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switch was readily tlirust into any part of it the following spring when the com was planted—in the month of May—to the depth of twenty to twenty-two inches. The crop of wheat which followed the corn v/as inferior, and he thinks from the same cause. He had previously fallowed a very fine piece of land for turnips, sub-soiled with a coulter and manured—the turnip crop failed from inferior seed, and the land wffs vastly improved; but not more, he thinks, than is fairly referable to the manure. Had subsequently sub-soiled with a wing coulter—the wing at the foot of the coulter—about two-thirds of a corn field—the season was so dry that he only made two and a half barrels per acre where he expected to make eight. There was never any difference to be perceived between the sub-soiled and the un-sub-soiled land, each being equally affected by drought. He has made other experiments, and always with the same results, and has never seen in crop or clover the least advantage. It would have taken a very considerable one to repay the expenditure of extra labor, which was excessive and required a fourth horse—he ploughs three abreast—to relieve the animal that walked in the sub-soiled furrow and sank to the fetlocks at every step.

7. Col. Philip St. G. Cocke, on his farm in Powhatan, on which he resides, sub-soiled a whole field (for corn) except a small strip omitted for comparison, which was perpendicular to the line of the road, from which, in passing, the ground was frequently seen. It was in a winter throughout very favorable for ploughing, so as to give time for this heavy addition to the usual labor. The ploughing was eight inches deep, and the sub-soil breaking six inches deeper, making fourteen inches in all. In the summer there was severe drought, very trying to corn generally. But this crop so well withstood the effects of the drought, that he ascribed the good condition of the corn in part to the siib-soiling operation. Still, there was no difference of appearance, to his frequent slight and superficial observation and comparison, of the adjacent portions differently treated as to sub-soiling. He did not however examine very closely all along the lines of junction, so as to note any existing and manifest superiority of the sub-soiled corn. The winter weather was very favorable to the best execution of sub-soiling, and the summer drought for permitting its best effect.

[Remark. That this crop was better enabled to withstand drought by its being throughout deeply ploughed, cannot be questioned. But it is at least doubtful whether any additioilal remuneratirig benefit was produced to that year's crop by the sub-soiling.—E. R.]

8. Mr. Edwin G. Booth, of Nottoway, in the winter, sub-soiled, to the depth of 12 inches (in both the ploughings,) every alternate broad bed of a low-ground field, which was cultivated that year in corn, next year in oats, followed by timothy and herds-grass. The intermediate beds, at the same time, had received the like ploughing, by good two-horse ploughs, but the sub-soil operation omitted. By a heavy but transient rain-flood raising the "creek" or large stream, the land was overflowed before planting time. But the water subsided and left the land in two hours. He was never able to perceive any difference of growth in any crop, on the beds sub-soiled and those ploughed only. The land was as well drained as is usual with such lands, but not as well as it might and ought to be.

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9, 10. Mr. William Boulware, of King & Queen, has sub-soiled well and deeply two different pieces of land, with very different and also remarkable results. One piece, was of land which was subject to suffer from surface water—the surplus rain not being able to sink through the close lower earth. The next crop (corn) after this sub-soiling, was much increased, being apparently more than twice as much as he liad ever made from the same land previously.

The other piece of land was moderately stiff, and of good and deep soil, and had been originally productive. The ploughing was very deep—the lower three inches of earth turned up to the surface, had never been moved by the plough before. The ploughing and still deeper sub-soiling were manifestly injurious to the crop, which was very far inferior to any former one. It was so mean, that he was led to suspect that the depth of the sub-soiling had reached some poisonous ingredient of the sub-soil, into which the roots now penetrated for the first time.

11. Mr. HillCarter of Charles City, attended carefully to a trial of sub-soil ploughing, on Harding's, the farm of his son, on James river. The land lies high, and clear of any injurious under-water—but liable to suffer from too much rain, owing to the great stiffness of both the soil and sub-soil, which does not permit the surplus rain Avater to sink by percolation—and to the level surface, which does not permit the free flowing off. The field in question was in clover, and to be summer-fallowed for wheat. The plovighing was done by three horses, or good mules, to each plough—full seven inches deep, and well executed. A proper and good subsoil plough, followed in each furrow, cutting six or seven inches deeper, (or thirteen or fourteen in all) and breaking and stirring the sub-soil, but leaving it in its place, as designed by the operation. The sub-soil plough also. had three horses, and was more laborious than the upper ploughing—and so much so, that the sub-soil ploughing, instead of being extended, as at first designed, through the whole field, was stopped, after taking in some four or five acres. The ploughing of the remainder of the field was as above stated, seven inches deep. The whole field, for such soil, produced good wheat —about eighteen to twenty bushels to the acre. But no superiority, or difference, could be seen on the portion sub-soiled.

12. Mr. Richard Irby, of Nottoway, ploughed, for tobacco, about March 1st, a lot of gray gravelly loam, or " homony" soil—with yellow clay sub-soil, mixed with gravel. The land high and dry—one-half was sub-soiled—the ploughing about seven inches, and with the sub-soil ploughing, fully twelve inches. The land afterwards heavily covered with coarse manure. No difference was perceived in the production, either of the tobacco, or the wheat or clover, which followed in succession—and no difference in the labor of the subsequent ploughincrs.

13. 14. Mr. William R. Bland, of Nottoway,In winter of 1851-2, ploughed about one-third of a lot, in a strip through the middle, and sub-soiled the same. The remainder of the lot was ploughed in like manner, but the sub-soiling omitted. The ploughing eight inches deep, and the sub-soiling six inches more. The soil, gray loam, on a red clay sub-soil. Land high, rolling surface, and dry. Part of the lot had been an old garden, and very fine garden ground. The first crop, tobacco, followed by wheat and then clover. No benefit, or other effect caused by the sub-soiling, on either crop.

The same year, he sub-soiled in like manner a

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broad bed (forty feet wide,) of well drained low-ground. The adjoining beds on both sides, and all the land, ploughed without sub-soiling. The land planted in corn, and followed by wheat. No benefit, from the sub-soil, on either crop.

For the Southern Planter. CARBONATE OF LIME IN MARL.

Mr. Editor, —Mr. Gresham's article in the May number of the Planter contained directions for ascertaining the proportion of the carbonate of lime in a given quantity of marl, which it is easy to show would lead to very fallacious results in practice. It is a matter of no little importance to the farmer who has the good fortune to own a " bank," that he should be able, by some simple and easily conducted process, to form a correct opinion of its per centage of lime. It is a pity that Mr. Greshams mode of analysis can not be relied on, as a neater or more convenient one could hardly be suggested. The analysis, predicated on the known relative proportions between the lime and carbonic acid in the carbonate of lim-C, would be almost perfectly useless, were the carbonic acid the only substance evolved by the addition of muriatic acid to the marl; but this is far from being the case; hence the error of Mr. Gresham's deductions. Without repeating here the directions given by Mr. G. I refer the reader to his article—the loss sustained by the hundred grains of marl, after being saturated with dilute muriatic acid, is given as the measure of the carbonic acid in the marl, then by a simple formula, the quantity of the carbonate of lime in the specimen is arrived at.

When you add dilute muriatic acid to marl containing a notable quantity of the carbonate of lime, at least three gaseous substances begin immediately to pass off: carbonic acid, watery vapor, and the fumes of muriatic acid. Without being able to ascertain precisely the volume of the two last, it is presumed that combined, they are fully equal to the carbonic acid lost. If you wish to prove the rapid evolution of the acid, dip a feather in a pliial of aqua ammonia and hold it over the mixture while effervescence is going on—the white vapor of the muriate of ammonia is instantly seen. By placing a piece of glass over the jar, the vapor of water is soon deposited thereon. Soon after reading Mr. Gresham's article, in order to test his mode of analysis, I subjected a specimen of very poor marl to the test; this I had analyzed by other methods repeatedly and knew that it contained sometimes as little as seven, and never more than ten per cent. Mr. G.'s plan gave tv/enty-live per cent.!

I am sure that Mr. Gresham will see the reasonableness ot my objection to his analysis, and will take it in good part. It is not to be expected that farmers should be very accurate chemists, though we may talk for the benefit of " the country members" very learnedly of acids and alkalies! Tlie writer of this stricture does not pretend to be very profound himself, though chemistry is more in his line than that of Mr. Gresham, wiio lias not the happiness of enjoying the vncoinmon lienor of being a country doctor as well as a farmer.

Mr. Gresham obtained his directions, it seems, from the late lamented Dr. Braxton, whose nob; qualities as an intelligent, high toned gentleman, and whose great worth as a farmer ai\d citizen, it would be out of place to more than allude to here.

But it is evident that in giving such directions for the analysis, the Doctor had not submitted ihevo. to the test of his own sagacious and practical scrutiny. I have seen the following simple method practised by Dr. Braxton himself, and believe that of all the approximate modes of analysis, it is by far the most reliable:

Weigh out one hundred grains of marl, previously dried and j^ulverized, place it in a M^edgwood mortar or cup, and add dilate muriatic acid till cfler-vescence ceases. Ail the lime in the form of the muriate of lime and the chloride of calcium remains suspended in solution, and of course the carbonic acid has passed off; then take a square piece of filtering paper, and folding in a conical form, make a filter, into which (placed in any convenient vessel,) ^oi<r the solid and liquid contents of the mortar. Put it to one side, and let every drop of the fluid percolate through the filtering paper; then take the solid residuum, dry thoroughly, separate carefully from the paper, and weigh. The difference between the weioiits before and after using the acid, will give the farmer the quantity of the carbonate of lime in his marl—at least sufficiently near it for practical purposes.

Wm. S. R. Brockknbrougk, M. D.

West-wood, Hanover county, May 27, 1854.

For the Southern Planter. A CHEAP PLANTATION GATE.

Mr. Editor, —My vocation during the greater part of my past life has subjected me to g]-eat inconvenience, both by day and night, by ill contrived plantation gates, gaps and drawbars. It may be worth while to occupy a small portion of your columns with a description of a gate, the cLeaT est and best which I have ever seen. It has the merit of being so simple that any man who can drive a nail, saw by a line, use a square, or a measuring rod, and plant a post, can make ir in less time and wltii less skill than is necessary in fixing up a common pair of drawbars, which I consider to be a common nuisance.

But to the description of my gate. For the plan of it I am somewhat indebted to one of the earliest numbers of the Southern Planter, which is lost, and the precise number not recollected. I have made several modifications in the original plan, all for the better. Say you want a gate live feet high and seven and a half feet wide. Let} our longinai slats be eight feet long, Jour and a half or five inches wide, and three-quarters of an inch tliick. Yc ur upright pieces may be of the same sort of timber in all respects, except that the pivot end of the gate, upon my plan, requires at least seven Icet in length of its timber, whereas five feet will sulnce for the swinging end, v/hich will be found to work better by having its upright slats not more than tluee inches wide. Each piece of the timl)ers being precisely of the same thickness, will give to the pivot end of the gate a substauco of, say of five in''hcs in width, and iwo and a quarter in thickness, wiiich may be easily rounded oti' with a drawing-knife, to suit your fancy or judgment about the libigc machinery. M ine is exceedingly simple; the lieel or j)ivot being rounded otl', and say five or six inches below tiio bottom slat, a foot or two above tlio top slat—the pivot turning in a hole, bored or gouged out for it, and the top so ronnded as to work in a hole, within which it may tuiu with ease, and

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yet be held in its place. This pivot or turning upright piece may be made as solid, by driving in lengthwi.^c pieces of the slats in the interstices from heel to top, and then nailing or pinning all together. The nails or pins will not at all interfere with the necessary rounding olf by the drawing-knife.

At lirst, I used slats of oak, and had wrought naih^, with large, flat heads, made in the blacksmith's shop. But have since found cut nails, driven through little taps of leather, to answer the purpose as well. But the nails ought to be of tough iron, and heated to redness and allowed to cool iu a dry atmosphere. Driven as soon as they become cool enough to be handled, they will clinch almost as well as wrought nails.

The braces to the gate may be of the same sort of timber as the slats. In the original plan in the Planter there was but one brace, extending obliquely from the top slat of the swinging end, to the bottom slat of the pivot end. But two braces are better. They should form a cross, one extending as above mentioned, and the other on the opposite side of the slats—each to be carefully squared, scribed and sawed, so as to fit accurately within the upright slats.

The nails with the leather taps may then be driven and clinched with flat clinch, to prevent their breaking. Being driven from each side of the gate wherever the slats cross each other, the whole gate will be found as strong as any that can be made out of timbers of the like dimensions.

The maker may consult his taste about the posts and hinge work. Mine are exceedingly sim-T)le, and yet v/ork adniirably. My posts were cnt-from a large, solid old post-oak, with large limbs. One of the limbs being cut ofl:' about a loot from the body of the tree, and then split with a crosscut saw, in half, at right angles with the post, made an excellejit footing for the heel end to work in, about two feet above the bottom end of the post— which being planted and rammed about that depth in the ground, the heel or pivot works just above the surface. By giving the posts the proper inclination when they are set up, the gate may be made to shut and latch itself by its own gravity.

My latch work is also very simple. The latch of thin but solid oak, works through one of the slits left between the slats in the swinging end, jutting about three inches into the catch, driven firmly into a large auger hole in the left hand post, and so tapered from the notch to the outer extiemity of it, that the latch glides easily over it into the notch. But some pains must be taken to smooth off' one edge of the latch and adjoining slat; so that tiie latch fixed in one of the crosses, made either by the braces or slats, may move with freedom up and down in the notch. The maker may consult his own judgment about the fixture by which the latch is moved around the nail or pin confining it to the cross.

T-he upper part of the pivot end can be made to work in any large hole of wood or iron, fixed to or within the right hand post. A collar of tough white oakM'ill do—so will any solid piece of wood, with a large hole, sufficient for the upper rounded end of the pivot piece to turn in, with facility, fixed to the post. But I found in a pile of rubbish in one of my garrets several large, flat rings of wrought iron, which answered my purpose exactly; and I forthwith fixed up three gates with them. The upper rounded pivot ends work within these rings, to which are attached, loosely, staples—such as are fixed through ox yokes, to pull by, I carried these

staples and rings to the blacksmith's, had them heated, the spikes of the staples brought to points, to be driven into small auger holes in the gateposts. It required but a few strokes of the hand hammer to efiect this, as well as to make the proper adjustment of the staples to the rings; so that the latter work over the former, making a fixture within which the upjter pivot end turns with ease. The two little auger holes should bo one above th.e other; the points of the staples will teach the maker where and how to bore them, and his own judgment will teach him how deep in the posts, and how heavily to drive his staple. I can safely say that I have never seen so suitable a fixture of the sort, at so small an outlay of money, as this of mine. Let any man try it, and I vouch that he will never again allow another pair of drawbars to be erected upon his plantation.

T. H. A.

SELECTION OF HORSE STOCK.

We cut the following sensible extract from the Ohio Cultivator:

In the Transactions of the "Wisconsin State Agricultural Society for 1852, is an excellent essay on the Rural Husbandry of Wisconsin, by George 0. Tifiany of Milwaukee. On the subject of horses he talks like a book, as the following extracts will show:

" The £r5t consideration is, what kind of a horse will pay best ? Rail roads and other improvements in locomotion, steam power, &c., have given mankind at the present age a mania for fasi conveyance^ whether on land or water, and slow horses will no longer ansv^er the expectations of purchasers of horse flesh; they want a good one to go. Those who are not particular about speed, never object to a horse if he happens to have it. The fast horse is the horse for the American farmer to raise with profit. All nature presents to us the fact that like begets like, and when this rule is varied, it is an exception. In the breeding of horses, this law is strictly carried out. In almost every instance, celebrated trotting horses have sprung from fast stock on both sides. Trustee, the only horse which ever trotted twenty miles in an hour, was from a trotting mare, Fanny Pul-len, and by imported Trustee, a fast race horse, who was also the sire of that fast mare. Fashion. Black Hawk* was sired by Andrew Jackson, who was also the sire of a great number of trotting horses. Black Hawk trotted a mile in 2 minutes 40 seconds with a wagon weighing two hundred and fifty pounds, at that time the best heat ever made, considering the weight drawn. Mack, the great competitor with Lady Sufiolk, is a Messenger horse, and went in 2 minutes 26 seconds; the Lady herself is a full-bred Messenger, for aught any one knovt^s to

* Long Island Black Hawk, since dead.— Eds. O. Cult,

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tiie contrary. The Abdallah stock are from the Messenger blood, and all of them go —many being remarkably fast. The fastest Western trotting horse, O'Blenis, is an Abdallah. Although Messenger was imported into the United States as early as 1791, sixty-one years since, his descendants at this day partake largely of his characteristics. Other stocks of horses could be cited to support this position; the Morgan horse, for instance, is a striking exemplification of our theory. That color, speed, longevity, vice, defective vision, and various malformations in horses are inherited, no observing man will deny.

