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THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 

Bebotetr to gtgrfculture, ffiortfcuiturc, anU the ajcuseftolto £lvts 



Agriculture is the nursing mother of the 
Arts . — Xenojthon . 



Tillage and Pasturage are the two breasts 
of the State.— Sully. 



Vol. XL 



RICHMOND, MAY, 1851. 



No. 5. 



R. B. GOOCH, Editor. 



P. D. BERNARD, Proprietor. 



From the American Farmer. 
ON CLOVER CULTURE. 

BY EDMUND RUFFIN. 

Clover is now generally and properly con- 
sidered as one of the valuable held crops of 
many fanners. It is generally understood that 
the improvement of land and of grain crops, 
as well as other important profits, would be 
very imperfectly pursued, without the aid of 
clover culture. Yet the power ofland in lower 
Virginia to produce red clover to advantage, 
in field culture, has been but a recent creation 
and discovery. Thirty years ago, the produc- 
tion of clover in this region was confined to a 
few farms of the best natural soils, and on 
them, to small and very fertile spaces. A few 
aipres of clover, to .supply early green food, 
and rarely some bad hay, was the most that 
was obtained anywhere, except on soils of the 
highest natural fertility, on which only gypsum 
.would act. If elsewhere sown over a whole 
-Field, (on the young wheat,) as many persons 
did, perhaps once or twice only, the growth 
was generally so small, sparse and feeble, and 
so soon was it killed by stronger natural weeds, 
that such efforts were almost always unprofi- 
table; and the general production of clover, 
as part of a regular rotation of crops, was soon 
deemed hopeless. 

My own early attempts to grow clover were 
continued for some years and extended over 
all except the very poor land of my farm. — 
But few planis lived through a year, and fewer 
attained more than dwarfish size. And the 
only small exceptions of comparative good 
success, were on highly enriched lots, which, 
besides other manuring ingredients, certainly 
possessed (like all other best soils,) much more 
lime than the ordinary proportion in our lands. 
It was after having abandoned as hopeless all 
attempts for extended clover culture, that I 
began to make my fields calcareous by the use 
of marl. And when the marled land had pro- 
duced its first crop of wheat, and was left to 
rest under its after growth of natural weeds, 
clover of vigorous growth and good size showed 
sparselv the next year, and in some places 
stood thick enough to be mown tor hay — the 
first such product I had ever obtained. This 
new and then unexpected and remarkable 
growth, sprang either from dormant seeds of 
Vol. XI.-5. 



the ineffectual early sowing— or otherwise from 
the seeds produced on the few planis which 
grew, and which were so diminutive and so 
soon dead, as not to have attracted my notice 
as exceptions to the supposed general and 
speedy failure. The observation of the later 
results, alter marling, served to indicate the 
true cause of the previous and general failures 
of clover culture, and the means by which that 
culture could be made productive. 

The sowing clover seed throughout my fields 
was then resumed, and the results, after marl- 
ing, were as generally successful as before 
they had been the reverse. The before gene- 
rally and well understood fact that clover could 
not be raised to any profit in lower Virginia, 
had been ascribed to the heat and severe 
droughts of the summer months, and to the 
general excess of sand in the soil. These cer- 
tainly are strong obstacles, which now, as then, 
still oppose general success. Eut it is now 
clear that the former general and insuperable 
obstacle was the almost univeisal and great 
deficiency of lime in the land. Wherever that 
defect has since been removed, by sufficient 
liming or marling, it is found that "clover will 
grow well, if under other favorable circum- 
stances of soil and season. We still frequently 
fail in the crop, because of too sandy soil and 
dry seasons. But though a precarious product, 
the growth is naturalized on every soil made 
calcareous; and the crop, if scanty, on poor 
lands, is yet hardy and tenacious of life, as if 
indigenous. Further— in many, if not in most 
cases, after full marling or liming, our soils 
which before had been incapable of receiving 
any benefit from gypsum, then become suscep- 
tible of this mysterious and important influ- 
ence, and by which the product of clover is so 
greatly increased. 

In seeding clover, it is necessary to choose 
a time, and state of circumstances, when its 
young and feeble growth will be the least ob- 
structed by other and more vigorous plants. 
The usual and best condition of land is when 
it has been sown in wheat (or oats) following 
either corn, or some other cleansing crop.— 
The young wheat then has almost exclusive 
possession of the land; and the young clover 
sown in winter or early spring, is rather pro- 
tected than injured by the over-shadowing 
wheat. When, however, the land is very rich 
and the wheat very rank in growth, its too 
dense shade is apt to Another and entirely de- 



/ _ 



130 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



stroy the young clover, as all other young 
plants. 

Clover seed may be sown on the first or any 
later snow. But I prefer a time and condition 
of things which usually occurs some time in 
February or early in March. This is when, 
after the ground has been frozen, it thaws and 
dries, and by its contraction opens in nume- 
rous little superficial fissures or cracks. Then 
the sowing should be pushed on as rapidly as 
possible, as the first rain will destroy this fa- j 
vorable state of the soil. If the seed is then 
sown, a large proportion will fall into the i 
cracks and be covered by the first expansion \ 
of the soil. The safety of the young sprouts 
from frosts, and from drying winds and sun, is 
thus much better secured, than when the seeds 
are left (as usual) lying on the surface of the 
earth. But it is still better for securing a good 
"stand," and the living of the young clover, 
that the ground shall be lightly harrowed be- 
fore the sowing of the seed, and still better if 
it is rolled immediately after. But it is not 
often that much of a wheat field in February, 
or even in March, is dry enough for safe har- 
rowing or rolling— even if there is spare force 
and time foreitheror both of these operations, j 
The sowing of clover seed overall the land 
required, is a tedious business, if to be executed 
as usual, by casting the seed, and by good sow- 
ers only. There is not always to be found 
even one such competent sower on a farm — 
and rarely three or four. Moreover, great ir- 
regularities and defects in the sowing of clover 
seed cannot be known until after the plants 
are well up, and when too late to alter any 
wrong procedure, or supply deficiencies. — 
Again — every high wind obstructs and sus- j 
pends the sowing; and in March, there are 
but few days in which the wind is not too 
strong. Thus, the whole available season is 
scarcely long enough for getting the seed on 
the land in the ordinary modes of sowing; and, 
as such slow work, by a small force, at differ- 
ent and uncertain times, cannot possibly have 
proper supervision, it will certainly be done 
both worse and more slowly than necessary. 
Of course, under such circumstances, there 
can be no waiting for the proper and best con- 
dition of the ground for receiving the seed, of 
which there is not often more than a few days' 
continuance, before rain comes to fill the cracks 
and settle the loose surface. 

The mode which I have long pursued, and 
by which most of the usual difficulties are 
avoided, will now be described. Each sower 
is provided with an apron to hold the reed, one 
end of which is tied around the neck or waist, 
as found most convenient. The other end of 
the cloth is gathered up and held by the left 
hand, at suitable height. The same hand also 
holds the handle of a light paddle, of which 
the broad part may be about seven inches 
wide and eight or nine inches long. The head- 
ing of old flour barrels or broad shingles, offer 
suitable materials for these paddles. Thesower 
holds the paddle in front of his breast, sloping 



outward and the upper end higher than the 
handle. With the right hand he takes up as 
much seed as can be held in the closed tips of 
the thumb and two fingers, without overrun- 
ning, and throws the seeds with some force 
against the paddle. Trial will soon direct the 
proper slope or angle at which it is best to hold 
the board; and when so held, the rebounding 
seeds will scatter very equally right and left 
and in front of the sower. As walking along 
the row, he dips up the seeds as one step is 
made, and throws them with the next one. If 
the board is only held in a proper and uniform 
position, and the seeds taken up as directed, 
and thrown with sufficient force, any totally 
inexperienced laborer can sow well, and indeed 
cannot avoid distributing the seeds equally. — 
I usually employ in sowing every hand not re- 
quired for other service, including women and 
young ones. All who are able to walk with 
the best hands, keep in one party, and sow, 
walking abreast, or side by side along the rows. 
If there are young or less able hands who 
could not keep up with the others, they may be 
kept in a separate gang, with one careful old 
hand to watch and direct them. 

To regulate the quantity of seed according 
to the land and its condition, a certain number 
of sowers are required to sow a marked width. 
If the wheat field is in ridges or beds, whether 
broad or narrow, each sower may carry about 
five or five and a half feet of width. One or 
the other of these widths is usual for corn rows; 
and either the same or some multiple of the 
width, is made a bed for wheat. My own beds 
are mostly either of twenty-five or twenty-se- 
ven and a half feet width. To seed such/ 
about five sowers walk abreast on each bed. 
Men and women or smaller hands are placed 
alternately, so that their different quantities of 
seed may be averaged and equalized. As the 
seeds thrown by each sower scatter over a 
width of seven to ten feet, of course each row 
of seeding laps well on the two nearest rows. 
| In this way, I think three quarts of seed enough 
to the acre, in ordinary cases, and serving to 
give a better and more equal seeding than four 
quarts sown in the usual manner of casting. 
' And if the seeds sprout and live well, three 
! quarts will be an abundant supply. For the 
\ general deficiencies'of clover plants, at later 
time, is not so much for want of seeds, as be- 
I cause of their failure to sprout, or the plants 
i being afterwards killed by freezing or drought. 
In this mode the whole seeding may be fin- 
shed in two or three days at most, and be 
properly superintended. The overseer walk- 
ing at one end of the row of sowers and look- 
ing along their line of boards, can readily see 
any important defect of careless hands. Hav- 
ing in view this rapid operation, there is no 
need of hurrying the commencement, or sow- 
ing when the lnnd is not in good condition, for 
fear of being too late. The proper loose and 
cracked condition of the wheat field will be 
sure to occur some time late in February or in 
March. Then sow as quickly as possible, for 



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THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



131 



fear of rain occurring to destroy this most fa- 
vorable condition. If nothing is done to cover 
the seeds, it will be done tolerably well by the 
rains alone, on a surface so fissured and open. 
But it will be much better and go as far as is 
possible to insure success, it the land can be 
lightly harrowed before seeding, and rolled af- 
terwards. A wooden roller, set thickly with 
pegs, and not too heavy for its object, will serve 
much belter than a smooth roller for this pur- 
pose. When there is no time for either of these 
slower operations, bush-harrowing on dry and 
light soils, will be the next best mode of co- 
vering. By lying enough of any thick branch- 
ing rigid boughs, (as hawthorn, willow-oak, 
&c.) along a pole, a rough broom may be made 
which will sweep and lightly scratch a breadth 
of eighteen or twenty feet— and yet be light 
enough to be drawn by one mule. 

So far as time and force will allow, rolling 
the land after sowing is preferable to the bush- 
harrowing. Rolling not only covers the seeds, 
but by compressing the loose surface soil, is a 
benefit to the growth of both the wheat and 
the clover. 

Still better will it be if light harrows can 
precede the sowing and rolling. I have used 
for this purpose square harrows, with twenty 
or twenty-five straight teeth (or " tines") sweep- 
ing five feet, and light enough to be drawn by 
one horse or mule. But having none of this 
kind recently, 1 have used like harrows, too 
heavy for one mule, but a very light draught 
for two. The points of (he teeth should be 
somewhat worn by previous use. I have not 
found the running of such harrows materially 
injurious to wheat on dry land, by tearing up 
the plants; and when followed quickly by the 
roller, it can scarcely be otherwise than bene- 
ficial. 

If the clover seeds are sown ahead of the 
harrow, they slide off of all the little eminences, 
and are collected in the hollows. This is one 
of the usual and general and worst causes of 
unequal distribution and waste of seed. The 
light harrow, if following this seeding, will 
scratch through the eminences where there are 
no seeds, and seldom touch the depressions, 
where most of the seeds are clustered. But 
when the harrowing precedes, ihe seeds are 
stopped by and in the scratches, and are as apt 
to remain on the higher as the lower spots. — 
The subsequent settling of the loosened earth 
covers nearly all the seeds, even without roll- 
ing. But rolling in addition, wherever it can 
be done, adds greatly to the perfection of the 
whole operation. 

There is another advantage in the seeding 
being after instead of before the harrow, if on 
flush ploughed land. Each row of the harrow 
may leave a very narrow, but perceptible in- 
terval between it and the preceding row. Six 
or ten inches width thus omitted will be no 
objection. Then every row may be easily dis- 
tinguished, and will serve as rows for the sow- 
ers to walk on. This is an important aid, when 



there is no bedding to furnish marks for the 
sowing. 

After the wheat crop has been removed from 
the held, it is advisable to bring on cattle and 
other live stock, not only to eat the remaining 
wheat, but' also for the benefit of the young 
clover. The land is then too open and puffy 
to suit clover, which demands a close compact 
soil. The trampling of animals is in this re- 
spect beneficial — and much more so than 
enough to counterbalance the injury to the 
clover which their grazing must cause, if con- 
sidered alone. Still the grazing should be as 
little as will give sufficient trampling — and the 
access of stock should not be permuted when, 
the ground is wet. 

Perhaps a further benefit from cattle being 
on young clover, is caused by their treading 
down the weeds, and preventing so much shad- 
ing of the clover. Too much shade to clover in 
summer is very injurious. I have seen it killed 
entirely, in spots, by a covering of straw ap- 
plied after harvest, and so light, that the straw 
was held up off the ground by weeds. Also I 
have heard from General Coi bin Braxton, that 
he has maintained a manifest better stand and 
growth of clover by mowing the growth of 
weeds, (mostly carrot weed, or "rag weed,") 
which always succeeds our wheat, and soon 
overtops the young clover. The removal of 
the shade must be the cause of the undoubted 
benefit to the clover. 

The most economical and profitable appli- 
cation of putrescent manures (of stables and 
stock pens,) is to clover, in March and April, 
in the year succeeding that of the seeding. — 
But as that mode of applying manure has been 
before treated of in a distinct article,* but a 
few words will here be added on that head. 
All spots of clover thickly standing on poor 
ground, and where but a mean crop may be 
expected, should certainly be top-dressed in 
the manner referred to. Thus, with favorable 
season, a mean and almost worthless growth 
maybe made heavy enough to be a good green 
manuring for the next succeeding grain crop. 
When good land and clover are so top-dressed, 
the subsequent mowing of the crop is not pre- 
vented, nor much impeded by the manure hav- 
ing been applied. Indeed in the two or three 
months following the application, the manure, 
will have been mostly convened to clover, and 
the remnant of undecomposed manure will rie 
so close to the ground as to be but little in the 
way of the scythe. It is proper however to 
leave the stubble higher where manure had 
been applied. 

Many farmers, who properly deem their clo- 
ver a manure crop, object to mowing and re- 
moving any portion of it, as being an improper 
abstraction of fertility from the land. So dif- 
ferent are my views, that I would wish every 
acre of clover to be mowed once, if time and 
force permit, and if the product would pay for 
the labor. 

* Republished in American Farmer, vol. t, p. 70. 



132 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



Clover, in common with all other plants 
of the leguminous tribe or pod bearing fa- 
mily, draws less support from the soil, and 
more from the atmosphere, in proportion to 
the feeding or manuring value of the pro- 
duct, than any other family of plants. The 
peculiar value of clover as a manuring 
crop has long been known, and made use 
of in practice. The like value of the na- 
tive pea (or more correctly bean.) of the 
Southern States is scarcely less than of 
clover. Such have been the inferences of 
practical farmers, from experienced effects 
only. But scientific investigations have 
more lately thrown light on the subject. 
In this article, designed exclusively for 
practical application, it would be improper 
to make more than slight reference to these 
very interesting scientific researches. It 
has been found that in clover stems, leaves 
and roots, and in the stems and leaves of 
peas and beans, and more especially their 
seeds, there is more azote than in other 
plants. Boussingault found that plants of 
the leguminous tribe, red clover and peas, 
absorbed azote from the atmosphere, and 
which could not be done by plants of the 
cereal or grain bearing tribe. Azote, 
though much the smallest ingredient of 
the elements of organic matter, is incom- 
parably the richest; and its presence and 
quantity constitute the greatest alimentary 
value of plants, for food or manure. The 
cereal plants can obtain their necessary 
supply of azote from the soil only. The 
leguminous plants can as well profit by all 
the azote supplied by the soil and inorga- 
nic manures, but also can draw this rich- 
est aliment from the atmosphere, where 
the quantity is unlimited, and the supply 
only limited by the power of plants to ab- 
sorb and use itin this separate and pure form. 
It has further been understood by scien- 
tific investigators, that plants in general 
take up but little nutriment from the soil 
before they form their seeds. Previous to 
that time, water and the atmosphere have 
mainly supplied the nutriment necessary 
for their growth. Upon these grounds, if 
clover is mown for green food or hay (for 
consumption on the farm,) before the seeds 
are fully formed, there has been but little 
abstracted from the soil; and the use of 
the removed clover as both food and male- 
rial for manure, must be of more value 
than as a manure only, if left standing on 
the land. If the mowing is later, for hay, 
and when some few of the seeds are ma- 
tured, though more will then have been 
abstracted from the soil, still the product re- 



mains to the farm. The earliest profit, from 
the food, goes to the farmer, in the labor 
or the fattening of animals. The manure 
so produced, though less in quantity and 
value than if the clover had been left to 
die and fall on the field, is not as much 
lessened, as the amount of the other im- 
portant values derived from mown clover. 
But there are other important advan- 
tages of mowing the first growth of clover. 
It is ready for the scythe, for green food in 
May, and fit for hay early in June. Dur- 
ing that time, all the weeds which damage 
the wheat crop by the admixture of seeds, 
are then in growth, too far advanced to 
again produce seeds, and then too green 
fcr their seeds to germinate. The clover 
field is more or less set with these weeds; 
cockle, darnel, cheat, and wild garlic ; and 
sometimes rye and oats, if these crops were 
I grown on the farm — the seeds of all which 
i had been left on the ground when last under 
| wheat. All these annuals are effectually 
I destroyed by mowing the land for clover. 
! Even the wild garlic, though the root is 
not hurt, has its abundant seeds above 
j ground destroyed, and for tint year, its 
! injurious effects much limited. Further, 
] by removing the first growth of clover be- 
I fore its seeding, the second crop springs 
j quicker, and grows better. Jf designed to 
I supply seed, the product is better, and 
| more easy to harvest. If to be ploughed 
under in August or Septimber, to prepare 
1 for wheat, the ploughing will be much 
; easier, and more effectual, than if the dead 
first growth had remained. 

