of  this  large  army  of  agri- 
cultural laborers,  toiling  at  the  surface  to  maintain  the  growing  na- 
tion thriving  in  its  many  industrial  occupations  above  them  we  do 
not  understand. 

When  we  look  back  and  see  that  it  has  already  taken  twenty 
years  to  have  these  simple  truths  generally  recognized  as  correct, 
we  hardly  expect  to  live  to  see  the  credit  awarded  to  us  of  being 
the  founder  of  an  entirely  new  system  of  fruit  culture  ;  but  we  do 
feel  that  after  we  are  dead  and  gone,  the  new  generation  will  won- 
der whv  the  old  one  was  so  stupid  as  to  cling  to  a  system,  which 
thev  continually  acknowledged  a  failure  ;  which  took  its  rise  from, 
and  had  no  better  authority  than,  the  fables  of  JEsop ;  and  which 
they  were  shown  was  clearly  opposed  to  principles,  the  truth  of 
which  they  could  not  dispute. 


The  Va.  Horticultural  and  Pomologlcal  Society. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  this  Society  held  at 
its  rooms  on  the  evening  of  February  25th,  the  report  of  the  Com- 
mittee appointed  to  confer  with  the  State  Agricultural  Society  in 
reference  to  a  union  of  the  annual  exhibitions  of  the  two  Societies, 
were  read  and  approved  and  the  plan  of  union  as  reported  by  the 
Committee  was  adopted. 

By  agreement  of  the  Executive  Committees  of  the  two  Societies  ; 
all  that  portion  of  the  Annual  exhibition  of  the  Agricultural  Society 
pertaining  and  appropriate  to  the  Horticultural  and  Pomological 
is  placed  under  the  control  and  direction  of  the  latter,  subject  to 
the  rules  and  regulations  governing  the  former  Society. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  appointed  a  committee  to  confer 
with  a  similar  committee  from  the  Agricultural  Society,  in  regard  to 


180  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.    181 

a  basis  for  permanent  union,  W.  H.  Haxall  Esq.  It.  S.  P.  Moore, 
I.S.  Tower. 

ling  Committees  of  five  were  appointed  on  the  following  sub- 
jects, (the  Chairman  of  each  Committee  to  select  the  remaining 
member-   : 

Fruits — Franklin  Davis,  Ba  <. 

1"  wers — Dr.  J.  T.  Johnson. 

V         "  — Joseph  R.  Rennie,  Esq 

Wines^-Wm.  II.  Haxall,  I 

Essays — Dr.  S.  P.  Moore. 

II  rticultural  Implement — I.  S.  Tower,  Bsq. 
—  Col.  "Wm.  Allan. 
mgements — Capt.  Chas.  II.  Dimm 

Premiums  a       A     irds — Dr.  S.  P.  Moore,  and  the  Chairmen  of 
the  vari  :ag  Committees. 

After  the  appointment  of  canvasser,  the   Committee  adjourned  to 
meet  on  Thursday,  March  18  hich  time  the   Committee  on 

Premiums  and  Awards  will  report  a  schedule  of  Premiums  for 
the  Annual  exhibit! 

devolve  upon  thir  are  of  great  general 

interest  and  utility.  The  collection  and  dissemination  of  information 
and  statistics,  the  fostering  all  that  pertains  tu  the  Horticultural 
and  Pomological  interests  of  the  State,  is  an  extensive  and  respon- 
ble  work  calling  for  the  hearty  support  and  co-operation  of  our  entire 
people.     We  hope  our  read     -  in  money  and  labor  in  helping 

it  forward.     "With    the  sympathy    and    assistance  s,  the 

Society  will  doubtless  make  an  exhibition  worthy  of  oni  :  ex- 

pectations. 

The  plin  adopted  by  thi?  .  for  the  prosecution  of  its  aims 

is  a  most  excellent  one.  Each  Standing  Committee  is  responsible 
for  the  management  and  development  of  its  particular  branch,  and 
we  congratulate  the  Society  upon  having  at  the  head  of  these  Com- 
mittees gentlemen  so  well  qualified  for  the  dutk  d  them. 


During  the  miocene  period,  as  proved  by  Professor   Heer,  of 
Switzerland,  there  existed   such   an   extensive  flora  in  Spiral     _ 
Iceland,  and  Greeland  as  leaves  little  doubt  that  forests  then  flour- 
ished, even   to   the  very  edge   of  the  Polar   Sea — containing  such 
trees  as  are  now  characteristic   of  Austrian,  American   or   A 
temperate  latitudes. —  Tht  HortieuUuri 


THE  SOUTHERN  PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA, MARCH,  1869. 

TERMS  OF  SUBSCRIPTION  AND  ADVERTISING. 
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Subscriptions— in  advance.      Advertising— annual— quarterly  in  advance.     All  others  in  advance 


bttorml  gejartmcnt. 


Fertilizers  for  Corn. 

We  promised  in  our  last  issue  to  say  something  in  this  number  on  the  kind 
of  bought  fertilize:  s  to  be  used  for  corn.  We  have  solicited  several  parties  who 
have  used  fertilizers  on  corn  to  give  us  their  experience  ;  but  so  far  have  only 
heard  from  one  of  them.  We  refer  to  his  article  and  hope  by  April  to  have 
more  reports  and  to  be  enabled  to  make  some  suggestions,  which  if  adopted  we 
are  sure  will  be  of  ultimate,  if  not  present  value. 


Lespidiza  Striata  Once  More. 

In  January  last  the  writer  of  this  editorial  stated  that  the  above  plant  had 
been  killed  dead  by  the  same  frost  that  killed  the  crab  amongst  which  a  part  of 
it  grew. 

On  this  23d  day  of  February,  though  the  winter  has  been  the  mildest  seen  for 
many  years,  and  the  red  and  white  clover  have  put  out  many  leaves  from  old 
roots  and  many  fresh  seedling  plants,  and  the  spear  grasses  are  showing  many  fresh 
blades,  we  see  only  a  very  few  straggling  plants  on  the  plot  of  Lespidiza,  and 
those  so  small  that  we  cannot  tell  whether  they  be  of  that  plant  or  of  creeping 
yellow  clover.     Exit  Lespidiza  Striata. 


Coleworts. 

The  time  approaches  for  our  experiment  which  we  shall  be  very  glad  if  some 
of  our  readers  will  try. 

We  have  been  along  time  looking  out  for  some  hardy  member  of  the  Cabbage 
family  that  can  stand  our  winters  in  the  open  field,  that  does  not  mind  freezing  and 
thawing.  We  need  something  of  the  kind  to  take  the  place  of  turnips,  which, 
invaluable  as  they  are  in  English  Agriculture,  are  yet  a  very  great  humbug  if 
cultivated  for  stock  feed  in  the  United  States,  more  especially  in  Virginia  at  any 
time  ;  but  more  particularly  now. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  183 


Last  December,  a  friend  from  the  neighborhood  of  Petersburg  told  us  that 
if  the  sprouts  of  cabbage  stalks  ■which  had  had  their  heads  taken  off  in  the 
winter,  were  permitted  to  seed,  and  those  seed  saved  as  cabbages  are,  that  their 
plants  would  never  head  like  a  cabbage,  but  would  undoubtedly  make  a 
colwort  (or  greens,)  that  would  stand  the  hardest  winter  in  the  open  air. 

Mind  now;  if  the  sprout  is  taken  off  clipped,  they  sometimes  call  it,  and  set 
out,  that  will  make  a  cabbage  of  the  same  sort  with  the  parent  stalk,  at  least  so 
eaid  our  friend.  But  we  repeat  it,  the  sprout  must  not  be  taken  from  the  stalk, 
but  must  be  permitted  to  seed  on  it,  and  that  seed  it  is  said,  makes  toe  hardy 
colwort. 

Will  several  persons  please  try  it,  and  report  results.  If  they  establish  the 
fact,  they  will  have  done  a  very  useful  thing. 


Lice  in  Hen-Houses. 

A  good  plan  to  get  rid  of  these  troublesome  things  is  to  take  strips  of  stur- 
geon skin  about  six  inches  to  a  foot  square  and  nail  them  up  in  different  parts 
of  the  hen-house,  and  hang  them  also  about  on  the  roosts.  We  have  tried  this 
and  find  it  effectual.  We  do  not  mean  that  it  is  a  substitute  for  cleaning  out 
the  houses ;  sanitary  considerations  prescribe  that.  But  the  houses  having 
been  cleaned  out,  the  use  of  these  bits  of  skins,  and  not  as  abundantly  as  the 
directions  require,  kept  the  lice  away  effectually. 


Acknowledgments  for  Seeds  of  Flowers  and  Vegetables. 

We  owe  our  thanks  to  Mr.  Vick  of  Rochester  for  a  large  collection — forty 
seven  papers,  of  the  seed  of  rare  and  beautiful  plants. 

We  also  return  our  acknowledgments  to  Col.  Capron,  of  the  Department  of 
Agriculture,  for  a  collection  of  several  varieties  of  choice  vegetable  seeds.  The 
quantity  sent  is  not  large,  but  we  are  none  the  less  obliged.  The  only  wonder 
is,  that  with  such  numerous  demands  on  him  he  was  able  to  send  us  any. 


Mill  for  Grinding  Bones  in  Richmond. 

We  are  glad  to  be  able  to  state  that  we  have  at  last  a  mill  for  grinding  bones 
established  in  Richmond.  The  Messrs.  McGruders,  manipulators,  have  it  in 
charge.  We  have  not  compared  their  prices  with  those  of  other  Manufacturers. 
But  we  hope  they  will  sell  at  as  low  rates  as  any  others,  and  make  a  fair  profit 
on  the  venture  the  basis  of  their  prices  rather  than  the  rates  of  Manufacturers 
who  consign  the  manures  to  this  market. 


The  following  letter  is  from  one  of  the  most  judicious  men  we  have  ever 
known.  In  all  our  money  transactions  we  have  been  in  the  habit  of  consulting 
him,  and  whenever  practicable,  of  covering  his  investments.     We  advise  every- 


184  THE   SOUTHERN  [March 


body  to  do  life  the  extent  indicated  in  his  letter.     He  mod- 

estly calls  himself  ,;an  entered  apprentice  :"  but  a  "bore  broker"  soon  become3 
a  master  workmen  in  whatever  he  undertakes. 

Aston*  Park,  February  11,  1869. 
Wm.  L.  Hill,  General  Agent  Richmond  Ta. 

Dear  Sir — I  have  yours  of  the  9th.  inst.,  and  owe  you  apology  for  not  ma- 
making  this  remittance  sooner,  find  enclosed  a  check  for  my  subscription  t  i  1870. 
I  nut  give  yourself  any  uneasiness  about  my  discontinuance  of  the  Plan- 
ter, even  if  you  were  to  treblethesubscription.it  is  stored  with  information  useful, 
interesting  and  valuable  to  the  young  farmer,  to  which  fraternity  I  am  but  "  an 
entered  apprentice." 

Tours  Truly, 


To  Dealers  aid  Manufacturers  of  Agricultural  Implements. 

We  call  t  d  of  all  this  class  of  our  subscribers  to  the  following  let- 

ter from  Culonel  Capron,  the  Commissioner  of  Agriculture:  and  beg  that  they 
will  respond  to  the  invitation.  The  Department  of  Agriculture  is  nuw  in  its 
infancy:  but  under  our  grand  consolidated  Government,  it  can  play  a  very  im- 
portant part  in  aiding  and  developing  the  Agricultural  Industry  of  the  country. 

As  the  Industry  of  the   South   is  destined  fur  some  time   to  come  to 
more  of  its  agriculture  than  er  branch  of  national  wealth,  we  shall 

re  that  department  the  full  recipient  of  Government  bounty  and  pro- 
n. 

Department  oe  Agriculture.  Washington-.  TtVy  9,  I 
C.  B.  Williams.  Esq.,  Editor  Southern  Planter,  Richmond,  Ta.: 

— I  desire  to  obtain  either  drawings  or  prints  cf  cuts  of  ploughs  and  other 
agricultural  implements  and  devices  u?ed  in  your  vicinity,  with  reference  to  the 
preparation  of  an  article  on  Southern  Agricultural  Implements.  May  I  trou- 
ble you  to  obtain  from  manufacturers,  dealers  or  others,  such  cuts  or  drawings, 
and  also  a  description  of  them  and  an  accurate  idea  of  their  special  uses  and 
comparative  value?  Suitable  compensation  will  be  awarded  for  the  service, 
which  I  should  be  glad  to  have  done  at  once.  If  you  cannot  readilv  obtain  all 
you  desire  at  once,  please  forward  what  is  readily  accessible  without  delay, 
and  oblige, 

Yours,  respectfully, 

Horace  Capron,  Commissioner. 


The  Late  Thomas  Affleck,  Esq. 
It  U  with  deep  regret  we  chronicle  the  death  of  Thomas  Affleck.  E-q..  of 
Brenham.  Texas.  For  many  years  he  was  identified  with  the  South  in  all  her 
interests,  but  more  especially  with  the  cause  of  Agriculture.  By  his  ppn  and 
practical  experience  he  has  rendered  good  service,  and  he  leaves  behind 
him  a  well  deserved  and  honored  name.  The  good  and  true  men  of  advanced 
years  are  one  by  one  departing.  Let  those  of  us  who  await  the  summon-  emu- 
late their  good  deeds  that,  like  them,  we  may  be  held  in  lasting  remembrance. 


1869]  •   PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  185 


Smoking  and  Chewing  Tobacco. 

We  should  be  very  ungrateful  if  we  did  not  render  our  thanks  to  Mr.  Geo. 
W.  Gilliam,  manufacturer,  for  a  very  fine  sample  of  his  celebrated  Wine  Sap 
brand  of  chewing  tobacco.  We  call  ourselves  a  judge  of  that  article,  and  pro- 
nounce this  superior. 

We  have  also  received  from  him  a  couple  of  bags  of  his  Dead  Shot  Smoking 
Tobacco.  This  we  shall  reserve  for  our  smoking  friends,  not  being  given  to  the 
use  of  the  weed  in  that  shape.  It  looks  pretty  well  on  the  outside  ;  but  that 
may  be  owing  to  the  fact  that  his  likeness  is  on  each  package ;  though  the 
likeness  is  a  little  flattered. 


Answer  to  Inquiry  About  Mica  (Isinglass). 

I  have  your  correspondent's  inquiry  in  relation  to  Mica,  its  uses,  value,  &c. 
Mica,  commonly  called  "Isinglass,"  is  readily  distinguished  by  its  softness,  and 
the  ease  with  which  it  may  be  split  into  transparent  scales,  or  laminae,  of  ex- 
treme tenuity.  It  has  every  shade  of  color,  from  perfectly  colorless,  thorough 
green,  to  jet  black  ;  the  laminse  reflect  light  very  strongly,  and  usually  present 
a  pearly  lustre.  It  is  one  of  the  constituents  of  granite,  gneiss  and  Mica  slate, 
and  gives  to  the  latter  its  laminated  structure.  As  these  rocks  b.doug  to  what 
geologists  classify  as  igneous  and  metamorphic,  it  follows  that  the  occurrence  of 
Mica  is  only  possible  in  regions  occupied  by  rocks  of  these  two  classes.  The 
igneous  and  metamorphic  regions  of  Virginia  extend  from  the  top  of  the  Blue 
Ridge  to  the  head  of  Tide,  with  here  and  there  a  superimposed  mass  of  second- 
ary rocks,  such  as  the  coal  fields  near  Richmond,  &c,  covering  a  comparatively 
small  area. 

As  usually  seen  in  building  granite,  &c,  the  crystals  of  Mica  are  quite 
small ;  in  certain  localities,  however,  it  occurs  in  separate  masses  imbedded  in 
the  rocks  of  from  a  few  inches  to  two  and  three  feet  in  diameter,  and  capable 
of  being  split  into  plates  as  highly  polished  and  transparent  as  the  cut-glass 
plates  of  a  modern  window. 

This  form  of  Mica  is  in  demand  for  certain  purposes  in  the  arts.  The  crude 
blocks,  just  as  they  come  from  the  bed,  are  bought  by  the  pound.  The  present 
price  is  about  fifty  cents  by  the  manufacturers  of  the  plates,  who  split  and  cut 
them  by  machinery,  and  put  them  up  into  pound  bundles  for  sale  to  consumers. 

This  mineral  resists  decomposition  by  atmospheric  agencies,  and  is  hence 
often  abundant  in  soils  formed  from  granite  or  other  rocks  containing  it,  in  the 
form  of  small  scales.  It  not  unfrequently  happens,  however,  that  masses  of 
various  sizes  are  left  imbedded  in  the  clay,  resulting  from  the  decomposition  of 
the  associated  feldspar,  &c.  Such  Mica  is  more  or  less  stained  and  otherwise 
injured,  and  is,  therefore,  of  little  or  no  value. 

Yours  truly, 

W.  Gilham. 


Small  Fruit  Instructor. — Published  by  Purday  &  Johnson,  Palmyra  New 
York,  is  received. 


186  THE  SOUTHERN  .  [March 

Proceedings  of  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society. 

Thursday — First  Day. 
Exchange  Hotel,  Richmond,  February  18,  1869. 

A  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Virginia  State 
Agricultural  Society  was  held  at  the  Exchange  Hotel  this  evening 
at  7|  o'clock.  Present :  Messrs.  W.  T.  Sutherlin,  President,  Jas. 
Lyons,  Lewis  E.  Harvie,  F.  N.  Watkins,  "William  Martin,  A.  H. 
Drewry,  Slaughter  W.  Ficklin,  Richard  Irby,  R.  E.  Haskins,  R.  B. 
Haxall,  William  C.  Knight,  F.  G.  Ruffin. 

The  Treasurer  and  Secretary  submitted  a  report,  which  was  re- 
ferred to  a  committee  composed  of  Colonel  William  C.  Knight, 
Richard  Irby  and  Willam  Martin. 

The  Committee  on  the  Fair  Grounds  submitted  a  verbal  report, 
and  on  motion  of  F.  G.  Ruffin,  Esq.,  the  committee  was  continued, 
and  was  authorized  to  have  a  survey  made  and  map  of  the  grounds 
prepared. 

The  Committee  of  the  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society  re- 
ported a  proposition  for  an  exhibition  in  connection  with  the  State 
Agricultural  Society  next  fall.  A  committee,  consisting  of  Messrs. 
L.  E.  Harvie,  R.  B.  Haxall  and  S.  W.  Ficklin,  was  appointed,  to 
whom  the  proposition  was  referred. 

The  resignation  of  William  T.  Scott,  Esq.,  one  of  the  Vice- 
Presidents,  was  received,  and  F.  G.  Ruffin,  Esq.,  was  elected  in  his 
stead. 

On  motion  of  F.  N.  Watkins,  Esq.,  the  second  resolution  in  rela- 
tion to  the  Agricultural  Commissioner  was  amended  so  as  to  read, 
"  that  the  travelling  and  other  expenses  of  the  Commissioner  be  re- 
funded to  him." 

The  resignation  of  the  Treasurer  and  Secretary,  Mr.  Charles  B. 
Williams,  was  received  and  accepted,  and  Mr.  Egbert  G.  Leigh, 
formerly  of  Amelia,  but  now  of  Richmond,  was  unanimously  elected 
in  his  stead. 

The  President  was  then  authorized  to  arrange  for  an  office  for  the 
use  of  the  Society. 


Friday — Second  Day. 

Richmond,  February  19,  1S69. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  State  Agricul- 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  187 


tural  Society  this  day,  in  pursuance  of  adjournment,  present : 
Sutherlin,  Knight,  Watkins,  Harvie,  Ficklin,  Ruffin,  Martin, 
Haxall  and  McCue. 

The  committee,  to  -whom  was  referred  the  communication  of  the 
Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society,  made  a  report,  which  was 
accepted,  approved,  adopted,  and  is  as  follows : 

Richmond,  Febrcart,  1SG9. 
To  the  Executive  Committee  State  Agricultural  Society : 

Gentlemen-, — At  a  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Virginia 
Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society,  held  at  their  rooms  on  December  9th, 
1868,  it  was 

Resolved.  That  a  committee  of  six  be  appointed  to  confer  with  the  State 
Agricultural  Society  with  regard  to  a  union  of  the  annual  exhibitions,  said 
committee  ti  h.ive  discretionary  powers  to  make  and  receive  such  propositions 
as  may  seem  to  them  to  be  mutual  interests  of  the  Societies. 

The  Chair  appointed  the  following  committee:  H.  K.  Ellyson,  John  M. 
Allan,  William  Gilham,  W.  H.  Haxall,  J.  C.  Shields  and  C.  B.  Williams. 

In  accordance  with  the  foregoing  resolution,  we,  the  committee,  propose  to 
the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Sure  Agricultural  Society  that  they  combine 
the  annual  exhibitions  of  the  Virginia  Horticultural  Society  with  theirs,  and 
as  a  basis  for  this  proposed  combination,  bsg  leave  to  submic  the  following 
propositions : 

The  State  Agricultural  Society  to  give  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Hor- 
ticultural and  Pomological  Society  the  control  and  direction  of  the  portion  of 
their  exhibition  pertaining  and  appropriate  to  the  latter  Society,  subject  to  the 
'•Rules  and  Regulations"  of  the  Agricultural  Society;  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee of  the  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society  to  be  responsible  for  the 
management  and  development  of  the  portion  of  the  exhibition  thus  placed 
under  their  charge.  The  premium  list  for  articles  appertaining  to  this  portion 
of  the  exhibition  to  be  offered  by  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Horticultural 
and  Pomological  Society,  the  State  Agricultural  Society  agreeing  to  assist  in 
furnishing  means  for  this  purpose  as  far  as  practicable,  in  the  event  of  a  failure 
on  the  part  <jf  the  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society  to  raise  an  adequate 
amount. 

We  submit  these  propositions  as  a  basis  for  negotiations,  and  are  desirous  of 
forming  a  union  upon  these  or  any  other  terms  that  may  be  acceptable  to  the 
two  Societies. 

Respectfully, 

On  behalf  of  committee,  H.  K.  Elltsox,  Chairman. 

The  committee,  to  whom  was  referred  the  books,  accounts  and 
report  of  C.  B.  Williams,  Esq.,  late  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  made 
a  report,  which  was  accepted,  approved  and  adopted,  and  is  as 
follows : 


188  THE    SOUTHERN  [March 

Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society 

In  account  with  Charles  B.  Williams,  Treasurer. 

1867.  RECEIPTS. 

Dec.    11 — By  balance  due  the  Society  this  day,  $1S  99 

1868. 
Jan'y   7 — By  cash   received  for   January    dividends    on 

stocks,  less  5  per  cent  tax,  1,145  25 

Mar.    3 — By  cash   received  of  Lancaster  &  Co.  for  net 
proceeds,    sales     of    Virginia    Registered 
Stock  sold,  6,100  at  42 £c.  30,000  at  43c, 
Aggregate,  19,362  -50 

Less  Lancaster  &  Co's  charges,  227  45    19,135  05 

Dec.   10 — By  cash  received  for   two  Life   Members  and 

one  Annual,  42  00 

"    14 — Ey  cash   received  for  one  Life  Member  and 

ore  Annual,  22  00 

"    22 — By  cash  for  Annual  Members,  80  00 

1869. 
Jan.     6 — By  State  interest  cf  15,650,  less  5  per  cent. 

tax,  207  36 

"      6 — By  cash  received  for  Annual  Members  (25),  less 

commission  So, 
"    11, — By  interest  allowed  on  deposit, 
"    13 — By  cash  received  for  two  Life  Memberships 

paid  in, 
"    15 — By  cash  received  of  Thomas  D.  Neal  for  thirty- 
nine  Annual  Members, 
"    23 — By  ca^h  received  for  J.    L.    Cai-rington's  note 

discounted,  $125,  less  $1  29, 
"    23 — By  cash  received  of  Ledley  &  Hayward  rent  of 
Fair  Grounds, 


DISBURSEMENTS. 
1867. 

Dec.   21 — To  cash  paid  Secretary  on  account  of  salary,  13  99 

1868. 
Jan.     8 — To  Cash  paid  balance  of  Secretary's  salary  to 

1st  instant,  69  34 

Mar.    3 — To  cash  paid  Wm.  Shepperson  for  ditching  at 

Fair  Grounds,  3  00 

"  4 — To  cash  paid  Johnson  &  Williams'  fees  for  ex- 
amination of  title,  and  preparing  papers 
for  the  purchase  of  Fair  Grounds,  100  00 

•'  4— To  cash  paid  for  copies  of  two  deeds  in  rela- 
tion to  the  Fair  Grounds'  property,  (see  ac- 
count of  Johnson  &  Williams,)  1  25 


45 

i  0 

11 

•"0 

40 

00 

78 

00 

123 

71 

250  00 

$21 

,2  - 

85 

Carried  forward,  187  58 


I860.] 


PLANTER  AXD  FARMER. 


1S9 


Lancaster  and  Co., 
Contingent  Fund, 
Real  Estate, 
Permanent  Fund, 
Virginia  State  Stock, 
Bills  Payable, 
Joseph  L.  Carrington, 
Incidental  Expenses, 


1G  25 


Amount  brought  forward, 
m    16 — To  cash  paid  Wm.  IT.  Macfarland's  trustee  for 

the  purchase  of  Fair  Grounds, 
"    1C — To  cash  paid  for  stamps  for  deeds,  &c, 
"    16 — To  cash  paid  Notarial  espen.-es  of  obtaining 
acknowledgment  of  James  Lyons,  including 
hire  of  h' 
<«    18 — To  cash  paid  Clerk  of  Henrico  fee  and  tax  re- 
cording Deed  to  Fair  Grounds, 
April  2? — To    cash   paid    for    advertising   for   proposals 
"     25  for  fencing    Fair   Grounds,  in  three   daily 

May     2  paj 

*'      7 — To  cash  paid  John  A.  Glazebrook  for  furnish- 
ing materials,  enclosing  Fair  Grounds,  and 
other  work, 
"    14 — To  cash  paid  Viles  &  Whitaker  for  new  roofing 

on  main  pavilion, 
"    14 — To  cash  paid  J.  T.  Redd,  county  surveyor,  for 

plat  of  ground, 
"    14— T.  J.  T,  Redd  for  running  line  for 

fence, 

««    20 — To   cash   paid   P.    Bargamin   for   tin  roofing, 

painting,  &c., 

Sept.    2 — To  eash  paid  W.  Goddin  commissions  and  ad- 

ing  for  effecting  lease  of  Fair  Grounds, 

Dec.     1 — To  cash  paid  Secretary's  salary  from  January 

B,  to  December  1st,  1S68, 
1869. 

Jan.     2 — To  cash  paid  balance  salary  of  Secretary  for 
December,  1868, 
"    15 — To  cash  paid  T.  D.  Neal  commission  on  $78  at 

10  per  cent., 
"    15 — To  cash  paid  T.  D.  Neal  commission  on  eighty- 
seven  Life  Members, 
"    23— To  cash  paid  Ledley  &  Hayward  in  full, 

Feb.  18 — Balance  due  the  Society, 

BALANCE  SHEET. 


187 

5S 

17 

,CC^ 

33 

18  00 

o 

00 

3 

23 

1,(07  15 

447  36 

12  00 

4  00 

113  25 

42  75 

458  34 

41  67 

7  80 

174  00 

S42  27 

21,2S6  00 

$6  85 

6  85 

7,823  96 

20,135  84 

62,230  00 

49,024  95 

116  40 

125  00 

1,127  72 

$70,295  36 

$70,295  36 

The  committee  appointed  to   audit  the   accounts  of  Charles  B.  Williams, 
Secretary  and  Treasurer  of  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural   Society,  have  per 


190  THE    SOUTHERN  [March 

formed  the  duty,  and  report  that  the  accounts  have  been  properly  kept  and  is 
sustained  by  correct  vouchers,  as  will  appear  by  the  within  statement.  We 
find  a  balance  due  the  Society  of  $6  85  (six  85  100  dollars),  and  that  there  is  a 
permanent  investment  of  £  15,650  00  in  Virginia  Registered  Stock  of  old  issue, 
and  $2,800  of  Virginia  Registered  Stock  of  new  issue,  which  is  of  no  value; 
and  there  is,  subject  to  the  contingent  purposes  of  the  Society,  in  the  shape  of 
funded  interest  bonds  $4,610.  There  is  also  a  balance  of  retained  interest  in 
the  hands  of  the  State  of  about  §1,500,  for  which  the  Treasurer  will  procure  a 
certificate  if  one  can  be  had,  and,  if  not,  a  statement  of  the  precise  amount 
which  stands  to  the  credit  of  the  Society  on  this  account. 

W.  C.  Knight, 
For  the  Committee. 

The  committee  appointed  at  the  January  meeting  in  regard  to 
Sub-Committees  made  a  report,  which  was  accepted,  approved  and 
adopted,  and  is  as  follows  : 

The  Committee  on  Sub  Committees,  appointed  at  the  January  meeting,  re- 
commend the  adoption  of  the  following  resolutions,  to-wit: 

1.  Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three  (the  chairman  of  said  committee  be- 
ing one  of  the  Executive  Committee)  be  appointed  for  each  Department  of 
Exhibition  at  the  Annual  Fair,  whose  duties  shall  be  to  solicit  articles  of  exhi- 
bition in  said  departments ;  to  report  to  the  April  meeting  such  sub  divisions 
in  said  departments  as  they  may  deem  expedient ;  to  recommend  suitable  per- 
sons, male  and  female,  as  judges  in  the  award  of  Premiums  in  such  sub-divi- 
sions and  the  amounts  of  Premiums,  and  to  report  rules  and  regulations  for 
the  management  of  their  several  departments  and  exhibitions  therein. 

2.  That  the  following  committees  be  appointed  under  the  first  resolution: 

1.  On  Agricultural  Implements  and  Mechanical  Productions,  including  Plough- 
ing Match — Messrs.  W.  C.  Knight,  R.  Irby  and  A.  H.  Drewry. 

2.  Experiments  in  Agriculture  and  Horticulture — Messrs.  R.  W.  N.  Noland, 
John  M.  Allan  and  Jacob  Fuller. 

3.  On  Cattle,  including  Hogs,  Sheep — Messrs.  Joseph  Cloyd,  S.  W.  Ficklin 
and  S.  H.  Bell. 

4.  Horses,  including  Asses  and  Mules — Messrs.  R.  B.  Haxall,  R.  H.  Dulany 
and  Thomas  W.  Doswell. 

5.  Poultry — Messrs.  John  McCue  and  S.  Bassett  French. 

6.  Household  Manvfactures,  including  Carpets,  Hose,  Bed  Quilts,  dec. — Messrs. 
F.  N.  Watkins,  R.  P.  Richardson  and  George  B.  Stacy. 

7.  Agricultural  Products — Dr.  R.  E.  Haskins,  William  Martin  and  John  R. 
Edmunds. 

8.  Essays  and  Publications — Messrs.  F.  G.  Ruffin,  C.  B.  Williams  and  E. 
Ruffin,  Jr.  * 

9.  Manvfactures — Department  Other  than  Household — Messrs.  F.  Stearns,  J. 
R.  Anderson  and  William  E.  Tanner. 

10.  Dairy — Messrs.  William  T.  Walker,  Peyton  Johnston  ar;d  Thomas 
Branch. 

11.  Paintings  and  Works  of  Art — Messrs.  James  Lyons,  William  II.  Haxall 
and  Thomas  T.  Giles. 

12.  Addresses — Messrs.  William  T.  Sutherlin,  James  Lyons  and  R.  B. 
Haxall. 


1869]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  191 

13.  Miscellaneous  Subjects  not  included  in  the  Above — Messrs.  L.  E.  Harvie, 
J.  C.  Shields  and  John  B.  Baldwin. 
On  motion  of  Mr.  Watkins, 

Resolved,  That  the  members  of  the  Executive  Committee  be  requested  to 
correspond  with,  and  file  with  the  Secretary,  names  for  suitable  persons  for 
judges  in  the  several  Departments  at  the  Fair. 

The  committee  also  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  following  resoluti 
Resolved,  That  the  President  and  Secretary  be  authorized  to  appoint  local 
agents  throughout  the  State  to  solicit  members,  allowing  a  commission  of  ten 
per  cent.,  taking  care  to  appoint  only  prompt  and  responsible  persons,  and 
furnishing  them  certificates,  taking  receipts  therefor,  and  requiring  monthly 
reports  and  settlements  with  said  agents,  and  the  members  of  the  Executive 
Committee  be  requested  to  furnish  names  of  local  agents  to  the  President  and 
Secretary. 

Resolved,  That  the  Secretary  open  a  correspondence  and  exchange  of  publi- 
cations with  such  other  Boards  or  Associations  as  will,  in  his  judgment,  aid 
this  Society  in  its  purposes  and  aims,  and  that  he  obtain  from  the  Department 
of  Agriculture  a  complete  set  of  its  annual  reports,  and  furnish  to  the  Depart- 
ment the  organization  of  this  Society. 

Resolved,  That  a  brief  address  be  prepared  by  the  President  to  the  people  of 
Virginia,  male  and  female,  requesting  their  prompt  and  zealous  co-operation  in 
the  reconstruction  of  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society  by  becoming 
members,  giving  notice  of  the  Fair,  and  requesting  our  citizens  to  make  an 
exhibition  of  the  results  of  their  skill,  care  and  labor,  not  only  on  the  farm, 
but  in  all  the  varied  and  useful  departments  of  skill  and  industry,  an  1  to  compete 
for  premiums  in  accordance  witb  the  established  rules  of  the  Society. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  two  be  appointed  to  report  whether  any  and 
what  measures,  by  legislation  or  otherwise,  can  be  adopted  to  protect  farmers 
against  impostors  in  the  purchase  of  commercial  manures. 

Resolved,  That  the  President  be  authorized  to  appoint  the  several  committees 
this  day  ordered,  furnish  their  names  to  the  Secretary,  who  is  instructed  to 
notify  the  several  members  of  their  appointment. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  two,  in  connection  with  the  President,  be  a 
committee  of  invitation  to  invite  distinguished  agriculturists  to  attend  the 
annual  Fair — Committee  :  Sutherlin,  Haxall  and  F.  G.  Ruffin. 

Resolved,  That  the  Secretary  be  instructed  to  procure  a  copy  of  the  transac. 
tions  of  the  Virginia  Agricultural  Society. 

Resolved,  That  the  next  regular  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee  be  held 
on  Thursday,  the  '29th  of  April,  in  lieu  of  the  May  meeting. 

Resolved,  That  the  Secretary  apply  to  the  authorities  of  the  various  railroads 
and  procure  passes  for  the  members  of  the  Executive  Committee,  in  pursuance 
with  an  agreement  heretofore  made  with  the  President. 

Resolved,  That  the  President  be  requested  to  confer  with  the  authorities  of 
the  various  lines  of  public  travel,  and  arrange  with  them  on  what  terms  mem- 
bers of  the  Society  and  articles  for  exhibition  can  be  passed  over  their  roads. 

The  following  resolutions  of  thanks  to  Mr.  Charles  B.  Williams, 
the  retiring  Secretary,  was  unanimously  adopted  : 

"Whereas,  Charles  B.  Williams,  Esq.,  has  resigned  his  position  as  Secretary 
of  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society,  a  position  he  has  so  ably  filled  for 
many  years;  therefore,  be  it 

Resolved,  1.  That  the  committee,  for  itself  and  for  the  Society  which  it  rep- 


192  THE  SOUTHERN  r  March 


resents,  takes  this  occasion  to  express  to  Mr.  Williams  their  most  sincere  regret 
at  Boodering  a  connection  which  hes  been  cemented  by  so  many  years  of  plea- 
sant fell  iwship  in  the  servije  of  the  Society. 

2.  That  Mr.  Williams  carries  with  him  into  his  retirement  from  the  active 
duties  of  bu-iness  our  entire  c  nfiienee  in  him  as  a  faithful  public  officer  and 
a  gentleman  of  the  old  Virginia  School. 

3.  That  the  gratitude  of  the  Society  is  rightly  due  to  Mr.  Williams  for  his 
fidelity  ar.d  tact  in  preserving  the  fund-5  of  the  :  'daring  the  peril- 
ous times  of  the  war.  when  so  many  persons  and  a-  their  all. 

4.  That  these  resolutions  be  spread  on  the  Journal  and  published  in  the 
prrceediiig*  of  the  S  ciety,  and  a  copy  be  furni.-hed  to  Mr.  Wii:iams. 

5.  That  Mr.  Williams  be  made  an  1!  :   irary  member  of  thj 

Resolved,  That  the  Secretary  be  authorized,  from  time  to  time,  to  furnish  to 
the  press  information  in  reference  to  the  proceedings  of  this  committee. 

That  the  Executive  Committee  cordially  invites   all   the   m  nufao- 
turer-  te  to  exhibit  samples  of  their  various  wares  at  the  annual  ex- 

hibition of  this  Society. 

Resolved,  That  the  manufac'urers  of  this  and  other  States  be  i;. 
nate  to  the  S  »eiety  specimens  of  their  manufacture  to  be  offered  by  the  E 
as  special  premiums  for  such  objects  as  may  be  deemed  expedient. 

Tuesday,  the  2d  day  of  November,  1869,  was  fixed  as  the  first 
day  of  the  Annual  Fair  of  1^69. 

The  following  resolution  on  immigration  was  offered  by  Colonel  J. 
Marshall  McCae  : 

Res  ' : .  J.  That  with  a  view  of  extendirg  the  sanction  of  the  S-ate  Agricultu- 
ral S  siety,  through  its  Executive  Committee,  to  every  project  that  has  for  its 
object  the  encouragement  of  immigration  into  Virginia,  that  a  Bnb-c  nimittee 
be  appointed  to  confer  with  the  railroad  and  steam.oat  lines  of  the  Xorth  to 
induce  them  to  arrange  su:h  rates  of  reduced  fare  as  will  effect  the  end  desired. 
Committee :  MoCue,  Imboden  and  Ficklin. 

oed,  Ttat  the  Pre-iients  of  the  Augusta  County  Fair,  the  Rockbridge 
Agricultural  and  Mechanical  Society,  the  S  mth-west  Virginia  Agricultural 
Society,  Valley  Agricultural  Society  at  Winchester,  the  Virginia  S:ate  Horti- 
cultural ar.d  P  mological  Society,  and  of  the  Border  Agricultural  ^  : 
Danville,  be  invited  to  attend  the  stated  meetings  of  this  committee,  and  to  this 
end  that  the  Society  be  directed  to  notify  those  gentlemen  of  said  meetings, 
and  that  they  be  requested  to  co-operate  with  us  in  advancing  the  mutual  in- 
terests of  this  and  their  Societies,  and  that  the  said  Presidents  be  regarded  as 
Honorary  Members  of  this  committee ;  and  the  Secretary  is  directed  to  com- 
municate to  them  a  copy  of  this  resolution. 

Resolved,  That  Colonel  William  Gilham.  late  Professor  of  Natural  Philoso- 
phy and  Chemistry  at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  be  appointed  the  Chemist 
to  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Virginia  State  Agriculture.  S 

Res*  Ivt  L  That  one  day  at  each  quarterly  meeting  of  the  Executive  Commit- 
tee Bhall  be  designated  by  the  President  for  the  purpose  of  colloquial  discus- 
sion upon  practical  farming,  planting  and  horticulture,  and  that  the  Pi- 
be  authorized  to  invite  gentlemen  of  known  skill,  or  high  reputation,  in  those 
branches,  to  attend  such  meetings  in  person,  or  to  send  essays  up:>n  them  as 
they  may  prefer. 

1'  led,  That  the  Secretary  and  Treasurer  shall  execute  his  official  bond  re- 
quired by  the  const  tution  in  the  penalty  of  ten  thousand  dollars,  and  deposit 
the  same  with  the  President  for  safe  keeping. 

Resolved,  That  the  Committee  on  the  Fair  Grounds  be  authorized  to  expend 
a  sum  not  exceed:ug  $500  in  repairs  and  improvements  of  the  Grounds. 

Resolved,  That  the  Secretary,  under  the  direction  of  the  President,  be  au- 
thorized to  borrow  such  sums  of  money  as  may  be  necessary  t  >  meet  the  cur- 
rent demands  of  the  Society,  and  to  this  end  he,  under  like  direction,  be 
authorized  to  hypothecate  as  collateral  security  the  Funded  Interest  Bonds  of 
the  Society. 

The  Committee  then  adjourned  to  Thursday,  the  29th  of  Apiil. 

E.  G.  Leigh,  Secretary. 


THE  SOUTHERN 

PLANTER  &  FARMER, 


DEVOTED  TO 


Agriculture,  Horticulture  and  the  Mining.  Mechanic  and  Household  Arts. 


Agriculture  is  the  nursing  mother  of  the  Arts.— Xenophos. 
Tillage  and  Pasturage  are  the  two  breasts  of  the  State.— Sclly. 


CH:   B.  WILLIAMS, Editor  and  Proprietor. 

FRAXK  G.  RUFFIN Co-Editor. 


New  Series.  RICDIOWD,  M,  APRIL.  1S69.  Vol.  III-No.  i. 


Office  of  Physical  Survey  of  the  State,  Virginia  Military  Institute. 

I  place  at  your  disposal  for  publication  the  accompanying  "  ab- 
stract log "  from  Amelia,  hoping  it  will  encourage  gentlemen  in 
other  parts  of  the  State  to  follow  so  good  an  example. 

This  capital  letter  is  a  reply  to  the  circular  call  expressed  in  the 
6th,  7th  and  8th  paragraphs,  and  now  in  the  course  of  distribution, 
and  copies  of  which  it  will  give  me  great  pleasure  to  send  to  all 
who  will  apply  for  them  : 

6.  "  Let  me,  therefore,  have  such  information  as  to  the  climate, 
soil  and  productions  of  your  county,  that  a  man  of  capital,  being  a 
stranger  and  desiring  to  establish  himself  among  you,  would  like  to 
have  :  such  as  the  price  of  land  and  labor  ;  the  kind  of  timber  and 
other  growth  ;  the  cost  of  clearing  and  cultivation  ;  the  staple  crops  ; 
their  yield  to  the  acre ;  their  market  value;  your  most  profitable 
branches  of  industry;  health  and  water;  convenience  to  market,  to 
church,  to  schools  and  to  the  post-office  ;  and  as  a  practical  proof  of 
what  a  man  may  do,  cite  by  way  of  illustration,  one  or  two  of  the 
most  successful  cases  of  farming  or  other  industrial  pursuits  known 
in  your  county :  such  as  the  man  among  your  acquaintance  who, 
since  the  war,  has  prospered  most  according  to  his  means — the  par- 
ticulars. It  would  be  well,  also,  to  mention  one  or  two  of  your  old 
citizens  who  began  the  world  as  a  poor  man  and  now  is  prospering, 
and  whose  example  is  worthy  of  imitation. 

7.  "Fancy,  also,  a  stranger  desirous  of  settling  in  your  neigh- 
borhood :  suppose  him  to   be   a  young  married  man ;  that  both  he 

vol.  in — 13 


104  THE  SOUTHERN  [April 

and  his  wife  are  well  up  in  the  business  of  farming  ;  of  grape  and 
fruit  culture  ;  of  stock  raising,  or  other  special  industries.  Assume 
that  they  have  a  cash  capital  of  some  five  hundred  dollars  in  gold, 
and  wish  to  purchase  a  farm  of  not  less  than  forty  acres.  ~\\  hat 
would  it  cost  ?  and  what  would  be  the  usual  terms  of  payment? 
what  would  it  cost  to  build  him  a  cabin — frame  or  log — with  two 
rooms?  ditto,  the  necessary  outhouses  and  to  fit«theinup?  what 
would  be  the  price  of  a  horse  or  mule?  a  cow  and  a  calf?  a  sow 
and  pigs?  half  a  dozen  sheep?  a  sufficient  stock  of  fowls?  ditto, 
the  necessary  farming  implements,  including  a  cart  or  wagon  and  a 
wheelbarrow  ? 

S.  "What  would  be  the  price  of  fruit  trees?  vines  and  fruit 
plants?  what  breadth  of  land  should  be  devoted  to  vegetables  and 
to  each  of  the  agricultural  staples?  what  the  cost  of  seed?  the  yield 
per  acre  in  kind  and  money  ?  profits  from  the  garden,  dairy  and 
poultry  yard  ?  &c." 

Answers  to  these  questions  come  in  slowly.  Some  appear  to 
think  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  fill  up  the  "pro  forma  estimate," 
which  accompanies  these  questions,  when  the  real  object  and  aim  of 
the  circular  is  to  enable  me  to  present  in  the  next  Report — and  es- 
pecially for  the  European  emigrant,  who  cannot  afford  first  to  come 
over  and  "prospect"  for  himself — just  such  information  as  gentle- 
men from  the  neighboring  States  are  coming  among  us  daily  to 
seek,  preparatory  to  "settling." 

Considering  we  have  no  public  lands  to  offer  to  the  immigrant, 
and  no  encouragement  to  give  save  that  which  is  offered  by  the 
physical  geography  of  the  State  with  the  benignant  bounties  of  na- 
ture and  the  generous  hospitality  of  her  people,  I  shall  despair  of 
rendering  much  service  to  the  cause  of  foreign  immigration,  unless 
the  experienced  farmers  of  the  State  will  second  me  heartily  and 
come  forward  more  readily  to  assist  me  with  their  practical  infor- 
mation, which  they  alone  possess  concerning  climate.  Surely  there 
may  be  one  found  in  each  county  of  the  State  willing  to  contribute 
his  "mite"  in  the  manner  sought,  and  for  a  consummation  so  de- 
voutly to  be  wished. 

As  a  class,  the  emigrants  from  Germany  and  other  parts  of 
Northern  Europe  have  most  solid  men  among  them.  An  average 
of  $500  in  gold  is  quite  as  much  as  each  able-bodied  man  brings 
with  him.  It  is  a  point  of  ambition  with  him,  an  aspiration,  a  day- 
dream, to  become  a  "landed  proprietor."  It  would  not  argue  wis- 
dom to  ignore  this  trait  in  his  character.  Therefore,  taking  one 
part  of  the  State  with  another,  a  farm  of  about  forty  acres  would, 
I  imagine,  be  about  as  much  as  a  young  man  and  wife  with  $500  in 
gold  could  at  first  afford  to  buy,  stock  and  cultivate.     Taxes  are  too 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  195 

heavy  and  money  too  valuable  for  him  to  let  any  of  his  $500  go 
for  lands  that  are  not  required  for  immediate  and  actual  use  and 
cultivation.  Nevertheless,  I  am  told  by  some  of  my  correspondents 
that  no  man,  unless  it  be  at  trucking  or  grape  culture,  can  get  on 
in  Virginia  with  forty  acres ;  that  he  must  have  seventy-five  or 
one  hundred  acres,  and  must  bring  with  him  at  least  $1200  or 
$1500  in  cash.  "  Can't  he  hire  himself  out  till  he  makes  money 
enough  to  buy  ?"  "No,  my  county  has  a  superabundance  of  labor." 

Those  who  talk  in  this  way  are  clever  men ;  their  opinion  is 
entitled  to  weight ;  it  challenges  respect ;  and  I  shall  be  happy  to 
receive  their  replies  to  the  above  quoted  paragraphs  0,  7  and  8, 
with  their  pro  forma  estimate  of  how  and  what  an  immigrant  can 
do  in  their  county  with  his  $1200  or  $1500,  and  seventy-five  or 
one  hundred  acres  of  land. 

I  may  have  been  mistaken  in  the  belief,  but  I  have  the  notion 
that  the  climates  of  Virginia  are  so  benign,  her  Soil  so  kind  and 
generous,  and  nature  within  her  borders  so  bountiful,  that  your 
young  married  man,  even  though  he  should  be  landed  on  our  shores 
from  shipwreck,  and  with  nothing  but  the  clothes  on  his  back,  yet 
betng  well  up  TO  His  business,  industrious,  sober  and  saving, 
could  do  well  in  any  county  in  the  State  ;  and  that,  should  he  be  so 
cast,  he  would,  long  before  he  attains  the  allotted  "  three-score  and 
ten,"  find  himself  possessed  of  a  genteel  sufficiency,  respected  by 
his  neighbors,  and  surrounded  by  troops  of  friends. 

The  object  of  the  work  I  have  in  hand  will  be  just  as  well  sub- 
served if  tho.^e  farmers  who  know  better  how  to  counsel  a  stranger 
than  I  will  furnish  me  with  the  advice  they  would  give  to  the  sup- 
posed immigrant  if  he  were  to  appear  before  them  in  propria  per- 
sona, with  his  $500,  asking  their  advice.  Would  they  advise  him 
and  his  wife  to  hire  themselves  out,  or  rent,  or  "  crop,"  or  work 
on  shares  ? 

Again  thanking  my  Amelia  correspondent  for  his  admirable  "  ab- 
stract," I  refer  to  it  as  a  sample  of  the  information  that  is  required 
from  each  one  of  the  ninety  and  nine  counties  that  are  left  to  the 
State,  to  make  my  work  complete.  M.  F.  Maury. 


Amelia  county,  Va.,  February,  18G9. 
M.  F.  Maury,  Esq.,  Virginia  Military  Institute: 

Dear  Sir, — I  have  received  a  copy  of  the  Circular  Letter  of  In- 
quiry which,  with  the  view  of  obtaining  materials  for  your  second 
Preliminary  Report,  has  been  addressed   to  me.     I  shall  endeavor 


196  THE    SOUTHERN  [April 

to  answer  your  inquiries  candidly,  and  hope  that  my  effort  to  make 
the  replies  intelligible  may  not  lead  to  prolixity. 

The  neighborhood  to  which  my  remarks  will  especially  refer,  is 
situated  in  the  Northwestern  portion  of  the  county  of  Amelia,  eight 
miles  from  the  Courthouse ;  bounded  on  the  north  and  east  by  the 
river  Appomattox,  and  on  the  south  by  the  Richmond  and  Danville 
railroad,  and  36  miles  distant  from  Richmond.  Its  railroad  stations 
are  the  Court  House,  Chula,  and  Matoax,  the  crossing  of  the  rail- 
road over  Appomattox  river,  which  is  navigable  for  batteaux  from 
Farmville  above,  to  Petersburg  below.  From  different  parts  of  the 
neighborhood  the  distance  to  these  stations  is  five,  seven,  eight,  six, 
four,  three  and  two  miles.  Produce  for  the  Richmond  market  is 
also  sent  down  the  Appomattox  to  Matoax  station. 

The  staple  crops  are  those  of  corn,  wheat,  tobacco  and  oats.  The 
latter  is  used  only  for  home  consumption — as  are  fruits  and 
vegetables. 

According  to  the  mode  of  cultivation,  the  yield  per  acre  varies 
from  10  to  40  bushels  of  corn,  5  to  20  of  wheat,  10  to  30  of  oats, 
and  500  to  1500  lbs.  of  tobacco.  The  smaller  figures  will  be  ob- 
tained by  the  scratching  system  of  cultivation  generally  pursued 
without  manure  or  other  fertilizers.  The  larger  are  assumed  as  the 
actual  results  of  comparatively  better  culture,  with  a  semi-liberal 
use  of  phosphatic  manures. 

This  whole  section  of  country  has  been  subjected  to  a  system  of 
tillage  which,  perhaps,  in  a  much  shorter  period  of  time,  would  beg- 
gar Great  Britain.  The  soil,  naturally  of  a  generous  character, 
has  been  in  every  way  imposed  upon,  and  thus  with  a  continued 
draft  upon  it  for  more  than  half  a  century,  during  which  nothing 
has  been  returned  to  it,  it  cannot  now  be  profitably  cultivated  with- 
out the  aid  of  resources  necessary  even  at  the  present  day  to  the 
English  farmer.  It  responds  promptly  to  judicious  and  liberal  ef- 
forts at  improvement,  and  during  its  progress  to  a  high  degree  of 
fertility,  handsomely  remunerates  the  cost.  Highly  manured  and 
highly  cultivated  in  every  respect  as  the  land  of  England  is,  its 
production,  I  believe,  would  not  be  inferior.  Such  culture  would 
require  four  or  five  times  more  capital  than  the  amount  invested  by 
the  original  purchase.     Yet  it  would  pay. 

Peaches,  apples,  pears,  apricots,  grapes,  cherries,  strawberries, 
and  all  the  small  fruits,  with  the  attention  elsewhere  bestowed  upon 
them,  can  be  cultivated  with  facility  and  success;  and  there  is  no 
vegetable  known  in  the  temperate  zone  which  cannot  be  grown  in 
perfection  here. 


1869]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  197 

Of  the  grasses,  clover  seems  to  thrive  best,  and  grows  luxuriantly. 
Herds  grass  (red  top)  also  succeeds  well,  and  upon  the  dry,  flat 
lands,  timothy  yields  bountifully.  In  the  cultivation  of  these  grasses, 
good  tillage  here,  as  elsewhere,  is  essential  to  success. 

The  cultivation  of  tobacco,  to  which  this  county  is  well  adapted, 
is  generally  supposed  elsewhere  to  be  exhaustive  to  the  soil.  It  is 
known  here  not  to  be  directly  so,  in  any  especial  degree ;  and  with 
the  most  successful  farmers,  it  is  the  chief  basis  of  an  improved  sys- 
tem of  agriculture.  It  cannot  be  grown  without  better  tillage  than 
is  ever  thought  of  for  other  crops;  and  the  profit  of  that  tillage  is 
immediate  and  large.  A  neighbor  of  mine,  living  upon  fifty  acres 
of  land,  sold  his  crop  of  tobacco  last  year  for  $1,200.  Another, 
who  cultivated  forty  acres  of  tobacco  upon  highly  improved  land, 
sold  the  product  for  §'J,400.  After  charging  this  one  crop  with  his 
whole  agricultural  cost  for  the  year,  it  yet  left  a  nett  profit  of 
$3,400.  Another,  who  conducted  his  operations  with  four  laborers, 
occasionally  hiring  an  extra  hand  or  two,  sold  his  tobacco  crop  for 
$1,400,  and  having  deviated  from  the  routine  cultivation  of  corn, 
upon  exhausted  land,  only  by  using  a  ton  of  guano  (costing  §90,) 
upon  his  field  of  twenty-five  acres,  made  from  it  650  bushels  of 
corn. 

The  wheat  crop  has  been,  since  the  beginning  of  the  war,  a  pre- 
carious one  throughout  Virginia.  Last  year  it  sadly  failed  here,  as 
elsewhere,  having  been  rusted  by  the  excessive  rains  of  May.  But 
the  year  before,  my  next  neighbor  made  428  bushels  upon  twenty 
acres,  and  I,  500  bushels  upon  twenty-six  acres.  It  sold  at  §2.65 
per  bushel. 

The  highest  yield  of  wheat  per  acre  ever  known  in  the  county 
was  80  bushels  !  It 'has  never  been  since  even  approached  upon  the 
two  acres  which  produced  at  that  rate.  The  possibility  of  a  high 
yield  is  nevertheless  exhibited  by  the  exceptional  example.  Twenty- 
two  bushels  per  acre  is  the  largest  yield  I  have  known  upon  as  large 
a  field  as  100  acres.  Wheat  sells  usually  for  §2.50  per  bushel  of 
60  lbs.;  corn,  for  $1;  oats  for  75  cents;  tobacco  for  §12  per  100 
lbs. 

The  climate  is  temperate,  with  occasional  excesses  in  winter  and 
summer,  for  short  periods,  of  both  extremes.  It  differs  from  that 
of  Pennsylvania  chiefly  in  the  comparative  duration  of  the*  seasons 
— winter  being  shorter,  and  summer  longer.  The  ground  is  rarely 
covered  with  snow  more  than  two  weeks  in  the  aggregate,  and  it  oc- 
casionally happens  that  ice  is  not  thick  enough  during  the  season  to 
be  harvested.     This,  however,  is  not  usual.     Generally,  during  two 


198  THE    SOUTHERN  [April 

or  three  short  periods,  ice  can  he  gotten  three  or  four  inches  thick. 
As  early  as  the  latter  part  of  February,  the  winter  is  generally  so 
broken  as  to  admit  of  the  seeding  of  oats ;  and  by  the  first  part  of 
March,  out-of-door  work  has  made  visible  progress.  Except  where 
rains  render  the  ground  too  wet  for  the  plough,  there  is  subse- 
quently no  interruption  to  its  work  until  near  the  end  of  December. 
This  month — December — is  usually  dry  and  pleasant,  and  during  it 
much  of  the  ploughing  for  the  next  year's  crops  is  generally  accom- 
plished. During  the  whole  year  but  very  few  days  are  lost  to  the 
laborer,  for  the  wet  ones  of  winter  and  spring  are  profitably  devoted 
to  the  house  management  of  his  tobacco. 

The  sun  does  not  shine  upon  a  healthier  land.  Xo  diseases  are 
peculiar  to  it. 

Springs  of  free-stone  water  abound,  and  never-failing  wells  of 
pure  and  delightful  water  can  be  had  in  any  locality  at  an  average 
depth  of  thirty  feet.  Brooks  are  abundant  upon  every  hand.  No 
country  is  better  watered. 

In  its  physical  aspect  the  country  is  invariably  undulating ;  no 
level  surfaces  of  any  extent  being  found  in  it.  The  acclivities  are 
not  _  h  to  interfere  with  cultivation,  nor,  with  proper  pre- 

caotion,  nee  ahing  of  the  soil  occur.    It  presents  an  endless 

variety  of  hill  and  dale,  which,  if  brought  to  a  high  state  of  fertility 
and  cultivation,  would  render  it — with  the  richness  and  variety  of 
its  forest  foliage — a  land  of  great  loveliness.  The  soil  is  a  gray 
loam,  resting  uniformly  upon  a  substratum  of  clay.  Of  the  latter 
our  best  wheat  lands  seem  to  be  entirely  composed.  They  are  of  a 
stubborn  character,  but  capable  of  great  fertility.  The  gray  lands 
are  more  easily  improved,  and  are  especially  suited  to  the  growth  of 
corn,  oats  and  tobacco. 

F  >m  (15  to  (25  per  acre  is  the  usual  price  of  the  h-mestead 
portion  of  an  estate.  This  contains  the  residence,  out-buildings, 
stable^.  &c.,  &e.  Unimproved  land,  without  any  buildings,  usually 
Bells  for  §10  and  §12  per  acre.  The  usual  terms  of  payment  are 
one-third  cash,  and  the  remainder  in  one  and  two  years.  Some- 
I  -  ne-quarter  in  cash  is  accepted,  and  the  remainder  required 
in  one,  two  and  three  years.  The  universal  desire  is  to  sell  a  por- 
tion of  the  landed  estate  to  respectable  white  men,  and  upon  as  lib- 
eral terms  as  the  state  of  indebtedness  will  admit  of. 

A  frame  or  log  cabin  of  the  plainest  kind  can  be  built  for  about 
87o,  Bade  and  temporary  out-buildings.  I  suppose,  for  $30.  A 
horse  can  be  purchased  for  about  §100;  a  cow  and  calf  for  $20;  a 
sow  and  pigs  for 


1869.] 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


199 


Corn  is  planted  in  April  and  May,  the  ploughing  having  been 
previously  done,  and  gathered  in  November.  Preparation  for  sced- 
in or  wheat  begins  "in  August,  and  the  wheat  is  seeded  in  October. 
The  harvest  is  in  June.  Tobacco  is  planted  in  May  and  June,  and 
housed  in  September  and  October.  It  may  be  sent  to  market  be- 
fore Christmas,  but  is  profitably  retained  until  the  ensuing  Spring. 
Put  up  in  "shipping  order  " — a  simple  operation — it  is  usually  sold 
in  May  or  June.  Or  in  "winter  order,*'  it  may  be  sold  in  the  pre- 
vious December  or  January. 

Churches  of  one  denomination  or  another  are  usually  found  in 
every  neighborhood.  In  this  one,  the  Episcopal,  Methodist  and 
Baptist  are  represented.  There  is  also  a  high  classical  school.  A 
post-office  is  within  two  miles  of  its  centre. 

The  forests  are  composed  principally  of  pine,  oak.  hickory,  tulip- 
poplar  and  maple  trees.  When  not  already  pillaged  for  building 
purposes,  they  are  rich  in  building  materials. 

A  settler  in  the  neighborhood  had  best  get  possession  about  the 
first  of  July.  He  can  then  complete  his  buildings  at  a  favorable 
period  of  the  year,  and  sow  a  crop  of  wheat  for  next  year's  reaping. 

*  *  *  *  I  hope  that  this,  together  with  the  account  current, 
which  has  been  earned  out,  may  answer  the  purpose  of  your  in- 
quiries. "With  sentiments  towards  you  of  a  higher  character  than 
mere  respect,  I  am,  sir, 

Your  obd't  serv't, . 

Proforma  Estimate  of  Outlay  and  Receipts  of  a  young  married  man,  establish' 
■i  the  county  of  Amelia,  upon  a  farm  of  fjrly  ucrts,  talk   a   capital  of  >■' 

gold.  ^^ 

FIRST    YEAR. 


Forpureha^p  of  40  acres  laud,  at  $10 per 
acre,  *S^0.)— first  payment,     $1"U  00 
For  building-,  73  00 

For  purchase  of  hirsp  or  mule 
Sl'O  cow  and  calf  $10  sow  and 
pig-  $10,  130  00 

For  purchase  of  ploughs,  hoes, 
spades,  single  trees,  harness, 
fee.,  35  00 

Wagon,  if  single,  75  6U 

Set-  1  wheat  for  10  acres,  at  $2  25, 

10  bush,    . 
Fertilizers  tor  same,  70  00 

Provender  for  h>rse  for  12  months 
70  bu-.  corn,  301  0  weight  oats, 
For  Beed  oat-,  10  bus.  at  02c  , 


BECEIPTS.       AFTKB       DBtHJCTINd      EN 

FOR     DOMESTIC     OSS 

For   160  bushels   corn,  at  80   cenr<  rer 

bu<hti, 
For    80    bushels    wheat,  at  £2  "0 

per  bushel,  200  00 

For  30  bushel*   oats,   at   62s.  per 

bushel.  18  60 

For  o.UOO  lbs,  tobacco,  at  10c.  per 

lb.,  300  00 

For   proceeds    of    garden,     dairy 

aud  poultry  yard,  30  00 


8  00 
6  20 
Hire  of  extra  labor,  horse  aud  man,  60  00 


Total    outlay   first  year,    in  cur- 
rency, $   51   70 


Total  receipts  first   year,  in  cur- 
rency 76  60 


*  Usual  tt-rins  one-quarter  cash,  remainder  in  one,  two  and  three  years. 


2( 


THE   SOUTHERN 


[April 


■■:     YEAR. 


For  ;rcoD  J  payment  on  iaod,       $100  00 
For  cultivati  g  10  acres  corn  : 
Labor  not   estimated — fertiliz- 

For   cultivating   30   acres   -wheat 

and  oats,  manure,  140  00 

For  cultivating  3  acres  tobacco, 
manure. 

For  extra  labor, 

For  five  sheep,  1 


RECEIPTS,      AFTER       DEDt?CTI> (Q      U 
FOR    UOllESIIC    fSE. 

For'  218    tushes    cor::. 

tu^bel,  I    74  40 

For   2  0   bushels  wheat  at  $-'.25 

per  bushel,  150  DO 

For  30  bus.  oats  f.: 

bushel,  18  £0 

For  30  0  lbs.  tobacco  at  10  ceots 

per  lb  ,  300  00 

For  15  lbs.  wool  at  30c.  per  lb  ,  4  50 
For  proceeds  of  orchard,    garden, 

dairy  and  poaltrv  yard.  4  1     0 

For   increase    of  live    stock    and 

pou.  5  (0 


Total  outlaj  second  jear,  (381  Fotal  receipts  for  seconi  ;  |991  50 


TBTBD    TEAR. 


BECEIPTS,  AFTER    BEDrCTXSG  AS    BEFORE. 


For  thirl  paymtrut  on  land,  $100  00     For   218    bushets    whe  r 

Farm  expenses,  extra  labor,  and  bushel, 

fertihiers  300  00     For    218  bushels  corn   a 

For  groceries,    (sugar,    tea    and  perboshel,  174  40 

coffee.)*  F  r  30  bushels  oats  at  §3  cts.  per 

bushel,  18  60 

For  3000  lbs.  tobacco  at  10c.  per 

lb, 
For  30  lbs.  wool  at  COe  per  lb.,         9  00 
For  800  lbs.  bacon- at  10c.  per  lb.,  80  00 
For  proceeds  of  orchard,  girden, 

dairy  and  poultry  yard, 
For   increase   of   life   stock    and 

50  00 


Total  outlay  thir  I 


$4o0  00     Total  receipts  third  year,  $1172 


♦Expenditures  in  these  particulars  are  left  to  the  inclinations  o: 
many  of  our  people,  for  a  year  after  toe  war  period,  dispensed  with  them  entirely. 
.  ra  labor  only  is  estimated  in  the  cos^  of  cultivation. 

The  k  r<osed  to  give  his  own  labor,  and  to  hire  one  man.    As  this  will  be 

a  white  man,  I  have  no  knowledge  of  his  cost  in  food  and  wages. 

N.  B. — The  lands  in  this  neighborhood  are  generally  of  a 
loam,  with  a  clay  substratum.  They  respond  promptly  to  improve- 
ment under  any  encouragement,  and  produce  clover  admirably.  No 
industrious,  economical  farmer,  who  has  enough  to  manure  freely, 
and  cultivate  thoroughly,  has  failed  to  secure  his  independence. 
One  such,  who  occupies  a  farm  of  fifty  acres,  made  from  his  tobacco 
crop  alone  $1200.  His  neighbor,  upon  thin  land,  by  using  a  sma.l 
quantity  of  guano,  made  a  crop  of  650  bushels  of  corn  upon  fcv 
five  acres.  I  made  the  year  before  oOO  bushels  of  wheat  from 
twenty-six  acres,  and  my  next  neighbor  sold  the  growth  of  forty 
acres  of  tobacco  land  for  $   .  - 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND   FARMER.  '201 

If  the  settler  can  take  possession  on  the  first  of  July  in  any  year, 
■with  the  small  additional  capital  required  to  sustain  him  for  six 
months,  and  is  able  to  purchase  two  horses,  with  a  double  wagon, 
his  operations  will  be  greatly  facilitated.  By  beginning  in  July,  he 
can  have  his  buildings  completed  and  a  crop  of  wheat  seeded. 
Wheat  cannot  be  seeded  earlier  than  the  20th  of  September,  or  later 
than  October. 


How  to  Manage  Bones. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Journal  of  Agriculture  gives  the  follow- 
ing as  his  experience  every  year  for  the  past  ten  years,  that  being 
as  often  as  he  could  collect  bones  enough  to  fill  a  tub  : 

With  a  sledge  hammer,  break  the  bones  into  pieces  of  one,  two  or 
three  inches;  take  a  hogshead  tub,  put  in  two  or  three  inches  of  hard 
wood  ashes,  the  same  depth  of  bones,  then  ashes  and  bones  until 
full ;  pound  or  press  solid  as  convenient ;  fill  with  water  or  urine, 
all  chat  it  will  absorb.  If  done  in  the  spring  or  summer,  by  the 
following  spring  it  will  shovel  out  decomposed,  the  bones  being  as 
soft  as  chalk.  Then  add  all  your  hen  manure,  shovel  and  rake 
it  over  once  a  week  for  three  or  four  weeks  before  planting  time  ; 
by  that  time  it  will  be  finely  powdered.  Put  about  equal  to  a 
handful  of  compost  into  a  hill,  for  corn,  potatoes,  squashes,  melons, 
fee,  when  it  will  be  found  to  forward  the  crops  to  a  wonderful 
degree. — Lawrence  Journal. 


Removing  old  Puttt. — Those  who  have  plant  houses,  frames, 
&c,  know  how  difficult  it  is  to  remove  old  putty  from  sashes  without 
injuring  the  sash.  I  have  seen  it  stated  in  some  journal  that  it 
could  be  removed  very  easily  by  applying  a  hot  iron  to  it.  I  tried  the 
experiment  a  few  days  ago  for  the  first  time,  and  was  quite  surprised 
to  find  how  easily  the  most  indurate  old  putty  could  be  cut  out 
after  being  well  warmed  up  by  the  application  of  a  red  hot  iron. 
Try  it. —  Gardeners  Monthly. 


Potatoes  should  always  be  kept  in  the  dark.  Rural  housekeep- 
ers do  not  need  to  be  told  this  but  many  others  who  live  in  towns 
and  cities  should  know  that  potatoes  exposed  to  the  light,  for  a  day 
only,  have  their  flavor  injured,  and  the  longer  exposed  the  worse 
they  are.  Never  use  a  greenish  potato' — American  Agricultu- 
rist. 


202  THE  SOUTHER*  [April 

Report  on  the  Effects  of   Chesapeake  Phosphate. 

Messrs.  Editors, — la  the  February  number  of  the  Planter  and 
F  ■  ■  r  there  is  a  call  upon  farmers  to  give  their  experience  with 
fertilizers.  I  have  had  recently  several  letters  of  inquiry  on  this 
subject,  and  will  answer  them  and  your  correspondent  through  your 
journal. 

I  have  used  Peruvian  guano  upon  tobacco  and  wheat,  and  am 
coufident  it  will  not  remunerate  at  its  present  price.  Upon  wheat 
it  has  only  increased  the  quantity  of  straw  ;  on  tobacco,  while  it  in- 
creased the  quantity,  yet  the  quality  was  inferior,  being  spongy  and 
lacking  oil.   My  land  is  not  permanently  improved  by  the  Peruvian. 

There  is  a  fertilizer  prepared  by  Messrs.  Isaac  Reynolds  &  Sons, 
of  Baltimore,  called  "  Chesapeake  Phosphate,"  which  having  used, 
I  can  recommend  both  as  a  permanent  improver  of  the  soil,  an  1  one 
yielding  a  good  profit  from  the  outlay.  Its  cost  is  $52.50  in  Balti- 
more. On  my  tobacco  I  last  year  applied  200  lbs.  per  acre.  It 
grew  off  rapidly,  stood  the  drought  without  burning  or  firing,  and 
made  me  a  much  better  crop  than  that  upon  which  the  Peruvian 
was  used.  That  on  which  the  latter  was  used  was  badly  burnt  at 
bottom  and  fired  somewhat.  The  permanency  of  this  Phosphate  is 
fully  tested  on  a  piece  of  land  which  was  in  tobacco  last  year,  and 
last  fall  seeded  in  wheat.  Two  hundred  pounds  had  been  sown 
broadcast  on  the  tobacco,  and  at  the  seeding  time  no  fresh  Ph  - 
phate  was  applied  ;  yet  the  wheat  is  vigorous,  and  promises  a  very- 
heavy  yield.  On  my  corn  land  wheat,  the  Phosphate  being  in  places 
irregularly  sown,  the  line  is  distinctly  and  plainly  marked.  It  is  so 
marked  as  to  be  perceptible  from  a  great  distance. 

I  believe  the  Chesapeake  Phosphate  to  contain  every  ingredient 
necessary  for  the  growth  and  maturity  of  a  full  crop  of  tobacco, 
wheat,  corn  and  clover,  and  feel  sure  it  will  permanently  improve 
the  land.  The  reliability  of  the  manufacturers  of  this  Phosphate  i3 
a  sufficient  guarantee  that  there  will  be  no  deterioration  in  quality, 
but  that  it  will  be  kept  up  to  its  present  standard. 

Sterling  E,  Edmunds. 

Birchland,  Halifax.  Va. 


Report  of  Experiment  in  Cultivating  Tobacco. 

Messrs.  Editors. — I  submit  to  your  readers  the  following  experi- 
ment with  half  an  acre  of  land  in  tobacco  : 

On  the  20th  of  March,  1868,  it  was  fallowed  with  the  Watt  dou- 
ble plough  to   the  depth  of  about  ten  inches,  and  followed  with  a 


1?69.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  203 

broad  foot  coulter  with  a  pair  of  strong  horses,  cutting  about  six 
inches  in  the  subsoil,  (or  clay  rather,  it  being  a  piece  of  poor  red 
Stiff  land.)  and  turning  in  at  the  same  time  about  forty  wagon  loads 
of  woods  leaves.  In  a  few  days  after  I  sowed  broadcast  two  bar- 
rels best  lime. 

May  25th. — I  gave  the  whole  a  light  dressing  with  stable  ma- 
nure ;  then  put  in  332  lbs.  Peruvian  guano,  2  sacks  Ground  Alum 
salt,  2  sacks  plaster,  1  bbl.  flour  of  bone,  ploughing  and  cross 
ploughing  thoroughly  with  shovel  ploughs,  then  hilled  up  and 
planted  about  10th  June,  cultivating  in  the  ordinary  way;  but  hill- 
ing up  very  high.     Topped  to  twelve  leaves,  priming  high. 

R  suit: — 1,232  lbs.  of  ripe  superior  shipping  tobacco,  there  being 
only  about  300  lbs.  lugs,  and  they  almost  as  good  as  the  leaf.  I 
shall  pursue  the  same  course  this  year  with  my  whole  crop. 

W  ill  farmers  give  their  experience  with  the  several  kinds  of 
guano  and  fertilizers  in  the  next  number  of  the  Planter  and 
Farmer  ?     This  should  be  done  by  all  means. 

Wm.  M.  Bayley. 

Columbian  Grove  P.  0.,  Lunenburg,  Ya. 


Advice  about  Hogs. 

FROM    CHESTER    COUNTY,    PENNSYLVANIA. 

Messrs.  Editors, — Advice  being  the  cheapest  commodity  I  know 
of  in  this  market,  I  will  send  a  little  to  the  Richmond  market,  and 
if  it  is  of  no  use  when  it  gets  there,  the  consolation  remains  that 
there  is  but  little  capital  lost.  Yiz  :  No  animal  deteriorates  faster 
than  swine.  The  trough  is  a  great  element  in  the  character  of  a 
hog  ;  he  is  amazingly  like  a  dandy.  To  keep  him  in  first  rate  trim, 
he  soon  eats  his  head  off;  yet,  if  he  has  to  hunt  his  food,  even  with 
the  slightest  effort,  he  soon  becomes  too  enterprising  to  be  a  fine 
specimen.  As  soon  as  a  pig  becomes  enterprising,  he  ceases  to  be 
'•  a  Chester  County  White."  Dame  Nature  soon  fits  him  to  this 
new  order  of  things ;  his  nose  lengthens,  the  disposition  to  use  it 
also  increases,  his  legs  grow  longer,  his  sides  flatter,  his  hams  lose 
their  plumpness,  and  in  one  or  two  generations  he  is  a  match  in 
a  race  for  any  ordinary  dog.     At  least  this  is  our  experience. 

If  you  want  to  keep  up  the  breed  of  good  hogs,  keep  no  more 
than  you  can  keep  so  lazy  they  will  not  grunt. 

Yours,  J.  D.  E. 

Chester  coun'y,  Pa. 


204  THE    SOUTHS]  [April 


Mammoth  or  Sapling  Clo\er. 

Li:::      toh,  Va.,  January  8,  1869. 
Mr.  Bolivar  Lbbch  : 

Dear  Sir, — I  ^rite  now  to  get  you  to  favor  us  with  a  statement 
of  the  judgment  you  hare  formed  in  relation  to  the  "  Mammoth  or 
Sapling  Clover. "  You  will  remember  that  in  a  conversation  with 
you  in  regard  to  the  question  underlying  all  successful  agriculture, 
:  the  fertilization  of  the  soil,  you  alluded  to  an  experiment  you 
had  made  in  I860,  I  think,  with  this  clover.  Will  you  give  for  the 
benefit  of  your  brother  farmers,  the  result  of  that  experiment? 
Men  engaged  in  the  vocation  to  which  you  have  turned  your  atten- 
tion fail,  most  egregiously  fail,  in  receiving  and  conferring  the  ben- 
efit that  would  flow  from  more  frequent  discussions  amongst  them- 
selves of  matters  of  interest  in  that  vocation.  It  is  with  a  hope  I 
may  be  the  means  of  arousing  thought  and  stimulating  some  effort 
in  this  line,  that  I  request  this  favor  of  you.  Please  give  us  in  de- 
tail your  observations  and  convictions  in  regard  to  the  above  named 
_.  n — ^rhat  is  its  growth  in  rich  soils ;  whether  or  not  it  attains  to 
the  enormous  height  claimed  for  it ;  is  it  adapted  to  thin  land ; 
what  are  its  virtues  as  a  fertilizer  ?  kc.  Tell  us,  in  fine,  all  you 
have  learned  by  experience  with  this  plant,  as  well  its  objectionable 
is  its  commendable  features.  The  agricultural  mind  is  on  the  alert 
resent,  and  our  people  are  anxious  just  now,  as  perhaps  they 
never  have  been  before,  in  regard  to  new  varieties  of  seeds,  es- 
pecially of  the  grasses,  the  cereals,  &c.  A  single  word  from  a  man 
raised  and  living  among  them,  whom  they  know,  upon  whosv  -  msc 
and  judgment  they  can  rely,  will  weigh  more  with  them  than  a 
whole  volume  from  persons  interested  in  that  species  of  circular 
motion,  so  prevalent  at  the  present  day,  and  known  by  the  verv 
pressive  soubriquet,  axe  grinding.  Please  comply,  and  much  ob  I  _   . 

Tours  truly,  Jacob  Fuller. 


Dear  Si\ — Y  u  ask  me  for  information  respecting  the  "Mam- 
moth "  or  "Sapling  Clover,"  which  I  will  attempt  to  give,  so  far  as 
my  experience  will  justify.  This  clover  is  remarkable,  in  the  first 
place,  for  its  growth — in  rich  soils,  often  attaining  the  mammoth 
height  of  six  and  seven  feet.  I  have  measured  stalks  in  my  field 
seven  feet  long,  but  the  average  would  probably  be  about  three  feet. 
The  stems  are  larger  than  other  varieties,  and  for  this  reason  would 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  205 


be  objected  to  bj  those  who  raise  clover  for  hay.     I  have,  however, 
mowed  a  quantity  of  it  fur   Lav,  and   my  stock  relish  it  and  eat  it 
lily. 

AS    A    FERTILIZER, 

it?  special  value  is  in  the  quantity  of  foliage  it  affords,  rendering  it, 
for  this  purpose,  superior  to  all  other  grasses.  It  is  rather  later 
starting  in  the  spring  than  the  common  clover,  and  requires  a  longer 
time  to  mature;  consequently  but  one  crop  can  be  made  in  a  season 
— whether  a  forage,  or  as  a  seed  crop. 

AS    A    HAY    CROP, 

it  should  be  cut  about  the  time  timothy  ripens — therefore  the  two 
should  be  sown  together  for  hay.  If  for  seed,  and  it  yields  abun- 
dantly, it  should  be  pastured  until  the  first  of  June,  to  avoid  the 
great  bulk  of  foliage,  which  it  would  produce  if  permitted  to  grow 
from  early  spring.  After  the  hay,  or  seed  is  removed,  a  new  growth 
springs  up,  which  affords  excelleut  late  pasture. 

ITS    CHARACTERISTICS. 

It  is  hardy,  stands  drought  better  than  the  other  varieties  of  clo- 
ver, and  will  flourish  vigorously  on  light,  loamy  soils;  indeed,  it  has 
never  failed  to  produce  a  most  luxuriant  crop  on  any  soil  on  which 
I  have  yet  tried  it. 

ANOTHER    ADVANTAGE 

it  possesses  over  the  common  red  clover  is  that  it  does  not  interfere 
with  corn  tillage  and  wheat  harvest.  It  will  stand  very  well  until 
the  grain  is  cut,  and  the  seed  will  not  mature  before  the  middle  or 
latter  part  of  August.  Thus  you  see  that  the  soil  is  thoroughly 
protected  by  a  close  and  heavy  mat  of  rich  vegetable  matter,  from 
the  searching  rays  of  the  July  and  August  suns.  It  appears  to  be 
well  adapted  to  our  soil  and  climate.  Even  on  soils  that  will  not 
pay  for  cropping.  I  have  seen  heavy  swaths  of  hay  cut. 

I  purchased  a  farm  in  1866,  which  had  been  almost  exhausted  by 
constant  cropping,  on  which  I  sowed  the  usual  quantity  of  seed  per 
acre.  The  clover  took  readily.  I  applied  a  half  bushel  of  plaster 
to  the  acre,  and  waited  anxiously  for  the  result,  not  without  appre- 
hension that  ray  labor  and  my  money  had  gone  for  naught.  But 
with  the  gentle  showers  and  genial  warmth  of  Spring  appeared  the 
tender  leaves  of  the  young  clover.  Rapidly  it  grew  up  like  some 
"mammoth"  weed,  and  soon  the  once  barren  hills  "blossomed  like 
the  rose,"  and  I  was  compensated  a  hundred  fold  for  all  the  money 
and  labor  I  had  expended.         Respectfully  yours,  &c., 

Bolivar  Leech. 

Rockbridge,  January  11,  1SG9. —  Virginia  Gazette. 


206  THE    SOUTHERN  [April 

The  Future  Supply  and  Price  of  Pork. 

The  Prairie  Farmer,  after  stating  how  the  hog  crop  has  been  re- 
duced by  the  war  and  other  later,  but  consequent  causes,  goes  on  to 
discuss  the  matter  very  sensibly,  as  will  be  seen.  We  commend  the 
facts  stated  to  careful  consideration. 

Hog  raising,  as  we  shall  attempt  to  show  at  some  future  day, 
ought  to  be  now  a  very  important  branch  of  the  agriculture  of 
Virginia: 

This  state  of  things  continued  for  four  years,  during  which  time 
the  number  of  hogs  became  very  much  reduced,  notwithstanding 
their  almost  unparalleled  fecundity.  At  the  return  of  peace,  a  com- 
bination of  circumstances  served  to  keep  up  the  price  of  pork.  The 
consequence  of  this  was,  farmers  found  the  easiest  way  of  realizing 
money  was  to  fatten  what  hogs  they  had,  and  send  them  forward  to 
market.  Indeed,  the  temptation  to  realize  money  in  this  wav  was 
so  great  that  farmers  reduced  the  number  of  their  stock  ho^s  to  the 
least  possible  number  consistent  with  keeping  enough  to  breed  from  ; 
nor  was  there  always  foresight  in  this  particular.  The  idea  that 
pork  might  not  be  so  high  again,  for  many  years,  induced  many 
farmers  to  sell  the  hogs  that  they  should  have  kept  to  breed  from, 
and  left  them  to  depend  upon  young  and  imperfect  animals  for  an 
increase,  or  caused  them  to  trust  to  luck  to  buy  stock  hogs  to  be 
fattened  on  their,  next  crop  of  corn. 

Nor  is  this,  by  any  means,  the  worst  feature  of  the  case.  "We 
are  told  by  parties,  who  are  conversant  with  affairs  at  the  Stock 
Yards,  that  by  far  the  larger  portion  of  the  sows  that  have  come  in 
during  the  past  few  weeks  are  pregnant.  Some  of  them  are  not 
very  far  advanced,  but  others  of  them  are  near  the  period  of  de- 
livery. A  practice  like  this  is  absolutely  revolting  :  and  we  are 
glad  to  hear  that  a  bill  has  been  introduced  into  the  Legislature  by 
Senator  Dore,  of  this  city,  making  it  an  offence  at  law,  and  provid- 
ing a  suitable  punishment.  It  is  a  disgrace  to  our  civilization  that 
such  a  practice  continues.  The  meat  of  such  hogs  is  no  more  fit 
for  human  food  than  the  carcasses  of  those  swine  into  which  the  le- 
gions of  devils  went. 

We  have  reached  at  length  the  legitimate  result  of  this  proce- 
dure. Notwithstanding  the  almost  unprecedented  high  price  for 
pork  during  the  packing  season  that  has  about  come  to  an  end,  the 
hog  crop  in  the  West  has  fallen  short  of  former  years  fully  half  a 
million.  The  truth  is,  the  country  is  literally  drained  of  hogs.  In 
those  parts  of  the  South  where  hogs  were  once  so  abundant;  there 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  207 

is  now  very  great  scarcity,  notwithstanding  the  hog  can  live  and  do 
well  there,  when  left  to  pick  up  his  food  during  the  entire  year. 
The  war  left  few  of  these  immense  droves,  and  most  of  these  few, 
the  farmers  who  were  without  the  means  to  buy  meat  from  abroad, 
were  obliged  to  slaughter  for  immediate  consumption.  We  saw, 
early  last  spring,  two  hundred  thousand  pounds  of  pork  landed 
from  the  steamer  we  were  on,  at  one  town  on  the  White  river,  in 
Arkansas.  And  here  would  seem  to  be  the  natural  home  of  the 
hog — genial  skies,  abundant  water,  plenty  of  grass  and  cane-break, 
wild  fruit  and  nuts  of  every  description,  and  a  soil  that  requires  but 
to  be  tickled  with  a  hoe,  to  produce  an  abundant  harvest  of  corn, 
and  other  hog-fattening  material.  Indeed,  we  were  told  by  a  farmer 
here,  that  he  found  after  a  four  years'  absence  from  a  deserted 
plantation,  quite  a  number  of  hogs  that  had  "survived  the  shock  of 
war,"  and  had  lived  all  this  time  in  the  secluded  cane-break  at  some 
distance  from  the  usual  routes  of  travel. 

In  view  of  these  facts,  we  think  it  requires  no  prophet  to  foretell 
that  the  high  price  of  pork  is  to  continue  for  several  years  longer 
at  least.  There  is  nothing  that  will  check  our  foreign  demand, 
while  a  very  large  amount  will  be  required  to  supply  the  South. 
Great  quantities,  too,  will  be  needed  for  the  miners  and  railroad 
workers  in  the  distant  West. 

It  is  true  that  hogs  will  multiply  very  fast  when  the  circum- 
stances for  breeding  are  favorable.  To  breed  good,  thrifty  animals, 
and  to  produce  and  raise  large  litters,  we  require  old  stock — sows 
three  to  five  years  old  are  the  best  for  the  purpose.  Unfortunately, 
we  have  few  of  these  excellent  breeding  sows  in  the  country;  they 
have  been  fattened  and  sent  to  market  to  secure  the  high  prices 
which  large  hogs  have  lately  commanded.  We  are  left  with  only 
young,  and  consequently  somewhat  inferior  stock  to  breed  from. 
We  cannot  expect  from  them  either  so  large  litters,  or  pigs  of  so 
good  quality  as  we  could  obtain  from  older  animals. 

Now  it  is  obviously  for  the  interest  of  farmers  to  devote  more  care 
and  attention  to  the  breeding  of  pigs  during  the  next  season.  There 
is  too  little  attention  paid  by  farmers  to  this  matter.  A  sow  at  pig- 
ging time,  is  often  left  without  sufficient  care,  and  the  consequence 
is,  the  entire  litter  is  lost.  The  farmer  often  seems  to  regard  this 
as  quite  an  unimportant  matter,  as  he  thinks  it  will  require  but  a 
few  months'  time  to  raise  another  litter.  Every  farmer  should  also 
save  a  sufficient  number  of  his  best  breeding  sows  every  fall,  even 
if  the  price  of  pork  is  higher  than  it  promises  to  be  the  succeeding 
year.     He  should,  in  short,  devote  all  the  care  to  feeding  hogs  that 


208  THE   SOUTHERN  [April 

he  now  gives  to  breeding  horses  and  horned  cattle.  A  little  of  the 
zeal  which  poultry  fanciers  are  showing  just  now,  would  do  much 
to  bring  up  the  quality  and  number  of  hogs  in  the  West.  The  hog 
crop  has  long  been  our  most  important  crop  in  many  localities,  and 
we  cannot  afford  to  lose  our  ancient  prestige  in  this  respect. 


Management  of  Breeding  Sows. 

The  following  directions  are  from  the  circular  of  a  successful 
breeder,  John  Haight,  Napierville,  111. : 

A  sow  should  never  have  pigs  before  she  is  a  year  old.  It  is  better 
if  she  is  eighteen  months  old.  If  allowed  to  breed  before  she  is 
a  year  old,  she  will  have  but  few  pigs  and  but  little  milk  for  them. 
An  old  sow,  like  an  old  cow,  will  give  more  milk  than  a  young  one. 
Hence  it  is  that  an  old  sow  will  have  larger  and  better  pigs  than  a 
young  one,  because  they  get  a  bouuteous  supply  of  that  which  is 
most  natural  to  them  to  wit,  the  milk  of  their  dam.  As  soon 
as  it  is  ascertained,  that  a  sow  is  in  pig,  which  will  be  known 
between  the  19th  and  23nd  days  after  taking  the  boar,  she  should 
be  fed  lightly,  and  allowed  to  have  plenty  of  exercise.  She  should 
run  to  grass  and  the  ground.  A  sow  will  run  four  months,  less  nine 
or  ten  days,  from  the  time  she  takes  the  boar  to  her  time  of  litter- 
ing. Sows  will  vary  a  little.  Old  sows  will  run  longer  than  young 
ones,  and  some  breeds  will  run  longer  than  others,  but  they  will  not 
in  any  instance  vary  a  week.  A  sow  should  be  put  upon  a  floor 
in  a  dry  and  warm  place  to  litter,  with  a  very  little  cut  straw  or 
hay  for  a  bed.  A  railing  or  board  should  be  fixed  against  the  sides 
of  her  pen  around  her  nest  about  eight  inches  above  the  floor,  and 
it  should  be  jut  out  from  the  sides  of  the  pen  from  eight  to  ten 
inches.  When  a  sow  lies  down,  if  a  pig  or  two  happens  to  be  under 
her,  they  will  generally  slide  out  and  get  crushed  between  the  sow 
and  the  sides  of  the  pen.  If  this  railing  is  fixed  about  the  nest, 
the  sow's  back,  in  lying  down,  will  strike  it  and  the  pig  or  pigs  in 
sliding  from  under  her,  instead  of  getting  crushed  between  the  sow 
and  the  sides  of  the  pen,  will  escape  injury  by  sliding  under  the 
railing. 

A  sow  should  be  shut  up  three  or  four  days  before  her  time  to 
have  pigs,  and  fed  on  milk,  and  wheat  or  rye  bran  and  midlings 
made  into  a  thin  slop,  to  bring  her  to  her  milk.  If  a  sow  has  plenty 
of  milk  when  she  Jitters,  her  pigs  will  not  be  likely  to  get  killed, 
because  they  will   get  all   they  want  and  lie    down  in   a  pile    and 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  209 

Bleep,  whereas  if  the  sow  is  scant  of  milk  the  pigs  will  be  hungry 
and  will  be  scattered  around  her,  constantly  working  at  her,  and  are 
therefore  quite  likely  to  get  killed.  She  should  be  kept  up  until 
her  pigs  can  run  smartly,  say  ten  days  or  two  weeks,  but  not  longer. 
If  confined  too  long  and  fed  on  strong  feed,  to  wit  :  dry  corn  or 
meal,  she  will  become  ravenous  and  eat  her  pigs.  They  are  not  so 
likely  to  become  so  on  slop  feed.  While  closely  confined  they 
should  be  supplied  with  a  plenty  of  fresh  dirt  daily.  To  counter- 
act the  effects  of  oleaginous  food  something  of  an  alkaline  or  vege- 
table nature  must  be  given  them.  A  sow  should  always  run  to 
grass  and  the  ground  a  week  or  two  before  having  pigs.  Grass 
will  affect  the  milk  of  a  sow  the  same  as  it  will  that  of  a  cow,  in- 
crease the  quantity,  and  lessen  its  strength,  which  is  very  essen- 
tial when  the  pigs  are  quite  young.  A  sjw  should  never  be  allowed 
to  have  pigs  before  April  in  the  Spring,  nor  after  October  in  the 
Fall,  because  cold  weather  is  very  injurious  to  young  pigs. 


A  Novel  Method  of  Catching  Mice. — A  correspondent  of  the 
'•Journal  of  Fharmacy"  says:  "Having  on  several  occasions 
noticed  mice  in  our  seed  barrels,  I  bethought  be  of  some  method 
how  I  might  trap  the  little  intruders,  they  having  gained  an  entrance 
by  eating  through  the  chime.  To  kill  them  with  a  stick  was  im- 
practicable, as  the  little  fellows  would  invariably  escape 
as  soon  as  the  lid  was  raised  to  any  height.  1  then  thought 
of  saturating  a  piece  of  cotton  with  chloroform  and  throwing  it  in, 
then  closing  the  lid.  On  raising  it  again  in  a  few  minutes,  I  would 
find  that  life  had  almost  or  quite  departed.  Having  on  one  occasion 
left  the  piece  of  cotton  in  the  barrel,  on  again  returning,  I  found 
three  mice  with  their  heads  in  close  contact  with  it,  and  dead.  In 
the  evening  I  saturated  another  piece,  and  placed  it  in  the  barrel, 
and  on  opening  it  the  next  morning  to  my  surprise  I  found  nine 
dead  31 ice." 


A  Cement  "Withstanding  Heat  and  Moisture  Both. — Simply 
pure  white  lead,  or  zinc-white,  ground  in  oil  and  used  very  thick 
is  an  excellent  cement  for  mending  broken  crockery-ware  :  but  take 
a  very  long  time  to  harden  sufficiently.  The  best  plan  is  to  place 
the  mended  object  in  some  store-room,  and  not  to  look  after  it  for 
several  weeks  or  even  months.  After  that  time  it  will  be  found  ao 
firmly  united  that,  if  ever  again  broken,  it  wjll  not  part  on  the  line 
of  the  former  fracture. 
vol.  in — 14 


210  THE  SOUTHERN  [April 

Arithmetic  in  Farming. 

The  Register  of  Rural  affairs  says  :  "  A  free  use  of  the  multi- 
plication table  would  enable  farmers  to  act  with  more  precision 
in  many  operations  now  conducted  entirely  by  guesswork.  We 
have  frequent  inquiries  for  example,  as  to  the  certain  amount  of 
special  manures  to  be  applied  per  acre  for  different  crops;  but  the 
use  being  new,  the  application  is  made  without  any  guide  as  to 
quantity,  and  too  much  is  used  in  one  case,  and  too  little  in  another. 
One  man  injures  his  crop  and  wastes  the  material  by  overdosing  ; 
another  uses  too  little,  and  does  not  witness  any  sensible  effect.  A 
little  figuring  would  obviate  these  difficulties,  and  enable  the  farmer 
to  calculate  accurately  beforehand  just  how  much  to  apply.  Sup- 
pose, for  instance,  that  he  proposes  to  use  superphosphate  at  the 
rate  of  500  pounds  per  acre  in  his  turnip  drills.  Instead  of 
trying  at  random,  and  coming  out  wrong,  as  he  will  be  sure  to  do, 
let  him  bring  his  work  down  to  figures,  in  the  following  manner: 
His  drills,  we  will  suppose,  are  28  inches  apart,  amounting  to  1120 
rods  in  length  on  each  acre,  or  at  the  rate  of  about  seven  ounces 
per  rod.  Or,  to  be  more  accurate,  as  well  as  take  a  more  conven- 
ient length,  the  fertilizer  should  be  strewed  along  the  furrow  at  the 
rate  of  one  ounce  to  two  feet  and  two  inches  in  length.  Weigh  out 
a  small  quantity  in  one  ounce  portions,  and  practice  it  a  few  min- 
utes by  strewing  it  along  a  furrow  so  that  each  ounce  shall  reach  a 
measured  length  of  two  feet  and  two  inches.  A  little  practice  will 
enable  the  operator  to  apply  the  fertilizers  so  that  he  can  distribute 
the  required  quantity  over  the  acre  or  field  with  much  accuracy. 
If  he  wishes  to  use  only  half  this  quantity,  or  two  hundred  and  fifty 
pDunds  per  acre,  strew  it  so  that  an  ounce  shall  extend  four  feet  and 
four  inches,  and  he  will  accomplish  the  desired  purpose. 

If  a  fertilizer  be  applied  in  hills,  as  in  a  corn  field,  a  similar  mode 
of  calculation  may  be  readily  adopted.  Hills  three  feet  and  a  half 
apart  each  way  will  be  at  the  rate  of  about  5500  per  acre,  requiring 
about  two  ounces  per  hill,  or  if  five  hundred  pounds  of  the  fertilizer 
are  used,  one  ounce  for  250  pounds. 

In  sowing  by  hand  at  the  rate  of  a  bushel  or  100  pounds  per  acre, 
the  operator  should  only  take  the  tenth  of  a  pound  for  each  handful, 
for  if  he  covers  a  space  five  by  ten  feet  at  each  throw,  it  will  take 
nearly  one  thousand  to  go  over  the  acre,  as  a  little  figuring  will 
prove. 

The  same  mode  may  be  used  to  determine  the  amount  of  grass 
seed  for  each  handful  in  sowing  broadcast.     Each  throw  will  cover, 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  211 

as  before,  from  6ve  to  ten  feet,  and  whatever  quantity  is  used  for 
an  acre  should  therefore  be  divided  up  into  about  a  thousand 
parts.  A  peck  of  clover  seed,  for  example,  weighs  fifteen  pounds, 
and  to  cover  an  acre  each  handful  should  be  little  less  than  the  fourth 
of  an  ounce.  The  previous  use  of  a  pair  of  scales  for  weighing  off 
a  few  of  these  portions  would  enable  the  operator  to  hit  at  once, 
with  considerable  acuracy,  the  right  qnantity,  instead  of  being  com- 
pelled to  make  random  guesses  for  days  or  even  years,  before  acquir- 
ing proper  experience. 

It  is  often  regarded  as  an  indication  of  shrewd  guessing  when  the 
farmer  brings  his  domestic  animals  through  the  winter  on  the  exact 
supply  of  fodder  which  he  has  stored  away  for  this  purpose.  Some, 
times  he  may  find  towards  spring  that  he  has  many  tons  of  surplus, 
and  perhaps,  more  frequently,  that  he  has  to  purchase  a  considera- 
ble amount  in  order  to  "piece  out"  the  winter  supply. — Measuring, 
weighing  and  calculating;,  the  work  of  a  few  minutes,  will  obviate 
much  of  this  uncertainty.  The  farmer  who  frequently  weighs  a 
load  of  hay  acquires  sufficient  experience  in  estimating,  to  determine 
very  nearly,  from  a  record  of  the  size  and  number  of  the  loads 
which  he  draws  into  the  barn,  the  whole  amount  which  he  has  on 
hand  for  winter.  If  he  has  neglected  to  do  this,  he  may  hit  the 
amount  nearly  as  well  by  measuring  his  bays  and  allowing  an  ave- 
rage of  500  cubic  feet  per  ton  of  timothy,  600  feet  if  part  clover,  or 
700  feet  if  all  clover.  He  will  thus  be  able  to  learn,  very  nearly, 
how  much  hay  he  has  on  hand.  The  next  question  is  to  know  how 
much  his  animals  will  eat.  If  he  has  provided  good  racks,  to  pre- 
vent treading  hay  under  foot  and  has  given  them  fair  shelter,  he  may 
adopt  the  following  rule  with  a  good  deal  of  certainty  :  Determine 
the  weight  of  his  animals,  and  allow  three  per  cent,  of  the  weight 
of  his  horses  for  their  daily  food  in  hay,  and  two  and  a  half  per 
cent,  for  cattle.  Multiply  this  daily  allowance  by  the  whole  number 
of  animals,  and  again  by  the  number  of  days  which  he  expects  to 
give  them  dry  food,  and  then  compare  it  with  the  quantity  on  hand, 
and  he  may  strike  the  balance,  one  way  or  the  other,  with  consid- 
erable accuracy. 

Every  farmer  should  have  a  tape  line,  or  other  means  for  meas- 
uring his  fields.  If  he  has  had  much  experience  in  pacing,  he  may 
make  temporary  measurements  with  some  degree  of  accuracy,  but  he 
should  correct  such  rough  work  with  the  tape  line.  A  curd  or 
garden  line  will  do  tolerably  well  to  measure  with,  provided  its 
length  is  frequently  corrected  by  the  use  of  an  accurate  ten  foot 
pole,  and  taking  care  that  it  is  not  shortened   afterwards  by  drag- 


212  THE    SOUTHERN  [April 

ging  through  wet  grass,  or  lengthened  by  stretching,  or  by  expos- 
ing to  a  hot  sun  on  a  dusty  surface.  Pieces  of  red  37arn  may  be  sown 
through  it  to  mark  rods  and  feet.  Every  field  should  be  measured,  so 
that  the  owner  may  know  the  number  of  acres,  and  a  record  should 
also  be  made  of  its  length  and  breadth  that  the  amount  of  land 
ploughed  in  a  dny  m;iy  be  readily  reckoned,  and  the  contents  of  each 
"land"  definitely  known.  Among  other  advantages,  this  accuracy 
will  enable  the  owner  to  determine  easily  acreage  products  under 
different  modes  of  management,  ani  to  acquire  a  great  deal  of  val- 
uable information  in  a  few  years  as  to  the  most  profitable  way 
of  raising  heavy  crops. 

C.  S.  A. 


Earth  as  a  Disinfectant. 


Porous  earth  acts  on  putrifying  animal  and  decaying  vegetable 
matters  on  the  same  principle  as  that  on  which  the  purifying  pow- 
ers of  the  charcoal  depend.  On  account  of  their  greater  porosity 
and  absorbing  properties,  wood  and  peat,  charcoal  are  superior  to 
earth  as  disinfectants.  However,  dry  earth  is  a  very  good  absorber 
and  destroyer  of  foul  smells;  and  as  it  can  be  had  anywhere  at  lit- 
tle cost,  it  deserves  to  be  used  extensively,  especially  in  the  coun- 
try, for  preventing  nuisance  and  loss  in  fertilizing  constituents, 
which  is  caused  by  the  careless  mode  in  which  human  excreta  are 
usually  disposed  of.  Earth  impregnated  therewith,  like  charcoal^ 
has  the  power  of  purifying  itself  on  exposure  to  the  air;  so  that 
earth  may  be  used  over  and  over  again,  for  the  disinfecting  of  hu- 
man excreta.  It  is,  indeed,  Worthy  of  special  notice  that  a  mixture 
of  earth  with  night-soil,  after  having  been  kept  for  some  time  under 
a  shed,  confined  at  one  or  more  sides,  and  covered  by  a  roof  to  ex- 
clude rain,  and  become  dry,  has  its  original  disinfecting  powers 
almost  completely  restored,  and  may  be  used  again  for  absorbing 
and  retaining  the  manuring  elements  of  a  fresh  quantity  of  night- 
soil.  Earth  in  this  way  may  be  used  three  or  four  times  over  for 
the  disinfection  of  human  excreta,  and  at  the  same  time  becomes  a 
valuable  vehicle  for  absorbing  and  concentrating  all  the  fertilizing 
constituents  which  enter  into  the  composition  of  liquid  and  solid 
excreta.  Human  urine  contains  ninety-one  to  ninety-four  per  cent, 
of  water,  and  foeees  not  less  than  eighty  to  eighty-five  ]  cr  cent.; 
hence  the  practical  difficulty  of  converting  them  into  a  dry  and 
portable  manure.  Simple  evaporation  or  artificial  drying  is  imprac- 
ticable ;  because  in  the  first  place,  it  creates  an  intolerable  nui- 


1869]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  213 


sance  ;  ami  secondly,  because  it  is  attended  with  the  decomposition 
and  loss  of  the  nitrogenous  and  most  valuable  manuring  consti- 
tuents. These  practical  difficulties,  which  are  experienced  in  the 
conversion  of  night-soil  into  a  portable  manure,  may  be  completely 
obviated*  at  all  events  in  the  country,  by  the  free  use  of  dry  earth 
in  the  closets.  If  a  sufficient  quantity  of  earth  is  employed  to  ab- 
sorb completely  the  mixture  of  the  excreta,  the  contents  of  the 
closets  can  be  removed  periodically,  say  once,  a  month,  in  the  day- 
time, with  little  or  no  inconvenience.  They  should  be  wheeled  at 
once  under  a  roofed  shed,  and  spread  out  as  much  as  the  space  ad- 
mits, and  left  exposed  to  the  drying  influence  of  the  air.  Accord- 
ing to  the  state  of  the  weather,  the  mixture  of  night-soil  and  earth 
will  become  sufficiently  dry  in  two  or  three  months,  when  it  may  be 
used  again  in  the  closet  like  fresh  soil,  and  the  same  process  be  re- 
peated three  or  four  times.  During  the  drying  in  the  shed  no  ap- 
preciable amount  of  fertilizing  matter  is  lost,  and  as  the  earth'  after 
each  removal  from  the  closets  becomes  charged  with  an  additional 
quantity  of  manuring  matter,  a  very  useful  manure  is  finally  pro- 
duced with  little  trouble  and  at  a  mere  trifling  expense.  In  country 
places,  where  proper  drainage  is  not  provided,  the  nuisance  of  open 
closets  may  be  best  avoided  by  the  use  of  the  arrangements  adopted 
in  the  so-called  earth  closets. —  Voelcker  on  Disinfectants. 


Rolling  Wheat. 

Alternate  thawings  and  freezings  is  very  destructive  to  wheat — 
especially  is  this  the  case  in  the  late  winter  months.  The  ground 
"spews."  The  roots  of  the  wheat  plant  are  left  exposed  to  the 
influence  of  the  air,  without  the  protection  of  the  earth.  The 
ground  assumes  a  honey  comb  appearance;  and  a  small  crop  or 
total  failure  is  the  consequence,  unless  it  receives  attention. 

The  best  treatment  consists  in  rolling  the  land.  Some  of  the 
roots  will  be  destroyed  even  by  this  process,  but  the  earth  will  be 
left  compact,  the  roots  imbedded  in  the  soil,  and  a  portion  if  not  all  of 
the  crop  saved.     We  have  seen  this  tried  and  know  whereof  we  speak. 

The  present  winter  appears  to  be  very  unusually  hard  on  wheat. 
An  immense  area  of  land  has  been  sown,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  no 
small  consequence  to  the  farmer  to  protect  his  crop.  Frequent 
rains  and  hard  freezing  have  thus  far  (Jan.  4,)  operated  somewhat 
injuriously.  In  some  localities  in  this  State,  the  wheat  is  already 
greatly  injured.  Objections  have  been  made  against  rolling  wheat, 
that  the  team  would  destroy  too  much  by  tramping  it  in  the  ground; 


214  THE  SOUTHERN  [April 

that  the  ground  might  again  "spew,"  and  the  time  and  labor  be  lost. 
These  objections  cannot  be  fairly  set  up  against  a  prospect  of  sav- 
ing so  valuable  a  crop,  by  simply  rolling  the  land. —  Colmans 
Mural  World. 


Value  of  Lands. 

The  effect  of  the  events  of  the  last  eight  years  upon  the  value 
of  lands,  is  curious  and  interesting.  The  increase  in  New  Eng- 
land is  scarcely  enough  to  counterbalance  the  influence  of  the  ap- 
preciation of  gold  over  currency.  The  West  is  increasing  in  value. 
Little  Delaware,  since  slavery  has  gone  by  the  board,  has  taken  a 
big  jump  in  land  value;  not  but  that  land  is  low  now,  but  it  was 
very  low  in  1860. 

Coming  to  the  "  seceded  States,"  prices  tumble.  Virginia  feels 
a  reduction  of  27  per  cent.;  while  West  Virginia  puts  on  airs  to  the 
extent  of  32  per  cent,  advance.  Going  South,  we  find  Louisiana, 
"with  levees  broken  down,  and  plantations  ravaged,  loses  70  per 
cent.   Study  the  table,  which  gives  internal  evidence  of  correctness: 

oXiX17.a  Increase    Decrease 

alA,t^-  percent,    percent. 

Maine 19  — 

New  Hampshire 17  — 

Vemi"t)t 'i, 17  — 

Massachu-etts 17  — 

Rhode  I-lnud 18  — 

Connecticut 20  — 

New   York  28  — 

New    Ursey  30  — 

Pennsylvania. 25  — 

Belawme  ..  0^  — 

Maryland  20  — 

Virginia  —  27 

Noith  Carolina —  50 

Soui I)  Carolina —  60 

Georgia —  55 

Florida —  55 

Alabama —  60 

Mississippi —  Hii 

Louisim*  —  70 

Texas... —  28 

Aikansas —  55 

Teuncssee  —  18 

West  Virginia 32  — 

Kentucky 10  — 

Missouri  32  — 

Illinois 42  — 

Indiana 27  — 

Ohio  32  — 

Michigan  70  — 

Wisconsin ' 50  — 

Minnesota ..  1<i0  — 

Iowa 75  — 

Kansas  15)  — 

Nenra-k* 175  — 

— Prairie  Farmer. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  2155 


Do  You  Want  to  Buy  Sheep? 

If  any  explanation  is  needed  for  the  publication  of  a  letter  which  speaks  in 
6uch  flattering  terms  of  us— the  co-editor  of  the  Planter— we  say  frankly  thai 
it  has  caused  us  no  little  pleasure.  The  articles  our  correspondent  speaks  of 
•were  laboriously  prepared  with  an  anxious  desire  to  do  something  for  the  wel- 
fare of  Virginia  and  under  a  conviction  which  has  grown  stronger  and  stronger^ 
every  day  that  stock  husbandry  is  more  needed  than  any  other  branch  of 
Agricultural  industry  to  bring  up  the  lee  way  we  have  lost  not  only  during, 
but  since  the  war.  We  c  mfess  to  a  feeling  of  m  irtifieation  at  seeing  these 
articles  fall,  almost  still  born,  from  the  press  which  caused  us  not to abruptly  dis- 
continue, u  a  yankee  would  write  it,  but  to  discontinue  abruptly  the  series  of 
essays  we  had  roughly  mapped  out  as  the  complement  of  the  whole  subject. 
When  not  one  convert  appeared,  we  felt  that  there  was  no  encouragemeno  to 
preach  longer. 

But  we  have  other*  less  egotistical  reasons  for  the  publication  of  this  letter. 
We  wish  to  provoke  discussion  on  this  subject  by  the  farmers  of  Virginia,  and 
then  provoke  an  interest  which  it  has  heretofore  been  difficult  to  excite.  And 
we  wish  to  exhibit  the  nucleous  of  a  company  which  may  c  -mbine  to  get  sheep 
and  make  a  start.     We  shall  recur  to  the  subject  at  an  early  day. 

Berry  Hill,  Mecklenburg  Co.,  Virginia,  near  Townsville 

P.  O.,  North  Carolina,  March  6,  13G9. 

F.  Cr.  Ruffin,  Esq. — My  dear  sir :  Please  pardon  the  liberty,  I, 
a  perfect  stranger  to  you,  take  in  addressing  you.  I  have  read  and 
re-read,  with  great  pleasure  and  interest,  your  valuable  article 
"What  shall  we  do  ?"  on  the  sheep  question,  published  in  the  Far- 
mer and  Planter.  1"  have  also,  on  your  recommendation,  bought 
Mr.  Randall's  "Practical  Shepherd,"  and  have  been  repaid  for  its 
cost  and  perusal.  I  do  not  wish  to  flatter,  but  I  take  several  Form- 
ing Journals,  and  in  my  humble  opinion  your  article  contains  more 
of  value  to  the  Virginia  Farmer  and  Planter,  that  all  I  have  under- 
took to  read  since  the  close  of  the  war.  I  ought  rather  to  say, 
since  the  surrender,  for  the  war  is  still  kept  up  by  Messrs.  Sumner, 
Wilson  cc  Co.,  who  get  mad  and  stay  mad  when  the  fighting  is  over. 
I  wish  to  profit  by  your  advice.  In  your  articles  on  sheep  you 
kindly  said  that  when  parties  got  ready,  you  thought  you  could 
undertake  to  find  a  suitable  agent  to  buy  sheep,  if  they  would  give 
you  timely  notice.  I  have  been  trying  to  get  some  neighbors  to 
join  me.  They  will  neither  study  the  question,  its  advantages,  or 
consent  to  go  into  it.  I  must  go  into  it  by  myself,  but  I  hope 
will  be  able  to  get  others  to  join  in  for  a  sufficient  number  to 
reduce  the  expenses  of  getting  them. 

I  shall  want  300  ewes  to  start  with.   What  sort  ?  I  assume  any  sort  of 


216  THE  SOUTHERN  [April 

healthy  sheep,  rather  than  none.  My  wish  is  to  get  a  high  or  good 
grade  healthy  Merino.  I  want  to  go  principally  for  wool,  and 
also  to  combine  meat.  I  do  not  believe  there  are  more  than  one- 
fourth  of  the  sheep  in  this  section,  compared  with  the  number  before 
the  war  ;  the  Planters  having  the  idea,  that  they  injure  the  land 
by  grazing  too  closely.  I  too  fell  into  the  error,  and  have  only 
been  recently  enlightened  on  the  subject.  I  prefer  Merino  because 
they  herd  better  in  large  numbers,  require  less  care,  and  good 
workers,  and  everywhere  better  adapted  to  a  large  plantation  such 
as  mine  is,  and  where  it  is  somewhat  remote  from  market,  but 
•whether  low  or  high  grade,  can  be  rapidly  brought  up  by  pure 
blooded  Merino  Rams.  Your  suggestion  that  these  be  crossed  with 
the  South  Down,  according  to  Mr.  Randall,  would  not  be  good  policy. 
Page  124,  he  says,  "all  crosses  with  the  different  Down  families,  have 
uniformly  proved  failures,"  &c,  "the  crosses  between  the  Merino  and 
Down,"  says  Mr.  Randall,  on  page  125,  "  increase  and  improve 
the  fleece  of  the  latter,  but  it  is  held  to  detract  from  the  value  of  the 
mutton;"  in  short,  Mr.  Randall  giving  excellent  reasons  therefor, 
concludes,  that  all  crosses  of  the  Merino,  with  the  foregoing  bree  Is, 
render  the  flesh,  neither  one  thing  or  the  other,  "unimprovable 
breeds,"  "and  unmanageable  material  aiming  at  middle  results."  So 
I  shall,  if  I  cannot  get  high  or  good  grade  Merino,  get  the  coarse 
•wool  sheep,  and  aim  to  merge  it  into  a  high  bred  Merino  and 
aim  at  the  high  result  of  woo:,  to  the  low  result  of  meat.  I  do  not 
know  at  what  time  you  would  propose  to  send  after  these  sheep,  but 
it  will  suit  me  and  I  should  prefer  to  buy  them  after  they  are 
sheared,  and  do  not  care  to  get  them  before  August  or  September 
next.  Before  the  surrender  I  worked  some  45  to  50  hands  and 
have  worked  since  30  to  45.  I  am  in  a  region  where  Tobacco  is  the 
principal  staple.  Satisfied  that  this  crop  does  not  and  will  not  pay, 
I  must  turn  my  attention  to  something  else.  What  shall  I  do?  is 
answered  by  you.  I  have  800  acres  of  high  land  cleared,  and  some 
820  Roanoke  low  grounds.  My  idea  is  to  give  up  the  never  ceasing 
anxious  and  laborious  Tobacco  crop,  to  divide  my  highlands  into  four 
shifts,  for  rhe  most  part  already  set  in  clover,  to  have  one  in  corn, 
two  in  wheat  and  oats,  and  two  in  clover  and  other  grasses,  com- 
bined with  sheep  raising,  which  will  enable  me  to  work  my  plantation 
with  about  one  third  the  hands  I  now  have  to  employ.  I  certainly 
shall  improve  the  ertdity  of  my  lands  and  at  least  do  as  well  as  I 
have  hitherto  done.  I  thank  \ou  again  for  your  valuable  articles. 
I  know  your  time  is  much  engaged,  and  while  throwing  out  some 
reflections  on  the  sheep  subject  and  others,  I  do  not  wish  to  encroach 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  217' 

on  your  time,  further  than  to  beg  the  favor  of  you  to  inform  me, 
whether  you  propose  to  send  to  Ohio,  or  elsewhere,  for  sheep  for 
Others,  and  when?  Any  information  or  advice  you  can  give  me, 
on  the  subject,  will  be  thankfully  read  and  highly  appreciated.  I 
■will  provide  of  course  in  due  time  to  furnish  my  portion  of  the  cost 
for  the  sheep  I  want  &c,  &c.  With  great  respect,  I  remain,  dear  sir, 
Yours,  most  truly,  E.  A.  Rawlinus. 


A  Home  Made  Fertilizer. 

Mr.  Editor, — Just  before  the  beginning  of  the  war,  while  I  was 
farming  on  a  small  scale,  I  tested  a  combination  of  fertilizers, 
which  gave  most  satisfactory  results.  The  application  was  made  to 
a  corn  crop  in  two  consecutive  years.  During  the  second  year  it 
was  also  applied  to  a  clover  lot,  with  far  greater  benefit,  than  re- 
sulted from  a  mixture  of  ashes  and  plaster  alone,  applied  on  a  por- 
tion of  the  same  lot  and  in  equal  quantity. 

The  ingredients  were  ground  bones,  (raw  bone  phosphate),  plaster, 
ashes  and  salt  in  the  following  proportions: 

Finely  ground  Bones,  200  lbs. 

Ground  Plaster,      t  100    do 

Leached  Ashes,  350    do* 

Common  Salt  50    do 


Total  700  lbs. 

This  mixture  was  applied  to  two  acres,  and  dropped  in  the  hill 
with  the  corn. 

This  compost  contains  not  only  all  the  mineral  substances  de- 
manded by  an  ordinary  grain  crop,  but  the  "i00  lbs  of  bone  dust  con- 
tains at  least  50  lb3.  of  organic  material,  which  by  its  decay  in  the 
soil  yields  ammonia  or  some  form  of  nitrogenized  matter  favorable  to 
the  rapid  growth  of  the  crop. 

Let  us  now  examine  into  the  cost.  The  ashes  may  generally  be 
collected  on  farms,  and  sheltered  until  wanted  for  use,  at  the  cost 
of  a  little  care  and  labor;  or  about  towns,  where  wood  is  used  for 
fuel,  at  a  trifling  cost  in  money.  The  other  ingredients  would  cost 
in  Richmond  : 

200  lbs.  Ground  Bones,  5  50 

100  do         do       Plaster,  50 

50  do     Salt  (inferior),  50 


Total         $6  5) 


*  Oi'  unleashed  ashes  halt  ihe  quantity  wuuld  be  sulfioient. 


218  THE   SOUTHERN  [April 

Or  at  the  rate  of  less  than  $20  per  ton,  leaving  out  the  cost  of 
the  ashes. 

On  very  light  soils,  the  addition  of  100  lbs.  of  Peruvian  Guano  to 
the  above  compost,  would  doubtless  improve  it.  The  quantity 
would  then  be  sufficient  for  two  acres  and  a  half.  But  even  with 
this  addition,  the  cost  would  still  fall  far  below  that  of  many  fertil- 
izers now  in  use,  and  which  contain  less  variety,  and  a  smaller 
proportion  of  real  plant  food. 

This  preparation,  if  slightly  moistened  and  then  sifted,  could  be 
very  conveniently  applied  to  corn  by  means  of  the  Guano  attach- 
ment of  any  good  corn-planter;  or  dropped  in  the  hill  by  hand 
without  sifting.  In  either  case,  however,  the  ingredients  should  all 
be  spread  upon  a  floor,  and  if  very  dry,  should  be  moistened 
and   then  thoroughly   mixed. 

I  think  any  farmer  who  will  make  a  trial  of  this  combination  of 
fertilizers  will  have  no  cause  to  regret  it.  And  he  can  certainly 
save  the  heavy  profits  laid  upon  most  of  our  manipulated  manures, 
and  the  high  charges  usually  added  for  their  preparation. 

Yours,  very  respectfully. 

J.  L.  Campbell. 

Washington  College,  March,  1809. 


Diseases  of  Horses  and  Cattle. 

3fessrs.  Editors, — I  was  much  gratified  in  reading  in  your  Febru- 
ary number  a  communication  from  J.  R.  Freeman,  veterinary  surgeon 
on  the  diseases  of  horses  and  cattle.  My  gratification  was  owing 
chiefly  to  the  suggestion  of  the  whole  subject  as  an  interesting  en- 
quiry upon  matters  most  important  to  the  agricultural  prosperity  of 
our  country.  I  hope  that  much  intelligent  discussion  may  arise, 
and  much  information  of  a  reliable  character  may  be  the  result. 
No  man  having  any  sympathy  for  the  noble  animals  upon  which  our 
agricultural  success  so  much  depends,  can  be  insensible  to  the  cruel 
expedients  to  which  they  have  been  subjected  by  the  ignorance  of 
those  who  have  set  themselves  up  as  the  infallible  healers  of  their 
diseases.  No  one  can  be  insensible  to  the  ridiculous  absurdity  of 
the  many  prescriptions  made  for  a  sick  horse  at  a  public  gathering 
where  the  crowd  assembles  to  look  on  the  suffering  animal.  Specifics 
as  numerous  as  the  presenters,  many  utterly  incompatible,  some 
wholly  destructive  to  animal  life  ;  and  all  of  them  generally  without 
a  knowledge  of  the  disease,  are  uttered  with  the  greatest  confidence, 


18G9.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  219 

and  often  given  by  the  anxious  owners  until  death  usually  relieves 
the  noble  animal  from  his  disease  and  doctors.  The  fact  that  the 
horse  bears  p  iia  with  great  patience,  is  often  subjecv.  to  the  insidi- 
ous apnroaciies  of  disease  without  the  knowledge  of  the  groom  or 
owner,  and  manifests  its  presence  only  when  the  fatal  mischief  is  done, 
a°  well  as  the  similarity  of  symptoms  of  pain  in  most  of  the  mala- 
dies which  assail  his  digestive  system,  accounts  for  many  of  the 
errors  of  practice  which  have  been  committed.  Hence  there  is  no 
branch  of  learning  which  more  needs  intelligent  pursuit;  no  class 
of  men,  who  could  confer  a  more  lasting  benefit  upon  agriculture 
than  properly  instructed  veterinary  surgeons,  who  would  by  well  con- 
sidered essays  enlighten  the  public  mind.  I  know  of  scarcely  one 
reliable  work  on  the  disease  of  cattle  and  horses  ;  although  much  has 
been  well  \vri:ten  about  them  ;  I  have  in  vain  sought  amongst  them, 
(and  I  have  examined  those  in  the  highest  favor  with  much  labor  and 
interest,)  for  anything  to  remove  the  obscurity  which  seems  to  in- 
vest the  subjects  of  which  they  treat.  Conflict  of  opinion,  both  as 
to  diseases  and  remedies,  contrariety  in  the  detail  of  symptoms  and 
causes  of  maladies,  and  as  a  general  obscurity  as  to  the  whole  mat- 
ter under  consideration,  seems  to  characterize  most  of  what  has 
been  written. 

It  is  for  this  reason  that,  in  the  absence  of  veterinary  surgeons 
in  the  rural  districts,  the  agricultural  public  would  so  gladly  have 
an  enlightened  and  simple  work  embracing  the  subjects  alluded  to. 
By  way  of  illustration,  take  the  Bots  as  a  disease  of  horses. 

Your  correspondent,  Mr.  Freeman,  denies  that  horses  are  ever 
the  victims  of  those  worms.  The  mass  of  testimony  of  other  wri- 
ters would  seem  to  establish  the  contrary  conclusion.  Indeed,  nine- 
tenths  of  the  writers  and  owners  of  horses  consider  grubbs  as  one  of 
the  most  formidable  diseases  to  which  the  animal  is  liable.  Now  I 
concur  with  him,  that  if  ever,  it  must  be  very  rarely,  they  are  the 
immediate  cause  of  death  in  the  horse.  Like  worms  in  the  human 
subject,  they  may,  when  the  system  is  greatly  enfeebled  by  some 
other  disease,  aggravate  the  symptoms  and  hurry  the  catastrophe. 
They  should  then  be  assailed  by  remedies,  so  as  to  relieve  the  ani- 
mal of  the  exhaustion  which  is  produced  by  the  consumption  of  the 
means  of  nutrition.  They  are  parasites,  and  a  feeble  animal  can- 
not spare  from  the  supplies  of  nutriment  which  they  abstract.  A 
post  mortem  examination  has  never  satisfied  me  that  they  alone 
could  have  produced  the  death  of  the  animal.  The  lesions  of  the 
stomach  are  readily  accounted  for  by  the  action  of  the  gastric  juice 
upon  the  organ  after  death.     However  this  may  be,  the  horse  in- 


220  THE  SOUTHERN  [April 

stinctively  dreads  the  fly  that  deposits  the  egg  on  his  limbs.  Noth- 
ing increases  his  impatience  more  than  the  presence  of  the  nit  fly. 
This  instinct  may  be  the  teaching  of  nature  that  this  is  his  enemy; 
and  as  instinct  is  an  infallible  teacher,  something  may  be  learned 
from  this  fact.  These  suggestions  are  made  to  elicit  information. 
I  have  no  fixed  opinions  except  those  founded  upon  personal  obser- 
vation. I  know  that  blind  tusks  or  wolfs  tettli  do  produce  blind- 
ness, and  I  have  seen  a  weak  eye  after  one  was  lost  restored  by 
drawing  them.  I  have  relieved  the  shrinking  uf  the  muscle  on  the 
shoulder  blade  by  frequent  seatons  over  the  part.  I  have  been  able 
to  account  fur  the  so-called  Sweeny  by  an  injury,  to  ray  horse  from 
leaping  over  a  fence  upon  a  rocky  surface,  followed  by  lameness  in 
two  days,  and  the  shrinking  of  the  muscle,  as  well  as  its  restoration 
by  seatons.  I  have  seen  cattle  frequently  restored  to  health  by 
boring  the  horn,  and  this  when  the  animal  was  fat,  and  to  all  ap- 
pearance healthy  before  Now  whether  this  state  of  the  horn  was 
the  disease  or  the  symptom,  I  will  not  decide  ;  but  this  I  do  know, 
that  both  disease  and  symptom  yielded  to  the  treatment  of  boring 
the  horn,  and  pouring  in  vinegar,  salt  and  water.  The  horn  was 
hollow;  caries  of  the  bone  was  apparent,  and  the  effluvia  exceed- 
ingly offensive.  Some  of  these  cattle  afterwards  killed  for  beeves, 
showed  the  re-formation  of  bone  in  the  horn  in  progress. 

I  have  a  very  lively  recollection  of  Dr.  Minor's  paper  on  this 
subject,  January,  1852,  and  all  of  my  observations  since  that  time 
have  but  confirmed  the  accuracy  of  his  observation.  I  hope  that 
Mr.  Freeman  and  others  will  continue  to  write  for  your  journal. 
Let  us  have  light,  and  like  the  professors  of  the  healing  art,  or 
men,  come  to  the  rescue.  Oar  horses  and  cattle  constitute  an  in- 
valuable element  of  our  agricultural  success  and  independence.  The 
detail  of  intelligent  experience  of  all  classes  of  our  country  would 
do  more  for  our  prosperity  as  a  people  than  all  the  exhaustless  giv- 
ings  out  of  the  tribe  of  politicians,  whose  name  is  legion. 

A.  W.  Yenaele. 

Brownsville,  Granville,  N.  C,  February  26,  1809. 

N.  B. — From  the  descriptions  given  of  the  Texas  disease  in  the 
cattle  of  the  Northwestern  States,  I  apprehend  that  it  is  the  mur- 
rain known  in  ''North  Carolina,"  as  our  legislative  enactments  for 
more  than  a  century  indicate. 


Heady-money  payments  are  the  best  promoters  of  frugality. 
Friendship  is  the  most  sacred  of  moral  bonds. 


18G0.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  221 


TRiMMrNG  Lamps. — Some  always  use  a  pair  of  shears  to  trim 
lamp  wicks.  I  never  do.  A  better  way,  one  which  [  in  variably 
practice,  is  to  pinch  or  wipe  off  the  black  crust  with  a  piece  of 
paper;  you  may  keep  a  cloth  for  the  purpose,  if  you  wish. 

You  will  find  that  the  flame  will  be  perfect  in  shape,  and  exactly 
in  the  centre  of  the  lamp  chimney,  and  also  that  the  wick  will  last 
twice  or  three  times  as  long. — Quite  a  desideratum  in  the  country, 
where  I  have  known  it  to  be  necessary  to  harness  the  h>rse  and 
drive  to  town  for  lamp  wicks — American  Agriculturist. 


Frauds  in  Fertilizers. 

PROPOSED    LAW    OF     MASSACHUSETTS    TO    PREVENT. 

We  are  indebted  to  Hon.  Marshall  P.  Wilder,  of  Massachusetts,  for 
fie  following  copy  of  a  Bill  to  prevent  frauds  in  fertilizers.  The 
Bill  is  a  step,  but  a  very,  very,  very  short  one,  in  the  right  direc- 
tion. The  first  section  is  very  well.  But  the  penalty  imposed  in 
section  2,  is  ridiculously  small. 

In  misdemeanors  the  reward  to  the  informer  is  always  proportion- 
ed to  the  magnitude  of  the  offence  and  the  difficulty  and  cost  of 
detection  and  proof;  But  in  the  casein  hand  the  farmer  who  must 
prove  tiie  fraud  can  only  do  so  by  a  chemical  analysis,  which,  to  be 
worth  anything,  will  cost  more  than  the  fine  by  at  least  double. — 
Then  tlr.s  may  be  met  by  a  counter  analysis,  possibly  a  bought  one, 
ami  then  the  lawyers  wdl  bother  the  jury  and  take  up  a  good  deal 
more  than  ten  or  twenty  dollars  worth  of  their  time;  for  your  Fer- 
tilizer-rogue cannot  afford  to  have  his  brand  injured  by  an  adverse, 
but  will  employ  able  counsel  to  establish  it  by  a  favorable  verdict. 

In  the  case  of  false  weights  and  measures  we  think  the  law  is 
more  severe  than  in  this  Bill  of  the  Massachusetts  Legislature, 
though  the  evil  they  seek  to  prevent  is  one  of  very  considerable 
magnitude  and  very  difficult  to  detect. 

We  wish  the  Legislature  had  seen  fit  to  prescribe  a  penalty  more 
in  accordance  with  the  principles  we  have  suggested.  As  it  is,  we 
see  nothing  to  prevent  a  shrewd  manipulator  from  buying  a  prose- 
cution in  order  to  gain  the  eclat  and  publicity  of  a  verdict.  A  man 
could  well  afford  to  pay  two  or  three  hundred  dollars  to  a  confederate 
to  dispute  the  genuineness  of  a  genuine  sample. 

It  might  have  been  well,  too,  to  have  required  that  proper  chem- 
ical   terms  should    be  used  in  a   descriptive    analysis.     Who   ever 


222  THE  SOUTHERN  [April 

heard,  for  instance,  of  bone  sulpliate  of  lime  as  a  correct  chemical 
term. 

COMMOMWEALTH    OF    MASSACHUSETTS. 

In  Senate,  February  19,  1869. 
The    Committee  on  Agriculture,  to  whom  was  recommitted  the 
Bill  to  prevent  adulteration  of  commercial  fertilizers,  have  consider- 
ed the  same  and  report  the  Bill  in  a  new  draft. 
Per  order  of  the  Committee, 

Daniel  Needhan,  Chairman. 


In  the  Year  One  Thousand  Eight  Hundred  and  Sixty-Nine. 

AN    ACT 

To  prevent  the  sale  of  Adulterated  Commercial  Fertilizers. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Jteprestntatives,  in 
General  Court  assembled,  and  by  the  authority  of  the  same  as  fol- 
lows : — 

Sect.  1.  Commercial  fertilizers  sold  or  kept  for  sale  in  this 
Commonwealth  shall  have  affixed  to  every  bag,  barrel  or  parcel 
thereof  a  printed  label,  which  shall  specify  the  name  of  the  manu- 
facturer or  seller,  his  place  of  business,  and  the  constituent  parts  of 
said  fertilizer,  together  with  a  statement  of  the  percentage  which 
each  constituent  part  bears  to  the  whole  mass. 

Sect.  2.  Whoever  sells  or  keeps  for  sale  commercial  fertilizers 
not  labelled  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  first  section  of 
this  act,  or  who  shall  affix  thereto  labels  not  truly  specifying  the 
constituent  parts  of  the  fertilizers,  shall  be  punished  by  a  fine  of 
ten  dollars  for  the  first,  and  twenty  dollars  for  the  second  and  each 
subsequent  offence. 


Prof.  Mallet's  Lecture. 


We  have  been  fortunate  enough  to  procure  from  Prof.  Mallet,  of 
the  University  of  Virginia,  an  abstract  of  his  recent  lecture  before 
the  farmers  of  Albemarle  on  "The  General  Principles  involved  iu 
the  use  of  Manures."  We  feel  assured  that  many  readers  of  the 
Enquirer  will  thank  us  for  laying  before  them  this  instructive  and 
valuable  address. 

Col.  J.  W.  Mallet,  was  elected  last  year  Professor  of  Applied 
Chemistry  and  Agricultural  Science  in  the   University,  to  accept 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  223 


which  place  he  resigned  a  Professorship  in  the  University  of  Louis- 
iana. He  is  an  Englishman  by  birth,  but  married  in  Alabama  prior 
to  the  war,  and  served  in  the  war  on  the  staff  of  the  lamented 
Rhodes. 

We  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  the  University  has  made  a 
rare  acquisition  in  adding  Colonel  Mallet  to  its  list  of  Professors. 
A  comparatively  young  man,  he  at  once  made  a  profound  impres- 
sion at  the  University  by  his  extensive  and  thorough  scientific 
attainments,  as  well  as  by  his  decided  talent.  He  has  probably 
had  no  superior  at  the  University,  dating  from  the  beginning. 

As  a  lecturer  he  is  singularly  clear  and  forcible;  and  as  a  mem- 
ber of  society  a  most    delightful  and  polished  gentleman. 

We  make  these  remarks  partly  because  we  wish  to  call  the  spe- 
cial attention  of  the  farmers  of  the  State  to  this  new  school  at  the 
University,  inaugurated  under  such  auspicious  circumstances  at  this 
peculiar  juncture  in  our  agricultural  affairs.  The  school  is  devoted 
to  Chemistry  in  all  of  its  applications  to  the  Useful  Arts,  but  more 
particularly  as  connected  with  Agriculture.  It  is  going  to  be  one 
of  the  most  interesting  and  popular  schools  at  the  University— for 
apart  from  its  special  interest  to  us  at  this  time,  Prof.  Mallett  is 
bound  to  attract  students. — Country  Enq. 


ABSTRACT  OF  A  LECTURE  DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE  FARMERS  OF  ALBE- 
MARLE COUNTY,  MARCH  1ST,  1869. 

Having  been  introduced  by  Col.  Jefferson  Randolph  to  the  au- 
dience, the  speaker  commenced  by  acknowledging  the  compliment 
implied  in  the  invitation  to  address  the  intelligent  farmers  of  Albe- 
marle, and  announced  as  his  subject  "the  general  principles  involved 
in  the  use  of  manures. 

Alluding  to  the  great  antiquity  of  the  practice  of  manuring  in 
some  form— the  use  of  manure  by  Chinese  and  ancient  Roman  hus- 
bandmen, &c.,— it  was  noticed  that  only  within  the  last  thirty 
years  or  thereabouts  have  any  thing  like  clearly  understood  prin- 
ciples been  brought  to  bear  upon  this  important  subject. 

We  know  now  however  that  manures  may  be  employed  with  sev- 
eral different  effects  in  view  and  of  these  effects  themselves,  we  have 
begun  to  form  some  definite  notions. 

In  the  first  place,  manure  may  serve  as  direct  food  to  the  grow- 
ing plant.  The  principal  chemical  constituents  of  the  food  neces- 
sary to  build  up  the  truly  vegetable  part  of  the  plant— that  part 
which  we  can  dissipate  by  burning  it— are  carbonic  acid,  water,  and 
ammonia  (and  nitric  acid) ;  and  these  are  mainly  derived  from  the 


£24  THE  SOUTHERN  [April 

atmo-phere — hence  may  be  called  atmospheric  food.  The  chief 
constituents  of  the  food  which  forms  the  mineral  part  of  the  plant — 
that  winch  remains  as  ash  after  burning — are  potash,  soda,  lirne, 
magnesia, oxide  of  iron,  phosphoric  acid,  sulphuric  acid,  silki*  acid, 
end  chlorine.  These  are  derived  from  the  soil,  and  may  be  distin- 
guished as  mineral  food. 

Different  plants  demand  generally  similar  supplies  of  atmospheric 
food,  but  draw  upon  the  soil  for  different  supplies  of  mineral  food — 
peculiar  to  each  plant  as  to  quantity  and  kind.  One  kind  of  crop 
requires  a  larger  amount  of  mineral  matter  than  another,  one  selects 
a  larger  proportion  of  phosphoric  aci  1.  another  of  lime,  another  of 
potash,  and  so  on.  On  the  other  hand,  the  supply  of  atmospheric 
food  is  practicality  unlimited,  the  air  being  found  to  have  the  same 
composition  everywhere,  and  being  constantly  in  motion  from  place 
to  place  ;  but  the  soil  differs  much  in  different  places  as  to  the  q  ian- 
tity  and  proportion  which  it  contains  of  those  mineral  substances 
useful  as  food  for  plants.  Although  the  quantity  of  mineral  food 
reqnired  by  a  plant  is  much  smaller  than  that  of  atmospheric  food, 
the  former  (in  proper  kind  and  quantity)  is  essential  to  healthy 
growth.  It  is  extremely  important  that  every  one  of  the  mineral 
substances  needed  by  a  given  crop  shall  be  present  in  the  soil :  ab- 
sence or  insufficient  supply  of  one  renders  the  excess  of  the  re- 
mainder useless.  If  land  be  deficient  in  or  exhausted  of  any  one  or 
more  of  the  mineral  substances  needed  by  a  particular  crop,  the  de- 
ficiency may  be  supplied  by  proper  "  manure." 

In  choosing  the  proper  kind  of  manure,  we  are  guided  to  a  large 
extent  by  the  results  of  analysis  of  the  ash  of  the  plants  to  be  cul- 
tivated, the  aim  being  to  at  least  put  back  upon  the  field  in  manure 
what  we  remove  in  the  crop.  The  following  table  gives  some  ave- 
rage results  of  analyses  of  the  ash  of  important  cultivated  plants: 

Wheat.   IuJiaa  Cora.  ToV>  II \j. 

Potash ' 33  43  31  49 

Sola 6  1  o                  5 

Lime  9  11  43  17 

Magne-U 11  12  11                    7 

Phosph-ris  »cid 35  23  5  16 

Sulphuiic  aci  l 6  5  5                   7 

100  100  10.»  10J 

Silicic  acid  and  chlorine  being  omitted  from  the  table,  and  the 
•whole  plant,  (root,  stem  leaves,  &c.,)  considered  together.  As, 
however,  these  plants  differ  from  each  other  in  the  tot-il  amount 
of  ashes  left,  on  burning  a  given  weight,  and  as  differents  parts  of 
the  respective   plants   only   are   removed   from  the  field,  and  as  the 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  225 

total  weight  of  the  crop  raised  upon  a  given  surface  of  land  varies 
in  each  case,  the  following  table  possesses  more  practical  interest 
for  the  farmer,  showing  as  it  does  the  quantity  (in  pounds)  of  each 
mineral  substance  actually  carried  off  from  an  acre  of  land  by  a 
single  crop  of  each  of  the  kinds  named — only  that  part  of  the  plant 
commonly  removed  from  the  land  being  taken  into  account; 

Wheat,  Indian  Corn,  Tobacco,  Hay, 

10  bash.  25  bushels  10O0  lbs  1  ton. 

Potash  3.3                4.9  54.1  34  2 

Soda „ .4                  .3  7  3  94 

Lime .4                   .5  73.1  15  4 

Magnesia 1.3                 2.7  20.7  6  6 

Phosphoric  Acid 5.0                  8.2  7.1  8  2 

Sulphuric  Acid .i                  .1  7.7  6  8 

10.6  16.7  170.0     80.6 

Several  other  considerations  than  these  are  to  be  borne  in  mind — 
as  the  original  deficiency  of  the  soil  in  any  important  mineral  sub- 
stance, the  various  depths  to  which  the  roots  of  different  plants 
penetrate  (giving  them  greater  or  less  masses  of  soil  to  draw  upon 
for  sustenance),  the  compact  or  scattered  distribution  of  the  single 
plants  over  the  surface  of  the  ground  (giving  each  a  more  or  less 
abundant  share  of  the  total  supply  of  food  in  the  soil),  &c. 

It  would  seem  most  important  to  consider  also  the  chemical  com- 
position of  the  soil  itself,  or  rather  of  that  part  soluble  in  water 
(which  alone  can  be  taken  up  by  the  roots  of  plants).  But  there  are 
some  great  difficulties  in  the  way  of  such  accurate  soil  analysis — not 
the  least  consisting  in  the  fact  that  it  is  impossible  within  any  prac- 
tical limits  of  time  to  separate  the  soluble  from  the  insoluble 
part  of  a  soil  by  washing  with  water;  water  continues  for  almost 
an  indefinite  time  to  dissolve  out  some  mineral  matter,  although  the 
quantity  extracted  becomes  continually  less.  This  arises  from  the 
operation  of  a  very  wonderful  property  of  soils — discovered  only 
about  ten  years  ago — that  of  removing  certain  mineral  substances 
from  solution  in  water,  when  such  solution  is  filtered  through  the 
soil  or  shaken  up  with  it,  and  temporarily  fixing  them  in  a  differ- 
ently soluble  condition,  so  that  pure  water  subsequently  filtered 
through  the  same  portion  of  soil  dissolves  out  the  (usually  soluble) 
mineral  substances  quite  slowly  and  gradually.  This  property  was 
illustrated  by  some  experiments  made  during  the  lecture. 

Several  other  considerations — as  that  of  the  geological  origin  of 
the  soil — may  be  of  use  in  deciding  upon  its  wants  in  the  shape  of 
mineral  mannre. 

The  various  sources  of  supply  of  the  chemical  ingredients  needed 
in  the  composition  of  mineral  manures  were  next  examined  and 
vol.  iii — 15 


226  THE    SOUTHERN  [April 

very  special  attention  was  drawn  to  the  magnificent  stores  of 
potash  which  have  within  a  few  years  become  available  in  North- 
ern Germany,  where  a  mine  exists,  penetrating  at  the  depth  of 
800  feet,  strata  rich  in  salts  of  potash,  and  themselves  160  feet  in 
thickness,  overlying  a  deposit  of  rock  salt  of  more  than  750  feet 
in  thickness.  Specimens  of  compounds  of  potash  from  the  locality  in 
question,  Strassfurt,  in  Prussian  Saxony  were  exhibited,  and  the 
highly  advantageous  results  which  have  been  obtained  by  using 
these  materials  as  ingredients  of  manure  were  stated.  The  impor- 
tance of  this  increase  in  our  supply  of  potash  for  the  culture  of 
various  Virginia  crops,  but  especially  of  Tobacco,  hay  and  clover, 
potatoes  and  grape-vines,  was  alluded  to. 

The  lecturer  cautioned  his  hearers,  however,  against  the  error  of 
holding  up  potash  as  a  "panacea"  for  all  deficiencies — these  new 
potash  manures  being  only  remarkable  as  furnishing  us  a  much  more 
abundant  supply  of  what  had  long  ago  been  known  to  be  valuable, 
though  too  costly  for  very  general  use,  and  which  is  to  be  set  down  as 
one  only  of  the  most  important  forms  of  mineral  food  for  plants. 

The  well  ascertained  effects  of  wood  ashes,  also  containing  pot- 
ash, but  in  a  much  less  concentrated  form,  were  recalled,  and  an 
illustration  of  the  value  of  tln3  alkali  was  given  bv  mentioning  the 
effects  produced  upon  land  about  Ivy  depot,  in  Albemarle  county, 
by  spreading  it  upon  a  crumbling  rock,  locally  known  as  "calico 
rock,"  in  which  analysis  by  the  lecturer  had  recently  detected  68- 
lOOths  of  one  per  cent,  of  potash,  or  nearly  seven  pounds  in  one 
thousand. 

The  proper  mechanical  preparation  of  mineral  manures  was  next 
treated  of,  the  great  importance  being  shown  of  grinding  to  fine 
powder  and  mixing  very  intimately  and  uniformly.  Very  uniform 
distribution  over  the  land  was  also  strongly  insisted  on  as  necessary 
to  avoid  the  wasteful  and  useless  expenditure  of  manure  in  one  part 
of  the  field  while  another  fails  to  receive  its  share. 

The  discussion  of  the  second  class  of  manures  was  then  taken  up — 
those  which  are  usually  called  "stimulant  manures,"  of  which  am- 
monia is  the  representative. — The  action  of  ammonia  in  manure  was 
explained  as  a  special  case  of  "high  feeding," 'of  the  plants  with  this 
source  of  nitrogen  in  the  form  of  aqueous  solution  taken  up  by  the 
roots,  instead  of  trusting  merely  to  the  very  gradual  supply  of  the 
same  substance  from  the  air.  The  various  available  sources  of 
ammonia  were  enumerated. — The  reported  approaching  exhaustion 
of  the  deposits  of  Peruvian  guano  (mainly  reliable  on  account  of 
the  ammonia  contained,)   was  alluded  to,  and   farmers  were  urged 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  227 

to  provide  for  the  really  efficient  saving  of  this  material  in  the  form 
of  stable  manure,  by  the  use  of  hard  surfaces  for  stock  to  stand 
upon  in  cattle-pens  and  stable-yards,  (so  that  liquid  manure  may 
not  soak  away,)  the  arrangements  of  sheds  to  cover  manure  heaps 
and  protect  them  from  washing  by  rain,  and  the  regular  use  of 
plaster  (gypsum)  in  admixture  with  the  decomposing  manure,  for 
the  purpose  of  chemically  preventing  the  evaporation  of  the  ammo- 
nia. The  fact  was  stated  that  the  solidand  liquid  manure  from  a 
single  cow  for  one  year  represents  an  amount  of  ammonia  (if  fully 
saved)  equal  to  that  of  750  pounds  of  best  Peruvian  guano. 

Other  "  stimulant  manures"  were  spoken  of  as  nitrate  of  soda 
(Chili  saltpetre)  from  South  America,  &c,  and  the  abuse  which 
may  be  made  of  manures  of  this  class,  .was  explained,  showing  how, 
by  pushing  on  the  plant  to  excessive  developement  of  vegetable  tis- 
sue, it  may  be  forced  to  exhaust  the  soil  of  mineral  matter,  (unless 
this  be  returned  in  the  shape  of  mineral  manure,)  sooner  than  would 
be  the  case  without  the  use  of  manure  of  the  ammoniacal  class. 

Brief  allusion  was  made  to  other  classes  of  manures,  as  that 
which  may  be  called  "digestive,"  of  which  common  salt  is  the 
representative  and  that  which  may  be  said  to  exert  a  "medciinal" 
action  upon  the  soil — illustrated  by  him  in  its  effect  upon  a  soil  con- 
taining protoxide  of  iron,  but  time  did  not  permit  a  full  discussion  of 
those. 

In  concluding,  the  point  was  made  that  our  knowledge  in  this 
direction  already  acquired  is  valuable,  but  greatly  needs  to  be  ex- 
tended by  further  observation  and  experiment.  Practical  farmers 
were  urged  to  aid  in  the  progress  of  science  by  really  accurate  re- 
cords of  the  results  of  their  work,  and  especially  of  any  new  exper- 
iments made  by  them  with  manures,  determining  carefully  the 
weight  and  cost  of  the  material  used,  and  the  weight,  quality  and 
gain  (if  any)  in  money  value  of  the  crop  obtained. 


Marshall,  Mich.,  boasts  of  several  manufacturing  establish- 
ments. A  manufactory  of  steel  springs,  employing  20  to  25  hands, 
has  lately  been  established  there.  The  Novelty  works  turned  out 
about  20  tons  of  ploughs  and  plough  castings  during  the  past  year.  A 
foundry  produces  monthly,  seven  to  ten  tons  of  iron,  and  2000 
to  3000  pounds  of  brass  castings.  There  are  also  in  the  town,  a 
car  factory,  an  axe  and  edge  tool  factory  and  a  paper  mill  for  the 
manufacture  of  straw  board. 


228  THE   SOUTHERN  [April 


iklitul'tal  Department. 


JOHN  M.  ALLAN, Editor. 

The  State  Horticultural  Society. 

Elsewhere  we  publish  a  list  of  the  Standing  Committees  of  this  Society. 
These  have  entered  actively  upon  the  discharge  of  their  important  duties,  with 
a  determination  to  leave  nothing  undone  that  may  ensure  a  large  and  attrac- 
tive exhibition  next  November.  The  gentlemen  composing  these  various  com- 
mittees are  all  thoroughly  conversant  with  their  respective  subjects,  and  if  our 
horticulturists  will  but  heartily  sus.tain  and  co-operate  with  them,  there  is  no 
possible  doubt  of  a  successful  result.  Let  every  one  feel  that  he  and  she  has  a 
p-rsooal  as  well  as  a  general  interest  in  the  prosperity  of  this  most  inr. 
Society,  and  let  each  one  resolve  to  be  represented  at  the  exhibit!  :n  by  some- 
thing of  their  own  production.  If  it  be  but  one  head  of  cabbage,  a  single  ap- 
ple, or  a  truss  of  verbena,  send  it.  It  is  the  littles  that  make  the  large  aggre- 
gate, and  we  would  always  prefer  seeing  one  hundred  apples,  cabbages  or 
plants  from  as  many  different  contributors,  to  the  same  quantity  sent  in  by  a 
f?w  indiviiuals.  L?t  none  be  deterred  from  exhibiting  by  the  fear  that  s:me 
one  else  will  excel  them;  every  good  thing  should  be  shown,  even  though 
it  may  not  be  the  very  best  of  its  kind.  Strive  after  excellence  in  culture,  and 
show  the  results  of  that  striving,  though  they  should  not  be  as  good  as  had 
been  desired. 

Especially  would  we  urge  upon  our  farmers  the  importance  of  ontenling  for 
the  prizes  for  the  best  native  fruits.  Let  every  one  who  has  an  indigenous  va- 
riety of  any  merit  exhibit  it,  with  a  history  of  its  origin,  habits  of  growth, 
time  of  ripening,  &c.  Pomology  in  Virginia  needs  nothing  more  than  it  does 
a  good  list  of  native  fruits,  and  we  hope  that  the  competition  in  this  line  next 
Fall  will  be  very  active. 


Bedding  and  Border  Plants. 

It  is  quite  time  now  to  be  preparing  for  summer  flowers.  We  take  it  for 
granted  that  those  who  can,  will  have  them,  and  in  some  degree  they  are  within 
the  reach  of  every  one.  If  it  is  not  possible  for  all  to  have  highly  ornamented 
and  extensive  grounds,  certainly  enough  time,  space  and  labor  may  be  spared 
to  decorate  a  small  plot. 

That  class  of  flowers  usually  called  bedding  and  border  plants  are  most  con- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  fc„j 

venient  and  effective,  and  when  combined  with  some  of  the  annuals,  which  are 
grown  from  seed  in  the  open  gruund,  are  made  to  serve  any  purposes  of  decora- 
tion, from  the  simplest  to  the  most  elaborate,  comprising,  as  they  do,  all  colors, 
forms  and  sizes. 

Border  plants  should  be  mainly  of  low  growth,  interspersed  with  occasional 
taller  and  more  striking  sorts.  For  instance,  a  border  matted  with  Verbenas 
and  Portulaca  should  be  relieved  at  intervals  by  some  of  the  foliage  plants  (va- 
rieties of  Coleus  and  Achyranthus),  Phlox  Drummondii,  Geraniums,  Petunias, 
Fuchsias,  Double  Balsams,  and  for  later  bloom,  Asters,  Marigolds  and  Chry- 
santhemums. Or  if  it  is  desired  to  do  without  the  ground  work,  a  showy  bor- 
der may  be  made  of  the  above  named  taller  plants  properly  grouped,  with  the 
addition  of  a  variety  of  Roses.  These  last  do  not  come  under  the  head  of  bor- 
der plants,  but  hardly  any  one  expects  to  do  without  Roses  in  a  collection  of 
flowers.  A  border  in  this  style  may  be  much  improved  by  an  occasional  runner 
trained  upon  a  slight  support.  A  wide  border  is  rendered  more  complete  by  a 
low  edging  of  Dwarf  Box,  or  Alternanthera,  which  is  a  dwarf  foliage  plant  of 
much  value  for  this  purpose. 

In  planting  flower  beds,  no  fixed  rules  can  be  laid  down,  as  so  much  depends 
upon  size,  form  and  locality,  and  after  these  are  given,  so  much  upon  individual 
taste.  Circular  or  oval  beds  are  generally  arranged  so  that  the  lowest  growing 
plants  shall  be  near  the  edges,  and  increase  in  height  toward  the  centre.  This 
gives  the  impression  of  a  mound  without  its  disadvantages,  and  allows  each 
flower  its  due  prominence.  The  following  list,  in  the  order  in  which  they  are 
named,  or  nearly  so,  are  each  taller  than  the  preceding,  and  will  admit  of 
grouping  to  great  advantage:  Pansy,  Ice  Plant,  Verbena,  Sweet  Alyssum,  Can- 
dytuft, Petunia,  Heliotrope,  Fuchsia,  Balsam,  Geranium  (in  endless  variety), 
Pelargonium  (do.),  Canterbury  Bell,  Carnation,  Salvia- Splendens,  Deutzia 
Gracilis,  Lantana,  Achyranthus,  Coleus,  Tea  Roses.  The  centre  to  consist  of 
a  large  Rose,  an  Evergreen,  or  a  delicate  running  Vine,  trained  as  a  pillar.  In 
this  and  any  other  forms  for  flower  beds  that  may  be  adopted,  due  regard  must 
be  had  to  color  and  habit9  of  growth  of  the  plants.  But  no  rules  can  be  defi- 
nitely established  for  the  grouping  of  colors,  it  being  so  entirely  a  matter  of 
taste. 

Towards  the  close  of  Summer,  nearly  all  the  flowers  heretofore  mentioned 
will  have  ceased  to  bloom,  and  unless  provision  is  made  against  it  now,  the 
flower  garden  will  then  begin  to  assume  a  desolate  appearance.  There  is,  how- 
ever, a  large  class  of  plants  called  Fall-blooming  flowers,  which  will  be  ready 
to  supply  the  places  of  those  that  are  fading  away.  In  this  list  the  Fall- 
blooming  Roses  must  take  a  prominent  place.  Richly  colored  Dahlias,  Gladi- 
oli, Tuberoses,  with  their  gracefnl  flower  stalk  and  delicate  perfume,  the  many 
shades  and  styles  of  Chrysanthemums,  Asters,  Marigolds  and  Amaranths  will 
almost  compensate  for  the  loss  of  the  summer  bloom.  Fall  flowers  are  gene- 
rally too  little  appreciated.  The  Gladiolus,  especially,  is  but  little  known  and 
cultivated,  while  it  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  highly  ornamental  flowers 
for  bed  or  border. 

Finally,  do  not  neglect  climbing  and  trailing  plants.  Wherever  there  i9  an 
unsightly  fence  or  wall,  there  exists  the  opportunity  of  rendering  that  the  most 
beautiful  part  of  the  garden.  Any  of  the  family  of  Honeysuckles,  the  Chinese 
"Wistaria,  many  kinds  of  running  Roses,  the  Clematis,  the  Virginia  Creeper  or 
the  Jasmines  will  soon  conceal  all  such  ugly  places,  by  their  masses  of  foliage 


230                                 THE    SOUTHERN  [April 

and  bloom.     But  their  use  is  not  adv-cated  only  to  cover  defects.  They  are 

sufficiently  desirable  to  be  especially   provided  for,  and  hardly  any  plan  for  a 
flower  garden  can  be  complete  without  a  handsome  pillar  or  trellis. 


Seed   Growing. 

In  the  Agricultural  Department  of  the  March  number,  there  appeared  a  com- 
munication from  Mr.  Theo.  S.  Garnett,  on  the  subject  of  home  grown  potatoes 
for  seed.  Mr.  G's  position  is  undoubtedly  correct,  viz  :  that  potatoes  may  be 
grown  year  after  year  in  Virginia  without  deterioration.  The  common  idea, 
that  this  and  other  seeds  cannot  be  grown  here,  arises  only  from  the  fact  that 
they  never  have  been ;  the  difficulty  heretofore  has  been,  not  that  seed  could 
not  be  raised,  but  that  our  people  either  did  not  know  how,  or  were  unwilling 
to  exercise  the  care  and  management  necessary  to  grow  them.  So  far  from 
their  being  anything  in  our  soil  or  climate  to  hinder  the  production  of  good  and 
constantly  improving  seeds,  the  reverse  is  true  with  regard  to  manv  of  the 
leading  vegetables  and  fruits.  Take,  fjr  instance,  Flat  Dutch  Cabbage:  an  ex- 
perience of  many  years  in  this  business  enables  us  to  assert  that  the  seed  of 
ibbage  grown  around  Richmond  surpasses  any  that  we  have  brought  from 
other  sections.  But  to  prevent  deterioration,  it  is  important,  first,  to  select 
only  the  best  specimens  of  roots  or  plants,  from  which  to  grow  seed,  and  sec- 
ondly, to  cultivate  highly  and  carefully. 

Indeed,  seed-growing  is  a  distinct  business — one  that  requires  skill,  expe- 
rience, and  great  caution  to  conduct  successfully — and  because  of  this,  it  has 
been  neglected  in  the  South,  our  farmers  preferring  to  purchase  from 
abroad,  rather  than  take  the  pains  required  to  produce  at  home.  We  are  glad 
to  know  that  some  of  our  gardeners  are  entering  upon  this  field,  and  hope  that 
many  others  will  follow  their  examnle.  Judiciously  conducted,  the  profits  are 
large,  but  prudence  must  be  exercised,  or  the  losses  will  be  ruinous  :  fur  many 
seeds  may  be  grown  here  without  detriment,  which,  owing  to  the  condition  of 
climate  and  season,  will  give  too  light  a  crop  to  be  profitable.  Early  York 
Cabbage  is  one  of  these.  In  this  country  it  will  not  yield  above  fiftv  per  cent, 
as  much  per  acre  as  it  will  in  England ;  consequently,  we  cannot  compete  with 
the  foreign  seed.  So  with  Beet  and  Radish.  The  Frenchman  can  grow  and 
sell  these  at  about  half  what  it  costs  to  produce  them  here.  But  all  the  late 
Cabbages.  Parsnips,  Cucumbers,  Squashes,  Melons,  Beans,  Peas,  Potatoes,  &c, 
can  be  reproduced  ai  infinitum,  with  constant  improvement  in  quality  and  ear- 
liness,  if  care  is  taken  to  save  only  the  "first  fruits,"  and  the  best  of  these,  to 
continue  the  stock.  Let  us  hope  that  in  a  few  years,  instead  of  being  a  drain, 
seeds  may  become  a  source  of  revenue  to  our  State.  The  climate  and  soil  are 
propitious,  and  it  re^ts  with  the  people  to  take  advantage  of  them. 


Muskbgom  Fruit  Growers'  Club. — A  Society  has  been  organized  under  the 
name  of  Muskegon,  Mich.,  Fruit  Growers'  Club.  The  officers  for  the  present 
year  are :  President,  S.  P.  Peck;  Vice  President,  C.  L.  Shepherd;  Secretary 
and  Treasurer,  Thomas  Wheeler;  all.  we  believe,  of  Muskegon.  It  is  intended 
to  hold  frequent  meetings  for  discussion. 


1869.] 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


231 


The  Blackberry. 

The  great  success  attending  the  culture  of  this  fruit  in  New  Jersey,  should 
lead  our  growers  to  experiment  with  it  as  a  market  crop.  Within  the  last  few 
years  the  Blackberry  has  grown  so  rapidly  in  popular  favor,  that  in  many  sec- 
tions it  threatens  to  supersede  the  Raspberry.  In  some  portions  of  our  own 
State,  especially  in  the  Eastern  part,  Raspberries  do  not  succeed  well,  owing  to 
the  heat  of  our  summers  ;  but  Virginia  is  the  home  of  the  Blackberry,  and  now 
that  the  improved  varieties  of  this  fruit  are  attracting  so  much  attention  in  the 
Northern  markets,  it  were  well  for  us  to  commence  its  culture  upon  an  exten- 
sive scale. 

We  present  a  cut  of  the  Lawton,  one  of  the  oldest  of  the  improved  kinds. 
This,  with  the  Wilson's  Early  and  the  Kittatinny,  are  the  leading  varieties ; 
the  Wilson  being  the  earliest. 


The  following  notes  on  "  Grapes  in  the  vicinity  of  Hermann,  Mo.,"  we  clip 
from  the  January  and  February  numbers  of  the  Grape  Culturist.  The  condi- 
tions of  climate  and  seasons  in  this  State  being  very  similar  to  those  of  Mis- 
souri, these  notes  will  prove  of  great  value  to  our  Vineyardists : 

Concord. — A  very  abundant  crop,  as  usual.     As  mentioned  before,  the  crop 


232  THE   SOUTHERN  [April 

suffered  somewhat  from  bursting  of  the  berries,  but  still  yielded  a  very  abun- 
dant harvest,  ■which  promises  to  make  a  very  good  wine. 

Clinton. — Suffered  somewhat  from  late  frosts,  as  it  is  one  of  the  first  to  bloom 
in  spring.  Makes  a  good  wine,  intermediate  between  Concord  and  Norton. 
An  exceedingly  rank  grower,  foliage  subject  to  the  attacks  of  the  gall  fly.  Pro- 
duced well  in  some  vineyards,  in  others  hardly  anything.  Requires  a  good 
deal  of  room,  and  spur  pruning  on  old  wood,  to  bring  forth  its  best  results. 

Delaware  — Has  produced  very  satisfactory  results  this  season  ;  but  should  be 
planted  here  in  deep,  rich  soil,  on  northeast  and  eastern  slopes. 

Hartford  Prolific. — A  very  good  crop,  and  for  those  who  grow  grapes  for 
early  market,  it  is  one  of  the  indispensables,  as  it  is  hardy,  healthy,  early,  and 
very  productive.  Can  hardly  be  recommended  as  a  wine  grape,  though  fair 
wine  may  be  made  from  it. 

Herbanont. — Has  produced  a  splendid  crop  again,  for  those  who  have  gone  to 
the  slight  trouble  of  covering  their  vines.  One  of  the  best  and  most  reliable, 
for  our  southern  hill  sides,  and  will  be  a  mine  of  wealth  to  our  southern  States. 

Iona. — Produced  better  bunches  than  usual,  although  it  suffered  somewhat 
by  rot.  Ripens  very  unevenly,  and  we  cannot  recommend  it,  although  it  is  a 
grape  of  better  quality  than  Catawba. 

Ices'  Seedling. — Four  years  old  vines  of  this  variety  produced  a  very  full 
crop  for  the  first  time.  It  does  not  seem  to  be  an  early  bearer,  but  to  bear  pro- 
fusely when  older.  Fruit  very  indifferent  in  quality,  perhaps  less  foxy  than 
Hartford,  to  which  vine  and  fruit  bear  a  very  close  resemblance.  We  have 
tried  hard  to  discover  the  many  excellencies  which  our  Ohio  friends  claim  for 
it,  in  the  fruit  and  wine;  but  although  we  have  tried  at  least  twenty  samples 
of  the  latter  from  Ohio,  and  some  made  in  Missouri  and  Illinois,  we  cannot 
make  anything  more  out  of  it  than  a  fine  claret.  The  best  sample  we  have  yet 
tasted,  was  made  by  Mr.  Conrad  Eisenmayer,  at  Summerfield,  Illinois.  What 
induced  the  committee  to  award  this  the  first  premium  of  the  Longworth 
prizes,  as  the  best  wine  grape  for  general  cultivation,  of  our  whole  country,  we 
are  at  a  loss  to  imagine,  as  it  has  hardly  been  fruited  outside  of  Ohio  and  Ken- 
tucky. In  cur  opinion,  it  is  no:  as  good  as  the  Concord  here,  either  for  wine  or 
for  the  table. 

Maxatavmey. — Healthy,  hardy,  productive,  and  of  the  finest  quality  here.  It 
ripens  early  enough  for  us  here,  and  makes  an  excellent  white  wine,  mixed 
with  the  Martha. 

Martha. — Did  very  well  again,  and  promises  to  be  the  white  grape  for  every 
body:  as  its  parent,  the  Concord,  has  proved  among  the  black  grapes.  It  is 
not  subject  to  any  disease,  as  far  as  we  know,  but  it  also  suffered  somewhat 
from  bursting  of  the  berries,  and  should  not  be  allowed  to  hang  too  late.  It 
has  as:ain  made  an  excellent  wine,  especially  if  mixed  with  Maxatawney  in 
equal  parts.     May  here  be  safely  recommended  to  every  one. 

Xortons  Virginia. — A  very  good,  regular  crop,  as  usual.  It  is  as  reliable  as 
anything  we  have,  but  has  made  its  reputation  already  far  and  near,  so  that 
nothing  further  need  be  said  of  it. 

Taylor. — This  little  grape  has  gained  many  friends  this  season,  as  the  crop 
was  satisfactory  both  in  quantity  and  quality.  It  seems  that  the  vines  require 
age,  and  spur  pruning  on  old  wood,  to  make  it  produce  well.     Give  the  vine 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  233 

plenty  of  room,  and  plenty  to  do,  i.  e.,  prune  it  long,  and  we  think  it  will  bear 
satisfactory  crops  when  it  is  three  or  four  years  old.  The  wine  made  of  it  more 
closely  resembles  the  celebrated  Riessling  of  Germany  and  the  Rhine,  than  per- 
haps any  other  of  our  American  varieties,  and  will  always  command  a  high 
price  with  wine  connoisseurs. 


The  Norton  Again. 

Nothing  can  more  forcibly  illustrate  the  value  of  the  Norton  than  the  follow- 
ing list  of  wines  cultivated  in  the  vineyards  of  the  Bluffton  Wine  Company,  at 
Hermann,  Missouri.     More  than  one-third  of  the  whole  number  are  Norton : 

395  Alvey  ;  307Cassady:  390  Clinton  ;  7,833  Concord  ;  556  Cunningham; 
2,576  Creveling  ;  3,830  Delaware  ;  146  Hartford  ;  959  Herbemont;  100  Hunt- 
ingdon; 42Iona;  998  Ives ;  329  N.  C  Seedling;  12,481  Nortons  ;  2,425  Ro- 
gers' No.  1;  571  Rogers'  Hybrids  [other  Nos.];  123  Taylor;  160  Telegraph? 
165  other  varieties.     Total,  34,386  vines. 


Sweet  Potato  Culture. 

Messrs.  Editors, — The  first  in  importance  is  to  get  the  sprouts,  and  this  in- 
volves the  knowledge  and  preparation  of  the  hot  or  sprout  bed. 

To  prepare  your  hot  or  sprout  bed,  select  a  protected  and  warm  site  ;  now- ex- 
cavate with  spade  a  trench,  say  3-£  feet  wide,  8  inches  deep,  and  of  length  suffi- 
cient to  embed  the  desired  quantity  of  slips.  The  trench  is  first  filled  to  the 
depth  of  4  inches  with  shucks  or  top  fodder,  well  trodden  down,  and  now  with 
the  greenest  stable  manure  you  fill  the  trench  to  the  original  surface  level. 
The  stable  manure  is  now  covered  with  wood,  mould  or  virgin  soil  1  inch.  The 
slips  are  placed  upon  this  bed  as  close  as  possible  so  as  not  to  touch,  and  when 
thus  embedded  they  are  covered  say  one  inch  with  fine  virgin  soil.  Your  bed 
now  only  requires  a  heavy  covering  (say  1  foot  deep,)  of  pine  tags  or  straw,  to 
generate  heat,  and  from  day  to  day  careful  examinations  must  be  made  by 
thrusting  the  hand  under  this  covering  of  tazs  or  straw  to  see  that  too  much 
warmth  is  not  generated.  You  only  require  summer  heat  to  hasten  the  sprouts, 
and  a  removal  of  part,  and  sometimes  the  entire  cover,  is  necessary  to  main- 
tain the  desired  temperature.  The  6lips  usually  commence  sprouting  within 
ten  days,  and  thereafter  the  covering  of  the  bed  will  only  be  necessary  to  pro" 
tect  the  tender  sprouts  from  frost. 

To  produce  early  market  potatoes,  the  sprout  bed  should  be  made  by  20th 
March,  and  thus  you  may  hope  to  have  sprouts  ready  to  set  out  (plant)  by  first 
of  May,  and  marketable  potatoes  in  this  climate  can  be  produced  from  these 
sprouts  planted  as,  late  as  July  15th. 

Of  good  sound  slips  I  should  say  seven  bushels  will  furnish  enough  sprouts 
to  plant  an  acre  from  the  first  drawing,  and  not  many  days  thereafter  your  bed 
will  again  furnish  scarcely  less  than  the  first. 

Select  for  your  potato  patch  a  light  or  sandy  soil,  as  free  as  may  be  of  grass. 
Stiff  or  heavy  land  will  produce  very  fine  potatoes,  but  not  early. 

To  produce  the  largest  yield  of  potatoes,  I  would  advise  a  heavy  broadcast  of 
stable  and  farm-pen  manure,  turned  in  some  two  weeks  in  readiness  for  the 
sprouts,  with  single  ploughs.  When  the  sprouts  are   ready  to  be  set  out,  you 


234  THE  SOUTHERN  [April 

lay  off  the  patch  2  feet  10  inches,  and  throw  up  the  ridges  with  single  ploughs. 
You  will  perceive  that  the  2  feet  10  inches  will  take  all  your  broadcast 
manure  in  the  ridge,  and  with  this  commingling  of  manure  with  the  earth  you 
may  hope  for  a  large  yield. 

Four  furrows  will  give  the  proper  ridge.  The  sprouts  should  be  planted  from 
12  to  15  inches.  It  is  best  to  set  out  the  sprouts  after  a  moderate  rain,  but 
never  plant  when  the  ground  is  too  wet  (sticky).  You  can  set  the  sprouts  with- 
out regarding  the  rain  if  you  mud  the  roots  of  the  sprouts,  and  put  say  a  gill 
of  water  in  the  hole  for  the  plant. 

The  work  required  in  the  potato  patch  I  regard  as  very  simple.  My  method,  60 
tsoon  as  possible  after  the  sprout  begins  to  grow,  is  to  loosen  the  soil  around  it 
and  remove  all  grass  on  the  ridge.  The  next,  and  with  me  the  final  work,  will 
be  to  run  a  shovel  plough  at  the  base  of  each  ridge,  clean  all  grass,  &c,  from 
the  potato  sprout,  and  now  with  hoe  work  up  the  ridge,  and  6ecure  your  patch 
until  digging  time. 

We  get  our  earliest  potatoes  in  market  by  loth  August,  and  it  is  well  to  cel- 
lar or  sell  all  your  potatoes  ere  the  first  frost.  You  may  regard  200  bushels  a 
good  yield  for  October  digging. 

In  the  summer  of  1868  sweet  potatoes  sold  in  Norfolk,  Ya.,  for  $7  per  bbl., 
and  $4  in  autumn.  "We  have  demand  for  all  we  can  produce  in  Northern 
marts. 

The  small,  unmarketable  potatoes  are  your  slips,  or  in  August  you  will  cut  say 
virres  15  inches  long ;  drop  these  across  a  ridge,  and  with  a  forked  stick  placed 
on  the  centre,  you  embed  this  vine  some  4  to  6  inches. 

You  cannot  err  in  any  method  pursued  in  the  working  of  potatoes,  so  you 
keep  them  free  of  grass  and  keep  the  ridge  up. 

There  is  none  other  than  the  yellow  bark  potato  planted  with  us  for  market. 

It  may  be  of  value  here  to  state,  that  if  you  can  dig  your  early  Irish  potatoes 
by  the  10th  July,  you  have  now  the  opportunity  to  make  a  good  crop  of  late 
Bweet  potatoes  from  this  ground.  The  manuring  for  the  Irish  will  also  make 
the  sweet  potato  crops. 


Editors  Planter  and  Farmer, — I  give  for  a  very  simple,  but  sure  preventive 
against  the  fly  on  the  tomato,  when  transplanted  from  the  hot  bed  in  the 
spring:  A  twig  of  the  "  old  field  pine  "  stuck  in  the  ground  on  the  south  of  the 
plant,  and  just  large  enough  to  shade  it,  bending  north.  Let  the  pine  remain 
until  the  tomato  assumes  a  vigorous  growth,  then  remove  it. 

Tobacco,  after  being  dried  in  an  oven  or  warm  sun,  then  rubbed  very  fine, 
and  applied  to  squashes,  melons,  «fcc,  is  certain  against  the  striped  bug.  Of 
course  a  renewal  must  be  made  after  every  rain.  Lime,  soot,  kerosene  oil, 
&c,  are  often  recommended,  and  may  keep  away  the  bug;  but  to  the  plant 
they  are  as  injurious  as  the  bug,  and  it  lives  in  spite  of  all — a  sickly  existence — 
as  the  patient  recovers  in  spite  of  the  Doctor;  but  "vis  medicatrix  naturae. 

Lunenburg,  Va.  Kindeerwood 


Rich  Soil  fop  Trees. 

A  correspondent  wishes  to  know  if  the  soil  for  peach  trees  and  strawberry 
vines  should  be  made  rich,  and  if  they  should  be  highly  cultivated  ?  Yes  to 
both  questions.     But  be  sure  to  distinguish  between  high,  cultivation  and  deep 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  235 

cultivation.  No  trees  nor  vines  ehould  have  the  latter.  All  will  be  vastly 
benefitted  by  the  former.  The  best  fertilizer  is  stable  manure,  thoroughly  in- 
corporated with  the  soil  before  planting,  but  let  it  be  applied  as  a  top  dressing 
ever  afterwards.  Never  dig  up  the  roots  of  a  tree  under  pretence  of  digging 
manure  in. 


Soil   and  Aspect  of  the  Vineyard. 

In  the  present  condition  of  grape  culture,  when  nearly  every  day 
brings  new  varieties,  it  would  be  as  absurd  to  give  universal  rules 
a3  it  is  absurd  to  search  for  a  universal  grape,  one  which  will  succeed 
in  all  locations  over  the  length  and  breadth  of  this  immense  conti- 
nent. "We  should  be  glad  indeed  if  our  friends  from  all  parts  of  the  country 
will  give  us  their  observations  and  experiences  on  this  point,  naming  varieties 
of  grapes  they  have  under  culture,  soil,  aspect,  success  or  failure-  The  require- 
ments for  each  variety  are  so  essentially  different,  that  one  side  of  the  same 
hill  will  often  produce  entirely  different  results  than  the  other. 

We  look  upon  those  who  speak  of  one  variety  of  grapes  as  succeeding  every- 
where, with  something  of  the  same  suspicion,  with  which  we  look  upon  the 
physician,  who  cures  all  diseases  with  one  remedy  ;  and  hope  to  do  our  share 
in  defending  the  public  against  quacks  in  grape  culture. 

But  while  it  is  true  that  no  rule  will  apply  generally,  it  is  equally  true  that 
general  rules  will  govern  each  location  and  State.  Thus  we  find  here,  that  the 
class  of  grapes  belonging  to  the  Labrusca  or  northern  fox  grape  division,  gen- 
erally require  a  deeper  and  more  clayey  soil,  than  those  belonging  to  the  iEgp 
tivalis  or  summer  grape  division.  The  first  prefer  our  Eastern  and  North 
Eastern  exposures,  with  their  deeper  and  richer  soil ;  the  second  the  Southern 
and  South  Western  exposure,  where  the  soil  is  poorer,  and  mure  intermingled 
with  lime  and  decomposed  stones.  We  have  seen  the  Catawba  look  yellow, 
and  its  leaves  burnt  by  the  sun,  in  aspects  where  the  Herbemont,  Nortons  Vir- 
ginia, Cunningham,  Rulander  (so  called;)  in  short,  all  those  belonging  to  the 
Southern  class  of  the  ^Estivalis  family,  would  stand  the  severest  droughts 
without  flagging,  remain  fresh  and  green,  and  bring  their  fruit  to  a  perfection 
wuich  they  will  not  in  deeper  soils. 

But  while  this  rule  will  apply  generally,  there  are  exceptions  of  both  classes. 
The  Delaware,  (in  our  opinion  undoubtedly  an  iEstivalis)  the  Creveling,  and 
Alvey,  all  belonging  to  the  same  class,  will,  according  to  our  experience,  do 
better  either  on  the  bottoms  of  our  rivers  and  their  Southern  side,  or  in  the  deep 
rich  sandy  loam  of  our  North  Eastern  or  even  Northern  slopes.  And  we  may 
add  to  them  the  Cassady,  undoubtedly  a  Labnisca  ;  and  some  of  Rogers  Hy- 
birds,  crosses  between  the  Vinifera  and  Labrusca.  In  summing  up,  we  find 
all  varieties  liable  to  sunscald,  should  be  planted  on  deep  soil  or  on  a  northerly 
slope,  while  those  "children  of  the  sunny  south"  with  a  strong  and  vigorous 
growth,  healthy  foliage,  and  small  berries;  in  short,  the  southern  division  of 
the  ^E-tivalis  class,  will  do  best,  and  furnish  the  best  wines,  on  Southern 
slopes  with  warm  limestone  soil. 

The  soil  should  be  loose  and  friable  ;  if  not  so  naturally,  it  should  be  made 
so  by  deep  ploughing.  Only  in  land  thus  prepared,  will  the  vines  be  able  to 
withstand  the  vicissitudes  of  our  changeable  climate,  and  be  healthy  alike  in  wet 
as  in  dry  seasons. 


236  THE   SOUTHERN  [April 

This  is  Missouri  experience.  (Virginia  experience  is  the  same. — Ed.)  Will  not 
our  readers  from  other  States  give  us  theirs  ?  Let  us  abandon  the  search  after 
a  universal  grape  ;  let  us  find  out  what  will  suit  each  locality  and  soil ;  and  we 
will  achieve  more  for  the  success  of  grape  culture  than  can  be  d.ne  by  all  the 
Greely  and  LoDgworth  prizes,  which,  however  well  may  have  been  the  inten- 
tion of  the  donors,  will  only  serve  to  make  "confusion  worse  confounded." — 
Grape  Culturist. 


Virginia  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  this  Society,  held  at  their  rooms 
March  ISth,  pursuant  to  adjournment,  the  Chairmen  of  the  following  Standing 
Committees  announced  their  associates  as  follows  : 

Flowers — Dr.  James  T.  Johnson.  Dr.  Thomas  H.  Williams,  Dr.  Richmond 
Lewis,  Dr.  C.  W.  P.  Brock,  William  G.  Taylor,  Esq. 

Vegetables — Messrs.  Joseph  R.  Rennie,  L.  Chamberlain,  W.  L.  Harrison, 
I.  0.  Austin.  J:hn  Gordon. 

Essays— T>r.  S.  P.  Moore,  Hon.  R.  M.  T.  Hunter,  Hon.  B.  J.  Barbour,  Prof. 
MaKec,  General  Bradley  T.  Johnson. 

Horticultural  Implements — Messrs.  I.  S.  Tower,  E.  B.  Addison.  John  Asher, 
A.  P.  Routt,  John  F.  Early. 

The  Chairmen  of  the  Committees  on  Fruit,  Statistics,  and  Arrangements 
were  allowed  further  time  to  announce  their  committees. 

The  Committee  on  Premiums  not  being  prepared  to  report,  the  Committee 
adjourned  to  meet  on  the  loth  of  April,  at  8  o'clock  P.  M. 


EXCHANGES. 

The  Grape  Culturist,  George  Husman  and  Chas.  H.  Frings,  Editors,  St. 
Louis. 

The  first  two  numbers  of  this  new  monthly  were  received  too  late  for 
acknowledgment  in  our  last  issue.  The  number  of  extracts  from  its  pages 
which  appear  in  this  issue  attest  our  high  appreciation  of  its  merits  and 
will  enable  our  readers  to  judge  of  its  value.  It  supplies  a  want  deeply  felt 
heretofore,  viz,  a  journal  devoted  solely  to  the  Grape  and  Wne  interest.  Edited 
by  gentlemen  who  bring  so  much  practical  and  scientific  knowledge  to  bear 
upon  the  subject  as  d^  Messrs.  Husman  and  Frings,  it  cannot  fail  of  accom- 
plishing great  goil,  and  we  wish  it  unlimited  prosperity.  If  we  borrow  freely 
from  it,  the  Editors  must  blame  no  one  but  themselves;  the  matter  is  so  pointed, 
practical  and  useful  that  one  cannot  forbear  appropriating  it. 


Why  do  not  our  intelligent  Market  Gardeners  form  club  for  their  mutual 
benefit  and  social  enjoyment  ?  There  is  no  other  way  in  which  so  much  good 
could  be  accomplished  to  themselves  and  to  the  subject  of  gardening.  Weekly 
meetings  at  each  others'  houses,  could  not  fail  to  produce  much  social  good 
feeling,  and  in  some  neighborhoods  would  make  a  radical  change  for  the 
better. 


1869.] 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


237 


Mechanic  §ut,i 


Black's  Hay   Hoisting  Machine. 


«^.«7^fiiX?J 


We  give  the  cut  of  this  great  improvement  on  hoisting  hay  as  described  in 
the  Prairie  Farmer. 

The  hav  crop  is  of  growing  importance  in  Virginia.  We  believe  it  is  increas- 
ing and  we  hope  will  continue  to  increase  until  not  a  wisp  of  hay  can  be 
brought  to  our  State  from  any  othe-  State.  No  large  crop  pays  as  well ;  none  is 
attended  with  as  little  labor  ;  none  is  as  certain  ;  and  none  is  more  necessary 
to  an  improving  and  judicious  culture.  But  to  meet  competition,  the  hay  must 
be  cut  with  a  mower,  turned  with  a  hay  tedder,  got  up  with  a  hay  rake,  hauled  in 
a  harvest  cart,  wagon,  sled  or  rope  in  the  most  economical  way,  and  housed  or 
Btacked  with  a  hay  hoister.  All  these  implements  we  have  tried,  and  if  any 
one  wishes  it,  we  will  give  the  price  of  all  of  them. 

Having  heretofore  had  abundant  houseroom,  we  have  never  stacked  out  of 
doors  ;  but  the  hay  hoister  operates  as  well  there  as  when  the  hay  is  housed. 
All  that  is  needed  is  three  very  stout  poles,  small  tobacco  house  logs,  twenty 
or  thirty  feet  long  made  into  a  tripod— sheaves  they  call  it— and  the  work  goes 
on. 

With  this  rig  we  can  compete  with  other  hay  in  our  own  market,  and  other- 
wise not. 

This  is  an  improvement  for  hoisting  fork  loads  of  hay  to  the 
required  height  and  then  conveying  them  horizontally  over  the  mow 
or  stack,  thus  enabling  farmers  to  so  construct  their  barns  that  the 
same  roof  that  shelters  their  hay  will  also  shelter  their  stock.  It  con- 
sists principally  of  the  traveling  pulley  A,  and  the  track  B.  C, 
which  is  a  rod  tightly  stretched  between  two  short  beams  and  may 
be  40  or  50  feet  long.     While  the  hay  is  ascending,  the  Traveler  is 


THE    SOUTHERN  [April 


firmly  latched  at  B.     The  rope  passes  through  a  ring  which  hangs 
below  the  Traveler  and  is  connected  with  a  joint  forming  a  part  of 

A  knot  on  the  rope  coming  in  contact  with  the  ri:  g, 
springing  the  joint,  releases  the  latch,  without  perceptibly  increas- 
ing the  draught.     The  horse  continuing  to  advance,  the   Traveler 
a  forward   C,  carrying   the  hay  with  it.     An  ingenious  and 
::al  part  is  a  rake  which  grasps   the  rope  at  the  instant  that 
the  Traveler  starts  toward  C,  and  releases  it  only  when  the  Traveler 
nfl  to  B.     The  weight  W.   operates   the    brake  and  draws   the 
Traveler  back  to  6,  as  his  horse  returns  to  his  position  at  E.     The 
[Traveler  being  automatic  in  all  its  actions,  the  pitcher  experiences 
but  little  fatigue  in  pitching  over  beams  and  any  desirable  distance 
back,  even  with  the  heavier  It  pitches  equally  well  from 

e  way  or  in  the  end  of  a  barn.     In  stacking,  the  track  is 
tained  by  two  poles  and  a  guy  at  each  end.     It  will  build  a  rick  40 
or  50  feet  long  and  25  or  30  feet  high,  always   dropping  the  hay 
along  the  centre. 

The  machine  ha3  been  in  use  for  three  seasons,  r.d  the  certifi- 
cates which  the  inventor  has  received  show  the  estimation  in  which  it 
is  held  by  practical  men. 

This   machinery    is  I    and  the   manufacturer  is  Henry 

Black,  of  Carrollton,  111.,  who  will  give  any  further  information 
bred. 


McCormick's  Reaper  in  France. 

By  invitation  from  the  Emperor  Xapoleon  a  pri  ibition  of 

the  working  of  McCormick's  reaping  machine  was  made  recently 
on  the  Imperial  farm  near  Chalons,  at  which  the  Emperor  was 
present,  accompanied  by  Marshal  Niel,  Gren.  Le  Btuf.  an  1  M. 
Tiperaud,  and  Director-General  of  the  Imperial  Agricultural 
Estates. 

The  trial  was  a  complete  success,  and  gave  so  much  satisfaction 
to  the  Emperor  that  he  immediately  gave  orders  for  the  purchase 
of  three  of  the  machines  for  use  on  his  private  farms,  and  expr 
the  intention  of  encouraging  the  adoption  of  the  invention  through- 
out France,  on  account  of  its  great  labor  saving  properties, 
that  he  would  set  the  example  by  putting  it  into  operation  on  all 
imperial  farms. 

Such  distinguished  attention  as  this  has  been  shown  to  no  other 
foreign  exhibitor,  and  it  is  considered  certain  that  to  Mr.  McCormick 
will  be  awarded  the  highest  honor  of  the  Intel    .  i  mal  Exg  :  sition. — 
irtizan. 


1869.] 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


239 


The  Hughes  Hand  Corn  Planter. 

This  Planter,  for  easy  handling,  per- 
fect operation,  adaptation  to  all  kinds 
of  land,  cheapness  and  durability,  stands 
unrivalled,  and  is  one  of  the  greatest 
labor-saving  implements  ever  introduced 
and  used  by  the  Farmer.  It  weighs 
but  four  pounds  ;  a  boy  can  use  it,  and 
one  hand  can  plant,  easily  and  per- 
fectly, from  seven  to  ten  acres  per  day. 

It  works  in  drv  land,  in  sod,  among: 
stumps,  in  wet  land,  in  gravel,  among 
rocks,  everywhere. 

For  replanting  it  is  invaluable. 

The  blades  are  from  three  to  four 
inches  wide,  and  the  corn  in  falling  is 
scattered  by  a  conical  separator,  thus 
removing  the  objection  of  some  that  it 
crowds  the  seed  into  the  hill. 

We  are  ready  to  correspond  with 
merchants,  giving  them  special  rates, 
according  to  the  number  they  may 
wish  to  purchase.  The  retail  price  at 
the  factory  for  the  Planter  is  FIVE 
dollars,  and  farmers  who  are  unable 
to  purchase  one  where  they  reside,  can 
have  one  sent  them  promptly  by  en- 
closing us  that  amount  and  sending  it 
by  mail. 

It  is  warranted  to  work  better  than 
any  other  planter  in  use. 

Semple,  Birge  &  Co., 
Gen' I  Agents  for  tie  Hughes  Corn  Planter, 
St.  Louis,  Mo. 

In  presenting  the  cut  of  the  above  named  implement,  we  have  to  pay  that 
■we  got  it  for  the  inspection  of  our  subscribers.  Some  people  can't  aff  >rd  Corn 
Planters  to  go  by  horse  power:  s^me  don't  like  them  ;  some  prefer  to  plant  in 
checks,  which  no  Planter  is  advertised  to  do  but  two,  and  we  know  nothing  of 
them. 

The  cut  struck  us  as  a  good  one:  the  plan,  if  it  answers,  is  certainly  better 
and  more  expeditious  than  planting  by  hand,  and  the  whole  operation  m  >re 
complete.     Look  at  it,  gentlemen,  and  judge  for  yourselves. — Ed.  So.  P.  &  F. 


240  THE   SOUTHERN  [April 


Ijoustljolb  department. 


Diseases  of  Poultry. 

Not  unlike  the  human  family,  Barn  Yard  Fowls  are  subject  to 
many  diseases,  some  of  which  yield  readily  to  medical  treatment, 
while  others  only  end  in  death. 

One  of  the  first  remedies,  or,  more  properly  speaking,  preventives 
is  cleanliness.  Fowls  must  have  warm,  well  ventilated  lodging 
quarters  to  make  them  healthy  and  valuable.  Hens  that  have  to 
perch  in  trees,  or  on  poles,  exposed  to  the  drizzling  rains  and  cold 
winds  cannot  lay  regularly,  nor  will  their  eggs  eat  or  hatch  a3  well 
as  if  they  were  properly  provided  for.  They  must  have  good  sound 
food — corn  being  the  principal — ample  range,  fresh  water,  and  ash 
baths  to  free  themselves  of  vermine.  They  need  free  access  to  lime, 
a  fair  show  of  green  food,  and  if  given  fresh  meat  once  a  week 
during  the  winter  months,  will  appreciate  it,  and  repay  for  such 
repasts  by  their  cheerful  song  and  abundance  of  eggs. 

ROUP, 

is  doubtless  the  most  fatal  as  it  is  the  most  loathsome  disease  known 
to  the  poulterer.  It  comes  with  difficult  breathing,  swolen  eyes  and 
faces,  and  offensive  discharges  from  the  nostrils ;  and  is  produced 
by  filthy  quarters  and  insufficient  feeding.  It  is  sometimes  relieved 
by  gentle  stimulants,  good  nursing,  and  change  of  quarters ;  but 
being  contagious,  is  easiest  gotten  rid  of  by  killing  the  complaining 
bird. 

GAPES, 

is  another  disease  which  often  proves  fatal  to  young  chickens,  and 
is  generally  supposed  to  originate  from  one  or  more  small  worms  in 
the  throat,  picked  up  while  feeding  in  old  yards,  or  swallowed  whilst 
imbibing  stagnant  water.  An  intelligent  physician,  who  has  given  this 
disease  some  attention,  says  the  so-called  worms  are  not  worms,  but 
ligaments  of  flesh  very  similar  to  those  in  the  throats  of  croupy  chil- 
dren, and  should  be  treated  just  as  croup  is.  The  free  use  of  lime 
in  dough  made  in  meal  and  wheat  bran,  with  lime  water  to  drink — 
or  a  few  grains  of  wheat  soaked  in  spirits  of  turpentine — or  strong 
alum  water  to  drink,  have  been  all  used  with  success.  Where  dis- 
eases appear  in  poultry  yards,  the  water  troughs  should  be  tho- 
roughly scalded  and  cleansed  every  day,  and  if  sour,  be  white 
washed  inside,  to  remove  the  acidity.     Then  give  the  birds  fresh 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  241 


water  two  or  three  times  per  day,  and  with  the  diet  recommended 
above  will  soon  disappear. 

CHOLERA, 

or  excessive  purging,  is  said  to  be  produced  by  too  much  salt  food. 
Two  eggs  and  one  tablespoonful  of  pulverized  alum,  made  into  a 
paste  by  the  admixture  of  flour  is  a  good  remedy.  Red  Pepper  and 
chalk  mixed  in  corn  dough,  is  another  remedy,  frequently  used  with 
success.  Powdered  alum  mixed  in  food,  is  said  to  be  a  preventive. 
But  the  best  preventive  is,  to  feed  on  nothing  that  is  sour  or 
unsound. 

PIPS 

is  the  formation  of  a  hard  substance  on  the  end  and  lower  side  of 
the  tongue,  and  is  fatal  if  neglected  too  long.  Remove  the  har- 
dened cuticle  as  soon  as  discovered,  give  the  complaining  bird  some 
stimulating  food— say  stale  bread  moistened  in  good  ale,  a  free  run 
to  the  lime  heap  and  ash  bank — and  it  will  soon  recover. 

HARD  CROP 

is  another  disease  common  among  fowls,  and  produced  by  eatin°- 
greedily  and  then  drinking  freely.  When  discovered,  pour  tepid 
water  down  the  throat  of  the  bird,  work  the  crop  gently  with  the 
finger  and  thumb,  so  as  not  to  bruise  it,  but  at  the  same  time  to 
soften  the  coagulated  food,  then  give  a  spoonful  of  castor  oil,  and 
the  patient  will  generally  recover  in  twenty-four  hours. 

VERMIN 

are  more  annoying  and  more  difficult  to  prevent  than  any  disease. 
The  medicated  ash  bark  may  keep  them  from  grown  fowls,  and  does 
partially  do  so,  but  to  protect  young  chickens  against  them  seems 
impossible.  My  hatching  boxes  are  always  thoroughly  scalded  and 
cleaned  after  being  used — my  hens  are  examined  and  medicated 
with  essence  of  pennyroyal,  or  crysallic  soap,  or  coal  tar  water,  or 
kerosine  oil,  and  the  nests  are  also  medicated  before  being  taken, 
and  yet,  in  the  month  of  February,  out  of  fifteen  clutches  of  chick- 
ens, I  found  almost  every  bird  lousy  when  first  taken  from  the  nest. 
And,  from  the  size  of  the  vermin,  it  would  seem  as  if  they  came 
with  the  young  bird  from  the  shell.  My  remedy  for  these  pests  is, 
to  grease  each  bird,  as  well  as  the  hen,  with  unwashed  butter,  fresh 
from  the  churn,  and  thus  far  that  remedy  has  proved  successful.  I 
have  tried  flour  of  sulphur  and  various  other  remedies,  but  the  fresh 
butter  has  thus  far  proved  most  efficacious.  Out  of  fifty-six  birds 
vol.  in— 16 


242  THE   SOUTHERN  [April 

hatched  during  the  month  of  February  (all  Brahmas),  I  have  lost 
but  three,  and  they  were  mashed. 

A    PREVENTIVE. 

Mr.  John  Douglas,  of  England,  gives  the  following  recipe  as  a 
preventive  of  "roup"  and  "gapes"  in  chickens  and  all  fowls;  and 
Mr.  C.  M.  Saunders,  of  New  York,  says  it  may  be  true  "  if  perfect 
cleanliness  is  maintained  and  the  fowls  are  in  other  respects  well 
treated. ,'  The  experiment  is  a  cheap  and  innocent  one,  and  I  ad- 
vise our  poulterers  to  try  it.     Here  it  is: 

"  One  pound  of  sulphate  of  iron,  one  ounce  of  sulphuric  acid 
dissolved  in  a  jug  with  hot  water,  then  let  it  stand  twenty-four 
hours,  and  add  one  gallon  of  spring  water;  when  fit  for  use,  one 
teaspoonful  to  a  pint  of  water  given  every  other  day  to  chickens, 
and  once  a  week  to  old  fowls,  will  make  roup  and  gapes  entirely  a 
stranger  to  your  yards." 

And  now,  kind  reader,  having  bored  you  sufficiently  on  the  sub- 
ject of  barn-yard  fowls,  I  am  about  to  bid  you  adieu.  I  have  en- 
deavored to  awaken  an  interest  in  the  farmer  on  the  subject  of 
poultry,  to  show  how  its  cultivation  can  be  made  pleasant  and  pro- 
fitable to  all  classes,  and  to  give  reasons  why  I  believed  the  Brahma 
was  the  fowl  for  Virginia  barn-yards.  If  I  have  succeeded  in  at- 
tracting attention  to  the  subject,  and  in  inducing  you  to  examine  it 
for  yourselves,  I  am  well  repaid  for  my  labor.  I  understand  that 
an  effort  will  soon  be  made  to  get  up  a  "Poultry  Association"  for 
the  State,  similar  to  those  in  Europe  and  some  of  our  Northern 
States;  and  if  leading  farmers  here,  as  elsewhere,  take  hold  of  the 
subject,  we  may  soon  rival  the  North  even  in  poultry  exhibitions 
and  productions.     And  now  I  bid  you  adieu. 

V  J.  W.  L. 


Buttered  Baked  Apples. — Peel  and  core  the  apples,  leaving 
them  whole;  carefully  butter  a  heavily-tinned  plate,  and  arrange 
on  it;  fill  the  holes  left  by  the  cores  with  powdered  sugar,  and 
sprinkle  the  apples  with  melted  butter,  then  bake  twenty  minutes. 
On  serving  put  a  little  currant  jelly  in  each  of  the  cores. — Petit 
Journal. 

Waffles. — One-half  pound  of  butter,  one  quart  of  milk,  four 
eggs,  three  teaspoonfuls  of  cream  of  tartar;  mix  in  the  milk  one- 
half  a  teaspoonful  of  soda,  which  you  soak  in  a  little  water ;  put  in 
when  you  put  in  the  whites  of  eggs;  flour  to  make  a  batter — not 
too  thick. 


THE  SOUTHERN  PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA.,       APRIL  1869. 

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(fbitorial  gcparhntnt. 


Concentrated  Fertilizers  for  Corn. 

Last  month  we  promised  to  write  an  article  on  the  above  at  this  time,  and 
expressed  the  hope  that  others  would  follow  the  example  of  our  correspondent  on 
page  135-6  of  the  March  number.  In  this  we  have  been  disappointed,  the  mod- 
esty of  our  farmers — to  put  the  best  face  on  their  non  compliance — having  pre- 
vented them,  giving  each  it  may  be,  but  his  mite  to  the  general  store  of  infor- 
mation, which  once  collected  and  systematized,  would  be  worth  thousands  in 
this  one  item  alone. 

The  correspondent  above  referred  to  advices,  as  the  result  of  22  year's 
repeated  trial  and  many  experiments,  that  the  Fertilizer  be  applied  when  the 
dirt  is  given  to  the  corn,  to  be  sowed  upon  as  narrow  a  space  as  possible,  just 
upon  the  corn,  and  to  be  covered  with  the  plough.  This  accords  with  the 
experience  of  another  gentleman  from  the  county  of  Gloucester — the 
first  was  from  King  and  Qaeen — who  is  fully  satisfied  that  the  above  is  the 
proper  way  to  use  it. 

Our  own  practice  has  not  been  extensive  with  Guano  on  Corn.  We  tried  it 
once  in  the  hill ;  and  it  failed  so  utterly  to  make  the  corn  ear  well,  that  we 
gave  it  up,  and  soon  adopted  the  practice  of  growing  corn  on  clover  sod, 
reserving  all  concentrated  fertilizers  for  wheat  and  oats.  But  last  year  we 
tried  an  experiment  which  was  conclusive  on  our  lands  as  to  the  best  mode  of 
using  them  on  corn.  It  was  this:  on  a  lot  of  good  laud  limed  with  twenty-five 
bushels  shells  burned  and  slaked,  we  had  a  crop  of  corn  planted  the  last  of 
April.  On  part  of  it  we  put  on  fertilizers  in  the  hill  at  the  rate  of  150  lbs.  per 
acre.  The  corn  stood  well,  grew  off  finely,  and  made  a  good  crop  ;  on  another 
part  we  applied  to  the  hills,  checked  off  four  feet  square,  a  shovel  full  of  wood- 
pile and  yard  sweepings  made  into  com  post  with  lime.  This  also  made  a  good  crop, 
better  than  the  first  part.  On  another,  and  thj  last  part,  the  most  inferior  land 
of  the  lot,  where  the  cor  a'grew  off  worse,  we  sowed  150  lbs.  dried  or  pressed  fish 
at  the  last  working  of  the  crop,  and  just  before  it  began  to  tassle.  It  was  sowed 
in  the  middle  of  the  row,  and  ploughed  in  with  a  one  horse  turn  plough,  baulks 
broken  out    at  the  same  time.     What   the  yield  was   we   cannot   say,  for  the 


244  THE  SOUTHERN  [April 

March  pigs,  21  in  number,  ran  in  the  field  from  the  time  the  corn  was  up 
until  the  Middle  of  September,  their  mothers  being  excluded.  They  were 
then  taken  out  and  confined,  to  prevent  their  trespassing  on  neighbors  ;  and 
the  entire  crop  was  cut  up  and  shocked.  Of  course  we  could  not  measure  nor 
compare  the  different  products  thus  partia!ly  and  indiscriminately  consumed 
by  the  shoats.  But  we  could  notice  and  now  reord  one  note  worthy  fact, 
viz  :  that  though  the  stalks  were  a  great  deal  la-ger,  and  the  growth  -vidently 
more  vigorous  on  the  part  manured  in  the  hill  at  planting  time,  yet  there  was 
rather  a  deficiency  of  twin  ears  on  that  part  of  the  field  ;  whereas  on  that 
manured  broadcast  when  the  corn  was  laid  by,  though  the  stalks  were  smaller, 
the  crops  was  much  finer  and  there  was  a  predominance  of  twin  ears. 

Combining  then  the  facts  given  in  this  and  the  preceding  number  of  the 
Planter,  and  adding  the  years  as  if  they  were  in  one  continuous  series,  it 
would  appear  as  the  uniform  result  of  about  twenty-five  crops  that  it  pays  much 
better  to  apply  the  fertilizers  at  a  period  considerably  subsequent  to  the  plant- 
ing and  quite  close  to  the  formation  of  the  ear. 

The  next  question  is  as  to  the  kind  of  fertilizers  to  be  used.  Our  correspon- 
dent above  referred  to  says  :  "  As  to  my  experiments  with  manipulated  guanoes 
and  manufactured  manures,  which  have  been  many  in  the  last  fifteen  years,  I 
have  to  say,  the  money  expended  was  all  lost  except  when  ground  bones,  or 
bone  ash  and  Peruvian  guano  were  the  only  ingredients."  As  "  the  bone 
ash  and  Peruvian  guano"  used  were  Ruffin's  Phosphor-Peruvian,  which  we 
know  was  genuine,  we  assume  that  a  good  phosphate  mixed  with  Peruvian 
guano  will  answer.  Of  all  forms  of  phosphate  we  decidedly  prefer  b;>nes  either 
ground  or  burnt  and  mixed  with  Peruvian  guano  or  pressed  fish.  Ic  costs  more, 
but  if  genuine  it  can't  be  anything  but  phosphate,  and  phosphate  in  the  best  as 
well  as  purest  form.  The  burning  them  is  a  mere  matter  of  economy  ;  except 
about  three  per  cent,  of  ammonia  which  can  be  easily  replaced  by  guano,  the 
part  lost  by  combustion  is  water  and  oil,  neither  of  any  value  to  crops,  and  we 
think  the  more  open  texture  of  the  burnt  bone,  making  it  more  permeable  to 
ammonia  and  other  solvents  makes  it  really  more  valuable.  Still  other  forms 
are  cheap,  and  many  of  them  do  very  well.  We  do  not  propose  to  name  them< 
because  after  all,  the  purchaser  must  rely  upon  the  personal  guarantee  he  has 
in  the  character  of  the  party  he  deals  with,  or  upon  the  analysis  cf  a  chemist 
whom  he  knows  to  be  honest  and  capable  ;  and  when  we  say  capable,  we 
no  more  mean  that  every  accom olished  chemist  is  therefore  an  accomplished 
analyser,  than  we  mean  that  every  well  educated  physician  is  equal  to  a  spe- 
cialist, or  that  every  lawyer  is  equally  good  at  common  law.equity  and  admi- 
ralty. 

Of  ammoniacal  manures  there  are  to  us  but  two  sources  of  supply,  guano  and 
pressed  fish,  the  latter  in  very  limited  supply  at  present  and  of  uncertain 
continuance. 

Peruvian  guano  ought  to  contain  16  per  cent,  amm.,  and  25  per  cent,  phos- 
phate, soluble.  The  fish  which  we  used  on  corn,  again  on  wheat  last  fall,  and 
which  Mr.  R.  B.  Chafin  of  Amelia  has  used  on  wheat  with  such  success  that 
he  is  now  seeking  to  obtain  a  fresh  supply  for  his  tobacco  crop,  and  which  our 
friend,  Dr.  Jno.  R.  Garnett  of  Henrico  also  used,  at  our  instance,  with  success 
on  corn  last  summer,  that  fish  contained  25  per  cent,  moisture,  9.36  per  cent, 
amm.,  and  13  per  cent,  phos :  an  analysis  where  accuracy  is  proved  by  Prof. 
Way's.     This  is  more  than  half  the  ammonia,  and  not  quite  half  the  phosphate 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  215 


in  Peruvian  guano.  Rating  Peruvian  guano  at  $80,  and  the  fish  at  $30,  which 
we  paid,  it  is  plain  that  the  fish  is  decidedly  the  cheapest  and  that  the  defi- 
ciency of  phosphate  can  be  more  cheaply  supplied  from  some  other  sources. 
At  the  North  they  guarantee,  or  profess  to  guarantee,  8  per  cent,  of  ammonia 
which  still  makes  a  cheap  substitute  for  guano. 

The  nest  question  is,  can  we  produce  a  sufficient  increase  of  crop  to  warrant 
the  outlay?  Our  correspondent  estimated  his  gain  at  25  bushels  corn  per  100 
pounds  guano,  or  16  pounds  ammonia,  though  we  suppose  his  avsrage  gain  was 
not  equal  to  that.  Suppose  it  to  have  been  15  bushels.  This,  at  the  present 
price  of  corn,  80  cents,  and  guano,  $82  50,  would  be  $12  for  an  expenditure  of 
$4  12V,  or  very  nearly  two  hun  ired  per  cent. — a  very  fair  operation.  Assum- 
ing our  correspondent's  amount  of  application,  100  pounds  Peruvian  guano,  in 
its  equivalent  of  pressed  fish  and  bone  ash  combined,  we  find  it  will  take  171 
pounds  fish,  costing  $2  56£-f-16.30  pounds,  (at  73  per  cent,  phosphate  lime, 
$50  per  ton,)  411  cents=(say)  $2  98,  in  round  numbers,  $3  per  acre;  or  at  150 
pounds  per  acre,  $4  47,  and  at  200  pounds  per  acre,  $5  96. 

But  as  the  proportion  of  ammonia  is  larger  than  we  think  necessary,  it  will 
do  quite  as  well,  in  most  cases,  to  use  only  100  pounds  of  fish  and  to  double 
the  quantity  of  bones,  the  cost  of  which  each  one  can  calculate  for  himself  on 
the  above  data. 

The  fish  are  damp  and  lumpy,  and  will  have  to  be  run  through  a  threshing 
machine  or  Little  Giant,  then  be  mixed  with  the  bone  ash,  and  plaister,  if  you 
choose,  will  help,  (or  dry  clay,  if  the  land  does  not  need  plaister,  will  be  quite 
as  good,)  the  mass  well  mixed  and  shovelled,  and  then  sowed  on  the  land,  to 
be  ploughed  in. 

The  fish  is  prepared  for  sowing  by  being  ground,  but  the  cost  of  doing  that 
is  altogether  too  large,  and  at  $50  per  ton,  the  prbe  asked,  and  12  per  cent, 
ammonia,  the  quantity  alleged  to  be  in  the  dried  article,  which  is  about  right, 
there  is  only  a  little  more  than  $5  per  ton  difference,  which  is  decidedly  higher 
than  it  ought  to  be. 

Whether  the  above  assumed  increase  will  be  realized  in  the  crop,  is  a  ques- 
tion which  each  one  must  answer  for  himself.  Generally,  we  should  say  that 
on  land  which  will  average  20  bushels  per  acre,  the  application  in  small  quan- 
tities will  not  pay;  and  if  larger  are  needed,  we  would  rather  apply  the  fer- 
tilizer to  the  wheat  crop,  to  be  followed  by  clover  and  grass.  But  it  is  simply 
a  question  of  capital  and  judgment,  not  opinion,  mind,  but  judgment — a  very 
different  thing  from  opinion. 

This  being  settled,  we  have  to  say  that,  taking  all  things  into  consideration, 
when  the  farmer  knows  that  he  gets  what  he  bargains  for,  it  is  better  to  buy 
the  manipulated  article  than  attempt  to  make  it,  unless  fish  can  be  had  in  the 
quantity  required  and  at  or  near  the  price  slated.  We  gave  that  advice  when 
we  were  manipulators;  and  "sauce  for  the  goose  is  sauce  for  the  gander." 
The  reason  is  that  the  article  is  generally  prepared  by  superior  machinery,  and 
the  manufacturer,  buying  by  wholesale,  has  a  much  better  opportunity  of  ob- 
taining the  genuine  ingredients. 

We  anticipate  the  question:  "Of  whom  shall  I  buy?"  But,  friends,  just 
there  we  express  no  opinion.     Remember  what  Sir  Peter  Teazle  said,  and  em- 

phaj-ize  it  when  you  buy  fertilizers:   "This  is  a  d d  bad  world,  sir,  and  the 

fewer  people  you  praise  in  it  the  better." 

There  are  reliable  men  in  the  trade,  but  find  them  out  for  yourself. 


246  THE  SOUTHERN  [April 

Prof.  Mallet's  Lecture. 

In  another  place  the  reader  will  find  and  we  hope  will  read  diligently  the 
lecture  of  this  gentleman,  delivered  on  the  first  day  of  March,  before 
the  Farmers  of  Albemarle  county.  Oar  accomplished  friend,  Mr.  South- 
all,  of  the  Enquirer,  knows  Prof.  Mallet  so  much  better  than  we  have  the 
pleasure  of  doing,  and  is  so  much  better  qualified  to  judge  of  bis  attainments, 
that  we  adopt  his  introduction  without  hesitation  or  reserve. 

Why  cannot  the  Earmers  near  Charlottesville  get  up  a  class  and  prevail  on 
Prof.  Mallet  to  deliver  before  them  a  course  of  lectures  on  Agricultural  Chem- 
istry? We  are  sure  it  would  be  of  great  benefit  and  be  also  a  great'pleasure  to 
them,  and  enable  Mr.  Mallet  to  rehearse  for  similar  displays  on  a  much  wider 
theatre. 

We  say  we  hope  the  farmers  will  read  ;  perhaps  we  should  have  said,  we 
wish  they  would  read  ;  for  we  remember  more  than  one  case  in  which  many  of 
them  decline  that  advantage.  As  for  instance;  once  a  particular  friend  said 
to  us  :  *'  Why  don't  you  write  an  article  on  so  and  bo?"  "Well,"  we  replied, 
"there  was  just  such  an  article  in  the  September  number  of  the  paper;  and  I 
thought  of  you  when  I  wrote  it."  I  recollect,"  he  said,  "  there  was  such  an 
article,  and  I  would  have  read  it ;  but  it  was  so  long."  We  beg  such  parties  at 
least  to  consult  the  tables  on  the  inorganic  requirements  of  plants,  and  to  note 
what  is  said  about  the  important  discovery  of  potash  salts  in  Germauy. 