" In selecting a brood mare, as much attention should be bestowed, or more, as in selecting a sire. About fifteen and one-half hands has been very near the height of the most celebrated horses of our day. They should have good length of body, with clear bright eyes, small head, long clean neck, oblique shoulder, and withers as high as possible, which position of the shoulder blade allows extensive and safe action. Such horses never stumble; and if they trip, will recover, while an animal with an upright shoulder would come down entirely. High withers give room for the attachment and length of muscle which an upright shoulder cannot have. The oblique shoulder is indispensable for rapid, safe and easy motion. The legs should be muscular, and as long from the elbow joint to the knee, and as short from the knee to the hoof as possible; this will also give extensive action to the foreparts, which a horse could not have with a length from the knee to the hoof equal to the length from the elbow to the knee. The chest should barrel out back of the girth, and be large and capacious, both to give the animal good health, and cause it to keep easy, as the size of the chest is of great consequence to the health, longevity and usefulness of the horse. This part is too superficially noticed by purchasers in general. The loins should be broad and well covered with muscle, and the haunch—or as it is generally called, hip—should be long, to the place of its termination. The old saying of a '• long-bodied horse, with a short back, and long under the belly,' being a good one, was not without truth, as a long oblique scapula, with a long hip or haunch would produce just that conformation of body best suited for speed. Great length from the hip to the gambrel, and short from the gambrel to the ground is also one of the best indicatioDS of speed. We see an example in the form of the rabbit and greyhound. ])y a close and constant attention to the anatomical conformation of a horse, a person may soon become a better judge of capability in the horse

than any one can, who does not take into consideration the important facts that all animal mechanism is upon the same 'principles —that the weight to be moved, and the facility with which it is moved, depends upon the length of tRe lever and its advantageous position^ and the consequent length of the muscles, which are the pulleys, and by their action, contraction and extension, propel the animal over the ground.

"That speed adds to, and often constitutes the sole value of the horse, in the estimation of many, is well known. An instance now occurs to me: Mr. S. B. Davis of Milwaukee, took to the New York market, last May, a number of horses, among which were one pair which he sold for $1200, and a single horse which he sold for $600. They could all trot their mile in about three minutes; and to this fact can be entirely attributed all he realized on them, over $200 each. There is always a market for well broken horses of good size and good age, if they can go in three minutes or less. Another instance, too, is in point: Jack Rossiter, the celebrated trotting horse, worked in an omnibus in Milwaukee, and could then have been bought for $200, and probably for less. Falling into the hands of a horseman, he trotted a mile in 2 minutes 32 seconds, and sold for $2000. Lady Jane, a western mare, was bought in Chicago for $100; she was afterwards sold for $1600 at a dozen years of age. There are numberless examples of a similar nature. The farmer should not hesitate as to which of the two to expend his surplus food upon; an eight-mile-an-hour drudge, that will cost $80 at four years old, and sell for the same; or a horse bred on scientific principles, worth, at four years of age, $200 to $1000, according to the stock he springs from. One farmer in the vicinity of Milwaukee, raised several fast horses, and from their sale, realized a far greater profit than he realized from ten years of wheat farming; yet the number was only five. These facts are worthy of the attention of breeders of horses.

" In breeding, let the sire and dam possess as many desirable points as possible, and as not one in ten thousand is unexceptionable in every respect, it is desirable that the two should not be deficient in the same particular point. If either has a little failing in one part, let the otlier be remarkably good in that point, if possible. In this way, the undesirable or exceptionable points may, in part, be obviated; and if they are not, you will, in all probability, breed an animal not less valuable than the sire or dam. The fastest trotting horse now living west of the Lakes, was bred from a mare and

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horse, each of them extremely bad in some I animal food, slugs and worms, and vegetat

points, and each remarkably good in otliers. The strong and fast points were united in the progeny, although without beauty—the colt inheriting the vicious disposition of the dam. This happy arrangement of the best points is not at all certain; therefore, the judicious breeder will commence with an animal for sire or dam, with as few imperfections as possible, and his success will be certain, in proportion as his parents are perfect."

Prom the New England Cultivator. DUCKS—SELECTION, MANAGEMENT, DISEASES.

Those birds who best represent what has been heretofore said on color, form and weight, of course v/ill be those which the judicious breeder would choose for the purpose of increasing his stock.

One drake and three ducks are as many as can be judiciously kept in one yard: for a larger proportion of females, or the presence of tw® or more males in the same run will teiid to the production of unfertile eggs.

Take care not to breed in and in to too great an extent. Like all other animal productions ducks are improved in stamina by the occa-sioDal introduction of new blood. Never keep a drake more than two years.

If possible have your ducklings hatched by ducks, and not by hens; for the habits of the hen are such as to beget an indisposition on the part of the young brood to follow those habits natural to their kind—more particularly in the matter of sitting. Besides ducks reared by hens seldom fail to annoy them afterwards, and forget their own places and functions.

Be always careful to allow your ducks free access to deep water, so that they can swim, in it; for, to such place they naturally resort for the purpose of having that intercourse the result of which is production. This provision of a depth of water is a necessary condition of fertility in eggs, and should not be neglected.

Ducks should be always penned towards sundown, receive their food apart, and kept within the enclosure until after the usual time of depositing their eggs, which is generally early in the morning. Many of them lay late at nights. Ducks should be kept separate from other fowls.

The best feed for ducks, under common circumstances, is steamed roots—such as carrots, turnips or mangel wurtzel, mixed with bran, or corn meal. Where there is no grass handy the refuse of the kitchen garden should be given them regularly. But, where there is a good walk, they will very generally pick up sufficient

sustenance as will meet their natural wants, i think that, unless every thing is favorable to the proper management of ducks it would be • as well to dispense with them as stock.

I have alluded to the comparative merits of the kinds mentioned as layers. It is best to allow the sitting duck to make choice of the situation of her own nest, and leave her undisturbed in its possession if it is a safe position she has chosen. It is seldom that they will sit well if removed; or if she does, she will sit on the bare nest. Secret places, under knots of shrubbery, underbrush, or in the hollow of an old tree are the most attractive situations for her. Here she will form her nest, composed of grass and leaves, and of her own dowm, and will lay her eggs, which she will carefully cover, when she leaves her incubation to attend to the wants of nature or appetite. Twelve eggs are a sufficient number for a duck to hatch. Some incline to sit on fewer; and this disposition should, if possible, be noted, and the requisite number furnished from the more freshly laid stock of eggs in the yard. There can be little difficulty in detecting the sitting duck who has stolen her nest; for, when she leaves it at any time, her voice denotes her vocation, while the disordered state of her feathers helps to tell the tale of her secret arrangements. She can thus be traced to her hiding place. Care should be taken to supply her with food, at her choice; and during the latter period of incubation, it has often been found necessary to supply her at the nest—so attached does she become to her duty. The duck hatches in from 28 to 30 days; but the period varies sometimes in accordance with the prevailing temperature.

The duckling seldom demands assistance in emerging from its shell; but it is necessary that the mother and the young brood should be prevented from the free use of water for a week or so after incubation has taken place. A shallow vessel filled with water should be occasionally furnished them wherein to dip their bills, but not deep enough for them to flounder and wash in. The water ought to be soft. Hard spring water is bad.

Boiled corn meal is the best food which can be given them during the period of their confinement—administered cold. Chopped lettuce, or other green food should be mixed with their meals. Some use bread crumbs, but corn por-^ ridge is equally as good. It would be well to allow the ducklings to feed outside tlie coop where the mother is confined. She seldom regards the wants of her young until she has gorged herself, and perhaps hurt some of her brood in her haste to cram her own crop.

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Eains and dews are fatal to young ducks, and care should be taken not to allow them to be exposed to either, as it subjects them to •cramps which leave them debilitated and useless ever afterwards, with few exceptions.

The most approved mode of fattening ducks is to feed well, and confine them to such situation as may give them access to water, but not such as they can swim in. But I would recommend a systematic course of good feeding throughout, which produces the best flesli— and a medium between uncontrolled liberty and close confinement. If garbage, fish, or other highly flavored food is used to fatten ducks they will taste of it when on the table. Ducks raised in a fishing village, when served up have "a very ancient and fish-like smell," which must be the consequence of their feeding on the refuse guts, and the waifs of the fisherman's hooks and nets.

Cramps and paralysis are the principal diseases which affect ducks; and the best cure, generally, is to kill them; for there is little hope of their recovering from a severe affection of this sort. As they are gluttonous feeders, and require considerable quantities of small stones, or gravel, to aid their digestion, they sometimes jjick up minerals of a poisonous nature. There is, however, little risk from this evil in those instances where natural privileges favor the proper keeping of ducks; and, as I said before, w^here these are not present, it were best to decline the cultivation of this kind of stock. Noxious water, too, sometimes proves fatal in its use; but, where this is it is not very probable that duck keeping will be prosecuted to any height.

PACKING PROVISIONS FOR MARKET. B. P. Johnson, Sec'y State Ag. Society.

Dear Sir —I take this late* opportunity of answering, as far as I am able, the inquiries made by yourself and Prof Geo. H. Cook, on the " Curing of Provisions," &c. These subjects have commanded a part of my study and attention, as well as experience and observation, for above twenty years past, as they pertain to a part of my business, and if what follows will be at all useful or interesting, it is most willingly given.

"The Discoloration of (salted) Provisions, particularly Beef," &c. You are ixware, no doubt, that the greatest quantity of the " barrelled beef" sent to foreign markets, is packed in the heat; great portions are of young cattle,

* A.S I was at Washington, when your letter arrived, excuse this late answer. T. F. D. V.

fattened on grass, principally of a quick and 4 large growth, and are what we New York butchers call "grass-fed beef." The beef when fresh, will eat soft, tender, juicy and sweet, but will not have the delicious flavor, solidity or firmness, weight, or the heart or nourishment, that stall fed (with grain) beef has. It appears to me, as soon as the salt touches grass fed beef, it draws back, shrinks into a smaller compass, and changes to a dark color, as if there was not firmness or solidity to resist the action of the salt; and when boiled, especially if salted a long time, will shrink very much, leaving it tasteless, juiceless, without heart or substance, and when cut of a dark color. " Stall-fed beef," on the contrary, is like corn-fed pork; it has the appearance (when properly cured) of being firmer, brighter, plumper, or has a swelled look, as if the well mixed fat protected the lean flesh. We seldom hear of farmers or others salting grass or milk-fed pork; \h%^ pen them up, and feed as much corn (generall^^) as the animal will take, for sometimes, months before slaughtering, and when they are salted. I quote an old saying, "put one pound of corn-fed pork in the pot, it comes out two," which will appW to the stall-fed beef. Many cure with nothmg but salt, (often bad tasted and dirty,) and the sometimes "muddy waters of our western rivers," which gives it a dark yellow and dead appearance.

I have seen a great deal of this kind opened for " Inspection," generally sweet; but the beef had the appearance of having been taken from grass-fed oxen, steers, heifers and cows, of middling fatness, and but a small quantity of stall-fed and properly cured. Some years ago I 'pvt up, for the use of a trading ship in the Mediterranean, (and for several voyages) beef from stall-fed steers, 3 to 6 years old, (for I do not call them " oxen" until the animal is fully developed or grown, or until he has passed the age of not less than six years,) the plates, navels, and brisket pieces; took out all the bones and tied it in rolls of about 10 lbs. each, what I call "Scotch Roll," (and have sold quantities before and since,) curhig with salt, sugar, saltpetre and spices. After being gone a long voyage, part came back as bright and handsome as the day it started, and always gave satisfaction.

Many persons ask, why it is that Irish (and also English) beef is preferred before ours? and of their using the name of "Ox Beef" and " Navy Beef?" The reason is, that their cattle are always, more or less, stall-fed on roots and grain, and are properly cured, with the best kinds of salt. Steers are^ seldom fed to that extent and length of time that the ox is.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

After the ox has become too old for work, he is stall-fed for (sometimes) months longer, as he fleshes and fattens slower than the steer, on the same quantity of food. Both are, however, strongly fed, as long as there is any improvement, then slaughtered, cut in 'pieces of 8 or 10 lbs. packed in casks nearly twice the size of our common provision barrels, and branded " Navy Beef," or " Ox Beef," or both. Our city (and eastern cities) cured beef, has always been preferred, and commands a better price than " Western Beef;" but the western packers are improving, as many English and Irish packers, within a few years past, have gone out there to put up for the English and other markets. I prefer steer to ox beef, both stall-fed; because the steer's flesh, muscles, nerves, sinews, &c., are all young and tender, never having been called into the same action that the old ox has, who has worked and labored until his flesh, muscles, &c. have become hard, tough, stringy, and sometimes strong flavored. Give me prime, stall-fed steers, four or five years old, strongly fed, not less than 6 months, the four quarters weighing between 800 and 1,000 lbs., good, sweet, tight oak casks, Turks Island salt, saltpetre and sugar, and I will make as good, clean, bright, sweet, good colored beef, and to keep as long, as man could ask or wish for.

On '■'■the Discoloration of Coiv or Heifer Beef?'' There are so many causes for discoloration^ and the diiferent shades, that is, from a light to almost a black shade, that it is difficult to say, positively, without seeing it, or name the cause, but I will say that, generally, the cause of discoloration is in the curing, (or handling^ as the packers say,) and my reasons^ as they occur to me, are: the grown animal^ of packing qualities will not cause this dark discoloration, without it has been salted before the animal heat has left it, killed in a hot and worried state, or diseased. These are some of the causes. Some years ago I was often at an inspection and packing establishment, and I might as well give my reasons for being so often there. From information received from England, I was induced to "pack" above 2000 dollars (as a trial) worth of large heavy "stall-fed" cattle, say from 900 to 1200 lbs. (4 qrs.) cut and put it up, as directed, in tierces, containing 38 pieces of about 8 lbs. each piece. The report and returns were, that it was just the thing wanted; .but when all expenses were paid, I was a loser of about 150 dollars, which stopped my packing. But to my reasons: A great many lots from different packers were opened for inspection. One in particular was very much discolored, almost black, and quite

dirty; the beef about the usual kind " barrelt and to trace the cause was some trouble, but ^ wished to know it. It came from an irregular packer, who had used the steam boiled western salt, (Salina, I think,) a great deal too much, being about one bushel to every barrel; from 10 to 12 oz. saltpetre, and the not settled, dirty river water. You say, that ^Uhe English packers say that this beef (cow or heifer) will always discolor?'' I think they must mean the flesh of small steers and heifers, about half grown, poor and thin in flesh; this kind of beef will be a shade darker than that of full grown animals, all salted in the same manner. The flesh of the ox and cow, or full grown steers, is generally firmer, better beef color (red) than the young steer or heifer, (which is generally a dark veal color,) and of course will be a better color ^'•salted?''

The regular packer uses what they call " solar salt," (ofttimes St. Ubes, or Bonaire, Turks Island,) from 30 to 50 lbs.; about 6 oz. saltpetre to a barrel; and they have large vats, where the river water settles before it is used. Great quantities are sent to New York, to be inspected and repacked; it is taken out, say ten barrels at a time, tried if swQet, thrown in different sections of a large circular bin around the scales, according to qualities, inspected and "barreled" or repacked, using Turks Island, St. Ubes or Bonaire salt. The best quality is marked "Mess Beef," principally in barrels; the next best in tierces, marked " Prime Mess;" 3d best, "Railroad" or "Prime," with the Inspector's name, which generally gives it character and sale. Respectfully yours,"

Thomas F. De Voe, Butcher, No. 7-8 Jefferson Market.

Neiu York, Dec. 24, 1852.

VALUE OF DEEP TILLAGE AND DRAINING.

BY W. W, WRIGHT, OF OBERLIN, OHIO.

Friend Brown, —This evening, while looking over your truly valuable paper, and observing its interesting correspondence, I was reminded of the partial promise I made you when last we met, to give you some little account of my ways and doings.

Well, as my acres are not so nmnerous as those of some of your correspondents, I am endeavoring to get as much land to the acre as possible. My title runs pretty deep, so if there is any thing valuable beneath the mere surface, I am bound to have it. My intention is, to double the amount of my land, ivithout enlarging my farm.

I expect to save, in the first place, the taxes on an equal amount of land. Also, I have no

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

time for unnecessary steps; so if I can get one acre beneath another, I shall save something in this line; I shall save half of the time in going to and returning from my labor. My crops will be twice as near my barn and cellar, and in turn, my enriching materials will be as much nearer my land.

Again, my fences will cost but half what they otherwise would. The saving here is not a mere trifle.

When the soil has been a few times thoroughly TILLED AND ENRICHED, tiuice or thrice the usual depth ^ it will require no more time to till an acre, and yet twice the amount of produce may be relied on. Here will be saved, in the first place, the time and labor of tilling an acre of land.

Again, if the produce is doubled, \kQ profits will be vastly m^ore tha?i doubled^ and the pleasure of the toil will be increased in the same ratio. For example: if a man sows an acre of ground, and spends five dollars in preparing the land, buying the seed, and putting in the same, and three dollars in harvesting and preparing for market, and gets ten dollars worth of produce, he must pay the remaining two dollars for the rent of his land. He has here only earned days'' tvages.

Now suppose he had spent even thirty dollars, the then value of his acre of land, in doubling or trebling the value of his soil, and enriching the same, he then has to add to the annual cost of tillage the annual interest of thirty dollars thus expended—say two dollars. Now if he gets double the produce from an acre, he then gets not merely his days'' tvages^ seed and rent, together with the additional two dollars interest, but makes a clear ]y}-ofit of eight dollars an acre; the produce now being twenty dollars. To be sure it would cost a trifle more to harvest and fit for market the latter crop, but this trifle would be more than compensated in the pleasure derived from this kind of tillage.

Or, if we vary the yield of the first acre from ten to fifteen dollars worth, the soil that was rich enough to produce this diff'erence, would be equally benefitted by the thorough tillage spoken of above. If the yield be repre sented by fifteen, the profits would be five, and that of the thoroughly tilled would be eighteen to the acre.

Or, if twenty dollars worth be obtained from the acre in the first situation, the profit would be ten dollars, and the profit #f the deeply tilled would be twenty dollars an acre.

Again, a clay soil that is tilled twice or thrice the usual depth, may be wrought tivicc as many days in (i year, and will be vastly more

pleasant to till. Again, such a soil will be< several degrees warmer than it would be if a large proportion of the water evaporated from the surface. Evaporation either dissipates the heat, or, what geems more probable, causes it to combine with some other element, so that its sensible effect as heat is iieutral'tzed. Almost any farmer's boy knows that he can keep a jug of water cool, under the hottest sun of harvest, if he but take the precaution to keep his jug bound in a wet cloth, so that evaporation shall be rapid.

