THE 





ii ■ 



Devoted to Agriculture, Morticulture, and the Household Arts. 



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



Tillage and Pastui-age are the two breasts of 
the State. — Sully. 



FKANK. G. RUFFIN, Editor. 



F. G. RUFFIN & N. AUGUST, Pkoi-'es. 



Vol. XVI. 



KICHMOND, SEPTEMBER, 1856. 



No. 9. 



FOURTH ANNUAL EXHIBITION 

OF THE 

VA. STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
OFFICERS FOR 1856. 

President, 
PHILIP ST. GEORGE COCKE. 

Yice Presidents, 
Edmund Ruffin, Sr., Hanover, 
Lewis E. Haevie, Amelia, 
WiLLOUGHBT Newton, "Westmoreland, 
Thomas L. Preston, Washington, 
John R. Edmunds, Halifax, 
Wm. M. Tate, Augusta, 
George W. Summers, Kanawha. 

OtTier Members of the Executive Committee. 

TViLLiAM BouLWARE, King & Queen, 
"William G. Overton, Hanover, 
William H. Richardson, Henrico, 
Richard Irbt, Nottoway, 
B. Johnson Barbour, Orange, 
R. H. DuLANT, Loudoun, 
Hugh M. Nelson, Clarke, 
"Wm. M. Radford, Botetourt, 
William G. Crenshaw, Richmond, 
Frank G. Ruffin, Chesterfield. 

Secretary and Treasurer, 
Chas. B. Williams. 

Chvif Marshal, 

capt. chas. DIMMOCK. 

A ids, 
WM. S. WOOD, Richmond, 
THOS, T. MUNFORD, Powhatan, 
W. H. RICHARDSON, jr., Richmond. 

Cldef of Police, 
EDWARD S. GAY. 



assistant marshals. 

Superintendent of Grounds, 

E. G. EGGELING. 

Horses, 

JNO. H. MACKENZIE. 

Cattle Department, 
FRANK BELL. 

Sheep, 

THEOD. n. davisson. 

Swine, 
DANIEL P. HOWLE. 

Poultry, 
BYRD CHAMBERLAYNE. 

Implement Pepariment, 
THOMAS DODAMEAD, 
ABSALOM BLACKBURN. 

Dome.stic Manufactures, 
JOHN F. WREN. 

Household Manufactures, 
R. A. WILLIAMS, 

Vegetable Department, 

A. S. STORRS. 

Dairy Department, 
■ J. C. BURTON. 

Floral Depiartment, 
R. J. MORRISON. 

. Ploughing Match, 
Dr. JOHN F. SINTON.. 
Miscellaneous Department, 

JOHN T. REDD, 

Forage Master, 

B. W. TALLEY. 



262 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



ORDER OF ARRANGEMENTS. 

Monday, October 27th. 

1. Ladies who have been appointed Judges of 
Award, will be received at the Ladies' Tent, on 
the Fair grounds, by the Female Committee of 
Arrangements, and they will be aided by the As- 
sistant Marshal in completing their organization. 

2. All other Judges of Award will report 
themselves to the Chief MarshaI; at his tent 
on the grounds, who will aid the Committee in 
effecting their organization, as far as practicable, 
preparatory to the punctual discharge of their 
duties on the morning of the 28th. 

3. Articles and Animals will be received, 
registered and arranged on the grounds, during 
tlie whole of the day. 

Tuesday, October 28th. 

1. The grounds will be opened for the ad- 
mission of Officers, Judges and Members only, 
at 9 o'clock, A. M. 

2. At the same hour the Judges will assemble. 
The Ladies at the place appointed for their re- 
ception, and the Gentlemen at the Chief Mar- 
shal's tent, and answer to the call of their 
names. Those Committees, of which there 
shall be in attendance not less than three Mem- 
bers, will be considered as organized for busi- 
ness. The organization of others, having a less 
number present, will be postponed until after 
the second calling of the roll. 

3. If, at the second calling of the roll, which 
shall not be deferred later than 11 o'clock, a 
quorum of the Judges in any department be 
not found present, it shall be competent for any 
Member of the Executive Committee, at the 
suggestion of the Assistant Mai-shal having 
charge of such department, to fill the existing 
Tacancies by new appointments. 

4. Books of Entries, and Form Books, in 
■which to record their Awards, will be placed in 
the hands of each of the Committees at their 
organization, who shall thereupon proceed im- 
mediately to the discharge of their duties, ex- 
cept as to the Judges on horses, lohose duties will 
be postponed until the next day. 

Wednesday, October 29th. 

1. The grounds will be opened to the public 
at 9 o'clock. 

2. Members shall have free admittance on 
exhibiting either a certificate of life member- 
ship, a receipt for payment of the contribution 
for the current year, or the badge prescribed by 
the Executive Committee to designate members, 
■which may be purchased of the Secretary at 25 
cents. 

3. The badges for life and for annual mem- 
bers shall be of difi'erent colors. The former 
shall have the word " Life Member" distinctly 
printed on it, and the latter " Slember for 1856."; 



4. Tickets of admission^ (at 25 cents each,) 
will be obtained at the ticket of&ces, near the 
entrance gates. 

5. The Judges on Horses will proceed to the 
discharge of their duties. Each class proceed- 
ing agreeably to the order in which they shall 
be called for by the Chief Marshal. 

Thursday, October 30th. 

1. The Fair grounds will continue open to 
the public through the day. 

2. The ploughing match and trial of ploughs 
will take place at 10 o'clock, A. M. 

3. The Judges will require for two horse 
ploughs, a depth of furrow not less than sis 
inches; for three horse ploughs, not less than 
eight inches; and four horse ploughs, not less 
than ten inches, with such variations of depth 
as may seem best adapted to test by the dina- 
mometer, their comparative lightness of draught. 

Friday, October 31st. 

At 10 o'clock, A. M., the reports of the 
Judges will be read from the stand, announcing 
the names of the successful competitors for the 
Premiums of the Society. 

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE JUDGES. 

1. The Judges are requested to report them- 
selves on Tuesday morning, at 9 o'clock. The 
Ladies to the Assistant Marshal at the tent pro- 
vided for their reception. The Gentlemen to 
the Chief Marshal at his tent on the grounds. 

2. The Committees of Judges under Branch 
II. of the Schedule, viz: "Essays and other 
Written Communications," are requested to 
meet in Richmond on Friday, the 24th of 
October, preceding the exhibition, in order to 
allow themselves full time to make careful ex- 
amination of the communications to be referred 
to them. 

The subject mafjter under Branch II. are ex- 
pected to be of great importance and interest to 
the Society as well as to the agricultural com- 
munity generally. They are, therefore, com- 
mended to the timely and special attention of 
the Judges. 

3. The Judges are requested to observe par- 
ticularly and to conform strictly to the general 
rules and regulations adopted by the Executive 
Committee, as well as to the " Special Rules," 
interspersed through the Schedule of Premiums. 

4. Should any thing be exhibited to the 
Judges which they shall deem worthy of special 
attention, and for which no premium has been 
offered, they will furnish a certificate in the form 
printed and furnished for that purpose, which 
the Assistant Marshal of the department will 
present, together with the article, to the Com- 
mittee on Discretionary Premiums. 

5. Live Stock. — The Judges will Ije expected, 
in making their decisions, to have regard to the 
symmetry, early maturity, size and general 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



263 



characteristics of the breeds to which they be- 
long. They will make the proper allowances 
for age, feeding and other circumstances affect- 
ing the character of the animal. They are 
particularly required not to give encouragement 
to over-fed animals for breeding purposes. 

Animals fed for the shambles shall not com- 
pete for premiums, except in their proper class. 

Judges will report not only the animals en- 
titled to premiums, but also those nest in merit 
in each class, to meet the contingency of any 
objection which may arise to the awards. Any 
animals which, in the opinion of the Judges, 
deserve a special commendation, they are re- 
quested to report to the Executive Committee. 

G. The Committee on Discretionary Premi- 
ums will consider such subjects only as are 
brought regularly before them by certificates 
as prescribed in article 4th of these instructions. 

Form of certificate to be presented to the 
Committee on Discretionary Premiums, agree- 
ably to the 4th article of the instructions to the 
Judges. 



ment and accommodation of all such articles 
and anima s. 



Mr. 



has exibited to the Judges 



for which no premium has been 
offered. They deem it worthy of the attention 
of the Committee on Discretionary Premiums, 

Chairman. 



RULES AND REGULATIONS. 



4. All animals or articles intended for exhi- 
bition, will be registered at the Secretary's of- 
fice, up to the close of the day on Friday, the 
24th of October, and thereafter at the business 
offices on the show grounds until the close of 
the day on Monday, the 27th. 

Duplicate cards, descriptive of the animal or 
article entered, will be issued, one of which will 
be attached to, or placed near the subject of ex- 
hibition — the other be retained by the exhibitor 
until the close of the exhibition, and then, if 
for live stock or poultry, shall be returned to 
the Forage Master, who shall, upon receiving 
payment for grain furnished, grant him a per- 
mit to withdraw the same from the grounds, or 
if for any other article, then, to be returned to 
the Assistant Marshal having charge of the de- 
partment to which the article belongs, who 
shall thereupon allow the same to be withdrawn 
from the grounds. 

5. Nothing will be allowed to enter the 
grounds which shall not have been previously 
registered, nor will any animal or article be re- 
ceived later than 9 o'clock on Tuesday mornino- 
the 30th of October. '^ 

6. No animal or article entered for exhibition 
can be taken away before the close of the Fair, 
except by permission of the President, to be 
granted only for such special cause assigned as 
he may deem sufficient to justify a suspension 
of this rule. No premium will be paid on any 
articles or animals removed in violation thereof. 



j|@^The ExECDTiTE Committee will not be 
responsible to any exhibitor, that his articles 
will be examined by tlie Judges, who neglects 
or fails to comply with the requirements of the 
following regulations. While every effort will 
be made to secure the examination and proper 
notice of every article on exhibition, justice to 
those who ' cfjrtvphj with the regulations of the 
Society requires that they shall, in all cases, 
first receive attention. 

1. Members of the Society will be furnished 
with badges at twenty-five cents, which will 
admit them, their wives, daughters, and sons 
under twenty-one years of age, to the grounds 
at all times during the exhibition. Members 
are requested to wear or exhibit their badges 
upon entering the^grounds, or the Society's 
hall of meeting. 

2. Exhibitors at the Fair — who may not be 
members of the Society — must become f^uch, or 
else will be required to pay an entrance fee of 
three dollars to entitle them to the privileges of 
exhibition and admittance to the grounds. 

.3. All who intend to become exhibitors are 
earnestly requested to forward to the Secretary 
at Richmond, at least ten days before the exhi- 
bition, lists and descriptions of the animals or 
articles intended to be exhibited, in order that 



7. On Tuesday, the first day of the Exhibi- 
tion, none but members of the Society and their 
families will be admitted, in order that the 
Judges may not be incommoded by a crowd 
whilst viewing the subjects of exhibition. 

8. On and after Wednesday, 9 o'clock, A. M., 
the public will be admitted to the grounds. An 
entrance fee of twenty-five cents will be charged 
for persons not entitled to badges of free ad- 
mittance; and for children u.nder twelve years 
of age, (under protection of their parents or 
others,) half price. 

9. A.gricultural Societies of other States, and 
sister Societies within this State, are invited to 
send delegates to the Fair. Such delegates 
will be furnished with badges and admitted free. 

10. The Executive Committee will take every 
precaution for the safe keeping of articles ex- 
hibited, but will not be responsible for loss or 
damage that may occur during the Fair, unless 
such ii'ss occur clearly from want of due care 
on the part of the Society's officers, agents or 
servants. Exhibitors are, therefore, requested 
to give attention to their articles. 

11. The Chief Marshal will call the Judges 
at 9 o'clock on Tuesday morning — furnish them 
with the printed lists of premiums, (one to each 
committee, when organized,) with the books of 



timely provision maybe made for the arrange- ' entries of animals or articles in their depart- 



i 



264 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



ments, and also with blank books in which to 
register their awards, and have the Judges con- 
ducted by the Assistant Marshals to their re- 
spective departments of the exhibition. 

12. The Marshal and his aids shall give par- 
ticular attention to the pmper arrangement of 
all articles exhibited in their respective depart- 
nieBts; point out the articles or animals to the 

• Judges, and otherwise facilitate the examina- 
tion by the Judges. 

13. All productions of the soil placed in com- 
petition for premiums, must have been culti- 
vated and grown by the competitors, unless it 
is claimed that it is a new product or a new and 
valuable vai-iety of one already cultivated. 

14. Hay and straw will be furnished, without 
charge, for all animals entered for premiums, 
and grain will be provided on the grounds, to 
be supplied to exhibitors at cost and expenses. 

15. No person will be allowed to interfere 
with the Judges whilst examining and compar- 
ing animals and articles submitted for their ad- 
judication. Any competitor so doing, with in- 
tent to influence the decision of th6 Judges, 
shall be excluded from receiving a premium. 
Competitors will, nevertheless, be at liberty to 
communicate freely to the Judges any infor- 
mation which they may think proper to ask for. 

STANDING RULES IN REGARD TO 
PREMIUMS. 

1. As required bv the Constitution of the 
Virginia State Agricultural Society, the pre- 
miums to be awarded " shall be, in all cases, 
such as are likely to benefit agriculture, horti- 
culture, or the auxiliary mining and mechanic 
arts." 

2. The decisions of the Judges of awards, as 
to the merits of subjects will be respected as 
final in every exercise of their legitimate au- 
thority. But any awai'ds made contrary to the 
requirements of the rules fur directing and 
restricting premiums, claimants, or awards, will 
be disregarded or reversed by the Executive 
Committee. 

3. No subject, (whether animal, implement, 
writing, or other,) for which a premium or honor 
is offered shall be deemed entitled to either, 
though being the best, or the second best, of all 
of the kind offered, unless such article is deemed 
by the Judges of sufficient merit to deserve 
such reward. 

4. Any animal, machine, or utensil, which 
shall have had a premium awarded to it once, 
as being the best of its kind exhibited, shall 
not thereby Ije debarred from claiming and ob- 
taining the like distinction, so long as the 
particular subject shall still be deemed the best 
at subsequent exhibitions of the Society. But 
in such cases, after two premiums, in different 
years, may have been awarded to the same sub- 
ject, any subsequent honor to the same shall be 
a tQgtimonial only of its continued superiority. 



No other subjects except the above named shall 
obtain a premium mure than once. 

5. The kind of admissible testimony in the 
case of farming, crops, experiments, &c., can 
not be described in advance. The committees 
for examining claims for premiums oh subjects 
of this class, must judge of the value of the 
testimony offered, as well as of the value of the 
clann in other respects. As no other witness 
is usually available in such cases, the claimant 
must testify in his own case, unless he has ob- 
tained and prefers to offer the testimony of 
others also. 

6. No one subject shall receive two premiums, 
by the awnrds of different committees of Judges, 
at the same Fair — unless when one of the pre- 
miums was offered expressly as additional. 

7. All written communications (unless re- 
ports of experiments not then compdeted,) must 
be sent in to the Secretary of the Executive 
Committee at least two weeks before the annual 
meeting and Fair of the Society. 

8. All articles offered for premiums, other 
than communications in writing, if not on the 
ground on the day preceding the day for the 
first action of the Judges, may be passed over. 
All reports of the awards of Judges, to be valid, 
must be delivered to the Executive Committee, 
for examination, by the afternoon preceding the 
day for announcing the awards of premiums. 

9. When two subjects, of the same kind, pre- 
sented for premiums, are deemed by the Judges 
of equal merit, and also of such high degree 
that to either, if alone, the premium would be 
awarded, in such case, the award must be to 
divide the premium between the two competitors. 

10. In all cases the parties entitled to pre- 
miums may receive them, according to their 
own election, either in money or its equivalent 
in silver plate, bearing an inscription represent- 
ing the particular subject for which the same 
shall have been awarded. Provided that no 
such inscribed plate shall be givep, in lieu of 
money, if the premium is of less value than ten 
dollars. 

MACHINE FOR HUSKING CORN. 
Oren Stodard, of Busti, N. Y., has obtained 
a patent for a machine for husking corn. The 
ears of corn are pushed down by an attendant 
between a pair of rollers having raised stumps 
of rubber upon them. The rollers rotate in a 
directi(jn contrary to that in which the ears are 
pushed and serve to strip oS the husk. The 
but, or stalk part of the ear, is cut off by 
means of a knife, which comes in play as soon 
as the ear passes the rollers. The husks are 
discharged at one place, and the clean ears at 
another. 



Geology. — Geology supplies us the 
medals of the past; the \yorld's history is 
written on stones; link by link we unite 
the chain which assures us of a Divine 
architect. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



265 



MEDITERRANEAN WHEAT. 
We wish -we were at liberty to give the name 
of the author of the following interesting and 
practical letter on the subject of wheat. Our 
readers must take our word for it that our friend 
is a gentleman who illustrates his sound judg- 
ment by practical success in farming. We can 
only say for ourselves, that having sought his 
opinions for our own private use, we mean to 
act on them so far as to sow one-third of our 
land in Mediterranean wheat. 

It wiU be remembered that we published 
some time ago a letter from our former neighbor 
and much esteemed friend. Dr. Merriwether, of 
Albemarle, to the precise purport of the pres- 
ent extract. We commend a re-perusal of that 
letter along with this to all who expect to suffer 
from fly and Joint worm, or chinch bug : 

August 1, 1856. 

Dear Sir — When I received your letter of 
the 18th July, asking me to give you my expe- 
rience ia the cultivation of Mediterranean 
wheat, I had just commenced threshing out a 
field of one hundred acres of it, and have post- 
poned a reply to your letter until I could ascer- 
tain the result. I am much disappointed in the 
produce. While other kinds of wheat of this 
crop have yielded very well, this field which 
from its growth of straw I had estimated would 
produce at least eighteen bushels per acre has- 
yielded only about thirteen bushels. The field 
is an outlying one, of cold, stiff land, recovered 
a few years ago from briars and broomstraw, 
but brought into good condition in fallow, and 
sown from 30th August to 3d September with 
1| bushels Mediterranean wheat per acre, abotrt 
200 pounds Peruvian guano ploughed in with 
the fallow plough. The yield is not positively 
so bad for the land as unequal to its promising 
growth of stravi- at harvest. 

My neighVjours who are threshing find the 
comparative yield equally bad, and 1 think are 
generally disposed to abandon the cultivation of 
it. I am much at a loss to account for this bad 
yield, and suppose that it may have been injur- 
ed in the bloom by a frost which wc had about 
the 30th May, which killed some corn and ten- 
der vegetables in the garden. Since I com- 
menced the cultivation of this wheat in 1843, I 
have had two crops of it seriously injured by 
Spring frosts after it had jointed, and this is 
one of our greatest dangers in sowing very fur- 
ward wheats and very early sowing. J have 
heretofore found some important advantages in 
the cultivation of this wheat, and shall sow this 
fall fifty bushels of it about the 1st September, 
with Tiinothy on cold, stiff land, suitable fur 
meadow, and on this kind of land I think it 
will produce as much as any other kind of wheat 
with less liability to injury from rust and win- 



ter freezing, and Avith the great advantage of 
sowing Timothy and other grass seeds with it 
early in September, which I have found ne- 
cessary to success. On dry soils, sandy or red 
clays, I have nut found this wheat to succeed. 
To your inquiry "as to the time at which I 
know by experience this wheat may be sown 
without danger from fly," I can reply with con- 
fidence that I have repeatedly sown it about the 
1st September without sustaining the least in- 
jury from fly, though it may be sometimes found 
in it. I would not sow earlier than the 1st Sep- 
tember, because before that time we often have 
severe droughts to prevent the seed from germi- 
nating, and a hot sun unfavorable to the growth 
of the young plant. You inquire whether I 
have found full grazing necessary to success ? 
I have never thought it safe to cripple or retard 
the growth wheat intended to produce a very ear- 
ly crop in any way, as our fall seasons are too 
short. On lower James river where the fall 
season is longer and the winter more mild, the 
pi-actice might be judicious. 

