SOUTHERN PLANTER (1841) 



Vol. 12 
1852 



Missing: no. 10, Oct, 



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THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 

Se^oteo to Slgrfculture, Jgortftulturt, rutti tlte gjottsdtolfc Bvib. 

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



FRANK: G. RUFFIN, Editor. 



P. D. BERNARD, Proprietor. 



Vol.xil 



RICHMOND, NOVEMBER, 1852. 



No. IT, 



For the Southern Planter. 



COMMUNICATED TO THE VIRGINIA 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



exclusively and continuously, and without 
omissions or additions. 



Among the best recent essays on this sub- 
ject were two by practical farmers, Edward 
i Stabler and Horace Capron, of Maryland, 
On July 16/A, 1852, and ordered by 'the Executive ; which were published in the American Far- 



Committee for publication. 



THE PROFITABLE IMPROVEMENT OF POOR 
LAND, AND EITHER MAINLY OR ENTIRELY 
FROM ITS OWN RESOURCES. 

BY EDMUND RUFFIN. 



mer of 1848, and to which were awarded the 
first and second premiums offered through 
that publication for the best instructions lor 
the improvement of poor and exhausted lands. 
However much the particular and more espe- 
cial recommendations of these pieces varied 
from each other, and from any others on the 
same subject, these, and all others of any ex- 
| tensive practical value, or worthy of consider- 
For nearly or quite half a century — or as '■. ation for their main object, have concurred in 
long as essays on agriculture have been writ- one of. the various means proposed for secur- 
ten and published in this country— the subject ing the improvement they arrived at. This 
of enriching poor or exhausted lands has been j was liming — or in more general terms, the ap- 
under discussion, and seems still to be an open ; plication of calcareous manures. This, as I 
question. In latter times premiums have been ! think, was the indispensable part, the very 
offered for the best plans — and some very good j foundation, of each of these instructions — as 
papers have been written by men who were both ' it must be of every useful scheme for enrich- 
| practical and intelligent farmers— and in all i ing naturally poorlands, at least. And though 
the time referred to, many other articles, wild ! to many of the readers of all such pieces, (and 
or foolish, by writers who were merely theo- ' perhaps also to some of the writers them- 
rists, or but closet agriculturists. I have not i selves,) the one feature of liming may have 
before undertaken to discuss this question in- appeared less prominent than some others in 
dependency and exclusively. Still, a large company, as for example, deep ploughing, 
portion of the contents of my various agricul- 1 trench or sub-soil ploughing, gypsum arid 
tural writing? bear more or less directly upon | clover, guano, grass or root husbandry, stock 
this subject; and a large portion of my prac- j management, compost manures, &c. &c. — and 
tice and labors, as a farmer, and improver of although each and all of these, may have been 
soil, (or nearly forty years, have been directed ! very useful auxiliary means — still, I maintain 
especially totheobject of enrichingpoorlands, ! that all these, if without liming, would have 
and, except in the earlier attempts, always j effected but little, or nothing for profitable fer- 
with more or less of successful and profitable : tilization; and that liming would have effected 
issue. Upon these grounds, I will presume ' much, even if without any unusual or expen- 
lo offer my views and instructions, in addition , sive aids. Therefore, for my plans for im- 
to the many preceding, as to the improvement ! proving poor lands, with profit, I also must 
and fertilization of poor lands — and in the ! not only require calcareous manure, but claim 
manner that will be supposed of least cost in ! it as essential means. But except this, if a 
proportion to the benefit to be gained — and ' purchased commodity, and for the seeds of a 
the most effectual, and durable, and also pro- : portion of the green-manuring crops, nothing 
fitable, for the condition of the land and the will be required for the great and profitable 
other capital employed. I shall recommend i improvement of a poor farm, under usual cir- 
no means which I have not (ested and found | cumstances,otherthan the labor and resources 
successful, and in long and large practice— I of the farm itself. Other foreign or expensive 
(unless stated otherwise — ) and therefore may ' aids are not therefore deemed unadvisable or 
venture to claim, in advance, that every in- 'unprofitable. If judiciously used, such aids, 
struction and every statement to he offered . doubtless,, would add much to the profit to be 
will have been fully tested by experience — j derived, or to the quickness of attaining it in 
although not in connexion, as parts cf one large measure. But they may be postponed, 
entire and regular plan of operations, pursued ! or substituted, or even dispensed with alto- 

Vol. XII.-11. 



330 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



gether; neither of which can be done as to 
lime. 

The whole system of instruction which I 
propose, or the directions comprising every 
rule essential to improvement, fertilization, 
and production, may be stated generally in a 
few short sentences, thus: 

1. Drain all arable land that greatly needs 
it — or if the draining would be too costly, cease 
to cultivate that portion. Lands suffering 
much from excess of water, cannot be enriched 
by manures of any kind, are cultivated with 
great difficulty, and produce crops much below 
their grade of fertility. 

2. Apply marl or lime, properly, and not 
excessively or unequally, on all giound not 
naturally calcareous. 

3. Let the fields have enough respite from 
tillage, and from bearing market crops, and 
also from grazing, so that they may derive 
from their own growths, left on the ground, 
added to the farm-made putrescent manure, 
more enriching matter than is abstracted by 
the crops of the rotation, and thus removed 
from, or lost to the farm. 

4. So far as may be cheaply and profit ably 
done, add to, or substitute the natural growth 
of weeds, &c. by clover or other and better | 
manuring growth— and collect and apply as | 
manure all available supplies of other vege- | 
table or animal matters, which are not already j 
diffused over the lands, as is the case with j 
grass, weeds, stubble of grain crops, &c. 

5. Plough well, prepare for and till crops 
carefully, and especially pursue a judicious 
rotation of crops and culture, suited to the 
existing conditions of the locality, and the 
wants of the farm. 

I shall not attempt to argue or adduce 
evidence in support of these opinions. Nor 
will the directions be extended into detail, j 
The occasion forbids both. Deeming that my i 
views will be made more clear, and perhaps 
the instructions be the more impressive by the 
novel manner of illustration in which they 
will be presented, 1 will suppose and describe 
a particular case of land and its conditions, 
and also the general but sufficiently precise 
method and procedure for its improvement, as \ 
illustrative of my opinions, and the results of j 
theirapplication. But the conditions supposed 
will be similar in all essential points to those 
of thousands of farms and their proprietors. 
Folly or quackery only would recommend one 
system of improvement as suitable to or pre- | 
ferable for lands in all situations and under 
all different circumstances and conditions. 

As it is not designed to embrace any condi- 
tions with which I am not practically and well 
acquainted, let it be supposed that the farm in 
question is in the tide-water region of Virgi- 
nia, (or below the granite range which forms 
the'falls of the rivers—) and. (for convenience 
of reference,) that it contains 300 acres of 
arable land, in three fields, heretofore enclosed 
separately by dividing fences. There is 
enough wood-land to supply the farm with 



fuel and fencing timber — and also enough to 
have before permitted the usual former prac- 
tice of clearing some acres of " new-ground" 
every winter, to add to the space cultivated- 
or, more generally, to supply the place of as 
many acres of the most exhausted and worth- 
less old land, which then would be "turned 
out" of culture. 

The land does not require drainage, except 
such as the ploughing in ridges may serve for. 
Or if otherdraining is required for some parts, 
it is either so easily done as to be executed by 
the farm laborers, among the other labors an- 
nually recurring of preparation and tillage — 
or, if more costly, that the returns increased 
thereby are rich enough to repay the cost with 
profit, and so reimburse, as a separate mat- 
ter, the extra expenses and profits of drainage. 

The surface of the farm is not so hilly as to 
add much to the difficulty or disadvantages of 
ploughing and culture, or to produce much 
injurious and unavoidable washing by rain- 
torrents. The soil is not too clayey for corn, 
nor too sandy for wheat culture. But little of 
the land was rich naturally, and much of it 
was poor at first, and all had been much re- 
duced by exhausting tillage. The rotation 
latterly had been the usual and very exhaust- 
ing one (though formerly the mildest in use,) 
of three-shift, J. corn, 2. wheat on as much 
uf the land as could bring say 3 bushels to the 
acre, (or oats instead — ) and the still poorer 
part left without a crop— and 3. grazing by as 
many lean cattle as could find bare subsistence. 
The products might be 10 bushels of corn to 
the acre, on an average through the field, and 
4 bushels of wheat on the 50 best acres of the 
100 in each field — the other 50 being too poor 
to bring even 3 bushels. 

The tew cattle supported by the unfilled 
field, with the aid of the woods' or outer range, 
served to furnish a scanty supply of milk and 
butter, to keep up one or two pairs of poor 
oxen, and rarely to supply a middling beef. 
The cattle consumed, as food and litter, the 
offal of the crops, and converted the remains 
to manure. The few sheep were as ill pro- 
vided with food, and of as little profit as the 
cattle. If hogs enough were kept to provide 
bacon for the family, whether on the pasture 
field or the woods' range, they generally cost 
as much in the corn they consumed, and were 
kept poor upon, and that required afterwards 
to fatten them, as the meat obtained was worth. 

Such was, 30 years ago, the condition, (if 
not still worse,) of much the greater number 
of farms in the old settled parts of lower Vir- 
ginia. Of the few exceptions, some were so 
because of containing more or less land origi- 
nally fertile. But the greater number of ex- 
ceptions were caused by still more exhausting 
tillage than that supposed above — orstil! more 
exhausted fields, and smaller products. 

Now suppose a new proprietor, by inherit- 
ance or purchase, to become possessed of the 
farm, and to determine to begin its improve- 
ment. His predecessor had, by the former 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



331 



course pursued, barely supported his family 
each year — or barely avoided making absolute 
loss on his farming, and diminution of his ca- 
. piial. The present occupant might continue 
to do the same. So we will suppose the former 
tillage to have been barely remunerative — 
causing no actual loss of capital, and yielding 
no profit. bevon<i payingexpenses, and furnish- 1 
ing a support to all on the farm. The new j 
proprietor, like the former, has no surplus ca- 1 
pital, beyond ihe farm, its stock, provisions 
for the vear, and necessary implements. He 
is not able to pay for costly means for improve- 
ment. He cannot reduce the extent of corn- 1 
culture, to devote the labor so saved to im- ■ 
provement, hecause every bushel of the product 
is required for the consumption of the farm. 

The farm has marl, as yet unused. The I 
proprietor understands its value, and has learn- 
ed how to work and apply the marl. His first j 
arrangements are planned with a view to the 
performance of these operations. He must, | 
indeed, go in debt for the new and additional j 
expenses required. And however wrong and 
dangerous it always is for a farmer to incur 
debt for articles to be consumed, and to return 
no profit on the use, the case is entirely differ- 
ent for such outlay as is here proposed. Fur- i 
ther — such a man, and for such a purpose, can | 
have no difficulty in obtaining, on loan, the 
necessary amount of funds, and at sufficiently 
Jong time for payment. He must, however, 
be very sure to pay the interest annually and 
promptly, even if by bearing some privations. 
If required, his land will be the ample security 
for the dibts thus incurred. 

^ Operations of the First Year, 

In the beginning, the farmer cannot alter 
much the former course of cropping. But he 
sells, (if possessing) the larger portions of the 
cattle and hoys, and all the sheep. The few 
retained hogs are well kept in a sty, or a small 
enclosure; and the few cattle are kept (well 
or ill as it mav be, but) principally elsewhere 
than on the fields. At any rate, from their 
reduced number, even if still permitted to 
graze on the field not tilled, it will lose but a 
smKll portion of its product of weeds, or grass, 
by beins grazed or trampled; and the much 
larger proportion of the whole vegetable cover 
will all go to manure the field. This supply 
is indeed small, and the manure poor, but such 
as it is. it is nearly a clear gain. The stock 
management and products could scarcely be 
worse than before, and probably are belter. 
If not better the first year, they will become 
much better and also more profitable in a few 
your thereafter. 

The farmer begins to marl as soon in the 
year as uossible, with a force suitable to the 
designed operations. As the necessary amount 
of force depends upon the circumstances of 
the operations, and as this force neither can 
nor ought to be kept entirely distinct from that 
for the other and ordinary farm labors, the 
cost of the extra force employed for marling 

11 K 



cannot be estimated otherwise than by the 
amount of this particular labor perfotmed. 
There is much time of the year, when the 
ground is wet and soft, that carting marl can- 
not be doneadvantageously,and when the team 
and hands can be profitably used for other 
farm labor. There are other times of pressure 
for the crops, when hands or teams, or both, 
may be worth double their usual value. At 
such times, it will be economical to so devote 
the marling force. There are other times, in 
winter, when the earth is either water-soaked, 
or covered with snow, or hard frozen, and unfit 
for all usual farm labors, when the removing 
the overlying earth from marl may advantage- 
ously engage all the farm hands. Thus, by 
exchanges of labor, the marling may be greatly 
forwarded, and yet the crop labors greatly 
aided in pressing occasions, and so a greater 
quantity of crop may be cultivated and se- 
cured. For all these considerations, the extra 
force employed for the purpose of marling 
must be charged to that operation by the 
amount of such labors actually performed. It 
is to be presumed, that whenever the farmer 
shall use that force for other labors, that its 
direction will be not less profitable. 

At different times, and under different cir- 
cumstances, I have made careful estimates of 
the expenses of four distinct marling: opera- 
tions, each of considerable extent. The diffi- 
culties of these different labors were all greater 
than the average throughout all the marl lands 
of lower Virginia should be, and therefore my 
operations were of greater cost. The care- 
fully estimated total expenses for the 100 
heaped bushels of marl spread on the field, 
for these four operations, were respectively 
142, 97}, 86 and 94 cents. These rates were 
obtained by careful estimates of the costs of 
all the elements of labor, for a time embrac- 
ing 1846 and a number of years preceding; 
and these operations having been more labo- 
rious than is usual, and the first of them (at 
%\ 42) very much more laborious, (and was 
discontinued on thai account,) I am sure that 
86 cents for the 100 bushels would have been 
higher than a fair average price, in all the 
space of time stated. And the prices for labor, 
as then estimated, were full high for a general 
average of all ihe past, or any considerable 
previous time — and also may be for the time 
now to come * But recently, and now, under 
the extraordinary demand for labor for public 
works, and of high prices of cotton at the 
south, the prices and hires of slaves have been 
much increased. Mules also still sell as high 
as when the demand for government use, in 

* The costs of all the elements of marling labors, 
were published in all the three last ediiions of the 
"Essay on Calcareous Manures;" and the same 
corrected, which are used as grounds in this piece 
and also some extended estimates of expenses, buil 
upon these grounds, and elements of cost, will ap- 
pear in the next edition, now in the course of pub- 
lication. 



332 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



t he Mexican war, so greatly raised the price 
ot' mules, and created a general scarcity not 
yet removed — though the prices of horses have 
not much advanced. These much higher 
prices, being produced by transient causes, 
ought not to be charged as if usual. But 
something ought to be allowed for the advance. 
This allowance I will put at one-fourth of the 
supposed previous and usual fairaverage price 
of 96 cents — which addition will make 120 
cents for the 100 heaped bushels of marl, to 
be uncovered, dug, hauled to and spread upon 
the field. 

With two extra horses or mules for the 
marling force, aided by, and also aiding the 
farm force, as above stated, it will be easy 
enough in a year to marl all the field of 100 
acres then at rest. The marl is the ordinary 
miocene, having no appreciable manuring ele- 
ment except the carbonate of lime — and of 
that containing 40 per cent. It is laid on at 
300 bushels to the acre, which will give a trifle 
more than 1 per cent, to the ploughed depth of 
soil of 4 inches; and of course less in propor- 
tion,, in later time, for the depth of soil and of 
ploughing when increased to G or more inches. 

The lOOacres then will have received 30,000 
bushels of marl, at 120 cents the 100 bushels, 
or at the total cost of $360. This should be 
the separate expense incurred for this object; 
and for which a debt of that amount has been 
incurred. This is the simplest and most cor- 
rect mode of stating the expense — though it 
may be very different in amount from the first 
outlay actually made. For if purchasing two 
mules or horses, and two or three young ne- 
groes, as well as the carts and implements, 
perhaps the first outlay required might be 3? 1500 
or even $2000; and yet, after5 years'operations, 
the remaining stock might possibly then be 
worth quite as much as the whole at first. In 
such a case, the advocate for this as the only 
correct mode ofestimaiing the expenses, would 
arrive at the absurd conclusion that 5 years' 
marling operations had cost nothing for hand 
or team labor. All such chances of gain or 
loss, on the rise or fall of market value of la- 
boring force, must be excluded from any fair 
estimate. The amount here charged, of $300, 
is for annual hire of hands, of interest on capi- 
tal expended in purchases, and supposed usual 
deterioration of stock — all fixed by careful es- 
timates and fair average of prices and values.* 

* The absurd conclusion above referred to would 
appear strikingly in my own recent labors. In 1844 
was performed the largest job of mailing of which 
the expenses were carefully estimated, and which 
is the one stated above as costing 94 cents for the 
100 bushels of marl. It so happens that the parti- 
cular mule whose work was then separately esti- 
mated, and also three others of the eight I then 
owned, are still in my possession, and though more 
than at full age for labor in 1844, either of these four 
mules would r.ow sell for more than in 1844, owing 
to the now higher market prices. For the same and 
other reasons, the hands then employed are worth 



At the end of the first year, the farmer, upon 
his cultivation, (as in former times,) will have 
just paid the ordinary expenses, and provided 
a year's support for the farm— and owes $360. 
He has saved something in the capital of live- 
stock, by selling off, (or otherwise by not buy- 
ing in,) two-thirds of the unprofitable animals 
before kept; and he has to encounter, at first, 
other difficulties not much less costly in sup- 
porting the small number left, whether outside 
of his fields, or partly herded therein. The 
early gain in one respect may balance the in- 
convenience in the other. 