The mowing of clover for green food should 
be begun as soon as the growth is high enough 

{ to furnish a good swath. In Europe (as Bous- 
singault states and seems to approve) the 

j mowing for hay is begun before the crop is 

I fully in flower. In this manner, they obtain 
two mowings for feeding or hay, and a third 
growth, as well advanced, for ploughing under, 

; or leaving on the land as manure. But it is 
difficult and hazardous to make hay of such 
immature clover, and the product is small in 
quantity, and, it is supposed, also inferior in 
quality as food. The best time for mowing 
for hay is when about one-fourth of the blos- 
soms have begun to turn brownish. But if 
the crop is too large for the force, of course 
there must be some mowing both earlier and 
later than the most proper time. 

Clover hay has been generally deemed of 
very inferior quality. It has even been de- 
clared by many farmers, and in some publica- 
tions, to be unfit for horses, and admissible 
only among the coarse articles of food for 
wintering store cattle. If these opinions were 
confined to clover hay made (as has been most 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



133 



general) by turning and exposing to the sun, 
I should not care to dispute them. In that 
mode, the thin leaves are all crisped, and 
crumble to powder, before the large stems 
have lost their water and greenness. The 
cocks cannot exclude rain. And when the 
hay is dry enough to be stacked, or housed, it 
often has nothing left but the stems, and they 
as black and brittle as ripe and dead weeds. 

So great were the supposed and ordinary 
difficulties of making clover hay, and so rarely 
was it obtained of good quality, by all the 
care that could be used, that the late Fielding 
Lewis, (then one of the best farmers in lower 
Virginia, and especially noted for applying 
abundant (if not too much) care and labor to 
every object,) after full trial, abandoned all 
attempts to make good clover hay — and re- 
sorted, instead, to a slovenly mode, entirely 
different from his general careful habits. He 
threw three or four swaths into a "wind-row" 
or light high ridge of partly withered grass, 
and so let it lie, until dry enough to stack— if 
rain did not previously destroy all its value. 
(Farmers' Register, vol. I. p. 23. ^ 

The mode which I have adopted is upon the 
principle of curing the grass in the shade, and 
by air instead of sun— and of never moving 
the clover after its leaves are dry or crisp, (if 
they become so at all,) until it is carried to 
the house or stack. There is less labor, less 
danger of damage from rain, and more value 
in the product, than in any other process of 
which I have heard the manner and results. 
It is proper to say that the plan is not original 
» with me. The attempt to cure hay in cocks 
(and of course mostly in the shade,) has often 
been made — and successfully, when high winds 
and heavy rains did not damage the cocks. 
The plan of preserving their upright position 
by stakes or skewers was first suggested and 
used by the late Claiborne W. Gooch, who 
wrote a communication embracing this con- 
trivance, for the Farmers' Register, (vol. i. p. 
164.) The plan was improved upon, and the 
practice reported to the same publication, (vol. 
x. p. 414,) at my request, by a very young 
farmer, who, since, with myself, and others 
seeing our practice, have successfully cured 
clover in this manner. Without further re- 
ference toothers' practiceoropinions.ornoting 
differences, I will proceed to describe my own 
present preferred practice, as improved by the 
experience of this plan, in the whole clover 
harvests of the last seven years. 

When the clover is nearly or quite in the 
best state for mowing, for hay, (that is, when 
about one-fourth of the heads are turning 
brownish,) that operation is begun, after din- 
ner, or about two o'clock, P. M. When cut 
so late in the day, no other labors will be ne- 
cessary. The grass is left in the swath, as 
cut, until the next forenoon, when the dew has 
dried off. If clear of dew when mown, there 
will be none except on the mere surface of the 
swaths. When quite free from dew, and also 
when some few of the upper leaves have be- 



come crisp, under the effect of sunshine, then 
it is time to begin the first fork-work. Other 
hands, (if the mowers are then employed,) 
with iron-prong forks, begin with the oldest 
mowing, and throw the swaths into small 
heaps, without any care for their shape, and 
each merely large enough to supply at least 
one good fork-full. These heaps might be 
put immediately into cocks, if required by 
approach of night, or threatening of rain. — 
But otherwise, they will best be kept until the 
forks have gone over all the grass that is 
partly wilted by exposure in the swath. The 
making of these heaps is a facility for the 
subsequent cocking, and, therefore, is no ad- 
dition to that labor. But after being thrown 
into these heaps, it is best to let the grass so 
lie a while, for two reasons. First, a new sur- 
face being then exposed to the sun, more wilt- 
ing of the greener clover will take place, and 
less water (in the sap) will go into the cock, 
without danger of hurt by too much drying in 
the sun. Secondly, this heaping is a very easy 
and rapid operation, and so serves quickly to 
place out of danger the grass beginning to be 
crisp on the surface of the swaths. 

After the heaping, (or an hour or two after 
beginning to heap, if different sets of hands 
are employed,) the cock-building is begun. 
The clover usually is then throughout the heap 
more or less wilted, or "fallen," but still full 
of sap, or juices, except the very few leaves 
crisped before the heaping. Stakes or skewers 
should have been previously prepared, and 
brought on the ground. These are either of 
rived timber, or otherwise cut of any tolera- 
bly straight sapling wood, though young pines 
of second growth, where standing thick, fur- 
nish much the best. They may be from five 
to six feet long, and one and a half to two 
inches through at the large, and one inch, or 
less, at the small end. Both ends should be 
sharpened by a hatchet. A pin, made of strong 
and tough wood, pointed, and rather larger 
than the large point of the stakes, is driven 
into the ground about eight inches deep, to 
make a hole to set the stake, and which is so 
placed firmly and upright. The stakes are so 
placed in rows, and at such distances as trial 
will show is required for the cocks. The cock- 
builders now begin, by placing a heap of the 
grass around the bottom of each standing stake, 
and closely and evenly around. This, and 
enough to make the base, should not be more 
than fifteen or seventeen inches from the cen- 
tral stake to the outsides. Other clover is 
placed on this base, either with the hands and 
around the stake, or with the fork, putting the 
clover loosely on the pointed top of the s^ake, 
and forcing it downward to its place. The 
thickness of the cock may be a little enlarged 
when twelve or fifteen inches above the 
ground. But it is best not to permit any to 
be more than three and a half or at most four 
feet across the middle. The main object of 
the stake is to prevent the cock falling, or be- 
ing blown over by high winds. With this 



134 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



support, the cocks may be raised at first to 
six or seven feet high. They will afterwards 
settle considerably— and the more in propor- 
tion to the succulence of the clover, and the 
lightness with which it was laid on in the 
cocks. Moderately pressing down the grass 
when building the cock is proper, to avoid too 
much settling. But the cock should not be 
made too compact at first, so as to exclude 
the entrance of air, and so prevent the proper 
curing of the grass. A little experience will 
show the improper extremes to be avoided. 

As the cock settles, the grass holds more or 
less to the stake, and especially to the rough 
bark of pine. This causes almost every stem 
to droop from the centre to the circumference 
of the cock— and so to shed rain which would j 
otherwise penetrate the very open texture of 
clover cocks. The manner of settling gives 
a pointed top to the cock, even if made broad- 
topped at first. The pointed upper end of the ! 
stake usually permits the top of the clover to ; 
settle below the point. But sometimes the j 
upper clover is held up by the stake, like a | 
hood over the lower and main part. The out- 
side of the cock shelters all the interior from 
the sun entirely, and more or less from the 
rain. Of course the mere outside is spoilt, by 
over-drying in the sun — or is like ordinary 
sunned and turned clover hay. But all the 
interior usually cures perfectly, the leaves re- 
maining on the stems, and mostly preserving 
their green color, and many of the flowers 
their red tints. Heavy showers and transient 
rains, during the curing, will not prevent this 
result, or to but small extent. Very heavy 
rains driven by strong winds, or long continued 
spells of rain, certainly will be injurious; but 
to much less extent than even moderate and 
transient rains with any other mode of curing. 
I have had very bad weather in some of my 
clover hay harvests; but though both labor 
was thereby increased and hay somewhat da- 
maged, I have never lost, by bad weather, al- 
together, a ton of hay, in this mode of curing. 

According to the weather, and condition of! 
the grass, the cocks will usually have to stand | 
from four to seven days. I have in one case J 
housed the hay (avoiding close packing) on 
the second day; and once, when the clover 
was cut too green, and the cocks built too 
compactly, and too large, they stood eight 
days, and then had to be opened, to remove 
some internal dampness, which had caused i 
mouldiness in the middle. This was the only 
case of such error and its injurious effect. In 
ordinary cases, and with only ordinary rains, 
nothing is required after cocking, until the hay 
is fit to be housed. 

When the first cured hay is fit to be housed, 
or stacked, the removal of the cocks ought to | 
be begun early in the morning, while the hay j 
is pliant, (or "gives," or is "in case,") from 
the effect of the damp night air. A moderate j 
dew still remaining on the cocks, is no objec- 
tion to proceeding. But any greater degree of 
wetness, from recent rain, I would not risk, if 



the hay had to be immedately packed closely, 
and in large bulks. After beginning, the cart- 
ing in of the cured hay, and storing it, should 
proceed as fast as possible, while the hay con- 
tinues pliant. But as soon as it begins to be 
rigid and crumbly from increased drying by 
the sun and dry air, the hauling should be sus- 
pended, until the next morning. 

Preceding the loading of the carts, for half 
an hour or an hour, (according to the wea- 
ther,) the loaders pull out the stakes, and then 
turn over the cocks, nearly upside down, but 
leaving the old bottom somewhat facing the 
sun. This part will usually be a little damp, 
from contact with the ground- (though not 
always, if cocked on dry ground,) and this, or 
any other remaining dampness, will be spee- 
dily removed by this little exposure to sun 
and air. The cocks must not be so exposed 
longer than necessary, before being carted in; 
and should be housed or stacked as soon as 
possible afterwards. Hay so cured will be 
inviting in color and odor, will be eagerly pre- 
ferred by horses and mules to the best corn- 
fodder, or other hay cured in the ordinary 
manner. And if it is in any respect less va- 
luable as food, no evidence of the fact has 
come under my observation. Green clover, 
or clover hay, is my only long forage for some 
mouths of every year, and is used without 
stint as long as it lasts. 

For fear of rain, the hay ought not to re- 
main in the cocks longer than it is cured 
enough for housing. But on more than one 
occasion, part of my hay was still in cocks, 
and not cured enough to house, when wheat- 
harvest was begun, and which occupied all 
the force for more than two weeks. After this 
long exposure the cocks were hauled in; and 
though there was more depth of sun-burning 
and injury thereby than usual, the interior hay 
was still excellent — and the whole together, 
averaged, was tolerably good hay— and pre- 
ferable to most of the meadow hay sold in the 
towns. 

Stacks or ricks of clover hay are trouble- 
some to build and to secure from rain. They 
should be well trodden, while building, for 
compression, and to prevent more than the 
unavoidable settling; and should be topped 
with straw, to keep out rain. Putting clover 
in houses is very far the cheaper and safer 
plan. 

The stakes should be brought to the barn- 
yard with the loads of hay, and placed under 
shelter. If so taken care of, they will serve 
for many years. 

It should have been stated earlier that clo- 
ver ought not to be cut for hay while any dew 
remains on it— though a very little remain ir.g 
will dry off the clo\ er after being cut, and as 
lying in the swath. This rule will delay the 
mowing generally to from 9 to 11 o'clock, A. 
M. All the clover cut each day before about 
2 P. M. may be cocked that evening. All cut 
after that time may remain in the swath until 
next day. If the grass is wetted thoroughly 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



135 



by rain in the swath, and before being wilted, 
there will be no loss, except of labor in open- 
ing and stirring the grass, which will then be 
required to dry it. As soon as this accidental 
moisture is entirely removed, the heaping and 
cocking should proceed, as in other cases. 

The slight moisture from dew just before 
and to twilight, need not suspend either the 
mowing, or the putting of grass before heaped 
into cocks. But I would prefer not to make 
heaps from the swath after dew was percepti- 
ble on the clover. 

The clover after being cut, usually lies in 
the swath, under from three to five hours of 
sunshine, and in the heaps, an hour or two 
longer. And all cut after two P. M. usually 
lies in the swath until next morning, and until 
the dew has dried off. But when there has 
been danger of a spell of rain, or on the even- 
ing preceding a Sunday, I have cocked, (and 
cured safely,) all the clover cut before four P. 
M. and within two hours after the mowing. 
In such cases, the cocks should be smaller 
than usual, and the fresh-mown clover laid on 
more lightly, than directed above for the ordi- 
nary procedure. 

The great value and most important use of 
clover is as a green manure, and especially 
for wheat. For this purpose the land on which 
the clover grew, should be ploughed as deeply 
and as well as the soil and its then condition 
permit, and as early as may be after the end 
of July. If done much earlier, the second 
crop of clover will not have reached its full 
value as manure — and also the early plough- 
ing will become very foul with grass. If the 
% ploughing is much later, the crop of wheat 
will usually be lessened in proportion to the 
delay. This, however, is not always the result. 

It is the general usage of those who precede 
wheat by clover to plough under the clover in 
its first year of full growth— (that is, the second 
year after sowing the seed.) Such was my 
own entire practice until recently, induced by 
the common belief that clover will generally 
die after attaining its full growth — and that, if 
left longer, weeds will be almost the only 
growth of the field in the next year. This is 
indeed the case where the soil is unfavorable 
to the growth of clover. But I have found 
latterly, that pans of my clover fields left un- 
ploughed through the second summer after full 
growth (or third summer after the sowing,) 
are equally as well, and in some cases better, 
covered by clover, than in the previous sum- 
mer. The second year's growth is lower, but 
a thicker cover than that of the previous year. 
Many new plants spring in the before unoc- 
cupied spaces. And though clover is deemed 
a biennial plant, and as such should die after 
its second year from the germinating, still 
many plants live longer than this term. More 
especially, is this protraction of life induced 
by the mowing or grazing of clover just be- 
fore it forms its seed. 

If the continuance of the clover crop for 
two years can be relied on, (Jrom previous 



trial and observations,) it is surely a great loss 
to plough it under a year earlier. If the usual 
one year's product is of great value as ma- 
nure, two year's product should give twice as 
much manure. And as the great difficulty is 
to obtain a good "stand" of plants, it would 
seem the more required to maintain the con- 
tinued manuring of a good stand already ex- 
isting, rather than to try the risk of obtaining 
another from the seed, on other land. 

Besides the manuring value of the clover 
above the ground, there is another large pro- 
portion in the roots. These are large, and 
penetrate the soil deeply, and all remain to 
manure the soil. Boussingault found, by care- 
ful trial of a certain space, (120 square yards) 
of an inferior growth of clover, that the roots 
alone made 1418 lbs. to the acre, when all the 
hay (two cuttings, as I infer from the context,) 
of that yeaimade but 1810 lbs. — both products 
being dried completely. The quantity of clo- 
ver roots contained 20 lbs. of azote; or about 
one-seventh the quantity of azote in the ordi- 
nary heavy manuring (27 four-horse wagon 
loads to the acre,) given to the field from sta- 
bles and barn-yard, and after fermentation, 
which was 186 lbs. of azote.* An average 
year's product of hay, of his farm, Boussin- 
gault found to produce 78 lbs. of azote. Then 
the roots, in the above proportion, would have 
yielded 60 lbs. of azote— and the whole growth 
of clover, for one year, would yield 138 lbs. — 
or about three-fourths as much as the above 
named heavy cover of well fermented barn 
and stable manure. 

The roots of plants cannot grow more than 
in proportion to the sizes of the plants aboVe 
ground. Of course the roots of clover will 
not reach their full size and manuring value, 
if the crop is taken off, either by mowing or 
grazing, before being fully grown. From this, 
it may be inferred, that if clover is early and 
constantly grazed, so as never to attain much 
size, the roots will be as much dwarfed, and 
can give but little manure to the ground. But 
if the crop is allowed to reach full size, and 
is then mowed, or closely and speedily grazed 
off, the roots will have also reached full 
growth, and are competent both to send forth 
another good crop speedily, and to manure 
well the ground by their subsequent death and 
decay. 



PASTURE LAND. 

Every milch cow robs the land annu- 
ally of as much phosphnte of lime, (bone 
forming material,) as is contained in eighty 
pounds of bone dust. From this cause the 
Cheshire pastures became greatly deteri- 
orated, but were restored to their former 

* BoussinsaiiU's "Rural Economy, &c." Am. Ed 
p. 355 and 362-3. 



136 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



fertility by being well boned. Land con- 
tinually depastured must be fed regularly 
with phosphates — by the application of 
bones, night soil, &c. Some descriptions 
of lime contain phosphates in sufficient 
quantity, but not all. 



THE UPAS TREE. 

We learn that a tree of this species has 
been brought from Java by Lieut. Mar- 
chand, of the Sloop of War St. Mary's, 
and has been presented to the National In- 
stitute, and is placed in the conservatory 
of that Institution at Washington. This 
is the tree, which, under the name of the 
"Bohon Upas" was formerly represented 
to possess such poisonous qualities that 
animals could not approach it, nor birds. 



NORTHERN PRODUCTIONS IN 
VIRGINIA. 

It is known to thousands that hay is brought 
from the North in bales to the capital of Vir- 
ginia, and sold readily to our citizens. It is 
brought up James River to Lynchburg and 
sold at the moderate price of one dollar per hun- 
dred pounds! The same may be said of Nor- 
folk, Charleston and New Orleans. Only 
think of it! hay brought from New York, and 
sold within less than one hundred and eighty 
miles of Washington county!! 

Whilst our hills and valleys abound with 
lime stone, and our forest with wood rotting 
on the ground, it is known that Lime is brought 
from Thomaston, Maine, to Virginia, and 
sold within two hundred miles of Abingdon ! 

New York, in a great measure, supplies 
Virginia and other Southern States with ap- 
ples every year; and Irish potatoes are brought 
from the same quarter and sold in Virginia at 
one dollar per bushel ! Does not every article 
we use here come from the same direction — 
even to cutting our grass with Northern 
scythes and sweeping our houses with North- 
ern brooms! Verily, this is "Northern aggres- 
sion" sure enough. — Abingdon Virginian. 



AGRICULTURE AT THE GOVERNMENT. 

The President of the United States in his 
recent message recommended the establish- 
ment of an Agricultural Bureau in the Depart- 
ment of the Interior. The Secretary of that 
Department (Hon. A. H. H. Stuart) recom- 
mends it warmly. He also proposes the es- 
tablishment of a model farm in connexion with 
the Bureau, and suggests the purchase of 
Mount Vernon for that purpose. He says at 



the close of his remarks on this head, "I would 
respectfully add that Mount Vernon, whose- 
soil was once tilled by the hands and is now- 
consecrated by the dust of the Father of his 
Country, should properly belong to the nation, 
and might with great propriety become, under 
its auspices, a model farm to illustrate the pro- 
gress of that pursuit to which he was so much 
devoted." The Senate Committee have agreed 
upon a bill, the particulars of which we have 
not learned. 



