THE 



SOUTHEKN PLANTER. 

IBebottfc to Sericulture, horticulture, nun tfie ffiouseholK &rts. 



s 



Agriculture is the nursing mother of the Arts. 
Xenophon. 



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



FRANK: G. 


RUFFIN, 


Editor. 




P. 


D. 


BERNARD, 


Publisher. 


Vol. 


XIV. 




RICHMOND, 


OCTOBER, 


1854. 






No. 


10. 



For the Southern Planter. 

MINUTES OF AGRICULTURAL FACTS AND 
OBSERVATIONS, 

Collected and noted by the Agricultural Commissioner, 
and ordered to be published by the Executive Com- 
mittee of the Virginia Stale Agricultural Society. 

Sub- Soil Ploughing. 

[Continued from page 259*.] 

19. Dr. Wm. F. Gaines, of Hanover, some years 
ago, made trials of sub-soil ploughing, to sufficient 
extent, with good execution, and with adjoining 
spaces omitted for accurate observation. The 
ploughing was about 8 inches deep, and the sub- 
soiling 8 inches deeper. The latter operation was 
effected by a good and proper sub-soil plough, 
made and bought for that kind of work only. The 
breaking the sub-soil was found to be more labo- 
rious to the team (4 mules) than any other team 
labor that Dr. G. had ever had done. Trials, and 
comparative observations were made on both sandy 
soil and sub-soil, and stiff soil and sub-soil — but 
all the land dry, and not needing draining. No 
benefit, and no effect of the sub-soiling operation 
could be seen, on either the next succeeding crops 
or any since. The labor was deemed a total loss. 

20. Per Contra.— Mr. Jas. R. Kent, of Montgo- 
mery, first sub-soiled five or six years ago — the 
whole of his then field for corn, except small por- 
tions omitted for observation and comparison. The 
land bordering on New River — rich clay loam, on 
clay sub-soil, with undulating surface, high and 
dry. The ploughing 8 or 9 inches, and the sub- 
soil ploughing as much deeper, or 16 to 18 inches 
in total depth broken by both operations. The 
effect obvious in both height and luxuriance of 
growth, equal to an estimated increase of one-third. 
The benefit continued obvious on the succeeding 
wheat crop, and on the grass crops still later. Since 
then, Mr. K. has continued to sub-soil each year's 
field for corn, with undoubted and equal benefit as 
he supposes — but without having continued to omit 
any parts for comparison, as he has had no doubt 
of great benefit being always obtained. 

21. Mr. William Ballard Preston, of Smithfield, 
Montgomery county, for a recent crop of corn, sub- 
soiled in the manner just stated the whole of the 
field. Though the failure to omit any part for com- 

* The "Minutes" continued in last number of Southern 
Planter were numbered incorrectly as 2, 3, 4 and 5, should 
have been 15, 16, 17 and 18. 
Vol. XIV.— 10. 



parison, leaves the result less satisfactory, Mr. P. 
lias no question of very great increase of produc- 
tion having been obtained. The crop was by far 
the best ever obtained from the same field pre- 
viously, and without any known cause of difference, 
other than the sub-soil ploughing. Mr. J. R. Kent 
confirms this opinion, having seen the crop, and 
having ability and means for observation and judg- 
ment in the case sufficient to satisfy any who know 
him. The farm of Smithfield, on the main Alle- 
ghany range, and near the summit, is of rich clay 
lime-stone soil — generally and remarkably free from 
stone or even pebbles — with yellowish clay sub- 
soil. The surface gently undulating. 

" Early Laying-by" of Corn — Large Product. 

22. Mr. James R. Kent, of Montgomery, after 
such deep preparation for corn as above stated, 
(Minute 20,) plants in rows 3 feet wide, and not 
exceeding 3 feet distance in the row, with two 
stalks at a station. I am not sure whether the crop 
I saw (July 10th,) was not still closer. He esti- 
mated its product at not less than 60 and perhaps 
70 bushels to the acre. After planting, he gives 
two or three ploughings, with a shovel (or similar) 
plough, 3 to 4 inches deep, and always suspends 
ploughing as soon as the stalks are " well in joint," 
or large enough to be much liable to be broken by 
the swingle trees. This must be usually before 
the plants are three feet high, and is always before 
the beginning of tasseling — and also before wheat 
harvest. Some time after, the largest weeds are 
chopped down by hoes. But this is only to facilitate 
the sowing the land in wheat the same year — and 
not supposed to be the least beneficial to the corn. 
Mr. K., like nearly all extensive farmers and gra- 
ziers in Western Virginia, cannot know by actual 
measurement the amount of his corn crops — as a 
large proportion of the product is fed, with and on 
the stalks, to fattening cattle. But he thinks that 
none of his corn crops have averaged less than 50 
bushels to the acre. A particular acre of his crop, 
of richest land, and most luxuriant product, was 
accurately measured, and produced 150 bushels of 
grain. 

Injury to Cattle caused by their being penned. 

23. Mr. Joseph Cloyd, of Pulaski, Mr. James R. 
Kent, of Montgomery, and nearly all others of the 
extensive and successful graziers and farmers of 
that region, do not pen or shelter their cattle, eit'ier 
in summer or winter. One person only in the neigh- 
borhood of Mr. Cloyd followed the practice of pen- 
ning his cattle even in winter, and carting out the 






s 



290 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



4' 



manure thus made. The effects in this one excep- 
tional case were not deemed by the neighbors as 
encouraging. In the otherwise universal opinion, 
the penning of cattle is deemed more injurious to 
their health and condition than all the value of the 
benefit to be derived from their being thus better 
sheltered, or in all other advantages incidental to 
penning. With fattening animals, in summer, pen- 
ning would be so injurious that they could scarcely 
be fattened profitably, even on the best pasturage. 
The Short-Horn (Durham) breed greatly preferred, 
and most of the cattle raised by both Messrs. Cloyd 
and Kent are partly and nearly of that blood, and 
some of the pure blood. Yet they find these, as 
well as other cattle, to thrive and do well, and best, 
left unconfined in the pastures at all times, and 
even without shelter, except such as afforded by 
bits of wood-land, or thickets left for the purpose. 
The feeding, both of fattening and store cattle, is 
done on the poorer parts of the pastures, and 
changed continually, so as not to manure too hea- 
vily any where. This mode of application, of both 
the excrements and the offal remains of food, must 
be very irregular. Still, it is deemed (even without 
reference to the better condition of the cattle,) as 
more profitable, and economical of labor, than the 
practice of the middle and low country, of confin- 
ing cattle either partly or wholly in pens, and put- 
ting there all their food and the litter for manure. 
In this, which the mountain graziers call the " pen- 
ning and carting system," the labor of carting out 
and spreading the manure, would be counted as 
more than an equivalent for the greater quantity 
saved, or more perfect distribution over the fields. 

Former Prairie Lands. 

24. In Montgomery and Pulaski counties, near 
the main Alleghany ridge, there are many thou- 
sands of acres in different bodies, of rich lime-stone 
land called " glades," which, not more than fifty 
years ago, were in the prairie state — covered with 
grass, and without trees or shrubbery, except very 
rarely a single large oak. Since being protected 
from the former annual fires, these glade lands 
have grown up in oak and other forest trees, which 
stand very thickly, are small, (very few being yet 
6 inches through,) and tall for their size, and with- 
out any under-growth. They now present to the 
view a beautiful clean forest growth, of very pecu- 
liar appearance, from the generally uniform size and 
the slender bodies of the trees. 

In Rockbridge, and other parts of the Yalley, 
but at a more remote time, there were tracts of 
land in the prairie condition, which became forest 
after the settlement of the country. The formation 
of all these prairies by the fires of the Indians was 
doubtless owing to the calcareous quality of the 
soil, as I have formerly aimed to prove. (See Es- 
say on Causes of Formation of Prairies, Vol. III. 
Farmers' Register.) 

Unrotled Vegetable Mailers {and Manure) as Top- 
Dressing on Wkcat. 

25. Mr. William Old, Sr., Dr. John B. Ilarvie, of 
Powhatan, and Lewis E. Harvie, of Amelia, all con- 
cur in believing, from sufficient experience, that 
straw top-dressing (in winter) on wheat, is generally 
injurious to the crop; and, as supposed, by afford- 
ing shelter to chinch-bug and other insects, which 
prey on the wheat. On a part of Dr. Harvie's field, 
this evil effect is now seen, (May 13,) and chinch- 
bugs were found, though they are not usual else- 
where in that neighborhood this year, lie covers 



with straw the washed and poores spots only of 
his wheat land, every winter, for the benefit of get- 
ting thereon a much better stand of clover — which 
benefit is always obtained. But in 3 years out of 
4, the wheat is more or less injured, as above stated. 

26. I had in my own experience, a striking proof 
of this operation. In February, 1853, when the 
wheat land was so hard frozen for some hours as 
to permit carts to pass over without breaking the 
crust, I had pine leaves, (recently raked up,) hauled 
from the wood-land, and spread over several acres 
of land of middling fertility. A benefit was ex- 
pected from the covering acting mechanically to 
protect the wheat from cold, and also something of 
early manuring effect on the wheat. But the growth 
and product were evidently damaged. The wheat, 
so top-dressed, throughout, had the ragged ap- 
pearance caused by very bad depredations of Hes- 
sian fly, or other insects — though there was no 
search made for the particular cause of injury. 

27* Mr. Old also uses the briers removed by pre- 
vious mowing from his fields, for top-dressing 
washed and galled spots in wheat. This covering 
is never found injurious like straw, in producing 
insects, and is peculiarly beneficial in helping to 
cure the galls. 

28. Mr. Old, formerly, to some extent, and Mr. 
L. E. Harvie for four or five years and with nearly 
all his manure, applied it as top-dressing to the 
land in wheat, after the plants had come up, and 
at suitable times through winter. The effects, in- 
variably produced, were better stands of clover, 
but injury to the wheat, and as supposed by in- 
sects. They both abandoned the practice after 
sufficient experience had established that such in- 
jury was usual. 

29. Mr. F. G. Ruffin stated that Col. T. J. Ran- 
dolph, of Albemarle, in the winter of 1853, covered 
a portion of his wheat with straw. It was before 
of as good appearance and promise as any of the 
crop, according to the land, which was part of the 
less fertile portions. The after-growth and product 
were manifestly damaged, and more of both joint- 
worm and Hessian fly were seen there than any 
where else in the crop. 

Guano on Irish Potatoes, tf*c. 

30. Mr. William H. Harrison and Wm. L. Booker, 
of Amelia, severally have used guano as manure 
for Irish potatoes, and each found the following 
results: The growth of the plants above ground 
was remarkably and unusually luxuriant, promis- 
ing a very great product. But the tubers were not 
less remarkably small and few, and the crop almost 
worthless. Mr. Harrison had found similar results 
in regard to sweet potatoes ; and the running garden 
beans (commonly called sugar or butter beans,) 
thus manured, made a wonderfully great growth 
of vine and leaf, and a very small product of pods 
and beans. This effect of guano in increasing espe- 
cially (or exclusively) the stalk and leaf portion of 
succulent plants, he has profited by greatly in 
growing cabbages. Three hundred pounds of guano 
to the acre served to produce, and seemed enough 
to produce as heavy a growth of cabbages as the 
heaviest of other ordinary putrescent manuring. 
His experience of tobacco is the same. Mr. Booker 
admits the great and profitable increase of the 
growth of tobacco, but thinks that the quality of 
the crop is in some degree impaired. 

On Tobacco Plant Beds. 

31. Mr. William H. Harrison, of Amelia, has now 



I 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



291 



(May 13th) growing in different parts of the same 
patch,'' tobacco plants, on ground in part "burnt" 
over as usual, and another part not burnt at all, 
but guanoed at the rate of 1500 lbs. to the acre. 
The growth of the plants on the latter part is greatly 
superior to those of the former. 

[Remark. — The usual "burning" over of plant 
patches has heretofore been deemed almost indis- 
pensable, and involved the consumption of a great 
quantity of good wood, as fuel, and much labor — 
so that even 1500 lbs. of guano, for such small 
spaces, will be much cheaper to apply, independent 
of the much superior growth from the application 
of the guano. — E. R.] 

32. Mr. William Sayre, of Norfolk county, tried 
guano alone as the manuring for Irish potatoes. 
The dressing in large quantity, 500 lbs. to the acre, 
though on but a small space, for experiment. As 
in the two other cases before cited, the growth above 
ground was very great, and the product of potatoes 
(roots,) remarkably small. But in his larger ge- 
neral cultivation of this crop, and for several years, 
he used guano at the rates of 150 to 200 lbs. only, 
in conjunction with either stable manure, or marsh 
mud or muck. In this mixture, the product of 
potatoes was very good, and much better than from 
the best stable manure alone, tried alongside for 
comparison. It seemed that something of bulk, 
however poor as manure, (as the marsh mud cer- 
tainly is alone,) was necessary for the good effect 
of the guano. And the mud served as well for this 
admixture as stable manure — and the mixture of 
mud and guano was very far more productive than 
any quantity of stable manure without guano, as 
appeared from sufficient trial. 

33. It is generally understood that guano is of 
less effect in proportion to the fertility of the land — 



and that on 



rich ground, under ordinary field 



crops, it will rarely be profitable, in the quantities 
usually applied, of 200 lbs. or less. But it appears 
that it is highly beneficial and profitable for some 
garden vegetables, if applied in unusualty large 
quantity. Mr. Sayre cultivates a vegetable or mar- 
ket farm, which necessarily must be continually 
bearing successive and often double crops, and must 
be annually and heavily manured. The principal 
manure is stable manure, of best quality, costing 
full $25 the acre for the purchase, transportation, 
and application. He has found guano, seven hun- 
dred pounds or more to the acre, to be a cheaper and 
more profitable manuririg. One of sundry such re- 
sults was the following: This year, his cucumbers 
on 20 acres were manured with guano at 500 lbs. 
to the acre, besides 200 lbs. more to the acre on the 
same ground, applied in the drill earlier in the 
same year to peas, which grew on intervening rows, 
and which evidently had not used all that portion. 
The cucumbers were so benefited that he is certain 
that the product was increased as much as 200 per 
cent, above what would have been the ordinary 
crop without guano. 

{Remark by E. R. — The foregoing facts of re- 
markable products and profits from the most costly 
applications of guano, are stated because they are 
remarkable, as well as being entirely trust-worthy 
and reliable. But because all the minutes of facts, as 
yet herein stated show guano to be highly profitable, 
let it not be inferred that it is my purpose to main- 
10 k 



tain such results to be general. On the contrary, 
if minutes were offered of the ordinary action and 
profit of guano in field culture, while numerous 
facts observed by many different individuals would 
show either well remunerating or large profits, many 
other experiments and observations would as clearly 
show loss instead of profit. So many facts are 
known by report or otherwise to almost every far- 
mer, both of profitable and unprofitable applica- 
tions of guano, that I have not deemed it proper 
to adduce any such common results of ordinary 
practice in field culture.] 

Second Sowing of Wheat. 

34. Dr. R. E. Haskins, of Brunswick, had sown 
a rich lot in wheat, in the beginning of October. 
Either from defective seed or seeding, the plants 
were not more than half thick enough. On No- 
vember 10th, five weeks after the first sowing, the 
lot was re-seeded, with as much more wheat as 
was w T anting. The covering was attempted with a 
heavy harrow, (Geddes',) — but the land, (stiff soil,) 
had been made so hard by several rains, that the 
harrow could not make a sufficient impression on 
the surface. The trowel-hoe plough was then tried, 
and used throughout. This plough, (without mould- 
board,) cutting the earth thoroughly, but not much 
displacing it, also loosened all the growing wheat, 
but did not cover up, or throw out the roots of any 
large proportion of the plants. No rain fell for a 
week later. The first growth of plants generally 
lived and thrived well, as well as the second. The 
product of the land was as good as would have 
been expected from a single sowing. No evil, or 
apparent difference at harvest, was found, as had 
been feared, of the wheat from the different sow- 
ings ripening at different times. 

A little later, the like operation, and for like de- 
fect of plants, was performed on another piece of 
fresh land and light, porous soil. Part of this re- 
sowing was covered by the harrow, and part by the 
trowel-hoe plough. No difference in the effects 
was seen — and the whole piece, as in the other case, 
produced an average crop of wheat. 
[To to continued.] 



PROFITS OF SUGAR CULTURE. 

A planter in Louisiana protests against the pro- 
posed abolition of the duty on imported sugar, and 
gives his own experience in figures as to the profits. 
He says : 

My plantation, with 100 negroes, cost $160,000 00 
I made 500 hhds. sugar of fair qualitv, 

sold at 3i cents, - - ' 10,000 00 

25,000 gallons molasses, 15 cents, 3,500 00 



The annual expenses were 



$19,750 00 
10,350 72 



Deducted from sale of crop, leaving $9,399 28 
This, the planter*thinks, is not a large profit con- 
sidering the capital invested. He further says: 

Take the duty off sugar, and you bankrupt — nay, 
utterly ruin four-fifths of the sugar planters of this 
State. Sugar is now cheaper than flour. A barrel 
of the best sugar, at the present price, say 200 lbs., 
at 3£ cents, is $7, while flour, weighing 106 lbs., 
sells at $8. While the East and the West can ex- 
change a pound of flour for a pound of sugar, I 
do not see any great cause of complaint. 



292 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



For the Southern Planter. 

THE SHANGHAI FOWLS. 

Mr. Editor, — I don't know much, and never wrote 
a piece for your paper, but I just drop you a line 
to make some inquiries, and to know the reason 
why you consume so much space of your valuable 
journal with the .long legs of the Shanghai cock, 
and I want to know why you do not shoulder the 
responsibility like a man, and give your opinions 
instead of making an attack on the Shanghai family 
by publishing what the Knickerbocker says, &.C.1 
Now, sir, I think that editors of agricultural jour- 
nals should, of all men, keep clean hands, and 
should rather seek to build up than to pull down. 
I wish I were by you, sir, I would teach you the 
lesson about the boy and the bricks. An old man 
took his son with him to the brick-yard ; he placed 
twelve bricks on the ends in a row ; he then knocked 
down the first brick; this fell against the second 
and knocked it down, and so on, until all fell. He 
then goes to the other end and raises up one brick 
to see if all would rise, but found that it could not 
help its fallen companions. Mr. Editor, don't knock 
down so fast; let the Shanghai race alone; if they 
are worthless, then they are beneath an editor's 
notice; if they are valuable, the time may come 
when, as a friend to the farmer, you may have to 
exalt that family, and cannot : " For if this counsel 
or this work be of men, it will come to nought; 
but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it, lest 
haply ye be found even to fight against God." 1 
will not discuss the question with you now, but am 
always ready to do so, but will say this: I have 
kept almost every variety of chickens. I have now 
the Brahma (I suppose you do not allow them a 
place in Henology — well I for one think that they 
are only a choice and improved variety of the Asia- 
tic fowls,) and I find them to be truly valuable, 
laying twice as many and larger eggs than any other 
breed in the world; better setters and nurses, and 
more healthy and vigorous. We own a pullet, now 
ten months old, that has in a period of five months 
laid 50 eggs and raised 45 fine chickens. 

And while I am writing I want to hit you about 
another thing. You have been trying to pull down 
and slander another very respectable and innocent 
family, the Cotswolds, and you want to exalt an- 
other family, known by their long horns, big head, 
all bones and no meat, all skin and no wool. Mr. 
Editor, tell the truth and shame the Devil; do you 
not own, and have you not for sale some of this 
family'? Don't you think if you were to catch an 
old gentleman of this family and straighten out his 
horns, wouldn't they be as long as the Shanghai's 
legs'? Well, I don't like this family; they must be 
kin to the Darkeys, and their meat stinks like a 
pole cat. I am of opinion the Cotswold is the sheep 
for us, who raise tobacco and wheat; they have the 
long, strong and abundant wool with which to clothe 
our sons and daughters and .servants, and afford us 
fat and juicy mutton. Working men are no epi- 
cures, and don't wear broadcloth no how. The time 
may come when Virginia wifl raise high priced 
wool for sale. Then the French gentry, clad in 
purple and black cloth, may come on, but at pre- 
sent this doctrine is about as big a humbug as silk 
raising was. 

Mr. Editor, try and teach us how to make to- 
bacco enough to pay our debts and educate our 
children ; alter that how to improve our poor lands 
ajid make two blades of grass grow where one grew 



before. Then tell us how to raise fat pigs, cows, 
fat mutton, and good strong wool and hea]»of it; 
and teach our wives and daughters how to use it 
all up; how to raise an abundance of fine fat fowls, 
no matter whether of Shanghais or of Lord Derby's 
family, and teach us all how to live easy and within 
ourselves; and when you do this I don't think that 
you will have room for the long legs of the Shanghai. 

A Subscriber. 
Columbian Grove, Va. 



For the Southern Planter. 

Mr. Editor, — I send you the following report upon 
Mr. John Marshall's farm for publication in the 
Southern Planter at the unanimous request of the 
Wardsfork Agricultural Club, of which I am the 
Secretary. 

Respectfully yours, 

William T. Scott. 
Charlotte, July 12, 1854. 

REPORT ON MR. JOHN MARSHALL'S FARM. 

The committee appointed to examine and report 
upon Mr. John Marshall's farm, on the first Satur- 
day in June, would remark, that the}* performed 
that duty with great pleasure, and hope with some 
profit to themselves, seeing much to approve of 
and admire, and but little to condemn. 

Mr. Marshall's farm, containing about 1G00 acres, 
lies upon Wardsfork and its branches, broken and 
hilly, with a variety of soil, some soft and gray, 
mixed with red gravel and clay, as is generally 
the case with the lands upon this stream; originally 
of fine quality, but had been extremely exhausted 
by hard cultivation and injudicious management 
under the old system of excessive cropping and 
constant grazing so long pursued by the people of 
this pa*t of Virginia. This was the condition of 
the farm when it came into the possession of Mr. 
Marshall, about twelve or fifteen years ago, and 
from that time has been gradually improving to 
the present, under a better system of cultivation, 
deeper ploughing and the liberal application of 
manure. Especially has this been the case for the 
last four or five years, owing to the extensive use 
of guano and plaster and the growth of clover 
during that period, in addition to the ordinary re- 
sources of the farm for the production of manure. 
We suppose that no planter in this county has used 
guano to the same extent as Mr. Marshall, and per- 
haps none has derived so much benefit; using, upon 
an average, about twenty-five tons per annum on 
all his crops for the last four years, viz: since the 
year 1850, when he first commenced its application, 
and bestowed more of his personal attention to his 
farm, and from which time, also, we would date 
any very decided improvement* We have looked 
over his farm and crops for three years past, and 
have seen evident and manifest indications of im- 
provement each succeeding year, and which was 
more striking at this examination than at any pre- 
vious one. 11 is crop of wheat, occupying a large 
space, about 140 or 150 acres, looked remarkably 
well, a large portion very fine, and free from nox- 
ious weeds, cheat and cockle, and we suppose will 
yield, on an average, about fifteen bushels per acre. 
This land had been thoroughly ploughed and pre- 
pared and about two hundred pounds of guano ap- 
plied to the acre upon all excepting the tobacco 
land, and the grcator part of the wheat put in with 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



293 



the drill, which your committee would observe has 
a decided advantage over sowing by hand, in the 
general evenness of the growth — very few under- 
grown stalks, and small imperfect heads. 

