THE 




23ebotefc to SSsrfcalture, horticulture, anU the ^ouseliolts &vu>. 






culture is the nursing mother of the Arts. — 
Xenophon. 



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



iFRANK: G. RUFFIN, Editor and Proprietor. 



T. BAILIE, Publisher. 



Vol. XV. 



RICHMOND, JUNE, 1855. 



No. 6. 



AN APPEAL 

TO the 

AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS OF VIRGINIA. 



To the Editor . 



Observatory, Washington, 
April, 1855. 



Pray lend me your columns for an appeal 
:o the agricultural interests of the country. 

About thirteen years ago I was placed in 
charge of what was then called the " Depot of 
Charts and Instruments," but which since has 
been expanded out into the " U. S. Naval Ob- 
servatory and Hydrographical Office." The 
luties of the Office, as it then existed, left me 
spare time, bo I sought and obtained leave to 
toverhaul the old log-books that were in the 
$avy Department. The object of this supere- 
rogation was to collect from these musty re- 
cords the observations that had been made 
km board of our men-of-war concerning the 
winds and currents of the sea. I thought it 
probable that by comparing and discussing 
these observations, information which would 
be valuable to the commerce of the country 
(might be elicited. 

The conjecture proved correct. Old sea 
journals grew into demand, and an appeal was 
jmade to sea-captains for co-operation. They 
were requested, whenever they returned from 
■a voyage, to send me an abstract of it. 

I had no money, power or patronage to 
tack this appeal ; but it was made to men of 
enlarged views — the merchants and seamen 
of the country; and soon there was a volun- 
teer fleet of a thousand sail actively and gra- 
tuitously engaged in co-operating with me, 
md in making observations day and night in 
ill parts of the sea. Solomon's exchequer 
could not have equipped and sent to sea such 
a of observers. The system of research 
thus commenced has grown and expanded and 
horne fruit until ail the maritime States of 
Christendom have agreed to send laborers into 
Vor,. XV.— C. 



the field, and to collect, each under its own 
I flag, all the observations required for the fur- 
ther prosecution of the work. Private ship- 
owners and masters of all countries do the 
same; and I am now in receipt of sea journals 
kept under every commercial flag, and in di- 
vers languages — French and Italian, Spanish, 
Portuguese, Dutch, German, English and Rus- 
sian. The observations thus transmitted are 
made according to one uniform plan, which 
has been adopted after free consultation and 
full discussion in the celebrated Maritime 
Conference of Brussels. So the work is 
placed upon such a footing, that an observa- 
tion that is now made in any part of the world 
upon wind, weather and sea, on board ships of 
any flag, may be compared with like observa- 
tions made in all other parts of the world, 
and under all other flags. The co-operatiag 
nations did not content themselves by merely 
appointing delegates to the Conference, and 
then leaving them to pass resolutions, and 
come home and do nothing, but they took 
hold of the matter in good earnest. Spain 
and Portugal, England and Holland, Dan- 
mark, Norway, Sweden and Russia, have 
taken steps each for the establishment of an 
office for the discussion and publication, for 
the benefit of the world, of the observations 
to be made on board their vessels, both public 
and private. The Holy See has, if possible, 
gone a step further, and established an Order 
of Merit, or Decoration, which none can reach 
except those who may go on distant voyages, 
and keep an abstract log according to the 
form prescribed. 

In evidence of the benefits which commerce 
and navigation have already derived from. the 
wind and current charts, which are the fruits 
that have been already gathered from this 
field, I cite from a Report submitted 29th 
January 1855, by Mr. Senator Mallory, from 
the Committee of Naval Affairs, and other 



162 



THE SO UT HERN PLANTER. 



official papers referred to by him, for the 
following : 

" The immediate result of Mr. Maury's 
labors is, that ocean voyages under sail are 
shortened from ten to twenty per cent. ; and if 
this result be followed out to its legitimate 
consequences, who can undertake to prescribe 
a limit to the benefits they confer ? Who will 
undertake to estimate the mere pecuniary 
saving to the navigating interest in the de- 
creased expenditure for outfits, provisioning 
and manning ships; the decrease in ocean 
risks, not only to ships and cargoes, but to 
lives of seamen and passengers, and the en- 
hanced value of merchandize by a more speedy 
delivery? 

" Before the publication of these charts a 
voyage from our eastern ports to San Fran- 
cisco, under canvas, occupied, on an average, 
one hundred and eighty days ; but now, the 
average voyage of vessels using these charts is 
one hundred and thirty-six days ; and in seve- 
ral instances it has been performed in less than 
a hundred, -and in one case in eighty- eight days. 
In those passages between these ports which 
have been performed in half the time for- 
merly occupied, the vessel's course through 
the sea has been precisely that which is traced 
for her upon the chart. 

" The ' Melbourne Argus,' (Australia,) pub- 
lishes a list of all the arrivals at that port 
from Europe and America, from December 
31, 1853, to July 7, 1854, by which it ap- 
pears that the average passage of all vessels 
without the charts was one hundred and 
twenty-four days, while the average of those 
(from the same ports) using the charts, was 
ninety-seven days." 

Mr. Dobbin, the Secretary of the Navy, 
speaking of these charts, says, " They have 
not only added to the honor of the country, 
but saved thousands of dollars to its citizens." 

President Fillmore, in his annual message 
of December 2, 1851, says, "that by these 
charts the passage from the Atlantic to the 
Pacific ports of the country has been short- 
ened by about forty days. 

" The achievements on sea quietly and gra- 
dually effected by Lieutenant Maury, although 
not attracting the admiration of the multitude 
nor dazzling the beholder with sudden flashes 
of triumph, have reflected honor upon himself 
and his country, have brought remote nations 
in comparative proximity to each other; have 
promoted commerce by pointing out to the 
mariner new paths on the great deep, where 
favorable winds and currents le7id friendly 
aid. His ' Wind and Current Charts' and 
1 Sailing Directions' are saving millions of 



money by shortening the voyages of merchant 
vessels freighted with treasures. 

" I am officially informed that it was stated 
in a paper read before the British Association 
last year, that it was estimated in India that 
a set of wind and current charts for the In- 
dian Ocean, like those that have been con- 
structed at this office for the Atlantic Ocean, 
would produce an annual saving to British 
commerce, in those seas alone, of not less than 
$1,000,000, (£250,000,) and for British com- 
merce in all seas of $10,000,000 a yeasf 
This estimate was based on the coudition of 
shortening the voyage only one-tenth, (whereas 
the average length of the passage to all places 
beyond the equator has been shortened much 
more;) and the estimate was again repeated at 
the last meeting of the Association in Liver- 
pool. It has also been estimated that the 
value of these charts to the commerce and 
navigation of the United States is equivalent 
in the saving of time to several millions a 
year." (Annual Report of the Secretary of 
the Navy, December 4, 1854.) 

■ Now the beauty of this plan is, that all 
this has been accomplished without any ex- 
pense to the General Government, save the 
office expenses necessary for the discussion of 
the observations and publication of the re- 
sults ; which expenses amount only to some' 
$15,000 a year. Every shipmaster provides 
himself with instruments at his own expense, 
and then makes, records and transmits the ob- 
servations to this office for the use of the go- 
vernment, without charge of any sort save for 
postage. 

But this system of research, with its teem-, 
ing results, is confined to the sea ; therefore! 
it may be asked by some farmers, What havfi 
we landsmen to do with it ? I say, in reply., 
that by extending it to the shore results alto-' 
gether as important to landsmen may be ob-i 
tained, and that too by means equally as sim- 
ple and as unexpensive. 

The germination of the seed and the growth 
of the plant are but the display of a meteoro I 
logical force, the expression of atmospherical 
laws, which, when rightly understood, cannol 
fail to confer upon agriculture and the well 
being of States benefits as signal as the study 
of the movements of the same grand machine ' 
at sea has conferred upon commerce and navi 'l 
gation. 

I appeal therefore to the farmers, and al 
who are interested in the matter on shore, td 
follow the example of the sailors, and puJ 
their shoulders to the wheel, and help alomjj 
the undertaking. Man by nature is a me' 
teoroiogist, and everybody, whether ashore o| 






THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



163 



afloat, has. even if he have not the intelli- 
gence to perceive it, an interest in it. 

Should this appeal be heeded, I shall have 
more to say as to details ; for I am prepared 
to submit a plan by which as much may, I 
think, be done for agriculture and the sanitary 
cause by meteorological co-operation and ob- 
gervatio»s on the land, as has been done by 
them at sea for commerce and navigation. 

Suffice it for the present to say that it will 
cost nothing more than willing minds and a 
trifling amount of money, to be expended 
under government auspices, to give the plan a 
trial. 

Respectfullv, &c. 
M. F» Maury, 
Lt. U S. N. 



For the Southern Planter. 

IMPROVEMENT OF LAND IN THE PIEDMONT 

REGION OF VIRGINIA. 

Mr. Editor : — I know not how to apologize 
for my seeming temerity in venturing to dis- 
sent from the present very popular teaching 
on the subject of composting manures as a 
means of renovating worn-out land in our por- 
tion of the State. Notwithstanding all I have 
read in the Planter and elsewhere on the sub- 
ject, from what I have observed of its results 
I lean to the opinion that composting will 
never bring about any speedy or general im- 
provement here. The system so long preva- 
lent among tobacco growers, of concentrating 
all the manure the plantation would afford 
upon the strips of branch land for that crop, 
has worked out its natural consequences, viz : 
the decrease of the annual production of grain 
crop, by increasing the proportion of worn-out 
land, till we have many of us but the skeleton 
of a once noble heritage. To recommend to 
such a people the compost heap appears to me 
cruel to the last degree. As well attempt to 
storm Gibraltar with a pocket pistol. 

1st. It is impracticable for want of material 
with which to commence, and from the undu- 
lating and even mountainous state of our 
country. 2d. The relative value of land and 
labor here is such that it cannot be afforded. 
3d. The span of human existence and human 
patience is too short. 4th. The improvement 
of land can be done more cheaply, speedily 
and profitably in another way, viz : by making 
the land furnish the materials, perform the 
labor, and pay a profit at the same time. 

An all-wise and beneficent Creator has 
placed within reach, in most parts of the State, 
the means of enriching it, and to us he has 
given, with a delighful climate and abundant 



springs of living water, a soil whose natural 
product is grass. Grass, therefore, I believe 
to be the only reliable basis for improvement. 
I think gentlemen who commend compost for- 
get that labor here, as in most Southern States, 
has now become the real estate of its owners, 
and that its comparative value with land is 
altogether different from what it is in densely 
populated States at the North. We are not 
therefore ready for that system, and I hope 
never will be. The dogma so often published 
in Northern newspapers, that a farmer may be 
measured by his manure heap, has no terrors 
for me. 

Now, sir, suppose the case of a young far- 
mer coming into possession of an estate in 
Central Virginia of 1000 acres, 700 of which 
is cleared, but worn out, covered with broom 
straw, briars and sassafras, with galls and 
gullies in abundance, no fencing, and buildings 
in a dilapidated condition, and with a weak 
force of hands and teams He writes to you 
for advice, how to make a living first, and then 
a fortune. Would you send him your last 
number of the Planter, with the article on 
Compost, advising him to make compost 
enough to cover his corn-field at the rate of 
forty-nine loads per acre, as a panacea for his 
troubles ? Would he not inevitably surrender 
before the Herculean task, sell out, and move 
to the West ? I believe hundreds have done 
so, driven by this hopeless undertaking. I 
am quite sure this would not be your pre- 
scription. 

Supposing myself in this forlorn condition, 
(which by-the-bye was not far from true four 
years ago,) I will endeavor to sketch , a plan 
which I deem entirely feasible and applicable 
to a tract of land of any size capable of di- 
vision into at least seven fields. Let it there- 
fore contain seven fields of 100 acres, more or 
less. I would select the corn-field of the pre- 
vious year for oats, flush with three-horse 
ploughs, sow in March, harrow in seed well, 
and sow plaister, half bushel to the acre, as 
soon as they are up. I would take a broom- 
straw field, clean up, burn off, fill gullies with 
log dams and brush, secret ditch, if neces- 
sary, and plough thoroughly with three horses 
for corn, and fence it in. 

I would buy fifteen tons of Peruvian guano 
for my fall crop of wheat, and break up all 
my oat field, and the poorer half of my corn- 
field ; sow all this in wheat with 200 lbs. of 
guano. On the oat field I would sow one gal- 
lon of timothy seed per acre, and cover the 
galls with brush ; and if there be any steep 
hill sides liable to injury from washing rains, 
I would give them a double dose of guano, 



164 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



and sow herd's grass and orchard grass with 
the timothy on them, and leave them for per- 
manent meadows. The next spring sow one 
gallon of clover seed and one bushel of plais- 
ter per acre, on the same oat field. I would 
here remark, that in these days of joint worm 
I think that wheat should all be sowed by the 
15th of October, or it will hardly make a crop 
which will pay expenses. The next year I 
would take up another broom-straw field, and 
treat it as before, and in summer, my second 
oat field, with the part that was in wheat, 
plow up, 'sow 200 lbs. of guano, and wheat 
and grass seed as before advised. 

This system I would continue until the 
whole farm had been subjected to it. I think 
I shall find that about one-third of my oat 
fallow fields will be too poor to sprout clover, 
and that perhaps the guano may fail to ensure 
a stand if the summer be a dry one. Nothing 
daunted, I will resow the galls with timothy, 
and select this field upon which to winter my 
plantation stock, (except hogs,) and feed on 
the thinnest land all my fodder and straw, in 
as great profusion as the supply will allow. 
Here will be rapidly formed a thick turf of 
timothy and blue grass, which the action of 
the guano, aided by the hoof of the stock, 
will be sure to produce over the whole field. 
Each succeeding oat fallow I would treat in 
the same way, allowing no stock to go on du- 
ring the first year till November. The feed- 
ing of cattle on the grass land would be my 
application of manure. The perfect tilth pro- 
duced by three consecutive crops, aided by 
the briar scythe while in turf, will effectually 
cleanse the land of foul growth. 

These turf fields must have an annual dress- 
ing of half a bushel of plaister in March. In 
the fall of the third year I would commence 
grazing by purchasing thirty head of thrifty 
western cattle. The turf field having been sa- 
credly reserved for them (and the grass seed 
allowed to mature and fall,) will give them 
such a wintering as will make them ready for 
a June market. Every succeeding year will 
bring on a new turf field, until there are four, 
and as each came in I would increase the 
number of cattle thirty head, until I got 120, 
which would be the grazing capacity of the 
farm. In case there should be corn to spare, 
it would be found advisable to divide the lot 
of cattfe, and feed about two barrels per head 
on one turf field, which will make them extra 
early, and command a fine price. This is the 
only plan by which corn can be profitably fed 
at the price it usually bears here. 

Supposing the farmer on such a tract to 
start with the equivalent of ten good men 



hands, three plough teams, and two pair of 
oxen, he can make an additional crop of to- 
bacco, say about 7000 hills per hand. He can 
select fifteen acres of land from his corn field, 
suitable for this crop, apply to it what manure 
he is compelled to make at his stables, and 
finish out with guano. This land will be a 
portion of the corn field previously advised to 
go in wheat the succeeding fall. 

Now let us review his progress at the end of 
seven years, when he has performed the entire 
circuit of his farm. I will give only what I 
believe would be a fair average of crops for 
that length of time, and will only give gross 
sales. The expenses would vary with differ- 
ent farmers, therefore each one can best calcu- 
late them for himself. There would be 1 50 
acres in wheat annually, which would average 
ten bushels per acre. The tobacco would be 
about 12,000 wt., worth $5 per cwt., and the 
cattle would yield a profit of $10 per head, 
without corn feeding. The corn and oat 
crop I will allow entirely for consumption on 
the farm. 

For the first three yeare he would stand 
thus : 



For 3 years annually — 
1 ,500 bushels of wheat at $1, 
12,000 weight of tobacco at $5, 


1500 
600 




$2100 


Fourth year — 




1,500 bushels of wheat at $1, 


1500 


12,000 weight of tobacco, 


600 


Profit on 30 cattle, at $10, 


300 




$2400 


Fifth year — 
1 ,500 bushels of wheat at $1, 


- 1500 


12,000 weight of tobacco, 


600 


Profit on 60 cattle, 


600 




$2700 


Sixth year — 
1,500 bushels of wheat at $1, 


- 1500 


12,000 weight of tobacco, 


600 


Profit on 90 cattle, 


900 




$3000 


Seventh year — 




1,500 bushels of wheat at $1, 


1500 


12,000 weight of tobacco, 


600 


Profit on 120 cattle, 


1200 


$3300 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



165 



I have no doubt that any tract of land of 
this productive capacity will readily command 
|40 per acre, woodland included, when in 
its first named condition it was worth not over 
$20. The proprietor will therefore have 
doubled its value, or made $20,000 in this 
item. Now let us try one year in his second 
rotation. 

His crop of wheat will rise to an average 
of 15 bushels per acre. 

150 acres wheat, 2,250 bush., at $1, 2250 
12,000 weight of tobacco, - 600 

60 cattle at $10. - 600 

60 do. corn fed, at $20, - 1200 

50 acres of oats, 20 bushels, at 25 c, 250 
30 hogs fed with the cattle, at no cost, 225 



$ 5 1 20 



You will call me an enthusiast, but, Sir, 
J have seen more accomplished than I have 
(described, though requiring longer time. The 

troduction of guano has greatly facilitated 
he improvement of land by almost ensuring 
he stand of fall grasses, and hastening the 
growth of blue grass and green sward. Nor 
is there anything new in the theory of im- 
provement of poor land by grass, for it has 
been the practice of the counties in the Nor- 
thern part of the State for more than 30 years, 
arrying wealth and prosperity with it where- 
3ver practised. The wonder is, that it pro- 
gresses so slowly toward the central portion, 
here the land has an equal natural capacity 
for grass. 

This communication has so little of novelty 
>r originality to many of your readers, that I 
im quite ashamed to send it, but there is yet 

large portion of the Piedmont region to 
which the grazing of cattle would prove an 
nestimable blessing. 

Albemarle, April 21si(, 1855. C. 



whether the bolting of flour is advantageous 
was very early agitated, as early, indeed, as 
the reign of Louis XIV. ; for an ordinance 
issued by him in 1658, prohibited, under cer- 
tain penalties, the regrinding of bran, and its 
mixture with the flour. It is not always easy 
to ascertain how much bran a bushel of wheat 
contains, as different specimens of wheat give 
very different results. That bran is not an 
entirely worthless or innutritious article, is 
fully demonstrated by the results of an anal- 
ysis made by M. Millon, of France — the sam- 
ple being from a soft French wheat grown in 
1848 : — 

Starch, dextrine and sugar, 53.00 

Sugar of licorice, 1.00 

Gluten, 14.90 

Fatty matter, 3.60 

Woody matter, 9.70 

Salts, 50 

Water, 13.90 

Incrusting matter and aromatic principles, 3.40 



BROWN BREAD— WHEAT BRAN. 

