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on, and I think is of little value when spread on the surface, or ploughed in before composting, and is chiefly valuable for littering cattle, etc. I have used guano three years with fair results; but think its cost too great in comparison with other manures for extensive use. I use ground bone which costs $20 per ton, and think it a valuable and durable fertilizer, and on account of the large per centage of phosphate of lime which it contains is a very desirable manure for fields exhausted by long cultivation. I use a few bushels of common salt thrown at intervals into the barn cellar and over the barn-yard, finding it a fixer of volatile gasses and a destroyer of worms. I generally buy the " dirty salt" sweepings of cargoes at 25 to 30 cts a bushel."

Mr. C. ploughs two or three years for tillage. The quantity of manure used to the acre is about ten cords. The field then goes down to rye, and remains ia grass three or four years.

For butter he uses rock salt. Butter milk is extracted with a rolling-pin worked over the butter which is laid on a marble slab designed for that use; thus the warmth of the hand need not come in contact with the butter. The milk is set in tin pans about 1^ inches deep and placed on rack shelves in a dry cool cellar designed for that use, cemented on the bottom and wall aired. He uses a rotary thermometer churn. He thinks it more profitable to sell his milk than to convert it into butter and buttermilk.

Mr. C. devotes much time to the raising of onions. In 1855 he raised a crop on 44 rods of ground The soil was a sandy loam in a high state of cultivation, surrounded at high tide with salt water, and had been planted to onions for 14 years in succession. On the 11th of April the piece was manured with 21 hoise loads compost of fish manure composted the previous year with menhaden fish, salt marsh sod and beach sand. The quantity of manure was three and a half cords. Added to this he spread on the furrow twenty-two bushels of unleached ashes, and 115 pounds of ground bone and bushed them in. The onions were hoed 6 times. When the tops became dry the onions were pulled and laid in rows, and left to cure in the sun four or five days, when the tops were cut off with sheep

shears ; the onions were then stored in a dry, airy building.

In the year 1855, Mr. C. raised 20£ tons of hay, 136 bushels of corn, 587 bushels of potatoes, 1057 do. onions, 91^ do. of beets, 235 do., carrots, 1200 pounds Acorn and Crookneck squashes, 155^ pounds of butter, 1269 pounds of pork, 1900 do. of beef, etc., the cash value of which was $2,733 31.

Some of the items of expense for raisins: this crop was as follows : rent of farm $200, paid for labor $318 24, for manure $170 50, etc., and the entire expenses were $1,481 04. Thus he had a net profit including his own services of $1,252 27. And these results he reached not by conjecture or at random, but from actual data. L. F.

Mode of raising and feeding Ruta Baga and Beets to stock.

Nomony Grove, Westmoreland, ) June 10th, 1857. \ To the Editor of the Southern Planter,

Dear Sir. —I received your letter dated June 1st requesting me to give you my practice of raising and feeding stock beets and ruta baga turnips; and in compliance therewith and of my promise to that effect, I now proceed, as it may be of present service to many who may be situated as we are, in a country nearly destitute of hay ; and where there is not one farmer in twenty that has a meadow; or ever thinks of raising clover for winter feeding.

In the first place the land designed for raising those crops on, should be tolerably light, or not disposed to bake hard after heavy rains. If it is rich all the better* but should any one wishing to raise those crops not have a suitable piece of rich land, he need not despair of raising a good crop from poor land if he will manure it well, with good manure well roted, or with peruvian guano; from one hundred and fifty to two hundred pounds of guano to the acre sown in the drill, is a sufficient quantity, as more will be apt to make the turnips rot in the fall. Tne land should be fallowed deep, and be well harrowed, and, if cloddy, a heavy roller had better be used in Order to produce a fine tilth. When the time arrives for planting, I lay the lana off in three foot rows,

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sow the guano in the drill, lap the land on the guano, cleaning out the rows with the plough, then run a light one horse harrow on the top of the rows in order to pulverize the ground and bring them down lower, in order that the roots of the plants may soon enter and receive the fertilizer and start off vigorously. I use one of R Sinclairs' & Co. of Baltimore seed drills: one hand with one of those drills can plant as much land in a day as fifteen or twenty hands can plant by the hand : the drill only costs $8. After the plants are up and about two weeks old, I run a cultivator in the middle of the row, then follow and work the plants with the hoe ; in the course of two weeks more they will, if seasonable, be large enough to thin, and if there is moisture enough in the earth they can be drawn and transplanted in all of the vacant hills which failed to come up; work them when they require work as any other crop. The plants should stand, after thining, from six to eight inches apart. The fifteenth of July is early enough to plant ruta bagas. Stock beets should have been planted last month. I did not sow my ruta bagas last year until 7th of August on account of the extreme drought. I have sometimes first bedded the .land before sowing the guano, then split the beds, sow the guano, and run the light harrow over the beds and then plant. This plan I pursued last year, and made a fine crop. They should be taken up and put in cellars in the early part of December and should the weather be extremely cold, the best plan is to cover them with straw, as they are hard to cut when frozen.

I commence feeding my hogs designed for pork on them, as soon as I put them up for fattening, one feed a day of turnips or beets and two feeds of corn will make them grow much faster and fatten quicker than if they are fed altogether on corn. But the best and cheapest way to fatten pork is to grind the corn, cut the roots, and boil them together until they are thoroughly cooked. I find it a great saving. To a sixty gallon caulderon I put some three or four bushels of cut roots—which I cut with a root cutter—one and half bushels of corn crushed in a 11 Little Giant,'.' well cooked ; this will be enough to feed 25 or 30 hogs per day. I occasionally gave them some of the raw

roots and sometimes corn, until within a week of the time I wish to kill them. Then I feed on corn or hominy alone.

For feeding of milch cows I have found both of those roots most excellent. There is no food that can be given them that will make a cow give more milk.

I also feed my work oxen on them, and find they do as well on turnips and wheat straw as any other food, and will perform as much labor and keep in as good order as if fed with fodder. Half bushel per bead with straw after the rows are cut is what I give at feeding time. I also find my horses and colts are very fond of them, and last winter I gave them one or t,vo large turnips a piece. I have them washed and throw the whole turnips in the manger, as there is not the danger of horses choking themselves as there is with cows. The ruta baga, when cooked for table use, should be first pealed, then sliced and stewed with some fat bacon, which makes them much better than when boiled in the whole turnip.

At some future time I will inform you how I managed last year when short of hogs for killing, to get a lot of pigs nine months old, when killed, to make pork.

At present our prospects for a good crop of wheat is very gloomy. There is more of the Joint worm in the wheat than we ever had before. There is in some crops the chinch bug, the fly has prevented much of the wheat from heading ; and in addition to that, there are vast quantities of the army worm now in the wheat; they have in many places stripped the wheat of all the blades and are in some cases attacking the heads. The wheat is very late

good

and there is danger of rust, as the wheat is full of sap.

Yours very respectfully,

W. W. BROWN.

Charlotte vs. Albemarle—Rough Creek vs. Ivy Creek.

Having noticed in your last issue, a communication headed : "Albemarle Tobacco—Highest average this year—Ivy Creek Land Ahead," stating Mr. R. W. N. Noland had sold his crop of tobacco at an average of $15,09. We think old Charlotte can beat Albemarle and Rough Creek Ivy, as Mr. John D. Ford of this

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county, sold his crop at the following prices : Three at $16% ; one $16; one $15f; one $15^; one $15; one $14: (Lugs) making an average of $15,71$.

Subscriber.

From the Valley Farmer.

Lightning Bods.

In a former number we stated that to Dr. Franklin belonged the honor of the discovery of the means of harmlessly drawing the electricity from the clouds by metallic conductors, and although numerous pretended improvements have been made in modern times, upon the lightning rod, and for which patents have been granted, we are free to assert that no real improvement has ever been made upon the plan first suggested by Franklin.

All metals are conductors of electricity, but some are better than others; copper is the best, its conducting power being many times greater than that of iron. Iron is subject to oxydation or rust, which impairs its conducting power, but being much cheaper than copper it is generally used, and if made of proper size will answer the purpose.

If a lightning rod or conductor of suitable size be properly put up it will generally convey the electricity from the cloud to the earth harmlessly, silently and invisibly, and although we hear of numerous instances of dwellings, churches and barns being struck with lightning though they have yet been provided with lightning rods, this is generally owing to too small rods being used, or to some defect in the manner of putting them up. It might possibly occur in one time in many thousands that a building would be struck with lightning though properly provided with a conductor, where a cloud in a powerful storm should suddenly approach, so fully charged with electricity and coming in so close contact with the rod that its conducting capacity would prove insufficient to convey the fluid fast enough to prevent an explosion, but such instances are extremely rare.

Notwithstanding the numerous experiments that have been made with electricity, the question still remains unsettled whether the conducting power of a rod is in proportion to its external surface or to the mass composing it— whether it travels only upon the surface or penetrates the pores of the metal. Franklin assumed that it passed through the body of the conducting material. Some modern philosophers have taken the opposite ground; among these are Professor Henry and others. The means by which they arrive at this conclusion have never been made public. This assumption, however, is in direct violation of established laws of artificial electricity. Assuming this ground, hollow tubes have been recommended as a substitute for solid rods, and very recently a patent has been granted for a new

conductor made of a strip of sheet copper, twisted. Patents have also been granted for various forms of insulators for lightning conductors. These may be useful to the small conducting wire of a telegraph, over miles in extent, but as they are constructed and applied to lightning rods they may be regarded only in the light of " humbugs." It is well known to those more familiar with experimental electricity than these pretended inventors, that insulation afforded to lightning conductors by the articles referred to are of no practical value, and as Arago very justly remarks, it is an "excess of precaution not worth the cost." J. Murray, a prominent electrician of England, alleges that nine-tenths of the conductors in Great Britain are worse than useless, because of their faulty construction, and this proportion we believe, more than holds good in our own country. In our own native town, four buildings, within a short period, have been struck with lightning, all of which were provided with patent lightning rods and insulators, and we hear of similar instances every year all over the country.

If the rod be of proper size, and is continued with perfect joints to the ground, and the earth be sufficiently humid to afford a free passage to the electricity, no injurious effects are likely to ensue. But if the ground be dry it becomes a non-conductor and the electricity escapes with an explosion. If the continuity of the rod be broken, and the space between the separated ends is not too great, the fluid will still pass, but sparks will be emitted at the break, as when you extend your hand near anybody or substance charged with artificial electricity. But if the passing cloud be powerfully charged, a defect in the joint will lead to an explosion, and most likely to disastrous consequences— We know of numerous instances where buildings have been struck with lightning in consequence of defective joints in the rods.

It is the nature of electricity or lightning to follow the best conductor. It will never leave a good one for a poor or less perfect one, therefore if a lightning rod be of sufficient size and perfect in all its appointments, it may be expected to convey the electricity from the clouds, not only silently but without any visible evidence of its passage to the ground. But should an explosion ever occur under such circumstances, it would probably be the result of a peculiarly humid condition of the surrounding atmosphere, and of an unusually sudden and near approach of a cloud heavily charged with electricity; but these conditions may be regarded of rare occurrence. The accidents from lightning then, that so frequently happen to buildings, provided with lightning rods, must result from their defective construction or arrangement. One great object with some of those who travel about the country, engaged in putting up lightning rods, is to do the work in the cheapest possible manner. Nor is it to be

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expected that many of these persons are as familiar with the nature of the subject in which they are engaged as they should be. Many of the buildings throughout the country now provided with these imperfect conductors are less safe than if they had none. This wonderful, mysterious agent—electricity, is not to be tampered with, and we would advise every farmer about to have conductors erected on his buildings to see that all the important requisites are fulfilled.

Hay and grain stacks, and barns filled with hay and grain recently cut are more liable to strokes of lightning than dwellings, owing to the gasses that are given off by these substances in consequence of the slight degree of fermentation which they always undergo soon after being harvested.

We have thus briefly alluded to the nature and properties of electricity and the defects in lightning rods. We will now proceed to give the manner in which they should be made and put up.

Lightning rods, if made of iron, may be round, and should never be less than three-quarters of an inch in diameter even for an ordinary sized house. Larger houses should have a larger rod, or two or more of them. The lower end of the rod should terminate with a large piece of iron firmly secured to it, and extend into the ground in a direction from the wall of the house, so as to always be in the moist earth, not less than six feet, or if possible into a well or the bottom of a cistern. If it is not convenient to extend the rod into the water, its lower end should be surrounded with one or two loads of pulverized charcoal. It is no doubt owing to the want of proper precaution in this respect, that buildings are sometimes injured by lightning. The earth in our dry seasons is deprived of its moisture below the end of the rod, and it then becomes a poor conductor.

The manner of pointing the rod also demands attention. A number of diiFerent points for lightning rods have been patented, but they are entitled to no higher regard than the present insulators. In France lightning conductors are made to terminate with a single point. In Germany, England and America, several are frequently added, composed of various materials, but a rod terminating with a single point is as good as more, and the. taper of this should not exceed two and a half, or at most, three inches, on a rod three-quarters of an inch in diameter. To protect the point from rust it should be covered with a good cap of silver,' well soldered on—gold or platinum are better, however, should any one choose to employ either.

Where the slender patent points are used they have been known to explode, or melt for want of sufficient size.

The height to which a single rod should extend above the main body of the building, to

insure safety, is now generally admitted to be equal to half the distance to its remote point; that is, to protect a barn sixty feet long, the rod rising from the centre of the roof, will require to extend fifteen feet above the ridge.

A fruitful source of disaster is known to arise from the uses of the small square rods, now so common in many parts of the country where the pieces are joined. Where a rod is too long to be welded, the best joint is that which gives the greatest surface to the two pieces in contact, and to secure this object they should be spliced with a broad, flat cap, four inches long, allowing each part, where they come together to spread something wider than the main body of the rod, the faces fitted smooth, and the joint firmly secured with a ring covering the point of each piece.

In securing the rod to the building there is. no danger in using small iron staples. For it is true, as Dr. Franklin said, the lightning will never leave the rod—a large conductor—to follow them, but the staples more likely would serve to convey electricity from the building did it contain any, to the rod. But should it be preferred to have the rod a greater distance from the building, the be c t way to secure it, is with braces made of baked wood, and then well painted. Two of these are used together, forming a triangle, with their ends secured to the building twelve or fifteen inches apart, the other ends brought to a point at the distance it is desired to have the rod from the building, the rod secured in its place by an iron strap, screwed to the pieces. No insulators yet made will be more safe, or found to answer a better purpose than these braces.

Training to Harness.

I stated in my last article that a horse planting his legs forward, and looking from side to side, yet doggedly standing still, was a pretty sure indication that he meant plunging, when induced or forced to move. It will generally be found to-be the case; but few rules or', symptoms are without exception.

Now it is very probable that the novelty of finding himself attached to a carriage may occasion a similar proceeding on the part of the horse; and thus, finding himself (in Transatlantic term) " in a fix," he is afraid to move.

Again, if he has not, as I recommended, been taught to bear the pressure of the collar on his shoulders, he feels himself held back by a something to which he is unaccustomed, so does not know that he really can move forward ; thus he may refuse to stir, and. yet be the best tempered and disposed of quadrupeds.

Teach him that by exertion he can move forward, notwithstanding the opposition, he will do S3 ; but, till he has been taught this, we have no cause for wonder, still less for anger or severity, on his refusing to do so.

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I am now speaking of a good tempered horse, who calls upon us by every feeling of humanity, judgment, and, indeed, our own interest, to treat him with gentleness, and to teach him with discretion.

We will suppose such a horse to be put for the first time in double-harness, with a break-horse at his side, ready and willing to act as circumstances may require, or the breaksman direct.

It is in no way to be expected that a horse thus circumstanced will, for some little time, face his collar, unless from vice he plunged, or tried, from that or fright, to run away ; but the animal we are speaking of we suppose to be perfectly good-tempered, but as perfectly ignorant of the business required of him— such a horse calls for the greatest care, that he may not become alarmed. ' Even the break-horse must not be allowed to move on suddenly; for if he does, he will cause the pole-piece of his companion to give a sudden snatch on his neck, which would very possibly produce resistance. Let the novice in harness be encouraged and patted.

On the least indication that he is willing to advance, let the break-horse quietly take off the break, and let him alone, keep it in motion without any attempt on the part of the driver or the man running at the side to make the other tighten his traces. It is quite enough if he moves on without alarm or resistance ; probably he will shortly touch the collar, and it is quite as probable that he will recoil from such touch.

Some horses of course will come to taking a share in the draft of the carriage sooner than others ; but be the time longer or shorter, if good-tempered, the utmost caution must be preserved to use any means but those of violence to induce him to do this. If he will go, he will draw; it may require some patience to bring this about, but finis coronal opus.

We have above supposed we have only had ignorance to contend with in a horse; but there are others where we have sulkiness, willfulness, or vice as opponents ; even in such case patience, artifice, and, as it may be termed, beating a horse at his own game, will usually succeed.

Failing these, there is but one course left— we must, figuratively speaking, break him to harness or break his neck.

I will here venture to obtrude a little bit of opinion—not to say advice—and an observation or two bearing on the subject in hand, and what I have said four or five lines back.

If a horse exhibits such evident aversion or vice when put to harness as to render extreme measures indispensable, would it not be more consistent with good feeling and good judgment not to persevere with him? If, indeed, as in the case of the cart-horse, we can u;-*e him for no other purpose than that of draught, draw he must, be the consequences of

making him do so what they may ; for, if determinedly vicious, we might as well break his neck as leave him a useless incumbrance to the earth. But with a horse that can be used for other purposes, the wisest plan would be to use him for those, or sell him to some one who would.

I have said a good deal as regards coaxing and patting a horse. Some persons may think, or say, they could produce desired results quicker by other means ; let them try.

i go on what hundreds of cases have taught mo, which is, never to have recourse to the foiiiter till the suaviter has failed. The effect produced by patting a horse is not the mere encouragement, but it diverts his attention while many necessary things are being done.

If a horse is playfully inclined, while he is thinking of sranping at the man tickling him on the chest or under t ; ie arm, he is not thinking of kicking. If a horse will play, depend on it, in nine cases in ten, he will go. It' he shows himself sensible to caresses, he is mostly insensible to vice.

Some horses will, from sulkiness, pertinaciously refuse to move. When we are convinced their conduct arises from such cause, we have but one resource: get a couple of men at the hind-wheels of the break, speak to the break-horse in terms he will understand, and let him pull the other off, in common phrase, " neck and heels."