There is also another cause w^hich contributes to raise the temperature of a deep, open soil. I refer to the heat that is brought down in showers of warm rain. Who has not been surprised at the efi'ect of showers of warm rain in melting snow or ice? Heat seems to be heavenly in its origin, and is ever tending upward. It descends only when compelled, as in the case of falling rain. Now if the soil is not deep and open the heat of descending showers is lost.

Again, the loss of heat is by no means the only great loss sustained in these circumstances. The rain and snow bring down various gaseous elements which have been absorbed by them in the air, or have entered into combination with them. Some of the most valuable elements of decaying vegetable and animal substances are taken up in a gaseous form, and thus held by or combined with the air and the moisture. This seems to be a heaven appointed method of counteracting the shiftlessness and wastefulness of this and past generations. For the time will come when every particle of matter in earth, air, and sea, that can be converted into sustenance for human beings, W'ill be de-mcvnded to supply the ivants of our rapidly increasing race. Most of these ascending gases are obnoxious to our nasal organs, and are gc-neralhj so in proportion to their value as enriching materials. The decomposition of those bodies most highly charged with nitrogen, such as hair, wool, leather, &c. by fire, is very ofl'en-sivc. This seems to be to w^arn men that a great tvaste is being made.

There is no cereal that has a greater proportion of nitrogen than beans. The water in which beans have been partially decomposed, by boiling, is exceedingly ofiensive. Nature seems to cry out against this waste.

But to return: I design, and I think it was the design of Providence, that all the water that falls should go through the soil. A French chemist has been engaged in analyzing rain water. He reports that enriching elementa equal to a moderate dressing of Peruvian guano are contained in twenty-four inches of rain

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

\

. water. Now we have about forty inches a year. If one half of this water runs off from the surface, we have sustained a great loss from this source, and also another, from its having washed away niicch that is valuable i/i the sail.

It is poor policy to throw even clay lands up into rolling beds. To be sure it is the least of two evils—the standing of water or the wasting of the soil. I do not object to ditches, whether covered or uncovered, to carry off the surplus water, when it has 2Kisscd through the soil. Yet I prefer to cover the ditches, because over them you reap your most abundant harvest,, while in the others some of your best soil is going " the way of all the earth."

Again, I want the air to circulate through the soil to twice or thrice the usual depth. Why is it that frequent stirring of the soil has such magic poivcr to produce great crops ? I answer, it is mainly because it aSords facilities for atmosjyheric contact. The air seems to be a powerful agent, assisting in the various changes required in the soil to prepare food for plants. You may take poor.^ lean earth from the bottom of a well, and expose it to the action of the air, frost and rain: at first there is not vitality enough to give life to the feeblest plant; but in a few months, though it be not cultivated, vegetation will start forth. Whence has it derived this power ? I answer—from the action of these elements. It is barely possible that light, though it does not penetrate far into the soil, has some agency in producing these decompositions.

The above are some of the considerations that have prompted me in deep tillage. Of the mode of this tillage, I will speak hereafter.

For the Southern Planter, ERRORS.

Mr. Editor^ —I would call the attention of Wra. H. H., M. D., to some errors in his essay on Agriculture.

He says, " Potassium forms with oxygen potassa, commonly called potash, and with chlorine the chloride and chlorate of potash." That is, chloride of potash and chlorate of potash are compounds formed by the union of chlorine and potassium.

Here are two mistakes: 1st, There is no such a compound as chloride of potash; 2d, Chlorate of potash is formed of chloric acid and potash, and not chlorine and potassium as above stated.

Again: " Sodium forms with oxygen, soda; with carbonic acid, the carbonate and bicarbonate of soda." Any person, not acquainted with chemistry, would conclude from this, that carbonate of soda is a compound of carbonic acid and sodium. But this is incorrect; for there is no compound of carbonic acid and sodium. Carbonate of soda is a ternary compound, and must necessarily contain two hina.ry compounds: but sodium is not a binary

compound, therefore cannot form a ternary pound with carbonic acid or any other acid.

Again, " Calcium forms with oxygen quick lim with sulphuric acid plaster of Paris or sulphate oi lime." This is also incorrect: sulphate of lime is compound of sulphuric acid and oxide of calcmrii, which is very different from what is above stated. Oxide of calcium is a com.-ponnd^ but calcium is an element. Elements are bases of binary compounds but they are not the bases of salts or ternary compounds. The savne error may be noticed with muriate of lime, carbonate of lime and nitrate of lime.

Other parts of the es^ay are also defective. But, the doctor, I presurae, v/ill be more careful in future. I hope he will not be discouraged. '" Practice makes perfect." B.

Loudoun Coiinti).

SUMMER FEED FOR MILCH COWS.

Our pastures fail us most in July and August, for then we commonly have dry weather and the grass in pastures comes to a stand. Cows often fall oft" one-half in their yield of milk, and something is wanted to keep a flow till the fall feed is ready for them. For when their udders have become much contracted by short feed, it is not so easy a matter to enlarge them by a great supply in autumn.

Oats and turnips and various other vegetables have been recommended to supply the natural deficiency of autumn. But in our climate there is nothing equal to Indian corn. Till within a few years there was but little use made of the blades for summer feeding. But its virtues are becoming better known, and the practice of sowing in drills for this purpose is fast extending.

We recommend to all who would keep more cows in summer than their summer pastures will feed well, to have a patch of corn nigh by, planted for the purpose of supplying the deficient pastures. The labor of cutting and feeding is not great where only a wall separates the corn from the pastures. The blades may be readily thrown over the fence, and the cattle will not waste a pound in a hundred that may be thrown on to a grass plat. The cows should have their rations in the morning, and at no other time, then they will not be diverted from their accustomed range in search of a variety in low grounds, «Slc.

We have heard it solemnly asserted by more than one farmer, that the practice of feeding cows with stalks in the pasture was not to be countenanced, because the stalks only served to divert the attention of the cattle and keep them from their natural food; that the corn took away the appetite for grass and bushes, &c. But this is remedied by feeding only at a certain time in the day, and giving a good supply.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

A few apple trees in a large pasture are but a nuisauce in case they bear any fruit, for the cattle will spend half their time in chasing after it. But a peck of ripe apples to eacli cow at a certain time each day would help her milk.

As to the modes of planting or sowing corn for summer feed, we prefer drills to hills, or to broadcast sowing, and as the stalks are the object, there seems to be no good objection to placing manure in the drills and burying it? with a plough. If the theories of philosophers in regard to exhaustion by letting plants go to seed be correct, corn for fodder may be grown without much fear of reducing the soil —the ground to be tilled of course.

Corn to be cut up in the summer should be planted at different times—say first of May— middle of May—and first week in June. The fiat southern corn yields the most food, and as cattle will eat it in July without waste, it may be best to sow this first—but the stalks are not so sweet as those of the sweet boiling corn, therefore have this sown latest when the product may be used after the cattle are a little cloyed by the large kind of stalks.

We fancy that the sweet corn may prove quite as good for soiling as any of the larger kinds, though the yield may not be so great. There may be some difficulty in procuring seed, but if proper care is taken in autumn, there need be no lack.— Massachusetts Floushman.

The following communication of our friend, Mr. Thompson, was not received until lately. We are much obliged to him for it, and publish it with pleasure. It is valuable as the testimony of a prac-ticaJ man to the efficacy of a cheap labor saving contrivance, which, from having been improperly constructed by others, has" fallen somewhat into discredit.

In another aspect it is still more valuable: any thing which tends to introduce an abundance of water into our houses and tempt us to lave our aching limbs and tired bodies, is a blessing. It is only of late that this use of water is beginning to be understood among us, and we hail the dawn of that day when an unwashed body will be considered as great a reproach as a dirty face or unkempt hair. This is the mission of the water cure people if they did but know it: to spread the use of water, and so by cleanliness to promote not health alone but virtue. For a man habitually well washed has more refinement and feels more revulsion at immorality, other things being equal, than a greasy fellow. "The great unwashed" is not the phrase of mere fastidiousness, it has a meaning, and the criminal records show it.

Even in Russia, as we learn from the Count Do Gurowski's book, (which, by the way, every one should get as containing more information about those people than any other accessible work,*) the people bathe once a week—the women on Friday, the men on Saturday—in a public bath which each village keeps up for itself And in that it must be confessed the serfs beat us hollow, for we grieve to say that in this particular the Americans are, perhaps, the dirtiest people in Christendom—dirty enough in all conscience—and the statistics of bathing would make a curious though not inviting chapter in the history of oftr domestic economy. "Lend me a shirt," said a very clever man some few years since, to his companion at a certain town in Virginia, "lend me a shirt,"—"I cannot," replied his friend, "I have but two left, and as I shall stay here two days longer, I shall want them both." " What! a shirt a day!" exclaimed the sloven, in unfeigned surprise, " Why, my dear fellow, with two shirts I could circumnavigate the globe."

Use water, dear readers of the Planter, " water," as the sobering drunkard said, " in the first degree" —get it by some means, and if b}^ Mr. Thompson's tried and approved plan of a Telegraph, then be sure and attaach a bath room to the " tower."

WATER TELEGRAPH.

3Ir. Editor, —Being idle upon this snowy March day, I thought I would employ myself by giving to my 'friends and the readers of the Southern Planter a sketch of my Water Telegraph, its benefits, its accommodations, its comforts, and its labor saving to my little servant boys and girls.

Some years ago, J v»'as looking over the June number of the "Cultivator" of 1842, and upon page 96, my eye fell upon a piece headed, ""Water Elevator," and its cut. It struck me with much force ; but I thought it susceptible of improvement. Shortly after, I heard of one being in operation in Green county, erected by Dr. J. F. Early. I got an ingenious carpenter to go with me to see it, determining if I liked it, to have one. I liked it much, but thought one might be made to give more accommodations and benefit. After some months the woi'kman commenced the erection of one for me. The length of my wire (which is i in. in diameter) is GO yd.-;, or 198 feet. I shall commence with my spring: this I dug deep enough to have the water, when full, to be two feet deep. I then walled it with stone 18 in. thick, (the sides and back end, leaving the front end open). The spring is three feet wide. The side walls I ran as long and as high as the circumstances of the situation required in my judgment. We put in a strong piece of timber across the spring into tlic side walls at a proper distance from the water to accommodate tlie car and bucket, to fasten the wire through and to lodge the car against: the bottom of the spring 1 floored with wide flat stones, the top is covered with a long (lat stone. My spring house or tower is in the back yard, between the house and the kitchen, and is made of durable timbers, sills and corner posts

* Russia as it i.^. Count De Gurowski, 1 vol. 8vo.: Nash & Woodhouse, and other booksellers, Richuiond.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

205

locust, 12 ft. square, a story and a half high, with ^ a tongued and grooved floor over the first story, * shingle roof, and heart pine weather-boarding.— Upon the upper floor we have a frame to one side to put a roller in, to fasten the upper end of tiie wire to, and to tighten and loosen the wire with, according to the temperature of the weather, and placed at a suitable elevation ui)on the floor to permit the bucket when emjttied to be under the roof Behind this roller we have a wheel three feet in diameter, with a rim deep enough to hold all the cord when wound round it, (a roller or pulley being fixed just in front of the wheel to direct the cord to the rim,) with an iron axletree and crank running in brass boxes, (the crank should be 18 in. long to prevent hard turning), with a rag wheel 'and catch, such as are used to weavers' looms, to fasten it when not in use. Through the floor we have a wooden or plank funnel let, a sufficient height above the floor to tilt the bucket, to which is attached a wooden spout, which conveys the water through the wall upon the front side, and pours it into the water vessel which is placed upon a bench made for that purpose of thick, strong, oak timbers and locust posts.

N-ext, the spring house: in it we have a trough the length of the inside, 18 in. wide, and 15 in. deep, let into the dirt floor, over which, at the end on the front side of the house, we have a strong iron bound rum hhd. placed upon a frame put upon the sills of the house, which we have cased up, and made a refrigerator of, by filling with charcoal between the casing and hhd. This hhd. Ave draw full of water morning a]id evening, by putting a plug in the end of the spout, and having a tin pipe to fit an inch and a half auger hole, with two elbows to it, one let in on the top of the spout and the other into the head of the hhd. We use a fosset to let the water into the trough, through a tin tube made to the fosset, with two elbows passing dov>'n near the bottom of the trough upon the side. The water is passed oflE'through a large spile near the top of the trough, to the outside of the house, by a three quarter auger hole through it; giving a supply of water to the fowls and for other purposes : in the trough we have shelves to accommodate our various milk vessels. We have been using this spring house for two or three years, and our milk and butter keep just as good as when we used the one at the spring.

Putting up the wire: we have locust posts set in a straight line 27 feet apart (I think 18 ft. preferable) with an arm let into each at right angles with a large auger, at suitable height, about 18 in. long: upon the end of these arms an iron elbow made flat, splayed a little to pass the bucket, and fastened to the arms with wood screws: the end pointing up is made 8| in. long and forked to place the wire in to clamp it. The clamps should be filed thin and smooth, or they will produce too much jolt to the bucket. I had some difficulty in getting my wire put together strongly; but finally had it flatted and brazed together at every joint or lap; and it now stands well, and promises to stand until it wears out. The wire is fastened through the timber above named at each end, placed in the iron elbows, which are braded and filed smooth, and strained tight by boring an au^er hole through the roller next the wall, having a long pin or lever put in it.

The car I feel at a loss to describe: it is a narrow frame 2 ft. long, one inch wide inside where the rollers run, framed down on the opposite side

of the wire from the posts 20^ inches, in the centre of which the bucket is hung. My rollers in the car are 3 in. in diameter and nearly an inch thick. They are put at each end, 18 inches apart, from the pin holes. The cord, (which is a sash cord,) is fastened to the wheel in the rim at one end, and to the front end of the car at the other, 8 or 10 in. from that end. Less descent or fall is required at the s[)ring house or tower than is near the spring; because, the farther the bucket runs, the more descent is necessary to give it the control of the cord. The cord runs upon those wooden arms.

Now, sir, I feel I've given a very imperfect description of this valuable Water Telegraph, but hope what I have said may induce some one to accommodate his family with a similar or better one. It seems to me passing strange that so many persons have seen and approved of mine, and yet none will build one. In the days of old our Saviour said, "light has come into the world, but men choose darkness rather than light." Now, sir, when benefits and labor saving are amongst us, men choose rather to put the labor upon their negroes than to part with a few dollars, even when their interest demands it. When I started my Telegraph, three ago next May, (since which time when the bucket has been let off, it has been just as certain for three gallons of water in one minute as a nine-pence was, in old times, for a Tickler,') the crown of the head of one of my servant boys was as naked from toating water, as is the palm of my hand. And had he had all the water to toat which the family used, he would have had no hair upon his head, if he could have applied the pail to all parts of it. My bucket holds three gallons, and a chap eight or nine years old can now supply the demands of the family with water, even upon washing days. We can draw 180 gal. in an hour, with no extra effort. The whole fixture cost me S85. The cost to get the water, abstractly, was S'20. It costs me fifty cents a year for cord, and a trifle for sweet oil to keep it greased; and five hundred dollars would be no temptation to my wife to be deprived of its use through future life. I am acquainted with the operation of hydraulic rams and all kinds of pump wells, except the chain pump, and I would not be willing to exchange it for any. It is a comfortable and pleasing thought, sir, to think we can get pure water so comfortably in bad weather, and with so little labor. The bucket (which is tin with a leaden sinker upon the top edge on the dipping side,) runs to the spring itself, tills in an instant, is drawn back by turning the crank to the wheel, and two-thirds of the distance it turns very little harder than does a cotton wheel when twisting yarn with a heavy broach upon the spindle; empties itself, by turning the crank, into the wooden funnel named above, and if permitted, returns immediately back to the spring.

If any one doubts any thing I've said, such an one is very respectfully invited to pay me a visit and see for himself, and if his doubts are not removed I shall be much disappointed. Theie is no patent right upon this cut, or invention, it having been published by Willson Newman of South Onondaga in 1812. I omitted to say, the rollers should be metal; wood ivill not do: mine are brass, but I think cast iron preferable, being harder. I am much disposed to recommend a plank track as j)re-ferable to wire, in being cheaper and having no contraction or expansion from cold and heat. If the wire is too tight in very cold weather it Avill

THE SOUTHEKN PLANTER

break, and if too slack in warm, it will swag. We have a step way upon the front side of the house, to go up, made with a hand rail on each side, and of locust and heart pine timbers.

I have been thus particular in describing my fixtures, in consequence of its cost, ($85,) which is a great terror to many. One whose spring is 100 yds. off, may have his water brought in this way for S30. Or by using additional fixtures, such as I have erected, only more or less complete, as much more as he pleases; as in the case of building a dwelling house. If you think this, sir, is worthy of a place in the Southern Planter, please give it; otherwise lay it by.

Very respectfully.

Your most obedient servant,

Ed. J, Thompson,

AIbe?narl€, March 22d, 1854,

For the Southern Planter. DISTEMPER AMONG CATTLE.

Mr. Editor, —During the short call which I made in your office, in Richmond, the other day, you invited me to dress over an article, furnished by me, some years ago, to "The Farmers' Register," on the " Distemper among Cattle," and send it for republication in " The Southern Planter."

I shall always regret that, having lost several numbers of the Register, by loaning them out, I have not been able to have them bound in a complete set. I have in vain searched in the remaining numbers for the article alluded to, and believe it to have been in one of those lost. I suppose it is well that I cannot find it, as from my recollection, it was somewhat lengthy; and I judge that your readers generally, very properly, prefer short pieces. I shall endeavor to give as short a sumrSary of my thoughts on the subject as its nature will allow.

