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SOUTHERN PLANTER (1841) 



Vol. 12 
1852 



Missing: no. 5, May; no. 10, Oct 



3 



THE 



SOUTHEKN PLANTER, 



A MONTHLY PERIODICAL, 



DEVOTED TO 



AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE AND THE HOUSEHOLD ARTS. 




VOLUME XII. 

FRANK: G. RUFFIN, EDITOR. 



RICHMOND: 

PRINTED A\D PUBLISHED BY P. D. BERNARD, SOUTH TWELFTH STREET. 

1852. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 

ff eboten to agriculture, i^ortfculture, au& the ffiowtholl! Bvts 



Agriculture is the nursing mother of the 

flArts. — Xenophon. 



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



FRANK: G. RUFFIN, Editor. 



P. D. BERNARD, Proprietor. 



Vol. XII 



RICHMOND, JANUARY, 1852. 



No. 1. 



For the Southern Planter. 
TOBACCO. 

Mr. Editor,— By an order of the Hole and i 
Comer Club of Albemarle the undersigned 
were appointed to write an article for your 
paper upon "Tobacco— iis Culture and Ma- 
nagement from the Plant Bed to the Ware- 
house, with an Exposition of the Comparative 
Profits of this Crop and other Staples." 

The object of the Club being to get a full 
account of the management of this crop in 
the hands of the senior member of this com- 
mittee, it is impossible so to condense what 
is to be said as to bring it within the limits of 
a single newspaper article. At your sugges- 
tion, therefore, we divide it into several num- 
bers, and begin with the varieties of tobacco, plant 
beds, and the preparation of l/ie soil for the crop. 

The varieties of tobacco are very numerous, 
a selection from which must d ;pend upon the 1 
market proposed and the character of the soil 
upon which it is to be grown. On the rich 
V»pds within the range of the Club we culti- 
Ble no tobacco for manufacturing purposes, 
Mk only the heavier kinds, which are intended 
for foreign markets. The objects aimed at' 
are early maturity, weight of plant, ease of j 
culture and non-liability to accident. The 1 
varieties most in favor amongst us are Ruffie, ! 
White Stem, Johnson, Shockoe, and the Priors I 
(yellow and blue.) Of these we give a most I 
decided preference to the Ruffle and White 
Stem— the former, perhaps, being the favorite i 
of the two. The Ruffle is a rich, heavy to- 1 
bacco, and owing to its peculiar growth (the ' 
leaves tucking up at the end.) can be primed 
o-ae leof lower than the White Stem, and is 
consequently, a v;eek earlier in ripening ; while, 
on the other hand, the ruffle upon the stem 
(from which the variety takes its name,) af- 
fording a rlace of concealment for the horn- 
worm, renders it more troublesome to worm 
than the other kinds. The White Stem is 
more liable to fire than the Ruffle, and the two 
being about equal in weight and quality of 
staple, it is difficult to choose between them 
They are both easily injured by wind and in 
handling, as is the case, more or less, wiih all 
heavy tobacco, from brittleness of stem. 

Of the Johnson we know personally but little 
It is highly esteemed by many of our planters 
particularly our friend and neighbor, Mr Wm' 
Vol. XII.-l. 



W. Gilmer, whose opinions upon all subjects 
connected with this crop are worthy of high, 
confidence. He claims for it weight non- 
liability to serious injury from storm ana han- 
dling, and a great length of leaf which makes 
it yield a large proportion of strips. He ad- 
mits, however, the necessity of high priming 
to keep it out of the dirt. It bears so close a 
resemblance to the White Stem that it is sup- 
posed by many to be the same. 

The Shockoe we believe to be nothing but 
the Yellow Prior, with a reputation acquired 
by falling into the hands of a good manager 
We class ii with the two Priors, which find" 
no favor in our eyes. They are light and 
trashy, and have only their toughness to re- 
commend them. They may suit other soils 
but we consider it a waste of labor to cultivate 
them where the other varieties mentioned will 
grow. 

Saving Seed.— -Vie turn out a few of the 
earliest plants on rich land for seed, primin°- 
them at the usual time, and as the plant pro" 
gresses trimming off the tipper leaves and 
shoots, leaving three or fourof the top branches 
for seed. From these we take off all late 
bloom and imperfect bowls, which, if left on 
not only interfere with regular seeding but 
cause the plants to " Walloon" in the beds 
Seed plants are cultivated and suckercd as the 
rest of the crop, and after frost, must be cut 
and hung m a dry plaee, out of the reach of 
rats, until perfectly cured, when they are rub- 
red out, cleaned and bottled up for use. 

Plant Beds.— Plants require a close rich 
soil. In selecting land therefor care should 
be taken to guard against excessive wet or 
very diy seasons, by burning some dry and 
some moist beds. There is danger in depend- 
ing upon swamp beds, as plants require but 
little moisture, while an excess of wet is fatal 
to them. If such locations are selected the 
land should be thoroughly drained the sum- 
mer before the bed is burnt. The surest chance 
for plants is a rich mountain hollow with a 
southern or eastern exposure. The indica- 
tions in this neighborhood of good plant land 
are alder and maple on low grounds, dogwood 
and hickory on high land. Where land is not 
sufficiently rich it is good policy to pen sheep 
upon it the summer before you propose to 
burn; and this may be done without injury to 
the flock by selecting the heat of the dav in 
summer, at which time sheep do not graze 



4 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



The best manures for plants are hen-house 
and chaff manure. This latter we make by 
littering our horse stalls with chaff and leed- 
ing on provender perfectly free from grass- 
seed When it becomes saturated with the 
liauids of the stable we apply it as a top- 
dressing in the latter part of February cover- 
in" the beds, say one-fourth of an inch thick. 
Hen-house manure should be chopped in at 
the time of burning. Our experiments with 
«M on plants have not been very extensive 
or accurate; they, however, lead us to fear 
that this manure cannot be depended upon. 
Any other strong well rolled manure, free 
from grass-seed, may be used. Plant beds 
should be burned as soon alter Christmas 
as the weather and condition of the land will 
admit, It is difficult to convey an idea of | 
what amount of burning is necessary. If it 
be done in the month of January it is almost 
impossible, the land being in proper condition, 
to burn too hard. We have, however known 
this to happen at a later period. So much 
depends upon the condition of the land and 
the character of wood used, that every planter 
must be his own judge as to the amount of 
burning necessary-of course it must be suffi- 
cient to destroy the grass-seed and roots which 
are near the surface of the bed. Our plan is 
to lay down skids of hickory or oak (green) 
about the size of a man's arm and pile thereon 
a laver of wood about four feet wide, set fire 
and burn until the skids are consumed; then 
move the fires to the next section (taking care 
to leave no belts of unburned land between 
the sections,) and so proceed until the entire 
bed has been covered. We prefer this to the 
mode sometimes adopted of covering and 
burning the entire bed at one time as we be- 
lieve it can be done more regularly by moving 

th As re soon as the bed cools off sufficiently 
chop it up with grubbing hoes until the soil is 
reduced to a fine tilth, removing all roots, &c 
and taking care not to chop below the mould 
or surface soil-then rake until you level the 
surface. If this be as early as January, sow 
one-half an even table-spoonful of seed to one 
hundred square yards, mixing it with plaster, 
ashes or sand to facilitate evenness of sowing, 
and tread in with the foot. Then about the 
last of February sow another half spoonful, 
and tread in as' before: or if it be as late as 
The 15th of February sow the whole spoonful 
of seed When the bed is sown as directed, 
it should be covered with fine, straight brush, 
w laid on as to protect against frost while it 
admits some sunshine to strike the bed. This 
brush may be left on dry beds until the plants 
are as large as a dollar, aud upon wet ones 
until they are half .hat size. If it be neces- 
sary to force Dlants, plaster may be used CM 
course it is indispensable that the bed should 
b° cleansed of srass, weeds, &c. whenever 
they appear. It is good policy to edge plant 
beds with mustard as a protection against fly. 
We know of no other remedy, and this is only 



partial. Never burn two successive years m 
the same neighborhood, as the fly deposited 
about the old bed is almost sure to destroy the 
new one. It is well to destroy, by burning, all 
the foul growth around the bed, as this is oli< 
a harbor for fly during the winter. It is, per- 
haps, hardly necessary to say that ditches 
should be opened around plant beds to prevent 
any flow of water over them. 

Preparation of Soil— The land selected for 
tobacco should depend somewhat upon the 
prospective price of the article. If we have 
reason to suppose it will command a high 
price, we pitch the crop upon our best lands, 
and either increase the number of hills, or at 
any rate, by applying the manure to rich land, 
increase the weight of tht plants. But if we 
i apprehend low prices we put H on poor land, 
1 and find the enrichment o\ the land no incon- 
siderable part of the profits oi the crop. But 
of this we will have more to say hereafter. 
We like to break up tobacco land early, par- 
ticularly red land, so as to let it be thoioughly 
pulverized by the action of the winter's frost. 
If possible, we would like to do this when the 
weather is just above the freezing point, m 
order to destroy the insect deposii in the soil, 
and with the same end in view, to harrow m 
the cold weather of February. We plough 
with a three-horse plough followed by a sub- 
soil coulter. During March, April and May, 
haul out and scatter the manure intended for 
i ^e crop— sow one bushel plaster per acre, and 
plough in with a one or two-horse plough.— 
Such red land as has no sand in it, after the 
first ploughing, should not be ploughed the 
second time, except with a coulter or shove 
so as to break it to the proper depth, withe 
turning under the pulverized soil on the sur- 
1 face. For this purpose a coulter is to be pre- 
i ferred When the land is properly reduced 
by harrowing, lay off with a shovel plough 
1 three feet four inches each way, and throw up 
a large hill. This hilling should, if possible, 
be done early, while there is season in the 
land, so as to be ready to receive the plant 
when the time for planting arrives. 

This brings us to the end of the subject em- 
braced in our first division, which we beg 
leave, with an apology for the imperfect man- 
ner in which it is gotten up, respectfully to 
submit. 

Your friends, 

William Garth, 
R. W. N. Nolano. 
Ivy Creek, Albemarle. 



Presehving Wild Fowl.— Remove the in- 
testines carefully, and wipe out all the blood 
with an old soft towel, until the flesh is quite 
drv then dust flour over the inside, and scatter 
two' or three drops of creosote upon a piece ot 
blotting paper, and put that in and tie the bird 
up light in another piece of similar paper, upon 
which put a few drops more creosote; then 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



hang up each carcass separate, in a cool, dry 
place, and it will keep sweet for a long time. 
Never remove the feathers from a bird you 
wish to preserve. — Germantown Telegraph. 



For the Southern Planter. 

HOLLOW HORN IN CATTLE. 

Mr. Editor, — Confined to the house by a bad 
Cold, I am forcibly reminded of the promise 
I made to furnish you my notions of hollow 
horn in cattle. 

It might have been better to consult Youatt, 
or Skinner, if either of them has written on 
the subject, but I failed to find their books, 
and I must leave it to you to judge whether I 
have only repeated what they teach, or have 
misapprehended what I profess to have ob- 
served, when my speculations come to be 
compared with those masters. I enumerate 
the facts of one case, as recorded at the time. 
1839, Aug. 6. Lost a very fine cow of what 
was said to be hollow horn. 

Had a calf seven weeks before, while very 
fat; gave great quantity of milk; wasobserved I 
after a few days to be feverish, indicated by 
hair turned back, looking rough, low of appe- 
tite, and speedy loss of cud. Held /lead straight 
out, tossing it up and duwn and from one side 
to the other, a symptom which increased in 
time, though it occurred quite early in the 
case. More or less discharge from the nuse, 
at first of only mucus; in process of time it 
was pus. Had sore bag, and very much dis- 
tended, so that I thought the symptoms were 
L due to milk abscess, or inflammation of bag. 
The cow doctors consulted, laid it upon loss 
of cud, and at first were confident of restoring 
theeud and so curing the cow. All the remedies 
were resorted to: drenched with vinegar and 
salt; ball of corn meal with pepper, salt and 
vinegar; balls of raw beef, whole hetrings 
thrust down the throat. Frogs were alone 
* omitied, of all the remedies we knew. Coin- 
cidently 1 had the horns bored, and one sawed 
off. Nothing issued but a fluid like white of 
egg and some flakes of pus. The former I 
took to be incipient pus or coagulable lymph. 
Seemed to suffer much pain somewhere, but 
could not tell where. Gradually became ex- 
cessively poor, and died in about five weeks 
from attack. 

After death examined head. Crest between 
horns perfectly hollow; all the little divisions 
and offshoots of bone which usually are found 
in the cavity, were removed in greater or less 
degree, and there were only the white-of-egg- 
looking matter and pus. The homs also en- 
tirely hollow, one of them filled with nearly 
a pint of the lymphy and purulent matter. 
The cavity extended to the orbit of eye, thence 
communicating with the nostrils, especially 
on one side. The brain, which lies in very 
near contact with this cavity of the crest. 



(which we had as well call the "frontal sinus,") 
was softened and fallen, in one hemisphere, 
into a thick mush; a small part only of this 
half was of healthy consistency, preserving 
its form or vessels entire. The other half 
(hemisphere) was not softened, but the vessels 
were very full of blood and the membranes 
exhibited signs of intense inflammation. No 
other region or organs examined. 

Remark. — Some persons have supposed hol- 
low horn to be a matter of fancy, and not re- 
ally to exist. This case, as far as it goes, 
refutes the idea. 

Hollow horn usually occurs in cattle while 
very poor, in the winter or in early spring, 
when just coming out of winter quarters. — 
This case shows it occurring in the summer, 
and in a very fat cow. 

The cow lost her end. A very rude notion 
holds as to this fact. It is no more, I presume, 
than such an impairment of the health of the 
digestive function, as deprives the cow of the 
power to throw up from the stomach the food 
which requires a chewing over prior to its being 
sent on upon its route through the intestines. 
It may, therefore, arise from any disease which 
affects the appetite and digestion. If [he 
cause happen to reside in the stomach itself, 
or in the nervous influences controlling the re- 
gurgitating faculty, the stimulant boluses would 
seem somewhat calculated to restore the power. 
Why a herring or a frog alone can do it, is 
absolutely unintelligible, and as I have never 
seen the " cud restored" by any of these means, 
though I have witnessed their use very often, 
] withhold, as yet, a belief in their efficacy. 

The crest in the cow answers to the frontal 
sinus in the human, and its diseases probably 
resemble those of that cavity. A bad cold 
affects the lining membrane of the nose, or 
it may at once reach that of the frontal sinus, 
immediately connected with the nasal pas- 
sages, producing, there, inflammation which 
may result in various degrees of mischief, 
from simple pain, to be relieved by remedies, 
to suppuration and death. 

We may suppose lhat the disease is con- 
tracted in bad weather, and most often when 
the body is debilitated. "Cold," as it is called, 
is taken, and, as in men, symptoms of catarrh 
arise; running from the nostrils, and some- 
times even cough; then signs of a local in- 
flammation about the head, tossing it, holding 
j it straight out, first one side, then the other, 
i loss of appetiie, loss of cud, or, as it really is, se- 
i vere indigestion, with loss of regurgitating faculty. 
After a while pus is found to flow with the 
mucus from the nostrils; or, if the horns are 
bored, pus and coagulable lymph issue. Va- 
rious washes being injected into the horn, and 
thence into the contiguous cavity where the 
inflammation started, cause the fluid pus to be 
discharged, and may, at a certain stage of 
j progress, help the diseased membrane to re- 
i gain health. 

As the inflammation of the sinus advances 
the brain, by contiguous sympathy, becomes 



6 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



involved, and then, probably, death seldom 
fails to ensue. 

Cows certainly recover after pus has been 
discharged from the horn and nose. In such j 
case the inflammation may not have reached 
the brain, and simply conducting the matter | 
off", gives the usual impulse to the membrane 
of the cavity to heal. The brain does not ne- 1 
cessarily take on disease, though it is in such 
near vicinity to the seat of the inflammation. ! 
When it does, I suppose it is usually mortal. ! 

Dm hollow horn is spoken of. 1 know no- 
thing of its phenomena. Is it so called when, 
on boring the horn, no fluid issues, or when 
the horn, on being sawed off, is found hollow, 
yet holding no fluid"! 

Treatment.— This I predicate more upon 
general principles than upon experience. It : 
will seem proper, if the explanation of its na- 
ture and seat be correct, to bleed freely, (best 
from the nostrils) unless the cow's low con- j 
dition forbid. 

Then purge with Glauber salts, one or two 
pounds at a dose. Bore the horns with one- ■ 
quarter inch gimlet, in such dependent point 
that the contents will flow out. Bore it close j 
to the head (one and a half or two inches off,) 
so that, although when you do it, only blood 
may flow, the aperture will be ready to dis- 
charge the pus when it is formed. If the flow 
seenrts not to be free enough, the horn may be | 
sawed off. I know no other reason for doing 
this. 

Apply a large poultice of mulkinlcavcs boiled 
and mashed up with bran, just over the crest, 
wrapping the whole top of the head. Change 
it three times a day, or oftener, having first 
sheared the hair close. 

To Restore the Cud.— Boluses of one-half 
pint corn meal dough and an even table-spoon- 
ful cayenne pepper, thrust down the throat two 
or three times a day. Or one-half pound raw 
beef balled up with salt and pepper, to make 
it hot. Herrings, frogs, &c. are advised; those 
who will, can try them. 