This will in many, perhaps, cause resistance, more or less ; he will, perhaps, struggle against it—at all events, while so struggling he cannot kick, or at least rarely does so. After a good tugging, along with the- collar on his neck, he mostly feels it pleasanter to go than to struggle.

Some will lie down and refuse to rise. In a general way it is a bad plan, in such cases, to release him by undoing the pole-piece and traces: if you do, and he is a determined sulky one, he will lay down again when he thinks proper.

Let the break-horse drag him by the collar. If you wish to render the doing so certain, pass a strong rope with a noose (that will not tighten by the draft) round his neck, just beyond his head ; fasten this to the pole-hook; let the break move at a very slow walk, so as to give the culprit the opportunity of at least attempting to get on his legs ; so soon as he shows inclination to rise, stop the break, and let him be assisted ; but let him find the only result of lying down is the being dragged by the neck while in such a situation.

I rarely found a horse, however sulky, repeat the manoeuvre. Of course, such measures are only to be resorted to in extreme cases.

Running away, or at least attempting to do so, is another exploit sometimes put in practice by horses in being broke to harness.

If they take a breaksman by surprise in

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single harness, this is sometimes a somewhat serious affair, inasmuch as the probability is he has his driving reins to the cheek of the bit the first time of putting a horse in ; but a practised breaksman so watches the movements of a horse under such circumstances, that he checks him before he has time to carry matters to this extremity.

In double harness it matters little ; the break-horse, aided by the driver, will hold him, and he will soon find that the united efforts of both, to which is added the weight of the break, render the running away a serious exertion, of which he will soon tire.

Should he attempt it a second time, skid or tie up one of the hind-wheels, and let him run as fast as he pleases or can, and when disposed to relax his efforts, as he has, perhaps, ran half a mile to please himself, make him go another to please the breaksman. This shows him that running away is not to be practised with impunity.— [London Field.

To What Free Labour Leads.

In a paper read before an Institute in the city of New York, not long since, says the New Orleans Delta, by D. D. Deming, on the " Power of Cotton," the following statement occurs :

Twenty-five year ago, Patrick's dollar would buy twice the amount of necessaries that it can now. What is the cause of this ? The price of food has gone up, and the value of white men has gone down.

In 1831, the ratio of paupers in this State was 1 to 128.

In 1841, the ratio of pauper in this Stat was 1 to 20.

In 1851, the ratio of paupers in this State was 1 to 24.

In 1856, the ratio of paupers in this State was 1 to 17.

In twenty-five years the labouring class of New York has paid for the luxury of " Freedom" double price for food, and an increased \ pauperism of over one hundred per cent. During all this time, the anti-slavery philosophers of that State have not ceased to jubilate over the more abundant wealth and prosperity of the Northern States, compared with the relative development of the South. Very well; but they fail to show that the labouring class of the South was put on a half allowance of food, and that, as a brilliant culmination of our prosperity, one in seventeen of them was thrown upon public charity as a pauper. They failed to show that the labour of the South could ever suffer destitution, while the capital which owned and employed it could command subsistence. Lastly, they failed to show that free labour may not starve while capital is swimming in boundless plenty and luxury, and that the co-existence of the greatest ag-

gregate prosperity and the extreme destitution among the labouring class is an impossible condition in a free State.

Different results flow necessarily from different principles. The principle of " Freedom" —such as we find it in England and the North —has a necessary tendency to monopoly on the one hand, and to destitution on the other ; whereas, the principle of slavery, as it operates in the South, leads essentially to security of life and subsistence, and to an equable diffusion of comforts amongst the labouring class. The slaveholder owns his labour, and, therefore, must, to promote his ow T n interest, feed and clothe it, and improve its skill and efficiency by securing the highest individual development of the labourer. But the non-slave-holding capitalist does not own his own labour, though it is to his interest to absorb all of its profits. The more abundant labour is, and the more productive it is, the less of its fruits is enjoyed by the labourer; and if he should happen to form a part of a surplusage of labour, then he is an industrial cypher on the negative side of the unit; he counts less than nothing, and consequently must receive nothing—that is, he must starve ! He is a dead weight; let him be lopped off, it will not pay capital any longer tfi keep the life in him. He has enjoyed "freedom;" voted for it, perhaps; perchance fought for it; pursued it with a single devotion—idolized it; now let him be a martyr for it!

In Ireland, a few years ago, over half a million of victims performed the duty of martyrdom for " Freedom," by perishing on the public highways. In England the votaries performed the office less obtrusively, but the sacrifice in the aggregate was probably as large. In New York city, we are told that thirty thousand unfortunate sewing-women pendulate between starvation and shame. And yet we can hear no end to the story of the diabolical villanies of slavery, and the tender mercies and divine beauties of " Freedom."

Such are some of the inevitable results of

the industrial chaos, called " Freedom," to

establish the supremacy of which fanatics and

pretended philanthropists would destroy the

safe, orderly, and beneficient labour system of

the South. It is a poor recommendation r ? &

physician's prescription, that it _,' e ^ * ;1 the

poisoned his own family.— <j(ennicoU, and

vator. he vulgar preju-

— ——•~*--^v,uted creations of

Fall animal life, who

-,.„ . _ t an object, and made Milkmg-P„ pra , n .J {IU) Farmert

This is quite ; a }^^^

expect to thriv ,.,

and there arj^ y° un & woman llke corn who are not=2.i !t y? Because she ought milk and bu' ed.

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may not be an object to produce large quantities on farms near the capital or other large cities; for butter is a more profitable article than cheese, when there is a near market for it while it is fresh.

In the interior parts of New England, we incline to think that cheese pays better than firkin butter. We see at the present time, that eighteen cents a pound are demanded for what is called " new milk cheese." Now, as a pail of milk will make more than twice as many pounds of cheese as of butter, good butter ought to bring more than thirty-six cents a pound, unless the labour or the skill required to make cheese exceeds that which is required to make butter.

Yet it is conceded, that small dairies cannot compete with large ones in the making of cheese; while butter may be made from a few cows to as much advantage as from a dozen or twenty.

Large farms, therefore, are the most suitable for the making of cheese,—and the question is, on large farms in the interior, whether cheese or butter is the most profitable article of manufacture.

More skill is required to make cheese than to make butter, and it may be that the labour of making cheese, and tending them is greater than the labour of putting down butter in .firkins. But we think that farmers on a large scale, in the interior, can make more profit on good cheese than on firkin butter.

The labour and attention required to make good butter or cheese, are important items in farming, and the business cannot well be entrusted to hirelings. Skill is required to milk well and drain out all that the udder contains. The last that is drawn from the cow is, by far, the richest portion; therefore, the careless milker may leave a great part of the cream in Jhe udder without being aware of the

harness or i

I will liere vsy matter to teach an old opinion—not to low to milk a cow. The tion or two bcari Wrn t to all the children and what I have said le of learning . They

If a horse exhibit. first plaC6j to treat or vice when put to hai for we knQW of trenie measures indispensai. r j a j.

more consistent with good forced to P art judgment not to persevere w r it. deed, as in the case of the cary, they are itae him for no other purposood in a dis-draught, draw he must, be the cohject to be

stripped when a known friend approaches. It is quite important to milk cows with rapidity. Let no one be permitted to sit and talk to a friend while drawing out the milk. Let the operator know that no talking is to be permitted in the cow-yard, for milking and talking are distinct operations, and must never be united.

The milk must all be drawn out with rapidity, or a portion of the best of it is lost. In half a minute after commencing the process of drawing out the milk there is a rapid flow which must not be checked. If the cow is left for a minute or two when half the milk is drawn, the natural flow is checked, the milk returns back into the ducts, and you must wait for a part of it till the next milking time.

But by a repetition of this careless mode of milking, the quantity is gradually diminished, till "in a short time the cow is dry. Whereas, by attention to the milking with rapidity, and drawing all from the udder, the cow will yield her milk freely for ten months after her time of calving. And we hold that all cows ought to go dry for two months before havinir another calf.

From the Ploughman. Buckwheat and Corn.

Mr. Editor. —I have learned from yourself and others, that corn seldom yields well after buckwheat. Now, as the wheat is not considered an exhauster of the soil, for many consecutive crops are obtained without manure, and without diminution of the harvest, it seems odd that corn cannot succeed, for a single year, on ground that has produced a good crop of buckwheat. Can you give us any reason for this case, which seems to be anomalous, since a change of plants is supposed to be beneficial to all soils ?

Yours, &c, A.

Concord, June 1.

$^f> It is not easy to assign a reason wh}' corn will not yield well after buckwheat; but so it is, and if any one boubts the fact, he can try and.see.

Buckwheat, therefore, is not «a good rotation crop—though it will produce fifteen to twenty bushels an acre, year alter year, on land of an ordinary quality.

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Buckwheat will follow buckwheat, but corn will not follow it. We must humor all these whims, and profit by our own experience. Chemists have never told us why this wheat acts so, nor w r hy onions succeed better on onion ground than on a new soil that was never sucked by them.

Indian corn is one of the crops that may be grown to advantage for forty years in succession in case a good quantity of barn-yard manure is applied. The same cannot be said of any other grain. There is a sweetness in the corn root which is communicated to the crop which follows it by means of the rotting of the roots that fill the ground when the corn is good.

Potatoes on the contrary are not an enriching crop, for not many of their roots are left in the ground,—and such as are left are rather of a poisonous nature and afford but poor food for the succeeding crop.

From the Boston Cultivator.

Superphosphate of Lime.

'We are requested to publish an article written by Prof. Johnson, of Yale College, for The Homestead, in regard to superphosphate of lime. It appears that Mr. Dyer, Corresponding Secretary of the Connecticut State Agricultural Society, sent Prof. J. samples of Coe's and De Burg's manufacture, which the latter gentleman in his capacity of Chemist to the State Agricultural Society, subjected to analysis, and in regard to the results thus obtained x makes the following remarks :

It would be well, as I have always suggested, for the State Agricultural Society to appoint a committee to decide for the Society what shall be its standard article, and what is an equitable price for it; or, what amounts to the same, to determine what Connecticut farmers can afford to pay per pound for ammonia, for soluble and insoluble phosphoric acid, in manufactured manures. But as in default of any official standard you have made me your referee, I am of the opinion that you can demand .that the manufacturers come up to their own standard, especially, since (price considered) theirs is the highest practical one we have yet had. On this

ground you are warranted in calling Coe's superphosphate a good saleable.article, and are also warranted in claiming a reduction of price from De Burg. What deduction ought to be made is a dfficult matter to decide. The only way of getting an approximate idea of the relative worth of these two superphosphates, is to calculate their respective value, from the worth of their active and valuable ingredients. These ingredients are the ones I have already named, and only those. The others are too small in quantify, or too trivial in value, to affect the calculation materially. What are the proper prices ? This is a question which has been much discussed by the most eminent Agricultural Chemists, and if we use for the present the highest prices that have been adopted in Germany, where bones and guano are much dearer than here, we are in favour of the manufacturers rather than of the farmers.

Stceckhardt, the distinguished German agriculturist, who first estimated the value of manures in this way, has given in the first No. of his Agricultural Quarterly, for 1857, a correct scale of prices for Germany. Below are his estimates, and also those of Way, chemist to the Royal Agricultural College of England, and those which the writer adopted last year from the consideration of the cost of the raw materials in the Connecticut market:

Stceckhardt. Way. Vcelcker. Johnson

Let us calculate the value of the superphosphate in question, on the basis of Stceckhardt's prices and my analysis. For this purpose, we multiply the per centa^e of each ingredient by the price^ed in the where we find the value ofvennicott, and ent in 100 lbs., and tUie vulgar preju-twenty times is the valucuted creations of ing together the separrdl animal life, who the total value. t an object, and made -Prairie (III.) Farmer. Calculation of the ta Y* » > > *>

Ammoma, =3'.y young woman like corn

Ins. phos. acid, =18.. . ^ , , ,

_ovity ? Because she ought ed.

Sol. pbos. acid Total value

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

Calculation of De Burg's.

Ammonia. =1.41 pr. ct. x 20=28.8c x 20=$5 79

Ins. phos.'acid, =17.61 il x 5=S8.4c x 20=17 68 Sol. phos. acid, = .51 " x 12i=6.4cx20=l 28

Total value.

$24 72

These " total values" give the relative worth of the fertilizers in question, and if we assume the fair selling price of Coe's to be $45, then by simple rule of three, De Burg's should sell at $30.

38.56 : 45 : : 24.72 : 28.84

Why will not our manufacturers make a good article ? There is not the slightest difficulty in making an article that shall contain 10 per cent, soluble phos. acid. 10 " insoluble " 3 " ammonia

Such, in my opinion, ought to be the standard, and if we calculate its value by the same method we have employed for the other estimates, we have the following:

Ammonia, 3 per ct. x 20 =60 x 20=$12 00

Insoluble phos. acid, 10 " x 5 =50 x 20= 10 00 Soluble phos. acid, 10 " x 122=1.25 x 20=25 00

Total value,

$47 00

I have not the slightest doubt that such a fertilizer can be manufactured and sold profitably at $45 per ton. Yours, &c,

SAMUEL W. JOHNSON.

Nutritious Properties of Straw.

Of late years straw has been used in England for feeding and fattening cattle, to a much greater extent than had been usual either in that or in this country. It is generally in the cut or chopped state, along with turnips or other roots, or with dissolved oil-cake, or molasses. With any of these additions, it is thought to answer very well as a substitute for hay. harness or ?nients of this kind we could

I will h*ere vtive credence, for we have. opinion—not to .(being kept in very good tion or two bcarh., a whole winter, while and what I have said besides straw except

If a horse exhibit- of bran night and or vice when put to haf i n the nutritious trcme measures indispens en fa corrobo .

more consistent with goo judgment not to persevere

v uorts which have deed, as in the case of the < in regard to the use him fur no other purpmethod of con-draught, draw he must, be thc\bran.

M. Jos. Maitre, a distinguished agricul" turist and sheep-breeder, has succeeded' after long experimental trials, in converting not only straw, but also hay, into a kind of bran or farina. The aliment which he produces, is said to be a complete substitute for bran. It has been given to sheep and lambs, and they are said to consume it with good relish. If palatable and nutritious to sheep, it is likely to be so also to all graminivorous animals.

It seems highly probable that grinding straw into a state of coarse meal or pow-der, should make it much more nutritious than it is in the natural condition. This is the usual consequence of a minute division or comminution of all kinds of grain, as well as of other food. Straw converted into a kind of bran or coarse meal, must be much more easily masticated and digested than in the natural state. If even the mere chopping of straw adds greatly to its nutritious powers, as is commonly supposed, much more must such a complete comminution of its substance as is effected by the process referred to. The modus operandi, or manner in which benefit is secured, is common to both processes, though to the one in greater degree than to the other. Both processes facilitate the digestion of the straw in the stomach, and the extraction of whatever nutriment is contained in it.

Until M. Maitre shall supply us with some of his mills for grinding straw, Jet those who use it, either in the cut or uncut state, be sure that they add to it or mix with it enough of meal, roots, bran or other nutritious matter, to make it equal to good hay, or a little better even, so far as the satisfying and keeping of his creatures in good condition are concerned.— Country Gentleman.

Receipe for Scratches. —Take common bar lead and melt it, as you would to mould bullets; then take flour of sulphur and sprinkle on it until the lead is entirely burnt to a powder. It must then be pounded to a fine powder, and a sufficiency of hogs lard added to it, to make a good ointment of proper consistence. Now trim the hair from the diseased part, and wash clean with soap and warm water twice each day, and then rub this ointment on well with a corncob. This treatment will cure the worst case of scratches or foot evil in a few days.

W. S. A. [Soil of (he South.

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461

(iusere to Subscribers far South.

Ed. Southern Planter —I have heard it suggested as a cause of much thieving on the part of negroes on many plantations or farms, that they are often driven to it by a want of sufficient wholesome food ; and have heard that in some of the Southern States laws have been enacted regulating slave owners in this respect. If you or any of your correspondents can give practical information as to such laws, and the quantit}' of food deemed necessary, it will be gratefully received by

A Slaveholder.

Snakes.

Snakes are much abused animals. As supposed types of the first deceiver, a sort of religious dread has ever attached to them, among Christian people ; and a few of the species being really venomous and others possessing imaginary attributes, far transcending the actual powers of any of the class, it is not very wonderful that all the sons and daughters of Eve should inherit a hearty hatred of snakes.

First —What are the venomous snakes ? In the United States we have the Rattlesnake, Copperheads and Moccasins. No others—and, in fact, there are no other poisonous reptiles in our country.

The Moccasin is a southern species ; and so is the great Diamond Rattlesnake— the worst of the species. The Copperhead is a very bad snake; fortunately quite rare now- Robert Kennicott, who is collecting specimens in the region of Jonesboro' and Cairo, writes that he has just secured a genuine Copperhead in Illinois. The Banded Rattlesnake is also found in that region, and he is not to be despised; as his bite is truly dangerous, though rarety fatal to man.

But the snake, about cures for w T hose bite so much has been said in this paper, is quite a different customer—not a very agreeable inmate of one's house, (though we have killed two found in ours,) and quite sufficiently venomous for the snake's own purpose. Still, that our prairie Rattlesnake has ever caused the death of a single human being—-whether "doctored" or not—we have yet to learn.

And this brings us to the second question. Is there any specific antidote for snake poison ? Possibly. But who knows

it? Not we ; and we studied medicine, practised medicine, and believed in medicine for nearly thirty years.

Our first experience with snake bites was in the State of Mississippi, where children and especially careless negroes, were occasionally bitten by the ''ground rattlesnake" a small species of Crotolo-phorus, much like ours of the western prairies. We do not remember a case of bite from any other spiecies ; nor did we know of a snake-bite there or in the State of Louisiana, where we tarried several years.

Since then, a residence of over twenty-one years in Illinois —with as extensive a country practice as any other physician— and in a region and during a time where and when rattlesnakes abounded, no death from their bite has ever come to our knowledge. That is, no death of man, woman, or child—a few small animals, usually bitten in the nose, have died; and deaths among large animals have been reported to us, but we never saw a case. Of human subjects we have treated many cases, and know many that had no treatment at all, or were treated in all ways ; and the result was always the same—all recovered ; though some suffered horribly for a little while. * * *

We have but a word to add to this hasty dissertation on snakes. Let every farmer bear in mind that the whole tribe of serpents are insect eaters, and the benefactors of their human persecutors. Rip up the stomach of one, and you will find it stuffed with insects or enlarged by the bodies of meadow mice. Except in killing an occasional bird or frog, nearly all of our snakes are as useful to vegetation as they are harmless to mankind ; and it is not only an act of wicked barbarity, but a species of suicidal folly to destroy them.— Far better aid in determining the species and their dissemination, as urged in the circular issued by Robert Kennicott, and show that you are above the vulgar prejudice against those persecuted creations of the Great Author of all animal life, who made nothing withd*ut an object, and made these for our good.— Prairie (///.) Farmer.