There are other advantages in our sj'stem of 
farming and grazing in the cultivation of early 
sown Mediterranean wheat. We cut up our 
corn and put it in shocks about the time that 
you commence pulling fodder or a little later. 
This we can seldom begin before the 10th Sep- 
tember, before which time a field may be sown 
with Mediterranean, well drained, and put in 
perfect order before our farm work becomes 
pressing, and we are enabled to get our whole 
crop of wheat sown early in October, which all 
wheat growers with us now deem of great im- 
portance to success. At harvest, this is harvest- 
ed before other wheats are ripe, being three or 
four days earlier than the early P. Straw and a 
week earlier than any other kind of wheat. 

While I cultivated this wheat, from the years 
1843 to 1848, as a regular part of my crop, I had 
gitod growths of Blue Stem and other late 
wheats almost ruined by rust year after year, 
while the Mediterranean, then as now, always 
having the worst wheat soils assigned to it, was 
little affected by rust, and produced fair average 
crops. For the last five or six years we have 
had little rust, and the late wheats have pro- 
duced well, which I attribute in part to the gen- 
eral use of guano which hastens the maturity 
of the wheat, and which alone induces me to 
continue the use of it at present high prices. 
In 1853 our great enemy from Albemarle, the 
Joint worm, began to show itself among us. 
The late wheat seemed to be most injured by it, 
and the Mediterranean to get into head before 
the Joint worm had deposited its egg. I had 
that fall a stubble fallow field of 145 acres sown 
in wheat, 45 acres of the most inferior land, 
(except a few acres of bulk flat,) in the field 
sown with eighty-three bushels Mediterranean 
from 29th to 31st August, and 105 acres of the 
best wheat land in the field sown from 23d Sep- 
tember to 20th October with 151 bushels Poland 
and Moravian wheat, chiefly the former, about 



266 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



150 pounds guano per acre over the whole field, 
fallowed in with large ploughs. 

45 acres Mediterranean yielded 1,040 bushels, 
about 23 bushels per acre. 
105 acres Poland and Moravian yielded 1,123 
bushels, about 10| bushels per acre. 

The Poland and Moravian wheats were great- 
ly injured by Joint woini, and the Mediterra- 
nean sustained but little injury from it. En- 
couraged by this experiment in 1854, I sowed a 
stubble fallow field of the best wheat land I 
have, about one-half low grounds, say 97 acres, 
with 182 bushels Mediterranean wheat from 
24th to 29th August, ploughing in with the fal- 
low ploughs an average of 150 pounds guano to 
the acre, in unequal quantities, according to the 
quality of the land. This crop which was some- 
what injured by a hail storm, lodged and har- 
vested in bad weather, with great loss from 
shattering, produced 2,018 bushels — over 26 
l)ushels per acre in 1855. No part of our crop 
was much injured by joint worm, and the 
general yield of wheat in the neighborhood was 
good — my own about 22 bushels average on 250 
acres. The quality of the land in Mediterra- 
nean was very good, and may it not be a ques- 
tion whether with any kind of wheat forced by 
guano on poor soils the produce of grain will be 
in proportion to growth of straw. 

The Joint worm seems now to have passed 
over our county, appearing this year only in 
spots and doing no material injury. The rust, 
fly, joint worm and other pests, like epidemic 
diseases in the human family, seem to return 
and prevail on cycles of years, and whenever 
any one of these shall come back upon us, I 
shall return again to the cultivation of Mediter- 
ranean as the hardest to resist them of any 
wheat that I know. It seems now, in some de- 
gree, to have undergone that mysterious pro- 
cess of running out in productiveness which all 
other kinds have done in succession after a few 
years cultivation. At least this is the popular 
opinion, and it appears to me to be a subject 
worthy of careful investigation both as to its 
truth and the remedy for it. 

We are also much perplexed by the careless 
practice of farmers in giving new names to old 
varieties, and we have now several kinds in cul- 
tivation with various names in different locali- 
ties. There is another subject to \vhich I think 
you might profitably call the attention of wheat 
growers in your paper. The adaptation of dif- 
ferent varieties to various soils. I have myself 
been baffled in obtaining any certain results 
from the variable character of our Spring wea- 
ther in May and June, sometimes very wet and 
in other years dry — the first affecting the f ir- 
mation of grain at the time of blooming, and 
the last its plumpness in filling — so tfiat a. few 
days change will sometimes make an early or 
late variety which had been very productive in 
one season, a failure in another. 



CULTIVATION OF WHEAT. 

March, 1856. 
Geo. C Gilmek, Esq. 

Dear Sir : — I agree with you that there is 
scarcely a farmer who does not know something 
which, if generally known, might benefit the 
mass, and I am therefore induced to communi- 
cate to you the system pursued by me in the 
cultivation of wheat. You say that experiments 
are expensive and always troublesome. As a 
general thing I agree with you, but the gentle- 
man you mention, who from the use of a bushel 
of lime to an acre, kept off the joint worm and 
fly with good effect, and my system of wheat 
growing, may, I think, be regarded as excep- 
'tions to the rule, so far at least as expenses are 
incurred. My practice in the culture of wheat, 
was to steep or rather manure the seed before 
sowing with nitre (saltpetre) and lime, alone 
sometimes and sometimes with lime and ashes 
mixed, plaster and ashes mixed, or unlcached 
ashes alone, just as I had or could obtain the 
articles, if not, I preferred unleached ashes 
alone. I pursued the practice for many years, 
with the most beneficial results, a visible and 
striking instance of its benefits occurred with 
me in the year 1846. I had purchased some 
land which had been under tenture for many 
years, and so badly farmed that it M-as said to 
be worn out. One field immediately on a pub- 
lic road contained a flat knoll, composed of a 
light grey colored soil, in character it might be 
said to be an impulpable powder, it ran together 
during the winter season, and had a soft soap 
appearance on the surface, so poor that it would 
produce nothing scarcely. I sowed the field in 
wheat and soiiie time after it came up, a Dutch 
neighbor of mine who passed the field almost 
daily for years, and had always observed this 
particular spot coniaining about an acre, re- 
marked to me that I must possess some secret 
in sowing wheat, that he knew I had not ma- 
nured that particular spot, and yet the wheat 
looked as well upon it as upon the other part of 
the field, and that I must have hoaxed the land 
to make wheat grow upon land that he had 
never seen any grow on before. I at once com- 
municated to him all I had done, and advised 
iiim to use the same process and he could raise 
wheat on his land as well as I did, but as you 
remarked, experiments are troublesome and ex- 
pensive, and he did not adopt it, sold out in a 
few years and moved to the west. So it is with 
most farmers, you cannot induce them to devi- 
ate from the old beaten track of their fathers, 
and therefore they do not succeed. The suc- 
ceeding year I used upon another field of the 
same faa-m bone dust. I had sowed about 32 to 
4 bushels to the acre om a jjart of it, (about half 
the proper quantity,) my neighbours kept a 
watchful eye upon its effect up to harvest, and pei- 
coiviiig but little differenuc f)etwecn the growth 
of the part sown with the bone dust, and the 
other part of the field, condemned the experi- 
ment as expensive and useless. It was not so. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



267 



however, when harvest came on the straw of the 
bone dust part was bright and clear, while the 
straw on the other part of the field was badly 
struck with red rust, and upon examination the 
heads of the wheat (Mediterranean) contained 
pretty generally three grains a breast, while the 
other part contained but two. The field was 
sown in clover, the bone dust part produced 
double t'r.e quantity of ha}', and to this day its 
effects are visible in all the crops which have 
been grown upon it. When the phosphate of 
lime is deficient in the soil, it is the most valua- 
ble fertilizer you can use. It is, however; an 
expensive manure at the commencement, but 
when its lasting effects are taken into considera- 
tion it is cheap, because it saves the trouble of 
repetition. Not so however with guano — I am 
no advocate for its use, except upon very poor 
light and slaty soils, where nothing will grow 
without its stimulating effects. Upon lands of 
that kind it enables you to set them in grass. 
It is too expensive, evanescent in its effects, 
flashing off with the first year's crop. 

When your ground is prepared and you are 
ready to commence seeding, take a tight hogs- 
head that will contain 8 to 10 or 12 bushels, fill 
it with wheat, then for every bushel it contains 
take one pound of saltpetre (the crude will an- 
swer) for each bushel, dissolve it with boiling 
water, using a gallon to about six pounds in a 
watering pot, and sprinkle about one-third of it 
upon the wheat; in ten or fifteen minutes anoth- 
er third, and at an interval of about the same 
time the balance, keep it hot or warm all the 
time, for it will crystalize if it becomes cold, 
and if it is put in all at the same time it perco- 
lates or runs to the bottom of the liogshead too 
soon, and you will find it there instead of being 
absorbed by the wheat as it passes down slowly. 
As soon as you have put it all on the wheat, 
spread upon your barn floor, your lime, plaster 
or ashes, alone or mixed, a quantity about an 
inch in thickness, and of sufficient area to re- 
ceive upon it the half or less of the wet wheat, 
and with a shovel mix them together thorough- 
ly ; as soon as it is mixed, shovel into bags, take 
it to the field and sow it immediately while the 
mixture adheres to the wheat, and harrow it in 
as fast as sown, and unless your ground is very 
moist, (and even then it is better,) follow with 
a heavy roller to condense the ground. 

My opinion is that the success of a good crop 
depends as much upon a good start as a horse 
race, and is it not reasonable that any thing 
which will promote a vigorous and healthy start 
will be most likely to produce a healthy and ro- 
bust constitution. The process of preparation 
ia simple and cheap, not costing much over 12^ 
cents per acre, when saltpetre can be bought at 
5J cents, which I paid for it by the keg in Bal- 
timore. It is now advanced, in consequence of 
the war in the Crimea, to about double that 
price, but still is cheap enough to be used for 
that purpose. Incognito. 



Inglewood, near Carter's Bridge, ] 
Albemarle County, Va. J 

F. G. RuFFiN, Esq. 

Dear Sir .-—Enclosed I send you a copy of a 
letter written to me by a friend, for my own 
benefit, who does not wish to appear in the pa- 
pers. This I very much regret, as I am of the 
opinion any article has mure weight or influence 
when over the name and whereabouts of the au-, 
thor, who can be looked after, and his experi- ■ 
ments investigated by any one who may wish 
to follow in his footsteps. But so it is, and we 
farmers must be thankful for hints, experiments 
&c. from any and every source from which they 
may be kindly sent, for most truly we are in 
great need of these experiments. Some time 
since I sent an article to your paper from Ex- 
Farmer of Berkeley. Some had no faith in it, 
because they could not know the author. Many 
thought highly of it, yet I do not know any one 
who followed his advice but myself. I thought 
I saw much sense in it, and gave it a fair trial 
and am well pleased with the results. The ex- 
periment was made upon myBuckeyeland farm 
on the left hand side of the main road leading 
from the creek to the mill race, and up that — 
about tlu-ee acres. Its results are so clear that 
I think a blind man could tell by walking over 
it where the experiment stopped. Now I did 
not know who Ex-F. of Berkeley was, nor do I 
now know, I wish I did ; yet, I thought I saw 
sense in the thing; tried it, and am satisfied if I 
had known it the fall before, it would have saved 
me much in cash and time. Now you nor the 
farmers can know who Incognito is, yet read it 
and if you can see any good in it give it to the 
people, and if they see any good in it they 
may so easily test it. I think there is some 
good in it and shall try it, and will give out the 
results whether good or bad. It will cost but 
little cash, but I fear more faith than many will 
find to try it, while I cannot give either the 
name nor whereabouts of Incognito, I would 
endorse him as soon or sooner than I would have 
£x-F. of Berkeley. I wrote an article on my 
experiments with lime upon guanoed wheat 
made last January and February, twelve months, 
and of my entire satisfaction with its results. 
Yet how few have tried it, tis true this has been 
a bad spring for any experiments, (so backward 
in work of all kinds) yet my faith was so great 
I have used upon my present crop of wheat this 
month 282 bushels of lime, of the result I'll in- 
foiTO you in due time. This lime was applied 
by the hand, it is a disagreeable work. Can a 
good lime spreader be had which can be relied 
upon. If so I think several might be sold in 
this neighborhood, as the lime fever has risen 
sufficiently high to tempt four of us to test its 
power upon our lands and crops ; and if it suc- 
ceeds up to our hopes we shall extend our use 
of it 80 much as to be compelled to use a ma- 
chine for speed. Yours truly, 

GEO. C. GILMER. 



268 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



HARVESTING WHEAT. 
White Post P. 0., Clarke Co., Va. 1 
August IG, 185G. j 

Mr. Editor — 5Iy attention being dva-n-n to a 
communication in the August number of the 
Planter, under the head of " Harvesting Wheat," 
which is correct to a letter, I am induced 
from experience in harvesting in every way 
known in this blessed country of ours to com- 
municate an improved method which makes 
hay and vrheat harvest comparatively easj', and 
eertainlj' less vexatious on account of trifling 
cradlers, and the universal disposition on the 
part of harvest hands, whether hireling or not, 
to prolong the operation as long as possible. In 
this portion of the State, the desire to prolong 
harvest is not so much to bo wondered at, when 
we reflect that harvest is in fact a frolic ; every 
one feeds liberally of every thing that their 
farms produce, and in addition they have coffee 
twice a day, pies, &c. at dinner, and with the 
exception of a few straggling "Sons of Tempe- 
rance," they are allowed spirits twice a day. 
After resting an hour or two at night, if they 
desire, it thev' are not prevented from enjoying 
a dance, and at such times the}- are beyond a 
doubt the happiest portion of creation. 

The improved method alluded to is Manny's 
Pieaper and Slower combined, with Wood's im- 
provement. AVith two of these reapers, I cut 
the past harvest, between 250 and 300 acres of 
wheat, oats and grass. And after the horses 
(two to each machine) were practiced by myself 
and servant a little, my two sons, one 14 years 
of ago, and the other only 11, cut my entire 
wheat and oat crop. The grass, about 70 acres, 
was cut in three days and a half before hardest, 
and before the boys left school. ,In a -field of 
sixty acres of heavy wheat, ten binders did not 
keep up. The weather was hot and on all low 
situations the wheat was either leaning, tang- 
led or lodged. Including all interruptions 
while in this field, the machines averaged twelve 
acres each per day, and the work was pronoun- 
ced as being perfectly done. With such a ma- 
chine the farmer governs his harvest, decides 
when it is necessarj^ to stop, does his own whet- 
ting with a mill saw file once in 1, 2 or 3 days, 
as he may think necessar3% and even then it 
may be done between 12 and 2 o'clock in the 
day, while the horses are feeding, or between 
dusk in the evening and sun rise the next morn- 
ing. 

If the ground be favorable and wheat good 
(for the machine will do more in good than light 
wheat) the machine will cut one acre and a half 
per hour. This machine I have found will cut 
short wheat, oats or grass better than a cradle 
or scythe. If the grain or grass has suificient 
length to fall over the head of the machine 
which is flat, and only about 21 inches thick, it 
will shave every stalk. By harvesting in this 
way the most inferior hand is made to do the 
work of four of the best cradlers, and the able- 
'jodied cradlers do the binding and shocking, 



and the farmer follows after the takers up and 
sees that all is nice and clean. By giving one 
or two machines (as the case may be,) half a 
day's start, the binders may be kept abreast 
which they much prefer— let the water cart fol- 
low, and there is necessarily no lost time. Lay- 
ing aside the pecuniary saving and the satisfac- 
tiiin to the farmer to know that he has the means 
within himself of cutting his own harvest. I 
think that feelings of humanity for the laboring 
class should induce those who can to purchase 
such implements. In future I shall be content 
to grow as much wheat as my little boys can 
cut in twelve working days. My past wheat 
harvest was secured in eleven days. 

Would it not be something to brag of if Vir- 
ginia could say that the great grand sons (little 
boys) of the participators in the Revolution, now 
cut all the wheat grown in the State. 

J. J. HITE. 



GEN. J. H. COCKE'S WHEAT CROP. 
• Beemo, Aug. 11, 1856. 

Mr. Ruffin, Editor of So. Planter. 

Dear Sir — My wheat crop having attracted 
the notice of travellers on the canal, in the val- 
ley of James river, it may be interesting to such 
as observed its promising appearance to know 
how it is turning out. 

Two measured acres, separately threshed, 
cleared and measured, has yielded eighty-one 
bushels. ^ 

Two other acres from another part of the 
same field has yielded seventy-five bushels. 

These acres were taken with the view of get- 
ting a fair average of the whole field of seventy- 
five acres — all bottom land of James river, and 
fallowed in August and first week in September 
with four horse ploughs, seeded first week in Oc- 
tober, two bushels and one gallon to the acre — 
one-half guanoed at the rate of 200 pounds to 
the acre, and the other half limed at the rate of 
50 bushels to the acre. 

The above turn out was from the guanoed 
portion. From all appearances^ the portion 
limed was judged to be equal, but as the crop 
from this is not yet all threshed, I have not been 
able to make a comparison between them. 
Should the result show any difference worth your 
notice, I may communicate it in future. 
Respectfully yours, 

JOHN II. COCKE. 



USE OF PHOSPHATES ON CLOVER AND 
PEAS. 
Rochester, N. Y., April 21, 1856. 

I would willingly answer the inquiries of 
your correspondent and of yourself, but I have 
really nothing worth communicating. 

So far as my experience goes, though super- 
phosphate of lime does more good on clover and 
the common pea than on wheat ; yet it will not 
pay to use it, at present prices, on these crops. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



269 



Oq very poor soils, or soils that will not pro- 
duce more than 5 or 8 bushels of wheat per 
acre, its effect on clover and peas may be suf- 
ficient to make its use profitable ; but even in 
this case, I should prefer to use Peruvian guano, 
fjr this reason: Soils which have been impover^ 
ished by the growth of cereals, are quite as 
destitute of ammonia as of phosphoric acid, and 
Peruvian guano furnishes a large quantity of 
ammonia, and some 25 per cent, of phosphate 
of lime in addition. In proportion to the re- 
quirements of the wheat plant, Peruvian guano 
furnishes more phosphoric acid than ammonia. 
That is to say, if a crop of wheat is manured 
with Peruvian guano, the ammonia is all used 
up the first year ; but there will be more or less 
phosphoric acid left in the soil for the next crop. 
Instead, then, of purchasing superphosphate of 
lime, in order to supply the clover and pea 
crops with phosphoric acid, I should prefer to 
manure the wheat crop with Peruvian guano, 
and seed it down with clover ; the phosphoric 
acid remaining in the soil, from the previous 
dressing of guano, would be available for the 
clover crop, and increase its growtli. 

