THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 

33ei>otefc to Agriculture, horticulture, unit Hit f^ouscJioiiJ &m. 



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



FRANK: G. 


RUFFIN, Editor. 


P. 


D. BERNARD, 


Pro 


PRIETOR. 


Vol 


XII 


RICHMOND, 


AUGUST 


1852. 




No. 


8. 



For the Southern Planter. 
SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE. 

BY PROFESSOR GILHAM. 



NUMBER I. 

(Continued from page 196.) 

The operations of agriculture have for their 
object the productions of plants which are . 
required as food, or are useful in the arts and 
industrial processes of man. It is, therefore, 
proper that we should commence our subject 
with a short account of the principal parts of 
which vegetables are composed, and -by the 
instrumentality of which, under certain influ- 
ences, all the phenomena of their existence 
are manifested. Let us first consider the 



The seed is the final result of vegetable life, 
%;nd with few exceptions is the first point on 
-which the attention of the farmer is bestowed, 
either to produce food for man and the domes- 
tic animals or to secure reproduction and mul- 
tiplication of the species. The seed consists 
of a nucleus, or kernel, and an outer coaling:, 
or integument. The nucleus consists of the 
embryo, or substance destined to reproduce the 
plant from which it was derived, and of a 
substance consisting generally of starch and 
other nutritive matter, which usually surrounds 
the embryo, and is destined both for its pro- 
tection and nourishment durinq the earl j'stages 
of its growth. The embryo becomes a plant 
by the mere development of its parts; it is, in 
other words, a new individual; hence it is the 
most important part of the seed, 'and to its 
protection and support all the other parts are 
subservient. It possesses in a rudimentary or 
iH undeveloped state, all the essential organs of 
■ Yegetation, namely, root, stem and leaves. In 
-J many cases these several parts are perfectly 
distinguishable in the seed: frequently, how- 
ever, we can only observe an oblong body, 
•left, or two lobed atone end; but in germi- 
nation the undivided extremity elongates into 
a r it, the two lobes at the opposite extremity 
into leaves, and the stem, ordeveloped 
i embryo, rises between them. The rudiments 
L of the first pair of leaves arc called cotyledons; 
Vol. XII.-8. 



the bud, which, if not actually visible in the 
seed, appears between the cotyledons .when 
germination commences, is called the plumule, 
or rudiment of the stem, which is to expand 
into the stem and branches; and the portion 
below, which gives rise to the root, is named 
the radicle. 

When the seed is gathered in a state of per- 
fect maturity it is completely inert, the em- 
bryo being in a dormant state, and may be 
kept for any length of time without growing. 
Some seed after a few months lose their vita- 
lity altogether, and can never be made to grow, 
while a great many others may be kept lor a 
number of years without injury, and some 
have been known to grow alter having been 
kept for centuries. 

The conditions necessary to germination 
are a free communication with the air, expo- 
sure to moisture, and a certain amount of 
heat, varying from fifty degrees to eighty de- 
grees for the plants of temperate climates. 
Seeds are in the most favorable condition for 
germination in the spring and summer, when 
slightly covered with soil, which excludes 
light while it admits a free circulation of air, 
moistened by showers or by the water con- 
tained in the soil, and warmed by the rays of 
the sun. The water, which is slowly absorbed, 
softens all parts of the seed; it swells very 
considerably; under the influence of heat and 
air chemical changes commence in it, by 
which substances that before afforded protec- 
tion to the embryo now supply it with nourish- 
ment; the embryo bursts its envelopes, the ra- 
dicle or first rootlet is protruded, and taking a. 
downward direction, fixes itself in the soil; 
while the other extremity elongates in the op- 
posite direction, bringing the cotyledons, or 
seed leaves, and the plumule, bud, or top of 
the growing stem, to the surface, when the 
first leaves, which had their existence in the 
embryo, expand in the air. As soon as the 
roots' and leaves are developed, each in their 
appropriate medium, the process of germina- 
tion is completed; and the plant deriving 
through them its nourishment, continues, by 
the aid of light and a sufficient degree of 
warmth, to grow, producing roots which it 
sends down into the soil, and stems, branches 
and leaves, which it sends into the atmosphere. 
After a while flowers are produced, and these 
have for their object the production of fruit, 
the final term of which is the mature seed. 



' 



226 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



f 

v 

i 

i 



/ 



The phenomena of vegetation now cease; the 
-whole of the organs of the annual plants 
-wither and die; the work of reproduction and 
multiplication is completed, and thus begins 
and ends the life of the plants which are the 
usual subjects of the farmer's hopes and fears. 
In biennial plants and trees the case stands 
differently. The plant vegetates as long as 
the temperature of the air is lavorable, and 
there is sufficient moisture in the soil. During 
the winter the leaves fall, the plant is in a 
dormant stale, and its growth is suspended; 
on the return of spring, however, there is a 
return of vitality, and it goes through the same 
round of increase in size in the stem and root, 
the production of leaves and flowers, the 
ripening of fruit, and the final suspension of 
its functions. In all this there is a close ana- 
logy to the original process of germination, 
and the after production of the perfect annual. 
Let us now consider the plant a little more 
in detail. We have seen that whether we 
consider the annual which has an existence 
of but a few months, at most, or the tree 
which has been producing its annual supply 
of leaves blossoms, fruit and seed, for centu- 
ries both have the same end-the reproduction 
of seed; and consequently must be endowed 
with like organs, destined to perform the same 
functions. These organs are, 1st, the : root; 
2d the stem, including the branches; 34, the 
leaves, and 4th, the organs of reproduction or 
those organs necessary to produce and per eet 
the fruit and seed. The first three are called 
organs of vegetation, or nutrition, and it will 
be D remembered that they all exist in the seed 
in a rudimentary state. Botanists inform us 
that at a certain period in the growth of the 
plant a portion of the buds, instead of elon- 
«atin<" into branches, are developed in the form 
Sf flowers, which contain the organs of re- 
production, and that the nutriment which 
would otherwise go to the general increase of 
the plant, is expended in the production of 
fruit and seed. 

The different parts of the plant when ex- 
amined appear to be composed of still smaller 
parts and when placed under the microscope, 
they are found to be made up entirelv of a 
sort of net work, which divides the plant into 
numberless regular cavities, or cells, or of cells 
elongated into little tubes, or some other mo- 
dification of the same cellular arrangement. 
When the vegetable fabric, or tissue, is com- 
posed of simple cells, it is called cellular tissue; 
when the walls of the cells are thickened and 
elongated into little lubes, it becomes woody 
tissue, or from its fibrous form, woody pre. 
There are again other modifications of vege- 
table tissues" which are called vascular tissues, 
or vessels, which are distributed throughout the 
plant. 

OF THE ROOT. 



The root is that portion of the plant, which 
avoiding the light, grows downwards, fixing 
the plant to the soil, and drawing nourishment 



from it. It gives off its branches without any 
regular order, and in most plants it has no 
pith. The rooi is generally conical, the smaller 
branches are always so, and they increase by 
the addition of new matter in successive ex- 
ternal layers, so that the lower extremities, or 
points, are always the newest. Consequently 
the growing points are always composed of 
very delicate tissues; these absorb moisture 
with great avidity from the soil, and with it 
the necessary food for the plant. It is by these 
extremities, called spongioid, that all the mois- 
ture absorbed by the roots takes place. Hence 
the danger resulting from disturbing the plant 
duiing the season of active growth. So long 
as active vegetation goes on, the tender ab- 
: sorbent rootlets are renewed, but towards fall, 
! when the plant has attained its growth lor the 
I season, the rootlets also cease to grow, the 
'spongioles generally solidify, and their func- 
! tions nearly cease. This indicates the season 
I for transplanting, viz: in the fall, or in the 
I early spring, before vegetation is resumed. 

Roots, besides absorbing the crude food of 
! the plant from the soil, also frequently serve 
las reservoirs of nourishment stored up for 
! future use. The crude fluid, or sap, which 
' roots absorb from the soil, is not, as such, em- 
ployed in growth, but becomes changed by the 
aid of the vital principle, into starch, gum, 
su<*ar, &c; and these substances, through the 
I aid of the same vital principle, are employed 
[ in the formation of cells, woody fibre, &c. In 
' the annua) plant this food is expended as fast 
i as it is prepared, in the formation of buds, 
'leaves, branches, and finally, the fruit and 
I seed; the production of the flowers and seed , 
! exhausts the plant greatly, and by the time $ 
I the latter has ripened, the supply of nounsh- 
i ment is entirely consumed and the plant dies. 
! Such plants always have branching fibrous 
I roots well adapted for absorption from the 
soil, but for no other purpose. But other plants 
' have the power of accumulating in the tissues 
I of their roots, a large amount of this prepared 
food for future use. This is the case with 
\ biennials, such ;is the carrot, beet and turnip. 
I The tops of such plants die down in the fall; 
I and when vegetation is resumed the following 
spring they make a rapid and vigorous growth, 
1 producing a large stem bearing flowers, fruit 
and seed, almost entirely at the expense of 
the previous year's accumulation. The store 
is soon exhausted, and the plant not producing 
a new supply, is likewise exhausted and 
perishes. 

Substances which enter into the circulation 
of the plant through the roots, must be taken 
up in a state of solution. If solid substances 
could enter into the circulation by being sim- 
ply held in a state of suspension in the writer 
ahsorbed by the roots, the ashes of the plant 
would always be composed of those sub- 
stances which are in the greatest quantity in 
the soil, and which are in the finest state of 
division; and specimens of the same plant 
growing on different soils would yield ashes 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



227 



differing as much from each other as the soils 
in which they grew. It is found, however, 
that the composition of the ash of a plant is 
pretty nearly the same, no matter what may 
be the character of the soil, and that the addi- 
tion of any insoluble matter to the soil does 
not produce any appreciable change in the 
composition of the ash. Roots also have, to 
a certain extent, the power of selecting those 
substances which are to enter into the circu- 
lation of the plant. If immersed into certain 
colored solutions the plant will soon be tinged 
all over from the absorption of the liquid by 
the root, while, if immersed in some others, 
no absorption will take place. 

OF THE STEM. 

The stem is that portion of the vegetable 
which, growing in an opposite direction to the 
root, seeks the light and exposes itself as much 
as possible to the air. It is composed of cells, 
woody fibre and vessels. At first it consists 
entirely of cellular ti=sue, a substance which 
ordinarily possesses much less strength than 
woody fibre; but as the stem grows, and in 
proportion as the leaves are developed, woody 
fibre, &c. are introduced, woven, as it were, 
into the original cellular tissue, giving it the 
necessary toughness and strength. Woody 
fibre is most abundant in shrubs and trees; it, 
however, enters more or less into the compo- 
sition of the stems of all ordinary plants. 
The cellular part of the stem extends verti- 
cally to increase its length, an I horizontally 
to give its thickness. Into this the woody 
fibre and vessels are introduced vertically, 
and establish a direct communication between 
the root and leaves. 

The diversities in the internal arrangement 
of the stern result from the manner in which 
the fibre and vessels are introduced into the 
cellular tissue. These diversities are reduci- 
ble to two plans. In one the woody fibre is 
deposited in annv.al concentric layers, between 
a central pith and an exterior bark; so that a 
cross section presents a series of concentric 
rings of wood surrounding the pith, and them- 
selves surrounded by a bark which can be re- 
moved. This is the plan of the oak and of 
all the trees of cold climates. In the other, 
the woody system is not disposed in layers, 
but consists of separate bundles or threads of 
woody fibre, running through the cellular sys- 
tem without any apparent order, and present- 
ing on the cross section a view of the divided 
ends of their threads in the form of dots, dif- 
fused through the whole. The appearance of 
such a stem may be exemplified in the cross 
section of the asparagus, or in the stalk of In- 
dian corn. The plant in the first case increas- 
ing by an annual outer layer is called an out- 
side grower, or exogenous plant, while in the se- 
cond case, the new woody matter being depo- 
sited within the old, pushing the latter out- 
wards, is called an inside grov;er, or endogenous 
plant. All plants of the grass tribe, including 
wheat, rye. &c. are inside growers. 
8 H 



The stems of all outside growers are pro- 
vided with an outer coaling, or bark, which is 
divided into the liber, or inner bark, the outer 
bark, and the epidermis, or skin, which sur- 
rounds the whole. The inner bark is com- 
posed of fibres and vessels, and like the stem, 
communicates directly between the root and 
leaves. Inside growers have no distinct bark, 
at least none that can be separated from the 
stem. We have seen that the spongioles ab- 
sorb the crude sap from the soil, this ascends 
through the little vessels or tubes of the stem 
until it reaches the leaves, when it is spread 
out over a large surface, and exposed to the 
action of the air, by which it is modified in 
character, and fitted to nourish the plant. 
Then the sap commences its return to the 
roots, depositing the materiel for cells, fibre, 
&c. in its descent. In the trees and shrubs of 
our climate, the sap when it quits the leaves, 
passes down the inner bark, depositing its 
layer of wood just under the bark. When the 
sap first enters the stem it is very thin, as it 
ascends it acquires more consistency, and on 
its descent it becomes quite thick. 

OP THE LEAVES. 

The leaf is an apparatus in which the sap 
is spread over a large surface, and freely ex- 
posed to the air and light. The leaf is ordi- 
narily regarded as an extension of the bark, 
expanded into thin lamina, and stiffened by 
tough woody fibres, which are connected 
with the bark and wood, and which form its 
frame work, or veins. The veins while they 
stiffen the leaf, serve to carry the sap to all its 
parts. 

Leaves are generally developed in such a 
way as to present one surface to the ground, 
and the ether to the sky; these two surfaces 
differ very materially in the offices they per- 
form in the vegetable economy, and in their 
structure there is a corresponding difference. 
The upper surface presents a compact, glazed 
appearance, while the lower is much more 
loosely arranged. The close texture of the 
upper surface serves as a check to the exces- 
sive evaporation of the sap that would other- 
wise take place when the leaf is exposed lo 
the heat of the sun, while the loose, open tex- 
ture of the lower surface, permits the free ac- 
cess of air to every part of the leaf. Evapo- 
ration from the surface of the leaf is neces- 
sary, as it is the only means by which its very 
dilute food can be concentrated; and seme ar- 
rangement is required by which a sufficient 
evaporation may take place when the plant is 
freely supplied with moisture, but restrain it 
when I he supply is limited — such a provision 
exists in the leaves. The surface of the leaf 
is generally sufficiently compact to prevent 
the escape of much moisture through its mem- 
branes; but the exhalaiion takes place through 
innumerable little pores, or slits, distributed 
over its surface, called slomata, (mouths,) or 
breathing pores. Stomata open directly into 
hollow 'chambers, or cavities, which abound 



228 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



in the body of the leaf, and establish a free 
communication between the interior of the 
leaf and the external air. These little pores 
are so formed that, when the leaf is in a moist 
atmosphere, and freely supplied with moisture, 
they expand and allow rapid evaporation to 
take place through them ; but when the supply 
of moisture fails, they contract, and, by closing 
up, check the drain before it injures the plant. 
The number of breathing pores varies in dif- 
ferent plants from about 800, to 17,000 on a 
square inch; as a general thing, there are a 
great many more in the under than in the up- 
per surface of the leaves, their structure being 
too delicate for the direct sunlight. This ex- 
plains why leaves are so apt to perish when 
artificially reversed. 

OP THE FLOWER. 

So far as known, the sole office of flowers 
and fruit in vegetables, is the production of 
seed; hence they are called the organs of re- 
production. 

It is found that the flower and fruit draw 
largely upon the nourishment of the plant, 
hence a due accumulation of food is requisite 
to sustain it. Annuals flower in a few weeks 
or months after they come from the seed, and 
having but little nourishment stored up, are 
destroyed in the process. Biennials flower 
after a longer period, rapidly exhausting the 
stock stored up during the previous summer's 
growth, and then perish; while shrubs and 
trees do not commence flowering until they 
have attained sufficient strength to endure it. 
The exhaustibn resulting from flowering is 
sometimes shown by fruit trees, which after 
producing a very heavy crop, fail to bear at 
all the following year. 

The organs of the flower are of two sorts: 
1st, the leaves, or envelopes, called protecting 
organs; and 2.1, the essential organs, or those 
immediately necessary for the production of 
fruit and seed. 

The protecting organs comprise the outer 
green leaves called the calyx, and the showy 
part of the flower named the corolla. The es- 
sential organs are inclosed by them, and are 
of two kinds. The first are the stamens. A 
stamen consist of a column or stalk, beating 
upon its summit a little cellular arrangement 
filled with a powder called pollen. Within 
the stamens and occupying the centre of the 
flower, are the seed-bearing organs, called pis- 
tils, and it is to the protection and perfection 
of these, that all the other parts of the flower 
are in some way subservient. At the bottom 
or base of the pistil, is a liitle sack or recep- 
tacle, containing a number of small bodies 
called ovtdes, or rudiments of the future seed. 

The little cells of the stamen containing the 
pollen grains, contract by drying, and at the 
proper time, burst and throw them out. These 
falling upon and penetrating the loose tissue 
of the extremities of the pistil, pass down its 
interior, and finally reach the little cavity 
•which contains the undeveloped seed. Then 



the process of fertilization is completed; the 
outer portions of the flower wither or fall off, 
the base of the pistil begins to enlarge, the in- 
cipient embryo makes its appearance, the fruit 
and seed assume their proper form, and in due 
time are perfectly matured. 

In the above I have given a sort of general 
outline applicable to all flowering plants, 
without attempting any description of the dif- 
ferences which are found to exist in the seed, 
flowers, or other parts of different plants, {n 
closing, however, it may not be amiss to advert 
to one or two specific differences which are 
familiar to all. 