Mr. Editor — It is said by those who are 
amiliar with the statistics of the bread trade 
n our principal cities, that there is a rapid- 
y increasing prejudice against brown bread 
,mong all classes. Why is this ? Brown 
wear] — that from good maize — if properly 
md honestly manufactured, is certainly far 
onducive to health and longevity than 
»read from wheat flour, especially if the latter 
;d, arid only the finer parts kneaded 
nto the loaf. It may not be altogether so 
jfistocratie an article of diet; but of its su- 
perior value and cheapness there can be not 
Lightest doubt. In France tHg question 



100.00 



The logical inference deducible from the 
foregoing tabular exhibit is, that bran is a nu- 
tritive substance, and of course, as such, 
should not be thrown away. Every pound of 
bran which we sift from the ground wheat di- 
minishes the value of the mass, and conse- 
quently is a clear loss to the consumer, and 
indirectly to the nation. The economical sug- 
gestion, therefore, which springs from these 
views is, some method should be adopted to 
economise every particle of the alimentary 
matter contained in the product of the wheat 
field, and that if regrinding is necessary to the 
accomplishment of this result, it should be 
performed. The mania (we can call it nothing 
else,) so universally prevalent at this day for 
flour " white and fine," and for bread so light 
that it can be seen through, is hurrying thou- 
sands into the dyspepsia, and from dyspepsia 
into the grave, to say nothing of the pecuniary 
distress to which it gives rise as a legitimate 
result. 

The more simple, or, in other words, the 
coarser our accustomed food, the more certain 
we are to escape disease. The ancients, if we 
may credit the most authentic historians, were 
far less addicted to luxury than the moderns. 
Galen asserts that he had seen butter but 
once in his life. Anciently, the Greeks and 
Romans used no alcoholic beverages, they 
being wholly unknown, as were tea, coffee and 
chocolate. They were also ignorant of the 
tropical spices — mace, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, 
pepper, curry and pimento. The bean in 
common use was a variety indigenous in 
marshes, and of which they were excessively 







166 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



fond. Spinach, buckwheat, sago, tapioca, sa- 
lep, arrowroot, and even the potato, were un- 
known, as likewise the orange and tamarind. 
Their .usual daily food consisted of articles 
now almost universally unknown or neglected. 
Among their favorite dishes, we find enume- 
rated the following : the mallow, the ox-tongue 
(herb), sweet acorn, and lupine. Radishes, 
sorrel and lettuce were held in the highest 
esteem. The flesh of wild asses, of young- 
dogs, of the dormouse, the fox and the bear, 
was considered a luxury, and eminentlv con- 
ducive to agility, health and strength. They 
partook also habitually of the flesh of lizards, 
of paroquets, and other rare birds, and were 
remarkably fond of the Crustacea and testacea, 
employing as seasoning rue and assafoctida. 
Philadelphia. Jan. 15, 1855. B. 

Remarks. — The above is a valuable and an 
interesting article, from a high source, and 
such as is not often found in the " House- 
keeper's Department" of a newspaper or pe- 
riodical. The statements made are, in our 
view, mainly correct, and deserve the serious 
attention, not only of housekeepers, but of the 
whole community. It is undoubtedly true 
that the wholesome, highly flavored, substan- 
tial bread that we formerly enjoyed, is gra- 
dually passing away, and the unwholesome 
innutritious article, as white as starch itself, 
has taken its place. This cannot last. The 
high qualities of maize, too, for human con- 
sumption, must shortly be recognized; and 
the almost totally discarded, but to us deli- 
cious rye bread, must again assume its place 
at the family board. 

Germantown Telegraph . 



GUANO. 

In the application of guano it is necessary 
to keep in view its powerful properties, and to 
exercise great care to prevent its coming into 
immediate contact with the newly sown seed 
or the foliage of plants and flowers. It never 
should be placed in contact with seeds ; for all 
seeds, in the process of germination, give off 
a greater or less quantity of carbonic acid and 
vinegar; and these acids, having strong af- 
finities for the ammoniacal portion of the 
guano, are apt to attract it so powerfully as 
to check and even destroy vegetation. 

[ Union 



Flour in New York has declined some 50 
and 62 £ cents per barrel, this week; and it 
is stated that several parcels for June deli- 
very have been sold as low as $8 75. 



SORE SHOULDERS IN HORSES. 

In reply to an inquiry as to the best treat- 
ment for a horse of tender skin, whose shoul- 
ders get chafed by the collar from the shortest 
work, the editor of the N. Brit. Agriculturist 
gives some directions, of which the following 
is the sum and substance : 

He says, when a sore is actually formed by 
the chafing of the collar, the horse should 
either be laid off work, or the collar stuffing 
should be removed so as to prevent pressure 
on the wound. A mixture containing half an 
ounce of sulphate of zinc to a quart of water 
should be continually applied, by means of a 
soft rag saturated with the mixture and laid 
upon the sore. This plan of keeping the part 
constantly wet tends to abate inflammation 
and soreness, and rapidly induces the healing 
process. If the horse cannot be allowed to 
rest, the collar must be eased as before di- 
rected, the sore well bathed with water, and 
then dressed with the above mixture before 
going to work and on coming from it. If the 
skin be unbroken, and merely tender or some- 
what thickened, and perhaps rather knotty, 
a strong solution of common salt in water is a 
very excellent application. It may be applied 
by means of a rag saturated in the solution 
and laid upon the part affected. The same 
treatment is applicable to bruises by the sad- 
dle as well as to those by the collar ; it being 
essential to the cure in both cases that the 
collar or saddle should be made to fit pro- 
perly. 

The strong solution of salt may do some- 
thing towards toughening the skin where it is 
tender, and easily chafed or bruised ; but we 
should expect a still better effect from a strong 
decoction of white oak bark, or a solution oi 
tannin in water. By the application of eithei 
of these before the skin has actually beeonw 
broken, or as soon as any signs of tenderness 
make their appearance, galls and sores from 
saddle or collar may usually be prevented. A 
few trials of the oak bark decoction with a 
little alum, as well as the property it has U\ 
tan and toughen, incline us to expect moro 
from it than from a solution of common salt. 

Alb. Cul 



FAMILY JARS. 
Jars of jell}', jars of jam, 
Jars of potted beef and ham, 
Jars of early gooseberries nice. 
Jars of mincemeat, jars of spice, 
Jars of orange marmalade, 
Jars of pickles, all home made. 
Jars of cordial elderwlne, 
Jars of honey superfine : — 
Would the only jars were these 
That occur in families. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



167 



3EFUL HINTS FOR VIRGINIA GARDENERS. 
For the Southern Planter. 
BY E. G. EGGELING, FLORIST. 

June is usually a very hot month, and 
ings comparatively little work for the kitck- 
. garden. If there should not be much rain 
ithing will do the land so much good as fre- 
lent hoeings. This will not only promote 
e growth of the vegetables, but will destroy 
e weeds and grasses, which are likely to 
errun the garden, unless they be guarded 
;ainst. 

Cabbages. — Seed for fall use may still be 
wn. If any of those heretofore sowed are 
rge enough, they may be transplanted during 
e month. Observe, that those which are 
t out now, and which have to stand a long 
ne, should be put in the poorer soil, else 
ey will grow off rapidly and mature too 
on to be kept through the winter. Cabbages 
ly be transplanted so late as August, and 
len set out late should have rich soil to 
Lrry them on. The result of my experience 
iwever is, that cabbages raised in poorer 
ound keep much better through the winter 
an those raised in richer soil. 
Melons and Cucumbers. — This is an ex- 
llent season for planting melons and cucuni- 
rs. Some have already been planted, but 
e weather has continued so cool and unfa- 
irable that they have made but little pro- 
ess. It will therefore be advisable to plant 
full crop now. 

Peas. — Black eye, or corn field peas, should 
: planted ; and in order to have a constant 
pply for the table through the season, let 
em be planted at intervals of a week apart 
)m each planting, throughout the month. 
Strawberries. — Immediately after the 
nit is off the vines the bed should be tho- 
ughly cleaned of all weeds, and hoed and 
aded, that the runners may easily take root, 
id make strong and healthy plants, to go 
to the new plantations. In every well regu- 
ted garden a new bed is made every year, as 
e plants wear out every three years. The 
rlier the plant3 are put out in the fall, the 
ore fruit they will bear the ensuing spring. 



The Detroit Democrat states that the sight 
' the wheat fields in the northern part of 
e State is perfectly glorious. The breadth 
wn is tmusnally great, and the staple is a 
;ep green, almost to blacknes , rank; i fcfon 
ick and high. With all allowance for ca- 
it may be most confidently predicted 
eat crop aallj 

mt and excellent. 



SHEEP BREEDING. 

Breeders of sheep, no matter of what va- 
riety, should be cautious in selecting their 
bucks, and look not only at the good qualities 
of the individual, but also to his adaptation 
to the ewes, choosing an animal that will 
amend any imperfections in wool or carcase 
which may be observable in the females. 
The requirements of their flocks of ewes 
should be particularly noticed, and a careful 
separation of them made, so as to ascertain 
more accurately their precise defects, and to 
point out with greater certainty the peculiar 
kind of buck necessary to rectify these de- 
fects. This should be done before procuring 
the buck : not to buy first, and then try and 
suit the ewes to him afterwards. 

Never purchase a buck from an unknown 
flock. An inferior buck from a flock of well 
known repute will produce better stock than 
an accidental good one from an inferior flock. 
By all means keep to a "good strain;" adhere 
to flocks of well known and deserved celeb- 
rity; you are far more certain as to the re- 
sult. It is always better for a breeder to hire 
a buck than to buy one. Bucks now-a-days 
are so highly kept, so pampered, that the vast 
number of them are defective stock-getters. 
A yearling buck is generally supposed to be 
fully equal to serve seventy-five to eighty 
ewes; but a two-year old buck should not 
have more than seventy to .seventy-five. 

In making choice of a buck to suit the ewe 
flock, regard should be had to every require- 
ment. Neither wool nor mutton ought to 
take precedence — both must be held of equal 
value. If any quality is to be discontinued 
or of necessity given up for the time, let it be 
beauty or symmetry, or some minor point. 
These are truly good in their places, but 
never give up the main qualifications — a good 
fleece, a fat buck, and a full symmetrical pro- 
portion of great substance. As far as pos- 
sible, put a short-legged buck to a long-legged 
ewe ; a full-chested buck to a narrow-chested 
ewe; a heavy wooled buck to a light wooled 
ewe ; and so on, as judgment dictates, endea- 
voring to obtain from- the male what is want- 
ing in the female. 

In breeding what arc termed " half breeds" 
or "grades," great care should be taken to ob- 
tain bucks from good flocks, or the end will 
be defeated. The very best bucks should be 
used, possessing every good qualification of 
wool., mutton and symmetry. It is quite a 
mistake to suppose that any buck will do for 
half breeds; No such thing. If half breed 
p are to retain favor with the grazier they 
must be bred with every care and atteatiou to 
the many qualifications. I'd any breeders use 



168 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



buck lambs for this purpose. This is wrong : 
no breeder can tell what a lamb is to make in 
his future life. 

In all cases use the best buck, or the best 
kind of a buck you can obtain, and be not too 
nice about the price. I have known many 
flocks to make from seventy-five cents to a 
dollar and a half per head more than others 
of the like size, solely from better and more 
correct breeding; and the difference is far 
greater as they grow up and are fattened. 

[London Farmerh Wag. 

American Pickles. — Do not keep pickles 
in common earthenware, as the glazing con- 
tains lead, and combines with vinegar. Keep 
pickles only in stone and wood ware. Any 
thing that has held grease will spoil pickles. 

Vinegar for pickling should be sharp, but 
not the sharpest kind, as it injures the pickles. 
If you use copper, bell metal, or brass vessels 
for pickling, never allow the vinegar to cool in 
them, as it then is poisonous. Add a table 
spoonful of alum and a tea-cup of salt to each 
three gallons of vinegar, and tie up a bag with 
pepper, ginger root, and spices of all sorts in 
it, and you have vinegar prepared for any 
kind of common pickling. 

Stir pickles occasionally, and if they are 
soft ones take them out and scald the vinegar, 
and pour it hot over the pickles. Keep 
enough vinegar to cover them well. If it is 
weak, take fresh vinegar, and pour on hot. 
Do not boil vinegar or spice over five minutes. 



Test for. the Expediency of Drainage. 
— John Johnston, of Seneca county, N. Y., 
gives in the American Agriculturist the fol- 
lowing plan to ascertain whether land needs 
draining : 

" Dig holes about two and a half feet deep 
in different parts of the field ; put a cover 
over the holes so that rain water cannot get 
into them, and if they fill with water until 
within a foot or so of the surface in ten or 
twelve hours, then the land requires and will 
pay well for draining. I think I hear F. I. B. 
and many others say, that those holes will fill 
up on any land, if the ground is wet at the 
time ; but I tell them it is not the case. You 
may dig as many drains as you please on dry 
lands, and they will never run water unless 
the snow is melting on the surface. If P. I. B. 
had stood over the making of between forty 
and fifty miles of drains, as I have done, he 
would be a better judge of what was wet and 
what was dry land. To the unpractised eye, 
land that looks dry is gorged with water six 
inches below the surface." 



ARE LARGE OR SMALL SHEEP MORE 
PROFITABLE. 

Ever since the days of the far-famed Mr. 
Bakewoll, of Dishley, Leicestershire, ther< 
have been two opinions, whether large oj 
small sheep are the most profitable. The 
breeders of small sheep say, that an anima 
may be good and not great, and great and noi 
good, and that size has nothing to do witl 
profit. It is not what an animal makes, s< 
much as what , it costs in making ; and that j 
larger number of small sheep can be kepi 
upon a given number of acres than largei 
sheep, the lesser sheep not consuming so mucl 
food per head as the larger. 

The breeders of large sheep say that thei 
can produce more wool and mutton per acri 
by breeding large sheep than small ; and tha 
Mr. Bakewell lived when fat, flesh or tallow 
made as much per pound as lean flesh. Sine 
that time, through the gas, one pound of leai 
flesh has made as much as two pounds of fa 
when pared off as tallow, and that there i 
more lean flesh in proportion upon large sheep 
such as Lincolns and Cotswolds, than upoi 
the true bred Leicesters, that are now am 
have been famous for fat flesh, small bone, am 
a great propensity to fatten at early maturity 
Many people have an idea that the sheep ar 
all small that are bred in Leicester, which i 
erroneous. 

Last year I traveled through several coun 
ties to find wool, mutton and size combinec 
I found at Drayton on the Welland, in Leices 
tershire, four miles from llockingham castk 
140 rams belonging to Mr. Byran Ward, a: 
eminent grazier, who feeds yearly upon gras 
from 500 to 600 oxen, and shears 2000 sheej 
Mr. Ward's rams have plenty of wool, siz< 
and lean flesh, clifted all through their back 
with small, fine, thin heads, which denote 
well-bred animal, and a propensity to fatte: 
at an early age. Mr. Ward's sheep are style' 
by many " Old Leicesters," because they hav 
more wool and size than the pure-bred " Ws 
Leicesters," and have a great resemblance t 
the best long-wooled Lincolns. 

There are now many flocks in the county c 
Leicester that have been crossed with Lincolr 
and Cotswolds, to increase size and wool ; an 
there are many flocks left of what they sty] 
pure-bred New Leicesters. By the ram sak 
at the Petersborough Fair, last year, th 
Lincolnshire sheep seem to be gaining gvouuc 
as they made more money than any other kin 
of long-wooled white-faced sheep. 

Mark Jjine F,.qrrc$ 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



169 



From the Maine Farmer. 

MANURE FROM THE SEA. 

The ocean seems to be a vast reservoir of 
products, from which may be taken an almost 
unlimited supply of material, by which to re- 
plenish the exhausted fertility of the earth. — 
Notwithstanding those dwelling on the sea- 
board have been so conversant with it, they, in 
fact, know but little about it. We have never 
had a doubt that its waters, saline and nause- 
ous as they are, might be used advantageously 
in some kind of compost. A series of experi- 
ments, however, would be necessary to test its 
merits and demerits in regard to such use. 

Sea weeds have been used for manure for 
centuries, but the use of them is confined to 
the vicinity of the shore. Fish have also been 
used for dressing near the shores where they 
are caught, but generally in such a way as to 
make them a nuisance, on account of the nau- 
seous stench they send out, rather than by a 
proper and suitable preparation of them, so as 
to be transported to a distance and used at 
pleasure. 

It has more thanonce been proposed by men 
who have thought upon the subject, to adopt 
some method of a cnemical character, by which 
it could be put into a suitable shape for ma- 
nures. To so prepare them as to save their pe- 
culiar ingredients, that make them valuable 
for dressing land. 

Within a few years, experiments have led to 
the adoption of a mode of manufacturing a sort 
of guano of them, which may be barreled up 
and sent to any distance. Perhaps an account 
of this fact may be of service to those of our 
readers and friends who live on the seacoast, if 
no others. 

In 1851, Mons. De Molon, a Frenchman, es- 
tablished a manufactory of fish manure in New- 
foundland. He has since in company wiih 
Mons. Thurneysen established a similar man- 
ufactory on the coast of France. 

The Central Agricultural Society of France, 
have had their attention turned to this last 
manufactory, and appointed a committee to 
visit it and examine its products. 

This committee have made a report in de- 
tail, and we are indebted to the Rural New 
Yorker for the following extract from it : 

" The apparatus used in the manufacture 
consists of a steam engine of ten horse power, 
and a steam boiler of eighteen horse power, 
two double coppers, hung on gudgeons, for 
eooking the fish by heat ; twenty-four lever 
to press the fish after cooking ; a rasp 
similar to those used in beet sugar manufacto- 
ries ; -a large stove, heated by one of Ohausse- 



not's calorifiers ; and a conic mill, similar to a 
coffee or gypsum mill. 

"The fish or refuse is first put into the inner 
receptacle of the boiler, which contains about 
1000 lbs. The change being completed, and 
the copper hermetically sealed, a jet of steam 
is introduced between the outer and inner 
sides, heated to about 3£ atmospheres. The 
steam circulates between the two sides of the 
boiler, which are only about two inches apart, 
arid into a tube eight inches in diameter, placed 
upright in the inner boiler. An hour suffices 
to complete the cooking ; when, by an easy 
movement, the copper is made to turn upon 
the gudgeons, the steam escapes, and by the 
removal of the lid the cooked fish falls on the 
floor. It is then pressed, and afterwards 
rasped up as fine as possible, and the pulp con- 
veyed to the drying room, which is of peculiar 
construction ; but our space forbids a descrip- 
tion. After drying, it is thrown into a mill, 
by which it is reduced to a powder, ' perfectly 
dry and fine,' ready for transportation and 
use. 

"The personnel of the establishment consists 
of six men and ten children ; the consumption 
of coals 506 lbs. per day. The amount of 
manure made per day is about five tons. The 
water pressed out of the cooked fish is allow- 
td to cool, when the oil which rises to the sur- 
face is skimmed off. One hundred pounds of 
fresh fish afford two and a half pounds of oil, 
which sells readily at about ten cents per lb. 
The price charged for the fish manure is 
thirty-four dollars per ton. It contains 12 
per cent, of nitrogen, (equal to 14| per cent 
of ammonia,) and 22 per cent, of phosphate 
of lime. Good Peruvian guano contains say 
16 per cent, of ammonia and 25 per cent, 
of phosphate of lime, and sells in this country 
at present, for $.50 per ton. English authori- 
ties agree in estimating the value of phosphate 
of lime in guano at two cents per lb. (In co- 
prolite, apatite, animal charcoal, &c, it can be 
purchased for less than one cent per lb.) The 
25 lbs. phosphate of lime, therefore, in 100 lbs. 
of Peruvian guano is worth only 50 cents, 
consequently we pay $2 for 16 lbs. of ammonia. 
This would leave the ammonia worth 12| cts. 
per lb. Applying these figures to the fish ma- 
nure, its value per 100 lbs. would be 

22 lbs. phosphate of lime at 2 cts. per lb. 
14i lbs. of ammonia at l2J cts. per lb. 