A drench of red-oak bark tea and wild 
cherry bark tea, and red pepper tea may do 
good; but doubtless the safest reliance will be 
upon trying to cure the disease of the head. 
The cud will come when health is restored. 
Chs. Minor. 

Charlottesville, Nov. 19, 1851. 



For the Southern Planter. 

FARMING IN SURRY. 

Mr. Editor— \n the October number of the 
Southern Planter there is a communication 
from the Hon. W. Newton on the Improve- 
ment of Worn Out Lands in Virginia by 
Guano and Lime, which seems to have at- 
tracted general attention. Mr. Newton in- 
forms us that the first crop of wheat sowed 
was a total failure, not worth threshing, and 



was used as litter for stables, but the seventh 
and last crop, by the application of lime and 
guano, yielded over twenty bushels of wheat 
for one throughout the entire crop. This was 
certainly doing very well, and we are much 
indebted to Mr. Newton for his handsome 
communication setting forth the facts, as it 
will have a tendency to stimulate us to re- 
newed exertions in improving our farms. My 
purpose now is to tell you, Mr. Editor, in as 
concise a manner as possible, what was done 
the last season in this county in raising wheat. 
But I confess I can't give altogether such 
cheering news as Mr. Newton has done, be- 
cause, perhaps, we are not only less skilful as 
cultivators of the soil, but also less generous 
in the application of manures. Yet we are 
not entirely idle, and you will see that as we 
are on the right track, a little more perseve- 
rance and industry will enable us to almost 
equal Mr. Newton. 

Two of my neighbors, Mr. W. Ruffin and 
Mr. J. W. Watkins, made this year, the for- 
mer twelve bushels of wheat lor one and the 
latter fourteen for one through their entire 
crops. These farms before thev were marled 
would hardly have made more than three, cer- 
tainly not more than four for one, and the 
above gratifying result was achieved almost 
solely by the agency of marl (fossil shells,) 
for no guano or other bought manure was used 
at all on either farm. Mr. Watkins cultivates 
his farm on the three shift, strictly non-grazing 
system. Mr. R. is just throwing his farm into 
five fields — grazes moderately. This is much 
the better wheal farm of the two. 

Now, if our farms will yield twelve and 
fourteen bushels for one under the three shift 
system, what may we not expect when we 
have more enlarged views of agriculture adopt 
a more enlightened and scientific system of 
cultivation, namely, the five or six field rota- 
tion with all the advantages and benefits of 
clover and pea fallows'! 

Surry, Nov. 15, 1851. , 



For the Southern Planter. 
REPORT ON EPES' ISLAND; 

A FARM ON THE LOWER JAMES RIVER, IN CHARLES 
CITY COUNTY, OPPOSITE THE MOUTH OF THE 
APPOMATTOX. 

To the Hole and Corner Club, No. 1, 

Prince George County: 

The committee appointed to report on this 
farm, take great pleasure in performing the 
duty assigned them. 

The Island is an alluvial formation, of course 
ancient in its character — being high and re- 
quiring little labor to drain it. Originally very 
fertile, it had shared the fate of all other lands 
before the spirit of improvement had dawned 
upon Virginia's sons. So low had this fine 



1WIIIII— !!■■■ 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



estate become, that a few years ago, with a 
large force, scarcely enough corn was made 
to teed the laborers and teams engaged in till- 
ing the farm, and a few hundred bushels of 
•wheat for sale, were all which could be made 
under the management then prevailing. NovV, 
under an improving system, with compara- 
tively few hands, luxuriant crops of corn and 
wheat are made, and the fields present an un- 
varied appearance, teeming with vegetable 
life. Before improvement had taken place 
galls were seen on every knoll on the farm, 
level as it is. Now there are no naked places 
to mark the effects of the spoiler's hand; galls 
have been healed and nothing offensive is seen 
to mar the beauty of the aspect as the eye 
wanders over the landscape. 

The Island contains about four hundred 
acres of arable land. Mulatto soil, sufficiently 
stiff, but clay preponderating; subsoil of the 
same character, differing only in being stiffer. 
The farm is laid off in five fields of eighty 
acres each, with a road from the landing, run- 
ning north and south, dividing the fields and 
parts of each shift, the division of fields heing 
east and west; thus the crops are all conve- 
nient to the road, which passes through the 
farm-lot on which stand the buildings receiv- 
ing the produce made on the farm. 

There has been commenced a hedge of 
Osage orange to divide two adjacent fields, 
and now in the second year of its growth. 
So far this hedge is looking well, and it is in- 
tended to continue the planting of hedges, 
should the present experiment succeed, around 
each field until all the fields are protected by 
„1 line fence. 

n Rotation of Crops. — First year, corn; second 
year, wheat; third, clover; fourth, clover, fal- 
lowed for fifth, wheat; to be followed by corn 
at the beginning of a second series of crops. 
The preparation and cultivation of the corn 
crop do not materially differ from the practice 
prevailingon mostfarms which are judiciously 
managed. The difference consists in fallow- 
ing the land intended for corn with a four-horse 
plough, and using double ploughs in the culti- 
vation of the crop. The fifteen feet beds 
farmed for the previous wheat crop, with a 
plough drawn by four mules, are reversed with 
a plough of the same size; the land is harrowed 
at the proper time, and laid off in rows five 
feet apart. Planting is commenced by the 
25th of March— sometimes earlier, but not 
later than the 10th of April. The seed is 
dropped at intervals of twelve to fifteen inches 
in the step, one stalk being left in the hill 
when thinned out. The earth is thrown from 
the plants witha two-horse mouldboard plough, 
the bar running next to the corn, and two fur- 
rows to the row. The hoes follow the first 
ploughing, cleansing the step of grass and 
weeds. 

Immediately after the first ploughing is com- 
pleted the mouldboard ploughs are again used 
throwing the earth to the corn and breaking 
up the entire row. Sometimes the double- 



shovel plough is used previous to the second 
ploughing, tunning in the furrows made by 
the plough during the first working, and in- 
tended to loosen the eaith around and below 
the roots of the young plants. After these 
several ploughings are finished, harrows or 
cultivators are used to level down the beds, 
and hoes again follow to complete the opera- 
tion and destroy any grass or weeds left by 
the ploughs or cultivators. This seems, judg- 
ing from the clean condition of the field now 
in corn (about the first of August,) to be suffi- 
cient work to make as good a crop of corn as 
any other mode which could be adopted; the 
corn at that time looking well, although a 
rather dry season. 

The fallow for wheat is commenced as soon 
as the last crop is threshed and delivered, (say 
1st of August.) Here is seen one of the neatest 
operations on the farm. The clover and rank 
weeds are run over by a harrow drawn by 
four stout oxen, combing down the growth of 
clover, weeds and grass and rendering a chain 
before the plough unnecessary. A iour-horse 
plough is used for fallowing, which does the 
work in good style, followed by hoes to level 
down any accumulations of clover or weeds 
and fill up any holes left by the ploughs, should 
any part of the sod fail to fall over, then fol- 
lows the roller to ptess down the earth and 
close up the furrows. The corn land intended 
for wheat, is likewise ploughed with four-horse 
ploughs, three corn rows forming the bed for 
wheat. Of course, all land intended (or wheat 
is harrowed before sowing and the seed har- 
rowed in — the harrows running over the land 
until the surface is made smooth and put into 
good condition. One and a half bushels of 
seed are sown peracre, generally Purple Straw, 
but this fall it is intended to sow mostly the 
Blue Stem— a variety of white wheat which 
yielded nearly forty bushels per acre on the 
"Island'' this year. 

No fodder is gathered from the corn on this 
farm, but tops are cut, which, with clover hay, 
furnish ample long food for the teams. Owing 
to this cause, sowing wheat is begun and 
finished sooner here than on farms where this 
practice prevails. Cloverseed are sown on 
land seeded down in wheat as early in Febru- 
ary as practicable. As no fodder is pulled, 
clover is cut and made into hay, for the use of 
the teams. This, on a five field rotation, is 
not objectionable: in fact, it is doubted by 
some good farmers if any injury is sustained 
by so doing under the lour field system. 

Be this as it may, here the Club will see the 
practical fact of land yearly improving and 
clover cut, being an additional crop taken 
from the land under this system. 

Present Amount of Crops. — It has been stated 
that some few years ago, under an injudicious 
and exhausting system, very little corn and a 
few hundred bushels of wheat were made. 
The present year there have been sold and re- 
tained for seed about 3,200 bushels of wheat 
from 169 acres of land, or nearly 20 bushels 



8 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



per acre. The usual amount of corn will 
reach forty bushels peracre,being3, 200 bushels 
from eighty acres. Your committee believe 
that amount will be the minimum of the pre- 
sent crop of corn. 

Meansof Improvement. — Marl from the "Hun- 
dreds" farm has been applied at the rate of 
two hundred and fifty bushels per acre. Half j 
that quantity is now being applied as a second 
dressing, and your body saw the evident im- 
provement resulting from the second applica- 
tion, as evinced by the more luxuriant and 
greener appearance of the vegetable growth 
where thus applied. Putrescent manures are 
largely applied to the land. These are ob- 
tained by moving large quantities of straw, 
corn-stalks, &c. with dung obtained from the 
stables and such additions as are made by 
other stock when put on the farm lot. In ad- 
dition to which may be enumerated land im- 
proved by summer stock-pens, all the offal of 
the wheat crop, husks and refused clover-hay. 
Some of all these materials are passed through 
the farm-lot, and more or less trod by mules 
and cattle, undergoing some fermentation be- 
fore being carried out and applied as top- 
dressing to clover. Such is the situation of 
this farm, that no extraneous matter can be 
used for litter; neither is it wanted, for manual 
labor cannot be spared from the ordinary opera- 
tions of the farm to collect material for ma- 
nure, even could it be hauled in, when so much 
has to be carried out; first, from the lot in a 
state of decomposition; and in the next place, 
from the stack, where the straw has been kept 
sound until the time of its application. 

Slock. — This farm has little stock on it, 
owing partly to the fact, that many cattle have 
died from disease. What stock passed in re- 
view before your committee were in fine con- 
dition. The oxen then under the yoke were 
fat enough to suit the palate of an English 
alderman! may-hap, the Lord Mayor of Lon- 
don himself!! Your committee saw about ten 
oxen and twelve or fifteen milch cows and 
smaller cattle. These are of the common 
breed of the country, crossed by an improved 
bull. Your committee were much pleased 
with a flock of sheep, consisting of some forty 
or fifty, in fine condition and of large size. 
These consist of Bakewell ewes crossed by a 
Reybold ram. Hogs are now being raised, and 
a good many were seen of different size — 
among them several very fine sows and a large 
boar. They were fat, and bid fair to give a 
good yield of flesh at the proper time for kill- 
ing. All the stocks are under the control of a 
small boy or two, who keep them in proper 
bounds. They are grazed during the spring, 
summer and fall, and kept up during the winter 
months. The keep consists of the offal of 
the farm during cold weather, and suffered to 
graze at pleasure when a good bite of clover 
and grass can be had at other seasons of the 
year. Good and sufficient shelter is provided 
them when needed. 

Horses and Mules. — The work is done on 



this farm by eight mules. One horse is kept 
for the use of the overseer. These were all 
fat — an unusual thing on most farms during 
this season of the year. There are fifteen 
field hands, eight mules and one horse, an^ 

oxen, which comprise the whole force on 

the farm. 

The usual agricultural tools now to be had, 
of the best kinds, are used on the farm. Your 
committee noticed an improved M'Cormick's 
plough, obtained of Mr. Robert B. Boiling of 
Petersburg, who has had them in use on his 
Sandy Point estate for some time. The im- 
provement consists of a block of wood resting 
on the top of the mouldboard, between it and 
the beam, fitted to each and curved at bottom 
so as to correspond with the curved mould- 
board, by which the beam of the plough is 
raised to prevent clogging. This plough was 
doing good work during the visit of the Club, 
and the extended use of it would facilitate the 
great labor of a summer fallow. Smith's 
Chain-Band Horse-Power and Parker's Drum 
are used for threshing wheat. 

Your committee do not think it necessary 
to go more into detail, and will merely remark, 
that when the Club reflects upon the greatly 
improved condition of this farm — the total 
absence of any attempt at display — the com- 
bination of every thing useful, yet economy 
manifested in every department of labor; the 
neat appearance of the farm and servants' 
dwellings; the improved health of the laborers 
and comfort derived from improved houses; 
the fine condition of the stock of every kind — 
all these things, combined with the manifest 
care in having every thing well done and at 
the proper time, show, on the part of Dr. Epe?' 
friend, Col. James S. Gilliam, a well balance,./ 
and discriminating mind, so necessary in a 
profession requiring forethought to conceive 
and energy and determination to successfully 
carry out the many operations of agriculture. 

The report here presented may be applicable 
to "Hundreds" farm also; but having seen 
this farm during a hasty visit, your committee 
will only say, as far as seen, it showed con- 
clusive evidence of good management and 
great improvement — the style of management 
well agreeing with that of the "Island." 

They will conclude this report by the ex- 
pression of a hope, that when he returns, the 
owner of these farms, now in Europe, will 
devote his time and atlention to them in such 
manner as to complete the good work— a work 
which his own interest, as well as the cause, 
alike demands of him. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Coriolands Russell, 
Josiah M. Jordan, 



Com. 



A potato gathering machine is in operation 
in New Hampshire. It is attached to a wagon. 
The wagon is placed at one end of the potato 
field, with oxen or horses attached, and as it 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



passes down the rows, digs the potatoes, sepa- 
rates them from the dirt, and loads them into 
the wagon. — Exchange paper. 



For the Southern Planter. 

EXPERIMENTS OF THE ALBEMARLE 
HOLE AND CORNER CLUB. 

The undersigned were appointed a commit- 
tee at a recent meeting of the "Albemarle 
Hole and Corner Club, No. 1," to prepare for 
publication in the "Southern Planter" an Es- 
say on "the experiments which have been 
tried by the Club since its commencement, 
giving the substance of the most interesting 
of tliem." In executing this duty, the com- 
mittee are at a loss in making the selection 
contemplated by the order of the Club, and 
deem it best to exercise no discretion in dis- 
criminating between the several experiments. 
They deem it more expedient to refer it to 
the practised judgment of the Editor of the 
Planter, to make such selections from the re- 
port of the committee as his more varied ex- 
perience and observation of the condition and 
wants of the Agricultural community within 
the range of its circulation may suggest as 
valuable. 

With respect to the manner in which the 
undersigned have discharged the duty assigned 
them, some of the experiments are easily and 
with advantage susceptible of the synoptical 
Tesumd contemplated by the Club in prescrib- 
-JQg the duties of the committee; while others, 
yft is obvious, derive their chief value from 
the minute accuracy of the details which have 
attended their progress. The committee have, 
accordingly, treated the experiments with re- 
ference to these considerations, and submit 
the results, respectfully, to the Editor of the 
Planter. 

Frank Carr, 
F. E. G. C 



ARR, } 

Carr, J 



Committee. 



Experiment on Wheat— On the Results of Cut- 
ting Wheat in the Milk Slate; in the Dough 
Slate; and when Fully Ripe. Tried by Dan'l 
F. Carr, Dr. Frank Carr, William W. Minor, 
Richmond Terrell and Hugh Minor. 
All the experiments seem to have been made 
with the most precise accuracy. Three par- 
cels of wheat were cut in every case: one 
when milk could be pressed out in small quan- 
tities, and when the straw under the head was 
still green; one in the dough state, when the 
grain was compressible between the finger and 
thumb, and the straw yellow; and one when 
the grain was hard and fully ripe, and the 
straw dry. The samples not ripe were all 
cured in the shade. In testing the results in 
each case, the same measure was filled with 
wheat in the several stages of ripeness, the 
gtains counted and accurately weighed. The 



various experiments, allowance being made 
for different degrees of ripeness, which may 
fairly be presumed to have existed in the se- 
veral samples, evince a remarkable similarity 
in the results. It may be worthy of remark, 
that in every experiment the ripe grain was 
the most bulky. Taking the ripe wheat as 
the standard, the experiments show that the 
loss by weight, of cutting wheat in the dough 
state is between five and eight per cent, and 
that by cutting wheat in the milk state, be- 
tween forty and fifty per cent. 

Experiment — Corn. — In reference to its Distri- 
bution in Planting, as to Distance and Arrange- 
ment. Referred to Dr. John Minor, William 
W. Minor and George Clive. 
The experiment by Dr. Minor was conducted 
in the following manner: Two rows, one stalk 
in the hill and one foot distance in the hill; 
two rows, two stalks in the hill and two feet 
distance in the hill; two rows, three stalks in 
the hill and three feet distance in the hill — all 
the rows at equal distances from each other. 

The experiment by Mr. Clive was as follows: 
One stalk in the hill, one and a half feet apart; 
two stalks in the hill, three feet apart; three 
stalks in the hill, four and a half feet apart— 
rows at equal distances. 