The embryo, which is generally within the 
seed, surrounded by the starch, &c. is exterior 
to these substances in all of the grains, as wheat, 
rye, &c; and the colyledon instead of- rising 
above the ground, remains below, supplying 
the embryo with nourishment, until the first 
true leaves are formed. In some plants there 
is a suppression of one or the other of the or- 
gans of reproduction in the flower; in one 
flower the pistils will be absent, in another the 
stamens. The seed cannot be formed from 
either if taken by itself, but if both be present, 
the process of impregnation will be the same 
as if both pistils and stamens existed in the 
same flower. This difference in flowers has 
led to the expressions pistillate and staminak, 
to distinguish ihem. It frequently happens 
that one specimen of a plant produces a pistil- 
late and another a staminate flower, as in 
hemp, certain varieties of the strawberry, &c. 
Finally the stamens and pistils are developed 
in diffe/ent parts of the same plant, as in the 
Indian corn, where the tassel contains the sta- , 
mens, and these throwing their pollen grains^ 
upon the silk, or pistils, the grains of corn are 
soon developed. • 

Note. — I am indebted to Gray's Botanical Text 
Book for most of the matter contained in the above 
article. I would recommend that work to all who 
may desire to become familiar with the principles 
of vegetable physiology. 



For the Southern Planter. 

DEEP PLOUGHING. 

Mr. Editor, — In the June number of your 
paper, I was pleased to see a report, read be- 
fore the Powhaian Agricuhural Club by Mr. 
Harris, and ordered to be published in your 
paper. I read that paper with more pleasure 
and attention, because having the pleasure of 
his acquaintance, I believe him entirely ade- 
quate to the discussion of any subject apper- 
taining to agriculture. In that report, he men- 
lions that the advantages of deep ploughing 
have never (ihat he knovvs) been subjected to 
experiment, and regrets, (if 1 draw the right 
inference,) the fact of such experiment being 
more or less hindered by prejudice and pre- 






THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



229 



conceived opinions. If, in order to disabuse 
the minds 01' some, and clear up the doubts of 
others, I can succeed by offering one sugges- 
tion, I will consider myself paid the trouble of 
writing this article. "Believing as I do, that 
the best way to sway the American people is 
by an appeal to their reason, and not by 
flaming iuuendoes against their follj% I shall 
briefly state a few- reasons which argue in fa- 
vor of deep, thorough ploughing. We will 
first premise what observation and facts have 
clearly established, viz: that plants receive 
their support from the soil, the atmosphere and 
the clouds. This being the fact, it clearly fol- 
lows that those conditions which lend to bring 
a. plant in contact with the largest amount of 
air, soil and water, are the conditions best 
calculated to insure its quick, perfect and full 
maturity. If we shall prove that deep plough- 
ing furnishes those conditions to a greater ex- 
tent than shallow ploughing, then its superio- 
rity will be established, and the most cogent 
reason given for its speedy performance. In 
order that our position may be fully understood, 
and our remarks rightly appreciated, we will 
state in what consists the main elements of a 
plant, and which of those elements are derived 
1'romeaeh of the above mentioned sources. The 
main bulk of a plant can by heat be resolved 
into carbon, hydrogen and oxygen; now what 
portion of this is derived from the atmosphere'? 
It is composed of oxygen and nitrogen mainly, 
together with hydrogen and carbonic gas. 
Tne carbonic gas is absorbed directly by the 
plant; and being composed ol carbon and 
oxygen, is decomposed by it, ap.d thus two of 
its constituents are furnished. This gas is 
largely absorbed by water, and thus is fur- 
nished another of the modes by which it is re- 
ceived into the substance of the plant, being 
carried up in solution with the sap. We 
have always believed that the nitrogen of the 
atmosphere serves more ?.s a vehicle for the 
conveyance of oxygen, carbon and hydrogen, 
than for the direct nutriment of the plant; and 
our belief is founded on this fact: that while 
nitrogenous manures plainly increase the lux- 
uriance of all plants, nitrogen is found by 
analysis, only in the cabbage, clover and some 
few other plants. Then what is its use? We 
believe, (we repeat,) that it is only a vehicle 
for the transmission of other substances. 
When in the nascent state, (that is when just 
emerging from previous combination,) it unites 
■with oxygen and hydrogen, forming with the 
one nitric acid, with the other ammonia; both 
of these 2re soluble in water, and both have 
a strong tendency to combine, forming nitrate 
of ammonia, a soluble salt; this contains five 
parts of oxygen, three of hydrogen and two of 
nitrogen; 1 he two former are assimilated by 
the plant, the last is set free, its chemical afii- 
nity being destroyed by the superior vital 
power of the plant, and it is set free in the 
nascent state, the most favorable one for re- 
combination. We thus find that the atmos- 
jsbere furnishes three of the most constant con- 



stituents of the plant; and a great deal of the 
above mentioned absorption is carried on. 
through the roots. Now, any system which 
increases the number of those roots, and the 
free access of air laden with such precious 
food, must be beneficial. Deep ploughing, by 
doing away with the mechanical obstacles to 
the free spread of the plant's roots, meets the 
first condition; by rendering the soil permeable, 
it subserves the latter, ergo deep ploughing 
must be beneficial. Again, a plant contains 
besides the above, several salts, the most con- 
stant of which is carbonate of potash; this 
substance exists in the soil as silicate of po- 
tash; as such it is insoluble; by contact with 
• he air it gives up silicic acid, absorbing car- 
bonic acid from ihe air, and thus becoming the 
caibonate of potash, a soluble salt, found in 
the ash of all plants, (except marine.) Now 
the silicate of potash exists in the subsoil as 
well as the surface soil, probably more abun- 
dantly in the one than the other, since it has 
there been less exposed to the atmosphere. 
Now if we can break up the subsoil so as to 
allow. a sufficient amount of atmosphere to 
penetrate to this substance, convening it from 
a silicate to a carbonate, so as to allow the 
rains 10 dissolve the carbonate so formed, and 
the roots of the plant to reach it thus soluted, 
we shall have thus obtained a great desidera- 
tum. Since deep ploughing obtains these 
three conditions, he who wishes this important 
constituent for his crops should be quick ia 
availing himself of its advantages. The soil 
contains other salts, which analysis delects in 
plants. Now all of these are capable of being 
sohued, or so intimately mixed with water as 
to observe all the laws of a solution. The 
rains falHng for a long period on the soil have 
carried, iu the form of solution or mixture, a 
', vast amount of these salts into the subsoil, 
where to all practical purposes, they are lost, 
since the roots and atmosphere are forbid en- 
trance to them — but put in your subsoil 
plough, break up and remove ihis obstacle to 
their ready entrance, unlock this hidden store- 
house, and your augmented crops will amply 
I repay your trouble. Again, a soil too wet or 
1 loo dry is barren; in the one case because a 
J superabundance of water prevents that ready 
; ingress of warinih and air, on which the well 
being of plants depends — such soils are of- 
1 ten called sour, we presume from their favor- 
1 ing the generation of acid. If loo dry, that 
solution of its food is denied the plant, as well 
l as that amount of water necessary for its lux- 
uriance. ,Now both of these conditions can 
1 be obviated: if too wet, break up that hard pan 
i stratum which prevents the water from diflus- 
: ing, and by thus deepening your soil you allow 
I water that was confined to six inches, to be 
[diffused over fifteen, when you will have little 
cause to complain of over-wet; nor infer from 
this that you will render your I; nd too cry, for 
remember plants are fed in three ways, with, 
water from the clouds, from air and by capillary 
j attractioa. When you plough your laud deep, 



230 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



you allow the rains which formerly saturated 
six inches, to be diffused through fifteen inches 
of soil. A large portion of this water is ab- 
sorbed by the clay of the soil, and held fixed 
until such affinity is destroyed by the vital 
power of the plant. Now supposing you to 
take land formerly broken six inches, and 
break it eighteen, you, (admitting that the 
same amount of clay exists for every inch,) 
insure the absorption of three gallons of water 
where only one was absorbed before: and while 
you do this, you allow as fair ingress of air 
and the plant's roots to these eighteen inches, 
as existed before to the six; and since air and 
water both avail the growth of a plant, that 
system, which furnishes three times tbeamount 
formerly furnished, while it increases the abi- 
lity of the plant to avail itself of that amount 
by increasing the depth and surface of its 
roots, must be superior to that plan which only 
gives one-third the above amount. Since 
deep ploughing gives the three gallons and 
shallow the one, the former has three to one 
as odds in its favor. We said that plants 
were fed by capillary attraction — now what is 
this 1 it is that power of attraction which the 
sides of a tube exert over a fluid, causing it 
to ascend the tube, (this obtains only in very 
small tubes.) Now the soil of all countries is 
full of these minute lubes, and water beneath 
the surface has a tendency to ascend to the sur- 
face in virtue of this law — meeting with a 
hard pan subsoil, it is hindered from farther 
rising, and there remains, or is absorbed by 
the surrounding clay: in either case it is lost 
to the thirsty plants; but break that crust and 
it rises in reach of the plants' roots, or if it is 
absorbed, the roots entering its absorbent can 
appiy it to their wants. Lastly, clay has a 
strong affinity for ammonia. If by subsoil 
ploughing, we can furnish a large amount of 
clay to act upon the ammonia of the atmos- 
phere and the rain, we thus obtain and retain a 
large amount of a highly nutritious substance in 
a situation the best suited to afford its nutriment 
to the plant. Much more I might add, but for- 
bear to trespass on your columns farther. 
With kind wishes for the success of your pa- 
per, I remain, 

Respectfully yours, 

William H. Henning. 
Richmond. July bth, 185;!. 



Catching Flies. — The Prairie Farmer tells 
how they catch flies in England. It is done 
by "fly-papers," and the process is called "fly 
torture," on account of the manner in which 
the insects have their feet fastened in the 
"slocks." The article used is rosin and sweet 
oil mixed, and spread over the surface of a 
newspaper, and then slightly sprinkled with 
sugar dust. The moment the fly puts down 
his foot he is fast. They are thus caught with 
great rapidity. The "torture" appears to con- 
sist in a want of liberty to go where they please. 



For the Southern Planter. 
ENCLOSURE SYSTEM OF VIRGINIA. 

ADDRESS OP THE FARMERS' CLDB OP NOTTOWAY 
TO THE FARMERS OF VIKSIN1A. 

In addressing you, fellow-farmers of Virgi- 
nia, on the evils of our present fence law or 
enclosure system, we would be candid as well 
as earnest. The subject is one of great in- 
terest to every landholder. Should we appear 
too enthusiastic or zealous, you will bear with 
us, when we assure you that we speak from 
hard experience, while we are endeavoring to 
exhibit the weighty burden which the present 
law imposes on us. Should we be so fortu- 
nate as to have your concurrence in opinion. 
we would invoke your hearty co-operation in 
bringing about a repeal of the law. We have 
more than once petitioned our Legislature, but 
so far to no purpose— we now appeal to the 
fountain head of power for redress. Our le- 
gislators in this matter, as in some others, are 
waiting to follow in the wake, rather than, 
like men who feel and know the wants of 
their constituents, boldly lead in the advance. 
Should any of you differ with us, we ask your 
unprejudiced and dispassionate consideration 
of our views, and then should you not see 
cause to alter your opinions, we shall be ready 
and happy to receive and consider in like 
manner your views on the other side. We 
abhor the idea of trespassing on the rights of 
any one, and should we become convinced 
that a majority of our fellow-farmers do not 
agree with us in opinion, we will bow with 
due deference and respect to the right of the^f 
majority. We know we are advocating a 
change in a system which has prevailed from 
the earliest period of our State's history, and 
we are folly aware how difficult it will prove 
to effect it, but under this great disadvantage 
and fully sensible of the magnitude of our 
undertaking, we still feel upheld by a con- 
sciousness of proper intention, that we are 
advocating a cause of immense advantage to 
the farming interest, that we are seeking the 
sood of all and the injury of none — that we 
have justice and right on our side; and 

"Thrice armed are they who have their quarrel 
just." 

With this pleasing assurance vre address our- 
selves to the task before us. 

The present fence law of Virginia requires 
every man to enclose his land with a fence 
five feet high, and of sufficient closeness to 
exclude all animals likely to injure crops, in 
order that his fields may not be molested. It 
is well known that in the greater portion of 
Eastern Virginia, at least, the system is such, 
and the arable lands lie in such a manner, 
that in enclosing the cultivated portions a 
great deal of other land is included. So far 
as our observation extends, the uncultivated 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 231 



portions^ exceed in amount the cultivated.— j 4 days to put the materials in place, and 8 



230 



THE SOUTHERN PL ANTE 



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THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



231 



portions exceed in amount the cultivated. — 
Under these circumstances it will be found 
necessary generally for the farmer to enclose 
the whole or greater part of his farm. This 
is a source of a vast expenditure in time, tim- 
ber and labor. To show this, we will call 
your attention to {he following report, drawn 
up by three of our most practical members, 
who have learned by experience the truth of 
the facts they exhibit. We feel confident you 
will not find it exaggerated to suit the case, 
bat if anything too favorabie to the present 
system. 

REPORT. 

The Committee appointed by the Farmers' 
Ctab of Nottoway to estimate and report the 
comparative ccst of the present system of en- 
closure with one forbidding the roaming of 
stock at large, report that they have no data 
foanded upon their owo experience, of the 
cost of the proposed new system, but we think 
il will be manifest to every man that under a 
law requiring everyone to enclose his own 
stock, instead of the existing law, which je- 
•quires every one to guard himself against the 
slock of the whole country, a kind of fence 
mighi be adopted which, at most, would require 
but one-half of the amount of timber, and but I 
one-half the amount of labor, in providing ma- 
terials for fencing. Your committee have 
adopted as a basis of their estimate as applied 
to the Sta'e at large, what they believe to be 
a fair estimate of the fencing required on a 
farm of one hundred acres. We estimate 
that it will require to enclose cne hundred 
jcres of land lying in the most convenient j 
■form (a square) 2800 yards- the necessary i 
dividing fences wots;d amount to one-half or 
1400 yards, making 4-200 yards of fencing ne- 
cessary for enclosing a farm of 100 acres. 
At 21 yards to the panel this will give 1690 
panels, which at 13 rails to the panel, make 
21,840 rails, equivalent to the work of one 
hand foT 218 days, or 8 months and days. 
One-third of this has to be repaired annually, ! 
say 560 pasels, which at 4 rails to the panel, j 
calls for 2240 rails or 22 days' work for one 
hand. We estimate that it will take the same 
hand as long to haul and put up the rails, as , 
it did to maul them, making the whole time 
44 days. To maul, haul and put up the rails j 
annually required on such a farm, allowing ' 
the day's labor to be worth 30 cents, would be ! 
worth about $18, including finding, 6ic. The 
same farm enclosed with post and rail fence, I 
at 10 feet to the panel, will require 1260 panels, 
which at 7 rails to the panel, require 8820, 
rails, equivalent to the work of one hand for! 
88 days. One-third of 1260, or 420 panels 
would require repair annually, which at 2 
rails to the panel, would make 840 rails, equi- j 
va!et>t to the work of op.e hand for 8 days. : 
We estimate that one hand can put up 10 
panels of this fence per day. At this rate it : 
will require 126 days to post and rail in such 
a farm and 14 days wa-n&atty to repair it and | 



4 days to put the materials in place, and 8 
days to get materials, making 26 days; at 
same per day the whole cost would be $9. 

We further estimate that on such a farm, 
where enclosing crops could be dispensed 
with, that 10 acres would be sufficient perma- 
nent pasture, for the stock on the farm, to en- 
close which, with the usual fence, would re- 
quire 908 yards or 362 panels of fence at 2£ 
yards to the panel, which at 13 rails to the 
panel would require 4700 rails, equivalent to 
the work of one hand for 47 days; one-third 
cf this or 120 panels to be repaired annually 
at 4 raits to the panel, requires 480 rails, equi- 
valent to the work of one hand 4 days, and to 
put in place and put up 4 days more, making 
8 days annually to repair, estimated at $3. 
The result of our estimate is, that if one hand 
cultivate such a farm, under the existing sys- 
tem, he would pay in a tax on his labor for 
fencing of 18 per cent, with common fence, 
with post and rail fence 9 per cent, and under 
a system of enclosing stock and not crops, he 
would pay 3 per cent. If 100 acres be the 
average sice of the farms of the Slate, and 
the returns of the census would seem to show 
that to be about the average under the present 
system, the farmers of Virginia have a capital 
of 822,411,200 invested in perishable fences. 
The post and rail system would require but a 
capital of $11, 205,600, and a system of closing 
stock and not crops but 83,735,200. 

RECAPITULATION. 

4200 yards of worm fence — 1680 panels at 
13 rails to the panel gives 21,840 rails. 

218 days' work mauling at 30 cents per 
day, gives - - - $65 40 

109 days' putting ep.it 30 cts. per day, 32 70 

109 days' hauling at 75 cents perday, 81 74 

Expense of enclosing 100 acres under 

the present system, - - $179 84 

560 panels of annual repair, 4 rails to panel, 

2240 rails. 
22 days' work mauling at 30 cents, $6 60 
11 days' putting up at 30 cents, - 3 30 

11 days' hauling at 75 cents, - 8 25 

Amount of annual expense under pre- 
sent system, ... $18 15 

4200 yards post and rail fence, 10 feet to panel 
— 1260 panels, 7 rails to the panel— 8820 
rails, mauling which, 88 days work at 30 
cents, ... - $26 40 

44 days' hauling, at 75 cents, - 33 00 

126 days' putting up, at 30 cents, 37 80 



Expense forpostand rail forsame farm, $97 20 
420 panels, 2 rails to the panel, 840 rails, 

mauling. 
8 days' work, at 30 cents, - $2 40 

4 days' hauling, at 75 cents, - 3 00 

14 days putting up, at 30 cents, - 4 20 

Annual expense of post and rail fence, $9 60 



232 



THE SOUTHERN PLATER, 






10 acres for pasture require 908 yards offence 
or 362 panels, at 13 rails to the panel, 4700 
rails. 
47 days' work, at 30 cents, - $14 10 

23£ days' putting up, at 30 cents, 7 05 

23i days' hauling, at 75 cents, - 17 62 



Expense of enclosing 10 acres perma- 
nent pasture, ... $38 77 
One-third of 362 panels or 120 panels, at 4 

rails to panel — 480 rails. 
4 days' work, at 30 cents, - 1 20 

2 days' putting up, at 30 cents, - 60 

2 days' hauling, at 75 cents, - ] 50 



Amount of annual expense of perma- 
nent pasture, - - - $3 30 
W. R. Blanp, ) 
G. A. Cralle, > Committee, 
T. F. Epes, ) 

After you have given the above your care- 
ful consideration, we would further call your 
attention to the inconveniences of the present 
system, aside from its expensiveness. The 
most of men who own farms of usual size, 
have roads or streams running through them. 
Wherever a fence crosses a stream there must 
be a water gate. This, with the whole line of 
fence on the bottom land is liable to be washed 
away by freshets, and oftener than otherwise 
these occur at the busiest season, when crops 
suffer most from depredation. What redress 
is there when, from this cause wholly unavoid- 
able on his part, a man suffers by having his 
crop destroyed'? How can the loss of time 
necessary to repair damages be redeemed? 
For this emergency the law makes no provi- 
sion. Again: one or more roads intersect a 
man's land. Up and down these the cattle of 
the whole country are permitted to roam. Out 
of this number, nine times in ten, there is one 
who scorns all impediments when an inviting 
field is before him, and in his track the whole 
herd may follow. Is it enough to say that in 
this case, if your fence was a lawful one, you 
have a right to kill or seize as your own? So 
you have, if there is proof positive that such 
was the case, but if not, you dare not do it, 
lest a lawsuit befal you, in which the burden 
of proof will rest with you, showing that the 
fence was knocked down by the animal you 
have killed. Those who are peaceably dis- 
posed will, and do suffer many such annoy- 
ances rather than kill or go to law. 