Why is a pretty young woman like corn in time of scarcity ? Because she ought to be husbanded.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

Okra.

I look upon this as the manna of the South, and I am only surprised that it is not more generally cultivated, cooked and eaten. If okra is boiled to serve up whole, it should never be cooked in iron, but in brass or porcelain. Okra should have a good portion of salt in the water that it is boiled in; when done tender, drain off the water that it is boiled in ; and serve up with butter, pepper, &c. The French make a famous dish called gumbo, from okra. I don't know how many unmentionable things they put in it, but I will tell you how to make American gumbo, that my family are very fond of. For a large family, take a peck of okra, cut it into thin slices, put it into a pot of cold water and start it to boiling. Now take two tender chickens, cut them up, and with a hammer or mallet, macerate the flesh and bones until almost a jelly; add this to the pot of okra; scald and peel a quart of full ripe tomatoes, and grate fine four years of tender green corn, which add to the mass; stir frequently, to prevent burning. Season with fresh butter, pepper and salt, and when nearly done, add a stalk of finely chopped celery, with a few sprigs of parsley and one onion ; continue stirring, and when the mass becomes ropey, and emits a grateful aromatic odor ; serve up. If you would Frenchify the dish, add, just before it is taken up, a gill of pure wine.

Okra is very good fried. Cut into thin slices and fry in lard or butter. A summer soup is not complete without okra.— And some of these days I will tell your readers how to dry it, so as to have it in winter soups.— Cotton Planter.

The berry, when ripe, is used as Coffee.

Eat Story. The following is communicated for the Country Gentleman by a correspondent:

A miller in Bohemia who was sorely plagued by rats, adopted the following expedient to get rid of th«m. Having caught half a score he confined them together without food, until their hunger rose to the omnivorous point, when they determined that one should be victimized rather than all should suffer; so they r«Mfied the decree, and the feeblest rat disappeared! —

The same process was continued until the dominant rat alone survived, whose taste had become thoroughly carnivorous. He kept the monster a-while to give the keenest edge to his appetite, and then turned him loose in the mill. " Such a getting up stairs," as the miller immediatelv heard among the rats, assured him that his plan succeeded, and his Nimrod chased the vermin through all the highways and bye-ways of the building, till all disappeared.

Plaster and Ammonia.

VALUABLE EXPERIMENTS BY PROF. PORTER.

One of the settled points in the theory and practice of soil culture is, that ammonia is a valuable fertilizer for all, or nearly all growing plants. It is this substance that gives so high a value to Peruvian guano, to urine, to horse manure, &c. Every one is acquainted with ammonia as it es- I capes from the stables, from chamber slops that have stood for a few hours, and from 11 Hartshorn smelling bottles." It is also well known that this is a very volatile substance, which escapes into the air rapidly and is lost. To "fix" and retain the ammonia in manures is an important operation. This may be readily done by the addition of a little dilute acid, such as sulphuric acid, (oil of vitriol,) hydrochloric acid, (called also muriatic acid, and spirits of sea salt.) The inconvenience of handling these acids, and their expense, has always been an objection to their general use.

For several years past we have recommended adding to all kinds of animal manures a frequent sprinkling of sulphate of lime, usually called gypsum, or plaster of Paris. This is a compound substance, made up of sulphuric acid and lime.— When brought in contact with substances containing ammonia, the ammonia takes the sulphuric acid away from the lime, and forms a new compound, called sulphate of ammonia, (sulphuric acid and ammonia,) which not being volatile, remains in the manure to be given up to plants.

But it has been asserted by many that the dry plaster added to a manure heap, or to guano, will not unite with the escaping ammonia and retain it. This is an important point, and although we had settled the matter to our own satisfaction, by a number of experiments made three or

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403

four years since, last winter we requested Prof. John A. Porter, (Professor of Organic Chemistry in Yale College,) to make such experiments as might be necessary to settle the question. We give his reply below. It will be observed that the mass of horse manure experimented upon, was placed in the same condition as a heap of stable manure, viz: a moist or fermenting portion below, with a dry portion over it. We will here repeat our oft-given advice, to always have at hand a barrel of plaster, and mix a small portion of it with every portion of animal manure made in the stables or yards. There is, in our opinion, no doubt as to the practical advantage of this course.

To the Editor of the American Agriculturist:

Sir —In reply to your inquiry, I would state that I sometimes since undertook to settle the conditions of the absorption of ammonia by sulphate of lime, or gypsum, by direct experiment.

Before giving the result, let me premise, for the sake of clearness on what is to follow, that ammonia always escapes in company with carbonic acid, in case of the fermentation of manures, and indeed in all cases of advanced decay or putrefaction. It is also in the form of carbonate of ammonia that it exists in the air. The point then to be decided is, the action of gypsum, or sulphate of lime, on carbonate of ammonia.

As to the retentive power of gypsum to ammonia in the presence of abundant moisture, as for example, when mingled, with putrefying urine, or thrown upon night soil in a vault, there has never been a doubt. It may be remarked here that it is not, strictly speaking, the gypsum that fixes the ammonia, but the sulphuric acid which the gypsum contains. This acid unites with the ammonia, forming sulphate of ammonia, thus fixing and retaining the floating material by destroying its volabili-ty, and giving it the form of a permanent salt. The remaining elements of the sulphate of lime and carbonate of ammonia, unite at the same time and form carbonate of lime. The whole action is simply an " exchange of partners," or what is called in chemical language, a double decomposition.

But it is a singular fact that the partners change back again just as soon as they get

dry. The new alliances do not stand the pressure of hard times. As soon as moisture is gone, the ammonia-leaves its new partner, and yoking itself again to the old one goes on its way as it started, in the form of carbonate of ammonb. The production of smelling salts by mixing sulphate (or muriate) of ammonia and chalk, is a consequence of such a changing back to carbonate of ammonia (the volatile constituent of the smelling salts) and sulphate (or muriate) of lime, which remains permanently in the phial.

It may also be shown by a very simple experiment that dry gypsum will not retain carbonate of ammonia. If the powdered materials are mixed and moistened, and afterwards exposed for a few days to the air, it will be found that the carbonate has left the gypsum entirely, and escaped into the air.

It would seem, then, at first sight, to be established that a covering of gypsum on a dry manure heap will not insure the rention of the ammonia. What seems dry, however, may not be, in reality, perfectly dry. It certainly is not, if fermentation is going on beneath it. For, in the first place, somewhat abundant moisture is essential to the process, and this moisture must escape with the products of fermentation. And again, the very process itself which produces ammonia out of the elements of the fermenting substance, produces water also out of the elements of the same material. For these two reasons, therefore, we may always be sure of a certain portion of moisture where fermentation is going on The practical question is, whether the moisture is in sufficient quantity. My experiments seems to answ T er this question in the affirmative.

EXPERIMENTS.

The experiments were made by covering fermenting stable manure with a layer of the same material (stable manure) perfectly dried over a fire, and then upon this a thin coating of ground gypsum or plaster.

The fermentation was carried on in a covered pail, so arranged that all the gases and vapors rising from it could be drawn off and tested. Before covering with the plaster, there was an abundant flow of ammonia through the layer of dry manure, but the layer of plaster being added, no pai^ticle of ammonia escaped.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER

The usual condition of a manure heap, even in hot weather, would be much more favorable to the retention of ammonia than in the experiment described. The heap would rarely if ever be dry to the depth of an inch. Even if this were the case it would seem evident from the above experiment that sufficient moisture would escape with the ammonia to insure its fixation b}' the plaster. But it is to be borne in mind that where the surface is comparatively dry more plaster must be used.— The covering must be quite perfect, as in this case the plaster has little opportunity of diffusing itself by solution, as it does, to a considerable extent, in a moist heap Respectfully,

John A. Porter.

Mm Haven, April 29, 1857.

Newspapers, the Postal service, &c.

Much ignorance prevails among the uninitiated the prompt, safe and expeditious transmission of mailable matter. It is not at all unusual to find people entertaining an opinion that all articles are mailable, and that upon leaving them at a postoffice, their proper delivery at their destination is absolutely as certain as the rising of the sun. The writer knows something of mail service. Raised in an extensive newspaper establishment, and having had an experience of several years as Mail Agent, an opportunity has been afforded him of becoming thorough!}' acquainted with such matters.

It is often the case that a newspaper subscriber entertains the idea that the editor is the mailer of his own paper, and takes especial pains in directing it to this or that individual, who may suppose himself entitled to more than ordinary consideration. The facl is, an editor has nothing to do with the ordinary routine of mechanical or clerical duties in his office. He generally confines himself to his editorial room (or study), and is of necessity compelled to trust all business matters to persons in his employ.

The mailing of a newspaper is no guar-; antee of its proper delivery. Newspapers ' have to run the risk of being mis-sent from; the City postoffice ; upon the railroads and' horse routes; and of proper care in the postoffices for which they are destined.—J In country postoffiees the negligence is often very great. Instances of this are]

daily witnessed by postoffice agents. Frequently it is ascertained that a man regarded as postmaster is only so nominally, leaving it in charge of persons feeling no interest in the matter, and caring nothing for the just performance of the duties pertaining to the office.

Upon the arrival of the mail at a country office, it is usual to find an assemblage of persons, and in many cases it is difficult to say who is postmaster, so far as distribution of matter is concerned. Often a man will read his neighbor's paper, and, if there be anything in it particularly interesting, and if he be an unprincipled man, will pocket it with little ceremony. For the missing paper the editor is denounced, of course.

The postoffice establishment is the most extensive Department under our Government, and, from the vast number of persons in its employment, possibly possesses most influence ; but upon the whole there is no question as to the utter looseness existing in the United States postal service. It is, in fact, inferior in nearly every respect to the English postoffice organization, upon which, if convenient, something mav hereafter be said.— The South.

Corn Beer. .

" Why do you not republish that receipt for making corn beer? It is an excellent drink for warm weather." This was the remark made to us the other day, and as we know the drink referred to is good, and cheap, (no small recommendation, now-a-days,) we concluded to put our readers in mind to have some ready for haying, and this is the way to make it:

Take one pint of corn and boil it until it is a little soft, add to it a pint of molasses and one gallon of water ; shake them well together, and set it by the fire, and in twenty-four hours the beer will be excellent. When all the beer in the jug is used, just add more molasses and water. The same corn will answer for six months, and the beer will be fit for use in 12 hours, by keeping the jug which contains it warm. In this way the whole ingredients used in making a gallon of beer will not cost over four cents, and it is better and more wholesome than cider. A little yeast added greatly forwards the working of the beer. [Maine Farmer.

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For the Southern Planter.

Extracts from a Farm Diary for the last Forty Years, to wit:

1816. A frost in every month during the year. Crops of corn very short, and imperfectly matured.

1820. April 2d. Cold, and hailing until 8 o'clock ; 8 o'clock, commenced snowing rapidly, and continued until 12 o'clock. 3rd. Clear and intensely cold. Snow on a level 3 inches deep. 4th. Snow on the ground, and horse-pond so frozen as to make it necessary to break the ice for the horses to get water. 6th. This day snow and ice disappeared. 9th. Snow. 10th. Ice over pond. Apple trees in full bloom,, and produced a smart crop; of fruit quality indifferent.

1822. April 1st. Commenced planting corn. May 8th, Planted cotton seed. 14th. Garden peas ripe. 15th. Cherries ripe. June 19th. Commenced harvest. July 5th. Watermelons ripe. August 15th. Cotton commenced opening. Rain; none from this time until the 20th of September, except a very light shower. October 3rd. Commenced sowing wheat.

1823. April 7th. Commenced planting corn. 25th. Apple trees in full bloom. May 6th. A large frost. June 25th. Commenced harvest. No rain from 6th May until 19th June, which continued with slight intermission until the 2d July. October 1st. Commenced sowing wheat.

1824. April 1st. Commenced planting corn. 8th. Planted cotton. June 24th. Commenced harvest. July 26th. Sowed turnip seed. August 26th. A rainy spell commenced and continued until the 28th of September, with the exception of four days ; they were cloudy. September 28th. Commenced sowing wheat. '

1825. March 28th. Commenced planting corn. April 2d. A snow upon an average three- inches deep, which continued on the ground until the 6th. 26th. Planted cotton. June. 20th. Commenced harvest. July 5th. Cotton in bloom, which opened on the 15th of August. 1,'th. Rain—the first since the 22d July. The hotest summer within the recollection of the oldest inhabitant.

1825. August 19th. Three corn silks came out on this day ; the ears completely filled out on the 31st. Silks put out earlier in the season ; will not mature as soon. 29th. Commenced gathering fodder. September 28th. Commenced sowing wheat.

1826. March 6th. Cherry tree in bloom. 15th. Commenced planting corn. April 12th. Ground too much frozed to plough ; ice in water vessels in the house. 26th. Cut a stalk of asparagus that measured 2£ inches in circumference—the product of seed sown spring of 1824. May 10th. Commenced weeding corn. June 10th. Harvest commenced in this neighbourhood. July 12th. Cotton in bloom.

30

[August 4th. Rain—first since the 30th June, except two light showers, barely enough to lay

i the dust cleverly ; the ground has not been

i thoroughly wet in the last eight months. 24th.

I Cotton open. 27th. Cherry tree in bloom. October 16th. Commenced sowing wheat November 20th. Cherry tree in bloom.

1827. April 29th. Frost and snow; very cold. May 1st. Snow. 4th. Frost. 8th. Frost. 9th. Frost. 11th. Cherries ripe. 17th. A plentiful dish of garden peas ; they were ripe a week ago. June 2d. Frost. 22d. Sultry close weather at 12 o'clock; rode out in the evening, and had to borrow an over-coat to return with, it having become so cold. 27th. Commenced harvest. July 18th. Cotton in bloom. September 3rd. Commenced pulling fodder. October 5th. Commenced sowing wheat.

1828. February 17th. Peach trees in bloom. March 27th. Commenced planting corn. April 14th. Snow. May 3d. Planted cotton. 7th, Cut a stalk of asparagus four inches in circumference. 15th. I judge three-fourths of my wheat is in head ; a part of a fleece of wool measured fourteen inches. The winters of 1827 and 1828, the warmest within the recollection of the oldest inhabitant. June 19th. Commenced harvest. 21st. Corn in tassel. October 1st. Commenced sowing wheat. December 25th. Cherry tree in bloom.

1829. April 6th. Commenced planting corn*. June 23rd. Commenced harvest. August 21st. Rain commenced on the 28th of July, and continued every day, with the exception of three, to this time. 23rd. Rain ; 24th, rain ; 26th, rain; 27th, rain; 28th, rain; and 29th, rain. 31st. Commenced pulling fodder. October 6th. Commenced sowing wheat.

1830. April 5th. Commenced planting corn. June 21st. Commenced harvest. July 1st. Corn in silk. September 29th. Commenced sowing wheat. December 4th. I have never seen so mild a November and December thus far. I have seen a plum of the second growth on the 3rd inst., to all appearances ripe; tomatoes in abundance to-day; second growth of Irish-potatoes; strawberries on the 27th of October last, and raspberries now growing.

1831. March 16th. A snow commenced on the 14th January last, a portion of which now remains. The snow was blown in banks by the wind, which continued during its fall to the height of fencing generally. Had it have fallen without wind, I imagine it would have averaged three feet in depth. The hardest spell of weather for six weeks, commencing a few days previous to the snow, that has ever been witnessed by the oldest inhabitant. April 5th. Commenced planting corn. May 14th. Garden peas and strawberries ripe. June 24th. Commenced harvest. July 4th. Corn in silk. 14th. Cotton in bloom. August 13th. A strange phenomenon; the sun arose this morning assuming the colour of the moon,

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER

the shadow of which during the day, until 5 o'clock in the evening,- was like unto that of the moon, though not so bright at that time; it assumed a blue colour, such as the sky presents on a clear day, without the least shadow perceptible. A black round spot the size of a turkey's egg appeared on its disk, equi-distant from its centre, and its circle to the South. Sometimes its colour would be emerald, or green as sea water, without emit-ing a single beam. September 1st. Cotton open. October 3rd. Commenced sowing wheat.

1832. April 2d. Commenced planting corn. May 3rd. Planted cotton. 12th. Garden peas and strawberries ripe. June 25th. Commenced harvest. October 2d. Commenced sowing wheat.

1833. April 1st. Commenced planting corn. 25th. Garden peas in bloom. May 16th. A plentiful dish of garden peas and strawberries. June 17th. Commenced harvest. 25th. Roasting ears ripe. August 30th. Commenced gathering fodder. October 3d. Commenced sowing wheat.

1834. March 26th. Commenced planting corn. June 24th. Commenced harvest. June 26th. Corn in tassel. July 6th. Corn in silk, —ten days from tassel to silk. October 6th. Commenced sowing wheat.

1835. April 2d. Commenced planting corn. October 12th. Commenced sowing wheat.

1836. April 8th. Commenced planting corn. June 9th. First fair day and without rain since the 23rd of May. July 7th. Corn in silk. October 5th. Snow,—houses and land smartly covered.

1837. April 5th. Snowed rapidly the greater part of the day ; and but for the ground being covered with water from a previous rain, it would have been six inches deep. 7th. Commenced planting corn. 25th. Frost for several preceding nights, but the last equal to a winter one. 26th. Severe frost, and ground frozed. May 2d. Frost equal to a winter one. June 30th. First corn silk. July 3rd. A destructive hail storm; corn materially injured. July 5th. Commenced harvest. October 6th. Commenced sowing wheat.

1838. April 6th. Commenced planting corn. 15th. Snow. 20th. Snow,—a winter's day. May 25th. Winter weather,—sitting by a large lire, and barely comfortable; spring uncommonly backward. May 30th. A dish of garden peas. June 7th. Corn barely perceptible above the clods. 29th. Commenced harvest. 30th. First corn tassel. July 12th. First corn silk; from 1st June to this time, the warmest weather I have ever experienced,—the thermometer ranging generally in a cool passage irom 87 to 96°. 13th. A copious rain. August 1st, rain ; 11th, rain; 28th, rain. September 1st. The hotest summer ever experienced by any person living; from the 1st of Juno to this time, the thermometer has generally ranged from 85 to 96° in a cool passage.