The experiment made by Mr. William W. 
Minor was conducted as follows: He planted 
four rows, distance of each from the other, rive 
feet. They were on a hillside — No. 1, lowest 
down the hill, he left one stalk in the hill, two 
feet apart. The row next above, No. 2, two 
stalks in the hill, four feet apart. The next 
row above, No. 3, three stalks in a hill, six 
feet apart. In No. 4, the highest on the hill- 
side, the same conditions in all respects pre- 
vailed as in No. 1, the lowest on the hillside. 
The results of all these experiments were in 
favorof the fewer stalks in the hill and shortest 
distances. The rows were all adjacent. 

Experiment on Top- Dressing Wheat. Conducted 
by Dr. William G. Carr. 
He top-dressed with equal quantities of sta- 
ble manure, six lots of wheat, in the first week 
of October, November, December, January, 
February and March, respectively. The land 
manured was thin grey highland, with a con- 
siderable admixture of sand. That without 
manure might have brought from three to five 
bushels of wheat to the acre. The manure 
was spread very thin, at the rate of not more 
than ten ox-cart loads to the acre. From the 
time the wheat came up until harvest, that 
top-dressed at the time of seeding in October, 
had the advantage of all the other lots. It 
came up more vigorously, grew faster, filled 
better, and ripened some days earlier than the 
other lots. In spite of a thick growth of blue 
grass, this lot yielded at least fifteen bushels 
to the acre, whilst that adjoining, of the same 
character, though not manured, did not yield 



_. 



10 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



three. He was unable to discover any differ- 
ence in the other lots. The top-dressing had 
a decidedly good effect on all, in hastening its 
maturity and improving the quantity and qua- 
lity of the product, over the unmanured land 
adjoining; the crop being fully doubled on all. 
The fact that cold, freezing weather continued 
till April, and was succeeded by moist, warm 
weather, may account for the good effects 
resulting from the late manuring. Wheat, 
dressed with a very thin covering of straw in 
February, was not benefited by it, but the clover 
was very much improved. 

Experiment to Ascertain the Difference in the 
Result of Cutting Wheat when it first begins to 
Rust, and suffered to Stand till Thoroughly 
Ripe. Conducted by Dr. William G. Carr. 
On the 3d day of July he cut from different 
spots in the field two parcels of wheat just 
beginning to rust, the straw and blades green, 
the heads turning white, and the grain in the 
dough state, very soft, some of the heads being 
in the milk state. On the 19th of the same 
month, he cut from the same spots, the wheat 
which had been left to ripen. A struck mea- 
sure of the rusted wheat, thoroughly ripe, 
weighed 85 grains — the number of grains 232. 
The same measure of the wheat, just begin- 
ning to rust, weighed 89 grains — number of 
grains 247. Of the wheat taken from another 
spot, a struck measure of the ripe rusted wheat, 
weighed 85J grains— number of grains 2l3. — 
The same measure of wheat, just beginning 
to rust, weighed 95 grains — number of grains 
216. The greater difference in favor of the 
wheat just beginning to rust, in the second 
experiment, must be attributed to its being 
rather more matured when gathered, than the 
first. The straw of the unripe wheat, is, to 
all appearance, very superior to that of the 
ripe wheat, and the flouring properties of the 
grain are, no doubt, superior. 

Experiment on the Effect on the Product of Corn, 
of Pulling Fodder and Culling Tops. Con- 
ducted by Mr. George Clive. 
The average weight of several- parcels, the 
fodder not being pulled nor tops cut, was 1 1 § 
pounds; where fodder was pulled and tops not 
cut, 11J pounds; and when the fodder was 
pulled and tops cut, 11 pounds. If these se- 
veral parcels and weights are multiplied by G, 
the fractional parts will be got rid of, and the 
results of the experiment more readily com- 
pared. We will then have 120 ears, weighing 
70 pounds, when the corn was lei't untouched, 
120 ears, weighing 69 pounds, when the stalks 
were stripped of the fodder, but tops not cut, 
and 120 ears, weighing 66 pounds, when the 
fodder was pulled and tops cut. Now, assum- 
ing 70 pounds as the weight that all ought to 
have reached, there is a loss of one-seventieth 
by pulling fodder; and a loss of four-seventieths 
sustained, by both operations of pulling fodder 
and cutting tops. 



Experiment on Fattening Hogs in a Close Pen. 
Conducted by Dr. Frank Carr. 
On the 29th of April seven shoats, which, 
had been littered on the 20th of the preceding 
February, were put up in a close pen. They 
were, when put up, in tolerably good order. 
They were slaughtered on the 14th of Decem- 

j ber following, and weighed nett 1,150 pounds, 
giving an average of 164J pounds. They con- 
sumed, in bringing them to the knife, of mer- 
chantable material, 12 barrels and 1 bushel of 

i corn and 30 bushels of bran. The corn was 

; given to them sometimes in meal and some- 
times in the grain ; when in latter form, it was 
soaked to softness in a boiler, in which other 
materials for food, bran, meal, apples, pump- 
kins, cymlins, &c. were mixed and ferment- 
ing. The pumpkins were sometimes boiled — 
the cymlins always. Besides the articles of 
food already enumerated, the chaps about the 
house were made to pull for the hogs clover, 
grass and such weeds as hogs will eat. Two 
large white-oaks in the yard, which bore well, 
also furnished a good supply of acorns. These 
articles, together with peaches, with which 

■ the trees were burdened and broken, slops from 
the kitchen, spare milk, &c. constituted the 
food on which the hogs were fed. The labor 
required in attending them hardly deserves to 
be estimated. In order to give precision to 
the experiment and to ensure accuracy in the 
results, I gave them much of my personal at- 
tention, being rarely away from them more 
than two days at a time, and seldom that. — 
The children about the yard and an infirm old 
man, who had been many years off the tax 
list, gathered the fallen fruit, grass, &c. The, 
latter, under my supervision, attended to thev 
preparation of the food and feeding. About 
half a gallon of salt and three pounds of cop- 
peras were consumed in the process, and the 
pen was frequently supplied with charcoal. 

Price of pork at time of killing was five 
dollars — then we have 
1,150 lbs. pork at $5, - - - $57 50 

Per Contra. 
12 bbls. 1 bushel corn at $2, $24 40 
30 bushels bran at 10 cents, 3 00 
Salt and copperas, say 30 



Total expenses, 



$27 70 27 70 



Gross profit, 

Deduct value of 7 shoats when 
put up, at 50 cents, 

Nett profit, - 



$29 80 

3 50 

$26 30 



Experiment on Raising Tobacco Plants in Hot 
Beds. Conducted by Win. W. Minor, Esq. 
On the 21st of April, 1843, 1 made a hot bed 
containing about twenty-five square yards — 
sowed the next day with tobacco seed begin- 
ning to sprout. No glass was put on it, but 
had plank laid over it to retain the heat and 
moisture. The plants began to come up in 






THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



11 



three days from sowing, and when most of 
them were up the plank was removed. While 
covered with the plank the bed needed no 
watering. The bed was then watered twice 
a day, on an average, though it was neglected, 
as regards water. The plants were not thick 
enough in the bed, nor were they regular — 
there being many vacant spots in it, owing to 
the circumstance that I had to guess at the 
quantity of seed, they being in a sprouted 
state, and, therefore, more difficult to sow with 
regularity. There were a few plants in this 
bed. large enough for new-ground planting in 
one month after sowing. They did not, how- 
ever, grow as fast after three or four weeks as 
did the plants in beds prepared in the usual 
way, though they had decidedly better roots. 
I think, also, that the hot bed plants grew off 
and lived better than those drawn from beds 
prepared in the usual way. This bed yielded 
9,200 plants, counted as they were drawn, and 
would have yielded two thousand more had 
they not been literally burned up from neglect 
of watering for the space of a week. The 
cost of this bed I estimate as follows: the 
labor of two men, three women, a cart and 
steers, say one day, at three dollars. The 
manure, worth, perhaps, four dollars — a cart | 
load of mould from the woods, which was put i 
on the top; twice weeding, the watering, and | 
one and a half bushels of poudrette, value one I 
dollar, cover the entire cost. The bed was 
about fifteen inches in depth when sown, and 
it has sunk about one-fourth, and the manute I 
is now worth about three dollars. The nett , 
cost of this bed, then, is about five dollars — 
the yield 9,200 plants, and I think I hazard J 
nothing in saying that it would have yielded 
20,000 had they been distributed with tolerable i 
regularity. 

In connexion with this subject, I will re- 
mark that the action of poudrette on tobacco 
plants was very decided and beneficial, both 
on my hot bed and on other beds; on the hot 
bed, especially, I made an accurate experi- 
ment with it, and never saw a greater effect 
produced by plaster (which I have known to j 
be very great in some cases) than was pro- . 
duced by this poudrette on tobacco plants. 

The cost of plant beds prepared in the old 
way by burning, is estimated to be eight shil- i 
lings per one hundred square yards, or two | 
shillings per twenty-five square yards, without j 
estimating the wood consumed, or manure 
applied, or treading, covering, weeding, &c. 
If, now, it requires four cords of wood at fifty I 
cents per cord, to burn one hundred square | 
yards, this would cost two dollars ; then tread- 
ing, covering, weeding, &c. the same would 
cost one dollar or one dollar and fifty cents; 
then a load of suitable manure would cost 
fifty cents more, and all these items would 
make the cost about five dollars per one hun- 
dred square yards; and ten thousand plants 
being the usual estimated yield to the one 
hundred square yards of plant land, the cost 
of producing the ten thousand plants by the 



hot bed (as it resulted with me) and in the old 
mode, is about the same; though I have no 
doubt that plants may be raised at less cost 
in the hot bed, than by the old fashioned mode, 
after further experience with them shall have 
pointed out the improvements of which this 
plan is susceptible. 

William W. Minor. 
September 23, 1843. 



For the Southern Planter. 
WHEAT, SOIL, AND PREPARATION. 

Mr. Editor, — As the time of seeding wheat 
is over, and each farmer will be anxiously 
looking to the result of his crop, it might not 
be amiss to lay down a few rules for reflec- 
tion, as a careful review of the past will en- 
able us to improve in the future. It is hardly 
reasonable to expect a crop of wheat from all 
kinds of soils, and hence the many failures in 
the raising of crops. Soil, climate and mar- 
kets should always be kept in view, and if 
each farmer would raise such crops or pro- 
ducts as is best adapted to his soil, I have no 
doubt there would be more profit derived by 
the operation. From close observation for 
fifteen years I am satisfied that heavier crops 
of wheat can be raised from stiff clays than 
any other; and all light sandy soils are much 
more adapted to the growth of corn and roots. 
The best preparation for wheat, doubtless, is 
fallow, and that with as clean a surface as 
possible, unless it is some substance that will 
decay rapidly. I think I am safe in saying 
there can be more wheat made in single rows 
than any other way, and especially if the land 
is poor. 

I am aware that I am at variance in this 
opinion with many distinguished farmers — 
however, great men sometimes commit great 
errors, and there is knowledge to be gained, 
even in farming, from a fool. Solomon says 
so, at any rate. But to return. There is more 
surface in wheat in single rows than in a level 
surface. Suppose you draw a siraight line 
across an acre of land, you have seventy-two 
yards. Suppose you throw the land in five 
feet beds, elevated at the crown six inches, 
then measure each bed from alley to alley, 
and you would gain several rows — more than 
enough to make up for a clear water furrow 
in each row. The soil is also more condensed, 
being thrown together. And this is only a 
small portion of the advantages of single rows. 
There is at least one-third saved in ploughing 
the next time the land is to be cultivated, by 
lapping down in the alleys, and thereby deep- 
ening the soil, and the land ploughs much 
belter. Another great advantage derived from 
single rows is in the seeding o! wheat. There 
are no furrows to be marked off as guides, 
and I avouch that no man can seed wheat 
with half the ease on a flat surface, although 



12 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



it may have been previously raked. I speak 
from experience. I seed all my wheat, and 
when I have an alley to walk in, the labor is 
light; but when the surface is level I can 
scarcely hold out. The best way I have tried 
is to have a bucket slung, with a broad strap, 
round the neck, and one throw of the hand is 
much easier than two. 

Another important item in wheat raising is 
the ploughing. And here again I am at va- 
riance wiih many gentlemen of great note and 
practical experience, — experience, however, 
being my entire guide. Never having had an 
overseer, I may be entitled, at least, to some 
experience in the matter. I hold the opinion 
that land should be not only ploughed shallow, 
but exceedingly shallow, for several reasons: 
the surface soil has more tenacity than the 
subsoil, and is less liable to heave or dry to 
powder in high winds and freezes, and be 
blown away. Again, by deep ploughing the 
land is capable of receiving a greater quantity 
of water. Then by lowering the temperature 
of the land and encouraging acids which are 
poisonous to the roots of the wheat, there is 
too much moisture for wheat twenty times 
where there is too much drought once. — 
Clean fallow, shallow ploughing, with a quan- 
tity of surface drains to take off all super- 
abundant water, I hold to be the best way to 
insure a good crop of wheat. 

I have said, Mr. Editor, what I intended for 
the present in regard to wheat. If you think 
it will be of any service to your readers of 
the Planter you are at liberty to insert it. 
Hoping you and your Planter may exert an 
influence over the farming community of the 
Old Dominion that will not easily be forgotten, 
suffer me to subscribe myself one of your 
readers, 

C. C. S. 

Northumberland, Nov. 20, 1851. 



For the Southern Planter. 

TOBACCO PLANTS. 

Mr. Editor, — I will here state an experiment 
which I tried this year in raising tobacco 
plants, which you may publish if you think 
proper. On the 13th of May I threw on some 
brush on one end of a bed that I previously 
sowed, but the plants had been destroyed by 
the bugs. After burning slightly I raked it 
well, and then put on about forty pounds of 
guano to twenty-five square yards; oral least, 
I put it on a quarter of an inch thick. I then 
sowed the seed and covered them with fine 
stable manure a quarter of an inch, and .hen 
trampled it all over. Then 1 put on leached 
ashes enough to keep the manure from getting 
too dry; and they were up in eight days, and 
in fony-two days from the day I sowed the 
seed 1 planted eighteen hundred plants, nearly 
overgrown, and continued to draw twice and 



three times a week until I finished planting 
my crop. After sowing the guano, as above 
stated, I raked it and hoed it in well before I 
sowed the seed, and then put on the other I 
dressing. 

I remain yours, &c. 

James M. Campbell. 
Rock Hill, Louisa, Nov. 23, 1851. 



For the Southern Planter. 

COMPARATIVE EXPENSE OF THE 
HORSE AND MULE TO THE FARMER. 

Mr. Editor, — For the last four or five years 
I have devoted my time mostly to farming, 
and during that time have paid a good deal of 
attention to the feeding of my horses, and, 
therefore, have learned pretty well the expense 
of keeping that animal on the farm. I have 
long since come to the conclusion that the 
mule would be much cheaper as a working 
animal on the farm than the horse, and have, 
therefore, determined, as soon as I can dispose 
of my horses, without too much sacrifice in 
price, to procure a full team of them, and 
use them in all my farming operations. When 
I take into consideration the very great saving 
to the farmer by the use of the mule instead 
of the horse, it is a matter of great surprise 
to me that our improving and intelligent agri- 
culturists should have delayed a thing of such 
importance as this to this time. I can only 
account for it in this way: that until within a 
few years past, there has been no accessible^'- 
rnarket for our surplus corn, and, therefore, it' 
was not considered expensive to feed it away 
lavishly to horses; and thus having become 
accustomed to the horse and this wasteful 
mode of feeding him, our farmers have come 
to regard it as all right and proper. But we 
are now placed under very different circum- 
stances. Canals, plank roads and railroads 
now offer facilities to various markets for our 
surplus grain of all kinds, and to continue 
now the old, extravagant and wasteful habits 
of feeding it away to horses, when a ready 
maiket and remunerating prices are offered 
us, is, to say the least, very bad management — 
management decidedly behind the times. 

But a change in this respect has commenced. 
Some of our practical and sagacious farmers 
have commenced the work of reform; have 
dispensed with the horse and supplied them- 
selves with mules. Some of these have as- 
sured me that they were much pleased with 
the exchange; so much so, that they would 
advise their friends to give away their horses, 
if they could not sell, and purchase mules. 

I propose now, Mr. Editor, to give you a 
calculation in figures of the saving to the far- 
mer by the use of mules instead of horses, 
and, for that purpose, I will take a team of 
ten for a period of twenty years; will suppose 
the horses and mules to cost at their purchase 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



13 



!he same price,' and will estimate the differ- 
ence, saved in the feeding of the mule, of In- 
dian corn, at six barrels each per annum, or 
that the horse will consume twelve and the 
pjiule six barrels each per annum to keep them 
each in good working order. 

Upon that data I make this exhibit: 
10 horses will consume each 12 bbls. 
corn per annum, say for 20 years, 
which is equal to 2,400 bbls. worth 
on an average, $2 50 per barrel, $6,000 
Shoeing 10 horses will cost $30 per 
annum (®3 each, or more, which we 
have to pay,) say for 20 years, 600 



Cost of feeding on corn, and shoeing 
10 horses for 20 years, $6,600 

10 mules will consume each 6 bbls. 
corn per annum, say for 20 years, 
which is equal to 1,200 bbls. worth, 
on an average, $2 50 per barrel, no 
expense of shoeing, $3,000 



Amount saved in 20 years by mules, $3,600 



According to this estimate we have the sur- 
prising sum of $3,600 in twenty years, or about 
two hundred dollars per annum, gained or 
saved by having mules instead of horses; but 
large as this sum is, it can be fairly augmented 
to upwards of four thousand dollars, by taking 
into the calculation the greater longevity and 
exemption from diseases of the mule, which 
items are not set down in the above statement. 
At the end of the twenty years, how will the 
matter standi In all probability the horses 
will all, or nearly all, be dead, while the mules, 
xwe may reasonably suppose, unless very badly 
treated, will all, or nearly all, be living and be 
good for service for some five or ten years 
longer. 