But there are bad neighbors in many com- 
munities — men who will stoop to mean and 
low acts. Your fences may be so strong and 
high that no common animal could disturb or 
overleap them. Yet here the law can be easily 
evaded. You have fields waving with the 
yellow harvest, unprotected save by these 
fences. An unprincipled neighbor may se- 
cretly turn his whole stock in on them and 
cause a destruction before the fact is known, 
more than equivalent to the value of the stock. 
Is there any means of redress here"? This 



may be done by a slave, with or without his 
master's consent, and the fact may be known, 
still the injured party has no means of re- 
dress, for the law makes no provision in this 
case. Does it not on this account tempt men 
to do what otherwise they would fear to do? 
It may be said that this does not often happen. 
It may not — but it has happened and will con- 
tinue to occur, until mankind shall be regen- 
erated, or until the law throws around the just 
and honest the eegis of its protection, and 
overawes the unprincipled by the penalties of 
its violation. 

By the requirements of this law every man 
is not only compelled to protect his own crops 
from the intrusion of his own stock, (not an 
easy task at all times,) but has also to guard 
against the stock of all his surrounding neigh- 
bors — and it may be against the stock of as 
many more if he have the misfortune to have 
a road running through his land. For in- 
stance, a man's farm may be bounded by the 
farms of six others. He is liable to intrusion 
from his own and stock of all these, some of 
whom may have twice or twenty times as 
many as he. How can he escape from these 
besetting him on all sides? With his own 
and those of his neighbors, he has seven herds 
to contend against, and each of his neighbors 
is as bad off as he, or worse. What is one 
man's case in this respect is the case in a 
greater or less degree of every one. Thus, in 
the State of Virginia, taking this case as a 
standard, there is seven times the liability of 
crops to depredation, than there would be were 
the law so framed as to make it the duty of 
every man to enclose his own stock. Undeqrf 
this law, there would, in all probability, be^ 
seven times less destroyed than now is, and 
we believe if the whole amount of this could 
be ascertained, it would be sufficient to en- 
hance the products of the State a handsome 
per centage. 

But, aside from the evils, just mentioned, 
the present fence law is the cause of nine- 
tenths of the neighborhood feuds existing. — 
We could cite your attention to communities 
composed of honest, correct and thriving far- 
mers, who wonld live in peace and friendship, 
were it not for the annoyances occurring con- 
stantly under the present system. Those who 
have had promising crops destroyed or injured, 
by the depredation of stock, know how hard 
it is to control the outbursts of passions, when 
excited by these annoyances, and how aptly 
coldness, and sometimes enmity, creep in be- 
tween men, formerly warm friends, who do 
not really intend to do wrong, but who, from 
the deficiencies of the present system, and the 
tenfold greater burdens imposed thereby, fail 
to conform strictly to the right course. Laws 
were framed for the benefit of man kind, but we 
believe this one to be the source of more neigh 
borhood disturbances than all other causes 
combined, and were there no other argument 
against it but this, it would be a sufficient 
cause for its repeal. 






THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



233 



There is, we are happy to know, a new 
spirit beginning 10 animate the farmers of 
Virginia. They are seeking every method of 
improving their lands; in fact, having little 
original virgin soil, they are compelled to re- 
sort to an improving system, or emigrate. 
The improvement of the soil, then, becomes 
ihe foundation of good and successful farm- 
ing, and to encourage it, every effort of those 
who legislate for us, should be made. To this 
end, every impediment in the way of the far- 
mer should be removed, and every incentive 
to exertion held out. The report above given, 
shows that a very large per centage of the 
farmer's lime, limber and labor, are expended 
on fences, which soon decay, and from which 
he receives no return, serving as they do only 
to keep out stock from the field. Suppose all 
this time and labor were expended by the far- 
mer on ihe improvement of his land — what a 
different return would he get] How much 
more land would he yearly reclaim, and how 
much valuable timber would he save 1 If this 
time could be devoted to collecting materials 
for manure, draining and reclaiming, a short 
time only would elapse, before a change would 
be manifest. Now, a man has to reserve a 
large portion of wood-land to supply mate- 
rials for fencing, which lies perfectly idle. 
Were the law altered, no eause would exist 
for this, and it might be cultivated and be 
made 10 pay. Under this law, a proper rota- 
tion of crops is seriously interfered with, 
scarcely less important to the farmer than 
making maunre, in the improvement and pre- 
servation of his land. The five-field rotation, 
Tfcso productive and so improving to land, will 
be entered into with great difficulty and not 
without some sacrifices, as long as this law 
exists. Another branch of husbandry of great 
importance, viz: stock-raising, is seriously in- 
Jerfered with by this law. There is at present 
little or no chance of our stock becoming gen- 
erally and permanenlly improved, so long as 
all kinds, especially the most worthless, are 
permitted to roam at large. 

It is a well established fact, that as a coun- 
try becomes highly improved, the. farms are 
reduced in size, and that smail farms recipro- 
cally conduce to rapid and perfect improve- 
ment. Manure cannot be hauled to advan- 
tage over a certain distance, nor can the ac- 
cumulation of it be so readily attended to at 
a distance as it can be near the homestead. 
In the most improved sections of this and 
other States, farms seldom contain more than 
500 acres. This being true, many farms in 
Eastern Virginia must be reduced in size in 
order that they may beeome as rich and pro- 
ductive as they should be. But, by this re- 
duction the amount of fencing would be so 
much increased that some sections would be 
deprived entirely of timber. By this sub- 
division and increased amount of fencing, the 
amount of labor would be also increased to 
put ap and keep in repair the fencing. To 
this important fact we would call the particu- 



a 



bee 



lar attention of those owning small farms and 
those wishing to divide their farms. When a 
farm lying in the most convenient practicable 
form — a square — is divided into two farms, 
the fencing required for the two will be greatly 
increased. To illustrate this, let us take the 
following figure. Suppose ABCD to be 16 
a G d acres, in the form of 

C3 a square. To enclose 
this will require (sup- 
posing an acre to be 
70 yards square) 280 
yards on each side, 
or 1120 yards. Now 
"'suppose this land be 
divided into 2 equal 
parts, iepresented by 
ABEF and EFDC. 
ABEF will now re- 

q quire 280 yards on 

H two sides and 140 on 

the other two, making 810, instead of the half 
of 1120 (560). But a farm has lo be divided 
by cross fences. Suppose the whole 1G acres, 
ABCD to be divided into four fields, of equal 
size, the dividing fences represented by EF, 
GH. Then the land would require the enclo- 
sure fence, 1 120 yards, and the dividing fences, 
EF and GH, each 280 yards; in all 1680 yards. 
Now, dividing the farm as before, there would 
be ABEF, 840 yards, and the four fields di- 
vided by fences at a b, G c and d e, each 140 
yards, making 420 yards — which added to 840 
would make I2fi0 yards, necessary to enclose 
and divide 8 acres. Double this amount, 2520 
yards, would be necessary for the two farms, 
instead of 1G80 — or it would require 840 yards 
more, equal to one- fourth of the whole fencing. 
So that, if a man divide bis farm into two, 
and lay each off as before, it will require one- 
fourth more fencing for the two than for one. 
Again : suppose EAGc to be a square mile of 
land, or 640 acres. To enclose this will re- 
quire 4 miles of fencing. Many would sup- 
pose that it would require four limes as much 
for four square miles of land, or 2560 acres, 
in the form of a square; but it does not; for, 
by referring to the figure, the four square miles 
represented by ABCD only require 8 miles of 
fencing. So that if a man wish to divide a 
farm of 2300 acres into four farms, he will 
have twice as much fencing for the four farms 
as he would have for the whole in one farm. 
Now, suppose there are two farmers, one own- 
ing 2560 acres, and the other 640. Suppose 
that they have hands and timber in proportion 
to land. If one own 24 hands, the other will 
own 6. The first will have 8 miles of fencing 
to make and keep in order, to enclose his land; 
each hand will then have 8-24 or 1-3 of a mile 
of fencing; the other, 4 miles, and each hand 
4-6 or 2-3 of a mile of fencing — just double 
what the other has. Again: say one-fourth 
of their land is in timber; one will have 640 
acres of timber land to keep up 8 miles of 
fencing, or 80 acres to the mile; the other 
will have 160 acres of timber land to keep up 



234 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



4 miles of fencing, or 40 acres to the mile. 
We hope this will serve to show what a 
great disproportion exists in enclosing large 
and small tarms, and what great burdens and 
disadvantages weigh upon the small fanner. 
Nor is this the only disadvantage a small far- 
mer has to bear. When a farmer, owning 
lour times as many cattle, lives adjoining him, 
his small field will suffer greatly more when 
his cattle break into his small field than when 
his few cattle get into the field of his weal- 
thier neighbor. So long as small farms are 
liable to these objections and disadvantages — 
which must ever be the case until the present 
law is abolished — they can never become com- 
mon, or as profitable as they otherwise would 
be; and, therefore, the State can never become 
as highly improved as it should be, fsor support 
as many to the square mile as it could do un- 
der favorable circumstances. On this ac- 
count the natural increase of the farming 
community will be driven into other States 
or into other professions, as has been the case 
for many years past. This will account for 
the many large farms, which now contain in 
many instances several smalt farms, whose 
former owners have emigrated to the West or 
South, where land is cheaper and where small 
farmers do not labor under so many disad- 
vantages. 

Thus have we given some of the main ob- 
jections to the present enclosure system, and 
disadvantages resulting therefrom. We pro- 
pose now brieSy to consider what change we 
think should be made in the law, and the ad- 
vantages which would thence be derived. — 
What we want then, is, that the law be so 
altered as to compel every man to eaclose his 
own stock. With this law, a farmer will have 
to defend himself only against his own stock; 
so that if he now have ten herd of cattle to 
contend against, he will then have ten times 
less annoyance and expense than he now has. 
The large and small farmer would theD stand 
on equal ground. If one acre will support 
one cow. five acres will support five, and one 
hundred acres will support one hundred. It 
would doubtless put some to inconvenience, 
but it cannot bear unequally or unjustly on 
any one. Some who have stock and no land 
might be inconvenienced, but they ought not 
to complain, for we leave it to their judg- 
ments to say which is most just, that their 
few cattle should put the whole community 
to trouble and expense, or the whole commu- 
nity should have their rights respected, when 
simple justice requires it. If a man has a 
right to subsist his cattle on another's land 
without leave or compensation, why has he 
not a right to subsist his negroes'? If he have 
a right to graze another man's land and thus 
deprive it of its growth, why should he not 
have the right to remove materials from it for 
making manure, or the wood for fire or other 
purposes? The present law bears very hard 
on the landholder. A man may have any 
amount invested in landj and unless he enclose 



and protect it, it is at the mercy of every 
intruder. Our present Constitution requires 
that all property shall be taxed uniformly, wh}' j 
then should not the law protect all property 
uniformly 1 ? which this does not. A man's 
cattle may be found on another's premises de- 
stroying property, but unless the injured man 
can prove his enclosures perfect and that those 
cattle did overleap or knock down his enclo- 
sures, he dare not kill or injure them. More- 
over the landholder has to expend 18 per cent, 
of his labor and timber in protecting his pro- 
perty, worth one thousand dollars, from stock 
not worth twenty dollars. We appeal to every 
man of reason and justice to say if this is 
equal protection; if this, in other words, is 
equal taxation'? We know custom has long 
sanctioned this gross injustice, but that ren- 
ders it not less oppressive. As it now is, 
twenty men sometimes have to go to the im- 
mense expense ofenclosing their whole farms, 
to keep out the cattle of one roan. Would it 
not be more like fair and eve» justice for this 
man to be compelled to take care of his own 
stock, rather than thus put twenty to the ex- 
pense of fencing, costing each one twice as 
much as his cattle are worth? Land is not 
so high as to prevent all who own cattle from 
securing a sufficient amount to subsist them. 
There are some who say we have our farms 
fenced, we do not care for a new law — the 
new law will not force you to pull down your 
fences — you ean pursue the same course as 
now, if you prefer to do so, and no one can 
object, bat all your fencing will not be neces- 
sary. A sJanding pasture, embracing your^, 
wood and waste land or one-fourth, at least* 
of your farm, enclosed, will amply subsist as 
many cattle as yoa ought to keep. Good cattle 
well kept, will be more valuable than mean 
cattle which gain a scanty subsistence on the 
commons. The improved breeds of stock 
might, under the proposed law, be introduced 
with profit, which cannot now be done to ad- 
vantage always. But the main advantage of 
the new law would be the rapid and speedy 
improvement of land, and with this, other 
improvements will follow as a natural conse- 
quence. Under the proposed law, manure- 
making might be reduced toa regular system, 
and well nigh the whole winter devoted to is. 
If this could be done, we confidently believe 
that in a few years our State woald assume 
almost a new aspect. Our railroads and rivers 
would groan under their accumulated burdens, 
and in the greatly increased prosperity of the 
farmer all other professions and trades would 
share. The mechanic, particularly, whose 
prosperity ebbs arid flows with the farmer's, 
would soon forget the deprivation of the scanty 
commons and rejoice in high prices and abun- 
dance of work. The most arivantaeeoas sys- 
tem of rotation could then be adopted and the 
resources of oar soil developed. With im- 
proved lands and increased production, the 
surplus population of the State could be sap- 
ported, and that destructive tide of emigra'.ica 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



235 



which has for years been beariQg off some of 
our best and most enterprising citizens, would 
cease to roll. Our State would feel the mighty 
impulse, and with her gTeat natural advan- 
tages she would quickly regain her lost pre- 
eminence in wealth and population. Society 
deprived of one of the greatest enemies to its 
peace, would become more fraternal, and thus 
the interests of virtue and religion, of intelli- 
gence aud benevolence would be greatly ad- 
vanced. 

If such are to be the beneficial results of 
the proposed change, to agriculture, society 
and the State, where is the man, who would 
not undergo the few petty inconveniences which 
may occur under the new system in its inci- 
pient stages'? Few, who are convinced of its 
advantages, will, for this reason, oppose it, 
aed still fewer, we believe, will be injured by 
the change. 

Thus have we, fellow-farmers, endeavored 
as briefly and candidly as we could, to call 
your attention to this important subject. It is 
one so interesting, so important in its bearings 
and results, that we couid not easily have said 
less. We hope you will receive and consider 
our views in the same spirit in which they are 
advanced. We address you, as you have it in 
your own hands to say whether or not you 
will unite with us in putting an end to a sys- 
tem, so opposed to our interests as farmers, to 
the peace of society, and the prosperity of 
Virginia. 



Q.UICK BEEF GROWING. 

The New York Farmer has a letter from 
a correspondent on a new and quick me- 
thod of getting either a small beef or a 
large veal, which seems to be worth notice. 
His method is this: 

"Mr. D. M. Crowell took ten calves (ail 
heifers) last spring, and commenced feed- 
ing them on sour milk at a few days old, 
keeping them on the same kind of food du- 
ring the summer, taking good care to feed 
them uniformly, hut not very abundantly, 
so as to keep them growing thriftily, with- 
out forcing too rapidly. In the fall they 
were put in the stables, and fed on hay 
and a little meal, increasing the quantity 
of the latter gradually, with the view of 
fitting them for beef in the spring, at one 
year old or a little under. 

"These ten calves now look like young 
oxen, and are estimated to weigh about 
five hundred pounds each, alive. They 
will probably be sent to market eoon, say 
next month, when we shall see how such 
beef will sell, and how it will be relished 
by the lovers of good eating.'' 

For ourselves, we should hardly find it 



in our heart to decline a dinner of the hest 
of them. We understood from Mr. C 
who is one of our best farmers, and is mak- 
ing this trial by way of experiment, that 
he is not quite satislied thus far with the 
present attempt to raise a beef in one year, 
and that he intends to renew the experi- 
ment another year, when he thinks some 
improvement can be made. — Prairie Far- 
mer. 



For the Southern Planter. 

THE DIFFICULTIES OF AGRICULTURAL 
EDITORSHIP. 

Improvement from lIic.Accumula.lion and Manage- 
ment of Domestic Manures — Danger of Waste 
from, Chemical Action, -not Evaporation — Cul- 
ture of Indian Peas, as a, Cleansing and Im- 
proving Crop. 

I cannot conceive of a more difficult position, 
for an editor, than yours. One may, with 
comparative facility, fill up a periodical with 
well written, scieniific, moral, or religious ar- 
ticles; he may draw from the wide regions of 
fancy, things new and old; he may attempt, in 
the foul fields of politics, to kill vile weeds, ot 
drain filthy pools; but suitably and efficiently 
to tell how man, by the sweat of his brow, is 
to draw sustenance from the bosom of mother 
earth, how he is to prepare her surface for 
abundant crops of fruit, and exterminate nox- 
ious weeds, when addressing incredulous and 
prejudiced readers, "hoc opus, hie 'labor est." 