SO 44 
1 81 

82 25 



"Or, when Peruvian guano is worth $50 per 
ton, this fish manure is worth $45 per ton. It 
will be seen that we have allowed nothing for 
ingredients of guano other than phosphate and 
ammonia. The fish manure would contain as 



I/O 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



much of these as the guano, and, therefore, in These menhaden fish were very plenty. Coi 



estimating the comparative value of the two 
manures, we may leave them both out of the 
calculation without affecting its accuracy. If 
Peruvian guano is worth $50 per ton, this 
fish manure is worth $45 per ton, and therefore 
is much the cheaper fertilizer, since it is sold 
at $34 per ton. 

"Messrs. De Nolan and Thurneysen propose 
to establish factories similar to that at Concar- 
neau on other points of the French coast, as 
well as on the coast of Newfoundland, and on 
coasts in the North Sea, which they estimate 
will furnish upwards of three hundred thou- 
sand tons per annum, or ' at least equal to that 
which is extracted from the Peruvian Islands 
in the form of guano.' The factory at New- 
foundland, in its present condition, can make, 
it is said, 10,000 tons of fish manure per an- 
num." 

The question now arises, are there not situa- 
tions on the coast of Maine, where menhadens 
and the refuse of more valuable fish can be 
manufactured into valuable manure, in the 
same way, — what says our friend " Amon," who 
dwelleth by the sea side ? 

A fish manure factory has been started in 
Rhode Island by Mr. Halliday. In the Mas- 
sachusetts Plowman of the 10th inst., is a re- 
port of the discussion at one of the Legislative 
Agricultural meetings in Boston, where we find 
Dr. Chas. F. Jackson discoursing, among other 
things, of fish manures, as follows : — 

Tons of fish, containing animal matter, were 
annually thrown away on our coasts. It was 
surprising, for all this was better than guano. — 
Mr. Halliday has established a large factory in 
Rhode Island for the manufacture of an artifi- 
cial guano from the menhaden fish, of which 
there was a great supply. 

They were soaked in a mixture of one- 
twelfth sulphuric acid and eleven-twelfths wa- 
ter. In effect they were pickled. Then they 
were dried, ground up in a mill and mixed 
with gypsum, peat, chalk, or pulverized mar- 
ble. 

The oil of the menaladeu is valuable. The 
fish are steamed slightly and pressed in cakes. 
After the oil is saved the refuse makes in the 
way described, a manure as good, if not better 
than Peruvian guano, and we have ample 
means of making it on our own coast. 

Mr. S. B. Halliday, of Providence, said he 
had used from one to six or eight tons annually. 
He had been experimenting carefully and found 
it cheaper to buy guano at $55 per ton, than 
to cart stable manure. He had found the lat- 
ter te be rather costly. 

Three years ago he began to use the fish. — 



procure them to almost an unlimited extent. 
In a few hours they were changed into a s< 
of paste. They must be composted and p: 
pared scientifically as described, because 1 
cause decomposition takes place so soon wi 
them. 

They would in a very short time smell 
badly they could not be carried inland. Yet 
this pickling process the smell was at once i 
rested, absorbed and retained in the compo 

There is an incorporated company in whi 
Mr. Halliday stated he was interested, and 
wished others to join and take shares. 



For the Southern Planter. 

PEACH WORM— PEACH TREES FROM SE1 
—SIZE OP TREES FOR TRANSPLANTING 
VARIETIES OF APPLES, &C. 

' I am pleased to see that fruit culture 
beginning to attract public attention. A gd 
orchard is a luxury and a source of profit, 
doubt much whether any portion of an on 
nary farm contributes as much to comfort ai 
profit combined as that devoted to a good ( 
chard. , 

As the peach worm is one of the mc 
formidable enemies to the peach tree, I ta' 
the liberty of calling the attention of the pu 
lie to a remedy published in the Anieric; 
Agriculturist, May, 1842 : " L. Physic, 
Philadelphia, says, a mixture of one ounce 
saltpetre and seven ounces of salt, applied < 
the surface of the ground, in contact ai 
around the trunk of a peach tree seven yea 
old and upwards, will destroy the worm, pr 
vent the yellows, and add much to the produ 
and quality of the fruit." I suppose a small 
quantity would be sufficient for a tree wh< 
first planted out, I made the experimei 
myself some years since, and found it an effe 
tual preventive of the worm. I do not kno 
whether it will destroy the worm where it a 
ready exists. 

It is a matter of some importance to kno 
whether trees raised from peach stones ma 
be relied on for producing good fruit. Yot 
correspondent a few months ago gave son: 
instances in which persons had been succesi 
ful in raising good fruit in that way. I nr 
self have known some instances of good fru 
raised by that mode, but I have also know 
a much larger number of instances in whic 
it has proved an entire failure. The lat 
Major K. of Prince Edward, being muc 
pleased with the Heath peach, procured 
large quantity of the seed and planted thei 
in a nursery. On planting them out he gav 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



171 



a few of the most unsightly to a favorite ser- 
vant. The only Heath peach among them 
was one of those planted out by the servant. 

H. F., Esq., of Appomattox county, in- 
formed me that he planted a large quantity of 
stones, saved from some very fine peaches, 
which he purchased in Richmond for that 
purpose. Every tree proved worthless, not 
one producing fruit fit to eat ; and after the 
loss of several years by the experiment he pur- 
chased budded trees from a nurseryman. 

Dr. P. of Lunenburg, states, that being 
much pleased with the White and Black 
Heath, (by the latter I presume is meant the 
Reorgia peach) , he procured about a peck of 
[he seed, half of which was planted by him- 
self and half by his neighbor. There were 
mt two trees which proved true — one of each 
rariety. 

These cases show that the seed cannot be 
•elied on ; and unless a man would run the 
•isk of losing three or four years in getting an 
Orchard, he had better buy budded trees at 
face. 

A prevailing error in planting orchards, ac- 
cording to my observation, is the idea that 
r ery large trees are preferable to those of 
niddling size. The late A. J. Downing, one 
if the most experienced fruit culturists in the 
Jnited States, in his celebrated work on fruits 
tnd fruit trees has the following remarks : 
: It is a maxim, equally well settled both 
mong theorists and the best practical men, 
hat health, immediate vigor, and duration, 
,re all greatlyfpromoted by transplanting fruit 
rees of small size — from three to six or seven 
eet. "We are fully aware with what iinpa- 
ience the beginner, or a person who knows 
ittle of the culture of trees, looks upon trees 
f this size — one who is eager to stock a gar- 
len or plant an orchard with large trees, 
hinking to gather a crop the next year. The 
atter may indeed be done ; but the trans- 
ilanting so affects the tree, that its first scanty 
rop is followed by a long season of rest and 
eeble growth, while the plantation of young 
rees is making wood rapidly, and soon comes 
ato a healthy and long continued state of pro- 
luctiveness — often long indeed before the 
arge trees have fairly arrived at that condi- 
ion. The small tree, transplanted with its 
ystem of roots and branches entire, suffers 
ittle or no check; the older and larger tree, 
osing part of its roots, requires several years 
o resume its former vigor. The constitution 
if the small tree is healthy and unimpaired : 
hat of the large is frequently much enfeebled. 
\. stout and vigorous habit — what the nursery 
nen call a good stocky plant — is the true 



criterion of merit in selecting trees for trans- 
planting. Trees intended for orchards, being 
often more exposed than those in gardens, 
should be somewhat larger : not less than six 
nor more than eight feet is the best size." 

My own observation corresponds with the 
ideas ©f Mr. Downing. Large trees seem to 
be stunted by their removal, and seldom grow 
off as well as smaller ones after transplanting. 
This is particularly the case where they have 
stood too long in the nursery, and their growth 
has been already checked by standing too close 
together there. I well recollect that the late 
Mr. Tazewell Morton (a most acute observer,) 
many years ago, in illustration of the idea that 
trees should be transplanted small, pointed 
out to me two trees growing near each other in 
the street of Farmville — the one which was 
much the smaller at transplanting being then 
nearly double the size of the other. I prefer 
a vigorous tree two years old, and from five to 
eight feet high, to any other size. 

As it regards varieties, I tnink Mr. Jones, 
in your February number, has made them al- 
together too few. There is as much differ- 
ence of taste about apples as any thing else. 
Many do not like either Rawles' Jeanette or 
the Winesop, though both are favorites of 
mine. The flavor of the Winesop I do not 
admire ; but it is an early and full bearer, 
and keeps well. The Royal Pearmain, Prior's 
Red, Golden Pippin, Summer Pippin, and 
common Russett, are, I think, not inferior to 
any of the varieties mentioned. Northern 
varieties of apples do not generally do well in 
Eastern Virginia. Their fine, late keeping 
winter varieties generally prove fall apples 
here, though their peaches usually preserve 
their reputation in our climate. But " far- 
away birds have fine feathers," and many 
thousand trees were purchased last year from 
Northern agents at just double the price at 
which trees of as good size, and of varieties 
better adapted to our climate, could have been 
purchased of nurserymen in Virginia. And 
yet we shall probably see or hear some of the 
purchasers figuring at meetings for promoting 
southern interests by purchasing goods only of 
merchants who have imported directly from 
Europe. 

It must be admitted that our nurserymen 
and implement makers are rather deficient in 
enterprise in effecting sales. They are either 
too high minded or too indolent to travel 
themselves or send agents through the coun- 
try ; while agents of northern mechanics and 
nurserymen are scouring the country, and 
selling more threshing machines, wheat fans, 



172 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



reapers and fruit trees to Virginians, than are 
sold by all their own mechanics and nursery- 
men. S. 

P. S. — Since writing the above I have seen 
your March number, in which Mr. Jones has 
extended his catalogue of apples, and added 
one of other fruits. His Drap d'Or is here 
called Summer Pippin, and is one of the best 
summer apples. The varieties of peaches 
which he mentions have, I believe, all been 
fruited in my neighborhood, and are highly 
esteemed. I have most of them. I must be 
permitted to add to them the Red Rareripe, 
(not Prince's, which is a late variety,) which 
ripens here the first of August, and has no 
superior at that season. The best Peach for 
all purposes which I have ever seen, goes here 
under the name of Pure Yellow Cling — its 
nursery name being unknown. S. 



To the Editor of the Southern Planter. 

In several trips, which I have had the plea- 
sure to make recently through the counties of 
Charlotte, Prince Edward and Nottoway, I 
have been pleased to notice the revival of 
interest on the subject of agriculture which 
prevails through that interesting section of our 
state. This degree of interest is, without 
doubt, to be attributed to agricultural societies 
and publications. Whenever it has been my 
fortune to be cast among the citizens of these 
counties, my admiration has been excited by 
the high state of moral and intellectual cul- 
ture which is found among them. With the 
soil, except for planting purposes, I am frank 
to confess I have never been much pleased. 
In the county of Amherst, from which I write, 
the revival in agriculture has been felt to a li- 
mited extent only. 

In order to aid in the promotion of this 
good work, I propose to improve a few leisure 
moments in making to you a statement of my 
mode of the cultivation of Indian corn — the 
most important crop cultivated in Eastern 
Virginia ; but being so common, its real value 
is often overlooked. In making this state- 
ment, as it will be only an outline of a system 
of cultivation adopted by me, and pursued 
with success for several years, I shall be com- 
pelled to speak of myself. 

The practice of the farmer must vary with 
climate and soil. My lot is cast in one of the 
Piedmont counties of the state, " the red land 
district" — a deep red clay soil, a vein of the 
Green Mountain land of Albemarle. 

In the preparation of the land for corn we 
plough and harrow; depth of ploughing the 
object aimed at, without reference- to fine tilth 
as in the cultivation of wheat and other crops. 



Rows laid off four and a half to five feel 
wide, with the shovel plough ; hills eighteer 
inches to three feet, in proportion to the stoul 
land. In the bottom of this furrow we run i 
two horse trowel poiut coulter as deep as the 
team can draw it. This furrow of the coultei 
we consider of great advantage, collecting anc 
retaining moisture at the roots of the plants 
and giving depth to the roots. Seed con 
soaked twelve hours, rolled in plaster ; soake< 
simply to soften the grain, that more plaste: 
may be retained. Plaster and ashes, twi 
thirds ashes one third plaster, table-spoonfu 
applied to each hill. Stable and barn yan 
manure applied broadcast. Cover \vith singl 
horse trowel point coulter, one furrow on eacl 
side of the corn. The corn up, as soon a 
large enough to escape the birds and insects 
let the cultivation commence ; and now is th 
time for the exercise of industry — a very im 
portant qualification for the good farmer. 

Let the corn be cultivated while young 
We go over first with single horse trowel pom 
coulters, breaking the whole row thoroughly 
running as close to the corn as we can, weed 
ing and thinning together, one stalk in th 
hill, after the coulter, leaving the land level. 

The second and third times we plough th 
whole row deep, with the old fashioned sing] 
shovel plough ; follow each time with the hoe 
avoid hilling The deep cultivation with th 
plough and hoe should cease some time befoi 
the shooting or tasseling commences. Th 
land to be kept clean, even until the coi 
shall be matured, by any process the faruu 
may adopt ; we chop with hoes. The open 
tion of gathering the fodder, (if gathered i 
all,) to be delayed six or eight days later tha 
usual. By this delay some loss will be su 
tained in the value of the fodder, but the h 
jury to the corn almost entirely avoided. 

This, you discover, is a brief outline of m 
own system, to be varied of course accordin 
to soil and other circumstances. But for a 
the clay lands of Eastern Virginia I am sati 
fied it will be found well suited. 

Respectfully, 

Amherst co., Va. J. B. L. William 

March 28th, 1855. 



For the Southern Planter. 
GUANO. 

Has any one in Virginia plowed undi 
guano with a three horse plow in the sprit 
for corn, at the rate of one or two hundr< 
pounds per acre, or has any one used it on tl 
plowed surface and harrowed it in ? Auswi 
through the Planter. A. Subscriber. 






THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



173 



For the Southern Planter. 
A BRIEF EEPLY TO MR, RUFFIN. 

Facts closely observed, and experiments 
carefully conducted and often repeated, are 
items of information which the farmer every- 
where most needs, as the basis of a rational 
and enlightened agriculture. Theories, in 
agriculture, are a sort of bagatelle, with which 
scientific men may occasionally amuse them- 
selves, and farmers of a speculative turn, but 
seldom much to the edification or profit of 
any one ; and in no pursuit to which the men- 
tal and physical energies of man have been 
directed is the practice of theorising to be so 
much deprecated and discountenanced as in 
agriculture. There are in farming, as in 
every other science, many so called false facts 
and much false experience ; and the former 
has often been made the basis, and the latter 
tho props, of many a plausible and beautiful, 
but fallacious and hurtful theory ; the fallacy 
and evil of which are well illustrated by an 
anecdote I have heard told of the " facts and 
experience" of a young Englishman, a medi- 
cal student, who went to Paris to complete 
his professional education, when it so hap- 
pened he was called to attend a Frenchman 
with typhoid fever. The disease was treated 
scientifically, and the man of course drugged 
secundem artem and to his heart's content, 
but without any apparent abatement in the 
fever, and death seemed inevitable. One day 
however the patient expressing a wish to eat 
some salt herring, he was humanely gratified, 
and, post hoc sed non propter hoc, the man, 
much to the surprise of his physician, soon 
got well, who immediately recorded in his 
note book as follows: "Typhoid fever — a 
Frenchman cured by eating salt herring." 
Soon after this he went back to England, and 
there encountering the same disease in a ro- 
bustious Englishman, he confidently adminis- 
tered his new remedy — salt herring — and this 
patient in a little while died. A note was 
now made as follows : " Typhoid fever — an 
Englishman ate freely of salt herring and 
soon died;" and immediately following was a 
N. B., to this effect : " In* typhoid fever salt 
herring cures a Frenchman, but kills an 
Englishman" 

But in this place it is proper to remark, 
that the undersigned does not wish, in any 
thing he may say, to be regarded as the 
"censor," of Mr. R., nor indeed of any one 
else ; and it is to be regretted that Mr. Ruffin 
should have felt himself personally aggrieved 
at having his theoretical opinions respectfully 
and modestly controverted; and unless, in- 



deed, he applies the epithet of " censor" to any 
one who may venture, in any manner, how- 
ever deferential, to question his views,-! can 
see no appropriateness in his application of 
the word. 

It will be manifest to every one familiar 
with Mr. Rufiin's ".Essay on Calcareous Ma- 
nures," and who has ever read the article by 
the undersigned, above alluded to, that in his 
two articles recently published in this paper 
Mr. R. has not only retreated from his own 
original position, but endeavors to place me 
in a position I never occupied. It will be 
recollected that he consumes many pages of 
his book in the labored but abortive attempt 
to prove by dint of ingenious logic, that all 
soils growing sheep sorrel, broom grass, and 
old field pines, etc., are poisoned with an acid, 
and upon this assumption, which is only so 
much mere guessing on his part, he proceeds 
to state and establish the monstrous proposi- 
tion, that such a soil " cannot be durably and 
profitably improved by putrescent manures, 
without previously making it calcareous?'' 
These are the plain and naked propositions I 
attempted to controvert ; but now Mr. Ruffm, 
as if conscious of his inability to maintain 
these positions, very adroitly shifts his atti- 
tude, throws himself behind a battery of some 
thirty odd farmers in Prince George, and 
then, backed by his friends, challenges me to 
assail or deny his position that "liming in the 
proper manner and quantity will destroy 
sorrel and prevent its return' 1 ' 1 ! Why, don't 
Mr. Rufnn, and every one else who read my 
article, know, that so far from denying this 
fact he so defiantly proclaims, I did in the 
outset admit this peculiar action of lime on 
sorrel soils, in indirectly (though not by neu- 
tralizing acidity,) eradicating sorrels, and in 
these explicit words : " it is not to be doubted 
that liming causes sorrels to disappear," &c, 
for which a brief but clear explanation was 
given ? These thirty odd gentlemen ail agree 
in their testimony that lime destroys sorrel 
— or, in other words, that it causes it to dis- 
appear ; but do they render Mr. Ruffin any 
assistance in the dilemma his hypothesis, that 
" sorrel soils are acid," involves him in ? Will 
they depose m his behalf that lime destroys 
sorrel by simply neutralizing free oxalic acid 
in the soil, when they have no sort of proof 
from Mr. Ruffin, or from any one else, that 
there is any acid in such a soil ? but on the 
contrary, the positive assurance from the most 
reliable chemists, that in point of fact it does 
not exist in this or any sail? These are 
the questions, and the only ones, I was con- 
troverting. And Professor Johnston, who is 



174 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



considered good authority on all questions in 
analytical chemistry, speaking of the acids of 
sorrers, (and he makes no distinctions) says, 
" It (oxalic acid) is not known to exist in the 
soil, or in the waters, which reach the roots of 
plants, when it is found in living vegetables, 
therefore, it must like the other substances 
the// contain-, have been formed or elaborated 
in the interior of the plant itself. Just so — 
and Dr. Dana, and others also testify much 
in the same way. And Mr. R. himself admits 
as much ; and lie even goes further, and says 
one of the sorrels (wood sorrel) " will groAv on 
a soil "calcareous to excess," but seeing that 
this fact conflicts with his acid theory, next 
sets about explaining it away. And how do 
you suppose he does it? By showing that 
wood sorrel is botanically a different plant 
from sheep sorrel. Still the fact remains that 
both plants abound in one and the same acid ; 
and I submit, that the mere circumstance that 
one " is a trefoil and pod bearing plant" and 
the other has leaves like " narroio and barbed 
arrow points," is quite immaterial; and since 
according to Mr. Rufhn's own showing, one of 
them cannot by possibility obtain any acid 
directly from the soil, neither by analogy is 
it at all probable that the other does; and 
whilst the assertion of Prof. Johnston that the 
acids of all the sorrels " are elaborated in the 
interior of the plants themselves,' 1 is doubtless 
entirely correct, it is probable that all other 
vegetable acids, the various sugars, and the 
other organic compounds in general, are " ela- 
borated in the interior of plants" by a process 
purely vital and peculiar to the plant, with 
which the soil has nothing directly whatever 
to do. 