1. Omitting a detail of facts which led to the opinion, I have been fully convinced that the disease is infectious, and only so, by the saliva of one animal getting into the mouth of another. Unless this occur, I do not believe that any contiguity of a sound animal to one afflicted with this disease, or even to one having died of it, will cause him to contract it. I believe it is generally admitted that the same law governs the communication of distemper to one horse from another, and that he can not take it unless he bite the same grass, eat out of the same manger, wear the same bridle, or in some way get tainted saliva into his mouth.

2. I have fully satisfied myself that cattle—or at least some of them—which have once had distemper, even for years after they have appeared to be well, can communicate it to such as never had it. This law of disease also prevails in the one called glanders in horses. As among glandered horses, so some cattle wear marks of disease during life, such as a dripping of yellow water from the nose, inaptitude to shed off" their hair in summer, although fat, and occasional failure to give milk for a day or two, whilst slight disease is manifest. Perfect severance of such horses from all sound ones, or more safely, killing them, stops the spread of their disease. The same expedients, especially killing tainted cattle at the proper season of the year, would be followed by the same result,

3. Commons or other lands on which distempered cattle have roamed, until their boneshavc almost wliitened the ground, if well enclosed during fall

or winter, may be considered as safe from distemper ever afterwards, unless causes of re-infection be allowed. This I consider as fully established by striking examples coming under my own observation. It is then very important—especially when so many high-priced cattle are coming into the country—that these rules should be practically •emembered. I Avould, on no account, permit a sound animal to eat grass, or even dry food—at the season of the year when distemper prevails— in company with one which was or ever had been infected. Indeed, I should be quite chary in buying hay—should I unfortunately ever need that article—from an infected farm or district. One case of infection has come to my knowledge, for which I could find no other cause.

4. I have not known distemper to occur between ' the middle of December and the last of June. It is then possible that new comers into the herd might be protected by separation from the infected, even just before the last mentioned period. For many years, I kept two herds on the same farm— one infected, the other sound. A man with a vMte skin, was seen to pull and leave down the barrier between them. Unfortunately, before matters could be rectified, a sound ox walked, grazing for nearly tifty yards, on the infected grass. He died of distemper in a few days. I kept those two herds separate from the last of June until nearly Christmas. In December, 1836, I removed from the neighborhood of Farmville to this county, selling all the cattle which had been exposed to those, not only willing, but, like a friend lately purchasing Devons, preferring to buy such as might be proof against the disease in future. I brought the protected favorites to Cumberland, and have had no distemper here. But if I begin to relate facts, I shall violate my promise of brevity.

5, As regards the cure, I put no confidence in the nostrums so loudly applauded by ignorance and credulity. I have observed that many cattle which discharge only dark, greenish or black urine, resembling strong copperas water, are apt to recover, whether physicked or not; but when the urine was bloody, I never knew one to get well. I have geneially endeavored to purge them, when costive, with a pound of Glauber's Salts, or nearly a pint of spirits turpentine, to relieve them from the annoyance of grey-headed biting flies, which are sure to be attracted to them by myriads, I have, when I could, put them in a dark house. When this was impracticable, I have covered them over with the twigs and leaves of elder, spice-wood, sassafras, or any others whose scent will disguise and conceal their smell from the flies, or have had them well rubbed with bruised horse-mint or penny-royal. I have also applied ice to the hollow behind their horns, and rubbed it along the course of the spine, when there was great heat of skin, and in a few instances soon after the attack, with apparently the happiest effect. If not already in a shade, an arbour should be raised over them.

6. Many ways of guarding them have been devised, besides that surest preventive, a careful separation from infected cattle. The basis of most of these is common salt, unlimited access to which is doubtless beneficial to all cattle. I had once a friend living in a neighborhood peculiarly afflicted with distemper. He placed under a shelter, in his pasture, for the use of his cattle, at their pleasure, a large mass of clay, strongly impregnated with equal parts of salt and air-slaked lime. Although he boasted of thus guarding his cattle from dis-

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^, temper, I found he most sedulously prevented all '^ intercourse with their infected neighbors.

The law requiring the carcasses of cattle, dying from distemper, to be deeply buried or burned un-skinned—the skins, however, are usually worthless—being founded in ignorance of the laws of propagation in that disease, is worse than useless, and, with every dead letter law, ought to be repealed. It leads many, without faith in its value, to obey it scrupulously, because it is a law of the land. I have not a doubt but that with a knowledge of the laws of propagation in distemper, as developed in the foregoing rules, every proprietor could exterminate it from his premises, were a wisely constructed fence law only enacted. But such a matter as this is beneath the notice of politicians.

It is a curious fact,, in the history of this disease, that although it has existed so long in our State, it lingers only about our towns, and within a few miles of the roads leading to cattle markets, in this and in more northern States, along which cattle from Georgia and the Carolinaswere formerly driven. I believe it soon dies out in neighborhoods where the cattle are closely confined in pastures. Although it has been thus smothered, and in many places exterminated, I fear it will break out, with redoubled fury, when blooded cattle shall be transmitted all through the State, and bulls of improved breeds begin to go from house to house. I would warn my brethren, remote from the above mentioned roads, and from localities afflicted by the disease, to watch closely, lest the enormity of such an evil come upon them. Within my recollection, the disease raged greatly about Richmond. If it is still prevailing there, I would exhort all, sending animals to the cattle shows, to guard them most carefully against grazing, by the use of well made muzzles. These, if properly attended to, will save them, unless they chance to get a mouthful of hay or other food which has been slavered on by some infected animal.

I know very little of what is called "bloody murrain," in Scotland and other parts of Great Britain, but I strongly suspect, from the mystery and destruction by which it has so much aroused the alarms of superstition, that it was carried to North Carolina by Scottish immigrants. Being brought here afterwards, it received, like many European men, a new name—" North Carolina distemper." If this be so, I would gladly restore the old name, as I feel disposed to associate something far better than distemper, with the name of the good Old North State.

The heavy injuries sometimes produced by this disease render it a much more formidable affair than those unacquainted with it would suppose. I would, therefore, implore intelligent, investigat-' ing, practical farmers, and especially the officers of our State Agricultural Society, scrutinizingly to search into, and, if possible, suppress the evil. Whole neighborhoods sometimes lose nearly all their cattle, and a little milk, much less cream, cannot be procured to put into coffee. I have known great mischief caused by the transmission of blooded cattle through the country, at a wrong season of the year. Efforts to improve our stock are very laudable, but I again warn those who make them to use muzzles as safeguards, or, which is much better, to do it during those months when the disease seems to be incommunicable. Yours, respectfully,

W. S, Morton, Cumberland, June, 1854.

ECONOMICAL WHEATEN BREAD.

A Calais correspondent sent Lord Palmerston the following receipt for making cheap bread, which his Lordship transmitted to the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England :

Eor the purpose of making this bread,^nly the coarsest of the bran is to be taken from the wheat; and the second coat, or what is called pollard, ground with the meal, as is usual for wheaten bread. Five pounds of this bran are to be boiled in somewhat more than four gallons of water, in order that when perfectly smooth three gallons and three quarts of clear bran water may be poured into and kneaded up with 46 lbs. of the brown flourj adding salt as well as yeast, in the same way as for the other bread. When the dough is ready to bake, the loaves are to be made up and baked two hours and a half in a pretty brisk heat. As flour when thus made up will imbibe three quarts more of this bran liquor than of common water, it evidently not only produces a more nutritious and substantial food, but augments it to one-fifth part of the usual quantity of bread; consequently it is a saving of at least one day's consumption in every week. If this bread were in general use, it could be proved to be a saving to the nation of near ten millions per annum. This bread, too, has the following peculiar property: if put into the oven and baked for twenty minutes, after it is ten days old, it will appear again like new bread.

GAS FOR COUNTRY USE.

By a recent invention, people living in towns where no coal gas company is or can be profitably formed, may still obtain the luxury of a brilliant home-made gas-light, at a cost cheaper than that of the ordinary oil or fluid. This important improvement was in complete operation a few evenings since, at the residence of a well known literary and scientific gentleman, on Spring Hill, Somerville, Massachusetts, being the first house into which it has been introduced in this section of the country. The light produced is superior to that of coal gas, being clearer and more powerful, as the flame is of fuller volume and burns with greater steadiness, while the expense is about the same as coal gas at $2 50 per thousand feet. It is the combustion of benzole, a resinous liquid, sold at $ 1 50 per gallon, mixed with atmospheric air— the gas being generated by means of an ingenious and not inelegant apparatus, which may stand in the house entry-way, or even be placed on a closet shelf, and from which common gas fixtures may extend in all directions and give the light in any or every room at pleasure. The apparatus generates no more gas than is immediately consumed, and requires for the purpose only the heat of one of the burners used as a light—so that the whole cost of the gas is that of the apparatus and the benzole.

An apparatus of sufficient capacity for a good sized dwelling house is afforded for $150..

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It is so constructed that, by means of a rotating air pump, which is revolved by a cord and a weight wound up by a crank, a stream of air is forced into the generator, which is partially filled with benzole. The generator contains a vaporatcTr exposing a large surface of benzole to the action of the air, as the latter is forced through both apartments by the pump and weight—and the thus vaporated benzole combining with the air, produces a gas of the highest quality for illumination. The apparatus is so perfectly simple, safe and durable, that it may be managed by the dullest domestic, only requiring the weight to be wound up before use, and the generator to be filled twice a month, or not as often if the lights are not employed.

This beautiful invention was patented in August last, by Mr. 0. P. Drake, a practical electrician of Boston, and must be regarded as one of the most utilitarian improvements of the time. It is applicable to houses, shops, hotels, factories, or other places in the country, aiid even on shipboard. Hereafter the dwellers on the remotest hill-tops, or in the deepest shades of the "back-woods," may enjoy as much as those of the cities in the way of artificial "enlightenment" in their domestic arrangements.— Boston Transcrijit.

For the Southern Planter. THRESHING WHEAT.

Mr. Editor, —For the comfort of those who feed Threshing Machines where there is much dust in the wheat, I will say, it is the experience of my feeder (who has suffered much from the dust in his throat) that one swallow of oil, (which should be the best lamp oil,) when he stops at night, will relieve one from all the unpleasant effects of the dust. This is his experience after ten years experience, and as it may give relief to many a fatigued and suffering poor fellow, I communicate it to tlie Planter. J. J. H.

Amherst, Va., June 7, 1854.

BULL'S HEAD.

There are three cattle markets in New York, the largest of which is situated partly on the 6th avenue, but mostly on 44th street, and known by the name of BuWs-Head. It is an establishment of no smallconsideration, and is distant northward from the Battery about four miles. This market furnishes the city with a very groat portion of its supply of meat provi-Bions, which, according to recent reports of those who have made it their business to investigate, must be considered almost immense. The pens and enclosures on 44th street reach from

the 5th avenue to the Harlem railroad east, near to which is situated a large handsome hotel or boarding-house, for the accommodation of such as visit the place on business or otherwise. In addition to pens and yards for cattle, swine and sheep, there are also handsome and commodious stables for horses which are there brought and kept for sale. The cattle which are both for stall and for storage are brought mostly from the states of Ohio and Pennsylvania; the swine, chiefly from the former place. Monday of each week is the day for business, at which time, whoever makes a visit to Bull '5-Head^ either for trade or as a spectator, may have a chaiice to be gratified. He will see a plenty of fat bullocks and lusty kine prepared for the knife, also now and then a specimen of Pharoah's lean and lank. Here too he will have a chance to view a " swinish multitude," of noble grunters, mostly of the Bucheye breed, i. e. porkers of all descriptions, saving the ^21 folk and BerksJdre, held in so high estimation in Massachusetts; but, in Ohio, a hog is a hog, be he what he may-hap. Then come the bleating flocks;—they too are destined to sufier on man's account, and a rich fat wether is sure to find a quick sale and a good price. He that wants a good horse raay find one here; but, in every horse trade, mind the old law maxim, viz. "purchaser look out." The numerous pens are of proper size, and their arrangement such as to make them easy of access. On the 5th avenue stands a small bat suitable building, which answers for the accommodation of business men, having a desk and other conveniences, also a chance on the back side by mounting up upon the platform, to have a view of all the pens. Another thing which I suppose in N. York would be thought indispensable, there is a little grog room where-unto those disposed can resort to sharpen their wits, or as, perhaps, more often happens, to make themselves sport for sharpers. Upon the platform are found butchers,-drovers, and all sorts of lookers-on, kenning now this pen, and now that. Then down away to the pens they rush, some with paper and pencil figuring out their calculations; others catch up a little stick and go to whittling in order to concentrate their thoughts and keep them to the main point. Then again, around go the purchasers thick among the crowded herd, some of which manifest great unwillingness to be examined and very sensitive to being rough-handled by the hardfisted butcliers. They wince at scrutiny, and refuse a too intimate acquaintance. Nevertheless, all this must be gone through with, though the cattle after their manner, may show dissent and get their horns up in opposition;

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y^as wayward younkers sometimes do at college, "in resisting a public examination. But bellowing and baaing are but little heeded at either place. The porkers take it more easily, and spend the while in a, perhaps, more rational and submissive way, to the very driving off to the butchery. Alas, the poor lambs! they too have to pass the ordeal, though they fearfully spring and bounce and bleat. Butchers have no hearts,—the cry of the distressed and the shout of the victorious are both alike to them: sometimes there may be a little bantering, but as the parties are generally old acquaintances, business is done with some despatch, and dallying is out of the question. Washington market and Fulton market and several minor ones have all to be supplied, and so each purchaser, having made his selection, drives ahead in preparation to feed the half a million mouths of the great city.— Ploughman.

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RICHMOND, JULY, 1854.

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AN ANSWER TO COL. WARE'S ARTICLE ON SHEEP AND FARMING IN THE PRESENT NUMBER.

We give in another place,, the comrpunication of Col. Ware to the public, purely because he calls it a reply to articles of ours. For ourselves, we must confess that we do not sec one single particular in which he " replies" to anything we have said, and we can not understand, if he has read what we wrote with care, as he asserts, how he could have so totally misconceived, not to say perverted, our meaning. The motive of Col, Ware, we take it is this: he is " as much interested in fine stock as the most of men." He raises Cots wold sheep, and we do not admire them. It is not enough for us to say " there is profit in all;" (see current volume of Planter, p. 115,) but we must agree with him that his are beyond all comparison the best, and adopt his motto, aut Cotswold, aut 7itdlus. We not having done this, he undertakes to reply to us, and failing to find anything in the article on which to hinge his reply, very kindly supplies all omissions and makes us say something which will suit him. Thus he assumes, in the very teeth of all we have said, a p.ortion of which he quotes, that we have been advising the farmers of Virginia to graze both lands and stock to death, and considerately informs us that we have been " theorizing," and that we can not bring " a practical man to believe that any animal can flourish, or even live on nothing to eat."

In the same spirit, he next takes up the case of England, which we had doubly cited: first, in the general statement that she devotes sixty-six per cent, of her arable lands to meadow and pasturage, and second, in the special case mentioned by Mr. Holcoinbe, of Delaware, where a very productive, and of course exceptional, farm, had devoted fifty-eight and a half per cent, of its arable land to meadow and pasturage or its equivalent—he takes up, we say, the case of England to show that we had argued from it, that here the farmers should increase tlieir stock, without reference to grass, and adduces our quotation from Arthur Young, in full, to show that we meant to adopt it only in part. This is not only illogical, but unfair, and we protest against it. Let Col. Ware cite the case in which we took any such ground: we deny it peremptorily. The only colorable matter that Col. Ware has, is our having said that a gentleman kept four hundred and fifty sheep on two hundred and thirty acres of bare pasture; this he quotes, not taking the distinction between naked land and " bare pasture." To state more precisely, we will say that we gathered from the published statement of the gentleman we alluded to, that he offered feed to the four hundred and fifty sheep on the bare pasture, and they rejected it repeatedly—a pretty good sign that they did not suffer from hunger. And to be still more

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explicit, we will state that we suppose it was about the same sort of pasture, perhaps not quite so well sodded as we once saw on Col. Ware's own farm, which was certainly pretty bare at the time, though a good sheep pasture then.

He thinks, when we say that the lands of tidewater and Piedmont are better on an average than the lands of the Valley, that we are mistaken. Very well; that is a difference of opinion, a tangible point distinctly stated. But it is a collateral issue, one we shall not stop to argue now, though ready to do it at a proper time, ^nd to do it too in justice to the Valley farmer; for it must be very evident that the better his land is, the less credit is due him for its profitable cultivation. Meanwhile, we admit, if Col. Ware desires it, and with all its consequences and effects on the character of the farmer, that the lands in Jefferson and Clarke are equal to any in the State. But what we wish to do now is to test Col. Ware's assertions in regard to their lands. They are, he says, in one place, from whatever cause, inferior as pastures to Kentucky lands, " and yet," he says again, "Kentucky's sods are not equal to England's." We had stated that, reducing cattle to sheep, on the farm described by Mr. Holbcombe, there were kept on it 2,200, or nearly two for each acre of the farm. He accepts this statement, telling us that it was "on such a sod of combination of grasses as your eyes never rested on," which is probably very true, though we have seen the pastures on Linvill's creek, in the county of Rockingham. In the same breath we are assured, that on the Valley lands, " where they have not one-seventh of the number of grasses composing this sod, or one-seventh of the quality of sod, they think they can graze seven sheep, advantageously, to the acre;" arable of course, as in the other case, because he is contrasting them. Now, many of us remember that Col. Ware has very zealously, and by exact figures, propagated the opinion that his sheep Avere the best in the world, and that the best business was to graze them for market, he getting always, except in one instance, ten dollars per head for his at a year old.* He owns, if we mistake not, three hundred and fifty acres of land, probably equal to the average in its capacity for sheep. He is, also, a reasonably close calculator and alive to his own interest. Seven sheep per acre, at ten dollars, is seventy dollars per acre, or about fifteen dollars per annum over the fee simple value of his land: and three hundred and fifty times seven—the capacity of his land—is 2,450 sheep, which, at one half, annual sales, at ten dollars per head, is S12,250 per annum, and as many ewes kept back as will bring that much more money. We will thank Col. Ware, to show the error in the above calculation, to state how many sheep he does keep, venturing the opinion

, * See Southern Planter for 1852, Vol. XII, p. 170.

in advance that he never had in his whole life as many as three hundred and fifty at one time, and to state how it is that a " practical man," like himself, with land able to graze, ^' advantageoiisly,'^ on ground not near so well sodded, more than three times as many sheep upon a given surface as a model farm in England, should actually keep less than one sheep per acre, and of course six-sevenths, or eighty-six per cent, less than a prudent " practical man" ought to keep.