One of your name — I presume a relative — 
once nobly sustained such a post. How much 
benefit he conferred on his native land, let 
those determine who prefer the civic wreath 
to the warrior's lam el. Why he relinquished 
his high position, I know not. I suspect he 
was all unconscious that he was a propitious 
harbinger of joy to his country, and was kin- 
dling a light destined to illumine the land. 
Could you enlist to your aid, in the cause of 
agriculture, his efficient pen, many, rejoicing 
to march in his lead, would flock to your paper. 
You, sir, have many difficulties in your way, 
all of which I will not mention. It is true, 
there are many more readers on agriculture, 
than in the days of "The Farmer's Register;" 
but they are mostly pre-engaged to journals 
published out of the State. I see no prospect 
of your deriving pecuniary benefit. Yours 
must mainly be a labor of hve. Think not that 
the pen, now enlisted in your service, is moved 
by a vain belief of its owner, that it can do 
much for you or the public. The volunteering 
of a patriotic private may arouse enthusiasm 
in those welt qualified to command. This is 
about all thai is wanting. What hinders Old 
Virginia from assuming not only the fame, 
but the profit and the happiness of an enlight- 



236 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



eDed agriculture? Let her ask pardon of her 
noble agricultural sisier, North Carolina, tor 
ever having called her "Rip Van Winkle." 
Let her awake from her own centennial nap, 
and arouse hersons to filling gullies, removing 
rubbish, applying manures, and spreading ver- 
dure over her fields. This is a great work, 
and I nominate you, sir, as superintendent, or, 
in planter's phrase, overseer, and I trnst you 
will call forth the ablest hands, and set ihem 
to work. On this subject I was once sceptical, 
but am now convinced, for I know lands worth 
double what they were five years ago. 

In attempting to contribute a mite to this 
great work, 1 will state some of my own ope- 
rations, and give the reasons for varying in 
any particular from what are considered as 
received opinions. Manuring has well been 
pronounced the main spring of successful ag- 
riculture. It surely is proper then to pay some 
attention to the means of collecting and ma- 
nufacturing materials and applying the manure 
to the land. I never succeeded in a manner 
at all satisfactory, until I devoted a cart, a 
four-ox team, and an able bodied driver, al- 
most exclusively to the business of hauling 
the material in and the manure cot. On lands 
as steep as my high lands, oxen are better for 
this purpose than horses. At distances con- 
venient to different parts of my farm, I place 
my hog-pen, my sheep-pen, my steer-pen, my 
cow-pen, and my stables along a ridge road 
for half a mile, and by this arrangement save 
much of the hauling. I make my sheep and 
cow-houses of wheat-straw, laid upon spacious 
frames, at the time of threshing. Much of the 
manure, by this means, can be made under 
shelter, and be prevented from excessive fer- 
mentation. 1 use as litter, besides the offal of 
my grain crops, all ihe leaves— particularly of 
the pine — which I can collect. Pine leaves 
being more permeable by fluids than oak 
leaves, receive and absorb urine to greater ad- 
vantage. I consider it a great mistake and 
very injurious to agriculture, to consider "eva- 
poration the great thief of manure." Chemi- 
cal action, I think, the real thief. I believe 
that Virginia has lost incalculably from ma- 
nures being permitted to lie in piles until three- 
fourths of their riehest gases have escaped. 
To obviate this, I have endeavored to have 
half my land, intended for wheat,— the other 
half lying in clover, — thoroughly ploughed in 
winter, and then I begin to haul out and spread 
my manures, finishing, if practicable, by the 
first of June; then I ploush again, to turn under 
the blue grass— not the Kentucky, but the Poa 
Comprcssa, a great nuisance to wheat — and 
other pests, while they are m bloom. After 
this, I sow cow-peas, and harrow. By this 
means, the manure is prevented from violent 
fermentation. In dry weather its moisture 
evaporates, and in wet its soluble materials 
soak into the earth, and soften and mellow the 
clods. By the time the pea crop is to be turned 
in, the fiery properties of the manure will have 
been subdued, and such parts of it as may not 



have been coaverted into pea-haulm, will be 
in a fine state to afford aourishment to the 
wheat. I am now harvesting some of the 
finest wheat that I ever saw grow, on lands" 
enriched with unrotted manure, lilile more 
than a year ago. In a climate so changeable, 
where large quantities of manr.re ate made, 
much of it would become effete, or, as the 
Scottish farmers would say, fire-fanged, before 
it could be applied to the land, were not special 
pains taken to avoid bulking, and othereatises 
of chemical aetion. I think this subject most 
worthy of consideration. 

But it may be asked, why not dispense with 
the pea crop, and apply the manure to clover 
in its infant state? This would do, possibly, 
better on lands sometimes cultivated in corn, 
or other hoe crop, which might serve to cleanse 
it of weedy pests. Having low grounds enough 
to furnish me with corn and oats, and believing 
that corn detracts greatly from the fertility of 
high land, 5 prefer on this aeeount to use the 
pea as a cleansing crop. So far, I have greal 
I reason to be satisfied with the arrangement 
■for I find the tow grounds, alternating with 
I corn, oats and grass, aided by frequent inun- 
dations, rapidly improving, while the rnelio- 
! ration of the high land has far surpassed my 
' highest expectations. Since adopting this 
I system, I have been compelled to cultivate in 
j wheat on alternate rears; I am, however, 
striving to clean up and improve land enough 
to afford me three shifts for wheat, and then, 
j I hope, from increased means, of my own 
manures and a cautious resort to concentrated 
manures, to be able to manure one of thern^, 
annually, at least a with moderate top-dressing,^" 
for a crop of peas, followed by wheat. I began 
about four years ago with my high land, (viz: 
) most of it,) miserably poor, galled and gullied. 
It already more than doubles its former crops 
of wheal, having Ike crop of clover and peas 
j on alternate years returned to it. When it 
j becomes richer; and especially when but one 
crop of wheat shall be takea from it in three 
years, I hope to cat much clover hay from it, 
and to commence fattening my hogs on the 
peas. For the last two years, I think my 
wheat greatly improved, in quality as well as 
quantity. This may be, in a great degree, 
ascribed to the seasons, but I think much of 
the credit is due to the animal maaure, so ne- 
j cessary for forming good grain for the wheat 
[ crop. 

I have two strong reasons for getting the 
I peas sown early; the first is because I suppose 
I aft the pests, such as onions, blue grass, lib- 
j wort, wild carrots, &c. are in a weaker state, 
and more easily destroyed when exhausted, 
by putting forth their blooms, than at any other 
time. fVly land was greatly poisoned with 
onions, and I have been mucfe surprised to find 
what a near approach has been made to their 
extermination, even where they once grew 
thickest, by ploughing them in and sowing 
peas while they were in bloom. Nature affords 
So such nuisances a wonderful reenperauva 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



237 



powerof shooting forth new roots, and prepar- 
ing for another crop soon after their seed have 
ripened. The second reason for early sowing 
is, that the woody fibre may be ripened before 
they are fallowed for wheat in the fall. I think 
it highly important that what are called green 
crops should not be turned under when they 
are in a literally green condition, and consist 
of little besides sap. Let them be only ripe 
and it matters little whether they are in a 
living and succulent condition, or dead and 
dry. In the first state they will rot quicker. 

I could say much more on these matters, 
but find I am becoming tedious. While I 
envy you not, the arduous labor of your posi- 
tion, unrequited, for the most part, I fear, even 
by a modicum of gratitude, I cannot conclude 
without congratulating you on the pleasures 
incident to the editorship of a journal, pro- 
mising so much benefit to your country, and 
on the lively interest and good will excited 
towards you, in the bosoms of many good men. 
I could not comfortably read a journal, con- 
ducted by any man, without feeling that there 
was a certain bond between us. I feel also 
deeply thankful to Mr. Bernard, for his perse- 
vering efforts in the cause, and believe that 
he is, at length, about to succeed. 
Very respectfully, 

W. S. Morton. 

Cumberland, July 3, 1852. 

Dr. Morton, in the commencement of his 
essay, does no more than justice to Mr. Ed- 
mund Ruflin's achievements in behalf of agri- 
culture. The Southern Planter has had "the 
aid of his efficient pen" in rundry instances,, 
and to a considerable extent, though he usual- 
ly writes anonymously. 

But he has written voluminously and under 
his own proper name, for the American Far- 
mer. This was upon the footing of a busines ar- 
rangement and contract made with Mr. Sands 
before we became connected with the Planter; 
and though we know that these essays would 
add very greatly to the attractions of our co- 
lumns, we have not felt at liberty, by transfer- 
ring them thereto, to deprive Mr. Sands in any 
degree of the benefit he expected to reap, and 
no doubt has reaped, from his contract. We 
understand that this direction of his writings 
ceased after the present State Agricultural 
Society of Virginia was established, Mr. R. 
then deeming it his duty to address to that 
body whatever he might thereafter write, upon 
subjects of practical instruction in agricul- 
ture, and suitable in form as well as substance 
to be so directed. 

As Dr. Morton says, most of the readers 



"are pre-engaged to journalsoutof the State." 
This is a free country and we have no right 
to complain, but it does strike us as somewhat 
inconsistent that it should be so. "Protec- 
tion to home industry," says the Whig, and — 
sends off to another State for his agricultural 
journal! "Southern rights and products. 'at 
all hazards and to the last extremity,"' says 
the Ultra— and takes his Northern farming 
paper and sends North for his plough ! 

But we wander from our subject. Mr. Ed- 
mund Ruffin (who is not so near of kin to us, 
let us say, as to make it indelicate in us to 
praise him,) has done much for his country, has 
earned a claim to something more than a tes- 
timonial and a dinner from the citizens of 
Prince George, his "jury of the vicinage," 
though that was doubtless most gratifying to 
him, and certainly most creditable to his en- 
tertainers. He has earned a testimonial from 
the Legislature so lavish of swords to military 
men, that it is hardly a distinction to have re- 
ceived one. But bis friends have neverclaimed 
it for him, and the Assembly, good, easy souls, 
as the man had never an epaulette upon him, 
never thought of it. If they had, we hardly 
think he would have got it, to judge by the 
treatment he has lately received at their 
hands. 

He had, at considerable labor, prepared a 
statistical table illustrative of the benefits of 
marl, which is not his hobby, but his horse. 
According to that table, it appeared that the$ 
greatest advance in the whole of Eastern Vir- 
ginia has been in the marl region. Now he 
wanted to ascertain the exact truth in regard 
to that matter — to show precisely what marl 
had had to do with it; thereby to encourage 
the active, to stimulate the indolent, and to 
set forth the advantages possessed by a very 
considerable part of the State. But he could, 
only do that by ascertaining who had marled, 
and how much in each case; then by comparing 
the facts thus obtained with the facts as de- 
rived from previous assessments and census 
reports, he could have shown it exactly. AH 
this could have been done with but little trou- 
ble and no expense. It was merely necessary 
to instruct the commissioners of the revenue, 
in the marl district, to inquire of each farmer 
whose tax list they took, how much of his 
land was in woods, how much cleared, and 



23S 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



how much marled. It could have been done- 
by each commissioner in less time than it 
has taken to write it here. He, whose la- 
bors have furnished so great an increase in 
the taxable property, so much of the fund for 
internal improvement, and in other ways so 
much solid wealth to the State, and who is 
complimented wheneverit suits the politicians 
to tickle the agricultural interest, literally 
ihrowing "a tub to the whale," by-the-by, pe- 
titioned the Legislature to do this simple and 
inexpensive thing, this thing which could by 
no possibility benefit him, but would be of great 
service to the State. And instead of granting 
it with alacrity as a boon to him, and with 
cheerfulness as an advantage to the State, it 
was flatly refused by the House of Delegates, 
and was never reached by the Senate. We 
have heard that one of the leading farmers of 
the Legislature was positively opposed to it, 
and its defeat has been mainly ascribed to him. 
Now we have but one word to say about it, 
and that is that such a proceeding was a dis- 
grace to the Legislature. We hope they will 
yet reconsider it and retrieve their character, 
but we owe it to candor to say, we fear they 
will not. 



FLAX COTTON OR BRITISH COTTON. 

Two weeks ago we inserted a letter from 
a friend, now travelling in Europe, respect- 
ing the progress made in tlie manufacture 
of flax cotton goods, or in other words, of 
goods manufactured from flax resembling 
cotton, from the newly discovered process 
of preparing the raw material. At the 
eame time samples of this flax cotton, ready 
for the mill, were sent to us, which we now 
have on hand for exhibition to persons de- 
sirous of examining them. With these 
samples came also an elaborate argument 
in favor of the new cloths, and a general 
statement describing the process of pre- 
paring the raw material, the latter of which 
we publish belowas possessing high claims 
to consideration for the farmers and manu- 
facturers of this country. — Telegraph. 

"The flax plant is composed of three dis- 
tinct parts, the wood, the fibre, and the 
gum resin, which causes the fibres to ad- 
here together. To remove the wood is 
the first object; and this, under the old 
system, was performed by a machine little 



better than a flail. Here commences the 
first improvement. At Stepney factory 
we saw a small apparatus at work, which, 
costing a mere trifle, removed the wood 
from the fibre with astonishing rapidity and 
cleanliness. It is proposed that growers 
should employ this machine on their farms; 
by which means they reduce the bulk by 
one-half, and at the same time retain the 
portion most useful for manure. In this 
state it will be brought to market for sale 
to the manufacturers, who will then have 
to free it, in the first instance, from the gum 
resin. Under the old system, this was ef- 
fected by steeping the flax in cold water, 
a process which occupied from four to six 
weeks, and frequently caused much disco- 
loration of the fibres. The Chevalier's 
mode consists in boiling the material in a 
weak alkaline solution for about four hours, 
after which it is washed first in a slightly 
acidified liquor, and then in plain water. 
It is then dried and in a fit state for the va- 
rious processes of scutching, heckling, &c. 
necessary to render it fit l'or the linen ma- 
nufacture. In order to "cotlonize" the 
flax, according to the Claussen's patent, 
the fibres are taken from the washing vats 
direct to a series of other vats, ranged side 
by side; and it is in these that the magic 
of chemistry is so brought to bear as to 
transmute a heavy mass of dark, harsh 
straw, in the course 'of some minutes, to a 
light, silky, snow white wool. 
. In the first of these vats is a weak solu- 
tion of carbonate of soda; here the previ- 
ously boiled and washed fibres are steeped 
for about fifteen minutes, during which 
time they become completely saturated 
with the soda liquid. To explain the che- 
mical action which follows, it is necessary 
to point out the structure of the flax fibre. 
These fibres, minute though they be, are 
cellular, composed of a number of smaller 
cylinders, united closely at their side. It 
is the separation of these finer fibres, 
and the consequent addition to the length 
and surface of the whole mass, that has 
now to be accomplished; a process that 
may well be likened to hair splitting. — 
These cellular fibres being thoroughly sa- 
turated with the soda in most minute quan- 
tities, are removed from the first vat, and 
placed in vat number two, containing water 
slightly acidulated with one part in five 
hundred of sulphuric acid. The change 
which now takes place is instantaneous. 
A rapid frothing and ebullition of the li- 
quor may be observed, and the heavy mass 
of flax which, in the first liquor, sank far 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



239 



below the surface, is now seen floaiing 
lightly on the surface of the water. It is 
no longer flax — it is British cotton. And 
how has this happened 1 The acid in this 
liquid, finding its way into the liquid cylin- 
ders, already saturated with the soda, im- 
mediately effects a chemical change; the 
sulphuric acid combines with the alkali, 
and forms sulphate of soda, giving out the 
carbonic, acid gas from the carbonate of 
eoda. which, seeking its liberation, expands 
and hurs-ts open the cellular tubes. The 
cottonized flax is next placed in a weak 
solution of soda, in order to free it from 
any remaining acid; and thence transferred 
to the bleaching vat, which contains a mix- 
ture of solution of chloride of lime and 
sulphate of magnesia. Here it remains 
during two hours, at the end of which time 
it wears a perfectlysnow white appearance. 
The process is then completed by washing, 
first in a weak acid liquor, and afterwards 
in pure water. It then only remains to 
dry the flax cotton, in order to fit it for the 
after processes, preparatory to spinning. 
The same method as has been here de- 
scribed, can be made available for convert- 
ing the refuse tow from the flax establish- 
ments into a fine white article, admirably 
adapted for paper making, and at a less 
price than he pays for linen rags. The 
value of this latter preparation may be es- 
timated, when it is known that one manu- 
facturer of linen in the north of Ireland 
throw*3 aside "reflse tow" to the yearly 
value of five thousand pounds sterling; all 
of which, at present, is utterly useless. 

From what has been stated, it is evident 
that the objection held against this process, 
of its converting a dear article into a cheap 
one, does not hold. Not only is the value 
of the British cotton greatly enhanced by 
being pendered capable of spinning at the 
low cost of ordinary cotton goods, but the 
yield of marketable fibre is much increased, 
and at a much less cost of time and labor 
than was needed under the old method. 
The new fibre is so completely assimulated 
in character to cotton, that it readily re- 
ceives the rich dyes imparted to the latter, 
and is, in short, capable of being printed or 
dyed in a precisely similar manner. 

At the Stepney model factory we exa- 
mined specimens of flannel, felt, and wool- 
len cloth, manufactured of equal parts of 
British cotton and wool; also, a felt that 
was composed entirely of the former ma- 
terial. All of those goods had a remark- 
ably stout feel, and appeared to be strong 
in their body. 



Combined with silk British cotton may 
be worked up with great ease on the exist- 
ing silk machinery, and when so wrought, 
is capable of receiving the same colors in 
dying, and materially adding to the strength 
of the fabric manufactured. 

We saw two other substances, which, it 
appears, are quite as susceptible of being 
"eotlonized" as flax; one was a coarse spe- 
cies of China silk, at present of little va- 
lue; the other was "Jute" or Indian hemp. 
Both of these fibres were materially im- 
proved in appearance and feel, and are, no 
doubt, in their new form, adapted to pur- 
poses for which they were not at all avail- 
able previously. 