The coldest spring, say to the 1st June, ever experienced by the oldest inhabitant. 29th. A terrible gust; tremendous wind, and the greatest fall of rain ever seen in this quarter; fifteen mills broken, and incalculable damage to farms ; many bridges swept away. October 11th. Commenced sowing wheat.

1839. January 12th. Thermometer at 70°. April 8th. Commenced planting corn. May 13th. A dish of garden peas. June 25th. First corn tassel. 28th. Commenced harvest; seasonable up to the 15th July. 24th, rain; 30th, rain ; 31st, rain ; August 2d, rain ; 8th, rain; 12th, rain ; 13th,'rain ; 16th, rain; 20th, rain ; 22d, rain ; 23rd, rain ; 24th, rain ; 25 th, rain ; 27th,rain ; 28th,rain ; 29th,rain ; 30th, rain, and gust; September 1st, rain; 4th, rain ; 6th, rain ; 8th, rain ; 9th, rain; 10th, rain. September 12th. Frost,. 13th. Frost. October 7th. Commenced sowing wheat. December 1st. Twelve hours of incessant rain, —perhaps more water on the earth than I ever saw, and continued to the 4th, when a greater fall of water took place.

1840. January 2d. Mercury at 17°; 19th, at 4°; 30th, at 58° : February 5th at 22° ; 6th, at 51°; 10th, at 77°; 11th, at 39°. 23rd. Li-lacks and honeysuckles in leaf, maples nearly so; apricots nearly in bloom: peech buds much swolen, and Persian-iris in bloom. 29th. Thermometer hung on the sun side of the house 104°; on a tin 80°; in a cool passage 74°. April 3rd. Commenced planting corn. 28th. Ripe strawberries. May 3rd. Cherries ripe. 9th. Garden peas in abundance. 12th. Wheat in head. June 19th. Commenced harvest. 22d. First corn tassel. August 25th. A second crop of strawberries ripe. October 5th. Commenced sowing wheat. November 18th. A snow fell, preceded by a heavy fall of rain, notwithstanding it lay on the earth one foot in depth ; had all the snow have lain, it would have been eighteen inches deep I judge. December 4th. A snow commenced this day, and continued until the 6th, with a tremendous wind the whole time,—the most severe one ever seen so early.

1841. January 3rd. Mercury at 19°; 4th, atl7i°; 7th, at 59°; 12th,-at 15°; 17th, at 28°,—snow storm through the day. 18th. Snow averaged twelve inches in depth. April 1st. A blade of wheat twelve and a half inches high. 6th. Commenced planting corn. 12th. Snow three inches deep; wheat blade two feet high. 16th. Frost. May 14th. A large frost. 22d. Strawberries ripe; wheat smartly in head. June 8th. Com barely perceptible above the clods; cold season, a"d bad stand. 11th. After the wetest season, from November last to the 28th of May, we are now visited with the most distressing drought; though a very long interval of rain has not taken place, the earth is perhaps more dry than it was ever known to be at this season. Corn barely perceptible above the clods, and dying; several

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have discontinued working it; the wheat rotting from heat. The thermometer ranging daily at 91°. 12th. A fine rain, and tremendous wind, which destroyed many timber trees. 14th. Rain. 19th. My corn field this day shows a green tinge; corn too small to throw the earth to it. 25th. Commenced harvest, but had to desist from a fine shower of rain. July 1st. First corn tassel. 7th. First corn silk— notwithstanding, the corn would not average more than the height of the knee. 7th. Rain, —a fine shower. 30th. Rain, fifteen days without,—a serious drought to the crops, which were nearly three weeks later than usual. August 1st. I do not think that more than one-fourth of my corn is in tassel, 5th, rain ; 8th, rain ; 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th, rain ; 26th, rain; 27th, rain ; 30th, rain ; September 3rd, rain. October 1st, 4th, and 5th. Frost. 5th. Commenced sowing wheat. November 28th. Snow nine inches deep.

1842. January 31st. The Mercury through this month has ranged from 60 to 65°,—the warmest January I have ever experienced. February 1st. Leather-winged bats, candle-flies, ague and fever worms, and bugs of different kinds, seen on the 15th January last. Sap also flowing from forest trees where an incision had been made. 10th. Elder bushes, and blackberry bushes in leaf. 13th. The heaviest fall of rain I recollect ever to have seen, unless the fall on the 29th September, 1838, exceeded it; that fell more hastily, and broke many mills. March 2d. A blade of wheat nine inches in length. 11th. Wall flowers in bloom, and peach trees smartly in bloom on the 5th inst. April 1st. A blade of wheat twenty-two inches in length. 4th. Commenced planting corn. 14th. Strawberries ripe. May 5th. Purple straw wheat smartly in head. 12th. An Irish-potato the size of a hen's egg. 28th. Last dish of strawberries. 29th. Corn very low. June 8th. Weather so cold I had to wear an over-coat. June 10th. Summer weather commenced yesterday, until which time it was unusually cold. 11th. Winter . weather,—sitting by large fires, and over-coats needed upon turning out. 12th. Mercury at 55°; frost. 16th. Wheat of a deep yellow tinge, and purpling in many places; this day the rust made its appearance in it, and spread perceptibly every hour, notwithstanding, no material injury. A rainy spell commenced on the 10th inst., and continued every day except two to the 26th- The forest and other trees are putting out a new foliage; many trees and weeds have nearly half their number new. 22d. Commenced" harvest. 24th. Corn tassels out. July 6th. Corn in silk. 22d. Forest trees still putting out new leaves. 24th. Cotton in bloom. August 24fch. A tremendous rain and gust through the day and night; corn prostrate to the earth, the fodder torn from the stalks, and many large trees blown down. 29th. This is the first entirely fair day that I recol-

lect to have seen since the 6th day of June last. September 1st. The last winter the mildest I recollect to have seen. No ice, save two houses partly filled, in the country. The summer just closed the coolest I have ever seen, except the summer of 1816. October 1st. An apple and plum tree in bloom. 10th. Commenced sowing wheat. 20th. Whortleberries ripe, and eaten from the bush ; plum tree in bloom. November 8th. Rain,—the first since the 5th September last. November 30th. Snow.

1843. January 15th. Cut down three cherry trees of very large size, the trunks of which rose several feet above the stumps, notwithstanding they bloomed as fully in this situation as if they had stood ; this refutes the opinion that the sap descends to the roots in the winter. January 20th. Mercury 65° in the house; 90° out doors. 21st. Mercury in the house 70°; out doors 97°; sitting without fire ; candle-flies. 29th. Sap rising from trees cut down. This has been the most pleasant January I have ever witnessed ; not a day in it to prevent agricultural pursuits. March 3rd. Mercury at 20?*. 23rd. Mercury at 15°. The month just closed, and the one preceding it, have been exceedingly inclement; farming operations have been nearly suspended during the time. April 3rd. Snow. 18th. Commenced planting corn. 23rd. Spring appears this day, after a most backward and gloonfy season, from the 1st of February last; peach trees are not in full bloom. May 15th. Wheat smartly in head. 21st. Strawberries ripe. 30th. Garden peas ripe. June 3rd. Up to this time we have had regular winter fires ; to-day suitable weather for the season; fifty-five heads of wheat, the product of one grain; average number of grains in each head, fifty-five,— making in all 3025 grains. There were sixty branches, five of the heads of which were destroyed by birds. July 3rd. Commenced harvest; yesterday mercury at 90°; to-day 71°. July 30th. A refreshing shower of rain, the first sufficient to wet the earth since the 14th of April; at that time the earth was wet, and was kept in that condition by occasional light showers until the 7th inst. The crops of corn were exceedingly promising until that time, when all their props seemed knocked from under them; many fields appeared as if they might be fired ; the corn was never out of roll until this day ; the tassels of a great portion of it come out and withered under the scorching influence of the sun, before the farina was formed and matured,—barely a half crop made. August 13th. Rain continued from the 30th ultimo to this time, with the exception of two or three days. September 4th. Commenced gathering fodder. 10th. From the 30th July to this time, the best season for vegetation I have ever seen. October 2d. Commenced sowing wheat, j 1844. January 17th. Beech buds bursting.

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27th. Mercury at 12°. February 29th. Sowed garden peas. March 28th. Commenced planting corn. April 16th. Garden peas in bloom ; a blade of wheat thirty-two and a half inches high. 22d. Many heads of wheat clear of their casements. May 3rd. Strawberries and garden peas ripe. June 5th. Corn sufficiently large to lay by ; the last winter more favourable for the farming operations than any I have ever witnessed. 12th. First corn tassel in the field. 17th. Commenced harvest. 22d. First corn silk ; cherries of every variety ripe in May. July 16th. A. shower of rain,—the first since the 14th of June. August 5th. Corn in the field nearly dry enough to grind. 10th. Severe gust of wind, hail, and rain ; houses unroofed, and corn much damaged. 19th. Commenced gathering fodder. September 26th. Commenced seeding wheat. December 7th. Mercury at 65°.

1845. January 16th. Mercury at 75°. Feb-ruar}'- 23rd. Peach trees nearly in bloom ; mercury at 69°. April 4th. Commenced planting corn. 6th. Wheat twenty-eight and a half inches high; 9th. Ice in large quantities. 27th. A ripe strawberry. May 5th. Rain,— first since the 14th March. The last winter was the mildest and dryest I have known. May 6th. Wheat getting in head. 31st, Frost. June 15th. First corn tassel. 17th. Commenced harvest. October 12th. A rain of twenty-four hours continuance; the earth flooded with water. Less rain has fallen from last October to this time than I have ever noticed. 17th. A frost, like a snow: mercury 38°; ice. December 21st. Mercury at 16°.

1846. February 27th. Mercury at 19°. March 3rd. The most distressing spell of weather I have ever experienced closed this day. For ten days or more previous to the 25th ultimo, the air seemed surcharged with snow ; on that day it snowed. 26th. Clear. 27th. Commenced snowingagain,—raining and hailing, which continued to this time, forming alternative layers of snow and ice to the depth of twelve inches generally; in some places it was .drilled to the depth of five feet. Snow remained on the ground until the 8th April; mercuiy ranging from 18 to 30°. April 1st. 'Commenced planting corn. 4th. Peech trees getting in hloom. May 6th. Ripe Strawberries. June 3rd. Corn from knee to waist high throughout the field; more forward than I have ever known It', 14th. Corn in tassel. 15th. First day the sun has been seen since the 7th insl.; rain to-day fell in torrent-;; a dense lug through ut the time. 20th. V":n-juenced harvest. 22d f Corn in silk. 26th. A silk oD a stalk of corn which showed a lobe of tassel riii-ec inches in length on the l-!th inst., twelve days from tassel to silk. August 17th. Commenced gathering fodder, which was riper than any 1 have heretofore gathered from .the 25th to the last of the month. September 29th. A frost that remained on the ground un-

til the sun was an hour high. October 12th. Commenced sowing wheat.

1847. January 1st. Mercury at 71°. 8th. Mercury at 25°. 22d. Mercury at 11°. April 7th. Commenced planting corn. May 1st. Garden peas in bloom, and ripe on the 20th. 9th. Rain,—the first since the 26th of March last. 14th. Wheat smartly in head. 20th. Strawberries ripe. Wheat remains in bloom about seven days, and ripens in three weeks after it diops its bloom. June 23rd. Commenced harvest. 25th. First corn tassel; a silk on the stalk on the 8th July. October 15th. Commenced sowing wheat; frequent rains from the 20th June to this time; a heavy frost. December 26th. Mercury at 29°; 27th, at 26° ; 29th, at 69° ; 31st, at 64°.

1848. January 1st. Mercury at 64°; a dense fog. 10th. Mercury at 24°. April 3rd. Commenced planting corn. 20th. Mercury ac 38°, and ground frozen. 29th. Strawberries ripe. May 5th. A severe thunder storm,— wind, rain, and hail. 16th. Garden peas ripe. 19th. Strawberries in abundance. June 6th. Corn from knee to shoulder high. 15th. Mercury at 88°. 16th. Mercury at 103°. 20th. First corn tassel. 21st. Commenced harvest. 23rd. Mercury at 102°. 30th. A fine rain, which has relieved us of a drought of six weeks continuance. August 17th. Ripe strawberries. September 23rd. Frost; mercury at 48°. October 9th. Commenced sowing wheat. December 17th. Mercury at 95°. 18th. Mercury at 82°

1849. January 3rd. Mercury at 16°. From the commencement of the last fall to this time has been the warmest weather I have ever experienced for the season ; mercury generally ranging from 60 to 95°. More pork lost than I have ever heard of in all my past life. 11th. Mercury at 9°; 14th, at 60°; 15th, at 04° ; 19th, at 17°. From the 24th of February to the 30th of March, there have been only five days without rain ; the sun obscured by clouds and mist the whole time, with the above exception. April 1st. Snow. 3rd. A heavy frost. 6th. Commenced planting corn. 15th. Mercury at 30°; ice thick over water vessels. 18th. Snow. 19th. Mercury at 32°. May 12th. A smart frost. 15th. Frost. June 1st. March was unusually mild. April and May to this time have heen the most windy and cold months I have ever experienced ; trees budded out later than usual; snow, frosts, and freezes came on, ano destroyed all the buds; many trees and shrubs were killed. To-day weather suitable for the season ; corn appearing a little above the clods, and I believe is from three to four weeks later than usual. First garden peas and strawberries to-day. 15th. From Thursday, the 7th, to this time, sun obscured by fog, resembling Indian summer,—except that it was more damp. 21st Mercury at 107° ; 22d, at 122^; 23rd, at 115°. 25th. Commenced harvest; corn upon an av-

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erage knee high. 27th. First corn tassel; mercury at 103°. 28th. Mercury at 102°. 29th. At 11 o'clock A. M., and 3 o'clock P. M., with the sun unobscured, a brilliant star seen. July 7th. First corn silk. July 8th. Rain,— the first to wet the earth since the 28th of May. 12th. Mercury at 103°. August 18th. Rain,—the first since the 30th ultimo. October 5th. Commenced sowing wheat. 31st. Snow and hail. November 6th. Mercury at 90°. 23rd. Mercury at 90°. December 1st. The most pleasant fall has this day ended I have ever experienced ; scarcely an unpleasant day during its continuance. Winter has commenced with its characteristic weather,—hail and sleet. 9th. Rain and snow. 12th. Mercury at 25°. 13th. Snow. 16th. Rain; sun obscured for the last ten days.

1850. January 1st. Mercury at 4°. 2d. Hail and rain. 3rd. Rain. 4th. Rain and snow. 12th. Mercury at 63°. 14th. Severe snows. 15th. Mercury at 18°. 28th. Mercury at 71°; rain and snow from the 14th to this time; nineteen days of rain and snow during this month, February 5th. Mercury at 11° ; frequent rains through the month, but so moderate as not to prevent farming operations. March 5th. Strawberries in bloom. March 20th. Mercury at 28°. 25th. Mercury at 28£°; snow and ice. 28th. Mercury at 282°; snow half leg deep, and snowing rapidly. April 5th. Rain through the day, and snow at night. 6th. Snow ; mercury at 30°. 10th. Rain and snow. 11th. Commenced planting corn; snow and rain. 14th. Mercury at 35°; ground smartly frozed, and ice pretty much through the day. 15th. Frost and ice, and flocks of snow birds. 16th. Frost. 17th. A smart snow, and at 10 o'clock P. M., mercury at 35°. 18th. Mercury at 33°; ground so much frozed as to prevent plowing; ice over ponds. 27th. Mercury at 90°. 30th. April has ended, the most unpleasant one I have ever experienced. May 2d. Frost. 5th. First weather suitable for the season. 12th. Frost. 18th. Wheat in head. 21st, Strawberries ripe. »24th. Garden peas ripe; frequent rains through the month. June 11th. Sitting by a smart fire; not comfortable without. 15th. Summer weather commenced ; up to this time almost constant fires ; mercury at 87° in a cool passage. 19th. Mercury at 104°. 20th. Mercury at 112°. 28th, Commenced harvest. July 1st. Mercury at 120° ; first corn tassel. 5th. Mercury at 122°. 10th. First corn silk. 18th. A severe gust through the day; excessive wind and rain; trees blown down, and corn prostrate with.the earth. September 21st. "Cold and dry to the 15th June ; from that time to the 1st September, very hot; then fall commenced in reality. 26th. Mercury at 86° in a cool passage. October 1st. Frost. 3rd. Mercury at 49°. 4th. Mercury at 46 2 °. 7th. Mercury at423-; commenced sowing wheat, 8th. Mercury at 35°; a heavy frost. Novem-

ber 2d. Mercury at 99° ; 3rd. Mercury at 97°. 28th. Mercury at 70° in a cool passage. December 13th. Mercury at 25°. For several summers last past, there has been very little thunder and lightening.

1851. January 7th. Mercury at 84°; 19th, at 18°; 25th, at 81°; 27th, at 87°; 30th, at 15° ; 31st, at 6° ; February 1st, at 14°. March 31st. Commenced planting corn. April 5th. The last winter and spring to this time have been more mild than any I have recollection of. I think there has not been six days of cold weather during the season, one of which, however, was the coldest that has been since the 17th January, 1840. Dogwoods getting in bloom,—being one month earlier than last year. 14th. Rain and hail commenced on the morning of the 13th, and continued until this morning, when it snowed for several hours,— and would have lain to a considerable depth, but for. the water that was on the ground. 21st. Heavy frost. 22d. Frost; Irish-potatoes killed. 23rd. Frost. 26th. Ripe strawberries. May 2d. Frost, 3rd. Frost. 5th. Snow. 7th. Frost. 12th. Wheat commenced heading. 13th. Mercury at 110°. 19th. A plentiful dish of garden peas. June 6tK. Corn very promising. 18th. Frost. 21st. Commenced harvest. 29th. First corn silk. July 30th. A fine rain,—the first that has wet the earth since the 5th day of May last. August 25th. From the 18th to this time, rain more or less every day. September 5th. Very sultry weather; a thunder storm, with high wind and hail. October 8th. Commenced sowing wheat. December 14th. Mercury at 20°; 16th, at 13° ; 17th, at 8° ; 18th, at 7£°; 19th at 4°. 22d, Snow eight inches deep. 24th. Mercury at 4°. 31st. Mercury at 52°, and a dense fog for four days.