I am, therefore, Mr. Editor, the warm advo- 
cate of the mule, and, as I before said, my de- 
termination is to give up the horse as speedily 
as practicable, and supply his place with the 
mule. Mules have been scarce and high for 
several years, and I have thought it a good 
plan to get some large mares and raise from 
a large jaek. They can be raised at a very 
trifling expense, and are ready for work at an 
early age. I have already commenced raising, 
and have two now for a beginning. 

If my estimate approximate to reality on 
this subject, and I feel great confidence it does, 
then it is a matter of grave importance to the 
whole agricultural community that they should 
bestow some attention to a matter which so 
largely concerns them. 

That the mule can do as much and as effi- 
cient work as the horse, I think there is no 
doubt, especially if the mule have size and 
weight, which should be the case. Three good 
mules will draw a three-horse plough, and do 
as good work as three horses, and in the heat 
of summer fallow, which is fatal to so many 
horses, you never hear of any injury to the 
mule. 



I have been for several years, Mr. Editor, 
an attentive reader of your very valuable jour- 
nal, and have derived much pleasure and profit 
from it, but I have never seen an article in 
your paper on this subject. I should like to 
see it discussed and examined. I would be 
pleased to have the views and opinions of 
others, who have more experience, and if my 
ideas upon the subject are wrong I would like 
to have them corrected. 

P. P. N. 

Greenville, Culpepcr, Va. Nov. 1851. 



For the Southern Planter. 
A REMEDY FOR COLIC IN HORSES. 

Mr. Rvffin,— l have intended for some time 
to request the re-publication of "A Remedy 
lor Colie in Horses" which appeared in the 
Southern Planter, Vol. III. page 47.' 

1 have used the medicine with entire success 
for seven years and in several of the severest 
cases I ever saw. I had lost two of the best 
horses I owned previous to this publication. 
But since I have practised this way I have 
never, so far, had a horse to remain sick thirty 
minutes after giving the drench. 

By the way, I would advise every man who 
has a sick horse to give this medicine, although 
he may be told by others that his horse has 
"the grubs," for the symptoms in both cases 
are alike. I said the symptoms in both cases 
are alike, but I must make a reserve, for I be- 
lieve in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred 
that are said to be grubs, the horses die by 
colic — and grubs being found in them the eases 
are then decided to be grubs. 

Here is the recipe: 

"Take two quarts of cold water in a hand 
basin, add with your fire shovel, say, a pint of 
hot wood ashes or embers, and stir. Cut off 
an inch and a half from a common handful of 
tobacco and shred in the mixture. Stir all up 
and let it stand fifteen minutes and settle. — 
Pour off a common black bottle full of the 
fluid, and drench your horse. In half an hour 
he will be well. 

" Rationale : The gas which bloats the horse 
is probably carbonic acid gas and light car- 
buretted hydrogen, the product of the vegetable 
decomposition which is going on in the intes- 
tines; at any rate, it is a gas which is imme- 
diately absorbed by its combination with an 
alkali. 

"The tobacco is a powerful anti-spasmodic 
and cathartic; it, therefore, prostrates the ner- 
vous sensibility, checks the inflammation and 
increases the action of the lower intestines. 
In a critical or extreme case it will be well to 
give an enema of a strong decoction of tobacco 
with a common syringe. Out of more than 
one hundred instances in which I have seen 
this remedy used, I have yet to witness the 
first failure. It also has an advantage over 



14 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



very many remedies, viz: it cannot injure a 
horse in perfect health. Feed light lor a day 
or two. 

"Causes of Colic. — The main cause consists 
in the presence of a greater amount of food 
than the intestines can elaborate into nourish- 
ment, or of a kind of food difficult of diges- 
tion, producing spasm, obstruction, vegetable 
decomposition and consequent inflammation. 
Hard driving on a full stomach will produce j 
colic, because the effort weakens the tone of 
the digestive powers and they cannot elaborate 
the food — which then produces irritation and i 
inflammation. Coldwalerwk.cn the horse is heated, 
because it is a powerful stimulus and will pro- 
duce spasm or obstruction, or by the re-action 
produce weakness of the digestive organs. — < 
It also gives too much fluidity to the food — | 
fluids are more difficult of digestion than solids. 
It also increases the fermentation. Hearty I 
feeding after hard driving, because the stomach 
and intestines sympathize with the general fa- 
tigue of the system and are easily overloaded, | 
and the appetite will induce the horse to eat 
more than he can digest. 

"Colic is first flatulent, then inflammatory. 
In the flatulent stage, or in what is called belly- 
ache, aromatic remedies, or half a gill of spi- 1 
rits of turpentine, or a pint of whiskey and | 
black pepper may be given. All these stimu- 
late the system and may assist it in overcom- 
ing the difficulty. But in the latter and in- 
flammatory stage, which rapidly succeeds the 
former, these same remedies would produce 
speedy death by increasing the inflammation. 
In nine cases out of ten this disease is not ob- 
served by the ordinary driver until it has as- 
sumed the inflammatory form — in which stage 
the remedy at the head of this article should 
be given with as little delay as possible; al- 
though it should not be omitted, even if the 
horse be supposed to be in the article of death 
itself, for I have seen them recover when every 
by-stander had dismissed all hope. 

T. N. Welles. 
"French Creek, Peoria Co. Nov. 25, 1842. : ' 

Here follows a postscript which, as it is 
lengthy and not altogether so important, I 
shall omit lest I should be excluded from your 
columns. 

Thus, sir, I have performed, as well as I 
was able, what I consider my duty to the com- 
munity at large, and I do wish I could make 
it have a lasting impression upon every owner 
of that useful animal, the horse. I believe if 
it were universally attended to but few, if any, 
horses would be lost by that commonly fatal 
disease. 

I am, sir, yours, most respectfully, 

James T. Jones. 

Spring Hills, Fluvanna, Dec. 4, 1851. 

We have tried a patt of the above remedy, 
viz: the lye, making it by boiling the ashes, 
when we had no lye ready made, and always 



with perfect success. For ten years we had 
ten work horses, and lost only one, which 
would be equal to a loss of one horse in one 
hundred for one year, or one per cent. ait . 
that horse we did not see at all until she was 
dead. Our rule is, if there be a horse taken 
sick, to have him brought straight to us, and 
if it be colic, as it will be in ninety-nine cases 
in a hundred, we drench with lye, repeating 
the dose if the first have not given relief, and 
giving from one to five table-spoonfuls of lau- 
danum, according to the violence of the attack. 
Its mode of action is stated above. To this 
cause, in part, we attribute the health of our 
teams, which is somewhat remarkable on a 
farm where the work is as hard as it is on a 
farm in the South- West Mountains. But it 
is also due in very considerable degree to an- 
other fact. We make it a rule to keep too many 
horses. And there is great economy in it both 
as regards saving feed and the wear and tear 
of the teams. 

Sometimes we have drenched with lye so 
strong as to salivate the horse as badly as 
clover is said to do, making his mouth so raw 
that he would not eat. For the first twelve 
hours we disregard this. After that, if it has 
not ceased, we give a moderate drench of 
alum in strong solution, careless if it be swal- 
lowed; and this operates a speedy cure.-i 
(&uere. Would it cure salivation resulting 
from summer grazing!) 



ONIONS AND PEAS. 

Our friend in Augusta, who asked us some- 
time last fall to publish a good article on 
Onion Culture, may see a good one here. 
We commend it to his attention because we 
know the author, and he writes "according 
to knowledge." 

For the Southern Planter. 

Mr. Editor,— When you were at my house, 
a short time since, I think I promised to give 
you, for your paper, some account of my mode 
of raising certain garden vegetables. If the 
following is, in your opinion, worthy the no- 
tice of your readers they are heartily welcome 
to it. To begin I will first notice 

THE ONION. 

This we have found always most easily 
raised of good size, and an abundant yield to 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



15 



the land. We raise what I take to be the 
Dutch or Flanders onion. We pursue this 
plan to obtain the seed. Set out the seed 
onions early in March, and cultivate only 

though to keep the weeds and grass under 
\,fltil the buttons are pretty well developed. 
Then permit the weeds and grass to grow at 
their will, so as to protect the bulb from the 
cold of winter. In the spring weed them well, 
and top-dress with hen-house manure, and 
cultivate as above. In this way, it will hardly 
ever be necessary to set out seed onions again. 
At least we have gathered buttons this season, 
large and fine, from onions set out seven years 
ago. Here it may be as well to say how we I 
prepare our hen-house manure. The house J 
is well littered, say six inches deep, once in 
two weeks during the winter, with straw. — 
Then a liberal sprinkle of marl is applied, 
and frequently ashes. In two weeks it will 
be found to be well trampled and befouled, when 
it is scraped up, thus mixing the ingredients 
which are then deposited in the garden in a 
heap ready for use in the spring. Pure hen 
dung should be applied cautiously, like guano; 
it is domestic guano. 

The onion being a gross feeder, you should, 
when growing the bulb, manure the land well 
with good stable manure, spaded in well, and 
chopped in fiDe, using no rake on stiff land, 
such as ours is. Lay ofF the rows fourteen 
inches apart, and plant the buttons five inches 
from each other in the row. Let the rows be 
very shallow and cover them very lightly. — 
Deep covering is very injurious. Work tho- 
roughly the first time, and top-dress around 
each button, but not too near, with the hen 

l^nanure. Then cultivate as may be necessary, 
to keep the weeds and grass under, and also 
to keep the ground well stirred. But let the 
cultivation be as superficial as possible. We 
plant the last of February or first of March, 
though the best and finest onions we ever 
raised were planted the last of September. 
We have tried this experiment but once. We 
raise the White, or Silver onion, pretty much 
in the same way for pickles. 
I will now notice 

THE GARDEN PEA. 

In the first place, select a good bearer. We 
have a hybrid, which in several years, I have, 
I thiok, nearly perfected, by planting an early 
and late kind in alternate rows, thus producing 
a pea of medium maturity, which grows tall, 
and bears at bottom while it blooms and ma- 
tares at top. It may be called a succession pea. 
I will here remark when once you have a 
good pea, plant no other, but plant the good 
pea at different times, and thus procure suc- 
cessive crops of it without the risk of admix- 
ture. (I regret I did not give you some of my 
peas when you were down.) [Ditto, Tebbs. — 
Editor] 

Remember, what I am going to say further 
is for clay land with tenacious clay bottom. 



You know the soil. [Yes, very well; and te- 
nacious and stiff enough it is, for a lower 
country soil, and suffering from wet too. — Ed.] 

We manure our square some time beiore 
Christmas with coarse, strong, stable manure. 
The coarser the better for me, because it acts 
mechanically to open my stiff soil. Spade 
this manure in the full depth of Ames' spade, 
(the only spade worth a cent) — let it remain 
till the first good spell in January, which gen- 
nerally occurs between the first and middle of 
the month. Then dress well and plentifully 
broadcast with the hen-house manure. Chop 
it in well with a hilling hoe; (no other sort of 
hoe ought to be used in a garden of stiff soil 
at any time) — sprinkle well with unleached 
ashes, and chop it in lightly with the hoe 
again — use no rake on this kind of soil. Lay the 
rows off four feet apart; stretch a line, and 
mark with the hoe helve each side of the line 
as close as possible. Plant the peas almost 
touching, and cover lightly with the hand, 
being careful to remove all clods, &c. This 
havirjg been properly done, lay pieces of tim- 
ber, four by three inches, (we use common 
fence rails,) as close to the peas as possible — 
fill the space between the rails level, at least, 
with well rotted stable manure, and cover with 
the pea-sticks, to prevent the depredations of 
fowls. When they are well out of the ground, 
stick them. My peas require sticks fully six 
feet high. 

Let the rails remain during the season, as 
they retain the moisture, and if drought should 
ensue wet the manure between the rails tho- 
roughly once or twice a week, and you will 
have strong, green, vigorous vines, while your 
neighbors', planted in the usual way, will be 
parched up. 

Planted in this way, peas will not come up 
so quickly, but they will come, and more than 
all, will grow apace. One advantage of plant- 
ing in this way is that you need never work 
them from the time they are planted till they 
are gathered, except to keep under the weeds 
and grass between the rows. Sometimes you 
may have to pull up a few weeds that spring 
up amidst the vines. 

After you are done gathering your peas, 
plant the square in turnips, which will pay 
most amply for the extra manuring. [We al- 
ways plant cabbages. — Ed.] You will thus 
have two crops in the year from the same 
land. 

Most truly, your well-wisher, 

Virginius. 



"Does anybody want some first rate fresh 
eggs for three cents a dozen 1" inquired a wag 
one morning. There was at once a general 
re^pon^e of "I do,," "And I too," "I'll take a 
lot," &c. from a dozen eager voices. "Well," 
said the wag, "I'm going to market to pur- 
chase some eggs, and if I find any for sale at 
that price, I will call and let you know." 



16 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 




THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 

RICHMOND, JANUARY, 1852. 

TERMS. 

One Dollar and Twenty-five Cents per 
annum, which may be discharged by the pay- 
ment of One Dollar only, if paid in office or 
sent free of postage within six months from 
the date of subscription. Six copies for Five 
Dollars; thirteen copies for Ten Dollars, 
to be paid invariably in advance. 

§Qr Subscriptions may begin with any num : 
ber. 

!3rNo paper will be discontinued, until all 
arrearages are paid, except at the option of 
the Publisher. 

gj" Office on Twelfth, between Main and 
Cary Streets. 



|3* Communications for the Southern Plan- 
ter, upon other than business matters, may be ad- 
dressed to the Editor, Frank: G. Rdffin, Esq. 
at Skadwell, Albemarle Co., Va., which will in- 
sure their being more speedily attended to. 

Business letters will be directed as here- 
tofore to "The Southern Planter," Richmond, 
Va. 

iQr Postage prepaid in all cases. 



TIMELY WARNING. 

All subscribers who do not order a discon- 
tinuance before the commencement of the new 
year or volume, will be considered as desiring 
a continuance of their papers, and charged 
accordingly. 



POSTAGE ON THE PLANTER. 

The following are the rates of postage on 
the Planter, per quarter, for the distances an- 
nexed — to be paid quarterly in advance: 

Not over 50 miles, 1| cents. 

Over 50 and not over 300 miles, 2£ cents. 

Over 300 and not over 1000 miles, 3J cents. 

Over 1000 and not over 2000 miles, 5 cents. 

Over 2000 and not over 40( 

Over 4000 miles, 7j cents, 



A NEW YEAR'S SALUTATION— AND 
SOMETHING MORE. 

It is customary at the beginning of the year 
for Editors of papers to salute their reader* 
and offer their congratulations. 

We think the time not unfit for some other 
things which we shall briefly notice. For our- 
selves, we have not much to say, being unable, 
or rather unauthorized, as far as we now see, 
to promise any great improvement in the 
Southern Planter. 

Though we have added about a thousand 
names to the subscription list, thereby increas- 
ing its circulation about thirty per cent, its 
means are yet too small to justify an attempt 
at the improvement that we, or any other man 
just as well as we, could easily make. But its 
limits must, for a while longer, remain too 
narrow for that increase of reading matter, 
and that sort of intellectual food which we 
could wish to provide for the farmers of Vir- 
ginia, and which they require. So, for the 
present, we are restricted to the purely practi- 
cal, but still useful routine, that has heretofore 
marked the progress of our "little book." As 
we have said before, to obtain subscribers is 
as much labor as we can undertake; and it is 
our first duty. That close view of self-interest 
which marks the Northern farmer and the, 
Yankee, and is sufficient to induce thirty thou- 
sand of them in New York alone, without the 
intervention of a paid agent, to subscribe to 
one of the several farm journals of that great 
State, has not yet animated our people. But 
it will animate them, sooner or later, and then 
we or some other editor, can work with brighter 
hopes and better fortune. "We believe in" 
the intelligence and energy of Virginia far- 
mers. They have done well; they will do 
still better; they will regain for Old Virginia 
the stand she has lost, not in character, thank 
Heaven, but in physical superiority. 

But, before they can produce such consum- 
mation, there is much to be done /br them and 
by them. They are to be taught not only to 
increase their already considerable knowledge 
in the processes of their profession, but to take 
an enlarged view of its duties, to meditate its 
bearings, to contemplate its importance and 
its dignity, to know its wants, to understand 
the weakness of isolation and the strength of 
concert, and to learn upon what they should 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



17 



combine — in one word, to ascertain what is to 
be done for their country, as well as them- 
selves, and to do it with patriotism and public 

* spirit. 