Looking at this "Flax Movement" in an 
agricultural point of view, we shall find as 
many advantages likely to arise from it in 
that direction as in any other. Hitherto it 
has been a most prevalent opinion that flax 
crops were exceedingly exhaustive in their 
effect upon the soil. Experiments fairly 
carried out have shown this'to be a fallacy. 
Chemical analysis of the plant, and a se- 
ries of flax crops taken from the same land, 
have proved beyond a doubt, that not only 
does this cultivation not weaken the soil, 
but tends to keep it in a state of great 
productiveness. 

An examination of the structure of the 
plant demonstrates that those portions of 
it which absorb the alkalies and the nutri- 
tive properties of the soil, are those which 
are not required for the purpose of manu- 
facture; namely, the wooden part, the re- 
sinous matter, and the seed. The fibres 
derive their elements almost entirely from 
the atmosphere, one hundred parts contain- 
ing not more than two parts of mineral 
matter. Under the old process of steep- 
ing, the nutritive portions contained in the 
wood and gum, as well as the whole of the 
seed, were lost in the fermentation dining 
steeping; so that nothing whatever was 
restored to the land. By the new method, 
these properties are capable of being re- 
turned whence they were taken. The seed 
may be either employed in feeding cattle, 
or crushed for oil; the oil cake being in 
that case returned for the cattle yard. 

Estimates, based upon several years of 
actual experience, go to show that, by this 
cultivation, the farmer may realize a yearly 
profit, of from fifteen pounds to eighteen 
pounds the acre, and that, too, upon land 
which has been just previously heavily 
cropped in cereals. Many thousands of' 
acres which hitherto have yielded but in- 
different and uncertain crops, or which 






240 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



have scarcely been worth cultivation, may 
be brought under flax without any fear of 
the result. Hitherto, the absence of linen 
manufactures, and (he consequent want of 
markets, in so many parts of England and 
Scotland, have proved a serious obstacle 
to any attempts at extending flax culture. 
But now that every grower may, by the 
purchase of an inexpensive and simply 
constructed machine, convert the flax-straw 
into.a fit condition for economical and con- 
venient transport to a market, and now 
that conveyance is so much lessened in 
cost, and that the patent process will be- 
fore long be in active operation in every 
agricultural county of (Treat Britain and 
Ireland, it is to be hoped that a widely ex- 
tended cultivation of this article may take 
place, affording active employment to a 
vast number of persons in all ages. 

Already the patent has been taken in 
hand in Scotland; arrangements are in 
progress for a similar undertaking in Ire- 
land; and should the like activity be mani- 
fested in England, there can be little doubt 
that two most important results will have 
been attained — the providing a great por- 
tion of our poorer population with good 
employment, and rendering our manufac- 
turers Jess dependent upon the United 
States for the supply of flax. and cotton." 



THEORY OF MINERAL MANURES. 

Messrs. Lawcs & Gilbert have published 
in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural 
Society, the result of many experiments, 
made by them in the course of many years 
to ascertain the correctness of the idea ad- 
vanced by Liebig that it. is only necessary 
to apply the ashes of plants or mineral sub- 
stances, for the support of crops. They 
took plots of ground of equal superfices, and 
applied different substances to the same 
crop. In one instance, ground which had 
no manure, produced sixteen bushels of 
wheat to the acre; fourteen tons of yard 
manure produced twemy-two bushels; the 
ashes of fourteen tons of yard manure, 
sixteen bushels; mean produce of nine 
plots supplied with artificial mineral ma- 
nures, fourteen bushels three and a half 
pecks; on other plots the addition of sixty- 
five pounds sulphate of ammonia, (which 
Liebig held was unnecessary,) gave an 
average of twenty-one bushels. The in- 
crease by the use of the mineral manures 
recommended by Liebig, was, therefore, 



less than two bushels per acre, and the in- 
crease by ashes of manure nothing. — Ru- 
ral New Yorker. 



SEASONABLE RECIPES. 

In exchanges we have met with several va- 
luable recipes lor remedies of disease generally 
prevalent, and often dangerous, at this season 
of the year. This first is from the New York 
Sun, and introduced by the following ec.itorial 
remarks of that paper: 

Cure for Diarrhcea.— At the request of 
many readers, we republish the recipe so gen- 
erally known and appreciated since the sum- 
mer of 1843, as the "Sun's Remedy," for 
bowel complaints, incidental to the summer 
season. To those who are not already aware 
of the merit of this remedy, we may say that 
no other prescription was so successful during 
the cholera season, in checking the dreadful 
disease' when used promptly on the appear- 
ance of the first symptoms. We advise our 
readers to preserve the recipe. 

Take equal parts of the tincture of lauda- 
num, tincture of cayenne pepper,treble strength, 
tincture of rhubarb, essence of peppermint, tre- 
ble strength, spirits of camphor, mix in a bot- 
tle; dose from five to thirty drops, according 
to the violence of the symptoms. To be re- 
peated every ten or fifteen minutes, if needed, 
until relief is obtained. 

The following recipe will be found exceed- 
ingly valuable during the hot months, when 
there is so much liability to affections of the 
bowels: Parch half a pint of rice until it is 
brown; then boil it as |ice is usually done. 
Eat slowly, and it will stop the most alarming 
cases of diarrhcea. 



Weights and Measures. — The "Western 
Agriculturist" provides the following table of 
the number of pounds of various articles to a 
bushel, which maybeof interest toourreaders: 

Of wheat, sixty pounds. 

Of shelled corn, fifty-six pounds. 

Of corn on the cob, seventy pounds. 

Of rye, fifty-six pounds. 

Of oats, thirty-six pounds. 

Of barley, forty pounds. 

Of potatoes, sixty pounds. 

Of bran, twenty pounds. 

Of clover seed, sixty pounds. 

Of timothy seed, fony-five pounds. 

Of flax seed, forty-five pounds. 

Of hemp seed, forty-four pounds. 

Of buckwheat, fifty-two pounds. 

Of blue grass seed, fourteen pounds. 

Of castor beans, forty-six pounds. 

Of dried peaches, thirty-three pounds. 

Of dried apples, twenty-four pounds. 

Of onions, fifty-seven pounds. 

Of salt, fifty pounds. 



'* 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



241 







THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



RICHMOND, AUGUST. 1852. 

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Cary Streets. 



|~=p Communications for the Southern Plan- 
lifer, upon other llian business matters, may be ad- 
dressed to the Editor, Frank: G. Rctffin, Esq. 
at Skadioell, Albemarle Co., Vo,., which will in- 
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Business letters will be directed as here- 
tofore to "The Southern Planter,'' Richmond, 
Va. 

jQf- Postage prepaid in all cases. 



TIMELY WARNING. 

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



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

Not over 50 miles, 1} cents. 
Over 50 and not over 300 miles, 2J cents. 
Over 300 and not over 1000 miles, 3| cents. 
Over 1000 and not over 2000 miles, 5 cents. 
Over 2000 and not over 4000 miles, 6 } cents. 
Over 4000 miles, ~\ cents. 



The National Agricultural Convention met 
lately in Washington Cily. The following 
account of its doings, from the Rural New 
Yorker, is all that it is necessary to give. 
Sometime ago we saw it stated by a leading 
advocate of the Agricultural Bureau that Vir- 
ginia was the only Stale in the Union that 
had manifested any hostility to that institution, 
which it was the main object of the Conven- 
tion to establish; but now it appears that "the 
farmers of the Union, as a class, took but little 
part in the proceedings." This was as we 
expected, and wished. It is not the first time 
that editors have got ahead of their read- 
ers, and mistakingly attributed consent to si- 
lence. We have been against the bureau all 
along, first, as unconstitutional, if it be not ridi- 
culous to use that term now-a-days; and, se- 
condly, as another means, whether so intended 
or not, of plundering the office-ridden people 
of this country, and destined, like the agricul- 
tural department of the Patent Office, to be 
the football of politicians, and promising no 
more good than that has accomplished, which 
1 is little enough in all conscience. We have 
I read all we could find in favor of the project, 
! anxious to see an argument which we could 
! attack, but never a one have our searching 
'■■ eyes been able to discover, much less expose. 
! We rejoice that the humbug has exploded so 
harmlessly. 

| NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL CONVEN- 
TION. 

The National Agricultural Convention, of 
which we gave some notice last week, seems 
to have done little for the cause which it was 
ostensibly called to promote. Theie were one 
hundred and fifty-four delegates present from 
twenty-three of the States, but the farmers as 
a class, took but lit: le pari in the proceedings. 

j The President, Hon. M. P. Wilder, gave an 

j eloquent and appropriate opening address, and, 
while waiting the oiganization, other remarks 

! of like character were made by B. P. Johnson, 
Esq. and Mr. Calhoun of Massachusetts. — 
The session, which continued two days, was 
mainly spent in political debate, and all we 
can learn, that was accomplished, was the 
formation of a United States Agricultural So- 
ciety, and the passage of a resolution request- 
ing Congress to do something for the promo- 
tion of agriculture, the great productive inte- 
rest of the country. 

The topics of division among the agricul-. 
turists were, whether Congress should be asked 
to establish an independent agricultural de- 

1 partment of the government, or whether it 



V 



242 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



'? 



It 



* 



should create such a department in connexion 
with the Smithsonian Institute, or whether a 
simple central society would best answer the 
purposes of the farmers. The business com- 
mittee mide a long report in favor of an 
agricultural bureau, which was strenuously 
opposed by a portion of the same committee, 
who wished for a department of agriculture 
in connexion with the Smithsonian Institute. 
The chairman of the committee, Senator Doug- 
las, in support of the last project, remarked: 
If an agricultural department or bureau were 
established, it would soon become, like other 
offices of the government, a place for all poli- 
ticians, and its occupants would be remova- 
ble at every change of administration. This 
would make these men much too anxious 
about politics to give up their whole thoughts 
to their official duties, and the consequence 
would be the breaking down of the whole 
thing. He proposed that a department of 
•agriculture should be attached to the Smith- 
sonian Institute, and believed that this would 
be more in accordance with the views of 
Smithson than the course pursued at present 
by those in charge of the Institution. 

There were now no practical results; ab- 
struse and theoretical subjects were all the 
professors busied themselves about; and un- 
less this state of affairs were reformed, the 
Institute would become most odious in the 
sight of the American people. If it was the 
wish of the friends of the Smithsonian Insti- 
tute to make their establishment popular, they 
must rest it on the great industrial institutions 
of the country. He wished the Institution to 
prosecute the sciences, but only with reference 
to practical results. Let them pay atlention 
to geology, mineralogy and mechanics, but not 
forget agriculture. The Institution must make 
itself useful, and not waste its investigations 
upon the stars and heavenly planets, and other 
matters which had no practical bearing. This 
Institution publishes transactions and sends 
them all over the globe. It receives vast 
numbers of agricultural reports and documents 
from all the agricultural societies. of the coun- 
try, but what does it do with them! For want 
of an agricultural department, there is no ex- 
change of these reports, and they lie accumu- 
lating and useless. 

Professor Henry, of the Smithsonian Insti- 
tute, replied in an able speech, explaining and 
defending the objects of the Institute. He 
said, the will of Smithson was much misun- 
derstood. His object in making that rich be- 
quest was not an ordinary one; it was not 
merely useful knowledge, in the general ac- 
ceptation of the word, that he contemplated 
the increase and diffusion of, but he had high 
objects, expanded and elevated purposes, for 
he was a man of much acquisition and re- 
search. The object of Smithson was not to 
confine the benefits of his institution to this 
country only, but to the whole brotherhood of 
mankind. The people of the United States 
stand as mere trustees for execution of his 



will and the proper use of the fund; a fund 
not intended for ends special to us, but for the 
universal family of man. 

All discoveries must be encouraged, and 
such an institution as the Smithsonian re- 
quired encouragement, that it might in the 
increase of knowledge, aid in adding new 
facts to science. For the diffusion of know- 
ledge there were thousands of institutions 
where there was one for its increase, and the 
Smithsonian Institution is pursuing its true 
and genuine purpose in keeping that fact in 
full view. It had already published four quarto 
volumes, every page of which contained some 
new addition to knowledge, and these volumes 
were distributed in every direction. We will, 
said Professor Henry, co-operate with agri- 
cultural societies, and especially with the so- 
ciety now here in process of establishment. 
The Smithsonian Institution will offer its hall, 
its books, its apparatus. 

We are even now doing much for agricul- 
ture. We are preparing an extended report 
on the forest trees of America; we have pub- 
lished a volume on the seaweeds of America. 
These things might appear of no practical 
value or importance, and yet they are of the 
highest importance. 

The second day was spent in debate, Messrs. 
Holcomb, Robinson, Bell, Douglas and others 
participating, and the Convention adjourned 
sine din, able only to agree on the resolution 
above noted. We have not seen any "offi- 
cial" account of the proceedings, but condense 
our report of the speeches, &c. from the New 
York Evening Post. We hope there is a 
brighter side to the picture, and shall present 
it if there is, but as yet, to use the language 
of the political press, the whole affair seems 
"a fizzle," as far as any practical result is 
concerned, and very like that of the attempts 
heretofore made by Congress to "do some- 
thing" for the agricultural interest. 



FENCES ON THE BANKS OF STREAMS. 

We clip the following from an exchange 
paper, the Germantown Telegraph. It looks 
like a promising idea. And it will cost very 
little to try it. If any one should try it we 
will be glad to hear the result. We would 
try it ourselves, but we have no river bank to 
enclose. 

"A fence constructed in the Wissahickon, 
to prevent the cattle from passing from one 
bank to the other, was original and ingenious. 
It consisted of a continuation of poles con- 
nected together with short chains, the extreme 
ends of the united line being made fast to trees 
on the shore, and the whole floating on the top 
and made a fixture in the stream by small an- 
chors. Where the water is not less than three 
feet in depth, this fence has been found to be 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



243 



a sure protection, havirjg frequently resisted a 
whole herd of cattle. This simple construc- 
tion not only effectually restrains the ealtle 
from wandering, and is almost indispensable 
in bottom lands liable to be overflowed during 
freshets, but it admits of the cattle using one- 
half the stream, which is of great advantage to 
both dairy and stock cattle in warm weather." 



Juvenile. — The youth who cut open the 
bellows to see where the wind came from, is 
now trying his hand at fattening greyhounds. 



has a California gold mine beneath bis feet, if 
he only knew how to dig out the precious ore. 
Well might the Roman clodhopper exclaim 

" O fortunatns nitnium, sua si bona norint, 
Agricolas." 

O happy clodhoppers, if you only knew how 
to farm it! 
Do, good Mr. Planter, teach us how! 

C. C. Baldwin. 

Rockbridge, Virginia. 



$200 00 


1:25 00 


CO 00 


50 00 


30 00 


22 50 


21 75 


35 00 



For the Southern Planter. 

A SMALL VIRGINIA FARM. 

Mr. Editor , — I am often asked what is the 
amount of my annual sales from my little farm 
of sixty acres of cultivated land. My books 
show that my sales of last year's produce were 
as follows: 

Wheat, .... 
Corn, .... 
Hay, .... 
Cows and Beef, 
Sheaf Oats, - 
Threshed Oats, 
Pork, - - - 

Flour, Bacon, &c. &c. - 

8544 25 
•y The produce consumed on the farm by an 
uverage family of three white persons (includ- 
ing workmen) and eight servants, who, in the 
absence of all domestic restraint, carry the keys, 
and eat and feed out what they please, and by 
the stock, including four horses, must have 
been worth upwards of seven hundred dollars. 
The principal items were — 
COO bushels of Corn, - 
12 barrels of Flour, 
2.500 pounds of Pork, - 
1 000 pounds of Beef, - 
10 loads of Hay. 
Oats. Potatoes, Butter, Poultry, &c. 

8735 00 
Making a gro^s aggregate product of twelve 
hundred and seventy-nine dollars from sixty 
acres of land; being upwards of twenty-one 
dollars to the acre, which is more than the 
highest estimated product of the best cultivated 
farms in England. 

By making corn, hay and potatoes my sta- 
ple crops, and by the liberal use of concen- 
trated manures, 1 am satisfied that the producis 
of my farm can be doubled in the next five 
years; and as sure as I live I mean to do it. 
To most of us clodhoppers, the earth we till 
for our daily bread is a terra incognita, whose 
rich resources are not only undeveloped, but 
unexplored and undreamt of. Every farmer 



$360 00 


50 00 


125 00 


50 00 


100 00 


50 00 



From Moore's Rural New-Yorker. 
BUTTER MAKING. 

BY A FARMER'S WIFE. 

Editors Rural, — I do not attempt the 

i consideration of thJs subject in the expec- 
tation of adding any Dew and important 

Tacts, but to contribute my "mite" to the 
general stock of knowledgealreadygained, 
and to note down a few plain and simple 
facts lor those who are, or k expect to be, 
dairy-women in a small way. It seems to 
be a subject that requires "line upon line," 
to induce people to practise on the princi- 
ple that good butter can be more profitably 
made than poor butter. 

Something more than twenty years ago, 

1 1 took upon myself the responsibilities of 
a farmer's wife, as too many others have 
done, without an adequate knowledge of 
its requirements and duties. I thought 
any one who was cleanly, could make good 
butter; a process so simple, that skill was 
quite unnecessary. I therefore undertook 
the management of the milk of ten or 
twelve cows, with all the confidence of ig- 
norance. A few weeks convinced me that 
more knowledge and judgment were ne- 
cessary ihan I had anticipated, to produce 
the very best butter. 

Among my neighbors, was a woman 
who had been for years a dairy-woman in 
an extensive dairy in England. An old 
lady, somewhat fastidious in taste, whom 
we supplied with butter, observed that she 
would ensure to us among her friends, two 
cents a pound above the market price, as 

; soon as my butter should equal Mrs. P.'s, 
(the woman above alluded to) in quality. 
Here was a direct appeal to a motive that 
always responds. I accordingly sought 
Mrs. P.'s advice. Said she, "Lay down 
a few plain rules; experience and obser- 
vation will do the rest. 

"Let all milk vessels be perfectly clean 
and free from acidity; a good circulation 



V 



i< 



244 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



of pure air, without having the wind blow 
on the milk; skim the milk before it turns 
sour, never letting the milk thicken with 
the cream on; churning often enough to 
prevent the cream from getting very sour; 
churn ■moderately, work the butter clear of 
buttermilk, salt with from one to one and 
a quarter ounces of fine, sifted salt, to one 
pound of fresh butter; let the butter stand 
twenty-four hours, then mould and prepare 
your butter for market, and depend on it, 
you will have a first rate article." 