The  Richmond  Whig. 

The  Whig  has  so  often  done  this  paper  the  kindness  of  a  friendly  notice 
that  we  should  be  as  ungrateful  as  inappreciative  not  to  express  our  pleasure 
at  its  enlargement  and  improved  typography,  and  further  to  express  the  hope, 
indeed  the  conviction,  that  both  are  due  to  its  increasing  success  in  the  field  of 
journalism. 

Within  the  last  few  months,  it  has  wisely  given  itself  very  much  to  the 
question  of  industrial  developement,  and  has  done  much,  and  no  doubt  will  do 
still  more,  to  attract  the  attention  of  foreign  capital  to  our  resources,  as  well  as  to 
rouse  and  impel  the  energies  of  our  own  people  in  the  same  direction. 

Its  politics,  we  suppose,  are  symbolically  represented  by  the  old  state  seal, 
and  its  motto  Sic  Semper  Tyranis,  which  we  once  heard  was  pretty  freely,  but  we 
rather  think,  on  the  whole,  correctly  translated  by  an  Irishman  :  "that's  the 
way  they  do  us  when  they  have  us  down." 

Success  to  the  Whig  ;  may  its  dimensions  never  be  less. 


Captain  Maury's  Communication. 

We  are  very  much  obliged  to  this  distinguished  gentleman  for  the  article 
which  he  has  contributed  to  this  paper.  We  ask  for  it  the  close  and  critical 
perusal  of  our  readers.  In  point  of  style  and  execution  the  paper  from  Amelia 
is  very  superior.  We  dissent  somewhat  from  the  figures  and  conclusions  of  the 
pro  forma  statement;  but  we  shall  reserve  our  criticism  for  the  May  number 
of  the  planter  and  Farmer.  With  that  pro  forma  amended  we  would  say  that  the 
paper  is  a  model  for  similar  reports  from  every  county  of  the  commonwealth. 


809.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  247 

What  May  Prove  a  Fraud  in  Guano. 

We  have  got  hold  of  the  following,  which  we  insert  for  the  benefit  of  our 
brother  farmers : 

Ni'TICE. 

Ko.  1  Peruvian  (Guanape)  Island   Guano. 

The  consignees  of  the  Peruvian  Government  have  sent  to  me  two  cargoes  of 
this  Guano.  One  cargo  is  stored  at  Baltimore,  the  other  at  Xew  York,  in 
bags  marked  as  other  Peruvian  Guano,  with  the  addition  of  the  Gi'anapb. 
The  following  is  an  analysis  made  of  this  Guano  by  Professor  Leibig  of  Balimore 
ex  ship  E.  Sherman. 

Moisture 16  55 

Organic  Matter 38.72 

Containing  of  Oxalic  Acid 3  800 

And  producing  Ammoaia 9  3^2 

Inorganic  earihlv  matter 44.72 

Containing  of  the  phosphoric  Acid 15.23 

Lime „.,. 14  77 

Magnesia 86 

Chlorinr.. 1.03 

Sulphuric  Acid LOG 

Alkaline 4  11 

Os.  of  Iron  and  Alum 1.47 

Sand  and  Silicia 2.22 

The  Phosphoric  Acid  of  which  5.65  is  readily  soluble,  is  equal  to  35.25  of 
bone  phosphate  of  lime. 

(Signed)  G.  A.  Leibig.  Phr.  Dr. 

The  price  fixed  bv  the  Peruvian  Government  for  this  Guano  at  present  ia 
fifty  dollars,  gold,  per'ton  of  2  240  lbs.  in  bags. 

For  sale  at  Baltimore  by  B.  F.  Voss,  Agt.  Peruvian  Guano  Co. 

R.  C.  FERGUSSON", 
A^ent  for  Consignees  Peruvian  Government. 

42  South  street, 
fl25-3aw8t  N'ew  York. 

Observe  that  the  Xo.  1.  Peruvian  (Guanape)  Guano  has  only  9  372  per  cent, 
of  ammonia  against  16  to  18  per  cent,  averaging  17  per  cent,  in  the  old  sort. 
Look  out  for  the  word  Guanape  on  the  bags,  it  is  not  better  than  pressed  fish' 
and  costs  upwards  of  a  good  deal  more. 

We  impute  no  evil  purpose  to  Mr.  Fergusson  ;  but  we  think  it  well  to  cau- 
tion farmers. 


Fish  Guano,  or  Pressed  Fish. 

We  are  very  glad  to  learn  that  an  establishment  has  been  started  in  Mathewa 
co.unty,  Va.,  for  the  preparation  of  this  valuable  fertilizer.  If  not  advertized 
in  this  issue  of  the  Planter,  it  certainly  will  be  in  the  May  number,  which 
will   be  in   fair  time  for  tobacco  and  full  time  for  corn. 

We  have  not  learned  definitely  the  percentage  of  water  in  the  sample,  but 
if  it  be  no  more  than  the  usual  quantity  in  that  sort  of  manure,  we  can  safely 


248  THE   SOUTHERN  [April 

say,  that  though  more  disagreeable  to  handle,  it  is  really  a  good  deal  cheaper 
than  Peruvian  guano,  and  made  at  home. 

To  those  who  have  never  heard  of  it,  we  can  only  say  that  it  is  the  source 
of  atnmoniaeal  supply  in  a  good  many  of  the  fertilizers  now  sold  in  the  market 
and  has  long  been  known  in  other  countries  and  on  our  sea  shores,  as  a  valu- 
able manure  either  in  the  raw  and  unmanufactured  state,  simply  as  refuse 
fish  ;  or  in  the  pressed  state,  the  fish  being  subjected  to  strong  pressure  for 
ibe  oil,  and  the  residue  prepared  in  various  ways  for  agricultural  use. 

We  hope  an  agency  for  the  sale  of  this  article  will  soon  be  established  in 
this  city.  There  is  one  now  in  Norfolk  id  the  hands  of  Messrs.  Gresham  & 
Shanks  to  whom  we  refer  par  ies  wishing  further  information. 

This  is  another  new  enterprize  which  we  welcome. 


Excelsior  Oats. 


We  owe  our  thanks  to  the  Department  of  Agriculture  for  several  samples  of 
these  oats  imported  from  England.  We  have  already  distributed  them,  and 
could  have  easily  disposed  of  many  packages  more.  We  earnestly  hope  that  all 
who  may  have  received  the  packages  will  remember  the  sentence  which  accompa- 
nies each  package.  Our  attention  to  that  is  all  important  .to  the  labors  and 
usefulness  of  the  Department.     Here  it  is  : 

"The  object  of  this  distribution  is  to  disseminate  new  seeds,  and  extend  them 
that  have  proved  of  sectional  value.  It  is,  therefore,  indispensable  that  the 
commissioner  be  advised  of  the  results  of  experiments.     Please  report." 

Slight  as  this  request  appears,  it  is  really  the  gist  of  the  whole  matter. 

If  we  were  asked  why  Agriculture  is  to  daj  so  far  behind  the  other  useful 
arts,  we  should  say  it  is  due  mainly  to  the  fact  that  bo  few  facts  are 
well  observed  and  reported  to  scientific  men. 


Wild  Goose  Plum. 


Our  thanks  are  due  to  Dr.  M.  W.  Philips  of  the  Southern  Farmer,  for  a  pack- 
age of  trees  of  the  above  fruit/  We  shall  plant  them,  and  if  they  turn  out  well, 
we  hope  to  be  able  in  a  few  years  to  distribute  more  of  them  among  our  friends. 
We  suppose  all  know,  that  it  is  a  variety  of  the  Chickasaw,  a  wild  native  plum, 
and  a  very  good  one  generally,  that  grows  in  gullies  and  odd  places  on  many 
farms.  As  being  measurably  free  from  the  ravages  of  curculio,  and  perhaps 
affording  a  good  fruit  for  tarts,  jellies  and  preserves,  it  is  capable  of  being  made 
of  considerable  value.  So  at  least  it  appears  to  us,  who  do  not  koow,  or  pre- 
tend to  know  anything  of  fruit,  or  fruiticvlture;  a  word,  by  the  way,  we  are 
surprised  not  to  have  seen  manufactured  and  brought  into  use. 

But  whether  it  be  good  or  not,  it  comes  as  a  pledge  of  regard  for  ourselves 
and  more  than  ourselves  from  a  man,  who  though  he  has  buried  the  past 
and  would  no  more  revive  it  than  a  mourner  would  exhume  and  revivify  the 
dead,  yet  looks  back  on  the  tomb  as  not  only  the  resting  place  of  the  dead, 
but  the  repository  of  holiest  memories.  Whatever  the  future  may  be,  there  are 
some  who  are  blest  with  the  constant  feeling  that  the  past  at  least  is  theirs, 
and  that  all  the  powers  of  earth  and  hell  cannot  tear  it  away. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  249 

Fertilizer,  Flour  and  Woollen  Mills  at  Charlottesville. 

On  a  recent  visit  to  Albemarle,  we  were  pleased  to  see  that  Charlottesville  is 
neither  dead  nor  sleepetli. 

Mr.  B.  C.  Fiannagan  has  in  full  operation  a  mill,  with  machinery  of  the  best 
description,  for  the  manufacture  of  fertilizers:  also  a  large  figuring  mill,  in 
which  he  makes  a  brand  of  flour  that  competes  with  any  in  our  market.  When 
we  state  that  all  the  power  is  steam,  there  being  no  water  power  within  less 
than  a  mile  of  the  town,  we  think  all  parties  will  accord  credit  to  the  enter- 
prise that,  in  these  tiiries,  has  conceived  and  carried  out  such  important  im- 
provements. 

It  is  in  the  strict  line  of  our  editorial  duty  to  notice  all  such  things,  to  help 
them  on  as  far  ae  our  feeble  ability  will  allow,  and  to  '"call  attention"  to  the 
advertisements  which  give  full  particulars. 

In  the  same  spirit  we  cite  the  fact  that  Mr.  Marehant's  woolen  factory,  which 
was  burnt  by  the  enemy  during  the  war — enemies  in  war,  in  peace  (when  we 
get  it)  friends — again  adorns  the  shores  of  the  Rivanna  at  the  mouth  of  Moore's 
creek,  a  mile  and  a  half  below  Charlottesville,  on  the  6ite  of  what  was  called 
thirty  years  ago,  "Pioneer,  or  Merriwether's  Bridge." 

There,  we  were  glad  to  learn,  the  best  descriptions  of  woollen  are  made,  and 
fair  prices  paid  for  wool.  "We  have  been  promised  a  book  of  samples  by  Mr. 
March  ant,  which  we  shall  keep  in  our  office  and  exhibit  with  pleasure  to  the 
gentlemen  whom  we  are  endeavoring  to  coax  into  wool  growing. 

These  are  the  enterprises  that  will  do  more  to  help  reconstruction  than  most 
of  the  political  theories  of  the  day,  and  especially  those  that  refer  to  the  dead 
past.  We  bail  them  with  pleasure  as  the  precursors  of  larger,  grander  and 
more  varied  enterprises. 


Large  Pumpkin. 

Samuel  A.  Townsend,  of  Kent,  Connecticut,  raised  on  his  farm  the  past  sea* 
son,  a  mammoth  pumpkin,  which  measured  in  circumference  seven  feet,  and 
weighed  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  and  a  half  pounds.  From  the  time  it 
budded  till  it  ripened  and  was  picked,  by  actual  calculation,  it  must  have 
grown  two  and  a  half  pounds  per  day,  and  one  ounce  and  thret-quarters  per 
hour.  It  is  estimated  that  it  would  require  ten  cans  of  milk  to  make  it  into 
pies. — Exchange. 

A  tolerably  large  pumpkin  for  Connecticut;  but  no  great  shakes  in  other 
places,  as  Arkansas,  for  instance,  which  name,  by  the  way,  we  presume,  is  the 
Indian  term  for  abundance  of  garden  sass. 

A  peddler  tried  to  sell  a  clock  in  that  Stat:  once,  but  missed  it.  "Don't 
want  such  things  here,"  said  the  planter,  "no  use  for  them."  "Why,  how  do 
you  get  the  time  of  day?"  From  the  pumpkin  vines;  and  in  this  way:  Take 
sunrise  from  the  Almanac,  and  6tick  a  stake  in  at  the  end  of  a  vine.  Then, 
when  you  want  to  know  the  time  of  day.  take  a  foot-rule,  and  measure,  and 
calculate.  The  vine  uniformly  grows  five  feet  an  hour,  which  is  just  an  inch  a 
minute.     More  convenient  than  a  sun  dial,  and  more  accurate  than  a  clock." 

The  pumpkins  from  these  vines  were  about  the  size  of  balloons. — Cob.  Sou. 
Planter  &  Farmer. 


250  THE    SOUTHERN  [April 

Sale  of  Fine  Blooded  Stock  in  Virginia. 

We  mislaid,  and  have  only  recently  recovered  the  fallowing  from  the  Cultiva- 
tor and  Country  Gentleman.  We  have  no  doubt  these  cattle  are  as  good  as  a 
great  many  fancy  stock  that  are  sold  at  much  higher  prices.  We  are  glad  to 
gee  that  they  are  all  sold  in  Virginia,  and  hope  further  sales  will  remunerate 
Mr.  B  senberger  for  his  trouble  and  public  spirit.  It  will  always  give  us  plea- 
sure to  chronicle  his  transactions  in  this  line. 

"  Mvements  in  Improved  Stock. — Mr.  Geo.  W.  R=enber£er.  Xew  Market, 
Va.,  has  recently  sold  the  following  Short-Horns:  To  John  Miller,  Rappahan- 
nock county.  Va.,  Highlander,  6.S70,  roan,  two  years  old,  for  $120.  T  M  rgan 
Biedler,  Page  county,  Va.,  Belvidere,  C.45iJ,  roan,  two  years  old,  for  $100.  To 
Gideon  Br  trn,  Rippahannock  county,  Va.,  Zuleika,  roan,  one  year  old.  for 
$100.  To  Juhn  W.  Driver,  Rockingham  county,  Va.,  River  Duke,  roan,  five 
months  old,  for  $100.  To  S.  C.  Cooley,  Frederick  county,  Va.,  Mag  Goff,  r  'an, 
fourteen  years  old,  for  $102:  Rock  Lilly,  white,  seven  years  old.  for  $108.  The 
two  last  c:ws  were  weighed;  the  first  drew  1,360,  the  other  1,450  pounds. 


Correspondence  of  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer. 

C.  B.  Williams  Esq.: 

Dear  Sir, — Enclosed  I  send  50  cents,  for  which  please  send  me  the  Southern 
Planter  for  whatever  that  sum  will  pay.  Am  g'ad  you  have  Mr.  Ruffin  as  as- 
sociate. Am  an  old  subscriber,  and  bought  guano  from  him.  His  remarks  on 
Manipulations  in  his  first  Xo.  are  just  what  is  needed.  The  agricultural  press 
in  our  poor  country  seems  to  be  subsidized,  and  the  people  are  shamefully 
swindled  by  unscrupulous  manufacturers  of  fertilizers.  Expect  to  renew  when 
time  is  out. 

trkftte,  y.  C,  March  13,  II 

We  publish  the  above  for  an  object.  The  article  in  the  January  number  of 
the  Planter  and  Farmer  on  Fertilizers  was  published  before  Mr.  Ruffin  had 
formed  his  connexion  with  us,  and  before  either  had  c:ntemplated  it.  It  was 
proper  and  perfectly  fair  in  us  to  publish  the  article,  as  it  was  in  Mr.  Ruffin  to 
write  it.  Let  us  see:  a  merchant  of  high  standing  had  requested  Mr.  R.  to 
take  the  article  and  try  it,  and  to  read  and  criticise  the  pamplet  of  the  manu- 
facturer. Mr.  R.  agreed;  and  before  the  trial  stated  his  objections  to  the  mix- 
ture on  the  score  of  cost  and  deceptive  nomenclature,  and  offered  to  surrender 
the  article.  He  was  still  urged  to  try  it,  and  note  the  result,  and  did  so.  F  r 
what  purpose?  Surely  the  merchant  could  not  have  meant  that  he  was  to 
speak  out  if  the  fertilizer  pleased  him,  and  to  keep  silence  if  it  did  not  please 
him.  Surely  the  merchant  did  not  wish  merely  to  get  a  favorable  certificate; 
he  must  have  been  seeking  a  practical  test  of  tae  value  of  the  fertilizer,  and  an 
investigation  of  its  claims  by  one  he  thought  capable  of  making  the  investiga- 
tion, with  a  view  to  influence  hi>  action  in  placing  it  before  farmers  who  would 
want  evidence  of  its  value.  So  at  least  Mr.  Ruffin  understood  him,  and  acted 
accordingly. 

Every  week  he,  who  was  known  to  have  been  a  guano  manipulator,  and  of 
an  article  which  gave  general  satisfaction,  was  consulted  about  fertilizers. 
About  a  great  many  of  them  he  knew  nothing — could  not  have  known  any- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  251 


thing,  because  he  had  never  tested  them.  To  meet  this  class  of  questions, 
then,  he  could  only  give  information  and  general  rules — what  he  styled  a. pro 
forma.  As  a  case  in  point,  he  selected  a  particular  article,  which  he  had  ex- 
amined and  tested,  and  he  showed  how  he  had  done  it.  He  did  not  mention 
the  name  of  tho  article,  the  maker,  or  the  agent.  He  had  no  wish  to  excite 
hard  thoughts,  or  to  engage  in  controversy.  And  now  we  have  been  com- 
plained of  for  having  published  that  article,  and  the  maker  of  it  came  to  state 
his  complaint.  We  offered  him  the  use  of  our  columns  for  reply,  but  he  de- 
clined, because,  he  said,  as  editors,  we  had  the  advantage.  What  advantage? 
The  rule  of  this  paper  has  always  been  to  di>euss  fairly,  to  give  our  adversary 
the  first  fire,  and  in  the  same  type  and  with  the  same  conspicuousness  as  the 
reply.  This  is  what  we  always  have  done,  and  mean  to  do;  and  this  was  what 
Mr.  Ruffin  did  in  the  article  complained  of.  If,  under  such  circumstances,  a 
party  aggrieved,  with  one  of  the  most  accomplished  chemists  of  New  England 
to  back  him,  declines  the  offer,  we  cannot  help  it.  In  this  case  a  discontinu- 
ance of  the  advertisement  was  threatened,  as  if  that  could  intimidate  us  from 
the  discharge  of  duty. 

Now  we  have  made  this  statement  because  we  wish  to  define  our  position. 
The  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer  wants  all  the  advertising  it  can  get;  it  pays 
better  than  subscriptions — a  good  deal  better— and  we  want  it.  But  the  paper 
is  what  its  name  implies— the  organ  of  the  planters  and  farmers;  and  whilst 
we  are  not  the  committee  of  that  class,  or  their  guardian  ad  litem,  and  do  not 
by  any  manner  of  means  consider  ourselves  bound  to  hunt  up  and  expose  hum- 
bugs in  any  form,  to  rat  like  a  terrier,  yet  we  do  reserve  the  right,  when  in  our 
judgment  it  is  proper,  to  criticise  or  expose,  editorially  or  through  communica- 
tions, anything  that  we  consider  hurtful  to  the  agricultural  interest;  and  no 
man  can  buy  up  or  buy  off  either  of  the  editors  of  this  paper  by  an  advertise- 
ment. At  the  same  time  we  hope  to  conduct  the  paper  fairly,  and  will  always 
allow  a  reply  to  whatever  we,  or  either  of  us,  may  advance  in  the  way  of  ar- 
gument or  opposition. 

That  the  high  price  of  fertilizers  is  an  evil,  we  proclaim;  that  frauds  are 
practiced  in  them  is  notorious;  that  mistakes  are  and  can  be  made  in  such 
compounds  is  palpable;  and  we  should  feel  mean,  and  be  mean,  if  we  failed 
to  call  attention  to  these  facts,  because  we  could  be  paid  handsomely  for  "call- 
ing attention"  to  a  long  advertisement.  At  the  same  time  we  declare  the  col- 
umns of  this  paper  now  and  always  open  to  the  commendation  of  anything 
which  a  disinterested  correspondent  may  think  merits  praise,  even  though  we 
ourselves  may  have  a  different  opinion,  still  more  where,  as  in  most  cases,  we 
have  no  opinion  one  way  or  the  other. 

And  further  and  finally,  we  shall  aim  to  be  impartial.  When  a  thing  is  new 
and  partakes  of  the  nature  of  a  fresh  enterprise,  we  will  notice  it,  in  a  leader 
if  necessary,  as  we  did  Mr.  Stacey's  shuck  enterprise,  because  we  think  it  im- 
portant that  our  readers,  or  a  portion  of  them,  should  know  the  fact.  But  such 
notice  is  never  meant  as  a  favor  to  the  advertiser,  or  an  invidious  discrimi- 
nation. 


REDONDA   GUANO. 

Mr.  Editor, — Being  somewhat  addicted  to  the  tentative  art  in  farming,  par* 
ticularly  on  the  subject  of  manures,  I  propose  to  give  you  a  short  sketch  of  my 
last  year's  experience,  hoping  it  will  prove  acceptable  to  your  readers.     My 


252  THE   SOUTHERN  [April 

cardinal  principle  in  farming  is,  "That  good  manures  are  cheaper  than  labor." 
But  here  lies  the  difficulty — among  the  almost  endless  varieties  of  manures  now 
pressing  their  claims  on  the  attention  of  the  farmer,  which  are  goud'  As  suc- 
cess is  the  only  recognized  test  of  merit  in  manures,  as  well  as  other  thing?,  the 
farmer  must  risk  something,  in  carefully  c  inducted  experiments,  to  find  out  the 
value  of  manures,  as  one  experiment  is  not  always  a  sure  test.  Following  out  that 
principle,  I  last  spring  purchased  a  ton  of  Red  >nda  Guano,  which  I  hid  seen 
highly  recommended,  and  used  it  on  corn  and  tobacco.  I  began  my  experiment 
on  tobacco.  On  a  field  on  which  I  used  Peruvian  in  the  drill,  at  the  rate  of  250 
pounds  per  acre,  1  laid  off  four  rows  through  the  centre  of  the  tobacco,  and  ap- 
plied in  the  drill  500  pounds  per  acre  of  Redonda  Guano.  The  result  was.  that 
the  tobacco  on  which  the  Peruvian  was  applied  was  more  than  double  the  size 
of  that  on  which  double  the  quantity  of  Redonda  was  applied,  making  a  great 
difference  in  favor  of  the  Peruvian,  even  at  the  advanced  cost  of  the  latter. 
I  afterwards  regretted  that  I  did  not  leave  four  rows  without  any  manure  as  a 
6urer  test;  but  my  manager  (who  is  an  experienced  tobacco  grower)  joins  with 
me  in  the  opinion  that  the  tobacco  where  the  Redonda  was  applied  was  no  bet- 
ter than  the  land  would  have  produced  without  any  manure.  I  next  applied 
the  Redonda  on  corn,  at  the  rate  of  300  pounds  per  acre,  when  I  laid  it  by. 
Then  I  left  out  part  of  the  land  to  see  what  difference  there  would  be.  The 
land  was  of  a  light,  gravelly  texture,  and  of  very  moderate  fertility.  Neither 
my  manager  nor  myself  could,  at  any  stage  of  its  growth,  nor  after  the  crop 
was  fully  matured,  detect  the  slightest  difference  between  the  corn  where  the 
Guano  was  applied  and  where  it  was  not.  Our  conclusion  is,  that  though  the 
Redonda  Guano  may  not  be  entirely  worthless,  we  would  rather  buy  good  for- 
est mould  at  the  same  price.  I  am  preparing  to  try  this  year  the  Soluble  Pa- 
cific, and  if  agreeable,  will  give  you  the  result  of  my  experiments  as  soon  as 
they  are  determined. 

Will  you  be  kind  enough,  Mr.  Editor,  to  let  me  know  in  your  April  number 
something  of  the  cultivation  of  the  navy  bean,  and  particularly  whether  it  is  a 
running  bean  or  not?  John  C.  James. 


A    REMARKABLE    GOOSE. 

Messrs.  Editors, — It  may  interest  some  of  your  readers  to  know  that  I  have  a 
goose  which,  on  Sunday,  the  21st  March,  laid  two  eggs.  They  were  laid  at  an 
interval  of  four  or  five  hours.  They  were  both  soft  in  the  shell,  and  one  was  of 
the  natural  size — the  other  was  about  as  large  as  a  turkey  egg. 

J.  E.  Woodward. 

Henrico,  March  24,  1869. 


Eds.  Planter  &  Farmer  : 

Dear  Sirs, — Will  you  please  favor  your  readers  with  information  on — 

1.  French  roofing  (with  thick  glass). 

2.  The  practicability  and  probable  use  of  Superphosphate  of  Lime,  to  be 
manufactured  at  home. 

Yours,  very  respectfully, 

R.  S.  F.  Peete. 
Warren  Plains,  Warren  county,  K.  C,  March  1,  1869. 

1.  We  know  nothing  of  French  roofing — will  try  and  look  into  the  subject. 

2.  The  best  way  to  manufacture  a  good  Superphosphate  at  home  is  to  burn 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  253 

the  bone?  and  urird  them  tine  in  a  hark  mill  or  some  similar  contrivauce— then 
sow  the  meal  or  hominy  in  the  stable,  where  it  will  become  incorporated  with 
the  manure.  If  the  quantity  of  bones  is  small,  pound  them  with  mauls  in  a 
trough.  This  will  make  first  class  phosphatio  manure  and  durable;  we  speak 
that  whereof  we  know.  The  usual  plau,  or  rather  the  recommended  plan,  of 
treating  them  with  Sulphuric  Acid,  is  expensive  and  troublesome,  and  risks 
injury  to  yourself  or  freedman  from  handling  the  Sulphuric  Acid. 

But  dfl  yon  not  destroy  Ammonia  by  burning?  Yes  ;  but  only  3  per  cent.; 
which  is  uot  worth  saving  by  such  means  as  you  have  ;  and  is  more  cheaply 
restored  bv  the  Ammonia  from  your  manure.  Bones  contain  Phosphates,  3 
per  cent,  or  thereabouts,  of  Ammonia,  an  inappreciable  amount  of  a  few  other 
things,  and  about  50  per  cent,  of  water  and  grease,  which  means  rain  water,  of 
which  you  always  have  enough,  one  year  with  another. 

You  will  be  surprised  to  see  how  few  pounds  of  bones  you  have  when  you 
come  to  weigh  them. 

Mr.  Editor,— Oar  plan  of  making  and  saving  manure  in  a  common  yard  does 
not  please  my  eye.  Will  you,  or  some  of  your  contributors,  suggest  through 
the  Planter  aiul  Farmer,  some  of  the  more  improved  methods.  Will  it  pay  to 
throw  ashes,  lime  or  plaister  in  the  manure  pile?  You  see  that  in  these  things 
I  am  an  Ignoramus. 

Long  Meadows,  Augusta  county,  Va.,  March  15,  1869. 

Whether  it  be  advisable  to  apply  Gypsum  to  farm-pen  or  stable  manure,  is  a 
question  not  yet  setiled  among  the  chemists.  Fifty  or  more  years  ag  >,  John 
Taylor,  the  author  of  Arator,  strongly  advised  it.  And  Leibig  was  an  earnest 
advocate  of  the  same  practice,  on  the  ground  that  it  converted  the  volatile  car- 
bonate of  Ammonia  into  the  Soluble  Sulphate,  thereby  removing  the  Ammonia 
one  degree  further  from  loss.  This  has  been  disputed,  among  others,  by  B  <u- 
singault,  who,  if  we  remember,  admits  the  change  under  conditions  of  mois- 
ture, but  says  that  when  the  Gypsum  is  dry,  the  Ammonia  becomes  volatile 
again,  and  the  Sulphuric  Acid  returns  to  the  lime.     Who  can  decide? 

It  is  certain,  though,  that  it  can  do  no  harm  ;  and  if  the  land  needs  Gypsum, 
it  will  do  that  good,  whether  it  helps  the  manure  or  not. 

Btt  mark  one  thing,  "  Ignoramus :"  Don't  drop  your  manure  on  the  land  in 
piles,  and  let  it  stay  until  you  get  ready  to  spread  it.  Scatter  the  p'les  the  day 
you  make  them;  or  the  next  day,  at  farthest.  Otherwise,  you  injure  your  ma- 
nure seriously. 

We  shall  be  glad  to  hear  from  some  of  our  contributors  on  the  above  sub- 
ject. 

We  think  the  best  way  to  manage  manure,  especially  in  Augusta,  is  either  to 
make  it  in  the  field,  where  it  is  wanted,  by  feeding  the  stalks,  straw  and  hay  to 
stock ;  or  to  make  it  under  shelter  ;  and  as  often  as  the  shelter  needs  cleaning 
out,  to  haul  the  manure  and  scatter  it  on  the  grass  land,  preferably,  other 
things  being  equal,  on  the  land  that  is  to  go  in  corn  the  year  after  the  manure 
is  spread  ;  so  as  to  give  it  a  year  to  decompose  and  penetrate  the  soil. 

Carbonate  of  lime  may  be  spread  over  manure  in  the  yard  without  injury, 
and  if  the  land  needs  lime  in  small  quantities,  it  is  a  good  enough  plan.  But 
caustic  lime  will  injure  the  manure.  The  same  remark  applies  to  ashes.  If 
leached,  they  will  do  no  harm  ;  if  unleached,  they  ought  to  be  applied  to  the 


254  THE  SOUTHERN  [April 

land  separately.  But  the  quantity  of  ashes  on  each  farm  is  so  small,  that  it 
■will  generally  be  better  to  reserve  them  as  a  special  application  to  some  garden 
crop  or  garden  spot. 


Catalogues  and   Pamphlets. 

We  have  received  the  following: 

Semple  Birjre  £  Co.'s  Illustrated  Catalogue  of  Farm  Machinery  and  Imple- 
ments. No.  13  South  Main  street,  Mo.     They  are  agents  for  the  manufacturers. 

Xew  Eng'and  Conservatory  of  Music,  Boston  Music  Hall,  February,  1869. 
Their  Annual  Catalogue  and  Circular,  gotten  up  in  the  highest  style  of  me- 
chanical skill  and  taste.  West  £  Johnston's  and  Randolph  &  English's  Lite- 
rary Buletins  for  March. 

Allen's  Seed  Catalogue  for  1869.  Address  R.  H.  Allen  ft  Co.,  P.  0.  Box 
376.  Xew  York. 

R.  H.  Duolittle,  Oak's  Corner,  Xew  York,  has  sent  us  a  pamphlet  containing 
twelve  vear's  experience  in  blackberry  culture — price  20  cents.  Address  R. 
II.  P..  as  above,  or  Doolittle  i  Wright,  Waterloo,  Xew  York.  Plants  sent  by 
mail  on  receipt  of  the  p  ice. 

Prairie  Farmer  Annual  and  Agricultural  and  Horticultural  Advertiser. 
Price  30  cents.  Containing  much  valuable  instruction  on  various  subjects 
connected  with  rural  affairs. 

Dreer's  Garden  Calendar,  1^69,  Philadelphia.  Containing  numerous  wood 
cut  illustrations.  The  work  is  designed  to  furnish  brief  directions  for  the  cul- 
tivation and  management  of  the  Yegetable.  Flower  and  Fruit  Garden,  with 
select  lists  of  seeds,  No.  174  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia. 

List  of  Premiums  and  Rules  of  Gcvernment  of  the  Xew  York  State  Poultry 
Fair,  First  Annual  Fair,  Officers,  «fcc. 

^  iek's  Catalogue  and  Floral  Guide  for  ISO?,  illustrated  with  a  great  variety 
of  beautiful  representations  of  djwers,  fruits  and  vegetables.  Address  Roches- 
ter, X.  Y. 

Gen.  John  S.  Goe's  Descriptive  and  Illustrated  Catalogue  of  the  pure  bred 
Stock  offered  at  private  sale  by  him  4*  miles  east  of  Brownsville,  Pennsylvania. 

Wade  i  Armstrong's  Amateur's  Guide  to  the  Kitchen  Garden,  with  Descrip- 
tive Catal  £ue  of  Garden  Seeds  and  Calendar  for  1569.  They  may  be  addressed 
at  their  Agricultural  Implement  and  Seed  S:ore,  1120  Market  street,  Phila- 
delphia. 

Report  of  James  C.  McCabe,  Secretary  of  the  Iron  Mountain  and  Helena 
Railroad,  to  Gov.  Clayton,  of  the  State  of  Arkansas,  1S69,  for  which  he  will 
please  accept  our  thanks. 

Edward  J.  Evans  ft  Co.'s  Catalogue  of  Fresh  and  Genuine  Field  and  Garden 
Seeds,  sold  by  that  respectable  firm.     Address  York,  Penn. 

J.  W.  Cardwell  i*  C).'s  Annual  Catalogue  of  Labor  Saving  Implements  and 
Machinery,  Richmond  Agricultural  Works,  Richmond,  Yirginia.  They  prom- 
ise always  to  sell  as  low  as  the  same  articles  can  be  bjught  for  either  in  this 
market  or  Baltimore.     Give  them  a  call. 

Messrs.  Allan  £  Johns  n  have  favored  us  with  their  "  Catalogue  of  Bedding 
and  Border  Plan:-.  R  sea,  Flower  Seeds."  fte.  It  is  filled  with  the  choice  and 
the  beautiful  in  the  floral  kingdom,  and  should  be  consulted  by  all  our  fair 
readers.  They  offer  decided  inducements  to  those  "purchasing  a  collection  of 
plants.     Send  for  a  Catalogue. 


1889.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  255 

Commercial  Report. 


Tierces. 

Boxes. 

157 

49 

167 

46 

218 

50 

167 

49 

206 

58 

We  copy  from  the  Richmond  Whig  the  following  carefully  prepared  and  ac- 
curate review  of  the  tobacco  and  grain  markets  of  this  city,  dated  March,  22, 
viz: 

TOBACCO. — The  activity  in  the  market,  reported  in  our  last  weekly  review, 
has  not  abated.  All  classes  of  desirable  Lugs  and  Leaf,  in  fair  order,  continue 
to  hold  their  own  firmly.  When  out  of  order,  concessions  have  to  be  made  to 
buyers. 

There  is  no  reason  to  change  our  quotations  this  week  for  shipping  or  work- 
ing Tobacco. 

Much  nondescript  and  frosted  Tobacco  is  on  the  market.  For  such  the  prices 
are  purely  nominal,  and  we  cannot  give  an  accurate  quotation.  Bright  To- 
bacco of  all  classes  in  demand,  and  prices  fully  maintained.  The  general  tone 
of  the  market  is  as  favorable  as  could  be  expected  at  this  season  of  the  year. 
The  breaks  today  were  75  hhds.,  11  tierces  and  1  box,  and  for  the  past  five 

weeks  were: 

Week  ending  Hhds. 

February  20,  772 

27,  905 

March         6,  914 

13,  696 

20,  761 

The  break3  from  1st  October  to  20th  inst.,  inclusive,  were: 

Hhds.  Tierces.  Boxes. 

1868-9,  9.805  2  305  748 

1867-8,  7,928  947  973 

Increase,     1,877                1,358  .... 

Decrease,     225 

The  receipts  in  February  compare  as  follows  with  those  for  the  same  month 

of  1860: 

Canal.        R.  &P.       R.  &  D.        C.  &  O.      R.,  F.  &  P.      Total. 
1869,  1,021  48  740  934  41  2,784 

1860,  1,190  253  621         1,406  167  3,637 

The  receipts  from  1st  October  to  1st  March  were  5,531  hhds.  The  average 
for  the  same  period  of  four  Tobacco  years  previous  to  the  war  was  7,645  hhds. 
"We  quote : 

Lugs — Shipping,  (green  or  unripe,)  common  to  medium,  $5.00@  6.00 

Do.  ripe,  in  good  order,  5.75@,  7.50 

Do.  do.,  in  soft  order,  5.50@  6.50 

Working,  common  to  medium,  5  00@  6  00 

Do.       good,  6.50(ft>  7.00 

Bright,  smoking  or  working,  common  to  medium,    8.50@,15  00 

Do.  do.,  good  to  fine,  13.00@25.00 

Leaf — Shipping,  short,  dark,  in  good  order,  7.50@,  9  50 

Do.  do.      do.         soft,    do.,  6.50@  8.00 

Do.        long,     do.         good,  do.,  8  50@11.00 

Do.  do.      do.         soft,    do.,  700@  9  50 

Stemming,  short  and  long,  7.50@12.50 

Bright  wrappers,  medium  to  good,  18  00(«)30  00 

Do.  do.        fine  to  extra,  30.00@60.00 


256  THE    SOUTHERN  [April 

GRAIN. — Since  our  last  weekly  review,  there  has  been  no  change  in  the 
price  of  Wheat,  while  offerings  continue  very  light.  The  offerings  of  Corn 
show  no  diminution,  but  the  market  has  become  quite  dull,  and  under  the  in- 
fluence of  lower  prices  elsewhere,  sales  were  made  to  day  at  4c.  below  the  rates 
of  MonJay  last.  Oats  and  Rye  continue  rather  dull  of  sale,  without  any  spe- 
cial change  in  rates  during  the  week.  The  transactions  on  'Change  to  day 
were : 

Wheat — Offered — White,  116  bus. ;  red,  564  bus.  Sold — 116  bus.,  very 
common  white,  $135;  380  bus.  ordinary  red,  $1.65  ;  50  bus.  very  good  do., 

Corn-— Offered— White,  2.426  bus. ;  yellow,  300  bus.  ;  red,  22  bus.  ;  mixed, 
2,152  bus.  Re  exhibited — White,  166  bus.;  yellow,  50  bus.;  mixed  322  bus. 
Sold — 566  bus.  very  good  white,  82c.  ;  250  bus.  yellow,  p.  t. :  592  bus.  mixed, 
82  cents. 

Oats— Offered,  836  bus.,  of  which  352  bus.  re  exhibited.  Sold — 326  bus. 
fair  to  prime,  62(fi67c. 

Rye— Offered,  138  bus.  Sold,  36  bus.  prime,  p.  t. ;  22  bus.  common  to  very 
good,  |l.30@l  35. 

OFFERINGS    AT    THE    GRAIN    EXCHANGE    FROM    JULY    1st. 

Wk  end'g  Mar.  20.  , To  date , 


Wheat.         1868.  1869.  lv>S.  1869. 

White,         259  172  259,040  244.287 

Red,  224  1.300  121,476  239.515 


Total,       483              1532  380516  48: 

Oats,        4,873             4,056  168,986  252  868 

Rye.          1,656                 372  45,531  37,567 
The  offerings  of  Corn  from  November  1st  were : 

Wk  endg  Mar.  20.  , To  date , 

Corx.                    1868.                 1S69.  1868.  1868. 

White,               5,512            3,106  168.277  113  983 

Yellow,              1,068                236  16,938  6,066 

Mixed,               1,852            3.940  55,648  44  411 


Total,         8,432  7,282  240,863  168,098 

The  offerings  of  Grain  for  the  last  five  weeks  were  : 


Week  ending 

Wheat. 

Corn. 

Oats. 

Rye. 

Februai 

ry20, 

2,300 

9,538 

10,186 

596 

" 

27, 

3,073 

6,463 

8,820 

498 

March 

6, 

2,434 

7,995 

7,770 

592 

u 

13, 

1,850 

6,570 

6,159 

524 

" 

20, 

1,532 

7,272 

4,056 

732 

FLOUR,  Etc. — The  annexed  quotations  represent  the  prevailing  rates  for 
Flour.  For  favorite  brands  holders  obtain  prices  above  our  figures.  Corn 
Meal  is  dull. 

Flocr— Richmond  country  super,  $8.37j(o,8.50 ;  do.  extra,  $9.25@9  50J 
family,  $10.50(0:10.75. 

Corn  Meal— City  mills,  white,  bolted,  95c.  ;„ country  Meal,  85@90c. 

Mill  Offal— Bran,  25c. ;  shorts,  30c. ;  brown  stuff,  35c. ;  ship  stuff,  35c, 
at  the  mills,  wholesale. 

COUNTRY  PRODUCE— Prices  are  generally  unchanged. 


THE  SOUTHERN 

PUNTER  &  FARMER, 


DEVOTED  TO 


Agriculture,  Horticulture  and  the  Mining,  Mechanic  and  Household  Arts 


Agriculture  is  the  nursing  mother  of  the  Arts.—  XEXOPnoN. 
Tillage  and  Pasturage  are  the  two  breasts  of  the  State.— Sully. 


CH:   B.  WILLIAMS, Editor  and  Proprietor. 

FRANK  G.  RUFFIN Co-Editor. 


New  Series.  RICHMOND,  VA.,  MAY,  1869.  Vol.  Ill — No.  §. 


Tropical    Fruits. 

CLEAR   WATER   HARBOR,    FLORIDA. 

As  much  attention  is  at  this  time  directed  to  South  Florida  as 
furnishing  the  soil  and  climate  suited  to  the  production  of  tropical 
fruit,  I  have  thought  that  a  communication  through  the  Planter  and 
Farmer  would  be  acceptable  to  many  of  its  readers.  It  is  generally 
known  that  on  the  St.  John's  river  and  at  several  points  along  the 
Atlantic  coast  of  this  State,  oranges  have  been  cultivated  for  many 
years.  Until  recently  no  attempt  has  been  made  to  cultivate  them 
extensively  in  any  other  part  of  the  State.  At  some  points  around 
Tampa  Bay,  and  on  Manatee  river,  small  groves  have  been  planted 
and  have  borne  well  for  many  years.  It  is  only  within  the  last  two 
years  that  the  idea  of  making  the  fruits  adapted  to  this  soil  and 
climate  a  prominent  object  has  been  entertained.  The  experiments 
that  have  been  made  have  proved  entirely  satisfactory,  and  prepa- 
rations are  now  making  for  planting  extensively,  not  only  oranges, 
but  limes,  bananas,  guavas,  pine-apples,  and  several  other  kinds  of 
fruit,  all  of  which  can  be  produced  successfully,';  and  now  the  pros- 
pect is,  that  as  soon  as  the  trees  now  planting  can  be  gotten  into 
bearing,  a  large  business,  in  this  branch  of  industry,  will  be  done. 
In  this  communication  I  purpose  to  give  some  information  concern- 
ing the  general  character  of  the  soil  and  climate  of  this  part  of  the 
VOL.  Ill — 17 


258  THE    SOUTHERN  [May 

State,  and  of  the  cultivation  of  the  fruits  most  important  in  the  es- 
timation of  those  engaging  in  this  branch  of  industry. 

SOIL   AND    CLIMATE. 

The  climate  of  Florida  generally,  but  especially  of  East  and 
Peninsular  Florida,  partakes  largely  of  a  tropical  character.  In  ordi- 
nary seasons  we  can  scarcely  be  said  to  have  any  winter.  Some- 
times there  are  light  frosts,  and  sometimes  a  Texas  Norther  sweeps 
across  the  gulf  and  gives  us  a  few  days  of  weather  a  little  too  cool 
for  comfort  to  those  who  hardly  know  what  winter  is.  In  the  lati- 
tude of  Tampa  it  is  rare  to  have  a  night  cool  enough  to  make  a 
scum  of  ice  over  a  bucket  of  water.  Sweet  potato  vines  usually  re- 
main green  through  the  winter,  and  pumpkins  remain  out  and  con- 
tinue to  bear  through  the  coldest  weather.  The  cold  of  the  past 
winter  was  unprecedented.  A  large  part  of  the  mangrove  bushes, 
and  some  of  the  more  tender  species  of  fruit  trees  were  killed. 
Some  of  these  must  have  passed  fifty  winters  in  safety.  During  the 
fall  and  winter  months  the  weather  is  usually  dry — only  occasional 
showers  ;  in  the  spring  there  are  more  frequent  showers,  but  until 
after  the  middle  of  May,  not  more  than  sufficient  to  bring  up  the 
seed  planted  and  keep  them  in  thrifty  condition  until  the  first  of 
June,  when  the  rainy  season  usually  commences,  and  lasts  through 
the  summer  months,  and  sometimes  extends  into  September,  and  oc- 
casionally into  October.  During  this  period  there  are  usually  show- 
ers every  day,  lasting  from  fifteen  to  thirty  minutes  ;  occasionally 
there  will  be  a  cessation  for  several  days,  and  occasionally  several 
showers  each  day. 

Near  the  coast  the  country  is  generally  low  and  flat — known  here 
as  "flat  woods."  Its  growth  is  generally  scrub  pines  and  low  pal- 
metto bushes.  It  is  usually  wet  and  poor,  and  unfit  for  anything 
but  range  for  cattle.  Occasionally  there  are  tracts  of  rolling  pine 
land,  with  better  timber  and  soil,  that  with  moderate  fertilizing  will 
produce  well.  Such  locations  are  generally  free  from  annoying  in- 
sects, and  furnish  pleasant  residences.  The  first  settlers  of  this 
region  generally  devoted  their  attention  almost  exclusively  to  cat- 
tle, and  their  only  mode  of  fertilizing  was  by  penning  their  cattle 
on  small  spaces  of  ground,  which  were  then  planted  in  potatoes,  or 
sugar  cane,  or  sometimes  corn.  As  the  country  is  now  filling  up 
with  a  dense  population,  the  range  for  cattle  must  be  in  a  great  de- 
gree taken  up,  and  a  different  mode  of  fertilizing  adopted.  Occa- 
sionally there  are  tracts  of  land  called  *' hammocks."  Some  of 
these  are  large ;  in  this  vicinity  they  are  generally  small,  embracing 


1839.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  '259 

less  than  one  hundred  acres.  These  are  very  fertile,  and  will  pro- 
duce any  crop  planted  without  any  farther  enriching.  The  growth 
of  these  tracts  of  land  is  a  mixture  of  oak,  ash,  hickory,  sweet  gum, 
magnolia,  and  other  trees  common  to  this  latitude.  The  growth  on 
the  hind  generally  is  purely  pine.  In  some  parts  it  is  good  for 
building  and  lumber,  in  others  it  is  hard  to  split,  and  timber  for 
rails  hard  to  find. 

The  soil  on  the  pine  lands  is  generally  of  that  light,  sandy  char- 
acter common  to  the  pine  lands  along  the  Atlantic  coast.  For 
ordinary  farming  or  planting  it  is  not  well  adapted,  as  the  amount 
of  land  to  be  fertilized  is  too  great  for  the  ordinary  means  of  the 
cultivator,  and  for  remuneration  by  the  crops  produced.  For  fruit 
planting,  however,  this  objection  does  not  hold,  as  the  amount  of 
land  planted  is  so  limited  that  it  can  be  fertilized  without  too  great 
cost  and  labor,  and  the  high  remuneration  will  justify  the  outlay  of 
money  and  labor  which  may  be  required. 

The  locality  from  which  this  communication  comes  is  immediately 
north  of  Tampa  Bay.  The  harbor  is  formed  by  a  succession  of  is- 
lands thrown  up  by  the  action  of  the  tides.  The  water  in  the  har- 
bor is  generally  shoal,  with  channels  passing  through  of  sufficient 
depth  to  admit  vessels  drawing  seven  or  eight  feet.  The  shore  of 
the  main  land  on  the  northern  part  is  high,  forming  beautiful  sites 
for  residences.  The  land  back  from  the  shores  for  two  or  three 
miles,  is  rolling  pine  land,  furnishing  a  fine  location  for  fruit  plan- 
tations. Into  this  there  is  now  moving  a  good  population,  which  is 
taking  the  place  of  the  pioneer  settlers,  and  will  in  a  few  years 
make  this  one  of  the  most  lovely  spots  in  this  "land  of  flowers." 
The  harbor  abounds  in  the  luxuries  of  the  ocean,  and  furnishes  fine 
water  for  sailing  and  bathing.  The  means  of  fertilizing  the  land 
are  furnished  in  the  beds  of  decomposed  shell  found  on  the  islands, 
and  in  the  seaweed  washed  ashore  by  the  tides,  and  the  millions  of 
fish  which  fill  the  bay  in  the  fall  and  early  winter.  For  healthful- 
ness  no  location  can  be  superior,  while  for  the  comfort  of  climate, 
taking  the  year  round,  few  localities  can  compare  favorably  with  it. 
The  coustant  breezes,  fresh  from  the  gulf,  so  temper  the  summer 
heat,  that  such  a  thing  as  an  oppressively  hot  day  is  very  rare. 

TROPICAL    FRUITS. 

Experiments  have  proved  satisfactorily  that  nearly  all  the  fruits 
common  to  the  West  Indies  can  be  successfully  cultivated.  Oranges, 
lemons,  limes,  citrons,  guavas,  mangos,  sugar  apples,  aligator-pears, 
eapodillas,  pine-apples  and  bananas,  all  grow  well,  and  stand  the 


260  THE  SOUTHERN  [May 

ordinary  winter  without  damage.  Several  cocoa-nut  trees  were 
growing  finely  on  the  writer's  lot,  b.ut  were  cut  down  by  the  intense 
cold  of  the  last  winter.  They  were,  however,  only  retarded  a  little 
in  their  growth,  as  they  are  coining  up  and  look  vigorous,  and  lid 
fair  to  do  well,  as  the  extraordinary  cold  of  the  early  winter  did  not 
injure  them. 

Perhaps  some  statement  concerning  the  cultivation  and  profit  of 
several  of  these  fruits  would  be  as  acceptable  as  anything  I  can  write. 

Oranges,  Limes  and  Lemons. — When  the  stocks  of  the  native 
wild  orange  can  be  obtained,  it  is  best  to  get.  them  and  bud  into 
them.  When  this  cannot  be  done,  they  must  be  obtained  from  the 
seed.  The  only  objection  to  this  is  that  it  requires  a  longer  period 
to  get  the  trees  into  bearing.  When  the  wild  stocks  can  be  ob- 
tained, four  or  five  years  will  be  sufficient;  from  the  seed  it  requires 
from  six  to  eight.  Generally  at  six  years  old,  if  the  trees  have 
been  well  attended  to,  the  ground  around  the  trees  well  enriched, 
and  kept  in  good  tilth,  they  may  be  expected  to  bear,  on  an  aver- 
age, 200  oranges  to  each  tree.  From  this  their  production  in- 
creases rapidly.  At  ten  they  will  average  1,500  ;  at  twelve,  2,000. 
It  is  not  uncommon  to  have  individual  trees  bearing  5,000,  and 
same  have  been  said  to  double  that  number.  The  trees  are  planted 
at  the  distance  of  from  twenty  to  thirty-five  feet.  I  prefer  twenty- 
one,  which  will  give  one  hundred  to  a  small  fraction  over  an  acre. 
Ten  acres  will  make  a  grove  of  convenient  size,  and  one  hand  can 
do  all  the  work  of  cultivating  it  after  it  is  planted.  This  would 
give  1,000  trees  to  the  grove.  Until  the  trees  come  to  bearing  size, 
the  ground  can  be  planted  in  any  other  crop  desired,  care  being 
taken  not  to  injure  the  trees  while  young  by  crowding  them  with 
other  growths.  At  eight  years  they  may  be  considered  to  be  in 
fair  bearing  condition,  and  will  then  generally  average  1,000  to  the 
tree.  These  at  one  cent  each  sold  on  the  tree,  the  purchaser  being 
at  all  the  risk  and  expense  of  marketing,  will  yield  $10  to  the  tree, 
and  the  whole  grove  will  bring  the  sum  of  §10,000  per  crop — a 
very  handsome  crop  and  income  for  the  outlay.  But  these  long 
eight  years  of  cultivating  and  waiting — what  is  to  be  done  with 
them? 

Bananas. — All  you  have  to  do  to  fill  up  this  gap,  is  to  plant  the 
same  ground  which  is  occupied  with  your  orange  grove  in  this  most 
delicious  and  productive  fruit.  In  its  native  tropical  climate  it 
forms  a  large  part  of  the  food  of  the  inhabitants.  It  is  propagated 
by  suckers  coming  up  around  the  root  of  the  parent  stem,  and  grows 
off  readily  when  transplanted,  and  yields  very  largely.     In  plant- 


18C9.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  261 

ing  oranges  it  may  be  set  out  at  the  distance  of  about  eight  feet 
apart,  so  as  to  make  two  rows  of  bananas  between  every  two  rows 
of  oranges.  It  will  come  into  bearing  in  two  years,  and  as  it  ia 
well  supplied  with  suckers,  it  keeps  up  a  succession  of  bearing 
plants  to  supply  the  places  of  those  which,  having  brought  their 
fruit  to  matuiity,  cease  to  bear,  and  are  taken  off  to  give  place  to 
the  young  shoots  which  are  coming  on.  Each  stem  which  bears 
fruit  will  give  about  one  to  succeed  it,  and  three  for  transplanting. 
If  the  ground  is  made  very  rich  it  will  do  more.  It  grows  well  on 
on  ordinary  light  pine  land  enriched  with  leaves,  or  rotten  wood,  or 
dead  grass.  The  rushes  growing  so  abundantly  along  the  beach 
and  margins  of  our  ponds,  is  found  to  answer  the  purpose  admira- 
bly. By  this  method,  while  your  orange  trees  are  coming  slowly 
and  steadily  into  bearing  condition,  you  have  another  crop  on  the 
same  ground,  which  in  two  years  brings  you  a  crop  perhaps  equally 
or  nearly  equally  as  valuable.  I  say  perhaps,  only  because  it  has 
not  been  grown  as  a  market  crop  in  this  vicinity.  We  know  that  it 
grows  well,   will  bear  transportation  to  market,  and  sells  readily. 

Limes  and  Lemons. — Limes  and  Lemons  are  cultivated  and 
planted  very  much  as  the  orange.  They  are  more  susceptible  to 
cold.  They  were  killed  down  to  the  ground  by  the  severe  cold  of 
last  winter,  when  the  more  hardy  orange  was  but  slightly  injured. 
I  forgot  to  mention  while  speaking  of  the  propagation  of  the 
orange,  that  it  has  recently  been  found  that  it  can  be  readily  pro- 
duced from  the  slip.  This  will  probably  be  the  most  common  way 
of  propagation  as  soon  as  it  becomes  known,  as  it  will  shorten  the 
period  of  coming  into  bearing. 

Guavas. — This  I  find  a  delicious  fruit.  There  are  several  varie- 
ties ripening  at  different  times,  and  differing  in  taste,  like  the  dif- 
ferent varieties  of  apples.  As  a  fruit  for  market,  it  will  probably 
be  valuable  only  when  made  into  jelly.  In  this  form  it  is  manufac- 
tured largely  in  the  West  Indies,  and  imported  into  our  Northern 
cities.  It  is  too  soft  and  tender  in  its  natural  state  to  bear  trans- 
portation. 

Jlinyvs. — This  is  a  fruit  in  shape  and  appearance  something 
like  a  large  pear.  It  has  a  seed  somewhat  like  the  peach,  but 
larger.  Its  pulp  is  a  rich  yellow,  and  its  flavor  strongly  resembling 
the  pine-apple.  It  comes  from  the  seed,  and  comes  into  bearing  in 
four  years.  It  bears  very  largely,  and  will  bear  transportation 
well.  I  see  no  reason  why  it  should  not  become  valuable  as  a  mar- 
ket fruit. 

Alligator  Pears. — I  wish  sincerely  this  noble  fruit  and  tree  had  a 


262  THE   SOUTHERN  .  [May 

more  civilized  name;  but  by 'this  only  is  it  known.  The  tree  is 
large,  and  ornamental  as  a  shade  tree.  The  fruit,  when  ripe, 
resembles  that  of  the  purple  egg-plant;  its  shape  is  like  the 
pear,  and  in  taste  it  is  somewhat  like  a  rich  muskmellon.  It 
is  eaten  with  pepper  and  salt,  and  by  those  who  are  accustomed  to 
it  is  highly  prized.  I  know  no  fruit  which  to  my  taste  is  more  de- 
licious. The  last  three  fruits  mentioned  are  tender,  and  though 
they  stand  ordinary  winters  well,  yet  by  the  unprecedented  cold  of 
last  winter  they  were  killed  down  to  the  ground. 

The  Pine- Apple. — This  fruit  has  hardly  been  tried  enough  to 
Bpeak  with  confidence  concerning  it.  All  the  attempts  to  produce 
it  have  succeeded  without  difficulty.  It  has  been  successfully  planted 
fifty  miles  north  of  this.  It  is  a  variety  of  the  cactus  family,  pro- 
pagates by  suckers  around  the  root  and  on  the  fruit — is  easily 
transplanted,  and  comes  into  bearing  in  two  years.  It  yields 
largely  and  bears  transportation,  and  I  see  no  reason  why  it  should 
not  be  a  valuable  article  for  market. 

The  Sapodilla  I  have  not  seen.  I  have  no  doubt  it  will  do  well. 
It  is  said  to  be  a  delicious  fruit. 

These  are  the  principal  fruits  to  be  cultivated.  Some  others  of 
less  importance  it  is  unnecessary  to  mention. 

The  crops  of  sweet  potatoes  and  sugar  deserve  some  notice.  The 
first  of  these  is  planted  from  slips  of  vines  about  eighteen  inches 
long.  The  vines  in  ordinary  seasons  remain  green  through  the  win- 
ter, and  may  be  planted  any  month  in  the  year.  Ridges  are 
thrown  up,  and  the  vines  cut  in  sections  of  proper  length  ;  they  are 
then  dropped  about  twelve  inches  apart,  and  with  a  stick  having  a 
notch  cut  in  the  end,  are  forced  down  about  eight  inches  into  the 
ridge.  This  is  all  that  is  done.  The  vine  takes  root  readily,  and 
grows  off  rapidly.  The  potatoes  are  not  usually  taken  out  of  the 
ground,  except  as  they  are  wanted  for  use.  In  the  months  of  Au- 
gust or  September  is  planted  what  is  called  the  stand-over  crop. 
This  is  intended  to  grow  through  the  winter,  and  be  ready  for  use 
by  the  first  of  May.  The  severe  weather  of  last  winter  destroyed 
a  large  part  of  the  crop,  and  by  killing  the  vines  has  caused  much 
damage.  The  potato  is  used  largely  for  feeding  stock,  and  being 
produced  in  large  quantities  and  easily  kept,  answers  well. 

The  sugar  crop  is  important.  The  cane  comes  to  high  perfec- 
tion, and  grows  well,  with  slight  fertilizing,  on  our  light  lands.  A 
gentleman  near  Tampa,  last  fall,  from  one  and  one-fourth  acres, 
made  fourteen  hundred  gallons  of  good  syrup,  worth  fifty  cents  per 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  263 

gallon.     Half  an  acre  is  amply  sufficient  for  the  supply  of  an  ordi- 
nary family. 

FACILITIES  FOR  MARKETING. 
Fruit  loaded  on  a  good  sailing  vessel  can  be  landed  in  Mobile  in 
three  days.  In  twenty-four  hours  it  can  be  landed  at  Columbus, 
Ky.,  a  few  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  and  in  twenty-four 
hours  more  in  St.  Louis  or  Chicago.  From  these  points  it  can  be 
rapidly  distributed  through  the  vast  West.  Pensacola,  Columbus, 
Ga.,  and  Montgomery,  Ala.,  are  all  easily  reached  in  three  days. 
Oranges  have  been  carried  from  Tampa  to  New  York  in  five  days. 
Our  market  is  almost  unbounded.  The  superior  quality  of  the 
oranges  grown  in  this  State,  with  the  freshness  with  which  they  can 
be  put  into  market,  gives  them  a  character  which  causes  them 
sought  after  in  preference  to  any  others.  As  soon  as  the  trees  now 
growing  and  to  be  planted  in  the  next  two  years  are  gotten  into 
bearing,  this  coast  will  annually  put  into  market  a  crop  which  will 
fall  not  far  short  of  §10,000,000.  The  present  price  on  the  trees 
is  about  one  and  one-half  cents;  it  will  not  fall  much  short  of  that 
for  many  years.  At  one  cent  each,  an  orange  grove  of  ten  acres  ia 
an  independent  fortune.  I  think  our  future  is  bidding  fair  for  high 
prosperity,  and  our  lovely  shores  will  soon  be  adorned  with  beauti- 
ful residences,  and  become  the  homes  of  a  prosperous  and  happy 
people.  Florida. 


Norway  Oats. — We  have  published  articles  pro  and  con  with 
reference  to  these"  oats.  A  mislaid  letter  dated  February  10th,  has 
just  turned  up.  It  is  from  J.  B.  Garber,  Columbia,  Pa.,  who  writes 
us  he  sent  to  New  York  for  two  quarts  thereof.  To  test  their 
weight,  he  measured  the  "two  quarts,"  and  found  that  there  were 
two  quarts  and  three-fourths  of  one  pint.  Weighing  them,  he  found 
they  weighed  exactly  one  pound  and  thirteen  ounces,  sack  included. 
Calculating  what  one  bushel  would  wei<*h  with  three-fourths  of  a 
pint  to  every  two  quarts,  additional,  we  would  have  just  twenty-four 
and  eleven-nineteenths  pounds  per  bushel  instead  of  thirty-two 
pounds,  the  standard  weight.  Mr.  Garber  adds:  "We  have  just 
been  informed  by  a  neighbor,  who  also  invested  a  dollar,  that  on 
measuring  the  quart  he  had  nearly  a  pint  more  ;  besides,  he  informs 
us  that,  on  critically  examining  it,  he  found  seeds  of  that  worst  of 
all  weeds,  the  Canada  thistle  !  The  ten  dollars  a  bushel  to  be  paid 
for  these  oats  is  a  mere  trifle  compared  with  the  incalculable  injury 
that  farmers  will  sustain  by  the  introduction  of  this  pest  on  their 
farms.  Will  those  who  have  secured  these  oats  please  weigh  and 
measure  their  samples — and  see  how  facts  and  advertisements 
agree  ? — and  search  closely  for  the  seeds  of  weeds  also  ?  My 
neighbor  says  he  will  commit  his  sample  to  the  flames,  and  advises 
me  to  do  the  same." — Rural  New  Yorker. 


264 


THE    SOUTHERN 


[May 


Description  and  Illustration  of  a  Good  and  Cheap  Farm  Gate. 


In  riding  over  the  cjuntrv  you  rarely  see  good  gates  on  the 
farm;.  And  those  that  you  see,  not  one  in  a  dozen  will  shut  of  it- 
self. Some,  in  fact,  instea  I  nog,  will  actually  fall  open,  and 
require  some  force  to  close  them.  Enclosed  I  send  you  a  rough 
draft  of  a  gate,  that  I  know  from  experience  i3  not  only  a  good,  but 
a  cheap  one:  an  I  any  good  mechanic  can  make  one  or  more  a  day. 
The  gate  should  be  made  of  slats  four  inches  wide  by  one  inch 
thick,  of  good  heart  pine,  or  white  oak.  I  prefer  the  pine, 
brace  (A)  ought  to  be  at  least  six  inches  wide,  one  inch  thick,  and 
run  the  whole  length  of  the  gate  from  the  bottom  of  the  rear  post 
to  the  top  of  the  gate,  resting  and  shouldered  a  little  on  each  post, 
and  fastened  to  them  with  a  few  wrought  nails.  The  rear  p:-=:  B 
should  be  made  of  3x4  inch  heart  timber,  and  morticed  through  the 
wide  way  of  the  timber.  The  front  post  (C)  need  not  be  so  heavy, 
but  made  of  3x3  inch  timber.  This  post  ought  to  be  light.  The 
short  braces  (E)  may  be  made  of  the  same  stuff  as  the  slits  ;  and 
there  ought  to  be  at  least  two  of  them  put  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  gate  to  the  main  brace  (A),  and  extending  from  the  top  to  the 
bottom  of  the  gate.  Wherever  the  braces  cross  the  slats  they 
ought  to  be  riveted,  having  a  burr  on  the  side  that  is  rivited.  The 
burrs  may  be  very  conveniently  made  by  punching  suitable  holes 
in  hoop  iron,  and  then  cutting  them  off  with  a  cold  chisel  diagonally 
across  the  iron,  so  as  to  make  diamond  shaped  pieces ;  now  turn  the 
sharp  points  of  the  burrs    a:  right  angles  in  a  vice  or  the  claw    of 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  265 

hammer,  so  that  when  you  put  the  burr  on  the  rivet  it  will  drive 
into  the  wood,  and  serve  to  hold  it  in  place  while  riveting.  Or  you 
may  use  either  large  wood  screws  or  wrought  nails,  clinching 
them;  but  neither  will  last  like  the  rivets.  The  latch  (D)  ought  to 
be  made  of  oak  2x2|  inch  timber,  dressed  so  as  to  slide  smoothly 
on  its  bearings,  and  shouldered  so  as  not  to  fall  more  than  a  certain 
distance,  and  put  on  at  an  angle  of  45  degrees.  The  catch  ought 
to  be  not  less  than  3  inches  wide,  made  with  a  long  and  easy  slope 
of  six  or  eight  inches,  and  fitted  so  as  to  drive  in  the  post  after  a 
2  inch  augur.  If  the  latch  and  catch  are  well  made,  they  will  keep 
in  order  longer  than  any  other  I  have  ever  seen  ;  but  if  indiffer- 
ently made,  will  not  work  well.  The  gate  ought  to  be  from  ten  to 
twelve  feet  wide  and  five  feet  high.  Ten  feet  is  sufficient  for  a 
common  road  gate,  but  it  will  take  a  gate  not  less  than  twelve  feet 
wide  for  reapers  to  pass. 

Such  a  gate  as  above  described  may  be  made  for  two  dollars  and 
fifty  cents  without  the  hinges,  and  will  keep  in  order,  with  but  little 
trouble,  for  ten  or  fifteen  years.  The  hinges  should  be  made  of 
good  tough  iron,  2  inches  wide  by  some  f  or  J  inch  thick.  The 
bottom  hinge  should  be  stout  and  strong,  and  is  most  conveniently 
put  on  with  small  screw  bolts.  The  top  hinge  should  stand  out 
from  the  post  say  two  inches,  and  the  bottom  one  at  least  two 
inches  longer  than  the  top  one. 

Now  to  hang  the  gate  properly  your  posts  must  be  put  in  not 
less  than  three  and  a  half  or  four  feet,  and  be  firmly  rammed  in 
the  ground ;  for  if  your  posts  are  not  firmly  set,  you  need  not  ex- 
pect that  your  gate  will  keep  in  order  but  a  few  days  at  a  time. 
There  should  also  be  a  log  of  wood  fitted  in  between  the  posts,  and 
let  in  the  ground  so  as  to  be  out  of  the  way.  Your  hinges  being 
already  fastened  on  the  gate  as  directed,  set  the  gate  in  position 
against  the  posts  as  near  level  as  possible;  now  mark  the  places  for 
the  hooks,  and  bore  the  holes  for  them  ;  put  the  hooks  in  the  hinges, 
and  drive  them  a  little  way  up  into  the  holes.  The  lower  hook 
should  be  longer  than  the  top  one,  and  stand  out  from  the  post  an 
inch  and  a  half  or  two  inches  more  than  the  top  one.  Do  not  drive 
at  first  as  far  as  you  intend,  but  drive  the  lower  hinge  nearly  as  far 
as  it  ought  to  go;  say  let  it  stand  out  from  the  gate  post  four 
inches ;  now  drive  the  top  hinge,  and  regulate  the  fall  of  the  gate 
by  driving  it  and  trying  the  gate  until  you  get  the  proper  fall.  It 
will  fall  too  hard  if  you  drive  the  top  hook  up  close  to  the  post. 
The  gate  ought  not  to  have  any  more  fall  than  will  make  it  catch 
with  certainty ;  if  it  falls  too  hard  your  gate  will  knock  to  pieces. 


THE  SOUTHERN  [May 


Having  regulated  the  fall,  you  may  now  bore  for  the  catch,  drive  it 
in  position,  and  fit  the  latch  so  as  to  bear  evenly  on  the  slope ; 
grease  the  slope,  and  your  gate  is  finished,  and  will  give  sa: 
tion  if  the  work  has  been  properly  done,  and  the  above  directions 
have  been  followed.  In  opening  your  gate,  instead  of  dragging  on 
the  ground,  the  outer  end  of  the  gate  will  rise  from  the  ground,  and 
after  passing  a  certain  point  will  stand  open  without  propping  :  BO 
that  you  will  not  lose  time  looking  after  a  Btick  :  hold  the  gate 
open  while  your  teams  are  passing  through.  It  will  also  close  with 
certainty. 

If  you  think  the  above  suggestions  are  worth  anything  to   the 
public,  you  are  welcome  to  use  them  as  ycu  think  proper. 

Yours,  fcc,  A  Farmer. 

-.gt  county,  Ya. 


Horses  for  Farm  Work. 

One  of  my  neighbors,  who  formerly  did  all  his  work  with  oxen, 
but  who  gave  up  and  bought  a  span  of  heavy  Canadian  horses,  is 
about  to  return  to  the  oxen.  He  says  if  you  get  the  right  kind 
and  know  how  to  manage  them,  they  will  do  nearly  or  quite  as 
much  work  as  horses:  they  cost  less  ;  do  not  require  so  much  care  ; 
there  is  no  expense  for  harness  ;  and  they  can  be  turned  off  to  the 
butcher,  generally  with  a  profit. 

On  a  rough  farm,  where  there  are  stumps  and  stones,  and  more 
or  less  logging  t>  be  done  in  winter,  especially  on  swampy  land,  a. 
yoke  of  cattle  is  indispensable.     But  when   the  farm  is  cleared  of 
es  and  stumps,  horses,  it  seems  to  me,  are  more  profitable.    C 

-ons  are  so  short,  and  wages  so  high,  that  it  is  very  desirable 
push  forward  the  work  rapidly.     There  is  a  great  difference  in  cat- 
tle, just  as  there  is  in  horses,  but,  as  a  rule,  horses  will  get  over  the 
gi    and  faster  than  oxen.     If  two  horses  cannot  walk  along  with  a 
plough  or  a  harrow  at  a  fair  rate,  put  on  three. 

The  more  I  read  of  them,  the  more  I  am  convinced  that  the  Per- 
cheron   horses,  say  half  or   three-quarters  blood,  will  prove  to  be 
>:  A  in  farmers   need.     When   I  read  Mr.  Du  Hays 

charmingly  written  and  interesting  work,  "  The  Percheron  II  -  . 
I  feared,  from  his  remarks  in  regard  to  the  climate  of  Perche  (page 
.:  when  bred  here  they  might  lose  some  of  their  energy. 
Bat  I  have  just  read  an  article  in  the  Journal  of  the  Royal  Ag  - 
cultural  Society  of  England,  which  indicates  that  we  need  have  no 
fear  on  this  point.     Our   ciiiraie   is   vastly  more  stimulating  than 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  26- 

that  of  England,  and  if  this  breed  does  not  degenerate  there  it  cer- 
tainly will  not  here.  Mr.  W.  Dickenson,  the  writer  of  the  article, 
than  whose  there  is  no  higher  authority,  says  if  he  had  not  gnne  to 
the  Paris  Exposition  in  1855,  he  ''should  have  continued  thinking 
there  was  no  better  class  cf  farm  horses  in  the  world  than  the  Eng- 
lish." But  in  the  streets  of  Paris  he  saw  a  class  of  horses  that 
"astonished''  him.  "These  horses,  walking  so  nimbly  with  great 
loads  of  stones,  were  not  so  fat  as  our  own  favorites,  but  they 
seemed  to  me  to  be  doing  twice  the  work.  Although  leaner,  they 
bore  the  strictest  scrutiny  ;  the  more  I  saw  of  them,  the  more  I  ad- 
mired them.  Meeting  Mr.  Jonas  Webb,  I  called  his  attention  to 
them.  He  said  he  had  never  seen  such  before  ;  he  had  observed  a 
horse  taking  into  the  show  yard  an  immense  load  of  provender,  that 
astonished  him  beyond  measure  ;  he  had  resolved  to  try  to  buy  him, 
but  he  lost  sight  of  him  that  day  and  never  saw  him  afterwards." 
Mr.  D.  obtained  a  stallion  which  he  called  "Napoleon,"  and  says  : 
"  He  has  been  at  work  on  my  farm  ever  since,  almost  always  with 
mares.  I  have  never  had  so  good,  quiet,  active,  and  powerful  a 
horse  before.  He  is  unlike  our  English  cart-horses,  for  with  great 
size  (loi  hands  high.)  and  immense  substance,  he  shows  a  dash  of 
blood.  He  has  an  Arabian  head,  not  small,  but  of  fine  character, 
well  proportioned  to  his  sizo.  The  neck  is  very  muscular  and  well 
turned,  the  shoulders  large,  very  deep,  without  lumps  on  the  sides, 
and  oblique — such  a  shape  as  would  not  be  objected  to  for  a  riding 
horse  ;  the  bosom  open,  the  fore  legs  magnificent  and  very  short, 
with  groat  bone,  hard  sinews,  and  little  hair  upon  them.  His  feet 
are  perfect  in  shape,  and  perfectly  sound  in  work,  his  back  short, 
rather  dipped,  round-shaped  ribs,  large  loins,  rather  plain,  droop- 
ing hind-quarters,  very  large  thighs,  low  down  and  tightly  joined 
together,  with  prodigiously  powerful,  clean  hocks,  and  very  short 
hind  legs,  well  under  him.  We  never  have  had  a  difficulty  with  the 
engine  or  thrasher,  or  with  anything  in  the  mud,  that  Nap.  could 
not  extricate  us  from.  His  stock  are  as  good  and  kind  as  possible. 
It  is  a  saying  with  the  men,  that  Nap's  colts  need  no  breaking.  My 
mares  arc  small  and  active ;  the  stock  are  considerably  larger  than 
the  dams,  but  so  cleanly,  that  as  foals  they  look  more  like  carriage 
horses." 

It  is  very  evident  tlvat  the  Percheron  stallion  is  what  we  want  to 
improve  our  race  of  farm  horses.  When  grain  and  hay  were  cheap 
it  did  not  make  so  much  difference  what  kind  of  horses  we  kept,  or 
how  many  of  them.  We  could,  perhaps,  afford  to  let  them  lie  idle 
half  the  time.     But  all  this  is  now  changed.     Horse  feed   is  expen- 


2G8  THE  SOUTHERN  [May 

sive,  and  wages  of  the  teamsters  high,  and  it  is  very  important  to 
keep  none  but  the  best  horses,  and  to  study  economy  in  using  them. 
I  have  seen  a  farmer  draw  a  load  of  only  22  bushels  of  potatoes  to 
the  city,  while  another  farmer,  by  having  a  large,  double  box,  drew 
over  50  bushels.  And  even  this  is  a  small  load — only  2,800  lbs. 
for  two  horses. — Prof.  Harris,  in  American  Agriculturist. 


Breaking  Colts — Rarey's  Method  of  Horse  Training. 

The  more  high  spirited  and  the  more  valuable  the  colt  is,  the 
more  likely  is  he  to  be  spoiled,  by  trying  to  do  at  three  years  old 
the  work  that  should  have  been  done  before  he  was  one. 

He  should  be  brought  into  the  stable,  and  visited,  and  handled 
often,  until  he  is  somewhat  used  to  it,  then  portions  of  the  harness 
tried  on ;  if  he  can  be  accustomed  to  it  without  showing  fear,  lead 
him  out  into  the  yard,  and  make  him  turn  to  the  right  or  left  at  the 
word  or  the  reins.  If  he  refuses  to  obey,  which  is  quite  likely,  we 
know  of  no  way  but  to  whip  him  into  subjection.  When  he  does 
obey,  caress  and  reward  him.  If  you  succeed  in  making  him  obey 
here,  fasten  him  beside  a  steady  horse  with  a  light  wagon,  and  make 
him  go,  peaceably  if  he  will,  forcibly  if  you  must.  If  after  all 
these  operations  he  shies  from  the  harness,  tries  to  run  from  the 
wagon,  or  refuses  to  draw,  do  not  give  it  up,  but  use  every  exertion 
to  bring  him  to  submission,  and,  finally,  to  the  process  known  as 
taming.  No  horse  properly  gentled  and  trained  according  to  the 
above  directions  will  need  taming,  but  as  the  majority  of  colts  are 
never  trained,  a  great  many  horses  will  have  to  be  tamed. 

Rarey's  method  is  the  best.  It  consists  in  fastening  up  the  left 
fore  leg,  by  a  strap,  buckled  tight  over  the  ankle,  and  the  arm  near 
the  body,  and  the  second  strap  attached  to  the  right  foot,  run 
through  the  circingle  to  the  right  hand  of  the  tamer,  while  the  left 
holds  the  bridle.  The  horse  is  now  harmless,  and  should  be  made 
to  hop,  when  a  vigorous  pull  with  the  right  hand  will  throw  him  on 
his  knees,  where  he  can  be  held  until  he  is  ready  to  turn  on  his 
side,  which  he  should  be  encouraged  to  do.  These  operations  will 
take  from  fifteen  minutes  to  three  hours,  according  to  the  strength 
and  spirit  of  the  horse.  When  once  fairly  down,  he  should  be  ca- 
ressed, handled,  and  a  saddle  or  portions  of  the  harness  put  on  him 
until  he  finds  that  none  of  them  will  do  him  any  harm.  This  throw- 
ing should  be  repeated  several  times,  until  the  horse  readily  submits 
and  allows  his  master  to  do  whatever  he  pleases.  By  this  method 
Mr.  Rarey  has  tamed  the  most  vicious  of  horses. — American  Stock 
Journal. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  269 


Distemper  in  Cattle— Preventative. 

3Iessrs.  Editors, — Having  seen  it  stated  the  past  year  that  the 
distemper  prevailed  amongst  the  cattle  around  Richmond,  as  also 
in  some  other  places,  I  feel  disposed  to  re-publish  the  substance  of 
a  communication  of  mine  in  the  Southern  Planter  for  1854,  which, 
as  a  preventative,  I  have  never  yet  known  to  fail. 

About  the  first  week  in  May  procure  a  trough  to  correspond  in 
size  with  the  number  of  cattle  ;  place  it  where  they  are  penned,  and 
bore  a  hole  through  the  bottom  to  let  off  the  surplus  water  after  a 
rain.  Fill  it  nearly  full  of  red  clay,  then  put  on  a  liberal  quantity 
of  salt,  and  when  the  cattle  are  penned  at  night,  they  will  invaria- 
bly go  to  the  trough  and  lick  to  their  satisfaction.  The  first  rain 
that  falls,  the  salt  will  saturate  the  clay,  and  the  cattle  will  consume 
the  whole  of  it.  This  remedy  must  be  continued  until  the  first  hard 
frost. 

My  father  was  the  first  that  I  know  of  who  adopted  this  treat- 
ment, he  having  heard  that  cattle  afflicted  with  distemper  had  been 
known  to  resort  to  red  clay  and  get  well.  He,  I  suppose,  recollect- 
ing that  nature  often  performed  a  cure  beyond  the  powers  of  art, 
salted  his  cattle  some  two  or  three  times  a  week  on  a  red  galled 
spot,  and  although  his  neighbors'  cattle  were  dying  rapidly  around 
him,  and  that  for  several  years,  yet  he  never  had  a  solitary  case 
amongst  his  stock.  For  some  two  or  three  years  he  kept  them  in 
his  enclosures,  but  after  this,  in  consequence  of  an  imperfect  fence, 
his  cattle  would  go  on  an  adjoining  common,  and  roam  with  his 
neighbors'  distempered  cattle  from  week  to  week,  yet  they  entirely 
escaped  this  infectious  disease.  These  facts  speak  for  themselves, 
and  go  to  prove  that  my  father's  remedy  is  a  specific  to  stay  this 
fatal  malady. 

An  uncle  of  mine  told  me  years  ago,  that  the  distemper  being 
amongst  his  cattle,  one  of  his  milch  cows  was  taken  with  the  dis- 
ease,  went  off,  and  when  found,  was  in  a  gully  eating  red  clay,  and 
got  well. 

One  of  my  sons  at  one  time  lost  all  his  cattle  except  a  milch  cow, 
and  when  taken  with  the  disease,  she  went  off,  was  gone  several 
days,  and  when  found,  was  in  a  gully  eating  red  clay,  and  she  got 
well. 

Here  we  have  the  instincts  of  nature  beautifully  exemplified,  and 
we  may  add,  the  dog,  when  sick,  seeks  relief  from  herbs,  and  the 
guayakil,  when  bitten  by  a  serpent,  finds  an  antidote  in  a  certain 
plant. 


270  THE  SOUTHERN  [May 

In  the  Southern  Planter  for  '45,  *lime-water  is  recommended  as 
a  sovere:gn  cure  for  distemper  even  in  the  last  stages  of  this  dis- 
ease, and  by  the  way,  this  is  said  to  be  the  best  known  remedy  for 
distemper  in  horses. 

The  late  Dr.  Win.  S.  Morton,  in  a  communication  to  the  South- 
ern Planter  in  '51,  on  distemper  in  cattle,  said:  "I  strongly  sus- 
pect that  what  we  call  distemper,  is  the  bloody  murrain  of  Scotland 
and  other  parts  of  Great  Britain,  and  that  it  was  carried  to  North 
Carolina  by  Scottish  immigrants."  The  above  suggestion  I  have 
reason  to  believe  is  correct,  as  I  once  lived  in  North  Carolina,  and 
from  authentic  information,  I  learned  that  the  first  cases  of  distem- 
per occurred  in  that  State  near  Fayetteville,  which  was  fettled  prin- 
cipally by  the  Scotch.  Hence  the  new  name — "  Carolina  distem- 
per." W.  R.  Hatciiett. 

Keysville,  Ya.,  April,  1869. 


Condition  of  our  Bottom   Land. 

Whilst  I  have  pen  in  hand,  I  will  offer  a  few  remarks  relative  to 
the  present  condition  of  our  bottom  lands. 

When  the  streams  were  in  their  natural  state,  every  freshet  would 
impel  the  currents  to  strike  the  curves  in  the  stream  with  such  force 
that  the  washings  or  sand  were  floated  or  thrown  on  the  adjoining 
lands  ;  consequently,  the  bed  of  the  stream  remained  stationary. 
This  fact  every  owner  of  bottom  lands  has  noticed.  But  since  the 
streams  have  been  straightened,  do  they  throw  out  the  same  amount 
of  washings  as  when  in  their  natural  state?  No,  verily;  but,  on 
the  contrary,  they  have  continued  to  accumulate  in  the  bed  of  the 
streams  until  the  banks  have  become  so  shallow  that  they  afford  no 
protection  to  the  bottom  lands,  consequently  they  are  nearly  value- 
less. 

I  have  observed  when  a  stream  has  been  straightened  near  its 
source,  that  it  is  not  so  liable  to  fill  up ;  but  when  it  extends  for 
miles,  the  reverse  is  the  invariable  result. 

Some  twenty-five  years  ago,  an  old  and  intelligent  friend,  who 
owned  valuable  bottom  lands,  directed  my  attention  to  the  mistaken 
policy  of  straightening  the  creeks,  and  regretted  having  fallen  into 
this  error,  as  he  found  after  his  creek  was  made  straight,  the  sands 
were  accumulating  in  the   channel,  the  banks  were  shallower,  and 


•  Half  hu*hel  of  water  to  a  peck  of  lime;  let  it  stand  until  the  water  is  clear, 
then  pour  off  the  water,  and  drench  viba  quart  twice  a  day,  until  the  animal  re- 
covers.    Three  or  four  doses  are  generally  sufficient. 


18C0.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  271 

his  bottom  lands  more  subject  to  be  overflowed,  (although  the  stream 
had  been  straightened  in  its  whole  length  below  him.)  and  he  feared 
that  from  this  cause  his  lands  would  ultimately  be  ruined;  and  how 
truly  has  the  foreboding  been  verified  ;  for  at  this  day  these  lands 
are  nearly  worthless.  This  stream,  in  its  natural  state,  had  excel- 
lent banks. 

If  this  theory  is  deemed  erroneous,  I  would  ask,  why  is  it  that 
the  rivers  are  not  filled  up?  Are  they  not  governed  by  the  same 
natural  laws  as  the  smaller  streams  in  their  primeval  state? 

Entertaining  these  views,  I  think  we  should  go  back  to  first  prin- 
ciples, and  give  our  ditches  a  serpentine  curve  to  reclaim  our  bottom 
lands,  which  should  be  carried  through  the  whole  length  of  the 
stream. 

It  is  with  some  degree  of  diffidence  that  I  submit  the  above  views 
to  your  consideration  and  that  of  your  readers,  lest  they  might  be 
deemed  a  vagary;  yet  I  have  arrived  at  these  conclusions  from  ob- 
servation and  the  teachings  of  nature,  which  are  the  charts  by 
which  we  are  enabled  to  substitute  philosophy  for  error. 

Respectfully,  Wm.  R.   ITatchett. 

K(y<ville,  Va.,  April,  18G9. 


Results  of  Experiments  with  several  Fertilizers. 

3fessrs.  Editors, — You  have  several  times  requested  correspond- 
ents to  give  you  their  experience  in  the  use  of  fertilizers.  I  pro- 
pose to  give  you  the  result  that  has  followed  my  use  of  them.  Last 
year  I  purchased  two  tons  poudrette  from  the  Lodi  Manufacturing 
Company,  near  New  York,  and  used  it  on  my  corn  at  time  of  plant- 
ing— dropping  a  good  size  handfull  to  three  hills  of  corn,  and  in 
same  field  mixed  equal  quantities  of  poudrette  and  plaster,  and 
dropped  a  handful  to  two  hills  of  corn.  The  land  was  of  a  thin  light 
gravelly  quality.  I  don't  think  it  was  of  any  more  advantage  to  the 
corn  than  if  I  had  used  same  amount  of  sand.  We  suffered  very 
much  from  a  drought  in  June  and  July  in  this  county,  and  that  may 
have  been  the  reason;  but  whatever  the  reason  may  have  been — 
either  the  character  of  the  land  or  the  drought — I  derived  no  ben- 
efit from  the  use  of  poudrette. 

In  the  Spring  of  1860  I  used  Peruvian  guano  and  plaster  in 
equal  quantities  at  time  of  planting  my  corn,  to  wit:  a  handful  of 
the  mixture  to  two  hills  of  corn.  The  corn  grew  off  very  beauti- 
fully and  green.  In  this  instance  it  "  kept  the  word  of  promise  to 
the  ear,  but  broke  it  to  the  hope;"  for  the  ears  of  corn  were  no 


272  THE  SOUTHERN  [May 


better  than  where  plaster  alone  was  used,  though  the  luxuriance  of 
stalk  and  blade  was  very  appreciable,  and  could  be  seen  for  some 
distance. 

Last  Spring  I  used  a  ton  of  Lardy's  soluble  Pacific  guano  on  my 
tobacco,  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  broadcast  to  the  acre.  The 
land  was  good  fresh  land,  having  been  cleared  the  year  before  and 
planted  in  tobacco.  I  derived  no  benefit  whatever  from  its 
use.  On  part  of  the  land  where  no  guano  was  used,  the  tobacco 
was  equally  good  and  ripened  as  early  as  where  the  guano  was 
sown.  I  also  purchased  two  tons  Baugh's  raw  bone  phosphate,  one 
ton,  from  the  manufacturer  in  Philadelphia,  and  one  from  Baltimore. 
I  used  three  hundred  pounds  to  the  acre.  The  tobacco  started 
badly,  and  in  several  places  commenced  to  "french."  I  gave  it  two 
workings,  and  it  improved  so  slowly  and  looked  so  badly  that  I  then 
purchased  a  ton  of  Peruvian  guano,  made  an  equal  mixture  of  the 
guano  and  plaster,  and  sowed  broadcast  about  three  hundred 
pounds  to  the  acre,  and  hilled  the  tobacco  up.  It  was  several  weeks 
after  this  before  we  had  rain,  but  the  tobacco  commenced  to  im- 
prove, and  so  soon  as  it  rained  grew  off  well  and  made  a  fair  crop. 
All  signs  of  "frenching"  disappeared.  How  the  tobacco  would  have 
matured  without  the  application  of  guano  and  plaster  I  cannot  say? 
but  it  certainly  gave  no  indications  of  making  even  a  third  of  a 
crop  until  the  last  mixture  was  applied. 

I  also  used  a  ton  of  Eureka  ammoniated  bone  super-phosphate  of 
lime  on  my  tobacco,  250  lbs.  to  the  acre.  This  was  decidedly  bet- 
ter than  either  of  the  other  two  preparations,  and  made  a  fair  crop 
with  no  other  assistance  except  plaster  dropped  on  the  plant.  On 
balance  of  my  crop  I  used  equal  mixture  of  Peruvian  guano  and 
plaster,  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  mixture  drilled  to  the  acre. 
The  tobacco  was  good  size  and  leafy  ;  but  I  find  all,  in  handling, 
poor  and  thin  in  quality.  This,  however,  I  attribute  to  the  exces- 
sive rains  we  had  in  August  last.  The  crop  everywhere,  so  far  as 
I  have  seen  and  heard,  is  thin  and  poor — which  is  always  the  case, 
so  far  as  my  limited  experience  goes,  when  there  is  much  rain  in 
August  and  September. 

I  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  several  times  during  last  year  the 
crop  of  a  near  neighbor,  Mr.  T.  W.  Leigh,  who  used  the  soluble 
Pacific  guano  (Reese  k  Co.)  His  tobacco  was  large  and  fine.  It 
was  grown  on  second  years'  land,  and  about  250  lbs.  to  the  acre. 
By  the  side  of  this  he  used  Peruvian  guano,  and  I  could  see  no  dif- 
ference in  the  tobacco.  I  was  so  much  pleased  with  his  experi- 
ment that  I  purchased  two  tons  last  fall  for  my  wheat,  and  the 


1809.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  273 


wheat  is  looking  thrifty  and  well,  though  not  so  well  as  where  I 
used  the  Phospbo-Peruvian  prepared  by  the  Messrs.  McGruder  of 
Richmond. 

On  my  wheat  crops  for  the  last  two  years  I  have  made  experi- 
ments with  other  phosphates,  but  found  them  of  little  advantage, 
except  Bradley's  Super-Phosphate  of  Lime.  This  was  nearly  equal 
to  Peruvian  Guano.  This  may  be  owing  to  the  character  of  ray 
land  and  the  bad  seasons  we  have  had  for  wheat.  Whatever  may 
have  been  the  cause,  they  have  certainly  not  paid  for  their  use. 

Last  Fall  I  purchased  my  seed  wheat  in  the  Valley  of  Virginia 
(the  Lancaster),  and  with  the  exception  of  the  two  tons  Soluble  Pa- 
cific, have  only  used  Peruvian  Guano  and  the  fertilizer  prepared  by 
the  Messrs.  McGruder ;  and  this  last  was  purchased  from  the  letter 
of  recommendation  given  by  Mr.  Ruffin  in  their  published  adver- 
tisement. The  wheat  where  it  was  used  is  looking  very  fine — equal 
to  any  crop  I  have  seen  except  that  of  Mr.  John  R.  Edmunds,  and 
his  wheat  was  seeded  on  a  heavy  Pea  fallow,  without  any  fertilizer. 
I  was  so  much  pleased  with  my  Valley  wheat  that  I  am  planting 
seed  corn  obtained  from  Augusta  county,  and  at  the  last  working 
propose  to  sow  100  lbs.  Guano  to  the  acre  broadcast. 

I  hope  other  farmers  will  give  their  experience  with  fertilizers 
and  the  Pea-fallow. 

Very  respectfully,  &c, 

Paul  C.  Edmukds. 

Bound  BUI,  Halifax  count;/,  Ya.,  April  12,  1869. 


Postage  on  Seeds,  &.c. 

Seeds,  vines,  grafts,  &c,  can  be  transmitted  by  mail,  very  cheaply 
and  safely,  if  not  exceeding  the  limitation  prescribed  with  regard 
to  the  weight  of  the  package.  Postage  must  be  pre-paid  by  affix- 
ing stamps  for  the  proper  amount,  according  to  the  following  rates: 
"  On  one  package  to  one  address,  not  over  four  ounces  in  weight, 
two  cents;  over  four  ounces  and  not  over  eight  ounces,  four  cents; 
over  eight  ounces  and  not  over  sixteen  ounces,  eight  cents  ;  over  six- 
teen ounces  and  not  over  thirty-two  ounces,  sixteen  cents — thirty- 
two  ounces  being  the  heaviest  weight  allowed  to  pass  through  the 
mails.  No  writing  of  any  kind  can  accompany  the  package  ;  if  it 
does,  letter  postage  will  be  charged.  The  character  of  the  contents 
of  the  package  should  be  marked  on  the  outside — whether  seeds, 
vines,  &c." 

[The  above'is  taken  from  Moore's  Rural  New  Yorker. — Ed.] 
vol.  in — 18 


274  THE   SOUTHERN  [May 

An  Essay  on  the   Social  and  Material  Interests  of  Virginia. 

To  Col.  Thos.  Brown,  President  of  the  Meshodeck  Farmers'  Club,  Westmoreland 
county  : 

Having  been  honored  by  the  Club  with  the  appointment  of  Essayist,  with 
liberty  to  write  upon  any  subjects  that  might  suit  my  fancy,  and  communicate 
for  publication  directly  to  the  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer,  I  respectfully  pre- 
sent to  the  columns  of  that  excellent  paper  the  following  communication. 

"Willovghby  Newton. 


To  the  Editors  of  the  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer : 

I  very  cheerfully  comply  with  your  request  to  continue  my  con- 
tributions to  the  Planter  aiid  Farmer.  I  have  been,  of  late,  ac- 
tively engaged  in  settling  up  my  affairs,  which  had  been  somewhat 
deranged  by  the  ravages  of  war  and  eight  years'  neglect.  Having 
accomplished  this  desirable  object  almost  to  my  entire  satisfaction, 
I  breathe  freely,  and  can  now  think  of  the  future  without  being 
embarrassed  by  the  past.  I  do  not  propose  to  bore  your  readers 
with  a  formal  essay,  but  shall  write  with  the  freedom  and  ease 
which  is  my  wont,  and  following  wherever  the  humor  of  my  pen 
may  lead  me,  shall  remark,  after  the  manner  of  "  Commentator," 
in  the  Farmers'  Register,  with  frankness  on  the  contents  of  the 
Planter  and  Farmer,  or  upon  any  other  subject  that  may  strike  my 
fancy.  I  mean  to  be  eminently  practical,  yet  I  hope  to  be  par- 
doned if  I  mingle  my  facts  with  an  occasional  remark  that  might 
become  a  moral  philosopher,  or  even  "  a  retired  political  philoso- 
pher," after  the  manner  of  Taylor,  Garnett,  or  Ruffin,  who  never 
lost  an  opportunity  of  enlivening  the  dullness  of  mere  material  in- 
vestigations by  the  speculations  of  philosophy. 

The  first  subject  on  which  I  shall  remark,  and  by  far  the  most 
important,  is  the  settlement  of  the  debts  of  the  farmers.  Until 
this  object  is  effected,  there  can  be  no  general  improvement  in  the 
agriculture  of  the  State.  Much  the  larger  part  of  the  lands  will 
continue  to  be  cultivated  on  the  wretched ''Metayer  system"  or 
rented  out  to  the  freedmen,  until,  exhausted  by  imperfect  and  reck- 
less tillage,  they  become  utterly  unproductive.  A  few  farms  culti- 
vated by  proprietors  of  means  and  capacity,  like  green  spots  in  a 
desert,  will  render  more  conspicuous  the  desolation  that  surrounds 
them.  All  interests  in  the  State  are  equally  concerned  in  the 
speedy  accomplishment  of  this  object.  Creditors  are  no  less  inter- 
ested than  debtors.  If  I  am  not  greatly  mistaken  as  to  the  amount 
of  indebtedness,  it  is  impossible  that  under  any  system  of  coercion 
half  the  debt  can  be  paid.     Judgment  liens  will  prove  utterly  de- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  275 

lusive,  and  creditors  who  flatter  themselves  that  they  have  secured 
their  debts  by  suits,  will  find  themselves  no  better  off,  with  their 
debtors  in  a  court  of  chancery,  than  if  they  had  passed  through  a 
court  of  bankruptcy.  The  lien  of  the  first  judgment,  the  superior 
dignity  of  fiduciary  debts,  and  rights  of  dower,  will  in  nine  cases 
out  of  ten  absorb  the  whole  property  at  a  forced  sale,  and  the  large 
majority  of  creditors  will  go  unpaid.  I  speak  from  long  expe- 
rience and  much  observation,  and  having  no  interest  whatever  in 
the  subject,  am  at  liberty  to  express  freely  my  opinion.  What  is 
the  remedy  ?  Let  creditors  act  with  the  utmost  liberality.  Foreign 
creditors  have  set  our  Virginia  people  a  noble  example.  I  have  not 
heard  of  one  of  them  who  is  not  willing  to  accept  the  face  of  his 
debt,  and  many  of  them  have  volunteered  to  make  much  more  libe- 
ral discounts.  They  are  under  no  obligation,  other  than  the  claims 
of  humanity  and  enlightened  policy,  to  make  these  sacrifices.  Vir- 
ginia creditors  should  not  only  be  affected  by  these  considerations, 
but  should  feel  bound  by  a  principle  of  universal  justice  wanting 
only  a  legal  sanction,  to  contribute  rateably  upon  the  principle  of 
"general  average,"  to  the  losses  of  their  confederates,  in  a  com- 
mon enterprise.  Yet  I  learn,  to  their  shame,  few  are  willing  to 
make  any  abatement,  but  demand  dollar  for  dollar.  Such  avarice 
will  have  its  just  reward,  and  no  good  man  will  grieve  at  the  result. 
The  present  state  of  things  cannot  last  much  longer.  Let  credi- 
tors and  debtors,  each,  for  himself,  come  together  at  once.  A  just 
and  liberal  spirit  on  both  sides  can  effect  wonders.  Much  can  be 
done  by  what  an  old  gentleman  of  this  county  used  to  call  inyotia- 
tion,  or  exchanging  one  debt  for  another,  as  most  men  are 
creditors  aad  debtors.  Let  the  settlement  be  final,  and  the  deb'  be 
cancelled,  if  possible.  Let  no  one  whose  debts  are  considerable 
trust  to  any  arrangement  to  pay  by  instalments.  The  debt  will 
never  be  paid,  and  the  debtor  and  hi>:  family  will  continue  slaves  to 
the  creditor.  Better  far  make  a  clean  sweep,  and  go  through  the 
bankrupt  or  insolvent  court. 

I  have  read  with  interest  and  admiration  the  report  of  our  friend 
Captain  Maury,  foreshadowing  the  brilliant  commercial  future  of 
Norfolk  and  Virginia,  and  hope  ere  long  to  make  him  a  suitable 
acknowledgment  for  his  kindness  in  sending  it  to  me.  I  have  read 
also  his  communication  in  the  Planter  and  Farmer,  and  the  letter 
of  his  Amelia  correspondent.  I  will  not  anticipate  your  promised 
criticism  on  the  pro  forma  statement,  by  entering  into  a  detailed 
examination  of  it,  but  content  myself  with  remarking  that  the  re- 
sult is  far  too  favorable.     I  concur  in  the  remarks  of  other  corres- 


276  THE    SOUTHERN  [May 

pondents  quoted.  Trucking  and  fanning  are  very  distinct  opera- 
tions ;  and  farming  can  only  be  profitably  conducted  on  a  compara- 
tively large  scale,  as  I  have  attempted  heretofore  to  demonstrate, 
and  as  is  conclusively  shown  in  a  most  excellent  article  in  the  last 
number  of  the  Rural  American,  which   I  hope  you  will  re-publish. 

What  is  your  authority  for  the  table  of  prices  of  land  in  the  sev- 
eral States  ?  I  think  it  should  be  received  with  many  grains  of  al- 
lowance. I  am  very  confident  that  Virginia  lands  are  intrinsically 
worth  much  more  now  than  before  the  war,  and  a  very  few  years 
will  demonstrate  the  fact.  If  sold  under  the  hammer  now,  there 
being  no  money,  they  would  bring  no  price;  but  in  this  part  of  the 
State,  whenever  sales  are  effected,  it  is  at  prices  quite  equal  to 
those  paid  before  the  war,  and  these  prices  are  regarded  by  visitors 
as  extremely  low.  I  do  not  think  that  the  cause  of  immigration  or 
the  interest  of  our  own  people  13  promoted  by  representing  that 
large  blocks  of  land  may  be  purchased  at  fifty  cents  an  acre,  as  has 
lately  been  done  in  a  correspondence  between  Everett  k,  Co.,  of 
London,  and  the  Bureau  of  Immigration  at  Richmond.  A  country 
can  hardly  be  worthy  of  the  attention  of  immigrants,  whose  lands 
have  been  settled  for  more  than  two  hundred  years  by  an  intelligent 
population,  are  in  the  centre  of  civilization,  traversed  by  railroads 
and  navigable  rivers,  and  at  the  door  of  the  best  markets  of  the 
world,  and  are  now  rated  at  fifty  cents  an  acre.  Intelligent  strang- 
ers seeing  such  statements,  would  naturally  avoid  such  lands  as 
hopelessly  sterile,  and  like  the  lands  on  the  borders  of  the  dead  sea, 
lying  under  the  curse  of  God.  To  compare  the  value  of  our  lands 
with  those  of  the  far  West  seems  to  me  absurd.  The  poorest  of 
our  lands  are,  from  mere  location,  cheaper  at  any  reasonable  price 
asked  for  them,  than  the  lands  of  the  far  West  at  nothing.  We 
need  not  be  uneasy.  The  natural  advantages  of  Virginia  are  so 
great,  that  the  tide  of  immigration  will  soon  set  in  with  a  rush,  and 
the  population  will  increase  quite  as  fast  as  it  can  be  assimilated, 
and  few,  I  suppose,  desire  to  see  Virginia  pass  under  foreign  do- 
minion. For  myself,  I  wish  Virginians  ever  to  be  the  dominant 
race  in  Virginia — in  the  strong  Anglo-Saxon  of  one  of  my  corres- 
pondents, "the  best  breed  of  people  that  God  ever  made." 

I  looked  with  interest  and  high  expectation  for  your  promised 
article  on  fertilizers  for  corn.  It  is  a  subject  on  which  I  really 
want  information,  for  although  I  have  tried  as  many  experiments  as 
most  farmers,  I  am  still  in  the  dark.  Permit  me  to  say  that  your 
article  has  not  furnished  me  the  desired  light,  particularly  as  you 
designedly  withheld  an  important  fact  which  I  think  you  ought  to 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  277 


have  communicated.  The  agricultural  press  should,  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, protect  farmers  from  imposition,  and  when  the  Editors  know 
an  honest  dealer,  it  can  be  no  reflection  on  others  to  recommend 
him.  I  am  sure  you  would  disdain,  where  duty  is  involved,  to  be 
governed  by  'policy ;  but  perhaps  those  who  do  not  know  you  so 
well,  may  unjustly  impute  to  you  such  motives.  Our  farmers'  club 
have  had  this  subject  frequently  under  discussion  without  satisfac- 
tory results.  The  failure  of  fertilizers  on  the  last  year's  crops  was 
so  general,  and  the  results  so  disastrous,  that  the  club  declined  to 
publish  the  report  of  the  committee,  lest  it  might  injuriously  affect 
the  value  of  our  lands.  We  came,  however,  unanimously  to  one 
resolution,  to  buy  no  fertilizers  on  credit  if  possible  to  avoid  it,  and 
to  purchase  from  no  dealer  who  sells  at  a  higher  price  on  credit 
than  for  cash.  I  may  say  on  my  own  responsibility,  that  I  know  of 
but  one  such  dealer,  and  I  am  very  sure  that  his  fertilizers  are  hon- 
estly compounded.  That  person  is  G.  Ober,  of  Baltimore.  By 
this  I  mean  to  reflect  on  no  others,  and  hope  that  the  remark  may 
be  applicable  to  all. 

Jeremy  Bentham,  notwithstanding  his  eccentricities,  mingled  a 
great  deal  of  sound  sense  with   his   philosophy.     In  his   "Book  of 
Fallacies"  he  exposed,  with   the  quick   perception   of  an  acute  ob- 
server, the  gross  errors  into  which  mankind  had  often  fallen  by  ac- 
cepting as  truisms  maxim3   of  life  and   manners,  which  are  found 
upon  examination  entirely  unfounded.     A  book  of  fallacies  written 
after  the  manner  of  Bentham,  for  the  benefit  of  farmers,  would  just 
now  do  a  great  deal  of  good.     A  fallacy  now  in  the  ascendant  is 
that  every  man  should  have  his  specialty.     This  fallacy  is  not  con- 
fined to  farmers,  but  has  been  proclaimed   by  a  gentleman  of  fine 
taste  and  acquirements  in  the  halls  of  the  University.     Our   xonntr 
men,  instead  of  having  their  minds  expanded  and  their   hearts  en- 
larged, by  ranging  over  the   wide  domain   of  universal  knowledge, 
must  "cramp  their  genius  over  the  pestle  and   mortar,"  or  confine 
themselves  to  some  narrow  path  which  may  lead  to  material  wealth 
at  the  expense  of  all  that  constitutes   true  greatness  in  man.     Let 
specialties  receive   due  attention.     But  the  true  aim  of  education 
should  be,  to  develop   to   the   utmost  all  the   faculties ;  and  so   to 
train  the  mind,  that  it  may  be  capable  of  rising  to  the  loftiest  con- 
templations, and  of  comprehending  the  smallest  details.     This  has 
been  the  peculiar  characteristic  of  the  Virginia  mind,  as  illustrated 
in  the  history  of  so  many  of  her  distinguished  men,  of  whom  Mar- 
shall, Jefferson  and  Madison  were  types;  whose  intellects,  cramped 
by  no  artificial  restraints,  ranged  the  universe  of  thought,  and  like 


278  THE  SOUTHERN  [May 


tbe  wonderful  organ  of  the  largest  and  most  sagacious  of  living  ani- 
mals, could  at  once  embrace  the  greatest  and  minutest  objects.  We 
are  in  great  danger  of  sinking  into  a  grovelling  materialism.  The 
Bouls  of  most  of  our  leading  men  are  absorbed  by  the  desire  of 
gain.  Individually  and  collectively,  they  are  making  haste  to  be 
rich.  Wealth  is  certainly  desirable,  but  life  has  many  nobler  ob- 
jects, and  it  is  the  duty  of  those  who  control  the  education  of  the 
young,  to  direct  their  minds  to  those  higher  aims. 

Specialties  are  now  all  the  rage  with  many  of  our  farmers.  Pota- 
toes are  to  make  fabulous  yields,  and  to  raise  their  producers  to  sud- 
den opulence.  They  are  almost  as  valuable  as  gold,  and  an  alder- 
man eats  fifty  dollars'  worth  of  them  at  a  meal.  In  the  cant  phrase 
of  the  day,  "there  is  money  in  them,"  especially  if  you  raise  those 
colouer  d'  rose.  Fruits  of  all  kinds,  great  and  small,  are  to  pro- 
duce fortunes.  Grapes,  blackberries,  raspberries,  strawberries,  and 
even  cranberries,  have  found  an  advocate.  The  profits,  actual  or 
estimated,  from  these  ventures  are  so  great,  that  the  experimenter 
flatters  himself  he  will  soon  find  the  lamp  of  Aladdin  or  the  philos- 
opher's stone.  A  retired  merchant,  an  entuusiastic  suburban  farmer 
from  the  neighborhood  of  Philadelphia,  who  has  settled  among  us, 
lectures  us  freely  on  our  want  of  enterprise.  "  Why  don't  you 
plant  potatoes  ?  There  are  men  in  the  neighborhood  of  Philadelphia 
who  rent  land  at  high  rates,  plant  cabbages  between  the  rows  of 
potatoes,  pay  their  rent  and  expenses  from  the  sale  of  the  cabbages, 
and  have  left  fifteen  hundred  bushels  of  potatoes  to  the  acre  as 
clear  profit!"  He  religiously  believes  these  statements,  though  the 
average  crop  of  Pennsylvania  is  only  eighty  bushels  to  the  acre, 
and  is  planting  potatoes  vigorously.  All  these  things  are  very  good 
in  their  place,  and  no  farmer  should  neglect  them.  But  we  should 
remember  that  they  belong  to  the  province  of  the  gardener,  the 
fruiterer,  and  the  trucker,  who  in  due  time  will  find  ample  employ- 
ment among  us,  when  capital  and  labor  and  manure  can  be  com- 
manded to  carry  on  these  very  costly  enterprises,  and  new  lines  of 
ready  communication  are  opened  with  the  great  cities. 

Our  friend  the  junior  editor  has,  I  perceive,  again  mounted  his 
special  hobby  the  sheep,  and  like  the  currier  who  insisted  on  forti- 
fying the  city  with  leather,  I  fear,  it  will  be  difficult  to  change  his 
convictions.  As  he  seems  to  be  somewhat  sensitive  on  the  subject, 
I  would  not  mention  it,  if  he  had  not  invited  remark.  Can  our  in- 
telligent friend  believe  that  it  would  be  profitable  to  devote  our 
lands,  near  to  market  and  peculiarly  adapted  to  corn  and  all  culti- 
vated crops,  exclusively  to  sheep  husbandry?     Is  there  not  land 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  279 

enough  remote  from  market,  peculiarly  adapted  to  sheep,  to  supply 
the  demand,  in  the  face  of  the  fact  that  so  great  is  the  fecundity  of 
this  animal  that  the  market  is  overstocked,  and  even  during  the  last 
fall  and  winter  thousands  were  slaughtered  for  their  pelts  and  tallow? 

This  furor  for  change,  this  haste  to  be  doing  something,  they 
know  not  what,  which  causes  our  people,  like  Bob  Sawyer  in  the 
novel,  to  be  always  fussing  and  running  about,  to  make  at  least  a 
show  of  business,  will  have  its  day,  and  the  quiet  good  sense  of  the 
Virginia  people,  inherited  from  their  British  ancestors,  will  finally 
prevail.  Sooner  or  later  we  shall  find  that  all  the  efforts  of  land 
agents  and  immigration  societies  will  not  change  the  essential  char- 
acteristics of  our  people,  or  the  nature  of  our  agriculture.  Virgi- 
nia will  still  continue,  under  the  influence  of  natural  causes, 
which  governments  and  laws  may  modify,  but  never  destroy,  to  be 
a  planting  and  farming  State,  and  the  laborers  who  worked  for  our 
fathers,  will  continue,  with  their  descendants,  to  work  for  us  and 
our  descendants. 

The  English  are  a  people  of  practical  good  sense  and  of  enlarged 
philosophy.  You  do  not  find  them  given  to  specialties.  The  beau- 
tiful pictures  of  English  rural  scenes,  sometimes  found  in  our  par- 
lors, do  not  represent  a  sheep  or  cow  or  horse  alone,  or  any  special 
product  of  the  farm,  but  from  the  duck  and  the  dunghill  fowl, 
through  the  whole  range  of  domestic  animals,  and  the  varied  pro- 
ducts of  the  field,  all  find  a  place.  These  are  true  representations 
of  British  husbandry — such  as  have  often  been  exhibited  at  Holk- 
ham  and  Triptree. 

I  was  a  farmer  before  the  war,  on  the  British  system  of  alternate 
or  convertible  husbandry ;  and  when  I  look  back  to  the  past,  I  may 
say  without  vanity,  a  most  successful  one.  This  is  the  only  system 
which,  notwithstanding  the  novelties  which  may  amuse  for  a  time, 
can  be  permanently  successful  in  Virginia.  You  ask  for  facts;  at 
the  risk  of  the  charge  of  egotism,  I  will  give  them.  I  acted  on 
the  principle,  to  buy  nothing  that  could  be  raised  on  the 
FARM.  I  raised  my  own  horses  and  mules,  and  often  had  horses 
for  sale.  My  pork,  beef,  milk  and  butter,  lambs,  mutton,  fruits  and 
garden  stuff,  were  always  in  the  greatest  abundance.  My  clover 
fields  were  always  luxuriant,  and  my  irrigated  meadows  yielded  the 
heaviest  crops  of  the  best  timothy  and  herds'-grass  hay,  which  I 
often  sold  to  Yankee  timber-getters  in  the  neighborhood  at  $1  per 
hundred.  The  crops  of  grain  were  always  large  and  of  the  best 
quality;  and  from  one  of  my  farms  more  corn  was  sold  for  a  series 
of  years,  than  from  any  farm   of  proportionate   extent  in  Eastern 


280  THE   SOUTHERN  [May 

Virginia,  though  it  supported  a  large  number  of  negroes  and  horses, 
and  fattened  beeves  for  the  family,  and  many  hogs.  The  farm 
contains  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  including  arable,  waste,  wood 
land  and  meadows.  The  sales  for  several  years  averaged  3,000 
bushels  of  corn,  being  one  year  3,600  bushels.  I  sometimes  reaped 
from  20  to  22  bushels  of  wheat  for  one  sown,  and  for-  a  series  of 
years  the  crops  were  large.  I  had  no  specialty,  and  my  stocks  of 
horses,  mules,  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs  were  always  numerous.  If 
any  person  wanted  a  good  cow  or  yoke  of  oxen  he  knew  where  to 
find  thero,  and  Baltimore  butchers  in  search  of  mutton  or  lambs, 
were  seldom  disappointed.  For  more  than  thirty  years  I  never 
failed  to  have  lard  and  bacon  to  sell,  and  butter  was  so  abundant 
that  it  was  often  given  away,  or  used  to  grease  machinery.  My 
horses  and  mules  were  all  lost  during  the  war,  and  many  of  my  hog3 
and  sheep  wantonly  destroyed.  Yet  I  saved  a  flock  of  sixty  sheep, 
and  sent  to  Hanover,  for  safe  keeping,  one  hundred  and  thirty  fine 
grade  Cotswold  and  Southdown,  that  w:ere  greatly  admired  on  the 
road.  These  on  our  salt  water  pastures  had  never  cost  a  cent  in 
food  or  salt ;  yet  more  than  half  of  them  died  in  Hanover,  on  a 
range  of  five  hundred  acres,  in  a  few  weeks,  for  want  of  salt. 

I  continued  this  system  as  far  as  possible  during  the  war,  and 
furnished  to  the  Commissary  large  numbers  of  fine  cattle,  and  as 
much  as  seven  thousand  (7,000)  pounds  of  bacon  at  one  time;  and 
immediately  after  this  contribution,  when  General  Lee  made  his 
last  appeal  for  provisions,  I  was  able  to  furnish  bread  for  one  hun- 
dred men  for  six  months,  and  a  considerable  quantity  of  bacon.  It 
is  impossible  to  estimate  the  quantity  of  grain  furnished  to  the  army 
and  to  the  suffering  people  in  the  devastated  districts.  It  was  num- 
bered by  thousands  of  bushels ;  and  when  the  war  was  ended,  though 
much  of  it  had  been  wasted  or  burnt,  I  had  several  thousand  bush- 
els left,  with  which  to  begin  operations  anew.  I  have  pursued  the 
same  system  since  the  war.  The  corn  has  been  short  and  the  crops 
of  wheat  have  failed,  but  the  stock  has  not.  We  have  sold  a  con- 
siderable number  of  fine  work  oxen  and  cows  at  good  prices  and 
some  beef  cattle  from  time  to  time  since  the  close  of  the  war.  In 
the  last  three  months  we  have  sold  seven  work  oxen  for  $400. 
Notwithstanding  these  sales,  the  number  of  the  original  stock  has 
not  been  diminished.  We  have  had  lamb,  mutton,  beef,  milk  and 
butter,  generally,  in  abundance,  and  every  year  since  the  war  have 
sold  more  or  less  bacon  and  lard.  This  year  I  think  the  proceeds 
of  bacon  and  lard  will  supply  the  family  with  groceries.  Like  other 
patriots,  we  have  been  greatly  oppressed  by  old  debts,  the  failure 


1889.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  281 


of  crops,  the  inefficiency  of  labor,  and  the  scarcity  of  money;  yet 
a  system  which  under  varying  circumstances  has  produced  these  re- 
sults cannot  be  a  bad  one. 

This  brings  me  to  what  the  Planter  and  Farmer  says  upon  the 
pork  question — a  subject  of  great  importance  and  greatly  neglected, 
liaise  your  own  pork.  It  is  far  cheaper  to  raise  than  to  buy  it,  no 
matter  what  may  be  the  price  of  corn.  You  cannot  risk  your  whole 
stock  of  hogs  now  in  the  fields  or  woods.  Raise  a  considerable 
number  in  pens  with  water-proof  roofs.  Feed  with  all  the  slops 
from  kitchen  and  dairy,  which  in  my  family  arc  worth  for  this  pur- 
pose nearly  a  hundred  dollars  a  year.  Add  to  this,  refuse  grain, 
vegetables,  clover  cut  and  fed  in  the  pens,  or  in  growing  lots  en- 
closed for  the  purpose.  I  raised  fourteen  last  year  in  this  way. 
Eleven  of  them  averaged  over  two  hundred — three,  being  younger, 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds.  The  manure  made  fiom  them, 
which  is  now  ready  to  be  applied  to  coin,  will,  I  am  sure,  produce 
more  corn  than  the  hogs  consumed. 

I  am  more  and  more  convinced  every  day  that  I  live,  that  the 
alternate  or  convertible  system  of  husbandry,  with  comparatively 
large  farms,  is  the  true  policy  for  us  in  our  present  circumstances. 
The  labor  has  greatly  improved,  and  will  continue  to  improve;  and 
once  freed  from  debt,  with  their  energies  untrammeled,  the  gentle- 
men farmers  of  Virginia  will  soon  show  the  world  that  they  are  not 
the  drones  they  have  been  represented.  I  fear  I  have  incautiously 
used  the  word  gentlemen.  Gentlemen  and  ladies  are  terms  now 
eschewed,  unless  it  be  by  men  in  independent  positions  like  the 
Chief  Justice  who,  in  sentencing  criminals  found  guilty  of  a  felo- 
nious offence,  concludes  by  ordering  the  marshal  to  take  those  gen- 
tlemen to  the  penitentiary  ;  or  his  honor,  the  Mayor,  who,  when 
females  of  equivocal  character  are  brought  into  court,  orders  the 
Sergeant  to  escort  those  ladies  to  the  lock-up. 

There  is  another  fallacy  that  ought  not  to  pass  unnoticed.  All 
our  young  men  are  earnestly  urged  to  strip  off  and  go  hard  to  work 
with  the  axe,  the  plough,  the  hoe.  This  is  very  well  when  neces- 
sary or  profitable,  but  to  the  extent  to  which  it  has  been  preached, 
it  is  extremely  mischievous.  I  doubt  not  it  has  driven  from  Vir- 
ginia hundreds,  nay,  thousands  of  deserving  young  men,  who  have 
left  their  homes  in  sorrow  and  despair,  as  flying  from  a  life  of  pov- 
erty and  servitude.  If  they  were  rightly  informed,  who  could 
blame  them  for  emigrating,  rather  than  remain  at  home  toiling 
hopelessly  at  the  average  rate  of  farm  wages  from  thirty  to  fifty 
cents  a  day  ?     I  would  invite  them  to  take  a  more  cheerful  view — 


282  THE   SOUTHERN  [May 

to  return  and  reclaim  the  wasted  farms  of  their  fathers,  and  resume 
the  position,  which  properly  belongs  to  them,  as  country  gentlemen. 
No  man,  young  or  old,  should  be  too  proud  to  take  a  hand  at  any- 
thing that  is  useful.  My  own  son  gives  daily  evidence  of  this. 
He  is  expert  in  the  use  of  all  implements  and  machinery;  can  run 
a  line  with  a  plough  as  straight  as  if  laid  off  by  a  surveyor's  instru- 
ments, and  this  he  has  lately  done  day  by  day,  and  was  very  profit- 
ably engaged,  because  he  was  leading  others.  This  industry  I  en- 
cournge,  but  I  always  inculcate  upon  him  that  brains  are  worth 
more  than  hands;  and  as  there  will  always  be,  in  this  State  espe- 
cially, plenty  of  laborers  that  will  require  brains  to  direct  them,  he 
will  occupy  his  time  more  profitably  in  studying  thoroughly  the  re- 
quirements of  the  farm,  and  seeing  that  they  are  strictly  attended 
to  by  the  laborers,  than  in  drudging  with  a  hoe  from  day  to  day. 
This  doctrine  of  hard  work  may  be  pushed  to  extremes.  I  have 
known  several  worthy  white  men  greatly  shorten  their  days  by  too 
much  work  in  our  hot  summer  suns.  Our  friend,  the  President  of 
the  State  Society,  I  think,  rides  this  hobby  rather  too  freely;  and 
when  he  ventured,  in  his. inaugural,  to  advise  that  the  "patrimonial 
oaks"  should  be  cut  down,  lesc  their  shades  should  shelter  old  gen- 
tlemen disposed  to  indulge  themselves,  I  could  not  but  feel  that  he 
had  committed  an  act  of  impiety — a  crime  without  a  name.  In  all 
the  laws  of  Lycurgus  there  was  no  punishment  denounced  against 
paricide,  because  it  was  not  supposed  possible  that  such  an  unnatu- 
ral crime  could  be  committed.  To  cut  down  the  patrimonial  oaks 
is  more  akin  to  paricide,  for  it  would  break  the  father's  heart  if 
living.  I  confess  my  fondness  for  an  arm  chair,  under  an  umbra- 
geous tree,  from  which  I  can  see  in  the  distance  the  graceful  move- 
ments of  the  reaper  and,  the  harvester,  and  cry  out  as  they  approach 
me  in  their  round,  after  the  manner  of  boys  at  play:  "Fight  on, 
my  brave  boys,  your  Captain  is  looking  at  you  !"  Surely  a  sexa- 
generian,  not  possessed  of  any  nimble  powers  of  locomotion,  might 
be  allowed  this  indulgence.  Deus  nobis  hcec  otia  fecit,  and  it  is 
clearly  an  act  of  impiety  to  deprive  us  of  it.  But  our  friend  is  too 
practical  and  utilitarian  to  enjoy  the  Arcadian  scenes  so  sweetly 
depicted  by  the  great  poet  of  the  Georgics.  In  one  of  these  scenes 
he  describes  a  shepherd  with  his  flocks  feeding  around  him,  lying 
at  ease  under  a  ivide- spreading  beach  tree  ;  the  sun  is  approaching 
the  horizon;  shadows  are  falling  from  the  mountains;  the  air  is 
tranquil  and  serene;  and  the  smoke  is  ascending  from  the  neigh- 
boring villages.  This  is  a  scene  for  a  painter,  but  it  has  no  charms 
for  utilitarians.     I  confess  myself  to  no  little  fondness  for  the  ro- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  283 

mance  and  poetry  of  life.     I  recollect  at  this  moment  lines  of  Pope, 
as  repeated  to  me  by  my  father  more  than  half  a  century  ago: 

"  Happy  the  man  whose  will  an  J  care, 
A  few  paternal  acres  bouni. 
Content  to  brenthe  bis  native  air 
Ou  his  own  ground." 

The  last  couplet  of  the  next  stanza  is, 

"  Where  trees  in  summer  jieli  bim  shade — 
In  winter  fire." 

Perhaps  my  fondness  for  shade,  and  especially  for  that  of  the 
"patrimonial  oaks,"  arises  in  part  from  these  early  associations. 
But  enough  of  this.      Vive  la  bagatelle. 
Very  truly  your  friend, 

WlLLOUGHBY  NXWTOET. 


Cheap  Local  Fares  and  Freights  the  True   Policy  of  our  Railroads. 

Messrs.  Editors, — A  friend  who  claims  to  speak  by  authority, 
tells  me  that  a  -word  or  two  from  even  so  humble  a  subscriber  as 
myself  would  not  be  totally  unacceptable  to  you.  It  is  in  response 
to  this  suggestion  that  you  are  troubled  with  this  communication. 

After  residing  in  Richmond  from  early  boyhood,  I  have  settled 
down  in  the  country,  to  try  farming  in  a  very  small  way.  Two  rea- 
sons impel  me  to  this  course  :  the  first  arises  out  of  considerations 
of  health  and  economy ;  the  second  springs  from  a  settled  convic- 
tion that,  while  so  many  are  falling  away  from  the  plough,  every 
new  comer  is,  in  the  present  condition  of  the  South,  a  sort  of  pub- 
lic benefactor.  The  soil  here  seems  to  be  of  a  very  generous  dispo- 
sition, but  a  course  of  hard  treatment  has  reduced  a  tolerable  gar- 
den spot  into  a  sad  wilderness ;  still  I  do  not  doubt  that  labor, 
which  is  the  farmer's  necessity,  will  turn  the  tide  in  the  other  di- 
rection, and  that  at  no  distant  time  we  shall  have  the  wilderness 
returning  to  its  garden  state.  I  have  a  notion  that  any  man  who 
has  a  tolerable  share  of  common  sense,  joined  with  industry  and 
perseverance,  and  will  read  and  question  closely,  yet  act  with 
promptness  and  independence,  may  become  a  farmer.  If  you  think 
differently,  do  not  tell  me  so,  I  pray  you,  for  the  present,  as  I  have 
much  respect  for  your  judgment,  and  may  be  discouraged.  If, 
however,  we  shall  meet  with  any  measure  of  success,  my  better- 
half,  who  takes  great  interest  in  our  movements,  may  some  day 
trouble  you  with  a  sample  of  what  we  can  do  ;  and,  if  we  can  do  no 
better,  I  dare  say  that  a  big  blackberry,  (a  cultivated  one,  I  mean,) 


284  THE   SOUTHERN  [May 

or  a  tolerable  cymling,  would  not  be  regarded  by  you  altogether  be- 
neath your  attention. 

As  a  Virginian,  I  am  deeply  interested  in  whatever  concerns  the 
happiness  and  prosperity  of  our  people  ;  and  it  is  with  a  sad  heart  I 
see  so  many  of  our  best  men  standing  idle  when  the  earth  is  still 
before  us,  out  of  whose  bosom  the  prosperity  of  man  has  been  dug, 
in  every  age  of  the  world,  upon  the  Nile,  the  Jordan,  the  Tiber, 
the  Thames,  kc.  Nor  can  I  see  why  we  cannot  build  up  upon  the 
banks  of  the  James  an  influence  which,  ere  long,  shall  challenge 
the  admiration  of  the  world.  But  this  last  time  of  my  pen  is  not 
without  an  object,  as  will  presently  appear. 

The  location  I  have  chosen,  or  rather  accidentally  hit  on,  seems 
desirable  enough.  I  am  thirteen  miles  from  Richmond,  and  about 
one  and  a  half  miles  from  the  track  of  the  Richmond,  Fredericks- 
burg and  Potomac  railroad — a  sort  of  national  highway,  which  has 
one  of  the  finest  opportunities  in  the  world  to  acquire  a  large  share 
of  popularity  and  a  still  larger  share  of  pecuniary  gain.  I  wish, 
indeed,  that  the  representatives  of  this  road  could  have  a  just  ap- 
preciation of  its  opportunity;  but  it  often  happens  with  corpora- 
tions, as  with  individual  men,  that  the  sight  of  the  present  shilling 
forbids  the  contemplation  of  the  contingent  dollar.  Easy  of  access 
from  all  points,  and  running,  as  it  does,  through  one  of  the  health- 
iest sections  of  country  in  the  world,  this  road  is  well  calculated  to 
attract  the  attention  of  those  who  wish  to  settle  in  Virginia.  And 
though  the  lands  are  often  poor,  yet  they  lay  remarkably  well,  and 
are  well  capable  of  improvement  by  manures  which  can  readily  be 
brought  from  Richmond  or  Baltimore.  Now  if  this  road  would, 
in  view  of  the  present  situation  of  affiirs,  put  its  local  fares  and  its 
manure  and  farming  implement  freights  at  a  very  low  rate,  it 
would  need  no  prophet  to  foresee  that  its  whole  line  would,  at  an 
early  day,  become  a  continuous  village.  Then  the  Company,  in- 
stead of  being  frequently  grumbled  at,  as  it  now  is,  would  have  the 
hearty  regards  of  all,  and  where  it  is  now  receiving  orders  by  the 
hundred,  would  find  thousands  flowing  into  its  treasury.  Then,  too, 
the  traveler  as  he  went  North,  or  came  South,  instead  of  beholding 
a  sometimes  desolate  country,  would  have  his  sight  refreshed  by 
some  of  the  loveliest  scenery  in  the  world ;  and  even  the  good-na- 
tured "Yankee,"  as  he  journeyed  hitherward,  could  believe  the 
stories  of  the  darkey  who,  having  run  away  from  his  Virginia  home, 
was  last  seen  sitting  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  singing, 

"Carry  me  back  to  Ole  Yirginny." 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  285 


It  is  strange  to  me  that  our  railroad  corporations  do  not  see  that 
every  dweller  on  the  line  of  their  roads  is  a  laborer  in  their  inter- 
ests, and  that  every  bushel  of  manure  and  every  farming  implement 
transported  by  them  is  assisting  in  preparing  produce  which  must 
find  its  way  to  market  by  their  agency ;  and  yet  if  the  assumption 
here  is  correct,  and  I  think  no  one  can  deny  it,  there  is  no  road 
■whose  situation  favors  a  really  liberal  policy  more  than  does  the 
situation  of  the  Richmond,  Fredericksburg  and  Potomac.  For  its 
own  sake,  as  much  as  for  the  public  good,  I  would  be  glad  to  see  it 
adopt  a  policy  which  would  infallibly  pay  so  well,  both  in  fame  and 
money. 

But  I  have  exceeded  the  bounds  proposed  to  myself,  and  I  will 
close  abruptly,  with  the  words  which  Milton  has  made  Satan  ad- 
dress to  his  tardy  co-laborers.  If  I  had  the  voice  of  seven  thun- 
ders, I  would  bawl  them  into  the  ear  of  every  dreaming  corporation 
and  every  indolent  Virginian: 

"Awake!  arise!  or  be  forever  fallen  !" 

K. 

Hopewell,  Hanover,  April,  18G9. 


Beet-Root   Sugar  in  England. 

There  have  been  a  number  of  visitors  lately  to  the  works  at  La- 
venham,  including  M.  Caird  and  Professor  Voelcker,  and  the  experi- 
ment appears  to  be  progressing  very  satisfactorily  indeed.  The 
whole  of  the  machinery  has  been  supplied  by  MM.  Jules  Reallier 
and  Van  Gccthem,  Bruxilles,  the  Belgium  engineers,  who  are  fully 
acquainted  with  the  details  necessary  for  the  manufacture.  Tho 
works  are  carried  on  under  the  superintendence  of  M.  Victor  Or- 
tamus,  civil  engineer,  from  Belgium,  who  has  had  considerable  ex- 
perience in  sugar  manufacture  on  the  continent,  and  the  principal 
workmen  are  foreigners,  while  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  them  to 
communicate  with  the  English  men  and  women  employed  at  tho 
works,  a  Frenchman  is  engaged  as  an  interpreter,  and  through  him 
orders  are  given  to  the  various  English  employees.  There  is  a  lime, 
kiln  on  the  premises,  for  the  purpose  of  manufacturing  the  gas  re- 
quired for  saturating  the  liquid  ;  and  from  the  kiln  it  passes  along 
a  pipe,  and  thence  through  two  purifiers  to  an  engine,  by  which  it 
is  forced  to  the  spot  wanted  for  use.  After  leaving  the  saturating 
pans  the  liquid  is  of  a  different  color,  having  become  a  deep  brown  ; 
and,  although  sweet,  it  has  a  somewhat  earthy  flavor.  When  it 
has  been  sufficiently  long  in  these  pans,  it  is  drawn  oft"  into  what  are 


286 


THE  SOUTHERN 


[May 


called  the  decanting  pans,  where  the  temperature  is  again  reduced; 
and  it  is  subsequently  transferred  to  two  enormous  evaporating 
vacuum  pans,  where  a  certain  amount  of  evaporation  takes  place, 
and  this  completes  the  process  at  Lavenham,  the  remainder  of  the 
evaporation  being  transferred  to  Mr.  Duncan's  works  in  London, 
for  which  purpose  the  product  of  the  roots  is  sent  off,  in  disks,  in  a 
liquid  state.  The  Inland  Revenue  Department  keep  an  officer  con- 
stantly on  the  premises,  for  the  purpose  of  looking  after  their  in- 
terests ;  and  Mr.  Duncan,  with  characteristic  thoughtfulness  and 
liberality,  has  had  an  eye  to  the  personal  comfort  of  this  official, 
and  presented  him  with  a  couch,  rug,  easy  chairs,  and  washing 
stand.  Mr.  Duncan  is  rapidly  using  the  supply  of  this  district  at 
XI  per  ton. — Mark  Lane  Express. 


We  have  procured  the  above  cut,  not  without  considerable  ex- 
pense, from  N.  H.  Faaren,  Veterinary  Surgeon,  Chicago,  111.  It 
will  be  seen  to  exhibit  the  relation  which  the  bony  structure  of  the 
horse  bears  to  the  body,  clothed  with  flesh  and  skin,  and  needs  no 
explanation  to  render  it  intelligible  to  our  readers. — Eds.  So. 
Planter  and  Farmer. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  28 

M  Ville's  Book  on    High  Farming  without  Manure   Reviewed. 

Mr.  Editor, — For  several  years  past  the  agricultural  journals   o 
the  South  have,  from   time  to  time,  contained  brief  notices  of  the 
labors  of  Prof.  Ville  of  France,  who  claims  to  have  made  important 
discoveries  in  practical  agriculture,  and  in  some  instances  formulae 
have  been  published  professing  to  represent  the  composition  of  cer- 
tain  applications  found   by  him  to  be  the  best  possible   for  certain 
crops.      It   is   fair  to    presume,  therefore,  that  a  majority  of  your 
readers  have  heard  something  of  Prof.  Yille  and  of  his  new  system, 
and  like  myself  have  seen  enough  to  excite  their  curiosity,  but  not 
enough  to  enable  them  to  judge  of  its  merits,  or  profit  by  its  teach- 
ings.    The  appearance  among  us  of  a  little  work  by  the  Professor, 
translated  and  published  in  England,  and   republished  in   Boston, 
entitled   "High   Farming  without  Manure.     Six  Lectures  on 
Agriculture,  delivered  at  the  Experimental  Farm  of   Vincennes. 
By  M.    George  Ville,  Professor  of  Vegetable  Physiology  at  the 
Museum  of  Natural  History,  Paris,"  wherein  the  laws  which  he 
claims  to  have  discovered,  and  some  of  the  results  of  their  applica- 
tion in  practice  are   stated,  affords  us  an  opportunity  for  learning 
what  the  system  really  is,  as  well  as  for  forming  a  correct  judgment 
as  to  its  merits,  and  of  the  service  it  may  be  to  us  of  the  South,  if 
properly  appreciated  and  applied. 

M.  Ville  has,  we  are  told,  been  experimenting,  for  many  years, 
first  on  a  small  scale;  and  atter  he  had  satisfied  himself  of  the  truth 
of  certain  laws  of  vegetable  nutrition,  he  proceeded  to  put  theaa  to 
the  test  of  actual  practice.  In  the  translator's  preface  we  are  told 
that  "The  researches  of  M.  Ville,  which  are  now  placed  at  the 
head  of  the  most  important  discoveries  science  has  yet  made  for  the 
benefit  of  agriculture,  were,  like  all  innovations,  received  at  first 
with  something  more  than  coldness  and  indifference;"  and  farther 
on  we  learn  that,  at  the  time  he  was  most  violently  opposed  and 
unpopular,  the  Emperor  "extended  a  generous  and  powerful  hand 
to  the  Professor,  and  the  most  complete  success  has  crowned  his 
glorious  initiative."  A  portion  of  the  imperial  farm  at  Vincennes 
was  placed  at  his  disposal,  where  for  a  series  of  years  he  has  car- 
ried on  his  experiments  at  the  Emperor's  expense,  and  to  which 
point  large  numbers  of  farmers,  and  others  interested  in  the  pro- 
gress of  agriculture,  are  annually  attracted  by  the  increasing  fame 
of  the  Professor,  and  the  very  remarkable  crops  produced  on  those 
portions  of  the  farm  under  his  direction. 

Instead  of  operating  upon  ordinary  soil,  or  soil  of  known  com- 


288  THE  SOUTHERN  [May 


position,  M.  Yille,  for  reasons  which  I  shall  advert  to  in  another 
place,  commenced  his  experiments  b}r  growing  plants  in  flower-pots 
filled  with  calcined  sand  as  a  basis,  to  one  of  which  he  added  one 
of  the  substances  always  present  in  plants;  to  another  two;  to  an- 
other all  save  one,  say  lime;  to  another  all  save  another,  say  pot- 
ash; and  finally  to  another  every  substance  found  in  plants,  each 
s';l  stance  added  being  in  an  available  form.  He  thus  had  every 
form  of  soil,  from  absolute  sterility  on  the  one  hand  to  great  fer- 
tility on  the  other,  passing  through  every  intermediate  grade,  the 
composition  of  each  being,  of  course,  known  and  recorded;  and 
was  enabled  to  compare  the  effects  of  each  on  vegetation,  to  deter- 
mine, as  it  were,  the  relative  values  of  the  substances  composing 
them,  and  to  arrive  at  that  combination  of  material  best  calculated 
to  produce  the  most  perfect  plants  and  the  largest  yield. 

After  repeated  experiments  in  flower-pots,  he  proceeded  to  repeat 
them  on  plots  of  ground  set  apart  for  the  purpose,  and  from  these 
he  passed  to  an  application  of  the  principles  evolved  to  some  of  the 
fields  of  the  farm  of  Vincennes.  One  of  the  most  important  of 
his  discoveries,  and  the  only  one  to  which  I  wish  to  refer  in  this 
place,  was  that,  by  the  use  of  a  mixture  of  various  substances,  all 
of  which  have  long  been  knowu  in  agriculture,  and  constituting 
what  he  calls  a  complete  fertilism,  he  unfailingly  makes  large  crops, 
and  for  a  succession  of  }Tcars,  provided  the  application  is  sufficiently 
heavy.  This  complete  fertiliser  is  composed  of  some  substance  ca- 
pable of  yielding  nitrogen,  either  in  the  form  of  nitric  acid  or  am- 
monia, together  with  phosphoric  acid,  potash,  &c,  all  in  an  availa- 
ble form,  and  having  such  a  relation  to  the  soil  that,  when  applied 
in  sufficient  quantity,  this  and  the  soil  will  be  capable  of  supplying 
all  the  substances  required  for  the  production  of  a  succession  of 
heavy  crops.  In  other  words,  we  have  not  only  a  demonstration  of 
the  great  benefits  to  be  derived  from  the  use  of  judicious  mixtures 
of  what  are  known  as  the  commercial  fertilizers,  but  we  also  have 
the  assurance  that  in  these  fertilizers,  properly  used,  we  have  a  sat- 
isfactory substitute  for  stable  manure,  and  may  confidently  hope  for 
remunerative  crops,  and  improvement  in  our  soils,  even  though  we 
may  be  deficient  in  what  English  farmers  and  our  northern  neigh- 
bors consider  indispensable  to  all  good  farming — stable  manure. 
In  another  place  I  shall  resume  the  subject  of  the  Professor's  ex- 
periments and  their  results,  contenting  myself  for  the  present  with 
giving  prominence  to  the  important  truth  just  enunciated. 

For  the  English  faimer,  or  the  farmer  from  one  of  our  northern 
States,  who  is  a  stock  grower,  and  always  has  a  large  portion  of  his 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  289 

land  in  meadow  and  permanent  pasture,  Lis  stock  necessarily  con- 
suming a  large  portion  of  the  produce  of  the  farm,  and  returning 
it  to  the  soil  in  the  shape  of  manure,  the  commercial  fertilisms  come 
in  as  simple  increments  to  his  general  stock  of  manure.  He  may 
appreciate  their  value,  and  use  them  to  a  limited  extent,  but  after 
all,  he  feels  that  they  are  not  necessities.  But  such  is  not  our  con- 
dition. Our  system  of  farming  is  not  and,  from  the  nature  of 
things,  cannot  be  self-sustaining.  From  causes  which  it  is  not  ne- 
cessary  to  discuss  here,  we  are  not  now,  and  most  probably  never 
will  be,  a  stock  growing  people,  and  hence  let  u3  husband  our  re- 
sources as  we  will,  we  cannot  hope  to  keep  up  our  soils  by  the  ma- 
nure made  on  our  farms.  The  great  bulk  of  our  lands,  originally 
light,  has  depreciated  under  a  system  of  cultivation  which,  to  say 
the  least  of  it,  is  faulty,  and  must  continue  to  do  so  unless  we  can 
check  their  downward  course  by  the  use  of  the  commercial  fertil- 
isers. But  this  is  not  all:  many,  very  many  of  our  soils — soils  on 
which  our  farmers  are  depending  to  supply  the  wants  of  their  fami- 
lies— are  in  such  a  condition  that  the  use  of  fertilisers  is  necessary 
before  the  production  of  a  crop  \s  possible.  With  our  lands  in  such 
condition,  how  important  is  it  that  we  should,  if  such  a  thing  is  pos- 
sible, determine  the  principles  which  should  govern  us  in  the  appli- 
cation of  fertilisers,  and  having  determined  them  disseminate  them 
through  every  available  channel! 

It  is  my  purpose  to  discuss  the  general  origin  of  soils,  with  par- 
ticular reference  to  the  soils  of  Virginia  east  of  the  Blue  Ridge, 
and  the  effects  of  cropping  upon  them  ;  to  explain  the  natural  pro- 
cess of  restoration  of  worn  out  lands;  develop  M.  Ville's  system 
somewhat  in  detail;  and  make  such  an  application  of  it  to  our  own 
condition  as  seems  to  me  necessary,  with  the  hope  that  I  may  be 
able  to  make  the  discussion  of  practical  value  to  at  least  a  portion 
of  your  readers. 

Soils,  no  matter  where  found,  have  their  origin  either  directly  or 
indirectly  in  the  decomposition  and  disintegration  of  the  rocks  which 
constitute  the  surface  of  our  planet ;  consequently,  in  tracing  the 
origin  of  any  particular  class  of  soils,  not  alluvial,  a  knowledge  of 
the  underlying  formations,  and  of  the  processes  by  which  a  fertile 
soil  succeeds  the  barren  rock,  becomes  both  interesting  and  valua- 
ble. The  agents  by  which  these  changes  arc  accomplished  are  the 
atmosphere,  water  and  frost.  To  this  action  the  hardest  rocks  must 
eventually  yield,  resulting  in  various  mixtures  of  clay  and  sand, 
with  smaller  quantities  of  such  other  substances  as  were  originally 
present  in  the  rock,  but  often  modified  in  form.  The  decomposed 
VOL.  Ill — ID 


200  THE  SOUTHERN  [May 


rottr,  the  mere  mixture  of  sand,  clay  and  otlier  materials,  is  not, 
however,  soil  capable  of  producing  crops:  it  still  must  go  through 
ft  long  process  of  amelioration.  At  first  it  is  capable  of  supporting 
ft  scanty  vegetation  only  ;  but  whatever  it  can  support,  takes  root 
and  grows,  drawing  its  organic  matter  from  the  air. 

After  a  time  this  vegetation  dies,  and  mingles  with  the  soil,  mak- 
ing a  positive  transfer  of  organic  matter  from  the  air  to  the  soil. 
This  process  going  on  year  by  year,  the  organic  matter  of  the  soil 
slowly  increases,  the  first  scanty  vegetation  is  supplanted  by  a  more 
vigorous  one,  and  this  in  time  by  one  still  more  vigorous.  At  last 
shrubs  and  trees  cover  the  ground,  which,  sending  their  roots  far 
down  into  the  subsoil,  draw  from  it  supplies  of  mineral  food,  which 
passing  first  into  the  leaves,  eventually  find  their  way  into  the  sur- 
face soil,  along  with  the  still  increasing  stores  of  organic  matter. 
27**8  annual  top-dressing  of  both  mineral  and  organic  matter  is  ne- 
cessarily composed  of  all  the  substances  which  enter  into  the  com- 
position of  vegetables,  and  ivhich  are  absolutely  required  in  every 
soil  to  make  it  fertile,  and  in  such  form  as  to  be  available  to  what- 
ever crops  may  be  grown.  These  are  organic  matter  not  composed 
of,  but  containing  ammonia,  potassa,  soda,  lime,  magnesia,  soluble 
giKoa,  sulphuric  acid,  phosphoric  acid,  chlorine,  and  oxide  of  iron. 

From  what  1  have  just  said  it  is  apparent  that  nature,  in  her  pro- 
Cess  of  forming  arable  soils,  is  continually  miking  additions  to  the 
stock  of  substances  which  are  necessary  to  fertility,  and  in  so  doing 
is  gradually  bringing  them  all,  as  nearly  as  the  nature  of  the  case 
will  admit,  to  the  same  condition,  no  matter  what  be  the  source 
from  which  they  may  have  been  derived.  It  is  equally  plain,  how- 
ever, that  there  must  be  great  diversity  in  soils,  not  only  in  their 
physical  properties,  but  in  their  chemical  composition  also,  and 
that  soils  of  equal  productiveness  when  first  denied,  and  of  course 
of  equal  apparent  fertility,  must  differ  widely  in  their  ability  to 
meet  the  demands  made  upon  them  through  years  of  continuous  cul- 
tivation. 

But  if  what  I  have  said  in  relation  to  the  origin  of  soils  be  true, 
there  ought  to  be  certain  characteristic,  or  family  resemblances  be- 
tween all  the  soils  of  a  particular  geological  period,  in  spite  of  the 
tendency  of  all  soils  to  assume  a  common  condition,  and  such  in- 
deed is  the  case.  Take,  for  example,  the  soils  of  the  Valley  of 
Virginia,  resting  upon  and  formed  from  the  Valley  limestones  ;  we 
find,  of  course,  every  variety  of  fertility,  and  great  diversity  in 
mechanical  condition,  yet  they  are  as  a  class  clays,  and  essentially 
grass  lands. 


18G0.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  291 

Nearly  all  of  the  country  east  of  the  Blue  Ridge  down  to  the 
head  of  tide,  is  covered  by  metamorphic  rocks — rocks  that,  after 
deposition  in  water,  were  subjected  to  long  continued  and  intense 
heat,  whereby  they  have  become  highly  chrystaline  in  structure, 
and  materially  modified  in  other  respects.  The  decomposition  of 
these  rocks  gives  rise  to  a  class  of  soils  which  are  prone  to  wash, 
and  liable  to  serious  injury  when  naked  fields  are  long  exposed  ;  a 
sort  of  sifting  process  goes  on,  resulting  in  the  retention  of  the 
coarser  particles,  and  the  loss  of  the  finer  and  more  valuable  por- 
tions. But  whilst  they  all  bear  a  certain  resemblance  to  each  other 
in  these  respects,  and  in  others  that  might  be  pointed  out,  they  yet 
d  ffer  widely  in  different  counties,  and  in  different  portions  of  the 
same  county,  or  even  of  the  same  farm.  In  one  locality  rocks  of  a 
granite  type  may  prevail,  producing  soils  well  supplied  most  proba- 
bly with  potash,  but  deficient  in  lime  and  other  equally  important 
constituents,  full  of  small  scales  of  undecomposed  mica,  and  never 
truly  fertile.  But  let  such  a  rock,  retaining  its  feldspar,  have  its 
mica  replaced  by  hornblende,  or  some  allied  mineral,  and  at  once 
the  overlying  soil  assumes  a  dark  red  color,  and  lime,  magnesia, 
&c,  if  not  present  in  quantity,  are  at  least  sufficiently  abundant  to 
make  the  soil  fertile,  and  capable  of  a  high  degree  of  improvement; 

The  soils  of  Tidewater  Virginia  are,  as  a  class,  widely  different 
from  those  just  referred  to.  These  soils  constitute  the  upper  beds 
or  strata  of  what  is  known  as  the  tertiary  belt  of  Virginia.  Dur- 
ing the  tertiary  period  the  waters  of  the  Atlantic  covered  the 
whole  of  this  portion  cf  Virginia,  as  well  as  the  greater  portion  of 
both  North  and  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Florida,  &c,  the  shore 
line  through  our  State  being  nearly  on  a  line  passing  through  the 
falls  of  the  large  rivers,  and  the  last  deposits  of  mud  and  sand 
which  were  borne  into  the  ocean  by  the  running  streams,  and  other 
natural  causes,  now  constitute  the  soils  of  this  region.  Rising  from 
the  waters  before  the  close  of  the  Tertiary  period,  still  beds  of  mud 
and  sand,  plants  took  root  in  them,  and  by  the  same  process  by 
which  all  soils  are  made  productive,  they  were  gradually  transformed 
into  arable  soils.  They  are,  as  a  class,  light  and  sandy,  deficient 
generally  in  some  important  constituents,  as  lime  and  potash,  but 
yet  capable,  by  the  use  of  lime,  or  marl,  which  is  generally  abun- 
dant, and  other  means,  of  a  high  degree  of  improvement. 

Along  the  banks  of  streams  we  meet  with  alluvial  lands,  or  "  low 
grounds,"  which  are  generally  very  productive,  and  in  some  in- 
stances seem  tO  be  practically  inexhaustible.  Such  soils  are  made 
up  of  the  fine  material   that  has  been  washed  out   of,  and   borne 


292  THE    SOUTHERN  [May 

down  from  the  uplands.  Such  soils,  besides  being  in  a  fine  state  of 
division,  are  made  up  of  the  very  riehest  portions  of  the  soils  sup- 
plying them,  and  being  composed  of  material  from  numerous 
points,  are  sure  to  contain  abundant  supplies  of  all  the  elements  of 
fertility,  in  available  forms. 


Left-Hand   Ploughs. 

Prejudices  on  this  subject,  like  all  others,  are  hard  to  remove  ; 
but  if  farmers  would  consider  the  question  fairly,  and  what  is  bet- 
ter, if  they  will  try  both  kinds  of  ploughs,  they  will  find  the  left- 
hand  plough  decidedly  preferable.  As  a  general  rule,  farming  in 
Pennsylvania  is  thought  to  be  better  done  than  it  is  in  Virginia; 
but  in  some  parts  of  Virginia,  particularly  the  counties  of  Clarke 
and  Jefferson,  ploughing  is  better  done  than  it  is  generally  in 
Pennsylvania;  and  oue  reason  of  this  is  the  use  of  three-horse  left- 
hand  ploughs.  In  those  counties  two-horse  ploug.hs  are  rarely  seen, 
and  right-hand  ploughs  are  never  seen.  There  are  three  reasons, 
not  very  potent,  but  sufficiently  so  to  decide  the  question,  why  left- 
hand  {loughs  should  be  preferred.  The  first  is,  any  horse  which 
does  not  walk  too  fast  makes  a  good  leader,  and  all  know,  before 
the  introduction  of  left-hand  ploughs,  the  greatest  recommendation 
to  a  work-horse  was  being  a  barshear  leader.  Secondly,  the  plough 
cuts  uniformly  a  given  quantity  of  land  ;  and  thirdly,  when  back- 
furrowing,  the  horses  turn,  at  the  ends,  to  the  left,  which  is  better 
than  turning  to  the  right,  because,  in  this  case,  the  leader  has  to 
push  the  other  horses  round,  which  takes  up  time  and  injures  the 
horses'  feet  materially  by  treading  on  each  other — whereas,  turning 
to  the  left,  the  leader  pulls  the  other  horses  easily  around,  and  they 
do  not  hurt  each  other's  feet  and  ankles.  The  advantage  of  back 
furrowing  is,  the  horses  tramping  the  unploughed  ground  at  the 
end  of  each  furrow,  which  is  not  the  case  when  the  ploughing  is 
done  in  lands.  Then  they  walk  out  at  the  extremity  of  every  fur- 
row on  the  ploughed  ground,  which  renders  it  unfit  for  the  seed  un- 
til it  is  ploughed  again. 

Now,  if  the  left-hand  plough  costs  more  than  the  right-hand,  or 
if  there  could  be  any  reason  assigned  in  favor  of  the  right-hand 
plough  which  the  left-hand  does  not  posses*,  we  would  not  take  up 
our  time  urging  the  superiority  of  the  left-hand  plough  for  the  rea- 
son we  have  given.  But  both  kinds  arc  alike,  except  in  those  par- 
ticulars we  have  named  ;  and  they  are  sufficient  to  induce  every 
farmer,  when  he  is  obliged  to  buy  a  plough,  to  choose  a  left-hand, 
whether  it  be  for  two  or  three  horses. — Relijious  Herald. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  293 

A  Large  and  Paying  Application  of  Guano  to  Tobacco. 

The  following  very  interesting  article  on  the  above  subject  reached  us  too 
late  for  the  April  number,  but  is  yet  in  full  time  to  be  of  great  value  to  our 
planting  subscribers.  But  we  regret  that  our  friend  does  not  allow  us  to  u-e 
his  name,  as  well  as  his  ideas.  That  being  forbidden,  we  can  only  say  that  he 
is  by  inheritance,  and  by  many  years'  practice,  one  of  the  best  planters  and 
farmers  in  the  State,  whose  name  is  authority  on  the  subject. 

We  only  add  for  him,  what  we  are  sure  he  would  have  added  for  himself, 
that  the  wheat  after  the  tobacco  should  be  followed  certainly  with  clover  and, 
in  our  judgment,  we  presume  with  some  of  the  spear  grasses. — Eds.  S.  P.  &  F. 

Albemarle  Co.,  March  23d,  1869. 
Col.  Frank  G.  Ruffin: 

Dear  Sir, — When  in  Charlottesville,  a  few  days  since,  a  letter 
was  handed  me  by  our  friend  F***  C***  from  you,  in  which  you 
stated  that  you  wished  me  to  give  you  a  statement  of  the  fertilizers 
I  used  on  my  tobacco  crop  last  year,  and  how  applied,  and  that  you 
wished  to  have  it  in  your  next  issue  of  the  Planter  and  Farmer. 
Before  going  farther,  I  must  say  to  you  that  I  don't  wish  my  name 
given  in  any  way,  as  I  dislike  to  appear  conspicuous.  If  what  I 
have  to  say,  however,  is  worth  notice  you  can  publish  it. 

But  now  to  the  point.  I  aimed  at  150,00  J  hills  of  tobacco,  but 
after  finishing  hilling,  found  it  was  only  110,000.  My  intention 
was  to  put  on  100  lbs.  of  Peruvian  Guano  to  the  acre,  but  as  it 
turned  out  less  than  I  laid  off  the  land  for,  there  was  a  little  more 
than  400  lbs.  to  the  acre  put  on.  I  aj  plied  the  guano  broadcast, 
with  about  two  bushels  of  plaster  to  the  acre  also,  mixed  thoroughly 
before  sowing.  My  land  was  broken  up  in  the  fall,  and  the  next 
spring,  after  having  finished  planting  corn,  I  leveled  down  my 
tobacco  land  and  hauled  out  what  stable  and  barn-yard  manure  I 
had.  spread  it,  laid  off  the  land  as  if  to  sow  wheat  or  oats,  about  ten 
or  eleven  feet  wide,  and  then  sowed  twice  in  each  land.  I  then  ran 
a  heavy  three-horse  cultivator  over  the  land  twice  or  three  times,  as 
necessity  required.  "Where  there  was  a  great  deal  of  grass  I  had 
to  use  the  one-horse  McCormick  or  shovel-plough,  as  the  cultivator 
would  not  answer  where  the  land  was  foul.  I  don't  like  the  two  or 
three-horse  plough  for  preparing  land  to  hill,  as  it  turns  up  too 
much  soil  that  has  not  been  pulverized  by  the  frost  and  leaves  the 
land  too  rough.  I  think  I  shall  make  from  the  140,000  hills,  after 
having  one  house  burnt,  when  curing,  containing  10,000  plants — 
3^,0"0  or  40,000  lbs.  of  tobacco  of  fine  quality,  which  I  would  like 
you  to  see  when  sold  about  the  first  or  secon  I  week  in  May. 

The  application  of  fertilizers  I  made  at  first  appears  extrava- 
gant— a  little  over  §20  to  the  acre — but  I  estimated  in  this  way: 


294  THE  SOUTHERN  [May 

First,  I  would  get  not  less  than  400  lbs.  of  tobacco  more  to  the 
acre  than  I  would  without  the  guano;  second,  I  would  get  tobacco 
of  such  quality  that  it  would  bring  from  one  to  two  dollars  per  hun- 
dred more  than  it  would  without  guano;  third,  the  bene6t  to  the 
wheat  crop  not  less  than  five  or  seven  bushels  to  the  acre  over  and 
above  what  it  would  bring  without  guano.  The  idea  that  guano 
makes  tobacco  thin  has  never  been  proven  to  me — that  is,  as  far  as 
my  observation  goes  in  the  Piedmont  region  ;  it  may  be  so  on  light 
Bandy  soil,  which  has  never  come  under  my  observation.  Wherever 
I  have  made  a  heavy  application  it  looks,  when  ripe  and  when  cured, 
as  if  manured  with  stable  manure. 

P.  S. — Don't  understand  me  as  saying  that  all  of  my  tobacco 
land  was  manured.  I  don't  think  there  was  more  than  one-fourth, 
and  that  very  light.  Where  the  land  was  best  I  put  no  manure 
but  guano,  and  that  produced  the  best  tobacco. 

J.  W.  G. 


Manipulated  Fertilizers— Gilham's,  Wilsons,  &c. 

Messrs.  Editor, — It  is  a  source  of  sincere  pleasure  to  Virginia 
and  North  Carolina  tobacco  raisers  to  find  within  their  reach,  at  so 
reasonable  a  price,  a  manure  so  admirably  adapted  to  their  purpose  as 
Col.  Gilham's  "  Tobacco  Fertilizer.'"  To  feel  assured  that,  from 
his  intimate  knowledge  of  chemistry  and  his  known  character  as  a 
high  minded,  honorable  gentlemen,  they  can  rely  implicity  on  the 
products  of  his  manipulation  as  genuine,  is  a  vast  gain  to  agricul- 
ture. Though  not  a  tobacco  grower,  I  read  the  supplemental  sheet 
of  the  Whig  of  the  25th  inst.,  with  genuine  gratification,  con- 
taining the  testimony  of  so  man}'  intelligent  Virginia  gentlemen, 
many  of  them  known  to  me  personally,  attesting  its  virtue  as  a 
fertilizer,  in  comparison  with  Peruvian  guano,  and  in  every  instance 
showing  its  superiority,  to  say  nothing  of  its  economy. 

Whilst  we  of  the  South  have  been  victimized  so  often  with  spuri- 
ous phosphates  put  up  north  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  and  even 
Bouth  of  that  line — at  Baltimore — 'tis  but  just  to  the  manufacturers 
to  single  out  the  genuine.  In  this  too  limited  category  of  honestly 
manufactured  phosphates,  I  take  pleasure  in  mentioning  "Wilson's 
Ammoniated  Super-Phosphate  of  Lime,"  patented  August  11,  1863, 
manufactured  by  the  Rumford  Chemical  Works,  Providence,  R.  I. 
I  have  used  it  on  wheat  for  two  seasons  past,  and  on  the  crop 
6ecured  in  '63,  feel  well  assured  it  effected  a  marked  influence  in 
preventing  fly  and  hastening  the  ripening,  as  well  as  increasing  the 


18G0.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  235 

product.  Messrs.  Spotts  &  Gibson  are  its  sole  agents,  and  Mr.  S. 
induced  me  to  try  it  from  representing  to  me  his  uniform  refusal  to 
sell  any  fertilizer  until  lie  was  satisfied  of  its  genuineness.  He 
visited  and  inspected  the  works,  and  saw  for  himself  its  effects  on 
the  barren  "Seekonk  Plains,"  in  the  vicinity  of  Providence.  This 
is  a  section  of  country  consisting  of  light,  drifting  sind,  barren  in 
the  extreme.  On  this  quality  of  land,  on  11£  acres  in  corn,  he 
(Mr.  Wilson)  made  850  bushels  shelled  corn,  or  80  bushels  to  ths 
acre,  40  bushels  of  barley,  and  oats  CO  bushels.  From  a  lot  of 
less  than  16  acres,  that  four  years  before  was  a  part  of  these  plains, 
he  took  off  at  the  first  mowing  o5  tons  of  hay,  and  at  second  ten 
large  loads.  It  was  first  cropped  two  years  in  corn,  and  one  in 
oats  and  barley. 

A  neighbor  of  mine,  Wm.  Temple,  sold  some  weeks  ago  a  young 
hog,  less  than  two  years  old,  that  weighed  542  lbs.  gross.  The 
purchaser  might  have  been  tempted  to  fatten  it  for  the  next  county 
fair,  but  injured  it  in  putting  it  into  a  wagon  to  haul  it  home.  It 
was  not  fat,  but  growing  rapidly,  and  weighed  nett.  410  lbs. 
Yours  respectfully, 

J.  M.  McCue. 

lit.  Solon,  Va.,  March  2$th,  1869. 


Practical  Working  of  Mr.  Gilmer's  System  of  Farming— Fertiliz- 
ers Used. 

My  Dear  Sirs, — One  year  ago  I  wrote  the  article  "Our  Altered 
Circumstances  Necessitate  a  Change  in  our  System  of  Farming," 
which  appeared  in  your  May  number,  page  27(J,  and  drew  from  my 
esteemed  friend  Mr.  S.  W.  Ficklin  an  article — "Mr.  G.  C.  Gilmer's 
System  of  Farming  Reviewed, "  in  your  June  number,  in  which  ho 
pays  the  communication  of  Mr.  G.  C.  Gilmer  in  the  May  number  is 
instructive,  but  not  without  errors.  When  I  read  this  very  sensible 
article  from  ray  very  sensible  friend,  I  at  first  thought  of  replying, 
and  was  asked  by  some  of  my  neighbors  to  do  so;  but  upon  reflec- 
tion came  to  the  conclusion  we  were  both  aiming  for  the  same  great 
object,  the  greatest  amount  of  benefit  to  us  all,  and  to  test  fully 
these  disputed  theories,  would  take  time  and  deserved  much  sober 
reflection.  I  therefore  determined  to  delay  my  reply  until  I  could 
the  better  convince  myself,  by  a  little  more  practice,  of  its  benefits 
and  its  errors,  for  practical  truths  are  what  we  all  should  be  after, 
and  not  mere  theories.  Our  country  and  countrymen  are  not  now 
in  any  condition    for    testing    mere    theories,     however   plausible 


29G  THE    SOUTHERN  [May 

they  may  be.  I  have  not  been  able  to  carry  out  that  plan  as  fully 
as  I  desired  and  intended  doin<r,  owins  to  the  condition  of  our 
libor.  I  have  tried  whites  and  blacks,  at  low  and  high  prices,  but 
failed  to  secure  such  hands  as  one  must  have  to  carry  out  that  plan 
fully,  but  did  the  best  I  could,  and  am  so  well  convinced  that  it  is 
now  the  very  best  plan  for  me,  that  I  am  now  hard  at  work  trying 
to  test  it  fully.  Frcm  past  sad  experience  I  am  more  fully  con- 
vinced than  ever  that  our  profit  does  not  consist  in  low  wages,  but 
the  amount  of  work  done  for  the  wages  given,  and  I  have  not  been 
able  to  make  one  cent  out  of  the  common  laborers,  now  to  be  found 
in  the  greatest  abundance  strolling  all  over  our  country;  they  wont 
work,  but  will  steal  more  than  enough  to  swell  their  receipts  far 
beyond  the  high  wages  which  should  secure  such  hands  as  can  and 
will  do  fair  work,  and  take  care  of  what  is  entrusted  to  them  in 
teams,  tools,  feed,  seed  and  manures.  I  was  sadly  disappointed  in 
seeding  wheat  last  fall,  owing  to  inefficient  hands,  only  seeding 
sixty-one  bushels,  on  which  I  used  (with  my  rye  crop  of  twenty 
bushels)  three  and  a  half  tons  of  manure,  bought  and  paid  for,  for  the 
last  spring  crops  which  could  not  be  applied  for  want  of  efficient 
hands.  I  have  now  five  bushels  of  buckwheat  (un  hand)  purchased 
last  spring  by  my  efficient  ani  esteemed  friend  Mr.  John  T.  Arm- 
strong, of  Goshen  Hill  Depot,  Rockbridge  county,  procured  from 
Western  Virginia,  which  could  not  be  sowed  for  want  of  ploughed 
land  to  put  it  on,  whilst  I  had  an  abundance  of  teams,  bit  could 
not  get  the  ploughmen.  I  was  sadly  disappointed  in  my  hands 
procured  last  January  for  the  year,  and  was  unable  to  get  good 
hands  until  the  first  and  second  of  March.  1  think  they  are  hands 
just  suited  to  my  mind.  I  give  for  my  manager  $200,  for  my 
white  teamster  $192,  and  for  two  colored  men  §156  each  and  their 
board.  High  wages,  but  they  have  paid  me  far  better  than  any 
hands  I  have  ever  had,  as  my  teams,  feed,  stocks,  crops,  and  pre- 
paration for  other  crops,  will  fully  testify,  as  any  observing  man 
can  see  for  himself  by  looking  over  nay  farm  as  he  travels  along  the 
main  county  road  leading  through  my  premises,  so  as  to  give  a  full 
view  of  my  entire  farm.  Never  have  I  done  more  good  fencing; 
cleared  up  perfectly  more  land;  had  more  good  ploughing  done; 
seeded  more  grass  seed  ;  a  better  crop  of  oats  seeded  in  good  time 
an  1  style;  my  stables,  manure  heaps,  old  tobacco  houses,  cutting- 
room  and  hay  lofts  thoroughly  cleared  up;  and  the  manure,  grass 
S2ed,  &c.,  all  well  applied  in  their  proper  places  and  time. 

And  now  if  friend  Ficklin  will  pay  me  a  social  visit  and  see   for 
himself,   he  can   be  fully  convinced   my   hundred   acres   in   yards, 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  207 

garden,  orchard,  lawns  and   grass  lots  is  not  such  a  humbug  as  he 
seemed  to  be  thinking  when  he  was  writing  his  review  of  my  article. 
His  plans.  I  have  not  the  least  doubt,  are  the  best  for  him,  and  for  all 
so  fortunately  situated;  but  mine,  I  still  believe,  the  very  best  for  mo 
and   for  those   similarly  situated,  for    whom   I  wrote  that    article, 
and  I   fear  nine-tenths  of  our  whole  farming    community    are    in 
my  condition.     I  think  when  friend  Ficklin  purchased   his  farm  it 
was   thought  to  be  in  a  very   high  state  of  improvement,  and   he, 
with  his  ample  means  and  fine  practical  sense,  good  judgment  and 
great   business   capacity,  has  no  doubt  put  it  all  in  almost,  if  not 
quite,   perfect  order.      His  elegant  mansion,  sweet  yard,  beautiful 
lawn,  thrifty  orchard,  fine  crops  and  well  selected  stock  of  all  kinds, 
denote  means  that  but  few  can  even   hope  ever  to  enjoy.     For  such 
I  do  not   profess   to  write,  but  for  those  whose  fields  have  been  so 
choked  out  of  their  former  appearance  of  thrift  by  the  broom  straw, 
wild   briar   and   bushes.     I  can  devise  no   better   plan  than  the  one 
offered  in  your  may  number  of  last  year.     I   thought   it   the   best 
then,  and   I   do  now   believe  it  the  very  best  for  nine  out  of  every 
ten   of  our  Virginia   farmers.      This  I  do  know,  so   far   as   I   have 
been  able  to  go,  that   portion  of  my  farm   shows  this  day  as  high  a 
state  of  improvement  as  it  ever  did   in   the  palmiest   days   of  our 
once    happy  country.     I   then    worked    twenty-two   slaves;    I   now 
work  but  four  hired  men,  and  my  manager  remarked  last  night  that 
he   had    met   and    successfully    conquered   the    advancing    enemies 
the  broom  straw,  wild   briar  and  bushes,  in   the  fields  on  which  he 
had  attacked  them,  and  with  his  present  force,  in  three  years  more, 
he  could   bury  the  last  member  of  those  unsightly  and  unprofitable 
pests.     With  my  present  force  I  can  clean  up,  fence  in,  and  work 
well  this  farm  of  six  hundred  acres  under  my  present  system,  and 
I  do  now   hope  at  a  cheaper  rate  than  when  I  had  so  many  hands, 
and   so   many   more   useless  mouths   to  feed,  backs  to  clothe  and 
diseases  to  doctor.     With  good  teams,  good  hands,  and  well  selected 
manures,  judiciously  applied,  it  is  hard  for  one  to  say  what  he  can- 
not do.      I  do  not  kno.v  that  I  shall  put  over  ten  or  fifteen  acres  in 
corn — certainly  not  over  twenty — all  of  which  will   be  thoroughly 
prepared   and    manured  and   worked,  which  I  think  pays  me  much 
better  than  working  so  much  land  in  corn.     All  spare    tune   I  will 
devote   to   fencing,   cleaning   up,   ditching,   picking  up   rocks,   and 
thoroughly  preparing  my  land   for  an  early  seeding  of  rye  and  a 
large  crop   of  wheat  next  fall.     I   apply   most   of  my   home-made 
manures  to  top-dressing  my  grass  land,  and  will  so  apply  my  wheat 
and  oat  straw  on  my  young  grass  seeded  this  year,  which  I  think 


2?S  TIIE  SOUTHERN  [May 

pays  better  than  passing  it  through  the  farm  pen.  I  u;e  all  the 
plaster  I  can,  and  am  now  using  lime.  I  think  with  but  little 
grazing,  plaster  and  lime,  and  green  crops  for  fallows,  we  may  hope 
in  a  few  years  to  be  able  to  try  our  hands  upon  our  friend  F;cklin's 
plan  successfully.  I  List  year  used  upon  my  small  crop  of  corn 
Laugh's  Raw  Bone  Super-Phosphate  and.  i  think,  his  blood  manure, 
the  Old  Dominion,  from  our  esteemed  and  reliable  friend,  Col. 
Gilham,  of  the  Southern  Fertilizing  Company  of  Richmond,  and  a 
guano  of  Mr.  Berkley's,  of  the  James  River  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, arid  the  Pacific  Guano  of  Messrs.  Allison  &  Allison,  of 
Richmond.  All  did  well,  except  the  manures  of  Mr.  Baogh,  which 
did  not  pay.  and  I  have  not  purchased  any  more  of  it.  It  did  well 
on  corn  and  wheat  the  year  before.  Why  it  f.iled  on  my  last  crop 
I  do  not  know.  All  I  know,  upon  a  fair  trial,  i:  failed  to  pay  me 
and  I  quit  it  at  once,  which  I  a  ill  do  with  any  manure  which  fails 
to  act  for  me  upon  a  fair  trial.  I  was  so  well  pleased  with  that  I 
got  of  my  friends,  Gilham,  Bentley,  and  Allison  &  Addison  I  shall 
try  them  all  again,  ar,,|  &]iall  so  continue  as  long  as  thev  do  as  well 
as  any  I  can  get.  I  am  also  trying  on  grass,  oats  and  corn  this 
spring  some  of  the  manures  from  the  enterprising  company  of 
B.  C.  Flannagan  i:  Co.,  of  Charlottesville,  and  if  they  pay  as  well, 
shall  hereafter  use  mostly  of  theirs  so  long  as  it  pays.  I  think  we 
all  should  encourage  our  home  factories.  My  enterprising  yung 
friend  and  neighbor  (Mr.  Howard  Smith,  of  Morven.)  tried  the 
bought  manures  on  my  plan  on  corn  last  year,  and  thinks  it  has  paid 
him  better  on  corn  thus  applied  than  it  has  ever  done  upon  any 
other  crop.  More  will  try  it  this  spring.  I  do  not  write  for  a  com- 
pany, nor  for  a  manure,  but  for  the  good  of  our  needy  farmers  of 
Virginia.  Let  any  one  try  it  on  one  or  two  acres,  and  I  think  he  will 
be  fully  persuaded  to  test  it  upon  his  entire  crop.  A  little  in  the 
drill  to  force  it  beyond  the  worms  and  crows,  and  then  broadcast 
the  balance  across  the  rows  at  the  second  working  and  the  ears  will 
come,  I  think. 

"With  best  wishes  for  all  who  are  dependent  upon  the  farming 
interests  of  Virginia,  and  the  h'ghest  success  of  your  valuable 
journal  and  the  noble  enterprise  in  which  you  have  embarked,  I 
remaiD, 

Yours  truly, 

Geo.  C.  Gilmer. 

Xeir  Charlottesville,  Albemarle  Cj.,  Ya.,  April  lid,  18G9. 


18C0.]  PLANTER  A^D  FARMER.  299 

To  Hasten  the  Thinning  and  Weeding  of  Dri  led  Corn. 

Messrs.  Editors, — When  corn  is  planted  or  drilled  as  recom- 
mended by -the  writer  of  this  in  your  last  February  number,  the 
operation  of  thinning  and  weeding  by  the  hand  hoe  may  be  greatly 
facilitated  by  the  use  of  the  following  described  harrow,  with  five 
teeth,  and  if  the  land  is  light  and  the  team  strong  enough,  more 
teeth  may  be  added  accordingly,  by  having  the  piece  across  the 
beam  longer:  Have  the  beam  to  which  the  hor?e  is  hitched  about 
4^  feet  long  by  8 |  inches  thick  one  way  and  2h  inches  the  other; 
the  hole  for  the  clivis  pin  4  inches  from  the  end  of  beam;  the  front 
tooth  8  inches  from  that;  the  piece  for  the  other  tooth  to  be  the 
same  size  of  beam  and  to  be  put  on  at  right  angles  with  it  2J  feet 
from  the  front  tooth,  and  the  distance  between  the  teeth  in  this 
piece  must  be  regulated  by  the  width  of  the  teeth,  the  distance 
being  no  greater  than  just  enough  to  prevent  the  loose  earth  thrown 
out  by  the  teeth  from  covering  up  the  remaining  stalks  of  corn;  a 
wheel,  by  means  of  two  pieces  of  iron  on  the  sides  of  the  end  of 
the  beam,  may  be  fastened,  the  centre  of  which,  when  revolving  in 
the  furrow  made  by  the  front  tooth,  to  be  2^  feet  from  the  cross 
piece.  The  wheel  may  be  sawed  from  a  white  or  post  oak,  or  black 
gum  log,  about  2  inches  thick,  and  banded,  the  diameter  of  which 
must  be  regulated  according  to  the  length  of  the  teeth  from  the 
bottom  of  the  frame  work.  This  implement  to  be  used  by  going  as 
nearly  as  practicable  at  right  angles  across  the  corn  rows,  soon 
after  the  first  harrowing,  as  recommended  in  the  February  number 
(last),  and  to  be  used  across  corn  rows  5  feet  apart;  but  the  harrow 
may  be  made  for  rows  any  distance  apart  by  altering  its  proportions 
between  the  teeth  and  the  centre  of  the  wheel,  and  it  is  intended  to 
be  used  more  particularly  on  land  bedded  in  single  rows,  but  it  can 
be  used  on  level  land. 

Respectfully  yours,  &c,  Archibald  Taweatt. 

San  Marino,  P    0.  Dinwiddle,   V*.,  The  Peek,  April  20,  18(39. 


New  Potatoes. — A  fe\v  years  ago  the  Early  Goodrich  was  to  be 
ten  days  earlier  than  any  other;  then  Early  Rose  was  to  be  four- 
teen days  earlier  than  Goodrich  ;  Early  Prince  is  now  to  be  ten 
days  earlier  than  Early  Ruse.  Thirty-four  days  is  an  enormous 
advance  in  six  years!  but  does  any  body  believe  it?  Gentlemen, 
take  warning  by  the  Tomato  men  ;  you  have  our  encouragement  in 
your  endeavors  to  improve  the  breeds  of  things — we  hope  you  will 
be  paid  well  for  every  thing — except  those  marvelous  statements, 
which  we  hope  will  uot  be  charged  for  in  the  bill. —  Gardener '« 
Monthly. 


800  THE  SOUTHERN  [May 

Corn-Husking    Machine. 

[We  may  as  well  state  that  the  o'nject  of  the  following  queries  is  to  get  data 
on  which  Mr.  S'aeey  can  act  in  introducing  into  Virginia. corn  shucking 
machinery.  He  wants  the  shacks.  It  is  to  our  interest  to  let  hira  have  them 
on  fair  term1.  He  wants  to  kn<:w  rur  views  on  this  matter,  and  if  we  are  wise 
we  will  1-  t  him  have  them.  It  is  high  time  we  had  begun  to  cmnt  the  cost  of 
our  various  agricultural  manipulations.  Old  times  are  changed,  and  the  sooner 
we  learn  it  and  act  on  it,  and  she^v  brains  about  new  matters,  the  better  it  will 
be  all  around.— Eds.  So.  P    £  F. 

F.  G.  Ruffin,  Esq.: 

Dear  Sir, — Will  you  please  present  the  following  important  ques- 
tions for  the  consideration  of  the  readers  cf  the  Planter  and 
Farmer?  I  would  be  glad  to  be  favored  with  the  conclusions  of 
the  best  practical  farmers  in  our  community  as  data  to  govern  me 
in  a  contemplated  effort  to  introduce  alnacbine  designed  to  facilitate 
and  cheapen  the  process  of  harvesting  the  corn  crop,  and  hope  to 
obtain  their  responses  in  time  for  the  next  issue  of  the  Planter  and 
Farmer: 

1.  What  does  the  fodder  saved  in  the  usual  manner,  by  pulling 
and  cutting  tops,  generally  cost  per  100  pounds? 

2.  "What  is  the  percentage  of  loss  caused  by  shrinkage  or  shrivel- 
ling cf  the  grain,  consequent  upon  pulling  fodder  and  cutting  tops 
in  the  usual  manner  ? 

8.  What  is  the  percentage  of  corn  left  in  the  shucks  when  the 
.corn  is  shucked  by  hand? 

4.  "What  would  be  the  cost  of  cutting  the  corn  with  fodder  on 
the  stalk  and  shocking  it  in  the  field,  as  is  usual  at  the  Xorth? 

5.  What  would  be  the  relative  proportion  and  value  of  the  corn 
fodder,  saved  by  the  process  of  cutting  the  corn  crop  and  shocking 
it  in  the  fill  1,  as  compared  with  the  old  method  of  pulling  fodder 
and  cutting  tops? 

6.  What  does  it  now  cost  to  pull  the  corn  off  the  stalk  and 
shuck  it,  independent  of  the  cost  of  hauling  from  the  Bel  I ': 

Very  respectfully  yours,  G.  B.  Stacy. 


Digging  Amongst  Fruit  Trees. — This  subject  is  at  length 
awakening  attention  even  in  slow  and  staid  old  England,  where  it  is 
so  very  hard  to  get  the  wagon  of  process  out  of  the  venerated 
old  rut's.  In  a  discussion  of  the  subject  recently  in  one  of  their 
journals,  a  correspondent  says  that  one  of  the  most  successful  Straw- 
berry growers  of  his  time,  the  late  Mr.  Keen,  raiser  of  Keen's 
Seedling,  after  a  lifetime  of  observation,  had  come  to  the  conclusien 
that  shallow  digging  was  the  best  for  the  Strawberry  crop  ;  although 
the  correspondent  himself  thought  it  absurd  not  "to  let  in  the  at- 
mosphere" by  deep  digging. — Gardener's  MontJdy. 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  301 

French  Rocfs— A  Valuable  Sugges'.ion, 

Editors  Country  Gentlemen. — It  has  been  suggested  by  a  friend 
that  the  new  style  of  French  roof,  which  is  becoming  so  common 
botli  in  citv  and  rural  architecture,  might  be  turned  to  profitable 
account,  and  at  the  same  time  insure  an  amount  of  beauty  and  con- 
venience that  is  well  worth  considering.  The  suggestion  is  to 
have  the  covering  of  coarse,  strong  glass,  in  place  of  slat^  or 
shingles,  and  thus,  by  the  admission  of  light  and  heat,  this  part  of 
the  house  would  become  an  admirable  conservatory,  where  fruits 
and  flowers  would  flourish  in  the  rankest  luxuriance.  In  city 
houses,  especially,  water  could  readily  be  introduced  in  so  conve- 
nient a  manner  as  to  insure  the  proper  degree  of  humidity,  while  the 
simplest  possible  arrangement  would  secure  ample  \entila:ion. 
Grapes  of  all  kinds,  dwarf  fruit  trees  of  plum,  apricot,  peach,  &c., 
&c,  could  be  readily  grown,  us  well  as  all  kinds  of  flowers,  and  the 
attic  of  one's  house  become  the  most  profitable  and  delightful 
feature  of  the  domain.  Glass  suitably  cast  could  be  more  cheaply 
produced  and  applied  than  slate,  or  even  good  shingles,  and  would 
be  quite  as  strong  and  durable  as  either.  The  introduction  of 
colored  material  would  add  very  slightly  to  the  cost  and  could  be 
applied  with  charming  efi'ect. — J.  13.  Okie,  in  the  Cultivator  and 
Country  Gentleman. 


South  Carolina  Negroes. 

Mr.  Thurlow  Weed  publishes  in  his  paper,  the  New  York  Com- 
mercial, the  following: 

Of  the  population  of  South  Carolina.  400,000  are  colored  and 
300,000  white.  The  ratio  is  changing  fast.  Emigration  helps  and 
so  does  the  death  rate.  A  Tunes  correspondent  says  that  the  mor- 
tuary refaorts  in  Charleston  for  the  year  ~l£ij&  exhibit  the  fact  that 
out  of  a  population  of  about  40,000  in  the  city — about  half  white 
and  half  black — there  have  died  1,208  persons;  of  these,  818  were 
colored,  and  390  white.  That  is,  more  than  two  negroes  to  one 
white  died  last  year  in  Charleston.  More  exactly  it  is,  one  negro 
in  every  twenty-four  dies  annually  ;  while  in  the  same  time  only 
one  in  every  fifty-one  whites  dies. 

The  vote  of  the  State  is  about  one  in  seven  ;  that  iJ,  about  100,- 
000  votes  in  all.  Of  these  G0,0t0  are  negroes  and  40,000  whites 
— the  majority  of  negroes  being  20,000.  The  black  race  is  crowd- 
ing toward  the  coast,  leaving  the  upper  and  middle  country.  This 
gives  the  mountain  counties  already  a  majority  of  white  votes; 
and  this   majority  must  increase   on  that  side  of  the  State. 


3o: 


THE  SOUTHERN 


[M»y 


JJorficuItunl  Spfjnrfmtnt. 


JOHN  M.  ALLAN, 


Editor. 


Is  it  True  that  Nurserymen  and  Seedsmen  oppose  the  Spread  of 
Horticultural  Magazines? 

In  the  April  number  of  the  Gardener's  Monthly,  Mr.  Charles  Arnold  asks 
what  st-p<  can  be  taken  to  prevent  vagabond  fruit  tree  vendors  deceiving  the 
people  by  selling  all  manner  of  tra^h  undjr  stolen  names. 

So  lung  as  the  public  are  not  only  "illing  but  apparently  anxious  to  be  hum- 
bugged, we  fear  no  means  will  avail  for  this  purpose.  Each  man  must  learn 
in  his  turn,  by  painful  experience,  the  folly  of  listenings  to  any  one  who  offers 
to  deliver  at  his  door  article?  at  lower  prices  than  responsible  nurserymen  quote 
tlo  m  at  their  ground*,  b  fore  he  will  agrej  to  f»nvgn  the  seeming  advantage  of 
cheap  stock.  But  the  point  we  wish  to  bring  forward  is  an  incidental  one, 
arising  from  the  remarks  of  the  editor  of  the  Monthly  upon  Mr.  Arnold's  in- 
quiry. He  says  :  "The  best  thing  we  know  is  to  enomr age  every  one  to  read 
the  papers.  And  here  let  us  speak  a  truth  we  have  never  liked  to  tell  before, 
namely  :  as  a  rule,  those  nusc  opposed  to  the  spread  of  horticultural  magazines 
are  nursery  and  seedsmen."  Can  Mr-  Meehan,  who  is  both  a  nurseryman  and 
seedsman,  mean  that  any  c  msiderable  portion  of  these  gentlemen  are  opposed 
to  horticuliural  magazines?  We  can  hardly  credit  it.  It  certainly  is  not  true 
of  our  Southern  gnwers  and  dealers.  None  could  be  more  ac  ive  and  liberal 
in  their  aid  and  sympathy  with  everything  calculated  to  disseminate  sound  in- 
formation than  these  very  gentlemen.  As  a  case  in  p  >int,  we  turn  to  the  Cat- 
alogue of  Mes>rs.  F  Davis  &  C  >  ,  nflrsenmen  of  this  city,  an1  find  an  earnest 
commend  uion  to  their  patrons  of  the  Gardener's  Monthly  and  other  periodicals. 

We  are  nut  so  familiar  with  the  Northern  nurserymen  as  is  Mr.  M  ehan,  but 
judging  from  his  columns  we  should  say  that  they  certainly  do  not  "  hide  their 
light  under  a  bushel."  Not  the  lea-t  attractive  part  of  his  excellent  j  .urnal 
is  from  the  pens  of  nurserymen  and  florist  contributors.  If  these  discounte- 
nance the  dissemination  of  light  and  knowledge,  why  do  they,  by  their  adver- 
tising patronage,  sustain  suca  publications?  Without  this  last,  three  fourths 
of  them  would  die  out. 

There  may  be  here  and  there  a  bl  >ckhead  who  would  have  the  rest  of  the 
world  as  stupid  as  himself;  but  as  a  class,  our  nurserymen,  &\i.,  are  too  intel- 
ligent arid  practical  men  if  business,  to  put  it  on  no  higher  ground,  not  to  know 
that  information  increases  interest  and  brings  with  it  a  corresponding  growth 
of  trade.     Can't  you  think  better  of  it,  Mr.  Meehan? 


18GP.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  S03 


Virginia  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society. 

MEETING    OF    THE    EXECUTIVE    COMMITTEE. 

A  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  this  S  iciety  was  held  at  their 
rooms  on  the  evening  of  the  loch  of  April  last.  A  very  encouraging  repoit 
was  received  from  the  canvas^r,  and  it  was,  thereupon,  decided  to  offer  a  pre- 
mium list  amounting  to  eight  hundred  D'Llars- 

The  following  Standing  Committees  were  announced  (the  first  named  of  each 
C  •mmittee  beinjj  Chairman): 

Fluvera.  —  Dr.  J.  T.  Johnson,  Dr.  Thomas  II.  Williams,  Dr.  Richmond  Lewis 
Wm,  G.  Taylor.  Esq.,  and  Dr.  C.  W.  P.  Brock. 

Vegetables. — Joseph  R.  Rennie,  L.  Chamberlayne,  William  L.  Harrison,  J. 
0.  Austio.and  J.  W.  Gordon. 

Wines. — William  II.  Ilaxall,  Richard  L.  Christian,  John  J.  Werth,  M.  B. 
Buck  and  Colonel  William  Gilham. 

Finite — Franklin  Davis,  Chairman;  the  others  to  be  announced. 

Essays.— Jh.  S.  P.  Muore,  II  >n.  R.  M.  T.  Hunter,  General  B.  T.  Johnson, 
lion.  B.  Johnson  Barb  >ur  and  Professor  Mallet. 

Statistics. — Professor  William  Allan,  Jacob  Fuller,  Jed.  Ilotchkiss,  Rev. 
Leonidas  Rosser  and  John  T.  Griffin. 

Horticultural  Implements. — I.  S.  Tower,  E.  B.  Aidison,  John  Asher,  A.  P. 
Routt  and  John  T.  Eaily. 

Arrangements. — Captain  C.  H.  Dimmock,  T.  A.  Brander,  John  Poe,  Jr.,  and 
M.  T.  Claike. 

In  uinVqiienre  of  the  illne-s  of  S.  P.  Moore,  Chairman  of  the  Commit  ee 
on  Premiums,  the  list  was  not  acted  on,  bu^  was  deferred  to  a  future  meeting. 

O.i  motion  of  Dr.  Johns  n,  a  committee  of  six  was  appointed  to  make  the 
necessary  arrangements  for  a  strawberry  and  fl  >wer  exhibition  during  the 
season. 

The  President  appointed  the  fallowing  committee :  Dr.  J.  T.  Johnson,  Frank- 
lin Davis,  J.  E.  Scansbury,  John  Morton,  Rev.  Leonidas  Rosser  and  Cvlonel  J. 
J.  Werth. 

The  Committee  then  adjourned  to  meet  on  the  27th  instant,  at  5  o'clock  P. 
M.,  at  which  time  it  will  take  action  on  the  premium  list. 


Navy  Beans. 
We  are  in  receipt  of  several  inquiries  about  Navy  Beans.  We  do  not  know 
what  to  say  m  .re  than  has  been  said  in  the  February  No.  of  the  Planter  and 
Farmer.  Navy  Beans  are  in  demand,  have  been  for  years  past,  and  Ooubtler-s 
will  be  in  the  future.  They  are  readily  grown,  requiring  the  same  soil  and 
culture  as  any  snap  bean.  While  extremely  rich  land  is  not  necessary  to  their 
successful  cultivation,  very  poor  will  not  produce  them  profitably.  A  happy 
medium  is  to  be  preferred.  Plant  in  drills  about  three  feet  apart,  and  in  hills 
in  the  drills,  putting  three  to  five  beans  in  the  hills,  tber-e  last  to  be  one  foot 
apart.  Cultivate  sufficiently  to  keep  down  weeds.  When  ripe  gather  by  hand, 
if  practicable,  saviog  the  first  ripening  to  sell  for  seed.  When  gathered  in 
bulk  and  flailed  out,  their  market  value  is  very  materially  reduced.  But  in 
any  case  two  dollars  per  bushel  may  be  expected,  and  fifty  bushels  per  acre 
will  not  be  an  extravagant  yield. 


304  THE  SOUTHERN  [May 

Nut  Culture. 

Messrs.  Editors, — In  reply  to  your  request  to  your  readers,  to  give  their  ex- 
perience in  nut  culture,  I  will  give  what  little  I  have.  About  six  years  ago  I 
planted"  a  number  of  our  native  chestnuts  and  shell-bark  and  hickory-nuts. 
They  came  up  finely,  and  the  largest  chestnut  tree  is  now  about  ten  feet  high. 
The  shell  barks  were  planted  in  poorer  foil,  and  I  suppose  are  naturally  slower 
growers  than  the  chestnut.  They  have  not  attained  more  than  three  or  four 
feet.  The  chestnuts  are  growing  in  a  stiff  clay  soil,  which  has  been  enriched 
from  time  to  time  for  the  purpose  of  raising  potatoes,  corn,  &c.  None  of  them 
have  ever  received  any  attention,  except  that  the  crops  near  ihem  were  culti- 
vated. 

In  the  autumn  of  18G7  I  had  a  handful  of  Spanish  chestnuts  and  pecans 
planted,  placing  a  stake  at  each  nut;  but  I  had  very  little  expectation  of  their 
growing,  and  consequently  was  not  very  careful  to  exclude  cattle  and  hogs 
from  the  fi.-ld.  Last  spring,  however,  I  was  gratified  to  find  one  Spanish  chest- 
nut and  ft  ur  pecans  stretching  up  their  slender  stems,  through  the  grass  and 
weeds,  to  the  light.  Whether  the  others  failed  to  vegetate,  or  the  nuts  were 
eaten  by  the  hogs,  I  cannot  tell,  but  I  think  the  latter  supposition  more  proba- 
ble. At  any  rate,  I  was  encouraged  to  plant  more,  and  therefore  enclosed  two 
dollars  to  a  friend  in  New  Orleans,  requesting  him  to  send  me  not  only  Span- 
ish chestnuts  and  pecans,  but  also  filberts  and  English  walnuts.  The  quantity 
sent  for  this  small  amount  surprised  me.  My  friend,  however,  informed  me 
that  he  purchased  them  from  Mr.  A.  F.  Cochran,  importer  of  fruits  and  nuts, 
who,  wi;h  a  patriotism  worthy  of  commendation,  furnishes  all  who  wish  to 
plant  ww.h  nuts  at  cost  of  importation.  I  therefore  advise  all  persons  who  wish 
to  engage  in  the  nut  culture  to  send  their  orders  to  this  gentleman. 

I  planted  them  carefully,  but  find  to  my  sorrow  that  either  some  mischievous 
persons  oxJiogs  have  played  the  wild  with  my  nut  plantation,  but  I  hope  a  few 
have  escaped,  and  I  will  report  to  you  perhaps  again  in  the  spring.  I  then 
sent  to  Mr.  Thorburn  (No.  15  John  street,  New  York)  for  some  nuts  of  that 
splendid  nut-tree  of  Southern  Europe,  the  Italian  pine  [Ptnus  pinea)  and  some 
filberts  and  pistachios  [Pisinchia  vera).  I  planted  the  Italian  pines  in  a  grove 
of  our  native  pines  and  the  filberts  in  some  rows  of  earhj  corn.  I  thought  the 
native  pines  would  protect  the  young  foreigners  until  they  grew  large  enough 
to  stand  .ur  summer's  sun  and  winter's  wind,  and  then  old  "pitch,  tar  and 
turpentine"  must  give  way  to  the  woodman's  axe,  and  leave  their  native  soil 
to  the  occupancy  of  the  beautiful  invader.  The  nut  of  the  Italian  pine  is 
6omewhat  similar  to  the  English  walnut  in  taste,  but  of  a  more  tender  texture. 
The  word  '"buttery,"  so  often  applied  to  pears,  describes  it  very  nearly.  It  is 
smaller  than  the  almond.  The  tree,  you  know,  is  an  evergreen,  and  may  bo 
seen  in  the  pictures  of  Salvator  Rosa  and  other  great  landscape  painters. 

H.  M.  J. 

Pecan  Nuts. — The  shell  of  the  pecan  nut  raised  in  Texas  is  so  tough,  and 
the  kernel  so  compactly  wedged  in  between  the  bitter  dividing  membranes  as 
to  render  the  work  of  opening  them,  even  when  provided  with  nut  crackers, 
absolutely  unpleasant  at  times,  to  say  the  least  of  it.  The  Louisiana  pecan 
nut  has  a  much  softer  shell,  and  the  kernels  do  not  cling  so  tenaciously  to  the 
bitter  membrane.  The  Louisiana  pecans  are  said  by  connoisseurs  to  be  less 
rich  than  those  grown  in  Texas,  but  in  our  market  they  are  preferred  for  the 


1869.]  TLAXTER  AND  FARMER.  805 


reasons  we  have  given.  We  paw  yesterday,  in  the  Crescent  Fruit  Store  on  Ca~ 
nal  street,  a  small  sampV  of  Louisiana  pecans,  grown  somewhere  on  the  coast, 
the  shells  of  which  are  as  thin  as  paper  and  a?  sjft  as  the  aim  >nd.  Tbia  va- 
riety is  said  to  be  scarce,  but  if  it  could  bQ  introduced  generally  the  nuts  would 
doubtless  command  a  very  high  price.  The  flavor  of  the  "6ofc  shell"  pecan  is 
very  delicate  and  delicious. — ~Y.  O.  Picayune. 


Hops. 

"Dell  Pilot,"  in  the  Prairi"  Firmer,  gives  the  following  reasons  why  Hop 
culture  will  not  be  profitable  in  this  c  juntiv  : 

First,  as  to  the  cause  of  the  decrease  of  demand,  the  hop  is  mainly  used  in  the 
manufacture  of  lager  beer,  which  is  not  only  inessential  to  the  support  of  life, 
but  is  an  artificial,  intoxicating  drink,  haviug  at  the  present  time  a  strong  and 
growing  m  iral  sentiment  waging  war  against  its  use,  gradually  and  surely  de- 
creasing the  demand  for  hips.  This  feeling  is  liable  to  change  as  temperance 
movement  are  more  or  less  periodical  in  their  nature. 

Secoadly,  the  hop  loses  its  strength  so  rapidly  that  its  value  is  reduced  about 
one  half  in  a  year  from  the  time  it  is  picked,  so  that  it  would  become  almost 
worthless  btf..re  the  erjd  of  two  years,  so  that  a  surplus  at  the  present  cost  of 
labor,  etc.,  would  naturally  have  the  effect  to  reduce  the  price  below  the  cost  of 
raising. 

Thirdly,  by  reason  of  the  ravages  of  the  louse  and  other  diseases,  the  hop  is 
one  of  the  most  uncertain  crops,  there  beiDg  failures  in  important  localities 
nearly  every  year  to  diminish  the  supply,  thus  losing  even  the  present  indica- 
tions upon  the  fickle  foundation  of  less  than  half  a  crop. 

Fourthly,  a  deficient  supply  thus  creates  an  unnatural  price,  giving  a  profit 
greater  than  almost  any  other  product,  by  which  large  numbers  are  enticed 
into  the  business,  (it  being  natural  to  leave  and  rush  into  a  business  offering 
better  prLfks  than  the  one  engaged  in,)  thus  quickly  producing  a  surplus,  re- 
sulting in  a  price  often  below  the  c^st  of  raising,  followed  by  a  decrease  of  pro- 
duct, giving  in  a  short  time  the  demand  the  opportunity  of  gaining  the  as. 
cendanoy  to  create  another  big  price.  And  so  on  from  one  extreme  to  another 
to  and  fro,  like  the  pendulum  of  a  clock,  the  price  goes  up  and  d  >wn,  seeming 
unable  to  find  its  level,  there  being  too  little  knowledge  with  action,  based 
upon  the  principle  herein  explained,  the  majority  apparently  being  guided  by 
common  indications. 

With  a  knowledge  of  the  reactive  principle  described,  let  not  growers  flatter 
themselves  that  by  the  decrease  of  acreage  that  should  follow  this  crisis,  it  will 
give  them  an  opportunity  of  preserving  their  own  individual  yards,  to  take  the 
advantage  of  the  opposite  reaction. 

But  as  many  growers  are  beginning  to  understand  and  work  I  7  this  princi- 
ple, reactions  will  become  so  much  modified  in  their  extremes,  t  at  under  the 
most  favorable  circumstances,  hop  growing  in  the  future  will  gradually  become 
less  profitable  ;  since  these  reactions  are  the  result  of  the  busiue^s  being  aban- 
doned when  a  surplus  occurs  to  destroy  the  prufits,  and  is  taken  up  again  when 
the  demand  makes  it  remunerative. 

Were  all  conversant  with  this  law,  with  the  accessible  statistics  now  to  guide 
us,  the  price  of  hops  would  seldom  deviate  far  from   its  proper  level,  except 
VOL.    Ill — £0 


306  THE    SOUTHERN  [May 

from  almost  entire  failures  in  the  main  hop  districts  of  the  world,  which  could 
hardly  be  possible,  since  remedies  are  being  discovered  by  which  the  ravages 
of  the  luuse  and  disease  can  be  prevented,  apparently  rendering  it  impossible 
to  ever  again  realize  the  prices  that  have  prevailed.  As  the  commercial,  agri- 
cultural and  mechanical  world  becomes  more  scientifically  methodical  and  sys- 
tematic, the  price  of  articles  and  products  will  naturally  tend  to  its  proper 
level  in  proportion  to  real  costs,  and  thus  lessen  the  chances  of  accidentally 
stumbling  on  to  fortunes  or  on  to  the  aim-house. 

I  am  satisfied  that  raising  hops  will  be  the  poorest  business  that  can  be  en. 
ga-^ed  in  for  at  least  three  years.  It  is  estimated  that  the  yearly  consumptive 
demand  for  the  United  States  is  about  100,000  bales,  where  really  it  does  not 
exceed  80,000  bales,  and  there  are  over  50,000  surplus  bales  on  the  market; 
besides  which,  a  large  quantity  has  been  exported  to  England. 

Thus  the  temperance  movement  in  progress,  and  the  gradual  loosening  up  of 
the  tariff  on  alcohol,  which  will  for  a  time  decrease  the  demand  for  hops,  and 
the  fact  that  not  more  than  20,000  or  25.000  bales,  with  the  present  surplus, 
will  be  required  to  supply  our  next  year's  demand,  in  addition  to  the  fact  that 
bv  the  addition  of  last  year's  planting — about  50,000  acres  for  the  United 
States — there  is  a  sufficient  average  of  hops  in  our  country  to  produce,  with 
less  than  half  a  yield,  should  half  be  cultivated,  about  400,000  bales,  we  ou^ht 
1 1  be  satisfied  that  it  will  be  poor  business  to  raise  hops  for  a  long  time — say 
three  or  four  years. 

With  what  I  have  said  in  merely  giving  my  views  of  the  matter,  as  I  have 
done  before  in  the  Prairie  Farmer,  let  growers  judge  for  themselves,  and  be 
governed  bv  their  own  judgment.  My  recommendation,  however,  would  be 
that  last  spring's  yards  be  reduced  in  size  so  as  to  avoid  any  outside  expendi- 
tures, if  possible;  while  old  improved  yards,  with  no  demand  for  expense  in 
building  etc.,  ought  to  be  reduced  to  one  or  two  acres,  as  may  suit  the  grower's 
means  and  desire  to  stake  labor  and  capital  against  chance. 


Experiments  with   Potatoes. 

Me-;rs.  Isaac  Hicks  &  Sons,  Old  Westbury,  L.  I.,  send  to  the  Country  Gen- 
tleman an  account  of  some  potato  experiments  in  the  summer  of  1S0S.  The 
Boil  is  a  light  sandy  loam  ;  previous  crop,  corn  in  drills  on  inverted  sod  ;  10 
two-horse  loads  of  city  horse  stable  manure  spread  to  the  acre.  The  corn  stub- 
ble was  spread  with  cow-stable  manure  and  ploughed  under  about  nine  inches. 

Planting  was  begun  April  13.  Rows  were  marked  3  feet  apart  and 
furrowed  out  with  a  plough  ;  a  6  foot  evener  enabled  one  horse  to  walk  in  the 
drill  last  made,  the  ploughman  having  no  obstruction  in  seeing  ahead  and 
making  very  straight  and  parallel  drills  ;  the  plough  was  run  twice  in  each  drill, 
to  throw  a  furrow  eaca  way  and  to  straighten  if  necessary.  Six  two  horse 
loads  of  city  manure  and  H  tons  of  fish  guano  were  scattered  in  the  drills  per 
acre_the  latter  broken  up  fine  on  rainy  days  and  scattered  by  pouring  it 
slowly  out  of  baskets  while  walking  fast.  This  having  spoiled  the  shape  of 
the  drills,  a  small  d>uble  mould  board  plough  was  run  through  them,  which 
straightened  them  and  left  neat  marks  of  even  depth  to  drop  in,  and  stirred  up 
the  manure,  fish  and  soil,  so  that  the  potatoes  seldom  touched  a  lump  of  ma- 
nure or  fish. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  307 


The  sets  (large  potatoes  cut  to  2  and  three  eyes  each*  on  rainy  days,  two  or 
three  weeks  before  planting,  excepting  a  few  new  varieties  cut  to  single  eyes,) 
were  dropped  14  inches  apart  and  covered  with  a  plough  4  inches  deep,  the 
horse  not  allowed  to  walk  in  the  drill. 

On  May  20  (Early  Rise  just  breaking  through,)  the  ground  was  harrowed; 
in  four  days  the  Early  Samaritan  and  Early  Goodrich  came  up;  in  six  days 
after,  the  late  varieties  began  to  show,  when  they  were  again  harrowed.  June 
10,  Phifer's  sulky  plough  was  run  through  the  rows,  with  only  oue  plough  on 
each  side  of  the  drill  set  to  pbugh  very  deep.  On  the  15th,  a  cultivator  hoe, 
Ross'  patent,  with  a  guide  that  kept  ic  very  steady,  was  used  twice  in  a  row, 
running  within  an  inch  or  two  of  the  plants;  what  weeds  were  left  were  cut 
out  with  a  hand  hoe.  Then  a  hilling  cultivator,  Burke's  patent,  was  used  once 
in  a  row;  it  consists  of  two  long  and  narrow  mould-boards,  made  of  saw-blade 
steel,  which  can  be  sprung  out  to  the  width  of  row  ;  this  took  soil  from  the 
middle  and  pushed  it  up  under  the  vines,  leaning  the  vines  over  a  little  and 
leaving  the  field  neat  and  smooth.  The  potatoes  were  again  cultivated  before 
they  were  in  bloom.  The  straight  and  parallel  rows  permitted  the  use  of  the 
cultivators  almost  to  the  exclusion  of  hand  hoeing.  Three  men  hoed  two  acres 
in  one  day.  The  potatoes  were  very  clean,  and  their  culture  did  not  cost  half 
as  much  as  if  planted  and  worked  out  in  the  old  way. 

June  23,  Early  Rose  in  bloom  ;  the  '.argest  potato  found  in  four  or  five  hills 
was  l\  inches  in  diameter;  that  of  Goodrich,  J  inch;  and  Samaritan  J  inch. 
July  4,  Rose  large  euough  for  market:  July  20,  Goodrich  about  same  size. 
The  turnip  fly  ate  and  killed  the  vines  of  Goodrich  and  Samaritan,  without 
touching  the  row  of  Rose,  which  was  between  the  two,  or  any  of  the  other  va- 
rieties. July  2*2,  a  few  barrels  of  Goodrich  were  dug  and  sold  at  the  village 
stores  for  $6  per  bbl.:  in  two  days  the  price  fell  to  S4. 

August  1,  many  of  the  Early  Rose  were  found  exposed  to  the  sun  and  a  few 
snr  uting  again.  A  bushpl  was  carefully  removed,  cut  to  two  eyes,  wilted  in 
the  sun  one  day,  and  planted.  It  had  been  very  dry  for  two  weeks,  which 
stopped  the  growth  of  the  early  potatoes;  then  a  heavy  shower  washed  away 
some  of  the  soil  around  the  vines,  leaving  them  exposed  to  the  sun.  One- 
tenth  of  the  second  planting  came  up ;  the  season  was  dry  and  short ;  the 
largest  of  the  second  crop  weighed  four  ounces,  and  less  was  dug  than  had 
been  planted.     A  neighbor  planted  a  few  a  week  earlier  with  better  results. 

Two  rows  were  180  yards  long — 1-26 th  of  an  acre;  nine  consecutive  rows, 
with  one  variety  in  each,  were  dug  when  fully  ripe,  with  the  following  result, 
allowing  00  lbs.  to  the  bushel: 

Per  acre.  Per  acre. 

Early  Goodrich 18S  bu-h.  |   Gleason 254  bash. 

Early  Samaritan 90     do.    |   Vanderveer 227     do. 

Early  Rose 235     do.        Gardner 215     do. 

Hari-on 206     do.        l'tachblow 19(i     do. 

Calico 267     do.    | 

All  were  dug  before  the  middle  of  September.  The  Peachblows  (which 
would  have  heen  better  if  new  seed  from  a  distance  had  been  procured,)  were 
beginning  to  rot,  and  were  sent  to   Washington  Market  (Xew  York)  as  fast  as 


*  An  experiment  two  years  ago  showed  that  lartte  potatoes  yield  the  most,  but  cut 
potatoes  are  the  most  profitable,  savingmuch  more  seed  thah  the  extra  yield  of  large 
whole  potatoes. 


308  TIIE  SOUTHERN  [May 

possible  ;  three  or  four  Gleasons  in  a  barrel  were  found  rotten — the  rest  all 
sound,  and  all  kept  well  except  Peaehblows.  These  brought  in  Washington 
Market  $3  75  ,4  per  bbl.;  Gleason,  £2  50a3  ;  Goodrich,  $2.25  ;  Calico  and  Van- 
derveer,  $2  50.  The  peculiar  season  and  the  turnip  fly  caused  most  of  the 
Goodriches  raised  near  New  York  to  be  very  poor  for  cooking. 

In  eating  quality,  our  correspondents  rank  Mercer  and  Peachblow  A  No.  1  ; 
Early  Rose  and  Stbec,  No.  2  ;  Yanderveer,  Calico,  Whipple  Seedling,  Early 
Samaritan,  Chili  Red,  Harison,  Prince  Albert,  Jtckson  White.  Gardner,  Dyke- 
man  and  Cuzeo,  No.  2 — the  last  not  as  good  as  the  first.  Scbecs  do  not  cook 
■well;  Yanderveers  are  very  sweet,  but  not  mealy.  The  Early  Rise  and  Hari- 
son are  the  smoothest  and  handsomest  potatoes  they  have  ever  raised.  In  a 
patch  of  Hansons  among  raspberries,  highly  manured,  a  few  hills  gave  over 
5  lbs.  each — one,  5  lbs.  6  oz. 

In  regard  to  profitableness  : 

Peachblow,  19G  bushels  at  $3.75  per  barrel,  gave $269  50 

Calico,  207  bushels  at  §2.50  per  barrel,  gave...  2\l  50 

Profit  per  acre  in  favor  of  Peachblow $2b'  UO 

These  (Peaehblows)  would  not  have  brought  half  so  much  if  they  had  not 

been  marketed  as  fast  as  dug — an   uncertain   crop  for  those  who  live  far  away 

from  a  good  market. 

Fish  guano  with  manure  does  not  give  as  good  results  on  potatoes  as  on  corn. 

City  manure  at  $5  25  per  two-horse  load,  and  fish  guano  at  S27  per  ton,  were 

compared,   equal   costs  of  each   applied  in    two  rows.     The  row  with  manure 

yielded  nearly  one-half  more  than  the  row  with  fish  guano. 


Transplanting  Raspberries  and  Blackberries. 

Nurserymen,  of  course,  understand  a  great  many  arts  that  are  unknown  to 
ordinary  cultivators :  hence,  in  giving  some  facts  that  may  benefit  the  latter 
class,  1  do  it  without  any  reference  to  the  instruction  of  the  former.  Hjwever 
old  my  suggestions  may  be,  I  only  know  that  they  are  not  generally  practiced 
bv  the  mass  of  fruit  growers;  and  if  I  can  6bow  that  they  are  not  difficult  to 
adopt,  and  that  it  is  excellent  economy  to  do  so,  I  may  accomplish  some  good. 

Most  persons  who  attempt  to  cultivate  such  raspberries  as  propagate  by 
suckers  allow  the  suckers  to  stand  during  the  current  season,  under  the  mis- 
taken impression  that  they  cannot  be  safely  removed  until  the  season's  growth 
is  completed.  Then  they  are  transplanted,  cut  back,  and  must  grow  another 
season  before  fruiting.  The  result  is,  that  two  years  elapse  from  the  time  the 
young  plant  appears  before  it  fruits. 