As the fields are not to be grazed, as yet, 
the farmer will save hereafter all the expense 
of the fences which before separated the fields. 
For the next winter, and one or two more, he 
will have no new fencing to build, and can re- 
pair the general enclosing fence with the now 
surplus rails of the old division fences. He will 
also save the before usual and annual expense 
of clearing poor woodland, upon which no 
clear profit had been made. There will no 
longer be any need to "turn out" the poorest 
arable spots — and therefore no necessity to 
supply the deficiency continually so caused, 
by bringing in newly cleared land, however 
poor or unprofitable. 

Operations of the Second Year. 
The fields produce sheep-sonel when under 
crops, and poverty-grass when at rest. Of 
course the soil is acid, and marl will thereon 
produce the quickest returns, and the greatest 
per centage of" increase on the former products. 
On such lands, after two years of rest, and 
five or six of exemption from grazing, and 
with about 500 bushels of marl to the acre, (a 
wasteful, and subsequently an injurious quan- 
tity,) I have rarely failed to obtain on the fir'-t 
crop-an increase of 50 per cent.; more often made 
100 — and in some cases full 200 per cent, in- 
crease of corn, and of wheat next following, 
upon the previous production. But in the case 
now under view, there has been hut one year 
of rest and exemption from grazing, (or I wo 
on the poorest half of each field, not put in 
wheat—) and the more economical and safe 

more now. Hence, if any such extra force had 
then been bought by me (or marling (which, how- 
ever, was not the case) the actual result would be, 
that, instead of pavinganything for the labor for eight 
vears' marling, the laborers would have returned 
a clear profit. But though such is the actual result, 
it would be improper and incorrect to admit any part 
of such gain as a lessening of the estimatei cost — 
as it would be to charge losses under the contrary 
conditions of reduced market value, or deaths of 
laborers and mules. And it is not less incorrect to 
admit temporary alterations of even annual expenses, 
to govern estimates designed for much longer times. 
Hence, the increase of cost allowed above, upon 
the supposed fair average of 96 cents, to 120 for the 
100 bushels of marl applied, is not justly required, 
unless the higher prices shall be enduring — and at 
all events the allowance of increased expense is 
ample. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



333 



amount of 300 bushels of marl only was ap- 
plied; and though greater future net profit will 
be derived from this smaller application, there 
will be less of immediate and gross return. 
Sull ihe first increase may be safely estimated 
at 50 per cent. Then the marled land which 
before would have brought 10 bushels of corn, 
will now bring at least 15. Then 67 acres 
will make as much corn (1000 bushels,) as 100 
acres did before. Therefore, 67 acres of the 
marled field (No. 2,) only will be put under 
corn; and the remaining 33 acres ploughed 
for pea-fallow, and the peas sown broad-cast 
late in May, or early in June — or even to the ] 
10th of July — to prepare for and precede wheat. 
A portion of the other part, in corn, may also, I 
(for trial,) be sown in peas, and the seed co- 
vered by the latest tillage of the corn. If' 
found of sufficient manuring benefit upon the 
wheat crop following, this interposition of I 
peas between the corn and wheat may be 
made general. But, though I approve and 
practise it, no present account of that opera- 
tion will be observed here, either as to its cost 
or profit. Either sowing, with the aid of the 
previous marling, will produce a good cover 
of pea-vines — but especially on the 33 acres 
given entirety to that growth. Boih parts of 
the field, in corn and in pea-fallow, will be 
sown in wheat in autumn. 

But this pea-fallow will have cost money 
for seed, and additional labor of ploughing 
and harrowing. The money cost will be 
charged But the labor is fully compensated 
ia ihe omission of both the ploughing and cul- 
tivation of the same land in corn, tor which 
part of the former culture this pea-fallow was 
1 substituted. 

In the course of this second year, all the 
field (No. 3,) then at rest, will be marled. 

At the close of the second year the farm 
account, so far as affected by the new prac- 
tice, will stand thus: 

Second Year — Farm Dr. 
Marling of previous year, (Field 2) $360, and 

interest (paid) $21 CO, - $38160 

Marling in current year (Field 3), 360 00 
Seed peas, 33 bushels at 70 cents, 23 10 

Additional seed wheat for 50 acres, 

50 bushels, at 90 cents, - 45 00 

Extra, for contingences of beginning 

operations, - - - 9 60 



this year. According to former usage, one- 
half had not boine wheat, and so had had two 
years of rest. Field 3 comes under corn — 
and, as in regard to No. 2, two-thirds only of 
the field are planted in corn, and the oiher 
third put in pea-fallow— and all the field af- 
terwards in wheat. 

At the close of the year, the account will 
stand thus: 

Third Year— Farm Dr. 
Balance due at close of second 

year, - - $820 30 

Interest for same, for 1 year, 49 22 



$869 52 
360 00 



Marling of current year, 

Clover seed for 100 acres of wheat- 
land, 10 bushels, at $5, - 50 00 
(Seed peas, 33 bushels, saved from 
the crop.) 

Seed wheat, additional, 50 bushels, at 
90 cents, ... 45 00 



Total debits, 



$1,324 52 



Farm Cr. 
Increase of wheat on 50 acres, after 

corn, from 4 to 6 bushels, 100 bush. 
New product of wheat on 

17 more acres of corn 

land at 6 bush. 
New product of wheat, on 

33 acres of pea-fallow, 

at 10 bush. 



102 



Bushels, 
Amount of debits, 

Balance due, 



330 

530 at 90, $478 80 
- 1324 52 



$845 72 



Total debits, - - - $8-?0 30 

As the former products were supposed barely 
to remunerate the expenses of cultivation, no 
account will be taken of either these products 
or expenses, except as to their subsequent in- 
crease or decrease. By reducing the space 
under corn, (from 100 to 67 acres) there has 
been no notable increase of that crop — and no 
wheal yet reaped from marled land. 

OperoXions of Tliird Year. 
The field first stated as under corn culture, 
(No. 1,) is now at rest) and is marled during 



Operations of Fourth Year. 

The field first cultivated (No. 1,) is now 
again for corn (according to the former course.) 
and has been all marled during the past year. 
This completes the first marling, at 300 bush- 
els. But that is not deemed enough for the 
now improved soil, and its better supply of 
organic matter, and consequent need for more 
calcareous matter to combine with the increase 
of organic, and also to supply the increased 
depth of soil. The marling is continued on 
part of the field at rest, (No. 2,) but only at 
the rate of 100 to 150 hushels, and that appli- 
cation is not to be extended to more than 50 
or 100 acres for each year, until all shall have 
been thus remarled. This change will leave 
free, from half to more than three-fourths of 
the labor previously given to marling, to be 
diverted to other and now increasing farm 
labors. For though, as yet, the corn-culture 
is even less laborious, for its space, (by the 
sorrel having been destroyed by the marlj) the 
larger wheat preparation and harvest labors, 
and thrashing, and also the transportation of 
putrescent manures, have all become more 
laborious. The gradual transference of from 



334 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



half to two-thirds, and finally all the labor 
before given to (and still charged for) marling, 
will serve to supply all ihese new demands, 
until other provision shall hereafter be made 
for their still greater increase. 

Of the field No. 1, as before, G7 acres only 
are pat in com, and the remaining 33 in pea- 
fallow. As a change of rotaiion is to begin 
next year, the culture for this year must he 
made suitable for that change. On this ac- 
count, the 33 acres of pea-fallow and 17 of the 
land in corn or 50 in all of this field, only will 
be sown in wheat. The other 50 will remain 
idle until next year, then to be put in pea-fal- 
low, according to the designed new rotation. 

The field No. '2 is this year at rest, and under 
clover, of such moderate product as the still 
poor land, and the seasons, have permitted to 
grow. This clover has received this year (as 
the beginning of a regular practice,) all the 
manure from the stables and barnyard, as top- 
dressing. Gypsum -should be tried, as it suc- 
ceeds in most cases on clover after marling, 
where totally inert if applied before. The 
putrescent manure of the farm is now much 
increased in quantity — and its operation is 
now as abiding on the land since marling, as 
it was fleeting before. It has begun to add 
considerably to the increase of crops. Of field 
2, embracing the portion of clover top-dressed, 
50 acres are fallowed in August and Septem- 
ber, and subsequently put in wheat. 



Fourth Year — Farm Dr. 



Balance due, 
Interest on same, 



345 72 
50 74 



889G 46 



Expense of extra force before for marl- 
ing, but now mostly aiding other 
labors, - - - - 3G0 00 

Clover seed 10 bushels, - - 50 00 

Additional seed wheat, 50 bushels 
at .90, - - - - 45 00 



Total debits, 



81351 46 



Farm Cr. 



Increase of wheat crop on 
50 acres formerly sown, 
at 2 bushels, - - 100 bus. 

Additional 17 acres after • 

corn, G bushels, - 102 " 



Additional 33 acres pea- 
fallow, at 10 bushels, 330 " 



Bushels - 
Amount of debits, 

Balance due, 



532 at .90 $178 80 
1351 46 



«872 GG 



Operations of Fifth Year. 

The irregularity of the supposed preceding 
culture, and some of thedefects of the descrip- 
tion, were required by the necessity of preserv- 
ing without any abatement the previous supply 
of corn. Now there has been enough improve- 
ment made to admit a more regular and better 
rotaiion. This year, the corn (on Field 2,) for 
the first time will be a second crop after the 
first marling of 300 bushels, and with the aid 
also of the later addition of 100 or 150 bushels 
of marl to the acre, according to the increased 
wants of the soil. The effect of the former 
dressing, if alone, would now be fully doubled, 
or giving an increase of 100 per cent, on the 
first stated production — making the rate 20 
bushels of com to the acre. The clover also, 
though mostly of dwarfish growth, was well 
sprinkled over the field, last year at rest, and 
which is now to come under corn. The clo- 
ver, poor as it may be, is a profitable exchange 
not only for the former scanty growth of po- 
verty grass, but also of the ragwort and other 
weeds more lately indicating much improved 
lertility. 

Each of the former three field? is now to be 
divided into two, and hereafter upon each one 
of these six fields, is to be commenced the 
same rotaiion of six shifts, which it will be 
enough to describe for one course, or one field, 
only. 

The former field No. 2, which according to 
the first three-shift course would have all come 
under corn this year, was last year under clo- 
ver in its second year of growth. This will 
make two fields (A and E,) of 50 acres each. 
One of these, E, was last summer fallowed 
for wheat, as before stated; and the other. A, 
this year (the 5th) will be under corn. The 
following tabular view, with the accompanying 
explanations, will exhibit the past as well as 
the designed future course of culture, and 
estimated production to the llih year from 
the commencement of the improvement by 
marling. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



335 



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33C 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



This will make the total crop of wheat as 

follows: 



On 17 acres after corn, G, - - ]02 

On 33 acres after pea-fallow, 12, - 396 

On 35 acres, clover fallow, 12, - 420 

On 15 acres, of same field, manured, 16, 210 



Bushels, .... 

Fifth Year— Farm Dr. 
Balance due at end of 4th 

year, - - $872 66 

Interest, - - 52 36 



1158 



$925 02 
Cost of force formerly marling, and 

now mostly otherwise engaged, 360 00 

Clover seed, 5 bushels, (none sown 

on wheat or clover fallow,) - 25 00 

Additional seed wheat, 50 bushels, 45 00 



Total debits, 



$1355 02 



Farm Cr. 

Increase of wheat crop of 1158 
bushels over the former 200, or 958 
bushels at 90 cents, - - 862 20 

Debits, .... 1355 Q2 



Balance due, ... «^if>-2 82 



Operations of the Sixth Year. 

This will be the turning point, or crisis, of 
the farmer's labors for improvement. Though 
as yet scarcely any clear annual profit has 
been obtained, and the debt incurred has not 
been discharged, still the great difficulties of 
improvement have been overcome, and the 
heaviest costs have been paid. No clear or 
disposable income has yet been enjoyed. But 
the productive powerof the farm, and its gross 
products, are already much more than doubled; 
and the net products increased in still greater 
proportion. 

But the labors and consequent expenses of 
the new rotation, and of the better and more 
extended tillage, are also now increased great- 
ly, though much less than in proportion to the 
increased production. One half, (or more) of 
the ©360 before charged annually for marling, 
has already been given toother labors — and 
now all will be so diverted except one-fourth 
annuallv, (or $90) which will be ample for 
all continued marling for the next. 10 years. 

The growth of clover, by this time, will 
have greatly increased the products of live- 
stock, without the additional grazing having 
materially encroached on the manuring value 
of the vegetable products. Trampling the 
land, to some extent, will now be useful to 
compress the too loose soil— and also, close 
grazing, for short times, will do good in cleans- 
ing the land of both weeds and insects. Thus 
the clover field preceding corn might be grazed 
from April to June or July, and the two wheat- 
fields after being cleared of the wheat— and 
both with advantage to the next succeeding 



grain crops and to the clover. The increase 
of .stock products may, for the present, balance 
any additional amount of increase of labor re- 
quired for tillage, and not already provided for. 

For the remaining five years of this first 
round of the six-shift course, there will he no 
further increase of crops claimed, beyond the 
before stated rates of 20 bushels of corn, 12 
of wheat for both pea and clover-fallow, and 
16 for the manured clover-fallows, now ex- 
tended to 20 acres annually. At these rates, 
the Cth year's account will stand thus: 

Sixth Year — Farm Dr. 
Balance due at close of 5th 

year, - - $492 82 

Interest, - - 29 57 

$522 49 

Other debits as before, - 430 00 



i 



Total debits, 



£952 49 



Farm Cr. 
Increase of wheat— present crop, 
50 acres pea-fallow at 12 bush. 600 
30 do. clover-fallow at 12 " 360 
20 do. do. manured at 16 " 320 

1280 
Deduct former product 200, leaves 

1080 bushels at 90 cents, - - 972 

Debits, .... 95-2 



Balance in favor of farm. 



SI9 51 



At the end of 6 years, the farmer has now- 
discharged the whole debt incurred, and paiiv , 
all the expenses of so far enriching his farm. 
Under the mild rotation prescribed, the im- 
provement will be permanent; and even pro- 
gressive, as inferred, to a much higher mark 
of productiveness. The account stated for 
one more year will show the beginning of this 
new condition of things, which is supposed to 
continue, (or be thus averaged) through the 
current course, or to the end of the 10th year 
of the fanner's occupancy and improvement. 

Seventh Year — Farm Dr. 
Additional expenses as before, viz: 
Force formerly engaged in marling, and now 

mainly at other farm labors, $360 CO 

Clover seed $25. Additional seed 

wheat $45, - - . 70 00 

Total debits for additional labors, 5430 00 

Farm Cr. 

Increased product of wheat, over the 
the 200 bushels at first produced, 
1082 bushels, at 90 cents, - 972 00 

(Dropping the last year's balance due 
the farm of $19 51.) 

Debits, - - . 430 00 



On improvement operations— balance 
in hand, ... 



$542 00 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



337 



Thus, the operations of the year, after sup- | 
plying §130 to pay for increased labors of 
tillage, leave a clear and disposable surplus 
of $542. The like (average) products will ; 
be obtained in each of the three succeeding 
years of the same first round of the new rota- ; 
tion, and reaching to include the 10th year 
of the farmer's labors. It is useless to con- ; 
tinue to state the account for these years, and ; 
would be improper to treat the annual disposa- 
ble surplus (of $542 at present) as an accu- ! 
mnlating fund. The farmer has earned the 
risht to expend this annual surplus for the 
?reater comfort and benefit of his family, or 
may use a portion of it for any auxiliary 
means for obtaining still greater improvement 
and production of his farm. The general re- 
sults of such means will hereafter be slightly 
touched upon. But without counting anything 
from such additional means— and only from 
those already employed, and the system in 
progress— looking to' the still gradually in- 
creasing effects of marl (as usually expe- 
rienced) lor some 10 years after the applica- 
tion—the still growing supplies of prepared 
putrescent manures, and of enriching matter 
in the two green manurings in the course of 
crops— it will be moderate enough to suppose 
that with the second course of this rotation, 
and beginning with the 11th yearof the whole 
labors of improvement, the farm will have 
reached (for the next round of crops,) the i 
average production of 25 bushels of corn, and \ 
IK of wheat, both on pea and clover-fallow. j 
Then the grain products will stand thus, for 
the 11th year(as noted in the preceding table) 
van .1 the course of the rotation reaching to the | 
• lGth year: ] 

50 acres of corn, at 25 bushels, 1250 b. at 50 

cents, - - $625 00 

Former crop (on 100 acres) 

1000 b. - - 500 00 



Increase, or surplus, 250 b. at 50 cts. $125 00 

100 acres of fallow wheat 
(pea and clover) 18 bush- 
els, 1800 b. at 90 cents, $1620 00 

Former crop, 200 b. 180 00 



Total annual increase, 



1410 00 

$1565 no 



If, of this increase, $565 be added to the 
$360 before allowed for increased labor, mak- 
ing $925 in all, there will still remain an in- 
crease of clear annual profit of §1000. If 
the allowance for increase of tillage and other 
ordinary farm labor was too small before, the 
present increase (to $925) is large enough to 
compensate all deficiencies. 

Still another large and new charge should 
now be made against the surplus products. 
Until the 7ih year, the farmer received no re- 
muneration for his personal labors and super- 
intendence, except the subsistence of his fa- 
mily for the time, as in all previous time for 
the proprietor and his family. 



Since the 7th year, the whole surplus in- 
come of $542 has gone annually to the farrne 
without charge; and now suppose the same 
amount continued to be allowed, as the annual 
compensation for the farmer's personal ser- 
vices. This large deduction from the present 
annual surplus products of $1000, will still 
leave (1000—542=) $458 of clear profit, after 
paying every expense of past improvement 
of regular culture of the farm, and $512 as 
wages to the farmer, which is just as much 
as that whole amount more than the total sur- 
plus which the farm produced before its im- 
provement— there having been then no surplus, 
after barely supporting the farm. Having al- 
lowed these liberal deductions, the actual in- 
trinsic value added to the farm by its recent 
improvement may be fairly estimated at the 
sum which as principal would yield the an- 
nual interest of the entirely clear profit $458; 
which would be $7666. This amount, is the 
least possible fair appreciation of the in creased 
intrinsic valueof the farm, as capital invested, 
without regard to the present or the former 
market price. Doubtless, if the case supposed 
actually had existed in all its parts, the market 
value (or estimated selling price) of the land 
when improved would be as much below the 
intrinsic or productive value, as the foimer 
would have been rated above the latter in the 
first unimproved condition. Whether the farm 
then would have sold for the ordinary price of 
$5 the acre, or 5 cents only, (the last being as 
1 estimate more than the then intrinsic value—) 
or whether it would now sell for but $8, or 
would command $30 the acre— will not affect 
the estimate of the amount and value of the 
annual gross and net products, and of the in- 
trinsic value of the actual improvements al- 
ready made. 