1852. January 1st. A bright pleasant day, —the first since the 14th of December. 2d. Snow and rain 6th. Snow. 8th. Mercury at 15°. 10th. Rain, hail, and snow. 12th. Mercury at 22°; 13th, at 10°; 14th, at 19°. 18th. Rain, hail, and snow. 19th. Mercury at 12°; 20th, below zero; 21st, at 20°: 22d. at 19° ; 23rd, at 18°; 24th, at 20° ; 25th, at 29°; 26th, at 43°; 27th, at 28°; 28th, at 30°. 29th. This day has ended the most distressing sleet I have ever witnessed, which commenced on the 18th inst, ; broken bones and loss of life, to man and beast, have been the consequences of it. March 18th. Peach trees in bloom. April 7th. Commenced planting corn. 30th. Very frequent rains through this month. May 5th. Frost. 20th. A dish of garden peas, and strawberries on the 15th. June 16th. A severe storm. 17th. Corn from knee to waist high. 18th. It has been unusually cool throughout the spring, up to the 16th inst., when the heat became oppressive; the mercury ranging at 82° in a cool passage. 22d. Commenced harvest. June 30th. Repeated rains and severe thunder storms through

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this month. July 1st. Great loss in wheat by repeated storms. 6th. First corn silk. 22d. Mercury at 115°. 30th. Mercury at 110°; frequent rains during the month. August 29th. Eighteen days of rain, and twenty of most oppressive heat. September. Nothing of interest to note in this month. October 8th. Mercury at 105°- 11th. Commenced sowing-wheat; seasonable through the month. November. Seasonable through the month. December. Frequent rains through the month.

1853. January 4th. Snow. 10th. Mercury at 74°. 17th. Mercury at 17°. 18th. Snow. 24th. Snow. 27th. Mercury at 10°. 28th. Mercury at 1G°. February 2d. A thunder storm ; lightening struck in several places in Richmond, New York, and Baltimore about the same hour. 20th. Mercury at 19°. 22d. A thunder cloud. 24th. Mercury at 22°. March 15th. Mercury at 22° ; 25th. A tremendous storm. April 8th. A heavy frost, and ice. 11th. Commenced planting corn ; mercury at 42°; yesterday at 76° ; 22d, at 95°. 27th. Frost, May 28th. Peas in bloom fiat were sown on the 15th ultimo. May 6th. Early purple straw wheat smartly in he id. 12th. Strawberries ripe. 14th. Frost 20th. Mercury at 46°; the day before yesterday at 86°; first dish of garden peas and strawberries. June 18th. Commenced harvest. 22d. Summer commenced in earnest on the 18th, Mercury ranging from 95 to 115°. 29th. Mercury 120°. 30th. First corn tassel; mercury at 124°. July 1st. Mercury at 124°. 4th. Corn silks and cotton blooms. 9th. Mercury at 111 0 . 30th. Very seasonable generally through the month; snap beans from which seed snaps had been gathered, and the vines to all appearances dead, from late rains, have bloomed afresh, and produced a second crop,—of which we had an abundant dish today, as well as a large and excellent dish of sweet-potatoes. August 20th. From the 18th June to the 19th August, more oppressive heat and moisture than I have ever experienced in the same time. September 30th. Frost. October 4th. Commenced sowing wheat; frost. 12th. A frost like snow. 13th. Another. 14th and 15th. Frost. 24th. A snow. 25th. Mercury at 33°; large frost: ground frozed ; ice over ponds ;—frost for the last four days. 31st. Mercury at 3H° ; frost like snow. November 14th. Mercury at 81° ; 10th, at 78° ; 25th, at 28°. December"24th. Mercury at 22°. 28fch. Snow ; 30th, snow ; 31st, snow.

1854. January 8th. Snow. 9th. Mercury at 16°; 10th, at 25°; 12th, at 66°; 21st, at 68°; 24th, at 13°. February 3rd. Snow. March 19th. We have had the mildest weather I have ever experienced in March. Cherry, peach, pear, plum, and apricot trees have been in bloom ever since the 11th inst. ; to-day thick ice. 20th. Mercury at 29°. 22d. A heavy fall of snow. 26th. Ice through the day. 28th. Snow. 29th. Mercury at 22°.

3.0th. Snow. April 3rd. Mercury at 27°. 6th. Commenced planting corn. 17th. Mercury at 33° ; ground covered with snow, and snowing rapidly. 19th. Mercury at 36°; a tremendous'frost. 28th. Mercury at 44° at midday. May 1st. Mercury at 39°. 12tb. Early purple straw wheat smartly in head. From the 19th of March to the 10th of May, winter weather; from the 10th, seasonable. 15th. A severe thunder storm and hail. 17th. First dish of peas and strawberries; a thunder storm. June 19th. Commenced harvest. 26th. Corn in tassel. 27th. Mercury at 109°; 28th, at 109°; 29th, at 117°. July 4th. First corn silk; mercury at 110°»; 5th, at 115°; 7th, at 110°; 19th, at 125°; 20th, at 123°; 21st, at 125°. August 7th. A moderate rain; and thus has ended seven weeks of the most oppressive heat I have ever experienced. 12th. Excessive heat again commenced, and continued to the 15th of September. 26th. Mercury at 120°. September 1st. Mercury at 111°; 2d, at 112°; 3rd, at 119°; 4th, at 125°; 5th, at 111°; 6th, at 112°; 15th, at 100°; 16th, at 85°; 22d, at 46°. From the 15th of June to the 15th of September, the most oppressive heat and drought that have been for thirty-eight years. 27th. Mercury at 100°. October 2d. Commenced sowing wheat, 6th, A smart frost, 9th. A pear tree with pears hanging on it; had a second bloom in September, more abundant than the spring bloom, from which the tree is now covered with a second growth of pears. 10th. Commenced sowing wheat, November 2d. A very dry and warm fall to this time. December 5th. Mercury at 26°; 9th, at 18°; 20th, at 15°.

1855. January 1st. Monday, the first day of the week, month, and year. 13th. Mercury at 02° ; 14th, at 22° ; 15th, at 25°. 16th. A dense fog and mist, and occasional rains from 22d December to the 14th inst. ; only two clear days in the time. 22d. A severe thunder storm on the 21st; mercury at 70° ; 23rd, at 20°. February 4th. Mercury at 20° ; 6th, at 17° ; 7th, at 10° ; 10th, at 12° ; 11th at 19° ; 27th, at 15°; 28th, at 12°. March 13th. Unusually dark morning. 15th. A dense fog and thunder storm. 18th. Snow. 25th. Mercury at 28° ; 29th, at 24° ; April 3d, at 30°. 4th. A heavy frost and thick ice. 8th. A frost like a snow. 10th. Thunder, hail, and snow. 12th. Commenced planting corn. 15th. A few blooms on May cherry, and peach trees, —being much later than usual. 18th. Mercury at 102°. The most cold and backward spring I have noticed. 19th. Mercury at 109°. May 7th. Early purple straw wheat commenced heading. 9th. Mercury at 40°. 10th. Frost, 20th. First dish of strawberries. 23rd. First dish of peas. June 26th. Commenced harvest. 30th. Mercury at 109°. July 1st. Corn in tassel. 10th. Corn in silk. 12th. Mercury at 110° ; 16th, at 103°; 17th, at 120° ; 18th, at 112°; 19th, at 115°; 20th, at 104°;

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23rd, at 105°; 24th, at 95° j 25th, at 100° ; 26th, at 111° ; 27th, at 110° ; 28th, at 105° ; 29th, at 113° ; 30th, at 102° ; 31st, at 104° ; August 3rd, at 101° ; 4th, at 95° ; 8th, at 105°; 13th, at 117°; a delightful shower of rain, which revives our parched vegetation, but cannot compensate for the drought that preceded it. 16th. Mercury at 110° ; 19th, at 50° ; 25th, at 107°; 26th, at 105°. September 10th and 11th. Mercury at 115°. 12th, Mercury at 114°. October 8th. Commenced sowing wheat; frost. November 4th. Mercury at 63°; 16th, at 80°. December 12th. Mercury at 22°.

1856. Jan. 1st. Snow. 4th. Mercury at 18°. 5th. A severe snow storm; snow eighteen inches deep. 7th. Mercury at 2°: 9th. Mercury at 2° below zero ; 10th, at 5° below zero ; 11th, at 6° above zero. 12th. Mercury at 19°; another severe snow storm on that day, which remained of the 5th,—which was twelve inches deep, succeeded by hail and rain. 13th. Mercury at 30°; 21st, at 17° ; 22d, at 5° ; 23rd, at 8° ; 24th, i° below zero. 25th. Mercury at 28°; 26th, at 8°; 27th, another snow ; 28th, mercury at 29°; snow and sleet; 29th, mercury at 23° ; 30th, at 24° ; 31st, at 24° : February 1st, at 31°; 2d, at 34°; 3rd, at 13°; 4th, at 2°; 5th, at 3° below zero ; 6th, at 4° above ; 7th, at 30° ; rain and sleet on snow; 8th, at 33°; 9th, at 31°; snowing rapidly; 10th, at 22°; 11th, at 31°; 12th, at 38°; snow; 13th, at 10°, and snowing ; 14th, at 2° ; 15th, at 21°; 16th, at 36° ; 17th, at 27° ; 18th, at 20°; 19th, at 14° : 20th at 30° ; 21st, at 28° ; 22d, at 20° ; 23rd, at 40 ; 24th, at 38° ; 25th, at 34° ;'26th, same; 27th, at 33°; 28th at 32° ; 29th, at 37° ; March 1st, at 35° ; rain and snow ; 3rd, at 29° ; 4th, at 31° ; 6th, at 34° : 7th, at 21° ; 8th, at 35° ; 9th, at 24° ; snow the 16th ; 10th, at 9° ; 11th, at 21° ; 12th, at 27° ; 13th, at 31°■ 14th, at 35°; 17th, snow; 18th, at 34°; snow; 21st, at 41° ; 22d, at 39° ; 23rd, at 32° ; 24th, at 36° ; 25th, at 35° ; 26th, at 32° ; 27th, at 34°; 19th, 20th, and 21st, snow; 28th, at 29° ; 22d, snow; 29th, at 29°; 31st, at 23° ; snow. April 9th. Commenced planting corn. 21st. A snow falling rapidly for nine hours. 22d. Mercury at 35°; snow four inches in depth,—trees covered with it; blooms on them not perceptible from the snow May 9th. Early purple straw wlieat smartly in head. 13th. First ripe strawberries. May 30th. Mercury at 49° ; 31st, at 39° ; a smart frost. June 4th. Mercury at 114°; 21st, at 108°. 23rd. Commenced harvest. 26th. Mercury at 110° : 29th, at 112°. July 11th. First corn silk'. 21st. Mercury at 60° ; 26th, at 107°; 29th, at 113°. August 4th. A heavy shower of rain, which wet the earth to a greater depth than any rain in the last seven months; and thus has terminated the most serious drought that has occurred since 1806. Many persons are cutting down their growing corn for provender. Heat, for the last'month, has been almost insupportable. In 1806, there was no rain from

May to the 20th of August,—the coldest August ever remembered. September 10th. Mercury at 111 0 . November 26th. Mercurv at 72°. December 19th. Mercury at 15°; 22d, at 16°; 23rd, at 6°; whilst I have seen the mercury at 11° lower, I have never experienced as cold a day and night as the ones preceding and succeeding this day, owing to high wind and snowing. 24th. Mercury at 20°; 27th, at 27°.

1857. January 7th. Mercury at 11 deg; 8th, at 8. deg; slight snow; 9th, at 6 deg; 10th, slight snow ; 12th, at 12 deg; 13th, at"18 deg ; 14th, at 17 deg; 16th, at G'J deg; 17th, at 33 deg; snow; 18th, at 3 deg; snowing through the day,—the most unpleasant one I have ever experienced. 19th. Mercury at 9 deg. in the morning; the last night the severest storm of wind and snow I have ever experienced in sixty years; wind still continues, though a little abated in severity; at 12 o'clock again commenced and continued till night. 20th. Mercury at 1 deg; we are now in the midst of the most distressing spell of weather I have ever witnessed ; the snow in drifts from six to eight feet high, and so compressed by the high wind that accompanied it, that stock frequently walk over them. Many stock covered in the snow, and great difficulty to get feed for them, and fire wood to prevent our freezing. All travel suspended. Had the snow have fallen without wind, it would have lain three feet deep. 21st. Mercury at 28 deg; 22d, at 5 deg; 23rd, at 10 deg. below zero,—the coldest day in this latitude, I believe, ever witnessed. 24th, at 1 deg; 25th, at 17 deg; 26th, at 4 deg; 27th, at 32 deg; 28th, at 35 deg; 29th, at 30 deg ; 30th, at 26 deg; 31st, at 34 deg ; February 1st, at 31 deg; 2d, .at 26 deg; 3rd, at 18 deg; 4th, at 37 deg; 5th, at 47 deg; 6th, at 50 deg ; 7th, at 49 deg ; 8th, at 5G deg : 9th, at 28 deg; 10th, at 20 deg; llth, at 13 deg; 12th, at 19 deg; 13th, at 34 deg; 14th, at "34 deg; 15th, at 44 deg; 16th, at 55 deg; 17th, at 54 deg; 18th, at 50 deg. in the morning; 94 deg. at 3 o'clock. March 2d. Mer-cuiry at 20 deg ; 3rd, at 11 deg; a tremendous North-west storm to this time. 4th. Mercury at 25 deg ; 5th, at 35 deg ; 8th at 21 deg ; 9th, snow ; 10th, at 19 deg ; 12th, at 26 deg ; 14th, snowed through the day and night: snow from six to eight inches in depth. April 2d. Mercury at 26 deg ; 7th, at 26 deg. 13th. Rain, hail, and snow in abundance ; snow fell rapidly from an early hour in the day until in the night,—a portion, I think, sufficient to have lain on the earth six inches in.depth. 14th. Mercury at 35 deg; snow on the ground. 18th. Hail and rain. 20th. Severe snow storm ; mercury at 35 deg; the most stormy day I have ever witnessed at this season. 21st. Pond covered with ice. 22d. Snow ; mercury at 33 deg; snow continued until 1 o'clock. RICHARD ROUZEE.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

From the Boston Courier.

On the Sources of Nitrogen of Plants.

The researches of experimental science have, for the last fifty years, been directed with increasing earnestness and success to the discovery of the physical and vital laws which lie at the foundation of a rational agriculture. The labours of Chaptal and Davy initiated this beneficent progress by presenting to the farmer the first systematic exposition of the bearings of chemical and physiological laws on the art of husbandry. But it has been chiefly within the last twenty-five years, that the great problems of scientific agriculture have been investigated with the thoroughness and critical nicety which can alone furnish conclusions of real value, either in practical husbandry or in the theory of vegetation.

Among the labourers in this field, may be numbered some of the most eminent of the living cultivators of science, the Liebigs, Johnstons, Mulders, and Boussingaults, who have found in these investigations ample employment for their experimental ingenuity, their skill in analysis, and their powers of philosophical induction. It may indeed be said that in no department of physical research can we point to investigations more various, elaborate and critical than those which have been directed to the composition of plants and soils, and to the physical conditions which influence or determine the development of vegetation.

That discoveries of great practical value have already rewarded these labours, is shown by the improved methods of agriculture to which they have led, and by the daily increasing interest with which the cultivators of the soil consult the suggestions, or apply the results of experimental science. Indeed, so great was the enthusiasm with which some of the first fruits of these more modern researches were received, that in many cases ingenious speculations were confounded with positive results, and an exaggerated estimate was thus formed of what science had done in determining the relation of plants to the soil, and of the extent to which it was able to help the farmer in the practical routine of his labours. Thus, for a few years after the publication of Liebig's invaluable treatises on the chemistry and physiology of agriculture, it seemed to be a very prevalent opinion among educated farmers that all the leading problems of the science of vegetation had been solved, that all the sources of the food of plants and the forms in which the nutrient matter was imbibed had been ascertained, and that now nothing more was needed to the success of husbandry, than, with the aid of chemical analysis in any given case, to make a faithful application of what had thus been made known. These extravagant expectations were not a little stimulated by a class of persons

who, with a smattering of science, set themselves up as a kind of land-doctors, professing by a chemical diagnosis to discover the particular malady of each soil, and to furnish, in the shape of a compost, the appropriate remedy. Soon, however, it became apparent that the golden age of agriculture had not yet arrived, that the philosopher's stone of husbandry had not been found, and in the reaction of opinion which followed, there was reason to fear that the substantial discoveries of science would incur the discredit due to dogmatizing speculation and pretentious quackery. This feeling of discouragement, however, no less unreasonable than the extravagant hopes which had preceded it, soon passed away, as the experience of cultivators taught them the solid worth of the facts and positive principles which science had disclosed. With sobered enthusiasm, they now watch the progress of those researches by which the chemist and physiologist are aiming to solve the various scientific problems connected with their art; and with a better appreciation of the complexity of these questions, they are content to await the necessarily slow development of positive results.

Among the problems of agricultural science, none, certainly, has higher interest, either practically, or in a merely scientific aspect, than the origin of the nitrogen of plants. This element has long been known as an important constituent of all the active animal structures, and as existing in certain parts and products of the vegetable economy. Although it makes up a less amount than either of the other principal ingredients of plants, its relation to the living activity of the organs is such as to render a due supply of it indispensable to growth. While starch, cellulose, or the substance of woody fibre, gum, sugar, oily matters, and many other of the more bulky proximate ingredients of plants are destitute of this element, it has been shown to exist in the cell walls and all the other structures which are active in the vital transformations proper to the organism. Indeed, wherever the living force is most active, there the proportion of nitrogen in the tissues is found to be greatest, as in the pumping extremities of the rootlets, in the organs of the flower and in the seed, as well as the embryo plant which it encloses. It would seem that this element, so abundant in animal structures, is more intimately related to the phenomena of life than any other of the ingredients of organized matter, and that it has hence the power of giving even to the plant-tissues containing it a degree of animal activity. The important part which it plays in the economy of living nature is further shown by the fact that all the more nutritive as well as medicinal products of vegetation contain nitrogen in marked proportion, and that it is only through the medium of plants that, directly or indirectly,

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it becomes accumulated in the various animal structures.

Whence, then, is the nitrogen of plants derived ? This question has naturally claimed a large share of attention among the chemists and physiologists of the present age, and has been made the subject of elaborate researches within the last few years. In a general and vague way the answer to it may be easily given. We know that the organic manures present in or applied to the land, and certain mineral salts usually met with in soils, always contain nitrogen, and above all, that the atmosphere to the extent of four-fifths of its bulk, consists of this element. Is it not enough, then to say, that from some or all of these sources the living plant gathers the nitrogen which it requires ? Such a reply neither satisfies the demands of science nor the practical needs of agriculture. Until we know precisely under what forms and conditions the nitrogen is introduced, and learn the value, quantitatively, of the several sources from which it is gathered by each tribe of plants, we can neither attain a true theory of vegetation, nor choose the best means for securing, by manures or otherwise, the products of which the soil is capable. To be satisfied that the latter statement is true, we have only to consider what different systems of tillage we would employ, according as we regarded the mineral salts of the soil, or its organic materials, or the atmosphere, as the immediate source from which the nitrogen was to be derived.