The oat crop was principally upon high land, and 
looked tolerably well, but quite irregular in their 
growth, some high and some low, owing, we think, 
to want of care in the distribution and sowing of 
the guano. The oats upon the low grounds we 
thought would have been better if the ends of the 
furrows had been more effectually drained. His 
crop of corn was chiefly on high land, and looked 
very fine for the quality of the land, and your com- 
mittee cannot speak too highly of Mr. Marshall's 
preparation and cultivation of this important crop. 
The field was thoroughly ploughed and subsoiled, 
containing from 120 to 130 acres, well manured 
with guano and checked each way, four feet dis- 
tance, with two stalks to the hill, and cultivated 
both ways, altogether with light three-tooth har- 
rows, which are run over the land as often as prac- 
ticable during the season, leaving but little work 
to be done by the hoe. We saw nine harrows going 
at once, the horses and mules in fine condition and 
moving rapidly ; and here it may be worthy of re- 
mark to notice Mr. Marshall's plan of working his 
horses and mules. He works them about eight or 
ten hours each day and allows them the balance of 
the time to eat, and rest in the middle of the day, 
the ploughmen working at the hoe during this time. 
They evidently showed the effects of superior ma- 
nagement. 

The tobacco crop was planted and appeared to 
be standing very well and the land to be well pre- 
pared and highly manured with two hundred pounds 
of Peruvian, two hundred pounds of Mexican guano 
and a large quantity of straw and stable manure 
per acre. All the land we saw, not cultivated, or 
that lying in fallow, appeared to be well set in clo- 
ver, affording abundant pasturage for a fine stock of 
cattle, which we very much admired. His Durham 
heifer of pure blood, purchased at the last State 
Agricultural Fair, is worthy of particular notice, 
on account of her large size and symmetry of form. 
His Durham bull, also, we believe to be one of the 
largest and best formed animals we have ever seen, 
and have no doubt that his stock will be a great 
improvement upon the old breed. The rest of the 
cattle were in fine condition and ihowed that we 
could rear as good cattle in this part of the State 
as any where in the world, if we would only pro- 
vide them a sufficient supply of grass. We would 
remark that Mr. Marshall's lands appeared to be 
but little w T ashed or gullied, even on the steeper 
parts, although he does not keep open water fur- 
rows, except when his fields are cultivated in small 
grain, and which good condition, we think is due 
to deep ploughing and subsoiling. His out houses, 
stables, barns, &c. seemed to be well built and in 
good repair, especially his negro houses, which are 
built of brick and covered with shingles. His 
fences also were strong, well made and in good 
order. 

Your committee would particularly notice and 
call the attention of the Club to the manner in 
which Mr. Marshall prepares his lands for the re- 
ception of every kind of crop, his thorough plough- 
ing and subsoiling, and in this department of agri- 
culture, so essential to success, w r e think he is justly 
entitled to the highest praise. Altogether we think 
the farm exhibited abundant evidence of industry, 
skill and good management, and that the eye of 
the master was not wanting to any part, and we 



hope, and believe, that Mr. Marshall's success will 
be commensurate with his well known zeal and 
devotion to the cause of agricultural improvement, 
the boldness of the views, and liberality of the 
plans, which he has marked out for his own ope- 
rations. 

William T. Scott, | • 

T. E. Watkins, 



THE PRICE OF WHEAT. 

< 

The following table, which we find in Hunt's 
Merchant's Magazine, is from the minutes kept at 
the office of the Van Renssellaer Manor, at Albany, 
where large amounts of rent are payable in wheat, 
or a cash equivalent, on the first of January each 
year; and as two parties are deeply interested in 
the price, it is probably the most reliably correct 
of any record that can be obtained. There is quite 
a lesson in these figures — look at them : 

Price of wheat per bushel, January 1st, at Albany 
sixty-one years, viz : 



1793 . 


.SO 75 


1814.. 


.$1 87! 


1835 . . 


. si 00 


1794. . 


...1 00 


1815.. 


.. 1 


62* 


1836. . 


...1 50 


1795. . 


...1 37* 


1816.. 


.. 1 


75 


1837. . 


...2 25 


1796. . 


...2 00 


1817.. 


.. 2 


25 


1838. . 


...1 62* 


1797. . 


...1 50 


1818.. 


.. 1 


87* 


1839. . 


...1 75 


1798. . 


...1 25 


1819.. 


.. 1 


75 


1840. . 


...1 12* 


1799. . 


...1 18| 


1820 . . 


.. 1 


00 


1841. . 


...1 00 


1800. . 


...1 56i 


1821.. 




77 


1842. . 


...1 25 


1801.. 


...1 81| 


1822. 


.. 1 


12* 


1843. . 


...1 87* 


1802. . 


...1 00 


1823 . . 


.. 1 


25 


1844. . 


...2 00 


1803. . 


...1 12i 


1824. 


.. 1 


25 


1845. . 


... 93| 


1804. . 


...1 25 


1825.. 


.. 1 


00 


1846. . 


...1 18| 


1805. . 


...2 00 


1826.. 




87* 


1847. . 


...1 12* 


1806. . 


...1 43f 


1827. 


.. 1 


00 


1848. . 


...1 31i 


1807. . 


...1 37* 


1828. 


.. 1 


00 


1849. . 


...1 18| 


1808. . 


...1 12* 


1829.. 


.. 1 


75 


1850. . 


...1 18f 


1809. . 


...1 00 


1830. 


.. 1 00 


1851. . 


...1 12* 


1810. . 


...1 56i 


1831. 


.. 1 


25 


1852. , 


...1 00 


1811.. 


...1 75 


1832. 


.. 1 


25 


1853.. 


...1 18f 


1812. . 


...1 87* 


1833. 


.. 1 


25 


1854. . 


...1 75 


1813. . 


...2 25 


1834. 


.. 1 


00 







You will notice that only five times in all those 
years wheat %is been two dollars or upward per 
bushel, while it was seventeen times at one dollar 
or under — twice at seventy-five cents. Only once 
in thirty-seven years, that is since 1817, to wit: in 
1837, has it reached two dollars. The average price 
for the whole period is one dollar and thirty-eight 
cents. For the last thirty years it is one dollar and 
twenty-five cents, and we give it as a prophecy, 
which we think may be relied upon, that that will 
be the price next January. Those who are inte- 
rested may as well make a note of that. The crop 
of wheat is too good, too wide extended, and the 
demand for export to Europe or California too li- 
mited, and flour speculators too hard-up to maintain 
present prices. — New York Tribune. 



TO DESTROY VERMIN. 

One of the editors of the New Orleans Picayune, 
G. W. Kendall, in his letter from Paris to that jour- 
nal, gives the subjoined recipe for destroying ver- 
min on animals, plants and trees. The remedy is 
simple, easy of application, and worthy of at least 
a trial : 

" The celebrated Raspial, well known as one of 
the best French chemists, has given an important 



294 



TMB SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



recipe for destroying vermin on animals, and also 
on plants and trees — important at least, if true. 
The process he recommends is to make a solution 
of aloes — one gramme of that gum to a litre of wa- 
ter — French measure — and, by means of a large 
brush, to wash over the trunks and branches of 
trees with this solution. This simple process, says 
Raspial, will speedily destroy all the vermin on the 
trees, and will effectually prevent others from ap- 
proaching. In order to clear sheep and animals 
with long hair, they must be bathed with the solu- 
tion, or be well washed with it. * Raspial mentions 
several trials he has made with this mixture, all of 
which have been attended with the most complete 
success, and he recommends it very strongly to 
general use. I can only say that if a simple solu- 
tion of aloes and water will kill or drive away ants 
from peach and other trees in Texas and other 
parts of the South, the discovery will be hailed 
with pleasure. At all events there is no harm in 
trying the experiment. A French litre is a little 
less than three of our pints — gramme is the five- 
hundredth part of a French pound. A little aloes, 
if useful at all, will thus go a great way. Were I 
troubled with ants or other vermin, in Texas, I 
should certainly try Raspial's solution." 



From the Marlborough Gazette. 

SUPER PHOSPHATE OF LIME. 

Laboratory of State Chemist, 
No. 26, Exchange Building, Aug. 20, 1854. 

Dear Sir, — I regret to inform you that I 
have not been able to make any analyses of the 
artificial manures now offered for sale in our 
market; having net more time at my disposal 
than is necessary to analyze the soils, marls, 
&c, of the particular counties in which I have 
been engaged. The office of my assistant ex- 
pired on the 10th of last March, and, according 
to the decision of the Comptroller of the Trea- 
sury the Appropriation Bill did not per se. 
continue his salary. The law was not enacted 
to continue to the State the services of this 
eminently skilful and industrious gentleman, 
though several of the largest counties in the 
State have yet to be examined. The informa- 
tion which I shall give you must, therefore, be 
derived from what these manures say for them- 
selves by their interpreted analyses. 

The only manure which has recently been 
brought prominently before the public is one 
called U C. B. DeBurg's Super Phosphate of 
Lime" This manure has been extensively ad- 
vertised in the public papers, and also by means 
of printed sheets containing its analysis, and a 
recommendation by Dr. David Stewart, a che- 
mist of this city. From an attentive examina- 
tion of the report on this manure, one of two 
conclusions must be formed: first, either the 
analysis must be incorrect; or, that this manure 
is sold under a false name, it being no "super 
phosphate." 

" Super phosphate of lime," as we know, and 



as is particularly stated to us in the Baltimore 
Weekly " Sun" of May 20th, should be nothing 
else but bones (or other phosphates) dissolved 
in sulphuric acid; and theory shows the mix- 
ture of both to be: for every 100 lbs. of raw 
bones 29 lbs. of oil of vitriol. Such a mixture 
would then contain about 21 lbs. of real sul- 
phuric acid, without water, and its composition 
would be pretty well represented by the follow- 
ing numbers : 

Moisture i 10 

Animal matter 27 

Containing of nitrogen 1.25=?to ammonia 1.5. 
Hydrated sulphate of lime (piaster of Paris) ... 39 
Containing of real sulphuric acid, 18. 

Bi-phosphate of lime- soluble 24 

Containing of phosphoric acid 17. 

T. Thomas Way, Consulting Chemist to the 
Royal Agricultural Society of England, re- 
marks that no neutral or insoluble phosphate is 
mentioned, because it is supposed to be entirely 
converted into bi-phosphate (super-phosphate;) 
with it must be said, however, that it is practi- 
cally impossible to do this. The manufacturer 
will either fall somewhat short of the entire 
decomposition of the phosphate, or he will go 
be3^ond it, setting phosphoric acid free; which, 
to the consumer, is by no means an objection. 
But it is certainly an object to exceed rather 
than fall short of the mark, so as to leave none 
of the insoluble phosphate unacted on. 

The above statement gives us the composi- 
tion for the best article of " super phosphate 
of lime," and though it cannot be practically 
made in such a perfect manner as it is repre- 
sented by the above numbers, it will, neverthe- 
less, be the surest and most natural standard 
by which the quality of all fertilizers belonging 
to this class should be estimated. 

Let us now see w T hat Dr. Stewart says in his 
" Report of 'Analysis of a sample of C. B. 
DeBurg's Super Phosphate of Lime." The 
following is a true copy of the published ana- 
lysis, with an annexed recapitulation as given 
by him : 

Report of Analysis of a Sample of "C. B. DcBurg's 
Super Phosphate of Lime." — February, 1854. 

proximate analysis. 

Water 1G.40 

Organic matter — 

Containing ammonia 25.50 

Ash *58.10 

proximate analysis of above ash. 

Phosphoric acid 18.63 

Lime -1 .33 

Magnesia 02.79 

Insoluble residue 09.80 

Salt, potash and soda, sulphuric acid, &c. . . .05.55 

*58.10 
Total proportion of manure soluble in fresh cold 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



295 



water was found to be twenty-eight (28) per cent. — 
of this nearly two parts were phosphoric acid, viz : 
valuable elements soluble in water. 

Phosphoric acid 1.81 

Potash of soda 2.00 

Volatile compounds, containing ammonia 16.15 

Sulphuric acid, lime, magnesia and other 

elements of less importance 08.04 

28.00 

RECAPITULATION. 

Total proportion (per cent.) of valuable elements 
in this "chemical manure" — 3.75 or nearly four per 
cent, of nitrogen, equal to 4.54 or nearly five per 
cent, of ammonia ; 18.63 or nearly nineteen per cent, 
of phosphoric acid, equal to 38.40 per cent, of bone 
phosphate of lime, or nearly 39 per cent.; 1.81 or 
nearly 2 of this phosphoric acid is soluble in water, 
and is, therefore, equivalent in its effects of five 
times the bone phosphate of lime that it represents. 
See Patent Office Report, 1852-3, Agricultural, p. 
391. 

Making the most liberal allowance as above, and 
estimating bones to be worth $25 per 2000 lbs. (ton) 
we may say that in considertion of the soluble phos- 
phoric acid, the phosphates in this compound are 

worth, per ton $25 00 

And the ammonia .' 10 00 

Whereas, if we estimate the phosphates in Peruvian 

guano at same rate the 500 lbs. of phosphates in 

Peruvian guano would be $12 50 

And the 320 lbs. of ammonia in a ton of 

Peruvian guano would be 35 24 

$47 74 
In view of the above analysis, I do not hesitate 
to say that this manure is cheaper to many farmers 
at forty dollars per ton, than Peruvian guano at 
fifty, and believing as I do, that there is no species 
of manure for any crop, and much less for all soils, 
I still reiterate the opinion expressed several years 
since, that these combinations of Peruvian guano 
are more generally certain than the Guano alone, 
which fails on many farms to produce any good 
effect. 

I have given its absolute value or money value — 
also my opinion of its price — and it is my intention 
to apply one ton to my corn field this year where 
its use is indicated, and where I am sure it will 
compare favorably with any other manure. 
Respectfully, 

David Stewart, M. D. 
Baltimore, 79 North Eutaw Street. 

We see at first sight that the above does not 
represent a super phosphate at all. Where is 
the necessary sulphuric acid ? This is a ques- 
tion which the analysis cannot answer. 

We read in one place : 

" Salts, potash and soda, sulphuric acid, &c. 
5.55," and at another: 

"Potash and soda." 

Now if potash and soda make 2 per cent. 
Toy themselves, then, of course, salts of potash 
and soda must make at least 5 per cent. De- 
duct these 5 per cent, from the whole amount 
allowed for salts, potash and soda, sulphuric 
acid, &c, which is 5.55 as above mentioned, 
and we have half of one per cent, for sulphuric 



acid, &c, and therefore in a favorable case one- 
fourth of one per cent, of " &c." and one-fourth 
of one per cent, of "sulphuric acid." This 
amount of sulphuric acid is so small as must 
be considered an incidental impurity, and not 
as the agent which had transformed common 
phosphate of lime into a soluble bi-phosphate 
or super phosphate. 

The analysis mentions 1.8 per cent, of solu- 
ble phosphate acid: this cannot be attributed 
to the action of sulphuric acid on the original 
phosphates. Nobody need, however, be asto- 
nished at its presence who knows the action of 
ammoniacal salts on phosphates. Ammoniacal 
salts, especially sulphate of ammonia, dissolve 
pretty readily phosphate of lime and to this 
fact the great effect of Peruvian guano must, 
to some extent, be attributed. Peruvian gua- 
no, as we know, contains phosphate of lime be- 
sides ammonia; if this article is mixed with 
sulphate of lime (plaster of Paris,) or applied 
to soil which contains originally plaster of Pa- 
ris, sulphate of ammonia is formed, which acts 
as a solvent to the phosphate of lime. We 
even know by experiments, made with mixtures 
of Peruvian guano and Mexican (pure phos- 
phate of lime) that the sulphate of ammonia 
which is formed from 100 lbs. of Peruvian 
guano makes available not only the phosphate 
of lime which these 100 lbs. contain, but that 
it acts also on additional qualities of phosphate 
of lime, which the Mexican guano contained, 
and that for this reason the application of a 
mixture of Peruvian guano and Mexican is in 
all cases far more economical and rational than 
the application of Peruvian guano alone, pro- 
vided that the soil is deficient in phosphoric 
acid. 

Dr. Stewart shows ammoniacal salts to be 
present in C. B. DeBurg's Super Phosphate of 
Lime, and the presence of 1.8 per cent, of so- 
luble phosphoric acid must, therefore, be the, 
consequence of the action of these ammoniacal'. 
salts on phosphates; the absence of sulphuric^ 
acid or any other stronger acid than phosphoric 
excludes every other reason for its- presenee. 
But if this is the case (and no other case is 
possible from the analysis) we will at once per- 
ceive a great mistake as to the valuation of the 
article. The value of the ammoniacal salts 
contained in the article is first estimated, then 
the value of its phosphates,, and finally the va- 
lue of the soluble phosphoric acid, which esti- 
mated to be equivalent to five times the pro- 
portion of bone phosphate of lime that it re- 
presents. By these means the analyst esti- 
mates first the agents which are ammoniacal 
salts and phosphates, and secondly their reci- 
procal effect which produced soluble phosphoric 



> 



296 



TB.M SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



acid. Such a valuation is, however, totally 
wrong, 'and liable to mislead farmers and pur- 
chasers of this article. A hotel-keeper, who 
would charge for the beef and for roasting it, 
and finally for the resulting roast beef, would 
act on the same principle as that by which the 
money value of this article is estimated. 

If I make "the most liberal allowance," as 
Dr. S. did, in estimating the money value of 
this "fertilizer," allowing $25 for 2000 lbs. of 
raw bones and $50 for 2240 lbs. of Peruvian 
guano, I come to the following result : 

If 2000 lbs. of raw bones, containing 23.61 
per cent, of phosphoric acid are worth $25, 
then 1 lb. of phosphoric acid is worth 5.3 cents. 

Peruvian guano containing 14 per cent, of 
phosphate acid and 16^ per cent, of ammonia 
is therefore worth, 

For its phosphate acid, - - $16 62 

And for its ammonia, - - 33 38 



- $50 00 
lb. of ammonia is worth 



Total, 

And, therefore, 
$9 31 cents. 

The above super phosphate of lime contains 
in 2000 lbs., as per Dr. Stewart's analysis, 373 
lbs. of phosphoric acid, which at 5.3 cents, are 

worth, $19 76 

And 90 lbs. of ammonia, at 9.31 cts. 8 38 



Total value, - - 28 14 
This is the real money value of the article 
as calculated from Dr. S.'s analysis, and if we 
estimate Peruvian guano at fifty dollars the 
short ton, (its present price,) then at most the 
article is not worth more than thirty-one or 
thirty-two dollars per ton, a price very far be- 
low that at which it is sold. You can buy the 
materials of this manure and apply them to 
your soil at a far less sum than the price for 
which this manure is sold here. 

The value of all this class of manures should 
be reckoned by this rule : Estimate the value 
of the several constituents in the manure, and 
then the cost of the labor of mixing them, (if 
mixing is necessaay before using them) the sum 
is the real value of the manure. This rule 
holds good in all manufactured articles, and 
why not in manure ? I do not deny but that 
this manure may produce under any certain 
conditions good crops, but that is no reason 
why you should pay a sum for it far above its 
intrinsic value. Thirty pounds of Peruvian 
guano and seventy of bones or of good quality 
Mexican guano would make one hundred pounds 
of manure superior to " C. B. DeBurg's Super 
Phosphate," and you can distribute these over 
an acre much better by sowing them separately' 
than if they are mixed before being used. 



When you can purchase the elements of this 
manure then for about thirty-one or thirty-two 
dollars, and have a more thorough mixture by 
sowing them separately on your fields, why buy 
this or any other similar artificial manure? 
The valuation put on this manure by Dr. Stew- 
art is entirely too high and is not warranted 
by the analysis made by him. In relation to 
the supply of Peruvian guano, I can confi- 
dently inform you that the supply on hand is 
probably sufficient foHjie demand this fall, and 
it is arriving in large quantities every week. 
There need be not the slightest fear of a scar- 
city this season ; and the dealers will be anxious 
to sell now as the consumers were to buy last 
fall. You can, therefore, suit your own con- 
venience as to the time when you will purchase. 
This advice is different from that given by those 
who sell guano. They are anxious to sell as 
quickly as possible, by which they will realize 
their money or obtain their commissions; and, 
therefore, they advise consumers to purchase 
immediately. 

I am well aware, for the statements which I 
have made above, that, as heretofore, many 
manure dealers and their adherents will strive 
to discredit my statements and do me all the 
injury in their power whenever an opportunity 
offers. Their efforts heretofore have resulted 
in doing me no harm. The sufferers have been 
those for whom I am appointed to labor. It 
was a duty not less due to you for your disin- 
terested services to the cause of scientific and 
practical agriculture, that I should give you 
the above information, than it was to the agri- 
cultural community that I should publsh it. 
If any injustice has been done to any one by 
the above communication, I will, with great 
pleasure, make all suitable amends when made 
sensible of my errors. 

James Higgins, 
State Agricultural Chemist. 

To G. P. Coad, Great Mills, St. Mary's Co., Md. 



From the Southern Cultivator. 

WEEVIL IN GRAIN— HOW TO DESTROY. 

Messrs. Editors, — I read an article in one of your 
numbers which spoke of keeping the shuck on 
corn in order to prevent the weevil. Keeping the 
shuck on the corn is the best mode of preserving 
the corn sweet and clean, and it also prevents the 
weevil; but wheat and other grain cannot be con- 
veniently preserved in the shuck. I will give a 
method by which the weevil may be prevented 
from doing damage to wheat or other grain. It is 
cutting the young (or growth of the same year) of 
the sassafras, and placing a few branches in the 
wheat. It will be preserved for three or four years 
entirely clear of weevil. 

J. M. S. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



297 



From the Quarterly Journal of Agriculture. 

FARINACEOUS ALIMENT OBTAINED FROM 
STRAW. 