For the Southern Planter. 

KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS. 

In looking over the the March number of 
the Southern Planter, I was surprised to see, 
under the signature of "Hampton," that the 
Kentucky blue grass (or, as some call it, the 
English blue grass) had lost favor in Rock- 
bridge county. I have been informed that large 
quantities of seed have been sold in Lynch- 
burg within the last three years from that 
county. 1 think Mr. "Hampton" must be mis- 
taken in the kind of grass. It is extensively 
raised in our south-western counties; and I 
have been informed from a reliable source, 
that there are meadows now standing that 
were sown thirty years ago, which have im- 
proved every year, and now yield more hay 
than ever, without any aid except the manure 
dropped by young stock (such as mares and 
colts and calves,) which are supported during 
the Fall and Winter by the blue grass mea- 
dows, except when the ground is covered with 
snow. 

I have a lot of blue grass wdiich will be two 
years old next Fall. 1 was forced to graze it 
last Spring until I hauled in my wheat, which 
I stacked in a corner of the lot. Nothing went 
upon the lot until the tenth of November, by 
which time the grass had gotten up nearly 
knee high and had lodged. The blades of 
grass were from ten to eighteen inches in 
length, and a richer, nicer looking pasture I 
never saw before. A neighbor of mine had a 
northern hill-side near his house which he had 
not reclaimed, on which he seeded blue grass 
about the time he was seeding wheat. As 
soon as it was seeded, he hauled and sprinkled 
wheat straw over it very evenly. In less than 
a year 1 was requesied to look at it, and a 
thicker, nicer sod I never before saw in the 
same length of time. 

I regard it as being well adapted to the red 
stiff lands of Eastern Virginia. I failed to 
get it to take on sandy, flat land, but have re- 
seeded again this Spring. I prefer mixing ti- 
mothy, blue grass and clover. The clover 
gives way, and there is a long struggle between 
the remaining two, but I am assured that the 
blue grass finally gains the ascendancy, and 
the older it gets the better it is. It certainly 
grows later in the Fall, and puts up earlier in 
the Spring, than any grass I have tried. I 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



137 



have felt myself bound to speak in favor of 
this grass; for grass, and grass alone, will 
be the salvation of Eastern Virginia. If every 
farmer will only sow ten acres, as I have 
above stated, he will at this season of the 
year have rich milk and yellow butter, when 
his neighbors, who stick to rotten shucks and 
straw, will have but little poor milk, and the 
whitest and meanest of butter. 

I. I. Hite. 

Buffalo Springs, Va. April llt/i, 1851.' 



For the Southern Planter. 
CONTENTMENT Vs. RESTLESSNESS. 

There is an old saying, viz: That there is 
luck in leisure. If there is, I really think a 
neighbor of mine will get a full benefit this 
season. Mr. B. R. who is a planter and far 
mer, has not yet burned his plant beds; nor has 
he ploughed a furrow for corn. He says that 
it is time enough, that he will burn a plant 
bed the first of next month. His employment 
is, to feed ten head of hogs, one horse and one 
cow, every day, which he says, keeps him so 
busily employed, that he has no time for any- 
thing else. This man seems, to be the best 
contented and the happiest man I ever saw. 
In passing by his house, I can not but compare 
his perfect content, with the restless farmer 
and planter whose corn is in the cold earth, 
and whose tobacco plants are being consumed 
by bugs, &c. The mountains of this region 
are white with snow. The weather has been 
bad for several days, and there is every pros- 
pect of cold weather. Our fruit is in a fair 
way to be lost. The prospect for wheat has 
improved very much. Clover and grass are 
more common than they were three years ago, 
and are quite forward for the season. There are 
a few (but they are really few and far between,) 
good prospects for hay. Large quantities of 
Northern hay is now being sold in Lynchburg, 
is this not a reflection on old Virginia'? I 
know, (judging from what I make every year,) 
that as -good hay can be made in Eastern Vir- 
ginia, as in any part of the North. 

I hope the recent agricultural move in Rich- 
mond, may be of lasting benefit to Virginia. 
We want aid and encouragement from our 
Legislature; and we want a competent chem- 
ist to analyze our soil;' and to give public lec- 
tures, which would cause agricultural socie- 
ties to be formed; and more good would be 
done in this way, than in any other. I think 
Eastern Virginia will continue to improve 
from this forward. In ten years from now, I 
predict that the product will be double, and 
perhaps it will be three times what it now is. 
The people of this region seem to be more in- 
dustrious and managing than they ever were. 
Many are making clover lots; this is a good 
commencement. They will get a taste, and 
I hope and think, their appetite will increase 



lor clover and grass, as it has heretofore done 
for whiskey. If all the money that has been 
spent in spirits within the past fifty years had 
been spent in clover and plaster, Amherst 
would now be one of the richest counties in 
the State. 

A Subscriber. 
April \M, 1851. 



REMEDY FOR BOTTS. 

Those who have horses troubled with botts, 
will find the following a very good remedy: 
Take half a pint of molasses and one pint of 
new milk, which put in a bottle and shake 
well together — drench with this. Then dis- 
solve a quarter of a pound of alum in warm 
water, and in fifteen minutes give this. Physic 
should be given after this. — Genesee Farmer. 



DISEASE OF THE MORELLO CHERRY 
TREE. 

BY V. TAYLOR, OF LOUDOUN. 

The Morello cherry tree is subject to a 
disease that is now beginning to make its 
appearance in this section of country. — 
This disease has prevailed for a number 
of years in Eastern Pennsylvania, until 
nearly or quite all of the trees of this kind, 
have been destroyed ; and it has been ad- 
vancing South regularly, until it has now 
reached the south side of the Potomac river. 
It is to be seen in Loudoun. Clarke and Fre- 
derick counties, and perhaps in other coun- 
ties also. It is supposed to be the effect of 
an insect, and shows itself by dark excre- 
scences, or an enlargement of the smaller 
branches of the tree, resembling knotty 
tubercles, that ultimately cause the death 
of the twig; and thus when it becomes so 
numerous as to attack all the branches, the 
tree dies. The habits of the insect are not 
fully known, but it is believed that the eggs 
are deposited in the twig when the insect 
in its larva? state feeds upon the juices of 
the tree, and thus causes the enlargement 
of the limb. On examining the enlarged 
branch, the excrement of the worm is visi- 
ble, occupying the cavity where it had ex- 
isted. This insect, most probably like other 
insects, exists in different places in different 
stages of its growth, and ma}r pass a part 
of its time in the earth. Hence, unless we 
knew the period when the egg is deposited 
in the branch, and the insect in the larva? 
state, we may not be able to determine pre- 
cisely the proper time to apply a remedy. 
But this may be determined by careful ex- 



13S 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



amination whenever the disease makes its 
appearance. Let this be done. As soon 
as the worm is discovered and appears to 
be feeding on the inner part of the twig, 
then let every affecled branch be cut oil 
and committed to the flames, indiscrimi- 
nately and certainly, for upon a faithful 
application of the remedy alone can a com- 
plete extirpation of the disease be expected. 
Should a tree be badly affected, it would 
be better to cut it down at once and com- 
mit it to the flames. Let this remedy be 
faithfully applied wherever and whenever 
the disease appears, and we may confi- 
dently predict that we may save the Mo- 
rella cherry in this region. Now is the 
time when this disease is just making its 
appearance; if postponed a few years, it 
will require a much greater effort to effect 
the object. But this, or any other remedy 
to be effectual, must be universally applied. 
A i'ew persons cannot do it; for of what 
avail will it be for one man to apply a re- 
medy, if his neighbor refuses to do so, and 
permits the insect to increase on his trees, 
and thus keeps up a succession to prey 
upon his neighborhood? — Winchester Re- 
publican. 



From the Genesee Farmer. 

POTASH AS A FERTILIZER. 

From our boyhood to the present time, 
we have noticed that soils which abounded 
in potash, as demonstrated by their pro- 
ducing large forest trees rich in this mine- 
ral — the accumulation of centuries — were 
always distinguished for their fertility. If 
there are any exceptions to this rule, where 
the land is properly cultivated and drained, 
they have escaped our observation. Tak- 
ing a similar view of this interesting sub- 
ject, M. Burger, a German author, gives 
the following table of the amount of ashes 
in one hundred parts of dry wood, and a 
few other products of the earth as found 
by him on analysis: 







Ashes. 


Potash. 


100 lbs 


. Oak gave 


1.350 lbs. 


0.155 lbs 


" 


Elm or Maple 


2.400 " 


390 " 


k( 


Poplar 


1.230 " 


0.075 " 


cc 


Box 


0.584 '« 


0.145 " 


(( 


Fir (Pine) 


0.341 " 


(< 


(C 


Vine 


3.379 " 


0550 " 


(( 


Fern 


5.000 " 


0.G26 " 


(C 


Maize Stalks 


8.300 " 


3 GOO " 


" 


"Wheat Straw 


4.300 " 


0.390 " 


11 


Oat Straw 


5.600 " 


0.870 " 



By copying from Schwertz, Sprengel, 
Liebig, Will, Boussingault, and other con- 



| tinental analyses, researches of this kind 
might be indefinitely extended; but it is 
thought more useful to invite attention to 
the facts above stated than to multiply 
i figures, the purport of which might not be 
: fully seen by many readers. As 100 lbs. 
| maple wood consume 2.4 lbs. of earthy 
j minerals in which there are .39 lbs. of pure 
i potash, it is obvious that, for every 1000 
' lbs. a tree of this kind or an elm adds to 
; its solid weight, 3.9 lbs. of this alkali are 
: extracted from the soil, to say nothing of 
\ the potash in its leaves and bark, which 
contain more ashes than the wood. Oak 
forests will grow on poorer land than elm 
; and maple; for 1000 lbs. of its w T ood con- 
i tain only .155 lbs. of this alkali. In 100 
lbs. of fir (pine) the ash is only a third of 
| a pound, and the potash too small for the 
chemist to slate the amount. In 100 lbs. of 
the wood of the vine there is over a half 
pound of potash. The fruit of the vine is 
remarkable for the quantity of potash it 
contains. Fern is also rich in this element ; 
but cornstalks and cobs are among the 
largest known consumers of this alkali. — 
We are, however, inclined to suspect some 
typographical error in the figures that in- 
dicate the existence of over three and a 
half pounds of potash in one hundred of 
cornstalks. They have a large amount of 
silica (flint) in their hard, glassy stems, 
which is rendered soluble in water before 
it enters their roots by combining with a 
still larger quantity of potash. But all this 
alkali does not remain in the plant, for 
most of the soluble silicates of potash are 
finallyjeft as insoluble salts in and near 
the cuticle. 

Corn plants are large consumers of in- 
combustible minerals, and all their stalks; 
cobs and seeds should be husbanded with 
care as manure. Straw, hay, pea vines, 
and even forest leaves are less appreciated 
as fertilizers than they deserve. Leached 
ashes composted with rotting constalks, 
straw, or other manure are much improved 
by the action of carbonic acid and ammo- 
nia on their insoluble salts. These are 
decomposed and rendered available at 
once, as food for plants. To show the im- 
portance of husbanding potash as a ferti- 
lizer, it is sufficient to state that a good soil 
rarely contains more than one part in 1000, 
while poor soils often have less than one in 
10,000. A sample taken from near the 
Ohio river, "distinguished for extraordina- 
ry fertility," gave Dr. Sprengel only twelve 
parts of potash, combined mostly with si- 
lica in an insoluble condition in 10,000. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



139 



In the "Geological Survey of Canada — 
Report of Progress for the year 1849-50," 
we find several analyses of soils, which 
are full of interest. A sample from "the 
fine alluvial flats on the Grand river, below 
Brantford, which, owing to their richness, 
are scarcely adapted to wheat," gave the 
following results: 



Alumina 
Oxyde of Iron 
Lime 
Magnesia 
Potasli 
Soda 

Phosphoric Acid 
Sulphuric Acid 
Soluble Acid 



2,090 
2,529 

310 
456 
105 

0G0 
380 
008 
006 



It will be seen that 100,000 parts of this 
soil gave only six of soluble silica. The 
insoluble silica and organic matter are not 
estimated. In this exceedingly rich bot- 
tom, there is but a small fraction more than 
one part of potash in 1000, and of sulphuric 
acid only eight parts in 100,000. 

As soda in common salt is much cheaper 
than potash, il is highly desirable to deter- 
mine by careful experiments how far the 
former alkali can serve as a substitute for 
the latter in the growth of potatoes, wheat, 
corn and grass. One-half of the ash ob- 
tained in burning potatoes is potash; and 
about a third of that of wheat is the same 
mineral. By mixing slaked lime and salt 
together in loam or manure, salt is decom- 
posed, its soda is converted into a carbonate 
and the lime into a chloride. If this soda 
can act as a substitute of potash in the or 
ganization of cultivated plants, the fact is 
of vast economical importance in husband- 
ry. To our mind, nothing is plainer than 
the necessity of an experimental farm, to 
develop new truths in practical and scien- 
tific agriculture. 



From the Genesee Farmer. 

IMPROVEMENT OF FARMERS AND 
FARMING. 

Having by observation and reading noticed 
the many improvements which are constantly 
being made in farms, farming, and the tools ! 
we do it wilh, it seems to me that a man comes i 
short of his duty, if by experience or any 
other means he has learned anything by which 
he can benefit his neighbors, if he withhold that 
information from them. When we consider 
how much the welfare and prosperity of our 
country depends upon the farming class of the 
community, and the little attention that is gen- 
erally paid to this branch of business — when 



we consider that the produce of one acre of 
land may support a family, and how many fa- 
milies are falling in the rear wilh the use of 
fifty or even five hundred acres by poor man- 
agement and bad calculation— it is lime that 
we had something to wake us up to a sense of 
our interest. And, if we are annually squan- 
dering the use of three or four hundred acres 
by our ignorance of our business, let us either 
quit our business and try something else, or 
begin farming as we would any other trade — 
by first learning it. 

In my opinion there is not one farm out of 
fifty, taking our country through, that is man- 
aged with that degree of skill and economy 
that is manifested in all other avocations in 
which we see our countrymen engaged. Now, 
why this disregard for this one branch of bu- 
siness—this branch which furnishes the very 
necessary articles of food and clothing for the 
one thousand millions'? It seems to arise from 
the idea generally afloat that any one is capa- 
ble of farming. Any one who can hold a 
plough, drive a team, or lay up fence, is con- 
sidered duly qualified to manage a farm. 
Hence, how frequently we see young men at 
the age of twenty or twenty-five years com- 
mence this business, who never spent one year 
in actual service on a farm in their lives ; con- 
sequently they know but little of the nature of 
the soils they are about to cultivate, whether 
they are best adapted to the growth of wheat 
or grass, whether they have been completely 
exhausted by continual cropping without the 
needful manure. He knows nothing of the re- 
quisite qualities of a good team, good cows, 
sheep, &c— nothing of the kind of tools he 
wants, nor of the timber of which they should 
be composed, neither does he know the value 
of these articles. 

Set a blacksmith at building a shop, or a 
doctor at making boots, or a lawyer at telling 
the truth, and you will see just about as much 
perfection in their business, as is exhibited in 
the face of our country by two-thirds of that 
class of people called farmers. Farming is a 
business that requires more judgment, more 
skill, and more experience than almost any 
other, by reason of its being so varied. Each 
successive day brings with it a change of bu- 
siness. A new leaf is turned over in the far- 
mer's book every morning. Many are the 
ways and means of performing each part of 
this business, and after all there is but one 
right way. Now, where is the man that has 
the right way of doing each and every part 
that the year rolls; before himl Nor is this all; 
the farmer is required to have at least five 
years of futurity in his mind's eye, in order 
that each succession of crops may replenish 
his pocket, and at the same time work an im- 
provement in his farm, for if he allows his 
farm to run down, he himself is down. Now, 
number the men who have attained perfection 
in each and every part of this business, and 
you have numbered the farmers. All the rest 
need instruction. 



140 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



Now, then, would it be advisable for all 
those who are not adepts at this to try some- 
thing else, even if it would be more profitable 
for the present? I think not, for our places 
would not be supplied with others who would 
do as well as we are doing; but I think this 
would be the best plan — to do as well as we 
can, and learn to do better by attending the 
fairs and improving by the lessons we are con- 
stantly receiving of those who have the ad- 
vantage of us in age or opportunities and are | 
generous enough to impart their knowledge to I 
their fellow creatures, through the press, j 
thereby rendering themselves useful citizens, j 
interesting others in that which is for the good 
of all. 

John Watson. 

East Java, N. Y., 1850. 



THE BIRD GUANO. 

On this point our best authority is Dr. 
Hamilton, late of Peru, who remarks as 
follows: 

"The guanos were still to be seen in vast 
numbers on the Moro of Africa, during my 
first residence there in 1826, but not in 
such abundance as they were a few years 
prior to that period; for, during the war for 
independence, Africa was several times at- 
tacked both by sea and land, when the can- 
nonading had the effect of scaring them 
from their haunts on the Moro. Since 
1826, Africa has been much frequented by 
foreigners, some of whom fired at and other- 
wise annoyed the birds, which have now 
all but totally abandoned that part of (he 
Peruvian coast. The guanos have hitherto 
existed on the coast of Peru in numbers 
which would appear incredible, except to 
those persons who have seen them. The 
greatest mass of guanos I ever saw was in 
1846, at the Chincha Isles, which are only 
barren rocks in the Pacific ocean, off Pisco, 
and about one hundred miles south from 
Callao. I saw the birds through a glass 
from on board a vessel under easy sail, 
when the rock appeared to be a living mass; 
for the guanos seemed to be contending 
among themselves for a resting place. — 
They live on fish, and are expert fishers, 
for which they are beautifully formed by 
nature. Their bill is three or four inches 
long, according to the age or size of the 
bird, and it is about one inch broad at the 
extremity, much curved, and artogether 
well adapted for hooking up food, which 
rarely escapes. The quantity of guano 
manure accumulated on the Peruvian coast 
must be very great, and may be estimated 
thus : 



Allowing the average number of these 
birds to be one million, which I consider is 
much within bounds, and that each bird 
has one ounce of droppings per day, we 
shall have not less than above thirty tons; 
and deducting one-half of the above sup- 
posed quantity for evaporation and other 
casualties, there will still be above fifteen 
tons of this valuable substance produced 
every day. From what has been observed 
astolhe habits and numbers of the guano, 
their frequenting promontories, declivities, 
and insulated rock, it follows that their soil 
in certain localities must have accumulated 
to such an extent, as might induce those 
persons who may not have considered the 
subject, to expect that the guano is to be 
had in unlimited quantity, but for obvious 
reasons that must be a fallacious expec- 
tation." 