Among the earliest attempts to assign the nitrogen of plants to a special origin was.the well-known theory of Liebig, which professed to trace this element almost wholly to the ammonia furnished by the atmosphere and by organic matters in the soil. It is true, that long before this the Swiss philosopher, Theodore Saussure, had called attention to the importance of ammonia in the economy of vegetables, arguing from general considerations, that plants must assimilate their nitrogen from vegetable and animal products, and from the ammoniacal vapours in the atmosphere. This happy suggestion, however, remained unimproved, until the great German chemist before named presented to the world that remarkable array of facts and inferences regarding the relations of ammonia to the growth of plants, which more perhaps than any other of his fruitful researches has stimulated inquiry and conduced to improved methods of tillage.

Ammonia, it is well known, contains fourteen parts out of seventeen, by weight, of nitrogen, the remaining three consisting of hy-drugen, and is, therefore, richly provided with the element so needed by plants. That they have the power to appropriate it from this 6ource, both when the ammonia is applied as a gas mingled with the air, and when furnished by the soil in a state of solution to the roots,

has been amply shown by experiment, and is now accepted as a fact. By way of illustrating its influence on vegetable growth, we may here cite a few of the results of an elaborate investigation conducted some years since by M. Ville, and reported by him to the French Academy of Sciences. In a soil composed of pure sand, carefully freed from all traces of nitrogen, and placed in a porous vessel of like pure material, he sowed a number of seed, and placing the vessel under a bell glass in a shallow dish of distilled water to supply the requisite moisture to the sand, he connected with the sand an apparatus for replenishing the interior with fresh air at measured rates. In some of his experiments he used the air in its ordinary state ; in others with the addition of more or less gaseous ammonia. After the plant had been sufficiently developed, it was removed and submitted to a careful analysis. From this, as compared with the known composition of the seed employed, he ascertained the amount of nitrogen gained by it in the process of growth. These experiments led M. Ville to conclude—

First. That one ten-thousandth part of ammonia increases in a remarkable degree the activity of vegetation.

Second. That the crop under these conditions contains in a given weight much more nitrogen than is to be found in the same plants reared in common air.

Clearly as these results demonstrate the capacity of plants to appropriate the nitrogen of ammonia, they by no means authorize the inference that ammonia is the only or chief source from which they supply themselves with this element, nor, as we shall presently see, is such the conclusion of Mr. Ville, or of other recent experimenters.

It has long been known that several of the saline substances called nitrates are present in marked proportion in organic manures, and to a small and variable extent in most soils. Of these salts the characteristic ingredient is nitric acid, a substance which contains fourteen parts in fifty-four by weight of nitrogen, the remainder being composed of oxygen. It has, moreover, been ascertained that this acid is formed in the atmosphere through an electrical influence, which brings a portion of the nitrogen and oxygen of the air into chemical combination, and that it is then absorbed and brought to the earth by the descending rain. Here, then, is another source from which plants might naturally be supposed to draw a part of the nitrogen which they require. Although chemists have disagreed as to the ex-ten of the supply obtained from this quarter, there appears to be no doubt either as to the ability of plants to assimilate the nitrogen when presented in this form, or of the fact of their actually appropriating it from the nitrates. The late Prof. Johnston of Durham, whose labours as an agricultural chemist have

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been eminently useful, after devoting much careful research to this subject, maintained with great force of evidence and ingenuity of argument, that nitric acid or the nitrates, are largely instrumental in supplying nitrogen to plants. Although, in opposing the attempt of Liebig to secure for ammonia a monopoly of the office in question, this philosopher was, perhaps, disposed to uncj^r-value the service it renders to the vegetable world, and to magnify the claims of his favourite candidate, the nitric acid, still there is ample proof in the appropriation of nitric acid from the air and from manures by growing plants, that this material is one of the usual and most important sources from which they are supplied.

As both the ammonia and the nitric acid of the atmosphere are present in variable and minute quantities, very delicate observations are required for determining their amount at any given time or place, and these observations must be greatly multiplied when we aim at finding the average proportion in which the} 7 are mingled with the air. In the earlier researches on this subject, the quantity of ammonia present in the atmosphere was generally and sometimes grossly over-estimated, a result not a little confirmatory for the time of the theory which referred the nitrogen of plants chiefly or wholly to this source. Recently M. Ville, from a series of most careful experiments, continued for two } r ears, has ascertained that in Alsace, where he operated, the atmosphere contains one part by weight of ammonia for every fifty-four and a half millions of parts of air, and on comparing the amount of ammonia and of nitric acid conveyed to the soil by the rain, and both, of course, absorbed from the atmosphere, he finds their proportion such as to correspond to nearly equal quantities of nitrogen, that of the nitric acid being a little in excess.

From this result it would seem that as regards the extent of the natural supply, the nitric acid, or nitrates, may at least claim to be on an equal footing with ammonia as sources of food and vital activity to plants. A late observation of the same chemist goes far to prove that the nitrogen of nitrates is appropriated even more readily than that of ammonia. He planted the seed of colza, wheat, &c, in separate vessels in a soil of pure sand, prepared as in the experiments formerly described, and to one set of each of the plantings' he added muriate of ammonia, (sal ammoniac,) and to the other nitrate of potash, (saltpetre,) in such quantities as to correspond to equal weights-of nitrogen. On gathering the plants when somewhat developed and submitting them to analysis, he found that those which had been manured by the nitrate had assimilated a greater weight of nitrogen than the plants to which the salt of ammonia had been applied, the difference in the case of the colza

being as two to one, and in that of the wheat, although less, still very considerable.

While admitting the value of the nitrates as a source of nitrogen, it has been suggested by some of the disciples of the ammonia theory, that by certain chemical actions in the soil, the nitric acid may be transformed into ammonia, a change in their view necessary to place the nitrogen within reach of the plant. But the experiment above cited is at war with such a supposition, since it shows that a nitric acid compound is more efficacious than one containing the ammonia ready formed. Whatever may be the relative share, however, of the nitrates and ammonia in providing nitrogen for particular plants, or for the vegetable world at large, all must admit tljat the fact of their both participating in this function is one of the most important truths which agriculture owes to the researches of modern science.

But the nitrogen question does not terminate here. Another claimant, long suspected of having an agency in this function, has lately proved its title to a share of the purveying process. We refer now to the atmosphere itself, which, as already stated, is composed to the extent of four-fifths of its bulk of this vital element. It may seem strange that the direct appropriation of atmospheric nitrogen by growing plants was not completely demonstrated at .an early stage of these inquiries, but the remarkable inertness, chemically speaking, of this element as it exists in the air, and the known activity of ammonia and nitric acitf, very naturally drew attention to the effects of the latter substances rather than to the air, while the peculiar difficulty of its investigation delayed its extension in a direction which seemed so little promising of positive results.

This problem first experimentally studied by Boussingault, has lately attracted new attention among chemists, and has been investigated by M. Ville in particular, in a series of researches, remarkable for their extent and for the completeness with which they treat the important collateral inquiries. The leading conclusion which he draws from them is simply this, that growing plants are indebted to the atmosphere directly for a part of tfye nitrogen which they assimilate. Giving due weight to th.e criticisms with which a portion of these interesting researches have been received, we have yet been unable to resist the force of the experimental demonstrations which M. Ville has accumulated, and regarding his main conclusion as established, we gladly greet it as one of the most important additions yet made to the science of vegetation. A few details may be of interest, as showing the mode in which these experiments were conducted, and the author's method of interpreting them.

After making trial of various plants, M.

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Ville found that wheat and tobacco were com paratively little affected by the somewhat abnormal conditions in which the experiments placed them, and afforded, therefore, the most uniform and satisfactory results. In one series of his experiments, the seed planted in pure sand were supplied during germination and growth with a measured quantity of air and water containing ammonia. The plants on analysis were found to contain 1.188 of nitrogen more than was originally contained in the seed ; in other words, they had gained just so much of this element in virtue of their growth. On the other hand, the nitrogen of the ammonia applied to them amounted only to 0.025. Here, therefore, nearly the whole of the nitrogen assimilated by the plant was derived from the air.

In a more recent set of observations, he added a weighed quantity of nitrate of potash to ^ the pure sand in which the tree was raised, and at the conclusion of the experiment determined the amount of this substance still remaining. In every instance the germinating and expanding plant abstracted the nitrate from the soil to appropriate its nitrogen in the formation of living tissues. After exhausting the whole of this mineral supply, it began, where enough developed for this action, to draw upon the great store of nitrogen in the atmosphere. In the. case of wheat, this transition of function took place without injury to the plant, even before the close of germination ; but tobacco and colza required to be sustained by a supply of nitrogen from the soil until their early leaves were enough developed to enable them to assimilate it from the air, after which they continued to imbibe it from this source with great activity.

Through what chemical agency this appropriation of atmospheric nitrogen is brought about is a question of great interest, although as yet it has not received a satisfactory solution. Perhaps, the well-known fact that many elements, at the moment of their separation from a previous state of combinations, are endowed with greatly increased chemical energy, may suggest the direction in which this explanation is to be sought. We know that carbon is introduced into plants in combination with oxygen in the shape of carbonic acid, and if v*e assume what is consistent with analogy, that in the moment of the evolution of the oxygen, which, during the day the leaves continually exhale, the carbon has its activity thus exalted, we are furnished with conditions favourable to the assimilation of the nitrogen and perhaps adequate to explain the result.

Such is an imperfect sketch of the course and results of those remarkable labours of experimental science which have made us acquainted with the principal sources of the nitrogen of plants. The value of their con-

clusions as means of guiding and improving the process of husbandly cannot as yet be adequately measured. But of this we may be sure, that truths so large and so various in their applications, like the seed found in Egyptian tombs, will continue to yield successively augmenting harvests for the public good.

Wi B. R.

For the Planter. Dear Sir: —The report of an experiment, by which two methods of harvesting were to some extent tested, may not be unworthy of a space in the Planter. You are doubtless aware, that along the Mattaponi and and Rappahannock valleys, and elsewhere in Eastern Virginia, the old method of binding wheat into sheaves has been abandoned ; and it has become the practice among farmers in the aforesaid localities, to shock loose from the swath. Our hands, when we commenced farming in Caroline, or some of them, were from Albemarle, and being expert "binders," the first crop of wheat was sheaved, and from that time to the present, we have continued to do so— although our labours in the harvest field, are generally accomplished as soon, all things being equal, as upon the neighbouring farms, we have at times felt inclined to question the propriety of adhering to a plan universally abandoned by our friends near us, some of whom are very practical men, to whose judgment we defer in many cases, and from whom we always differ with distrust of our own accuracy. The harvest just past was a season of sunshine and shower, which at times retarded the shocking, and kept that branch of work behind the reaping, which we dislike. In passing through the estate of a friend and neighbor, after a shower, we found his hands putting the wheat from the swath into shocks, not being sheaved. Our friend being generally judicious in what he does, and satisfied that the same precipitation by our method, would result in injury to the grain and straw, and loss to us, we decided to put up loose the next morning for two hours, while the straw would be damp, which we did, and shall now report the experiment, having reference exclusively to the celerity with which the work can be done in that way. The question whether or not wheat can be put up in one way in damper condition than in the other,

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we do not propose to discuss, as that had not been set forth as one of the advantages by our friends in the frequent conversations we have had on the respective merits of the two plans. It appears to us that no more accurate method of determining the question of labour could be adopted than the one we put in practice, which we will proceed to detail. A given force, which it is unnecessary to number, was set to work in the morning for two hours—the wheat was raked behind the cradlers into piles, and borne thence di-recti}' to the shocks, the hands so employed, being instructed to place a sufficient quantity, as they put it down in the proper places and positions for the bases of the shocks, so as to help along the shocking. This work the overseer endeavored to do in conformity with the usual routine he had observed on the adjacent farms. We concede that our hands might do more after practice in this method. At the expiration of two hours, we changed to another part of the field, half a mile distant, and that all might leave in company, it became necessary to detain the cradlers for a time to aid the rakers and carriers in their work, so that all might start together in a fresh place. Here was clearly a loss. Now per contra, the same hands in another part of the field, where the grain too was heavier, at the expiration of two hours the wheat being bound, had concluded their respective operations, so that the different branches had progressed pari passu, and no aid was necessary to fetch things up even. Our hands, we admit, are skilful binders ; with unpracticed labourers the result would be different. We are satisfied that sheaved wheat can be better shocked, hauled to the machine with greater dispatch, and threshed faster. If our experiment shall agree with the trials of others, we would simply advise farmers not to relinquish the practice of sheaving grain when their hands have been trained to do it—having an eye in making the change to labour-saving considerations. Truly your friend,

JNO. ROY BAYLOR. New Market, Caroline Co., July 8th, 1857.

Agricultural Quackery. Though agriculture and horticulture have attracted the attention of some of the wisest and best of men in all ages, yet it is only during the past twenty years that much progress has been made m\ developing the principles on which a judicious system of cultivation is based. Modern chemistry has thrown much light on the hidden laws of vegetable and animal growth; and the hundreds of patient investigators that are now busily engaged in studying agricultural and horticultural phenomena, are annually bringing out new facts, which serve as standpoints for further research into the unknown. The immense practical value of these investigations are readily perceived by every reflecting mind. The single truth that phosphate of lime, as found in bones, apatite, coprolites, and other minerals, can be rendered soluble by proper treatment with sulphuric acid, has added millions of pounds to the agricultural wealth of Great Britain ; and if the experiment of Lawes and Gilbert, which have already cost over two hundred thousand dollars, had taught us nothing more than the value and practical application of this single fact, the farmers of a single parish have already received enough benefit from the use of superphosphate on their turnip crops to pay the whole sum, and are annually reaping profits that would support the most richly endowed Agricultural College on the globe. If this one fact have proved of such great value, have we not good reason to hope that the extensive investigations which are being made in many parts of the world will develop facts of equal and still greater importance ? Many intelligent farmers, however, look with distrust on all recommendations issuing from any source other than that of practical experience. That this distrust is a great hindrance to agricultural improvement cannot be doubted, but scientific men have themselves to blame, in a great measure, for this want of confidence on the part of farmers. They have propounded theories which would not stand the test of practice, excited hopes which have proved illusive, and recommended practices which entailed much loss on those who were enterprising enough to adopt them. The principal cause of these failures, is attributable to the fact that some

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of the more popular and leading scientific men left the slow but certain paths of experimental investigation, and startled the agricultural world by a series of the most brilliant and seductive speculations, that were confidently expected to revolutionize those # systems of cultivation which had been the slow growth of close observation and practical experience. The result was, as might have been forseen, an entire failure.

The prejudice created in the minds of farmers by these unfounded speculations, is now gradually melting away before the rising light of true, experimental science. Many earnest seekers after truth have been quietly investigating the laws of vegetable and animal nutrition, and the number is annually increasing; numerous public and private experimental farms have sprung up in Europe, and before many years we shall have several in efficient operation in this country and in Canada. Scientific men feel the powerful influence of an awakening popular sympathy, and a brighter day is about to qawn on our agriculture.

There is, however, a dark side to the picture. The country is flooded with agricultural periodicals, and every county paper has its Farmer's Column;" ambitious politicians traverse the country delivering agricultural addresses, and it appears to be the great aim of too many of these lecturers to tickle the popular ear with some new and plausible theory. Any Dne at all acquainted with the literature of the day, must be aware that, while it is not entirely destitute of wheat, the chaff vastly preponderates. It is in this mixture of error with truth, of crude speculation with inductive fact, that constitutes our greatest danger, and which, if not checked, will again bring agricultural science into disrepute.

We have been led to these remarks by reading a paper on "Manure, Drainage and Irrigation," written by R. L. Pell, Esq., President of the American Institute, and which has been copied with high commendation by several agricultural papers. We 'cannot believe that the editors took the trouble to read over the article before copying and commending it. We would, therefore, call their attention to the following extracts :

" If the soil has but a small proportion

of the phosphates in it, and a great quantity of the salicaces [silicates,] wheat will ruin it more rapidly than barley, for the reason that a single crop of wheat will remove a larger portion of the phosphates than three crops of barley."

Now, the fact is, that the same quantity of barley removes from the soil more phosphates than a crop of wheat. We make this statement on the strength of forty-two analyses by reliable chemists.

" If we grow plants that are not intended to go to seed, they will require no phosphate."

This is a great mistake. No agricultural plant will grow without phosphates. Turnips, which are "not intended to goto seed," although they do not contain as much phosphoric acid as wheat and other cereals, "require" for the maximum growth a, greater quantity of phosphates in the soil than any other commonly cultivated crop.

" The urine of man is much more valuable than that of the sheep, cow or horse, as it contains over eight per cent, of the phosphates, which are not found in the urine of other animals, except possibly the hog."

According to a large number of analyses made and collated by Lawes and Gilbert, the " urine of man " does not contain half of one per cent. (0.37) of phosphates; and the assertion that phosphates " are not found in the urine of other animals," is still farther from the truth.

" A soil should never be idle—plant your crops, keep the land from weeds, and depend mainly upon the morganic compounds elaborated by nature for their success. You may rest assured that more attention should be paid, to the inorganic constituents of crops than has been. As, for example, I prepared an inorganic manure for wheat thus : to five pounds of silicate of potash in solution, add five pounds of bone dust; when dry, incorporate with it fifteen pounds of common Turks Island Salt, and thirteen pounds of plaster of Paris. This composition pro* duced great results, not only in the yield of the grain, but in the beauty of the straw, which was thicker than a pipe-stem. I then added the following year to the . same compound, twenty pounds of wheat bran, and ten pounds of the ash of wheat straw, and the production was enormous.

THE SOUTHEEN PLANTER,

If land was so manured, eighty bushels of wheat would result from an acre. I have grown, by another process, at the rate of seventy-nine and three-quarter bushels of wheat to the acre."

We cannot of course contradict this statement. Mr. P. may have obtained an "enormous" crop from such a dressing ; but we have seen essentially the same manure applied, without any particular benefit. It is certainly absurd to suppose that " if land was so manured, eighty bushels of wheat would result from an acre."