"Do you not have to wash your butter 
a great deal in warm weather to get out ! 
the buttermilk'?" I inquired. 

"No," said she. "such a practice ruins 
the butter, it washes out the sweetness; I 
never allow any water to touch my butter; 
sometimes I put a piece of ice, or cold 
spring water in the churn, but I do not like 
to do even that." 

By close observation of these rules, com- 
bined with ambition to excel, and get the 
highest prices before the first season was 
over, I succeeded in bringing my butter to 
the required standard. 1 still thought Mrs. 
P. rather whimsical in her opposition to 
washing butter, and could not help accus- 
ing her of a little obstinacy. I at length 
became convinced that she was right. 1 
then knew nothing of thechemical process 
by which the sweetness was washed out 
of the butter, but such I found to be the 
fact. I found, too, that the use of water in- 
jured the butter for keeping. By repeated 
experiments, it was found that of two jars 
of butter treated precisely alike, excepting 
that one was washed and the other un- 
washed, after being kept through the win- 
ter, the unwashed would invariably prove 
to be the best. Chemical analysis has re- 
peatedly shown that the sugar which forms 
an ingredient in all milk and cream, is dis- 
solved and lost in the water, thereby de- 
tracting from that delicious sweetness that 
all butter should possess. 

I know that a small farmer who keeps 
but two or three cows cannot always com- 
mand the advantages of more extended 
means. But if two cows only are kept, it 
is quite as important to the owner that 
they should be good ones, and yield good 
butter in proportion to the money invested, 
as it would be if he were able to keep 
twenty. There are very lew situations, 
where sufficient accommodations cannot 
be obtained, by a small outlay of what the 
Yankees call "contrivance," to enable a 
careful, observing woman, to make the very 
best butter. I can see no good reason why 



so much poor butter is made and carried 
to market, when a little more care and at- 
tention would produce an article thai any 
woman might be proud to call her work. 

It is so much more convenient, too, to 
supply individual families, and take the 
money for your butter, than to have that 
which you are obliged to solicit grocers to 
buy, and then be paid in their goods, at 
their own prices. 

1 am much inclined to think that what 
we have gained in time, by the introduction 
of churns that will produce butter with five 
or ten minutes labor,hasbeenoverbalanced 
by loss in quality and quantity. I have 
used "Gault's Churn." but will not say 
there is none better, but with that I have 
found rapid churning would always injure 
the quality of the butter. As to what is 
denominated cooking butter, which is but 
another name for rancid, worthless stuff, 
such an article should never be used in 
any kind of food, as all experience shows 
that it is decidedly unwholesome, and spoils 
the taste of anything in which it becomes 
an ingredient. If by accident or from other 
causes, butter becomes rancid, consign it 
to the receptacle for "soap grease," and 
enter the amount on the page of "losses." 

When a good spring of water can be 
commanded, a very little expense will make 
it n valuable auxilliary in the making of 
good butter. Here I would say a few/ 
words about vessels in which to set milk. 
If the arrangements allow of setting the 
pans in running water, I prefer the stone 
crocks of the potteries, perfectly glazed, 
made a little larger at the top than at the 
bottom. The only reason why they are. 
preferable to tin, is the liability of the latter 
to rust, from continual contact with the 
water. In all other situations, I believe 
tin is the best of any thing we can at pre- 
sent use, both on account of cleanliness 
and economy. I presume at some future 
time, glass will come into use for that pur- 
pose, and there is no doubt it is better for 
milk pans than any other material, or will 
be, when it can be manufactured sufficiently 
cheap and strong. A lew years ago, when 
zinc was highly recommended for milk 
pans, my husband was desirous that I 
should give them a trial; I did so, and di- 
rectly found that the least acidity would 
decompose enough of the zinc to color 
that portion of the milk that settled at the 
bottom when the milk began to sour, ren- 
dering them wholly unfit for the purpose. 

Many persons complain of being unable 
to make yellow butter in winter. Some 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



245 



cows will yield yellow butter at all seasons, 
others n:it at any season; much, however, 
depends upon the kind of food given to the 
cow. I think the freezing of milk takes 
the color out, and injures the butler. 1 
prefer setting milk where it will not freeze 
till the cream has all risen; next to that, I 
like the practice of scalding the milk till 
the minute bubbles begin to rise from the 
bottom of the pan, then let it stand from 
twelve to eighteen hours, when the cream 
will be all at the top in a rich mass that 
may be cut; hence the name, "clotted 
cream," which always yields a large quan- 
tity of butter in proportion to its bulk, with 
a very little churning. I have seen a bowl 
of this cream converted into butter by stir- 
ring with a common table spoon in three 
minutes. The butter has a peculiar sweet- 
ness, and the cream is considered a great 
delicacy, particularly among English peo- 
ple, eaten with fruit at dessert. 

Any desired shade of yellow can be 
given to winter butter without in the least 
injuring the flavor, by grating an Altring- 
ham carrot into a little milk and straining 
into the cream. I mention this kind of 
carrot because it is higher colored, and 
consequently less of the juice is required. 
A little practice must regulate he quantity. 
The yolk of a fresh esg, well beaten, to 
two quarts of cream, will produce the same 
result. 

Since writing the above, I have been 
looking over an article for the "dairy," in 
a recent number of the Boston Cultivator, 
and find some interesting remarks made 
before a Council of the Royal Agricultural 
Society, by a gentleman who kept an ex- 
tensive dairy in Holstein. I find his prac- 
tice so well agrees with my own ideas of 
proper dairy management, that I send yon 
the remarks for publication, if you think 
proper.* His dairy is much like, that re- 
commended in the plan of a "Farm Cot- 
tage." which took the premium of the 
New York State Agricultural Society in 
1848, and since published in the Rural, 
of October 10, 1850. 

Willow-Dell Farm, June, 1852. 

* The article referred to, will appear in our next 
nnmber, headed "A Holstein Dairy." — Editor 
Southern Planter. 



Attention to Root Crops. — Keep 
your roof crops clean from weeds and 
graes, and the soil open to the fertilizing 
influences of the atmosphere. 



From tile Genesee Farmer. 

APPLICATION OF FERTILIZERS TO 
GARDENS. 

Those who are in the habit of perusing 
the agricultural and horticultural journals, 
must have observed that every year, and 
indeed every month, the subject of pre- 
paring and applying fertilizers of the soil, 
assumes more and more importance. In 
all the older States the primitive fertility 
of the soil is becoming exhausted, and 
people are finding out in the declining pro- 
duce of their fields and gardens, that they 
must either apply manures or move farther 
back. Twelve years ago, in the city of 
Rochester, manure — good stable manure — 
could be had in abundance for nothing. 
Thousands of loads were annually emptied 
into the river. Now it commands twenty- 
| five cents a two-horse wagon load at. least; 
and that in a fresh, rough state, as it comes 
from the stable floor. Every year it grows 
I dearer and scarcer, although the land baa 
I not increased, while the quantity of manure 
1 produced annually has more than quad- 
rupled. 

This shows the growing importance of 
manure here; and it is so in other places. 
,' Patent manure and poudrette companies, 
and searches after fertilizers in the bowels 
i of the earth, are all so many proofs that 
1 we are no longer ignorant of the value of 
manures; and proofs, too, that a hetter 
system ofcul I ure is rapidly gaining ground. 
It is a fact lhat every man who cultivates 
a field, an orchard, or a garden, should re- 
member well, that to be successful, he must 
understand the making as well as the ap- 
plication of fertilizers. Wiihout it he can 
not produce a remunerating crop on his 
farm, nor fine fruits or flowers in his garden. 
Our object at this time is not to discuss the 
subject in a general way, but to point out 
now, at ihe commencement of the growing 
season, a mode of fertilizing more particu- 
larly applicable to the garden, although in 
other countries practised extensively on 
farms, as will presently be seen. 

It is well known that manure, before it 
is in a proper condition to be taken up by 
the roots of plants, must be in a state of 
solution. When solid barn-yard manure 
is applied, it remains ineffective until the. 
moisture of the ground and rains dissolve 
it. But in this country we often have dry 
summers, during which manures often re- 
main solid during ihe whole season of 
growth, and turn up in the autumn almost 



V 









1/ 



I 



246 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



:-v 



as fresh as when turned in; the plants, 
meantime, starved. In such a climate it 
is evident that old, well decayed manure, 
will be most effectual; and if in a liquid 
.state better still, in all cases where we 
wish a rapid and luxuriant growth, as in 
the case with most garden vegetables and 
other annual plants. It supplies the place 
of both rain and manure— essentials of 
good growth. The liquid manure tank 
will become an indispensable adjunct to 
every American garden. The subject is 
attracting great attention even in the rainy 
climate of England, and we extract the 
following from a late number of the Gar- 
dener's Chronicle, offering some important 
suggestions in regard to the proper mode, 
and proper periods in growth, of applying 
it to the best advantage: 

"The great importance of the liquid 
manure question, and the numerous inqui- 
ries made of us as to the application of 
this fluid, lead us once more to resume the 
subject, restricting ourselves on the present 
occasion to a single point, namely, the pe- 
riod in the growth cf a plant when it may 
he most advantageously applied, or should 
be altogether withheld. 

"In order to understand this part of the 
question it must be borne in mind — first, 
that liquid manure is an agent ready for 
immediate use — its main value depending 
upon that quality; second, that its effect is 
to produce exuberant growth; and third, 
that it will continue to do so as long as the 
temperature and light required for itsaction 
are sufficient. These three propositions, 
rightly understood, point to the true prin- 
ciples of applying it; and if they are kept 
in view, no mistakes can well be made. 
They render it evident that the period in 
the growth of a plant, at which it should be 
applied, depends entirely upon the nature 
of the plant, and the object to be gained. 

"If, for example, wood and leaves are 
all that the cultivator desires to obtain, it 
will be evident that liquid manure may he 
used freely from the lime when buds first 
break, until it is necessary that the process 
of ripening the wood shall begin. Wood 
can not ripen so long as it is growing; 
wood will continue to grow as long as 
leaves form, and its rate of growth will be 
in direct proportion to their rate of devel- 
opment; therefore, to ripen wood, growth 
must be arrested. But the growth of wood 
will not be arrested so long as liquid ma- 
nure continues to be applied, except in the 
presence of a temperature low enough to 
injure or destroy it. Hence it is obvious 



that liquid manure must be withheld from 
plants grown for their wood and leaves, at 
the latest, by the time when two-thirds of 
the season shall have elapsed. To admin- 
ister it in such cases towards the end of 
the year, would be to produce upon it an 
effect similar to that caused by a warm, 
wet autumn, when even hardy trees are 
damaged by the earliest frost. 

"In the case of flowers, it is to be remem- 
bered that the more leaves a plant forms, 
thefewer blossoms in thatseason; although 
perhaps the more in a succeeding season, 
provided exuberance is then arrested. — 
The application of liquid manure is there- 
fore unfavorable to the immediate produc- 
tion of flowers. It is further to be remarked, 
that even although flowers shall have ar- 
rived at a rudimentary state, at a time 
when this fluid is applied, and that there- 
fore their number cannot be diminished, 
yet that the effect of exuberance is noto- 
riously to cause deformity; petals become 
distorted, the colored parts become, green, 
and leaves take the place of the floral or- 
gans, as we so often see with roses grown 
with strong, rank manure. In improving 
the quality of flowers, liquid manure is 
therefore a dangerous ingredient; never- 
theless its action is most important, if it is 
rightly given. The true period of apply- 
ing it, with a view to heighten the beauty 
of flowers, is undoubtedly when their buds 
are large enough to show that the elemen- 
tary organization is completed, and there- 
fore beyond the reach of derangement. 
If the floral apparatus has once taken upon 
itself the natural condition, no exuberance 
will afterwards affect it; the parts which 
are small will simply grow larger, and ac- 
quire brighter colors; for those changes in 
flowers which cause monstrous develop- 
ment, appear to take effect only when the 
organs are in a nascent state — at the very 
moment of their birth. Hence it is clear, 
that in order to affect flowers advantage- 
ously by liquid manure, it should be given 
to plants at the time when the flower bud 
is formed and just about to swell more 
rapidly. 

"With fruit it is different; the period of 
application should there be when the fruit, 
not the flowers, are beginning to swell. 
Nothing is gained by influencing the size 
or color of the flower of a fruit tree; what 
we want is to increase the size or abun- 
dance of the fruit. If liquid manure is 
applied to a plant when the flowers are 
growing, the vigor which it communicates 
to them must also be communicated to the 



/ 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



247 



leaves; but when leaves are growing unu- 
sually last, there is sometimes a danger 
that they may rob the branches of the sap 
required lor the nutrition of the fruit; and 
if that happens, the latter falls oft'. Here, 
then, is a source of danger which must 
not be lost sight of. No doubt, the proper 
time for using liquid manure is when the 
fruit is beginning toswell and has acquired, 
by means of its own green surface, a power 
of suction capable of opposing that of the 
leaves. At that time liquid manure may 
be applied freely, and continued, from time 
to time, as long as the fruit is growing. 
But at the first sign of ripening, or even 
earlier, it should be wholly withheld. The 
ripeningprocessconsists in certainchanges 
which the constituents of the fruit and sur- 
rounding leaves undergo; it is a new 
elaboration, which can only be interfered 
with by the continual introduction of crude 
matters, such as liquid manure will supply. 
We all know that when ripening has once 
begun, even water spoils the quality of the 
fruit, although it augments the size; as is 
sufficiently shown by the strawberries pre- 
pared for the London market, by daily 
irrigation. Great additional size is ob- 
tained, but it is at the expense of flavor; 
and any injury which mere water may 
produce, will certainly not be diminished 
by water holding ammoniacal and saline 
substances in solution. 

"Root crops stand in a different position 
to any of the foregoing. They are most 
analogous to the first of the above cases; 
for their roots may be compared to wood, 
of which they are equivalents. But there 
is this important difference, that whereas 
the quantity of wood is in direct proportion 
to the quantity of leaves, the reverse is the 
case with root crops. The turnip that 
throws up an enormous tuft of leaves, has 
a very small bulb; and so of the carrot. 
In these plants the root is formed by the 
leaves; but only when they themselves 
cease growing vigorously. The true ob- 
ject is to obtain plenty of foliage early 
enough to afford time for the after formation 
of the root. This is what happens under 
ordinary circumstances. The leaves grow 
rapidly during the warm weather of early 
autumn; but when the temperature falls. 
their own development is languid, and all 
their energy is expended in augmenting 
ihe mass below them. We entertain little 
doubt, that by the constant application of 
liquid manure, a turnip might be absolutely 
prevented from forming more root than a 
cabbage. In root crops, what ia wanted 



is an abundant supply of liquid manure 
when the leaves are forming, so as to se- 
cure early a large and vigorous foliage; 
after which no liquid manure whatever 
ought to be applied. This is quite consis- 
tent with the evidence collected by Mr. 
Dudly Fortesqu, and published in the mi- 
nutes of the board of health, to which we 
have so often, of late, had occasion to refer. 
Speaking of Mr. Kennedy's farm, in Ayr- 
shire, this gentleman says: 'Of the turnips, 
one lot of Swedes, dressed with ten tons 
of solid farm manure and about two thou- 
sand gallons of the liquid, having six bush- 
els of dissolved bones along with it, was 
ready for hoeing ten or twelve days earlier 
than another lot dressed with double the 
amount of solid manure without the liquid 
application, and were fully equal to those 
in a neighbor's field which had received 
thirty loads of farm-yard dung, together 
with three hundred weight of guano and 
sixteen bushels of bones per acre. The 
yield was estimated at forty tons the Scotch 
acre, and their great luxuriance seemed 
to me to justify the expectation. From 
one field of White Globe turnips, sown 
later, and manured solely with liquid, from 
forty to fifty tons to the Scotch acre were 
expected. A field of carrots treated in the 
same manner as the Swedes, to which a 
second application of liquid was given just 
before thinning, promises from twenty-six 
to twenty-five tons the acre.' 

"Such we believe to be the principles 
that should regulate the periods of growth 
at which liquid manure ought to be given 
to plants. Those principles are founded 
upon what appear to be the natural re- 
quirements of vegetation — are consistent 
with all at present known of the subject; 
and seem to account satisfactorily for many 
of the failures that are said tohaveattended 
the application of this ajzent. Let us add, 
however, that they are fair subjects of dis- 
cussion, and will be all the better under- 
stood if subjected to rational criticism. 
We should therefore be happy to receive 
the opinions of any correspondents whose 
experience enables them to coincide with, 
or to differ from us, in this most important 
matter." 



Peach trecsshould becarefullyexamined 
about the roots at this time, and a sharp 
knife used to clear away all gum, grubs 
and dead bark. Wash with soft soap and 
soot, and draw the earth up around the 
tree in a small hillock. — Mass. Ploughman. 



\ 



I 



248 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



'■k 



For the Southern Planter. 

VIRGINIA STATE AGRICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 

The Executive Committee met at the call 
of the President, at the Exchange Hotel in the 
ci'y of Richmond, on Friday evening the lGth 
of July, 1852, at 4 o'clock, P. M. 

Present: E. Riiilin, President; William H. 
Richardson, member of Committee; B. Pey- 
ton, Treasurer; Frank: G. Ruflin, Correspond- 
ing Secretary; Charles B. Williams, Record- 
ing Secretary. 

Mr. E. Ruffin, from the Committee appointed 
for that purpose, reported the draft of a circu- 
lar letter and list of queries to be addressed to 
Farmers throughout the State, with the view 
of obtaining from them important information 
of a practical nature on various subjects con- 
nected wiih agriculture; which repott was 
adopted, and thereupon the Committee came 
to the following resolution: 

Resolved, That the Recording Secretary have 
the said circular and queries published in the 
Southern Planter, and have five hundred sepa- 
rate copies printed and directed to suitable 
persons in the various counties of Virginia. 