The attention of agriculturists in France has 
been recently directed to the discovery of a 
method of converting straw into a kind of bran, 
or farina, for the feeding of domestic animals. 
This discovery has been^ claimed by two indi- 
viduals. The first is a miller near Dijon, of 
whose name we are not informed, who, it is 
said on trying the millstone of a new mill, dis- 
covered the possibility of converting straw into 
nourishing food. The second, M. Jos. Maitre, 
founder of the fine agricultural establishment 
of Vilotte, near Chatillon. This distinguished 
agriculturist, known for the purity and perfec- 
tion of his breeds of sheep, conceived the idea 
of converting into farina, not only the straw 
of wheat, and other grains, but of hay, trefoil, 
lucern, sainfoin, &c. His efforts are said to 
have been perfectly successful, and his disco- 
very arrived at — not by chance, but by long 
experiment and research. The aliment which he 
has produced is said to be a complete substi- 
tute for bran. It is given to sheep and lambs, 
who consume it with avidity, and may be given 
to all other graminivorous animals, as a grate- 
ful and substantial food. 

M. Martin, with the view of bringing the 
process to perfection, has ordered a mill for its 
manufacture, to be erected in the midst of his 
large farms, and he is preparing to communi- 
cate a report to the Royal Society of Agricul- 
ture on the advantages in rural and domestic 
economy to be derived from this preparation. 
We are not at the present moment informed of 
the nature of this process. If it be a simple 
grinding of the straw or fodder, and a separa- 
tion of some of its fibrous matter we can easily 
imagine the advantages that may result from 
it. We know in this country that the mere 
chopping of straw adds greatly to its powers, 
by facilitating mastication and digestion. We 
may believe that a more perfect comminution 
of its parts will produce a corresponding effect, 
and extend very widely the uses of straw and 
other fodder, as a means of feeding our clo- 
mestic animals. 



starvation, regarded his preservation as a miracle. 
He was transmuted into a saint. Such are the facts 
relating to coffee. There aromow supposed to be 
3000 coffee rooms in Constantinople. 



DISCOVERY OF COFFEE. 

About the year 1258, a dervis named Hadji Omer, 
was driven out of the community of Mocha. Hun- 
ger induced him to roast the Kahlva berries which 
grew near his hiding place. He roasted and ate 
them as his only means of sustaining life. Steep- 
ing them in the water which quenched his thirst, 
he discovered very agreeable qualities, and also 
that this infusion was nearly equal to solid food. 
His persecutors, who had intended him to die of 



SOME WORDS ABOUT MULES. 

In the " Republican Banner," of Nashville, 
Tennessee, we find a long and interesting letter 
written by Mark R. Cockrill, one of the most 
distinguished farmers and eminent stock-growers 
of that State, from which we take these con- 
cluding remarks about mules : 

" Whilst upon the subject of live stock, I 
will be excused whilst I make a few sugges- 
tions upon the mule. In these opinions I may 
not be sustained by the majority; but I throw 
them out for consideration, as they are now 
presented for the action of the Society. 

" The mule is the great field laborer in the 
commanding staples of the South, cotton, sugar 
and rice, as he is one of the annual export of 
Tennessee, and as he will continue to be so, he 
is destined to hold even a higher position than 
heretofore among the live stock of the State. 
The large, heavy boned mule produced from 
overgrown jacks of excessive heavy bone, or 
improper pampering, are generally lazy, or soon 
become so by labor, and become very slow; 
their driver may force them on, but in a few 
steps they take their slow, natural gate again. 
Such mules are therefore almost worthless, and 
should not be bred if it can be avoided. The 
most perfect mules are not to be expected from 
the excessively large, coarse-boned jacks, or 
excessive high feeding, but from the laws of 
nature carried out to the greatest perfection by 
skilful breeding and feeding. 

"An error has existed for many years, and 
still exists, concerning the size of mules. Size 
has been made a measure of value in the mule, 
almost regardless of form and spirit, and so it 
has been in their sire, the jack. 

" I have been employing a mule team for 
twenty-five years in the cultivation of cotton in 
Mississippi, and my team now numbers one 
hundred. In this time I have used every va- 
riety of mule, (except the most inferior kind,) 
that has ever been grown. 

"At the commencement of my planting ope- 
rations I adopted the prevalent error, that size 
was the measure of value, and pursued it for 
many years, much to my prejudice. By long 
trial, and by comparing the relative perform- 
ances and lastingness of the large team which 
I have used, aided by observation and reflec- 
tion, I am fully satisfied that the medium sized 
mule, full of spirit and action, with a neat firm 
leg and a round body, with his levers set right 



298 



HE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



for easy motion, his head and ears up, ready 
to move at the word, is the animal of most 
value of this kind. 

" The laws of nature cannot be violated with 
impunity. The jack, when grown within the 
scope of these laws, is a small animal. The 
mule a medium between the jack and the horse. 
Both the jack and mule, by a hot-bed growth, 
may be forced to be large animals. But in 
this forcing process, now more extensively pur- 
sued by Kentucky than any other State, what 
has been gained, and what has been lost? 

" They have gained large bone, coarse ani- 
mals of large size, and at an early age full of 
defects, and soon ready to decay, because sub- 
ject to disease, and large consumers of food. 

" They have ' lost symmetry, spirit, action, 
lasting endurance and permanent value. 

" The farmers of Kentucky seem not to have 
taken a proper distinction between animals in- 
tended for active labor and those intended for 
the slaughter pen. 

" The mule must be large enough to master 
his draught, and a medium size is large enough 
for all the labor of the South, which is and 
will continue to be the great market for mule 
growers. 

" The error that I especially aim at, is the 
abandonment of almost every thing else for 
size. The best combination of the requisite 
qualities in the mule is not found in the pro- 
duction of a hot-bed policy, which, by constant 
feeding with every thing that will hasten growth, 
brings out a large, coarse, forced, overgrown, 
awkward animal, who decays as rapidly as he 
has been grown. If he were intended for the 
slaughter pen, this method of growing is cor- 
rect; but when he is designed for the valleys 
of the Southern rivers, where his service is ac- 
tive and his rations not very select, he wants 
more game, more spirit and action, more sym- 
metry, and not too much size. Hence, our 
Tennessee mules, the produce of spirited jacks, 
are really more valuable to the Southern planters 
than the produce of Kentucky, under her pre- 
sent system. 

" This, no doubt, to some extent, is the fault 
of the purchasers South, who have not gene- 
rally discovered their error. They demand 
large sizes, and pay in proportion to size; and 
this, in part, explains the policy of Kentucky. 
My opinion is, that size in a mule is nothing- 
after they reach fifteen hands high, and that 
many under that height come up to the standard 
value, fitted for cotton plantations. 

"When compared to the blood horse, the 
mule is unfit for the saddle, pleasure carriage, 
or any harness requiring rapid motion. His 
sire is an animal of slothful tendencies, of slow 



motion generally, and hence the necessity of 
improving this quality in the jack. Give him 
spirit and action and stamina, rather than great 
height. One conforms to the laws of nature, 
and the other violates them. 

" The Spanish and Maltese jacks have spirit 
generally, and for that reason are valuable as 
a cross; but they come to us without stamina, 
and with a contracted chest. These faults must 
be remedied by proper crossing, before they 
will produce the mule best fitted for the malaria 
districts of the Southern rivers. 

" It is our policy to grow the mule that will 
prove to be the most valuable to the cultivators 
of the South, and rely upon their following 
their interest when explained to them, and pro- 
ven upon trial to be true. 

" What I have learned upon this subject is 
not from hearsay. I have purchased and grown 
all the mules which I have driven for twenty- 
five years in Mississippi. I have had that op- 
portunity of knowing what they have done, and 
these opinions are the results of experience. 
This knowledge would have been of service to 
me in the commencement of my business, and 
I communicate it for the benefit of those who 
may adopt my opinions hereafter." 



From the Virginia Sentinel. 

THE MODE OF USING GUANO. 

A few days ago we received a letter from an 
agricultural friend of the Piedmont region, de- 
siring to know the opinion of our learned and 
practical fellow-citizen, Professor Benjamin 
Hallowell, as to the propriety of using ashes 
in connection with guano. As this is the sea- 
son when farmers are about to apply their gua- 
no, we requested Professor H. to give us his 
views in a form that would enable all our readers 
to share the benefit. This he has very kindly 
done in the letter which we publish below : 

Alexandria Boarding School, 9 mo. 19th, 1854. 

Esteemed Friend, — In reply to thy inquiry 
respecting the propriety of mixing ashes with 
guano previous to sowing, I may state, that it 
is entirely opposed to chemical principles, to 
mix live-ashes, or quick-lime, with any animal 
manure. Ammonia, the chief valuable charac- 
teristic ingredient of animal manures, is usu- 
ally found in these manures in combination 
with some organic acids, and these acids, owing 
to the generally stronger afiinity, unite with 
potash and lime when they are present, and 
liberate the ammonia, thus rendering the ma- 
nure of much less value. 

But this is not the only injury. The libe- 
rated ammonia unites with the acids in the soil, 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



299 



as the humic, crenic and apo-crenic acids which 
are almost insoluble, and forms compounds, 
readily dissolved and washed from the soil by 
the rains, greatly depriving it of those consti- 
tuents upon which its fertility chiefly depends. 

It is the deteriorating effect arising from the 
escape of the ammonia, and the soluble com- 
pounds it forms with the organic acids in the 
soil, that indicate the propriety of mixing plas- 
ter with guano to "fix" the ammonia, previous 
to sowing it on the land. The first crop may 
be none the better thereby, and, in some rare 
instances, possibly not quite so good; but the 
land will always be in a state more favorable 
to the growth of subsequent crops. 

I will take this occasion to repeat, that I 
regard the discovery of guano, and its intro- 
duction into our country, as a great Messing, 
by increasing the fertility of our soils, and af- 
fording the means of improving many lands, 
otherwise in a state of hopeless sterility. But, 
we must not depend upon the use of this, as 
the settled policy of farming, to the 7ieglect of 
our home 'manures. It is opposed to every 
principle of political economy, to send as far 
as half the circuit of our globe for guano, and 
neglect equally, or even more valuable manures, 
on our very premises, and in our neighboring 
cities. What an amount of money, now sent 
abroad for guano, might be retained in the 
country, and the farmers be quite as well sup- 
plied with fertilizing materials, were only a pro- 
per system adopted, which is entirely practica- 
ble, of returning the ivaste animal and vegeta- 
ble matter to the soil; and how great a bene- 
factor will he be, who succeeds in adequately 
awakening public attention to the subject. I 
tried to do this in my address to the citizens 
of Loudoun, at Leesburg, two years ago; but 
my voice was not strong enough. Cannot the 
" Sentinel" speak louder, and make himself ef- 
fectually heard ? 

Thy sincere friend, 

Benj. Hallowell. 



IMPROVED HARNESS BUCKLE. 

Much peril as well as painful annoyance has re- 
sulted from the old-fashioned harness buckles by 
reason of their liability to break or draw out during 
accidents, which their own defects not unfrequently 
cause, and also from the difficulty of release to 
falling horses, occasioned by the tightening force 
of the animal's weight. Christian and Lewis B. 
Oyster, of Chambersburg, Pa., have jointly claimed 
an improvement in buckles, which will completely 
revolutionize the principle of their action, if found 
applicable as designed by the inventors. It is pro- 
posed to dispense entirely with the tongue holes in 
traces and other straps, and to rivet the tongue to 
leather instead of the buckle. The bar of the buckle 
is furnished with a number of rachet-shaped teeth 



or stops, and corresponding cavities are cut in the 
tongue, but having reversed catches. The desired 
length of the trace is adjusted by bringing these 
teeth together at a given point, and securing them 
with a set screw. The screw puts the unhitching 
of the horse under the instantaneous control of the 
driver in case of falls or other perilous entangle- 
ments. — Exchange. 



From the Germantown Telegraph. 
UNDER-DRAINING. 

Mr. Editor, — Under-draining has never, I 
believe, been practised, to any great extent, in 
this country. Having a piece of low ground, 
of an oblong form, and rather narrow, through 
which it was necessary to run a drain length- 
wise, and perceiving that an open drain would 
seriously interfere with its cultivation on ac- 
count of its narrowness, I determined to put in 
an under-drain, which I accomplished in the 
following manner: a trench three feet wide, 
and eighteen inches deep, was opened, and the 
excavated soil deposited on one side. Com- 
mencing at one extremity of this trench, an- 
other eighteen inches wide and one foot deep, 
was opened along the centre of the first. The 
land being nearly level, and the soil and sub- 
soil a very hard and compact clay, so that I 
anticipated little injury from the wearing ac- 
tion of the water, I concluded no lining on the 
sides or bottom would be necessary, and deter- 
mined to cover in without supplying any. This 
I did by placing flag stones compactly over the 
narrow drain, and shovelling upon them the 
dirt thrown out. This gave a rounded surface, 
and prevented the percolation of the surface 
water from the first, so that no injury did, or 
possibly could, result to the work from that 
source. The drain has now stood upwards of 
a year, and answers the purpose for which it 
was intended, admirably, and as completely, 
and I may say perfectly, as any work of the 
kind, however expensive, possibly could do. I 
have ploughed over it, passed and repassed it 
with loaded carts, and, indeed, performed all 
the details of the most complicated cultivation 
on the meadow, without any detriment or in- 
jury to it whatever. 

It will be recollected, however, that I en- 
joyed peculiar facilities in this, ensuing from 
the characteristics of the soil, and the almost 
perfect flatness of it. Had the soil been looser 
and of a lighter texture, or had its surface 
been sloping instead of level, a more expensive 
work would have been required ; there would, 
under either of the conditions mentioned, have 
been a liability to wash, from the increased 
current of the water; but as it was, any pro- 
tection against such a contingency, seemed, in 



300 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



the nature of the circumstances, to be wholly 
unnecessary and uncalled for. It remains for 
time to test the efficiency of the work; but 
thus far it has fully met my most sanguine 
expectations. 

An Old Subscriber. 
Worcester, Montgomery Co., Pa. 



From the Alexandria Gazette. 

LIBERALITY OP RICHMOND TO THE VIRGINIA 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY— REPLY TO 
THE ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE. 

An article appeared in the Gazette of Aug. 
29th, which, as I consider it calculated to in- 
jure the Virginia State Agricultural Society, 
in which I feel a deep interest, and to which I 
look for much good to the agriculture of the 
State, I hope you will pardon me for thus no- 
ticing. It is said, "the Executive Committee 
of the Virginia State Agricultural Society is 
entirely too local in its character," and it is 
complained that while Henrico and Richmond 
City have three members in that body, and 
Hanover two, Alexandria has no representa- 
tive. Now, independent of the claims of Rich- 
mond City, and the counties above named, to 
the honors of the Society, by virtue of the 
number of members they furnish and the large 
contributions they have made to the Society's 
funds, there is this consideration which did not 
probably occur at the time of writing the arti- 
cle referred to. The Executive Committee, to 
transact the business of the Society, are com- 
pelled to meet in Richmond some ten or twelve 
times a year ; and it is, therefore, desirable 
that a majority of the Committee should reside 
at points convenient to the place of meeting, 
both to ensure punctual attendance, and to 
avoid the expense which would fall heavily 
upon members living remote from Richmond. 
These patriotic gentlemen pay their own tra- 
velling and hotel expenses, and I very much 
doubt if in your city you can find many who, 
for the small honor of a seat in that body, 
would be willing to incur the expense attendant 
upon a proper discharge of the duties of the 
office. As at present organized, the meetings 
are not very fully attended, the more distant 
members being rarely able to attend, and much 
less so would they be if the members thereof 
were scattered over the State as you propose. 
There is, I understand, a scheme in contem- 
plation to district the State, and to give to each 
district a representation according to the num- 
ber of members and the contributions to the 
funds of the Society. Although I cannot ap- 
prove of this scheme, I must confess it has one 
recommendation — the silencing of complaints 



such as the one I am now considering. Unde r 
this new arrangement, can you tell me, Mr- 
Editor, what fractional part of a representa- 
tive your city will have ? Again, you speak of 
Alexandria as one of " the most important points 
for the operations of the Society," and on a 
former occasion you spoke of pledges having 
been made, to the effect that your city should 
be one of the points at which the Fairs were to 
be held. Now, I know not by whom such a 
"pledge" could have been made, as no agent 
or friend of the Society was authorized to make 
it. The time and place of exhibition are fixed 
at each meeting of the Society, and I do not 
think it has ever been seriously contemplated 
to seek better accommodations than we find in 
Richmond. As the capital of the State, Rich- 
mond appears to me to be the most suitable 
place for holding the meetings of a State So- 
ciety; but independent of this consideration, 
the unparalleled munificence of Richmond and 
her citizens, entitles her to whatever of honor 
or profit may accrue from the meetings of the 
Society. In order to exhibit the full force of 
these claims in this regard, I have obtained 
from the Secretary of the Agricultural Society 
and the Chamberlain of the City of Richmond, 
the following facts : 

The City of Richmond in its corporate ca- 
pacity has expended up*on the Society the sum 
of thirty-four thousand five hundred and sixty- 
five dollars and forty-five cents, ($34,565 45,) 
and is now building offices for the Society at 
an expense of ten thousand dollars more. Of 
her citizens, we have eight hundred and fifty- 
nine members, (forty of whom are life members,) 
whose initiation fees, with donations to the So- 
ciety, increase the sum above mentioned six thou- 
sand seven hundred and seventy-three dollars. 

Now let us compare with this the "material 
aid" furnished by Alexandria, the city which 
you say " contributed liberally to the establish- 
ment of the Society." Alexandria, city and 
county, has ninety -one members, (of whom two 
are life members) who have paid into the So- 
ciety's treasury one hundred and seventy -five 
dollars, and there has been no donation from 
either the city or county ! I might mention 
half a dozen country towns which have contri- 
buted double that amount, and yet you grum- 
ble because the Society does not hold its Fairs 
in your city. I fear you Alexandrians are 
rather greedy. When the prodigal son returned, 
he was satisfied to have one " fatted calf" killed 
for him, but Alexandria, Virginia's prodigal 
daughter, dressed in the "best robe," is not 
content with the fatted calf but clamors loudly 
for all the live stock of the State ! 

Let me, in conclusion, ask you if you think 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



301 



you can raise fifty thousand dollars in your 
city for such a purpose as the one under con- 
sideration ? Will your citizens pay this amount 
for the pleasure of entertaining the farmers of 
the State once a year? When they feel so dis- 
posed, just let us hear from you; but until 
then, let Richmond wear in peace the honors 
she has so gloriously won. 

N. 

Albemarle County, Sept. 24, 1851, 



From the New England Farmer. 

ANALYSES OF SOILS. 

From no branch of scientific agriculture, 
perhaps, is more expected than from that which 
teaches the analysis of soils. If the farmer, 
by subjecting a few handfuls of earth from his 
various fields, could ascertain exactly what was 
necessary to promote its fertility, he might pro- 
ceed intelligibly — would know exactly what to 
do." He might then laugh at the plodding ex- 
perience of his fathers, and, following the sure 
teaching of positive knowledge, be certain of 
the most happy results. But is it safe to en- 
courage such expectations ? Do men who are 
learned in these matters profess to be able by 
an analysis of the soil, to aitswer the questions 
which an intelligent farm-hand might propose ? 
For one, I have little confidence in the ana- 
lyses of soils in the present state of the science. 
My skepticism on this point I ascribe to my 
agricultural reading, and to the cautions and 
confessions of chemists themselves; as well as 
to the unsettled and contradictory theories 
which have been based upon the results of at- 
tempts to analyze soils. The lamented Prof. 
Norton, in one of his letters to the Albany 
Cultivator, makes the following acknowledg- 
ment : " The laboratory alone is pretty sure to 
go wrong when it attempts to pi-escribe rules 
for practice." Speaking of the change of Prof. 
Liebig, from the ammonia to the mineral theory, 
Mr. Norton uses the following language : 

"The principal supporter, and indeed the 
originator of this theory, (the mineral manure 
theory,) is Prof. Liebig. This distinguished 
chemist, distinguished no less by his clear, lu- 
cid style, than by his high scientific reputation, 
was for a time devoted to " the ammonia theo- 
ry," excluding those mineral manures to which 
he now attaches so much importance. A few 
years since, however, he saw cause to change 
his ground, and has since held, that if we fur- 
nish mineral manures in abundance, plants will, 
without doubt, always obtain their ammonia, 
or rather their nitrogen, from the atmosphere 
or the soil. In pursuance of this idea, he went 
so far as to compound, after careful study 



of ash analyses, specific mineral manures for 
wheat, rye, oats, turnips, &c, which were to 
take effect upon all soils in a proper physical 
condition. The failure of these specific ma- 
nures, which were patented in England, was, 
as many of your readers doubtless are aware, 
very decisive." 

The chemist to the Ohio Board of Agricul- 
ture, Mr. David A. Wells, devoted the summer 
of 1851 to "examining, analyzing and report- 
ing upon the nature and composition of the 
soils of that State." He gives the following 
as the result of his analysis of some of the 
richest soil of the celebrated Scioto valley — 
soil that has been cultivated fifty years, and 
now, says he, " with the most ordinary culture, 
yields on an average, one year with another, 
eighty bushels of corn to the acre." 

ANALYSIS OF SCIOTO VALLEY SOIL. 

Whole amount of insoluble matter, 

silicious sand and clay 83.00 per cent. 

Lime 0.40 " 

Phosphoric acid 0.04 " 

Alkalies 0.16 " 

Organic matter G.OO / 

He compares this with analyses of Massa- 
chusetts soils, as given in the Geological Re- 
port of the State, by President Hitchcock. 
The following is the result of the analysis of 
soil from Palmer, Hampden County, Mass.: 

Insoluble silicates 88.00 

Phosphates 0.60 

Lime 2.00 

Organic matter 8.00 

On this comparison of analyses, Mr. Wells 
remarks: "We find but little difference in the 
amount and value of the mineral constituents 
of the Ohio and Hampden county soils; if any 
thing, the advantage is on the side of Massa- 
chusetts soils." 

Having witnessed the growth of corn in both 
States, I must here confess my surprise at these 
results ; and will acknowledge they have done 
much to shake my faith in the value of all 
chemical analyses of soils. Is it possible, that 
by careful analyses of soils from sterile Mas- 
sachusetts, and of those from the Scioto valley, 
famous for its wonderful fertility, no clue to the 
vast difference between the two can be detected ! 

The Editor of the Ohio Cultivator, after 
admitting that, in common with other agricul- 
tural writers, he has urged the importance of 
analyses of soils, for some ten years past, now 
says: 

" We confess, however, that we are disap- 
pointed in regard to the practical advantages 
that have resulted thus far from the analyses 
of soils in Ohio and elsewhere ; and we do not 
at present see what benefit is likely to be soon 
realized from such analyses." 