Mr. Ruffin seems to have a mortal hatred 
for the old field pine. It is in his opinion an 
everlasting and special breeder of acid; as 
soon as it springs up it begins to " pour its 
leprous distilmcnt" on the soil, and speedily 
the whole earth becomes surcharged with the 
deadly poison. Alas ! into what fatal mis- 
takes does an erroneous theory often involve 
us ! Many of these very soils, where the 
pines have accomplished their work of reno- 
vation, are the finest tobacco lands we have, 
as thousands would testify ; and there are not 
many, I incline to think, who will admit that 
the beautiful arrangement by which pine soils 
annually enrich themselves from the falling of 
the leaves of the pine, is merely one for 
acidifying and poisoning the soil. 

But to return to Mi - . Ruifin's theory for a 
moment : will any one in middle Virginia en- 
dorse Mr. Ruffiu's assumption, that a soil 
which permits sorrel to grow "cannot be du- 



rably and profitably improved by putrescent 
manures, without previously making it calca-i 
reous," when there are hundreds of farmers 
in Virginia and elsewhere who know the con- 
trary to be true, and that without liming, as 
Mr. Ruffin proposes, or the use of any other 
anti-acids, they have been able to bring their 
soils up to a very high state of impreve- 
ment. Facts like these, in the possession of 
thousands, are sufficient to settle this ques- 
tion forever ; and really I had thought it so 
settled an axiom in logic, that one single well 
established fact is sufficient to discredit and 
overthrow any mere hypothesis, however in- 
geniously constructed, that Mr. Ruffin would 
yield this point. 

But in justice to him it is proper to state, 
that he objects to having extended the appli- 
cation of his theory to other soils than those 
of tidewater Virginia. Yet I must contend, 
that if it is necessary to the growth of sheep 
sorrel in his section, that the soil shall con- 
tain oxalic acid, there appears no good reason 
why the same kind of sorrel should not re- 
quire the same kind of acid in soils else- 
where. 

It would be easy to give a somewhat 
plausible explanation of this peculiar action 
of lime, in eradicating sorrels from the soils 
of tide-water Virginia, without having to 
assume hypothetieally the presence in such 
soils of any free oxalic acid, which it is not 
probable exists there any more than it does 
elsewhere. It is known, for instance, that the 
acid in sheep sorrel and in other sorrels is in 
combination with potash, and that such plants 
do not particularly require a calcareous soil. 
Clover, however, must have a good deal of 
both potash and lime, or it will not flourish. 
It is known, moreover, that when sorrel grows 
to the exclusion of clover, it indicates a soil 
somewhat deficient in available lime. Now 
good quick lime in many ways, and better 
than carbonate of lime or ordinary lime, 
readily supplies the salines necessary for the 
vigorous growth of clover ; and it being a more 
hardy plant than sorrel, soon, as a necessary 
consequence, eats out. as we sometimes say, 
the sorrel. 

But after all it makes no sort of difference, 
practically, I confess, with him who resides in 
the lime region, whether Mr. Ruffin's theory be 
true or false, since the result of liming there 
is uniformly satisfactory, and that is all that 
concerns the farmer, (and this may account for 
the ready reception, in that locality, of Mr. 
R.'s theory.) But if the farmer of middle 
Virginia, where no marl can be had, and good 
slacked lime in many localities costs from 25 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTEE. 



175 



to 30 cents per bushel, is induced to believe 
that his sorrel soil is acid, and "cannot be 
{durably and profitably improved by putrescent 
(manures without previously making it calca- 
jreous," he would assuredly do one of two 
J things, either of which would show a bad judg- 
ment : he would either cease altogether to im- 
prove his land by applying putrescent ma- 
nures, and by many other available and cer- 
tain means of improvement, or he would incur 
such an expense in liming, (and often when 
his land did not need it) as would bankrupt 
him for life. 

The foregoing remarks conclude all I have 
to say on the subject under discussion. If 
they fail to convince any one, perhaps I should 
fail even were I to write more ; and besides, 
your readers are by this time, Mr. Editor, 
chemically speaking, super-saturated with 
lime. 

P. B. Pendleton. 

Louisa Co., Va., 
April 23, 1855. 



HOW WE KEEP OUR HENS. 
Hen-house, in the appropriate sense of that 
word, we have none. We have no doubt of 
the utility cf those structures, and that some- 
thing very much better than our contrivance 
could be get up, with a little leisure to plan it 
and money to build with. But we have had 
eggs and chickens enough, for the last five 
years, to satisfy our editorial ambition, with- 
out the trouble of putting up a hen-house. 
Our barn stands on the south side of a hill, 
and under a part of it we have <n cellar exca- 
vated, stoned, and pointed with mortar. It 
makes a snug warm room, about 20 feet by 
10, opening to the south. A large ventilator 
communicates with the barn above, and the 
door is kept open at all times, except in snow 
storms and the coldest nights when the ther- 
mometer is in the neighborhood of zero. On 
such occasions, when Jack Frost is out in 
state, we close the door. On either side of 
the cellar there are large long poles put up 
for roosts, three on a side, and at such heights 
from the ground that they are easily reached 
by the fowls, and that the droppings from the 
upper row of fowls fall clear of their neigh- 
bors below them. Underneath the roosts we 
keep a good supply of charcoal dust or muck, 
and in addition to this we make a constant 
use of piaster. As often as every morning, 
m mild weather, and every other morning in 
cold, we sprinkle a large shovelfull upon the 
droppings. This keeps the air perfectly sweet 
and absorbs the most of the ammonia. The 
olfactories are a very good meter for the ne- 



cessary quantity of plaster, and the rule is, to 
sprinkle as much and as often as you can de- 
tect any unpleasant odor. This is essential 
to the health of the fowls, and we have no 
doubt that more fowls die of bad air, from, 
lack of attention, than from all other causes 
united. The manure made in this way is 
very powerful ; not equal in value to guano, 
pound for pound, but much cheaper than 
guano at the cost of its manufacture. It 
forms a very handsome item in the annual 
profits of keeping fowls. 

In the yard upon which the cellar opens we 
have a large pile of refuse cabbages, not quite 
good enough for market, and a little too good 
for the compost heap. These are gathered 
late in the fall, when frozen, and covered with 
salt, hay or other refuse matter. The hens 
have constant access to them, and get all the 
green food they want. This, with the other 
attentions, keeps them in fine health. They 
have pounded oyster shells both in the cellar 
and in the yard, and fresh water every day. 
The staple feed is Indian corn, raw, soaked, 
and in meal scalded. This is varied with 
oats, and the sweepings of grain stores and 
screenings from the city. 

We should probably get some eggs without 
further effort, but to make success certain we 
give fish two or three times a week. A small 
fish, caught in all our salt-water creeks and 
ditches, called the mummychaug, makes ex- 
cellent feed for fowls. Pish offal from the 
market, or butcher's offal, would probably 
answer as well. Beginning the fowl season 
November 1st, with a flock of pullets hatched 
the preceding April, we have eggs, constantly 
and in abundance, through the coldest wea- 
ther. The quantity increases after February, 
and in the three following months it rains 
eggs on our hill, and the thunder of Shang- 
hai eloquence wakes the echoes of every morn- 
ing hour. 

We keep, in their purity, White Dorkings, 
Buff Shanghais, and Chittagongs. The Asi- 
atic fowls are the only reliable winter layers, 
and make early chickens for broiling, better 
than any variety we have tried. The cross 
of the Dorking with the Shanghai makes a 
very plump, fine-fleshed fowl for the table; 
and they are not bad layers. The Buff Dor- 
king, made by this cross, is a very handsome, 
sprightly bird. With a stock of forty or fifty 
fowls we raise all the eggs and chickens used 
in a large family, and from a debit and credit 
kept for several years, it appears that each 
fowl pays about a dollar clear profit. No 
other investment on the premises pays so well. 
American A srHtulturist. 



176 



THE SOUTHERN PLANNER. 




THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



RICHMOND, JUNE, 1855. 



TERMS. 

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which may be discharged by the payment of One Dollar 
only, if paid in office or sent free of postage within six 
months from the date of subscription. Six copies for Five 
Dollars; thirteen copies for Ten Dollars, to be paid 
invariably in advance. 

UP" No subscription received for a less time than one 
year. 

Ejjp^* Subscriptions may begin with any number. 

B3F~ ^" P a P er W 'M De discontinued until all arrearages 
are paid, except at the option of the Editor. 

S3T* Office corner Main and Twelfth steets. 

ADVERTISEMENTS. 

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

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

|3f° Postage on the Southern Planter, (when paid in 
advance,) to any part of the United States one cent and a 
half per quarter, or six cents per annum. 



THE PREMIUM LIST. 
In the List of Premiums which we send to our 
subscribers with this number of the Planter, an 
error remained undiscovered till a considerable 
number of copies were issued. The premium 
(519) relating to wire grass should read $50 instead 
of $500. 



WHEAT GLEANER. 
A friend, whose statement we do not hesitate to 
endorse, represents that he has used one of the 
horse rakes advertised by Mr. II. M. Smith, and 
that as a gleaner of wheat, to which purpose only 
he has as yet subjected it to trial, he decidedly 
prefers it, both for the superiority of its construc- 
tion and the effectiveness of its operation, to any 
other implement of the kind with which he is.ac- 
quaintcd. He would not be compelled to dispense 
with the use of his for three times its value, and 
recommends its introduction into general use, es- 
pecially upon the very fair and liberal terms offered 
by the advertiser. 



THE PROSPECTS OF THE CROPS IN 
VIRGINIA. 
Whatever may be the prospects of the crops, 
especially the wheat crops, elsewhere, it is gene- 
rally gloomy, in Virginia. In some sections joint 
worm, in others joint worm and chinch bug com- 
bined, in others the chinch bug alone, in nearly all 
an unexampled drought following a dry hard win- 
ter, have so checked the wheat, that we, no alarm- 
ists at any time, do not expect that Virginia will 
make one-third of a crop. For oats the prospect 
is at this time no better, if so good, and for corn 
we should have no hope were it not that in the 
course of things we are bound to expect rain be- 
fore long. 

What rain we have had has been small in quan- 
tity and very partial in extent, and we hear on all 
sides that the water courses were never so low be- 
fore at the same season of the year. Now, aH 
around us, and we hear the same of other sections, 
they are as low as we ever saw them at the close 
of a dry spell in August. 

It is useless to expect to make full crops, even 
of corn, under such circumstances. The winter 
supply of rain, which saturates the ground and 
keeps the streams up, is exhausted, and much 
more copious showers than we generally have or 
can now expect will be necessary to keep the 
ground in its ordinary, and, so far as vegetable 
growth is concerned, necessary hygrometric con- 
dition. 

Nor need the farmers expect full crops next 
year : the clover and grass crops are as short as 
every thing else, and the clover fallows of this 
year will hardly be luxuriant enough to add much 
fertility to the Soils they grow on. 

It is some satisfaction to know that under such 
a state of things the prices of produce are highei 
than they were ever known before, and that one 
third of a crop will bring almost as much rnonej 
as a full one would have done some few years 
ago. 

The above remarks are predicated upon the 
hope of rain in some short time. If it does noi 
come, and the present drought continues one 
month longer, we really think there is danger o: 
a famine in Virginia. 

Who ever remembers to have known before o: 
only two. rains in the month of April, and as manj 
as three frosts in the month of May ? 



The wool crop of the West is now being pre- 
pared for market, The Guernsey (Ohio) Time? 
learns from its exchanges and woolgrowers thai 
tis years clip will be equal to those of pasl 
years, and that the price per pound will be equa 
at least to that of last year. 



The crops in Tennessee thus far promise a ricl 
harvest. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



177 



SOWING PEAS AS A PREPARATION FOR 
WHEAT. 

A subscriber wrote to us a few days ago as to the 
propriety of seeding peas upon the stubble of this 
years' wheat crop with a view to seeding wheat 
upon the same land this fall on the pea fallow. 

As a public answer will be of service, we will 
state here what we saw a few days ago. 

The fine farm of Pichonochee, on the Chicka- 
hominy, five miles from Richmond, must have 
been observed for several years by every one who 
has passed through it on the Central Rail Road. 
And not the least noteworthy feature is the field 
which lies broad side of the Rail Road, between it 
and the swamp, with a crop of wheat, now the 
third in succession, that, but for the drought, 
would have made some twenty five bushels to the 
acre. We paid a visit to the worthy proprietor, 
Mr. Matthews, to get the history of that field, and 
now give it from notes made on the spot : 

Mr. Mathews purchased the land in the year 
1849 and seeded this particular field in wheat in 
the fall of that year. Its crop was not measured 
separately, but it did not exceed seven bushels per 
acre as a maximum. In the month of July, 
before the shocks of wheat were hauled out of the 
field, peas were sowed on this field, at the rate of 
one bushel per acre, broadcast on the stubble, 
ploughed in with a one horse plough followed by 
a harrow, (or drag, or rake, as we are sorry to see 
it improperly called in some places.) The peas 
were ploughed under from the 20th September 
out, and wheat sowed upon the land. The product 
was twelve and a half bushels of good wheat per 
acre. 

In 1852 the land was planted in corn and made 
six barrels per acre, and was again sowed in wheat. 
In 1853 the wheat yielded sixteen bushels per 
acre, and was followed by peas and wheat as 
before. In 1854 the crop of wheat was twenty 
three bushels per acre, and was again followed 
by peas and wheat. In 1855 the wheat is cut 
short by the drought, but from what we saw we 
think it safe to estimate that in a fair season it 
would have made twenty five bushels per acre. 

The land Mr. Mathews called stiff, but we who 
have STIFF land thought it a light soil,— clay 
with a fair admixture of sand. It had been pre- 
previously owned by the Messrs. Haxall, and had 
never been limed by them. Nor has Mr. Mathews 
applied to it any other manure than what the 
peas themselves have furnished. 

But whether with or without lime, it is remark- 
able th2t -six successive crops should have been 
removed from the land not only without any dimi- 
nution of fertility, but with a rapidly progressive 
improvement. 

Whether this mode of cropping can be judici- 
ously applied to all lands, we cannot say. We 



know from our own experiments, at Shad well, and 
from the report of Mr. Noland's experiments at 
Rox, that is would not suit the south west moun- 
tain lands or the dry creek lands, generally 
thought the best of that region in Albemarle, and 
we doubt whether it would be proper in any lands 
that are already saturated with vegetable matter. 
Nor can we venture an opinion as to the time at 
which this rotation will cease to improve the land 
or the crop. But we are inclined to the belief 
that it will only produce more speedily that 
exhaustion in the product of wheat which we have 
been laughed at for maintaining as a consequence 
of the repeated succession of the clover crop. 

We prefer now not to encumber the statement of 
what appears to us as a very remarkable fact with 
any theory as to the operation of peas as a ferti- 
lizer, or the duration of the fertility they produce. 

There are not facts enough known, or if known, 
they are perhaps not yet so systematized as to 
authorize anything of the kind. But if a few of 
our friends choose, they can, in a few years, by 
proper experiments, throw a great deal of light 
on this subject ; and it is very evident that such 
experiments can be conducted for six or eight 
years without the loss of a cent, either in time or 
trouble. 

In looking at the statement of Mr. Matthews' 
course of cropping it will strike the reader as sin- 
gular that whereas after the first crop of peas, 
twelve and a half bushels only of wheat was made, 
after the corn crop which followed that wheat, 
sixteen bushels was made. 



FINE WOOL. 
The annexed quotations will show the superi- 
ority of our wools to those of the New England 
and Northern States. We give them because we 
have often asserted that better wool can be grown 

in Virginia than at the North. 

6 Cts.perlb 

New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, 
Massachusetts, Michigan, Vermont, New 
Hampshire, — 

Choice Saxony fleece, - - - 47 a 50 

Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, — 
Choice Saxony fleece, - - - 50 a 55 

If the want of skill in the business here in Vir- 
ginia is taken into consideration, we shall find 
ample room for encouragement in these prices. 
We think we once demonstrated that the wools of 
Virginia were superior to those of either Penn- 
sylvania or Ohio. But to satisfy those who may 
contend that Virginia ranks with Ohio and Penn- 
sylvania because the wool is nearly all grown in 
the neighborhood of Wheeling, arid that that re- 
gion should not be classed with ours, we subjoin 
the prices obtained by the Messrs. Crenshaw for 
the wool they sold, and which we promised, in 
\ 



178 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



55 cts. 

50 

40 

35 

33 

30 



our last notice of their wool depot, to give the 

public. They are as follows : 

Extra Saxony and Merino fleece, 

No. 1, 

No. 2, Merino fleece, 

No. 3, part blood fleece, 

No. 4, part blood fleece, 

No. 5, native fleece, 

These wools, it will be remembered, were all 
grown in Middle, Southwestern, or Southeastern 
Virginia, in some parts of which the business is 
just commencing, and in no part, as a general 
thing, is it equal to Northwestern Virginia, where 
such men as Jesse Edgington have been at it all 
their lives. 



A TEST OF THE PROFITS OF WOOL 

GROWING. 
We call attention to the following premiums, 
offered by Crenshaw & Co., of this city, through 
the Virginia State Agricultural Society at its fair 
next Fall, viz : 

For the most valuable fleece of wool, in propor- 
tion to the live weight of the animal from 
which it is sheared, - - - $20 

For the second best do - - 10 

For the heaviest fleece, without regard to its 

staple, ----- 10 

For the finest fleece, without regard to 
its weight, ... - 10 

Hides. — Each fleece must be washed and accom- 
panied with a certificate that the sheep belongs to 
the party who offers the fleece, and that the sheep 
was sheared last year, in the State of Virginia, and 
that the fleece, to his own knowledge, is not more 
than twelve months old. In estimating its weight 
and value, reference will be had to its condition. 

Committee to be chosen hereafter and announced in 
lime. 

It will be observed that these premiums look to 
the question of the profits of sheep-breeding, as 
far as it can be settled in this way. We know that 
it is contended by good judges that the carcass is 
more entitled to be taken into the estimate than the 
fleece, and should of itself decide the question of 
profit, but we do not conceive, that that is the ques- 
tion here. These premiums, at least the two first 
of them, go to decide that other issue, whether 
the wool of the large and coarse breeds is more 
profitable than the wool of the fine and small 
breeds the issue which we joined sometime ago 
with Col. Ware, who avers that the Cotswolds, in 
this particular, surpass all other sheep, we holding 
then and now that Merino and Saxony sheep are in 
this respect the most profitable. 