But  there  is  a  better  way  than  this.  In  the  spring,  when  the  sucker  appears 
an  inch  or  two  above  ground,  take  a  round-pointed  shovel,  and  cut  it  out,  and 
carry  it,  with  the  adhering  earth,  to  the  place  where  you  desire  it  to  grow. 
The  ground  and  the  hole  should  be  previously  prepared,  the  latter  just  about 
large  enough  to  admit  the  ball  of  earth  without  allowing  it  to  fall  to  pieces; 
slip  it  from  the  shovel  carefully,  draw  the  loose  earth  up  with  your  foot,  press 
it  down  slightly,  and  the  work  is  done.  In  general,  the  young  plant  will  not 
wilt,  even  if  the  weather  is  warm,  and  will  continue  to  grow  as  if  nothing  had 
happened  to  it.  Perhaps  one  in  ten  may  wilt.  But  it  is  not  an  alarming 
symptom  at  all:  it  will  almost  always  recover  at  night.     Occasionally,  the  ex- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  309 


treraity  of  a  plant  may  wittier  alter  come  days;  but  even  that  is  out  a  danger- 
ous indication:  cut  it  off,  and,  in  a  week  or  so,  three  or  four  branches  will  start 
from  near  the  earth,  and  you  will  usually  have  a  better  and  more  symmetrical 
plant  than  if  the  single  stem  had  gone  on  growing  and  thrown  out  branches 
near  the  top.  In  fact,  though  I  have  not  yet  generally  practiced  it,  I  am  pre- 
pared to  recommend  that  every  plant — of  the  Philadelphia  at  least — be  pinched 
or  broken  off  at  the  distance  of  a  foot  or  less  from  the  ground.  Probably  it 
would  he  best  to  do  this  at  transplanting;  certainly,  if  the  plant  is  six  inches 
or  more  in  length.  It  induces  the  growth  of  side  branches  from  near  the  base 
of  the  plant,  makes  more  wood  for  fruiting,  and  the  plant  is  better  able  to 
withstand  high  winds,  exactly  as  is  the  case  with  a  pyramidal  tree. 

My  experience  with  raspberry  plants  grown  from  suckers  is  confined  almost 
exclusively  to  the  Philadelphia  variety;  but  the  Clark,  though  a  stronger 
grower,  seems  to  be  similar  in  its  habits,  and  the  same  treatment  will  no  doubt 
answer  for  it. 

My  experience,  too,  in  transplanting,  has  been  mainly  in  the  mode  explained, 
because  I  considered  that  certain  of  success;  while  the  loosening  of  the  plants 
from  the  earth  about  them,  and  the  exposure  of  their  tender  roots  to  the  air, 
seemed  to  be  dangerous.  But,  occasionally,  a  plant  will  be  shaken  loose  in 
spite  of  the  utmost  care;  these  I  always  plant:  and  the  result,  with  an  occa- 
sional experiment  in  the  same  direction,  leads  me  to  conclude  that,  if  there  is 
no  unnecessary  exposure  of  the  roots  to  the  air,  no  serious  danger  need  be  ap- 
prehended. Keep  the  roots  moist  by  plunging  them  into  water  or  mud,  or  by 
covering  with  moist  earth  ;  waste  no  time  in  getting  them  to  their  places;  cut 
or  strip  off  most  of  the  foliage,  and,  or  Jinarily,  there  will  be  no  serious  losses. 
The  gain  of  this  mode  over  the  first  mentioned  is  in  the  saving  of  labor  and 
time,  as  the  carrying  of  a  ball  of  earth  with  each  plant,  if  only  for  a  few  rods, 
will  not  be  an  amusement  after  a  few  hours. 

Blackberries  can  be  transplanted  the  same  way  with  perfect  success.  With, 
due  attention  at  the  time  of  starting  a  plantation  of  either  of  these  fruits,  the 
labor  of  carrying  the  young  plants  any  great  distance  may  be  avoided,  even 
with  a  ball  of  earth  adhering.  It  is  customary  to  set  them  about  four  feet 
apart  in  the  rows,  and  the  rows  from  six  to  eight  feet  apart.  At  eight  by  four, 
an  acre  will  require  thirteen  hundred  and  sixty-one  plants.  If  the  cultivator, 
for  any  cause  desired  to  start  an  acre  from  one  fourth  of  this  number,  he  would 
need  only  to  scatter  his  plants  over  the  whole  acre,  but  at  regular  distances,  so 
that  the  vacancies  and  the  plants  would  be  duly  proportioned.  Then  the  labor 
of  carrying  the  balls  of  earth  Ling  distances  would  be  avoided,  as  well  as  the 
possible  risks  of  the  other  system. 

Raspberries  and  blackberries  transplanted  in  this  way  will  bear  a  fair  crop 
the  second  year;  that  is,  the  second  year  of  their  existence.  Treated  in  the 
usual  mode,  they  never  bear  until  the  third  year;  and,  so  far  as  I  can  feee,  are 
no  better. — Philip  Snyder,  to  Journal  of  Horticulture. 

Vineland,  N.  J ,  1869. 


Angers  Quince. 
A  writer  in  the  February  number  of  the  Monthly  expresses  indignation,  or 
says  it  is  expressed  against  persons  that  have  sold  Angers  Quince  for  fruiting. 
I  will  leave  ott-ers  to  settle  this— I  write  to  state  a  few  facts: 


■310  THE   SOUTHERN  [May 

Tw e.  go  I  tried,  in  Tain,  to  find  cut  the  frokirg  quality  of  the  An- 

gers, bi  <j'd  tell.     I  then  wrote  to  M.  Le  B 

Angers,  France,  who  sent  me  a  drawing — a  copy  of  which  i  I — and 

the  following  as  to  the  fruit: 

-  consider  this  1         is  the  best  one,  a?  to  the  productive  quality  and  sire 
:  on  a  large  scale  in  oar  eountry  as  being  the  rn;st 
advantageous  U  r  the  market  fruit." 

I  will  further  state  that  we  haTe  a  good  many  bearing  trees  that  were  grafted 
with  pear,  but  failed.     These  are  now  about  15  years  old.  from 

Bllwmn?-:  ,;  C  -.ttj.     They  bear  as  we'::  a-  O.-ar .,;■?.  but  nary  n       i  in   rise  aftd 
quality  and  earliness.     Some  of  them  are  much   -  if  -r:  r  in  quality 
and  ab:nt  equal  ir.  s'ze.     We  see  no  difference  in  the  hardiness  of  tree. 

Some  are  small,  some  are  a  little  later — but  take  the  whole  lot,  perhaps  25 
they  do  not  differ  much  from  Orange.     One  thing  is  certain,  that  a  'elec- 
tion could  be  made  from  them  that  would  surpass  Orange  in  quali: 
E3UC-.  —  J.  II.  C  ibj. 


Tap  Rocts, 

L.  S.  B.,  Chicago,  III.,  in  a  recent  number  of  the  Gi  M       ry,  re" 

marking  on  roots.  I  was  interested  in  what  yon  say  about  tap  roc  >  -rem 

to  place  very  little  Talue  on  them.  I  have  been  led  to  believe  thern  vr-ry  essen- 
tial, and  always  give  my  gardener  as  :  .  to  save  the  tap  rocts.  when 
we  are  transplanting  anything  on  our  lawn.  Was  yjur  remark  intended  to 
have  the  weight  it  seems  to  bear,  or  a  slip  of  the  pen?  I  have  re-ad  e 
the  great  value  of  tap  roots,  that  I  wan;  la  be  sure  I  understand  you.  It  would 
teem  as  if  nature  would  hardly  make  them,  if  they  were  of  no  u  - 

[No  one  disputes  the  last  point — "  nature  makes  everything  of  some 
Beards  are  of  some  use;  perhaps  to  exercise  our  industry  to  keep  them  shaven 
awav.     Aa  to  tap  roots,  our  correspondent  understood  us  correctly  to  say  that 
thev  are  n  «t  of  the   si  .  iee  towards  the  nutrition  of  the  tree.     The 

shortening  of  a  tap  root  is  of  i  i  jury  to  a  tree  than  is  the  shorten;  t_- 

the  finger  nails  to  a  man.  This  matter  was  settled  by  Senebier  and  others 
over  a  hundred  years  ago.  Their  experiments  we  have  repeated,  and  no  in- 
telligent man  teaches  any  other  doctrine.] — G  Monthly. 

.rprised  to  learn  that  any  one  ever  supposed  the  tap  root  to  be  a 
feeder.     Such  parties  must  be  very  "dull  of  comprehension."] — Editors. 


Theory  of  Grape   Rot. 

I  was  reminded  of  the  old  saying,  that  "one  story  is  good  until  another  is 
told,"  when  reading  an  arii  -le  in  the  Cleveland  Herald,  of  the  2d  inst.,  under 
the  aboTe  bead,  and  purporting  to  be  a  letter  from  Dr.  Schroeder,  of  Blooming- 
ton,  HI     I    W.  L   Curtis,  of  Catawba  Islini. 

The  writer  assumes  that  the  cause  of  the  grape-rot  is  now  discovered  ;  that 
it  is  owing  to  the  age  of  the  Tines;  that  rot  is  sure  to  appear  after  the  Tines 
haTe  been  in  bearing  a  certain  nu-nber  of  year*  :  and  conclude*  by  sayir  _- 
the  grapes  will  begin  to  rot  next  year  in  Cleveland  and  along  the  shore  eas:- 


1889.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  311 

Now,  it  must  be  patent  to  all  who  have  given  the  matter  attention,  that  when 
the  rot  prevails,  it  is  found  equally  in  vines  just  coming  into  bearing  and  those 
of  the  oldest  growth.  I  have  in  my  vineyard  Catawbas  which  have  been  in 
bearing  twenty  years,  and  also  vines  which  have  been  6et  almost  every  year 
during  the  whole  of  that  period.  In  my  experimental*  vineyard,  where  the 
first  vines  were  set,  I  continued  to  add  about  fifty  vines  a  year  for  a  number  of 
years.  In  this  vineyard  there  is  a  difference  between  the  first  and  the  last 
planted  of  at  least  fifteen  years  ;  and,  when  the  rot  prevails,  the  latest  planted 
suffer  equally  with  the  oldest  in  bearing.  If  there  can  be  said  to  be  any  differ- 
ence, it  would  be  in  favor  of  the  oldest,  since  we  have  always  found  our  best 
grapes  on  our  oldest  vines. 

It  may  be,  and  observation  seems  to  warrant  the  belief,  that  in  certain  local- 
ities, perhaps  in  all  where  the  Catawba  has  been  cultivated  a  sufficient  length 
of  time  for  the  cause,  whatever  it  may  be,  to  develop  itself,  it  is  found  more 
subject  to  rot  than  when  just  planted  in  that  particular  locality;  but  the 
theory,  that  the  age  of  the  vine  has  any.hing  to  do  with  it,  observation  and 
experience  show  to  be  as  utterly  without  foundation  as  all  the  other  theories 
which  have  been  advanced,  every  one  of  which,  so  far  as  I  know,  have  baen  de- 
mon.-trated  to  b3  false  by  facts  within  the  reach  of  all  careful  observers.  What- 
ever the  cause  of  the  rot  in  the  Catawba  may  be,  it  is  yet  to  be  discovered ; 
until  that  time,  the  cause  assigned  by  one  of  the  oldest  grape-growers,  as  the 
only  one  which  would  cover  the  whole  ground,  will  stand  good — "purecussed- 
ness."— G.  C.  II.,  in  Ohio  Farmer. 

Kcllci/'s  Island,  October,  18G8. 


lona  Grape. 

[Having  said  all  we  could  against  the  lona  Grape,  we  submit  the  following 
in  its  favor,  that  our  readers  may  see  we  are  willing  to  hear  both  eides. — Ed. 
S.  P.  &  F.] 

After  seeing;  the  recent  attacks  on  the  lona  Grape,  which  seem  to  come  from 
parties  prejudiced,  or  else  those  who  have  not  given  it  a  fair  trial,  I  deem  it  my 
duty  to  give  you  a  statement  of  the  result  of  my  experience  with  four  hun- 
dred Ionas  obtained  of  Dr.  C.  W.  Grant,  and  planted  in  the  spring  of  1866. 
They  all  grew  vigorously,  averaging  canes  from  four  to  six  feet  in  length  the 
first  year,  with  perfectly  healthy  foliage.  The  second  season,  18G7,  every  vine 
was  living  in  its  place,  and  made  vigorous  caaes  for  fruiting  the  year  follow- 
ing. The  third  season,  18G8,  the  canes  being  pruned  three  to  four  feet  in 
length  for  bearing,  set  fruit  from  every  bud.  Some  of  the  canes  produced  as 
many  as  forty-two  bunches  of  beautiful  clusters,  perfectly  sound,  without  any 
mildew  or  rot.  The  result  was  far  better  than  I  obtained  from  Concords 
planted  at  the  same  time,  and  receiving  the  same  culture  ;  the  Concords  having 
the  advantage  of  having  extra  layers.  Now,  I  only  wish  to  say,  since  enj  >ying 
the  Ima  Grape,  that  I  consider  it  superior  to  all  other  native  gripes  with 
which  I  am  acquainted.  I  also  intend  to  have  a  larger  and  better  crop  of 
grapes  next  season  from  the  same  vines.  The  lona,  with  proper  culture,  I 
consider  a  success. — R.  B.  Stevensox,  in  Journal  of  Horticulture. 


312  TIIE   SOUTHERN  [May 

Mr.  William  Dat  bas  invented  a  patent  "  velocipede ''  cultivator  and  straw- 
berry scuffle  hoe  combined,  for  which  be  claims  the  following  merits: 

It  will  plough  and  barrow  the  ground  both  at  once,  thoroughly  pulverize  the 
soil  from  3  to  10  inches  deep  at  the  will  of  the  operai-jr,  and  do  this  without 
turning  any  furrow  or  cohering  the  smallest  plant.  It  will  adjust  to  any  width 
between  rows  from  1  to  4  feet;  is  easy  of  draught — strong  and  not  liable  to  get 
out  of  repair.  It  will  do  the  work  better  and  faster  than  15  men  could  do  it 
by  band  in  a  given  time.  It  will  work  up  the  soil  between  rows  of  onions, 
corn,  beets,  parsnips,  carrots,  turnips,  cotton,  tobacco  or  strawberries,  as  soon 
as  the  rows  can  be  distinguished.  It  is  not  possible  to  clog  it,  working  equally 
as  well  in  fine  garden  mould  or  a  stiff  clay.  It  leaves  no  lumps.  Any  bjy 
that  can  plough  can  work  it. —  Gardner's  Monthly. 


The  Greelet  Grape  Prize. — Mr.  Greeley  does  not  seem  satisfied  that  bis 
$100  prize  was  awarded  to  the  Concord.  At  a  public  meeting  in  New  York, 
he  recently  said.  "All  my  money  did,  was  to  advertise  a  grape  already  known; 
thus  improvement  was  checked — not  stimulated.  I  am  a  -ittle  discouraged  by 
the  result,  and  do  not  propose  to  offer  another  bank-note  for  a  plate  of  common 
grapes." —  Gardner's  Monthly. 


Big  Apple-Tree. 

Probably  the  largest  apple  tree  in  A'irginia  is  now  standing,  in  a  dilapidated 
condition,  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  0.  W.  Purvis,  in  Albemarle  county,  three  miles 
south  of  the  Sou'bwest  Mountains,  near  the  three-notched  road  to  Richmond, 
and  two-and-a-half  miles  from  Keswick  Depot.  The  soil  that  produced  this 
noble  old  patriarch  is  Icamy,  of  a  mulatto  color,  and  a  littled  mixed  with  small 
yellow  gravel-clay  subsoil,  and  immediately  over  the  only  bed  of  lime  stone 
between  the  ocean  and  the  mountains.  This  tree  is  upwards  of  three  feet  in 
diameter  three  feet  above  tbe'ground — it  bas  three  main  prongs  branching  off 
some  live  feet  ab  ve  the  ground,  and  its  present  height  is  not  less  than  thirty- 
five  feet.  One  of  its  large  branches  has  decayed  and  fallen  off.  The  tree  still 
bear;  fruit  of  medium  size  acd  indifferent  flavor,  but  makes  good  cider.  It  has 
two  or  three  neighbirs  standing  near  at  irregular  intervals — all  are  much  de- 
cayed, an  i  one,  fully  as  large  as  the  one  I  am  describing,  has  fallen,  and  its 
bulky  ruins  still  remain.  All  these  trees  are  e\idently  seedlings.  An  old 
dwelling  once  stood  near  them,  which  was  built  and  occupied  by  the  Starpe 
family,  who  were  among  the  pioneers  of  this  section.  The  scope  of  the  writer's 
recollection  is  some  fifty  five  years,  and  these  trees  were  good  old  specimens  at 
his  earliest  recollection.  They  are  probably  not  les3  than  cne  hundred  years 
old. 

"  All  that  has  life  mu«t  perish  and  decay, 

Mix  dust  to  dust,  th  ugh  1  •"£  or  short  the  s'ay. 
Oft  bHSdre«d  1  ghtuing quivered  o'er  thy  head, 

And  raging  tempest  rock  d  th«e   n  thy  bed; 
And  winds  less  rapid  oit  have  bdt  ad  aiound 

And  cast  iliy  fru;t  all  p  ittt-ring  !o  the  aiound  ; 
Wheieman  and  oeasi  ttie  i»)ient  received. 

And  thou  wert  of  the  bending  load  relieved." 

The  Pomologist  may  infer  that  the  soil  above  described  U  the  very  best,  and 
most  suitable  for  the  growth  of  the  most  valuable  of  ail  fruits— the  apple. 

J.  F. 
Pleasant  Valleg,  Va. 


THE  SOUTHERN  PLANTER  AND  FARMER, 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. MAY  18G9. 

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filarial  JUjrarhncnt. 


An  Example  of  Rotation  of  Crops. 

We  are  frequently  asked  some  very  embarrassing  questions.  Without  know- 
out  knowing  more  of  the  means  and  circumstances  of  the  querist  than  we  do, 
and  without  knowing  much  of  the  relation  of  the  subject  to  surrounding  cir- 
cumstances that  ought  to  influence  the  answer,  ^e  find  ourselves  called  on  for 
advice,  when  to  give  it  judiciously  would  puzzle  sounder  counsellors  than  we 
can  pretend  to  be. 

This  is  most  frequently  the  case  with  persons  seeking  to  know  what  is  the 
best  rotation  of  crops. 

The  most  important  consideration  connected  with  the  whole  subject  is  to  be 
found  in  the  pithy  observation  of  a  late  friend  of  ours  from  the  c  >unty  of 
lb 'eki ogham,  a  gentleman  who  made  all  his  money  by  his  land  ;  and  starting 
in  debt,  became,  at  the  age  of  fifty,  the  largest  land  owner  in  his  county.  "A 
rotation,"  he  once  remarked  to  us,  "is  a  very  good  thing  for  a  fool,  who  will 
break  his  neck  if  he  gets  off  of  the  beaten  track  ;  but  all  a  man  of  sense  wants 
is  a  convenient  division  of  fields,  which  be  will  then  crop  or  graze  according  to 
the  fitness  of  things." 

But  even  this  remark  requires  modification  ;  for  as  the  land  improves,  or  cir- 
cumstances change,  the  fields  will  require  subdivision,  or  possibly  enlargement. 
Thus  we  have  known  a  gentleman  who,  beginning  with  a  rotation  of  four 
fields,  was  induced  gradually  to  enlarge  his  system  tJ  five,  then  six,  then 
seven,  and  lastly  eight  fields. 

In  a  word,  so  much  must  be  left  to  the  judgment  of  the  farmer,  that  it  is 
perhaps  better  to  state  leading  principles,  and  work  them  out  as  it  were  by  an 
example,  than  to  lay  down  any  ahsolute  plan. 

The  old  notion  used  to  be  that  the  same  crop  or  class  of  crops  should  not  be 
grown  necessarily  on  the  same  field.  But  later  practical  and  more  accurate 
observation  shows  that  in  6ome  cases  and  kinds  of  crops  it  is  best  to  do  bo.  For 
instance,  we  have  often  stated,  and  repeat,  that  oats  may  succeed  oats  in  the 
same  land  for  at  least  eleven  years — our  own  experience  runs  to  seven — with  a 
progressive  improvement  of  the  land;  and  we  have  seen  in  Jtffersun  county, 


314  THE   SOUTHERN  [May 

near  Charlestown,  the  sixth  successive  wheat  crop  on  the  same  land,  and  that 
crop  estimated  at  twenty  bushels  per  acre. 

The  propriety  of  such  practices  is  not  now  the  point,  bur  the  Pact  is  stated  to 
show  that  when  other  consid-rations  render  it  expedient,  there  is  nothing  in 
agricultural  principles  that  should  forbid  it. 

The  (>V>ject  of  all  farming  is  profit;  first,  and  directly,  in  the  revenues  that 
the  crops  produce ;  second,  in  the  increased  production,  and  as  a  measure  of 
the  market  value  of  the  land  ;  which,  as  a  general  rule,  may  be  said  to  be  sold 
not  less  than  once  in  every  twenty  years.  Upon  a  calculation  of  his  life,  and 
supposing  him  to  live  for  his  children  as  much  as  for  himself,  the  man  who 
does  not  seek  to  increase  the  market  value  of  his  land  in  our  society  is  a  fool, 
both  present  and  prospective.  The  true  point  is  to  make  both  pr<  fits  coinci- 
dent and  progressive.  But  as,  no  matter  how  rich  the  land  may  be,  naturally 
or  artificially,  it  will  fail  to  produce  its  full  yield,  if  not  properly  cleansed,  so 
that  no  extraneous  vegetation  shall  rob  the  crop,  we  think  the  final  object  is 
that  the  laud  shall  be  cleansed.  To  do  this  economically,  it  must  be  cultivated 
in  cleaning  crops,  which  should,  at  the  same  time,  be  made  to  pay  a  profit  on 
the  cost  of  cultivation. 

This  being  attained,  the  next  point  is  to  cultivate  crops  of  such  kind  a?  will 
yield  most  in  prop  irtion  to  the  labor  employed  to  procure  them.  But  it  must 
be  remembered  that  this  labor  is  represented  not  only  by  that  bestowed  man- 
ually in  the  growth  of  the  product  and  its  prepiration  for  market,  but  also  by 
the  cost  of  transportation  to  market.  Thus  a  man  may  grow  tobacco  in  one 
place  when  it  would  be  folly  in  another  man  differently  situated  to  attempt  it ; 
one  man  may  grow  hay  for  market,  when  another  man  would  be  brought  in 
debt  by  it,  and  yet  ought  none  the  less  to  have  grass.  These  disadvantages, 
though,  will  be  found  to  have  more  or  less  of  compensation  in  the  greater  econ- 
omy in  the  purchase  of  foreign,  or  the  application  of  home  made,  fertilizers; 
and,  in  Virginia,  will  ultimately  come  to  be  represented  by  the  price  of  lands; 
whose  relative  values  are  now  so  far  reversed  that  those  farthest  from  market 
actually  seli  for  the  most  money. 

But  it  may  so  happen  that  the  land  may  have  certain  preferences  for  the 
kind  of  crops  grown.  It  may,  for  instarce,  be  good  for  clever  and  gra<s,  but 
not  so  well  adapted  to  grain  ;  or  very  fine  for  corn,  but  not  good  for  wheat. 
These  and  all  other  idiosyncracies  the  farmer  must  of  course  know  and  provide 
against.  Still  our  general  principle  will  be  found  to  run  through  nearly  all 
soils  except  barren  sands  and  very  rich  alluvions,  and  that  is,  that  they  require 
for  their  highest  development  an  alternation  of  grain  and  gra«s. 

With  these  preliminary  remarks  we  submit  for  examination  the  following 
formula,  to  which  we  invite  critici?m.  It  is  assumed  as  a  fair  average  produc- 
tion of  fair  land  under  the  system  prescribed.  We  know  that  it  meets  the  ex- 
perience of  our  own  farming  as  to  every  item,  though  we  have  never  ascer- 
tained them  in  this  precise  rotation,  which  we  did  not  practice  bef  ire  the  war, 
because  the  land  was  not  in  order  for  it;  nor  since  the  war,  for  want  of  funds- 
It  will  be  observed  that  the  value  of  each  crop  per  acre  is  stated,  though  it 
must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  profit  i<  very  different;  thus  the  timothy  hay 
crop  is  valued  at  S40  per  acre,  whilst  the  corn  crop  is  put,  including  the  shucks, 
at  $44  SO.  But  when  the  difference  in  labor  and  exhaustion  of  land  is  consid- 
ered, the  preponderance  will  be  greatly  in  favor  of  the  hay. 

We  have  stated  the  values  in  this  market,  and  we  have  made  no  allowance 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  315 

for  the  freight,  because  that  varies  in  each  locality,  and  the  intelligent  reader 
■will  make  the  proper  corrections  to  adapt  it  to  his  own  case. 

We  have  •miitted  the  cost  of  teams,  because  they  are  supposed  to  be  already 
provided:  and  we  make  no  estimate  for  feeding  them  because  of  the  different 
value  of  forage  in  various  places. 

For  the  same  reason  we  give  the  value  of  the  bought  manures  in  this  mar- 
ket. We  have  also  restricted  ourselves  to  the  standard  manures  now  in  use, 
and  have  omitted  all  notice  of  the  potash  manures  now  coming  into  vogue,  be- 
cause they  have  not  yet  been  sufficiently  introduced,  and  because  when  they 
are,  they  can  substitute  an  equivalent  value  in  the  fertilizers  specified.  We 
specify  lime  because  it  suits  tidewater  Virginia  ;  but  its  value  can  be  invested 
in  other  things  better  suited  t)  the  upper  country. 

We  know  that  in  some  cases  cleansing  crops  must  precede  the  introduction  of 
the  small  grains  and  grasses  to  a  greater  extent,  perhaps  going  as  far  in  some 
cases  as  three  hoed  crops  in  succession.  These  and  many  other  things  must  be 
left  to  the  judgment  of  the  reader.  But  the  main  point  remains,  and  that  is 
that  with  capital  judiciously  employed  in  manures  properly  applied,  there  is 
to-dav  more  money  in  agriculture  than  in  any  other  business  we  know  except 
shaving;  and  there  is  far  less  risk  than  in  that.  Assuming  the  land  in  the 
ca«e  supposed  to  be  wor:h  SlOO  per  acre,  then  the  advance  for  manures, 
$1,443  73,  is  only  ab>ut  5  per  cent.;  whereas  a  man  with  his  capital  employed 
in  commercial  pursuits  reqiires  for  its  highest  development  a  capital  never  less 
than  25  per  cent.,  and  frequently  exceeding  50  per  cent. 

But  really  land  capable  of  such  results  is  worth  generally  in  market  very 
much  less,  which  is  all  the  more  in  favor  of  the  investment. 

The  next  question  is,  How  can  the  money  for  such  investments  be  had? 
This,  as  the  present  article  is  long  enough,  we  propose  to  consider  in  the  next 
number  of  our  paper.  It  is  entirely  practiable  if  our  people  and  legislature 
would  only  be  practical,  which  is  the  weak  point  in  our  case;  for  of  all  people, 
ours  we  fear  are  the  most  unpractical:  and  if  future  legislatures  are  no  wiser 
in  such  matters  than  our  pass;  have  been,  why  then  God  save  the  Common- 
wealth. 

With  these  remarks  we  submit  our  example  of  rotation  of  crops: 

Estimate  of  Products  and   Cost  of  Working  300  Acres  in  Eiylit  Fitlds. 

PRODUCTS. 

1.  37i  acres  corn  and  200  lbs.  Phos.  Peru.  Guano 300  barrels. 

■2.  37§  ncres  oats  and  400  lbs.   Bone  Dust 03,750  lbs.  in  sheaf. 

3.  3  .',  acres  clover  and  10  bushels  of  lime 75, 000  pounds. 

4.  37|  acrea  wheat  and  4U0  lbs.  Phos.  Peru.  Guano 750  bu-de  s. 

5.  37A  acres  timothy  aud  10  bushtls  of  lime 150  000  pouuds, 

ti.  37j  acrea  do.  do.  150,000       do. 

7.  37A  acrea  do.  do.  150.0CO       do. 

8.  37$  acres  do.  do.  150,000      do 

VALUES. 

:'rrel<  of  corn,  nt  $5  per  barrel,  or  $40  per  acre 1,500  00 

93  750  Us.  of  tats,  at  $1  per  100,  or  S23  per  acre 937  50 

76,000  lbs.  of  clover  bay,  at  Si   per  100,  <o-  20  per  acre 750  0D 

750  bushels  of  wheat,  at  $.'  per  bushel,  or  $lo  per  acre 1.500  00 

4  orops  timothy  bay,  at  $1  per  10  ',  or  $10  per  acre G,1  00  00 

1,800  lbs.  shucks  from  corn,  at  $1  per  100,  or  $1.80  per  acre 180  00 

§10,807  50 


816  THE  SOUTHERN  [May 

Values  brought  forward,     $10,807  50 
MANURES. 

200  lbs  Phos.  Peru.  Guano,  at  Zh  ct°.  per  lh.  on  37J  acres 2G2  50 

200  lbs.  Bone  Du>t,  at  2|  cts.  per  lb.  on  37i  acre^ 375  00 

400  lb«.  Phos.  Pern.  Guano,  at  Z\  cts.  per  lb.  on  o'h  acres 525  00 

Lime  for  5  crops,  ]0  bushels  each,  at  15  cts.  per  bushel  on  37| 

acres,  each  crop 281   25 


1,443  75 

LABOR 

G  hands,   (deluding  extra  hands,)  at  $240,    (not  estimating 

horses,)  1.410  CO 

2.883  75 


Net  proceeds. 


Cost  of  bought  manures $4.81  per  acre. 

Cost  of  labor 4.80 

Gross  produce 36.26         " 

Net  produce 20  05         " 


Pressed  Fish. 

Messrs.  Gresham  &  Shanks,  of  Norfolk,  have  sent  us  an  advertisement,  too 
late  for  admission  into  the  advertising  columns,  stating  that  they  will  fill  orders 
for  pressed  fish.  As  we  have  heard  persons  inquiring  into  this  matier  we  take 
this  mode  of  answering  them. 


The  Religious  Herald. 

Tte  agricultural  editor  of  the  Religious  Herald  says  in  the  paper  of  April 
23d,  some  very  kind  things  of  this  paper,  for  which  the  editors  return  their 
thanks.  If  the  other  Christian  newspapers,  and  the  secular  too,  for  that  mat- 
ter, would  employ,  as  the  Herald  does,  a  practical  and  educated  farmer  to  make 
agricultural  contributions,  it  would,  we  think,  be  a  good  thing  for  them  ail- 
So  far  from  fearing  rivalry,  we  are  sure  this  course  would  in  time  create  a 
demand  for  more  of  the  same  sort  of  information,  and  so  help  the  Southern 
Planter  d'  Farmer. 


Book  Notice. 

High  Farming  Without  Manure.  Six  Lectures  on  Agriculture.  Delivered 
at  the  Experimental  Farm  of  Vincennes.  By  M.  George  Ville.  Profwsor  of 
Vegetable  Ptaysiolngy  at  the  Museum  of  Natural  History.  Paris.  Boston: 
Press  of  Geo.  C.  Baud  &  Avery.  18CG. 

We  have  received  from  Messrs.  West  it  Johnston  a  copy  of  the  above  hook. 
It  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  b:>oks  that  has  appearei  since  L'ebig's  cele- 
brated work,  or  perhaps  we  should  sav  the  invaluable  experiments  of  Messrs. 
Lawes  &  Gilbeck,  of  Bothamstead. 

As  the  price  is  only  fifty  cents,  and  the  hook  10S  pages,  we  hope  it  will  be 
universally  bought  and  read  by  intelligent  farmers.  We  are  having  i;  reviewed 
and  criticised  by  a  gentleman  who  we  think  is  fully  competent  to  the  work  : 
the  first  part  of  which  will  be  found  in  this  number  of  the  Planter. 


I960.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  817 

Correspondence  of  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer. 

INQUIRIES  TO  WHICn  WE  ASK  FOR  RESTONSES. 

■».  Editors, — Although  you  are  frequently  plied  with  questions  by 
inquisitive  correspondents,  you  not  only  submit  with  philosophic  forbearance, 
but  send  out  very  useful  information  in  reply,  from  yourselves  and  other  expe- 
rienced farmers.  I  am  influenced  by  this  commendable  patience  on  your  part, 
and  the  desire  for  information  on  mine,  to  ask  you  some  questions  also,  viz: 

Is:.  What  is  the  minimum  number  of  acres  that  a  farmer  may  have  in 
wheat  and  in  grass,  that  will  justify  him  in  purchasing  a  machine  to  reap  and 
to  mow  ? 

2\.  What  is  the  best  machine  combining  the  qualities  of  both  reaper  and 
mower  ? 

3d.  What  number  of  acres  in  grass,  yielding  from  1  000  to  2,000  pounds  of 
cured  hay  per  acre,  will  justify  the  cost  of  a  hay  tedder? 

4th.  What  is  the  best  plan  for  saving  hay  with  the  assistance  of  a  tedder 
and  gleaner  ? 

I  am  satisfied  from  my  own  experience  that  our  farmers  can,  with  the  proper 
care  and  eff  >rt,  not  only  rai-e  enough  hay  for  home  consumption  but  a  surplus 
abnndantlv  sufficient  to  supply  all  our  cities.  I  have  heretofore  saved  clover 
hay  ac  ording  t  j  the  admirable  plan  of  the  late  Edmund  Boffin.  But  this  plan 
requires  from  four  to  six  days  time  before  the  hay  is  sufficiently  dry  for  hous- 
ing. I  have  no  doubt  but  that  by  the  use  of  improved  machinery,  hay  can  be 
cut  and  secured  in  a  shorter  time, 

I  will  be  grateful  to  yourselves  or  to  any  correspondent  for  information  upan 
this  sul  ject.  Very  respectfully, 

March  25th,  1809.  Geo.  E.  Hardy. 


FERTILIZERS. 

Messrs.  jEVWors,— Enclosed  you  will  find  $2.00,  my  subscription  to  the  Planter 
for  this  year,  aod  a  small  parcel  of  ground  Plaster  of  Paris  or  Gypsum,  from 
the  banks  near  the  Salt  Works  in  the  county  of  Smythe,  to  wh;ch  I  invite  your 
particular  attention.  You  will  find  on  the  application  of  sulphuric  acid  to  the 
enclosed  specimen,  which  has  been  ground  at  the  mill  of  Messrs.  B.msack  & 
Kizer,  a  decided  but  not  great  effervescence,  indicating  the  presence  of  carbonate 
of  lime.  Thinking  it  not  to  be  pure  Gypsum,  several  of  my  friends  in  Bedford 
have  abandoned  the  use  of  this  Gypsum  from  Smythe  and  are  now  using  the 
Nova  Scotia.  Last  year  my  neighbor,  Mr.  Copland,  and  myself  together  used 
6even  tons,  applied  to  6oils  that  I  knew  t>  be  well  adapted  to  the  use  of  Gyp- 
sum. On  <ne  of  these  fields  of  forty  acres,  fifteen  years  ago  I  mad?  2}  bushels 
of  clover  seed  to  the  acre  and  frequent  heavy  crops  of  clover  hay.  But  last 
year  neither  of  us  could  discover  any  benefit  from  the  plaster  in  any  of  our 
fields  to  either  the  first  or  the  second  crop  of  clover.  We  could  discover  no 
marked  spots  of  thin  and  yellow  dover  indicating  the  mUsingof  the  plaster  by 
the  hands  in  sowing,  which  I  never  failed  to  notice  before.  I  wish  you  would 
have  the  enclosed  specimen  tested  and  its  constituent  parts  ascertained. 

The  application  of  sulphuric  acid  will  show  you  by  the  effervescence  that 
ensues  that  it  is  not  pure.  I  tried  in  the  presence  of  several  gentlemen  of  in- 
telligence, at  the  same  time,  using  Gypsum  from  Nova  Scotia,  sent  up  by  the 


318  THE    SOUTHERN  [May 

canal  from  Richmond,  in  which  we  could  not  detect  the  least  effervescence.  I 
had  determined  last  year  never  to  use  any  more  from  Smythe,  but  was  induced 
to  make  another  trial  this  spring  upon  seeing  at  Bonsack's  Depot  what  seemed 
to  be  a  very  fine  lot  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Kizer.  Mr.  George  Shaver  discovered 
the  effervescing  of  this  Smythe  plaster  a  fevr  days  ago,  after  buying  gome 
and  witnessed  by  several  persons.  Messrs.  Bonsack  &  Kizer  who  brought  it  on 
from  Smythe  and  ground  it,  are  gentlemen  of  character  and  standing,  above 
all  suspicion  of  any  fraud  or  trick.  They  have  been,  no  doubt,  deceived  like 
others.  Years  ago  I  got  good  Gypsum  at  the  Salt  Works  and  tested  it  alongside 
of  the  Xuva  Scotia  with  no  perceptible  difference  found  in  alternate  lands 
through  the  fields.  This  is  a  matter  that  concerns  the  whole  community  and  I 
wish  you  to  publish  this  communication,  or  so  much  as  you  think  tssential, 
under  my  name.  Yours  respectfully, 

Wm.  M.  Radford. 

Amsterdam,  April  21,  18G9. 

[The  sample  of  plaster  sent  will  be  tested  and  the  result  noticed. — Eds.  S. 
F.  &  P.] 


Dear  Sir, — *  *  *  I  have  always  held  that  it  was  the  duty  of  the  farmers  and 
planters  voluntarily  to  contribute  any  information  in  their  power  which  might 
likely  advance  the  general  welfare  of  the  agricultural  interest.  I  will,  with 
pleasure,  endeavor  to  meet  my  obligations  in  this  regard,  whenever  I  may  find 
anything  that  may  suit  the  columns  of  the  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer. 

As  I  see  there  is  an  interest  manifested  touching  the  application  of  manures  / 
to  corn,  I  herewith  send  ycu  a  brief  account  of  an  experiment  I  accidentally 
met  with.  In  July,  1867,  on  returning  from  church  through  a  neighboring 
farm,  I  approached  a  small  field  which  had  been  cleared  of  the  pines  in  the 
winter  by  a  freedman.  The  land  by  nature  and  by  cultivation  was  miserably 
poor,  and  I  was  surprised  to  see  that  any  one  had  undertaken  to  clear  and 
cultivate  it.  As  I  drew  near  the  corn,  I  was  struck  with  the  green  and  thrifty 
appearance  of  some  half  dozen  rows  just  midway  the  field,  while  the  corn  on 
each  side,  would  not  pay  for  the  cultivation.  On  inquiring  of  the  proprietor 
of  the  farm  as  to  the  cause  of  the  difference  in  the  appearance  and  growth  of 
the  rows  of  corn,  he  knew  nothing  of  it  but  referred  me  to  the  freedman.  On 
the  last  of  August  or  first  of  September,  while  chasing  a  fawn  with  a  party  of 
gentlemen,  I  was  carried  just  by  the  cabin  of  the  freedman  and  observing  that 
the  half  dozen  rows  of  corn  above  referred  to  still  kept  its  superiority  over  the 
others,  I  rode  up  to  the  cabin  and  asked  him  to  explain  the  matter  to  me.  He 
informed  me  that  the  proprietor  of  the  farm  had  given  him  some  guano  to 
put  on  his  tobacco  land,  and  after  he  was  done  there  remained  some  lumps 
which  he  beat  up  and  on  throwing  the  earth  from  the  corn  at  its  first  working, 
be  threw  a  little  of  the  guano  on  each  side  of  the  corn,  followed  with  the  hoes 
weeding,  and  afterwards  threw  the  earth  back.  In  all  respects  the  cultivation 
of  the  whole  field  was  the  same.  I  requested  him  to  take  notice  of  the  corn  in 
the  half  dozen  rows  when  he  gathered  the  crop  and  let  me  know  the  difference. 
The  matter  had  escaped  my  mind  till  the  recent  discussion  of  the  mode  of  ap- 
plying manures  to  corn,  caused  me  to  recur  to  this  experiment  and  I  resolved 
to  find  the  freedman  if  possible,  and  report  the  result.  It  so  happened  a  few 
mornings  after,  he  happened  at  my  gate  on  other  business.  De  informs  me 
that  he  failed  to  measure  the  corn  separately,  but  is  satisfied  that  the  half  dozen 


18G9.]  PLANTER  AXD  FARMER.  319 


guanoed  rows  yielded  at  the  rates  of  six  barrels  of  good  large  corn  per  acre, 
while  the  remaining  portion  of  the  field  made  very  little  and  that  very  indiffer- 
ent. I  have  only  further  to  say  this  negro  is  truthful  and  sensible,  so  far  as  I 
know  and  believe.  If  the  above  will  fit  a  corner  of  the  Planter  &  Farmer, 
you  can  use  it,  or  so  much  of  it  as  you  may  think  proper. 

Respectfully  &c,  R.  P.  Atkinson. 

Brook  Dale,  Dinwiddle,  Va.,  April  21.- 1,  1869. 


Messrs.  Editors,— In  the  article  on  the  Chesapeake  Phosphate,  there  is  a 
mistake  as  to  the  price  of  this  fertilizer.  It  is  $00  per  ton,  and  pays  the  fanner 
well  at  that  price.  Please  be  so  good  as  to  insert  this  correction  in  your  May 
number  and  greatly  oblige  me. 

Respectfully,  Sterling  E.  Edmunds. 

News  Ferry. 


Messrs.  Editors,— Please  find  enclosed  two  dollars,  to  pay  my  subscription  to 
your  most  excellent  paper  to  January  next  (1870).  I  make  this  remittance 
most  cheerfully,  and  am  sorry  that  I  have  not  been  able  to  do  so  sooner.  I 
consider  it  the  very  best  expended  money  in  my  whole  catalogue  of  expendi- 
tures. Each  number  of  your  paper  is  more  and  more  interesting  and  useful ; 
the  last  (April)  number  is  worth  the  whole  two  dollars.  I  am  truly  glad  to 
see  the  course  that  you  are  taking  on  fertilizers.  Stand  up  manfully,  and 
"  Lay  it  on,  Macduff."  Two  thirds  of  the  miserable  and  abominable  stuff  now 
offered  in  the  market  are  nothing  but  swindles  and  frauds  practiced  upon  the 
innocent  and  unpretending  farmer,  who  being  honest  himself,  thinks  that  every 
body  else  is  too.  You  call  attention  to  the  law  in  regard  to  the  vending  of  fer- 
tilizers in  the  State  of  Massachusetts;  but,  gentlemen,  haven't  we  got  all  the 
protection  now  that  we  need  if  the  laws  of  Virginia  were  faithfully  executed  ? 
I  am  neither  a  lawyer  nor  a  doctor,  but  I  am  told  that  there  is  a  law  on  the 
statute  book  of  Virginia  punishing  any  man  who  obtains  money  under  false 
pretences,  by  a  service  in  the  Penitentiary:  and  if  selling  a  fertilizer  and  set- 
ting forth  that  it  contains  this,  that  and  the  other,  and  representing  that  it  will 
do  thus  and  so,  and  it  turns  out  not  to  be  what  they  say  it  is,  is  not  obtaining 
money  by  false  pretenses,  then  I  do  not  know  what  is;  and  I  think  an  honest 
jury  would  so  say.  I  may  give  my  experience  with  fertilizers  for  twenty-five 
years  past,  and  especially  since  the  war,  for  some  future  number  of  your  paper. 
Wishing  you  God  speed  in  the  good  work, 

I  am,  very  truly,  &c.,  R.  n.  Allen. 

Oral  Oaks  P.  0.,  Lunenburg  county,   Va.,  April  20,  1SC9. 


CROP  PROSPECTS  IN  GEORGIA. 
Messrs.  Editors,— Here  we  are— a  Spring  later  than  since  1849,  when 
wheat  was  killed  April  15th.  On  the  morning  of  the  13th  instant  we  had  a 
heavy  frost  and  considerable  ice.  Still  wheat,  which  was  very  promising,  was 
not  killed.  There  is  more  wheat  sowed  this  year  in  Georgia  and  Alabama 
than  I  have  ever  known  before  in  the  S  iuth,  and  it  looks  better.  I  have  about 
fifty  acres  sowed  late  in  October  and  early  in  November  that  averages  knee 
hii^h.  Next  to  wheat  our  farmers  are  preparing  to  plant  largely  of  cotton,  and 
in  the  Southern  counties  of  Georgia  and  Alabama,  of  cotton  to  the  neglect  of 


320  THE  SOUTHERN  [May 


grain.  The  negroes  are  working  very  well;  in  fact,  I  have  never  seen  more,  if 
so  much,  energy  displayed  by  the  planters  and  farmers  of  these  two  States,  as 
has  been  this  year  in  preparing  for  a  crop. 

Very  respectfully,  &c,  F.  C.  Tatlor. 

Summerville,  Go..,  April  16,  1869. 

SORGHUM    SYRUPS    AND    SUGARS. 

Messrs.  Editors, — You  have  been  pleased  in  your  most  excellent  magazine  to 
notice  my  effort  to  introduce  to  the  farmers  of  Virginia  the  great  Southern  pro- 
cess for  making  sugar  from  sorghum  canes.  It  has  been  the  means  of  exciting 
much  interest  on  the  subject  in  different  parts,  the  editors  of  the  Repulliean 
having  received  many  letters  of  inquiry.  As  you  have  taken  some  interest  in 
this  matter,  I  take  the  liberty  of  enclosing  to  you  a  pamphlet  which  I  have 
jhst  gotten  up  containing  a  more  accurate  estimate  of  the  cost  of  machinery, 
&c.  I  likewise  enclose  you  a  sample  of  sugar,  such  as  is  being  made  every 
day,  and  can  be  made  with  entire  certainty  by  any  one  owning  and  properly 
instructed  in  the  use  of  our  process.         *        *        * 

Very  respectfully,  Th.  S.  Preston. 

Lynchburg,   Va.,  March  20,  18G9. 

[The  sample  of  sugar  sent  with  the  above  communication  is  a  sufficient  at- 
testation of  the  superiority  of  the  process  by  which  it  is  made,  and  will  tear 
favorable  comparison  with  the  best  samples  of  unrefined  brown  sugar. 

Mr.  Preston  is  8ole  agent  for  the  Southern  Process  of  Manufacturing  Syrups 
and  Sugars  from  Sorghum  Canes,  and  is  prepared  to  furnish  a  pamphlet  ex- 
plaining the  process  and  the  economic  advantage  of  making  your  own  sugar. 
Address,  Lynchburg,  Va. — Eds.  S.  P.  &  F.] 

Col.  F.  G.  Puffin— Dear  Colonel, — Please  pardon  me  for  troubling  you  so 
much ;  but  as  I  am  a  young  farmer  and  you  are  one  of  long  and  successful  ex- 
perience, I  write  to  seek  information  in  regard  to  the  treatment  of  bones.  I 
have  a  large  lot  of  them,  and  wish  to  know  the  cheapest  way  to  reduce  them 
to  powder,  <fcc. 

Your  early  answer  to  the  above  will  greatly  oblige  yours  truly, 

April  1G,  18G9. 

["Look  at  your  book,"  as  the  schoolmasters  say.  See  pp.  252-3,  April  No. 
So.  Planter  and  Farmer.'] — Eds.  S.  P.  &  F. 


Premiums  for  New  Subscribers. 
We  are  sometimes  asked,  Why  don't  you  offer  premiums  for  new  subscribers 
to  the  Southern  Planter  and  Fanner  f  We  answer,  so  we  do.  We  offer  seven 
hundred  and  sixty-eight  pages  of  choice  reading  matter,  neatly  printed  on  fine 
book  paper,  bound  in  strong  thick  covers  and  neatly  trimmed,  at  a  very  small 
fraction  over  one-fourth  of  a  cent  per  page.  The  only  additional  premium  we 
pay — an  involuntary  one,  it  is  true — is  the  premium  on  delinquency  we  pay  to 
our  sub-cribers  who  withhold  our  dues  without  interest,  whilst  the  market 
value  of  money  is  at  least  one  and  a  half  per  cent,  per  month.  We  once  saw 
a  man  selling  a  pod  of  black-eye  peas  for  sixpence,  and  give  the  purchaser  a 
premium  of  half  a  pint  of  mean  whiskey  on  each  purchase.  The  result  was  a 
marvelous  increase  of  "  black  eyes"  towards  evening. 


THE  SOUTHERN 

PLANTER  &  FARMER, 


DEVOTED  TO 


Agriculture,  Horticulture  and  the  Mining,  Mechanic  and  Household  Arts. 


Agriculture  is  the  nursing  mother  of  the  Arts.— Xexophos. 
Tillage  and  Pasturage  ai'e  the  two  breasts  of  the  State— Sully. 


CB:   B.WILLIAMS, Editor  and  Proprietor. 

FRANK  G.  RUFFIN, Co-Editor. 

New  Series.  RICHMOND,  YA..  JTN7,  18G9.  Vol.  III-Xo.  6. 

ADDRESS  OF  W,  T.  SUTHERLIN, 

PRESIDENT    OF    THE    STATE    AGRICULTURAL    SOCIETY. 


Ho  the  People  of  Virginia  : 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  "Virginia 
State  Agricultural  Society,"  recently  held  in  Richmond,  it  was 
made  my  duty  to  prepare  and  publish  an  address  to  the  people  of 
the  State,  in  behalf  of  the  interest  of  agriculture,  and  especially  in 
explanation  of  the  objects  and  aims  of  our  society  in  relation  thereto, 
and  its  consequent  claims  to  a  hearty  and  universal  public  sympathy 
and  support. 

I  feel  the  embarrassment  of  endeavoring  to  turn  the  minds  of  our 
people  from  their  political  troubles,  to  a  due  consideration  of  the 
useful  and  ennobling  pursuits  of  agriculture;  but  the  exigencies 
which  make  the  duty  difficult,  make  it  also  the  more  imperative. 

Both  in  climate  and  soil,  Virginia  is  the  most  favored  of  all  the 
States  of  the  Union;  and  when  her  boundless  resources  shall  be 
fully  developed  by  skillful  agriculture,  and  by  a  judicious  system  of 
railroads  and  canals,  she  will  be  to  her  sons  the  richest  patrimony, 
and  present  to  immigrants  the  most  inviting  field,  to  be  found  on 
this  broad  continent. 

Proper  effort  by  her  people  is  all  that  is  needed  by  Virginia,  fore- 

VOL.    Ill — 21 


322  THE    SOUTHERN  [June 

m -;;        material  prosperity  and  wealth,  as  she  confessedly  is  in  po- 
litical fame  ancf  hi  toric  renown. 

Her  creat  lines  of  internal  improvement  once  completed,  we  may 
expect  to  hear  in  every  quarter  the  inspiring  hum  of  machinery  and 
the  m  -nvil.  while  we  shall  be  cheered  by  tie  plen- 

teous bar'  I    countless   herds  which  will  everywhere  gladden 

the  b  oughout  her  rich  valleys  and  fertile  fields. 

Le:   those  who  have  in  charge  th<  enter- 

ferth  ail   their  wisdom  and   energy,  lest   others  of  more 
sacacirv  and  diligence  baffle  us  by  rival  schemes,  and  rob  our  agri- 
culture and  other  industrial  interests   of  the  great   ad  van  tag 
stake.     "Who  can  fix  a  limit  to  the  prosperity  of  Virginia  when 
onderf  ;    ire  fully  consummated  and  the  results  realized':    There 

is  Bn<  the  prospect  to  cheer  the  heart,  revive  the  hopes  and 

stimulate  the  energy  of  every  true  son  of  our  noble  mother. 

In  former  days  the  "Virginia  t  i  Agricultural  Society."'  was 
the  pride  of  the  State  and  the  admiration  of  her  neighbors.  "Why 
mav  it  BO  again  ?    The  field  for  its  usefulness  is  much  larger, 

and  the  necessity  for  its  benign  influence  much  greater  than  ever 
before.  One  of  the  chief  means  upon  which  it  relies  to  promote 
the  material  development  of  the  State  is  the  collection  for  exhibition 
once  a  vear  of  improved  implements  of  every  description,  calculated 
to  lessen  the  cost  and  increase  the  product  of  labor.  At  these  ex- 
hibitions are  to  be  seen  also  improved  breeds  of  all  kinds  of  domes- 
tic animals  to  serve  as  models  for  the  breeder,  and  often  to  secure 
dissemination  by  sale  and  purchase.  But.  perhaps,  a  still  greater 
trood  is  accomplished  by  annually  bringing  together  the  wisdom,  pa- 
triotism, energy  and  skill  of  the  State  in  grand  mat  g  for 
consultation  and  mutual  improvement,  when  the  man  of  sci 
mechanic  and  the  farmer,  can  meet  here  in  free  and  untrammeled 
intercourse  and  work  together  for  the  common  good.  No  test  oaths 
will  confront  us,  or  prevent  our  rallying  under  this  peaceful  banner. 
Here  we  may.  in  reality,  "beat  our  swords  into  plow  shares/'  and 
our  "spears  into  pruning  hooks,"  and  thus  endeavor  to  give  fresh 
impulse  to  the  industry  and  enterprise  of  our  people. 

We  cordially  invite  all  Virginians  to  meet  us  at  our  next  annual 
Fair,  to  be  held  in  the  city  of  Richmond  on  the  2d,  3d,  4th  and  5th 
davs  of  November  next,  and  to  unite  with  us  in  our  efforts  to  revive 
the  fallen  fortunes  of  our  beloved  State. 

Fellow-citizens,  we  need  and  we  earnestly  invoke  your  aid  :  we 
entreat  vou  to  help  us  in  our  endeavor  to  remove  the  hindrances 
and  lighten  the  burdens  of  our  people,  and  thus  to  contribute  to 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  823 


their  independence,  prosperity  and  happiness.  Meet  with  us  at  our 
coming  Fair,  and  permit  us,  in  welcoming  you  on  that  interesting 
occasion  as  fellow-laborers  in  our  noble  cause,  to  compliment  your 
zeal  and  purpose  of  continued  co-operation,  by  investing  you  with 
a  badge  inscribed,  "Member  of  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural  So- 
ciety;" it  will  be,  indeed,  a  badge  of  honor. 

To  maintain  a  proper  zeal  in  seeking  her  improvement,  we  desire 
that  our  people  should  feel  that,  come  what  may,  Virginia  is  their 
home  during  their  natural  lives — a  home  which  they  will  never  wil- 
lingly abandon  under  any  circumstances.  They  should  impress  this 
devotion  to  their  native  State  upon  their  children,  and  should  teach 
them,  by  their  example  as  well  as  by  precept,  that  industry  and 
economy  are  among  the  cardinal  virtues,  which  insure  respectability, 
usefulness  and  happiness.  While  thus  we  impress  upon  the  sons  of 
Virginia  the  duty  of  clinging  to  their  birthright,  we  gladly  welcome 
to  her  borders  the  citizens  of  our  less  favored  sister  States.  To  all 
who  would  seek  homes  under  our  mild  skies,  and  reinforce  our  in- 
dustries with  their  habits  of  thrift  and  diligence,  we  would  proffer 
the  offices  of  friendship  and  of  neighborly  kindness. 

In  cultivating  their  farms,  close  observation,  active  and  intelli- 
gent thought  and  frank  inquiry  are  indispensable.  They  must  be 
ever  ready  to  abandon  an  error,  however  venerable  and  antiquated, 
and  to  adopt  new  modes  and  embrace  new  ideas  whenever  they  are 
seen  to  be  better.  For  all  so  disposed  what  could  be  more  profita- 
ble than  to  meet  and  confer  with  the  best  farmers  in  the  State,  en- 
gaged in  like  pursuits  and  inquiries  with  themselves,  and  testing 
various  plans  in  search  of  the  best  ?  The  most  advantageous  suc- 
cession and  variety  of  crops  and  the  best  fertilizers  for  each,  the 
best  kinds  of  grains,  of  fruits,  of  vegetables ;  the  best  modes  of 
ploughing  and  of  draining  ;  these  and  many  other  questions  of  ex- 
treme importance  to  the  producer  will  have  shed  upon  them  a  flood 
of  light  by  just  such  conferences  as  our  annual  Fairs  are  designed 
to  secure,  a  knowledge  of  the  good  points  of  domestic  animals,  the 
best  breed  of  horses  and  other  stock,  all  very  necessary  to  a  farmer, 
can  best  be  obtained  by  observation  of  the  superior  specimens  al- 
ways exhibited  at  our  Fairs. 

Our  Society  has  for  one  of  its  objects  the  arousing  of  our  people 
to  the  importance  of  increasing  the  skill  of  our  labor,  and  enlarg- 
ing the  variety  of  our  products.  So  long  as  we  buy  our  horses, 
mules  and  bacon  from  the  West,  and  so  long  as  almost  every  ar- 
ticle used  on  our  farms  or  about  our  houses,  from  a  threshing  ma- 
chine to  an  axle-helve,  and  from  a  dress  coat  to  a  tooth-pick,  comes 


324  THE   SOUTHERN  [June 

from  New  England,  we  may  expect  to  groan  under  the  evils  of  pov- 
erty, which  we  will  doubtless  be  always  ready  to  attribute  to  our 
bad  luck  rather  than  to  our  bad  management. 

The  diligent  and  iudicious  cultivation  of  the  soil  is  now  our  main 
hope ;  whatever  else  may  succeed,  this  cannot  be  neglected  without 
bringing  desolation  upon  our  cities  and  towns,  as  well  as  upon  our  ru- 
ral districts.  "We  regard  the  reorganization  of  the  State  Agricultural 
Society  at  this  time,  therefore,  as  a  most  important  move  toward3 
warding  off  the  danger  that  threatens  us,  and  we  cannot  afford  to 
fail. 

Come  to  our  Fair  and  witness  all  that  genius,  science  and  skill 
can  accomplish  to  lighten  the  burdens  and  cheapen  the  cost  of  farm- 
ing. Come  and  see  the  great  improvements  which  have  been  made 
in  machinery  of  every  kind,  by  which  one  man  is  enabled  to  do  the 
work  of  ten.  Come  and  feast  your  eyes  on  the  collection  of  im- 
proved breeds  of  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  hogs  and  poultry  of  every 
kind  that  will  contribute  to  the  interest  of  the  occasion.  Come  and 
examine  the  steam  plough,  the  portable  engine  for  farm  purposes,  the 
corn  shucker  and  sheller,  the  ditching  machine  and  every  other  im- 
proved agricultural  implement  by  which  your  labor  may  be  lessened 
and  your  profits  increased. 

We  desire  to  see  there  the  old  men  and  the  young,  the  mothers 
and  the  maidens  from  every  section  of  our  State.  They  will  all  be 
benefitted  by  the  exhibition ;  they  will  return  to  their  homes  better 
and  wiser  than  when  they  came ;  they  will  be  more  hopeful,  more 
cheerful,  more  useful,  and  will  live  longer,  and  be  happier  than  they 
who  neglect  to  avail  themselves  of  the  benefits,  as  well  as  the  pleas- 
ure, which  will  be  thus  afforded. 

We  feel  warranted  in  expressing  the  confidpnt  opinion  that  our 
next  Fair  will  equal,  if  not  surpass,  in  interest  and  in  the  variety  of 
articles  on  exhibition,  as  well  as  in  the  number  of  persons  who  will 
be  present,  any  ever  before  held  in  the  State.  We  expect  to  see 
there  many  persons  from  other  States,  and  we  cordially  invite  them 
to  contribute  of  their  industry  and  skill  to  the  interest  of  the  occa- 
sion. We  desire  that  they,  as  well  as  our  own  people,  shall  witness 
what  Virginians  and  Virginia  soil  are  capable  of  doing. 

The  exhibition  of  the  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society 
(which  will  unite  with  us  in  the  Fair)  will  of  itself  amply  compen-. 
sate  the  ladies  for  a  trip  to  Richmond.  From  the  known  ability  and 
energy  of  its  managers,  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  their  exhibition 
will  far  surpass  anything  of  the  kind  ever  witnessed  in  Virginia. 

It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  state  that  the  General  Govern- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  325 

merit  has  established  at  Washington,  upon  an  enlarged  scale,  an 
Agricultural  Bureau,  under  the  management  of  Hon.  Horace 
Capron,  a  most  accomplished  and  polite  gentleman,  who  will  always 
interest  such  of  our  people  visiting  that  city  as  may  call  on  him. 
On  a  recent  visit  to  the  capital  of  the  country  I  saw  Virginia  rep- 
resented nowhere  else.  I  doubt  not  that  this  important  bureau  will 
prove  of  immense  value  to  the  country. 

We  have  observed  with  much  pleasure  the  suggestion  through  the 
press  to  revive  the  Mechanics  Association,  which,  for  many  years, 
reflected  so  much  honor  upon  the  city  of  Richmond,  and  also  to 
erect  a  large  hall  on  the  Fair  Grounds  for  the  exhibition  of  various' 
articles  of  Virginia  manufacture.  I  feel  assured  that  every  neces- 
sary facility  will  be  afforded  for  the  encouragement  of  such  an  un- 
dertaking. 

Our  Society  desire  not  only  that  this  valuable  organization  shall  be 
re-established  upon  a  prosperous  and  enduring  basis,  but  they  would 
be  rejoiced  to  see  that,  through  its  influence,  thousands  of  our  boys 
who  are  now  growing  up  in  idleness  shall  learn  useful  trades,  and  so 
become  useful  men  of  business  as  well  as  respectable  and  useful 
members  of  society. 

The  press,  in  times  past,  contributed  greatly  to  the  success  of  our 
fairs.  Skilled,  as  its  conductors  have  always  been,  in  the  art  of  ex- 
citing public  interest  in  behalf  of  any  enterprise  which  they  may 
favor,  generally  men  of  public  spirit,  commendably  desirous  to  con- 
tribute to  whatever  tends  to  the  development  of  the  resources  of  the 
State,  it  was  naturally  to  be  expected  that  they  would  exert  their 
talents  and  influence  in  the  cause  of  Agriculture. 

We  will  not  suppose  that  they  will  do  less  now,  when  all  the  pa- 
triotism and  all  the  effort  of  all  our  people  are  required  to  carry  us 
successfully  through  the  troubles  that  are  upon  us. 

We  earnestly  invite  the  cordial  co-operation  of  all  kindred  socie- 
ties in  the  State  in  our  efforts  to  revive  the  time-honored  institution 
committed  to  our  charge.  Let  us  labor  together  for  the  common 
benefit  of  all  our  people,  and  a  better  day  will  soon  dawn  upon  us 
— when  the  cloud  which  now  overshadows  us  shall  give  place  to  the 
bright  sunlight  of  a  day  of  prosperity  and  gladness. 

As  in  no  other  important  undertaking  which  looks  to  the  improve- 
ment of  our  condition,  so  neither  in  this  can  we  hope  for  success 
without  the  co-operation  and  aid  of  Woman,  who  is  ever  ready  to 
engage  in  every  good  work.  Her  superior  energy,  tact  and  forti- 
tude are  well  known  and  cheerfully  confessed.  We  may  yield  to 
difficulties  and  give  way  to  despair — she,  ever  unappalled  by  the  most 


326  THE  SOUTHERN  rJune 


adverse  circumstances,  undismayed  by  any  difficulty,  rises  supe- 
rior to  every  obstacle,  and  triumphs  even  in  defeat.  We  invoke 
her  encouragement  and  support  in  our  labor  of  love  and  duty.  We 
ask  her  not  only  to  grace  our  fairs  by  her  presence  and  her  smiles 
of  approbation,  but  we  solicit  liberal  contributions  of  her  handiwork 
for  exhibition  on  that  occasion. 

Agents  will  be  appointed  in  the  various  portions  of  the  State  to 
canvass  for  members  for  our  Society.  Twenty  dollars  will  constitute 
a  person  a  life  member,  and  two  dollars  will  confer  annual  member- 
ship. These  sums  are  so  small,  and  the  interest  to  be  promoted  so 
vast,  that  we  confidently  appeal  to  every  professional  man,  every 
mechanic,  and  every  commercial  man,  as  well  as  to  every  farmer  in 
Virginia,  to  enter  his  name  upon  our  roll  of  members. 

Arrangements  will,  in  due  time,  be  made  with  the  various  rail- 
roads, steamship  companies  and  other  lines  of  travel,  to  furnish 
transportation  to  persons  and  articles  to  and  from  the  fair  on  the 
most  favorable  terms.  A  very  liberal  spirit  has  been  manifested  by 
the  companies  with  which  we  have  already  communicated. 

To  ensure  the  success  of  a  fair  we  must  have  not  only  an  attrac- 
tive exhibition  arid  a  large  attendance,  but  promptness  and  dispatch 
in  the  management  of  its  business.  In  order  to  have  the  most  suit- 
able  persons  on  the  several  committees  of  awards,  upon  the  proper 
discharge  of  whose  duties  depends  in  so  great  degree  the  success  of 
the  exhibition,  their  selection  has  been  specially  assigned  to  a  spe- 
cial committee,  who,  it  is  hoped,  will  be  able  to  compose  these  com- 
mittees of  competent  persons,  representing  every  portion  of  the 
State. 

In  conclusion,  we  would  once  more  impress  upon  our  people  the 
truth,  too  often  disregarded,  that  whilst  Providence  has  been  most 
lavish  in  His  bounties  in  bestowing  on  Virginia  a  genial  climate,  a 
fertile  soil,  boundless  forests,  and  water-power  sufficient  to  turn  all 
the  spindles  of  the  world,  these  gifts  bring  blessings  to  us  not  when 
we  are  sluggards,  but  when  we  are  diligent  to  turn  them  to  our  own 
profit  and  use. 

On  behalf  of  the  Executive  Committee. 

W.   T.  SUTHBRLIF,  President. 


"Pvashness  is  the  fruitful  parent  of  misfortune." 
"Set  not  every  one's  dial  by  your  own  watch." 
"Three  may  keep  counsel  if  two  be  away." 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  327 


Farming  as  a  Profession. 

It  is  a  serious  question  with  the  sons  of  farmers  whether  they 
shall  remain  on  the  old  homestead  and  thoroughly  learn  farming,  or 
go  into  some  other  business.  This  question  has  two  sides  to  ir.  and 
mng  man  possessed  of  a  good  education  and  smart  natural 
abilities,  has  strong,  powerful  reasons  for  quitting  the  farm  and  try- 
in  or  his  fortune  in  some  other  avocation. 

In  the  first  place,  the  old  homestead,  in  most  cases,  will  not  sup- 
port more  than  one  family ;  and  where  there  are  several  grown-up 
sons  upon  a  farm,  it  becomes  a  necessity  for  some  of  them  to  ei 
in  other  business.  They  may  not  become  rich,  but  the  world  is  be- 
fore them,  and  if  they  are  industrious  and  economical  they  will  al- 
ways succeed  in  obtaining  a  living;  and  in  many  cases  will  rise  to 
stations  of  high  merit,  and  also  become  wealthy. 

If  there  be  but  one  or  two  sons  on  the  farm,  and  the  parents  are 
eld.  and  the  farm  large,  and  the  business  prosperous,  out  of  debt, 
&c,  it  may  be  well  for  the  sous  to  remain  and  work  it,  if  they  are 
strong  and  healthy,  and  have  no  particular  aversion  to  farming  ; 
but  if  they  4,hate  farming,"  and  take  but  little  interest  and  pleas- 
ure in  growing  the  various  crops  of  a  farm,  the  sooner  they  leave 
it  the  better,  provided  that  they  find  some  honorable  employment, 
with  a  compensation  that  enables  them  to  live  respectably. 

Some  farmers'  sons  leave  home  to  become  clerks  in  village  stores, 
frequently  some  petty  grocery  or  saloon,  or  bar-keepers  in  hotels. 
This  is  the  worst  step  that  they  can  take.  To  be  a  clerk  in  a  re- 
spect ible  country  store,  however,  is  not  objectionable,  as  it  may 
lead  to  a  partnership  in  the  business,  or  to  setting  up  business  for 
one's  self,  and  becoming  an  honorable,  useful  member  of  society  ; 
but  to  accept  a  situation  in  a  '■''saloon'  or  "bar-room,"  or  petty 
thop,  would  be  the  worst  act  a  young  man  could  do.  The  chances 
for  rising  in  the  world — obtaining  better  situations — would  be 
small :  because  nothing  is  so  damaging  to  the  character  of  a  young 
man  as  the  fact  that  he  is  employed  in  a  disreputable  business.  A 
"saloon"  may  be  a  respectable  place;  so  may  be  a  petty  grocery 
store  ;  but  when  a  smart,  active,  honest  young  man  is  wanted,  he  is 
seldo:u  or  never  taken  from  such,  places. 

The  best  thing  a  farmer  can  do  for  his  sons,  at  the  proper  age,  is 
to  give  them  a  thorough  education.  Send  them  to  some  good  col- 
lege, if  you  can  afford  it,  and  if  they  improve  their  time  at  such  an 
institution,  by  learning  all  they  can,  you  will  never  regret  sending 
them  there.  They  may  not  become  clergymen,  lawyers,  physicians, 
ic, 'but  they  will  be  the  better  fitted  for  any  avocation  in  life,  and 


328  THE   SOUTHERN  [June 

no  vicissitude  or  fortune  can  ever  take  away  the  education  thus  ac- 
quired. 

In  brief,  all  farmers'  sons  cannot  be  farmers,  because  there  are 
not  farms  enough  for  them  to  work,  unless  they  go  upon  the  Gov- 
ernment lands  at  the  far  West,  which  is  not  a  proper  place  for  any 
young  man  until  he  is  married  ;  and  then  but  few  can  endure  the 
hardships  of  a  life  far  away  from  society  and  friend=.  It  is  better 
for  farmers  to  prepare  their  sons  by  education  for  other  avocations 
in  life,  retaining  one  to  work  the  old  homestead  when  they  are 
passed  away,  and  allow  the  others — where  there  are  several — to 
seek  other  honorable  and  useful  pursuits  of  life. 

It  is  true  very  strong  arguments  can  be  adduced  to  show  that 
farmers'  sons  should  remain  farmers  for  life.  Horace  Greeley  says  : 

"The  demand  for  intellectual  labor  or  its  products,  and  even  for 
mercantile  capacity,  is  exceedingly  capricious.  In  a  season  of  com- 
mercial prosperity,  a  great  city  affords  employment  to  thousands  as 
clerks,  book-keepers,  teachers  of  music,  languages,  etc.,  etc.,  wl  o 
will  nearly  all  be  left  high  and  dry  by  the  ebb  of  the  tide.  War, 
pestilence,  a  bad  harvest,  a  business  revulsion,  throws  them  sudden- 
ly out  of  employment,  and  no  merit  or  excellence  on  their  part  can 
avert  the  catastrophe.  I  would  have  every  one  so  armed  and  equip- 
ped for  the  battle  of  life  that,  if  suddenly  unhorsed,  he  can  fight 
on  efficiently  and  undisinayedly  on  foot. 

"The  professions  are  fearfully  overcrowded.  A  Western  village 
is  half  peopled  by  doctors,  lawyers  and  clergymen,  w7ho  have  rush- 
ed in  ahead  of  the  expected  flood  of  immigration.  Like  miners  in 
the  Sierra  Nevada  or  Rocky  Mountains,  they  have  severally  staked 
out  their  claims,  and  are  waiting  for  others  to  come  in  and  help  de- 
velop and  work  them  to  mutual  profit.  But  'while  the  grass  grovs 
the  steed  starves.'  Whatever  may  be  their  fortune  ten  or  twenty 
years  hence — and  events  are  constantly  interposing  to  blast  their 
sanguine  hopes — doctor,  law?yer,  minister,  are  often  winning  but  a 
meagre,  precarious  support  for  the  present.  'I  cannot  dig;  to  beg 
I  am  ashamed,'  is  the  plaint  which  many  would  utter  if  they  could 
afford  to  be  frank  and  outspoken.  Thousands  suffer  and  stagger 
on,  oppressed  by  want  and  ever-increasing  debt,  who  would  gladly 
take  refuge  in  productive  industry  if  they  had  been  trained  to  fa- 
miliarity with  pitchforks  and  plough-handles.  They  would  outgrow 
their  present  embarrassments  if  it  were  not  for  the  new  doctors, 
lawyers  and  clergymen  annually  ground  out  to  compete  with  them 
for  practice  or  parishes,  and  whose  training  is  as  helplessly  one- 
sided as  their  own." 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  329 


This  is  all  true ;  yet,  as  we  have  already  said,  all  farmers'  sons 
cannot  be  farmers.  To  work  by  the  month  on  a  farm  but  barely 
keeps  soul  and  body  together,  and  few  farmers  can  furnish  land  to 
support  all  their  sons. — Rural  American. 


Care  of    Hogs  in  Summer. 

As  a  rule,  the  only  care  hogs  receive  is  confined  to  the  narrow- 
compass  of  a  few  weeks  before  slaughtering  them.  During  this 
brief  period  they  make  up  in  stuffing  for  the  time  that  was  lost  in 
the  starvation  period.  From  October  to  Christmas  they  enjoy  a 
perpetual  thanksgiving  to  compensate  for  the  protracted  Lent, 
which  occupies  the  remainder  of  the  year.  It  is  not  wonderful  that 
an  Irishman,  who  observed  this  practice  for  the  first  time,  should 
write  to  his  friends  in  the  Emerald  Isle,  "that  in  America  they 
drive  in  a  hog  from  the  woods  where  he  has  been  for  a  year,  feed 
him  twenty  bushels  of  corn  at  night  and  kill  him  the  next  morn- 
ing." It  is  true  the  account  was  exaggerated,  as  most  stories  are 
that  are  told  of  things  at  a  remote  distance,  but  after  all,  it  had  its 
foundation  in  fact. 

This  neglectful  method  of  raising  swine,  has  been  occasioned 
heretofore  by  the  large  number  of  hogs  which  were  in  the  country, 
the  ease  with  which  they  were  raised,  and  the  small  price  they 
brought  when  fattened  and  sent  to  market.  It  is  true  a  little  atten- 
tion might  have  saved  many  a  litter  of  pigs  from  being  crushed, 
drowned  or  devoured  at  the  season  of  farrowing,  but  then  this  sav- 
ing of  a  dozen  young  porkers  was  not  considered  worth  the  trouble 
of  furnishing  quarters  for  them  or  of  staying  out  in  the  rain  a  few 
hours.  It  is  true  that  many  thrifty  farmers,  who  delighted  in  see-' 
ing  their  other  animals  in  prime  condition,  would  let  their  hogs 
make  both  night  and  day  hideous  in  their  cry  for  food,  and  would 
console  themselves  with  the  reflection  that  it  was  in  the  nature  of 
the  animal  to  squeal. 

But  the  time  has  now  come,  if  it  never  did  before,  when  it  will 
pay  to  take  care  of  hogs  through  the  entire  stages  of  their  exist- 
ence. Pork  has  changed  from  a  drug  in  the  market  to  a  luxury. — 
And  this  article  of  food  that  is  only  furnished  at  the  price  of  out- 
of-season  luxuries  happens  to  be  one  that  is  regarded  by  many  as 
one  of  the  essentials  of  life.  With  us  in  the  West  pork  has  been 
so  long  one  of  the  staples  in  the  farmer's  bill  of  fare,  that  we  can- 
not well  substitute  anything  else  for  it;  while  in  thet South  we  are 
informed  that  every  attempt  to  supply  the  colored  laborers  with 
other  food  in  the  place  of  pork  has  proved  unsatisfactory. 


330  THE  SOUTHERN  [June 

How.  then,  shall  we  bring  up  our  hog  crop  to  anything  like  the 
amount  it  was  in  former  days  ?  Evidently  by  giving  to  the  hog 
something  of  the  care  and  attention  that  is  ordinarily  bestowed  on 
other  animals.  Mo  man  would  think  of  turning  a  brood  mare  out 
into  the  highway  or  wet  pasture,  with  no  food  except  what  she  is 
able  to  pick  up,  for  a  week  or  two  before  and  after  the  time  she 
drops  her  colt ;  and  yet  this  is  a  frequent  practice  in  relation  to 
the  breeding  sow,  a  creature  which  bears  not  a  single  animal  at  a 
birth,  but  often  ten  or  a  dozen.  Will  farmers  never  think  that  the 
foetal  growth  of  so  many  young  requires  more  and  better  sustenance 
than  an  animal  as  badly  constructed  for  locomotion  as  the  hog  is, 
particularly  at  an  advanced  stage  of  pregnancy,  can  possibly  pick  up 
in  a  small  pasture,  or  can  secure  by  racing  or  fighting  with  others 
of  her  kind  in  a  yard  where  corn  is  thrown  to  them  ?  To  raise 
good  pigs,  as  to  raise  other  animals,  boys  and  girls  included,  it  is  of 
prime  necessity  that  attention  be  given  to  the  wants  and  condition 
of  the  mother. 

Again,  pigs  require  sustenance  after  they  are  born,  and  this  they 
derive,  as  other  young  animals  do,  from  their  mother.  Now,  who 
has  thought,  or  spoken,  or  written  on  the  subject  of  the  supply  of 
milk — sow's  milk — for  young  pigs  ?  And  yet  it  is  a  matter  of  prime 
importance,  since  the  milk  of  no  other  animal  is  identical  in  compo- 
sition with  that  of  the  sow  :  and  even  if  it  was,  the  young  pig  is 
not  able  to  take  its  supply  of  nourishment,  except  through  the  teats. 
We  need,  therefore,  in  order  to  become  successful  pig  raisers,  to 
give  attention  to  making  the  sow  a  fine  milk-producing  animal.  We 
need  to  study,  as  the  dairy  farmer  does,  how  to  secure  the  largest 
amount  of  the  richest  and  most  nutritious  milk,  and  how  to  continue 
its  yield  to  the  longest  period,  to  the  end  that  the  numerous  hog- 
gish brothers  and  sisters  may  have  for  a  considerable  period,  an 
ample  supply  of  the  [nutriment  which  is  best  adapted  to  their 
growth,  and  which  alone  contains  all  the  elements  needed  to  their 
complete  development.  That  this  is  not  the  case  ordinarily,  every 
one  who  has  had  experience  in  breeding  pigs  must  have  noticed. 
The  calf,  lamb,  colt  and  kid  often  fill  themselves  to  repletion  and 
scamper  off  before  the  dam's  udder  is  drained,  but  frith  rare  excep- 
tion, the  swine  mother  is  obliged  to  drive  away  her  tender  offspring 
or  "turn  them  the  cold  shoulder''  long  before  their  appetite  is  ap- 
peased, as  is  evidenced  by  their  piteous  and  unmelodious  cries.  In 
this  manner  the  pigs  are  stunted,  their  childhood  clouded,  and  their 
fair  prospects  darkened  at  their  very  outset  in  this  world  of  care ; 
for  every  one  knows  that  a  stunted  pig  is  not  likely  to  make  a  first- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  331 

class  hog.  Hog-breeders  might  learn  much  that  would  be  of  ad- 
vantage to  them  by  reading  the  proceedings  of  the  dairymen's  con- 
ventions, and  seeing  the  kinds  of  food  they  recommend  for  pro- 
ducing and  keeping  up  the  supply  of  milk.  They  will  find  out,  if 
they  do  not  know  it  already,  that  damp,  dirty  quarters,  a  stinted 
amount  of  food,  and  that,  mostly  dry  corn,  are  things  unfavorable 
to  producing  much  milk,  or  that  which  is  of  a  very  good  quality. 
On  the  other  hand,  they  will  learn  that  clean,  dry  quarters,  pure 
water,  bran,  middlings,  oil-cake,  tender  grass,  clover  and  young 
corn  are  reckoned  among  the  requisites  for  producing  rich  milk,  and 
that  in  abundance. 

After  weaning  time,  which,  in  our  judgment,  should  not  be  has- 
tened, unless  the  sow  is  regarded  as  of  more  value  than  her  litter 
of  pigs,  the  food  should  be  such  as  to  develop  muscle  rather  than  to 
cause  a  deposit  of  fat.  The  hog,  then,  should  be  supplied  with  ma- 
terials that' abound  in  nitrogen,  rather  than  with  those  which  are 
rich  in  carbon.  On  this  account  clover  is  excellent,  as  are  green 
corn  stalks,  root  crops  and  any  portion  of  the  cereal  grains.  Skim- 
med milk,  too,  and  buttermilk  are  among  the  best  flesh  formers,  but 
in  this  respect  whey  is  nearly  valueless,  as  nearly  all  its  nitrogen- 
ized  elements  have  been  removed  in  the  curd. — Prairie  Farmer. 


[A  Shot  into  the  Citadel  of  Humbuggery]— New  Seeds  and  Plants. 

To  the  Editor  of  The  Tribune  : 

Sir, — You  and  all  your  intelligent  readers  are  no  doubt  familiar 
with  the  name  of  my  venerable  ancestor,  the  celebrated  traveler, 
Mr.  Gulliver.  About  two  centuries  ago  one  of  his  sons  emigrated 
to  this  country,  and  although  be  did  not  come  over  in  the  May- 
flower, as  he  should  have  clone,  his  family  has  ever  since  held  a 
prominent  rank  among  the  most  industrious  and  progressive  of 
American  citizens.  As  sometimes  happens,  the  idiosyncrasies  of 
my  great  progenitor,  after  slumbering  through  several  generations, 
early  reappeared  in  me.  The  love  of  foreign  travel,  which  was  so 
conspicuous  in  him,  I  began  to  feel  in  my  very  boyhood,  and  I  have 
spent  the  greater  part  of  the  last  twenty  years  in  visiting  distant 
lands.  My  distinguished  progenitor  traveled  chiefly,  however,  to 
gratify  a  laudable  curiosity  and  make  himself  acquainted  with  the 
different  races,  and  the  manners  and  customs  of  mankind.  Living 
in  a  better  age,  I  have  traversed  almost  the  whole  habitable  earth 
for  the  nobler  purpose  of  discovering  and  transferring  to  my  be- 
loved country  whatever  in  the  animal  or  vegetable  kingdoms  could 


332  THE    SOUTHERN  [Ji 


contribute  to  its  material  prosperity,  or  add  in  any  way  to  the  wel- 
fare and  happiness  of  my  fellow-citizens.  While  I  have  been 
abroad  in  the  earnest  pursuit  of  these  objects,  my  brother,  Ben- 
jamin Franklin,  has  been  as  earnestly  experimenting  with  whatever 
I  had  the  good  fortune  to  meet  with  in  foreign  lands  that  I  deemed 
worthy  of  notice,  and  determining  how  far  they  might  be  adapted 
to  American  soil  and  climate-  It  was  myself,  you  may  remember, 
who  introduced  the  Shanghais  and  Burmah-Pootras,  and  several 
other  varieties  of  the  gallinaceous  tribe. 

And  now,  having  said  so  much  of  myself,  by  way  of  introduc- 
tion, I  beg  leave  to.  bring  to  the  notice  of  my  fellow-citizens, 
through  your  columns,  some  of  the  fruits  of  my  recent  efforts.  At 
present  I  mention  only  a  few  of  the  most  useful  seeds  and  plants 
which  my  tireless  industry  and  enterprise  are  about  to  confer  upon 
the  agricultural  world.  My  labor,  I  beg  you  to  understand,  has 
been  eminently  a  labor  of  love.  All  I  ask  of  the  great  country  I 
am  about  to  enrich  is  the  public  gratitude,  which  I  am  happy  to  see 
is  not  withheld  from  any  one  who,  in  the  most  accidental  way, 
makes  a  useful  discovery  or  adds  a  new  means  or  incentive  to  im- 
provement and  progress.  With  these  preliminary  remarks  I  now 
proceed  to  mention  three  or  four  only  of  my  truly  wonderful  dis- 
coveries.    And 

First,  I  would  call  attention  to  a  new  and  remarkable  variety  of 
the  potato — one  of  the  most  useful  of  vegetables,  the  common 
blessing  of  the  rich  and  the  poor — which  I  had  the  good  fortune  to 
meet  with  on  the  plains  of  Quito,  South  America.  It  is  of  good 
size,  though  not  a  monster,  of  very  handsome  form,  in  color  a  pure 
white,  very  fine  for  the  table,  astonishingly  early,  and  immensely 
productive.  It  will  give  ripened  tubers  in  eight  weeks  from  plant- 
ing,-and  what  is  remarkable  it  continues  to  throw  out  and  ripen 
new  tubers  till  the  very  close  of  the  season.  We  have  cultivated 
it  now  in  a  small  way  for  three  years  with  the  highest  success.  Last 
Spring  I  gave  my  neighbor,  John  Smith,  E-q..  a  single  eye,  and  the 
following  note,  received  from  him  immediately  after  the  final  har- 
vest, will  show  the  result.  Mr.  Smith,  I  may  observe,  is  one  of  the 
most  intelligent  and  successful  farmers,  and  President  of  our  Agri- 
cultural Society,  whose  word  is  as  good  as  his  bond : 

"Mr.  Gulliver — Dear  Sir  :  The  single  eye  of  your  Quito  po- 
tato, which  you  had  the  goodness  to  give  me  last  Spring,  I  planted 
in  my  garden  on  the  20th  of  April.  It  came  up  and  grew  well.  I 
gave  it  no  better  cultivation  than  is  generally  accorded  to  potatoes 
in  the  garden.     On  the  17th  of  June  I  could  not  resist  the  tempta- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  £33 


tion  to  look  into  the  hill.  Carefully  opening  it,  judge  of  my  sur- 
prise to  find  several  beautiful  potatoes  of  good  size  and  apparently 
ripe.  I  took  six,  and  then  closed  the  hill  as  before.  My  wife  cooked 
them,  and  I  never  ate  finer  potatoes.  Without  losing  their  form 
they  were  like  the  most  delicious  flour.  A  few  days  after  I  opened 
the  other  side  of  the  hill  and  took  out  thirteen.  They  made  us 
two  meals.  At  various  times  afterward  I  took  out  from  five  to  fif- 
teen, so  that,  before  the  final  digging,  I  had  gathered  111  good 
sized  potatoes.  Lust  Monday,  as  the  frost  had  killed  the  vines,  I 
thought  I  would  take  up  what  few  might  remain,  and,  would  you 
believe  it  ?  I  dug  'three  pecks  and  more,  weighing  49  pounds  and 
11  ounces;  I  shall  save  these  for  seed,  and  shall  want  a  barrel 
more,  if  you  can  possibly  spare  them,  for  my  wife  says,  next  year 
let  us  have  potatoes  enough  and  to  spare.         Tours  truly, 

"John  Smith." 
Of  these   really   marvellous  potatoes  we   have  only  200   barrels, 
which,  for  the  purpose  of  making  the  widest  distribution  possible,  I 
offer  at  the  following  very  low  prices,  viz  : 

1  oz..  containing  at  least  one  eye $  5 

l'pound , 

2  pounds 

Half  peck,  or  7|  pounds 200 

I  regret  that  we  cannot  offer  them  by  the  barrel,  or  at  least  by 
the  bushel,  but  we  do  not  wish  them  to  get  into  the  hands  of  un- 
principled speculators.  Already  this  class  of  men  have  offered  us 
§1,000  per  barrel  for  our  whole  stock,  but  we  are  resolved  to  confer 
a  great  benefit  on  the  public,  and  therefore  shall  sell  in  Cjuantities 
no  larger  than  half  a  peck.  Introduced  as  extensively  as  we  pro- 
pose, the  effect  of  this  potato  on  the  wealth  and  agricultural  interests 
of  the  country  must  be  incalculable.  After  the  second  years  cul- 
tivation we  may  bid  defiance  to  famine,  and  were  all  Ireland  to  be 
precipitated  upon  our  shores  in  a  single  month,  not  a  son  or  daugh- 
ter of  Erin  would  want  for  potatoes  !  Let  me  add  that  I  have  ven- 
tured to  name  this  king  of  potatoes  the  Quito  Imperial. 

Second.  In  my  last  visit  to  the  Island  of  Formosa,  I  was  so  for- 
tunate as  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  Prince  Linn,  who,  bv  the 
way,  is  a  most  intelligent  and  enthusiastic  horticulturist,  second  to 
no  one  probably  in  the  world.  He  takes  great  interest  in  our  coun- 
try;  subscribes  for  all  our  agricultural  papers  which  have  attained 
the  circulation  of  a  hundred  thousand  copies,  and  is  introducing 
into  Formosa  all  our  wonderful  improvements.  He  showed  me 
many  civilities,  and  as  a  small  return,  he  said,  for  all  the  benefits  we 
were  conferring  agriculturally  upon  his  beloved  island,  he  gave  me 


334  THE  SOUTHERN  [June 

from  his  own  garden  a  single  plant  of  bis  favorite  Strawberry, 
which  I  have  named  after  its  donor,  Prince  Linn.  It  is  a  strong 
grower,  with  robust  fruit  stalks,  and  so  prolific  that  a  single  healthy 
stool  is  sufficient  for  an  ordinary  family.  The  fruit  is  a  beautiful 
cone  of  a  brilliant  color,  with  flesh  firm,  yet  melting  in  the  mouth, 
and  of  so  delicious  a  flavor  that  he  who  has  once  tasted  of  the 
Prince  Linn  will  never  wish  to  eat  again  of  the  acid  Wilson,  or  the 
insipid  Agriculturist,  or,  indeed,  any — even  the  finest  of  cur  fash- 
ionable berries.  The  sweet  and  the  sour  in  its  marvellous  com}: 
tion  seem  to  be  so  admirably  blended  that  any  addition  to  either 
would  only  mar  its  superlative  excellence.  Sugar  is  never  used 
with  it,  and  cream  would  only  detract  from  its  unparalleled  deli- 
ciousness.  It  has  only  one  fault,  if,  indeed,  it  is  a  fault,  for  on 
this  point  alone  can  the  judgment  of  men  differ:  it  seems  to  me  a 
trifle  too  large,  especially  for  ladies  to  eat  without  dividing,  since 
ten  or  twelve  will  ordinarily  fill  a  pint  basket.  I  ought  to  remark 
that  this  strawberry  keeps  in  full  bearing  for  at  least  ten  weeks — a 
consideration  not  to  be  overlooked  by  the  lovers  of  this  delicious 
fruit.  Unfortunately,  we  have  only  15,000  or  20.000  of  these  re- 
markable plants,  which  I  propose  almost  to  give  away  at  §20  each, 
or  §150  a  dozen. 

Third.  From  Kamschatka  I  brought,  four  years  ago,  a  new  va- 
riety of  Oats,  that  on  our  experimental  farm  has  proved  a  wonder- 
ful success.  In  weight  and  productiveness  it  far  surpasses,  I  will 
venture  to  say,  every  other  kind  of  oat  in  the  known  world.  The 
kernel  is  very  plump  and  large,  white,  with  a  tinge  of  yellow,  with 
a  hull  so  thin  and  transparent  that  one  is  with  difficulty  persuaded 
without  trying  his  teeth  that  it  has  any  hull  at  all.  Their  average 
weight  is  57J  pounds  to  the  bushel,  and  I  hardly  dare  tell  you  of 
their  product  lest  you  should  suspect  me  of  some  little  exaggera- 
tion. But  facts  are  facts,  notwithstanding  unworthy  suspicions  and 
incredulity.  Last  year  we  sowed  upon  our  farm  here,  on  corn  stub- 
ble, ordinarily  manured  the  previous  year,  a  single  acre,  carefully 
measured  by  Squire  Jones,  one  of  our  county  surveyors,  who,  also, 
at  my  request,  attended  to  the  harvesting,  thrashing,  cleaning  and 
measuring  of  the  crop,  and  whose  affidavit  is  now  in  my  posses- 
sion ;  and  he  makes  oath  to  the  astonishing  fact  that  from  that 
single  acre  he  measured  up  of  remarkably  clean  and  handsome 
oat3  297  bushels,  3  pecks,  1  quart  and  i  pint !  I  have  this  whole 
crop,  and  about  500  bushels  from  another  field,  now  for  sale  ;  but, 
in  justice  to  all  my  fellow-citizens,  must  sell  in  no  larger  quantities 
than  one  gill  to  each  purchaser,  and  this  I  will  send  by  mail,  neatly 


1839.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  335 


and  securely  done  up,  on  the  receipt  of  §1,  and  four  cents  in  post- 
age stomps.  I  should  observe  that  [these  oats  grow  with  such  vigor 
and  tiller  so  wonderfully  that  a  peck  of  seed  is  amply  sufficient  to 
sow  an  acre.  For  making  Scotch  "porritch,"  Scotch  cakes,  and,  in- 
deed, every  kind  of  bread,  these  oats  have  no  rival.  If  they  can- 
not be  raised  in  Scotland,  then  all  Scotland  must  emigrate  to  this 
more  fortunate  country.  I  call  these  oats  the  Royal  Kataschatkas. 
Beyond  all  doubt,  they  can  he  successfully  cultivated  in  Alaska, 
and  will  give  a  new  and  an  immense  value  to  those  recently  ac- 
quired possessions.  Indeed,  it  will  be  no  betrayal  of  confidence  to 
say  that  my  suggestion  of  this  fact  determined  the  purchase  of  this 
territory  by  the  United  States  Government.  Had  I  whispered  the 
thing  to  my  friend,  the  Emperor  of  Russia,  §50,000,000  would  not 
have  tempted  him  to  sell  that  attractive  country. 

I  was  about  to  speak  of  some  other  valuable  acquisitions  I  have 
made,  but  fear  I  have  already  trespassed  too  far  upon  the  columns 
of  the  Tribune.  Hereafter  I  may  call  attention  to  some  other  of 
the  wonders  of  our  experimental  farm.  By  the  way,  Mr.  Greeley 
or  your  agricultural  editor  must  come  and  see  what  we  have  here. 
The  sight  would  well  repay  the  time,  as  it  would  show,  as  no  news- 
paper article  can  do,  the  enterprise,  the  energy  and  the  success  that 
have  marked  the  long  career  of  yours,  with  great  consideration, 

George  Washington  Gulliver. 

Gulliversville,  N.  F.,  May  1,  1869. 

P.  S. — I  should  be  doing  an  injustice  were  I  to  omit  saying  that 
during  all  my  foreign  travels  I  have  always  been  supplied  with  ex- 
cellent tea  and  coffee,  "of  full  strength,"  from  the  Great  American 
Tea  Warehouse,  and  have  preserved  my  health  in  all  climates  by 
carrying  a  box  of  Dr.  Ayer's  celebrated  Pills,  with  a  bottle  of  his 
Cherry  Pectoral,  and  for  an  occasional  tonic  making  use  of  Hos- 
tetter's  Stomach  Bitters,  with  now  and  then  an  odd  glass  of  the  old 
Plantation  10X1860. 

Will  you  have  the  kindness  to  inform  your  numerous  readers  that 
I  am  in  want  of  several  thousand  agents  in  all  parts  of  the  country, 
to  whom  I  will  pay,  without  regard  to  age,  sex  or  ability,  $47  83 
per  day,  and  expenses.  Please  reserve  for  me  five  pages  of  the 
Tribune  for  advertising  from  the  10th  instant  to  December  24. 

G.  W.  G. 


"Rule  the  appetite  and  temper  the  tongue." 
"Revenge  not  injuries,  but  forgive  them." 


336  THE    SOUTHERN  [June 

Redonda  Guano. 

The  April  number  of  this  journal  contains  an  article  with  this 
caption,  which  affords  a  rare  opportunity  to  correct  certain  injurious 
views  that  it  seems  many  farmers  entertain  with  regard  to  the  cer- 
tificates of  chemists  and  others  about  fertilizers.  Although  the 
author  (Mr.  James)  is  a  stranger,  his  intelligence  and  assumption  of 
"tentativeness"  as  a  characteristic,  encourage  the  hope  that  he 
possesses  a  corresponding  magnanimity,  which  will  readily  prompt 
him  to  retract  his  error,  if  it  can  not  only  be  easily  demonstrated 
to  be  an  error,  but  also  easily  demonstrated  to  be  not  only  errone- 
ous but  injurious  to  the  cause  we  advocate. 

Mr.  J.  will  no  doubt  shrink  from  the  position  in  which  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  exhibit  the  deductions  he  has  made  and  published. 
Every  one  is  familiar  with  the  fact  that  such  are  published  every 
day  with  regard  to  Peruvian  Guano  ;  indeed,  while  riding  with  a 
very  intelligent  and  educated  gentleman  this  morning,  he  remarked 
that  a  certain  guano  excelled  Peruvian  in  his  neighborhood — but  I 
replied  by  calling  his  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  guano  to  which 
he  referred  was  manufactured.  I  have  uet  with  "strong  minded," 
practical  farmers  whose  expectations  from  Peruvian  Guano  had  not 
been  realized  in  their  own  experience  in  the  use  of  it.  One  re- 
markable case  I  published  in  the  "old  American  Farmer'  to  illus- 
trate the  false  impressions  frequently  received  in  the  use  of  manures. 
On  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland  my  intimate  friend  and  relation 
spread  the  same  Peruvian  Guano  before  and  after  a  rain  on  the 
same  field  of  corn,  the  result  being  all  of  the  difference  in  the  crop, 
and,  perhaps,  much  more  than  Mr.  James  records.  But  the  expe- 
rience that  is  most  proverbial  and  hard  to  bear  (like  a  "wounded 
spirit")  sometimes — because  attended  with  seZf-reproaeh — is  the 
failure  of  a  second  crop  on  the  SLime  land,  in  the  use  of  the  same 
Peruvian  Guano,  with  exaggerated  expectations  and  more  liberal 
expenditures,  and  most  ruinous  anc  entire  failure.  I  regard  Peru- 
vian as  the  most  perfect  of  all  natural  fertilizers,  and  never  have 
been  disappointed  or  deceived  in  these  views.  In  the  case  reported 
by  Mr.  James  the  guano  is  held  responsible  for  all  the  mischief. 

The  Peruvian  Guano  enabled  the  first  crop  to  exhaust  the  soil  of 
one  element,  which  is  equivalent  to  all  elements  of  the  plant  food 
in  the  soil  that  are  available.  Consequently,  as  one  link  breaks  the 
chain  (for  all  practical  purposes)  as  much  as  seven,  the  use  of  a 
double  portion  to  ensure  a  double  crop  was  just  as  empirical  as  the 
use  of  Redonda — one  element  of  Peruvian — without  being  sure  of 
the  co-operation  of  any  of  the  other,  either  in  the  soil  or  the  man- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  337 

ure.  Redonda  contains  one  of  the  elements  of  Peruvian  in  much 
larger  proportion,  according  to  the  testimony  of  some  of  the  most 
reliable  experts  in  Europe  and  America,  and  this  accounts  for  its 
superiority  to  Peruvian  in  some  localities  where  the  soil  is  not  as 
defective  as  Mr,  J's,  seems  to  be;  but  these  certificates  of  reliable 
farmers  and  chemists  should  no  more  be  invalidated  by  one  or  even 
a  dozen  defective  soils  than  the  idiosyncrasies  in  certain  persons 
should  condemn  our  standard  medicines. 

We  pay  $50  per  ton  insurance  on  Peruvian,  viz :  the  cost  of  the 
ammonia ;  and  I  wish  to  show  that  all  other  natural  guanos  can  be 
insured  for  less  than  half  that  price,  but  must  defer  this  for  another 
communication,  which  will,  I  hope,  prove  that  every  farmer  who  can 
spell  his  primer  can  detect  the  absence  of  any  element  of  soil  plant 
food  from  his  field  more  certainly  than  any  chemist,  and  with  less 
expense  of  time  and  labor.  The  empiricism  of  agriculture  is  reme- 
diable, but  that  of  medicine  is  irremediable,  chronic,  and  abounds 
among  the  classes  who  have  the  most  leisure  and  least  ability  to 
comprehend  its  absurdity.  David  Stewart,  M.  D. 

April  23d,  18G9. 


Fish  as  a  Fertilizer— Swamp  Muck. 

Richmond,  Va.,  April  27,  1869. 
Editors  Richmond  Dispatch  : 

Gentlemen, — I  notice  in  your  issue  of  yesterday  a  note  of  in- 
quiry from  Mr.  D.  H.  Foster,  of  Matthews,  as  to  how  our  tide- 
water farmers  may  apply  fish  to  the  greatest  advantage  in  the 
production  of  crops,  followed  by  an  invitation  from  yourselves  to 
"any  gentleman  who  is  able  to  answer"  to  do  so  through  the  col- 
umns of  the  Dispatch.  I  avail  myself  of  this  invitation  to  offer  a 
few  remarks  in  reply  to  Mr.  Foster's  inquiries. 

The  great  value  of  fish  as  a  fertilizer  has  long  been  recognized 
and  appreciated  by  the  people  of  most  of  the  regions  in  which  it  is 
abundant — its  use  being,  of  course,  confined  to  districts  bordering, 
on  the  sea  or  other  large  bodies  of  water.  Some  years  since  Pro- 
fessor Way,  then  chemist  to  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of 
England,  in  the  hope  of  devising  some  method  by  which  fish  might 
be  gotten  into  such  form  as  to  admit  of  its  transportation  for  long 
distances,  made  some  very  elaborate  analyses,  from  which  he  found 
that  the  natural  fish  contains  nitrogen  sufficient  to  yield  a  little 
more  thau  two  per  cent,  of  ammonia,  and  a  little  more  than,  two- 
vol.  ill — 22 


338  THE  SOUTHERN  [June 


per  cent,  of  ash,  of  which  the  leading  constituents  are  phosphoric 
acid,  lime  and  potash. 

"The  most  striking  characteristic  of  fish  which  analysis  has  fur- 
nished, and  which,  indeed,  is  the  only  one  that  the  practical  man  of 
enlightened  mind  will  require  to  enable  him  to  form  a  correct  esti- 
mate of  the  office  and  utility  of  fish  in  farm  practice,  is  the  fact 
that  the  composition  of  fish  is,  in  many  instances,  nearly  similar  to 
that  of  some  of  our  most  important  cultivated  crops.  Wheat  con- 
tains about  two  per  cent,  of  nitrogen,  and  so  does  fish.  On  this 
point  Mr.  Way  says  :  100  pounds  of  wheat  require  about  one  pound 
and  three-quarters  of  ash,  about  one-half  of  which  is  phosphoric 
acid  and  one-third  potash.  One  hundred  pounds  of  fish  (sprats) 
contain  two  pounds  of  ash,  of  which  two-fifths  is  phosphoric  acid 
and  one-fifth  potash.  Supposing  that  in  the  production  of  wheat 
no  loss  of  manure  occurs,  what  manure  would  be  more  fit  to  produce 
a  bushel  of  wheat  than  half  a  hundred  weight  of  sprats."* 

Direct  applications  of  the  fresh  fish  to  the  land  seems  to  be  the 
most  common  mode.  For  wheat  and  the  other  crops  of  small 
grain,  the  fish  are  spread  broadcast  and  ploughed  under  ;  for  corn 
they  are  usually  put  in — or  rather  under — the  hill.  All  writers 
agree,  however,  in  recommending  their  use  in  the  form  of  a  com- 
post with  good  rich  earth.  The  earth  absorbs  the  ammonia  given 
off  in  the  fermentation  of  the  fish,  and  in  a  few  months  the  whole 
mass  falls  down  to  a  manure  which  retains  all  the  virtue  of  the  fish, 
and  in  which  all  trace  of  fish  is  lost.  Plaster  might  be  used  with 
decided  advantage  in  such  a  compost,  but  lime  should  be  sedulously 
avoided,  for  the  reason  that  wherever  it  comes  in  contact  wich  the 
salts  of  ammonia,  the  latter  is  set  free,  and,  being  volatile,  escapes. 

In  some  parts  of  New  England  composts  made  of  swamp  muck 
and  fish  are  found  .to  be  of  great  value  as  fertilizers;  and  I  call  at- 
tention to  this  fact  in  the  hope  that  some  of  our  tide-water  farmers 
may  be  induced  to  make  available  in  this  way  some  of  the  inex- 
haustible stores  of  fertility  now  lying  dormant  in  the  numerous 
swamps  and  marshes  of  this  region.  Experience  demonstrates  that 
applications  of  muck  are  of  little  value,  and  sometimes  are  posi- 
tively hurtful,  without  having  first  been  long  exposed  to  the  amelio- 
rating effects  of  the  air,  or  made  into  composts  with  stable  manure, 
animal  refuse,  fish,  &c.  When  composted,  the  animal  matter,  for 
example  fish,  the  latter  enters  into  decomposition  or  fermentation  at 
once.  The  muck  absorbs  such  elements  of  fertility,  as  ammonia, 
that  might  otherwise  be  lost,  and  at  the  same  time  commences  itself 


♦Morton's  Encyclopedia  of  Agriculture. 


1809.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  339 


to  ferment,  by  which  its  nitrogen  is  transformed  into  ammonia,  and 
other  changes  take  place,  whereby  it  becomes*  a  valuable  fertilizer, 
independent  of  the  fish  and  other  matters  that  may  have  been  used 
to  quicken  the  process  of  amelioration. 

The  following,  taken  from  Professor  Johnson's  essays  on  peat, 
muck,  &c,  may  not  be  out  of  place  in  this  connection.  One  of  his 
correspondents,  who  uses  fish  and  muck  extensively  for  composting, 
says : 

"We  vary  the  proportions  somewhat  according  to  the  crop  the 
compost  is  intended  for.  For  rye,  we  apply  twenty  to  twenty-five 
loads  (of  twenty-five  bushels)  per  acre  of  a  compost  made4  with  one 
load  of  fish;  and  with  this  manuring,  no  matter  how  poor  the  soil, 
the  rye  will  be  as  large  as  a  man  can  cradle.  For  oats  we  use  less 
fish,  as  this  crop  is  apt  to  lodge.  For  corn,  one  part  fish  to  ten  or 
twelve  of  muck  is  about  right,  while  for  grasses  or  top-dressing  the 
proportion  of  fish  may  be  increased. 

"We  find  it  best  to  mix  the  fish  in  summer,  and  not  use  the  com- 
post until  the  next  spring  and  summer.  We  usually  compost  our 
first  arrivals  of  fish  in  June  for  our  winter  grain.  After  the  pile 
has  stood  three  or  four  weeks  it  is  worked  over  thoroughly.  As  the 
pile  is  worked  over,  a  sprinkling;  of  muck  or  plaster  is  given  to  re- 
tain any  escaping  ammonia.  By  September  the  fish  have  completely 
disappeared.  The  effect  on  the  muck  is  to  blacken  it,  and  make  it 
more  loose  and  crumbly.  As  to  the  results  of  the  use  of  this  com- 
post, we  find  them  in  the  highest  degree  satisfactory.  We  have 
raised  thirty  to  thirty-five  bushels  of  rye  per  acre  on  land  that 
without  it  could  have  yielded  but  six  or  eight  bushels  at  the  utmost. 
This  year  we  have  corn  that  will  give  sixty  or  seventy  bushels  to 
the  acre  that  otherwise  would  yield  but  twenty  to  twenty-five  bush- 
els.    It  makes  large  potatoes,  excellent  turnips  and  carrots." 

Yours  very  truly, 

William  Gilham. 


To  Prevent  Cows  from  Kicking  when  Milked. 

Take  a  small  chain,  put  it  round  her  just  back  of  the  fore  legs, 
and  twist  it.  Every  time  she  kicks  add  a  turn  or  two  with  a  stick ; 
she  will  soon  stand  easy,  and  after  a  few  trials  will  not  need  it  at 
all.  We  consider  it  a  good  thing,  and,  as  far  as  I  have  heard, 
it  is  universally  successful. 

ANOTHER     METHOD. 

Take  a  leather  strap,  pass  it  round  one  of  the  hind  legs  of  the  cow 
just  above  the  hock,  cross  it  between  the  two  hind  legs,  then  buckle 
or  tie  it  on  the  outside  leg  in  the  form  of  the  figure  8,  and  it  will  be 
found  to  be  effectual. 


340  THE  SOUTHERN  [June 

The  Phosphate  Beds  of  Charleston. 

At  the  country  meeting  of  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture  at 
Amherst,  Professor  Agassiz  spoke  with  regard  to  the  recent  discov- 
ery of  phosphate  deposits  near  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  we  find  his 
remarks  reported  in  full  in  the  report  of  the  State  Board  of  Agri- 
culture just  issued,  as  follows  : 

I  have  seen  and  known  something  of  these  deposits  of  lime  in 
South  Carolina.  Some  fifteen  or  eighteen  years  ago,  when  deliv- 
ering some  lectures  in  the  medical  school  in  Charleston,  I  saw  some 
specimens  of  this  phosphate  of  lime,  which,  however,  was  not  con- 
sidered of  much  importance  then  ;  and  it  is  perhaps  well  that  it 
should  be  understood  why,  because,  otherwise,  the  fact  that  no  ap- 
plication of  it  has  been  made  might  raise  a  prejudice  against  it. 
This  article,  known  so  long,  has  acquired  importance  only  recently. 
"When  it  was  found,  it  was  found  in  connection  with  the  Charleston 
marl.  At  that  time  there  was  a  gentleman  greatly  interested  in 
the  progress  of  agriculture  in  the  Southern  States,  Mr.  Ruffin,  who 
advocated  manuring  with  marl.  That  gentleman  had  great  influence 
all  over  the  South,  and  he  brought  the  Charleston  marl  into  such 
credit  it  drove  every  other  consideration  out  of  thought.  Marl  was 
the  manure  then,  and  it  prevented  any  experiment  with  the  new  ar- 
ticle ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  Mr.  Ruffin,  while  he  introduced  a 
very  valuable  manure  into  the  agricultural  districts  of  the  South, 
prevented  an  appreciation  of  this  deposit,  which  was  known  eighteen 
years  ago. 

This  deposit,  as  a  geological  deposit,  is  of  great  interest,  because 
we  have  nowhere  else  in  the  world  anything  like  it.  It  is  of  very 
recent  origin,  and  rests  upon  marls.  It  is  a  very  superficial  deposit. 
I  have  no  very  decided  opinion  to  express  about  it,  but  only  a  sug- 
gestion to  make.  All  over  the  southern  parts  of  South  America, 
in  the  pampas,  especially  in  the  Argentine  Republic,  there  are  de- 
posits of  very  recent  geological  formation,  which  have  been  known 
for  half  a  century  to  scientific  men,  containing  an  immense  amount 
of  fossil  remains — bones.  The  museum  at  Buenos  Ayres  contains 
a  vast  amount  of  these  curious  relics,  all  of  them  belonging  to  ex- 
tinct races.  A  few  of  them  have  been  sent  to  Europe,  and  have 
been  the  objects  of  admiration  for  their  perfection.  Now,  these 
deposits  are  so  full  of  these  bones  that  if  they  had  become  de- 
composed they  would  have  formed  phosphate  of  lime  similar  to  this 
South  Carolina  deposit.  A  few  bones  are  found  in  this  phosphate 
of  lime,  which  are  the  bones  of  extinct  animals,  also,  and  I  should 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  341 

not  be  surprised  if  the  progress  of  discovery  should  show  that  the 
phosphate  of  lime  bed  in  South  Carolina  is  equivalent  to  those  of 
South  America,  and  that  the  phosphate  itself  is  the  result  of  the 
decomposed  bones,  which,  in  the  South,  are  preserved,  to  give  us 
an  idea  of  what  were  the  animals  of  those  times.  That  is  all  I  can 
surmise  concerning  the  origin  of  that  vast  deposit,  and  there  is  such 
a  similarity  between  the  superficial  deposits  of  South  America  and 
North  America,  that  I  think  this  is  probable.  I  have  lately  made 
an  examination  of  our  prairie,  of  which  I  shall  perhaps  say  some- 
thing this  evening  in  my  lecture,  and  I  have  had  an  opportunity  to 
compare  it  with  the  deposits  of  the  Amazon,  and  the  similarity  is 
so  surprising  that  this,  to  my  mind,  is  an  additional  reason  for  be- 
lieving that  the  deposits  of  South  Carolina  will  prove  similar  to 
those  of  the  Argentine  Republic,  and  thus  give  a  clue  to  this  very 
curious  material. 


Northern  Capital   Coming  South. 

We  learn  from  the  Savannah  Advertiser  that  the  schooner  Flo- 
rence H.  Allen,  which  arrived  at  that  port  from  New  York  on 
Tuesday  last,  consigned  to  Messrs.  Joseph  A.  Roberts  &  Co., 
brought  among  her  frieght  the  entire  machinery  for  the  working  of 
a  large  manufactory,  which  is  to  be  established  at  Midville,  No.  9|, 
on  the  Central  Railroad.  The  machinery  was  manufactured  at 
Patterson,  New  Jersey.  The  water-wheel  is  but  8  feet  in  diameter, 
of  the  Chase  pattern,  which  is  said  to  be  superior  to  all  others,  it 
being  adapted  to  the  smallest'heads  of  water,  and  has  a  capacity  of 
sixty  horse-power  under  a  fall  of  only  sixty  feet  of  water.  The 
factory,  it  is  expected,  will  be  ready  and  in  operation  in  about 
three  months,  at  an  entire  cost  of  about  $30,000,  and  will  be  the 
means  of  giving  employment  to  upward  of  one  hundred  hands.  In 
addition  to  this  establishment  for  the  working  of  the  raw  material 
into  fabrics  of  every  description,  we  learn  that  it  is  the  intention  of 
the  Company  to  shortly  erect,  as  an  adjunct  to  the  present  projected 
establishment,  machinery  for  carding  wool  and  manufacturing  cot- 
ton warp  and  wool  fillings.  The  gentlemen  connected  with  this 
enterprise  are,  S.  D.  Gould  and  W.  H.  Munson,  of  Patterson,  N. 
J.,  and  J.  McKinne,  of  Emanuel  county.  Messrs.  Gould  and 
Munson  are  gentlemen  of  theoretical  and  practical  experience, 
having  been  connected  with  some  of  the  largest  and  most  widely 
known  factories  in  the  Northern  cities,  and  having  a  desire  to  invest 


342  THE  SOUTHERN  [June 

their  capital  South,  they  made  a  tour  of  several  of  the  Southern 
States,  and  finding  that  Georgia,  from  her  geographical  position 
and  resources,  offered  superior  inducements  and  facilities  to  manu- 
facturing interests  of  every  kind,  have  concluded  to  locate  the  site 
of  their  intended  enterprise  on  the  line  of  Emanuel  and  Burke, 
having  selected  that  location  for  its  convenience  and  adaptability, 
there  being  a  splendid  pond,  formed  from  several  small  lakes,  which 
is  of  sufficient  power  and  fall  for  the  operation  of  their  machinery. 
We  learn  that  it  is  the  intention  of  several  other  gentlemen  from 
the  North  to  seek  an  investment  for  their  capital  in  the  South,  and 
have  concluded  to  erect  similar  manufactories  in  other  portions  of 
the  State. — Augusta  Chronicle  and  Sentinel. 


Plaster  and  Salt  for  Clover. 


This  last  year  I  tried  an  experiment  on  a  field  (all  clover)  which 
was  intended  for  hay.  It  was  in  thirty  feet  lands.  To  the  first 
land  I  applied  plaster,  sown  broadcast,  at  a  rate  of  two  bushels  per 
acre,  at  a  cost  of  one  dollar  per  acre  ;  to  the  second  land  I  applied, 
in  the  same  manner,  two  bushels  of  common  ground  salt,  at  the 
cost  of  two  dollars  and  a  half  per  acre  ;  the  third  land  I  applied 
in  the  same  manner,  a  mixture  of  salt  and  plaster  (one  bushel  of 
each),  at  a  cost  of  one  dollar  and  seventy-five  cents  per  acre,  and 
so  on  all  over  the  field.  Throughout  the  whole  Spring  any  novice 
in  the  art  of  farming  would  have  picked  out  every  third  land  as  the 
best ;  next  the  first  ones,  to  which  the  plaster  was  applied.  Hav- 
ing long  been  an  advocate  of  plaster  for  clover,  I  was  very  careful 
to  note  every  circumstance,  however  trifling,  which  could  in  any 
way  affect  the  experiment,  and  am  now  very  thankful  for  this  case, 
as  it  enables  me  to  communicate  several  important  results  which 
otherwise  I  could  not  have  accounted  for.  The  times  of  sowing  the 
substances,  on  the  whole  field,  extended  over  two  and  a  half  weeks  ; 
a  short  time  elapsed  between  each  patch  of  the  three  lands.  The 
result  is  that  I  find  the  same  amount  of  plaster  does  best  when  the 
clover  is  two  or  three  inches  high,  and  when  it  is  sown  on  the 
leaves  when  they  are  wet  with  dew.  The  salt  did  best  when  a  warm 
rain  fell  just  after  it  was  sown.  The  action  of  the  mixture  is  plain; 
we  apply  in  one  stimulant  the  four  ingredients  most  needed  by 
clover,  viz :  sulphuric  acid,  lime,  chlorine  and  soda.  (?) — German- 
town  Telegraph. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  343 


A  Sled  for  Hauling  up  Hay. 

Friend  Rtffin, — In  response  to  your  note,  requesting  me  to 
give  you,  for  the  ensuing  number  of  the  Planter  an  account  of  my 
(  mode  of  hauling  hay  from  the  shock  to  the  stack,  I  proceed,  at  the 
first  leizure  moment,  to  give  you  briefly  the  result  of  my  experience, 
and  my  last,  and,  I  think,  my  best  plan.     In   the  first  year  of  my 
residence  on  the  Chickahominy  (hay  being  one  of  my  staple  crops) 
I  commenced  to  haul    up    the  shocks   of  hay    in  a  common   farm 
wagon,  aided  by   one  or   more   one-horse   dumping  carts.     This,  I 
soon  found,  was  a  very  slow  process.     Next,  I  adopted  the  plan  of 
some  of  my  neighbors,  and  used  the  grape-vine.     This  consisted  in 
tying  each  end  of  a  large  vine,  about   12  or  14  feet  long,  to  the 
ends  of  the  trace  chains  of  common  plough  gear,  and  throwing  the 
vine  over  the  shocks  of  hay,  taking   some   pains  to  fix  it  well   near 
the  bottom  of  the  shock,  and  haul  it  off  to  the  stack-yard  with  the 
aid  of  a  horse  or  mule.     This,  as  you   perceive,   carried  but  one 
shock  at  a  time,  and  if  the  stack-yard  was  not  close  at  hand,  which 
was  not  the  case  with  me,  was  also  too  slow  a  process  to  suit  my 
views.     Lastly,  I  adopted  the  slide,  which  I  have  continued   to  use 
ever  since,  believing  it  infinitely  preferable  to  any  other  plan.     In 
making  my  slide  I  selected  two  good  white  oak  planks,  16  feet  long, 
12  inches  wide,  and  1|  inches  thick.     These  planks  were  then  re- 
duced to  6  inches  in  width,  except  at  the  front   ends,  which  were 
made  to  curve  after  the  fashion  of  a  common  sleigh.     They  were 
then  fastened  together  in  front  by  a  strong  white  oak  or  hickory 
cross-bar,  6  feet  long,  to  the  middle  of  which   a  common  double- 
tree was  secured.     Four  other  bars  or  slats,  much  smaller  than  the 
front  one,  of  the  same  length,  were  let  in  three  feet  apart,  and  se- 
cured in  their  places  by  pins  or  strong  nails.     The  floor  of  the  slide 
is  then  covered  with  some  light,  thin  plank,  and  the  slide  is  com- 
plete.    Hitching  a  pair  of  mules  to  this  slide,  the  driver,  mounting 
one  of  them,  proceeds  at  a  brisk   trot  to  the  hay  field,  and  driving 
close  to  the  shock  dismounts,  and  with  his  pronged  fork,  (only  two 
tines,   if   you  please),   with    the   assistance  of    another    man,  (who 
should  remain  among   the  shocks)  inserting  their  forks  on  opposite 
sides,  throw  the  whole  shock   on  the  slide  at  one  effort      A  slide  of 
the  dimensions  given   above  will   carry   from  six   to  eight   shocks, 
weighing  150  pounds,  at  a   load.     Arriving  at   the  stack-yard,  the 
driver  and  stacker,  with  their  forks  on  the  same  side,  easily  empty 
the  slide  in  half  a  minute. 

The  slides  very  soon  become  as  slick  as  glass,  will  cross  large 


844  THE  SOUTHERN  [June 

drains  or  even  ditches  with  no  difficulty,  not  even  jostling  the  load. 
With  one  of  these  slides,  one  driver  and  a  pair  of  mules,  I  am  con- 
fident I  can  haul  as  much  hay  as  four  mules  and  as  many  riders 
■with  the  grape-vine.  Wi;h  my  best  wishes  for  your  health  and 
happiness.  I  am, 

Tours  truly. 

John  R.  Garnett. 

BiekmoKd,  Ma j  IStb,  1869. 


The  South  and  the  West. 
Referring  to  the  Memphis  Convention,  and  the  objects  it  is  de- 
signed to  promote,  the  Boston  Post  says:  "The  South  is  evidently 
about  to  start  afresh  on  the  race  for  wealth  and  power.  In  the 
next  ten  years,  beyond  a  doubt,  we  shall  find  that  the  fifteen  States 
which  comprise  the  Valley  States,  and  whose  interests  are  wholly 
agricultural,  will  be  the  wealthiest  portion  of  the  Union.  *  *  * 
The  South  is  to  become  rich  and  prosperous  by  developing  immi- 
gration and  laying  hold  of  the  great  assisting  enterprises  of  the 
age.  Establishing  direct  commerce  with  foreign  ports ;  laying  the 
rails  of  an  unobstructed  road  to  the  Pacific  :  redeeming  and  se- 
curing rich  lands  that  are  rendered  valueless  by  inundation  :  en- 
couraging the  steady  flow  of  imoiigrarion,  and  diversifying  the 
objects  of  industry  to  the  largest  extent ;  these  are  the  means  by 
which  that  section  of  the  country  is  to  become  restored,  and,  once 
being  restored,  to  take  its  place  in  the  Union  with  the  influence 
that  legitimately  belongs  to  it.  The  ^.Ves:  and  the  South  together, 
both  being  agricultural  in  their  fundamental  interests,  will  very 
shortly  throw  two-thirds  of  the  votes  in.  Congress :  and  these  being 
backed  by  such  material  prosperity  and  growth  as  the  world  never 
e  saw,  it  is  not  necessary  to  emphasize  the  inference  which  so 
naturally  follows.  A  full  Convention  at  Memphis  on  the  18th  of 
May  will  go  far  to  develop  a  groupe  of  facts  in  the  economy  of  the 
national  resources  which  have  never  yet  received  that  attentive  con- 
sideration which  thev  so  strikinglv  deserve." 


A  correspondent  of  the  Bee  Journal  plants  catnip  along  the 
fences  and  out  of  the  way  places,  where  weeds  ordinarily  grow, 
for  forage  for  bees.  He  says  bees  work  on  it  in  all  kinds  of  wea- 
ther. A  slight  frost  does  not  kill  it  as  it  does  other  flowering 
plants,  and  it  is  in  bloom  from  the  time  it  first  makes  its  appear- 
ance until  killed  by  the  frosts  in  the  fall. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  345 


Report  on  Specimen   of  Plaster  submitted  fop  Examination  to  the 
State  Agricultural   Society's  Chemist. 

Messrs.  Editors, — I  have  carefully  examined  the  specimen  of 
Virginia  plaster  sent  you  by  Mr.  Radford,  and  find  it  to  be  almost 
pure — much  purer  than  the  generality  of  Nova  Scotia  plaster.  It 
effervesces  slightly,  it  is  true,  sho.ving  the  presence  of  carbonate  of 
lime,  but  the  latter  is  such  a  constant  attendant  upon  plaster,  that 
to  find  a  sample  without  it  may  be  regarded  as  the  exception  rather 
than  the  rule.  So  constantly  is  it  present  in  plaster,  that  some 
farmers  test  the  quality  of  the  latter  with  acid,  and  if  no  efferves- 
ence  takes  place,  condemn  it.  In  the  present  instance,  the  efferves- 
ence  is  very  slight,  showing  the  presence  of  but  a  minute  propor- 
tion of  carbonate,  so  small  as  not  to  impair  the  value  of  the  plaster 
in  any  appreciable  degree. 

The  Virginia  plaster  is  unquestionably  as  pure,  and  in  all  re- 
spects as  valuable  as  the  best  Nova  Scotia,  and  I  trust  the  day  is 
not  far  distant  when  it  will  come  in  direct  competition  with  the  lat- 
ter in  every  portion  of  the  State. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obd't  serv't, 

W.  Gilham, 
Chemist  Executive  Committee  Va.  Agricultural  Society. 


The  Horses  of  America. 


THEIR    PRESENT    VALUE,  WITH  SOME    SUGGESTIONS  AS    TO  BREEDING 
FOR  SPEED,  FOR  THE  ROAD  AND  TRACK. 

Among  the  great  industrial  interests  of  this  country  the  horse 
may  be  considered  as  standing  in  the  foremost  rank  of  animal  pro- 
ductions. For  many  years  he  has  been  constantly  increasing  in 
numbers  and  value  so  rapidly,  and  with  such  constant  accretions, 
that  the  number  of  horses  now  in  the  United  States  will  fall  little 
short  of  8,000,000  in  the  aggregate,  and  representing  in  money 
value  the  enormous  sum  of  upwards  of  $2,600,000,000,  nearly 
equal  to  the  whole  amount  of  our  national  indebtedness,  and  more 
than  the  whole  gross  amount  of  the  gold  product  of  California,  and 
probably  of  the  world  during  the  time  which  has  been  occupied  in 
raising  these  animals.  Few  who  read  this  article  have  ever  im- 
agined that  the  annual  value  of  any  animal  product  in  this  country 
should  so  nearly  approximate  the  vaunted  resources  of  our  gold 
fields,  which  politicians  are  ever  parading  before  the  public  as  the 
means  of  paying  our  national  debt. 


346  THE    SOUTHERN  [June 

Fifty  years  ago  the  standard  price  of  horses  was  very  low,  $100 
being  considered  as  much  as  a  first-class  animal  was  worth,  unless 
in  exceptional  cases,  notwithstanding  we  had  very  much  the  same 
quality  of  horse  then  as  now.  Subsequent  breeding  has  developed 
his  powers  in  a  different  direction,  and  the  galloping  saddle  nag  of 
that  day  has  been  transformed  into  the  trotting  horse  of  the  pres- 
ent. We  had  at  that  time  in  this  country  some  of  the  highest 
blood  that  had  ever  been  imported  from  foreign  parts.  It  was  then 
rich  and  fresh  and  became  widely  disseminated  throughout  the 
country  by  such  horses  as  Diomede,  the  winner  of  the  first  English 
Derby  in  1789  ;  his  descendants,  Sir  Archy  and  Duroc,  Messenger, 
and  that  most  capital  horse,  Old  Medley,  to  say  nothing  of  others 
that  have  left  a  favorable  impress  on  the  horse  of  the  present  day. 
The  descendants  of  Diomede  to  this  day  are  the  ruling  spirits  of 
the  race  course,  as  they  have  been  principally  bred  for  that  spe- 
cialty, in  the  same  way  as  those  of  Messenger  have  been  bred  for 
trotting.  The  Southerner,  having  no  trotting  vehicle,  and  the  roads 
being  universally  of  inferior  description,  did  the  best  he  could 
under  the  circumstances,  and  trained  his  horse  for  saddle  purposes. 
The  North,  where  good  roads  and  greater  mechanical  talent  pre- 
vailed, soon  possessed  itself  of  fine  road  vehicles,  and  the  horse,  in- 
stead of  being  taught  to  gallop  and  to  amble,  was  encouraged  in 
his  trot  until  he  became  as  conversant  with  that  gait  as  he  had  been 
with  other  paces.  Now,  had  the  relative  positions  of  Messenger 
and  Diomede  been  reversed,  the  descendants  of  Messenger  would 
have  become  gallopers  and  those  of  Diomede  trotters,  and  the  name 
of  Messenger  would  have  been  heard  of  among  trotting  circles  as 
little  as  that  of  Diomede  is  at  the  present  day.  A  further  impetus 
was  given  to  trotting  blood  by  the  importation  of  the  Arabian 
Grand  Bashaw,  who  was  a  natural  trotter  himself  and  imparted  that 
peculiarity  in  an  eminent  degree  to  his  descendants,  and,  in  addi- 
tion, communicating  a'  graceful  movement  to  a  gait  that  had  pre- 
viously been  considered  not  very  elegant. 

For  a  long  time  it  was  considered  advantageous  to  cross  a  well 
bred  horse  on  the  Kanuck,  or  Canadian,  as  he  is  indifferently 
termed,  with  the  view  of  getting  that  knee  action  which  is  deemed 
essential  in  the  trotter.  The  result  of  that  description  of  breeding 
was,  as  might  have  been  anticipated,  too  much  action  in  front  and  a 
deficiency  of  propelling  power,  accompanied  by  that  lack  of  endur- 
ence  consequent  on  low  breeding  and  great  expenditure  of  muscular 
action.  Another  great  objection  to  this  cross  was  found  in  the  de- 
terioration of  general  appearance  visible  in  horses  of  this  class. 


18C9.]  PLANTER  AMD  FARMER.  347 


However,  as  time  progressed,  and  these  evils  became  more  palpable, 
attempts  were  made  by  breeders  to  correct  the  mistake  into 
which  they  had  fallen,  and  recourse  was  had  to  horses  of  higher 
blood  and  superior  excellence,  and  with  such  success  that  many  of 
the  trotters  of  the  present  day  so  closely  resemble  the  running 
horse  in  general  appearance  as  to  deceive  the  uninitiated.  With 
the  creation,  as  we  may  term  it,  of  a  superior  trotting  horse,  at 
once  beautiful,  speedy  and  graceful,  and  the  great  accumulation  of 
wealth  in  the  community,  the  value  of  the  trotting  horse  has  ad- 
vanced correspondingly,  until  now  the  prices  paid  for  particularly 
fine  horses  are  such  as  would  never  have  been  dreamed  of  twenty 
years  ago. 

We  may  say  that^the  value  of  every  other  class  of  horse  has  ap- 
preciated within  the  past  few  years,  with  the  exception  of  the 
French  Canadian,  for  whom  there  is  very  little  demand — in  fact, 
none  at  the  price  it  would  cost  to  import  them  from  Canada.  As 
the  demand  in  this  country  has  decreased  they  are  not  so  numer- 
ously bred  as  formerly,  as  here  was  the  great  market  for  that  de- 
scription of  horse  until  a  few  years  ago,  when  it  was  discovered 
that  he  was  found  unequal  to  the  business  requirements  of  the  com- 
munity. The  abolition  of  the  reciprocity  treaty  with  Canada  had 
also  something  to  do  with  lessening  the  demand,  as  it  imposed  a 
heavy  tariff  on  his  importation,  and  increased  his  cost  in  this  mar- 
ket about  100  per  cent.,  or  to  about  $160  through  the  gold  pre- 
mium and  duty  combined,  which  is  more  than  he  ever  was  worth  for 
any  purpose.  We  shall  see  very  few  of  these  horses  in  future,  and 
very  glad  we  ought  to  be  of  it,  as  his  introduction  into  this  country 
has  been  rather  prejudicial  than  otherwise.  The  Canadians  them- 
selves see  the  inferiority  of  that  class  of  horse  for  anything  else 
than  mere  drudgery,  and  are  endeavoring  to  improve  their  stock  by 
the  importation  of  well  bred  horses  from  the  United  States — a  num- 
ber of  thoroughbred  stallions  having  been  lately  purchased  for  that 
purpose. 

All  over  the  country  the  value  of  the  horse  has  increased  in  a 
ratio  corresponding  to  the  high,  price  of  every  other  product,  and 
may  be  set  down  at  about  double  what  it  was  before  the  war,  with 
no  prospect  of  a  diminution.  As  respects  very  fine  horses,  they 
show  a  constant  increase  in  price. 

At  the  commencement  of  this  article  we  stated  that  there  were 
about  8,000,000  of  horses  in'this  country  at  present,  as  near  as  the 
facts  could  be  arrived  at  in  the  absence  of  any  census  enumeration. 
In  1850   the  number   of  horses  in  all  the  States  and  Territories 


348                                THE   SOUTHERN  [Jane 

amounted  to  4,136,620,  and  in  1860  the  computed  number  was 
6,249,174.  Notwithstanding  the  great  loss  sustained  during  the 
war  and  the  almost  entire  cessation  of  breeding  in  some  of  the 
States  of  the  South  during  that  time,  the  natural  increase  has  been 
so  great  as  to  fully  reach  our  estimate  of  8,000,000.  The  following 
table  will  show  the  number  of  horses  in  each  State  and  Territory 
at  the  period  alluded  to  above  : 

NUMBER    OF   HORSES   IN    THE    COUNTRY   IN    1850   AND    1860. 

States.                                                                                 1850.  18C0. 

Alabama 128,001  127,063 

Arkansas 60,107  140.198 

California 21.719  160.610 

Connecticut 2x879  33  276 

Delaware 13,852  16,562 

Florida 10,318  13.446 

Georgia .   151.331  130  771 

Illinois 267,653  563.736 

Indiana 314.292  520.677 

Iowa. 38,536  175.0?8 

Kansas _  ..  20.344 

Kentucky 315,682  355,704 

Louisiana 89.514  "     " 

Maine  41.721  60.637 

Maryland 75,684  93.406 

Massachusetts 42.216  47,786 

Michigan 58,506  130,917 

Minnesota 860  17.665 

M  -    ssppi 115.460  117.571 

Missouri 225,319  301.-71 

New  Hampshire 34,233  41.101 

New  Jersey 63  955  79,707 

New  York 447.014  503,725 

North  Carolina  148,693  150,661 

Ohio 463.397  625,340 

Oregon 8.046 

Pennsylvania  350,398  437,654 

Rhode  Island 6,168  7,121 

South  Carolina 97,171  81.128 

Tennessee 70,636  29C  382 

Texas 76,760  325.698 

Vermont 61.057  69.071 

Virginia  272,403  287.579 

Wisconsin 30,179  116,180 

Total 4,128.297  6,224.056 

Terriwrifs.            '                                                                 1850.  1860. 

D. strict  of  Columbia 824  641 

Dakota 84 

Nebraska 4,449 

Nevada 541 

New  Mexico 5,079  10.066 

Utah 2  420  4,565 

Washington 7,772 


Total 8,323  25.118 

States...! 4,128,297  6,224.056 

Grand  total 4,136,620  6.249,174 

Owing  to  the  neglect  of  the   census  enumerators  of  the  periods 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  349 

above,  we  are  unable  to  give  the  value  of  the  horses  at  that  time  ; 
but  we  believe  we  are   correct  in  saying  that  they  have  more  than 
doubled  in  price,  and   that   a   hundred   dollar  horse  in  1860  would 
bring  above  $200  in  this  market  now.     It  is,  however,  difficult  for 
census  enumerators  to  give  the  value  of  horses  in  any  other  than  a 
general  way,  as  none  other  than  an  expert  in  horse  flesh  is  competent 
to  classify  them  in  such  a  way  as  to  indicate  their  true  worth.   Ohio, 
Illinois,  Indiana,  New  York  and   Pennsylvania  took   the   lead   as 
horse  raising  States,  and  the  probability  is  that  they  still  retain  it. 
The    next    great    breeding    sections    are   Missouri,    Kentucky   and 
Texas.     The  war  drew  heavily  on  these  States,  but  having  had  four 
or  five  years  to  recuperate,  there  is  no  doubt  they  will  show  a  favo- 
rable  amount   of  increase.     Iowa,   Michigan   and   Wisconsin   were 
also  large   breeding  States,  and   are  yet  so,  their  numbers  having 
nearly  doubled  since  1860.     In  the  Southern  States,  notwithstand- 
ing the  devastations  of  the  rebellion,   there  are  more  horses  now 
than   are  required.     There  never  has  been  a  scarcity  of  ordinary 
horses.     Much  of  the  best  blood,  however,  was  captured  during  the 
war  by  the   Union   troops,   and  by  this   means  many  of  the  finest 
horses  of  the   South  found   their  way  into  the  Western  and  Middle 
States,  where  they  have  been  turned  to  most  profitable  account  in 
improving  the  ordinary  local  or  sectional  stock.     The  Pacific  States 
have  also  contributed  their  share  to  the  general  aggregate,  Califor- 
nia having  in  1860  but  100,610  horses,  whereas  now  she  numbers 
probably  500.000,  the  effects  of  the  war   on  breeding  not  having 
reached  that  remote  region.     Owing  to  the  introduction  of  very  fine 
stallions  at  a  very  early  period  of  her  history,  a  large  proportion  of 
the  horses  bred  in  that   State  are  very  superior  animals.     A  great 
many  horses  were  drawn  from  the  Eastern  States  at  the  commence- 
ment  of  the  war,   which  was   an   advantage   to   them,    as  by   that 
means  they  got  rid  of  a  great  deal  of  worthless  stock.     Since  then 
they  have  been  breeding  a  better  class  of  horses,  and  with  so  much 
energy  that  it  is  believed  the  ag^regat?  nu  uber  in  those  States  far 
exceeds  that  of  1860.     The  attention   of  breeders  has  been  turned 
particularly  in  the  direction  of  trotting  stock,  and  by  the  introduc- 
tion of  better  bred  stallions  than  they  had  formerly  they  are  now 
producing   some  very  fine  horses,  although  there  is  still  room  for 
great  improvement,  particularly  in  the  staying  powers  or  endurance 
of  the  speedy  horse.     In  this  connection,  in  the  breeding   of  trot- 
ting horses,  we  may  here  remark  that  too   much  pains  can  not  be 
taken  in  the  selection  of  stallions.      Great  discrimination  should  be 
used  in  the  size  of  the  horse :  for  it  is  a  well  known  physiological 


350  THE  SOUTHERN  rjUne 


fact,  which  should  always  be  kept  in  view  by  breeders,  that  the 
small  or  medium  size  stallions  invariably  get  the  best  proportioned 
stock.  The  produce  of  small  or  medium  sized  mares  from  large 
stallions  are  generally  long-legged  and  deficient  in  that  symmetry  of 
form  which  it  is  always  desirable  to  see  in  the  animal  under  consid- 
eration. It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  while  the  propelling  power 
of  the  horse  is  in  his  hind  quarters,  his  lifting  ability  lies  in  his  fore 
parts,  and  that  where  there  is  more  weight  in  front  than  is  neces- 
sary for  the  purpose  intended,  it  is  a  decided  disadvantage  to  the 
speedy  horse.  This  is  the  case  with  the  Canadian  and  some  other 
coarse  bred  horses,  who  have  so  much  to  lift  that  they  tire  before 
they  have  gone  any  great  distance.  Every  unnecessary  pound  in 
front  of  the  withers  tells  forcibly  against  progression.  Breeders  of 
the  running  horse  appear  to  understand  these  facts  better  than  the 
breeders  of  trotters.  Breeding  from  the  thoroughbred  horse  is  the 
very  best  means  of  eradicating  the  defects  in  the  trotting  horse, 
when  too  heavy  in  front,  by  lightening  those  parts  which  impede 
his  action.  This  form  of  the  blood  horse  is  one  of  the  reasons  that 
has  made  the  Bashaws  so  successful  throughout  the  country  in  the 
hands  of  breeders  of  trotters. 

"With  the  view  of  further  elucidating  the  subject  of  values,  we 
give  the  following  analytical  table,  compiled  with  great  care,  and 
believed  to  be  as  accurate  as  it  is  possible  to  make  it  with  the  data 
before  us : 

THE   NUMBER   AND    RELATIVE   VALUE   OF    THE     HORSES    IN   THE 

COUNTRY. 
Number.  Rate  of  Yihie.  Total  Value. 

1,000,000,  averaging        $50 $30,000,000 

2,000,000,  averaging        100  200,000,000 

2  000,030,  averaging        200 400.00«,000 

1,030,000,  averaging        300 300,0)0,030 

700,010,  averaging        500 35O.OtO.000 

500.000.   averaging         750 375,0  10,000 

400,0(  0.  averaging     1,000 400.OJO.fOO 

200,000,  averaging     1,500 300,0  »0  0K) 

100,000,  averaging     2  0  0 200  0  10,000 

50.000,  averaging     2,5(0 .   12-\000  003 

20,000,  averaging     3,000 60.0(.  0,000 

1,000.  averaging     5,000 5,000.000 

100,  averaging  10,000 1,000.000 

7^971,100  $2,660,000,000 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  above  analysis  that  five  millions,  or  five- 
eights  of  the  whole  number  of  horses  in  this  country  are  animals  de- 
voted to  the  ordinary  drudgery  of  horse  life,  and  whose  individual 
value  ranges  from  fifty  dollars  up  to  $200.  There  are  two  more 
classes,  the  first  of  which  we  will  designate   as  horses  of  general 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  351 


utility,  and  the  second  as  fancy  stock,  the  latter  comprising  the  fast 
horses  of  the  land.  The  first  of  these,  the  horses  of  general  utility, 
comprise  nearly  three-fifths  of  the  whole,  for  they  are  not  only  the 
fast  and  stylish,  but  they  are  horses  adapted  in  a  majority  of  cases 
to  most  of  the  useful  purposes  of  life,  including  the  coach,  the  ex- 
press wagon  and  the  road.  This  class  of  horses  we  have  ranged  in 
value  from  $300  to  $2,000.  The  third  and  fancy  class  is  a  com- 
paratively small  one,  numbering  about  70,000,  and  includes  the 
running  and  the  trotting  horse,  with  values  ranging  from  $2,500  to 
$10,000,  with  exceptional  cases  where  they  bring  as  high  as 
$30,000  or  $40,000— the  latter  figure  having  been  paid  for  the 
race  horse  Kentucky  before  he  fell  lame,  and  $33,000  for  Dexter, 
with  $35,000  offered  and  refused  for  Bashaw,  Jr.  Within  the  past 
year  Goldsmith  Maid  sold  for  $20,000,  Lady  Thorn  for  $17,500, 
with  $20,000  refused  for  George  Palmer.  The  stallions  Fear- 
naught,  Rhode  Island,  George  Wilkes  and  Draco  Prince,  all  of 
whom  have  trotted  better  than  2.25,  are  individually  valued  at  over 
$20,000.  As  might  be  expected  from  our  table  of  valuations,  the 
horses  designated  as  fancy  horses  are  by  no  means  all  horses  that 
appear  on  the  turf,  such  horses  being  merely  the  selections,  while 
the  great  mass  are  the  private  horses  of  gentlemen  of  wealth  and 
leisure,  who  seek  recreation,  excitement,  and  sometimes  notoriety 
on  the  road.  The  action  of  agricultural  and  other  societies  in  offer- 
ing the  large  amounts  they  do  annually  for  horses  to  compete  at 
their  exhibitions  operates  as  a  powerful  incentive  to  the  breeding  of 
fine  horses,  every  breeder  hoping  to  be  able  to  exhibit  a  Dexter,  a 
Pocahontas,  a  Lucy,  or  a  Bashaw,  Jr.,  to  the  gaze  of  admiring 
thousands,  and  carry  off  a  premium  which  will  enrich  him  for  life. 
All  this  tends  to  greatly  increase  the  number  of  horses  bred  and 
the  great  accumulation  of  national  wealth  in  that  specialty.  The 
following  are  about  the  prices  paid  for  speed  at  the  present  day : 
A  horse  that  can  trot  in  2:45  will  bring  from  $1,500  to  $2,000;  a 
dashing,  good  young  animal  of  square  action  will  command  $2,500 
or  §3,000,  while  a  well  bred  one,  say  a  Messenger  or  Bashaw,  for 
instance,  that  can  trot  in  2:35,  with  a  prospect  of  improvement, 
will  be  sought  after  at  $5,000 ;  and  one  of  either  of  the  above  stock 
that  can  beat  2:30  is  considered  cheap  at  $10,00J,  while  for  every 
second  in  the  twenties  $1,000  extra  will  be  readily  given. 

From  all  that  we  have  said  above,  and  which  may  be  implicitly 
relied  upon,  as  having  been  drawn  from  the  best  sources  of  infor- 
mation, the  conclusion  is  unavoidable  that  our  facts  and  figures  in- 
dicate a  rapid  increase  in   the  number  and  value  of  the  horses  in 


352  THE  SOUTHERN  [June 


this  country,  so  great  as  to  surprise  all  who  have  not  given  atten- 
tion to  this  subject,  and  whose  only  opinion  has  been  that  of  mere 
conjecture. — New  York  Herald. 


Mammoth   op  Sapling    Clover. 

Messrs.  Editors, — In  the  April  number  #  of  the  Planter  and 
Farmer  you  publish  a  correspondence  between  two  highly  respecta- 
ble citizens  of  this  county  on  the  subject  of  Mammoth  or  Sapling 
Clover.  I  can  add  thereto  some  little  experience  on  the  same 
subject. 

A  year  or  so  ago  I  was  passing  through  the  farm  of  one  of  my 
neighbors.  It  is  one  of  those  "  old  worn  out  farms,"  which  you 
will  find  here  and  there,  in  almost  every  section  of  the  State. 
I  found  my  neighbor  gathering  in  a  field  of  clover,  the  appearance 
of  which  very  much  surprised  me,  when  I  took  into  consid- 
eration the  general  quality  of  the  land.  It  was  then  some  time  in 
the  latter  part,  I  think,  of  the  month  of  August. 

I  was  rather  green  in  farming  myself,  having  had  but  a  year  or 
two  experience  at  it.  I  had  never  seen  the  so-called  Sapling  Clover 
until  then,  and  asked  him  what  sort  of  stuff  that  was  he  was  gath- 
ering. He  told  me  it  was  a  kind  of  clover  they  called  big  clover, 
or  sapling  clover ;  that  like  timothy,  you  cut  but  one  crop  of  it, 
either  for  hay  or  seed ;  that  he  was  cutting  that  for  seed,  and  that 
he  liked  it  better  than  "the  other  clover,'' because  it  suited  poor 
land  better.  I  told  him  I  rather  thought  it  did,  for  I  did  not  think 
that  on  a  greater  portion  of  his  land  any  kind  of  clover  would  grow. 

Having  some  land  of  pretty  much  the  same  stripe  as  my  neigh- 
bor's, and  wishing  to  get  it  down  in  grass  the  next  spring,  it  being 
then  in  wheat,  I  concluded  to  try  some  of  the  big  clover.  The 
truth  is,  I  doubted  whether  it  would  not  be  almost  equivalent  to  a 
waste  of  seed  to  sow  the  so-called  "little  clover"  on  a  portion  of 
the  field  which  was  a  good  deal  more  worn  than  the  rest.  The  crop 
of  wheat  had  no  fertilizer  on  it. 

I  had  plenty  of  the  old  fashion  clover  seed,  and  got  ray  friend  to 
exchange  a  bushel  or  so  with  me.  The  sapling  clover  seed  I  sowed 
on  the  poorer  land  as  far  as  it  would  go,  driving  stakes  in  to  mark 
the  division.  The  rest  of  the  field — most  of  it  comparatively  new 
ground — I  sowed  down  at  the  same  time  with  "the  other  clover ' 
seed. 

So  it  rested  until  this  Spring,  when  I  went  out  to  have  plaster 
sown  on  the  field.     But  I  found  it  was  no  use  to  have  put  in  stakes. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER,  353 

The  difference  showed  for  itself.  The  hands  could  tell  by  the  clover 
whenever  they  crossed  the  line.  The  sapling  clover  had  caught 
best;  the  bunches  were  of  a  deeper  green  and  more  luxuriant 
growth.  I  was  satisfied  the  sapling  was  tke  clover  for  thin  land, 
and  I  shall  save  all  the  seed  of  it  I  can  this  summer. 

I  hope  to  make  a  good  deal  of  the  little  clover  seed  this  summer, 
and  seme  for  market;  but  I  shall  sell  none  of  the  sapling  clover 
seed.  I  have  no  axe  to  grind  in  that  line.  Having  a  considerable 
quantity  of  old  land  which  I  wish  to  get  down  in  clover,  I  expect 
to  need  all  the  sapling  clover  seed  I  shall  make  for  several  years  to 
sow  on  that. 

For  my  strongest  land  I  prefer  to  hold  on  yet  to  the  old  fashion 
clover.  It  makes  two  crops — hay  and  seed.  It  cart  be  cut  before 
harvest,  when  you  have  time  to  do  so ;  and  I  still  think  it  best  for 
hay,  the  stem  being  of  less  rank  growth,  and  consequently  more 
tender.  In  fact,  I  fear  the  sapling  clover  would  grow  too  rank  on 
strong  land — Mr.  Leech  says  seven  feet-  That  clover  would  be  a 
little  too  "  tall."  There  would  be  rather  too  much  stem  about  it 
for  good  hay.  But  for  thin  land,  I  feel  satisfied  that  the  sapling 
clover  will  prove  a  good  thing. 

It  is  an  advantage  to  have  at  least  part  of  your  hay  to  cut  after 
harvest.  You  are  thereby  not  so  much  crowded,  and  in  that  way, 
if  you  cannot  save  your  hay  before,  you  can  after  the  harvest  sea- 
son. Timothy  by  itself  is  played  out.  It  makes  mighty  good  pas- 
ture and  hay,  but  with  it  your  land  gets  no  rest — being  a  greater 
exhauster  than  cropping  the  land. 

As  I  hear  a  good  deal  of  inquiry  about  this  new  kind  of  clover,  I 
send  you  these  few  lines  of  my  experience.  I  am  told  it  was  in  use 
in  this  section  a  good  many  years  ago.  It  is  only  an  old  thing  re- 
vived, and  I  think  you  may  depend  upon  it,  that  it  is  no  humbug. 

A  Rockbridge  Farmer. 

Rookbridge  county,  Va. 


Straight  Ditches, 

Messrs.  Editors^ — An  article  in  your  May  number  on  bottom 
lands  and  crooked  ditches,  suggested,  we  presume,  by  an  article 
from  us  in  your  number  for  March  on  the  same  subject,  in  which  we 
incidentally  urged  the  propriety  of  having  ditches  as  straight  as 
practicable,  is  so  little  in  accord  with  the  views  therein  expressed 
by  us,  that  we  must  ask  your  further  indulgence  for  a  few  lines. 

Your  subscriber  suggests  the  advantages  of  allowing  our  small 
vol.  in — 23 


TT1E    SOUTHERN  [June 


streams  to  continue  in  their  zigzag,  meandering  courses,  and  to  give 
our  new  ditches  the  same  meandering  curves,  as  the  means  of  keep- 
ing them  open.  This  may  perhaps  do  very  well  where  the  bottoms  . 
are  given  to  grass,  and  the  proprietor  an  enthusiastic  admirer  of 
nature  unsullied  by  the  hand  of  art ;  but  in  this  utilitarian  age, 
does  not  suggest  itself  as  appropriate  to  the  mathematical  eye  of 
.he  agriculturist,  and  we  are  unable  to  detail  its  advantage  upon 
any  principle  of  hydrodynamics.  We  can  very  readily  understand 
how  the  banks  of  a  stream,  after  having  been  cleared  of  their 
growth,  may  become  more  liable  for  a  time  to  be  washed  down,  and 
the  channel  to  fill  up  to  some  extent,  especially  if  it  be  made  too 
wide  in  the  effort  to  straighten  its  banks,  for  we  have  observed  that 
if  a  stream  be  widened  in  any  section  of  its  course  to  a  degree  dis- 
proportionate to  the  regular  calibre  of  the  stream,  it  will  be  certain 
to  fill  up  and  assume  its  normal  capacity.  We  have  not  observed, 
however,  that  streams  naturally  straight  are  more  liable  to  fill  up 
than  crooked  ones ;  on  the  contrary,  it  would  be  more  natural  to 
infer  that  a  straight  stream  would  be  more  liable  to  keep  open,  on 
account  of  the  greater  force  of  the  moving  column,  and  the  greater 
fall  acquired  by  the  straight  short  stream  over  the  long  meandering 
one.  But  if  the  streams  are  left  in  their  crooked  condition  and  the 
bottom  lands  cultivated,  their  soil  will  be  washed  away  in  the  natu- 
ral effort  of  the  stream  to  pass  over  them  in  a  straight  course  dur- 
ing the  freshets,  but  where  the  streams  are  straight,  the  force  or 
momentum  of  the  current  keeps  in  the  straight  channel,  and  the 
water  which  spreads  over  the  banks  is  eddy  and  comparatively 
harmless.  While  it  may  be  very  true  that  in  straight  ditches  the 
land  may  be  more  liable  to  fill  up  the  channel,  because  there  is  no 
lateral  force  to  throw  out  the  washings  upon  the  banks,  as  would  be 
the  case  in  a  crooked  current,  yet  it  will  be  found  that  the  force  of 
the  current  in  such  cases  will  take  off  more  soil  during  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  land  than  it  will  return  in  sand  while  it  remains  in  grass 
or  uncultivated. 

There  is  no  question  but  that  much  money  has  been  fruitlessly 
expended  by  many  farmers  under  the  mistaken  idea  that  a  creek 
which  is  subject  to  overflow  may  be  made  to  contain  all  the  water  by 
being  very  much  widened.  On  the  contrary,  it  will  be  almost  sure 
to  fill  up  with  washings  till  its  capacity  is  reduced  to  the  normal 
calibre  of  the  stream ;  but  if  the  banks  could  be  diked  at  the  same 
time  that  the  channel  was  widened,  we  have  no  doubt  but  that  the 
momentum  of  the  current  during  freshets  would  drag  out  the  sand 
very  effectually. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  355 

But  for  fear  of  worrying  your  patience  with  what  may  seem  to 
you  and  yqur  readers  a  subject  of  but  little  importance,  we  will 
close  by  urging  the  owners  of  our  bottom  lands  not  to  despair  of 
their  value,  for  we  have  noticed  that  our  prospecting  immigrant 
farmers  look  upon  our  broad  bottoms  as  wistfully  as  the  manufactu- 
rers do  upon  the  varied  water-power  of  our  dear  old  State,  both  of 
which,  we  have  no  doubt,  will  come  up  most  nobly  some  day  to  her 
recuperation  from  her  present  low  estate. 

Now,  Messrs.  Editors,  though  you  have  doubtless  put  us  down  as 
not  belonging  to  that  prudent  class  of  persons  who  never  go  into 
the  water  till  they  can  swim,  we  trust  you  will  pardon  our  temerity 
in  thus  asking  the  honor  of  another  insertion  in  your  valuable 
journal.  J.  V.  B. 

Halifax,  Va.,  May  19,  1869. 


Lynchburg  Agricultural   Society. 

From  the  Lynchburg  Virginian  we  extract  the  following  pro- 
ceedings of  the  Lynchburg  Agricultural  Society  : 

Pursuant  to  adjournment,  a  meeting  of  the  Agricultural  and  Me- 
chanical Society  w%s  held  last  evening,  at  Masonic  Hall,  for  the 
purpose  of  completing  the  organization,  Dr.  Payne  in  the  chair. 

The  following  letter  from  the  President  elect  was  read  by  the 
Secretary : 

Buena  Vista,  May  8th,  1869. 
Alexander  .McDonald,  Esq. : 

Dear  Sir, — Through  you  I  present  my  thanks  to  the  members 
of  the  Agricultural  and  Mechanical  Society  of  Lynchburg  for  their 
very  kind  and  flattering  testimonial  of  me  in  electing  me  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  aforesaid  Society.  With  diffidence  and  distrust  of  my 
ability  I  accept  the  same,  trusting  that  an  efficient  Executive  Com- 
mittee will  more  than  supply  all  deficiencies  on  my  part. 

Wishing  that  the  Society  may  prove  a  success, 
I  remain  yours,  very  truly, 

George'P.  Tayloe. 

The  chairman  of  the  committee  appointed  to  recommend  suitable 
persons  for  officers  submitted  a  report,  which,  on  motion  of  Mr. 
William  E.  Foster,  was  adopted,  as  follows  : 

Vice  Presidents — R.  J.  Davis,  Judge  William  Daniel,  John  H. 
Bailey,  Lynchburg ;  C.  H.  Lynch,  Campbell  county ;  Benjamin 
Donald,  Bedford  county ;  William  M.  Radford,  Botetourt  county ; 


356  .    THE  SOUTHERN  [June 

Peter  Saunders,  Jr.,  Franklin  county ;  Colonel  R.  T.  Preston, 
Montgomery  county;  James  Cloyd,  Pulaski  county;  Gordon  C. 
Kent,  Wythe  county ;  Joseph  W.  Sheffey,  Smyth  county  ;  Georgfi 
W.  Palmer,  Washingson  county;  General  Rees  T.  Bowen,  Tazewell 
county;  Colonel  Robert  E.  Withers,  Russell  county;  William  Eg- 
gleston,  Giles  county;  Jesse  Adams,  Amherst  county;  Patrick  H. 
Massie,  Nelson  county ;  Thomas  W.  Johns,  Appomattox  county ; 
Walter  Coles,  Pittsylvania  county ;  D.  C.  E.  Brady,  Rockbridge 
county. 

Executive  Committee — T.  C.    S.   Ferguson,  John  R.  McDaniel, 

Ambrose  B.  Rucker,  Thomas  H.  Early,  Dr.  E.  H.  Murrell,  James 

JVI.  Booker,  H.  C.  Wilkes,  Dr.  J.  J.  Terrill,  Robert  C.  Burkholder, 

William  H.  Hall,  Joseph  Pettyjohn,  Robert  W.  Crenshaw,  John  M. 

Payne,  John  S.  Langhorne,  John  Otey  Taylor. 

Secretary  and  Treasurer — Alexander  McDonald. 

The  committee  also  recommended  the  adoption  of  the  following 
resolution : 

Resolved,  That  the  Executive  Committee  be  requested  to  appoint 
as  speedily  as  possible  local  auxiliary  committees  of  three  for  each 
county  represented  in  the  Society,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  solicit 
life  and  annual  members,  encourage  farmers,  mechanics  and  others 
to  prepare  and  send  forward  to  the  Fairs  articles  for  exhibition,  and 
in  every  way  that  to  them  may  seem  proper  and  advisable  co-ope- 
rate with  the  Central  Executive  Committee  in  promoting  the  objects 
and  interests  of  the  Society. 

After  the  adoption  of  the  report,  there  being  no  other  "business, 
the  Society  adjourned  subject  to  the  call  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee. 


Important  International  Exchanges. — The  Commissioner  of 
Agriculture,  Hon.  Horace  Capron,  has  completed  arrangements  for 
exchanges  of  cereals,  rare  seeds,  and  medicinal  and  other  plants, 
with  various  institutions  and  several  Governments  of  different  divis- 
ions of  the  Globe.  The  arrangements  include  the  Governments  of 
Austria,  Prussia,  China,  Japan,  Gautemala,  and  British  Honduras ; 
the  Botanical  Gardens  of  Melbourne,  Australia,  and  of  Kew,  in 
England  ;  the  India  Museum,  in  London ;  and  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  Agricultural  Society. 

The  hearty  co-operation  of  scientific  men  representing  these 
Governments  and  institutions  has  been  secured. — Nat.  Intelligencer. 


1869.] 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


357 


Horticultural  gcpartmcnt. 


JOHN  M.  ALLAN, 


Editor. 


Specialt  es. 

"We  believe  in  them.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  carrying  too  many  eggs  in 
one  basket,  but  there  are  more  frequently  too  many  baskets  with  too  few  eggs 
in  each,  to  make  the  carrying  either  possible  or  profitable.  Especially  is  this 
true  in  horticultural  pursuits,  and  we  fear  it  will  prove  the  reef  on  which  many 
new  beginners  wilL  make  shipwreck.  Our  people  feeling  the  necessity  that 
compels  them  to  work  less  land  than  they  have  heretofore  done,  and  reading 
the  glowing  accounts  of  the  profits  to  be  found  in  horticulture,  turn  to  it  with 
most  extravagant  anticipations,  and  attempt  to  truck,  grow  fruits,  make  wine, 
and  do  all  else  pertaining  to  this  branch  of  industry  as  though  it  were  but  one 
business.  That  many  will  fail  is  a  certainty,  and  none  need  expect  to  succeed 
eminently.  Trucking,  fruit  growing,  and  wine  producing  are  distinct  avoca- 
tions, and  each  one  is  capable  of  numerous  subdivisions.  All  are  profitable  if 
properly  managed,  but  it  is  an  extraordinary  man  that  can  do  justice  to  them 
all.  They  all  necessitate  the  culture  of  the  ground,  harvesting  and  shipping 
at  the  same  time,  and  thus  conflicting,  some  are  apt  to  be  neglected,  while  none 
will  be  so  well  cared  for  as  if  the  attention  were  centered  on  one.  Our  advice 
is  to  fix  upon  one  of  the  three  branches  enumerated,  being  controlled  in  the 
selection  by  circumstances  of  soil,  location,  convenience  to  market,  and  taste, 
then  choose  from  the  particular  branch  a  few  varieties  of  vegetables  or  fruits, 
(as  the  case  may  be,)  selecting  so  as  to  give  succession  in  planting  and  harvest- 
ing, cultivate  these  with  diligence  and  care,  and  the  results  will  probably  equal 
one-half  of  what  the  papers  tell  you  can  be  done ;  if  they  average  one-third 
you  will  have  no  reason  t)  complain,  and  will  certainly  grow  rich  at  a  suffi- 
ciently rapid  rate.  But  if  the  desire  for  gain  leads  you  to  attempt  all,  you  will 
but  employ  yourself  in  killing  the  goose  that  lays  the  golden  egg. 

Among  all  the  successful  horticulturists  and  pomologists  of  the  country,  we 
know  of  none  who  have  not  confined  themselves  to  select  branches  of  the  busi- 
ness. Of  cwrsewe  would  not  have  anyone  stake  their  whole  capital  and 
labor  on  one  crop,  such  as  potatoes  or  tomatoes.  But  let  the  vegetable  grower 
be  distinct  from  the  fruit  grower,"and  again,  let  three  or  four  vegetables  or 
fruits  be  as  many  as  one  will  undertake  to  grow  largely. 


Experimental   Gardens. 

Editors  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer, — In  the  May  number  of  your  maga- 
zine, while  defending  Nurserymen  and  Florists  against  the  charge  of  a  dispo- 


358  THE    SOUTHERN  [June 

eition  to  keep  the  masses  in  ignorance  with  regard  to  horticultural  matter8f 
you  say  "  that  there  is  no  way  of  protecting  the  public  against  the  innumerable 
humbugs  which  are  daily  practiced  upon  it  by  se:undrels  and  charlatans." 
N   n  it  may.  an  I  doubtless  will  be  difficult,  if  not  impossible  :barla- 

tanism  in  this  or  any  branch  cf  industry,  but  it  seems  to  me  that  a  great  deal 
can  be  done  to  lessen  the  evil,  and  I  desire  to  call  your  attention  to  and  be- 
speak the  influence  of  your  journal  for  one  very  important  step  in  this  direc- 
tion. We  need  a  State  Experimental  Garden.  Give  us  this,  under  the  control 
of  reliable  and  competent  parties,  and  its  imprimatur  will  soon  be  necessary 
to  the  successful  introiuotion  of  all  novelties,  and  thus  an  effectual  bar  will  be 
put  upon  the  effjrts  cf  quacks  to  vend  :heir  worthless  wares.  For  it  being  the 
duty  of  the  managers  of  suoh  a  garden  to  procure  and  fairly  test  all  the  new 
yarieties  of  fruits,  flowers  and  vegetables,  and  to  publish  regular  reports  upon 
them,  all  could,  and  the  vast  majority  of  persons  would  await  these  reports 
before  investing.  The  proposition  commends  itself  as  much  to  the  professional 
Nurseryman  and  Florist  as  to  the  community  at  large.  The  honest  dealer  is 
as  anxi.us  to  sell  as  his  customer  is  to  buy  nothing  but  really  good  articles, 
and  yet  he  is  compelled,  under  existing  circumstances,  to  procure  at  high 
prices  and  cultivate  all  the  novelties  which  annually  flood  the  market,  or  risk 
falling  behind  his  confreres  if  he  does  n^t.  These  he  sells  on  the  recommenda- 
tion of  the  originators,  and  while  not  responsible  for  any  deception  that  may 
exist,  he  is  aiding  too  frequently  in  the  dissemination  of  worthless  trash.  To 
the  honest  grower  an  experimental  garden  would  be  an  assistance  and  protec- 
tion, and  I  doubt  not  all  our  professional  friends  will  yield  a  hearty  co-opera- 
tion in  establishing  one  in  our  State.  To  do  this  will  not  be  very  difficult.  In 
the  first  place,  we  are  to  find  some  organization  to  undertake  the  management, 
and  then  to  secure  the  requisite  funds,  and  this  is  already  at  hand.  Let  the 
State  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society  take  the  control.  It  is  appro- 
priate to  the  aims  and  objects  of  that  Society,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  the 
ability  and  capacity  of  its  officers  and  members  to  conduct  it.  The  next  point 
may  seem  more  difficult,  but  it  is  not  insurmountable.  The  capital  required  at 
the  outset  would  not  be  large,  and  with  proper  management  the  grounds  could 
soon  be  made  self-supporting  by  the  sale  of  their  productions.  If  yon,  Messrs. 
Editors,  agree  with  me  in  the  desirability  and  feasability  of  this  undertaking, 
■will  you  not  develop  some  plan  by  which  it  maybe  put  in  operation  at  an  early 
day,  as  well  as  enter  more  fully  into  the  details  of  the  subject?  You  are  fa- 
miliar with  these  matters,  and  can  doubtless  suggest  the  best  course  of  action. 

X. 
[We  heartily  endorse  our  correspondent's  suggestions,  and  call  upon  the 
Horticultural  and  Pomological  S:ciety  to  take  steps  to  test  the  practicability  of 
establishing  an  Experimental  Garden.  We  think  it  feasible.  We  know  i:  to 
be  desirable.  As  to  a  detailed  plan  of  operations,  we  beg  leare  to  say  that  our 
correspondent  is  best  fitted  to  give  this,  and  we  hope  he  will  in  our  next  de- 
velop such  a  plan.  In  the  meantime  we  shall  be  glad  to  hear  from  our  florists, 
vegetable  growers  and  nurserymen  on  the  subject. — Eds.  S.  P.  A:  F.J 


Roses. 

June,  with  its  wealth  of  roses  has  come  again,  and  every  day  develops  new 
beauties,  as  we  watch  with  intense  interest  the  unfolding  of  old  and  new  sorts. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  359 


Among  the  latter  there  are  some  striking  varieties,  some,  to  be  sure,  of  not 
very  recent  origin,  but  new  to  us  because  we  were  deprived  of  access  to  the 
rose  world  for  several  years.  The  list  of  remontant  roses  has  been  largely  in- 
creased, and  in  dark  olored  kinds  perfection  seems  almost  to  have  been  at. 
tained  From  the  brightest  scarlet  to  the  darkest  maroon,  every  shade  may  be 
had,  and  that  in  roses  of  perfect  form  and  habit  of  growth.  In  this  class,  the 
following  list  would  seem  to  comprise  everything  that  could  be  wanted:  Dieul 
de  Prince  Albert,  Emperor  Morocco,  Maurice  Bernardin,  Richard  Smith,  Vul- 
can, Prof.  Koch,  Senateur  Vaise. 

There  is  not  so  much  improvement  in  remontant  roses  of  lighter  colors,  but 
some  of  the  older  varieties  can  hardly  be  surpassed.  Augusta  Hie,  La  Reine, 
Henry  IV,  Madam  Victor  Verdier,  Oderic  Vitale,  and  Triomphe  de  Versailles 
have  no  superior  in  their  class.  For  the  finest  white  roses  we  are  obliged  to 
leave  this  closs  entirely,  and  even  then  the  list  is  a  short  one.  So  few,  indeed, 
are  the  kinds  of  really  fine  white  roses,  that  they  are  always  scarce  and  high 
priced.  Until  fully  expanded,  Limarque  is  pure  white  ;  Mad.  Plantier  among 
the  noisettes  is  this  season  doing  remarkably  well,  and  promises  to  be  a  fine 
bloomer  in  this  climate.  Washington  is  also  a  fine  rose,  but  becomes  a  little 
ragged.  Among  the  tea  scented  roses,  there  are  many  that  are  nearly  white, 
but  few  that  are  purely  so.  Bride  of  Abydos,  Camelia,  La  Belle,  Devoniensis  and 
SombreaU  usually  pass  for  white,  though  not  entirely  so.  Apropos  of  tea 
.  roses,  we  must  not  forget  to  mention  the  old  "  Flaveseens  "  redivivus.  This 
has  been  almost  overlooked  for  years  past  in  the  universal  search  after  new 
kinds,  but  in  our  whole  collection  (over  one  hundred  varieties,)  we  do  not  hesi- 
tate to  pronounce  it  unsurpassed  for  the  beauty  of  its  bud  and  its  exquisite 
coloring. 

About  many  of  the  valuable  standard  roses  hardly  anything  need  be  said,  for 
most  probably  all  our  readers  are  well  acquainted  with  such  kinds  as  Souvenir 
de  la  Malaiaison,  Luxembourg,  White  Daily,  Safrano,  Hermosa,  &o.  These 
are  or  should  be  in  every  one's  collection,  being  perfectly  hardy  in  our  climate, 
and  giving  a  continuous  and  profuse  bloom  throughout  the  season.  Our  people 
should  distinctly  understand  one  thing,  viz  :  that  the  long  list  of  roses  with 
florid  descriptions  usually  found  in  catalogues  from  the  Xorth  contain  for  the 
most  part  only  those  kinds  which  will  grow  without  protection  in  the  open  air 
in  that  climate,  while  they  barely  mention  all  those  more  delicate  and  much 
more  beautiful  varieties  which  stand  our  milder  winters  without  covering  of 
any  kind- 


MrLDEW  ox  Roses.— H.  C.  H.,  McGregor,  Iowa.-"  Will  you  please  to  tell 
how  to  rid  my  rose  bushes  of  a  white  mould  like  substance  that  comes  on  the 
young  leaves  and  stems.  Soon  after  its  appearance  the  leaves  wither  and  will 
crumble  to  the  pressure  of  the  fingers.  Have  tried  syringing  with  water,  with 
soapsuds,  and  with  sulphur  mixed  with  water,  but  all  to  no  purpose." 

[Mildew  is  very  often  the  consequenee  of  disease— in  roses  particularly  so. 
You  will  most  likely  find,  on  examination  of  your  rose  roots,  that  the  fibres 
have  been  destroyed  by  over  watering.  The  best  remedy  will  be  to  take  them 
at  once  out  of  the  sour  soil,  re  pot  in  sweeter  earth,  and  be  very  careful  about 
watering,  until  the  pots  get  full  of  new  roots.  Sulphur  in  water  or  soapsuds 
will  frequently  cure  mildew  when  it  spreads  without  much  root  disease.— Gar- 
dener'* Muntltly. 


360  THE    SOUTHERN  [June 

Tomato  Sugar. 

Editors  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer  : 

Gentlemen, — On  page  175  of  the  March  number  of  your  paper  is  an  ex- 
stract  from  the  Gardener's  Monthly,  headed  "Tomato  Sugar,"  in  which  the 
writer  says  the  tomato  will  yield  1,000  bushels  per  acre,  and  100  bushels  will 
press  4,000  to  5,000  gallons  of  juice,  which,  if  distilled  after  the  "  proper  in- 
gredients" are  added,  &c,  will  make  500  to  700  gallons  of  good  proof  spirits, 
&c.  Now  can  you  tell  me  what  the  "proper  ingredients"  are,  and  the  quan- 
tity to  be  added  ?  I  am  planting  a  small  crop  of  tomatoes  with  a  view  to  test 
the  experiment,  and  will  be  very  greatly  obliged  if  you  will  inform  me  on  this 
subject,  either  by  letter  or  through  the  Planter  and  Farmer. 

R.  H.  Allen. 

[We  clipped  the  article  referred  to  by  our  correspondent  from  the  Gardener's 
Monthly,,  and  are  totally  ignorant  of  the  process  of  manufacture.  If  it  is  not  a 
secret,  or  if  a  patent  has  not  been  applied  for,  perhaps  the  Editor  of  the 
Monthly  can  give  the  desired  information,  which  we  shall  be  happy  to  publish. 
—Eds.  S.  P.  &  F. 


Machodoc   Farmers'   Club,  Westmoreland,   Va. 

REPORT   OF   THE    COMMITTEE    ON     FRUIT     GROWING   AND    TRUCKING. 

Mr.  President, — Your  committee  being  themselves  inexperienced  in  the  art 
of  trucking  and  fruit  growing,  and  being  unable  to  get  sufficient  data  from  the 
experience  of  others  in  this  section  of  Virginia,  from  the  fact  that  none  of  our 
neighbjrs  have  ever  given  their  attention  to  raising  fruits  or  trucks  for  market, 
beg  leave  to  embody  in  their  report  the  following  article  on  the  subject  under 
consideration,  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Edmond  Morris,  of  New  Jersey. 

"  The  conditions  necessary  to  prosperity  in  rural  life  are  various.  In  horti- 
culture especially,  the  primary  one  is  that  of  being  as  near  as  possible  to  the 
largest  market — one  which  no  supply  can  glut.  There  are  hundreds  of  villages 
in  which  the  product  of  two  acres  of  strawberries  would  prove  an  overwhelm- 
ing surfeit!  but  New  York  and  Philadelphia  have  never  yet  been  glutted. 
Thirty  odd  years  ago,  before  the  railroad  between  these  cities  was  built,  we 
had  the  same  teeming  sandy  loams  that  we  now  have,  as  ready  then  to  yield 
up  a  generous  fruit  crop  as  one  of  corn  or  rye.  But  no  market  was  at  hand. 
Philadelphia,  only  twenty  miles  away,  was  too  far  to  wagon  to  it  the  perishable 
fruits.  The  distance,  already  great,  was  made  greater  by  reason  of  roads  in- 
tolerably sandy.  It  was  therefore  useless  to  produce  fruit  which  it  was  impos- 
sible to  deliver  promptly  to  the  consumer. 

"But  the  opening  of  the  great  railroad  between  the  two  cities  quickened  the 
whole  fruit  region  of  New  Jersey  into  a  golden  life.  It  traversed  that  pecu- 
liar belt  of  land  in  this  county,  which  has  since  become  famous  for  its  fruit 
crop,  and  created  a  market  for  whatever  it  could  produce.  It  supplied  the  sole 
want  of  our  location,  by  letting  out  our  products,  and  letting  in  a  stream  of 
wealth  from  distant  cities.  Heretofore  we  had  glutted  every  little  village  com- 
munity with  strawberries  at  sixpence  a  quart ;  but  now  we  were  left  free  to 
grapple  with  the  great  city  appetites,  whose  consuming  voracity  we  had  no 
means  of  estimating.     Our  warm  and  genial  soil,  moreover,  ripened  all  the 


1 809.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  361 


fruits  a  week  or  tec  days  earlier  than  New  York  or  Boston  had  been  accus- 
tomed to ;  and  prices  went  up  encouragingly  under  the  new  demand  upon  us. 
Sixpence  ceased  to  be  the  standard  for  strawberries.  Even  the  heretofore  sur- 
feited villages  were  compelled  to  advance  with  the  improved  tariff.  Demand 
stimulated  production.  Production  was  found  to  be  exceedingly  profitable  ;  it 
brought  in  an  enormous  aggregate  of  money,  with  which  manures  were  pur- 
chased, land  was  enriched,  better  houses  and  fences  were  built,  and  splendid 
gravel  turnpikes  superseded  the  old  sandy  thoroughfares.  The  foundation  of 
this  remarkable  transformation  lay  in  that  unlimited  market  which  the  railroad 
brought  to  our  doors.  Without  it  we  had  been  a  hissing  and  astonishment  to 
the  world ;  but  with  it,  if  the  hissing  has  ceased,  the  astonishment  continues. 
"  Looking  over  a  recent  agricultural  paper,  I  came  upon  the  following  para- 
graph from  the  pen  of  a  Vermont  farmer:  '  My  farm  consists  of  a  hundred  and 
twenty-five  acres,  and  had  been  let  for  many  years,  and  was  generally  consid- 
ered run  out.  Sales  of  produce  and  stock  amounted  to  $1,699.88.  The  in-  ' 
crease  of  stock  was  enough  to  balance  the  sales.  Expenses  of  all  kinds,  to- 
gether with  $300,  which  I  charge  for  my  own  work,  $967,  leaving  a  balance 
for  profit  of  $732  68.  This  I  think  is  better  than  money  at  six  per  cent.,  and 
answers  the  question  as  to  whether  farming  is  profitable.' 

"  I  admit  that  up  to  the  advent  of  the  railroad  the  Vermont  example  of  eight 
dollars  an  acre  may  have  been  thoughtfully  occupied  by  hundreds  of  cultiva- 
tors in  this  vicinity.  They,  like  the  Vermonter,  could  do  no  better,  and  were 
contented,  for  they  also  counted  even  that  a  success.  But  that  generation  has 
left  the  stage  of  active  life,  and  been  succeeded  by  another,  which,  like  our 
horses,  has  been  educated  to  the  railroad. 

"Within  twenty  years,  rye  has  given  place  to  asparagus,  which  we  plant  in 
fields  of  from  twelve  to  twenty  acres.  Well  planted,  it  will  cost  a  hundred  dol- 
lars to  set  an  acre;  but  it  will  continue  productive  for  twenty  years,  and  if 
properly  cared  for,  will  clear  two  hundred  dollars  annually.  It  comes  grate- 
fully into  market,  directly  after  the  ground  is  clear  of  frost,  and  is  eagerly 
sought  after  in  every  market.  There  are  men  all  round  me  who  have  made 
email  fortunes  out  of  this  single  article. 

"  Then  comes  the  strawberry,  for  which  there  is  the  same  ever  recurring 
public  impatience.  I  have  seen  patches  of  this  fruit,  from  which  the  runners 
had  been  carefully  cut,  and  the  plants  covered  with  coarse  manure  in  winter, 
from  which  a  clear  profit  of  $500  per  acre  had  been  realized.  I  know  there 
are  hundreds  who  do  not  clear  one-fifth  of  this  per  acre;  but  the  difference 
does  not  lie  either  in  the  soil,  the  berry,  or  the  market  but  exclusively  in  the 
mac  It  is  not  muscle  that  produces  the  strawberry  crop  which  carries  off  the 
top  price  in  the  market,  but  brains.  Yet  so  wonderfully  hardy  is  this  plant, 
and  so  generously  does  it  bear  even  under  the  unkindest  treatment,  that  the 
veriest  sluggard  has  been  known  to  greatly  exceed  the  Vermont  standard  of 
eight  dollars  per  acre.  Thus  one  acre  of  strawberries  can  be  made  to  produce 
as  much  as  two  of  asparagus.  These  continue  in  bearing  until  the  raspberries 
come  in.  Two  acres  of  raspberries  will  require  no  more  labor  to  keep  them  in 
condition  than  one  of  strawberries;  yet  it  is  an  every  year  result  to  take  three 
or  four  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  fruit  from  a  single  acre.  The  reasons  for  this 
are  conclusive.  The  plants  do  not  blossom  until  after  the  very  latest  frost  has 
fallen.  The  improved  varieties  are  enormous  bearers,  making  the  aggregate 
receipts  from  an  acre  so  large  as  to  be  almost  incredible.    Even  from  the  com" 


362  THE    SOUTHERN  [June 

mon  purple  cane  variety  I  have  kno^vn  sixteen  hundred  dollars'  worth  to  be 
sold  from  a  field  of  three  acres.  From  all  the  facts  occurring  around  me,  i' 
•would  seem  impossible  to  suggest  a  more  advantageous  investment  than  that  of 
raspberry  culture.  This  fruit  has  hardly  disappeared  from  market,  when  the 
blackberry  comes  in  to  gratify  with  a  new  sensation  the  still  unsated  appetites 
of  the  millions  who  reside  in  cities.  Many  varieties  of  this  fruit  are  competing 
for  public  preference.  The  Dorchester  and  Liwton  are  most  generally  known, 
and  have  been  longest  tested.  Last  year  one  of  my  neighbors  sold  $300  worth 
of  the  Dorchester  from  the  first  week's  picking  of  two  and  a  half  acres.  If  not 
bearing  so  profusely  as  the  Lawton,  its  earliness  brings  up  the  diff-rence  in  the 
cash  results.  Two  acres  in  this  fruit  will  require  less  looking  after  than  one  of 
strawberries.  But  the  grower  of  one  berry  should  have  all  three.  As  they 
ripen  in  succession,  not  interfering  with  each  other,  a  continuance  of  cash  re- 
ceipts is  secured  until  peaches  and  grapes  come  in.  The  same  boxes  answer 
for  the  three  crops.  If  one  of  them  should  be  shortened  by  rain  or  drought, 
the  others  will  be  quite  sure  to  escape.  Thus  our  eggs  being  in  different  bas- 
kets, we  can  aff  jrd  a  smash  up  in  one  of  them  without  a  ruinous  result. 

"  Here  are  say  seven  acres  devoted  to  asparagus  and  the  berries,  planted  and 
cultivated  as  a  specialty.  There  will  be  no  really  hard  work  in  properly  at- 
tending to  them.  It  is  care,  attention,  with  brains,  that  is  required — more 
head  working  than  hard  work.  How  astonishing'the  contrast  between  the  pro- 
duct of  such  a  field  and  that  of  the  Vermont  farmer,  who  toiled  over  a  tract  of 
a  hundred  and  twenty  five  acres  to  secure  a  return  of  only  seven  hundred  and 
thirty-two  dollars." 

But  changing  off  from  fruit  to  truck,  let  U3  give  some  items  from  the  note 
book  of  a  small  trucker.  He  marketed  a  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  tomatoes 
from  one  third  of  an  acre;  from  a  quarter  acre  of  cintaleups,  fifty  dollars; 
from  a  quarter  of  an  acre  in  early  cabbage,  fifty  dollars  ;  from  two  and  a  quar- 
ter acres  in  turnips  and  tomatoes,  four  hundred  and  eighty-eight  dollars  and 
fifty  cents;  and  from  the  fortieth  of  an  acre  in  onions  and  peppers,  twenty  five 
dollars — making  a  total  of  seven  hundred  and  eleven  dollars  and  fifty  cents 
from  less  than  four  acres  of  extremely  light  land,  or  within  a  trifle  of  the  gain 
upon  thirty  times  the  same  number  of  acres  devoted  to  grass  and  grain  in  Ver- 
mont. True,  the  Vermont  farmer  is  not  alone.  Even  the  choicest  Pennsylva- 
nia land,  within  thirty  miles  of  Philadelphia,  sometimes  affords  an  equally 
meagre  return.  A  Pennsylvanian  came  here  recently  in  search  of  a  location 
among  us.  He  owned  a  farm  of  a  hundred  acres,  worth  fifteen  thousand  dol- 
lars, and  mentioned  that  the  County  Agricultural  Society  had  awarded  him  the 
premium  for  the  best  cultivated  farm  in  his  county.  Here  was  the  endorse- 
ment of  competent  judges  that  he  understood  his  business.  But  he  admitted 
that  his  profits  at  the  year's  end  had  only  once  amounted  to  five  hundred  dol- 
lars. Statements  of  similar  unpromising  character  have  been  made  by 
strangers  from  the  North  and  West.  These  cases  are  cited  only  by  way  of 
contrast  with  the  results  of  fruit  growing  and  trucking  in  a  region  where  the 
markets  are  so  large  that  everything  that  is  produced  commands  the  highest 
price.  But  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  all  fruit  growers  succeed  ;  such  is  not 
the  fact.  Nor  do  all  lawyers,  or  doctors,  or  storekeepers.  These  several  occu- 
pations are  intrinsically  desirable,  and  we  see  that  men  grow  rich  by  pursuing 
them.  But  success  depends  as  much  upon  the  man  as  upon  the  occupation. 
A  car  less,  idle,  inattentive  horticulturist  will  fail  as  certainly  as  a  shiftless 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  363 

storekeeper  or  lazy  doctor.     Success  comes  of  industry  and  brain  ;   without 
them,  one  need  not  hope  for  even  eight  dollars  per  acre. 

"While  the  profits  of  fruit  growing  and  trucking,  as  here  recorded  by  Mr. 
Morris,  seem  to  us,  unaccustomed  to  such  large  profits,  to  be  very  encouraging, 
we  must  bear  in  mind  that  this  is  written  of  Xew  Jersey,  a  thickly  settled 
country,  in  easy  access  of  two  of  the  best  markets  in  the  world.  And  while  we 
have  as  good  soil  and  climate  as  any  on  the  earth  for  trucking  and  fruit  grow- 
ing, yet  we  would  be  rather  sanguine  to  expect  such  great  results,  certainly  in 
any  very  short  time.  We  have  many  difficulties  to  contend  with  in  changing 
our  system  from  grain  growing  to  trucking  and  fruit  growing.  In  the  first 
place,  Mr.  President,  we  would  have  to  confine  our  operations  to  a  much 
smaller  surface,  with  fruits  and  trucks  exclusively,  than  under  our  present 
system  of  large  farms  and  mixed  husbandry.  And  then,  Sir,  what  becomes 
of  the  surplus  lands?  We  would  undoubtedly  have  to  leave  it  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  briars  and  broom  sedge,  or  give  it  up  to  worthless  tenants,  probably 
the  worst  of  the  two  evils.  Another  difficulty  in  the  changing  from  our  present 
system  to  fruit  growing  and  trucking  is  the  work  of  transportation.  We  now 
have  a  tri -iceekly  line  of  steamers  to  Baltimore  and  Washington.  We  think 
that  to  make  truckiug  and  fruit  growing  very  profitable,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
have  at  least  a  daily  line  of  steamers  to  those  cities.  Gentlemen  may  say, 
raise  the  fruits  and  trucks  ;  the  steamers  will  come.  Be  that  as  it  may  ;  but 
your  committee  are  of  the  opinion  that  it  would  be  well,  at  least  to  have  some 
assaranoefl  of  daily  transportation  to  the  cities,  before  recommending  a  change 
from  our  present  system. 

Under  these  circumstances,  Mr.  President,  your  committee  are  forced  to  the 
conclusion,  that  for  the  present,  at  least,  and  until  our  surplus  lands  are  sold, 
the  country  more  thickly  settled,  and  a  daily  line  of  communication  established 
with  the  cities,  we,  like  the  quiet  Yermonter,  will  have  to  be  satisfied  with  the 
profits  of  eight  dollars  per  acre. 

Willougbby  Newton,  Jr., 

B.  F.  Bronx,  \-  Committee. 

S.  R.  Jackson, 


Strawberry  Exhibition. 

The  Virginia  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society  held  their  first  fruit  and 
flower  exhibition  for  this  season  at  St.  Alban's  Hall,  in  this  city,  on  the  even- 
ing of  May  27th.  It  was  a  magnificent  success,  and  we  regret  our  inability, 
owing  to  the  late  date  of  the  exhibition,  to  give  a  full  report  in  this  issue.  All 
that  we  can  do  at  present  is  to  enumerate  the  exhibitors,  and  defer  to  our  next 
a  list  of  articles  and  the  awards  of  the  Committee  of  Examination  \ 

Dr.  J.  G.  Beattie,  Messrs.  Wm.  Coulling,  J.  W.  Lewellen,  W.  L.  Harrison, 
W.  W.  Turner,  J.  E.  Stansbury  &  Bro.,  L.  Chamberlayne,  Wm.  M.  Ledley, 
A.  M.  Morris. 

All  exhibited  one  or  more  varieties,  and  all  of  them  were  remarkably  fine 
specimens.  Messrs.  F.  Davis  &  Co.  exhibited  eighteen,  and  Allan  k  Johnson 
twelve  varieties,  most  of  which  were  very  fine. 

The  rooms  were  elegantly  decorated  with  plants  and  cut  flowers  by  Messrs. 
Allan  &  Johnson  and  John  Morton.  The  specimens  of  geraniums  were  re- 
markably fine,  and  a  stand  of  cut  flowers,  interspersed  with  strawberries,  ar- 


364  THE  SOUTHERN  [June 

ranged  by  Mr.  Morton,  was  exceedingly  beautiful  and  very  much  admired. 
Some  trays,  designs  and  baskets  of  cut  flowers  exhibited  by  Mrs.  Clopton  and 
Miss  "Webb  attracted  a  great  deal  of  attention  and  added  largely  to  the  beauty 
of  the  tables.  If  all  our  lady  amateurs  would  only  imitate  the  example  of 
these,  but  little  would  be  left  for  the  professional  florists  to  do  in  getting  up  a 
handsome  exhibition. 

Time  and  space  prevent  further  remark.  "When  the  report  of  the  committee 
appears,  we  will  give  with  it  a  more  extended  description  of  this  most  happy 
exhibition.  We  hope  the  Society  will  follow  it  up  with  melon,  peach  and 
grape  fairs  in  the  proper  season. 


Tea  in  the  South. — The  Tribune  believes  in  tea  in  the  South.  It  has  had 
some  from  there,  and  found  it  good.  There  is  no  doubt  of  this.  It  was  proved 
before  the  rebellion.  The  trouble  was,  that  even  with  slave  labor  it  could  not 
be  produced  as  cheaply  as  imported  from  China.  With  free  labor,  now  the 
difficulty  will  be  still  greater.  Here  will  be  another  question  for  the  politi- 
cians— whether  it  will  or  will  not  pay  to  protect  this  new  interest. —  Gardener's 
Monthly, 

[Does  it  ever  pay  to  have  protection  for  anything?  Encourage  as  much  as 
you  please,  but  the  less  protecting  you  do  the  better  for  all  parties.  We  would 
prefer  that  the  politicians  should  let  horticulture  alone,  unless  they  can  do  bet- 
ter for  it  than  most  other  things  they  undertake  to  manage. — Eds.  S.  P.  &  F.] 


Remedy  for  the   Striped    Bug    on   Watermelons,  and  that  whole 

Family  of  Plants. 

Having  exhausted  my  patience  in  trying  various  remedies  I  saw  recom- 
mended for  protection  of  my  watermelon,  muskmelon,  cucumber,  cymling 
and  pumpkin  plants,  and  losing  a  large  portion  of  them  by  that  gardener's 
pest,  the  lady  bug,  or  striped  bug,  I  gave  up  in  despair;  and  about  a  week 
since,  thinking  I  would  try  and  revive  a  few  plants  of  my  first  planting  of 
muskmelons,  I  poured  a  pint  of  water  on  the  plant  just  at  or.  about  sundown  ; 
the  bugs  having  secreted  themselves  in  the  top  of  the  hill,  immediately  flew 
out,  and  took  to  the  grass  and  weeds  ;  the  water  making  their  place  of  secretion 
round  the  stem  of  the  plant  a  sort  of  mire,  they  did  not  return  during  the 
night,  and  the  next  morning,  before  the  mud  dried  to  their  satisfaction,  they 
had  taken  refuge  from  the  heat  somewhere  else.  Having  repeated  the  expari- 
ment  on  a  larger  scale,  I  have  not  since  seen  but  one  or  two  plants  treated  in 
this  way  that  have  been  troubled  by  them  ;  and  these  I  am  not  certain  have 
suffered  by  the  bug,  as  they  did  not  appear  on  the  hill  on  examination. 

Respectfully, 

Wm.  D.  Pemberton. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  365 

Ijaustjjolb  geprtmcnt 

Lamp  Explosions. 

Messrs.  Editors, — The  great  number  of  serious  accidents  which 
occur  every  year,  from  the  breaking  or  explosion  of  lamps,  makes  it 
a  subject  of  very  general  interest.  It  may  not  be  so  "with  your  city 
readers,  who  always  have  gas  to  burn  ;  but  with  us  who  live  in  ob- 
scure places,  remote  from  gas  works,  the  question  between  a  candle 
and  a  lamp — between  a  very  poor  light  and  a  tolerably  good  one — 
between  a  somewhat  expensive  material  (if  we  burn  good  candles,) 
and  the  very  cheap  oils  now  in  use,  is  a  question  of  no  little  practi- 
cal importance.  We  want  a  good,  cheap  light;  and,  for  the  time 
being,  kerosene  is  the  most  reliable,  as  well  as  the  most  available 
material  for  producing  it.  But  many  a  one  seriously  asks  the 
question,  whether  the  danger  attending  its  use  does  not  more  than 
counterbalance  all  the  advantages  it  affords.  I  think  not.  It  is 
my  firm  belief  that  nearly,  if  not  quite  all  accidents  that  have  hap- 
pened from  explosions  of  kerosene  lamps  might  have  been  obviated ; 
and  that,  with  proper  care,  future  misfortunes  may  be  entirely  pre- 
vented.    But  to  do  this  the  public  must  be  instructed — 

1.  As  to  the  nature  and  true  cause  of  explosions ;  and 

2.  As  to  the  best  means  of  preventing  them. 

A  little  common  sense,  with  the  aid  of  a  few  simple  chemical 
facts,  will  enable  any  one,  who  will  take  time  to  read  what  I  am 
going  to  write,  and  to  reflect  a  little  upon  the  subject,  to  under- 
stand and  apply  practically  both  of  the  points  above  stated. 

Let  us,  then,  first  look  into  the  nature  and  cause  of  explosions. 
This  requires  a  few  fundamental  facts,  which  have  been  fully  estab- 
lished by  numerous  experiments,  and  which  may  be  very  briefly 
stated  as  follows  : 

1.  The  oils  employed  for  illuminating  purposes  are  never  explo- 
sive, so  long  as  they  remain  in  a  liquid  form.  They  must  first  be 
converted  into  vapor  or  gas. 

2.  The  combustible  vapor  which  rises  from  warm  kerosene,  alco- 
hol, camphene,  or  benzene,  is  not  explosive  when  alone.  It  must 
first  be  mixed  with  oxygen  or  air. 

3.  Whenever  any  very  combustible  vapor  is  mingled  with  air  in* 
due  proportion,  it  is  ahvays  explosive. 

4.  The  more  volatile  the  oil,  the  more  likely  it  is  to  form  an  ex- 


366  THE  SOUTHERN  [June 

plosive  mixture  with  air.  Hence  eamphene,  benzine,  anchor-oil, 
and  the  "  crystallized  oil "  (so  called),  are  all  much  more  dangerous 
than  the  properly  rectified,  and  much  less  volatile  kerosene. 

With  these  general  facts  before  you,  it  is  not  difficult  to  under- 
state the  theory  of  lamp  explosions. 

Suppose,  in  the  first  place,  that  your  lamp  is  entirely  full  -when 
you  light  it.  There  is  no  room  for  an  accumulation  of  air,  until 
a  portion  of  the  oil  has  been  consumed  ;  and  before  any  considera- 
ble space  can  thus  be  left  vacant,  the  wick  tube  has  become  hot 
enough  to  produce  oil  vapor  in  sufficient  quantity  to  exclude  most 
of  the  air,  so  long  as  the  lamp  continues  to  burn.  But  suppose  half 
the  oil  to  be  consumed,  and  the  lamp  to  be  extinguished,  and  al- 
lowed to  cool — say  it  is  left  in  that  condition  until  the  next  night ; 
in  the  meantime  the  empty  portion  has  become  filled  with  air.  If 
then  it  be  again  lighted  in  that  condition,  the  vapor  of  oil  soon  be- 
gins to  be  formed  around  the  heated  wick-tube  and  cap,  on  that 
part  of  the  surface  within  the  cavity  of  the  lamp  ;  and  this  vapor, 
mingled  with  the  air  previously  accumulated  within  the  same  cavity, 
forms  an  explosive  mixture,  ready  to  do  its  work  of  violence  when- 
ever the  flame  can  find  an  entrance. 

The  best  means  for  avoiding  danger  is,  in  the  first  place,  to  pro- 
cure a  good  quality  of  oil  (the  less  volatile  the  better) ;  and,  in  the 
second  place,  to  fill  the  lamp  entirely  every  day,  so  that  there  shall 
be  no  room  for  an  accumulated  mixture  of  air  and  vapor  to  create 
an  explosion.  J.  L.   C. 


From  the  New  York  Journal  of  Commerce  we  extract  the  follow- 
ing as  a  further  caution  to  our  readers : 

The  Sale  of  Explosive  Fluids. — A  report  of  April  26  from 
Professor  Chandler,  chemist  to  the  Board  of  Health,  shows  that  the 
last  ordinance  of  the  Board  concerning  explosive  fluids  is  being 
openly  violated  by  numerous  retailers.  The  ordinance  was  passed 
January  29,  1865,  and  reads  as  follows : 

"  No  petroleum  oil,  kerosene  oil,  or  other  liquids  having  like 
composition  or  qualities  as  said  oil,  shall  be  kept  or  offered  for  sale 
as  a  burning  fluid  for  lamps  or  any  like  receptacle  for  the  purpose 
of  illumination,  nor  shall  such'  oil  or  fluid  be  purchased  for  use,  or 
be  used  as  a  burning  fluid  for  any  such  lamp  or  receptacle,  or  be 
kept  for  such  use,  unless  all  such  oil  or  fluid  shall  be  of  such  quality 
and  ingredients  that  it  shall  stand  and  be  equal  to  both  the  follow- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  367 

ing  tests  and  conditions,  to  wit:  1st.  That  it  shall  not  take  fire  or 
burn  at  a  temperature  below  110  degrees  Fall.  2d.  That  it  shall 
not  evolve  an  explosive  vapor  below  100  degrees  Fah." 

Of  a  rtumber  of  samples  examined  by  Professor   Chandler,  not 
one  is  of  the  standard  quality,  as  all  evolve  explosive  vapors  below 
100  degrees  Fah.     In  two  of  the  samples,  however,  while  the  vapo- 
rizing point  is  a  trifle  below  100  degrees  Fah.,  the  burning  point  is 
several  degrees  above  the  standard  temperature,  110  degrees  Fah. 
He  considers  these  two  samples  as  coming  so  near  the  requirements 
of  the  ordinance  as  to  warrant  their  passing  as  safe.     The  other 
samples,  ten  in  number,  are  positively  -dangerous.     Four  are  not 
kerosene  oil  at  all ;  they  are  benzine  or  naptha — the  most  dangerous 
portion  of  the  natural  petroleum,  the  portion  which  is  separated  en- 
tirely by  all  honest  refiners  and  rejected,  because  as  little  as  two  or 
three  per  cent,  is  sufficient  to  render  good  kerosene  unsafe.     The 
benzine  is  generally  sold  under  the  name  of  "  liquid  gas,"  which 
very  appropriate  name  should  deter  every  person  from  using  it.    It 
is  the  most  dangerous  substance  that  can  be  employed  in  a  dwelling, 
and  has  been  the  cause  of  all  the  frightful  kerosene  accidents,  either 
when  sold  by  itself  or  as  an  impurity  in  kerosene.     Every  oil  that 
can  be  lighted  with  a  match  is  unsafe.     The  public  is  most  wickedly 
misled  by  the  venders  of  "  patent  safety  lamps,"  in  which,  they  say, 
any  oil,  even  benzine,   can  be  burned  with  safety.     Benzine  and 
dangerous  kerosene  cannot  be  made  safe  for  use  in  dwellings  in  the 
hands  of  women  and  children,  no  matter  what  lamp  is  employed. 
One  lamp  may  be  a  little  safer  than  another  when  in  perfect  order, 
but  lamps  will  break,  the  oil  will  be   spilled   sometimes ;   the  wick, 
too,  may  be  carelessly  left  unscrewed ;  in  numerous  ways  the  oil  or 
its  vapor  may  be  brought  in  contact  with  a  flame.     What  is  wanted 
is  safe  oil ;  with  it  all  lamps  will  be  safe.     The  samples  numbered 
from  five   to  ten,  inclusive,  are  average  specimens  of  the  kerosene 
which  is  now  sold  generally  at  retail.     They   all  contain  more   or 
less  benzine,  and  consequently  fail  to  come  up  to  the  requirements 
of  the  law.     They  are  dangerous.   In  the  report  dated  January  11, 
78  samples  were  recorded,  not  one   of  which  was  safe ;  so  a  slight 
improvement  has  taken  place,  though  at  that  time  we  found  only 
one  dealer  who  retailed  benzine,  while  we  now  find  four. 

Most  of  the  samples  on  which  Professor  Chandler  bases  this  re. 
port  were  obtained  in  the  region  between  the  Bowery,  Houston 
street  and  the  East  river. 


The  Louisiana  sugar  crop  promises  very  well. 


368  THE  SOUTHERN  [June 

Canning  Fruit. 

First — Can  the  fruit  the  same  day  it  is  gathered.  More  than 
half  the  secret  of  having  fine  preserved  fruit  lies  in  this  simple  di- 
rection. 

Second — Never  can  fruit  without  adding  as  much  sugar  to  it  as 
you  would  to  prepare  it  for  the  table.  This  is  imperative,  else  your 
fruit  will  inevitably  be  leathery  ;  cook  it  in,  I  should  say  at  the  rate 
of  one-quarter  of  a  pound  to  every  pound  of  fruit,  at  least;  but 
taste  and  try,  as  I  did,  and  when  it  suits  your  palate,  cease  from 
all  saccharine  matter. 

And  now  for  the  modus  operandi.  Pare  and  extract  the  pit ;  cut 
into  halves  and  plunge  in  cold  water  until  ready  to  cook,  else  your 
peaches  will  be  black  ;  this,  of  course,  does  not  apply  to  other 
kinds  of  fruit.  Place  your  cans  in  any  vessel  where  they  can  stand 
at  least  half  way  up  in  boiling  hot  water,  which  keep  so  until 
sealed.  I  usually  take  a  large  dripping  pan  and  put  it  on  the  top 
of  the  stove  at  one  side,  while  my  preserving  kettle  is  on  the  other. 
Make  your  syrup,  and  when  it  comes  to  a  boil,  put  in  your  peaches 
and  let  them  cook  (if  clings)  until  you  can  pierce  with  a  piece  of 
broom  corn ;  if  freestones,  when  the  syrup  boils  up  over  them  the 
first  time,  skim  out  and  put  into  the  cans.  When  the  latter  are 
full  of  the  peaches,  fill  up  with  boiling  hot  syrup,  wipe  off  the  tops 
with  a  rag  wet  with  cold  water,  being  careful  that  no  juice  remains 
on  them,  then  put  on  the  covers,  remove  from  the  water  to  the  stove 
hearth,  and  seal. 

Everything  must  be  hot  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  ;  hot 
syrup,  hot  cans,  hot  fruit,  hot  sealing  wax,  and  harder  than  all,  hot 
and  blowzy  hands  and  faces,  just  when  the  thermometer  stands  at 
blood  heat  in  the  shade. 

All  small  fruits  are  subjected  to  the  same  process,  except  that  the 
rule  for  them  is  simply  to  allow  them  to  come  to  a  boil,  and  not  re- 
main longer  in  the  syrup.  Strawberries,  to  retain  their  color  and 
flavor,  require  more  sugar,  and  to  be  put  into  glass,  stone,  earthen, 
or  anything  but  tin.  The  same  is  true  of  blackberries.  Tomatoes 
I  scald,  peal,  and  then  bring  to  a  boil  again,  with  a  little  salt  added, 
when  I  put  them  in  new  tin,  and  seal.  I  have  never  been  fortunate 
with  glass  or  earthen.  If  stone  jars  are  used,  be  sure  that  you  buy 
dark  colored,  well  baked  and  glazed  ones,  not  the  yellow.  Further 
this  deponent  saith  not. — Farmer  s  Advertiser. 


The  premiums  offered  for  the  next  Ohio  State  Fair  amount  to 
016,500. 


THE  SOUTHERN  PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA.,  JUNE  18G9. 


TERMS  OF  SUBSCRIPTION  AND  ADVERTISING. 
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ttorml  gcprtmnit. 


How  to  get  Money  for  Farming.  ^ 

In  the  May  number  of  this  paper  we  gave  an  example  of  rotation  of  crops 
under  a  system  which  involved  an  average  expenditure  of  $4.81 — say  $5  per 
acre  in  a  rotation  of  eight  years.  Looking  at  the  expenditure  in  other  coun- 
tries, and  on  lands  of  the  highest  degree  of  fertility,  we  consider  the  outlay  too 
small.  L  >ok,  for  instance,  at  England.  There,  owing  to  the  large  accumula- 
tion of  money,  and  the  social  advantages  that  attend  the  ownership  of  land, 
the  price  is  so  high — from  $200  to  $300  per  acre— that  the  same  party  rarely 
owns  and  farms  a  large  tract.  It  is  most  usually  rented  out,  the  landlord, 
whose  security  is  absolute,  getting  in  that  way  an  interest  of  about  three,  and 
the  tenant  farmer  making  about  ten,  per  cent.  As  an  instance  of  this,  we  cite 
the  ease  stated  by  Mr.  Mechi,  in  his  very  interesting  work,  "  How  to  Farm 
Profitably"  of  a  tenant  farmer  in  No.-folk,  who,  in  a  lease  of  twenty-five  years, 
on  a  farm  of  1200  acres,  had  expended  in  artificial  manures  and  oil  cake  the 
sum  of  £60,000,  which  is  about  $10  per  acre  per  annum,  and  had  thereby 
raised  the  value  of  the  land  to  four  times  its  worth  at  the  commencement  of 
the  lease,  and  had  increased  the  rental  300  per  cent.  We  have  one  or  two 
such  cases  in  Virginia,  and  one  in  particular  comes  to  our  memory  where  the 
proprietor,  by  an  application  of  bought  manures  which  his  neighbors  called 
extravagant,  made  for  eleven  years  [that,  too,  when  the  joint  worm  prevailed 
for  a  good  part  of  the  time  around  him,]  an  average  of  twenty-three  bushels  of 
wheat  per  acre,  and  other  things  in  like  proportion. 

The  whole  of  Eastern  Virginia  must  do  something  of  this  sort,  or  the  people 
will  be  crippled  for  years,  and  many  of  them  in  a  very  few  years  must  be  hope- 
lessly ruined.  A  rapid  process  of  disintegration  is  now  going  on  ;  and  it  can  be 
measured  with  sufficient  accuracy  to  set  us  all  to  serious  thinking.  We  have 
been  at  some  pains  to  prepare  a  general  statement  of  the  case,  which  we  think 
approximately  true,  or  sufficiently  near  the  truth  to  serve  as  the  basis  of  such 
reflections  as  our  remarks  may  suggest  to  others. 

The  condition  of  the  State,  at  least  from  salt  water  to  the  mountains,  is 
worse  financially  than  that  of  any  other  of  the  South.     They  have  recently  felt 

vol.  in — 24 


S70  THE  SOUTHERN  [May 

the  benefit  of  a  crop  of  cotton  sold  at  extraordinary  figures,  and  their  debts 
have  been  generally  settled  in  some  -way  or  other.  Our  debts  still  hang  like  a 
millstone  around  our  necks-  The  stay  law,  which  folly  passed,  but  which 
wisdom  must  now  treat  as  a  fact,  has  but  added  to  our  embarrassments.  It 
forced  suits  which  otherwise  would  not  have  been  brought,  and  induced  mort- 
gages which  otherwise  would  not  have  been  demanded  or  given.  Thus  we 
know  of  one  small  county,  in  which,  to  say  nothing  of  judgment  liens  and  exe- 
cutions, there  are  two  hundred  deeds  of  trust  recorded :  and  if  the  case  is  ex- 
treme, it  is  yet  truly  illustrative  of  our  deplorable  condition.  It  is  a  fact  which 
it  were  useless  to  deny,  that  poor  as  Virginia  is,  she  is  every  day  getting 
poorer;  deep  as  she  is  in  debt,  she  is  every  day  getting  deeper.  Since  1S65 
the  crops  have  failed  every  year  in  far  the  larger  part  of  cis  montane  Virginia, 
and  a  painful  interest  is  felt  in  the  approaching  harvest ;  the  farmer  is  watch- 
ing the  weather  like  a  sailor  on  a  lee  shore,  and  the  anxious  merchant  asks 
each  country  acquaintance,  "  How  are  the  crops?"  Let  us  express  this  feeling 
in  a  definite  proposition.  We  learn  that  in  the  best  districts  of  the  above  terri- 
tory it  is  considered  fair  to  rent  land  for  one  half  its  gross  produce.  This  means 
that  that  portion  is  necessary  to  maintain  and  educate  the  landlord's  family. 
But  in  the  far  greater  number  of  the  farms  that  proportion  will  not  do  it — cer- 
tainly has  not  done  it  in  the  period  specified;  for  we  are  told  that  in  the  ma- 
jority of  ca?es  wheat,  corn  and  tobacco  have  shown  a  positive  loss. 

But,  to  begin  the  argument,  allow  that  one  half  will  answer.  Then  the  other 
half  is  absorbed  in  production,  and  in  replacing  wear  and  tear.  That  half, 
then,  represents  all  the  productive  force,  except  the  land-  Toat  productive 
force  is  represented  by  cash.  That  cash  is  an  advance  at  a  rate  of  interest  not 
less  than  18  per  centum  per  annum,  most  generally  obtained  on  short  notes  ; 
made,  accepted,  or  endorsed  by  a  factor,  which  are  heavily  curtailed  as  the 
condition  of  the  credit.  This  condition  forces  premature  cjnsignments  of  pro- 
duce ;  and  this  again  operates  a  heavy  discount  on  the  price.  Thus  the  differ- 
ence in  the  price  of  tobacco  sold  in  winter  and  in  summer  order  is  assumed  at 
20  per  centum  :  the  difference  in  wheat  delivered  in  haste,  and  at  leisure,  is  not 
less ;  and  the  difference  in  corn  is  believed  to  be  still  greater.  Add  this  to  the 
interest ;  and  the  half,  which  carries  the  whole,  is  taxed  38  per  centum — say  40 
per  centum  for  convenience  in  calculation.  At  this  rate  of  annual  charge  on 
production,  the  whole  revenue  of  the  farm  is  sunk  in  five  years,  and  the  farmer 
is  ruined  unless  he  can  sell  his  land,  or  protract  his  agony  by  a  mortgage.  But 
as  a  practical  question  he  can  do  neither.  The  present  rate  of  sales,  even  at 
the  low  prices  realized,  is  too  slow  to  afford  relief;  and  money  cannot  be  had 
on  mortgage  now,  as  it  could  have  been  and  was,  readily  enough,  when  each 
farm  was  manned  with  its  complement  of  slave  labor.  As  salt,  composed  of 
chlorine  and  sodium,  losing  its  chlorine  on  decomposition,  becomes  only  soda, 
which  by  no  means  answers  the  ends  of  salt:  so  the  relations  of  land  to  money 
have  become  entirely  changed  by  the  abolition  of  slavery.  "  The  salt  has  lost 
his  saltness  "  and  become  a  very  different  thing.  Unable,  then,  to  borrow  or 
sell,  and  certain  to  exhaust  our  credit  at  present  rates  in  five  years,  the  ques- 
tion for  rational  men  is  not,  shall  the  negro  vote,  but  shall  we  keep  our  homes 
— ancestral  oaks  included — and  get  bread  for  our  families? 