Another argument against the use of super- 
phosphate of lime is found in the fact, that the 
commercial articles sold under that name are 
generally very far short of what a good super- 
phosphate of lime should be. For instance, in 
England, a superphosphate of lime, u-arranted to 
contain 18 jjnr cent, of soluble svperplLOspliaie of 
lime, is sold for about .$30 per ton ; while here, 
one of the most popular superphosphates con- 
tains, according to the analysis of Dr. Stewart 
of Baltimore, only 3 per cent, of soluble super- 
phosphate of lime. That is to say, the English 
article contains six times as much superphos- 
phate of lime as the American manure. The 
analysis was made for the manufacturer, and 
published by him in his circular; and it may 
reasonably be presumed, therefore, that it fairly 
represents the value of the article. This super- 
phosphate, we believe, is sold at §45 or §50 
per ton. Even if it would pay, therefore, to 
use^ ffood superphosphate of lime for the pur- 
pose of furnishing the clover, or pea plant, with 
available phosphoric acid, it does not follow that 
it would be profitable to use the superphos- 
phates now found in our markets. It is quite 
certain that the superphosphate wo have refer- 
red to, would be a very dear source of available 
phosphoric acid, either for clover, peas, or 
wheat. It is equally certain that 100 lbs. of 
Peruvian guano would furnish more available 
phosphoric acid to the plants the first season 
than such a superphosphate, and in addition 
some 15 lbs. of ammonia — unquestionably the 
most expensive ingredient in all fertilizers. 

Superphosphate of lime, however, can be 
manufactured and sold so as to afford soluble 
phosphates' at a much cheaper rate than any 
other source open t-o the farmer. It would be 
well, therefore, fur farmers, or for our Agricul- 
tural Societies, to institute a scries of experi- 



ments- in order to ascertain what effect soluble 
phosphates have upon the pea, clover, &c., on 
the impoverished soils of the Atlantic slope. 
We may theorize on the subject, but actual 
trials alone can throw an}' satisfactory light on 
the subject. 

Jlay I be allowed to say to you, sir, that the 
Virginia State Agricultural Society could not 
expend a hundred dollars where it could do 
more for the advancement of agricultural 
science, than in offering a premium for experi- 
ments on the cow-pea, clover, &c., somewhat 
similar to those on corn, for which the New 
York State Agricultural Society have recently 
offered a premium of S175. 

I remain, with great respect, yours truly, 

J.'H. 

r. G. RuFFiN", Esq. 

4— ^-O-*-* 

DISEASE IN CHICKENS. 

Sirs — In your August number a subscriber 
inquires of you or some of your subscribers for 
a remedy for a disease which has prevailed more 
or less amongst his fowls since 1848. From the 
description he gives of the disease, I am well 
satisfied I know what it is ; but know of no 
remedy and believe there is none, as they ai-e 
poisoned either accidentally and designedly with 
salt, either in water or food ; it will kill all 
kinds of domestic fowls in two or three days. 
You can make this fact known to your Spottsyl- 
vania subscriber. Yours, &(.:., 

EDWIN EDMUNDS. 

August 13, 185G. 



FREE ACID IN SOILS. 

We have, on several occasions, attempt- 
ed to neutralize this common notion about 
" uncombined free acid" in soiJ.s. Hear, 
however, what the jVew England Farme?- — 
one of our ablest and most intelligent ex- 
changes — says : " The presence of free 
uncombined acids in the soil, affords one 
of the most insuperable barriers to success- 
ful and profitable culture, by which the 
efforts of the farmer can possibly be op- 
posed." " On all lands where there is a 
growth of red sorrel, acids of some kind 
abound, in a free and uncombined state, 
and it is only by adopting some emenda- 
tory powers of culture, or by the applica- 
tion of neutralizing substances, such as 
lime, asAes, &c., that they can ever be ren- 
dered fertile in the production of valuable 
crops. 

This is very strongly put. These acids 
afford " the most insuperable barriers to 
successful culture." Then the " red sor- 
rel" always shows that " acids of some 
kind abound, in a free and uncombined 
state," and is a certain sign of an " insu- 



270 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



perable barrier" to improvement or suc- 
cest^iul culture. This " red sorrel" is one 
of the most familiar native plants, grow- 
ing every where. Every body knows 
what it is — and we put the question to 
every intelligent man,— does he really con- 
sider this plant (he indication of an " insu- 
perable barrier," or any sort of a barrier 
to the improvement of his land ? How 
does the writer know that these " free 
acids," he speaks of, exist in the soil ? 
Then does he infer, from the growth of 
the gooseberry and the currant, that free 
acids are present, and will lime change 
the character of these fruits, or by neutral- 
izing the " free acids" deprive the plants 
of their proper food, and so destroy them ? 
Does an apple tree which bears sour fruit 
indicate acid in the soil, and will one bear- 
ing a fruit of entirely different character 
not grow along side of it until the acid is 
neutralized ? The absurdity of the idea is 
here apparent, yet we hear continually of 
this bug-bear of "free acids ' as an " in- 
superable barrier" to " successful culture," 
and of the " red sorrel" as its certain in- 
dex. Put the lime on to neutralize the 
acid, and ^rei/o the "sorrel" disappears, 
and all good things will grow at once. 

The writer has a direct personal acquain- 
tance with this plant, from the days that 
he rolled on the green sward and ate grass 
like Nebuchadnezzar; chewing up with a 
gusto the little-poinled, pleasantly acid 
leaves of this "sheep sorrel," as he al- 
ways called it. When he commenced 
reading agricultural publications he im- 
bibed these theories about " free acids," 
and the necessity of neutralizing them, 
and practiced upon them to his cost; and 
now,- after many years of experience in 
the cultivation of such soils, he not only 
thinks hut knows tha.t the "red sorrel" is 
not an indication of " free acids," as they 
are called, or that if it is, then these "free 
acids" are no impediment whatever to the 
most successful cultivation and improve- 
ment. 

He has now in cultivation a considera- 
ble body of land, not very long since taken 
out of the woods. He verily thinks that 
there is not one foot of this land which, if 
ploughed and thrown out without being 
cultivated, but would produce sorrel in lux- 
uriance. He can point out at this moment 
apiece m sward thoroughly "set" with 
white clover and timothy, and not a sprig 



of "sorrel" apparent, and, a part of it, 
ploughed up during the last summer, cul- 
tivated in turnips, and not yet ploughed 
again, which is covered with a growth of 
" sorrel," now in full bloom. There they 
stand, the sorrel showing to the line the 
ground which was broken up the past sea- 
son, and the white clover and timothy turf 
along side, showing as distinctly that the 
lurking enemy has no power to hurt them. 

Immediately adjoining this is a lot of 
fifteen acres of clover, which has just been 
harvested, and which justifies fully the re- 
mark of the worthy manager who super- 
intended it, that he " don't reckon clover 
ever does grow much heavier than that." 
Take the lot through, it was a specimen of 
luxuriant growth, which we do not recol- 
lect to have seen surpassed. Now as we 
have said, we know that every foot of this 
ground, if merely ploughed and l«t, alone, 
would produce " sorrel" luxuriantly. If 
the " sorrel" indicates a " free acid," and 
the "free acid" is " an insuperable bar- 
rier to successful culture," how could such 
a crop of clover grow r But mark, the 
clover is classed in the books as a lime 
plant ; that is, one of a class of plants to 
which an abundance of lime is essential. 
But acid plants and "free acids" show a 
deficiency of lime ; then where did such a 
crop of clover get its supply of lime? 

But there were exceptions to the gene- 
ral character of this crop of clover: on a 
stony knoll where there was little depth 
of soil, the clover failed and the sorrel had 
possession. On the spots upon which the 
grain was shocked and the clover smoth- 
ered out, the sorrel appeared. At the foot 
of a tree, where the plough and the hoe 
failed of a thorough cultivation, sorrel 
abounded. On a spot where the water 
faded to get easily away, and a portion of 
the clover was winter-killed, there the sor- 
rel grew. 

It grew every where in the absence of 
the clover, it grew no where when the 
clover flourished. Wherever the clover 
failed, it was readily accounted for by an 
accidental cause, entirely independent of 
the "sorrel" or the "acid," and notwith» 
standing the universal prevalence of thit 
s;tme condition, the clover failed no wheri' 
when the other necessary conditions wert 
present, viz : thorough cultivation, and ; 
ireedom from accidental obstructions. I 
is a common thing ia passing a field where 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



271 



the clover has failed and the sorrel has 
possession, to say that the sorrel has over- 
run the clover — that the land is full of acid 
and wants lime. Now, so far from over- 
running, the sorrel only grows where the 
fastidious clover refuses to grow. The 
clover requires a clean, thorough cultiva- 
tion ; any accidental cause which prevents, 
this, or any general cause, as an excess of 
vegetable matter not well decomposed, 
will cause a failure. The " sorrel" is a 
natural growth, not requiring the same con- 
ditions, and will flourish where clover will 
not. It takes possession, therefore, as a 
matter of course, when the clover fails 
from other causes, but is not the cause of 
that failure. 

Now as to lime, it is well known to be 
upon some soils an exceedingly valuable 
manure. It is an essential constituent of 
a fertile soil, and if absent or deficient 
must be supplied. Its absence or defi- 
ciency is 710^ indicated by a growth of acid 
plants, such as "sorrel." because if so, it 
would be impossible, without an artificial 
supply where such plants grow, to produce 
abundant crops of wheat, corn, clover, &c., 
such as we know are constantly made upon 
some such soils. Lime is not necessary 
upon all soils which produce acid plants ; 
it may be and very probably is necessary 
upon some soils which prodi:ce them — not 
because these acid plants grow, but because 
there is a real deficiency which experience 
testifies to. 

But an application of lime may be use- 
ful, when it is not necessary. In the wri- 
ter's experience he finds that his soil con- 
tains quite lime enough for the purpose of 
feeding all plants. But the action of lime 
goes beyond the mere supply of that which 
goes into the plant consumption. It has a 
powerful agency in decomposition, and in 
preparing other material for use. And the 
question here arises, — how far it may be 
useful for this purpose, and what expense 
would be justified in procuring it.? He 
has thus far found it unnecessary for this 
purpose, on his land, and not likely to jus- 
tify any expense. He finds the " sorrel" 
perfectly under the conlml of active, thor- 
ough cultivation, or to speak more correct- 
ly, he finds a deep, thorough and cleansing 
cultivation produces that condition of soil, 
which fits ii for the growth of clover, wheat, 
&.C., to which the "sorrel," under such cir- 
cumstances, always gives way. For him, 



therefore, and for such soils as his, lime is 
not necessary as the food- of plants, be- 
cause the natural supply is sufficient, and 
its agency in decomposition, &.C., would 
not pay the cost of the application. He 
finds a more economical agency in the 
use of the plough and the action of the at- 
mosphere. 

But it by no means follows, that what is 
true for some soils and some circumstan- 
ces is true for all ; a sufficiency of lime 
for the supply of the plant food must be 
])resent, either naturally or by application, 
in all productive soils ; and the propriety 
of the application for other purposes, must 
depend upon circumstances, of which eve- 
ry man must judge for himself. There 
are regions of country where the effect is 
so striking, that no one can hesitate to use 
it at almost any cost. In other sections, 
■the good effect is less apparent, yet a 
less price may amply justify its use. — 
In other sections, again, while it may not 
be without good effect in preparing the 
food of plants, yet if this same action 
is brought about by ordinary methods 
of tillage, and the influence of the at- 
mosphere, his labour and expense are lost. 
In thid, as in every question of practice, 
let farmers learn to exercise sound discre- 
tion, untrammelled by fashionable theories. 
Let each man, while he makes himself ac- 
quainted with the best opinion of others, 
make careful note and observation of the 
circumstances under which he is operating, 
and guide his own action by his own judg- 
ment. 



TO CLEAN CHESS OUT OF WHEAT. 

On our last visit to the farm of Mr. John 
Johnston, near Geneva, N. Y., he informed 
us that some years ago he was a believer 
in, and an earnest advocate of, the theory 
that wheat would turn to chess. In some 
of the early volumes of the Gennesee 
Farmer he cited several facts which had 
come under his observation, and which ap- 
peared to prove that, in spite of botanists 
and vegetable theologists, wheat would larn 
to chess. This idea was combated by sev- 
eral corre;.pondents of the Farmer; and, 
as Mr. .1. confessed to us, he had to ac- 
knowledge 10 himself that he was worsted 
in this "paper war." Fully persuaded 
that he had the best side of the argument, 



272 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



and thinking that his o()ponents had the 
advantage simply because skilled in the 
use of the pen, he resolved to prove be- 
}ond all controversy, by ocular and prac- 
tical demonstration, that wheat would turn 
to chess. 

He took three bushels of wheat (we be- 
lieve this was the quantity, but it is imma- 
terial,) and looked it all over, grain by 
grain, picking out all the chess. When he 
had finished, he was satisfied that there 
was not a grain of chess in the whole three 
bushels. Now, then, thought he, I shall 
have them; if I get ehtss from this wheat, 
it won't do for them to tell tne that I sowed 
chess with the wheat; and he had no doubt 
that, as usual, he should have "lots of 
chess." The wheat was sown ; and the 
result was, that while there was an abun- 
dance of chess in the wheat cleaned in the 
ordinary way, there wan not a single ear of 
chess on the land sown with the clear wheat. 
This experiment, which Mr. J. made in or- 
der to convince the theorists that wheat 
would turn to chess, had the efl^ect of con- 
vincing him that he was in error, and that 
the great cause of chess in wheat must be 
ascribed to sowing chess with the seed 
wheat. 

Once satisfied that wheat would not turn 
to chess, Mr. J. resolved to sow no more 
of it; and he hit upon a plan of clean- 
ing seed wheat which took'out every grain 
of chess. The method is simply this: after 
the wheat has been cleaned in the ordinary 
way, by running it through a fanning mill, 
take the riddles out of the fanning mill, 
leaving the screen in ; take off the rod 
that shakes the riddles and screen ; pour 
the wheat slowly into the hooper with a 
basket or half bushel, turn the mill a little 
quicker than for ordinary cleaning, and 
every grain of chess will be blown out, un- 
less where three seeds stick together, which 
IS sometimes the case with top seeds. Two 
men will clean from ten to fifteen bushels 
per hour. If the wheat is light, say weigh- 
ing from fifty to fifty-five pounds per bush- 
el, coDsiderale wheat will be blown awav 
with the chess ; but where good Genesee 
wheat is raised, as in this section, weighing 
from sixty to sixty-four pounds per bushel, 
little or no wheat will be blown out. In 
some cases it is better to raise the hind end 
of the fanning mill about two inches from 
the floor. More wind can be given and 
not blow away the wheat. 



Since Mr. Johnston adopted this method 
of cleaning his seed wheat, he has not 
raised a "wine-glass full of chess in more 
than twenty years." — [Genesee Fanner. 



CYCLES OF COLD AND HOT 
WEATHER. 

It is somewhat remarkable that, though 
the historic period is several thousands of 
years old, comparatively little is known of 
the science of meteorology. One would 
have thought that one of the first subjects 
to which the atteniion of inquirers would 
be directed, would have been to the causes 
of storms, the fluctuations of hot and cold 
years, and the laws generally which gov- 
erned the weather. But, with the excep- 
tion of a few popular signs, to which little 
or no additions have been made since the 
time of Virgil, we know almost nothing on 
the subject so universally interesting. A 
few farmers, shepherds, or sailors, in the 
course of a long life, have obtained, by a 
close observation of nature, some insight 
into the laws of the weather, And have ori- 
ginated these popular signs; but being un- 
lettered men, most of their knowledge has 
perished with them, so that each genera- 
tion has had to begin over again the acqui- 
sition of the necessary facts. It is only 
within the few last years that science has 
taken up the subject seriously. Even yet 
the paucity of data is so great, that only an 
approximation has been made to a true 
theory of the weather. 

One of the few thinors which may be re- 
garded as established, is that cold and warm 
seasons come in regularly recurring cycles. 
It was not until A. D. 1700, that the obser- 
vations began to be made on which this 
conclusion is founded ; and until A. D. 
1750 these were loosely conducted, the 
thermometer not coming into general use 
before. Noah Webster, LL. D., so long 
ago as A. D. 1792, published a series of 
tables on the weather, in which he gave 
the comparative temperature of each year 
for a century preceding. From these ta- 
bles it appears that there was a general 
tendency to extreme seasons from the sixth 
to the tenth year of every decade, and es- 
pecially every alternate* decade. Since 
that publication, more accurate observa- 
tions, extending over a large portion of the 
interval, have confirmed his opinion. The 
first five years of every decade have gene- 
rally had a mean temperature higher than 



T 11 ii b (J 1 11 ii K In r 1j a N T E R. 



273 



the last five years. Thus, from A. D. 1791 
to A. D. 1795 was a warm period ; and 
from A. D. 1796 to A. D. 1800 a cold one ; 
and so it was continued, in each decade, 
except that from A. D. 1806 to A. D. 1816, 
up to the present time. These tables also 
show that, from A. D. 1786 up to A. D. 
1830, the temperature was aradually rising, 
while Irom this last period it has been as 
gradually falling, thoujih in both epochs 
the fluctuations in the decades have regu- 
larly prevailed. 

Some writers attribute these changes to 
the spots on the sun, while others cont:o- 
vert the notion. The existence of these 
spots is thought to increase the mean heat 
of the summer, in our latitude, while it 
adds also to the severity of the winters On 
the other hand, the absence of such spots 
is said to make the seasons extreme, with- 
out seriously diiurbing the mean of the 
year. In both cases, the result is supposed 
to be produced by the influence of the 
sun's rays on terrestrial magnetism, and its 
consequent effect on the volume of the 
trade winds and the amount of mo.sture. 
This is the opinion of Mr Butler, an Amer- 
ican, one of the latest investigators of the 
laws of the weather. But it is not con- 
curred in by M. Schwabe, a distinguished 
European meteoroligist, who made accu- 
rate annual iuvesiigations, on this very sub- 
ject, from A. D. 1826 to A. D. 1850. It 
must be said, however, in favor of Mr. 
Butjer, that the magnetic action of this con- 
tinent is more iiiiense than that of Eurojie, 
and that, in consequence, efl^ects might be 
traced here which were not observable in 
the other hemisphere. Bui whatever may 
be the cause, the fact seems indisputable, 
that cold and hot periods of years follow 
each other according to a determinate law, 
which there is hope may yet be discovered, 
The experience of the present year, as 
compared with that of the five preceding 
ones, certainly favors the idea that we are 
entering on the colder half of the decade. 
As fully does the expeiience of the last 
twenty years favor the notion that the mean 
temperature is declining, and that we are 
now in a cold cyle, which, lo judge from 
the past may continue twenty or thirty 
years longer. — \_Mas>iochusetis Fm-mer. 

AMERICAN STAR PULVERIZER AND 

HARROW. 
Mr. S. D. Trar.y of Vernon, N. Y., has in- 
vented an agricultural implement which he de- 



nominates as above. The ohject of it is to tho- 
roughly pulverize lumpy soil, or greensward, 
after being ^'lowcd, by the action of -IG wheels 
in the shape of a star, that revolve as the ma- 
chine is drawn along, cutting the earth into fine 
particles, and mixing the soil in the most per- 
fect manner. The weight of a two horse ma- 
chine is much greater than that of a common 
harrow, while it does not require any more pow- 
er to propel it, than it does to draw a harrow. 
The cost for a double-team pulverizer will be 
about $25, and for one for a single horse §12 50. 
They will last till the cast iron wheels are worn 
out by ordinarj' use, and their liability to break 
by coming in contact with stones is very slight. 
As much ground can be pulverized in a day as 
a common harrow will pass over, and do the 
work much better. The inventor thinks that 
this machine will supercede the use of commoix 
harrows almost entirely. 