There are several such things that now 
loudly call upon us, and demand discussion. 
"What more vital subject, for instance, than 
State internal improvements? Virginia has | 
gone backwards in the track of commerce 
until she ranks behind a State she gave away. 
New York enterprise " has turned the com- 
merce of the St. Lawrence down the Hudson, 
and placed the mouth of the Mississippi as 
much at Sandy Hook as it is at the Balize:" 
whilst our equal advantages are unimproved, 
our resources as yet but partially developed, 
our mineral treasures dormant in the earth, 
our richest lands butlittlebetterthan adesert — 
all because our means are wasted, our im- 
provements conflicting and unproductive, and, 
in some cases, leading out of the State. How 
few of us understand these things: how few 
see the reports in which such things are set 
forth: and how many, when they do see them 
in the columns of a newspaper, pass them by 

to read the election news! But two 

monihs ago, majorities in two counties of 
wealth and respectabilily, one Whig and one 
Democratic county, both containing lands of 

"}*■ great fertility, now unproductive for want of 
a market, threatened armed resistance against 
a slight railroad impost, and vowed to destroy 
the work! Scarce a man among us cried 
shame on their folly! 

Great improvements are projected. It is 
demonstrated that they will benefit the whole 
State, every part of it, that they will bring 
commerce and enrichment from beyond our 
bounds, that their revenue will relieve us of 
taxes, and give the means for further improve- 
ment, and people our wastes. What next? 
Companies are chartered— the whole conduct \ 
of the matter is entrusted to them, the people 
shut their eyes, even stockholders become 
languid and vote by proxy — until we wake up 
to find that thousands and millions have been 
squandered upon the schemes of visionary 
presidents, and the theories of scientific engi- 
neers! What next? We shut our eyes again, 
and "let the Legislature work it out for us!" 

We hold con ventions to produce direct trade. 
We make speeches and reports, we "resolve, 



and re-resolve, then die the same." Why"? 
Because it takes produce to m;\ke trade, a 
back country to build up a commercial city. 
And we, the farmers of Virginia, more em- 
phatically than at the North, the bone and 
sinew of the State, because we own so large 
a portion of its labor, we do not consider that 
fact, and rest satisfied that we have spent, or 
misspent, our money. 

"It is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are 
underlings." 

It is our fault that New York City has out- 
stripped our cities; and it is our duty to see 
how it has been done, and to take counsel 
how it shall be undone. What place, did the 
liberality of farmers justify it, more appro- 
priate to discuss and mature plans for this 
purpose, than a paper devoted to their con- 
cerns; which not only seeks to improve their 
lands, but also to enlarge their sphere of ac- 
tion, and into which politics cannot enter to 
distract attention or to excite prejudice. — 
Closely connected with commerce, as showing 
the locality, extent and value of our mineral 
and other treasures, and the practicability of 
getting them to market, or rendering them 
available, and still more intimately related to 
agriculture, are the questions of geological 
and topographical, (i. e. minute geographical,) 
surveys. An accurate geological knowledge 
is the basis of an enlarged, or national, system 
of agriculture, because indispensable to a cor- 
rect classification of soils. Information of 
the geological structure of particular districts 
would often enable plain farmers to detect the 
quackery of "consulting agricultural che- 
mists," and to supply the necessary ingre- 
dients of their soils, or, that being, from any 
cause, impossible, to adapt the crop to the soil. 
The same sort of information, as to the State 
at large, is a great, if not necessary, aid to the 
scientific man in analyzing soils. Yet we 
have put the cart before the horse, and ap- 
pointed a State Agricultural Chemist before 
we order a geological survey. True, we com- 
menced one some years ago, which was pro- 
nounced complete and masterly as far as it 
went. Maps of particular districts, and other 
materials of great value were laboriously pre- 
pared by Professor Rogers which now slumber 
on his shelves, the members of the Legisla- 



< 



18 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



ture, possibly from ignorance of its impor- 
tance having become indifferent to the under- 
taking, or fearing to prosecute it lest their con- 
stituents should be offended— constituents who 
quietly blood by and saw many hundred times 
more dollars than would have finished the work, 
heedlessly wasted upon conflicting schemes of 
internal improvement— constituents, who, if 
their representatives had properly explained 
this thing, would have insisted on its comple- 
tion at double cost, and who, apart from all 
idea of direct utility, would have gloried in 
presenting it to the world as alike the evidence 
of their science and the schedule of their pos- ' 
sessions. Truly our Legislature, though it is 
not its own fault, altogether, has hardly earned 
the title of its old Saxon prototype— wiliena- 
ge mote, or the meeting of wise men. 

Again. Take the laws of Virginia. What 
protection have farmers under her statutes'? ; 
Thousands of worthless dogs keep out hun- 
dreds of thousands of valuable sheep, by long 
odds the best stock for a slaveholding farmer. 
But the Legislature will not remedy the evil. 
Talk to the members, and they tell you that 
"policy," which means the success of them- 
selves, or of their party, policy forbids. Yet, 
Ohio, the very hot bed of demagogues, can 
tax her dogs, and defy her vagrants. Why'? 
Because her wool-growers export eight mil- 
lions of pounds of wool, and can command 
respect to their petitions. 

With materials, in great part, of the most 
perishable nature, we are taxed to surround 
our lands with an enclosure five feet high, 
when four-fifths of that height, and one-half 
the materials would answer quite as well, and 
save an immense item in the aggregate expen- 
diture. A breach, whether by accident or se- 
cret trespass, is made in the fence. The far- 
mer, who has already given up ten per cent. I 
of his labor to the fence must submit to the 
loss of as much more of it as may be caused 
by the entrance of stock through the breach. 
With him "eternal vigilance is the price of" 
his harvest. Try to change this thing. It 
•will be found that the policy of our system, 
which, in all other cases, requires every man 
to take care of his own, and so to use it as to j 
hurt no other man's, is reversed in favor of j 
" the poor man's cow !" 

We want an Agricultural Society liberally 



endowed. The State is ready to give us aid. 
But we cannot agree upon the mode in which 
it shall be given— cannot arrange the details. 
We have never thought of the matter— never 
discussed it with one another— never digested 
it, and do not know what we want. No won- 
der. We have no paper which serves as a 
medium for discussion— no common newspa- 
per ground to meet upon. 

These examples prove our defects. We do 
not make our remarks upon them in censorious 
or repining spirit, but rather, hopefully. We 
make them because they are true: every man 
\ who reads them knows them to be true, feels 
them to be true; and if true, they ought to be 
spoken of by somebody with a view to re- 
form. Such defects, we know cannot remain. 
I Amendment will come in time— is coming 
now— only rather too much at its leisure: and 
we would with all our power, and ten times 
more, if we had it, urge our people to acce- 
lerated speed in the great race of advance- 
ment, that so the men of this day might share 
the merit of the achievement. Virginia is a 
great State; she will be a greater, but we want 
her to be the greatest. Our object should be 
not to keep in sight of, or along side of other 
States, but to outsiride them all in energy and 
enterprise, as we once did in power and renown. 
And when we look back to that "once," it 
should be only to gather strength from its glo- 
I ries, not to stop and boast of its greatness, re- 
! membering always that 



"To have done is to hang 
Quite out of fashion, like a rusty mail 
In monumental mockery." 

This new year is the commencement of a 
new era. A more popular impulse has been 
infused into our government, and will increase 
its activity. Uncontrolled it may do mischief: 
and it behooves us to guide since we cannot 
stop it. On our action now depends whether 
Virginia shall rapidly ascend to the meridian, 
thence to diffuse a steady radiance that shall 
pale the brightness of other orbs in our con- 
stellation, or shall continue for a yet longer 
season divided in her projects and sluggish 
in her progress, losing, perhaps forever, her 
chance for pre-eminence, and forced to take 
position among "the lesser lights." 

We commend these reflections to our read- 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



19 



ers. For the rest we wish them all a happy- 
new year. We wish them that sort of happi- 
ness which follows the successful issue of 
T* "well directed efforts and high aims and noble 
motives — that sort of happiness which will 
only come when men "act well their parts." 
We wish them improving lands, bursting gra- 
naries, fat herds, and healthy families. So far 
as this world is concerned, we can wish them 
nothing more. 



GUANO ON TOBACCO PLANT BEDS. 

We have successfully tried guano as a ma- 
nure for plant beds. Last winter we applied 
it to one, chopping it in lightly at the rate of 
eighteen hundred pounds per acre. The effect 
was excellent— as good as we could have ex- 
pected in any other way. It was used on an- 
other bed in solution late in the season, after 
the plants had come up well, and began to 
suffer for want of manure. The solution was 
made by mixing the guano in a hogshead of 
water at the rate of a pound to five gallons. 
It was permitted to stand one day— two would 
have been better— and sprinkled over the plants 
by hand from a bucket. The watering pot 
was tried, but the nose became choked by the 
^4 sediment of the guano. It was applied from 
time to time as the plants seemed to require 
it, until the full quantity had been put on. 
The bed contained about three hundred square 
yards, had no other manure, and had been but 
half burned on purpose to test the guano.— 
The result was most satisfactory, the plants 
corning in early, and continuing to grow finely: 
and from that bed we planted very nearly our 
whole crop, sixty thousand hills. If we had 
had a favorable season we could easily have 
planted the whole of it from the bed. 

The other bed manured with the dry guano 
did just as well; but being more distant, we 
never had occasion to use it, and gave it away. 

The quantity may seem enormous, and we 
would not venture to slate our experiment if 
unconfirmed by others; but we know that Mr. 
William W. Minor of Gale Hill, Albemarle, 
from whom we got the hint, and Mr. Neil B. 
Gay of Fluvanna, from whom he got it, have 
both used the same quantity and with like 
success. Indeed one of Mr. Gay's guanoed 
beds was not burned at all, as we have under- 



stood, and yet he had better plants from that 
bed, than from a precisely similar one, by its 
side, in fact, which had been both burned and 
manured. The trouble of weeding was greater 
in the guanoed bed, but he estimated that as 
less than the labor of burning. 

On the other hand, it is fair to state, that 
Mr. John R. Edmunds of Halifax, told us last 
summer of a case, perhaps his own, in which 
the guano, thus applied had failed entirely. 
Whether this was owing to the inferior quality 
of the guano, or to the fact that it was applied 
to the bed before the ashes were leached, (we 
did not think to inquire about that at the time,) 
or whether it is that guano will not act on 
some plant soils, we cannot say. We strongly 
incline to think it was owing to the first or 
second of these causes, or to both combined. 

We would, by all means, advise those who 
choose to try it, not to make the application 
until the ashes are thoroughly leached by rain or 
snow, as the guano will lose its virtue if they 
do. Unleached ashes are as destructive to 
ammonia as quicklime. They have just the 
same properties in regard to it. 



OSAGE ORANGE. 



In our last number we promised to give full 
directions for propagating and forming hedges 
of the Osage orange. As our own experience 
with it has been limited, and we had togropeour 
wayin making the badly grown and somewhat 
straggling hedge which now surrounds about 
two-thirds of our garden, we will take leave to 
draw on the more ample experience and more 
enlightened practice of Mr. Bateham of the 
Ohio Cultivator, who has grown it success- 
fully in Columbus, where he has it now, in 
five years from the seed, four from its being 
planted, a beautiful and perfect hedge, forming 
a complete protection against every sort of 
trespasser, a part having been "submerged in 
water several weeks" during summer "with- 
out injury" and also much of the time during 
winter. 

The Seed can be procured from any of the 
seedsmen in our cities at about one dollar a 
quart. Old seed, if sound, are said to be al- 
most, if not quite, as good as new. If the 
kernel is white and sweet the seed is good, but 
if yellow or brown, or of a rancid taste, it is bad. 



20 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



Preparation.— The seed must be sowed about 
the time of planting corn, and will not come 
up until the corn does. About a week or ten 
days before that time, pour on the seed hot, 
but not boiling, water, and let them soak in a 
warm room, by the kitchen fire, for instance, 
changing the water two or three times. But 
if you find the seed beginning to sprout, sow 
them immediately. 

The Soil for the seed bed must be of a mel- 
low, light, kind— sandy loam is best. In a 
clay soil, such as will bake after a rain, they 
will be almost sure to fail. If the soil is not 
light and sandy, procure a cart load or two of 
such, and cover the seed with it after sowing 
in drills. This is all-important. 

Sowing— A. piece of ground ten yards square 
is large enough for a quart of seed— and, if it j 
succeeds well, will give 3000 to 4000 plants. 
Work the ground up fine, as if to sow beets 
or onions. Drill with a line and hoe fifteen to 
eighteen inches apart, one and a half inches 
deep. Drop the seed half an inch to an inch 
apart and cover up an inch deep with well 
pulverized earth or the transported light and 
sandy soil. If dry weather succeeds, water 
the rows at evening every second or third day, 
till the plants appear, which will be in a week 
or two. Keep them clear of weeds until they 
are one year old. 

Planting.— (Don't attempt to sow the seed 
where you want the hedge. It will not an- 
swer.) When the plants are a year old you 
may plant them. If the subsoil is poor and 
hard, throw it out with spade or plough too 
feet deep and three feet wide, and fill up the 
surface with earth of good quality mixed with 
a little rotted manure. But if the ground is 
such as would produce a good crop of corn 
without manure, nothing is necessary but to 
mellow it to the depth of ten or twelve inches. 
Make the surface fine and smooth. Stretch a 
line exactly where the plants are to stand, 
and with a spade, cut a trench ten inches deep, 
or less, according to the length of the roots, 
leaving a perpendicular side of the trench un- 
der the line, against which the plants are to 
stand in an upright position, one person hold- 
in" them in line while another shovels fine 
earth upon them. Before setting the plants 
cut off all the tops except an inch above the 
ground mark, and shorten the roots to nine or 



ten inches long. The earth should be just 
level with the tops, which allows for settling 
without exposing the roots. 

The distance of planting in the rows is com- 
monly six or seven inches apart in a single 
line. But where a very close hedge, as for a 
garden, is desired, it is better to set the plants 
in two rows, one foot apart, and the plants in 
each row one foot distant in quincunx order, 
thus: 

******** 



But the first plan is considered quite as good 
for ordinary farm fences. 

Keep the plants clear of weeds during the 
first summer, and in the fall apply a dressing 
of half rotted chip manure from the wood pile 
three inches deep along the line of plants to 
keep them from heaving by frost, and to keep 
the ground free from weeds. 

Trimming must commence one year after 
planting. If the plants have done well, they 
will have from three to four shoots each, three 
or four feet high. Take a sharp pruning knife 
and a stout pair of gloves, and cut off every 
shoot to within six inches of the ground. This 
will cause the plants to throw out lateral 
branches, and form a thick mass of thorny 
shoots close to the ground. If this is not done 
the first year the bottom of the hedge will never 
after become sufficiently close to keep out 
small animals. No further care will then be 
required until the next spring. Then comes 
The Second Trimming- -If the soil is good 
the shoots will be found, this time, to be six 
or eight feet high. You will hate to cut them 
down, but you must do it; the main shoots to 
within eighteen inches of the ground, and the 
side shoots to within six inches of the main 
| stem-otherwise you will not have a perfect 
hedge. 

The Third Trimming must be done the third 
year in the spring, cutting down the upright 
shoots to within three or four feet of the ground, 
according to the strength and closeness of the 
growth; also clipping the side branches within 
narrow limits. The work of trimming may 
now be done better with a bill hook, which 
any good blacksmith can make. The blade 
is fourteen inches long and about three inches 
wide. The back is round towards the point 
and one-sixth of an inch thick, so as to give 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



21 



it weight for cutting, like a hatchet — the edge 
thin and sharp, and curved at the point — the 

. handle seven inches long. . 

Another implement is also quite useful, and 
every man who has a hedge ought to have 
one, especially to use after the third or fourth 
year. Its handle is three feet long, and slightly 
bent, so that it will balance well in the hand — 
the blade two feet long and slightly hooked, 
and made as long as comports with strength. 
Of course it should be of the best steel, and 
kept perfectly sharp. It is to be used with 
both hands, cutting upward at the sides, and 
horizontally at the top, of the hedge. 

A common scythe blade, or brier blade, kept 
sharp and in dexterous hands, is also a very 
good implement; and after a little practice 
with this, or any of the other implements, any 
man will become a very expert hedger. 

The fourth year after the hedge is planted 
it may be allowed a height of four or five feet 
and will then be fit for a fence. The sides 
and tops must be trimmed each spring, or too 
much room will be taken up. But after it gets 
seven or eight years old, the growth will be- 
come slower, and less trimming will be re- 
quired. It draws or exhausts the soil about 
six feet on each side. Allow for that. 

< This is the substance of what Mr. Bateham 
says about the Osage orange hedge, and we 
ask a careful consideration of it. We must 
confess that we have had no great luck with 
the plant ourselves, though we live in hopes 
of a hedge from it. But we pursued no such 
course as that here so plainly marked off for 
all who choose to experiment in live fences. 
If we had, chickens would not now be scratch- 
ing the manure fiom our strawberry and aspa- 
ragus beds, and prowlers stealing our choicest 
cabbage heads. We believe in the entire 
practicability of such a hedge. There are 
many in various parts of the Union; and 
thousands of plants are annually sold to those 
who farm the treeless prairies of the West. 
Near Philadelphia, too, we are told, by a gen- 
tleman who has seen them, of beautiful hedges 
twelve and fifteen years old, which, so far, 
answer every purpose that can be desired. — 
Our friend, Gen. William H. Richardson, too, 
near Richmond, has a fine thriving young 
hedge which he considers established, and 
which will, much more effectually than any 



thing he has ever tried, resist the depredations 
of the boatmen and others, who burn all the 
fences and steal all the fruit and vegetables 
they can lay hands on. 