Prom the Western Agriculturist. 

CORN SOWED BROADCAST FOR 
FODDER. 

I have thought that the result of an ex- 
periment I made some years ago in sowing 
corn broadcast for fodder, might have some 
interest. After completing my corn plant- 
ing which was finished on the twelfth of 
May, I set my team to breaking up about 
three acres of ground, the most of which 
had never been cultivated. When it was 
ploughed, I divided it into different portions 
and sowed it in corn broadcast, at the rate 
of from two to six bushels per acre. One 
ploughed in with a small shovel plough, 
another harrowed and brushed in, and stili 
another was brushed in only. That which 
was ploughed in, grew worst of all; that 
which was harrowed and brushed in, best 
of all. On the tenth of July I commenced 
cutting and feeding it to my stock, consist- 
ing of milk cows, hogs, and young caltle, 
all of which appeared to be fond of it. — 
About the middle of the month I confined 
my cows and a portion of my young cattle 
and hoars in a lot adjoining the growing 
corn. This was the only food they had 
until late in September, and so far as I was 
able to judge, they did equally as well and 
indeed I think better than those that had 
the range of an extensive blue grass pas- 
ture. The milk of my cows was abundant 
and rich as from any manner of feeding. 
That portion of the ground which was 
sowed with corn at the rate of three bush- 
els to the acre, and which was harrowed 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



141 



and brushed in, was, by far, the beet, and 
in this I picked in three different places, an 
average, and in each spot measured a rod 
square, from which I cut and weighed the 
growing corn, and taking the mean of these 
weights, found that an acre produced the 
enormous quantity of forty tons of valuable 
food for stock. But this is not all — a portion 
of the ground first cut over was ploughed 
and re-sowed, and thus produced two crops 
and though this last was not weighed, I be- 
lieve it was much the heaviest, as it was 
not cut till the last of September. I thus 
demonstrated that eighty tons per acre of 
green food could be produced in one sea- 
son. Ten head of cattle and about twenty 
hogs were entirely fed on this corn lor more 
than two months. The last of September 
I mowed the remainder and cured it as 
hay. which was fed to the stock during the 
fall and they eat it with avidity. It might 
be supposed that corn sowed in this man- 
ner would produce no ears, but this is not 
the fact ; a very considerable quantity of 
corn in the form of nubbins was found 
when it was cut, but the amount I had no 
means of judging, as circumstances pre- 
vented me from ascertaining it, as well as 
the amount of dry fodder after it was cured. 
I hope some one will repeat the experiment 
next year, and send you the result. I think 
if soiling of cattle is ever made available 
in this country, it will be from the employ- 
ment of corn in this manner; at any rate, 
more cattle can be supported and kept in 
good condition through the summer in this 
way than any other. 
Yours, 

J. Sullivant. 



THE OLDEN TIMES. 

At a meeting of the Gateshead Mecha- 
nics' Institute lately, Mr. Butt, M. P. dilated 
on the folly of sighing for the return of an- 
cient customs. Queen Elizabeth was the 
leader of fashion in her day, "but with all 
this, she fastened on her lighter garments, 
not with pins, but with wooden skewers — 
she breakfasted on salt fish and beer, the 
royal fingers serving her at breakfast and 
all other meals, in the lieu of forks — which 
at that time were unknown in England. 
The most comfortable parts in her palace 
were strewed, not with carpels, but with 
dried rushes and dead leaves. When she 
moved abroad, the royal state could not 
supply her with a carriage to be compared 
with one of our Gateshead cabs; and she 



presented herself in the streets of London 
on days of grand procession, mounted on 
a pillion behind her Lord Chancellor, who 
bestrode a Flanders mare." 



From the Albany Cultivator. 

THE PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE UN- 
DER DIFFICULTIES. 

Messrs. Editors, — I place the above sen- 
tence at the head of my page, as the sub- 
ject of the present letter. It is one which 
1 have somewhere seen illustrated in a hu- 
morous manner that has often served to 
recall it to rememberance, and to provoke 
a smile, when otherwise the feeling excited 
might, almost have been of a melancholy 
character. Within the past few years, or 
since my main object has been to promote 
the advancement of improved agriculture, 
the "pursuit of knowledge under difficul- 
ties" has frequently arrested my attention. 
It has been exemplified in the shape of 
some worthy farmer, old or young, who 
has turned away from his plough and 
team for awhile, and is toiling manfully to 
climb some steep scientific bill, or painfully 
striving to fathom an obscure valley of 
learning which has suddenly opened in his 
way. No toil in the field under the glow- 
ing heat of harvest, has ever exhausted the 
sturdy frame, as have these intellectual ef- 
forts and struggles; the venturesome agri- 
culturist has left the region of facts and 
substantials, and has penetrated into a 
land where all is unknown; now half sti- 
fled by ammonia, with an occasional whiff 
of other highly nitrogenous bodies, he la- 
bors on toward, as he fancies, some glimp- 
ses of certainty, but just as he plants his 
foot firmly, is overwhelmed by a cloud of 
ashes in the form of inorganic manures. 
He plunges for relief intu an open drain, 
but soon finds that he must submit to the 
compression of a pipe tile, and perhaps be 
employed in irrigation. His hair stands 
on end as he peruses even the names of 
the awful substances which are described 
as constituting what he has heretofore 
looked upon as simple turnips and potatoes, 
and his own respiration becomes impeded 
as he thinks of the combustion that is go- 
ing on in the lungs, and the transforma- 
tions in the stomachs of his friends and 
neighbors, after one of those hearty meals 
that he has so unthinkingly shared with 
them before. 

But these are only a tithe of the diffi- 



142 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



culties which beset the daring individual 
who strays away from the old track. He 
studies and perplexes himself over a the- 
ory or principle till he has become confi- 
dent that he sees through it completely, 
and prepares to put it in practice; he is 
i'ull of the subject, and even imparts his 
expected success to his incredulous ac- 
quaintances; but alas for his confidence, 
some other writer comes forth with his 
views upon the same topic, and very 
probably contradicts point blank all that 
the first one wrote, and leaving the un- 
happy farmer in a state of doubt and per- 
plexity that is truly distressing. But per- 
haps he is a man not easily disheartened, 
and turns to some other taking theoretical 
proposition, — here he has at last found 
what must be correct, and now he is to 
reap the reward of his superior skill in 
opening this new way to wealth; unfortu- 
nately however, he very probably finds 
once more upon actual trial, that even sci- 
entific men are fallible; the crops that were 
to grow on a particular kind of food, most 
obstinately refuse to flourish at all; the 
chemically prepared fodder proves dis- 
tasteful to the unscientific tastes of his ani- 
mals, or if they do continue to eat, they 
utterly refuse to grow fat upon it, except 
at an expense which makes their old food 
cheap in comparison. 

The unlucky martyr to science, or to 
pretended science, finally gives up in de- 
spair, and henceforth settles down into a 
most determined opponent of carbon, ni- 
trogen, silica and potash; they may do for 
those who have opportunity to know what 
they really are, but for him they are a kind 
of phantoms conjured up by book writers, 
to haunt the repose of honest, straight for- 
ward farmers. 

Our friend after all, however, has yet 
perhaps a species of lingering desire to- 
wards science; he has bolted once from 
the old course, and finds it hard to jog on 
in the beaten track as before. Suddenly 
he receives a new illumination — it is all 
clear now — the difficulty has been that he 
did not comprehend all of these scientific 
terms and explanations sufficiently well to 
know exactly what he was doing, and an 
agricultural school is therefore evidently 
the thing that is needed; here he is told, 
everything will be taught for nothing; the 
farmer will be a chemist, veterinary sur- 
geon, physiologist, geologist, &c. all in a 
few weeks, and will be able to examine 
and investigate for himself without any fo- 
reign aid. These enemies with hard names. 



will at last be brought under the farmer's 
power; he need only go to this workshop 
of science, and he will be turned out in a 
few weeks completely armed at all points. 
He will have a full commission to torture 
Nature, and compel her answers to eve- 
ry question. He can return from his day's 
work, and in place of toasting apples and 
cracking nuts as of old, will cook his own 
soils over his own fire, and separate all of 
their parts just as easily as cut a turnip 
into slices. Farmers will meet together in 
the evening, not to talk as now r , about the 
markets, but to compare the properties o^ 
their acids and alkalies, to speculate upon 
some new theories of vegetable physiology, 
and to wax warm in discussing the rela- 
tive merits of phosphoric and sulphuric 
acids. The agricultural school is to be the 
grand panacea for all difficulties and com- 
plaints incident to the pursuit of aericul- 
ture; when it is established, we shall have 
no more poor crops, no more unthrifty ani- 
mals, no more worn out land; the great 
problem of giving everybody everything, 
seems at length likely to meet with a solu- 
tion. Thus our friend, whom we have fol- 
lowed through a portion of his trials, seems 
likely at last to arrive at a satisfactory end 
of his labors, and to have pursued know- 
ledge through difficulties, until in his own 
estimation at least, he has fairly caught it. 

For my own part, I am by no means cer- 
tain that he has entirely succeeded, — that 
is in such a sense as he himself considers; 
my belief is that this school from which he 
hopes so much, will in its turn disappoint 
his expectations, as they have been so often 
disappointed before. He will find that 
even after he has graduated with all the 
honors, that crops will still go wrong, that 
manures will fail, and that he often meets 
with questions which all of his science is 
incompetent to answer; his very calves 
and pigs will propound puzzles of the most 
perplexing character, which neither his la- 
boratory nor his books can solve. 

But it will not answer to leave our friend 
in this condition. An interest in the object 
of his pursuit prompts us to offer, if possi- 
ble, some alleviation to this final disap- 
pointment. 

All must now see what I mean, when I 
speak of the farmer's "pursuit of know- 
Jedge under difficulties," and although the 
nature of his trials may provoke a smile, 
yet they are real, and in theirconsequences, 
moreover, are fraught with matter of deep 
import to the prosperity of our country. 
Since it is becoming popular to exalt sci- 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



143 



ence in its applications to agriculture, this 
department has been seized upon by many 
incompetent men. Between those who are 
>* really scientific authorities and those who 
are not, the farmer cannot distinguish ; sin- 
cerely desirous to learn, he commits him- 
self blindly to the guidance of the nearest 
or first guide that is available, or that of- 
fers, and frequently suffers severely in 
consequence. 

First a quack propounds to him a false 
but dazzling picture of success; then some 
misguided enthusiast carries him forward 
to still wilder plans, and if a man of sense 
and really good acquirements, ventures to 
contradict either, it is at. the risk of losing 
his reputation and standing among those 
who look at him as only on a level with his 
ignorant opponents, and who consider all 
scientific, that bear the name or assume it. 

The farmer is overwhelmed with new 
theories, each more valuable than all of 
its predecessors; now he is to use one 
kind of manure, and neglect all others; 
next he learns that this first is of no use, 
but that another is infallible; one writer 
says that open fields and deep ploughing 
are cardinal points in the rules of the good 
husbandman, but a second assures his rea- 
der that, if he can shade his land enough 
he need care for little more. What is to 
be done? Every man of sense becomes, 
after a time, disgusted with these contra- 
dictions, and retires in utter despair of ob- 
taining the knowledge, which he really de- 
sires. The editors of our agricultural pa- 
pers are not free from blame in this state 
of things; many of them publish, either 
from ignorance, or want of independence, 
every mass of crude notions that is sent 
them, and thus help to confuse, still more 
effectually, the plain seeker after truth. 

And now they have seized upon the last 
hope of the farmer, the agricultural schools, 
and are doing everything that can be done 
to dishearten and discourage their true and 
rational friends. I have not done justice 
at all to the ludicrous and absurd plans 
that are proposed, and the expectations 
held forth to our agriculturists. 

These schools instead of being as they 
should be, places where the simple truth 
might be taught without fear or favor by 
really competent men, — places where the 
farmers might learn the great principles 
of their profession without being confused 
and confounded by half a score of contra- 
dictory theories, are to make thoroughly 
scientific men of all that even put a head 
or a hand within their gates, and the far- 



mer's boy in a few weeks, is to do what 
men with hard study cannot accomplish in 
less than years. I do trust that we are not, 
in addition to our present obstacles in the 
way of^ safe and certain progress, to be 
overrun with half educated chemists, mi- 
neralogists, and pretenders to science, as 
graduates from such schools. Better by 
far not have them at all, than on such a 
plan as will add to the many difficulties 
and perplexities which the earnest inquirer 
after knowledge is now obliged to encoun- 
ter. 

Yours truly, 

John P. Norton. 
Yale College, Jan. 27, 1851. 



From the Louisville Journal. 
THE GRAPE CULTURE. 

We thank Mr. Clay, late Charge WAf- 
jaires to Portugal, for the following cor- 
respondence. We have no doubt that the 
information relative to the culture of the 
vine will be valuable to many in this coun- 
try: 

Louisville, Jan. 8, 1851. 

To the Editors of the Louisville Journal: 

Gentlemen, — Whilst residing in Portu- 
gal, it struck me that I might be able to 
obtain information respecting the culture 
of the vine, so much attended to in that 
country, which might possibly be of some 
service to those of my fellow citizens who 
are directing their attention that way. — 
With that object, the following correspon- 
dence took place, which, as you are in the 
habit of devoting a portion of your journal 
to agricultural purposes, is very much at 
your service, should you think proper to 
publish it. Mr. Tinelli, the gentleman 
who answers my inquiries, had been, until 
recently, many years our Consul at Oporto, 
and, his tastes inclining him that way, he 
had every opportunity to be well informed 
upon the subject he treats of. 
1 am, very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

James B. Clay. 



My Dear Sir, — The attention of my 
countrymen in some sections of the United 
States is beginning to be turned to the cul- 
tivation of the vine. Anxious to obtain, 
for their benefit, accurate information as to 



144 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



its culture and the subsequent processes of 
wine-making in Portugal, as you reside in 
the immediate vicinity where the Port wine 
grape is so extensively grown, may I ask 
that you will procure for me answers to 
the following queries: 

1st. What grape is it from which the 
Port wine is made? 

2d. What is the character of the soil 
upon which it is grown? 

3d. What is the mode of cultivation? 
that is, how are the vines first propagated 
and planted? At what age do they bear 
fruit? What is the process of cultivation 
before they bear, and what after, both win- 
ter and summer? 

4th. How are the grapes gathered? 

5th. What is the mode of extracting the 
juice? 

6th. What are the processes of prepar- 
ing the wine, from the extraction of the 
juice until it is fit to be sent to market? 
I am, very truly, 

Your obedient servant, 

James B. Clay. 

Lewis Tinelli, Esq. <$c. 

Consulate of the U. States, 
Oporto, Dec. 12th, 1849. 

My Dear Sir, — I am now in possession 
of the letter which you have done me the 
honor to address to me on the 2d instant, 
asking me to answer some queries in re- 
gard to the culture of grape vines, and the 
production of wine in the wine region of 
the Douro, which I shall now endeavor to 
do in the best manner consistent with my 
practical knowledge of the subject. 

The wine, properly known by wine deal- 
ers as "Port wine," is only produced on a 
tract of land, comprising about twenty 
square leagues on the right border of the 
Douro, at a distance of from ten to twenty 
leagues from Oporto. The limits of that 
wine district are established by law and 
by the regulations of the Wine Company 
of the Douro. 

Answer to the first query: — The best 
grapes raised on the Douro's bank are the 
following, viz: the white Muscatel and the 
white Malmsey, which make particular 
qualities of wine, known in commerce un- 
der the same names as the grapes. The 
Bastardo (red) produces a very delicate 
and rather sweet quality of wine, which is 
generally used to improve the less flavored 
qualities of wine. The Alrarilhas, the 
Toiriga, the Ttnta. the Tamara, and the 
Arinto, (all red) come next above the best 
varieties of grapes from which the Port 



iwine is made, although more than thirty 
1 varieties of grapes are raised in the wine 
region of the Douro. 

2d. The soil upon which the best wine 
is raised is a mixture of schist, lime, and 
i vegetable earth; the best exposure is the 
south-eastern. 

3d. The vine is generally planted and 
! propagated from cuttings, which are 
| branches cut from old stocks of the vines, 
: having about one foot of the old wood and 
two or three feet of the shoots of one year. 
I If these cuttings be kept in water for about 
one month before planting, their growth 
will prove more sure and luxuriant. They 
i are cut during the winter, when the vines 
! are pruned and planted early in the spring, 
' at the distance of about three feet apart 
I each way, in trenches about fourteen inches 
j deep and wide, i'lto which some old rotten 
dung is thrown, and afterwards are to be 
i covered with the earth from the surface of 
the soil. The cutting is afterward cut at 
a length as to leave only three buds out of 
the ground. In the following year, the 
three branches, sprouting from the three 
eyes left to the cutting, will also be cut, 
leaving three bads to each of them; the 
third year they will begin to yield. An- 
J other mode of propagating and even of 
! improving the quality of the grapes is that 
i commonly known and called by agricultu- 
turists by layers. Vines are always pruned 
' during the winter, and great care is taken 
to cut off* the old branches, and to leave 
three shoots of the last growth, which is 
j also cut at about eight inches from the old 
| stock; they are likewise hoed and weeded 
! at least once in winter and once in summer. 
| In June, when the vegetation of vines is in 
| its greatest growth, a diligent farmer is 
always careful to cut with the fingers the 
smallest sprouts, which only serve to en- 
feeble the vegetation of the larger branch- 
es, and in many vineyards the good method 
has been also adopted to plant some sticks 
or even stocks of canes, to which they tie 
with straw, or young willows, the young 
luxuriant branches of the vines. 

4th. In many parts of Europe the epoch 

of the vintage is every year determined by 

the municipal authorities. In the district 

of the Douro, the farmers are led to com- 

| mence the gathering of the grapes by their 

own experience. The delicate flavor of 

i the grape, and a kind of gluish adhesion 

S to the fingers in handling the grapes, will 

easily apprise the farmer of their complete 

maturity. 

5th. The grapes are always gathered on 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



145 



a dry, sunny day, and after sunrise; they 
must be clean of all leaves, and of either 
gotten or green pits; they are brought in 
basket* to the press vat, where, after the 
vat is completely full, they are carefully 
pressed by men's feet. Twenty-four hours 
after this operation, the ebullition of the li- 
quid will commence, which will bring up 
to the surface of the vat the stalks and 
skins of the grapes, and form a kind of crust. 
It will be well to break with some wooden 
instrument that crust, and to mix it again 
with the liquid four or five times during 
the fermentation, which will be prolonged 
by this operation, and thus the wine acquire 
more color and strength. The fermenting 
process will last five days in a good year, 
when the grapes are good and sound, but 
less, if the grapes be not very sound, or if 
they have been gathered in damp weather. 
After the fermentation is over, and before 
the liquid becomes completely cold, the 
wine is taken from the press vat to the 
wooden tunnel (cask.) The residuum, that 
is to say, the stalks and skins of the grapes, 
which still contain a good quantity of juice, 
are heavily pressed by the press of the vat, 
and the wine thus obtained is carried into 
another tunnel, being of inferior quality. 