The  near  prospect  of  this  ruin  not  only  to  our  fortunes,  but  to  our  charac- 
ters, (for  universal  bankruptcy  means  general  profligacy,)  should  direct  our 
thoughts  to  some  practical  mode  of  averting  the  catastrophe,  and,  if  possible, 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  371 


by  a  course  which  shall  lead  to  general  prosperity.  If  such  measures  of  relief 
can,  at  the  same  time,  be  contrived  as  to  render  probable  some  reasonable  com- 
promise of  the  debts  which  now  hang  suspended  like  a  sword  over  so  many  of 
our  people,  it  will  conduce  by  that  much  more  to  our  complete  restoration. 

To  this  end  we  would  suggest  the  passage  of  a  law  which  shall  make  every 
advance  from  a  commission  merchant  to  the  farmer  operate  pro  tanlo  as  a  lien, 
or,  if  necessary,  an  attachment  on  the  produce  derived  from  the  advance,  and 
thereby  secure  the  merchant  against  any  losses  but  those  resulting  from  the  ac- 
cidents of  the  seasons  and  general  casualties.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that,  in 
addition  to  other  causes,  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  money  new  is  greatly  in- 
creased by  the  risk  of  having  the  farmer's  produce  bound  by  judgments  or  exe- 
cutions, and  by  the  fear,  not  wholly  groundless  in  a  good  many  cases,  that  the 
man  who  obtains  an  advance  from  one  party  will  make  his  consignments  to 
another.  And  if  this  risk  can  be  nullified,  or  even  greatly  lessened,  agricul- 
ture will  be  the  first  to  feel  the  benefit.  How  great  it  will  be,  both  directty  and 
indirectly,  it  is  not  worth  while  now  to  estimate,  as  we  aim  to  suggest  rather 
than  to  direct.  The  sort  of  law  we  propose  is  no  new  thing.  We  heard  of  it 
years  ago  in  Louisiana,  and  North  and  Sjuth  Carolina  have  both  adapted  it. 

We  have  taken  the  trouble  to  get  a  copy  of  the  statute  of  North  Carolina, 
"which  we  here  present,  and  commend  it  to  the  attention  of  our  readers,  with  the 
remark  that  possibly  it  does  not  go  far  enough  in  the  security  it  affords  the 
merchant; 

PUBLIC   LAWS   OF   NORTH    CAROLINA    1866-67. 
An  Act  to  Secure  Advances  for  Agricultural  Purposes. 

Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  North 
Carolina,  and  it  is  hereby  enacted  by  the  authority  of  the  same,  that  if  any 
person  or  persons  shall  make  any  advance  or  advances,  either  in  money  or  sup- 
plies,  to  any  person  or  persons,  who  arc  engaged  in  or  about  to  engage  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  soil,  the  person  or  persons  so  making  such  advance  or  ad- 
vances, shall  be  entitled  to  a  lien  on  the  crops  which  may  be  made  during  the. 
year  upon  the  land  in  the  cultivation  of  which  the  advances  so  made  have  been 
expended,  in  preference  to  all  the  liens  existing  or  otherwise,  to  the  extent  of 
such  advance  or  advances.  Provided,  an  agreement  in  writing  shall  be  entered 
into  before  any  such  advanee  is  made  to  this  effect,  in  which  shall  be  specified 
the  amount  to  be  advanced,  or  in  which  a  limit  shall  be  fixed  beyond  which  the 
advance,  if  made  from  time  to  time  during  the  year,  shall  not  g> ;  which  agree- 
ment shall  be  recorded  in  the  office  of  the  Register  of  the  county  in  which  the 
person  to  whom  the  advances  are  made  resides,  within  thirty  days  after  its 
date. 

Section  2.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  if  the  person  making  such  advances 
shall  make  an  affidavit  before  the  Clerk  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  the 
county  in  which  such  crops  are,  that  the  person  to  whom  such  advances  have 
been  made  is  about  to  sell  or  dispose  of  bis  crop,  or  in  any  other  way  is  about 
to  defeat  the  lien  hereinbefore  provided  for,  accompanied  with  a  statement  of 
the  amount  then  due,  it  shall  be  lawful  for  him  to  issue  his  warrant,  directed 
to  any  of  the  Sheriffs  of  this  State,  requiring  them  to  seize  the  ^aid  crop,  and 
after  due  notice,  sell  th?  same  for  cash,  and  pay  over  the  nett  proceeds  thereof, 
or  so  much  thereof  as  may  be  necessary,  in  the  extinguishment  of  the  amount 
then  due.     Provided,  however,  that  if  the  person  to  whom  such  advances  hava 


372  THE   SOUTHERN  [June 

been  made,  shall,  within  thirty  days  after  such  sale  has  been  made,  give  notice 
in  writing  to  the  Sheriff,  accompanied  with  an  affidavit  to  this  effect,  that  the 
amount  claimed  is  not  justly  due,  that  then  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  said 
Sheriff  to  hold  the  proceeds  of  such  sale  subject  to  the  decision  of  the  Court, 
upon  an  issue  which  shall  be  made  up  and  set  down  for  trial  at  the  next  suc- 
ceeding term  of  the  Court  of  Pleas  and  Quarter  Sessions  for  the  county  in  which 
the  person  to  whom  such  advances  have  been  made  resides.  Provided  further, 
*hat  said  lien  shall  not  affect  the  rights  of  landlords  to  their  proper  share  of 
rents. 

Section  3.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  this  act  shall  be  in  full  force  and  ef- 
fect from  and  after  its  ratification. 

Ratified  March  1st,  A.  D.  1867. 

Under  this  law  the  farmer  or  planter  can  get  supplies  to  an  agreed  extent 
from  his  commission  merchant  on  better  terms,  and  to  a  larger  amount,  because 
the  merchant  will  have  better  security  than  he  has  or  can  get  at  present. 

Next  in  importance,  is  an  alteration  of  the  usury  laws  to  conform  more 
nearly  to  the  daily  transactions  of  men.  We  do  not  propose  to  go  over  the  ar- 
guments on  that  subject ;  so  often  made  ;  so  often  disputed.  The  fact  that  we 
daily  pay  at  least  three  times  the  amount  of  interest  allowed  by  law,  and  that 
the  borrower  is  more  anxious  than  the  lender  to  break  that  law,  the  fact  that 
the  Federal  Government,  wanting  all  the  money  it  can  get,  pays  a  higher  in- 
terest in  gold  than  we  are  allowed  to  pay  in  greenbacks — these  are  arguments 
which  cannot  be  answered. 

But  whatever  the  proper  measures  may  be,  and  however  necessary,  we  can 
not  get  them  without  a  good  Legislature — one  that  sympathizes  with  the  prop- 
erty holders  of  the  State,  and  commands  their  respect  and  confidence.  This 
we  can  have  if  we  are  fit  to  have  it.  But  we  must  change  from  what  we  were 
in  the  past,  before  we  can  expect  that  to  change.  We  know  that  it  is  common 
to  decry  legfslative  bodies ;  but  so  far  as  our  observation  goes,  the  truth  ap- 
pears to  be  that,  as  a  general  rule,  the  representative  is  about  as  good,  if  any- 
thing better,  than  his  constituents,  and  under  universal  suffrage  it  cannot  well 
be  otherwise.  If  in  the  past,  the  Legislature  of  Virginia  branded  Kentucky 
tobacco  "  Western,"  and  so  drove  it  from  the  marts  of  Virginia  ;  if  the  reform 
of  the  inspection  laws  was  defeated  at  one  time  by  the  activity  of  office-holders 
appealing  to  prejudice  and  social  influences,  at  another  by  the  efforts  of  a  very 
worthy  incumbent  who  plead  that  political  services  entitled  him  to  his  office  and 
its  emoluments,  and  therefore  it  was  reserved  to  all;  if  the  law  to  allow  a  depar- 
ture from  the  usury  laws  only  to  a  limited  extent,  and  for  commercial  purposes, 
and  to  put  Virginia,  that  far,  on  a  level  with  New  York,  if  such  a  law  failed 
because  some  members  owed  money  and  feared  to  be  sold  out  under  deeds  of 
trust,  aud  some  members  loaned  money  on  usury  and  feared  the  imputation  on 
the  hustings  that  they  were  endeavoring  to  legalize  extortion  ;  if  these  reforms, 
which  men  of  reflection  knew  to  be  salutary,  were  defeated  by  such  men  and 
such  motives,  it  was  simply  because  the  constituent  mass  was,  as  a  mass, 
no  better  than  the  governing  body.  And  so  long  as  that  mass  fails  to  inform 
itself,  or  to  put  itself  under  the  lead  of  those  who  have  informed  themselves,  so 
long  will  Virginia  be  weak  and  poor  and  despised.  But,  she  need  not  be.  We 
have  a  country  of  which  the  cavalier  who  first  explored  it  said,  that  "  heaven 
and  earth  never  agreed  to  frame  a  better  place  for  man's  habitation,  were  it 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  373 

fully  manured  and  inhabited  by  industrious  people."  And  if  we  have  half  the 
spirit  and  energy  of  Captain  John  Smith,  we  need  not  despair.  Spoiled  as  we 
have  been  in  our  homes,  oppressed  as  we  are,  and  threatening  as  is  now  the 
aspect  of  things,  we  yet  owe  it  to  our  lineage,  and  traditions,  not  to  despair, 
not  to  flinch,  not  to  look  at  the  smouldering  ruins  of  the  past,  but  to  take  coun- 
sel of  the  present,  and  6nateh  hope  from  the  future. 

"The  Pleasure-house  is  dust:— behind,  before, 
This  is  no  common  waste,  no  common  gloom; 
But  nature,  in  due  course  of  time,  once  more 
Shall  here  put  on  her  beauty  and  her  bloom." 


Cruelty  to  Animals. 

A  subscriber  sends  us  the  following  communication  on  the  above  subject. 
We  note  what  he  says  about  the  philanthropy  of  the  North  on  thif  matter. 
Th»,y  have  a  journal  or  two  up  there  upon  this  subject,  and  a  kind  fn^nd  has 
6ent  us  several  samples  of  the  paper — on  which  we  have  to  remark,  that  if 
"charity  begins  at  home,"  then  we  think  kindness  to  folks  ought  to  take  pre- 
cedence of  kindness  to  animals.  Now  we  think  the  amount  of  crime  and  pau- 
perism in  Massachusetts,  from  the  murder  of  grown  men  to  the  destruction  of 
foetal  children,  is  admitted  to  be  such  an  evil  there  that  the  churches  have  had 
to  take  up  the  subject,  especially  the  latter  branch  of  it,  and  have  made  such 
practices  the  subject  of  severe  denunciations,  as  well  as  more  6olemn  and  de- 
liberate written  warnings. 

But  more  than  this,  the  kind  hearted  humanitarian  who  shudders  at  the 
bleating  of  a  lamb,  or  the  tying  of  a  sheep's  legs,  thinks  it  his  duty  to  put 
white  men  under  the  control  of  black  men,  and  to  bind  the  white  man  fast  in 
the  fetters  he  has  removed  from  the  black.  We  would  suggest  that  the  consti- 
tution of  the  Society  be  so  enlarged  as  to  include  men,  at  least  white  men, 
among  the  animals  that  claim  the  sympathies  of  the  merciful  North  ;  then  per- 
haps we  might  not  nave  so  much  occasion  to  say  and  feel  as  we  do  now — 

"  Man's  inhumanity  to  man  makes  countless  thousands  mourn." 
THE    MERCIFUL    MAN    IS    MERCIFUL    TO    HIS    BEAST. 

Messrs.  Editors, — Much  has  been  done  and  written  at  the  North  about 
cruelty  to  animals;  and  the  reforms  proposed  were  ridiculed,  as  well  as  the 
men  who  ventured  to  condemn  the  cruel  practices  of  butchers  and  dealers  in 
cattle  generally.  But  the  reforms  were  carried  on  successfully,  and  now  you 
see  no  such  revolting  exhibitions  in  New  York  as  were  everywhere  to  be  seen 
before  the  subject  was  brought  before  the  public.  No  more  tieingoffeet  to- 
gether, and  throwing  into  wagons,  of  sheep,  calves  or  hogs.  They  are  all  car- 
ried in  vehicles  in  a  way  to  allow  them  to  stand  up  and  turkeys,  g->e>e  and 
fowls  of  all  kinds  are  kept,  and  carried  so  as  to  avoid  unnecessary  suffering. 
No  subject  connected  with  the  supply  of  food  for  man  is,  in  my  opinion,  of 
more  importance  than  this,  and  1  would  be  glad  to  subscribe,  in  connection 
with  others,  for  the  best  essay  on  the  subject.  In  that  way  it  mijjht  make  an 
impression  on  the  public  mind  that  no  law  could  effect.  The  nohle  horse,  the 
useful  mule,  the  ox,  the  cow,  &J.,  would  all  come  in  for  a  share  of  our  sympa- 
thy. The  useful  birds  would  no  longer  be  wantonly  shot  by  cruel  boys  and 
boyish  men,  and  even  the  turtle  would  no  longer  be  thrown  on  his  back,  and 
be  made  to  linger  in  torment  at  the  restaurant  doors  as  a  show. 

Give  me  this  much  of  your  valuable  space,  and  see  it  some  other  and  more 
able  writer  will  not  second  the  motion  of  A  Subscriber. 

Richmond,  May  31,  18G9. 


374  THE  SOUTHERN  [June 


Calcareous  Tufa. 

The  thing  -which  passes  under  this  name  is  a  soft,  porous  limestone,  contain- 
ing from  GO  to  90  per  cent,  of  carbonate  of  lime.  It  occurs  in  masses  some- 
times as  large  as  hillocks  in  all  limestone  regions,  and  abounds  in  the  Valley  of 
Virginia. 

During  the  war  our  attention  was  called  to  it  by  Colonel  Gilham  at  some  iron 
works  belonging  to,  and  worked  by,  Mr.  Frank  Jordan,  about  six  miles  below 
Lexington.  There  it  was  in  a  large  body  on  a  hillside,  so  thoroughly  disin- 
tegrated as  to  be  mined  by  a  pick  and  shovel.  Mr.  Jordan  used  it  in  his  iron 
works,  jui-t  as  any  other  lime  is  used  in  making  iron. 

Several  times  since  the  war  we  have  tried  to  get  specimens  of  it  for  agricul- 
tural use,  and  have  found  the  James  River  and  Kanawha  Company  willing  to 
make  liberal  arrangements  for  its  delivery  in  Richmond,  whence,  without 
change  of  bottom,  it  may  be  easily  distributed  along  the  shores  of  the  lower 
James.  It  can  be  prepared  at  the  point  of  mining  by  burning  or  grinding,  or 
the  crude  ore  may  be  shipped,  to  be  prepared  by  the  farmer  himself. 

Mr.  Henry  Mackey,  of  South  river,  in  the  county  of  Ruckbridge,  has  sent  U3 
two  tons  at  the  instance  of  Prof.  Campbell,  which  we  had  ground  into  the  con- 
sistency of  fine  soil  at  the  mills  of  the  Messrs.  Magruder,  in  this  city,  and  ap- 
plied to  corn  land  at  the  rate  of  twenty-five  bushels  per  acre,  selecting  a  spot 
that  had  Dever  been  limed  before,  but  which  was  in  juxtaposition  to  a  piece 
that  had  been  limed  before.  We  shall  note  the  result  with  great  interest,  and 
report  it  for  the  public  benefit. 

There  is  no  reason  why  it  should  not  act  as  well  as  the  agricultural  lime  that 
comes  from  the  North,  aDd  better,  owing  to  its  more  minute  subdivision,  than 
most  of  the  marls,  over  which  it  has  this  great  advantage  for  transportation 
and  diffusion  over  the  soil — that  it  is  perfectly  dry. 

With  oyster  shells  on  the  Chesapeake,  and  limestone  and  calcareous  tufa  in 
the  Valley  of  Virginia,  and  all  the  intermediate  country  penetrated  by  rivers, 
canals  and  railroads;  and  with  marl,  where  these  other  forms  of  lime  are  not 
to  be  had  conveniently,  and  the  whole  of  tidewater  soils  demanding  lime,  why 
should  we  get  a  bushel  from  the  North  ? 

In  thanking  Prof.  Campbell  and  Mr.  Mackey  for  the  favor  they  have  done 
the  farmers  of  Virginia  through  us,  we  wish  to  assure  them  that  our  apparent 
tardiness  is  solely  due  to  the  fact  of  our  wishing  to  have  the  application  made 
before  speaking  of  the  subject.     We  are  very  much  obliged  to  them. 

It  is,  perhaps,  proper  to  say  that  Colonel  Dillon,  of  the  James  River  Co.'s 
line  of  canal  boats,  will  probably  engage  in  this  business  if  sufficient  encour- 
agement be  given. 


Correspondence  of  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer. 

After  a  few  lines  on  private  business,  our  correspondent  proceeds  : 
Most  of  our  farmers  do  not  attach  sufficient  importance  to  agricultural  reading. 
They  go  at  it  "rough  and  clinch,"  and  wonder  that  so  little  is  accomplished. 
Any  quantity  of  land  is  cultivated — badly — only  three  or  four  inches  of  the 
soil  is  brought  into  requisition,  and  that  not  very  well  prepared,  and  the  conse- 
quence is  that  it  is  always  too  wet  or  too  dry. 
The  Watt  plough,  iron  beam,  and  others  have  lately  been  introduced  into 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  .  375 


this  county,  and  with  them,  I  think,  there  will  be  less  complaint  of  the  seasons. 
With  improved  farming  implements,  and  the  application  of  manures,  the  ne- 
cessity of  both  beginning  to  be  appreciated,  we  may  look  forward  to  a  pros- 
•  perity  hitherto  unknown.  The  dependence  of  the  farmer  being  now  upon  the 
fertility  of  the  soil,  a  change  in  his  system  becomes  a  necessity;  hence  the 
contraction  of  the  area  cultivated,  and  a  more  thorough  preparation.  Mr. 
Broadacres  is  ready  to  acknowledge  the  superior  wisdom  of  Mr.  Gardenspot. 
As  an  evidence  of  this  I  will  mention  a  fact. 

I  accepted,  a  few  days  ago,  an  invitation  from  a  friend  to  take  a  view  of  bis 
farming  operations,  who  gave  me  a  detailed  account  of  them.  Mr.  Robert  A. 
Jenkins,  to  whom  I  allude,  resides  in  the  little  town  of  Williamsboro',  and  haa 
a  large  tract  of  land.  It  lies  well  to  improve,  slightly  undulating,  and  he  haa 
commenced  a  system  which,  if  pursued,  will  in  a  very  few  years  render  it  ex- 
tremely fertile.  Last  fall  he  purchased  forty  head  of  beef  cattle  and  put  them 
in  a  small  lot  which  was  sufficiently  covered  to  protect  them,  and  hauled  in 
straw,  woods  litter,  &c;  made  boxes  and  elevated  them  two  feet  above  the 
ground,  in  which  they  were  fed  with  cut  food,  corn  meal  and  bran.  He  sold 
his  cattle  early  in  the  Spring  at  a  handsome  profit,  and  manured  from  them  a 
large  tobacco  lot.  fee  seeded  last  Fall  one  hundred  bushels  wheat,  and  I  don't 
know  how  many  oats  this  Spring,  and  seeded  with  each  clover,  timothy,  herds' 
grass,  orchard  grass,  and  blue  grass,  no  two,  however,  together.  Upon  these 
crops  he  applied  concentrated  manures,  principally  guano.  He  has  a  luxu- 
riant crop  of  clover  now  growing,  to  which  he  is  applying  plaster.  He  is  cul- 
tivating onions  as  a  field  crop,  a  new  feature  with  us.  The  result  I  will  give 
you  when  ascertained. 

Mr.  Jenkins  is  one  of  our  most  intelligent  and  enterprising  citizens,  and  evi- 
dences of  his  liberality  and  generous  spirit  are  abundant  all  around  him.  Ilia 
pigs,  less  than  two  months  old,  are  too  fat  to  eat,  and  his  hogs  are  fatter  now 
than  killing  hogs  generally  are  in  December;  his  milch  cows  would  make  first 
rate  beef,  and  his  farm  horses  are  fat  as  his  pigs. 

I  have  alluded  to  only  one  of  Mr.  Jenkins'  operations.  He  has  two  other 
farms,  one  in  this  county,  and  the  other  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State.  He 
is  a  merchant,  and  manufacturer  of  tobacco  and  flour,  having  in  Warren  one  of 
the  best  flouring  mills  in  the  country. 

I  have  written  this  much  that  those  of  us  who  are  desponding  may  take 
courage,  and  go  to  work  and  build  up  the  waste  places.  Few  of  us,  however, 
have  the  resources  of  Mr.  J.  He  can  draw  on  one  for  the  benefit  of  another, 
while  most  of.  us  have  to  rely  solely  on  the  product  of  the  soil  for  means  where- 
with to  improve  it. 

Human  nature  is  not  so  generous  as  not  to  condemn,  and  my  friend  knowing 
me  to  be  very  "  natural,"  will  excuse  me  for  calling  his  attention  to  his  stable 
arrangement.  I  would  substitute  for  his  open  log  stables,  others  closer  and 
more  comfortable,  with  a  feed  room  under  the  same  roof,  for  convenience  and 
economy  of  time ;  and  when  this  is  done,  more  comfortable  quarters  for  other 
stock.     His  stock,  however,  does  not  seem  to  require  it. 

The  "Goodwyn  Club"  is  in  successful  operation,  numbering  now  eighteen 
members.  It  was  organized  at  a  most  propitious  time — when  we  had  not  much 
interest  in  political  matters.  We,  being  an  agricultural  people,  are  reminded, 
by  the  course  of  events,  that  our  business  is  farming;  that,  to  be  successful, 
our  system  must  be  changed  ;  that  less  surface  must  be  cultivated  in  corn  and 


3TG  THE  SOUTHER>  [June 

tobacco,  and  that  made  more  fertile,  and  more  in  small  grain  and  the  grasses  ; 

that  our  stock  must  be  improved,  and  no  more  kept  than  can  be  kept  well. 

These  are  some  of  the  facts  that  have  forced  themselves  upon  us,  and  we  are 

adopting  them  as  fast  as  our  ancient  prejudices  will  permit. 

Some  of  our  meetings  are  very  interesting.     The  utmost  harmony  and  good 

feeling   exists — our  social  relations   much   improved,   and  our  farming  much 

more  skilfully  done. 

Very  truly,  &c,  S.  A.  G. 

Granville  county,  X.  C„  April  20,  1869. 


Dear  Sirs, — Permit  me  to  congratulate  you  on  the  very  marked  improve- 
ment in  your  paper  for  the  past  two  months  especially.  Really,  I  regard  the 
last  two  numbers  as  by  far  the  best  I  have  ever  seen.  They  are  filled  with 
valuable  and  practical  articles  suitable  to  Virginia,  and  not  extracts  from 
Northern  journals,  a  great  many  of  which  are  as  well  adapted  to  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Iudia  as  to  us.  Now  please  don't  understand  me  to  insinuate  that  be- 
cause you  have  added  a  really  practical  and  good  farmer  to  your  corps,  that 
this  practical  tone  is  given  your  paper,  and  that  it  is  filledfwith  real  Virginia, 
and  not  New  York  articles:  for  you  know  as  well  as  I,  that  we  poor  devils  of 
farmers  are  not  competent  to  give  instruction  in  our  own  business,  but  must 
look  to  men  who  really  know  nothing  of  the  plough,  the  hoe  and  the  axe,  ex- 
cept what  they  find  in  the  books.  Don't  understand  me  to  be  purely  utilita- 
rian, for  one  of  the  best  articles  in  your  last,  and  calculated  to  cheer  us  up  and 
do  good,  is  by  that  good  and  really  great  man,  Mr.  Xe'wton  ;  bu:  what  I  do  in- 
veigh against,  is  the  custom  of  so  many  Southern  farming  journals  making 
large  and  long  extracts  from  N«  rthern  journals;  for  really,  practices  that  are 
very  good  where  winter  continues  more  than  half  the  year,  are  entirely  un- 
suitable here.  But  really  your  last  two  numbers  are  admirable;  and  nothing 
•would  induce  me  to  give  up  the  paper. 

I  am  cultivating  quite  extensively  the  navy  bean  and  other  vegetables  of 
that  class,  and  my  great  trouble  is  to  be  in  harvesting  them  in  the  most  expe- 
ditious and  economical  manner  ;  and  if  you  can  put  me  in  communication  with 
gome  gentleman  who  is  sound  on  these  things,  you  will  oblige  me,  or  which  I 
greatly  prefer,  if  by  correspondence  yourself  with  competent  parties,  you  will 
inform  yourselves  on  the  subject,  and  publish  a  plain  and  clear  article  on  the 
subject.  I  assure  you  such  an  article  would  be  very  highly  prized  by  many 
besides  myself. 

Bv  giving  us  also  the  best  and  most  expeditious  plan  for  harvesting  the  Irish 
potato,  you  will  greatly  oblige  many.  Don't  fear  minutia?  in  detailing  these 
plans,  or  otherwise  they  will  be  misunderstood,  and  lose  more  than  half  their 
value. 

If  I  had  time  now  1  would  send  y?u  a  plan  for  a  good  farm  gate,  and  will  do 
so  soon.  The  gate  recommended  in  your  last  is  defective  in  two  very  impor- 
tant particulars. 

I  do  most  sincerely  hope  that  your  efforts  in  behalf  of  us  Virginia  farmers 
may  be  liberally  rewarded,  and  that  you  may  not  have  labored  in  vain.  There 
is  certainly  a  good  opening  for  a  journal  conducted  like  yours  is  now,  for  it  is 
perfectly  manifest  to  all,  since  the  sons  of  Virginia  have  had  to  take  hold  on 
the  plough  themselves,  they  are  much  more  anxi.us  to  ascertain  the  best  plan 
to  make  every  blow  they  strike  effective. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  377 


But  please  exclude  with  an  iron  barrier  from  your  paper  all  articles  not  suit- 
able to  the  climate  of  Virginia,  else  what  you  intend  as  a  blessing,  will  be  a 
curse  to  u>.  Yours  truly,  W.  C.  Shelton. 

Hanover  county,  Va.,  May  22,  18G9. 


Messrs.  Editors, — I  was  truly  gratified  with  your  manly  and  high-toned  de- 
claration of  principles  as  to  the  conduct  of  the  Planter  and  Farmer  in  the  April 
number,  and  have  been  doing  something  to  extend  your  circulation  in  our 
county.  As  a  Southern  man,  I  am  gratified  that  we  have  such  a  j  mrnal.  The 
guano  manipulators  and  swindlers  have  not  had  such  defiance  shown  them 
since  poveTty  fell  upon  our  unhappy  section.  Two  of  our  farmers  brought  up 
some  good  sized  "rocks  "  taken  from  "  Baugh's  Phosphate"  a  short  time  since, 
which  they  delivered  to  the  agents. 

If  Mr.  A.  S.  Lee,  or  any  one  else,  could  get  proper  freight  charges  on  shell 
lime  via  Richmond  and  Danville  railroad  to  this  section,  it  would  be  a  public 
benefit,  and  remunerative  to  the  dealer. 

With  my  best  wishes  for  the  success  of  the  Planter  and  Farmer,  which  I 
knew  well  under  the  management  of  that  true  gentleman  and  Virginian,  Dr. 
J.  E.  Williams,  I  am,  very  truly,  &e.,  J.  M.  Hutchison.    . 

Charlotte,  N.  C,  May  23,  1869. 

We  give  below  a  letter  from  a  Virginia  immigrant  formerly  of  Eastin, 
Pennsylvania,  whose  statements  are  likely  to  awaken  the  attention  of  our 
Northern  brethren,  when  the  same  truths  uttered  by  a  native  citizen  (particu- 
larly if  guilty  of  the  crime  of  intelligence  to  the  degree  of  disfranchisement,) 
■would  be  passed  unheeded  by  : 

LETTERS  FROM  THE  PEOPLE — AN  INTERESTING  LETTER  FROM  VIRGINIA. 

The  following  letter  from  an  old  citizen  of  Easton,  who  has  sought  and 
found  a  new  home  in  Virginia,  will  be  read  with  interest,  especially  by  our 
farmer  subscribers: 

Oak  Hill,  Amelia  Co.,  Va.,  April  2,  1869. 

Editor  of  the  Argcs — Dear  Sir, — I  suppose  some  of  your  readers  who 
would  like  to  come  to  Virginia  to  better  themselves,  would  be  pleased  to  hear 
from  some  one  that  formerly  lived  in  their  county,  and  has  tried  the  change, 
what  he  thinks  of  this  State  for  a  person  to  live  in,  and  what  reception  a 
stranger  will  receive  fr<>m  the  inhabitants.  I  purchased  last  Fall,  in  this 
county,  a  farm  of  over  900  acres  of  as  good  land  as  there  is  any  in  Northamp- 
ton county,  fur  £10  per  acre,  and  took  possession  of  it  on  the  first  of  February> 
or  rather  on  the  7th,  with  my  brother-in-law  as  a  farmer  for  me.  I  brought 
with  me  seven  horses  and  two  mules,  with  all  the  necessary  farming  imple- 
ments. On  the  l"nh,  after  getting  my  things  from  the  depot,  we  commenced 
ploughing,  and  I  have  to  day  already  planted  over  two  hundred  bushels  of 
oats,  some  of  them  three  inches  high,  four  barrels  of  spring  wheat,  one  barrel 
of  clover  seed  that  is  already  up,  and  have  prepared  ten  acres  of  land  for  early 
potatoes,  and  next  week  will  commence  ploughing  for  corn.  Flowers  of  all 
kinds  are  already  in  bloom,  peaches  are  in  blossom,  and  we  have  our  gar- 
den planted  with  salad,  tomatoes,  cabbage,  &c.  The  salad  we  expect  in  two 
weeks  to  have  on  the  table.  I  am  now  setting  out  my  strawberry  patch  with 
over  two  hundred  plants.     I  have  in  the  garden  figs,  damsons,  peaches,  apples, 


378  THE   SOUTHERN  [June 

berries  of  all  kinds,  &c.  There  is  plenty  of*  land  in  this  county  for  sale  at 
from  $10  to  $20  per  acre,  according  to  the  improvements  and  the  locality.  Any 
person  traveling  over  the  railroads  of  this  State  would  not  be  pleased  with  the 
county,  for  it  has  a  most  forbidding  appearance,  and  looks  as  if  it  had  been  de- 
serted. You  see  nothing  but  stunted  pines  and  old  fields  worn  out.  But  after 
you  leave  the  railroad,  on  either  hand  you  will  find  as  fine  land  as  there  is  in 
the  United  States.  As  for  your  reception  by  the  inhabitants,  it  could  not  be 
more  cordial.  I  care  not  how  Radical  a  man  may  be,  he  is  well  received.  All 
that  any  person  has  got  to  do  is  to  min^  his  own  business,  and  be  won't  find, 
any  person  interfering  with  him  in  any  shape,  for  the  only  wish  they  have  is 
for  people  to  come  and  settle  among  them.  As  for  politics,  you  don't  hear  any 
thing  of  it  without  it  is  among  the  carpet  baggers,  and  the  native  Republicans. 
They  have  got  to  quarrelling  amongst  themselves  about  the  loaves  and  fishes. 
Last  week  I  received  from  Gen.  Stoneman  a  commission  as  Magistrate  and  As- 
sociate Judge  of  this  county,  but  I  declined  for  the  reason  that  I  did  not  come 
to  Virginia  for  an  office,  and  likewise  for  another  reason,  that  I  hold  to  the 
Democratic  doctrine  that  the  people  themselves  should  have  a  right  to  chooee 
their  rulers  for  themselves.  If  any  person  wants  to  come  down  here  with  the 
view  of  purchasing,  let  him  write  to  General  Imboden,  at  Richmond,  for  infor- 
mation where  to  get  a  ticket  at  Philadelphia  to  Richmond.  He  will  get  a 
ticket  for  half  price — that  is  for  $7 — and  by  calling  at  their  office  he  will  get  a 
ticket  that  will  take  him  for  half  fare  upon  any  railroad  in  the  State.  I  would 
not  advise  any  one  to  buy  without  seeing  the  land  for  himself.  Let  him  listen 
to  no  one,  but  judge  for  himself.  At  Richmond  he  will  find  as  good  hotels  as 
he  will  find  anywhere,  at  all  prices,  from  $1.50  to  $4  per  day. 

Yours,  respectfully,  John  A.  Sleter, 

Mattoax  Depot,  Amelia  county,  Virginia. 
P.  S. — If  you  wish  it,  I  will  let  you  know  once  in  awhile  bow  we  get  along 
utider  a  Military  Government.  J.  A.  S. 


Virginia    State    Agricultural    Society. 

MEETING  OF  THE  EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE. 

One  of  the  fullest  meetings  of  the  above  committee  that  has  ever  occurred 
in  the  history  of  the  Society,  was  held  in  this  city,  on  the  20th  and  30rh  of 
April.  The  committee  addressed  themselves  with  promptitude  and  untiring 
industry  to  the  business  before  them,  and  determined  upon  the  preliminaries 
for  holding  the  Fair  on  the  grounds  of  the  S  iciety  on  the  2d,  3d,  4th  and  5th  of 
November  next.  The  reports  of  sub  committees  on  the  several  branches  of  the 
premium  list,  rules,  regulations,  &&.,  were  received  and  submitted  to  a  select 
committee,  with  instructions  to  digest  and  embody  them  in  proper  form  for 
publication. 

Arrangements  were  made  for  a  trial,  on  the  9th  of  June,  of  reapers,  mowers, 
and  other  harvesting  implements  for  grain  and  grass,  on  the  farm  of  Aug.  II. 
Drewry,  Esq.,  on  the  lower  James.  A  pamphlet  has  been  widely  circulated, 
affording  to  competitors  for  the  liberal  premiums  offered  all  necessary  informa- 
tion with  regard  to  the  various  amounts  of  premiums,  committees  of  award, 
and  the  rules  and  regulations  adopted  for  conducting  the  trials  in  a  systematic 
and  orderly  manner. 

A  stirring  appeal  has  been  made  to  the  people  of  Virginia  and  other  States, 
by  the  President  of  the  Society,  whose  address  will  be-found  on  the  first  page 
of  this  number  of  our  journal  ;  we  hope  it  will  awaken  the  same  spirit  of 
patriotism  io  which  it  was  conceived,  and  that  responsive  echoes  will  be  heard, 
from  every  county,  city,  town  and  hamlet  within  the  bounds  of  this  dear  old 
Commonwealth. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  379 


Department  of  Agriculture. 
"We  have  received  at  the  hands  of  Hon.  Horace  Catron,  Commissioner  of 
this  department,  so  many  and  such  valuable  favors,  in  the  faithful  and  impar- 
tial discbarge  of  his  official  duties,  that  it  affords  us  peculiar  pleasure  to  intro- 
duce to  the  notice  of  our  appreciative  readers  the  following  complimentary- 
extract  from  the  "Washington  Chronicle."  It  conclusively  proves  that  the 
Commissioner  is  no  mere  locum  tencns,  but  an  active,  intelligent,  faithful  and 
competent  officer,  than  whom  no  other  incumbent  could  have  doDe  more,  in 
so  short  a  time,  for  the  reorganization  and  improvement  of  this  important 
branch  of  the  public  service.— Eds.  S.  P.  &  F. 

DEPARTMENT   OF   AGRICULTURE. 

A  Visit  to  the  Grounds — Improvements  Made  and  Contemplated — A  Rare 
Collection  of  Trees,  dr. 

Few  who  have  had  occasion  to  visit  this  beautiful  area,  south  of  the  canal 
and  between  Twelfth  and  Fourteenth  streets,  cannot  but  have  noticed  the  ac- 
tivity displayed  in  the  work  of  planting  trees,  transplanting  of  rare  flowers. 
and  various  other  operations  tending  to  beautify  and  adorn  the  reservation  al- 
lotted to  the  Department.  Commissioner  Capron  is  a  close  student,  a  progres- 
sive man,  and  thorough  botanist,  and  will,  if  supported  by  the  co-operation  of 
Congress  in  meeting  his  estimates  and  appropriating  therefor,  make  these 
grounds  equal,  if  not  superior,  to  similar  gardens  now  in  so  much  attention  in 
other  countries. 

THE    FLOWER    GARDEN. 

Immediately  in  front  of  the  building  a  flower  garden  of  architectural  beauty 
is  formed.  This  is  in  perfect  keeping  with  the  surroundings,  and,  when  a  stone 
wall  is  substituted  for  the  present  sodded  terrace,  with  balustrades  and  vases 
and  other  decorative  accompaniments  on  the  pediments,  will  present  a  fine  ap- 
pearance, and  afford  an  example  of  harmonious  arrangement  such  as  is  only 
met  with  in  the  higher  branches  of  design. 

THE    ARBORETUM. 

One  of  the  greatest  features,  however,  will  be  the  arboretum,  or  collection  of 
trees.  This  will  embrace  a  single  specimen  of  every  tree  and  shrub  that  will 
exist  in  this  climate,  and  in  their  disposal  a  twofold  arrangement  has  been  kept 
in  view,  that  of  a  strictly  botanical  classification  of  families,  species,  and  varie- 
ties, and  the  production  of  a  high  degree  of  landscape  gardening.  This  has 
necessarily  involved  a  vast  amount  of  time  and  study.  The  botany  of  all  na- 
tions had  to  be  ransacked  in  order  to  cull  out  every  suitable  plant  and  tree. 
The  fasciculi  for  this  arrangement  covers  over  two  hundred  pages  of  closely 
written  foolscap.  As  a  collection  of  hardy  plants,  it  will  be  unequaled  by  any 
thing  in  existence  at  the  present  time.  To  combine  a  strictly  scientific  ar- 
rangement with  artistic  effect  required  no  ordinary  amount  of  skill  and  fore- 
sight; years,  however,  will  be  required  before  the  ultimate  effects  will  be  fully 
produced  so  far  as  the  development  of  individual  forms  and  combinations  of 
growth  are  concerned. 

THE    PROGRESS    OF    PLANTING. 

Much  has  already  been  accomplished  in  the  planting  of  trees  and  shrubbery. 
"With  the  completion  of  the  planting  of  the  present  season  about  three  fourths 


380  THE    SOUTHERN  [June 

of  the  entire  collection  will  be  set  out.  Many  of  the  plants,  especially  those 
of  our  Western  States  and  Territories,  will  be  difficult  to  procure,  not  being  in 
cultivation  as  yet  ;  they  are  not  to  be  found  in  ordinary  nurseries.  Some  of 
the  family  groups  are  already  completed — the  elms,  for  instance,  number  over 
fifty  specimens,  all  distinct.  Of  ashen  there  are  forty,  of  willows  over  one 
hundred,  oaks  seventy,  maple  about  fifty,  and  others  are  equally  well  repre- 
sented.    The  pines  and  otter  evergreen  species  are  now  being  planted. 

ADVANTAGES    OF    THIS    COLLECTION. 

The  possession  of  this  collection  will  eDable  the  department  to  answer  many 
important  questions  with  reference  to  the  value  of  trees  for  wood,  rapidity  of 
growth,  &c,  (a  point  of  great  importance  in  the  treeless  tracts  in  the  West,) 
and  the  most  suitable  plants  for  live  fences  and  other  subjects  of  equal  promi- 
nence. 

To  the  artist  it  will  be  of  great  attraction.  The  various  forms  of  growth,  the 
individual  peculiarities  of  foliage  and  combinations  of  forms  will  afford  a  de- 
lightful study,  and  the  mere  visitor 'will  be  arrested  by  forms  and  beauties  of 
foliage  such  as  can  rarely  be  found  available  ;  and  the  student  in  botany  can 
not  possibly  find  a  source  of  elementary  knowledge  at  all  comparable  with  that 
of  being  brought  directly  face  to  face  with  the  living  plant. 

OTHER    PROJECTS    CONTEMPLATED. 

Valuable  and  complete  as  tbis  collection  of  plants  will  be,  it  is  only  a  link  in 
the  chain  of  improvements  contemplated  by  Commissioner  Capron.  Convinced 
that  tbis  country  posseses  localities  and  climates  fitted  for  the  growth  of  plants 
from  other  quarters  of  the  globe,  he  is  now  having  prepared  a  list  of  all  plants 
whoe%  products  are  used  in  medicine.  When  these  are  procured  and  their 
habits  and  requirements  studied,  they  will  be  propogated  and  sent  to  such 
points  as  may  be  considered  more  suitable  for  their  growth.  The  same  strictly 
botanical  classification  as  prevails  in  the  Arboretum  will  be  followed  in  the  ar- 
rangement and  disposition  of  these,  so  that  scientific  visitors  of  all  nations  will 
meet  an  arrangement  which  they  can  recognize.  This  feature  of  introducing 
systematic  classification  in  collections  of  plants  brought  together  fur  purely 
utilitarian  purposes  is  of  great  moment,  and  must  impart  a  degree  of  interest 
and  value  not  generally  attached  to  plants  in  our  green-houses  and  pleasure- 
grounds. 

OTHER    PLANTS. 

A  similarly  arranged  collection  of  all  plants  employed  and  grown  for  the 
value  of  their  textile  qualities,  for  dyes,  and  for  all  purposes  of  arts  and  manu- 
factures, will  be  completed  as  rapidly  as  means  will  admit.  Of  course,  to  cul- 
tivate and  extend  exotic  plants,  glass  structures  will  be  required.  A  beautiful 
architectural  design  for  a  series  of  hot-houses  and  green-houses  has  been  made 
under  the  direction  of  the  Commissioner,  which  now  hangs  in  his  office,  and  is 
universally  admired. 

APPROPRIATIONS. 

The  small  appropriation  asked  for  the  completion  of  this  plan  not  having 
been  entertained  by  Congress,  no  progress  has  been  made  in  the  erection  of 
these  structures. 

ECONOMY    STUDIED. 

One  of  the  greatest  points  in  connection  with  all  these  improvements  is  the 
economical  manner  in  which  everything  is  being  managed,  together  with  the 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  381 


thoroughly  substartsal  character  of  the  work.  Estimates  of  every  item  are  pre- 
eonsidered  and  the  work  done  within  them  —  no  leaving  of  half  finished  jubs  be- 
cause of  under-estimating  the  cost.  The  result  is  that  an  apparent  finish  is 
constantly  met  with  and  in  reality  exists  in  the  various  progressive  details  of 
the  contemplated  finished  design. 

EXTENT    OF    GROUNDS. 

The  extent  of  grounds  occupied  by  the  Arboretum  proper  embraces  about 
twenty  acres.  This  is  considered  sufficient  to  ellow  of  free  development  for  the 
trees  and  plants  for  thirty  or  forty  years  growth.  It  is  hoped,  however,  that 
an  additional  space  will  be  secured  within  the  next  ten  years  to  allow  of  the 
removal  of  certain  entire  orders  of  families  of  the  trees,  which  can  be  done 
without  injury  to  the  plants  or  to  the  system  adopted,  and  at  trifling  cost 
This  addition,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  will  be  granted,  as  there  is  abundance  of  un- 
improved G  -vernment  property  contiguous  awaiting  this  combination  of  land- 
scape gardening  and  botanical  skill. 

These  are  but  a  small  enumeration  of  the  many  projects  entertained  by  the 
Commissioner  for  the  improvement  of  the  grounds  of  bis  department.  For  the 
system  and  radical  changes  already  introduced,  the  Commissioner  deserves  the 
thanks  of  the  whole  country. 

THE    BOTANIST    IN    CHARGE. 

Mr.  William  Saunders  has  had  the  general  superintendence  of  all  improve- 
ments thus  far  effected.  Mr.  S.  has  given  this  class  of  business  his  life  study, 
and  seems  to  be  thoroughly  posted,  both  in  the  requirements  of  a  first  class 
garden  and  the  manner  in  which  it  should  be  managed. 


Agricultural  Fairs  in  Virginia. 

The  notes  of  preparation  are  sounding  from  almost  every  section  of  the  State 
from  various  Agricultural  Societies  intending  to  hold  Fairs  during  the  coming 
Autumn.  Of  these  we  would  mention  the  Winchester,  Stauntjn,  Lexington, 
Wytheville,  Lynchburg  and  Bjrder  Societies. 

We  hope  they  will  so  arrange  the  time  of  holding  their  exhibitions  as  to  help 
each  other  as  far  as  possible.  Let  Wytheville  and  Lexington,  for  instance,  fix 
the  days  f  r  holding  their  Fairs  so  as  to  allow  the  exhibitors  time  to  reach 
Lynchburg  ;  and  let  Lynchburg  fix  her  time  with  reference  to  the  convenience 
of  exhibitors  designing  to  exhibit  at  the  great  State  Fair  at  Richmond.  The 
same  suggestion  may  be  made  with  regard  to  the  Winchester,  Staunton  and 
Danville  Fairs — that  we  may  have  the  grand  aggregation  of  them  all  at  the 
Fair  Grounds  of  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society,  on  the  2<i  day  of  No- 
vember next. 


Frauds  in  Selling  Improved  Swine. 

A  subscriber  from  Georgia  sends  us  an  account  of  the  mode  in  which  he  was 
swindled  by  a  Chester  county  swine  seller.  We  sympathize  with  him,  but  fear 
to  exp  se  his  name,  as  he  might  sue  us  for  libel  in  Judge  Underwood's  Court. 
The  party,  however,  does  not  advertise  in  the  Farmer  and  Planter.  We  hope 
none  of  cur  advertisers  will  act  in  this  wise;  and  if  we  hear  of  such  a  case  on 
their  parts,  we  will  send  them  the  letter  containing  the  charge,  and  try  and 
have  it  investigated. 


382  THE    SOUTHERN  [June 


D.  S.  Morrison,  Esq.,  agent  for  the  manufacturer,  Col.  T.  J.  Noble,  has  pre- 
sented us  with  a  package  of  the  Lena — Pride  of  Virginia  smoking  tobacco,  for 
which  he  will  plea*e  accept  our  thanks,  and  our  kind  wishes  for  the  success  of 
the  enterprise  which  has  been  placed  under  his  supervision. 


Book  Notices. 
The  "  Xew  Eclectic,"  for  the  artistic  taste,  simplicity  and  beauty  of  its 
exterior,  and  its  typographic  superiority,  is  abreast  with  the  ablest  of  its  co- 
temporaries  in  periudic  literature.  Ls  contents  always  bear  evidence  of  wide 
research  on  the  part  of  the  ace  mplished  Editors,  and  maintain  the  highest 
standard  of  moral  propriety  and  literary  excellence. 

The  Leonard  Scott  Publishing  Company  have  sent  us  regularly  and  punc- 
tually, at  the  respective  times  of  their  re-publication,  all  the  Reviews,  and 
Blackwood's  Magazine,  published  by  them. 

The  North  British,  Edinburgh,  London  and  Westminster  Quarterlies,  and 
Blackwood's  Monthly,  are  so  highly  appreciated  by  those  who  are  familiar  with 
their  literary  characters,  that  no  commendation  from  us  could  increase  the  es- 
timation in  which  they  are  held. 

Charlottesville  "Woolen  Mills — B.  C.  Flannagan,  President  ;  W.  W.  Flannagan, 
Secretary  and  Treasurer  ;  H.  Clay  Marchant,  Superintendent. 

We  have  received  from  the  above  woolen  mills  a  book  of  samples  of  satinets, 
kerseys,  and  diagonal  and  doeskin  ca«simeres,  of  various  and  beautiful  styles, 
manufactured  at  that  establishment,  which  we  will  with  pleasure  exhibit  to 
dealers  and  others  who  may  call  to  see  them  at  our  office,  Xo.  1015  Main  street. 


PBaanBonnnmcansa 


The  Death  of  B.   P.    Johnson. 

This  event,  as  briefly  recorded  in  our  last,  deserves  a  fuller  notice 
than  the  space  at  command  will  even  now  permit  us  to  give.  Until 
failing  health  and  frequent  domestic  afflictions  had  cast  their  shadow 
ever  his  latter  years,  we  had  few  more  active  and  efficient  laborers  in 
the  cause  of  improved  agriculture,  and  none  more  earnest  and  sincere 
than  Col.  Johnson.  There  are  few  American  names  more  widely  known  and 
held  in  such  general  esteem  in  this  department.  Born,  we  believe,  in  Colum- 
bia county,  in  1793,  he  was  graduated  at  Union  College,  in  or  about  the  year 
1813,  and  afterward  studied  law,  entering  upon  and  continuing  the  practice  of 
his  profession  for  many  years  at  Rome,  Oneida  county,  but  uniting  with  it 
much  attention  to  farming  and  rural  affairs.  He  was  greatly  interested  in 
promoting  the  cause  of  temperance  at  an  early  day  ;  and,  before  his  connection 
with  agricultural  matters  was  as  marked  as  it  subsequently  became,  he  had  a 
wide  acquaintance  throughout  the  State,  possessing  then,  as  always,  a  rare 
faculty  of  winning  and  retaining  the  attachment  of  those  with  whom  he  was 
brought  in  contact. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  our  State  Agricultural  Society  dates  it3  real  ex- 
istence  as  a  working  body  from  the  reorganization  effected  under  a  new  consti- 
tution in  February,  1841.  From  that  day  until  his  last,  Colonel  Johnson's 
official  connection  with  its  operations  was  almost  continuous.  He  was  a  "\  ice- 
Pre-ident  in  1^41,  Corresponding  Secretary  in  1844  (the  chief  duties  then  de- 
volving on  the  Recording  Secretary),  and  President  in  1845.     In  1647  he  was 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  3S3 


first  chosen  as  Working  Secretary,  and  came  to  this  city  to  till  the  post  in 
■which  for  the  nest  twenty-two  years  he  was  to  remain.  Adding  to  a  happy 
faculty  for  the  easy  performance  of  work  in  the  midst  of  the  bustle  and  confu- 
sion of  a  State  Fair,  the  no  less  important  ability  of  selecting  effective  assist- 
ance and  systematizing  the  work  to  be  done,  it  was  a  position  for  which  he  was 
qualified  in  an  unusual  degree — answering  every  question  with  readiness  and 
goud  nature,  greeting  every  new  comer  with  cordial  pleasure,  cognizant  of 
every  detail,  but  spending  his  own  time  where  it  would  count  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage of  the  whole.  A  ready  speaker  and  writer,  ho  was  also  a  most  enter- 
taining companion  in  the  social  circle  or  in  travel,  a  frequent  attendant  and 
speaker  at  the  agricultural  exhibitions  of  other  Scates  and  of  our  own  counties 
and  towns,  with  a  good  word  for  all,  and  only  silent  whtre  the  shortcomings  of 
others  were  concerned.  If  not  as  eager  as  he  might  perhaps  have  been  if 
younger,  in  seeking  for  the  Society  new  tasks  and  efforts,  he  avoided  the  diffi- 
culties and  mistakes  likely  to  accompany  them,  and,  as  a  whole,  his  adminis- 
tration of  its  affairs  must  be  regarded  as  judiciously  and  scrupulously  adapted 
to  promote  the  objects  for  which  it  was  organized.  Conciliatory  in  bearing, 
and  averse  to  quarrels  as  he  was,  he  could  not  be  persuaded  or  driven  from  any 
position  or  decision  properly  taken,  and  was  firm  in  the  contest  where  right 
and  reason  required.  In  1851  he  was  a  Commissioner  from  this  country  to  the 
first  Universal  Exhibition  at  London,  where  his  labors  and  influence  were  of 
great  value  in  the  American  Department,  and  he  also  attended  the  succeeding 
Exhibition  in  1862,  though  taking  a  less  active  part  than  before.  He  was  an 
honorary  or  corresponding  member  of  several  foreign  societies,  and  indeed,  his 
labors  met  with  recognition  abroad  quite  as  readily  as  at  home. 

In  connection  with  the  late  Elon  Comstock  as  an  associate,  Colonel  Johnson 
took  the  editorial  charge  of  the  "  Central  New  York  Farmer,"  a  monthly  es- 
tablished at  Rome  in  1842,  but  after  a  few  years  merged  in  the  "  Cultivator." 
He  was  an  occasional  contributor  to  our  columns  before  and  since. 

Colonel  Johnson's  death  has  been  like  the  gathering  in  of  corn  ready  for  the 
harvest,  ra  her  than  as  when  it  is  cut  off  in  the  midst  of  growth  and  with 
grain  unformed  or  imperfect.  He  was  not  well  enough  to  attend  the  Society's 
annual  meeting  in  February,  but  went  out  occasionally  afterwards.  It  was 
not  until  within  a  few  weeks  preceding  his  death,  that  immediate  danger  was 
apprehended. —  Cultivator  and  Country  Gentleman. 


Commercial  ^Icpoil 

"We  are  indebted  to  the  courtesy  of  Messrs.  Xorton,  Slaughter  &  Co.,  of  New 
York,  for  the  monthly  circular  from  which  we  make  the  following  extract  in 
regard  to  Tobacco : 

American  Tobacco. — The  animation  which  existed  at  the  date  of  our  circu- 
lar of  15th  ult.  has  continued  without  abatement  throughout  the  month,  and 
the  sales  will  sum  up  fully  10.000  hhds.,  at  an  advance  since  the  15th  inst..  of 
about  50c.  on  lugs,  and  25@37Jc.  on  the  lower  descriptions  of  leaf.  There  has 
been,  also,  some  disposition  evinced  to  purchase  some  of  the  better  grades,  but 
so  far,  the  sales  of  such  have  been  small,  with  the  exception  of  rich,  fleshy 
Clarksville  leaf,  for  which  there  has  been  a  steady  demand. 


384  THE  SOUTHERN  [June 

In  the  latter  part  of  February,  we  advanced  the  opinion  freely,  that  til 
■was  over  estimated,  and  that  the  receipts  of  the  >:  .  ex- 

ceed 80,000  bhds ,  bat  we  found  no  one  to  agree  with  us  ;  gradually,  however, 
the  impression  began  to  prevail  that  our  estimate  might  probably  prove  cor- 
rect, ind  buyers  evinced  some  anxiety  ::  sec sure  at  least  a  portion  of  that  for 
which  they  had  contracted ;  this,  aided  by  the  wants  of  the  open  markets,  gave 
:  trade,  resulting  in  rly  equal  to" the  : 

Oar  calculation  in  our  circular  ed  on  a  crop  of  12   .- 

000  hhds.,  (which  we  conceded  for  argument  sake.)  and  then  showed  that  de- 
.  20  to  25,000  hhds.  for  England,  and  35,000  hbds.  for  Canada  and  the 
West .  : he  ree*  th e  sea-board  would  not  exceed  60,CKX>  hhds.     Although 

tobacco  holds  a  rerj  strong  position,  we  fear  the  Western  buyers  are  advanc- 
ing their  purchasing  rates  too  rapidly.  At  our  present  prices,  the  receipts  of 
that  cough:  recently  will  not  pay  out. 

The  sales  of  the  month  comprise  1,029  hhds.  N.  Europe  ;  124  hhds.  S.  Ea- 
r:re:   2  French  and  Italian  buyers  :   1,268  hhds.  Spain  and  Mediter- 

ranean :  170  hhds.  England.  Mi-  ry  iried;  1,592  hhds.  Italian  and 

Spanish  contractors;  775  bhds.  Jobbers ;  481  hhda    If      ifacturers;  319  hhda- 
::ers;  51  hb  -;  57  hhi».  West    It  '       hrids.  ex- 

port, parts  unknown  ;  -4  hbds.  Mexico ;  4  bhds.  Canada ;  2  hhds.  S.  America, 
an  i  "  ^2  speculative  account.     We  quote : 

Light.  ~-       I  Light.  Heavy. 

(Currency.)     (Currency.)!  (Currency.)     (r-urreney.) 

Logs,  I         9c.      8|<3    ...   Good  Leaf,        11  12 

[       ...on  Leaf,  -  ne.  13  (g  14  c.  14       '.-  [c. 

Medium,  10|@llfc.   llj      '—_  s.|Sd  14;  U 

Frosted  lugs,  and  :  :  of  cond::  -  :ld  below  our  '. 

quotation.  We  have  now,  and  shall  hereafter  quote,  low  leaf  under  the  bead 
of  common. 

tints  in  May,  1500  (including  974  hbds.  Virginia ),  11,282  hhds;  1;  ;. 
10,032  hhds.  Since  Januaiy  1st,  1869  (inclu  ling  '  bhds.  Virginia,  29,297 
"Lids 

In  .'.:.'.':'  _•  New  Orleans,  the  re.::;: :s    .:   :"-e   Western   :r:r  :.:•.        ril  hhis., 
a=::.ir.  -.  '.  .-:  -ear. 

Exports  in  M  7.  18       "."   "  hbdc  ;  1868 

Since  January  1st,  18  hhds.;  1868     I   ,851  hhda     Including  New 

Orleans,  there  an  22,8    ]  hhds.,  against  16,340  hhds.  last  year. 

INSPECTIONS. 

Stock  on  hand  May  1,  1869,  ....  17,695  hhds. 

.-....-?..  .  .  .  •  •  .      1 1 .  _ 

Total, 28,961     « 

Delivered  sinee,  ......        6.91,       " 

Stock  on  hand  June  1,  1«  ....  22,044     " 

:-  '■-.  :-v  >:".  :--. 

Stock  in  L;verpooL  May  ! 
London, 

_■  ■-■.'- '. 

>"ew  Orleans     BS,   8611  -     - 

B4Himore,     "3,10,489     "       14,W8     ■  -Hi     "       L-.-~ 

i,  Jane    1, 22JM4     -       27J49     ■       -  UJUB  -  .71b     » 


[av  1.  Ii.l43  hhds.  19.S36  hhds.  16.620  hhds.  25.711  hhds.  2S,P7t)  bhds. 
-    L  1&432     "        19,163       •        21.376      "        24.341     "        20," 
"    l!    LS37     "  3,935     "  3,931     "         4.171     "  7.MI4     " 


Total,  Tl.iij  *.-.-«  B^M  113^900  103.U54 


THE  SOUTHERN 

PUNTER  &  FARMER, 


DEVOTED  TO 


Agriculture,  Horticulture  and  the  Mining,  Mechanic  and  Household  Arts. 


Agriculture  is  the  nursing  mother  of  the  Arts.— Xenophon. 
Tillage  and  Pasturage  are  the  two  breasts  of  the  State,— Sully. 


CII:   B.  WILLIAMS, Editor  and  Proprietor. 

FRAXK  G.  RUFFIN, Co-Editor. 

New  Series.  RICHMOND,  VA,,  JULY,  1869.  Vol.  Ill— No.  7. 

High,  Medium  and  Low  Farming. 

POINT    OF    MAXIMUM    PROFIT. 

If  you  ask  the  meaning  of  these  terms,  I  reply,  reversing  the 
order  above:  profit  is  what  your  crops  give  you  over  and  above 
all  costs  of  production.  These  costs  are:  1.  Interest  on  the  value 
of  land ;  2.  Taxes,  if  any  ;  4.  Value  of  labor  done  by  yourself  or 
others  at  the  time;  4.  Team  work;  5.  Cost  of  manure;  6.  Wear 
and  tear  of  implements  and  farm  machinery ;  7.  Any  other  cost  or 
costs  you  may  think  of,  not  included  in  the  foregoing. 

The  interest  on  value  of  land  must  come  in  as  part  of  the  cost, 
for  the  reason  that  you  cannot  afford  to  hold  land  and  draw  no  in- 
terest on  its  value.  The  taxes  must  come  in,  because  if  your  State 
tax  farm  land,  you  cannot  escape  paying.  So  of  every  other  item — 
all  must  be  charged  to  the  crop,  and  paid  by  it,  before  you  can 
begin  to  reckon  profit. 

Keep  accounts  with  your  farm,  and  with  each  crop  grown  upon 
it.  To  farm  without  keeping  accounts,  is  farming  in  the  dark,  and 
you  may  not  ascertain  whither  it  leads  till  too  late.  If  you  farm 
in  the  dark,  you  may  keep  on  twenty  years  with  some  crop  which 
loses  you  money  every  year,  or  may  stop  with  some  one  which 
gives  you  handsome  yearly  profits,  simply  from  not  knowing  which 
to  continue  and  which  to  stop.  Farmers  are  generally  sui  posed  to 
be  men  of  sound  judgment.  Their  employment  is  adapted  to  make 
vol.  in — 25 


386  THE    SOUTHERN  [July, 

thetn  such.  They  generally  are  such.  The  keeping  of  farm  ac- 
counts, so  as  to  throw  light  from  this  year's  doings  on  the  question, 
what  to  do  next  year,  is  not  easy;  but  in  the  exercise  of  such  a 
judgment  as  we  heartily  ascribe  to  farmers,  you  can  keep  them  well 
enough  to  prevent  your  going  blindfolded  many  years  in  courses 
leading  to  disaster,  and  wed  you  to  those  tending  to  prosperity. 

By  the  point  of  maximum  profit,  I  mean  that  point  in  the  as- 
cending scale  from  low  to  high  culture,  which  gives  the  highest 
profits  over  all  costs.  This  is  not  a  fixed  but  a  variable  point, 
varying  with  the  value  of  land,  the  price  of  the  crop  grown,  the 
cost  of  fertilizers,  distance  from  markets,  etc.  As  a  general  rule, 
where  land  is  dear  the  cultivation  should  be  high,  and  of  course  ex- 
pensive, for  no  man  can  afford  to  grow  small  crops  on  land  worth 
$300  an  acre.  Small  crops  would  but  little  more  than  pay  interest 
on  value  of  land.  On  land  worth  but  $30  an  acre,  he  might  make 
profit,  more  or  less,  from  small  crops.  On  land  worth  but  $10,  he 
might  make  something  from  still  smaller  crops.  Where  land  costs 
but  little  it  may  be  cultivated  cheaply  and  yet  pay;  but  let  a  man 
undertake  to  cultivate  an  acre  worth  $300  cheaply,  and  he  will  in- 
evitably find  it  a  losing  experiment.  Every  farmer  should  endeavor 
to  ascertain  at  what  amount  for  labor  and  fertilizers  he  can  grow 
crops  on  his  land,  with  a  better  profit,  than  by  the  expenditure  of 
more,  or  less,  for  the  labor  and  fertilizers ;  and  that,  if  he  can  as- 
certain it,  he  may  regard  as  the  point  of  maximum  profit  in  his 

case. 

But  what  is  to  be  understood  by  low,  medium  and  high  farming? 
Givino-  your  land  little  or  nothing,  and  expecting  little  or  nothing 
in  return,  is  low  farming.  If  all  farmers  worked  in  this  way,  the 
soil  all  round  the  face  of  mother  earth  would  wax  worse  and  worse, 
till  it  would  be  equal  to  sustaining  but  half  the  present  population 
of  the  globe,  instead  of  becoming  able,  under  the  hand  of  man,  as 
God  designed  it,  to  sustain  ten-fold  more  than  its  present  inhabi- 
tants. Yes,  God  made  the  land  and  the  sea  such,  that,  by  the  natural 
laws  he  has  stamped  upon  them,  this  globe  must  perpetually  become 
better  and  not  worse,  as  the  abode  and  life-sustainer  of  the  human 
race,  till  ten  times  its  present  population  shall  be  able  to  nestle  on 
its  bosom  and  feed  on  its  bounties.  The  progress  will  be  slow  or 
fast,  as  man  fails  of  his  duty  or  discharges  it  earnestly  and  faith- 
fully. Low  farming  is  athwart  the  purpsse  of  the  Almighty.  He 
•wishes  the  land  to  become  better  for  each  generation  than  it  was 
for  the  last.  The  man  who  farms  it  in  a  low  way,  giving  it  little, 
taking  less,  not  half  paid  for  his  labor,  makes  it  worse. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  387 

There  may  be  cases  in  which  a  rather  low  grade  of  farming  is  to 
be  tolerated.  The  owner  of  a  large  farm  may  have  reasons  of  his 
own  for  not  selling  a  part  of  his  land  to  enable  him  to  cultivate  the 
rest  better.  He  may  have  good  reasons,  known  only  to  himself, 
for  holding  the  whole  a  while  longer.  But,  as  a  general  rule,  it  is 
folly,  not  to  say  wickedness,  to  go  over  large  extents  for  small  re- 
turns. It  affords  no  profit ;  it  less  than  pays  for  the  labor  ;  it  is 
the  costliest  way  possible  for  obtaining  the  productions  of  the  earth  ; 
a  wise  man  will  not  walk  in  it  long ;  the  man  who  is  both  wise  and 
devout,  will  not  dare  persevere  in  it,  so  manifestly  is  it  opposed  to 
the  will  of  the  great  and  benevolent  Designer,  who  never  meant 
that  the  farmer  should  work  hard,  life-long,  for  small  pay. 

Medium  farming  may  be  considered  half  way  up  the  ladder  from 
low  to  high  farming.  By  the  low  farming,  of  which  we  complain, 
as  against  God  and  humanity,  and  most  of  all  against  the  man  who 
practices  it;  as  low  as  10  to  15  bushels  corn  per  acre,  and  other 
crops  proportionally  scrimped  are  often  obtained.  By  medium  farm- 
ing, our  idea  is  50  to  60  bushels  of  corn  and  other  crops  in  propor- 
tion. This,  in  large  portions  of  our  country,  yet  comparatively 
new,  not  yet  densely  populated,  distant  from  markets,  freights  high, 
may  just  about  tally  with  the  point  of  maximum  profit.  You  may 
perhaps  say  you  can  more  cheaply  win  the  productions  of  the  soil 
at  this  state  of  cultivation  than  by  one  higher  or  lower.  At  any 
rate,  by  such  cultivation  as  will  give  you  50  to  60  bushels  of  corn 
and  the  like  of  other  crops,  your  land  will  not  be  run  down,  and 
you  will  not  sin  against  yourself  nor  against  posterity,  for  it  will 
pay  you  and  will  leave  those  who  come  after  you  a  fair  chance. 
Perhaps  this  is  as  high  a  cultivation  as  should  be  aimed  at  by  the 
farmers  of  one-half  of  our  cultivated  land. 

But  this  is  not  high  cultivation;  it  should  not  be  thought  of  as 
such;  it  may  be  wise  temporarily;  but  as  the  population  increases, 
it  must  be  superseded.  Where  population  is  already  dense  and  out- 
lets to  other  countries  dense,  and  especially  if  land  be  high,  larger 
crops  must  be  obtained,  or  no  great  profit  in  the  cost  of  production 
can  be  realized,  certainly  not  the  greatest.  From  80  to  90  bushels 
of  corn,  and  proportionably  for  other  crops,  should  be  the  aim,  un- 
der such  circumstances,  if  the  land  be  of  good  quality.  If  a  fail- 
ure to  reach  this  mark  be  attributable  to  divine  providence,  in  not 
giving  favorable  seasons,  cheerful  submission  to  a  higher  power  be- 
comes a  duty,  but  if  attributable  to  anything  the  farmer  himself 
did  or  failed  to  do,  he  should  not  be  satisfied  with  his  own  doings, 
but  should  try  again,  and  keep  trying,  till  he  cau  grow  his  80  to  90 


388  THE  SOUTHERN  July, 

bushels  of  corn,  and  other  crops  in  proportion,  in  an  average  sea- 
Bon,  to  set  off  for  less  in  seasons  that  are  unfavorable,  that  the  ave- 
rage yield  may  be  as  high  as  above  named,  and  gradually  increas- 
ing, as  the  land,  under  a  system  of  high  cultivation,  increases  both 
its  productiveness  and  its  saleable  value. 

Medium  farming  pays  better  than  low  everywhere.  High  farm- 
ing pays  better  than  medium  wherever  the  circumstances  exist 
which  call  for  it.  Farming  in  a  way  that  deteriorates  the  soil,  will 
not  pay,  in  the  long  run.  Farming  that  improves  the  soil  a  little 
each  year,  as  God  made  it  to  be  improved  by  the  brains  and  hands 
of  man,  will  pay  always  and  everywhere.  Thousands  of  farmers, 
in  all  parts  of  our  country,  fail  of  the  best  rewards  of  farming  by 
too  low  cultivation,  for  every  one  who  fails  by  cultivating  too  highly. 
The  danger  of  failure  by  going  down  the  scale  too  low,  is  a  thou- 
sand times  greater  than  that  of  ascending  too  high.  Let  us  strive 
to  avoid  the  former,  and  not  be  over  fearful  of  the  latter. — Nash, 
in  the  Working  Farmer. 


Making  Manure. 

It  should  be  a  cardinal  principle  with  every  farmer  to  economize 
his  manure.  Upon  it  depends  his  success,  and,  without  it,  his  la- 
bors must  to  a  very  great  extent  be  without  profit,  if  not  attended 
with  absolute  loss.  If  it  is  necessary  to  have  the  barn-yard  on  a 
hill-side,  it  is  equally  necessary  to  have  the  lower  side  of  it  pro- 
tected by  a  wall,  or  some  arrangement  by  which  the  escape  of  liquid 
manure  may  be  prevented.  It  is  almost  equally  important  to  have 
a  spout  to  convey  rain  water  from  the  roof  of  the  barn  in  some 
other  direction  than  immediately  through  the  barn-yard.  It  is  bad 
enough  that  the  manure  heap  should  be  exposed  to  the  rains  which 
fall  directly  upon  it,  without  adding  to  it  the  droppings  from  the 
roof  of  the  barn. 

If  such  improvident  farmers  were  to  behold  the  actual  value  of 
the  fertilizing  material  thus  lost,  rolling  from  their  purses  in  the 
shape  of  dollars  and  cents,  how  energetically  would  they  labor  to 
prevent  this  waste.  The  loss  of  a  single  little  gold  dollar  would 
stir  them  up  to  a  greater  activity  than  the  direct  waste  of  a  hundred 
times  that  little  dollar's  value  in  the  form  of  liquid  manure.  Year 
after  year,  silently,  steadily,  the  golden  streams  are  flowing  from 
their  purses.  Tell  them  of  their  error,  and  they  acknowledge  it, 
but  rarely  does  it  happen  that  being  reminded  of  it  in  a  friendly 
manner,  they  make  a  single  effort  to  correct  it. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  389 


How  many  are  there  who,  after  a  lifetime  of  steady,  unremitting 
toil,  find  themselves  no  richer  in  lands  or  money  than  when  they 
be^an  !  They  cannot  explain  the  reason.  Other  causes  may  have 
led  to  such  discouraging  results,  but  if  the  drain  of  liquid  manures 
from  their  barn-yards  had  been  checked  when  they  began  farming, 
very  many  of  these  unsuccessful  ones  would  have  been  as  prosperous 
as  their  more  provident  neighbors. 

Every  farmer  subscribes  to  this  ;  he  knows  it  well ;  but  thinks  he 
can  do  no  better,  '*  under  the  circumstances,"  than  to  let  it  go.  He 
thinks,  if  he  had  conveniences,  he  would  like  to  try  the  effects  of 
liquid  manure;  but  "everything  wants  doing  first,"  and  it  gets  ne- 
glected ;  or,  if  he  had  any  vegetable  refuse  at  hand  which  he  could 
haul  to  soak  up  the  waste  liquid,  he  would  do  that,  but  such  waste 
he  has  not. 

Now,  one  of  the  very  best  things  to  soak  up  manure  water,  and 
make  into  the  best  of  manure,  is  common  clay.  It  will  pay  any 
farmer  well  to  haul  clay  to  his  barn-yard  for  its  absorbing  proper- 
ties. "When  this  cannot  be  had,  the  washing  of  roadsides,  cleaning 
of  ditches,  or  anything  that  comes  to  hand,  may  be  used  instead* 
There  are  many  other  more  complicated  ways  of  "  making  manures" 
by  chemical  ingredients,  but  this  is  a  simple  one,  which  every  one 
can  understand.  All  it  wants  is  the  command  of  labor,  and  this  is 
the  main  point  in  which  so  many  farmers  err.  Not  to  "  employ 
much,"  but  to  do  all  possible  one's  self,  and  let  the  "  rest  go,"  is  the 
general  plan.  The  farmer  forgets  that  when  he  buys  a  ton  of 
guano  he  has  employed  sailors,  ship-owners,  commission  merchants, 
and  many  others,  at  a  rate  at  which  another  hand  on  his  farm,  em- 
ployed at  nothing  else  but  making  manure,  would  have  produced 
him  immeasurably  more  value.  It  is  not  so  much  what  is  made,  as 
what  is  saved,  that  leads  to  riches;  and  how  to  economise  in  ma- 
nure, and  yet  have  an  abundance,  is  one  of  the  great  secrets  of  be- 
coming a  rich  farmer. — T.  Meehan,  in  Forney's  Press. 


To  be  Noted. — In  a  cloudy  morning  it  is  a  matter  of  impor- 
tance to  the  farmer  to  know  whether  it  will  be  sunshiny  or  showery 
in  the  afternoon.  If  the  ants  have  cleared  their  hole  nicely,  and 
piled  the  dirt  up  high,  it  seldom  fails  to  indicate  a  clear  day,  though 
it  may  be  cloudy  uutil  eleven  o'clock  in  the  forenoon.  Spider  webs 
will  be  very  numerous  about  the  tops  of  the  grass  and  grain  some 
cloudy  mornings;  and  fifty  years  observation  have  shown  the  wri- 
ter that  these  little  weathcr-guessers  seldom  fail  in  their  prediction 
of  a  fair  day. 


390  THE    SOUTHERN  [July 

Clover  as  a   Renovating  Crop. 

Some  idea  of  the  relative  value  of  the  manure  made  from  clover, 
and  common  stahle  manure,  the  greater  part  of  which  is  carbona- 
ceous matter,  may  be  obtained  from  the  careful  experiments  of  Pro- 
fessor Lawes.  The  results  of  his  experiments  have  been  given  to 
the  world  many  times  through  the  agricultural  press.  I  had  my 
attention  first  called  to  them  about  a  year  ago  by  an  article  from 
the  pen  of  Mr.  Joseph  Harris,  in  the  American  Agriculturist. 
Since  then  I  have  examined  the  matter  somewhat  carefully,  and 
have  been,  I  must  own,  astonished  at  the  results  of  repeated  chemi- 
cal analysis  of  this  plant,  made  for  the  purpose  of  showing  its  vast 
superiority  over  all  other  grasses  as  a  hay  or  forage  plant. 

According  to  Prof.  Lawes,  the  manure  from  a  ton  of  straw  is 
worth  about  $2.60,  taking  the  price  of  artificial  manure  as  a  basis. 
The  manure  from  a  ton  of  clover  hay  is  worth  a  little  over  §9. 
Allowing  two  and  one-half  tons  of  manure  to  a  ton  of  straw  or  hay, 
then  a  ton  or  ordinary  load  of  manure  from  straw  would  be  worth 
about  §1,  while  a  load  of  manure  from  clover  hay  would  be  worth 
about  $3.50.  The  former  would  hardly  be  worth  drawing  into  the 
field.  Certainly  not  worth  buying  at  $2  per  load  and  draw- 
ing a  long  distance.  The  value  of  any  manure  depends  upon 
the  amount  of  potash,  nitrogen  and  phosphoric  acid  it  con- 
tains; the  carbonaceous  or  woody  matter  being  usually  in  excess  of 
that  required  by  the  soil.  According  to  Prof.  Lawes,  a  ton  of  com- 
mon barn-yard  manure  contains  8  lbs.  nitrogen,  11  lbs.  potash  and 
soda,  and  4  lbs.  phosphoric  acid  ;  while  a  ton  of  manure  made  from 
clover  hay  contains  about  20  lbs.  nitrogen,  16  lbs.  potash  and  soda, 
and  5  lbs.  phosphoric  acid.  Nitrogen  being  confessedly  the  most 
valuable  element,  it  will  be  seen  at  once  how  much  more  valuable  is 
the  manure  from  clover  than  from  straw  or  other  hay.  And  let  it 
be  borne  in  mind  that  while  it  returns  so  much  more  to  the  soil,  it 
takes  much  less  from  it,  and  that  while  timothy  exhausts  land  al- 
most as  much  as  a  crop  of  wheat,  clover  actually  benefits  it,  by  ab- 
sorbing instead  of  dissipating  ammonia.  Farmers,  I  believe,  do  not 
generally  understand  this  difference.  Hence,  in  selling  hay,  many 
prefer  to  sell  the  clover  because  it  is  "coarse."  But  when  men  un- 
derstand that  in  selling  a  ton  of  clover  hay  they  are  parting  with 
what  if  fed  out  would  be  worth  $9  to  them  in  manure  alone,  besides 
its  value  as  fodder,  I  think  they  will  decide  to  feed  out  their  clover 
and  sell  some  other  kind  of  hay,  if  any.  Perhaps  farmers  will  not 
believe   these  figures;  but  the   estimates    are  made  from    careful 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND    FARMER.  391 

analysis,  and  are  no  doubt  approximately  correct.  The  prices,  of 
course,  are  based  upon  the  price  of  artificial  manures  in  England. 
But  let  the  price  of  these  be  what  it  will,  it  does  not  affect  the 
relative  value  of  clover  and  common  barn-yard  manure.  If  a  load 
of  the  latter,  a  great  part  of  which  is  straw,  is  worth  $1,  then  a 
load  of  manure  from  clover  is  worth  $3.50.  Now  the  clover 
ploughed  under,  it  would  be  worth  a  little  more — as  there  is  a  loss 
of  about  five  per  cent,  in  feeding  out,  which  goes  to  make  blood, 
bone,  muscle,  &c,  in  the  animal. 

It  has  been  the  practice  of  many  very  good  farmers  in  the  Mid- 
dle States  for  many  years  to  sow  clover  to  plough  under;  planting 
corn  or  potatoes  on  the  clover  sod.  This  method,  when  hay  and  its 
products,  beef,  mutton,  butter  and  cheese  were  cheap,  was  undoubt- 
edly a  good  one.  But  with  present  prices  and  with  a  scarcity  of 
hay  throughout  the  country  every  year  or  two,  it  seems  to  me,  that 
now  it  would  be  a  wasteful  practice.  I  believe  a  much  better  way 
is  to  cut  the  clover  for  hay  and  return  the  manure  to  the  soil. 
Surely  the  value  of  the  fodder  will  pay  for  curing  and  carting  both 
ways.  Or,  if  one  objects  to  mowing,  it  may  be  fed  off  with  fatten- 
ing sheep — oil  cake  or  meal  being  fed  to  them  at  the  same  time — 
against  which  practice  no  objection  can  be  raised,  that  I  am  aware 
of.  In  either  case  the  loss  would  be  trifling,  and  a  good  deal  of 
valuable  fodder  would  be  saved.  The  roots,  of  which  there  are  said 
to  be  from  20  to  40  tons  to  the  acre,  are  of  course  subject  to  no 
loss  at  all.  At  present  prices  it  seems  bad  policy  to  turn  under  a 
good  crop  of  clover.  If  the  crop  be  a  light  one,  undoubtedly  the 
best  way  is  to  depasture  it  with  sheep.  In  this  way  the  manure  is 
distributed  evenly  over  the  ground.  Sheep  are  also  popularly  sup- 
posed to  manure  the  °oil  by  simply  lying  upon  it;  imparting,  it  is 
said,  nitrogen  from  the  yolk  in  the  wool.  It  is  probable  that  there 
is  some  truth  in  this  idea.  At  least  the  heavy  rains  of  spring  and 
fall  must  wash  out  portions  of  the  yolk,  which  is  well  known  to  be 
exceedingly  rich  in  fertilizing  properties.  However  this  may  be,  it 
is  certain  that  land  sown  with  clover  and  depastured  with  sheep  be- 
comes enriched  to  an  extent  surprising  to  those  who  have  not  prac- 
ticed this  method.  This  plan  would  also  save  the  necessity  of  turn- 
ing out  sheep  in  the  mowing  fields  in  the  fall,  to  their  very  great 
injury — unless  covered  with  an  abundant  rowen. 

"But,"  says  one,  "  my  land  won't  produce  clover.  It's  of  no  use 
to  sow  it — it  won't  grow.-' 

Very  true,  and  reason  enough  for  it.  It  has  been  exhausted  of 
the  phosphates,  and  of  potash  and  soda,  perhaps,  by  long  continued 


392  THE  SOUTHERN  [July 

cropping  with  potatoes,  followed  with  oats  or  barley,  without  ma- 
nure. At  least  such  is  the  case  with  nine-tenths  of  the  land  that 
will  not  produce  clover.  But  if  it  will  not  produce  clover,  it  will 
not  grow  anything  that  will  pay  expenses  of  cultivating.  In  order 
to  start  clover  upon  such  lands  it  will  be  necessary  to  use  top  dress- 
ing of  some  kind.  On  heavy  clay  soils  lime  or  plaster  will  often 
be  sufficient.  These  seem  to  disintegrate  the  soil  and  set  free  ele- 
ments that  were  before  locked  up  and  useless.  Lime  also  acts  me- 
chanically, making  the  soil  more  porous  and  less  liable  to  bake; 
while  plaster  is  supposed  to  absorb  ammonia  from  the  air.  Ashes, 
I  believe,  are  the  most  valable  top  dressing  for  sandy  land  where 
barn-yard  manure  cannot  be  obtained.  Sown  at  the  rate  of  from 
30  to  50  bushels  to  the  acre,  ashes  produce  a  most  marked  effect 
upon  clover.  Last  spring  I  sowed  a  piece  of  sandy  land,  a  portion 
of  which  had  been  top  dressed  with  leached  ashes  the  previous  sum- 
mer, for  barley,  seeding  with  clover.  No  other  manure  was  applied. 
Where  the  ashes  were  used  the  clover  came  up  thick  and  stout,  but 
where  no  ashes  were  used  it  could  hardly  be  seen. 

Once  get  a  .good  stand  of  clover,  and  other  crops  may  follow. 
Perhaps  a  good  and  profitable  rotation  on  ordinary  loamy  soils, 
would  be  :  1st,  clover  sown  with  top  dressing,  if  needed,  on  in- 
verted sod ;  2d,  corn  or  potatoes,  with  a  heavy  dressing  of  barn- 
yard manure  ploughed  under  in  the  fall  (?);  3d,  wheat  or  barley  and 
clover  again.  The  first  crop  of  clover  might  be  mowed  or  fed  off 
with,  or  ploughed  under,  according  to  the  previous  condition  of  the 
land.  If  in  good  condition  enough  to  produce  a  fair  crop  of ■  hay, 
it  might  be  mowed  one  or  two  years  before  ploughing.  This  would 
insure  a  good  supply  of  roots,  and  the  pulverization  of  the  soil. 
What  we  want  is  to  plough  the  land  while  the  clover  is  large  and 
vigorous,  in  order  to  get  the  benefit  of  the  immense  weight  of  roots. 
There  is  nothing  equal  to  a  clover  sod  for  any  kind  of  hoed  crop. 

It  is  evident  that  we  must  sow  and  grow  more  clover — not  only 
as  a  hay  crop,  but  to  renovate  our  worn  out  fields.  It  will  not  do 
to  crop  with  oats  and  potatoes,  year  after  year,  and  then  say,  "It's 
of  no  use  to  talk  about  renovating  my  land  with  clover ;  it  won't 
grow.1'  It  will  grow.  It  may  require  something  to  start  it ;  but 
after  that,  being  what  is  called  a  leguminous  plant,  it  will  derive  its 
chief  nourishment  from  the  air.  This  is  one  reason,  probably,  why 
plaster  acts  so  beneficially  as  a  simple  top  dressing,  as  it  is  well 
known  that  sulphate  of  lime  "fixes"  the  ammonia,  which  is  being 
constantly  evolved  by  heat,  by  fermentation,  and  perhaps  by  the 
growth  of  plants.     Clover  also  acts  mechanically  upon  the  soil — 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  303 

sending  its  long  fibrous  roots  down  into  the  sub-soil,  and  bringing 
up  fertilizing  matter  before  inaccessible  as  plant  food.  In  this  way 
it  acts  both  as  a  disintegrator  of  the  soil  and  as  a  conductor  of  fer- 
tilizing  elements  from  the  lower  or  sub-soil  to  the  surface.  Finally, 
clover  is  the  best  and  cheapest  known  eradicator  of  weeds.  Sown 
liberally  upon  rich  soil,  it  completely  chokes  out  even  the  strongest 
and  most  noxious  of  our  field  weeds — and  in  this  way  saves  the 
farmer  an  incalculable  amount  of  labor. 

I  have  written  upon  this  subject  at  much  greater  length  than 
I  intended  when  I  began — for  which,  Messrs.  Editors,  and  readers 
of  the  Farmer,  I  beg  pardon — hoping  that  more  experienced  culti- 
vators will  at  some  future  time  write  upon  this  subject. — Young- 
Farmer,  in  the  Maine  Farmer. 

South  Xorridgewock. 


The  Farmer. 

A  BEAUTIFUL  WORK  OF  NATURE  AND  ART. 

Mr.  Geo.  William  Curtis  has  given  to  the  public  the  following 
beautiful  picture,  recently  painted  by  him  while  summering  at  Ash- 
field,  Mass.  He  calls  it  "The  Farmer."  It  will  undoubtedly  be 
extensively  copied  throughout  the  country.     He  says : 

But  the  farmer  stands  still  nearer  to  Nature,  and  she  is  his  im- 
mediate teacher.  Nature  herself  gives  him  the  broad  hints  of  his 
art.  The  sun  warms  the  earth  ;  the  winds  sift  it  and  dry  it ;  roots 
loosen  it ;  the  dew  and  showers  moisten  it ;  the  dead  leaves  and 
birds  manure  it.  But  this  is  only  a  vague  suggestion.  So  the 
wind  draws  imperfect  sounds  from  the  strings  of  a  harp.  But 
presently  man,  the  master,  comes,  and  sweeping  the  strings  with 
knowledge,  he  pours  out  a  melody  which  becomes  the  hymn  of  na- 
tions. And  so  the  farmer,  following  the  hint  of  nature,  is  the  mas- 
ter musician  who  touches  the  landscape  with  skillful  art,  and  plays 
a  tune  of  peace  and  plenty  all  over  the  globe. 

Behold,  then,  the  splendid  scene  of  his  labors.  Sunrise  and 
morning,  the  moon  after  the  sun  as  the  echo  follows  music;  granite 
hills  enchanted  by  distance  into  rosy  clouds,  drifting  along  the 
horizon — groves,  pastures,  rivers,  blooming  fields;  the  song  of  a 
thousand  birds,  the  hue  of  innumerable  flowers  ;  the  rustle  of 
leaves,  the  hum  of  insects  marking  the  changing  months  with  vary- 
ing  sound  ;  the  breeze  that  whispers  and  the  wind  that  roars  ;  the 
unfailing  procession  of  the  seasons  circling  through  the  heavens — 
all  that  is  grandest  and  most  graceful,  tenderest  and  most  terrible 


394  THE  SOUTHERN  [July, 

in  nature  are  his  familiar  associations.  He  learns  by  experience 
■what  science  constantly  discloses,  that  there  is  nothing  useless  or 
superfluous  in  nature.     ''The  whole,'"  as  old  George  Herbert  sang: 

"  The  whole  is  either  his  cupboard  of  food, 
Or  cabinet  cf  pleasure." 

But  while  this  is  the  magnificence  of  his  workshop,  see  also  the 
direct  moral  influence  of  his  toil.  The  earth  in  which  he  works  is 
just  an  J  honest.  If  the  firmer  sow  wheat  the  ground  does  not  re- 
turn him  sugar-cane.  If  he  transplant  carelessly  the  tree,  like  a 
neglected  child,  will  pine  and  die.  If  he  plant  potatoes  and  sLirk 
hoeing,  the  weeds  will  shirk  dying  and  the  potatoes  will  shirk  grow- 
ing. If  he  be  stingy  of  manure,  his  fields  will  be  equally  stingy  of 
crops.  Thus  the  eternal  sincerity  of  nature  giving  him  peas  for 
peas  and  beans  for  beans;  fair  crops  for  patient  industry  and  weeds 
for  idleness,  passes  into  his  character,  and  he  does  not  send  his  bar- 
rels of  apples  to  market  with  all  the  large  fruit  on  top,  nor  sell  a 
horse  wi  h  blind  staggers  to  a  man  who  paid  for  a  sound  animal, 

So  the  necessities  and  fatigues  of  a  work  that  can  be  done  only 
by  daylight  call  the  farmer  with  the  sun  in  the  morning  and  the 
morning  star  in  winter,  send  him  early  to  bed  and  teach  him  regu- 
larity. Then  as  by  his  ceaseless  toil  he  counts  out,  in  blows  of  his 
arm  and  drops  of  sweat,  every  hundred  cents  in  every  dullar  he 
earns — every  penny  stands  for  so  much  time  and  muscle,  and  thus 
he  learns  economy.  With  economy  comes  frugality  and  temper- 
ance, and  so  upon  the  farm  grow  the  hardy  virtues,  like  tough  trees 
upon  the  rough  mountain-side,  and  so  the  ideal  farmer  is  the  strong, 
robust,  simple,  sensible,  truly  conservative  citizen,  and  as  the  spec- 
tator sees  him  standing  crowned  with  content  in  the  midst  of  his 
rural  realm,  he  asks,  as  the  poor  clergyman  asked  his  richer  bro- 
ther, as  they  walked  through  the  rich  minister's  magnificent  estate  : 
"  What,  Brother  Dives,  all  this  and  Heaven  too?" 

B it  look  once  more  at  a  still  finer  spiritual  result  of  the  condi- 
tions of  the  farmer's  life  than  any  of  these.  See  what  pains  he 
wisely  takes  to  secure  a  perfect  fruit.  Hdw  cautiously  he  imports 
and  examines  the  stock  ;  how  sagaciously  he  grafts  and  buds;  how 
he  hides  the  tree  from  the  frost  and  nurses  it  in  the  sun;  how  he 
ponders  and  studies  the  habits  and  disease5  of  that  fruit ;  how  he 
toils  to  surround  himself  with  perfect  trees,  that  he  may  walk  in 
the  garden  of  the  Hesperides  whenever  he  goes  into  his  own  orchard. 
At  last  he  plucks  the  pear  in  triumph.  It  is  the  glory  of  the  fair. 
The  dimensions  of  that  fruit  fly  round  the  world  by  telegraph,  over 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  895 

the  land  and  under  the  sea.  It  is  photographed,  engraved  and  de- 
scribed in  a  hundred  horticultural  papers  and  magazines  ;  the  mouth 
of  the  public  waters  for  that  pear,  and  it  bears  the  name  of  the 
happy  grower  forever.  Is  that  all?  Is  there  nothing  more? 
Look  !  Not  yet  has  the  farmer  reaped  all  his  harvest  of  success, 
nor  tasted  the  finest  flavor  of  his  fruit.  But  when  walking  under 
his  trees  in  the  cool  of  the  day,  God  meets  him  in  the  thoughts  of 
his  mind — for  when  a  man  tbi.iks  a  lofty  thought  it  is  as  if  God 
met  him — and  says  to  him,  "  You  are  a  tree  in  my  garden  of  the 
world,  and  if  you  sought  the  sweet  fruit  of  character  and  a  noble 
life,  as  carefully  as  you  trim  and  water  and  bud  to  produce  a  pear, 
the  world  would  be  again  what  it  was  when  I  walked  in  Eden,"  then 
the  farmer  has  learned  the  last  lesson  of  his  calling  as  at  all  other 
human  pursuits,  for  he  perceives  that  as  a  tree  produces  a  flower 
not  for  the  sake  of  the  flower,  but  for  the  seed  which  the  flower 
covers,  and  which  will  reproduce  the  tree — so  it  is  not  the  wheat, 
though  it  grew  a  thousand  bushels  to  the  acre,  nor  the  pears,  al- 
though a  single  one  would  feast  the  country,  but  it  is  the  manhood 
and  moral  development  of  the  farmer  himself,  wrought  out  by  per- 
petual contact  with  the  beautiful  processes  of  nature,  which  is  the 
crop  of  lasting  value  that  grows  upcn  his  farm,  a  crop  whose  har- 
vest is  human  happiness.     *     *     *     New  York  Evening  Mail. 


11  Knowledge  is  Power," 

The  best  capital  with  which  a  young  man  can  start  life  is  a  sound 
and  well  cultivated  mind.  We  hear  a  good  deal  in  this  utilitarian 
age  about  safe  investments,  and  insurance  against  loss,  but  know- 
ledge, the  wealth  of  a  well-stored  and  disciplined  mind,  is  the  safest 
investment  of  time  and  money,  and  the  wisest  insurance  against  the 
misfortunes  and  difficulties  which  we  have  to  encounter  in  the  tug 
and  tussle  of  life.  But  the  great  effort  of  the  mass  of  mankind 
seems  to  be  to  secure  the  material  blessings  of  life,  even  at  the  ex- 
pense of  intellectual  and  moral  nature,  and  to  protect  them  against 
the  disasters  of  change  and  chance  by  all  the  safeguards  which  the 
ingenuity  of  human  invention  can  devise.  Men  spend  toilsome 
days  and  nights  to  heap  up  riches  for  others  to  enjoy ;  to  leave  a 
princely  dowry  for  profligate  sons  to  squander  in  the  beastly  grati- 
fication of  depraved  tastes  and  appetites,  or  after  having  clutched 
and  hoarded  their  money  bags  to  the  very  last  inch  of  time,  with 
affected  generosity,  to  rear  up  a  monumental  pile  of  bricks  and 
mortar  for  the  promotion  of  some  educational  or  benevolent  object, 


396  THE    SOUTHERN  [July 

in  order  to  gloss  over  the  stains  of  a  mean  and  niggardly  life.  In 
the  constant  fluctuation  of  material  values,  and  amid  the  financial 
and  political  shocks,  which  are  ever  and  anon  convulsing  society, 
all  mere  pecuniary  investments  are  Table  to  be  swept  away  by  these 
disastrous  convulsions.  Few  indeed  are  the  safeguards  around 
property,  which  can  stand  the  tide  of  social  and  political  revolu- 
tion. Banks  and  other  corporations  may  break  and  stocks  become 
worthless  ;  bills  of  exchange  may  be  protested  ;  men  may  become 
bankrupt,  and  private  obligations  be  repudiated ;  in  fact  all  the 
representatives  of  material  value,  like  an  unsubstantial  frostwork, 
may  vanish  under  the  touch  of  the  demon  change,  and  utter  finan- 
cial ruin  sweep  over  society ;  but  the  man  who  has  a  mind  strength- 
ened by  constant  exercise  and  filled  with  gems  of  thought,  gleaned 
from  the  treasure-house  of  ages,  and  a  will  which  quails  before  no 
opposition,  has  a  store  of  wealth  which  is  unaffected  by  all  the  mis- 
fortunes which  overwhelm  more  sordid  things,  and  is  panoplied  in 
an  armor  that  can  defy  disaster,  and  win  success  amid  the  wreck 
and  ruin  of  all  other  sources  of  power.  Let  it  be  the  first  aim, 
then,  of  every  young  man  to  secure  a  thorough  education,  and  hav- 
ing done  this,  he  will  then  be  qualified  to  take  any  position  which 
circumstances  may  offer,  and  thoroughly  prepared  to  enter  with 
courage  the  great  arena  of  life.  Knowledge  is  in  truth  the  lever, 
for  which  the  Grecian  philosopher  longed,  by  which  the  world  is 
moved.  And  that  father  who  wears  out  the  machinery  of  life  in 
heaping  up  wealth  for  his  children,  while  their  intellectual  and 
moral  culture  is  neglected,  is  sadly  blind  to  their  truest  interests, 
and  thoroughly  insensible  to  all  the  nobler  emotions  of  man's  na- 
ture. I  know  no  truer  object  of  pity  than  the  man  whose  pleasures 
are  purely  material;  who  has  no  aesthetic  aspirations  and  joys,  but 
who  surrounds  himself  with  the  base  and  sordid  things  of  earth,  and 
seeks  his  enjoyment  in  these  alone.  Such  a  man  is  ill-prepared  to 
breast  the  tide  of  misfortune,  and  when  disaster  comes  and  sweeps 
away  these  groveling  means  of  enjoyment,  he  stands,  like  a  blasted 
tree,  stricken  by  the  lightnings  of  heaven,  the  poorest  and  most 
miserable  of  all  the  sons  of  men,  being  cursed  with  the  double  pov- 
erty of  mind  and  estate. — H.,  in  the  Deaf  Mate  Casket. 


A  correspondent  of  the  Rural  World  has  a  very  good  opinion 
of  the  Harrison  potato.  He  thinks  it  more  even  in  size  than  the 
peach  blow,  and  that  it  looks  better  and  tastes  better,  and  is  seldom 
hollow  inside.     He  also  says  the  potatoes  lie  in  a  bunch  in  the  hill. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  397 

Mr.  G.  C.  Gilmer  Working  out  his  Problem. 

Messrs.  Editors, — Your  May  No.  contains  an  assurance  from  Mr. 
G.  C.  Gilmer  that  he  is  in  a  fair  way  of  working  out  his  theory  of 
farming,  published  in  May  No.,  and  reviewed  in  June,  1868,  by  his 
"Friend  Ficklin." 

These  opinions  are  assuming  a  serious  form,  since  they  are  re-as- 
serted as  a  whole,  and  liable  to  make  converts  to  a  theory  it  will 
require  several  years  to  test;  and  should  failure  ensue,  it  will  fall 
heavily  on  the  class  of  struggling  farmers  to  whom  his  system  is  most 
applicable.  He  carries  his  eggs  in  too  few  baskets,  and  lets  go  his 
hold  on  mixed  husbandry,  avoids  stock,  and  works  but  "two  plough- 
men" as  a  regular  force  and  other  hands  as  "a  frolic  in  busy  sea- 
sons." Now,  four  hands  on  a  six  hundred  acre  farm  is  his  practice, 
and  to  do  all  the  work  the  year  round.  One  of  these  hands  is  his 
manager,  who  tells  his  sanguine  employer  that  "he  has  conquered 
the  bushes,  broom-straw  and  briars  in  the  field  on  which  he  had  at- 
tacked them,  and,  with  his  present  force,  in  three  years  more  he 
could  bury  the  last  member  of  these  unsightly  and  unprofitable 
pests."     Stick  a  pin  here. 

Mr.  G.  assumes,  on  his  own  responsibility,  that  he  will  cultivate 
his  600  acres  of  open  land  better  and  cheaper  with  this  force  than 
he  formerly  did  with  22  slaves ;  if  better,  then  he  is  wonderfully 
reconstructed  and  improved  by  new  examples  of  industry  and  thrift 
around  him.  With  this  increased  leverage  of  4  against  22  hands, 
he  proposes  "to  put  in  10  to  15  acres  in  corn  certainly,  not  over 
20,"  and  give  his  four  hands  time  "to  devote  to  fencing,  clearing 
up,  ditching,  picking  up  rocks,"  &c,  for  seeding  rye  and  wheat  in 
the  fall.  Why  rye  instead  of  wheat  ?  Mr.  G.  theorizes  what  is 
best  suited  to  a  large  body  of  farmers,  and  if  they  adopt  his  policy, 
who  is  to  raise  the  excess  of  corn  needed  in  the  country  around 
him  ?  who  to  raise  stock  and  give  employment  to  all  others  than 
the  few  magical  hands  to  be  had  of  the  class  he  employs  ?  and  who 
will  send  grist  to  his  mill  that  enables  him  to  live  and  raise  but 
garden  spots  of  corn  ?  How  much  ? — tell,  Mr.  G.  And  if  your 
neighbors  curtail  in  corn  as  you  do,  how  much  must  you  add  to 
your  crop  to  make  up  the  toll  from  others  ? 

Are  you  not,  Mr.  G.,  breeding  from  four  fine  mares,  and  had  you 
not  better  increase  your  stock  of  cattle  and  sheep  to  assist  in  de- 
stroying the  sassafras,  sedge,  briars  and  pests  in  their  season,  and 
some  of  your  excess  of  forage  in  winter  and  early  spring,  as  well  as 
hogs  to  eat  what  excess  of  corn  you  ought  to  raise,  since  the  latter 


398  THE  SOUTHERN  [July 

produces  bacon  worth  now  20  to  25  cents,  equal  to  an   average  of 
15  cents  for  pork  ? 

Lastly,  Mr.  G.,  tell  us  how  the  "100  acres  in  yard,  barn,  garden 
and  truck  patches"  are  managed  "to  pay,"  and  favor  us  occasion- 
ally with  reports  how  your  theory  is  working  out,  and  particularly 
your  results  from  your  farm,  and  which  of  the  many  fertilizers  you 
are  trying  has  done  most  towards  these  results.  F. 


Agriculture. 

THE  BEST  FARMER  IN  THE  COUNTY. 
The  name  of  the  county  is  not  material,  nor  would  the  honest, 
industrious  man  who  is  generally  admitted  to  beat  all  his  neighbors 
in  the  quantity  of  his  crops,  and  the  general  excellence  of  his  til- 
lage, be  pleased  to  see  his  name  paraded  before  the  great  public. 
He  lives  about  twenty-five  miles  from  Philadelphia,  and  the  fortieth 
degree  of  latitude  is  very  near  his  north  line.  His  area  is  a  little 
over  200  acres.  More  than  a  hundred  years  ago,  when  Benjamin 
Franklin  was  the  most  conspicuous  citizen  and  the  ablest  editor  on 
this  continent,  the  ancestor  of  our  hero  came  hither  from  Wales. 
In  the  quaintness  of  those  colonial  days  he  spelled  his  name  with  a 
double-f  and  double-o.  His  son  took  the  clearing,  and  pushed  the 
rin<*  fence  of  old  oak  and  walnut  further  and  further  from  the  cen- 
ter.  His  son  succeeded,  and  his  son  and  his  son,  to  the  present 
generation.  Now  these  ancestral  acres  are  hallowed  by  the  labors 
of  a  pedigree  of  farmers  who  all  followed  in  the  footsteps  of  one 
general  father,  earning  their  bread  and  making  the  bread  for  many 
other  mouths  by  honest  sweat,  and  wearing  to  their  coffins  the 
bronzed  face  and  the  calloused  hands. 

The  soil  is  a  light  clay  loam,  so  admixed  with  sand  as  not  to  hold 
water  except  on  two  or  three  low  places  that  have  been  thoroughly 
tile-drained.  There  is  not  a  stone,  nor  a  stump,  nor  a  log,  a  clump 
of  bushes,  or  a  nest  of  weeds  on  the  place.  The  whole  area  comes 
under  the  ploughshare  once  in  four  or  five  years.  The  general  sur- 
face of  the  region  is  level,  but  on  this  place  are  two  swells,  very 
moderate  indeed,  not  worth  noticing  by  one  accustomed  to  hills,  yet 
just  sufficient  to  allow  good  drainage.  We  mention  these  details 
because  there  are  thousands  and  thousands  of  such  farms  all  over 
the  great  West — farms  that  could  be  made  just  as  productive  and 
as  profitable.  The  average  American  farm  is  nearly  200  acres,  and 
as  the  art  of  agriculture  is  now  understood  and  practiced,  this  is 
the   best   size    for  regular    tillage     husbandry,    such  as  the  best 


1839.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  399 


farmer  in  the  county  carries  on.  As  this  statement  will  not  be  re- 
ceived by  some,  and  as  it  is  wide  of  the  catch  words,  "  Ten  Acres 
Enough,"  we  will  give  a  few  reasons  for  the  faith  that  is  in  us  : 
1.  Except  in  the  vicinity  of  cities,  where  the  manure  of  great  sta- 
bles and  breweries  can  be  obtained,  the  profit  of  farming  must  de- 
pend on  the  use  of  yard  composts.  The  quantity  of  this  must  de- 
pend on  the  number  of  animals  kept,  its  strength  on  the  quantity 
of  rich  food  which  they  consume.  The  same  attendance  and  labor 
will  feed  and  fatten  the  animals  on  a  two  hundred  acre  farm  that 
would  be  required  on  a  hundred  acre  farm.  2.  In  the  improved 
condition  of  all  farm  tools,  it  will  not  pay  to  use  poor,  old-fashioned 
implements.  The  progressive  farmer  will  have  the  best;  they  cost 
several  hundred  dollars,  and  when  bought  they  will  do  the  work  on 
200  acres  as  well  as  100.  3.  On  a  large  farm  the  fields  are  larger, 
the  roads  longer,  not  so  many  bouts,  headlands,  fence-corners,  and 
dead  furrows. 

If  the  farmer's  methods  are  good  and  his  thinking  sound,  it  costs 
no  more  to  spread  it  over  a  larger  area.  If  a  man  can  plan  well 
for  a  good  crop  of  wheat  from  20  acres,  he  can  plan  as  well  for  40, 
60,  or  80  acres. 

On  the  other  hand,  when  a  farm  is  much  over  200  acres  in  area, 
there  will  arise  a  grave  difficulty  in  harvesting  grain  and  grass  at 
precisely  the  right  time.  The  more  acres  one  has  down,  the  more 
dependent  he  becomes  on  the  weather,  the  more  risky  and  specula- 
tive becomes  the  business  of  agriculture. 

This  farm  is  divided  into  fields  of  not  over  fifty  acres,  nor  none 
less  than  fifteen.  Many  interior  fences  he  has  removed,  and  more 
might  be.  His  general  plan  is  to  have  about  fifty  acres  in  grass. 
After  cutting  three  or  four  crops,  of  about  2i  tuns  per  acre,  he 
turns  the  sod  under  in  April  and  plants  corn.  In  a  few  cases  he 
allows  corn  to  follow  corn,  but  not  often.  The  upturned  sod  is  fur- 
ther enriched  with  yard  manure,  which  is  well  harrowed  in,  the 
harrow  teeth  being  small  and  short,  so  as  not  to  disturb  the  sod. 

When  the  season  is  a  good  one  he  gets  70  bushels  to  an  acre,  and 
sometimes  80,  but  these  are  exceptions.  On  a  rich  soil  like  his,  in 
this  climate,  the  tendency  of  corn  is  to  run  to  stalk,  and  his  diffi- 
culty is  never  to  get  it  to  grow  tall,  but  to  make  the  ears  corres- 
pond to  the  bigness  of  the  stalk.  Here  is  one  of  the  unsolved  prob- 
lems in  our  tillage.  One  might  suppose  it  easy  to  lift  an  acre  from 
a  capacity  of  GO  to  80  bushels  in  corn  by  extra  doses  of  manure, 
just  as  it  can  be  raised  from  40  to  60.     But  let  the  farmer  try.     If 


400  THE    SOUTHERN  [July 


the  season  suits  he  will  get  corn  stalks  that  run  up  like  fishing  rods. 
Some  of  the  tallest  will  have  no  ears  at  all,  others  12  or  15  feet 
high  will  give  one  nubbin  eight  feet  from  the  ground.  With  fifty 
acres  in  grass  and  fifty  in  corn,  our  farmer  has  one  hundred  left  for 
:  age,  roots  and  small  grain.  Most  cul:i\a::rs  would  allow 
thirty  or  forty  for  pasturage  ;  he  does  not.  This  year  he  has  nearly 
fifty  acres  in  wheat,  fifteen  in  rye,  and  will  put  in  fifteen  acres  of 
potatoes.  Like  Mr  Mechi,  he  believes  in  the  plough,  and  would 
not  keep  wide  reaches  of  old  sod.  Of  wheat  he  raises  from  lv  to 
25  bushels  per  acre.  In  this  great  cereal  we  have  another  unsolved 
problem.  Any  good  farmer  will  say  that  by  using  more  manure  he 
can  get  a  ranker  growth  of  blade  and  stem,  but  his  bushels  will  not 
be  increased  in  proportion  ;  for  the  crop  will  begin  to  lodge  by  the 
middle  of  June,  ana  half  of  it  may  be  flat  by  harvest.  Are  these 
difficulties  with  our  grand  cereals — the  bars  that  so  often  stop  the 
corn  grower  at  60  bushels  and  the  wheat  grower  at  25  bushels  per 
acre — are  they  the  work  of  climate,  of  shallow  ploughing,  of  the 
unskillful  application  of  manures,  or  bad  sowing?  Our  farmer  un- 
derstands potatoes,  and  can  make  an  acre  bring  him  $300.  Like 
all  cultivators  of  rich  level  surfaces,  he  has  the  rot  to  contend  with. 
Of  the  many  varieties  he  has  found  the  ptach  blow  the  most  popu- 
lar in  market,  and  the  best  late  potato.  He  plants  about  three  feet 
apart  each  way.  and  cuts  his  seed  small,  so  as  to  allow  but  one  or 
two  vines  to  a  hill.  When  the  shoots  are  fairly  out  of  the  ground 
he  throws  a  furrow  from  each  side  so  as  to  cover  them.  The  potato 
is  Bach  a  hardy  and  vigorous  grower  that  it  will  push  out  from  this 
shallow  burial  and  so  outstrip  the  weeds  as  to  gain  and  keep  posses- 
sion of  the  surface.  He  never  has  use  for  the  hoe,  and  never  ma- 
nures in  the  hill  for  potatoes.  If  it  were  not  for  the  rot  this  crop 
alone  would  soon  make  him  rich.  He  is  planting  the  Harrison  this 
year,  well  aware  of  its  inferiority  as  a  table  potato,  but  he  hopes 
with  this  new  and  vigorous  variety  to  elude  his  enemy  for  two  or 
three  years.  His  sales  have  been  of  potatoes,  hay,  corn,  wheat, 
rvc.  arid  rye  straw,  pork,  and  fat  cattle.  Experience  is  showing 
him  the  advantage  of  feeding  out  most  or  all  of  his  hay  and  corn  to 
fattening  animals,  and  part:ng  with  no  vegetable  products  of  the 
surface  but  wheat  and  potatoes.  Such  is  without  doubt  his  true 
policy,  and  he  would  have  been  driven  in  that  direction  much  sooner 
had  there  not  been,  at  the  edge  of  his  farm,  an  inexhaustible  bed 
of  marl  as  rich  in  potash  as  wood  ashes.  This  fertilizer  he  has 
osed  freely  for  twenty  or  thirty  years,  but  of  late  the  conviction  is 
forced  upon  him  that  marl  has  made  his  land  as  rich  as  marl  alone 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  401 

era  make  it.  Quite  likely.  A  highly  productive  soil  contains 
three  or  four  important  substances,  such  as  potash,  lime,  ammonia, 
phosphorus.  The  first  of  these,  potash,  he  gets  in  abundance  when 
he  applies  marl;  but  for  the  active,  concentrated  fertilizers,  that 
make  the  deep  green  blade,  the  long  ear,  and  the  heavy  head,  he 
must  look  to  rich  stable  manure,  to  bone  dust,  and  to  guano.  White 
oak  is  choice  timber  for  a  cart  wheel,  but  ten  cords  of  the  best  oak 
that  ever  grew,  without  iron  for  the  bolts  and  tires,  would  not  do 
the  farmer  as  much  good  as  a  fourth  of  a  cord  with  the  iron.  Just 
so  of  potash  manures.  Alone  they  cannot  carry  lands  to  the  high- 
est productiveness. 

Let  us  calculate  how  far  this  excellent  farmer,  with  his  200  he- 
reditary acres,  benefits  society.  It  will  illustrate  the  fundamental 
value  and  worth  of  the  ploughman.  His  wheat  crops  made  into 
flour  supply  -00  mouths  annually  with  white  bread.  His  potatoes 
feed  300  persons  a  year  at  the  rate  at  which  this  tuber  is  usually 
consumed  in  families.  If  the  grass  he  grows  were  changed  to  milk, 
it  would  supply  300  persons ;  changed  to  beef,  it  would  feed  60 
persons.  His  corn  transmuted  to  pork  wouM  give  200  consumers 
lull  annual  rations.  Why  should  the  man  who  can  do  this  aspire  to 
the  degradations  of  local  or  of  national  politics?  Why  hanker 
after  the  gambling  uncertainties  of  traffic?  Why  rasp  his  temper 
between  the  endless  chafing  of  other  men's  quarrels? — J.  B.  L.,  in 
New  York  Times. 


Rye  for  early  Green  Food. 

The  importance  of  a  supply  of  green  feed  for  stock  in  the  Spring, 
is  very  often  realized  at  that  time,  but  generally  overlooked  at  the 
proper  season  of  preparing  for  it.  Experienced  graziers  know  the 
value  of  an  early  bite.  Cattle,  horses,  and  all  stock  thrive  faster 
for  an  early  supply  of  green  food.  Youatt  says  of  the  horse: 
"The  Spring  grass  is  the  best  physic  that  can  be  given  to  a  horse. 
To  a  degree  which  no  artificial  aperient  or  diuretic  can  reach,  it 
carries  off  every  humor  that  may  be  lurking  about  the  animal.  It 
fines  down  the  roughness  of  the  legs,  and  except  there  be  some 
bony  enlargement,  restores  them  to  their  original  form  and 
strength."  To  horses  that  cannot  conveniently  have  a  run  at 
grass,  it  is  especia-lly  important  that  a  supply  of  green  food  be 
duly  provided  for. 

There  is  no  plant  which  so  readily  offers  a  supply  of  this  as  rye, 
and  we  suggest  the  sowing  of  a  lot  either  for  early  pasturage  or  for 
vol.  in — 26 


402  THE    SOUTHERN  [July 

cutting.  It  will  afford  a  good  cutting  full  two  weeks  before  the 
clover,  and  so  far  as  we  know  the  use  of  it  is  attended  with  no  ill 
effects.  One  of  the  most  successful  farmers  we  ever  knew  was  in 
the  habit  of  sowing  rye  in  rich  lots,  chiefly  for  Spring  grazing.  If 
seeded  in  September,  the  plant  becomes  firmly  rooted,  and  affords 
a  great  amount  of  herbage  during  March  and  April,  until  the  clover 
is  large  enough  to  graze,  and  if  the  stock  is  then  taken  off,  the 
yield  of  grain  will  be  almost  as  good  as  if  the  crop  had  not  been 
grazed. 

A  light  rich  loam  is  the  best  soil  for  rye.  It  makes  a  good 
growth  of  straw  on  ground  not  fit  to  be  put  in  wheat.  But  the 
richer  the  better  of  course  for  a  good  yield.  We  would  sow  not 
less  than  a  bushel  of  seed,  when  intended  chiefly  for  grazing  or  cut- 
ting.    Sow  early  in  September. —  Rural  Minnesotian. 


The  Relations  of  Plants  to  their  Food. 

The  agriculturist  who  would  obtain  the  largest  results  from  a 
given  expenditure  of  time,  labor,  money  and  material,  should  not 
content  himself  with  the  mere  knowledge  of  the  nature  and  charac- 
ter of  the  food  required  for  each  crop  he  cultivates,  but  should  also 
make  himself  familiar  with  the  physiological  action  of  the  growing 
plant  itself  upon  the  various  agents  presented  to  it  by  the  soil,  ma- 
nure, the  air  and  the  rain.     Ignorance  in  this  particular  will  lead 
to  as  ridiculous  errors  as  that  of  the  self-conceited  correspondent  of 
a  British  provincial  newspaper,  who  having  in  some  way  or  other 
acquired  the  information  that  nitrogenous  matter  was  the  basis  of 
the  formation  of  all  the  tissues  of  the  body,  immediately  rushed 
into  print  with  a  furious  denunciation  of  the  extravagant  habit  of 
using  bread  and  meat  to  support  animal  life.     "  What  we  want," 
said  he,  "  is  nitrogen.     Why,  then,  adopt  as  the  sources  of  nitro- 
gen, materials  which  are  so  expensive,  and  which  contain  so  much 
extraneous   matter?"     He   then   went   into   a   calculation    of   the 
amount  of  nitrogen  contained  in  the  ordinary  articles  of  human 
food,  and  triumphantly  contrasted  it  with  the  quantity  which  an 
equal  weight  of  Peruvian  guano  would  supply.     He  then  calculated 
the  relative  cost  of  these  two  varieties  of  nitrogenous  materials, 
and  indignantly  demanded  why  so  valuable  a  source  of  supply  of 
the  inevitable  waste  of  living  tissue  had  been  so  long  neglected  ? 
He  also  cited  numerous  statistical  arguments  to  prove  the  enormous 
saving  which  would  result  from  feeding  the  inhabitants  of  the  Brit- 


1863.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  403 

ish  islands  on  guano  soup,  instead  of  those  ancient  dainties  so  dear 
to  every  British  stomach,  roast  beef  and  plum  pudding. 

Of  course  it  is  easy  to  laugh  at  the  ignorance  of  this  reform  in 
gastronomy,  and  to  point  out  the  glaring  errors  of  his  theory. 
But  is  it  any  less  absurd  to  undertake  to  feed  a  plant  without  know- 
ing in  what  form  it  appropriates  its  food,  and  how  it  disposes  of  it 
when  once  introduced  into  its  organism  ?  Much  has  yet  to  be  dis- 
covered in  reference  to  this  matter;  but  enough  is  already  known 
to  give  important  practical  hints  to  those  who  will  master  truths 
already  acquired,  and  who  will  add  to  their  number  by  careful  ob- 
servations of  their  own. 

Every  one  knows  that  there  is  a  great  diversity  in  the  appetites 
of  plants,  some  being  what  are  commonly  termed  gross  feeders, 
while  others  are  known  as  moderate  in  this  respect.  Much  de- 
pends, of  course,  upon  the  duration  of  the  plant's  life,  and  upon 
the  size  it  attains  at  maturity.  A  large,  succulent,  rapidly  growing 
plant  like  corn  or  tobacco,  will,  of  course,  demand  more  food  in  a 
given  time  than  a  smaller  vegetable,  which  takes  a  longer  time  to 
reach  maturity.  The  existence  of  a  plant  is  dependent  upon  the 
time  it  takes  to  form  and  ripen  its  seed,  perennials  being  left  out  of 
consideration.  Some  of  our  little  spring  flowers  shoot  up,  expand 
their  blooms  and  ripen  their  seed  within  a  few  days.  Their  task  in 
the  world  being  accomplished,  nothing  is  left  them  but  to  fade  and 
perish.  Others  require  the  entire  summer  for  their  maturity,  while 
others  again  need  the  influences  of  two  seasons  to  complete  their 
existence. 

It  is  not  our  intention  at  present  to  enter  into  a  consideration  of 
the  varieties  of  nutrition  dependent  upon  these  varying  vital  condi- 
tions, but  rather  to  call  attention  to  certain  facts  which  bear  upon 
all  varieties  of  growth.  Every  one  knows  that  the  young  leaf  in 
the  spring  manifests  its  greatest  activity  during  the  earlier  periods 
of  its  existence.  Chemical  examination  shows  the  same  fact. 
Chemical  activity  is  always  proportioned — every  thing  else  be- 
ing equal — to  the  solubility  of  the  agents  reacting  upon  one  an- 
other. In  the  ashes  of  the  young  leaves  of  the  beach  we  find  30 
per  cent,  of  potash,  while  in  the  same  leaves  withering  in  the  au- 
tumn blasts,  but  1  per  cent,  remains.  So,  too,  phosphoric  acid, 
which  existed  in  the  proportion  of  24  per  cent,  in  the  spring,  has 
fallen  to  2  per  cent,  in  the  fall.  The  insoluble  materials,  on  the 
other  hand,  greatly  increase  as  the  leaf  grows  larger. 

The  truth  is,  the  earlier  part  of  the  existence  of  any  plant  is  oc- 
cupied in  preparations  for   the  future.     For  example,  the  turnip, 


404  THE   SOUTHERN  [July 


immediately  after  sprouting,  devotes  its  energies  for  half  the  period 
of  its  growth  chiefly  to  the  production  of  leaves.  At  the  end  of 
sixty-seven  days,  the  turnip  crop,  according  to  Anderson's  experi- 
ments, had  formed  twelve  thousand,  seven  hundred  and  ninety- 
three  pounds  of  leaves,  and  two  thousand,  seven  hundred  and  sixty- 
two  pounds  of  roots.  At  the  end  of  the  next  twenty  days,  the  leaves 
weighed  nineteen  thousand,  two  hundred  pounds,  while  the  roots 
weighed  fourteen  thousand,  four  hundred  pounds.  In  thirty-five 
days  more  the  crop  was  gathered,  and  weighed  eleven  thousand, 
two  hundred  and  eight  pounds  of  leaves,  and  thirty-six  thousand, 
seven  hundred  and  ninety-two  pounds  of  roots.  Of  course  it  will 
be  understood  that  these  figures  all  represent  equal  areas  of  the 
same  field,  cultivated  in  the  same  manner.  The  point  to  which  we 
wish  to  call  attention  is,  that  during  the  last  period  of  growth  there 
has  been  a  reduction  of  the  actual  weight  of  the  leaves,  due  to  a 
transference  of  already  elaborated  material  from  the  leaf  to  the 
root.  We  thus  see  that  the  turnip,  during  the  early  and  more  vig- 
orous stages  of  its  growth,  has  expended  its  energies  in  hiying  up 
and  organizing  nourishment  in  the  leaf,  which  is  afterward  carried 
back  to  the  root. 

This  is  no  exceptional  case.  All  plants  have  experiences  more 
or  less  simlilar.  Thus  winter  wheat  spends  much  of  its  early  vege- 
tative power  in  developing  strong  roots,  at  the  expense  of  its  young 
leaves.  Indeed,  it  has  been  observed  in  the  fox-hunting  districts  of 
England,  that  a  field  trampled  by  horses  in  the  winter,  so  as  to 
leave  scarcely  any  wheat  visible,  has  produced  far  more  grain  at 
harvest  than  another  not  subjected  to  so  rough  a  system  of  im- 
provement. 

It  is  plain,  then,  that  as  a  general  rule  it  is  the  duty  of  the  agri- 
culturist to  see  that,  at  the  beginning  of  their  growth,  his  young 
crops  shall  be  abundantly  supplied  with  soluble  plant  food.  There 
are,  of  course,  some  exceptions  to  this  rule,  which  need  not  be  here 
considered.  The  young  plant  needs  a  very  full  supply  of  food ; 
first,  because,  as  we  have  already  seen,  it  is  busy  for  the  future  as 
well  as  for  the  present ;  and  secondly,  because  its  roots  being  small 
and  weak,  it  cannot  go  far  in  search  of  nutriment,  but  must  find  it 
on  the  very  spot  on  which  they  are  growing.  A  crop  well  started 
by  a  judicious  supply  of  soluble  manure,  Avill  grow  vigorously,  and 
maintain  the  advantage  thus  secured  to  the  very  end  of  the  season. 
It  is  impossible  to  over-estimate  the  importance  of  insuring  to  the 
young  crop  a  rapid  and  active  growth  at  the  beginning.  More 
roots  are  formed,  and  they  arc  pushed  farther  through   the  soil. 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  405 


More  leaves  and  stem  rise  into  the  air,  and  consequently  a  far  more 
energetic  appropriation  of  the  atmospheric  constituents  of  the  grow- 
ing plant  becomes  possible.  Indeed,  the  stroag,  healthy  plant  is 
able  to  rob  its  weaker  neighbor  of  the  nourishment  universally  dis- 
tributed throughout  the  atmosphere  itself. — Baltimore  Leader. 


Hints  on  the  Cultivation  and  Management  of  Tobacco. 
Messrs.  Editors, — Some  time  ago  I  promised  to  give  you  my  no- 
tion about  raising  Tobacco,  and  now  proceed  to  fulfill  my  engage- 
ment.    And  first,  I  will  speak  of 

PLANTS. 

There  is  no  such  thing  as  raising  tobacco  profitably  without  early 
plants,  and  yet  if  earlier  than  the  first  of  June  they  will  be  sure  to 
make  narrow  leaf  tobacco.  In  selecting  my  plant  land,  I  prefer  to 
do  it  in  July,  for  the  next  year,  and  choose  a  valley  detached  from 
any  field,  facing  the  southeast,  on  which  is  a  growth  of  whortle- 
berry and  some  ivy.  I  cut  off  the  bushes  and  timber,  but  let  the 
leaves  and  litter  remain,  and  manure  it  heavily  with  the  best  ma- 
nure I  can  get.  I  prefer  cow  manure,  collected  in  May,  and  piled 
under  a  shelter  to  protect  it  from  rain.  This  has  fewer  grass 
seeds  in  it  than  any  other  manure.  Tobacco  stalks  answer  very 
well.  A  little  before,  or  as  soon  after  Christmas  as  the  weather 
will  permit,  I  take  off  the  leaves  and  other  litter,  and  if  I  think 
there  is  grass  seed  that  has  not  germinated,  I  cover  the  bed  with 
dry  brush,  if  to  be  had,  putting  the  leaves  on  the  brush,  and  burn 
them  ;  then  with  grubbing  hoes  sunk  in  the  ground  as  deep  as  pos- 
sible, giving  the  handle  a  wrench,  I  loosen  the  ground,  but  not 
so  as  to  bring  the  clay  to  the  top;  I  then  chop  with  sharp 
hoes,  take  off  the  roots,  and  prepare  for  sowing  the  seed.  I  prefer 
not  to  sow  the  seed  until  the  25th  February,  and  then  sow  about  half 
the  quantity  of  seed  (a  table-spoonfull  is  common.)  on  every  hun- 
dred square  yards  ;  a  little  before  I  think  the  seed  is  sprouting,  I 
sow  the  other  half  spoonfull,  and  tread  without  raking.  If  the  first 
sowing  come  up  well,  the  second  does  not  molest  the  first.  Thin 
sowing  yields  more  plants  than  thick.  I  prefer  to  tread  when  some 
of  the  dirt  will  stick  to  the  feet ;  the  plants  grow  better  trod  then 
than  when  the  ground  is  dry. 

When  the  plants  are  large  enough,  I  plant,  but  would  much  pre- 
fer to  set  them  out  when  the  land  is  in  good  order  to  work  ;  if 
set  out  when  the  land  is  too  wet,  the  plants  do  not  thrive  well; 
if  set  out  early  in  the  season,  and  they  arc  large,  or  if  set  out  in 


408  THE    SOUTHERN  [July 

the  evening,  and  there  comes  rain  on  them  before  they  wilt  or  lap 
from  the  sun,  they  are  apt  to  be  narrow  leafed :  but  this  may  be 
altered  by  runnings  coalter  on  each  side,  so  as  to  make  them  wilt 
or  lap  ;  then  it  will  take  a  broader  growl 

When  tobacco  is  cut  and  it  rains  on  it  so  as  to  make  it  strut,  and 
the  stems  turn  upward,  unless  this  be  corrected  the  sterns  nfll  rot, 
and  tl  :-  tobacco  is,   of  course,  much  injured  by  it  : 

the  leaf  on  each  side  of  the  stem  loses  nearly  all  the  quality  of  to- 
bacco, and  is  hard  to  get  soft  enough  to  strip  ;  if  the  stem  be  soft 
enough  not  to  break,  the  leaf  is  too  soft.  "When  tobacco  gets  in 
that  state,  the  best  reme  ly  I  know  of  is  to  re-cut  it.  Some  years  past 
I  a  scaffold  of  tobacco  strutted  as  above.  About  12  o'clock  I 
went  to  it  and  re-cut  one  stick:  an  hour  after  I  went  to  it;  the 
stems  of  what  I  bad  cut  were  soft  and  hung  down  straight.  I  then 
re-cut  all  on  the  scaffold.  Before  night  all  the  stems  were  soft  and 
tough,  and  it  cured  well,  having  no  appearance  of  ever  having  been 
■trotted.  Since  then  I  have  re-cut  all  that  were  strutted  with  good 
result.  Charles  Brows. 

Albemarle,  Vj..  Jfmmt  14.    1 

[Our  octogenarian  friend,  who  has  favored  us  with  the  above  arti- 
cle, prefers  to  select  the  ground  for  growing  his  plants  in  this  month 
at  year's  crop  of  tobacco.     For  this  reason  his  suggestions 
asonable  to  those  who  may  desire  to  adopt  his  plan  for  regu- 
lating their  future  practice. — Eds.  S.  P.  k  F  ] 


Disappointment  in  Swedes  and  Germans  as  Laborers. 

Men  ••*.  Editors^  —  I  Feel  it  to  he  a  luty  I  vwe  tc  brother  farmers 
to  give,  through  your  valuable  paper,  my  experience  with  regard  to 
white  labor.  Much  has  been  said  and  written  on  the  subject,  which 
amounts  to  nothing  more  than  mere  opinions.  I  propose  to  give 
yon  sta,  tearing  the  reader  to  draw  his  own  inferences. 

In  the  Fall  of  1863,  through  the  medium  of  the  Newberry  Immi- 
gration Society.  I  ordered  from  2Sew  York  three  white  single  labo- 
rers. On  the  20ih  N't  three  stoat  red-faced  Swedes  arrived 
at  my  farm.  I  put  them  to  work  at  once  in  chopping  and  splitting 
rails.  They  performed  admirably ;  so  well,  indeed,  that  I  ordered 
a  Swede  family  from  New  York.  (We  always  have  to  advance 
about  twenty  dollars  I  ing  expenses  of  each  emigrant 
from  Xew  York,  including  the  continued  expenses  of  the  Society.) 
the  oJth  of  December  I  receive!  a  '-splendid"  Swede  family, 
as  the  agent  call e  i.   them,  but  really  as   mean  and  degraded,  es- 


18G9.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  '407 

pecially  the  woman,  as  the  lowest  order  of  free  negroes.  I  kept 
them  until  the  3d  of  April,  when  I  discharged  them,  after  losing  up- 
wards of  one  hundred  dollars  on  them.  The  first  three  determined 
to  go  to  (Chicago,  and  on  the  25th  of  January  also  left  me,  minus 
several  dollars. 

I  have  never  seen  or  heard  of  a  people  who  eat  so  much  as  the 
Swedes.  If  a  man  has  to  feed  them  to  the  extent  of  their  wants, 
and  is  not  strong  in  purge,  they  would  ruin  him,  even  if  he  allowed 
no  wages. 

I  concluded  next  to  try  Germans.  On  the  12th  of  February 
three  good  looking  specimens  came  on  my  farm.  They  did  very  well 
for  a  while.  One  of  them,  however,  turned  out  to  be  crazy,  and  I 
had  to  send  him  off,  losing  his  traveling  expenses.  (I  have  heard 
of  another  crazy  one  in  our  district.)  The  other  two  staid  and  did 
tolerably  well  until  the  sun  commenced  shining  warm.  They  loved 
the  shade;  would  stop  ploughing  or  hoeing,  take  a  rail  off  the  fence 
and  put  it  across  from  one  pannel  to  the  other,  and  sit  down,  and  if 
I  didn't  show  myself  they  did  not  work  near  as  much  as  the  freed- 
man  on  the  same  place.  I  finally  told  them  they  must  work  better, 
or  I  could  not  pay  them  ten  dollars  per  month  and  board,  as  I  was 
then  doing.  They  proposed  to  leave,  and  with  my  full  consent  they 
departed  the  12th  of  June.  While  in  my  service,  they  staid  in  my 
own  house,  ate  at  my  table,  and  fared  as  I  did. 

I  am  now  done  with  white  labor.  This  Immigration  Society  in 
New  York  sends  to  us  (down  South)  the  offscouring  of  the  earth — 
penitentiary  birds  and  lunatics  out  of  their  asylums.  There  have 
been  a  great  many  immigrants  brought  to  this  district,  very  few  of 
whom  have  been  worth  their  board.  I  think  this  immigration  busi- 
ness one  of  the  grandest  humbugs  of  the  day.  H.  D.  B. 

Ketcberry,  S.  C,  June  14,  1809. 


Several  English  gentlemen  who  went  last  September  to  Virgi- 
nia to  spend  some  time  in  hunting  in  the  Blue  Ridge,  were  so  de- 
lighted with  the  country  that  they  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land 
on  the  Manassas  railroad,  near  Gainesville.  A  colony  of  English 
will  settle  on  the  land  in  the  spring. 

A  correspondent  of  an  exchange  advises  American  farmers  to 
adopt  the  rule  of  many  English  farmers — that  is,  never  to  allow  two 
white  straw  crops,  such  as  wheat,  oats,  barley  and  rye  to  follow 
each  other. 


408  THE  SOUTHERN  July, 

Fertilizers  in  North  Carolina. 

A  committee  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society  of  North  Caro- 
lina, appointed  "to  investigate  the  subject  of  producing  fertilizers 
in  this  State,  for  sale  to  the  farmers  of  the  State  at  fair  remune- 
rating prices,"  addressed  to  the  State  Geologist,  W.  C.  Kerr,  Esq., 
a  letter,  stating  that  "the|object  of  the  Society  is,  first,  to  ascertain 
■whether  the  materials  exist  out  of  which  fertilizers  can  be  manufac- 
tured; secondly,  to  ascertain  whether  they' can  be  produced  in  such 
quantity  and  form  as  to  compensate  the  manufacturer  and  remune- 
rate the  farmer,"  and  asking  any  information  he  might  find  leisure 
to  give  them  on  the  subject. 

To  this  letter  Mr.  Kerr  made  the  following  reply  : 

Raleigh,  June  10,  1S68. 

Geo.    W.    Whitfield,  Esq.,  Eon.  D.  31.  Barringer,  Col  John  L. 
Bridgets,  Committee,  $c: 

Gentlemen, — I  have  not  yet  had  time  to  give  the  subject  of 
your  communication  the  attention  which  its  importance  demands, 
having  been  wholly  occupied  with  the  survey  of  the  Western  section 
of  the  State.  It  is  my  purpose,  in  a  few  months,  after  completing 
the  examination  of  that  region,  to  take  up,  in  detail,  the  study  of 
the  marls  of  the  eastern  counties,  and,  in  connection  with  them,  to 
discuss  the  whole  subject  of  our  resources  of  fertilization  in  this 
State,  and  the  best  methods  of  utilizing  them.  Bui  it  has  occurred 
to  me  that  it  might  be  "worth  while,  preliminarily,  to  call  the  atten- 
tion of  your  Committee  and  of  the  Agricultural  Society  to  some 
general  considerations  which  must  direct  and  limit  our  investiga- 
tions and  experiments  in  this  direction. 

"Without  going  into  the  general  subject  of  manures  and  the 
theory  of  their  action  upon  the  soil,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  state  in 
general,  that  the  principal  problem  of  practical  agriculture  in  our 
State  and  region  is,  how  to  restore  and  maintain  the  supply  of  lime 
and  humus  in  our  soils.  This  is  so,  partly  because  these  are  among 
the  most  important  ingredients,  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  most 
liable  to  exhaustion,  and  partly  because,  whatever  method  is  adopted 
of  supplying  these,  the  other  exhaustible  elements  are  also  restored 
incidentally. 

The  methods  of  supplying  humus  are  mainly  two:  First,  the 
ploughing  in  of  green  crops  ;  and,  second,  the  direct  addition  of  it  in 
the  form  of  stable  manure,  peat,  muck,  kc. 

Lime  may  be  restored  directly,  as  lime,  or  in  the  form  of  marl  or 


1869]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  409 


gypsum.     And,  still  better,  either  or  both  of  these  may   be  com- 
posted with  the  peat,  &c. 

Since  the  process  of  improving  soils  by  ploughing  in  green  crops, 
however  advisable,  will  not  readily  nor  speedily  be  adopted  by  our 
farmers,  and  since  the  quantity  of  stock  in  our  region  is  and  must 
long  remain  utterly  inadequate  to  furnish  a  supply  of  stable  ma- 
nure, it  is  important  to  inquire  whether  there  are  other  available 
sources  of  supply.  The  immense  peat  beds  of  our  coast  region 
will  at  once  occur  to  you  as  capable  of  furnishing  unlimited  quan- 
tities for  an  indefinite  period.  In  fact,  there  is  enough  to  supply 
for  one  hundred  years  every  acre  of  cultivated  land  within  ten 
miles  of  a  railroad  or  navigable  river. 

As  for  lime,  of  course  the  marl-beds  of  the  same  region  furnish 
an  inexhaustible  supply.  The  manufacture  of  lime  for  agricultural 
purposes  ought  to  become  at  once  a  large  and  lucrative  business. 
The  soils  of  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  State  being  of  granitic 
origin,  are  generally  very  deficient  in  this  most  important  element. 
It  might  be  supplied  to  a  large  part  of  the  eastern  and  middle  sec- 
tions of  the  State  from  the  marls  near  the  coast,  which  are  often 
almost  pure  limestone.  This  is  one  manufacture  your  Society  would 
do  well  to  ecourage. 

As  to  the  matter  of  transportation  of  peat  and  marl  to  consid- 
erable distances,  I  have  no  doubt  that  much  might  profitably  be 
done  in  that  way.  Peat,  air-dried,  loses  from  §  to  f  of  its  weight. 
The  marls  of  the  coast  are  in  many  places  rich  onough  in  fertilizing 
ingredients,  phosphates,  potash,  &c,  to  bear  transportation  (and 
where  they  are  not,  they  might,  in  some  cases,  be  concentrated  by 
simple  mechanical  means)  over  large  districts,  along  the  rivers  in 
whose  banks  they  abound,  and  on  the  line  of  the  railroads,  as  is 
done  so  extensively  in  New  Jersey. 

But  this  is  not  the  enterprise  which  I  propose  for  your  considera- 
tion. It  is  the  utilization  of  these  materials,  together  ivith  the 
waste  from  the  fisheries  of  the  sounds  and  rivers  of  the  same  sec- 
tion, for  the  manufacture  cf  a  manipulated  manure  which  may  be 
profitably  transported  over  the  whole  State  by  water  and  rail. 
These  fisheries,  as  you  are  aware,  furnish  thousands  of  tons  of 
refuse  and  offal  annually,  which  are  now  little  better  than  thrown 
away. 

Consider  the  composition  of  these  materials  :  The  marls  contain, 
besides  lime,  which  is  the  principal  ingredient,  iron,  magnesia, 
phosphate  of  lime  and  organic  matter,  and  some  of  them,  also,  pot- 
ash and  soda. 


410  THE    SOUTHERN  [July 

Here  is  an  analysis  of  a  stone  marl  near  AYilmington,  given  by 
Mr.  Emmons:  Silex  20  per  cent.,  phosphate  5,  magnesia  4,  carbon- 
ate of  lime  72,  organic  matter,  &c,  2. 

When  the  sand  constitutes  a  large  proportion  of  the  marl,  it  may 
be  separated  by  simple  means,  so  as  to  concentrate  the  more  valua- 
ble ingredients,  as  lime,  potash,  phosphates,  kc. 

The  composition  of  peat  may  be  stated  (as  an  average  of  many 
analyses)  to  be  as  follows,  viz . 

Humus, 

Potash, 

Soda, 

Lime, 

Magnesia, 

Alumina, 

Iron, 

Sulphuric  acid, 

Chlorine, 

Phosphoric  acid, 

Silex, 


In  120  parts,  oil, 

Other  organic  matter, 

Lime, 

Potash, 

Soda, 

Phosphoric  acid, 

Chlorine, 

Silica, 

Thus  it  is  evident  that  by  a  judicious  selection  of  marls  and 
peats,  (and  the  concentration  of  the  former  when  necessary,)  and 
the  addition  of  fish  offal,  (and  in  some  cases,  if  desirable,  a  small 
portiontof  guano  and  gypsum,)  an  unlimited  quantity  may  be  made 
of  a  fertilizer  superior  to  most  of  the  imported  articles,  at  a  trifling 
fraction  of  their  cost,  and  capable  of  transportation  to  all  parts  of 
the  State, — a  fertilizer  which,  besides  the  principal  ingredients, 
wanting  in  our  soils,  lime  and  humus,  contains  all  the  other  ele- 
ments of  stable  manure,  or  the  best  guanos.  Here,  then,  you  have 
all  the  necessary  materials  in  unlimited  abundance,  without  cost, 
in  immediate  proximity  to  each  other,  on  navigable  waters,  and 
connected  with  all  parts  of  the  State  by  railroad.     It  is  not  easy 


84.1  per 

cent. 

2 

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20.0 

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1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  411 

to  see  what  better  conditions  could  exist  anywhere  for  a  profitable 
enterprise  of  the  kind  you  contemplate. 

It  will  give  me  pleasure  to  aid  you  in  any  manner  in  furthering 
such  an  undertaking. — W.  C.  Kerr,  in  the  Sentinel. 

FOSTSCRIPT. 

To  Gr.  W.  Whitfield,  Esq.,  Hon.  D.  31.  Barring er  and  Col.  John 
L.  Bridgers,  Committee  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society : 
Gentlemen, — By  way  of  postscript  to  a  recent  communication 
on  the  subject  of  manures,  I  enclose  a  brief  article  on  composts, 
which  was  recently  prepared  as  a  general  answer  to  inquiries  on 
this  subject,  which  are  frequently  addressed  to  me  by  practical 
farmers  in  different  parts  of  the  State. 

With  the  view  of  promoting  the  manufacture  of  manures  in  a 
small  way,  by  all  our  farmers,  and  the  saving  of  an  enormous 
amount  of  material  which  annually  goes  to  waste  for  want  of  a  lit- 
tle care  and  a  little  instruction,  it  is  desirable  to  place  in  their 
hands  a  few  simple  compost  formulae,  applicable  anywhere  in  the 
State,  and  calling  only  for  such  materials  as  are  generally  accessi- 
ble. 

Here  are  two  which  should  be  prepared  in  summer  or  fall,  to  be 
used  the  following  spring;  the  materials  may  be  either  thoroughly 
mingled  and  then  thrown  into  heaps,  or  laid  down  in  alternate 
strata : 

Formula  1.  Peat,  1  cord. 

Ashes,  10  bush. 

For  ashes  may  be  substituted  twice  the  quantity  of  marl,  or  of 
leached  ashes. 

Formula  2.  Peat,  3  cords. 

Lime,  5  bush. 

Salt,  1     " 

For  peat  may  be  substituted  muck,  leaf  mold,  pond  mud,  &c. 
Dissolve  the  salt,  slake  the  lime  with  the  solution,  and  then  mix 
with  the  peat,  &c. 

The  following  may  be  prepared  in  any  season,  and  in  warm  wea- 
ther will  be  ready  for  use  in  two  or  three  weeks ;  over-heating 
should  be  prevented  by  watering  and  occasional  turning  : 

Formula  3.  Peat,  2  cords. 

Stable  Manure,    1  cord. 

This  will  give  three  cords,  nearly  as  rich  as  stable  manure  itself. 

Formula  4.  Peat,  10  bush. 

Night-soil,  1     " 


412  THE    SOUTHERN  [July 

For  night-soil  may  be  substituted  the  same  quantity  of  guano 
(Peruvian),  hen  manure,  cotton  seed  meal,  fish,  fish-offal,  or  any 
putrescent  animal  matter.  A  dead  horse  will  convert  5  cords  of 
peat  into  excellent  manure,  sufficient  to  enrich  an  acre  of  land. 

Formula  5.  Straw,  3  tons. 

Ashes,  3  bush. 

Plaster,  1     " 

Night-soil,  5     " 


Salt, 


The  result  will  be  nearly  equal  to  so  much  guano.  For  straw 
may  be  substituted  leaves,  weeds,  potato  vines,  corn  stalks,  Chinese 
cane.  &e. 

Plaster  is  an  excellent  addition  to  any  of  the  above  formu1^. 
To  any  of  them  also  may  be  added,  with  great  advantage,  yard 
sweepings,  scrapings  of  hen-house,  smoke-house  and  privy,  kitchen 
and  chamber  slops,  animal  offal  of  all  sorts,  soot,  ashes,  waste  brine, 
kc. ;  all  of  which  are  turned  to  valuable  account,  instead  of  being 
allowed  to  pollute  the  air  by  their  noxious  exhalations,  and  to  poison 
the  wells  by  their  leachings,  as  so  often  happens,  especially  in 
towns.  These  may  seem  small  matters,  but  they  are  not  so  to  those 
who  look  for  the  "causes  of  things,1'  and  cannot  be  so  regarded  by 
any  to  whom  the  health  and  wealth  of  society  are  not  also  such. 

Perhaps  you  will  not  consider  it  an  intrusion  if  I  add  a  few  sug- 
gestions on  the  subject  of  the  revival  of  Agricultural  Societies  in 
the  State,  and  the  best  means  of  promoting  the  ends  which  your 
Society  has  in  view. 

I  desire  to  call  your  attention  to  some  considerations  on  the  pro- 
priety of  organizing  three  subordinate  Agricultural  Societies,  cor- 
responding to  the  three  natural  divisions  of  the  State,  viz:  East- 
ern, Middle  and  Western.  These  regions  are  as  diverse  in  their 
leading  geographical,  climatic  and  agricultural  features  as  if  sepa- 
rated bv  half  a  continent.  The  eastern  division  is  characterized 
by  the  prevalence  of  level  or  slightly  undulating  plains,  and  by 
peaty,  alluvial  and  sandy  soils ;  the  middle,  by  a  rolling  and  hilly 
surface,  and  clayey  and  gravelly  granite  soils  ;  the  western,  by  a 
succession  of  lofty  mountain  ranges,  with  infinite  cross-chains  and 
spurs,  intersected  and  divided  by  narrow  valleys  and  elevated  pla- 
teaus, with  various  soils,  generally  gravelly  and  open,  often  clayey. 
And  these  differences  are  accompanied  by  climatic  features  quite  as 
distinctive,  the  western  section  being,  in  this  respect,  as  stroudy 
diverse  from  the  eastern  as  the  latter  is  from  New  York.     Anl  it 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  413 


is  apparent  that  the  agricultural  products,  the  modes  and  imple- 
ments of  cultivatioo,  the  means  and  sources  of  fertilization — in  a 
•word,  all  those  matters  which  constitute  the  staple  of  the  discussions 
of  Agricultural  Societies,  must  show  a  corresponding  diversity. 
What  interest,  e.  g.,  have  the  farmers  of  Buncombe  in  the  discus- 
sion and  experimentation  of  marls  and  peat,  or  in  the  cultivation  of 
the  scuppernong  or  cotton  ?  And  on  the  other  hand,  why  should 
the  farmer  of  Edgecombe  or  Perquimans  waste  his  time  in  studying 
the  conditions  of  stock-raising,  or  the  manufacture  of  cheese,  but- 
ter, &c.  ? 

The  suggestion  I  would  make  is,  that  the  leading  farmers  of  the 
middle  section  of  the  State — Mecklenburg,  Guilford,  Orange,  &c. — 
unite  their  influence  and  efforts  to  form  a  Society  for  the  discussion 
and  development  of  those  points  which  are  common  to  the  farming 
interests  of  those  counties,  such  as  the  proper  selection  and  rota- 
tion of  crops,  the  best  method  of  renovating  exhausted  soils,  the 
kinds,  sources,  manufacture,  cost,  transportation  and  modes  of  uso 
of  fertilizers,  &c. ;  while  a  similar  association  of  farmers  in  the  east 
take  up  such  subjects  as  market-gardening,  the  utilization  of  marls, 
peat,  &c,  the  cultivation  of  the  vine,  and  other  matters  of  special 
importance  to  the  agriculture  of  this  region ;  while  in  the  west  they 
will  naturally  occupy  themselves  with  cattle,  fruit,  dairy  farming, 
&c. 

There  would  remain  a  large  residuum  of  subject?,  whose  interest 
is  as  wide  as  the  limits  of  the  State,  which  would  belong  to  the  pro- 
per province  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society.  Among  these  may 
be  mentioned  agricultural  education,  the  Agricultural  College,  the 
conduct  of  a  State  Agricultural  paper,  the  introduction  of  agricul- 
tural implements  and  machinery  ;  the  manufacture,  transportation 
and  inspection  of  fertilizers,  the  whole  matter  of  immigration  and 
labor,  the  requisite  changes  in  our  system  of  farming  and  the  like. 

You  will  no  doubt  agree  with  me  that  it  is  time  to  consider  these 
matters  in  a  practical  way,  with  a  view  to  immediate  and  effectual 
action. — W.  C.  Kerr,  in  the  Raleigh  Sentinel. 


Will  Lime  Kill  Sorrell? 

Several  agricultural  papers  have,  during  the  past  year,  published 
a  short  and  comprehensive  article  on  the  exterminating  of  sorrel. 
The  method  is  to  apply  lime.  The  author  of  the  article  arrived  at 
the  conclusion  that  lime  would  kill  sorrel,  by  some  such  syllogistic 
reasoning  as  this:  Plant3  get  their  sustenance  from  the  soil.     Sor- 


414  THE  SOUTHERN  [July 

rel  contains  an  acid ;  hence  an  acid  is  in  the  soil.  An  acid  is  neu- 
tralized by  an  alkali;  hence  lime  will  prevent  the  growth  of  sorrel. 
The  trouble  about  this  reasoning  is,  that  it  abounds  with  too  glaring 
generalities  to  be  of  any  value.  Oxalic  acid,  which  is  a  peculiar 
principle  found  in  sorrel,  is  not  likely  to  be  a  constituent  of  the  soil 
on  which  the  plant  grows,  but  is  produced  from  other  substances 
taken  from  the  soil  or  air  by  the  action  of  the  vital  force  of  the 
plant.  It  is,  in  short,  a  product  of  the  growth  of  certain  plants, 
sorrel  among  the  number,  just  as  sugar  is  a  product  of  the  corn 
stalk,  opium  of  the  poppy,  and  oil  of  the  flax  seed  or  the  castor  bean. 
If  sugar,  opium  and  oil  existed  in  the  soil,  the  plants  that  abound 
in  them  at  certain  stages  of  their  maturity  would  not  profit  by  their 
presence  since  they  could  take  them  up,  only  after  they  were  de- 
composed. We  presume,  too,  that  sorrel  would  not  thrive  any  bet- 
ter on  oxalic  acid  than  poppies  would  on  pure  opium,  while  castor 
beans  would  show  as  much  repugnance  to  castor  oil  as  invalids  do. 
Nor  is  it  probable  that  oxalic  acid  would  long  remain  in  any  soil 
undecomposed,  as  it  is  one  of  the  most  unstable  of  compounds,  and 
chemists  find  it  very  difficult  to  keep  it  from  decomposing. 

A  writer  in  the  Farmers  Gazette  contends  that  the  growth  of 
sorrel  is  caused  by  the  presence  of  carbonic  oxide  in  the  air,  instead 
of  carbonic  acid.  He  argues  this  from  the  composition  of  oxalic 
acid,  which  is  the  peculiar  ingredient  of  the  sorrel  plant,  and  from 
which  it  derives  its  scientific  name.  According  to  this  theory,  ex- 
cess of  carbon  in  the  soil  and  a  disproportionate  amount  of  oxygen 
circulating  through  it,  would  tend  to  develop  the  growth  of  sorrel, 
because  the  carbon  would  be  imperfectly  oxydized.  To  prevent  this 
pest  or  to  kill  it  out,  we  should  then  cause  a  free  circulation  of  air 
through  the  soil  by  deep  tilling  and  drainnge.  The  application  of 
quick  lime  would  not  effect  this  result,  as  it  would  result  in  abstract- 
in  <*  the  free  carbonic  acid  from  the  air,  and  the  formation  of  car- 
bonate  of  lime.  The  presence  of  protoxyd  of  iron  in  the  soil  would 
also  encourage  its  growth,  since  it  would  abstract  oxygen  from  the 
air  and  become  converted  into  the  sesquioxyd  or  the  peroxyd  of 
iron.  So,  too,  the  presence  of  iron  pyrites — sulphuret  of  iron — 
would  tend  to  the  same  result,  because  both  the  sulphur  and  the 
iron  would  abstract  oxygen  from  the  air  more  readily  than  carbon 
does,  and  the  two  substances,  becoming  oxydized  to  different  de- 
grees, would  unite  to  form  the  sulphate  of  iron  or  copperas.  Simi- 
lar results  would  take  place  when  other  sulphides  are  exposed  to 
the  action  of  the  atmosphere. 

According  to  the  above  mentioned  theory,  the  application  of 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  415 

ashes,  or  any  form  of  soda  or  potash,  would  result  unfavorably  to 
the  killing  out  of  sorrel;  as  their  first  action  is  to  absorb  carbonic 
acid,  and  to  pass  either  into  the  form  of  a  carbonote  or  bi-carbon- 
ate.  It  is  true  that  in  time,  after  the  carbonate  of  lime,  soda  and 
potash  have  been  worked  into  the  earth,  the  carbonic  acid  may  be 
liberated  from  the  bases,  in  consequence  of  the  action  of  some 
stronger  acid,  like  humic  acid.  Thus  the  secondary  effect  of  the 
application  of  alkalies,  like  those  we  have  mentioned,  may  be  favor- 
able to  the  growth  of  sorrel,  by  causing  a  growth  of  better  plants 
to  spring  up,  which  will  respire  carbonic  acid  from  the  air,  and  in 
turn  exhale  oxygen  ;  but  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  this  would 
not  be  the  direct  effect  of  alkalies  on  the  growth  of  sorrel. 

Many  have  the  idea  that  oxalic  acid  exists  in  the  soil,  and  that 
the  office  of  lime  or  other  caustic  bases  is  to  sweeten  the  soil  by 
combining  with  it ;  but  nothing  is  farther  from  the  fact  than  this. 
And  even  if  this  was  the  case,  it  would  not  follow  that  the  applica- 
tion of  alkalies  would  prevent  the  growth  of  plants  containing  it, 
since  oxalic  acid  exists  in  sorrel,  in  the  form  of  oxalate  of  potash, 
and  in  lichen  it  is  found  in  combination  with  lime.  Lichens  contain 
a  larger  proportion  of  oxalic  acid  than  does  sorrel,  and  still  it  is 
not  unusual  to  find  them  growing  in  crevices  of  lime-quarries,  and 
it  is  said  that  the  marble  pillars  of  the  ancient  Pantheon  at  Athens 
are  covered,  for  a  considerable  distance,  with  a  growth  of  lichens, 
the  lime  of  the  wrought  marble  obviously  contributing  to  their  sus- 
tenance. 

It  is  certain  then  that  the  application  of  an  alkali  will  not  work 
the  change  that  is  expected  of  it — that  it  will  not  play  the  part  of 
an  antidote. 

Still  we  think  there  is  reason  to  argue  that  the  use  of  any  alka- 
lies will  greatly  help  to  eradicate  plants  which  contain  the  salts  of 
oxalic  acid,  by  encouraging  the  growth  of  useful  plants.  But  it 
must  be  admitted  that  the  wray  in  which  it  operates  to  bring  about 
this  change  is  somewhat  obscure,  and  that  its  method  of  action  can 
not  be  pointed  out  with  the  precision  that  characterizes  an  ordinary 
chemical  formula. 

We  are  not  prepared  to  indorse  or  to  dissent  from  the  theory 
that  plants  abounding  in  oxalic  acid  owe  their  development  to  the 
presence  of  carbonic  oxyd  in  the  air.  Chemists  are  by  no  means 
united  in  the  opinion  that  this  gas  is  produced  by  the  natural  decay 
of  vegetable  matter  ;  and  the  majority  of  them  are,  we  think,  op- 
posed to  the  theory.  There  is  a  strong  disposition  in  all  substances 
that  admit  of  several  degrees  of  oxydation  to  pass  from  the  lower 


416  THE  SOUTHERN  [July 

to  the  higher  forms  in  the  presence  of  atmospheric  air.  Thus  the 
protoxyd  of  iron  will  pass  into  the  peroxyd,  and  sulphurous  acid 
into  sulphuric  acid. 

It  must  be  admitted,  however,  that  carbonic  oxyd  is  generated  in 
large  quantities  in  the  combustion  of  both  bituminous  and  anthra- 
cite coal,  and  to  some  extent  in  the  combustion  of  other  sorts  of 
fuel.  Nor  do  we  consider  it  improbable  that  the  gas  may  be  set  free 
from  carbon  during  the  operation  of  slow  decay.  Some  time  must 
necessarily  elapse  before  this  gas  would  take  on  another  equivalent 
oxygen,  so  th'at  it  is  probable  that  it  will  find  its  way  to  plants  be- 
fore it  is  converted  into  carbonic  acid. 

Admitting,  for  argument's  sake,  that  such  is  the  philosophy  of 
the  growth  of  sorrel,  lichens,  and  other  forms  of  vegetation  that 
contain  oxalic  acid,  let  us  see  if  we  can  prevent  the  formation  of 
the  gas  on  which  they  feed.  It  is  plain  that  we  can  accomplish 
this  by  oxydizing  the  carbon  of  the  soil  to  a  greater  degree  than  is 
now  done.  Mechanically,  we  can  expect  much  by  draining,  deeper 
tilling,  and  exposing  the  soil  to  the  action  of  the  air  and  light. 

But  what  can  we  add  to  the  soil  to  produce  any  chemical  result  ? 
We  think  none  of  the  substances  that  have  been  recommended,  we 
should  have  greater  faith  in  than  the  application  of  nitric  acid,  or 
some  of  the  salts  that  are  derived  from  it,  as  the  nitrate  of  soda, 
or  nitrate  of  ammonia.  Both  of  these  salts  have  been  used  to  some 
extent  in  Europe  for  agricultural  purposes,  with  the  most  happy  re- 
sults. Nitric  acid  is  a  most  powerful  oxydizer,  and  is  used  for  that 
purpose  in  most  operations  in  the  laboratory.  These  substances 
must,  of  course,  be  used  very  sparingly — the  nitrates  pulverized 
and  dusted  on  the  soil  broadcast,  or  dissolved  with  much  water,  and 
applied  with  a  sprinkler.  The  nitric  acid  should  also  be  used  very 
sparingly — that  is,  diluted  with  several  hundred  times  its  volume  of 
water. — Prairie  Farmer. 


Cooked  Food  for  Hogs. 

My  first  experiment  was  with  old  corn,  in  three  forms,  viz : 
shelled  and  fed  whole ;  ground  and  made  into  slop  with  cold  water ; 
and  ground  and  thoroughly  cooked. 

The  pigs,  five  in  number,  were  from  the  same  litter,  and  were 
the  produce  of  a  good  common  sow  crossed  with  a  Berkshire  boar. 

In  each  case  the  food  was  given  them  as  fast  as  consumed,  and 
all  possible  care  taken  to  avoid  any  waste  or  irregularity  of  feed- 
ing ;  in  every  case  of  a  change  of  food  three  days  were  allowed  be- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  417 


fore  the  weighing  for  the  experiment,  in  order  that  the  effect  of  a 
sudden  and  entire  change  of  diet  might  not  affect  the  result. 

I  found  that  five  bushels  of  whole  corn  made  forty-seven  and 
three-fourths  pounds  of  pork.  Five  bushels  (less  miller's  toll)  of 
corn,  ground  and  made  into  thick  slop  with  cold  water,  made  fifty- 
eight  and  a  half  pounds  of  pork.  The  same  amount  of  meal,  well 
boiled  and  fed  cold,  made  eighty-three  and  a  half  pounds  of  pork. 

With  the  whole  corn  the  pigs  had  the  slops  from  the  kitchen  (no 
milk),  and  for  drink  with  the  boiled  mush,  one  or  two  quarts  were 
thinned  with  cold  water  or  slop  from  the  house;  in  each  case  the 
house  slop  was  used  in  some  form  or  other,  but  all  the  milk  was  re- 
served for  small  pigs.  The  fifteen  bushels  of  corn  cost  one  dollar 
and  thirty  cents  per  bushel;  and  you  will  notice  that  while  the 
pork  made  from  the  whole  corn  barely  paid  for  the  corn,  that  from 
the  same  amount  of  ground  corn  cooked  paid  the  whole  cost  of  the 
corn  and  a  little  more  than  one  dollar  per  bushel  over,  and  that  the 
economy  of  grinding  and  making  into  slop  will  fully  warrant  the 
extra  trouble  and  expense.  How  could  it  be  otherwise,  when  the 
whole  economy  of  profitable  feeding  consists  in  bursting  or  break- 
ing the  indigestible  hull  which  incloses  the  minute  particles  of  food  ? 

In  the  above  experiment  the  data  are  based  upon  pork  at  four- 
teen dollars  per  hundred  weight  and  corn  at  one  dollar  and  thirty 
cents  per  bushel ;  but  it  will  apply  as  well  to  other  prices. 

The  second  experiment  was  exclusively  with  new  corn,  in  two 
forms,  viz:  on  the  ear,  and  shelled  and  ground  before  boiling;  and 
all  in  each  case  was  what  we  know  as  "  nubbins"  or  soft  corn.  The 
best  of  this  class  of  corn  was  reserved  for  the  pigs  and  the  worst 
fed  to  the  cattle.  Ten  bushels  on  the  cob  made  twenty-nine  and  a 
half  pounds  of  pork,  fed  in  the  usual  way,  on  the  ground.  The 
same  amount  shelled,  ground  by  horse-power,  and  well  boiled,  made 
sixty-four  pounds  of  pork.  Of  course  a  portion  of  that  fed  on  the 
ear  was  wasted;  but  it  is  the  common  plan,  and  forms  but  a  fair 
test  of  the  comparative  merits  of  cooked  food.  I  have  made  no  ex- 
periment with  sound,  new  corn,  but  may  have  a  favorable  opportu- 
nity before  the  season  is  past;  but  would  suppose  ray  experiment 
with  old  corn  would  form  a  good  criterion  to  judge  by. 

I  have  found  that  there  is  economy  in  allowing  the  food  to  be- 
come thoroughly  cold  before  it  is  fed  ;  that  in  this  state  a  larger 
amount  will  be  eaten,  with  more  apparent  good  appetite;  that  while 
scalding  is  beneficial,  thorough  and  prolonged  cooking  under  pres- 
sure is  more  economical.  In  more  than  one  case  I  fastened  the 
lids  of  the  barrels  down  until  the  pressure  was  as  high  as  five 
vol.  in — 27 


418  THE    SOUTHERN  [July 

pounds  per  square  inch  in  the  barrel  and  steamer,  and  an  examina- 
tion into  the  condition  of  the  food  convinced  me  that  its  globules 
•were  thoroughly  burst,  and  it  was  all,  or  nearly  all,  rendered  avail- 
able. During  a  given  time,  the  same  pigs  will  consume  rather  more 
corn  cooked  than  uncooked. — Practical  Farmer. 


Deep  Ploughing   in  Autumn. 

There  is.  probably,  no  one  of  the  labors  of  the  farm,  about  which 
there  is  so  much  controversy  and  such  diversity  of  opinion,  as  that 
of  rijughing.  We  believe  that  if  the  question  were  asked  to-day 
of  ten  farmers,  vrhieh  method  of  ploughing,  whether  deep  or  shal- 
low, in  autumn  or  spring,  they  believed  to  be  most  desirable,  not 
three  of  them  would  agree  on  any  particular  system,  but  each  would 
furnish  a  theory  of  his  own,  that  would,  in  some  cases,  be  entirely 
opposed  to  those  of  some  of  the  others  ;  and  this  goes  to  show  that 
ploughing  is  a  labor  entirely  dependent  upon  circumstances  of  soil 
and  crop,  and  that  no  arbitrary  rule  can  be  made  to  apply  to  all 
ca~es.  We  believe  that  the  weight  of  opinion  is.  that  in  autumn, 
on  a  maioritv  of  soils,  deep  ploughing  is  preferable  to  shallow;  and 
in  spring  that  six  inches  is  in  most  cases  the  greatest  depth  advisa- 
ble;  and  when  we  lo:>k  carefully  into  the  matter,  we  readily  dis- 
cover why  this  should  be. 

Frost  is  a  well  known  disintegrator  and  ripener  of  soils,  and 
when  they  have  been  exposed  to  its  action,  its  beneficial  effect  upon 
them  has  always  been  apparent.  On  all  qualities  of  soil  has  this 
been  noticeable. 

Now  if  we  have  a  green  sward  overlaying  a  heavy  clay  subsoil, 
if  the  latter  were  not  broken,  we  can  easily  see  that,  acting  as  it 
does,  as  a  perfect  water  shed,  entirely  unabsorbent,  the  falling 
moisture  must,  of  necessity,  remain  collected  in  the  upper  soil,  the 
effect  of  which  would  be  to  render  it  cold  and  sour ;  but  if  the  clay 
be  broken  in  fall  by  a  judicious  deep  ploughing,  (even  subsoiling,  if 
it  is  broken  in  its  place,  and  not  thrown  to  the  surface.)  we  can  see 
that,  as  clay  when  broken  is  very  absorbent,  the  effect  must  be  to 
•warm  and  mellow  the  upper  soil,  and  even  deepen  it,  the  frost  me- 
chanically amalgamating  the  strata  to  a  considerable  extent. 

We  do  not,  of  course,  wish  to  be  understood  as  recommending 
deep  ploughing  on  all  heavy  lands,  for  when  they  are  not  thoroughly 
drained  it  is  undesirable,  and  even  to  be  avoided;  but  where  tho- 
rough drainage  has  been  attained,  we  believe  that  the  heavy,  clayey 


1809.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  419 

subsoil  should  be  broken,  and  the  whole  exposed  to  the  action  of  the 
winter's  frosts. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture  at  Concord, 
last  winter,  this  matter  of  fall  ploughing  was  fully  discussed,  and 
the  weight  of  opinion  decidedly  seemed  in  favor  of  deep  ploughing 
of  heavy  lands.  Mr.  Hubbard,  of  Brimfield,  found  in  his  expe- 
rience in  the  cultivation  of  certain  crops,  that  the  fall  is  the  best 
time  to  plough  the  ground;  bethought  that  all  will  concede  the 
fact,  that  the  land,  if  it  is  heavy,  clayey  soil,  can  be  worked  much 
earlier  in  the  spring  by  putting  the  manure  on,  and  ploughing  it  in 
the  fall.  lie  did  not  care  how  soon  it  is  put  on  after  the  crop  is 
taken  off;  his  advice  was  to  "spread  it  on,  plough  it  in  ;  and  so  far 
as  my  experience  goes,  I  have  got  a  better  crop  in  that  way  than 
by  allowing  the  land  to  remain  until  spring,  and  then  putting  the 
manure  on  and  ploughing  it  in." 

Mr.  Ward,  of  Monson,  thought  that  much  depends  upon  the 
ground  to  be  ploughed,  whether  it  is  ploughed  in  the  fall.  "  If 
you  have  a  tough,  hard  piece  of  ground  that  you  desire  to  break 
up,  it  is  better  to  plough  in  the  fall ;  the  frost  has  considerable  ef- 
fect upon  the  hard  soil,  and  I  do  not  think  there  is  any  very  great 
loss  by  the  wind  blowing  off  the  surface  soil.  I  think  a  light  soil 
may' as  well  be  ploughed  in  the  spring  as  in  the  fall." 

Mr.  Thatcher,  of  Lee,  in  speaking  of  deep  ploughing,  in  describ- 
ing a  subsoil  attachment  for  a  plough,  said ;  "  We  are  now  using  in 
southern  Berkshire,  a  plough  which  turns  over  the  sod  from  six  to 
seven  inches,  with  a  subsoil  attachment  running  from  two  to  four 
inches,  which  still  does  not  lift  the  virgin  soil  the  first  year  to  the 
surface.  This  attachment  running  behind  the  mould  board  to  the 
depth  of  four  inches,  usually  stirs  the  whole  width  of  the  furrow  to 
that  depth  after  we  have  turned  over  the  sod. 

"Our  idea  is,  that  by  loosening  the  subsoil  by  this  attachment 
we  enable  the  rains  to  soak  down  through,  which  they  would  not 
do,  our  subsoil  being  clay,  (which  will  not  take  in  water  unless  the 
earth  was  loosened,)  and  our  corn  roots  run  down  there  to  get  their 
moisture.  The  effect  of  the  manure  is  felt  there ;  and  the  second 
year,  when  we  come  to  plough  up  again  after  this  stirring  of  the 
subsoil,  we  drop  our  plows  down  and  throw  up  part  of  it.  I  think 
we  certainly  in  our  northern  country  derive  a  benefit  by  stirring 
the  soil  the  first  year,  and  very  great  benefit  without  lifting  it  to 
the  surface,  and  then  lifting  it  to  the  surface,  and  mixing  it  in  the 
succeeding  ploughing.  I  have  in  my  mind  now  a  six  acre  piece, 
which  would  not  half  feed  a  cow  through  the  season.     We  could 


420  THE  SOUTHERN  [July 


not  get  more  than  four  or  five  inches  of  soil  before  we  came  to  a 
hard  clay  subsoil,  that  retained  the  water  upon  it,  making  the  land 
cold,  backward  and  sour.  After  ditching  that  land,  and  putting  in 
some  under-drains,  (which,  of  course,  benetted  it,  without  plough- 
ing.) we  commenced  ploughing  this  land  in  this  way  to  get  a  deeper 
soil;  not  usins  the  subsoil  attachment  that  time,  because  we  did 
not  have  it,  but  using  a  common  plough,  following  the  furrow  after- 
wards, and  lifting  one  or  two  inches  at  a  time.  I  am  speaking 
within  bounds  when  I  say  that  the  second  year  the  crop  of  corn 
paid  twice  over  for  the  labor  of  ditching  and  double  ploughing.  It 
is  as  good  a  piece  of  land  now,  I  think,  as  can  be  found  in  the  town 
of  Lee." 

Deep  ploughing  of  heavy  lands,  then,  with  clayey  subsoils,  is  to 
be  recommended  in  autumn,  and  a  plough  which  turns  the  sod  and 
lifts  and  breaks  the  subsoil,  permitting  it  to  fall  back  into  its  place, 
without  bringing  it  to  the  surface,  is  the  implement  which  seems 
most  desirable. 

Sward  land  with  a  gravelly  subsoil  may  also  be  broken  up  in 
autumn,  and  it  is  even  to  be  recommended ;  but  it  does  not  seem  so 
essential  to  us  as  with  the  other. 

Stirring  the  subsoil  is  also  in  this  case  desirable,  although  it 
should  not  be  brought  to  the  surface.  It  is  well  known  that  lands 
with  a  sandy  or  gravelly  subsoil  lose  their  moi-sture  sooner  than 
others,  and  vegetation,  though  languishing  for  the  want  of  it.  can- 
not send  down  through  the  hard  firm  stratum  its  tender  roots  suffi- 
ciently deep  to  be  supplied.  If  it  is  stirred  and  loosened  to  the 
depth  of  five  or  six  inches  below  the  sward  the  result  must  be  ap- 
parent. 

We  believe  that  the  matter  of  subsoil  ploughing  has  not  been 
properly  understood,  or  has  too  often  been  conducted  in  a  careless, 
unsystematic  manner,  so  that  when  in  some  cases  it  has  produced 
unfavorable  results,  it  has  been  condemned  for  all  others:  burying 
the  upper  matured  soil,  and  bringing  up  the  cold,  raw  subsoil  to  the 
surface,  seems  to  us  to  be  the  great  evil  which  has  resulted  from  in- 
judicious deep  ploughing.  If  this  is  guarded  against  in  the  manner 
recommended  above,  we  cannot  see  any  objection  against,  and  can 
see  many  recommendations  for  its  practice. — Mass.  Ploughman. 


The  time  is  fast  coming  when  landed  proprietors  will  be  esteemed 
for  the  condition  of  their  acres  rather  than  for  the  extent  of  ter- 
ritory. 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  421 


New  Fodder  Plant. 

M.  Laslier,  of  Boston,  has  introduced  and  is  cultivating  a  plant 
which  he  is  confident  will  prove  to  be  a  great  acquisition  to  the  fod- 
der plants  now  commonly  grown  in  this  country.  This  is  the  Galega 
officinalis  of  the  botanist,  a  native  of  Spain,  and  first  introduced 
into  England  in  the  latter  part  of  the  16th  century.  It  belongs  to 
a  genus  of  hardy,  ornamental,  perennial-rooted,  herbaceous  plants, 
of  the  lotus  division  of  the  composite  order.  The  roots  consist  of 
many  strong  fibres,  frequently  jointed,  stems  numerous,  hollow, 
erect,  from  three  to  six  feet  high.  Its  flowers  are  produced  in  loose 
spikes  from  the  top  of  the  stem,  and  bloom  from  June  to  Septem- 
ber. The  pods  are  erect,  nearly  cylindrical,  from  five  to  eight 
seeded,  and  swollen  out  with  air.  The  color  of  the  flowers  is  light 
blue,  or  light  purple,  white,  or  variegated.  The  variety  with  which 
M.  Laslier  is  experimenting  is  white,  we  believe. 

The  plant  was  cultivated  many  years  ago  in  gardens  for  medici- 
nal purposes,  but  it  has  of  late  years  been  recommended  as  a  forage 
plant  for  cattle.  It  yields  a  large  bulk  of  produce.  Cattle  do  not 
appear  to  relish  it  at  first,  and  will  eat  it  but  sparingly  ;  but,  like 
many  other  feeding  substances,  it  is  thought  they  will  soon  learn  to 
like  it.  At  any  rate,  its  composition  shows  it  to  possess  a  higli  nu- 
tritive value,  being  nearly  two  to  one  as  compared  with  good  hay; 
1.92  as  compared  with  lucerne.  A  distinguished  chemist,  Prof. 
Gaucheron,  of  Orleans,  France,  says  412,000  pounds  of  the  Galega 
officinalis  are  quite  equal  in  nutritive  value  to  200,000  pounds  of 
good  hay.  The  plant  grows  readily  in  most  soils.  It  maybe  man- 
ufactured into  paper. 

M.  Laslier  showed  us  plants  that  had  come  up  from  seeds  sown 
in  the  open  air  in  October  last.  They  were  about  four  inches  hi<Th, 
and  looked  not  very  unlike  young  clover  plants. — Massachusetts 
Ploughman. 

Sabbath  for  the  Working  Man. 
The  Sabbath  i3  God's  special  present  to  the  working  man,  and 
one  of  its  chief  objects  is  to  prolong  his  life  and  preserve  efficient 
his  working  tone.  In  the  vital  system  it  acts  like  a  compensation- 
pond  ;  it  replenishes  the  spirits,  the  elasticity,  and  vigor  which  the 
last  six  daya  have  drained  away,  and  supplies  the  force  which  is  to 
fill  the  six  days  succeeding;  and  in  the  economy  of  existence,  it 
answers  the  same  purpose  as,  in  the  economy  of  income,  is  answered 
by  a  savings'  bank.     The  frugal   man  who  puts  aside  a  pound  to- 


422  THE    SOUTHERN  [July 

day  and  another  pound  next  month,  and  who,  in  a  quiet  way,  is  al- 
ways putting  by  his  stated  pound  from  time  to  time,  when  he  grows 
old  and  frail,  gets  not  only  the  same  pounds  back  again,  but  a  good 
many  pounds  besides. ,  And  the  conscientious  man,  who  husbands 
one  day  of  existence  every  week,  who,  instead  of  allowing  the  Sab- 
bath to  be  trampled  and  torn  in  the  hurry  and  scramble  of  life, 
treasures  it  devoutly  up — the  Lord  of  the  Sabbath  keeps  it  for  him, 
and  in  length  of  days  and  a  hale  old  age  gives  it  back  with  usury. 
The  savings'  bank  of  human  existence  is  the  weekly  Sabbath. — 
North  British  Review. 

The  Effects  of  Gathering  Clover  Seed  on  the  Fertility  of  the  Soil 
Shown— Value  of  Oil  Cake. 
I  planted  potatoes  this  year  on  clover  sod.  The  clover  last  year 
was  cut  for  hay,  and  afterwards  for  seed.  This  is  running  the  land 
pretty  hard,  but  as  nothing  is  exported  from  the  farm  except  the 
seed,  and  as  a  bushel  of  oil-cake  meal,  which  costs  about  $1.50, 
contains  more  fertilizing  ingredients  than  a  bushel  of  clover  seed, 
the  farm  is  benefitted  by  exchanging  the  clover  seed  for  oil-cake. 
But  unless  some  such  plan  as  this  is  adopted,  growing  clover  seed 
impoverishes  your  land.  Last  fall,  in  cutting  the  clover  seed,  a 
strip  about  the  width  of  the  machine  was  skipped,  and  you  can  now 
see  the  effect  on  the  potatoes.  They  are  far  better  than  on  the 
rest  of  the  field.  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  the  yield  was  one- 
third  or  one-half  greater,  and  this  will  a  good  deal  more  than  pay 
for  the  clover  seed.  With  such  effects  it  is  not  surprising  that 
many  good  farmers  object  to  raising  clover  seed.  But  I  think  it  is 
nevertheless  true  that  if  the  money  obtained  for  the  seed  13  ex- 
pended in  oil-cake,  and  the  manure  returned  to  the  land,  there  is  a 
decided  gain.  You  do  not  see  the  effect,  however,  quite  so  soon  as 
if  the  clover  was  pastured  with  sheep,  or  ploughed  under. — Wales 
and  Talks  on  the  Farm,  in  American  Agriculturist. 


Let  us  Manufacture  our  own   Productions. 

The  nation  that  exports  its  crude  products  or  raw  material  for 
manufacturing  purposes,  and  imports  the  fabrics  manufactured  out 
of  them,  as  a  general  rule,  never  grows  rich. 

The  true  secret  of  national  wealth  is,  for  the  nation  to  manufac- 
ture its  own  productions,  thereby  impressing  upon  them  additional 
value  by  every  manufacturing  process  through  which  they  pais,  and 
retaining  the  profits  to  herself,  her  wealth  and  capital  increasing  in 
proportion  to  the  profits  realized,  both  in  the  growth  and  manufac- 
ture of  its  productions.  W. 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND   FARMER.  423 


Improvement  of  Worn-out  Farms. 

BY    THE   HON.    GEO.    GEDDES. 

"  I  wish  to  say  a  frw  words  in  regard  to  a  class  of  men  who  have 
done  as  much,  if  not  more,  to  promote   the  agricultural  interests  of 
this  country  than  any  other,  and  yet,  since  my  earliest  recollection, 
they  have  been  sneeringly  called  Fancy  Farmers!     They  are  gen- 
erally mechanics,  manufacturers,  or  merchants  who  have  been  suc- 
cessful in  their  vocations,  and  who  have  invested  the  first  money 
they  could  spare  from   their  business   in   land,  and  in  making  im- 
provements upon  it.     They  may  occasionally  have  a  ditch  dug,  and 
find  that  the  water  runs  the  wrong  way,  but  this  hurts  nobody,  and 
gives  employment  to  those  who  need  it  for  the  support  of  their  fami- 
lies.    They  do  not  watch  the  almanac,  and   discharge  their  work- 
men when   the  days  become  short,  but  employ  the  poor  when  the 
weather  and  the  hours  for  work  do  not  admit  of  a  compensating  re- 
turn, which  the  man  who  has   no  other  mean0  of  support  than  the 
product  of  his   farm  cannot  afford   to   do.     These   men   are   to  be 
found  in  almost  every  part  of  our  country,  and  may  be  known  by 
the  houses  for  their  workmen,   their   land,  and   their   out-buildings 
being  in  better  order  than  any  others  in  their  neighborhood.     They 
are  the  first  to  buy  what  is  called  improved  agricultural  machinery 
and  implements,  which  do  not  always  prove  so.     Not  being  depen- 
dent upon  their  farms,  they  can  afford  to  experiment;   sometimes 
they  are  successful,  sometimes  not;  but  when  they  are,  every  farmer 
gets  a  benefit  from  their  outlay.     It  is  largely  to  such  persons  that 
we  are  indebted  for   many  of  the  improvements  in  husbandry,  and 
still   they   are   sneeringly   called   Fancy  Farmers!" — [Address  of 
Thomas  EL  Faile,  President  of  the  New  York  State  Agricultural 
Society,  delivered  at  Albany  in  February,  1869. 

Mr.  Faile  brings  prominently  out,  in  the  foregoing  extract  from 
his  valedictory  address,  an  important  point  for  the  consideration  of 
those  of  us  who  have  spent  all  our  lives  on  farms,  working  hard  to 
improve  the  soil,  and  to  lay  up  a  competence  for  old  age. 

The  merely  practical  man  may  be  an  adept  in  the  handling  of 
tools,  and  he  may  become  highly  skilled  in  the  application  of  labor, 
60  as  to  produce  great  results  with  comparatively  small  means,  and 
thus  plume  himself  on  a  supposed  superiority  over  his  neighbor,  who 
makes  farming  a  recreation  and  a  pleasure  rather  than  a  business. 
He  is  prone  to  judge  his  neighbor  by  his  own  standards,  and  to  for- 
get that  in  one  case  farming  has  been  the  life  struggle  against  pov- 


424  THE  SOUTHERN  [July 

erty.  and  that  in  the  other  it  is  the  reward  of  successful  industry 
-me  more  exciting  and  perilous  business.  I  once  asked  a  suc- 
cessful farmer  who  in  very  early  life  had  been  a  successful  sailor, 
•whv  he  left  the  sea.  with  all  its  tempting  excitements,  and  settled 
down  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  The  answer  was,  4i  To  own  and 
cultivate  a  piece  of  solid  earth  is  the  dream  and  hope  of  most  men 
■who  follow  the  seas,  and  I  took  the  earliest  time  that  my  savings 
■would  allow  to  gratify  this  desire."  This  feeling  is  not  confined  to 
sailors,  but  is  to  be  found  in  every  branch  of  active  business.  Be- 
sides those  named  by  Mr.  Faile,  editors,  lawyers,  clergymen,  and 
all  who  live  lives  of  active  mental  labor,  are  apt  to  cast  longing 
-  to  green  fields  and  lowing  herds,  and  to  covet  the  bracing  air 
of  country  life.  When  the  very  few  of  these  men  that  are  able  to 
carrv  out  this  desire  plant  themselves  on  farms,  and  turn  those  same 
D  _  "~  energies  that  conquered  success  in  the  other  walks  of  life  to 
the  less  exciting  but  still  more  important  business  of  cultivating  the 
ipl  not  only  to  succeed,  but  to  become  models 
and  exemplars  in  their  new  calling. 

mberlain,  of  Red  Hook,  Dutchess  county,  is  one  of 

-■?  men.     At  16  years  of  age  he  left  his  native  hills  in  Vermont, 

and  in  due  time   became   a   great   merchant,   having  ship«  on  many 

seas.     Industry,    integrity,   economy,   and  sagacity,    in   due   time, 

reaped  its  harvest  of  wealth.     The  time  came  when  his  love  of  the 

countrv  and  the  farm  could  be  gratified:  and  about  the  year  1 

he  went  to  Red  Hook,  and  in  the  Winter,  when  snow  covered  the 

ground,  he         _       i  large  farm.     His  eye  told  him  that  the  surface 

was  gentlv  rolling,  and  those  of  whom  he  inquired  told   him  that 

the  land  was  good.     The  place  was   near   enough  the   city  of  Xew 

York  to  be  reached  in  a  reasonable  time,  while  he  should  continue 

in  ":      Hess  if  aty,  so  he  purchased  what  proved   to  be  an  old 

vi  Farm,  that  had  been  prod  ic     g  1  ij  for  New  York  until 

it  :.ad  arrived  at  that  condition  of  things  that  its  principal  produc- 

:  el. 

vear  1S41  revealed  to  the  new  owner  the  true  condition  of 

The  440  acres,  less   GO   acres   of   wood  land,  leaving 

acres   under   what  was  calk  ion,    yielded   seventeen  (17) 

loads  of  hay.     Forty  acres  of  rye  gave  10  bushels  to  the  acre;  25 

acres  of  corn  gave  20  bushels  to  the  acre  ;   20  acres  of  oats  gave  15 

bushels  to  the  acre.     The  remainder  of  the  farm  was  in  what  was 

gnified  by  the  name   of  pasture,  which  proved  adequate  to  the 

grazing  of  one  span  of  horses,  two  pairs  of  oxen,  and  one  cow.  Not 

to  put  too  fine   a  point  on  the  matter,  our  friend  discovered  that 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  425 


mid-Winter  was  a  bad  time  for  judging  of  the  quality  or  condition 
of  land. 

For  a  more  perfect  understanding  of  this  case,  it  is  necessary  to 
add  to  what  has  been  said  of  the  farm  by  way  of  description,  that 
the  soil  is  generally  a  sandy  loam,  sand  strongly  predominating. 
There  was  a  swamp  of  many  acres  made  by  a  small  brook  and  some 
springs  nearly  in  the  middle  of  the  farm,  that  had  not  been  drained, 
and  that  was  so  miry  that  a  yearling  steer  could  not  cross  it. 
There  is  so  little  lime  in  the  soil  that  the  springs  and  wells  give 
what  is  called  soft  water — such  as  will  answer  for  washing  clothes. 
This  farm  lies  about  200  feet  above  the  Hudson  river,  its  center 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  distant  from  the  wharf  at  Barrytown,  and 
is  part  of  a  beautiful  plain  of  several  miles  in  width  and  length,  of 
gently  varying  surface,  and  on  which  stands  the  pleasant  little  vil- 
lage of  Red  Hook. 

According  to  the  standards  of  the  farmers  of  Livingston  county, 
or  of  Ohio,  this  land  never  was  first-rate.  There  is  too  much  sand, 
too  much  ground  up  granite  rock,  and  too  little  lime  in  it  to  place 
it  in  the  rank  of  the  best  lands  ;  and  a  miserable  system  of  farm- 
ing, or  rather  skinning,  had  taken  from  it,  by  1841,  all  that  it  ori- 
ginally had  of  fertility.  It  was  so  poor  that  it  ivould  not  bear 
clover. 

We  can  imagine  Mr.  Chamberlain's  disappointment  on  finding 
out  the  real  state  and  condition  of  his  purchase.  Those  who  know 
the  man  will  not  be  surprised  to  learn  that  he  did  not  surrender, 
but  that  he  addressed  himself  to  the  work  of  reconstruction  with  the 
same  energy  that  had  made  him  successful  as  an  importing  mer- 
chant;  and  that  he  has  succeeded  in  making  this  worn-out  farm  so 
to  re-create  itself,  and  pay  its  own  way,  that  now  it  is  entitled  to 
rank  in  productive  power  with  the  best  lands  in  this  State.  I  will 
now  describe  the  process,  and  give  the  result. 

THE    PROCESS    OF    RECONSTRUCTION. 

A  few  sheep  were  purchased.  Leaves  from  the  wood  lands  were 
put  in  the  sheds,  and  the  sheep  fed  and  kept  on  these  leaves.  Thus 
all  the  manure  was  saved.  The  swamp  required  draining  as  the 
first  movement  toward  reclaiming  it.  Ditches  were  dug,  and  the 
muck  thrown  from  them  was  drawn  into  the  sheds,  and,  like  the 
leaves,  saved  the  manure  of  the  sheep.  Before  investing  much  la- 
bor in  handling  muck,  a  simple  but  conclusive  experiment  was  made 
to  test  the  question  of  its  value.  A  single  cart-load  that  in  the 
Spring  had  been  thrown  out  of  a  ditch,  was  drawn,  when  dry,  and 


426  THE  SOUTHERN  [July 

spread  over  four  rods  of  ground  then  prepared  for  a  crop  of  rye. 
This  load,  being  at  the  rate  of  40  to  the  acre,  produced  a  very 
marked  effect  on  the  clover  that  was  sown  the  next  Spring,  causing 
it  to  head  out  before  harvest,  while  all  around  there  was  little  to  be 
seen. 

The  manure  from  the  sheep  sheds  was  piled  in  the  Spring,  mixing  it 
thoroughly  with  the  leaves  and  muck.  The  straw,  corn-stalks,  and 
whatever  got  under  the  feet  of  the  sheep  was  also  put  into  the 
heap,  and  composted  and  made  as  fine  as  practicable  by  the  time 
the  land  for  rye  was  ready.  So  much  of  this  manure  as  was  fine 
enough  not  to  clog  the  harrow,  was  put  on  the  land  just  before  the 
rye  was  sown,  and  mixed  with  the  surface  by  the  same  process  that 
covered  the  seed.  The  coarsest  part  of  the  manure  "pile  was  ploughed 
in  at  the  last  ploughing.  Four  quarts  of  timothy  seed  to  the  acre 
was  sown  on  the  rye  in  the  Fall,  and  the  next  Spring  six  quarts  of 
cloverseed  was  put  on  an  acre,  and  the  last  of  May  or  the  first  of 
June  one  and  a  half  bushels  of  Nova  Scotia  gypsum  was  sown  on 
an  acre.  The  manure  was  applied  in  light  dressings,  so  as  to  cover 
as  many  acres  as  it  was  thought  it  would  answer  to  secure  the 
growth  of  the  clover  and  grass. 

For  ten  years  the  owner,  being  absorbed  in  his  business  in  New 
York,  could  give  but  little  personal  attention  to  the  farm.  A  hired 
man  was  kept  on  it,  who  acted  under  general  instructions,  and  the 
process  was  but  slowly  going  on,  when,  about  1850,  improvement 
really  commenced  its  rapid  march.  From  that  time  till  now  Mr. 
Chamberlain  has  lived  on  the  farm  and  given  it  his  personal  atten- 
tion. On  land  not  manured  clover  would  not  grow.  Thus  the  ma- 
nure question  became,  from  the  start,  the  important  one.  Mr.  C. 
pays,  in  a  letter  before  me  :  "By  drawing  leaves,  weeds,  and  every 
thing  that  would  make  manure,  I  managed  to  have  a  nice  little  pile 
to  top-dress  my  Fall-sown  grain,  and  was  delighted  to  find  I  could 
raise  clover,  and  then  I  found  improvement  of  the  soil  quite  easy. 
I  have  purchased  very  little  manure  ;  have  tried  guano  and  phos- 
phate, but  was  dissatisfied  with  both ;  purchased  two  canal-boat 
loads  of  ashes  at  Syracuse,  and  found  them  good  for  clover;  but 
now  depend  for  my  manure  on  the  farm  supply, 'and  calculate  to 
give  to  all  the  land  I  plough  a  small   supply  when  I  seed  it  down." 

In  personal  interviews  I  have  learned  that  guanos  and  super- 
phosphates have  been  fully  tested,  not  merely  by  the  observation  of 
the  eye,  but  by  measuring  products.  Super-phosphates  gave  corn 
a  great  start,  so  that  in  early  July  it  was  very  promising;  but  at 
harvest  it  was  found  by  measurement  to  have  added  nothing  to  the 


1809.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  427 


grain,  or  from  appearances  to  the  stalks.  One-half  of  the  field  had 
the  super-phosphate  applied,  the  other  half  did  not  have  it. 

As  to  guano,  he  says  in  a  wet  season  it  did  great  good,  but  that 
in  a  dry  season  it  did  injury. 

The  ashes  made  from  wood  burned  in  the  manufacture  of  salt  at 
Syracuse  had  considerable  salt  and  much  of  the  impurities,  such  as 
sulphate  of  lime,  that  are  taken  from  the  water,  mixed  among  them, 
In  all,  25  or  80  acres  of  land  have  had  these  ashes  applied,  at  the 
rate  of  about  50  bushels  to  the  acre.  This  is  but  a  very  small  part 
of  the  whole  farm,  so  that  in  truth  farm-made  manure  has  done  the 
work.  Purchased  manures  have  only  had  their  value  tested,  and 
excepting  gypsum,  have  really  performed  no  other  part  than  to 
show  either  their  worthlessness  or  that  they  cost  too  much.  Gyp- 
sum has,  as  in  many  other  places,  proved  its  great  value  in  increas- 
ing the  growth  of  clover ;  and  the  time  has  come  when  it  is  thought 
to  give  too  much  rankness  to  clover  on  this  farm  to  make  first-rate 
hay  for  sheep. 

SHEEP  AS  MANUFACTURERS  OF  MANURE. 

The  Spanish  proverb  that  says  that  where  the  sheep  treads  he 
produces  gold,  has  been  acted  upon,  and  proven  to  be  true,  by  Mr. 
Chamberlain.  He  has  fed  the  produce  of  his  farm  principally  to 
sheep,  selling  the  increase  and  the  wool  and  the  mutton  produced, 
rather  than  the  food  that  produced  it.  The  sheep  have,  in  the 
strictest  use  of  language,  been  used  as  machines  to  manufacture 
grain,  hay,  corn-stalks,  straw,  swamp-muck,  leaves  and  weeds  into 
material  to  recuperate  'his  once  exhausted  and  worn-out  farm  ;  and 
the  system  has  been  followed  with  an  unwavering  tenacity,  until  the 
result  has  been  fully  secured,  and  the  time  has  come  when  a  large 
surplus  is  produced  that,  when  the  market  is  high,  finds  its  way 
to  it. 

How  Mr.  Chamberlain  came  to  know  that  sheep  were,  of  all  ani- 
mals, by  far  the  best  adapted  to  carry  out  his  determination  to  re- 
create this  farm,  I  do  not  know;  but,  in  some  way,  he  found  this 
out  at  a  very  early  day. 

In  the  first  years  he  was  forced  to  use  the  common  sheep  of  this 
eountry ;  but,  desirous  to  have  something  better,  he  employed  what 
was,  and  still  is,  supposed  to  have  been  a  competent  person  to  se- 
lect a  flock  of  sheep  in  Spain,  and  imported  in  1849  from  Estrema- 
dura,  forty  in  number.  These  sheep,  though  every  effort  had  been 
made  to  procure  the  best,  did  not  give  satisfaction,  and  after  trial, 
were  condemned  and  sent  to  the  butcher.    This  satisfied  Mr.  Cham- 


428  THE    SOUTHERN  [July 

berlain  that  Spain,  though  the  original  home  of  the  Merino,  was  no 
longer  the  place  from  which  to  procure  the  basis  of  a  first-rate 
flock  of  fine-wooled  sheep.  He  then  visited  Europe  in  person, 
and  made  a  thorough  examination  of  the  best  flocks  in  the  great 
wool-producing  countries ;  visiting,  among  others,  the  royal  flocks 
of  the  Kingdom  of  Naples.  In  Calabria  he  studied  the  manage- 
ment of  the  flocks  of  Merinoes  that  King  Bomba  had  cared  for,  as 
one  of  the  important  matters  of  State.  In  one  place  he  saw  600 
lambs,  none  of  them  two  days  old.  From  this,  some  idea  may  be 
formed  of  the  vastness  of  the  flocks.  He  also  visited  the  Merino 
flocks  of  France  and  Prussia,  purchasing  some  in  both  countries. 

From  time  to  time  further  importations  h;ive  been  made  of  sheep 
selected  from  what  Mr.  Chamberlain  believes  to  be  the  best  flocks 
in  Europe.  The  French  sheep  have  all  been  disposed  of,  and  the 
flock  now  consists  entirely  of  sheep  that  have,  by  common  consent, 
received  the  name  of  Silesians. 

I  shall  not  attempt,  at  this  time,  any  minute  description  of  this 
somewhat  famous  flock  of  sheep,  nor  go  into  the  detail  of  the  man- 
agement. It  must  suffice  for  me  to  say  that  the  earlier  importa- 
tions were  a  cross  tbetween  the  Infantado  and  Negretti  families, 
with  pedigrees  that  had  been  carefully  kept,  and  reached  back  to 
Spain,  whence  they  were  imported  in  1811,  and  before  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Spanish  flocks  had  been  completed  by  contending  ar- 
mies. Two  hundred  and  forty-six  sheep  were  imported  by  1856, 
all  coming  from  two  flocks  that  had  the  same  origin.  Other  impor- 
tations have  been  made — one  the  last  }'ear.  The  later  importations 
have  all  been  pure  and  unmixed  Negretti,  Mr.  Chamberlain's  ma- 
tured judgment  leading  him  to  give  the  preference  to  this  branch 
of  the  Merino  family  over  all  others. 

During  the  season  of  grass,  the  sheep  are  turned  into  the  pas- 
tures after  the  grass  has  become  dry  in  the  morning,  and  before 
much  dew  has  fallen  at  night  they  are  brought  into  the  yards.  Of 
course  they  are  housed  during  all  storms,  and  are  under  cover  dur- 
ing night  time. 

The  flock  is  under  the  immediate  charge  and  management  of  Mr. 
Carl  Heyne,  who  was  regularly  trained  and  educated  as  a  shepherd 
in  Silesia,  his  native  country.  Yery  likely  Mr.  Heyne  has  no  su- 
perior as  a  flock  master  on  this  continent  or  any  other.  Mr.  Cham- 
berlain has  so  much  confidence  in  this  shepherd's  judgment,  that  he 
has  several  times  sent  him  to  Germany  to  select  and  bring  out 
sheep.  The  best  proof  of  great  skill  in  management  is  the  flock 
itself.     No  diseases  have  ever  attacked  it,  and  the  sheep  live  to  a 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  429 


great  age,  preserving  health  and  vigor  beyond  anything  that  lias 
elsewhere  come  under  my  notice.  I  have  seen  in  February  more 
than  100  lambs,  from  a  few  hours  to  six  weeks  old,  in  a  single 
sheep-house  with  their  mothers.  None  had  died  from  the  whole 
number,  except  one  unfortunate  who  happened  to  have  some  de- 
formity, for  which  he  had  been  killed,  as  not  suitable  to  raise.  The 
death  of  a  lamb  is  a  very  rare  event  under  Mr.  Heyne's  manage- 
ment, and  one  of  the  largest  and  best  formed  sheep  I  have  seen  in 
the  flock  was  yeaned  by  a  mother  13  years  old. 

At  night  the  sheep  are  fed  hay  and  straw,  and  again  in  the 
morning.  Straw,  or  other  litter,  is  always  on  the  floors  of  the 
sheep-houses  in  sufficient  quantities  to  absorb  ail  the  manure,  and  is 
by  the  sheep  itself  converted  into  manure. 

This  system  of  feeding  dry  food  at  night,  has  the  advantage  of 
promoting  health,  and,  as  all  experienced  feeders  of  farm  stock 
know,  it  suits  the  appetite  of  the  animals,  especially  when  grass  is 
fresh — and  the  great  point  of  working  straw,  leaves,  weeds,  and  all 
the  refuse  stuff  into  manure,  is  satisfactorily  accomplished.  Much 
pasture  is  saved  by  allowing  the  grass  to  grow  undisturbed  during 
so  great  a  portion  of  the  time;  and  thus  one  of  the  important 
points  of  soiling  is,  at  least  in  part,  gained. 

By  this  system  15  acres  of  pasture  is  made  to  carry  SCO  sheep, 
until  after  wheat,  &c,  has  been  harvested. 

Mr.  Chamberlain  is  a  believer  in  deep  ploughing,  and  often  re- 
news his  grass — seldom  allowing  a  piece  of  land  to  be  pastured 
more  than  three  years  from  the  seeding ;  and  whenever  a  piece  of 
land  is  put  into  a  croj ,  it  is  intended  to  put  on  it  manure,  so  as  to 
improve  it. 

LIME. 

In  1853,  twenty  acres  of  this  farm  was  treated  to  lime,  at  the 
rate  of  50  bushels  to  the  acre,  applied  in  the  Spring  on  inverted 
sod.  The  first  crop  was  not  improved,  but  ever  since  the  land  has 
been  better  ;  but  Mr.  C.  says  the  cost  was  too  great  for  the  benefit 
received. 

To  sum  up  all  his  experience — Mr.  Chamberlain  says  that  rather 
than  purchase  special  manures,  except  gypsum,  and  he  had  no  muck 
on  his  farm,  he  would  go  to  the  road  sides  and  pare  off  the  turf 
and  compost  it  with  his  barn-yard  manure.  In  regard  to  swamp 
muck,  he  says  that  so  much  as  comes  from  near  the  surface,  only 
requires  to  dry  and  have  the  sun  of  one  Summer,  while  that  which 
is  dug  from  some  considerable  depth  should  be  composted  with  yard 
manure. 


430  THE   SOUTHERN  [July 

In  regard  to  housing  the  sheep  at  night,  the  question  may  be 
asked.  Is  not  this  too  much  trouble,  and  does  it  not  cost  too  much? 
Having  observ  management  for  some   years,  I  am  ready  to 

say  that,  all  things  taken  into  account,  there  is  no  system  whatever 
that  gives  so  sa  ry  results,  and  that  really  pays  so  veil.     To 

give  my  reas  :  r  this  opinion  would  require  too  much  space  to 
be  taKen  now. 

The  plan  of  having  the  lambs  yeaned  during  December,  January 
and  February,  may  not  meet  the  approval  of  all  flock  managers* 
but  Mr.  Heyne  has  his  reasons,  and  to  my  mind  they  are  abun- 
dantly sufficient  to  sustain  the  wisdom  of  his  methods. 

I  have  now  made  the  way  clear  to  state  the 

RESULT  OF  MR.   CHAMBERLAINS    SYSTEM  OF  FARMING. 

Vi'heat  is  yet  an  uncertain  crop,  but  800  bushels  have  been  pro- 
duced in  a  single  crop  on  20  acres  of  land — an  average  of  40  bush- 
the  acre  :  tar  this  was  his  fortun  tie  crop,  and  is  the  excep- 
tion. 

Let  us  take  the  year  1503.  This  year  he  cut  800  loads  of  hay, 
which  he  and  his  men  believe  would  weigh  COO  tons.  Hud  his 
whole  cultivated  land  been  in  one  grand  meadow,  consisting  of 
about  370  acres,  he  would  have  cut  one  ton  and  six-tenths  to  the 
acre,  which  is  much  above  the  average  yield  of  the  meadows  of  this 
State.  But  his  farm  was  not  all  meadow.  He  ha  I  that  year  about 
40  acres  of  Indian  corn,  that  was  estimated  to  yield  about  50  bush- 
els to  the  acre.  He  had  :  -  :>f  wheat,  that  gave  15  bushels 
to  the  acre:  30  acres  of  oats  and  eight  acres  of  roots;  and  he 
summered  over  300  sheep. 

Miking  reasonable  allowances  for  land  used  for  orchards,  jar- 
dens,  yards  and  buildings — the  particulars  in  regard  to  which  I 
have  not  obtained — we  shall  find  that  the  productions  of  this  once 
worn-out  farm  have,  by  skillful  management,  been  raised  to  a  stan- 
dard that  would  probably  satisfy  a  farmer  of  the  famed  Scotia  Val- 
ley in  Ohio. 

The  stock  carried  through  last  winter  was  300  sheep  purchased 
for  feeding.  They  paid  $1  each  of  profit  over  and  above  the  mar- 
ket  value  of  the  feed,  and  left  their  pile  of  manure  in  addition. 
He  also  fed  35  steers,  three  and  four  years  old,  and  12  oxen,  and 
also  wintered  his  flock  of  Silesians,  300  in  number,  his  teams, 
young  cattle  and  c 

CONCLUDING    REMARKS. 

I  think  I  have  now  fulfilled  a  promise  male  in  a  former  article, 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  431 


by  showing  how  an  old  worn-out  farm  h;is  been  made  to  bring  itself 
to  more  than  its  pristine  fertility.  I  have  used  an  example  to  show 
the  force  and  truth  of  Mr.  Failes'  position  taken  in  his  address. 

Mr.  Chamberlain  has  fairly  conquered  his  position,  so  that  the 
wcrds  "fancy  farmer'  are  probably  no  longer  applied  to  him,  by 
even  the  most  inveterate  followers  of  ancient  routine  that  the  town 
of  Red  Hook  can  now  show.  They  see  the  once  miry  swamp  now 
thoroughly  drained  and  solid  ground,  bearing  the  weight  of  heavy 
crops  of  grass  or  grain,  and  the  sandy  uplands  fruitful  as  a  garden. 
But  has  all  this  paid?  Yes,  whether  we  consider  the  investment  as 
one  merely  looking  to  a  return  of  seven  per  cent,  on  cost,  or  in  the 
great  pleasure  such  a  victory  must  give.  It  pays  again  in  the  en- 
hanced value  given  the  farm,  if  we  consider  it  a  thing  to  be  some 
day  sold. 

•  The  example  that  I  have  thus  held  up  for  farmers  is  of  a  value 
that  I  shall  not  attempt  to  compute.  The  personal  gratification 
that  this  man  has  a  right  to  feel  can  be  imagined.  He  who  once 
sent  out  his  fleets  of  thirty  vessels  to  gather  or  distribute  the  mer- 
chandise of  the  ends  of  the  earth,  now  in  a  green  old  ao-e  contem- 
plates the  work  of  his  hands  as  a  farmer  with  a  serenity,  and  dis- 
courses of  it  to  those  who,  though  to  the  "manner  born,"  come 
around  him  for  advice  with  a  modesty  that  becomes  greatness. — 
Fairmount,  N.  Y.,  June  7,  1869. — New  York  Tribune. 


A  Steam  Plough, 

The  steam  plough  and  accompanying  apparatus,  imported  by  Col. 
Wm.  E.  Patterson,  from  Leeds,  England,  was, put  in  operation  on 
Tuesday  last,  on  the  recent  purchase  of  that  gentleman  at  Atsion, 
New  Jersey. 

Col.  Patterson's  large  tract  of  land  in  that  locality  is  to  be  de- 
voted to  the  culture  of  sugar  beet.  As  the  soil  is  a  sandy  loam, 
closely  akin  to  that  in  which  the  French  have  been  so  successful  in 
the  sugar  beet  culture,  Col.  Patterson  sees  no  reason  why  a  profit 
cannot  be  realized  in  this  countr}'  in  the  same  direction. 

The  test  of  this  steam  plough  was  made  in  the  presence  of  a 
considerable  congregation  of  people,  including  Gen.  Capron  of  the 
United  States  Agricultural  Bureau  at  Washington. 

The  machinery  is  by  no  means  complicated.  At  opposite  sites  of 
the  space  to  be  ploughed  arc  two  steam  engines  upon  wheels.  On 
the  trial  on  Tuesday  they  stood  three  hundred  yards  apart.     The 


432  THE    SOUTHERN  [July 

plough  has  six  shares.  It  is  a  distinct  piece  of  mechanism,  and  is 
fastened  to  a  steel  wire  cable  extending  between  the  two  locomotives 
across  the  ground  to  be  turned  over.  It  is  literally  a  shuttlecock 
between  two  steam  battledores.  It  moves  at  the  speed  of  a  hun- 
dred yards  a  minute,  turning  six  furrows  a  foot  each  in  width,  and 
eight  inches  in  depth.  Its  average  work,  therefore,  is  twenty  acres 
per  day.  The  locomotives  are  snug  machines,  capable  of  being 
applied  to  many  useful  purposes  independent  of  duty  as  steam- 
ploughers. 

A  man  rides  on  the  plough  as  it  crosses  the  soil. 

A  digging  machine  accompanies  the  plough,  intended  for  use  in 
soils  where  roots  and  stones  are  obstacles  to  the  course  of  the 
ploughshare.  This  is  a  wonderful  apparatus.  It  so  triturates  the 
stiffest  soil  that  a  Yankee  might  put  it  into  bladders  and  vend  it  as 
a  substitute  for  snuff. 

To  work  it  costs  extremely  little.  Anything  answers  as  fuel,  and 
at  the  rate  of  twenty  acres  per  day  a  large  estate  is  soon  put  under 
cultivation.  The  locomotives  are,  then,  ready  for  ordinary  duty  as 
steam  engines,  either  to  grind  or  thresh,  saw  or  mash. — Philadel- 
phia North  American. 


Straight  and   Crooked  Streams. 
'"When  doctors  disagree,  who  shall  decid-  ?" 

Messrs.  Editors, — Having  been  interested  with  the  perusal  of 
the  recent  discussion  in  the  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer,  relative 
to  the  merits  of  straight  and  crooked  streams,  suffer  me  to  make  a 
few  remarks  relative  thereto. 

The  question  at  issue  is,  are  not  the  small  streams,  in  their  origi- 
nal state,  governed  by  the  same  natural  laws  as  are  the  rivers?  If 
so,  crooked  streams  are  in  accordance  with  the  general  laws  of  na- 
ture. This  position  has  not  been  disproved,  nor  indeed  can  it  be. 
Art  has  been  called  to  the  assistance  of  nature  as  applied  to  this 
subject,  but  with  what  effect  let  the  present  state  of  our  bottom 
lands  testify.  Facts  are  stubborn  things,  and  cannot  be  invalidated 
by  either  preconceived  opinions  or  theoretical  disquisitions. 

Respectfully,  R.  W. 

Prince  Edward  Co.,  June  22,  1869. 


Some  one  estimates,  we  do  not  know  from  what  data,  that  there 
are  37,000,000  hogs  in  the  United  States. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  433 


iorfitnltaral  Department. 


JOHN  M.  ALLAN, Editor. 

Strawberry  Exhibition  of  the  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society. 

We  append  the  report  of  the  Committee  of  Examination,  upon 
the  strawberries  exhibited  on  the  27th  of  May  at  St.  Alban's  Hall. 
As  we  said  in  our  last  issue,  the  exhibition  was  a  complete  success, 
and  the  Society,  as  well  as  the  public,  are  under  obligations  to  the 
committee  under  whose  care  it  was  gotten  up  and  so  successfully 
conducted  ;  and  without  detracting  from  the  merit  of  the  other  gen- 
tlemen upon  the  committee,  it  is  but  just  to  mention  Messrs.  Cham- 
berlain, Stansberry  and  Morton  as  prominently  and  especially  ac- 
tive in  its  arrangement  and  management.  A  speech  from  Major 
Sutherlin,  practical  and  useful  as  his  speeches  always  are,  and  ex- 
cellent music,  added  to  the  pleasure  of  the  evening. 

As  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  another  page,  there  is  some  di- 
versity of  opinion  concerning  the  correctness  of  the  conclusions  ar- 
rived at  by  the  Committee  of  Examination,  as  to  the  merits  of 
various  varieties ;  but  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  committee 
could  only  judge  by  appearances  which  are  often  deceptive,  and 
thus  they  may  have  erred  in  some  respects,  such  as  the  fitness  for 
shipping,  the  general  usefulness,  and  kindred  matters,  which  cannot 
well  be  determined  save  by  experience  in  growing.  Then  again,  tastes 
differ  so,  that  it  is  hard  to  decide  so  as  to  suit  every  one  concern- 
ing flavor.  As  proof  of  this,  we  once  heard  a  grower  (never  but 
one,  it  is  true,)  say  that  the  Wilson  was  a  good  flavored  berry.  So, 
after  all,  each  one  must  decide  for  himself  what  best  suits,  and  the 
experience  of  our  correspondent  and  the  report  of  the  committee 
will  both  be  useful  in  directing  our  readers  -. 

The  Committee  of  Examination  of  Fruits  and  Flowers,  appointed 
on  the  24th  instant  by  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Horticultu- 
ral and  Pomological  Society  of  Virginia,  met  at  St.  Alban's  Hall 
on  Thursday  evening,  the  27th  of  May,  for  the  inspection  more  es- 
VOL.  Ill— 28 


434  THE  SOUTHERN  [July, 

pecially  of  the  many  varieties  of  strawberries  that  the  now  nume- 
rous growers  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Richmond  had  been  soli- 
cited to  exhibit.  In  entering  upon  the  discharge  of  the  duties 
assigned  to  it,  the  committee  was  animated  by  an  earnest  desire  to 
do  full  and  impartial  justice  to  every  exhibitor  on  so  interesting  an 
occasion. 