Resolved, That Messrs. Frank: G.~Ruffin, 
Hill Carter and Thomas J. Randolph be ap- 
pointed a committee to prepare an address to 
the people of Virginia, urgins the support of 
the State Agricultural Society; and also, a 
petition for general subscription, praying the 
Legislature of Virginia for aid to agriculture. 

The following resolution was proposed for 
adoption, which was, on motion, laid upon the 
table: 

Resolved, That a Standing Committee of 
Publication be appointed, whose duty it shall 
be to examine all communications and essays 
addressed to the Society which may be re- 
ferred to them, and to prepare such of them 
for publication as they may deem proper to be 
adopted for that purpose. 

The following essays were received and or- 
dered to be referred to the Committee on 
Publication: 

" New views of the theory and laws of rota- 
tation of crops, and their practical applica- 
tion." 

"The profitable improvement of poor land, 
either mainly or entirely from its own re- 
sources." 

Resolved, That the first annual meeting of 
the Society be held on Thursday the lGth day 
of December next, in the city of Richmond. 

Premium for Analyses of Marl, <$-c. 
A complete set of the •'Farmers' Register,'' 
ten volumes, (well bound in calf, and lettered 
suitably to the distinction,) is offered by Ed- 
mund Ruffin, through the Virginia State Ag- 
ricultural Society, and will beawarded in 1853, 
by the Society, under the general regulation 
and procedure in regard to premiums, for the 



following scientific aid to agricultural practice 
and improvement: 

The most valuable series of analyses, con- 
ducted by, or under the particular direction of 
any one chemist, of different kinds of marl of 
lower Virginia, or of the accompanying beds 
of other earths, supposed to contain manuring 
ingredients. 

In deciding upon the relative superiority of 
claims of competitors for this offered premium, 
regard will be had to the number of analyses, 
the diversity and importance of the particular 
subjects, the accuracy of the methods used 
and described, the proper direction of investi- 
gation, and especially the probable utility and 
benefit of the results, in their application to 
agricultural practice, and improvement of 
soils. 

It is to be understood that the award of this 
premium shall not invalidate or lessen any 
claim which the receiver might otherwise pro- 
perly present upon some of the same grounds, 
for any other premium offered by the State 
Agricultural Society, on subjects of scientific 
investigation, useful discovery, or of commu- 
nications thereupon. 

In accordance with an invitation from the 
Farmers' Club of the county of Nottoway, it 
was resolved to adjourn to meet at Blacks & 
Whites, in said county, on Friday next, the 
23d instant. 

E. RUFFIN, President. 

Chas. B. Williams, Rec. Secretary. 



CIRCULAR. 

Letter from the Executive Committee of the State 
Agricultural Society to the Farmers of Virginia. 

Sir, — The all-important and indispensable 
means for the Virginia State Agricultural 
Society to produce much benefit to agricul- 
ture, will be found in the collecting the use- 
ful facts or instructive opinions which are 
known to numerous individual farmers — and 
the embodying of such information, and then 
diffusing it for the use of the agricultural 
community of Virginia. To perform this ser- 
vice, the most valuable of all the designed 
services and operations of the State Society, 
there will be required written communications 
from many farmers; and without that aid no- 
thing can be done in this important respect. 
Wiih such aid, rendered freely, fully and zeal- 
ously, the Society can and will do every thing 
for its great objects, that can be looked for 
from any such association. 

The Executive Committee respectfully ask 
and hope for your individual aid and co-opera- 
tion in this particular direction — and, through 
your influence, the aid of as many o'ther far- 
mers of your county or acquaintance, as may, 
both by their public spirit and their enlighten- 
ed self-interest, be induced to thus co-operate. 
Without regard to the particular names to 
which copies of this circular letter will be di- 



ar^: 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



249 



rected, (which of necessity must be few, and 
mostly selected without personal acquaint- 
ance,) it is hoped that every farmer who has 
any useful information to give to his lellow- 
laborers, will communicate it for public and 
general benefit, as now requested, through the 
State Agricultural Society. 

The annexed list of queries is submitted 
merely to suggest some of the numerous use- 
ful subjects for communications, and not to 
confine to these the range of communications. 
There are numerous other subjects as well 
deserving consideration, and upon which in- 
formation would be useful ; and communica- 
tions on any and every subject within the wide 
bounds of farming practice, will be accepta- 
ble to the Society, and valuable to the great 
agricultural community. All such answers 
to this letter, or like communications of use- 
ful facts or opinions, in whatever form com- 
municated, will be digested and embodied, 
and extensively diffused through the publica- 
tions of the Slate Society. 

Those persons who may treat of subjects 
requiringextended discussion, and whose com- 
munications will take the form of essays, will 
thereby still more effectively serve the Society 
and the public. The publication of such com- 
munications will not be postponed by the Ex- 
ecutive Committee to the general meeting of 
the Society; but, after being duly scrutinized 
and approved, will be placed before the public 
in the Southern Planter and o'her available 
channels. Should any essays, cr the subjects 
of any written communications, be such as 
properly to compete for any premiums offered 
I by or through the Society, their claims to such 
premiums at a later time shall not be invali- 
dated or affected by the prior reception and 
publication. 

Communications for the Executive Com- 
mittee, of agricultural information, if forward- 
ed by mail, should be directed to the Corres- 
ponding Secretary. 

For the Executive Committee of the State 
Agricultural Society, 

Feank: G. RrrprN, 
Cor. Secretary. 

SUBJECTS 

Suggested for Communications in writing to the 
State Agricultural Society of Virginia. 

Agricultural reports, in detail, of any par- 
ticular county, smaller division, or even single 
farm, and the farming practice thereof, offer- 
ing subjects of interesting and instructive 
agricultural information. » 

Descriptions of new or improved practices 
or processes, manures, or implements. 

Descriptions of any actual operations serv- 
ing for useful examples, in clearing, fencing 
or endorsing land, manuring, draining, culti- 
vation of particular crops, breeding, rearing, 
feeding and fattening of animals — or any other 
f2rmiDg labors and investments. 



Economical methods and practices, of tried 
'benefit, for increasing supplies of farm-made 
j manures — and discoveries or trials of mineral 
or other materials for manures in new lo- 
calities. 

Preparing, preserving and applying ordi- 
nary putrescent manures from stables and 
stock yards, &c. of farms. 

Composted and mixed manures— modes of 
\ preparing and applying — costs and benefits. 

Uses and effects as manure of alluvial or 
other earth, rich in mineral or organic matters, 
1 or mud of swamps, marshes, ponds or rivers. 

Leaves raked from wood-land, as manure. 

Estimates of costs, products and profits of 
purchased manures of all kinds. 
i Statements of costs, profits and other re- 
sults (and especially in regard to difference 
of health,) of any particular operations of lay- 
ing dry and cultivating former sites of mill- 
ponds, and substituting canals to supply water 
power to the mills. 

Description of good points to be observed 
in the selection of milch cows, and particu- 
larly as to what is known in regard to the 
Guenon theory in relation thereto. 

Remarks on dairy husbandry, and the mode 
of getting milk and butter to market. 

On various modes of curing tobacco, such 
as the difference between curing the same 
kind in the shade or house without fire ; in the 
house with fire ; and partially in the sun ; and 
afterwards in the house with, and without fire. 

On the advantage or disadvantage of using 
salt in curing tobacco. 

On the efficacy of salt in destroying worms 
in the soil; its beneficial effects used as ma- 
nure, and the quantity to be applied under va- 
rious circumstances. 

I On the mode of raising and curing hay from 
corn sowed or drilled, and value of it as com- 
pared with timothy, clover and herdsgrass hay. 

On the character, habits and various stages 
of predatory insects, such as joint-worm, army- 
worm, Hessian fly, &c. and the best methods 
of preventing their ravages upon crops. 



We call particular attention to the Address 
of the Farmer's Club of Nottoway on the En- 
closure System. It is a strong document, and 
speaks for itself. We had intended to have 
made some few remarks on the subject, but 
have no time. Nor do we conceive it very 
necessary. 

Jackson Sponge Cake. — Take one cup 
of flour, one cup of sugar, three eggs and 
one tea-spoonful of cream tartar, stir them 
well together, then dissolve one-fourth of 
a tea-spoonful of salseratusin a table-spoon- 
ful of hot water, add fo the cake, stir 
briskly and bake half an hour. — Michigan 
Farmer. 



\ 



250 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



SEED WHEAT. 

Garland Hanes, Esq. of Henrico, has left 
at our office samples of very fine white wheat, 
raised on his farm, which he wishes to dispose 
of for seed. It is represented as a very pro- 
lific variety — the grains being very plump and 
heavy. See his advertisement in another co- 
lumn, v 

James T. Redd, Esq. of Caroline, has also 
left with us some fine specimens of wheat, 
raised by him, known as the "Mammoth" 
and "Bald Head" varieties. 

Farmers visiting the city can see them at 
our office. 



How to Kill Ants. — An Irish journal 
states the following as a fact. A vessel 
containing the water in which prunes had 
been stewed, had been placed in a cup- 
board, which was infested with these in- 
sects, and on being looked at a few days 
after, all the liquid had disappeared, and 
in its place was a compact mass of dead 
ants, weighing more than two pounds.— 
The trouble of boiling prunes, for this 
purpose might be saved, by purchasing 
three pence worth of treacle. 

To Prevent Bots in Horses. — A per- 
son of much experience in veterinary sci- 
ence is never troubled with this disease in 
his horses. His simple practice during 
the fall months, is to keep a greasy cloth 
in the stable, and once a week rub with it 
such parts of the animals as may have 
been attacked by the nit-fly. Grease de- 
stroys and prevents theeggs from hatching. 

For Cattle and Horses. — Mix occa- 
sionally one part of salt with four parts of 
wood ashes, and give the mixture to dif- 
ferent kinds of stock, summer and winter. 
It promotes their appetites and tends to 
keep them in a healthy condition. It is 
6aid to be good against bots in horses, 
murrain in cattle, and rot in sheep. 

To Make Hens Lay.— The "South 
Carolinian" says a neighbor states that 
hog's lard is the best thing he can find to 
mix the dough he gives to his hens. He 
Bays that one cut of this fat, as large as a 
walnut, will set a hen to laying immediately 
after she has been broken up from setting, 
and that, by feeding them with the fat oc- 
casionally, his hens continue laying through 
the whole winter. This is worth trying, 
at least. 



Vu 



PAYMENTS TO THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 

From July 1st, to July 23d, 1852. 

George Payne, to January, 1853, $2 00 

Leroy C. Timberlake, to January, 1853, 1 00 

W. C. Jones, to January, 1853, 4 00 

L. H. Knight, to July, 1853, 1 00 

William J. Carpenter, to Jan. 1853, 4 00 

Judge John Robertson, to July, 1852, 4 50 

Col. J. Chowning, to January, 1853, 1 00 

O. H. Chalkley, to Julv, 1852, 1 00 

G. P. Chalkley, to July, 1853, 1 00 

R. P. Harmon, to January, 1853, 1 00 

Eclwatd Porter, to January, 1853, 1 00 

Josiah Collins, to July, 1854, 4 00 

Richard Irby, to July, 1853, 1 00 

William lrby, to July, 1853, 1 00 

G. N. Seay, to July, 1853, 1 00 

Dr. A. A. Campbell, to July, 1854, 2 00 
Edmund J. Thompson, to January, 1853, 1 00 

William F. Leake, to January, 1853, 1 00 

Thomas H. Perkins, to January, 1853, 1 00 

John W. White, to July. 1853, l 00 

Peter White, to July, IR52, 1 00 

John T. Childrey, to January, 1853, 1 00 

Charles A. Robertson, to July, 1853, 2 00 

J. S. Nicholas, to January, 1853, 7 00 

S. C. Harper, to July, 1853, 1 00 

William A. Temple, to January, 1853, 2 00 

Thomas Wright, May, 1853, ' l 00 

David E. Sharp, to July, 1853, l 00 

George S. Blakey, to July, 1853, l 00 

Dr. J. Claiborne, to March, 1853, 1 00 

O. White, to January, 1853, 1 00 

C. C. Snow, to January, 1853, l 00 
William D. Wallace, to January, 1853, 1 00 

Thomas J. Wallace, to January, 1853, 1 00 

Albert G. Curtis, January, 1853, l 00 

John S. L. Slocum, to January, 1853, 1 00 

William Barrett, to January, 1853, 1 00 

Thornton Moore, to January, 1853, l 00 

George Sampson, to January, 1853, 1 00 

Richard Sampson, to January, 1853, 1 00 

Thomas Gaskins, to Jnnuary, 1853, 1 00 

Dr. A. P. Strother, to January. 1854, 2 00 

James E. Anderson, to Julv, 1853, 1 00 

A. B. Fitzgerald, to July, 1853, 1 00 

Benjamin H. Stamps, to July, 1853, 1 00 

Willhim Grimes, to January. 1853, 1 00 

Elijah B. Wood, to July, 1853, 1 00 

J. D. Massenburg, to January, 1853, 1 00 

J. E. Gillet, to May, 1853, 1 00 

Warren Edwards, to May, 1S53, 1 00 

G. H. Crank, to September, 1852, 1 00 

Dr. D. B. Roy, to Januarv, 1853, 1 00 

Dr. G. Field, to January ,"l853, 6 00 

Thomas Plummer, to April, 1853, 1 00 

Joseph L. Jones, to April, 1853, 1 00 

William L Brddie, to April, 1853, 1 00 

James T. Pope, to April, 1853, 1 00 

Dr. Stephen Davis, to April, 1853, 1 00 

W. A. Kearnev, lo April, 1853, 1 00 

Dr. A. B. Hawkins, to April, 1853, 1 00 

Maj. H. W. Eaton, to April, 1853, 1 00 

John H. Lee, to April, 1853, 1 00 

Peter M'Gee, to July, 1853, 1 00 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



251 



S. C. Sneed, to July, 1853, &2 00 

B. L. Johnson, to July, 1S52, 1 00 

E. W. Hubard, to January, 1852, 1 00 

B. M. Wailes, to September, 1852, 1 00 

John Massie, to January, 1853, 1 00 

John B. Lasley, to July, 1853, 1 00 

Col. William Crawford, to Jan. 1853, 1 00 
A. F. Butler, to January, 1853, 1 00 

Isaac A. Paul, to May, 1853, 1 00 

W. C. Lumsden, to May, 1853, 1 00 

John L. Morris, to May, 1853, 1 00 

J. R. Shipleit, to May, 1853, 1 00 

James Eastham, to May, 1853, 100 

Dr. G. W. Kemper, to January, 1853, 1 00 
W. T. Parrott. to January, 1853, 1 00 I 

James M. Harris, to January, 1853, 3 00 

I. de Vlaming, to January, 1853, I 00 j 

R. B. Hendriek, to January, 1853, 1 00 j 

Mrs. Eliza M'Donald, to July. 1853, 1 00 

William Gamble, to September, 1853. 1 00 i 
James H. Fitzgerald, to January, 1853, 3 00 ' 
William Meredith, to July, 1853, I 00 | 

J. L. Dawson, to July, 1853, 1 00 I 

W. A. Yager, to June, 1853, 1 00 

James M. Jackson, to May, 1853, 1 00 

Ro. S. Mills, to July, 1853, 1 00 

William M. Jones, to January, 1853, 3 00 I 
Dr. M. Page, to July, 1853, 1 00 

Robert Snapp, to July, 1853, 1 00 

William Frazier, to July, 1853, 1 00 

George Rocker, to January, 1853, 1 00 ] 

Edwin Steger, to September, 1852. 1 00 

P. B. Jones, to July, 1853, 1 00 I 

T. S. Major, to January, 1852, 1 00 | 

Edmund Henshaw. to July, 1853, 1 00 

William M. Shepherd, to Sept. 1852, ~) 
H. R. Holland, to June, 1853, 
fThomas A. Hughes, to June, 1853, 
Frederick Erney, to June, 1853, 
H. W. Baskett, to June, 1853, 
Robert Kent, Sr. to June, 1853, J 

G. R. Gibbons, to July, 1853, 
Ambrose P. Hill, to June, 1853, 
William Major, to June, 1853. 
William B. Ross, to June, 1853, 
R. H. Cunningham, to June, 1853, 
Dr. D. S. Green, to September. 1854, 
S. S. Bradford, to June, 1853, ' 
Charles Yager, to June, 1853. 
James Collins, to June, 1853, 
John H. Rixey. to June, 1853, 
John Vaughan, to June, 1853, 
George M. Wood, to June, 1853, 
Dr. R. K. Long, to June, 1853, 
Dr. A. Taliaferro, to June, 1853, 
John Wharton, to June, 1853, 
Benjamin Farish, to June, 1853, 
Edward Lightfoot, to June, 1853, 
William T. Humphreys, to June, 1853, 
Maj. R. C. Brown, to June, 1853, 
Jeremiah Morton, to June, 1853, 
C. C. Beckham, to June, 1853, 
John N. Griffin, to June, 1853, 
J. W. Hudson, to June, 1853, 
C. P. Crutcher, to June, 1853, 
George Ficklin, to June, 1853, 
Col. Pickett Withers, to June, 1853, 



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60 


1 


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1 


00 


1 


00 


1 


00 


1 


00 


1 


00 


o 


00 


1 


00 



b 00 



1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


2 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


1 00 


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1 00 


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1 00 


1 00 



Col. Robinson Coons, to June, 1S53, 
James Wager, to June, 1853, 
William A. Bowen, to June, 1853, 
Thomas W. Jones, to June, 1853, 
W. S. Coons, to June, 1853, 
William D. Field, to June, 1S53, 
Capt. Ed. Beale, to June, 1853, 
George Pannill, Jr. to June, 1853, 
Thomas G. Gibson, to June, 1853, 
Albert Thomas, to June, 1853, 
W. O'Bannon, to January, 1852, 
James F. Brown, to June, 1853, 
Morgan AVood, to June, 1853, 
John S. Parks, to June, 1853, 
William S. Wallis, to June, 1853, 
L. H. Taliaferro, to June, 1853, 
Philip Mallory, to June, 1853, 
William Rixey, to June, 1853, 
Rev. Barnet Grimsley, to June, 1853, 
G. J. Kelly, to January, 1854, 
Gen. J. B. Harvie, to July, 1853, 



PROPOSAL FOR PUBLISHING 

THE TRANSACTIONS 

OF THE 

VIRGINIA STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, 

THE undersigned proposes, if sufficiently 
encouraged, to publish the "Transac- 
tions" of the Virginia State Agricultural So- 
ciety. They will iorm a volume of 384 large 
octavo pages, uniform with the Southern 
Planter, and will be furnished to members of 
the State Society at the exceedingly low price 
of Thirty Cents per Volume, and to oihers 
at One Dollar per Volume — invariably in 
advance. 