" Last year I was desirous of increasing the bones of several calves, and not having sulphuric acid at hand to dissolve bones for that purpose, I tried an experiment with lime-water, that proved to be perfectly effectual. The bones were placed in a large iron kettle, filled with slacked lime in solution, and boiled four hours, reducing them to a powder, which was used with irrigating water on grass land'from which the calves fed, adding to it the necessary amount of phosphate of lime."

However true it may be that Mr. Pell's calves had plenty of bone in them, it is absurd to suppose that the process he adopted had anything to do in "increasing the bones" of the calves. In the first place, boiling the bones in lime-water would not dissolve them—and even if it would, there is not the slightest evidence that soluble phosphate of lime will increase the proportion of this substance in the grass ; or if it did, that grass containing an unusual quantity of phosphate of lime would increase the growth of bones in animals feeding on it.

" Farmers often complain of long protracted droughts in summer ; much to my surprise, as I glory in dry weather, because it restores the constituents of succeeding crops, and renovates the soil by increasing the mineral matters that have been dissipated by growing grain and occasional rain—and were it not for droughts, a barren waste would in time result. God thus counteracts man's thriftlessness by evaporating moisture from the earth's surface, and thus inducing lower stratums of water to rise by capillary attraction, which carry in solution soda, potash, lime, magnesia, &c, to the earth's surface, when evaporation carries off the water, and leaves these valuable substances for

man's crops. I discovered this fact by having a sample of soil analyzed in the spring, when a mere trace of these matters was found ; in the fall following, after a very severe drought, a portion of soil from the same spot was analyzed again, and contained them all in very appreciable quantities—showing that they had been freed from their siliceous coatings by atmospheric influences."

Whether water ascending from the subsoil brings with it " soda, potash, lime, magnesia, &c.,"or not, we will not undertake to say. The somewhat recent experiments of Professor Way, however, indicate that water percolating through a soil dissolves out far less of the elements of plants than had been previously supposed, and it is, therefore, probable that ascend ing water is not over-charged with these ingredients. Be this as it may, however, we have not the slightest hesitation in saying that no chemist in the world, by the most rigid analysis of the soil, can determine the point.

"If you wish to manure a field of potatoes advantageously, and produce remarkable results, use the manure of hogs fed on potatoes."

Nonsense. The manure made by hogs fed on corn, or still better, on peas, would be far richer in those elements which experience proves are most required by the potato, and would produce more "remarkable results."

" Wisconsin, thirteen years since, produced forty bushels of wheat to the acre— now only twenty."

We should like to see the statistics. The average crop of wheat in Western New York, in her palmiest days, was never twenty bushels per acre.

11 Thousands of acres in our own State might produce admirable crops, if their owners would analyze the earth, and add the missing requisites, which, nine cases out of ten, would be found to be lime, phosphate of lime, or potash."

The ingredients mentioned, and in fact all the constituents of plants, exist on all soils capable of producing a blade of quack grass or a Canada thistle. The soil may not contain them in sufficient quantity to enable it to produce good crops, but chemical analysis is incapable of determining whetner it does or not.— Tennessee Farmer.

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479

From the Valley Farmer.

Hints on Building*.

The first matter to be attended to in the first story, is to have suitable strips ready to lay in the inside courses of bricks, at the proper height to which to nail the base or mop-board. Some wall in 3 by 4 scantling for this purpose, but a half inch strip 4 inches wide is all sufficient and even better, as shrinkage is not material in a piece so thin. This should be laid on the bare bricks (no mortar) the same on top, so that the strip shall answer in the stead of the joint of mortar ; to this strip the ground should be nailed of sufficient thickness to allow of a good coat of plastering, say f of an inch ; the ground should be perfectly straight, as it is to guide the plasterers in putting on their mortar, as well as to receive the base. The plastering should extend to the floor that no opening be left behind the base.

Each room should have openings with registers both at top and bottom for ventilation. The idea that impure air was to be found floating in the top of the room only, has been proved fallacious. Indeed, the most deleterious air is that which settles near the floor. By making the provision as advised, both may be disposed of. Such openings should communicate with the outer air by flues to the top of the house. The registers should of course be made to open and close readily.

The windows should be'large so as to admit plenty of light, as well as air, when desired, and the upper as well as the lower sash should be made to slide, either by weights and cords (which are best,) or by sash locks, springs, or some one of the many methods attaining the desired end.

Let your stories be high. Remember you are building a house to live in, and not one in which you design to murder yourself and family by piece-meals, by the administration of impure air. Consequently you want your stories high, not less than nine or ten feet 'in any case. The idea entertained by some that a chamber ceiling should not be so high as a parlor ceiling is erroneous, for at no time, probably, is pure and fresh air more indispensable than during the hour of sleep. Hence we would advise high ceilings throughout. One can readily imagine the baneful influence of breathing over and over again the air already charged with the impurities of the system; but remember such must be the case when low ceilings are adopted. And only think, too, how little extra expense it is to make your rooms higher. The same joists, flooring, lathing and plastering windows, doors, everything, except the narrow belt around the tops of the room, which would probably not exceed 5 per cent additional cost. How little, for so much.

Care should be taken to have no vacant space behind the base board, for as sure as such space is left, it will very soon be appropriated

by unwelcome tenants. Let no holes be left. The best support for the hearths is a brick arch, on which fill up to the proper height Avith bricks and mortar (solid) and la}/ the hearth in mortar ; by this means those inveterate pests, the mice, will be effectually and permanently excluded from their almost universal hiding place.

Your flues should be sufficiently large, ranging, of course, with the volume of smoke to be disposed of; 9 by 12 inches inside will be sufficient for a stove or grate, and for an open fireplace 12 inches each way. Flues should always be smoothly plastered inside, by which means chimneys which would otherwise smoke will be made to draw. By mixing a liberal amount of salt with common lime and sand mortar, and plastering the flues with the composition, you will obviate the necessity of cleaning your chimneys or burning them out, as is practiced by some persons, thereby laying themselves liable to have their houses fired on some subsequent burning out of the chimney. It is seldom the case that more or less damage is not done by bursting the chimney from the sudden and excessive heat generated on such occasions. When the salt is used it will be found that the soot accumulated during dry weather will be shed on the return of wet or damp weather, and the chimney left clean. If you would secure a good draft, you should in all cases carry the chimney above the peak of the roof, and remember that every additional foot in height will increase the draft. The rule to insure a draft is to give the flue about one half additional capacity more than the throat at the

gate or fire-place.— Valley Farmer. ■> ■» ♦ «->

Saws and Shovels,

It would be difficult to name any two implements besides the saw and the shovel which are more generally used, and so universafly known. It is not necessary, however, we presume, to say much of their history. Suffice it to observe, that they have had probably more " ups and downs" than any other thing, place, or being.

They now represent a large family, and a various one, with their variety, increasing their relationship to all things here below. On the saw side of the family, there is a numerous fraternity. The following are some of them : Circular, swayed and bevel circulars, veneering saws, hand saws, panel saws, rip saws, back saws, mill saws, muley saws, crosscut saws, tenon saws, pit saws, billet webs or wood saws, chair and turning webs, hack saws for iron or brass, #c. With such a formidable family list, it is easy to conclude that truly great must be the saw.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

With reference to the shovel, the variety is probably not so great, but its use is not less universal. They may be classed into three principal department:—Spades, shovels and scoops. The next recurring question which suggests itself, is, how are they made, and who makes them ?

Having visited one of the largest, if not the largest saw and shovel manufactories in the country, we now give a short statement of the modus operandi of the " Quaker City Saw and Shovel Works," of which Messrs. Bringhurst & Verree are the well known and gentlemanly proprietors. The premises occupied for this purpose are in Second street; they constitute a building four stories high, forty feet wide, and one hundred and twenty feet in length, each story being duly divided into the various departments of manufacture.

As the visitor enters, he sees seven furnaces at his feet, being built in the ground; in these furnaces are deposited composite melting pots, capable of holding from forty to fifty pounds of iron and steel scraps.— The metal being melted, is poured into iron moulds of various shapes ; these moulds, after standing for a sufficient length of time to receive the proper temper, are submitted to the process of rolling into sheets, as required for shovels or saws.

The iron sheets which have betn thus prepared, are next cut into square pieces by a clipping machine, some of them are then trimmed by a machine which is set to the shape, so that the square piece of sheet iron is by two turnings shaped oval; the others are trimmed square by aguaged cutting machine; they are then placed in a furnace, and being withdrawn they are placed beneath a ponderous hammer, which, falling upon the red hot iron, shapes it as required, and as we see it in the stores. The straps are opened up ready for the reception of the handles.

The handle receives its set or bend by the application of the waste steam ; upon being withdrawn from the steam, the handles are put in clamps and screwed down fnto shape, in this condition they are al-j lowed to remain until dried and set.

The shovel or spade, in order to be j completed, are submitted to a process of grinding and polishing, which having been concluded, they are ready for stock. But saws and various other edge tools are also manufactured at this establishment.

Circular saws, from four inches to sixty inches in diameter are here produced; saws also of various kinds named in the foregoing portion of this article are made there. In this establishment, the saws used by the late Dr. Kane for cutting ice in the Arctic regions, were made.

The process of adjusting is the same as that described in a former article on the manufacture of saws They are of all lengths and shapes. The handles for some of them are made and finished most expeditiously on an upper floor. The whole of the machinery in this establishment is driven by a steam engine of 80 horse power.

The other articles which are made in this establishment are hay knives, plasterers' trowels, sliding T bevels, straw knives, carpenters' squares, guages, case-knives, spirit levels, saw mandrills, and several other edge tools, the names of which we do not remember.

There are about 90 persons, including boys, employed on the premises There are 150 tons of cast steel made every year, and about 200 tons of iron for shovels.— A considerable quantity of steel is to be imported. About 150 dozen* shovels of all kinds are made every week. As to the number of saws and other implements made, their variety would make any statement of the number manufactured uninteresting.— Germantown {Pa.) Telegraph.

The Weather in June.

The mean temperature of June, as ascertained by the thermometer at the Pennsylvania Hospital, in Philadelphia, was 69^ degrees, which is 2 degrees below the average of the last 32 years, and is the coolest June since 1846. The Ledger says : i

The mercury indicated a temperature of 89 degrees on the 26th, which was the highest of the month, and of 53 degrees on the 6th, which was the lowest. The amount of rain was 7£ inches. In June, 1855, there fell within a fraction of eight inches, viz: 7.94 inches, which is the greatest amount on record at the hospital for June. The average amount of rain for June for the last 20 years is 3£ inches.

The newspaper is a sermon for the thoughtful, a library for the poor,' a blessing to every body.■

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481

From the Wool Grower.

Hereditary Influence.

An article in a late Westminster Review contains some facts and opinions of interest to the farmer in general, and to the breeder especially. As the entire article is beyond the limits of the Rural, we re-write and condense it. Of course we must abandon, in a great measure, the language of the writer ; the ideas, however, we have endeavoured faithfully to preserve.

Tnat parents transmit to their offspring their own physical and mental, traits, is a fundamental and very obvious law of Nature. Otherwise the utmost confusion would prevail in the animal creation. If like did not beget like, all classification of animals would be impossible. The elephant might be the parent of a mouse —the eagle of a butterfly. Every fact open to our observation shows the universal application of this law.

Again, nothing is more obvious than that offspring, frequently, in many particulars, do not resemble their parents. From this circumstance arises those slight differences which we see in families, as also those greater which we may designate as deformities, monsters, &c. This is true of mental and moral as of physical traits. It is not very uncommon to notice a superfluity of parts—six legs where the kind have but four,—two heads instead of one. In the same family we observe striking differences in stature, asjfect, and disposition. Brothers under the same influences will differ as much from each other as they will from any man they may meet in the street. Even in the case of twins this diversity is strongly marked. The twins Rita "and Christiana, who were so fused together as to have but two legs with two heads and four arms, were quite unlike in disposition.

While, then, we admit the law of constancy of transmission, we must also admit a modifying law of variation. \i has been attempted to explain this by stating that it is the species only, and not the individual, that is reproduced. But to this there is one fatal objection, namely, species cannot reproduce itself, for species does not exist. It is an abstract idea

and not a concrete fact. 31

It is a fiction of j s

the understanding, and not an object existing in Nature. Nature knows only individuals'. To a group of individuals closely resembling each other we, for convenience, appty the term species.

A survey of facts conclusively demonstrates that the individual and the peculiarities to the individual, and not those of an abstract type, are transmitted. This has been observed in the human race ; and every breeder has seen repeated instances of the fact amorig the lower animals. Every breeder knows that the colours of parents are inherited—that their spots are repeated: Chambon lays it down as a principle, derived from experience, that by choosing parents you can produce any spots you please.

But another and an important bearing of this subject is found in the fact that, at times, accidents also become hereditary. A superb stallion, son of Le Glo-rieux, who came from the Pampadour stables, became blind from disease. All his children became blind before they were three years old. Horses marked, during successive generations, with a hot iron in the same place, have transmitted the visible traces of such marks to their colts. Instances may be multiplied to show conclusively that accidental defects may be transmitted. The general law, however, is that they are not so transmitted.

Longevity is an individual peculiarity, and as such may be inherited. So it is seen that long-living runs in families. This point is illustrated, in the Review, by numerous instances quoted from M. Chas. Lej on court's Galerie des Contenaires, published in 1842.

, Mental or moral peculiarities, and acquired habits are in like manner inherited. Girou relates the case of a sporting dog, taken young from its father and mother, who was singularly obstinate, and exhibited the greatest terror at every explosion of the gun, which always excites the ardour of its species. It was ascertained that the father of this pup had exhibited the same trait. It is well known that the vicious disposition of horses, dogs, &c, is often transmitted.

The inevitable conclusion, says the Reviewer, is that parents transmit their individual peculiarities of form, colour, longevity, idiosyncrasy, &c, to their offspring; and that they do this not as re-

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

producing the species, but as reproducing their own individual organization.

In all the higher classes of animals, two parents, a male and a female, reproduce themselves in- the offspring. The question then arises,— what is the influence of each upon such offspring! Each sex has, by different writers, been considered most'influential. Again—it has been stated that certain portions of the young have been supposed to arise from each parent.

Upon the first point, Gen. Daumas has recently published the result of his long experience with Arab horses, arguing that, according to the testimony of the Arabs, the stallion was the most valuable for breeding purposes. In reply, the Inspec-teur des Haras,* who had traversed Asia for the express purpose of collecting evidence on the subject, published his diametrically opposite conclusion—that it w r as the mare whose influence predominated in the foal. Gen. Daumas replied, and cited a letter addressed to him by Abdel Kader, in which it is said—£' the experience of centuries has established, that the essential parts of the organization, such as the bones, the tendons, the nerves, and the veins, are always from the stallion ;" and again, " the principal qualities are from the stallion."

Vicq-d-Azir, speaking of the mule, says: " // seems as if the exterior and the extremities were modified by the father, and that the viscera emanate from the mother." Mr. Orton, in his lectures ic On the Physiology of Breeding," says, f 'the male gives the external configuration, in other"words, the locomotive organs, while the female gives the internal, that is, the vital organs." This may be scientifically stated—" the mail gives the animal system, the female the organic or vegetative."

As proof of this theory, Mr. Orton cites the well known instance of the mule —"a modified ass—ears, mane, tail, skin, colour, legs, and hoofs, like the ass ; the body or barrel round and full, resembling the mare." Whereas, the product of the stallion with the female ass is in the same particulars a modified horse. " The

■• Inspector, or Superintendant of a horse.

mule," says Mr. Orton, " brays the. hinny :neighs"

But these results may be accounted for on another principle, that of " potency of race.'" Both are modified forms of the ass, in each of which the structure and disposition of the ass predominates, and does so in virtue of that "potency of race," which belongs to the ass—a potency which is less effective on the hinny, because the superior vigour of the stallion modifies it.

Buffbn states that the produce of a dog and a she-wolf sometimes bark and sometimes howl. In the human family we know that a magnificent voice is as often inherited from the mother as the father. Orton again states that the cross between the Cochin China cock and common hens invariably lay white eggs. He also states that Bake well, of Dishley, would sell or let his best rams—his best ewes were sacred. These he would neither sell nor let.

On the other hand Girou states that " farmers are more particular about the bull than about the cow when they want a good milking cow, for it is observed that the property of abundant secretion of milk is more certain to be transmitted from a bull than from a cow." »It cannot be doubted that the bull does transmit his qualities to his descendants. Neither can it be denied that the female does the same. And it may well be questioned whether, as regards the secretion of milk, the influence of the cow is not as great as that of the bull. It may truly be said that, " if the organization of the male was the only orfe that passed to the child, the child would resemble the father, as the fruit of a graft resembles the tree from which the graft was taken, aud not at all the tree on which it was grafted."

There are several perturbing causes which prevent the perfect transmission of the qualities of the immediate individual parent. The first of these is the influence of one gestation of the female upon subsequent ones—illustrated by the case mentioned by Sir Everard Home, of the mare that had a mule bv a Quagga in 1816 and who produced in "1817, 1818, and 1823, foals marked by the curious Quagga marks, although she had not seen the Quagga after 1816. Other similar cases are cited.

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48

A second perturbing cause is atavism, or the influence of ancestry. It is well known that family peculiarities of colour, deformities, &c, may skip a gene.ratiqn? and re-appear in the second.

y A third Cause is what is called the 11 potency of race or individual." This influence has often been obvious in tjie^ history of the human race. £mong animals it has often been Sufficient to destroy all the calculations of the breeder. Girou attempted crosses of the Merino with both the Roussillon arid the Aveyron •sheep, during twenty-ffVe years. The Aveyron was soon lost in the Merino;

• but, at the end of that time, the Roussillon was found to show itself distinctly. What is true of races, is also true of individuals. It is the stronger individual, whether male or female—the stronger family—the stronger race, that exerts most powerfully a modifying influence on the offspring.

Certain general facts are arrived at, which are thus summed up by the Reviewer :

1. Heritage is constant; it is a law of organized beings that the organization of parents should be transmitted to their offspring.

2. The offspring directly represents both parents, and indirectly it represents its ancestors.

3. The offspring never represents its parents with absolute equality, although it represents them in every organ. Sometimes one parent predominates in one system, sometimes in another, and sometimes in all.

4. The causes of this predominance are various, some being connected with "potency of race," or individual superiority in age, vigour, &c. ; others being in the present state of our knowledge, not recognizable.

From the Prairie Farmer.

Kidney Worm in Swine.