All conjectural estimates are necessarily 
uncertain and doubtful. Of these, of course, 
I cannot prove their being sufficiently moderate 
for reliance on the conclusions. INo one has 
yet gone through precisely such a full and un- 
mixed course of labors for improvement, so 
that the entire scheme can be pronounced to 
be fully tested by experience. But there is 
no one application of labor, and no improve- 
ment, herein stated, with its costs and its pro- 
ducts, that I have not found sustained in some 
parts of my own practice— and the results are 
not contradicted by any other experienced 
facts. The costs are put higher (for reasons 
before given,) and the profits of results lower 
than I have found in all judicious operations 
of this description. In the foregoing state- 
ments, it was a condition (which is not to be 
found in any actual practice,) that the farmer's 
labors for improvement were always judi- 
ciously directed, and were never omitted or 
suspended. Many omissions, and some inter- 
ruptions of proper effort, many errors of in- 
experience, accompanied and impaired my 
like operations, and lessened or postponed the 
otherwise certainly available results. But 
i however disjointed and injudicious may have 



33S 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



been the labors of myself and all other im- 
provers by marling, I am confident that none 
of the means supposed in this writing, upon 
the like premises, or in proportion to the mea- 
sure of other premises, have failed to produce 
particular benefits equal to those here de- 
duced — and in most cases, more benefit, and 
in less time. Hundreds of the most judicious 
and experienced laborers in this still recent 
mode of improvement, by marling or liming, 
will sustain this opinion by their concurrent 
testimony.* 

In the foregoing scheme of improvement, 
my directions in sundry particulars have been 
swayed from what was deemed the best course, 
by the supposed constraining circumstances 
of the farmer — and in others, to better preserve 
simplicity and clearness of description. To 
meet the most general objection of "want of 
money to pay for improvements," a case was 
supposed of a farm that could not spare for 
sale a bushel of corn, and a proprietor who 
had not a dollar more than would maintain 
him and his family through the year's labors. 
If these restraints had not existed, perhaps 
some more costly or more hazardous means 
for improvement might have been added, with 
great benefit, in increasing or forwarding the 

* After these estimates were prepared, I submit- 
ted thein to the careful scrutiny of three of my 
friends, who are judicious farmers, and well ac- 
quainted wiili the operations and results of improv- 
ing land by marline or liming. One of these far- 
mers was John A. Selden of Westover, whose tes- 
timony I am authorized to use thus in this case, and 
whose name will command respect as a voucher for 
any agricultural facts or opinions. There was not 
one of my supposed results of the premises stated — 
or of the rates of increased production from the 
previous applications of marl and other treatment 
of the land — that each of these farmers did not 
deem full low enough for the means employed. 
Each of them thought that in some particulars the 
supposed increased production was put too low. 1 
am confident that the same general opinions would 
be concurred in by the great majority, if not by all, 
of the most judicious and experienced marling and 
liming firmers in lower Virginia. 

For the estimated costs of means for improve- 
ment supposed to be used, I should be glad to refer 
to others' testimony also. But I know of no farmer, 
other than myself, who has taken the pains to care- 
fully estimate the expenses of marling, and there- 
fore, I could not have the desired aid of correcting 
censorship on this score. I am then solely respon- 
sible for the correctness of the estimates of ex- 
penses. Those of the costs of marling labors were 
carefully prepared, and are believed to be very 
correct. But the other subsequent and ordinary 
farm labors, growing out of the improvements caused 
by marling, were of amount and expense so much 
more conjectural than anything else assumed, that 
these particular subjects may have been estimated 
very incorrectly. But this is the least important 
particular of the general estimate — and also the one 
in which every practical farmer is qualified to judge 
as well as myself, and to detect and allow for any 
errors of my estimates. 



amount of fertility to be gained. In some 
other cases, some of the supposed means may 
be wanting, and may be supplied, though to A 
less advantage, by other means. Some of " 
these different circumstances will be hastily 
noiiced. 

If marl had not been accessible, lime would 
have done as well, at more or less greater cost. 

On all corn land designed lo have wheat 
next in succession, it would have been profita- 
ble to sow peas among the corn, as a manure 
crop. 

If gypsum had been found effective, after 
marling, the small expense of its application 
ought regularly to have been given, for the 
leguminous manuring crops, clover and peas. 

Guano might have been used on every wheat 
crop, and probably to great profit, at least so 
long as the land remained poor. 

Bone dust in small quantity would probably 
have been profitable as manure. 

These means I leave for others to estimate, 
either by their own experience, or the pub- 
lished and well-authenticated reports of ex- 
periments and practice of other farmers. I 
have but little personal experience of any of 
these manures which are commercial commo- 
dities. While not at all doubting the great 
benefit and profit of their use, I choose to limit 
my own estimates to subjects of my own ex- 
perience. 

. 



For the Southern Planter. 

JOINT WORM. 

Mr. Editor, — I ask permission to occupy a 
small space in your forthcoming number with 
a postscript to a short notice of the joint worm, 
published in the September number at page 
•271. My principal object is to comply wilh 
a request made to me by Dr. T. W. Harris, 
the distinguished author of the "Report im In- 
sects Injurious to Vegetation in Massachusetts." 
Being informed, by means of a special com- 
munication which I had addressed to him, of 
the conclusions to which I had arrived with 
respect to the habits and true nature of the 
joint worm, he has done me Ihe honor to ex- 
press an interest in the result of my observa- 
tions, and 10 offer very valuable suggestions 
as to the most efficient way of prosecuting my 
inquiries with a view to the confirmation or 
correction of those conclusions. As it hap- 
pens that there is much confusion in the old 
nomenclature for this department of entomo- 
logy, Dr. Harris is anxious that I should em- 
ploy the names used in his published work. 
He requests, "In case you should send an ac- 
count of the joint worm to Mr. Ruifin, or to any 
other person for publication, that you will be 
pleased to adopt the nomenclature for the gall- 
flies and their parasites, or supposed parasites, 
(whether all be so or not,) which you will find 
in Cuvier's Animal Kingdom and most other 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



339 



modern books on entomology, instead of that 
originally proposed by Geoffrey, which I find 
in your communication. Geoffroy introduced 
much confusion in the names which he gave 
to insects, especially to such as these under 
consideration, and Latreille, himself, (who 
wrote the entomological part of Cuvier's great 
wort, and who will long continue to be our 
principal authority,) saw fit to reject Geoffrey's 
names for these two tribes of insects, restoring 
to the gall-flies the name Cynips originally ap- 
plied to them by Linnaeus, and giving to the 
" Ichneumones minuti" of the latter (including 
several genera and sub-genera, such as eury- 
toma, &c.) the Fabrician name of Chalcis. 
Hence Mr. Westwood and other distinguished 
European naturalistsdenominatethe gall-mak- 
ing hymenopters Cimipidt£,a.nd theotherfamily 
Cholcididcc, and thi's nomenclature I have fol- 
lowed in my work. If you have occasion to 
speak of the gall-flies, your readers, who may 
perhaps have my book, will readily understand 
yoa, if you refer them to the genus Cynips, 
and will perceive no contradiction between 
us; and in like manner if you speak of the 
"joint worm" as a chalcidian larva (whether 
you adopt the name Eurytoma or Chalcis) you 
will avoid the danger of having it confounded 
with the true Cynipidee from which it differs 
essentially in structure in its winged state. I 
am the more urgent on this point because any 
discrepancy in regard to names will be likely to 
mislead those whoare notfamiliarwith them." 
The intelligent reader, by comparing the 
foregoing extract from Dr. Harris' letter with 
my communication published in your Septem- 
ber number, will easily make the necessary 
correction of the nomenclature adopted in the 
latter. He should substitute forthe term Diplo- 
lepis therein used as the generic appellation of 
the true or plant-sucking gall-fly. the old term 
Cynips, which had been originally applied by 
Linnceus to both the true gall-flies and their 
carnivorous parasites, but which Geoffroy 
and Lamarck had restricted to the latter, in- 
troducing the new name Liplolepis for the for- 
mer. Latreille, on the contrary, followed 
by all later entomologists, has rejected the 
name DifloUpii altogether and has transposed 
the terms Cynips and Cynipidee from the section 
of parasitical to that of plant-sucking gall- 
flies. In this connexion it is to be observed 
that in ibe first part of my communication I 
used the family name Cynipidmm the Linnman 
sense, as embracing both tribes of gall-inha- 
biting hymenopters, whereas according to the 
now accepted nomenclature it should have 
been restricted to the tribe which originally 
make the galls, the term ckalcidid;e being 
adopted for those minute parasitical hymenop- 
ters which lay their eggs after the galls have 
been produced by the Cynipidee and whose 
larvae prey upon those of the latter. To this 
tribe of Chakidiamox parasitical gall-flies the 
eurytoma of the barley and wheat would ap- 
pear to belong, if the classifications of natu- 
ralists founded on artificial characters be cor- 



rect. The point I have made is this: the his- 
tory of the joint worm, as far as it has yet 
been investigated, seems to show both that it 
feeds on the juices of the plant and that it is 
the larva of the Eurytoma hordei. In other 
words, this species of Eurytoma is not exclu- 
sively, if at all, a carnivorous parasite, and 
consequently the classifications of entomolo- 
gists in respect to this group of insects must 
undergo a modification in order to be recon- 
ciled with the natural characteristics thus as- 
certained. The Eurytoma, or at least this spe- 
cies of the genus may, after all be a Cynipian, 
but then the artificial tests of this family will 
be somewhat different from those now gene- 
rally assigned. 

The same opinion has, as I learn from Dr. 
Han is, been heretofore advanced by Professor 
Nees Von Esenbech, but on grounds which 
were declared to be unsatisfactory by Dr West- 
wood and Dr. Raizeburg, both of whom con- 
troverted his statement "that he had become 
acquainted with some Eurytomas which were 
phytophagous," and, therefore, "more properly 
belonged to the Cynipidee." Dr. Harris is him- 
self now strongly inclined to adopt my con- 
clusions. I have recently forwarded to him 
several specimens of the fresh and living joint 
worm, the examination of which by himself 
and Dr. Jeffries "VVyman has served to confirm 
my account of the mandibulate character of 
the mouth of this worm. He is, thetelore, 
satisfied that neither the yellowish white worm 
found in a large majority of the galls, nor the 
less common white, hairy worm, can be the 
larva of a Cecidomyia. "There still remain, 
however," he says in his latest letter to me, 
"some points in the economy of the insect 
that require to be settled before a complete 
account of its history can be written. We 
find that a large proportion of the winged in- 
sects are evolved in the spring, having sur- 
vived the winter in the larva (or pupal) state. 
Of course they will soon afterwards be en- 
gaged in laying their eggs in the young wheat 
that had been sown during the previous au- 
tumn. In this same wheat,during the autumn, 
we are not to expect to find any larvte ol the 
Eurytoma, or at most only a very few in a 
small number of cases. The young plants 
ought to be examined before winter to deter- 
mine this point, namely whether they are much 
affected by the joint worm. If many of these 
worms are found in the plants it would lead 
to the suspicion that the larvee so found were 
not those of the Eurytoma; and on the other 
hand, if their occurrence in the young plant 
in the autumn is rare, it would afford addi- 
tional ground for belief that the "joint worm" 
was the larva of the Eurytoma. When the in- 
sect is engaged in laying its eggs opportunity 
may be found to watch the process, to mark 
the plant, and to examine carefully the spot 
where the Eurytoma had been at work. If 
I this spot be found not to contain larvae already 
I it will give further evidence that the Eurytoma 
1 is not a parasite." 



540 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



I have given this passage at length in order 
to invite the co-operation of any of your read- 
ers in the infected region who may feel an in- 
terest in determining the history and true na- 
ture of these destructive insects. If any indi- 
cations of the disease be perceived in the young 
wheat during the fall or winter I would he 
glad to receive specimens. My present very 
decided impression is, however, that none will 
be found, and that the first signs of the disease 
in the new wheat appear in the spring coinci- 
dentlv with the emergence of the winged Eu- 
rytoma flies from the straw and stubble of the 
previous year's growth. 

J. L. Cabell. 

University of Virginia, Sept. 24, 1852. 



For the Southern Planter. 
DEWS AND FROSTS. 

Mr. Editor, — So intimately connected 
with agriculture are dews and frosts — the 
one favoring, the other opposed to the 
growth of plants — that 1 have presumed 
to trouble you with a short communication 
in regard to them. I write in order to in- 
duce your readers to disregard the scho- 
lastic aspect in which their connexion with 
science would seem to place them and to 
persuade them to investigate dews and 
frosts as the results of simple natural laws, 
as well as to assist them in their investi- 
gations. As the earth is not only the thea- 
tre of action for those laws, but also the 
observatory for ourselves of this action, we 
ask your indulgence while we premise a 
few facts, more or less connected with the 
matter before us. As the temperature of 
the earth is the prime agent in the forma- 
tion of dews and frosts, we will observe 
that, apart from any result of chemical de- 
composition, temperature has two sources. 
One the heat radiated from the sun, the 
other "sui generis" and a peculiar pro- 
perty of this ball of matter. The surface 
of the earth, for the depth of forty feet, is 
warmed by the radiated heat of the sun, 
and its temperature is subjected to the 
control of atmospheric vicissitudes. At 
that depth, there is a stratum called the 
stratum of invariable temperature, that is 
to say, the heat is the same at that distance 
below ground both winter and summer. 
Here the influence of the sun on the earth's 
temperature ceases, and here commence 
the operations of a peculiar law, known 
only by its effects; for we here find that in 
proportion as we go deeper, in like ratio 
the temperature increases; and philoso- 
phy has determined a point in the bosom 



of our common mother, in which it is im- 
possible for anything to exist as solid, and 
has taught us the interesting fact that we 
live on the hardened crust of a vast bait 
of liquid fire. This Tact we now lay aside, 
having mentioned it for the purpose of 
separating it entirely from the other source 
of the earth's heat, viz: the sun. But be- 
fore we go farther, let us be understood as 
to the meaning of radiation, a term we 
have used, and for which we expect to 
have farther use. Radiation, as we use 
it, is that property by which a healed body 
gives off its heat to another contiguous 
body without contact with such body. It 
differs from reflection in this: that radiation 
requires that the body radiating shall itself 
be heated, while reflection is as complete 
from a cold body as from a body of raised 
temperature. Now the law governing ra- 
diation is this: "All bodies radiate or give 
off heat to surrounding bodies, and in re- 
turn, receive heat from contiguous bodies." 
For example, suppose two bodies, A and 
B, to be placed contiguously; A will give 
off its heat to B and receive heat from B, 
while B will give off its heat to A and re- 
ceive heat of A; if these two bodies be of 
equal temperature in the commencement, 
they will continue so; B giving to A as 
much heat as A gives to B; but should 
there be, in the commencement, an unequal 
temperature between the two, for instance, 
should B have more heat than A, then "as 
the radiation is always in proportion to the 
temperature," B would radiate to A more 
heat than it receives from A, and thus an 
equality of temperature would be esta- 
blished. We have been thus minute in 
regard to this law, because on its right 
understanding, depends the proper appre- 
ciation of all that follows. The sun, we 
have said, is the main source of the heat 
of the surface of the earth. Its rays radi- 
ate from it as from a common centre all 
over the earth, and in return, the earth ra- 
diates its heat back; but the temperature 
of the sun being so immensely higher than 
that of the earth, obediently to a law before 
mentioned, the earth receives more heat 
from the sun that it gives in return, and 
thus its temperature is raised ; this goes on 
during the whole day — to the greatest ex- 
tent when the sun is at meridian, for then 
the rays strike the earth directly and very 
few are reflected. Towards evening, as 
the rays fall obliquely, some are reflected, 
that is, thrown from the surface of the 
earth into space. The earth continuing 
to give off its heat more abundantly than 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



341 



before, (because its temperature being: 
raised, its radiation is greater,) neccessa- i 
nlv has its temperature lowered ; and when | 
the sun has gone down, receiving no heat 
and continuing to radiate, its temperature 
is at last so reduced that it is lower than 
that of the superjacent air, which condens- 
ing as it comes in contact with the earth, 
deposits its vapor, held before in solution, 
upon those bodies which, being the best 
radiators, have parted with the most heat, 
and consequently are the most reduced in 
temperature. That vapor condensed, is 
known under the common name of "dew.'^ 
Having thus mentioned the principles of 
its formation, we beg your indulgence while 
we shall name some of the peculiarities of 
its formation. As the most superficial ob- 
server cannot fail to have observed that 
often on one morning we have not a drop 
of dew, and on the next, have it in abun- 
dance, and may have wondered at this 
seeming mvstery as he thinks it, we will 
use the = principles we have just inculcated 
to explain this simple, yet often perplexing 
fact. Let us lay down some law as a cri- 
terion by which we may judge the excep- 
tions; in other words, let us state those 
conditions of air, earth and sky most favor- 
able to the forming of dew in order that 
we may belter be able to detect any de- 
viations from those conditions. A clear, 
& hot day, followed by a clear, calm night, 
is the most favorable condition for the for- 
mation of dew. And why? Because du- 
ring a clear, hot day, the rays of the sun 
have nothing to prevent their direct pas- 
sage to the earth, and a clear, calm night 
offers no impediment to the rapid radiation 
from the earth. These being the most fa- 
vorable conditions for the formation of dew, 
we can well see how there is no dew on a 
cloudy night For this there are two rea- 
sons: first a canopy of cloud prevents the 
heat, radiated from the earth, from rising; 
second, the clouds themselves radiate heat 
towards the eanh at the same time that 
the earth is giving out its heat, and receiv- 
ing heat in return for that given out the 
earth has not its temperature sufficiently 
lowered to cause the. formation of dew on 
its surface. It is observed that no dew 
fills in windy nights. Why so? Be- 
cause as the earth gives up its heat, it ab- 
sorbs heat from the atmosphere to a suffi- 
cient extent to lead to the deposition of 
dew. provided the atmosphere be still. If, j 
however, the air is in motion, the dew is 
evaporated, in other words, absorbed by 
the air as fast as it is formed. And thus | 



it is all of radiation and absorption on the 
part of the earth ; nothing of condensation 
on the part of the air. Another reason 
why a hot day is favorable to the formation 
of dew is that evaporation goes on most 
rapidly on such a day, and the atmosphere 
receiving more vapor more easily con- 
denses it. Again, it has been noticed that 



a calm nisht preceded by a windy day is 
favorable"or not to the formation ot dew 
as the wind has blown over a dry plain or 
a body of water. If the latter, then bung- 
ing a bountiful supply of moisture, it places 
the atmosphere in the best state for con- 
densation. If over the plain, it not only 
does not bring any moisture, but deprives 
the atmosphere of a large portion ol its 
vapor. Having thus noticed a few pro- 
minent facts we cannot refrain adverting 
to the. beautiful harmony and order dis- 
played in the operations of Nature. It is 
a universal law, so far as we know, that 
the property of absorption and radiation 
exists in a corresponding ratio. And how 
beautifully is this law exemplified and prac- 
tically improved in Nature. What needs 
the most heat on the earth's surface? 
Growing vegetation. What the most dew? 
The same. And we find plants absorbing 
more heat and having more dew deposited 
on them than any other objects. And 
herefrom we deduce an unanswerable ar- 
gument in favor of close, deep and perfect 
tillage. For in proportion as we make our 
soils' porous, their power of absorption is 
increased. The power of absorption and 
radiation existing in a like ratio, in the 
same way their power of radialion is in- 
creased; and the deposition of dew on a 
surface being proportionate to the amount 
of radiation, as close tillage promotes ab- 
sorption and radiation, it likewise causes 
the deposition of dew, and he who wishes 
this grateful drink for his thirsty plants 
must plough and break completely. 