302 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



President Hitchcock, in a letter to a friend 
and pupil, who had been appointed State Ge- 
ologist, by the Executive of Vermont, writes 
as follows : 

" I should not think it strange if some should 
be disappointed, as they have been in other 
States, by anticipating too much from the mere 
analyses of soils. The impression is very strong, 
through the community, that the chemist, by 
such an analysis, can determine what is want- 
ing to render a soil fertile, or what renders it 
barren. Now even admitting that he could do 
this, an analysis of the soil from almost every 
farm in the State, nay, from almost every field, 
would be necessary to make it of much value ; 
and it is not generally known that every such 
analysis, accurate enough for this purpose, could 
not consume less than two or three weeks. But 
I do not believe that agricultural chemistry is 
yet advanced enough to enable the chemist to 
say in many cases what ingredient added will 
be sure to render a barren soil prolific." 

I have written this article Mr. Editor, not for 
the purpose of throwing doubt or suspicion 
upon the just claims of science; but simply 
to bring before your readers the question whe- 
ther the popular mind is not demanding and 
hoping more from her than she has ever pro- 
mised to do — more than she can perform; and 
consequently whether there is not danger of 
fostering expectations, the certain disappoint- 
ment of which will strengthen prejudice against 
all scientific teachings. And I will close with 
a few reflections. The experience of the prac- 
tical farmer may be undervalued, in the advo- 
cacy of scientific knowledge. The impotence 
and fallibility of what is called science, rather 
than the stupidity of farmers, a reason for the 
slow advance of "scientific agriculture." In- 
stead of the application of science to agricul- 
ture, the creation or perfection of science for 
agriculture, is needed. " The first thing to be 
done is, [not] to prepare the mind [of farmers] 
for a better system," but to prepare the "bet- 
ter system." "The preparation of competent 
teachers will necessarily precede the in- 
struction of pupils." 

S. F. 

Winchester, January, 1854. 



Prom the Boston Cultivator. 

BUTTER MAKING. 

Messrs. Editors, — I find in a French work on but- 
ter making the following remark : " To procure but- 
ter of an excellent flavor and extreme delicacy, it 
must be washed finally with new milk; the cream 
of this new milk is incorporated with the butter, 
and communicates to it its sweetness and delicacy." 
Now, have any of our Cultivator butter making 



friends tested the value of this discovery 1 The 
idea is new to me, and as I am not in the way of 
practising for myself, will those who could put the 
question to issue please do so and report the result 
through the Cultivator, and receive the thanks of 

Many. 



The following essay is a substitute for another, 
withdrawn by Dr. Pendleton, from the Virginia 
State Agricultural Society, to whom it was sub- 
mitted and ordered to be printed b}* the Executive 
Committee. — Editor Southern Planter. 

LIME— ITS ACTION, &c. 

There is no mineral, perhaps, the application of 
which is more beneficial to a generality of soils 
than lime, yet none about which practical farmers 
have at all times so widely differed. Some regard 
it a sovereign panacea for all the ills the soil is heir 
to, while others contend as the result of repeated 
experiment, that on thin soils, at least, it is utterly 
worthless. Now, while it is borne in mind that this 
mineral, in one form or another, is constantly pre- 
sent in every plant the farmer grows, and is, in the 
aggregate, far more abundant in the vegetable 
kingdom, than any other — that in barren soils, it is 
always in small, and in those of known productive- 
ness, always in large proportion, it would appear 
strange that its application should not, in all cases, 
prove highly beneficial ; yet certain it is, that it does 
not always exhibit its peculiar, good effects, even on 
those soils, which Mr. Iiuffin, of this State, would 
call " acid" and to which, according to his theory, 
it would be most beneficial. The writer of this 
proposes briefly to examine Mr. R.'s views on the 
subject of lime, not, however, with any intention 
of disparaging his theory, farther than may be ne- 
cessary to arrive at correct conclusions ; for if there 
is any man who deserves the everlasting gratitude 
of his countrymen every where, and especially in 
"Tide Water Virginia,' 7 because of his many inva- 
luable labors in the cause of agriculture, it is the 
modest author of the "Essay on Calcareous Ma- 
nures." 

Mr. R.'s theory I understand to be this : A growth 
of such acid plants as the " shcrp sorrel" — "broom 
grass" and " old field pine," is indicative, he infers, 
of acid soil. The soil he supposes to be poisoned by 
an acid, and until this poisonous acid is neutralized 
by the antacid, lime — acid plants only Mill flourish 
on it, and such a soil, he assures us, " cannot be du- 
rably and profitably improved by putrescent manures, 
without previously mating it calcareous." But by 
liming, or calxing as he prefers to call it, all this 
supposed free acid in the soil is neutralized, and 
all its acid vegetation, for want of the proper food, 
is thereby exterminated. 

Now this test (diagnosis, as a medical man would 
say) of the disease is certainly very simple, and the 
treatment equally so. But unfortunately for a large 
section of "middle' Virginia, at least, where these 
acid plants flourish in their greatest luxuriance and 
perfection — owing to the cost of lime and its trans- 
portation, calxing, to the extent he proposes, can 
never, in all probability, be practised; therefore, 
according to his doctrine, such soils can never be 
"durably and profitably improved," and for this 
reason the sooner their owners abandon them to 
their fates the belter. But being myself unwilling 
to admit the correctness of his premises, I must be 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



303 



excused for not admitting his conclusions. Mr. R., 
if I mistake not, reasons rather from inferences, 
than facts. If he sees acid plants growing on a 
soil he immediately concludes the soil itself is acid. 
Why 1 Because he has ascertained, by chemical 
tests, that the peculiar acid of the plant is in the 
soill No; he does not stop to examine the soil, 
though, indeed, analysis would detect the acid, if 
it was really present; hut he infers its presence from 
the fad that the plant is acid. Again, he examines 
a soil Avhich he supposes to he acid and he finds 
no trace of " carbonate of lime" in it, he infers, there- 
fore, from the entire absence of this salt, (though 
there may be an abundance of the alkali, (lime,) 
which is a better antacid than the carbonate of lime,) 
that the acid is certainly in excess in the soil, and 
it needs carbonate of lime to neutralize it. Now 
it is manifestly very unsafe to reason from such 
premises. Every body knows that a sour, sweet and 
bitter plant will often grow equally well, on the 
same soil, and side hy side, yet few would believe, 
in the absence of any fact to prove it, that all these 
three ingredients existed in the soil at the same 
time. Corn at a certain stage of its growth con- 
tains in the stalk a large amount of grape sugar. 
Does any one believe that the soil actually con- 
tained all this sugar and that it was abstracted by 
the roots of the corn from the soil 1 Or is it sup- 
posable that all the citric acid of the lemon was 
taken directly from the soil ! If so, the soil itself 
must have had a decidedly sour taste! It will not 
do to infer any thing as to the composition of a soil 
from either the presence or absence of any of those 
vegetable acids we meet with every day in plants — 
for that every living plant has a perfect, respiration, 
circulation, digestion and nutrition peculiar to its 
own organism, and can by its own vital energies 
manufacture, so to speak, from the various binary 
compounds present in most soils and from the car- 
bonic acid ever present in the atmosphere, any ter-* 
nary compound natural to it, such as grape sugar, 
oxalic acid, &c. is just as demonstrable a proposi- 
tion in vegetable, as any in animal physiology. 
Mr. Ruffin, with characteristic candor, admits that 
the " wood sorrel" (which is of the same family 
with the " sheep sorrel" irumex) and contains pre- 
cisely the same acid) " prefers a rich and calcareous 
soil, and will even grow on one calcareous to excess" 
and further, that "it would seem the 'wood sorrcV 
gets its acid from the atmosphere" and yet strange to 
say, he is unwilling to admit that the sheep sorrel 
gets its acid in the same way. 

Professor Johnston gives a very plausible expla- 
nation of the matter. It is in substance this : The 
leaves of all plants (as all admit) are constantly in 
the day time absorbing from the atmosphere a cer- 
tain gas, called " carbonic acid" which differs from 
" oxalic acid" only in this, that it contains a little 
more oxygen than the latter. Well, when this car- 
bonic acid gets into the leaf it undergoes a decom- 
position (as all admit) and in most plants the car- 
bon and oxygen which had been in combination in 
the form of " carbonic acid" are set free — the oxy- 
gen as to the most part is expired or breathed out 
by the plant — while the carbon mixes with the sap 
which has come from the roots up to the leaf and 
thence circulates over the whole plant — to deposit 
and form its woody fibre. Now, if when this " car- 
bonic acid" first reaches the leaf of the sorrel, it is 
lade to part with a certain portion only of its oxy- 
;n, oxalic acid is formed — unites with the sap 
then disseminates itself through the whole 
it. This, by way of explanation. 



But that there is not often a particle of "oxalic 
acid" present in the soil where the sheep sorrel 
grows, admits of but little doubt, and that its growth 
is in no way favored by the presence of that acid 
has been demonstrated times and again. If kept 
clear of other more hardy plants it will grow quite 
as well, if not better, on a calcareous soil, than on 
any other. Indeed, a friend of mine, who is a sort 
of " amateur farmer," assures me that after liming 
a piece of land, the sorrel came up thick, where it 
had never been seen before, and though he does 
not believe the lime brought it on the land, as many 
honestly do, that guano brought the "joint worm," 
he knows the lime did not in the least prevent it. 
I have myself repeatedly seen luxuriant sorrel after 
liming, and have even seen a flourishing crop on an 
ash pile where certainly there were antacids enough 
to correct any reasonable amount of acidity. Still 
it is not to be doubted that liming does, after so 
long a time, cause the sorrel to disappear, and white 
clover to take its place, and so if ashes be spread 
on a yard infested with ribwort it will cause that 
plant to disappear and greensward to come in its 
place. But let it not be inferred from this that the 
soil in either case was acid, but rather that it was 
not of the proper composition to grow clover and 
grass ; as soon, however, as it was made so, by lime 
and ashes, the sorrel and ribwort being less hardy 
plants than the other two, were crowded out. 

Neither can I believe, for a moment, that an acid 
or any other poisonous substance, has any thing to 
do with the growth of the old field pine, for it is 
not until the soil has been completely exhausted of 
all that can generate an acid,* and can no longer 
sustain any other vegetation that this beautiful 
evergreen makes its appearance : and in this benefi- 
cent arrangement do w r e see strikingly manifested 
the wisdom of the Divine Architect, who mercifully 
deposited and ever preserves in these soils the germ 
of their own renovation, so that when from sheer 
exhaustion, they can no longer yield to the diligent 
husbandman their fruit in due season, and are alto- 
gether too poor to sustain any of the artificial 
grasses, they may cover, as it were, the shame of 
their nakedness with their own perennial pine — 
nature's perpetual green manure — and thus unaided 
and without any labor or expense, on the part of 
the farmer, speedily and thoroughly accomplish the 
work of self-renovation. 

Amongst the best soils in "middle Virginia" ori- 
ginally, and some of the finest tobacco soils in the 
State now are many of those at this time heavily 
timbered with the old field pine. These lands, which 
were cleared by our industrious ancestors half a cen- 
tury ago, perhaps, and worked by them till worn out, 
and worthless, are now after a lapse of, probably, 
no more than thirty years, quite as good as they 
ever were. These pines in their early growth re- 
quired but little nutriment other than moisture and 
carbonic acid, the one to supply sap and the other 
carbon. The former being plentifully present in 

* It is an admitted fact that the circumstances, which 
most favor the generation of acids in a soil, are an abun- 
dance of vegetable matter saturated with water, by which 
a slow decomposition may take place. Now it is manifest 
that in a sandy soil, long subjected to hard cropping and 
grazing, there can be present but little vegetable matter, 
and consequently but little acid can be formed; yet it is on 
just such, worn-out old field, and on the highest, dryest and 
poorest parts of it, that the thickest set of pines is seen, 
while on the low, swampy places, where acids, if any where, 
are to be found, the pine is never to be seen, except as a 
sickhy, stunted growth. 



304 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



the soil, and the latter in the atmosphere, and the 
soil having been left in an open, friable condition 
by previous and recent tillage, their growth conse- 
quently was rapid, and their appropriating and im- 
proving powers increased, pari passu, with their 
growth. 

It is highly probable that most of the soils of 
middle Virginia would be benefited by lime, which 
is, doubtless, greatly to be preferred for most of 
them, to ordinary marls, and could it be got tolera- 
bly free from magnesia and silica, and at a reason- 
able cost, say eight or ten cents per bushel, many 
would be induced to venture an outlay. But at its 
present cost, of twenty to twenty-five cents, its use 
even in composts, is of doubtful propriety. Most 
of our soils having much black sand, contain a 
good deal of lime in the form of an insoluble u silicate 
of lime," which slowly decomposes in the soil un- 
der atmospheric influences. And the writer has 
never examined any soil, however poor, that did 
not contain at least a trace of soluble lime. Quick- 
lime on all these lands, however, would doubtless be 
very beneficial, as they have not at any time a suffi- 
ciency of available lime to produce the necessary 
decomposition in the soil. Probably the most im- 
portant offices performed in the soil.by lime are its 
decomposition of inert vegetable and mineral mat- 
ters, and its conversion of insoluble humus into so- 
luble humates by first forming " humic acid," which 
in turn unites with the various alkalies present in 
the soil, and forms soluble salts, such as the "hu- 
mates" of lime, ammonia, potassa, fyc. 

Under all the circumstances it would be vain to 
expect to improve, in any short time, many of these 
lands. Ours is strictly a tobacco region, and we 
naturally look more to profit than improvement; 
still, under a proper system of cultivation and ro- 
tation, and by a judicious management and appli- 
cation of manures, much may be accomplished in 
the end, and our farming account in the long run 
be made to foot up quite as well as the average of 
those in far more highly favored sections. Let 
every farmer in middle Virginia make all the ma- 
nure he can and take care not to apply it too coarse, 
and at the same time let him see that it is not al- 
lowed to get too hot by heaping. Let every negro 
quarter have a close pen at hand in which to col- 
lect all the wood ashes of the farm, every bushel 
of which is more than equivalent to an equal mea- 
sure of caustic lime — plough his land deeply and 
thoroughly — encourage grass by sowing a plenty 
of seed, and be certain to roll well close after sow- 
ing — graze moderately with few cattle and those 
the best, and rest assured he will have the satisfac- 
tion of seeing, in a few years, his farm both " dura- 
bly and profitably improved." 

P. B. Pendleton. 

Louisa County, Va. 



Cabbage Worms. — The Charleston Mercury tells 
us that John Farrar, one of the most practical far- 
mers in the State, says these destructive insects 
may be destroyed in the following easy and simple 
■way: "Break off a large leaf from the bottom of 
the cabbage, and place it on top, upper side down. 
Do this in the evening, and in the morning you will 
find near or quite all the worms on each cabbage 
have taken up their quarters on this leaf. Take 
off the leaf and kill them, or feed them to the 
chickens and place the leaf back if there be any 
to catch." 



From the Ohio Cultivator. 
PURE JUICE OF THE GRAPE. 

We hardly need to inform our readers that we 
are advocates of total abstinence from all intoxi- 
cating drinks, including even Ohio native wines 
when fermented, as they thereby become intoxi- 
cating. But we take pleasure in announcing that 
a process has been discovered by which the pure 
juice of the Catawba grape can be bottled and pre- 
served without fermentation, and consequently, con- 
taining no alcohol, while the delicious aroma and 
flavor of the grape are finely preserved, rendering 
the wine a most refreshing beverage, such as every 
philanthropist might feel pleasure in seeing intro- 
duced as the common drink of the people. 

The only manufacturer of this unfermented Ca- 
tawba wine, that we know of as yet, is Charles J. 
Schumann, Esq., one of the most extensive grape 
culturists and wine makers of Cincinnati. Mr. S. 
sent some of this kind of wine to the London Ex- 
hibition in 1851, where it was highly complimented 
by amateurs, and obtained a prize medal. It is 
also becoming highly popular in Cincinnati, and 
some of the eastern cities, especially for the use 
of invalids and ladies, and for churches; and if 
our own opinion is wanted, we can say that we only 
wish that it could be made so cheaply that we and 
all our readers who pleased, could afford to drink 
a glass or two at dinner every day during the hot 
weather. We have resolved to plant a small vine- 
yard on Maclura Farm next season, in the hope 
that by the time the vines come into bearing we 
shall learn the secret of making this unfermented 
wine, for the use of our family and friends. 

The principal agents for the sale of Mr. Schu- 
mann's wine in Cincinnati, are H. H. Southgate, J. 
D. Park and Allison Owen. Mr. S. resides at his 
/'arm and vineyards, about eight miles below the 
city, on the Ohio river and St. Louis Rail Road. 

The following certificate is appended to the label 
of the Sweet Catawba wine bottles: 

This is to certify that we have chemically ex- 
amined Mr. C. A. Schumann's Sweet Catwba wine, 
and found the same to be the pure unfermented 
juice of the grape, free from any alcohol, the sac- 
charine matter of the juice preserved in its natural 
state b} r arresting the fermentation. 

WB. Chapman, ) c/; 
E. S. Wayne, ) 

Cincinnati, Nov. 3, 1853. 



DISINFECTING OF PUTRID, NOXIOUS GASES. 

The following is from the Courier & Enquirer, 
by E. Merriam, and will be found very efficacious 
for the purposes specified: 

A simple, cheap and easy way of disinfecting 
putrid, noxious, faetid and mephtic gases, and pu- 
trid animal matter, may be accomplished by the 
free use of soda ash and quick lime. Dissolve 25 
lbs. of soda ash in five buckets of boiling hot wa- 
ter, and while hot slake 25 lbs. of quick lime, and 
as soon as slaked, (which, if the lime is good, will 
not exceed five minutes,) mix the fresh slaked lime 
while hot with the solution of the soda ash, stirring 
it thoroughly for five minutes, by which time thr 
lime will have taken up the carbonic acid of tl 
soda ash ; then pour the hot mixture into the pri 
vault, and it will in a few hours convert the imjj 
and faetid gases into ammonia, and entirely 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



305 



the premises of any unpleasant effluvia, and render 
the atmosphere perfectly salubrious and healthy. 
Soda ash of eighty per cent, free alkali is sold at 
the soap houses at three dollars per hundred pounds, 
and Athens lime can be bought by the barrel at 
seventy-five cents a cask. 

Every practical chemist knows that putrid animal 
matter can be converted into ammonia by the mix- 
ture (in a heated state) with caustic alkali. Such 
is the process, and such the result in this case. 

Iu large vaults a greater quantity than twenty- 
five pounds is required; the quantity should be 
increased in proportion to the size of the vault. 

The use of one hundred pounds of soda ash, per 
annum, in a vault prepared and used as directed 
above, will prevent accumulation, and render the 
services of a scavenger unnecessary. 

Bilge- water may be purified by the same process. 

This preparation is more economical than chloride 
of lime, is fifty times more efficacious, and one 
thousand times more healthful. 

I have used this preparation for more than twenty 
years, with the most complete success. 



.^^t^SS? 




THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 

RICHMOND, OCTOBER, 1854. 



TERMS. 

One Dollar and Twenty-five Cents per annum, 
which may be discharged by the payment 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. 

&W No subscription received for a less time than one 
year. 

i^p*" Subscriptions may begin with any number. 

H^T No paper will be discontinued until all arrearages 
are paid, except at the option of the Publisher. 

p§F" Office on Twelfth between Main and Cary steets. 

ADVERTISEMENTS. 

A limited number will be inserted at the following rates : 
For each square of ten lines, first insertion, One Dollar; 
each continuance, Seventy-five Cents. Advertisements 
out of the City must be accompanied with the money, to 
insure their insertion. 

fpgf 3 ^ is indispensably necessary that subscribers or- 
dering a change should say from what to what post office 
they wish the alteration made. It will save time to us and 
lose none to them. 

NOTICE. 

I3P If subscribers do not order a discontinuance of the 
Planter before the commencement of a new year, or volume, 
it will be considered as a renewal of their subscriptions, 
and they will be charged accordingly. 

113^° Postage on the Southern Planter, (when paid in 
advance,) to any part of the United States one cent and a 
half per quarter, or six cents per annum. 



THE STATE FAIR 

To be held on the 81st of October and the 1st, 2d and 

3d of November. 

The preparations for this, the second exhibition 
of the Society, are in active progress and will he 
completed in time for the exhibition. 

At this early day it is impossible to say what 
will be the relative character of the exhibition, and 
we are not the man to attempt to make a Fair by 
puffing and run the risk of having the consequences 
of a failure or of broken promises visited on our 
head. We can only say that the entries of all sorts 
are more numerous than they were this time last 
year, and everything seems to promise even a better 
show of stock, implements and miscellaneous arti- 
cles than we had before. We had apprehended 
that the disastrous drought of the past summer, 
which has parched and withered nearly the whole 
Union, and seared the pastures of Virginia as never 
before, would thin the numbers of stock of all sorts, 
but we have just seen that the Fair in Baltimore, 
which is closing whilst we write this hasty article, 
"in its great feature — the number and variety of 
cattle exhibited — is largely in advance of former 
years, whilst in other departments a gratifying in- 
crease of attractions is visible, showing that our 
agriculturists are imbued with the improving spirit 
of the age, and fully estimate the importance of 
maintaining a generous spirit of emulation in the 
pursuit of their calling." We cannot suppose, then, 
that we shall do less than Maryland, whose Society, 
except in the energy and ability of her Executive 
Committee, is less richly endowed than ours, and 
whose arrangements are represented to be much 
less complete and imposing. The rail roads in all 
quarters, except only the Virginia and Tennessee 
Rail Road, have come forward and agreed to carry 
passengers to and from the Fair at half price, pro- 
vided they exhibit evidences of membership, (which 
means, in nine cases out of ten, provided they have 
paid their dues for the current year,) and to carry 
subjects of exhibition, whether stock or imple- 
ments, on terms which cannot be objected to, that 
is to say, to charge full freight on all things down, 
and to refund the amount when the same article or 
animal is sent back by the same owner — a rule 
which protects both themselves and the Society 
from the imposition of all those persons, if there 
be any such, who would take advantage of the free 
transportation on the road and the free provender 
at the exhibition to get their animals cheaply to 
market, and which does not hurt even them ; for if 
they sell they can afford to pay, and if they do not, 
they get back Avhat they brought free of charge. 

The city of Richmond has done her part so far, 
and no doubt in hospitality and kindness to the 
many strangers she is prepared to receive will do 
the balance at the proper time. The opening of a 



106 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



large hotel since the last fair, and the prospect that 
another will be ready, and the experience of Rich- 
mond, in last year's influx, will insure ample room 
and accommodations, considering the squeeze, for all 
comers. Will the people of the country do their 
part ? The State Society is now a fixed institution ; 
counting the fifty-six thousand dollars which Rich- 
mond has already contributed, (see an article from 
one of our friends in this number of the Planter,) 
and about fifty thousand dollars in cash or good 
debts to the Society, it will be seen that it is a cor- 
poration with a capital of one hundred thousand 
dollars, nearly half in fixtures, and more than half 
in cash. What shall be done to render this capital 
available for useful purposes, is a question which 
concerns, more or less, nearly every farmer in the 
State. We cannot believe that the intelligent por- 
tion of them will take a different view, and we, 
therefore, confidently expect to see them assemble 
on the 31st of October next in greater strength 
than on the 1st of November last. 