WM. W. JOHNSON'S FELLY CUTTING 
MACHINE. 




NEW MODE OF CUTTING WAGON FELLIES, EITHER BY 
HAND OR OTHER POWER. 

No machine for planing'' ont wngon fellies of diffe- 
rent sizes and radius has ever been constrncted to op- 
erate vviih such success as the one illustrated by the 
nljove enpravinfr. Mr. Johnson has just received the 
'excdusive right to his invention through the patent 
ujjency of Messrs. Fowler and Wells, New YorU. 
1 The difficulties heretofore experienced in regulatin<i 
' the radius of the curve of tlie felly, and at tiie same 
j time making the radius of the sweep of the plane to 
I correspond, are very ingeniously overcome. The 
I plane is also adjustable to the size and depth of tli 
t felly to which it is desired to cut, in a \ery perfei 
j manner. A is the bod-piece, which supports the work^ 
iug parts of the machine; B is a siaticuiary upright 
guiile-pin, upon which the hub turns which holds the 
rod, C, passing into and adjustable within the tube, D, 
I the tube D, being made fast to the plane, F, as re)) 
resented. The felly, I, is made fast to the felly-table, 
G, which is also made adjustable with ihe center pin, 
1 B, by means of the bar, J, sliding within a dove-tail 
'channel of the triangular frame attached to the heel- 
piece, G. A clutch upon the top of J holds it firmly 
: in place, except voluntarily moved and set by the grad- 
; uated bar, J — C being graduated, the tube, O, is also 
made adjustable as desired. 

Fellies for carriages are |daned very rapidly by this 
machine, and the work is of good quality. The plane 
may be moved by any power required; but the engra- 
ving represents a hand-plane. Most wagon makers 
will use this kind for ordinary work, as it may be 
iriore easily constructed. Further information may be 
obtained by addressine the inventor, at Clifford, Pa. 



274 



THE SOUTHEKN PLANTER. 



[For the Southern Planter.] 
SWEENEY. 
Rappahannock Co., 22 July, 1856. 
Mr. Rvffin : 

In the July number of the Planter, page 
204, I have read your remarks on swee- 
ney, and your quotations from Percival 
showing that the disease " is in the fool" 
and not in the shoulder. I cannot under- 
take to say that I know the disease is not 
in the foot, but I certainly believe, that in 
a case of sweeney the foot is not at all af- 
fected. In the last ten years I have had 
three or four cases of sweeney, and in 
every instance I could trace the disease to 
a strain or bruise on the shoulder — by 
having the collar too large and thereby 
pressing too far back on the shoulder, and 
fallowing land very hard and dry it is apt 
to give a young horse the sweeney — or by 
ploughing new ground that is full of roots 
and stumpy. 

The disease is easily cured in the fol- 



Take in the first place a small pinch of 
gun powder, and drop it down the pa- 
tient's throat — this will produce a moisture; 
then dip a straw into vermifuge and shove 
it in an inch or two down the wind pipe. 
The chicken will commence sneezing, 
and you will soon observe, a roll as it 
were, of very sniall red worms, which you 
may see, by having a towel or any thing 
in your lap. For this receipt, ladies, I 
charge nothing more than your faithful ex- 
periment — your good wishes and the very 
best chicken pie, that any can make at the 
next annual fair in Richmond. 
Yours, 
N. F. S. of Prince Edward. 



PRACTICAL HINTS ON PRESERVING 
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 



SELF-SEALING OR AIR TIGHT CANS. 

In our last issue we referred to the "self-seal- 
ing" cans, and stated that we had concluded to 
give them a trial the present year. Recently 
lowing manner: — Take up the skin of the we ha 1 a lengthy conversation with Mr. S., an 
horse (between the thumb and forefinger) i intelligent gentleman who had the time, means, 
at the top of the part of the shoulder that land inclination to give these cans a full trial 
is sunk, which will be from one to two ! last year. He states that for the sweeter varie- 

inches from the top of the withers and I ''«« "^ f ^''r;^^' f''-: P^'if '^'^^^"'-^ f""" ^y.'^f f'"."'*^ 
, ... ,' , . ,. . , I generally, they give the highest satisfaction; 

make an incision through the skin with a!-,^^t ^^j^jf ^^,,,^^-[^(1=^^^^ „ther ^'^.oj^gly ^^i^ (^o^r) 
sharp pen knife, there insert a goose quill [fruits they failed entirely, as the acids invaribly 
and blow up the skin, and with your hand | eat through the cans. Tomatoes keep beauti- 
press the wind along the part that is sunk fully without a case of failure, and this fruit 



to its lowest extremity--tbus filling the 
part that is sunk with air until it is at 
least even with the surrounding parts, and 
stick a piece of pitch over the incision, 
and a cure will be affected. I have never 
had to repeat the above operation but once, 
except in a case that I had this summer — 
I had 10 make a second incision and blow 
up as at first and poured in through the 
quill as much spirits of turpentine as the 
quill would hold, and the horse was well in 
three weeks, although at work all the time. 
It is better to rest the horse if you can, 
but not absolutely necessary. 
Respectfully, 

A SUBSCRIBER. 



preserved came out of the cans at different ^ 
periods, not only in an excellent state of pre- 
servation, but it tasted quite as good as that 
fresh picked from the vines. This superior 
flavor may be owing to their being eaten at a 
time when fresh fruit is not obtainable. Mr. S. 
says he har. not succeeded in preserving green 
corn, peas, beans, or other articles of this class. 
His experience is diiferent from that of some 
others, and thus far those we have conversed 
with appear to be about equally divided as to 
the utility of the tin Vessels, for either green 
vegetables or acid fruits — some having suc- 
ceeded with them, while others, with apparently 
an equal degree of skill and care have signally 
failed. We repeat the caution offered la«t 
month, to invaribly close every can perfectly 
with wax. The screw and India rublier collar 
may make a can nearly air-tight, hut these are 
not to be depended upon. Beeswax is quite as 
good as any compound preparation that can be 
made. 

OTHER METHODS OF PRESERVING. 

Everybody knows how to drt/ fruit, or at least 



GAPES IN CHICKENS. 

Ye ladies of Virginia liut especially of 
Prince Edward. 

I hasten to lay before you what I con 
T'^",.\ '"/^'n'^" '■^'Tiedy for that most hi^wlfe '(1068. Green corn is not dried as often 
dreadful of_ all diseases, common among as it should be. We have had all the present 
fowls, to wit : the gapes. I season a good supply of green peas, that were 



THE SOUTHERN PLAIVTER. 



275 



picked green in Germany last year, dried and; acted upon by any acid in the fruit. The wide 
brought in that condition to this country. We opening of the jars renders it easy to preserve 
have been unable to learn the method pursued the large fruits, such as peaches, in a whole 



there in drying them. Can any of our readers 
inform us? 

A method of drying peaches, apples, &c., not 
much in use, is to be commended. Let the.ii be 



state. The stone jars are quite cheap ; a dozen 
of superior quality cost us $1 50. 

There is a manifest advantage in the use of 
small jars over the larger sizes, for all kinds of 



pared and grated or mashed to a pulp, and then ; preserves, as the first cost of the former is Juut 
spread out on plates and dried into thin sheets, j a little greater, proportionally, while if those 
This is an excellent plan for " curing" tomatoes, ] holding one or two quarts are used, only that 
peaches, &e. The drying can be done in an : amount of fruit need be opened at any one 
oven kept at a low heat. It is better to add a I time. 

little sugar and cook them somewhat before dry-] We say then, those who can, may well pro- 
ing. We prefer the addition of a small quantity j vide themselves with some of the tin cans for 
of salt to tomatoes dried thus — not enough to j tomatoes and sweet fruits, getting jars for the 
affect the taste, but about as much as would; tart kinds; and all may easily procure small 
ordinarily be used in cooking them. I jars enough to supply themselves with the luxury 

Well ripened fruit will keep well in cans, or I of fresh fruits the year round. — American Agri- 
dried, without much cooking, but all unmatured cidiurist. 
articles should be cooked. The want of care 



in commencing the preserving process just at 
the time of maturity, is the source of much 
loss. It too ripe, fermentation commences and 
is likely to continue. 



FRUIT JARS. 



SELF-ACTING Egg HATCHING MACHINE- 
" J. Martin, Eng., Patentee. 
In this egg-hatcliing apparatus water is 
poured into one of certain cylinders or wa- 
ter vessels, and flows through hollow 
shelves beneath the egg trays, and into a 
One of the best things for putting down pre- cylinder on the opposite side. When the 
served truits cheaplv, is a well-c<»vered, icell' ■ ■,■ ■< i /• ii i r u* j 

^n„~.ri .t^„„„ „ • u 1 r e \ . ' cy inders are nearly luU, lamps are lighted 

glazed, stoneware jar, holding trom one to two i *' , , j ' i a 

quarts. We have several of these, of two I """^^"^'^^'^* 

quarts capacity, which we think the next best [ As the temperature of the water rises, 
thing to the self-sealing tin cans for any kind of | the air within a glass expands and depress- 
fruits, and better than the latter for acid fruits, es mercury contained williin a chamber ; 
They are seven to eight inches high, and five to ! this causes a float to rise, and act upon a 
SIX inches internal diameter They have a close ' i^,,^.. „♦♦ , 
cover 



SIX mcnes internal aiameter iney nave a close j ig^^r attached to a chain or wire of a valve 
nttinf; cover about lour inches in diameter, 



which sets down into them upon a flange or neck 
nearly an inch from the top. 

Whatever article is to be preserved is cooked 
in the usual manner of preparing it for the tin 
cans. The jar is then heated quite up to the 
temperature of boiling water, and the fruit boil- 
ing hot poured in, filling it just up to the bot- 
tom of the cover. The cover, which has previ- 
ously been prepared with a piece of cotton cloth 
dipped in melted wax and placed upon its under 
side and extending over the edge all round, is 
then placed upon the fruit and firmly pressed 
down. A layer of beeswax is then poured 
around the edge and over the top, and cooled 
by applying a cloth wrung out of cold water. 
As soon as the wax begins to harden, it is 
pressed down around the rim of the cover with 
the fingers, care being taken that the liquid 
that may have oozed out in pressing it down, 
does not prevent the perfect adhesion of the 
wax both to the cover and jar. Before the jar 
is entirely cold a little more melted wax is put 
upon th. most exposed parts. 

We do not claim that this process is as perfect 
as that adopted in the use of the screw-covered 
" air-tight" tin cans, but it has some advant- 
ages. The stone jars of good quality can 
usually be obtained where the tin cans are not 
accessible. The well-";lazod vessels are not 



Should the heat of the lamps cause the 
temperature to rise above 105° Fah., the 
float will be sufficiently elevated to act up- 
on the lever of the valve, and raise it from 
its seat ; this causes a quantity of cold wa- 
ter to flow down tlie pipe into the cylin- 
ders, which immediately reduces the tem- 
perature to the proper degree. — Scientific 
American. 



MANUFACTURE OF SOAP. 
Pure white soap is composed of fatty 
acid, an alkali, and water. In 100 parts of 
soap there are 63 of fi:tty acid, 6^ of alka- 
li, and 30| of water. The process of mak- 
ing hard soap is not so simple as that of 
soft soap. W.hite or curd soap is made of 
tlie finest tallow or suet only, and boiled to 
a thicker consis-lency than oiher soaps up- 
on a stronger alkaline lye, and before it is 
put into the frame to cool it requires crutch- 
ing. This consists in stirring it about in 
an intermediate vessel between the boiler 
and the cooling frame, to break and mix 
the curd. Nothing but the best materials 
are used for this soap. 



274 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



All our common brown soaps contain re- 
sin. Colophane or resin is soluble in a 
caustic alkali, hence its adaptability to in- 
crease the quantity of our common soaps. 
Its use is so common, and as it produces a 
lather with water it is not generally held 
to be an adulteration, still it does not pro- 
duce proper saponification. The quantity 
of fatty matter required to make a ton of 
perfect soap is 1,540 pounds. From eight 
to ten per cent, of this fatty acid is con- 
verted into glycerine, and owing to the 
limited use made of this substance it may 
be called waste. 

The most convenient and cheap alkali 
for manufacturing soap is sal soda- — the 
carbonate of soda manufactured from com- 
mon salt. ]t will not make soap by boiling 
it direct with grease, as it contains too 
much carbonic acid; it must be prepared 
for use by dissolving it in about five times 
its weight of water, then adding half its 
weight of fresh slacked lime. The carbo- 
nic acid leaves the soda, unites with the 
lime and forms chalk, which sinks to the 
bottom of the vessel. The clear liquor is 
caustic soda lye, fit to be boiled with tal- 
low, oil or fat, to make soap. In soap 
works, the soda lye is deprived of its car- 
bonic acid in vats prepared for the pur- 
pose ; but any person may make haid soap 
from seda lye by a very simple apparatus, 
viz : a wash tub, and a small tin or iron 
boiler. 

It is not our intention to give a full de- 
scription of the processes for manufactur- 
ing soaps, on a large scale; our "Notes" 
are general on points where information 
can easily be obtained, but particular re- 
specting some things that are not so well 
known. 

The most recent work published in our 
country on Soap and Soap Making is that 
of Campbell Morfitt, by Parry and McMil- 
lan, of Philadelphia — a good treatise. An- 
other w(rk, and a very excellent one also, 
is that of Kurten, being a translation from 
the German, published by Lindsay &. Hlak- 
iston, Philadelphia. Different soap ma- 
kers employ different methods of working; 
and we know one not many miles from New 
York City, who pursues the methods de- 
scribed in Dr. Ure's old Dictionary of Che- 
mistry, pyiblishc d in 1823. Soap making 
is not an art which has undergone much 
improvement for many years. Tallow, su- 
et, laid, oils, resin, fat from deceased ani- 



mals, and boiled bones, are the most com- 
mon materials emploj'ed in soap making. 
It has been proposed to make soap from 
cotton seed oil, and we have a sample of 
such soap in our possession ; Edward Conk- 
lin, ot Cincinnati, has made soap direct 
from the seed, and there are some pros- 
pects of his being successful in its manu- 
facture on a large scale. 

In England palm oil is now extensively 
employed for making soap; 40,000 tons of 
this substance is consumed annually for 
this purpose, and the consumption of it is 
increasing rapidly. It is obtained from 
Africa, and is an economical material. 
Fish oil and vegetable oils of every de- 
scription can make soap by being boiled 
with caustic alkali, and thickened, if re- 
quired, with salt. A grand discovery in 
the manufacture of hard soap would be the 
saving of the glycerine by combining it 
with the soap. 

Fancy Soap. — Those small cakes of per- 
fumed soaps used for the toilet can easily 
be manufactureil by dissolving common bar 
soap of any kind, and adding perfumed in- 
gredients and coloring matter — if the latter 
ai'e desired. The bar soap is cut up into 
thin slices placed with a small quantity of 
water in a pan over a fire, and is stirred 
until it is reduced into a paste. The per- 
fumes are then added, well stirred, and the 
soap run off into a flat frame or dish, and 
set in a cool place. In the course of three 
days it is fit to be cut into cakes and stamp- 
ed with any ornamental figure or name. 
In establishments for conducting the man- 
ufacture of these soaps, the heating is per- 
formed in a steam bath, and machinery and 
apparatus are employed for conducting the 
business with facility and economy. 

Almond Sonp. — This is perfumed with 2 
pounds of the otto of almonds added to 128 
pounds of dissolved bar soap. The heat 
should be as low as possible. 

Camphor Soap. — This is made by adding 
I5 pounds of otto of rosemary and the 
same amount of otto of camphor to 28 
pounds of dissolved bar soap. 

Brown Windsor Soap. — This soap has a 
distinguished reputation, and sells at retail 
for 25 cents per pound. It is made by add- 
ing half a pound each of otto of caraway, 
cloves, thyme, cassia and lavendar, to 168 
pounds dissolved bar soap. Its brown col- 
or is produced by roasted sugar — caramel. 

Perfumed soaps of endless variety can 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



^17 



be produced, accordins; to the perfumes 
employed to eive them their peculiar odor. 
Some of the fragrance, however, is always 
lost by adding the volatile perfumes warm ; 
therefore another method to produce scen- 
ted soaps is to add the odoriferous ingredi- 
ents cold. This is done by shaving bar 
soap in very thin slices, pounding them in 
a mortar with a very small quantity of cold 
soft water, adding the perfumes, and tritu- 
rating well with the pestle. When well 
triturated, the soap is taken out and press- 
ed into any desired form of cakes in moulds, 
and then set to dry in a cool place. 

A very fine fancy soap is thus made by 
adding to 6 lbs. of soap shavings, 8 ounces 
of oil of citron, half an ounce of verbena, 
4 oz. of the oil of bergamot, and 2 ounces 
of the oil of lemons. This is an expen- 
sive but excellent toilet soap. 

Transparent soap is made by dissolving 
pure tallow or oil soap in alcohol, th6n al- 
lowing it to dry in a warm situation. The 
soap is added to the alcohol in fine shav- 
ings, and after being dissolved it is formed 
into cakes or balls, as may be desired. 
Any kind of perfume may also be added to 
•transparent soaps in the alcohol. 

Medicated Soaps. — Septimius Piesse has 
stated that he made a series of experiments 
with soaps, by medicating them with sul- 
phur, iodine, bromine, creosote, &,c. These 
substances were added to the soap while 
cold. He believes they might be of ser- 
vice in the treatment of some diseases, 
but does not speak of their effects positive- 
ly. Sulphur combined with soap has been 
found very useful for skin diseases caused 
by insectoria. It is employed in the warm 
bath, and is found to be very effectual. — 
Scientific American. 



quired. Still, that wheat is sowed considerably 
thinner within the last few years, is certain. 
The quantity of seed used now may be stated 
to be from 4 to G pecks per acre, when dibbled ; 
from 6 to 8 pecks when drilled ; and from 8 to 
12 pecks when sown broadcast. It should be 
borne in mind that too little seed may be used 
as well as too much; the soundest economy is 
to use that quantity which produces the best 
crop in an average of years.^— OAio Valley Far- 
mer. 



Sowing Wheat Broadcast is almost an obso- 
lete practice in Ens;]and. It is only barely tol- 
erable when a good ley has been well ploughed 
and pressed, so that the grains fall almost entire- 
ly into the seams, and rests upon a solid and there- 
fore coni^enial bed. An important and almost 
insensible change has lately taken place in the 
quantity of wheat planted per acre. The nu- 
merous reasons for and against thick and thin 
sowing have been advocated often enough to be 
very well known. It should be remembered, 
however, that the time and mode of sowing the 
wheat, the crf>p that preceded it, the kind and 
quality of wheat used, the natural fertility or 
poverty of the soil, its tenacity and aspect, and 
the artificial power given it, all exercise an im- 
portant influence upon the quantity of seed re- 




THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 

RICHMOND, SEPTEMBER, 1856. 



TERMS. 

One Dollar and Twenty-five Cents per annum 
or One Dollar only if paid in advance. Six copies 
for Five Dollars; Thirteen copies forTEN Dollars — 
to be paid invariably in advance. 

No subscription received for a less time than one year. 

Subscriptions may begin with any Number, but it is 
desirable that they should be made to the end of a vol- 
ume. 