Frost is frozen dew. and as the above 
are the laws of its formation, I need say 
nothing more of it. 

Wm. Hening. 

Richmond, August 31, 1S52. 



To Keep Out Frost.— Saw-dust, tan- 
bark, or chip-manure, either are better 
than any kind of soil to keep out frost. 
Straw and old hay of any kind are better 
for banking around houses in winter than 
loam or sand or gravel.— Massachusetts 
l J loughman. 



342 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



Prom the Richmond Whig. 

FINE VIRGINIA "WOOL. 

I am sure, Messrs. Editors, that what- 
ever contributes to the improvement or 
honor of this "old Commonwealth of ours," 
will be a source of gratification to you, 
who have so seduously labored for her 
welfare for so many years. And to show 
that we can, in some respects, and in some 
of the branches of industry, rival our sister 
States, 1 hand you an extract from the 
United States Economistof the 2d October. 
The editor of that paper says: 

"We have seen a lew bales of Saxony 
fleece (wool) at H. A. Petiibone & Co's. 
Beaver street, from the farm of Mr. Dox, 
of Nelson counly, Virginia, superior to 
anything we have before seen. Duchess 
county, New York; Washington county, 
Pennsylvania; and Summit county, Ohio, 
will have to be up and doing, or Virginia 
will carry the flag. We hope our Virginia 
friends will improve the hint thrown out 
some time since, (referring, I believe, to 
the scarcity of provender,) and come North 
and make a selection from some of our 
flocks, where the drought has destroyed 
so much of the fodder it will be difficult 
to winter them." 

This was a lot of twenty-five hundred 
pounds of wool, sent from Nelson county 
to our friends, Messrs. Deane & Brown, to 
be sold here under limits. Forty -five cents 
per pound was offered for it, in cash, being 
'•Buck Washed." That price not being 
equal to the expectation of the owners, it 
was shipped to New York, where it was 
seen by the editor. The sheep from which 
this wool was taken was a flock of nine 
hundred, I understand, driven from New 
York to Nelson county, and proves most 
conclusively that, there is scarcely any in- 
vestment so safe and profitable to our 
mountain farmers as the raising of sheep. 
No animal can live upon as little, and re- 
quires less attention than a sheep, if it has 
a dead pasture to roam in, or the woods of 
the mountains. 

t Richmond. 

We know Mr. Dox very well, and saw him 
only a few days ago. He has been here now 
several years with his sheep, and thinks since 
they have become accustomed to our climate 
that they are quite as good as the Merino, 
commonly supposed to be a more hardy sheep. 

We hope that in some short time he will 
give us an article on the subject, drawn from 



his own experience and observation, both here 
and in New York, and as we endorse him in 
every way, we can promise in advance a good jH 
and reliable article on the subject. 



The following communication was received 
sometime ago. We did not think the season 
a good one to publish it in, and we reserved is 
until the present lime, when we hope every 
one can follow the advice given by the writer 
without interfering with other arrangements; 

For the Southern Planter. 

MANURES. 

Mr. Editor, — This is truly an importani 
subject with theagriculturisl; in proof of which 
we have only to bring to mind the imposing 
' fact that thousands of dollars are annually 
expended for that active, generous,- master- 
piece, guano. Again, refer lo the numberless 
advertisements of artificial " Manufactured 
, Manures." A with his "Artificial Guano"— 
B and K have the "Prepared Guano"— C his 
"Fertilizer," anwiialty improved — K and D 
' bring out their "Highly Valuable Chemical 
Salts"— W C the "Highly Approved Pou- 
! drette" — T his "Fertilizing Compound. 1 ' To 
carry out the list would fill the greater part, if 
! not every page in your valuable journal. All 
of those above can be obtained for the hard . 
I cash; but, alas! the farmer often finds himself | 
in a "sad predicament" — money gone— no 
: benefit derived from the^-e "highly valuable 
I manures," which are declared to contain every 
, ingredient necessary for the production of re- 
! numerating crops; and better still, enough of 
these beautiful invaluable ingredients are to 
! be left in the soil to secure a "good stand of 
the grasses and clover on the poorest soils;" 
I nothing remains to carry out the improvement 
I but the application of plaster and lime, thereby 
I btinging the soil to a high state of fertility. 
It is unnecessary to affirm that these manures 
j do not invariably give these results, as the past 
j conclusively proves that failure asolien attends 
i theirapplication as success. The first, guano, 
', has especially been a source of great improve- 
mentand profit to the farmer; but tothe agents, 
speculators and manufacturers there are no 
failures; their profits are sure and, enormovs. 
The farmer's hard earned capital is frequently 
lost to him, whilst the vender and manufac- 
turer secure Iheir gains. The nostrums for 
impoverished soils are as plenty as those for 
the restoration of the health of the human fa- 
mily, and in too many instances as worthless. 
As farmers are engaged in the liberal use of 
guano and manufactured manures, the question 
naturally arises, have the farmers of Virginia, 
diligently and carefully husbanded every ma- 
terial that can be converted into manure? 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



343 



We frequently see Yankee "axe helves" and 
"Northern hay" advertised in our daily papers. 
k Have we not a sufficiency of good timber that 
" can he worked into axe helves'? or are we too 
lazy"! or is it the beautiful crook of the Yankee 
helve that "takesoureye?" Have we no soils 
suitable to the production of the grasses and 
clover 1 ? or are we deficient in energy, that we 
have not only to purchase axe helves and ha)', 
but manures from the North? 

The writer has made experiments with 
guano, resulting in complete failures and again 
returning remunerating crops. With fifteen 
dollars worth of "C. Fertilizer" I made nothing. 
I consider it a perfect humbug. Whilst far- 
mers are engaged in the liberal use of these 
manures, let them not forget the quantity ot 
materials on their right and left, that if pro- 
perly collected, intimately mixed, carefully 
husbanded, and judiciously applied, will not 
only add greatly to the fertility of their lands, 
but fill many an "empty purse." Manures 
are the riches of the fields, and as stable ma- 
nure contains all those substances which 
plants need, and as it is a settled point in ag- 
riculture that it never fails, let us first consider 
the means necessary to increase not only the 
bulk but secure and improve the quality. 
Horse dung rapidly accumulates in our stables; 
do not permit it to remain until it is two or three 
feet deep, and then fork it out in front of the 
door exposed to the influence of sun and air, 
to be drenched by every fall of rain, and then 
cart it to the soil almost a worthless thing; 
but provide liberally good bedding for your 
horses and mules, remove every morning the 
-«fc dun? and wet straw to an adjoining shed, 
erected for the sole purpose of securing your 
manure, there deposit it, dusting the daily re- 
movals with plaster, thereby securing the vo- 
latile panicles. When you have a sufficiency 
to put up a good compost heap, commence it 
immediately wider your shed, by placing alter- 
nately mud, woods-mould, manure arid plaster, 
a ■itliri" a strung dose of good brine (composed 
of one gallon of salt to eight of water,) to each 
layer of manure and "plaster; complete the 
heap by covering with mud or scrapings; per- 
mit it to remain so until a slight fermentation 
takes place, then cut down the heap with 
sharp hilling hoes, (hereby intimately mixing 
the materials, cart it on the land intended for 
cultivation, covering it with the plough as fast 
as it is regularly spread. An excess of fermen- 
tation should be avoided in the heap; ihe soil is 

the place I ur u l0 ta,le 'P lace < as the volatlle and 
soluble particles are there secured for the wants 

of the crop. The mud and mould add to the 
bulk whilst they do not injure the quality of 
the heap; the plaster arrests and fixes the es- 
caping ammonia; the brine will destroy the 
enemies of our crops. Manure of this kind 
should be laid on moist, tenacious soils, the 
faults of which it corrects, while at the same 
time the soil checks the too violent action of the 
manure; on the other hand, if applied to dry 
sandy soils, it then forces and stimulates the 



growth of plants so much in the early stages 
of their development, that when the action 
ceases, the process of vegetation becomes 
feeble. 

Barn-yard Manure.— Many farmers barely 
secure the droppings of their cattle, whilst 
others, with an eye to the comfort ot their 
stock, and the securing and increasing ot the 
manure, erect good sheds, liberally provide 
bedding, by carting corn-stalks, leaves, straw 
and scrapings in the yard; frequently applying 
plaster, with a heavy hand, over the contents 
of the barn-yard, this manure is peculiarly 
adapted to dry warm soils. 

Sheep Dung— Alas! how few of the farmers 
of Virginia make any provision whatever for 
increasing and securing this truly valuable 
fertilizer. The sheepfold should have regu- 
larly carted in either straw or leaves, good 
sheds erected, open to the south; here use 
plaster, salt, or pulverized charcoal over the 
litter. This manure is exclusively adapted to 
moist, cold, tenacious soils, as it often proves 
injurious to dry, warm soils, if applied in 
laroe quantities; yet it may be laid on moist, 
tenacious lands 'in large quantities without 
occasioning any inconveniences whatever. 

Ho* Manure.— What a vast quantity is to 
be seen completely thrown away. To render 
the hog more valuable, he should be either 
kept in a close pen, which should be regularly 
littered and cleansed through the year, or it 
the farmer prefers his "having the range, lay 
off and fence in one or two acres in your field 
at fallow, cart in leavesandscrapingsregnlary, 
here feed your hogs, shut them up at night, let 
them remain a few hours in the morning after 
feeding and you will not only secure a goodly 
number from the clutches of the rogue but 
you will also get a great deal of excellent 
manure. When laken up to fatten, put up in 
~ood floored pens, provide plentifully mud, 
scrapie, litter, leaves, &c.; clean out weekly; 
put up a compost by mixing with woods-mould 
and plaster. When your hogs come to the 
knife they will nearly have paid in good ma- 
nure for the food consumed. This manure 
acts more advantageously on warm soils 
Now secure the contents of the privy; cart 
woods-mould and leaves to a log pen at every 
ne-ro cabin, and require them to empty all the 
dis'h water,' contents of chambers, soapsuds, 
ashes, sweepings of the houses and yards, 
spreading with a bountiful hand plaster two 
or three times a week on the contents of these 
pens and if you cannot secure enough manure 
to apply liberally broadcast to every acre of cul- 
tivated' soil, then purchase, if you have the 
capital. Always remembering that lime most 
form the basis of all improvement, without 
which no permanent improvement can be 
effected. 



Your obedient servant, 
Sussex county, Virginia. 



T. E. B. 



344 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



For the Southern Planter. 
DIALOGUE. 

Ma. P. D. Bernard: Dear Sir, — One of the 
oldest subscribers lolhe Southern Planteroflers 
his congratulations on the prospect which 
appears 10 be opening, of a living reward to 
your patient and faithful labors. I rejoice to 
see that the agriculturists of Virginia are 
awakening (slowly though it be) to some sense 
of justice to you and to themselves. But your 
subscription list is yet ten or fifteen thousand 
short of what it ought to be; and the farmers 
and planters of the State will, I trust, esteem 
it a duty and a pleasure to add speedily as 
many more names as can be obtained. If 
each one of them will do what he can, the work 
will soon be accomplished. 

Circumstances not necessary to mention, 
have made me acquainted with every promi- 
nent agricultural journal published in the 
United States, and I do not hesitate to say 
that the Southern Planter is now worth more 
lo us than all of them together. Yet more 
money is sent out of the Stale every year to 
pay subscriptions to them than would support 
your paper, which has probably not one dozen 
subscribers north of the Potomac. We com- 
plain of being tributary to the North; but in 
this as in other things the tribute is voluntary. 
When will our people be true to themselves'? 
Not long since, I met with a young farmer 
and we were joined soon after by an old far- 
mer — one of the best too, and one of the best 
men in the county — when the following con- 
versation ensued: 

Young Farmer. "Good morning Mr. A.; I 
am glad to meet with you — having reflected 
much on your maxim that every farmer should 
aim first at producing all that the consumption 
of his farm requires, as far as may be, and 
amon? other things am endeavoring to raise 
my own pork. What was the paper you ad- 
vised me to take to aid and improve me in 
this and other matters of farm management'? 

Old Farmer. The , by all means (nam- 
ing a Northern agricultural journal.) 

Subscriber. Why, Mr. A. I thought you took 
the Southern Planter, and so must have yeen 
the excellent article entitled "A dollar's worth 
about hogs." It is well worth twenty years' 
subscription. 

Old Farmer. I did take the Southern Planter. 
You were kind enough to subscribe to it for 
me some time ago, and I liked it very well; 
but somehow I let the subscription run out, 
and afterwards the other paper was recom- 
mended to me, and I took that; consequently 
have not seen the article you refer to. 

Subscriber. Well, Mr. A. permit me to in- 
quire whether you have found your advantage 
in the change of papers'? 

Old Farmer. I don't know, never thought 
much about it. Those Northern folks are so 



smart, and their papers have so many little 
articles about every thing, it is quite enter- 
taining. 

Subscriber. But have you found any of those 
amusing little articles, or anything else in the 
paper of practical value 1 has it improved 
your system of farming, your land, or your 
crops'? 

Old Farmer. Can't say that I have, never 
thought much about it. Many of the things 
recommended are not calculated fur us — have 
tried some of the experiments, but did not get 
paid for it — have sent on and bought some of 
their famous ploughs and other implements, 
but have not found them better than those we 
have at home, though they cost me a good 
deal more — so I am just jogging on in the old 
track. 

Subscriber. You are not aware then that the 
Southern Planter is now edited by a practical 
Virginia farmer — sustained by contributions 
of the ablest and most distinguished agricul- 
turists in this State or the United States. 
That every page of it contains maiter for home 
consumption, together with whatever can be 
gleaned from Northern journals of any value 
to us; and yet that it has probably not as many- 
Virginia subscribers, and send their money 
out of the State for other papers'? 

Old Farmer. No, I know nothing about it, 
never thought of it; but I feel that 1 have not 
done justice to my State, the paper, or myself, 
and when my subscription runs out, I'll go 
back to it. 

Subscriber. Why not do it nowl one more 
dollar will not hurt you — you have sent many 
out of the State; keep them in future here, 
and get the benefit as soon as possible of the 
valuable articles in the Planter. 

Old Farmer. I will do so, and without 
delay. 

Subscriber, to the Young Farmer. Let me 
now, as a friend and neighbor, appeal first to 
your interest and then to your State pride, in 
the choice of a paper. I am going to Richmond 
and will be the bearer of your dollar to the 
Southern Planter; and farther, if at the end 
of the year you are not more than satisfied 
with it, I pledge myself to refund the subscrip- 
tion I have induced you to make. 

Young Farmer. I thank you. and will do 
what I now see is the duty and the interest of 
a Virginia farmer — here is my dollar without 
condition We have so long paid tribute to 
our Northern brethren that the habit has be- 
come a sort of second nature. II' they were 
to "offer us wooden negroes for sale, I verily 
believe onr people would bay them." 

I have given you substantially what occurred! 
with three Virginia fanners, and have no 
doubt that like the old one of the party, most 
of those who give a preference to the Northern 
journals — never think about it. 

An Old Subscriber. 

Henrico, October, 1852. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



345 




THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 
RICHMOND, NOVEMBER, 1852. 



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f^- Communications for the Southern Plan- 
ter, upon other than business matters, may be ad- 
dressed to the Editor, Frink: G. Ruffin, Esq. 
at ShadweU, Albemarle Co., Va., which will in- 
sure their being more speedily attended to. 

Business letters will be directed as here- 
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Va. 

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TIMELY WARNING. 

All subscribers who do not oider a discon- 
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a continuance of their papers, and charged 
accordingly. 