Previous  to  the  examination  it  had  been  decided  that  the  report 
should  embrace  the  following  points,  viz. : 

First. — Best  shipping  berries. 

Second. — Best  berries  for  home  market. 

Third. — Best  flavored  berries. 

Fourth. — Best  berries  for  family  use. 

Fifth. — Largest  berries. 

Sixth. — Best  berries  combining  all,  or  the  largest  number,  of 
these  qualities. 

Seventh. — Best  collection  of  berries  exhibited. 

In  reply  to  the  first  inquiry,  the  committee  decided  upon  the 
"Wilson's  Albany,  the  Triomphe  de  Gand,  and  Russell's  Prolific. 

To  the  second. — Same  as  above. 

To  the  third. — Golden  Queen,  Empress  Eugenie,  and  Lenning's 
White. 

To  the  fourth. — "Wilson's  Albany,  Empress  Eugenie,  Golden 
Queen,  Lenning's  White,  and  Xapoleon. 

To  the  5th. — WTilson's  Albany  and  Golden  Queen. 

To  the  sixth. — "Wilson's  Albany. 

The  largest  collections,  and  embracing  the  greatest  varieties  and 
of  fine  quality,  were  exhibited  by  Messrs.  Franklin  Davis  &  Co. 
and  Messrs.  Allan  &  Johnson — the  former  furnishing  no  less  than 
eighteen,  and  the  latter  twelve,  most  of  them  of  the  most  approved 
kinds,  and  all  having  their  peculiar,  merits.  The  "  Xapoleon,"  fur- 
nished by  the  latter  firm,  was  a  splendid  berry.  Mr.  J.  E.  Stans- 
berry  exhibited  a  seedling  bearing  his  name,  a  fine  berry,  and  repre- 
sented as  very  prolific  ;  some  fine  specimens  of  the  "  Hovey  Cross  " 
and  "  McEvoy  Superior  ";  likewise  a  beautiful  vine  known  as  the 
"Alpine,"  growing  very  erect,  bearing  small  but  beautiful  scarlet 
berries,  and  in  every  stage  of  growth  from  bloom  to  maturity. 

Mr.  L.  Chamberlain  exhibited  a  small  but  very  showy  collec- 
tion, numbering  among  them  the  "  Golden  Queen,"  a  beautiful 
berry  and  of  deficious  flavor.  The  attention  of  the  committee  was 
especially  called  to  the  collection  of  Mr.  "William  M.  Ledley, 
through  the  agency  of  his  gardener,  Mr.  W.  J.  Hendrick,  who  ex- 
hibited some  splendid  specimens  of  "Wilson's  Albany,"  "  Russell's 


18»9.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  435 


Prolific,"  and  "  Jucunda."  There  was  also  a  remarkably  fine  speci- 
men exhibited  by  Mr.  W.  L.  Harrison,  of  Henrico,  no  name,  but 
very  large  and  sweet.  Mr.  W.  W.  Turner  also  furnished  a  box 
containing  a  very  agreeable  arrangement  of  flowers,  interspersed 
with  some  gigantic  specimens  of  "Russell's  Prolific,"  "Agricultu- 
rist/' a  variety  called  "Philadelphia,"  and  some  very  large  "Ju- 
cunda." The  collection  of  "  Wilson's  Albany,"  exhibited  by  Mr.  A. 
M.  Morris,  was  remarkably  fine — equal,  we  think,  to  Mr.  Ledley's. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  those  furnished  by  Mr.  William  Coulling. 
Mr.  J.  W.  Lewellen  presented  a  specimen  of  "Russell's  Prolific" 
— very  large  in  size  and  fine  flavor.  Mr.  Channing  Robinson,  a  cu- 
rious variety  called  "Lady's  Finger" — sweet  and  of  an  agreeable 
flavor.  Late  in  the  evening  Dr.  J.  G.  Beattie  sent  in  some  very 
fine  specimens  of  "Russell"  and  "Agriculturist."  Many  of  the 
berries  were  so  large  that  it  seemed  as  if  three  or  four  were  rolled 
into  one. 

To  Messrs.  Allan  &  Johnson,  and  Mr.  John  Morton,  the  So- 
ciety is  much  indebted  for  the  rare  and  beautiful  display  of  green- 
house plants  and  flowers,  which  added  so  much  to  the  embellish- 
ment of  the  hall-  And  we  cannot  let  the  occasion  pass  without  re- 
turning the  thanks  of  the  Society  to  Miss  Isabella  Webb  for  the 
beautiful  bouquet,  as  large  as  an  ordinary-sized  centre-table ;  and 
the  very  many  sent  by  Mrs.  Judge  Clopton,  of  Manchester,  em- 
bracing every  variety  of  the  most  beautiful  flowers  we  have  ever 
seen  at  this  season  of  the  year.  • 

The  exhibition  was  a  complete  success,  and  we  cannot  close  this 
report  without  tendering  our  congratulations  to  the  President  and 
members  of  the  Society  under  whose  auspices  it  was  gotten  up. 

William  H.  Haxall,  Chairman; 

I.  S.  Tower, 

S.  P.  Moore, 

C.  B.    Williams, 

J.  C.  Shields, 

J.  P.  Brock, 

H.  K.  Ellyson, 

Joseph  R.  Rennie. 


The  Hartford  Prolific  Grape  does  better  on  clay  than  on  sandy 
and  gravelly  soils.  The  great  objection  to  this  grape  is  its  ten- 
dency to  drop  its  berries  as  soon  as  they  are  ripe.  On  clay  land,  it 
retains  the  berries  better  than  on  light,  warm  soils. 


436  THE   SOUTHERN  [July, 

Raspberries. 

The  difficulty  in  the  Northern  States  is  to  get  a  variety  of  rasp- 
berry that  will  stand  the  winter  ;  here  it  is  to  get  one  that  will  en- 
dure the  summer.  This  season  has  only  increased  the  record  of 
failures.  Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  we  have  had  a  more  than 
usually  cool  and  moist  spring  and  summer,  yet  we  have  had  no  suc- 
cess with  any  of  the  red  raspberries  except  the  Philadelphia,  and 
only  partial  with  that  variety.  All  save  the  Philadelphia  died  be- 
fore maturing ;  and  while  that  matured  a  good  proportion  of  its 
fruit,  still  it  was  by  no  means  prolific.  Its  flavor,  however,  we 
think  is  decidedly  better  here  than  farther  North.  The  Clarke  was 
not  fairly  tested,  and  we  still  hope  it  will  prove  useful. 

The  Black  Caps  succeed  admirably,  bear  enormously,  ripen  well, 
and  are  highly  flavored.  It  will  be  prudent  for  our  growers  to  rely 
mainly  upon  these,  at  least  until  the  Philadelphia  and  Clarke  have 
been  more  fully  tested. 

Why  do  not  our  fruit  growers  give  us  more  raspberries?  There 
were  none  in  market  this  season,  and  yet  the  Black  Caps  are  well 
adapted  to  this  climate,  and  are  prolific  enough  to  be  very  profi- 
table. 


Strawberries. 

Messrs.  Editors, — For  the  last  two  years  I  have  been  giving  you 
the  results  of  my  experiments  with  leading  varieties  of  strawberries, 
and  hope  a  continuation  may  not  be  unprofitable. 

Last  year  the  varieties  under  culture  were  Wilson,  Hovey,  Rus- 
sell, Jucunda,  Triomphe  de  Gand,  Peabody,  Agriculturist,  and  Na- 
poleon ;  this  year  the  same,  with  Austin,  Hooker,  Early  Scarlet, 
and  Empress  Eugenie  added  (the  latter  a  new  variety  originated  by 
Mr.  Lemosy,  near  Portsmouth,  Va.)  They  ripened  in  the  follow- 
ing order,  commencing  May  17th  :  Early  Scarlet,  Russell,  Hooker, 
Wilson,  Agriculturist,  Peabody,  Hovey,  Triomphe  de  Gand,  Em- 
press Eugenie,  Jucunda,  Austin,  Napoleon,  the  last  not  maturing 
until  June  1st.  In  size  the  order  was  as  follows  :  Empress  Euge- 
nie, Russell,  Jucunda,  Agriculturist,  Austin,  Wilson,  Napoleon, 
Triomphe  de  Gand,  Hovey,  Peabody,  Hooker,  Early  Scarlet.  In 
yield :  Russell,  Empress  Eugenie,  Wilson,  Agriculturist,  Triomphe 
de  Gand,  Napoleon,  Jucunda,  Austin,  Hovey,  Peabody,  Hooker, 
Early  Scarlet.  In  flavor :  Russell,  Triomphe  de  Gand,  Agricul- 
turist, Hovey,  Peabody,  Early  Scarlet,  Napoleon,  Jucunda,  Em- 
press Eugenie,   Hooker,   Austin,  Wilson.     In  firmness  and  other 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  437 


shipping  qualities,  I  found  the  following  to  be  the  only  useful  ones, 
and  they  ranked  in  the  order  they  are  stated  :  Wilson,  Russell, 
Napoleon.  For  all  purposes,  save  shipping,  the  Russell  has  again 
proven  itself  to  be  by  far  the  best  variety,  and  it  bears  transporta- 
tion very  well,  though  it  is  not  equal  to  the  Wilson  in  this  respect. 
This  season  it  ripened  several  days  before  the  Wilson,  and  during 
the  entire  season  commanded  higher  prices.  The  Empress  Eugenie 
proved  to  be  a  very  large,  handsome  and  prolific  berry,  but  not 
highly  flavored.  The  Jucunda  did  well,  but  ripening,  as  it  does,  at 
the  middle  of  the  season,  is  valueless  as  a  market  berry.  The  Aus- 
tin and  Napoleon  are  both  valuable  because  of  their  late  maturity ; 
the  latter  is  very  prolific  and  well  flavored ;  both  are  large  sized. 

If  I  may  be  permitted  to  differ  with  the  committee  of  the  Horti- 
cultural and  Pomological  Society,  I  would  say  for  the  best  early 
shipping  berries,  take  Wilson  and  Russell.  For  home  market,  Rus- 
sell, Empress  Eugenie,  Triomphe  de  Gand,  Agriculturist,  and  Na- 
poleon. For  best  flavored,  Russell,  Triomphe  de  Gand,  Agricul- 
turist, and  Hovey.  For  family  use,  Russell,  Empress  Eugenie,  Ju- 
cunda, and  Napoleon.  For  largest  berries,  Russell  and  Empress 
Eugenie.  For  the  most  generally  useful  variety,  Russell.  All  of 
the  above  rank  in  the  order  they  are  named.  Empress  Eugenie 
and  Golden  Queen  are  claimed  by  some  to  be  synonymous.  I  do 
not  think  they  are  the  same,  but  they  very  closely  resemble  each 
other,  and  all  that  I  have  said  of  the  one  is  true  of  the  other,  with 
a  slight  advantage,  in  size,  in  favor  of  the  Golden  Queen.  How  the 
Triomphe  de  Gand  can  be  put  down  as  good  for  shipping  purposes 
is  a  mystery  to  me.  Of  all  soft  berries,  it  is  the  softest ;  and 
though  highly  flavored,  of  good  size,  and  moderately  prolific,  it  will 
hardly  bear  transportation  beyond  the  spot  where  grown.     "M." 


Guano. — Some  experienced  cultivators  have  given  us  instances  of 
the  use  of  guano  on  fruit  trees  with  beneficial  results.  Although  the 
trees  seemed  to  wither  up  and  become  sickly  looking  the  first  year, 
nevertheless  the  second  year  they  grew  so  fresh  and  green  and  lux- 
uriant as  to  astonish  their  owners. 

We  have  seen  guano  water  applied  to  grape  vines,  causing  them 
to  wither  up,  as  it  were,  with  intense  heat,  the  first  year,  but  the 
second  year  exceeding  all  former  years  in  beauty  and  fruitfulness. 
Guano  should  never  be  brought  directly  in  contact  with  seeds  or 
the  roots  of  trees  or  plants.  It  should  always  be  mixed  with  about 
six  times  its  weight  of  finely  sifted  soil  or  ham.— Horticulturist. 


4?-  THE   SOUTHERN  [July 

Harvesting  the  Na\y    Bean    and   Gathering    the  Potato  Crop, 

3Iessrs.  Eilitorz, — Id  yours  ::  June,  inquiry  is  made  as  to  the 
best  mode  of  harvesting  the  narj  bean.     Wl  I  when  the 

vines  are  dry,    that  is,  when  the  dew  ; ;-  rain  has  left  them.)  p n 
hand,  and  place  in  heaps;   turn   the  heaps   n  ei  than  once  a 

day,  till  the  vines  are  dry,  and  then  thresh  them  either  by  hand  or 
power.  In  carrying  them  from  the  field  to  be  threshei.  use  a  tight 
hay  wagon  or  cart,  for  in  loading  they  will  shell  out.  I  don't  ad- 
vise to  stow  them  away  to  be  threshed  at  some  future  time,  but 
finish  the  job  at  once. 

There  is  no  better  plan  of  gathering  the  u  Irish  "  potato  than  by 
tigging  them  with  i  five-prong  potato  fork.  By  gathering  the  crop 
with  the  fork  the  work  is   lone  better  and  the  grour.  bene- 

fitted.    More  ter   work   C3n   be  done  by  two  men  with  the 

"forks,"  than  three  can  accomplish  by  the  "h 

Respectfully  yours,  Wil.   H.   S. 

Philadelphia,  June  19,  1869. 


::   ■     ::   preserve  melons  from  ihe  striped  bug: 
The  practice  of  the  "  L:r.g   Island  "  melon   g  -    I  5erve 

their  melons,  kc,  from   the  n  bog,  is  :     bow  through  a 

fine  si         _•  plaster  or  gypsum  on  the  plants,  so  soon  as  they 

are  above  ground,  early  in  the  morning  while  the  dew  is  on  the 
plants — such  plaster  forming  a  crust  thr:  :_-  g     ill  not 

eat.  Two  applica:: >ns  ire  generally  enough  to  preserve  the  crop. 
It  has  never  failed,  at  least  for  twenty  seven  years,  to  my  personal 
knowledge.     Tobacco  dusr.  ashes,  ice,  have  failed. 

Respectfully  yours,  Wm.   H.  S. 

rvtmifijK*.  J'.r.i  is, :;: :• 

[We  thank  our  correspondent  for  the  a1:  »ve  c:mmunications,  and 
hope  he  will  favor  us  with  frequent  opportunities  of  enlightening 
our  reader!  in  regard  to  such  interesting  ma::o:s  :f  inquiry  as  can 
-  answered  only  by  such  persons  as  have  gained  a 
store  of  practical  knowledge  through  their  own  experience  ind  ob- 
servation.— Eds.  S.  P.  ft  P.] 


Beets. — To  raise  beets  with  best  success,  sow  the  Early  Eassano 
in  drills  eighteen  inches  wide ;  thin  out  to   one  foot  apart.     Top- 
-    the   around  with   Peruvian   guano,  and   you  will   have   tr.me 
beets  fit  to  pull  in  seventy  days. — H:  t  .:. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  439 

Nut  Culture. 

3Tessrs.  Editors, — I  promised  to  give  you  some  account  of  my 
progress  in  the  cultivation  of  nuts,  which  I  am  now  prepared  to  do. 
As  I  stated  before,  I  obtained  my  principal  supply  of  nuts  for 
planting  from  A.  F.  Cochran,  Esq.,  importer  of  fruits  and  nuts, 
New  Orleans.  This  gentleman  furnishes  nuts  at  cost  of  importa- 
tion to  all  who  wish  to  plant.  The  rest  I  obtained  from  J.  M. 
Thorburn,  No.  15  John  street,  New  York.  The  following  varieties 
vegetated  freely,  and  are  growing  as  vigorously  as  Indian  corn  : 

Spanish  chesnuts  (Castanea  vesca). 

English  walnuts  [Jughins  regia). 

Pecans  {Carya  olivseformis). 

Italian  pines  (Pinus  pinna). 

Jujube  (Zizyphus  sativa) — not  a  nut,  but  a  very  valuable  fruit 
tree. 

The  following  varieties  failed  to  vegetate  : 

Filberts  (Corylus  aveUana).  Of  this,  however,  I  obtained  plants 
from  the  nursery  of  P.  J.  Berckman,  Augusta,  and  they  are  grow- 
ing finely. 

Pistachio  nut  (Pistacliia  vera). 

Salisburia  (Ginkgo  biloba).  I  give  this  name  according  to  Mr. 
Thorburn's  spelling  ;  other  nurserymen  give  it  differently.  It  is  a 
valuable  nut  tree. 

So  out  of  the  eight  varieties  of  tree  seeds  planted,  only  three 
failed  to  vegetate.  These  three  are  constantly  grown  from  seed 
by  our  nurserymen,  and  why  they  failed  in  my  hands  I  cannot  tell. 
They  are  worth  another  trial,  however. 

Few  persons  are  aware  of  the  value  of  nuts  as  an  article  of  food. 
The  idea  that  they  are  unwholesome  is  as  absurd  as  the  now  ex- 
ploded opinion  that  grapes  and  peaches  were  unwholesome.  All 
food-stuffs  are  divided  by  chemists  into  two  great  classes,  viz : 
albuminous  substances,  which  contain  15  per  cent  of  nitrogen,  and 
are  called  "  flesh-formers ;"  and  amyloids  and  fats,  which  are  called 
<k  heat-producers,"  and  contain  no  nitrogen.  The  necessity,  there- 
fore, of  constantly  renewing  the  supply  of  albumen  arises  from  the 
circumstance  that  the  loss  of  nitrogen  (in  the  secretion  of  urea 
from  the  body,)  is  going  on  constantly,  whether  the  body  is  fed  or 
not ;  and  there  is  only  one  form  in  which  nitrogen  can  be  taken 
into  the  blood,  and  that  is  in  the  form  of  a  solution  of  protein,  or 
albumen.  Albumen,  which  may  be  taken  as  the  type  of  the  pro- 
teids,  contains  15  per  cent,  of  nitrogen,  and  the  moment  this  sub- 


Water. 

Albomen. 

74 

20 

12 

15 

3 

24 

440  THE  SOUTHERN  TJuly 

stance  is  withdrawn  from  the  food,  man  begins  to  suffer  from  what 
may  be  called  nitrogen  starvation,  and,  sooner  or  later,  will  die. 
Now  let  us  compare  the  three  classes  of  human  food — herb,  tree, 
ami  flesh  foods — and  see  which  contains  the  largest  quantity  of  this 
valuable  substance,  albumen.  Of  each  class,  we  will  take  the  arti- 
cle most  used  on  our  tables — beef  as  the  representative  of  flesh 
wheat  as  the  representative  of  herb  food,  and  almonds  as  the 
most  generally  used  tree  food,  and  as  the  representative  of  nuts : 

Beef, 

0  lessa  wheat, 

^weet  almonds, 

The  figures  are  obtained  from  Webster's  American  Family  Ency- 
clopaedia, and  it  will  be  observed  that  almonds  contain  a  larger 
quantity  of  nitrogenous  matter  than  either  beef  or  wheat.  All  nuts 
consist  largely  of  albumen  ;  and  when  we  recollect  that  man,  in  his 
unfallen  condition,  lived  entirely  upon  the  fruit  of  trees,  it  seems 
that  both  science  and  revelation  point  to  the  fruit  of  trees  as  his 
natural  food. 

Xot  only  so.  but  the  soil  constantly  grows  richer  under  tree  cul- 
ture, and  poorer  under  herb  culture.  iWe  use  the  term  herb,  be- 
cause every  plant  which  has  not  a  hard  woody  stem,  comes  under 
this  designation.  |  Trees  also  purify  the  atmosphere  and  beautify 
the  landscape.  It  is  an  actual,  and  very  significant  fact,  that  where 
ever  a  country  becomes  denuded  of  trees,  man's  physical,  mental 
and  political  power  decays.  Witness  Spain,  Italy,  Greece,  and 
Syria.  They  have  each  in  their  turn,  stood  first  in  power,  prosper- 
ity, and  civilization.  But  they  each  swept  their  beautiful  fruit- 
bearing  trees  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  each,  like  Samson, 
shorn  of  his  locks,  lost  their  strength.  To  destroy  fruit-bearing 
trees  is  in  direct  disobedience  to  the  divine  command;  "for,"  says 
Holy  Writ,  "  the  tree  of  the  field  is  man's  life."  Phosphorus  feeds 
the  brain,  and  phosphorus,  as  food,  is  only  found  in  albumen,  and 
albumen,  in  its  purest  state,  and  in  most  abundance,  is  found  in  the 
fruit  of  trees.  So  says  science  ;  and  the  Bible  confirms  the  teach- 
ings of  science,  by  informing  us  that  the  food  of  Eden  was  only 
the  fruit  of  trees.  Where,  in  modern  times,  was  such  a  brain 
formed  as  that  of  the  first  Napoleon,  who  grew  up  amidst  the  cbes- 
nut  groves  of  Corsica  ?  The  chesnut  is  to  the  Corsicans  what  the 
potato  is  to  the  Irish.  Their  name  for  it  signifies  "  bread  tree."  A 
recent  writer  in  the  Atlantic  Monthly  describes  a  visit  to  Corsica, 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  441 


the  "  Land  of  Paoli,"  and  says :  "  Our  companion,  the  prefect, 
pointed  to  the  chesnut  groves.  'There,'  said  he,  'is  the  main  sup- 
port of  our  people  in  the  winter.  Our  Corsican  name  for  it  is  the 
'  bread  tree.'  The  nuts  are  ground,  and  the  cakes  of  chesnut  flour, 
baked  on  the  hearth,  are  really  delicious.  We  could  not  live  with- 
out the  chesnut  and  the  olive.' '  The  chesnut,  as  well  as  the  wal- 
nut, pecan  and  other  nut  trees,  fully  answers  the  description  of  the 
trees  of  Eden,  which  were  not  only  good  for  food,  but  pleasant  to 
the  sight.  No  trees  on  earth  are  more  beautiful  than  these  massive 
nut-bearing  trees.  In  form,  foliage,  and  trunk,  they  stand  first  for 
beauty,  amongst  park  and  pleasure-ground  trees.  Whilst  taking  a 
drive  recently,  I  was  struck  with  the  majestic  beauty  and  dark  lux- 
uriant foliage  of  a  group  of  trees  in  the  distance.  On  coming 
nearer,  I  found  they  were  shell-bark  hickory,  from  around  which 
the  other  forest  trees  had  been  cut  away,  allowing  them  full  room 
to  develope  their  grand  proportions.  The  nut  is  one  of  the  most 
delicious  known,  superior,  in  my  estimation,  to  the  pecan,  and  the 
shell  is  thin  enough  to  yield  readily  to  the  nut-crackers.  The  pres- 
ent Emperor  of  the  French,  whose  practice  of  rural  economy  sur- 
passes all  of  Bousingault's  theories,  has  had  millions  of  chesnuts 
planted  in  Algeria,  with  the  object  of  improving  that  country.  It 
must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  European  chesnut  is  a  much  larger 
and  more  valuable  nut  than  ours,  and  does  not  seem  to  suffer  from 
the  disease  which  is  sweeping  ours  from  our  forests.  When  the 
•nuts  are  fresh,  they  grow  as  easily  as  black-eyed  peas.  What  the 
chesnut  is  to  the  Corsicans,  the  English  walnut  (so-called)  is  to  the 
Persians — an  article  of  every  day  diet.  Is  it  the  oil  and  albumen 
of  this  nut  which  make  them  the  most  war-like,  intellectual,  and 
handsome  of  Asiatics  ?  Compare  the  fine  features  and  athletic, 
graceful  figures  of  the  nut-eating  Persians  with  the  square,  squat, 
hideous  forms  of  the  rice-eating  Chinamen,  and  say  if  diet  has  not 
something  to  do  with  the  difference. 

Lastly,  nut  and  other  fruit  trees  yield  a  larger  amount  of  food  to 
the  acre  than  any  other  crops  whatever.  This  can  be  proved  by 
figures,  which  never  lie,  notwithstanding  the  stupidly  jocose  asser- 
tion that  they  do.  Pecans  will  fruit  anywhere  south  of  the  Poto- 
mac, and  when  situated  in  deep,  alluvial  soils,  will  commence  bear- 
ing in  four  or  five  years.  There  are  many  varieties,  some  superior 
to  others,  but  all  are  delicious,  and  indigenous  to  America.  They 
are  said  to  bring  a  higher  price  in  the  European  market  than  any 
other  nut.  Let  them  become  to  us  what  the  chesnut  is  to  the  Cor- 
sican, the  walnut  to  the  Persian,  the  sweet  acorn  to  the  ancient 
Greek. 


442  THE    SOUTHERN  [July 

Must  a  Berry  Box  or  Basket  have  Sloping  Sides? 

Much  valuable  information  is  contained  in  an  article  of  the  April 
number  of  the  Horticulturist,  entitled  "Additional  Hints,"  etc. 
But  I  think  the  writer  was  much  too  sweeping  in  his  condemnation 
of  all  berry  boxes  but  those  with  sloping  and  ventilated  sides.  The 
fruit-growers  in  this  neighborhood  have  used  for  two  years,  a  square 
box  with  strait  sides  and  ventilated  bottom,  and  have  sent  it  in  the 
same  shipments  with  the  sloping  baskets,  to  the  same  markets,  with 
equal  success.  And  said  box  being  only  one-third  the  price,  and  so 
arranged  in  the  crate  as  to  present  the  fruit  in  market  in  heaped-up 
measure  after  the  shaking  of  transportation,  has  run  the  sloping- 
sided  basket  out  of  this  market. 

As  it  is  customary  now  in  our  Western  cities  to  give  the  box, 
when  the  berries  are  sold,  it  makes  a  great  difference  in  the  cost  of 
shipping  whether  a  one-cent  box  or  a  three-cent  basket  be  given 
away. 

There  are  two  reasons  why  baskets  and  boxes  are  not  sent  back 
to  the  shipper.  First,  the  dealers  find  it  a  very  perplexing  matter 
to  gather  and  return  each  box  to  its  proper  owner.  Second,  berries 
should  be  shipped  in  a  new,  clean  box,  as  a  second  using  involves  a 
greater  or  less  degree  of  impurity  and  uncleanliness. 

It  is  not  true  that  expensive  baskets  always  insure  the  best  prices* 
as  it  depends  on  the  manner  of  picking  and  putting  in  boxes  and 
crates. 

Such  is  the  experience  of  myself  and  neighbors  who  have  tried 
sloping-sideu  baskets  and  the  boxes  above  referred  to. — A.  J. 
Moore,  in  Horticulturist. 


Pruning  Tomatoes. — It  is  stated  that  gardeners  in  France  cut 
off  the  stem  of  the  tomato  plants  down  to  the  first  cluster  of  flow- 
ers which  appears  on  them,  thus  impelling  the  sap  into  the  buds 
below  the  cluster,  which  pushes  up  vigorously,  producing  another 
cluster  of  flowers.  "  When  these  are  visible,  the  branch  to  which 
they  belong  is  also  topped  down  to  their  level :  and  this  is  done  five 
times  successively.  By  this  means  the  plants  become  stout  dwarf 
bushes,  not  over  eighteen  inches  high.  In  order  to  prevent  them 
from  falling  over,  sticks  or  strings  are  stretched  horizontally  along 
the  rows,  so  as  to  keep  the  plants  erect.  In  addition  to  this,  all  the 
laterals  that  have  no  flowers  whatsoever,  are  nipped  off.  In  this 
way  the  ripe  sap  is  directed  into  the  fruit,  which  acquires  beauty, 
size,  and  excellence,  unattainable  by  other  means.1' — Horticulturist. 


1869]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  443 


|)(MSCJ)oIb  Department. 


Alsike  Clover  for   Bee  Pasturage. 

Early  in  the  year  18G8,  I  was  induced  by  an  article  I  saw  in  the  "  Bee  Jour- 
nal," to  try  the  Alsike  clover  for  my  bees.  I  accordingly  purchased  a  pound 
of  the  seed,  which  I  sowed  upon  a  small  piece  of  land,  (about  one-quarter  of 
an  acre,)  though  too  much  seed  for  the  quantity  of  land.  It  germinated  well, 
and  like  the  red  clover,  only  made  a  good  stand;  but  this  spring  (18G9.)  it 
came  up  well,  and  now,  the  10th  of  June,  it  will  stand,  if  erect,  20  to  30  inches 
high,  and  is  covered  with  blooms  and  bees  ;  indeed,  I  have  rarely  seen  bees 
more  numerous  on  buckwheat  blooms  than  on  this  clover.  I  shall  sow  a  lot  o* 
buckwheat  for  fall  pasturage  ;  but  for  May  and  June,  I  think  the  Alsike  clover 
furnishes  more  food  than  any  plant  I  have  ever  seen.  When  not  too  cool  or 
rainy  for  them  to  be  out,  you  will  find  the  patch  covered  with  bees  pretty  well 
all  day,  and  at  times  almost  in  swarms.  They  have  sent  forth  a  goodly  num- 
ber of  swarms,  and  filled  the  bodies  of  the  hives  well  with  store  honey,  and  I 
hope  will  yield  a  good  surplus.  I  shall  sow  this  fall  another  lot  much  larger 
than  the  one  I  now  have,  reserving  that  till  the  other  is  sufficiently  advanced 
to  afford  thetn  food — and  as  long  as  I  am  able  to  procure  seed  to  sow — shall  do 
so  to  keep  up  a  succession  ;  besides,  it  yields  an  abundant  crop  of  hay — not  so 
much  as  the  red  clover,  but  the  sweets  furnished  the  bees  more  than  make  up 
any  difference.  The  bloom  is  like  that  of  the  white  clover — folding  back  in 
such  a  way  as  to  enable  the  bees  to  get  into  every  part  of  it — while  on  the  red 
clover  coming  up  in  the  same  patch,  you  never  see  one.  M.  G.  F. 

Henrico  county,   Va. 


Yellow  Wash  for  Buildings. 

Dissolve  1  pound  of  pulverized  copperas  in  8  gallons  of  water ;  let  it  stand 
for  24  hours,  stirring  two  or  three  times  from  the  bottom.  Use  this  for  slaking 
the  lime  and  thinning  it  to  the  consistency  of  ordinary  whitewash  ;  add  hy- 
draulic cement  equal  in  quantity  to  the  lime  used,  and  there  may  also  be 
added,  with  advantage,  £  gallon  of  clean  fine  sand  to  every  15  gallons  of  the 
wash.     While  using,  stir  frequently,  to  prevent  sand  from  settling. 

The  walls  or  buildings  should  be  first  well  cleaned  of  dust,  and  thoroughly 
wet  with  the  rose  of  a  watering  pot,  and  the  wash  applied  immediately  after, 
beginning  at  top,  laying  the  coat  on  horizontally,  and  finishing  vertically. 

Before  leaving  the  work  at  any  time,  finish  the  course  to  a  point  in  the  wall, 
to  prevent  leaving  a  mark  where  the  two  courses  join  on  a  renewal  of  the 
work. 

This  wash  is  stated  to  have  lasted  for  fifteen  years  without  requiring  re- 
newal. 

For  a  gray  or  stone  color,  add  to  above  lamp  black,  previously  deadened  with 
whiskey. 


A  wise  son  maketh  a  glad  father;  but  a  foolish  man  despiseth  his  mother. 


THE  SOUTHERN  PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA.,  JULY  1809. 

TERMS  OF  SUBSCRIPTION  AND  ADVERTISING. 
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(E&itorial  department. 


The  Great  Reaper  and  Mower  Trial  at  Westover. 

"We  had  hoped  to  be  able  to  lay  before  our  readers  at  this  time  a  circumstan- 
tial and  full  account  of  the  great  trial  of  Reapers  and  Mowers  which  came  off 
at  Westover,  the  residence  of  A.  H  Drewry.  Esq.,  on  the  9^h  ultimo,  hut  un- 
controllable circumstances  have  conspired  to  defeat  our  expectation.  We  have 
to  rely  upon  general  report  for  the  materials  of  the  brief  notice  we  ar  •  about  to 
give  below. 

It  is  universally  conceded  by  all  who  were  present  that  it  was  a  grand  af- 
fair, and  the  performance  of  the  large  number  of  machines  exhibited  in  opera- 
tion on  the  held  of  trial  was  fully  equal,  if  not  beyond,  public  expectation,  and 
every  way  worthy  of  the  occasion. 

These  machines  were  generally,  if  not  all  of  them,  gotten  up  in  a  finished 
style  of  workmanship,  and  being  the  best  specimens  selected  from  the  number 
and  7ariety  in  use  in  the  North  and  West,  presented  an  array  of  excellence 
which  challenged  general  admiration.  McCormick's  Reaper  was  not  entered, 
nor  was  it  on  the  ground. 

The  committee  of  adjudication  carefully  tested  the  machines  in  operation  by 
the  standard  prescribed  by  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  State  Agricultural 
Society,  under  whose  auspices  the  trial  was  conducted,  noting  the  merits  of 
each  machine  in  relation  to  every  spec  fieation  on  the  scale  of  points,  so  that, 
in  summing  up  the  points  of  excellence  exhibited  by  each  machine,  the  rela- 
tive merits  of  all  might  be  determined  by  comparison,  and  the  awards  rendered 
in  favor  of  those  standing  the  highest  on  the  standard  or  scale  of  points.  The 
awards  of  the  judges  will  not  be  made  known,  we  understand,  until  the  close 
of  the  State  Fair  in  November  next,  at  which  time  they  will  be  announced  and 
published,  in  connection  with  the  awards  of  premiums  on  the  various  other 
subjects  comprised  in  the  schedule  of  premiums  offered  by  the  Society. 

The  munificent  and  princely  hospitality  of  Mr.  Drewry  manifested  in  his 
bountiful  and  abundant  preparations  for  the  entertainment  and  social  enjoy- 
ment of  the  officers  of  the  Society,  the  exhibitors,  and  numerous  visitors,  is 
above  all  praise.     We  will  not  farther  trench  upon  the  prerogative  of  those 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  445 

whose  grateful  duty  and  pleasure  it  will  be  to  do  justice  to  the  claims  of  such 
uncalculating  beneficence  upon  the  gratitude  and  admiration  of  all  who  shared 
in  his  noble  generosity,  on  an  occasion  so  important  in  its  relations  to  the  pro- 
gress and  development  of  the  industrial  interests  of  Virginia. 


Correspondence  of  the  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer. 

Dear  Sirs, — I  enclose  $2  for  the  renewal  of  my  subscription  to  the  Planter 
ana'  Farmer. 

What  of  lucerne,  and  why  are  there  not  more  instances  of  its  cultivation  in 
our  midst  ?  In  writings  on  English  husbandry  more  than  a  hundred  years 
ago,  its  large  yield  of  hay.  its  nutritious  qualities,  and  the  high  relish  of  it  by 
6tock,  are  always  recognized  ;  and  at  the  present  day  we  know  it  to  be  a  lead- 
ing favorite  in  France  and  other  portions  of  Europe.  Impressed  by  represen- 
tations of  its  superiority  over  other  grasses  as  green  forage,  on  account  of  the 
number  of  cuttings  it  affords,  and,  unlike  clover,  of  its  not  salivating  stock  at 
any  period  of  its  growth,  I  am  growing  it  on  a  somewhat  extensive  scale,  with 
the  purpose,  if  my  hopes  of  it  are  realized,  of  extending  the  cultivation.  But 
if  more  recent  experience  has  shown  that  there  are  more  valuable  grasses,  or, 
what  I  in  some  degree  fear,  that  there  is  a  too  great  difficulty  in  its  successful 
management,  I  would  like  to  know  it,  as  in  either  case,  I  might  stay  tha  fur- 
ther increase  of  its  surface.  My  hopes  of  it,  in  opposition  to  the  (to  me)  un- 
known grounds  of  the  omission  by  others  to  cultivate  it,  rest  on  the  inclination 
to  believe  that  this  omission — this  implied  rejection  of  it — may  be  owing  to  a 
defect  in  its  cultivation  ;  that  it  requires  the  land  to  be  better  cleansed  before 
it  is  planted,  or  that  it  should  be  more  carefully  freed  of  weeds  and  other  pests 
in  the  earlier  stages  of  its  growth,  than  is  in  most  cases  observed.  I  recently 
came  across  an  old  volume  of  a  work  published  in  London  in  th  i  year  1728, 
with  a  long  title  embracing  "all  sorts  of  country  affairs,"  in  which,  in  addition 
to  its  mortis  as  a  hay  crop,  it  is  commended  as  an  improver  of  "  dry  and  bar- 
ren land."  And  certainly,  in  accordance  with  the  theory  of  renovating  lands 
by  vegetable  growths,  in  bringing,  through  their  roots,  the  mineral  consti- 
tuent* of  the  subsoil  and  clay  to  the  surface,  on  account  of  its  long  straight 
root,  the  commendation  is  just.  Dr.  Thos.  P.  Atkinson,  to  whom  the  readers 
of  the  Planter  and  Farmer  owe  so  much  fur  his  scientific  and  practical  commu- 
nications, in  a  letter  of  response  to  enquiries  relative  to  the  process  of  culti- 
vating it,  (I  had  entertained  the  thought  of  planting  it  myself  from  reading  an 
article  by  him  in  the  Planter  and  Farmer  recommending  it  for  keeping  up  the 
borders  of  a  garden.)  writes  me  that  be  had  measured  a  root  of  it  14  inches  in 
length.  In  repeated  trials,  I  have  never  found  a  root  of  less  length  than  a 
third  of  that  of  the  stalk.     In  some  instances  the  root  is  longer  than  the  staik. 

There  is  one  subject  on  which  I  feel  qualified  to  speak  by  the  -'card,"  and 
that  is,  the  value  of  tobacco  stalks  on  certain  garden  vegetables.  I  have  grow- 
ing in  my  garden  a  square  of  cabbages  of  unsurpassed  luxuriance,  and  a 
square  of  potatoes  surpassing  in  yield  any  instance  within  my  experience, 
both  manured  with  this  material.  I  have  used  them  on  cabbages  for  several 
years  with  unvaried  success.  The  potatoes  are  planted  in  hills  three  feet  apart 
— a  whole  potato  of  good  size  with  a  double  handful  of  stalks  above  it,  at  the 
bottom  of  the  hill.     I  more  than  incline  to  think  that  their  efficacy  on  this  crop, 


446  THE  SOUTHERN  [July 


when  thus  applied,  is  owing,  in  part,  to  their  mechanical  action  on  the  soil; 
that  the  cavities  in  their  midst  filled,  when  filled  at  all,  with  loose  earth,  afford 
room  fir  the  potato  to  grow  :  and  further,  that  the  soft  pulpy  consistence  to 
which  they  &re  reduced  by  the  time  the  potato  is  formed,  yields  to  its  pressure 
to  enlarge  itself.  I  know  not  why  they  should  not  be  a  valuable  manure  on 
other  vegetables,  and  it  is  my  intention  hereafter  to  use  them  on  all.  It  is  cus- 
tomary to  spread  them  broadcast  as  a  preparation  for  tobacco,  in  which  case 
they  are  so  scattered,  often  imperfectly  covered  by  the  plough,  that  their  vir- 
tue as  a  manure  must  in  a  measure  be  lost ;  whereas,  when  placed  in  a  com- 
pact mass  in  the  trenched  farrows  on  which  most  vegetables  are  planted,  their 
fertilizing  properties  will  be  fully  developed  and  concentrated. 

Very  respectfully,  &c, 

John  C.  Tatlor. 
Oxford,  X.  C,  June  24,  1969. 


Dear  Sim, — I  have  a  lot  of  red  clay  land  containing  two  acres,  in  which  I 
set  young  apple  scions  or  trees  from  the  nursery  of  F.,  D.  &  Co.,  in  the  Fall  of 
1867.  The  lot  is  now  very  well  set  in  red  clover,  but  the  sassafras  bushes  have 
grown  up  so  thick  (and  continue  to  thicken),  that  I  do  not  know  what  to  do  to 
destroy  them — being  a  young  farmer. 

My  idea  is — the  clover  being  now  cut  as  soon  as  it  starts  out  pretty  well — to 
sow  in  two  barrels  of  air  slacked  lime,  and  fallow  as  deeply  as  I  can  with  two 
horses,  following  in  their  furrow  with  a  coalter  furrow,  and  let  it  remain  so 
some  ten  days,  and  then  plough  with  the  "shovel  plough"  once  every  week 
till  about  the  middle  or  last  of  August,  and  then  put  on  say  400  lbs.  of  the 
Gallego  Company's  potato  and  ca'jbage  fertilizer,  (unless  you  can  tell  me  a 
better  for  turnips.)  and  sow  it  down  in  turnip  seed,  and  next  year  cultivate  in 
shipping  tobacco. 

My  object  being  to  get  rid  of  the  sassafras  bushes  and  bring  my  young  trees 
into  bearing  as  early  as  possible.  I  have  thought  probably  the  repeated  plough- 
ing in  the  hot  dry  weather  might  kill  out  a  great  many  of  the  sassafras  bushes, 
and  bv  adding  manure  and  cultivating  the  land,  improve  the  young  trees. 

If  you  will  give  me  your  opinion  upon  what  I  have  written,  or  suggest  any 
other  plan  as  being  better  adapted  to  promote  the  objects  desired,  I  shall  be 

greatly  obliged,  «fcc. 

Very  respectfully,  C. 

June  11,  18G9. 

[W.  D  Gre«ham,  Esq .,  publi-lnd  soms  time  since  an  article  containing  the 
following  plan  for  the  extirpation  of  sassafras,  which  he  highly  appr  >ves  : 
"  The  remedy  which  I  propose  is  as  follows:  in  the  month  of  June,  when  sas- 
safras bushes,  roots  and  briers  have  obtained  their  full  amount  of  leaves,  and 
are  in  a  vigorous  growth,  take  a  grass  scythe  and  cut  them  off  about  two  or 
three  inches  from  the  ground.  This  will  cause  them  to  bleed  freely,  and  if  an 
application  of  from  two  to  three  bushels  of  salt  is  immediately  made,  and 
evenly  scattered  over  them,  their  eradication  may  be  certainly  expected.  Salt 
being  injurious  to  the  growing  vegetation,  it  commences  its  action  by  an  imme- 
diate effect  up?n  the  sap  of  the  plants." 

Mr.  W.  W.  Gilmer  prescribes  mowing  the  bushes  in  May,  and  grazing 
closely,  as  greatly  preferable  to  cultivation. — Eds.  S.  P.  &  F.] 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  447 


To  our  Debtors. 

Accompanying  this  number  of  the  Southern  Planter  and  Firmer  will  be 
found  a  bill  for  arrears  of  subscription  due  by  the  subscriber  to  whom  the  pa- 
per is  addressed.  The  tobacco  crop  has  found  its  way  to  market,  and  the  pro- 
ceeds been  realized,  perhaps,  to  the  extent  of  two-thirds  of  the  whole,  and  ye* 
the  payments  made  us  out  of  its  proceeds  have  been  scarcely  appreciable.  The 
wheat  crop  will  presently  be  in  market.  We  do  earnestly  hope  our  debtors 
will  recognize  our  claim  to  share  in  the  distribution  of  the  proceeds  of  these 
staple  productions.  Have  we  not  fulfilled  our  part  of  the  c  >ntrac.c,  subsisting 
between  us,  without  stinginess  or  parsimony,  but,  on  the  contrary,  with  libe- 
rality and  in  good  faith?  And  will  not  our  debtors  atone  for  past  negligence, 
by  a  prompt  fulfillment  of  the  contract  on  their  part?  We  have  rendered  to 
them  the  quid  pro;  let  them  promptly  return  us  the  needed  quo. 


The  Patrons  of  Husbandry. 

We  learn  from  the  St.  Paul's  Pioneer,  Minnesota,  that  an  Order  of  this  name 
was  founded  and  organized  by  a  number  of  distinguished  agriculturists  of  va- 
rious States,  at  Washington,  in  December,  1867,  for  the  purpose  of  general  im- 
provement in  husband-y,  to  encourage  social  intercourse  in  the  rural  districts, 
to  incite  a  love  for  horticulture,  and  to  relieve  the  tedi  >us  monotony  of  farm 
life  and  labor.  It  is  founded  upon  the  idea  that  the  products  of  the  soil  com- 
prise the  basis  of  all  wealth  ;  that  individual  happiness  depends  upon  general 
prosperity,  and  that  the  wealth  of  a  country  depends  upon  the  general  intelli- 
gence and  mental  culture  of  the  producing  classes. 

They  have  provided  a  commodious  hall,  and  fitted  it  up  elegantly,  for  the 
purposes  of  the  Order,  in  which  they  hold  their  first  meeting  on  the  first  of 
June. 

If  this  Order  confines  itself  strictly  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  ends  and 
object*  above  set  forth,  they  cannot  fail  to  exert  a  beneficial  influence  in  "  the 
general  improvement  of  husbandry  and  in  the  encouragement  of  social  inter- 
course in  the  rural  districts." 


Periodicals. 

The  Land  We  Love  and  New  Eclectic  for  July.  This  interesting  and  instruc- 
tive magazine  comes  to  us  laden,  as  usual,  wicli  the  rich  fruits  of  the  taste  and 
industry  of  its  able  and  judicious  Editors.  Its  contents  always  tend  to  pro- 
mote purity,  elevation  of  purpose  and  refinement  of  manners,  and  deserves  to 
be  carefully  studied  by  all  those  who  aspire  to  the  possession  of  these  distinc- 
tive characteristics.  Turnbull  &  Murdoch,  54  Lexington  street,  Baltimore. 
Yearly  subscription,  $4;  single  copy,  35  cents. 

The  Galaxy  for  July.  This  is  an  exceedingly  rich  number.  The  article 
No.  II,  entitled  "Our  Impending  Chinese  Problem,"  is  the  topic  which  will  ar- 
rest the  attention  of  the  thoughtful,  and  lead  them  to  appreciate  the  fearful 
effects  of  the  political  inventions  which  have  been  sought  out,  ostensibly  for 


448  THE    SOUTHERN  [July 

the  perpetuation  of  power  in  corrupt  and  wicked  hands,  but  really  calculated 
to  brincr  down  their  violent  doings  upon  their  own  heads,  and  precipitate  the 
downfall  and  ruin  of  our  country. 

Appleton's  Journal.  We  have  on  our  table  a  full  file  of  this  handsome  jour- 
nal, in  weekly  numbers,  and  shall  carefully  preserve  and  bind  them,  each 
quarter.  The  Messrs.  Appleton  deserve  much  credit  for  publishing  such  a 
capital  j"urnal  at  so  low  a  price — 10  cents  per  number,  or  $4  per  annum,  in 
advance.  The  iilustration  in  the  number  of  July  10th,  called  "  The  Country 
Blacksmith's  Shop,"  is  life-like  and  very  familiar  to  our  readers. 

Packard's  Monthly — The  Young  Men's  Magazine.  The  July  number  of  this 
journal  is  one  of  the  best  we  have  seen.  S  >me  of  the  articles  are  spicy  ;  all  are 
entertaining;  but  we  are  particularly  struck  with  the  un-gloved  style  in  which 
Miss  Oiive  Logan  handles  modern  theatricals,  and  "  The  Nude  "Woman  Ques- 
tion." We  do  not  admire  Miss  Log:an,  or  her  Woman's  Suffrage  doctrines,  but 
she  certainly  deals  the  "Black  Crook,"  "White  Fawn,"  and  all  such,  most 
telling  blows,  and  we  trust  she  will  continue  to  "fight  it  out  on  that  line,  if 
it  takes  all  summer." 

The  Richmond  and  Louisville  Medical  Journal.  The  June  number  of  this 
valuable  scientific  monthly  gives  evidence  that  it  is  well  sustained.  Its  pages 
are  enriched  by  the  best  medical  talent  of  the  whole  country,  and  no  practic:ng 
physician — especially  in  the  South,  West,  or  Southwest — should  fail  to  send 
$5  to  Dr.  E.  S.  Gaillard,  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  become  a  subscriber. 

Peters'  Musical  Monthly  is  a  very  pleasant  monthly  visitor,  and  our  lady 
friends  should  send  for  a  copy.  The  new  music  obtained  in  twelve  numbers 
should  be  worth  the  subscription  price — $3  per  annum.  Address  J.  L.  Peters, 
publisher,  198  Broadway,  New  York. 

The  Reconstructed  Farmer.  A  monthly  magazine  of  32  pages,  published  at 
Tarborough,  N.  C,  by  James  R.  Thigpen  and  John  S.  Dancy.  It  is  gotten  up 
very  neatly,  and  is  of  a  prepossessing  appearance.  It  is  well  filled  with  se- 
lected and  original  matter  adapted  to  the  necessities  of  the  times.  We  wish 
for  it  a  career  of  usefulness  and  prosperity  commensurate  with  the  ability  and 
enterprise  with  which  it  is  manifestly  conducted. 

The  American  Artisan.  This  useful  journal,  devoted  to  the  interests  of  Ar- 
tisans, Manufacturers,  Inventors,  &c,  after  an  interval  of  some  weeks,  is  again 
restored  to  its  former  regularity  of  appearance  on  our  exchange  table.  Pub- 
lished by  Brown,  Combs  &  Co.,  189  Broadway,  New  York. 

Monthly  Report  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  for  May  and  June,  1869. 

This  interesting  cereal  contains  "  a  condensed  statement  of  the  growing 
crops,  and  articles  upon  Steam  Ploughing  in  New  Jersey  and  Louisiana :  Fruit 
Culture  on  the  Mississippi  Rapids;  Progress  of  Nebraska;  Value  of  Sewage 
Deposits ;  Land  Drainage  in  California  ;  Wheat  Culture  in  Virginia,  &c.  *  *  * 
Agricultural  Exports  ;  Live  Stock  at  Chicago;  British  Wheat;  Imports  and 
British  Wool  Exports ;  together  with  Meteorological  Tables  and  Notes  on  the 
weather  for  the  months  of  April  and  May,  and  a  variety  of  Extracts  from  the 
Correspondence  of  the  Department,"  by  J.  R.  Dodge,  Statistician. 

The  Manufacturer  and  Builder  is  a  very  handsome  quarto  of  32  pages,  issu- 
ed monthly  in  the  interest  of  Manufacturers  and  Builders,  at  the  low  price  of 
$1.50  yearly,  or  sold  by  the  single  copy  at  15  cents. 


THE  SOUTHERN 


PLANTER  &  FARMER, 


DEVOTED  TO 


Agriculture,  Horticulture  and  the  Mining,  Mechanic  and  Household  Arts. 


Agriculture  is  the  nursing  mother  of  the  Arts.— Xenophojt. 
Tillage  and  Pasturage  are  the  two  breasts  of  the  State.— Sully. 


CII:   B.  WILLIAMS, Editor  and  Proprietor 

FRANK  G.  KUFFIN Co-Editor. 


New  Series.  RICHMOND,  VA.,  AUGUST  1869.  Vol.  IIT— No.  8. 


Cisterns. 

As  a  number  of  our  subscribers  wish  to  have  our  well  tried  plan 
for  building  cisterns,  we  have  determined  to  devote  our  column  this 
week  to  it,  though  it  be  at  the  expense  of  some  valuable  agricultural 
matter.  Our  calculations  have  been  revised  by  the  well  known  and 
experienced  architect,  Mr.  A.  L.  West,  of  Richmond.  But  it  must 
be  remembered  that  the  expense  of  building  them  in  a  city  is  three 
or  four  times  as  great  as  it  is  in  the  country.  Without  giving  all 
the  reasons  for  this  great  difference  in  the  cost,  we  will  instance  one 
or  two,  to  give  those  persons  some  idea  of  it  who  have  no  experience 
in  the  matter. 

For  instance,  it  would  cost  forty  cents  per  square  yard  in  the 
city  to  dig  and  cart  off  the  dirt,  whereas  the  cost  to  a  farmer  would 
be  scarcely  anything  at  some  seasons  of  the  year.  We  had  it  done 
before  the  war  for  twelve  and  a  half  cents  per  yard. 

Again,  the  top  of  the  cistern,  in   Richmond,  must  be  made   of 
stone  ;  but  in  the  country,  if  yellow  locust  or  cedar  are  on  the  farm 
the  top  will  not  cost  a  moiety  of  what  the  stone  does. 

This  difference  in  the  cost  will  be  found  in  everythino-  which  is 
required  to  construct  the  cistern. 

Mark  off  a  circle  ten  feet  in  diameter ;  then  take  a  rod  of  round 
iron  about  twelve  feet  long,  pointed  at  one  end,  and  drill  or  drive  it 
down  in  the  ground  ten  feet,  within  the  circle,  in  four  or  five  places, 
to  ascertain  if  there  is  any  solid  rock  in  the  way.  If  there  is,  move 
the  circle,  if  it  can  be  done,  as  the  solid  rock  conflicts  with  a  uni- 
form   settling    of  the  wall_  and  floor  of  the   cistern.     When    the 


450  THE  SOUTHERN  [August 

earth  is  excavated  ten  feet  deep,  put  in  the  wall,  -which  should  be 
made  of  bricks,  nine  inches  thick.  The  bricks  should  be  laid  in 
cement,  and  well  pointed  with  the  same,  which  will  supersede  the 
necessity  of  plastering  the  wall  with  hydraulic  cement.  In  this 
wall,  on  the  side  nearest  the  house,  where  the  filter  should  be  placed 
(if  one  is  desired,)  a  hole  should  be  left,  in  which  to  insert  a 
square  tube,  which  can  be  made  of  four  pieces  of  plank  two  inches 
wide,  for  the  water  to  pass  from  the  filter  to  the  cistern,  five  feet 
from  the  bottom  of  the  cistern.  Another  hole  like  this  should  be 
left  in  the  wall,  two  or  three  inches  from  the  top,  in  which  the 
same  sort  of  tube  (except  it  should  be  a  little  larger)  must  be  placed 
as  a  waste  pipe,  to  prevent  the  water  from  reaching  the  top,  which 
it  would  do  if  there  was  much  roofing  during  a  long  rainy  season. 
The  next  thing  done  should  be  to  put  on  the  top,  which  should  be 
made  of  yellow  locust  or  cedar. — Hew  the  pieces  on  three  sides. 
With  the  unhewed  side  up,  lay  them  as  close  together  as  possible, 
and  strip  the  cracks  with  plastering  lathes  on  the  inside,  so  that 
not  a  particle  of  dirt  can  pass  through.  In  the  top  should  be  left 
an  opening  on  the  side  for  a  chain  pump,  which  is  preferable  to  any 
other  kind  of  pumps  for  cisterns.  By  this  opening  another  should 
be  left  large  enough  for  a  man  to  pass  down  through  on  a  ladder, 
which  should  be  kept  for  the  purpose.  This  opening  should  be 
closed  with  a  trap-door,  which  should  have  a  lock  upon  it.  A  box- 
like frame  should  be  placed  around  these  openings  about  fourteen 
inches  high,  which  will  be  about  the  depth  of  the  earth  which  should 
be,  at  this  point  of  the  construction,  thrown  over  the  whole  top — 
when  it  should  be  sodded  or  grass  seed  sown  upon  it.  The  next 
thing  to  do  is  to  crack  sand  stone,  if  it  can  can  be  had,  (if  not  any 
other  kind  will  do,)  about  the  size  of  a  hickory  nut,  and  spread  it 
on  the  floor  six  inches  deep.  It  should  be  raked  over  and  made 
perfectly  level.  Then  get  a  wide  fiat  stone,  and  place  it  on  the 
cracked  stone  immediately  under  the  opening  for  the  pump  to  rest 
upon.  If  this  is  not  done,  the  chain  will  when  it  stretches  cut  a 
hole  through  the  floor.  After  this  floor  settles  a  day  or  two,  grout 
it  with  cement,  as  much  a3  it  will  take,  about  the  consistency  of 
very  thin  mush  or  thick  gruel.  Of  course  a  lamp  or  candle  must  be 
used  all  the  time,  when  work  is  being  done  on  the  inside.  The  man 
who  does  the  inside  work  must  take  off  his  leather  boots  and  work 
in  his  socks  or  gum  shoes.  When  the  grouting  is  done,  and  has 
dried  off,  put  on  the  floor  a  coat  of  plaster  of  hydrauli  cementc. 

Here  I  will  remark  that  a  substitute   for  the  filter  can  be  had  by 
inserting  a  pump  log  in  the  opening  left  for  the  chain  pump,  which 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  451 

log   should    rest  on    the     broad    stone    provided   for   the     chain 
pump.     This  log  should   be  hollow  and  closed   tight  at  the  lower 
end.     The  hollow  should  be  large  enough  to  hold  as  much  as  pos- 
sible.    Insert  an  inch  pipe  of  some  sort  in  this  hollow  lo-,  to  which 
attach  a  common  iron  pump.     About  an   inch  from  the  bottom,  put 
three  holes   with  an  inch   auger-in  each  of  which  put  a  piece  of 
sponge,  and  over  which   tack   a  piece  of  gauze   wire.     The  sponge 
and  gauze  wire  filter  and  strain  the  water  as  it  passes  into  the  log 
But  if  a  filter  13  preferred,  it  must  be  built  exactly  like  the  cistern- 
except  half  the   depth  and  diameter-and   four  or  five  stones,  the 
the  size  of  the  first,  must  be   placed  over  and  around  the  hole  or 
end  of  the  square  tube  referred  to  above.     Put  a  piece  of  coarse 
bagging  over   the   stone,  and   on  that  put  about  one-half  bushel  of 
sand  stone  and  charcoal,  which  should  be  cracked  in  pieces  the  size 
of  small  gravel.     Leave  a  trap  door  as  in  case  of  cistern-as  it  will 
be  necessary  to  go  at  least  once  a  year  to  clean  out  the   filter  and 
renew  the  filtrating  material. 

The  reason  for  making  the  cistern  ronnd  and  not  square,  is  that  the 
exterior  pressure  strengthens  the  former,  and  will  certainly  bulge  the 
latter.  The  reason  for  avoiding  solid  rock  is,  that  the  floor  and  wall  will 
unsettle  equally,  and  much  mending  and  trouble  is  the  consequence, 
lhe  reason  for  complteing  the  top  at  the  point  named,  is  that  all 
jarring  and  settling  takes  place  before  the  wall  is  pointed  and 
floor  made,  which  would  be  injured  by  doing  it  afterwards. 

The  advantage  of  the  chain  pump  is,  that  it  does  not  freeze,  and 
any  child  can  lift  the  water  from  that  depth ;  besides  it  is  very  cheap. 
We  purchased  one  before  the  war,  with  chain  tube,  wheel  and  or- 
namental cast-iron  top,  for  nine  dollars.  The  advantage  of  brick 
instead  of  stone,  is  that  the  wall  settles  more  regularly,  and  it 
requ.res  considerably  less  cement.  The  brick  from  an  old  chimney 
is  usually  the  best,  as  they  are  often  very  hard.  The  yellow  locust 
tor  the  top  is  preferred,  because  no  man  will  live  long  enough  to 
see  it  rot-indeed,  we  know  a  piece  similarly  situated  to. 
that  m  the  top  of  the  cistern,  which  is  in  a  perfect  state  of  pres- 
ervation which  has  been  thus  situated  certainly  more  than  a  hun. 
area  years. 

We  were  about  to  make  a  siatement  of  the  cost  of  materials  for  a 
ten  foot  cistern,   but  those   things  vary  so  much,  according  to  cir- 
cumstances, it  is  useless.     Besides  the  two  instances  given  above 
we  will  name  one  more.  ' 

Hydraulic  cement  costs  in  Richmond  three  dollars  per  barrel; 


452  THE    SOUTHERN  [August 

but  if  a  farmer  is  within  a  day's  drive  of  a  cement  mill,  or  if  he  is 
on  a  railroad  or  canal  which  passes  one,  he  can  send  his  bags 
for  the  cement,  which  will  then  cost  him  twenty-five  or  thirty  cents 
per  bushel,  or  about  one  dollar  per  barrel.  Some  cements  take 
about  one  fourth  sand,  and  some  considerably  more.  The  proper 
quantity  should  be  ascertained  by  trying.  The  most  important 
thing  to  be  considered  when  using  the  cement,  after  learning  how 
much  sand  should  mix  with  it,  is  the  rapidity  with  which  it  sets. 
Therefore,  very  little  should  be  mixed  at  a  time. 

This  cistern  will  hold  5,870  gallons,  or  about  a  hundred  and 
fifty  barrels  of  water.  A  small  house  say  40  by  20  feet,  will  pro- 
duce about  27,600  gallons,  or  690  barrels  annually,  of  water,  which 
is  about  two  barrels  a  clay  through  the  year — more  than  a  family 
of  size  suited  to  that  house  could  possibly  need.  Put  in  the  cis- 
tern three  or  four  small  fish — they  keep  it  perfectly  pure.  Some 
persons  think  they  are  the  best  substitute  for  a  filter.  Use  in  this 
case  a  strainer  to  keep  out  coarse  dirt  which  may  be  washed  from  the 
houses,  and  never  feed  the  fish  except  when  the  water  is  perfectly 
transparent.  Any  opacity  in  the  water  shows  the  presence  of  ani- 
mal life,  which  the  fish  live  upon ;  and  when  they  increase  to  an 
unnecessary  number,  catch  them  with  hook  and  line,  when  a  nice  fry 
may  be  had. 

A  cistern  one  foot  larger  than  this  cost  us  before  the  late  war,  a 
fraction  less  than  seventy  dollars.  If  persons  knew  the  comfort 
they  afford,  no  man  who  is  able  to  build  one  would  be  without  it. — 
Religious  Herald. 


When  to  Cut  Grass  for  Making  Hay. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  American  Institute  Farmers  Club,  held  on  the  29.h  of 
June,  the  following  interesting  discussion  arose,  as  reported  by  the 
Neiv  York  Semi-Weekly  Times.  Although  it  appears  in  this  Journal  too  late  to 
be  available  to  our  readers  the  present  year,  it  is  emioently  worthy  of  preserva- 
tion for  their  future  use  : — 

WHEN   TO    CUT    GRASS    FOR    MAKING   HAY. 

As  many  farmers  are  now  beginning  to  mow,  the  subject  of 
making  hay  was  introduced  by  S.  E.  Todd,  who  opened  the  discus- 
sion by  saying  that : 

"  There  are  certain  gross  errors  cherished  by  many  farmers  in 
regard  to  the  best  period  in  the  growth  of  grass  for  making  hay. 
And  some  most  absurd  notions  have  been  promulgated  in  years  past 
in  regard  to  the  manner  of  curing  hay  in  certain  periodicals  claim 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  453 


ing  to  be  correct  and  reliable  agricultural  authority;  and  these 
errors  continue  to  be  propagated  from  year  to  year,  by  men  who 
never  made  a  ton  of  hay,  and  who  are  utterly  ignorant  of  the  fun- 
damental principles  of  this  branch  of  agriculture.  As  new  begin- 
ners come  into  possession  of  meadows  every  season  they  natu- 
rally aim  to  be  guided  by  the  most  reliable  authorities  on 
haymaking.  Therefore  as  the  blind  have  continued  to  lead  the 
blind,  the  result  has  been,  and  will  continue  to  be  so,  long  as  such 
errors  are  promulgated,  the  dumb  animals  are  required  to  subsist  on 
mouldy,  musty,  and  unpalatable  food,  when,  with  no  more  labor, 
their  daily  allowance  might  be  a  liberal  supply  of  sweet  smelling 
hay. 

At  what  period  in   the  stage  of  the  growth  of  grass  do  animals 
eat  it  with  the  greatest  avidity  ?     Of  course,  when  the  leaves  and 
stems    are  fresh  and  green.     Now,  then,  if  it  were  better  for  the 
animals  that  the  fresh  grass  should  be  covered  with  a  sprinkling  of 
mould  and  have  a  musty  smell,  rather  than  the  delicious  taste  and 
grateful  fragrance,   that  green  grass  possesses,   why  did   the  great 
agriculturist  of  the  universe  make  such  an  egregious  mistake  to  fur- 
nish the  beast  of  the  field  with  such  food  when  it  might  have  been  differ- 
ent ?     Hay  is  dried  grass.     And  the  nearer  the  hay  resembles  fresh 
grass  the  more  excellent  the  quality  will  always  be.     Here  then,  we 
have  a  reliable  starting  point  to  enable  us  to  decide  as  to  the   most 
correct  period  of  the  growth  of  grass  to  cut  for  hay.     Hay  made  of 
grass,  cut  before  the  blossoms  have  appeared  will  be  better  and  more 
fragrant  than  if  the  grass  had  been  allowed  to  stand  until  the  flow- 
ers  are  in  full  bloom.     Yet  if  this  period  was   chosen  for  cutting 
grass  the  hay   would   be  excellent ;  but  a  great  loss  would  be  sus- 
tained as  to  the  quantity.  Therefore,  by  allowing  the  grass  to  grow 
until  the  blossoms   have    nearly  all  appeared,  we  have  the  double 
advantage  of  that  stage  of  growth   which  will  make   sweet-smellino- 
hay  in  the  largest  quantity  ^that  it  is  possible   for  a  given  meadow 
to  yield.     As    the  period  for  cutting  grass   is  chosen  either  before 
the  blossoms  have  appeared   or  after  they  have  fallen,  the  mate- 
rial that    would  have   made  the  best  of  nourishment   for  domestic 
animals  changes  rapidly  into  unpalatable   woody  fibre,   which    will 
furnish  animals  no  more  nourishment  than  corn  cobs  and  saw  dust. 
Great  weight  and  bulk  of  fair-looking  hay  may  be  obtained  by  allow- 
ing grass  to  stand  until  the  blossoms  have  disappeared.     But  the 
quality  is  quite  inferior. 

When  druggists  and  botanical  physicians  gather  plants  and  herbs 
for  medicinal  purposes,  at  what  period  in  the  stage  of  the  growth 


454  THE  SOUTHERN  [August 

do  they  cut  them  ?  Always  when  they  are  iu  full  bloom,  if  it  is 
practicable.  And  why  at  that  particular  period  of  developement. 
Because  they  know  when  herbs  are  gathered  at  the  period  of  full 
bloom,  the  stems  and  leaves  will  yield  a  larger  percentage  of  aroma 
and  medicinal  qualities  than  if  cut  at  an  earlier  or  a  latter  period. 
The  same  fact  holds  equally  good  of  all  kinds  of  green  fodder,  in- 
cluding the  grasses,  clovers  and  maize.  Grass  that  is  cut  when  in 
full  bloom  and  properly  cured,  without  bleaching,  or  too  much 
scorching  in  the  sun,  or  sweating  or  heating  in  the  mow,  will  make 
hay  resemble  grass  so  nearly  that  the  hay  will  furnish  almost  as 
much  real  nourishment  to  those  animals  that  eat  it  as  it  would  yield 
in  a  green  condition.  If  grass  be  allowed  to  stand  until  the  seed 
have  matured  and  the  leaves  and  stems  have  become  dry,  the  hay 
made  of  it  will  *go  much  farther  than  if  the  grass  had  been  cut 
when  in  full  bloom,  on  the  same  principle  that  flour  made  of  unsound 
wheat  will  go  much  further  than  an  equal  number  of  pounds  of 
choice  flour,  when  made  into  bread.  Stock  will  very  often  eat 
very  indifferent  hay  with  an  apparently  good  relish.  Hunger  shar- 
pens the  appetite ;  and  they  must  eat  such  food  as  has  been  prepar- 
ed or  do  worse.  But  it  is  by  no  means  a  satisfactory  argument  that 
because  stock  eat  poor  hay  with  avidity,  all  grass  should  be  allow- 
ed to  stand  until  it  will  yield  the  largest  quantity  of  inferior  fodder. 
The  correct  point,  then,  is  to  cut  crass  for  hay,  when  the  blossoms 
are  fully  developed. 

Dr.  I.  P.  Trimble. — Mr.  Chairman,  are  we  to  understand  that 
timothy  grass  (Phelum  pretense)  is  not  to  be  allowed  to  stand  until 
the  blossoms  have  fallen  ?  I  would  ask  Mr.  Todd  if  he  intended  to 
teach  that  timothy  grass  should  be  cut  when  in  full  bloom  ? 

Mr.  Todd — I  do  hold  that  the  correct  period  in  the  stage  of  the 
growth  of  any  grass — not  excepting  the  Phelum  pretense — is  when 
the  blossoms  are  fully  developed.  If  cut  then  and  properly  cured,  it 
will  make  prime  hay  in  the  largest  quantity. 

Dr.  Trimble — that  is  a  very  great  error.  Timothy  grass  should 
always  be  allowed  to  stand  until  the  blossoms  have  entirely  disap- 
peared. It  is  a  mistake  to  cut  hay  when  in  blossom.  It  makes  the 
hay  dusty  on  account  of  the  great  quantity  of  pollen  thus  collected. 
But  if  the  grass  is  allowed  to  stand  until  the  pollen  has  fallen,  the 
hay  will  be  free  from  dust. 

Mr.  Todd — If  I  am  promulgating  error,  Doctor,  it  is  your  duty 
to  expose  it. 

J.  A.  Whitney — There  is  a  scientific  principle  involved  in  this 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER  455 

matter,  which  goes  to  show  that  Dr.  Trimble  is  mistaken  and  Mr. 
Todd  is  right.  In  succulent  plants  the  sugar  and  starch  increase 
until  the  flowering  culminates  ;  but  when  the  seed  begins  to  form, 
the  sugar  and  starchy  matter  are  cemented  into  indigestible,  woody 
substance.  The  dust  of  timothy  blossoms  cannot  be  a  tithe  of 
the  quantity  mixed  with  hay  by  the  use  of  the  horse  rake. 

W.  S.  Carpenter — There  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  is  much  the 
best  to  cut  grass  when  in  blossom.  It  not  only  makes  better  hay 
but  it  exhausts  the  soil  much  less.  And  I  believe  it  is  safe  to  cut 
the  grass  before  the  blossoms  have  appeared.  I  am  satisfied,  that 
if  cut  at  this  early  stage  of  the  growth,  the  hay  will  be  of  a  supe- 
rior quality  if  properly  cured.  More  than  this,  we  should  aim  to 
protect  our  meadows  by  early  mowing.  Grass  that  is  allowed  to 
mature  the  seeds  before  it  is  cut,  will  exhaust  the  soil  and  also  the 
vitality  of  the  grass  roots  far  more  than  if  the  crop  were  cut  just 
before  the  blossoms  are  fully  developed,  as  has  already  been  stated. 

Jas.  A.  Whitney — There  is  a  little  chemistry  involved  in  this 
subject,  which  will  show  that  the  facts  stated  and  the  theory  coin- 
cide. When  any  plants,  not  excepting  the  cereal  grains  and  grasses, 
ses,  are  allowed  to  mature  their  seeds,  the  growth  of  seeds  takes 
much  more  phosphoric  acid  from  the  soil  than  herbage  does.  Cut 
grass  when  in  bloom  and  you  will  have  the  best  quality  of  hay 
without  taking  the  manurial  substance  from  the  soil  that  will  be 
needed  for  the  next  grain  or  seed  crop. 

A.  B.  Crandell — In  a  certain  black-letter  volume,  du^t-covered 
and  worm-eaten  now,  printed  some  hundreds  of  years  before  the  era 
of  modern  collegiate  agriculture,  I  can  find  one  of  the  old  teachers — 
Mr.  Cono  by  name — laying  the  down  the  law  on  this  subject  in  this 
wise:  "  The  grasse  being  cut,  you  are  to  consider  of  what  nature  grasse 
is,  whether  very  coarse  and  full  of  strong  weedes,  thicke  leaves 
and  great  store  of  peony-grasse,  or  else  exceeding  fine  and  void  of 
anything  which  asketh  much  wethering.  If  it  be  of  the  first  kind, 
then  after  the  mowing  you  shall  first  ted  it,  then  raise  it  into  little 
grasse  cockes  as  bigge  as  small  molehills,  )?)after  turne  them  and 
make  them  up  again,  then  spread  them  ;  and  after  full  drying  put 
them  into  wind  rowes,  so  into  greater  cockes,  then  break  those  open, 
and  after  they  have  received  the  strength  of  the  sunne,  then  put 
three  or  four  cookes  into  one,  and  lastily  leade  them  into  the  barns." 


Two  young  farmers  near  Mineapolis,  Minessota,  put  eleven  acres 
of  land  in  hops. 


456  THE  SOUTHERN  [August 


Notes  of  Southern  Travels. 

An  English  gentleman,  Mr.  Bower  Wood  of  Long  Island  City, 
has  just  returned  from  a  journey  to  the  South,  and  reports  as  fol- 
lows :  We  found  throughout  North  Carolina  and  Virginia  every 
disposition  to  welcome  immigration,  to  put  aside  politics,  and  an 
earnest  wish  to  embrace  every  Northern  suggestion  and  improve- 
ment. The  negroes  are  disappointed  because  they  do  not  each  get 
a  forty  acre  farm  and  a  mule,  but  as  a  rule  they  are  never  trouble- 
some or  dangerous.  In  truth  they  require  the  incentive  of  the 
master's  eye,  or  else  a  faithfully-fulfilled  contract,  by  the  piece  or 
acre,  just  as  white  laborers  do.  Their  wages  vary  from  ST  to  810 
per  month,  and  rations,  which  do  not  cost  altogether  more  than  $10 
per  month  more  The  females  make  excellent  in-door  ser- 
vants, and  can  be  hired  at  nearly  half  the  above.  We  found  all 
portions  of  the  State  above-named  healthy,  and  with  the  advantage 
over|the  Western  section  of  nearness  to  market,  plenty  of  splendid 
timber,  and  good  water.  We  felt  the  heat  no  more  than  in  New 
York,  and  farmers  assured  us  that  they  could  do  that  hardest  of  alL 
•svork — the  hoeing  of  cotton — all  day  in  the  hottest  sun.  The  qual- 
ity of  the  land  is  various,  but  equal  to  any  section  North,  that  we 
know  of,  and  wherever  proper  cultivation,  rotation  of  crops,  and 
manures  are  applied,  the  results  are  an  excess  of  Northern  pro- 
ducts on  the  same  area.  Japan  clover,  white  and  red  clover,  and  the 
grasses  can  generally  be  grown,  white  cotton  at  the  present  price, 
and  the  vineyard,  which  is  being  rapidly  inaugurated,  render  a  far- 
mers success  speedy  and  certain.  The  prices  of  lands  vary  from 
§3  to  $30  per  acre.  In  the  cities  and  towns  large-sized  lots  can  be 
got  from  $50  to  $500. (?)  Houses  and  grounds  which  cost  five  times 
their  present  price,  can  be  readily  obtained.  Even  in  the  mineral 
regions  land  is  still  very  cheap.  We  saw  a  large  fruit  farm,  only  four 
miles  from  Raleigh,  rich  in  gold  and  plumbago,  with  good  house 
and  180  acres,  that  could  now  be  bought  for  $1,500.  The  owner 
was  the  former  postmaster,  and  a  much  respected  man.  One-fourth 
cash,  and  three  to  five  years'  credit,  are  the  general  terms ;  while 
many  properties  can  be  hired,  with  an  option  of  purchase,  at  a 
stated  price  agreed  upon  beforehand.  Even  mere  laborers  are 
readily  welcomed,  for  their  energy  is  much  needed,  and  they  form 
a  check  upon  the  negro,  who,  as  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Smith  of  Raleigh 
remarked  to  us,  has  at  present  no  proper  standard  by  which  to 
measure    a   day's  work.     Mechanics  and  artizans  would  find  nice 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  457 

openings  and  be  free  from  much  of  that  wear  and  tear  which  char- 
acterizes the  struggle  for  life  in  more  inclement  latitudes. 

By  taking  a  trip  to  Norfolk,  Portsmouth,  Richmond,  Lynchburg* 
Weldon,  Raleigh  and  Asheville,  the  intending  emigrant  may  rea- 
dily satisfy  himself  as  to  which  is  the  best  spot  on  which  to  settle 
according  to  his  capacity  and  capital.  Cheap  return  tickets  are 
issued  by  the  Virginia  State  Land  Company,  whilst  the  famous 
North  Carolina  Land  Company,  of  which  our  genial  New-Yorker, 
A.  J.  Bleecker,  is  a  director,  have  issued  tickets  for  the  round  trip 
from  Boston  or  New  York  for  $24  This  is  a  most  respectable  and 
bona  fide  association.  W.  S.  Kingsland  of  New  York  is  a  resident 
director  at  Raleigh,  and  very  acceptable  to  Southern  settlers,  while 
the  Hon.  R.  W.  Best,  Secretary  of  State,  is  Grand  Master  of  the 
Masonic  Lodge  [in  North  Carolina,  and  by  his  urbanity  and  fair- 
ness will  be  found  equally  deserving  of  confidence.  We  heartily 
wish  all  such  societies  full  success.  We  are  assured  that  the  pre- 
sent farms  are  too  large  for  the  means  of  present  holders.  They  will 
cheerfully  part  with  a  portion  to  enchance  the  value  of  the  remain- 
der and  to  secure  a  good  neighborhood.  That  this  season  will  be  a 
happy  one  for  the  South  we  do  fully  believe.  Some  immigration 
and  capital  have  already  taken  place;  the  full  stream  will  soon  fol- 
low. The  present  wheat  crop  is  all  safe,  and  the  best  known  for 
many  years.  Oats  and  vegetables  are  more  than  an  average  crop, 
tobacco  is  fair,  and  though  the  season  is  backward,  cotton  is  gene- 
rally in  blossom  and  the  yield  at  the  present  prices  promises  to  be 
the  most  enriching  of  any  that  has  occurred  of  late  years.  The 
South  will  soon  be  fully  recuperated.  Norfolk  will  soon  be  a  busy 
entrepot  worthy  of  its  magnificent  harbor,  and  Wilmington  must 
have  her  share  of  direct  intercourse.  It  ought  to  be  the  earnest 
and  daily  prayer  and  work  of  all  good  Americans  to  do  all  that  in 
them  lies  to  help  forward  this  intermixing  and  prosperous  knitting 
together  of  all  parts  of  our  country. — N.    Y.   Tribune. 


The  Alkali  Earth  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  as  a  Fertilizer. 

Judge  J.  G.  Knapp.  Madison,  Wis. — During  a  residence  of  many 
months  in  the  central  regions  of  this  great  continent,  I  took  note  of 
the  available  mineral  and  agricultural  resources  of  these  Territories. 
Perhaps  it  is  not  generally  known  that  much  of  the  material  com- 
monly known  by  travelers  as  alkali,  spread  in  vast  deposits  on  our 
western  plains,  and  which  the  Mexicans  call  salitra,  is  a   compound 


458  THE  SOUTHERN  [August 

salt,  of  which  nitrate  of  soda  is  a  large  constituent,  the  other  ingre- 
dients consisting  of  carbonate  and  chlorate  of  soda,  with  salts  of 
potash.  Some  difference  in  composition  exists  in  different  localities- 
Besides  the  useful  arts  to  which  it  may  be  applied,  salitra  supplies 
the  place  of  salt  to  the  cattle  and  sheep  ;  and  though  poisonous 
to  vegetation  vrhere  it  exists  in  excess,  yet  in  smaller  quantities, 
but  sufficient  to  be  plainly  visible  by  its  inflorescence,  yet  it  is  a  val- 
uable manure,  especially  for  wheat,  beets,  and  onions,  and  causes 
New  Mexico  to  produce  such  fine  grapes,  peaches,  and  quinces  as 
can  be  found  in  no  country  where  the  salt  does  not  exist.  The 
apple-tree  and  cotton-wood,  and  some  other  forrest  trees  are  bene- 
fitted by  its  presence.  There  are  places  particularly  in  New  Mexico, 
where  it  might  be  gathered  in  almost  inexhaustible  quantities. 
Would  it  not  make  a  valuable  dressing  for  vines,  quinces,  peaches, 
and  other  crops,  and  thus  pay  for  collection  and  transportation  ? 
Where  I  have  seen  it  there  are  no  "large  accumulations  of  decaying 
organic  matter"  to  furnish  the  nitrogen  for  the  formation  of  salt, 
therefore  I  am  of  opinion  that  the  nitrogen  is  derived  either  from 
the  atmosphere,  during  the  hot,  dry  seasons,  or  from  the  ground 
through  some,  to  me,  unknown  volcanic  action,  as  all  the  hot 
springs  yield  some  of  the  combinations  of  this  alkaline  earth. 

[Note. — The  Club  has  long  thought  that  the  deposits  on 
the  alkali  flats  of  the  wide  central  plateau  of  this  continent,  though 
now  condemning  those  surfaces  to  sterrility,  might  prove  a  valuable 
manure  on  lands  where  potash  and  soda  are  not  abundant.  They 
would  suggest  to  some  readers  of  these  reports,  who  live  near  those 
regions  to  forward  a  barrel  of  alkaline  earth  to  the  American  Insti- 
tute of  New  York  City  to  be  used  experimentally  as  a  manure.] 

N.   Y.    Tribune. 


Clipping  Horses. 

3fessrs.  Editors, — I  have  repeatedly  been  asked  my  opinion  rela- 
tive to  the  merits  and  demerits  of  clipping  horses.  As  people  are 
generally  slow  to  receive  an  innovation,  whatever  may  be  its  value, 
I  will  (through  the  medium  of  your  valuable  paper)  give  my  views 
in  as  explicit  and  concise  a  form  as  possible.  Clipping  has  a  real 
and  magical  effect  upon  the  horse.  The  undipped  horse  is  dis- 
tressed by  little  exertion  ;  he  puffs  and  blows  and  perspires  if  driven 
or  ridden  at  only  a  moderate  pace;  he  becomes  soon  exhausted; 
can  scarcely  get  along,  stumbling  frequently,  and  is  in  fact  sadly 
under  the  mark.     But  clip  him,  lo  and  behold !  he  can  go  double 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  459 

the  distance  and  do  double  the  work  without  fatigue.  He  is  quick 
in  his  paces,  light-hearted,  and  elastic  as  a  fawn.  A  marvellous 
change  takes  place.  What  is  it?  Echo  answers  what.  Have  we 
imparted  to  his  system,  suddenly,  an  increased  amount  of  muscle, 
more  blood,  or  more  nerve?  No,  nothing  of  the  kind.  Then  what 
have  we  done?  Here  is  a  fine  field  for  earnest  scientific  contem- 
plation. I  believe  its  beneficial  influence  is  attributable  to  the 
altered  arrangement  of  the  electric  force,  developing  increased 
vitality.  That  the  great  supporter  of  vital  power  is  an  immaterial 
substance,  closely  resembling,  if  not  identical,  with  that  which  has 
been  termed  electricity,  will  not  be  disputed;  and  when  the  horse 
is  shorn  of  his  thick  heavy  coat,  the  body  is  not  insulated  as  it  was 
before,  and  there  is  now  established  a  pure  current  or  circuit  of 
electrical  fluid  in  and  out  of  every  part  of  it,  creating  an  exhila- 
rating excitement  and  an  increased  tone  of  the  whole  organic  sys- 
tem. We  find  the  surface  of  the  skin  is  warmer  in  a  clipped  horse 
than  it  was  before;  it  is  quite  manifest  to  the  hand.  That  this 
augmentation  or  increased  supply  of  caloric  is  derived  from  the 
increased  combustion  of  carbon  is  more  than  probable;  also,  more 
oxygen  is  consumed,  and  it  therefore  necessarily  follows  that  the 
removal  of  this  outer  barrier  to  the  passage  of  electricity  into  the 
body,  which,  in  accordance  with  the  inherent  powers  it  possesses,  is 
like  a  metallic  chain  extending  from  the  conductor  of  an  electric 
machine  to  the  great  reservoir  of  the  electric  fluid,  the  earth,  and 
therefore  is,  when  excited,  robbing  the  body  of  its  greatest  source 
of  electricity.  I  would  earnestly  recommend  that  the  integument 
be  stripped  of  this  non-conductor — this  thick  heavy  covering — and 
depend  upon  it  the  horse  would  be  more  healthy,  less  subject  to  fati- 
gue, consume  less  food,  &c,  &c,  perform  his  work  with  more  celerity 
and  buoyant  spirit,  and  with  far  greater  pleasure  to  the  rider  and 
driver. 

I  am,  Mr.  Editor, 

Yours  very  respectfully, 

J.  R.  Freeman,  VS. 
Veterinary  Infirmary,  cor.  14th  and  Ross  sts.,  Richmond,  Va. 


The  True  System  of  Farming. 

Trying  to  do  too  much  is  a  common  error  into  which  the  farmer 

often  falls.     His  great  eagerness  in  striving  to  be  rich  is  doubtless 

the  cause  of  his  error.     He  is  ambitious  and  energetic,  and  forms 

his  plans  on  a  large  scale,  too  often,  perhaps,  without  counting  the 


460  THE  SOUTHERN  [August 


cost.  He  buys  a  large  farm  and  wants  to  be  called  a  "large 
farmer,"  without  understanding  or  considering  the  true  elements 
that  constitute  a  real  farmer.  He  fancies  the  greatness  of  that 
profession,  as  is  too  often  the  common  estimate,  to  be  in  proportion 
to  the  number  of  acres,  not  to  say  cultivated,  embraced  within  the 
boundaries  of  his  domain.  The  fact  is  now  being  spread  abroad, 
that  a  large  farm  does  not  make  a  man  either  rich,  contented  or 
happy,  but  on  the  contrary,  the  reverse  of  all  these,  unless  well 
tilled,  when  his  labor  is  rewarded  by  ample  crops  and  fair  success 
in  the  various  departments  in  which  he  is  engaged.  No  farmer  can 
realize  the  full  benefits  of  his  profession  without  adopting  a  tho- 
rough system  of  culture.  His  success,  commensurate  to  his  wishes, 
always  depends  upon  the  manner  in  which  he  prepares  his  grounds, 
plants  his  seed,  and  rears  his  stock.  Neither  of  these  departments, 
which  may  be  considered  the  cardinal  ones  of  bis  profession,  will 
take  care  of  themselves.  The  soil  may  be  rich,  but  it  needs  cul- 
ture. His  seed  may  be  sown,  but  it  should  be  in  due  time,  and 
always  on  soil  well  prepared  and  of  a  suitable  quality  for  the  pro- 
duction of  the  crop  desired.  His  stock  must  be  constantly  cared 
for — it  derives  its  thrift  from  the  soil,  and  sends  again  to  that  soil 
the  sustenance  it  requires ;  but  this  is  not  done  in  a  loose  or  hap- 
hazard way.  The  farmer's  care  is  required,  and  all  his  better  judg- 
ment must  be  exercised  in  keeping  up  this  system  of  reciprocal 
benefits  that  may  be  realized  by  every  intelligent  and  industrious 
farmer. 

Thorough  cultivation  and  systematic  attention  to  all  parts  of  his 
business  is  indispensable  to  a  good  degree  of  success.  The  very 
corner  stone  to  this  whole  system  of  farming,  is  to  do  what  you  do 
thoroughly — nature  will  not  be  cheated,  and  never  gives  full  re- 
turns to  the  half  way  work  that  is  practiced  by  vastly  too  many 
calling  themselves  farmers.  If  the  land  has  been  worn,  the  extent 
of  that  exhaustion  and  the  food  required  must  be  first  considered. 
When  ascertained,  the  full  measure  of  these  requirements  must  be 
given,  to  bring  out  full  returns.  If  the  farmer  has  but  a  small 
stock,  and  consequently  but  a  small  amount  of  manure  to  replenish 
his  land,  it  is  obvious  that  but  a  small  farm  can  be  supplied  with  it; 
and  good  judgment  at  once  dictates  that  to  cultivate  properly  a 
large  farm,  artificial  fertilizer  must  be  used  if  good  crops  are  ob- 
tained. And  so  with  the  labor,  two  men  cannot  suitably  till  one 
hundred  acres  of  land,  when  the  labor  of  two  men,  and  perhaps 
four,  might  be  profitably  employed  on  seventy-five  acres. 

This  is  the  great  error  in  farming.     Two  men  strive  to  do  what 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  461 

four  can  hardly  do,  and  thus  thousands  of  acres  are  run  over,  half 
tilled,  and  producing  half  crops.  The  land  is  run  over  till  worn 
out,  sustaining  year  after  year  the  unnatural  tax,  till  its  energies 
are  entirely  exhausted,  and  it  fails  to  yield  even  a  feeble  crop,  be- 
cause its  life  is  worn  out.  Much  of  the  soil  in  Virginia  and  other 
Southern  States  is  a  type  of  this.  Thousands  of  acres  are  entirely 
useless  and  exhausted,  and  will  ever  remain  so,  till  the  first  elements 
of  its  power  are  returned  to  it.  This  process  is  going  on  in  many 
of  the  Western  States.  The  soil  is  treated  like  an  inexhaustible 
mine ;  the  tillers  crying  give,  give,  give !  till  in  a  few  years  it  will 
have  nothing  to  give.  The  boast  of  the  West  is,  large  farms  and 
large  fields  of  grain  ;  plough,  sow  and  reap,  is  the  business  of  West- 
ern farmers,  drawing  out  the  very  life  of  the  soil,  sending  away  in 
the  heavy  exports  that  are  constantly  going  onward,  without  return- 
ing to  the  soil  the  food  it  requires  to  make  it  productive. 

The  light  that  is  being  spread  abroad  on  this  subject  is  beginning 
to  correct  this  practice  to  some  extent,  but  in  most  instances  very 
little  is  returned  to  the  soil  to  keep  it  alive,  till  after  several  years 
of  continual  cropping,  it  manifests  signs  of  exhaustion  and  ultimate 
barrenness.  When  tillers  of  the  soil  understand  their  true  inter- 
ests, they  will  cultivate  no  more  land  than  they  can  do  well.  Fifty 
acres  of  land  for  tillage,  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation, 
pays  better  than  one  hundred  run  over  in  the  way  that  many  do. — 
Jefferson  Farmer. 


Making  a  Poor  Farm  Rich. 

Some  twenty-five  or  thirty  years  ago,  I  bought  a  farm  contain- 
ing about  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land.  It  had  been 
managed  badly  for  many  years  preceding  the  sale  of  it.  Fence 
rows,  where  hundreds  of  loads  of  stone  had  been  hauled  off  the  ad- 
jacent fields,  were  from  ten  to  twenty  feet  wide,  and  were  filled 
wth  cedars,  cherry  trees,  allers,  sassafras,  briers,  rotten  rail-,  &c. 
Gutters  were  washed  in  various  places,  exposing  a  stony  barren 
soil,  that  looked  like  anything  else  than  desirable  farm  land.  An 
old  farmer,  on  the  day  of  sale,  remarked  in  reference  to  the  gulleys 
in  the  fields,  that  it  mattered  but  little  if  all  such  land  was  washed 
away.  The  buildings  were  old  and  dilapidated  and  needed  imme- 
diate repairs,  to  render  them  at  all  comfortable  for  man  or  beast. 
This  property,  however,  had  two  redeeming  traits — it  was  well 
wooded  and  well  watered. 

As  was  the  farm,  so  was  the  farmer — poor.     To  better  this  state 


462  THE  SOUTHERN  [August 

of  things  was  the  aim  of  the  writer,  which  could  not  be  accomplished 
without  much  hard  work.  This  had  to  be  done,  and  he  had  to  do 
it.  "Wood  had  to  be  cut  and  hauled  to  the  kiln  ;  lime  to  be  burned, 
hauled  and  spread  ;  fence  rows  cleaned,  fences  made,  &c.  I  put 
one  thousand  bushels  of  lime  on  two  ten-acre  fields,  in  the  fall, 
before  possession  was  given.  These  fields  were  ploughed  in  the 
following  spring,  and  put  in  with'  corn,  which  yielded,  when  husked 
not  over  fifty  bushels  of  sound  corn  altogether.  From  one  of  them, 
however,  I  got  one  hundred  bushels  of  buckwheat,  having  sown  some 
seed  among  the  sparse  and  puny-looking  stalks  of  corn  about  the 
middle  of  July. 

The  next  season  both  fields  were  put  in  with  oats,  averaging 
forty  bushels  per  acre.  I  sowed  clover  and  timothy  on  the  oats, 
and  rolled  them  all  in  together.  The  season  was  favorable  and 
seed  took  well.  I  mowed  these  fields  two  summers  in  succession, 
and  had  a  very  good  crop  of  hay.  I  then  put  five  hundred  bushels 
on  one  of  the  fields  ;  and  in  the  spring  planted  it  with  corn,  which 
yielded  me  four  hundred  bushels  without  the  offal.  No  manure 
whatever  was  used  for  the  crop  in  addition  to  the  lime,  excepting 
that  the  corn  was  plastered  in  the  hill.  Oats,  wheat,  (manured  from 
the  barn-yard,)  and  two  crops  of  grass  followed.  The  ground  was 
then  limed  again  as  before,  and  I  gathered  the  ensuing  season  sixty 
bushels  of  corn  per  acre.  The  other  fields  on  the  farm  have  been 
worked  as  this,  with  about  the  same  results,  excepting  the  corn  which 
I  think  has  not  been  equaled  since.  There  were  but  two  acres  of 
wheat  on  the  place,  when  I  bought  it,  as  all  the  manure  made 
would  not  cover  a  greater  extent  than  this,  after  a  sufficiency  was 
taken  out  for  a  potato  patch  and  garden.  Two  horses  and  three 
cows  constituted  about  all  the  stock.  Now  there  are  five  horses  and 
upwards  of  twenty  head  of  cattle  kept.  The  manure  they  make  is 
sufficient  for  twenty  acres  of  ground  annually.  By  increased  pro- 
ductions of  my  farm,  I  have  been  enabled  to  pay  debts,  erect  new 
buildings,  and  to  give  my  children  a  good,  sound  education. 

So  much  for  lime ;  without  this  fertilizer  I  could  not  have  lived. 
I  have  never  sold  more  than  three  or  four  loads  of  manure.  Seve- 
ral times  the  wheat  crop  has  yielded  thirty  bushels  per  acre.  I 
paid  §31  dollars  per  acre  for  my  farm  and  have  refused  $110. 

I  have  written  thus  to  show  that  poor  land  may  be  made  good 
with  lime,  and  the  increased  amount  of  manure  obtained  as  the 
consequence  of  the  liberal  application.  Two  good  horses  and  a  yoke 
of  oxen  were  all  the  working  stock  used  on  the  farm  for  several  years. 
Young  farmers  will  do  well  to  remember  that  oxen  will  do  as  much 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER  463 

work  as  horses,  eat  less  grain,  require  less  expensive  harness,  can 
be  geared  in  half  the  time,  can  be  managed  more  safely  by  boys, 
and  in  fine,  are  preferable  in  very  many  ways. — Germantown 
Telegraph. 


Lespedeza  Striata. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Richmond  Christian  Advocate,  whom  we  personally 
know  to  be  a  gentleman  of  the  highest  character,  who  has  lately  travelled 
extensively  in  the  Smith,  writing  from  Spartannburg.  S.  C,  uoder  the  date  of 
the  8th  of  June,  makes  the  following  statement,  as  the  result  of  close  observa- 
tion and  diligent  inquiry  respecting  the  new  variety  of  clover  known  as  the 
Lespedeza  Striata  which  has  so  wonderfully  spread  over  large  sections  of  the 
South,  since  the  close  of  the  war: 

There  is  a  vegetable  production  spreading  all  over  this  country 
which  may  truly  be  regarded  as  a  providential  blessing,  I  allude  to  the 
the  Lespedeza  Striata,  usually  termed  "Japan  Clover,"  frequently 
"  Confederate  clover."  According  to  the  most  reliable  information 
I  can  get,  it  first  made  its  appearance  at  and  near  country  stores 
about  twenty  years  ago,  in  South  Carolina  and  Georgia.  It  is 
supposed  the  seed  was  transported  in  packages  of  wares  from  Japan, 
where  it  is  said  the  plant  is  found.  It  is  curious  as  well  as  valu- 
able. Although  it  evidently  belongs  to  the  trifolium,  or  three  leaved 
family,  it  can  hardly  claim  to  be  a  clover ;  for  it  is  not  perennial  at 
all,  but  an  annual ;  nor  has  it  a  head  and  bloom  resembling  any  of 
the  varieties  of  clover.  Its  bloom  is  in  shape  and  color,  though  very 
diminutive,  like  the  pea.  The  seed,  also,  I  am  informed,  while  very 
small,  has  the  shape  and  appearance  of  the  pea.  It  is  the  opinion 
of  intelligent  gentlemen  with  whom  I  have  conversed,  that  it  should 
rather  be  regarded  as  a  pea  than  a  clover ;  although  its  appearance 
is  very  much  like  young  clover. 

The  most  singular  part  of  its  history  is  the  fact  that  up  to  the 
time  of  the  war  it  had  not  attracted  much  attention,  nor  spread  to 
any  noticeable  extent;  but  that  during  the  war  it  spread  as  if  by 
magic  all  over  Northern  Georgia,  upper  South  Carolina,  and  many 
counties  of  Western  North  Carolina.  Now  it  pervades  every  por- 
tion in  this  extensive  region.  It  is  literally  rooting  out  broom  straw 
in  all  the  waste  lands,  vegetates  and  springs  up  anywhere,  even  in 
gulleys,  roads,  and  on  red  clay  banks,  in  old  fields  and  forests.  It 
makes  its  appearance  early  in  spring,  an  insignificant  little  plant, 
and  lives  through  all  vicissitudes  of  weather,  wet  and  dry,  till  late 
in  the  fall,  affording  grazing  for  stock  of  all  kinds.     It  is  especially 


404  THE  SOUTHREN  [August 

suited  to  sheep,  and  causes  them  to  take  on  more  flesh  and  fat  than 
any  other  pasturage  in  this  region.  It  grows  mainly  on  uncultiva- 
ted land  and  never  interferes  with  crops.  Should  it  spring 
up  on  lands  that  are  tilled,  it  is  easily  destroyed,  and  is  not  at  all 
considered  a  pest.  On  lands  that  are  rich  it  is  ten  or  twelve  inches 
high,  and  may  when  fully  matured  in  growth,  be  cut  for  hay.  Its 
growth  is  not  very  rapid.  I  have  watched  its  growth  from  the  first 
of  April  till  now.  I  find  it  is  not  generally  more  than  three  or  four 
inches  high  unless  the  land  is  tolerably  rich.  It  is  the  opinion  of 
persons  who  know  more  of  its  peculiarities  than  I  do,  that  it  will 
root  out  all  noxious  grasses — the  wire  grass  included.  It  is  consid- 
ered a -fine  improver  of  the  soil,  and  makes  beautiful  lawns.  It  is 
perhaps  the  greatest  seed  producer  that  has  ever  grown  upon  the 
soils  of  this  country.  Once  get  it  on  the  land,  and  it  remains  and 
spings  up  without  any  care  or  concern  of  the  owner.  As  it  seems 
to  have  spread  by  magic,  or  on  the  wings  of  the  wind,  you  may 
soon  expect  to  find  it  on  the  waste  lands  of  your  state." 


The  Crow's  Value  to  the  Farmer. 

Whatever  wrong  the  crow  commits  against  the  cultivators  of 
the  soil,  may  by  a  little  pains-taking,  be  materially  lessened  or 
wholly  prevented.  The  benefits  he  confers  are  both  numerous  and 
important.  During  the  time  he  remains  with  us  he  destroys,  so 
says  no  less  authority  than  Willson,  "myriads  of  worms,  moles,  mice, 
grubbs  and  beetles."  Audubon  also  affirms  that  the  crow  devours 
myriads  of  grubs  every  day  in  the  year — grubs  which  would  lay 
waste  the  farmers  fields — and  destroys  quadrupeds  innumerable, 
every  one  of  which  is  an  enemy  to  his  poultry  and  his  flocks.  Dr. 
Harris  also,  one  of  the  most  faithful  and  accurate  observers,  in 
speaking  of  the  fearful  ravages  sometimes  wrought  in  our  grass-lands 
and  gardens  by  the  grub  of  the  May-beetles,  adds  his  testimony  to 
the  great  services  rendered  by  the  crow  in  keeping  these  pests  in 
check.  Yet,  here  in  Massachusetts,  regardless  of  such  testimony  in 
their  favor,  we  have  nearly  exterminated  the  birds,  and  the  de- 
structive grubs,  having  no  longer  this  active  enemy  to  restrict  their 
growth,  are  year  by  year  increasing  with  a  fearful  persistence.  We 
have  seen  large  farms  within  an  hour's  ride  of  Boston,  in  which  over 
entire  acres  the  grass  was  so  completely  undermined  and  the 
roots  eaten  away,  that  the  loosened  earth  could  be  rolled  up  as 
easily  as  if  it  had  been  cut  by  the  turfing-spade.  In  the  same 
neighborhood  whole  fields  of  corn,  potatoes,  and  almost  every  kind 
of  garden  vegetable,  had  been  eaten  at  the  root  and  destroyed. 
Our  more  intelligent  farmers,  who  have  carefully  studied  out  the 
cause  of  this  unusual  insect  growth,  have  satisfied  themselves  that  it 
is  the  legitimate  result,  the  natural  and  inevitable  consequence  of 
our  own  acts.  Our  short-sighted  and  murderous  warfare  upon  the 
crow  has  interrupted  the  harmonies  of  nature,  disturbed  her  well 
adjusted  ballance,  and  let  loose  upon  agriculture  its  enemies  with  no 
adequate  means  of  arresting  their  general  increase. — At.  3Ionthly. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  469 

dark,  meaty  grain,  with  very  thin  husk,  and  handling  almost  as 
heavy  as  wheat. 

Now  in  regard  to  their  weight.  At  the  depot  before  they  were 
taken  out,  I  got  several  gentlemen  who  were  present  to  estimate  the 
quantity  held  by  one  of  the  bags,  and  they  unanimously  agreed  that 
it  did  not  exceed  two  measured  bushels.  We  then  weighed  it  on 
the  depot  scales,  and  it  weighed  eighty-one  pounds — allowing  one 
pound  for  the  bag,  the  oats  weighed  forty  pounds  per  bushel.  After 
bringing  them  home  I  measured  a  half  bushel,  and  they  weighed  in 
a  fraction  of  the  same,  nearly  nineteen  and  a  half  pounds.  I  am 
satisfied  that  they  weigh  generally  from  thirty-eight  to  forty  pounds 
per  bushel,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  it  sometimes  amounts  to  forty- 
five  pounds  per  bushel,  as  Mr.  Ramsdell  claims. 

The  Norway  oats  are  not  as  forward  as  my  common  variety  sown 
one  month  and  a  half  earlier,  but  I  don't  think  that  there  is  more 
than  ten  days  difference,  and  I  am  sure,  that  sown  at  the  same 
time,  they  are  as  early  as  the  common  oat.  At  present  they  have 
the  appearance  of  being  one  hundred  per  cent,  better  than  the  com- 
mon kind — larger  stalk,  branching  more,  double  as  many  grains  to 
the  head,  much  taller,  and  altogether  a  healthier,  hardier,  and  bet- 
ter looking  grain,  and  this  without  any  extra  culture,  as  my  object 
was  simply  to  test  the  true  merit  of  the  grain. 

On  account  of  the  cold  and  long-continued  rains  we  have  had 
this  spring,  the  oat  crop  is  generally  a  failure  in  this  section,  and 
the  season  has  been  particularly  severe  on  flat  land  ;  consequently, 
the  Norway  has  not  had  anything  like  a  fair  chance — sown  one 
and  a  half  months  too  late,  and  drowned  with  cold  rains.  It 
has,  however,  not  been  affected  by  the  "rust"  at  all,  although  the 
common  kind  sown  in  the  same  field  has  suffered  a  great  deal  from 
this  disease.  The  stalk  of  the  Norway  oat,  as  I  stated  above,  is 
much  larger,  stouter  and  stronger  than  the  common  oat,  and  from 
this  fact  I  judge  that  it  is  less  liable  to  be  affected  by  bad  seasons, 
or  by  the  usual  diseases  that  destroy  this  grain. 

I  had  almost  forgotten  a  most  serious  objection  of  Mr.  Garber  to 
the  Norway  oat — the  Canada  thistle.  I  must  confess  that  I  do  not 
know  what  the  Canada  "  thistle  "  is  ;  but  if  it  is  anything  like  our 
thistle,  or,  in  fact,  anything  uncommon,  I  have  not  yet  been  able 
to  find  it  in  my  crop,  after  a  most  diligent  search.  I  am  certain 
that  Mr.  Garber  was  imposed  upon  in  the  purchase  he  made,  and 
bought  a  spurious  kind.  I  have  been  informed  that  there  are  seve- 
ral counterfeits  of  this  grain  sold  in  different  cities  North.  I  am 
certain  of  this,  from  the  fact  that  I  recently  met  a  New  York  gen- 


470  THE   SOUTHERN  [August 

tleman,  who  told  me  that  he  had  cultivated  the  Norway  oat,  and 
that  it  was  perfectly  white.  Now  the  truth  is,  that  the  oat  is  almost 
Hack,  being  of  a  dark  rich  brown. 

In  conclusion.  Messrs.  Editors,  though  a  young  farmer  and  an 
unpracticed  writer,  I  make  no  apology  to  the  public  for  this  com- 
munication. Whatever  benefits  our  agricultural  community,  benefits 
our  State :  and  that  the  discovery  of  this  oat  is  a  grand  stride  in 
the  march  of  progress  and  improvement,  I  have  no  doubt.  I 
am  elad  to  believe  that  its  introduction  here  will  tend  to  the  resus- 
:ion  of  our  old  mother  Sta:  i. 

Very  respectfully,  W.   B.   WOOITOH. 

Prince  Edward  count;/,  Ya.,  July  5,  1869. 


Soil   Diagnosis. 

The  essential  elements  of  all  fertile  soils,  and  the  characteristic 
elements  of  all  standard  fertilizers,  are  now  familiar  to  every  prac- 
tical farmer  who  reads  an  agricultural  journal,  and  such  may  not 
only  detect,  but  remedy  the  defects  of  their  soils  without  profes- 
sional aid  on  the  one  hand,  or  the  old  empirical  application  of  ma- 
nures on  the  other.  An  essay  on  this  subject  was  promised  to  the 
readers  of  the  Planter  on  the  33fth  page  of  this  volume.  The  re- 
rn  experience  during  the  har.  :   :ais  month  will 

illustrate  the  idea,  and  further  expose  the  popular  error,  that  the 
relative  value  of  fertilizers  can  be  exhibited  by  experiments  in  the 
field.  Their  absolute  value  may  be  illustrated  by  repeated  experi- 
ments after  it  is  determined  in  the  laboratory,  but  nothing  is  more 
mischievous  than  that  reliance  on  the  empirical  reputation  of  ma- 
nures which  inevitably  feathers  the  nest  of  the  quack  or  the  gambler 
who  practices  on  the  indolence  and  ignorance  of  men  of  enterprise, 
who  neither  use  their  own  opportunities  of  observation  nor  employ 
experts,  but  accept  the  most  convenient  means. 

We  may  now  calculate  with  some  accuracy  on  the  effects  of  cer- 
tain elements  of  manure,  but  field  experiments,  frequently  repeated, 
most  be  invoked  to  determine  the  most  economical  limits  at  which 
fertilizers  operate  when  concentrated  in  order  to  save  freight  and 
pack ;_ 

A  number  of  fertilisers  and  new  varieties  of  guano  were  ser.:  : 
me  last  Autumn,  in  order  that  their  value  might  be  thus  demon- 
strated by  field  experiments.     The   intolerable  trouble  of  cleaning 
and  guaging  the  wheat  drill  for  each,  and  the  extensive  area  thus 
embraced,  compelled  a  resort  to  the  following  device,  which  insured 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  471 

the  most  accurate  results,  and  avoided  all  risk  as  to  a  change  of 
soil,  drainage,  exposure,  &c,  kc. 

By  the  usual  mode  of  "  backing  up  "  land  with  the  plough,  a  strip 
of  land  was  elevated  say  15  feet  wide  and  100  yards  long,  and  by 
repeated  ploughing  the  surface  soil  was  doubled  at  the  width  of  the 
drill  in  the  centre;  over  this  elevated  plateau  one  drill  row  was 
traced  in  the  centre  without  manure,  but  with  the  same  guage  that 
seeded  the  wheat  on  the  rest  of  the  field  (or  one  and  a  half  bushels 
per  acre) — thus  also  illustrating  the  idea  recently  published  in  the 
Mural  Ainerican,  in  my  essay  on  "a  new  mode  of  wheat  culture," 
with  regard  to  the  enormous  waste  of  seed  wheat  that  now  prevails 
almost  universally. 

As  a  further  result  of  this  series  of  experiments,  I  may  at  some 
future  time  publish  the  weight  of  the  wheat  per  bushel,  and  esti- 
mate the  product  per  acre  when  the  grain  is  separated  from  the 
straw;  but  any  one  can  approximate  to  this  result  by  multiplying 
the  weights  annexed  with  32,670,  dividing  the  result  by  7,000, 
which  will  reduce  it  to  pounds. 

The  almost  incredible  facts  here  exhibited  and  repeated  after  sev- 
eral years'  trial  of  various  localities,  should  indicate  some  mode  of 
correcting  the  enormous  waste  in  the  usual  cultivation  of  wheat. 
The  samples  represent  in  each  case  the  most  uniformly  filled  drill 
row  from  about  thirty  different  spots  in  the  cultivation  above 
described.  Unfortunately,  I  drilled  some  white  Mediterranean 
wheat  on  this  whole  bed,  where  all  of  the  fertilizers  were  subse- 
quently spread,  as  described  below.  This  seed  w,as  selected  in  New 
York,  as  I  wished  to  use  wheat  from  a  colder  climate.  I  should 
now  prefer  the  German  red,  that  I  drilled  on  the  rest  of  the  field, 
as  less  liable  to  rust,  although  raised  in  Maryland,  which  I  was 
tempted  to  secure  at  a  cost  of  So. 25  per  bushel,  because  of  its 
extraordinary  weight  (64  pounds  per  bushel).  Moreover,  it  seems 
better  adapted  to  our  stiff  clay  or  white  oak  soil. 

Two  pounds  of  each  fertilizer  were  uniformly  distributed  on  the 
drill  row  above  described,  it  having  been  divided  into  sections  trans- 
versely twenty  feet  each,  by  the  width  of  the  drill,  say  eight  flukes 
or  sixty-four  inches,  each  embracing  more  than  one  hundred  square 
feet ;  but  the  Carribbean  guano  was  applied  in  double  that  propor- 
tion, as  nearly  all  the  rest  cost  about  $.0  per  ton.  It  is  probable 
that  one-half  the  quantity  would  produce  an  equal  influence  on  the 
first  crop,  if  drilled  with  the  seed. 

The  relative  value  of  the  several  fertilizers  to  the  soil  of  this  par- 
ticular field  is  manifested  (we  suppose)  by  their  apparent  influence 


472  THE   SOUTHERN  [August 

in  determining  the  more  perfect  development  and  vitality  of  all  the 
■wheat  plants,  and  thus  insuring  a  greater  number  on  the  same  area, 
in  spite  of  the  extraordinary  ordeal  of  last  winter,  being  equally 
protected,  as  above,  by  the  most  perfect  drainage  and  a  double  por- 
tion of  surface  soil.  Moreover,  the  increased  tendency  to  "stool," 
as  evidenced  by  the  number  of  heads  of  wheat  on  the  same  area, 
■when  compared  with  that  of  the  best  cultivations  elsewhere. 

The  last  estimate  is  based  on  two  feet  of  a  drill  row  uniformly 
filled  with  wheat  from  the  best  part  of  the  same  field,  and  contigu- 
ous to  the  experimental  plots,  where  the  fertilizer  was  drilled  with 
the  seed  at  the  rate  of  about  300  pounds  to  the  acre,  it  being  com- 
posed of  the  best  super-phosphate  mixed  with  about  20  per  cent,  of 
Peruvian  guano. 


1  D 

c 

B 

j  13.  IS 

3950. 

1122. 

15.51 

5726 . 

P72. 

15.32 

3698. 

1302. 

13.17 

3176. 

1132. 

10.25 

3506. 

0984. 

14.09 

3226. 

1112. 

17.22 

4326. 

1602. 

13.20 

3076. 

1122. 

13.71 

2226 

16.39 

3376. 

1262. 

11.96 

1S56. 

0742. 

A 

107. 
104. 
79. 

84. 


Phosphatic  guano  alone- „ „ ,  13. IS 

The  same  with  25  per  cent,  of  Peruvian 15.51 

The  same  with  equal  weight  of  super-phosphate 

The  same  super-phospbate  alone 

Another  super-phosphate 10.2-5                  84.      9«. 

A  third  standard  super-phosphate 14.09    3226.    1142.       81. 

The  same  containing  Peruvian  guano 17.22    4326.    1602.       93. 

Another  said  to  contain  blood 13.20    3076.    1122.      85. 

Carribbean  guano 13.74    2226.    0852.       62. 

West  India  guauo „ 16.39    3376.    1262.       77 

Normal  amount  of  fertilizer  on  rest  of  field  drilled  with  seed 

A— Re*presen's  the  number  of  heads  on  2  feet. 
B— The  total  weight  of  these  heads. 
C — The  weight  of  the  whole  crop. 
D — The  average  weight  of  the  heads. 

It  is  clearly  demonstrated  that  the  wheat  manure  for  the  soil  of 
above  field  is  (for  the  present)  the  most  soluble  super-phosphate,  or 
Phosphate  guano  combined  with  Peruvian  guano.  A  good  clover 
ley  is  no  doubt  the  cheapest  substitute  for  the  latter. 

David  Stewart,  M.  D. 

Port  Penn,  Delaware,  July  18,  1869. 


To  keep  up  the  fertility  of  our  pastures,  it  is  evident  that  we 
must  do  our  best  to  check  the  growth  of  such  a  vegetation  as  is  re- 
jected by  stock.  But  it  is  not  enough  to  destroy  the  useless  and 
injurious  plants ;  we  must  encourage  the  growth  of  the  valuable 
ones.     How  shall  these  objects  be  completed? 

A  faithful  following  of  a  well  selected  plan  of  general  farming 
will  always  be  followed  by  larger  profits,  at  the  close  of  a  long  se- 
ries of  years,  than  will  the  following  of  that  system  which  attempts 
to  change  from  one  specialty  to  another,  as  the  prices  of  different 
products  vary. 

He  is  a  good  farmer  who  makes  good  compost  heaps ;  he  is  a 
better  who  manages  to  have  the  manure  applied  as  fast  as  it  is 
made. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER  473 

Straight  Ditches. 

Messrs.  Editors, — Your  correspondent  from  Prince  Edward  does 
not  seem  to  have  gotten  into  the  merits  of  the  question  discussed  as 
to  the  advantage  of  straight  over  crooked  streams  with  reference  to 
the  bottom  lands.  We  do  not  suppose  that  any  one  ever  doubted 
that  the  small  streams  are  governed  by  the  same  general  laws  that 
apply  to  larger  ones.  We  do  not  know  that  either  are  governed  by 
any  other  laws  than  to  follow,  in  obedience  to  the  laws  of  gravita- 
tion, the  channels  marked  out  for  them  by  nature  ;  at  least  so  long 
as  the  moving  column  is  confined  within  those  channels ;  but  the 
question  at  issue,  is  whether  those  channels  have  been  so  formed  as 
to  control  the  forces  of  the  currents  during  freshets  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage of  the  bottom  lands.  To  say  that  we  cannot  improve  upon 
nature  is  saying  nothing.  Our  great  duty  is  to  subdue  the  earth 
and  make  its  forces  subserve  our  purpose. 

That  a  body,  when  not  acted  on  by  any  external  force,  if  in  mo- 
tion, will  continue  to  move  in  a  straight  line,  is  the  first  law  of  mo- 
tion ;  and  the  body  is  said  to  move  freely  when  its  path  depends  on 
the  action  of  the  impressed  forces  only ;  while  its  motion  is  said  to 
be  constrained  when  its  path  is  confined  to  a  given  line  or  surface. 
Now  the  only  question  to  be  decided,  in  our  opinion,  (and  we  do 
not  presume  to  be  able  to  decide  it,)  is  whether  that  constrained 
path  of  being  made  to  correspond  with  the  path  the  body  would 
move  in  when  free,  applied  to  our  water  courses,  would  not  render 
our  bottom  lands  less  liable  to  the  ruinous  washings  during  freshets. 
While  this  rule  might  not  apply  to  our  large  water  courses,  yet  we 
cannot  but  think  the  condition  of  our  creek  bottoms  would  be  much 
improved,  if  it  were  in  our  power  to  give  the  streams  a  straight, 
free  course,  so  that  the  water  during  freshets  would  not  be  continu- 
ally breaking  over  their  banks,  in  their  effort  to  comply  with  the 
first  law  of  nature.  And  would  not  this  free  course  to  the  water 
render  the  bottom  lands  less  liable  to  overflow,  while  the  increased 
velocity  and  the  correspondingly  increased  force  or  momentum  of 
the  currents  would  deepen  the  channel,  and  the  better  clear  them  of 
the  washings  and  rafts  ? 

In  conclusion,  we  would  like  to  hear  from  some  of  your  corres- 
pondents the  probable  effect  upon  the  bottom  lands  along  the  Mis- 
sissippi, if  its  channel  were  entirely  straight  from  source  to  entrance 
into  the  gulf.  Would  the  levees  be  more,  or  less  liable  to  destruc- 
tion ?  Would  the  channel  fill  up  or  wash  deeper  ?  Would  the 
overflows  be  more  or  less  injurious  to  the  bottom  lands  ?    Would  the 


474  THE  SOUTHERN  [August 

velocity  of  the  stream  be  increased,  and  if  so,  would  that  increased 
velocity  extend  to  the  -water  which  spreads  over  the  bottoms  during 
the  freshets,  so  as  to  be  more  destructive  in  its  nature  ?  Would  not 
the  overflows  be  much  less  frequent  in  consequence  of  the  free  and 
unobstructed  course  to  the  water,  together  with  the  probable  in- 
creased depth  of  channel  and  velocity  of  motion  ? 

Xow,  Messrs.  Editors,  as  we  have  no  pride  of  opinion  what- 
ever to  gratify  in  the  matter,  and  as  all  we  have  written  has 
been  rather  an  inquiry  on  the  subject — has  been  rather  an  inquiry 
after  the  views  of  others — we  hope  you  will  not  withhold  your  col- 
umns from  these  inquiries,  however  idle  they  may  appear ;  espe- 
cially when  you  remember  it  "hath  been  said  by  one  of  old"  that 
the  early  press  of  your  city  was  once  very  much  perplexed  on  the 
philosophic  discussion  as  to  the  relative  velocity  of  different  por- 
tions of  a  coach  wheel,  and  no  doubt  the  discussion  and  decision  of 
that  question  gave  the  first  impetus  to  that  philosophic  inquiry, 
which  has  developed  the  thrifty  village  into  the  manufacturing  city. 

J.  V.  B." 

July  2iih,  1869. 


Experiment  with  Bauglrs  Raw  Bone  Phosphate. 

Jlessrs.  Editors. — For  several  years  previous  to  "  the  war,"  I 
was  in  the  habit  of  using  more  or  less  Peruvian  guano  en  my  to- 
bacco and  wheat  crops,  and  always  with  satisfactory  results.  Last 
fall  I  was  induced  to  try  two  tons  of  Baugh's  Raw  Bone  Phosphate 
on  my  wheat.  I  sowed  three  hundred  pounds  to  the  acre  on  part  of 
the  field,  and  two  hundred  pounds  to  the  acre  on  another  par'.  I 
also  used  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  Peruvian  guano  to  the 
acre  in  the  same  field.  It  was  also  put  in  with  the  wheat,  by  shovel 
ploughs,  on  land  that  had  previously  been  turned  by  Watt's  two- 
horse  plough,  and  then  harrowed  to  receive  the  grain.  The  result 
was  a  fair  crop  where  I  sowed  the  Peruvian  guano,  with  strong 
bright  straw.  Where  the  Phosphate  was  used,  the  straw  was  weak 
and  much  broken,  and  the  heads  very  badly  filled.  I  could  observe 
no  difference  between  the  portions  where  three  hundred  and  two 
hundred  pounds  were  used — all  alike  sorry,  and  certainly  not  as 
good  as  I  would  have  expected  from  the  same  land  without  any  fer- 
tilizer. The  wheat  was  sowed  in  September.  I  give  this  as  the  re- 
sult of  my  experience  with  the  only  "  manipulated  "  fertilizer  I 
have  ever  used,  and  with  the  hope  that  farther  information  may  be 
elicited  from  those  who  have  made  more  extensive  trials  not  only 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  475 


•with  the  "  manipulated  "  Phosphate  alluded  to,  but  with  its  con- 
geners. I  look  upon  the  use  of  the  best  Peruvian  guano  at  this 
distance  from  market  as  a  luxury  better  suited  to  ante  bellum  times 
than  to  the  present;  and  to  persist  in  the  trial  of  the  many  "ma- 
nipulated m-anuies  "  that  are  now  offered  to  the  farmers,  and  all  at 
a  high  price,  as  worse  than  foolishness.  We  cannot  afford  to  be 
cheated  noiv,  and  rather  than  incur  the  risk,  I  am  determined  here- 
after to  rely  upon  home-made  manures — clover,  lime  and  plaster. 
Very  respectfully, 

C.  M.  Reynolds. 

Woodbnrn,  Botetourt  county,   Va.,  July,  1869. 


Value  of  Super-Phosphate  of  Lime  for  Fertilizing  Purposes. 

From  the  Farmers'  Club  of  the  American  Institute,  as  reported 
for  the  American  Artisan,  we  clip  the  following  : 

"  The  question  of  the  relative  value  of  super-phosphate  of  lime 
for  fertilizing  purposes  was  called  up  by  a  letter  from  a  correspon- 
dent, and  led,  among  other  things,  to  a  brief  statement  of  the  char- 
acteristics of  bones  as  variously  prepared  for  manure.  When  bones 
are  boiled,  the  gelatine,  which  is  capable  by  decomposition  of  gene- 
rating ammonia,  and  has  therefore  a  high  manurial  value,  is  re- 
moved ;  hence  for  bone-dust  unboiled  bones  are  best.  By  dissolving 
the  bones  in  sulphuric  acid  the  phosphoric  acid  in  them  is  rendered 
more  soluble  and  capable  of  more  easy  assimilation  by  the  plant ; 
hence,  where  a  quick-acting  phosphatic  manure  is  required  the 
super-phosphate  should  be  used  ;  but  where  it  is  desired  to  distribute 
the  effect  of  the  fertilizer  over  a  greater  length  of  time,  bone  meal 
will  be  found  better;  and,  as  is  generally  the  case  where  nitro^e- 
neous  manurial  agents  are  requisite,  the  efficacy  of  the  bone-dust, 
for  the  reason  herein-before  indicated,  will  be  enhanced  if  made 
from  raw  or  unground  bones." 


A  Massachusetts  farmer  says  he  can  winter  his  cows  on  steamed 
feed  for  one-third  less  expense  than  on  dry  feed,  and  get  one-fourth 
more  milk.     This  is  the  result  of  five  years  experience. 

A  small  or  moderate  sized  tree  at  the  transplanting  will  usually 
be  a  large  bearing  tree  sooner  than  a  larger  tree  set  out  at  the  same 
time,  and  which  is  necessarily  checked  in  growth  by  removal. 

Spiders  Beneficial. — All  spiders,  without  exception,  prey- 
largely  upon  insects,  and  chiefly  upon  the  plant-feeding  or  injurious 
insects. — American  Entomologist. 


476 


THE  SOUTHERN 


[August 


SCHEDULE  OF  PREMIUMS 

OF    THE 

Virginia  J>iaic  Agricultural  gatitty, 


AT    ITS 


FAIR  TO  BE  HELD  AT  RICHMOND, 

On  the  2d,  od,  \tli  and  bth  days  of  Xovember,  1869. 


CLASS  I— Section  I. 

ESSAYS    OR     WRITTEN     COMMUNICA 
TIONS. 

1.  For  the  best  essay  on  the 
practical  management  of  a  farm 
of  not  less  than  150  acres,  iu 
Tide-water  Virginia,  devoted  to 
mixed  husbandry.  The  neces- 
sary farm  buildings  to  be  de- 
scribed ;  the  proper  division  of 
the  farm  into  fields  ;  the  force 
in  teams  and  farm  hands  neces- 
sary for  its  cultivation  ;  the  ro- 
tation of  crops  pursued ;  the 
artificial  grasses  cultivated;  the 
green  crops  ploughed  in  for  ma- 
nure; the  quantity  and  kinds  of 
stock  which  may  be  usefully 
and  profitably  kept  upon  it ;  and 
all  matters  deemed  necessary  by 
the  writer  for  its  profitable  and 
economical  management  to  be 
distinctly  stated.  Also,  the 
proper  preparation  of  the  land 
for  the  different  crops  and  pro- 
ducts, the  best  times,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  writer,  for  plant- 
ing and  sowing  these  crops,  and 
the  method  pursued  in  the  man- 
agement and  disposal  of  them 
and  their  offal.     Premium,  810 

2.  For  best  essay  as  above, 
applicable  to  the  Granite  section 

of  Virginia,  similar  premium  of     40 

3.  For  best  essay  as  above, 
applicable  to  Piedmont  Virginia, 
similar  premium  of  40 

4.  For  best  essay  as  above, 
applicable  to  the  Valley  of  Vir- 
ginia, similar  premium  of  40 


5.  For  best  essay  on  the 
manual  labor  presently  and 
prospectively  available  to  the 
farmers  of  Virginia,  and  the 
actual  or  supposed  comparative 
value  of  the  several  kinds,  and 
the  best  mode  of  magaging  the 
same,  premium  of  40 

Note — One  essay  may  embrace 
two  or  more  of  the  subjects  of  the 
four  first  named,  at  the  option  of 
the  writer;  and  in  case  of  superior 
merit,  may  claim  the  award  over 
competing  essays  confined  to  any  one 
or  more  of  the  above  named  divis- 
ions, provided,  that  but  one  premium 
shall  be  awarded  to  any  essay. 

Judges. 
X   F   Cabell,  Nelson. 
Dr.  Thos.  P.  Atkinson,  Danville. 
J.  Ravenscroft  Jones,  Brunswick. 
Wm.  H.  Harrison,  Amelia. 
J.  W.  Sheffey,  Smythe. 
Dr.  Wm.  B.  Cochran,  Loudon. 

Section  II. 

6.  For  the  best  essay  on  the 
cultivation  and  management  of 
tobacco  from  the  plant  bed  to 
the  warehouse,  premium,  silver 
medal  of  the  value  of  §15 

7.  For  best  essay  on  the  cul- 
'  tivation  and  management  of  the 
i  ground    pea,     premium,    silver 

l  medal,  15 

8.  For  best  essay  on  manures, 
including  lime,  and  the  mode 
and  time  of  applying  them,  with 
a  statement  of  the  quantity  pro- 


1869.] 


PLANTER   AND    FARMER 


477 


per  to  be  applied  per  acre,  for 
each  of  the  several  crops  em- 
braced ia  the  rotation  of  the 
principal  staple  or  farm  crops, 
premium,  20 

9.  For  the  best  essay  on 
grasses  adapted  to  Virginia, 
with  a  statement  of  the  kind  of 
land  proper  to  each  variety,  and 
the  best  mode  of  preparing  the 
6ame;  also  the  manner  of  har- 
vesting each  crop,  premium,  a 
silver  bowl,  value  25 

10.  For  best  essay  on  swine, 
premium,  20 

11.  For  best  essay  on  cattle, 
premium,  20 

12.  For  best  essay  on  poultry, 
premium,  10 

Judges. 

John  K.  Edmunds,  Halifax. 

W.  M.  Tate,  Augusta. 

E.  T.  Tayloe.  King  George. 

Win.  Sayre,  Portsmouth. 

B.  J.  Baibour,  Barboursville. 

Wyndham    Bobertson,  Abingdon. 


10 


CLASS   II— Section  I. 

CATTLE    DEPARTMENT. 

Short  Horns  of  native  stock. 

13.  Best  bull  3  years  old  or  up- 
wards, 83« 

14.  Second  best  do.,  la 

15.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate  of  merit. 

16.  Best  bull  2  years  old  and 
tinder  three,  25 

17.  Second  best,  10 

18.  Third  best, 

Certificate  of  merit. 

19.  Beet  bull  1  year  old  and 
under,  10 

20.  Second  best  do.,  5 

21.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate. 

22.  Best  cow  3  years  old  or 
upwards,  30 

23    Second  best  do.,  15 

24.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate. 

25.  Best    cow    or    heifer   2 
years  old  and  under  3,  20 


26.  Second  best  do., 

27.  Third  best  do  , 

Certifciate. 

28.  Best  heifer  under  2  years 
old,  io 

29.  Second  best  do.,  5 

30.  Best  calf,       Certificate. 

31.  Best  imported  bull,  50 

32.  Best    imported    cow    or 
heifer,  50 


Herefords   of  native  stock. 

33.  Best  bull   3  years  old  or 
upwards,  §30 

34.  Second  best  do.,  15 

35.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate  of  Merit. 

36.  Best  bull  2  years  old  and 
under  3,  25 

37.  Second  best,  10 

38.  Third  best, 

Certificate  of  Merit. 

39.  Best  bull  1  year  old  and 
under,  10 

40.  Second  best  do.,  5 

41.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate. 
42    Best   cow  3  years  old  or 
upwards,  30 

43.  Second  best  do.,  15 

44.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate. 

45.  Best   cow    or    heifer    2 
years  old  and  under  3,  20 

46    Second  best  do.,  10 

47.  Third  best  do., 

CERTI5ICATE. 

48.  Best      heifer     under    2 
years  old,  10 

49.  Second  best  do.,  5 

50.  Best  calf,        Certificate. 

51.  Best  imporred  bull,  50 

52.  Best    imported    cow    or 
heifer,  50 

Judges. 

Jame3  Newman,  Orange. 

A.  T.  Caperton,  Monroe. 
J.  F.  Kent,  Wytheville. 

E.  Rosenberger,  Shenandoah. 

B.  F.  Grayson,  Smythe. 
S.  F.  McGehee,  Charlotte. 


478 


THE  SOUTHERN 


[August 


Section  II. 

Devons  of  native  stock. 

53.  Best  bull  3  years  old  or 
upwards,  830 

54.  Second  best  do.,  15 

55.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate  of  merit. 

56.  Best  bull  2  years  old  and 
under  3,  25 

57.  Second  best,  10 

58.  Third  best, 

Certificate  of  merit. 

59.  Best  bull  1  year  old  and 
under,  10 

60.  Second  best  do.,  5 

61.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate. 

62.  Best  cow  3   years  old  or 
upwards,  30 

63.  Second  best  do.,  15 
61.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate. 

65.  Best    cow    or    heifer    2 
years  old  and  under  3,  20 

66.  Second  best  do.,  10 

67.  Third  beat  do., 

Certificate. 

68.  Best     heifer     under     2 
years  old,  10 

69.  Second  best  do.,  5 

70.  Best  calf,       Certificate. 

71.  Best  imported  bull,  50 

72.  Best    imported    cow    or 
heifer,  50 

Judyes. 
TV.  B.  Stanard,  Goochland. 
S.  T.  Stuart,  Fairfax. 
James  Taylor,  Hayfield   Caroline. 
TV.  W.  Walker,  Westmoreland. 
S.  M.  B)urs,  Glade  Spring. 
Thos.  A.  Hardy,  Norfolk. 

Section  III. 
Ayrshires  of  native  stock. 

73.  Best  bull  3   years  old  or 
upwards,  §30 

74.  Second  best  do.,  15 

75.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate  of  merit. 

76.  Best  bull  2  years  old  and 
under  3,  25 

77.  Second  best,  10 


78.  Third  best, 

Certificate  of  merit. 

79.  Best  bull  1  year  old  and 
under,  10 

80.  Second  best  do.,  5 

81.  Third  best  do  , 

Certificate. 
82    Best  cow  3  years  old  or 
upwards,  30 

83.  Second  best  do.,  15 

84.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate. 

85.  Best    cow    or    heifer    2 
years  old  and. under  3,  20 

86.  Second  best  do.,  10 

87.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate. 

88.  Best  heifer  under  2  years 
old,  10 

89.  Second  best  do.,  5 

90.  Best  calf,       Certificate. 

91.  Best  imported  bull,  50 

92.  Best    imported    cow    or 
heifer,  50 

Alder  neys  of  native  stock. 

93    Best  bull  3   years  old  or 
upwards,  830 

94.  Second  best  do.,  15 

95.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate  of  merit. 

96.  Best  bull  2  years  old  and 
under  3,  25 

97.  Second  best,  10 

98.  Third  best, 

Certificate  of  merit. 

99.  Best  bull  1   year  old  and 
under,  10 

100.  Second  best  do.,  5 

101.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate. 

102.  Best  cow  3  years  old  or 
upwards,  30 

103.  Second  best  do.,  15 

104.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate. 

105.  Best    cow  or    heifer   2 
years  old  and  under  3,  20 

106     Second  best  do.,  10 

107.  Third  best  do., 

Certificate. 

108.  Best  heifer  under  2  years 
old,  10 

109.  Second  best  do.,  5 


1869.] 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


47'.' 


110.  Best  calf,     Certificate. 

111.  Best  imported  bull,  50 
112    Best    imported    cow    or 

heifer,  50 

Judges. 
J.  B.  Crenshaw,  Henrico. 
Geo.  Watt,  Richmond. 
Rev.  T.  W.  Sjdnor,  Nottoway. 
D.  H.  Hatton,  Norfolk. 
Wm.  Bentley,  Pulaski. 

Section  [V. 
Dairy. 

113.  For     best    cow    of  any 
breed,  |3Q 

114.  Second  best  do.,  20 

115.  Third  best  do.,  10 

Judges. 
Raleigh  Colston,  Albemarle. 
Wm.  N.  Radford,  Bedford. 
Lewis  Bailey,  Fairfax. 

J.  S.  Stuusberry,  Spotsylvania. 
W  m.  L   Harrison,   Henrico. 

Section  V. 


Work  Oxen. 

116.  Best  yoke  oxen,  §20 

117.  Second  best  do.,  10 

Judges. 

P.  B.  Jones,  Orange. 
Dr.  J.  W.  Blanton,  Cumberland. 
S.  S.  Gresham,  Norfolk. 
Norman  Smith,  Henrico. 
Wm.  W.  Gilmer,  Albemarle. 

Section  VI. 
Fat  Slock. 

118.  Best  fat  bullock  over  5 
years  old,  g3,;, 

119.  Second  best  fat   bullock 
over  5 years,  Certificate. 

120.  Beat  fat  bulluck  under  5 
years  old,  30 

121.  Second  best  fat   bullock 
under  5  years,  Certificate. 

122.  Best  fat  cow  or  heifer,        30  ! 

123.  Second   best  fat  cow  or 
heifer>  Certificate. 


124.  Best  pen  of  fat  sheep,  3 

or  more,  \Q 

125.  Second  best  do., 

Certificate. 
126    Best    slaughtered    mut- 
ton, 5 

127.  Best  pen  fat  hogs,  3   or 
more,  10 

128.  Second  best  do.,  5 

Judges. 

R.  J.  Glendy,  Augusta. 
W.  J.  Glendy,  Pulaski. 
Samuel  Bell.  Augusta. 
Jno  G    M.-ffit,  Richmond. 
S.  McGavock,  Wythe. 


CLASS  III— Section  I. 

HORSES,    ASSES    AND    MULES. 
Thorough  Breds. 

129.  Best  stallion  4  years  old 
or  upwards,  g50 

130    Second  best,  20 

131.  Best  entire  colt,  3  years 
old  and  under  4,  25 

132    Second  best,  10 

133.  Best  entire  colt  2  years 

old  and  under  3,  15 

134.  Second  best,  5 

135.  Best   entire   colt  1  year 

old  and  under  2,  10 

136.  Second  best,  5 

137.  Best  brood  mare  4  vears 

old  or  upwards,  20 

138.  Second  best,  10 

139.  Best  filly  3  years  old  and 
under  4.  15 

140.  Seucond  best,  5 

141.  Best   filly   2   years    old 

and  under  3,  15 

142  Second  best,  5 

143  Best  filly  1  year  old  and 
under  2,  10 

144.  Second  best,  5 

No  premium    to   be  awarded  to  an 
unsound  animal  in  the  above  class. 

Judges. 

E    A.  Rawlins,  Mecklenburg. 
Wm.  T.  Johnson,  Cumberland. 
Wm.  Berkeley,  Loudon. 
J.  L.  Carrington,   Richmond. 
Br.  R.  F.  Taylor,  Amelia. 


480 


THE  SOUTHERN 


[August 


Section  II. 

Roadsters — adapted    to    quick   light 
draught. 

145.  Best  stallion  4  years  old 

or  upwards,  650 

146.  Second  best,  20 

147.  Best  entire  colt  3  years 

old  and  under  4,  25 

14-.  Second  best,  10 

149.  Best  entire  colt  2  years 

old  and  under  3,  20 

150.  Second  best,  10 

151.  Best  entire  colt  1  year 

old  and  under  2,  10 

152.  Second  best,  5 

153.  Best  brood  mare  4  years 

old  or  over,  20 

154.  Second  best,  10 

155.  Best  fiily    3  years  old 
and  under  4,  15 

156.  Second  best,  5 

157.  Best   filly   2  years  old 
and  under  3,  10 

15s.   Second  best,  5 

159.  Best  filly  1  year  old  and 
under  2,  10 

160.  Second  best,  5 
Form  and  action  to   be  considered 

as  well  as  speed.  Xo  premium  to  be 
awarded  to  an  unsound  animal  in  the 
above  class. 


Roadsters — Adopted  to  quick  coach 
draught. 


161.  Best  stallion  4  years  old 

or  upwards, 

$50 

162.   Second  best, 

20 

163.   Best  entire  colt  3' years 

old  and  under  4, 

30 

164.  Second  best, 

10 

165.  Best  entire  colt  2  years 

old  and  under  3, 

20 

166.  Second  best, 

10 

167.   Best  entire   colt  1  year 

old  and  under  2, 

10 

168.  Second  best, 

5 

169.  Best  brood  mare  4  years 

old  or  over, 

20 

170.  Second  best, 

10 

171.  Best   filly    3    years  old 

and  under  4, 

15 

172.  Second  best, 

5 

173.  Best    filly   2    years    old 
and  under  3,  10 

174.  Second  best,  5 

175.  Best  filly  1  year  old  and 
under  2,  10 

176.  Second  best,  5 
Form  and  action  to   be  considered 

more  than  speed.  Xo  premium  to 
be  awarded  to  an  unsound  animal  in 
this  class. 

Judges. 

Robert  Edmond.  Richmond. 

Wm.  P.  Farish,  Albemarle. 

Trotter,  Staunton. 

John  P.  Ballard,  Richmond. 

Jas.  Barbour  Xewman,  Orange. 

Col.    Edmund    Berkeley,    Prince 
William. 

Section  III. 

Saddle — Adapted  to  the  b  eeding  of 

improved  riding  horses. 

177.  Best   stallion    4    years 

old  or  over,  850 

178.  Second  best,  20 

179.  Best  entire  colt  3  years 

old  and  under  4,  25 

180.  Second  best,  10 

181.  Be-t  entire  colt  2   years 

old  and  under  3,  20 

1  v'2.   Second  best,  5 

183.  Best   entire  colt  1  year 

old  and  und-r  2.  10 

184.  Second  best,  5 
1S5.  Best  brood  mare  4  years 

old  or  over,  20 

186.  Second  best,  10 

187.  Best   fiily   3  year3    old 

and  under  4.  15 

188.  Second  best,  5 

189.  Best   filly    2  years  old 
and  under  3,  10 

190.  Second  best,  5 

191.  Best  filly  1  year  old  and 
under  2,  10 

192.  Second  best,  5 

Judges. 
Wm.  H.  Sonthall,  Albemarle. 
J.  Seddon  Jones,  Orange. 
L.  B.  Xorthrop,  Albemarle. 
W.  W.  Michaux,  Powhatan. 
R.  O.  Morris,  Louisa. 
Gen.  WT.  H.  F.  Lee, New  Kent. 
Thos.  R.  Foster,  Salem,  Fauquier. 


1869.] 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


481 


Section  IV. 
Heavy  Draught. 

193.  Best  stallion  4  years  old 

or  over,  §50 

194.  Second  best,  20 

195.  Best  entire  colt  3  years 

old  and  under  4,  30 

196.  Second  best,  10 

197.  Best  entire  colt  2  years 

old  and  under  3,  20 

198.  Second  best,  10 

199.  Best  entire  colt  1  year 

old  and  under  2,  10 

200.  Best  brood  mare  4  years 

old  or  over,  20 

201.  Second  best,  10 

202.  Best  filly  3  years   old 
and  under  4,  15 

203.  Second  best,  5 

204.  Best  filly    2  years  old 
and  under  3,  10 

205.  Second  best,  5 
20(5.  Best  filly  1  year  old  and 

under  2,  10 

No  premium  to  be  awarded  in  tbis 
class  to  an  unsound  animal. 

Judges. 
Jobn  F.  Lewis,  Rockingbam. 
Gen.   Gilbert  S.   Meem,   Shenan- 
doah. 

Warner  Woods,  Albemarle. 
Josiah  W.  Ware,  Clarke. 
D.  J.  A.  Reid,  Madison. 
N.  i\l.  Lee,  Richmond. 
Wm.  Gibboney,  Wytheville. 

Section  V. 

Matched  Horses  in  Harness,  accus- 
tomed to  be  used  together  as  such 
in  pairs,  for  quick   light  draught. 

207.  Best  pair  mares  or  geld- 
ings, 20 

Matched  Horses  in  Harness,  accus- 
tomed to  be  used  together  as  such 
in  pairs,  for  quick  coach  draught. 

208.  Best  pair  mares  or  geld- 
ings, 820 

Saddle   Horses  under  the  saddle. 

209.  Best  mares  or  geldings,    $20 

VOL.   Ill — 31 


210.  Second  best,  10 
Form  and  action  to  be  considered. 

Ponies  and  Horsemanship. 

211.  Best  pony  ridden  by  a 
lad  under  15  years  of  age,  the 
horsemanship  also  to  be  consid- 
ered,      Fancy  Riding  Bridle. 

212.  Second  best, 

Fancy  Whip. 
Judges. 

Capt,  John  Tayloe,  Stafford. 
Gen.  John  E.  Mulford,  Richmond. 
Dr.  J.  P.  Harrison,  Henrico. 
Gen.  Wms.   C.   Wickham,   Hano- 
ver. 

Randolph  Harrison,  Goochland. 
Philip  Haxall,  Richmond. 

Section  VI. 
Mules  and  Jacks. 

213.  Best  jack,  840 

214.  Second  best,  15 

215.  Best  jennet,  20 

216.  Second  best,  10 
The  premiums   to  be  awarded  to 

none  but  the   finest   quality  of  jacks 
and  jennets,  as  above  classified. 

217.  Best  mule  colt  3  years 
old,  foaled  in  Virginia,  §25 

218.  Best  mule  colt  2  years 
old,  foaled  in  Virginia,  15 

219.  Best  mule  colt  1  year 
old,  foaled  in  Virginia,  10 

220.  Best  mule  colt,  a  suck- 
ling, foaled  in  Virginia,  5 

Judges. 
James  Hunter,  Caroline. 
Edmund  Winston,  Hanover. 
John  B.  Davis,  Henrico. 
Robert  Douthat,  Charles  City. 
Wm.  H.  Clarke,  Halifax. 
Gray  Boulware,  Caroline. 

Section  VII. 
Trials  of  Speed. 

221.  First  day— Premium  8200- 
mile  beats  to  harness.  Open  to 
horses,  mares  and  geldings.  Time 
not  to  exceed  2:55. 

222.  Same     day — For     pacers — 


4S-2 


THE  SOUTHERN 


[August 


Premium  §100 — miles  heats  to   har- 
ness. 

223.  Second  day — Premium  1600 
— mile  hea's,  best  three  in  five  to 
harness.  Open  to  all  trotters.  Time 
not  to  exceed  2:40.  If  three  or  more 
start,  the  second  horse  to  receive 
IIOO  of  the  premium. 

224  Same  lay — Second  Premium, 
$75—  mile  heats.  For  colts  acd  fil- 
lies three  yean  old  aod  under  five 
yean. 

225.  Third  day — First  Premium 
-'.  ..:.■-,  ;'  r    1    a o^  teams 

Same  day — Second  Premium 
$150 — ai'.e  heats,  best  three  in  five 
to  harness.  Fat  horses,  mares  or  geld- 
i<:;s  I'ver  four  and  under  nine  years 
old.    Time  not  to  exceed  3:05. 

227.  Fourth  day — First  Premium 
$100  —  mile  heats,  for  trotters  with 
running  mates. 

22x  S. me  day — Second  Premium 
$75 — mile  heats  to  harness,  for  colts 
or  fillies  three  years  old  and  under 
five  years     Time  not  to  ex:eed  3:35 

A'.'i  the  above  trials  will  be  gov- 
erned by  'he  regular  rules  of  trot- 
ting; and  no  premium  will  be  given 

unless  two  or  m:re  start. 

All  entries  must  be  made  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  Society,  on  or 
12  o'clock  M.  the  day  before  the 
race ;  *nd  each  entry  must  be  ac- 
inied  by  10  per  cent,  of  the 
premium  entered  for. 

The  Society  reserves  the  privilege 
to  change  the  above  programme  so 
far  as  to  substitute  one  day's  trials    : 

speed  f.-r  another,  so  as  to    meet  cas- 
ualties of  N  --ather.  See. 

Judges. 

The*.  W.  Doewell,  Riehmond. 

W.  P.  Balch,  Boston. 

Aristides    Welsh,    Chesnul     ffiU, 

Penn. 

Chambers.  Long  Island. 

Col.  F.  G.  Skinner.  Nev  York. 
T.    S.    Lang.    North  Vasselboro', 

Maine. 

Chas    H.  Linthecum,  Baltimore. 


CLASS  IV— Section  I. 

SHEEP. 

line  Wools  of  native    stock,  includ~ 
pure  bred    SJ  S  '.xou, 

French  and  Silesia*   Merinos. 
229.  Best  ram,  $15 

230  Second  best.  8 
231.   Best  pen  of  eves,  3   in 

number,  20 

232  Second  best  d  10 

233  Best  pen  of  lambs  (ram). 

3  in  number.  10 

231  S  seond  beat  do.,  5 
235    B-st   pen  of  ewe  lamb3 

3  in  number,  10 

230    Second  best  do.,  5 

237.  Be:-:  imported  ram,  2  ' 

238.  Best  imported  em  20 

239.  Best  fleece  of  fine  wool 
grown  in  Virginia,  10 

Fine   Wool  grades,    including  crosses 
of  above. 

240.  Best  pen  of  ewes.  3  in 
number,  615 

241.  Second  best  do.,  10 

242.  Best  pen  of  eve  lambs, 

3  in  number,  10 

Ju  di 

John  Page,  Clarke. 
David  J.  Miller.  Frederick. 
R.  H.  Crockett,  Wythe. 
John  EL  Draper.  Pulaski. 
Win.  L    VTtght.   Goochland. 

noN  II. 

Middle   Wooh   of  j  '  :e   stock, 

including  South  Doxns,  Oxford 
D'ji.cns,  and  other  pure  breeds  of 
middle  wool. 

243.  Best  ram,  $15 

244.  Second  t  8 

245.  Best  pen   of  ewes,  3  in 
number,  20 

246.  Second  best  do.,  10 

247.  Best  pen  of  lambs  (ram), 

3  in  number,  10 

24^.  Sec- red  best  do.,  5 
249    Best  pen  of  ewe  lambs, 

3  in  number,  10 

250.  Second  best  do.,  5 


1869.] 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


483 


251.  Best  imported  ram,  20 

252.  Best  imported  ewe,  20 

253.  Best   fleece    of    middle 
wool  grown  in  Virginia,  10 

Judges. 
Wra.  N.  Berkeley,  Loudon. 
James  B.  Newman,  Orange. 
A.  D.  Dickinson,   Prince  Edward. 
R.  H.  Cunningham,  Culpeper. 
Win.  G.  C    White,  Washington. 

Section  III. 
Long   Wools  of  native  stock,  includ- 
ing   Bakewell   or  Leicester,    Cots- 
wold,    or   New    Oxfordshire   and 
Lincoln. 

254.  Best  ram,  $15 
255    Second  best,  8 

256.  Best  pen   of  ewes,  3  in 
number,  20 

257.  Second  best  do.,  10 

258.  Best     pen     of     lambs 
(ram),  3  in  number,  10 

259.  Second  best  do.,  5 

260.  Best  pen  of  ewe  lambs, 

3  in  number,  10 

261.  Second  best  do.,  5 

262.  Best  imported  ram,  20 

263.  Best  imported  ewe,  20 

264.  Best  fleece  of  long  wool 
grown  in  Virginia,  10 

Judges. 
Jacob  Fuller,  Rockbridgo. 
George  E.  Page,  Clarke. 
J.  Woods  Garth,  Albemarle. 
R.  H.  Crockett,  Wythe. 
Cary  Breckenridge,  Botetourt. 


CLASS  V— Section  I. 

SWINE. 
Large    breeds,    including     Chester, 
Russia,    Bedford,    Wobum,    Gra- 
zier,   Byfitld,    and     all     crosses 
thereof. 

265.  Best  boar  2   years   old 
and  over,  $15 

266.  Second  best  do.,  10 

267.  Best  boar  under  2  years 
old,  10 

268.  Second  best  do  ,  5 

269.  Best  breeding  sow  over 

2  years  old,  15 


270.  Second  best  do  ,  10 

271.  Best  breeding  sow  under 
years  old,  10 

272.  Second  best  do.,  5 

273.  Best  sow  and  pigs,  15 

274.  Second  best  do.,  10 


Small  breeds,  including  Neapolitan, 
Suffolk,  Sussex,  Essex,  Berkshire, 
Chinese,  improved  Hampshire, 
and  their  crosses 

275.  Best    boar  2  years  old 
and  over,  $15 

276.  Second  best  do.,  10 

277.  Best  boar  under  2  years 
old,_  10 

278.  Secoud  best  do.,  5 

279.  Best  breeding  sow  over 

2  years  old,  15 

280.  Second  best  do.,  10 

281.  Best  breeding  sow  under 

2  years  old,  10 

282.  Second  best  do.,  5 

283.  Best  sow  and  pigs,  15 

284.  Second  best  do  ,  10 

Judges. 

R.  T.  Preston,  Montgomery. 
Jacob  Shuey,  Augusta. 
J.  M.  McNutt,  Prince  Edward. 
John  Roller,  Rockingham. 
James  C.  Baker,  Frederick. 


CLASS  VI— Section  I. 

POULTRY. 
Chickens. 

285.  Best   Bramah   Pootras, 
cock  and  two  hens,  $5 

286.  Best  Dorkings  (white), 
cock  and  two  hens,  5 

287.  Best  Dorkings    (gray), 
cock  and  two  hens,  5 

288.  Best     Cochin      China, 
cock  and  two  bens,  5 

289.  Best  White  Buff,  cock 
and  two  hens,  5 

290.  Best  White-faced  Black 
Spanish,  cock  and  two  hens,  5 

291.  Best  Hamburg  Spanish, 
cock  and  two  hens,  5 

292.  Best  Poland,  black  and 
white  crests,  cock  and  two  hens,      5 


484 


THE  SOUTHERN 


[August 


203.  Best    Poland,     golden, 
cock  and  two  hens,  5 

294.  Best     Poland,      silver, 
cock  and  two  hens,  5 

295.  Best  Bantam,  gold  laced, 
jock  and  two  hens,  5 

296.  Best     Bantam,    silver, 
cock  and  two  hens,  5 

297.  Best     Bantam,     white, 
cock  and  two  hens,  5 

298.  Best    Bantam,     black, 
cock  and  two  hens,  5 

299.  Best     Bantam,     game, 
cock  and  two  hens,  5 

300.  Best   Dominique,    cock 
and  two  hens,  5 

301.  Best  Creve   Cceur,  cock 
aDd  two  hens,  5 

302.  Best  Houdans,  cock  and 
two  hens,  5 

303.  Best   Le   Fleche,    cock 
and  two  hens,  5 

304.  Best  Leghorns  (white), 
cock  and  two  hens,  5 

305.  Game,    cock    and    two 
hens,  5 

306.  Best  variety   exhibited 

by  one  party,  10 


Ducks,  Geese,    Turkeys,    Pea  Folds, 
Guinea  Fowls,  and  Pigeons. 

307.  Best  pair  Aylesbury 
Ducks  (male  and  female),  §5 

308.  Best  pair  Rouen  Ducks 
(male  and  female),  5 

309.  Best  pair  Poland  Ducks 
(male  and  female),  5 

310.  Best  pair  Muscovy  Ducka 
(male  and  female),  5 

311.  Best  pair  Bremen  Geese 
(male  and  female),  5 

312.  Best  pair  Hong  Kong 
or  African  Geese  (male  and  fe- 
male), 5 

313.  Best  pair  Toulouse 
Geese  (male  and  female),  5 

314.  Best  pair  White  or  Col- 
ored Swan  Geese  (male  and  fe- 
male), 5 

315.  Best  pair  Turkeys,  com- 
mon or  crossed,  5 

316.  Best  pair  Turkeys,  wild, 
crested,  or  any  improved  breed,       5 


317.  Best   pair    Pea    Fowls 
(male  and  female), 

318.  Best  pair  Guinea  Fowls 
(male  and  female), 

319.  Best   collection    of  Pi- 
geons, 

320.  Best  display  of  Poultry 
of  all  sorts, 

Judges. 

Wm.  M.  Bagley,  Lunenburg. 
Dr.   James   M.   Smith,  Pittsylva 
nia. 

Richard  Powell,  Goochland. 
Robert  R.  Jones,  Brunswick. 
Edward  W.  Morriss,  Hanover. 


10 


CLASS  VII— Section  I. 

FARM  PRODUCTS. 

For  the  largest  product  per  acre, 
of  corn,  wheat,  oats  and  hay,  pro- 
vided that  not  less  than  10  adjoining 
acres  be  cultivated  in  any  of  the  said 
crops;  and  provided,  also,  that  the 
corn  crop  shall  not  be  less  than  60 
bushels  (shelled,)  the  wheat  30  bush- 
els, the  oats  50  bushels,  and  the  hay 
2J  tons — premium, 

Society's  Diploma. 

321.  Best  shipping  leaf  tobacco, 
growth  of  '68,  $20 

B^*  To  be  represented  by  samples 
of  the  crop  in  whole  and  prized  in 
1869. 

Judges. 

Robert  H.  Jones,  Petersburg. 
Edward  R.  Johnson,  Amelia. 
Hilary  Harris,  Powhatan. 
Thomas  G.  Peyton,  Richmond. 
Richard  S.  Epes,  Nottoway. 

Section  IT. 

322.  Best  manufacturing  leaf 
tobacco,  growth  of  '68,  820 

323.  Best  fancy  wrapper  leaf, 
growth  of '68,  20 

Judges. 
James  Thomas,  Richmond. 
John  R.  McDaniel,  Lynchburg. 
Wm.  R.  Johnson,  Petersburg. 
Thomas  D.  Neal,  Richmond. 
N.  W.  Harris,  Louisa. 


1869.] 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


435 


Section  III. 

324.  Best  specimen  of  manufac- 
tured tobacco  for  general  home  con- 
sumption, 

Certificate  of   Merit. 

325.  Best  specimen  smoking  tobac- 
co,        Certificate  of   Merit. 

Judges. 
Samuel  B   Jennings,  Danville. 
T  C.  S.  Ferguson,  Lynchburg. 
C.  C.  Read,  Farmville. 
Lewis  H.  Frayzer,  Richmond. 
James  H.  Grant,  Richmond. 
B.  F.  Gravely,  Henry. 

Section^IV. 

326.  Best  barrel  flour,  §10 

327.  Best  bushel  white  wheat,   10 

328.  Best  bushel  red  wheat,       10 

329.  Best  bushel  white  corn, 

in  ear  or  on  stalk,  10 

330.  Best  bushel  yellow  corn, 

in  ear  or  on  stalk,  10 

331.  Best  bushel  rye,  5 

332.  Best  bushel  oats,  5 

333.  Best  bushel  barley,  5 

334.  Best  bushel  clover  seed,  5 

335.  Best  bushel  timothy  seed,   5 

336.  Best  bushel  herds'  grass 
seed,  5 

337.  Best   bushel    Kentucky 
blue  grass  seed,  5 

338.  Best   bushel    Highland 
meadow  oat  seed,  5 

SS^  Exhibitors  in  this  class  must 
state  in  writing  where  the  grain  or 
grass  or  tobacco  grew,  kind  of  soil 
on  which  it  was  cultivated,  time  of 
sowing  and  planting  or  of  ripening, 
with  any  peculiarity  in  mode  of  cul- 
ture. The  samples  exhibited  to  be- 
come the  property  of  the  Society. 
Judges. 

Win.  T.  Scott,  Charlotte. 

Jacob  Harris,  Pulaski. 

A.  B.  Rucker,  Lynchburg. 

John  Rowlett,  Petersburg. 

R.  B.  Somerville,  Richmond. 

Dr.  Win.  J.  Cheatham,  Amelia. 


340.  Best     barrel     sorghum 
molasses,  15 

341.  Best  bale  of  cured  su- 
mac, 10 

342.  Best  bushel  of  ground 
peas,  10 

343.  Best     bag     of     cotton 
grown  in  Virginia,  40 

344    Best  collection  of  seeds 
grown  in  Virginia,  20 

345.  Best  bale  of  corn  shucks,     6 

346.  Best  bale  of  broom  corn,      5 

Judges. 
Wm.  H.  Burt,  Surry. 
John  Emmerson,  Portsmouth. 
Major  Jas    Sloan,  North  Carolina. 
George  P   Tayloe,  Roanoke. 
Nathaniel  Matthews,  Lunenburg. 


Section  V. 
339.  Best  barrel  sorghum  su- 


gar, 


S40 


CLASS  VIII— Section  I. 
domestic  department. 

347.  Best  specimen  fresh  but- 
ter not  less  than  10  lbs.,  55 

348.  Second  best  do.  do., 

Certificate. 

349.  Best  tub  of  firkin  butter 
not  less  than  6  months  old,  40 
lbs.  or  more,  with  written  state- 
ment of  process  of  packing,  20 

350.  Best  specimen  of  butter 
(10  lbs.),  potted  in  July  or  Au- 
gust, with  written  statement  of 
process,  15 

351  Best  cheese  not  less 
than  20  lbs  ,  Virginia  make,  15 

352.  Second  best  do  , 

Certificate. 

353.  Best  peck  dried  apples,  ■     5 

354.  Best  peck  dried  peaches,     5 

355.  Best  peck  dried  small 
fruits,  5 

356.  Best  collection  of  can 
fruit,  Virginia  make,  with  pro- 
cess and  cost  of  canning,  20 

357.  Best  bacon  ham  cured 
by  exhibitor,  with  written  state- 
ment of  process  of  curing  and 
cooking,  10 

358.  Best  specimen  of  honey, 
taken  without  killing  the  bees, 

and  hive  described,  5 

359.  Best  specimen  of  apple 
cider,  5 


486 


THE  SOUTHERN 


[August 


360.  Best  barrel  cider  vine- 
gar, 10 
Judges. 

J.  C.  Spotts,  Richmond. 
Ed.  Cunningham,  Powhatan. 
Jed.  Hotchkiss,  Augusta, 
George  Anderson,  Montgomery. 
William  Eggleston,  Giles. 
R.  S.  Paulett,  Farmville. 


CLASS  IX— Section  I. 

HOUSEHOLD    MANUFACTURES. 

361.  Best  bed  quilt,  $5 

362.  Second  best  do.,  3 

363.  Best  counterpane,  5 

364.  Second  best  do.,  3 

365.  Best    pair    home-made 
blankets,  5 

366.  Best  home-made  carpet- 
ing, _  5 

367.  Best  home-made  rug,  3 
368    Best    fine      long    yarn 

hose  (pair),  5 

369.  Best    fine    loDg  cotton 

hose,  5 

370    Best  half  hose,  cotton,         2 

371.  Best  knitted  worsted  or 
yarn  shawl,  from  yarn  prepared 

at  home,  3 

372.  Best  knitted  worsted  or 
yarn  hood,  from  yarn  prepared 

at  home,  2 

373.  Best  homemade  shirt,         3 

374  Second     best    do.     do , 
adapted  for  working  purposes,  2 

375  Best  white  yarn  under 
shirt,  3 

376.  Best  white  yarn  drawers,     3 

377.  Best  grey  mixed    Ken- 
tucky jeans  (7  yards),  3 

378.  Best  five  pounds  white 

or  grey  yarn  for  knitting,  3 

379.  Best  homemade  family 
bread,  5 

380.  Best  home-made  pound 

or  sponge  cake,  3 

381.  Best  five  pounds  maple 
sugar,  5 

382.  Best    five    pounds    sor- 
ghum sugar,  10 

383.  Best  and  largest  variety 
home-made  preserves,  5 

384.  Best  and  largest  variety 
home-made  fruit  jelly,  3 


385.  Best  and  largest  variety 
home-made  pickles,  3 

386.  Best  catsup,  either  to- 
mato, walnut  or  mushroom,  5 

3S7.  Best  five  pounds  home- 
made family  soap,  the  process 
of  making  to  be  described  in 
writing  by  exhibitor,  5 

388.  Best  specimen  of  white 
or  83arlet  flannel,  from  wool 
grown  and  made  at  home,  3 

Judges. 
Mrs.  John  Stuart,  Henrico. 
Mrs.  James  Vest,  Louisa. 
Mrs.  Cbaffin,  Henrico. 
Mrs.  T.  E.  DeWitt,  Richmond. 
Mrs.  Philip  Rahm,  " 

CLASS  X— Section  I. 
ladies'  fancy  and   ornamental 

WORK. 

389.  Best  specimen  of  em- 
broidery, $8 

390.  Second  best,  6 

391.  Best  specimen  of  worst- 
ed work,  8 

392.  Second  best,  6 

393.  Best  specimen  of  crochet 
work,  8 

394.  Second  best,  6 

395.  Best  specimen  of  shell 
work,  8 

396.  Second  best,  6 

397.  Best  specimen  of  leath- 
er work,  8 

398.  Best  specimen  of  needle 
work,  8 

399.  Most  extensive  variety 
of  useful,  ornamental  and  fancy 
work,  not  excluding  articles 
which  may  have  bad  premiums 
awarded  them  under  the  above 
specifications,  a  premium  of  10 

Judges. 
A  Committee  of  Ladies  to  be  an- 
nounced at  the  Fair. 

CLASS  XI— Section  I. 
agricultural  implements. 
Trial  of  Reapers,  Mowers,  &c. 

400.  For  the  best  combined 
reaper  and  mower,  §50 


1869.] 


PLANTER   AND  FARMER. 


487 


401.  For   the    best    reaping 
machine,  50 

402.  For    the    best   mowing 
machine,  30 

403.  For  the  best  hay  tedder,     25 

404.  For  the  best  hay  rake,        10 

405.  For     the     best    wheat 
gleaner,  10 

406.  For  the  best  grain  cra- 
dle, 3 

In  addition  to  above  premiums, 
diplomas  or  medals  may  be  awarded, 
at  the  discretion  of  the  committee. 

Judges. 
Hill  Carter,  Shirley,  Charles  City. 
James  B.  Jones,  Chesterfield. 
Col.  J.  M.  Wilcox,  Charles  City. 
James  F.  Kent,  Wytheville. 
E    A.  Rawlins,  Mecklenburg. 
William  Benton,  Loudoun. 
Dr.  George  Newman,  Orange. 

J6@°*  The  above  trial  was  held  at 
Westover  June  9th  and  10th,  and 
the  premiums  will  be  awarded  at  the 
regular  Fair  and  Exhibition. 

Section  II. 

Ploughsi  &c. 

These  premiums  are  offered  for 
ploughs  according  to  work  actually 
performed,  and  tested  by  the  Judges 
on  the  field. 

407.  For  the  best  four  horse 
plough,  right  or  left,  810 

408.  For  the  best  three  horse 
plough,  right  or  left,  10 

409.  For  the  best  two  horse 
plough,  right  or  left,  10 

410.  For  the   best  one  horse 
plough,  5 

411.  For     the    bost    subsoil 
plough,  5 

412.  For    the    best   hillside 
plough,  5 

413.  For  the  best  cultivating 
plough,  5 

414.  For  the  best  scraper  for 
tobacco,  cotton  and  vegetables,         3 

415.  For      the      best     hard 
ground  plough,  5 

416.  For  the  best  plough  for 
digging  ground  peas,  5 


417.  For  the  best  plough  for 
digging  potatoes,  5 

418.  For  the   best  cultivator 

for  corn  and  tobacco,  5 

419.  For  the  best  two  horse 
cultivator  for  corn  and  tobacco,        5 

420.  For  the  best  harrow,  5 

421.  For  the  best  drain 
plough,  10 

Judges. 
James  B   Junes,  Chesterfield. 
Charles  Friend,  Prince  George. 
Col.  H.  P.  Jones,  Hanover. 
R.  V.  Gaines,  Charlotte. 
James  S.  Cobbs,  Halifax. 

Section  III. 
Drills,  Broad  Casters,  &c. 

422.  For  the  best  drilling 
machine  for  grain  and  grass 
seed,  §25 

423.  For  the  best  machine 
for  broadcasting  grain  and  grass 
seed.  20 

424.  For  the  best  corn  plant- 
er, 10 

425.  For  the  best  attachment 
to  drill  for  distributing  guano 
and  other  fertilizers,  10 

426.  For  the  best  lime 
spreader,  adapted  to  broadcast- 
ing lime  and  other  fertilizers,         20 

427.  For  the  best  machine 
for  sowing  and  covering  corn  at 
or  immediately  following  the  last 
tillage,  either  with  or  without 
guano,  10 

Judges. 

Thos.    J.    Randolph,    Jr.,    Albe- 
marle. 

Jacob  Baylor,  Augusta. 

Gen.  Win.  H.  F.  Lee.  New  Kent. 

Robert  Polk,  Henrico. 

Waller  Coles,  Pittsylvania. 

Section  IV. 
Threshing  Machine,  &c. 

428.  For  the  best  horse  pow- 
er, $25 

429.  For  the  best  railway 
power,  25 

430.  For   the   best   machine 


4SS 


THE  SOUTHERN 


[August 


20 
10 


combined   for    threshing,    sepa- 
rating and  cleaning. 

431.  For  the  best  thresher 
and  straw  carrier, 

432.  For  the  best  fan  mill, 

433.  For  the  best  grain  and 
hay  pitch  forks,  2 

434.  For  the  best  grain 
shovel,  2 

435.  For  the  best  band  rake,        2 

436.  For  the  best  machine 
for  drilling  and  cleaning  clover 
seed.  oO 

437.  For  best  cockle  machine,   10 

438.  For  best  plantation  plat- 
form scales,  10 

439.  For  best  mower  and 
reaper  grinder,  5 

Judges. 

Dr.  George  B.  Newman.  Orange. 
Wilioughby    Newton,    Westmore- 
land. 

Dr.  John  B    Harris,   Powhatan. 
Thomas  F    Perkins.  Buckingham. 
Thomas  E.  Bark-dale,  Halifax. 

Section  V. 
Eay  Pr~:ss.  d  :. 

440.  For  the  best  hay  press, 
exhibited  on  the  ground,  with 
specimen  of  work, 

441.  For  tbe  best  hay  hoist- 
ing ftppaimtw,  with  specimen  of 
work  exhibited  on  the  ground, 

442  For  the  best  sorghum 
mill, 

443.  For  the  best  sorghum 
boiler, 

444.  For  the  best  stump  ma- 
chine and  rock  elevator, 

445.  For  the  best  ditching 
machine  and  rook  elevator, 

440.  For  the  best  rotary  dig- 
ger and  rock  elevator, 

447.  Fit  the  best  corn  shuck- 
ing machine, 

448.  For  the  best  cloi  crush- 
er machine. 

449.  For  the  best  field  roller 
machine, 

Jit  c\ 

E.  C-  Jordan,  Frederick. 
Dr.  P.  H.  Purcell,  Amelia. 


(20 

20 
20 
10 
10 

30 
30 
25 

20 
10 


C  C  Cocke.  Fluvanna. 

W.  Roane  Ruffle.  Chesterfield. 

Dr.  Win.  C  Staples,  Patrick. 

SsonoN  VI. 

Slraic  Cutter,  dec. 

450.  For    the    best    hay   or 
straw  cutter  for  horse  power,         $15 

451.  For    the    best     hay   or 
straw  cutter  for  hand  power,  10 

452.  For  the  best  corn  stalk 

or  fodder  cutters,  10 

453.  For  the  best  corn  sheller 

for  power,  10 

454.  For  the  best  corn  sheller 

for  hand.  5 

455.  For  the  best  root  cutter,  3 

456.  For    the    best  boiler  for 
cooking  food  for  stock,  10 

457.  For    the    best    hominy 
mill,  5 

45S.  For  the  best  cider  mill 
and  wine  press,  5 

Judges. 

Br.  Wm    F.  Gains.  Hanover. 
Dr  J.  J.  Pup-ay,  Hanover. 
Dr.  Gage,  Wythe. 
Atcheson  Pollock,  Stafford. 
Geo.  E.  Harrison,  Prince  George. 
Eiward  Irvine,  Campbell. 


— 

Section  VII. 

Wag     -.   Carts,  dec. 

459.   For    the    best    harvest 

and   hay  cart   for   one   or  more 

horses, 

$10 

460.  For  the  best   wagon  for 

farm  use. 

10 

461.  For    the    best   dumping 

wagon  for  farm  use, 

10 

462.  For    the    best    tumbril 

cart  (iron  axle), 

s 

463.  For  the  best  ox  cart, 

10 

464.  For  the  best  wagon  body 

for  hauling  grain   in   sheaf,  hay 

or  straw, 

5 

465.   For    the    best    sett    of 

wagon  harness. 

5 

466.  For  the  best   cart  har- 

ness. 

3 

467.   For  the  best  ox  yoke, 

2 

46>.   For  the   best  horse  col- 

'  lar, 

4 

1869.] 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


489 


469.  For  the  best  wheelbar- 
row for  general  use,  "2 

470.  For  the  best  wheelbar- 
row for  dirt,  2 

471.  For  the  best  wagon 
saddle,  3 

472.  For  the  best  riding  sad- 
dle and  bridle,  5 

Judges. 
Charles  Old,  Powhatan. 
C    R    Mason,  Augusta. 
John  R.  Bryant,  Fluvanna. 
Wm..D.  Cabell,  Nelson. 
Thos.  G.  Shannon,  Giles. 
W.  A.  Perkins,  Cumberland. 

Section  YIII. 

Agricultural  Steam   Engine. 

J@°"  No  awards  should  be  made  in 
this  class  except  for  machines  of 
practical  utility  in  the  agriculture  of 
Virginia. 

473.  For  the  best  steam  en- 
gine, applicable  to  agricultural 
purposes  generally,  S100 

474.  For  the  best  saw  mill, 
suitable  for  farm  purposes,  25 

475.  For  the  best  steam 
plough  adapted  for  farm  tillage,  300 

Judges. 
Gen.  C.  P.  Stone,  Goochland. 
Wm   B.  Wooldridge,  Chesterfield. 
Dr.  R   H.  Stuart,  King  George. 
J.  H.  Dejarnette,  Caroline. 
R.  D    Minor,  Richmond. 
W  m.  Allen,  Henrico. 

Section  IX. 
Miscellaneous  Articles. 

476.  For  the  best  pump 
adapted  to  deep  wells,  810 

477.  For  the  best  water  ram 

in  operation,  10 

47S.  For  the  best  scoop  or 
scraper,  10 

479.  For  the  best  levelling 
instrument  suitable  for  draining 
operations,  10 

480.  For  the  best  tide  gate 
(model),  10 

481.  For  the  best  farm  gate,       5 


482.  For  the  best  machine 
for  shearing  sheep,  5 

Judges. 
Edward  Turner,  Fauquier. 
Asa  Snyder,  Richmond. 
Dr.  R.  Epes,  Prince  George. 
John  G.  Lane,  Rappahannock. 
P.  P.  Nalle,  Culpeper. 

Section  X. 
Domestic  Machines. 
483    For    the    best    sowing 
machine,  §5 

484.  For  the  best  washing 
machine,  5 

485.  For  the  best  clothes 
wringer,  2 

486.  For  the  best  clothes 
boiler,  2 

487.  For  the  best  sausage 
cutter,  1 

488.  For  the  best  sausage 
stuffer,  1 

489.  For  the  best  churn,  1 

490.  For  the  best  butter 
press,  for  pressing  out  milk  and 
water,  2 

491.  For  the  best  fruit  peeler,       1 

492.  For  the  best  fruit  drier,       5 

Judges. 

Mrs.  "Wm.  C.  Knight,  Richmond. 
Mrs.  Thos.  Branch,  Richmond. 
Mrs.  F   Stearns,  Richmond. 
Mrs.  F.  B.  Watkins,  Richmond. 
Mrs.  F.  G.  Ruflin,  Chesterfield. 
Mrs.  R.  W.  Burke,  Staunton. 

Section  XL 
Domestic  Implements. 

493.  For  the  best  cooking 
stove,  §10 

494.  For  the  best  heating 
stove  for  coal,  5 

495.  For  the  best  heating 
stove  for  wood,  5 

496.  For  the  best  heating 
stove  for  chambers,  5 

497.  For  the  best  fireplace 
stove  for  heating  two  or  more 
rooms,  10 

498.  For  the  best  dough 
kneader,  2 


490 


THE   SOUTHERN 


[August 


499.  For  the  best  coffee 
roaster,  1 

500.  For  the  best  coffee 
pot,  1 

501.  For  the  best  sett  wood- 
en ware,  Virginia  growth  and 
manufacture,  5 

502.  For  the  best  sett  willow 
ware,  Virginia  growth  and  man- 
ufacture, 5 

503.  For  the  best  half  dozen 
ladies'  work  baskets,  of  Virgi- 
nia growth  and  manufacture,  5 

504.  For  the  best  sett  brooms, 
Virginia  growth  and  manufac- 
ture, 2 

Judges. 

Mrs.  S   S.  Weisiger,  Amelia. 

Mrs.  J.  Ravenscroft  Jones,  Bruns- 
wick. 

Mrs.  Chas.  S.  Carrington,  Rich- 
mond. 

Mrs  B.  H.  Smith,  Richmond. 

Mrs.  J.  B.  Baldwin,  Augusta. 

Section  XII. 
Ploughing  Match. 

505.  For  the  best  ploughman, 
white,  Virginia   born,  not   over 

25  years  old,  with  four  horses,     $50 

506.  For  the  best  do.  with 
three  horses,  50 

507.  For  the  best  do.  with  two 
horses,  25 

508.  For  the  best  white 
ploughman,  of  any  age,  where 
ever  born,  25 

509.  For  the  best  ploughman 
with  oxeD,  10 


Special. 

510.  A  special  premium  for 
the  best  ploughman,  a  native 
white  Virginian,  offered  by 
Watt  &  Knight,  to  be  paid  in 
their  ploughs  to  the  value  of 

511.  For  the  best  team  of 
horses  or  mules,  not  less  than 
four,  combining  condition  and 
training  and  equipments,  paid 
in  their  ploughs, 

512.  For    the   best   team  of 


30 


two  horses,  same   conditions,  to 
be  paid  in  same,  15 

Judges. 

J.  Wayt  Bell,  Augusta. 
Wm.  H.  Ruff,  Rockbridge. 
Wm.  Benton,  Loudon. 
Wilson  Winfree,  Powhatan. 
Wm.  Shepperson,  Henrico. 
R.  Adams,  Goochland. 

CLASS  XII— Section  I. 

FARM   DWELLING,  &G. 

513.  Best  design  of  farm 
dwelling,  out  houses,  gate  ways 
and  grounds,  $80 

Judges 
Dr.  John  R.  Garnett,  Henrico. 
Thos.  T.  Giles,  Richmond. 
Wm.  A.  Pratt,  Augusta. 
H.  D.  Bird,  Petersburg. 
Wellington  Gordon,  Louisa. 

CLASS  XIII— Section  I. 

MINERALS. 

514  Best  specimen  of  lime- 
stone, including  marble  and  cal- 
careous tufa,  $5 

515.  Best  specimen  of  marl,         5 

516.  Best  specimen  of  green 
sand,  5 

517.  Best  specimen  gypsum,        5 

Judges. 

Prof.  Mallet,  University  of  Virgi- 
nia. 

Col.  Wm.  Gilham,  Richmond. 

Prof  J.   L    Campbell,  Lexington. 

Prof.  R.  M.  Smith,  Randolph  Ma- 
con College. 

Prof.  B.  Puryear,  Richmond  Col- 
lege. 

Section  II. 

DISCRETIONARY  PREMIUMS. 
Judges. 
James  A.  Seddoo,  Goochland. 
Chas.  B.  Williams,  Richmond. 
Wood  Bouldin,  Charlotte. 
Dr.  Philip  F.  Southall,  Amelia. 
Dr.    Wm.  B.   Haskins,  Mecklen- 
burg. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AMD  FARMER.  491 


horticultural  Department. 


JOHN  M.  ALLAN, Editor. 

Fall  vs.  Spring  Planting, 

A  correspondent  calls  our  attention  to  an  address  on  strawber- 
ries, read  by  Mr.  Edwin  Satterthwaite,  before  the  Pennsylvania 
Horticultural  Society,  in  which  Fall  planting  of  strawberries  is  con- 
demned, and  inquiries  made  why  we  so  persistently  advocate  it. 

Without  raising  any  questions  as  to  the  correctness  of  Mr.  S.'s 
views,  which  are  doubtless  suitable  to  the  latitude  in  which  he  re- 
sides, we  content  ourselves  with  giving  the  reasons  which  render 
Fall  planting  preferable  in  Eastern  Virginia  and  North  Carolina. 
•  Our  Autumns  are  late,  our  Winters  short  and  mild,  so  that  the 
roots  of  vines,  planted  in  October  and  November,  take  hold  of  the 
ground  and  grow  frequently  during  the  greater  part  of  the  Winter. 
Then  again,  we  are  subject  to  long  droughts  in  Summer,  and  these 
often  occur  so  early  in  the  season  as  to  destroy  vines  planted  in  the 
Spring,  before  they  get  sufficiently  well  started  to  enable  them  to 
resist  the  dry  weather.  Experience  is  the  safest  guide.  Ours  is, 
that  trees,  shrubs,  vines,  roots,  &c,  but  more  especially  the  small 
fruits,  succeed  much  better  when  planted  in  the  Fall.  We  have 
never  lost  five  per  cent,  of  Fall  planting,  while  frequently  fifty  per 
cent,  of  Spring  planting  has  failed,  because  of  early  droughts. 

Wre  often  see  August  recommended  in  Northern  journals  as  a 
good  time  to  plant  strawberries.  This  will  not  do  here.  Our  Sep- 
tembers are  too  hot  and  dry,  October  is  generally  too  dry,  so  that 
November  and  December  are  by  far  the  best  months  for  transplant- 
ing all  kinds  of  nursery  stock.  "We  even  plant  our  seedling  stocks 
for  budding  in  these  months. 

In  this  connection  another  correspondent  says :  "I  am  advised  to 
plant  all  kinds  of  fruit  trees,  except  peach,  in  the  Fall.  The  last, 
I  am  told,  succeed  best  when  planted  in  the  Spring.    Is  this  true?" 


492  THE    SOUTHERN  [August 

Our  experience  does  not  sustain  it,  and  we  can  see  no  reason  why 
it  should  be  so.  On  the  contrary,  peaches  do  as  well,  if  not  better, 
than  other  trees,  when  planted  in  November. 


Melons. 

Too  little  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  improvement  and  devel- 
opment of  the  varieties  of  this  fruit  in  the  South.  Here  in  Virgi- 
nia we  have  been  growing  the  Jackson  and  Mountain  Sweet  water- 
melons for  years,  without  any  attempt  to  produce  varieties  which 
will  supply  the  defects  of  these,  in  many  respects,  admirable  varie- 
ties. The  Jackson,  though  highly  flavored,  will  not  bear  transpor- 
tation, while  the  Mountain  Sweet  has  neither  size  nor  productiveness 
to  make  it  all  that  is  desired.  Last  season  the  Joe  Johnson  was 
introduced,  and  it  at  once  took  the  first  place.  If  it  succeeds  as 
well  this  year,  its  reputation  will  be  firmly  established.  But  the 
very  fact  that  a  variety,  so  far  exceeding  the  others,  has  been  pro- 
duced, should  only  stimulate  us  to  further  improvement  in  these,  as 
well  as  in  their  kindred  fruit,  the  muskmelons.  Among  the  '. 
the  Hunter,  a  variety  brought  to  notice  last  year,  gave  fine  promise, 
and  we  await  in  it  also  the  developments  of  this  Summer  to  decide 
its  future  standing. 

We  hope  the  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society  will  arrange 
for  a  melon  exhibition,  so  that  the  interests  of  this  very  popular, 
and,  in  this  section,  very  profitable  fruit,  may  be  fostered  and 
advanced. 


Letter  from  Frederick  County,  Maryland. 

Dear  Sirs, — Your  valuable  journal  and  home  have  so  filled  my 
thoughts  during  a  brief  absence,  that  I  am  constrained  to  inflict 
upon  you  a  short  letter. 

The  hurry  of  the  trip  has  prevented  that  close  observation  which 
might  have  discovered  something  of  interest  to  your  readers,  but 
some  things  which  are  quite  noticeable  may  be  mentioned. 

First,  that  the  Summer  crops,  especially  corn,  are  much  farther 
advanced  here  than  in  the  city  of  Richmond,  which  is  two  hundred 
miles  farther  South.  Their  average  time  of  planting  corn  is  from 
April  25th  to  May  10th.  Can  it  be  that  under-draining,  which  is 
generally  and  thoroughly  done,  makes  this  crop  so  much  earlier  ? 

It  is  also  observed  that  the  early  fruits  are,  this  season,  very  lit- 
tle, if  any  later,  than  with  us.     Early  harvest  apples  and  Hale's 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  493 


early  peaches,  grown  here,  have  ripened  almost  simultaneously  with 
the  same  varieties  around  Richmond.  An  extensive  and  intelligent 
fruit  grower  has  suggested  that  this  is  owing  to  the  exceptional 
mildness  of  the  past  Winter,  which  was  not  followed,  as  with  us,  by 
a  cold,  tardy  Spring. 

In  all  garden  products,  however,  they  cannot  compare  with  us 

neither  in  quantity,  quality,  nor  earliness.  Indeed,  the  vegetables 
found  in  the  Richmond  markets  are  not  surpassed  anywhere.  The 
highest  degree  of  cultivation  and  fertilization  which  they  bestow 
upon  their  gardens  here  does  not  enable  them  to  compete  success- 
fully with  our  natural  advantages  of  soil  and  climate.  The  only 
thing  we  have  lacked  hitherto  has  been  enterprise,  and  this  is  now 
being  compelled  by  circumstances.  As  our  land  is  so  much  better 
adapted  to  the  growth  of  vegetables  of  nearly  all  kinds,  and  their 
production  is,  consequently,  so  much  cheaper,  it  was  a  matter  of 
surprise  to  find  that  a  large  canning  establishment  had  been 
established  at  Frederick  City.  One  would  have  supposed  that 
Norfolk  or  Richmond  would  have  presented  superior  advan- 
tages for  such  an  undertaking.  But  as  the  proprietor  has  al- 
ready amassed  a  large  fortune  in  the  same  business  elsewhere,  we 
must  suppose  that  he  knows  what  he  is  about.  The  vegetables  are 
furnished  by  contract — certain  farmers  agreeing  to  plant  so  many 
acres  in  any  required  crop ;  to  cultivate,  harvest  and  deliver  at  a 
stipulated  rate  per  acre.  For  corn  and  tomatoes,  the  price  agreed 
on  this  year  is  $45  per  acre. 

Richmond  badly  needs  something  of  this  kind,  and  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that,  if  one  man  cannot  be  found  with  sufficient  capital  to 
undertake  it,  there  may  be  several  of  the  same  mind.  At  the  Fall 
exhibitions  of  the  Agricultural  and  Horticultural  Societies,  a  fine 
opportunity  will  be  offered  for  making  an  effort  in  this  direction. 

Yours  truly,  J. 

Frederick  count)/,  Md.,  July  16,  1869. 


"Five  Acres  too  Much."     By   Robert   B.  Roosevelt.     Harper 
&  Bros.  New  York.     A.  H.  Christian  &  Co.,  Richmond. 

Messrs.  A.  H.  C.  &  Co.  have  placed  on  our  table  this  sprightly 
satire  upon  the  "  Ten  Acres  Enough  "  style  of  horticultural  litera- 
ture with  which  the  country  is  being  now  overrun. 

We  commend  the  book  to  the  earnest  perusal  of  many  who  are 
entering  so  rapidly,  if  not  prudently,  upon  the  practice  of  horticul- 
ture.    It  is  agreeably  written,  (with  the  exception  of  one  or  two 


494  THE    SOUTHERN  [August 

paragraphs  in  which  the  gross  want  of  refinement,  indeed,  exceed- 
ing coarseness,  destroys  the  attempted  wit,)  and  will  suggest  to  its 
readers  many  ways  and  means  by  which  the  anticipated  fortune 
may  fail  to  be  realized  from  the  garden  and  fruit  farm. 

That  it  is  a  burlesque,  and,  of  course,  highly  exaggerated,  can- 
not be  denied ;  but  it  nevertheless  contains  a  great  deal  that  may 
well  be  pondered  by  those  who  for  the  first  time  are  turning  their 
attention  to  horticultural  pursuits. 

Far  be  it  from  us  to  throw  even  a  straw  in  the  way  of  any  who 
wish  to  aid  in  developing  this  great  branch  of  industry.  But  we 
know  of  no  surer  way  of  raising  mountains  of  disappointment  and 
disaster,  than  the  constant  publication  of  marvelous  and  exagge- 
rated statements  of  profits  from  an  acre  of  this  vegetable  or  that 
fruit. 

The  experience  of  many  Virginians  around  Richmond,  during 
the  present  season,  has  doubtless  convinced  them  that  in  future 
they  will  be  more  benefitted  in  learning  from  others  how  and  why 
they  failed,  rather  than  what  under  exceedingly  favorable  circum- 
stances they  have  accomplished. 

Horticulture  is  an  experience,  as  well  as  a  science — the  latter 
can  only  ascertain  objects  :  the  former  is  necessary  to  bring  about 
results. 

If  writers  wish  to  accomplish  good,  let  them  honestly  detail  their 
failures,  as  well  as  (or  rather  than)  their  successes,  and  the  public 
will  be  vastly  more  benefitted. 


The  American  Pomological  Society. 

The  twelfth  session  of  the  American  Pomological  Society  will  be 
held  in  Horticultural  Hall,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  on  the  fifteenth  day 
of  September,  1869,  commencing  at  11  o'clock.  A.  M.,  and  con- 
tinuing for  three  days. 

All  Horticultural,  Pomological,  Agricultural,  and  other  kindred 
institutions  in  the  United  States  and  the  British  Provinces  are  in- 
vited to  send  delegations  as  large  as  they  may  deem  expedient ; 
and  all  other  persons  interested  in  the  cultivation  of  fruits  are  in- 
vited to  be  present  and  take  seats  in  the  Convention.  From  all 
parts  of  the  country  assurances  are  given  of  cordial  co-operation 
and  aid.  Delegates  have  already  been  appointed  from  several 
States,  among  which  we  may  name  Kansas,  whose  Legislature  has 
nobly  appropriated  five  hundred  dollars  to  defray  the  expenses  of 
her  representatives. 


1869]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  495 


Among  the  prominent  subjects  which  will  come  before  the  So- 
ciety at  this  session,  will  be  that  of  the  further  revision  of  the  So- 
ciety's catalogue  of  fruits. 

Members  and  delegates  are  requested  to  contribute  specimens  of 
the  fruits  of  their  respective  districts,  and  to  communicate  in  regard 
to  them  whatever  may  aid  in  promoting  the  objects  of  the  Society 
and  the  science  of  American  Pomology. 

Each  contributor  is  requested  to  come  prepared  with  a  complete 
list  of  his  collection,  and  to  present  the  same  with  his  fruits,  that  a 
report  of  all  the  varieties  entered  may  be  submitted  to  the  meeting 
as  soon  as  practicable. 

All  persons  desirous  of  becoming  members  can  remit  the  admis- 
sion fee  to  Thomas  P.  James,  Esq.,  Treasurer,  Philadelphia,  who 
will  furnish  them  with  Transactions  of  the  Society.  Life  Member- 
ship, Ten  Dollars ;  Biennial,  Two  Dollars. 

Packages  of  fruits,  with  the  name  of  the  contributor,  may  be  ad- 
dressed as  follows :  "  American  Pomological  Society,  care  of  Thos. 
A.  Andrews,  Horticultural  Hall,  Philadelphia,  Pa." 

Arrangements  have  been  made  with  several  Hotels  in  Philadel- 
phia for  a  reduction  in  price  of  board.  Similar  negotiations  with 
the  various  Railroad  Corporations  are  also  in  progress,  and  of  which 
due  notice  will  be  given. 

Let  our  State  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society  send  dele- 
gates, and  take  steps  to  have  the  fruits  of  the  State  represented. 


How  Cattle  Kill  Trees. 

It  is  a  noticeable  fact,  that  a  tree  ever  so  thrifty,  and  of  what- 
ever kind,  to  which  cattle  gain  access,  and  under  which  they  be- 
come habituated  to  stand,  will  very  soon  die.  In  the  case  of  a  soli- 
tary shade  tree  in  a  pasture  or  by  the  roadside,  this  is  of  common 
occurrence.  The  query  may  have  been  suggested,  To  what  is  this 
owing  ?  In  the  first  place,  rubbing  a  tree  by  the  necks  of  cattle  is 
highly  pernicious,  and  if  persisted  in,  it  will  commonly  destroy  it 
sooner  or  later ;  but  if  the  .body  of  the  tree  be  cased  so  that  their 
necks  cannot  touch  it,  death  will  ensue  just  as  certainly  as  they  are 
allowed  to  tramp  the  earth  about  it.  But  why  should  tramping  the 
earth  destroy  the  tree  ?  The  reason  is  one  of  wide  and  important 
application  to  the  laws  of  vegetable  growth.  The  roots  of  plants 
need  air,  if  not  as  much,  yet  just  as  truly  as  the  leaves  and 
branches.  Their  case  is  analogous  to  that  of  fishes,  which,  though 
they  must  have  water,   must  have  air  also,  namely,  just  about  as 


496  THE  SOUTHREN  [August 

much  as  permeates  the  water.  If  it  be  all  shut  off,  so  that  none 
which  is  fresh  can  get  to  them,  they  will  exhaust  the  supply  on 
hand,  and  then  die  for  want  of  more.  So  the  roots  of  trees  and 
vegetables  want  air.  When  the  earth  is  in  a  normal  or  natural 
condition,  it  is  full  of  interstices  and  channels,  by  which  air  gets  to 
them.  But  if  the  cattle  are  allowed  to  tramp  down  the  earth,  and 
the  sun  aids  their  work  by  baking  it  at  the  same  time,  a  crust  like 
a  brick  is  formed,  wholly  impervious  to  the  atmosphere,  and  the 
tree  yields  to  its  fate.  So  a  tree  cannot  live  if  its  roots  are  covered 
with  a  close  pavement.  They  will  struggle  for  life  by  creeping  to 
the  surface,  and  hoisting  out  a  brick  here  and  a  stone  there,  or  find 
a  crack  where  their  noses  can  snuff  a  little  breath;  but  if  fought 
down  and  covered  over,  will  finally  give  it  up.  So  if  a  tree  be 
thrust  into  a  close  clay,  or  its  roots  are  kept  under  water,  it  refuses 
either  to  be  an  aquatic,  or  to  put  up  with  its  aluminous  prison.  It 
will  grow  as  little  as  possible,  and  die  the  first  opportunity. — 
Prairie  Farmer. 


Mushroom  Culture. 

The  first  thing  to  be  done  in  their  cultivation  is  to  secure  ample 
supplies  of  suitable  manure ;  the  best  is  that  from  the  donkey  sta- 
bles, the  next  that  from  mules,  and  the  third  in  value  is  horse  ma- 
nure ;  and  the  last  is  in  more  general  use  because  of  the  scarcity  of 
the  former.  It  should  be  thrown  into  heaps,  and  fermentation  in- 
duced by  frequent  watering.  In  a  short  time  it  acquires  the  neces- 
sary qualities,  when  it  becomes  short,  unctuous,  and  dark  in  color, 
and  is  fit  for  use.  Cellars  and  caves  are,  on  account  of  the  equa- 
ble temperature,  the  best  places  in  which  to  form  your  mushroom 
beds,  particularly  when  it  is  designed  to  grow  them  each  month  in 
the  year ;  but  almost  any  building  will  do  where  a  temperature  be- 
tween 55  and  60  can  be  maintained.  The  beds  should  be  four  feet 
wide,  and  of  any  desired  length.  Ordinary  earth  is  first  laid  on  to 
a  depth  of  six  inches ;  this  is  packed  firm  with  the  back  of  the 
spade,  and  is  then  covered  with  six  inches  or  more  of  the  manure, 
and  this  also  is  packed  close  with  the  spade ;  then  the  bed  is  ready 
to  receive  the  spawn.  This  can  be  bought  packed,  fit  for  use,  in 
the  shape  of  bricks.  These  bricks  of  spawn  are  broken  into  small 
bits,  and  these  bits  are  stuck  an  inch  deep  into  every  three  inches 
space  of  the  surface  of  the  manure;  the  whole  surface  is  then  cov- 
ered, two  inches  deep,  with  fine  sifted  earth,  and  this,  too,  is  well 
packed  down  with  the  spade.     Then  a  good  sprinkling  is  given  of 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  497 


water  heated  to  80  or  90  degrees,  and  within  a  few  days  the  mush- 
rooms will  commence  to  spring  up,  and  will  continue  to  do  so  for 
some  months. —  Turf,  Field  and  Farm. 


Horticultural  Patents. 

We  are  glad  at  last  to  see  the  patent  business  for  horticultural 
subjects  has  received  a  quietus — on  full  consultation  with  the  differ- 
ent departments  and  committees  at  Washington,  it  has  been  decided 
as  not  advisable,  nor  even  possible,  to  adopt  a  satisfactory  method 
for  the  protection  of  this  class  of  heme  productions. 

We  believe  with  others,  that  a  man  who  originates  a  new  vine, 
fruit,  or  plant,  should  have  not  only  due  honor,  but  profit  for  his 
long  experiments  ;  but,  really  how  is  it  to  be  done  ? 

Horace  Greeley  says,  if  he  buys  a  new  vine  from  a  nurseryman, 
that  is  his  particular  property,  and  no  one  else's.  Now,  the  wood 
that  the  vine  makes  that  same  year  is  his  too,  and  if  he  chooses  to 
sell  it,  it  is  no  one's  business  to  hinder  him — he  has  a  perfect  right 
to  his  own. 

We  believe  there  is  too  much  humbug  in  the  revamping  of  old 
varieties  under  new  names,  and,  as  Mr.  Fuller  suggests,  a  good  of- 
fice of  registration,  with  the  power  of  a  national  authority,  would 
be  very  desirable  for  reference  and  criticism  at  all  times  ;  but  we 
cannot  see  how  patents  can  be  given,  nor  of  what  use  they  practi- 
cally are  after  being  given.  Virtually  they  are  a  dead  letter.  A 
mowing  machine  or  a  garden  cultivator  cannot  reproduce  itself;  but 
vines,  trees,  and  plants  do,  and  their  produce  belongs  to  their 
owner,  and  no  one  else.  Hence  we  say,  that  we  hope  the  patent 
business  in  horticulture  has  at  last  been  laid  permanently  on  the 
shelf  as  a  useless  project. — Horticulturist. 


Grape  Growers'  Maxims. 

BY  A.  S.  FULLER. 

1.  Prepare  the  ground  in  the  fall,  plant  in  spring. 

2.  Give  the  vine  plenty  of  manure,  old  and  well  decomposed  ; 
for  fresh  manure  excites  growth,  but  it  does  not  mature  it. 

3.  Luxuriant  growth  does  not  always  ensure  fruit. 

4.  Dig  deep,  but  plant  shallow. 

5.  Young  vines  produce  beautiful  fruit,  but  old  vines  produce  the 
richest. 

6.  Prune  in  autumn  to  ensure  growth,  but  in   the  spring  to  pro- 
mote fruitfulness. 

7.  Plant  your  vines  before  you  nut  up  trellises. 

8.  Vines,  like  soldiers,  should  have  good  arms. 

vol.  in. — 32 


498 


THE    SOUTHERN 


[August 


SCHEDULE  OF  PREMIUMS 


OF    THE 


#a.  horticultural  and  |)omoloigkal  ^Mtttjr, 

AT    ITS 

THIRD   J^TXnSTTJJ^T-,    EXHIBITION, 

TO  BE  HELD  AT  RICHMOND, 

On  the  '2d,  3d,  4th  and  5th  days  of  November,  1869,  in  connection 
and  co-operation  with  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society. 


I. PREMIUMS       r~B      NURSERY      AND      OR- 
CHARD   PRODUCTS. 

For  the  best  assortment  of  nursery 

stock,                                                   $30 
For  best  assortment  of  two-year  ap- 
ple trees  suited  to  Virginia,  10 
For    best    assortment    of    one-year 

peach  tret-  .uited  to  Virginia,  10 
For  best  assortment  of  two  year  pear 

trees,  (dwirf  an  i  standard.)  10 
For   largest   and    best  collection  of 

fruits.  30 

.  be-t,  15 
For  la-g  Btand  best  collection  of  3p- 

pies,  10 

Second  best,  5 

For  best  i     lection  of  pears,  10 

Second  be?:.  -5 

For  be-t  c^lle^tion  of  peache3,  10 

Second  be;t,  5 

For  best  collection  of  plums,  5 

For  best  collection  of  quinces,  5 

For  best  collection  of  grapes,  10 

Becood  5 

For  best  native  apple,  10 

For  best  native  grape,  5 

For  best  bushel  of  dried  apples,  5 

For  best  bushel  of  dried  peaches,  5 

Judges. 
Gen.  W.  H.  Richardson,  Richmond. 
T.  J    Finnic  WytheviUe. 
E.  R.  Trumbull.  Brunswick. 
Capt.  P.  F.  Nalle,  Culpeper 
B.F.  Wilson,  Surry. 
John  W.  Minor,  Gloucester. 
Rev.  W.  H.  Kuffner,  Lexington,   j 

II. PBEMIUMS    FOR    VEGETABLES. 

For  best  cu!  ivated  five  acres  in  gar- 
den crops.  $50 
For  best  a^re  of  Irish  potatoes,  20 
For  best  acre  of  winter  cabbage,           20 
For   best    and   largest   collection  of 
TegeUbles, 


'  Second  best,  10 

For  best  dozen  long  blood  beets,  2 

For  best  dozen  cabbages,  5 

Second  best.  Certificate. 

For  best  half  dozen  cauliflowers,  5 

Second  best,  Certificate. 

For  best  dozen  carrots,  2 

Second  best, 

For  best  dozen  celery, 

Second  best, 

F  r  be-t  dozen  cucumbers, 

Second  best, 

For  best  half-dozen  egg  plan's,  '. 

Second  best.  Certificate 

For  best  dozen  kohl  rabbi, 

Second  best. 

For  best  dozen  lettuce. 

Second  best, 

F  r  best  dozen  parsnips, 

Second  best, 

For  best  half  dozen  pumpkins,  2 

Second  best,  Certificate. 

For  hest  dozen  radishes, 

Seconl  best, 

For  best  dozen  salsify, 

Second  best, 

Ft  t-st  dozen  squashes, 

Se.-ond  best, 

For  best  peck  onions, 

Second  best, 

For  best  bushel  of  sweet  potatoes.  5 

Second  best,  Certificate. 

For  best  bushel  of  Irish  potatoes.  5 

Second  best.  Certificate. 

Ft  best  peck  of  pepper?, 

Second  best, 
.  For  best  bushel  of  turnips, 

Second  best, 

Fur  best  dozen  endives, 

Second  best, 

For  best  dozen  broccoli, 

Second  best, 

For  best  peck  of  tomatoes, 
!  Second  best, 


Certificate. 


Certificate. 


Certificate. 


Certificate. 

2 

Certificate. 


Certificate. 


Certificate. 
2 

Certificate. 

o 
Certificate. 

2 
Certificate. 


Certificate. 

2 
Certificate. 

2 

Certificate. 

3 

Certificate. 


Certificate. 


25  I      In  competing  for  the  premium  for  the 


1869.] 


PLANTER  AND  FARMER 


499 


best  acre  of  cabbages   and  best  acre  or  | 
potatoes,  the  certificate  of  three  disinter- ! 
ested  citizens  as  to  quantity  and  quality 
•will  be  accepted  instead  of  exhibition  of 
the  crop. 

The  committee  of  award  for  the  best  : 
five    acres    in    garden    crops   (to   be  an- 
nounced  hereafter,)    will   visit  any  sec- 1 
tion    where    their   presence    may    be  re 
quired    during  the   season,  upon   request 
of  the  exhibitor   addressed    to  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Society. 


Dr. 


Judges. 
J.  B.  McCarthy,  Richmond. 


John  T.  Griffin.   Norfolk. 
James   lyres,    Petersburg. 
Gen.  T.  M.  Logan,  Chesterfield. 
Judge  Win.  Daniel,  Lynchburg. 
J.  C.  Burton,   Henrico. 
A.  A.  Hobson,  Christiausburg. 

III.  —  PREMIUMS    FOB    FLOWERS. 

Largest  and  best  collection  of  plants 
in  i 

Second  best, 

Largest  and  best  collection  of  roses, 

Sec        beet, 

Large-t  and  best  collection  of  flow- 
ering shrubs, 

Best  collection  of  fuschiae, 

Best  collection  of  chrysanthemum^, 

Largest  and  best  collection  of  gera- 
nium-, 

Bert  collection  of  foliage  plants, 

Largest   and   best  collection  of  cut 
flowers, 

Second  best, 

H  tndsomest  design, 

Handsomest  cross, 

Best  bouquet, 

Judges. 

D .-.  Thomas  H.  Williams,  Richmond 
Dr.  Richmond  A    Lewi-,  Richmond. 
Gen.  W.  N*.  Pendleton,  Lexington. 
William  R  binson,   Danville. 
Judge  Wai.  Joynes,  Petersburg. 
Jobu  C.  Wood,  Charlottesville. 

TV.  —  PREMIUMS    FOR    WINES. 

For  best  specimen  of  American  wine, 
of  any  variety  of  grape, 

91  specimen  of  Catawba  wine, 
For  Kest  specimen  of  Concord  wine, 
For  best  specimen  of  Norton's  Virgi- 
nia, 
For  best  specimen  of  Scuppernong, 
For  best  specimen  of  Isabella, 
For  best  specimen  of  Ives, 
For  best  specimen  of  Herbemont, 
F  r  Se<t  specimen  of  Currant, 
For  be-t  specimen  of  Blackberry, 
For  b^i  specimen  of  Delaware, 
For  be-t  specimen  of  Clinton, 
For  best  specimen  of  cider, 


$15 

5 

10 

4 

10 


$15 
5 


Judjes. 

Oscar  Cranz.  Richmond. 
Gen.  A.  Barksdale,  Richmond. 
Dr.  C    G.  Barney,  Richmond. 
Gen.  Joa.  R.  Anderson,  Richmond. 
Judge  John  A.  Meredith,  Richmond. 

V  — PREMIUMS   FOR  IMPLEMENTS. 

For  best  collection    of  horticultural 

implements,  $20 

Second  best,  10 

For  best  cider  and  wine  mill,  10 

St-cond  best,  5 

For  best  garden  seed  drill,  10 

Second  best,  5 

For  best  garden  cultirator  for   horse 

power,  10 

For  best  garden   cultivator  for  hand 

power.  5 

For  best  garden  roller,  6 

For  best  collection  of  horticultural 
hardware,  including  grafting  tools, 
pruning  shears,  and  saws,  10 

For  best  implement  for  cultivating 
strawberries,  10 

Judges. 

James  Dinwiddle,  Farmville. 
Dr.  Monroe  Banister,  Amelia. 
J.  T.  Leitch,  Buckingham. 
Joseph  Wilmer,  Scottsville. 
Wm.  Smith,  Richmond. 
John  Morton,  Richmond. 
Dr.  J.  G   Lumpkin,  Hanover. 

YL — PREMIUMS    FOR    ESSAYS. 

For  best  essay  on  the  profits  of  gen- 
eral fruit  culture  in  Virginia,  in- 
cluding small  berries — viz.,  black- 
berries, strawberries,  currants, 
etc.,  $20 

For  best  essay  on  grape  culture  in 
Virginia,  20 

For  best  essay  on  profits  of  garden 
product-,  20 

For  best  essay  on  native  wine  (Va. )      20 

For  best  essay  on  culture  of  flowers,     20 

Ft  bpst  essay  en  the  diseases,  dep- 
redations of  insects,  etc.,  affecting 
fruit  tnes,  and  the  best  means  of 
counteracting  the  effects  of  the 
sam  \  20 

For  best  es3ay  on  the  fertilizers 
best  adapted  to  promote  the  growth 
(and  production  of  fruit)  of  grape 
vines  and  fruit  trees,  20 

Judges. 

Dr.  S.  P.  Moore.  Richmond 
Hon.  R   |f.  T    Hunter,  Essex. 
Gen.  B.  T.  Johnson,   Richmond. 
Hon.  B.  John-nn  Bnrbour,  Orange. 
Prof.  Mallet,  University  of  Virginia. 


500  THE  SOUTHERN  [August 

kecapitclatiox.  1  will  be  considered  the  property  of  the 

1.  Orchards  and  products,  $200    Society:  and  if  the  Executive  Committee 

2.  Vegetables  l**o    deem   it   advisable,  these   essays  will  be 

3.  Flowers  10)    published  for  the   advancemeLt  of  horti- 

4.  Wines  76    culture  and  pomology  iu  Virginia. 

5.  Implements,  100!      All  essays  must  be  sub-ni'ted  on  or  be- 

6.  Essays  140    f°re  tne  1st   of  October,  1869,  addressed 

to  the  chairman.  Dr.  8.   P.    Moore,  post- 

The  essays  submitted  on   the  different    oftze  b:x  No.  C86,  R  chmond,  Ya. 
subjects  for  whicn  premiums  are  offered 


Doiisfliolu-  Brparfmcnt. 


Rural  Taste. 

It  is  a  common  mode  of  thought  to  assert  that  the  farm  and  the 
home  should  be  the  spot  in  which  a  taste  for  rural  ornament  can  be 
most  appropriately  and  successfully  developed.  This  is  true  but  as 
a  sequence  from  other  beginnings  ;  and  we  are  disposed  to  attribute 
the  education  of  one's  taste  as  much  to  the  associations  of  the 
school-room  and  grounds  as  to  home  associations.  If  in  our  coun- 
try districts  the  old,  shaggy,  red  or  brown  weather-beaten  struc- 
tures for  school-houses  were  replaced  with  buildings  of  an  ornamen- 
tal style  of  architecture,  with  grounds  appropriately  laid  out  and 
planted  in  something  simple,  perhaps  nothing  beyond  a  pretty  lawn 
plat,  surrounded  by  a  neat  fence,  and  planted  in  evergreens,  we 
feel  sure  that  the  constant  sight  of  this  pleasant  object,  and  the  as- 
sociations naturally  formed  in  the  mind  of  the  scholar,  would  do  far 
more  good  than  centuries  of  lectures  or  libraries  of  books.  The 
taste  of  a  child  comes  from  the  school-room  as  well  as  the  home, 
and  goes  from  the  one  to  the  other.  Hence  we  make  a  plea  not 
onlv  for  the  improvement  of  our  country  school-houses,  but  for  the 
importance  of  extending  this  subject  even  beyond — to  college 
grounds.  In  the  minds  of  college  managers  it  seems  only  neces- 
sary to  secure  the  ground,  "the  terra  firma,"  and  then  build  their 
massive  walls ;  and  when  that  is  done,  all  is  done.  Not  so,  indeed. 
Thousands  of  young  men  and  women  frequent  these  grounds  day 
afcer  day  and  year  after  year.  If  the  grounds  are  well  laid  out 
and  tastefully  displayed,  there  is  an  opportunity  presented  for  the 
development  and  culture  of  a  refinied  taste,  such  as  no  musty  lite- 
rature ever  possessed.  It  is  practical,  too,  and  will  insensibly  help 
to  mould  the  future  disposition  and  character,  and  act  on  it  for 
years  to  come.  Let  us  then  remember  that  if  we  would  have  rural 
art  and  taste  become  diffusive,  we  must  begin  with  the  youth  of 
the  country,  and  at  the  fountain-heads  of  education. — Horticulturist. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  501 

Southern  Women  and  Children. 

Where  are  the  women  and  children  in  History  ?  Why  do  they 
so  seldom  appear  ?  Have  they  had  nothing  to  do  with  shaping  the 
events  of  this  world?  Are  men  the  only  actors  in  the  great  drama? 
Have  the  women  and  children  no  part  to  play  ?  And  if  they  have, 
why  do  we  so  very  rarely  meet  with  them  in  the  scenes  and  acts  of 
history?  And  when  their  gentle  faces  do  appear,  how  is  it  that 
they  are  kept  far  off  in  the  obscure  back-ground,  dim  as  shadows, 
scarcely  seen  at  all — or,  if  seen,  almost  unnoticed  ?  We  read  the 
annals  of  a  thousand  years ;  we  turn  over  page  after  page  ;  but  the 
names  upon  them  written,  and  the  deeds  in  them  recorded,  are 
names  and  deeds  of  men.  What  of  the  women  and  children  of 
those  thousand  years?  Have  they  done  nothing  worth  recording  ? 
and  if  they  have,  where  is  the  record  ?  We  follow  the  histories  of 
a  hundred  nations,  through  all  their  vicissitudes,  from  their  births 
to  their  burials  we  find  the  foot-prints  alone  of  the  men.  Has  no 
mark  been  left  to  tell  that  women  and  children  had  aught  to  do 
with  the  destinies  of  the  nations?  Do  men  alone  make  History? 
From  them  alone  is  all  its  glory  derived  ?  Have  they  so  occupied 
the  stage  upon  which  the  drama  of  history  is  acted  as  to  leave  no 
room  upon  it  for  the  women  and  children  ?  Do  these  exert  no  in- 
fluence on  the  course  of  events?  or  so  imperceptible  an  influence 
that  only  once  or  twice  in  a  hundred  years  they  make  a  mark  and 
leave  a  memory  ? 