THE AGRICULTURAL FAIRS OF VIRGINIA. 

These institutions have multiplied so rapidly that 
it is a difficult matter to keep up with them, and 
to herald their opening, or chronicle their events is 
alike impossible in the limits to which we are con- 
fined in the Planter. Several hare already been 
held. That at Abingdon, the land of stalwart men 
and stately cattle, and seemly horses, the land of 
fatness, flowing with milk too good to need any 
admixture of honey, is just over; that at Lewis- 
burg, famed for its pastures, was held a month ago, 
and as a first effort in a thinly settled country at a 
small town, passed off well; that at Wheeling, of 
still earlier date, succeeded as was to be expected 
from the experience they have had in the last three 
years. Charlestown is getting ready for her usual 
exhibition of the fine products of the rich region 
which converges to her; and her neighbor, Lees- 
burg, proud of old Loudoun's abundance, will not 
be far behind either in time or credit. 

Coming down to tide, we find that ancient Fre- 
dericksburg is smoothing her wrinkles to greet the 
farmers of the fertile and beautiful valley of the 
Rappahannock at her festival, and getting ready 
like an aged but genial matron, to dispense to them 
her old fashioned and true hearted hospitality, 
whilst Norfolk, that " fairy city of the heart," which 
should be queen of the Ches-a-pe-a-ke — why not 
spell and pronounce the beautiful word as the In- 
dians did? — is preparing to open her doors and her 
arms and her heart and her oysters to all who shall 
visit her ; and Petersburg, the cockade of Virginia, 
is straining every nerve and spending every dollar 
that public spirit and liberality and emulation can 
command to bear herself as high as the highest. 



We doubt not all of them will do well, and need 
no word of encouragement from the Planter to en- 
list in each section a hearty cooperation from the 
farmers and a full attendance at the feasts to which 
they have such cordial bidding. 



ENTRIES FOR THE STATE FAIR. 

We again call the attention of exhibiters to the 
importance of making their entries early. They 
may be well assured that it will save all parties a 
deal of trouble. A good many entries have been 
made already, but nothing like half of what we 
hope to have. Exhibiters will also please remem- 
ber, that the mere naming an animal or implement 
is not sufficient. Unless we know, in the case of a 
horse, for instance, what is his or her age and color, 
and whether entered in the class of thoroughbred, 
quick draught or saddle horses, or heavy draught 
horses, we might as well have no entry at all, since, 
so far from guiding us, the Marshal or the Judges, 
it will only perplex or confuse. The same is true 
of cattle, whose kind, sex, age and color, should 
be minutely stated. 



PLAN OF THE FAIR GROUNDS OF THE VIR- 
GINIA STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

Along with this number of the Planter we senc 
to each subscriber a plan of the Fair Grounds o. 
the Agricultural Society at Richmond. We cannoi 
give a better idea of the grounds than by this plan 
which wifl be a great assistance to each visitor whcj 
may have one in directing him to different depart 
ments of the exhibition. 

Many, if not all, of the plats here apparently vai 
cant will be filled up with machinery and various 
articles of exhibition. They are not appropriate*: < 
on the plan, because until it was known what the} 
would be, it could not be decided where they shouk 
be placed. But it is evident at a glance that then 
will be room for every thing. 

The beautiful oval, or more properly elliptical! 
horse track will be observed as a new and attractive 
feature in the exhibition this year; and there, w<l 
predict, will be the great attraction of the Fair ; fo j 
there will be exhibited all the horses and all tW 
horsemanship and all the driving. By-the-by . w< 
have a special interest in the matter of sadcflJ 
horses, and hope to see that department well reprsl 
sented, for we claim to have simply the finest sad I 
die horse in Virginia, and that is saying a goo<| 
deal. But we are in dead earnest, and challengj 
the field. On that track, too, will be exhibited (ol 
should be) all the cattle, that the judges may havl 
a good view of them; and, lastly, at that point till 
ladies, always admirers of beautiful animals, whc 
ther cattle or horses, and of " noble horsemanship, 



OME SOUTHERN PLANTER 



307 



will be sure to congregate. Let every gallant, then, 
come upon his steed and show his paces, in the full 
assurance that he shall not be without his reward, 
in a look at the ladies if not in a smile from, them. 
We cannot omit to call attention — as this plan 
enables us to do more precisely than we otherwise 
could — to the part Richmond has contributed to 
the Virginia State Agricultural Society. The noble 
grounds she has appropriated to the Society, " as 
long," in the words of her liberal tender, "as it 
shall be its pleasure to use them," were laid off by 
two of her most accomplished citizens with a beauty 
that is nowhere excelled in any similar work of the 
Union, and will long remain a monument of her 
generosity and their taste. 



PAYMENTS TO THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 

We hope that all subscribers to the Planter, who 
are coming to the Fair, will bring the amount of 
their subscriptions with them, and that those who 
are not coming will send the same by some friend 
that is. We know the publisher pretty well, and 
and though he was a fat, fine looking man, of most 
amiable temper, we assure our readers that he is 
dwindling in his proportions and daily losing a por- 
tion of his suavity. We can ascribe this to no 
other thing than to the fact that he cannot live on 
air, a diet to which the list of monthly payments 
in this number of the Planter will show he is fast 
coming to. 

We shall endeavor to get him to have an office 
at the Fair grounds, where gentlemen can see him 
and get the Planter thrown into the bargain at one 
dollar, paid in advance, or at the price of their 
present indebtedness to the paper. He is a plain 
man, but well worth looking at, when this induce- 
ment is considered. 



THE TWO MR. RUFFINS. 

We are so often supposed to be the son or nephew 
of Mr. Edmund Ruffin that we take this occasion, 
though for the second time, to state that we are so 
distantly related that we cannot trace the exact 
degree. 

The identity of name, the intimacy that exists 
between us, and the fact that we have each edited 
an agricultural paper, has created this impression. 

We do not think he would be altogether ashamed 
of us, and we should not deny him if he was our 
father or uncle ; in fact, as a mode of settling the 
difficulty, we once thought of adopting him as our 
father, but when we came to look at the thing we 
found that he had a very large family, some twenty 
odd, we think, counting children and grandchildren, 
and as the distributive share of his estate cannot 
be very large, we forbore to burthen him with such 



an unruly colt as we should have been. And it 
was the more unnecessary as we had all the credit 
of being his son without the responsibility. 

We have now made all we expect in that way, 
and beg for the future to decline the honor. 

Those gentlemen, therefore, who visit the sins of 
either upon both, as some are inclined to do, are 
hereby notified that though one in sentiment upon 
a good many subjects, which we are very happy 
at, and though upon the very best terms, which we 
hope may long con.inuc, we are yet very remotely 
related, and feel, each of us, very well able to 
shoulder the responsibility of most things we do, 
or at all events disposed to stand up to it. 

We happen, accidentally, so far as the name is 
concerned, to be associates in the Executive Com- 
mittee, of which Mr. Edmund Ruffin is a most va- 
luable member. But we do not " hunt in couples" 
even there. 



LITHOGRAPHIC DRAWING OF THE FAIR 
GROUNDS OF THE VIRGINIA STATE AGRI- 
CULTURAL SOCIETY. 

We are happy to be able to state that Mr. Dun- 
navant, of the firm of Ritchie & Dunnavant, has, 
determined to execute a beautiful colored lithogra- 
phic drawing in perspective of the Fair Grounds. 
This drawing, of large size, some two feet square, 
Mr. Dunnavant will have for sale at the gate. It 
will be disposed of at a very moderate cost per 
copy, but little more than enough to pay cost and 
risk, his object being not so much to make a spe- 
culation, for which indeed there is but little room 
in the business, as to furnish persons with some- 
thing which they can take home with them to those 
of their friends who cannot come to the Fair, and 
to show that in this branch of the arts Richmond 
is prepared to compete with the northern cities. 



AN ADDITIONAL PREMIUM. 

Best Single Harness Horse or Mare. — From some 
cause there is no premium offered by the Virginia 
State Agricultural Society on this class of horses, 
the most valuable, or certainly the most desired 
description of light draught animals in use in the 
country. But let the owners of such animals bring 
them forward. We know a gentleman who will pay 
twenty dollars for the best single harness horse or 
mare exhibited at the Fair. And we feel at liberty 
to state that it is hereby offered. The same judges 
that award the premiums on light draught and 
saddle horses will decide the excellence in this case. 



He who would acquire fame must not show him- 
self afraid of censure. The dread of censure is the 
death of genius. 



308 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



For the Southern Planter. 
ICE-HOUSE. 

Mr. puffin, — As you requested I send the follow- 
ing specifications for an ice-house : 

Select a site upon inclined ground, with face suffi- 
cient to carry off all surplus water from the build- 
ing, and as near to the dwelling-house as will make 
it convenient of access. Upon the ground chosen, 
lay off a square plot 14 feet on a side, and excavate 
it to a depth of 6| feet, throwing out the earth in 
equal bulk upon each side of the pit. Then con- 
struct a frame of 4 locust posts 12 inches in diame- 
ter, and 13 feet in length, tenoned on the small ends 
to receive the wall plates ; which plates are cut 12 
feet in length, and hewn to 8 inches by 12 in thick- 
ness, and framed together upon the top of the posts. 
About one foot from the bottom of said posts, frame 
in (by mortise and tenon) 4 pieces of locust or 
white oak timber, 4 inches in diameter, hewn to a 
face on the inner side. Midway between these 
pieces and the wall plates insert, in like manner, 
other four pieces of timber of the same dimensions. 
The frame work is then set into the pit and the 
wall plates laid on and pinned together. The in- 
side of the frame is boarded up with oak plank one 
inch thick and 10 inches wide, placed vertically 
and fastened with ten penny nails. The space be- 
tween the planking and earth wall of the pit is now 
filled with spent tanbark (slightly rammed) to the 
wall plates. The earth embankment packed around, 
neatly trimmed and sodded, with steps cut in the 
approach to the door. The roof is put on in the 
usual method, with a pitch about one-third of the 
span, the cover projecting 18 inches over the wall 
plate — gabler boarded vertically with inch pine 
plank 10 inches in width, the joints battened. A 
door is hung in one end, and a small opening for 
ventilation in the end opposite. Place on the bot- 
tom of the pit a grillage of timber, consisting of 
two courses, crossing at right angles, and about one 
foot in thickness. When filling with ice line the 
bottom and sides with straw. The size given will 
contain about 500 bushels. 

If no shade trees are contiguous to the locality, 
transplant some of rapid growth, and ornamental. 
Yours, &c. S. F. C. 

P. S. — Dry straw, dust, or pulverized charcoal 
will be as suitable as spent tanbark. 



From the Rural New Yorker. 
EXPERIMENTS IN BUTTER MAKING. 

Five experiments in making butter from milk 
and cream under different conditions, were tried, 
some years since, by Professor Traill, of Scot- 
land. A condensed account of the same will 
not be without value to our readers. 

The milk in each experiment was that ob- 
tained from four cows, and three quarts of the 
same, set in each of the five earthen vessels, 
for 39 hours. No. 1 was the cream from one 
of these portions, still sweet, which, with the 
addition of half a pint of cold water, was 
churned for 27 minutes, raising the tempera- 
ture from 62 to 70 degrees, and producing 
1386 grains of good colored, well flavored but- 



ter. No. 2 sweet milk and its cream, at the 
same time, were churned together for three 
hours, with occasional additions of cold water, 
but no butter was produced. No. 3, was skim- 
med and the cream kept two days longer, and 
then with the same addition of cold water as 
No. 1 , churned for twenty minutes, raising the 
temperature from 54 to 63 degrees, and pro- 
ducing of well washed butter, 1756| grains of 
good taste and color. No. 4, sour milk and its 
cream — at the same time with No. 3, and with 
the same addition of cold water, was churned 
one hour fifty minutes, producing 1968 grains 
of butter, paler than the last but of good fla- 
vor. No. 5 was prepared as follows: after 
standing with the rest thirty-nine hours, the 
vessel was placed in another containing warm 
water, and heated until the temperature of the 
milk rose to 156 degrees. The cream was then 
taken off and on the following day churned, 
and produced 1968 grains.of rich, yellow, agree- 
able flavored butter. The milk remaining was 
very poor, and no butter could be churned from 
it. 

The general result of these experiments, con- 
firmed by many similar trials, show that most 
butter is produced from the scalded or Devon- 
shire cream; the next in quantity from churn- 
ing the milk and cream together, when they 
have become slightly acid; the third quantity 
is given by cream kept until it is slightly sour ; 
and the least is obtained from the sweet cream. 
The experimenter was unable to obtain butter 
from sweet milk and cream churned together. 
The quality of keeping fresh when exposed to 
the air was found by trial to be in inverse pro- 
portion as to quantity — No. 1 keeping the lon- 
gest, and No. 5 the shortest time. The casein 
or curdy matter of each sample followed the 
same rule. Over churning added largely to 
the quantity of butter, but detracted more from 
the quality. The addition of hot water had a 
similar, though less perceptible, effect. 

The principal conclusions derived from the 
full course of experiments were, 1st. That the 
additition of some cold water while churning, 
facilitates the process, especially in cold wea- 
ther or when the cream is very thick. 2d. 
That cream alone is more easily churned than 
cream and milk together. 3d. That butter 
produced from fresh cream has the finest flavor 
when fresh, and will keep longest without be- 
coming rancid. 4th. That scalding the cream, 
yields the largest quantity of butter, which, ii 
intended for immediate use, is agreeable to the 
palate and readily saleable, but by keeping is 
most liable to acquire a rancid flavor. 5th. 
That the keeping qualities of butter appear tc 
depend on its being obtained as free from un- 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



309 



Jcornbined albumen, or caseine and water, as it 
Jjcan be by washing and working the butter when 
[lit is taken from the churn. 

The experience of our best butter makers 
coincides with these results, proving that it 
does not depend altogether upon the churning 
and working, but also upon the state of the 
milk and cream from which the butter is pro- 
duced. 



PROPERTIES OF CHARCOAL. 

The following is from an interesting article, by 
J. Stenhouse, P. R. S., in the Journal of the So- 
ciety of Arts, London: 

" My attention was particularly drawn to the 
importance of charcoal as a disinfecting agent, 
by my friend, John Turnbull, Esq., of Glas- 
gow, Scotland, the well-known extensive chemi- 
cal manufacturer. Mr. Turnbull, about nine 
months ago, placed the bodies of two dogs in 
a wooden box, on a layer of charcoal powder 
a few inches in depth, and covered them over 
with a quantity of the same material. Though 
the box was quite open and kept in his labora- 
tory, no effluvium was ever perceptible ; and on 
examining the bodies of the animals, at the end 
of six months, scarcely anything remained of 
them except the bones. Mr. Turnbull sent me 
a portion of the charcoal powder which had 
been most closely in contact with the bodies of 
the dogs. I submitted it for examination to 
one of my pupils, Mr. Turner, who found it 
contained comparatively little ammonia, not a 
trace of sulphurated hydrogen, but very appre- 
ciable quantities of nitric sulphuric acids, with 
acid phosphate of lime. 

"Mr. Turner subsequently, about 3 months 



such, for instance, as the last edition of Tur- 
ner's ' Elements,' charcoal is described as pos- 
sessing antiseptic properties, while the very 
reverse is the fact. Common salt, nitre, cor- 
rosive sublimate, arsenious acid, alcohol, cam- 
phor, creosote, and most essential oils, are cer- 
tainly antiseptic substances, and therefore re- 
tard the decay of animal and vegetable matters. 
Charcoal, on the contrary, as we have just seen, 
greatly facilitates the oxidation, and conse- 
quently the decomposition, of any organic sub- 
stances with which it is in contact. It is, there- 
fore, the very opposite of an antiseptic." 



ago. 



buried two rats in about two inches of 



charcoal powder, and a few days afterward the 
body of a full grown cat was similarly treated. 
Though the bodies of these animals are now in 
a highly putrid state, not the slightest odor is 
perceptible in the laboratory. 

"From this short statement of facts, the 
utility of charcoal powder as a means of pre- 
venting noxious effluvia from churchyards and 
from dead bodies in other situations, such as 
on board a ship, is sufficiently evident. Co- 
vering a churchyard to the depth of from two 
to three inches, with coarsely powdered char- 
coal, would prevent any putrid exhalations ever 
finding their way into the atmosphere. Char- 
coal powder, also, greatly favors the rapid de- 
composition of the dead bodies with which it 
is in contact, so that in the course of six or 
eight months, little is left except the bones. 

"In all the modern systems of chemistry, 



From the Mark Lane Express. 

SEED WHEAT AND ITS PREPARATIONS. 

This is an important subject, and deserves 
the most careful attention of every farmer. 
The choice of wheat for seed, has long been 
considered of great moment in promoting the 
farmer's prosperity. A wrong selection of seed 
will yield no rent; while a judicious choice 
will yield both rent and profit. This is often 
proved. Upon whatever variety the farmer's 
choice may fall, he ought to select the best 
sample of it that he can meet with. I would 
as soon use an inferior ram to my flock, or an 
inferior bull to my herd, as sow an inferior 
grain, be it from whatever well known stock. 
" Like is said to produce like." Be this as it 
may ; with respect to grain, the probability is 
much in favor of the good grain producing 
good grain, and good crops of it too. The va- 
rieties of wheat are now so very numerous, 
that much difficulty arises in making a proper 
choice. Varieties suited to every soil and cli- 
mate, are now generally grown throughout the 
kingdom; and the facilities of railway transit 
are so great, that every farmer may with ordi- 
nary care, suitably supply himself, provided he 
is acquainted with the nature and habits of the 
precise variety he wishes to obtain; the soil 
and climate he can readily ascertain, but not 
so the grain — the same varieties being sold 
under different names in their respective dis- 
tricts. To obviate this, he ought to make pe- 
riodical exchanges with farmers who are well 
known to him, and occupying other soils and 
other climates, (for climates differ according to 
elevation and other circumstances,) of those 
varieties he finds it to his interest most to cul- 
tivate; he can thus keep to his profitable va- 
riety. As a general rule, the exchange should 
be from a cold to a more genial climate — from 
a chalky soil to a loamy soil — from a peaty soil 
to all or any other soils — from clay to sand, 
and vice versa. In the majority of cases, a 
change is good on every soil, and under every 



310 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



variation of climate. I have derived benefit 
from changes of seed brought from a considera- 
ble distance on every side, to the extent of hun- 
dreds of miles, but it was from seed on which 
I could depend. My favorite change is from 
a cold, chalky district to a mild, loamy soil. 

The principal consideration with every far- 
mer should be fully to ascertain the adaptation 
of his farm to grow the two fundamental va- 
rieties of wheat — red wheat and white wheat — 
for which it is best adapted — or, if it will ad- 
vantageously produce both under a judicious 
rotation. Most wheat farms will alternately 
grow good crops of fine quality of both varie- 
ties; but on the other hand, very few farms 
will produce good and profitable crops of white 
wheat in long succession; its liability to dege- 
nerate and mildew, is much greater than in the 
red variety. The red wheat is in every respect 
more hardy, and much more to be depended 
upon, on the average of soils; hence its more 
extended cultivation. It will be generally found 
advantageous on most farms, to deviate occa- 
sionally from any practice, however well it may 
appear to answer. No one knows when he has 
reached the utmost bounds of production ; hence 
white wheat will occasionally produce a first 
rate crop on lands unsuited to its growth, and 
as it varies somewhat in its character from red, 
it forms a desirable change in the rotation. In 
my own practice, I usually grow the most pro- 
lific varieties of red wheat as having proved 
them more profitable ; but I find a change, such 
as I now name, to be both good for my own 
profit and the soil it grows upon. I think if 
the soils are suitable, white wheat should be 
grown in the proportion of two crops of red to 
one of white. 

Another consideration should be, to suit the 
variety to be sown, to the condition and fertility 
of the soil. A rich soil should be sown with a 
short-strawed variety — a poor soil with a free- 
growing long-strawed sort. The season for 
sowing, should again decide as to the variety. 
White wheat should not be sown late in the 
season, or on very rich soils. The red wheat 
is better adapted for late seasons and rich soils. 
The straw of the red wheat takes up more silica 
or flinty nature than the white variety; hence 
that brightness on the straw of red wheat. 
This, of itself, is the great cause of its compa- 
rative safety from that destructive parasite 
mildew — that black fungus plant so frequently 
found growing upon the stalks of the wheat 
plant, and preventing its further progress by 
taking all the juices designed for the support 
of the wheat, to promote its own development. 

Having thus shortly given some general out- 
lines, with a view of directing to a proper choice 



of wheat for seed, I will now offer a remark or 
two upon its preparation for sowing. It has 
become a settled conviction in my own mind, 
that smut in wheat is mainly derivable from 
the smutty particles sown along with the grain, 
and by which it becomes tainted or impreg- 
nated. It is also derived from or propagated 
by smut deposited in the soil from any previous 
crop, such as blocks in oats, &c. I have proof 
of this taint causing smut in more cases than 
one. The great thing, then, is to destroy the 
power or influence of this smutty dust. If this 
can be done without injury to the grain, all the 
better. Much loss has often ensued from the 
incautious use of arsenic (" white mercury") 
and sulphate of copper, ("blue vitriol.") The 
more simple the remedy, if effectual, the more 
desirable, and the greater the necessity for its 
adoption. Frequent washing in clear running 
streams of water is effectual; strong dressing 
with hot lime is effectual. These are simple 
appliances. Swimming in a brine made of salt 
and water has the twofold effect and advan- 
tage, of destroying the smut and floating off 
all impurities, seeds of weeds, &c. 