6th. A second fermentation of wine takes 
place a short time after it is put into the 
tunnels, so that it will be necessary to keep, 
/^luring the process, always the bung hole 
Jopen, to let part of the gas escape, and to 
avoid the explosion of the vessel. When 
this second fermentation is finished, and 
the liquid becomes cold, it is then consi- 
dered ready to put into pipes and brought 
to market, but previous to this it must be 
well clarified with whites of eggs, propor- 
tionate to the quantity of the liquid, and 
about two per cent, of good old brandy is 
added to the wine. 

It is known to the analysts that Port wine, 
in its primary and natural state, contains 
about twelve per cent, of alcohol, which 
quantity is far beyond what is contained in 
the strongest wines of France, Spain and 
Sicily. But, notwithstanding this natural 
affluence of spirit, by its peculiar idiosyn- 
cracy. Port wine, when intended to be pre- 
served for many years, requires, almost 
every year, an addition of brandy, and to 
be moved from one vessel into another. A 
careful clarification and settling is also re- 
quired before the wine is shipped, and more 
especially in a cold season. 

There is a strong bodied, heavy colored 
and very sweet quality of artificial wine, 
called Geropiga, which is used by ill-ad- 



vised or dishonest dealers to increase the 
body and strength of inferior wines. More 
than five hundred pipes of that stuff is 
yearly shipped to New York, under the 
rather ironical name of pure juice, which 
are quickly sold to a certain class of mer- 
chants, who mix that liquid with common 
Catalonia, Calabria, and even low French 
wines. The real Geropiga is made by 
boiling the pure juice of the grape until 
reduced to two-thirds of its volume, to 
which a certain quantity of sugar is also 
added, and one-third of good brandy; but 
in many instances, to give a deeper color 
to this stuff, large quantities of elder ber- 
ries, and of other more obnoxious material, 
are mixed with the liquid. 

I beg to reiterate to your Excellency the 
assurance of the highest consideration, 
with which I have the honor to be 
Your obedient servant, 

L. W. Tinf.lli. 
His Excellency, James B. Clay, Charge 

D'Aftaires, &c. 



From the Germantown Telegraph. 

THE PUMPKIN-ITS CULTIVATION AND 
USE. 

Mr. Editor, — The pumpkin, although a 
very common vegetable, has never. I think, 
been appreciated so highly as it deserves. 
This arises in part from the" very injudici- 
ous, and in many instances, preposterous 
manner in which it is cultivated. From 
the great size and extent of the vines, and 
the weight of the fruit, common sense 
would induce us to infer, that the amount 
of nutriment required to bring it to perfec- 
tion, must necessarily be proportionally 
great; yet we generally find it growing 
among corn, and not unfrequently on soiis, 
the constitutional character of which is too 
weak to insure success to the lightest crops. 
The consequence of this species of "mixed 
husbandry" inevitably is, that neither the 
corn, when so grown, nor the pumpkins at- 
tain their maximum development, and both 
crops are garnered at an expense which 
often greatly exceeds their worth. Now, 
sir, Nature is always a fair dealer, but she 
will not be cheated. If we would realise 
good and remunerating crops, we must 
proceed on righteous principles; then, how- 
ever liberal may be our demands, all our 
behests will be guerdoned with a fair equi- 
valent in return. My method of cultivat- 
ing the pumpkin is this: 

In the autumn 1 break np a piece of well 



146 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



conditioned sward land, roll and harrow. 
I then spread on after the rate of thirty 
cords of old manure to the acre, and turn 
it under with a light furrow. Four bush- 
els of gypsum to the acre are next applied, 
the soil rolled smooth, and left in this con- 
dition till the subsequent spring. As soon 
as the frost is fairly out, and the soil suffi- 
ciently dry to admit of its being worked 
with facility, I take on the cultivator and 
give the surface a thorough working, fol- 
lowing and dressing off with the harroow. 
My hills are then made six feet apart each 
way — a large broad hole being excavated 
to receive one bushel of old compost on 
which I plant my seed — from five to six of 
which are allowed to each hill. Over the 
seeds, and in immediate contact with them 
and the manure, I apply half a pint of 
gypsum and a little sulphuric acid or pul- 
verized copperas, and cover with one inch 
of fine soil, pressing it down with the hoe. 
As soon as the plants are up, I give them 
a dressing of ashes, about one pint to each 
hill, and hoe when in rough leaf. As the 
striped bug, which preys on the cucumber 
and squash vine, is also an equal enemy to 
the pumpkin, I spread over my plants in 
"bug time" a thin flake of cotton, fastening it 
down by means of wooden pins, which pre- 
vents their doing much injury to the plants, 
and often, when properly done, wholly pre- 
vents their attacks. As the vines extend, 
the benefit of the spread manure becomes 
regularly and progressively more obvious 
and apparent. From every joint of a pump- 
kin vine there emanates a system of small 
fibres which penetrate the soil and perform 
the functions of roots. They are, in fact, 
veritable roots, and when they fasten upon 
a soil or section of soil replete with humus, 
or the active elements of vegetable nutri- 
tion, they greatly assist in augmenting the 
thrift and fruitfulness of the vine. As 
every portion of my pumpkin plot is filled 
with organic matter, in a condition to be 
readily appropriated and assimilated by 
the organic action of the vegetable system, 
every fibre becomes a mouth for the recep- 
tion of invigorating food, and every evo- 
lution of roots, an increase of vital strength 
in the parent plant. Great care is had to 
keep down the weeds, and thoroughly to 
eradicate every vestige of spurious vege- 
tation before the development of the run- 
ners and foliage has become so exuberant 
as wholly to occupy the soil. In this way, 
vast crops of this useful and •valuable pro- 
duction may be obtained at comparatively 
small expense. 



For feeding swine, I prepare a i'ew bar- 
rels of pumpkins annually, in the following 
manner: Selecting the earliest ripe, I cut 
them without paring into thin strips, ar,cpfc 
dry them thoroughly in the sun, by sus- 
pending the rings on poles and when dry 
pack them away for future use. Prepared 
in this way, pumpkins maybe kept an age, 
and when ground, mixed with skimmed 
milk and sweetened with a little molasses, 
it constitutes one of the best and richest 
articles for winter feeding that can be sup- 
plied. A few handfuls of this meal will 
be found sufficient for a bucket full of mush, 
as it absorbs a large quantity of water, 
and "swells-' much more than Indian meal, 
especially if it has been properly dried and 
preserved from wet. 

A Practical Farmer. 

Bald Eagle Farm, April 14, 1851. 



From the Genesee Farmer. 
GARDEN CULTURE. 



There can be no such thing as com- 
plete, satisfactory success, in the culture 
of the orchard or the garden, with a poor, 
shallow, ill-prepared soil; and very few 
people who are not familiar with garden- 
ing, or who have had no opportunity of 
seeing good garden management, have z 
correct idea of what good garden culture 
is or ought to be. About this time of the 
year, in passing around the country, wei 
find in the neighborhood of most farm 
houses a small plot of ground usually call- 
ed the garden; but of all other places on 
the premises it looks decidedly the least 
like one — during the last three months 
grass and weeds have been allowed to 
grow unrestrained until they have com- 
pletely covered everything, and are actu- 
ally rearing their heads above the garden 
fence. It seems to be the settled opinion 
that such labor as hoeing and weeding, 
though well enough and perhaps neces- 
sary for the first three months of the sea- 
son, while the crops are working their way 
through the ground, are quite superfluous 
in the autumn months. Some of the crops 
have been gathered, the others are nearly 
lull grown ; and what good could hoeing 
or weeding do ? These weeds remain, 
therefore, and all dry stems, rubbish, &c. 
that have accumulated in the garden du- 
ring the season, are left in heaps, so that 
field mice are attracted there to occupy 
themselves during winter, gnawing the 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



147 



few bar- 

ollowiocr 
Pe, I cut 



bark of the trees, if there be any. Next 
spring — say in the latter end of April. 
when the weather has become warm and 



n l 16 )»i;* feasant, and birds are singing and trees 



by 
'hen dry 
'repared 

t an age, 

framed 



) tie sub 
leal will 
of mush, 

I" water, 
an meal, 
ried and 

mi 
151, 



is corn- 
culture 

i a poor, 
erf few 
garden- 
unity of 
have 

CullDtl 

e of the 

itiy,we 
ist farm 
illy call- 
aces on 
ie least 
months 
owed to 
re corn- 
re ado- 
garden 
opinion 
feeding, 
i neces- 
the sea- 
leirivay 
erfluoos 
he crops 
e nearly 
I boeing 
remain. 
u'sti, &C- 
Jen (to- 
st) thai 
occupy 
\ M the 



preparing to expand their blossoms, the 
temptation to do a little gardening can no 
longer be resisted — something must be 
done; and what is it? Why, if manure 
be quite handy, a sprinkling is thrown 
over the surface, and the plough is intro- 
duced, a part of the ground scored up un- 
til it has a fresh surface; perhaps half the 
trees in the garden have been bruised or 
broken with the whiffle-trees, or the tops 
eaten off by the horses; but it could not 
be helped. This is, as near as we can 
describe it, the routine of gardening prac- 
tised among a very large portion of our 
agriculturists, even in some of the oldest 
and wealthiest districts. We never ride a 
dozen miles in the country, in any direc- 
tion, without coming upon many such gar- 
dens, the property of wealthy farmers, with 
large, well tilled, and profitable farms paid 
for, and money, more or less, let out on 
interest besides. The poor farmer who is 
struggling under a heavy debt, with small 
siock and small means every way, is ex- 
cusable, if anybody be, for owning a gar- 
den of weeds, but for those who are in 
easy and even affluent circumstances there 
is no excuse whatever, and we always feel 
inclined, in passing their premises, to stop 

id lecture them a little on the subject; 
but. as that would not do, we take this 
means of bringing it to the attention of 
some of them at least. 

We ask these farmers to take a look into 
some of the little gardens in the nearest 
village, and see what is going on there. 
At this season the ground will be as clean 
of weeds as in July; the crops will all be 
gathered ; all the bean poles, pea sticks, 
&c, will be carefully put away ; dry stems 
of plants, heaps of weeds and rubbish, 
will be snugly deposited where they ought 
to be, in the manure or compost heap, and 
preparation for another season, such as 
manuring and trenching, will be already 
in progress. A garden will be there next 
season worthy of looking at, and fruits 
and vegetables will be grown in it that 
will be the talk and wonder of the neigh- 
borhood. 

'We have spoken of trenching, and it 
might perhaps be well enough at this time 
and in this connection to give a brief de- 
scription of what we mean by trenching. 
In the first place, the object of trenching 
is to deepen the soil, to enable the roots of 



|S 



plants to penetrate it, and to increase its 
capacity for retaining and furnishing the 
necessary food of plants that grow on it. 
A shallow soil, however rich it may be 
made with manure, is unfit for gardening. 
The roots of plants in it are kept near the 
surface, and always suffer in a time of 
drought. In dry, midsummer weather, 
the crops on a thin, untrenched soil will 
be completely scorched ; their stems will 
droop, turn brown, and, if the drought 
should continue a month or six weeks, as 
is frequently the case, they die or become 
a total loss; while in a deep trenched 
garden, where the roots can penetrate 
freely in search of food and moisture, the 
drought is scarcely felt at all. Tap-rooted 
plants, such as beets, carrots, parsnips. 
&c. can only be grown smooth and fine 
for the table on a deep soil. The highest 
culture that can be given on a thin, hard 
soil, will only produce knotty, forked, de- 
formed things, neither fit to be seen nor 
eaten. There can be no good gardening 
without a good, mellow soil, fit for the 
roots of plants to enter to the depth of full 
eighteen inches — two feet would be still 
better. Very few people are fortunate 
enough to have a garden soil naturally fit 
for roots to this depth ; hence the neces- 
sity for trenching. 

The proper implement for trenching 
with is one that some how or other seems 
to be very unpopular, but one quite indis- 
pensable in the garden — the spade. A 
plot of ground is trenched by commencing 
on one side and opening a trench two feet 
wide, and as deep as you wish to make 
your soil — say two depths of a common 
spade. The earth taken out of this first 
trench or opening is carried on a cart or 
wheelberrow to the rear of the plot where 
the trenching is to terminate. The first 
trench being opened, another space of two 
feet is marked off, and the surface spade- 
ful of this thrown into the bottom of the 
trench. If manure be needed, a layer of 
manure is thrown on, and then the bottom 
spadeful is thrown on top of that. W^here 
this second course is hard, bad soil, it 
should only be loosened up with the spade 
or pickaxe if necessary. To throw such 
earth on the surface would be ruinous to 
the ground for a year or two until it would 
be mellowed and enriched by amalgama- 
tion with the other soil and with manures. 

Where a garden is new, or even large, 
the subsoil plough might be used, and will 
no doubt be much cheaper lhan the spade; 
but where a garden is small or encumbered 



148 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



with trees the spade is the thing. Tf ta- 
ken at the proper season, an ordinary 
sized garden may be trenched at very tri- 
fling expense. It may be done when 
nearly all other outdoor work upon land 
has ceased. We have kept trenching 
going on all winter, by covering the 
ground with leaves a few inches deep. 
There is no farmer but could find, if dis- 
posed, time enough with his men to pre- 
pare his garden in this way, and then 
when spring comes the labor of preparing 
and seeding would be comparatively 
light — it could be done much earlier in 
the season, and the crops w T ould be of 
some value and creditable beside. 

The manure used in gardens should be 
old and well decayed, so that it can be 
cut easily with a spade. You may then 
depend upon its not filling the gardens 
with weeds, as fresh manures always do. 
This trenching has a wonderful influence 
on the soil. We know little about it in this 
country. In Europe it is as common in 
garden, orchard, and vineyard culture as 
ploughing is here for grain crops. In the 
wine making districts of France and Ger- 
many, the soil has been made out. of hard, 
gravelly, slaty hills, that in the natural 
state would appear about as fertile as the 
rocky banks of the Hudson. The beauti- 
ful and famous vineyards of Cincinnati 
occupy barren looking bluffs around the 
city, that have been trenched by Germans 
in their own style and brought into their 
present productive and polished state. 

It is not dry, hard, thin soils alone that 
are benefited by trenching, but heavy, 
cold, and damp soils; loosening of the 
subsoil renders them porous, allows super- 
fluous water to pass off, and warms and 
sweetens the ground. We recommend 
this subject to the immediate attention of 
all who have gardens; and, if any further 
information be desired on the subject, we 
will cheerfully impart it if we can. We 
are so fully convinced that this thorough 
preparation of ground is at the bottom of 
all good and successful gardening, and so 
fully aware, too, of the extent to which it 
is neglected, that we cannot press it too 
strongly. 



FRENCH SHEEP DOGS. 

An English traveller speaks of the dogs 
which are used in Normandy, in the ma- 
nagement of sheep, as being uncommonly 
valuable. He thus describes one: "The 



animal was some cross of the breed com- 
monly known in England as lurchers; and 
the quick sparkle of the eye, and the ready 
and eager intelligence of his face as h£W 
watched his master, and flew round any". I 
round the flock at the slightest gesture, or 
merely mumbled word of direction, were 
really beautiful to see. The shepherd told 
me he was a most valuable dog — he would 
not sell him for two hundred francs." 



From the Genesee Farmer. 
ON FATTENING DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 

In an admirable lecure before the So- 
ciety of Arts, Mr. Mechi, of England, 
says: "I believe it is the great quanity of 
stock kept that enables the Lothian farmer 
to compete at so great a distance with the 
south-country farmer; and I believe it i3 
the still greater quantity of stock kept by 
Mr. McCullocb, of Auchness, that enabled 
him to surpass Ihe Lothian farmers. Mr. ; 
Lawes has shown most indisputably, in* 
his admirable papers in the Royal Agri- 
cultural Society's Journals, that we can' 
produce manure cheaper and better by 
feeding stock than by purchasing guano." 

The economical production of beef,, 
pork, and mutton, and thereby securing a; 
large increase of manure, is an object of. 
the first importance on every weli man-^f 
aged farm. A great many cultivators in: 
this country have yet to learn that it is 
quite as easy to consume and finally ex- 
haust the fertilizing elements in the sub- 
soil, by deep tillage and selling all thai 
crops, as it is to impoverish the surface soil j 
by shallow plowing and sending the cream 
of the land to distant markets. Both prac- 
tices are part and parcel of the same un- 
wise system of agriculture. Each cubic J 
foot of the reader's soil will weigh 100: 
pounds on an average — some more, some 
less — exclusive of water or moisture. If 
it contains one part in 1600 of potash, it is 
better in that regard than the average of 
land twenty-five years in cultivation. As 
there are 1000 ounces in 100 pounds, of 
course a fair soil contains but an ounce of 
potash in a cubic foot; and of this not 
over a drachm, or the eighth of an ounce, 
is available for any one crop, or perhaps 
for any five, owing to the circumstance 
that seven-eighths of this alkali exists in 
the same condition in the earth that potash, 
soda, and lime occupy in window-gla*s, 
i. e. it exists in the shape of an insoluble 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



149 



eJ com. 
r$; and 
e ready 
e as h 



«i* Br 

ture, or 



were 
erdtold 
e would 



IMALS 

the S . 
inland, 
aniiy of 
i farmer 
villi liie 
ve i! is 
kept by 
enabled 
!. Mr, 
bly, I 
A g ri- 
ve eal 
"er bjj 
'oaoo. 11 
I beef 
aringf 
bjecl 



silicate of potash. Now, it matters not 
what food is fed to animals, very little of 
the potash, and less of the soluble silica 
ken out of the soil in such food, remains 
the system. These, and other earthly 
elements of crops, appear in the droppings 
or excrelue, and can be restored to the 
ground whence they were extracted. But 
if a drachm of potash is sent to market in 
hay, potatoes, grain, or other products, 
from each cubic foot of soil, or if it be 
wasted at home, how is the farmer to re- 
place that quantity of alkali in every cu- 
bic loot of his impoverished fields? Very 
few of our readers have any just appre- 
ciation of the intrinsic value of the raw 
material of human food and raiment. 