5;^°" Subscribers who do not give express notice to 
the contrary on or before the expiration of their yearly 
Subscription, will be considered as wishing to continue 
the same ; and the paper will be sent accordingly. 

|^° No paper will he discontinued until all arreara- 
ges are paid, except at our option- 

1;^° Su.icribersare requested to rejnit the amount af 
their Subscription as soon as the same shall become 
due. 

If Subscribers neglect or refuse to take their papers 
from the Office or place to which they are sent, they 
will be held responsible until they settle their account 
and give notice to discontinue. 

JTJ^ If Subscribers remove, change their offices, or 
permit their paper to be sent to an office that has been 
discontinued, without directing a change of their paper, 
and the paper is sent to the former direction, they will 
be held responsible. 

All Payments to the Southern Planter will be ac- 
knowledged in the first paper issued after the same shall 
have been received. 

E^° All money remitted to us will be considered at 
our risk only when the letter containing the same shall 
have been legistered. 

f^° It is indispensably necessary that subscribers 
remitting their Subscription, should name the Office to 



278 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



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BILIOUS FEVER IN COWS. 

We are sometimes applied to for a remedy for 
this disease. Not the murrain or distemper, 
and not infectious, but sure to attack cattle 
brought from the mountains or any lower point 
in Piedmont to tide water ; and very apt to at- 
tend a removal from any of the lower tier of 
Piedmont counties to a still lower locality in the 
same district. 

A friend in Amelia, who suffered greatly from 
this disease, which in fact attacked his cattle, 
raised upon his own premises, has obtained a 
preventive which he thinks infallible, and com- 
mends through us to the public. 

It is simply to keep a mixture of salt, saltpe- 
tre and sulphur ahoays accessible to the stock in 
a trough, which is well tarred, and kept so. The 
mixture is to be in the proportion of one gallon 
of salt to a tumbler of sulphur and a tumbler 
of saltpetre. 

So confident is our friend of his remedy, that 
he offered if we would buy a cow from Albe- 
marle, at any season, to pay for her if she died, 
provided we kept her supplied with his preven- 
tive. 

As September is the worst month for the dis- 
ease, it is now just the time to try it. 

Possibly it ijiight be well to commence with a 
smaller proportion of sulphur and saltpetre at 
first, until the cattle shall become accustomed to 
those ingredients. 



iJiJii bOU i'iiEjtlN PLANTER. 



279 



If this remedy is successful, we shall call this 
brief editorial the best essay that has been writ- 
ten on one branch of cattle distemper. 

A WRINKLE ABOUT THE AGE OF 
HORSES. 

A few days ago we met a gentleman from Al- 
abama, who gave us a piece of information in 
regard to ascertaining the age of a horse, after 
he or she has passed the ninth year, which was 
new to us, and will be, we are sure, to most of 
our i-eaders. It is this : after the horse is nine 
years old, a wrinkle comes on the eyelid at the 
upper corner of the lower lid, and every year 
thereafter he has one well defined wrinkle for 
each year of his age over nine. If, for instance, 
a horse has three wrinkles, he is twelve ; if four, 
he is thirteen. Add the number of wrinkles to 
nine, and you will always get it. So says the 
gentleman ; and he is confident it will never 
fail. As a good many people have horses over 
nine, it is easily tried. If true the horse den- 
tist must give up his trade. 

We believe the best judges have a rule, which 
they rely on as infallible to the age of fourteen. 
The horse has six incisors, " nippers" as they 
are commonly called — the front teeth. They 
have each a dent in them just like the dent in 
gourd seed corn, and are hence called gourd 
seed. At four years old, the front pair at bot- 
tom lose the gourd seed, become smooth ; at six 
the next two — one on each side ; at eight, the 
next pair, which completes the bottom sett. At 
ten, the front upper pair becomes smooth ; at 
twelve, the next pair ; at fourteen the last pair. 
After this the " wrinkle" may come into play. 

Another indication upon which we are told 
the late Wm. R. Johnson relied, to ascertain the 
age of the horse, was an inspection of the ter- 
mination of the lachrymal duct, which opens 
into the septum, or cartilaginous division of the 
nose on each side, an inch or two above the nos- 
tril. Any one on examination will easily find 
these orifices ; but it requires a good deal of prac- 
tice and a nice eye to apply this test. It is said 

that it enlarges with the a.ge of the animal. 
« • • • I 

SEYMOUR'S BROADCASTER AND DRILL- 
ING MACHINES. 

It will be seen in our advertising columns, 
that Thos. Branch & Sons, of Petersburg, have 
for sale these very valuable agricultural imple- 
ments, as have also Messrs. Baldwin & Card- 
well of this city. 



We have tried both the Broadcaster and Drill 
and have recommended them repeatedly. It is 
unnecessary therefore to say more about them 
now than this : We are frequently asked if the 
Broadcaster will sow guano? We have stated pub- 
licly, and do so again, that it will not sow damp 
guano, and that no machine will. The jaws of 
the broadcaster will choke and rust, and so will 
the iron on the manure rod. If they are kept 
clean of rust, it rcdl sow damp guano provided 

it is WELL PULVERIZED. 

There i^ a machine for sowing guano, which 
ig said to pulverize and distribute it perfectly. 
We have heard of one sold by Montgomery & 
Brother, of Baltimore, makers of the wheat-fan. 
But they are not the owners or inventors of the 
machine. We made an effort to get one and try 
it, but the agent would not warrant it, and we 
declined the purchase. The price is §80, and 
the man who makes a machine of that cost for 
that purpose, and will not warrant it until it be- 
comes established, does not deserve to be en- 
couraged. 



LIME AS A PREVENTIVE OF SMUT IN 
WHEAT. 

A very excellent farmer told us, a few days 
ago, that water-slaked lime — two bushels to 
every hundred bushels of wheat — would prevent 
smut from appearing in wheat. It is to be dust- 
ed over the bulk, a small quantity at a time, and 
thoroughly incorporated with the bulk. It de- 
stroys the smut and also keeps off the weevil. 
If necessary, the Wheat may be run through the 
fan to cleanse it of lime when sowed. If sown 
by machinery, either drill or broadcast, as all 
wheat ought to be, there will, be no occasion to 
fan it. 

As it is reported to us by one good farmer, re- 
commended by another, and approved, as we see 
in a late number of the Southern Farmer, by 
the practice of Mr. Batte of Prince George, also 
we believe a good farmer, we commend it to 
the use of those who may apprehend rust in 
their wheat another year. 



AGRICULTURAL AND COMMERCIAL 
REVIEW. 

The wheat harvest has now been completed 
throughout the United States, and at last ac- 
counts, was progressing in Great Britain and 
the Continent with a continuation of very fa- 
vorable weather, and encouraging prospects of 



280 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



a full average yield — in the British isles at least. 
The auspicious change of the weather almost 
produced a panic in the British markets and 
prices declined considerably, but subsequently 
there was a reaction, and a portion of the de- 
cline was recovered. It seems to be conceded 
by those conversant with the grain-trade, that 
prices will not materially decline the present 
season. The consumption of breadstuffs will be 
largely increased everywhere under the lienign 
influences of a general peace, and its concomi- 
tant, prosperity ; the stocks of last years' wheat 
are nearly exhausted, before the new crop is 
garnered ; and, after a general survey, taking 
into consideration the serious losses resulting 
from the inundations in France and elsewhere, 
the conclusion is arrived at, that Europe will 
again require .heavy supplies from this side of 
the Atlantic- The exports for the comtnercial 
year, ending 31st inst., will not reach 30,000,000 
bushels, and we may safely rely for a demand 
the ensuing year equal to 25,000,000 bushels, to 
be supplied from a crop certainly not larger than 
the preceding one. If these inferences are cor- 
rect, it is very improbable that prices will de- 
scend to the levelwhich has been anticipated by 
some. 

The deliveries of wheat into Richmond, since 
1st July, have been largely in advance of those 
for the corresponding period of last year, and 
have tended in no small degree to the depression 
of the qiarket. Prices, however, have succum- 
bed no great deal, and at present writing, the 
range for the best qualities is $1 50 @ $1 60 — 
only 20 cents below the fancy opening price. 

The prospects of the corn crop were consider- 
ably brightened in the early part of August by 
copious rains, in all parts of the State, but the 
relief came too late for the forward corn, and 
we think that prices will rule relatively higher 
than for wlieat during the season. It is worth 
75 @ 80 cents per bushel in our market, at 
present. 

Tobacco ci'iitinues to cummand fine prices: 
The accduiits from the West, in regard to the 
growing crop are very gloomy, and if verified 
will maintiiiii the present range of prices. 

Groceries are generally unchanged. Bacon 
has been fluctuating during the month, and the 
market clones rather heavily at 11| @ 12 cents 
for sides, nud lOJ @ lOf for shoulders — whole- 
sale. 



A CARD. 

The time is at hand when members of the 
Virginia State Agricultural Society who design 
to assist in the inauguration of the representa- 
tive principle in the government of the society 
should commence action. The new constitution 
provides, that the voters of each County, City 
and Town, shall be called together by proper 
public notice, to meet on the days of their res- 
pective County or Corporation Courts, in Sep- 
tember or October, in each year, and at such 
hour and place as may be prescribid by the Ex- 
ecutive Committee; and shall elect for each Dis- 
trict by plurality of votes cast, for every fifty 
[the first fifty] members of the society therein, 
one Representative to the Farmers Assembly, 
and for every additional hundred numbers an 
additional Representative. The prescribed no- 
tice for calling the voters together has been 
given ; the days of election in each of the seve- 
ral Districts have been designated ; the commis- 
sioners to conduct the elections have been ap- 
pointed ; and all the instructions deemed neces- 
sary for the intelligent and proper discharge of 
their duties, have been furnished. It only re- 
mains now for the voters in the several districts 
to see to it, that this new feature, rendered by 
the unparalleled growth of the society, indis- 
pensably necessary to enable it to deliberate and 
act in an orderly and proper manner on matters 
of business, does not fail of its introduction by 
reason of their apathy or neglect. Let them at 
once, call out their ablest and best men as can- 
didates for the post of representative, than which 
none more honorable could be assigned them, , 
and let them be supported with a unanimity 
and generous confidence, commensurate with 
the dignity and importance of the trust, and we 
shall assuredly witness in the assemblage of the 
elected representatives of the Farmers of the 
State, a sample of the moral worth, intelligence 
and dignity of her sons, which more than all 
her varied and vast resources of wealth and 
power constitute the chief element of her great- 
ness and the crowning glory of Virginia. 
CH. B. WILLIAMS, 
Sec. Va. State Ag'l Society. 



Editors throughout the State, who are friend- 
ly to the object of the above card, are respect- 
fully requested to copy it into their papers. 

ON THE VALUE OF CERTAIN HIGH 
PRICED FERTILIZERS. 

From an excellent article on the above sub- 
ject, by Prof. S. W. Johnson, of Yale College, 
published in the Homestead, we extract the fol- 
lowing portion, regretting that we have not 
room for the whole. 

In the part omitted is his statement where an 
analysis of a single specimen of Guano or Su- 
per Phosphate cannot be made for less than ten 
dollars. As our friends, Drs. Powell and Dove, 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



281 



get only twenty cents per ton, it is clear either 
that they analyze only one specimen out of one 
million pounds, which is not to be supposed as 
that would not be fair, or that they analyze im- 
perfectly, which is an imputation on their "sci- 
ence," or that they lose $9 20 on each analysis, 
which is a sacrifice they cannot submit to, or 
that they have a secret mode of analysis un- 
known tO'the rest of the scientific world. If it 
be this latter we will gladly make the Planter 
the medium of publishing so valuable a discov- 
ery, and of introducing our friends as public 
benefactors. 

At the same time we tender Dr. Powell our 
columns to explain how the noted Chiliax 
GtTAXO came to be endorsed to Messrs. Shields 
& Somerville as No. 1 ; and how the Mexican 
Guano which he analyzed for Crenshaw & Bro., 
which was erroneously marked first rate by the 
Baltimore Inspector, came to have the same 
mark put upon it here. We suppose by this he 
has had time to " look at his papers." 

1st. What substances are to be regarded as 
important in costly manures ? All the kinds 
of matter found in the plant are of course es- 
sential to its growth, and are all usefully ap- 
plied to the soil in some cases, and generally 
speaking valuable for the soil in proportion as 
they are deficient in it. Scientifically speaking 
we cannot say that ammonia or phosphoric acid 
is more valuable to any plant than potash or 
lime is. All are indispensable, and as plant's 
food are equally valuable. Commercially 
viewed, however, their worth is very various, 
depending on their worth and demand for them, 
for other than agricultural purposes. In my 
humble opinion there are at most but three in- 
gredients that deserve to be taken into account 
in estimating the value of any manufactured or 
imported fertilizer now in market which is sold 
as high or higher than one cent per pound. 
These are phosphoric acid, ammonia and potash. 
Everything else that has a fertilizing value can 
be cheaply obtained under proper name. If I 
want soda or chlorine, I buy common salt, an 
article whose purity I can judge by mere inspec- 
tion; if I want sulphuric acid, gypsum supplies 
me, and so on. I incline to believe that potash 
• too may well be left out of the account, because 
it is not generally deficient in soils, and there- 
fore farmers generally cannot Ije expected to 
pay for it, and again it is usually present in 
very small quantities in concentrated fertilizers. 
The best guanos contains but one to 3 per cent 
of potash, and the inferior washed sorts usually 
less. Superphosphates, i. e. bones or mineral 
phosphate treated with sulphuric acid, cannot if 
genuine be supposed to contain any potash of 
consequence. In other fertilizers it is not to be 
looked for, because potash in a nearly pure state 



or even as raw material, wood-ashes, has a high- 
er commercial value for technical than for agri- 
cultural purposes. 

With ammonia and phosphoric acid the case 
is difi'erent. For them there is comparatively 
little demand except for agricultural use; be- 
sides they produce in the aggregate vastly 
greater good results as fertilizers than any 
other bodies, showing they are more generally 
deficient in the soil, and finally they are scarce 
and costly. 

Commercially regarded, ammonia is the most- 
ly costly fertilizer, next comes potash and then 
phosphoric acid. Agriculturally considered, 
ammonia is generally the most valuable, phos- 
phoric acid next, and potash last. 

Ammonia is worth about sixteen cents per 
pound. Its cheapest source at present is No. 1 
Peruvian guano. A specimen I have lately ex- 
amined contains six per cent of ready formed 
ammonia, and animal substances which, by de- 
cay readily yield nine per cent more, making a 
total of fifteen per cent. Taking guano at its 
present price of fifty-four dollars per ton, of two 
thousand pounds, one hundred pounds costs two 
dollars and seventy cents. If we admit that 
ammonia concentrates its whole value, then 
$2.70 divided by 15 gives us 18 cents as the- 
value of one pound of ammonia. If we allow 
the 15 per cent of phosphoric acid existing in 
this guano to come in to the estimate at two 
cents per pound, then we reduce the value of the 
ammonia to sixteen cents, (15 pounds phospho- 
ric acid at 2 cents equals 30 cents, which sub- 
stracted from $2.70 leave $2.40, this divided by 
15 gives the quotient.) In Sulphate of ammo- 
nia at 5]- cents per pound, or Chili Saltpetre at 
5 cents, the ammonia costs about 27 cents a 
pound. Oil-cake is the only other commercial 
fertilizer readily yielding ammonia and in it the 
cost is I believe also about 25 cents per pound. 
In Germany it is very cheap and largely used 
as manure, especially the colza, or rape-cake 
which on account of its unpleasant taste is not 
suited for feeding. In unburnt or unboiled 
bones we have nitrogen sufiicient to yield from 
four to six per cent of ammonia, but it decays 
very slowly unless they are steamed or com- 
posted, and this fact should reduce its value 
somewhat. The estimate given by Stockhardt 
reduced to the standard adopted here for actual 
or ready formed ammonia is 13 cents per pound. 
It is most convenient to speak of the nitrogen 
which exists in undecayed animal substances 
as ammonia because it passes into that body on 
decay. It is customary to designate it as poten- 
tial in distinction from ready-formed or actual 
ammonia. 

The value of potash is difficult to estimate 
because it may vary exceedingly according to 
circumstances. Wood ashes are its chief sources ; 
these are poor or rich in potash according to the 
kind of tree that yields them, and the soil on 
which it has grown. It may vary from 5 to 20 
per cent. Stockhardt, who estimates the value 



282 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



of ammonia at 19 cents, makes potash worth 

4 cents per pound ; the price of pot-ashes can- 
not serve as a guide for they are never used for 
agricultural purposes. Four cents is certainly 
high enough for this country if it is correct for 
Germany. 

Phosphoric acid is reckoned by Stockhardt at 
2 cents per lb., and I have used this estimate in 
allowing for the phosphoric acid in guano. 
Crushed bones sell at $1.00 per 100 pounds and 
less. When they are fresh they contain about 

5 per cent of potential ammonia, and 25 per 
cent of phosphoric acid, reckoning the former at 
13 cents per pound, we account of 65 cents, 
leaving 35 cents as the value of 25 pounds of 
phosphoric acid. This gives a value of 1^ cents. 
When we consider the quantities of refuse phos- 
phoric acid in the used up bone-black of the su- 
gar refineries, and the cheaper price of boiled 
bones, we shall do injustice to the farmer rather 
than to the manufacturer, when we assume IJ 
cents, as the value of acid per pound. The 
above refers to phosphoric acid when saturated 
with lime or magnesia and thus insoluble in 
water. Soluble phosphoric acid is of much 
greater value, from its greater rapidity of ac- 
tion. To convert 25 pounds of insoluble phos- 
phoric acid, (bone earth phosphate,) into inso- 
luble phosphoric acid, (super-phosphate,) re- 
quires 30 pounds of oil of vitriol ; which at 2* 
cents per pound, would make 25 pounds of so- 
luble phosphoric acid, worth 25 to 60 cents, say 
$1, or 4 cents per pound, cost of preparation in- 
cluded. 

Prof. Hay in a paper on Super-phosphate of 
Lime in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural 
Society of England, vol. XII, 1851, rated phos- 
phoric acid in the state of insoluble phosphate 
of lime at 3 cents per pound, and super-phos- 
phate at 8^ cents, or double the prices I have 
been led to adopt. He calculated the latter 
hovrever from the selling price of a commercial 
super-phosphate, which is obviously no criterion 
for the farmer. 

It is plain that it is no easy matter to estimate 
the matter the value of a manure, since so many 
things influence our decisions, and I do not for a 
moment suppose that the prices these calcula- 
tions have led me to, are strictly correct, but 
they doubtless are not very far from the truth 
and at all events may serve us in comparing the 
different fertilizers whose composition will be 
made known in future numbers of the Home- 
stead. 

It is the duty of farmers tliemselves to insti- 
tute such inquiries as may enable them to de- 
cide how much they can afford to pay per pound 
for these substances. This, it strikes me, is 
legitimate business for a State Agricultural 
Society. 

Yale Analytical Laboratory, ) 
May 20th, 1856. J 

* Note. — Sulphoric acid cannot be obtained 
in Richmond at that price. 



THE BEST PLOUGH. 

Some time since we notified the class of in- 
venters that a premium of twenty-five dollars 
would be offered for a plough to clean out water 
furrows and grade off their sides. In that pa- 
per we gave specifications of what the implement 
would be required to accomplish. It will prove 
exceedingly valuable to all who till stiff clay lands 
that require bedding, and, we think, will find a 
ready sale at a moderate price, if it comes up to 
the specifications. 