There are innumerable specifics put forth for 
dressing seed wheat, many of which, no doubt, 
are good and proper; and where any one of 
them has been adopted and practised with de- 
cided success, it would be bad policy to discon- 
tinue its use. My own practice is very simple, 
safe and easily effected. In the evening prior 
to the next day's drilling as much wheat as is 
required, is shot into a heap and well damped 
with water; it is left for a few minutes to im- 
bibe the water, and then freely and profusely 
dusted over with quicklime — such dusting con- 
tinued as it is repeatedly turned over. The 
heap is then rounded up, and left till morning; 
when it is put in sacks ready for drilling. 
Should the day prove unfavorable, the heap is 
spread thinly over the floor and in this state it 
will keep for any indefinite period. I presume 
it is quite superfluous to intimate that all seed 
corn should be free from weeds; a good and 
cleanly farmer would most thoroughly repu- 
diate the idea of sowing seeds of weeds* I, 
however, beg more attention to this point. 
Never make use of seed wheat containing other 
seeds. It is said that weeds prevalent in one 
district will not grow in another; don't try it. 
I know that the pernicious weed called " Gold- 
ings," or "Gules," has been thus introduced 
into a district where, till lately, it was unknown. 
Weeds will become habituated to any soil; 
therefore, avoid them as you would a pestilence. 
If, by some unforeseen or accidental cause, a 
farmer bo induced to make choice of a sample 
of wheat containing seeds, he should use every 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



311 



means to clean it. This may be pretty nearly 
effected by winnowing or rceing, or by the use 
of a flannel screen, or, finally, by swimming 
in strong briny mixture. 



From the Massachusetts Ploughman. 
NORTH DEVON CATTLE FOR BUTTER. 

It is now generally admitted by all who have 
any extensive acquaintance with stock that the 
North Devons make the best oxen. Their com- 
pact form, with small bones and straight limbs, 
render the oxen of this breed most acceptable 
to the teamster — while their docility in the yoke, 
and their aptness to fatten on ordinary food, 
make them popular as farm stock, particularly 
in New England and New York. 

But it is as generally hinted that with all 
these fine qualities the Devons are not great 
milkers, and therefore are not so suitable for 
dairymen as cattle that yield large messes of 
milk. 

It ought to be understood, however, that the 
remarks on their milking qualities are founded 
chiefly on the trial of the lot imported into 
Boston a few years ago, by the Massachusetts 
Agricultural Society, for our readers have seen 
within a few weeks most handsome accounts in 
the Southern papers of the dairy qualities of 
this breed of cattle. 

The fact is that the Baltimore importation 
of North Devons differs as much from the Bos- 
ton importation of cattle of the same name as 
any individual animals of our native herds dif- 
fer from each other. It will be remembered 
that the Baltimore stock was a present from 
Jerome Bonaparte to Mr. Patterson, whose 
daughter he married. 

Now the North Devons which we have long 
been recommending come from Baltimore. We 
have had a number of these on our farm for 
several years, and now we have been testing 
their dairy qualities, as we promised to do 
when we could have leisure. 

One pound of butter from less than four 
quarts of milk. We have four heifers on our 
farm at Framingham of the Baltimore impor- 
tation. They were three years old last sum- 
mer — one, Blanche, had a calf April 22d. The 
other, Dora, calved June 22d. Last week 
these two heifers were milked at six P. M., and 
again at six A. M., and their milk was set in 
a dairy by itself. The quantity from both hei- 
fers was less than twelve quarts. 

On Saturday evening last the cream from 
these two milkings was churned into butter. 
That is, the cream was stirred with a spoon in 
a large bowl. It soon became butter — not six 
minutes time was spent in the operation. The 



weight of this butter, after working out the 
milk, was three full pounds. The butter was 
then salted with three ounces of fine salt and 
set away in the cellar. On the next morning 
the butter was again worked over, and was 
again weighed. It still weighed as much as 
before, three pounds — for the amount of milk 
now worked out balanced the three ounces of 
salt. 

Thus on the 22d of October these two hei- 
fers yielded three pounds of butter from one 
day's milk — less than twelve quarts of milk — 
and they had no feed whatever but grass, in a 
lot, too, which had been fed down pretty close 
some weeks before the trial. 

The butter is now hard, yellow, and of as 
fine quality as any that we have ever made. 
Seven days would give twenty-one pounds — 
ten and a half pounds to each heifer for one 
week in the latter part of October — six months 
after calving. This milk proves to be as rich 
as any that is told of from the Alderney cows. 
Less than four quarts of milk yielding a pound 
of butter. The usual estimate is ten quarts 
of milk for a pound. 

Be this right or wrong, it is no common oc- 
currence to find four quarts yielding a pound 
of butter. And if heifers of three years old — 
four and six months respectively after calving — 
will each yield ten pounds and a half of butter 
per week on grass feed alone, in the latter part 
of October, what may be expected of them at 
seven or eight years old in midsummer ? 

These heifers may be seen any day on the 
farm of the Editor of the Ploughman, in Fra- 
mingham, where he has numerous other full 
bloods as promising as these. The butter and 
the heifers and all the stock may be examined 
by any one who chooses. 

More trials will be made of other animals 
of the same herd, and a particular account 
may be expected of them in a future number. 



A CHEAP BAROMETER. 

A correspondent of th« "Country Gentleman" 
writes as follows : 

"For some years I have been in the habit of 
watching the* condition of the gum in my wife's 
camphor-bottle, which stands in our bed-room. 
And when not disturbed it makes a capital weather 
glass. It answers my purpose as well as a barome- 
ter that would cost me twenty-five or fifty dollars. 
When there is to be a change of weather from fair 
to windy or wet, the thin flakes of the gum will 
rise up, and sometimes when there was to be a 
great storm I have seen them at the top. When 
they settle down clearly at the bottom then we are 
sure of grand weather. Any farmer who will watch 
his wife's camphor-bottle for a season, will never 
have occasion to watch the birds or locusts or ants 
for indications of a change in the weather." 



12 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



Fine Cattle. — The Abingdon Democrat was told 
some days since by a gentleman who has recently 
paid that neighborhood a visit, that Mr. Charles A. 
Smith, residing at Clifton, Russell county, has 320 
head of cattle, Avhose average weight is one thousand 
pounds. Mr. S. has been offered $45 each for the 
whole lot, but declines selling for less than S50. 



Rather Personal. — A New York editor, finding 
a cabbage seed in a letter received from a brother 
quill, wants to know if his correspondent has a 
habit of scratching his head while writing. 



TO LAND OWNERS 

In the counties of Henrico, Chesterfield, Goochland, 
Powhatan, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Buckingham, 
Albemarle, Augusta, Appomattox, Amherst, Bed- 
ford, Roanoke, Prince Edward, Charlotte, Halifax, 
Greensville, Montgomery, Amelia, Dinwiddie, Not- 
toway, Henry and Pittsylvania, in Virginia; or 
Guilford, Davidson, Rowan, Cabarras, Mecklenburg, 
Rockingham, Warren, Granville, Iredell, Catawba 
and Caswell, in North Carolina. 

Mr. Joseph Borra, an Italian gentleman, who 
has for many years been engaged in the manufac- 
turing of silk goods in his native land, desires to 
go into that business in any of these counties. He 
proposes to purchase at least one thousand acres 
of productive land on the following terms : 

He will improve the premises by building on 
them comfortable houses for the accommodation of 
from fifty to one hundred families who have been 
accustomed to the raising of silk. He will] how- 
ever, erect suitable houses for manufacturing silk 
cloths of various kinds, and will improve the land 
for the proper raising of grain as well as of the 
mulberry tree. He will expect to have the use of 
the premises thus improved, for a term of five years 
without interest, at the expiration of which period 
he will pay one-third of the purchase money; and 
the balance, with legal interest thereon, in two and 
four years thereafter — the seller, in the meantime 
withholding the title to the property, which, with 
the first payment and all the improvements, will be 
his in the event of any default in the two last pay- 
ments. It is required that there shall be on the 
premises water power sufficient to drive the neces- 
sary machinery. 

Mr. Borra is now in Richmond, Virginia, and will 
be pleased to treat with any person who has land 
of good quality to dispose of on the above terms. 

We know that there are gentlemen in the above 
counties who own large bodies of lands, which is 
not cultivated, and which consequently brings them 
no interest. We do not see how they can turn such 
property to as good advantage as by embarking in 
the proposed scheme, which it seems to us, if it 
shall succeed, must greatly enhance not only the 
value of their other property but of all the pro- 
perty in the neighborhood. If, on the other hand, 
there shall be a failure of the enterprise of Mr. 
Borra, the seller will receive more than legal inte- 
rest on the property sold, in the value of the build- 
ings and other improvements which will have been 
put on the property. 

Regarding this as an enterprise of great impor- 
tance, not only to this immediate neighborhood but 
to the State at large, we trust that Mr. Borra will 
receive the encouragement which may be necessary 
to enable him to prosecute his scheme to success. 



Mr. Joseph Borra is aware that the five years 
credit without interest is not usual or customary. 
Nor would he ask the land on such terms, did he 
not know that he will have to grant an acre of 
ground and a dwelling to each emigrant family, free 
of charge, during this same period, as an induce- 
ment to listen to his scheme and consent to enter 
into the enterprise. 

After a personal examination of the soil and cli- 
mate of these counties during the last four months, 
it is the opinion of Mr. Borra that the lands are 
better adapted for the culture of the vine than the 
State of Ohio, where the experiment has proved 
eminently successful. The land is not so rich as 
in Ohio, but it seems better for this kind of crop. 
As he has been engaged in this business, also, he 
desires to plant a vineyard in connection with the 
silk business. His address is Richmond, Virginia, 
where all letters of inquiry should be sent. 

To such persons as seek information on this last 
subject we would refer them to the following ex- 
tracts from the " Journal of Pharmacy," published 
by authority of Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, 
" On the production of Wine, Brandy and Tartar, in 
the Valley of the Ohio": 

"During a recent visit to Cincinnati, we had se- 
veral opportunities of inquiring into the progress 
of the grape culture in that neighborhood, and 
were gratified at the very considerable progress 
that has been made in that branch of industry. 
The hillsides around the city are thickly spotted 
with vineyards, and the culture of the vine is spread- 
ing from farm to farm; the excess of produce, be- 
yond the demand of the table, finding a ready mar- 
ket at the wine presses of the large growers and 
wine makers. The difficulties and discouragements 
incident to all new enterprises are being gradually 
overcome, the kinds of grape best adapted to the 
soil and climate have been ascertained, and the wine 
growers now look forward to an annual increase of 
their crops. In 1846 there were 83 vineyards in 
the neighborhood of Cincinnati, containing 284 
acres under cultivation, and 114 acres bearing, and 
24,000 gallons of wine were made. In 1852, 1200 
acres were in culture, and 750 bearing, and the 
yield w r as calculated to be 500,000 gallons, but a 
small portion of the grapes or wine called sparkling 
(or Champagne) Catawba, was worth S'1,000,000. 
A basket of grapes will yield from three to three 
and a half gallons of juice. Mr. Buchanan com- 
menced planting his vineyard in 1843; in 1853 he 
obtained from five acres 423G gallons, or 847 gallons 
from an acre. In particular spots, there has been 
obtained 800 gallons from an acre, but 650 gallons 
is considered a lar°;e vield." 



PAYMENTS TO THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 

To the 1st of October, 1854. 

All persons who have made payments early enough 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 T. White to January 1855 $2 00 

Joseph Blanton to April 1855 1 00 

James Bowen to September 1854 1 00 

Maj. James Paxton to May 1855 1 00 

A. C. Morton to Januarv 1854 7 00 

L. W. Allen to January ^1855 1 00 

John Goodwin to September 1855 1 00 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



313 



A. W. Talley to January 1855 

0. H. P. Terrill to January 1855 

Needham L. Stith to January 1855 

Owen C. Fowler to January 1855 

W. F. Hobbs to July 1855 

W. H. Hughart to January 1855 

William AValton to July 1855 

Kev. D. M. Wharton to January 1835 

F. W. Battaile to January 1855 
Thomas A. Keith to July 1855 
Thomas 0. Dearen to Jauuary 1855 
E. W. Poinclexter to January 1855 
Augustus A. Hancock to August 1854 

G. M. Savage to March 1855 
Lancelot Burruss to January 1856 
T. Evans to October 1855 

Thomas E. Coleman to January 1856 
Robert 0. Grayson to July 1855 
R. T. Pleasants to July 1855 
E. J. Peebles to January 1854 
Henry A. Wise to July 1856 
Dr. W. L. Graham to January 1855 
James S. Horner to xlugust 1855 
P. Woolfolk to July 1855 
Richard T. Green to January 1855 
Mrs. F. T. Harvey to July 1855 
Dr. P. H. Foster to January 1855 
Thomas S. Martin to October 1855 
Dr. Thomas Smith to January 1856 
Dr. S. S. Griften to January 1855 
Capt. P. 0. Lipscomb to January 1858 
W. M. Bowie to January 1855 
Dr. Thomas Nelson to July 1855 
William C. Paxton to January 1856 
Samuel A. Guy to September 1855 
T. Woodson to October 1855 
William 0. Chambiiss to April 1854 
Capt. L. D. Hawkins to October 1855 
Stephen Dodson to January 1855 
Henry M. Kirby to January 1855 
George R. Gibbons to July 1855 
Jefferson Flippo to January 1855 
William Johnston to January 1855 
Jesse Jarratt to July 1855 
Dr. Daniel Janney to July 1855 
Yardley Taylor to July 1855 
Rev. George Adie to July 1855 
A. T. M. Rust to July 1855 
L. W. Robinson to October 1854 
James Paxton to January 1854 
Col. Wm. A. Sheffield to January 1855 
Samuel II. Hairston to January 1855 
William 0. Fontaine to January 1855 
Wellington Goddin to July 1854 
P. W. Hairston to October 1855 
Hugh McClure to January 1855 
Wo >d Bouldin to January 1856 
Ambrose White to January 1855 
John H. Tabb to January 1855 
Wm. E. Gannaway to September 1854 
Joseph C. Haley to January 1855 
A. B. Anderson to September 1855 
Dr. W. H. Twyman to July 1854 
George Stillman to September 1855 
John V. Cawthorn to January 1857 
Blair Burwell to January 1855 
James B. Newman to September 1854 
James Barbour to July 1854 
John H. Wilkes to January 1855 
Samuel Berger to January 1855 
James Graves to January 1855 
Dr. Miles George to January 1855 
Joseph Woolling to September 1854 



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VALUABLE FARM AND WOOD LAND FOR SALE. 
The subscribers offer for sale a most valuable farm, 
called "Farmington," lying in the county of Charles City, 
about six miles below the Court House, within two miles 
of "Kennon's," one of the most public landings on James 
River, having also the advantage of a creek running up to 
the land, making it very convenient to receive lime and 
deliver grain and wood. Said tract contains about 1500 
acres, 575 of which are in cultivation under the five field 
rotation, all of which has been limed once, about two-thirds 
twice, and a portion three times. It is now well set in 
clover and producing heavy crops of wheat, corn and oats. 
The balance of the land is heavily timbered, and well wor- 
thy the attention of persons engaged in the lumber and 
wood business. It is supposed by judges that from 8000 
to 10,000 cords of wood might be cut off the land, (leaving 
a sufficiency of timber for the farm,) which commands rea- 
dily, at the landing, $3 50 to $4 per cord. The buildings 
on the firm are all in good repair; the dwelling is a frame 
one, containing seven rooms, with an office in the yard and 
all necessary outhouses, barns, stables, &c. for carrying on 
farming on a large scale. For further information apply to 
RUFFIN & AUGUST, 
General Agents for the sale and purchase of Lands, 
octf No. 153 Main Street, Richmond, Va. 



wUFPOLK PIGS from the stock of Prince Albert, which 
O gained the gold medal at Smithfield Club, England, also 
the first prize at the exhibition of the Norfolk Agricultural 
Society, Massachusetts, 1853, two to three months old, sup- 
plied with food delivered on board Express cars or vessel on 
receiving thirty dollars per pair. Or they will be sent to 
any part of the United States, upon receiving a certificate of 
deposit for forty dollars, from the Postmaster, that upon their 
reception, in good order, free of expense, he will pay. 
Address JAMES MORTON, 

West Needham, Mass. 
Or GEORGE H. P. FLAGG, 

Boston, Massachusetts. 
se3t* 

j 

T)OOKS ON AGRICULTURE, &c— J. W. Randolph, 
Jl » Publisher, Bookseller and Binder, Richmond, offers for 
sale a large stock of works on Farming, Gardening, Horses, 
Cattle, &c. Among the most valuable are the Plantation 
Book, Ruffin on Manures and Agricultural Education. 
Catalogues will be furnished to all who apply. 
Ruffin's Agricultural Elssays will be published soon, 
oc — 2t 



I>ROGUES!! BROGUES!! BROGUES! !!— 6000 pair 
J Richmond made Brogues for sale on accommodating 
terms, by N. DEVEREUX, Leather Dealer, 

132 Gary Street, 
oc2t between the Columbian Hotel and the Basin. 



1 00 

1 00 
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00 



PURE GAME FOWLS.— The subscriber takes pleasure 
in the announcement to the public his stock of Game 
Fowls, which he keeps on hand and for sale. Thorough 
breeds from the best stock of Mexican, Kiimey, Butcher, 
Caroline, Creole and Earl of Derby Game. Prices ranging 
from two to ten dollars per pair, according to quality and 
age. Address J. McL. ANDERSON, 

octf Ruther Glen P. O., Caroline County, Va. 



ARTIFICIAL GUANO for sale in quantities to suit pur- 
chasers, at $25 per ton. Apply to 
oc3t RICHARD CAUTHORN, 15th Street. 



/ tHOlCE FOWLS FOR SALE.— I he subscriber 
\y lias the following kinds of chickens, ducks and geese : 
Ebon Sumatra, Bengal, Java, Pheasant and Mallacca game 
chickens ; the Aylesbury and Java ducks, and Hong Kong 
geese: each breed warranted pure and distinct. He has 
also various crosses of the above named chickens, which 
in size, beauty and symmetry surpass the original stock. 
All of which he will sell on reasonable terms, securely 
cooped and delivered either in Richmond or on the Canal", 
(free of extra charge.) Address 

DR. ERASMUS POWELL, 
oc3t* Powell's Tavern, Goochland Co., Va. 



314 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



THE HORSE, THE HORSE, 

1VT0BLEST OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS, and the 

li one most frequently ill-treated, neglected and abused. 
We have just published a book so valuable to every man 
■who owns a Horse, that no one should willingly be without 
it. It is entitled the modern horse doctor, and is from 
the pen of that celebrated English Veterinary Surgeon, 
Dr. George H. Dadd, well known for many years in this 
Country, as one of the most successful, scientific and popu- 
lar writers and lecturers in this branch of medical and sur- 
gical science. The book which he now offers to the pub- 
lic, is the result of many years study and practiced expe- 
rience which few have had. From the numerous and 
strong commendations, of distinguished men and the news- 
paper press, w r e select the following: 
Extract from a letter from Hon. John H. Clifford, Ex- 
Governor of Massachusetts. 

New Bedford, May 11, 1854. 
Dr. Dadd, — Dear Sir: — I hope your new work on the 
noblest creature that man has ever been permitted to hold 
in subjection, (the Horse,) will meet with that success, 
which all your elforts in this direction so well deserve. 
Your obedient servant. 

John H. Clifford. 

From Hon. Marshall P. Wilder. 

Boston, May 13, 1854. 
Dr. Dadd, — My Dear Sir : — I am greatly obliged to 
you for the valuable treatise, the results of your own inves- 
tigations which you have recently issued, hoping that it 
may meet with the patronage of a discriminating commu- 
nity. I remain yours with great regard 

Marshall P. Wilder. 

The Modern Horse Doctor, by Dr. G. H. Dadd, is a 
manual of genuine science, and ought to be owned and 
studied on the score of humanity, as well as interest, by 
every man who owns a horse. — Boston Congregationalism 

Dr. Dadd has had great experience in the cure of sick 
horses, and explains the secret of his success in this vol. — 
New York Tribune. 

The author of this work is well known as a most skilful 
veterinary surgeon. His book is based on the soundest, 
common sense, and as a hand-book for practical use, we 
know of nothing to compare with it. — Yankee Blade. 

We know Dr. Dadd well, and are satisfied that he pos- 
sesses most important qualifications for preparing such a 
book as this. — New England Farmer. 

Messrs. Jewett & Co. have just published a very valua- 
ble work by Dr. Dadd, a well known veterinary surgeon, 
on the causes, nature and treatment of disease, and lame- 
ness in horses. — Farmer's Cabinet. 

This is one of the most valuable treatises on the subject, 
ever published; and no owner of that noblest of the ani- 
mal race, the horse, should be without it. Especially 
should it be in the hands of every hotel and livery-stable 
keeper. To many a man would it be worth hundreds of 
dollars every year. — Ind. Democrat, Concord. 

By far the most learned and copious work on the horse 
and his diseases we have ever seen. — N. Y. Evangelist. 

One of the greatest and most commendable qualities of 
this work, is, it is practical and plain to the comprehension 
of those farmers and others for whom it is mainly designed. 
The course of treatment favors generally a more sanative 
and rational system of medication than that recommended 
in any previously existing woiks on farriery. No farmer 
or owner of a horse should be without this book. Stable 
keepers, stage proprietors and hackmen, we believe, would 
derive profit by having at least one copy hung up in their 
stables for use and reference by their stable men. — Daily 
Nei PS, Ph ila delph ia . 

There is more common sense in this book than any of 
the kind we have ever seen, and farmers and owners of 
horses would find it a matter of economy to possess them 
selves of it. It will be of more service than the counsel 
of a score of ordinary doctors. — Albany Courier. 

We deem this decidedly the best and most reliable work 
on the "Cause, INature. and Treatment, of Disease and 
Lameness in Horses/' ever published. — Nantucket In 
quirer. 



What we have read of this book induces us to regard it 
as a very sensible and valuable work; and we learn that 
those much more competent to judge of its value have given 
it their unqualified approval. — Ev. Traveller, Boston. 

This book supplies a great desideratum, which Skinner's 
admirable treatise on the horse did not fiil. Every man 
may be his own veterinary surgeon, and with much greater 
safety to this noble animal, than by trusting him to the 
treatment of the empirical itinerants who infest the coun- 
try. It is well illustrated, and should be purchased by 
every man who owns a horse. — Ev. Mirror, N. Y. 

This is a book that should be forthwith put into the 
hands of all who own or drive horses whether for the dray 
or gig, for the plough, omnibus or road, for hard service 
or pleasure. — McMakirfs Courier, Philadelphia. 

A good, clearly written book, which should be in the 
hands of every man who has a horse whose ills his affec- 
tion or his purse make it worth while to cure. — Bangor 
Mercury. 

This is a scientific, thorough and complete treatise upon 
the diseases to which one of the noblest of animals is sub- 
ject, and the remedies which they severally require. — 
Ti oy Daily Budget. 

It is a valuable book to those who have the care of 
Horses. — Hartford Herald. 

He is not worthy to have a horse in his care, who will 
not use such a work to qualify himself for his duties to this 
animal. — Commonwealth, Boston. 

Published by JOHN P. JEWETT & CO., 

Boston 
Jewett, Proctor & Worthington 

Cleveland, Ohio. 

se — 3t fTJr For sale by all Booksellers. 