And whilst he is answering those questions, we will get him to explain this little matter to us. As under the system pursued in Jefferson and Clarke, not less than half the lands are annually cropped, he must graze fourteen sheep per acre on his pasture; of these the muttons, one year old past, will probably, as they are very superior, yield one hundred pounds of nett mutton each, and eighty pounds more of wool and offal=l,260 pounds; the ewes will derive their own support from the same land, but as they are liberal to the lambs, we leave them out of the calculation. Here there are seven sheep at one hundred and eighty pounds, 1,260 pounds elaborated from the grass of one acre in one year. On lands in England, turf, not arable lauds, that graze five sheep per acre, it is estimated, (Agricultural Magazine for August, 1852, p. 24, which we happen to have accidentally by us,) that in the summer, (and best,) half of the year they rarely laid on more than two pounds per quarter, tliough three pounds was argumentatively conceded, which gives twelve pounds per sheep and 60 pounds of mutton per acre: this, with the eighty per cent, of wool and offal, as in the other case, gives one hundred and eight pounds, or less than tv/o hundred pounds increase for one year, because the winter half is not equal to the "summer half" The land on which this was done was not first rate, we admit, but probably as good as Col. Ware's, whose pastures are confessedly unequal to the English. The point we wish explained is this: how does Col. Ware's pasture, with only two-sevenths more sheep, make 1,060 pounds more gross mutton per acre'? How happens it that when the English sheep, presumably as good, gains only twenty-one pounds, per head Col. Ware's of the same breed gains, (or makes, for Ae sells yearlings,) one hundred and eighty pounds'?

We do not wish to be unfair to Col. Ware, or to give him any apparent right to complain. He may contend that he meant seven sheep per an acre of pasture —take it at that, and we have only to divide the above figures by two. Then, it will follow, in the first case, that he ought to make, (or be responsible for not making,) S6,125 by his sheep, or forty-three per cent, more than he does make; and in the! other case, that his sheep instead of one hundred and! eighty pounds, will gain only Jiinety pounds perj

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head, against twenty-one pounds of the English ^sheep; which, as showing his sheep to be four times as good on worse pasture, will be sufficient for his purposes, as it is for'ours.

We now proceed to give Col. Ware something to go upon, if he shall see fit to reply to this article.

There is a large district of country in Virginia extending from the head of tide to very near the mountains, such as the counties of Prince William, Fairfax, Spottsylvania, Louisa, Fluvanna, parts of Goochland and Hanover, and the corresponding counties south of James River to the North Carolina line. If lime will suit these lands, which is doubtful, it cannot, at least in any short time, be applied to them because of the heavy expense. Much of this large district is turned out into old field and affords a scanty herbage—the main growth is bushes, generally sassafras—briars, rib wort, and, as the land gets gradually better, blue grass and greensward, which forms a thin sod. Much of the soil is naturally good, but has been exhausted by bad culture; a great deal is naturally thin. The problem is now to restore both sorts to their jDristine condition and to derive revenue from them: and our solution of it is, to stock the land with fine wooled sheep; nierinoes if they are to be had, Saxons if they are not, but either one or the other to be crossed on the existing breeds of the country until that breed is gradually substituted by the fine wooled stock. When the one sort of land is brought back it may be judiciously cultivated, as in the case of the fighting creek farm of Dr. Harvie lately described in this paper. The other kind can never yield much to tillage, and should be kept as far as possible in perpetual sheep walk. Many farmers own a portion of each, and they should, where practicable, be so arranged as to cultivate the one and graze the other, and make the sheep subsidiary to the improvement of the arable land by judicious grazing and hij pmpcr folding. We would not expect that those sheep should at first make very fine mutton—that is not the purpose for which they are intended—nor that they should be introduced in great numbers on the land, for if they are kept poor the fibre of the wool will attenuate as their frames do, and will be of less value. The sound judgment of the owner must regulate their numbers; and doing this, he will understand that he may derive a fair profit from them even though thin, (we do not say poor,) by the sale of their wool. Sheep browze a great deal; and when they can not get a sufficiency of other food they will not only eat bushes in greater quantities than cattle will, and of kinds which cattle reject, but they will chew up running briars by the yard. In that way they will cleanse the land which, aided by their manure, will put up in a better description of herbage, and so adapt itself to the annual in-

crease of a moderate flock of sheep until it attains its maximum of original fertility, beyond which it will not go from its own resources.

A case analagous in all but its social consequences occurred at the end of the last century in Scotland. Whole districts in the Highlands, nearly the whole possessions of the Duke of Sutherland, for example, which for centuries had yielded so small a pittance to the labor of the peasantry that every year was a year of famine, were depopulated by a forced emigration and turned into sheep walks. The consequence is,—hard, and hard-hearted apparently, as the measure was at first,—it has resulted beneficially. Lands that before brought next to no revenue to the landlord and a bare subsistence to the occupant, now produce wool enough to employ in working it up more people than formerly inhabited the territory, and mutton enough to feed a still larger proportion. The sheep of that country are a native breed, black faced sheep they call them, hardy and inured to the bleak climate and sterile moors and wastes of that exposed and mountainous region; they are small, but they afford a quality of mutton which is even more highly prized by the wealthy than the celebrated South Down. Some of the shepherds that own these flocks are among the wealthiest and of course the most intelligent and enterprising of the farmers of Great Britain, a class of men of rare energy, skill and sagacity. The Cotswolds are much nearer to them than they are to us, and at the great trystings or annual fairs where, as at Falkirk, they meet drovers from all parts of the united kingdom, and hear all that can be said in their favor, we have yet to learn that they have ever attempted to introduce them or the New Leicesters or the South Downs— they know that they will not suit the circumstances of the country.

We see every reason to think that here the same thing may be done: the large landholders may easily set the example, as some of the most liberal and enterprising of them on the Southside are now beginning to do, until the smaller proprietors take it up. To those who have too little land for the system, it will be no hardship to sell out and move to the cities to consume the mutton and work up the wool, because they make nothing where they are, and could at least earn wages in a difterent situation. Or if they shall not choose to do this, still it need not affect the plans or the success of their broad acred neighbors, into whose domains their smaller proprietorships would sooner or later be absorbed. The population of the whole country would be increased by this step, because employment and the means of subsistence would be afforded to still more people; and the population of the particular district would also grow. Unlike the Highlands, the barrens we speak of are inter-

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mingled with superior lands and are never found upon extensive areas: this must modify the system and limit its operation, whilst the improvement introduced would extend to the arable land, and by causing it to produce more crop, enable it to maintain more people.

Wc prefer the fine wools for such districts because there is, and for a long time is likely to be, much less demand for mutton here than in Britain, and the wool therefore would pay better. But were it otherwise we do not see how the Cotswolds, unwieldy, inactive and sluggish, could answer the purpose until the whole laws of physiology are changed, and certain classes of animals learn to " flourish" on what to them would be " nothing" or next kin to it.

We, who scout the omnipotence of guano, do not see how by means other than these, or by some similar plan, these lands are to be restored to and retained in their native fertility. If they would stand the sort of cultivation that has bared them to sun and frost, where are the laborers 1 There are not now enough among us; and though temporary causes may delay their departure, and their final exodus is removed, thank heaven, long beyond our time, yet cotton at fifteen cents and a field hand at :Jpl,200 are more potent for abolition than the libels of Stowe or the lies of Greeley. Gravitating to the tropics the negro is emigrated to the cotton field long before the ordinary laws of population could have exiled him. But the land must not grow up again in forests and we must have labor or a substitute.

If Col. Ware or another who " has no speculation in his eyes," shall say, " you theorize," we candidly admit it, but with this remark: that a ''a theory," according to the Dictionary, is " founded on inferences drawn from principles which have been established on independent evidence." We have stated the condition of parts of our country in the vital respects of land and labor, and we have given, briefly but explicitly, our views as to one mode of adapting ourselves to that condition. There may be better modes, we hope there are. Many persons agree with us as to the facts; and the more reflecting portion are now attempting the solution of the problem we have stated: they will be obliged to us, if for nothing else, for setting them to thinking on what to many will be a new plan, and to a few a subject of experiment—that is all we ask: "try all things, hold fast to that which is good,"

We had too much respect for the farming public ' of Virginia to expect to revolutionize them by three short and unpretending essays on the necessity of good stock. We threw them out for what they were worth, willing to have them criticised by abler hands, and only anxious that they should excite reflection. We sou:rht not to. lecture but to in-

struct; not to dictate but to suggest—and th< of Mr. Matthews in this number, we are so cannot say Col. Ware's also, is a proof tha have not altogether failed of their purpose.

AGRICULTURAL FAIR AT FREDERICKSB

The Rappahannock River Agricultural g will hold their second fair at Fredericksburg Wednesday, the 8th, to Friday, the 11th > vember, being the week, after the fair whi State Agricultural Society will hold in Ricl:

We understand that Fredericksburg is ta' lively interest in this fair, and has subscril Mr. Kidd, the energetic agent of the Socie sum of S250; several of her citizens takii memberships—S200, in fact, of the abov being thus made up.

We wish them much success in their eflbr knowing something of the character of the who live in the Rappahannock Valley, we c with truth that they have only to will a goo to have one. We have heretofore given the of the officers of this institution, who are gem of intelligence, public spirit and liberality.

We regret very much to learn that Major Parke Corbin's fine stallion, Black Prince, has been this year yielding an interest on $; died lately of infiammation of the boweli would have been a star both at the State Exh and at Fredericksburg.

IMPROVED SHORT HORNS.

The following article by Mr. Mathews of ^ is the first of several that he has promised ( subject. As he knows all about stock, and h died the subject as an amateur, we can coe what he says, even where we differ with him, careful consideration of every Virginia farm

If the articles we wrote on the necessity o stock and the best means of introducing the out such men, wc shall be repaid for having v them. We certainly regard it as one of th< important subjects, if not the first, that shon gage the attention of the farmers of Virginii

To what Mr. Mathews says of the necesj circumspection in purchasing, we fully subi There are just as many jockeys in stock, boi tie and shcej), as there are in the home mark( they make up pedigrees with as little scru (juacks do pills. We have now in our eye the agcjits for such things who is credibly re to us as having sold refuse Loudoun lamb Northern City back to Virginia as " Im] Sheep," and we mean to expose him the vei opportunity. Whether he was aware of the Iwmsclf we do not yet know, nor is it mate

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the purpose. A man who cannot tell refuse lambs ^ from good breeding stock, is no more fit to be trusted than the cheat who puts them off on ignorant purchasers.

Mr. Editor, —I ,have read with attention and pleasure, and, I hope, with profit, the article on " the necessity of having good stock, and the meaits of procuring them." There is one sentence in your last article to which I object, when you speak of the Short-Horns as the " boasted and beautiful, but delicate and uncertain Short Horns."

When I saw you at the State Show, last November, you requested me to write you some articles on cattle, which I promised to do, requesting me particularly to give you a description of the cattle of this portion of Virginia, and their improvement. I introduced to you Mr. Chas. L. Crockett, of Wythe, and told you he was much better qualified for giving you a description of the cattle we had, some twenty-five or thirty years since, than I was, as he had been a grazier from the time he commenced farming. His father was also one of the most extensive and successful graziers of the South-West, and possessed some of the best cattle we had at that day. I saw Mr. Crockett last week, and he said he would write you some articles. No person here is better qualified, as he is acquainted with both the early and late improvements, and is a liberal and spirited improver of all kinds of farm stock. But to the article in question.

That the Short Horns are beautiful, all admit. Whether it is right to boast of their superiority is, perhaps, questionable. That the Short Horn breeders can with truth boast of their superiority over every other race, so far as having a combination of good qualities is concerned, especially when adapted to soil and climate, I will endeavor to show in the articles which I will write, and, with your permission, publish in your paper. I believe it is conceded by all well informed persons, who have tried them, that for early maturity, giving a sure and quick return, whether grazed or stalk-fed, for the food consumed, the Short Horns are without rivals. I believe also that the Short Horns, and their crosses, are as manifestly and decidedly preferable for dairy purposes—when well bred and properly selected —as they are for'grazing and feeding. That the pure bred males of this breed are capable of improving all other races of cattle, for any and every purpose, with the single exception of working, which I willingly concede that the pure bred Short Horn ox, with his short legs, broad, straight back and wide, deep and projecting brisket, is not. Nor is it necessary that an animal, which will give you, at two and a half years old, fed on grass and hay, seven or eight cwt. of good beef, as is often done by the Short Horn, should be required to make up by work for his tardiness in arriving at maturity, as is the case, in my opinion, with both the Devon and Hereford. But it is not for the purpose of saying anything against the Devons or Herefords, or any other improved race of cattle, that I am writing. The Devon has always been a great favorite with me, and I have no doubt that for particular localities and the lighter soils of the country, they are the best of all cattle. The Devons were very well represented at our Show, by several animals, all of which I do not now recollect; but I do recollect that Mr. Hardy of Norfolk showed some of great excellence, uniting delicacy of touch with fine small bone, and, apparently, vigorous con-

stitution. I saw but two or three bulls at the New York Show superior to the young bull shown by Mr. Hardy, and I saw a great many very much inferior to him. Gen. Peyton of Albemarle also sliowed a two year old bull and heifer, which were very fine. I believe you purchased the bull calf, out of the General's heifer, to be given as a premium for the largest number of subscribers obtained by any person for the Planter. The calf, I see, is to go to Prince Edward, and will, I have no doubt, be of great advantage to that county; provided he and iiis descendants are properly taken care of. But if any persons have taken it into their heads that the Devons will live on an armful of shucks for breakfast, and what "boots" (I believe they are called,) he may pick ofi" the cornstalks through the day for dinner, and a mess of wheat straw for supper, with the lee side of the stack for his bed in winter and sedge-grass in summer, and still retain their symmetry, good points, and early maturity, they will find themselves mistaken. The Devons to the North are as w^ell taken care of as the Short Horns; and this is the case with the Devon herd of Mr. George Patterson, of Maryland—they are kept up to their present excellence by importing, every few years, the best animal to be found, to cross them with, and by invariable good ketp. Of the Herefords I know but little, never having seen a pure bred one until last fall, at the New York Show. The Herefords have in England maintained a long and sliarp contest with the Short Horns, as grazing and feeding animals; some of their advocates in this country also claim good milking. Knowing these facts, 1 had great curiosity to see some of the pure blood Herefords, and examined them very attentively. The result was that they did not come up to my expectations, and I thought them far inferior to the Short Horns, for the rich grass lands of the country, and to the Devons, for the light soils. I was accompanied in my examination by a friend from Wythe, who is a good judge of stock, and a large grazier, but not interested in any particular breed as a breeder, and he concurred with me in opinion. I did not see any fat steers of the Hereford breed shown, which somewhat surprised me, as they have been in the country ten or twelve years, and I do not suppose they have all been retained as bulls. That the Herefords have ever come up to the Short Horns in weight of beef, at the same age, is somewhat surprising, if the last were fairly represented in the specimens I saw. I do not know whether there are any pure blooded Herefords in Virginia; but if there are, I would like very much if two steer calves, of each of the rival breeds—Hereford, Devon and Short Horn— could be placed in the hands of some careful and intelligent fixrmer—such for instance, as James Newman of Orange—to be kept until two or thr-ee years old, and then exhibited and killed at th& State Show, and see which beats. I would stipulate that none of the cattle should have grain, but all to have as much good hay as they could eat in the winter, and an abundance of grass in the summer. I do not care whether they are housed in winter or not. I believe if the Short Horns have plenty of hay, or good corn fodder, they will winter as well at the open hay stacks as either Devons or Herefords. But to determine whether they are delicate, it would be better that they should not be housed. I do not know what you mean by their being uncertain; but suppose that it refers to their being uncertain breeders. Very often high bred heifers are made barren by high feeeding, in order to exhibit them

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it agricultural shows. But these are only exceptions : when kept in good store order, no cattle are aore certain, as I know from experience, and if ^^ou will take the Herd Book and examine it, you vill find the cows missing very few years. But I ^i\\ be glad if you will state distinctlj' what you aiean by " uncertain,'"* that I may answer it If I can.

What you say about the best mode of improving he stock of Virginia, I have nothing to object to. It >s the cheapest plan, no doubt, and if followed out, vould add thousands of dollars to the wealth of i^irginia; but let those who attempt it be careful ♦f whom they select their animals. It is the more iiipcrtant, that those who intend improving their •^ock, should make themselves acquainted with the loints which constitute a good animal, at this time, Jian befL)re we had an agricultural show. There 'ill be hundreds of animals brought to Virginia •om the North—from Short Horn cattle—withpedi-

•ees as long as your arm, down to the latest of .■.:mbugs—the Shanghai, Brama Pootra, Cochin

hina and Chittagong chickens, none of which are ) be compared to our Virginia game. But I was :lad to see that these chickens, with their " out-mdish" names, found but few purchasers amongst ur people, and that those who had the games >und ready sale for all they had. If a person eeps poultry for profit, and as ornaments to their ■rounds, it seems to me that no person would have ■lese long-legged, crane-necked, gouty-footed, big-leaded abortions, about their premises, unless kept •ut of sight and out of hearing. I am digressing, lowever, and must return to my subject.