PREMIUM CROPS OF WHEAT. 
When we read in the " Rural New Yorker" 
the annexed statement of the premium wheat 
crops of its Slate, it occurred to us that our 
friend John Marshall, Esq. of Fauquier, had 
exceeded the two last crops mentioned. It 
will be seen by his letter, which follows the 
extracted article, that we were right in our 
supposition, and that when the very much 
less expense of cultivation and harvesting is 
considered, he will appear not to be far behind 
Mr. Hotchkiss himself, whose crop is truly 
said by the Editor of the Rural New Yorker 
to be one of the most remarkable and profita- 
ble on record, though undoubtedly made at a 
very heavy expense. 

Mr. Marshall says that he does not consider 
his crop at all remarkable for his section of 
country— a very fine district it is— and we do 
not cite it as such, but only to show that what 
! our good farmers regard as good cropping 
seems to be rewarded with second and third 
premiums at the North: 

"Wheat Culture. — Premium Crops. — 
Those of our readers who have not ready ac- 
cess to the last volume of the 'Transactions 
of the New York State Agricultural Society, 
may be benefited by a summary of the pre- 
mium wheat crops therein reported, and a 
condensed account of the valuable statements 
of the mode of culture which resulted in their 
production. And, to none of our farming 
iriends will it be without interest to review 
the practice pursued by several of our most 
j successful farmers, in growing the great staple 
! crop of this section of the country. 

"The first premium of S20, was awarded 
to William Hotchkiss of Lewiston, Niagara 
county, forsix and three-fourth acres of wheat 
harvested in 1850, averaging sixty-three and 
one-half bushels per acre. The soil upon 
which it grew is described as mostly blacK 
loam; the remainder, from one to two acres 
of a gravelly soil. The previous crop raised 
on the field was wheat, harvested in 1848, 
yielding about twenty bushels per acre— no 
manure was given lor several years previous, 
except what was furnished by breaking up 
the clover meadow which occupied the ground, 
and the wash from the public road which lies 
above it. 

"This field was first ploughed in the fall of 
1818 then cultivated and harrowed in June, 
1849^ and cross ploughed and harrowed again 
in August. Then upon two and a half acres 
at the west and gravelly part of the lot, fifty 
loads of well rotted barn-yard manure were 
applied and ploughed in, in six-pace lands 
the last of August. Forty bushels ol slaked 



346 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



lime were ihen spread over the field and tho- 
roughly harrowed in. The quantity of seed 
sown, was two bushels per acre. It was 
drilled in on the seventh of September, and 
the field was then furrowed out and the water 
courses kept clear through the season. The 
yield, as before stated, was 63| bushels per 
acre, or 385J bushels for the whole field. The 
net value of the wheat was $1 per bushel, and 
the expense of cultivation, exclusive of ma- 
nure, lime and seed, is estimated by Mr. H. 
at 847 05, and at a wide estimate for these, a 
profit is shown of more than $250 on the 
whole crop. The Soule's variety of wheat was 
grown in this instance. 

"This, on the whole, is one of the most re- 
markable and profitable crops of which we 
have any record. 

"The second premium of .$15, was awarded 
to S. L. Thompson of Setauket, Long Island, 
for forty-four bushels and twenty-four quaris 
per acre of Australian wheat. The field (of 
two acres) was a sandy loam, somewhat ex- 
hausted by previous cropping. The crops 
previous to trie wheat were two crops of corn 
manured in the hill, followed by oats without 
manure. Thirty loads of barn-yard manure, 
and one hundred and fifty pounds of Peruvian 
guano, were applied per acre; and a bushel 
and twelve quartsof golden Australian wheat, 
sown broad-cast, on the 23d of September, 
1819, and harrowed in. The yield was as 
above stated, but a measured bushel of the 
grain weighed 63^ pounds, and the estihiate 
is made by weight. The expense of culti vat- 
ins: the crop, seed, manure, &c. included, was 
$19 82$ per acre. The wheat was sold for 
seed at $5 per bushel, and the straw was 
worth $5 per acre. At the market price, $1 
25 per bushel, the profit on the crop would 
amount to only about $20 per acre, but an al- 
lowance should be made for unexhausted ma- 
nure which would benefit succeeding crops. 

"The third premium of $5, was awarded 
to Justus White of Jefferson county, on four 
acres of Genesee Bald wheat, producing forty 
and one-half bushels peracre. His land was a 
black, sravelly soil, ploughed three times and 
well harrowed, — manured with twenty-five 
bushels of barn-yard manure per acre, ploughed 
in at the second ploughing. Two bushels of 
seed were sown per acre on the 4th of Septem- 
ber, 1819, broad-cast and harrowed in, har- 
vested on the 25th of July, and yielding at 
the rate above stated. The expense account 
is rather imperfectly made out, so that we 
cannot found any calculations of comparative 
profit on the result. 

"The wheat drilled in gave the largest yield. 
The limed land gave the greatest product. 
Here is one argument in favor of drilling in 
wheat, and of the application of lime to thesoil, 
and many other instances could he brought to 
substantiate their value. Rich, well manured 
soils, and thorough preparation and culture, 
are required to produce large and profitable 



crops of this, or any other agricultural pro- 
duct. Let the lesson be heeded by those who 
would live by the plough." 

Oak Hill, Fauquier, Oct. 8, 1852. 

F. G. Rupfin, Esq.. — Dear Sir, — I owe yon 
an apology for delaying so long to answer 
your communication of the 2d of September. 
While it affords me pleasure to furnish you a 
statement of the yield of my crop of wheat 
to which you allude, permit me to say that 1 
do not consider it remarkable for this region 
of country, and that I deserve no particular 
commendation for the result. Without fur- 
ther preliminaries, I proceed, in as few words 
as possible, to the subject in hand. 

The field (a good clover lay of two years' 
standing) was broken in August, 1850, with 
heavy three-horse barshare ploughs which 
turned the ground to an average depth of from 
7 to 8 inches, throwing a beautiful furrow of 
14 inches width. The ground, without having 
been previously harrowed, except in a few 
cloddy places, was then laid off in 18 feet pa- 
rallel lands at an acute angle with the original 
ploughing, and the wheat put in, — the north- 
western sides of the hills with keen double 
shovels, — and the residue with heavy harrows 
and carefully lapped. The wheat sown upon 
about thirty-four acres of the field was nicely 
cleaned blue-stem white. That sown upon the 
remaining six acres was the old fashioned 
purple straw; — both at the rate of two bushels 
to the acre. The seeding was finished on the 
11th, having been commenced on the 8th of 
October. 

The following year, as soon as practicable 
after harvest, it was ricked carefully; and in 
the fall, upon being threshed, it was lound that 
34 acres of blue-stem white wheat yielded, in 
the rough, that is, after running it once through 
the fan and heaping the half bushel, just 
900 bushels of beautiful bright wheat which 
weighed in the mill, after one more cleaning, 64 
lbs. to the bushel. The yield of purple-straw 
wheat, from the residue of the field, estimated 
years ago, by my father who was an accurate 
practical surveyor, at six acres, was 2G7 bush- 
els, in the rough, (or 47* bushels of sixty 
pounds weight.) It is proper to remark here, 
however, that this six acres was some of the 
richest land in the field, but had had only a 
few ox cart loads of stable manure put upon 
it immediately preceding the seeding of the 
crop. The aggregate yield, therefore, (1167 
bushels on 40 acres) will be found to have 
been about 29 bushels to the acre; but owing 
to the fine quality of the wheat, it turned out, 
in the m\\\,by weight, a fraction over 29 J bushels 
to the acre. The field was not sleaned. I 
think I may safely put the yield, therefore, at 
30 bushels per acre for the entire 40 acres. 

As to the previous treatment of the land, I 
will add that it had been in a regular course 
of cultivation for years; — that no guano had 
been applied to it; and only about one hun- 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



347 



dred ox-cart loads of stable and farm-pen ma- 
nure previous to the original ploughing. The 
clover-lay was allowed to mature itself pro- 
perly before any stock at all were turned upon 
it; and then a sufficient number of cattle were 
put upon it to trample the clover and consolidate 
the ground in a lime much shorter than would 
have been required for the same number to 
have grazed it off. Three pecks of plaster of 
Paris to the acre had been sown on the land ] 
in the spring of 1850; but none was sown either , 
vrilh the wheat, or upon it. 

I have now given you, according to your j 
request, a statement of the yield of wheat on i 
the field you allude to, and of the course of i 
treatment and cultivation which conduced to , 
its production; and when at leisure.it will j 
give me pleasure to communicate with you, 
again, upon agricultural subjects. 
Very truly, yours, 

John Marshall. 



AN EXPERIMENT IN STALL FEEDING. 

A friend in Loudoun has requested us to re- 
publish the account of an experiment in stall 
feeding made by us in 1848, and reported to 
the Hole and Corner Club of Albemarle. We 
give it below; and will add to what is there 
stated that we have other records of similar 
experiments carefully conducted which sus- 
tain the conclusions of the one here given in 
j) regard to the comparatively small quantity of 
food required to fatten animals so treated.— 
We will further state that on one occasion we 
selected the best ten of a lot of thirty-two i 
beeves, and put them in an open enclosure \ 
with the choice of a good shelter in the month I 
of November, they being intended for imme- 
diate consumption, two a week. The balance 
were housed as usual. When we had killed 
out six of the ten the order of the remainder 
had become so inferior as compared with the 
house-fed beasts, that we were compelled to 
resort to them for our supply ; putting in a pair 
of the four once a week in place of a pair 
removed from the house. And, what may be 
deemed very remarkable, and a conclusive 
proof of the superiority of house-feeding over 
field-feeding, the four, though "tops" when I 
separated, had so fallen off as to be unfit to I 
kill until the middle of March, and were even 
then very decidedly the "tail" of the house- : 
fed lot. 

We do not say that this mode of feeding is \ 
the best under all circumstances. Cattle are 
said to ''drift" more in consequence of the I 



confinement, though we are not certain of the 
fact; and the price of labor, the distance to 
which the corn has to be hauled for grinding, 
the expense of getting out the manure and 
other more or less obvious considerations must 
decide the question for each man. But we do 
not hesitate to affirm that it is >he mode to 
make the most beef out of the least food, and 
well worth trying by the stall-feeders in Lou- 
doun and Fauquier. 

A REPORT ON THE FEEDING AND 
SALE OF EIGHTEEN BEEVES, 

Made to the Hole and Corner Club, No. 1, of 
Albemarle, by request. 

Stock cattle were so high last year in the 
Valley and the mountains beyond, that I de- 
termined to procure my supply at home. 1 
bought accordingly thirty-three bullocks, of 
various sizes anrf ages, at prices ranging from 
358 to JJ24, the whole averaging $13 2£. Be- 
sides these, 1 had six of my own. making a 
total of thirty-nine. One I killed, and se- 
lected eighteen of the rest to stall feed for the 
early spring market. I averaged the eighteen 
at $16 lCj. I could not afford to pay for 
building the stable to accommodate them; 
and owing to the backwardness of my wheat 
seeding, and to an unusually heavy crop of 
corn, on a much larger surface too than I 
commonly till, it was so late before I could 
commence building it with my own hands, 
that it was not finished till the 15th of De- 
cember. So that my cattle ran out until that 
lime, and when housed they were all losing 
flesh, a very unfavorable circumstance; some 
of them were quite thin, and only a few fat 
enough for my purpose. But 1 was encouraged 
to feed them by the cheapness of grain and 
the low price at which they were bought, and 
by confidence in the mode of feeding I pro- 
posed to adopt. 

In stall feeding I consider that perfect quiet 
is necessary; that each bullock should have 
a spacious stall to himself, which, when once 
put up, he should never be permiited to leave, 
until two or three days before setting out to 
market; that light and cold should be ex- 
cluded; an abundance of fresh water be al- 
ways at hand in a trough; the most rigorous 
punctuality both as to time and quantity ex- 
acted in feeding; the stall kept well littered, 
both for warmth and cleanliness, ar.d to make 
manure; the food removed as soon as he has 
finished his meal; and the trough kept sweet 
and clean. I complied with these requisites 
except in one particular; the plank of the 
stable was nailed on perpendicularly, and 
being green large cracks were left between 
each plank, and there was no loft: this made 
it much too light and cold. 
At the end of eighty-four days nine of them 



34S 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



were sent to Richmond and sold at $7 50 per 
cwt. net; they weighed 647 7-9 lbs. Twenty- 
eight days afterwards the other nine were sent 
to Washington and sold at the same price; 
they weighed 556J lbs. 

Classing them in lots, as they were sold, I 
submit the following statements— first, of their 
consumption; and second, of the cost and 
profit of the whole operation: 

















IA 






to 






_Q~ ~ - - 


- a 




XI " 


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is o 






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ei T 


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f*^ 10 *^ CO *# 


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*, 


CO 


xso 




— r-, CJ 00 


CO C> 


CO 


Oil X 0> 






in >* 






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c 




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a 












2 „-<- 8 
w S o °- 










"£, 




53 

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a - 

CD 

— re 


1 1 
1 • 1 


8 

5 


e 2 u ^ u n 
Ct = - 3 a T3 
„ v « « « t, 

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c£, 


re 
be 








. b JQ 






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ft) 

"J 




= = = 


i, 


**"* 7! "* CO 


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to* 


■g S, .S 

~ — — ^2 

g « re a. 


1 cu >i 


a! 5 


1 


h5 


f corn meal p 
flax seed me 
corn meal 
flnx seed me 
wheat bran 
turnips, pum 
to each, 
odder and wh 
eaf oats per d 


"ft. 


2? 

£ 5 

£ * 

O re 

OtC) 

c _ 

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31 -3 

ir ' 
— .0 

re c 
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fe f rt 






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a; 








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g to to 


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00 x x x to 




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01 05 OJ OJ 01 



The shucks, tops and chaff are not charged 
against them, because they are worth no mo- 
ney. The labor of having the corn ground is4 
offset by the difference in favor of the meal; 
and that of making the turnips by the superior 
tilth of the land that produced them, its better 
take in clover, and the probable increase in 
the crop of oats now growins upon it. The 
pumpkins grew in my corn field, and cost no- 
thing; and enough were fed to hogs to pay for 
gathering and storing. The value of the cab- 
bages is estimated according to the supposed 
product of the land in corn, say 12 barrels, 
worth 824, less the value of cabbages sold, or 
S15, which makes them worth $9, which sum, 
for convenience, I shall divide between the 
two lots. The hand that attended them I have 
charged at a hire of $6 per month, a reasona- 
ble rate for the season of the year. 

With this explanation, 1 proceed to state an 
account with each lot. 

First lot of nine beef cattle in account with F. G. R. 

1848. 

April 1. To gross sale at Richmond, $429 30 
To 44 loads (ox-cart with 4 
steers) manure, at $1 per 
load, - - - - 44 00 



I kept no account of the long food given 
them except the oats. Not having any hay, 
it consisted entirely of shucks, tops and chaff, 
for forty-six days, when I commenced giving 
them sheaf oats, gradually at first, and in- 
creasing it as they showed less appeiite for 
the shucks, &c. The oats were somewhat 
damaged, and I have charged more than I 
think they ale, because in making a statement 
which may influence oihers, it is proper to 
make it against myself. 

Their long food was chopped fine and sprin- 1 
kled with the meal and bran in the trough. 
The green food was cut up also. The meal 
and flaxseed were ground together in the pro- 
portion of one to seven. The remnant of each 
feed was given to my work oxen, and paid 
them for hauling the litter. 



By purchase money, 35183, 
and interest from 1st of 
October, 1847, five months, 
©4 57i, - - - $187 57i 

By expenses attending sale, 26 45 

By 130 1 1-16 bushels, say 27J 

barrels corn at $2 per bhl. 
By 20 bushels flax seed at 90 

cents per bushel, 
By 84 bushels wheat bran at 

6i cents per bushel, - 
By 507 bushels green food, 

explained above, 
By 3420 lbs. oats at 40 cents 

per cwt. - 
By salt, 
By hire of hand at &6 per 

month, half paid by this 

lot, .... 



$473 30 



55 


00 


18 


00 


5 25 


4 


50 


13 68 

1 25 



214 02ij 



9 00 



106 63 



To balance, 



8153 591 



Second lot of nine beef cattle in ace' I with F. G. R. 

April 24. To gross sales at Wash- 
ington, - - - $375 3S 
To 65 loads (size as above) 

of manure, - - 65 00 



By expenses attending sale, $52 92 
By purchase money, $108, 
and S3 24, six months in- 
terest on same, - - 111 24 



$440 38 



164 16 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



349 



By 175 7-16 bus. say 35 1-10 

barrels of corn, at £"2 per 
^ barrel, - 
By 25 bushels flax seed, at 

90 cents per bushel, 
By 112 bushels wheat bran 

at (IJ- cents, - 
By 59-10 lbs. of oats, at 40 cts. 

per cwt. ... 

By 756 bushels green food, 
B'v hire of hand as above, 

"half of last month given 

to other cattle, 
By salt, .... 



To balance, 



870 20 






22 50 






7 00 






23 76 
4 50 






12 00 
1 75 


141 


71 


. 


SI 34 


51 



Thus it appears that I have made $288 clear 
money on the whole operation, or £177 (an j 
avera'ee clear profit of 59 28) over and above 
the manure, which is generally considered to 
be of itself a sufficient remuneration for stall 
feeding. This large balance is partly due to \ 
the low price of grain, and partly to the cheap- 
ness of my cattle. The feeding 1 think was j 
heavy, but rendered necessary by the incom- 
pleteness of the house, the comparatively low | 
order of the cattle, and the short time I had 
to get them fat. I believe that if I had put. 
them up fat, and fed them from the 1st of No- 
vember in a warm house, that I would have I 
had better beef, and saved cne-third of their 
food. 

The whole lot was in fine order, and 1 

3?]earned, accidentally, that the butchers thought 

'they had much less offal about them than 

usual— a fact doubtless attributable to the 

mode of feeding. 