The other question, which is distinct from this, 
is properly kept out of view here, though we hope 
that that also can be brought to the test of a pre- 
mium. 



CURING CLOVER HAY. 

Below we append the remarks of Mr. Ruffin on 
this subject, as requested by a friend some time 
since. We fear that there will be but little occa- 
sion for it this year, as we hear of but very little 
clover to cut anywhere. The note which we pro- 
posed to append, containing the amendment en 
Mr. Ruffln's original plan of curing hay, we deem 
unnecessary, as that plan substantially is now 
adopted by Mr. Ruffin. 

From Essays and Notes on Agriculture, 
By Edmund Ruffin, p. 136. 

The mode which I have adopted is upon the 
principle of curing the grass in the shade, and 
by air instead of sun — and of never moving the 
clover after its leaves are dry or crisp, (if they 
become so at all,) until it is carried to the house 
or stack. There is less labor, less danger of 
damage from rain, and more value in the product, 
than in any other process of which I have heard 
the manner and results. It is proper to say 
that the plan is not original with me. The attempt 
to cure hay in cocks (and of course mostly 
in the shade,) has often been made — and suc- 
cessfully, when high winds and heavy rains did 
not damage the cocks The plan of preserving 
their upright position by skewers was first 
suggested and used by the late Col. Claiborne 
W. Gooch, who wrote a communication embracing 
this contrivance, for the Farmers' Register, (vol. i. 
p. 162.) The plan was improved upon, and the 
practice reported to the same publication, (vol. x., 
p. 414,) at my request, by a very young farmer, 
Edmund Ruffin, jr., of Prince George county, who, 
since, with myself, and others seeing our practice, 
have successively cured clover in this manner. 

While thus duly acknowledging the first sources 
of instruction on this subject, it is also just to add 
that in my own later operations there are important 
improvements on the practices of my first guides. 
As at first recommended (by Col. Gooch,) the 
" skewer," as its name implied, was designed 
by him mainly to hold together the different parts 
of the cock, and to prevent the top being blown 
off, when raised very high. The skewer was stuck 
into the cock after it had been built 4 or 5 feet 
high, and then was directed to be thrust in only 18 
to 24 inches. Of course it did not then reach the 
earth. And when in later practice, it usually ex- 
tended to the earth, the attachment was so slight 
that no support to the cock was thereby gained. 
This forcing the skewer down through the heaped 
and still green grass also served to compress it, and 
so far obstructed the admission of air to the inte- 
rior of the cock, and the readiest evaporation 
of moisture. This defect made necessary another 
objectionable procedure, viz : the opening the 
cocks for two or three hours immediately pre- 
ceding the carting in the hay to the stack, or the 
house. Both the first greater compression of the 
lower part of the cock, and the after opening it 
for so long a time to the sun, are in opposition 
to the principle of the process, and the object 
sought, i. e., to cure the grass in the shade, and by 
access of air only, and avoiding as much^as possi- 
ble all improper exposure to sun, and the retaining 
of moisture. 



Withoi 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



179 



Without further reference to others practice or 
opinions, or noting differences, I will proceed 
to describe my own present preferred practice, as 
improved by the experience of this plan, in the 
whole clover harvests of the last ten years. 

When the clover is nearly or quite in the best 
state for mowing, for hay, (that is, when about one 
fourth of the heads are turning brownish,) that 
operation is begun, after dinner, or about 2 o'clock, 
P. M. When cut so late in the day, no other 
labors will be necessary. The grass is left in the 
swath, as cut, until the next forenoon, when 
the dew has dried off. If clear of dew when 
mown, there will be none except on the mere sur- 
face of the swaths. When quite free from dew, 
and also when some few of the upper leaves have 
become crisp, under the effect of sunshine, then it 
is time to begin the first fork-work. Other hands, 
with iron-prong forks, begin with the oldest mow- 
ing, and throw the swaths into small heaps, 
without any care for their shape, and each merely 
large enough to supply at least one good fork-full. 
These heaps might be put immediately into cocks, 
if required by approach of night, or threatening 
of rain. But otherwise they will best be left until 
the forks have gone over all the grass that is partly 
wilted by exposure in the swath. The making of 
these heaps is a facility for the subsequent cocking, 
and therefore is no addition to that labor. But after 
being thrown into these heaps, it is best to let the 
grass so lie a while, for two reasons. First, a new 
surface being then exposed to the sun, more wilting 
of the greener clover will take place, and less wa- 
ter (in the sap) will go into the cock, without dan- 
ger of hurt by too much drying in the sun. Sec- 
ondly, this heaping is a veiy easy and rapid ope- 
ration, and so serves quickly to place out of danger 
the grass beginning to be crisp on the surface of the 
swaths. 

After the heaping, (or an hour or two after be- 
ginning to heap, if different sets of hands are em- 
ployed.) the cock-building is begun. The clover 
tisually is then throughout the heap more or less 
wilted, or " fallen," but still full of sap, or juices, 
except the very few leaves crisped before the heap- 
ing. Stakes or skewers should have been previ- 
ously prepared, and brought on the ground. These 
are either of rived timber, or otherwise (and better) 
cut of any tolerably straight sapling wood, though 
young pines of second growth, where standing 
thick, furnish much the best. They may be from 
5 to 6 feet long, and l\ to 2 inches through at the 
large, and 1 inch, or less, at the small end. Both 
ends should be sharpened by a hatchet. A pin, 
made of strong and tough wood, pointed, and ra- 
ther larger than the large point of the stakes, is 
driven into the ground about 8 inches deep, to 
make a hole to set the stake, and which is so placed 
firmly and upright. The stakes are so placed in 
rows, and at such distances as trial will show is re- 
quired for the cocks. The cock-builders now be- 
gin, by placing a heap of the grass around the 
bottom of each standing stake, and closely and 
evenly around. This, and enough to make the 
base, should not be more than 15 inches from the 
central stake to the outsides. Other clover is 
placed on this base, with the fork, putting it loose- 
ly cd the pointed top of the stake, and forcing it 
downward to its place. The thickness of the cock 
may be a little enlarged when 12 or 15 inches above 
the ground. But it is best not to permit any to be 
pore than 3J or at most 4 feet across the middle. 
The main oljject of the stake is to prevent the cock 



falling, or being blown over by high winds. With 
this support, the cocks may be raised at first to G 
or 7 feet high. They will afterwards settle con- 
siderably — and the more in proportion to the suc- 
culence of the clover, and the lightness with which 
it was laid on in the cocks. Moderately pressing 
down the grass when building the cock is proper, 
to avoid too much settling afterwards. But the 
cock should not be made too compact at first, so as 
to exclude the entrance of air, and so prevent the 
proper curing of the grass. A little experience 
will show the improper extremes to be avoided. 

The foundation, of clover wrapped around the 
stake at the ground, serves to make a more com- 
pact base, 2i to 3 feet across, and rising to about a 
foot high. But when the cock is finished, the 
looser placed clover usually hangs over the sides 
so as to make the cock appear as wide at the 
ground as midway or higher up, or from 3J to 4 
feet in diameter. Still, the grass, when first laid 
on, is more supported by the stake than on the 
ground. As proof of this, if the pine stake is green 
and flexible, the completed cock may be made to 
vibrate by the hand, from side to side, so as to 
show that, as yet, the stake bears suspended the 
greater weight of the cock. This loose state al- 
lows the air to penetrate during the curing of the 
hay. 

As the cock settles, the grass holds more or less 
to the stake, and especially to the rough bark of 
pine. This causes almost every stem to droop 
from the centre toward the circumference of the 
cock — and so to shed rain which would otherwise 
penetrate the very open texture of clover cocks. 
This manner of settling gives a pointed top to the 
cock, even if made broad-topped at first. The 
pointed upper end of the stake usually permits 
the top of the clover to settle below the point. But 
sometimes the upper clover is held up by the stake, 
like a hood over the lower and main part. 

The annexed profile illustrations and references 
may be of some use for direction to those who have 
not made any trial or personal observation o& this 
plan for curing hay : 



; 


i 


A 


k 


I f 


\ 








a, a, a, a, surface of the ground. 

c, c, stake, 5 to 6 feet long, set 8 inches in the 
ground. 

b, b, Compact foundation of grass, wrapped 
around the stake, about 2h feet broad. 

d. the completed cock, spread out in raising. 



. 



180 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



e, e, looser part, overhanging the foundation. 

/, the more usual shape of the cock, after curing 
and settling down. 

g, A, the shape after curing, when the top of the 
hay remained suspended on the point of the stake, 
and formed a covering hood over the lower body of 
the cock. 

The outside of the cock shelters all the interior 
from the sun entirely, and more or less from the 
rain. Of course the mere outside is damaged by 
being over-dried in the sun — or is made somewhat 
like the ordinary clover hay, cured by exposure to 
sunshine. But all the interior usually cures per- 
fectly, the leaves remaining on the stems, and 
mostly preserving their green color, and many of 
the flowers their red tints. Heavy showers and 
transient rains, during the curing, will not prevent 
this result, or to but small extent. Very heavy 
rains driven by strong winds, or long-continued 
spells of rain, certainly will be injurious ; but to 
much less extent than even moderate and transient 
rains with aay other mode of curing. I have had 
Tery bad weather in some of my clover hay har- 
vests ; but though labor was thereby increased, and 
hay somewhat damaged, I have never lost, by bad 
weather, altogether, a ton of hay, in this mode of 
curing. 

According to the weather, and condition of the 
grass, the cocks will usually have to stand from 4 
to 7 days. I have in one case housed the hay (avoi- 
ding close packing) on the second day; and once, 
when the clover was cut too green, and the cocks 
bnilt too compactly, and too large, they stood 8 days, 
and then had to be opened, to remove some inter- 
nal dampness, which had caused mouldiness in the 
middle. This w T as the only case of such error and 
its injurious effect. In ordinary cases, and with 
only ordinary rains, nothing is required after 
cocking, until the hay is fit to be housed. 

When the first cured hay is fit to be housed, or 
stacked, the removal of the cocks ought to be be- 
gun early in the morning, while the hay is pliant, 
(or " gives," or is "in case,") from the effect of the 
dam}) night air. A moderate dew still remaining 
on the cocks is no objection to proceeding. But 
any greater degree of wetness, from recent rain, I 
would not risk, if the hay had to be immediately 
packed closely, and in large bulks. After begin- 
ning, the carting-in of the cured hay, and storing 
it, should proceed as fast as possible, while the hay 
continues pliant. But as soon as it begins to be 
rigid and crumbly from increased drying by the 
sun and dry air, the hauling should be suspended 
until the next morning. 

Preceding the loading of the carts, for half an 
hour or an hour, (according to the weather,) the 
loaders pull out the stakes, and then turn over the 
cocks, nearly upside down, but leaving the old 
bottom somewhat facing the sun. This part will 
usually be a little damp, from contact with the 
ground — (though not always, if cocked on dry 
ground — ) and this, or any other remaining damp- 
ness, will be speedily removed by this little expo- 
sure to sun and air. The cocks must not be so ex- 
posed longer than necessary, before being carted 
in ; and should be housed or stacked as soon as 
possible afterwards. When the earth is dry, the 
cocks may have so little dampness at bottom as 
not to need being thus turned, before being put in 
the carts. If very slightly damp at bottom, that 
small damp portion only of each cock may be left 
and opened, and will usually be dried enough for 
the carts in an hour. 



Hay so cured will be inviting in color and odoi 
will be eagerly preferred by horses and mules to th 
best corn-fodder, or other hay cured in the ordi 
nary manner. And if it is in any respect less va'. 
uable as food, no evidence of the fact has com 
uuder my observation. Green clover or clove 
hay, is my only long forage for some months c 
of every year, and is used without stint as long a 
it lasts. 

For fear of rain, the hay ought not to remain i 
tie cocks longer than it is cured enough for hon 
sing. But oh more than one occasion, part of m 
hay was still in cocks, and not cured enough t 
house, when wheat-harvest was begun, and whic 
occupied all the force for more than two weeks. - 
After this long exposure the cocks were hauled k 
and though there was more depth of sun-burnin, 
and injury thereby than usual, the interior ha; 
was still excellent — and the whole together, aver 
aged, was tolerably good hay — and much prefera 
ble to most of the northern or other meadow ha; 
sold in the towns. 

Stacks or ricks of clover hay are troublesom 
to build, and to secure from rain. They should b 
well trodden, while building, for compression, am 
to prevent more than the unavoidable settling 
and should be topped with straw, to keep outrairj 
Putting clover in houses is very far the cheape 
and safer plan. 

The stakes should be brought to the barn-yan 
with the loads of hay, and placed under shelter. I 
so taken care of, they will serve for many years. 

It should have been stated earlier that clove 
ought not to be cut for hay while any dew remain 
on it — though a very little remaining will dry oi 
the clover after being cut, and as lying in th' 
swath. This rule will delay the mowing general! 
to from 9 to 11 o'clock, A. M. All the clover cu 
each day before about2 P. M. may be cocked tha 
evening. All cut after that time may remain ii 
the swath until next day. If the grass is wette< 
thoroughly by rain in the swath, and before bein; 
wilted, there will be no loss, except of labor ii 
opening and turning the grass, which will then bi 
required to dry it. As soon as this accidenta 
moisture is entirely removed, the heaping an( 
cocking should proceed, as in other cases. 

The slight moisture from dew just before and t< 
twilight, need not suspend either the mowing, o: 
the putting of grass before heaped into cocks.— 
But I would prefer not to make heaps from th< 
swath after dew was perceptible on the clover. 

The clover after being cut, usually lies in th< 
swath, under from 3 to 5 hours of sunshine, and ii 
the heaps, an hour or two longer. And all cut af 
ter2P. M. usually lies in the swath until nex 
morning, and until the dew has dried off. Bu 
when there has been danger of a spell of rain, oi 
on the evening preceding a Sunday, I have cocked 
(and cured safely,) all the clover cut before 4 P 
M. and within two hours after the mowing. Ir 
such cases, the cocks should be smaller than usual 
and the fresh-mown clover laid on more lightly 
than directed above for the ordinary procedure. 

The minute directions necessary for any nove! 
practice, and the many details required to be de- 
scribed, are apt to cause readers to suppose the 
labors to be great, because the first instruction! 
may be tedious. For this reason, as I infer, some 
farmers have, without trial, rejected this mode ol 
curing hay, since my first publication, upon the 
erroneously supposed ground of there being greatei 
labor required. On the contrary, the labor is less 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



181 



than of any other known mode, as well as the 
success and the profitable results being incompar- 
ably greater. I have not yet heard of any one 
who had fairly tried this treatment of clover hay 
who did not approve it for saving of labor, as well 
as for other greater benefits. No one who will try 
this mode, without neglect of any of the necessary 
directions, will fail to approve it, or will deem any 
other known mode preferable, or even cheaper, 
without regard to difference of 'value in the re- 
sults. 

But easy and cheap as this plan is, large operations 
may be conducted still more cheaply. In the di- 
rections stated above, it was designed to conform 
practice as nearly as possible to the principle and 
theory of curing hay in the shade. And when 
there is more than enough of force, and time, to 
secure in this perfect manner all the clover for 
mowing, it will still be most economical to pursue 
this plan carefully. But for large operations, and 
when the supply of the material and demand for 
the product are much greater than all the time 
and force that can be given in this careful manner 
to the work, then it will be cheaper to slur over 
and slight the work in less important parts, for the 
purpose of securing a much larger quantity of hay 
— of hay somewhat inferior, indeed, to the best 
that may be made, but still good, and far better 
than most of the hay or fodder usually consumed 
on farms, or sent to market. 

For large operations, or for small, if of enough 
space and in any one place,) the far cheapest mow- 
ing of clover is by a mowing machine. When this 
is done, the mowing should be commenced, as in 
other cases, in clear weather, and at or soon after 
mid-day. The cut grass is left by the operation of 
the machine, (McCormick's,) in rows, but spread 
over the ground much more thinly and evenly than 
in the swaths left by the scythe. Of course, the 
sun has more access, and will sooner begin to cause 
damage. Still, it will not be necessary to begin to 
change the surface until late in the forenoon of the 
next day, when a considerable portion of the upper 
clover leaves will have become crisp from sun- 
burning. This of course is so much damage and 
loss ; but is compensated in other respects. A re- 
volving rake, drawn by a horse or mule, will draw 
up into " windrows" or long heaps, the grass of 
more acres than had been mown in the same length 
of time by the mowing machine — and this will go 
over some 15 acres a day, or at that rate for the 
hours at work, when the grass is free from remain- 
ing dew. This first heaping of the clover, by 
horse-power, may be permitted to stand (if rain 
does not threaten) until the forenoon of the third 
day ; or as long as may be without much damage 
being caused by sun-burning on the upper leaves 
of the changed surface. Then will follow the first 
hand-labor, which will be the putting the clover 
into cocks, on stakes, precisely as befere directed. 
But with this greater previous exposure to and 
partial injury by sunshine, there will have been 
obtained a much more advanced state of curing of 
the grass. This better curing will keep the cocks 
more open to the admission of air, and either per- 
mit them to be made of somewhat larger size than 
usual, (if required to stand longer than for curing,) 
—or if no longer, the complete curing will be much 
sooner effected, and the hay be ready to be housed 
or stacked. 

By this mowing a.nd raking by horse-power, not 
only will there be great increase of force and of 



time for securing clover hay, but other very im- 
portant advantages in cleansing the land of weeds, 
and sustaining the growth of clover longer. So- 
cheap and rapid is the operation of mowing, that 
the farmer can not only afford to mow all his good 
clover, but also the weeds where the clover is so 
sparse as not to be worth saving. If what is thus 
mown is left scattered over the land, it will not act 
to impede, but will serve as manure to the next 
and succeeding growth. The seeds and growth of 
most bad weeds are destroyed for that year. The 
clover, if thick enough, will furnish a clean sec- 
ond growth for mowing for seed, if desired. And 
if permitted to remain through the next succeed- 
ing summer (the third after the sowing of the seed,) 
the growth of clover for that year will be as thick 
as in the preceding year. Whereas, if it had not 
been mown in the preceding year, the clover, (a 
biennial plant) would have completed its growth 
and fructification, and died — and its place would 
have been mostly filled by coarse and worthless 
weeds. 



THE POULTRY MANIA. 

In past numbers of the Merchant's Maga* 
zine, we have from time to time noted the 
details of numerous manias that have had 
their day in the commercial world — the tulip 
mania, the famed South Sea expedition, the 
Mississippi scheme, etc., and we have now 
to add to the list a few words upon the subject 
of the poultry delusion which has for the 
past five or six years " run riot " over this and 
other countries. 

A cotemporary has lately remarked with 
much truth, that " since the tulip mania it may 
be doubted if anything more singular than the 
' hen fever ' ever disturbed the minds of men I 
But the tulip mania was confined to very 
narrow limits. It ranged only amongst Dutch- 
men, in the little republic of Holland, whilst 
the hen fever affected people throughout a 
country from which you might take as much 
land (and water) as would suffice to make the 
United Provinces ten times over without 
missing it. It ran over a whole empire, 
and seems to have been as acutely felt by the 
men of Louisiana as by those of New 
England." 