I FARMERS' AND PLANTERS' DEPOT, N. E. corner 
of 7th and Market Street, Philadelphia. — The most va- 
ried assortment of Agricultural and Horticultural Imple- 
ments, Seeds, Dairy Utensils, Fruit and Ornamental Trees, 
&c, in the United States may now be seen at our Ware- 
house, and to which we respectfully invite the attention of 
Farmers and Planters. It having been our earnest endea- 
vor to secure custom, by keeping only the most improved 
and best made implements, we guarantee all articles sold 
by us fully equal to representations. Orders from a dis- 
tance as punctually and faithfully filled, as if the purchaser- 
were present. We have but one price, to which we strictly 
adhere. Comprehensive, illustrated catalogues will be fur- 
nished gratis, on post paid application. 

PASCHALL MORRIS & CO. 
Agricultural Warehouse, N. E. corner 7th and 
oc3t Market Street, Philadelphia. 



COOPER'S PATENT LIME AND GUANO SPREAD- 
ERS. — Cooper's Lime Spreader, Guano Spreader, and 
Lime and Guano Spreaders combined. Sole Agents, 
PASCHALL MORRIS & CO. 
Agricultural and Seed Warehouse, 
oc3t 269 Market Street, Philadelphia. 



H 



ALLADAY'S WIND ENGINE.— The best machine 
for raising water by wind-power, in use. 

PASCHALL MORRIS & CO. 
Agricultural Warehouse, N. E. corner 7th 

oc3t and Market Street, Philadelphia. 



D BERING & DEDERICH'S HAY PRESSES— We 
are prepared to supply these excellent Presses at a 
short notice. They are warranted. 

PASCHALL MORRIS & CO. 

Agricultural Warehouse, 
oc3t 2G9 Market Street, Philadelphia. 



QPAIN'S ATMOSPHERIC BARREL CHURN— We 

O are now manufacturing these superior Churns of all 
sizes. They are warranted equal to any in use. 

PASCHALL MORRIS & CO. 

V Agricultural Warehouse, 
oc3t No. 269 Market Street, Philadelphia. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



315 



FOR SALE! A BEAUTIFUL AND VALUABLE ES- 
TATE. — Desirous to close my business in Frederick 
county, and remove to a central part of Virginia more con- 
venient to a large landed estate I own in that quarter, J 
offer for sale, Springdale and Barlonsvillc, with various 
Mills, forming certainly one of the finest estates in the whole 
country. Springdale contains upwards of 800 acres of fer- 
tile land chiefly limestone, or of a kind, mixed soil, upon a 
clay basis, all admirably adapted to wheat, corn, timothy 
and clover. There are about 60 acres of creek bottom of 
surpassing fertility, which might be cultivated twenty years 
in succession with but little depreciation. Indeed, the en- 
during quality of the soil is a characteristic of the whole 
farm, justifying stubbling and repeated continuous crops. 
For example, I have a small field which for twelve years 
has been in wheat or corn, and in all that time never failed 
to yield a noble crop. Three or four successive crops of 
wheat from the same ground is a common practice with 
me, without injury to the land or of any abatement of quan- 
tity produced. 

The improvements on this estate are those which taste 
and a free expenditure of money for fifty years could make. 
There are 6j miles of limestone fencing, 5 miles of paling 
and plank, and the balance of locust stake fencing. There 
are 26 enclosures from lots of 4 or 5 acres to fields of 50 
acres. The wood land, 170 acres, consisting of open forests 
of black walnut, ash, hickory and oak, is divided in eight 
lots, all enclosed and yielding pasture for sheep and cattle. 
A fine stream flows a mile and a half through the farm, and 
never failing springs rise in many of the fields. 

The dwelling-house is a well constructed building of two 
stories, covered with tin roof, having dining-room, parlor, 
library, six chambers, beside four cellar and three attic rooms. 
There is a large and handsome piazza in front and a portico 
in the rear. The building is 90 feet in length, including 
the wings, of substantial hew T n, square limestone, and hav- 
ing eight dormer-windows. A two story stone building, 50 
feet in length, used as a negro quarter. An extensive barn, 
with stone underpinning and shedding; excellent stabling, 
stone and frame, sufficient for thirty head of horses; also, 
houses for hay and extensive shedding for cattle; two corn 
houses, one rat-proof, capable of containing 1000 barrels of 
corn, besides granaries for wheat, oats, &c; carriage house, 
ice house, admirable dairy, with a large limestone spring 
very convenient to the house; large stone smoke house, 
overseer's house, wagon and cart sheds, and other conve- 
nient out houses. 

The Village consists of stone house with eight rooms, 
long used as a wagon stand, large stone blacksmith shop, 
wagon and cooper shop, several excellent buildings, occu- 
pied by mechanics, with stabling, stone smoke houses, gar- 
dens, &c. 

There are two excellent and large orchards of selected 
summer and winter fruit, the proceeds of which I sold one 
year for $1200. 

The Merchant Mill is a three story building partly of 
stone and partly frame, capable of grinding 20,000 bushels 
of wheat annually. It does also a large share of country 
grinding, and has a valuable plaster and saw mill attached; 
also, near it a miller's house, stabling, garden, &c. 

This property is 5£ miles from Winchester, a flourishing 
town of near 5000 people, and the terminus of the rail road 
connecting with Baltimore. The Manassas Gap Rail Road, 
connecting with Alexandria, Washington and Richmond, is 
only 11 miles south. The projected rail road from the Ma- 
nassas Gap to the Coal Field will pass only a mile from 
Springdale, while the Valley Rail Road from Winchester 
to Staunton, undoubtedly soon to be made, will touch upon 
the farm. The Great Valley Turnpike, extending from 
Winchester to Tennessee, passes nearly a mile and a quarter 
through the farm, over which several mail coaches are 
driven every morning and evening, directly in sight of the 
house. These, together with the large number of carriages 
and other vehicles, hourly passing through a densely settled 
country, give to the farm a most cheerful aspect. The 
morning papers from Washington and Baltimore are re- 
ceived every day soon after dinner. The celebrated Capon 
Springs are but 20 miles off — Jordan's Sulphur but 10. 
There are 20 churches of various denominations within a 



circle of 6 miles. A mile and a half from the farm is the 
village of Newtown, containing nearly 1000 inhabitants, 
with churches, an academy, post office, several stores, and 
various mechanic shops, &c. The farm is surrounded by 
a refined society, and in forty minutes a gentleman can take 
his family to Winchester over a beautiful turnpike to church, 
or upon a visit to a very clever and genteel people. 

Sincerely desirous to sell this estate, but to avoid all hig- 
gling and needless applications, I will state my price for the 
whole, including the mills described, is $72,000 — one-half 
cash, the balance I am content to say two, four, six and eight 
years, the purchaser paying interest and securing all by a 
lien on the property. There are three farms united, with 
improvements on each, but I will not separate them in any 
sale. A good manager may always calculate on from 5000 
to 6000 bushels of wheat each year, worth at the home 
market an average of .$6000. This is a clear net crop, for 
the corn, hay, stock, (fcc, will more than pay all expenses. 
The mills, houses and orchards, will rent for $1200 per an- 
num — thus making an income of $7200 from about $80,000 
invested, including stock on farm, &c, .or about 9 per cent. 
Such is the admirable tilth of this farm, its cleanness, con- 
dition of the fences, its level or gently rolling surface, &c, 
eight laborers can cultivate it. A healthier spot can hardly 
be found on earth. In a family of some 75 persons, includ- 
ing tenants, for 35 years, I have never known a case of 
bilious or intermittent fever. 

To the wealthy merchant or professional man, who wishes 
to retire from business and enjoy health and ease, at a de- 
lightful residence, or the industrious farmer, looking to a 
profitable investment of his money, the extraordinary con- 
veniences and resources of this farm present equal attrac- 
tions. No one will purchase so valuable an estate without 
some personal acquaintance. To those at a distance dis- 
posed to inform themselves, I refer to a number of friends 
or neighbors who have visited this farm, many of whom are 
extensively acquainted with the facts set forth in this adver- 
tisement. In the event of a sale, the purchaser may have 
leave to sow wheat this fall, one hundred acres being already 
ploughed for the purpose, and I will give complete posses- 
sion by the first of next October, if desired. 

References. — Hon. James M. Mason, Senator; Hon. 
A. A. H. Stuart, Staunton, Virginia ; Charles Barnard, Esq., 
Boston; Moncure Robinson, Benjamin Etting, Esqs., Phi- 
ladelphia; A. P. Kennedy, S. K. Burkholder, Esqs., Balti- 
more; Capt. L. M. Powell, Capt. William McBlair, United 
States Navy, Washington ; Ro. B. Boiling, Esq., Petersburg, 
Virginia; William H. Macfarland, R. B. Haxall, Samuel 
Marx, Esqs., Richmond, Virginia; Myer Myers, Esq., Nor- 
folk, Virginia; James K. Marshall, Esq., Alexandria, Va.; 
John G. Meem. Esq., Lynchburg, Virginia; Dr. Rice, New 
Market, Virginia; Dr. R. T. Baldwin, T. A. Tidball, H. M. 
Brent, James Marshall, Joseph H. Sherrard, D. W. Barton, 
Esqs., Winchester, Virginia; John S. Magili, William S. 
Jones, Joseph Long, James Chipley, F. B. Jones, James 
Gilkeson, Esqs., Frederick county, Virginia. 

R. W. BARTON. 

Near Winchester, Va., July 10, 1854. — autf 



WILLIAM P. LADD, Apothecary and Druggist, 
No. 319, head of Broad Street, Shockoe Hill, Rich- 
mond, Virginia, dealer in English, Mediterranean, India and 
all Foreign and Domestic Drugs and Medicines ; also, Paints, 
Oils, Varnish, Dye-Stuffs, Window Glass, Putty, &c. For 
sale on the most accommodating terms. 

jjfSIP Orders from Country Merchants and Physicians 
thankfully received and promptly attended to. 
ian '51— tf 



AGENCY FOR THE PURCHASE AND SALE OF 
IMPROVED STOCK.— Stock Cattle of all the differ- 
ent breeds, Sheep, Swine, Poultry, (fee. will be purchased 
to order, and carefully shipped to any part of the United 
States, for which a reasonable commission will be charged. 

Apply to AARON CLEMENT, Philadelphia. 

Refer to Gen. Wm. H. Richardson^ Richmond, Virginia. 

N. B. — All letters, post-paid, will be promptly attended 
to. 

ap '53 — tf 



\ 



316 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



A MORRIS, 97 Main Street, is constantly sup- 
• plied with all New and Standard Agricul- 
tural Works. The subscriber respectfully invites 
the attention of the public to his extensive assort- 
ment of Books on Agriculture, among which may 
be found — 

The Chemical Field Lectures for Agriculturists, 
by Dr. J. A. Stockhardt; translated from the Ger- 
man: edited with notes by James E. Tesehemoeher. 

The Field Book of Manures, or the American 
Muck Book; treating of the nature, properties, &c. 
of all the principal manures in common use, by 
D. J. Brown. 

The American Farm Book, or Compend of Ame- 
rican Agriculture, being a practical treatise on soils, 
manures, draining, &c. and every staple product of 
the United States, with the best methods of planting, 
cultivating and preparation for market, by R.L.Allen 

Elements of Agricultural Chemistry and Geology, 
by James F. W, Johnston, M. A. 

The Monthly Journal ofAgriculture, containing 
the best current productions in promotion of agri- 
cultural improvement, including the choicest prize 
essays issued in Europe and America, with original 
contributions from eminent farmers and statesmen, 
3 vols. 8vo., John S. Skinner, Editor. 

The Principles of Agriculture, by Albert D. 
Thaer. 

The Farmer's and Planter's Encyclopaedia of 
Rural Affairs, embracing all the most recent disco- 
veries in agricultural chemistry, adapted to the 
comprehension of unscientific readers, by C. W. 
Johnson, Esq. 

European Agriculture and Rural Economy, from 
personal observations, by Henry Colman. 

Chemistry in its Application to Agriculture and 
Physiology, by Justus Liebig, M. D. 

The Book of the Farm, detailing the labors of 
the farmer, ploughman, field worker, &c, by Henry 
Stephens. 

Elements of Scientific Agriculture, or the Con- 
nection between Science and the Art of Practical 
Farming, by John P. Norton, M. A. 

An Essay on Calcareous Manures, by Edmund 
Ruffin: 5th edition, amended and enlarged. 

The Farmer's Barn-Book, by Clater, Youatt, Skin- 
ner and Mills. 

Together with many other valuable works on 
farming, the treatment and management of cattle, 
&c. A. MORRIS, 

Bookseller, Stationer, and Dealer in 

feb — tf Piano Fortes, 97 Main street. 



ALBEMARLE PIGS. 

I AM prepared to receive orders for Albemarle 
Pigs-r-a breed made by crossing several varieties, 
which will grow to good size, and fatten easily at 
any age. This breed received some of the highest 
prizes at the Virginia State Fair. I have, also, four 
boar pigs, from my large Delaware Sow, (estimated 
to weigh, nett, near one thousand pounds,) which 
will be ready for delivery in a few weeks. Address, 
(postpaid,) JOHN R. WOODS, 

ja — tf Woodville Depot, Albemarle, Va. 



ANALYSIS OF SOILS, &c. 

THE undersigned is prepared to execute the an- 
alyses of Soils, Guano, Marls, Plaster. &c. &c. 
at the Laboratory of the Virginia Military Institute. 
Packages may be forwarded through Webb, Bacon 
& Co. Richmond, or Echols & Pryor, Lynchburg. 
Persons desiring further information will please 
address WILLIAM GILHAM, 

Prof. Chemistry and Agriculture, V. M. I. 
Feb. 1,1852. Lexington, Va. 



STOVES AND FANCY IRON CASTINGS 

Exhibited at the Virginia State Agricultural Fair, 
By Messrs. Bowers, Snyder & Carter. 

THESE Gentlemen erected Works, about tw< 
years since, by which they have been exten 
sively supplying the State with articles for whicl 
we have heretofore depended entirely upon northen 
foundries. 

Their Cooking Stoves have given entire satisfac 
tion to all Virginia housewives who have used them 
On the door of one of these we notice a representa 
tion of a sheaf of wheat, in which the heads anc 
even the distinct grains stand out in beautiful reliel 
They exhibit a specimen of parlor stove especially 
worthy of notice. Its style and finish are highlj 
ornamental. Its chief merit consists of a door de 
signed to increase the draught of the fire, which i: 
made to revolve vertically upon a pivot. 

These manufacturers, in a modest, unpretending 
way, are rendering good service to the State, by de 
veloping her resources in this branch of domesth 
industry. E. B. Spence, 

H. M. Smith, 
James P.ae, 
Committee on Household Implements, 

I have sold principally, for the past two years 
the stoves manufactured by Messrs. Bowers, Snyde 
& Carter, at the Richmond Stove Works, and hav' 
found them to give my patrons entire satisfaction 
both in their operation and durability. 

Charles D. Yale, 
130, Main Street, Richmond, Virginia, Depot fo 

Bolton & Yale's "Caloric Air Furnace." 

jan 1854— ly 



EAGLE FOUNDER Y. 

THE subscriber having removed to the larg 
Foundery, just erected by him and fitted ou 
with machinery of the latest and most approve 
style, is, in addition to the manufacture of Tobacc 
Flattening Mills, prepared to receive orders for StE 
tionary Steam Engines, Saw and Grist Mills, Agr . 
cultural Machines, Tobacco Presses of every de 
scription, and all kinds of Iron and Brass Casting: 
He pledges himself to execute faithfully, and wit 
dispatch, all work entrusted to him, and respectfull 
solictsacall from hisfriendsand the public generally 
The highest cash prices paid for old cast iroil 
brass and copper. PHILIP RAHM, 

ja — ly Cary, between Pearl and loth st: 



BOOKS, PIANOS, MUSIC, &c. 

JAMES WOODHOUSE, Wholesale and R( 
tail Dealer in Books, Piano Fortes, Statio? 
ery, Music, &c. 139 Main St., Richmond, Virgini; 
Constantly on hand, a full supply of standar 
Agricultural Works. oc — tf 



SINTON & SONS' NURSERY, N EA1 
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. 

AS the season for planting has arrived, the sul 
scribers would respectfully call the attention 
their friends and the public generally, to their lars 
and extensive collection of Fruit Trees, embrai 
ing, perhaps, a selection that has not been surpasser 
for the climate of Virginia, and nearly all prop; 
gated from fruit-bearing trees in their own orchard 

Catalogues, with directions for planting, may t 
had at William Palmer's Seed and Plough Stor< 
at Peyton Johnston & Brother's Apothecary Ston 
at C.J. Sinton & Co's. Hardware Store, and at L< 
gan Waller's Commission House, where any orde 
left will be punctually attended to, and letters a< 
dressed to the subscribers, Richmond, will receit 
prompt attention. 

nov— tf JOSEPH SINTON & SONS. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



317 



FARM, STOCK, CROPS, NEGROES, &C, FOR 
SALE. — The subscribers are authorized to sell a valu- 
able farm in the county of Buckingham, 5£ miles from the 
Court House, containing upwards of 800 acres, having on 
it every necessary improvement, consisting of a handsome 
two story dwelling just completed, barn with threshing 
machine, stables, corn crib, carriage and ice houses, black- 
smith's shop, &c, with a kitchen and meat house about to 
be erected. It has also a fine garden and an orchard of 
choice fruit, embracing almost every variety grown in Vir- 
ginia. It will be sold with the growing crops, (175 bushels 
of wheat and 100 bushels of oats have been seeded) stock, 
tools and implements of every description, and 16 first rate 
farm and house servants, one of whom is a good black- 
smith. 

This farm is situated in a region proverbial for health 
and agreeable society, 15 farms and dwellings being in 
view from the dwelling. 

The owner desiring to remove to the South, and being 
unwilling to break up the relations existing among his ne- 
groes, will dispose of the whole at a great bargain. 

For terms, &c, apply to 

MARTIN GOLDSBOROUGH, Baltimore, or 
RUFFIN & AUGUST, Richmond, Va. 

j un — tf 



SUPERIOR SWINE AND PREMIUM POULTRY.— 
I am prepared to engage pigs by my large Byefield and 
superior Suffolk boars, from matchless sows of the following 
breeds : Byefield, Suffolk, Skinner, Essex, Chester, Dela- 
ware, Cheshire and Russian — most of them of mammoth 
size. 

The finest collection of ornamental and domestic Poultry 
in Virginia — receiving the premium as the finest collection 
and upon individual pairs. They consist of the following: 
Brahma Pootra, Imperial Chinese, Colatta, Dorking, Span- 
gled Hamburg, Seabright and African Bantams, Sumatra 
Pheasant Game, Ablin Game, Mexican Game, Ebon Game 
Crested Turkey, Purple Turkey, Pure White Turkey, Bre- 
men Geese, Hong Kong Geese, Wild Geese, Crested Bkick 
and White Ducks, Java Ducks, Penguin Ducks, Rouen 
Ducks, Aylesbury Ducks, Pure White Guinea Fowls, Ita- 
lian Pea Fowl, Madagascar or Lopped Eared Rabbits — ears 
22 inches long, 5 broad. 

The above are bred in separate apartments, and can be 
obtained at moderate prices by addressing 

JOHN G. TURPIN, 

mar — tf Clover Dale, near Petersburg, Va. 



IMPROVED SUPER PHOSPHATE OF LIME.— The 
subscriber is manufacturing the above at his Bone Mill, 
a short distance from the city, of the best and purest kind. 
Farmers are requested to examine his before purchasing 
elsewhere ; the quality will speak for itself, and his price is 
the same as that manufactured out of the State. 

may— tf R. R. DUVAL. 



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 Richmond to buy hats and boots is at the above 
store, where every article sold may be relied on as repre- 
sented. By this means he has gained a good run of cus- 
tom, and his customers feel satisfied. Below is a list of his 
prices, which will be strictly adhered to: 

Best quality moleskin, - - - $3 50 

Second quality moleskin, - - 3 00 

Best quality silk, - - - 2 50 

Second quality silk, - - - 2 00 

Fine Calfskin Sewed Boots only three dollars and fifty 
cents. 

Also, Caps, Shoes and Umbrellas. 

J. H. Anthony has made an arrangement Avith one of the 
best makers in the city of Philadelphia to 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 soli- 
cited, 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, 
mar '54— tf 



GREAT PREMIUM FAN, patented December 20, 1853. 
Montgomery's Celebrated Double Screen Rockaway 
Wheat Fan, has, during the past year, been proved to be 
the best Fan ever offered in the Middle States, having taken 
premiums over all that have been offered to the public from 
every quarter of the United States. It took the first pre- 
mium at the Maryland State Agricultural Society's Exhibi- 
tion, in October last, where all the most celebrated Fans 
were in competition. 

The first premium at the Virginia State Agricultural So- 
ciety's Exhibition, in November last. 

The Maryland Institute awarded silver medals to it at its 
Exhibitions in 1852 and 1853, as superior to all others on 
exhibition. 

The first premium was awarded at the Talbot County 
(Maryland) Show, in 1852; and 

The first premium at the Prince George's County (Mary- 
land) Exhibition, in 1853, by the special vote of the Society, 
in consequence of its superiority and value, it being con- 
trary to their standing rules to award premiums to articles 
made out of the county. 

We annex the following certificate from a respectable far- 
mer of St. Mary's county, and any number of others could 
be published if necessary, all tending to show the decided 
superiority of this Fan over any others that have ever been 
introduced in the Middle States — and as the manufacturers 
devote their whole attention to this one article, and rely for 
its continued success upon the faithfulness of its make, as 
well as the superiority of its principles of construction, far- 
mers and others may rely on having their Fans made of 
the best materials and workmanship. 

St. Geramers, St. Mary's Co., Md., Oct. 6, 1853. 

This is to certify, that I have tried Messrs. J. Montgo- 
mery & Brother's Wheat Fan in some tailings I made in 
cleaning a part of my crop, which I did not think could be 
made worth anything; it extracted from a bushel and a 
half of filth about three pecks of pure wheat. I must say 
that I never saw a Fan that can even come in competition 
with J. Montgomery & Brother's Rockaway Wheat Fan, 
for screening wheat. Benjamin M'Kay. 

REFERENCES. 
City of Baltimore : John S. Williams, foot of Commerce 
street; Messrs. Seth & Godwin, No. 4 Bowly's wharf; E. 

B. Harris, No. 4 Bowly's wharf; Michael Dorsey, Light 
street; Thos. J. Hall, Light street; N. E. Berry, Lombard 
street, near Charles; R. D. Burns, foot of Bowly's wharf; 
Mr. Wilmer, No. 2 Bowly's wharf — all commission mer- 
chants. 