Besides making themselves acquainted with the loints of cattle, they should also make themselves acquainted with— pedigree. Virginians will under-tand the word pedigree when applied to race torses, but there are very few who will understand t when applied to cattle. How many, do you sup-)0se, of all those who were at the show, could re-eat from memory the pedigree of the race horse, led Eye, running back, I don't know how many 'ears, to the Godolphin Arabian, and how many

* What we meant by " uncertain," was this: there is iss uniformity in breeding Short Horns, than in either )evons or Herefords. We say nothing of Ayrshires, be-■ause we think them valueless, compared with the others. vVith a Devon bull, even on a "native" cow, you are apt ) get a calf strongly marked with Devon points. With a 'hort Horn bull, even on a Short Horn cow, you can not redict what sort of animal the progeny will prove, either a color or quality; and though there may be a sprinkling of •reraium animals, the average of excellence will be less.

But we also join issue on the other point raised by Mr. ilathews. We have been taught to believe that the bulls .re not so apt to beget, and the cows less apt to conceive, han in any of the other races. This is a natural consequence of the system that has been adopted in their rearing uid mctnagement. Everything has been sacrificed to early ;iaturity, or the habit of laying on fat, which has resulted a giving the bulls, along with "the thigh, if a bullock, and he head of a heifer," an effeminacy of character which neasurably unfits them for procreation, and imparting to he cows an habitual fatness, which tends to prevent conception. Last summer, we met with a case in point, stated a one of the letters of some man who had been sent from he West, by a cattle impoi'ting company, to buy stock in >^ngland. He observed a coarse headed bull in a noted lerd, and on asking why such an animal was kept, re-teived for answer, that though he hid never taken a prize limself, he was the getter of prize-takers—the vigor was 'here, and his aspect was the proof of it.— Ed. Southern

k'LANTEH.

were there who knew that the bull, Holbrook, thought to be the main foundation of the improved / Short Horns, ever existed'? Yet, as to the real merits of the two animals, so far as their usefulness is concerned, in adding to the productive wealth of the country, and aiding to advance the real and substantial interests of the people, it seems to me that there is no comparison, as to which of the two animals should be awarded the highest merit. But it would take up too much space in your paper tx) explain the pedigrees of the Short Horns. I will remark, however, to those who expect to buy cattle at the State Shows, that the Herd Book is no security against getting grade animals palmed off upon them for full bloods. There are hundreds of grade animals recorded in the Herd Book, and some of the bulls merely numbered without any pedigree at all. The only security is to make themselves acquainted with the good families, whose pedigrees are recorded, and whose excellences have been transmitted by careful breeders to the present time, and purchase and breed from their descendants. I can, perhaps, make myself better understood by referring again to the race horse. Why is it that the colts of certain horses are so much sought after, and that the mares are sent hundreds of miles to favorite horses, and large sums, in some instances as high as $200, (which, I believe, was the price Priam stood at,) are paid for their services, if it is not for their reliance upon their pedigree? —from the fact that their ancestors have produced race horses for generations past. The colts of the horses are frequently entered in sweepstakes, and enormous sums staked upon them; in many instances, even before the mares have foaled—at least, this was the case some years since. This is the case with 'cattle, and if you wish to secure excellence in their descendants, the only way to do it is to breed from those which are well descended—those whose ancestors have possessed the qualities which you wish to transmit to their posterity for several generations—the longer the better. Although, there are a great many persons in Virginia who care very little about pedigree as applied to cattle or any other kind of farm stock except horses, I do not suppose you are one of them, or that you will doubt the correctness of positions as laid down. If you do, I will ask you to.refer to the sale of the late Earl Ducie's Short Horn cattle, which took place in England, last August. You will find the descendants of Young Duchess, a two year old heifer, purchased by Thomas Bates at Chas. Colling's sale in 1810, selling for nearly twice as much as any other animals. For instance, "Young Duchess sold at Colling's sale, October 11th, 1810, fetched 183 guineas, and now Duchess the 59th, six years old, and of the eighth generafcion from her, fetched 350 guineas; Duchess 64th, four years old, of the seventh generation, fetched GOO guineas; Duchess 6Gth, also of the seventh generation, hardly three years old, fetched the extraordinary price of 700 guineas, (about S3,5O0;) Duchess'GTth, of the ninth generation, fifteen months old, fetched 350 guineas: Duchess G8th, of the eighth generation, eleven months old, fetched 300 guineas; Duchess GUth, of the ninth generation, five months old, fetched 400 guineas; and Duchess 70th, of the eighth generation, six weeks old, fetched 310 guineas. This last was the calf of Duchess GGth; so that cow and calf fetched the altogether unparalleled sum of one thousand and ten guineas," (upwards of ;$5,000.) Besides these, there were also offered for sale, two bulls descended from Young Duchess.

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" The Duke of Gloucester, nearly three years old, sold for 650 guineas, and the fourth Duke of York, nearly seven years old, fetched 500 g,uineas. Excluding one cow of this family, which we have not named—as, owing to some doubt e^xisting as to whether she would breed, she fetcired but a low price—the nine animals descended from Charles Colling's Young Duchess, three of them being calves, fetched the enormous sum of 4,160 guineas, (S20,800,) averaging 462 guineas, (S'2,313,) a piece." But this is not all; the bull. Grand Duke, (No. 10,284 in the Herd Book,) which was bred by the late Thomas Bates, and also descended from Young Duchess, was sold at Mr. Bates' sale, May, 1850, and was purchased last summer at private sale by Mr. Thorne of New York at $5,000. " This bull was the first calf of Duchess 55th, and the sire of Duke of Gloucester; Duchess 64th and Duchess 66th were the produce of Duchess 55th. Thus it will be seen that these three animals, the produce of one cow, also realized the immense sum of 2,300 guineas," (Sll,500 of our money.)

I have not given you the above list of prices for the purpose of exciting surprise; but for the purpose of showing that certain families of Short Horns are prized for possessing certain qualities in greater perfection than others, to wit: good hair, good handling, good milking and feeding capacity, arriving at maturity early, and being moderate consumers in proportion to the size of the animal; for I contend there is no animal consumes less in proportion to its size, than the well bred Short Horn. If persons choose to buy grade cattle, for full blood, without any regard to the pedigree, coat or handling of the animal, and, then, afterwards, in their descendants, find ragged, narrow hips, coarse heads and necks, hides as tight as drums, coarse thighs covered with flesh of the worst kind, and bones sufficiently large for a Pennsylvania dray horse, they have no right to condemn the Short Horns as a race. It only shows that they are very easily imposed upon. I have seen some animals with all these objections, sold as thoroughbred Short Horns. There were a great many brought here from Kentucky, several years since, with pedigrees made for the occasion, scarcely one of which produced an animal worth having, even to make a steer of. J am afraid I have already extended my article to too great a length—I could not well make it shorter. in my next, which I will have ready for your July number, I will give you a short history of the Short Horns, as I understand it, and which I believe to be true; and will afterwards try and make good my position as to their being the best cattle in the w^orld—capable of improving all others, and incapable of being improved by any others; always keeping in mind, however, the position with which I set out, that there shall be " an adaptation of soil and climate.'"

Your friend,

Alex. S. Mathews. Wythe County, May IZd, 1854.

WHEN ARE PEAS POISONOUS TO HOGSl PEAS COMPARED WITH GUANO.—GRASS CROP ON TIDE WATER.

The following letter from Col. Herbert, in answer to one from us on the subject of the query above, discloses a very interesting fact. Will all whose experience, (not t/teory.) on similar soils confirms

or contradicts the statement that peas on such soils, poison hogs, do us and the pea growing farmers the favor of giving their views on this head. We congratulate Col. Herbert on his crop of grass. Last fall in Norfolk we saw a specimen of his hay, and never beheld better. We think he is a pioneer in that business in Princess Anne, and if he is, he deserves as much credit as those who introduced "trucking," or growing vegetables for the Northern markets.

Level Green, Princess Anne, June Ith 1854. Mr. F. G. Ruffin:

Dear Sir,—Yours of the 9th of January was duly received, and would have been answered immediately, but for the difficulty of seeing Messrs. Burroughs & Old.

I saw those gentlemen last week. They think that you are mistaken in thinking them to say "that hogs frequently died from being pastured on pea vines grown on the islands, when the same sort of food grown on the main land would fatten them;" but they said "that hogs fed or pastured on peas grown on the islands or main land, where there are shells, (Indian deposit of oyster shells,) frequently died, while those fed or pastured on peas, where there is no Indian deposite or shells, would fatten and do well." The above is the experience of many gentlemen in my county. As I am frequently in North Carolina, I will briefly state what I have learned there in regard to the same subject. There is in Currituck county a deposit© of oyster shells extending from the Court House about thirty miles to Powell's Point—on the south side of Currituck Sound parallel to the same. Farmers living in that portion of the county have frequently said to me that they could not turn stock of any kind into the peas grown on that shelly land, as it would be almost certain death to cattle or hogs to do so. The whys and wherefores I know nothing of,

I think I know that peas are a great improver of land. Many farmers cultivate their land every year in corn, (by sowing it down in peas at the last working of corn) without any deterioration. The pea crop in my humble opinion as an improver, is worth more to the farmers of Virginia and North Carolina in this district of country, than all the guano in Peru. I have been using Ijoth guano and peas for many years, and have as yet to see much benefit from guano on summer crops; I believe that it has in many instances been injurious, while the pea crop has never failed to come up fully to my most sanguine expectation.

I believe that many of us have been spending our monej' for guano, not because we have realized paying benefit from the same, but because it is somewhat fashionable to do so.

The Corn crop in eastern North Carolina and this portion of Virginia is rather small, owing to the cold weather. The wheat crop is very fine. The oat crop looks well, and beyond doubt will be very lood. Our Irish potato crop promises to be abundant and profitable.

Grass is not much cultivated here, owing to an old crazy notion that has gotten into many of our farmers heads, that our climate and soil are not adapted to the growth of grasses. A few of us, however, are cultivating the orchard and timothy grasses with entire success. I am cutting at this

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time my grass, and shall finish in a day or two. The crop is estimated at two tons per acre. I have seventy-five acres in grass for the scythe. I am, very respectfully,

Your ob't serv't,

Edward H. Herbert.

EXPLANATION OF COMMODORE JONES' PRIZE

ESSaY.

The following letter explains itself:

Near Prospect Hill, Va., May 2>0th, 1854. Frank: G. Ruffin, Esq.,

Dear Sir,—Your favor of the 20th inst., has just come to hand, for which accept my thanks, for the tender of your columns, as well as for calling my attention to a glaring incongruity in my prize Essay, which had previously escaped my own notice, as well as perhaps the notice of others, until your correspondent so delicately pointed, to the error in the extract you sent me.

Truly I have left the Uh field unappropriated; that error escaped my reading, possibly from sometimes using the t^xmi^fi.eld^ and shift, as synonymous —but the ground work of the discrepance was laid some years ago, when I commenced an article for publication, but was interrupted by orders to sea, and never returned to it till I commenced the Essay on worn-out Lands. There was a period of my agricultural progress v^dien I thought with " Arator," and many other distinguished practical farmers of Virginia, that the hoof and the tooth were destructive to land, and hence the necessity for a standing pasture, in any plan for improvement of the soil, and for which the sixth field was originally intended, and can novv^ be so appropriated by any who still believe in the non-grazing plan, or by making five fields of twelve acres each; instead of six of ten; the land is all brought into cultivation.

I am, sir, with great respect, &c. &c.

Your ob'd't serv't, Thos, ApC. Jones.

For the Southern Planter.

REPLY OF COL. JOSIAH WM. WARE TO THE EDITOR'S ARTICLE ON STOCK.

Mr. Editor, —I have been reading with care your editorials about the "Necessity of good stock to Virginia farmers," and feeling convinced the system you suggest will be injurious to Virginia's best farming interest, and well calculated to reduce her lands from exhaustion to sheer sterility, I must be pardoned for suggesting an adverse system for the consideration of Virginia farmers, in two numbers: one on farming, the other on stock. I trust not to impose on you after.

You say, in your February number, "the low state of the live stock iti some of the finest parts of Virginia is a source of anxiety sometimes to their owner." I consider this a good omen, for, with the prudent, next to that is improvement. I think, with you, that "they must be improved" in quality at any rate, if not in quantity; and cautiously in quantity, for farmers may rely upon it that until they can have their grounds sufiiciently covered with grass lor their animal's consumption without so far denuding their land as to expose it to the

scorching rays of the summer sun and the freezings of winter, they can neither have good stock or improve their land, and their efforts must, as it has done, result in disappointment. You instance England, advantageously, and say " sixty-six per cent, of her arableliand is devoted to meadow and pasture;" also, "Ohio as greatly the heaviest wheat grower in the Union," and " only two-ninths of her soil in grain," and this is the true secret of their success; they are not overstocked to their grass land—as an evidence of the latter, where is more clover seed raised and sold than in Ohio 1 but as to England, her grass lands are perfect sods, and composed of varieties of grasses mixed together.

You properly ascribe Virginia's present situation, among other things, to her deficiency in grass and stock. Your quotation, from Arthur Young to Gen. Washington, justly says ^^ Repose under grass is the soul of management, and draining and tillage to be given in the year, that yields green winter food." Now, to have more stock than can be maintained on the grass, can not mean Mr. Young's " soul of management repose under grass;" but, unquestionably, his " caput mortuum."

A farmer who wishes to improve his land, and at the same time raise stock and grain, must cover first his land with grass, and when sufficiently covered with grass, then take care to get the best and most profitable kind of stock—not a sufficiency to eat up all the grass, but only a sufficiency to graze pretty closely the grass on the land you design fallowing for a crop. A farmer ought to have the best and most profitable kind, because a few will enable him to carry on this system with more money received and more clear profit, than numbers of unprofitable stock that must effectually injure the land by leaving it bare. The number can then be increased as the increase of the grass will allow; for you may rely upon it land cannot improve, nor can wheat be raised by stock, unless that stock has a sufficiency of grass to make them muttons and beeves, without laying the land bare to the effects of the sun and frost.

In your April number, you say " Tide-water and Piedmont Virginia, with every advantage of climate and contiguity to market," and " with a soil better on an average, than that of the Valley, do not come within fifty per cent, of their value." Here, we might differ widely, for we of the Valley are somewhat vain of 'our country, and under the same management, i. c. to raise comparatively no grain and cover our lands with the natural grasses of our country, (which is the same,) so that neither sun or frost could reach it, we would be disposed to throw the glove to the proud Kentuckian. Your admission that "it does not come within fifty per cent, of their value," although with the advantage of climate and contiguity to market, is rather evidence of not being better soil, for such things are regulated by tlte demand of farmers, who make their money by the sweat of their brow, and are likely to lay it out in the most profitable manner; but, (if there is a question as to which is of most value among reflecting men,) why is it this land is of more value'? May it not be that our system of cultivation is different 1 We do not keep so much stock as to graze our lands bare; and if so, would it not be better to adopt our system as speedily as l)ossible'? "The Black Sea, Mediteranean and other parts of Continental Europe," that rival us in the markets, when inquired into, will be found, I expect, do not graze their land naked.

Mr. Holcombe's statement—that new instance—

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217

shows that out ofl,200 acres of land in England, only a little over one hundred acres was in wheat; two hundred and fifty acres in turnips;. (which is not so exliausting as corn, and soon furnishes some protection to land;) and five liundred acres to grazing, and that is such a sod of combination of grasses as your eyes never rested on—in fact, Arthur Young's "soul of management, repose under grass," and in even tliat, six to seven hundred sheep only were kept and fed on it, and two hundred and fifty head of cattle turned ofi' in a year. Your calculation, in reducing cattle to equality of sheep in keep, makes 2,200 sheep; that number of the right kind of sheep on five hundred acres of such sod would hardly make an imptession—they would never see the ground. On our Valley land, where we have not the one-seventh of the number of grasses composing our sod, or one-seventh the quality of the sod, avc think we can graze seven sheep to the acre advan-tageoush^, this will prove their grounds are not closely grazed.

Kentucky's system nearer approaches England in that respect, except that she raises corn in place of turnips, and pays but little attention to wheat; and see what care and attention is paid there to grass lands. I was told by a Kentucky gentleman, that one of their celebrated graziers would dismount to pick a chip up off his grass. Kentucky keeps pastures for winter grazing and for summer grazing—no grazing is allowed in summer on the grass kept for the winter, and it grows high and mats over the ground, and the summer pastures are not pastured to exposure to the sun, and not at all in the winter. Wet Kentucky sods are not equal to England, because they do not lay down the variety of grasses. .No doubt, the true principle is to lay down your grounds in grasses, and keep as many of the right kind of animals as can consume the grass on the grounds you design fallowing; and either let the other grasses lay on the ground or mow for winter use, and your lands will improve, even under pretty rapid cultivation. The grass will keep your stock in high order, and their rich and abundant food will enrich your land by ample and rich droppings. I am as much interested in fine stock as the most of men, probably, yet I advise farmers not to enter into the stock business of any consequence, until prepared for it by an abundance of grass, or they vs^ill inevitably fail, and disappointment will ascribe the disastrous effect to the wrong cause and destroy future efforts.