Unlike the tulip mania the hen fever 
appears to have grown out of a real desire to 
improve the articles that were the object of 
speculation. The Dutch cared no more for 
the improvement of tulips than they did for 
the improvement of stones. The tulips were 
the certificates of fancy stocks, of stocks in 
companies that never had, and never were in- 
tended to have, an existence. " People laugh 
at the tulip mania," says Beekman, " because 
they believe that the beauty and variety of 
the flowers induced florists to give such ex- 
travagant prices ; they imagine that the tulips 
were purchased so excessively dear in order to 



182 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



ornament gardens; but this supposition is false." 
The hen speculators, in the proportion of a 
thousand to one, did look to great improve- 
ment in poultry, and some of them, judging 
from the extravagance of their language, must 
have expected the appearance of a breed that 
should be found equal to laying eggs by the 
dozen on demand, which would have been a 
great thing for contractors, had it been realized. 
It is very certain that people were mad on the 
subject of hens, and that they acted extrava- 
gantly, crazily, and but too often with the 
rankest dishonesty of intention. 

It can scarcely be credited, yet there is really 
no doubt that this " epidemic," the effect of 
which has been costly to the people of this 
country and England, has been serious, yet it 
has resulted in good, though the experience 
has been dearly bought. Until the statistics 
have been placed before us, by statements 
based upon reliable authority, we had not be- 
lieved that this mania had actually been car- 
ried to that extent which the accounts seem to 
verify. 

For instance — during the height of" the poul- 
try mania in England, in the years 1852, 1853, 
and 1854, the price paid by British "fanciers" 
of pet fowls, ranged — for the Dorking breed, 
$40 to $50 for a single pair ! As high as $ 1 25 
were paid at a Birmingham poultry show for 
a pair of diminutive " Seabright Bantams." 
A pair of " Cochin China" favorites at a me- 
tropolitan exhibition in London, in 1852, were 
held at $700! In the winter of 1852, the 
" Cottage Gardener" stated that within the 
last few weeks, a gentleman near London sold 
one pair of fancy " Cochin China" fowls, for 
thirty guineas, ($150,) and another pair for 
thirty-two. guineas, ($160)". At this period 
£1 sterling was not an unfrequent price, each, 
for these Chinese chickens, just hatched, or 
" twelve guineas ($60) the half-dozen at one 
month old !" The Bury and Norwich Post 
(England) asserted at this time that " in our 
own neighborhood, we happen to know that a 
young cock and two hens (of the Cochin Chi- 
na variety) have been sold for thirty-two guin- 
eas, or $160." In a notice of an English ex- 
hibition of fowls, in the year 1853, a British 
journal remarks that in this show " there is a 
pen of three geese, weighing forty-eight pounds; 
and among the Cochin China birds are to be 
found hens which, in the period that forms the 
usual boundary of chicken life, have attained 
a weight of seven or eight pounds. Of the 
value of these birds it is difficult to speak 
without calling forth expressions of incredulity. 
It is evident that there is a desperate mania in 
bird-fancying, as in other things. Thus, for 



example, there is a single fowl to which is af- 
fixed the enormous money value of 30 guineas; 
two Cochin China birds are estimated at 25 
guineas ; and four other birds, of the same 
breed, a cock and three hens, are rated in the 
aggregate at 60 guineas — a price which the 
owner confidently expects them to realize at 
the auction-sale on Thursday. A further il- 
lustration of this ornithological enthusiasm is 
to be found in the fact that, at a sale on Wed- 
nesday last, one hundred and two lots, com- 
prising one hundred and ten Cochin China 
birds, all belonging to one lady, realized £369 
4s. 6d. ; the highest price realized tor a single 
one being 20 guineas." 

Another British journal stated, a short time 
previously, that " a circumstance occurred 
which proves that the Cochin China mania has 
by no means diminished in intensity. The 
last annual sale of the stock of Mr. Sturgeon, 
of Greys, has taken place at the Baker-street 
Bazaar. The two hundred birds there dis- 
posed of could not have realized a less 
sum than nearly £700, or $3,500, some of 
the single specimens being knocked down at 
more than £12, and many producing £4, £5, 
or £6 each." 

At the Boston Fowl Show in 1852, three 
Cochin Chinas were sold at $100; a pair of 
grey Chittagongs at $50 ; two Canton Chinese 
fowls at $80 ; three grey Shanghae chicks at 
$75 ; three white Shanghaes at $65 ; six white 
Shanghae chickens, $40 to $45, etc.; and these 
prices, for similar samples, could have been 
obtained again and again. 

In this same year a Boston agricultural jour- 
nal stated that " within three months extra 
samples of two-year old fowls, of the large 
Chinese varieties, have been sold in Massachu- 
setts at $100 the pair. Several pairs, within 
our own knowledge, have commanded $50 a 
pair, within the past six months. Last week 
we saw a trio of white Shanghaes sold in Bos- 
ton for $45. And the best specimens of Shang- 
haes and Cochin China fowls now bring $20 
to $25 a pair readily, to purchasers at the 
South and West." 

In 1853 and 1854, Mr. G. P. Burnham, ol 
Boston, a somewhat noted fancier in this coun- 
try, sent out to England a cage of grey Shang- 
haes, for which he received $100 for a trio. A 
single pair of these same fowls, having carried 
away the first prize at a show in Birmingham a 
few months afterwards, were immediately sold, 
says the London Field, by Mr. Baily, to whom 
Mr. Burnham sent them, to a Mr. Taylor, oi 
Shephard's Bush, at the enormous sum £100 oi 
sterling, or $500 ! 

In this country, for four or five years, th( 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



183 



average price of what were deemed by the 
" initiated,' 7 first-class China fowls, of known 
purity of blood, ranged at from $10 to $25 
j for a single pair — and hundreds of choice birds 
j have been quickly sold at double these figures 
| in the last three years. The furore of these 
j monstrous domestic fowls was by no means 
I confined to any particular portion of this 
i country ; but, as in England, it pervaded all 
| classes, from the queen to the peasant, and ex- 
j tended from the Tyne to the Isle of Wight — 
; so, on the American continent, from Passama- 
■ quoddy Ray to Texas, everybody was more or 
j less affected with the curious, inexplicable, be- 
I witching desire to possess themselves of these 
j foreign fowls ! 

Messrs. James French & Co., of Eoston, 

I have recently published a work by George P. 

iBurnharn, Esq., from which we learn that in a 

single year (1853) his sales for this fancy stock 

reached nearly twenty- three thousand dollars. 

j His orders in that season from Louisiana and 

Mississippi, oftentimes came in sums " varying 

from $500 to $1,200 and $1,500 each, and in 

j September, 1853, a single shipment was sent 

by him to Louisiana amounting to $2,230 ! 

A copy of the Liverpool Express in January 
1854,^ states that " the great metropolitan 
j show in London, just then closed, surpassed 
! all its predecessors ; and that the excitement 
in England, at that time, was at its height," — 
The editor asserts that " it was not an easy 
thing to exhaust the merits of the three thou- 
sand specimens of the feathered tribe there 
shown. No one," continues the writer, "who is 
at all conversant with natural history, can fail 
to find abundance of material for an hour's 
instruction and amusement. The general 
character of the exhibition has been already 
indicated ; but this is one of those cases in 
which no description, however elaborate, can 
supply the place of personal inspection." 

The British correspondent of the Boston 
Post, but a short time previously, wrote that 
" the fowl fever, which has raged with so much 
violence in New England during the last three 
years, has extended to this country. There 
was a great crowing among the cocks at the 
late Smithfield cattle-show, and there seems to 
have been a still louder one at the Birming- 
ham fair." 

" The mania for the purchase of fine fowls," 
continues this writer, ' : was as furious there as 
if each of them had been the hen in the fable 
that found the jewel in the dunghill. Some 
pairs brought as high as £40, ($200.) One 
very fine pair of Cochin Chinas sold for £50, 
($250.) In the catalogue some were marked 
at £100, the valuation prices of owners who 



did not wish to sell. With you, in America, 
the rage for fowl-raising is simply one of fan- 
cy and profit, but here it is the result — and a 
very beneficial one, too — of tree trade. The 
price of eggs and poultry, owing to the great 
demand, does not fall ; the price of grain, ow- 
ing to free importation, does fall ; and hence 
the great profit which is realized in keeping 
fowls." 

This monster " bubble," like its illustrious 
predecessors, has at length exploded, however, 
if we may credit the author of the " History 
of the Hen Fever," [now just issued,] and from 
whose readable book we have, in this article, 
made our present " statistical" extracts. Large 
sums of money have evidently been expended 
in this transitory delusion, and many persons — 
with the best of good intentions — have found 
themselves vastly in error in regard to the pro- 
spective %>rofits arising from the traffic in this 
very uncertain species of property ! 



For the Southern Planter. 

Mr. Editor — Being desirous of procuring 
a wheat drill in time for seeding my crop of 
wheat next fall, and wishing to gain all the 
information which I possibly can ere purchas- 
ing, as to the best implement and propriety of 
using it, will such of your subscribers as have 
given the " drill" a fair trial give us the bene- 
fit of their experience through the columns of 
the Planter ? An extensive and skilful wheat- 
grower, who resides in Sussex county, re- 
marked to me, that having given the drill a 
trial, he could not bo induced to sow another 
crop broadcast, save in stumpy land, where 
the drill would not operate. I saw a wheat 
drill at the State Exhibition last fall, with 
which I was much pleased, from the hasty 
examination which I was enabled to give it. 
There was a guano attachment, by which as 
small a quantity as fifty pounds of that ma- 
nure could be sown, if desired. As the drill 
to which I allude was manufactured in this 
State, I have eagerly scanned the advertising 
pages of each succeeding number of the 
Planter hoping to see it advertised for sale, 
but have been disappointed. 

Apropos to advertising — it has often been a 
matter of surprise to me, that persons having 
articles for sale, such as implements, animals, 
&c. &c. should be so remiss in advertising. 
Are not such penny wise and pound foolish ? 
And many of those who do advertise fail to 
name their prices, which I think they always 
should do. h* #### . 



We see it mentioned that the locusts lliave ap- 
peared in great mirnbers in parts of Alabama and 

Mississippi. 



184 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



Castle Hill, March 25, 1855. 



My Dear Sir : — An absence of several days 
from home has prevented me from sooner ac- 
knowledging the receipt of your favor of the 19th 
instant. I can very well conceive that the few 
lines I wrote to you, to accompany Francis' letter, 
should have been regarded by your compositor as 
private. I am very much obliged to you for the 
prompt manner in which you have taken measures 
to repair the omission accidentally made by him. 

The delay to which you refer in making our re- 
port on the Essays offered for General Cock's prize 
has been owing to difficulties inherent in the sub- 
ject, as well as the difficulty of personal communi- 
cation among the members of the committee. I 
hope we shall be able to send it in to you very 
soon. 

I do not know whether you take the "Spirit of the 
Times." In the No. of the 10th instant, there 
were some remarks of the Editor, (a high author- 
ity on the subject of Horses, ) respecting the 
Black Hawks, and the necessity of size for the most 
fashionable and profitable class of horses, and the 
prices given for each in the New York and North- 
ern markets, which I think it would be desirable 
to be known to our Virginia breeders, as timely 
corrections of an error to which, I think, there is 
now great proneness among them. I enclose these 
remarks, and if ,5-011 should not disagree with me 
as to their practical value, I think you would ren- 
der a service to our brethren by publishing them 
in the next No. of the Planter. 

I remain, my dear sir, with great respect very 
truly and faithfully, yours, 

F. G. Ruffin, Esq., W. C. Kites. 

VERMONT BLACK HAWK, LADY SUFFOLK, 
ETC., THE MORGANS AND BLACK HAWKS. 

Boston, Feb. Z2d, 1855. 

Dear Sir: — * * * As friend " Acorn" wrote 
you a short time since in relation to Lady Suffolk 
(as being at D. Edgar Hill's, Bridport, Vt.,) I 
would inform you that I have quite recently sent 
an artist to Vermont, for the purpose of painting 
Black Hawk and Lady Suffolk. I am happy far- 
ther to inform you, that he has returned, and has 
a very beautiful portrait of Black Hawk, (taken 
alone in his stable,) and also Black Hawk and La- 
dy Suffolk in one convass (as being in an open 
field). It was taken at great expense, and is now 
in the hands of the Lithographer ; I am promised, 
and I expect it to be, the best Lithograph (of hor- 
ses) ever taken in this country. 

As soon as it is printed (which will be in three 
or four weeks) I shall he most happy to send you 
a copy of each, with my compliments. 

Very truly, &c, N. H. H. 

The following communications on the subject of 
" Black Hawk Horses" appeared in the Boston 
"Cultivator," of the 24th ult. :— 

Messrs. Editors : — I have noticed the articles 
lately published in your paper on the origin of 
Black Hawk, and am glad the facts relating to that 
subject have been put in an authentic form. 

I have not much acquaintance with the Black 
Hawk stock, but have seen several with which I 
am well pleased. A friend of mine residing in a 
distant State, writes me that he saw something in 
the "Spirit of the Times" of Oct. 14th last, in re- 



gard to the stock having been made " undersized' 
by breeding " in-and-in," — and that they lackec 
" height," &-c. As he has some idea of attempt 
ing to improve the horses of his section, he wishe 
to be informed as to the correctness of this state 
ment. Any information through the " Cultivator' 
will be gladly received. 
Roxburt. Feb. 17, 1855. Yours, T. A. 



In-and in, as applied to breeding, is an arbitrar 
term, but perhaps all agree that it means couplini 
animals of some degree of affinity. It is not ver 
clear what is to be understood by Black Haw] 
stock having been bred in-and-in. The progeny 
Black Hawk have not^ been bred together in bu 
very few instances, and" those few have occurrei 
mostly within a year or two. The statement allc 
ded to could not, therefore, apply to this course 
breeding, and there is but one other way in whicl 
what any one pretends to call in-and-in breedin; 
could take place, and that is by coupling mares c 
Black Hawk's get with him. The first instance i: 
which this lias been done, was with a mare ownei 
by S. W. Jewett, of Wey bridge, Vt. Theoffsprin, 
of this union, of course three-fourths Black Hawfc 
is a mare, coming five years old, of good siz< 
with ample bone and muscle, and remarkable fo 
speed in trotting. Her weight at two and a ha] 
years old, was 910 lbs. ! So much in reference t 
her size having been lessened by the way in whic' 
she was bred. She is now in foal by Black Hawi 
which will make the issue seven-eighths of hi 
blood. The next season after this mare was pre 
duced, her dam brought another foal by Blac 
Hawk. That was a colt, and he is now in Wester 
New York. These two are all that have been bre 
in this way, except one foal in 1853, and four i 
1854. It is evident that the two first mentione> 
are the only animals of sufficient age to justify foi 
ming an opinion in regard to their size or othe 
properties, and though they certainly exhibit n 
deficiences, it would not be right, whatever the 
might have been, to judge the whole family by on 
or two specimens. We have seen several of th 
three-quarter blood yearlings, which are ver 
promising. 

As to Black Hawk stock wanting " height," the 
have generally as much ( fifteen and fifteen and 
half hands) as most of the horses which have bee 
highly distinguished, either as roadsters, fast trol 
ters, or racers at long distances, and it might b 
asked, what would be the utility of more 1 



Notes by the Editor. 

We transfer the communications above to th 
" Spirit of the Times," in the first place to oblig 
the writers, secondly to reiterate the expression c 
our opinion (as expressed in our issue of Oct. 14t 
last,) that the Black Hawk stock of horses in Vei 
montare " under-sized" from having been so Ion 
" bred in-and-in." The same was the case wit 
the Morgan stock. It is the fashion in New Eng 
land to measure horses by their weight — to com 
pare a " chunk" to a Bucephalus ! Has there bee 
bred a pair of Black Hawk carriage horses in al 
New England, sixteen hands high 1 Is not the 01 
dinary height fifteen hands or thereabouts 1 The; 
have a fine turn of speed, great endurance, an 
good tempers, but lack height, length and style- 
As superb carriage horses, they are quite out c 
the question. The elegant turn-outs of our prir 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



185 



cipal cities are purchased by dealers from Western 
New Fork, Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri. With 
carriages almost as heavy as an omnibus, fine size 
is required, with beauty, spirit, and action. 

The Black Hawks are game and gay little fel- 
lows to ride or drive, but fashionable people who 
keep carriages — especially in the Atlantic cities — 
require horses that, as the dealers express it, " can 
look over a two-storied house !"' For such, the 
most extravagant prices, are paid, and there is 
a ready sale. There are two pairs in this city 
which cost S'2,800 to our knowledge, and a third 
for which $3,000 has been refused. There are 
probablv more than one hundred nairs which cost 
from SL200 to $1,500. 

Is it not the fact that the Black Hawks have 
I generally as much height (fifteen or fifteen and 
a half hands,) as most of the horses which have 
been highly distinguished either as roadsters, fast 
trotters, or racers at long distances 1" No such 
thing ! The Black Hawks are not "generally"' any- 
where near "fifteen and a half hands." Moreover, 
the best horses which have appeared on the Turf. 
in this country, whether as racers, trotters, or road- 
sters, have had height and length; with few excep- 
tions. We could name hundreds, but Peytbna 
(nearly 17 hands), Grey Eagle, Monarch, Lecomte, 
Lexington and Paul Pry, Dutchman. Trustee(trot- 
ters,) will suffice. 

" There appears to be no end to the Black 
Hawk and Morgan Stallions in New England ; the 
mania for them has only been equalled by the 
Hen Fever. It is high time the breeders there 
should turn their attention to the subject serious- 
ly. By breeding ony large roomy mares to the 
Black Hawks the present evil may be partially 
obliterated ; but, gentlemen, you want a nciv strain 
of blood. I See what the importation of a few stal- 
lions from England has effected in this ceuntry 
within twenty years ! Why, the Turf has been 
completely revolutionized. The great "cracks" in 
the times of Eclipse and Henry, and for ten years 
afterwards, could hardly save their distance with 
the horses of the present day. The descendants 
of Leviathan, Glencoe. Margrave, Trustee, Sove- 
reign, and other popular imported stallions, have 
improved our stock to an almost incredible extent. 
We have always, and very naturally, been fond of 
the Morgans and the Black Hawks, but we deem 
it our duty to express our opinion that the stock 
has been so long "bred in and in," that a remote 
cross is absolutely necessary to give height, sub- 
stance and action. More than every thing, we 
want size combined with beauty for splendid car- 
riage horses. Look at the horses employed by 
Adams & Co. in their Express wagons. Most of 
them came from Vermont, but they are not Mor- 
gaas. Why one of the little Black Hawks would 
only be "the big dog under the wagon." 



and Tennessee there is a large deficiency. The 
falling off in number is 349,403 head— and in num- 
ber and pounds equal to 463,066 head — being about 
20 per cent. With reference to the product of lard, 
we have found it impossible to arrive at any satis- 
factory conclusion. The yield of leaf lard is 
unquestionably less than last year, by at least five 
pounds to the hog ; but in many cases sides were 
rendered into lard to a considerable extent ; and 
thus the deficiency in the former will be made up 
to some extent ; still, taking the entire West, the. 
average yield per hog, of all kinds, must be less 
than that of last year." 