Virginia references : Hon. William S. Archer, Virginia ; 
Gen. B. Peyton, Virginia; Hill Carter, Virginia; Lewis G. 
Harvey, Virginia; Rowlett Hardy & Co., Petersburg; A. 

C. Lane, Richmond; Robert Cole, Richmond, Virginia; M. 
Heartwall, D. T. Payner, James B. Lundy, J. Ravenscroft 
Jones, Geo. W. Field, Col. Isham Trotter, John Winbeiks, 
Wm. Towns, Jas. Hays, Sr., Dr. Wm. W. Oliver, Samuel F'. 
M'Gehee, AViiliam M. Watkins, William I. Scott. 

We are prepared to sell State or County rights to those 
who wish to manufacture our Fan. 

All orders addressed to the undersigned at the Baltimore 
City (Md.) Post Office, will be promptly attended to. 
J. MONTGOMERY & BRO. 
No. 155 N. High St., between Hillen and Gay streets, 
may — ly Baltimore. 

GENERAL AGENCY FOR THE SALE AND PUR- 
CHASE OF LANDS.— FRANK : G. RUFFIN, Secre- 
tary of the Virginia State Agricultural Society, and N. 
AUGUST, Notary Public and Accountant, offer their ser- 
vices to the public as General Agents for the sale and pur- 
chase of lands in Virginia, and in the Southern and West- 
ern States. Those wishing our services, having lands for 
sale, are requested to furnish us with a full description of 
snch, property, and the terms, &c, upon which they are 
willing to sell ; and those wishing to purchase are requested 
to inform us of the locality in which they wish to purchase, 
the price they are willing to pay, &c. Our charges will 
be moderate. 

Office at the office of the Virginia State Agricultural So- 
ciety. 

jan — tf 






IS 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



WOOL DEPOT. 

Richmond, June 22, 185-1. 

Dear Sir, — Having been engaged for years past in the sale of Wool, we are fully aware of the difficulties that the 
Wool Growers of this State have labored under to obtain for their Wool its fair market value. For this there are two 
causes — one is, that in each lot of Wool, indeed in each bag of Wool, there are several grades, and each purchaser has 
to buy some Wool that does not answer his purposes; he could not, therefore, afford to pay the full value for an article 
that he did not want, and which he only bought because it was not assorted. All who are familiar with the sale of 
tobacco, are fully aware of the loss that the planter sustains who does not assort his tobacco. It is the same case with 
Wool, to a considerable extent. 

Another reason is, that the receipts of Wool have been light, and so scattered that it was difficult to get together a 
sufficient quantity to attract the attention of purchasers. We have found this operate so strongly that we have not 
generally attempted to make sale of small parcels of Wool, but allowed our receipts to accumulate; and we have 
generally obtained from three to five cents per pound more for such large parcels than could be had for small lots. The 
Wool interest of Virginia is now rapidly increasing, and we think is destined, in a short time, to become an extensive 
trade. Already there is a sufficient quantity grown, if concentrated to one point and properly graded, to overcome, to 
some extent, the difficulties referred to above. We think this can be best accomplished by a well conducted Wool 
Depot. This city appears to be the most accessible point for a majority of the Wool Growers in Virginia. 

Being already in this trade, and having an extensive acquaintance with the producers as well as the manufacturers 
and dealers in Wool, we have determined to open such a Depot in this city, in connection with our present business. 
In order to conduct it in the most satisfactory manner, we have engaged the services of Mr. John Waterhouse, who 
was long and favorably known as the efficient Agent of the late Woollen Factory in this city. 

All the Fleece Wool sent to us and tub washed Wool, so far as it is practicable, will be graded, and each quality put 
together, unless the owner prefers that his Wool should be sold alone — in that event he will so direct us. 

Our charges will be — 

Commission for selling, 2£ per cent. 

Storage, grading, fire insurance, advertising and labor, 1 cent per lb. 

We shall always sell for cash, unless we find it to the interest of the owners to sell on time. In that event, we will 
charge 2£ per cent, guarantee. We will be prepared to cash all such sales as soon as made, deducting the interest. 

We hope the establishment of such a Depot will meet with your approval, and that we may be favored with your 
consignments. Yours, most obedient, CRENSHAW & CO., 

Grocers and Commission Merchants, North Side of the Basin, Richmond, Va. 

^3T° Liberal advances will be made on consignments of Wool, when required. 

Genuine No. 1 Peruvian Guano always on hand, and for sale on the best terms. C. & CO. 

autf 



STEPHEN H. FISHER, Manufacturer of Boots 
and Shoes, No. 228, Broad Street, north side, be- 
tween 3d and 4th streets, Richmond, Virginia, keeps con- 
stantly on hand a full assortment of ready made Boots and 
Shoes of his own manufacture, for Ladies' and Children's 
wear, which he will sell as low as can be purchased in this 
city. Boots and Shoes for Gentlemen and Boys on hand, 
or made to order at short notice. Servants' Shoes of all 
qualities always on hand. All work warranted. 

K^IP Farmers are invited to give him a call. ocly 

GENERAL AGENCY AND COMMISSION BUSI- 
NESS. — The subscriber tenders his thanks for the 
man)' calls heretofore received, and again offers his services 
on reasonable terms. Now for sale many Farms in Mary- 
ryland and Virginia, Stallions, Bulls, Bucks, Boars, of im- 
proved stock; improved Fowls of all kinds; Mares, Cows, 
Ewes, Sows; Ewes one-half and three-fourths Cotswold; 
Calves at three months old, one-half Alderney ; South Down 
Ewes with their lambs. For particulars address (post paid) 
the subscriber, 9 

MARTIN GOLDSBOROUGH, 
38 Holliday Street, Baltimore, Maryland. 
P. S. — Answers to letters particularly desired. M. G. 
may — tf 

ALBANY TILE WORKS, corner of Patroon and Knox 
streets, Albany, N. Y. Drain Tile of the following 
descriptions and prices suitable for land drainage, always 
on hand in large or small quantities of the first, quality, 
delivered at the docks and railroad depots free of cartage : 

Horse- shoe Tile. 

4| inch calibre, $18 per 1000 feet. 

3$ do. 15 do. 

2£ do. .- 12 tlo. 

Sole Tile or Pipe. 

3 inch calibre, $18 per 1000 feet. 

2 do. 12 do. 

Large Tile for drains about dwellings, yards, &c, of 
various sizes, $4 and $8 per 100 feet. Sole Tile, 4 inch 
calibre, for sink drains at $4 per 100 feet. Drain your land 
and save your crops. Orders from a distance will receive 
prompt attention. A. S. BABCOCK. 

Albany, April 20, 1854. jun— tf 



VALUABLE ALBEMARLE FARM FOR SALE— The 
subscriber offers for sale that valuable and well known : 
farm, the D. S., situated on the waters of Ivy Creek, 3| 
miles from the University of Virginia, 4| from Charlottes- 
ville, and immediately on the Staunton and Charlottesville 
Turnpike, and Virginia Central Rail Road, in one of the 
most beautiful sections of the State, and in a neighborhood 
long proverbial for its highly cultivated society, its fertile 
lands, its pure and abundant water and general healthful- 
ness; also possessing the greatest facilities to the best of 
markets. The D. S. contains 695 acres, about one hundred 
acres in timber, and the balance in a fine state of improve- 
ment. It has for man)' years been considered one of the 
most productive farms in the county, producing finely all 
the various crops of this section. There is an abundant 
supply of running water in every field, and large portions 
of the farm could be converted into watered meadow. The 
improvements are good and of every variety. Being anxious 
to sell, terms will be made very accommodating. Address 
GEO. B. STEPHENS, 
ap — tf Woodville Depot, Albemarle, Va. 



COTSWOLD OR NEW OXFORDSHIRE SHEEP.— 
The subscriber has for sale a number of yearling Bucks 
of the Cotswold or New Oxfordshire breed, which he will 
sell at any time when called for. This ilock has been bred 
from some of the best ever imported, and are superior to all 
other breeds for large carcass, heavy fleece, early maturing 
of constitution, and defy all competition with other breeds 
for profit. The clips of the two Bucks which were imported 
last year weighed 17 lbs. of each, of washed wool. A lot 
of wethers slaughtered last March averaged, alive, 30S lbs., 
and when dressed for market, 206| lbs. Gentlemen are 
invited to call and see for themselves, or communicate by 
mail. Address WILLIAM REYBOLD, 

au3t Marslnnount, near Delaware City, Del. 



GUANO AND WHEAT DRILLS— We are now re- 
ceiving orders for PEN NOCK'S celebrated Wheat 
Drill, with Nelson's Guano Attachment. By the use of the 
Attachment, at least two-thirds of the guano is saved to the 
farmer, and as fine a crop of wheat is insured. We war- 
rant the Drill to work well. Persons wishing them will 
please send in their orders as soon as possible. 

MEADE & EACHES, 
R S. Huck's Old Stand, Fairfax St., 4 doors from King. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



319 



CRYSTAL PALACE.— World's Fair, New York, United 
States of America — Association for the Exhibition of 
the Industry of all Nations. 

EXCELSIOR. 
The Association for the Exhibition of the Industry of all 
Nations awards to Elisha S. Snyder of Charlestown, Jef- 
ferson County, Virgina, the highest premium Bronze Medal, 
with special approbation, for the combirfatson he has effected, 
and the practical application he has gjf en the same, in his 
Labor Saving Machine for Threshing, Separating, Cleaning 
and Bagging Grain. Hon. Theodore Sedgwick, President 
of the Association; Hon. Henry Wager, Western New York, 
Chairman; Watson Newbold, Esq. Columbus, New Jersey; 
Col. John W. Proctor, Danvers, Massachusetts; Maj. Philip 
R. Preas, Germantown, Pennsylvania; Hon. Henry S. Bab- 
bit, Brooklyn, Long Island, acting Secretary in Class 9, 
Jury C. 

My Patent Premium Threshing, Separating, Cleaning 
and Bagging Grain Machine, is for sale, which received 
the first premium at the Crystal Palace, New York, over 
all Threshing Separating, Cleaning and Bagging Grain 
Machines on exhibition, thus proving conclusively that sim- 
plicity in construction, cheapness in price and durability in 

ly machine, is being fully appreciated, and the old and 
new costly inferior complicated Separating Machines, must 
yield their places to a superior Labor Saving Machine. 
The celebrated Machine for Threshing, Separating, Clean- 
ing twice, Screening and Bagging Grain by one simple 
operation. The greatest labor saving Machine in the world 
for separating all pure and impurities. This Machine throws 
the straw to itself, the chaff to itself, the wheat in the bag, 
the screenings to itself, and the smut and cheat to itself. 
Every thing has a place, and everything is in its place to 
suit the conveniences of the farmer. For simplicity, dura- 
bility, cheapness and capacity, it has no equal in the world. 
As for what has been stated in the different papers concern- 
"ng Mr. Zimmerman's Machine receiving the first premium 
at the Crystal Palace, New York, is false, and not true. It 
is also stated that Mr. Zimmerman received a number of 

premiums at and other fairs. That I know nothing 

about; perhaps he did; but it is very easy to win the race, 
as the boy said when he ran by himself. But, my honora- 
ble friends, this was not the case at the World's Fair, New 
York. Mr. Zimmerman had a number of other boys to 
run with besides himself, which made the race more diffi- 
cult for him; so much so, that he, Mr. Zimmerman, was 
neither first nor second; so you may judge where he was. 

These are facts that cannot be denied. The undersigned 
would inform the public that his Farmers' Labor Saving 
Machine for Threshing, Separating, Cleaning, Screening 
and Bagging all kinds of Grain, is for sale. Farmers wish- 
ing to buy the best Machine in use, will address Joseph 
Glaze, Frederick City, Maryland. Those wishing to pur- 
chase the Patent Right to manufacture the Machines, will 
ddress me at Charlestown, Jefferson County, Virginia. 
ELISHA S. SNYDER. 

July 1, 1854— 12t 



1\1 OTICE.— DRAYTON G. MEADE, (late of the firm 
II of Addison & Meade,) and WILLIAM EACHES, 
having entered into a copartnership, under the name of 
MEADE & EACHES, for the sale of Agricultural Imple- 
ments, Seeds, Manures, &c, having bought out the entire 
stock of R. S. Huck, and located at his old stand on Fairfax 
street, east side, between King and Prince, will continue to 
keep on hand a full and complete assortment of the various 
articles in their line of business, and will always be happy 
to see their friends, and all who may be pleased to give 
them their patronage. D. G. MEADE, 

WM. EACHES. 

(jpp^ The undersigned having sold his stock of Agricul- 
tural Implements, &c, to Messrs. Meade & Eaches, returns 
his thanks to his friends for their past patronage, and re- 
pectfully asks a continuance of the same to his successors. 

Alexandria, Sept. 1— 2t R. S. HUCK. 



WM. A. BUTTERS, 
BOOKSELLER AND STATIONER, 

No. 157 Main Street, Richmond, Va. 



THE CHINCHA ISLANDS. 

AS many ships to our address are under charter to pro- 
ceed to these Islands to'load Guano, we beg to submit 
some particulars relative to the detention of ships and the 
expenses of loading. 

All vessels may expect to lay out the full number of their 
lay days before loading is completed. A bonus of $10 to 
$15 per day, for every day saved, is sometimes paid as a 
gratification to officials. Most ships are kept a month after 
arrival, before an order is given to ballast, after which it is 
decided whether they are to load by lighter or by "Mangu- 
era," or shoot, by which the Guano is run into the hold. 

The "Manguera" discharges from 400 to 500 tons per 
day. All ships dry up very much, from being exposed to a- 
hot sun, and nearly all are obliged to caulk before leaving, 
unless they have been very recently caulked. Vessels 
should be provided with oakum and pitch, and English 
Caulkers can be obtained at $4 per day and board. Ame- 
rican coin or Sovereigns are best for disbursements — the for- 
mer passing at par, and the latter at $5 each. Captains of 
vessels, short of funds, can obtain money of resident 
Houses, if well accredited, at 6 per cent, premium upon 
sight bills, or draw upon their charters at 12 per cent, pre- 
mium. The following were the Port Charges and disburse- 
ments for a ship of 700 tons : 
Callao. — Stamps, $5; Sailing License, $11 •• • $16 00 

Tonnage Dues, 25c per ton 175 00 

Clearance dues, Pisco 4 00 

Com'n on Charter 150 00 



At the Islands 345 00 

Manguera Fees, mooring • • • $20 00 

Pilot attending 24 00 

Trimm'g Fees, 17c reg'r ton 119 00 

— 163 00 



Crew to load from Callao and 
back, 16 men three months 
each, at $20 per month •• • 960 00 

Com'n shipping & boat hire, 

$2 each 32 00 

Market bill for beef and vege- 
tables, 3 months 300 00 

Water bill for the Islands • • • 50 00 

Crew shipped to go home, 16 
men, at $35 per month, 2 
months in advance, $70 
each, is 1,120 00 

Com'n ship'g and boat hire, 

$5 each 80 00 

Water to go home 30 00 

Captain's expenses at Callao 

and Lima 25 00 



Add for caulking ship 

" " gratification to trimmers and 
pilots 



2,597 00 
200 00 

30 00 



$3,335 00 
There is another charge for hire of water casks (2 cents 
per gallon,) to carry water from Callao to the Islands, which 
the charter says is to be delivered "free of expense." The 
water has to be bought, and if the ship has no spare casks, 
they have to be hired. There is also a chance of losing 
$50 on the boats or lighters used in ballasting or loading, 
vessels arriving purchasing of those leaving and when 
loaded, but not always obtaining as much as they expended, 
se— tf HUSSEY, BOND & HALE. 



BROWN & SHOOK, General Commission and For- 
warding Merchants, corner Union and Franklin streets, 
Richmond, Virginia. All business carefully and promptly 
executed. 
mar — ly 



UNITED STATES HUTEl, 

(formerly union,) 
Corner of Main and Nineteenth Streets, Richmond, 
J. E. NORRIS, Proprietor. 
martf Price of Board, per day, $1 50. 



320 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



CONTENTS OF NUMBER X. 

PAGE 

Minutes of Agricultural Facts and Observations 289 

Profits of Sugar Culture 291 

The Shanghai Fowls 292 

Report on Mr. John MarrhalPs Farm 292 

The Price of Wheat at Albany for sixty-one years • • • • 293 

Super Phosphate of Lime 294 

Some Words about|Mules 297 

The Mode of Using Guano 298 

Liberality of Richmond to the Agricultural Society- • • -300 

Analyses of Soils 301 

Lime — Its Action, &c. 302 

The State Fair 305 

The Agricultural Fairs of Virginia 30G 

Entries for the State Fair 306 

Plan of the Fair Grounds 306 

The two Mr. Ruffins 307 

An Additional Premium 307 

Plan for an Ice-House 308 

Experiments in Butter-Making 308 

Properties of Charcoal 309 

Seed Wheat and its Preparation 309 



READ, CONSIDER AND ACT WISELY. 



IMPORTANT TO FARMERS! 



What is that 
you have got 
there boy, and 
what doing? 



. Ah ! Massa, dis de Wells' Seed 
I Sower — de berry best ting in de 
I world to sow de clober and de 
imoty seed, de plaster, de go- 
no, and de wheat. I 
sows 25 acres in one 
day massa — try 




MEDICAL TESTIMONY CANNOT BE CONTRO- 
VERTED. 

§^f° One of the nfost startling cases is narrated of Dr. 
McLane's Vermifuge by Dr. John Butler, of Lowell, Trum- 
bull county, Ohio. The case was that of a young lady who 
had been very sick for eight years, and had consulted a 
number of physicians, who had treated it as one of Pro- 
lapsus Uteri. Dr. Butler was then called in, and for a time 
believed with his predecessors that it was, however, soon 
forced to the conclusion that his patient was suffering from 
worms, and after much persuasion, prevailed upon her to 
take two doses of Dr. McLane's Vermifuge. This medi- 
cine had the effect of removing from her a countless number 
of the largest size. After she passed them, her health im- 
mediately returned. She is since married, and continues 
to enjoy excellent health. 

fJlf* Purchasers will be careful to ask for "Dr. McLane's 
Celebrated Vermifuge," and take none else. All other ver- 
mifuges, in comparison, are worthless. Dr. McLane's genu- 
ine Vermifuge, also his celebrated Liver Pills, can now be 
had at all respectable Drug Stores in the United States and 
Canada. 

DR. McLANE'S LIVER PILLS. 

13^ This great medicine has supplanted all others for 
the cure of diseases of the Liver. Its effects are so salutary 
and speedy, and at the same time so perfectly safe, that it 
is not surprising it should surpersede all others. Invented 
by a very distinguished physician of Virginia, who practiced 
in a region of country in which Hepatis, or Liver Complaint, 
is peculiarly formidable and common, and who bad spent 
years in discovering the ingredients and proportioning their 
quantities, these Pills are peculiarly adapted to every form 
of the disease, and never fail to alleviate the most obstinate 
cases of that terrible complaint. They have justly become 
celebrated ; and the researches of Dr. McLane have placed 
his name among the benefactors of mankind. No one hav- 
ing symptoms of this formidable complaint, should be with- 
out these invaluable Pills. Have you a pain in the right 
side, under the edge of the ribs, which increases with pres- 
sure — unable to lie with ease on the left side — with occa- 
sional, sometimes constant, pain under the shoulder-blade, 
frequently extending to the top of the shoulder? Rely upon 
it, that although the latter pains are sometimes taken for 
rheumatic, they all arise from disease of the Liver; and if 
you would have relief, go instantly and buy a box of Dr. 
McLane's Liver Pills. 

| Purchasers will be careful to ask for Dr. McLane's 

Celebrated Liver Pills, and take none else. Thine are other 
Tills, purporting to be Liver Pills, now before the public. 
Dr. McLane's Liver Pills, also his Celebrated Vermifuge, 
can now be had at all respectable Drug Stores in the United 
Stales and Canada. 

For sale by PURCELL, LADD & -CO. 

octlt Corner Main and 14th street, Richmond. 



It is only by the use of valuable improvements that we 
can reasonably expect to keep up with the age in which > 
we live, and public opinion everywhere has placed M. D. 
Wells' -Improved Patent Seed Sower in the first class of: 
agricultural implements. The above drawing exhibits iti 
in use, and any ordinary mind must at once be impressed 
with the certain conviction that it is an indispensable im- 
plement of husbandry, and that every good farmer should 
have it. By its use you save time, which is money and 
labor which costs money, and experience in using it proves; 
you will not be driven from the field unless by very rough 
weather, and the almost mathematical precision with which 
the seed is distributed, compared with hand sowing, renders 
it self-evident in the opinion of the best farmers that a sav- 
ing or gain of two dollars per acre is made in two crops of 
grass and the succeeding crop of wheat, one year's inte- 
rest on an acre of land at $33£, and sowing three acres 
pays for a machine with lid at $6. 

The first premium was recommended for this machine 
at the late Virginia State Fair, and four of the committee 
(all having use for it) engaged one each ; and we think il 
governed by your interest you will do likewise. 

MOTT, LEWIS & WILLSON, 
Sole agents for Richmond — Agricultural Implement 

fe— tf Store, No. 36, Main Street 



jyi ERINO SHEEP.— Having increased my Hock of Me- 
iVl rino Sheep on my farm, in Orange county, to ovei 
800 I am now prepared to sell a few choice yearling Bucks? 
and Ewes. To all who have any acquaintance with Col 
Henry S. Randall of New York, and the reputation of his 
flock, it is only necessary to say that the yearlings I pro- 
pose selling are the product of ewes purchased of him when 
he sold out last year, and selected by him personally as the] 
best in his flock. I have his letters, saying that he waul 
offered the same price for his ewes by his neighbors, bu 
that in starting the growth of fine wool in Virginia it wasj 
very important to have good sheep, and as he knew thesc| 
were superior, he preferred selling them to go there. 11 
shall sell no bucks except such as show marks of supe- 
riority. All who want to raise, their flocks to a high stand- 
ard at once will do well to apply early, as I have but i\ 
limited number for sale. Address by mail, or apply to 
WM. G. CRENSHAW, or 
CRENSHAW & CO., 
june — tf North side of the Basin, Richmond, Va. 



PERI 
to i 



UVIAN GUANO. — Having on hand, and engagec 

arrive, a large supply of -Guano, we solicit orders 

All who buy of us may rely on getting it genuine, as w*l 

sell none except what conies direct from the Peruvian agents 

CRENSHAW & CO., 

june — tf North side of the Basin, Richmond, Va. 



M'CONNELL & BURTON, 
DENTISTS, 

Main Street, between 9th and 10th Streets, Richmond, Va 

JOHN M'CONNELL. W. LEIGH BCRTON. 

ap— tf