In conclusion, I will say, that to sell well 
we must not rely upon good luck or an open 
market. The only safe reliance is on the 
order of our stock. They must be fat enough 
to anwmamd their value. 

All which is respectfully submitted. 

Frank: G. Ruffin. 

May 20, 1848. 



For the Southern Planter. 

GRASSHOPPERS-MANURES-SUB. 
SOIL PLOUGHS. 

Mr. Editor,— I desire to occupy a corner 
of the Planter, to make an inquiry and an 
observation or two. Some of my neigh- 
bors' farm3. as well as our own, have suf- 
fered to a most serious extent this summer 
with gras-hoppers — vegetation on some 
bein? = entirely stripped off. and the roots 
of much of it killed. Have you ever read 
or heard of any remedy for this evil? I 
have observed that they make their ap- 
pearance generally about, that part of a 



farm nearest to wood land, where I am 
inclined to think the egg is deposited and 
protected by the leaves from the cold ; they 
hatch early in summer, and commence 
their forrays on the neighboring fields. I 
have believed that some protection might 
be had, to select a suitable time in the 
sprins, and have the leaves carefully raked 
from the fencing, and set on fire for a space 
into the woods deemed sufficient. The 
eegs, or it may be the young insects, might 
in this way be destroyed — at any rate the 
experiment is worthy of a trial. 

On the subject of manures, I beg leave 
to say my observation concurs with the 
experience of I. D. in the June number of 
the Planter, of the greater benefit to be 
derived from the application of fresh ma- 
nures to the surface, whether of grass or 
wheat. It does not matter either in my 
opinion as to the season at which the ap- 
plication may be made, whether in mid- 
summer, fall or winter. The fertilizing 
properties of the manure seem to be ab- 
sorbed by the earth, and their effects are 
very soon visible on the crops. There is 
less loss by evaporation than the casual 
observer might suppose. How much we 
might do to add to the quantity of manures, 
if we would take a moderate share of pains. 
I have for some time believed that the very 
best expenditure any farmer can make 
would be to employ a reliable hand with 
a horse and cart all the year, in collecting 
materiel for the manure heap. How many 
hundred loads, thinkyou, could bt; collected 
in this way? I think that eight cart loads 
per day could easily be mr.de on a farm of 
three or four hundred acres. Allowing 
three hundred and ten days, you would 
have two thousand four hundred and eighty 
cart loads— or four cart loads to an ordi- 
nary two-horse load, you would have 
twelve hundred and forty loads worth, may 
I not safely say, one dollar per load. But 
for the sake of perfect fairness in the esti- 
mate, put it at three shillings, you will have_ 
six hundred and twenty dollars' worth of 
manure. Now put the hire of the hand, 
cost of horse and cart, board of hand, and 
feed, &c. of horse at the most liberal sum 
you choose, and say three hundred dollars, 
and see the profits derived. But it is not in 
the intrinsic value of the manure made in 
this way, but in the effects it will have, not 
only on those and about your own farm, but 
on others, in seeing the benefits resulting 
from economy of small things that are all 
wasted about our houses and on the farm — 
viz: the soapsuds, the brine, and chamber 



350 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



lye, the ashes, the scrapings of the hennery, 
the noxious weeds taken off in time and 
put in the heap, the night soil, the scrapings 
of the hog-stye, of fence corners, ditch 
banks, leaves, rotten wood, residue of coal 
pits, and an innumerable variety of other 
sources, would amount in the aggregate 
to a bulk that would stagger belief. I in- 
tend, Mr. Planter, to try it, and Providence 
permitting, will at the end of the year (jive 
you the result of my labors. Query, What 
are the cheapest acids todecompose bones? 
Is there anything will act upon old leather 
to render it a food for plants? The clean- 
ing of our saddler and shoe-maker shops 
accumulate much in a year. 

Permit me to say that in my humble 
judgment the subsoil plough is destined to 
do much in the Valley of Virginia to im- 
prove our lands. Will our farmers try it? 
It is the cheapest plough, at double the cost, 
of any other. There is no doubt of it. I 
have tested the ''Cast Steel Extending 
Point" Subsoil Plough of C. B. Rogers, 
of Philadelphia, and can honestly recom- 
mend it as a most admirable one — and with 
its extending point, the cheapest that I 
have seen. I would advise the use of the 
wheel. I have recommended to him to 
have them made heavier for our region. 
The No. 1 size is preferable. I did not 
intend to say so much when I look my pen. 

With my best wishes for your success 
in improving Virginia agriculture, 
I am, very truly, your friend, 

J. Marshall M'Cue. 

Augusta County. 

Grasshoppers. — The means of destroying them 
are somewhat too refined for our agriculture, 
and would be useless unless more than one 
person should adopt them. The fields are 
sometimes drawn over with a sheet elevated 
at the hinder end, and the insects thus caught 
are let into a bag every few rods, or as the 
sheet gets full, and killed by letting the bag 
into boiling water, which cooks them very 
nicely for the hogs. But with us they will 
rarely so abound as to make ii necessary to 
resort to this plan; and their natural enemies 
will generally destroy them. All birds and 
fowls, particularly turkeys, are very destruc- 
tive to them. 

To decompose bones, sulphuric acid is the 
cheapest. It sells by the pound, is very heavy, 
and the price is much greater inland than in 
any of the large cities. It will probably cost 



in Augusta about six cents per pound, though 
worth in Baltimore only two or three cents. ^ 

Professor Norton, as good authority as any, 
gives the following mode of applying it: to 
! every one hundred pounds of bones, about fifty 
or sixty of acid are taken; if bone dust is used, 
from twenty-five to forty-five pounds of acid 
is sufficient. The acid must be mixed with 
two or three times its bulk of water, because 
if applied strong it would only burn and 
blacken the bones without dissolving them. 

The bones are placed in a tub, and a portion 
of the previously diluted acid poured upon 
them. After standing a day, another poriion 
of acid may be poured on; and finally the last 
on the third day, if they are not already dis- 
solved. The mass should be often stirred. 

The bones will nltimatelysoften and dissolve 
to a kind of paste. It is then mixed sometimes 
with water, but preferably with a large quan- 
tity of ashes, peat earth, sawdust or charcoal 
dust, or even common earth, and it is then 
applied with or without other manure at the 
rate of three bushels per acre of the dissolved 
bones. If other manure is applied it is esti- 
mated that half the usual quantity only will 
be required. 



• 



THE SIX SQ.UARE-BUTTER MOULD. 




The above cut represents D. Perry's latest 
improved Six-Square Butter Mould. This 
mould is larger at the top than at the bottom, 
so that the butter leaves it easily, a part being 
turned out on the outside, making it smaller 
in diameter and better to hold in the hand; 
and by turning out the three screws in the 
lower end a little, as legs to stand on, it is 
made to hold exactly one pound of butler. In 
using this mould never let it be washed in wa- 
ter, but soaked in strong brine, kept in a clean 
vessel for that purpose Have your buiter as 
hard as it will work well; place the stamp in 
the bottom, on the end that has the screws in 
it, put it one-quarter lull, and press it down 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



351 



on everv square wiih the handle; repeat until 
full, and turn the mould the other end up — 
,plaee the handle on the stamp and press out 
the butter. IVore butter can be packed in a 
round box with six-square lumps than in an}' 
other shape, and ten pounds can be put up 
while one could be without it. Sold wholesale 
and retail by D. Prouty & Co. 19 North Market 
street, Boston, with a new article for making 
and stamping butler for family use. 

We procured one of the above described 
butter moulds from D. Prouty & Co. and think 
them well adapted to their purpose. They are 
above five inches high by three wide, and 
those who send butter to market would do 
well to get one. At least we have obtained 
one for that purpose. They can be had through 
Mr. James P. Tyler, Family Grocer and Com- 
mission Merchant, corner of Cary and Twelfth 
streets, who is one of the largest butter dealers 
of this city. 



For the Southern Planter. 

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE. 

Mr. Editor, — Some inquiry having been 
made as to the value of the artichoke as food 
for hogs, I will, at your request, freely give my 
observation and experience (though limited) 

^m the culture and mode of feeding. 

B The Jerusalem artichoke has been long 
Irnown in this part of the country as an escu- 
lent, and I have known it planted in our sea- 
board country as food for hogs; bui whether 
found profitable or not, I am not able to say. 
Some twelve or fifteen years since, Mr. 
William D. Meriwether, Sr. obtained from 
Tennessee three bushels of artichokes, differ- 
ing from the root we had known before, in 
form, color, and productiveness. This root 
was long, (like the strings of the sweet potato) 
of a pale yellow color, and amazingly produc- 
tive. When first planted, the land was pre- 
pared as for corn, and planted early in April 
The drills being laid off three and a half feet 
apart, and the roots laid along the drills with- 
out much regard to distance, only taking care 
to have them near enough, and covered with 
a light plough; the plant soon came up and 
was ploughed once in May with a one horse 
plough — a cnltivatorwas used some time after 
to smooth the surface left by the plough, and 
no other cultivation. I saw a part of this 
plantation dug sometime during the succeeding 
■winter— many cart loads were hauled off and 
placed on a plank floor to be fed to the hogs. 
After all were gathered that could well be 
collected by ploughing the ground and using 
rakes after the plough, the hogs were then al- 
lowed free access to the lot. It was found, how- 
ever, that the digging and housing did not an- 



swer well, as the loss was very great in shrink- 
age from so succulent a root. So much for my 
observation. I will now give my experience 
on the same subject. I used the artichoke lor 
several winters, and I thought wiih good pur- 
pose to aid in keeping my stock of hogs. The 
second year after planting I found the roots 
extending throughout the rows. The hogs had 
a range of wood land and were permitted to go 
into the lot at all times afier the first of Decem- 
ber, except when the ground was very wet; as I 
soon found if they were allowed the use of the 
lot in wet weather, that they packed the ground 
and made it more difficult afterwards to get at 
the roots with their snouts. I also found that 
they were much aided in their feeding by 
coultering ihewhole lot nowand then when it 
seemed to be getting too close for their opera- 
tions. Planting once I think will answer for 
anumberof years. The hogs should betaken 
off by the middle of March, and it will be 
found that the young plants will begin to ap- 
pear towards the latter part of that month, 
should the weather be mild. Soon after this 
the ploughs may be used in breaking up the 
land, leaving strips unbroken and in rows as 
they were first planted. In this way the same 
lot may be used for a number of years. I do 
not think it is an exhauster, as the stalks and 
leaves areall returned to the ground trampled 
and well broken up by the hogs during the 
winter. My habit is "to have my hogs fed 
twice a dav during winter, (morning and even- 
ing,) and I think when I used the ariichoke, 
about half the usual quantity of corn was 
given them, and their condition was better 
than it had been in previous winters with the 
double feed of corn. It was said when I first 
used this root that it would not answer for the 
sows suckling pigs— this idea, however, is not 
confirmed by my experience, as I tried them on 
the lot and they were improved in condition. 

It has been urged as an objection to the ar- 
tichoke, that once fixed in the ground it could 
not be eradicated. 1 have not found it so. 
The cattle are fond of the tops at all times 
before the frost kills them; and with the hogs 
at the roots and the cattle at the tops, they can 
never prove a pest. For a year or two past 
I have not kept up my lot, and the only reason 
I can give for it is, that everlasting excuse, 
too much trouble. 

F. K. Nelson. 

Albemarle, October 11, 1852. 

As a feeding crop, the artichoke has been 
compared with the potato, producing about 
double as much in weight per acre, and it has 
been a question how far it may be substituted 
therefor since the rot has proved so destructive. 
From an analysis of it by Dr. Salisbury, which 
we find in the Transactions of the New York 
Stale Agricultural Society for 1850, it seems 
that "the artichoke contains much less starch 
than the potato, but is richer in sugar, dextrine) 



352 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



albumen and casein. Its power for fattening, 
perhaps, would not equal that of the potato, 
but in muscle, nerve, &c. forming products or 
nitrogenous bodies, its composition would 
place it quite equal to that of the potato. The 
analysis shows it to be even richer." If this 
be so, it would be a very good thing on the 
proper sort of land for store hogs, or those 
kept through the winter for the next year's 
killing. What that sort of land is we cannot 
in all cases determine, but would think them 
a suitable crop on soils that will not bake from 
being rooted up in the winter. Such for in- 
stance as the sandy flats of the Mattaponi and 
the sandy lands of King and Queen, Essex, 
and other counties in that region. We made 
trial of them several years ago, but as our 
land changes to glue when it rains we aban- 
doned the crop after one season. 

Boussingault tried them as a food for horses, 
and found by two well conducted experiments 
that, in the proportion of thirty pounds of ar- 
tichokes for eleven pounds of hay, they were a 
full equivalent for half the usual feed of hay. 
As they are very watery, containing some 
eighty per cent, of water, which is more than 
potatoes do, it would not do to give them in 
larger proportion, if in our country it would 
do to give them at all. 



FORMIDABLE LOSSES. 

Every farmer who understands common 
arithmetic, may amuse and instruct himself 
with great advantage by a few interesting 
calculations. Successful tillage, as every- 
one knows, consists in three important par- 
ticulars, namely, a good soil — its fertility 
made accessible; and the entire monopoly 
of that fertility by the crop intended. A 
soil may consist of* the most valuable in- 
gredients, but if these are kept immersed 
in a subterranean basin of water, as in 
many undrained soils during every wet 
season, they are as inaccessible to the plant, 
as if encased in walls of masonry. A hard, 
uncrumbled soil is little better. But the 
greatest absurdity in farming, is to expend 
five or ten thousand dollars in the purchase 
of land, some hundreds more in fitting it 
for prolific crops, and then permitting one- 
fourth, one-third, or even one-half its costly 
value to be drawn out and destroyed by 
the growth of useless weeds! 

We have known men who were exceed- 



ingly jealous of "their rights." Rather 
than be defrauded of a half dollar, they 
would rush into a law-suit costing twenty 
times that sum. Rather than lose "the I 
best end of a bargain," they would resort 
to a great many very inconvenient and 
troublesome expedients. Rather than sub- 
mit to furnish a neighbor's lawless hog 
with a single meal of undug potatoes, they 
would incur perpetual resentment. But 
strange things have not come to an end, 
for these are the very same men that sub- 
mit with most admirable patience to the 
invasion and waste of thousands of elder 
bushes and burdocks, tens of thousands of 
mulleins and horse-thistles, and a hundred 
thousand Canada thistles, and a million 
red-root plants. 

Now, the calculations we are about to 
propose, as above alluded to, are these: 
Let every land-owner, whose fences are 
lined with a belt of elders, burdocks, and 
briers, ascertain by weighing, the precise 
amount of vegetable growth yielded by 
these three plants on a square yard of land; 
multiplying by thirty will give the weight 
on a square rod. Then let him make a 
fair estimate of the amount of land thus 
occupied along all the miles of his fence, 
and he may soon know how many tons of 
elder bushes, briers and burdocks, his costly 
land grows in a year. It would of course 
be quite as well for him to have this growth* 
in clover, timothy, or Indian corn — but' 
before throwing the calculation aside, let 
him ask himself, if he would not feel some- 
what indignant should his neighbor's cattle 
fall upon and devour an equal number of 
tons from his meadow or corn field. Now, 
cannot he contrive to get up a like amount 
of indignation against the weeds? The 
same kind of calculation may be applied 
on the same farm, to the Canada thistles, 
horse-thistles, Johnswort, pig-weeds, mul- 
leins, mustard and fox-tail grass, which 
grow in various degrees of denseness 
broadcast over the fields. We cannot but 
think that on some farms it would present 
rather startling results. 

It would be an interesting inquiry to 
look intotheactual losses sustained through 
the whole country by the growth of weeds. 
How many tons on an average are grown 
by each of the million farmers of the 
United States? Three— five— or ten? If 
the former only, the aggregate crop would 
be enough to load a continued train of farm 
wagons three thousand miles long — or 
twenty thousand canal boats — or more 
than ten times all the whale ships belong- 



i 



TEIE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



353 



ing to the country, with this useless herb- 
age. A single weed — the red-root — has 
• been estimated to have occasioned greater 

loss in some counties than if every dwelling 



THE SUBSOIL PLOUGH. 

There is one important consideration 
always to be kept in view in subsoiling; 



house had been consumed by fire. Is not and that is that the soil be first thoroughly 
the subject one worthy of some attention? drained. It should be drained one year 
Nov. there are two ways in which all ! ^°^ the operation of subsoiling is com- 
this evil comes upon us. The first is by menced so that the cold spring water may 
the increase of seeds; the second, the want ! have had time to pass off from the subsoil, 
of prompt destruction when once the evil Almost every garden will aflord an illus- 
has commenced. The increase by seeds, : tration of the benefits of deep culture.— 
under favorable circumstances, almost ex- > Trenching is a more thorough operation 
ceeds belief. We have counted the grains ! than subsoil ploughing, as it exposes the 
on a single moderate sized plant of chess, \ ^soil to view, breaks every portion to a 
and found over three thousand. An equal , greater depth and mingles the two soils 
increase the second year would produce ; more intimately. Nonedoubtthatdeepdig- 
nine millions; the third year, twenty-seven png in the garden is profitable, and none 
thousand millions; the fourth-but we will vyho try it under proper circumstances vvill 
let some of our young arithmetical readers i doubt that deep ploughing in the field is so. 
carry out the reckoning for ten years, and £ " only a few years since the first sub- 
see if there is not enough seed by that soil plough was introduced into this conn- 
time to turn the whole wheat crop of the ' 'y, and was purchased in England tor 
globe to chess. A full grown, adult pig- Messrs Rugg les, Nourse, Mason & Co.; 
weed will yield eight thousand seeds— * cost forty dollars 

which may increase in a few years tol Now, superior subsoil ploughs may be 
countless myriads, just because, as Prof. ' had in this country for one-fourth of the 
Lindley says, the cultivator was unwilling ; cost of that in England; and they are of 
to make "a single flexure of this vertebral : greater strength, for that plough was used 
column," in extracting the first youn g ; only a short time before it was twisted so 
weed from the soil. There are certain ! that a common observer could hardly tell 
weeds, troublesome and costly in the high- 1 Tor what purpose it was intended 
est deo-ree in some regions of country, I Th e subsoil plough is a valuable imple- 
Bwhich are entirely unknown in others- ! ment on many soils, by deepening the til- 
" simply because no seed have ever been de- 1 lage and giving sufficient room for the 
posited there. Then again there are other \ descent of the roots of plants, and to pro- 
localities which were once plentifully in- mote the ascent of moisture,in dry weather, 
fested, which have been completely eradi- 
cated, and not a single representative left. 
We could name several farmers who have 
succeeded in driving from both soil and 
seed, the last vestige of that insidious in- 
truder, chess; and several others who by 
vigilance and industry, had exceedingly 
lessened the annual weeding of red-root. 
Such examples are worthy of imitation; 
and at the present season, when weeds are 
about preparing to form their millions of 
germs for increase, we hope the subject 
may receive the special attention of culti- 
vators. — Albany Cultivator. 