We omit the figures in detail, but give the fol- 
lowing recapitulation as all that is really necessa- 
ry to publish at this point : 

States. 1853-4. 1854-5. 



POP.K TRADE OF 1854-5. 

The Cincinnati Price Current on the 7th March 
last, published a partial statement of the number 
of hogs packed in the West during the season 
of 1854—5, expecting to be able in a week or two 

i .■ fcer to present a full exhibit. It how pre- 
sents a pretty full statement, embracing all the 
principal points, but first remarks : "It will be 
seen that the Western States show an increase in 
'lie aggregate, while in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky 



Ohio 718,650 

Tennessee 50,880 

Indiana 611,820 

Kentucky 502,925 

Iowa 48,060 

Illinois 344,047 

Missouri 130,025 

Wisconsin 50,900 

Detroit, (Mich.).... 7,500 

Buffalo, N. Y 8,000 



571,165 
6,000 
505,830 
337,997 
102,131 
413,946 
128,261 

39,272 
5,000 

15 000 



Grand Totals . 



2,473,807 2,124,404 
2,124,404 



Deficiency in number 349,403 
In Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana hogs 
fell considerably short in weight. This deficiency 
we estimated, in publishing a partial statement a 
few weeks since, at 8 per cent. This is rather a 
low, but upon the whole, a fair estimate. The to- 
tal number of hogs packed in those States, as 
above, is 1,420,794 ; and 8 per cent, deficiency on 
this number is 113,663. Adding this to the de- 
crease in number, the total falling off is 463,066, 
as follows : 

Number 349,403 

Decrease in weight equal to 113,663 

Total Deficiency 463,066 

In Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin, the 
hogs averaged about the same as last year. In 
some portions there was a falling off, but in others 
an increase, thus bringing up the average. 

In our statement made at the close of the sea- 
son of 1853-4, we estimated the average weight of 
hogs packed in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Ten- 
nessee at 208 lbs. Deducting 8 per cent, from this, 
the average for the past season would be 192A lbs. 
In other States the average last year was 218 lbs, 
and this year we estimate it at the same. Taking 
these figures as the average, the crop, reduced to 
lbs, compares as follows : 

1853-4. 1854-5. 
Ohio. Kentucky, Indiana 

and Tennessee 391,956,200 273,502,845 

Other States 128,515,796 153,486,980 

Total 520,445,996 426,989,825 

Showing a deficiency of 103,457,171 lbs., being 
a trifle over 20 per cent. The increase in pounds 
last year over- the preceding year's crop was 22 J _r 
per cent. The product of this season is, therefore, 
20 per cent, less than that of 1853-4, and 1\ per 
cent, greater than that of 1852-3. 



186 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



VIRGINIA STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



STATEMENT 
Exhibiting the financial condition of the Virginia State Agricultural Society on the 1st day of March, 
1855, " stating generally the sources from which all funds have been derived, and particularly what 
portion belongs to the Permanent Fund and what portion to the Contingent Fund of the Society" 
prepared and published in accordance with a resolution adopted by the Executive Committee, With 
November, 1854 : 



I)h. 



C&SH. 



Contingent Permanent 
Fund. Fund. 



To cash balance in Treasury Old Society, paid over by L. D. Crenshaw to Gen. B. Peyton, 
lcte Treasurer. 

To cash received from B. Peyton, on account annual members 

To cash received from B. Peyton on account of 49 life members 

To cash received from Gen'l W. H. Richardson, General Agent : 

On account of 64 life members 

On account annual members.. 2,876 00 

Less commissions on the whole amount ■ 1,539 00 

To cash received from Wm. H . Richardson, Jr : 

On account of life members 

On account of 935 new annual members.. 1,870 00 

On account of old me rubers 16 00 

On account of other sources 56 00 



Less commissions on the whole amount- 



1,942 00 
545 50 



To cash received from Prank: G. Ruffin: 

On account of life members 

On account annual members. 

To cash received from Chas. B. Williams: 

On account of 31 life members 620 00 

On account of donation Edmond, Davenport & Co. 40 00 

On account of donation new Virginia Steamboat Co. 25 00 

On account annual members.. 3,750 00 

On account balance J. Ravenscroft Jones' county pledge 62 00 

On account of donation Mad Sontag • • ■ LOO 00 

On account of gate fees, first exhibition. 1,947 17 

On account of rent of booths, second exhibition 200 00 



To cash received from John A. Graves, Amelia county : 

On account of 8 life members 

On account of 1 annual member, $2, less commissions 20c. 

To cash received from Alex. & Jas. M. Donnan, Petersburg : 

On account of 222 annual members 222 00 

Less commissions 22 30 



To cash received from Ed. D. Eacho, Richmond: 

On account annual members. • 1,216 00 

On account of badges sold 4 25 



Less commissions- 



1,220 25 
122 00 



To cash received from J. T. Childrey : 

On account annual members. 

Less commissions, 



■ 57 00 
. 5 70 



To casii received from Sheriff of Brunswick : 

On account annual members 

Less commissions 



67 00 
• 6 70 



To cik1i received from Sheriff of Nottoway: 

On account annual members $10 less commissions $1 ■ • 
To cash received from Edmund Ruftin, late Commissioner: 

On account of life members 

On account of Wm. Carter's donation 



•360 00 
•200 00 



To cash eived from city of Richmond (certificate of stock) to pay expenses of polic 
&c , . econd exhibition : 

To ca li received in office of the Society: 

On account of be members.. 22,860 00 

On unl of contributii ns, donations and county pledges. 15,294 90 



$ 139 50 
1,052 00 



1,387 00 



1,396 50 



121 00 



6,059 17 
1 80 

199 70 

1,098 25 

51 30 

60 30 
9 00 

1,000 00 



12,575 52 42,159 90 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



187 



Contingent'! Permanent 
Fund. Fund. 



Amouats brought forward 

To cash received in office of the Society: 

On account annual members. $5,622 00 

On account badges sold 693 95 

On account of entrance fees, 2d exhibition. 3,439 75 

On account of entrance on tobacco W. Crampton 3 00 

On account interest, less difference in premium on Stocks, and interest paid-- •• 1,878 88 

On account over payment by Gen. B. Peyton 1 25 

On account over payment by Gen. W. H. Richardson 1 00 



Ce. 



Cash. 



By cash paid on account premiums, first exhibition (1853)- ■ 
By cash paid on account premiums, 2d exhibition, (1854). 



By cash paid expenses, 1354 ■■ 
By cash paid expenses, 1955- 



By eash paid to balance • 



3,047 00 
3,165 00 



3,853 37 
5,876 28 



12,575 52 



11,139 8! 



42,159 90 



$23,665 35 $42,159 90 



6,212 00 



9,729 65 
7,723 70 



$23,665 35 



42,159 90 



$42,159 90 



In city of Richmond stocks at par, invested in the corporate name of the Society ! 

Loan on city stock • 

Balance in hands of Treasurer 



Balance to credit of Society- 



45,250 00 

4,500 00 

133 60 

>$49,883 60 



The act of incorporation of the Society is as follows : 

An act to incorporate the Virginia State Agricultural Society, Dec. 13, 1853. 

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That the Virginia State Agricultural Society is hereby constituted a 
body politic and corporate, by the name and style of the "Virginia State Agricultural Society," with a capital of 
not less than five thousand nor more than two hundred thousand dollars, and with the right to hold lands not 
exceeding one thousand acres. 

2. The said Company shall be subject to the provisions of chapters fifty-six and fifty-seven of the Code of 
Virginia, as far as the same may be applicable. 

3. This act shall be in force from its passage, and shall be subject to any alteration, amendment or modification 
at the pleasure of the General Assembly. 



ADDENDUM TO THE STATEMENT OP THE FINANCIAL CONDITION OP THE VIRGINIA STATE 

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



-Statement of amounts received by Wm. H. Richarpson, as General Agent of the Virginia State Agricultural Society 
in 1853, viz : 

From 1470 new members at two dollars each -._..__ 2,940 00 

From old members, annual subscriptions, and from new members (not life) who have paid more than two 
dollars: viz: 

Dr. M.L. Anderson, Albemarle, (old) ....... j 

H. Baldwin, Richmond, (old) ........ j 

Bondurant and Elliott, (subscription) -_---__g 

Benjamin Harrison, Prince George, (new member) ---.-. 4 

Randolph Harrison, Cumberland, (new member) - - - - 4 

E. B. Jones, Brunswick, (old) ....... _ 1 

Keen, Chiles & Baldwin, Richmond, (subscription) -- - - - - 5 

Andrew Keysc-r, Page, (new member) - ------ 3 

Lttdlam & Watson, Richmond, (subscription) ------- 5 

Frankfin Minor. Albemarle, (old) .---...] 

Miner, Albemarle, (old) -.--....] 

.Patterson & Cooper, Petersburg, (subscription) ------ 4 

Wm. C. Rives, Albemarle, (subscription) ------ 5 

K. B. Spence, Richmond, (subscription) ----- 5 

I i 1. ley & B;yant, Richmond, (subscription) .... 4 

Taylor, (old, withdraws) - - ------ j 

50 00 



IRfi 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



LIFE MEMBERS. 



Jos R. Anderson, Richmond, 
Adie & Gray, Richmond, 
Win. Allen, Surry, - - 

Wm. J. Barksdale, Amelia, 
J. P. Ballard, Richmond, (had paid two dollars,) 
Breeden & Fox, Richmond, 
Boyd, Edmond & Davenport, Richmond, 
Robert B. Boiling, Petersburg, 
Robert Beverly, Fauquier, 
Nathaniel Burwell, Clarke, 
Geo. H Burwell, Clarke, 
Thos. A. Ball, Jr , Fredericksburg, 
Richard H. Cunningham, Culpepper, 
Jos. H. Crenshaw, Richmond, 
Wm. W. Crump, Richmond, 
Dr. C. C. Cocke, Fluvanna, 
W. G. Cazenove, Alexandria, 
Dr. Wm. C«le, Prince George, 
Jos. B. Cocke, Prince George, 
Jas. Dunlop, Richmond, - - 

Ro. J. Dunn, Petersburg, [- 

David Dunlop, Petersburg, 
Henry Dangerfield, Alexandria, 
William Fowle, Alexandria, 
James Green, Alexandra, 
Wm. B. Harrison, Prince George, 

Dr John B. Harvie, Powhatan, (had paid two dollars,) 
Edward H. Herbert, Princess Anne, 
Kent, Payne & Kent, Richmond, 
Wm. H. Macfarland, Richmond, 
Mitchell & Tyler, Richmond, 
Gustavus A. Myers, Richmond, 
Nicholas Mills, Richmond, 
Jno. C. Major, Culpeper, 
Hugh M. Nelson, Clarke, 
Thos. R Price, Richmond, 

C. W. Purcell, Richmond, 

Wm. Palmer, Richmond, (had paid two dollars,) 

Robt. Powel Page, (a youth,) Clarke, 

O. N. Pemberton, Culpeper, 

Thos. D. Quarles, Richmond, 

Jos. W. Randolph, Richmond, 

Philip Rham, Richmond, 

E. Ruffin, Jr., Prince George, 

Frank G. Ruffin, Albemarle, (had paid three dollars,) 

Thos. J. Randolph, Albemarle, (had paid three dollars,) 

Judge Jno Robertson, Richmond, 

Wm.B. Randolph, Henrico, 

J. Milderberger Smilh, (American Hotel,) Richmond, 

Gen. E. P. Scott, Greensville, 

Jno A. Seldon, Charles City, 

John Stuart, Henrico, 

Jas. Thomas, Jr. Richmond, • - 

Geo. W. Turner, Jefferson, 

Warwick & Barksdale, Richmond, 

A. S. Wooldridge, Chesterfield, 

D. Ward & Co , Columbian Hotel, Richmond, - 
Jno. P. Willcox, Prince Geerge, 

Dr. Wm. N. Wellford, Culpeper, 



Commission to Agent for the first 1000 members, 1 dollar ead» 
Commission on balance 2,198 — 25 per cent- 



Balance, 

Paid as follows : 
To B. Peyton, Treasurer, 
To Wm. G. Crenshaw, Treasurer, 



20 

20 

20 

20 

18 

20 

00 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 
18 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 

20 
20 
20 
20 
18 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
17 
17 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 



1,000 00 
549 50 



1,258 08 
4,198 00 

1,649 50 

2,548 59 



The above is the rate of commission proposed to Gen Richardso 
Committee. , 



id subsequently confirmed by the Executive 
PHILIP ST GEO COCKE. 
GH. B WILLIAMS. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



189 



THE JOINT WORM. 

New Market, Caroline Co. • 
April 13th, 1855. 
To the Editor of the Southern Planter : 

Dear Sir — As the season of joint worm and its 
ravages approaches, suffer me to invite your atten- 
tion to a few reflections on the extermination of 
this pest, partly the result of my own observations. 
I have examined with some care and diligence the 
1 habits of this insect, since its first appearance af- 
forded me an opportunity of studying its history 
and instincts, with the hope that a remedy might 
be discovered or plan devised which would afford 
a prospect of protection against what is inconceiv- 
ably the worst enemy the wheat crop has ever had 
to contend against. That the crop will be entirely 
destroyed if the increase of this pest is in propor- 
tion to its past reproduction, no one can doubt who 
will look with a little attention into the matter. 
Two years ago it made its appearance in this 
neighborhood for the first time, and it will be 
within the bounds of reason to assert that the in- 
crease in that time is a million-fold ; and judging 
from the innumerable almost developed flies now 
to be found in the stubble where it has not been 
burnt or ploughed in, the ratio of increase will be 
kept up. It strikes me forcibly, that in view of 
the present and prospective value of the wheat 
crop, particularly to Lower Virginia, where we 
cannot make up the loss by grazing, as our lands 
are not adapted to grass, that this subject of joint 
worm and its remedy is one of paramount impor- 
tance. I do not presumptuously suppose that I 
can contribute aught on this subject which will be 
new to you, nor do I wish to accomplish more than 
toexcite your wonted energy and endeavor, if you 
think with me, to convince the farmers of Virginia, 
all of whom must act in concert, that it is ex- 
tremely probable, at the least, that this terrible 
enemy of our prosperity can be destroyed, if with 
one accord they will it. Can the joint worm, 
(which by the way is not the proper name, as it is 
never found in the joint,) be destroyed sooner 
•than the appointed time when nature will accom- 
plish that desideratum, either by the production of 
some other insect or parasite at war with it, or by 
some inscrutable process which she will never di- 
vulge, even to the keenest observation 1 The solu- 
^tion of this question involves another : Has this 
rinsect special habits and instincts 1 Does it breed 
exclusively in the wheat or cereal family 1 Mr. 
Kowiand, of Albemarle, who has studied the habits 
of this insect very closely, with care and atten- 
tion, and with natural fitness for such research, 
assured me, in a conversation I had with him, that 
he had failed to find the little worm, the initial 
state of the fly, in any of the grasses, and that he 
believed it was to be found nowhe-j in the vege- 
table world, except in the cere^ ' .amily. My own 
observation and research^ ead me to the same 
conclusion, which anai- y likewise strengthens. 
Certain insects have habits and instincts as cha- 
racteristic as we note among the members of the 
Higher creation, and by which we always know 
their,. They form the abode of their young, des- 
''■■ pre erve and perpetuate the species, in 

Obedience to a law of nature which they cannot 
■ tnd their instincts, obeying this law, drive 

them to certain plants which supply the proper 
: - on for their development. Any one who will 
take the trouble to examine, will find that the 



worm, from which the fly, the perfect form of the 
destroyer, is evolved, always lodges through the 
winter in a cell invariably formed in the same part 
of the wheat plant. Pull up an old plant in a last 
year's stubble field, where the vast reproduction is 
now silently going on, and you may almost tell by 
the touch the number of larvag or little worms it 
contains. Each cell or nodule slightly projects 
with one worm in it, and lies in close contact with 
or by the side of, another, with distinct septa be- 
twixt them, two worms never being found in one 
cell. The cells without exception are found in the 
foot stalk or petiole of the blade, between the 
point where it falls off from the straw and its in- 
sertion around the margin of the joint. The pre- 
sence of these cells on the straw impeding the 
circulation, prevents the evolution and filling of 
the head, when the plant is not advanced to that 
state which our farmers call " in the boot," ard 
when advanced to that stage, as the injury is - o- 
nerally more on one side than on the other, an ?x- 
crescence is the result, and a bending down marks 
the presence of the enemy. The early attack pro- 
duces what we term " sedging." Betwixt the 
outer and inner cuticle of the petiole or sheath of 
the blade is a pulpy cellular substance, very ap- 
parent in the corresponding part of the blade of 
the Indian corn, and precisely similar in structure 
in the wheat — which a common lens will display. 
In this cellular substance the fly always deposits 
its eggs, and the cells develope here by what .ap- 
pears to be a separation of the inner "and outer 
cuticle of the said petiole which attaches the blade 
to the straw. 

These minute details may appear trivial and of 
no practical importance ; but I respectfully sub- 
mit that they are by no means useless or con- 
temptible in the settlement of the question upon 
which the destruction of joint worm hinges : that 
is, whether or not it is peculiar to wheat, oats or 
rye. Observation fails frequently from the mi- 
nuteness of the object ; and here every naturalist 
knows analogy steps in oftentimes and supplies 
the proof, otherwise imperfect. I have heard that 
the fly came out of broom sedge, from the woods, 
and from many other sources, but have failed to 
find any evidence of a positive character that this 
famine-producing development is going on in any 
grass or weed which I have inspected— and I have 
looked with great interest for such evidence. 
Admit that from the minuteness of the object 
sought it may escape the closest scrutiny, still, in 
the absence of one single unmistakeable worm 
lodged in other plants or weeds or grasses (which 
has not been found,) analogy and the laws of na- 
ture assert, that as certain physical traits charac- 
terize the reproduction of this fly, it must of ne- 
cessity come from where the proper conditions of 
its _ well-being and reproduction are supplied ; 
which we have seen, as to locality and structure' 
are so uniform. Many believe that the supply 
comes from woods, &c, from the fact that the 
edges of fields are most injured. This may be 
accounted for in two ways : the fly evidently seeks 
the shade, for it is almost always, while depositing 
its eggs, found under the blade", to one side; and 
hence the deformity in some cases. Or it may be 
driven by winds against fences, and stopped by 
woods which border fields, from whence it gets - 
back to its work of mischief. These, however, 
are mere suggestions, and nothing more. Some 
other cause may determine its work to the margins 



ISfi 

190 



THE SOUTHEKN PLANTElt. 



of fields; but it is almost certain, however, that it 
has only the one source which I have indicated. 