You seem highly to recommend English success, and Virginia's system that brought about sterility. If you wish English success, you must adopt the English system that accomplishes it. How would the plan you seem to favor tally with English management—"four hundred and fifty sheep on two hundred and thirty acres of bare pasture," and " six hundred sheep on two hundred and thirty acres of land," bare, no doubt, too—state this as you have done as a system of profit, and improvement to land, or even to keep it from going to ruin, state what you have considered the great profit from it, and the energetic farmer alluded to by Mr. Holcombe would laugh at Virginia's notion of improving land, and Virginia's ideas of profit from sheep. No, Mr. Editor, you may theorize until you ripen the prejudice of farmers against book farming into rejecting it altogether, but you can not "bring the practical man, whether farmer or other calling, to believe that any animal of any nature can flourish, or even live on nothing to eat. You may find animals enoughto live on briars and sassafras bushes, b'^t put them on them or bare land, or

even on land with not a sufficiency of grass, and in due time, and that not a long one, even the killdees will have to emigrate.

JOSIAH W. WaRK.

Berryville, June 1, 1854.

PAYIVIENTS TO THE SOUTHERf^ PLANTER

To the \Uh of June, 1854.

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

Colin Clark to January 1855

Arthur F. Robertson to January 1855

John Wingfield to January 1855

A. Aldridge to January 1855

T. A. Field to January 1855

John W. Hunnicutt to January 1855

Dr. B. F. Eppes to January 1855

Dr. Jolm P. G-oodwin to January 1855

M. R. Disosway to January 1855

F. Jackson to January 1855

Fred. Jackson to January 1855

E. H. Eppes to January 1855 j

E. Brownell to September 1853 (in full)

Samuel Booth to January 1855 ^

William B. Finch to January 1855

George A. Bailey to January 1855

Joseph W. Booth to January 1855

Albert J. Bishop to January 1855

Boiling Ellis to January 1855

William E. Lamb to January 1855

J. J. Deal to January 1855

Elisha Melton to January 1854

A. H. Moorman to January 1855"^ R. W. Calloway to January 1855 John M. Patton to January 1855 V. 0. Witcher to January 1855 S. C. Jones to January 1855 j T. B. Jefferson to January 1855 J Dr. P. C. Venable to January 1855 William Townes to July 1854

Wm. M. Willeroy to January 1854 (in full) Thomas Teaford to April 1854 (in full)

B. W. Hansbrough to March 1855 J. V. M'Gahey to July 1855

Dr. Peter T. Johnson to January 1855 D. E. Jiggitts, M. D. to January 1855 John T. Boughan to January 1855 PI. T. Harrison to Julv 1856 H. A. Ball to July 1854 Col. William Woolling to January 1855 H. Z. Shackleford to April 1855 Anthony Foster to October 1854 M. B. Jarman to January 1855 William Tompkins to October 1854 William S. Dabney to January 1855 James W. Dabney to January 1855 James C. Carter to July 1854 Rev. Willis Huckstep to July 1854 Anderson White to January 1855 Dr. J. C. Hughes to January 1855 Ro. W. Lewis to January 1855 James T. Marshall to June 1854 Col. John J. Bowcock to July 1854 John V. Kean to July 1855 James Hart to January 1856 Logan Osborne to July 1854 Balaam Osborne to January 1855

SI 00 4 50

7 50

1 OO

6 67

1 25

5 00

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

Hon. A. Stevenson to January 1855

William E. Coles to January 1855

Dr. Pat. Henry to May 1855

Ch. Proctor to January 1855

Major Ro. Hill to January 1855

Dr. R. T. Jones to May 1855

Henry A. House to May 1855

Dr. J. C. McDowell to January 1855

Dr. Thomas Meaux to January 1855

John 0. Groddin to January 1855

Paul Smith to July 1855

Christopher C. Dillard to November 1854

John Currie to May 1855

R. H. Harrison, estate of, in full

P. R. Griggs to January 1855

Thomas W. L. Fauntleroy to January 1855

S. W. Tunstall to January 1855

G. D. Keatts to January 1855

P. F. Gafford to January 1855

Pompey Campbell to January 1855

P. E. Tabb to January 1855

Joseph Medlicott to January 1855

Monroe Kelly to Ja,nuary 1855

Nace Fitzgerald to January 1855

George J. Gardner to January 1855

Tucker Coles to January 1855

Nathan Parker to January 1855

Joseph Mann to January 1855

Andrew Hart to January 1855

S. Hunter to January 1855

Thomas G. Garth to January 1855

■William G. Coleman to March 1855

Dr. R. E. Haskins to January 1855

Joseph Tisdale to September 1854

William D. Snead to January 1855

John Moncure to January 1855

Powhatan Moncure to July 1854

James A. Rives to January 1855

Edward Caiter to January 1855

Dr. P. B. Robinson to May 1855

Dr. N. K. Foster to April 1855

Guilford Canada to January 1855

Dr. William R. Nelson to January 1855

James C. Cook to April 1S55

William T. Anderson to January 1855

N. B. Magruder to January 1855

Dr. Benjamin Dennis to January 1855

William M. Radford to January 1855

Gideon Flippo to July 1855

Rev. Charles Wingfield to July 1854

James Kinnard to January 1855

William E. Bradshaw to April 1855

Dr. N. T. Green to January 1855

Thomas F, Knox to January 1855

.J. L. Green to January 1855

John H. McRae to January 1855

William M. Mitchell to January 1855

William H..Parish to Jarraary 1855

Robert A. Gray to Janxiary 1855

James E. Dickinson Lo Janua'-y 1855

John Seddon to January 1855

John W. Kidd to January 1855

Richard H. Turiior to January 1855

Robert Wallace to January 1855

William S. Rylaud to Jiinuary 1855

B. V. Iverson to Jajjuary 1855

R. P. Daniel to January 1855

Dr. A. D. Alexan(h;r to January 1855

Capt. S. P. McGci.ee to January 1855

R. F. Hannon to .lonuary 1855

Joseph Cloyd to Ju'uiary 1855

Wm. H. Mdler to .hiiiuary 1855

James Cioyd to January 1865

S3 00 1

Thomas S. King to January 1855

Jacob S. Barger to January 1855

Reuben Sayers to January 1855

Wm. Worsham to January 1855

R. L. Patterson to July 1854

S. C. Macon to September 1854

Wra. A. Turner to January 1855

James Pamplin to January 1855

Capt. AV. H. Carter to September 1854

W. H. Harrison to January 1855

Wm. Fretwell to April 1855

W. Landrum to January 1855

T. W. Edwards to July 1854

Dr. D. Patterson to January 1855

George Dillard to January 18»4

John S. Camden to November 1854

John Parker to January 1855

Littleberry M. Powell to January 1855

Dr. T. A. Field to January 1856

Samuel D. Morton to January 1855

Col. J. Chowning to January 1855

H. J. Gray to January 1855

H. J. Best to July 1854

.Joshua Cannon to January 1855

J. Cobbs to January 1856

W. J. McGehee to January 1855

S. Neblett to January 1856

S. C. Anderson to January 1855

A. Nicol to July 1854

R. B. Boiling to January 1855

Dr. J. M. Hurt to Janaary 1855

Robert Grattan to July 1854

Emanuel M. Jones to January 1855

George W. Martin to Septemljer 1854

Andrew J. Carper to January 1855

R. U. Brooking to January 1855

Thomas Perkinson to April 1855

A. L. Booker to June 1855

R. G. Morriss to January 1855

Dr. Thomas W. Neal to January 1855

William Leitcli to July 1855

George AV. Pollard to July 1854

H. T. Miller to January 1855

Wm. M. Shepherd to September 1854

J6hn F. Whittield to January 1855

Wm. S. Graves to January 1856

.James Pritchett to March 1857

Gen. B. Peyton to July 1854

Samuel T. Miller to Januarj^ 1855

Dr. W. W. Wilkins to January 1855

Francis E. Rives to April 1855

Gen. Alex. Brown (2 copies) to January

James M. Taylor to January 1855

T. Michaux to March 1855

Wm. Piummer to September 1854

Miles C. Wills to July 1854

William S. Dupree to July 1855 ")

George L. Bayne to July 1855

Capt. Green A. Wood to July 1855

C. 0. Lipscomb to July 1855

William H. Eubank to July 1855

Joseph L. Watkins to July 1855

Capt. R. H. Williams to Julv 1855

William 13. Purcell to July ^1855

Wyatt H. Pettus to July 1855

Thomas B. Purcell to July 1855

Robert E. Knight to July 1855

P. G. Eubank to July 1855

Capt. F. Lester to July 1855

Belfield Cave to January 1855

B. F. T. Conway to January 1855 Dr. H. C. Worsham to January 1855 Joseph Jessee to July 1865

1855

10 00

1 GO 1 GO 1 00 1 00

THE SOUTHERN PLANTEK

219

Thomas E. Haskins to April 1855

J. C. Rowe to April 1855

Edward H. Ewc41 to January 1855

Kobert H. Keeling to January 1855

Jacob Carver to January 1855

Joseph P. Tatem to February 1855

Edward 11. Herbert to January 1855

Dr. Joseph W. Pendleton to June 1855

Elisha Chewning to July 1855

J. E. Harnsberger to January 1855

R. G. Bibb to January 1865

Oapt. Thomas F. 8penccr to January 1855

Capt. John T. Harris to July 1855 «

Wra. A. Turner to January 1856 *

Dr J, H. Latina to June 1855

Boling Vaughan to May 1855

M, B. Brown to January 1855

J. E. Murray to January 1854

E. Murray to January 1854

T. N. Murray to January 1854

John B. McCloud to January 1855

John T. Whitehurst to January 1855

Wm. P. Harrison to January 1855

D. Murray to January 1855 T. L. Pitts to January 1855 Wra. N. Nicholson to July 1855 Wm. N. Holstead to April 1855 John Willis to July 1855

Dr. George Field to January 1855 Thomas G. Plummer to April 1855 Perry L. Derby to July 1855 George Whitmore to July 1855 Thomas H. Saunders to January 1855 S. S. Gresham to March 1855 James T. Pope to April 1854 Samuel P. Ligon to January 1855 Fayette F. Spilman to July 1855 H. W. Ashton to July 1854 Powhatan B. Sledge to January 1855 James P. Vaughan to January 1855 H. C. Watkins to January 1855 Dr. E. L. Nelson to August 1855 Elisha Hardy to July 1855 Wm. Appleberrv, Jr. to January 1855

E. F. Redd to May 1855

S. B. Jones to September 1854

}[. E. Weston to January 1855

Ferdinand Jones to July 1854

John Burr to September 1854

W. P. Van Ness to January 1855

John S. Groseclose to April 1855

11. H. Abbott to January 1855

John Jones to January 1855

Wm. Huntington to January 1855

Capt. David-Rice to January 1855

Col. Thomas Purkins to January 1855

Major D. G. Lang to January 1855

Wm. M. Watts to June 1855

Dr. F. D. Wheelwright to January 1855

Joseph Johnson to January 1855

Thomas A. Rector to January 1855

M. Snead to January 1855

John G. Hamilton to June 1855

R. Grigsbv to June 1856

Dr. A. S. Hall to January 1855

1*. F. Ricliardssn to January 1855

John Workman to January 1855

Ro. H. Richardson to January 1855

A. Fuller to July 1855

R. L. Jefferson to July 1855

Edmund Townes to anuary 1855

Wm. B. Perkins to November 1854

John Goode, Jr. to January 1855

1 MPORTANT TO AGRICULTURISTS.—I desire to JL call the attention oi" the fanners of Virginia, Maryland, &c., to iny patent .ittaclirnent for grinding and distributing guano, and to give notice that 1 claim to be the true and original inventor of these machines now on sale at the agricultural wareliouKc of Addison & Meade, Alexandria, Va., and which will be lor sale at the warehouse of Baker & Brown, Winchester, Va, They are also in possession of many farmers in Clarke, Jefferson, Culpeper and other counties. Although a patent has been granted by mistake to Messrs. Henson & Rhor of Charlestown, Va., lor a part of my machine, I have taken measures at the Patent Office to establish my original exclusive title to the invention claimed by them, and shall enforce my rights by the due course of law.

Persons desirous of obtaining these machines, or wishing to purchase rights for counties, States or territories, will please apply to me at Summit Point, Jefterson county, Va., or to Addison & Meade, Alexandria, Va., or to Baker & Brown, Winchester, Va. Farmers can have the attachment affixed to any drill by application as above.

jun—3t T. F. NELSON.

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

EXCELSIOR.

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

My Patent Premium Threshing, Separating, Cleaning and Bagging Grain Machine, is for sale, which received the first premium at the Crystal Palace, New York, over all Threshing Separating, Cleaning and Bagging Grain Machines on exhibition, thus proving conclusively that simplicity in construction, cheapness in price and durability in my machine, is being fully appreciated, and the old and new costly inferior complicated Separating Machines, must yield their places to a superior Labor Saving Machine. The celebrated Machine for Threshing, Separating, Cleaning twice, Screening and Bagging Grain by one simple operation. The greatest labor saving Machine in the world for separating all pure and impurities. This Machine throws the straw to itself, the chafl' to itself, the wheat in the bag, the screenings to itself, and the smut and cheat to itself. Every thing has a place, and every thing is in its place to suit the conveniences of the farmer. For simplicity, durability, cheapness and capacity, it has no equal in the world. As for what has been stated in the different papers concerning Mr. Zimmerman's Machine receiving the first premium at the Crystal Palace, New York, is false, and not true. It is also stated that Mr. Zimmerman received a number of

premiums at • and other fairs. That I know nothing

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

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

July 1, 1854—12t

THE SOUTHEEN PLANTER.

A MORRIS, 97 iViain Siieet, i.N con.siantly t-up • plied wiih all New and IStandard Agkicll TQttAL Works. 'I'he suoscribi-r re^fieciiijlly invites the aiiention of the public lo his'extensive assoii-meni of Books on Agriculture, among which may be luund —

1'he Chemical Field Lecfires for Agriculturists, by Dr. J. A Siockhaidt; translated frou) ihe German: editetl with noies by James E. ■I'esehemeeher

The field Book of iVlanures, or the Auiencajj Muck Book; ireating ol' the naiuie, properties, &c of all the principal manures in common use, b) D. J Brown.

'I'he American Farm Book.or Compend of Ame rican Agriculture, being a practical in-atise on soil's, manures, draining, &c. and every siaple product ol the United States, wiih the hot methodsof plann'ng, culiivaiingand prepaiaiionfurmaikei, by li.L.Allen

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

Tlie Monthly Journal olAg r iculture, containing the best current productions in promotion of agri-cuhuial improvement, including the choicest pnze essays issued in Europe and America, with original contributions from eminent larmers and statesmen, 3 vols. 8vo , John S. Skinner, Editor.

The Principles of Agriculture, by Albert D. Thaer.

The Farmer's and Planter's Encyclopaedia ol Rural Affairs, embracing all the most recent di>ci) veiies in agricultural chemistry, adapted to ihe comprehension of unscienlilic readers, by C, Vv Johnson, Esq.

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

Chemistry in its Appticarion to Agriculture and Physiology, by Jusius Liebig, iVl. D.

'ihe Book of the Farm, detailing the labors of the fanner, ploughman, field worker, &c., by fienry Stephens.

Elements of. Scientific Agriculture, or the Connection between Science and the Art of Practical Farming, by John P. INorton, M. A.

An Essay on CaJcareons Manures, by Edmund Raffiu: 5th edition, amended and enlarged.

The Farmer's Barn-Bouk, by Clater, Youatt, Skinner and Mills.

r(;gelher with many other valuable works on firming, the tieatmenl and management of cattle, (fee. A. IViCRRIS,

Bookseller, Stationer, and Dealer in

feb—tf Piano Ftirtes, 97 Main street.

AF.lvEMARLK PIGS.

I AM prepared ,o receive orders for Albemarle Pigs—a breeil made by crussingseveral varieties, which will giovv U) good size, and fatten easily ai any age. This hieed received some of the highest prizes at the Virginia State Fi.h. 1 have, also, toui b«jar p"ig^■, from my large Del?, vare Sow, (estimated to weii^li, nett, near one thousand pounds,) which Will be Ieady for delivery in a few weeks. Address, (postpaid,) JOHN R. WOODS,

ja—tf Woodvllle Depot. Albcvrorie^ Va

A^ALYSlJ^ OF SOILS, &c.

fTlHE undersigned is prepared to execute the an-Ji alvses of Soils, Guano, Marls, Plaster, &c,v&c. at the fiaboraloiy of the Virginia Mililaiy Institute. Packages may he for^varded through Webo, Bacon & Co. Richmond, or Echols & Pryor, Lynchburg. Persons desiii)ic; further information will pleast add I ess ^ WILLL\M OiLHAM,

Prof Chemistry and Agriculture, V. M. I. • Ftb. 1, \Sh2. Lexington, Va

STtlVES APiD FAl^CY IRON CA!^T«^Gg,

Exkibited ai Ike Virginia State AgricuUuraL Faii, "M By Messrs, Bowers, Snyder «fe Carter. =

TtJEfcE Gentlemen t recied Woiks, about two years since, by whicii ihey have been extensively >upplyii g ihe btate with articles lor which wt have heretolore depended entirely upon northern loundiies.

I'heir Cooking Stoves have given entire satisfaction to all Viiginia housewives who have used them. On the dooi ot one of iiie>e we notice a lepresenia-lion of a sheat of wheat, in which the head>, and even the disunct grains stand out in beautiful relief.

'I'hey exhiBii a specimen of parlor stove especially wonhy of notice. Its style and finish are highly ornamental. Its chief merit con^isls of a door de--igned lo increast the draught ot the fire, whic[j is made to revolve vertically upon a pivot.

These mam faciurers, in a modest, unpretending way, are renderit g g' od service to the Stale, by developing her resources in this branch of domestic indusiiy. E. B. Spence,

H. M. bMITH,

Jamks Pae, Covimiitee on Housekuta Itupteincnts.