A Simple Wayto Pack Eggs. — Seeing 
frequently in our markets the great trouble 
many persons go to in packing eggs to 
bring to town, I would recommend them 
to try putting them up simply in a basket 
packed in soft hay closely up to the handle. 
I have tried this frequently and found it 
to answer just as well as any other way. 



By the use of this plough the subsoil i3 
loosened deeply, mixed with the soil and 
gradually brought !o the surface, where, 
by changes from the air, snows and frost, 
it becomes improved, and restores in some 
measure many fertilizing substances that 
have been lost on old lands. 

Numerous examples have been given 
to the public, showing the great utility of 
this implement. Yet, in some cases, it has 
been reported that there was no percepti- 
ble advantage from its use, while in other 
cases, the crops have been increased fifty 
per cent. 

Where no advantage has been found 
from the operation of subsoiling, the cause 
may undoubtedly be traced to the want of 
proper preparation of the ground by drain- 
ing. — N. E. Farmer. 



Never be idle. If your hands cannot be 
usefully employed, attend to the cultiva- 
tion of your mind. 



354 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



Ploughing and Seeding. — 1 wish you 
would encourage our agriculturists always 
to seed their grounds as last as they plough. 
The amazing advantages will at once^be 
apparent to the reflecting farmer. To 
those who will not think on the subject 
enough to see its importance, I recommend 
to '-try a patch." 

It is lamentable to see so many farmers 
ploughing for a week, and then when the 
whole field is done, and the weeds and 
grass seed pretty well germinated, begin 
to put in their crop. 

The moisture and mellowness of the 
earth, when first turned, create immediate 
vegetation; delay loses this to the crop, 
and gives the advantage to the weeds and 
grass that are in the soil. Only look at it! 



PAYMENTS TO THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 

From October Ilk to November 1st, 1852. 

James Jameson to June 1853, $1 00 

James Bowen to September 1853, 1 00 

Garland T. Wheatley to Sept. 1853, 1 00 

Puehard B. Baptist to January 1853, 3 50 

J. Wallace to January 1853, 1 00 

P. W. Boyd, in full, 3 50 

C. P. Warner to July 1854, 4 00 

Lewis Mabry to October 1853, 1 00 

James Fitch to July 1853, 2 00 

Samuel P. Wilson to September 1853, 1 00 

Jones G. Green to June 1853, 1 00 

W. A. Wiglesworth to September 1853, 1 00 

W. H. Cousins to January 1857, 10 00 

E. R. Turnbull to January 1854, 2 00 

Walter Tttrpin to September 1854, 2 00 

Capt. Joseph Phillips to January 1853, 6 00 

Mrs. Susan H. Powell to July 1853, 1 00 

Robert W. Fox to July 1853, 1 00 

H. L. Jeffries to January 1853, 1 00 

William Carter to January 1855, 2 00 

S. T. Barclay to January 1854, 2 00 

John H. Montague to October 1853, 1 00 

George W. Pollard to July 1853, 1 00 

J. L. Cabell to June 1853, l 00 

George W. Ball to September 1854, 2 00 

Simeon Gibbons to July 1854, 1 00 

John P. Resor to September 1853, l 00 

Charles Bruce to September 1H54, 2 00 

George Whiilocke to January 1853, 1 00 

Dr. Faulcon to January 1853, 1 00 

W. H Harrison to January 1854, 1 00 

Maj. B. Craig to September 1853, 1 00 

Stafford G. Cocke to September 1853, 1 00 

Robert Wilson to July 1853, 1 00 

John Lewis to January 1854, 3 00 

B. Franklin Carter to September 1853, 1 00 

Norborne Berkeley to September 1853, 1 00 

Addb-on Carter to September 1853, 1 00 

R. EL Dulany to September 1853, l 00 

Robert T. L. While to September 1853, 1 00 

A. H. Clark to September 1853, 1 00 



ANALYTICAL LABORATORY 

FOR THE ANALYSIS OF SOILS, &c- 
The undersigned announces, that through 
the liberality of the Planters of the adjacent 
counties, there has been established, in connec- 
tion with the Department of Chemistry in Ran-I 
dolph Macon College, an Analytical Labora- 
tory, for the analysis of soils, marls, plaster, 
guano, minerals, &c, and for instruction in] 
Analytical Chemistry. The Laboratory will 
be furnished with the most approved appara- 
ratus and choice re-agents, with every desira- 
ble facility. He has associated with him Mr. 
William A. Shepard, who was recently assist- 
ant to Professor Norton, in the Yale Analyti- 
cal Laboratory, and who comes with ample 
testimonials of skill and capacity. Young men 
can pursue any studies in the College they 
may wish, while they are receiving instruction 
in the Laboratory. Copious written explana- 
tions will always accompany the reports off 
analysis. The charges for analysis and in- 
struction will be moderate— the design being: 
to make the Laboratory accessible to the peo- 
ple at large. Packages left with Messrs. 
Wills & Lea or Smith & Dunn, Petersburg, 
Virginia, will be forwarded, free of charge, to 
those who send them. For further information, 
address CHAS. B. STUART, 
Professor of Experimental Sciences, Randolph 
Macon College, Va. oc if 



2 SOUTHDOWN BUCKS FOR SALE. 

THE subscriber has for sale Two Bucks of 
the Southdown Blood. These Sheep are. 
descended from the best Southdown stock it* | 
England. They are grandsired bv the buck 
: imported by Bishop Meade from the flock of 
[ Mr. Webb, and they are sired by an equally 
jgood and well bred sheep, obtained of the late 
Dr. M'Caulay, near Baltimore. This sheep 
has a long pedigree of illustrious ancestors. 
My bucks are seven-eighths Southdown and 
I the remainder Cotswold and Bakewell blood, 
and are now one year old, and ready for ser- 
vice in October next. 

RALEIGH COLSTON, 
Near Woodville Depot P. O. Albemarle 



ANALYSIS OF SOILS, &c. 

THE undersigned is prepared to execute 
the analyses of Soils, Guano, Marls. Plas- 
ter, &c. &c. at the Laboratory of the Virginia 
Military Institute. Packages may be" for- 
warded through Webb, Bacon & Co. Rich- 
mond, or Echols & Pryor, Lynchburg. 

Persons desiring further information will 
please address 

WILLIAM GILHAM, 
Prof. Chem. and Agriculture, V. M. I. 
Feb. 1, 1852. Lexington, Va. 



BOOK AND JOB PRINTING executed 
at this Office with neatness and dispatch. 
Office South Twelfth Street. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



355 



WILLIAM p. ladd, 
APOTHECARY AND DRUGGIST, 

h. 3!9, head of Broad Street, Shockoe Hill, 

Richmond, Virginia. 

.. "~vEALER in English, Mediterranean, India 

;, J and all foreign and Domestic Drugs and 

i ledicines; also, Paints, Oils, Varnish, Dye 

tnffs, Window Glass, Putty, &c. For sale 

D. the most accommodating terms. 

J^p Orders from Country iMerchants and 

hysicians 'hankfully received and promptly 

ttended to. 

ja 1851— tf 



GENCY FOR THE PURCHASE AND 

SALE OF IMPROVED STOCK. 
JfTOCK Cattle of all the different breeds) 
J Sheep, Swine, Poultry, &c. will be pur- 
biased to order, and carefully shipped to any 
art of the United States, for which a reasona- 
e commission will be charged. Apply to 
A ARON CLEMENT, Philadelphia. 
Refer to Gen. W. H. Richardson, Richmond, 
irginia. 

N. B. — All letters, post-paid, will be prompt- 
f attended to. ap — tf 



VIRGINIA AXES. 

rHE undersigned, in connexion with their 
Rolling Mill, have erected an extensive 
ianut'aetory of Axes, Hatchets, and Tools 
enerally, which they warrant equal to any 
jjgjufactured, and offer at Northern prices. 
nBly solicit the patronage of the agricultural 
omm unity. 
L Archer, -v R. ARCHER & CO. 



I. ARCHER, -\ 

L D. Towses, f 
I. S. Archer, I 

), Dl.MMOCK. J 



oct — ly 



SOUTHERN FRUITS. 

HOPEWELL NURSERIES, Fredericks- 
burg, Virginia. — The Proprietor offers 
or sale a large slock of Fruit and Ornamental 
Trees, Evergreens, Roses, &c. Having wit- 
iessed the evil of circulating numerous North- 
rn Fruits, without proper regard to proving 
heir quality an 1 adaptation to a Southern cli- 
nate, the proprietor has looked more to the 
South for his Winter Apples, and has intro- 
[nced many superior varieties, perfectly 
idapte.i to our long hot summers; and keep- 
ng l''te in the Spring. 

Also a large stock of Pears, Cherries, 
Peaches, Plums Apricots, Grapes, Strawber- 
ries and other Fruits — a fine stock of Roses 
■md other Flowers. His prices are low. For 
particulars sec Catalogue, which will be sent 
o all post-paid applicants. Trees packed in 
he best manner, and shipped according to or- 
lers to any part of the United States. 

oc— 2t* HENRY R. ROBEY. 



NEW PLASTER AND BONE MILL. 

rpHE subscriber offers for sale fine Ground 
JL and Calcined Plaster, both of the best 
and purest quality ; he has also a Bone Mill 
attached, and intends to keep a supply of 
Ground Bones, fine and pure. Farmeis and 
others are invited to call and examine lor 
themselves. His prices shall be as low as the 
same quality articles can be bought for, North 
or South. The highest cash price will be paid 
for dry bones, delivered at his Mill adjoining 
the Paper Mill, 
oc— tf R. R. DUVAL. 

DR. VALENTINE'S RECIPE FOR 
MAKING ARTIFICIAL GUANO. 

No. 1. Dry Peat,* - - 20 bushels 

No. 2. Wood Ashes, 3 bushels 

No. 3. Fine Bone Dust, 3 bushels 

No. 4. Calcined Plaster, - 3 bushels 

No. 5. Nitrate of Soda, - - 40 pounds 
No. 6. Sal Ammoniac, - - 22 pounds 
No. 7. Carb Ammonia, - - 11 pounds 
No. 8. Sulph: Sodce, - - 20 pounds 

No. 9. Sulph: Magnesia, - 10 pounds 

j "10. Common Salt, - - 10 pounds 

* If peat cannot be obtained, use garden mould, 
or clean virgin soil instead. 

Dirf.ctions for Mixing. — Mix Nos. 1 , 2, 3, 
together — mix Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, in four or 
five pails of water, or enough to dissolve the 
ingredients. When dissolved, add the liquid 
to the mixture, (1,2. 3,) and mix as in making 
mortar. When thoroughly mixed, add No. 4, 
(the calcined plaster,) which will absorb the 
liquid and bring the whole to a dry slate Mix 
under cover in a dry place — pack so as to ex- 
I elude air — observe the proportions in making 
small or large quantities. The above receipt 
will make one ton, which will manure seven 
, and a half acres of land. 

Having furnished the above to a number of 

[farmers who have tested its qualiiies— many 

thinking it equal to natural guano — the sub- 

'scribers have made arrangements to furnish 

I any quantity during this season, and will sell 

I the ingredients exclusive of the Peat, Wood 

: Ashes, Plaster and Salt, (articles on every 

: farm,) at the low price of 310 per ton. One 

sugar hogshead will hold ingredients enough 

for five tons. All orders will be carefully and 

promptly executed, and sent to any part of the 

Slate. 

R R. DUVAL & BRO. 
Chemists and Druggists, under the American 
Hotel, Richmond, Va. oc— tf 



FOR SALE.— A thoroughbred Bull of the 
Ayrshire and Durham breed, in fine health 
and vigor — color rich red, with slight white 
spots in the flank, characteristic of the Ayr- 
shire breed. Said Bull is immediately de- 
scended on both sides from Imported Stock. 
For testimonials of stock, &c. enquire of the 
Editor. oc— tf 



3 50 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



DAILY AND WEEKLY DISPATCH. 

THE Daily and Weekly Dispatch, publish- 
ed at the office on Governor street, near 
Main, Richmond, Virginia— commenced in 
October, 1850— have reached a very astonish- 
ing popularity. The Daily Dispatch is a 
penny paper and has an immense circulation 
in Richmond and contiguous towns. It affords 
the best medium for advertising. Subscribers 
in the country furnished with the paper at the 
low price of Four Dollars per annum. 

The WEEKLY DISPATCH is published 
at One Dollar Per Annum, and is therefore 
one of the cheapest Newspapers ever publish- 
ed. It is a handsome sheet and contains the 
News of the Day, together with Literary Se- 
lections from the very best sources. The list 
is already very large and constantly increasing. 
No paper will be sent until paid for in advance. 
Hugh R. Pleasants is the chief contributor 
to the editorial columns of the Daily and 
Weekly Dispatch. Address the Proprietor, 
Richmond, Virginia. 

BgBow's Industrial Resources 

AND PROGRESS OF THE SOUTH- 
ERN AND WESTERN STATES, in 
three large and closely printed volumes, small 
type, double columns; handsome print, paper 
and binding, — being a digest and abridgement 
of the 12 volumes of DeBow's R.eview. Price 
$10, or $3 33 per volume. 

Desirous of supplying the large and conti- 
nually increasing demand for the complete scries 
of the lieview, in 12 volumes, now exhausted, 
and which it would require a very large outlay 
to reprint, the editor has been induced to make 
a selection of all the important and valuable I 
papers contained in them from the beginning, 

condensing, re-arranging and completing to J J- mers to this improved Drill, as a machine, 
date, and throwing the subjects after the man- • durable, simple in construction, and effectual 
ner of the encyclopcedias, into alphabetical [ m ' ts operation. 

order. In this manner everything of interest ! At the last Baltimore Fair, it was pro- 
and importance will be preserved in a conve- J nounced to be the best Drill that was exhibited. 
nient form for reference; and the volumes will Price $G5. 

constitute the only repository for the shelves I Those in want of a superior Wheat Drill 
of the library, of such information, which by are_ requested to give this a trial, and send in 
means of the monthly numbers hereafter will J their orders early, as a small number only 
always be brought down to date. 

The Volumes will emhrace the gist of every- 
thing that has appeared in the Review relating 
to the Southern and Western States. (An im- 
perfect index of which will be found at the 
opening of the 10th volume.) 

To wit: Their History, Population, Ge- 
ography, Statistics; Agricultural Pro- 
ducts, of Cotton, Sugar, Tobacco, Hemp, 
Grains, Naval Stores, etc. etc. — Manufac- 
tures; detailed accounts, statistics and his- 
tory of all branches,— Internal Improvements; 
complete statistics of Rail Roads, results pro- 
fits, expenses, costs, advantages, miles in pro- 
jection, construction, completed, etc.; Plank 



live condition, whites and blacks; Slave Laws I 
and Statistics, management and amelioration \ 
of slavery,— origin, history and defences of slavery 
and slave institutions; the valuable treatises ojlj 
Harper, Hammond, Dew, on slavery, etc. *! 
Commerce or the South and West in all of 
its minute particulars, etc. together with an 
historical and statistical sketch of each of the 
states and cities,— the domestic and foreign trade, 
resources, manufactures, etc. of the United Stales; 
the Census Returns from 1790, with the com- 
plete statistics op the census of 1850. 

The volumes will be issued in September, 
October and November, 1852, and orders are 
solicited in advance, payable on delivery to 
Merchants, or to the parties themselves. 

DeBow's Review, of which this is a con- 
densation, is published monthly in New Or- 
leans, and other southern and western cities, 
112 to 140 pages, small print, fine paper and 
engravings, and treats of all the great indus- 
trial matters relating to the Southern and 
Western Slates, and incidentally of the North 
and ihe Union. Terms $5 per annum. 

The volumes hereafter will be uniform with 
the condensed series. 

A few sets of the complete work may be had 
at the office, in 12 large and handsomelv bound 
volumes. Price $42. Single numbers sup- 
plied to make up sets, and binding furnished 
on reasonable terms. 

O^Orders on Commission Merchants in ci- 
ties or towns, payable on sale of crops, re- 
ceived as cash. 

J. D. B. DeBOW, 
Ed. DeBow's Review, Merchant's Exchange. 



New Orleans, July, 1852— 6t 



J. 



HUNT'S PATENT WHEAT DRILL. 

ryiHE subscriber invites the attention of far- 



will be made, and warranted to perlbrm equal 
to any other. H.BALDWIN, 

sep— It 148, Main Street, Richmond. 



COCHIN CHINA AND SHANGHAE FOWLS. 

THE Subscriber has for sale, choice Fowls 
of the above variety, pure blooded irom 
stock imported direct from China, warranted 
trueto their name, and not surpassed for beau- 
ty, size and good qualities, by any other breed. 
Reference given in regard to them if de- 
sired—Address 

CHARLES SAMPSON, 
West Roxburry, Mass. or W. A. Butters, at 
Nash & Woodhouse's, Richmond, where a 
Roads, Canals, Navigation, etc.— Statistics of, pair of each can be seen. 