Mr. Meclii says that a million tons of 
oil-cake are imported into England every 
year; and in a recent debate in Parliament, 
on the question of allowing the out-going 
tenant a fair compensation for unexpended 
manure applied to land, it was decided by 
a vote of the House, that the manure 
made from a ton of oil-cake is worth half 
the cost of the cake. A motion to regard 
the manure made by grain at half the 
cost of the grain, was first carried, then 
re-considered and lost. We should have 
voted in the affirmative on both of the 
above questions — denying the right of any 
tenant or landlord to remove more of the 
earthy elements of bread and meat from 



itor.s ;e 
at it is 
illy ex ; 
ie tii!)' 
all tin 
iced 
: cream 
h prac- 
iiie nij 

i I'llliK 



limarl ^e soil than he applied to it. The natu- 
ral fruitfulness of the earth, whether the 
estate be entailed or not, belongs to no 
one generation exclusively ; therefore, to 
rob the earth of its phosphorus, potash, 
magnesia, soda, and chlorine, is an obvi- 
ous wrong which can be justified only on 
the ground of an immediate and pressing 
necessity. 

It is now the great business of Ameri- 
can canals, railroads, river, lake, and for- 
eign commerce, to convey to distant mar- 
kets the raw material of cotton, grain, and 
provisions, drawn from one hundred mil- 
lion acres of virgin soil. When our turn 
comes to seek a million tons of oil-cake 
worth $15 a ton for manure, where shall 
we find it? So long as our subsoils 
abound in the elements of wheat and cot- 
ton, deep ploughing, subsoiling, and grow- 
ing clover, will bring them to the surface ; 
but after the bone-earth and potash are 
finally consumed in staples sent to the sea- 
board, or are dissolved by tillage and 
washed into the creeks, rivers, and lakes — 
what then? Then, and we fear not be- 
fore, we shall begin to fatten neat cattle, 



\ somi 

ire, li 
sh,iti 
rage of 
id, m 
nils, of 
none of 
bis not 
ounce, 
lerfiaps 
isfance 
jets io 
iotasli, 

#f> 
soluble 



hogs, and sheep, in a way to save every 
particle of their droppingp, by feeding 
them on open floors with a tight base- 
ment. 

Speaking of this open-floor and cellar 
arrangement, Mr. Mechi remarks: "Ex- 
perience has taught me, and will teach 
others, in order to succeed in farming, we 
must produce a much larger quantity of 
meat on our farms than at present, and at 
less cost. In order to do this, it becomes 
necessary to consume a large portion of 
the straw of the farm, '•ut into chaff, and 
cook it with meal and ground oil-cake. 
We are thus deprived of the usual cattle- 
bedding, and must find a substitute. Hav- 
ing practised the system rather exten- 
sively, I will communicate to you the de- 
tails; observing that although attended, 
as every system must be, with certain dis- 
advantages, the balance of benefit is suffi- 
ciently considerable to induce me to con- 
tinue and extend it. The quantity of 
stock I now have on boards (slats) is, 100 
lambs, 50 sheep, 60 calves, 30 bullocks, 10 
cows and 200 pigs. I measured the hoofs 
of the various animals, and arranged my 
openings accordingly. For bullocks, the 
space between the slats or boards is If 
inches; sheep, 1^ inches; pigs, ditto; 
small pigs and lambs, 1 inch; calves If 
inches. 

" One cannot too highly appreciate the 
system on heavy lands, where animals 
cannot be profitably folded during winter. 
The area allowed to each animal and its 
feeding apparatus, is thus : 

Superficial feet. 
Small sheep, 8 

Large do. 10 

Small bullucks, SO to 40 

Laige do. 50 to GO 

Small pigs, 6 to 8 

Large do. 9 to 11 

"Very much depends on the season and 
weather. In cold weather, pigs and bul- 
locks can scarcely be packed too close, so 
long as there is room for them to lie down 
comfortably. Sheep require a little more 
room and ventilation. In fact it requires 
a nice observation to adjust the ventilation 
and temperature. This is best done by a 
thermometer, because our own feelings are 
not always a sufficient criterion. Every 
cattle shed should feel as comfortable and 
warm as a drawing room. The opening 
for ventilation should be at the highest 
point. My bullocks are groomed daily by 
a boy, whose sole occupation it is. The 
cost is about one farthing a head per 



150 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



week, and I am sure it pays. [Pays the 
owner of the cattle, but not the boy.] Be- 
fore I leave the open boards, I should say 
that the bars or planks may be either of 
straight yellow deals | pine] or straight- 
grained hard wood. The latter are to be ' 
preferred for heavy animals, as they wear 
off the edges of deals. I should say that 
we never sweep the floor; but the animals 
are perfectly clean. Of course the ma- ' 
nure is taken out at once to the field, with- 
out the interventional expense of a double 
carting, shooting, or turning over a dung 
heap. The effect on the crops is unmista- 
kable. I am quite sure the system is very ' 
advantageous. It is true we like a soft 
bed, and so do animals; but our medical 
advisers recommend a hard one. 

"There i3 a powerful development of! 
muscles on boards — so much so, that with 
fattening pigs not bred on boards, 1 have 
found some of them get capped hocks. ! 
It is surprising how fast you mny fatten | 
your pigs on these floors. They find it ! 
inconvenient to run about, so divide their 
time between eating and sleeping — a ■ 
most agreeable operation for the account 
book. My old bailiff admits that, on the [ 
turning-out system, two-thirds of my farm ' ] 
would be required to feed my animals; 
now they make shift with one-third. If 
you desire a good appetite for your ani- 
mals, turn them out in the cold for exer- 1 
cise. On asking the boy how they got on, 
he replied : l Oh, sir, they get on properly 
well now, they come in so hungry.' This 
settled the question in my mind; but those 
who doubt the facts, can make experi- 
ments. There can be no doubt the ani- 
mals are perfectly healthy on these boards. 
Considering the confinement and heat, this 
rather surprises me, especially with pigs \ 
fed entirely on meal: for the ammonia or 
effluvia from under them, is powerful 
enough to discolor paint. The great dif- 
ficulty I find, is in getting a proper fixer of 
ammonia. I have used sulphuric acid, | 
ashes, and various matters, with a certain 
effect. I hope the Irish peat charcoal will 
not be too dear; I have a ton coming on 
trial. After all, I am inclined to think 
common salt, or the common dried clay, is 
the cheapest fixer, and I have used a great 
deal." 

Well dried and finely pulverized clay is 
one of the best and cheapest absorbents of i 
the gases from the dung heap. In prepar- 
ing nightsoil lor transportation, the Chi- j 
nese have used dry clay for unknown ages. : 
To escape the attacks ol flies, which in | 



summer are very troublesome to cattle 
Mr. Mechi keeps his stables dark. H* 
says, "if you have ten million of flies, no 
one will bite in the dark." Mr. M. ha? 4 j 
steam engine for grinding coarse grainf 
cutting straw and turnips, and steaming 
food. 

Of course, if all farmers were to go ex; 
tensively into the production cf meat, tlm 
market would soon be overstocked and thu 
article become valueless; but there is lit! 
tie danger of such a result. It is too easj 
to skin the soil, as immense herds of bufla . 
loes are slaughtered fur their hides ancj 
tongues alone, for many to engage in an), 
system of farming which restores in ma 
nure as much of the elements of fertility 
as is removed in crops. To purchase oil 
cake or guano enough to form 100 bushel! 
of wheat or corn for every 100 sold off the 
farm, is a policy not soon to come into ge 
neral favor in this country. But after the 
virgin earth has parted with die raw ma- 
terial for making bread and meat, to the 
depth of two feet, then we shall begin tc 
consider the supreme folly of wasting fer- 
tilizers enough every year, as we now do 
to form one thousand million bushels ol< 
corn. This immense loss is not likely tc 
be any less during the next twenty-five' 
years; and it will tell most against thej 
deepest tilled land, which now yields the' 
best crops, provided their earthy element^ 
are not restored to it. Unless it can bill 
shown that each cubic foot of soil contains 
an unlimited quantity of bones, or the 
material to form them, it is easy to seej 
that, to be ever extracting phosphate ofj 
lime in grass, grain, roots, cotton, hemp,! 
sugar-cane, and tobacco, and sendingi 
these products off the farm, must inevita- 
bly consume all the bone-earth in the soil 
within the reach of any cultivated plants. 
Whatever minerals American soils lose 
by leaching and in crops, must some day 
be restored to it, if not from Great Britain, 
from the great deep, or some other source. 
We can no better afford to cultivate 100 
acres to grow 1000 bushels of wheat, than 
the farmers of England can. Why, then, 
should we not attempt to increase our ave- 
rage crops to twice the quantity per acre 
now harvested? This can only be done 
bv augmenting the fertility of wheat 
fields ; and how can this be effected better 
than to pass grain, roots, and grass, 
through meat producing machinery — sell- 
ing the meat, and adding the manure to 
the land that needs it? 

The different results obtained bv feed- 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



151 



3 go ex- 
*eat, the 

and t|( 
e is lit 
too easy 
ofbotia- 
and 
e in any 
in ma- 
ferij 

IWOi!- 

Well 
doff Hie 



t0 cattle 

art, [jf ing corn to hogs and neat cattle in diffe 
flies, not rent P arts of the United States, are quite 
\\. ktd curious and instructive. We have before 
grain ^ a l etler from Mr. J. E. Dodge, of Po- 
teamiofl tos h Grant county, Wisconsin, who says : 
" In October last, I selected from my stock 
two pigs of the same age, and apparenlly 
alike thrifty ; one, however, weighed 2C0 
lbs., and the other 247 lbs. Immediately 
after being weighed, they were put in dif- 
ferent apartments in the same house, kept 
dry and warm, and fed with great care 
forty days, when they were weighed and 
slaughtered. The heaviest pig was fed 
with corn meal mixed stiff with cold wa- 
ter; the other with shelled corn, with a 
plenty of pure water to drink. The one 
led with meal consumed 425 lbs., and 
gained 63 lbs. live weight; the pork 
weighed, after dressing, 267 lbs. The 
other ate 308 lbs. of corn, and was found 
to have gained only 33 lbs. in live weight; 
his pork weighed 231 lbs. By subtracting 
the pork weight, from the live weight, the 
amount of offal is ascertained, which in 
this experiment proved a fraction less than 
one-fifth of the live weight. If one-fifth 
be deducted from the amount each pig 
gained, we then have the true gain in pork 
produced, which was 6| lbs. for every 56 
lbs. of corn. The pigs were a cross be- 
tween the Byefield and Berkshire — the 
st and most profitable breeds. The 
corn the yellow dent or Cleveland, a vari- 
ety held here in great esteem." 

We confess the above statements, the j 
truth of which we have no reason to ques- 
tion, surprise us. The pig fed on dry 
corn gave only a pound of pork for 11 \ 
lbs. of corn. Had this meat been made 
in Georgia, where corn is now selling at 
two cents a pound, or at $1.12 a bushel, 
it would have cost 23 cents a pound ! Al- 
lowing the manure to have been one- fourth 
the price of the corn, (it is estimated at 
two prices,) and still the pork cost 17 cents ' 
a pound. The other pig did a little better 
on meal. His pork cost 8 lbs. 5 oz. of; 
meal per lb., which is too much by half to j 
have pork-making profitable. Mr. Henry! 
Ellsworth, former Commissioner of Pa- j 
tents, produced pork at the rate of ICO lbs. | 
of meat to 350 lbs. of corn cooked; but, j 
about five to one is the relation that grain \ 
bears to the meat. 

Eight thousand circular letters from the , 
Patent office bave been sent into every , 
county and parish in the Union, besides j 
being published in a number of agricultu- 
ral journals, containing the following j 



among other questions : " How many 
pounds of beef will 100 lbs. of corn pro- 
duce?" Most of the answers come from 
Ohio and Kentucky, and the quantity sta- 
ted ranges from 10 to 20 lbs. of beef for 
100 of coin; the average is about 16. If 
any reader of the Farmer has any facts 
in regard to feeding sheep or cattle, show- 
ing the yield of meat for a known quan- 
tity of food, we should be happy to receive 
them for publication. To produce food 
for man and food for plants in the most 
economical way, are the points aimed at. 



ANALYSES OF THE PEACH TREE. 

We extract from the Ohio Cultivator the 
following interesting analyses of the peach 
tree, by two distinguished chemists. It is from 
scientific investigations like these that much 
labor and capital can be saved to the agricul- 
turist and horticulturist. By comparing the 
constituents of the soil with the wheat or other 
crop, the intelligent farmer can see wherein it 
is deficient in any of the elements required for 
the crop he wishes to grow. 

Here we see all the proportional constituents 
necessary to the perfection of the peach crop, 
which, in some sections of the country, and 
especially in Eastern Virginia is of much im- 
portance. 

"Having observed in a late number of 
the Ohio Cultivator an analysis of a seed- 
ling peach tree by Prof. Emmons, as well 
as my analysis of some cultivated kinds, 
and, there appearing to be considerable 
difference in comparing the two together, 
which might induce with some persons 
not thoroughly conversant with such sub- 
jects an opinion that there was some quack- 
ery in the case, I have thought it neces- 
sary to present a comparison of the two 
analyses in a different form, more intelli- 
gible. 

Prof. Emmons, it will be seen, has sepa- 
rately analyzed the wood of limbs, bark 
of limbs, wood of root, bark of root, wood 
of trunk, and hark of trunk. But my ana- 
lysis was of the smaller limbs only. At the 
same time, I chose the smaller limbs 
as most likely to contain the largest pro- 
portion of the most rare and valuable con- 
stituents, as the alkalies and phosphates. 
The plan of analyzing the different parts 
of the tree throughout is no doubt prefera- 
ble to that of some part only, but an ana- 



152 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



lysis of the whole tree would answer every 
purpose. I have brought the statements 
of both analyses into nearly the same form, 
by rejecting the carbonic acid, as an un- 
important constituent of plants, as Prof. 
Emmons has done from his, adding into 
one sum the materials of one kind in every 
part of the plant: 

Analysis of Professor Emmons. 

Potash, 10.69 

Soda, 6.72 

Chloride of sodium, 1.25 

Sulphuric acid, 6.43 

Lime, 31.27 

Magnesia, 6.28 

Phos. of Perox. iron, 1.15 

Phosphate of lime and magnesia, 23.72 

Organic matter, 5.16 

Insoluble silica and charcoal, 7.30 



choice of subjects for analysis. He se 
lected a natural seedling tree of the slow 









99.96 


Analysis of 


B. 


Kirtland. 




Potash, 






16.11 


Soda, 






2.57 


Chloride of sodium, 






.89 


Sulphuric acid, 






1.70 


Lime, 






31.97 


Magnesia, 






9.06 


Phos. of Perox. iron. 






2.80 


Phosphate of lime, 






27.90 


Silica, sand, and charcoal, 


5.98 


Per. of manganese, 






1.02 



100.00 
I think it is quite probable that the arti- 
cles in the above tables that are nearly re- 
lated in their qualities, as the potash and 
soda, lime and magnesia, iron and manga- 
nese, sulphuric acid and phosphoric acid, 
may fill the place of each other in the com- 
position of plants in cases where one or 
the other may be deficient in the soil that 
supplies them nutriment. Now the potash 
and soda added differ but little in the two 
tables — the chloride of sodium rather 
more — the sulphuric acid is more than 
three times the amount in the statement of 
Prof. Emmons of that of mine. Lime about 
the same. Magnesia nearly one-half more 
in my account than in that of Prof. Em- 
mons. Phosphate of iron double. Phos- 
phates of lime and magnesia not much 
different, so of the silica and charcoal. 
Prof. E. found five per cent, of organic 
matter, which I did not look for, as there 
is no such an article mentioned in the rules 
of analysis I have studied. I found one 
per cent, of manganese, which he did not. 
We took the most distant extremes in our 



est growth, poorest fruit, and wildest tvtdk 
ture. I chose the most highly cultivates s 
kinds, of the finest quality, vigorous growths j, 
in new land, a chesnut ridge, limestom 
soil, well manured, young trees of th«J 
highest vigor, good bearers of fruit — sucli 
trees with their large glossy leaves anc 
bright colored twigs, stocky growth, difi 
fer as much from the slender growth 
pale color, and lusterless leaves and twig:! 
of the natural, as the wild savage of th< 
wood from the most refined and cultivatet 
person in civilized life. So we may infe 
that, as the natural and cultivated peacl 
differ so much in their external appearand 
and the excellence of their fruit, so we wil* 
find as much difference in their chemica 
constitution as our respective analyse; 
would indicate. Nature employs more o 
the alkalies and phosphates in perfecting 
the seeds of fruits and grains than in the!;; 
stalks. So likely in the fine fruits more o 
these constituents are employed than ir 
the hardy wilding tree. 

Billius Kirtland. 
Poland^ Ohio, March 3, 1851. 



From the Alabama Planter. 
MANURE FOR COTTON. 



Si 



The Haynesville Chronicle publishes 
an interesting letter from Gen. C. Robin- 
son, of Lowndes county, upon the efficacy 
of Plaster of Paris as a manure for cotton; 
Other seeds than cotton treated in thei 
same way would no doubt show the like 
result. Gen. Robinson is a successful) 
planter and every reliance may be placed! 
in his statement as to the results of his ex- 
periments. We publish the letter below 
for the benefit of gardeners and farmers 
as well as planters: 

J. M. Bolling, Esa. — Dear Sir,- 
Yours of the 25th nit., making inquiries 
respecting the use of Plaster of Paris, 
was received to-day. I will give you with 
pleasure all the information I have, whichjj 
however, is not a great deal. 

I made an experiment in 1848 with 
plaster, by planting nlternate rows, with 
cotton seed in their natural state, and with 
seed rolled in plaster. My object in thus 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



153 



Ben 

lest 4 



grow 
)d twigs 
e of the 

iltivatei 



mm 
life 

taiical 
aoalysJH 

more 
jrfecti? 
in the! 

more 



danting it, was to make a fair trial, by 
ising the same soil, and thus to test its 
irtue as a manure. My notion was, that 
sjtt plaster would act as a stimulant, and 
>ush the young cotton forward ; and thus to 

1]esloM tetter enable it to withstand the ravages of 
he insect, or lice, that annually prey upon 
t. I did not expect to realize any greater 

m ^ >enefit ; but I was agreeably disappoint- 
ed. As soon as the cotton came up, there 
vas a marked difference in the appear- 
ince of the rows. The seed that was 
oiled in plaster came up, growing vigo- 
ously, looking healthy, having a deep 

'w'3 ? reen c °l° r > an d the appearance of the i 

' l roung in fresh, rich soil. Those that were | 
nm lot rolled in Plaster had the usual appear- 1 
',' 'in ince of young cotton plants on old, thin ! 