As an aid to such as may be inclined to com- 
pete for this premium, we publish the following 
account of such an implement, which we have 
recently found in the third volume of British 
Husbandry, p. 131. 

In addition to the common plough, Mr. Stick- 
ney possesses a most valuable one for the pur- 
pose of clearing out the furrows between the 
ridges, after the wheat crop has been sown and 
harrowed in ; or, indeed, at any other period, 
when it is necessrry to have the land as dry as 
possible. The manner in which he procured 
this Implement shall be given in his own words. 
" I saw an account in an agricultural publica- 
tion of a millwright going to visit a farmer.* 
The farmer complained to him of the difiiculty 
he had long experienced, in his strong and re- 
tentive soils, of clearing out his furrows be- 
tween one land and another, of the clods and 
the crumbs of soil which fell back again after 
the operation of the common plough, and there- 
by obstructed the proper discharge of the wa- 
ter from his land. This statement excited my 
attention, for I had long experienced the same 
difficulty. The millwright requested the farmer 
to take a spade, and put a portion of the furrow 
exactly in the position he would wish the whole 
to be in ; he did so — and the millwright soon 
produced an implement which performed the 
operation in a very expeditious and complete 
manner. I stated this circumstance to the Hol- 
derness Agricultural Society, one object of 
which is to introduce implements or machinery 
from a distance, of which we may have a good 
character, but which are unknown in oih- own 
neighbourhood. It was ordered by the society, 
tried by the members, and found to answer the 
character given of it ; and it is now in the hands 
of many farmers in the Holderness district. I 
would not be without it for many times its cost, 
and I consider it to have greatly benefited my 
farm." This implement, called by Mr. Stick- 
ney, the "boat-plough," is not over-rated in 
value. It is so admirably constructed as to 
leave the land exactly in the form in which a 

* Farmer's Magazine, vol. vi, p. 200, contains 
the history of this plough, which was invented 
by the ingenious Mr. Gladstone of Castle Doug- 
las, N. B. 



Ibei 

form, 

Tt 

eiitt 

vjiioi 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



283 



good farmer would wish it to be laid ; making a 
clear and distinct drain, with the smallest'pos- 
sible loss of land. It is drawn by two horses in 
line, both walking in the furrow. It is difficult 
to describe, because wc have no other plough 
which bears the smallest resemblance to it ; its 
form is that of a small boat cut off from gun- 
wale to keel, six feet distance from the head. 
It is partly decked in the front. The keel, shod 
with iron, is five feet in length ; and the extreme 
width of the planking is three feet eight inches, 
though the top is contracted to five feet two 
inches. The height of the side is two feet two 
inches, having a curve of three inches with its 
concavity outwards. The hales and beam re- 
semble those of a common plough, the former 
are six feet ten inches, and the latter seven feet 
ten inches in length. Farmers, not within eco- 
nomical reach of the inventor, might procure 
the implement from " Mr. William Stamford, 
millwright. Burton Pidsea, near Hedon," who 
has made them for Mr. Stickney and others; 
the price is supposed to be about Bl. 10s. deliv- 
ered at Hull ; and it should be accompanied by 
the simple sledge which Mr. Stickney uses for 
removing it from one field to another. This 
plough has been particularly noticed, because 
the reportei: is of opinion that it is valuable and 
but little known ; and that if its merits were 
understood it would soon be used in all the clay 
districts in the kingdom. Mr. Stickney has had 
a similar one made upon a larger scale, to which 
he attaches four horses, for the purpose of form- 
ing the surface-drains ("grips") across the 
ridges, which it effects in the same excellent 
manner and to a very considerable depth. A 
man follows with a tool, fur the purpose of 
spreading the mold raised on the sides equally 
over the land. 



EXPERIxMENT ON THE ELEMENTARY 
PRINCIPLES OF MANURE AS APPLIED 
TO THE GROWTH OF WHEAT. 

Such is the title of the last contribution to 
agricultural knowledge from the pen of the 
late Philip Pusey, editor of the Journal of 
Royal Ag. Society, Eng. In addition to the 
inherent value of the facts reported, and of 
the inferences deducible therefrom, some- 
what of a melancholy interest will be felt 
by some in perusing this report, on ac- 
count of its being the last communication 
to his agricultural brethren by one who 
held such a high place in the esteem of 
the public. 

In this brief article we shall submit to 
our readers all the more important items of 
the original report, in a much condensed 
form. 

The experiment was made on a field of 
eight acres, set apart from common culti- 
vation for the purpose of accurate experi- 



ment. The soil was of no great depth' 
resting upon marble rock, and was ex- 
hausted by five previous crops of grain 
grown in succession to an extent as to 
be an accurate test of artificial manures. 
Mr. PuSET thought that the most interest- 
ing use that could be made of it might 
consist in the separate application of those 
elements which are supposed to constitute 
conjointly the efficacy of farm-yard ma- 
nure, and separately to act as fertilizers of 
the soil. 

These elements, according to the received 
theory of agricultural science, may be com- 
prised under four heads : 1. Nitrogenous 
substances; 2. Phosphorous; 3. Alkalis 
and principally Potash; and 4, That which 
constitutes the bulk of farm-yard manure, 
the strawy matter, or, in chemical lan- 
guage, carbon. 

The nitrogenous matter employed was 
nitrate of soda, which has been proved to 
be tantamount to ammonia <br agricultural 
purposes. 

The experiment was made by drilling 
separately superphosphate and peat-char- 
coal with wheat in the autumn, and top- 
dressing a portion of each lot in the spring 
with the nitrate of soda. The fourth ele- 
ment, potash, was also applied in the 
spring. 

The question of the efficacy of the su- 
perphosphate on wheat, seemed to be es- 
pecially interesting because of its vigorous 
efficacy when applied singly to the growth 
of turnips. 

The result of the trial is given in the 
following table : 



Quantity of Manure per 
Acre. 



4 cwt. of Superphosphate, 
6 cwt. of Peat-charcoal, 
No application, 



Bushels of 
Wheat per 
Acre. 



7 

H 

7i 



Ditto wiih a top 
dressing of 170 
Ihs. of Nitrate 
per Acre. 



19J 

18 

19 3-10 



From the result of this experiment Mr. 
P. thought it evident that the superphos- 
phate, though all important for roots, had 
done nothing for the wheat, even on such 
very poor and exhausted soil, on which the 
efficacy of concentrated fertilizers is most 
easily discernible. The charcoal would ap- 
jjcar in the first column to have done some- 
thing, but as that result was not confirmed 
by the combined trial, the difference was 
very probably accidental. 

The fourth element, potash, was tried 
by top-dressing an acre of wheat with 1 



284 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



cwt. of pearl-ash ; but it was evidentlv inop- 
erative on ihe crop. So much so that sep- 
arate thrashing was deemed unnecessary. 
As far, then, as we can rely on this ex- 
periment, carefully made with soil duly 
prepared by previous exhaustion, it testi- 
fies, as Mr. P. remarks, that the only ele- 
ment of farm-yard manure required by wheat 
is nitrogen, as contained either in nitric 
acid or in ammonia. If this be true in an 
exhausted soil, where the plant can only 
find its other elements in the soil as it 
gradually crumbles down, or in the atmos- 
phere, it must be still more true in practi- 
cal farming, where they will be supplied 
ordinarily by manures applied to the other 
crops of each course. 

As to one element of farm-yard manure — 
the woody or carbonaceous matter — the 
experiment is not conclu'sive, because, as 
remarked by Mr. P., though carbon applied 
as charcoal did not operate on wheat, the 
woody or strawy carbonaceous matter con- 
tained in ordinary manure, being more ea- 
sily decomposed, might be operative. 

In this experiment the produce is very 
low. This was owing to the gradual im- 
poverishment of a naturally poor soil by a 
succession of grain crops, aided by the 
cutting winds of a harsh spring, which had 
almost blown the plants out of the soil, 
and rendered them almost invisible in May. 
In a more sheltered part of the same field 
the result was much better. 

The negative results of this experiment 
go so far to prove the inefiiciency of certain 
chemical elements of manure on the growth 
of the wheat-plant. Its positive result 
goes to prove the benefit of nitrogenous 
applications, and of top-dressing as one 
mode of applying such substances. Top- 
dressing is, probably, deserving of more 
frequent trials in ordinary practice. — Coun- 
try Gentleman. 

THE PREMIUM LIST OF THE STATE AG- 
RICULTURAL FAIR OF SOUTH CARO- 
LINA. 

The State Fair, as will be seen by re- 
peated notices published, will lake place in 
this city on the 11th day of November, 
and four days following. The Premium 
List, which we publish in condensed type 
in this number, will be found as compre- 
hensive as that of any other institution of 
the kind in the Southern States. The Ex- 
ecutive Committee had hoped that but Tew 
objects of interest had been omitted in this 



ist ; but they do not flatter themselves 
that' it is as complete and perfect in every 
particular as it should be. In token of this 
consideration, they beg all those who have 
animals and articles, of superior value, to 
present them at the Fair, and they may 
come under the general head of meritori- 
otis entries, entitled to special notice and 
reward. If a liberal and generous spirit 
of rivalry, is thus manifested, it will enable 
the Committee the more readily to perceive 
what they have omitted, and the experi- 
ence which they will glean will be practi- 
cally useful to them in the future. Our 
friends who have articles not specially enu- 
merated in the prize list, must reflect that 
we are not all perfect, and that the Com- 
mittee are novices in this matter, and only 
hope to be thoroughly versed in their voca- 
tion when there is nothing more that is 
new to be offered in competition. Let any 
one in South Carolina and the adjacent 
States who has anything worth presenting 
do so. Sta,te pride should induce our own 
people to do so, and a laudable emulation 
to excel should prompt our neighbors to 
enter the field where the prizes are of no 
contemptible order. Let the studs of the 
South make our Fair Grounds a second 
Olyinpia. Let lowing herds and bleating 
flocks testify that our people have still 
some pastoral tastes obtaining amongst 
them. Let the golden harvests of our grain 
fields and the fleecy staples of our com- 
mercial vitality evidence that our agricul- 
tural energy is effective and elevating in 
its influence, and tending to a prosperity 
in the future, which will scatter abundance 
over the land. Let the handiwork of the 
mechanic testify that labor and mind must 
toil together. The manufactured products 
of our busy spindles ; the ponderous cast- 
ings of the sons of Tubal Cain ; the life- 
throbbing engine, will all find room for a 
fair comparison, test and trial. 

We look with much interest to the La- 
dies of the State, and hope they will fill up 
the extensive Hall and Galleries, which 
will be in readiness to receive the tasty 
products of their skill and handiwork. Let 
all enter the lists with the proper kind of 
rivalry, and we will venture a prediction 
that the first Fair of " The State Agricul- 
tural Society"' will be a success, and the 
precursor of many successively brilliant 
and improving to all the interests of the 
South. — Columbia, S. C, .Agriculturist. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



285 



From the Rural Amtricaii. 

GOOD AND BAD PLASTERLNG. 
Mr. Editor: — A rainy day, and one of 
the delays incident to Western travelling, 
give me an opportunity to write a few line:? 
for publication. It was my good fortune 
to meet with a copy of your excellent pa- 
per here ; and as it abounded in timely 
hints on various subjects, I thought I would 
forward to you a lew notions of my own 
on plastering. Don't think, sir, that I am 
joking with you, and am bent on plaster- 
ing anybody with praises they don't de- 
serve. I wish to speak of bona fide plas- 
tering, with morlar made of gond sand and 
lime, and perhaps a little hair, for sake of 
consistency. 

Why, Sir, let me ask, is it that we have 
such poor plastering now-a-days through- 
out the country ? With whom does the 
fault lie ? From my own observation — and 
that has been extensive — I think that me- 
chanics, especially in the country, pui on 
their lath too closely together. Their ob- 
ject, I suppose, is to save material ; for a 
very thin coat of mortar serves to cover 
such lathing. 

Now, as an honest mechanic myself, I 
protest against such work, and for the fol- 
lowing reasons : 

1. When laths are nailed very close to- 
gether — and I have often seen them only 
an eighth of an incli apart — there is no room 
left for the mortar to ibrm a chinch. 

2. What little clinch is formed, is in 
most cases destroyed by the swelling of 
the lathe caused by the dampness of the 
mortar, which cuts the clinch off. And 
then, when the walls become dry, the lath 
shrinks and the clinch is consequently bro- 
ken, and the wall is more or less cracked. 

Now what is the remedy for all this? I 
will venture a few suggestions : First, get 
good 1^ inch, or 1^ inch sawed lath, about 
one-fourth of an inch thick, nailed on with 
fine three-penny Fall River lath nails, put 
on about three-eighlhs to one-fourth of an 
inch apart, or so that you can put the end 
of your forefinger between each lath. Then 
takfe one part of fresh lump lime to two 
parts of clean, sharp sand, and a sufficient 
quantity o/ long cattle's hair; let them be 
well mixed and slaked, and then xoveryour 
lath with one good coat of the above, well 
crowded in ; then scratch or broom the 
same, and let it get tlioroughly dry. Af- 
terwards, take one part of fresh lump lime 



to three parts of clean, sharp sand, wilh 
suitable portion of short cattle's hair mixed, 
for a second coat. Lay this on straight 
and smooth, and properly hand-plastered. 
When nearly dry, take a little slaked lime 
and trowel your walls down smooth. They 
will then be ready for whitewashing and 
papering. They will remain firm and 
smooth for many years. 

I advise all TUrnl Americans and city 
Americans likewise, to try this plan, and I 
know they will approve of it. The universal 
Yankee nation in some things is altogeth- 
er too fast; and not the least so, in build- 
ing its walls. At another time I may say 
something about laying foundations; but 
just now, I speak of walls. Let them be 
built slowly, honestly, and firmly ; they will 
then bear examination, and they will last. 
But, drop])ing all figure, let me close by in- 
sisting that laths should be put on wide 
enough to ensure a good clinch, and that 
the mortar be put on as I have said. Of 
two evils, give me wide lathing and poor 
mortar, rather than good mortar and close 
lathing. Yours, Respectfully, 

Geo. R. Jaques. 

St. Joseph, Mich., June. 1856. 



PORTABLE CIDER MILLS. 

I wish, through the medium of your ex- 
cellent publication, to solicit attention to 
one of the most important labor-saving in- 
ventions of the age — the portable cider mill, 
by the assistance of which a man and a 
boy may make seven barrels of cider in a 
day, and do it with an ease and neatness 
not attainable by the use of any other me- 
chanism in use. This mill does not crush 
the apples, as is done by the nut mills, or 
the mills having cylinders and driven under 
horse power. It rasps or grates the fruit 
into a soft pultaceous mass, which renders 
the expression of the juice a matter of com- 
parative ease to the operator, and enables 
him with the greatest ease, to secure all the 
cider the fruit contains — the pomace, after 
the operation of pressing, presenting an 
appearance of dryness which indicates the 
perfect efficiency of the apparatus used. 
It is shown from repeated tests that this 
mill will save at least two barrels of cider 
in seven, and that the liquor expressed is 
much clearer than that produced by the 
old-fashioned mills, as no straw is used, and 
no extraneous matter introduced by the 
process, either before or after pressing. By 



286 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



the observance of pio])er care in picking 
the frnit, cleansing the mill and apparatus, 
and in properly preparing the casks for the 
reception of the cider, a very superior ar- 
ticle may be produced, and one which 
will be drinkable without that contortion of 
the facial nnuscles too generally produced 
by " old orchard " 

Every farmer should manufacture a suf- 
ficiency of cider for domestic use. There 
is always a portion of the apple crop that 
can be much more economically employed 
in the manufacture of cider, than in any 
other way. Vinegar is an impoitant arti- 
cle, and more or less of it is required, an- 
nually, in every family. The best vinegar 
is made of cider, if we except that from 
wine, which, though always superior in 
quality, is yet too expensive to be employed 
for ordinary purposes. — Germantown 'lele- 
graph. 

• THE CORN CROP— SELECTING SEED. 

This crop is becomiug annually of more im" 
portance in this country. A writ-er in the Ohio 
Farmer shoves, that, while the production of 
wheat, rye, and oats has relatively decreased in 
proportion to the population of the country to 
the amount of 46,"000,000 bushels, Indian corn 
has relatively increased to the amount of 61,- 
000,000 bushels. He goes on to say : 

These facts are conclusive of a great agricul- 
tural principle: that in our country, Indian 
corn is the great cereal staple, and that vi'ith 
grass it must be the great basis of future pro- 
duction, both in regard to men and animals. 

But while we discover this fact in our country, 
we discover that precisely the reverse is the case 
in other countries. Indian corn is not the 
staple of any country out of America. The 
necessary consequence of this is, that, as the 
wants of Europe for breadstuffs increase, they 
must be supplied with the only staple article of 
grain which America can afford to send — that 
is, Indian corn. This is one of the inevitable 
results of the state of civilization and com- 
merce which has grown up in the last half 
century. The effect of that condition of things 
is gradual but certain. Prior to 1845, we ex- 
ported scarcely any Indian corn to Europe, 
either in bulk or in pork or whiskey, which are 
but the equivalents of corn. With the Irish 
famine commenced the era of Indian corn ex- 
portation. Leaving the years 1846-'7-'8 out of 
view, the increase of corn exportation has been 
gradual but regular. We give below the aver- 
age export of corn and pork in 1837-'8-'9 and 
the average of the same articles in 1852-'3-'4: 
Average export of Corn in 1837- 

'8-'9, bushels 902,000 

Average value of Pork, Lard, and 

Bacon, in 1837-'8-'9, - - - - $1,538,368 



Average amount of Corn exported 

in bulk and pork in 1837-'8-'9, - 3,266,948 
Average amount of Corn exported 

in 1852-'3-'4, 7,892,000 

Average value of Pork, Lard, and 

Bacon, exported in 18o2-'3-'4, - $5,682,000 
Average amount of Corn exported 

in bulk and pork in 1852-'3-'4, - 14,969,495 

We see by the above table that the average 
amount of Indian corn exported to Europe has 
increased nearly live-fold in eighteen years. It 
doubles in about seven years, leaving out the 
great increase occasioned by such contingencies 
as the Irish famine. Such is the condition of 
Europe, however, that this increase will now pro- 
ceed with accelerated velocity. There can be 
no doubt that the period is not far off when we 
shall export in bulk and in pork, beef, lard, and 
tallow, more than one hundred millions of bushels 
of corn per annum, and when this export and 
that of wheat, oats, and rye, will be more valua- 
ble than that of cotton, rice, and sugar. 

It is impossible to over estimate the importance 
of the corn crop to this country, and he is doing 
an injury to the nation who so manages his land 
as to make it incapable of profitably producing 
this crop. 

It is gratifying to see that the quantity which 
an acre of ground will produce is being demon- 
strated to be greater than could have been be- 
lieved possible a few years ago ; yet the average 
yield does not keep pace with those demonstra- 
tions. Tlie reason of this is generally that but 
little advance is made by the mass of farmers on 
the old method of preparing the ground and cul- 
tivation, but probably the most common cause is 
the total neglect to select the very best corn for 
seed. The too common practice is to go or send 
to the crib at planting time, and either take at 
random or select the best ears in reach for plant- 
ing. We conceive the careful selection of seed 
corn to be one of the most important steps to- 
ward an increased average yield per acre, and 
we are satisfied that any one who will select their 
seed carefully, for a few seasons, will agree with 
us in that opinion. 