Health and Diseases, wealth and progress; rela- \ sep — tf 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



357 



CREAT REDUCTION IN PRICES OF 
HATS AND BOOTS. 

.H. ANTHONY'S FASHIONABLE HAT 
STORE, Columbian Hold Corner. 



rHE cheapest place in the city of Rich- 
mond to buy Hats and Boots is at the 
ibove store, where every article sold may be 
elied on as represented. By this means he 
as gained a good run of custom, and his cus- 
amers feel satisfied. Below is a list of his 
rices, which will be strictly adhered to: 
Best quality moleskin, - - S3 50 
Second quality " 3 00 

Best quality silk, - - - 2 50 
Second " " 2 00 

Fine Calfskin Sewed Boots only three dol- 
ar? and fifty cents. 
Also, Caps, Shoes and Umerellas. 
J. H. Anthony has made an arrangement 
rith one of the best makers in the city of 
Philadelphia, to supply him with a handsome 
ind substantial Calfskin Sewed Boot, which 
le will sell at the unprecedented low price of 
hree dollars and fifty cents. The attention of 
rentlemen is respectfully solicited, as they are 
he best and cheapest "Boots that have ever 
)een offered for sale in this city. He intends 
o keep but the one kind, and sell them at one 
)rice* _ se— ly 

LIVINGSTON COUNTY PLOUGH. 

THE subscriber having greatly increased 
his facilities for manufacturing the above 
Ploughs, will be able to supply orders for 
Ploughs or Castings on a larger scale of the 
Rowing numbers and sizes: 
Kb. 1. One Horse Plough \ 

No. 2. Light 2 Horse Plough / 
No. 21. " " " " ) 

No. 3. Heavy" " " \ 

No. 4. Three Horse Plough > 
No. 4. Heavy 2 Horse Plough 
No. 5. Three Horse Plough 
No. 6. Four Horse Plough; but 

generally used for 3 horses. ) 

These Ploughs are now displacing all others 
in many counties in Virginia. They are com- 
posed entirely of cast iron, with chitted points, 
&c. From the simplicity of their construction, 
and the ease with which they are kept in order, 
they are peculiarly adapted to lave labor. 

Persons desirous of further information con- 
cerning these ploughs are referred to the fol- 
lowing gentlemen, who now have them in use: 
Wrn. A. Woods, Esq. Charlotte County, 
G. S. Harper, Esq. Appamattox County, 
David Anderson, Jr. Louisa County, 
F. G. Rufrin, Wm. Garth and P. H. Goodloe, 
E^qr> Albemarle County, Virginia. 
Per-Wis disposed to deal in the Livingston 
County Plough, in neighborhoods where they 
are not already introduced, and on sale, will 
please address M.BRYAN, 

Steel's Tarern, Augusta Co. Va. 

ap— if 



Right Hand. 



Left Hand. 



VALUABLE AGRICULTURAL 
WORKS for sale by NASH & WOOD- 
HOUSE, Eagle Square. 

The Complete Farmerand Rural Economist 
and New American Gardener, by T. J. Fessen- 
den, in one volume, about 700 pages, cloth, 
gilt— $1 25. 

Johnston's Agricultural Chemistry — a new 
edition, in one volume, 12mo. cloth, gilt — $1 25. 
Johnston's Elements of Agricultural Che- 
mistry — 50 cents. 

Johnston's Practical Agriculture, one vol. 
cloth — 75 cents. 

Buist's Family Kitchen Gardener, cloth — 
75 cents. 

Hoare's Treatise on the Cultivation of the 
Grape Vine on open Walls — 50 cents. 
Sheep Husbandry, by H. S. Randall— ©1 25. 
Stephens' Book of the Farm, complete — S4. 
Browne's American Poultry Yard, tenth edi- 
tion— SI. 

Allen's American Farm Book, one volume — 
SI. Mail edition— 75 cents. 

Allen's Diseases of Domestic Animals, one 
volume — 75 cents. 

Chemistry Made Easy for Farmers, paper — 
25 cents. 

Southern Agriculture; or, Essays on the 
Cultivation of Corn, Hemp, Tobacco, Wheat, 
&c— SI. 

Dana's Prize Essay on Manures — 25 cents. 
Miner's American Bee Keeper's Manual — 
SI. Mail edition — 75 cents. 

Brown's American Bird Fancier— 50 cents. 
Mail edition — 25 cents. 

Canfield on the Breeds, Management, Struc- 
ture and Diseases of Sheep— SI. 

The American Architect, the cheapest and 
best work of the kind published in the world, 
complete in 24 numbers, at 25 cents each, or 
S5 for the work complete — S6 bound in two 
volumes. 

Youatt and Martin's Treatise on Cattle, 
with one hundred illustrations, edited by Am- 
brose Stevens, Esq. — SI 25. 

Youatt on the Breed and Management of 
Sheep, with illustrations — 75 cents. 

Elements of Agriculture, translated from the 
French, by F.G. Skinner, adapted for Schools — 
25 cents. 

Gunn's Domestic Medicine; or, Poor Man's 
Friend in Affliction, Pain and Sickness — S3. 
mar — ly 



UNION AGRICULTURAL WARE- 
HOUSE AND SEED STORE. 

RALPH & Co. No. 23 Fulton street, New 
York, near Fulton Market, Dealers in all 
the most approved Agricultural and Horticul- 
tural Implements, Imported and American 
Field and Garden Seeds, Ornamental Shade 
and Fruit Trees, Guano, Bone Dust, Poudiette, 
&c. Wrought Iron Ploughs, Trucks, Barrows, 
&c. &c. always on hand. Also, the Excelsior, 
or California Plough. 



358 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



PLANTATION BOOK. 

JW. RANDOLPH, Richmond, Virginia, 
• has just published the Plantation and 
Farm Instruction, Regulation, Record, Inven- 
tory and Account Book, lor the use of ma- 
nagers of estates, and for the better ordering 
and management of plantation and farm busi- 
ness, in every particular, by a Southern Planter. 
Order is Heaven's first law— Pope. Price $-2, 
or six forftlO; a larger edition for the use of 
cotton plantations, price $2 50. 

Contents. — Actual number of pounds to a 
Bushel of Wheat, Articles received for use of 
Plantation, Brick-Kiln, Births of Negroes, 
Balance Sheet, Cows, Cultivation, Contents of 
a Corn Crib, Clothing to, Negioes, Diameter 
of a Horse Mill, Deaths of Negroes, Directions 
how lo use this Book, Expenses and Sales for 
the Year, Form of a Contract with Manager, 
Force of a Draught Horse, Horses, Hogs, 
Instructions to Managers, Implements, Jour 
nal or Daily Record, Medicines, Manure Ta- 
bles, LVlechanical Power, Effect of the Labor 
of an Active Man, Inventoryof Negroes, Oxen, 
Washington's Letters to his Steward, Planta- 
tion Management, Police, Ploughing Rules, 
Planting Distances, Physicians' Visits, Quan- 
tity and Value of Produce Made, Quantity of 
Work of a Man and Two Horses, Rules for the 
Government and Discipline of the Negroes, 
Rotation Tables for Cultivation of Crops, 
Rural Economy, Sheep, Steam Engines, Stock 
and Implements, Tools, &c. used by the Ne- 
groes, Weight of Materials, Weights and 
Measures, Wind Mills, Water Wheels, When 
a Horse Draws to Advantage, &c. &c. 

There are extra sheets for monthly and 
yearly reports, for the use of those who do not 
live on their farms. The Book will be sent 
by mail free of postage to any one who will 
remit the price in money or postage stamps. 

This Book is by one of the best and most 
systematic farmers in Virginia; and experi- 
enced farmers have expressed the opinion, that 
thos? who use it, will save hundreds of dollars. 

"Every farmer who will get one of these 
Books, and regulate all his movements by its 
suggestions, cannot fail to realize great bene- 
fits from it. We cannot too highly commend 
it to the consideration of agriculturists." — 
Richmond Whig. 

"It will prove a most valuable assistant to 
the planter, manager or overseer, and a work 
that will facilitate them greatly in the trans- 
action of business." — Richmlnd Dispatch. 

"The Book we should suppose to be indis- 
pensable to any one having the management 
of a large estate." — Richmond Republican. 

" We hope many farmers will buy the work, 
and make an effort to keep things straight."— 
Southern Planar. 

" It is full of useful information and is well 
calculated to induce a methodical system, in- 
dustry and energy especially vital to a sue 
cessful and profitable cultivation of mother 
earth." — Richmond Enquirer. June — tf 



TO AGRICULTURISTS. 

ORRIS & BROTHER have received the 
following valuable Books, pertaining to 
Agriculture: ; 

Elements of Scientific Agriculture, or the 
connexion between Science and the Art of 
Practical Farming. This was the prize essay 
of the New York State Agricultural Society; 
by J. P. Norton, M. A. 

Elements of Agricultural Chemistry and 
Geology; by Jas. F. W. Johnston. 

American Agriculturist, for the Farmer, 
Planter, Stock Breeder, and Horticulturist; 
by A. B.Allen; numerous plates. The 8th 
and 9th volumes of this most valuable work are 
received, also complete sets. Every farmer 
should have this work. 

American Farm Book, on Soils, Manures) 
Drainings, Irrigation, Grasses, Grain, Roots> 
Fruit, Cotton, Tobacco, Sugarcane, Rice, and 
every staple product of the United States. — 
This is a perfect farmer's library, with upwards 
of 100 engravings; by R. L. Allen. 

Farmer's Manual, with the most recent dis- 
coveries in Agricultural Chemistry; by F. 
Faulkner. 

A Muck Manual for Farmers; by S. L. 
Dana. 

Farmer's Land Measurer, with a set of use- 
ful Agricultural Tables; by Jas. Pedder. 

American Husbandry. — Series of Essays on 
Agriculture, with additions; by Gaylord and 
Tucker. 

Farmer's Encyclopedia; by Cuthbert W. 
Johnson. t 

Productive Farming, with the most recen 
discoveries of Liebig, Johnston, Davy, and 
others. 

European Agriculture, from personal obser- 
vation; by Henry Coleman. This is a very 
popular work. 

Johnson's Chemistry and Geology, with their 
application. 

Johnson's Dictionary of Gardening; by Da- 
vid Landreth. 

London's Gardening, for Ladies; by A. J. 
Downing. 

Squarey's Agricultural Chemistry, Bonssin- 
gault, Rural Economy, Buist's Kitchen Gar- 
dener, Landscape Gardening, and Rural Ar- 
chitecture; by A. J. Downing. 

Fessenden's American Gardener. 

American Fruit Book, with full iustructions; 
by S. W. Cole. 

Downing on Fruit Trees. 

Theory of Horticulture; by Lindley. 

Florist's Manual; by H. Bourne; 80 colored 
engravings. 

Bridgman's Kitchen Gardpner. 

In addition to which, Morris & Brother have 
all of the late Works on Agriculture, Horti- 
culture, and Raising Stock, of any celebrity. 

Richmond, March 12, I85L— Iv * 



;. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



359 



nHHE RICHMOND AND PETERSBURG 
JL RAIL ROAD COMPANY respectfully 
Inform farmers living on the Roanoke River 
lnd on the line of the Raleigh and Gaston 
Rail Road, that they are transporting tobacco 
ind other produce between Richmond and Pe- 
:ersburg with promptness and despatch, run 
ling daily trains of eight wheel covered cars, 
securing tobacco and goods from damage. 
Tobacco consigned to the care of J. Lynch, 
Rail Road Agent, Petersburg, will be for- 
warded, free of commissions, to Richmond. 
Goods purchased in Richmond and consigned 
to the Rail Road Agent at Gaston will be for- 
warded up the river without charge for for- 
warding. THOS. DODAMEAD, 
Sup't R. & P. R. R. 
June 21, 1851— tf 



EAGLE FOUNDRY. 

THE subscriber having removed to the 
large Foundry, just erected by him and 
fitted out with machinery of the latest and most 
' approved style, is, in addition to the manufac- 
; ture of Tobacco Flattening Mills, prepared to 
j receive orders for Stationary Steam Engines, 
I Saw and Grist Mills, Agricultural Machines, 
• Tobacco Presses of every description, and all 
] kinds of Iron and Brass Castings. He pledges 
himself to execute faithfully, and with dis- 
patch, all work entrusted to him, and respect- 
iully solicits a call from his friends and the 
public generally. 

The highest cash prices paid for old cast 
iron, brass and copper. 

PHILIP RAHM, 
je — ly Cary, between Pearl and 15th sts. 



CHOICE POULTRY. 



• 




The subscriber offers for sale the following varieties of purr, blooded Fowls, viz: Cochin China 
ot Cawton Fowls; Black, Whits, Buff and Brown Shanghais; Chittagongs or Gray 
Shanghais. 

The above are the largest and best variety of fowls bred in this country, and are from stock 
originally imported bv the subscriber. Gentlemen, Poultry-keepers and others, desirous of 
pnearino choice Poultry may depend upon the above stock being purely bred and warranted 
true to their name. Q-Address CHARLES SAMPSON, West Roxbury, Muss, 

The different varieties of these beautiful fowls may be seen at my residence on First Street, 
between Main and Cary Streets. 
Riffimmd, Nn. 1, 1852. W. A. BUTTERS, 139 Main Street, 



360 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



CONTENTS OF NUMBER XI. 

PAGE 

Communication to the Virginia State 
Agricultural Society on the Profitable 
Improvement of Poor Land, by Ed- 
mund Ruffin, Esq 329 

Joint Worm 338 

Dews and Frosts 34n 

To Keep Out Frost 341 

Fine Virginia Wool 34 

Manures 342 

Dialogue 344 

Timely Warning 345 

Premium Crops of Wheat 345 

An Experiment in Stall-Feeding 347 

Grasshoppers, Manures, Sub-Soil Ploughs. 319 

The Six-Square Butter Mould 350 

Jerusalem Artichoke 351 

Formidable Losses 352 

The Sub-Soil Plough 353 

A Simple Way to Pack Eggs 353 

Ploughing and Seeding 354 

Payments to the Southern Planter 354 



KAS2B FOWLS FOR SALS. 

COCHIN CHINA AND SHANGEUE 
FOWLS.— The subscriber has for sale 
some very superb Fowls of the above species. 
They have been raised near this city from the 
best imported breeds, — exactly the same with 
those that have been sold in this city for $15 
and $20 per pair. The Cochin China Fowls 
are among the most valuable of domestic 
birds. At full maturity — that is, after the se- 
cond moulting — a cock and hen of this species 
will weigh over twenty pounds; and this is large 
enough for all useful purposes. The hens are 
very prolific, being fine layers and good sitters; 
they are also very hardy. In form, they re- 
semble the best bred Shanghees, though they 
are clean legged, while the Shanghres are 
feathered to the toes. The two are believed 
to have sprung from the same stock — and they 
are no doubt cousins german. The Cochin 
Chinese birds cannot be excelled. They will 
be delivered in this city at from FIVE to 
TEN DOLLARS per pair. 

Letters postpaid will meet with prompt at- 
tention if addressed to 

PHILIP DOUGHERTY, 
At J, W. Randolph's Book Store. 

Also, for sale a few pairs of that excellent 
and much admired fowl, the Black Spanish. 
They are about five months old — price Five 
Dollars per pair. oct — 2t 



THE NEW YORK AGRICULTOE. 

A WEEKLY JOURNAL, IN LARGE 
NEWSPAPER FORM. Devoted (, 
the interests of the Commercial as well 
Practical Faimer and Planter, the Stock 
Breeder, the Rural Architect, the Fruit and 
Arboriculturist, the Market and Kitchen Gar- 
dener, and the Florist; together with a com- 
plete summary- of the most important Fo- 
reign and Domestic News. Published every 
Thursday. 

TERMS PER ANNUM. 



One Copy, 
Three Copies, 
Five Copies, 



$2 
5 



Ten Copies, 
Fifteen Copies, 
Twenty Copies, 



$15 
20 



PEN NOCK'S DRILLS. 

HAVE a stock of Pennock's Improved 
. Wheat Drills of different sizes for sale. 
be increased product of fifty acres of drilled 
a " broadcast seeding will pay for a Drill. 

H. M. SMITH, 
<ep— 2t Corner Main and 19th st. 



The first number will be issued on Thurs- 
day, October 21. Postage, half a cent a week. 
All Postmasters and others disposed to act 
as agents, will be furnished with Prospectus 
and specimen numbers, on application to the 
publishers. 

A. B. ALLEN & Co. 
1S9, Water street, New York. 

THE NEW YORK FARM AND GARDEN. 

A MONTHLY JOURNAL, of Thirty- 
Two Pages, Double Columns, Imperial 
Octavo; made up principally by selections 
from the weekly pages of "The New York 
Agricultor." 

This periodical will be devoted exclusively 
to the interests of the Farmer and Planter, the 
Stock Breeder, the Rural Architect, the Nur- 
seryman, the Gardener, and the Florist. 

Each number will be filled entirely with jv 
manently valuable readiDg matter. No * 
i vertisements allowed in its columns; and not 
even the large heading, or terms and contents, 
; usual on the first and last pages of similar 
journals, will be permitted. All such matter 
I will invariably appear on the cover. Thus 
! the numbers of the Farm and Garden, bound 
! up at the end of the year, will have the same 
I appearance as a book. This is a new feature 
in periodicals of this class, and should the 
! more highly commend it to public favor. 
Published on the first day of each month. 

TERMS. 
One Copy, $1 per annum; Three Copies. 
$2 per annum: Eight Copies, $5 per annum] 
Lower rates than the above will be made with 
Agricultural Societies or Clubs, by taking 
larger number of copies. Postage only hall 
a cent per month. 

Postmasters and others, disposed to act as 
agents, will be furnished with Prospectus and 
specimen numbers, on application to the pub' 
lishers. 

A. B. ALLEN & Co. 
1 89, Water street, New York. 
Inducements to gentlemen acting as Agents 
Any person forwarding us ten or more subscri p- 
tions each, for either of the above papers, will 
be entitled to a copy gratis for one year, 
nov— It