There  are  historians  of  men  and  men's  achievements,  but  women 
and  children  have  neither  history  nor  historian.  And  yet,  the  weak 
hands  of  women  and  children  have  done  their  part  in  the  building 
up  of  every  nation.  They  have  suffered  too,  and  struggled  ;  they 
have  given  their  tears  to  the  tragedies  of  this  world ;  they  have 
helped  nations  to  attain  glory  and  men  to  win  fame ;  they  have  in- 
fluenced every  day  of  history,  but  in  the  blaze  of  men's  achieve- 
ments they  have  been  hidden,  just  as  the  stars  in  the  heavens  are 
veiled  from  our  gaze  by  the  splendors  of  the  sun.  In  the  march  of 
nations  to  glory  we  hear  only  the  firm  tread  of  the  warrior  ;  we 
listen  in  vain  for  the  patter  of  little  feet.  In  the  field  of  battle  we 
hear  only  the  shouts  of  the  combatants — not  the  sighs  of  women 
who  are  wailing  for  those  who  will  return  no  more.  Memories  of 
the  blood  of  brave  men  shed  in  sacred  causes  history  gathers  and 
preserves,  but  the  tears  of  the  widows  and  orphans  in  the  desolate 
home  are  forgotten.  A'jd  which  is  holier — the  blood  of  the  soldier 
or  the  tears  of  his   orphans  ?     The  historian  finds  on  the  battle- 


502  THE    SOUTHERN  [August 

plain  a  grave,  and  the  name  of  the  sleeper  in  it  he  gives  to  the 
■world ;  but  the  names  of  the  weepers  for  that  dead  one  find  no  place 
in  the  pages.  And  which  is  holier — the  pulseless  heart  of  the  war- 
rior buried  in  his  battle  grave,  or  the  broken  hearts  of  the  wife  and 
children  at  home?  History  takes  pains  and  feels  pride  in  recording 
the  sufferings  and  sacrifices  of  men  for  right,  but  all  unknown  and 
unwritten  are  the  greater  sacrifices  of  the  women  and  children  ; 
greater,  because  they  feel  them  more  intensely,  and  are  less  able  to 
make  them  and  bear  them.  How  often  have  we  mused  over  these 
unwritten  histories  !  How  often  have  we  striven  to  fill  up  with  our 
own  imaginings  the  blanks  in  the  annals  of  earth  !  How  often  have 
we  wondered  about  these  women  and  children  who  stand  in  the  si- 
lent, shadowy  background  of  history,  and  yet  who  are  intimately 
related  to  every  event  !  They  share  the  fates  of  their  people — they 
suffer  and  rejoice — they  weep — they  make  sacrifices — they  wield  a 
quiet,  yet  tremendous  power,  over  the  acts  of  history  ;  and  yet  his- 
torians scarcely  deign  to  mention  them.  A  passing  tribute  now 
and  then  they  receive,  but  the  full  meed  of  praise  which  they  de- 
serve is  withheld.  The  great  deeds  of  men  occupy  page  after  page, 
a  sentence  here  and  there  intimates  that  back  of  the  great  men  and 
their  deeds  are  the  women  and  children.  Who  will  write  their  his- 
tory ?  Were  it  written,  how  it  would,  in  interest,  transcend  the 
records  of  men  !  What  bright  and  beautiful  pages — what  sad  and 
pathetic  pages  it  would  present  !  how  tragic  it  would  be  !  What 
sorrows  and  sufferings — what  faith  aad  fidelity  it  would  contain  ! 
Do  we  meet  in  the  front  lines  of  history  with  men  great,  good,  and 
true  ?  Back  of  them  would  we  not  find  women  and  children  aa 
true,  as  good,  and  as  great?  Does  the  heroism  of  men  on  battle- 
fields in  just  causes  thrill  us  with  admiration?  What  of  the  hero- 
ism in  the  homes  of  these  men  ?  There  goes  the  soldier  to  the  fray 
firm  and  fearless ;  a  proud  figure  for  the  historian  to  sketch  ;  but 
look  at  his  little  girl  standing  on  the  doorstep,  bitterly  weeping,  and 
kissing  her  white  little  hand  to  her  soldier-father  for  the  last  time. 
There  goes  the  warrior  grandly  down  to  death  rather  than  yield  to 
wrong;  history  will  not  forget  him.  But  had  he  a  mother,  a  wife, 
a  child,  what  of  them?  He  leaves  a  memory;  what  becomes  of 
their  memories?  They  sent  him  forth — prayed  for  him — watched 
and  waited  for  him — suffered  the  deep  anguish  of  suspense  for  him 
— he  is  remembered — they  are  forgotten.  His  deeds  are  handed 
down — theirs,  consigned  to  oblivion.  His  brow  is  crowned  with  a 
wreath  of  glory,  and  flowers  are  strewn  o'er  his  grave — but  they  ! 
no  one  knows  of  them ;   no  one  asks  for  them.     And  who  suffered 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  503 


more — they  or  he  ?  Which  is  harder — death  to  him  in  the  front  of 
battle,  or  life  to  them  when  he  is  gone?  Which  is  greater — his 
glory  or  their  grief?  And  if  the  light  of  his  glory  flashes  along 
many  a  page  of  history,  why  does  not  their  grief  cast  its  shadow 
there  ? 

History  is  wrong.  Women  and  children  help  to  make  it.  They 
are  actors  in  the  drama.  They  are  part  of  every  scene.  Beside 
every  event  they  stand.  There  never  was  a  deed  done  with  which 
they  have  not  been  connected.  But  their  story  is  unchronicled — 
their  fames  unsounded — their  names  eclipsed  in  the  glare  of  the 
names  of  men.  Their  hearts  are  beating  under  every  page  of  his- 
tory ;  their  hands,  unseen,  are  working  at  every  mouument  of  hu- 
man glory.  Amid  the  nations  they  are  moving  to  and  fro,  fulfill- 
ing their  mission,  but  the  ranks  of  men  hide  them  from  view,  and 
the  writers  of  the  deeds  of  men  leave  them  in  their  obscurity. 

Who  will  write  the  story  of  the  women  and  children  of  the 
South  ?  Who  will  describe  their  sacrifices  for  our  cause  ?  Who 
will  record  their  enthusiasm  as  long  as  there  was  hope — and  their 
fidelity  when  hope  passed  away  ?  Who  will  tell  the  world,  in  fitting 
words,  of  their  woes,  and  the  wrongs  they  endured  ?  We  are 
shrining  in  story  and  in  song  the  fames  of  our  men — shall  we  forget 
our  women  and  children  ?  They  are  keeping  our  memories — shall 
we  let  their  memories  perish  ?  They  are  treasuring  in  their  hearts 
our  traditions — they  cling  to  them — they  will  pass  them  down — 
they  are  making  them  household  words  ;  and  if  they  do  this  for  us, 
shall  we  fail  to  record  their  praises  ?  Proud  pages  in  history  shall 
the  men  who  wore  the  grey  have ;  but  their  mothers,  wives,  sisters, 
children,  shall  they  remain  unchronicled  and  unknown  ?  No  !  they 
were  true  to  us,  and  history  must  be  true  to  them.  Devotion  to  a 
cause,  greater  than  theirs,  the  world  never  never  witnessed.  Does 
the  ivy  cling  as  faithfully  as  ever  to  the  crumbling  tower  ?  so  they 
to  the  lost  cause.  Was  the  blood  of  our  soldiers,  shed  in  our  de- 
fence, holy  and  pure  ?  Not  less  pure  and  holy  were  their  tears. 
Were  the  hardships  borne  in  battle,  siege  and  skirmish,  in  camp,  on 
the  march,  in  the  trenches  and  hospitals,  grand  and  worthy  of  re- 
membrance ?  Not  less  grand  nor  less  worthy  of  record  were  the 
sorrows  of  our  women  and  children  in  twice  a  hundred  thousand 
homes.  Where  was  the  higher  heroism — on  the  battle-field,  or  far 
away  at  the  lonely  hearth  ?  Who  bore  more — gave  more — suffered 
more  for  country — the  soldier  with  sword  of  steel  girded  to  his  side, 
or  the  soldier  boy's  mother  with  the  sword  of  grief  transpiercing 
her  heart  ?     Was  he  worn  and  weary,  that  soldier  of  Lee's  army  in 


504  THE  SOUTHERN  [August 

the  trenches  of  Richmond  ?  But  thousands  of  comrades  surrounded 
him.  What  of  his  wife,  with  the  woe-worn  face  and  the  weary 
heart  in  her  far-off  home,  looking  into  the  eyes  of  her  little  girl, 
who,  to-morrow  may  be  fatherless  ?  It  is  sad — that  grass-grown 
grave,  without  a  name,  in  the  shadow  of  the  woods  of  Tennessee  ! 
A  boy  without  coffin  or  shroud,  with  only  his  grey,  suit  on,  is  rest- 
ing there  ;  and  his  sorrows  are  over.  But  there  is  a  grave  in  that 
boy's  only  sister's  heart,  away  down  in  some  little  village  of  Geor- 
gia, and  her  sorrows  still  endure.  Is  that  not  sadder  ?  Was  it  not 
mournful — that  dying  cry  of  the  poor  soldier  in  a  Northern  prison? 
But  the  moans  of  his  mother  in  the  silence  of  the  night,  when  his 
pale  face  flits  through  her  dreams — are  they  not  more  full  of 
agony  ? — Father  Ryan,  in  Banner  of  the  South. 


Recipes. 

Batter  Bread. — Boil  one  quart  of  milk  and  pour  it  on  1  pint 
of  sifted  meal ;  take  care  it  is  not  lumpy ;  add  a  piece  of  lard  or 
butter  the  size  of  an  egg,  1  teaspoonful  salt,  and  five  eggs  well 
beaten :  bake  slowly. 

French  Honey. — One-quarter  pound  of  butter,  one-half  pound 
of  sugar,  yolks  of  three  eggs,  whites  of  two  eggs,  juice  of  two 
lemons,  and  the  rind  also — to  be  simmered  over  a  slow  fire  till 
thick,  which  takes  five  or  seven  minutes. 

White  Mountain  Cake. — One  pound  of  sugar,  half  pound  of 
butter,  one  pound  of  flour,  whites  of  nine  eggs,  one  cup  of  milk, 
one  teaspoonful  of  soda,  and  two  of  cream  tartar  ;  bake  in  jelly 
cake-pans  and  put  icing  between ;  one  pound  of  sugar  and  the 
whites  of  four  eggs  makes  the  icing. 

Charleston  Pudding. — Four  cups  of  flour,  three  of  sugar,  six 
eggs,  one  cup  of  butter,  one  cup  of  cream,  or  with  a  teaspoonful  of 
soda,  two  teaspoonsful  of  cream  tartar  ;  beat  all  well  together. 

French  Cake. — Five  eggs,  two  cups  of  dark  brown  sugar,  one 
of  butter,  one  pound  of  chopped  raisins,  one  teaspoon  of  saleratus 
dissolved  in  half  a  cup  of  water,  one  tablespoon  of  cinnamon,  one 
small  teaspoon  of  cloves,  one  pound  of  currants,  a  little  salt.  Flour 
according  to  your  own  judgment. 

Cocoanut  Cake. — One  bowl  of  sugar,  one  bowl  of  flour,  one 
cup  of  butter,  six  eggs,  one  teaspoon  of  soda,  two  of  cream  tartar, 
one  grated  cocoanut. 


THE  SOUTHERN  PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


IUCHMOND,  VIRGINIA. AUGUST  1809. 


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Our  Subscribers. 

Since  our  last  number  was  issued,  a  goodly  number  of  our  subscribers  have 
responded  to  our  appeal  for  payment  with  commendable  promptitude.  Others, 
from  whom  we  had  expected  a  like  cheerful  response,  have  not  yet  broken 
silence. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  present  year,  we  ceased  to  supply  a  number  of  sub- 
scribers who  had  paid  nothing  for  the  year  previous;  not  so  much  on  account 
of  any  doubt  then  entertained  of  their  good  intentions,  as  from  the  necessity 
of  rdieving  ourselves  from  cariying  the  heavy  burthen  of  paying  cash  for  all 
the  materials  used  and  furnishing  our  paper  to  subscribers  on  an  indefinite 
credit.  Will  the  reader  believe  it?  We  have  n'  t  heard  from  more  than  a  half 
dozen  of  them  since  that  time,  and  after  seven  month's  further  probation  we 
are  justified  in  concluding  we  probably  never  shall. 

We  shall  make  a  further  excission  from  our  list  before  sending  out  this  num- 
ber, for  the  same  reason,  but  we  hope  with  better  results.  We  shall  forward 
bills  to  all  names  which  have  been  thus  suspended,  giving  them  the  earliest 
opportunity  to  reinstate  themselves  if  they  desire  it. 


Chief  Marshal  for  the  State  Fair. 

We  congratulate  the  members  and  friends  of  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural 
Society,  that  the  Executive  Committee  have  been  so  fortunate  as  to  obtain  the 
consent  of  Col.  C.  Q.  Tompkins  to  act  as  Chief  Marshal  on  occasion  of  the 
forthcoming  Fair.  It  is  well  remembered  what  signal  success  was  achieved 
through  the  administrative  ability  displayed  by  Col.  T.  in  the  conduct  of  this 
department  during  our  first  Fair.  His  prestige  is  a  guaranty  that  everything 
pertaining  to  his  department  will  be  well  considered,  pre-arranged,  and  adapted 
to  the  thorough  development  of  systematic  order  and  cooperative  harmony  in 
every  department  under  his  control. 


506  THE  SOUTHERN  [August 

A  New  Bone  Mill  in  Richmond. 

It  affirds  us  pleasure  to  rectrd  another  evidence  of  the  incoming  of  Northern 
capital  among  us.  The  Messrs.  Downward.  Anderson  &  Co.,  late  of  Wilming. 
ton,  Delaware,  have  established  on  the  Dock,  in  this  city,  a  Bone  Mill  for 
grinding  "  pure  bone,"  and  also  for  the  manufacture  of  "  the  Powhatan  Phos- 
phate." The  works  are  under  the  personal  supervision  of  John  Whann,  Esq., 
(one  of  the  originators  of  "  Whann's  Super-Phosphate.")  whose  high  character 
in  the  Middle  and  Eastern  States,  where  he  is  well  known,  is  offered  as  a  guar- 
anty for  the  purity,  and  consequent  value,  of  the  fertilizers  offered  by  the  new 
firm.  Dr.  D.  W.  Mosely,  formerly  of  Buckingham  county,  Va.,  and  recently 
of  the  fimi  of  Dove  &  Moseley,  of  this  city,  is  connected  with  the  new  enter- 
prise as  General  Agent.  "We  congratulate  Messrs.  Downward,  Anderson  &  Co. 
on  having  secured  his  services,  and  wish  them  every  success  in  their  new  field. 


To  the  People  of  Virginia. 

The  Virginia  Srate  Agricultural  S  iciety  will  hold  their  first  Fair  since  the 
war  at  the  grounds  of  the  Society,  near  this  city,  commencing  on  Tuesday, 
November  2d,  and  continuing  through  the  week. 

It  is  proposed  to  unite  with  it  a  grand  exhibition  of  the  manufacturing,  me- 
chanical, and  mineral  productions  of  the  State.  For  this  purpose,  it  is  neces- 
sary that  a  large  and  suitable  hall  should  be  erected.  The  work  of  erection 
should  commence  early  in  September,  and  the  time  is  short  to  prepare  plans, 
make  contracts,  and  secure  funds.  We  would  therefore  urge  the  people  of  the 
Srate  to  be  prompt  in  action,  as  well  in  sending  in  their  subscriptions  in  the 
first  place,  as  in  making  their  arrangements  to  be  present  with  specimens  of 
their  minerals  and  the  productions  of  their  manufactories.  We  commend  the 
following  notice  from  the  "Richmond  Enquirer  and  Examiner,"  to  the  public 
attention. 

Arrangements  have  already  been  made  with  the  Virginia  Horticultural  and 
Pomological  Society  for  a  united  exhibition  with  the  State  Society,  on  terms 
similar  to  those  proposed  above. 

Mr.  Chas.  Pleasants  has  been  appointed  Agent  and  Canvasser  of  the  So- 
ciety to  secure  the  subscriptions  proposed  to  the  annexed  plan.  Persons  in 
the  State  are  invited  to  correspond  with  him,  and  forward  their  names  to  be 
entered  on  the  list  of  subscribers.  The  Committtee. 

THE    APPROACHING    STATE    FAIR. 

The  following  resolutions  were  adopted  by  the  Executive  Committee  of  the 
Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society,  at  their  meeting  on  the  14th  instant: 

'•  Whereas,  It  is  the  earnest  desire  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Virginia 
State  Agricultural  Society  to  unite  the  manufacturing,  mechanical,  and  agri- 
cultural interests  of  the  State,  and  a  suitable  opportunity  appears  to  be  offered 
by  the  approaching  exhibition  of  this  Society  ;  therefore  : 

"Resolved,  That  those  interests  be  respectfully  invited  to  co  operate  with  the 
Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society. 

'•Iltsoh-ed,  That  the  President,  Messrs.  R.  Irby,  W.  C.  Knight  and  F.  Stearns, 
be  appointed  a  committee  to  meet  and  confer  with  any  committee  that  maj  be 
appointed  by  the  manufacturers  and  mechanics,  and  negotiate  the  terms  of  an 
united  exhibition." 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  507 


To  carry  the  same  into  effect,  it  is  proposed  to  f  >rin  a  special  association  of 
subscribers,  and  the  money  so  raised  will  be  used  for  the  construction  of  a  suit- 
able building  on  the  Fair  grounds  of  the  State  Society,  in  which  to  exhibit  the 
manufacturing,  mechanical,  mineral  and  agricultural  productions  of  the  State. 
The  space  in  said  building  will  be  suitably  divided  for  the  purposes  of  the  ex- 
hibition, and  will  be  ratably  assessed  so  as  to  cover  the  cost  of  the  building, 
and  necessary  fixtures  for  putting  in  operation  all  machinery  which  may  be 
exhibited,  and  the  subscribers  shall  be  credited  on  their  subscriptions  for  the 
space  they  may  occupy  ;  and  in  the  event  that  the  space  required  by  a  sub- 
scriber is  less  than  the  amount  of  his  subscription,  then  he  shall  be  paid  for 
the  excess  :  Provided,  the  same  shall  be  rented  to  other  exhibitors.  The  cost 
of  the  building  and  fixtures  being  thus  paid  for  at  the  first  exhibition,  the  sub- 
scribers will,  at  all  subsequent  exhibitions,  be  entitled  to  the  space  without 
charge,  except  for  a  small  assessment  to  cover  repairs,  taxes,  &c.  Any  sub- 
scriber who  may  choose  not  to  occupy  the  space  allotted  to  him  will  be  entitled 
to  the  rents  accruing  therefrom. 

The  undertaking  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society  will  be  to  the  extent,  that 
the  building  may  be  erected  on  the  grounds  of  the  Society,  and  to  remain  at 
the  will  uf  the  subscribers,  or  a  majority  in  the  interest  of  them  ;  and  should  it 
be  deemed  advisable  hereafter,  the  building  may  be  purchased  by  the  State 
Society  on  agreed  terms,  or  be  removed,  as  the  subscribers,  or  a  majority  of 
them,  may  determine. 

The  exhibition  in  this  building  will  be  under  the  rules  and  regulations  of 
the  State  Society  as  a  part  of  their  Annual  Fair. 

The  undersigned,  a  committee  appointed  by  the  foregoing  resolution,  pledge 
the  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society  to  a  faithful  performance  of  the  terms 
and  conditions  on  which  the  proposed  subscriptions  are  made;  and  it  is  under- 
stood and  agreed  that  no  subscription  is  to  be  binding  or  to  have  legal  effect 
until  the  whole  sum  subscribed  amounts  to  $4,000  ;  and  when  this  sum  has 
been  secured,  the  subscribers  shall  pay  the  sums  subscribed  by  them  respec- 
tively to  the  Secretary  and  Treasurer  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society,  to  be 
at  once  appropriated  to  the  erection  of  the  proposed  building. 

Done  by  authority  of  the  Virginia  S:ate  Agricultural  Society. 

W.  T.   Sctherlin, 
K.  Irbt, 
W.  C.  Knight, 
F.  Stearns, 

Committee. 

"Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society. 

A  FINE  CHANCE  FOR  GENERAL  STATE  DEVELOPMENT. 
We  are  more  than  pleased  to  hear  that  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Vir- 
ginia State  Agricultural- Society  have  had  the  sagacity  to  invite  the  manufac- 
turing and  mechanical  interests  of  the  State  to  unite  with  them  in  their  exhi- 
bition in  this  city  next  fall.  By  that  time  we  hope  the  question  which  now 
disturbs  us  will  have  been  settled  to  the  satisfaction  of  our  citizens,  and  that 
we  will  be  ready  to  commence  our  career  of  progress.  To  do  that  in  the  best 
manner,  it  will  be  well  to  have  as  extensive  a  survey  as  possible  of  our  re- 
sources of  all  kinds;  and  with  that  view,  we  think  it  best  that  as  many  of  the 
productions  of  our  industry  be  grouped  as  can  possibly  be  got  together. 


503  THE  SOUTHERN  [August 

We  observe  that  the  Society  did  not  limit  itself  to  the  city  of  Richmond,  but 
embraced  the  whole  State  in  its  invitations.  This  is  right,  as  well  as  politic. 
Though  Richmond  will  be  mainly  called  upon,  because  it  is  right  at  the  Fair 
grounds,  yet  every  section  of  the  State  should  contribute;  and  of  its  minerals 
as  well  as  manufactures  ;  specimens  of  its  porcelain  and  maganese  of  Augusta 
and  Nelson,  the  marble  and  baryta  of  Rockbridge,  the  copper  of  Carroll  and 
Russell,  the  lead  of  Wythe,  the  black  lead  of  Amelia  and  Halifax,  the  petro- 
leum of  Campbell,  the  salt  and  plaster  of  Washington,  the  slate  of  Albemarle 
and  Buckingham,  the  green  sand  of  the  Pamunkey,  the  cane  fibre  and  peat  of 
the  Dismal  Swamp,  the  unrivalled  granite  of  Chesterfield  and  Henrico,  the  iron 
ores  and  coal  from  everywhere,  the  gold,  and,  in  short,  everything  which  can 
illustrate  the  resources  of  Virginia,  should  be  brought,  as  to  a  museum,  and 
placed  where  they  can  catch  the  eye  of  the  hundreds  of  Northern  men  who  will 
come  to  explore  our  country  and  observe  our  people. 

We  hear  that  it  is  in  contemplation  to  invite  a  good  many  distinguished 
Northern  personages,  with  the  expectation  that  they  will  learn  a  great  deal 
during  their  visit  ;  and  it  can  hardly  fail  to  strike  any  one  that  such  an  oppor- 
tunity of  making  profitable  and  judicious  connection  with  capitalists  of  the 
North  cannot  often  be  presented.  It  is  an  opportunity  which  our  people  should 
not  throw  away  ;  and  we  presume  they  will  not.  One  reason  for  that  opinion 
is,  that  we  learn  from  Mr.  Charles  Pleasants,  the  very  worthy  and  industrious 
canvasser  for  this  city,  that  he  has  been  very  cordially  met  by  all  the  parties 
whom  he  has  visited  ;  another  is  that  our  people  have  lately  shown  so  much 
good  hard  practical  sense  in  politics  as  to  encourage  us  to  believe  that  they 
have  enough  of  the  same  commodity  for  other  practical  questions. 

Who  knows  what  good  may  come  out  of  this  exhibition  to  Richmond  and 
the  whole  State,  if  Richmond  and  the  whole  State  will  only  stir  themselves  ? 
Roll  on  the  ball." 

Seed  Wheat. 

The  time  is  at  band  when  those  who  are  contemplating  a  change  in  their 
se^d  wheat  should  be  looking  about  for  some  new  variety  to  supersede  the  old, 
which,  in  common  parlance,  has  run  out.  We  are  not  prepared  to  recommnd 
any  particular  variety,  but  we  are  satisfied  from  our  own  experience,  and  the 
testimony  of  others,  that  no  foreign  wheats  have  proved  successful  in  this 
country  that  have  not  been  imported  from  about  the  corresponding  parallels  cf 
latitude  with  ours. 

One  gentleman  of  high  character  and  intelligence  informed  us  that,  after 
close  observation  for  more  than  twenty  years,  he  had  not  known  an  instance  of 
success  in  any  variety,  which  did  not  c  >me  within  this  limitation.  There  may 
have  been  exceptions  from  the  rule,  but  in  all  such  cases  the  success  proved  to 
be  of  but  short  duration — seldom  extending  to  the  second  crop,  never  to  the  third. 

Nearly  all  of  the  new  foreign  varieties  now  commended  to  public  attention, 
it  will  be  seen,  are  of  Mediterranean  origin,  thus  establishing  the  law  which 
governs  the  acclimation  of  these  foreign  exotics. 

We  copy  from  "  Deiiz's  Experimental  Farm  Journal,"  the  following  article, 
which  seems  to  confirm  the  general  principle  we  have  laid  down  : 

THE    VARIETIES    OF    WBEAT    BEST    ADAPTED    TO    THE     DIFFERENT    WHEAT    GROWING 
SECTIONS    OF    TBE    UNITED     STATES. 

As  the  season  will  shortly  be  here  when  farmers  must  select  their  seed  for 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  509 


sowing  the  full  crop,  a  few  suggestions  upon  the  varieties  which  have  most  fa- 
vorably recommended  themselves  to  me  may  assist  those  who  have  not  had  the 
same  opportunities  for  observation  and  experiment  which  I  have.  In  doing  so 
I  will  seek  to  be  as  plain  as  possible-  The  most  common  classification  of  wheat, 
and  that  which  is  most  apparent  to  every  one,  distinguishes  the  different  varie- 
ties into  smooth  and  beardy,  red  and  white.  In  my  remarks  I  shall  observe 
this  classification  as  closely  as  possible. 

French  While  Chaff  Bearded  Mediterranean  Red 
Has  the  largest  grains,  and  is  classed  as  one  of  the  best  of  all  the  varieties  in 
my  possession.  Its  adaptability  to  soil  and  climate  is  very  great,  and  it  suc- 
ceeds admirably  in  producing  large  crops  and  maturing  well  throughout  the 
whole  wheat  growing  section  north  of  latitude  37°,  and  east  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  In  this  area  of  country  it  has  proved  the  hardiest  and  earliest  of 
all  varieties,  and  recommended  itself  fjr  general  cultivation.  It  is  best  suited 
to  clay  soils,  but  gives  satisfaction  in  any  wheat  soil.  It  recommends  itself 
especially  to  light  soils,  by  its  vigor  to  withstand  the  severity  of  winter.  The 
great  vigor  and  health  of  the  plant  enables  it  to  resist  repeated  freezing  and 
thawing  better  than  almost  any  other  variety,  and  this,  together  with  its  earli" 
ness  to  mature,  protects  it  against  both  rust  and  the  wheat  midge.  The  straw 
is  strong  and  healthy,  grows  about  four  feet  high,  and  rarely  lodges.  The 
quality  cf  the  wheat  is  good,  the  grain  weighs  about  sixty-four  pounds  to  the 
bushel,  and  makes  excellent  flour.  It  should  be  sown  about  the  middle  of 
September.     It  is  the  first  to  ripen  of  all  the  red  varieties  now  cultivated. 

French  Bed  Chaff  Bearded  Mediterranean  Bed  Wheat. 

The  Red  Chaff  Bearded  Mediterranean  has  been  sown  in  this  section  for 
many  years,  and  has  always  been  regarded  among  the  best  varieties  by  the 
majority  of  farmers.  It  has  been  cultivated  longest  in  the  Northern  States, 
and  was  known  under  a  variety  of  different  names.  The  French  Red  Chaff 
Bearded  Mediterranean  is  only  a  new  importation  of  this  same  wheat,  and  is 
fresh  and  hardy  and  vigorous,  while  that  which  has  been  sown  for  a  long  time 
has  degenerated  and  grown  inferior.  What  is  most  wanted  in  this  variety  to 
make  it  as  productive  as  it  ever  was,,  is  pure,  healthy  seed  and  careful  cultiva- 
tion. The  imported  seed  is  early  and  prolific,  and  free  from  weevil  and  rust. 
It  should  be  sown  from  the  fifth  to  the  twenty-fifth  of  September.  Both  the 
white  and  red  chaff  red  wheats  are  among  the  most  hardy  and  productive 
wheats  grown  anywhere,  and  ought  to  be  recommended  for  general  cultivation. 
There  is  no  section  of  our  country  in  which  they  will  not  acclimate  and  pro- 
duce large  and  profitable  crops. 

German  Red  Chaff  Beardless  Red  Wheat. 

This  wheat,  lately  imported  from  Europe,  is  the  same  that  is  known  here  as 
weevil-proof  Red  Chaff  Smooth,  and  has  a  different  name  in  almost  every  lo- 
cality.    It  is  the  Red  Chaff  Mediterranean,  differing  from  it  only  in  having 

list  its  beards,  and  on  this  account  is  preferred  to  the  latter.     It  is  healthv 

"i 
early  and  hardy,  and  adapts  itself  readily  to  soil  and  climate  wherever  the 

red  chaff  bearded  wheats  have  been  cultivated.     To  those  preferring  a  smooth 

red  wheat  I  wuuld  recommend  this  variety,  sure  that  it  will  yield  a  fair  crop, 

in  almost  any  part  of  the  United  States.     For  general  cultivation  I  regard  it  as 

the  best  of  the  smooth  red  varieties. 


510  THE    SOUTHERN  [August 

Climate  and  cultivation  work  so  many  changes  in  wheat  that  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  make  distinct  classifications  of  each  variety  of  the  same  class. 
The  characteristics  of  many  species  are  sufficiently  obvious  and  invariable  to 
serve  the  purposes  of  the  most  stringent  classification,  but  those  that  are  ex- 
tensively cultivated  run  into  so  many  varieties  as  to  render  it  wholly  impossi- 
ble. The  German  Red  Chaff  shouli  be  sown  from  the  tenth  to  the  twenty-fifth 
of  September. 

White  Cksff  M-diterranean  Amber  Wheat 

Has  been  cultivated  chiefly  in  the  Northern  States,  and  cannot  safely  be  re- 
eoramended  to  be  sent  South.  It  ripens  late  when  transplanted  from  the  North 
to  thp  S>uth.  and  is  liable  to  rust,  and  to  attacks  of  the  wheat  midge.  When 
sent  East  r.r  West  along  the  same  latitude  it  produces  g<>od  crops  of  the  very 
best  quality  of  wheat.  It  should  be  sown  in  the  Middle  States  about  the  tenth 
of  September. 

Red  Chaff  Bearded  Mediterranean  Red  Wheat. 

This  is  the  same  as  the  French  Red  Chaff  Bearded  Mediterranean,  the  chief 
d  fference  arising  from  its  having  long  been  sown  in  this  country.  Whenever 
it  has  been  changed  from  one  locality  and  soil  to  another,  and  the  best  seed  se- 
lected for  sowing,  it  has  continued  just  as  good,  as  early  and  productive,  as  the 
French  Red  Chaff.  The  failure  to  do  this,  generally,  has  rendered  most  of  this 
variety  worthless,  and  is  the  ehief  reason  why  the  latest  importations  are  to  be 
preferred.  This  Red  Chaff  Bearded,  however,  has  been  carefully  selected  from 
thi  earliest  and  healthiest  specimens,  and  will  produce  fine  crops  in  any  part 
of  the  country  suited  to  the  cult'i7ation  of  wheat. 

Lancaster  Red  Wheat 

Is  also  a  variety  of  the  Red  Chaff  Bearded  Mediterranean.  It  was  obtained 
by  selecting  from  the  field,  in  Lancaster  county,  Pa.,  the  earliest  and  best  de- 
veloped heads  of  wheat,  aud  giving  them  the  most  careful  cultivation.  From 
them  was  again  selected  the  best,  until  a  splendid  wheat  was  obtained.  It  was 
much  sought  after  in  Pennsylvania,  and  gave  general  satisfaction,  yielding 
bountiful  crops  every  season.  Changing  this  wheat  from  one  soil  to  another 
preserved  its  health  and  vigor,  as  it  will  do  for  any  other,  and  enabled  it  to 
preserve  its  popularity  for  many  years.  If  sown  year  after  year  in  the  same 
soil  it  will  degenerate  like  all  others,  and  grow  feeble  and  liable  to  rust  and 
weevil. 

Ancona  Rid  Amber  Beardless  Wheat, 

Imported  a  year  ago  from  the  south  of  Russia,  acclimated  one  year.  The  seed 
was  not  sown  until  in  Octuber,  a  little  too  late  for  a  fair  trial.  I  believe  it  will 
prove  to  be  a  good  variety  in  sections  where  the  winter  is  moderately  mild.  It 
is  a  beautiful  amber  wheat,  well  suited  to  sandy,  loatxy  and  loose  soils,  where 
the  climate  is  not  so  rigorous  as  in  the  Northern  States. 

Bohemian  Amber  and  Salla  Amber,  Beardless. 

Both  these  varieties  were  imported  last  year  from  Bohemia,  and  closely  re- 
semble the  Ancona  in  manner  of  growth  and  size  and  color  of  grain.  They 
are  called  smooth  amber  wheats,  and  are  best  suited  to  those  sections  where 
the  finer  qualities  of  wheat  are  grown.  They  will  not  withstand  severe  freez- 
ing and  thawing,  but  in  warm  and  mild  latitudes  both  these  and  the  Anuria 
will  produce  good  crops.  Tliev  should  be  sown  in  Maryland,  Virginia,  Ten- 
nessee, Kentucky,  Southern  Illinois,  and  Indiana,  and  those  States  further 
South ;  also,  Kansas,  Colorado,  Utah,  and  the  Pacific  Coast :  in  all  of  which  it 
is  believed  that  they  will  succeed  and  yield  a  superior  quality  of  wh°at.  In 
limited  sections  further  north  than  the  States  named  they  would  also  succeed, 
but  it  would  net  be  enough  to  justify  their  recommendation.  These  wheats 
should  be  sown  as  early  ai  the  last  of  August  and  the  early  part  of  September. 

Berdtnska  Beardless  Red  Chaff  Red  Wheat, 
Imported  from  Russia,  and  is  acclimated  one  year.     It  is  similar  to  the  early 


1869  ]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  511 

May,  a  variety  of  wheat  common  to  the  Southern  States.  The  change  effected 
m  this  wheat  by  a  single  year's  cultivaton  in  this  country  has  been  truly  won- 
derful. The  seed  from  a  dark  small  grain  has  changed  into  a  fine,  good  sized, 
amber  one,  and  in  other  respects,  as  well.  Its  adaptation  to  our  soil  and  climate 
is  remarkable.  It  promises  to  supersede  the  Early  May.  being  very  early, 
hardy,  and  acclimates  readily.  The  especial  attention  of  Southern  farmers  is 
asked  to  it.  in  the  belief  that  it  will  prove  a  most  valuable  acquisition  to  that 
section.  It  is  a  beardless  red  chaff,  almost  identical  in  appearance  and  quality 
with  that  already  mentioned,  and  in  all  respects  gives  promise  of  making  a 
very  superior  wheat.     It  should  be  sown  in  September. 

Sakonka  Bearded  Red  Chaff  Red  W heat 

Imported  from  Poland  in  1868.  It  is  early  and  hardy,  and  will  acclimate  it- 
self readily  to  the  wheat  growing  sections  of  this  country.  This  variety  re- 
commends it-elf  to  Northern  farmers  especially,  and  I  am  confident  will  do 
well  wherever  the  red  chaff  varieties  are  successfully  grown.  It  will  continue 
to  improve  for  some  years  to  come,  and  promises  to  make  a  valuable  addition 
to  the  wheats  of  this  country. 

Hungarian  While  Chaff  Bearded  Red  Wheat. 

This  variety  has  now  been  acclimated  three  years,  and  in  good  soil  and  fa- 
vorable cultivation  it  has  proved  very  profitable.  Each  year's  planting  has 
improved  the  quality  of  the  straw  and  the  size  of  the  grain.  It  stands  the 
winter  well,  and  ripens  a  little  earlier  each  year.  It  makes  a  compact  head  of 
good  size,  and  will  succeed  in  the  wheat  sections  of  this  country.  It  should 
be  sown  about  the  middle  of  September 

Avierican  White  Chaff  Bearded  While  Wheat 

Is  one  of  the  hardiest  and  most  productive  white  wheats  raised.  The  grain  ia 
similar  in  size  and  color  to  that  of  Diehl's  white.  It  yields  abundantly  and 
produces  superior  flour.  It  can  be  grown  wherever  the  red  varieties  succeed. 
For  eight  years  it  has  yielded  large  crops,  and  I  have  known  it  to  be  sown 
under  very  unfavorable  circumstances.  It  adapts  itself  readily  to  all  wheat 
growing  sections.  It  grows  in  a  variety  of  soils,  and  acclimates  easily.  I  un- 
hesitatingly recommend  it  to  wheat  growers  and  farmers  throughout  the  whole 
country.     It  should  be  sown  in  September. 

Week's  While  Chaff  Bearded  White  Wheat 

Is  early,  very  hardy,  and  prolific.  It  produces  well  on  almost  any  wheat  soil, 
and  has  been  known  to  yield  good  crops  where  red  wheat  failed.  I  have  sown 
it  on  the  poorest  soil  of  the  farm,  and  the  yield  was  fine.  I  have  also  sown  it 
so  late  in  the  fall  that  it  made  a  growth  of  only  an  inch  and  a  half  before  win- 
ter set  in,  after  which  the  freezing  and  thawing  of  the  loose  soil  pulled  most  of 
it  up  by  the  roots.  When  spring  came  only  a  few  straggling  plants  still  held 
on  to  the  soil,  but  as  soon  as  the  weather  became  moderately  warm  the  half 
dead  seed  sent  out  new  roots,  penetrated  the  soil,  and  made  a  growth  which 
made  a  crop  of  twenty  bushels  to  an  acre.  I  would  recommend  it  before  all 
others  as  the  best  wheat  for  soils  which  are  only  moderately  productive.  _  A 
crop  can  be  grown  on  any  kind  of  wheat  soil.  Of  course  it  will  do  best  on  rich 
soil.  '1  his  wheat  is  early,  hardy  and  productive.  Id  is  free  from  rust  and  wee- 
vil. The  straw  is  strong,  and  will  not  lodge.  The  grain  is  as  good  as  the  best 
red  wheat,  and  much  superior  to  most  red  varieties.  It  can  be  sown  any  time 
in  September,  and  even  in  October. 

Boughton,  or  Tappahannock  White  Chaff  Beardless  White  Wheat. 

This  is  a  beautiful  white  wheat,  and  among  the  first  to  ripen.  It  should  be 
sown  in  rich  soil  to  mature  perfectly.  Sandy  loam,  loose  clay  and  gravelly 
soils  are  best  adapted  to  its  growth,  and  new  ground,  or  that  which  has  been 
newly  cleared,  produces  large  crops  of  the  finest  quality.  Reports  received 
from  all  parts  of  the  country  agree  in  recommending  this  wheat,  and  say  that 
it  has  acclimated  well  wherever  sown.  Especially  favorable  are  the  letters  re- 
ceived from  the  Southern  States.  I  know  of  no  white  wheat  which  will  pay 
better  to  cultivate  on  rich  soil  than  the  Boughton  White. 


512  THE  SOUTHERN  [August 

Diehl's  Red  Chaff  Beardless  While  Wheat 

Is  among  the  hardiest  and  most  productive  wheats  of  this  class  cultivated.  It 
has  now  been  introduced  into  every  State,  and  has  established  itself  favorably 
in  all.  Tie  grain  is  similar  in  size  and  quality  to  the  Boughton,  and  will  pre- 
serve its  white,  plump  quality  much  longer.  Its  chief  recommendations  are 
the  sureness  of  its  crops,  its  earliness  and  its  abundant  yield.  Many  of  the 
reports  received  from  those  who  have  sown  it,  report  a  yield  of  40  to  44 
bushels  to  the  acre,  and  speak  of  the  superior  quality  of  the  grain.  It  will  do 
well  wherever  white  wheat  can  be  raised,  but  will  always  pay  best  in  the  best 
soil.  Wet  and  damp  lands  do  not  answer  for  this  wheat,  but  it  will  succeed  on 
all  dry,  rich  soils. 

California  White  Chaff  Beardless  White  Wheat. 

This  is  the  most  beautiful  wheat  that  can  be  raised,  and  succeeds  best  in  the 
Southern  States,  and  some  sections  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  the  Pacific 
coast.  It  requires  a  miid  or  steady  climate,  and  cannot  stand  much  freezing 
and  thawing.  But  in  mild  winters  and  moderate  temperatures  it  grows  luxu- 
riantly and  yields  large  crops.  It  seeks  warm  rich  soils,  and  needs  a  frequent 
change  of  seed. 

Italian  White  Chaff  Beardless  White  Wheat, 

Is  hardier  than  the  California  White,  endures  moderately  cold  weather  without 
injury,  and  can  be  raised  in  the  Southern  and  most  of  the  Western  States.  It 
is  very  prolific,  and  produces  a  grain  of  the  finest  quality.  When  grown  to 
perfection  it  will  yield  more  wheat  per  acre  than  any  other  white  wheat.  Su- 
perior crops  have  been  raised  in  most  of  the  Southern  States. 

Sandonica  Red  Chaff  Beardless  White  Wheat, 

Imported  in  186S.  It  is  early,  hardy  and  prolific,  has  stood  the  winter  well, 
and  se-ms  to  be  the  best  white  wheat  among  those  imported.  The  chaff  is  red, 
the  straw  purple,  and  the  grain  beautiful  and  plump.  The  straw  is  strong,  and 
grows  vigorously  to  the  height  of  about  four  feet.  I  believe  that  this  will 
prove  a  valuable  addition  to  our  stock  of  wheats. 

Treadicell  White  Mammoth  Bearded  and  Beardless  Wheat 

This  variety  suits  itself  to  almost  any  kind  of  soil.  It  is  not  quite  so  early 
as  the  Boughton  or  Diehl's,  but  is  rust  and  weevil  proof,  and  more  productive 
than  either  of  them.  The  quality  of  the  fl  >ur  is  not  quite  so  good  as  that  of 
the  Diehl's,  but  is  also  veiy  tine.  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  farmers  who 
want  a  hardy  and  productive  wheat,  believing  it  will  be  more  profitable  than 
any  other.  There  is  certainly  no  other  variety  which  will  suit  Northern 
farmers  gpnerally  so  well  as  this  one.  It  is  both  bearded  and  beardless,  but  in 
all  other  respects  the  wheat  is  the  same. 


Norway   Oats. 

A  correspondent  in  this  number  of  our  journal  gives  a  flattering  account  of 
his  prospect  for  a  tine  yield  from  seed  of  this  variety,  sowed  by  him,  the  seed 
weighing  about  40  lbs.  to  the  bushel.  We  venture  the  prediction  that  his  first 
crop  will  fall  below  this  standard,  that  his  second  will  show  further  deteriora- 
tion, and  that  he  will  have  little  inducement  to  try  a  third  crop. 

The  Prince  Edward  Island  oat,  of  equal  weight,  has  been  frequently  tried  in 
this  latitude,  but  we  have  never  heard  of  a  third  crop  being  produced  by  those 
who  experimented  with  it 

There  are  certain  climatic  influences  determining  tne  growth,  fruitage,  and 
weight  of  seed,  according  to  the  varying  circumstances  of  different  localities, 
which  cannot  be  permanently  overcame,  however  flattering  a  first  attempt  to 
do  so  may  appear  in  particular  instarces.  See  then  to  the  latitude  frum  which 
you  seek  for  new  varieties  of  seed. 


THE  SOUTHERN- 

PLANTER  &  FARMER, 


DEVOTED  TO 


Agriculture,  Horticulture  and  the  Mining,  Mechanic  and  Household  Arts. 


Agriculture  is  the  nursing  mother  of  the  Arts.— Xesophon. 
Tillage  and  Pasturage  ave  the  two  breasts  of  the  State.— Sully. 


CII:   B.  WILLIAMS Editor  and  Proprietor. 

FRANK  G.  KUFFIN Co-Editor. 


New  Series. 


RICHMOND,  VA.,  OCTOBER  1869. 


Vol.  Ill— No.  10. 


Field  Experiments  on  Clover  Seeds  and  Permanent  Pasture. 

In  the  part  of  the  Journal  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of 
England  recently  issued.  Dr.  Voelcker.  gives  a  report  of  experi- 
ments on  clover  seeds  and  permanent  pasture.  Subjoined  are  the 
experiments : 

FIELD    EXPERIMENTS    ON    CLOVER    SEEDS,    MADE    IN    1867 
AT     ESCRICK    PARK    HOME    FARM,    BY    MESSRS.    COLEMAN    AND    HULL. 

The  field  upon  which  the  following  experiments  were  made  grew 
barley  in  the  preceding  year.  The  usual  mixture  of  clovers  and 
Italian  ryegrass  was  sown  with  the  barley.  The  seeds  came  up  ' 
well,  and  the  plant  was  tolerably  good  and  uniform  on  the  piece  se- 
lected for  the  experiments.  Apparently  the  selected  piece  of  land 
was  uniform  in  depth  and  in  its  general  character.  It  was  divided 
into  eleven  equal  and  adjoining  plots  of  l-20th  of  an  acre  each. 
The  eleven  plots  were  treated  as  follows,  as  regards  manure: 


Name  of  Manure. 


Quanlity 
oi  Manure 
|  per  plot. 


2Sft$  lb?. 
•A"",  lbs. 

em  lbs. 

22}$  lbs. 


Nitrate  of  soda 

Sulphate  of  Ammonia 

Mineral  super]  hoapthate 

Common  salt 

oTu  manure 

Muriate  of  potash /. 22U  lbs. 

Sulphate  ol  ,  22J|  lbs. 

Sulphate  of  lime 1     cwt. 

Mineral  superphosphate  and  nitrate ot  soda 22U  lbs. 

Mineral  superphosphate  and  muriate  of  potash ,  22}^  lbs. 

No  manure „ 


Rate  per  acre. 


tons. 

cwt. 

lbs. 

0 

4 

0 

0 

4 

0 

0 

4 

0 

0 

4 

C 

0  4 

0  4 

1  0 
0  4 
0  4 


vol.  in — 37 


578  THE  SOUTHER**  [October 

The  artificial  manures  were  sovn  by  hand  on  the  llih  of  April; 
the  clover  was  cut  pn  the  12th  of  June  for  the  first  time,  an<l  a  sec- 
ond cutting  was  obtained  August  24th.  1867.  The  produce  of  each 
plot  was  carefully  weighed  on  the  same  day,  and  as  soon  as  cut, 
when  the  results  incorporated  in  the  following  table  were  obtained  : 

Table  showing  the  produce  of  Artificial  Grasses  [mixed  Clover  and  Ryegrass,)  on  Ex- 
perimental Plots  of  l-20fA  of  an  Acre  each,  made  at  Escrick  Park  II. -me  Farm, 
York,  i  i  1SG7. 


Manure  used. 

Weight  of  Clover. 

m 
O 

First  cutting. 

Second  cutting. 

Total. 

l 

Nitrate  of  soda 

cwt. 

S 
10 
5 
5 
5 
f 

f 

10 
9 

qrs. 
2 
2 
2 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 

3 

6 

0 

l'>s. 

1 
M 

lrt 
26 
21 
12 
2i 

16 

■5 

cwt.     qrs.     lbs 
2         0         7 
2          1        17 
2         2         9 
2         2         7 

2  3         4 

3  1        14 
2          2         7 
2         2         3 

2         0         0 

4  3         2 
2         3         2 

c«t. 

10 

12 

8 

8 

8 
9 

6 

12 

13 

8 

qrs. 

2 
3 
0 
0 
1 
3 
3 
3 

3 

3 
3 

lbs 
14 

2 

Snlphate  of  a-nmonia 

17 

3 

23 

4 

16 

5 

I) 

6 

7 

Sulphate  of  potash 

19 

8 

"fi 

9 

Mineral    snperpho-phate   and 

16 

10 
11 

Mineral   superi  hospuaie   and 

2 
19 

Mr.  Hull  kindly  furnished  me  wich  the  following  notes,  which  he 
took  on  the  field  during  the  progress  of  the  experiments : 

The  manures  were  sown  on  the  11th  of  April,  and  no  perceptible 
change  was  produced  by  any  one  of  them  until  the  23d  of  April, 
when  the  clover  seeds  on  plot  1  and  plot  9  could  readily  be  distin- 
guished from  those  on  all  the  other  plots  by  their  darker  green 
color  and  more  vigorous  growth. 

FIRST    CUTTING. 

Plot  1  was  dressed  with  nitrate  of  soda  alone,  and  plot  9  with  a 
mixture  of  nitrate  of  soda  and  superphosphate.  Both  plots  had  a 
darker  green  color  than  the  rest  throughout  the  experiment. 

The  nitrate  of  soda  on  plot  1  encouraged  the  growth  of  the  rye- 
grass to  such  an  extent  that  it  quite  smothered  the  growth  of  the 
clover  plant. 

Plot.  2.  Sulphate  of  Ammonia. — The  ryegrass  grew  vigorously, 
but  was  not  so  long  and  coarse  as  the  ryegrass  on  the  plot  dressed 
with  nitrate  of  soda,  while  it  was  superior  in  quality  in  comparison 
with  the  latter.     The  clover  on  plot  grew  fairly,  but  was  weak. 

Plot  3.  Mineral  Superphosphate. — Ryegrass  good,  but  clover 
thin,  very  weak,  and  much  blighted. 

Plot  4.   Common  Salt. — Ryegrass  and  clover  fair,  but  short. 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  579 


Plot  5.  No  Manure.— Appearance  of  plant  much  like  that  on 
the  preceding  plot. 

Plot  6.  Muriate  of  Potash.— The  clover  on  (his  plot  was  very 
good  both  as  regards  color  and  vigor  of  growth,  and  the  ryegrass 
also  was  strong  and  of  good  quality. 

Plot  7.   Sulphate  of  Potash. — Clover  good,  but  ryegrass  weak. 

PlotS.  Sulphate  of  Lime.— Ryegrass  very  thin  and  unhealthy 
in  appearance;   the  worst  piece  of  the  eleven  experimental  plots. 

Plot  9.  Nitrate  of  Soda  and  Superphosphate.— -Clover  plant 
quite  smothered  by  ryegrass,  which  grew  very  long  and  coarse,  and 
of  quality  little  better  than  good  oat  straw. 

Plot  10.   Superphosphate  and  Muriate  .of    Potash. Decidedly 

the  best  plot;  clover  remarkably  strong,  with  a  good  broad  leaf  of 
a  dark  green  color.  Ryegrass  also  very  vigorous  and  of  excellent 
quality. 

Plot  11.  No  Manure.— About  the  same  as  plots  3,  4  and  5. 

SECOND    CUTTING. 

Plot  1.  There  was  scarcely  any  clover  in  the  second  cutting,  and 
ryegrass  also  was  very  thin  and  weak. 

Plot  2.  Clover  very  weak  ;  ryegrass  much  better  than  on  the  pre- 
ceding plot,  though  short. 

Plot  3.  Much  the  same  plot  as  2;  ryegrass  not  quite  so  strong. 

Plot  4.  Ryegrass  and  clover  short  and  weak. 

Plot  5.  Clover  fair;  ryegrass  short. 

Plot  G.   Ryegrass  good  ;  clover  leaves  broad,  and  of  a  good  color. 

Plot  7.   Clover  good,  but  ryegrass  weak  and  thin. 

Plot  8.  The  produce  on  plot  8  small  and  weak. 

Plot  D.  Merely  a  few  plants  of  clover  were  left  on  plot  9  after 
the  first  cutting,  and  the  ryegrass  was  very  thin  and  weak  ;  the  soil 
appealing  to  have  been  quite  exhausted  by  the  first  cutting. 

Plot  10.  Clover  very  good,  with  a  good  broad  and  dark-colored 
leaf;  the  ryegrass  also  strong  and  healthy.     By  far  the  best  plot. 

Plot  11.  Much  the  same  as  4  and  5. 

We  owe  to  Messrs.  Lawes  and  Gilbert  a  series  of  most  valuable 
and  instructive  field  experiments  on  the  influence  of  different  ferti- 
lizing matters  on  the  quantity  and  quality  of  the  product  of  perma- 
nent pastures.  The  changes  which  several  of  the  fertilizers  em- 
ployed by  Messrs.  Lawes  and  Gilbert  produced  in  the  character  of 
the  herbage  of  several  of  their  experimental  plots  are  so  instruc- 
tive that  for  6orne  years  past  I  have  made  it  a  point  to  pay  a  visit, 
to  Rothamsted  Park  at  the  time  when  the  grass  crop  is  in  the  height 


580  THE    SOUTHERN  [October 

of  perfection.  Having  frequently  seen  with  my  own  eyes  in  what 
a  remarkable  degree  the  growth  of  true  grasses,  especially  the 
coarser  kinds,  is  encouraged  by  nitrogenous  fertilizers,  and  having 
also  noticed  the  changes  which  a  mixture  of  salts  of  potash  and 
superphosphate  produces  on  permanent  pasture  in  the  relative  pro- 
portions of  leguminous  plants  and  true  grasses,  I  was  quite  pre- 
pared for  similar  changes  in  the  produce  of  the  Escrick  experi- 
ments. But  the  difference  in  the  quality  of  the  produce  of  some  of 
the  experimental  plots  at  Escrick  Park  was  more  striking  than  that 
which  I  had  previously  witnessed  at  Rothamsted  Park,  or  anywhere 
else. 

The  Italian  ryegrass  on  plot  9  I  found  at  harvest-time,  as  Mr. 
Hull  truly  observes,  so  exceedingly  coarse,  that  it  appeared  scarcely 
better  than  good  oat  straw,  and  very  few  clover  plants  could  be 
seen.  Again,  the  effect  which  muriate  of  potash,  and  in  a  still 
higher  degree  a  mixture  of  muriate  of  potash  and  superphosphate 
produced  on  the  clover  plant  was  truly  magical. 

I  never  before  witnessed  anything  so  striking  and  instructive  as 
these  experiments  on  artificial  grasses.  There  must,  of  course,  be 
a  good  reason  why  in  this  instance  the  quality,  as  well  as  the' quan- 
tity, of  the  grass  crop  were  so  much  more  powerfully  affected  by 
the  different  manures  than  I  found  to  be  the  case  in  other  experi- 
mental trials.  We  know  that  the  character  of  the  soil  materially 
affects  the  quality  and  the  weight  of  the  crops  we  raise  upon  differ- 
ent classes  of  soil.  It  is,  therefore,  natural  to  connect  the  remark- 
able results  obtained  in  the  Escrick  Park  experiments  with  the  pe- 
culiar character  of  the  soil  on  the  experimental  field.  I  have, 
therefore,  taken  care  to  obtain  a  fair  average  sample  from  the  field 
on  which  the  grass  experiments  were  tried,  and  after  drying  the 
sample  at  212  Fahr.,  I  submitted  it  to  a  careful  analysis,  according 
to  which  the  composition  of  the  soil  may  be  represented  as  follows : 

COMPOSITION  OF  THE  SOIL  OF  THE  FIELD  AT  ESCRICK  PARK  HOME 
FARM.  ON  WHICH  THE  EXPERIMENTS  UPON  CLCYERSEEDS  WERE 
TRIED. 

Organic  matter  and  loss  on  heating,               ...  4.23 

Oxide  of  iron,     ------  .61 

Alumina,      -------  2.16 

Carbonate  of  lime,           -----  .39 

aate  of  lime,      ------  .25 

Carbonate  of  magnesia,                 ...             -  .23 

Potash,         -------  .14 

Soda,      -------  .05 

Phosphoric  acid,       -.--.-  .08 

IiiiOiulle  siliceous  matter  (sand),             -             -             .  91.81 

100.00 


18  >9.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  581 

Even  a  superficial  inspection  will  show  at  once  that  this  is  an  ex- 
tremely poor  and  very  light  sandy  soil.  Mr.  Coleman,  moreover, 
informs  me  that  the  field  from  which  this  soil  had  been  taken,  had 
been  badly  farmed,  and  that  it  was,  in  consequence,  in  a  poor  agri- 
cultural condition. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  this  soil  is  remarkably  poor  in  available 
potash,  and  I  may  add,  in  almost  all  the  more  valuable  fertilizing 
constituents  found  in  good  soils.  The  total  amount  of  oxide  of  iron 
and  alumina  was  not  quite  3  per  cent.,  and  of  lime  there  was  not  a 
half  per  cent.  On  the  other  hand,  it  abounds  in  silica,  for  on  ex- 
amination I  found  the  92  per  cent,  of  siliceous  matter  which  enter 
into  the  composition  of  this  soil  to  consist  almost  entirely  of  pure 
fine  grained  quartz  sand. 

I  need  hardly  say  that  a  soil  containing  92  per  cent,  of  sand  and 
very  little  clay,  and  a  still  smaller  proportion  of  the  more  valuable 
soil-constituents,  has  to  be  regarded  as  extremely  poor.  Such  soils 
are  readily  exhausted  by  cropping,  and  though  they  will  yield  fair 
crops  when  liberally  supplied  with  manure,  they  are  naturally  very 
unproductive. 

The  extreme  poverty  of  this  soil  in  available  potash  at  once  in- 
telligibly explains  the  benefits  which  both  the  cloverseeds  and  the 
Italian  ryegrass  derived  from  the  application  of  muriate  of  potash  ; 
and  presents  us  with  a  good  illustration  of  the  utility  of  chemical 
analysis  and  the  aid  of  the  chemist,  of  which  the  practical  farmer 
may  occasionally  avail  .himself  with  advantage.*  The  analysis 
clearly  points  out  a  deficiency  of  potash  and  also  of  pho-phoric 
acid;  and  hence  the  employment  of  potash  manures  on  land  of  that 
description  may  be  recommended  with  confidence.  The  composi- 
tion of  land  like  that  of  the  soil  of  the  experimental  field,  more- 
over, shows  that  lime  or  clay  marl  may  be  applied  to  it  with  advan- 
tage, and  that  it  is  impossible  to  grow  any  good  roots,  or  barley,  or 
wheat,  or  clover,  on  l«nd  of  that  character,  without  giving  it  a  lib- 
eral dressing  of  phosphoric  manures.  Moreover,  the  loose  and  po- 
rous nature  of  the  soil,  and  the  want  of  a  fair  proportion  of  clay 
in  it,  clearly  indicates  the  necessity  of  manuring  it  but  very  mode- 
rately with  ammoniacal  or  nitrogenous  manures  ;  for  as  the  propor- 
tion of  available  mineral  constituents  which  enter  into  the  composi- 
tion of  the  ashes  of  our  usual  farm  crops  is  but  small,  and  the 
solubility  of  these  matters  in  water  is  greatly  facilitated  by  amino- 

•  Our  readers  will  find  that  the  formalas  we  furnished  for  experiments  in  onr  Sep- 
tember number  w.ll  give  them  a  cheap,  and  for  all  practical  purposes,  a  coriect  analy- 
sts of  their  soils.— Eds.  S.  P.  iV  P. 


THE  SOUTHERN 


[October 


niacal  salts,  such  poor  soils  are  all  the  more  rapidly  exhausted  when 
the  crops  grown  upon  them  are  too  liberally  manured  with  fertiliz- 
ers rich  in  nitrogenous  matters,  or  in  salts  of  ammonia. 

For  the  sake  of  better  comparison,  I  have  calculated  the  yield  of 
each  experimental  plot  for  an  acre,  and  placed  the  results  in  the 
subjoined  table  : 

Table  shotting  the  Green  Produce  per   acre   of  11  plots  of  Artificial  Grass  [Clovtrsetd 
and  Rygrass, )  grotcn  a!  Eacrick  Park  Home  Farm.  IStiT. 


Piodoce  per  acie. 


Manures  used. 


First  euttirjg.   Second  cutting  T.tal. 


1 

KiIt     -  of  soda 

tns. 
8 
10 
•5 
5 
5 
6 
5 
4 

10 

9 
B 

cwt. 

10 

10 
13 

12 
9 

8 

7 
9 

17 

0 
3 

lbs. 
2> 

56 
96 

72 
S4 
16 
12 

96 

0 
4 

tns. 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
3 
2 
2 

2 
4 

cwt. 
1 
8 
11 
11 
15 

11 
10 

0 

15 
15 

lbs. 

■ 
28 
81) 
.56 

2S 

■ 

40 
40 

ins. 
10 

12 
8 

5 

5 

6 

12 

13 
8 

cwt. 
12 
18 

4 

4 

5 
16 
IS 
19 

17 

15 

18 

lbs. 
56 

2 

z 

Snlpliate  of  ammonia 

Mineral  superphosphate. 

Common  salt 

><•  m  inure 

4 

12 

4 
5 

12 
40 

b 

Muriate  of  potash 

•tf 

8 

Sulphate  of  po  a.si) „ 

Sulphate  of  liine 

44 
72 

9 

Mineral   superpli»pha;e 
nitrate  i>-  soda 

and 

96 

10 

11 

Mineral   superphosphate 

muriate  of  poasL 

2<o  mai.ure 

and 

40 
44 

An  attentive  perusal  of  the  preceding  figures  will  bring  to  light 
several  particulars,  on  which  a  few  observations  mav  not  be  out  of 
place: 

1.  In.  the  first  place,  it  will  be  noticed  that  two  plots  were  left 
unmanured.  In  all  experimental  trials,  at  least  two,  or,  if  possible, 
three  plots,  should  be  left  unmanurtd.  Although  the  crop  in  a 
field  may  appear  quite  even,  and  the  soil  uniform  as  regards  depth, 
texture,  and  general  character,  the  weight  of  the  produce  of  such  a 
field  invariably  differs  to  some  extent  in  different  parts.  Natural 
variation  in  the  productive  powers  of  different  portions  of  the  same 
experimental  field  must  be  expected  to  occur  in  all  cases;  but  these 
variations  must  not  surpass  a  certain  limit,  or  else  no  fair  and  legit- 
imate deduction  with  respect  to  the  efficacy  of  the  manuring  mat- 
ters employed  can  be  made  from  the  results  of  the  experiments. 
Many  of  the  anomalies  which  so  much  perplex  the  experimenting 
farmer,  I  am  inclined  to  think,  are  often  solely  due  to  inequalities 
in  the  soil,  or  to  differences  in  the  agricultural  condition  of  the  sev- 
eral experimental  plots.  For  this  reason,  it  is  absolutely  necessary, 
in  fie]  1  trials,  to  determine  whether  the  natural  variations  in  the 
productive  powers  of  different  parts  of  the  experimental  field  are 
not  so  great  as  to  spoil  the  experiments  altogether.     In  the  case 


18C9.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  583 

before  us,  it  will  be  seen  that  one  of  the  unmanured  plots  yielded, 
when  calculated  per  acre,  8  tons,  5  cwts.,  and  40  lbs.,  and  the  sec- 
ond plot,  8  tons,  18  cwts.,  and  44  lbs.;  the  variations  in  the  produce 
of  the  two  plots  thus  amounted  to  13  cwts.  and  4  lbs.,  showing  no 
greater  difference  than  can  be  expected  under  favorable  circum- 
stances. 

2.  Neither  common  salt  nor  sulphate  of  potash  appears  to  havo 
had  any  effect  upon  the  produce,  for  it  will  be  seen  that  the  weight 
of  the  clover  seeds  on  plots  4  and  7,  dressed  respectively  with  salt 
and  sulphate  of  potash,  was  somewhat  less  than 'that  of  the  utima- 
nured  plots.  I  attach  no  value  to  the  apparent  diminution  of  the 
produce  on  plots  4  and  7,  for  the  increase  is  not  sufficiently  large  to 
entitle  us  to  infer  from  the  result  that  the  same  matters  used  on 
these  two  crops  had  an  injurious  effect  upon  the  crop. 

3.  On  plot  8  sulphate  of  lime  was  used  at  the  rate  of  1  ton  per 
acre.  This  is  a  very  large  dose.  Although  sulphate  of  lime  or 
gypsum  is  but  sparingly  soluble  in  water,  and  for  that  reason  may 
be  used  with  perfect  safety  in  much  larger  quantities  than  in  this 
experiment,  provided  it  is  well  mixed  with  the  soil,  a  large  dose  of 
finely-powdered  gypsum,  when  applied  as  a  top  dressing  to  young 
clover  seeds,  appears  to  injure  the  plants  and  to  retard  their 
growth. 

4.  It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  whilst  common  salt  had  no  effect 
upon  the  produce,  muriate  of  potash  materially  increased  it.  We 
have  here  another  direct  proof  that  soda  is  incapable  of  taking  the 
place  of  potash  in  the  nutrition  of  plants. 

5.  On  plot  3  mineral  superphosphate  alone  had  no  effect  what- 
ever on  the  crop.  Tins' is  an  in'eresting  result,  for  it  seems  to  in- 
dicate that  the  great  deficiency  of  potash,  which  is  characteristic  of 
the  soil  of  the  experimental  field,  entirely  prevented  the  display  of 
the  useful  functions  which  we  know  perfectly  well  that  superphos- 
phate of  lime  docs  discharge  on  land  of  a  better  character.  On 
poor,  light  sandy  soils,  we  may  learn  from  this  that  a  purely  mine- 
ral superphosphate  cannot  be  used  with  advantage  for  clover  seeds. 
I  may  observe  in  passing,  that  on  such  soils  mineral  superphosphato 
has  even  little  effect  upon  root  crops,  for  which  phosphoric  manures 
are  so  largely  used  with  the  best  effect. 

(J.  It  is  remarkable  that  whilst  plot  3,  manured  with  mineral 
superphosphate,  gave  no  increase  whatever;  and  plot  6,  manured 
with  muriate  ~f  potash,  gave  an  increase  of  1  ton,  4  cwt.,  and  42 
lbs.  over  the  average  produce  of  the  two  unmanurcd  plots  (average 
produce  8  tons,  11  cwt.  and  08  lbs..)  the  mixture  of  both  manures 


584  TIIE    SOUTHERN  [October 

on  plot  10  gave  the  largest  weight  of  cloverseed  and  ryegrass  per 
acre  of  any  of  the  eleven  experimental  plots. 

In  the  first  cutting,  plot  10  produced  9  tons,  and  in  the  second 
nearly  5  tons  of  green  clover  seeds,  or  both  cuttings  yielded  in  ex- 
act weight  13  tons,  15  cwt.,  and  40  lbs.,  which  is  an  increase  of  5 
tons,  3  cwt.,  and  64  lbs.  per  acre  over  the  average  yield  of  the  two 
unmatured  plots. 

Plot  10  gave  not  only  the  largest  increase  per  acre,  but  the 
quality  of  both  the  clover  and  ryegrass  was  much  superior  to  that 
of  the  produce  of  any  other  of  the  various  experimental  plots. 

7.  There  is  another  circumstance  connected  with  the  result  ob- 
tained on  plot  10,  which  deserves  the  best  attention  of  the  practical 
agriculturist.  It  will  be  seen  that,  although  the  first  cutting  pro- 
duced-a  heavy  crop  of  clover  seeds  *of  by  far  the  best  quality  of 
any  of  the  experimental  plots,  the  land  was  left  in  a  better  agricul- 
tural condition  after  the  first  cutting  than  where  no  manure  at  all 
was  applied,  and  a  much  smaller  weight  of  green  clover  seeds  was 
reaped  at  first :  for  on  plot  10,  the  second  cutting  yielded  nearly  5 
tons  of  green  produce,  in  addition  to  the  first,  whereas  the  two  un- 
manured  plots  5  and  11  yielded  only  2  tons.  15  cwt.  of  additional 
produce  in  the  second  cutting.  The  liberal  supply  of  available  pot- 
ash and  soluble  phosphates  thus  had  the  effect  of  greatly  increasing 
the  weight  of  the  crop,  improving  its  quality,  and  leaving  the  soil 
in  a  better  agricultural  condition  for  the  next  crop. 

8.  Again,  it  will  be  noticed  that  on  plot  6,  on  which  muriate  of 
potash  alone  was  employed,  the  second  cutting  weighed  more  than 
the  second  cuttings  of  the  other  plots,  except  thaj;  of  plot  10,  where 
superphosphate  was  added  to  the  potash  salt.  It  therefore  appears 
that  the  beneficial  effects  of  potash  on  soils  so  poor  in  this  element 
as  the  land  on  which  these  experiments  were  tried,  has  a  more  per- 
manently beneficial  effect  than  some  of  the  fertilizing  matters  which 
were  used  on  other  plots. 

9.  On  the  other  hand,  nitrate  of  soda  unmistakably  had  a  ten. 
dency  to  exhaust  the  land  ;  for  it  will  be  noticed  that  on  both  the 
plots  1  and  9.  on  which  nitrate  of  soda  was  used,  the  second  cut- 
tings weighed  less  than  those  of  the  unmanured  plots. 

As  already  mentioned,  the  nitrate  of  soda  on  plots  1  and  9  en- 
couraged the  growth  of  very  coarse  and  inferior  ryegrass,  which 
completely  smothered  the  clover  plant. 

When  I  saw  the  experimental  field  late  in  the  autumn  of  1S6T, 
after  harvest,  the  contrast  in  the  appearance  of  the  various  experi- 
mental plots  was  most  striking.     Whilst  the  land  on  plots  1  and  9 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  585 

appeaiT<l  quite  burned  up  and  exhausted,  and  scarcely  any  clover 
was  visible,  the  potash  plots  could  be  readily  distinguished  by  a 
dark  green  color  and  healthy  look  of  the  remaining  herbage  in 
■which  clover  predominated. 

We  may  thus  learn  from  these  experiments,  that  nitrate  of  soda 
alone,  or  even  in  conjunction  with  superphosphate,  should  not  be 
used  as  a  top-dressing  for  artificial  grasses  on  very  poor  sandy  soils, 
like  the  soil  of  the  experimental  field,  inasmuch  as  nitrate  hastens 
the  exhaustion  of  the  potash  naturally  present  in  such  soils  in  very 
small  proportions.  Indeed,  nitrate  of  soda,  and,  in  a  minor  degree, 
ammoniacal  salts,  are  the  worst  artificial  manures  that  can  be  used 
under  such  circumstances.  It  may  further  be  observed,  that  no 
just  estimate  can  be  formed  of  the  real  value  of  a  special  manure  if 
no  account  be  taken  of  the  condition  in  which  the  land  is  left  after 
the  crop  has  been  removed  from  it.  This  is  not  the  first  time  that 
I  have  noticed  this  tendency  of  nitrate  of  soda  to  produce  rapid 
exhaustion  of  naturally  poor  soils,  and  I  would  therefore  strongly 
recommend  farmers  to  abstain  from  the  employment  of  it  as  top- 
dressing  for  grass  or  corn  crops  which  are  intended  to  be  grown  on 
naturally  poor  sandy  soils. — Journal  of  the  New  York  State  Agri- 
cultural Society. 


Agricultural  Education  in  Germany. 

LETTER  FROM  HON.  J.  M.    GREGORY,  LL.  D.,  REGENT  ILLINOIS  INDUS- 
TRIAL  UNIVERSITY. 

Germany  is  the  land  of  great  scholars  and  great  schools.  No 
where  else  in  Europe  can  one  find  such  numbers  of  highly  educated 
men,  and  so  many  gigantic  institutions  of  learning.  And  Germany 
has  taken  the  lead  in  industrial  education.  It  was  among  her  phi- 
lanthropists and  educators  that  the  idea  first  took  substantial  shape 
to  adapt  schools  to  the  practical  affairs  of  life;  and  now  the  most 
successful  of  these  schools  are  to  be  found  among  the  German 
people. 

The  first  industrial  schools  were  charitable  institutions  to  prepare 
poor  and  orphan  children  to  earn  their  own  living.  But  the  idea 
soon  took  a  higher  form,  and  the  Agricultural  and  Polytechnic 
schools  began  to  be  established,  to  teach  science  in  its  applications 
to  the  useful  arts.  For  nearly  three-fourths  of  a  century  have  the 
German  States  been  working  at  this  great  problem,  and  the  history 
of  its  successive  stages  of  evolution  is  interesting  and  instructive. 
Blunders  were  committed,  but  by  patient  perseverance  their  conse- 


580  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 


quences  were  surmounted,  and  the  splendid  success  which  is  to  day 
crowning  these  schools,  is  the  best  proof  of  their  present  value,  as 
it  is  of  their  prospective  growth.  The  governments,  convinced  of 
the  immense  public  value  of  technologic  schools,  are  vying  with 
each  other  in  their  more  liberal  endowment,  and  they  bid  fair  to 
become  at  no  distant  day  the  great  schools  of  Europe.  Immense 
buildings  are  being  erected  for  their  accommodation,  apparatus  of 
the  most  costly  character  is  being  provided  to  render  more  effective 
and  practical  their  instructions,  and  hosts  of  students  are  crowding 
to  them  from  both  Continents. 

At  first  they  were  regarded  with  little  favor  by  the  Universities, 
but  their  success  has  so  fully  demonstrated  their  utility,  that  now 
the  University  men  are  their  foremost  advocates  and  friends.  A. 
few  of  their  special  champions  profess  to  believe  that  they  will  ere 
long  supersede  the  Universities ;  but  the  great  majority,  both  of 
University  and  Polytechnic  educators,  see  in  the  Polytechnic  but 
the  natural  outgrowth  and  necessary  advance  of  human  learning, 
and  in  the  union  of  the  two  forms,  they  find  forshadowed  the  new 
future  of  education. 

The  question  of  the  union  of  the  Polytechnic  schools  with  the  Univer- 
sities has  been  debated  long  and  earnestly  by  German  scholars  and 
statesman.  The  argumenton  both  sides  ha  sbeen  exhausted.  The  suf- 
frages are  £n  illy  settling  down  with  a  Surprising  unanimity  in  favor  of 
the  union.  Among  the  Professors  'of  both,  of  the  1\  ly'echnic 
schools  and  the  Universities  with  whom  I  talked,  there  were  Lut 
two  who  favored  the  separation  of  the  two  classes  of  education,  and 
they  on  grounds  merely  local  or  incidental.  And  this  decision  in 
favor  of  a  union  embraces  Agricultural,  as  well  as  other  technical 
instruction.  The  celebrated  Baron  Liebig,  the  father  cf  Agricultu- 
ral Chemistry,  is  among  the  most  ardent  advocates  of  the  union  of 
Agricultural  schools  with  the  Universities.  "You  know  I  am  op- 
oposed  to  isolated  schools,"  said  the  old  Baron  to  me  as  I  sat  with 
him  in  his  library.  It  was  under  his  influence  that  the  Agricultural 
Department  was  added  to  the  old  University  at  Halle.  The  new 
Polytechnical  school  at  Munich,  where  Baron  Liebig  resides,  is  not 
only  connected  with  the  University  so  far  that  many  students 
attend  lectures  in  both,  but  it  is  also  itself  a  University,  bearing  the 
title  of  the  "Polytechnic  University,"  and  requiring  for  admission 
the  same  preparation  that  is  required  by  the  other  Universities, 
excepting  the  Greek  language.  This  Munich  Polytechnic  is  one  of 
the  largest  and  newest  of  this  class  of  institutions.     Its  buildings  of 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  587 


magnificent  extent  and  splendid  architecture,  will  cost  when  com- 
pleted about  $700,000  and  would  cost  in  Chicago,  over  a  million 
dollars.  The  apparatus  for  the  illustrations  of  only  a  single  physi- 
cal science  cost  about  $12,000,  and  the  chemical  laboratory  is  of 
groat  size  and  beauty.  An  entire  separate  laboratory  is  being  pro- 
vided for  Agricultural  Chemistry  and  a  distinct  professor  employed 
for  this  department.  I  asked  the  directors  if  they  did  not  fear 
the  high  Btandard  of  qualifications  required  for  admission  would  bar 
out  students?  He  replied,  "make  your  school  good — see  to  it  that 
that  you  have  good  teachers,  good  apparatus,  libraries  &c,  and  the 
students  will  be  sure  to  come."  There  is  sound  sense  in  this 
view. 

The  Polytechnic  men  all  say  that  the  aims  of  the  first  Polytech- 
nic schools  were  two  low  and  limited.  They  sought  only  to  give 
practical  knowledge  as  it  is  sometimes  called, — or  knowledge  of  the 
arts  themselves, — without  regard  to  the  stage  of  preparation,  or  the 
general  culture  of  their  students.  They  were  unable  to  carry  the 
education  far  enough  to  reach  the  best  results.  Now  everywhere 
they  are  raising  the  standard  for  admission  ami  adding  more  of 
g3uer.il  a:il  libdr.il  stuly  to  their  courses  of  instruction. 

AGRICULTURAL    EDUCATION. 

The  history  of  Agricultural  education  in  Germany  is  only  one  of 
the  chapters  of  the  history  of  Polytechnic  education.  At  the  outset 
the  Agricultural  schools  were  for  poor  peasant  children.  Put  with 
the  progress  of  thought  and  experiment,  this  branch  of  education 
enlarged  and  elevated  its  aims,  till  it  has  become  finally  to  be  an 
honored  and  useful  department  of  University  instruction. 

There  now  exists  in  Germany,  three  some-what  distinct  classes  of 
Agricultural  schools.  The  first  are  schools  for  the  education  of 
practical  farmers  or  farm  laborers.  These  schools  provide  a  Winter 
course  of  theoretical  instruction,  and,  in  most  cases,  send  the  stu- 
dents home  to  work  on  the  farm  during  the  Summer  season. 

These  schools  are  of  different  grades,  the 'instruction  in  some 
being  somewhat  thorough  and  complete,  while  in  others  it  is  quite 
meagre  and  merely  elementary.  They  have  doubtless  accomplished 
much  good,  but  they  are  said  to  be  giving  away  before  the  multipli- 
cation of  a  higher  order  of  schools. 

The  second  class  embraces  what,  in  America,  would  be  called 
Agricultural  Colleges,  but  which  the  Germans  style  Agricultural 
Academies.  They  were  all  as  far  as  I  could  learn,  of  somewhat 
early  origin,  having  been   established   before  the  question  of  union 


THE    SOUTHERN  [October 


with  the  Universities  were  started.  They  are  isolated  schools  aim- 
ing at  a  high  and  thorough  course  in  all  sciences  pertaining  to  agri- 
culture and  at  such  practical  instruction  as  their  modern  farms  afford. 
The  opinion  was  frequently  expressed  tome  that  these  schools  would 
at  an  early  day  be  united  to  the  nearest  Universities.  The  third  class 
of  Agricultural  schools  consists  of  th;>  Agricultural  Departments  of 
the  Universities.  These  are  all  of  somewhat  recent  origin,  having 
been  established  in  conformity  with  the  conviction  that  Agricultu- 
ral education  of  the  best  form  ought  to  be  provided  for  by  the 
Universities. 

I  shall  give  your  readers  the  best  idea  of  the  character  of  these 
several  classes  of  schools  by  describing  one  of  each  class  as  they 
fell  under  my  own  observation.  But  as  this  description  will  pro" 
bably  fill  a  letter  of  itself,  I  may  use  the  space  remaining  in  this,  to 
present  some  general  views  of  Agricultural  education  in  the  German 
States. 

And  foremost  among  the  questions  which  will  be  asked  me  is 
this:  Has  Agricultural  education  in  Germany,  on  the  whole,  been 
successful  ?  I  put  this  question  one  morning  to  Baron  Liebig  in 
his  library,  intimating  to  him  that  doubts  on  this  point  existed  in 
America.  The  splendid  old  man  stretched  himself  up,  and  with 
flashing  eye  exclaimed:  "  The  success  has  been  immense'"  and 
then  in  proof  of  the  truth  of  his  statement  he  added  :  "In  Hesse, 
for  example,  the  value  of  the  land  has  increased  three  hundred  per 
cent,  unde.-  the  improved  method  of  culture  introduced  by  the  dif- 
fusion of  Agricultural  science.  And  this  increase  has  not  come,  as 
your  lands  increase  in  value  in  America,  by  increase  of  population, 
but  by  the  actual  inprovement  in  the  fertility  of  the  soil.  The  im- 
mense quantities  of  the  artificial  fertilizers,  the  phosphates  and  sul- 
phates now  used  in  Germany,  are  evidences  of  the  progress  of 
Agricultural  science.  Lands,  which  were  worn  out  and  nearly  use- 
less, have  been  renovated  and  rendered  abundantly  productive  by 
the  improved  methods  and  manures." 

Mr.  Bancroft,  the*  American  Minister  to  the  Prussian  Court,  told 
me  that  when  he  first  visited  Berlin,  fifty  years  ago,  that  city  was 
in  the  midst  of  barren  sands.  Now  it  is  surrounded  with  fruitful 
fields  and  waving  forests.  Agriculture,  science-taught,  has  trans- 
formed the  sands  to  fertile  soil.  And  all  this  the  Germans  claim  as  the 
fruits  of  their  Agricultural  schools.  If  another  proof  were  wanting 
of  the  acknowledged  utility  of  these  schools,  it  could  be  easily  found 
in  the  fact  that  they  are  being  rapidly  multiplied  throughout  the 
German    States.     Men   do  not  multiply  useless  institutions;  but 


18G9.]  PLANTER  AND   FARMER  589 

the  Agricultural  schools  are  multiplying  in  great  numbers.  And 
these  institutions  are  increasing  in  influence  as  rapidly  as  in  num- 
bers. The  scope  of  their  course  of  instruction  and  the  value  of 
their  educational  influence  are  constantly  increasing,  and  as  a  con- 
sequence, their  place  in  public  esteem  grows  more  and  more  prom- 
inent. 

The  German  Agricultural  schools  have  introduced  two  measures 
which  have  helped  greatly  to  increase  both  their  influence  and  use- 
fulness. First  they  have  organized  an  extensive  and  thorough  sys- 
tem of  agricultural  experiments  for  the  discovery  of  new  truth 
and  the  solution  of  the  great  questions  of  agricultural  science. 
There  are  now,  chiefly  in  Germany,  thirty-three  agricultural  exper- 
iment stations,  fitted  up  with  the  necessary  laboratories,  stables  or 
farms,  for  carrying  forward  careful  sets  of  observations  and  experi- 
ments both  in  soil,  culture  and  animal  husbandry.  These  stations 
are  under  the  direction  of  thoroughly  trained  chemists,  who  know 
how  to  adjust  all  the  conditions  of  each  experiment  and  to  test  with 
the  utmost  nicety  the  results.  These  experimenters  meet  annually 
to  discuss  the  experiments  and  compare  observations,  as  well  as  to 
suggest  new  problems  for  solution.  The  reports  of  these  experi- 
ments carefully  written  out,  are  published  in  a  periodical  devoted 
to  this  interest  and  thus  are  offered  constantly  to  the  agriculturists 
of  the  country.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  visiting  several  of  these  sta- 
tions and  of  noticing  the  ingenuity  and  scientific  precision  with 
which  the  experiments  are  conducted.  Agriculture  must  gai  \ 
greatly  in  certainty  and  power  when  the  workers  at  these  stations 
shall  have  had  time  to  ripen  their  observations  and  systematize  their 
conclusions. 

The  second  measure  of  which  I  spoke,  is  the  establishment  of  a 
system  of  itinerating  lectures  for  the  diffusion  of  agricultural  knowl- 
edge among  the  farmers.  I  did  not  learn  how  widely  the  practice 
yet  prevailed,  but  in  Baden  the  Professors  of  the  agricultural  school 
at  \Veisbaden  go  out  through  the  villages  and  from  school  house  to 
school  house,  giving  instruction  to  the  practical  farmers,  in  plain 
familiar  lectures,  and  it  is  said  with  the  happiest  results.  A  double 
advantage  results  from  this  work:  agricultural  science  is  diffused 
among  the  people,  and  the  agricultural  schools  secure  a  higher  place 
in  the  public  esteem. 

The  circumstances  of  Germany  favor  the  success  of  agricultural 
schools.  The  general  prevalence  of  education  gives  a  large  number  of 
young  men  prepared  to  enter  upon  the  study  of  the  sciences,  and  the 
number  of  well  educated  men  affords  the  requisite  supply  of  qualified 


590  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 

teachers.  Tn  these  two  respects  no  country  so  well  compares  with  Ger- 
many as  the  United  States.  In  another  important  point  we  have  a  great 
advantage  even  of  Germany.  There  the  minute  subdivisions  of  the 
lands  often  consigns  the  farmer  to  a  hopeless  poverty  and  utterly 
forbids  the  free  introduction  of  new  methods  of  culture.  Agricul- 
ture in  the  German  States  is  not  the  chief  employment  of  the  peo- 
ple. But  the  extent  of  our  farms  and  the  prominent  place  which 
agriculture  occupies  among  the  industries,  gives  to  the  American 
Agricultural  College  a  field  such  as  no  European  country  affords. 

The  Germans,  in  many  respects,  more  nearly  resemble  the  Amer- 
ican people  than  any  other  nation  on  the  European  continent. 
Even  England  is  less  like  the  American  republic.  In  the  care  of 
the  government  for  the  education  of  the  people,  in  the  absence  of 
the  spirit  of  caste,  in  the  prevalence  of  free  thought,  in  the  general 
spirit  of  earnest  investigation,  the  German  States  resemble  the 
American;  and  the  success  of  the  German  Agricultural  Colleges 
affords  no  slight  ground  of  hope  for  the  success  of  similar  institu- 
tions in  our  own  country.  It  is  true  there  are  notable  differences 
between  the  t,vo  countries,  and  especially  in  their  agriculture;  but 
the  general  principles  which  have  been  proved  true  for  the  one  will  be 
found  true  for  the  other,  and  thus  the  German  schools  may  afford 
us  many  useful  hints  for  the  conduct  of  our  own. —  Western  Rural. 

Paris,  August,  lb69. 


The  Michigan  Agricultural   Society. 

LETTER   FftOM    PROFESSOR    COOK. 

The  Junior  Exhibition,  which  was  *  held  August  25,  made  no 
little  stir  with  us.  The  audience  was  large,  and  very  appreciative. 
Upon  the  rostrum  sat  the  entire  Board  of  Agriculture,  Gov. 
Baldwin,  included.  Twelve  Juniors  took  part  on  this  occasion, 
and  have  received  from  several  representatives  of  the  Press,  who 
were  present,  generous  praise  f iY  ths  felicitous  expression  of  the 
many  apt  and  practical  thoughts  contained  in  their  orations  and 
essays. 

Hon.  George  Wilward,  of  the  Battle  Creek  Journal,  gave  an 
admirable  lecture  in  the  evening,  on  "  Labor  and  its  Influence  upon 
the  progress  of  the  World's  enlightenment."  He  showed  that  the 
mental  and  moral  status  of  a  people  held  intimate  relations  with 
their  productive  industry.  It  was  a  most  happy  vindication  of  In- 
dustrial education,  and  I  am  glad  to  say,  it  is  to  be  published  entire. 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND    FARMER.  591 

Our  grounds  and  green  house  are  very  beautiful,  and  that  this 
attractiveness  is  appreciated  is  evinced  by  the  many  visitors,  none 
of  whom  seem  to  go  away  unfriendly. 

Our  Sophomore  class  has  been  very  fortunate  in  having  Prof. 
Prentis  during  the  Cornell  vacation.  His  lectures  on  Economic  and 
Agricultural  Botany,  are  inimitable. 

Our  new  boarding  hall  is  being  pushed  with  commendable  energy, 
and  gives  great  promise  of  being  a  fine  structure. 

We  hope  and  expect  to  be  able  next  year  to  take  all  who  come,  and 
to  h  ive  a  room  sufficient  to  mike  them  comfortable.  We  rejoice  that 
the  system  of  putting  f;>ur  students  in  one  room  is  to  be  forever 
abandoned. — A.  J.  Cook,  in  Western  Rural. 


Tobacco. 

Jfessrs.  Editors, — As  we  reside  in  a  county  adjoining  Per- 
son,' N.  C,  and  may  therefore  be  presumed  to  feel  some  of  the  Ag- 
ricultural gloom  which  ''Person"  depicts  as  overshadowing  that 
county,  we  trust  it  will  be  a  sufficient  apology  for  this  claim  upon 
your  columns. 

The  impoverished  condition  of  our  land,  due  to  the  exhausting 
influence  of  African  slavery,  that  has  sucked  its  life  blood  for  so 
many  years,  and  the  loss  entailed  by  the  disastrous  results  of  the 
late  war,  have  left  us  in  this  portion  of  Virginia,  and  the  adjacent 
portions  of  N.  C,  in  a  prostrated  condition  truly  alarming.  But 
as  the  intelligent  farmer  casts  about  for  something  to  resuscitate  his 
impoverished  farm,  and  empty  purse,  he  can,  in  cur  judgment, 
find  nothing  at  present  so  likely  to  furnish  the  means  of  recupera- 
tion as  the  judicious  cultivation  of  tobacco,  more  especially  that 
quality  which  is  peculiar  to  this  portion  of  Virginia  and  North  Car- 
olina. This  for  the  present,  at  least,  furnishes  the  only  rainbow  of 
hope  to  us,  and  there  is  no  subject  of  agriculture  that,  in  our  opinion, 
should  claim  a  greater  share  of  our  most  earnest  efforts,  than  the 
proper  cultivation  and  proper  management  of  this  great  staple. 
We  are  aware  that  there  is  a  great  disposition  on  the  part  of  many 
eminent  farmers  to  discourage  the  production  of  tobacco,  but  we 
attribute  the  idea,  rather  to  that  almost  universal  feeling  of  the 
necessity  of  a  "change  of  system,"  than  to  any  rational  deduc- 
tions as  to  how  we  shall  best  meet  our  wants  in  another  direction 
It  is  akin  to  that  other  notion  that  we^annot  afford  to  raise  our  own 
bacon. 

If  we  are  to  give  up  such  things  as  we  have  been  in  the  habit  of 


592  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 

raising  on  our  farms,  from  the  mistaken  notion  that  we  cannot 
compete  with  the  great  "West,  where  shall  we  stop,  and  upon  what 
shall  we  relj  to  purchase  these  cheap,  though  essential  products  of 
the  West  ?  We  do  not  doubt  that  the  West  can  surpass  us  in  the 
production  of  shipping  tobacco,  jet  we  are  convinced,  when  we  con- 
sider the  preference  on  the  part  of  some  shippers  for  our  tobacco 
over  the  Western  staple,  with  the  difference  in  the  cost  of  labor 
and  the  facilities  of  our  shipping  market,  that  we  can  make  ship- 
ping tobacco  even  more  remunerative  than  the  Western  States. 

The  fact  that  our  farmers  have  failed  to  find  the  cultivation  of 
tobacco  as  remunerative  as  they  might  have  hoped,  has  been  due,  in 
a  great  measure,  to  that  very  common  cause  of  failure,  imperfect 
manuring,  and  the  hopes  of  realizing  a  large  crop  merely  from  the 
fact  that  a  large  surface  wa  =  put  in  cultivation,  and  a  failure  to  ap- 
preciate the  fact  that  the  profits  have  been  consumed  by  a  fruitless 
outlay  for  labor  without  a  proportionate  yield  in  crop.  There  is 
evidently  too  great  a  disposition  on  the  part  of  our  :  o  de- 

ceive themselves  by  expecting  results  commensurate  with,  r.nd  en- 
tirely dependent  upon,  the  extent  of  their  operations.  Oar  youth 
have  been  overcharged  with  the  false  philosophy  of  "strike  high, 
though  you  miss  the  moon;"  ''strive  at  everything,  though  you  ac- 
complish nothing ;"  till,  like  a  short  gun  with  too  much  powder, 
they  always  shoot  too  wide  for  the  game.  Is  it  not  concentrated 
force — concentrated  capital  and  concentrated  thought — that  accom- 
plishes big  results  ?  Why  should  "  the  pastor  "  spin  out  his  sermon 
to  the  length  of  "  only  an  hour,"  and  about  as  thick  as  a  knife 
blade,  yet  affect  not  to  be  able  to  see  how  his  brethren  can  recon- 
cile their  consciences  to  a  nap  in  church  ?  Our  youthful  neighbor 
cultivated  a  hundred  thousand  hills  in  tobacco,  "  with  twelve  good 
hands,"  and  he  cannot  see  how  he  only  made  nine  thousand  pounds 
of  tobacco,  and  "  got  nothing  for  that."  Our  old  farmers,  nut  con- 
tent with  their  five  hundred  acres,  have  sold  the  soil  of  that  to  ex- 
tend their  domain  to  thousands,  which  now  grin  barren  defiance  to 
their  demands  for  tax  money.  Indeed,  we  begin  to  fear  that 
the  period  of  slavery  with  us  was  more  propitious  to  the  devel- 
opment of  African  muscle  than  Anglo-Saxon  brains ;  at  least, 
it  seems  to  have  rendered  our  minds  so  diffusive,  that  the  humblest 
owner  of  even  a  single  family  of  slaves  began  to  have  Beri  ■  us  ap- 
prehensions of  being  ultimat|ly  cramped  in  his  operations,  u 
the  territories  were  thrown  open  to  his  future  muscular  develop- 
ments.    Bat.  as  your  columns  very  properly  eschew  political  ques- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  593 

tions,  we  leave  this  expansive  subject  tp  be  developed  by  the  histo- 
rian, as  to  how  much  this  erratic  idea  contributed  to  the  occasion 
of  the  late  war. 

"  Woe  to  the  land  to  numerous  Ills  a  prey, 

Where  wealth  accumulates  and  "—minds— "decay." 

But  for  fear  your  readers  will  begin  to  imagine  that  we  are  un- 
able to  bring  our  thoughts  to  a  focus,  we  return  to  our  subject — 
tobacco.  As  it  is  a  crop  which  requires  a  great  deal  of  labor  and 
handling,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  the  land  in  cultivation 
should  be  rich,  that  the  tobacco  may  be  large  and  heavy  ;  other- 
wise it  is  the  most  unprofitable  crop  the  farmer  can  engage  in.  For 
shipping  tobacco,  the  plants  should  be  set  out  from  the  1st  to  the 
10th  of  June;  for  the  fine  manufacturing  grades,  the  plants  should 
be  set  out  as  soon  as  they  can  be  gotten  sufficiently  grown,  for  the 
sooner  the  crop  can  be  brought  to  maturity,  the  finer  will  be  its 
texture,  and  it  is  more  easily  cured  during  the  early  fall ;  while,  on 
the  contrary,  the  shipping  grades  are  made  much  thicker  and  hea- 
vier by  being  allowed  to  take  the  rains  and  dews  of  the  latter  fall. 
The  process  of  curing  the  yellow  varieties  consists  in  drying  out 
the  sap  by  a  constant,  well  regulated  heat,  which  can  only  be  done 
by  charcoal,  as  it  contains  no  watery  element,  and  produces  a  very 
dry  heat.  The  work  should  be  carried  on  in  a  barn  with  very  close 
walls,  though  it  is  the  opinion  of  the  writer  that  the  process  would 
be  very  much  facilitated  by  having  the  roof  very  open,  or  even  by 
having  the  barn  entirely  open  at  top,  if  there  could  be  some  means 
of  securing  the  tobacco  in  the  event  of  rain,  by  having  a  covering 
at  hand  which  could  be  put  on  and  taken  off  at  pleasure.  We  do 
not  know  whether  such  a  thing  is  practicable,  but  if  it  were,  we  do 
not  doubt  but  the  process  would  be  rendered  much  more'  certain  of 
success.  We  are  disposed  to  think,  that  by  this  arrangement,  the 
tobacco  might  be  hung  much  closer  in  the  barn,  without  being  so 
liable  to  scalding  from  contact  with  the  humid  atmosphere  of  a  close 
barn.  The  process  of  yellow  curing,  though  we  have  had  but  little 
experience  in  it,  seems  evidently  to  be,  to  get  rid  of  the  watery  ele- 
ment of  the  plant  by  a  dry  heat,  so  regulated  as  not  to  produce  a 
too  rapid  flow  (which  would  run  over  the  leaf  and  scald  it  red),  and 
yet  not  allow  the  temperature  to  be  so  reduced  as  to  fail  to  produce 
the  -evaporation  necessary  to  release  the  leaf  from  the  perspiration, 
as  it  were,  which  is  going  on  from  the  plant.  And  it  is  quite  ob- 
vious that  a  tall  barn,  with  close  walls,  (except  just  at  the  bottom,) 
and  open  roof,  would  much  facilitate  the  process  by  the  establish- 
ment of  a  current  of  fresh  dry  air  from  bottom  to  top. 
VOL  in — 38 


594  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 

We  have  been  led  to  these  thoughts  from  a  sincere  desire  to  do 
what  vre  can  in  suggesting  to  our  people  the  most  available  means 
of  meeting  their  present  wants.  We  by  no  means  advise  the  culti- 
vation of  tobacco  as  a  specialty  ;  on  the  contrary,  we  agree  with 
"  Person,"  that  a  mixed  husbandry  is  absolutely  necessary  to  suc- 
cessful farming,  especially  in  sections  remote  from  market ;  and  as 
we  cannot  safely  give  up  "  the  weed,"  we  urge  the  reduction  of  its 
surface  in  cultivation  to  the  paying  point.  J.  V.  B. 

Halifax,  Ya.,  Aug.  28,  1869. 


Inquiries  and  Answer  Respecting  the    Most  Economical  Fertilizer. 

David  Stuart,  Esq. — Dear  Sir, — I  have  noticed  your  commu- 
nications in  the  American  Farmer  in  regard  to  Navassa  guano  as  a 
fertilizer.  I  acted  upon  your  hints,  as  I  thought  or  understood 
them,  last  fall,  in  seeding  my  wheat  crop.  I  had  concluded  that  a 
mixture  of  manures  was  best,  and  thought  Peruvian  guano  for  the 
immediate  crop  the  most  efficient  of  all  manures,  but  for  the  benefit 
of  the  soil  and  above  crop,  desired  to  use  with  it  some  phosphatic 
material,  and  selected  the  Navassa  guano,  mixing  them  in  equal 
quantities,  150  lbs.  each  to  the  acre,  and  drilled  in  with  the  wheat. 
The  crop  compared  well  with  those  of  my  neighbors  who  used  the 
various  superphosphates,  but  I  am  not  sure  that  I  made  the  best  use 
of  the  Navassa  by  using  it  in  its  natural  state,  and  now  I  am  at  a 
loss  because  Peruvian  guano  is  not  to  be  had,  and  I  am  fearful,  from 
my  observations  among  my  neighbors'  crops  that  have  used  the 
manufactured  manures,  that  they  will  not  pay  on  wheat.  I  tried 
the  Navassa  on  clover  by  itself,  250  lbs.  to  the  acre,  but  saw  very 
little  benefit  from  it,  and  I  conclude  it  would  not  pay  on  wheat. 
Can  you  tell  me  in  what  manner  I  may  treat  it  to  make  it  more 
available  than  in  its  natural  state  ?  Would  it  do  to  mix  and  drill  in 
with  it  unleached  ashes,  or  the  salt  and  lime  mixture,  or  would  it  be 
best  to  take  Professor  Higgins'  plan,  as  detailed  in  the  March  num- 
ber of  the  American  Farmer,  using  salt  and  sulphuric  acid  ?  He 
states  that  this  guano  may  be  bought  for  $20  per  ton,  but  the  ad- 
vertising price  is  $30,  and  this  is  the  price  that  I  paid  for  it. 
Nearly  all  the  Baltimore  superphosphates  and  manipulated  manures 
have  been  tried  here  on  corn  and  wheat ;  none  of  them  have  any- 
thing like  the  effect  upon  wheat  that  Peruvian  guano  has,  and  I  don't 
know  one  of  them  that  pays  on  this  crop.  What  do  you  think  of 
Messrs.  Phillips'  superphosphate  ?     I  have  heard  a  glowing  account 


869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  595 

of  it  from  Ex-Governor  Ross,  of  your  State,  as  an  application  to 
clover  in  the  spring. 

Please  excuse  this  liberty  in  a  stranger.  Although  we  are 
strangers  to  you,  your  name  is  very  familiar  among  us,  and  your 
opinions  very  frequently  quoted. 

Very  respectfully,  John  Rust. 

Oak  Grove,  Northumberland  co.,   Va.,  Sept.  14,  1869. 


AN    OUTLINE     OF     DR.    STEWART'S    ANSWER   TO    THE   ABOVE    LETTER. 

To  'Mr.  J.  R.,  of  Oak  Grove,  Northumberland  co.,  Va. : 

I  have  by  the  last  mail  received  your  letter  enquiring  as  to  the 
most  economical  fertilizer  under  certain  circumstances,  indicated  by 
your  previous  experience  in  the  use  of  such  means.  I  admit  that  the 
Navassa  is  comparatively  worthless  unless  rendered  soluble  ;  it  is 
then  one  of  the  richest  and  cheapest  supplies  of  phosphoric  acid  at 
the  lowest  price  mentioned  (and  at  which  I  think  it  can  be  had). 
There  are  three  modes  by  which  its  solubility  may  be  increased — 
the  one  you  quote  was  claimed  by  Liebig,  and  I  object  to  it,  as  it 
forms  [necessarily  and  inevitably,)  a  poisonous  chloride  of  iron  and 
alumina  so  caustic  and  poisonous  to  all  vegetation  that  it  may  neu- 
tralize the  valuable  solution  of  phosphoric  acid  it  liberates,  and 
other  manures — but  I  do  not  wish  to  condemn  this  in  advance  of 
actual  experience.  When  I  am  more  at  leisure  I  will  give  you  the 
other  two  processes,  by  which  any  farm  hand  can  render  Navassa 
soluble,  and  produce  a  fertilizer  for  Spring  crops  that  will  not  cost 
$10  per  ton,  and  excel  any  superphosphate  now  sold  at  $50 ;  but  it 
will  not  be  found  as  well  adapted  to  wheat. 

For  your  particular  cultivation,  I  think  that  the  following  com- 
pound is  cheaper,  provided  you  get  the  elements  of  known  value 
from  a  perfectly  reliable  source,  and  mix  them  in  your  barn,  being 
received  in  powder,  as  I  will  direct.  Drill  them  with  the  seed  at 
the  rate  of  200  lbs.  per  acre  (at  least),  and  as  much  more  as  you 
can  afford.  Will  pay  better  interest  on  the  investment  than  any 
other  stock. 

If  possible,  repeat  the  experiment  that  I  published  in  the  August 
number  of  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer,  to  test  the  value  of  my 
new  mode  of  cultivating  wheat  so  as  to  use  fertilizers  with  in- 
surance. 

Two  barrels  of  sulphate  of  ammonia;  one  barrel  of  sulphate  of 
potash ;  5  barrels  of  powder  of  sulphated  South  Carolina  coprolite 
(or  phosphoric  deposit). 


596  THE    SOUTHERN  [October 

If  possible,  substitute,  in  whole  or  in  part,  Peruvian  guano  in 
powder  for  the  above  sulphate  of  ammonia,  using  about  five  barrels 
of  Peruvian  for  the  above.  Get  these  articles  wherever  you  can 
find  them  cheaper,  but  they  can  be  had  pure  and  reliable,  in  pow- 
der, ready  for  use,  of  Higgins  &  Reybold,  at  Delaware  City,  on 
the  Chesapeake  and  Delaware  canal,  as  I  have  and  will  analyze  all 
their  6tock  as  received,  except  Peruvian  guano,  which  it  happens  I 
have  not  analyzed  for  them  thus  far. 

Yours  faithfully,  David  Stewart,  M.  D. 

Port  Penn,  Delaware,  Sept.  19,  1869. 

N.  B. — The  sulphated  coprolite  referred  to  must  contain  25  per 
cent,  of  oil  of  vitriol.  D.  S. 


Rotation  of  Crops. 

On  every  farm  there  is  usually  raised  at  least  some  of  the  gocd 
old-fashioned  cereals,  corn,  wheat,  oats,  and  also  potatoes  ;  and  per- 
haps sufficient  of  these  should  always  be  grown  for  family  and  farm 
consumption,  and  to  avoid  buying.  They  are  not,  however,  always 
necessarily  the  staple  crops  from  which  the  chief  profits  of  the  farm 
are  derived  ;  and  it  will  be  found  that  in  every  section  and  neighbor- 
hood almost,  there  are  certain  specialties  particularly  adapted  to  its 
cultivation,  by  reason  of  soil,  distance  from  market,  or  other  cir- 
cumstances, which  make  the  heavy  end  of  the  annual  profits. 

In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Philadelphia,  for  at  least  thirty  to 
forty  miles  round,  convenient  to  railroads,  the  dairy  business  (milk 
and  butter,)  should  undoubtedly  be  the  main  object — the  raising  of 
grain  being  merely  incidental  to  it. 

In  many  parts  of  New  Jersey  the  staple  crops  are  certainly 
small  fruits  and  vegetables.  In  other  places  there  would  appear  to 
be  peculiar  advantages  for  rearing  improved  breeds  of  live  stock. 
We  know  of  soils  where  wheat  grows  well,  producing  heavy  crops 
with  an  alternation  of  clover,  year  after  year.  In  some  places,  on 
a  smooth  road,  hauling  hay  to  a  market  like  Philadelphia,  and 
bringing  a  return  load  of  manure,  would  appear  to  be  profitable  and 
a  self-sustaining  system.  In  other  sections,  packing  or  baling  hay 
for  transportation  yields  more  money  than  any  other  crop. 

It  is  very  important  for  every  farmer  rightly  to  select  his  main 
staple  crop.  Whichever  of  these  several  plans  is  adopted,  it  should 
be  borne  in  mind  that  generally  only  one,  or  at  least  two,  can  be 
well  managed  on  a  single  farm.  They  cannot  all  succeed  ;  and  to 
try  them  all  is  sure   to  result  in  failure.     It  would  be  a  kind  of 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  597 

"Jack  of  all  trades  and  master  of  none."  Military  men  would  call 
it  covering  too  much  ground,  and  exposing  too  much  front.  "Weak- 
ness or  want  of  driving  force  would  result — labor  being  divided 
when  it  ought  to  be  concentrated. 

"We  will  suppose  a  dairy  farm  where  the  object  is  to  keep,  Sum- 
mer and  Winter,  the  largest  number  of  cows.  Even  if  grain  is  pur- 
chased, it  will  be  obviously  inexpedient  to  buy  grass  or  hay.  The 
grass  crop,  therefore,  should  be  the  chief  point  of  attention ;  and 
such  a  system  is  best  for  a  dairy  farm  as  will  bring  about  a  luxu- 
riant'growth  of  nutritious  grasses,  and  retain  them  longest  without 
the  necessity  of  ploughing  up.  Without  grain,  straw  and  corn  fod- 
der, stock  could  not  be  kept,  and  without  these  there  could  be  no 
manure.  So  that  some  ploughing  and  some  cropping  are  indispen- 
sable. 

We  would  suggest  the  following  rotation  in  place  of  the  present 
one  :  1st,  corn,  to  which  all  the  manure  should  be  applied,  except 
what  is  wanted  for  potatoes ;  2d  year,  seed  with  oats  and  barley 
mixed,  and  clover.  Oats  now  is  a  very  uncertain  crop,  and  experi- 
ments the  present  season  on  the  Experimental  Farm  in  Chester 
county  and  elsewhere,  seem  to  show  these  ripen  well  together  (say 
two-thirds  barley  and  one-third  oats),  and  are  .not  so  apt  to  fall 
down.  As  feed  for  cows,  the  two  grains  mixed  have  been  found 
more  valuable  than  either  alone.  3d  year,  clover  to  be  ploughed 
down  the  next  Fall  for  wheat,  which  should  be  sown  with  grass  seed 
in  the  usual  way.  This  makes  a  four  years'  rotation.  The  advan- 
tages are,  first,  there  would  undoubtedly  be  on  an  average  a  much 
heavier  corn  crop  ;  second,  there  would  be  a  far  more  valuable  crop 
for  milch  cows  than  an  oat  crop  alone  Gsually  is  ;  3d,  the  value  of 
the  clover  crop,  which  could  partially  be  pastured.  It  is  a  great 
meliorator,  improver  and  subsoiler,  and^.if  there  is  any  one  way  to 
ensure  a  crop  of  wheat,  it  is  to  precede  it  with  a  crop  of  clover. 
All  experience,  everywhere,  proves  this.  This  rotation,  besides 
being  a  practical  one,  is  also  based  on  sound  theory.  Corn  is  a 
gross  feeder — and  we  have  never  heard  of  any  land  too  rich  tor  it. 
Barn-yard  manure,  in  its  only  partially  decomposed  state  in  the 
Spring,  is  exactly  what  it  requires,  to  warm  the  soil  and  drive  the 
corn  ahead.  While  the  ground  might  be  left  too  rich  for  oats  the 
nex:  season,  it  would  not  be  for  barley,  or  barley  and  oats  combined. 
The  third  year,  (unless  the  "laws  of  nature"  are  similar  to  what 
they  are  around  Salem,  New  Jersey,  where  root:?  only  run  down 
five  inches  and  then^stop,)  it  would  be  found  that  clover  would  do 
what   farmers  hesitate  about — it   would  subsoil,  or  extend  its  tap 


598  THE  SOUTHREX  [October 

roots  down,  opening  the  lower  strata  to  the  air,  bringing  up  mineral 
plant  food,  and  evolving  chemical  combinations  there,  besides  mak- 
ing a  mass  of  vegetable  matter,  to  be  turned  down,  exactly  suitable 
to  the  growth  of  wheat.  We  present  this  rotation  for  the  consid- 
eration of  our  farmers,  and  should  be  glad  to  have  their  views  of 
it. —  The  Practical  Farmer. 


Agricultural    Resources  of   the    Cape    Fear    Section   of   North 

Carolina. 

In  a  letter  written  to  Dr.  S.  S.  Satchwell,  Professor  Kerr,  State 
Geologist  of  North  Carolina,  after  an  exploration  of  the  Cape  Fear 
regiun,  speaks  in  glowing  terms  of  the  hidden  wealth  of  that  sec- 
tion.    He  says  : 

"  I  confess  my  surprise,  after  all  that  has  been  said  and  written 
on  the  subject,  at  the  discovery  of  both  the  abundance  and  wide 
distribution  of  marls  in  your  section.  But  it  is  a  matter  of  stil* 
greater  surprise  that  such  mines  of  weakh  should  be  so  little  known 
and  appreciated,  and  used  by  farmers.  We  must  change  all  this.  I 
count  on  your  Farmers'  Clubs  and  Agricultural  Societies,  aided  by 
an  enlightened  and  comprehensive  railroad  policy,  to  do  much  in 
that  direction. 

M  I  have  collected  largely  and  over  a  considerable  area,  both  of 
soils  and  marls,  of  which  the  samples  are  undergoing  analysis  as 
fast  as  possible  in  the  State  Laboratory,  The  results  will  be  given 
to  the  public  at  the  earliest  practicable  moment.'' 


"Great  Truths"  in  Agriculture. — The  farmer  who  stints 

his  fields,  is  as  unwise  and  improvident  as  he  who  starves  his  work- 
ing cattle — in  both  cases  he  is  diminishing  the  ability  of  a  faithful 
servant  to  be  useful  to  him. 

The  farmer  who  obtains  from  a  field  not  properly  fertilized  ten 
bushels  of  grain,  when  by  manuring  he  might  have  obtained  twenty, 
is  selling  his  labor  at  half  its  value. 

He  who  does  not  give  back  to  his  fields  as  much  as  he  takes  from 
them,  sells  their  fertility  in  his  crops — and  the  fertility  of  the  soil 
is  the  farmer's  capital. 

The  farmer  who  will  keep  these  truths  in  view,  and  act  in  accord- 
ance with  the  rules  they  suggest,  will  find  his  compensation  in  the 
increasing  products  of  his  farm,  in  the  augmentation  of  his  wealth, 
and  in  the  promotion  of  general  prosperity. — Elaine  Farmer. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  599 

Attention  to  Cattle. 

Very  few  will  dispute  that  if  it  pays  to  keep  live  stock,  the  pro- 
fits will  be  in  proportion  to  the  management  of  it ;  therefore  any 
one  would  suppose,  on  first  thinking  of  the  subject,  surely  every 
stock-raiser  will  have  the  very  best  attention  paid  that  can  possibly 
be  contrived.  Is  it  so  ?  Alas  !  no.  In  every  herd,  in  every  flock, 
there  are  animals  of  the  same  age  which  differ  in  a  great  degree  in 
their  aptitude  to  carry  flesh  and  in  milking  properties ;  also  in  the 
flock,  the  difference  in  the  weight  and  quality  of  the  fleece,  as  well 
as  the  contrast  in  mutton  qualities,  will  be  very  great,  and  all  these 
characteristics  require  a  watchful  and  intelligent  mind  to  note  the 
cause  of  every  peculiarity,  so  that  weeding  out  or  judicious  coun- 
teraction may  be  resorted  to. 

A  man  who  excels  in  the  management  of  cattle,  has  studied  the 
disposition  and  habits  of  animals,  and  understands  what  kind  of 
food  suits  them  best  at  every  stage  of  their  existence,  and  how  to 
treat  them  at  all  seasons  of  the  year  and  under  every  circumstance, 
so  that  he  has  no  sickness,  excepting  of  such  a  kind  as  no  human 
foresight  could  have  prevented.  Attention  to  cattle  will  pay,  at  all 
events,  and  if  owner  and  attendant  are  both  skilled  in  the  science 
of  breeding,  so  as  to  produce  superiority  in  shape  and  constitution 
in  the  descendants,  by  the  judicious  mating  ef  the  parents,  as  well 
as  in  bringing  every  generation  nearer  perfection  by  forcing  every 
good  trait,  success  will  follow  to  a  greater  extent. —  Cultivator  and 
Country  Gentleman. 


The  Philadelphia  Eagle  says  a  good  story  is  told  of  an  amateur 
agriculturist  living  not  a  thousand  miles  from  Berkshire  county, 
who  was  advised  by  one  of  his  neighbors  to  plant  sun-flowers  with 
his  beans,  in  order  to  obviate  the  task  of  poling.  He  followed  the 
advice ;  in  due  course  of  time  beans  and  sun-flowers  came  up  and 
waxed  strong,  the  beans  coiling  around  the  sun-flower  stalks  beau- 
tifully ;  and  he  congratulated"  himself  on  the  fact  that  he  had  dis- 
covered an  effectual  method  of  raising  beans  without  being  driven 
to  the  disagreeable  necessity  of  toting  bean-poles  from  the  forest. 
But  alas  for  human  expectations,  his  beans  were  raised  out  of  the 
soil,  roots  and  all,  by  the  aid  of  the  new-fashioned  bean-poles,  and 
there  they  hung  withering  between  heaven  and  earth — a  melancholy 
testimonial  to  the  uncertain  tenure  of  all  earthly  things. — Metro- 
politan Record. 


600  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 

Unceasing  Effort  to  Improve  our  Agriculture  Demanded. 
We  are  indebted  to  the  Lynchburg  Virginian  for  the  following  extract  from 
an  address  delivered  by  Edward  Everett  in  1861,  before  the  Union    Agricul- 
tural Society  of  Jefferson  county,  New  York.     That  man  of  varied  and  wonder- 
ful intelligence,  said : 

"  The  effort  to  improve  our  agriculture  must  never  be  lost  sight 
of.  This  is  the  great  object,  gentlemen,  for  which  your  Society,  in 
common  with  others  of  the  same  character,  was  instituted,  and  to- 
wards which  the  thoughts  of  the  intelligent  husbandman  should  be 
steadily  turned.  It  has,  I  think,  generally  been  the  reproach  of  our 
farmers,  that  they  are  too  much  inclined  to  persevere  in  the  old  routine, 
and  through  jealousy  of  what  is  called  book-farming,  neglect  to 
avail  themselves  of  the  light  which  science  and  skilful  experiment 
have  thrown  upon  the  operations  of  husbandry.  I  am  disposed, 
however,  to  think  that  this  reproach,  though  not  without  foundation, 
has  been  carried  too  far.  First  experiments  in  all  departments  of 
industry  generally  fail.  The  mass  of  our  farmers  have  no  capital 
nor  surplus  labor  to  spare  for  double  experiments,  and  it  is  in  the 
nature  of  things  that  important  changes,  in  that  which  has  existed 
from  time  immemorial,  should  be  gradually  and  cautiously  made, 
and  somewhat  timidly  admitted,  by  those  who  cannot  afford  to  put 
much  at  risk.  In  the  meantime  by  the  agency  of  agricultural  news- 
papers and  larger  journals  through  the  reports  of  boards  of  agricul- 
ture and  other  official  publications,  and  by  the  aid  of  meetings  like 
the  present,  much  practical  information  has  been  and  constantly  is 
disseminating  in  our  farming  community.  I  appeal  to  you,  gentle- 
men, whose  recollections  cover  a  period  of  twenty  or  thirty  years, 
that  within  your  observation  a  corresponding  improvement  has  taken 
place  in  almost  every  branch  of  husbandry,  the  artificial  enrich- 
ment of  the  soil,  the  introduction  of  choicer  varieties  of  the  domes- 
tic animals  ; — horses,  cows,  sheep,  and  swine  ; — in  many  of  the  im- 
plements for  tilling  and  reaping  the  soil,  and  in  several  agricultural 
operations,  such  as  subsoil  ploughing  and  draining.  In  these,  and 
several  other  particulars,  there  is  no  doubt  that  Swift's  proverbial 
and  often  quoted  test  of  a  public  benefactor,  that  of  making  two 
blades  of  grass  of  grow  where  only  one  grew  before,  has  been  much 
more  than  realized  in  many  departments  of  our  modern  agriculture." 


Peat  Fuel. 

A  trial  to  test  the  comparative  calorfic  power  of  peat  fuel  was 
made  in  the  engine-room  of  the  Tribune  establishment  on  the  night 
of  the  11th  inst.     The  two  boilers  were  precisely  alike   and  in  the 


18(60.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  603 

triroerely  scalded  it  has  a  raw  taste.  Then  there  is  a  very  good 
wo-n  meal  pudding,  made  by  stirring  the  meal  into  scalded  skim 
fuelk  till  it  is  thick  as  gruel,  and,  when  cool,  add  ginger,  cinnamon, 
thttmeg,  Bait  and  sweetening  to  suit  the  taste,  and  a  little  fine  cut 
caet  and  some  raisins  or  dried  peaches,  and  a  fine  cut  apple.  It 
sa.culd  bake  an  hour  or  more,  according  to  size.  This  is  a  good, 
thniding.  And  then  see  into  how  many  dishes  corn  becomes  a  pal- 
ofeable  and  favorite  mixture.  It  is  the  cheapest  and  most  whole- 
it  .me  food  that  man  can  live  on,  and  should  be  on  the  table  of  both 
poch  anl  poor  more  frequently  than  it  now  is,  in  some  one  of  its 
any  forms. — Lawrence  Journal. 


cu  Harvesting  Potatoes. 

in  Perhaps  the  greatest  want  of  the  farmer  in  the  line  of  agricultu- 
ral implements  which  inventors  and  manufacturers  as  yet  have  failed 
Je>  supply,  is  an    efficient   horse-power   potato   digger.     True,  there 
•e  some  machines  in  the  field  that  promise  well,  and  we  have  great 
opes  of  them  ;  but  none  have  yet  proved  themselves  complete  and 
"Pliable,  though,  doubtless,   the   coming  potato  harvest  will  give  us 
vSore  information,  and  we  hope  and  expect  more  confidence,  also,  in 
aheir  ultimate  success.     What  we  want  is  a  machine  that,  drawn  by 
wo  horses,  will  throw  out  four   or  six  acres  per  day,  in  as  good  a 
1    -^  and  as  clean  as  can  be  accomplished  by  laborers  with  hoo*» 
Grease  Yotr  \\  heelsT— ll  ISome   persons  may  not  be  aware," 
says  Hieover,  in  his  work,  Bipeds  and  Quadrupeds,  "  that  the  tri- 
fling neglect  of  a  pair  of  wheels  being  comparatively  dry  or  well 
greased,  will  cause  twenty  miles   to   take  far  more  work  out  of  a 
horse  than  forty  would  in   the   latter  case ;  yet  wheels  absolutely 
screaming  from  dryness  are  often  seen  and  heard  attached  to  carts 
and  wagons ;  and  thus  would  the  brute  in  human  form   let  them 
scream  till  he  had  finished   his  journey's   end   or   his   day's   work, 
though  his  horses  were  drawing,  from  such  cause,  at  least  one  ton 
in  four  of  resistance  more  than  they  would  if  the  defect  were  at- 
tended to." — Forney's  Press. 


"An  Indian  named  Joseph  Shaw-we-nos-se-qua  lately  carried  half 
a  bushel  of  potatoes  twenty  miles  to  pay  in  his  subscription  to  a 
paper  in  Ludington,  Minnesota.  He  can  neither  read  nor  write, 
but  gets  some  of  his  better  informed  neighbors  to  read  the  paper 
for  him."     Let  him  that  readeth  understand! 


600  THE  SOUTHERN  [Octob, 


er 


Unceasing  Effort  to  Improve  our  Agriculture  Demanded. 

We  are  indebted  to  the  Lynchburg  Virginian  for  the  following  extract  fro 
an  addre?3  delivered  by  Edward  Everett  in  1861,  before  the  Union  Agrici 
tural  Society  of  Jefferson  county,  New  York.  That  man  of  varied  and  wondt 
ful  intelligence,  said: 

"  The  effort  to  improve  our  agriculture  must  never  be  lost  sigl 
of.     This  is  the  great  object,  gentlemen,  for  which  your  Society,  i 
common  with  others  of  the  same  character,  was  instituted,  and   to 
wards  which  the  thoughts  of  the  intelligent  husbandman  should  b 
steadily  turned.     It  has,  I  think,  generally  been  the  reproach  of  ou 
farmers,  that  they  are  too  much  inclined  to  persevere  in  the  old  routine 
and   through  jealousy   of   what   is  called  book-farming,  neglect  t< 
avail  themselves  of  the  light  which  science  and  skilful  experimen 
have    thrown  upon  the   operations  of  husbandry.     I   am   disposed 
however,  to  think  that  this  reproach,  though  not  without  foundation 
has  been  carried  too  far.     First  experiments  in  all  departments  o. 
industry   generally  fail.     The   mass  of  our  farmers  have   no  capita 
nor  surplus  labor  to  spare  for  double  experiments,  and  it  is  in  th( 
nature  of  things  that  important  changes,  in  that  which  has  existed 
from  time  immemorial,  should  be  gradually  and  cautiously  made, 
and  somewhat  timidly  admitted,  by  those  who  cannot  afford  to  put 
much  at  risk.     In  the  meantime  by  the  agency  of  agricultural  news- 
papers and  larger  journals  through  the  reports  of  boards  of  agricul- 
ture and  other  official  publications,  and  by  the  aid  of  meetings  like 
-   ~..«k  nrantical  information  has  been  and  cone*- 

Indian  Corn  and   its   Uses. 

A  bushel  of  Indian  corn  contains  more  nutriment  than  a  bushel 
of  wheat ;  but  corn  meal  should  not  be  ground  fine,  or  it  will  not 
keep  sweet.  There  is  no  grain  that  can  be  put  to  so  many  different 
ways,  as  corn  and  corn  meal. 

First,  we  have  the  green  corn,  roasting  ears  and  soup  in  the 
early,  and  the  dried  corn  soup  and  hominy  the  balance  of  the  year. 
These  dishes  every  good  housekeeper  knows  how  to  prepare,  being 
among  the  most  simple  in  the  culinary  art. 

And  then  by  grinding  it  into  meal,  what  visions  of  delicious  eat- 
ing float  before  our  eyes.  First,  we  have  the  corn  cake  made  of 
meal  and  water,  and  a  little  salt,  if  you  are  too  poor  to  use  eggs 
and  milk,  mixed  into  a  dough  or  batter  and  baked  on  a  griddle. 
The  corn  bread  or  pone,  which  can  only  be  made  properly  by  about 
one  housekeeper  in  ten.  Then  mush  and  milk  and  fried  mush.  We 
have  never  seen  the  individual  that  did  not  like  one  or  the  other. 
Many  fail  in  making  good  mush  by  not  boiling  it  enough.     When  it 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  603 


is  merely  scalded  it  has  a  raw  taste.  Then  there  is  a  very  good 
corn  meal  pudding,  made  by  stirring  the  meal  into  scalded  skim 
milk  till  it  is  thick  as  gruel,  and,  when  cool,  add  ginger,  cinnamon, 
nutmeg,  salt  and  sweetening  to  suit  the  taste,  and  a  little  fine  cut 
suet  and  some  raisins  or  dried  peaches,  and  a  fine  cut  apple.  It 
should  bake  an  hour  or  more,  according  to  size.  This  is  a  good 
pudding.  And  then  see  into  how  many  dishes  corn  becomes  a  pal- 
ateable  and  favorite  mixture.  It  is  the  cheapest  and  most  whole- 
some food  that  man  can  live  on,  and  should  be  on  the  table  of  both 
rich  and  poor  more  frequently  than  it  now  is,  in  some  one  of  its 
many  forms. — Lawrence  Journal. 


Harvesting  Potatoes. 

Perhaps  the  greatest  want  of  the  farmer  in  the  line  of  agricultu- 
ral implements  which  inventors  and  manufacturers  as  yet  have  failed 
to  supply,  is  an  efficient  horse-power  potato  digger.  True,  there 
are  some  machines  in  the  field  that  promise  well,  and  we  have  great 
hopes  of  them  ;  but  none  have  yet  proved  themselves  complete  and 
reliable,  though,  doubtless,  the  coming  potato  harvest  will  give  us 
more  information,  and  we  hope  and  expect  more  confidence,  also,  in 
their  ultimate  success.  What  we  want  is  a  machine  that,  drawn  by 
two  horses,  will  throw  out  four  or  six  acres  per  day,  in  as  good  a 
shape  and  as  clean  as  can  be  accomplished  by  laborers  with  hooks. 
Large  vines  should  be  no  serious  impediment  to  the  working  of  the 
machine.  Farmers  would  be  satisfied  with  such,  and  it  would  bring 
a  fortune  to  those  who  controlled  the  sale  and  manufacture. 

In  the  meantime,  although  one  of  the  most  profitable  crops  which 
the  farmer  grows,  and  yearly  increasing  in  importance,  the  potato 
is  also  one  that  requires  great  labor,  which  comes  chiefly  in  harvest- 
ing. In  other  respects  no  more  is  required  than  to  grow  the  corn 
crop — if  as  much.  Every  farmer  must  be  guided  partly  by  cir- 
cumstances as  to  the  means  he  can  best  employ  to  lighten  and  facil- 
itate this  work ;  the  most  we  can  do  in  this  article  is  to  offer  a  few 
hints  which  may  be  improved  by  some. 

It  is  of  considerable  advantage  to  run  a  five-tooth  cultivator 
along  the  rows"  before  digging.  The  two  rear  teeth  should  be  of 
the  mould  board  form,  and  placed  so  as  to  haul  away  the  dirt  from 
the  hills.  This  operation,  which  takes  but  little  time,  smooths  the 
ground  between  the  hills,  levels  the  weeds  and  grass,  and  removes 
some  of  the  soil  from  the  tubers.  In  large  fields,  where  many 
hands  are  employed,  the  labor  should  be  systematized.     On  fine 


THE   SOUTHERN  [October 

days  the  potatoes  need  little  airing — just  enough  to  loosen  the  dirt 
on  them — they  are  better  if  gathered  without  feeling  much  sun. 
The  feebler  hands  and  even  children  could  pick  them  into  baskets, 
which  should  be  emptied  and  replaced  by  men.  Some  find  it  eco- 
nomical to  provide  a  large  number  of  baskets,  which,  wh^n  filled, 
are  loaded  on  a  wagon  fitted  with  a  suitable  rack,  and  drawn  to  the 
market  or  cellar;  this  course  saves  handling,  and  the  potatoes  look 
better,  and  are.  perhaps,  less  liable  to  decay.  Before  being  closely 
I  for  the  winter,  the  crop  should  be  under  light  cover  until  the 
sweat::".:  stage  is  passed.  This  may  take  place  in  lightly  covered 
pits  provided  with  ventilators,  on  the  barn  floor,  or  in  some  out- 
building. After  this  process  is  completed,  they  may  be  placed 
safely  in  dry.  cool  cellars,  or  covered  with  an  air-tight  layer  of 
earth  to  .  suitable  depth  ;  light  should  be  excluded  from  them.  It 
is  also  better  ::  store  potatoes  low  in  a  cellar  than  near  the  ceiling: 

In  ligging  potatoes,  the  best  hand  implement  for  universal  use  is 
the  1  .  .'-:.  made  of  the  best  steel.  Round  tines  draw  through  the 
earth  easier  than  fiat  ones  with  their  broadest  sides  at  right  angles 
to  the  handle.  In  all  cases  avoid  injuring  the  tubers  with  the  im- 
plements. 

From  appearances,  we  judge  the  price  of  the  present  crop  of  po- 
tatoes will  rule  high.  In  the  large  portion  of  the  country  which  has 
been  seriously  affected  by  dry  weather,  the  crop  will  probably  fall 
below  the  usual  average.  In  other  extensive  potato  growing  dis- 
tricts disease  prevails.  The  Northwestern  States  are  great  sufferers 
from  the  ravages  of  the  Colorado  bug.  Taken  altogether,  circum- 
stances  indicate  high  prices  for  this  important  staple. — Moore's  Ru- 
ral New  Yorker. 


Sow  Timothy   Grass  Seed. 

The  best  time  of  the  year  to  sow  timothy  or  herdsgrass  seed  to 
be  certain  of  a  good  catch,  is  the  autumn.  So  if  you  wish  to  lay 
your  field  of  winter  grain  down  to  grass  or  meadow,  without  run- 
ning any  chance  of  failure,  sow  the  seed  liberally  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble. The  cool,  moist  autumn  weather  will  enable  it  to  make  root 
enough  to  endure  the  winter  well,  and  the  same  kind  of  weather  in 
the  spring  will  place  it  far  enough  ahead  to  bid  defiance  to  any 
summer  drouth.  Sow  thickly,  and  repeat  the  operation  with  clover 
seed  next  spring.  One  cannot  grow  too  much  clover  on  a  farm, 
and  the  gre^t  trouble  with  most  farmers  is  to  grow  enough. 

En  sowing  timothy  seei  with  winter  wheat  we  prefer  waiting  until 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  605 


the  grain  has  started  some  before  scattering  the  grass  seed ;  the 
latter  will  grow  enough  before  winter,  and  will  not  get  so  rank  the 
next  season  as  to  injure  the  wheat.  Timothy  seed  sown  early  in 
the  fall  alone  on  ground  well  prepared,  at  the  rate  of  half  a  bushel 
per  acre,  will  furnish  a  very  good  crop  of  hay  or  good  pasture  the 
following  season.  Much  is  lost  by  not  sowing  timochy  seed  in  the 
fall ;  sow  it  by  all  means  now,  unless  you  intend  to  harrow  your 
field  in  the  spring,  and  at  the  proper  time  put  on  the  clover  seed 
without  heeding  that  you  have  sown  timothy. — Moore's  Rural  New 
Yorker. 


Applicaticn  of  Manures. 

There  has  been  a  great  dispute  at  the  South  whether  farm-yard 
dung  should  be  applied  for  wheat  directly  in  the  autumn,  or  whe- 
ther it  should  be  applied  upon  grasses.  Many  advocate  the  putting 
of  it  on  the  clover  at  mid-summer ;  and  in  almost  all  cases  where  it 
has  been  so  tried  it  has  produced  a  good  effect.  Instead  of  apply- 
ing it  for  wheat,  in  ordinary  cases,  when  the  wheat  is  about  to  be 
sown,  or  on  the  clover  in  mid-summer,  I  apply  it  in  the  autumn  or 
spring  before,  upon  the  clover.  The  result  of  pursuing  that  course 
is  this  :  You  give  the  clovers  a  thoroughly  good  dressing,  so  as  to 
enable  them  to  grow  with  much  greater  rapidity,  and  to  a  much 
greater  volume  ;  you  also  have  a  far  greater  amount  of  roots  pro- 
duced in  the  soil ;  and  the  wheat  derives  a  greater  benefit  from 
those  roots,  in  the  shape  of  manure,  than  if  you  applied  the  ma- 
nure at  mid-summer,  or  when  you  plough  up  the  land  in  the  au- 
tumn. Wherever  this  plan  has  been  tried — and  it  has  been  tried  in 
many  places — it  has  been  found  efficacious.  Experiments  have  been 
made,  distinctly  showing  that  it  is  better  to  apply  farm-yard  dung 
to  green  than  to  corn  crops. — Prof.  Nesbit,  in  Rural  American. 


Stone  on    Land. 

The  New  England  Farmer,  of  recent  date,  had  an  article  on  the 
stone  found  on  many  sections  of  farming  lands.  The  point  consid- 
ered was  whether  the  small  stone,  dotting  a  field,  were  injurious  to 
cropping  or  the  reverse.  This  is  a  question  we  have  often  pondered 
with  the  general  result  arrived  at  by  the  N.  E.  F.,  to  wit :  that 
these  small  stone  aided  the  fertility  ot  the  soil,  and  hence  increased 
the  quantity  of  its  products.  They  are  "living  stones" — that  is, 
they  prevent  the  ground  from  parching  while  keeping  it  in  a  lively 
state,  whereby  food  is  supplied  more  readily  and  in  greater  profu- 


606  THE    SOUTHERN  [October 

sion  to  the  plants  seeking  nourishment  from  the  soil.  Land  that  is 
to  be  used  for  meadow  and  the  small  grains,  harvested  by  ma- 
chinery, will  require  to  be  disburdened  of  its  stone,  but,  in  all  such 
cases,  a  fertilizing  power,  of  which  the  soil  readily  avails  itself 
when  under  cultivation,  departs  with  the  stone  removed.  The  stone, 
to  the  mower  and  reaper,  are  a  nuisance,  to  be  removed,  but  to  the 
soil  a  friend  whose  retention  in  it  would  he  a  blessing. — Moore  % 
Rural  New  Yorker. 


Agriculture  in  Austria. 
The  plains  of  Austria,  about  Vienna,  resemble  our  small  western 
prairies.  As  far  as  the  eye  can  reach  the  land  appears  to  be  a  con- 
tinuous crop  of  wheat  and  Indian  corn — it  being  the  only  country 
I  have  yet  seen  where  corn  is  cultivated  as  a  staple  crop.  The 
cultivation,  however,  of  all  the  land  is  done  in  strips  or  patches, 
which  forms  one  of  the  most  singular  features  of  European  land- 
scapes. The  subdivision  of  farm  lands  has  been  going  on  for  so 
many  generations  that  nov  the  hard  working  peasant  may  possess 
a  small  farm  twentv  reds  wide  and  half  a  mile  long.  Here,  as  in 
many  other  parts  of  Europe — only  it  seems  to  me  a  little  more  so 
— the  women  do  nearly  all  the  labor  of  the  field.  I  have  counted 
thirtv  engaged  at  one  time  in  reaping  down  a  field  of  wheat.  I 
have  seen  no  kind  of  agricultural  machinery  at  work,  except  a  rude 
kind  of  two-wheeled  plough,  which  is  no  more  than  the  Egyptians 
did  three  thousand  years  ago.  The  old  fashioned  grain  cradle  is 
sometimes  used,  but  the  sickle  in  the  hands  of  women,  like  in  the 
days  of  Moab  and  Ruth — though  I  suppose  Moab  worked — seems 
yet  to  stand  its  ground  against  all  the  ingenuity  of  McCormick, 
Hussy,  Wood,  and  others.  However,  labor  is  so  cheap  here,  and 
farms,  as  a  general  thing,  are  so  small,  that  it  would  scarcely  pay 
to  employ  expensive  machinery,  such  as  is  necessary  to  the  proper 
cultivation  of  the  large  farms  in  our  country. — Ed.  Cor.  Scient'fic 
American. 


The  Ohio  Farmer  says  beans  should  be  gathered  as  soon  as  the 
pods  have  turned  yellow.  It  advises  drawing  them  to  a  spot  near 
the  barn  and  spreading  them  on  a  platform  made  of  blocks  and  rails 
or  poles.  In  such  a  place  they  dry  rapidly,  getting  the  full  benefit 
of  the  sun  and  air.  A  rain  does  but  little  damage,  as  the  water 
runs  off  readily.  It  thinks  the  vines,  if  stored,  make  excellent 
sheep  feed  in  winter. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  607 


Insects  and  Their  Exterminators— Letter  From  Dr.  Loring. 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Tribune. 

Sir, — I  notice  in  Harper's  Weekly  of  March  20  an  article  upon 
some  suggestions  made  by  myself,  in  my  opening  address  before  the 
New-England  Agricultural  Society,  in  February  last,  with  regard 
to  the  destruction  of  insects.  The  subject  is  one  of  so  much  inter- 
est and  importance  to  the  agricultural  community  that  I  desire  to 
present  ray  views  more  elaborately  than  I  did  in  the  address,  and 
with  the  hope  that  your  readers  may  see  what  a  fine  field  for  sci- 
entific inquiry  is  opening  before  us,  and  how  much  scientific  men 
are  doing  to  render  practical  aid  to  the  business  of  farming. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  destruction  caused  by  insects  injurious 
to  vegetation,  constitutes  one  of  the  greatest  difficulties  to  which  the 
farmer  is  exposed  in  the  cultivation  of  every  crop  known  to  man. 
The  army  worm,  the  weevil,  the  midge,  the  canker  worm,  the  ceter- 
pillar,  the  maggot,  all  attack  the  vegetation  to  which  they  are  at- 
tracted, and  are  the  terror  of  every  man  who  would  get  his  living 
by  cultivating  fruit,  or  grain,  or  root  crops,  or  any  other  crop 
upon  which  the  profits  of  the  farm  depend.  These  pests  have 
been  fought  with  almost  every  weapon  which  the  skill  of  man  could 
devise.  The  caterpillar  has  been  assailed  with  the  hand,  the  brush 
and  gunpowder.  The  cankerworm  has  found  his  way  barricaded  by 
tor  and  printer's  ink,  and  tree  protectors.  The  maggott  has  not 
yet  been  defeated  on  the  onion  crop.  The  aid  of  birds  has  been 
invoked  in  vain.  The  war  between  man  and  these  destroyers  has 
been  an  unequal  one.  And  in  spite  of  all  our  efforts  thus  far  our 
forests,  our  fruit,  and  our  crops  have  been  swept  away  by  the 
myriads  of  insects  which  we  could  neither  check  nor  destroy. 

Of  these  evils  I  have  had  my  share.  The  extensive  orchards  on 
my  farm  have  been  seriously  injured  by  insects,  and  in  my  neigh- 
borhood they  have  reduced  the  fruit  crop  to  such  an  extent  as  to 
render  the  question  of  profit  from  it  one  of  great  doubt.  I  had 
used  all  the  ordinary  methods  of  destroying  the  invaders  on  my  own 
trees,  with  the  usual  success,  and  the  usual  discouragements.  In 
1865,  however,  another  power  took  the  matter  in  hand,  so  far  as 
caterpillars  were  concerned  at  least,  and  they  were  entirely  exter- 
minated by  some  parasite  which  did  its  work  so  unobtrusively  that 
I  have  not  yet  discovered  what  it  was.  I  have  had  no  caterpilars 
since.  This  and  some  facts  in  the  history  of  the  wheat-midge  led 
me  to  the  conclusion  that  man  might  arm  himself  with  parasites  in 
his  war   against  destructive  insects,    and  make  it  a  war  of  exter- 


THE   SOUTHERN  [do- 

mination. I  think  ac  il  '.'.,  and  I  doubt  not  that  science  will  one 
daj  teach  us  that  all  our  ordinary  means  of  warfare  are  poor  and 
feeble,  when  compared  with  those  more  effectiTe  weapons  which  na- 
ture provides  for  cs. 

I  said  in  my  address  that  I  had  called  the  attention    f  en1  molo- 

tothis  question:  and  in  order  that  you  m  "That  their 

views  are,  I  beg  leave  to  quote  the  following  extract  from  a  letter 

?sed  to  me  by  Prof.  A.  S.  Packard  of  the  Pear.  ly  Aviemy 

rnces,  Salem.  Mass.,  one  of  our  ablest  entomol: .  ith  the 

hope  that  it  may  enlighten  the  explorer,  and  comfort  the  sufferer. 

••  Your  suggestions  that  injurious  insects  may  be  success fally 
combatted  by  rearing  their  insect  parasites  in  greater  numbers  than 
naturally  exists,  has  occurred  to  entomologists,  but  has  never  been 
::Iy  carrie i  oat.  In  Europe,  gardeners  have  for  years 
r-'.jrr  :  \  :  \~-'  :  gs.'  v:.  :  r'r.e  "A:  A.  5  ".: ::-.'  : :.  ::~~i  '::.:- -:i  '  ;•"  y  Av.:- 
lice,  which  have  very  effectively  stripped  the  plants  of  these  pests ; 
but  I  believe  as  you  suggest,  that  more  could  be  done  in  rearing  the 
parasite  species,  i.  e.,  the  ichneumon  flies,  &c.,  which  especially  prey 
upon  the  injurious  ins 

"  Our  most  destructive  insects  are  the  wheat-midge  and  H 
fly.  Dr.  Fitch,  in  his  report  on  the  injurious  insects  of  New-York, 
1865,  states  that  in  Europe  these  insects  are  comparatively  innocu- 
ous, because  they  are  nearly  exterminated  each  year  by  tfa 
nal  parasites,  minute  ichneumon  flies,  which  are  vastly  in  excess  of 
their  hosts.  In  this  country,  however,  the  aid  rendered  the  far- 
mer by  these  minute  parasites  is  almost  none  at  all.  He  therefore 
recommends  the  importation  from  Europe  of  these  parasites,  and 
shows  how  easily  it  could  be  affected  by  an  expert  in  practical 
en::  _:  :".   jv. 

■•  I  Aieve  that  an  immense  saving  in  our  crops  would  be  made 
if  a  commission  of  entomological  experts  should  act  in  concert  in  the 
different  States,  and  pay  attention  to  the  rearing  of  these  insect  par- 
asites :  which  is  the  surest  way  of  combating  these  formidable  pests* 
which  annually  eat  millions  of  dollars  in  the  United  BtstM  alone. 
Why  should  not  each  State  have  one  or  more  insect  commissioners, 
as  well  as  a  Ush  commissioner,  whose  chief  duty  should  be  the  prop- 
agation of  parasite  insects? 

"  To  show  the  importance  of  this  subject,  I  would  cite  an  interes- 
ting fact,  learned  from  the  eminent  entomologist,  Dr.  N.  Hagen,  of 
the  Museum  of  Comparative  Zoology  at  Cambridge,  since  receiving 
r.     He  writes:  'It  is  an  interesting  fact,  (stated  by  Dr. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  609 


Ratzburg,  well-known  as  a  writer  on  economical  entomology)  that 
in  the  German  forests  since  18*37,  the  ichneumon  parasites  (before 
regularly  10  per  cent,  of  their  hosts)  have  suddenly  become  no  per 
cent. ;  and  the  number  of  injurious  insects  upon  which  these  para- 
sites lived  has  increased  correspondingly  from  40  to  50  per  cent. 
Perhaps  to  this  dearth  of  parasites  is  the  enormous  calamity  amon^ 
forest  trees  of  the  last  15  years  attributatble." 

"  With  comparatively  little  effort,  entomologists  will  be  able  suc- 
cessfully to  breed  these  parasites  and  thus  restore  the  balance  in  na- 
ture ever  existing  between  these  parasite  insects  and  their  hosts.  It 
•would  seem  as  if  the  injurious  insects  were  multiplying  more  rapidly 
of  late  years  than  ever  before.  The  opening  up  to  cultivation  o*f 
thousands  of  square  miles  of  virgin  soil,  in  the  West,  has  afforded 
the  greatest  facilities  for  the  propagation  of  vegetable  feeding  in- 
sects, which  have  increased  most  unnaturally.  And  the  only  speedy 
means  of  arresting  the  evil  is  to  propagate,  in  equal  numbers, 
their  natural  enemies." 

I  have  made  this  long,  and  to  me,  interesting  quotation  from 
Prof.  Packard's  letter,  in  hopes  that  it  may  suggest  some  careful 
investigation,  and  some  experiments  which  will  be  useful  to  those 
of  us  who  are  engaged  in  practical  agriculture,  and  who  believe  in 
the  progress  which  this  great  industry  is  to  make  under  the  light  of 
modern  science. 

Geo.  B.  Loring. 
Salem,  Mass.,  April  14,  1869. 


Remedy  for  Rust  in  Wheat.— The  following,  from  a  distin- 
tinguished  German  Agriculturist,  is  taken  from  a  Breman  paper. 
For  thirty  years  I  have  found  this  method  successful  in  preventing 
rust  in  wheat :  Some  hours,  at  the  longest  six  or  eight  before  sow° 
ing,  prepare  a  steep  of  three  measures  of  powdered  quicklime,  and 
ten  measures  of  cattle  urine.  Pour  two  quarts  of  this  upon  a  peck 
of  wheat,  stir  with  a  spade  until  every  kernel  is  covered  white  with 
it.  By  using  wheat  so  prepared,  rust  of  every  kind  will  be  avoided. 
I  have  often  noticed,  while  in  the  neighboring  fields,  a  great  part 
of  the  crop  is  affected  by  rust,  in  mine,  lying  closely  by  it,  not  a 
single  ear  so  affected  could  be  found. 

The  same  writer  says  he  takes  the  sheaves  and  beats  off  the 
ripest  kernels,  with  a  stick,  and  uses  the  grain  thus  obtained  for 
seed. — Exchange. 

vol.  in — 39 


610  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 

Underdraining  Land — Its  Effects. — Experiments  in  under- 
draining  land  were  made  in  Scotland,  for  the  purpose  of  determining 
the  effect  on  the  temperature  of  the  soil,  compared  with  that  in  the  same 
vicinity  which  was  not  drained.  The  result  wasthat  the  draining 
raised  the  temperature  1  to  5  degrees,  equal  to  a  removal  of  the  land 
from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  south.  This  is  an 
important  consideration  connected  with  compact,  heavy  soils,  whose 
retentiveness  of  water  renders  them  cold,  and  comparatively  inert 
with  respect  to  vegetation.  Draining  land  involves  considerable 
expense,  but  its  increased  productiveness  soon  repays  this,  besides 
assuring  increased  profits  for  the  future. —  Watchman  and  Reflector. 


How  much  Manure  do  we  use  on  an  Acre  ? — An  acre  of  land 
contains  43,560  square  feet,  4,840  square  yards,  or  160  square  rods. 
By  those  who  have  used  guano,  it  is  said  300  pounds  are  sufficient 
to  manure  an  acre ;  302|  lb3.  would  give  1£  ounces  avoirdupois  to 
the  square  yard.  One  cubic  yard  would  give  a  trifle  over  one  cubic 
inch  to  the  square  foot.  A  cubic  yard  of  highly  concentrated 
manure,  like  night  soil,  would  if  evenly  and  properly  spread  manure 
an  acre  very  well.  A  cubic  yard  of  long  manure  weighs  about 
1,400  lbs.  ;  a  cubic  foot  not  far  from  fifty  lbs.  A  cord  contains  128 
cubic  feet ;  1^  cord  would  give  about  a  cubic  foot  to  the  square  rod. 
If  liquid  manure  be  used  it  would  take  180  bbls.  to  give  one  gill  to  a 
square  foot  upon  an  acre,  which  would  be  equal  to  about  50  pipes 
or  large  hogsheads.  It  would  be  quite  useful  if  farmers  would  be  a 
little  more  specific  as  to  the  manure  applied. — Rochester  American 
Farmer. 

Sheep  Raising. — Lieut.  Gov.  Stanton,  of  Ohio,  says  in  regard 
to  sheep  raising  in  England  :  "One  thing  that  struck  me  very  for- 
cibly was,  that  all  our  farmers  testified  that  sheep  raising  was  abso- 
lutely indispensable  to  successful  farming ;  that  their  manure  was 
necessary  to  preserve  the  fertility  of  the  soil ;  and  that  without  them 
the  whole  kingdom  would,  in  a  few  years,  be  reduced  to  barrenness 
and  sterility.  It  is  in  this  view  that  I  regard  sheep  raising  in  this 
country  as  more  important  to  the  ultimate  and  permanent  pros- 
perity of  the  country,  than  on  account  of  their  profits.  Whatever 
else  may  happen,  we  cannot  permit  the  virgin  soil  and  these  beauti- 
ful fields  of  ours  to  be  reduced  to  barrenness  by  the  time  they  pass 
into  the  hands  of  our  children  and  grandchildren.  Their  fertility 
must  be  preserved  at  all  hazzards,  even  at  the  expense  of  present 
profit." — Maine  Farmer." 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  611 


Horticultural  JJcpartmcnt. 


JOHN  M.  ALLAN,         -        -        -        -        -        -        Editor. 

Editorial  Correspondence. 

From  Richmond  to  West  Point  by  rail,  thence  via  York  River 
and  Chesapeake  Bay  to  Baltimore,  thence  by  rail  to  Philadelphia, 
is  the  old  tale  which  every  traveler  knows  ;  but  how  much  that  is 
new,  beautiful  and  instructive  does  one  see,  every  time  the  route, 
old  and  familiar  as  it  may  be,  is  traveled.  The  counties  along  the 
sides  of  this  magnificent  river  are  admirably  adapted  to  the  pro- 
duction of  fruit  and  vegetables,  and  with  the  rapidly  increasing  fa- 
cilities for  transportation,  are  preparing  to  enter  earnestly  into 
competition  with  those  lying  at  the  mouth  of  the  James.  Peaches, 
pears,  apples,  grapes,  melons,  will  soon  claim  their  place,  besides 
oysters  and  crabs,  as  staples  of  the  lower  peninsula.  But  as  there 
was  no  delay  en  route,  we  will  make  none  now ;  please  consider  us 
in  Philadelphia,  enrolled  as  delegates  to  the  twelfth  session  of  the 
American  Pomological  Society.  The  attendance  of  fruit  growers, 
both  amateur  and  professional,  was  large,  including  the  leading  po- 
mologists  of  all  sections  of  the  United  States.  Col.  M.  P.  Wilder, 
although  over  seventy  years  of  age,  presided  with  an  efficiency 
which  would  put  to  the  blush  many  younger  and  more  active  men, 
and  it  is  needless  to  say  that  all  which  courtesy  and  kindness  could 
dictate,  marked  his  entire  action.  His  opening  address  was  elo- 
quent and  instructive.  Not  least  among  the  cheering  features  of 
the  Convention  was  the  large  attendance  of  Southern  delegates, 
and  the  marked  care  on  the  part  of  the  officers  and  members  to 
avoid  even  the  slightest  allusion  to  politics,  bespoke  the  dawn  of  a 
brighter  era  of  peace  and  good  will.  The  discussions  of  the  merits 
of  the  varieties  of  fruit,  both  new  and  old,  were  in  the  main  well  con- 
ducted, most  of  the  remarks  being  short,  practical  and  pointed. 
Little  change  was  made  in  the  list  of  fruit  for  Virginia.     The  Pilot 


612  THE    SOUTHERN  [October 

and  Mason  Pippin  apples,  originating  in  this  State,  were  added  to 
the  list  of  prime  winter  varieties.  The  revised  catalogue  will  be 
published  shortly,  from  which  you  can  gather  the  result  of  the  de- 
liberations better  than  I  can  give  them.  After  an  earnest  debate 
of  an  hour,  the  Society  determined  to  hold  its  next  biennial  session 
in  the  city  of  Richmond.  This  honor  was  hotly  contested  by  sev- 
eral cities,  but  thanks  to  the  effective  speech  of  Mr.  Wm.  L.  Hill, 
the  tide  set  in  too  strongly  for  Richmond  to  be  resisted.  The  Con- 
vention were  the  guests  of  the  Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society, 
who  did  everything  in  their  power  to  insure  their  visitors  a  pleasant 
time.  Their  annual  exhibition  was  truly  magnificent ;  to  describe 
it  seems  an  overwhelming  undertaking.  Think  of  a  handsome  hall 
decorated  with  the  rarest  and  most  beautiful  foliage  plants,  long  ta- 
bles of  cut  flowers  and  designs  of  the  same,  ranging  from  two  to 
sixteen  feet  in  height,  with  tables  running  the  entire  length  of  the 
hall,  on  which  were  arranged  three  thousand  two  hundred  and  five 
plates  of  the  finest  fruit,  and  you  have  some  idea  of  the  grandeur 
of  the  display.  California  and  Kansas  were  largely  represented, 
the  latter  State  taking  the  gold  medal  awarded  for  the  best  general 
collection  of  fruit.  Virginia,  though  not  equalling  her  sister  States 
in  quantity,  was  not  wanting  in  quality.  The  first  premium  for 
pears  was  awarded  to  Mr.  Leighton,  of  Norfolk,  and  well  did  he  de- 
serve it ;  the  Duchess  and  Louise  Bonne  pears  exhibited  by  him 
were  the  finest  I  have  ever  seen,  and  what  is  most  remarkable,  were 
the  product  of  trees  planted  only  two  years  since.  A  special  pre- 
mium was  awarded  for  specimens  of  the  Joe  Johnson  watermelon, 
exhibited  by  Henry  A.  Dreer,  Esq.  for  Messrs.  Allan  &  Johnson, 
Richmond.  On  the  evening  of  the  17th  this  Society  gave  a  banquet 
in  honor  of  the  American  Pomological  Society,  which  was  like 
everything  else  in  connection  with  the  exhibition,  a  grand  success. 
The  toasts  were  well  conceived  and  drew  forth  happy  responses,  while 
the  creature  comforts  embraced  the  entire  list  of  luxuries.  The 
wines  were  all  American,  and  of  such  quality  as  to  leave  no  room 
for  regret  that  foreign  brands  had  been  interdicted.  Time  nor 
space  will  permit  more.  The  Exhibition  and  Convention  were  both 
successes,  and  we  can  but  hope  that  the  same  may  be  said  two 
years  hence,  when  the  Society  shall  have  convened  in  Richmond. 


Premium  Pear. — A  premium  of  S60  offered  by  the  Massachu- 
setts Horticultural  Society  for  the  best  seedling  pear,  has  been 
awarded  to  the  variety  known  as  Clapp's  Favorite,  after  a  trial  of 
five  years. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  613 

American  Pomological   Society. 

The  twelfth  biennial  session  of  this  Society  was  held  in  the  Foyse 
of  the  Hall  of  the  Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society,  on  Wednes- 
day, September  15th.  The  attendance  was  large  and  the  discus- 
sions interesting.  We  give  such  extracts  from  the  proceedings  as 
our  space  will  permit. 

The  following  officers  were  chosen  for  the  ensuing  term  of  two 
years : 

President — Hon.  Marshall  P.  Wilder,  of  Massachusetts. 

Viet  Presidents — Col.  R.  R.  Hanley,  Alabama;  John  H.  Carle- 
ton,  Arkansas ;  Simpson  Thompson,  California ;  Charles  Pauls, 
Colorado-;  F.  Trowbridge,  Connecticut;  Edward  Tatnall,  Delaware; 
Wm.  Saunders,  District  of  Columbia ;  Lucius  J.  Horace,  Florida ; 
C.  J.  Berckmans,  Georgia;  Arthur  Bryant,  Sr.,  Illinois;  J.  D.  G. 
Nelson,  Indiana  ;  James  Smith,  Iowa ;  J.  S.  Downer,  Kentucky ; 
H.  A.  Swasey,  Louisiana:  C.  M.  Hovey,  Massachusetts ;  W.  D. 
Breckinridge.  Maryland;  Nicholas  Waugh,  Montana;  Hugh  Allen, 
panada  East ;  Silas  Moore,  Rhode  Island  ;  Warren  Foote,  Arizona  ; 
W.  M.  Bort,  Michigan  ;  D.  A.  Robertson,  Minnesota  ;  Geo.  W.  W. 
Branden,  Mississippi;  B.  F.  Edwards,  Missouri;  Fred.  Smith,  New 
Hampshire  ;  Dr.  Wm.  N.  Howsley,  Kansas  ;  Chas.  Downing,  New 
York;  Wm.  Parry,  New  Jersey;  R.  W.  Furmau,  Nebraska;  Dr. 
Ruyther,  New  Mexico  ;  Win.  L.  Steele,  North  Carolina  ;  Dr.  J.  A. 
Warder,  Ohio  ;  Chas.  Arnold,  Ontario;  Lucien  Francis,- Oregon ; 
Robert  Buist,  Pennsylvania  ;  Dr.  J.  P.  Wylie,  South  Carolina  ;  M. 
S.  Frierson,  Tennessee ;  W.  Talbot,  Texas  ;  J.  E.  Johnson,  ftah  ; 
L.  Jacobs,  West  Virginia  ;  J.  C.  Plumb,  Wisconsin ;  Rich'd  Brad- 
ley, Vermont ;  G.  F.  B.  Leighton,  Virginia. 

Treasurer — Thos.  P.  James,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Secretary — F.  R.  Elliott,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Executive  Committee — President  and  Vice  Presidents  ex  officio  ; 
M.  B.  Bakeman,  Painesville,  Ohio  ;  Geo.  Thurber,  New  York  ;  J. 
E.  Mitchell,  Philadelphia ;  W.  C.  Flagg,  Alton,  111.;  J.  F.  C.  Hyde, 
Boston,  Mass. 

Several  invitations  to  visit  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences, 
Fairmount  Park,  Vineland,  N.  J.,  and  other  places  of  interest,  were 
read  and  accepted.  The  question  as  to  where  the  next  meeting 
should  be  held  then  came  up.  Boston,  Mass.,  Norfolk  and  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  Newport,  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  Tennessee,  California,  Kan- 
sas, and  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  were  named  as  suitable  places. 

The  discussion   of  the   merits   of  these  various  places  was  ani- 


614  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 

mated.  Messrs.  Tower,  Hill  and  Allan  pressed  the  claims  of  Rich- 
mond, while  Messrs.  Leighton  and  Robinson  strongly  urged  those 
of  Norfolk.  It  was  at  last  decided  to  take  a  vote  upon  each  place, 
which  resulted  as  follows  : 

For  Boston,  Mass.,  17  votes; 

For  Richmond,  Va.,  61  votes. 

For  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  32  votes. 

For  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  18  votes. 

For  Nashville,  Tenn.,  6  votes. 

For  California,  24  votes. 

For  Kansas,  9  votes. 

For  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  34  votes. 

For  Newport,  R.  I.,  23  votes. 

It  was  then  unanimously  decided  that  the  next  meeting  (in  Sep- 
tember, 1871,)  will  be  held  in  Richmond,  Va. 

Mr.  Allan,  of  Richmond,  then  returned  his  thanks  to  the  Con- 
vention for  the  conclusion  at  which  they  had  arrived. 

The  various  fruits  were  taken  up  for  discussion  in  the  following 
order  :  apples,  pears,  grapes,  peaches,  plums,  cherries,  strawberries, 
raspberries,  blackberries,  currents,  gooseberries. 

Mr.  Meehan,  of  Philadelphia,  at  the  President's  request,  referring 
to  the  ''Mexican  Everbearing  Strawberry,"  said  that  it  had  been 
deemed  of  no  account,  but  of  late  the  botanists  had  taken  hold  of 
it,  believing  it  to  be  a  new  species.  He  had  seen  it,  and  though  it 
differed  from  all  the  other  species  of  the  Alpine  strawberry,  he  yet 
believed  it  to  belong  to  that  family.  It  differed  in  this,  that  the 
first  fruits  are  larger  and  of  equal  diameter  from  the  stem  to  the 
end,  and  differed  further  in  having  a  more  grassy  taste.  He  be- 
lieved that  it  could  be  cultivated  with  profit.  Its  flavor  is  delicious, 
though  rather  pasty,  which  all  of  this  species  possess.  In  his  opin- 
ion it  is  superior  to  all  the  other  species. 

Mr.  Wier,  of  Illinois,  doubted  whether  it  could  be  cultivated  with 
profit  in  ordinary  seasons,  reminding  Mr.  Meehan  of  the  peculiarly 
favorable  condition  of  the  past  season  for  the  "Alpine"  berry. 

The  Secretary  said  this  berry  was  very  productive,  and  the 
ground  was  literally  covered  with  the  fruit  when  he  saw  it.  It  is 
possible  that  a  dry  season  would  make  a  change,  but  not  in  the 
variety. 

Mr.  Fuller,  of  New  Jersey,  said  he  examined  it  very  minutely 
with  the  others,  but  could  see  no  difference.  I  have  some  on  the 
ground  over  an  inch  in  length.  The  roots  do  not  enter  the  ground 
readily,  and  I  have  five  runners  on  some  plants,  all  in  bloom. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  615 

Mr.  Meehan  said  the  only  way  in  which  he  could  account  for  the 
difference  of  opinion  was  that  Mr.  Fuller  could  not  have  got  the 
right  variety. 

Mr.  Chapman,  of  Boston,  said :  I  saw  this  berry  last  week  in 
Detroit,  and  think  it  is  of  great  flavor.  I  saw  them  by  the  bushel, 
and  never  saw  any  variety  in  such  quantity  or  of  such  quality.  I 
think  it  is  of  great  value,  if  only  to  cross  with. 

After  the  adjournment  of  the  Convention  the  members  were  en- 
tertained by  the  Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society,  at  a  banquet 
given  in  their  hall.  Among  the  regular  toasts  of  the  evening  was 
the  following  to  Virginia  : 

"Virginia — She  has  taken  our  first  prize  for  superior  mammoth 
pears.  We  consider  her  a  Pomological  prize  worth  having  in  our 
collection." 

Responded  to  by  Mr.  John  M.  Allan,  President  of  the  Virginia 
Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society. 

Col.  J.  J.  Werth  proposed  the  following,  which  was  received  with 
applause : 

The  three  F's  of  Pennsylvania — Fruits,  Flowers,  and  the  Fair. 
The  last  shall  be  first. 


Pennsylvania   Horticultural  Society. 

Among  the  premiums  awarded  at  the  annual  exhibition  of  this 
Society,  was  one  to  Mr.  G.  F.  B.  Leighton,  President  Norfolk 
Horticultural  Society,  for  best  specimen  of  pears,  and  one  to  Henry 
A.  Dreer,  of  Philadelphia,  for  Joe  Johnson  watermelons,  exhibited 
for  Messrs.  Allan  &  Johnson,  of  this  city. 

The  following  is  the  total  of  dishes  of  fruit  exhibited  :  Apples, 
1,254 ;  pears,  1,594 ;  grapes  (native),  220 ;  grapes  (exotic),  41  ; 
plums,  51 ;  peaches,  08  ;  quinces,  3  ;  nectarines,  2 ;  figs,  2.  Total, 
3,205. 


The  President  of  the  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society  ac- 
knowledges the  receipt  of  a  box  of  seedling  apples  from  Mr.  Fitz, 
accompanied  by  the  following  description  of  them  : 

Keswick  Depot,  Albemarle  county,  Va. 

John  M.  Allan,  Esq. : 

Dear  Sir — Herewith  you  will  please  receive  a  box  containing — ■ 

No.  1 — Depratto  apple — round,  small,  yellow,  rather  acid. 

No.  2 — Depratto  apple — round,  medium,  yellow,  mealy,  and  well 

flavored. 


616  THE    SOUTHEKN  [October 

No.  3 — Grandma's  apple — medium  to  large,  subacid,  tender, 
crisp,  white  meat. 

All  seedlings  grown  on  slaty  land  on  my  place.  The  present 
great  drought  has  injured  them  very  much,  especially  as  to  size. 
The  first  two  arrive  at  maturity  by  middle  of  August.  The 
Grandma  apple,  Xo.  3,  is  the  finest  cooking  apple  I  ever  saw,  ma- 
tures all  through  August,  flowers  large  and  very  beautiful,  tree 
large,  free  grower.  The  Depratto  apples  (so  called,)  are  good  eat- 
ing apples,  and  suitable  for  all  culinary  purposes.*  I  can  send  you 
scions  to  propagate  from,  if  you  judge  these  or  any  one  of  them 
worth  your  attention,  and  you  can  give  them  names. 

"With  great  respect,  James  Fiiz. 

Avgutt  31,  1869. 


Napoleon   III.  Strawberry. 

The  Editor  of  the  Horticulturist  says  : 

"Among  the  new  varieties  of  strawberries  we  are  especially 
pleased  with  the  Napoleon  III.  Its  fruit  is  of  a  firm  texture,  just 
right  for  market,  green  color,  delicious  taste,  stands  up  well  from 
the  ground,  a  good  grower,  quite  productive,  and  uniformly  large. 
Its  season,  however,  is  quite  late,  but  this  is  a  quality  of  much 
greater  value  than  is  usually  supposed.  Late  strawberries  are  now 
paying  better  for  market  than  early  ones;  because  the  rush  is  over, 
the  demand  is  steady,  with  little  or  no  change,  and  usually  at  very 
remunerative  prices.  If  this  variety  will  adapt  itself  to  different 
soils,  we  cannot  do  better  than  indorse  it  as  one  of  the  very  best 
varieties  now  before  the  public.  Last  year  it  'promised  well;'  this 
year  it  is  fulfilling  its  promises  much  beyond  what  was  anticipated 
of  it." 

At  the  late  meeting  of  the  American  Pomological  Society,  it  was 
pronounced  a  worthless  old  variety.  When  doctors  disagree,  &C, 
kc.  Our  experience  of  this  berry  is  favorable,  and  we  think  it  will 
prove  to  be  a  valuable  late  fruit.     We  are  sure  it  is  a  new  variety. 


Poison    Oak. — Professor  G.  Dowell,  in   the  Galveston  Medical 
Journal,  recommends  in  cases  of  poisoning  by  Rhus  Toxicodendron, 

and  other  poisonous  species  of  the  Rhus,  to  bathe  the  parts  with  a 
solution  of  caustic  potash,  sufficiently  strong  to  render  the  skin 
soapy.  This  "  has  never  failed  to  cure  immediately,"  although  he 
has  used  it  in  hundreds  of  cases,  including  himself.  The  potash  is 
used  in  the  proportion  of  ten  grains  to  the  ounce  of  water,  but  may 
be  increased  in  strength  as  needed. 


1809.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  617 


Recipe  for  Potato  Bug.— I  here  enclose  you  a  recipe  for  the 
destruction  of  the  potato  bug.  For  an  acre  take  21bs.  of  Paris 
Green ;  mix  16  quarts  of  wood  ashes.  Spread  this  on  finely  while 
the  dew  is  on  the  plants.  I  obtained  a  situation  here  where  every 
body  ridiculed  the  idea  of  growing  potatoes,  on  account  of  the  great 
number  of  bugs  that  infested  the  fields.  But  my  potatoes  are  as 
healthy  and  free  from  insects  now  as  any  of  my  neighbors,  although 
they  were  almost  covered  with  bugs  when  they  first  came  up.  I 
applied  it  to  them  twice.  It  costs  4  cents  a  pound,  and  can  be  had 
at  any  paint  shop  or  drug  store.—  L.  A.  Lee,  in  Gardeners 
Monthly. 

The  Kittatinny  Blackberry  at  Cincinnati.— At  a  recent 
meeting  of  the  Cincinnati  Horticultural  Society  Mr.  McGregor  said 
that  the  Kittatinny  ripened  about  the  same  time  as  the  Lawton,  but 
the  berry  was  sweeter.  The  Early  Wilson  ripened  eight  days  ear- 
lier than  the  Lawton,  and  the  berry  was  double  its  size, 
and  though  it  requires  more  sugar,  he  considers  its  quality  prefer- 
able to  that  of  the  Lawton. 


Cost  of  Grape  Trellis. 

T.  S.  Hubbard,  of  Fredonia,  N.  Y.,  contributes  to  the  Rural 
New-Yorker  the  following  items  of  expenses  of  a  grape  trellis  per 
acre. 

An  acre  of  grapes,  with  rows  eight  feet  apart  and  fifteen  rods 
long,  will  contain  twenty-two  rows,  or  three  hundred  and  thirty  rods 
of  trellis  and  one  thousand  rods  of  wire,  using  three  wires  to  a  row. 
The  following  is  the  estimated  cost  per  acre,  at  present  prices,  for  a 
trellis  complete. 

44  braces,  hemlock  at  7c $3  Q8 

44  short  stakes  for  foot  of  braces,  at  3c 1  32 

132  email  pins  for  end  posts 30 

41  end  posts,  5  inches  chestnut,  at  20c 8  80 

20?-  smaller  posts,  say  3f  inch,  at  10c 20  00 

8  lbs.  staples,  at  12£c 1  00 

Driving  posts,  three  days 4  50 

Putting  up  wire,  braces,  eto,  four  days 0  00 

TotaI $15  00 

Size  of  No   feet  Cost  No.  lbs.  Cost  of  Wire  Total  cost 

wire,  per  100  lbs.  per  100  lbs  per  acre.  per  acre.  per  acre 

No-  9  1634  $7  78  1010  $78  58  $123  58 

No.   10  2000  8  50  825  70  12  115  12 

No.   11  2519  8  50  655  55  67  100  67 

No.   12  3333  8  86  495  43  86  88  86 


618  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 

W  e  use  So.  12  first  quality  annealed  wire,  and  consider  it  nearly 
or  quire  a?  gOod  as  a  larger  size.  The  cost  of  post  and  expenses  of 
putting  up  trellis  will  vary  in  different  places. 

Expense  of  bringing  an  Acre  of  Grapes  into  bearing, 

The  same  writer   furnishes  a  few  items  from  his  own   experience  on 

this  point. 

Average  cost  of  land  per  acre $100  r0 

Average  eoet  of  plants     "        40  00 

Repairing  ground,  sabsoiling  etc 

rting  plants,  and  work,  first  year  25  00 

Interest 10  00 

it  at  the  eni  of  first  year $.;5  0) 

^:rk,  second  year 

Inter;::  13  00 

ll  at  the  end  of  second  year „ $218  00 

Trellis,  third  year 90  00 

Work,  third  year 50  00 

Interest 22  00 

$380  00 
Deduct  one  ton  grapes,  at  Sc.  net 160  00 

:  at  the  end  of  third  year $220  00 

Cost  after  third  Year,  per  Acre,  each  Year. 

lying  up,  -eren  days _ $'. 0  50 

Cultivating,  man  and  horse,  three  days 9  00 

Hoeing.  Bis   lays 9 

Pinching,,  thinning,  rubbing  out,  etc,  five  days 

ing,  two  tons,  eight  days 1-  00 

Pruning,  five  days 10  00 

Twice,  and  willow,  for  tying ' 1  00 

Interest  on  $300 21  00 

Repair;  ~ 5  00 

Total  expense  per  year $>3  00 

Two  tons  marketable  grapes,  at8c.net 320  00 

Net  profit  per  acre  $2:5  00 

Many  varieties  will  average  much  more  than  the  above,  but  we 
consider  eight  cents  net  as  a  fair  average,  and  as  much  as  it  is  safe 
to  calculate  upon,  with  a  mixed  vineyard  of  common  varieties. 
Expense  of  preparing  land  and  cultivating  in  some  sections  will 
exceed  our  estimate.  Many  poor  grapes  will  undoubtedly  be  sold 
at  low   rates  ;  but  with  good  care,   clean   culture,  and  a  moderate 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  619 


crop,  so  as  to  leave  the  vigor  of  the  vine  unimpaired,  we  think  it 
safe  to  estimate  the  price  at  eight  cents  for  several  years  to  come. 
[We  clip  the  above  from  an  exchange  as  containing  useful  infor- 
mation, and  think  his  estimates  in  the  main  correct.  Two  tons  of 
marketable  grapes  is  above  the  average  yield  and  to  be  safe  that 
estimate  should  be  reduced  to  3000  lbs.] 


Sugar-Beet  in  New  Jersey. — Experiments  are  now  to  be 
commenced  in  New  Jersey,  in  the  culture  of  the  sugar-beet.  A 
large  farm  of  one  hundred  acres,  at  Atsion,  N.  J.,  has  been  pur- 
chased by  Col.  Wm.  E.  Patterson,  and  a  complete  set  of  Fowler's 
steam  ploughs  has  been  received  to  put  the  tract  quickly  under  cul- 
tivation. The  results  of  the  experiments  are  being  closely  watched, 
especially  by  the  Department  of  Agriculture  at  Washington.  We 
believe  that  an  enterprise  of  the  same  character  started  in  Illinois, 
two  years  since,  has  proved  the  culture  of  the  sugar-beet  both  feas- 
ible and  profitable  for  manufacturing  purposes,  although  we  have 
heard  very  little  of  the  Illinois  manufactory  lately. — Horticulturist. 


Flowers  at  Marriage  Feasts. — Describing  a  New  York  wed- 
ding, a  daily  paper  says:  "A  person  standing  on  the  lowest  floor 
could  see  to  the  very  roof  of  the  house,  when,  to  use  an  expression 
of  one  of  the  gue3ts,  you  were  reminded  of  a  tropical  mountain  in 
full  bloom.  Of  course,  all  these  flowers  were  not  raised  in  or  near 
New  York.  The  greenhouses  of  Boston,  Philadelphia  and  Balti- 
more were  ransacked  for  the  occasion.  One  may  get  an  idea  of  the 
exhibition  when  we  say  that  it  brought  into  use  10,000  camellias, 
100,000  primroses,  25,000  white  azalias,  and  2,000  heads  of 
daphnes.  The  collection,  altogether,  was  probably  the  finest  gath- 
ering of  exotics  brought  together  in  one  house.  Forty  men  and 
boys  were  occupied  some  days  in  preparing  the  frame-work,  and 
they  were  all  engaged  during  the  whole  of  Tuesday  night  in  arrang- 
ing the  flowers." — Gardener's  Monthly. 


Tomato  Sugar. — A  correspondent  asks  for  further  information 
about  this  article,  which  we  noticed  some  time  ago  in  the  "Monthly." 
We  only  gave  the  paragraph  as  a  matter  of  information,  that  this 
use  was  being  made  of  them.  We  do  not  know  how  it  is  done,  as 
the  inventor  has  patented  it.  The  plan  we  understand  is  to  make 
alcohol  out  of  the  tomato  rather  than  sugar. — Gardeners 
Monthly. 


620  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 

On  the   Laws  of  Sex  in    Plants. 

By  Thomas  Meehan,  Germantown,  Perm.,  Agricultural  Editor  of  Forney's 
Weekly  Press. 

[Read  before  the  American  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Scienoe, 

which  commenced  its  sessions  in  Salem,  Mass  ,  on  the  19th  of  August.] 

In  my  paper  on  Agnation  in  Coniferse,  read  last  year,  I  believe 
I  established  the  fact  that  the  stronger  and  more  vigorous  the  axial 
or  stem  growth,  the  greater  was  the  cohesion  of  the  leaves  with  the 
stem.  By  following  the  same  line  of  observation  I  have  discovered 
some  facts  which  seem  to  me  to  afford  strong  probability  that  simi- 
lar laws  of  vigor  or  vitality  govern  the  production  of  the  sexes  in 
plants. 

If  we  examine  Norway  spruces  when  they  are  in  blossom  in  the 
spring,  we  find  the  male  flowers  are  only  borne  on  the  weakest 
shoots.  The  female  flowers,  which  ultimately  become  cones,  only 
appear  on  the  most  vigorous  branches.  As  the  tree  grows,  these 
strong  shoots  become  weaker,  by  the  growth  of  others  above  them 
making  it  shadier,  or  by  the  diversion  of  food  to  other  channels, 
and  thus  as  these  shoots  become  weaker  we  find  them  losing  the 
power  of  producing  female  flowers  ;  and  the  law  in  this  instance 
seems  very  clear  that  with  a  weakened  vitality  comes  an  increased 
power  to  bear  male  flowers,  and  that  only  in  the  best  conditions  of 
vegetative  vigor  are  female  flowers  produced. 

The  arborvitae,  the  juniper,  the  pine — in  fact,  all  the  different 
genfera  of  conieras  that  I  have  been  able  to  examine — exhibit  the 
same  phenomena ;  but  the  larch  will  afford  a  particularly  interest- 
ing illustration.  When  the  shoots  of  the  larch  have  a  vigorous 
elongating  power,  the  leaves  cohere  with  the  stem.  Only  foliaceous 
awns  give  the  appearance  of  leaves.  When  they  lack  vigor,  lose 
the  power  of  axial  elongation,  true  leaves,  without  awns,  appear  in 
verticils,  at  the  base  of  what  might  have  been  a  shoot.  Every  one 
is  familiar  with  these  clusters  of  true  leaves  on  the  larch.  In  the 
matter  of  sex,  an  examination  of  the  tree  will  show  the  following 
grades  of  vigor :  First,  a  very  vigorous  growth  on  towards  matu- 
rity, or  the  age  necessary  to  commence  the  reproductive  processes. 
The  reproductive  age  is  less  vigorous.  Taking  a  branch  about  to 
bear  flowers,  we  find  somewhat  vigorous  side  branches,  with  the 
usual  foliaceous  awns.  The  next  year  some  of  the  buds  along  these 
side  branches,  but  the  evidently  weaker  buds,  make  only  spurs  with 
leaf  verticile.  As  these  processes  go  on  year  after  year,  the  verti- 
cils become,  of  course,  shaded  by  the  new  growth,  and  get  weaker 
in  consequence,  and  thus,  in  the  third  year,  some  of  these  verticils 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND    FARMER.  621 

commence  to  bear  female  flowers,  or  a  few  of  the  very  weakest  may 
bear  male  ones.  But  only  in  the  fourth  or  fifth  year,  when  vitality 
in  the  spurs  is  nearly  exhausted,  do  male  flowers  appear  in  very 
great  abundance.  Indeed,  the  production  of  male  flowers  is  the  ex- 
piring effort  of  life  in  these  larch  spurs.  They  bear  male  flowers 
and  die. 

What  is  true  of  coniferse  seems  also  to  exist  in  all  monoecious 
plants.  In  the  amentacese  the  male  flower  appears  at  the  first  ex- 
pansion of  the  leaf-buds  in  spring,  as  if  they  were  partly  formed 
during  the  last  flickerings  of  vegetative  force  the  fall  before,  but  a 
vigorous  growth  is  necessary  before  the  female  flower  appears.  In 
corytus,  carpinus,  quercus  cart/a,  juglans,  abuts,  and,  I  believe,  all 
the  common  forms -of  this  tribe  we  find  the  female  flowers  only  at 
or  near  the  apex,  first  great  wave  of  spring  growth,  as  if  it  were 
the  culmination  of  vigor  which  produced  them,  instead  of  the  de- 
cline, as  in  the  male.  Some  of  these  plants  make  several  waves 
of  growth  a  year,  each  successively  declining  in  vigor,  and  thu3 
the  fruit  cones  do  not  appear  on  the  apex  of  the  new  shoot, 
but  on  the  apex  of  the  first  and  strongest  wave.  This  beautiful  il- 
lustration of  the  connection  of  vigor  with  the  sexes  can  be  seen  par- 
ticularly in  Pinus  pungens,  P.  inops,  P.  mitis,  P.  rigida,  and 
perhaps  some  others. 

In  the  larch  and  white  spruce,  for  instance,  a  second  wave  will 
often  start  after  the  cone  has  commenced  forming,  and  the  singular 
appearance  is  presented  of  a  shoot  growing  out  of  the  apex  of  the 
cone.  These  varying  waves  can  be  also  seen  in  cyperacese,  some- 
times placing  the  male  and  sometimes  the  female  at  the  apex  of  the 
culm,  but  always  the  female  in  the  greatest  line  of  vigor.  I  do  not 
know  of  any  case  where  the  sexes  are  separate  on  the  same  plant, 
that  extra  vigor  does  not  always  accompany  the  production  of  the 
female,  and  an  evidently  weakened  vitality  of  the  male  parts. 

Mere  vigor,  however,  will  not  always  indicate  the  degree  of  vital- 
ity. The  pinus  mugho  seldom  extends  ten  feet  high,  and  its  shoots 
are  not  near  as  vigorous  as  its  near  relative,  pinus  sylvestris;  and 
yet  it  commences  its  bearing  age  by  a  free  and  vigorous  production 
of  female  flowers.  But  power  of  endurance  is  a  high  test  of  vitalitv, 
and  an  Alpine  form  should  possess  this  in  a  high  decree.  In  its 
relation  to  sex  this  form  of  vital  force  will  also  have  an  interest. 
The  vitality  of  a  tree  is  always  more  or  less  injured  by  trans- 
planting. Sometimes  it  is  so  injured  that  it  never  pushes  into  leaf 
again.  I  always  pushes  out  later  than  if  it  had  not  been  moved, 
and  in    proportion  to  the  injury  to  the   vitality  is  the  lateness  of 


622  THE    SOUTHERN  [October 

pushing.  Clearly,  then,  earliness  of  pushing  forth  leaves  is  a  test 
of  vigorous  vitality.  Now,  some  Norway  spruces  push  forth  earlier 
than  others.  There  is  as  much  as  two  weeks  difference  between 
them,  and  it  is  remarkable  that  those  which  push  out  the  earliest — 
may  we  not  say  those  which  have  the  highest  powers  of  vitality  ? — 
are  most  productive  of  female  blossoms.  Arboriculturists  may  make 
good  use  of  this  fact.  Norway  spruces,  which  have  a  drooping 
habit,  are  the  heavy  cone-bearing  forms.  No  way  has  before  been 
discovered  to  detect  them  until  they  get  to  a  bearing  age.  Now  it 
will  be  seen,  the  earliest  to  push  forth  in  the  spring  will  be  cone- 
bearing  or  weeping  trees. 

It  is  not  so  easy  to  see  the  influence  of  vigor  or  other  forms  of 
vitality,  as  affecting  the  sexes,  in  hermaphrodite  plants  as  in  monoe- 
cious ones,  yet  here  are  some  remarkable  facts  of  a  similar  .charac- 
ter. In  some  flowers  the  forces  which  govern  the  male  and  female 
portions  respectively  seem  nearly  equally  balanced.  Then  we  have 
a  perfect  hermaphrodite — one  with  the  stamens  and  pistils  perfect, 
and  one  communicating  its  influence  to  the  other — a  self- fertilizing 
flower.  In  many'  species,  however,  we  notice  a  tendency  to  break 
this  balance.  It  becomes  either  a  pistillate  or  a  staminate,  either 
by  the  suppression  of  one  force  or  the  other.  If  the  force  is  in 
the  female  direction  it  begins  by  requiring  the  pollen  from  some 
other  flower  to  fertilize  itself.  If  in  the  male  direction  by  increas- 
ing the  number  of  stamens,  or  converting  the  stamens  into  petals. 
The  interest  for  us  in  this  sexual  question  is  to  note  that  just  in 
proportion  as  the  sexes  diverge  in  this  manner,  in  just  the  same 
ratio  do  vigor  and  strong  vitality  follow  the  female  in  the  one  case, 
and  weakness  the  male  in  the  other. 

In  the  male  direction,  for  instance,  when  the  flower  becomes  dou- 
ble by  the  conversion  of  stamens  into  petals,  or  the  number  of  either 
increased,  growth  is  never  so  strong,  and  life  is  more  endangered. 
Double  camelias,  roses,  peaches,  and  other  things  bave  to  be  graft- 
ed on  single  ones,  in  order  to  get  more  vigorous  growing  plants, 
and  every  florist  knows  how  much  more  difficult  it  is  to  get 
roots  from  a  double  flowered  cutting  than  from  a  single  one.  Some- 
times the  male  principle,  which  loves  to  exhibit  itself  in  the  gay 
coloring  of  the  petals,  seems  to  influence  the  leaves  also ;  and  they 
also  become  colored  or  variegated ;  and  here  we  see  also  a  weaken- 
ed vitality  follows.  Variegated  box,  variegated  euonymus,  or  any 
of  similar  character,  never  grow  so  freely,  or  endure  the  winter's 
cold  or  the  extremes  of  climate  like  the  green-leaved  forms. 

On  the  other  hand,  when  the  balance  goes  over  in  the  female 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND   FARMER  623 


interest,  we  see  it  characterized  by  greater  vigor  than  before.  It 
has  long  been  noted  that  pistillate  varieties  of  strawberries  are  more 
prolific  of  fruit,  but  this  rule  is  not  always  good,  as  sometimes  the 
runner?,  which  are  parts  of  the  feminine  system — a  form  of  vivipa- 
rous flower  shoots,  in  fact — regulate  the  amount  of  fruit.  But  it  is 
a  fact  universal,  I  believe,  in  its  application,  that  the  production  of 
runners  and  fruit  combined  is  always  accompanied  by  a  vigorous 
vitality. 

So  in  viola  where  we  have  female  influence  variously  expressed, 
from  the  underground  stolon  or  creeping  runner,  which  re-produces 
without  impregnation,  to  the  apetelous  flowers,  which  mature  abun- 
dant seeds  on  the  smallest  quantity  of  pollen,  up  to  the  perfectly 
favored  hermaphrodite  flowers  of  spring — all  regular  grades  of  one 
identical  female  principle,  in  contrast  with  those  species  which 
maintain  throughout  a  closer  connection  with  the  male  principle,  by 
maintaining  pure  hermaphrodite  flowers  through  their  whole  stages, 
we  find  those  possessed  of  the  highest  types  of  vitality  which  are 
evidently  the  most  under  the  laws  of  female  influence. 

In  a  brief  paper  like  this,  it  is  not  my  purpose  to  introduce  more 
of  the  facts  I  have  observed  than  will  sustain  the  theory  I  have  ad- 
vanced. I  do  not  want  to  urge  it  for  adoption  ;  my  object  is  to  ex- 
cite investigation  on  the  part  of  other  observers,  who  will,  I  think,  find 
everywhere  about  them  that,  whenever  the  reproductive  forces  are 
at  all  in  operation,  it  is  the  highest  types-  of  vitality  only  which  take 
on  the  female  form. 

I  have  confined  myself  to  sex  in  plants,  botany  being  my  special 
study.  Do  the  same  laws  prevail  in  the  animal  world  ?  I  think 
they  do.  But  this  being  out  of  my  favorite  province,  I  dare  not 
discuss  it,  but  content  myself  with  the  bare  suggestion. 


Harvesting  Navy  Beans  Again. 

In  answering  the  enquiry  as  to  "harvesting  the  navy  bean,"  it 
was  my  intention  to  have  given  a  short,  plain  and  distinct  practical 
plan.  I  know  it  to  be  right.  I  have  always  been  obliged  to  pay 
not  less  than  15  cents  per  bushel  for  picking  green  peas,  and  20 
cents  per  bushel  for  picking  bush  beans  (green)  for  market.  To 
pick  or  gather  a  patch  of  five  acres  according  to  the  recommenda- 
tion of  "  B.,"  Exchange,  Nansemond,  would  cost  what  ?  It  would 
require,  to  ensure  an  excellent  clean  bean,  not  less  than  three  pick- 
ings over  the  entire  patch  ;  the  cost  of  picking — without  the  never- 
ending  job — would  amount  to  not  less  than  (four  bushels  pods  to 


624  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 

one  shelled,)  80  cents ;  and  where  are  the  parties  to  pick?  If  you 
have  the  help  convenient,  whenever  you  want  them,  they  cant  he 
had — they  have  something  else  to  do.  I  supposed  that  with  others 
it  was  as  with  me — that  is,  never  to  ask  for  information  unless  it 
was  wanted ;  and  never  to  give  except  that  such  was  sure  to  be 
correct.  Wm.  H.  S. 

Philadelphia,  September  23,   1569. 


How  shall  Gardening  be  Made    Profitable? 

What  shall  be  grown  to  pay  the  best?  is  a  live  question  for  your 
State.  Norfolk  and  the  lands  adjacentjwill  be  the  garden  spot  of  the 
United  States.  It  has  the  advantage  of  all  others,  and  will  keep 
it.  But  to  make  Gardening  or  growing  produce  pay  is  a  question 
of  vital  import,  a  question  to  be  answered  only  by  men  of  real  prac- 
tical experience  and  education.  It  is  an  easy  matter  to  take  the 
pen  and  write,  "do  this,  do  that,  plant  this,  plant  that,  plough  thus 
and  so,"  U3e  only  such  "manures,"  &c,  but  have  parties  who  give 
advice  thought  of  the  real  injury  and  loss  sustained  by  those  who 
follow  their  advice,  where  such  advice  is  given  without  having  prac- 
tical experience,  that  is  of  planting,  gathering,  selling  and  receiving 
and  retaining  a  profit?  In  my  opinion  a  series  of  communications  f/om 
the  real  living,  ivorking  growers,  would  at  this  time  produce  more  cer- 
tain, lasting  and  enduring  benefits  than  at  any  other  time.  In  such, 
communications  give  tr ue  names  of  seeds  planted,  manner  of  culti- 
vating, quantity  of  manure  to  the  acre,  manner  of  gathering,  pack- 
ing, to  whom  consigned,  returns  from  such  consignments,  with 
remarks  generally  on  conditon  of  shipment,  when  received,  &c. 

For  one  I  will  volunteer  to  give  some  of  my  experience  as  a 
grower  for  the  New  York  Market  for  27  years.  I  will  write  for 
next  month's  number.  Wm.  H.  S. 


Hollyhocks. — P.  B.  G-.,  Baltimore,  Md. — "  I  have  a  beautiful 
double  crimson  Hollyhock,  which  I  am  very  anxious  to  save,  but 
am  told  they  will  not  reproduce  themselves  truly  from  seed.  How 
shall  I  manage  it  ?" 

[They  vill  come  generally  true  from  seed,  and  we  think  this  is 
your  best  way  to  raise  them.  Sow  the  seed  as  soon  as  ripe,  and 
shade  the  ground  a  little  from  the  hot  sun  until  the  plants  get 
strong.  Or  the  seed  may  be  saved  until  spring  and  sown,  but  they 
will  not  then  flower  that  year.  In  Europe  Hollyhocks  are  propa- 
gated by  cutting  up  the  flower  stem  into  eyes,  before  the  flower 
opens,  but  in  America  seeds  only  are  employed  in  propagation.] — 
Gardener's  Monthly. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  625 


pining  department. 


Coal. 

Is  there  any  authentic  history  of  the  discovery  and  early  use  of 
the  bituminous  coal  so  long  known  to  exist  in  this  region  of  Virgi- 
nia ?  Did  the  aborigines  understand  its  nature  and  apply  it  to  use- 
ful purposes  ? 

A  few  months  before  the  close  of  the  late  war,  the  writer  of  this 
purchased  from  a  drug  store  in  Richmond  a  package  of  medicine 
wrapped  in  coarse  white  paper  torn  from  a  letter  book  dated  1752. 
It  proved  to  be  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  a  mercantile  firm  in  Man- 
chester to  their  correspondents  in  Philadelphia,  advising  them  of  a 
shipment  of  coal  at  a  cost  of  ten  cents  per  bushel,  sent  as  a  venture, 
to  be  offered  in  that  market.  The  letter  concluded  by  stating  that 
the  mineral  existed  in  great  abundance  in  Chesterfield  county,  and 
would  be  furnished  readily  at  that  price  if  there  was  any  demand 
for  it.  The  old  book  was  searched  in  vain  for  further  information, 
and  the  inference  is  fair  that  the  coal  ceased  for  many  years  to  be 
an  article  of  commerce. 

In  West  Virginia,  where  nature  has  lavished  her  mineral  riches, 
it  is  certain  that  the  aborigines  were  either  ignorant  of  the  nature 
of  coal,  or  indifferent  to  its  uses.  The  numerous  seams  cleft  by  the 
abrasion  of  flowing  waters  must  have  exposed  the  same  stratifica- 
tion so  plainly  visible  at  this  day,  and  as  the  immense  forests  that 
covered  the  country  were  subject  to  conflagration,  the  combustion 
of  the  coal  upon  the  surface  could  not  escape  observation.  Fuel 
was  only  valued  for  domestic  purposes,  and  it  was  only  when  timber 
became  scarce  that  the  indolent  Indian,  and  scarcely  less  indolent 
squatter,  directed  his  attention  to  coal. 

It  has  been  stated  that  the  early  salt  makers  on  the  Big  Kana- 
wha were  accustomed  to  haul  wood  to  their  furnaces,  built  over  coal 
beds,  and  this  habit  was  common  until  the  steam  engine  became  a 
familiar  thing.  It  was  not  merely  as  a  consumer  of  fuel  that  the 
steam  engine  became  so  important;  its  agency  in  mining  operations 
settled  all  difficulties  in  removing  the  mineral  from  the  bowels  of 
the  earth,  as  well  as  in  the  transportation  of  such  ponderous  mate- 
rials. And  now  that  everybody  reads,  and  everybody  travels,  the 
uses  of  coal  are  known  to  all.  Why  are  such  acknowledged  treas- 
ures unsought  in  their  immediate  locality?  The  coal  measures  are 
VOL.  in — 40 


C26  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 

sufficiently  developed  in  the  Chesterfield  basin  to  establish  the  fact 
that  the  coal  is  there  in  quantities  sufficient  to  supply  any  demand 
that  may  exist  for  ages,  and  that  the  quality  is  unsurpassed  in  many 
respects  by  any  bituminous  coal  of  the  country.  As  it  is  not  pro- 
posed to  discuss  the  details  of  this  question,  it  may  suffice  to  remark 
that  the  same  reasons  which  retarded  the  use  of  coal  in  early  times 
still  apply  here.  Fuel  for  ordinary  purposes  is  still  obtained  from 
the  woods,  and  the  outlay  attending  mining  operations  is  yet  a  bar- 
rier to  the  full  development  of  our  coal  fields.  It  is  not  so  in  the 
West.  There  the  collier  has  no  unforeseen  difficulties  to  meet,  and 
no  exercise  of  skill  beyond  opening  his  drifts  in  rectilineal  figures. 
There  the  stratification  is  regular,  and  the  seams  frequently  above 
water  level.  There  are  few  unseen  dangers — few  "  troubles  "  or 
"faults,"  "downthrows"  or  "upthrows" — little  disturbance  in  the 
deposits,  and  rarely  "  black  damp  "  or  "  fire  damp."  There,  too, 
the  expenditure  is  easily  calculated  in  advance,  for  it  is  a  mere 
question  of  excavation  and  transportation.  Here  it  would  seem  al- 
most the  reverse.  The  whole  basin,  so  far  as  known,  is  full  of  dis- 
locations and  uncertainties.  The  deposits,  sometimes  prodigious, 
and  again  "  cutting  out "  to  a  mere  leader.  Here  the  heart  of  the 
basin  has  never  been  reached,  and  along  its  margin  are  shafts  sev- 
eral hundred  feet  deep ;  nevertheless,  the  day  will  come  when  the 
deposits  will  be  won,  and  ere  many  years,  capital  and  enterprise  will 
pursue  the  treasures  now  hidden  in  the  Chesterfield  basin. 


Iron  Interest  in  Virginia. 

In  connection  with  the  history  of  the  iron  interest  in  Virginia,  I 
undertake  to  offer  a  few  mites,  by  way  of  soliciting  intelligence, 
rather  than  contributing  it. 

At  the  line  of  separation  of  the  counties  of  King  George  and 
Westmoreland,  on  the  Rappahannock  river,  there  is  a  spot — a  very 
sequestered  and  interesting  one — inclosed  by  high  bluffs,  between 
which  a  little  stream  passes  to  the  river — wild  as  the  colonists  found 
it — so  abrupt  and  rugged  as  not  to  permit  transit  through  the  ra- 
vine— to  which  the  only  access  is  the  river,  or  banks  so  steep  as  to 
seem  perilous  to  the  passenger  on  foot,  and  certainly  very  weari- 
some to  ascend.  This  spot  is  known  as  the  Bristol  Mines.  The 
neighboring  hills  are  full  of  bog  iron  ore,  which  seems  to  have  been 
obtained  here.  I  do  not  know  whether  there  was  a  furnace  to  re- 
duce it,  or  whether  the  ore  was  shipped,  as  it  was  very  convenient 
to  do,  to  some  other  place.     Tradition  says,  that  my  grandfather, 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  627 

John  Tayloe,  of  Mount  Airy,  (who  died  at  an  advanced  age  in 
1779),  was  the  agent  of  a  company  supposed  to  be  of  Bristol,  in 
England,  which  worked  these  mines.  He  was  himself  the  owner  of 
iron  works  at  Neabsco,  in  Prince  William  county,  at  the  head  of 
Neabsco  creek,  which  enters  the  Potomac  river  just  above  Freestone 
Point.  Besides  the  ore  obtained  for  these  Neabsco  works  on  the 
contiguous  hills,  it  was  brought  in  vessels  from  the  Patapsco,  from 
the  ore  banks  which  the  old  travelers  remember  to  have  seen  strewn 
over  the  once  wild  region  between  the  present  junction  and  the  city 
of  Baltimore  These  have  all  been  filled  up  and  levelled,  and  com- 
pose the  beautiful,  highly  improved  farm  of  Mr.  Winans.  The 
Rappahannock  ore  was  carried,  probably,  in  like  manner,  to  Ne- 
absco. Possibly  some  may  have  been  carried  to  Col.  Spotswood's 
furnace,  or  to  England's,  up  the  river,  near  Fredericksburg.  Is 
this  the  furnace  known  of  late  years  as  Wellford's,  near  the  Chan- 
cellorsville  battle  ground?  Col.  Byrd's  Westover  manuscripts 
being  mislaid  or  stolen,  I  cannot  refer  to  them.  Where  in  King 
George  was  Mr.  Washington's  blast  furnace  ?  In  those  days,  this 
county  extended  to  Deep  Run,  I  believe.  This  is  now  the  eastern 
boundary  of  Fauquier. 

My  father  owned  and  worked  a  valuable  furnace  at  Cloverdale, 
in  Botetourt  county.  After  exhausting  all  the  wood  which  could 
be  obtained  at  remunerative  prices,  this  furnace  was  discontinued 
near  forty  years  ago.  The  ore  is  thought  to  be  the  finest  in  Virgi- 
nia for  producing  tough  iron,  and  was  bought  for  the  construction 
of  guns  for  the  United  States  Government,  by  Col.  Clarke,  who 
cast  them  on  the  lower  James,  some  miles  above  Richmond.  This 
ore  has  been  used  in  later  years  by  the  Messrs.  Anderson,  and  re- 
duced at  a  furnace  near  Buchanan. 

I  hope  that  these  memoranda  may  induce  more  valuable  remi- 
niscences. Ed.  T.  Tayloe. 

September  24,  1869. 


The  World's  Minerals. — The  Scientific  American  says  that 
there  are  produced  annually  throughout  the  world  3,214,000,000 
cwt.  of  coal,  191,800,000  of  iron,  1,581,000  of  copper,  4,926,300 
of  lead,  2,350,000  of  zinc,  besides  459,883  pounds  of  gold,  and 
2,863,000  pounds  of  silver. 


628  THE  SOUTHREN  [October 


Pcchanic  glrte. 


New  Inventions. 

Murfee's  Subsoil  Plough. — This  implement  is  exceedingly 
simple  in  its  construction,  and  of  extraordinary  power  and  effective- 
ness in  breaking  the  subsoil  thoroughly  to  the  depth  of  nine  inches 
and  width  of  six  to  nine  inches  on  each  side  of  the  stroke,  accord- 
ing to  the  size  used,  whether  a  one  or  two  horse  plough.  But,  val- 
uable as  it  is  for  this  special  purpose,  it  is  equally  effective  for  stir- 
ring and  pulverizing  the  surface  in  cultivating  most  of  the  crops  of 
the  vegetable  garden,  and  such  field  crops  as  cotton,  corn,  tobacco, 
&c,  and  is,  moreover,  of  very  light  draft.  The  patentee  has  made 
arrangements  with  Messrs.  Palmer  &  Turpin,  of  this  city,  for  the 
manufacture  and  sale  of  this  plough,  who  will,  no  doubt,  offer  it  for 
examination  and  premium  at  the  State  Agricultural  Society's  Fair 
in  November  next.  Meanwhile,  by  way  of  attracting  attention  to 
this  new  invention,  which,  from  the  unanimous  testimony  in  its 
favor,  is  worthy  of  special  notice  for  the  benefit  of  the  public,  we 
give  the  certificate  of  the  gentlemen  who  witnessed  its  operation 
near  the  city  a  short  while  ago,  as  follows : 

"  The  undersigned  having  this  day  witnessed  the  trial  of  the  pul- 
verizing and  deep  tillage  implement  lately  patented  by  Jas.  W.  Mur- 
fce,  of  Havana,  Alabama,  make  the  following  statement:  Two  of 
these  implements  were  exhibited,  one  for  two  horses,  the  other  for 
one.  They  were  worked  on  a  field  of  very  hard,  flat,  clay  land, 
which  a  four  horse  plough  was  laboriously  breaking  up  to  the  depth 
of  seven  or  eight  inches.  The  two  horse  implement  broke  the  soil 
to  the  depth  of  about  nine  inches,  and  cracked  it  thoroughly  for 
about  nine  inches  on  each  side  of  the  stroke.  The  one  horse  imple- 
ment broke  the  land  to  the  same  depth,  and  cracked  it  thoroughly 
six  inches  on  each  side.  The  work  resembled  coultering,  and  was 
better  done,  both  in  style  and  extent  of  cracking  the  soil,  than  we 
ever  saw  it  done  by  any  other  implement  of  its  class. 

The  single  horse  instrument  was  then  taken  to  a  well  ploughed 
cabbage  patch  and  worked  one  foot  deep,  and  one  foot  wide,  and 
with  ease  to  the  horse  and  great  excellence  of  execution. 

"Where  subsoiling  is  desired,  we  think  this  the  best  and  easiest 
working  implement  of  that  sort  we  have  ever  tested. 


869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  629 

From  this  statement  of  what  was  accomplished,  every  one  can 
judge  for  himself  to  what  uses  he  would  apply  such  an  implement. 
For  all  work  that  it  ought  to  do,  we  think  it  a  valuable  implement. 

James  B.  Jones, 
J.  A.  Connor,  Ga., 
R.  A.  Willis, 
John  W.  Jones, 
W.  R.  Ruffin, 
S.  Bassett  French, 
Frank  G.  Ruffin. 

Chesterfield,  September  1st." 


Routt's  Horse  Hay  Rake  and  Seed  Sower  is  another  new 
(Virginia)  invention  patented  as  late  as  the  seventeenth  of  August, 
1869 — the  birthday  of  the  inventor — long  life  to  him.  This  novel 
implement  is  represented  to  be  very  simple  in  construction  and  very 
effective  in  its  operation.  The  seed  box  is  put  in  front  of  the  axle, 
and  is  bolted  to  the  shafts  underneath,  and  so  arranged  that  it  can 
be  thrown  in  and  out  of  gear,  at  the  pleasure  of  the  operator.  It 
is  not  at  all  in  the  way  while  out  of  gear,  when  the  instrument  is 
employed  in  raking  hay  or  wheat.  The  seed  attachment  can  be 
applied  to  any  horse  rake  in  use.  It  will  be  submitted  to  the  judges 
on  agricultural  machinery,  &c,  at  our  November  Fair,  as  a  com- 
petitor for  the  premium. 


Thirtv  Eighth  Industrial  Exhibition-  of  the  American  Institute. — 
A  no'elty  in  clocks  is  presented  by  the  U.  S.  Cluck  Co..  18  Cortland!  street, 
New  York  city.  Upon  one  side  there  is  a  large  dial  showing  New  York  time, 
and  opposite  to  it  on  the  other  side  is  a  similar  dial  shoeing  Greenwich  time. 
Surrounding  each  of  these  dials  are  eleven  smaller  ones,  showing  the  time  in 
Washington.  St.  Louis,  Salt  Lake  City,  Chicago,  Xew  Orleans,  San  Francisco, 
Cape  Horn,  Rio  Janeiro,  Lima,  Honolulu,  Montreal,  Paris,  Vienna,  Constanti- 
nople, Sr.  Petersburg,  Calcutta,  Pekin,  Yedd),  Sydney,  Cape  Town,  Rome,  and 
Stockholm.  A  collection  of  town  el  cks  of  various  sizes  is  exhibited  by  A.  S. 
H«>tchki88,  of  No.  3  Cortlandt  street,  Xew  York.     The  workman-hip  is  good. 

Straw  paper,  a  substitute  for  wood,  exhibited  by  Mallory  £■  Buttertield.  Xo. 
92  William  street,  X~ew  York,  is  intended  to  be  used  for  all  inside  work  of 
dwellings,  railroad  cars,  steamboats,  ships,  or  in  anyplace  where  wood  is  used, 
being  far  superior  to  it  for  its  lightness  and  strength.it  not  h'ving  knots, 
grain,  or  sap;  consequently,  does  not  expand  or  cmtract,  but  remains  as  put 
up,  unchangeably.  It  can  be  moulded  into  any  form  by  pressure,  thereby  sav- 
ing the  great  expense  of  working  out  elaborate  patterns.  It  is  made  tire  and 
water  proof  by  asbestos,  and,  in  case  of  a  smash-up  in  railroad  cars,  no  person 
will  be  irjured  by  splinters  or  fire.  For  ornamentation,  it  can  be  made  to  rep- 
resent the  most  expensive  wuods,  marbles,  frescoes,  bronzes,  etc.,  etc.,  at  a 
small  expense,  and  can  be  taken  down  and  put  up  in  other  places  if  de&irtd. — 
American  Artisan. 


THE  SOUTHERN  PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 

RICHMOND.  VIRGINIA, OCTOBER,  18G9. 

—       '     '  ' '    ~      -  *--l.  ■  —  : 

TERMS  OF  SUBSCRIPTION  AND  ADVERTISING. 
Subscription  One  Year 82,00 

ADVERTISING. 

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Subscriptions — in  advance.      Advertising— annnal— quarterly  in  advance.     All  others  in  advance 


(Editorial  department. 


The  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society. 

It  affords  us  unalloyed  pleasure  to  be  able  to  assure  our  readers  that,  beyond 
controversy,  we  are  destined  to  have  at  the  State  Fair  in  November  a  grand 
display  of  the  material  resources  of  Virginia — agricultural,  horticultural,  min- 
eral, mechanical,  manufacturing  and  domestic— and  that,  from  present  indica- 
tions, we  shall  witness,  as  of  old,  a  vast  assemblage  of  her  incomparable  sons 
and  daughters,  who  will  unitedly  reflect  her  glory,  and  illustrate  the  elevated 
type  of  her  civilization,  by  their  high-toned  moral  sentiments,  refined  and  ele- 
gant social  characteristics,  and  enlarged  and  varied  intellectual  accomplish- 
ments. Virginia — long-suffering,  persecuted,  reviled,  down-trodden  Virginia, 
is  about  to  emerge  from  the  fiery  furnace  of  affliction  and  sorrow,  but  without 
the  smell  of  fire  on  her  garments,  or  a  stain  upon  her  honor,  and  to  take  a  new 
departure  in  a  career  of  prosperity,  wealth,  and  power,  such  as  has  never  been 
witnessed  in  this  hemisphere  ;  while  her  malignant  and  despicable  enemies 
will  utterly  perish,  by  their  own  hands,  through  the  avenging  recoil  of  their 
infamous  machinations  against  her,  upon  their  own  heads. 

But  to  return  to  the  subject  of  the  Fair.  The  Executive  Committee  have 
found  it  necessary  to  issue  a  supplement  to  the  schedule  of  premiums  published 
in  August,  by  a  considerable  enlargement  of  the  thirteenth  class,  and  by  the 
introduction  of  another  class,  with  special  reference  to  the  finb  arts.  In 
this  department  we  expect  to  see  a  highly  creditable  display  of  the  works  of 
our  native  artists.  The  reader,  to  understand  the  connection  of  this  supple- 
ment with  the  August  schedule,  will  strike  out  class  XIII  as  it  there  stands, 
and  insert  classes  XIH.  XIV  and  XV,  in  the  order  in  which  they  appear  in 
the  following  specifications: 

In  addition  to  the  list  already  published  in  pamphlet  form,  the  Executive 
Committee  have  offered  the  following  premiums  in  Mineralogy  and  the  Fine 
Arts,  to  be  awarded  at  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Fair,  to  be  held  in 
Richmond,  commencing  2d  November,  viz  : 

CLASS  XIII. — Mineral  Department. 

Colonel  J.  J.  Werth,  Superintendent.        Professor  0.  J.  Hkinrich,  Assistant. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  63  L 


Section  I. 
514    Best  essay  upon  the  Natural  History,  Geology,  Botany,  and  Natural  Products 
of  Virgiuia,  Dipl  ma. 

Section  II. 

515.  Best  description  of  useful  Minerals  fouod  in  Virginia,  Certificate. 

Section  III. 

516.  Best  collection  of  specimens  illustrating  the  Mineralogy  of  Virginia,       $75.03 

Section  IV. 

517.  Best  collection  of  specimens  of  Marl,   Green  Sand,  Gypsum,  Hydraulic  Lime- 
stone,  Marble,  Calcareous  Tufa,  found  in  Virginia,  50  00 

Section  V. 

518.  Best  collection  of  specimens  of  Gold,  Copper,  and  other  associated  Mineral?, 
found  in  Virginia,  50.00 

Section    VI. 

519.  Best  specimens  of  such  Minerals  as  are  useful  in  pigments,  23.00 

Section  VII. 

520.  Best  specimens  of  Pig  Iron,  converted  from  Virginia  ore,  10.00 

Section  VIII. 

521.  Best   specimen  of  Pig  Iron  converted   from   Virginia   oie,    with  coke  from 
Virginia  coal  as  a  fuel,  10  00 

Section  IX. 

522.  Best  specimen  of  Bituminous  Coal  found  in  Virginia,  100  lbs.  or  m:re,     10.00 

Section  X. 

523.  Best  specimen  of  natural  Coke,  10.0) 

Section  XI. 

524.  Best  specimen  of  Anthracite  Coal  found  in  Virginia,  100  lbs.  or  more,       10.00 

Section  XII. 

525.  Best  specimen  of  Granite  found  in  Virginia,  10.00 

Section  XIII. 

526.  Best  specimen  of  Slate,  10.00 

Section  XIV. 

527.  Best  specimen  of  Sandstone  found  in  Virginia,  10  00 

Section  XV. 