Farmers in this vicinity will probably recollect 
that for the last five years Mr. Wm. Barnhill, of 
Oldham county, has taken the first premium for 
corn, at the Eminence fairs, and those who have 
had an opportunity of seeing his corn will agree 
with the judges as to its merits. The following 
extract from a private letter of this gentleman, 
published in the Commercial Secieir, will show 
how he produces this valuable variety: 

By diligent care and judgment applied in se- 
lecting seed through the husking and feeding 
season for twelve years, the writer has produced 
a variety, as he conceives, well suited to the 
South and West. This variety of corn is a rich 
golden yellow; the ears are of good medium size, 
and over the usual length ; the grain broad, full, 
and deep, with a very small tender cob, and yields 
equal to any corn I have ever seen. It is well 
suited to all kinds of stock, especially hogs and 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



287 



cattle, as it Trill endure a greater amount of ex- 
posure to inclement ■weather than any corn I 
have grown, keeping well in the shock through 
the entire winter. 

This corn does not grow as tall as some other 
varieties; therefore it will admit of closer plant- 
ing ; matures from ten days to two weeks earlier 
than any other corn that grows as large — an im- 
portant item with farmers who wish to sow 
small grain on corn land. 

It will be seen that this is not the work of a 
single season, but the profit and satisfaction 
will annually repay the little extra care and 
labor. 

A Virginia farmer, in sending some fine corn 
to the Agricultural Office at Washington, says: 
" I have for twenty years saved for seed the 
top year of the stalks that bear two or three 
ears a piece, and have in this manner improved 
the corn." 

A writer in the Soil of the South says: 

"When I commence pulling my corn, I select 
two of my most trusty fellows, and we go to the 
best spots of corn, and we select from the stalks 
of corn which have two years upon them. We 
take the largest and best-filled ear; where both 
ears are large we take both. And, if we find a 
stalk with one ear unusually large, we take that. 
We take corn thus selected, slip shuck it, and 
tie two ears together and swing them across a 
stick and hang them up i.i the roof of some house, 
where the corn will be kept dry until spring. 
When I want seed corn for planting, I have it 
taken down and shucked. I examine every ear 
myself, both as to color and soundness, as well as 
shape of grain. If I am pleased with it, I then, 
with a hatchet, cut ofi" the small end, sap one- 
third of the ear, the balance I have planted. I 
do not believe, candidly, that I have one rotten 
ear on an average in a thousand; whether it is 
attributable to my mode of culture or of selecting 
my seed corn, or to both, I will not say, but what 
I have stated is emphatically true." 

This personal attention to the selection of 
seed is of no little importance. 

A good time to select seed corn is when the 
corn is cut up in the fall; direct the hands to 
leave all standing that have two or more large 
ears low down on the stalk, and all single ears if 
very large and very low down, or any other 
peculiarity you may wish. These remain stand- 
-> mg in the field, and, when the corn is shucked 
from the shock, select a sufficient number of the 
best of that left standing, and cut them off with a 
portion of the stalk and hang them up to the raft- 
ers of the cril) till wanted. This is the easiest 
method of securing the choice ears of a field, 
and we think the thorough ripening secured by 
leaving them standing after the other corn is cut 
is an object to be desired. The growing of corn 
is too much of a routine. Every farmer should 
have some experiment going on in this or some 
other crop, and follow it up from year to year. 
In this way some valuable results might be at- 
tained. We give the following as an example 



of" what may be done with but little trouble, and 
to show the effect of different manures. The 
same experiment should be repeated for several 
years to make it reliable. It will not do to de- 
pend upon the results of a single season. There 
are several other interesting questions in regard 
to this crop on which we want light: 

Experiments in Growing Indian Corn. — At 
the late meeting of the Oneida County Agricul- 
tural Society, a premium of $15 was awarded 
to Mr. II. II. Eastman, of Marshall, for a series 
of experiments with different manures in the cul- 
ture of Indian corn. We subjoin the statement 
furnished the society by Mr. Eastman: 

Different kinds Manures Quantity of Weight of Rate 
of manures how manures produce per 

used. applied. used. in the ear. acre. 

Lbt.Oz.Bu.Lhs. 
No manure - 30 8 52 50 

Compost' - In hill. Half shovelful. 48 82 68 
"* -Top hill. " 25 . 43 15 

Quick lime - In hill. Half handful. 38 8 57 68 
- Top hill. " 30 52 50 

Gvpsum - - In hill. " 36 62 16 

- - Top hill. " 33 57 13 
Ashes---- In hill. Small handful. 30 12 53 10 

" - - - - Top hill. '• 38 8 66 38 

Ecjual parts 
lime, gyp- 
sum and 

ashes - - - In hill. " 32 4 55 52 

" - - - Top hill. " 35 8 61 25 

Guanot -- In hill. Table spoonful. 20 34 40 

" - - - Top hill. " . 33 8 .57 63 

Guano and 
Super- 
phosphate 
ofLimeJ-- In hill. Do. of each. 51 4 88 41 

- - Top hill. " 37 63 67 
Super-phos- 

LimeS - - - In hill. Table spoonful. 37 8 64 57 
Lime - - - - Top hill. " 45 77 55 

Equal parts 
poudrette, 
super-phos- 
phate of 
lime and 

guanoll - - In hill. " 43 74 23 

" " - - Top hill. " 33 8 57 63 

Poudrette - In hill. Handful. 41 12 72 H 

Night-soil 
composted In hill. Double handful. 33 4 57 33 
Hog manure " " 49 84 19 

Unfermented 
horse ma- 
nure - - - - " Half shovelful. 39 12 68 49 

'• . Top hill. " 28 48 28 

Hen manure In hill. Handful. 48 82 68 

Carb.oflime " " 42 72 42 

No manure - 32 55 32 



♦Composted 4 muck, 4 hog manure, 1 lime and 1 
ashes. 

t Intermixed with soil. Seed injured. 

X Super-phosphate on seed ; Guano on outer edge of 
hills- 

§ In contact with the seed. 

II Intermixed with the soil. 

The above experiment consists of 28 rows, 
and 40 hills in each row. The ground was green 
sward, plowed early in the spring, about 5 inches 
deep, harrowed thoroughly, and marked out into 
rows two ways at 8 angles, 3 feet apart each 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



way. 
flint" 



Planted the 12th of May with a " white 
variety of corn. The cultivation of J;he 
growing crop consisted mostly in the use of the 
cultivator, which was run through between the 
rows four times alternately in different direc- 
tions — with one slight hoeing only with the 
hand hoe. Soil, gravelljMoam. I calculate the 
cost of cultivation, not including cost of manure 
nor interest of land, at about $13 per actfe. 
The corn stood upon the hill till killed by the 
frost, when it was husked, each row separately, 
and weighed in the ear, allowing 70 pounds to 
the bushel. 

Louisville Journal.! H. H. Eastman. 



CHLORIDE OF LIME AS A REMEDY FOR 
SMUT. 

Omitting a good deal of the article we ex- 
tract below from the British Farmers' Magazine 
for want of room, we come at once to the rem- 
edy proposed for smut in wheat. We shalj 
shortly publish the rest of the piece, which is 
very interesting, and relates more immediately 
to the nature and cause of smut. 



No circumstance in their history is so well es- 
tablished as the fact that if healthy seed be sown, 
which had been mixed with the spores of either 
bunt or smut, the ears of the future plants will 
be found to be affected with these blights re- 
spectively, and also that if (what we may call) 
infected seed be either carefully cleaned from 
the adhering spores of the blight, or steeped in 
some chemical solution which will kill the 
spores, but not the seed, the plants will in due 
time bear healthy ears. The latter of these 
processes is what farmers call pickling or dress- 
ing the seed, and the solution employed is gene- 
rally known by the name of the wheat-steep. 
As the uredo segetum, or dust-brand (that 
which is most prevalent in oats, barley, and 
here) is, for the most part, dispersed before the 
crop ripens, steeps are for the most part useless. 
The uredo caries, or bunt, on the other hand, 
remains in the ear, and will, if it exists in the 
field and be thrashed with the general crop, 
most surely contaminate the grain. It is, there- 
fore, for the purpose of preventing this form of 
the blight that these steeps are most generally 
eniployed. 

I before mentioned that some of the grains 
may escape being broken in the operation of 
thrashing. These may readily be removed by 
simply steeping the seed in water, when the af- 
fected grains will be found to rise to the surface. 
Many of the blighted grains must have been 
broken and their contents mixed with the seed. 
It then becomes necessary to destroy their vi- 
tality. This has been done by various means. 



In Kent, the practice has prevailed of immers- 
ing the seed for a short time in very hot water, 
a method found to answer the purpose admira- 
bly in the hands of an experienced person. 
Lime, blue-stone, or corrosive sublimate dissolved 
in water, stale urine, and white arsenic, have 
been all used, to which may be added sulphate 
of soda and quick-lime — a dressing highly re- 
commended by a French commission which in- 
quired and reported on the subject. 

Whatever may be the efficacy of the other 
dressings enumerated, there ought to be but one 
opinion as to the inadvisability of employing for 
this purpose so active a poison as arsenic. The 
French commission to which I before alluded, 
found it to be by no means so efficacious as other 
substances of a more innocent nature ; while it 
has been ascertained that the flesh of birds de- 
stroyed by picking the grain out of the ground 
has been rendered poisonous, and if eaten would 
certainly produce serious effects. 

In the course of my examination, some years 
since, of this subject, it occurred to me to apply 
a solution of chloride of lime to the spores of 
the bunt fungus, and watch the effect produced. 
The offensive smell, so characteristic of the fun- 
gus, was immediately destroyed, and after a 
few hours the spores were ruptured and disor- 
ganized. 

These facts encouraged me to try the effect of 
the chloride of lime solution, when applied as a 
wheatrsteep, and at the same time to compare it 
with that which had been so much praised by 
the French commission before alluded to — 
namely, sulphate of soda and quick-lime. I in- 
stituted with the consent of the council of this 
Society,* at their Botanic Garden, the experi- 
ment which I shall now describe. 

I procured 4 lbs. of the finest and cleanest 
wheat seed, 1 lb. of which I set apart without 
any preparation : the remaining three parts I 
mixed equally with a large quantity of the 
spores of the bunt fungus, until the whole was 
rendered a uniform brown color. One pound of 
this infected seed I then steeped for two hours 
in a solution of chloride of lime, (made by mix- 
ing for two hours 1 lb. of the chloride to one 
gallon of water) and dried it by sifting fine sand 
over it. Another pound of the infected seed I 
steeped for two hours in a saturated solution of 
Glauber's salts, when it was removed from the 
solution and driid by sifting over it a little 
fresh-slaked quick-lime. The fourth pound of 
seed (which was infected by the bunt) was not 
subjected to any treatment. These four parcels 
of seed were then sown in four separate, but 
contiguous, plots of ground. No difference was 
observable in the period of sprouting or germi- 
nation of the seed, but the result of the experi- 
ment, which was most striking while the crop 
was standing, may be thus stated : — 

* The above paper was read before the sec- 
tional meeting of the Royal Dublin Society, on 
the evening of the 30th of November last. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



289 



Plot 1. 



Plot: 



Plot 3. 



S w n I Sown with 
with oneone pound of 
pound of.same seed in- 
cl 6 a n fected with 
undress- bunt fungus, 
ed seed, and steeped 
in saturated 
solution of 
chloride of 
lime. 



Plot 4. 



Sown with Sown 
one pound of I with one 
same seed in- pound of 
feeted with same seed 
bunt, and infected 
steeped in sat- with bunt 
urated solu- and un- 
tion of sul- dressed 
phate of soda, 
and dried 
with quick- 
lime sprin- 
kled over it. 



The number of ears contained in the produce 
of each plot were counted, and the number of 
sound and smutted ears ascertained. In the 
same manner the number of straws deprived of 
the ears in 1 lb. weight was ascertained. The 
following; was the resu t: — 





Total No. 


No. of 


No. of 


No. of 




of ears 


sound 


smutted 


straws in 


Plot. 


in 1 lb. 


ears in 


ears in 


1 lb. 


weight. 


1 lb. 


1 lb. 


weight. 






weight. 


weight. 




1 


336 


336 


None. 


234 


2 


364 


362 


2 


268 


3 


632 


3.52 


320 


278 


4 


700 


360 


340 


330 



The method of using the chloride of lime as 
a wheat steep is as follows : — Make a solution 
by mixing one pound of fresh chloride of lime 
in one gallon of water, frequently stirring them 
with a stick in a icooden vessel for two hours. 
Throw the seed intended to be steeped in a large 
quantity of water, frequently stirring it, and re- 
moving all the swimming grains. Shere off the 
water, and then pour over the seed a sufficient 
quantity of the chloride of lime solution to cover 
it, allowing it to remain for two hours. Then 
pour off the solution, which may be again used, 
and dry the seed with fine dry sand, peat mould, 
lime, or any drying powdery substance ; it is 
then fit for sowing. 

With regard to the prevention of the true 
smut, the uredo segetum, unfortunately we know 
of no method so efficacious as those used for the 
prevention of the bunt fungus. This arises 
from its early dispersion, and the consequent 
contamination of the ground. In cases where 
there is reason to suspect that the soil is infected 
by the spores of the smut, the only practical 
method of proceeding is to treat it largely with 
stale urine or quick-lime, and to avoid cropping 
the land with grain for two or three years, as I 
have observed that the spores lose their power of 
germinating if long kept. 

As some of this fungus may be found in a 
perfectly ripe crop of corn, especially of barley, 
it is desirable that the seed should be steeped 
similarly to that of the wheat. This will un- 
doubtedly destroy any of the spores that may 
adhere to the seed. — Farmer's Magazine. 



The result of this experiment warrants us in 
drawing the following conclusions : — 

1. That wheat seed infected with bunt fungus, 
and sown, produces plants the grain of which is 
filled with a similar fungus. 

2. That the presence of the fungus is inju 
rious to the straw as well as destructive to the 
grain. 

3. That the steeping seed infected with the 
bunt fungus in certain chemical solutions more 
or less prevents the production of the fungus in 

I the seed of the future plants. 
I 4. That steeping the infected seed in a satu- 
rated solution of Glauber's salts, and afterwards 
drying it with quick-lime, has but little effect in 
preventing the production of the fungus in the 
future plants. 

5. That steeping the infected seed in a solu- 
tion of chloride of lime is nearly a specific in 
I preventing the production of the bunt fungus in 
' the future plants, and very much more effectual 
! for thi> purpose than the solution of Glauber's 
i salts and drying with quick-lime. 
I Since the date of this experiment, the chlo- 
' ride of lime solution has b en used as a wheat 
i steep \>j several agriculturists in different parts 
; of the country, with the same satisfactory re- 
') sult^ ; and in confirmation of this statement, I 
'. take the present opportunity of reading to the 
meeting a few communications I have received 
upon the subject. 



CONTENTS OF No. IX. 

Fourth Annual Exhibition of the Va. State 

Agricultural Society, . . . 261 

Machine for Husking Corn. — Geology, . 264 
Mediterranean "Wheat, • . . 265 

Cultivation of Wheat, . . .266 

Harvesting Wheat. — Gen. John B. Cocke's 
Wheat Crop. — Use of Phosphates on Clo- 
ver and Peas, .... 268 
Disease in Chickens. — Free Acid in Soils, 269 
To Clean Chess out of Wheat, . . 271 

Cycles of Cold and Hot Weather, . . 272 

American Star Pulverizer and Harrow — W. 

W. Johnson's Felly Cutting Machine, . 273 
Sweeney. — Gapes in Chickens.— Practical 

Hints on Preserving Fruits, &c., . 274 

Self-ActiiigEgg Hatching Machine. — Man- 
ufacture of Soap, . . 275 
Editorials, .... 277-281 
The best Plough, . . . .282 
Experiment on the Elementary Principles.of 

Manure as applied to the growth of Wheat 283 
Tlie Premium List of the State Agricultu- 
ral Fair of South Carolina, . . 284 
Good and Bad Plastering. — Portable Cider 

Mills, . . . . .285 

The Corn Crop— Selecting Seed, . .286 

Chloride of Lime as a Remedy for Smut, . 288 
List of Payments, .... 290 
Advertisements, . . . 291-292 



209 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



LIST OF PAYMENTS, 

From \st July to 30th August, inclusive. 
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 inunediute notice of the om ission, in order that the correction 
may be made in the. next issue : 



C. Middleton, Jan 1857 
Jno White, Jan 1S57 
T G Humpass, June 1857 
Dr Jno Butler, July 1857 
VV T Samuel, July 1857 
H St Geo Harris. Julv 1856 
H B Miller. Jan 1857 
J C Thorn, Jan 1858 
Jas M. Harris, Jan 1857 
V\' Meredith, Julv 1857 
A & T Pringle. July 1857 
J H Montague, Jan 1857 
M B Carrinpton, Jan 1858 
Jos W Twvman, July 1856 
Chs Williams, July 1856 
Josh While, July 1857 
A Temple, Jan 1857 
F G Bridges, Jan 1857 
A L Carter, July 1857 
H L JefiVess, Jan 1857 
T L Walker. July 1856 
J A Meredith, Jan 1857 
K A Lorton, Jan 1857 
Jas W Gravson, Julv 1856 
Jno A Parker. July '1856 
Wm Jeter, Julv 1856 
Wm H Harrison, Jan 1859 
Ur H N Colenuin, Julv 1857 
M B Brown, Jan 1857" 
Jos Briggs, May 1856 
A B Davidson, Jmu 1857 
Thos J A<lanis, Julv 1857 
Jas T Jones, Jan 1857 
W Wheeler, Jan 1857 
A A Walton, Jan 1857 
H M Fowlkes, Jan 1857 
'i'hos Green, July 1857 
Geo M Greeu, April 1856 
T W Downc-r, Julv 1857 
S P Ryland. Jan 1857 
. Jas Calhoun, jiui 1857 
S T Stuart, jan 1857 
John Walker, May 1857 
Jos Fuqua, Sept 1856 
E Flood, iau 1856 
W A Ford, jan 1856 
J B Glover, Sept 1856 
C Y Horsely, &ep 1856 
G Mosely, Jan 1856 
G W Kyle.jan 1856 
W M Moselv, jan 1856 
T H Sharp. 'Sep 1856 
F B Scrug^gs, jan 1856 
G C Vaughan,jan 1856 
J F Dickinson, jan 1857 
Thos L Page, jun 1857 
A J Carper, jan 1867 
S B Gibbons, julv 1856 
S B Atwill, jan 1857 
W Patrick, JHn 1857 
J F Williams, jan 1859 
A B Duncan, July 1857 
G H Geiger, jiily 1857- 
W H Haxnll, Aug 1856 
N Cocks, Sep 18.55 
W Walton, julv 1857 
J W Stone, Jan 1860 
G CiunpbelUJan 1857 
A Shepperd, May 1855 
Jos Siiead, Sep 1857 
Jno G Hughes, Sep 1856 
Ro H Vest, Jun 1857 
S S Griffin, Jan 1857 
F W Epes, julv 1857 