Well now, it will be asked, how educe the reme- 
dy, the all-important practice, from what you will 
perhaps consider theory in great part 1 I answer, 
that in my opinion the establishment of the one 
fact, that joint fly invariably and of necessity 
comes from the same source, and that the stubble 
or old straw, the remedy is available. Let every 
wheat-growing farmer change his system, if it be 
necessary, for a few years, and put the wheat land 
of the year before in corn, or at all events let it be 
ploughed soon enough for the cells containing the 
worm to rot, when they must of necessity perish. 
All straw should be passed through the farm pen, 
hauled out and ploughed in by the 15th of April, 
the stack yard raked, and residuary straw burnt, 
relying even on leaves for bedding for horses. 
With the present value of wheat, which must rule 
high while the war in Europe lasts, is it not worth 
the expense (if there be any) and pains of the 
farmer to adopt these precautions for a few years 1 
When the fields can be burnt in very dry weather, 
so as to destroy all the diseased stubble, it would 
doubtless be equally as effective ; but this cannot 
be done ; for where there is least cover generally 
there is most joint worm, and this plan cannot 
therefore be effectual, for there are always spots 
which will not burn. The plough in time is the 
remedy. The farmers in my neighborhood pro- 
pose to change their system for this object ; but 
to be effectual it must be universal. I repeat ear- 
nestly that the remedy is practicable, and in most 
cases the plan will give little additional labor, and 
will not be more exhausting. Those who have 
time and teams may fallow the stubble, as I have 
done this spring, and sow peas for another crop of 
wheat the following fall. Several systems might 
be indicated by which little additional labor will 
be entailed and the land improved, which your 
practice will suggest. To cause such a plan as I 
propose to be generally adopted would perhaps re- 
quire some action on the part of the Agricultural 
Society of the State, the Executive Committee of 
which might induce committees in the different 
counties to urge the farmers of their counties t® 
act with one accord in this all-important matter. 
Let the effort be made, at all events. To make 
the ploughing more effectual, a roller should pre- 
cede the plough to make the stubble flat. I find 
whenever the diseased straw lies on the ground in 
a depression, where it is in contact with water for 
a few days, the worm perishes. I therefore infer 
that it is not very tenacious of life. 

I have given you these reflections for whatever 
ihey are worth ; such thoughts, and more valuable, 
may have occurred to you, and doubtless have 
come to you from many intelligent sources. My 
aspirations reach no further than to urge you, if 
this skeleton of a plan be deemed of any practical 
value, to lend your energies to the task and con- 
vince the farmers of Virginia, if it can be done, 
that joint worm shall be destroyed. 

Very truly your friend, 

Jno. Roy Baylor. 
May 8th. 

P. S. — You will see by the date of the above 
letter that it was written several weeks ago, and 
not sent, because I fancied in my daily examina- 
tions of these insects that a change was in pro- 
gress which I thought might be the result of the 
."ry, warm weather at that time, likely to rid us of 



this nuisance without any agency of man • ' 
alas ! the three or four days past dispel the f< 
hope, for they have come upon us in numb 
far exceeding my gloomiest forebodings. '. 
worm has passed through the latter stages of 
development more slowly however this year tl 
it did last. I saw the fly hatched out in the o 
air last year the 23d of April : the first evol : 
this year came out on the 10th of May. W 
the injury to the crop of wheat from the vast 
roads of myriads of these flies at a time when 
plant is enfeebled by the protracted drought, i 
be, is really disheartening to anticipate. 



Sincerely, 



J. R. B 



SOAP, WHITE LEAD, AND OIL. 

It is not so generally well known as it should 
that a mixture of the above named ingredie 
makes an excellent coating for gates and fen 
and outbuildings. The addition of the soap (s 
soap only is to be used,) considerably diminis 
the expense of the paint, without in any deg 
lessening its durability, or the facility of lay 
it on. 

I have a house, the north-west side of which i 
painted with this mixture nineteen years ago, ; 
the paint is now much more brilliant than that ; 
upon the other sides at the same time, though 
latter was of the best quality of white lead ; 
oil, and four heavy coats applied, while of 
soap paint I applied but two. Fences pain 
with this mixture, as well as the roofs of bui 
ings, for which purpose any coloring matter 
pigment may be substituted for the lead, end 
much longer than those painted with pure oil pa 
The alkalescent qualities of the compound tend 
indurate the fibres of the wood, and render th 
impervious to those atmospheric influences wh 
are the chief cause of decay and rot. The qu 
tity of soap to be used can be best ascertained 
experiment ; on this point no definite rules can 
prescribed. — A r . E. Farmer. 



Accounts from the northern part of Georgia r 
resent that many people in that section are with 
corn or the means to procure any. Horses ; 
mules are turned out into the wilds to wait 
grass or starve, so that no plowing can be done, ( 
planting must be done with the hoe. 



RICHMOND MARKETS, MAY" 29, 18« 

Apples — Va. $5 per bbl. none in market. 

Bacon — City cured, none in market; Western Si 
(new) held at 10c, new Shoulders, 8|a9c, Hams, lOJa 
c, Smithfield ho2 round, 10£c. Queen City Hams, 13 

Butter— Mountain 24 to 25 cts., Roll 20 to 23 cts; 
Goshen 25a28 cts., old and inferior, SalOJ cts. 

Beeswax — 25J-a26§ per lb. 

Cotton — 9}a9J cts. per lb. 

Cotton Yarns — 17al8 cts., cash. Cotton Cordal 
cts., per lb. 

Corn — We quote 105all0 cts., per bushel. 

Corn Meal — $1 15. 

Coffee— Rio lOialli cts, Laguyra llf c, Java 
c, Mocha 15 c. 

Flour — We quote country superfine at S'lHa) 
extra $12, family $12Jal3. Stock very light and I 
little arriving. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



191 



Flaxseed — We quote at Si 62J per bushel. 

Feathers — Live geese 40 cts. per lb. 

Fish— Herrings, N. Carolina, clipped, $7 25 per bbl., 
Halifax, clipped, No. 1, S5J; No. 2, f5. Shad— Last sales 
Sll ; Mackerel, No. 1, 821 per bbl., No. 2, $12 50, No. 3, 
mall, 35 50a5, No. 4, S4 50a5, medium 5 50a6, large 9 25 
i9 50. 

Ginseng — 30 cts., per lb. 

Grass Seeds — Clover 86 75a7 per bushel, Timothy 
?4a4 25, Herds' Grass §1 25al 50 per bushel. 

Guano — We quote 850 from wharf, S50 50 delivered, 
"or Peruvian, Mexican Guano S30aS'35. 

Gunpowder — Dupont's and Hazard's Sportin?, P, PP, 
ind FFF, S4i, Blasting, S2,75aS3 per keg. 

Hoop Poles — We quote at 87 per thousand. 

Hides — Slaughtered 6} cents per lb., green weight; calf 
;kins, green, Si. No Spanish Hides in market. 

Hat — Sales from store 81 50. 

Iron and Nails— Pig Iron, S32aS40, Swedes 8107 50, 
English refined and Tredegar 895, Common English 
30, American country 835. Cut Nails 4a4Jc. 

Liquors — Brandy, Otard, Dupuy & Co. $3a5 per gal.; 
V. Seijnette, 82 25aS4; Sazerac, 83 25a 84 50; Hennessey, 
S3 95aS5; Peach, scarce at SlaSl 25; Virginia Apple, 60c. 
85c; do. o'd, 75c.a8l 50; Northern do, 55a75c; Imitation, 
; 5a47ic. Rum, New England, 45c. Gin, Holland, 8la 
Si 50; American 45 cts. 

Lead— Pig 6Aa6jc, cash and time. 

Lard — Prime Lard, inbbls. 11 allic, in kegs, llalljc. 
a pails, 13c. 

Leather — Good stamp 20a22c, per lb., damaged 18c, 
loor 15al~c, upper leather 81 50aS3, as in size, weight 
.nd quality, the latter price only for superior heavy sides, 
ikirting and harness Leather is more plenty with less 
lemand. We quote 20 to 29c, as extremes, principally 
ales 22a26c. 

Lime — 81 50 in store, 81 37J from vessel. 

Molasses — New Orieans 30a33c per gallon. Cuba, 
»7a28. Porto Rico, 33a35. 

Oats — Stock very light — sales at 65a66cts. per bush. 

Offal — Bran, 27 Jc per bushel; shorts, 50c; brown stuff', 
iOc. shipstuff", 100c. 

Potatoes — We quote 81 25 per bushel. 

Plaster — Lump sells at 85 25 on the wharf, ground 
!9 per ton, calcined 82 50 per bbl. 

Rye— 81 30 per bushel. 

Rice — New 6|a7 cts. per pound. 

Salt — Liverpool fine 81 60 per sack from wharf. 

Sugars — Pair to strictly prime New Orleans 5a6j cts., 
toffee Sugar 7|a8f , refined loaf 9f alO}, crushed and 
lowdered 8Ja9§ c. 

Shot — 7a7£ cts. per lb. 

Teas — Imperial and Gunpowder 55ca8l 20. 

Tobacco — The inspections of Tobacco continue large; 
l*o the receipts. We notice in the past week some drv 
hipping Tobacco which sold atSlO,50al2,87i ; all Tobacco 
£ good quality and in dry order, is a shade higher. We 
uote inferior Lugs at 84,75a5,2o ; good, 85,50a6,75a7. 
n/erior Leaf S7,50a8,50 ; good S9al0 ; fine stemming 
>ll,50al2,50; fine manufacturing 8l2,50al8,50. 

Wheat— A lot comes in occasionally, which brings 
!2 40aS2 55 per bushel. 

Wikes Port, Burgundy, gla2,50,Tort Juice S2,50a 

Madeira, Sicily, 45a8l,75, old Madeira, 82,50a4, Sherry, 
'ermartin, Buff Gordon and Amontilado, 82a4,50. 

Wood— Oak 83 50 per cord, $2a2 25 for Pine, retail 
4 50 for Oak, $3a3 25 for Pine. 

Wool. — The following quotations are for sales of about 
0,000 lbs., made at Crenshaw & Co.'s Wool Depot in 
Ms city, all of the wool having been previously graded 
ccordin^ to quality and condition : Extra fleece Saxony 
nd Merino, 53c; No 1 do. do., 50; No. 2 do. part blood, 
06. ; No. 3 do. do., 35c; No. 4 do. do., 33c'.; No. 5 do. 
ative, 30c Tub washed, No. 3, 29c; do., No. 2, 30c; 
lo., No. 1, 32c. Unwashed 20 to 25 per cent, discount as 
i condition. 

Beep— 85 50.aG.33i- per cv.t. gross, which isSllal.3 net. 

Hoor-:— 87J- per hundred, supply moderate. 

Sheep — Mutton :-;<;l!.; f-,r 83a7 a piece for ordinary and 
tpeiiot Sheep, Lamb) . : 50 I ■ "Oeach. 



Stocks — Va. 6 per cents, (34 years) no sales; Va. 6 
per cents (25 years) $99; State Coupons $97; Bonds 
guaranteed by the State, $96; Richmond City Bonds, (Si- 
years) 897; Va.Bank stock 75 ; Farmer's Bank stock 106; 
Exchange Bank stock 810G; Richmond, Fredericksburg 
and Potomac Railroatt stock, 95 dol. ; Va. Central Rait 
Road stock 35 dol.; Richmond and Petersburg Rail Road 
stock 45 dol.; Richmond and Danville Rail Road stock, 
50 dol.; James River and Kanawha stock 13 dol. 



PAYMENTS TO THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 

To the 29/A of May, 1855. 

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 : 

R. Hawes to July 185'5, 
F. Moden to July 1856, 

F. D. Wheelwright to January 1856, 
Ro. H. Dudley to January 1856, 
E. Jacob to January 1856, 
Col. T. Bronaugh to January 1855, 
Mrs. Susan J. Jones to April 1856, 
Edmond, Davenport & Co. to January 1855, 
John F. Wren to January 1856, 
H. O. Gill to January 1856, 
C. Dillard to January 1858, 
Dr. Geo. Field to January 1856, 
Samuel Woods to July 1855, 
W. A. Jones to January 1856, 
P. Quarles to January 1856, 
N. H. Turner, jr., to May 1856, 
Dr. Thos. Latand to January 1856. 
Nat. Peggott to January 1856, 
Dr. S. F. Christian to January 1855, 
E. S. Russell to January 1856, 
E. Cunningham to January 1856. 
J. A. Ferguson to January 1856, 

B. Boyken to January 1856, 

G. Watt to January 1856, 
J. T. Van Dueson to January 1856, 
W. Ballard Preston to January 1856, 
Ro. Tinsley to January 1857, 
T. W. Bradley to May 1855, 
G. Yeatt to March 1855, 
W. B. Slaughter to June 1856. 
A. Ellis to April 1855, 
E. Stabler to January 1856. 
W. Landrum to January 1856, 
R. H. Gilliam to September 1855, 
R. Jones to January 1856. 

C. J. Merriwether to May 1856, 
Capt. John T. Coffee to January 1856, 
P. W. Farmer to January 1857, 
R. E. Meade to January 1856, 
T. C. Baytop to January 1856, 
Thos. L. Trower to January 1856, 
J. East to May 1856, ~j 
G. H. Adair to May 1856, 
A. D. Upshur to May 1856, 
Dr. A. W. Downing to January 1856, 
A. G. .ishby to January 1856, ' 
Dr. J. B. Floyd to January 1856, J 

S. Melvin to .January 1856. 1 00 

0. A. Scott to July 1856, 2 00 

H. A. Clark to April 1855, i 00 

J. F. Rice to January 1856. 1 00 

J. Cannon to January 1856, l 00 

T. Coles to January 1856, 1 00 



f' 


00 
00 


1 


00 


2 25 


2 00 


2 00 


2 


00 


1 


25 


7 


50 


1 


00 


4 00 


1 


00 


3 00 


1 00 


1 


00 


1 


00 


1 


00 


84 


1 


00 


2 


00 


1 


00 


1 


00 


1 


00 


6 25 


1 


00 


1 


00 


2 


00 


2 


00 


1 


00 


2 


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2 


00 


1 


00 


1 


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00 


2 


00 


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1 


00 



I 
\ 5 oo 



192 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



Dr. W. J. Pendleton to January 1856, 

John Poe, sr., to March 1856, 

Dr. A. L. Brent to January 1856, 

W. S. Battle to January 1856, 

John Colgin to January 1856, 

John Wingo to May 1856, 

B. Sneed to January 1856, 

R. J. Gaines to January 1856, 

Dr. R. F. Taylor to January 1858, 

Dr. P. P. Southall to January 1856, 

P. Reynolds, jr., to January 1856, 

G. Boulard to January 1856, 

A. J. Carper to January 1856, 

T. J. Garth to January 1856, 

W. Overton to January 1856, 

E. Hardy to July 1856, 

W. M. Gill to September 1856, 

W. Ward to September 1857, 

J. Rose to January 1856, 

J. Woolfolk to January 1856, 

P. G. Ellett to January 1856, 

T. I'erkenson to April 1856, 

E. Porter to January 1856 

W. M. Tredway to May 1856, 

W. Eddins to April 1856, 

M. Riddle to July 1856, 

Geo. C. Ellis to January 1856, 

Col. B. L. Barron to January 1856, 

Ro. Kent to January 1856, 

Jos. S. Perkins to May 1856, 

G. A. Hancock to July 1855, 

David Hancock to January 1856, 

Rev. S. D. Stuart to June 1855, 

J. C. Dejarnett to Jauuary 1856, 

A. J. Kuhn to September 1855, 
Dr. B. F. Randolph to July 1857, 
Jas. C. Hayter to January 1856, 
J. C. Greenway to January 1856, 
Jas. K. Gibson to January 1856, 
John Sherman to January 1856, 
Geo. J. Gardner to January 1856, 
Jas. P. Corbin to January 1860, 
T. P. Devereux to May 1856, 

P. J. Haskins to June 1856, 

L. D. Horner to January 1856, 

Prof. W. K. Pendleton to January 185C, 

W. Hollatlay to June 1856. 

Dr. R. Richardson to January 185G, 

Dr. P. B. Pendleton to October 1856, 

Gen. S. A. Williams to January 1856, 

W. C. Marrow to January 1856, 

B. Bur well to January 1856, 
Juo. W. Goss to January 1856, 
J. H. Spears to January 1856, 
W. Puryear to January 1856, 
.1. W. Lester to January 1856, 
V. Markham to January 1856, 
A. H. Rainey to April 1855, 
W. B. Taylor to January 1856. 
H. R. Baird to Nov. 1855, 

Dr. W. Briggs to November 1855, 

W. S. Thornton to October 1856, 

J. D. Howie to May 1857, 

J. J. Prince to January 1856, 

E. W. Poindexter to Januarv 1856, 

D. M. Tucker to April 1856, 

W. Hughes to July 1855, 

M. Tutwiler to July 1855, 

W. S. Ryland to January 1856, 

.). C. Norwood to January 1857, 

Rev. J. McDonald to January 1850, 

Capt. W. J. Barrow to January 1856, 



1 


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i 


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00 


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00 


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00 


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00 


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00 


2 


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4 


75 


1 


00 


2 


25 


1 


00 


1 


00 


1 


00 


1 


00 


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00 


o 


00 


2 


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00 



D. H. Nash to January 1856, 1 

W. W. Wood to May 1856, 1 

G. Flippo to July 1856, 1 

J. E. Harnsberger to January 1856, 1 

M. Fuqua to July 1855, 1 

J. W. A. Saunders to January 1856, 1 

R. Hendrick to January 1856, 1 

McLaughlin & Carter to January 1856, 1 

J. G. Woodson to January 1856, 1 

J. T. Dunham to January 1856, 1 

Jas. Faris to January 1856, 1 

Jos. D. Cross to January 1856, 1 

A. M. Stratton to June 1856, 1 

Jno. Sclater to January 1856, .1 

N. Talley to January i856, 1 

J. R. Bryan to January 1856, 1 

C. P. Moncure to January 1855, 1 

D. H. Hatton to December 1856, 1 
Thos. J. Massie to January 1855, • 1 
Dr. E. Powell to January 1857, 3 
R. H. Dickenson to May 1855, 2 
G. D. Graveley to January 1856, 1 
Wm. P. Vanness to January 1856, 1 
T. T. Withers to January 1856, ' 1 
Wm. E. Taylor to Januarv 1856, 1 
Rich'd D. Walke to April" 1856, 2 
Chas. S. Lacey to November 1856, 2 

E. J. Rosenberger to July 1856, 1 

D. Stickley to July 1856, 1 
N. A. Powell to January 1856, 2 

E. P. Chamberlayne to January 1856, 1 
T. F. Wilson to Juae 1856, 1 
Scott Jeter to June 1856, 1 



CONTENTS OF NUMBER VI. 

PAG 
An Appeal to the Agricultural Interests of the coun- 

fty, by Lt. Maury, .• ■ 16 

Improvement of Land in the Piedmont region of Vir- 
ginia 16 

Brown Bread — Wheat Bran 16 

Sore Shoulders in Horses 16 

Useful Hints for Virginia Gardeners, 16 

Sheep Breeding 16 

Test for the Expediency of Drainage 16 

Arc large or small Sheep more profitable 16 

Manure from the Sea 16 

Peach Trees, Peach Worm, 17 

Culture of Indian Corn 17 

A Brief Reply to Mr. Ruffin, •' 17 

How we keep our Hens 17 

The Prospects of the Crops in Virginia 17 

Sowing Peas as a Preparation lor Wheat 17 

Fine Wool 17 

A Test for the Profits of Woolgrowing 17 

Curing Clover Hay 17 

The Poultry Man* 18 

The Morgans and Black Hawks 18 

Pork Trade of 1854-55 18 

Statement of the Financial Condition of the Virginia 

State Agricultural Society 18 

The Joint Worm 18 

Soap, White Lead and Oil 19 

Richmond Markets 19 



WHEAT GLEANERS. 

THIS implement will pay for itself in half 
day, if used after the cradle. Price S10, whic 
will be lefunded to any person who is not satisfie 
with it on trial, 
tf B. H. SMITH.