Undoubtedly it takes labor and some trou- 
ble to get the hedge started, and lazy men, 
who do things half way had better not attempt 
it, but we presume that with all, except, per- 
haps, those who have locust and chestnut for 
posts and rails.it will be much the cheapest 
fence, both as to first cost and durability. — 
According to a statement in the Ohio Culti- 
vator of the cost of fencing in that country, 
the construction and timber of the most dura- 
ble fence, (locust posts and pine plank,) cost 
from seventy-five to eighty cents for the panel 
of sixteen feet; whereas, at the rate of five 
dollars per thousand for the plants of the Osage 
orange, and that is thought a high price, the 
whole cost was estimated by Mr. Bateham at 
twenty-five cents for the same length, the 
plants being two years old and their success 
established. This would make a saving of 
sixty-six per cent, in the item of fencing there, 
and it certainly would be much greater in 
many parts of Virginia, where the fences are 
made of the most perishable materials. 

Besides, there is a beauty in it which our 
common dead fences never can pretend to; 
indeed, we have heard it as a proverb that 
such an one was "as ugly as three panels of 
fence." Its rich dark green leaves, which slock 
never eat, and its close compact growth will 
add much to the beauty ol a farm, whilst its 
peculiarly sharp spines will guard from every 
trespass whatever they enclose. 

One other virtue it possesses— it grows per- 
fectly well from the slip. We have seen it 
thus growing, so that one need not anticipate 
an annual bill for seed until the trees bear. 
We will speak more of this matter, however, 
in the next number. For the present we have 
said enough. 



ERRATUM. 



In our last, in reply to Mr. Turner's query, 
we inadvertently used the word "gallon" where 
we should have said "bushel." A bushel of 
cloverseed (or one gallon per acre) is the usual 
allowance for eight acres of land. 






22 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



ESSAYS BY THE HOLE AND CORNER 
CLUB. 

Some short time since at a meeting, of the 
Hole and Corner Club, No. 1, of Albemarle, 
the President divided the Club in seven com- 
mittees, each one of which was to contribute 
to the Southern Planter an essay upon some 
subject of practical agriculture. 

Two of them have been handed in and are 
published in this number of our paper. The 
one by Messrs. F. and F. E. G. Carr, giving a I 
synopsis of some interesting experiments made 
by the Club at various times, will be found 
very interesting. The other, by Messrs. Garth 
and Noland. being the first of a series on the 
Cultivation of Tobacco, will command gen- [ 
eral attention. Mr. Garth is one of the best j 
farmers in the Slate, and his skill in tobacco 
is somewhat remarkable. 

By-the-by, a friend in the lower country told 
us that some one had complained to him of 
our having too much about tobacco in the 
Planter. We were somewhat surprised at 
this, as we have up to this time had only two 
essays on the subject, Mr. Gilmer's, and this of 
Messrs. Garth and Noland; and boih so much 
above the average of general communications 
in interest and ability that we could not well 
have avoided publishing them, even if they 
had been supernumeraries, which they are not. 
We shall always be happy to publish as 
good essays on other subjects, ami hope we 
shall have an opportunity of proving it in the 
case of our objector. 



A GOOD GARDENING BOOK. 

We frequently hear ladies asking for a good 
gardening book. We have tried and can re- 
commend to them Buist's Family Kitchen 
Gardener, as the best, all things considered, 
that we are acquainted with. As several, of 
the labors of the garden will commence the 
first open weather, we advise all who feel the 
want of such a book to procure it without de- 
lay. It may be had of Mr. J. W. Randolph 
and other booksellers in Richmond, and can 
be easily procured by other booksellers in the 
State. 



When an implement is no longer wanted for 
the season, clean it and lay it carefully aside. 



For the Southern Planter. 

ON THE MANAGEMENT AND APPLI- 
CATION OF MANURES. i 

Mr. Editor,— lu the last number of your 
most valuable Virginia paper, under this head 
and over the signature of " H. P. S." is an essay 
on a subject of vital interest to this inland part 
of country, relying as it is compelled to do 
mostly upon putrescent manures for renovating 
its worn-out soils. This piece, though well 
written, is not of that clearness and precision 
which characterized Mr. Shepperd's, else, per- 
haps, our mind would not be at so great a loss 
to comprehend it. It may be the subject itself 
is so dubious as not to admit of being "clearly 
demonstrated." 

If I understand Mr. H. P. S. the two different 
practices of using manure are, first, that of 
heaping the litter to promote decomposition; 
and second, that of carrying it out in a more 
unrotted state. To mix up with these prac- 
tices the different opinions upon which they 
are founded, is to discuss the different, and 
sometimes, mistaken views of farmers; which 
identical views, in different persons, lead to 
different practice, and which different views 
lead to the same identical practice in different 
persons. For instance, two farmers enleitain 
identically the same views as to the evapora- 
tion of manure; and one ploughs his cow- 
I pens; for, says he, in escaping it will thereby, 
1 necessarily, leave the larger and more ferli- 
| lizing portion of its gases impregnated wi'h 
: the soil. The oiher leaves his cow-pens u 
i ploughed; for, says he, the practice of covt./ 
! ing manure with the soil to prevent evapora- 
j tion and the loss of what is conceived to be 
fertilizing gases is the most effectual way to 
! favor their escape. , 

Again; practical men have found it expe- 
dient to adopt different modes lo obiain the 
i same result under different circumstances.— 
1 Let me again illustrate. Two of my neigh- 
bors, successful and practical farmers, Messrs. 
| Thornton and Hamlet, knowing thai farm-pen 
litter must necessarily decompose before it can 
act as a fertilizer, pursue quite opposite courses 
in attaining that end. Mr. Thornton takes his 
long manure from the pen as trodden all win- 
ter, spreads and ploughs it in on branch flats 
for' tobacco, and the moisture of his flats, the 
temperature of spring, and the access of at- 
mospheric air, combine as three indispensable 
conditions of fermentation, producing decom- 
position at the most favorable lime for the 
crop. Mr. Hamlet finds it most expedient to 
heap his manure to facilitate decomposition 
before he spreads it upon his red, thirsty, high 
and dry lots; for a dry season will leave him 
without one of the three requisites for fermen- 
tation, set. moisture arresting decomposition 
at the'most fatal time for his crop.(« ) 

Now, it seems to me to be the more legiti- 
mate province of correspondenis of agricul- 
tural papers to reconcile these discrepancies 






THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



23 



with science and with each other. Not by 
introducing exploded schemes of wonld-bave- 
been scientifics; or the dogmas of bigoted 
theorists; but by comparing 'well authenti- 
P cated facts with fundamental long established 
science. 

Will Mr. H. P. S. who is a scientific man, 
or yourself, or some of your numerous and 
clear-headed correspondents tell us, in plain 
words, if we must plough our summer cow- 
pens, or leave them to the summer's sun and 
winter's rain till next spring for a crop of to- 
bacco %b). We think they ought to be ploughed 
before trodden, so as to more effectually im- 
bibe the urine as well as the excrement; and 
reploughed when the cows are taken off. 

Another question seems to be involved in 
this: Is manure a fertilizer only while it is 
decomposing? Again; do we understand you 
in your note, page 333, if manure is hauled 
out three or four weeks before you can use it, 
say, in seeding oats, it had better be spread 
and exposed to the weather than to remain in 
heaps? I apprehend the rank spots of oats 
pointed out by an experienced farmer, were ra- 
ther the result of imperfectly spreading. That 
is, all the manure and part of the soil should 
have been spread, leaving the soaking alone 
on the spot.(c) 

As to the two different mothers of plants, 
the earth and the atmosphere, and their re- 
spective provinces, I confess, if true, I am 
utterly unable to comprehend. Earth, I sup- 
pose, is the mother of tobacco and corn, hence 
the origin of " hilling up com." And vines are 
the legitimate offspring of the atmosphere; 
i hence, the paleness of young garden pea-vines 
• When covered with a rail to prevent the chick- 
ens from scratching them up. Each parent 
has different offices and distinct functions to 
perform, and man cannot, by any contrivance, 
cause the one to encroach upon the province 
of the other. 

But how Mr H. P. S. arrives at the conclu- 
sion thatunfermented manure, instead of being 
covered in the earth should be spread upon 
the surface, I cannot see. For if, as he says, 
"the earth and the atmosphere, by their pecu- 
liar attractions, draw to themselves all the 
food of plants contained in manures, whether 
such manures be under the ground or above 
it, and the interference of man may injuriously 
retard, but cannot prevent it:" then, if manures 
be covered, why, it will make no difference, 
for ihe atmosphere can do her office still, and 
if left on the surface the earth can still draw 
her portion. All his caution against "reno- 
vaten and fertilizers," I think is entirely unne- 
cessary. We have too few experimenters in 
the neighborhood of 

Rough Creek. 

November 20, 1851. 

a We must confess that we see no discre- 
pancy in the theory of Messrs. Thornton and 
Hamlin, but only a difference in practice, 



owing to dissimilarity in the soils they re- 
spectively cultivate. Mr. Hamlin finds his 
land so porous that coarse, unfermented farm- 
pen manure ploughed in upon it actually pre- 
vents the absorption of moisture enough to 
decompose the manure. So by a partial, and, 
therefore, very injurious fermentation, he re- 
duces it to a finer texture before he applies it. 
But with Mr. Thornton this is not necessary; 
his moisier and more fertile soil not suffering 
this inconvenience. So he applies long dung. 
Both the gentlemen, each with judgment, be- 
cause each, according to the necessities of his 
case, cover up the manure to ferment it in 
time for the crop, say, of tobacco. Now it is 
very true that, unless the soil, or some of its 
constituents, clay, for instance, can appro- 
priate to itself, and store up for future uses, 
the parts that are commonly thought to escape 
in the fermentative process, that each sustains 
a loss; but he sustains this loss, if at all, in 
order that the residue may afford an abundant 
supply of food for the tobacco. Whether the 
particular mode of application is best in these 
cases depends on certain economic as well as 
scientific and agricultural considerations, upon 
which we do not feel quite competent to de- 
cide. But it is our opinion that if clover well 
manured will produce tobacco on the lands in 
question, then long dung ought by all means 
to be applied as a top-dressing to that crop as 
the antecedent for tobacco. But if it will not, 
then they will make more money by pursuing 
the present plan, and money is the main point 
with every farmer. There is still another 
plan, deemed very objectionable by many far- 
mers, to which we incline with some favor in 
preference to the laterspring application, partly 
in consequence of our own experiments, but 
mainly from weight of authority. We allude 
to the practice of "spreading upon the land 
fresh, strawy manure, and to leave it till the 
ploughings of spring commence." But we 
have not space here to enlarge upon it. 

b Do not by any means plough up cow-pens, 
either before or after the cattle. Before, it is 
useless; after, it is injurious. Without going 
into the science of the matter, which might 
confuse us as well as our readers, we appeal 
to facts, and to high authority. When we 
first commenced farming, a very experienced 
and observant friend, to whose guidance in 
most things agricultural, we cheerfully sub- 



' 



24 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



mined, advised us against the plan of break- 
ing up cow-pens. He had learnt by expe- 
rience, years before — and now in Albemarle 
we cannot call to mind a farmer who ploughs 
up an abandoned fold. Indeed the longer it 
is left, the greater is the improvement. If 
you must cover up its surface, do it with leaves 
secured in their place by brush, or by straw, 
or mowed bushes, in a word, by shade. Our 
"high authority" is Von Thaer, who says, 
"Although this proceeding," burying the ma- 
nure after folding, "is universally adopted, I 
have my doubts as to the eligibility of it, since 
I have learned of several experiments having 
been made by agricultural friends of mine who 
assert that they have seen the most beneficial 
effects resulting from folding when the manure 



HOT BEDS. 

The preparation of hot beds is a very 
important part of the market gardener's , 
system, for by them he is able, not only to 
bring several speciesof plants to perfection, 
even in winter and early spring, but he 
starts a great many plants that are to be 
perfected in the open air. In some cases 
a small space in a hot bed will be sufficient 
to start a large number of plants, the cost 
of starting which is a mere trifle compared 
with the price of the crop in the market. 
Therefore the gardener can well afford to 
incur the expense of this artificial mode of 
forwarding plants, and watch them with 
constant care, for weeks, and even for 
months, when necessary. 

The mode pursued by the market gar- 
., dener will answer, on a small scale, for the 
was suffered to remain on the surface of the soil , farmer] Qr afiy Qne who wou]d gmw vege . 

for a considerable period:'— Principles of Agri- | ta bl es for his own use. A friend has sug- 
culture, Skinner's Edition of 1846, p. 212.— gested that he can give a good method of 
This may be against science, as commonly making a farmer's hot bed, without glass 
taught, but it is a fact that science will have and with very little trouble. He will oblige 
to come around to: and the contrary practice us bysending it soon. The hot bed sys^ 



has been adopted because men prefer following 
a theory to taking the trouble to observe and 
reflect for themselves. 



tern of forwarding plants, and of perfecting 
many in the cold season, is practised to a 
large extent in this vicinity. Some com- 
mence their hot beds as early as November, 



c We do say. unequivocally, that manure and perfect plants which they have, started 

ought not to remain on the field in small piles \ in the open air in the fall; and they keep 

two days. In the first place, such manure hot beds in operation through the winter 

, ,., , ■ , . ,u • a ! and spring. But we would not advise a 

leaches hke a lye hopper, m he next the winds " J^f has nQ experience in prod ucing 

carry off much of the volatile part, and lastly, ar(ificial heat f or p ] ants to commence early 
it may, and most likely will, begin to ferment J j n tne Beas0 n, but begin in the spring and 
without the ability, in consequence of its small g a j n experience before going into the bu- 
bulk, to finish the process, and half fermented | siness extensively,_and in a season of diffi 



manure, like most half way things, is mean 
stuff, do what you will with it. We had for- 
gotten when we touched this point before that 
the same strong witness, Von Thaer, was on 
our side. "And the places," says he, "where 
these heaps have been, will be marked by the 
rank growth of the crop, often for several 
years, whilst the surrounding parts present an 
impoverished appearance. It should, there- 
fore, be made an invariable rule, that the ma- 
nure should be spread as soon as deposited 
from the cart."— p. 212.— Editor. 



State Agricultural Society. — We call at- 
tention to the communication of "Arator" in 
a succeeding page, and second his proposition. 
Let us have a Yull and general meeting on 
Thurrday, 19th of February, determined to do 
something, and good must come of it. 



cult management for the unexperienced. 

Generally a location slanting to the south 
has been considered most eligible; but ex- 
perience dictates that the slope should be 
rather to the south-east, to take the morn- 
ing sun. A tolerably steep slope is best, 
but a level surface will answer for the lo- 
cation, and many are under the necessity 
of using such. A hill or mountain on the 
back side is an excellent natural barrier 
against cold winds, but for the want of 
these it is desirable to have a close wall or 
fence of good height. 

No matter as to the soil of the situation 
chosen for hot beds, as a soil must be made 
and suitable kinds for the different plants. 
For instance, for radishes, sand or sandy 
loam; for lettuce, a rich soil with a good 
portion of well decomposed manure. 

A good size for sash is six feet long, by 
three'feet wide. The length is from front 



. - 



- •*«- 











THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



25 



to back, and a long continuous hot bed is 
made, and these sashes are laid by the 
side of each other to cover it. Each sash 
has four small bars running lengthwise, 
& which gives five rows of glass, six inches 
wide. There is no cross work, but the 
panes of glass are lapped, and as the sash 
slants considerably, the water runs off, as 
on a shingled roof. 

The glass generally used is six by four 
inches. This is less liable to break than 
a large size. Some use a still narrower 
size, remarking that notwithstanding the 
increase of bars in such case, there is heat 
enough. But a narrower size would cost 
more both for sash and glass. 

In making a hot bed, it is better to dig 
down so as to have it mostly below a level 
with the surface of the earth, as it will be 
less liable to be affected by the changes of 
weather. The frame of the hot bed should 
be made of planks or stout boards; and 
the front and back should be just far enough 
apart for the sash to cover them well. The 
front plank should be about six inches 
lower than the back. This will give a de- 
scent in the glass of one inch to°the foot. 
The pit in the frame should be about 
two and a half feet in depth. When the 
hot bed is made in winter there should be 
one and a half feet of clear manure placed 
in the bottom; and this manure should be- 
gin to ferment before put into the bed, and 
put in hot. As the weather grows milder, 
**one foot will be sufficient. On this should 
be placed a soil and manure adapted to the 
plants to be cultivated, as we have already 
named, and the depth depends on the kind 
of plants to be started. For lettuce, about 
six or eight inches of soil; and for radishes, 
eight to twelve inches. 