. e Will , rrii j'Prr • 

and. The difference in appearance was I 
naintained till the cotton ceased to grow; 
j tnd was so great in the size of the weed, l 
hat it was apparent to any one passing 
>y the field. The rolled seed produced 
] veed from ^ to f larger than the other ; 
md in picking out the cotton, a yield was 
ibtained of full 50 per cent, in its favor. 
This seems incredible; but it is a fact 
vhich can be attested by A. T. May, who 
vas attending to my business when the 
experiment was made, and who carefully 
veighed the cotton, and noted the result 
n his memorandum book. 
jLast year I used plaster on nearly the 
hole of my crop; and at one time I had 
he finest cotton 1 ever recollect to have 
een in any field. My mode of treating 
t, is simply by rubbing the seed in it, as 
hey are in ashes or dirt; and one barrel 
sufficient for five acres of land. A little 
vater is used to make it adhere to the 
seed. 

I doubt its good effects on lime lands; 
jut in a recent article I have seen on the 
ubject, in some agricultural work, it is 
said to be beneficial in that kind of soil 
ilso. I am entirely satisfied of it's being, 
)n all sandy soils, a powerful assistant, 
ind will well reward the planter, by in- 
creasing the crop of cotton or corn. 
Plaster is worth here from $2 25 to $ 2 
Sitf "j0 per barrel. I sent up last week 100 
nquiries carrels to my plantation, which is pretty 
f Paris, yrood evidence of my faith in it as a ma- 
loiiwiih-iure. Many planters are making a trial 
}f it, and orders for it are received al- 
most every day. 



For the Southern Planter. 

HORTICULTURAL REMARKS FOR 
MAY, 1851. 



PREPARED BY A, D. ABERNETHY, FLORIST, GRACE 
STREET, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. 



I 

iublishes 

Robin- 



coiioo, 
in 

the lite 
iccessful 
e place! 
his es 
beluf 
farmers 



Greenhouse plants should now be moved 
out of doors, and at this season should be par- 
ticularly examined, as they will generally re- 
quire shifting; they will also be more exposed 
to wind than they were in the greenhouse, and 
should consequently be tied to new stakes to 
save them from injury. 

Those in small pots should be plunged about 
half the depth ol the pot in sand, tan-bark, or 
some other substance to keep the roois moist, 
as plants in small pots are very liable to injury 
from drought in the course of a day's sun du- 
ring summer. The cactus tribe is an exception 
to the above rule, being frequently destroyed 
by heavy or long continued rains when ex- 
posed, and are therefore retained in the green- 
house, giving, of course, plenty of air. An- 
nual flower seeds will now be coming up; let 
them be carefully weeded, and where they are 
too thick, as they generally are. may be thin- 
ned out and planted elsewhere, choosing an 
evening or moist weather for this purpose. — 
Dahlias, carnations, as well as any other plants 
which may require it, should now be carefully 
tied to stakes. 

Mow grass lawns, and destroy all weeds as 
they show themselves. 

In the kitchen garden plant out cabbages 
I for a succession crop. Sow also a few rad- 
! dishes. Sow flat Dutch, drumhead, or other 
I late cabbage, as a fall crop for winter use. — 
I Weed and thin out all young vegetable crops 
i which have been sown this spring. 



18 
; with 
oJ with 



C. Robinson. 



Mobile, March 1, 1851. 



GREAT VALUE OF GUANO. 

In proof of this, Captain Buller, of the Eng- 
lish navy, lately made the following commu- 
nication to the Royal Agricultural Society: — 
He instanced the example of a farm in his 
own hands, consisting of eighty acres of poor 
land, for the most parr lately reclaimed from 
heath, and rented at six shillings per acre. — 
For six years past, the whole of the grain and 
hay together, with about eighty tons a year of 
mangold wurtzel, carrots, or potatoes had been 
removed from this ground, and nor a particle 
of any kind of manure restored or used, ex- 
cept guano and a little marl applied to the 
lightest ground, and ten loads of dung per acre, 
applied in one of the six years to three acres 
of potatoes. The white turnips have always 
fed upon the ground; but everything else has 
been taken to a barn two miles distant. Du- 
ring the whole of these six years, the crops 



154 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



upon this land have been steadily increasing. 
Land, which six years ago, was not of itself 
capable of producing ten bushels of barley per 
acre, will now produce from thirty to forty. — 
Captain Buller stated that he applied guano to 
all the root crops, at the rate of about five cwt. 
per acre, for mangold wurtzel, or carrots, which 
were to be taken off, and at the rate of three 
cwt. for white turnips. That he took five crops 
\n four years, and that he considered he had 
grown this year one hundred and forty tons of 
mangold wurtzel and carrots from seven acres 
of land. — American Agriculturist. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

The communications of Mr. John P. B 
ing on the "Use of Guano,"- 



m 

and of Mr. 
Jas. Chowning on the " Castration of Colts" — 
were received too late for insertion in this 
number. They, with other favors, will appear a| 
in our next. p 

T 



For the Southern Planter. 
HIGHLAND MEADOW OATS. 

Sir, — Your correspondent, "Joel Younger," 
in the April number of the Planter, inquires 
"who is using highland meadow oatsT' My 
father sowed, some ten or twelve years ago, 
on the farm now owned by me, a small patch, 
say two acres, which has ever since produced 
a good crop of grass annually. I consider it 
one of our most valuable grasses. Last year, 
after grazing hard, late and early, I cut from 
my patch about one and a half tons of fine hay 
per acre. It has been top-dressed lightly once 
or perhaps twice in the last ten years, but the 
lot was made rich before sowing: soil a stiff 
gray. It goes frequently by the name of "Pe- 
ruvian oat," and horses and cattle are as fond I 
of it as the best timothy or herdsgrass. I in- j 
tend to sow a field of it this fall, and can sup- | 
ply some seed to any one in want of them. 
Respectfully, 

Richard Hill, Jr. 

Ash/ield, near Richmond, May 5, 1851. 



CORRECTIONS. 



We have been requested to correct some er- 
rors which occurred in reporting the Conversa- 
tional the Farmers' State Club. Mr. Edmunds 
was reported as saying, that limestone was 
every where in the county of Halifax. The 
remark was made by some other gentleman 
and applied to some other county. There is 
no limestone in Halifax known to Mr. Ed- 
munds. The wire sieve to carry off straw from 
the beater is not used generally in the county 
of Halifax. It is described as an important 
improvement attached to the threhsing ma- 
chine. The spiked beater is in general use. 



BEST TIME FOR CUTTING HICKORY so 
TIMBER. a 

bi 
Permit me to mention a fact in relation h 
to cutting hickory timber for farm or other jai 
uses. Three or four years ago, I was told JT 
by a very old man, (who is famous for his h 
forks, rakes, &c., made of hickory,) that h 
if I would cut the wood upon the 4th. 5th, h 
and 6th days after the new moon, in Au- L\ 
gust, that he would wairant it not to be la 
destroyed by the worm nor borers. The pf 
result for several years has verified the qi 
old man's prediction, whilst that cut I 
through the winter and at all other times fa 
through the summer, and not barked, (as os 
a trial,) has been eaten throughout. Not 
being a lunarian, I endeavored to account 
for its preservation to the old man, by sta- 
ting that the hickory, at that particular 
time, was in the chrysalis state, and thereat 
fore incapable of depositing the egg. &c.; 
but this he looks upon as rank heresy. 
A Virginia Farmer. 



HORSE SHOEING. 



If you mean to be happy when you are old, 
be temperate and industrious when you are 
young. 



The following exceedingly sensible re- 
marks are from the pen of Mr. Miles, Ve- 
terinary Surgeon to the Queen of Eng- 
land's Life Guards and author of several 
valuable veterinary works. We com- 
mend them most particularly to the notice 
of every person who has that valuable, 
and almost indispensable animal, the 
horse, in charge. That class of persons 
very justly characterized by Surgeon 
Miles, as "asinine smiths," are invited 
to give their attention. 

" The shoes of the horse should be of 
equal thickness throughout, with a flat 
ground surface, as those with high heels, 
which asinine smiths make in imitation of 
their own, are dangerously absurd. The 
toe, which ought to be raised, is thus low- 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



155 



a P. Boll. 

'■' of Hi,' 
f Colts", 
>u in this 
'ill appeal 



jred, and nature's plan reversed, which 
jlevates the point in order to avoid ob- 
■ l jj Actions. 1 he web should be wide, and 
)t' the same width throughout, instead of 
>eing pinched in, because the Vulcan ope- 
ator likes to see the shoe well set off at 
he heels. This is both unphilosophical 
ind detrimental ; it deceives the eye of 
nan, and injures the foot of the horse. 
The outer ed«;e of the foot rests on the 



vidth of the web projects beyond the hoof; 

that the master who thinks his horse has 

1 good open foot, only has to be proud of a 
)ad open shoe, which both conceals defor- 
mities underneath, and invites with open 
irms a bad road to come and do its worst. 
The heels are made bare just where the 
navicular joint is most exposed ; and if 
hat be inflamed, what must the agony be 
yhen the unprotected foot treads on a 
sharp flint? The horse falls suddenly 
ame. or drops as if he had been shot — 

Till jhrases in much too common use to re- 
quire explanation ; and small is the pity 
which the suffering animal meets with 
Yom man, who having first destroyed the 
ase of his victim's feet, abuses him be- 
cause he cannot go; and imputes grog- 
jiness to him as a crime, as if he were 
n liquor like a groom, and not in agony.' 

% 



) relation 

lorothei 
[ was told 
us for his 

iry,] hi 
; 4 th, 5th, 

n, in k- 
not to tit 



that cm 
ler times 

irked, (at 
3Ul, Not 
) account 
n, by sta- 
rarrt; 
nd there 
egg, ilc, 
iresy. 



COST OF HOGS AT LARGE. 



sible re 
lilesjj 
of Eng- 
f several 
k coin- 
he notice 
valuable, 
ial, the 
pe 

Surgeon 
i invite 

\i be of 
bafl at 
h heel. 

ation ol 
!. The 

HIS loff' 



A writer in the Davenport Gazette dis- 
cusses the relative cost of feeding swine in 
onfinement and running at large. 

Take a hog that has run out all summer, 
;md confine it in a pen to fatten and it will 
take at least 20 bushels of corn to make it 
weigh 200 pounds, whereas a hog that is 
shut up all the time, can be fatted with 10 
bushels. 

Hogs running at large are always in 
mischief. I am satisfied that, for the last 
five years, there has been more destroyed 
by hogs than all the exports would amount 
to of pork from Scott county for the same 
length of time. 

You have to feed a hog that runs out 
about the same as one shut up, conse- 
quently you would save 10 bushels of corn 
on every hog you raise, bv keeping them 
confined — this is worth $2 00. You will 
also save your fences. Wire fence to turn 
cattle can be built for fifty cents per rod 
that will last 20 years, but it is difficult to 
make a wire fence to turn hogs. 



FARM MANURES AND THEIR MA- 
NAGEMENT. 

We were, from the press of other matter, 
prevented from pursuing in our last issue the 
subject of manures and their management, as 
promised in the March number. Indeed, we 
might now postpone our own thoughts, accom- 
panied as they are with valuable extracts from 
distinguished authors, to make room for much 
interesting matter furnished by our esteemed 
correspondents through the State. We hope 
the importance of the subject will be received 
as an ample apology for again bringing it to 
the attention of the farming community. We 
repeat, as we have often times done before, that 
there is not a farmer in the whole land — no 
matter how poor his land or few his acres, who 
might not make two loads of manures under 
a good management, where he now makes one ; 
not only might he double his quantity, but, by 
very little extra trouble, with a moderate share 
of system, he might greatly improve its qual- 
ity. While we have oft and again pressed on 
our readers the importance, aye, the necessity 
of increasing the quantity of their manures, 
yet we are not, and have not been unmindful 
of the fact, that one load of manure, rich in 
all its fertilizing qualities, is worth three of 
your mean, poor, dried up stuff, which is 
hardly worth hauling to the fields. Some of 
our readers, we fear, may carry our teachings 
about increasing the quantity of manures to 
an extreme; satisfying themselves that they 
have done wonders in manuring more land 
than they ever did before, neglecting, however, 
to note that the quality is in no wise superior, 
but possibly inferior to their products of for- 
mer years. To increase the bulk of your ma- 
nure heap is desirable; when you have ac- 
complished this, you have done much, but you 
have not done enough — the remaining part of 
your work is of no less, indeed it is of greater 
importance, i. e. to make richer these heaps, 
which are to contribute to the fining of your 
barns. 

The influence and effects of the sun, winds 
and rains upon open or uncovered farm pens 
have so often been shewn, that we^ think it an 
useless task further to discuss them. We 
need no aid from the theories of science, nor 
from the experiments of chemists to satisfy us 
that manures, of any sort, which are subjected 



a 



156 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



to the frequent alternations of our climale, 
must necessarily lose a great deal of their fer- 
tilizing ingredients — and yet, our cattle yards 
are exposed to the free and unimpeded action, 
not only of the rain which falls legitimately 
over it, but they are constructed, purposely it 
almost seems, in such a manner as to receive 
all the water, which can, with any sort of con- 
venience, be brought to bear upon them. You 
rarely, if ever, see gutters to any of the farm 
houses, to carry off the water from the barn 
yard. The consequence is, that after every 
hard rain, your barn yards are perfect quags— 
your horses and cattle in passing over them, 
wading up to their hocks — then comes the 
scorching sun and drying winds, bleaching 
every thing before them. Thus you go on— 
today in a mire, tomorrow evaporated to the 
dryness of dust; and yet, you call this manure; 
and if perchance, you have a few more loads 
of this miserable stuff than usual, with which 
you dress a few more acres than your habit 
was, you glorify yourselves, good easy souls, 
and cheat yourselves with the miserable delu- 
sion that you are in an improving condition, 
while in reality you are "in a weaving way." 
If it were impossible for you to avoid this 
great loss; if there were no means at hand, by 
which you might obviate, in a great measure 
at least, the injury of which we are speaking, 
there might be room for excuse; but as it is, 
nothing palliating or excusatory can be said 
in your behalf. You are guilty, guilty of great 
folly, and your guilt is by no means lessened 
by its causes. We must tell you the truth, 
unpalatable it may be, but we trust good 
may come from it. You are lazy, you don't 
love trouble, you dislike systematic rules and 
regulations, because they draw too much on 
your time and attention. We do not mean 
that you do not work — you do, we are satisfied ; 
but it is in "the road our fathers went"— the 
beaten track you tread, moving neither to the 
right nor left. It is easy to travel the path 
used for years; but when a new way is opened 
you hesitate to enter on it, you decline. You al- 
low the teachings of science, the results of 
experiments, if ever they are brought to your 
attention, to fall on a listless ear. Let us en- 
treat you to awake from your slumbers; shake 
off your lethargy, and use the means, which 
are in your power, to improve your lands. 



Gain knowledge and make proper application' 
thereof. Work by rule; do all that you do 
well, and your labour shall not be in vain.' 
Rich rewards will be received for your trou- 
bles and vexations ; your coffers will be filled; 
your barns groan with their rich fruits; your 
fields will smile with gladness, and your cattle 
laugh for joy. Your homes will not then be 
deserted for the prairies of the West nor the 
mines of California; but your penaLes will re- 
main in the land of your fathers, and you shall 
dwell under your own vines and fig trees in 
peace, plenty and happiness. 

We beg to direct the attention of our read- 
ers to the following extracts, hoping sincerely 
that they will receive benefit therefrom: 

"No putrefactive process ovght to be suffered U 
proceed on a farmer's premises, without his adopt 
ing some mode to save, as far as possible, thegaseow. 
products of such putrescence." 

"These gaseous products constitute impor- 
tant elements of vegetable food, and a farmer 
may as well suffer his cattle to stray from his 
stall, or his swine from his sty, without a pos- 
sibility of reclaiming them, as permit the prin- 
ciples of fertility expelled by fermentation 01 
putrifaciion to escape into the atmosphere feu 
the purpose of poisoning the air,instead of feed- 
ing the plants. It is very easy to arrest these 
particles; a quantity of earth thrown over thl 
matter, in which the fermentation is going am 
will check its violence and arrest its gaseous 
products, which will be imbibed by the soil, 
and afterwards yielded to plants in such pro- 
portion as the wants of vegetation may re- 
quire!" — The Complete Farmer. 

John Young in his "Letters of Agricola' : 
says: 

"Fermentation, that destroyer of all orga- 
ganic conformation, is not to be feared by the 
farmer, if it be conducted and carried on in 
the presence of earth, which fixes and secure: 
the gases as fast as they are liberated. Even 
the degree of the process is a matter of less 
consequence; because if the elementary prin- 
ciples are in keeping; and reserved for future 
usefulness, it is immaterial whether this ha 
happened by a new absorption, or by still hold- 
ing their original and unchanged form. In his 
composite hill (compost heap) the whole ani- 
mal or vegetable structure maybe dissolved 
and leave behind no trace of existence, with- 
out the least waste of the principles of ierti 
lity ; because the ingredients superadded to the 
dung have become surcharged with them, or, 
to speak philosophically, fully saturated. Wei 
may go further, and state that complete de- 
composition is desirable in this case, which is 
so much to be avoided in the farm yard; be- 
cause putrescent matter can only become vege- 



1 e 

iffo 



ous benefit. The compost manure is car- 



yen 

in v;-/; 

mrtion. ried to the field ready to give out its richness 

Kid 
Is; yoni 

or call 

tlien ;< 



noffo 
•est 

join: o, 
ascot/ 



ijcb[» 
may it 

grici: 



I, E«i 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



157 



table food by its resolution into primary parts, 
and if (his be effected by any preparatory step, 
young crop receives the full and instanta- 



on the very first call, and to supply the nascent 
radicle (young root) with a copious share of 
nourishment. 

'The putrefactive process may be carried 
on in the presence of pure earth only, or of 
earth intermingled with fibrous roots, or lastly 
in the presence of peat, which is an assem- 
blage of inert vegetable matter, and compost 
dung hills may be formed according to this 
threefold method. 

The simplest of all composts is a mixture 
of barn yard dung and surface mould taken 
from a field under regular culture. The pro- 
portions between the ingredients are fixed by 
no determinate laws, and consequently great 
liberty is allowable to the operator. I have 

ml'dti known some instances where two cart loads 
of dung were used for one of earth; others, 

if»« where they were blended in equal quantities; 
and it is not unfrequent to compound one of 

simpd earth with two of dung. In fact, such is the 

i fari uncertainty in the composition, that always 

roml every farmer adopts one peculiar to himself, 
and with equal success. No man need there- 
fore follow implicitly the rules which have 
been laid down in this department of rural 

nhercl economy; but may vary and multiply his ex- 
periments, according to the suggestions of 
fancy or the dictates of convenience. If we 
slightly glance at the principle, we shall see 
fee cause of this seemingly endless variety in 
the combination of the ingredients. The only 

Ijj'soj use of intermixing the soil with the dung is to 
"mbibe the gaseous elements of vegetable life, 
and hinder their dissipation. If there be much 
soil, these elements will be diffused through it 
with less density and compression; if little, it 
will, be more abundantly saturated and en- 
riched with nutritive vapors. The only error 
into which the farmer can run is, to supply 
such an inconsiderable quantity of soil as will 

Tujj be incapable of imbibing the elastic and vola- 
tile particles, and thus by his own mismanage- 
ment occasion a waste of the vegetable ali- 
ment. One cart-load of soil to two of stable 
dung is the least proportion which he should 
ever attempt to combine, and perhaps if the 
Zg two were mixed equally, be would be compen- 

''ljJ sated for the additional labor and expense. 