The "Transactions" will consist of all such 
proceedings and papers of ihe Society and of 
the Executive Committee as may be ordered to 
be published — and which, it may be presumed 
in advance, will include many original Essays 
and Discussions of Agricultural subjects, and 
Reports of Experiments, scientific and prac- 
tical, of Farm Practices, together with Results 
of Operations in Farming in all its branches, 
carefully digested and embodied by the Pub- 
lication Committee of the Stale Agricultural 
Society. The matter, for much the greater 
part, being furnished by Virginia farmers, the 
"Transactions" may be expecied to contain a 
larger and more valuable collection of facts 
and experience, suitable to the wants of our Stale, 
than has ever before been presented to the 
public. 

It is, perhaps, proper to say, lhat this matter 
will be first given to the public through Ihe 
medium of the 'Southern Planter, from which 
it will be re-published, as proposed above. 

|3p Persons who desire to subscribe will 
please send their names immediately, stating 
at the same time wheiher they are members 
of the State Society. 

P. D. BERNARD. 

Richmond, July 21, 18&2. 



Vw 






THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 






SEED WHEAT. 

I HAVE for sale about four hundred bushels 
of wheal which I improved fromasmall por- 
tion ol the Moravian wheat. The grain is large 
and white; the heads are very large, sone of 
them upwards of six inches. It produced up- 
wards of forty bushels to the acre last year 
on a common piece of land, without guano. 
I send you, Mr. Editor, a sample of the wheat 
in the ears, which you will please to show to 
those who wNh to examine them. The price 
of the wheat is one dollar and fifty cents per 
bushel. Orders left with Dabney & Hanes, 
Broad street, No. 146, opposite the Richmond 
Theatre, will be promptly attended to. 
au— li* GARLAND HANES. 

VIRGINIA LAND FOR SALE. 

A NUMBER of tracts, lying in (he coun- 
ties around Lynchburg, and varying from 
<me hundred to two thousand acres. These 
lands contain a fine close red subsoil, and can be 
brought to any state of fertility that the culti- 
vator may wish. Prices from three to fifteen 
dollars per acre, very near town; and more 
distant, several large tracts of mountain land, 
at prices from fifty cents to two dollars per 
acre. BENJ'N WILKES, 

aja— It* Land Agent. 

LIVINGSTON COUNTY PLOUGH. 

rj^HE subscriber having greatly increased 

I his facilities for manufacturing the above 
Ploughs, will be able 10 supply orders for 
Ploughs or Castings on a larger scale of the 
following numbers and sizes: 
No. 1. One Horse Plough 
No. 2. Light 2 Horse Plough 
No. 2A. •' " " 
No. 3. Heavy" " " 

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

generally used for 3 horses. ) 

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

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

Steel's Tavern, Augusta Co. Va. 

ap— if 



Right Hand. 



Left Hand. 



DEVON BULLS FOR SALE. 

THE subscribers, having lately entered upon 
the business of Breeding Devon Cattle, 
now, for the first time, offer for sale some of 
their Bull Calves. Their stock is all recently 
imported from the celebrated herds of Messrs. 
George Turner and James Gtuartly, Devon- 
shire, England, who are well known as the first 
breeders of Devons in the world; and being 
in no way related to the older importations 
into this country, their bulls will afford a good 
opportunity for crossing the old stocks. 

Those we now ofier are Uncas and Keokuk; 
the first, calved March 19th, 185 1— the other, 
February 17th, 1852; their pedigree is the 
same, viz: sire, "Megunticook," grandsire, 
"Prince Albert," dam, "Non-Pareille," by 
"Lord Lynedock." " Megunticook" won the 
first prize at the American Institute in 1850, 
and at the New York State Show in 1851. — 
"Non-Pareille" won the first prize at Barnsta- 
ble, Devonshire, in 1846, and at the New York 
Slate Show in 1851. "Prince Albert" and 
"Lord Lynedock" were both favorite prize 
bulls of Mr. CLuartly. Also "Red Jacket, calved 
May 5th, 1 852 ; sire, "Megunticook," dam, 
"Meadow Lilly," by " Baronet," grand dam, 
"Helena," bred by Mr. James dua'rily. — 
" Baronet" has won four first prizes, including 
that at the Royal Agricultural Society's Show, 
at Norwich, England, in 1849. 

Several animals from our herd will be exhi- 
bited at the New York State Show, to be held 
at Utica in September next, and at the Ame- 
rican Institute in October. They may all be 
seen al any time on our place, two miles north 
of Rhinebeck Landing, on the Hudson riverjl|:| 
(As yet we have not any heifers for sale.) 
W. P. & C. S. WAINWRIGHT. 

Rhinebeck, Duchess county, N. Y. 

je— 3t 

PILKINGTON'S OR LUCK'S 
IMPROVED PATENT SMUT MACHINE. 

THIS Machine has proved itself to be one 
of unrivalled excellence. It is warranted 
to answer every purpose of the most complete 
and expensive machinery of screens, rubbing 
stones, fans, &c. and will thoroughly clean the 
most smutty wheat. It is the best contrivance 
to take out chess, onions, and heavy grit, that 
has ever been used by millers. This machine 
is provided with self-acting oil feeders to the 
journals, and requires to be oiled bin once a 
week. It wholly does away with the small 
fan. It runs at the rate of one thousand revo- 
lutions per minute, requiring but little power. 
We have sold a large number of these ma- 
chines, and they have in every case given en- 
tire satisfaction. Price $(>0> 

A. B. ALLEN & CO. 
New York Agricultural Warehouse, 189 and 

191 Water street, New York. 

Jane, 1852—31 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



253 



De3ovr"s Industrial Resources 

AND PROGRESS OF THE SOUTH- 
ERN AND WESTERN STATES, in 
three large and closely printed volumes, small 
type, double columns; handsome print, paper 
and binding, — being a digest and abridgement 
of the 12 volumes ot' DeBow's Review. Price 
S10, or $3 33 per volume. 

Desirous of supplying the large and conti- 
nually increasing demand for the complete series 
of I he Review, \n 12 volumes, now exhausted, 
and which it would require a very large outlay 
to reprint, the editor has been induced to make 
a seleciion of all the imporiant and valuable 
papers contained in ihem from the beginning, 
condensing, re-arranging and completing to 
date, and throwing the subjects after the man- 
ner of the encyclopoedias, into alphabetical 
order. In this manner everything of interest 
and importance will be preserved in a conve- 
nient form, for re fr.rence ; and the volumes will 
constitute the only repository for the shelve* 
of the library, of such information, which by 
means of the monthly numbers hereafter will 
always be brought down to date. 

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

To wit: Their History, Population, Ge- 
ography, Statistics; Agricultural, Pro- 
ducts, of Cotton, Sugar, Tob/cco, Hemp, 
Grains, Naval Stores, eic. etc. — Manufac- 
tures; detailed accounts, statistics and his- 
tory of all branches,— Internal Improvements; 
complete statistics of Rail Roads, results pro- 
fits, expenses, costs, advantages, miles in pro- 
jection, construction, completed, etc.; Plank 
Roads, Canals. Navigation, etc. — Statistics of 
Health and Diseases, wealth and progress; rela- 
tive condition, whiles and blacks; Slave Laws 
and Statistics, management and amelioration 
nf slavery, — origin, history and defeaces of slavery 
awl slave institutions; the valuable treatises of 
Harper, Hammond, Dew, on slavery, etc.; 
Commerce of the South and West in all of 
its minute particulars, etc. together with an 
histoiical and statistical sketch of each of the 
states and cities, — the domestic and foreign trade, 
resources, manufactures, etc. of the United Stales; 
the Census Returns from 179U, with the com- 
plete statistics of the census of 1850. 

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

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



The volumes hereafter will be uniform with 
the condensed series. 

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

§3f*Orders on Commission Merchants in ci- 
ties or towns, payable on sale of crops, re- 
ceived as cash. 

J. D. B. DeBOW, 
Ed. DeBow's Review, Merchant's Exchange. 
New Orleans, July, 1852— Gt 

PIEDMONT FEMALE ACADEMY. 

rpHE Second Term of the First Session of 
I this Institution will commence on the 20th 
of July. The subscriber is making an im- 
provement by which he will be enabled to lake 
five or six more young ladies after the 2Cth of 
next month. Terms 860 for five months for 
board and tuition in all the English branches 
and alsoin the French language. An additional 
fee of 315 will be charged those who lake 
lessons in music. Address the subscriber at 
Gordonsville, Orange County, Virginia. 
July— 2t J. W. GOSS. 

ANALYSIS OF SOILS, &c. 

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

Persons desiring further information will 
please address 

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

DAILY AND WEEKLY DISPATCH. 

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

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



\! 



w 



254 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



AUSTRALIAN WHEAT.-VERY SUPERIOR. 

THE berry of this grain is extra large, and 
makes the best of flour. It produces a 
greater average crop than any other variety 
now grown in New York. Several years' ex- 
perience in its cultivation, proves that it is less 
liable to rust or mildew than other kinds; and 
as the stalk is large and strong, it is also less 
liable to blow down or lodge. Price, $4 per 
bushel. Other varieties of wheat, such as the 
White Flint, Mediterranean, Black Sea, &c. 
Also Agricultural Implements of all kinds, 
and Field and Garden Seeds. 

A. B. ALLEN & CO. 
189 and 191 Water street, New York. 
June — 3t 



EAGLE FOUNDRY. 

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

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

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

COCHIN CHINA AND SHANGHAE 
FOWLS. 

THE subscriber has for sale a few pairs of 
Pure Blooded Fowls, from the above 
stock, originally imported by himself, war- 
ranted true to their name, and not surpassed 
by any other stock, for good qualities, in the 
country. Reference given in regard to them 
if desired. 

Orders addressed to the subscriber for the 
same will receive attention. 

CHARLES SAMPSON. 
West Roxbury, Mass. June, 1852. — 2t 



2 SOUTHDOWN BUCKS FOR SALE. 

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

RALEIGH COLSTON, 
Near Woodville Depot P. O. Albemarle. 



VALUABLE AG ICULTURAL 
WORK 



\ 



Si 



ORKS for sale by NASH & WOOD- 
HOUSE, Eagle Square. 

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

Johnston's Agricultural Chemistry — a newff 
edition, in one volume, l2mo. cloth, gilt — $1 25.' 

Johnston's Elements of Agricultural Che- 
mistry — 50 cents. 

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

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

Hoare's Treatise on the Cultivation of the 
Grape Vine on open Walls — 50 cents. 

Sheep Husbandry, by H. S. Randall— SI 25. 

Stephens' Book of the Farm, complete— ©4. 

Browne's American Poultry Yard, tenth edi- 
tion— $1. 

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

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

Chemistry Made Easy for Farmers, paper— 
25 cents. 

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

Dana's Prize Essay on Manures — 25 cents. 

Miner's American Bee Keeper's Manual — 
SI. Mail edition— 75 cents. 

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

Canfield on the Breeds, Management, Struc- 
ture and Diseases of Sheep— ©1- fr\ 

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

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

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

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

Gunn's Domestic Medicine; or, Poor Man's 
Friend in Affliction, Pain and Sickness — ©3. 

mar — ly 

UNION AGRICULTURAL WARE- 
HOUSE AND SEED STORE. 

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



murai 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



255 



TO AGRICULTURISTS. 

/T ORRIS & BROTHER have received the 
VA. following valuable Books, pertaining to 
griculture: 

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

Elements of Agricultural Chemistry and 
leology ; by Jas. F. W. Johnston. 
American Agriculturist, for the Farmer, 
'lanter. Stock Breeder, and Horticulturist; 
y A. B.Allen; numerous plates. The 8th 
nd 9th volumes of this most valuable work are 
eeived, also complete sets. Every farmer 
hould have this work. 
American Farm Book, on Soils, Manures, 
)rainings, Irrigation, Grasses, Grain, Roots, 
ruit, Cotton, Tobacco, Sugarcane, Rice, and 
very staple product of the United States. — 
This is a perfect farmer's library, with upwards 
f 100 engravings; by R. L. Allen. 
Farmer's Manual, with the most recent dis- 
overies in Agricultural Chemistry; by F. 
^aulkner. 

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

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

American Husbandry. — Series of Essays on 
ft.griculture, with additions; by Gaylord and 
Tucktr. 

Farmer's Encyclopxdia; by Cuthbert W. 
; T »hnson. 

I Productive Farming, with thq most recent 
discoveries of Liebig, Johnston, Davy, and 
bthers. 

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

Johnson's Chemistry and Geology, with their 
application. 

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

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

Squarey's Agricultural Chemistry, Bonssin- 
gault, Rural Economy, Buist's Kitchen Gar- 
dener, Landscape Gardening, and Rural Ar- 
chitecture; by A. J. Downing. 
Fessenden's American Gardener. 
American Fruit Book, with full instructions; 
by S. W. Cole. 

Downing on Frnit Trees. 
Theory of Horticulture; by Lindley. 
Florist's Manual; by H. Bourne; 80 colored 
engravings. 

Bridgman's Kitchen Gardener. 
In addition to which, Mcrris & Brother have 
all of the late Works on Agriculture, Horti- 
caliure, and Raising Stock, of any celebrity. 
Richmond, Ma.ic.ch 12, 1851.— lv 



PLANTATION BOOK. 

JW. RANDOLPH, Richmond, Virginia, 
• has just published the Plantation and 
Farm Instruction, Regulation, Record, Inven- 
tory and Account Book, Tor the use of ma- 
nagers of estates, and for the better ordering 
and management of plantation and farm busi- 
ness, in every particular, by a Southern Planter. 
Order is Heaven's first law— Pope. Price $2, 
or six for $10; a larger edition for the use of 
cotton plantations, piiceS'2 50. 

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

There are extra sheets for monthly and 
yearly reports, for the use of those whodo not 
live on their farms. The Book will he sen f 
by mail (ree of postage to any one who will 
remit the prici? in money or po.-^age stamps. 

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

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

5?"Itwill prove a most valuable assistant to 
the planter, manager or overseer, and a work 
that will facilitate them greptly in the trans- 
action of business." — Richmiad Dispatch. 

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

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

" It is full of useful information and is well 
calculaied to induce a methodical system, in- 
dustry and energy especially vital to a suc- 
cessful and profitable cultivation of mother 
earth." — Richmond Evquvicr. June— if 



V 



256 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



1 



r> t 



U 



CONTENTS OF NUMBER Till. 

^ 

PAGE 

Scientific Agriculrttje 225 

Deep Ploughing. . . ™ 228 

Catching Flies 230 

Enclosure System of Virginia 230 

Gluick Beef Growing 235 

Difficulties of Agricultural Editorship 235 

Flax Cotton, or British Cotton 238 

Theory of Mineral Manures ■. . .240 

Seasonable Recipes . , 210 

Weights and Measures 240 

National Agricultural Convention 241 

Fences on the Banks of Streams 242 

A Small Virginia Farm 243 

Butter Making 243 

Attention to Root Crops 245 

Application of Fertilizers to Gardens. . . .245 

Peach Trees 247 

Virginia State Agricultural Society 248 

Seed Wheat 250 

How to Kill Ants 250 

To Prevent Dots in Horses ^ 250 

Ashes for Cattle and Horses .' 250 

To Make Hens Lay 250 

Payments to the Southern Planter 250 

WILLIAM P. IADD, 

APOTHECARY AND DRUGGIST, 

No. 319, head of Broad Street, Shoekoe Hill, 

Richmond, 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. 

5Qf= Orders from Country Merchants and 
Physicians thankfully received and promptly 
attended to. 
ja 1851— tf 

AGENCY FOR THE PURCHASE AND 
SALE OF IMPROVED STOCK. 

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

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



BOOKS, PIANOS, MUSIC, &c. 

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

Constantly on hand, a full supply of stand- 
ard Agricultural Works. 
oct— tf 



GREAT REDUCTION IN PRICES OF 
HATS AND BOOTS. 

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

THE cheapest place in the city of Rich- 
mond to buy Hats and Boots is at the 
above store, where every article sold may be 
relied on as represented. By this means he 
has gained a good run of custom, and his cus- 
tomers feel satisfied. Below is a list of his 
prices, which will be strictlj' adhered to: 
Best quality moleskin, - - $'3 50 
Second quality " 3 00 

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

Fine Calfskin Sewed Boots only three dol- 
lars and fifty cents. 
Also, Caps, Shoes and Umbrellas. 
J. H. Anthony has made an arrangement 
■with one of the best makers in the city of 
Philadelphia, 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 solicited, as they are 
the best and cheapest Boots that have ever 
been offered for sale in this city. He intends 
to keep but the one kind, and sell them at one 
price 1 se — ly 

nnHE RICHMOND AND PETERSBURG ' 
X RAIL ROAD COMPANY respectfully 
in/'orm farmers living on the Roanoke River '; 
and on the line of the Raleigh and Gaston. 
Rail Road, that they are transporting tobacco 
and other produce between Richmond and Po% 
tersbnrg with promptness and despatch, run'' 
ning daily trains of eight wheel covered cars, 
securing tobacco and goods from damage. 
Tobacco consigned to the care of J. Lynch, 
Rail Road Agent, Petersburg, will be for- 
warded, free of commissions, to Richmond. 
Goods purchased in Richmond and consigned 
to the Rail Road Agent at Gaston will be for- 
warded up the river without charge for for- 
warding. THOS. DODAMEAD, 
Sup't R. & P. R. R. 
Jane 24, 1851— tf 

VIRGINIA AXES. 

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

R. Archer, ^ R. ARCHER & CO. 
A. D. Townes, I 
R. S. Archer, I 
C. Dimmock. ' oct — ly 



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