A bed with twenty sashes? is long enough 
for convenience, on account of crossing 
over. The following rough sketch, made 
with the printer's materials, represent a 
bed with three sashes. The large lines 
represent the sash, the smaller ones the ! 
small bars between the sash frames. 



to cover hot beds with straw mats; and 
yet in the coldest weather the beds must 
be generally opened a little daily, to let off 
the foul air, and sometimes to allow the 
superfluous heat to escape. The greatest 
danger is from too much heat, especially 
when there is a hot sun and the beds fresh ; 
with the heat from below and from above, 
the plants are liable to be killed suddenly 
for want of air. 

In beds for winter use, it is necessary to 
put hot manure down on the outside of the 
frames of the hot bed, else it will become 
comparatively cool near the sides. 

The digging of the pit and the filling in 

of manure, and the soil on it, should be so 

[ regulated that when the whole is com- 

j pleted, the glass in front will be about four 

inches above the soil; and the surface earth 

l in the hot bed should have a gentle incli- 

I nation to the front. If the glass is placed 

higher, there will be less heat, and a defi- 

; ciency in front, which is the cooler part. 

| We are informed that Mr. Cephas 

, Brackett, of Brighton, manufactures sashes 

i for hot beds; or furnishes the sash elazed. 

The usual price of sash, of the dimensions 

we have given, is eighty cents each. The 

[ cost of glass is from one dollar and fifty 

cents to six dollars Tor one hundred square 

feet, according to quality. Tolerably thin 

glass answers well with care, and it is light 

to handle. 



From the Wool Grower. 

AMERICAN VS. EUROPEAN SHEEP 
HUSBANDRY. 






In severe cold weather, it is necessary 



Sheep breeding must now be considered 
a leading branch of American husbandry 
I here maybe found at the present day 
high bred Merino flocks in New York Ver- 
mont and Pennsylvania, excelling by far the 
, Spanish mother herds originally imported 
; from the sunny plains of Esfremadora and 
Valencia. Our monthly "Wool Grower's 
! Register" bears ample witness of the su- 
perior management of some choice Saxon v 
! flocks in Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee 
■ The prairie States are rapidly filling UD * 
with improved stock from the East. The 
| South is waking up to its true interest 
I Colonel Randall's letters have produced a 
| wonderful change in public opinion, and 
j all lor the better in those regions. There 
is, perhaps no country in the world more 
favorable for the raising of grade sheep 
| than the highlands of Texas and New 



26 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



Mexico. In fact, wool growing is on the 
ascent and will continue so lor years to 
come in spite of all the political or finan- 
cial changes that may occur from time to 
time in the administrative policy of the 
country. It has been frequently proved 
through the columns of this periodical that 
the demand for wool exceeds the produc- 
tion not only in this country but in all 
parts of the civilized world. But we may 
stretch our point to a larger extent, when 
we contend lhat the United States are 
destined by nature, and finally must be 
the great, and principal wool producing 
country, for the Eastern and Western Con- 
tinents. Various circumstances coincide to 
corroborate such an assumption. It is a 
well known fact that Germany, the largest 
wool growingcountry in Europe, producing 
hardly any other kinds of wool than the 
high and middle grades of Saxony and 
Merino, or Electoral and Infantado wool, 
is mainly dependent on English, French 
and Belgian manufactures, for the con- 
sumption of that product. 

Now. there are several causes which 
tend to place it almost beyond any reason- 
able doubt, that fine wool growing in the 
middle parts of Europe, must meet with a 
repulsive and retrograding check ere long 
These causes are both of a physical and 
political nature. In regard to the first, we 
know that the breeding of fine sheep is 
mainly and entirely in the hands of the 
owners of the large landed estates, and 
that the small farmer is wholly excluded 
from any participation in that branch of 
husbandry. As the population of these 
countries is becoming more dense from 
year to year, natural pasture is growing 
scanty, as they are wanted for the neces- 
sary supply of breadstuff's. Artificial pas- 
turing has to be resorted to, and for the 
last thirty or forty years has been the only 
support of these extensive flocks of fine 
sheep. But in spite of the rapid advance- 
ment agricultural science has made in re- 
cent times, the principal levers of this arti- 
ficial system of feeding have proved to be 
entirely inadequate. Clover, which fur- 
nishes the main element of summer pas- 
ture, has become tired out in most places, 
and the potato rot, growing more pestife- 
rous from year to year, is steadily depriv- 
ing these sheep owners of the very power 
of maintaining the existence of their sheep 
during the winter. 

It would lead us too far from our subject, 
to inquire into all the particulars of these 
well established facts. They are a matter 



of bitter complaint and great anxiety for 
the future with many a wool grower in 
those countries. But hard to overcome 
as these difficulties may be, the science of 
revigorating worn out lands, and manu-* 
facturing bountiful crops, has attained such 
an eminence in later times that there is 
hope left to remedy these evils. 

The political danyer awaiting the future 
destiny of fine wool growing in central 
Europe, is, however, of a far more dan- 
gerous character. No man, in the least 
acquainted with the present political state 
of Europe, will deny that they are defi- 
cient of every element of stability. 

But this revolution, or rather this gen- 
eral overthrow of matters, existing for the 
time, will be a deadly strife against the 
present, distribution of real estate. That 
it will end in (he destruction of all the pri- 
vileges of the large land owners, and in the 
division of these large tracts into smaller 
lots for the benefit of the masses, there 
cannot be the least doubt. This will be 
the death blow to fine wool growing in the 
middle parts of Europe. There is but one 
country which may escape this general 
destruction — Russia, a country which pre- 
sents many advantages to sheep breeding 
on an extensive scale. But its vast popu- 
lation is consuming nearly all it produces 
of the finer grades of wool, and the coarser 
kinds, which are mainly raised in the South, 
and mostly exported from the port of Odes- 
sa, where they find their way to the United 
States, are only fit for the manufacture of 
the most inferior kinds of woollen goods, 
and will never do any injury to our own 
production. 

The next future and long years to come, 
present, therefore, a most cheering aspect 
to the cause of fine wool growing in this 
country, and will undoubtedly tend to the 
development of renewed exertion, and use- 
ful enterprise in this important branch of 
national industry. 



EXTRACT FROM A LETTER. 

"Weldon, N. C. Dec. 19, 1851. 

" I have time to read very little in the Planter, 
but some single communication I think worth 
more than a year's subscription, so I am not 
going to give it up, read or not read. * * * * 

"In conclusion, 1 would say that I should 
be greatly pleased for W. Timberlake, Esq. to 
continue his communications, even down to a 
hen-house, for a man of his clear head can 
give us a great deal of information really 
useful." 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



27 



For the Southern Planter. 

STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

I was gratified to observe in the last South- 
• m Planter, the proposition of "An Old Sub- 
scriber," to renew the effort to rally the 
friends of agriculture, by a general meeting of 
all those who can be induced to take an inter- 
est in the subject, at some lime during the ap- 
proaching session of the Legislature. I cor- 
dially second the proposition, and to give it a 
more definite shape. I propose Thursday, the 
19ih of February next, at 1\ o'clock, in the 
Hall of the House of Delegates, as the time 
and place of meeting. Let us have a general 
meeting of the Virginia State Agricultural 
Society, and let the Executive Committee take 
measures, such as the occasion calls for, to 
give effect to the meeting, and who can tell but 
that all our past disappointments and discour- 
agements may give place to hope and encour- 
agement, and the agriculture of Virginia beat 
least elevated to the high position its great and 
paramount importance entitles it to occupy. 

Arator. 



From the New England Farmer. 

THE POTATO— ITS PROCESS OF VE- 
GETATION. 

Mr. Editor, — When digging my pota- 
toes, I have observed with special care, the 
manner in which the vines, roots and tubers 
tow from the parent potato. The planted 
PSrenf tuber I find has, in all cases, propa- 
gated vines, roots and tubers from only one 
end, that from which the first sprouts start 
in our cellars, at the return of spring; and 
it is the end or section of the tuber opposite 
that to which the original stem grew, con- 
necting the tuber with its parent. The 
whole growth from a single potato I find 
also joined to it, sometimes only at one 
point, sometimes at two, and never at more 
than three, and these in close proximity. 
The whole propagation has proceeded from 
one, two, or three eyes, as they are usually 
called. The old tuber, in some hill3, is 
found wholly decomposed, except its pel- 
licle, and in such instances the yield is 
greatest. Some old tubers are partially 
rotten, through natural decay, and others 
remain in their original shape and form, 
but light and watery. From one to three 
eyes only actually vegetate from the largest 
potatoes I have thus inspected, the others 
remaining inert. At these single points 
the parent tuber has expended its strength, 
and the substance of it has been exhausted^ 
and doubtless the whole tuber has had an 



important office to perform in the product 
resulting. If the parent tuber has been 
decomposed and lost in the progress of ve- 
getation through the season, I am convinced 
that it has not been useless, and therefore 
that the practice of cutting apart potatoes 
betore planting is un vviseand unphilosophi- 
cal. And the corky, or rotten, or watery, 
lifeless state of many parent tubers, indi- 
cates that they must have parted with 
important qualities in the yegetatipg pro- 
cess, necessary for the healthiest and fullest 
production of the new tubers. 

There are two kinds of roots prppao-ated 
in the growth of the potato. The first is 
fibrous, and shoots downwards and late- 
rally, and loves to find a deep, friendly sub- 
soil, allowing them to penetrate beyond 
the reach of droughts. These are sustain- 
ing, absorbent roots, essential to the life 
and growth of both the vine-stalks and of 
newly formed tubers. The other kind of 
branching roots propagate tubers, and 
shoot out from the main root, near its junc- 
tion with the parent tuber, and grow to 
different lengths, sometimes in good soil to 
the distance of twelve, and even eighteen 
inches, and always terminating in a tuber 
which they feed. Frequently, a young 
tuber sends out a root from its extremity, 
and this propagates one or more tubers' 
or else the root protrudes from the ground 
and forms a vine. This demonstrates that 
the tuber-producing roots are of exactly 
the same nature as the vines. 

Last May, I planted a potato which had 
been dug in the fall of 1849, eighteen 
months before, and which had been under 
a box during the summer of 1850. In that 
position it had propagated several small 
branch-like vines, upon which were formed 
a large number of little tubers, of the size 
of small peas. It had been exposed to the 
air of the cellar, through the preceding 
winter, in that germinant state, and thus 
was planted the parent with its offshoots. 
The vines grew thriftily, and upon digging 
I found forty-two tubers had grown in the 
hill, all small, and yet differing in size 
proportionally to the size of the small 
lubers planted. They were evidently the 
same tubers that I planted, only expended 
by vegetation. Thus the suspension of 
growth did not prevent them from resum- 
ing the original process of vegetation 
when placed in the ground, and in a con- 
dition favorable to the vegetating tendency 
whichbesran to bedeveloped twelvemonths 
before the time of planting: I infer that 
the principle, that the rot of^potatoes arises 



** 






28 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



from the decay of vegetable life in the pa- 
rent tubers, is groundless. I also infer that 
the small growth of the tubers was occa- 
sioned by the exhaustion of the parent 
tuber in its vegetating efforts in the cellar, 
durino- the summer of 1850. It had be- 
come cork like and dry when I planted it. 
and therefore its offspring depended lor 
their aliment upon new fibrous absorbent 
roots, shooting into the soil from the tuber : 
roots. ■ i , 

My observations upon the depth to which j 
the absorbent roots of potatoes are inclined | 
to penetrate, convinces me that they de- 
mand a deep permeable rich soil for their 
greatest productiveness. The number of 
tubers is greatly aided by a soil beat suited 
to the extension of tuber roots, and by 
broad, mellow hills. One peach-blow po- 
tato's tuber root penetrated, in my garden, 
six or eight inches below the parent, and 
there formed the largest tuber of the whole 
crop Why? On inspection, I found a 
quantityof loose limestone sand just around 
and beneath it. A fact [ hope to remember 
for future experiment. 

J. Lee. 

Salisbury, Conn. Sept. 27, 1851. 



weeds and useless herbage so much faster 
than upland, that in order to keep it clean, 
a greater amount of labor is necessary.— 
As in the process of cultivation the vegeta- 
ble aliment is extracted, it is not so easily 
replaced in bottom as in upland. 

In bottom lands, the alkalies become first 
exhausted, and our ordinary stable manure 
1 does not replace them. The variety of 
1 crops is greater on upland than lowland. 
I We all know the benefit of a change of 
crops. It is like a change of labor to the 
human body— it amounts to rest or to re- 
lief, and is still labor and profit. 

Idleness also produces rest, but no profit; 
but if a man who has been working half 
the day, and is fatigued, sits down to his 
lapstone the other half, he becomes equally 
rested, and at the same time makes a pair 
of shoes. Soil is, in this respect, very 
much like man; it becomes rested by 
chano-e of crop, and yet loses no time. 
I It Ts, therefore, a great advantage to 
I have a soil that will produce the greatest 
variety of crops. Upland is also better lor 
I fruit. For grass, it is frequently as good 
as bottom land, only it requires more and 
better preparation— West. Agriculturist. 



BOTTOM LANDS OVERRATED. 

We think that the value of river bottoms, 
when compared with fair upland, has been 
and still is much overrated. B or the first 
few years of cultivation, the bottoms pro- 
duce heavy crops, with less labor than the 
hill land. But this state of things is of 
short duration, unless the low land is with- 
in the reach of freshets, and thus receives, 
as it were, an annual coat of manure from 
the turbid waters of the stream. 

An excess of vegetable matter in soil is 
of no more use than any other ingredient, 
and without a due proportion ol the mine- 
ral or alkaline constituents, it would not 
brine a crop to maturity. A light spongy 
rich piece of bottom, is more likely to suf- 
fer from drouth than a well composed loam. 
Thechangesfromwettodryaremoremark- 
ed in black mould than in loam, because the 
latter holds on to its moisture with more 
tenacity. To make good upland proof 
ao-ainst drouth, it is only necessary to stir 
itwell; and the subsoil plough produces 
in this respect a wonderful effect. It ope- 
rates, by stirring the mass to a great depth, 
into which the surplus rain and moisture 
settles in a wet time, to be held in reserve 
for a dry one. Bottom land engenders 



The Lungs.— On examination, the lungs-will 
be found full of innumerable little holes like 
a sponge. These holes are the cells into which, 
the air enters when we breathe. So great is 
their number, that they have been calculate- 
to amount to 170,000,000, forming a surfe^ 
thirty times greater than the human body.- - 
Every one of these cells is provided with a 
net-work of blood vessels, by which means 
the blood is brought into immediate contact 
with the air, every portion of the surface.— 
When this great amount is taken into consi- 
deration, we shall at once feel how necessary 
it is to supply pure air to the lungs with every 
breath we breathe.— Germantown Telegraph. 



PAYMENTS TO THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 
From the 2blh of Nov. to the 1st of January, 1852. 

All persons who have made payments early 
enou°h to be entered, and whose names do 
not appear in the following receipt list are 
requested to give immediate notice of the 
omission, in order that the correction may be 
made in the next issue: 

James B. Jones, to Jan. 1853, $2 00 

Samuel R. Wingfield, to Jan. 1853, 1 00 

James Roane, to July, 1852, 1 OU 

Dr. B. Fleet, to July, 1852, 1 00 

i James H.King, to Jan. 1852 100 

Dr. R. H. Tebbs. to Jan. 1852, 7 00 

Thos. S. Jones, to Jan. 1852, ^ UU 

Geo. W. Bassett, to Jan. 1847, 1 OO 



TjHE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



29 



H. D. Burruss, to Oct. 1852, in full, 
Maj. Wm. Hill, to Oct. 1852, 
Mr. Wood, to Jan. 1853, 
Col. C. C. Cocke, to Sept. 1852, 
^ Robt. B. Hughes, to Jan. 1853, 
* Jos. S. Yarbrough, to July, 1851, 
P. P. Nalle, to Jan. 1851, 
S. Bassett French, to Jan. 1853, 
Richard Thornton, to January, 1853, 
B. W. Leigh, to January, 1853, 
Andrew L. Mills, to July, 1852, 
Elisha Chewning, to July, 1852, 
Wm. Anderson, Jr. to January, 1852, 
Robert Stringfellow, to January, 1851, 
W. R. Jennings, to January, 1852, 
W. B. Hudnall, to July, 1852, 
Stephen A. Norfleet, to January, 1853, 
Capt. Thos. Nelson, to January, 1853, 
Josiah Ely, to January, 1852, 
James Venable, to July, 1852, 
T. T. Trealway, to January, 1854, 
Richard Hill, Jr. to January, 1852, 
John M. Baker, to January, 1852, 
Milton Kirtley, to January, 1853, 
Dr. Thomas Withers, to January, 1853, 
Charles Trour. to January, 1853, 
Edward C. Turner, to January, 1853, 
R. C. L. Moncure, to January, 1853, 
Samuel L. Brooke, to January, 1853, 
John Schooler, to January, 1853, 
J. M. Conway, to January, 1853, 
P. D. G. Hedgman, to January, 1853, 
William Bagby, to Januar), 1852, 
John W. Palmer, to January, 1852, 
Maj. George Wilson, to January, 1853, 
Col. W. W. Newton, to September, 1852, 
F. M. Clack, to January, 1851, 
jN James P. Corbin, to January, 1855, 
' S. M. Baker, to July, 1852, 
Jos. D. Jenkins, to January, 1854, 
C. D. Pettus, to January, 1853, 
Capt. W. E. Britton, to January, 1853, 
John Wickham, to September, 1852, 
Dr. John Butler, to July, 1852, 
Fr. Fitzgerald, to January, 1853, 
Dr. Geo. Fitzgerald, to January, 1853, 
Dr. Edwin P. Talley, to January, 1853, 
James Hart, to January, 1852, 
W. W. Michaux, to July, 1852, 
James T. Jones, to January, 1853, 
Robert Tinsley, to January, 1853. 
Z. D. Tinsley, to January, 1853, ' 
J. R. Fitchett, to January, 1852, 
John B. Whitehead, to January, 1852, 
Nich. duerenberry, to January, 1853, 
R. W. Brooks, to January, 1852, 
Wrn. P. Shepherd, to January, 1853, 
Benj. W. Wheeler, to January, 1853, 
Wm. B. Turner, to January, 1853, 
Henry G. Roberts, to January, 1853, 
John P. Roberts, to January, 1853, 
Henry H. Roberts, to January, 1853, 
Capt. C. Breckenridge, to Jan. 1853, 
R. T. Hubard, to January, 1853, 
John W. Belfield, to January, 1853, 
Richard Reynolds, to January, 1852, 
J. T. Hamner, to January, 1851, 



|;0 75 

1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 



1 00 

2 00 
1 00 



oo : 