1 On|J G Guthrie, julv 1857 
1 OOIP G Ellett, jan 1857 
1 00 Jeff Flippo, Jan 1857 



6 00 
3 50 
1 00 

1 00 

2 00 



G Moselev, Jan 1857 
J E Robertson, July 1856 
Thoa Rollins, do 

A H Perkins, Oct 1856 
VV Taylor, Sept 1856 



4 75!jas Hiyslett, March 1856 
1 00 B Wood, Jan 1858 

1 OOT O Rogers, July 1856 

2 75 John Currie, Mav 1857 
2 00 Dr E Brown, July 1857 

2 50J S Horner, August 1856 

1 00 B Grant do 

2 00 VV H Brown, Jan 1856 

4 25 J H Lacy, July 1859 
1 Oil R C Robbins, Jan 1857 

1 OOE J Thurston, July 1857 
1 00 Thos H irten, Jan 1857 

5 00 \V R Nelson, do 

3 00' W W Browne, July 1857 

1 OOlR L VValker, Jan 18.58 
5 00 Col W Keer, Jan 1857 
7 50 John Ellet, July 1857 
5 00 A Dudlev, Oct 1859 

3 OO'Jas Long. Dec 1856 

3 50 S T McClintuk, Jan 1857 

2 25 J B K Tavlor, July 1857 
5 00 R L Jefferson, July 1856 
1 00 VV T Wooten, Jan 1857 
1 00 H J Venahle, do 

1 OOG S Harper, do 

1 on W H Venable, do 
12 00 B F Terry, do 

2 25H F Morion. do 

5 OOJ F Rice, do 

2 50 R C Anderson, Oct 1856 
1 CO H S Gulhrey, Julv 1857 

1 00 P S Suiithson, Ma'y 1857 

2 75J W Bondurant, Jan 1857 

3 00 E VV Scott, do 

1 OOJ A Watson, do 

3 50 J J Walker, do 

2 25 Jos Blanton, April 1857 

4 75 VV A Armistead, do 

4 75 P H Jackson, Jan 1857 

6 on J A Dalby, do 
1 00 E N Price, do 

1 00 J H C Leach do 

. 4 75 H A Clarke, April 1857 

3 50 Jno A Scott, Jan do 

2 25 T D Richardson, Ap do 

1 OOS B Scou, Jan do 

2 00 C E Redd, do do 
1 00 E F Redd, Mav do 
1 00 VV T Harvey, 'Jan do 
1 75 E Hughes, do do 
1 00;T D Edmunds, do do 

3 25,T B Booth, July do 

3 OOiT F Wilson, June do 
1 00 Dr M Banister, July do 

4 75R R Duval, Jan 1860 



3-83 
1 00 
1 00 

5 no 

1 00 

1 on 

3 50 
3 75 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 



A Wren, April 1857 
J B Harvie,Julv 1857 
S Patrick. Jan 18.58 
Jas Y H,-iiris, July 1857 
E Chewning, cio 
L L Hollndav, julv 1856 
J B McClelland. July 1855 
Wm Frazier. July 1857 
Wm A Love, Mav 1857 
C Jones, Nov 1859 
James P White, Jan 1857 



1 OOlMrs C B Boston, do 4 GO 

1 00 H Harris do 2 25 

2 25!m R Harrell do 13 50 
1 00;G Knight, July 1857 1 00 
1 25 D S Cowles, do 1 00 

1 25 L G Waddell, do 1 00 

2 00 W Turpin, Sep 18.56 , 2 50 

3 75 VV J Harris, Jan 1857 1 00 

2 50 H E Shore, Julv 1857 1 00 
5 00 S Scott, Jan 1857 1 00 
5 OOJ M Hurst, do 1 00 
1 00!j C S McDowell, July 1857 1 00 
1 00 VV E Martin, Jan 1857 2 25 

1 00 S S Bradford, June 1858 4 00 

3 00 Geo L Bayne 

2 .50 G A Wood, 
5 OOC O Lipscomb, 
1 00 W H Eubank, 
1 00 R H Williams, 
1 00 W B Purcell, 
1 00 VV H Peltus, 

1 OOT B Purcell, 

5 00 R E Knight, 

2 00 W S Dupree, 

1 00 Jos L Watkins, 

6 on R. Lipscomb, 

2 50 P L Lipscomb, 
2 50J M Sublett, Jan 1857 
2 25,Wm Pavne, Sr. do 
2 50'W E Walkup, do • 
1 00 B W Fitzgerald, do 
1 noiVVT Smith, July 1857 
1 00 Dr A B Hooe, Jan 1860 



July 1857 10 00 



do 
do 
do 
do 



1 00 W VV Michaux. July 1858 
1 OOR J Gilliam. July 1856 
1 00 T F Wingfield, J.in 1857 

1 00 Jacob Warwick, do 

2 25C R Boulware, Jan 1855 

3 50 John A Jlosbv, April 1857 

1 00 R M Stevenson, July do 

2 25 P Slaughter. J'an 
1 00 Jas A Walker, July 
1 00 Jas A Bruce, August 

1 OOJE Goss, Jan 

2 25 John Shuev, August 1856 
1 00 A C Hartuian, Jan'y 1854 
1 OOH K Burgwvn, do 

1 OOC Warwick,'july 1857 
I 00 Jas Bunch, Sep 'l854 

1 OOR Anderson. Jan 1857 

2 25 Wm P Dabuey, July 1857 
1 00 Ko Martin, March do 
1 OOJ T Hits, July do 
1 00 /» J Richardson, Jan do 
1 00 Mrs J W Todd, July do 

1 00 Isaac Medley, July 1856 

2 25 J as Magruder, do 
2 00 Thos VV Jones, do 
2 25|D a Smith, Sep 1857 
1 OOE F Potts, July 1857 
1 OOT K Miller, do 

1 00|Sanj'l Hancock, Jan 1857 
5 OOVV S Coons, 

2 00 VVm Doswell. July 1856 
2 25 J Sinclair, Sr. Jan 1857 
2 OOS C Harper, July 1857 

1 no Geo L Bavne, 'do 

2 25 Miss S Nicholas, Sept 1859 

3 50G M Terrell, Se|.t 1857 

5 00 I" J Randolph, Jr., Jan 1857 
1 00 Geo VV Macon, July 1857 
1 00 P Sowell, Sept 1857 
5 00 T W Keesee, Sept 1856 
1 00 GH Dobync, July 1856 



4 75 

1 00 

2 25 
1 00 

6 00 ; 

5 00 I 

5 75 I 
10 50 \ 

1 00 t 

3 50 i 
1 00 i 
1 00 i 
1 00 i 
1 00 

I 00 
1 00 

6 00 

1 33 

2 00 I 
5 00 

1 00 

2 00 
2 00 

4 00 

2 25 
1 00 

3 50 

1 00 

4 37 

5 00 

2 50 

3 50 
1 00 

1 00 

2 25 

2 00 

3 75 
2 00 

4 75 
1 00 

5 00 

1 00 

2 50 
1 00 
1 00 
U 70 
1 50 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



291 



H R Woodhouse. Jan 1S57 5 00 

\V S Pavnp, Jiilv 1S56 5 00 

Mansfield King, Jul V 1857 100 

Pliilip Edge, do 2 25 

J H Hammond, June 1857 1 00 

P R Berkeley, Jan do 2 00 

N \\ Harri?,'jan 185S 2 00 

Jas W Conwav, Jrn 1857 1 25 

R H Carr, July 1857 3 50 

JT Earl V, Jan 1857 2 00 

F W Battaile, Jan 1857 2 00 

Ro Slnrrett, Julv 1855 2 60 

l>r J B Kirbv, Julv 1857 1 00 

T B Lipscomb, do 1 00 

J A Fleet, Jan 1857 1 00 



D H Hatton. Dec 1857 
Miles C Selden, Jan 1862 
H P Pope, July 1856 
A Hunlev, Sept 1856 
C H Page, Julv 1857 
T C Bevtop, Jan 1857 
C W Montague, Jan 1857 
iJas Miller, Julv 1857 
W T Taliaferro. Sept 1857 
E Brummell, Jan 1857 
L M Coleman, J<in 1857 
Miss V L Harrison, July 1857 
H N Pendleion do 

G H Pendleton, do 



1 00, Calvin Garden, do 

8 Oo'A M Stratton.June 1857 
4 06! VV G Morton, Jan 1857 
3 54 Geo W Key, do 
1 00;Jos Johnson, do 

1 OOjG VV Booker, Julv 1856 

2 00|P S Roler, July 1857 

1 00|T J Preston, Jan 1858 
1 00 R C Jones, de 

1 75, Ro Moseley. do 

1 (lOS S Satchel!, do 
1 00;w C Jones Jan 1857 
1 00 J V iMcGahev Julv 1857 
1 00 Benj Estes, Augus't 1857 



I 00 
1 00 
3 75 

1 00 

2 25 
5 25 

2 25 
5 00 

3 00 
3 00. 
2 00 
2 25 
2 25 
5 00 



FAL L TRAD E-1856. 

To Planters and Farmers. 

THOMAS D. QUARLES, 

No. 229, Broad St., 
Would call attention to his large and varied 
stock of heavy Woollen Goods, Blankets, Kerseys, 
Satinets, Linseys, Oznaburgs, Bleached and Brown 
Donipsiics. Also to his stock of house furnishing 
goods generally. By the 15th of September, his as- 
sortment of Staple ;,nd Fanfy Goods, will be com- 
plete in all departments — to which will be added Car- 
pets, Rugs, &c. Sept. 1856. 

R. 0. HASKINS, 

Ship Chandler, Grocer and Com- 
mission Merchant, 

in his large new building, in Iront of the Steamboat 
Wharf, RocKETTs, RiCHMOND, VA. 
Sept 1856~ly 

MITCHELL & TYLER, 

DEALERS IN 

>Vatches, Clocks, Jewelrj, Silver and Plated 
■Ware, Military and Fau<;y Goods. 
RICHMOND, VA. 
Sept 1856— ly 

Plans and Detailed Drawings 

Prepared, and the construction of all kinds of build- 
ings superintended liy 
AL,JBERT t. WEST, 
ARCHITECT & MEASURER, 
11th St., between Main and Bank, Richmond, Va. 
September 18.56. 



IRON RAILING, 

Verandahs, Balconies, of all patterns, 

Grates, Fenders, Iron Doors, tSsc. &c. 
Maiiufaciured at 216 .Main St., Richmond, Va., by 
Sept 1856— ly F. J. BARNES. 



JOHN MORTON, Florist, 

Wiist end of Grace St., Riclunond, Va. 
Roses, Camellias, Ornamental Trees, Ever- 
greens, Shrubs, Grape Vines. 

jB®"" Bouquets tastefully arranged. "@a 
Sept iaS6— ly 



VIRGINIA FEMALE INSTITUTE. 

STAUNTON, VA. 
RiCHT Rev. Wm. Mkade, President of the Directors. 
" " John Johns, Vice do do 

Rev. R. H. Phillips, Principal. 
Rev. J. C. Wheat, Vice Principal. 
Prof. J. C. Engelbrecht, Principal Instructor in 

Music. 

Mr. & Mrs. H. W. Sheffey, Heads of the Family. 

The next Session of this Institution will commence 

on Wednesday, the 24th .of September. The Officers 

named above will be aided by an efficient corps of 

Teachers. 

Renewed eflTorts will be made to sustain the hi^h 
character the institute enjoys, and to enlarge the 
sphere of its usefulness. 

The large and commodious additional building now 
in the course of construction >vill afford increased fa- 
cilities for the coinfort of the pupils, and the systematic 
arrangement of the classes, especially in the depart- 
ments of ftlusic and French. 

The institute, situated in one of the healthiest por- 
tions of the State, is well established in the confidence 
of its friends and patrons in Virginia and Blaryland. 
The number oi pupils from Louisiana, Alabama, an<l 
in the Southern and Western States is stea'dily increas- 

Pupils from a distance can remain during vacation in 
the family of iMr- Sheffey. 

The discipline is strict, yet parental. The course 
of study is comprehensive and thorough, embracing the 
various branches of an English education, the Ancient 
and Modern Languages, ftlusic. Drawing, &c. 

Addi'ional tacilities will he afforded for acquiring a 
thorough knowledge of the French language. 

Terms: — Board and English tuition per Session, 
$200; Music, the Languages, Drawing, and Painting 
e.xtra. 

Registers, containing full particulars, will be sent on 
application to Rev. R. H. PHILLIPS, or 

HUGH W. SHEFFEY, 

Sep 1856— 6t Staunton, Va. 



JOHN & GEORGE GIBSON, 
House Builders and Carpenters, 

IW.HMONU, VA. 

Having extensively titted up their establish- 
ment with the latest improved machinery, are prepar- 
ed to furnish, at short notice and on reasonable terms, 
all kinds ot portable finished Carpenter's work, such 
as Door and Window Frames, Casings, out and inside 
finish, &c. 

Sash, 151inds and Doors, of all varieties. 

Stuiis, Handrails, Porches, Venindahs, Balconies. 

Cornices, Cornice Mouldings and Brackets of all 
sizes and patterns. Mouldings of all descriptions. 

Wash-boards, Chair-hoards, Ceiling-boards, &c. 

'I'hey will make estimates lor work to plans furnish- 
ed ihem, and deliver It at their fuctnry at the estima- 
ted prices. Orders respectiully solicited. 

September 1856 — ly 



292 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



SEYMOUR'S 

Broadcast Grain and Guano Sower. 

We confidently recommend this Machine to 
Farmers. Having but little machiiiery, it is durable 
and easily kept in order, and suws regul&rly any quan- 
tity of grain or guano desired. Frank: RufBn, Esq., 
Editor of the Southern Planter, thus comments on it : 

" We are so perfectly convinced of its great value in 
efficient working capacity, cheapness, durability and 
simplicity ot construction, that we do not hesitate lo 
recommend it to the public — a thing which it is known 
we do not often venture upon. Again, one horse works 
the machine with peilect ease. It sows a breadth to 
ten feet as fast as a horse can walk, and carrying two 
bushels at a time, does not require as many stoppages 
as are necessary by a man who seeds by hand. The 
seeding, too, is entnely independent of the wind, 
and done with us as well dujing very high win<ls, 
which prevailed most of tiie time, as during a calm, be- 
cau.^e the seed aie delivered so close tu tlie ground. — 
We not only recommend the machine to every farmer, 
but urge them to buy it, not on Mr. Seymour's ac- 
count, who is nothing to us, but on their own." 

THOS. BRANCH & SONS, 

Sep — 2t Agents for Petersburg. 

Valuable Albemarle Land for Sale- 

On TUEisDAY the 23d September, ;185(J, at 
12 o'clock, M.,at Cobham's Depot. Albemarle Co. Va., 
I will sell at public auction, a tract of land, containing 
about 6311 acres, about 170 acres of it are cleared, tlie 
rest is original forest and very heavily timbered, and 
all adajited lo the growth of Wheat, Corn and Tobac- 
co. It lies within a mile and a half of Cobham Depot 
and Lindsay's T. O. on the Virginia Central Railroad, 
about 15 miles from Charlottesville and the University, 
(the best wood market in the State) and five miles froju 
the Green Springs. This land is a part of the estate 
of my late father, Dr. Mann Page, and adjoins Hon. 
Wni. C Rives, the estate of James Lindsay, C. H. 
Page, &c., in one of the best neighborhoods in the State, 
convenient to Episcopal, Presbyterian and Baptist 
churches, post offices, &c. There are no buildings on 
the land. 

TERMS. — One-fourth cash — the balance in 1, 2 aiid 
3 years. For the deferred payments, bonds bearing in- 
terest, secured by deed of trust on the land. 

Further information may be had by application to 
C. H. Page, who will show the land, Lindsay's T. O., 
or the .subscriber at Lynchburg, Va. 

Sep -It F. W. PAGE. 



Coughs, Colds, Consumption, Astlima. 

LEONARD'S INSTANT RELIEF. 

This excellent preparation, very popular , in 
Richmond and neighborhood, is carefully made uj) from 
a variety of medicinal substances, exerting a beneficial 
influence over the organs most affected by the above 
complaints. 1^ '25 Cents per Bottle .^^ 

Purcell, Ladd & Co. and Bennett, Beers & Fisher, 
wholesale and retail agents. To be had of all Drug- 
gists in Virginia and North Carolina. 

Sept 18.i6— ly 



SAMPSON JONES, Ag't. 

(Of the old firm of B. & S. Jones,) 

Crrocer and Commission Merchant, 

Corner of Main and 9ih Sircds, 

RICHMOND, VA. 

Invites the customers of the old firm and all wanting 
goods in his line, to give him a call. Purchasing and 
selling for cash, he is enabled to offer great induce- 
ments to his friends to buy of him. Consignments of 
all kinds of Country Produce will be sold at the high- 
est market prices, and prompt returns made. 

September 1856 — ly 



The Scientific American. 

TWELFTH YEAR! 

One Thousand Dollar Cash Prizes. 

The Twelfth Annual Volume of this useful 
publication commences on the 13th day of September 
next. 

The " Scientific American" is an illustrated Period- 
ical, devoted chiefly to the promulgation of informa- 
tion relating to llie various Mechanic and Chemic Arts, 
Industrial (Vlanufictures, Agriculture, Patents, Inven- 
tions, Engineering, Millwork, and all interests which 
the light of practical science is calculated to advance. 

Reports of U. S. Patents granted are also published 
every week, including official copies of all the patent 
claims, together with news and information upon thou- 
sands of other subjects. 

$1,000, in ash prizes, will be paid on the 1st Janua- 
ry n.xt, for the largest list of subscribers, as follows : 
$200 fi,r tlie Isi, $175 for the 2d, $150 tor the 3,1, $125 
tor the 4ih, $100 lor the 5th, $75 for the 6lh, $50 for the 
7th, $10 liir the 8th, $30 fbr the 9th, $25 for the 10th. 
$20 Ibr the 11th, and $10 for the 12th. For all Clubs 
of 20 and upwards, the subscription [Trice is only $1.40. 
Names can be sent to any postofiice until January 1st, 
1857. Here are fine chances to secure cash prizes. 

The Sci(mlific American is published once a week ; 
every number contains eight large quarto pages, form- 
ing annually a complete and splendid volume, illustra- 
ted wiih .several hundred original engravings. 

TERMS. — Single subscriptions. $2 a year, or $1 for 
six m(mlhs. Five copies, Ibr six months, $4 ; fbr a 
year, $S. Specimen copies .sent grnlU. 

Southern, Western and Canaila money, or postoffice 
Stamps taken at par for subscriptions. 

Letters should be directed (post paid) to 

MUNN & CO.. 
128 Fulton Street, New York. 

It^" Messrs. MUNN & CO. are extensively engaged 
in procuring patents for new inventions, and will advise 
inventors, without charge, in regard to the novelty of 
their improvements. Sept 



Saddles, Harness, &c. 

I manufacture a superior 
COLLAR 
which I warrant not lo chafe or gall. I have 
always oh hand a good assortment of all articles in my 
line, whicli I will sell, wholesale or retail, as cheap as 
thev can be procured anywhere. North or South. 

CHARLES I. BALDWIN, 
Sep — ly Franklin St.,2d square above Old Market. 




GEORGE STARRETT, 

MANUFACTURER AND DKALER IN 

Stoves, Ranges, Furnaces; Tin, Japanned, 
Copper and Iron Ware; 

Farmer's Boilers or Agricultural Furnaces; 

6 sizes, 7 sizes of J?lodgett & Sweet's 

Patent Portable Ovens, 

Made of best galvanized Sheet Iron. 

Suction, Force and Chain PUMPS. 

BATH TUBS, WATER RAMS, LEAD PIPE, 

ZINC, SHEET IRON. &c. 

146 Main Street, RICHMOND, VA. 

Sept 1856— 6ni 



W. B./VRTHOLOMEW, 
CLOCK AND WATCH-MAKER, 

Cor. 11 ih and Main, near the American Hotel, 

RICHMOND, VA. 

September 1856. 



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