528.  Best  specimen  of  Manganese  found  in  Virginia,  5.00 

529.  Best  specimen  of  Barytes  found  :u  Virginia,  6  00 

530.  Best  specimen  of  Kiolin  found  in  Virgiuia,  5.00 

531.  Best  specimen  of  Plumbago  found  in  Virginia,  5,00 

532.  Best  specimen  of  Soapstone  found  in  Virginia,  5  00 

533.  Best  specimen  of  Mica  found  in  Virginia,  5.09 

Judges. 
Professor  Mallet,  University  of  Virginia. 
Colonel  William  Gilliam,  Richmond. 
Professor  J.  L.  Campbell,  Lexington. 
Professor  R.  M.  Smith,  Randolph  Macon. 
Professor  B.  Puryear,  Richmond  College. 
A.  D.  To  woes,  Esq  ,  and  J.  C.  Deaton,  Richmond,  Va. 

CLASS  XIV— Fine  Arts  Department. 
Colonel  W.  H.  Caskie. 
This  department  will  embrace  Statuary,  in  marble,  bronze  and  plaster,  including 
alto  relievos,  basso  relievos,  and  busts. 

Oil  and  Water  color  Pictures,  Drawings,  Engravings,  Photographs,  Wax  and 
Flower  Work,  Frames  Artists'  Materials  and  Musical  Instruments,  including 
Pianos,  Organs,  etc.,  etc.,  etc. 


632  THE    SOUTHERN  [October 

Section  I — Statuary,  fie 

534.  Best  original  full  leDgth,  life-size,  Alto  Relievo  in  marble,  bronze  or  plaster, 
designed  in  Virginia,  £0.00 

535.  Best  original  Alto   Relief  in  marble,  bronze  or  plaster,  or  other  material,  de- 
signed in  Virginia,  15.00 

536.  Best  original  Basso  Relievo   in  marble,  bronze  or  plaster,  designed  in  Virgi- 
nia, 15.00 

537.  Best  Statuette  (original),  designed  in  Virginia,  10.00 

538.  Best  original  Bust,  designed  in  Virginia,  10.00 

539.  Best   specimen  Ornamental   Design,    in  plaster  or    other  material,  made  in 
Vi  ginia,  6.00 

Section  II — Oil  Paintings. 

510.  Best  original  Figure  Picture  in  oil,  designed  in  Virginia,  60.00 

541.  Best  Animal  Picture,  original,  designed  in  Virginia,  25.00 

542.  Best  Head,  life  size,  designed  in  Virginia,  10.00 

543.  Best  Head,  cabinet  size,  designed  in  Virginia,  5  00 

544.  Best  Landscape,  including  marine  and  waterscape,  original,  designed  in  Vir- 
ginia, 15.00 

545.  Best  Still  Life,  designed  in  Virginia,  -        5.00 
Works  by  foreign   artists,  or  by  native  artists,   but  not  originals,    of  sufficient 

merit,  will  receive  honorable  mention. 

Section  III —  Water  Colors. 
Water  Colors  will  be  placed  on  same  footing  with  Oil  Paintings.  Numbered  from 
546  to  551,  inclusive. 

Section  IV — Drawings,  Engravings,  fie. 
6-32.   Best  original  Drawing  in   sepia,  india   ink,  pen   or   pencil,  designed   in  Virgi- 
nia, 20.00 

553.  Second  be3t  original  Drawing  in  sepia,  India  ink,  pen  or  pencil,  designed  in 
Virginia,  15.00 

554.  Best  Engraving  des'gued  in  Virginia,  Certificate. 

555.  Best  Lithograph,  Certificate. 

556.  Best  Photograph,  by  a  resident  of  Virginia,  Certificate. 

Section  V — Picture  Frames,  Artists'  Materials,  fie. 

557.  Best  Picture  Frames,  made  in  Virginia,  Certificate. 

558.  Second  best  Picture  Frames,  made  in  Virginia,  Certificate. 

559.  Best  collection  of  Artists'  Materials,  made  in  Virginia,  Certificate. 

560.  Second  best  collection  of  Artists'  Material,  made  in  Virginia,  Certificate. 

Section  VI. 
661.  Organs.     562.  Pianos.     563.  Violins.     564.  Melodeons.      565.  Harps.     566. 
Guitars.     567.  Band  Instruments.     Best  of  each,  Certificate. 

Judges. 

Mr.  W.  H.  Haxall,  Thos.  H.  Wynne,  Capt.  Chas.  Dimmock, 

Thos.  R.  Price,  Jr.,  Charles  Wallace. 

CLASS  XV — Miscellaneous  Department. 
Captain  C.  C.  McPhail. 
To  this  department  are  referred  all  articles  and  animals  recommended  for  Dis- 
cretionary Premiums. 

Judges. 

Hon   James  A.  Seddon,  Goochland  county,  Va. 

Chas.  B.  Williams,   Richmond. 

Wood  Bouldin,  Cuarlotte  county,  Va. 

Lr    Philip  F.  Southall,  Amelia. 

Dr.  Wm.  D.  Haskins,  Mecklenburg. 

Colonel  Albert  Ordway,  Richmond. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  633 


Liberal  Arrangements    of  the  Railroads   Respecting    the  State 
Agricultural  Fair. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Superintendents  of  the  railroads  terminating  at  Rich- 
mond, held  on  the  16th  day  of  September,  1869,  fur  the  purpose  of  considering 
the  application  of  the  officers  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society,  in  regard  to 
freights  and  fares  on  the  roads  under  their  charge,  the  following  regulations 
were  adopted : 

1.  Persons  traveling  over  either  of  the  railroads  in  charge  of  the  under- 
signed, after  the  2Sth  day  of  October,  1869,  for  the  purpose  of  attending  the 
State  Fair  of  the  Agricultural  Society,  can,  upon  application  to  the  agent  or 
conductors  of  the  railroads  to  which  they  pay  their  full  fare,  obtain  a  ceitificate 
showing  that  they  did  so — and  upon  presenting  the  same,  stamped  by  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Agricultural  Society,  as  evidence  of  their  having  attended  the  Fair, 
to  the  conductor  of  the  train  on  which  they  return  from  Richmond,  on  or  be- 
fore the  \2th  day  of  Xwember  following,  they  will  be  returned  to  the  station 
whence  they  came  free  of  charge. 

2  Persons  exhibiting,  with  these  certificates,  the  proper  evidence  of  their 
being  life  members  of  that  Society,  upon  application  at  the  office  of  the  railroad 
in  Richmond  over  which  they  came  to  Richmond,  before  their  return,  will  be 
entitled  to  have  the  fare  paid  on  this  road  by  them  going  to  the  Fair  refunded 
to  them. 

3.  Articles  sent  at  the  usual  tolls  over  the  railroads  for  exhibition  at  the 
Fair  will  be  returned  free  of  charge  to  the  same  station  on  the  railroad  whence 
they  were  sent,  provided  they  shall  be  still  the  property  of  the  same  owner; 
and  if  the  person  having  charge  of  the  same  shall  exhibit  to  the  agent  at  Rich- 
mond, before  shipping  them,  a  certificate  from  the  Agricultural  Society  that 
they  were  exhibited,  and  return  the  receipt  for  freight  paid  on  them  coming  to 
Richmond,  the  toll  on  them  in  coming  will  be  refunded  by  the  freight  agents 
of  the  same  railroad  at  Richmond,  Ya. 

4.  Persons  having  charge  of  stallions  and  other  animals  requiring  attend- 
ance, will  be  included  io  the  conditions  of  the  third  section,  subject  to  the  dis- 
cretion of  the  railroad  agents. 

5.  That  copies  of  these  regulations  be  sent  to  all  railroad  companies  con- 
nected with  the  roads  here  represented,  with  a  request  that  they  adopt  similar 
liberal  arrangements,  and  have  the  same  published. 

[Signed,]  Thomas  Dodamead, 

General  Superintendent  R.  and  D.,  and  P.,  and  Y.  R.  R. 

Samcel  Rith, 

Superintendent  R.  F.  and  P.  R.  R. 

H.  D.  Whitcomb, 

General  Superintendent  C.  and  0.  R.  R. 

Thos.  H.  Wynne, 

Superintendent  R.  and  P.  R.  R. 
Richmond,  Ya.,  September  16,  1869. 

I  am  authorized  by  General  William  Mahone,  President  of  the  line  of  rail- 
roads from  Norfolk  to  Bristol,  and  Mr.  John  S.  Barbjur,  President  of  the 
Orange  and  Alexandria  railroad,  to  state  that  they  will  aff  >rd  the  same  accom- 
modation and  arrangements  for  persons  and  articles  attending  the  State  Fair 
as  are  embraced  in  the  foregoing  regulations. 


634  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 

I  have  no  doubt  all  the  other  lines  of  railroads  in  the  State  will  adopt  them 
as  soon  as  applied  to. 

The  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society  desire  and  expect  a  very  large  at- 
tendance of  Northern  men,  especially  at  their  Fair  and  Exhibition,  and  hope 
that  the  Northern  and  Western  railroads  will  extend  such  inducements  as  our 
own  have  offered  to  all  persons  visiting  R  chmond  on  this  occasion,  it  is  ex- 
pected to  be  a  complete  exposition  of  the  resources  of  Virginia. 

Arrangements  are  in  contemplation,  whereby  the  hotel  facilities  of  the  city 
will  be  supplemented  by  the  owners  of  private  houses.  A  cheap  excursion 
train  running  daily  between  this  city  and  Petersburg  will  add  the  accommoda- 
tions of  that  city  to  those  of  Richmond. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Society  will  be  in  attendance  daily  at  the  Fair  Grounds, 
to  stamp  certificates  furnished  by  the  railroad  companies. 

William  T.  Sctherlin, 
President  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society. 


Minerals  for  Exhibition  at  the   State  Fair. 

The  following  letter  from  General  J.  D.  Imboden  will  apprise  the  reader  that 
be  will  undertake  to  receive  and  arrange  the  specimens  of  Virginia  minerals 
which  may  be  addressed  to  his  care : 

TO    THE    OWNERS    OF     MINERAL    LANDS. 

The  State  Agricultural  Society  has  very  wisely  determined  to  enrich  its  ex- 
hibition  at  the  Annual  Fair  in  November  with  specimens  of  the  minerals  of 
Virginia. 

I  have  agreed,  in  connection  with  Captain  C.  C.  MePhail,  to  solicit  contribu- 
tions to  this  department  of  the  exhibition  so  far  as  to  collect  and  arrange  the 
specimens. 

There  will,  doubtless,  be  a  great  many  strangers  here  at  that  time  to  look 
into  our  natural  resources.  It  is,  therefore,  of  great  importance  that  we 
should  be  able  to  show  them  every  mineral  of  value  that  we  possess  in  the 
State.  Let  the  owners  of  mines  and  deposits,  therefore,  select  good,  fair  speci- 
mens, put  them  up  securely,  and  address  the  packages  to  me,  "  for  the  State 
Fair."  Write  a  letter  at  the  same  time  describing  the  property,  its  location, 
&c      From  these  letters  will  be  compiled  a  catalogue  of  all  the  minerals  shown. 

It  is  especially  desirable  to  obtain  good  specimens  from  every  locality  con- 
taining iron,  copper,  lead,  zinc,  gold,  and  silver  ores,  of  every  variety  ;  barytes, 
manganese,  plumbago,  nickle,  gypsum,  marl,  silica,  marble,  granite,  slate, 
soapstone,  brownstone,  mica,  kaolin,  fire  clay,  hydraulic  lime,  asbestos,  ochre, 
rock  salt,  coal,  peat,  and  the  purest  qualities  of  carbonate  of  lime. 

A  full  collection  of  these  minerals,  with  honest,  reliable  information  about 
them,  may  lead  to  the  most  important  results.  If  owners  will  take  the  little 
trouble  of  sending  the  specimens,  we  will  do  whatever  else  is  necessary  to 
bring  them  prominently  before  the  thousands  who  will  be  here. 

J.  D.  Imboden,  Richmond,  Va. 


[The  following  glowing  and  hopeful  delineation  of  the  glorious  future  of  the 
Old  Dominion — "  the  blessed  mother  of  us  all  " — is  from  the  gifted  pen  of  the 
editor  of  "  The  Richmond  Enquirer  and  Examiner."     It  breathes  the  true 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  635 


spirit  of  loyalty  and  filial  love,  such  as  becomes  a  son  nurtured  on  her  bosom, 
and  is  heartily  commended  to  all  those  who  are  like-minded,  and  who  are 
ready  to  "sink  or  swim  "  with  old  Virginia: 

AGRICULTURE    OUR    HOPE. 

It  is  delightful  to  observe  the  many  evidences  that  Virginia  has  emerged 
from  the  region  of  dreams  and  speculation,  to  expand  her  grand  and  majestic 
form  in  the  field  of  practical  improvement.  Convinced  of  the  importance  of  a 
truth,  as  embodied  in  the  words  of  a  departed  sage,  that  "in  every  commuaity 
the  first  creditor  is  the  Plough;  whose  original  and  indefeasible  claim  should 
supersede  all  other  demands,"  she  has  given  up  Politics  as  her  Mu»e,  and  is 
bending  all  her  glorious  powers  to  the  thorough  awakening  and  advancement 
of  her  Agriculture. 

Especially  to  be  commended  are  the  District  Fairs,  which  have  become  regu- 
lar and  fixed  institutions.  The  grand  State  Fair,  as  a  matter  of  course,  must 
enlist  the  sympathies  and  activities  of  the  whole  people,  but  as  tributary  to 
this,  and  as  the  surest  guaranty  of  its  complete  success,  each  great  department 
of  the  State  has  wisely  determined  to  go  through  a  rehearsal,  as  it  were,  so  that 
after  a  judicious  culling  and  selection  in  October,  the  best  specimens  may  be 
sent  to  the  State  Fair  in  November,  in  order  (as  Orator  Phillips  would  say,) 
that  Richmond,  as  the  capital  of  the  State,  may  be  able  to  exhibit,  in  one  glow 
of  associated  beauty,  the  pride  of  every  section,  and  the  perfection  of  every  de- 
partment. It  is  but  the  reproduction  in  miniature,  nay,  rather  let  us  say  it  is 
the  solid  basis  of  those  World  Fairs  which  form  an  epoch,  and  have  ushered  in 
a  new  era  in  the  conditions  and  prospects  of  nations  and  of  mankind.  If 
Prince  Albert  be  entitled  (as  his  august  and  adoring  relict  claims,)  to  the  honor 
of  originating  this  magnificent  scheme,  she  need  not  have  wasted  her  time  and 
feelings  on  that  grand,  yet  gloomy,  Mausoleum  at  Frogmore  to  his  memory.  It 
will  be  a  higher  honor,  a  more  glorious  fame,  to  be  remembered  as  the  origi- 
nator of  a  vast  plan,  whereby  each  State,  having  studied  its  peculiar  strength, 
having  gathered  together  the  richest  fruits  of  its  industry,  its  art,  and  its  natu- 
ral wealth,  should  come  in  joyous  rivalry  to  some  appropriate  centre  like  New 
York,  or  Paris,  or  London,  as  on  a  huge  dial  plate  to  register  the  wealth  of  the 
world,  to  demonstrate  the  inter  dependency  of  all  its  parts,  the  speed,  the 
power,  and  the  progress  of  its  improvement. 

Thus  the  world  is  all  astir.  Nation  after  nation  and  State  after  State  takes 
the  noble  contagion,  and  in  the  peace,  prosperity  and  power  which  will  surely 
ensue,  will  be  found  the  best  safeguard  or  the  speediest  corrective  of  the  follies 
and  crimes  of  neglectful  or  inimical  governments.  The  great  English  historian 
tells  us  that  "the  misgovernment  of  Charles  and  James,  gross  as  it  had  been, 
did  not  prevent  the  common  business  of  life  from  going  steadily  and  prosper- 
ously on.  While  the  honor  and  independence  of  the  State  were  sold  to  a  for- 
eign power,  while  chartered  rights  were  invaded,  while  fundamental  laws  were 
violated,  hundreds  of  thousands  of  quiet,  honest,  and  industrious  families  la- 
bored and  traded,  ate  their  meals,  and  lay  down  to  rest,  in  comfort  and  secu- 
rity. Whether  Whigs  or  Tories,  Protestants  or  Jesuits  were  uppermost,  the 
grazier  drove  his  bullooks  to  market;  the  grocer  weighed  out  his  currants;  the 
draper  measured  out  bis  broadcloth  ;  the  hum  of  buyers  and  sellers  was  as 
loud  as  ever  in  the  towns ;  the  harvest  home  was  celebrated  as  joyously  as 
ever  in  the  hamlets ;  the  cream  overflowed  the  pails  of  Cheshire ;  the  apple- 


63G  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 

juice  foamed  in  the  presses  of  Herefordshire  ;  the  piles  of  crockery  glowed  in 
the  furnaces  of  Trent;  and  the  barrows  of  coal  rolled  fast  along  the  timber 
railways  of  the  Tyne. "  As  we  look  at  this  changeful  and  cheering  picture,  we 
feel  that  it  would  be  criminal  not  to  believe,  that  if  we  be  but  true  to  our- 
selves, the  parallel  will  be  completed  in  our  case.  The  conflicts,  the  turmoils, 
the  agonies  of  England,  were  as  great  as  ours — as  Macaulay  says  that  the  time 
was  (in  the  period  to  which  we  have  referred.)  when  her  liberty  and  her  inde- 
pendence seemed  to  be  no  more — to  the  dangers  of  war  were  added  the  dan- 
gers of  a  terrible  financial  and  commercial  crisis — but  at  length  the  danger 
was  over. 

May  we  not  then  go  to  work  "treading  the  fields  of  earth  with  gratitude 
and  hope?" — trusting  that  ere  long  the  country  will  be  delivered  of  its 
phrenzy — and  that  p  licy,  if  no  higher  principle,  will  demonstrate  the  neces- 
sity of  considering,  reconciling,  and  uniting  all  the  interests  of  our  country; 
that  the  follies  and  their  authors  will  "  go  to  their  place,"  whilst  the  anoient 
constitution,  relieved  of  the  incubus  of  stupidity  and  hate  which  now  oppresses 
it,  will  adapt  itself  by  a  natural,  a  gradual,  a  peaceful  development  to  the  new 
order  of  things,  that  public  credit  will  be  re-established,  that  an  unsuspecting 
confidence,  like  some  powerful  amalgam,  will  bind  together  the  different  por. 
tions  of  cur  country ;  that  a  sense  of  relief  will  be  shed  abroad  in  the  land, 
and  in  all  our  hearts ;  that  diversified  labor  will  develop  all  our  powers  and  all 
our  wealth ;  and  that  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  Virginia,  too,  shall  need 
no  "  oracle  to  tell  the  nations  she  is  beautiful,"  and,  p  anting  to  her  fertile 
fields,  her  countless  mines,  her  waving  harvests,  her  mighty  herds  and  listen- 
ing to  the  mingled  hum  of  manifold  industry  which  shall  rise  from  thrifty  vil- 
lages, prosperous  towns,  and  stately  cities  shall  declare  with  authority  and 
truth  the  commencement  of  a  happier  and  a  better  age.  Those  of  her  children 
who  now  come  to  her  assistance  when  she  sits  friendless  and  forlorn,  will  have 
rich  recompense  when,  under  a  kind  Providence,  they  have  caused  her  once 
more  to  smile  with  prosperity  and  to  laugh  with  abundance ;  never  doubting 
that  amid  it  all  she  will  sustain  her  self-respect,  and  that  the  increase  of  her 
material  wealth  will  be  but  the  index  of  her  moral  power. 


The  following  arrangements  have  been  adopted  respecting  the  times  and 
places  for  holding  the  Fairs  by  the  District  and  County  Sjcieties  of  Virginia 
named  below: 

The  Augusta  County  Fair,  on  the  12th,  13th  and  14:h  of  October. 

The  Wytheville  Society,  on  the  20th,  21st  and  22  i  of  October. 

The  Lynchburg  Society,  on  the  2Gth.  27th,  25th  and,29th  of  October. 

The  Loudoun  Society,  on  the  26th,  27th  and  28th  of  October. 

The  Border  Society  at  Danville,  on  the  14th,  15th  and  16:h  of  October. 

The  Central  Agricultural  Society  of  Granville,  Warren  and  Franklin  will 
hold  a  Fair  at  Henderson,  N.  C,  on  the  12tb,  13th,  14th  and  15th  of  October. 


Pears,  Peaches  and  Grapes. — We  have  received  from  Mr.  Henry  J.  Smith 
a  basket  of  luscious  pears  of  five  several  varieties,  some  very  fine  grapes,  and 
also  a  few  good  peaches.  Mr.  S.  has  long  been  distinguished  for  his  fine  fruits 
and  vegetables. 


1869]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  637 

Historical  Sketch  of  the  Iron   Interest  of  Virginia. 

ERRORS    (TYPOGRAPHIC)    IN    GENERAL    C.    P.    STONE'S    ARTICLE    CORRECTED. 

Editors  of  the  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer  : 

Sir, — 1  our  printer  has  made  a  few  changes  in  my  communication  of  August 
28ih  ulr.,  on  the  history  of  iron  production  in  Virginia,  which  du  not  improve 
it. 

I  would  suggest  that  wherever  in  that  article  the  words  "  Western  manu- 
scripts" appear  in  the  print,  I  wrote  "  Westover." 

In  line  20,  page  558,  the  printer  says  ''ores;"  I  think  that  I  wrote  "for- 
ests." In  line  22  the  printer  says  "  formidable  ;"  I  wrote,  or  intended  to  write, 
"favorable."  In  line  30  of  same  page,  the  printer  says  "ores;"  I  wrote 
"  forests." 

In  your  kindly  editorial  remarks,  you  state  that  "there  is  authority  for  a 
much  earlier  period  which  dates  the  establishment  of  the  first  furnace  in  Vir- 
ginia." In  reference  to  this,  I  would  suggest  the  inquiry  as  to  whether  the 
"iron  work"  established  by  Culonel  Cary  was  a  blast  furnac  •  or  a  bloomery? 
We  know  that  bloomeries  for  the  production  of  "  wrought"  iron  directly  from 
the  ore  were  established  in  America  long  anterior  to  1715 — not  only  in  Virgi- 
nia, but  also  in  Pennsylvania  and  New  England. 

My  statement  was  that  the  first  "  blast  furnace  "  established  in  America  was 

that  of  Colonel  Spottswood  ;  and  I  think  that  investigation  will  make  it  clear. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

Chas.  P.  Stone. 
Duver  Mines,  Goochland  co.,   Va.,  Sept.  20,   18G9. 


"Faithful  are  the  Wounds  of  a  Fr.end." 

We  publish  below  the  kind  and  friendly  strictures  of  the  "  Evening  News," 
in  relation  to  several  important  typographic  errors  which  escaped  detection  in 
the  September  number  of  this  journal. 

The  letter  of  Gen.  Stone,  which  precedes  this  note,  obviates  the  necessity  of 
a  tabulated  statement  of  "  errata;"  but  it  is  necessary  to  correct  the  misprint 
in  regard  to  the  edition  of  Beverley  which  was  quoted  in  our  editorial,  to  which 
reference  U  made ;  it  was  written,  and  should  have  been  printed,  "  1722."  We 
hope  that  similar  annoyances  to  ourselves  and  friends  may  never  occur  again. 

We  invite  particular  attention  to  the  suggestions  of  the  "  News,"  and  would 
feel  ourselves  under  special  obligations  to  the  two  gentlemen  referred  to  by 
name,  if  they  would  favor  us  with  sketches  of  what  they  know  respecting  the 
iron  interest  of  Virginia,  especially  in  the  "mountain  counties."  We  also 
tender  our  thanks  to  the  two  gentlemen  whose  valuable  communications  occupy 
the  space  allotted  to  the  "  mining  department"  of  the  present  number  of  the 
"  Planter  and  Farmer,"  and  extend  a  cordial  invitation  to  all  other  gentlemen 
throughout  the  Scate  "who  possess  the  opportunities  to  obtain  the  details  of 
these  operations,"  to  aid  us  in  gathering  up  and  embodying  in  our  pages,  a 
ma- 8  of  interesting  matter  illustrative  of  the  history  of  this  very  important  tle- 
ment  of  our  material  wealth  : 

"  The  '  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer'  for  September  has  been  on  our  table 
for  some  time,  but  a  notice  of  it  has  been  crowded  out  by  other  matter.     The 


638  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 

whole  table  o"f  contents  presents  an  interesting  array,  but  we  are  particularly 
interested  in  the  '  Historical  Sketch  of  the  Iron  Interests  of  Virginia,  by  Gen. 
C.  P.  Stone.'  All  who  know  this  gentleman  and  hiw  much  he  is  interested  in 
this  branch  of  industry,  will  not  wonder  at  his  writing  about  it.  He  gives  all 
that  he  has  learned  on  the  subject,  and  invites  others  to  give  their  history  of 
the  manufacture  of  iron  in  the  different  counties  in  the  State.  If  this  is  done, 
and  we  see  no  reason  why  it  should  not  be,  we  would  have  a  valuable  addition 
to  the  uncertain  history  of  our  State.  General  Stone  quotes  from  Colonel  Byrd 
for  the  history  of  it  in  Spottsylvania,  Beverly  tells  of  it  in  Chesterfield  n  17 
Mr.  Jefferson  mentions  in  1782,  '  the  mines  of  iron  worked '  three  on  south  side 
of  James  river,  one  in  Albemarle,  one  in  Augusta  and  one  in  Frederick,  'a 
forge  at  Mr.  Hunter's,  at  Fredericksburg,'  and  adds,  'the  toughness  of  the  cast 
iron  of  Ross'  and  Zanes'  furnaces  is  very  remarkable.  Pots  and  other  utensils, 
cast  thinner  than  usual  of  this  iron,  may  be  safely  thrown  into  or  out  of  the 
wagons,  in  which  they  are  transported.'  Surely,  if  those. who  possess  the  op- 
portunities to  obtain  the  details  of  these  operations  would  take  the  trouble  to 
do  so,  and  communicate  them  to  the  "  Planter  and  Farmer,"  it  would  furnish 
a  very  important  and  interesting  history  of  this  subject.  We  hope  the  example 
set  by  Gen.  Stone  will  be  followed,  and  the  subject  thoroughly  written  up.  If 
euch  gentlemen  as  Mr.  S.  C.  Robinson  and  Dr.  Graham,  of  Rockbridge  county, 
could  be  induced  to  put  on  paper  their  knowledge  of  its  history  in  the  moun- 
tain counties,  they  would  make  valuable  additions  to  what  little  is  now  known. 
We  cannot  refrain  from  regretting  that  a  paper  published  in  this  city  by  gen- 
tlemen either  to  the  '  manner'  or  '  manor'  born,  should  have  allowed  the  well 
known  '  Westover'  MSS.  to  be  called  in  two  places  the  '  Western,'  and  that  the 
editor,  in  noticing  the  contribution  of  Gen.  Stone,  should  have  quoted  from  an 
edition  of  Beverly  of'  1772.'  Besides  these  and  a  few  other  inexcusable  typo 
graphical  blunders,  the  articles  are  well  gotten  up,  and  we  most  heartily  re- 
commend the  paper  to  the  farming  and  mechanical  portions  of  our  population." 


Book  Notices,  &c. 


Pear  Culture  for  Profit,  by  P.  T.  Quinn,  practical  Horticulturist ;  pp. 
136 — a  valuable  manual  issued  by  the  Tribune  Association.   Xew  York:   1S69. 

A  Philosophy  [so  called]  of  Heaven,  Earth,  and  the  Millenium,  by  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Missouri  bar.     W.  J.  Gilbert,  publisher;  pp.  310.     1869. 

We  have  received  the  following  Catalogues  and  Pamphlets : 

Ellwanger  ft  Burry's  Xo.  1  Fruits,  Xo.  2  Ornamental  Trees,  Rises  and  Flow- 
ering Plants,  and  Xo.  3  Wholesale  Catalogue  of  Mount  Hope  Xurseries,  Ro- 
chester, New  York. 

H.  R.  Bliss  &  Sons'  Autumn  Catalogue  and  Floral  Guide,  embellished  with 
a  variety  of  beautiful  illustrations :  price  10  cents.  We  in  this  section  give 
such  things  away. 

Xorwood  School  Catalogue  for  session  of  1868-69.  Wm.  D.  Cabell,  Princi- 
pal, with  an  able  corps  of  assistants.  This  is  a  first  class  seminary,  and  num- 
bered 72  scholars  in  the  classes  of  the  last  session. 

The  Rural  Carolinian. — We  welcome  with  kindly  salutations  and  good 
wishes  the  above  new  Agricultural  journal,  and  take  pleasure  in  adding  it  to 
onr  list  of  (less  than  ten  thousand)  exchanges. 

It  is  gotten  up  in  excellent  style,  handsomely  illustrated,  and  well  filled  with 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  639 

selected  and  original  matter  in  the  various  departments  of  agriculture,  horti- 
culture, stock  and  natural  history,  labor  and  immigration,  mining  and  me- 
chanic arts.  &c  ,  &c.  Born  to  the  inheritance  of  a  circulation  of  "ten  thou- 
sand," with  every  prospect  of  large  and  continuous  additions  to  that  number, 
no  other  periodical  affords  equal  opportunities  for  thoroughly  advertising  all 
things  of  interest  to  an  agricultural  people.  Let  all  the  world  and  the  rest  of 
mankind  take  note  of  and  remember  this! !  Price  $2  a  year,  payable  in  ad- 
vance.    04  pages  large  octavo.     Walker,  Evans   &  Cogswell,  Charleston,  S.  C. 

The  Prospectus  of  the  Arkansas  Agricultural  and  Mechanical  Journal,  to  be 
issued  at  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  during  this  month,  has  been  received.  The 
price  will  be  $2  50  a  year. 

Descriptive  Catalogue  of  Fruit  Trees,  Vines  and  Plants  cultivated  at  the 
Richmond  Nurseries,  by  Franklin  Davis  &  Co. 

Catalogue  of  Fruit  and  Ornamental  Trees,  Plants,  Sea.,  grown  and  for  sale  by 
the  Virginia  Nursery  and  Wine  Company  ;  Allan  &  Johnson,  General  Agents. 

Both  of  these  Catalogues  are  gotten  up  very  tastefully,  are  handsomely  illus- 
trated, and  contain  practical  and  useful  instruction  on  planting,  cultivation, 
&c.  B  >th  of  these  very  reliable  establishments  offer  an  unusually  large  collec- 
tion of  well  grown  stock,  and  will  furnish  their  catalogues  gratuitously  when 
applied  for. 

Messrs.  Allison  &  Addison  have  favored  us  with  a  copy  of  their  Guano  Cir- 
cular—Fall, 1809. 

They  are  dealers  in  Soluble  Pacific  Guano,  Flour  of  Raw  Bone,  and  other 
Fertilizers;  also,  Seeds  and  Agricultural  Implements.  Nos.  1318  and  1320 
Cary  street,  Richmond,  Va.  We  have  frequently  had  occasion  to  recommend 
them  to  the  confidence  of  the  public. 


Haw's  Pecker  Saw  Mill. 

The  venerable  John  Haw,  so  long  and  favorably  known  in  this  community 
for  his  integrity  and  uprightness  as  a  man  and  mechanic,  has  survived  the 
wreck  and  ruin  of  the  late  war,  and  is  now  prepared  to  resume  his  business  of 
manufacturing  his  portable  Pecker  Saw  Mill,  which  was  held  in  high  estima- 
tion, and  was  extensively  used  by  our  farmers  before  our  civil  commotions  com- 
menced.    See  his  advertisement. 


Wheat  Drill. 

We  offer  the  following  suggestions  from  "  The  Roanoke  Valley  "  to  the  con- 
sideration of  our  farmers  who  have  not  yet  decided  upon  their  mode  of  seed- 
ing wheat  this  Fall : 

Use  a  Drill  in  Sowing  Wheat. — It  is  the  universal  testimony  of  all  farmers 
who  have  tried  it,  that  the  use  of  a  drill  saves  time,  labor,  seed,  and  money, 
does  the  work  better,  makes  the  grain  less  apt  to  fall,  more  apt  to  ripen  regu- 
larly, heavier,  and  produce  more  to  the  acre.  We  have  no  doubt  that  if  one 
was  introduced  here  it  would  be  extensively  patronized.  We  learn  that  Col. 
Dechart,  in  Halifax  county,  has  two  wheat  drills  which  he  hires  out,  and  they 
are  engaged  for  the  whole  season.     Money  is  scarce,  but  if  ten  or  twelve  or 


640  THE  SOUTHERN  [October 

fifteen  of  our  farmers  would  club  funds  and  purchase  one,  each  man  would  get 
the  value  of  his  investment  back  in  one  year.  We  will  give  any  information 
on  the  subject  or  you  can  send  to  H.  M.  Smith  &  Co  ,  Richmond,  Ya.,  and  get 
their  catalogue  free,  which  will  tell  you  all  about  them. 


Baltimore  and  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society. 

A  week  spent  in  Baltimore  in  behalf  of  our  old  war-worn  State  Agricultural 
Society  yielded  but  little  fruit.  We  did  not  approach  the  good  people  of  Bal- 
timore as  suppliants,  but  desired  that,  by  becoming  life  members  of  the  So- 
ciety, they  should  give  expression  of  their  interest  in  us,  and  their  appreciation 
of  i-ur  efforts  in  behalf  of  them,  as  well  as  the  non-producers  of  our  own  State. 

We  had  the  pleasure  of  enrolling  the  following  well  known  names  am  ng 
our  membership,  and  take  pleasure  in  honoring  those  who  have  honored  us  : 

Life  Members. — Wm.  Devries.  Esq  ,  President  Maryland  State  Agricultural 
Society  ;  Colonel  James  R.  Herbert,  of  the  firm  of  Herbert  &  H  iirstone  :  0.  F. 
Bresee,  Esq.,  of  the  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company;  Wm.  Koahe,  E-q..  of 
the  fi-m  of  Knabe  &  Co.;  Wm.  L  Buckingham,  E<q.,  Agent  of  the  Bickford  & 
Huffman  Drill;  Gustavus  Ober,  E-q.,  manufacturer  of  Fertilzers;  annual 
member  John  Merryman,  Esq.,  one  of  the  most  extensive  stock  breeders  in 
Maryland. 

We  hope  this  list  may  yet  be  materially  increased,  as  we  cannot  but  think 
that  there  are  many  public  spirited  Baltimoreans  who  will  add  their  names  to 
those  already  enrolled. 

We  are  gratified  to  learn  that  the  contributions  from  citizens  of  Baltimore  to 
the  LvLchburg  Fair  reach  $1700.  This  is  in  striking  contrast  with  six  life 
and  one  annual  membership  to  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society. 


Daring  a  recent  visit  to  Philadelphia  as  an  attendant  upon  the  session  of  the 
American  Pomological  Society,. we  were  struck  with  the  spirit  of  urbanity  and 
kindness  towards  Southerners  that  was  everywhere  displayed.  In  every  de- 
partment of  business  there  seemed  to  be  signs  of  approaching  activity — mer- 
chants were  opening  stocks,  and  the  retailers  were  all  busy  displaying  their 
most  be&utiful  styles  to  the  throng  of  strangers  in  the  city.  We  were  most  favor- 
ably impressed  with  the  establishment  of  Mr.  John  Wanamaker.  818  and  820 
Chesnut  street,  one  of  the  largest  clothing  houses  in  the  country.  Although  ours 
was  more  a  visit  of  pleasure  (for  we  love  to  look  at  good  clothes,)  and  curiosity 
than  business,  we  were  not  only  treated  with  politeness,  but  kindness,  and 
were  shown  over  the  entire  establishment,  which  was  filled  with  every  article 
that  could  be  desired  in  this  line.  Our  friends  who  visit  Philadelphia  should 
call  and  see  Wanamaker. 


A  Request. — I  hope  the  preachers  and  all  others  who  feel  an  interest  in  the 
publication  of  "  Memorials  uf  Methodism  in  Virginia,"  will  give  :heir  aid  in 
securing  subscribers  to  the  work.  If  the  enterprise  were  brought  to  the  no- 
tice of  our  congregations,  a  tar^e  number  of  subscribers  might  be  secured.  As 
some  inducement  to  canvass  for  the  book,  I  offer  a  copy  gratis  to  any  one  who 
will  send  a  list  of  fifteen  responsible  names.  It  is  very  desirable  to  secure  a 
list  sufficiently  large  to  justify  me  in  putting  the  work  to  press  at  an  early  day. 

W.  W.  Bennett. 


THE  SOUTHERN 

PLANTER  &  FARMER. 


DEVOTED  TO 


Agriculture,  Horticulture  and  the  Mining,  Mechanic  and  Household  Arts. 


Agriculture  is  the  nursing  mother  of  the  Arts.—  Xesophon. 
Tillage  and  Pasturage  are  the  two  breasts  of  the  State.— Scxly. 


CEI:   B.  WILLIAMS Editor  and  Proprietor. 

FRANK  G.  BOFFIN Co-Editor. 


New  Scries.  RICHMOND,  VA.,  NOVEMBER  1869.  Vol.  III-No.  11. 

Dr.  Voelcker's  Chemical  Investigations  in  1868. 

In  a  lecture  delivered  by  Dr.  Voelcker,  in  May  last,  at  the  rooms 
of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England,  we  find  reported 
some  remarkable  results  of  field  experiments  instituted  at  his  in- 
stance, and  especially  interesting  in  regard  to  nitrogenous  manures 
applied  to  clover,  and  the  value  of  clover  fallow  as  the  best  prepa- 
ration for  w'neat.  We  submit  them  to  the  careful  study  of  our  read- 
ers, and  commend  them  to  their  early  attention : 

"  Let  me  give  you  a  brief  account  of  some  of  the  field  experiments 
which  have  been  carried  on  for  a  number  of  years,  chiefly  bv  former 
pupils  of  mine,  who  are  now  members  of  a  club  which  may  be  called 
the  field  club  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  College,  at  Cirencester. 
That  is  a  club  in  the  proceedings  of  which  I  take  much  interest ; 
because,  as  I  have  intimated,  it  includes  many  of  my  former  pupils, 
men  who  are  rising  in  the  agricultural  world,  and  who  are  willing 
and  qualified  to  make  trustworthy  and  useful  practical  field  experi- 
ments. Now  I  would  refer  especially  to  a  series  of  experiments  of 
clover  seeds  and  on  clover,  some  of  the  results  of  which  were  pub- 
lished in  the  last  part  of  the  Journal  of  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  of  England.  Without  wearying  you  with  many  details,  I 
would  allude  to  a  series  of  experiments  carried  out  in  the  years 
VOL.   Ill — 41 


642  THE    SOUTHERN  [November 

1  *■:"-•:?.  a:   Escrick   Park   Home  Farm,  Dear  York,  by  my  Friend 

and  former  colleague,  Mr.  Coleman.*  In  all  my  field  experi- 
ments, I  ^iy  remark,  the  same  manuring  substances,  or  their  mix- 
tures, were  employed  in  the  several  localities  in  which  the  experi- 
ments were  tried.  They  were  the  following  ^Nitrate  f  soda  sul- 
phate of  ammonia,  mineral  superphosphate,  common  salt,  mur: 
of  potash,  sulphate  of  potash,  and  sulphate  of  lime.  I  am  always 
eful  to  have  two  plots  on  which  no  manure  is  used.  In  pre.  Qg 
years  I  tried  these  various  su:  -:  a  upon  heavy  soils  ;  one  of  the 
objects  which  I  had  especially  in  view  being  to  ascertain  under  what 
circumstances  the  artificial  supply  of  potash  was  attended  i 
practical  benefit  to  the  farmer.  Speaking  generally,  I  may  say,  the 
result  was  not  favorable  to  the  artificial  supply  of  potash  on  most 
of  the  heavy  soils.  In  the  majority  of  cases  the  increase  of  pro- 
duce was  not  sufficiently  s:.:king  to  re]  the  greater  portion  of 
the  outlay  attending  the  purchase  of  potash  manure  ;  while  in  many 
instances  I  could  see  no  beneficial  effect  whatever  resulting  from  the 
application  of  potash  manures  to  heavy  land.  Now,  if  we  look  at 
the  chemical  composition  of  clays  of  a  better  description,  we  shall 
find  that  most  of  them  abound  in  silicate  of  potash,  and  under  the 
decomposing  influence  of  atmospheric  action  they  readily  yield  solu- 
ble potash.  Indeed,  in  some  of  the  experiments,  the  results  of 
which  I  published  some  time  back  in  the  Journal,  on  :  of 

er  passing  through  the  soil,  it  appeared  that  some  kinds  of  1: 
manure — very  dilute,  liquid  manure,  containing  but  little  potash — 
in  passing  through  clay  soils,  actually  became  charged  with  potash, 
the  drainage  waters  :  Mseasing  more  rotash  than  the  liquid  manure 
contained  in  its  natural  condition.  This  shows  cle  j  that  on  cer- 
tain clay  soils  the  application  of  potash  manure  is  not  desirable.  I 
here  alluie  ::.:  re  e»:  e  ':'..-.'.'. y  : :   ;■_:  ::::-.::.:   ;-_e  —  ±  ->e 

tie  word  ''excellent"  in  ■  purely  chemical  point  of  view — of  Mr. 
Ifechi'a  farm  at  Kptree.  Mr.  Mechi  had  to  deal  with  a  very  un- 
pn:  Iset  e  clay  soil;  but  as  it  is  full  of  mineral  matters,  he  found 
t he  more  he  worked  his  land  the  better  became  his  crops.  In  his 
c^se  there  was  actually  more  potash  removed  from  the  land  by  i 
ing  the  tank  liquid  through   the   soil   than  was   contained  in   that 

jid  itself.     Here  we   have   a  ready  explanation  of  the  fact,  that 
i  .  _•    :  |  ;         irtificial  supply  of  potash  is  not  attended  with 

any  benefit  to  the  person  Being  ::.     I  have,  :herefore,  been  am 
during  the  last  year  or  two  to  try  experiments,  mainly  in  light  soils, 

*  5^;    '.  ::::t:  N:.  5:j:   ■:--.  P..  ;:■-  j-.i  F--~it-.  -.-■:-  -577. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  6±\ 


and  a  capital  opportunity  was  afforded  for  this  purpose  in  the  case 
of  the  extremely  poor  soil  of  the  Home  Farm,  belonging  to  Lord 
Wenlock.     I  gave  the  analysis  of  this  soil  in  the  Journal     It  there 
appeared  that  the  soil  contained  as  much  as  yi.8  (that  is,  nearly  92) 
per  cent,  of  quartz  sand,  an   exceedingly  small  quantity  of  potash, 
a  mere  trace   of  phosphoric   acid,  and   very  little   lime.     That  soil 
was  ascertained  to  be  poor  in   every  description   of  mineral  matter 
which  is  necessary  to  bring  agricultural  produce  to  perfection  ;  but 
I  had  the  gratification   of  finding  that  on  such  a  soil  the  supply  of 
the  mineral  food  required  for  the   clover  crop   is  attended  with  the 
most  beneficial  results.     Incidentally  I  had  occasion    to  make  some 
observations  with  respeet  to  the  utility  of  nitrogenous  manures  ;  and 
I  believe  that  such  manures   will   prove  very  useful  to  the  practical 
farmer   who   has   frequently   to   deal    with    a   variety  of  soils,   and 
ought,  therefore,  to  be  in   a  position    to  judge  what  description  of 
manure  is  best  suited  to  particular  classes  of  soils.    Now,  reverting 
to  the  experiments  which  were  made  at  Escrick,  I  find  that  whilst 
common  salt — that  is,  chloride  of  sodium— had  no  effect  on  the  pro- 
duce, muriate   of  potash — that   is,   the   compound  of  chlorine  with 
potassium — materially  increased  it.     Soda  is  frequently  a  mere  ac- 
cidental constituent,  which,  in  the  form  of  chloride  of  sodium,  indi- 
rectly  tends   to   introduce  food   into   the   vegetable   organism,  but 
which,  in  its  turn,  is  eliminated  from  the  ripe  produce.     I  find  that 
chloride  of  sodium   circulates   in  many  plants,  but  that  it  does  not 
enter  into   the   chemical  composition   of  the  perfected  seed  of  the 
plant.     In  perfectly  ripe  wheat  you  will  find  no  chloride  of  sodium  ; 
in  perfectly  ripe  beans  and  seeds,  and  many  other   plants,  you  find 
hardly  any  chloride  of  sodium;  while  this  substance  circulates  very 
freely  in  the  green  plant,  and  is  productive  of  very  great  advantage 
to  the  general  condition  of  the  vegetation.      The    case  is,  however 
different  as  regards  potash.     Potash   enters  into  actual   union  with 
many  parts  of  plants,  and  it   is   absolutely  necessary  to  bring  the 
plant  to  perfection.   To  show  you  the  difference  between  the  physio- 
logical effects  of  potash  and  soda  in  this  respect,  I  would  just  men- 
tion that,  whereas  you  can  wash  out  chloride  of  6odium  with  water 
from  a  substance  like  the  root  of  the  mangold,  or  the  leaf  of  the 
beet-root,  or   the   stalk   of  wheat,  cr  from   grassps,   you  cannot  re- 
move potash  so  as  to   show  its   presence  simply  by  the   mechanical 
process  of  washing;  you  cannot  prove  its  existence  before  you  have 
incinerated  the  plant,  destroyed  its  organic  structure,  and  thus  re- 
obtained  the  potash  in  the  ash.     It  has,  in  fact,  entered  into  an  or- 
ganic combination,  from  which  it  cannot  be  removed  by  the  mere 


G44  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 


mechanical  process  of  washing.  On  one  of  the  experimental  plots 
of  the  Escrick  Park  I  used  mineral  superphosphate  alone,  and,  to 
my  astonishment,  no  effect  whatever  was  produced  by  its  applica- 
tion This  is  an  interesting  result,  seeming,  as  it  does,  to  indicate 
that  the  great  deficiency  of  potash,  which  is  characteristic  of  the 
soil  in  that  experimental  field,  entirely  prevented  the  display  of  the 
usual  functions  which  we  know  perfectly  well  superphosphate  of 
lime  discharges  on  land  of  a  better  character  than  that  at  Escrick. 
The  superphosphate  (or,  rather,  the  phosphoric  acid,)  in  that  ma- 
nure did  not  act,  simply  because  potash  was  not  present  to  form 
part  of  the  substance  of  the  clover  plant.  You  can,  I  think,  readily 
understand  that.  Place  before  a  man  all  the  dry  food  which  tends 
to  entice  the  appetite,  and  at  the  same  time  withhold  from  him 
drink,  and  you  will  find  that  he  cannot  assimilate  the  dry  food.  You 
may  give  him  every  description  of  dry  food  that  can  tempt  him  to 
eat,  but  if  you  keep  from  him  for  any  long  time  that  unimportant 
substance,  as  we  are  too  apt  to  consider  it — though  it  is,  in  fact,  a 
most  essential  thing — water,  he  will  ultimately  perish.  Potash  is 
non-essential  as  regards  many  clay  soils,  because  many  clay  soils 
contain  abundance  of  potash  ;  but  it  is  most  essential  on  poor  sandy 
soils,  because,  generally  speaking,  these  soils  are  very  deficient  in 
the  necessary  amount  of  potash  which  is  required  to  bring  clover 
crops,  and  I  may  also  say  root  crops,  to  perfection.  The  mixture 
of  potash,  salts,  and  superphosphate,  yielded  the  largest  weight  of 
clover  and  rye  grass,  per  acre,  which  was  obtained  on  any  of  the 
experimental  plots.  Further,  it  was  astonishing  to  notice  that  not 
only  was  the  weight  of  the  first  cutting  larger  in  the  case  of  this 
particular  plot  than  on  any  of  the  others,  but  the  second  cutting 
also  yielded  a  much  larger  quantity.  Let  me  give  you  the  actual 
figures  as  respects  the  produce  on  these  particular  plots.  With  no 
manure  whatever  the  soil  yielded  per  acre  of  fresh  clover  8  tons,  5 
cwt.,  40  lbs;  mineral  phosphates  alone  gave  8  tons,  4  cwt.,  12  lbs. 
Thus  there  was  actually  a  rather  smaller  result;  but  then  you  must 
make  allowance  for  variations  of  soil  in  the  field,  and  avoid  thinking 
too  much  of  small  differences  of  results.  Practically  speaking,  the 
produce  was  the  same  in  the  case  of  the  plot  manured  with  super- 
phosphate as  that  in  the  plot  which  had  no  manure.  The  extent  of 
these  plots  was  l-20th  of  an  acre  in  each  case,  but  the  yield  is  cal- 
culated at  so  much  per  acre.  Well,  muriate  of  potash  gave  9  tons, 
10  cwt.,  28  lbs.,  while  the  mixture  of  superphosphate  and  muriate 
of  potash  gave  13  tons,  15  cwt.,  40  lbs.,  showing  a  great  increase 
of  produce  above  that  of  the  unmanured  portion  of  the  field — that 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  645 


is,  in  the  total  amount  of  produce.     This  was  distributed  over  two 
cuttings.     The  first  cutting  from   mineral  superphosphate  and  mu- 
riate  of  potash   gave   9   tons  ;  the   second   cutting  nearly  5  tons ; 
whereas  the  first  cutting  on  the  unmanured  portion  of  the  field  gave 
5  tons,  9  cwt  ,  72  lbs.,  and  the  second  one  only  2  tons,  15  cwt.,  80 
lbs.     Thus,  you  will  observe  that,  although  through  the  application 
of  manure,  a  larger  amount  of  produce  was   obtained,  yet  the  agri- 
cultural condition  of  the  land   after  the  application   of  superphos- 
phate and  potash  was  better  than   it  was  when  no  manure  whatever 
was  applied.     On  the  other  hand,  I  find  that  nitrate  of  soda  had  an 
unmistakable  tendency  to  exhaust  the  soil  of  both  the  plots  in  which 
it  was  used,  the  second   cutting  weighing  less  than  that  of  the  un- 
manured plot.     It  is  true  that  the  first  cutting  weighed  rather  more 
than  that  of  the  unmanured   plot;    but  the  second  actually  weighed 
less,  showing  clearly  that  nitrate  of  soda  has  an  exhausting  effect, 
which   tells   badly  on   poor  land,  and  that  this   effect  is  produced 
rapidly.     From  these  experiments  we  may  learn  that  nitrate  of  soda 
alone,  or  even  in  combination  with  superphosphate,  should  not  be 
used  as  a  top-dressing  for  artificial  grasses  on  very  poor  sandy  soils, 
not  even  with  superphosphate,  because  it  does  not  supply  the  need- 
ful  aikali  potash.     Indeed,  nitrate   of  soda,  and,  to  a  considerable 
extent,  at  least,  ammomacal  salts,  are   the  worst  manures  that  can 
be  used  on  poor  soils.     They  tend  rapidly  to   the  complete  exhaus- 
tion of  such  soils,  aud  do  serious  injury  to  the  land,  while  they  do 
not  even  benefit  the  tenant-farmer  who   may  apply  them  for  a  sea- 
son with  the  view  of  obtaining  a  very  large  produce.    On  very  poor 
sandy  soils  not  only  do  purely  nitrogenous  manures  rapidly  exhaust 
the  land,  but   the  produce  also   becomes  very  inferior.     My  friend 
Mr.  Coleman  was  so  much  struck  with  the  appearance  of  a  particu- 
lar field  that    he  asked    me   to   go  down   and  inspect  it.     T  did  go 
down,  and  I  must  say  that  never  in  my  life  was  I  more  struck  with 
the  aspect  of  a  field  which   had   been    manured  with  these  different 
fertilizing  agents.   On  the  land  manured  for  clover  with  sulphate  of 
ammonia  and  nitrate  of  soda  there  was  not  a  plant  of  clover  to  be 
seen,  and,  quite   contrary  to   my  expectation,  the   true  grasses,  the 
Italian  rye  grass,  etc.,  which  should  have  been  very  luxuriant  after 
the  first  cutting,  were  quite  wanting.     The   land  was,  in  fact,  com- 
pletely burnt  up.     I  should  have  thought  that  the  soil  would  stimu- 
late the  growth  of  Italian   rye  grass,  and  that  a  second  crop  would 
grow  luxuriantly ;  but,   contrary    to   my  previous  expectations,  not 
even  rye  grass  would   grow— clearly  showing  that,  although  ammo, 
niacal  manures  may  be  very  useful  for  the  production  of  grass  and 


6±6  THE    SOUTHERN  [November 

corn  crops  under  many  circumstances,  yet  they  are  not  useful  when 
there  is  an  insufficient  supply  of  mineral  food  in  the  land,  and  that 
the  poorer  the  land  is  the  more  rapidly  it  becomes  unproductive 
when  salts  of  ammonia  alone  are  applied,  even  as  regards  those 
plants  which  in  the  ordinary  course  of  farming  are  decidedly  bene- 
fited by  the  u;e  of  ammoniacal  salts  or  nitrate  of  soda.  In  fact, 
the  application  of  nitrogenous  manures  in  this  case  evidently  tended 
to  the  complete  exhaustion  of  the  land.  On  the  other  hand,  I  was 
struck  with  the  remarkable  effects  which  potash,  applied  in  conjunc- 
tion with  phosphatic  manures,  produced  upon  the  clover  plant.  You 
could  see  to  a  line  where  the  potash  and  superphosphate  had  been 
used.  There  the  clover  plant  was  growing  luxuriantly  and  healthy, 
and  keeping  in  check  the  Italian  rye  grass  with  which  it  had  been 
sown.  So  much,  then,  with  regard  to  these  experiments.  I  will 
not  detain  you  by  referring  to  similar  experiments  which  were  made 
last  season.  I  will  only  observe  that  they  fully  confirm  the  results 
of  the  experiments  of  the  preceding  season,  and  at  the  same  time 
show  that  in  very  dry  seasons  it  is  most  desirable  to  apply  saline 
manures  sparingly,  and  also  to  apply  them  early  in  the  spring.  Al- 
low me  to  impress  upon  you,  that  when  you  apply  top-dressings  to 
pasture,  or  to  artificial  grasses,  or  to  cereal  crops — wheat,  oats,  or 
even  barley — you  should  apply  them  early  in  the  spring,  in  order 
that  the  manure  may  have  a  chance  of  getting  thoroughly  distrib- 
uted through  the  soil  by  being  washed  into  it.  I  tried  similar  ex- 
periments on  clover — a  mixture  of  clover  seeds  of  different  kinds 
being  sown  without  rye  grass  or  any  other  grass  seeds.  The  experi- 
ments in  that  case  were  undertaken  by  Mr.  Kimber  (a  former  pupil 
of  mine),  on  land  which  was  naturally  rather  poor,  but  which  had 
been  done  extremely  well.  The  clover  was  sown  in  the  preceding 
year  with  a  barley  crop  coming  after  a  good  crop  of  swedes,  being 
well  manured  with  dung  and  drilled  in  with  3  cwt.  per  acre  of 
superphosphate  of  lime,  and  fed  off  by  sheep.  In  consequence  of  the 
applications  of  good  dressings  of  farm-yard  manure,  of  the  artifi- 
cials used  for  the  turnip  crop,  and  of  the  feeding  off  the  swedes  by 
sheep,  with  corn  being  given  to  them  at  the  same  time,  the  soil 
Beems  to  have  been  in  excellent  agricultural  condition.  Neither  ni- 
trate of  soda  nor  sulphate  of  ammonia  produced  any  effect  on  the 
clover;  and  that  appears  to  indicate  either  that  the  land  must  have 
been  in  an  excellent  agricultural  condition,  as  I  believe  it  was,  or 
that  the  clover  plant  is  not  benefited  by  nitrogenous  manures.  On 
this  latter  point  we  have  no  conclusive  evidence.  I  have  been  ex- 
tremely anxious  to  ascertain  under  what  circumstances,  if  any,  am- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  647 


moniacal  salts,  or  nitrogenous  organic  substances,  or  nitrates,  bene- 
fit the  leguminous  tribes  of  plants.     Some   years  ago  I  made  some 
experiments   which   seemed  to   indicate   that   nitrogenous  manures 
have  no   beneficial  effect   on   the   clover  tribes,  and  probably  none 
either  on  other  leguminous  plants.     At  any  rate,  I  could  never  see 
where  sulphate  of  ammonia  had  been  applied  to  clover,  nor  could  I 
notice  any  beneficial  result  from  the  application  of  ammoniacal  salts 
to  peas  and  beans ;  whereas  I  could  perceive  minutely  the  effects  of 
nitrogenous  manures  when  they  had   been   applied  to  wheat  or  bar- 
ley, or  any  of  the   graminaceous  family  of  plants.     I  was   anxious, 
therefore,  to  ascertain  whether  nitrogenous  manures  have  any  effect 
on  clover.     In  the  experiments  which  were  conducted  by  Mr.  Kim- 
ber,  at  Tabney  Warren,  near  Abingdon,  the  nitrate  of  soda  and  the 
sulphate  of  ammonia  had  no  beneficial  effect  whatever  on  the  clover. 
At  the  present  time  the  Scientific  Committee  of  the  Horticultural 
Society    is    engaged    in    making    experiments     on    special    plants. 
Amongst  these  are  several  varieties  of  clover  on  which  we  intend  to 
try  the  effect   of  ammoniacal   salts  alone,  and  of  various  mixtures, 
and  I  hope  the  result  will   be   to   bring  out  some  useful  information 
on  the  subject.     It  is  sometimes  difficult  to  conduct  experiments  on 
a  large  scale  with  sufficient  scientific  precision  ;  I  therefore  strongly 
recommend  the  Committee  of  the  Horticultural  Society  to  institute 
some  experiments  in  boxes.     A  number  of  boxes  are  now  set  out  at 
Chiswick,  and  I  hope  that  on   a  future   occasion  I  shall  be  able  to 
give  you  the  results  of  the  observations  which  we  are  makino-  there 
with  respect  to  the  peculiar  action  of  some  special  fertilizing  agents, 
such  as  potash  and  nitrate  of  soda.      So  much,  then,  with  regard  to 
the  field  investigations  which  occupied  so  much  of  my  attention  dur- 
ing the  last  season.     In    close   connection  with   these  field  experi- 
ments I  have  undertaken  to  investigate  the   causes   of  the  benefits 
which  result  from  growing  clover  as  a  preparatory  crop  for  wheat. 
It  is  well  known  to  most  practical  farmers  that  if  they  can  succeed 
in  growing  a  good  crop  of  clover  they   are  almost   certain  to  get  a 
good  paying  crop  of  wheat.     You  see  how   all  agricultural  matters 
depend  upon  each  other.     If  we  can  by  chemical  means  enable  the 
Farmer,  on  land  which  otherwise  would  not  grow  clover,  to  produce 
a  good  crop  of  clover,  we  shall  thus  place  him  in  the  very  best  posi- 
tion for  afterwards  obtaining  paying  crops  of  corn.    I  have  come  to 
the   conclusion    that   the  very  best   preparation,  the   very  best  ma- 
nure, if  you  will  allow  me  thus  to  express  myself,  is  a  good  crop  of 
clover.     Now,  at  first  sight  nothing  seems  more  contradictory  than 
to  say  that  you  can  remove  a  very   large   quantity  of  both  mineral 


m  THE    SOUTHERN  [November 

and  _  :..  :  food  from  the  soil,  and  yet  make  it  more  productive,  as 
in  :':.         -  .     Nevertheless  it  is  a  fact,  that    the  larg 

amount  of  mineral  matter  you  remove  in  a  crop  of  ;nd  the 

larger  the  amount  of  nitrogen  which  is  carried  off  in  clover  hay.  the 
the  land   beeoc  lea.     Now   here   is   really  a  hemioal 

anomaly  which  cannot  iscarded,  and  invi     -      :r  investigation; 

I  it  is  an  invt;  ich  has  occupied  my  attention,  I  may 

Bay,  for  more  than  ten  ip  in  my  leisure  k: 

in  I  live  In   the   paper  which   I   published  in 

the  Journal  last  year,  you  will  find  analyses  of  clover  r 
clover   soils  on  the   College   Farm   ar  Chemists  are 

much  in  the  same  position  as  painters ;  we  cannot  finish  a  work  off- 
hand at  once;  we  tak  jn  leave  it  foi  me.  We 
then  take  it  again;  just  a  the  sura  to  add  to  our 
:  ike  up  new  uiitr^r  and  make  it  the  subject  of  in- 
igation.  Now  this  clover  ii  ion  has  very  much  interested 
me  for  a  gi  :  numl  .:  yi  its;  but  only  during  the  las 
have  I  been  able  to  bring  it  to  anything  like  completion,  so  as  tho- 
roughly to  explain  the  strange  anomaly  .  :ed  to  us  in 
the  growth  of  el.'-,  u  a  pn  ratory  crop  for ^  -expla- 
nation is  very  aim]  .  though  puzzling  when  you  know  not  the 
chemical  points  .:  are  involved  in  the  investig ation.  I  cannot 
den  tification  of  showing  to  you,  in  a  few  figures, 
that,  in  a  thorough  chemical  point  c:  .  is  the  most  ex- 
hausting crop  that  you  -ibly  groi  st  in  a  thor: 
practical  point  of  view,  it  is  the  most  rest:  r:>p.  and  I 
preparation  for  wheat  that  you  can  possibly  gre  Now  if  we  ex- 
am"; ken  from  the  land  in  the  shape  of  clo  nail 
find  that,  assuming  an  acre  of  land  to  yield  four  tons  of  clover  hay, 
these  four  tons  of  clover  hay  will  remove  072  lbs.  of  mineral  consti- 
tuents, and  not  less  than  224  lbs.  of  nitrogen,  which  is.  equal  to  '2~2 

.  of  ammonia.  Four  tons  of  clover  hay,  the  produce  of  one 
acre,  must  contain  a  large  amount  of  nitrogen,  and  remove  from  the 
soil  an  enormous   quantity   of  mineral   matters   abounding  in  lime, 

ish,  and  also  much  phosphoric  acid.  Now,  comparing  what  is 
removed  by  a  crop  of  wheat,  we  find  that,  in  a  el  re- 

move fully  three  times  as  much  of  mineral  matter,  and  a  great  deal 
more,  six  times  as  much,  I  believe,  of  nitrogen,  as  we  do  in  a  crop 
of  wheat.     1 "he  1  >tal  amount,  to  give  the  exact  fig  I    mineral 

matters  removed  in  an  average  crop  of  wheat  amounts  to  175  lbs. 
an  acre:  that  is,  1  king  in  both  the  grain  and  the  straw,  the  total 
amount  of  nitrogen  removed  in  the  grain  of  wheat  amounts  to  only 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND    FARMER.  649 


26.7  lbs.  per  acre  (not  quite  27  lbs."),  and  in  the  straw  of  wheat  19.2 
lbs.;  or  in  both  together  46  lbs.  of  nitrogen,  which  is  only  about 
one-fifth  of  the  nitrogen  contained  in  the  produce  of  an  acre  of  clo- 
ver. We  should,  therefore,  naturally  expect  that  clover,  which  re- 
d  3  bo  much  more  nitrogen  from  the  soil,  would  be  greatly  bene- 
fited by  the  application  of  nitrogenous  manures  ;  but  the  reverse  is 
the  case.  Wheat,  it  is  well  known,  is  benefited  by  the  application 
of  nitrogenous  matters,  but  not  clover.  On  the  other  hand,  clover 
is  benefited  by  mineral  manures  ;  and  at  the  same  time  it  leaves  the 
land  even  in  a  better  condition  in  this  respect  for  the  succeeding 
corn  crop  than  it  is  without  the  intervention  of  clover.  I  believe  a 
vast  amount  of  mineral  manure  is  brought  within  reach  of  the  corn 
crop  by  growing  clover.  It  is  rendered  available  to  the  roots  of 
the  corn  crop,  while  otherwise  it  would  remain  in  a  locked-up  con- 
dition in  the  soil,  if  no  recourse  were  had  to  the  introduction  of  the 
clover  crop.  Clover,  by  means  of  its  long  roots,  penetrates  a  large 
mas-;  of  soil.  It  gathers  up,  so  to  speak,  the  phosphoric  acid  and 
the  potash  which  are  disseminated  throughout  a  large  portion  of  the 
soil;  and  when  the  land  is  ploughed  the  roots  are  left  in  the  sur- 
face, and  in  decaying  they  leave  in  an  available  condition  the  mine- 
ral substances  which  the  wheat  plant  requires  to  enable  it  to  grow. 
Although  in  clover  hay  these  mineral  matters  are  removed  in  great 
quantity,  yet  the  store  of  mineral  food  that  we  have  in  six  or  twelve 
inches  of  soil  is  so  great  that  it  is  utterly  insignificant  in  compari- 
son with  what  remains  ;  in  other  words,  the  quantity  of  mineral 
matter  which  is  rendered  available  and  fit  for  the  use  of  the  suc- 
ceeding corn  crop  is  very  much  larger  than  the  quantity  which  is 
removed  in  the  clover  hav.  But  the  accumulation  of  nitrogen  after 
the  growth  of  clover  in  the  soil  is  extremely  large.  Even  when  the 
clover  crop  is  insignificant  a  large  quantity  of  nitrogen  amounting 
to  tons  is  accumulated  in  the  surface  soil,  and  the  better  the  clover 
crop  the  greater  is  the  accumulation  of  nitrogen.  In  one  of  my 
experiments  I  tried  to  determine  the  amount  of  nitrogen  which  is 
left  in  the  portion  of  the  field  where  the  clover  was,  comparatively 
speaking,  poor,  and  I  found  that  on  the  brow  of  the  hill  in  that 
field,  for  it  had  a  considerable  declivity,  the  clover  was  weak,  the 
produce  to  an  acre  being  1  ton,  11  cwt.,  99  lbs.;  whilst  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  hill,  where  the  clover  was  stronger,  there  being  more 
soil,  it  was  2  tons,  2  cwt.,  61  lbs.  Observe,  too,  that  at  the  bottom 
of  the  field  the  wheat  was  always  better.  Now,  it  is  in  virtue,  I 
believe,  of  this  accumulation  of  nitrogen  that  the  wheat  grew  so 
much  more  luxuriantly.     I   had   another   experiment  tried  two  sea- 


650  THE    SOUTHERN  [November 

Bona  ago  upon  land  on  which  clover  grew  tolerably  well.  The  ex- 
periments to  which  I  refer  were  tried  at  Leighton  Buzzard,  upon 
the  farm  of  Mr.  Robert  Valentine.  "We  had  a  capital  field  of  clover, 
and  I  thought  I  should  have  a  good  opportunity  of  ascertaining 
whether  there  was  more  nitrogen  accumulated  in  the  soil  after  the 
clover  crop  was  cut  twice,  or  whether  more  was  accumulated  when 
the  clover  was  mown  once,  and  then  allowed  to  run  to  seed.  At 
first  sight  you  would  think  that  the  land  was  in  a  worse  condition 
when  the  crop  is  grown  for  seed.  We  know,  indeed,  that  this  is 
generally  the  case ;  but  in  the  case  of  clover  we  have  a  remarkable 
exception  to  this  rule ;  and  I  find,  on  looking  into  this  matter,  that, 
after  growing  clover  for  seed,  a  very  much  larger  quantity  of  nitro- 
gen remains  in  the  surface  soil,  in  the  first  six  inches  of  soil  as  well 
as  in  the  second  six  inches,  than  when  the  clover  is  mown  twice.  I 
have  ascertained  that  when  you  feed  off  clover  by  sheep,  when  it  is 
still  young,  and  everything  is  returned  to  it  as  it  is  removed  from 
it,  the  land  is  in  a  worse  condition  than  when  you  take  off  the  clover 
hay.  This  is  an  anomaly.  You  say  it  is  against  all  principle  and 
against  all  reason.  But  whe>n  you  see  positive  evidence  in  our 
fields,  I  think  no  scientific  man  has  a  right  to  say  that  it  is  against 
all  reason  and  against  all  principle.  It  is  certainly  not  against 
fact.  All  who  are  practically  acquainted  with  the  subject  must 
have  seen  that  wheat  invariably  grows  less  luxuriantly  when  you 
feed  it  off  quite  young,  and  that  the  best  crop  of  wheat  is  produced 
when  you  grow  clover  for  seed.  I  have  rej  eatedly  and  repeatedly 
seen  it.  Now,  if  I  had  been  always  shut  up  in  my  laboratory,  I 
should  never  have  seen  it  or  investigated  it.  I  should  have  followed 
in  the  track  of  those  scientific  men  who  so  frequently  turn  up  their 
noses  at  anything  they  cannot  understand,  or  that  they  think  un- 
scientific. Therefore,  the  men  who  make  the  practical  experiments 
must  be  wrong;  and  they  must  be  right.  Now,  I  think  this  is  a 
proceeding  which  cannot  be  commended.  "V\  hen  we  see  a  plain 
matter  of  fact,  our  simple  business  is  to  investigate  it  carefully  and 
conscientiously.  Then  we  shall  find  frequently,  as  I  have  found  in 
other  departments  of  chemical  investigations — I  allude  to  my  inves- 
tigations in  farm-yard  manure — that  a  practice  which  is  at  first 
sight  contrary  to  all  theory,  at  least  with  what  we  call  theory,  but 
not  against  true  science,  on  being  investigated,  is  found  to  agree 
perfectly  with  the  established  observations  of  good  agriculturists, 
and  that  there  are  really  good  causes  which  fully  explain  apparent 
anomalies  which  sometimes  are  very  puzzling.  Referring  to  those 
clover  investigations,  I  would  just  give  you  the  total  amount  of  ni- 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  651 

trogen  which  I  found  in  different  layers  of  soil  in  the  same  field, 
and  upon  one-half  of  which  the  clover  was  mown  twice,  and  upon 
the  second  half  of  which  the  clover  was  mown  only  once,  and  then 
left  for  seed.  The  percentage  of  nitrogen  in  the  clover  soil  twice 
mowed  for  the  first  six  inches  amounted  to  .168  ;  in  the  second  six 
inches  to  .092;  and  in  the  third  six  inches  to  .064.  Thus  you  see 
that  it  becomes  very  much  less  the  deeper  you  go  down.  The  ac- 
cumulation takes  place  chiefly  in  the  surface  soil,  and  I  believe  it  is 
principally  due  to  the  dropping  of  the  leaves.  When  we  grow  clover 
for  seed  those  leaves  continually  drop  and  enrich  the  surface  soil ; 
and  if  it  be  the  case,  which  I  think  is  likely,  that  the  clover  tribe 
of  plants  is  satisfied  with  the  ammonia  which  exists  in  the  atmos- 
phere, we  can  at  once  account  for  the  accumulation  of  nitrogen  in 
the  soil.  The  clover  plants  take  the  nitrogen  from  the  atmosphere 
and  manufacture  it  into  their  own  substance,  which,  on  decomposi- 
tion of  the  clover  roots  and  leaves,  produces  abundance  of  ammonia. 
In  reality,  the  growing  of  clover  is  equivalent,  to  a  great  extent,  to 
manuring  with  Peruvian  guano  ;  and  in  this  paper  of  mine  I  show 
that  you  obtain  a  larger  quantity  of  manure  than  in  the  largest  dose 
of  Peruvian  guano  which  a  farmer  would  ever  think  of  applying ; 
that  there  is  a  larger  amount  of  nitrogen  accumulated  in  the  first 
six  or  twelve  inches  of  soil  than  there  is  in  the  heaviest  dose  of  Pe- 
ruvian guano  that  any  person  would  think  of  using.  On  clover  soil 
once  mown  and  left  for  seed,  I  found  in  the  three  layers  of  soil  a 
larger  percentage  of  nitrogen  than  where  the  clover  was  mown 
twice.  In  the  first  six  inches  it  was  .189  ;  in  the  next  six  inches 
.134  ;  and  in  the  lowest  six  inches  .089.  Now  the  total  quantity  of 
nitrogen  calculated  per  acre  for  12  inches  of  soil  amounted  on  that 
portion  of  the  field  mown  twice  for  clover,  to  5,249^  lbs.;  whereas 
the  total  amount  of  nitrogen  in  12  inches  of  soil  on  that  portion  of 
the  field  which  was  mown  only  once  and  then  left  to  stand  for  seed, 
w*as  8,126J  lbs.;  thus  producing  an  excess  of  nifrogen  on  an  acre  of 
soil  12  inches  deep,  calculated  as  ammonia  on  the  part  of  the  field 
mown  once,  and  then  seeded,  amounting  to  3,592  lbs.  A  very  large 
quantity  of  nitrogen  was  accumulated  when  the  clover  was  left  for 
seed ;  and  the  total  amount  of  large  clover  roots  was  much  greater 
in  the  part  where  the  clover  was  grown  for  seed  ;  for  the  longer  it 
is  left  in  the  soil  the  more  the  roots  extend.  In  the  different  layers 
of  the  soil,  also,  in  every  instance  more  nitrogen  was  found  where 
the  clover  was  left  for  seed  than  where  it  was  twice  mown.  There 
was,  as  just  mentioned,  upon  one  acre  3,592  lbs.  more  ammonia  in 
the  land  where  the  clover  seed  was  grown  than  on  the  other  portion 


652  THE   SOUTHERN  [NovembeT 


where  the  clover  was  made  entirely  into  hay.  The  chemical  points 
brought  forward  in  the  course  of  this  inquiry  show  plainly  that  mere 
speculations  as  to  what  can  take  place  in  the  soil,  and  what  cannot, 
do  not  much  advance  the  true  theory  of  certain  agricultural  prac- 
tices. I  would  just  mention  that  it  is  only  by  carefully  investiga- 
ting subjects  like  the  one  under  consideration  that  positive  proofs  are 
given  showing  the  correctness  of  intelligent  observers  in  the  field. 
I  have  frequently  been  struck  with  the  remarkably  luxuriant  ap- 
pearance of  wheat  after  a  heavy  crop  of  clover  has  been  removed 
from  the  land.  I  at  first  doubted  it ;  but  at  last  I  was  obliged  to 
confess  that  it  invariably  follows  when  you  get  a  good  crop  of  clo- 
ver that  you  also  get  a  good  crop  of  wheat.  An  enormous  amount 
of  nitrogenous  organic  matter  is  left  in  the  land  after  the  removal 
of  the  clover  crop,  and  this  gradually  decays  and  furnishes  ammo- 
nia, which,  at  first,  during  the  colder  months  of  the  year,  is  retained 
by  the  well  known  absorbing  properties  which  all  good  wheat  soils 
possess.  An  investigation  which  I  have  now  in  hand,  however, 
shows  me  that  the  ammoniacal  salts  in  the  soil  are  rapidly  trans- 
formed into  nitrates.  Gradually,  the  oxidation  of  the  ammoniacal 
salts  which  are  produced  from  the  decomposition  of  the  clover  roots 
takes  place,  and  nitrates  are  eliminated;  but  the  benefit  that  we 
derive  from  the  growth  of  clover  is  very  much  greater  than  the 
benefit  that  we  can  derive  from  the  direct  application  of  nitrate  of 
soda,  because  if  we  use  nitrate  of  soda,  we  must  just  hit  upon  the 
right  point  when  it  will  be  beneficial  to  the  growing  crop.  If  there 
is  not  sufficient  rain  or  water  to  wash  the  nitrate  of  soda  into  the 
soil,  it  does  no  good,  but  rather  may  do  harm  by  burning  up  the 
land.  If  there  is  too  much  rain,  it  may  pass  into  the  drains.  Ni- 
trate of  SDda  is  not  retained  by  the  land — not  even  by  clay  soils. 
It  passes  through  them  as  through  a  sieve ;  therefore,  it  is  the  most 
precarious  kind  of  manure  that  you  can  use.  It  is  well  if  you  can 
hit  upon  the  right  time;  and  this  you  must  find  out  for  yourselves. 
By  observation  you  will  find  out  the  right  time  in  the  particular  lo- 
cality where  you  are  placed.  You  may  go  wrong  once,  but  for  a 
number  of  years  you  will  generally  hit  upon  the  right  time.  Speak- 
ing generally,  I  would  say  that  about  the  middle  of  February,  in 
most  localities,  is  the  right  time  for  the  application  of  nitrate  of 
soda;  but,  useful  as  nitrate  of  soda  may  be  in  some  special  cases,  I 
think  the  less  you  use  it  on  poor  soils  the  better.  I  should  like 
more  indirectly  to  accumulate  nitrogen  on  my  land,  and  not  go  to 
any  great  expense  in  buying  nitrate  of  soda  when  my  land  is  in 
poor  condition.     It  is  well  if  you  have  very  good  land,  but  under 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  653 


or  dinar j  circumstances  it  is  perhaps  better  nut  to  rely  upon  this 
source  <>f  supply.  Nitrate  of  soda  may  readily  be  washed  out:  but 
you  will  notiee  that  the  benefit:  that  yon  obtain  from  clover  roots  is, 
that  you  have  a  continuous  source  from  which  nitrates  can  be  pro- 
duced. It  does  not  matter  if  some  of  the  nitrates  pass  away  in  the 
drain  ;  you  have  an  enormous  accumulation  of  decaying  organic 
matter.  The  clover  roots  and  leaves  are  not  all  at  once  changed 
into  ammonia;  but  there  is  a  gradual  transformation  of  the  organic 
matter,  first,  into  ammcniacal  salts,  and  a  gradual  change  from  ara- 
moniaeal  salts  into  nitrates,  and  you  have  a  complete  series  of  chem- 
ical transformations  which  is  highly  conducive  to  the  gradual  de- 
velopment of  the  plant.  "Whereas,  by  using  nitrate  of  soda,  you 
run  the  risk  of  getting  it  washed  away  into  your  drains.  Thus, 
there  is  more  certainty  of  growing  a  good  crop  of  wheat  through  the 
instrumentality  of  clover  than  through  the  direct  supply  of  the  ni- 
trate of  soda.  These,  then,  are  the  chief  points  which  have  been 
established,  I  believe,  by  my  chemical  experiments  in  the  laboratory 
with  respect  to  the  chemical  history  of  the  clover  crop. — Journal 
X.   Y.  .State  Agricultural  Society. 


Carbolic  Acid. — A  Paris  correspondent  of  the  Rural  Jl 
says :  A  disinfectant,  which,  from  the  newness  of  its  employment 
may  be  called  a  fresh  discovery,  is  rapidly  coming  into  favor,  to  the 
exclusion  of  the  chloride  of  lime.  This  new  agent  is  carbolic  acid, 
or  impure  phenic  acid.  Chloride  of  lime  has  not  only  an  insup- 
portable odor,  but  rapidly  absorbs  the  humidity  of  the  atmosphere, 
losing  thereby  part  of  its  efficacy — nay.  more,  it  provokes  cough- 
ing, and  reacts  on  the  respiratory  organs.  In  well-ventilated  out- 
offices,  the  matter  is  not  serious,  but  in  buildings,  where  animals  are 
"cabin'd,  cribb'd,  confin'd,"  the  use  of  chloride  of  lime  becomes 
grave.  Carbolic  acid,  on  the  contrary,  presents  none  of  these  ob- 
jections, and  it  is  cheaper  ;  it  may  be  combined  with  lime,  and  used 
either  in  the  form  of  a  powder,  or  as  white-wash — the  latter  is  the 
best,  and  has  the  peculiar  effect  of  chasing  away  insects.  A  good 
way  to  prepare  it  is,  to  add  to  twenty  pounds  of  quick  lime  about 
three  pounds  of  the  acid — which  costs  about  twelve  sous  a  pound — 
when  a  pale,  rose-colored  powder  results.  To  make  the  white-wash 
it  is  best  to  add  a  pint  of  water,  immediately  after  employing  the 
acid,  pouring  mr>re  water  till  the  necessary  consistency  is  attained. 
I  may  remark  that  this  acid  forms  a  ''perfect  cure"  for  the  bites  of 
venomous  animals.  Dissolve  it  in  double  its  own  weight  of  spirits 
of  wine,  and  add  one  hundred  parts  of  water. — JLiropolitan 
Record. 


654  THE  SOUTHREN  [November 


Hints  on  Horse  Flesh. 

BY    DR.    LEMERCIER. 

As  five  years  are  required  for  the  completion  of  the  bone  struc- 
ture of  the  horse,  it  is  important  that  he  be  carefully  used  until 
that  age.  If  he  is  early  over-worked,  the  ligaments  which  unite 
his  one  hundred  and  thirty  bones  are  prevented  from  becoming  suf- 
ficiently fixed  to  the  frame,  and  he  is  dwarfed,  and  wears  out  or  dies 
long  before  reaching  the  full  twenty-five  years  which  should  be  the 
average  duration  of  his  life  and  vigor.  The  muscles  of  a  fine  horse 
ought  to  be  thick  and  very  long;  thickness  ensures  strength,  and 
length  an  extended  sweep  of  limb. 

Properly  constructed  harness  is  as  essential  to  the  comfort  of  a 
horse  as  easy  clothes  are  necessary  to  the  comfort  of  a  man.  If 
harness  is  not  well  fitted  to  the  form,  the  veins  are  compressed,  cir- 
culation is  retarded,  and  disease  ensues.  When  in  motion,  the 
horse  regulates  his  centre  of  gravity  by  using  his  head  and  neck. 
The  check-rein  is  therefore  inhuman  and  injurious. 

If  a  horse  is  compelled  to  run  when  his  head  is  held  in  a  vertical 
position,  the  gravity  is  thrown  too  far  back,  and  he  advances  with 
difficulty.  The  ears  may  be  called  indices  of  a  horse's  mind.  In- 
telligent animals  prick  up  their  ears  when  spoken  to — vicious  ones 
throw  their  ears  back.  A  blind  horse  directs  one  ear  forward  and 
one  backward,  and  in  a  deaf  horse  the  ears  are  without  expression. 

The  ears  of  the  horse  are  short  and  wide  apart,  the  eyes  are  well 
open,  and  the  forehead  is  broad.  A  broad  forehead  indicates  gool 
brain.  The  Arab  says  :  "  The  horse  must  have  the  flat  forehead, 
and  the  courage  of  a  bull."  The  horse  breathes  by  his  nose  and 
not  by  his  mouth ;  hence  the  nostrils  should  be  large,  so  the  fresh 
air  may  be  taken  freely.  Dealers  enlarge  the  nostrils  of  their 
horses  by  artificial  means.  The  mouth  of  a  young  horse  is  round  ; 
in  a^e  it  becomes  narrow  and  elongated. 

The  Arab  says,  in  speaking  of  his  horse:  "The  first  seven  years 
are  for  my  young  brother,  the  next  seven  for  myself,  and  the  last 
for  my  enemy." 

A  horse  has  only  one  jugular  vein,  a  man  has  three.  The 
withers  can  never  be  too  high;  the  higher  they  are  the  easier  the 
animal  travels.  The  loins  should  be  short,  the  chest  square,  and 
the  shoulders  well  developed.  The  veterinary  surgeon  who  said, 
<;  no  foot,  no  horse,"  was  perfectly  correct.  The  hoof  is  a  curious 
and  complicated  mechanism  ;  an  elastic  box,  which  expands  and 
contracts  as  the  horse  raises  or  puts  down  the  foot.     Shoeing  should 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  655 


be  done  with  care  and  skill,  or  the  natural  form  of  the  hoof  is  de- 
stroyed. Above  all,  so  noble  an  animal  should  be  treated  with  the 
greatest  kindness,  and  no  pains  should  be  spared  to  make  his  bonds 
as  easy  to  wear  as  may  be. — Southern  Agriculturist. 


Lotion  for  Cutaneous  Irritation. — Editors  Country  Gentle- 
man :  I  am  much  indebted  to  Prof.  Liautard,  of  the  New  York 
College  of  Veterinary  Surgeons,  for  the  following: 

6  fluid  ounces  water, 

2  fluid  ounces  glycerine, 
40  drops  carbolic  acid, 
as  a  lotion  for  cutaneous  irritation  on  horses,  scurfiness,  &c.  If 
applied  with  a  small  sponge  to  the  roots  of  the  hair  of  mane  and 
tail,  dampening  the  skin  thoroughly,  it  brings  away  the  dandruff  in 
a  surprising  way,  and  allays  itching,  which  often  causes  horses  to 
disfigure  their  manes  and  tails  by  rubbing.  The  glycerine  keeps 
the  skin  soft  and  retains  the  carbolic  acid  much  longer,  by  prevent- 
ing evaporation,  than  when  the  acid  is  used  in  water  only.  A  half 
pound  bottle  can  be  bought  in  New  York  for  80  cents.  When 
wanted  the  bottle  is  immersed  in  warm  (not  hot)  water,  for  10  sec- 
onds and  a  sufficient  quantity  is  liquefied  for  use.  It  is  an  excel- 
lent remedy  for  wounds. — T.  J.  H.,  in  Cultivator  and  Country 
Gentleman. 


Bots  in  Horses. 

BY  DR.  WM.  ABRAM  LOVE,  ALBANY,  GA. 

My  attention  was  first  called  to  the  subject  of  bots  in  the  year 
1846.  A  very  valuable  horse  belonging  to  a  friend,  was  suddenly 
taken  sick,  and,  as  at  that  "bloody  age,"  everything  that  sickened 
must  be  bled — man  or  beast — the  knife  was  popped  into  the  mouth — 
he  bled  profusely,  and  the  bleeding  could  not  be  stopped.  Being 
on  the  premises,  I  was  requested  to  arrest  the  hemorrhage.  On 
examination,  I  |found  the  palatine  artery  opened,  and  the  flow  waa 
arrested  with  some  difficulty.  Soon  the  horse  died,  and,  to  satisfy 
myself  as  to  the  cause  of  his  death,  made  a  post  mortem — found 
over  half  the  mucous  membrane  of  the  stomach  destroyed,  the  other 
portion  highly  inflamed,  with  here  and  there  patches  of  grubs  or 
bots  firmly  fastened  to  the  membrane,  sometimes  forty  or  fifty  on  a 
place — other  and  smaller  ones  were  mixed  with  the  contents  of  the 
stomach,  and  scattered  with  the  same  in  the  cavity  (peritoneal)  out- 


656  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 


side  the  bowels.  They  had  passed  through  a  rupture  in  the  walls, 
evidently  caused  by  the  distention,  the  injured  part  giving  way 
(possibly  after  death),  from  the  accumulation  of  gas  fermentation 
having  been  very  rapid.  This  accounted  for  the  death  of  the  horse. 
The  bote  were  then  collected  in  a  vessel  and  series  of  experiments 
instituted,  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  what  would  destroy  them,  without 
destro}Ting  the  horse  ;  tried  innumerable  drugs  without  producing 
the  least  effect.  They  were  then  subjected  to  more  severe  tests,  in 
nitric,  sulphuric,  muriatic  and  acetic  acids,  in  turpentine,  decoction 
of  tobacco,  and  in  various  tinctures  they  lived  astonishingly.  These 
experiments  satisfied  me  that  there  was  no  chance  to  destroy  them 
with  such  remedies,  without  the  remedies  first  destroying  the 
horse. 

I  observed  that  they  seemed  to  relish  syrup  or  sweetened  water, 
and  that  green  vegetable  juices  of  any  kind  seemed  to  sicken  them, 
making  them  lie  dormant  for  hours.  Some  would  eat  the  vegeta- 
ble juices  sweetened,  and  then  remain  dormant,  the  same  as  when 
immersed  in  them.  I  used  up  all  my  subjects  and  this  was  all  the 
information  gained.  This  much,  however,  suggested  an  idea,  which 
was  afterwards,  by  experiment  and  observation,  found  to  be  correct. 
By  feeding  the  horse  on  green  vegetable  matter,  as  corn,  millet, 
wheat,  rye,  oats,  or  peas,  until  his  bowels  become  a  little  affected,  and 
then  giving  him  a  purge  of  Glauber  or  Epsom  salts,  he  would  dis- 
charge the  grubs  if  there  are  any  in  him.  For  years,  I  have  every 
Spring  pursued  this  course,  even  until  the  present  time,  and  though 
living  behind  horses  for  over  a  quarter  of  a  century,  under  this 
plan  of  treatment,  have  never  lost  owe  from  bots. 

The  next  post  mortem  made,  was  in  a  horse  that  had  been  more 
or  less,  severely,  for  several  days,  perhaps  for  weeks,  showing 
symptoms  of  bots,  of  colic,  &c.  In  this  case,  as  in  the  other,  found 
the  grubs,  but  not  in  such  numbers,  there  being  only  thirty-seven 
in  the  stomach,  (the  bowels  were  not  examined.)  These  seemed  to 
have  been  at  work  longer ;  some  had  penetrated  deeper,  some 
were  entirely  covered  with  their  mouths  on  a  level  with  a  mucous 
surface,  whilst  others  had  burrowed  between  the  coat  of  the 
stomach  for  two,  three,  five,  and  as  far  as  eleven  inches.  Two 
had  thus  passed  entirely  through  and  were  attached  to  the 
outside  (peritioneal),  coat  of  the  bowels,  the  places,  through 
which  they  had  passed,  being  distinctly  traceable  by  the 
lines  of  inflammation,  showing  that  they,  too,  had  burrowed  between 
the  coats  from  inside  to  outside.  The  openings  thus  made  by  their 
exit,   were  closed  by  plastic  lymph,  as  well  as  by  the  valvular  ar- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  657 

rangements  of  the  coats,  when  this  viscus  was  distended.  Had  they 
passed  directly  through,  the  case  would  have  been  more  rapidly 
fatal,  by  the  passage  of  the  contents  of  the  stomach  into  the  out- 
side (peritoneal)  cavity,  which  is  always  fatal ;  here  it  was  noticed, 
for  the  first  time,  that  the  grubs  traveled,  or  penetrated  tail  fore- 
most. They  were  attached  to  the  mucous  membrane  by  the  tail, 
their  mouths  dipping  into  the  contents  of  the  stomach  ;  this  brought 
up  another  subject  of  investigation.  They  were  placed  under  the 
microscope,  and  dissected.  In  the  tail,  centrally,  is  placed  a  lance 
shaped  piercer,  which,  by  an  internal  arrangement  of  muscles,  can 
be  protruded  or  retracted  at  pleasure,  as  in  the  sting  of  an  insect. 
On  either  side  of  this  lance  shaped  piercer  there  is  found  a  curve 
grapple,  (so  to  speak),  having  the  same  muscular  attachments,  but 
by  muscular  contraction  the  points  are  thrown  outwards,  describing 
the  segments  of  a  circle,  having  for  their  starting  point,  the  point 
of  the  piercers,  thence  towards  the  head.  When  the  piercer  is  re- 
tracted, the  points  of  all  three  are  about  on  a  line.  With  the 
points  of  the  grapples  the  coats  of  the  stomach  are  hooked  up — by 
muscular  contraction  they  are  thrust  into  it,  laterally ;  while  the 
piercer  penetrates  in  the  line  of  the  axis  of  the  body  of  the  grub. 
On  the  body,  in  regular  order,  is  arranged  a  series  of  grapples  of 
the  same  shape,  very  sharp  at  their  points.  They  extend  in  con- 
secutive rings  nearly  around  the  body,  and  so  arranged  that,  com- 
mencing with  the  lateral  grapples,  they  can  lift  what  they  catch 
toward  the  head  and  hook  it  on,  or  place  it  within  reach  of  the 
grapples  of  the  next  row  above,  and  so  on,  until  the  whole  body  of 
the  grub  has  marked  its  way  into  the  tissues.  In  this  position,  by 
the  irritating  motion  of  these  grapples,  (which  are  very  hard  and 
horn  like)  the  grubs  generate  pus,  upon  which  they  may  prefer  to 
subsist  while  entering  what  may  be  termed  their  chrysalis  state,  or 
when  they  have  arrived  at  or  near  maturity,  and  are  about  to 
change  into  the  perfect  fly. 

From  this  examination,  I  was  satisfied  that  they  will  penetrate  the 
stomach — that  they  will  not  eat  into  it,  but  penerate  by  means  of  the 
piercer,  and  successive  rows  of  grapples,  as  mentioned  above.  In 
other  post  mortems,  similar  conditions  have  been  found  to  exist,  but 
no  remedies  could  be  suggested  further  than  those  mentioned  be. 
fore  for  the  destruction  of  the  grubs. 

Some    time  after  this,  I  attempted  to  quiet  an  angry  swarm  of 

bees  by  slipping  under  the  gum  a  sponge  containing  something  over 

half  an  ounce  of  chloroform  and  succeeded  admirably.     When  tbey 

had    become  quiet,  I   removed  what  honey  could  be  spared  from 

vol.  in — 42 


658  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

their  stores  and   left  them  all  quiet.     They  are  quiet  still,  for   the 
chloroform  had  kille  1  the  las:  bee. 

It  ia  aselesa  to  say  anything  about  the  multitude  of  experiments 
instituted  on  bees,  bugs,  butterflies  and  beetles,  to  ascertain  how 
much  chloroform  a  hive  of  bees  could  take  with  impunity. 

TL  jse  experiments  convinced  me  that  a  very  little,  however, 
would  kill  any  specimen  of  insects  found  in  this  countrj,  and  such 
being  the  case,  it  was  very  natural  to  conclude  that,  if  half  an 
ounce  of  chloroform  would  kill  a  swarm  of  bees  it  would  as 
certainly  kill  a  swarm  of  bo  s.  and  I  determined  when  an 
opportunity  served,  to  try  it.  I  Lad  given  over  an  ounce  to  a 
horse,  by  the  stomach,  with  a  very  happy  effect,  for  colic,  and 
felt  that  here  might  be  found  the  long  sought  grub  poison.  Soon 
an  opportunity  presented  in  the  case  of  a  mule  ;  gave  one  ounce 
chloroform  in  one  pint  of  syrup,  with  half  a  pint  of  water.  In 
a  ahi  rt  time,  he  seemed  easy  and  got  up.  Directed,  at  the  end 
of  two  or  three  hours,  a  heavy  dose  of  salts.  Within  twenty-four 
hours  he  discharged  between  three  and  four  hundred  bote,  every  one 
as  dead  as  my  angry  bees.  Since  that  time  I  have  invariably  used 
chloroform  in  such  cases,  and  always  with  success,  when  used  in 
time.  It  will  not  sow  up  and  heal  up  in  a  ruptured  stomach,  nor 
will  it  cure  one,  but  it  will  kill  grubs  as  surely  as  it  will  kill  b 

re   is   sometimes   s<  lifficulty   in   distinguishing  bots  from 

colic  and  other  acute  suffering  ;  the  horse  discovers  to  you  that  he 
is  in  pain  in  either  case.  With  colic,  he  is  more  or  less  swollen, 
from  the  spasms  of  the  bowels  not  moving  forward  the  accumulated 
gase-.  vet  there  are  few  cases  of  grubs  in  which  this  condition  of 
things  does  not  follow  sooner  or  later  as  a  necessary  sequence  of 
the  destruction  of  digestion,  from  the  condition  of  the  stomach, 
gpoduced  by  the  irritation  of  the  grubs.  Still,  in  the  treatment, 
there  is  no  very  material  difference,  as  chloroform,  by  its  antispas- 
modic powers,  will  relieve  colic  equally  well,  and  is,  without  excep- 
tion, the  best  remedy.  Knowing  these  things,  I,  many  years  since 
advised  mv  neighbors  and  friends  to  its  use.  and  many  of  them  have 
availed  themselves  of  it  with  entire  satisfaction.  Through  some  of 
the;.  -  since,  the  recommendation  reached  the  press,  but 

such  things  are  but  little  attended  to,  and  no  confidence  is  placed  in 
them,  inasmuch  as  no  reason  is  assigned  for  the  treatment,  an  1,  in 
the  majority  of  cases,  no  one  is  responsible  for  the  suggestion  made; 
they  are  the  mere  on  dits  of  the  press,  and  are  so  received. 

To  answer  all,  or  most  of  the  indications  in  the  majority  of  cases 
of  B  I  grubs  or  cclic,    the  following   compound  wiil  be  found 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND    FARMER  659 

effectual  as  a  general  prescription,  and  farmers  and  stock  owners, 
who  keep  a  supply  of  the  medicines  on  hand  for  emergencies,  will 
have  no  occasion  to  regret  it,  as  by  its  timely  use,  they  may  save 
many  valuable  horses  and  mules  during  a  season. 

Take  of  chloroform  one  ounce,  laudanum  one  ounce,  tincture  of 
Assafcetida,  one  ounce — mix.  Give  it  in  a  pint  and  a  half,  or  a  quart 
of  thin  syrup,  well  shaken  together.  When  the  horse  will  eat  or  drink, 
give  him  gruel  freely,  and  follow  the  dose,  in  a  few  hours,  with  a  brisk 
cathartic  of  salts.  Glauber  salts  (sulph.  soda)  is,  perhaps,  the  best, 
from  its  anti-acid  and  anti-septic  properties,  though  Epsom  salts, 
or  any  other  convenient  cathartic  will  answer  the  purpose,  the  ob- 
ject being  to  remove  the  destroyed  grubs,  preventing  lodgment  in 
the  valves  cf  the  bowels,  where  they  would  produce  irritation  and 
inflammation.  The  saline  cathartics  answer,  as  a  general  rule,  a 
better  purpose,  as  they  are  febrifuge  and  reduce  the  irritation  and 
febrile  action  in  the  stomach,  bowels  and  general  system. 

Some  writers  contend  that  grubs  do  no  harm  to  horses,  within 
certain  periods  of  their  existence;  this  is  true,  but,  there  is  a  time 
when  they  are  seriously  detrimental,  if  not  certainly  fatal.  By 
following  them  through  one  generation  that  time  may  be  seen  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  most  skeptical.  Like  most  of  the  insect 
tribe,  they  have  four  distinct  stages  of  existence — the  egg,  the 
grub,  the  chrysalis  and  the  perfect  fly. 

The  grub  fly,  or  (as  it  is  known  in  the  South)  nit  fly,  deposits  its 
eggs,  by  preference,  under  the  chin  of  the  horse,  but  being  defeated 
in  this  by  the  instinctive  restlessness  of  the  animal,  it  glues  them 
to  the  hair  on  the  fore  legs  or  breast,  or  on  the  mane.  Sooner  or 
later,  by  the  greater  or  less  heat  of  the  body  of  the  animal,  the 
larvte  are  hatched,  when  they  start  immediately  in  search  of  food — 
(this  larva?,  though  very  minute,  is  but  a  diminutive  grub,  armed 
with  a  piercer  in  the  tail — the  two  lateral  curved  and  pointed  grap- 
ples, with  the  successive  rings  of  the  same  kind  as  described  above, 
all  perfect.)  Fastening  or  hooking  these  into  the  hair,  they  travel 
backwards,  (as  do  some  other  species  of  grubs,)  until  they  reach 
the  skin  of  the  animal.  Their  efforts  to  penetrate  this  produces  an 
itching  sensation ;  the  horse  scratches  them  off  with  the  upper 
teeth — they  are  caught  on  the  lips,  to  the  mucous-membrane  of 
which  they  fasten  themselves  and  feed  on  the  mucous  secretions ; 
otherwise  they  perish.  Becoming  mixed  with  the  food,  they  are 
convened  into  the  stomach.  Here  they  subsist  on  the  gastric  juice, 
(chylopoetic  and  pancreatic  fluids,  and  mucous  secretions,  until  they 
are  full  grown  grubs,  or  reach  the  age  of  maturity.     Up  to  this 


660  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

period,  they  do  not  materially  interfere  with  the  health  or  comfort 
of  the  horse,  insomuch  as  they  are  well  supplied  with  food  from  the 
contents  of  the  stomach  and  the  visceral  secretions.  But  when 
they  have  reached  this  mature  age,  they  cease  to  feed  and 
cease  to  grow,  and,  like  grubs  or  worms  of  other  insects — 
as  the  silk  worm,  the  grass  worm,  and  the  various  other  moth  bee- 
tles and  fly  tribes — become  dormant  after  fastening  themselves,  and 
enter  the  chrysalid  stage — so  to  speak — preparatory  to  coming  out 
perfect  flies.  Just  at  this  stage  they  become  dangerous.  It  is  as 
natural  for  them  to  fix  or  bury  themselves  when  they  have  finished 
feeding  and  are  going  into  their  dormant  state,  as  it  is  for  the  silk 
worm  to  spin  its  cocoon,  the  cotton  worm  to  wind  itself  in  a  leaf,  or 
the  grass  worm  to  bury  itself  in  the  earth,  or  beneath  some  object, 
where,  undisturbed,  it  can  pass  the  chrysalis  state  and  come  out  in 
its  perfect  state  a  moth.  It  is  not  in  feeding,  (though  the  grub  is 
carnivorous,)  but  in  seeking  this  resting  place,  this  grave,  as  it  were, 
that  they  injure  the  stomach. 

By  an  instinctive  common  consent,  all  of  mature  age,  at  the  same 
time,  go  about  this  work;  by  collecting  into  colonies  and  fastening 
themselves  close  together,  they  mutually  aid  each  other  in  the  work 
of  penetrating  the  stomach  or  other  tissues.  The  younger  grubs, 
hatched  from  a  different  deposit  of  eggs,  do  not  join  with  those  of 
mature  age,  but  bide  their  time.  When  this  fixing  or  burrowing 
commences,  the  horse  gives  signs  of  pain,  and,  if  their  work  goes 
on,  it  will  surely  prove  fatal,  sooner  or  later,  as  the  grubs  may  be 
in  greater  or  less  numbers.  Should  there  be  but  few,  and  the  ani- 
mal be  able  to  withstand  them,  after  a  given  period  they  hatch — a 
wingless  gad  fly  is  the  product.  This  passes  with  the  defecated 
foecal  matter,  when,  by  exposure  to  the  air  and  the  solar  rays,  its 
wings  are  rapidly  produced,  as  in  the  horse  and  other  flies.  The 
perfect  gad-fly  is  thus  generated,  male  and  female.  In  this  stage 
they  copulate,  after  which  the  male  dies,  and  the  female  goes  on 
her  work  of  depositing  her  eggs,  from  two  to  three  hundred  or 
more,  instinctively  seeking  a  place  where  the  larvae  can  be  nour- 
ished with  proper  food. 

Thus  tracing  the  history  of  one  generation,  which  is  the  history 
of  every  generation,  we  readily  see  why  some  have  concluded  that 
bots  do  no  harm.  They  have  been  found  in  horses  dying  from  other 
causes,  or  killed  in  good  health,  where  no  signs  of  injury  by  them 
could  be  detected.  They  had  not  reached,  in  such  cases,  that  age 
when  they  were  about  to  change  to  the  chrysalis  stage,  for  it  is 
here  and  here  only,  that  they  are  injurious  to  any  material  extent. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  661 


When  they  are  fastening  themselves,  or  burying  themselves,  to 
change  to  the  perfect  fly,  they  do  their  evil  work,  but  failing  to 
fasten,  they  pass  off  doing  no  injury.  They  live  on  animal  fluid ; 
are  fond  of  the  sweet  taste  of  ^>ws.  When  the  eggs  are  deposited 
on  the  cow,  the  larvae  sometimes  burrow  into  the  punctures  made  by 
the  black  cow  fly.  In  this  position,  still  working  tail  foremost, 
they,  from  the  irritation  produced  by  the  motion  of  their  sharp 
grapples,  generate  pus,  more  than  enough,  at  times,  for  their  own 
consumption,  and  it  terminates  apparently  in  a  boil.  From  this 
they  hatch  the  perfect  fly.  In  the  rabbit  the  larvae  are  able  to 
penetrate  the  tender  skin,  where,  in  the  same  manner,  they  gene- 
rate their  own  food  by  irritation.  In  the  nostrils  of  sheep  they  are 
also  very  troublesome,and  their  work  is  sometimes  mistaken  for  dis- 
temper, &c.  Naturalists  claim  that  these  are  all  different  species  of 
oestrus.  Be  that  as  it  may,  their  habits,  their  form,  their  anatomy, 
and  their  natural  histories,  are  the  same  with  this  difference:  that 
one  gainB  admission  into  the  natural  cavity,  whilst  the  other  finds 
or  makes  an  artificial  one. 

The  writer  has  known  one  case  where  the  larvae  made  its  way 
into  the  face  of  a  man,  (perhaps  entering  through  the  excretory 
orifice,  or  duct  of  a  sebaceous  gland,)  producing  irritation,  which 
was  at  first  supposed  to  be  a  carbuncle.  The  man  contended  very 
strenuously  that  there  was  "  something  alive  in  it."  This  partook 
so  much  of  the  character  of  Voodooism,  (as  we  find  it  in  these  latter 
days,)  that  it  was  ti-eated  as  a  joke,  until  medical  aid  was  called, 
when  an  incision  revealed  a  nearly  full  grown  "  wolfe" — a  regular 
gladjly  grub. 

Whether,  in  this  case,  the  fly  deposited  its  eggs  on  the  whiskers 
or  the  man,  in  working  with  his  horses,  accidentally  had  the  larvae 
transferred  to  his  face,  was  a  question  not  to  be  decided.  It  was 
on  the  right  lower  jaw,  and  was  very  painful. 

This  much  on  the  subject  of  hots.  These  observations,  many  of 
them,  were  made  nearly  one-fourth  of  a  century  since,  and  the  conclu- 
sions drawn  apace  with  them.  The  writer  has  seen  no  reason  to 
change  his  opinions  here  expressed,  after  over  twenty  years'  inves- 
tigation. If  they  are  worth  the  attention  of  your  readers,  and  any 
should  chance  to  profit  by  them,  he  will  be  amply  repaid  for  the 
little  time  spent  in  throwing  them  thus  loosely  together  for  the  ben- 
efit of  the  curious  or  the  interested. — Southern  Cultivator. 


He  that  observeth  the  wind  shall  not  sow ;  and  he  that  regardeth 
the  clouds  shall  not  reap. 


662  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

Pigs— Their  Rearing  apd  Fattening. 

Every  animal  likes  comfort,  and  pigs  like  comfort  just  as  much 
as  any  other  animal  does,  and  they  thrive  on  it.  To  secure  this 
comfort  a  convenient  piggery  must  be  erected  :  long  narrow  houses 
suit  best,  with  yards  opening  on  ;  and  those  yards  must  be  flagged, 
having  the  feeding  troughs  at  the  ends  with  weather  roofs  to  pro- 
tect the  food  and  the  pigs  from  excess  of  weather.  Again,  the 
troughs  must  have  louvre  boards  that  revolve  easilv.  so  as  to  allow 
the  food  to  be  placed  in  the  troughs  from  the  outside  of  the  yard, 
and  to  prevent  the  pigs  from  seeing  it  during  the  time  it  remains  in 
them  for  cooling  or  mixing,  and  also  to  protect  the  troughs  from 
the  inroads  of  other  animals  at  times  when  they  are  empty.  "When 
feeding  time  has  arrived,  the  louvre  boards  should  be  shut,  to  secure 
quiet  to  the  pigs.  TVhen  the  feeding  is  over  they  should  be  raised 
to  allow  the  troughs  to  be  cleaned  our.  The  troughs  had  better 
Stand  six  inches  from  the  groan  ey  should  rest  on  Bolid  ma- 

sonry, and  be  of  cast  iron.  Troughs  made  to  Stan  1  on  legs  allow- 
ing crevices  between,  are  nothing  but  a  polite  invitation  to  rats  and 
mice  to  take  up  their  habitation  trader  them.  The  yards  of  the  pig- 
geries are  best  open,  and  care  must  be  taken  to  grade  them  so  that 
all  water  may  flow  to  the  centre  and  thence  off  to  the  main  drain  or 
overflow  of  the  barn-yard.  The  houses  ought  to  stand  eight  feet  in 
the  clear  on  the  inside,  and  about  eight  feet  more  from  the  flooring 
of  the  lofts  to  the  pitch  of  the  roofs.  The  lofts  insure  warmth  in 
severe  weather  when  they  contain  the  winter's  bedding,  and  cool- 
ness in  summer,  as  they  keep  off  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun.  With- 
ered leaves,  dried  ferns,  and  coarse  hay  or  straw  Dot  excellent 
enough  for  feeding  purposes,  should  constitute  litter  for  all  animals : 
pigs  particularly  enjoy  a  bed  of  dry  leaves  as  they  nestle  in  them, 
and  the  bed  is  still  more  grateful  if  it  have  a  few  inches  of  fine  sand 
underlaying  it,  thus  keeping  the  animals  drier  than  otherwise  they 
could  be,  and  also  protecting  them  from  the  stone  floors. 

The  piggery  should  be  divided  into  several  compartments,  sepa- 
rated as  to  the  yards,  with  strong  railings  with  wicket  doors  in  them 
to  permit  any  communication  for  cleaning. 

N  :  only  must  every  breed  be  kept  separate,  but  all  ages  get  on 
best  when  only  allowed  to  associate  with  those  of  their  own  stand- 
ing. Two  boars,  even  of  tender  age,  cannot  remain  in  one  stye  : 
no  more  can  two  sows  that  have  bred  dwell  together  in  peace,  and 
sucking  pigs  should  have  free  room  to  run  about  in  proximity  to 
the  mother,  unmolested   by  other   ages.     Store  pigs  and  fattening 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  663 


pigs  must  live  apart.  The  former  require  more  freedom  and  a 
wider  range,  as,  if  pent  up,  instead  of  growing  they  will  fatten,  and 
the  latter,  if  not  kept  close,  will  take  longer  time  preparing  for  the 
butcher.  Twice  in  the  day  is  sufficient  to  feed,  store  pigs,  and  three 
times  will  suffice  for  fattening  pigs.  Sucking  pigs,  when  first 
weaned,  should  have  abundance  of  nourishing  drink,  and  should 
get  small  quantities  of  cooked  roots  several  times  in  the  day  for  at 
least  ten  days  after  being  taken  from  the  mother.  Hot  food  is 
highly  injurious  to  all  pigs.  Warm  sloppy  drinks  of  bran  water  are 
better  than  those  made  with  cold  water,  but  they  cannot  constitute 
daily  food  except  for  nursing  sows. 

When  the  sow  is  first  pregnant  she  may  feed  and  range  largely, 
but  as  she  comes  near  to  farrow  she  had  better  be  kept  more  quiet, 
and  her  food  must  be  nourishing  but  not  fattening.  For  three  to 
five  days  after  the  birth  of  the  young,  she  should  have  tepid  bran 
drinks,  and  cooked  roots  sparingly  added  to  them  four  or  five  times 
in  the  twenty-four  hours,  and  it  will  be  necessary  to  watch  her  for 
some  time  lest  she  overlie  her  young,  and  to  provide  her  with  a  soft 
bed,  not  too  deep,  as  the  young  pigs  love  to  cover  themselves  in  the 
litter,  and  arc  thus  very  liable  to  come  to  harm. 

The  black  Essex  are  a  thrifty  breed,  easily  kept  and  easily  fat- 
tened. They  require  cleanly  food  and -warmth.  Having  that  they 
prosper.  They  are  wonderful  rooters,  and  if  allowed  the  run  of 
stubble  during  the  Autumn  months,  they  appear  in  good  order  as 
stores  in  the  first  days  of  November. 

The  Berkshire  are  a  good  breed  for  those  who  have  high-situated 
farms.  They  are  more  hardy  than  the  Essex,  but  they  do  not  take 
equal  condition  with  them.  Some  white  breeds  are  excellent  for 
size  and  fineness  of  meat,  but  none  surpass  the  true  Essex. 

Pigs  must  never  really  run  out  of  flesh.  If  they  do,  sad  indeed 
is  it  for  their  owner's  pocket;  but  it  is  a  bad  speculation  to  keep 
pigs,  unless  the  farm,  the  dairy  and  the  kitchen  garden  supply  them 
liberally.  Buying  mill  produce  cannot  pay.  When  the  farmer 
has  to  buy  for  his  pigs  the  sooner  he  sells  them  the  better. — N.  Y. 
Times. 


Book  Farming. 

Those  who  are  opposed  to  book  farming  are  requested  to  read  the 
following  and  give  us  their  opinion  : 

There  was  a  farmer  once  who  hesitated  not  to  hurl  all  manner  of 
invectives  against  book  farming,  and  those  who  consulted  books  for 


664  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

advice.  By  long  experience  and  practical  information  he  had  be- 
come quite  successful  in  the  culture  of  grapes  and  trees.  His  fields 
■were  clean  and  fair,  and  highly  productive.  His  trees  were  vigor- 
ous, well  adjusted  and  profitable. 

In  conversation  with  a  friend  he  related  his  experience  in  raising 
grapes  and  trees,  entering  into  the  minutest  details,  sometimes  be- 
coming quite  eloquent  when  describing  his  victories  over  the  ene- 
mies which  infest  them. 

"His  knowledge,"  he  said,  "was  gained  by  dint  of  application, 
by  actual  experience,  and  hard  labor.  It  was  none  of  your  book 
knowledge,  written  by  men  who  knew  nothing  about  farming." 

"Well,"  said  his  friend,  "  if  all  this  valuable  information,  gained 
by  assiduous  labor  and  observation  of  so  many  years,  and  which 
you  have  so  clearly  described,  were  written  out  and  published, 
which  would  you  have  a  young  and  inexperienced  man  do,  take  this 
as  he  finds  it  from  your  pen,  or  go  through  the  same  tedious  process 
that  you  have  gone  through  with,  including  all  its  vexations  and 
losses  ?" 

The  question  puzzled  him,  and  he  was  silent  for  a  moment,  but 
was  obliged  to  confess,  after  all,  there  was  much  that  was  valuable 
in  books,  because  combining  and  relating  the  results  and  experience 
of  practical  cultivators. 

Do  not  condemn  book  farming.  You  may  criticise  certain  books 
very  severely,  because  written  by  ignorant,  theoretical  hands  ;  but 
there  is  always  good  wheat  as  well  as  abundant  chaff.  So  there 
are  many  good  books  as  well  as  poor  ones.  The  time  may  come 
when  a  single  hint  from  a  book  or  paper  may  save  your  farm  or  or- 
chard, or  add  to  your  wealth,  by  telling  you  how  to  increase  your 
crops. — Independent. 


International  Industrial  Exhibition. — A  movement  is  on 
foot  at  Washington  to  inaugurate  a  plan  for  an  International  Indus- 
trial Exhibition  in  that  city  in  the  year  1871,  and  the  idea  has  been 
regarded  with  much  enthusiasm.  At  a  meeting  held  a  few  days 
ago,  a  national  executive  committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  the 
President  and  Vice  President  of  the  United  States,  Chief  Justice 
Chase,  the  heads  of  Departments,  the  Governors  of  the  several 
States  and  Territories,  and  the  Mayors  of  the  principal  cities ;  also 
a  local  Special  Executive  Committee  of  ten  for  the  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, to  which  are  to  be  added  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  the 
Commissioner  of  Patents  and  the  Commissioner  of  Agriculture. 
Other  committees  are  to  be  appointed.  It  is  proposed  to  establish 
a  capital  stock  of  one  million  dollars  in  shares  of  §50  each. 


1839.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  665 

Manures— How  and  When  to  Use  Them. 

The  best  method  of  using  stable  or  barn-yard  manure  for  corn  or 
potatoes,  is  to  haul  it  fresh  from  the  cellar  in  the  condition  in  which 
it  rests  in  the  vaults,  spread  it  upon  the  ploughed  field,  and  harrow 
it  in  with  a  Geddes  harrow.  This  is  what  is  called  "long  manure," 
and  is  a  form  which,  according  to  the  opinions  of  many  farmers,  is 
unsuited  to  immediate  use  ;  also,  it  is  objected,  that  in  spreading 
fresh  manure  upon  ploughed  fields  and  covering  it  only  superficially 
with  earth,  much  of  it  is  lost  by  evaporation  ;  or,  more  correctly 
speaking,  certain  volatile,  gaseous  constituents  rise  on  the  breeze 
and  are  wafted  away.  In  our  view,  both  of  these  notions  are  incor- 
rect. The  excrement  of  animals  must  undergo  a  kind  of  fermenta- 
tion, or  putrefactive  change,  before  it  is  assimilated  by  plants,  and 
it  is  better  that  this  be  carried  forward  in  the  field,  as  there  it  is  in 
contact  with  the  soil,  which  is  greedy  to  absorb  all  the  products  of 
the  chemical  change.  Creative  power  has  bestowed  upon  dry  earth 
prodigious  absorptive  capabilities.  If  a  lump  of  fresh  manure  as 
large  as  a  peck  measure  is  placed  upon  a  ploughed  field  uncovered, 
and  allowed  to  ferment  or  decay  in  the  open  air,  the  absortive  pow- 
ers of  the  earth  are  such  that  it  will  actually  attract  toward  it  am- 
moniacal  and  other  gases,  and  thus  rob  the  atmosphere  of  its  natu- 
ral volatile  principles.  A  film  of  earth  no  thicker  than  the  rind  of 
an  orange,  placed  over  a  lump  of  manure,  will  effectually  prevent 
loss  of  manurial  products,  under  all  possible  circumstances.  It  will 
be  agreed,  then,  that  a  harrow  is  equally  as  effective  as  a  plough  in 
protecting  manure  in  the  open  field.  It  is  better  to  have  the  ma- 
nure near  the  surface,  as  the  rains  can  reach  it,  and  dissolve  the 
soluble  salts,  and  by  percolation  carry  them  down  to  the  hungry 
roots  of  plants.  Long  manure  is  not  lost  when  deeply  turned  under 
by  the  plough,  but  the  farmer  does  not  secure  the  whole  value  of 
his  dressing  under  this  mode  of  treatment  in  any  case,  and  on  some 
soils  the  loss  is  a  most  serious  one.  In  the  process  of  soap-making, 
it  becomes  necessary  to  set  up  a  leach.  Now,  the  farmer  will  not 
attempt  to  exhaust  the  tub  of  ashes  of  its  potash  by  forcing  water 
into  the  bottom  and  dipping  the  liquid  off  from  the  top.  The  natu- 
ral percolating  or  exhausting  process  is  downward,  in  accordance 
with  the  laws  of  gravity.  The  soluble  alkalies  and  salts  are  driven 
downward,  and  in  the  case  of  the  leach  we  must  have  a  vessel  ready 
to  receive  them  at  the  bottom ;  and  in  the  case  of  the  same  sub- 
stance leached  from  manure,  we  must  have  the  manure  so  placed 
that  plant  roots  will  be  at  harld  to  absorb  them  before  they  pass  be- 
yond their  reach. 


686  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 


Manure  is  never  so  valuable  as  when  it  is  fresh.  It  then  hold3 
in  association  not  only  all  the  fixed  soluble  substances,  natural  to 
the  solid  excrement,  but  much  that  is  of  great  value,  found  only  in 
the  liquid.  It  is  in  a  condition  to  quickly  undergo  chemical  change, 
and  the  gaseous,  ammoniacal  products  secured  are  double  those  re- 
sulting from  that  which  has  been  weathered  in  a  heap  out  of  doors 
for  several  months. — Boston  Journal  of  Chemistry. 


The  Norfolk  and  Great   Western   Railroad. 

The  Philadelphia  North  American,  of  Friday,  the  11th  instant, 
has  an  article  headed,  "Norfolk,  Memphis,  El  Paso  and  Gnyamas," 
in  which  it  directs  special  attention  to  the  Norfolk  and  Great  West- 
ern road,  as  an  essential  link  in  the  great  chain  that  is  destined  to 
extend  from  ocean  to  ocean,  along  the  shortest  and  most  favorable 
route.  The  North  American  pronounces  it  a  "  grand  undertaking," 
and  adds,  "  there  can  hardly  be  a  doubt  that  eventually  it  will  suc- 
ceed."    It  says : 

"  The  westward  construction  from  Norfolk  would  seem  to  be  in  a 
fair  way  of  being  tried,  and  to  depend  as  much  upon  the  conduct  of 
politics  in  Virginia — rendering  immigration  desirable,  and  so  mak- 
ing a  market  for  the  lands  subscribed — as  upon  anything  else,  or  all 
things.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that,  with  such  a  population  as  the 
State  can  subsist  and  needs,  this  road  is  a  necessity  ;  nor  any  more 
doubtful  that  the  construction  of  the  road  would  invite  a  great  amount 
of  immigration.  The  immediate  question  is  whether  the  lands  sold 
will  brinfj  enough  to  construct  the  road  so  far  that  it  can  ioin  the 
Memphis  road.  If  it  can,  that  will  be  a  powerful  agent  for  the 
construction  of  the  El  Paso  Pacific  road,  since  there  will  then  be 
two  Atlantic  ports  and  two  cis-Mississippi  lines  interested  in  the 
work.  There  is  now  a  route  from  Norfolk  via  Lynchburg,  Abing- 
don, Knoxville,  Chattanooga  and  Corinth,  that  really  accomplishes 
the  proposed  union,  but  a  great  loss  of  time  and  increase  of  dis- 
tance. In  order  to  compete  with  other  roads  now  operating,  Nor- 
folk must  have  the  shortest  possible  line.  That  would  be  many 
miles  south  of  Lynchburg,  though  cutting  the  North  Carolina  line 
near  Abingdon,  where  the  Virginia  and  Tennessee  line  passes.  It 
would  protract  the  road  due  southwestwardly,  aid  much  nearer  to 
Nashville  than  Chattanooga,  which  is  rapidly  being  converted  into 
a  sort  of  grand  junction  for  all  Southern  roads.  From  Memphis 
this  road  is  partially  constructed  as  far  west  as  Little  Rock.  We 
need  not  recite  the   course   or  distances   here,  as  we  have  already 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  6G7 

given  them  at  length.  "We  say  of  this  road  that  eventually  it  wil 
be  built  beyond  a  doubt.  It  gives  a  port  to  a  great  and  rich  inte- 
rior country  between  the  Mississippi  and  Atlantic,  that  needs  such 
accommodation  and  is  rich  enough  in  agricultural  and  mineral 
wealth  to  sustain  it.  The  port  of  Norfolk  is  one  of  the  very  best 
on  our  whole  border.  Norfolk  will  unquestionably  pursue  the  pol- 
icy of  Northern  ports  as  fast  as  she  can  procure  population  and 
money  for  doing  so.  The  sales  of  her  lands  ought  to  furnish  her 
both  at  an  early  day." — Petersburg  Express. 


Self-Culture. 
Much  has  been  written  to  stimulate  the  youth  of  our  land  to  con- 
stant exertions  and  unremitting  toil  in,  and  self-sacrificing  devotion 
to  their  great,  grand  aim  of  being  Congressmen,  Governors  and 
Presidents.  Much  good  has  resulted  from  it.  But  the  field  is 
broader,  the  laborers  more  numerous,  the  prospect  for  a  more  abun- 
dant And  richer  harvest  greater,  and  the  needs  for  incentives 
more  pressing,  when  we  write  directly  to  the  young  mechanic, 
farmer  and  day-laborer,  and  advise  them  to  become,  through  self- 
culture,  well  educated,  not  in  the  binomial  theorem  and  quadratics, 
not  in  Latin  and  Greek,  but  to  be  well  educated  in  their  respective 
vocations,  and  in  consequence  be  able  to  become  great  and  successful 
men.  Not  to  the  fastidious,  the  drone,  the  coward  do  we  write,  but 
to  him  who  is  not  ashamed  of  his  trade  or  calling;  to  him  who  is 
willing  to  work  and  lug  and  tug;  to  him  who  fears  no  obstacles,  is 
intimidated  by  no  seeming  dangers  or  supercilious  sneer,  do  we 
write,  and,  begging,  ask  him  to  "  shake  off  the  soft  dreams  that  en- 
cumber his  might  and  burst  the  fool's  fetters  that  bind  him." 
"We  have  no  objection  to  the  blacksmith's  being  an  aspirant  for  con- 
gressional honors,  or  the  farmer's  fond  desire  of  filling  the  guberna- 
torial chair,  or  the  hod  carrier's  delusive  dream  of  occupying  the 
White  House,  but  as  so  few,  so  very  few  out  of  the  many,  do  real- 
ize the  consummation  of  their  bright  ima^inincrs,  we  sav  seek  first 
distinction,  young  man,  in  your  own  trade  or  calling,  through  self- 
culture,  by  improving  the  many  opportunities  within  your  reach  ; 
by  pursuing  steadily,  with  an  unflinching  determination,  your  one 
aim  of  being  at  the  front  and  head  of  your  vocation.  Invent,  im- 
prove, and  invent  again.  Be  unsatisfied,  but  constantly  progres- 
sive. Devote  your  days  to  physical  work,  your  nights  to  mental, 
for  headwork  must  be  the  pioneer,  the  foundation,  the  contriver  and 
the  director.  Then  pursue  those  studies,  although  under  many  diffi- 


668  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

culties,  which  assist  you  in  your  trade,  and  throw  light  on  your 
business.  Be  an  ornament  to  your  profession.  Elevate  it.  And 
then,  if  you  desire,  seek  political  fame,  or  better  still,  let  it  seek 
you. 

We  are  satisfied  that  the  political  arena  is  crowded.  We  are 
equally  satisfied  that  the  same  amount  of  effort  and  mental  culture, 
bestowed  upon  the  farmer,  the  mechanic,  and  the  day-laborer,  would 
make  more  successful  men,  would  dignify  labor,  and  would  result  in 
untold  blessings  to  the  age  and  race.  Read  the  lives  of  successful 
men — no  matter  in  what  field  of  labor — and  be  comforted  and  en- 
couraged by  their  trials,  be  moved  by  their  success,  follow  their  ex- 
ample, and  be  determined  to  succeed. 

We  invite  your  attention  to  Washington,  who  was  a  surveyor  and 
farmer;  to  Franklin,  who  was  a  printer;  to  Roger  Sherman,  who 
was  a  shoe-maker ;  to  Murat,  who  was  the  son  of  an  inn-keeper ; 
to  Ney,  who  was  a  notary's  clerk  ;  to  Sir  William  Hershel,  who  was 
a  drummer-boy  in  the  English  army ;  to  A.  T.  Stuart,  the  prince 
merchant,  who  was  an  irish  emigrant,  with  only  a  capital  of  twenty- 
five  cents ;  to  James  Gordon  Bennett,  who  was  a  penniless  boy,  and 
who  commenced  the  great  New  York  Herald  on  a  borrowed  capital 
of  five  hundred  dollars ;  to  Horace  Greeley,  who  walked  into  New 
York  barefooted  and  almost  bareheaded;  to  George  Law,  one  of 
the  wealthiest  sons  of  New  York,  and  who  was  a  stone-cutter  and 
mason,  and  who  worked  on  the  Dismal  Swamp  Canal  locks ;  to 
John  Jacob  Astor,  who  accumulated  millions  from  units ;  to  Chris- 
topher Columbus  ;  to  Elihu  Burritt,  the  learned  blacksmith  ;  to  Ste- 
phens of  Georgia ;  to  Sir  Humphrey  Davy  ;  to  Abraham  Lincoln 
and  Gilbert  C.  Walker,  and  to  a  host  of  other  successful  men 
through  self-culture. 

Do  you  wish  to  be  successful  in  life  ?  Then  follow  their  example; 
let  the  wonderful  potency  of  the  human  will  inscribe,  high  up  on 
the  tablet  of  fame,  your  name  as  an  educated,  successful  worker. 
Dare  to  do.  What  man  has  done,  man  can  do. — Portsmouth  Ga- 
zette. 


Many  value  mules  more  than  horses ;  they  live  longer,  are 
tougher,  require  less  food  and  smaller  harness,  and  can  jump 
higher. 

What  goes  against  a  farmer's  grain  ?     His  mowing  machine. 


1869]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  669 

Agricultural  and  Mechanical  Fairs. 

It  is  gratifying  to  see  both  in  the  North  and  South  the  revival  of 
interest  which  is  manifesting  itself  in  agricultural  fairs.  The  great 
States  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Indiana  have  already  held 
this  fall  their  annual  exhibitions,  though  the  pleasure  of  the  occa- 
sion in  the  last  named  State  was  greatly  marred  by  the  boiler  ex- 
plosion which  entailed  such  a  fearful  loss  of  human  life.  The  gen- 
eral renewal  which  we  are  witnessing  of  agricultural  fairs  is  of 
happy  augury  to  the  most  important  department  of  our  national  in- 
dustry, and  which,  indeed,  lies  at  the  foundation  of  the  commercial 
and  manufacturing  activity  and  of  the  general  prosperity.  The 
State  fairs  and  the  district  and  county  fairs  which,  in  our  own  and 
neighboring  States,  are  affording  promise  of  becoming  established 
institutions,  furnish  evidence  of  expanding  strength  and  progress  in 
the  direction  of  agricultural  development  which  may  well  enlist  the 
sympathies  and  co-operation  of  the  whole  country.  The  cultivators 
of  the  poil,  who,  a  few  years  ago,  were  called  from  their  industrial 
pursuits  to  engage  in  the  destructive  enterprises  of  war,  are,  with 
redoubled  energy,  repairing  the  wastes  thus  produced,  and  by  the 
aid  of  agricultural  machinery  and  labor-saving  implements  and  ap- 
pliances, have  been  enabled  during  the  past  year  to  gather  in  an 
extraordinary  harvest.  The  necessaries,  and  what  were  once  con- 
sidered the  luxuries  of  life,  can  now  be  obtained  with  comparative 
ease  and  cheapness.  Even  the  change  of  the  system  of  labor  in 
some  of  the  States,  and  the  demoralization  from  political  agitation, 
have  not  prevented  the  earth,  under  the  influence  of  a  favorable 
climate  and  fertile  fields,  from  bringing  forth  an  abundant  increase. 
There  is  scarcely  a  country  in  the  world  which  combines  so  many 
advantages  as  the  United  States  for  cultivating  and  perfecting  all 
the  necessary  elements  of  subsistence,  comfort,  and  even  luxury, 
while  our  extended  system  of  internal  improvements  affords  ready 
transportation  for  the  products  of  the  soil,  so  that  if  there  should 
be  a  failure  of  crops  in  any  particular  section,  it  would  not  be  felt 
in  a  degree  past  remedy. 

The  annual  agricultural  fairs,  which  before  the  war  were  so  pop- 
ular and  useful,  have  proved  themselves  of  great  practical  value  to 
agricultural  enlightenment  and  progress,  as  well  as  afforded  valua- 
ble opportunities  for  the  interchange  of  views  and  experiences  by 
the  agricultural  community,  and  of  social  enjoyment.  It  is  the 
ambition  of  those  engaged  in  getting  up  these  exhibitions  to  collect 
together  by  liberal  premiums  the  best  herds  of  cattle,  horses,  sheep, 


670  THE    SOUTHERN  [November 

hogs,  poultry  and  fowls,  the  varied  products  of  the  garden  and 
farm,  the  specimens  of  housewifely  industry,  and  manufactures  of 
various  kinds,  machinery,  &c,  facilities  for  conveying  which  are  in- 
creased by  the  liberal  terms  upon  which  the  railroad  and  steamboat 
lines  generally  aiford  transportation  on  these  occasions.  The  county 
and  district  fairs  are  valuable  tributaries  to  the  State  fairs,  and  fa- 
cilitate the  selecting  of  the  best  articles  for  the  great  exhibitions, 
besides  awakening  and  concentrating  the  public  interest  upon  the 
subject. — Baltimore  Sun. 


New  Process  in  Wheat  Culture. 

The  result  of  an  experiment  made  during  the  past  season,  by  R. 
A.  Gilpin,  at  his  farm  in  Westo^n,  on  the  wide  planting  and  culti- 
vation of  wheat,  appears  to  be  quite  remarkable.  In  giving  an  ac- 
count of  the  experiment,  Mr.  Gilpin  says  :  The  ground  measured 
an  acre  within  a  fraction  ;  it  was  not  selected  on  account  of  any 
inferiority,  but  was  much  the  same  as  the  rest  of  the  field,  and  was 
manured  and  prepared  just  the  same.  The  seed  was  the  red  Medi- 
terranean, and  not  very  good,  being  taken  from  the  wheat  grown 
on  the  place  the  previous  season,  which  was  injured  by  the  weevil. 
It  was  drilled  in  at  the  rate  of  three-quarters  of  a  bushel  to  the 
acre,  on  the  25th  of  September,  at  the  same  time  as  the  rest  of  the 
field.  The  peculiarity  in  the  treatment  was,  that  every  other  pipe 
of  the  drill  was  stopped,  so  that  the  rows  of  wheat  were  twenty 
inches  apart,  or  double  the  usual  distance.  In  the  spring,  when 
the  ground  had  become  sufficiently  dry  to  work,  a  small  garden  hoe 
harrow  was  run  between  the  rows,  working  the  ground  to  the  depth 
of  about  three  inches  ;  this  was  done  only  once.  The  effect  of  this 
working  was  very  apparent ;  the  wheat  took  a  rapid  start  and  out- 
grew the  rest  of  the  field. 

As  the  season  advanced  it  grew  tall  and  strong,  and  no  amount 
of  wind  or  rain  had  any  effect  to  lay  it  down  ;  wh^n  the  heads 
formed,  their  greater  length  was  very  apparent.  It  was  backward 
in  ripening,  and  the  rest  of  the  field  was  cut  and  hauled  in  a  week 
before  this  was  ready.  Now  for  the  result :  the  experimental  wheat 
yielded  twenty-three  bushels  to  the  acre,  and  the  rest  yielded  only 
nine  bushels  to  the  acre ;  the  quality  of  each  was  about  the  same. 
Whether  from  defect  in  the  seed,  or  the  wet  season,  or  the  late 
planting,  the  whole  of  my  wheat  was  injured  both  by  rust  and  wee- 
vil, and  the  experimental  part  did  not  escape — it  was  affected  just 
as  the  rest  was. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  671 


This  experiment  cannot  be  regarded  as  entirely  satisfactory  :  the 
season  was  exceptional,  the  seed  used  was  inferior,  and  the  yield  of 
the  experimental  part  of  the  field  was  not  absolutely  great,  but  only 
by  comparison  with  the  rest  of  the  crop,  which  was  a  poor 'one,  from 
the  effects  of  the  rust  and  the  weevil;  but  the  result  is,  under  any 
circumstances,  sufficiently  reasonable  to  attract  the  attention  o"f 
farmers  and  induce  a  further  trial.— Farm  Journal 


Cotton  Manufacturing  South. 
The  South,  as  we  have  seen,  has  made  gratifying  progress  in  the 
manufacture  of  cotton,  as  well  as  in  its  culture,  during  the  last  few 
years.  And  in  view  of  the  probability  of  an  early  recovery  from 
the  wastes  of  war,  a  proposition  for  the  Southern  States  to  work 
up  their  fine  long  cotton  into  yarns  for  the  English  and  other 
foreign  markets,  instead  of  exporting  the  bulk  of  the  raw  staple,  as 
in  times  gone  by,  has  been  revived,  and  is  meeting  with  great  favor. 
Such  an  industrial  development,  it  is  seen,  would  be  equivalent  to  a 
positive  increase  of  the  active  labor  on  the  plantations,  since  it 
wculd  utilize  a  class  of  the  population  not  available  for  the  fields, 
but  which  is  at  present  measurably  useless,  and,  to  some  degree,  a 
positive  drag  on  society. 

The   South,  it  is  well   known,  has  important  advantages  in  the 
manufacture  of  cotton.'     It  has  the  raw  material  at   hand,  an  abun- 
dance of  food  within  easy  access,  an  unlimited  water  power,  an  un- 
surpassed climate  in   many  sections,   plenty  of  timber  and  coal,   to- 
gether with  extended  and  extending  facilities  for  communication  and 
transportation.     The  only  present  drawback,  or  impediment,  of  any 
importance,  is  the  lack  of  adequate    capital;  but  as  this  is  already 
being  supplied,  there  would  seem    to  be  no  good  reason  why  manu- 
facturing industry  should  not  at  once   take   deep  root,  since  it  has 
been  demonstrated  that  the  relative  cost  of  converting  cotton  into 
yarn,  as  between  England  and  the   South,  is  in  favor  of  the  latter. 
The  Superintendent  of  the  Salada  Cotton  Mills,  at  Columbia,  S.  C, 
has  furnished  some  interesting  facts  and  figures  on  this  point.     He 
assumes,  by  way  of  comparison,  the  price  of  cotton  at  Columbia  to  be 
20  cents  per  pound;  at  New  York,  23.5  cents;  and  in  Manchester, 
England,  24  cents,  which  he  assumes  are  fair  proportions.      On  this 
basis  the  cost  of  making  a  pound  of  cotton  into  yarn  at  Columbia 
would  be  9  cents,  while  in  New  York  it  would  be  14.31  cents,  and 
m  Manchester  11.25  cents.     Taking  into  account  the  freight  and 
insurance  from  Columbia  to  New  York,  and  the  cartage,  commission, 


672  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

and  other  charges  here,  the  cost  of  manufacturing  yarn  is  found  to 
be  fully  5  cents  per  pound  cheaper  at  Columbia  than  in  New  York, 
assuming  that  the  article  is  worked  up  here.  A  similar  calculation 
having  been  entered  into,  as  between  Columbia  and  Manchester, 
shows  that  the  manufacture  of  cotton  yarns  can  be  done  cheaper 
at  the  South  than  in  England,  by  about  the  difference  in  the  value 
of  currency  and  gold.  The  figures  of  a  manufacturer  of  yarns  in 
Manchester,  show  the  cost  of  a  pound  of  yarn  there — taking  24 
cents  per  pound  as  the  cost  of  the  cotton,  and  11.25  as  the  cost  of 
conversion — at  35.25  cents.  The  cost  of  the  transfer  of  the  pound 
of  Southern  yarn — costing  in  the  South  29  cents — from  the  South 
to  England  is,  including  both  freight  and  insurance,  bare  1.5  cents. 
This,  added  to  the  preceding  cost,  makes  the  cost  to  England  80.5 
cents,  whereas  the  pound  manufactured  in  England  costs  35.25 
cents ;  showing  that  the  Southern  manufacturer  can  put  his  yarns 
down  in  England  4.75  (5.20)  cheaper  than  the  English  manufacturer 
can  make  them  there.  If  these  figures,  which  refer  to  No.  20  yarns, 
are  substantially  correct,  they  surely  afford  a  very  strong  argument 
for  pushing  the  manufacture  of  cotton  at  the  South,  as  well  as  its 
culture.  By  working  up  the  surplus  cotton  into  yarns  for  exporta- 
tion, it  has  been  roughly  estimated  that  a  profit  of  twenty  dollars  a 
bale  would  be  realized  over  and  above  the  profit  of  growing  the  sta- 
ple. In  a  crop  of  three  millions  of  bales,  this  would  afford  an  ex- 
tra profit  of  sixty  millions  of  dollars — enongh,  surely,  to  create  a 
strong  incentive  on  the  part  of  the  men  of  means  to  engage  in  the 
business. — Economist  and  Dry  Goods  Reporter. 


Where  Woman's   Power  Lies. 

The  true  power  of  woman  is  the  resistless  power  of  affection.  In 
asserting  this,  am  I  attempting  to  mask  the  great  questions  of  the 
day  with  "  a  glittering  generality  ?"  Am  I  disposed  to  deny  any 
lawful  claim  which  woman  may  make  for  a  more  extensive  recogni- 
tion of  her  rights,  or  a  larger  field  for  her  powers  ?  No  ;  I  am  not 
doing  any  such  thing.  Let  woman  do  whatever  her  faculties  can 
achieve — let  her  go  wherever  her  instincts  demand.  If  she  truly 
follows  her  instincts,  I  am  sure  she  will  not  go  wrong.  I  am  sure 
of  this  also,  that  wherever  man  may  lawfully  go,  woman  may  law- 
fully go.  Wherever  woman  ought  not  to  be,  it  is  a  shame  for  man, 
it  is  a  shame  for  humanity  to  be.  I  merely  insist  upon  this,  that 
whatever  woman  may  accomplish  in  the  world,  with  brain  or  hands, 
will  draw  its  vital  eflBcacy,  its  talismanic  virtue  from  the  heart ;  and 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  673 


that  her  strength  in  all  these  various  shapes  of  action  and  of  influ- 
ence, in  its  root  and  essence,  will  be  the  strength  of  the  affections. 
The  biding  of  a  woman's  power  must  ever  be  in  the  fervor  and 
steadfastness  of  her  love.  And  her  most  triumphant  characteristic 
is  love,  culminating  in  its  highest  expression — that  of  self-sacrice. 
A  thoughtful  writer  has  observed  the  contrast  between  the  sexes 
even  in  their  play.  "  The  boy,"  he  gays,  "  gets  together  wooden 
horses  and  a  troop  of  tin  soldiers,  and  works  with  them.  The  girl 
takes  a  doll  and  works  for  it."  This  is  woman's  great  peculiarity 
— the  work  of  self-sacrifice — working  for  others. — Rev.  Dr. 
Chap  in. 


Greasing  "Wagons. — Few  people  fully  appreciate  the  impor- 
tance of  thoroughly  lubricating  the  axles,  etc.,  of  wagons  and  car- 
riages, and  still  fewer  know  what  are  the  best  materials  and  the 
best  methods  of  applying  them.  A  well  made  wheel  will  endure 
common  wear  from  ten  to  twenty-five  years,  if  care  is  taken  to  use 
the  right  kind  and  proper  amount  of  grease ;  but  if  this  matter  is 
not  attended  to,  they  will  be  used  up  in  five  or  six  years.  Lard 
should  never  be  used  on  a  wagon,  for  it  will  penetrate  the  hub,  and 
work  its  way  around  the  tenons  of  the  spokes,  and  spoil  the  wheel. 
Tallow  is  the  best  lubricator  for  wooden  axle  trees,  and  castor  oil 
for  iron.  Just  grease  enough  should  be  applied  to  the  spindle  of  a 
wagon  to  give  it  a  light  coating;  this  is  better  than  more,  for  the 
surplus  put  on  will  work  out  at  the  ends,  and  be  forced  by  the 
shoulder-bands  and  nut-washers  into  the  hub  around  the  outside  of 
the  boxes.  To  oil  an  axle-tree,  first  wipe  the  spindle  clean  with  a 
cloth  wet  with  spirits  of  turpentine,  and  then  apply  a  few  drops  of 
castor  oil  near  the  shoulders  and  end.  One  teaspoonful  is  sufficient 
for  the  whole. — Exchange. 


How  to  Keep  up  your  Hay  Crop. — A  farmer  who  had  been 
in  the  habit  of  selling  his  hay  for  many  years  in  succession,  being 
asked  how  he  kept  up  his  hay  crop  without  manuring  or  cultivating 
his  land,  replied:  u  I  never  allowed  the  after  math  to  be  cut."  If 
this  rule  is  generally  followed  there  would  be  less  said  about  the  run- 
ning out  of  grass  fields  or  short  crops  of  hay.  Some  farmers  feed 
off  every  green  thing  and  compel  cattle  to  pull  up  and  gnaw  off  the 
roots  of  the  grass.  Cutting  rowen  is  certain  death  to  hay  crops. 
A  farmer  had  better  buy  hay  at  forty  dollars  per  ton  thau  ruin  his 
hay  field  by  close  grazing.  The  general  treatment  of  grass  lands 
in  this  respect  is  wrong  and  expensive,  and  should  be  abandoned  as 
a  matter  of  profit  and  economy. — Exchange. 

vol.  in — 43 


674 


THE  SOUTHERN 


[November 


horticultural  Department. 


JOHN  M.  ALLAN, 


Editor. 


The  Augusta  County  Fair. 

The  second  annual  exhibition  of  the  Augusta  County  Agricultu- 
ral Society  was  held  at  their  grounds,  near  Staunton,  on  the  13th, 
14th  and  15th  ultimo.  Large  numbers  of  visitors  were  in  attend- 
ance each  day,  and  financially  the  Fair  was  a  grand  success.  The 
exhibition  was  creditable.  The  number  and  variety  of  articles  were 
not  as  great  as  might  have  been  expected  from  such  a  wealthy  and 
flourishing  county,  but  the  quality  of  those  exhibited  was  very  fine. 
The  main  cause  of  the  paucity  of  articles  was  that  too  much  de- 
pendence was  placed  upon  foreign  contributions,  and  not  enough 
effort  made  to  bring  out  home  productions.  This  is  the  fault  of  our 
county  and  district  Fairs ;  they  look  to  distant  cities  for  their  ex- 
hibitors ;  and  while  it  is  well  to  do  all  they  can  to  encourage  these, 
still  they  should  not  overlook  the  fact  that  their  main  object  is  to 
develope  home  resources.  The  Central  State  Societies  will  of  ne- 
cessity attract  the  attention  of  parties  at  a  distance,  and  it  is  not 
possible  for  these  to  attend  all  the  county  as  well  as  the  State 
exhibition.  The  Horticultural  department  was  not  by  any  means 
full,  but  the  show  of  apples  was  very  fine.  Some  good  specimens 
of  grapes  were  also  upon  the  tables ;  while  the  vegetables  exhibited 
were  of  first  quality.  Too  much  credit  cannot  be  given  to  the 
President  (Col.  Baldwin)  and  the  Executive  Committee  for  the 
great  care  taken  to  make  the  visitors  enjoy  themselves,  and  nothing 
could  have  passed  off  more  pleasantly  than  did  the  whole  exhibi- 
tion. The  grounds  of  this  Society  are  admirably  adapted  to  its 
purposes,  and  we  are  sure  that  a  long  and  prosperous  career 
awaits  it. 

"WoRK, — The  unit  by  which  quantities  of  work  are  measurable  is 
the  labor  necessary  to  raise  one  pound  the  height  of  one  foot  through 
space. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AXD  FARMER. 


675 


Grapes  Under  Glass. 

^  While  so  much  is  being  done  to  foster  the  cultivation  of  our  na- 
tive grapes— to   determine  their  relative  value  for  wine-making  or 
table  use— to  ascertain  what  varieties  are  best  suited  to  each  section 
of  our  vast  country,  and  to  produce  new  kinds,  each  one  of  which, 
as  it  makes  its  appearance,  is  loudly  proclaimed  to  combine  all  the' 
excellencies  of  its  predecessors— we  wish   quietly  to  call  attention 
to  another  kind  of  grape  culture— that  is,  the  cultivation  of  foreign 
sorts  under  glass.     Every  one   who   knows  anything  of  them  will 
readily  acknowledge  the  superiority  of  most  of  them  over  any,  even 
the  best,  of  our  native  kinds,  in  size  of  bunch  and  berry  and  in 
flavor.     If  they  could  be  grjwn  out  doors  without  protection,  away 
would  go  Catawba,  Norton,  Delaware,  Iona,  Rebecca,  Eumelan,  and 
the  host  of  others  which  require  a  catalogue  of  ten  pages  for  their 
enumeration.     But  some  protection   they  must  have,  and  this  has 
deterred  many  who  are  able  to  enjoy  this  luxury,  from  the  attempt 
to  grow  them.    The  cost  of  a  suitable  structure  is  much  less  than  is 
generally  supposed;  and  though  skill  and  experience  will  always 
excel,  good  results  may  be  attained  by  following  simple  directions. 
First,  as  to  structure.     A  simple  frame  house,  weatherboarded  back 
and  front  and  at  the  gable  ends,  with  common  hot-bed  sash  well 
fitted  on  for  a  steep  roof,  is  all  that  is  necessary.     A  house  20  feet 
long,  6  feet  wide,  7  feet  high  at  the  back  and  4  feet  high  in" front 
will  cost  as  follows : 

300  feet  plank,      -                -                .  $7  50 

7  pieces  scantling  (12  feet),           -                 .  3  59 

6  sash  bx6|  feet,                     -                 .  18  00 

Door,             ....  3;00 


$'62.00 
Any  man  who  can  use  a  saw  and  hatchet  can  build  it,  and  any 
one  who  cannot  will  pay  about  ten  dollars  for  the  work.  Of  course 
this  is  not  very  accurate,  as  nothing  is  estira  ,  ed  for  nails,  digging 
post  holes,  &c.  Nor  is  the  proper  allowance  in  the  length  oTthe 
house  made  for  the  strips  between  each  sash,  but  it  answers  the  pur- 
pose of  showing  that  the  plan  is  feasible  to  persons  of  very  mode- 
rate means.  This  is  the  house ;  now  for  the  grapes.  A  border 
must  be  prepared  the  whole  length  and  in  front  of  the  house  by 
digging  a  trench  three  feet  wide  and  two  feet  deep ;  this  to  be  filled 
with  well  rotted  stable  manure,  woods  earth,  and  good  top  soil  in 
equal  parts.     The  vines  will  be  planted  near  the  centre  of  the 


676  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

trench,  about  four  feet  apart,  and  trained  along  under  the  surface  of 
the  soil  to  the  apertures  made  for  them  in  the  front  wall.  It  is 
better,  however,  that  they  make  their  first  summer's  growth  in  the 
open  air.  The  holes  through  which  tney  pass  into  the  house  must 
be  carefully  covered  with  earth.  Once  inside  and  fairly  under  way, 
the  pruning  and  training  is  quite  similar  to  that  of  grapes  on  a  trel- 
lis out  doors.  The  supports  should  not  be  nearer  than  six  inches 
to  the  glass.  The  sash,  or.  at  least,  every  other  one,  must  be  mova- 
ble, bo  that  there  may  be  proper  ventilation.  Common  sense,  with, 
such  information  as  can  be  obtained  from  books,  will  soon  settle  all 
the  details  of  management,  and  in  the  third  summer  there  will  be 
ample  repayment  for  all  the  labor  and  cost. 

We  commend  the  experiment  to  all  who  are  fond  of  Black  Ham- 
burgh. White  Muscat,  Barbarossa,  Lady  Downes,  and  other  deli- 
cious grapes,  which  thc-y  can  only  obtain  now  by  paying  fruit  ven- 
ders one  dollar  per  pound  for  them. 

Tbi-s.  of  course,  is  only  intended  for  these  who  know  absolutely 
nothing  about  cold  graperies.  Those  who  grow  for  profit  are  expe- 
rienced, and  have  much  more  elaborate  houses  than  the  one  sug- 
gested above. 


Parlor  Flowers. 

The  frost  has  already  nipped  many  of  our  more  tender  flowers, 
and  the  more  hardy  ones  will  soon  succumb  to  its  rigorous  demands. 
Tt  is  time,  therefore,  to  arrange  for  in-door  bloom,  to  enliven  the 
dull  and  dreary  days  of  Winter.  The  fortunate  possessors  of  con- 
servatories may  have  a  large  variety  of  beautiful  flowers,  from  which 
those  less  fortunate  are  debarred  ;  but  there  are  many  plants  which 
can  be  grown  and  will  bloom  well  ia  the  drawing  room. 

Make  a  shelf  by  a  southern  or  eastern  window,  and  fill  it  with 
some  of  the  following  list:  water  when  dry,  and  do  not  keep  the 
room  at  too  high  a  temperature,  (the  cooler  the  better,  provided 
frost  is  kept  out.)  and  you  will  have  flowers  until  the  Spring  suns 
brinz  out  eariv  bloom  in  the  garden:  Hyacinths,  in  glasses  and  in 
pots.  Bjuvardia — all  the  varieties  of  this  plant  are  showy,  and 
though  r.  :  [refuse,  are  constant  bloomers.  The  Camelia  Japonica 
is  almost  indispensable,  even  in  a  small  collection,  and  can  be  had 
in  endless  variety,  from  pure  white  to  deepest  crimson;  these  should 
be  kept  cool.  Cincrania  requires  patient  waiting  until  the  latter 
part  of  Winter,  when  its  ample  show  of  bright  eyed  bloom  will  well 
repay  the  little  attention  required.     Some  varieties  of  Fuchsia  will 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  677 

bloom  constantly  through  the  season;  to  produce  the  finest  effect, 
they  should  be  kept  in  pyramidal  shape.  Of  Geraniums  and  Pe- 
largerims,  the  varieties  are  numerous,  and  nearly  all  are  valuable 
as  window  plants.  Add  to  these  Heliotrope,  Mignonnette,  Sweet 
Allyesum,  Primroses,  and  Stovia,  for  a  constant  Bhow  of  white 
flowers. 


Nut  Culture. 

The  Hickory  (Carya). — Had  Columbus  discovered  nothing  in 
the  new  world  but  the  hickory  tree,  it  would  have  been  worth  all 
the  labor,  danger  and  expense  incurred  by  that  inspired  navigator. 
This  may  seem  an  extravagant  statement,  but  we  make  it  deliber- 
ately. But  whatever  Goth,  Vandal  or  Yankee  bestowed  upon  it, 
the  harsh  and  uncouth  name  of  "  hickory  "  deserves  not  our  thanks. 
Blessings  on  the  gentle  botanist  who  tried  to  make  amends  to  the 
stately  and  precious  fruit-bearer,  by  giving  it  the  musical  denomi- 
nation of  Carya.  "We  will  describe  only  the  two  most  valuable  va- 
rieties— Shell-bark  {Carya  alba),  and  the  Pecan  (Carya  vlivsefor- 
mis) — first,  however,  giving  the  general  characteristics^)!  the  tree. 
The  soil  it  prefers  is  a  deep  alluvial  loam,  yet  it  grovrs  well  upon 
uplands.  The  Shell-bark  is  found  in  abundance  in  New  York  and 
other  Northern  States,  but  the  Pecan  is  peculiar  to  the  South  and 
West.  No  tree  of  the  forest  attains  a  loftier  height,  or  is  clothed 
with  a  richer,  more  beautiful  foliage.  S.  B.  Buckley,  El:.,  states 
that  he  measured  a  Pecan  on  the  Brazos,  in  Fort  Bend  county, 
Texas,  which  was  sixteen  feet,  five  inches  in  circumference  at  three 
feet  from  the  ground,  and  one  hundred  feet  in  height.  The  County 
Surveyor  of  Navarro  county,  in  the  same  State,  says  he  measured 
one  on  the  Trinity  river  which  was  twenty-three  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence at  three  feet  from  the  ground.  There  are  few  thir;^s  about 
which  Englishmen  evince  so  much  national  pride  as  their  oaks. 
They  will  give  you  the  history,  the  age,  and  the  dimensions  of  every 
famous  oak  in  the  three  kingdoms.  The  Beggar's  oak,  in  Bagot's 
Park,  they  will  tell  you  is  twenty  feet  in  girth  five  feet  from  the 
ground.  Wallace's  oak,  at  Edenslee,  near  where  Wallace  was  born, 
is  twenty-one  feet  in  circumference,  and  sixty-seven  feet  high — 
thirty-three  feet  lower  than  Buckley's  Pecan  in  Fort  Bend.  A 
tradition  states  that  Wallace  and  three  hundred  men  hid  themselves 
from  the  English  in  the  branches  of  this  great  oak. 

The  Shell-bark  has  a  broader  leaf  than  the  Pecan,  and  both  are 
of  a  rich,  dark  and  luxuriant  green. 


678  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

The  Pecan  (pronounced  pecon,  accent  on  the  last  syllable.)  grows 
as  far  north  as  Missouri,  and  as  far  south  as  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 
Michaux  states  that  he  saw  a  swamp  of  800  acres  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  Ohio,  opposite  the  Cumberland  river,  entirely  covered  with 
it.  The  nut  is  about  an  inch,  or  an  inch  and  a  half  long,  smooth, 
cylindrical,  and  thin  shelled.  It  is  a  delicious  nut,  but  not  quite 
equnl  to  the  Southern  Shell-bark,  which  is  much  superior  to  the 
Northern  variety.  The  latter,  however,  are  rarely  seen  in  the  mar- 
ket, while  the  former  are  abundant,  but  higher  priced,  even  here, 
than  any  imported  nut.  It  is  delightful  to  see  the  ease  with  which 
they  grow  from  the  seed.  You  may  rely  on  them  with  as  much 
certainty  as  any  other  crop  whatever.  I  have  about  fifty  young 
trees,  all  obtained  from  the  seed.  A  fine  Pecan  stands  in  the  Cap- 
itol grounds  in  Washington,  and  it  is  said,  bears  abundant  crops  of 
excellent  nuts.  The  nuts  can  be  obtained  almost  anywhere  for 
planting  ;  every  fruiterer  keeps  them. 

The  wood  of  the  hickory  is  very  valuable,  being  employed  in  al- 
most every  branch  of  mechanics  where  tough  timber  is  required, 
and  for  fuel  it  has  no  equal.  Hickory  hoop  poles  are  always  in  de- 
mand. Th%  hickory  is  worth  cultivating  for  hoop-poles  alone.  It 
is  worth  cultivating  for  mechanical  purposes  al)ne.  It  is  worth  cul- 
tivating for  fuel  alone.  It  is  worth  cultivating  for  its  beauty  as  a 
park  tree  alone.  Its  value  as  a  fruit-bearer  is  beyond  estimation. 
Plant  ten  acres  for  your  son,  in  Pecans  and  Shell-barks,  and  our 
word  for  it,  he  will  find  his  ten  acres  quito  enough. 

The  Government  ought  to  encourage  the  planting  of  beautiful 
nut-bearing  trees,  by  exempting  all  land  planted  in  valuable  fruit- 
bearers  from  taxation.  I  see  no  use  in  planting  trees  that  are  not 
valuable,  when  it  is  just  as  easy  to  plant  those  that  are. 


Care  of  Newly-Planted  Trees. 
Many  tree-planters  think  that  when  the  roots  of  a  tree  are  once 
in  the  ground,  the  work  is  done;  when,  in  fact,  it  is  only  begun. 
After  the  tree  is  carefully  planted,  it  should  be  mulched  with 
leaves,  straw,  tan,  or  whatever  similar  material  is  most  accessible  ; 
not  so  thick  as  to  exclude  the  air,  but  sufficiently  so  to  retain  the 
moisture  in  the  soil;  for,  although  there  may  be  plenty  of  rain 
earlv  in  the  season,  the  probability  is  that  there  will  be  a  drought, 
more  or  less  severe,  before  the  end.  The  top  should  be  shortened 
to  correspond  with  the  quantity  of  roots  lost  in  digging  up  ;  and,  in 
doing  this,  cut  to  a  good   bud,  and  one  so  placed  that  the  shoot 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  G79 

which  grows  from  it  shall  improve  the  shape  of  the  tree.  This  will 
generally  be  on  the  outside  of  the  shoot.  As  the  prevailing  winds 
in  this  country  are  from  the  west,  it  may  be  well  to  leave  the  limbs 
on  this  side  a  little  longer,  to  assist  in  balancing  the  top.  Make  a 
neat  cut,  close,  but  not  too  close,  to  the  bud,  and,  if  you  are  very 
particular,  cover  the  cut  with  grafting-wax  to  prevent  evaporation. 
The  cutting-back  should  be  done  as  early  as  possible.  If  in  an  ex- 
posed situation,  it  must  be  staked,  or  otherwise  prevented  from 
shaking  by  the  wind.  It  is  sometimes  difficult  to  drive  a  stake 
firmly  in  the  soil  just  loosened  by  planting  the  tree,  and,  the  larger 
the  tree,  the  greater  the  leverage  on  the  stake ;  so  we  prefer  to 
steady  the  tree  by  placing  large  stones  on  the  ground  around  it, 
which  also  assist  to  keep  the  ground  moist.  But  for  very  large 
trees,  we  have  found  the  best  way  to  be  to  fasten  four  guys  near 
the  top,  first  wrapping  a  cloth  around  to  prevent  chafing,  and  mak- 
ing the  lower  ends  fast  to  a  short  stake  driven  in  at  some  distance 
from  the  tree.  The  lines  need  not  be  large;  one  of  two  or  three 
ropeyarns  twisted  together  will  fasten  a  tree  twenty-five  feet  high 
so  firmly,  that  nothing  but  a  hurricane  can  shake  it.  The  further 
care  will  be  miinly  in  destroying  insects,  and  pinching  out  any  use- 
less shoots  as  soon  as  they  start,  and  the  ends  of'  those  which  grovr 
bo  much  stronger  than  others  as  to  impair  the  balance  of  the  tree. 
— Journal  of"  horticulture. 


Autumn  transplanting  has  many  advantages  over  Spring 
transplanting  ;  the  first,  and  not  the  least  important  of  which  is,  the 
comparative  leisure  of  the  season,  especially  to  nurserymen.  We 
know  of  no  greater  satisfaction  than  the  reflection,  at  the  approach 
of  Winter,  that  all  the  work  which  could  possibly  be  done  to  save 
time  in  the  hurry  and  drive  of  Spring  work  has  been  thoroughly 
done;  that  all  the  gaps  in  the  young  orchard  rows  have  been  care- 
fully filled,  and  the  roots  protected  by  sufficient  litter  against  the 
cold  of  Winter,  and  the  tops  staked,  or  otherwise  guarded  against 
being  shaken  by  the  wind. 

Another  and  perhaps  a  still  greater  advantage  of  Autumn  plant- 
ing is  the  superior  condition  of  the  soil — dry,  warm  and  friable; 
while  in  Spring,  especially  on  heavy  soils,  and  even  on  light  soils, 
in  the  early  part  of  the  season,  the  ground  will  often  be  so  wet  and 
cold  that  it  is  impossible  to  plant  a  tree  properly.  A  man  cannot 
set  a  tree  in  the  best  manner  without  putting  his  hands  into  the 


680  THE    SOUTHERN  [November 

dirt  ;  and  the  discomfort  of  handling  cold,  wet  earth,  is  not  un- 
worthy of  consideration.  Every  owner  of  a  fruit  garden  of  any 
size  should  have  a  few  large  trees  in  reserve,  so  as  to  replace  any 
that  may  die  without  injuring  the  uniform  appearance  of  the  rows; 
and,  as  these  will  require  special  care  in  transplanting,  it  should  by 
all  means  be  done  in  the  genial  days  of  Autumn,  when  both  air  and 
earth  are  favorable  for  the  work.  In  such  days,  how  can  any  man 
who  intends  to  plant  trees  possibly  defer  it  to  the  hurry  of  Spring, 
and  very  likely  to  the  end  of  the  season,  when  the  buds  are  start- 
ing, and  the  danger  of  injury  is  tenfold  ?  Besides  the  greater  loss 
from  evaporation,  the  greater  injury  of  rubbing  off  the  bud  in  hand- 
ling is  a  serious  consideration. — Journal  of  Horticulture. 


Root-Pruning  of  Fruit  Trees. — The  Western  Rural,  in  a 
careful  article  on  root-pruning,  prescribes  this  method  for  doing  it 
best : 

"In  root-pruning,  a  trench  is  opened  around  the  tree  to  be  ope- 
rated on,  at  a  suitable  distance  from  the  trunk,  that  distance  de- 
pending upon  the  size  of  the  tree  and  the  consequent  extent  of  the 
roots.  About  one-fourth  of  the  roots  may  be  cut  away,  and  as 
they  extend  nearly  as  far  as  the  branches,  the  diameter  of  the  cir- 
cle formed  by  the  trench  may  be  regulated  by  the  spread  of  the 
branches.  In  root-pruning  small  trees,  the  soil  need  not  be  dug 
out  of  the  trench,  as  the  roots  may  be  cut  by  driving  down  a  very 
sharp  spade  to  the  required  depth.  When  a  large  tree  is  to  be 
operated  on,  the  lowest  roots  can  scarcely  be  reached  without  re- 
moving the  soil  from  the  trench  to  the  depth  of  a  foot  and  a  half, 
and  then  cutting  a  circle  with  the  spade  in  the  bottom  of  the  trench, 
at  least  one  foot  in  depth. 

"  When  a  tree  has  been  deprived  of  the  greater  number  of  its 
fibrous  or  feeding  roots  by  this  method  of  pruning,  manure  should 
be  applied  to  encourage  the  growth  of  others.  A  root-pruned  tree, 
without  the  application  of  suitable  manure,  generally  produces  a 
large  number  of  very  small  fruit;  but  when  the  trench  is  filled  with 
suitable  manure,  and  a  heavy  top-pressing  of  it  applied  to  the  area 
within  the  circle,  very  favorable  results  may  be  expected.  On  the 
whole,  root-pruning  has  been  found  to  be  injurious  to  the  longevity 
of  trees,  and  should  not  be  resorted  to  until  all  other  expedients 
have  failed.  The  best  time  for  performing  this  operation  is  in  the 
Fall,  immediately  after  the  growth  of  the  tree  has  ceased." 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND   FARMER.  681 


Tienching  for  Roses. 

So  far  as  I  have  noticed,  the  very  dry  weather  of  this  summer  is 
producing  an  unusual  amount  of  Mildew  among  the  roses.  As  I 
happened  to  have  one  bed  of  hybrid  perpetuals,  all  of  which  are  in 
the  most  perfect  health  imaginable ;  free  from  even  a  suspicion  of 
mildew  during  all  the  dry  heat,  it  will  interest  many  of  your  read- 
ers to  know  how  this  result  has  been  obtained.  It  is  simply  by 
trenching. 

The  soil  in  this  bed  would,  by  most  persons  be  considered  ex- 
tremely unfavorable  for  growing  good  Roses,  being  really  nothing 
but  light  sand,  such  as  i3  looked  upon  as  just  the  thing  for  sweet 
potatoes.  Two  years  agi  last  Spring  it  was  trenched  20  to  24 
inches  deep,  and  very  liberally  manured  with  ordinary  stable 
manure,  the  Roses  being  then  planted  a  littte  more  than  three  feet 
apart.  They  made  a  rapid  growth,  and  towards  the  end  of  Novem- 
ber were  deeply  mulched  with  strawy  manure,  all  of  the  mulching 
being  removed  about  the  first  of  April.  Last  year  the  bloom  and 
growth  were  both  admirable.  They  were  again  mulched  during  the 
winter,  and  as  soon  as  the  mulching  was  removed  in  the  Spring, 
the  Roses  were  pruned  and  the  shoots  pegged  down  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  completely  cover  the  bed. 

Such  masses  of  rich  foliage  and  superb  blossoms  as  they  produced 
last  June  can  hardly  be  imagined,  and  were  worth  almost  any 
amount  of  trouble  to  procure.  And  as  I  said  before  the  foliage  is 
still  in  perfect  health,  in  spite  of  the  extreme  heat  and  dryness;  for 
the  roots  run  far  down  into  the  cool  and  moisture  of  the  deep  soil. 

Geo.  Such,  in  Gc ar dene f  $  Monthly . 


Pear  Growing  in  Delaware. — Against  my  own  judgment,  I 
left  a  few  pear-trees  in  variety  without  cultivation.  They  have  not 
done  half  as  well  as  when  I  cultivate,  and  the  fruit  will  only  ave- 
rage about  one  third  the  size.  I  have  an  orchard  of  sixteen  thous- 
and pear-trees  on  my  farm  in  Denmark,  Delaware,  one  half  stand- 
ards and  one  half  dwarfs,  four,  five,  and  six  years  in  orchard  this 
spring.  My  Bartletts  and  Belle  Lucratives  are  producing  from 
half-peck  up  to  a  bushel  to  a  tree.  Fire-blight  is  the  great  draw- 
back to  the  planting  of  pear-orchards  in  this  and  other  sections.  I 
have  not  lost,  1  believe,  one  tree  by  fire-blight  in  my  orchard  of 
ten  thousand  trees.  The  seventeen  year  locust  destroyed  some  for 
me  last  summer.  I  should  have  been  pleased  for  some  of  your 
Boston  pear-men  to  have  seen  my  orchard  in  fruit. 

Yours  truly, 
Randolph  Peters,  in  Journal  of  Horticulture. 

Wilmington,  Del.,  Aug.  23,  1869. 


682  THE  SOUTHREN  [November 

Successful  Plum  Culture. — William  Day  of  Morristown,  N. 
J.,  an  inveterate  curculator-hater,  lays  down  his  rules  for  successful 
plum  culture  : 

"  First,  let  the  planter  be  sure  to  secure  thrifty  trees ;  for  no 
after-culture  will  compensate  for  the  loss  and  consequent  mnrtifica- 
tion  and  vexation  of  any  attempt  to  recurerate  stuned  plum-trees; 
like  a  stunted  mule,  they  may  grow,  but  seldom  thrive.  Next 
plant  as  compact  as  admissible — say  sixteen  feet  apart — in  rows,  in 
the  form  of  a  peach  orchard,  to  the  extent  of  one  quarter  or  half 
acre  at  least,  as  a  less  quantity  of  ground  occupied  than  we  propose 
would  hardly  be  a  remunerative  experiment.  At  this  distance  each 
way,  17J  trees  would  plant  an  acre"  Give  the  trees  good  nursing, 
care  and  attention,  by  constant  cultivation,  until  they  are  ready  to 
bear.  I  should  have  said  the  plat  should  be  adjoining  the  hog-pen; 
then  run  around  the  patch  a  suitable  inclosure,  and  turn  in  the  hogs, 
and  give  them  the  'freedom  of  the  city,'  from  the  time  the  first 
blossom  is  seen  until  the  fruit  is  ripening,  then  turn  out  the  hogs ; 
spread  clean  straw  around  the  trees  for  the  fruit  to  be  gathered 
upon  ;  handle  it  with  the  greatest  care  ;  send  immediately  to  mar- 
ket:  pocket  the  profits,  and  lie  down  at  night  upon  your  pillow 
with  a  clear  conscience,  thanking  the  Almighty  for  so  great  a  bles- 
sing as  the  delicious  plum." — Horticulturist. 


A  Brilliant  Flower-Bed. — Select  or  make  a  small  isolated  bed 
in  some  spot  fully  exposed  to  the  sun,  and  let  it  contain  fine  sandy 
peat,  or  fine  sandy  soil  of  any  other  kind;  and  let  it  be  wtdl  drain- 
ed, of  course,  and  plice  a  few  rustic  stones  round  the  margin  and 
through  the  bed,  half  or  more  buried  in  the  soil,  so  that  the  whole 
will  be  elevated  a  little  above  the  grass  level.  Over  the  bed,  beside 
the  stones,  &c,  plant  a  few,  a  select  few  of  the  best  dwarf  sedums 
and  saxifrages  of  the  incrusted  section ;  and  perhaps,  if  you  are 
fond  of  them,  a  few  of  the  very  choicest  spring  bulbs, — such,  for 
instance,  as  that,  little  Siberian  exquisite  Puschkinia  scillo- 
dites — just  to  vary  the  bed  a  little  at  all  points,  and  give  it  unsur- 
passed charms  in  spring.  But  for  the  brilliancy  and  chief  beauty, 
you  must  have  a  number  of  plants  of  a  very  beautiful  hard  peren- 
nial, Calandrinia  umbellata.  Make  the  groundwork  of  your  bed  of 
these,  and  put  a  few  good  specimens  on  the  little  elevations  about 
the  highest  points  and  tiny  rocks  in  your  little  bed.  Plant  in 
Bpring,  give  a  good  soaking  of  water  in  dry  weather  and  wait  for 
the  result.  The  Calendrinia  is  a  continuously-blooming  plant ;  and 
it  begins  to  flower,  if  well  grown,  you  may  expect  a  display  of  the 
purest  magenta-colored  flowers  for  many  weeks. — O'Shane,  in  Floral 
World. 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  683 


hung  department 


Mineral  Wealth  of  Nations. 

IRON  AND   COAL. 

[From  an  interesting  and  instructive  essay,  by  Albert  D.  Richardson,  on 
Mining,  in  the  American  Year  Bonk  for  I860,*  we  extract  the  following  articles 
on  Iron  and  Coal,  two  very  important  constituent  elements  of  the  mineral 
wealth  of  nations:] 

IRON. 

Iron,  like  gold,  was  known  to  the  ancients.  We  read  that  "  iron 
is  taken  out  of  the  earth,"  and  again  that  Tubal  Cain  was  an  "in- 
structor of  every  artificer  in  brass  and  iron."  One  of  the  attrac- 
tions of  the  Promised  Land  lay  in  its  being  a  country  "  whose 
stones  are  iron,  and  out  of  whose  hills  thou  rnayest  dig  brass."  And 
when  Cicesus  showed  Solon  his  stores  of  gold,  Solon  answered,  "If 
another  king  cometh  who  hath  more  iron  than  thou,  he  will  be 
master  of  all  this  gold." 

Iron  is  the  most  useful,  most  abundant,  and  most  valuable  of  all 
the  metals.  It  can  be  beaten  into  any  shape,  cast  into  the  most 
intricate  patterns,  rolled  into  thin  plates,  and  drawn  into  fine  wire 
of  the  greatest  tenacity.  It  is  alike  adapted  to  the  most  massive 
and  the  most  delicate  works.  As  an  illustration  of  the  enhancement 
of  its  value  by  labor,  it  is  asserted  that  the  worth  of  a  piece  of  iron 
in  different  stages  of  manufacture  may  be  as  follows : — In  the  bar, 
$5;  in  horse-shoes,  $10.50;  in  needles,  $55;  in  pen-knife  blades, 
§8,285 ;  in  shirt  buttons,  $29,480 ;  in  hair-springs  of  watches, 
$250,000. 

Iron  was  used  long  before  the  Trojan  war.  Solomon's  saying, 
"as  iron  sharpeneth  iron,"  relates  to  a  practice  ancient  even  in  his 
day.  Monuments  of  Thebes  and  Memphis,  forty  centuries  old,  rep- 
resent butchers  sharpening  their  knives  upon  steel.  Scythia  was 
termed  the  "mother  of  iron."  As  early  as  A.  D.  120,  the  Romans 
erected  forges  in  Britain,  and  remains  of  their  furnaces  are  still 
found  upon  the  tops  of  hills.  The  ancients,  however,  had  only 
wrought  iron.  The  earliest  notice  of  cast  iron  is  found  in  the 
records  of  the  15th  century.  American  Indians  were  altogether 
ignorant  of  the  metal. 

In  Virginia  in  1620,  a  ton  of  iron  cost  .£10,  the  price  of  a  man's 
labor  for  a  year.     Among  the  early  American  colonists,  an  iron  pot 

*Edited  by  David  N.  Camp,  and  published  by  O.  D.  Chase  &  Co.,  IIartford» 
1869,  pp.  82-i. 


684  THE    SOUTHERN  [November 


was  ofcen  jequeathed  to  some  heir  as  a  special  mark  of  esteem,  and 
all  pots  and  kettles  used  were  of  wrought  iron.  Virginia  id  1662 
forbade  sending  iron  out  of  the  colony,  under  a  penalty  of  10  pounds 
of  tobacco  for  every  pound  of  iron  exported.  The  first  iron  works 
in  the  United  States  were  built  "on  Falling  Creek  in  Jamestown 
river,"  in  1619;  but,  three  years  later,  the  Indians  destroyed  the 
furnaces  and  massacred  the  workmen  and  neighboring  settlers  to 
the  n amber  of  347  persons.  Iron  works  were  established  at  Lynn 
and  Braintree,  Mass..  in  1644.  The  first  iron  vessel  cast  in  America 
was  an  iron  quart  pot.  about  1650.  In  1673,  Xew  England  had  five 
furnaces.  In  1790,  the  first  furnace  was  erected  west  of  the  Alle- 
gbanies. 

The  ancients  melted  the  ores  in  open  furnaces,  into  which  air  was 
forced  by  hand  bellows.  The  metal  collected  in  a  "loop,"  and  was 
then  beaten  on  an  anvil,  the  impurities  separating  in  a  semi -fluid 
cinder.  The  ores  are  now  reduced  by  suitable  fluxes  in  huge  blast  fur- 
naces raised  to  an  intense  heat,  sometimes  estimated  at  nearly  3,000° 
Fahr.,  by  currents  of  hot  air  driven  in  by  powerful  machinery.  The 
resulting  pig  iron  is  then  passed  through  puddling  and  rolling  mills, 
and  converted  into  wrought  iron  of  commerce,  which  again,  by  the 
addition  of  a  slight  proportion  of  carbon  becomes  steel.  The  high 
blact  furnace  was  invented  in  1558.  Up  to  1700,  the  ores  were 
reduced  by  charcoal ;  then  bituminous  coal  was  substituted.  The 
puddling  process  was  invented  in  17S4.  and  the  hot  blast  introduced 
in  1827.  Anthracite  coal  was  first  successfully  used  for  smelting  in 
Pennsylvania  in  1835.  The  following  statement  of  the  iron  product 
United  States  for  1867.  shows  the  amount  of  pig  iron  produced 
by  the  different  qualities  of  coal : 

A  •  -cite  pig  iron,  784.788  tons;  raw  bituminous  coal  and  coke, 
318,647  tens;  charcoal.  344.341  tons;  total,  1,447,771  tons. 

The  early  uses  of  iron  were  few  and  comparatively  rude.  Modern 
civilization  has  greatly  stimulated  its  product,  and  introduced  it 
into  nearly  all  the  industries  of  life.  The  first  great  increase  in 
demand  was  due  to  railroads.  Wooden  rails  were  used  until  about 
17  :  then  strap  iron  came  in,  but  was  not  generally  adopted.  In 
1767,  the  Colebrook-Dale  iron  works  in  Shropshire,  England,  had 
a  very  large  quantity  of  iron  on  hand,  as  the  prices  were  extremely 
low.  The  wooden  railway  belonging  to  the  works  requiring  frequent 
and  expensive  repairs,  the  proprietors  laid  down  their  pigs  of  iron 
for  rails,  observing  that  when  the  prices  of  metal  rose,  they  could 
easily  take  them  up.  Their  greatly  superior  value  soon  became 
obvious,  and  it  was  found  that  ten  horses  could  do  the  work  which 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  68  5 


formerly  required  four  hundred.  Still  it  took  many  years  to  bring 
them  into  general  use.  Now  the  total  length  of  railways  in  the 
■world  is  upwards  of  170,000  miles,  an  iron  belt  that  would  encircle 
the  globe  six  times,  and  is  almost  long  enough  to  connect  earth  with 
the  moon.  In  1828,  the  annual  product  of  pig  iron  was :  Great 
Britain,  700,000  tons ;  United  States,  110,000  tons ;  total  product 
of  the  world,  1,000,000  tons. 

The  yield  for  1866  (the  latest  full  annual  returns  received),  was : 

England 1,530,051  tons.  Russia 408,000  tons. 

France 1,300,320     "  Spain 75,0  0     " 

Belgium 500,000     "  Italy 30,000     " 

Prussia 800,000      "  Switzerland 15,000      " 

Austria 12,000      "  Zollverein 250,000      '« 

Sweden 226,076     "  United  States 1,175,000     " 


Total 9,322,047  tons. 

No  gold  and  silver  mines  have  ever  been  the  sources  of  such 
uniform  and  long-continued  prosperity  as  some  of  the  rich  deposits 
of  iron  in  Great  Britain  and  Pennsylvania.  The  iron  product  and 
manufacture  of  the  United  States  has  increased  enormously  within 
the  last  few  years,  and  the  vast  beds  of  iron  convenient  to  coal  in 
various  parts  of  the  Union,  are  destined  to  make  America  the  chief 
source  of  supply  for  the  world.  Pennsylvania  takes  the  lead  of  all 
our  Slates  and  Michigan  follows.  The  Lake  Superior  region  which 
made  it3  first  shipment  in  1855,  already  produces  nearly  one-fifth  of 
the  iron  ores  of  the  United  States.  The  product  of  this  region  is 
increasing  with  great  rapidity.  So  is  the  yield  of  Missouri,  whose 
three  mountains  of  solid  iron  known  as  Iron  Mountain,  Pilot  Knob, 
and  Shepherd's  Mountain,  are  among  the  most  remarkable  natural 
curiosities  on  our  continent.  Oregon  is  beginning  to  supply  the 
markets  of  the  Pacific  coast  with  domestic  iron.  The  product  is 
very  pure  in  quality  and  exceedingly  abundant.  The  only  furnace 
yet  in  operation  is  at  Oswego,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Walla  met 
river,  six  miles  south  of  Portland.  Another  company  is  formed,  and 
works  are  building  on  the  Columbia  river,  below  the  mouth  of  the 
Waliamet ;  and  within  the  next  few  years  the  iron  product  of  the 
State  is  likely  to  be  very  large.  Colorado  is  already  producing 
iron ;  and  the  ore  is  found  in  greater  or  lcs3  quantities  in  nearly  or 
quite  all  the  new  States  and  Territories,  as  well  as  in  all  the  older 
ones.  Where  coal  is  not  convenient  to  the  iron  beds,  the  ore  is 
often  shipped  to  other  States  for  reducing.  The  following  table 
shows  the  estimated  product,  not  of  ore,  but  of  pig  iron,  in  our 
several  States,  for  1868 : 


686  THE    SOUTHERN  [November 

Pennsylvania SoO.OOO  tons.  N>w  Jersey 47,000  tons. 

Ohio 220,000     "  Michigan 60.000     " 

New  York ISO.ncO     "  Missouri 20.000     " 

New  England  States 35,000     "  Other  States 65,000     " 


Total l,477,OC0  tons. 

Add  the  amount  of  iron  made  in  forges  and  blomaries  direct  from  the 
ere,  ■without  being  first  reduced  to  pig  iron 35,800     " 


Total  production  of  domestic  iron  in  United  States  for  1863 1,512.800  tons. 

Imports  of  iron  into  the  United   States  for  the  first  nine  months  of 
1868: 

Iron,  pig  and  puddled 68,069  tons.       Castings 963  tons- 
Bar,  Angle,  Bult.  and  Ro.l 29,040     "          Hoops.  Stuets  &  Boil  r  plates,  11,9*3     " 

Railroad,  of  aU  sorts 209,368     "  Wrought,  of  all  sorts 3,128     " 

Total  irnn 322,5  il  tons. 

Steel,  un wrought -.  11,322     " 

Grand  total 333,823  tons. 

COAL. 

The  English  use  this  word  generally  in  the  plural,  as  "coals  are 
high  ;"  but  with  them  it  refers  only  to  bituminous  coal,  the  variety 
commonly  used  in  Great  Britain.  In  this  country,  the  singular  noun 
is  applied  to  all  the  varieties.  The  two  great  divisions  are  bitumi- 
nous and  anthracite.  Anthracite  contains  fewer  gaseous  products 
than  bituminous,  and  is  richer  in  carbon. 

Coal  was  an  article  of  export  from  Newcastle,  England,  in  1281. 
During  the  reign  of  Edward  I.  its  use  in  London  was  prohibited  by 
several  acts  of  parliament,  the  smoke  being  regarded  as  injurious  to 
health.  But  as  wood  grew  scarce,  coal  was  substituted,  and  for  200 
years  it  has  been  the  chief  fuel  of  Great  Britain.  During  the  last 
half  century,  the  growing  use  of  the  steam  engine  has  enormously 
increased  its  consumption  everywhere.  The  annual  coal  product  of 
the  world  is  now  estimated  as  follows  : 

Grf  at  Britain 104.000,000  tons.       Belgium 12,000.000  tons* 

North  America 22,000/00      "  France h  , 000,(00      " 

Germany I",0o0,000     "  Other  countries 7,OvO,003      ■ 


Total  (value  $375,000,000; 172,000/00  tons. 

The  area  of  workable  coal-beds  in  all  the  world,  outside  of  the 
United  States,  is  estimated  at  26,000  square  miles,  of  which  1,600 
are  in  Australia,  6,000  in  Great  Britain,  1,000  in  France,  800 
in  Austria,  500  in  Belgium,  and  100  in  Russia.  That  of  the 
United  States,  not  including  Alaska,  is  estimated  at  over  200,000 
square  miles,  or  eight  times  as  large  as  the  available  coal  area  of  all 
the  rest  of  the  globe.  It  has  been  calculated  that  at  the  present 
rate  of  consumption,  the  world's  supply  of  coal  would  run  out  within 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  68T 

a  few  generations,  but  doubtless  some  new  fuel  will  be  introduced,  or 
some  new  discoveries  of  coal  made,  before  such  a  period  comes. 

Coal  veins  are  usually  reached  by  vertical  shafts,  but  when  found 
in  hills  are  worked  by  horizontal  galleries.  On  the  slope  of  the 
hills  opposite  Pittsburg,  300  feet  above  the  beds  of  the  Monongahela 
and  Ohio,  may  be  seen  the  openings  of  many  of  these  galleries. 
This  mode  of  taking  out  the  fuel  is  far  cheaper  than  hoisting  it. 
Coal  shafts  in  England  sometimes  reach  a  depth  of  2,000  feet.  Upon 
the  largest  of  them,  ten  years'  labor  has  been  expended,  costing  half 
a  million  of  dollars. 

The  ventilation  of  the  mines  is  an  important  point,  and  is  best 
accomplished  by  up  and  down  shafts,  the  foul  air  ascending  in  the 
former,  and  atmospheric  air  passing  in  to  the  workmen  by  the 
latter.  Bituminous  coal  gives  off  large  quantities  of  explosive  gas, 
often  causing  terrible  accidents.  The  Davy  and  Stephenson  safety 
lamps  prove  of  great  service  in  preventing  the  ignition  of  this  fatal 
fire-damp.  Carbonic  acid  gas  resulting  from  the  explosion  is  known 
as  choke-damp,  and  suffocates  all  who  breathe  it.  Despite  every 
precaution,  fuch  accidents  are  not  unfrequent.  One  near  Wigan, 
Lancashire,  England,  occurred  in  the  latter  part  of  November,  1868, 
causing  the  death  of  sixty  miners. 

The  coal  deposits  on  the  James  river,  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  from 
Richmond,  were  the  first  worked  in  this  country.  The  great  anthra- 
cite region  of  Pennsylvania,  with  its  thriving  cities  and  large  popu- 
lation, was  a  dense  wilderness  half  a  century  ago.  Thirty  years  ago 
few  mines  in  America  were  sunk  below  water  level.  Anthracite  was 
first  used  for  ordinary  fuel  in  1804,  and  for  generating  steam  in 
1825.  The  first  railway  for  its  transmission  was  built  in  1827.  It 
now  gives  employment  to  upwards  of  forty  railroads  and  canals. 

Pennsylvania  takes  the  lead  of  all  our  States  in  coal  production, 
and,  indeed,  her  yield  is  more  than  77  per  cent,  of  all  the  coal  pro- 
duct of  the  Union.  That  from  the  central  portions  of  the  State 
usually  goes  east  to  tide  water.  That  from  the  rich  bituminous 
region  about  Pittsburg  and  the  head  waters  of  the  Alleghany  is 
used  for  local  consumption,  or  passes  down  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi 
rivers.  Nearly  all  the  States  along  the  Alleghany  mountains  have 
rich  coal  fields,  as  have  also  Ohio,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Iowa,  Michigan 
and  Missouri.  Coal  is  found  in  workable  form  in  more  than  three- 
fourths  of  all  our  States  and  Territories.  The  following  table  from 
the  Census  Report,  gives  the  statistics  of  coal  mined  in  the  United 
States  during  the  year  ending  June  1,  1860: 


688  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 


ANTHRACITE. 


Pennsylvania 8,114,842  tons. 

Rhode  Island 1,000      " 


Total 8,115,842  tons 

BITUMINOUS. 

Pennsylvania 2.6C0.7S6  tons.       Iowa 41,920  tons. 

Ohio 1,265.600     "          Alabama 10,200      " 

Illinois 728,400     "          Washington  Territory 5,374      " 

Virginia 473,300     "          Missouri .'„.  3,880      " 

Maryland 438,000      "          Rhode  Island 3,800      " 

Kentucky 285,760     "          Michigan 2,320     " 

Tennessee 165,300     "          Georgia 1,900      " 

Indiana 101,280      "          Arkansas 200     " 


Total  Bituminous 6,2i8,0S0      ■« 

"      Anthracite 8,115,842     " 

Grand  total  (value  $20,243,637) 14,333,922  tons. 

Increase  in  value  since  1851,  182  per  cent. 

No  full  official  statistics  have  been  collected  since,  but  the  returns 
of  the  Internal  Revenue  for  1864  show  the  product  of  that  year  to 
have  been  16,3y8,186  tons,  and  the  total  product  for  1868  did  not 
vary  far  from  19,000,000  tons,  valued  at  $26,000,000.  The  ratio 
of  the  several  States  has  not  changed  greatly  since  1860,  except 
that  the  product  of  California,  has  sprung  up.  Her  Mt.  Diabolo 
mines  are  yielding  about  200,000  tons  annually.  A  land  carriage 
of  six  miles  aud  a  water  carriage  of  fifty,  takes  their  product  to  San 
Francisco.  The  Bellingham  Bay  mines,  in  Washington  Territory, 
already  yield  largely,  and  are  capable  of  much  greater  development. 
They  produce  an  admirable  quality  of  coal,  used  extensively  on  the 
Pacific  coast  for  manufacturing  purposes.  In  our  Atlantic  cities, 
English  can n el  coal  is  used  for  making  gas.  The  duty  on  imported 
coal  is  $1.10  per  ton  of  28  bushels.  Our  imports  and  exports  for 
1867  arc  given  as  follows  by  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Statistics: 
Coal  imports,  521,305  tons,  value,  $1,455,044;  exports,  285,101 
tons,  value,  f  1,846,199.  The  export  is  chiefly  anthracite,  and  more 
valuable  than  the  imported  qualities. 


Mexico  is  extremely  rich  in  gold  and  silver.  The  total  product 
of  her  mines,  since  the  conquest  by  Cortez,  has  been  estimated  as 
high  as  $3,000,000,000.  The  ancients  worked  veins  of  silver,  tin, 
and  copper,  but  were  ignorant  of  iron. 


Erratum. 

There  is  an  error  in  the  article  on  "Coal"  in  our  October  number,  eighth 
line  from  the  top  of  page  625  :  instead  of  "  1752  "  read  1792. 


M69.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER 


Poust^dli  prpnifmcnf. 


Rural  Architecture. 
No.   2. 


Not  only  is  the  hexagonal  form  the  best  for  the  interior  of  dwell- 
ing houses,  but:  for  the  exterior,  it  is,  in  my  opinion,  infinitely  more 
elegant  than  any  other  form.  The  English  artist,  architect  and 
poet,  John  Ruskin,  thus  discourses  on  the  external  features  of 
architecture.  kk  Until  our  street  architecture  is  bettered,  until  we  five 
it  some  size  and  boldness,  until  we  give  our  window  recesses  and  our 
^alls  thickness,  I  know  not  how  we  can  blame  our  architects  for 
their  feebleness  in  their  more  important  works.  Their  eyes  are  in- 
ured to  narrowness  and  siightness;  can  we  expect  them  at  a  word 
to  deal  with  breath  and  solidity  ':  An  architect  should  live  as  little 
in  cities  as  a  painter.  jSend  him  to  our  hills,  and  let  him  study 
there  what  nature  understands  by  a  buttress,  and  what  by  a  dome. 
Positive  shade  is  a  more  necessary  and  more  sublime  thin^  in  an 
architect's  hand  than  in  a  painter's.  As  the  great  poem  and  the 
great  fiction  generally  affects  us  most  by  the  majesty  of  their  masses 
of  shade;  so  there  must  be,  in  this  magnificently  human  art  of 
architecture,  some  equivalent  expression  for  the  trouble  and  wrath 
of  life ;  and  this  it  can  only  give  by  depth  or  diffusion  of  gloom,  by 
the  frown  upon  its  front  and  the  shadow  of  its  recess.  And  anions 
the  first  habits  that  a  young  architect  should  learn,  is  that  of  think- 
ing shadow,  not  looking  at  a  design  in  its  miserable  liny  skeleton, 
but  conceiving  it  as  it  will  be,  when  the  dawn  light*  it  and  the 
dusk  leaves  it,  when  its  stones  will  be  hot  and  the  crannies  cool ; 
when  the  lizards  will  bask  on  the  one  and  the  birds  build  in  the 
ether.  Let  him  design  with  the  sense  of  cold  and  heat  upon  him  ; 
let  them  cut  out  the  shadows  as  men  dig  well*  in  unwai  'ns; 

and  lead  along  his  lights  as  a  founder  does  his  hot  metal ;  let  him 
keep  the  full  command  of  both,  and  see  that  he  knows  how  they 
fall  and  where  they  fade.  We  thank  thee,  Ruskin,  for  this 
matchless  word-painting;  and  humbly  answer,  that  our  hex- 
into  the  cool  shadows  of  piazza,  loggia,  pavilion  now  porch.  And 
agonal  exteriors  answer  all  these  requirements;  now  projecting  with 
bold  strength  of  outline,  into  the  warm  sunlight,  and  now  nestling 
all  this  variety  of  sunshine  and  shadow  is  not  wrought  out  for  the 
mere  purpose  of  making  a  building  beautiful,  but  is  primarily  ob- 
vol.  in — 41 


690  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

tained  for  the  strength  and  'economy  of  the  structure.  Architects 
have  hitherto  tried  in  vain,  to  secure  the  greatest  amount 
of  beauty,  with  the  greatest  economy  and  strength  of  struc- 
ture. We  think  the  hexagon  house  secures  both  beyond  any 
thing  that  has  yet  been  built.  It  has  been  known  fur  ages 
that  bees  construct  their  calls  of  the  largest  size  and  strength 
possible,  in  proportion  to  building  material  employed,  and  each  cell 
is  a  hexagon.  So,  even  in  architecture,  instinct  may  instruct  rea- 
son. Instinct  makes  no  mistakes,  and  may  convey  many  valuable 
lessons  to  the  proud  reason  of  man,  if  he  will  but  stoop  to  learn. 
In  a  magazine  article,  we  cannot  enter  into  details  ;  but  we  hope 
our  readers  will  follow  out  these  hints  for  themselves,  and  we  will 
close  this  part  of  our  subject  with  a  few  more  quotations  from  our 
favorite  Ruskin.  "Architecture  is  an  art  for  all  men  to  learn 
because  all  are  concerned  in  it,  and  it  is  so  simple,  that  there  is  no 
excuse  for  not  being  acquainted  with  primary  rules,  anymore  than 
for  ignorance  of  grammar  or  spelling,  which  are  both  of  them  far 
more  difficult  sciences."  "  When  men  do*  not  love  their  hearths, 
nor  reverence  their  thresholds,  it  is  a  sign  that  they  have  dishonored 
both."     Our  God  is  a  household  God,  as  well  as  a  heavenly  one. 


Cloth  from  Hop  Vines. — Mr.  Van  der  Schelden,  of  Ghent, 
in  Belgium,  has  discovered  that  the  hop  contains  a  first-class  textile 
material,  and  has  invented  a  process  by  which  the  fibers  of  the  vine 
can  be  used  for  cloth  without,  in  the  least,  interfering  with  the  crop 
of  hops.  The  following  is  said  to  be  Mr.  Van  der  Schelden's  pro- 
cess of  separating  the  fibres  : 

When  the  hop  blossoms  have  been  gathered,  the  stems  are  cut, 
put  up  in  packets,  and  steeped  like  hemp.  This  maceration  is  the 
most  delicate  process,  since  if  it  be  nol  made  with  all  due  precision, 
it  is  very  difficult  to  separate  the  threads  of  the  bark  from  the 
woody  substance.  When  the  stalks  have  been  well  steeped,  they 
are  dried  in  the  sunshine,  beaten  like  hemp  with  a  beetle,  and  then 
the  threads  come  off  easily.  These  are  carded  and  worked  by  the 
ordinary  process,  and  a  very  strong  cloth  is  obtained.  The  thickest 
stalks,  also,  yield  the  material  for  several  kinds  of  rope. 


Soaping  Cloth  for  Sewing. — We  often  wish  to  make  gar- 
ments of  new,  bleached  muslin  before  washing  the  fabric,  and  the 
starch  contained  in  it  make3  it  difficult  to  do  so.  To  obviate  the 
^difficulty,  take  a  bit  of  hard  soap  and  shave  it  down  to  an  edge,  and 
run  it  along  the  edge  of  the  cloth  you  wish  to  sew,  and  you  will  find 
it  will  have  a  magical  effect.  It  is  equally  efficacious  if  yon  are  to 
use  a  machine. 


THE  SOUTHERN  PLANTER  AND  FARMER. 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA, NOVEMBER.  1809. 

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(tutorial  gcprinunt. 


Augusta  County  Fair. 

It  gives  us  pleasure  to  report  that,  the  late  exhibition  of  this  association  ia 
generally  represented  to  havje  been  attended  with  decided  success.  A  detail  of 
many  particulars  of  the  proceedings  on  the  Fair  grounds,  in  addition  to  what 
are  given  elsewhere  in  this  issue,  would  have  proved  r.ighly  interesting  to  our 
readers,  but  we  are  withheld  from  presenting  them  by  the  appropriation  of  all 
of  our  dispcsable  space  to  the  reproduction,  in  part,  of  the  admirable  address  of 
Prof.  Mallet.  We  say  in  part,  because  we  are  compelled,  for  want  of  room 
in  this  number,  to  reserve  a  portion  for  our  next  issue.  This  address  is  fraught 
with  the  rich  and  matured  fruits  of  his  profound  knowledge  of  chemistry,  and 
its  cognates  as  applied  to  agriculture,  and  is  expres-ed  in  language  so  simple 
and  upretending,  and  yet  so  clear  and  perspicuous,  as  to  adapt,  its  teachings  to 
the  commonest  standard  uf  popular  intelligence: 

ADDRESS  OF  PROF.  J.  W.  MALLET, 

DELIVERED  A'l  THE  AUGUSTA  COUNTY  FAIR,  WEDNESDAY, 
OCTOBER    13,   1869. 

Gentlemen  of  the  Agricultural  Society  of  Augusta  County  : 

In  accepting  the  invitation  with  which  I  was  honored  a  few  weeks 
ago  to  address  you  upon  this  occasion,  I  was  conscious  of  my 
inability  to  bring  before  you  much  of  interest  or  value,  bat  I  felt 
that  the  invitation  was  one  which,  on  several  grounds,  it  would  have 
ill  become  me  to  decline. 

The  conditions  which  surround  us  in  Virginia  at  present  are  such 
as  to  render  it  in  a  very  high  degree  desirable  that  all  the  useful 
arts  of  life,  and  especially  agriculture,  from  which  all  the  others 
spring,  shall  be  fostered  and   advanced  by  every  legitimate  means. 

The  work  set  before  the  men  of  our  day  is  so  plainly  the  re-build- 
ing of  the  ruins  in  the  midst  of  which  we  find  ourselves  placed,  that 
no  difference  of  opinion  upon  this  head  exists,  and  no  discussion  of 
so  simple  a  proposition  is  necessary.     We  all  see  that  the  results  of 


692  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

the  toil  of  generations  that  have  preceded  us  are  swept  away,  and 
that  we  are  called  upon,  by  more  than  the  usual  incentives  that 
stimulate  the  exertions  of  men,  to  labor  for  the  speedy  restoration 
of  material  comfort  and  prosperity  amongst  us.  It  may  safely  be 
said  of  Southern  men  that  they  are  willing  to  go  to  work,  and  that 
they  manifest  an  increasingly  strong  disposition  to  do  so.  not  singly 
and  selfishly,  but  with  such  mutual  aid  and  encouragement  as  come 
of  united  public  efforts.  Those  are  none  the  less  willing  to  work 
togttlier  helpfully  and  hopefully  now  who  remember  that  they  have 
Btood  shoulder  to  shoulder  in  other  and  yet  more  severe  trials  in  the 
past. 

Amongst  such  united  efforts  at  advancement  in  material  prosperity 
there  seem  to  be  few  better  calculated  to  do  good  than  the  annual 
meetings  of  societies  like  yours,  bnnging  together  the  people  o  f 
large  districts  of  the  State  in  pleasant  social  gathering,  affording 
opportunity  for  full  discussion  of  questions  of  industrial  interest, 
and  displaying  the  actual  results  of  improved  agricultural  practice 
and  the  novelties  of  mechanical  ingenuity. 

It  is  the  duty  of  every  member  of  the  community  to  aid  on  such 
an  occasion  in  any  way  he  can — best,  by  far,  in  the  exhibition  of 
some  visible  success  achieved  with  the  j  lough  or  the  hammer  ;  but 
if  not  so,  then  even  in  the  inferior  capacity  of  the  speaker  of  a  few 
feeble  words,  which,  so  far  as  they  go,  may  at  least  be  not  inappro- 
priate. 

It  is  not  only  as  a  member  of  society,  however,  that  I  feel  a  most 
lively  interest  in  the  operations  of  such  societies  as  yours  and  a 
hearty  readiness  to  assist  in  them  by  any  humble  means  in  my  power. 
The  duties  of  the  Chair  which  I  have  the  honor  to  hold  in  the  noble 
University  of  the  State  make  me  particularly  desitous  of  profiting, 
as  a  student  of  agricultural  science,  by  the  valuable  opportunities 
for  gaining  information,  both  by  eye  and  ear,  which  occasions  like 
the  present  afford. 

He  wdiose  duty  it  is  to  teach,  if  he  would  be  more  than  a  mere 
charlatan  and  pretender,  must  be  especially  solicitous  to  learn  him- 
self— and  one  can  seldom,  during  the  year,  find  himself  so  well  situ- 
ated for  collecting  information- bearing  upon  agriculture,  for  getting 
at  new  and  interesting  facts,  and  for  comparing  the  various  opinions 
and  experience  of  many  intelligent  men,  as  in  the  midst  of  an  ussein- 
bl  i£e  like  the  present. 

But.  yet  further,  I  have  felt  that  a  peculiar  obligation  rests  upon 
me  to  appear  before  you  to-day,  as  affording-  a  fitting  occasion  for 
the  acknowledgement  of  a  debt  of  thanks  which  the  State  University 
and  the  State  itself  owes  to  the  liberality  and  public  spirit  of  a 
former  citizen  of  your  county. 

The  professorship  of  Chemistry,  in  its  special  applications  to 
agriculture  and  the  other  useful  arts,  is  one  the  probable  utility  of 
which  had  long  been  recognized,  but  which  could  only  be  established 
in  a  really  efficient  form  by  the  expenditure  of  large  sums  for  build- 
ings, apparatus,  and  material,  so  as  not  merely  to  provide  for  the 
performance  of  chemical  operations  by  the  teacher,  but  also  for  the 


1869.]  PLANTER    AND    FARMER.  693 


practical  instruction  of  students  working  with  their  own  hands.  It 
is  upon  the  bequest  of  the  late  Mr.  Thomas  Johnson,  of  Augusta 

county,  that  the  University  of  Virginia  has  been  able  some  two  yen's 
ago  to  introduce  the  study  of  the  scientific  relations  of  agriculture 
amongst  the  subjects  of  instruction  within  her  walls,  and  since  then 
to  erect  a  new  Laboratory  building  of  such  ample  size  and  thorough 
equipment  as  to  challenge  comparison  with  any  institution  of  learn- 
ing in  America,  in  which  the  student  may  verify  upon  his  own  work- 
table  the  facts  of  nature  of  which  he  reads,  and  may  learn  to  deter- 
mine such  facts  for  himself,  to  ascertain  the  constituents  of  a  soil, 
analyze  a  specimen  of  manure,  find  out  the  real  value  of  a  marl,  or 
prove  the  nature  of  a  supposed  metallic  ore.  A  still  larger  gift  to 
the  University,  intended  for  the  promotion  of  agricultural  science, 
has  of  late  added  to  its  means  of  usefulness  in  the  same  general 
direction;  but,  as  I  have  said,  the  present  is  a  peculiarly  suitable 
occasion  for  acknowledging  the  original  obligation  of  the  State  at 
large  to  your  county  for  a  service,  the  value  of  which  you  can  cor- 
rectly appreciate. 

"When  called  to  the  professorship  in  question,  and  in  attempting 
to  enter  upon  its  duties,  I  have  felt  most  strongly  that,  in  order  to 
any  really  rapid  and  steady  progress  in  scientific  agriculture,  it  is 
of  the  highest  importance  that  there  should  be  a  more  thorough 
mutual  understanding  and  more  concert  of  effort  between  scientific 
workers  in  the  Laboratory  and  practical  farmers  in  the  field  than 
have  generally  existed  heretofore — that  the  chemist  shall  by  all 
means  help  the  farmer  if  he  can,  but  that  the  farmer  shall  also  be 
willing  to  help  the  chemist,  and  shall  see  the  importance  even  to 
himself  of  his  so  doing— ^that  both  shall  work  together  in  a  spirit  of 
mutual  good-will  toward  the  attainment  of  such  knowledge  of  the 
laws  of  nature  as  may  help  us  in  the  great  task  of  bringing  forth 
from  the  earth  food  for  the  use  of  man. 

It  is  to  a  few  remarks  upon  this  head  that  I  venture  to  ask  your 
attention  to-day  : 

To  almost  any  one  who  has  noticed  the  general  progress  of  scien- 
tific agriculture  for  the  last  thirty  years  it  will  be  evident  that  there 
has  been  a  want  of  such  concert  of  thought  and  effort  as  I  refer  to. 

Scientific  writers,  at  least  those  really  deserving  of  the  name,  have 
addressed  themselves  almost  exclusively  to  scientific  men — their  works 
have  been  based  mainly  upon  experiments  made  on  a  small  scale,  in  the 
laboratory,  or  under  more  or  less  artificial  conditions — their  reason- 
ings and  conclusions  have  been  expressed  in  language  so  far  technical 
as  to  repel  the  greater  number  of  general  readers.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  efforts  made  by  practical  farmers  have  been  made,  in  far 
too  many  instances,  without  an  adequate  knowledge  of  such  well- 
ascertained  laws  of  nature  as  bear  upon  the  questions  at  is?ue,  with- 
out acquaintance  with  the  facts  already  ascertained  by  workers  in 
the  same  direction,  and  without  such  a  degree  of  accuracy  and 
precision  in  the  determination  and  statement  of  the  means  employed, 
and  the  results  obtained,  as  can  alone  render  useful  to  others  the 
experience  of  those  devoting  themselves  to  such  research. 


THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

.  one-sided  investigations,  whether  by  the  men  of  science  or 
e  soil,  are  greatly  to  be  depl: 
it  the  noblest  pun  je  the  thought  and 

energies  of  man  is  the  discovery  of  the  u  -  of  eternal 

nature  and  the  manner  in  which  we  must  make  our  work  accord  with 
their  dict^. '   -  are  to  draw  from  the  'th  with  i 

Providence   has  surrounded  us,  all  that  we  may  err 
comfort  and  pro: 

e  are  four  princ: .  -  in  the  process  by  which  man  learns 

to  subdue  the   i  the  world  about  him  to  his  servi; 

enjoy  men! 

—  '  <n  of  facts  in  nature. 

Second —  E:  '.  for  the  discovery  of  further  f 

Third — Logical:'  of  principles  from  the  facts  ascertained. 

Fourth — .  of  facts  and  princ  _ained,  to 

tl        :  :ctical  wants  of  our  daily  life. 

The  husbandman   notices   the  regular  return  of  seed-time   and 
harvest,  the  usual  succession  of  th-.    -     sons,  the  facts  that  c; 

require  certain  climates  and  thrive  best  in  cer  9,  that 

in  a  new  country  a  dense  natural  growth  of  hard-wood  trees  is  an 
i  :ion  of  fertile  land,  while  thin  scrubby  pines  furnish  as  di 

ce  of  poverty  of  soil. 
As  i  rach  observations,  the  main  require  they 

— that  they  be  recorded  in  such  a  way  as  to  : 
i         :  the  truth,  not  a  part  of  the  truth,  but  the  whole  truth.  : 
fairly,  and  impartially  stated.     Thus,  for  instance,  it  is  ma- 
st common  remark  that  the  accounts  given  by  travelers, 
ad  little  known   countries,  of  what  they  have  seen  and 
lean.  .ormouslyin  reli  Two  men  will 

land,  and,  although  both  men  of  intelligence,  both  having  had  fair 
opportunities  for  observation,  and  both  free  from  any  disp 
wilfully  to  deceive,  they  will  make  reports  differing  from  each  other 
almost  as  light  from  darkness.  The  one  may  be  careful  to  examine 
into  the  sources  of  his  information  and  to  ve.ify  his  supposed  facts 
as  he  accumulated  them — the  other  may  set  down  as  facts  what  he 
at  imperfectly  seen  or  uncer  :rd.     Or,  even  though 

both  reports  contain  nothing  but  well-ascertained  facts,  nothing  but 
what  could  be  proved   to  t :  contain  a  large 

and  fair  collection  of  all  the  principal  facts  bearing  upon  the  ques- 
tions while  the  other  contains  only  such  unusual  and 
exceptional  facta  totally  misrepresent   tl      »  .1  condition  of 

I  know  i.  t  jur  experience  here  may  have  bet 

further  South  there   are  few  people  who  have  n  .  the  last 

three  or  four  years,  heard  just  such  conflicting  accounts  of  the  obser- 
vations made  in  Brazil  and  some  other  countries  by  those 
thither  at  the  close  of  the  rece:  ome  of  those  who  returned 

represented  the  region  visited  as  a  paradise,  in  which  it  scarcely 
required  more  than  the  exertion  of  dropping  to  ensure  the 

•lxuriant  harvests,  while  others  brought  away  the  imp; 
that    the   hardest   toil  and  greatest  privations  could   scarcely  be 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  695 


expected  to  result  otherwise  than  in  half  starvation,  ruined  health, 
and  shattered  fortunes. 

It  is  not  so  simple  or  so  easy  a  matter  as  it  at  first  appears,  to 
see  truly,  fully,  and  without  distinction  what  is  before  our  eyes, 
and  then  faithfully  report  what  we  have  seen,  neither  more  no; 
to  others.  A  farmer  who  has  always  lived  in  certain  portions  of 
Virginia  might  state  as  the  result  of  his  observation  that  red  land 
yields  good  crops.  Another,  living  in  parts  of  Georgia  or  Alabama, 
might  assert  that  the  poorest  soil  is  that  of  the  red  lands — both 
statements  might  be  locally  quite  correct ;  but  if  either  be  put  in 
the  form  of  a  general  observation  that  all  red  land  is  good  or  all 
bad  the  error  of  fact  is  manifest,  and  the  two  observers  might  dis- 
pute forever  over  their  so-called  facts  without  deriving  any  benefit 
from  the  arguments. 

But  the  thoughtful  man  is  unwilling  to  rest  satisfied  with  simply 
thus  observing  what  passes  before  his  eyes  in  the  undisturbed  course 
of  nature.  He  often  desires  to  change  the  conditions  which  <ro  to 
produce  a  certain  result — to  see  what  will  happen  if  such  and  such 
arrangements  be  made  by  himself  beforehand — to  take  the  plant  which 
he  has  always  noticed  growing  by  the  water  side  and  see  whether  it 
can  be  made  to  grow  in  upland  soil ;  and,  if  so,  whether  its  habit 
and  character  will  be  altered — to  determine  by  experiment  in  the 
labroatory  what  are  the  substances  drawn  from  the  earth  by  a  par- 
ticular crop;  and  by  experiment  in  the  field  whether  the  application 
of  these  substances  artificially  to  poor  land  may  not  increase  its 
fertility — to  find  out  the  several  circumstances  which  separately 
seem  to  favor  the  production  of  any  form  of  vegetable  growth,  and 
then,  by  attempting  the  culture  of  the  same,  under  all  these  favor- 
able conditions  united,  to  try  what  is  best,  and  the  largest  product 
which  can  in  practice  be  obtained. 