"Simple earth, although excellent for bot- 
toming: and strewing over the pit dug near the 
barn, is of all materials the most unprofitable 
in compost dunghills. A matted sward, thickly 
JJjJ entangled with roots, or mud dragged from the 
bottom of bogs and ditches, and replete with 
aquatic plants, are clearly preferable on this 
account, that, besides bringing earth to the 
composition, they supply a large proportion of 
vegetable matter." 

Water, impregnated with certain salts and 
gases, particulaily such as are evolved during 



an 1 
or 
tli 

[ill ho] 
III 
hole 
;,-mi 
ce, 

offerti' 
dtotbi 
bera, or i 

lets It 
hiih 
ard; | 
neve? 



the fermentation and decomposition of vege- 
table and animal substances, becomes what is 
called liquid manure. Urine is water holding 
in solution certain salts and other substances, 
which are the essence of manure, or the food of 
plants in a concentrated state. 

Agricola, in commenting on a letter from 
Charles Alexander, of Scotland, to Sir John 
Sinclair, says: 

"This intelligent farmer has long been im- 
pressed with the great importance of the urine 
of cattle as a manure, and he set about to dis- 
cover, by a long and well conducted series of 
experiments, the best method of collecting and 
applying it. He began by digging a pit conti- 
guous to the feeding stall, but distinct alto- 
gether from that which was appropriated for 
the reception of the dung. The dimensions of 
this pit -were thirty-six feet square and four 
feet deep, surrounded on all sides by a wall; 
and the solid contents were one hundred and 
ninety-two yards. Havirg selected the near- 
est spot where he could find loamy eanh, and 
this he always took from the surface of some 
field under cultivation, he proceeded to fill it; 
and found that with three men and two horses, 
he could easily accomplish twenty-eight cu- 
bic yards per day; and the whole expense of 
transporting the earth did not exceed twenty- 
two dollars. When the work was complete, 
he levelled the surface of the heap in a line 
with the sewer which conducted the urine 
from the interior of the building, on- purpose 
that it might be distributed with regularity, 
and might saturate the whole from top to bot- 
tom. The quantity conveyed to it, he estimaed 
at about eight hundred gallons. The urine 
was supplied by fourteen cattle, kept there for 
five months on fodder and turnips. The con- 
tents of the pit produced two hundred and 
eighty-eight loads, allowing two cubic yards 
to be taken out in three carts; and he spread 
forty of these on each acre, so that this urine 
in five months, produced a compost sufficient 
for the fertilization of seven acres of land. 
He states farther, that he had tried this expe- 
riment for ten months, and had indisciimi- 
nately used in the same field either the rotten 
cow dung or the saturated earth; and in all 
stages of the crop, he had never* been able to 
find any perceptible difference. 

"It appears, then, that in five months each 
cow discharges urine which, when absorbed 
by loam, furnishes manure of* the richest qua- 
lity and most durable effects for half an acre 
of ground. The dung pit, which contained 
all the excrementitious matter of the fourteen 
cattle, as well as the litter employed in bed- 
ding them, and which was kept separate for 
the purpose of the experiment, only furnished 
during the same period, two hundred and forty 
loads, and these, at the same rate, could onlv 
manure six acres. The aggregate value of 



158 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



the urine, therefore, when compared with that 
of dung, was in the ratio of seven to six." 

In connection with this subject, we insert 
the following tables, which will be of interest 
to our readers: 

"The solid and fluid excrements of ani- 
mals form a very complicated mixture, as may 
be seen from the following enumeration by 
Sprengel ; but this renders them the more va- 
luable a manure for vegeiables. They contain 
these substances: / 

1. Vegetable or woody fibre. 

2. Wax and Resin. 

3. Chloropole, or the queen substance of 

leaves, partly decomposed. 

4. Deposited humus. 

5. A fatty and oily substance. 

6. Mucus. 

7. A peculiar brown coloring matter, in the 
solid excrement of oxen. 

8. Vegetable albumen, (hardened.) 

9. Animal gelatine. + 

10. Animal fibre. 

11. Salivery matter. 

12. Ozmazome, *) 

13. Hippuric acid, ! 

14. Uric acid, ! 

15. Lactic acid, | 

16. Benzoic acid, 

17. Urea, J 

18. Bilious matter. 
19 Bilious resin. 

20. Picromel. 

21. Oxides of iron and manganese, derived 
from vegetables. 

22. Earths, silica, lime, alumina, magnesia. 

23. Salts, consisting of mineral acids and 
bases, derived from plants and water. 

24. Common salt. 

25. Carburetted hydrogen, ") Products of the 

26. Phosporetted hydrogen, | fermentation & 

27. Sulphuretted hydrogen, )■ putrifaction of 

28. Ammonia, | food in the bo- 

29. Hydrogen, J dies of animals. 
Numerous as these substances are, it is M. 

Sprengel's opinion that many more might be 
discovered by carefully conducted chemical 
analyses. 

The components of the urine of cows are: 
Fresh. A month eld. 
Water, in 100,000 parts 

by weight, 92.624 95.442 

Urea, along with some 

resinous color'd 



Originating in the uri- 
nary passages. 



matter, 
Albumen, 
Mucus, 

* Benzoic acid, (hip-"| 
puric acid.) 

* Lactic acid, \ 

* Carbonic acid, 

* Acetic acid, J 

* Combined with potash, 
forming salts. 



4.000 
• 10 
190 



90 
516 
256 
000 



.000 
00 
40 

250 
500 
165 



Ammonia, 

Potash, 

Soda, . 

tSulphuric acid, 

tPhosphoric acid, 

tChlorine, 

Lime, 

Magnesia, 

Alumina, 

Oxide of iron, 

Oxide of manganese, 

Silica, 

Sulphuretted hydrogen, 

Sediment, consisting of 
phosphate and carbo- 
nate of lime, and 
magnesia, alumina, 
silica, and oxide of 
iron, and manganese, 



soda, and ammonia 



205 

666 

554 

405 

70 

272 

65 

36 

2 

4 

1 

36 

00 



00 



*487) 

*664> 

*5544 

33S'- 

26 

272 

2 

22 



1 



5 



180 



100.000 


100.000 


Components of the urine of man 




Water, 


933.0 


Urea, 


30.1 


Uric acid, 


1.0 


Free lactic acid, lactate of ammo- 




nia, and animal matter not sepa- 




rable, ^ 


17.1 


Mucus of the bladder, 


0.3 


Sulphate of potash, 


3.7 


Sulphate of soda, 


3.2 


Phosphate of soda, 


2S 


Phosphate of ammonia, 


1.6 


Common salt, 


4.5 


Sal amoniac, 


1.5 


Phosphates of lime and magnesia, 




with a trace of silica, and fluo- 




ride of calcium, 


1.1 



Substance of the urine of 

and pig is, on an average, as 
Horse. 

Extractive matter 
soluble in water, 

Extractive matter 
soluble in alco- 
hol, 

Salts soluble in 
water, 

Salts insoluble in 
water, 

Urea, 

Hippuric acid. 

Mucus, 

Water, 



1000.0 
the horse, shee 
follows: 
Sheep 



Pig- 



20.28 3.40 



21.88 



21.70 



33.30 
19.57 



1940 

10.40 

691 

0.06 

899.37 



L.TR 

3.93 

8.78 

0.52 84 

-.•12.62 2.85 

J 0.00 

0.25 0.06 

928.97 982.27 



1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 

In the constituents which supply nitrogei 

the urine of the ox is as rich as that of th 

horse, and much richer than that of the cov 

much of the nitrogen of whose food goes t 

j form the curd of the milk. 

The saline and mineral ingredients of th 

* Occurring partly in an uncombinrd state, 
t Combined with soda, lime and rm.gnesia form 
ing salts. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



159 



1487) unne oi tne horse, ox, sheep and pig, consist 
♦601 ( of the following substances: 
Ox. 



w 



\m 

m 
m 
il 



) 1.27 



that of tb 

,f lie cow 

,,,!giiesti 

QlS l)f 111' : 



Jferbonate 
of lime, 

Carbonate 
magne- 
sia, 

Carbonate 
of po- 
tash, 

Carbonate 
of soda, 

Chloride 
of so- 
dium, 

Chloride of 
potassi- 
um, 

Sulphate of 
soda, 

Sulphate of 
potash, 

Phosphate 
of soda, 

Phosphate 
of lime, 

Phosphate 
magnesia, 

Silica, 

Ox'd. of iron 
and loss, 



Horse. 
21.75 



1.07 



Sheep. 
0.82 



Pig. 
0.00 



1123 6 93 0.46 0.00 



33 12 
15.16 



77 28 
0.00 



0.00 
42.25 



12.1 
0.00 



6.27 0.30 32.01 53.1 



0.00 


0.00 


11.03 


0.00 


0.00 


13.30 


0.00 


00.00 


0.00 


00.00 ! 


00 
0.52 


00.00 j 
35 



0.79 0.77 



12.00 

7.72 

. 2.98 

0.00 

y o.70"i 

0.00 i 
1.06 V 

1 

0.00 J 



little. 

7.0 

0.0 

19.0 



8.8 



100.00 



100.00 1C0.G0 100.00 

The conclusion arrived at by Prof. John- 
ton, in reference to the contents of this last 
table, is that "the fermenting urine of our do- 
mestic animals cannot afford phosphoric acid, 
orse,sheej|which must be conveyed to the soil by the so- 
lid excrements." 

The discovery made by Mr. Alexander is 
of the utmost importance to the farmer— if it 
be true that more manure may be had from 
the stale of cattle than from their dung and 
litter in the ratio of seven to six. Taking it 
for granted that his statement is correct, how 
much valuable manure is yearly lost to the 
agriculturist'? By a little pains, it is seen, he 
pay more than double the quantity of his 
stable manure. Fourteen cattle are a small 
number, (if you include calves and oxen,) and 
yet you perceive how much they contribute 
to the enriching of your fields. By like atten- 
tion you may increase your manures by pre- 
serving the urine of your horses, hogs and 
sheep, soapsuds and the washings of the house 
and kitchen. Surely the farmer, who strives 
1o improve his condition, will not grudge a 
little extra expense and labor to obtain double 
the usual quantity of the very richest manure. 



GREAT SALE OF SUPERIOR 

THOROUGHBRED SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 

rpHE subscriber having more stock than he 
1 can well sustain on his farm, will offer at 
public auction about 30 head of his improved 
Short Horn Cattle, consisting of Bulls, Cows, 
Heifers, and Heifer and Bull Calves, on the 
26th day of June next, at his farm two miles 
and a half from this city. 

It is known to breeders of improved slock, 
in this country and in Canada, that the pro- 
prietor of this herd during the last twelve 
years, has, through the medium of importa- 
tions from England, and selections from the 
best herds in this country, spared no expense 
to rear a herd of cattle, from which superior 
animals could be safely drawn for improve- 
ment and crosses upon other herds. His im- 
portations have been derived from thateminent 
breeder, the late Thomas Bates, Esq. of Kirk- 
levington, Yorkshire, England; which he^, 
it is well known, has recently been dispc 
of at public sale, by his administrators, ^ 
dispersed in many hands, and can no longer 
be resorted to as a whole for improvement. 

The announcement of that sale created great 
interest, and all Short-Horn Breeders in Eng- 
land seemed emulous to secure one or more of 
these animals to mingle with the blood of their 
own herds; and at the day of sale there was 
found assembled the largest audience ever be- 
fore witnessed upon a similar occasion, num- 
bering, as was said, from four to five hundred 
persons, and among them the best breeders in 
England, and several from other countries. — 
Some of the animals bringing prices that 
seemed inciedible to many. 

In the herd now offered for sale, will be in- 
cluded the imported Bull Duke of Wellington, 
and the premium Bull Meteor. These are 
Bates' Bulls, and their reputation as stock get- 
ters are too well known to need any comment. 
I am, however, authorized by Lewis F. Alien, 
Esq. of Black Rock, one of the most prominent 
breeders in this country, and who has had am- 
ple means of forming a judgment, to say, " that 
in no instance, to his knowledge, had these two 
bulls been bred to Short-Horn Cows of other 
breeds, previously imported into the United 
States, but what the produce was superior in 
general qualities to such herds. 

The most of the stock which is now offered 
for sale, have been bred by these two bulls, 
and the proprietor having a young Bull more 
remotely connected with that portion of the 
herd he retains, (being about 14 in number,) 
can spare these two valuable Bulls. There 
will be in the stock offered for sale 6 young 
Bulls, from eight months to about two years 
old, in addition to the two named above; and 
the remainder of the stock will be composed 
of Cows, (most of them possessed of extraor- 
dinary milking qualities,) Heifers and Heifer 
Calves. It is believed that no herd of Short- 
Horns has ever been offered for sale in this 
country, exhibiting more of the valuable com- 



102 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



binations of qualities which contribute to make 
up perfect animals. 

A Catalogue containing the pedigrees of 
these animals will be ready for delivery at an 
early period, in which the terms of the sale 
will be particularly stated. A credit will be 
given from 6 to 18 months. Gentlemen are 
invited to examine the herd at their conveni- 
ence. 

GEO. VAIL. 

Troy, New York, April 1st, 1851, 3t 

AGENCY FOR THE PURCHASE AND 
SALE OF IMPROVED STOCK. 

STOCK Cattle of all the different- breeds, 
Sheep, Swine, Poultry, &c. will be pur- 
chased to order, and carefully shipped to any 
part of the United Slates, for which a reasona- 
ble commission will be charged. Apply to 
AARON CLEMENT, Philadelphia. 
Refer to Gen. W. H.Richardson, Richmond, 
nia. 

1. — All letters, post-paid, will be prompt- 
'', ended to. ap — tf 



STATE AGRICULTURAL WAREHOUSE, 
No. 25, Cliff Street, Now York. 

THE subscriber has constantly on hand all 
of the Superior and Premium Implements 
for the Planter, Farmer, and Gardener, with 
a lanreassortmentof Field and Garden Seeds, 
Fertilizers, &e. May be found Prouty and 
Mears' Premium Centre Draft Ploughs. 

Emery & Co. 's Horse Power, which received 
first premium at the last State Fair, in compe- 
tition with Allen's, Wheeler's, and others. 

Hovey's Straw Cutters, also Sinclair's, Tow- 
er's,' Stevens*, Clinton's, Potts', and Hovey & 
Co.'s 

Corn and Cob Crushers of several patterns. 

Emery's Seed Drill, Corn Planters. 

Geddes' Harrows, Cultivators, Garden Roll- 
ers. 

Water Rams, Pumps and Chain Pumps. 

Grain Mills, Bullock's Hay Presses. 

Reaping Machines, Smut Machines. 

Guano, Bone Dust, Plaster of Paris, Bone 
Black, Sugar-House Scum, Bone Manure. 

Timothy Seed, Red Top, Blue Grass, Ray 
Grass, &c. &c. 

G. H. BARR. 

ma— 2t \ 

PERUVIAN GUANO. 

I AM NOW prepared to receive orders 
for Guano for the approaching season- 
Being anxious to distribute the article as 
widely as possible over the whole country, 
will sell any quantity from a single bag up >• 
one hundred tons. Persons wishing to make 
sure of a supply, would do well to forward 
their orders withou lelay. The article is put 
up in fine outer, in new cotton bass^and as 
pure as it came from the bnnks in Peru. 



jy-2, 



HUGH W. FRy. 



CONTENTS OP NUMBER V. 



PAGE. 

Clover Culture, by Edmund Ruffin \-2 r A 

Pasture Land 13d 

The Upas Tree .'" 136 

Northern Productions in Virginia 1 3G 

Agriculture at the Government 136 

Kentucky Blue Grass.:...' 136 

Contentment vs. Restlessness 137 

Disease of the Morello Cherry Tree 137 

Potash as a Fertilizer 133 

Improvement of Farmers and Farming.. 139 

The Bird Guano MO 

Corn Sowed Broadcast for Fodder 1 40 

The Olden Times Hi 

Pursuit of Knowledge under Difficulties.. 141 

The Grape Culture 143 

The Pumpkin— Its Cultivation and Use. .145 

Garden Culture 146 

French Sheep Dogs 14$ 

On Fattening Domestic Animals 148 

Analyses of the Peach Tree 151 

Manure for Cotton 152 

Horticultural Remarks for May 153 

Great Value of Guano ' itSj 

Highland Meadow Oats ' 154, 

Corrections J54, v 

Best Time for Cutting Hickory Timber. . 154 

Horse Shoeing. .."...: 154 

Cost of Hogs at Large 155 , 

Farm Manures and their Managemsnt. . . 155 



COMMERCIAL RECORD. 

WHOLESALE PRICES CURRENT, 

Reported for the Southern Planter by ' 

NANCE & GOOCH, COMMISSION MERCHANTS. 

Tobacco — Prices have been firm since our 
last report, with occasional slight fluctuation 
from day to day; upon the whole, we consider 
them higher than they were at that date, a\-. 
though extreme rales are the same. The in-< 
spections in Richmond during the month qfj 
April, when compared with the same month 
last year show a falling off of about nine hun- 
dred hogsheads. We quote Lugs $3 50 to 
S7 50. Middling Leaf $7 50 to $11. Fine 
SI 1 50 to $18 25. The crop received thus far, 
is poor and in bad order. Dry tobacco much 
wanted. We consider prices to-day of interior 
grades, higher than ihey had been for the la5 
two months. We would advise planters tov, 
prize their tobacco in dry keeping'order; ye^ 
not so dry as to break in prizing, or prevent 
its openirjg freely. 

Ft, our— Richmond Canal $4 37*. Scotts- 
ville S4 50 

Wheat — None arriving. 

Corn -03 to 05 cts. per bushel of 5G lbs. 

Oats— 45 to SOcts^per bushel. 

Gitano— Peruvian £50 per ton— Paiagonian 



$40 per ton. 

Plasti:r— $5 to $5 25 per ton. 
Salt— From the whaif SI 05. 
Richmond, May 8/A, 1851. 

ft •/ 



mm me 

d, May i