I have sold principally, for the past two years, • he stoves manufisciuied by Messrs. Bowers, Snyoer & Carter, at the Bichmond Stove W oiks, and have found them to give my patrons entire saii^factiuD, both in their operation and durability.

Chari.ks D. Yale, l30, Main Street, Richmond, Virginia, Depot for

Bolion (fc \'ale's 'Caloric Air Furnace."

jaii (8'^4—'iV

fjagi^e foundl:hy.

^y-HE subscriiier having reu.oved to the large J. Fuundery, just erected by him and tilted out J vviih machinery of the latest and most approved style, is, in addition to the manulaciure of Tobacco flattening Mills, prepared to n ceive oideis tor Sta-ion.;ry Steam Engines, fcaw and Giist Mills, Agri-I'idiural Machines, Tobacco Presses of every description, and all kinds of Iron arid Brass Castings. He pledges himselt t<^ execute faiihiuHy, and wiih iiispaich, all work entrusted to him, and respectfully solicisa call .'rom hisfiiendsand ihr public geneially. The hij^hfst cash prices paid tor old cast i-on, brass and copper. PHILIP RAHM,

ja—ly Gary, between Pearl and l.~'th sis.

BOOKS, PIANOS, MrSlC^&c!i

TAMES WOODHOU^^E, Wholesale and Re-•i tail Dealer in Bo. ks, Piano Fortes, Station-KRY, Music, &c. J39 Main St., Richmond, Virginia. Constantly on hand, a full supply ot staiunrd AcRicunTiRAL Works, oc —tf

\\ i ANTED, an Overf^eer who understands the mnnage-V » ment of Stock as well as the cultivation of Wheat and Corn, to go to Matthews county, Virginia. None need apply without the best recommendations as to qualification, character and industry. Apply to

ap—41* PUBLISHER OF SO. PI;ANTER,

BROWN & SHOOK, General Commi.-sion and Forwarding Merchants, corner Union and Franklin streets, Richmond, Vii-ginia. All business carefully and promptly executed. mar—ly

UNITED STATftiS Ht>Tfc:L, (rORMEKLY UNION,)

Corner of Main and NvU'etccvlk Sircets, TiicJimond, J. E. NORRIS, Proprietob. mar—tf Price of Board, per day, $il 00.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER

221

VALUABLE TRACT OP LAND on Guinea Creek AND Appomattox River in Cumberland counly, for sale.

The subscriber olFers for sale the valuable estate known as "Mill Mount," formerly the residence of Dr. Montgomery Osborne, situated on the waters of Appomattox River and Guhiea Creek, in the county of Cumberland, immediately in the vicinity of the Stony Point Mills.

''Mill Mount" contains 934 acres: 200 acres are in original forest, 223 acres low grounds and second low grounds on the river and creek; and 108 acres in four tobacco lots on high land. The dwelling house is a large and commodious one, and is situated on one of the most beautiful and romantic spots in eastern Virginia; the neighborhood is proverbial for health and its fine society.

The subscriber being in bad health and determined to sell, a good bargain may be had by early application to him. Any other information that may be wanted can be had by addressing the subscriber, "Stony Point Mills P. O." Cumberland county, Va.

STEPHEN C. ANDERSON.

ji.ly-2t

PREMIUM THRESHING MACHINES—The sub-

J- scriber is prepared to furnish Threshing Machines and Horse Powers of the most superior construction. Having received the first premium at the Virginia State Agricultural Society for the best Threshing Machine without separation, he teels confident in recommending them to fai-mers. As a proof of their durability, he is able to refer to hundreds which have been in use for from 15 to 20 years. Various sir^es from S50 to $100, all warranted to ^ive satisfaction. The usual variety of machines are at my manufactory. The Revolving and Wire Tooth Horse Rakes should be on every farm. H. M. SMITH.

July—2t

TI^HEAT GLEANERS—A NEW ARTICLE.—It took VV the premium as a Horse Rake, at the Virginia State Pair—will pay cost in a half day's use after the cradle. Price $10.

Premium Threshers and Horse Powers of superior construction. H. M. SiMITH.

July—It

IjITTS' PREMIUM THRESHER, SEPARATOR AND -H CLEANER combined, and upon wheels, adapted to threshing and bagging wheat in the field, a few more just to hand. II. M. SMITH.

July—2t

GENERAL AGENCY AND COMMISSION BUSINESS.—The subscriber tenders his thanks for the many calls heretofore received, and again offers his services on reasonable terms. Now for sale many Parins in Mary-ryland and Virginia, Stallions, Bulls, Bucks, Boars, of improved stock; improved Fowls of all kinds; Mares, Cows, Ewes, Sows; Ewes one-half and three-fourths Cots wold; Calves at three months old, one-half Alderney; South Down Ewes W'ith their laail)S. For particulars address (post paid) the subscriber,

MARTIN GOLDSBOROUGH, 3S IloIIicJay Street, Baltimore, Maryland. P. S.—Answers to letters particularly desired. M. G. may—tf

1j EMOVAL.—SAMUEL SUTHERLAND respectfully \ informs his friends and the public that he has removed his Gun and Pisstol Store from his late stand, opposite the Ba.iks, to a house opposite Eagle Square, in room No 132, which has been handsomely fitted up, especially (or the accommodation of himself and his patrons, and where he is now opening a new and splendid asfcortment of Guns, Pistols, Cutlery, Canes, Fishing Tackle, and all kinds of goods desired by Southern Sporlsmen, embracing many articles u.^eful to farmers and housekeepers generally—all oi which he oflers at reasonal)le prices, by wholesale or retail. Tiianktul for pa.st favors, he respectfully invites his friends and customers to call and see him at his new stand, may—3t

VALUABLE ALBEMARLE FARM FOR SAIiE —The subscriber offers for sale that valuable and well known farm, the D. S., situated on the waters of Ivy Creek, 3^ miles from the University of Virginia, 4i fi-om Charlottesville, and immediately on the Staunton and Charlottesville Turnpike, and Virginia Central Rail Road, in one of the most beautiful sections of the State, and in a neighborhood long proverbial for its highly cultivated society, its fertile lands, its pure and abundant water and general healthful-ness; also possessing the greatest facilities to the best of markets. The D. S. contains (395 acres, about one hundred acres in timber, and the balance in a fine state of improvement. It has for many years been considered one of the most productive farms in the county, producing finely all the various crops of this section. There is an abundant supply of running water in every field, and lai-ge portions of the farm could be converted into v/atered meadow. The improvements are good and of every variety. Being an.xious to sell, terms will be made very accommodating. Address GEO. B. STEPHENS, ap—tf Woodville Depot, Albemarle, Va.

PREMIUM WHEAT FANS.—We are sole Agents fbr the Rockaway Fan, for which the premium was awarded at the Virginia State Agricultural Fair in November last, and are prepared to receive orders for the same at the manufacturer's prices in Baltimore. We have also for sale Hickok's Premium Cider Mill, at manufacturer's price; Ta3dor's Patent Hames, the very best article now in use. All of which we shall be happy to supply our customers with at our Southern Agricultural Implement Manufactory and Seed Store, sign of the Plough, No. 30 Main Street, ap—4t MOTT, LEWIS & WILLSON.

CRIME MERINO STOCK FOR SALE.—The under-II signed having associated himself with Col. Philip St. Geo. Cocke, for the purpose of growing fine wool and raising choice Merino Stock, and ultimately upon a very cjvten-sive scale in both Powhatan and Bruaswick counties, is now prepared to ofier 75 buck lambs, old enough tor delivery in September next.

These lambs are sired by three Bucks which have taken prizes in two difierent States of the Union. One of them took the first prize in the State of New York for two years in succession. A large nun;ber of our Ewes have been purchased from very superior northern flocks. I have on hand some good stock Bucks nearly ready for use this fall.

I will box up and deliver for transportation, either on the James River Canal or Danville Kail Road, with proper directions for feeding and without extra charge, any stock ordered, but will in no case be responsible for accidents or losses occurring after such delivery. The cash must in all cases accompany orders.

Neither care nor expense will be spared to procure and keep up Stock of the purest and best quality; and I assure the Southern AgricuUurists that it is designed to make this one of the most interesting and best wool growing and stock raising establishments in the United States.

I invite persons interested to call on me at my residenca at Belmead, or to address me by letter as below.

THEODORE N. DAVISSON,

jun—4t Jefferson P. O., Powhatan co , Va.

\ LBANY TILE WORKS, corner of Patroon and K^ /i. streeLs, Albany, N. Y. Drain Tile of the following descriptions and prices suitable fbr land drainage, always on hand in large or small quantities of the first quality, delivered at the docks and railroad depots free of cartage: Hurse-siwe 'File.

4^ inch calibre, ^18 per 1000 feet.

3i do. 15 do.

2i do. 12 do.

Sole File or Pipe.

3 inch calibre, I«18 per 1000 feet.

2 do. 12 do.

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

Albany, April 20, 1854. jun—tf

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

C. Lane, Richmond; Robert Cole, Richmond, Virginia; M. Heartwall, D. I. Payner, James B. Lundy, J. Ravenscroft Jones, Geo. W. Field, Col. Isham Trotter, John Winbeiks, Wm. Towns, Jas. Hays, Sr., Dr. Wm. W. Oliver, Samuel F. M'Gehee, William M. Watkins, William I. Scott.

We are prepared to sell State or County rights to those who wish to manufacture o\ir Fan.

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

SUFFOLK PIGS.—The subscribers are prepared to receive orders for pure Sufl'olk Pigs, bred from stock imported by the late William Stickney in 1848, and by the subscribers in January; also an importation of twelve in October, 1853. Address

JOSIAH STICKNEY, Watertown, Or, ISAAC STICKNEY, Boston, Mass. ap—4t

1^. UPERIOR SWINE AND PREMIUM POULTRY.-j.

O I am prepared to engage pigs by my large Bye field ancT \ superior Suffolk boars, from matchless sows of the following ■ breeds: Byefield, Suffolk, Skinner, Essex, Chester, Delaware, Cheshire and Russian—most of them of mammoth size.

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

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

JOHN G. TURPIN, Clover Dale, near Petersburg, Va.

mar—tf

GREAT REDUCTION IN PRICES OF HATS AND BOOTS.—J. H. ANTHONY'S Fashionable Hat Store, Columbian Hotel Corner. The cheapest place in the city of Richmond to buy hats and boots is at the above store, where every article sold may be relied on as represented. By this means he has gained a good run of custom, and his customers feel satisfied. Below is a list of his prices, which will be strictly adhered to;

Best quality moleskin, S3 50

Second quality moleskin, 3 00

Best quaUty silk, 2 50

Second quality silk, 2 00

Fine Calfskin Sewed Boots only three dollars and fifty cents.

Also, Caps, Shoes and Umbrellas.

J. H. Anthony has made an arrangement 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, mar '54—tf

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

may— tf R. R. DUVAL.

AT THE SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT MANUFACTORY AND SEED STORE,

can be found a large collection of the strongest and most useful articles for the Southern farmer, as will be seen by reference to the report of the committee on that branch at the Virginia State Agricultural Fair, held here in November last, that the premium for the largest, strongest and most useful collection of Implements was awarded to Mott, Lewis & Co. We are daily addingr to our assortment from our large Machine Depot, Ploughs of all kinds fi-om the most approved patterns now in use. Among them may be found the justly celebrated Wiley or Mott Plough, with double points; Minor &■ Horten of Nos. 18, 18i up to No. 22; Hitchcock, Nos. 21 and 21i ; improved Davis', both wrought and cast share; improved M'Corniick, improved Livingston, from the original patterns, and many other kinds too numerous to mention. Also, castings for all ploughs, by the piece or ton; Corn Cultivators of different kinds; Tobacco Cultivators; Harrows, from one-horse up to four-horse; Corn Shellcrs, from the single spout up to the Virginia Shellcrand the Premium Mnmma ShcUer; Corn and Cob Crushers; Straw Cutters of all patterns from $7 up to 855; Grain Cradles of the most approved patterns; Grass Snathes; Churns, Ox Yokes, Store Trucks, Hay and Straw Forks, from 62iV cents up to $>1 50; Spades, Shovels, and many other articles too numerous to mention. Also, Landreth s best Garden and Field Seeds. All of which will be sold on as reasonable terms as they can be liad from any Northern city. Call and examine for j'ourselves.

MOTT, LEWIS & WILLSON, ap—4t Sign of the Plough, No. 36 Main Street.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER

223

ATTENTION FARMERS AND MILLERS. Premium Grain Cleaner—patented April 20, 1852. We would most respectfully call the attention of Farmers and others to our Improved Grain Fan, which we are manufacturing at our shop in Fredericksburg, Va., whei-e we have a number finished for the inspection of Farmers and others. We might give thousands of certificates to show the superiority of our Fans, but deem it unnecessary, as a trial of the fan will give satisfaction. It is simple in its construction, and cannot be surpassed in expeditiousl}^ cleaning all kinds of Grain from Cockle, Smut, Garlic, Cheat, &c., and is an excellent chaffer. VVe have selected good material and would be pleased to furnish all in want of a good Fan mill. All our work is warranted to be well made and do a good business. Our teams are passing through the country, and will deliver Fans at any point within seventy miles of the shop. Those convenient to rail-road or steam-boat landings can have them delivered at their depot.

Farmers will please send their orders early.

Communications addressed to T. J. Doyle & Co., at Fredericksburg, Va., are promptly attended to.

For Premiums and Certificates see handbills.

jun—2t* T. J. DOYLE & CO.

FARM, STOCK, CROPS, NEGROES, &C., FOR SALS.—The subscribers are authorized to sell a valuable farm in the county of Buckingham, 5^ miles from the Cour-t House, containing upwards of 800 acres, having on it every necessary improvement, consisting of a handsome two story dwelhng just completed, barn with threshing machine, stables, corn crib, carriage and ice houses, blacksmith's shop, &c., with a kitchen and meat house about to be erected. It has also a fine garden and an orchard of choice fruit, embracing almost every variety grown in Virginia. It will be sold with the growing crops, (17 5 bushels of wheat and 100 bushels of oats have been seeded) stock, tools and implements of every description, and 16 first rate farm and house servants, one of whom is a good blacksmith.

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

The owner desiring to remove to the South, and being unwilling to break up the relations existing among his negroes, will dispose of the w^hole at a great bargain.

For terms, &.c., apply to

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

jun—tf

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

Office at the office of the Virginia State Agricultural Society, jan—tf

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

tCW° Farmers are invited to give him a call. ocly

WII.I>IAM P. liADD,

APOTHECARY AND DRUGGIST,

No. 319, head of Broad Street, Shockoe Hill, R,ich-mond, Virginia.

DKALER in English, Mediterranean, India and all b'oreign and Domestic Drugs and Medicines; also, Paints, Oils, Varnish, Dye-Stnffs, Win dow Glass, Putty, &c. For sale on the most accommodating terms.

0°Orders from Country Merchants and Physicians than kfuUy received and promptly attended to, ja 1851—tf

JB. & W. F. POAGUE'S PATENT PLAN FOR . HYDRAULIC CEMENT PIPES.—This is the cheapest and most durable piping ever offered to the public tor conveying or elevating water for any distance desired, and can be enlarged or diminished to suit the tlow or column of water, and the strength increased in proportion. The pipes can be either moulded in the ditch just as they are intended to remain, or moulded in a yard, and when hardened, transported any distance, and the pieces united in the ditch by cement mortar. The pipes can be easily attached to the ram or any kind of hydrant. They have been thoroughly tested by a number of persons. All persons desiring further information, or wishing to purchase rights for any unsold State or county, can get a printed circular containing dii-ections for constructing and using said moulds, with certificates of their utility, by applying (post-paid) to the Patentees.

We are prepared to undertake and execute jobs of piping in this and the surrounding counties.

J. B. cfe W. F. POAGUE.

Address Fancy Hill P. O., Rockbridge county, Va.

jun—2t*

ALBANY AGRICULTURAL WORKS -Emery's Patent Rail-road Horse Powers Threshing Machines, Separators, &c. together with a full and general assortment uf Farm Im|jleuients and Machinery, Field and Garden Seeds, Fertilizers, &c &c. Full Catalogues and descriptions sent gratis on application to the ubscriber. RICH'D H. PEASE

369 & 371 Broadway, Albany, N. Y. The above machines may be prcoured of Mr. James A. Lipscomb, Richmond; Rowlett, Hardy & Co , Peters-l)urg; Addison & Meade Alexandria; Radclifl^e & Son, Washington, D. C, at Albany prices, adding transportation, jun—2t*

SINTON & SONS' NURSERY, NEAR RICH WON D, VIRGINIA.

AS the season for planting has arriv^ed, the subscribers would respectfully call ihe attention of .heir friends and the public generally, to their large and extensive collection of Fruit i'BEEs, embracing, perhaps, a selection that has not been surpassed, for the climate of Virginia, and nearly all propagated from fruit-bearing trees in their own orchard.

Cata!os:ues, with diteciions for plantifig, may be had at William Palmer's Seed and Plongh Store; at Peyton Johnston & Brother's Apothecary Store; at C.J. Sinton & Go's, Hardware Store, c^nd at Logan Waller's Commission House, whete any orders left will be punctually attended to, and letters addressed to the subscribers, Richmond, will receive prompt attention.

novr—If JOSEPH SINTON & SONS.

AGENCY FOR THE PURCHASE AND SALE OF IMPROVED STOCK.

STOCK Cattle of all the different breeds. Sheep, Swine, Poultry, &c. will be purchased to order| and carefully shipped to any part of the United States, for which a reasonable commission will be charged. Apply to

AARON CLEMENT, PHUddphm. Refer to Gen. W. H, Richardson, Richmond, Va. N. B.—All letters, post-paid, will be promptly attended to. ap—if