00 



1 00 



1 00 



00 
00 
00 
00 
00 
00 



1 00 



00 
00 



1 00 
1 00 



1 



Maj. Wm. Gilham, to January, 1853, 
Col. John H. Knight, to January, 1852, 
Dr. Thos. Johnson, to January, 1853, 
Capt. Hartwell Chandler, to Jan. 1853, 
Capt. John Huff, to August, 1852, 
Francis Gilkison, to August, 1852, 
2 00 Joel Wright, to August, 1853, 
00 Ro. W. Bragg, to January, 1852, 
J. B. Downman, to January, 1853, 
Geo. W. Cabell, to January, 1853, 
W. R. Coupland, to January, 1853, 
A. G. Binford, to January, 1853, 
Marcus Gilliam, to January, 1852, 
N. C. Crenshaw, to January, 1853, 
Rev. W. Timberlake, to January, 1853, 
Col. T. F. Wingfield, to January, 1852, 
G. H. Timberlake, to January, 1853 

C. W. Allen, to January, 1852, 
James Young, to January, 1853, 
Dr. W. R. Nelson, to January, 1853, 

D. E. Gardner, to January, 1853, 
Thomas J. Garden, to January, 1852, 
James B. Ford, to January, 1852, 
Dr. R. Shore, to January, 1853, 
William Goff, to January, 1853, 
John Lawton, to January, 1853' 
Benj. Hiner, to January, 1852, ' 
M. H. Harris, to January, 1852, 
W. M'Coy, to January, 1853, 
Wm. W. Woods, to July, 1852, 
Richard Gwathmey, to January, 1853 
Mrs. M. J. Minor, to January, 1853, ' 
Dan'l Shackleford, to January, 1853, 
Thos. W. Graves, to January, 1853' 
Thos. Walker, to January, 1853, 
William A. Jones, to January, 1853, ") 
James M. Gilliam, to January, 1853' 
G. S. Harper, to January, 1853, ' 
Jas. G. Woodson, lo January, 1853 
Edward Sears, to January, 1853, ' 
Wm. Mathews, to January, 1853, 
Spencer Gilliam, to January, 1853, 
Wm. T. Ligon, to January, 1853 
Samuel D. Hill, to January, 1853, 
James Calhoun, to January, 1853, 
Chas. J. Fore, to January, 1853, 
Benj. Morris, to January, 1853,' 
John H. Marshal), to January,'l853 J 
John Tarrant, to January, 1853, ' 
Wm . Appleberry, Jr. lo January, 1853, 
Rich'd P. Griffin, to January, 1853, 
Wm. A. Turner, to January, 1853, 
Gen. C. W. Clarke, to January, 1853,1 
Major E. P. Miller, to January, 1853 
J. C. Norwood, to January, 1853, 
S. P. Dula, to January, 1853, 
R. C. Miller, to January, 1853, 
Gen. S. F. Patterson, to Jan. 1853, J 

i John W. Lester, to January, 1853 
17 j Dr. Garland A. Garth, to July 1852 
J Willis M. White, to September, 1852 
I Dr. James. L. Jones, to January, 1853' 
W. W. Tompkins, to July, 1852 
00 Dr. J. B. Garrett, to July, 1853 ' 
00 I Joel W. Shiplett, to January, 1853 
Wm. G. Wilkinson, to January, 1853 



1 00 

1 

1 
1 
1 



(10 
01) 
(JO 
00 
1 00 

1 00 

2 00 James M. G 



1 00 



1 00 



4 00 
1 00 
1 
1 00 



SI 00 


2 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


2 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


5 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 25 


1 00 


2 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


2 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


2 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


i oo 



M0 oo 



1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 



y b oo 



1 00 
1 00 



1 00 ! Wilson Winfrey, to January, 1853,' 



1 00 


2 00 


3 00 


2 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 



30 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



PROSPECTUS 

OF 

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 

PUBLISHED AT 

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. 

THE undersigned, the one as Editor, the 
otheras Proprietorand Publisherof "The 
Southern Planter," which is the only Agricul- 
tural paper published in Virginia, desire to 
make ii worthy of the support of the farmers 
of the whole State. In order to get the subscrip- 
tion necessary to enable them to do this, they 
have decided, ai the instance of a few friends, 
and as a means of giving general notice of 
their undertaking, to issue a short prospectus, 
or rather heading to a subscription list, which 
they will lake the liberty of forwarding to 
such as they think will aid them in obtaining 
subscribers. 

This paper, though decidedly Southern in 
its sentiments, will be neutral in politics, and 
shall be devoted entirely to Agriculture and 
to topics bearing upon it. As it will look to 
the interests of the whole State, both East and 
West, it is hoped that in collecting the views 
of our most eminent farmers, as far as they 
can be induced to give them, it will tend 
greatly to introduce our people to each other, 
and to let them see, that however we may dif- 
fer on local questions, we are still sons of the 
same mother, with the same general sympa- 
thies and sentiments. _ | 
The Editor is a farmer engrossed in Agri- 
cultural pursuits, and wholly dependent on his 
land for his living. This may be considered 
to some extent a guarantee of the practical I 
character of the work. 

If adequately sustained, the 1 subscribers 
hope to give every man the full value of his 
subscription. And not seeking to dislodge 
other papers from any foothold they may have 
obtained, they only ask of their fellow-citizens 
a fair trial of their own. 

TERMS. 
The Planter is published monthly at Rich- 
mond, Virginia, on fine paper, containing 32 
super-royal octavo pages monthly, making a 
volume of 384 pages of Agricultural matter, 
per annum, for SI 25, which may be dis- 
charged by the payment of 

ONE DOLLAR ONLY, 
If sent free of postage, at any time within six 
months from the date of subscription. Six 
copies for &5; thirteen copies for ©10; remitted 
at the time of subscription, free of postage. 
FRANK: G. RUFFIN, Editor. 
P. D. BERNARD, Publisher. 
srj^All business Letters must be addressed 
to P. D. BERNARD, Publisher and Proprie- 
tor Richmond, Virginia, Communications 
io FRANK: G. RUFFIN, Shadwell, Albe- 
marle County, Virginia. 



FRUIT AND ORNAMENTAL. TREES 
AND SHRUBS. 

THE Subscriber offers for sale a select as- 
sortment of Fruit and Ornamental Trees 
and Shrubs, a number of new Evergreens, and 
a good collection of Greenhouse Plants, espe- 
cially of Camellias, Roses, Geraniums; also, 
Dahlia Roots, Pceonias, with Bulbous Roots, 
Garden and Flower Seeds, &c. 

All orders thankfully received and promptly 
attended to. Prices moderate. 

The subscriber is commencing a Nursery 
for the growth of Fruit and Ornamental Trees 
and Shrubs, in which the greatest care will be 
taken to grow only those fruits that are adapted 
to the climate; and all will be worked on 
seedling stocks. The subscriber has secured 
the services of an experienced Nurseryman, 
and thinks he will be able to supply those who 
may favor him with orders with good Plants 
at reasonable prices. 

Catalogues will be published soon and can 
be had on application. 

ja3t JOSEPH RENNIE. 



COMMISSION HOUSE IN RICHMOND. 

WITH the view of giving our friends and 
all others who mav favor us with their 
patronage, the advantages of both markets, we 
have established in the City of Richmond a 
house for transacting a General Commission 
Business, to be conducted by Tazewell S. 
Morton, under the style of Tazewell S. Mor- 
ton & Co. 

The business of Watkins & Morton, will 
be conducted in Petersburg by Samuel V. 
Watkins, assisted by John A. Morton, as 
heretofore. \ 

It is our purpose to adhere strictly to the 
Commission Business; giving our undivided 
attention to the sale of the staple products of 
the country, viz : Tobacco, Wheat, Corn, Flour, 
Cotton, &c. 

We return our thanks for the liberal patron- 
age that has been bestowed on our concern in 
Petersburg, and to the dealers in produce and 
merchandise in that city we feel under many 
obligations for the generous liberality and 
punctuality we have at all times met with in 
our transactions with them. 

TAZEWELL S. MORTON & CO. 

Richmond, Va. 
WATKINS & MORTON, 
j a 3t Petersburg, Va. 


BOOKS, PIANOS, MUSIC, &c. 

NASH & WOODHOUSE, Wholesale and 
Retail Dealers in Bo>>ks, Piano Fortes, 
j Stationery, Music, &c. 139, Main St. Rich- 
mond, Virginia. 



OSAGE ORANGE PLANTS FOR 
HEDGES.-A few thousand raised by 
myself, for sale. 

WM. H. RICHARDSON. 
Richmond, Jan. 1, 1852. — 3t. 






THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



31 



TO AGRICULTURISTS. 

MORRIS & 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; 

j B - Allen ; numerous plates. The 8th 
and 9th volumes of ihis most valuable work are 
received, also complete sets. Every farmer 
should have this work. 

American Farm Book, on Soils, Manure* 
Dram.ngs, Irrigation, Grasses, Grain, Roots' 
iruit, Cotton, Tobacco, Sugarcane, Rice, and 
every staple product of the United States — 
I his 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. J ' ' 

A Muck Manual for Farmers; bv S L- 
Dana. J ' 

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

American Husbandry.— Series of Essays on 
Agriculture, with additions; oy Gaylord and 
i ucker. 

Farmer's Encyclopedia; by Cuthbert W. 
Johnson. 

♦"I Productive Farming, with the most recent 
discoveries of Liebig, Johnston, Davy and 
others. J ' 

European Agriculture, from personal obser- 
vation; by Henry Coleman. This is a verv 
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, Boussin- 
gault, Rural Economy, Buist's Kitchen Gar- 
dener, Landscape Gardening, and Rural Ar- 
chitecture; by A. J. Downing. 

Fessenden's American Gardener 

u A Q m * r j c 3 n f™u Book, with full instructions; 
by b. Vv. Cole. 

Downing on Fruit Trees. 

Theory of Horticulture; by Lindley 

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

Bridgman's Kitchen Gardener. 

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

RichmoTid, March 12, J851. — ljr 




T>LV 




NEW STYLE MEDALLION DA- 
GUERREOTYPES IN COLORS. 

This splendid improve- 
ment must be seen to be 
appreciated. Ouririends 
are invited to call at the 
original Virginia Sky- 

=$ ISPtesMSi L,GnTD ^UERREANGAL- 

.= LERY.wheremaybefound 
JK ™$ all the latest improve 

M me ° , !? T c I °" s, ' st, ' n & of the 
CELEROTYPE, 
by which infant children 
may be taken in one se- 
cond; 

TALBOTYPE, 
or Daguerreotype on Pa- 
per, and 

HYALOTYPE 
or Daguerreotypes on Glass, which, with e'very 
other improvement, may now be obtained Z 
the^Gallery, No. 139 Main street, above Go- 

TIONVK T Y he /rr N HT THERN COMBINA- 
i IUJN btLY LIGHT is now open in full od- 

rat l %Z n \ s the )ar ^ esl in th « State. P 

WM. A. PRATT & CO. Proprietors 

COl5o D R A S LL W N K DAGUEREOTYP£ S IN 
sivle of nr baVe in spected the abovfi 

siyle of Daguereotypes, lately and so success- 
fully introduced here by Messrs. Pratt & Co 
132 Main street. By this process, a relief aU 
most magical, and a variety high y ■ ££&£ 
>s obtained. In some cases, tfie pffi fo 
closely resembles an enamelled min ature n 
us ivory tone, as to deceive even an art,,'te 
in others from the midst of a dark back ground' 
appears the "human face divine » 2* all the 
vividness of life; then, by still another process 
the picture appears entirely upon a b nil fan I 

e V rs Ile Iurwe , r SUl ; r0Unded b " deaths of flow' 
ers. But we feel our inability to do full ius 
me to these beautiful medalLn DaSfeffi 
types, and must, therefore, request the curious 

first to introduce ^J&tfe* ft 



WILLIAM P. LADD, 

APOTHECARY AND DRUGGIST 
No. 319, head of Broad Street, Shockoe Hill 
Richmond, Virginia ' 

DEALER in English, Mediterranean India 
and all Foreign and Domestic Dru-s an* 
Medicines; also, Paints Oils Varnish" n 
Stuffs, Window Glass, Puny,' £" PoV^fe 
on Jhe most accommodatingterms 
p- Orders ; from Country Merchants and 

ja 1851— tf 



32 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



CONTENTS OF NUMBER I. 



PAGE 

Tobacco j» 

Hollow Horn in Cattle o 

Farming in Surry ° 

Report on Epes' Island • • •« 

Experiments of the Albemarle Hole and 

Corner Club 9 

Wheat, Soil and Preparation 11 

Tobacco Plants • • • • 12 

Comparative Expense of the Horse and 

Mule to the Farmer 12 

A Remedy for Colic in Horses 13 

Onions and Peas • • • ••.••• 14: 

A New Years Salutation— and Something 

More ••• |6 

Guano on Tobacco Plant Beds 19 

Osage Orange 19 

Erratum • • ■ • • ■ • ix 

Essays by. the Hole and Corner Club 22 

A Good Gardening Book -22 

On the Management and Application of. 

Manures 22 

Hot Beds 

American ^.European Sheep Husbandry. .25 

Extract from a Letter 2G 

State Agricultural Society 27 

Tne Potato— its Progress of Vegetation. . .27 

Bottom Lands Overrated 28 

The Lungs 28 

Payments to the Southern Planter 

Prospectus of the Southern Planter.. 



GREAT REDUCTION IN PRICES OF 
HATS AND BOOTS. 

J. H. ANTHONY'S FASHIONABLE HAT 
STORE, Columbian Hotel Corner. 

THE cheapest place in the city of Rich- « 
mond to buy Hats and Boots is at the 
above store, where every article sold may be 
relied on as represented. By this means he 
has gained a good run of custom, and his cus- 
tomers feel satisfied. Below is a list of his 
prices, which will be strictly adhered to: 
Best quality moleskin, - $3 50 

Second quality " 3 00 

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

Fine Calfskin Sewed Boots only three dol- 
lars and fifty cents. 

Also, Caps, Shoes and Umbrellas. 
J. H. Anthony has made an arrangement 
with one of the best makers in the city of 
Philadelphia, lo supply him with a handsome 
and substantial Calfskin Sewed Boot, which 
he will sell at the unprecedented low price of 
three dollars and fifty cents. The attention of 
gentlemen is respectfully solicited, as they are 
the best and cheapest Boots that have ever 
been offered for sale in this city. He intends 
to keep but the one kind, and sell them at one 
price- se — ly 



29 



PIEDMONT FEMALE SEMINARY. 

THE subscriberwill open a Female School 
at his house, near Gordonsville, on the 
15th of January. He has already engaged a 
teacherof unquestionable qualifications. His 
terms per session of 10 months will be $120, 
for board and tuition in all the English branches, 
and in the French language. An additional 
fee of $30 will be charged for music, 
de— 3t* JAS. W. GOSS. 



OSAGE ORANGE SEED, 

SAVED with great care, and received direct 
from the region where it is grown, of re- 
liable quality. For sale by 



de— 4t 



L. S. HOYT, 
55, Water st. New York. 



AGENCY FOR THE PURCHASE AND 
SALE OF IMPROVED STOCK. 

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

^ g b.— All letters, post-paid, will be prompt- 
ly attended to. ap—ti 



rpHE RICHMOND AND PETERSBURG 
JL RAIL ROAD COMPANY respectfully 
inform farmers living on the Roanoke River 
and on the line of the Raleigh and Gaston 
Rail Road, that they are transporting tobacco 
and other produce between Richmond and Pe- 
tersburg with promptness and despatch, run,, 
ning 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 24, 1851— tf 



VIRGINIA AXES. 

THE undersigned, in connexion with their 
Rolling Mill, have erected an extensive 
Manufactory of Axes, Hatchets, and Tools 
generally, which they warrant equal to any 
manufactured, and offer at Northern prices. 
They solicit the patronage of the agricultural 
community. 

R. Archer, •> R. ARCHER & CO. 
A. D. Townes, \ 
R. S. Archer, ( 
C. Dimmock. J oct— ly 



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