In  making  such  intentional  changes  of  natural  conditions  in  try- 
ing experiments — the  same  accuracy,  the  same  careful  attention  to 
what  really  takes  place  before  our  eyes  must  be  observed  as  when 
we  simply  notice  the  operations  of  nature  unassisted  by  the  efforts 
of  man. 

And,  in  addition,  much  thought  must  be  bestowed,  much  judg- 
ment must  be  exercised  in  deciding  upon  the  precise  manner  in  which, 
and  the  extent  to  which,  special  arrangements  are  to  be  made  to 
bring  out  the  precise  result  of  which  we  are  in  search. 

Every  experiment  is  a  question  asked  of  nature,  and  nature  never 
returns  a  false  answer;  but  we  must  take  care,  first,  that  we  our- 
selves know  exactly  what  question  we  want  to  ask  ;  secondly,  that 
we  ask  that  question  and  no  other,  no  more  and  no  less,  and  thirdly, 
that  we  understand  what  the  answer  returned  actually  is. 

Three  farmers  might  undertake  to  experiment  upon  the  effect  of 
common  salt  upon  the  soil — one  might  report  that  the  result  was 
excellent,  and  the  improvement  of  the  crop  manifest — another  ex- 
actly the  reverse,  that  positive  injury  was  clone — and  the  third  ihat 
no  effect  of  any  kind  was  produced.  On  sifting  the  matter  it  might 
be   found   that  one   had  used   a   certain   moderate  quantity  of  the 


696  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

material  in  question,  another  an  enormous  and  excessive  amount, 
and  the  third  so  little  as  not  perceptibly  to  influence  the  crop  at  all. 
Or  it  might  appear  on  examination  that  the  same  quantity  had  been 
used  by  all,  but  upon  different  soils — by  the  first,  upon  land  some 
of  whose  dormant  constituents  were  rendered  soluable  and  useful  by 
the  salt;  by  the  second  upon  a  soil  poor  in  most  of  the  necessary 
mineral  ingredients,  but  already  containing  largely  of  salt,  and  sus- 
ceptible of  injury  by  further  addition  of  it;  by  the  third  upon  a  soil 
sufficiently  supplied  with  soluable  mineral  matter  of  all  needful  kinds 
to  do  perfectly  well  without  the  solvent  action  of  the  salt,  yet  not  liable 
to  special  injury  by  such  surplus  of  this  material  as  had  been  brought 
in  by  the  manure.  Or,  yet  again,  the  experiment  might  have  been 
tried  upon  similar  land,  but  upon  altogether  different  crops  or  in 
altogether  different  seasons. 

While,  therefore,  we  must  be  very  careful  in  sifting  the  details  of 
the  information,  we  suppose  ourselves  to  have  gained  fro"m  observa- 
tion of  what  is  going  on  in  nature  about  us,  and  must  be  equally 
careful  in  arranging  the  conditions  of  our  experiments  and  in  stating 
the  precise  character  and  extent  of  the  evidence  accumulated  by 
such  experiments,  we  must  still  further  exorcise  caution  as  to  the 
logical  conclusions  we  draw  from  our  facts  when  we  have  got  them — 
as  to  the  manner  in  which  we  reason  from  these  facts,  assuming  that 
they  have  been  well  determined. 

There  are  many  ways  in  which  we  may  deceive  ourselves  as  to 
what  is  really  proved  by  admitted  facts  before  us. 

Thus,  we  may  arrive  at  a  conclusion  from  considering  a  number 
of  separate  statements  taken  as  true,  but  of  which  some  are  in  fact 
only  probably  or  approximately  true,  and  uncertainty  of  the  conclu- 
sion increases  astonishingly  fast  with  the  number  of  such  doubtful 
assumptions,  though  there  may  be  very  little  doubt  about  each  of 
them  by  itself.  For  example,  one  may  assert  that  his  experience 
fully  proves  that  a  particular  farming  practice  will  be  found  profit- 
able, making  out,  perhaps,  a  very  clear  statement  of  expenditure 
and  return  under  the  proper  head,  but  assuming  a  little  with  regard 
to  each — that  the  cost  will  be  about  so  much — that  the  difference  of 
cost  to  him,  and  to  other  farmers,  cannot  be  more  than  about  so 
much,  and  that  about  such  returns  may  be  looked  for  on  an  average 
of  different  years.  A  very  little  error  under  each  head  will  often 
be  found  to  lead  to  woful  error  in  the  general  result. 

A^ain,  it  is  extremely  common  to  find  facts — themselves  thor- 
oughly well  established — coupled  together  in  the  relation  of  cause 
and  effect  without  any  proper  warrant,  but  simply  in  consequence  of 
some,  perhaps  accidental  coincidence  of  time  or  place.  A  sick  man 
is  visted  by  the  Doctor,  who  prescribes  a  dose  of  a  particular  medi- 
cine— the  patient  takes  this,and  soon  after  gets  well  or  gets  worse,  as 
the  case  may  be — how  often  do  we  hear  the  assertion  that  this  proves 
that  the  patient  has  been  cured  or  injured  by  the  medicine,  though, 
perhaps,  the  result  would  have  been  exactly  the  same  if  he  had 
refused  to  take  the  prescription  at  all.  In  like  manner  it  is  amusing 
to  notice  the  different  styles  in  which  the  supposed  effects  of  different 


18G9.]  PLANTER  AND   FARMER  697 

manures  are  spoken  of  in  seasons  of  particularly  favorable  or  unfa- 
vorable weather.  In  a  very  favorable  season  pretty  nearly  all  crops 
do  well,  farmers  are  in  too  good  spirits  to  make  very  precise  com- 
parisons, and  every  one  who  has  used  any  fertilizing  material  is 
disposed  to  say  that,  because  he  has  made  such  or  such  an  applica- 
tion to  his  land,  and  has  obtained  a  fine  return  from  his  fields,  there- 
fore he  has  "  made  the  good  prop  by  the  manure,"  a  id  that  the  par- 
ticular fertilizer  he  has  used  is  that  he  is  going  to  stick  to  in  the 
future,  and  to  recommend  it  to  his  neighbors.  On  the  other  hand, 
in  a  very  unfavorable  year,  one  of  excessive  heat  or  continuous  rain 
for  instance,  no  ones  crop  succeeds;  every  one  is  disappointed,  and 
there  is  a  strong  tendency  on  the  part  of  all  those  who  have  em- 
ployed fertilizers  to  declare  the  materials  they  have  severally  used 
worthless — each  farmer,  whether  he  impute  fraud  to  the  manufac- 
turer of  whom  he  purchased  or  not,  at  any  rate  vowing  that  he  will 
never  again  use  the  special  material  to  which  he  attributes  his  ill 
success. 

It  is  highly  important  to  remember  that,  while  a  particular  result 
following  after  a  particular  procedure  on  one  occasion  of  itself  proves 
but  little  as  to  there  being  any  true  connection  between  them,  if  a 
like  coincidence  happen  a  second  time  the  probability  that  the  one 
is  caused  by  the  other  is  much  strengthened,  and  if  such  experience 
often  repeated  shows  that  the  supposed  cause  is  always  or  almost 
always  followed  by  the  same  result,  while  in  the  absence  of  the 
former  the  latter  is  also  absent,  the  mind  can  arrive  at  but  one 
conclusion. 

If  a  single  farmer  had  on  a  single  occasion  strewn  super-phosphate 
of  lime  upon  his  field,  and  in  that  season  made  a  good  crop  of  ruta- 
baga, it  would  be  far  from  proved  that  the  proper  manure  with  which 
to  prepare  land  for  this  plant  had  been  found — but,  when  we  find 
that  the  application  of  super-phosphate  of  lime  after  having  been 
tried  for  many  years  and  by  thousands  of  farmers,  almost  always 
is  succeeded  by  fine  crops  of  field  turnips,  we  are  justified  in  con- 
cluding that  the  manure  used  has  really  been  the  cause  of  the  gen- 
eral success,  and  that  the  exceptional  case's  of  failure  have  been  due 
to  other  causes — peculiar  to  the  place  or  reason — interfering. 

But  even  if  our  experience  has  been  extensive  enough  to  fully 
satisfy  us  of  the  dependence  of  a  certain  effect  upon  a  certain  cause, 
we  may  be  wrong  in  assuming  that  that  cause  acts  in  a  particular 
way. 


Correspondence  of  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer. 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer: 

Dear  Sir — Judging  from  newspaper  accounts,  one  would  suppose  that  the 
negroes  had  taken  possession  of  Washington,  and  were  ruling  it  with  a  high 
hand,  politically  and  socially  ;  on  the  contrary,  very  few  negroes  are  seen  on 
the  streets  or  at  public  places.     I  was  at  the  President's  grounds  this  evening, 


698  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

where  the  Marine  Land,  uniformed  in  red  like  true  Britishers,  d'scoursed 
delightful  music,  and  among  at  least  one  thousand  persona  which  literally 
filled  the  grounds,  there  were  not  more  than  fifteen  or  twenty  negroes  of  buth 
sexes  to  be  seen,  and  they  behaved  as  well  a3  in  time  of  yore. 

I  have  seen  the  much  talked  of  Capitol.  The  external  view  is  very  fine 
indeed  ;  the  architecture  is  simple  and  chaste,  but  the  dome  is  too  large  for  the 
height  of  the  building,  and  looks  like  a  nightcap  on  a  burly,  well-dressed  alder- 
man, if  such  a  homely  comparison  is  admissible — but,  be  that  as  it  may,  the 
tout  ensemble  looks  well  enough  and  the  effect  is  rather  pleasing.  I  was  rather 
disappointed,  though,  on  viewing  the  interior  ;  it  is  true  that  the  rotunda,  like 
the  cupala,  is  on  a  grand  scale,  but  ail  the  corridors  and  passages  are  narrow, 
contracted,  and  not  at  all  in  proportion  with  the  central  figure  of  the  architec- 
tural pile.  The  Halls  of  the  II  use  and  the  Senate  are  not  what  I  expected  them 
to  be;  they  present  nothing  that  strikes  the  eye,  and  the  adornment  and  gilding 
are  all  gingerbread  work.  The  paintings  in  the  rotunda,  so  much  admired  by 
some  people,  are  hardly  second  rate  works  of  art  :  the  execution  is  coarse  ;  the 
conceptions  are  neither  ideal  nor  poetical:  they  are  matter  of-fact  pencil  sketches 
without  originality  or  even  spirituality.  The  men  and  women  painted  are  not 
those  they  are  intended  to  represent,  neither  in  person  nor  appearance  ;  they  are 
really  men  and  women  of  the  present  day,  and  not  of  the  best  type;  but  the 
fresco  painting  in  the  dome  caps  the  climax;  it  is  simply  absurd  in  its  con- 
ception, too  glaring  in  its  coloring,  and  too  spiritless  in  its  execution.  Wash- 
ington, beatifid  in  Heaven,  looks  like  an  ash  col  red  ghost,  with  a  piece  of 
pale,  purple-colored  cloth  thrown  over  his  knees.  The  Goddess  of  Fame  and 
the  Godde«s  of  Liberty  are  certainly  two  Massachusetts  women  of  stalwart 
frame,  but  not  too  fine  looking.  War  is  represented  by  some  grotesque  human 
figures  carrying  the  incendiary  torch,  and  belchiug  forth  bullets  from  a  cannon. 
But  Commerce  excels  all  the  others  in  absurdity  ;  it  is  represent'  d  by  Me;eury, 
who  does  by  no  means  look  like  i  god,  holding  out  a  parse  of  money  to  11  ibert 
Morris,  the  revolutionary  financier— what  an  idea  !  Finarce  and  Commerce  are 
not  exactly  the  same,  and  require  different  symbolical  figures  ;  but  it  is  hardly 
worth  while  to  spend  more  ink  on  this  worthless  production  of  the  fine  arts. 

I  ascended  and  descended  the  three  hundred  and  thirteen  steps  that  lead  to 
and  from  the  uppermost  gallery  of  the  dome,  and  I  enjoyed  the  view,  which 
is  not  grand  but  beautiful,  of  the  city  and  Potomac  ;  mountains  are  wanting 
to  make  the  prospect  a  grand  panorama  of  nature  ;  the  Potomac,  be  it  said  in 
parenthesis,  is  certainly  a  grand  old  river,  and  presents  the  most  beautiful 
sheet  of  water  I  have  seen  in  these  States — far  superior  in  every  respect  to  the 
beautiful  James,  beautiful  only  to  the  eye  of  Virginians,  probably  on  account 
of  its  plea?ant  ass  iciattons  and  old  reminiscences. 

In  all  the  public  buil lings  I  have  not  seen  a  single  specimen  of  sculpture, 
with  the  exception  of  that  of  some  public  man. 

The  grounds  around  the  Capitol  are  handsome,  but  too  small,  considering 
that  this  is  "  la  grande  republique" — the  country  that  has  the  longest  rivers, 
the  highest  mountains,  the  largest  lakes,  and  everything  else  the  best.  I  went 
from  the  Capitol  to  the  White  House — this  looks  very  neat  and  somewhat  s  ylish, 
but  does  not  recommend  itself  particularly  as  a  work  of  art;  it  has  the  same 
fault  as  the  Capitol ;  all  the  rooms,  the  blue,  green,  red,  are  narrov  and  c  n- 
tracted.  The  furniture  would  be  elegant  for  the  parlors  of  a  private  i 
but  it  is  not  such  as  might  be  expected  from  a  people  who  spend  annually  four 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  699 

hundred  and  fifty  millions  of  dollars  to  pay  their  officials,  and  provide  fur  the 
Frauds  and  stealings  of  their  public  men  ;  it  would  be  in  perfect  harmony  with 
republican  simplicity,  provided  the  expenditures  of  the  Government  were  not 
exceeding  those  of  any  other  country,  and  the  public  money  were  not  spent 
with  monarchical,  if  not  imperial  liberality. 

From  the  Presidential  Mansion  I  went  to  the  Patent  Office;  this  building  is 
indeed  very  tine,  but  the  interior  has  again  disappointed  me.  The  halls  of 
exhibition,  at  least  one  portion  of  them,  display  too  much  color,  like  some  par- 
lors or  sitting  rooms.  They  have  columns,  massive  and  strong,  but  painted 
blue,  with  black  and  white  striped  pedestals — what  perversity  of  taste!  Half 
an  hour's  rambling  through  the  model  rooms  satisfied  my  curiosity  completely. 
After  I  left  the  Patent  Office,  I  took  a  ride  on  the  cars  to  Georgetown — the  street 
cars  am  a  great  institution  here,  especially  as  you  can  make  a  railroad  prome- 
nade of  five  or  six  miles  for  the  paltry  sum  of  six  cents.  Georgetown  is  an  old, 
ugly  town,  and  presents  nothing  that  is  remarkable.  On  Saturday  I  paid  a 
visit  to  the  Smithsonian  Institute — the  materials  used  in  building  are  very 
apt  ropriate,  as  well  a«  the  style,  only  it  is  too  small  for  a  world  institution, 
such  as  it  is  designed  to  be.  There,  for  once,  the  interior  corresponds  with  the 
outside  appearance,  and  everything  is  in  harmony  and  proportion.  The  Indian 
and  Asiatic  cabinets,  indicative  of  the  civilization  of  these  races,  are  somewhat 
original.  The  zoological,  mineralogical.  and  geological  collections  are  extremely 
limited,  and  the  specimens  are  not  always  of  the  best  kind.  The  only  collection 
that  presented  great  interest  to  me  was  that  of  corals,  which  is,  perhaps,  the 
best  in  the  world,  and  includes  some  of  the  most  beautiful  specimens  I  ever  saw. 
The  i  fficials  of  the  Patent  Office  and  Smithsonian  did  not  have  great  advantages 
of  education,  for  in  the  first,  on  a  label,  nutritive  was  spelt  nutrative,  and  in 
the  latter,  chief  justice  was  spelt  cJieif  justice — these  are  certainly  good  speci- 
mens of  Washington  employees.  I  next  went  over  to  the  Agricultural  Bureau, 
and  here  I  found  everything  gotten  up  in  fine  style,  and  beautifully  arri 
the  gentleman  at  the  head  of  this  department  is  systematic,  and  performs  his 
duty  well.  The  museum  is  small,  but  very  neatly  gotten  up.  The  frames  pre- 
sented by  Vilmorin,  of  Paris,  containing  specimens  of  at  least  fifty  or  sixty 
different  kinds  of  wheat,  are  in  very  good  taste,  and  beautifully  arranged,  as  it 
seems  only  a  Parisian  is  capable  of  doing.  I  also  had  the  pleasure  of  taking  a 
close  view  of  the  famous  Washington  monument — it  is  designed  to  reach  a 
height  of  five  hundred  feet,  but  has  only  attained  to  the  diminutive  stature  of 
one  hundred  aud  seventy-five  feet  ;  if  it  ever  rises  to  its  full  altitude,  it  will  be 
the  highest  structure  in  the  world,  with  the  exception  of  the  Tower  of  Babel, 
whose  fate  it  may  share  of  remaining  unfinished.  I  saw  the  stones  so  far  contri- 
buted; they  are  mostly  from  Masonic  lodges,  Odd  Fellows,  Temperance  societies 
and  Sunday  Schools — Bremen,  Switzerland,  Greece,  and  a  few  others,  are  the 
only  European  contributions.  On  some  of  these  stones  there  are  engraved  the 
name  of  the  officers  of  the  society,  to  immortalize  themselves  instead  of  Washing- 
ton, but  they  will  be  defeated,  because  they  will  be  placed  so  high  that  no  one  will 
be  able  to  discern  ev£n  the  letters.  Speakingof  monuments,  i  cannot  refrain  from 
remarking  that  the  Washington  monuments  are  perfect  abortions.  L  tfayette 
and  Jackson,  both  represented  on  horseback,  are  placed  on  such  low  pe  lastals 
that  the  effect  is  entirely  lost,  they  look  as  if  they  were  about  leaping  on  horse- 
back over  a  small  hillock  that  obstructs  their  path.  Lincoln'in  marble,  placed 
on  a  marble  column,  in  citizens  dress,  looks  more  like  a  horse  jockey  than  a 


700  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

man  who  deseved  a  memorial  in  brass  or  marble.  Let  me,  however,  add  that 
the  Richmond  Washington  monument  is,  perhaps,  the  finest  on  the  continent; 
the  de-dgn  is  beautiful,  the  execution  is  spirited  and  elegant,  if  not  classical. 


The  Plough  from  a  Philological  Standpoint — The  Root  AR. 

Any  philological  discussion  may  seem  foreign  to  that  practical  character 
•which  an  article  for  an  agricultural  paper  should  hare:  but  perhaps  it  may 
interest  your  readers  to  trace  the  word  for  plough  from  its  Argan  origin  into 
our  m  dern  English,  and  thereby  to  deduce  the  importance  and  dignity  of  agri- 
culture from  the  very  words  we  utter,  a:d  at  the  same  time  to  .-how  how  an 
original  root  ramifies  as  it  comes  down  the  ages,  after  branching  off  into  a 
numer  us  family  of  words,  connected  by  the  tie  of  a  common  origin  and  a  family 
likeness,  but  d  ffering  in  meaning  as  much  as  the  children  or  grand  children  of 
the  same  parents  often  differ  in  occupation,  location,  and  habits  of  life.  In 
order  to  make  the  tracing  of  this  root  ar  or  plough  perfectly  intelligible,  it  is 
-  iry  to  state  that  comparative  philology  develops  the  fact  that  the  Saxon, 
German,  Latin.  Greek  Sanscrit,  ancient  Persian,  &c,  are  all  sister  languages, 
ring  the  same  relation  to  each  other  and  to  a  parent  language,  which  the 
French.  Italian,  and  Spanish  have  to  each  other  and  to  the  ancient  Latin  as  a 
par^n-  I      .      _-.     Philologists  tell  us  that  there  was  a  time  when  the  progeni- 

those  races  which  use  or  used  the  Indo  Germanic  or  Argan  family  of 

languages  dwelt  together  on  the  plains  of  central  Asia,  where  they  reached  a 

gree  of  cultivation  at   a  very  early  period,  probably  cotempora- 

neous  with  Xoah  himself,  ar.d  where  they  impressed  that  character  up  n  their 

ig  which  has  made  them,  from  time  to  time,  the  ruling  races  of  the 
world.  It  is  not  to  our  i  resent  purp  ;e  to  inquire  when,  or  h>w,  or  why  this 
■  •  left  their  original ;  but  they  did  leave  them  and  migrated.  S  >me  went 
southward  and  eastward  tj  India,  where  the  Sanscrit  cultivation  was  soon 
developed,  with  its  wonderfully  perfect  language  and  its  magnificent  literature; 
and  this,  too.  at  an  early  period — long  bef>  re  Solomon  built  his  temple,  while 
as  yet  the  mythic  gods  and  mythic  heroes  that  contended  around  the  walls  of 
high  Tr  y  were  far  back  in  the  womb  of  the  future.  But  while  some  of  the 
original  clan  wandered  southward,  most  of  them  went  toward  the  west — some 
by  the  s  uthern  route  to  Greece — developing  the  Greek  language,  myth 
and  literature;  some  farther  north  tu  Etruria  and  Luium,  founding  the  Latin 
civilisation  ;  some  went  still  farther  northward  to  Germany  ;  some  farther  ^cill 

linavia,  and  these  last  are  cur  Saxon  ance  t  re.  This  original,  central 
cLn  called  themselves  ^L-gana  or  plough  men,  and  this  original  root,  ar  or 
plough,  appears  in  the  whole  Indo-Germanic  or  Argan  family  of  languages. 
Muller  recognizes  it  in   the   Sanscrit,  Oid  High   German,  Gothic,  Gaelic.  Old 

Welsh,  &e.  The  Greek  has  it  in  an>-o  I  plough,  arotron  a  plough, 
aroura  a  ploughed  field.  It  appears  strongly  in  the  Latin.  ar>  being  I  plough — 

a  ploughman — u/atrum,  a  plough — aroum  and  ager  a  ploughed  fi  Id — 
armentum,  work  cattle.  And  it  appears  specially  in  the  Sax>n.  We  have  in 
h  «>able,  ^//-("culture,  etc.,  through  the  Latin  :  but  independently  of  the 
Latin  we  have  many  purely  S^xon  words  exhibiting  the  same  root.  The  ^  >:  n 
word  earth  itself  is  simply  what  is  ploughed  —  eat  (of  grain)  is  simply  the 
result  of  the  labor  of  the  plough;  while  by  a  slight  change  of  initial  breathing 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  701 


we  get  year,  meaning  thus,  plough  or  work  time.  Hearth  exhibits  the  fame  ar 
aspirated,  and  points  to  a  time  whan  our  ancestors  lived  in  cabins,  or  on  the 
naked  ground,  having  their  fires  on  the  earth  or  hearth.  Max  Muller,  who 
mentions  most  of  these  examples,  refers  aroma  also  to  the  same  root — and  also 
art,  artist,  artistic.  In  this  sense  aroma  is  primitively  the  smell  of  a  ploughed 
field— Isaac  comparing  the  smell  of  Jacob  to  tho  "smell  of  a  field  which  the 
Lord  had  blessed;"  while  the  first  and  most  important  art  is  in  this  sense  the 
art  of  handling  the  plough  ;  the  first  artist  a  ploughman,  and  artistic  work  good 
ploughing — an  interpretation,  by  the  way,  from  which  some  of  our  modern  artists 
might  beg  leave  to  demur.  An  original  root  would  soon  beget  a  numerous 
family  of  words  having  the  family  likeness,  but  different  meanings.  Labor  of 
the  plough  would,  when  the  Argans  reached  the  sea,  naturally  pass  into  lab  >r  at 
the  car,  the  oar  plovghing  through  the  water  as  the  plough  did  through  the 
land — which  by  a  very  common  transposition  was  called  rowing.  This  deriva- 
tion of  oar  and  row  is  defended  by  the  fact  that  the  English  plough  is  the  Greek 
ploion,  a  ship  of  burden— and  the  classic  poets  often  speak  of  a  plough  sailing 
through  the  field,  and  of  a  ship  plovghing  the  sea,  and  we  preserve  the  latter 
figure  in  modern  English.  And  as  the  ship  oared  through  the  water,  so  the 
bird  .soared  through  the  air,  that  is,  ploughed  the  air  with  his  wings,  a  derivation 
defended  not  only  by  the  family  likeness  of  the  words,  but  by  the  classic  ex- 
pression "  remigio  alarum,"  "by  the  oarage  of  his  wings,"  so  often  applied  t) 
Mercury,  Perseus,  &s.  As  the  ear  protrudes  from  the  stalk,  so  the  ears  of 
animals  protrude — and  to  use  the  ear  is  to  hear;  the  Argan  word  for  plough 
thus  naturally  but  strangely  naming  one  of  the  most  important  senses.  The 
English  arm,  arms,  armour,  through  the  Latin  arma,  armare,  and  the  obsolete 
Greek  aro  I  fir,  I  join,  probably  have  the  same  origin,  the  first  fitting  or 
joining  done  by  the  old  Argans  being  in  the  manufacture  of  their  rude  ploughs, 
their  first  arms  being  the  peaceful  implements  of  agriculture,  which,  however, 
so  soon  degenerated  into  the  deadly  armour  of  bloody  war. 

Examples  might  be  multiplied ;  but  enough  has  been  said  to  illustrate  the 
root  ar,  and  to  show  that  our  very  language  gives  dignity  to  agriculture,  and 
makes  the  plough  the  foundation  of  all  prosperity,  and  that  our  ancestors,  so  far 
from  being  ashamed  of  manual  labor,  called  themselves  Jrgans  or  ploughmen. 
Enough  has  been  said,  too,  to  interest  those  who  fancy  such  speculation  in  the 
exceedingly  rich  and  varied  science  of  comparative  Philology. 


Book  Notices,  &c. 


Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Regents  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution, 
showing  the  operations,  expenditures,  and  condition  of  the  institution  for  the 
year  1868.  The  report  is  presented  by  the  venerable  Secretary,  Joseph  Henry, 
and  addressed  to  the  Presiden:  of  the  Senate  and  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Rep. 
reeentatives.  The  programme  of  the  institution  as  adopted  by  the  Board  of 
Regents,  December  15th,  1847,  is  republished,  and  there  is  a  general  appendix 
to  the  report  containing  interesting  and  instructive  memoirs  of  Cuvier,  Oer- 
sted, Christian  Frederic  Schoenban,  Encke,  and  Eaton  Ilodgkinson — also, 
Recent  progress  in  relation  to  the  Theory  of  Heat ;  Principles  of  the  Mechan- 
ical Theory  of  Heat;  continuous  movement  of  all  matter,  Ponderable  and  im- 
ponderabl1,  &c.,  &c,  with  a  largo  amount  of  practical  matter  on  which  we  may 
often  find  occasioa  to  draw  for  the  instruction  and  entertainment  of  our  readers 


702  THE    SOUTHERN  [November 


Farmers'*  and  Mechanics'  Manual.  Yrith  many  valuable  Tables  for  Ma- 
chinist. Manufacturers,  Merohants,  Builders,  Engineers,  Mas  -rs. 
Plumber?,  Gardeners,  Accountants  .." ;>,  by  ty.  5.  Conrtney, 
re^et!  .nd  enlarged  by  Geo.  E.  Waring  Jr.— E.  B.  Treat  &  Co.,  publishers, 
054  Broadway  N.  T.  Sjld  only  by  subscription.  Nearly  fifty  pages  of  this 
valuable  book  are  i  -oil,  the  cot  of  different  kinds  :  Exhaus- 
tion -  Manures,  liquid  and  artificial;  Draining,  and  the  reasons  for  ir . 
Eotation  of  Crops  ;  Properties  ar.d  composition  of  milk,  butter,  &c.;  Butter  and 
Cheese  making:  Soiling  cattle;  Steaming  food  for  stock;  Gardening  for 
market  ;  Steam  cultivation,  &c,  &c. 

The  American-  Year  Book  and  National  Registeb  tor  1809  — Astronomi- 
cal, Historical,  Political,  Financial,  Commercial,  Agricultural,  Educational, 
and  Religious.     A  general  view  of  the  I  Ting  every  depart- 

ment of  t  1  and  State  Governments,  together  with  a  brief  account  of 

foreign  States,  embracing  Edacati  rial,  Religious,  and  Industrial  statistics  ; 
facts  relating  to  Public  Ii_?titu:ions  and  Societies,  miscellaneous  Essays,  Im- 
portant Events,  Obituaries,  &c.  Edited  by  David  X.  Camp,  published  by  0.  D. 
Chase  &  C  »..  Hartford,  Connecticut.  In  a  word,  containing  more  useful  and 
practical  information  on  many  subjects  than  can  be  found  in  a  reasonable  time 
by  a  ztended  research  through  many  volumes,  each  written  on  one  or 

another  of  these  specialties. 

Ab  btion  ix  Cows. — We  are  indebted  to  the  courteous   kindness  of  the 

accomplished  Secretary  of  the  New  York    : sultural  Sjciety  for  the 

report  ■  f  Wm.  H.  Carmalt,  M.  D.,  Commissioner  ol  .  siyj  for  the  investi- 

gation of  "Abortion  in  Cows,"  an  exhaustive  treatise  on  the  subject,  founded 
on  the  most  careful  inquiries  and  observations,  with  explanatory  illustrations. 
Address  the  Secretary  of  the  Xew  York  State  Agricultural  Society  at  Albany, 
Xew  York. 

Blackwood's  Magazine  for  Oct  iber  ha?  been  received.  Contents:  A  Year 
aDd  a  Day,  The  Old  Monk  on  the  Belfry,  Inventus  Mundi,  The  War  in  Para- 
guay, Cornelius  O'Dowd— (Forfeiting  Paradise,  Persano,  Light  business  requir- 
ing no  capital,  Studying  the  Land  Question.)  Great  Whig  Journalist,  Charles 
Reade-'s  Novel.  Leonard  Scott  Company,  140  Fulton  street,  East  of  Broadway, 
Xew  York. 

Ed\  nal  Journal  of  Virginia.  Organ  of  tee  Educational  Association. 

Editors:  Charles  H.  Winston,  D.  Lee  Powell,  R.  M.  Smith,  Thomas  R.  Price, 
and  John  M.  Strother.  Business  Agent,  M.  W.  Hazlewood,  P.  0.  box  490 
Richmond,  Ya. 

The  initial  number  of  this  valuable  monthly  appears  on  our  table  just  as  we 
are  going  to  press  with  our  Xovember  number.  We  defer  a  more  particular 
reference  to  it  to  a  future  occasion,  but  meanwhile  would  recommend  it  to  ihe 
patronage  of  all  who  are  seeking  light  and  instruction  on  this  subject. 

Subscription  $1  a  year. 

The  Xew  Eclectic  Magazine,  which  has  now  been  in  existence  three  years, 
and  with  which  has  recently  been  incorporated  The  Land  We  Love,  stands  at 
the  head  of  the  list  of  Southern  publications.  At  this  period  of  the  year,  when 
persons  are  in  the  habit  of  choosing  their  periodicals  for  the  winter,  it  is  espe- 
cially requested  of  the  public  that  they  bestow  at  least  a  part  of  their  patronage 
upon  a  periodical  published  in  their  interest,  and  which,  the  Southern  and  the 
Northern  press  both  being  the  judges,  is  the  peer  of  any  magazine  published 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  703 


in  Ameriea;  both  in  its  literary  standards  and  the  quality  and  attractiveness  of 
i*<  typography. 

The  Galaxy  for  November.  New  York:  Sheldon  &  Co.,  498  and  500 
Broadway.  A  highly  interesting  number.  Among  its  contents  its  readers 
will  find  the  continuation  of  Susan  Fielding,  the  Prince  Suwarf,  the  English 
Universities,  the  Fire  Fiend,  Imperialism  in  America,  the  Play  of  the  Period, 
And  Editor's  Tale,  Literature  and  Art,  Nebulae,  by  the  Editor. 

The  Carolina  Farmer  has  completed  its  first  volume,  and  will,  on  the  4th 
instant,  appear  as  a  weekly,  in  a  new  form,  and  will  occupy  an  enlarged  sphere. 
It  will  contain  eight  pages  of  five  columns  each  ;  and  in  addition  to  a  largely 
increased  amount  of  agricultural  matter,  will  give  miscellaneous  f.  mily  read- 
ing, market  reports,  and  general  news.  Subscription  $2  a  year.  Address  Wm. 
H.  Bernard,  Editor  and  proprietor,  Wilmington,  X.  C. 

The  Phrenological  Journal  for  November  contains  many  interesting 
sketches,  &o.  Price  only  30  cents,  or  $3  a  year.  A  New  volume  begins  with 
the  January  number.  Address,  S.  E.  Wells,  Publisher,  389  Broadway,  New 
York. 


Bones. 

Folks  tell  us,  Dear  Planter,  the  best  way  to  grow, 
Fine  crops  upon  poor  land,  (as  doubtless  you  know,) 
Is  to  fertilize  well;  while  clearly  tis  shown, 
That  "  the  best,  and  the  cheapest,"  is  real  raw  bone. 

For  one  I  believe  it,  since  I  understand, 

The  plan  has  succeeded,  on  all  sorts  of  land  ; 

And  from  what  I  have  seen,  th§  conclusion's  foregone, 

That  the  surplus  of  life  consists  of  a  bone. 

For  once,  at  my  dinner,  while  carving  some  meat, 
With  "  company  "  waiting,  and  eager  to  eat ; 
With  something  between  a  deep  sigh  and  a  groan, 
I  suddenly  cut,  through  my  meat,  on  a  bone. 

I  moralized  tbusly — "Ah  such  is  our  life," 
(Even  though  we  may  be  as  keen  as  a  knife,) 
We  may   '  go  it"  in  crowds,  or  "go  it  aloue," 
But  we  oft  get  stuck,  unawares,  on  a  bone. 

Quite  early  in  life,  I  loved  a  young  girl, 
With  beaming  blue  eyes,  and  gold-tinted  curl — 
She  said  she  loved  me,  and  would  be  my  own, 
But  her  father  said  Not  I  was  stuck  on  a  bone. 

In  "  market,"  however,  quite  soon  did  appear, 
A  suitor,  to  whom,  she  lent  a  kind  ear; 
"A  fortune,"  he  had,  all  io  right  of  his  own — 
So  he  became  meet — /  was  cut  io  the  bone. 


704  THE  SOUTHERN  [November 

Long,  long  after  this  I  got  me  a  wife, 
To  cheer  and  enliven  my  "  pathway  of  life" — 
And  ti»  patent  to  all,  wherever  she's  known, 
That  the  mo;t  of  h:r  "  Heft  "  is  real  raw  bone. 

In  matters  of  Church  and  of  Siate  tis  the  role 
The  "  official's  "  a  wise  man — the  layman  a  fool ; 
And  for  all  our  follies  they  make  us  atone, 
By  eating  our  meat,  and  leaving  us  bone. 

lour  ''merchant"  who  sells  you  Guano,  down  town, 
At  "  Ninety  some  Dollars  "  fjr  every  short  ton, 
Will  get  all  your  wheat,  when  the  tb  I  ne, 

And  you  fiad  out  too  late,  you  re  stuck  to  the  bone. 

This  "  vain,  foolish  w  rid"  is  prone  to  admire, 
The  parry  who  keeps  most  fat  on  the  fire ; 
Whose  kettle  will  never  grow  cold  like  a  Btone, 
While  dogs  and  poor  Luz'rus  may  gnaw  on  a  bone. 

W  old  you  know  what  I  am  ?     When  my  last  step  is  trod, 
And  my  "  m  irtal  remains  "  repose  neath  the  sod — 
Y  u'il  find  out  on  peering  beneath  a  c  Id  Bt  >ne, 
That  death  has  left  of  me  but  S:x  I 


The  Charlottesville  Woolen  Mills. 

We  would   again   call  atl       ion    to  the  manufactures  of  this  enterprising 
Company.     Fr  m  sample-  maybe  seen  at  oar  office,  • 

any  one  might  make  a  tasteful  selection,  and  we  doubt  not  that  our  friee  1,  Mr. 

FI.  Ciav  Marchant,  the  obliging  superintendent  I  make 

such  an  exhibition  at  our  S:a:e  F^ir  as  shall  fully  justify  our  recommendation. 


The  Norfolk  Oil  Fish  Guano  Company 
Is  the  style  of  a  nev-  I  in  N  r:  -  the  man. 

nfacture  fr.jm  Fish,  cf  Oil  and  Phosphatic  Fish  Guam.  Thh  enterprise 
in  most  opportunely  to  supply  a  great  need  in  the  South,  and  we  have  n: 
it  wi:l  be  most  lib  rally  sustain 

be  most  cheerfully  furniiLed  by  J. ha  M.  Donn,  Esq.,  the  General  Agent  of  the 
Company,  Norfolk,  Va. 


D^ain  Tiles. 
The  numerous  inquiries  after  t  :  gth  answered  in  our  adver- 

tising pages  by  Maurice  Erans,  Family  Grccer>  of  high  character,  2'2ti  Broad 
street,  Richmond,  Va. 


THE  SOUTHERN 

PLANTER  &  FARMER, 


DEVOTED  TO 


Agriculture,  Horticulture  and  the  Mining,  Mechanic  and  Household  Arts. 


Agriculture  is  the  nursing  mother  of  the  Arts.— Xenophon. 
Tillage  and  Pasturage  are  the  two  breasts  of  the  State.— Sully. 


CH:   B.  WILLIAMS Editor  and  Proprietor. 

FRANK  G.  RUFFIN, Co-Editor. 

New  Series.  RICHMOND,  VA.,  DECEMBER  1869.  Vol.  III-No.  12. 


Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society. 

The  Ninth  Annual  cattle  show  and  fair  of  this  Society,  after  a 
suspension  of  nine  years,  was  duly  and  solemnly  inaugurated  with 
prayer,  by  the  Rev.  J.  L.  M.  Curry,  D.  D.,  on  Tuesday  morning 
the  2d  of  November,  1869. 

The  President  then  offered  in  touching  tones  of  good  feeling  and 
kindness  the  following 

ADDRESS    OF    WELCOME. 

"Fellow-citizens, — Allow  me  to  congratulate  you  on  the  evidences 
of  the  vitality  and  spirit  of  our  people  as  witnessed  on  this  most 
highly  interesting  occasion. 

"  The  extent  and  variety  of  improved  breeds  of  stock,  the  large 
collection  of  useful  machinery  and  agricultural  implements,  together 
with  the  attractive  exhibition  of  household  and  domestic  manufac- 
tures, and  the  immense  number  of  specimens  of  valuable  minerals 
and  agricultural  productions,  cannot  fail  to  command  the  admira- 
tion of  visitors  from  other  sections,  and  to  impress  them  most  favor- 
ably with  the  vast  resources  of  our  State,  and  also  to  inspire  all  the 
Bons  of  Virginia,  whether  native  or  adopted,  with  fresh  hopes  for 
the  future  growth  and  prosperity  of  this  glorious  old  Common- 
wealth. 


706  THE  SOUTHERN  December 

"  I  commend  to  your  careful  examination  every  article  here  on 
exhibition  in,  the  hope  that  you  may  be  able  to  find  much  that  will 
lessen  your  labor  and  increase  your  profits. 

"  It  is  now  nine  years  since  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural 
Society  held  a  Fair  and  Cattle  Show,  and  may  we  not  reasonably 
hope  that  the  revival  of  this  time-honored  Society,  with  its  benefi- 
cial means  may  be  the  instrument  of  giving  a  new  impulse  to  the 
agricultural  interest  of  our  State  and  develop  the  way  by  which 
many  a  rich  storehouse  of  minerals  will  be  open  to  increase  our 
wealth  and  population  ?  This  is  to  me  a  most  interesting  subject, 
but  it  is  not  my  purpose  now  to  do  more  than  to  express  my  grat- 
ification at  the  successful  efforts  of  the  Executive  Committee  as  pre- 
sented in  the  exhibition  before  you,  and  to  give  you  a  cordial  greeting. 

"It  gives  me  pleasure  to  extend  to  each  and  all  of  this  immense 
multitude  a  most  hearty  welcome ;  and  to  those  of  our  fellow-citi- 
zens, who  come  from  other  States,  I  would  extend  a  thrice  hearty 
welcome.  We  need  more  population  and  more  capital  to  convert  into 
profit  and  usefulness  the  vast  resources  of  our  State,  and  I  hope 
that  one  of  the  results  of  this  exhibition  will  be  to  attract  here  large 
accessions  of  both. 

"  To  you,  ladies,  I  would  not  only  extend  a  most  cordial  welcome, 
but  1  would  most  heartily  thank  you  for  gracing  this  occasion  with 
your  presence,  as  nothing  can  prosper  that  does  not  command  the 
approving  smiles  of  woman. 

At  the  close  of  the  President's  address  the  fair  was  open  to  the 
examination  of  the  multitude  found  in  attendance,  whose  surprise 
and  admiration  were  raised  to  the  highest  pitch  at  the  number  and 
variety  of  useful  and  elegant  articles  on  exhibition,  and  whose  socirl 
enjoyments  were  heightened  by  the  constantly  recurriug  re-unions 
of  old  and  long  separated  friends,  some  of  them  accompanied  with 
ebullitions  of  feeling  so  touching  and  tender,  as  to  cause  many  a 
manly  heart  "to  turn  aside,  to  hide  the  flood  that  in  his  'een  was 
swelling." 

GENERAL    NOTICES. 

secretary's   office. 

The  Secretary's  office  in  this  city  will  be  opened  from  9  o'clock 
this  morning  for  the  sale  of  annual  and  life  memberships,  and  the 
office  at  the  Fair  Grounds  will  be  open  during  the  day  for  exhibitors. 

Mr.  James  Chamberlayne  will  also  be  at  the  office  at  the  Fair 
Grounds  during  the  day  for  the  purpose  of  issuing  certificates  to 
the  members  of  the  State  Central  Agricultural  Society. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  707 


PROGRAMME    FOR   TIIE  DAY. 

The  members  of  the  Executive  Committee  were  requested  to  report 
themselves  at  9  A.  M.  at  the  Secretary's  office,  on  the  Fair  Grounds  to 
review  the  books  for  the  judges,  to  fill  vacancies  in  the  judges  from  the 
by-standers  or  others,  as  required  by  the  resolutions  of  the  21st 
September,  1869.  The  following  members  were  assigned  to  these 
duties — viz : 

Class  I.  Essays— F.  G.  Ruffin. 
Class  II.  Cattle— S.  W.  Ficklin. 
Class  III.  Horses,  &c— R.  B.  Haxall. 
Class  IV.  Sheep,  &c— J.  Cloyd. 
Class  V.  Swine— J.  Cloyd. 
Class  VI.  Poultry— J.  M.  McCue. 
Class  VII.  Farm  Products— R.  E.  Haskins. 
Class  VIII.  Domestic  Departments— W.  T  Walker. 
Class  IX.  Household  Manufactures — F.  N.  Watkins. 
Clas3  X.  Ladies'  Fancy  and  Ornamental  Work — F.  N.  Watkins. 
Class  XI.  Agricultural  Department — W.  C.  Knight. 
Class  XII.  Farm  Dwellings— E.  Ruffin. 
Class  XIII.  Minerals— R.  W.  N.  Noland. 
Clas3  XIV.  Fine  Arts — J.  Lyons. 
Class  XV.  Miscellaneous — L.  E.  Harvie. 

Judges  are  urged  to  attend  to  the  their  duties  promptly  at  9  A. 
M.  of  each  day. 

EXHIBITION  OF    HORSES. 

The  public  exhibition  of  horses  takes  place  at  1  o'clock  in 
front  of  the  yublic  stand  on  the  mile  track. 

PLOUGHING  MATCH. 
The  ploughing  match  for  the  best  ploughman,  &c,  has  been 
arranged  to  come  off  on  the  farm  of  William  Shepperson,  on  the 
Broad-Street  road  above  the  Baptist  College,  on  the  left  hand,  this 
side  of  the  Fair  Grounds,  from  12  to  3  o'clock,  and  competitors 
under  section  12  were  notified  to  be  promptly  on  the  ground,  or  they 
would  be  ruled  out. 

GENERAL.    MEETING. 

The  general  meeting  of  the  Society  took  place  at  the  Hall  of  the 
House  of  Delegates  at  8  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

The  following  annual  report  of  the  Society  was  submitted  and 
received  : 

A  t  this,  the  largest  meeting  of  the  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Soci- 


703  THE    SOUTHERN  [December 


etv  since  the  war,  it  is  proper  briefly  to  inform  the  members  what  has 
been  done  since  the  last  show  and  fair,  which  was  held  in  1860. 

Durin^  the  war.  of  course,  there  could  be  no  show  or  exhibition. 
All  that  could  be  done  was  to  protect  the  interests  of  the  Society. 
This  was  done  by  the  (then)  President,  Mr.  John  R.  Edmunds,  of 
Halifax,  who,  elected  in  1859,  held  over  during  the  war,  and,  by 
special  request  of  the  Executive  Committee,  until  Mr.  Willoughby 
Newton,  his  successor  under  the  Constitution,  could  take  his  place  ; 
and  bv  Mr.  Charles  B.  Williams,  then  and  until  recently  Secretary 
of  the'  Society.  And  it  is  gratifying  to  repeat,  what  has  been 
already  stated,  that  the  joint  efforts  of  the  President,  Secretary, 
and  Executive  Committee,  succeeded  in  preserving  intact  the 
property  which  the  Society  had  entrusted  to  their  keeping. 

In  January,  1S69,  an  attempt  was  made  to  have  a  general  meet- 
in-"'  of  the  Society  for  several  important  purposes  ;  and  among  them 
to  take  into  consideration  the  propriety  of  purchasing  a  lot  of 
ground  on  which  to  hold  the  future  exhibitions  of  the  Society. 

The  property  at  present  held  by  the  Society,  and  which  has  been 
viewed  by  the  members  to-day,  was  offered  for  sale,  and  the  Execu- 
tive Committee  wished  to  be  instructed  by  the  Society  as  to  the 
purchase.  A  quorum  did  not  attend  ;  but  the  sense  of  the  informal 
meeting  confirmed  the  Executive  Committee  in  the  action  to  which 
they  were  predisposed,  and  they  took  the  responsibility  of  making 
the  purchase  on  the  terms  and  with  the  means  already  announced. 
The  bargain  was  completed  in  the  spring  of  15'JS. 

In  the  month  of  January,  186'c*,  a  meeting  of  the  Society  was 
hell,  ani  the  action  of  the  committee  was  then  fully  sanctioned. 
At  that  meeting  it  was  determined  to  hold  a  Fair  and  Exhibition 
this  fall,  and  the  following  officers  were  elected : 

President :  William  T.  Sutherlin,  Danville. 

V iee~P 'residents :  1st,  James  Lyons,  Richmond;  2d,  W«  T. 
Scott,  Charlotte;  3d,  Frank  G.  Ruffin,  Chesterfield;  4th,  R.  Bar- 
ton Haxall.  Richmond  ;  5th,  S.  W.  Ficklin,  Albemarle ;  6th,  Ed- 
mund Ruffin,  Jr.,  Hanover  ;  7th,  Lewis  E.  Harvie,  Amelia  8th,  J. 
Marshall  McCue,  Augusta. 

Secretary  and  Treasurer :  Charles  B.  Williams. 

[The  President  and  Vice-Presidents  are  ex  oficio  members  of  the 
Executive  Committee.] 

Executive  Committee:  Richard  Irby,  Richmond;  William  C. 
Knight,  Richmond-  R.  H.  Dulany,  Loundon ;  R.  W.  N.  Xoland, 
Albemarle  ;  F.  >~.  Watkins,  Prince  Edward  ;  A.  H.  Drewry,  Charles 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  709 

Citj  ;  William   Martin,    Henry  ;  Richard   E.  Haskins,  Brunswick  ; 
Franklin  Stearns,  Richmond  ;  Dr.  W.  T.  Walker,  Goochland. 

Subsequently,  upon  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Ruffin,  Mr.  Joseph 
Cloyd,  of  Pulaski,  was  elected  in  his  place  as  one  of  the  Vice-Pres- 
idents of  the  Society;  and  afterwards,  upon  the  resignation  of  Mr. 
Scott,  of  Charlotte,  Mr.  F.  G.  Ruffin  was  re-elected  to-  a  place  in- 
the  Executive  Committee  on  the  18th  of  February.  Mr.  Charles 
B.  Williams,  under  the  pressure  of  declining  health,  resigned  the 
office  of  secretary  and  treasurer,  which  he  had  filled  acceptably  to 
the  Society  for  many  years  ;  and  the  Executive  Committee,  reluct- 
antly accepting  his  resignation,  appointed  in  his  place  Mr.  Egbert 
G.  Leigh. 

The  general  action  of  the  Executive  Committee  appears  before 
you  in  the  results  of  this  exhibition  ;  and  the  details  of  their  labors 
have  been  published,  as  they  occurred,  in  the  papers  of  the  city  of 
Richmond. 

Beyond  that,  it  is  only  necessary  to  state  that  a  trial  of  reapers 
and  mowers  (single  and  combined),  and  other  cognate  implements, 
was  held  at  Westover,  the  plantation  of  Major  A.  H.  Drewry,  in 
Charles  City  county,  on  the  9th  and  10th  of  June  last,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Society,  with  results  which  will  be  announced  in  the 
publication  of  the  awards  at  the  present  meeting. 

The  scarcity  of  money  and  the  late  very  severe  drought  have 
operated  a  very  serious  impediment  to  the  efforts  of  the  committee. 
But  the  loss  therefrom  has  been  generously  supplied  by  the  Common 
Council  of  the  city  of  Richmond  and  by  the  citizens  generally,  who 
have  proved  themselves,  as  heretofore,  equal  to  the  demand  upon 
their  enlightened  public  spirit  and  their  hospitality. 

The  life-members  of  the  late  Central  Agricultural  Societv  were 
admitted  by  a  vote  of  the  Virginia  Agricultural  Society,  at  their  meet- 
ing in  February,  1869,  to  an  honorary  participation  in  their  affairs. 

It  affords  the  committee  great  pleasure  to  be  able  to  congratulate 
the  societies  of  various  parts  of  the  State  on  the  successful  agricul- 
tural fairs  and  exhibitions  that  have  been  held  ;  and  the  hope  is 
cherished  more  confidently  than  ever  that  the  county  and  district 
societies  can  be  so  arranged  as  to  affiliate  with  this  Society  as  the 
parts  of  one  whole.  The  details  of  such  a  union  would  be  out  of 
place  in  this  report ;  but  it  is  thought  that  its  establishment  will  be 
productive  of  signal  benefit  to  all  the  interests  of  the  State. 

The  accounts  of  the  treasurer  are  fully  made  out  and  balanced 
to  the  30th  ultimo;  but  the  usual  transcript  is  not  presented  here- 
with because  of  the  recent  illness  of  the  treasurer  and  the  pressure 


710  THE  SOUTHER>  [December 

of  official  business  on  him  since  his  recovery.  But  the  books  are 
ready  for  inspection,  if  it  is  deemed  desirable  by  the  Society  to 
have  a  statement  from  them. 

After  this,  Governor  Smith  addressed  the  meeting  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  agriculture.  He  was  followed  by  Mr.  Lyons,  Major  Noland, 
and  others. 

The  meeting  then  adjourned  until  8  o'clock  to-morrow  evening. 

GENERAL  MEETING  IN  THE  HALL  OF  HOUSE  OF  DELEGATES,  NOV.  8d, 

1869. 

The  use  of  the  Hall  was,  during  the  earlier  portion  of  this  eve- 
ning, devoted  to  the  transaction  of  the  business  of  the  third  annual 
meeting  of  the  Virginia  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society. 
The  proceedings  of  this  meeting  will  be  found  published  in  their 
place  in  this  number  of  the  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer. 

The  meeting  then  resolved  itself  into  a  joint  meeting  of  the  two 
Societies,  Major  Sutherlin  in  the  Chair.  Hon.  Horace  Capron, 
Commissioner  of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C,  expressed  his 
thanks  for  the  honor  conferred  upon  him,  but  declined  to  speak. 

Mr.  Hill  Carter,  of  Charles  City,  being  called  for,  came  to  the 
6tand,  and  said  that  his  first  advice  to  young  men  was  to  select 
good  iands,  and  then  to  cultivate  them  well ;  but  the  main  point 
was  to  know  how  to  get  good  lands.  In  his  experience  the  good 
lands  had  to  support  the  poor.  The  James  River  lands  are  the 
best  in  the  whole  country.  Success  in  agriculture  depends  on  in- 
dustry and  economy.  Chocolate  lands  with  a  sufficient  ferriginoua 
element  in  them  are  the  best. 

Mr.  Saunders,  experimental  gardener  at  Washington,  being  called 
on,  stated  that  his  business  here  at  present  was  to  make  a  collection 
of  \  irginia  fruits,  and  to  make  inquiries  as  to  the  capacity  of  the 
State  as  a  fruit  growing  country.  Many  inquiries  had  been  made 
in  regard  to  it.  He  had  recently  remarked  at  a  pomological  society, 
that  Virginia  \sas  a  better  apple-growing  State  than  New  York. 

He  had  been  trying  for  a  long  time  to  convince  the  people  of 
this  country  that  the  grape  required  just  such  a  climate  as  is  found 
on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  in  Virginia — a  long,  warm, 
genial  summer.  The  wine  grapes  are  in  greater  perfection  here 
than  anywhere  else  in  the  country. 

Fungoid  growth  had  been  a  great  drawback  in  the  raising  of 
these  vines,  and  the  lands  on  which  the  leaves  do  not  mildew  will 
be  found  near  the  first  belt  in  your  mountains. 

General  J.  D.  Imboden  stated  that  there   was  a   club    in   New 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  711 

York — the  "  New  York  Fruit-Growers'  ClubM — one  of  whom  (Col. 
Williams)  was  in  the  room  ;  and  being  called  for,  gave  a  very  inter- 
esting sketch  of  the  Society. 

His  remarks  were  interesting  and  well  received. 

Major  Noland  introduced  Dr.  Oliver,  of  England,  who  also  made 
a  very  interesting  address. 

Dr.  Antisell,  of  the  Agricultural  Bureau,  was  called  on,  and  re- 
plied in  a  practical  and  interesting  address. 

Other  gentlemen  spoke,  and — the  Society  adjourned. 

general  meeting  at  the  broad  street  methodist  church, 
nov.  4tu,  1869. 

The  primary  object  of  this  meeting  was  to  hear  the  Annual 
Address  by  Colonel  John  S.  Preston,  of  Columbia,  S.  C,  and 
accordingly  the  members  of  the  Society,  together  with  a  very  large 
and  select  audience,  assembled  to  hear  him.  The  orator,  who  is  a 
gentleman  of  very  commanding  appearance,  was  listened  to  with 
great  attention,  and  delivered  an  address  full  of  classic  eloquence, 
and  which  was  made  doubly  interesting  by  the  earnest  and  beautiful 
delivery  of  the  speaker. 

He  reviewed  in  the  liveliest  manner  the  noble  efforts  of  our  an- 
cestors in  the  establishment  of  the  right  of  self-government  and 
the  suppression  of  tyranny,  and  pointed  to  the  duty  of  the  present 
generation  in  the  accomplishment  of  the  glorious  future  promised 
to  Virginia.  He  spoke  for  about  an  hour  and  a  half,  and  kept  his 
audience  very  much  interested. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  address,  on  motion  of  Hon.  James  Lyons, 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  meeting  be  tendered  General 
John  S.  Preston,  of  S.  C,  the  selected  orator  on  the  occasion,  for 
the  able  and  eloquent  address  delivered  by  him  before  the  Annual 
meeting  of  the  Society  to-night,  and  that  he  be  requested  to  furnish 
a  copy  for  publication — which  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted. 

PRESENTATION    OF    PLATE. 

Next  in  order  came  the  very  interesting  ceremony  of  the  presen- 
tation of  a  testimonial  to  Major  A.  H.  Drewry  by  the  guests  at  the 
field  trial  of  reapers  and  mowers  at  Westover.  The  presentation 
speech  was  made  by  Major  James  Bruster,  of  Baltimore,  who 
expressed  the  thanks  of  the  company  to  Major  Drewry  for  the 
generous  hospitality  he  had  extended  to  them  during  their  stay  at 
Westover,  and  the  commendable  interest  he  had  shown  in  the  agri- 
cultural welfare  of  Virginia.  After  other  appropriate  remarks, 
the  speaker  handed  him  a  handsome  silver  salver,  which  was  one  of 


712  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 

the  most  tastefully  executed  things  of  the  kind  we  have  ever  seen. 
Upon  it  was  inscribed — 

"  Testimonial  to  Major  A.  H.  Drewry  by  the  exhibitors  and 
guests  at  the  great  field  trial  of  mowers  and  reapers  at  Westover, 

June  9th.  10th,  and  11th,  1869. 

James  Bruster,  "J 

JOHM  R.   Ciiapin,     y  Committee. 

M.  B.  Riggs,  J 

Tendered  in  compliment  to  the  cordial  welcome  and  generous 
hospitality  received  at  his  hands." 

Major  Drewry  responded  in  a  most  appropriate  manner,  and  with 
pentiments  worthy  of  a  son  of  Virginia  so  active  in  the  endeavor  to 
Eecure  her  practical  restoration  and  prosperity. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  presentation  speeches  the  Society  pro- 
ceeded with  the  remaining  basin 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  propriety  of  amending  the 
Constitution  was  called  for.  Mr.  Lyons,  from  the  committee,  stated 
that  the  report  had  been  mislaid,  yet  he  could  recite  the  amendments 
they  proposed,  and  proceeded  to  do  so,  as  follows:  Section  2.  Strike 
out  "at  such  time  and  place  as  may  be  designated,"  &c.,and  insert 
"at  their  Fair  Grounds,  near  Richmond." 

Section  3,  article  3,  "amended  by  declaring  members  of  the  State 
Central  Society  life  members  of  this  Society." 

Objection  was  made  to  considering  the  matter  without  the  report ; 
and  furthermore,  to  considering  amendments  that  might  conflict  with 
the  charter,  a  copy  of  which  was  not  in  the  archives  of  the  Society, 
and  the  subject  was  postponed  till  the  next  annual  meeting. 

The  ?  •<   being   next  in   order,  a   committee  was 

appointed,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Ravenscroft  Jones,  to  make  nomina- 
tions. \  _ht  in  a  report  that  was  unanimously  adopted. 
This  report  nominated  for  re-election  all  the  old  officers  save  Wm. 
Martin,  of  Henry,  as  members  of  the  Executive  Committee,  instead 
of  whom  they  nominated  Dr.  W.  C.  Staples,  of  Patrick.  Mr. 
Richard  Irby,  of  Richmond,  at  his  own  request,  was  excused  from 
serving,  and  General  Joseph  R.  Anderson  was  put  in  his  place.  So 
the  officers  thus  elected  are  as  follows: 

President, — William  T.  Sutherlin. 

Viet  P  tidenta, — James  Lyons.  Joseph  Cloyd,  F.  G.  Ruffin,  R. 
B.  HaxaU,  S.  W.  Ficklin,  Edmund  Ruffin,  Jr.,  Lewis  E.  Harvie, 
and  J.  Marshall  McCue. 

Executive  Committee, — Joseph  R.  Anderson,  W.  C.  Knight,  R. 
H.   Dulany,  R.   W.  X.  Noland,  F.  N.  Watkins,  A.  H.   Drewry. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  713 

Dr.  W.  C.  T.  Staples,  R.  E.  Haskins,  Franklin  Stearns,  and  Dr. 
William  T.  Walker. 

Secretary  and  Treasurer, — E.  G.  Leigh. 

The  election  -was  by  acclamation  and  unanimous. 

Major  Sutherlin  thanked  the  Society  for  re-electing  him.  The 
honor  was  one  he  had  until  lately  intended  to  have  declined.  It 
would  be  accepted  at  great  inconvenience  and  a  serious  sacrifice  to 
himself;  but  his  objections  had  yielded  to  the  solicitations  and  argu- 
ments of  friends,  and  he  determined  that  if  the  Society  desired  his 
services  to  acquiesce,  and  labor  with  it  another  year.  Major  S. 
went  on  to  say  that  the  programme  for  the  next  Fair  must  be  vigor- 
ously carried  out,  and  he  urged  farmers  generally  to  give  every  aid 
in  their  power  to  the  cause. 

He  meant  to  call  upon  them,  and  he  expected  that  all  who  con- 
sented to  serve  in  any  capacity,  especially  on  a  committee,  would 
do  so  with  energy  and  good  faith.  They  should  decline  to  serve  if 
they  did  not  mean  to  do  this.  The  Society  wanted  no  "  yea  nay  " 
men.  He  meant  to  hold  all  responsible,  and  he  hoped  in  turn  that 
they  would  hold  him  responsible. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  F.  G.  Ruffin,  the  thanks  of  the  Society  were 
voted  to  the  citizens  of  Richmond  for  the  liberality  with  which  they 
had  contributed  out  of  their  scant  means  to  defray  the  expenses  of 
the  Fair;  also,  for  the  hospitable  manner  in  which  they  had  enter- 
tained so  many  visitors  to  the  Fair ;  to  the  manufacturers  inside 
and  out  of  the  city  for  the  contributions  they  had  made  to  the  exhi- 
bition ;  to  those  citizens  who  had  contributed  mineral  specimens, 
which  showed  the  various  resources  of  the  State ;  and  to  the  rail- 
roads and  steamboats  for  the  liberal  regulations  they  had  carried 
out  with  reference  to  passengers  to  the  Fair,  and  to  articles  intended 
for  exhibition. 

The  Society,  by  unanimous  vote,  thanked  the  President  for  the 
able,  sagacious,  and  energetic  manner  in  which  he  presided  over  its 
affairs. 

By  unanimous  vote  the  Society  thanked  the  Chief  Marshal,  Col. 
C.  Q.  Tompkins,  and  his  aids,  for  the  efficient  and  considerate  man- 
ner in  which  they  had  enforced  the  regulations  of  the  Society  and 
preserved  the  order  and  decorum  of  the  exhibition  and  proceedings 
on  the  grounds. 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  Society  are  hereby  tendered  to 
Messrs.  John  H.  Tyler  &  Son  for  the  beautiful  flag  they  presented 
to  the  Society. 


714  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 


Mr.  Thomas  Branch,  of  Richmond,  was  accorded  a  few  minutes 
to  express  his  objection  to  the  trials  of  speed  of  quick  draught  horses 
on  the  Fair  Grounds.  This  he  did  in  very  good  temper ;  after 
which,  the  Society  adjourned  sine  die. 


OFFICIAL  REPORT 

OF    THE 

Schedule  Premiums  Awarded  at  the  Ninth  Annual  Exhibition  of  the 

VIRGINIA  STATE  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY, 

HELD    AT    THE    FAIR    GROUNDS, 
NEAR    RUHMOM)    VIRGINIA, 

November  2,  3,  4,  and  5,  1869. 


CLASS  II— Section  1. 

CATTLE    DEPARTMENT. 

Short  Horns  of  Native  Stock. 
13.  Best  bull  3  years  old  or  upwards,  S.  W.  Ficklin,  "  Melodion,"  $30 

16.  Best  bull  2  years  old  and  under  three,  John  Trimble,  "  Sweepstakes,"  25 

19.  Best  bull  1  year  old  and  under,  A.  Lovel,  "  R.  E.  Lee,"  10 

20.  Second  best  do.,  J.  B.  Newman,  "  Burlington,"  5 

21.  Third  best  do.,  Frank  Robertson,  "J.  E.  Stewart,"  certificate,  (worthy  of 

premium.) 

22.  Best  cow  3  years  old  or  upwards,  A.  Lovel,  "Pearl,"  30 

23.  Second  best  do.,  S.  W.  Ficklin,  "  Red  Rose,"  15 

24.  Third  best  do.,         "            "  Certificate. 

25.  Best  cow  or  heifer  2  years  old  and  under  3,  S.  W.  Ficklin,  "  Aubit  "  2d  20 

26.  Second  best  do.,                                                       do.  "  Red  Rose "  3d     10 
^27.  Third  best  do.,                        (certificate)             do.  "White  Rose"  3d 

CL\SS  II— Section  2. 
Devons  of  Native  Slock. 

56.  Best  bull  2  years  old  and  under  three,  Dr. 

57.  Second  best  do., 
59.  Best  bull  1  year  old  and  under, 
€0.   Second  best  do., 

62.  Best  cow  3  years  old  or  upwards, 

63.  Second  best  do., 

Section   3. 

Ayrshires  of  Native  Stock. 

73.  Best  bull  3  years  old  or  upwards,  J.  S.  Hardaway,  Amelia  county,  $30 

82.  Best  cow  3  years  old  or  upwards,  F.  T.  Isbell,  Richmond,  30 

Alderneys  of  Native  Stock. 

93.  Best  bull  3  years  old  or  upwards,  R.  Hill  Carter,  Albemarle  county,  $30 

94.  Second  best  do.,  E.  D.  Eacho,  Henrico  county,  IS 


B.  Dillard,  "  Herod," 

$25 

do.                "  Hero," 

10 

do.                "  Braros," 

10 

do.                "Medox," 

5 

do.                 "Norma," 

30 

do.               "  Fancy," 

15 

1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  715 

96.  Best  bull  2  years  old  and  under  three,  Albert  Aiken,  Henrico  county,  25 

97.  Second  best,  James  Lyons,  Henrico  county,  10 
102.  Best  cow  three  years  old  or  upwards,  E.  D.  Eacho,  Henrico  county,  25 
108.  Best  heifer  under  2  years  old,                     "         "             "             "  10 

Section  4. 
Diary. 

113.  For  best  cow  of  any  breed,  Dr.  George  B.  Dillard,  "  Norma,"  $30 

114.  Second  best  do.,  H.  Vernon,  (Durham  and  Aldemey,)  20 

115.  Third  best  do.,  H.  Massie,  (red  cow,  6  years,)  10 

GRADE  CATTLE. 

MISCELLANEOUS  DEPARTMENT. 

For  best  Milch  cow,  H.  Massie,  Charlottesville,  $15 

For  second  best  do.,  H.  Vernon,  Wytheville,  10 

For  best  bull,  J.  R.  Woods,  Albemarle,  15 

For  second  best  do.,  Frank  S.  Robertson,  10 

•  The  committee  recommend  Discretionary  Premium  to  Mr.  H.  Massie,  of  Char- 
lottesville, for  his  Grade  Durham  cow  ;  and  Discretionary  Premium  to  S.  S.  Bradford 
for  his  Grade  cow.    Also,  Discretionary  Premium  to  J.  G.  Jefferson,  for  Short  Horn. 

Section  6. 
Fat  Stock. 

118.  Best  fat  buUock  over  5  years  old,  Joseph  Cloyd,  $30 

119.  Second  best  fat  bullock  over  5  years  old,  M.  White,  Certificate. 

120.  Best  fat  bullock  under  5  years  old,  W.  A.  Ruff,  30 

121.  Second  best  fat  bullock  under  5  years  old,  W.  A.  Ruff,  Certificate. 

122.  Best  fat  cow  or  heifer,                                        "         '«  30 

123.  Second  best  fat  cow  or  heifer,                           "         "  Certificate. 

124.  Best  pen  of  fat  sheep,  3  or  more,  Dr.  John  R.  Woods,  10 

125.  Second  best,  do.,  C.  R.  Boulware,  Certificate. 

126.  Best  slaughtered  mutton,  J.  B.  Townley,  5 

127.  Best  pen  fat  hogs,  3  or  more,  L.  S.  Macon,  (4  hogs.)  10 

128.  Second  best,  do.,                           "        "              "  6 

HORSE     DEPARTMENT. 

CLASS  III— Section  1. 

HORSES,   asses,   and  mules. 

Thorough  Breds. 

129.  Best  stallion   4   years  old   or   upwards,   Thos.  W.   Doswell,   Richmond, 

•'Orion,"  $50 

130.  Second  best,  Col.  James  Cockran,  Culpeper,  "  Engineer,"  20 

131.  Best  entire  colt,  3  years  old  and  under  four,  Thos.  W.  Doswell,  Richmond, 

"Edenton,"  25 

133.  Best  entire  colt,  2  years  old  and  under  three,  A.  Seddon  Jones,  Orange 

county,  "  Oma,"  15 

134.  Second  best,  S.  W.  Ficklin,  Albemarle,  "  Florist,"  5 

135.  Best  entire  colt,  1  year  old  and  under  two,  Chastain  White,  Hanover  Co., 

"Planet,''  10 

137.  Best  brood  mare  4  years  old  or  upwards,  Thomas  W.  Doswell,  "  Nina,"  20 

138.  Second  best,  Chastain  White,  "  Deucalia,"  10 

139.  Best  filly  3  years  old  and  under  4,  J.  L.  Carrington,  "Ada  Washington,"  15 


716  THE    SOUTHERN  [December 

141.  Best  filly  2  jears  old  and  under  three,  J.  L.  Carrington,  "  Chestnut  Filly,"     15 

143.  Best  filly  1  year  old  and  under  two,  Thos.  W.  Doswell,  "Wine  Sap,"  10 

144.  Second  best,  "  "  •'  Virginia  D_tre."        5 

J.  certificate  of  merit  awarded  to  "Red  Eye.  Jr  ,"  entered  by  W.  T.  John- 
son  ;  "  Granite/'  by  S.  W.  Ficklin  :  ••  Saltan,"  by  W.  T.  Sutherlin ;  '■  Gipsey  Chief," 
by  T.  A.  Brander  :  "  John  Letcher,"  by  J.  L.  Carrington.  and  "  Daisey,  '  by  S.  W. 
Ficklio.  Id  addition,  the  chairman  most  respectfully  submits  that  ••  Sweet  Briar" 
and  "  Rose,"  two  mares,  the  first  aged  13  years,  and  the  other  4  years,  were  on  the 
ground,  cut  were  not  regularly  entered  by  their  owner,  llaj.  W.  T.  Sutherland,  and 
laot  exhibited  to  our  committee  :  but  they  have  ?ince  been  ex- 
amined by  the  undersigned,  and  he  takes  the  liberty  of  making  honorable  mention 
of  them  for  their  high  forms,  blood,  and  beauty,  and  he  recommends  that  me 
awarded  to  each  of  them. 

(Signed,)  E.  A.  RAWLINGS,  Chairman. 

Sectios   2. 
Roadtiert — Adapted  to  Quick  Light  Draught. 

145.  Best  sta'licn  4  years  old  or  upwards,  Tnomas  Brown,  '-Mohawk,"  $50 

146.  Second  best,  S.  W.  Ficklin,  "Abdalla,"  20 

147.  Best  entire  colt.  3  years  old  and  under  four,  S.  W.  Ficklin,  "Albanian,"  25 
149.  Best  entire  colt,  2  years  old  and  under  three,  C.  W.  Beale,  "Exchequer,"  20 

153.  Best  brood  mare  4  years  old  or  over,  Alexander  Kerr,  "Lady  Harvey,'1  20 

154.  Second  best,  R.  B.  Eaxhall,  "Olympia,"  10 

155.  Best  filly  3  years  old  and  under  four,  B.  H.  Warthen,  "Florance  Bell,"  15 
157.  Best  2  yean  old  and  unler  three,  R.  B.  Hazall,  "Treasure,"  10 
159.  Best  filly  1  year  old  and  under  two,  Alex.  Kerr,  "Bell  of  the  South,"  10 

.       dslert — Adapted  to  Quick  Coach  Draught. 
'.  best  stallion  4  years  old  or  upwards,  Dr.W.  C.  Archer,  "Randolph."    $20 
171.  Beat  Filly  3  years  eld  and  under  four,  R.  H.  Warthen,  "Florance  Bell,"       15 

Sirrios   3. 
Saddle — Adapted  to  the  Breeding  of  Improved  Riding  Hortet. 

177.  Be;:  staJHoa  4  years  old  or  over,  S.  W.  Ficklin,  "Granite,"  $50 

178.  S-  \  W  B.  Back,  "Tom  Telegraph."  (superb,)  20 
155.  Beit  brc  id  mare  4  years  old  or  over,  W.  T.  Johnson,  "Lady  Lightfoot,"       20 

186.  Second  best,  Br.  C.  Hancock,  "Fash::  10 

187.  Best  filly  3  years  old  and  under  four,  J.  J.  Parkins,  "Rosa  Alba,"  15 

188.  8econd  best,  G.  H.  Dillard,  "Albine,"  5 
190.  Second  be?:  fillj   -  ;  ;ars  old  and  under  three,  R.  B.  Haxall,  "Treasure,"  5 

nam  4. 

Heavy  Draught 

198.  Be=t  stallion  4  years  old  or  over,  Clinebell  tc  Carson,  "Jim  Cobham,"  BM 

.  best,  S.  W.  Ficklin,  "The  Colonel,"  20 

201  Best  filly  2  years  old  and  under  three,  R.  B.  Haxhall,  "Giantess,"  10 

206.  Best  filly  1  year  old  and  under  two,  A.  J.  Byne,  "Fanny,"  10 

Sectios  5. 
Matched  Hortet  in  Harnett,  accustomed  to  le  used  together  at  tuch  in  pairs,  for  Quick 

Light  Draught. 

17.   Best  pair  mare3  or  geldings,  20 

[The  committee  was  equally  divided  in  opinion  between  the  comparative  merits 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND   FARMER.  71 7 

of  E.  If.  Cardozo's  chesnut  pair  and  J.  B.  Davis'  bay  pair,  and  do  therefore  recom. 
mend  a  division  of  the  premium  between  these  two  gentlemen,  as  provided  for  by 
the  rules  of  the  Society. 

Matched  Horses  in  Harness,  accustomed  to  be  used  as  such  in  pairs,  for  Quick  Coach 

Draught. 

208.  Best  pair  mares  or  geldings,  J.  L.  Carrington,  "Gray  and  Brown,"  $20 

Saddle  Horses  under  the  Saddle. 

209.  Best  mares  or  geldings,  Taylor  &  Foster,  Charlottesville,  "Gray  Geldiug,"  $20 

210.  Second    best,  Isaac  J.  Parkins,  Augusta,  "Humbug,"  (form  and   action   to  bo 

considered,)  1q 

Ponies  and  Horsemanship. 

211.  Best  pony  ridden  by  a  lad  of  15  yeais  of  age,  the  horsemanship  also  to  be 
considered,  Wm.  If.  Ledley,  "Brown  Pony,"  Fancy  Riding  Bridle- 

212.  Second  best,  C.  S.  Smith,  "Indian  Pony,"  (ridden  by  Willie  Glenn,) 

Fancy  Whip. 
Section  6. 
Mules  and  Jacks. 

213.  Best  jack,  C.  T.  Smith,  "Brigham  Young,"  (8  years,)  $40 
215.  Best  jennet,  W.  B.  Williams,  "Jenny  Brown,"  (3  years,)  20 
210.   Best  mule  colt  1  year  old,  (foaled  in  Virginia,)  If.  J.  Gale,  "Kit,"  10 

Section   7. 
Trials  of  Speed. 

221.  First  day — Premium  $200— mile  heats  to  harness.  Open  to  horses,  mares,  and 
geldings.     Time  not  to  exceed  2:55. 

First  premium  awarded  to  D.  T.  Harvey's  "Flyaway,"  $110 

Second       "  "         J.  E.  Paxon's  "Twist,"  60 

No  entry  for  third  premium. 

222.  Same  day  -For  pacers — Premium  $100 — mile  heats  to  harness. 

First  premium  awarded  to  .T.  T.  Carriers  mare  "Fanny  Baker,"  $60 

Second        "  "         Wm.  Wall's  horse  "Red  Bird,"  25 

No  third  entry. 

223.  Second  day — Premium  $600 — mile  heats,  best  three  in  five  to  harness.  Open 
to  all  trotters.  Time  not  to  exceed  2:40.  If  three  or  more  start,  the  second 
horse  to  receive  $10)  of  the  premium. 

Awarded  to  Mr.  Doble's  horse  "Hotspur,"  $600 

Only  two  horses  starting. 

224.  Same  day — Second  premium,  $75 — mile  heats.  For  colts  and  fillies  3  years 
old  and  under  five  years. 

Awarded  to  Mr.  Bradshaw's  "Stonewall,"  $  75 

225.  Third  diy — First  premium  $100 — mile  heats  for  double  teams. 

Awarded  to  J.  £.  Faxon's  "Twist"  and  mate,  100 

226.  Same  day — Second  premium  $150 — mile  heats,  best  three  in  five  to  harness 
for  horses  mares,  or  geldings  over  four  and  under  nine  years  old.  Time  not  to 
exceed  3:05. 

Awarded  to  Mr.  Bradshaw's  "Virginia  Girl,"  $150 

227.  Fourth  day — First  premium  $200 — mile  heats,  for  trotters  with  running  mates, 
First  premium  to  D.  T.  Harvey's  "Flyaway"  and  mate,  $120 
Second  premium  to  J.  E.  Paxon's  "TwUt"  and  mate,  80 

228.  Same  day — Second  premium  $75 — mile  heats  to  harness,  for  colts  or  fillies 
3  years  old  and  under  five  years.     Time  not  to  exceed  3:35. 

Awarded  to  Edmund  Bossieux's  "Lizzie  Lee,"  $75 


718  THE  SOUTHERN  [-December 

CLASS  IV— Section  I. 

8HEEP. 

Fine  Wools  of  native  slock,  including  pure  bred  Spanish,   Saxon,  French  and  Silesian 

Merino*. 

229.  Best  ram,                                          S.  S.  Bradford,  Culpepper.  $1-5 

230.  Second  best                                                     "                "  8 

231.  Best  pen  of  ewes,  3  in  nnmber,                    "                "  20 

232.  Second  best  do.,                                              "                "  10 

233.  Best  pen  of  lambs  (ram)  3  in  number,         "                 "  10 

235.  Best  pea  of  ewe  lambs,  3  in  number,          M                "  10 

236.  Second  best  do.,                                                 "                 M  5 

239.  Best  fleece  of  fine  wool  grown  in  Va.,         *'                 "  10 

Fine  wool  grades,  including  crosses  of  above. 

240.  Best  pen  of  ewes,  3  in  number,                S.  S.  Bradford,  Culpepper  $15 

241.  Second  best  do.,                                                      "                "  10 

242.  Best  pen  of  ewe  lambs,  3  in  number,                   "                "  10 

Section  3. 
Middle  Wool  of  Pure  Native  stock  including  South  Downs,   Oxford  Downs,  and  other 
pure  breeds  of  Middle  Viool. 

243.  Best  ram,                                                J.  R.  Woods,  Albemarle.  $15 

245.  Best  pen  of  ewes,  3  in  number,                        "                "  20 

246.  Second  best,  do.,                                                 "                "  10 

247.  Best  pen  of  lambs  (ram),  3  iu  number,           "                "  10 

249.  Best  pen  of  ewe  lambs,  three  in  number,       "                 "  10 

250.  Second  best  do.,                                                  "                "  5 

251.  Best  imported  ram,                                              "                M  20 

Sectiok  3 

Long    Wools  of  Native   Stock,    including  Bakewell   or  Leicester,   Cotswold,    or  New 

Oxfordshire  and  Lincoln. 

254.  Best  ram,  Edward  Hicks,  West  Chester  Pa.,  "Cotswold."  $15 

255.  Second  best,  J.  M.  Pratt,  West  Chester,  Pa.,  "Cotswold."  8 

256.  Best  pen  of  ewes,  3  in  number,  W.  F.  &  M.  Painter,  West  Chester, 

Pennsylvania,  "Cotswold,"  20 

257.  Second  best  do.,  W.  F.  &  M.  Painter,  West  Chester  Pa.,  "Cotswold."  10 
558.  Best  pen  of  lambs,  (ram),  3  in  number,_J.  Newman,  Orange,  "Cotswold."  10 
260.  Best  pen  of  ewe  lambs,  3  in  number,               "                "             "  10 

262.  Best  imported  ram,  Edward  Hicks,  West  Chester,  Pa.  20 

263.  Best  imported  ewe,  J.  M.  Pratt,                    "            "  20 

CLASS  V— Section  1. 

8WIHE. 

Large  breceds,  including    Chester,  Russia,  Bedford,  Wabum,  Graxier,  Byfidd,  and  all 

crosses  thereof. 

265.  Best  boar  2  years  old  and  over,  James  C.  Sprigg  $15 

267.  Best  boar  under  2  years  old,  E.  R.  Ashbride,  Pa.,  "Jim  Burns."  01 

268  Second  best  do,  L.  S.  Irvine,   "Goggin,"  5 

269.  Best  breeding  sow  over  2  years  old,  L.  S.  Irvine,  "Royall"  15 

270.  Second  best  do.'A.  P.  Rowe,  "Queen."  10 

271.  Best  breeding  sow  under  two  years  old,  W.  S.  &  M.  Painter,  Pa.  10 
273.  Best  sow  and  pigs,  A.  P.  Rowe,  "Beauty."  15 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  719 

Small  breeds,  including  Neapolitan,  Suffolk,  Sussex,  Essex,  Berkshire,  Chinese,  improved 

Hampshire  and  their  crosses. 
275.  Best  boar  2  years  old  and  over,  A.  P.  Rowe,  "Suffolk."  $15 

277.  Best  boar  under  2  years  old,  Dr.  F.  J.  Wooldridge,  "Essex."  10 

278.  Second  best  do,  A.  P.  Rowe,  "Rad,"  "  6 
281.  Best  breeding  sow  under  2  years  old,  L.  S.  Irvine,  "Lady  Bly."                     15 

CLASS  VI— Section  1. 

POULTRY. 

Chickens. 
285.  Best  Bramah  Pootras,  cock  and  two  hens,  G.  T.  Rowe  Fredericksburg        $5 
290.  Best  White-faced  Black  Spanish,  cock  aud  two  hens,  Dr.  Cullen, 

Hanover  5 

297.  Best  Bantam,  white,  cock  and  two  hens,  W.  S    Chandler,  6 

297.  Best  Bantam,  black,  cock  and  two  hens,  S.  C.  Sheppard.  5 

299.  Best  Bantam,  game,  cock  and  two  hens,  W.  S.  Chandler.  5 

300.  Best  Dominique,  cock  and  two  hens,  J.  S.  Baird.  5 

304.  Best  Leghorns  (white)  cock  and  two  hens,  G.  T.  Rowe,  5 

305.  Game,  cock  and  two  hens,  W.  S.  Chandler.  6 

306.  Best  variety  exhibited  by  one  party,  W.  S.  Chandler.  5 

Ducks,  Geese;  Turkeys,  Pea  Fowls,  Guinea  Fowls,  and  Pigeons. 

308.  Best  pair  Rouen  Ducks  (male  and  female),  D.  S.  Irvine.  6 

310.  Best  pair  Muscovy  Ducks  (male  and  female),  J.  F.  Antony.  5 

811.  Best  pair  Bremen  Geese  (male  and  female),  L.  S.  Irvine.  5 

312.  Best  pair  Hong  Konz  or  African  Geese  (male  and  female),  W.  S.  Chandler.  5 

314.  Best  pair  Whit9  or  Colored  Swan  Geess  (ma'e  ani  fomile),  John  Woodworth  6 

815.  Best  pair  Turkeys,  common  or  crossed,  L.  S   Irvine.  5 

316.  Best  pair  Turkeys,  wild,  crested,  or  any  improved  breed,  S.  W.  FickHn.  6 

817.  Best  fair  Pea  Fowls  (male  and  female).  L.  S.  Irvine.  6 

818.  Bsst  pair  Guinaa  Fowls  (male  and  female),          "  6 
320.  Best  display  of  Poulti  y  of  all  sorts,                        "  10 

CLASS  VIII— Section  2. 

FARM  PRODUCTS. 

823.  Best  fancy  wrapper  leaf,  growth  of  '68,  J.  R.  Vernon,  Pittsylvania  Co.  20 

Section  3. 
824  Best,  specimen  of  manufactured  tobacco  for  general  borne  consumption, 

Certificate  of  Merit,  T.  C.  Williams  &  Co.,  Richmond,  Va. 
825.  Best  specimen  smoking  tobicco,  Certificate  of  Merit,  John  W.  Car- 
roll, Lynohburg.     For  "Lone  Jack." 
Best  Va.  made  Cigars,  Complimentary  Certificate,  C.  C.  Wertenbaker, 
Charlottesville. 

Section  4. 
82o.  Best  barrel  flour,  H.  L.  Dabney,  King  William.  $10 

829.  Best  bushel  white  corn,  in  ear  or  on  stalk,  P.  T.  Atkinson  10 

332.  Best  bushel  oats,  H.  L.  Opie,  Augusta.  5 

833.  Best  bushel  Bailey,  W.  S-  Edmund,  Henrico.  5 

834.  Bale  cut  Hay,  T.  A.  Brander,  Richmond  Certificate, 

Section  5. 
841.  Beit  halo  of  cured  sumac.     Premiums  divided  between  M.  Myers  &  Co., 

W.  H.  McCormick,  Rd.,  and  J.  G.  Hercamp,  Fredericksburg.  10 


720  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 

346.  Bestb.le  of  broom  co  n,  T.  W.  HoeniDger,  Henrico.  5 
342.  Best  bu  hel  of  Grouad  Pea-,  P.  T.  Atkinson.  10 

CLASS  VIII— Section  1. 

DOMESTIC  DEPARTMENT. 

347.  Best  specimen  frerh  butter  noc  le.s  than  10  lbs.,  Mrs.  W.  T.  Walker, 

Goochland,  Va.  $  5 

248.  Second  best  do.  do.,  Cer  ifi:at°,  Mrs.  T.  J.  Anderson,  Montgomery,  Va. 

351.  Best  cheese  not  less  than  20  lbs.,  Virginia  make,  J.  J.  Parkins,  Augusta.  15 

352.  Seconl  be.-t  do.,  Certificate,  D.  P.  Snaop,  Glade  Spring. 

353.  Best  peck  dritd  appls,  Mrs.  Stringfellow,  Hanover.  6 

354.  Best  peck  dried  Peaches                    "                *'  -5 

355.  Best  peek  dried  small  fruit*,  Mrs.  R.  M.  Courtn?y,  Henrico  6 

357.  Best  bacon  ham  cured  by  ex'iibitor,  with  written  statement  of  process 

of  caring  and  CDoki:ig,  Mrs.  A    M.  Morriss,  Hacover.  10 

358.  Best  specimen  of  honey,  ta'^en  without  killing  the  bees,  and  hive  described, 

A.  S.  Madlox,  Chester!!  11.  5 

359.  Best  specimen  of  apple  cider,  Mrs.  S.  W.  Ficklin,  Charlottesville  5 

CLASS  IX —Section  1. 

f HOUSEHOLD  MANUFACTURES. 

361.  Best  ted  quilt,  Mrs.  C.  D.  Taylor.  $5 

362.  Second  best  do.,  Mrs.  J.  T.  Th  Hips.  3 

363.  Best  counterpane,  Mrs.  J.  R.  Keer.  6 

364.  Second  best  do.,  Mrs.  J.  R.  Alexandria.  3 

365.  Beet  pair  home  male  bian'iets,  Mrs.  J.  M.  Vest.  5 

367.  Best  home-nale  rug,  Miss  L.  Nelson.  3 

368.  Best  fine  long  yarn  hose  (pair),  Mrs.  A.  M.  William-on.  5 

369.  Best  fine  long  cotton  hose,  Mrs.  J.  R.  Harding.  5 

370.  Best  ba'.f  hose,  cotton,  Miss  Betsy  Hil!.  6 

371.  Best  knitted  worsted  or  yarn  thawl,  from  yarn  prepared  at  home,  Miss  A.  N. 

Moore.  3 

372.  Best  knitted  worsted  or  yarn  hoed,  from  yarn  prepired  at  home, 

Mrs.  J.  T.  Rodgers.  2 

373.  Best  home  ma  le  shirt,  Miss  M.  Va-.nerson,  3 
879.  Best  home  nale  fain  ly  brtal.Mrs.  L.  C.  McDowell.  5 
380.   Best  home  nale  pound  or  spenge  cake,  Miss  Carrie  Einford.  4 

383.  Best  and  largest  variety  home  made  preserves,  Mrs.  R.  A.  Mayo.  5 

384.  Best  ai.d  largest  vaiiety  home  made  fruit  jelly,  Mrs.  R.  B.  Snead.  3 
885.  Best  anl  largest  variety  home-made  pickles,  Mrs.  J.  R.  Branch,  3 
386.  Best  catsup,  either  tomato,  valr,ut  or  mushroom,  Mrs.  A.E.  Kirtfoot.  5 
887.  Best  five  pounds  homemade    family  scap,  the  process  ti   be   described  in 

writing  by  exhibitor.  5 

388.  Best  specimen  cf  white  cr  scarlet  flannel,  from  wool  grown  and  made  at 

home,  L.  A.  CuDningLam.  3 

CLASS  X— Section   1. 
ladies'  fancy   and  ornamental  work. 

389.  Best  specimen  of  embroidery,  Mrs.  E.  Sparkawk,  $8 

390.  Second  best,  Mrs.  S.  E.  Crump,  6 

391.  Best  specimen  of  worsted  work,  Miss  Alexina  Pecor,  8 

392.  Second  beet,  Mrs.  Ballard,  6 

393.  Best  pecimen  of  crochet  work,  Mrs.  Tunstall,  8 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  721 


394.  SecoDd  beet,  P.  A.  Welford;  6 

39-3.  Best  specimen  of  sheli  work,  Mrs.  Walter  Coles,  8 

:cond  best,  Miss  Ella  F.  Smith,  6 

3'"i7.  Best  specimen  of  leather  work,  Mrs.  M  8 

Qeo  of  needle  work.  Mrs.  Jame    M   Vest,  8 

399.  M<:>st     extensive     variety    of     useful,    ornamental    and   fancy  work,  not 

excluding  articles  which  may  have  had  premiums  awarded  them  under 

the  above  specifications,  Mrs.  Cbas.  Harrison,  a  premium  of  10 

CLASS  Xl-Section  1. 

AGRIOri.Tt-KAL    IMPLEMENTS 

I  of  Reapers,  Mowers,  $c. 

400.  For  the  best  combined  reaper  and  mower,  "  Wood's  Combined  Reaper  and 

Mower,"  $50 

401.  F  >r  the  best  reaping  machine,  "  New  Yorker,"  50 

402.  For  the  best  mowing  machine,  "Climax,"  30 

403.  For  the  best  hay  tedder,  Bullard  Hay  Tedder,  25 

404.  For  the  best  hay  rake,         "         "     Rake,  10 

405.  For  the  best  wheat  gleaner  "         "     Gleaner,  10 
400.  For  the  best  grain  cradle,  Palmer  &  Turpiu,  3 

1      addition  to  the  above  premiums,  diplomas  or  medals    may  be  awarded, 
at  the  discretion  of  the  committee. 
Medal  to  "  Wood's  Buckeye  &  Cayuga  Chief"  Rake. 
•'        '•  Kir'ny  Buckeye  Reaper  &  Movrer. 
"        "  Johnson  k  Excelsior. 

Section  3. 

Drills,  Broad  Casters  $e. 

422    For  the  best  drilling  machine  for  grain  and  grass  seed,  "B:ckford  &  Huff- 
man's Drill,"  by  R.  F.  Harriss,  $25 

423.  For   the  best    machine   for   broadcasting  grain    and   grass   seed,  Beau, 

Kolp  &  Co.,  20 

424.  For  the  best  corn  planter,    (no  name),  10 

425.  For  the  best  attachment  to  drill  for  distributing  guano  and   other  fertil- 

izers, Watt  &  Knight,  10 

427.  For  the  best  machine  f^r  sovrins:  »md  covering  corn   at  or  immediately 

following  the  last  tillage,  either  with  or  without  guano,  Beau,  Kolp 
&Co.,  10 

Section  4. 
Threshing  Machine,  $c. 

428.  For  the  best  horse  power,  J.  W.  Cardwell  &  Co.,  Richmond,  $25 

430.  For  the  best  machine  combine  1  for  threshing,   separating  «nd   cleaning, 

divided  between  Westenham,  N.  Y.,  and  Cardwell  &  Co.,  50 

431.  For  the  best  thresher. and  straw  carrier,  H.  If.  Smith  &  Co.,  Richmond.        20 
452.  For  the   best   fan   mill,  divided   between    Montgomery    &  Co.,  and   thv? 

'•  Tripple  Screen,  Dixie,"  10 
436.  For  the  best  machine  for  drilling  and  cleaning  clover  seed,  James  Bruster, 

Baltimore,  30 

43^  -1  ?n1e?,  H.  M    Smith  &  C  nd,  10 

Vol..  II [ — iO 


722  THE  SOUTHREN  [December 


Section  5. 
Hay  Press,  $c. 

4-10.  For  the  best  hay  press,  exhibited  on  the  ground,  with  specimen  of  work, 

H.  M.  Smith  &  Co.,  Richmond,  $20 

441.  For  the  best  hay  hoisting  apparatus,  with  specimen  of  work  exhibited  on 

the  ground,  A.  I.  Nellis,  Petersburg,  20 

442.  For  the  best  sorghum  mill,  H.  M.  Smith  &  Co  ,  Richmond,  20 
448.  For  the  best  clod  crusher  machine,  H.  M.  Smith  &  Co.,  Richmond,  Certifi- 
cate. 

Section  6. 
Straw     Cu'ter,    $c. 

450.  For  the  best  hay  cr  straw  cutter  for  horse  power,  E.  Whitman,  Baltimore, 

Md.,  $15 

451.  For  the  best  hay  or  straw  cutter  for  hind  power,            "  "             10 

452.  For  the  best  corn  stalk  or  fodder  cutters,  Sinclair  &  Co.,  "             10 

453.  For  the  best  corn  eheller  for  power,  N.  W.  Slade,  "             10 

454.  For  the  best  corn  sheller  for  hand,  C.  Harris,  Charlottesville,  5 

457.  For  the  best  hominy  mill,  J.  D.  West,  New  York,  5 

458.  For  the  best  cider  mill  aud  wine  press,  H.  M.  Smith  &  Co.,  Richmond,  5 

Section   7. 
Wagons,  Carts,  §c. 

459.  For  the  best  harvest  and  hay  cart  for  one  or  more  horses,  F.  Q.  Ruffin,       $10 

460.  For  the  best  wagon  for  farm  use,  J.  S.  Van  Pelt,  10 
462.  For  the  best  tumbril  cart  (iron  axle),  J.  Faoear,  8 

464.  For  the   best  wagon   body  for  hauling  grain  in  sheaf,  hay  or  straw,  J. 

Woodworth.  5 

465.  For  the  best  set  of  wagon  harness,  S.  S.  Cotrell,  5 

466.  For  the  best  cart  harness,   Dickinson  &  Bro.,  3 

468.  For  tbe  best  horse  collar,  Wright  &  Hulnall,  4 

469.  For  the  best  wheelbarrow  for  general  use,  H.  M.  Smith  &  Co.,  2 

470.  For  the  best  wheelbarrow  for  dirt,  "         "  "  2 

472.  For  the  best  riding  saddle  and  bridle,   S.  S.  Cottrell  &  Co.,  5 

Section   8. 
Agricultural  Steam  Engine. 

D^""  No  awards  should    be  made    in   this  class  except  for   machines  of  practical 
uti  ity  in  the  agriculture  of  Virginia. 

473.  For  the  best  steam  engine,  applicable  to  agricultural  purposes  generally, 

Talbot  &  Bro.,  Richmond,  $1°0 

474.  For  the  best  saw  mill  suitable  for  farm  purposes,  John    Haw,  New  Kent,      25 

Section  9. 

Miscellaneous  Articles. 

476.  For  the  best  pump  adapted  to  deep  wells,  J.  D.  West  &  Co,,  $10 

Section  10. 
Domestic  Machines. 
483.  For  the  best  sowing  machine,  award   equally  divided  between  Wheeler  & 

Wilson,  and  Wilcox  &  Gibbs,  5 

Also  certificate  to  John  E.  Boissieux  for  mechanical  skill   displayed  in  Combina- 
tion Sewing  machine,  and  certificate  to  Button  Hole  attachment. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  723 

4S4.   For  the  best  washing  machine,  Bain  &  Patterson,  "Economy,"  6 

487.   For  the  best  sausage  cutter  H.  M.  Smith  &  Co.,  1 

489.  For   the  best  churn,  Division  to   H.   M.  Smith  &  Co.,  and  S.  P.  Lucas' 

"  Dasher,"  1 

Section  11. 
Dom's'ic  Implements. 
403.   For  the  beet  cooking  stove,  Snyder  &  Iiby,  "  Hot  Blast,"  $10 

407.   For  the  best  fire-place  tt  jve  for  heating  two  or  more  rooms,  J.  R.  Mount- 
castle,  "Sunnysidc,"  10 
501.  For  the  best  set   wooden  ware,  Virginia  growth  and  manufacture,  Allen 

&Co.,  5 

504.  For  the  best  set   brooms,  Virginia  growth  and  manufacture,  Cook  Bros.,        2 

Sect-ton  12. 
Ploughing  Mulch. 

505.  For  the  best  ploughman,   white,   Virginia   born,   not  over   25  years  old, 

with  frur  horses,  W.  Roane  RufSn,  $50 

506.  For  the  best  do.  with  three  horses,  F.  J.  Simpson  and  Ruffin  Adams,  50 

507.  For  the  best  do.  with  two  horses,   Morris  Carter,  25 

508.  For  the  best  white  ploughman  of   any  age,   wherever   born,   Wm.  Shep- 

person,  25 

Special. 

510.  A  special  premium  for  the   best   ploughman,  a  native  white  Virginian, 

offered  hy  Watt  &  Knight,  Wm.  Shepperson,  to  be  paid  in  their  ploughs 

to  the  value  of  50 

511.  For  the  best  team  of  horses  or  mules,  not  less  than  four,  combining  con- 

dition and  training  and  equipments,    W.   Roaue  Ruffia,  paid  in  their 
ploughs,  30 

512.  For  the  best  team  of  two  horses,  same  conditions,  Wm.  Shepperson,  to  be 

paid  in  same,  15 

CLASS  X1T— Section  1. 

FARM    DWELLING,    AC. 

513.  Best  design  of  farm  dwelling,  out-houses,  gate  ways  and  grounds,  C.  H. 

Demmock,  Jr.,  §80 

CLASS  XIII— MINERAL  DEPARTMENT. 
Section  3. 

516.  Best   collection    of    specimens   illustrating   the   Mineralogy  of  Virginia, 

Albert  Ordway  &  Co.,  ©75 

Section  4. 

517.  Best   collection  of  specimens  of  Marl,  Green    Sand.   Gypsum,   Hydraulic 

Limestone,  Marble,  Calcareous  Tufa,   found  iu  Virginia,  Gen.  J.  D. 
Imboden,  50 

Section  5. 

518.  Best  collection  of  specimens  of  Gold,  Copper,  and  other  associated  Min- 

erals, found  in  Virginia,  Division  to  Gen.  Imboden  and  Albert  Ordway 
&  Co.,  50 

Section  6. 

519.  Best  specimens  of  such  Minerals  as  are   useful  in  pigments,  Albert  Ord- 

way &  Co.,  25 

Section  7. 

520.  Best    specimens  of  Pig  Iron,  converted   from   Virginia  ore,  Gen.    J.  D. 

Imboden,  10 


724  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 

Si  run    c. 

:tham  For-  10 

9. 

522.  1  ■      ""  al  found    .  lb?,  or  n 

Dott  Uu  i  County,  10 

10. 

10 
11. 

524.  Bes:  specimen  o:  u  Virginia,  100  lbs.  or  more, 

none, 

12. 

525.  men  of  Gr^  F.  6-.  RuSn.  10 

13. 

.ate 
i:ng  Co.,  10 

nos  14 
£27.  1  inji  10 

riu5  15. 
■T  28    r        s  pecimen  of  Magane?  \  fon  n ia,  Albert  Ordway  &  Co.,  5 

.       1  pecimen  of  Barytes  founi  rdw&y  & 

d    J.  D.  Imboden,  5 

6"i0.  Best  specimen  of  1  5 

531.  Best  specimen  of  Piumbago  fci:  inia,  '•  5 

pecimen  of   Soapstone  fc  u  ;iiii3.  Hoi  ■    B. 

Jenkins, 
533.  Best  specimen  of  Mica  found  in  Virginia,  dm.  ieD, 

.i  '.  !■;•,  I  -;  -.:■-_;'.:;.  5 

515.  E.-.-i  specimen  of  mar!.  :den,  5 

S     XIV. 

FIXE     ARTS     DEPARTMENT. 
:n  1. 

-iginal  Alto  Relief  in  marble,  bronze  or  plaster,  or  other  material, 
designed  in  Virginia.   E.   V.   Valentine,  of  Riehmond.   : 

f,"  $15 

537.  !  stte  (original),  $  .nia,  E.  V.  Valentine,  of  I 

mond,  for  " Jndas  Iseariot," 

538.  Best  original  Bust,  designed  in  V  1  Maury," 

and  "Humbol  :ne,  10 

540.  Best  original  Picture  ..  for  "Bushwh.  E. 

50 
542.  Best  Head,  life  sue,  designed  in  Virginia,  for  "G.  W.  Manford.''  John 

A.  Eider,  10 

Best  Head,  cabinet  siie.    '  a    Virginia,    VT.    B.    Myer: 

Dickens,"  ° 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  725 

644.   Best  Landscape,  including  marine  and  waterscape,  original,  designed  in 
Virginia,  Mr.  Coleman,  of  Staunton,  Va.,  "Views  on  James  and  North 

Rivers,"  15 

Section.   4. 
Drawings,  Engravings,  ffc. 
552.   Best  original  Drawing  in  sepia,  india  ink,  pen  or  pencil,  designed  in  Vir- 
ginia, Mrs.  M.    M.  Hubard,  for   pencil   drawing,  by   the  late  W.  J. 
Hubard,  for  "'Night  and  Morning,"  20 

654.  Best  Engraving  designed  in  Virginia,  I.  M   Nicol,  Richmond,  Certi 

555.  Best  Lithoempb,  L.  Ludwig,  Certificate. 

556.  Be?t  Photograph  by  a  resident  of  Virginia,  Anderson,  Certificate, 

Section  5. 
Picture  Frames,  Artists   Materials  ice. 

557.  Best  Picture  Frames  made  in  Virginia,  Franck  &  Luadin,  Certificate. 

Section  6. 
5G1.  Organs,  T.  H.  Pollock,  for  Burdet's  Combined  Organ,  Certificate. 

662.   Piauo-,  G.  L.  Bidgood,  Kcabe's  Grand  Piano.  Certificate. 

This  contains  all  the  Schedule  premiums  awarded,  except  Class  II,  Section  2, 
Plough-  x  ;.,  upon  which  an  appeal  has  been  taken,  and  referred  to  the  Executive 
Committee  for  action.  The  discretionary  premiums  have  yet  to  be  acted  upon  by 
the  Executive  Committee,  and  will  be  reported  iu  due  time. 


ADDRESS  OF  PROF.  J.  W.  MALLET, 

DELIVERED  A?  THE  AUGUSTA  COUNTY  FAIR,  WEDNESDAY, 

OCTOBER    13,    1869. 

(Continued  from  page  697-) 

[It  will  be  remembered  by  our  readers  that  Profec..- dz  Mallet,  in  discs 
the  "four  principal  steps  in  the  process  by  which  man  learns  to  subdue  the 
r~s  urces  of  the  world  about  him  to  his  service  and  enjoyment,"  nam-  ly :  1  r, 
Obseitation  of  the  facts  in  nature;  2d,  Experiment  for  the  discovery  of  other 
facts:  o.l,  Logical  deduction  of  principles  from  the  facts  determined;  and  4th, 
The  application  of  facts  and  principles,  when  determined,  to  the  practical  wants 
of  our  daily  life.  We  concluded  the  section  of  tee  address,  which  we  published 
in  our  November  number  with  the  paragraph  which  we  quote  below,  in  order 
that  oui  re  vlers  maybe  the  more  readily  put  in  possession  of  the  progress 
of  the  discussion,  and  also  more  easily  comprehend  the  connection  of  what 
remain-  to  be  published  with  that  which  has  been  published.  We  call  the 
particular  attention  of  our  readers  to  the  discussion  of  the  econ  i.ient 

bo  fully  illustrated  in  the  following  pages.  In  truth,  economy  is  often  the  con- 
trolling t  -r  of  v;ilue  with  reference  to  experiments  of  many  kir  i-.  !  ml  «.  peciallj 
the  various  kinds  of  manures,  machinery.  &c.     But  to  the  gu 

"  But  even  if  our  experience  has  been  extensive  enough  to  fully  -:  t'-iy  us  of 
the  dependence  of  a  certain  effect  upon  a  certain  cnuse,  we  may  be  wrong  in 
assumir .%  that  that  cause  acts  in  a  particular  « 

It  is  far  from  uncommon  to  find  cause  and  effect  conn >  et<  d  in 
nature  in  an  indirect  and  secondary  manner,  whereas  most  people 
are  incline*}  to  take  for  granted  some  very  simple  and  direct  form  of 
relation  between  the  two. 


726  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 

It  appears  easy  to  understand  how  many  of  the  most  important 
constituents  of  our  mineral  manures  produce  their  beneficial  effects 
upon  crops  when  we  find  that  these  same  substances,  such  as  phos- 
phoric acid,  potash,  kc,  uniformly  form  a  large  part  of  the  mineral 
matter  of  the  growing  plant  itself,  and  are  to  be  met  -with  in  the  ash 
which  the  plant  yields  on  burning  off  the  vegetable  portion.  Now 
it  is  well  ascertained  that  common  salt  used  in  moderate  quantity 
exerts  a  very  generally  beneficial  effect  upon  the  fields  to  which  it  is 
applied,  and  improves  the  crops  raised  thereon. 

Common  salt  itself  consists  solely  of  the  two  chemical  substances 
chlorine  and  sodium. 

With  these  facts  alone  before  us,  most  people  would  be  ready  to 
say  that  chlorine  and  sodium  are  certainly,  like  the  other  materials 
just  referred  to,  forms  of  mineral  food  for  plants,  and  must  be  found 
as  constituents  of  their  ashes.  Yet  there  is  much  reason  for  believ- 
ing that  this  is  not  so — the  quantity  of  chlorine  and  of  sodium  found 
in  the  ashes  of  most  cultivated  plants  is  so  variable,  and  generally 
go  small,  that  these  can  hardly  be  reckoned  amongst  the  essential 
elements  entering  into  the  composition  of  the  plants.  While  we  are 
inclined,  therefore,  to  reject  this  explanation  of  the  benefit  derived 
from  manuring  with  common  salt,  careful  experiments,  to  which 
attention  has  been  drawn  by  Professor  Lieblz.  seem  to  point  out 
another  and  a  true  solution  of  the  question.  This  eminent  chemist 
has  strongly  insisted  upon  the  fact  that  phosphate  of  lime — bone- 
earth — the  direct  utility  of  which  you  are  all  aware  of,  and  which  is 
practically  insoluble  in  pure  water,  is  dissolved  in  very  perceptible 
amount  by  water  containing  a  little  common  salt.  I  do  not  mean 
to  assert  this  is  the  only  way  in  which  common  salt  may  exert  a 
useful  action  in  the^soil — it  is  enough  for  my  present  purpose  to 
show  that  it  is  at  least  one  way,  and  that  an  indirect  one,  by  which 
it  becomes  the  cause  of  increased  fertility,  but  some  persons  may 
perhaps  say — why  trouble  ourselves  about  the  manner  in  which  a 
particular  effect  is  brought  about  ?  Why  not  content  ourselves  with 
establishing  the  fact  of  such  an  effect  being  produced,  and  reaping 
the  benefit  derived  from  such  knowledge  ? — is  it  not  enough  to  know 
that  common  salt  may  be  usefully  employed  as  a  manure,  without 
any  necesaity  for  cudgeling  our  brains  as  to  the  precise  way  in  which 
it  acts  ?  If,  however,  we  contrast  the  two  conceivable  modes  of 
action,  to  which  reference  has  just  been  made,  it  will  at  once  be 
seen  that  it  is  by  no  means  unimportant  for  us  to  be  aware 
which  of  these  really  occurs  in  nature.  If  common  salt  were 
capable  of  acting  as  direct  food  for  plant,  then  its  value,  when 
applied   as  manure,  would   depend  upon  the  previous  presence  or 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  727 


absence  of  the  same  substance  in  the  soil  on  which  such  application 
is  to  be  made — but,  if  its  action  consists  in  rendering  soluble  the 
earth  phosphates,  then  the  questions  arise  as  to  any  soil  upon  which 
its  use  is  proposed,  not  only  whether  such  soil  already  contains  com- 
mon salt,  or  enough  of  it,  but  further,  whether  there  be  also  present 
the  phosphates  themselves  upon  which  the  solvent  action  is  to  be 
exerted — if  these  be  not  present,  or  not  in  adequate  quantity,  then 
they  too  should  be  made  to  enter  into  the  composition  of  the  manure 
to  be  employed. 

Assuming  that  our  observations  and  experiments  are  carefully 
and  judiciously  made,  that  the  facts  which  they  have  established 
are  clearly  and  accurately  recorded,  and  the  conclusions  which  they 
fairly  lead  to  are  fully  and  soundly  thought  out  in  the  shape  of  gen- 
eral principles,  there  still  remains  the  application  of  these  facts  and 
principles  to  useful  practical  purposes. 

Here  the  element  of  economy  is  at  once  introduced,  economy  of  time, 
economy  of  labor,  economy  of  money.  It  is  not  sufficient  to  show  that  a 
particular  result  can  be  accomplished  in  a  particular  way,  but  it  must 
be  further  examined  whether  this  be  the  only  way  in  which  it  can  be 
achieved,  and,  if  not,  which  of  the  several  methods  it  is  possible  to 
adopt  is  the  cheapest,  the  easiest,  the  quickest,  and  in  general  the 
most  profitable.  Thus,  for  example,  it  is  not  enough  to  have  found 
out  that  by  applying  a  certain  quantity  of  certain  substances  to  a 
poor  piece  of  land  it  can  be  made  to  yield  fine  crops,  and  then  to 
say  contentedly,  "  I  have  tried  this  manure,  and  know  it  will  suc- 
ceed. I  am  going  to  stick  to  it."  It  should  be  tried  whether  by 
using  other  materials,  other  proportions,  or  other  quantities,  still 
better  products  might  not  be  obtained,  whether  at  least  as  good  re- 
sults might  not  be  secured  by  the  use  of  cheaper  materials,  whether 
the  laud  itself,  and  therefore  its  value  is  permanently  improved  or 
injured  after  the  first  crops  have  been  removed,  and  in  general 
whether  not  only  a  good,  but  the  best  possible  money  return  has 
been  secured  from  the  means  at  our  command. 

"When  such  questions  as  these  come  to  be  discussed,  as  labor,  time, 
and  all  the  other  elements  which,  beside  money  itself,  affect  the  cost 
or  profit  of  an  operation  and  admit  of  being  expressed  in  the  form 
of  money,  we  have  constantly  to  make  our  calculations  on  the  basis 
of  dollars  and  cents.  And  in  these  (  calculations,  as  in  the  more 
general  reasoning  of  which  we  have  been  speaking,  it  is  quite  possi- 
ble, and  indeed  not  uncommon,  for  intelligent  men  in  various  ways 
to  deceive  themselves.  Thus,  much  confusion  as  to  the  money  re- 
sults of  farming  operations  is  very  often  introduced  by  a  failure  to 


728  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 

keep  clearly  distinct  the  expenditure  which  is  properly  involved  in 
the  working  of  the  land  itself  which  goes  to  make  the  crop,  or  to 
keep  the  farm  up  to  its  original  standard  of  condition,  from  that 
which  properly  falls  under  the  head  of  personal  or  family  support 
and  the  improvement  of  the  plantation. 

Again,  the  extent  of  absolute  original  outlay  upon  any  proposed 
operation  is  often  dwelt  upon,  and  such  outlay  declared  to  be  ex- 
travagant and  ruinous,  without  the  comparison  between  this  outlay 
and  the  profit  which  it  is  capable  of  yielding  having  ever  been  fairly 
examined.  To  say  that  a  horse  and  plough  cost  more  than  a  spade 
is  true,  but  does  not  prove  that  it  is  cheaper  to  break  up  a  large 
piece  of  land  with  the  latter  rather  than  the  former.  Yet  men  who 
admit  the  absurdity  of  such  a  statement  as  this  will  be  found  to 
argue  in  a  very  similar  manner  against  the  use  of  more  modern  and 
highly  improved  implements  for  agricultural  operations,  simply 
objecting  to  them  that  they  are  costly,,  when  the  real  question  to 
be  considered  is  whether,  notwithstanding  their  cost,  the  work  done 
by  them  is  on  the  whole  done  so  much  more  cheaply  than  by  older 
tools  as  to  leave  a  balance  of  profit.  The  period  of  such  outcry 
against  the  great  cost  of  deep  tillage  and  subterranean  tile  drainage 
will,  no  doubt,  in  time  pass  by  in  this  country,  as  it  has  already 
done  in  several  of  the  older  countries  of  Europe,  and  the  real 
economic  importance  of  such  practice  be  recognized  here  as  there. 
All  these  financial  calculations  to  be  reliable  must  be  preceded  by  a 
correct  knowledge  of  the  natural  facts  and  principles  involve  1.  If 
we  go  on  to  our  reckoning  of  money  resulcs  without  this  knowledge 
we  are  very  apt  to  find  ourselves  involved  in  blunders  and  failure, 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  if  we  neglect  to  duly  weigh  the  money  rela- 
tions of  the  questions  before  us,  we  are  equally  likely  to  end  with 
heavy  loss  and  disappointment. 

If  a  field  were  copiously  manured  with  phosphate  of  ammonia, 
nitrate  of  potash,  sulphate  of  magnesia  and  sulphate  of  lime,  all 
purchased  in  a  cheminally  pure  state  from  a  drug  store,  fine  crops 
could  undoubtedly  be  made  upon  it,  but  the  prices  at  which  such 
pure  materials  are  necessarily  sold  would  utterly  preclude  the  chance 
of  any  money  profit  or  of  even  repaying  the  outlay.  On  the  other 
hand,  one  may  buy  a  fertilizer  strongly  recommended  by  its  apparent 
cheapness,  its  low  price,  and  find  out  that  it  is  extravagantly  dear, 
that  the  money  spent  upon  it  has  been  thrown  away — if  its  compo- 
sition be  not  such  as  to  really  benefit  the  land  to  which  it  is  supplied, 
at  any  rate  to  an  extent  bearing  a  sensible  proportion  to  the  outlay. 

This  is  just  the  point  at  which  to  recur  to  what  was  remarked  at 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  729 


the  outset,  that  in  the  efforts  heretofore  made  for  the  advancement 
of  agriculture  there  has  been  an  unfortunate  want  of  concert 
between  men  of  science  working  in  the  laboratory  and  farmers  work- 
ing in  the  field.  There  has  been  a  tendency  on  the  part  of  the 
scientific  investigator  to  look  upon  the  farmer  as  a  man  obstinately 
resolved  to  carry  out  blindly  the  mere  routine  he  has  always  been 
accustomed  to,  refusing  to  adopt  any  improvement  suggested  to  him 
on  the  ground  of  general  principle,  and  careless  about  knowing  the 
reason  of  anything  that  he  does  or  neglects  to  do.  The  farmer,  in 
turn,  is  very  generally  disposed  to  regard  the  man  of  scientific  re- 
search as  an  unpractical  visionary,  who  in  his  enthusiasm  for  his 
experiments  cares  nothing  as  to  whether  he  himself,  or  any  of  his 
friends,  foolish  enough  to  be  guided  by  him,  are  ruined  or  not,  and 
who,  though  one  may  harmlessly  indulge  him  by  listening  to  his 
fanciful  notions,  is  the  very  last  man  in  the  world  to  take  counsel 
with  on  any  question  of  sober  business  life,  upon  the  decision  of 
whicli  the  support  of  one's  family  may  depend. 

There  is  doubtless  some  foundation  of  truth  for  both  these  views, 
but  there  is  no  natural  necessity  that  either  of  them  should  be  correct. 

There  are  none  of  the  results  of  scientific  research  bearing  upon 
agriculture  which  cannot  be  perfectly  understood,  and  practical  use 
made  of  them,  by  any  man  of  average  intelligence,  if  only  he  be 
willing  to  devote  a  very  moderate  amount  of  time  and  attention  to 
their  study  and  begin  that  study  at  the  right  end. 

Men  of  ordinary  intelligence  do  master  these  subjects  as  matters 
of  general  interest. 

There  is  nothing  in  a  farmer's  occupation  to  render  him  less 
capable  than  other  people  of  being  so,  and  certainly  he  has  stronger 
motives  than  others  to  lead  his  attention  in  this  direction.  And 
there  is  also  no  reason  that  a  man  shall  be  totally  incapable  of  con- 
sidering questions  involving  money  prudence  because  he  devotes  his 
attention  mainly  to  science  for  its  own  sake,  that  he  shall  be  so 
wrapped  up  in  abstract  research  over  crucibles  and  test-tubes  as  to 
have  do  ears  for  the  experience  of  others  working  upon  the  large 
scale  with  the  plough  and  the  sickle.  It  is  extremely  unfortunate 
for  the  progress  of  any  branch  of  industry  that  scientific  research  in 
connection  with  it  and  the  actual  practice  of  the  art  itself  should  be 
altogether  in  different  hands.  What  would  be  the  success  in  the 
business  of  a  dyer,  what  would  be  his  chance  of  keeping  up  with  the 
progress  of  his  art,  and  especially  what  prospect  would  he  have  of 
himself  making  any  improvement,  if  he  were  totally  ignorant  of  the 
real  nature  of  the  material  employed  by  him,  or  of  the  changes  they 


730  TPIE  SOUTHERN  [December 

undergo  in  passing  through  his  hands  ?  And  of  what  value  to  such 
a  manufacturer  would  be  the  scientific  knowledge  or  advice  of  a  man 
well  acquainted  with  these  materials  and  processes,  but  ignorant  of 
their  cost  and  of  the  kind  of  results  demanded  bj  the  trade  ? 

But  there  is  scarcely  any  pursuit  so  injuriously  affected  as  agri- 
culture by  such  a  separation  of  the  knowledge  acquired  by  scientific 
research  and  by  routine  practice  of  the  art. 

The  greatest  difficulty  in  the  way  of  determining  questions  relat- 
ing to  agriculture  consists  in  the  very  great  number  of  conditions 
which  are  involved  in  every  experiment.  The  mere  fact  that  a  field 
has  been  treated  in  a  particular  way  and  that  a  good  or  a  bad  har- 
vest follows,  are  by  no  means  proof  that  the  treatment  adopted  has 
been  the  cause  of  the  result  observed.  The  latter  might  have  turned 
out  exactly  the  same  if  there  had  been  no  peculiarity  of  practice,  or 
at  any  rate  the  effect  produced  may  have  been  greatly  modified  by 
the  nature  of  the  soil,  the  choice  of  a  high  or  low-lying  piece  of 
ground,  the  character  of  the  season,  the  kind  of  seed  used,  the  time 
and  weather  for  harvesting,  the  treatment  of  the  land  in  former 
years,  and  a  hundred  other  causes.  In  a  word,  we  see  only  the 
general  result  of  all  the  concurring  influences  that  have  borne  upon 
the  cultivated  plant  in  all  its  stages,  and  cannot  at  once  Beparate 
from  all  the  rest,  the  one  condition  whose  effect  we  wish  to  examine. 

As  observed  before,  it  is  only  by  multiplying  and  re-multiplying 
experiments  of  this  kind,  and  by  extending  the  scale  upon  which 
they  are  made  that  it  becomes  possible  gradually  to  arrive  at  posi- 
tive conclusions,  upon  what  future  practice  may  be  safely  based. 
Such  experiments,  well  devised  and  carefully  carried  out  upon  the 
large  scale  by  hundreds  of  sound  practical  farmers  scattered  all  over 
the  country,  working  in  successive  and  different  seasons,  and  all 
imaginable  variety  of  conditions  as  regards  soil  and  weather,  yet 
with  a  general  understanding  and  agreement  as  to  what  the  precise 
points  are  to  be  examined,  and  how  they  are  to  be  examined,  will 
serve  to  throw  more  light  upon  agricultural  theory  and  practice  than 
any  amount  of  mere  verbal  discussion,  or  even  than  similar  experi- 
ments made  upon  the  small  scale  within  the  means  of  men  of  merely 
scientific  research.  There  are  some  questions  which  can  be  fully 
answered  in  the  laboratory,  such  as  the  composition  of  a  manure 
and  its  purity  or  impurity. 

There  are  others  which  can  be  answered  by  experiments  with 
growing  plants  in  a  flower-pot,  or  upon  quite  a  small  patch  of  ground. 
There  are  others  of  great  importance  which  are  beyond  the  means 
of  any  but  the  practical  farmers  of  the  country. 


1869.]  TLAXTER     AND    FARMER.  731 

There  are  still  others,  most  important  of  all,  which  demand  the 
united  labors  of  the  chemist  and  the  farmer,  or  rather  of  many 
chemists  and  many  farmers,' working  together  with  a  clear  mutual 
understanding  of  what  they  want  to  find  out,  how  they  mean  to  go 
about  examining  the  question,  and  how  the  results  are  to  be  discussed 
and  compared. 

It  is  true  that  every  year  sees  an  immense  number  of  experiments 
made  bv  farmers,  and  many  of  them  made  with  a  good  deal  of  pains 
and  labor — the  agricultural  journals  are  full  of  reports  of  the  re- 
sults— but  unfortunately  a  great  deal  of  the  trouble  thus  taken  is 
wasted  as  far  as  any  positive  increase  of  our  knowledge  is  con- 
cerned. 

Too  many  experiments  are  undertaken  without  a  clear  under- 
standing of  what  is  to  be  determined,  without  proper  information  as 
to  what  others  have  already  done  in  the  same  direction,  and  what 
remains  to  be  found  out  ;  without  proper  judgment  as  to  the  course 
to  be  pursued  to  get  at  the  facts  in  the  simplest  and  most  certain 
manner  :  without  such  accuracy  as  to  weights,  measures,  fee.,  as  alone 
mikes  results  reliable,  and,  above  all,  without  the  adoption  of  such  a 
form  of  experiment  as  admits  of  comparison  of  the  results  with  those 
whi:-h  others  have  obtained.  In  proof  that  this  is  true  I  appeal  to 
your  own  experience;  what  an  amazing  difference  and  variety  of 
opinion  do  you  find  in  any  gathering  of  ten  or  twenty  intelligent 
farmers,  who  meet  to  talk  over  the  results  of  their  respective  expe- 
rience of  any  new  agricultural  material  or  method;  how  difficult  it 
is  to  sum  up  all  that  they  have  learned  by  their  experience  in  the 
form  of  a  distinct  general  statement.  Yet  this  ought  not  to  be  so  ; 
the  laws  of  nature  are  in  themselves  fixed  and  invariable;  the  truth 
exists,  if  we  can  only  find  it  out  :  and  every  experiment,  and  still 
more  the  united  experience  of  many  persons,  devoting  themselves  to 
the  same  pursuit,  ought  to  teach  us  something,  to  make  some  addi- 
tion to  the  stores  of  knowledge  of  those  who  have  gone  before  us. 

Having  trespassed  upon  your  kind  attention  at  such  length  by 
thus  urging  in  general  terms  the  importance  of  united  effort  for  the 
progress  of  scientific  agriculture,  I  will  but  sum  up  the  two  or  three 
practical  suggestions  which  seem  most  readily  to  grow  out  of  the 
subject  as  it  has  been  discussed. 

In  the  first  place,  it  appears  clearly  desirable  that  farmers  and 
those  who  are  to  become  such,  should  recognize  as  a  part  of  the 
training  which  is  to  render  them  fit  not  only  for  successfully  prac- 
tising the  art  they  have  chosen  as  their  pursuit  for  life,  but  also 
contributing  to  the  improvement  of  that  art,  the  study,  up  to  a 


732  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 

certain  point  at  least,  of  the  facts  and  Jaws  of  nature,  which  alone 
are  capable  of  throwing  intelligent  light  upon  their  pursuit. 

It  is  hard  to  understand  why  the  young  man  who  is  to  devote 
himself  to  agriculture  shall  form  the  exception  to  the  general  rule 
that  some  training  in  the  broad  principles  upon  any  profession  or 
avocr.tion  depends  should  precede  the  actual  practice  of  such  avoca- 
tion itself.  If  a  man  proposes  to  make  his  son  a  .  he  does 
not  turn  him  loose  in  the  court-room  to  attempt  at  once  the  pleading 
of  case?,  there  must  first  be  much  hard  study  of  treatises  upon  the 
general  theory  of  law. 

If  a  lad  is  to  become  a  physician  he  must  go  to  work  upon  his 
anatomy  and  physiology,  and  aim  at  acquiring  a  general  knowledge 
of  the  structure  and  laws  of  the  human  frame,  it  would  be  almost 
as  unfortunate  for  himself  as  for  his  patients,  if,  without  any  prep- 
aration, he  were  to  be  brought  to  the  bedside  of  the  allowed 
to  treat  disease  by  mere  blind  experience.  Even  if  he  should  see 
the  practice  of  others  better  educated  than  himself,  he  would  be 
incapable  of  really  understanding  it,  or  of  imitating  it  when  any 
novel  complication  of  symptoms  presented  themselves. 

In  like  manner,  if  a  man  is  to  be  an  engineer,  an  architect,  a 
miner,  or  a  successful  manufacturer,  he  must  study  the  work  before 
him  ere  be  begins  practically  to  engage  in  it. 

But  it  is  too  commonly  the  case  that  a  young  man  "goes  upon  the 
farm"  with  no  special  education  whatever  tending  to  fit  him  for  the 
intelligent  practice  of  agriculture — he  kno-vs  nothing  clearly  of 
the  composition  of  the  air,  the  water,  the  soil  ar.d  the  monure 
which  are  the  materials  out  of  which  he  is  to  make  his  crops  ; 
he  knows  scarcely  anything  of  the  manner  in  which  those  crops 
grow,  or  of  the  wonderful  and  beautiful  laws  of  vegetable  develop- 
ment— he  is  equally  ignorant  of  the  principles  thar  govern  the  life 
of  the  animals  he  is  to  raise  and  to  use.  All  that  he  can  dj  is  to 
notice  the  practice  of  others,  and  to  imitate  it  as  closely  as  possible 
not  knowing  the  true  reasons  for  what  he  thus  learns  as  a  matter  of 
routine,  nor  knowing  any  good  reason  for  trying  one  thing  rather 
than  another,  if  he  wish  to  make  any  effort  at  improvement.  Such  a 
man  is  not  only  incapable  of  originating  of  any  improved  methods  him- 
self or  of  meeting  any  novel  difficulties  that  come  in  his  way,  but  he  is 
even  ineapaple  of  usefully  receiving  from  others  the  assistance  which 
is  yielded  by  the  progress  of  scientific  research. 

It  is  useless  to  try  to  explain  any  particular  question  to  one  who 
is  ignorant  of  the  whole  subject  in  its  scientific  aspect — to  whom 
carbonic  acid,    ammonia,  phosphoric    acid,    &c,    are  simply   hard 


1859.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER  733 


words  with  no  distinct  idea  attached  to  them  insteadjof  Btanding  for 
real  things  that  he  has  seen  and  smelted  and  tasted  and  examined, 
and  which  he  knows  exists  all  around  him,  silently  building  up  be- 
fore his  eyes  the  wheat  and  corn  and  cotton  and  tobacco,  the  pro- 
duction of  which  is  his  business  in  life. 

Please  observe  carefully  that  I  am  not  at  all  advocating  the  idea 
that  scientific  study  alone  will  ever  make  a  successful  farmer,  or 
that  such  study  should  even  form  a  very  large  part  of  his  training. 
Farming  is  an  art,  and,  as  is  in  the  case  of  every  other  art,  there  is  no 
way  to  acquire  it  but  by  a  regular  practical  apprenticeship  in  the  field. 
If  the  homely  old  saying  be  true, 

"  lie  that  by  the  plough  would  thrive, 
Eimeelf  must  either  hold  or  drive," 

It  is  especially  true  in  the  beginning.  The  young  farmer  must 
undoubtedly  learn  how  with  his  own  hands  both  to  hold  and  drive 
the  plough,  and  how  all  other  practical  details  of  the  art  are  to  be 
carried  on.  But  the  acquirement  of  this  practical  knowledge  will 
not  in  the  least  be  interfered  with  by  his  having  previously  learned 
something  of  the  principles  upon  which  he  is  to  work. 

Sir  Humphrey  Davy  put  this  point  very  clearly  in  the  following 
passage  from  the  first  of  his  lectures  in  England  on  agricultural 
chemistry,  now  more  than  fifty  years  ago :  "It  has  been  said,  and 
undoubtedly  with  great  truth,  that  a  philosophical  chemist  would 
probably  make  a  very  unprofitable  business  of  farming ;  and  this 
would  certainly  be  the  case  if  he  were  a  mere  philosophical  chemist,  and 
unless  he  had  served  his  apprenticeship  to  the  practice  of  the  art  as 
well  as  to  the  theory.  But  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  he  would 
be  a  more  successful  agriculturist  than  a  person  equally  uninitiated 
in  farming,  but  ignorant  of  chenrstry  altogether  ;  his  science,  as 
far  as  it  went,  would  be  useful  to  him."  In  other  words,  the  question 
is  not  whether  a  man  who  has  studied  solely  in  a  laboratory  or  one 
who  has  derived  all  his  knowledge  from  simple  work  in  fields  is 
likely  to  be  the  better  farmer,  but  whether  he  will  not  far  excel 
them  both  who  has  added  to  a  careful  study  of  the  broad  and  simple 
principles  of  natural  science  an  equally  thorough  mastery 
in  detail  of  the  methods  by  which  these  are  applied  to  farming 
practice. 

Surely  the  man  who  is  to  spend  his  life  in  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil  may  well  bestow  a  few  months  in  learning  what  when  he  has 
become  a  farmer,  will  often  prove  to  him  a  steady  light,  helping 
him  to  surmount  present  difficulties  and  pointing'out  to  bin-   the 


734  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 


direction  for  future  improvements.  But,  as  on  the  one  hand  it 
would  be  well  if  farmers  should  more  generally  aim  at  acquiring  for 
themselves  seme  irjsight  into  scientific  truths,  sc  on  the  other  it 
is  greatly  to  be  desired  that  the  number  of  chemists  and  other  sci- 
entific laborers,  devoting  their  attention  to  agriculture  should  be 
in ci eased. 

For  reasons  to  which  I  have  alluded,  the  solution  of  agricultural 
questions  demands  the  combined  efforts  of  a  very  large  number  of 
persons  both  in  the  field  and  in  the  laboratory — the  amount  of  work 
required  is  beyond  the  powers  of  any  one  or  any  few  of  those  devo- 
ting themselves  to  such  research. 

In  Europe,  especially  in  Germany  and  France,  government  means 
are  liberally  applied  to  the  maintenance  of  laboratories  for  agricul- 
tural research,  and  a  large  number  of  thoroughly  trained  chemists 
are  constantly  at  work. 

As  an  evidence  that  here  a:  home  we  ar^  not  altogether  without 
movement  in  the  same  direction,  it  give3  me  much  pleasure  to  be 
permitted  to  mention  one  step  lately  resolved  upon  by  the 
Board  of  Visitors  of  the  University  of  Virginia. 

In  arranging  for  the  extension  of  instruction  rendered  possible 
by  the  gift  of  the  late  Mr.  Samuel  Miller,  of  Lynchburg,  for  the 
support  of  a  department  of  agricultural  science,  it  has  been  decided 
to  establish  two  scholarships,  each  of  five  hundred  dollars  a  year,  and 
tenable  for  two  years,  one  to  be  competed  for  annually  at  a  special 
examination  of  candidates  voluntarily  presenting  themselves 
as  such  candidates  to  have  previously  completed  the  regular 
course  of  instruction  in  the  school  of  agricultural  and  industrial 
chemistry — those  who  are  successful  to  engage  in  further  study  and 
in  the  prosecution  of  useful  scientific  research  under  the  direction 
of  the  Professor  of  this  school  for  the  period  of  the  scholarship. 
These  are  the  main  features  of  the  plan,  though  the  details  may  be 
modified.  By  this  plan  it  is  hoped  that  the  University  may  become 
the  means  of  supplying  to  the  State  a  number  of  thoroughly-trained 
practical  chemists,  who  during  the  proposed  period  of  advanced 
studv,  will  have  had  an  adequate  and  assured  support,  as  well  as 
great  advantages  for  the  prosecution  of  their  labors,  and  will  have 
accomplished  much  useful  public  work  in  the  shape  of  analyses  and 
investigations  of  matters  connected  with  agriculture.  Lastly,  I 
would  sussest  that  iust  such  societies  as  that  I  have  the  honor  of 
addressing,  and  just  such  occasions  as  the  present  might  be  made 
additionally  useful  by  the  proposal  of  district  agricultural  questions 
for  thorough  examination  by  the  combined  efforts  of  farmers   and 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  735 


scientific  men — not  too  many  questions  being  taken  up  at  one  time, 
but  these  to  be,  if  possible,  worked  out  to  definite  conclusions. 

Thus  at  each  annual  meeting  a  joint  committee  might  be  raised,  con- 
sisting partly  of  practical  farmers  and  partly  of  agricultural  chemists, 
such  committee  to  carefully  prepare  for  the  meeting  of  the  following 
year  a  report  in  which  should  be  set  forth  one  or  two  questions,  clearly 
stated,  and  of  practical  interest  and  importance,  as  for  example,  what 
proportion  ought  the  ammoniacal  compotents  (Peruvian  guano,  <fcc.) 
in  a  mixed  fertilizer  to  bear  to  the  phosphatic  for  the  culture  of 
wheat  on  the  more  important  soils  of  the  Valley  of  Virginia?  Is 
there  any  advantage  in  using  potash  in  the  form  of  sulphate  rather 
than  muriate  upon  tobacco,  or  the  reverse  ?  Up  to  what  limit  as  to 
quantity  may  plaster  be  used  upon  clover  land  with  profit?  And  so 
forth. 

Each  question  proposed  should  be  accompanied  with  a  statement 
of  the  method  proposed  for  examining  it — a  programme  to  be  car- 
ried out  by  all  those  willing  to  assist  in  the  experiment  giving 
the  exact  mode  of  experimenting  in  detail  and  the  heads  under 
which  returns  of  the  facts  obtained  are  wanted.  Here  are  some 
printed  programmes  of  this  kind,  referring  to  experiments  on  to- 
bacco manures  which  some  gentlemen  have  been  kind  enough  to  un- 
dertake for  me  during  the  present  year — unfortunately  a  most  un- 
favorable one  for  the  purpose,  owing  to  the  drought — these  may 
serve  to  illustrate  such  forms  as  might  be  used. 

Then  there  should  be  an  understanding  as  to  the  names  and  ad- 
dresses of  those  farmers  who  are  willing  to  promise  their  active  co- 
operation in  carrying  out  the  field-work  of  such  experiments  as 
might  be  determined  on.  and  in  like  manner  of  those  chemists  who 
agree  to  make  any  analysis  necessary  to  fully  work  out  the  ques- 
tion or  questions.  Such  services  ought  to  be,  and  doubtless  would 
be  rendered  freely  and  without  cost,  but  in  cases  involving  expense 
for  materials,  fertilizers,  seeds,  &c,  some  assistance  in  meeting  such 
expenses  would  seem  to  be  no  unsuitable  or  useless  mode  of  employ- 
ing the  funds  of  the  society. 

Finally,  a  report  to  the  society  at  a  subsequent  meeting  upon  any 
question  thus  carefully  examined,  giving  the  conclusion  arrived  at 
and  the  experimental  facts  upon  which  these  conclusions  had  been 
based  would  reflect  credit  upon  the  intelligent  activity  of  the  Soci- 
ety, and  would  constitute  a  real  addition  to  our  stores  of  knowledge 
in  relation  to  scientific  agriculture. 

"Whether  in  this  way  or  in  the  many  other  directions  of  effort 
which  present  themselves,  let  us  trust  that  the  substantial  usefulness 


T  THE    SOUTHERN  [DecemVer 

of  Societies  like  that  to-day  assembled  may  constantly  increase — that 
their  growing  energy  may  ever  tend  to  throw  fresh  light  upon  the 
interesting  scientific  questions  which  connect  themselves  with  farm- 
ing ;  may  serve  more  and  mere  to  improve  the  practice  of  the  old- 
est and  noblest  of  the  arts;  may  exert  a  marked  influence  for  good 
up  jn  the  material  prosperity  of  the  country,  and  m  me  year 

after  year  to  bring  together  on  these  genial  anniversaries  large  and 
L  gatherings  of  men  from  this  side  and    from  the   other  side 

of  the  mountains  united  by   the  ties  of  a  common  occupation,  c:m- 
interests,  and  hearts  bound  up  together  in  common  regard  for 
the  future   destiny  of  this  grand  old  State. 


Exchange,  October  20,  1869. 
Co1..  F.  G.  Ruffin: 

Dear  Sir, — As  you  have  done  more  to  arouse  our  people  to  the 
importance  i  husbandry  in  our  State,  both  by  y  'ngs 

on  the  subject  and  efforts  personally  to  raise  and  dist  i  ved 

breeds  at  moderate  prices,  than  any  one  with  whom  I  am  acquain 
I  have  thought  proper  to  address  to  yon  this  short  communication. 
Y  nee  with  this  branch  of  industry  will  enable 

you   to  rs  and   omissions  which   my  ignorance   of 

Statistics,  os  to  the  number  oi  i  in   the   is 

Bustained  during  the  past  year,  and  inefficiency  of  existing  statutes 
to  subserve  the  purpose  designed,  which  have  not  here  been  intro- 
duced. Should  the  views  here  expressed  meet  your  approval,  or 
any  better  method  occur  to  you  than  here  suggested,  so  that  many 
of  us  can  engage  in  sheep  raising  with  some  assurance  of  a  safe  :n- 
.  of  capital,  not  at  the  mercy  of  hungry  curs,  we  shall  be 
jful  indeed.     No   one,  pc  than  myself  appreciates 

the  value  of  our  house  dogs  as  vigilant  guards  of  our  pr  lur- 

ing the  dark  hours  of  the  night;  and  it  is  exceedingly  rare  that  our 
well-fed  favorites  engage  in  sheep  stealing.  The  plan  proposed 
aims  at  abating  a  nuisance  and  encouraging  a  profitable  source  of 
indi  I  although  it  may  bear  the  appearance  of  partial  legis- 

lation in  favor  of  the  few,  yet,  viewed  from  every  stai  :he 

resulr  is  in  the  end  beneficial  to  all — more  mutton,  more  wool,  im- 
proved lands  producing  grains,  food  for  animals,  the.  counties  and 
State  grow  wealthier,  and  the  poor  laborer,  black  or  white,  reaps 
the  benefit. 

That  dog  power  can  be  utalized.  as  in  the  cheese  and  butter  fac- 
te North,  as  gu  ehcep  and   aids   to  tl  erd, 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER  737 

both  in  our  own  and  other  countries  is  constantly  seen.  In  several 
of  the  German  cities,  Prague  and  Dresden,  I  have  seen  them  draw- 
ing small  milk  wagons  from  door  to  door,  apparently  as  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  doors  of  their  customers  as  the  milk  women  who 
accompanied  them.  Such  might  recieve  special  exemption  by  the 
purchase  of  collars  of  honor  ;  but  taxation  to  the  death,  which  would 
assuredly  be  the  result,  to  all  useless,  half-starved,  ugly  canines  who, 
finding  no  subsistence  at  home,  roam  our  fields  and  woods  for  rab- 
bits and  other  game,  startling  our  cowardly  flocks  of  sheep  quietly 
grazing  in  our  pastures — off  go  the  sheep,  and  after  them  the  dogs — 
in  a  few  hours  property  valued  at  several  hundred  dollars  the  day 
preceding,  is  mostly  destroyed. 

Your  position  near  the  city,  and  your  well  known  interest  in  the 
subject,  have  caused  me  to  direct  this  communication  to  you. 
Very  respectfully,  yours, 

G.  W.  Briggs. 

P.  S. — Received  a  letter  from  J.  T.  Henly,  one  of  your  subscri- 
bers, asking  more  information  about  peanuts,  to  which  I  would  have 
replied  through  your  columns,  but  the  reply  would  not  reach  him  in 
time  to  be  of  any  value  for  this  season.  Observe  the  last  number 
contains  a  rejoinder  of  W.  H.  S.,  New  York.  Re  knows  he  is  right, 
possibly,  for  New  York  labor  one  to  two  dollars  per  day.  The  ques- 
tion mooted  was  one  of  expediency  as  to  cost  of  labor — facts  and 
figures  'tis  said,  rarely  tell  false  tales,  and  I  have  been  ever  careful 
never  to  write  what  I  am  not  prepared  to  prove  true.  He  can  write 
on  trucking.  We  shall  see.  Norfolk  truckers  say  that  many  North- 
ern plans  will  not  do  for  them.  Peter  Henderson  has  given  us  the 
best  work  extant  on  the  subject. 

To  the  Members  of  the  Virginia  Legislature. 

Allow  me,  gentlemen,  to  call  your  attention,  when  devising  meth- 
ods for  increasing  the  revenues  of  our  noble  old  State,  by  taxation, 
to  revise  the  existing  statutes  in  regard  to  "  Depredations  of  Dogs." 
By  reference  to  the  Reports  of  Agriculture  for  1866  you  will  find 
gome  "astounding  facts."  Returns  have  been  received  in  this  depart- 
ment from  539  counties,  in  every  State  in  the  Union,  except  those 
upon  the  Pacific  coast,  showing  an  aggregate  estimate  of  130,000 
uheep  killed  by  dogs  in  about  one-fourth  of  the  whole  number  of 
counties.  On  this  basis,  the  total  number  killed  would  be  more  than 
half  a  million  yearly.  Then  the  proportion  injured,  assuming  as  a 
basis  the  proportion  reported  from  actual  count  in  a  series  of  years 
vol.  Ill— 47 


738  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 

in  Ohio,  would  be  more  than  three  hundred  thousand  ;  more  than 
eight  hundred  thousand  killed  or  mutilated  yearly,  and  a  two  per 
cent,  tax  levied  on  the  total  investment  in  sheep — a  loss  equal  to 
one-third  of  the  gross  income  from  six  per  cent,  stocks. 

The  writer  then  gives  a  table,  "K,"  showing  the  number  of  sheep 
killed  during  the  year  18C6,  in  a  number  of  States,  and  in  seventeen 
counties  from  our  own  State  of  Virginia.  The  reports  show  47,272, 
which,  at  the  low  average  price  of  S3  each — and  many  of  them  were, 
perhaps,  improved  breeds  of  a  higher  commercial  value — making 
the  snug  sum  of  $1,272,600,  a  total  loss.  I  am  satisfied  this 
report  does  not  embrace  more  than  one-fourth  the  actual  damage 
sustained. 

So  great  has  become  the  uncertainty  of  sheep  raising  in  many 
parts  of  the  State,  and  particularly  in  sections  where  the  freedmen 
are  permitted  to  keep  as  many  curs  as  they  or  their  neighbors  can 
provide  for,  that  many  farmers,  after  sundry  trials  and  losses  since 
the  war,  have  abandoned  sheep  raising  entirely.  It  is,  I  believe,  a 
well  known  fact,  at  least  it  is  the  current  impression  with  most  old 
farmers  in  this  section,  that  the  destruction  of  a  fourth  or  fifth  of  a 
flock  of  fifty  sheep  by  dogs,  destroys  in  a  great  part  the  value  of 
the  whole.  Instinct,  which  teaches  these  feeble  creatures,  innocent 
and  devoid  of  means  of  self-defense,  to  herd  and  flock  together  on 
the  principle  of  unity — strength.  The  dogs  appear  to  destroy  their 
morale,  as  it  were ;  they  are  scattered  and  lost ;  and  on  three  sev- 
eral occasions  flocks  from  thirty  to  seventy  head  on  this  farm,  after 
an  onslaught  of  the  dogs,  killing  in  one  instance  five,  another  seven — 
and  in  the  larger  flock  before  the  war  ten  outright,  and  several 
others  badly  injured — the  residue  were  either  totally  lost  or  a  few 
collected  and  sent  to  market.  The  experience  of  a  number  of  other 
farmers  in  this  section  is  the  same;  and  by  reference  to  the  report 
from  which  extracts  have  been  made,  we  have  from  other  States, 
"  Sheep  raising  in  Beaufort,  N.  C,  would  be  profitable  were  it  not 
for  the  dogs,"  and  I  may  truly  add  the  same  for  Southeastern  and 
tide-water  Virginia,  where  the  price  obtained  in  the  market  for  the 
early  lambs  alone,  would  pay  for  the  cost  of  keeping,  since  in  our 
mild  climate  sheep  provided  with  shelters  do  well  in  the  fields  all 
winter,  with  proper  attention  to  salting  and  a  daily  supply  of  forage 
and  grain  during  snow. 

It  has  occurred  to  me  as  a  question  for  consideration  with  your 
honorable  body,  to  whom  alone  the  farmers  of  Virginia  must  look 
for  the  passage  of  laws  to  protect  their  interest,  whether  it  would 
not  be  a  move  in  the  right  direction,  to  relieve  the  sheep  from  any 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  739 


tax,  and  place  on  his  "dogship"  an  assessment  of  half  a  dollar,  and 
double  the  amount  on  the  lady  dogs ;  for  the  writer  has  a  lively 
remembrance  of  a  hunt  he  had  a  year  since  after  an  insignificant 
lady  fice  with  her  train  of  lovers ;  this  gay  party  destroyed  seven 
sheep  and  six  fat  hogs,  in  a  pasture,  in  one  night  and  morning.  The 
dogs  were  all  killed,  and  only  a  single  one  belonged  to  a  white 


man. 


The  strongest  argument  which  occurs  to  the  writer  in  favor  of 
this,  is  the  promotion  and  protection  of  one  of  the  most  profitable 
branches  of  industry  in  our  State,  "sheep  husbandry,"  both  directly 
from  the  sales  of  wool  and  mutton,  and  indirectly  in  improving  our 
worn  out  soils ;  recent  experiment  having  proved  them,  with  the  aid 
of  man,  better  manufacturers  of  manures  of  a  cheaper,  more  reliable 
and  permanent  kind,  than  any  of  the  high-priced,  uncertain  mixtures 
offered  in  the  market. 

The  tax  on  dogs  has  it  precedent  in  every  city,  designed  there  to 
keep  the  breed  within  bounds,  and  was,  I  believe,  originated  by  the 
fear  of  the  mania,  hydrophobia,  attacking  the  canine  family  in  the 
dog  days  of  August. 

With  us  it  has  become  a  question  of  importance,  and  unless  some 
action  is  taken  in  this  direction  by  those  in  authority  to  protect  our 
sheep,  our  money,  care,  and  attention  must  be  turned  elsewhere. 
The  report  above  states— "  The  South  is  acknowledged  to  be 
especially  adapted  to  profitable  wool  production,  and  business  would 
rapidly  increase  there  but  for  the  interference  of  the  dogs." 

In  a  single  county  of  Mississippi  (Pontotoc)  the  annual  loss  from 
dogs  is  placed  at  900  sheep. 

In  18  J7  Virginia  contained  700,666  sheep,  valued  then  at  $2  56 
each,  making  §1,798,705;  and  although  there  were  thousands 
destroyed  by  the  late  war,  yet,  from  the  rapid  increase  of  this  stock, 
and  the  interest  and  impulse  which  has  been  given  to  sheep  hus- 
bandry since  the  war,  the  number  has  increased  within  the  past  two 
years  more  rapidly  than  from  1S65  to  February,  1867,  the  year 
when  the  report  was  made.  Hence,  if  the  report  be  correct,  admit- 
ting the  consumption  annually  of  a  large  number  for  mutton,  deduct- 
ing also  the  dogs'  share  there  must  be  over  one  million  sheep 
in  our  State  bleating  at  many  a  farmer's  barn  this  winter  for  care, 
food,  and  protection  from  the  cold,  and  dependent  on  the  action  of 
your  honorable  body  for  protection  of  their  lives  from  attacks  of 
merciless,  worthless  curs. 

Respectfully,  yours,  J} 

Exchange,  Nansemond,  October  16,  1869. 


740  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 

The  Culture  of  Tobacco  in  Western  North  Carolina. 

The  steady  demand  for  fine  manufacturing  tobacco  and  high  pri- 
ces which  it  always  bears,  first  induced  me  to  make  the  experiment 
of  introducing  its  culture  in  this  section. 

The  forests  of  my  native  state,  in  that  part  of  it  adapted  to  the 
Culture  of  fine  tobacco,  have  nearly  disappeared  and  many  difficul- 
ties present  themselves,  in  her  maintaining  the  leadership  in  this 
article  which  she  has  always  had.  It  is  the  work  of  a  philanthro- 
pist to  bring  forth  in  a  new  country  any  source  of  wealth  which  has 
hitherto  remained  unknown,  when  he  sees  that  every  natural  advan- 
tage is  present  to  its  development. 

It  is  known  by  all  who  have  paid  any  attention  to  the  climate  of 
this  beautiful  region  that  it  presents  more  variety  than  any  other 
part  of  the  United  States. 

Situated  about  two  degrees  south  of  the  parallel  of  Lynchburg 
which  if  taken  due  south  would  throw  us  nearly  into  the 
gand  hills  and  would  present  very  little  attraction  to  the  ama- 
teur tobacco  grower,  but  when  we  consider  that  the  alti- 
tude of  this  section,  when  put  to  account,  gives  just  the  climate  of 
Albemarle  as  a  general  thing,  and  when  we  look  at  the  great  variety 
of  degree  that  may  be  attained  by  ascending  or  descending  tbo 
mountain  side  the  idea  presents  itself  why  may  not  fine  tobacco  bo 
grown  here  ? 

As  to  the  soil,  it  is  as  much  varied  as  the  climate.  From  the 
rich  alluvian  on  the  banks  of  the  beautiful  French  Broad  to  the 
barren  peaks  of  Black  mountain  and  Pisgah,  with  every  intermediate 
grade  of  soil  we  find  in  this  section. 

Here  is  presented  the  rich  mountain  cove  with  its  Beach  and 
Walnut  gradually  loosing  itself  in  the  yellow  leaf  hickory  and  giant 
white  oak,  sprinkled  here  and  there  with  dog  wood  and  chinquepin 
which  in  its  turn  looses  itself  as  it  ascends  in  the  shrubby  mountain 
pine  which  fringes  the  bleak  rocks  on  the  mountain  peaks.  (Don't 
be  alarmed  for  myself  dear  reader.) 

I  now  come  down  flatly  to  facts,  I  reached  the  cove  in  which  I 
now  live  on  February  last,  and  the  first  thing  I  did  was  to  burn  an 
old  Virginia  plant  bed,  a  thing  just  as  new  in  this  country  as  a 
forty-pound  cake  of  Elk  Mountain  cheese  would  be  in  Amelia,  the 
production  of  its  own  industry. 

Nevertheless,  in  due  time  the  plants  appeared  and  did  not  seem  to 
realize  that  that  they  were  in  a  strange  land,  but  grew  off  rapidly 
as  if  they  had  been  at  home.  About  the  first  of  June  I  had  planted 
about   fifteen  thousand  plants  in  a   little  cove  near  the  foot  of  the 


I860.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER,  741 

mountain  that  rears  its  crest  above  my  home;  and  strange  to  say, 
they  went  to  growing  ami  looked  as  finely  as  could  be  imagined.  The 
same  care  was  bestowed  on  them  as  I  would  have  given  in  Virginia  and 
no  more.  By  the  10th  of  September  I  commenced  cutting  u 
pretty  a  piece  of  tobacco  as  I  ever  saw,  taking  the  drought  into  con- 
sideration. 

I  never  saw  tobacco  yellow  more  handsomely  and  cure  prettier  in 
my  life,  and  I  now  can  show  as  fine  a  lot  of  flue  cured  tobacco  as  I 
ever  saw  in  Virginia  everything  considered  now  for  the  advantages 
of  this  section. 

1st.  It  presents  no  competition  and  the  intelligent  and  experi- 
enced planter  may  reap  a  rich  harvest. 

2d.  There  are  thousands  of  acres  of  original  forest  that  can  be 
bought  low. 

3d.  There  never  was  a  healthier  country. 

4th.  The  people  for  the  most  part  are  refined,  intelligent  and 
enterprising. 

Nor  is  this  all :  The  market  is  right  at  our  door  and  as  soon 
as  a  surplus  is  produced,  we  have  the  whole  south  and  southwest 
before  us. 

Now,  dear  Planter,  don't  think  I  have  lost  a  particle  of  my  affec- 
tion for  "my  own  mv  native  land,"  nor  any  of  mv  enthusiasm  in 
risking  my  first  crop  among  these  mountains.  No  :  but  by  the 
ble^sinj;  of  Providence  I  intend  to  raise  the  standard  ri^ht  here. 
Nor  shall  my  reputation  suffer  from  the  experiment,  but  at  the  next 
fair  at  Richmond,  I  hope  to  present  a  sample  of  fine  yellow  wrap- 
pers that  will  do  good  work  for  the  premium. 

Most  respectfully,  dear  Planter, 

Your  devoted  friend, 

Samuel  C.  Shelton. 

Ashville,  X.  C-,  Nov.  22,  1869. 


Horse  Treatment. — There  are  a  very  few  common  sense  rules 
which,  if  followed,  will  commend  themselves  to  the  horse,  as  well 
as  to  the  trainer,  viz  : 

1st.  Always  feel  kindly  toward  a  horse  no  matter  what  he  does 
to  you,  and  consequently  never  show  "temper."  Remember  the 
horse  knows  instinctively  how  you  feel. 

2d.  Never  go  near  a  horse  if  you  are  afraid  of  him;  the  horse 
will  know  it  and  take  advantage  of  it  before  you  acknowledge  it 
yourself. 


742 


THE    SOUTHERN 


[December 


horticultural  gcprtrntnt. 


JOHN  M.  ALLAN, 


Editor. 


The    Fair  of  the  Virginia   Horticultural   and  Pomological  Society. 

The  third  annual  exhibition  of  the  Virginia  Horticultural  and 
Pomological  Society  was  held  in  conjunction  with  that  of  the  State 
Agricultural  Society,  at  their  grounds  on  the  2d,  3d,  4th  and  5th 
of  November,  and  was,  notwithstanding  the  lateness  of  the  date, 
an  unprecedented  success.  It  was  of  course  too  late  for  a  good 
display  of  flowers  and  indeed  of  any  fruit  save  apples,  but  of  these 
there  was  no  lack.  Over  four  hundred  specimens  of  magnificent 
apples  were  displayed,  while  the  pears  though  not  numerous  were  very 
good.  Some  specimens  of  Duchess  D'Angouleme  exhibited  by  Col. 
J.  D.  Williamson  of  New  York,  attracted  universal  attention,  while 
our  friend,  Mr.  W.  G.  Taylor,  carried  off  the  palm  for  size,  with  a 
couplet  from  his  garden  in  Manchester.  Handsome  designs  of  cut 
Flowers  from  the  Garden  of  Mr.  Jno.  Morton,  and  Messrs.  Allan 
&  Johnston,  together  with  a  fine  collection  of  flowering  plants  from 
the  latter  firm,  added  greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the  room. 

The  vegetable  department  though  not  so  full  as  it  might  have  been, 
was  well  represented  and  the  collections  of  vegetables  exhibited  by 
Messrs  J.  R.  Rennie  and  Garland  Hanes,  together  with  specimens 
of  potatoes,  cabbages,  &c,  by  various  amateur  and  professional 
growers,  was  remarkably  fine,  considering  the  severe  drought  of 
the  past  season. 

The  apples,  however,  were  the  leading  attraction.  Messrs. 
Franklin  Davis  &  Co.,  of  this  city  exhibited  over  seventy  varieties. 
Capt.  H.  B.  Jones  of  Rockbridge  over  eighty.  Mr.  Jno.  Dollins  of 
Albemarle  nearly  as  many.  Mr.  Hurt,  of  Bedford,  over  thirty. 
Mr.  Thomas  Allan,  of  Winchester,  as  many,  besides  numerous  other 
smaller  lots.  We  noticed  that  the  Fallawater  seemed  the  favorite 
with  our  valley  friends,  the  Albemarle  Pippin  for  the  Piedmont 
section,  and  the  Wine  Sap,  was  the  stand  by  of  our  tide  water 
growers.     Several  new   native  varieties   were  exhibited,  the  most 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  743 

prominent  being  the.  Mason  and  the  Pilot,  both  of  which   are  truly 
first  class  apples. 

It  was  too  late  for  an  exhibition  of  Grapes,  but  we  noticed  some 
fine  specimens  of  Muscat  and  other  foreign  varieties  exhibited  by 
Mr.  Coles  of  Albemarle.  The  specimens  of  wine  were  very  numer- 
ous, but  the  quality  was  not  so  good  as  we  had  hoped  it  would  be. 
Our  people  have  much  to  learn  concerning  the  manufacture  of 
Wine.  We  can  produce  the  grapes  without  trouble,  but  if  we  would 
make  them  profitable,  more  care  must  be  given  to  the  manipulation 
of  the  Wine. 

We  publish  elsewhere    the  list  of  premiums  awarded,  as  also  a 
condensed  report  of  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Society.    The  officers 
and  members  have  cause  for  congratulation  upon  the  success   which 
attended  this  exhibition  and  ought  to  be  greatly  encouraged  by  it. 
by  it. 

ANNUAL  REPORT. 

Gentlemen  of  the  Virginia  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Society. 

In  submitting  the  third  annual  report  of  your  Executive  Commit- 
tee, it  is  gratifying  to  have  so  much  cause  for  congratulation. 

Commencing  as  you  did,  a  little  over  three  years  ago,  with  a 
membership  of  fifteen,  you  to  day  count  them  by  hundreds,  while 
the  general  interest  in  the  object  of  ycur  Society  has  deepened  and 
diffused  itself  to  an  extent  truly  encouraging.  Letting  the  past, 
however,  speak  for  itself,  permit  me  after  a  hasty  sketch  of  the 
years  operations  to  call  your  attention  to  some  of  the  work  lying 
before  us.  At  the  opening  of  the  exhibition  the  President  submitted 
tne  following  : 

Appreciating  the  unsettled  and  impoverished  condition  of  our 
people  which  would  have  rendered  it  difficult  to  have  secured  a  gen- 
eral attendance  upon  two  State  Fairs,  your  Executive  Committee, 
after  mature  deliberation,  decided  to  accept  the  offer  made  by  the 
State  Agricultural  Society  for  a  union  of  the  annual  exhibitions  of 
the  two  Societies.  This  of  course,  while  offering  many  advantages, 
was  not  free  from  serious  objections,  for  while  on  the  one  hand  the 
number  of  exhibitors  and  visitors  from  distant  parts  of  the  State, 
has  doubtless  been  largely  increased  by  the  combination  of  the 
Fairs,  on  the  other,  the  variety  and  quality  of  Fruits,  Vegetables 
and  Flowers  has  been  necessarily  very  much  reduced  by  the  late- 
ness of  the  season  at  which  the  exhibition  occurs,  and  while  it  may 
always  be  desirable  and  pleasant  to  exhibit  jointly  with  the  Agri- 
cultural Society,  still  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  in  the  future,  circum- 
stances will  permit  the  holding  of  our  Annual  Fair  earlier  in  the 
season,  at  a  time  when  a  fuller  Horticultural  and  Pomological  ex- 
hibition can  be  made. 


744  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 

The  same  reasons  which  influenced  the  Executive  Committee  in 
postponing  the  Annual  Fair  to  this  date,  viz.,  the  scarcity  of  money 
and  unsettled  condition  of  the  State,  coupled  with  the  extreme 
drought  of  the  past  summer  preventing  them  from  having  more  than 
one  intermediate  exhibition.  This  was  held  during  the  Strawberry 
eeason  on  the  27th  of  June,  at  St.  Alban's  Hall  in  this  city,  and 
was  eminently  successful,  the  display  of  Strawberries  and  Flow- 
ers being  very  fine  and  the  attendance  unexpectedly  large.  A  grat- 
ifying feature  of  this  exhibition  was  that  it  was  self  sustaining  ;  in- 
deed, as  you  will  see  from  the  Treasurer's  report,  left  a  small  bal- 
ance in  his  hands. 

The  twelfth  session  of  the  American  Pomological  Society 
was  held  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  on  September  15th,  at  which 
your  Society  was  fully  represented,  and  upon  the  invitation  of  your 
delegates,  that  Society  determined  to  hold  its  next  session  in  this 
city. 

It  is  encouraging,  as  I  have  said,  to  note  the  greatly  increased 
interest  manifested  in  the  Society  and  its  operations  by  members 
and  the  community  at  large,  and  while  the  success  that  has  atten- 
ded us  in  the  past  is  gratifying,  it  should  only  stimulate  us  to  re- 
newed exertions  for  the  future. 

Never  perhaps  had  any  Society  a  larger  field  opened  for  occupa- 
tion. With  a  State  possessing  every  advantagetof  climate  and  soil, 
so  situated  as  to  defy  competition  in  the  early  Northern  Markets, 
producing  fruits  that  are  eagerly  sought  in  the  European 
cities,  the  conditions  of  her  labor,  so  changed  as  to  point  many 
of  her  citizens  to  these  branches  of  industry  for  a  competence 
as  well  as  a  source  of  wealth,  the  Virginia  Horticultural 
and  Pomological  Society,  has  before  it  a  work  of  the  greatest 
magnitude  properly  to  aid  and  guide  the  development  of  these  great 
and  rapidly  increasing  interests.  A  glance  at  what  is  needed  will 
assist  us  in  determining  how  to  accomplish  it. 

STATISTICAL   INFORMATION. 

In  1865  there  were  not  over  one  hundred  acres  in  vineyards  in 
the  entire  State ;  at  this  date  there  are  over  thirty  times  that  area 
devoted  to  grape  culture.  During  the  same  period  not  less  than 
ten  thousand  acres  have  been  planted  in  fruit  trees.  Previous  to 
1860  the  exports  of  fruits  and  vegetables  from  the  State  rarely 
reached  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  annually,  now  more  than  one 
million  dollars  worth  are  shipped  from  Norfolk  alone.     It  is  essen- 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  745 


tial  to  the  successful  prosecution  of  trucking  and  fruit  growing  that 
we  should  have  detailed  statistics  of  yield  per  acre,  cost  of  produc- 
tion and  marketing,  net  profits,  &c,  of  the  various  fruits  and  vege- 
tables, to  guide  us  to  proper  conclusions  as  to  usefulness  and  general 
profit.  These  can  best  be  collected  by  a  central  society,  with  the 
aid  and  co-operation  of  county  and  district  associations,  of  which 
latter  there  are  already  two  in  active  operation  in  the  State,  viz : 
the  Norfolk  Horticultural  Society,  and  the  Potomac  Fruit  Growers' 
Association.  In  furtherance  of  this  object,  a  standing  committee 
on  statistics  has  been  appointed,  who  will  publish  from  time  to 
time  such  information  as  may  be  acquired  and  deemed  useful. 

CATALOGUE    OF    FRUITS. 

Not  less  important  is  the  preparation  of  a  catalogue  of  fruits 
adapted  to  our  climate,  and  the  collection  and  dissemination  of  such 
new  native  varieties  as  may  prove  worthy  of  general  culture.  The 
Virginia  fruit  grower  has  no  greater  difficulty  with  which  to  contend 
than  the  selection  of  varieties  of  fruits,  especially  of  apples— so  many 
of  the  standard  varieties  of  the  North  and  West  being  totally  unsuited 
to  our  section,  while  many  others,  which  in  Northern  catalogues  are 
classed  as  first  rate,  are  at  best  but  of  second  or  third  quality  here, 
whereby  much  disappointment  and  loss  occur  as  the  result  of  taking 
these  catalogues  as  guides. 

With  a  view  to  an  early  preparation  of  such  a  list,  a  standing 
committee  on  fruits  has  been  appointed,  and  it  is  earnestly  desired 
that  all  interested  in  Pomology  will  forward  to  this  committee  such 
information  as  they  may  possess  concerning  either  new  or  old  varie- 
ties. Some  of  our  finest  apples,  such  as  Rawle's,  Janet,  Mason, 
Pilot,  are  natives  of  this  State,  and  Virginia  boasts  the  parentage 
of  that  greatest  of  all  American  wine  grapes,  the  Norton  ;  but  there 
are  scattered  over  her  hills  and  valleys,  unnoticed,  and  unknown 
beyond  the  plantations  which  produce  them,  varieties  destined  to 
out  rank  any  yet  known  to  the  Pomologist. 

WINE. 
The  fostering  of  the  wine  "interest  also  appertains  in  an  eminent 
degree  to  the  purposes  of  this  association,  and  the  large  number  of 
samples  now  upon  exhibition  foreshadow  the  important  dimensions 
the  production  of  wine  will  shortly  assume.  Perhaps  no  other  State 
is  capable  of  producing  so  many  kinds  of  good  wine  as  Virginia. 
The  Norton,  generally  admitted  to  hold  the  first  place  among  native 
red  wines,  flourishes  here  in  the  highest  perfection.     Along  the 


746  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 


elopes  of  the  Alleghany  and  Blue  Ridge  mountains  the  Catawba 
succeeds  well,  and  the  Delaware  has  found  a  congenial  home  in  the 
Piedmont  region.  The  Scuppernong  belongs  to  our  Southside 
friends,  while  the  Ives,  Concord,  Hartford  Prolific,  and  Clinton 
yield  everywhere  a  good  return  in  quantity,  if  not  in  quality.  Your 
standing  committee  on  wine  will  find  abundant  employment  among 
these,  and  are  to  be  envied  the  frequent  opportunities  likely  to  be 
afforded  them  of  touching,  tasting,  and  handling. 

VEGETABLES. 

The  production  of  vegetables  for  both  home  and  foreign  markets 
has  already  assumed  large  proportions,  and  each  year  but  adds  to 
the  demand.  Wonderful  has  been  the  progress  made  in  this  branch 
of  horticulture  during  the  past  four  years;  but  what  has  been 
attained  is  only  a  promise  of  what  is  in  reserve  for  the  enterprise  of 
our  market  gardeners.  Where  the  exports  of  vegetables  have 
amounted  to  thousands  they  will  soon  reach  millions  of  dollars,  and 
the  day  cannot,  certainly  ought  not  to  be  far  distant  when  Virginia 
will  cease  to  import  such  vegetables  as  the  Irish  potato.  Under  the 
auspices  of  the  practical  and  skilled  gentlemen  who  compose  your 
committee  on  this  subject,  most  favorable  results  may  be  anticipated. 

ESSAYS. 

Another  direction  for  the  labors  of  this  Society  is  to  be  found  in 
the  collection  and  distribution  of  Essays  upon  the  nature  and  culture 
of  fruits,  vegetables,  and  flowers,  together  with  dissertations  upon 
the  diseases  and  insects  to  which  plants  are  liable.  It  is  thus  that 
the  experience  and  information  of  those  already  familiar  with  these 
subjects  can  be  made  most  available  to  others.  Books  do  not  sup- 
ply this  want.  Authors  seldom  care  to  tell  us  of  their  failures,  and 
the  consequence  is  that  we  only  see  the  fair  side,  and  that  highly 
colored  ;  but  a  system  of  premiums  for  essays,  properly  conducted, 
can  be  made  to  bring  out  the  causes  of  failure  and  disappointment, 
which  it  is  vastly  more  important  for  beginners  to  know.  It  is  easy 
to  sail  in  an  open  sea  ;  the  pilot  is  needed  to  avoid  rocks  and  shoals. 
A  horticultural  literature  of  great  usefulness  will  doubtless  be  the 
result  of  the  labors  of  your  committee  upon  this  subject. 

IMPLEMENTS. 
Improved  horticultural  implements  and  machinery  also  demand 
your  attention.     Rapid  has  been  the  progress  of  the  past  few  years 
in  this  direction,  and  much  of  the  profit  and  success  of  gardening  in 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  74* 

the  future  will  depend  upon  the  improvements  which  may  he  made 
in  implements  adapted  to  the  saving  of  labor  and  facilitating  the 
culture  of  the  various  crops. 

But  while  it  is  the  duty  of  your  Society  to  foster  all  these  more 
material  interests,  let  it  not  he  forgotten  that  the  beautiful  and 
ornamental  also  pertain  to  you,  nor  let  it  be  said  that  flowers,  and 
shrubs,  and  shade  trees  are  unprofitable;  or  that  we  have  no  time 
in  this  intensely  practical  age  to  bestow  upon  the  beauty  and 
comfort  of  our  homes.  True,  the  orchard,  vineyard,  and  kitchen 
garden  are  necessities ;  but  are  not  the  lawn  and  flower  garden 
equallv  so  ?  Take  away  these,  and  you  rob  home  of  its  attractive- 
ness, for  who  does  not  feel  that  even  the  simple  pot  of  mignonette, 
or  the  single  tea  rose  in  the  window  gives  evidence  of  contentment 
and  happiness  within.  Ask  your  wives  and  daughters  whether 
these  are  luxuries  to  be  dispensed  with  until  more  prosperous  times, 
and  hear  how  they  will  plead  for  their  flowers,  at  the  expense  of 
nearly  all  that  you  style  necessaries.  A  kind  Providence  has  blessed 
us  with  a  heritage  which  flows  with  milk  and  honey,  and  teems,  from 
seashore  to  mountain-top,  with  a  flora  hardly  surpassed  by  that  of 
any  section  on  the  globe.  The  magnolia,  grandiflora  of  our  eastern 
lawns,  majestic  in  its  beauty,  the  lovely  rhododendrons  of  our  moun- 
tain sides,  and  the  humble  violets  of  our  shady  groves,  with  hun- 
dreds of  intermediate  genera,  and  thousands  of  species,  make  our 
fair  State  redolent  with  their  fragrance,  and  glorious  with  their 
beauty.  To  arrange,  classify,  improve,  these  are  surely  worthy 
occupations  for  all  who,  recognizing  the  sources  of  happiness  thus 
abundantly  bestowed  by  a  beneficent  Providence,  are  ready  with 
thankful  hearts  to  receive  and  delight  in  them. 

If,  gentlemen,  even  we,  with  our  colder,  harder,  more  material 
natures  can  appreciate  a  handsome  evergreen,  a  pretty  flower,  or 
enjoy  the  shade  of  the  drooping  elm,  need  we  be  surprised  that  the 
purer,  the  holier  emotions  of  the  female  heart  go  out  with  enthu- 
siasm after  them  ?  To  them  you  owe  to-day  largely  of  the  success 
which  has  attended  your  Society.  From  its  inception  to  the  present 
hour  they  have  been  its  firm  friends  and  supporters.  Most  heartily 
do  we  acknowledge  our  obligations  for  the  past,  and  bespeak  their 
continued  favor  and  co-operation  in  the  future. 

EXPERIMENTAL    GARDENS. 

The  establishment  of  an  experimental  garden  is  a  matter  of  great 
general  interest  and  utility,  which  it  behooves  us  to  take  steps  to 
initiate.     The  benefits  resulting  from  such  gardens  are  very  numer- 


'48  THE  SOUTHREN  [December 


ous.  Here  new  varieties  can  be  tested,  the  worthless  rejected,  while 
the  good  will  receive  an  imprimatur  from  such  a  source  entitling  it 
to  general  credit.  Here  also  rare  plants  may  be  gathered  and  dis- 
seminated, and  synonyms  ascertained  and  defined ;  to  say  nothing 
of  the  pleasure  afforded  by  such  establishments  as  places  of  resort 
and  recreation.  Time  will  only  permit  me  to  suggest  these  points, 
and  leave  them  for  your  consideration  and  action. 

DISCUSSIONS. 

Stated  meetings  of  the  Society  for  discussions  are  also  extremely 
useful,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  these  will  be  regularly  and  eagerly 
attended.  These  monthly  reunions  and  conversations  are  beneficial 
to  the  public,  as  well  as  highly  instructive  to  the  members  them- 
selves ;  they  also  tend  greatly  to  excite  and  keep  up  the  general 
interest  in  these  subjects. 

LANDSCAPE    GARDENING. 

Landscape  gardening  and  the  adornment  of  grounds  have,  in 
almost  all  countries,  advanced  pari  pissu  with  civilization  and  re- 
finement; yet  in  the  Southern  States,  especially  in  Virginia,  where 
nature  has  done  so  much  towards  evoking  a  taste  for  these  human- 
izing and  elevating  cultures,  the  ruthless  hand  of  improvement,  with 
remorseless  energy,  has  swept  away  the  grand  old  "monarchsof 
the  woods,"  to  give  place  for  ill-contrived  and  worse  located  dwell- 
ings, upon  whose  white  and  glaring  walls  the  sun  falls  with  scorch- 
ing rays,  compelling  a  subsequent  planting  to  cover  a  deficiency 
which  should  never  have  arisen.  How  often,  in  traveling  over  our 
country  roads,  do  we  meet  the  rude  gate  giving  most  musical 
entrance  to  the  visitor,  whose  eye,  when  raised,  passes  to  the  farm- 
house along  an  uncared-for  road,  as  straight  as  a  pistol  shot,  between 
rows  of  ragged  trees,  the  chance  growth  from  the  neglected  corners 
of  a  rail  fence  ;  and  in  advancing,  falls  successively  upon  cow-house, 
pig-pen,  stable,  &c,  thrown  forward,  apparently,  as  skirmishers, 
defending  the  approach  to  the  dwelling,  with  odors  more  unsavory 
than  "villainous  gunpowder." 

Among  our  mountain  resorts,  where  health  and  pleasure  seekers 
leave,  year  after  year,  the  means  for  educated  and  tasteful  adorn- 
ments, the  grounds  are  either  wholly  neglected,  or  treated  so  at 
variance  with  surrounding  nature  as  to  induce  one  to  deplore  the 
ingenuity  that  contrived  an  axe  or  fashioned  a  spade. 

We  live  through  the  eye  for  happiness  and  the  kindling  of  emo- 
tions which  bring  us  nearer  heaven,  where  all  is  beautiful — should 
we  not,  then,  surround  ourselves  with  the  attractions  which  nature 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  749 

80  bountifully  gives,  in  such  harmony  as  to  become  a  music  to  the  eye  ? 
Our  rural  population  will  awaken— and  we  hope  to  assist  them— to 
an  acknowledgement  of  the  value  and  the  employment  of  the  aid  of 
the  architect  and  landscape  gardener ;  but  not  before  the  thousand 
scars  have  been  made  which  centuries  of  care  will  be  required  to 
efface— inroads  upon  nature's  beauties  that  startle  the  cultivated 
foreigner,  who  returns  to  his  home  with  the  idea  of  vandalism  closely 
associated  with  our  notions  of  improvement. 

FINANCES. 
And  now,  gentlemen,  we  come  to  a  subject  that  is  necessarily  and 
intimately  connected  with  every  enterprise— while  that  the  love  of 
money  is  the   root  of  all  evil,  is  beyond  a  peradventure  true,  it  is 
equally  true  that  nothing  can  be  accomplished  in  this  world  without 
it.     The  finances   of  your    Society   require   your  prompt   action. 
Heretofore  we  have  depended  to  a  large   extent  upon  the  annuities 
of  members,  and  the  entrance  fees,  for  means  with  which  to  pay  the 
premium  lists,  and  meet  the  running  expenses  of  the  Society.   When 
these  proved  inadequate  for  these  purposes  they  were  supplemented 
by  subscriptions  on  the  part  of  the  friends  of  the  Society.     Such 
receipts  are  more  or  lees'uncertain,  and  I  would  respectfully  recom- 
mend that  such  steps  be  taken  as  your  wisdom  may  devise,  for  the 
establishment  of  a  permanent  fund,  the  interest  of  which  shall  alone 
be  applied  to  the  uses  of  the  Society.  An  active  agent  could,  doubt- 
less, be  procured  to  canvass  the  State  for  life  members,  receiving  as 
remuneration  for   his  services  a  commission  upon  his  subscriptions. 
The  funds  thus  procured  and  invested  under  direction  of  your  execu- 
tive committee  in  permanent  securities,  would  give  a  certain  annual 
income,  which,  with  annuities,  would  doubtless  prove  sufficient  for 
all  the  purposes  of  the  Society.     In  furtherance  of  this,  and  neces- 
sary to  it,  will  be  the  securing|of  an  act  of  incorporation.   I  respect- 
fully recommend  the  appointment  of  a  committee  for  this  purpose. 
Before  dismissing  the  question  of  finances,  I  may  be  pardoned  an 
appeal  to  those  who  are  professionally  engaged  in  horticulture  and 
pomology  throughout  the  State  to  respond  liberally  to  the  call  for 
life-members.     It  devolves   upon   this   class  especially  to  give  the 
operations  of  this  Society  an  impetus  at  the  outset.     They  are  most 
immediately  benefitted   by  it,  and  just  in  proportion  as  they  throw 
their  labors  and  influence  in   its   behalf  will   the   public  rally  to  its 
support ;  and  an  earnest  effort  on  their  part  at  this  time,  will  assure  the 
rapid  progress  and  full  success  of  this  to  them  important  movement- 
In  conclusion,  gentlemen,  permit  me  again  to  congratulate  you 


750  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 

on  what  has  been  attained,  and  with  words  of  good  cheer,  bid  you 
go  forward  in  your  work — a  work  most  noble,  elevating  and  refining 
in  its  influences,  and  enlisting  the  sympathies  and  encouragement 
of  those  without  whose  smiles  and  approval  this  world  offers  nothing 
worthy  of  our  exertions. 


After  the  report  was  read  : 

Col.  John  C.  Shields  offered  a  series  of  resolutions,  recommend- 
ing the  adoption  of  the  report,  and  appointing  a  committee  to  con- 
sider that  portion  of  it  which  looks  to  the  greater  usefulness  of  the 
Society.  Also,  to  take  into  consideration  the  propriety  of  reducing 
the  price  of  life  membership  in  the  Society.  Also,  that  the  execu- 
tive committee  be  empowered  with  full  authority  to  change  the  Con- 
stitution and  By-Laws  of  the  Society  in  any  particular  which  they 
may  deem  necessary  to  the  permanent  advantage  of  the  Society,  and 
the  promotion  of  the  objects  for  which  it  was  instituted.  The  reso- 
lutions were  taken  up  seriatim  and  adopted. 

Rev.  Leonidas  Rosser,  D.  D.,  was  then  called  to  the  stand  to 
deliver  the  annual  address. 

He  commenced  his  address  by  alluding  to  the  influence  which  the 
subject  of  horticulture  has  recently  exerted  on  the  public  mind.  Man 
was,  from  the  early  days  of  Adam,  bound  to  the  earth,  and  the  love 
of  nature  and  her  products  is  inherent  in  him.  Horticulture  lives 
at  the  base  of  man's  development.  Nature  is  fruitful  in  her  resources 
and  reproductions. 

In  the  departments  of  horticulture  and  agriculture,  we  have  re- 
productiveness  in  endless  variety. 

If  nature  hath  her  instincts  on  the  one  hand  and  reproductive- 
ness  on  the  other,  what  is  man's  work  ?  First,  he  would  say  drain- 
age— drainage  below  the  soil ;  secondly,  deep  ploughing ;  thirdly, 
heavy  fertilizing.  There  is  not  a  garden  in  Virginia  which  has  been 
brought  up  to  its  maximum  of  production.  We  must  no  longer  be 
afraid  of  the  expense  of  fertilizers.  Nature's  fertilizers  have  been 
used  up.  The  cereal  crops  have  drained  it  off.  He  used  on  his 
strawberry  field  a  fertilizer  of  three  bushels  salt,  fifty  bushels  lime, 
and  fifteen  bushels  ashes;  and  for  ten  years  he  had  used  no  other — 
not  a  bushel  of  barn-yard  manure.  Another  rule  was,  death  to  grass 
and  weeds.     Be  sure  to  keep  the  grass  out. 

Again.  Rigid  system,  and  lastly,  courageous  perseverance.  Fail- 
ures we  all  have,  and  must  have  ;  but  courage,  experience,  and 
science,  will  give  us  triumph  in  the  end. 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND    FARMER.  751 


THE    FUTURE    OF    VIRGINIA. 

In  the  first  place,  the  war  aroused  in  an  unparalleled  manner 
deep  interest  in  horticulture.  Before  that  time  no  one  here  raised 
strawberries,  for  instance,  and  so  with  all  other  small  fruits  ;  and 
new  it  is  astonishing  and  gratifying  to  see  the  result  of  that  interest. 
Our  climate  is  temperate,  and,  in  the  opinion  of  all,  the  best  upon 
earth  ;  that,  with  the  soil,  gives  us  opportunities  which  we  have 
never  yet  developed.  One  million  quarts  of  strawberries  have 
already  been  engaged  by  one  house  in  New  York. 

We  need  here  a  packing-house,  and  it  should  be  located  in  this 
city;  then  hundreds  of  acres  of  berries  and  small  fruits  would  be 
planted  where  one  is  now  raised. 

There  is  more  in  the  men  than  in  the  land. 

The  young  men  of  our  State  with  soft  hands  and  ring-fingered 
are  useless ;  they  should  turn  their  attention  to  the  cultivation  of 
the  soil — and  so  with  the  ladies.  Alas  !  her  only  emblem  now  is 
the  greenhouse  plant.  Let  them  turn  their  attention  to  horticul- 
ture, and  her  days  of  usefulness  will  begin. 

Here  the  learned  orator  paid  a  glowing  compliment  to  what,  under 
these  circumstances,  she  would  become.  If  we  had  all  of  Virginia's 
men  and  women  engaged  in  these  pursuits,  we  would  again  vie  with 
the  noble  ancestry  from  which  we  came. 

ELECTION    OF    OFFICERS. 

The  election  of  officers  was  next  held,  and  the  old  officers  were 
re-elected,  as  follows: 

President, — John  M.  Allan. 

Viee  President — William  II.  Haxall. 

Secretary — II.  K.  Ellyson. 

Treasurer — I.  S.  Tower. 

Executive    Committee — Col.  Wm.   Gilham,   Charles  B.  Williams 
Joseph  R.  Rennie,  Franklin  Davis,  Colonel  J.  C.  Shields,  Matthew 
Blair,  Dr.  S.  P.  Moore,  Gen.  J.  D.  Imboden,  Dr.  Jas.  T.  Johnson, 
Captain  Charles  H.  Dimmock. 

The  President  then  appointed  the  following  committee  under  the 
resolutions  of  Colonel  Shields: 

Colonel  J.  C.  Shields,  Captain  Charles  H.  Dimmock,  and  Mr.  I. 
S.  Tower. 

The  Society  then  adjourned. 

The  mee.ing  then  resolved  itself  into  a  joint  meeting  of  the  two 
Societies,  Major  Sutherlin  in  the  chair. 

At  the  joint  meeting  there  were  several  addresses  delivered,  which 
are  noticed  in  the  proceedings  of  the  State  Society,  to  which  we 


752  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 

refer  our  readers ;  but  especially  do  we  call  the  attention  of  the 
members  of  this  Society  to  that  of  Mr.  Saunders,  Experimental 
Gardener  at  Washington,  as  having  more  particular  relation  to  the 
interest  of  this  Society. 

The  President  of  the  New  York  fruit  growers  club  being  present, 
on  being  called  for,  responded  very  happily.  He  spoke  most  en- 
couragingly of  the  prospects  of  Virginia,  and  the  advantages  she 
offered  to  emigrants,  and  assured  the  Society  that  numbers  of  fami- 
lies in  New  York,  and  other  Northern  States  were  preparing  to 
come  to  Virginia  to  locate.  We  regret  that  our  space  will  not 
permit  a  full  report  of  his  remarks. 


LIST  OF  PREMIUMS 

AWARDED    AT     THE 

ANNUAL  EXHIBITION    OF   THE 
HORTICULTURAL  AND  POMOLOGICAL  SOCIETY, 

HELD    AT   THE    FAIR   GROUNDS, 
NEAR    RICHMOND    VIRGINIA, 

November  2,  3,  4,  and  5,  1869. 


CLASS  I. 
Messrs.  Allan  &  Johnson,  best  assortment  of  Nursery  Stock,  §  30 
The  Committee  recommend  a  premium  of  equal  value  to  Messrs. 
Franklin  Davis  &  Co.,  for  their  large  and  greatly  extended  variety 
of  Fruit  Trees,  Vines,  &c,  being  the  largest  variety  on  exhibition. 
Messrs.  Allan  &  Johnson,   best  assortment  of  two  year   old 

Apple  Trees  suited  to  Virginia.  $  10 

To  same  for  best  assortment  of  one  year  old  peach  trees  suit- 
ed to  Virginia.  $10 
To  same  for  best  assortment  two  year  old  pear  trees,  (stan- 
dard or  dwarf.)                                                                            $  10 
Capt.  H.  B.  Jones  of  Rockbridge,  Va.,  for  the  largest  and  best 

collection  of  Apples,  (87  varieties)  raised  by  the  exhibitor     §  10 
W.  O.  Hurt  of  Bedford,  Va.,  for  second  best.  5 

These  apples  of  Mr.  Hurt's  (35  varieties)  making  quite  an  "aris- 
tocratic show,"  deserve  high  commendation  as  vindicating  the  adap- 
tability of  the  soil,   climate,  and  exposure  of  Virginia  to  fruit  cul- 
ture to  the  raising  of  fruit  of  a  high  order  of  merit. 
S.  E.  Dove,  for  best  collection  of  Pears,  (7  varieties)  raised 

by  exhibitor.  $  10 


1869.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  753 


Allan  &  Johnson  for  2d  best  collection,  (6  varieties)  raised  by 

exhibitor,  $  5 

Dr.  C.    R.  Cullen  of  Hanover,  for  best  collection  of  Cran- 
berries raised  in  Va.  §  5 
R.  H.  Dibrell,  for  best  collection  of  grapes,  no  competition.  Certificate 
To  same  for  best  native  grapes,  Norton's  Virginia.  $  5 

The  Committee  beg  leave  to  express  their  gratification  at  the 
marked  increase  of  interest  in  regard  to  fruit  native  to  the  State,  and 
especially  the  Apple.  Their  attention  was  particularly  arrested 
by  "the  Pilot,"  originating  in  Nelson  Co.,  Va.  and  exhibited  by 
John  Dollins  of  Albemarle,  the  "Mason,"  and  the  "Gully,"  origina- 
ting with  Dr.  Geo.  Mason  of  Brunswick  Co.  Between  these  varie- 
ties, the  Committee  did  not  make  a  decision  and  express  the  opin- 
ion that  the  premium  be  divided  between  the  "Pilot"  and  the 
"Mason,"  both  being  highly  commended  by  high  authority  as  pos- 
sessing remarkable  keeping  qualities. 

The  exhibitors  of  Apples  all  merit  commendation,  and  had  they 
all  occupied  the  same  ground,  so  as  to  claim  that  they  had  raised 
the  apples  they  exhibited,  it  would  have  been  difficult  for  the  Com- 
mittee to  have  decided  between  them. 

The  Committee  felt  bound  to  make  it  a  condition  that  the  fruit  con- 
tending for  a  premium,  should  be  in  the  name  of  the  individual  that 
raised  it. 

The  committee  recommend  that  the  Society  establish  this   as  a 
rule  hereafter. 
J.  A.  Foster,   best  specimen  of   Dried  Peaches,  very    fine, 

(though  less  than  a  bushel,)  $  5 

W.  A.  Gillespie,  for  best  specimen  of  Dried  Apples,  1  bus.  5 

J.  A.  Foster,  for  1  peck  do.  very  fine,  Certificate 

CLASS  II. 
Jos.  Rennie,  for  best  and  largest  collection  of  Vegetables.         $  25 
Garland  Hanes,  for  2d  best  and  largest  collection  do  §  10 

J.  E.  L.  Masurier,  for  best  £  dozen  cauliflowers.  5 

Jos.  Rennie,  for  best  dozen  carrots.  2 

J.  E.  L.  Masurier  for  best  doz.  celery,  5 

F.  Bierehcnk,  for  2d  best  do,  Certificate 

Jos.  Rennie,  for  best  dozen  Parsnips,  2 

S.  G.  B.  Faulkner,  for  best  doz.  Pumpkins,  2 

Jos.  Rennie,  for  best  doz.  Salsify,  2 

Garland  Hanes,  Jr.,  for  2d  best  salsify,  Certificate 

Dr.  J.  G.  Lumpkin  for  best  bus.  Sweet  Potatoes,  5 

vol.  in — 48 


754  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 


P.  T.  Atkinson,  for  second  best  do,  Certificate 

Garland  Hanes,  for  best  bushel  Irish  Potatoes,  5 

Jas.  Newman,  2d  best  do,  Certificate 

Jos.  Rennie,  best  Turnips,  2 

Garland  Hanes,  2d  best  do,  Certificate 

Same,  best  doz.  Endives,  2 

Jos.  Rennie,  best  peck  Tomatoes,  2 

R.  Y.  S.                best  do,             ■  Certificate 
Your  committee  recommend    a  discretionary  premium  to  W.  L. 
Cowardin  for  the  "Joe  Johnson,"  "Watermelon. 

CLASS  III. 

Allan  i  Johnson,  for  best  collection  of  Plants,  §15 

"                              "  of  flowering  Shrubs,  10 

"                              "  Fluschias,  5 

"                               "  Chrysanthemums,  5 

"                               "  Geraniums,  10 

"                              "  Foliage  Plants,  8 

John  Morton,  largest  and  best  collection  of  cut  flowers,  10 

Allan  £  Johnson,  2d  best  do,  6 

John  Morton,  for  handsomest  design,  6 

M                                  "crops,  5 

"                                "  buquet,  2 

There  was  a  large  and  very  fine  Citronella  exhibited  by  Miss 
Augusta  H.  West,  and  an  India  Rubber  Tree  exhibited  by  Dr.  W. 

B.  Pleasants,  of  Richmond.  No  premiums  being  offered  for  these 
plants,  the  committee  would  recommend  certificates  for  each. 

CLASS  IV. 

The  Committee  on  "Wines  report  that  there  were  a  large  number 
of  Wines  on  exhibition,  and  it  was  difficult  to  decide  between  many 
of  them. 

They  make  the  following  awards,  viz : 
Messrs.   Burbank  k,    Gallagher,  for   the   best  American   wine 

(scuppernong,)  $  15 

Marcus  Buck,  for  best  Catawba  wine,  5 

Col.  W.    Gilham,  for  best  Concord  wine,  5 

Messrs.  Burbank  &  Gallaher,  for  best  Scuppernong  wine  5 

C.  Saner,  for  best  Norton  wine,  5 
Mrs  Theo.  Martin,  for  best  Currant  wine,  5 
Miss  M.  A.  Pattington,  for  best  Blackberry  wine,  5 


1S69.]  PLANTER    AND    FARMER.  755 

The  committee  recommend  a  premium  to  Mr.  J.  E.  Lipscomb,  for 
"  Buingardner  "  whiskey  exhibited  by  him. 

CLASS  V. 
Messrs.  II.  M.  Smith  &   Co.,  for  best   Cider  and  Wine  mill, 

(Hovey's  patent,)  $  10 

Same,  for  second  best  do.,  (Tlutcheson's  patent,)  5 

Same,  for  best  collection  of  Horticultural  Implements,  10 

Same,  for  best  Garden  and  Seed  Drill,  10 

Same,  for  best  Garden  Cultivator,  (horse  power,)  10 

Same,  for  best  Garden  Roller,  (horse  power,)  5 

Your  committee  recommend  a  Certificate  of  Merit  to  G.  C.  Cor- 
mick,  for  exhibition  Basket  and  Flower  stands. 

CLASS  VI. 
Dr.  L.  R.  Dickinson,  for  best  Essay  on  Fertilizers,  $  20 

H.  Jones,  for  best  Essay  on  Grape  Culture,  20 

"Author,"  for  best  Essay  on  some  "Insects  injurious  to  Vege- 
tation," 20 

SPECIAL  COMMITTEES. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

The  special  committee  appointed  to  examine  a  number  of  articles 
which  were  entered  too  late  for  examination  by  the  regular  com- 
mittees, report  as  follows  : 

They  have  examined  the  various  articles  submitted  to  them,  and 
enumerate  below  those  they  deem  worthy  of  special  mention  on 
account  of  superior  quality  : 

1.  A  very  fine  collection  of  Virginia-grown  potatoes,  from  the 
Riverside  Small  Fruit  farm  of  S.  C.  \:  R.  Denise,  Norfolk,  Va..  com- 
prising specimens  of  Early  Rose,  Early  Mohawk,  Dyesight,  and 
King  of  the  Earlies. 

2.  Some  fine  specimens  of  Early  Rose  potatoes,  from  J.  B.  Lip- 
pincott,  Esq. 

3.  Some  remarkably  fine  Peach  Blow  potatoes,  from  Robert 
Douthat,  Esq.,  Charles  City  county,  Va.  Also,  some  from  Col.  J. 
B.  McClung,  Hot  Springs,  Va. 

4.  A  superior  lot  of  Flat  Dutch  cabbage,  by  Col.  J.  B.  McClung, 
from  the  Hot  Springs,  Virginia,  grown  from  seed  raised  by  Allan  ft 
Johnson,  of  Richmond.  This  is  the  finest  cabbage  on  exhibition. 
Col.  McClung  also  has  on  exhibition  a  lot  of  superior  parsn; 

5.  Schmidt  &  Miller,  European  grocers,  of  Richmond,  Va.,  ex- 


756  THE  SOUTHER*  [December 

hibit  an  excellent  assortment  of  the  finest  foreign  groceries,  embrac- 
ing Lentil's  German  Peas,  Pearl  Barley,  Holland  Herrings,  Russian 
'Sardines,  Arrack,  Rhine  Wine,  kc. 

6.  Marcus  B.  Buck,  Esq  ,  of  Belmont  Vineyards,  Front  Royal, 
Warren  county,  Va.,  exhibits  superior  specimens  of  the  "  Hicks  " 
white  apple,  (a  native  of  Rappahannock  county,  Ya.)  We  regard 
this  as  one  of  the  finest  eating  apples  we  know,  and  one  of  the  best 
products  of  Virginia  horticulture. 

7.  John  S.  Coles,  Esq.,  Albemarle  county,  Va.,  exhibits  superb 
specimens  of  hot  house  grapes,  embracing  the  Black  Hamburg,  Dra- 
con's  Superb,  Cannon  Muscat,  and  White  Muscat,  of  Alexandria. 

8.  Mr.  J.  D.  Williamson,  of  New  York  Fruit  Growers'  Club,  ex- 
hibits very  fine  specimens  of  the  Duchess  D'Angouleme  Pear. 

9.  M.  P.  King,  Esq.,  of  North  Carolina,  exhibits  good  samples  of 
the  highly  commended  wine  grape,  the  "Mist." 

10.  Mr.  Morrisett,  of  Norfolk,  Va.,  exhibits  a  barrel  of  splendid 
Lynn  Haven  oysters.  These  are  shown  as  productions  of  Virginia 
noil,  and  do  credit  to  the  Old  Dominion. 

11.  Mr.  Maurice  Evans,  of  Richmond,  exhibits  some  handsome 
flower-pots. 


The  special  committee  on  articles  in  the  Pomological  Hall  that 
had  not  been  examined  by  other  committees,  first,  would  call  special 
attention  to  the  Catawba  Brandies  of  Mr.  M.  B.  Buck,  of  the  Bel- 
mont vineyards,  Warren  county,  Virginia. 

These  brandies  are  distilled  from  fine  pure  wine  of  the  vintage  of 
1S65,  and  not  from  the  grape,  as  is  usual,  and  consequently  they 
are  of  a  superior  quality  for  medicinal  and  all  other  purposes. 

Second.  The  Catawba  grapes  from  the  same  vineyards  as  the 
above,  are  worthy  of  mention  for  their  rich,  dark  color,  their 
abundance  of  saccharine  matter  and  fine  flavor. 

Third.  The  grape  roots  and  cuttings  (numerous  varieties)  one  year 
old,  grown  in  the  open  air,  from  the  above  vineyards,  are  of  the 
first  quality. 


The  special  committee  appointed  to  examine  the  "Planet  Hand 
Drill,"  exhibited  by  S.  L.  Allen,  of  Burlington,  N.  J.,  regret  that 
it  was  not  in  place  when  the  regular  committee  were  examining 
horticultural  implements,  as  they  regard  it  as  being  decidedly  the 
best  Seed  Drill  and  Fertilizer  Distributor  on  exhibition. 

We  recommend  that  a  first  class  premium  be  awarded  Mr.  Allen 
for  same. 


18G9.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  757 


Seed  Peanuts. 

The  large  amount  of  inferior  peanuts  going  now  into  market,  and 
the  diseased  condition  of  the  germs  of  the  nuts,  with  an  apparently 
fair,  bright  hull,  renders  a  word  of  caution  here  particularly  apropos 
to  those  who  have  slight  experience  in  planting  and  growing  the 
crop.  On  splitting  open  the  peas  you  will  find  on  the  little  leaflets 
of  the  germ  at  the  pointed  end  of  the  kernel  a  brownish  tinge,  and 
often  grayish  spots  on  the  thin,  pale  pink  skin  ;  later  in  the  season 
you  will  find  all  spotted,  mildewed,  or  inferior  peas,  become  deep 
red,  or  pink  ;  all  such  should  be  rejected  for  seed.  There  is  no 
crop  on  which  success  depends  so  much  in  the  character  of  the  seed 
as  this  capricious  one  of  Pindars.  The  drouth  caused  the  first  nuts 
formed  in  many  soils  to  decay,  and  induced  disease  in  others,  and 
this  has  been  particularly  observable  on  lands  admirably  adapted  to 
growing  the  crop,  and  is  most  often  found  on  lands  where  the  fertu 
lizers,  Guano,  lime,  and  the  phosphates  were  used.  Such  lands 
have  produced  large  crops  of  vines;  pops  and  saps,  water  to  convey 
food  was  wanting  for  development,  heat  induced  disease,  death,  and 
decay  in  the  nuts  first  formed,  and  unhealthy  products,  so  far  as  the 
germs  are  concerned,  is  general  in  the  crop  formed  subsequent  to 
the  last  rains.  The  query  in  the  peanut  growing  district  is  universal, 
where  shall  we  procure  good  seed  ? 

Good  seed  should  be  of  pale  pink,  uniform  in  color,  bright  lobes 
on  opening  the  kernels,  germ  and  leaflets  without  tinge  of  brown, 
and  should  be  kept  in  sacks  suspended  in  airy  barn  lofts,  dry  and 
cool,  all  winter.  The  writer  of  this  has  "no  axe  to  grind,"  and  will 
probably  be  a  seed  buyer,  although  several  hundred  bushels  were 
grown  on  his  lands  the  present  season.  B. 


Curculio. 

Mr.  John  C.  Glenn  selected  his  grounds  for  his  plum  trees  near 
his  barn,  planted  them  altogether,  surrounded  them  with  a  tall 
picket  fence,  and  made  his  henhouse  in  the  inclosure.  lie  keeps 
from  twenty  to  fifty  hens.  He  also  puts  into  this  same  inclosure  two 
pigs  ;  the  hens  are  fond  of  insects,  and  gather  and  swallow  eagerly 
all,  or  nearly  all,  the  curculio;  and  should  they  escape  the  hens  and 
sting  the  fruit,  the  fruit  falls,  and  the  pigs,  being  fond  of  plums,  eat 
them  at  once,  and  thus  fine  crops  of  plums  have  been  made  from 
year  to  year. 


THE  SOUTHERN  PLANTER  AND  FARMER 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA DECEMBER.  1869. 

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(fnitoml  Department 


The  Southern  Planter  and  Farmer. 

The  third  volume  of  the  new  series  of  this  Journal  closes  contemporaneously 
with  the  year  1869.  We  have  labored  in  sunshine  and  cloud  in  sickness  and  in 
health — often  under  embarrassment  and  disappointment — for  the  promotion  f 
the  welfare  of  Virginia  and  the  South,  within  the  sphere  which  circumscribes 
our  labors.  We  submit  the  result  t)  the  judgment  of  our  subscribers  and 
readers,  the  award  of  which  will  be  indicated  in  the  greater  or  less  support 
which  may  be  accorded  to  us  in  the  coming  year.  X  -ne.  we  think  can  deiy 
that  we  have  faithfully  fulfilled  our  contract  with  our  bi  re,  ar.d  that  the 

correlative  duty  remains  to  be  performed  on  their  part,  of  promptly  paving  up 
arrears  of  subseriptic.  There  are  a  number  excepted  from  this  class  who 
hive  paid  up  to  January  nest,  and  s;me  of  our  subscribers  who  have  kinily 
and  generously  extended  their  payments  up  to  1871  and  1^72.  Oa  the  review 
of  the  past  history  of  our  Journal — like  Paul  on  his  long,  painful,  and  per 
journey  to  R  'me,  shipwreck  included,  when  he  met  with  sympathy  and  cour- 
teous treatment  by  the  way,  and  at  length  arrived  at  Appii  Forum,  was  met 
and  comforted  by  the  brethren,  was  enabled  to  thank  God  and  take  courage — 
we.  fallowing  his  example,  shall  enter  upon  tl  year  under  the  inspiration 

of  hope,  the  animating,  and  faith,  the  actuating  principle  of  human  action,  and 
commending  our  labors  ti  II  m  al  ne,  in  whose  favor  we  may  meekly  and 
Silently  trust,  we  shall   await  the  developments  of  the  (to  us)  unknown  future 
for  such  measure  of  success  in  our  labors   as  He  may  graciously  please  to 
gran:  us. 


Fairs  of  1869, 

The  State  and  District  Fairs  throughout  the  South  have  proved  successful. 

That  of  our  Virginia  State  Agricultural  Society  eminently  so.     TVe  cannot  give 

our  readers  a  better  impression  of  this  than  by  submitting  to  them,  as  we  have 

:.  in  this  number,  the  awaris  of  premiums  by  the  Society,  and  by  the  A  ir- 

ginia  Horticultural  and  Pomologies]  Society  which  united  with  the  State  Society 


18G9.]  PLANTER  AND  FARMER.  759 

in  one  general  exhibition.  There  is  one  thing  we  cannot  omit,  a?  it  tends  to 
corroborate  the  grand  success  claimed  for  our  Society,  namely  :  That  a  larger 
percentage  of  the  premiums  offered  were  actually  awarded  than  we  have  ever 
known  within  the  scope  of  nor  past  experience. 

The  Committee  on  '•  Short  Horn  Cattle"  omitted  to  report  the  following 
premiums  awarded  to  S.  W.  Ficklin,  Esq   : 

28.  Best  Heifer  under  2  years  old,  $10 

29.  Second  best  Heifer  under  2  years  old,  5 
The  chairman  of  the  committee,  James  Newman,  Esq  ,  has  since  corrected 

the  report  by  adding  the  above  premiums,  which,  when  reviewed  and  approved* 
as  doubtless  will  ba  done,  by  the  Executive  Committee,  Mr.  Ficklin  will  be 
entitled  to  draw  the  premiums.  The  report  on  tbe  section  of  the  premium  list 
relating  to  ploughs  is  for  the  present  withheld,  by  reason  of  an  appeal  taken 
on  some  part  of  the  subject  matter  of  it,  which  also  awaits  tbe  decision  of  the 
Executive  Committee. 

The  citizens  of  the  State,  and  especially  of  Richmond,  bave  largely  partici- 
pated in  the  honors  of  the  season,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  paragrarha 
extracted  from  the  Richmond  Whig  and  from  the  Enquirer  and  Examiner: 

Dixie  Plough  in  tbe  Far  West. — It  was  a  striking  truth  which  Colonel 
Williamson,  of  New  York,  referred  to  in  his  remarks  before  the  Horticultural 
Society  during  the  Fair  week,  when  he  stated  that  the  Virginia-made  ploughs 
were  better  and  cheaper  than  those  of  Northern  manufacture,  and  that  here" 
after  the  demand  from  the  North  would  be  much  enlarged. 

We  have  before  us  a  correspondence  relating  to  occurrences  at  Jerseyville. 
Illinuis,  at  a  Fair  held  at  that  place  in  October.  In  the  competition  for  the 
best  plough  were  many  entries.  No  little  attention  had  been  given  to  the  skill 
and  taste  with  which  the  mechanical  service  was  performed  in  producing  bright 
steel  mouldboards,  varnished  framework,  &c,  and  it  was  considered  somewhat 
presumptuous  that  the  plain  and  substantial  specimen  of  Starke's  Dixie,  brought 
from  the  Sooth,  should  be  thought  of  in  connection  with  the  honors  of  the  occa. 
sion.  Consequently  it  was  left  for  the  last,  and  then  the  ploughman  enquired 
with  an  indifferent  air  if  he  must  try  it.  He  was  requested  to  do  so,  and,  before 
the  round  was  made,  he  was  exultant  in  his  praises  of  the  implement.  The 
crowd  was  astonished  at  the  work  executed  by  the  "  Dixie ;"  the  ploughman 
never  held  before  in  his  hands  such  a  plough,  and  the  judges  awarded  to  it 
with  entire  unanimity  the  premium.  Well  done  for  Virginia,  Richmond,  and 
the  well  known  Starke  plough  of  renown  ! 

The  Wilmington  Fair — Premiums  to  Vircinians. — At  the  first  annual 
Fair  of  the  Cape  Fear  Agricultural  Society  held  at  Wilmington  last  week,  the 
following  premiums  were  awarded  to  Virginia  exhibitors: 

Best  whiskey  (Bumgardner),  J.  W.  Rison,  Richmond  ;  second  best,  "  Sunny 
South,"  A.  Myers,  Norfolk. 

Best  subsoil  plough,  Palmer  >fc  Turpin,  Richmond. 

Best  single  and  double  plough,  garden  plough,  corn  planter,  Prescott,  Liberty 
Mills,  Va  ,  diploma. 

Best  gaag  plough,  II.  M.  Smith,  Richmond,  Va.,  diploma. 

Best  patent  well  fixtures,  II.  M.  Smith  &  Co.,  diploma. 

The  committee  award  a  diploma  to  N.  A.  Young,  of  Richmond,  Va.,  for  a 
vise  and  drill  combination,  an  extension  screw-driver,  and  a  patent  mucilage 
cup,  of  all  of  which  they  speak  in  tho  highest  terms. 


760  THE  SOUTHERN  [December 


Also,  a  diploma  to  E.  A.  Dayton,  of  Richmond,  Va.,  for  a  lot  of  twisted  drills, 
screw-wrenches,  self  adjusting  saw  mandrils,  all  of  which  are  most  excellent. 

The  committee  are  favorably  impressed  with  Harding's  Fire  and  Thief  De- 
tector, Bagby  &  Jeffers,  agents,  Richmond,  Va  ,  and  recommended  a  diploma. 

Best  assortment  of  drugs  and  medieines,  J.  W.  Rison,  Richmond,  Va.,  $5. 

Steam  atomizer  and  fancy  articles,  J.  W.  Rison,  Richmond,  Va.,  diploma. 

The  committee  return  thanks  for  many  curious  articles  from  China,  contrib- 
uted by  Miss  II.  A.  Suddoth,  of  Manchester,  Va.  They  attracted  much 
attention. 


The  New  Eclectic 


Comes  bcfi.re  us  with  a  most  attractive  prospectus  for  1870.  This  journal, 
having  absorbed  The  Land  We  Love,  stands  now  in  the  fore-front  as  the  leader 
and  organ  of  S  mthern  literature  ;  and  it  is  for  our  people  to  decide  whether 
thev  will  sustain  the  energy  and  brains  grown  and  developed  on  their  own 
soil,  and  in  their  own  genial  clime,  or  whether  they  will  starve  literature,  and 
by  their  continued  apathy  render  the  life  of  any  such  enterprise  a  simple  im- 
possibility. The  talent,  home  and  foreign,  that  is  pledged  to  The  Eclectic  is 
an  ample  guarantee  that,  as  it  has  been  in  the  past,  so  it  will  be  in  the  futare, 
well  worthy  of  a  generous  support ;  and  it  is  not  demanding  too  much  when  we 
ask  that  at  least  every  neighborhood  in  the  South  6hall  take  and  real  one  or 
more  copies.  Money  thus  spent  will  bring  to  any  family  a  rich  return,  in 
enlarging  the  views,  elevating,  and  in  many  instances  creating  and  refining, 
the  tastes  of  our  children,  and  leading  them  to  seek  the  sources  from  whence 
the  streams  of  knowledge  derived  from  TnE  Eclectic  are  obtained. 

Poverty  is  a  poor  plea,  when  the  amount  necessary  to  obtain  such  a  journal 
as  this  is  so  small.  Better  by  far  economize  in  some  other  quarter.  People  of 
the  South,  do  not  save  by  starving  the  minds  of  your  children. 

Ilaving  said  this  much  we  most  cordially  commend  "  The  New  Eclectic  "  to 
our  readers,  with  the  hope  that  we  may  have  been  instrumental  in  securing  for 
its  deserving  publishers  many  subscribers.  The  subscription  is  $4  per  annum. 
Address  Turnbull  &  Murdoch,  54  Lexington  street,  Baltimore. 


PROPERTY  UBRART 


The  Dickson  Fertilizer  Company. 

In  passing  through  Augusta,  Georgia,  a  short  time  since,  we  called  on  Mr. 
James  T.  Gardiner,  the  courteous  and  thorough  business  manager  of  tie 
above-named  company,  and  found  him  alive  to  the  interests  of  his  own 
people,  and  zealously  engaged  in  sending  "the  Dickson  Compound  "  through- 
out Georgia  and  the  South.  He  made  many  enquiries  in  regard  to  Virginia 
and  North  Carolina,  and,  with  a  view  of  developing  new  trade,  determined  to 
advertise  with  us. 

This  compound  is  highly  spoken  of  wherever  it  has  been  used  ;  and  Mr. 
Gardiner  can,  we  doubt  not,  supply  many  of  our  readers  in  Eastern  and  West- 
ern North  Carolina,  and,  indeed,  in  many  parts  of  Virginia,  at  as  low  rates- 
freight  included- as  other  companies.  The  energy,  and,  we  may  say,  com- 
mendable enterprise  displayed  by  this  company  deserves  especial  mention,  and 
we  hope  they  may  meet  with  such  patronage  as  shall  insure  abundant  success. 


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