John K. Warre*n writes,, " I am desirous of obtaining information regarding the Kidney-worm in swine, symptoms, cause, and proper treatment—and of worms generally in that kind of stock. Can your readers inform me how to treat the scurf that appears upon the skin, especially on the back of the Suffolk breed, supposed to be mange, but I now tnink it the effect of cold weather."

Kidney Worms. —Cole, in his "Diseases of Animals," says: " This disease is indicated by weakness'about the loins." It will also exhibit itself in inability to use its limbs—sometimes one fore leg wilj refuse to do its duty—sometimes both hind legs are powerless.

Remedy. —The above named author says: "Corn soaked in lye of wood ashes, perseveringly used, has cured in many cases." Another writer says, " this may do in recent and slight affections; but a more certain treatment is, to make an incision aboui an inch long, on each side of the back-bone, over the kidneys, and after separating the skin slightly from the part beneath, insert two or three cloves of garlic. Take a stitch to confine the garlic. Df Holmes of the Maine Farmer thinks pieces of onion or garget root would do as well.

A writer in the Southern Cultivator says, to effect a cure requires nothing but a free use of copperas dissolved in water and mixed with meal so as to form a dough. It will require some six or eight doses to cure a hog after he has got down. All farmers should give this to their hogs several times in the spring of the year— in fact it is good for them occasionally through the year." The same writer says: " Copperas will destroy the large worms frequently found in the bowels of a hog;, as well as those in the kidneys.

Way of using Guano for Corn. —Mix good guano thoroughly, with six times its weight of dry rich loam, several days before using it. Drop half a pint of the mixture into each hill before planting the corn. You may sow guano broadcast, also, on the same field on which you practice the above method. If the soil is heavy, harrow it in; if light, it may be ploughed in with a light plough. This should be done before planting, of course.— Farm Journal.

One ounce or less is enough in any case. Sulphur is also good for hogs, and enough of it will make them shed* lice if they have any, and may be given without any risk of danger."

Another remedy of u kidney-worms," we have seen, is to place the hog on its back and tramp its bowels across its kidneys. Another— g&h the hog on the back, and fill the cuts with salt; another

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

has cured the disease by making an incision over the kidneys near the spine, about four inches long, and sometimes over an inch deep, filled it with pods of red pepper and then sewed it up. Another, in the Ohio Cultivator is, " to give the animal afflicted one ounce copperas daily for six or eight days. Make a slop of about two quarts of corn meal and dish-water; dissolve the above quantity of copperas in a tea-cup of warm water, and mix the whole together; then give it to the hog." The disease of several months standing has been cured in this way.

A Louisiana Sugar Plantation.

The American Farmer has an interesting account of a Louisiana Sugar Plantation, as follows:

I will take a plantation in my vicinity, ■'Magnolia," the property of Messrs. Davenport & Ford, containing one thousand acres, about seven hundred of which are in cultivation ; and one hundred slaves, seventy of whom are working hands, the balance children. Of; the number of acres in cultivation, the usual average is two-thirds in sugar cane, and one-third in corn.

The plantation is laid off as follows :—A main road runs through its centre thirty feet wide. The land under cultivation is divided "into cuts," three acres in length, separated from each other by " head lands" eighteen feet wide; consequently all these head-lands intersect the main road, and are exactly at right angles with it. Running in parallel lines with the main road are a series of ditches three feet deep, and one acre apart. At every sixth cut we find a cross ditch six feet wide and six feet deep, running like the head-lands at right angles with the main road. These cross ditches receive the drainage water from the parallel ditches, and empty themselves into two large side canals, situated .on the boundary lines above and below, which! carry out the water to tide level. Thus each series of cuts drain simultaneously, and thej water from one series does not run over the other, each large cross ditch carrying only the water of its sections. These ditches are all bridged at the head-lands.

As early as possible in January or February, j the land is thrown up into beds of seven feet width, a furrow is run down the centre, on top | the bed, and the cane taken from the matlay, \ and placed in the furrow lengthwise. Thus! the cane is planted fn rows seven feet apart, | the rows running continuous with each other] from one cut to another. Before it is covered,' either by hoe or plow, it m cut into short pieces about a foot or two in length, having several'

eyes on a piece. This is done by hands who go along the furrow with sharp cane knives. The cane is then covered, sometimes by hoe, sometimes by plow. If the land is in good pulverized condition, by the latter, if not, by the former.

The cane is cultivated after it comes up similar to corn, with the exception of first scraping nearly all the earth off, being well plowed and hoed, and kept very clean of grass and weeds. «

When the cane is ready to roll, which is ordinarily from the first to middle of October, a certain quantity is cut up by the ground, and set up in large shocks or matlays (as they are called), their base covered with earth. This cane is kept in the matlays as seed until the next planting in the spring. Two crops of sugar being obtained, the land is then thoroughly broken up with four mules, and Hall's No. 4 plow, and planted to corn, in rows seven feet apart. At the last working of the corn, cow peas are sown in the furrow on each side the corn, and covered with plow or hoe. After the corn has been-gathered, a heavy roller is passed over the corn stalks and pea vines, and a three or four horse plow turns the whole under from six to ten inches. This land is planted in the fall or spring, in cane as before stated.

The corn crop on Magnolia is just harvested, and yields about eight thousand flour barrels of shucked corn. The corn is all gathered and housed in a large corn-house. On this plantation the plowing is deep, no scratching work done ; the ditches, head-lands, and fence-corners clean, and free from all weeds; an exception to the general rule South.

There is on the plantation, besides the sugar house (which contains a refinery), a blacksmith, wheei-wright and cooper shop, extensive corn house, and stabling for mules. Of the latter, there are forty-five valued at $190 each. There is also an overseer's house, and a large hospital. The fencing on this place is all post and rail, and is only on the outside of the place, or rather there are no cross fences.

All work is done with regularity, and in an efficient manner ; the maxim being, "Be sure every morning that everything is provided and planned, to accomplish a full day's work, and then see that you get it done."

Plows, wagons, harness, and all the tools are kept in working order, and when not in use, secured out of the weather. No slighting of any kind of work is allowed, nor attempted by the hands.

The thorough manner in which the plantation has been drained, and the deep plowing, have produced evident improvement in all tha crops.

The ordinary yield of sugar cane on this plantation above described, is an average of 700,000 lbs. besides the molasses, from 800 to 1,000 lbs. of which are made. What the pro-

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485

duce will be this year is utterly impossible to tell at present.

Hogs are raised on the plantation for fresh pork, and the breed used are Berkshire and Essex. Of the latter, there is a beautiful imported sow, that cannot be surpassed in the Union for her points.

Besides, the young cattle raised on the place, a number are bought every fall for the consumption of the place.

Feeding Horses.

Your remarks in relation to the amount of bay and grain, which a horse will consume per day, have attracted my attention. The actual amount of food consumed by a* horse will depend upon his form and disposition. I have found that horses of a compact form and quiet disposition, weighing about 1200 pounds, and exerting a force equivalent to moving 150 or 200 pounds at the rate of two miles per hour, for ten hours per day, and six days in the week, will require each twenty pounds of oats, fourteen pounds of hay, and seventy pounds of water, with a comfortable stable, and to keep them in good order. Then also much of the condition of the horse will depend on his having a driver who knows how to use him without harshness.

This is the conclusion I have arrived at, after thirty years' experience with a great number of horses on my hands the most of the time. The cost of keeping horses for farm work is expensive, when compared with the cost of keeping oxen or mules.— Mich. Farmer.

Pulverize the Soil.

Voelcker, Professor of agricultural chemistry to the West of England Society, Exeter, thus writes as to pulverization of soil:—

" The efficacy of a manure or the practical effect of which it is capable, is greatly influenced by the mechanical condition of the land. Land varies very much in this respect, and, as a matter of course, the same manures act differently on land of different descriptions. I may illustrate this by referring to experiments I have made on land attached to Cirencester College, where I used superphosphate on a piece of ground which did not yield so much as another piece where none had been used ; but I took the precaution to try the manure in a third place, and here the yield was three times as much as on that which had not been manured. The fact is that on clay land superphosphates are of no use unless the land is properly pulverised. Some farmers imagine that by using in the land the best artificial manures, they do not require so much labour, or any additional labour. There can be no greater mistake; for the best artificial manures often fail, more or less, entirely for want of proper pulverisation of the soil. It is of the

greatest consequence that the land on which artificial manures are used should be in a high state of subdivision. Artificials can only be used with advantage by farmers who have improved agricultural implements and methods of tillage, and paid a great deal more of attention to the mechanical condition of the land than many farmers of the old school. If a farmer has not sufficient skill to manage a farm on improved principles throughout, the mere use of artificials will help him comparatively little, and he will perhaps do better to stick to farm-yard manure under such circumstances. " Canadian Agriculturist. ■*-•--©-•-»

To Cleanse the Inside of Jars.

There is frequently some trouble in cleansing the inside of jars that have had sweetmeats, or other articles put in them for keeping, and that, when empty, were wanted for future use. This can be done in a few minutes, without scraping or soaking, by filling up the jars with hot water* (it need not be scalding hot,) and then stirring in a teaspoonful or more of pearl-ash. Whatever of the former contents has remained sticking upon the sides and bottom of the jar, will immediately be seen to disengage itself and float loose through the water. Then empty the jar at once, and if any of the former odor remains about it, fill it again with warm water and let it stand undisturbed a few hours, or till next day ; then empty it again, &a& rinse it with cold water. Wash phials in the same manner. Also the inside of kettles, or anything which you wish to purify or clear from grease expeditiously and completely. If you cannot conveniently obtain pearl-ash, the same purpose may be answered nearly as well by filling the vessel with strong ley, poured off clear from the wood ashes. For kegs, buckets, crocks, or other large vessels, ley may be always used.— Ohio Valley Farmer.

An Indian Corn Harvester.

A model of a machine that has been tested, for cutting Indian corn, was exhibited by Mr. Coates, of Philadelphia, by which eight acres a day can be cut and left in gavels, by a man and two horses. The machine appears as well contrived for the purpose for which it is designed as the mowers or reapers for their respective purposes. It will greatly facilitate the business of raising corn at the West, and lighten a branch of the labor that requires men with strong arms— Canadian Agriculturist.

There is now one Examiner in the Patent Office, whose entire attention is given to harvesters, (reapers and mowers,) and another whose whole time is devoted to sewing machines, for which no less than two hundred patents have already been issued, while new ones are constantly applied for.— Ohio Valley Farmer.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

VIRGINIA STATISTICS.

As illustrative of the progress of Agricultural improvement, and of material wealth in Virginia, we present our readers with the following tables prepared from authentic public documents.

Comparative Statement of the Assessment of Lands in Va. in 1850 and 1856.

1st or Tidewater District.

Alexandria, Accomac, Charles City, Caroline, Chesterfield, Essex.

Elizabeth City, Fairfax, Greensville, Gloucester, Hanover, Henrico, - of Wight, s City, King -eorge, King & Queen, King William,

• jster, Matho

Middlesex, . Nansemo: Norfolk City & | Portsmouth, j New Kent, Northumberland, Northampton, Princes An. Prince George, Prince William, Richmond, Southampton, Spottsylvania & | Fredericksb'rg, j Surry, Sussex, Stafford, Warwick, Westmoreland, York,

Fredericksburg, Norfolk, Petersburg, Portsmouth, See Richmond, Williams burs:,

Aggregate value of lands in

1850.

2,349,541

2,796,252

861,579

2,521,704

4,057,942

1,587,205

694,516

2,945,924

548,986

1,297,432

2,333,674

4,247,398

1,209,571

568,557

1,093,843

1,337,468

1,366,702

792,171

634,471

704,882

1,464,331

3,267,165

708,110

966,080

1,280,557

1,226,376 1,352,115 1,703 236 811,286 1,096,175,

2,971,545

Aggregate value of lands in 1850.

OS

o 8

u ** 9 « P4..5

77

5

16 33

6 26 40

4,068,809

2,948,529

1,003,497

3,362,938

4,309,106

2,009,435

971,946

4,368,267148

793,759 44

1,879,792 45

3,144,487 35

7,294,729 71

1,365,04912

774,705,36

1,499,585:37

l,737,'97i;30

1,698,502:24

953,036.20

749,363|18

856,296j21

1,703,65416

4,083,956125

917,121129 1,176,61822 1,390,033 8 1*499,14622 1.962,626 45 2,585,69352 1.044,276 23 1,468,94034

3,661,295:23

726

905,

1,275,

309,

1,111,

644,

See Spo

4,587,

3,767,

Norfolk

13,735,

183,

443| 860,121118 798i 1,045,79914 664j 1,690,70832 263j 435,20240 582! 1,645,203148 217 860,956|33 ttsylvania. 325! 5,401,48617 128 6,287,230 70 County.

307j 17,681,699.28 335 292,800,59

78,042,856 103,479,903 j 78,042,856

25,437,10-i

32.85

2nd or Piedmont District.

Appomattox,

Albemarle,

Amelia,

Amherst,

Bedford,

Brunswick,

Buckingham,

Campbell and 1

Lynchburg, j Charlotte, Culpeper, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Fluvanna, Fauquier, Franklin, Goochland, Greene, Halifax, Henry, Loudoun, Louisa, Lunenburg, Madison, Mecklenburg, Nelson, Nottoway, Orange, Patrick, Pittsylvania &

Danville, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Rappahannock,

value of lands in

1850.

1,091,671 5,383,494 1,340,550 1,889,671 3,071,563 1,132,649 2,103,599

Aggregate "g value of lands in

_1856.__ 1,481,398

7,250,643} 2,189,064) 2,193,421 4,849,237 1,553,141 2,419,006

4,613,261! 5,692,854

2,658,838 2,516,159 1,524,104 1,220,971 1,424,136 6,275,752 .1,807,835 2,218,768

708,007 3803,336

957,612 9,156,846 2,627,115 1,036,024 1,829,036 2,725,397 2,077,297 1,109,291 2,057,783

751,441

3,213,716

1,517,939 2,071,121 1,966,786

3,296,676 3,068,610 2,043,148 2,537,279 2,106,489 9,755,536 2,453,264 2,635,316 "944,674 5,366,885 1,631,907 11,600,097 3,450,886 1.565,958 2,140,567 3,527,264 2,709,861 1,905,815 2,748,666 1,321,719

5,313,516

1,927,639 2,613,910

2,688,422

77,681,768 106,982,848 77,681,768

29,301,080

Ph_.S.

35 34"

63 16 57 37 15

23

24 21 34 116 48 55 35 19 33 40 70 26 31 51 17 29 30 71 83 76

65

26 26 c6

37.32

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

487

4th or Trans-al ghany District

Barbour,

Boone,

Braxton,

Brooke,

Cabell,

Carroll,

Doddridge,

Fayette,

Floyd,

Giles,

Gilmer,

Grayson,

Greenbrier,

Hancock,

Harrison,

Jackson,

Kanawha,

Lee,

Lewis,

Logan,

Marion,

Marshall,

Mason,-

Monroe,

Mercer,

Monongalia,

Montgomery,

Nicholas,

Ohio & Wheeling

Pocahontas,

Preston,

Pulaski,

Putnam,

Randolph,

Ritchie,

Russell,

Raleigh,

Scott.

Smyth,

Tazewell,;

Tyler,

Taylor,

Washington,

Wayne,

Aggregate value of lands in 1850.

1,193,712

228,233

495,647

1,714,504

1,182,666

440,812

514,204

467,592

658,951

976,880

941,327

570,528

2,807,634

775,273

2,914,344

1,326,013

2,857,702

1,078,961

1,972,811

327,808

2,050,471

2,097,497

1,825,886

2,219,406

415,002

2,391,012

1,450,193

792,666

4,034,514

957,235

1,168,799

927,489

715,192

1,122,641

826,905

973,868

240,504

734,003

1,569,063

1,280,298

913,840

1,114,099

2,666,891

612,637

Aggregate value* of lands in 1856.

1,390,533

425,441 1,120,293 1,148,172 1,882,959 4,282,851

742,306

801,272 1,615,068 1,179,716

839,250 1,002,146 3,288,949

873,629 4,233,858 1,540,207 3,460,960 1,813,538 1,475,260

338,644 2,669,902 2,426,546 2,758,827 3,272,510

639,580 .2,997,075 2,650,812 1,341,294 5,101,033 1,218,147 2,980,604 1,707,526 1,048,982 1,287,652 1,261,657 1,536,447

510,266

17

86 125 Deer.

'59 871

44

'71 145

20 Deer.

75

17

12

45

16

21

68

Deer.

2

30

15

51

47

54

25

80

69

26

27

62

84

46

14

52

57 112

1,590,568:116 2,321,831 48 2,221,633 76

964,978 1,226,934 4,436,095

880,117

5 10 66 43

4th or Trans-Alleghany District —Continued.

Bro't forward Wirt, Wood, Wyoming, Wythe, Wetzel, Roane, Tucker, Upshur, Craig, Calhoun, Pleasants,

000,000,000000,000,000

512,344

1,732,098 127,397

2,254,997 598,337

61,770,886

498.807

2,459,725

380,196

3,308,095

891,292

601,469

358,868

1,319,341

852,959

378,432

611,279

94,166,431

61,770,886

32,395,555

00.00 Deer-

42 198

46

49

m

Total increase 37 per ct, or 100,000,000.

1 s

•53

ooo,ooo,ooo;ooo,ooo,ooo!oo.oo I

as^ajoaQ |

«3 t-

ffll — -^

c< o

it

00 ^

>

JP\

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER

Garget in Cows.

A correspondent asks us to give some information in regard to garget in cows—the cause, remedy, &c It is a disease which affects the udder, and is caused by the coagulation of the milk in that organ. Cows are most subject to it soon after they have calved—young cows being particularly liable to it, on account of the milk not being thoroughly drawn. Cows with fleshy, hanging udders are also more liable to garget, both because the fleshiness contracts the glands, and because the udder is more exposed to external injury, by bruises, &c. The retention of the milk produces inflammation, fever, and soreness of the udder. If the disease is long continued, the glands lose their function, and a permanent injury, so far as regards the milk-producing power, is the result.

The most common remedy, in this section of the country, is the administration of the root of poke, or poke-weed [Phytolacca decandra). Pieces of the root, to the amount of two to four ounces, (in a green state,) are given daily, till a cure is effected. Sometimes a seton is formed by splitting the folded skin of the dewlap and inserting a small piece of the poke-root; This frequently reduces the inflammation of the udder. Some persons look on this plant as almost a specific against garget, and it is sometimes called " the garget weed." We have no doubt that it is a good medicine. It is thought that cows are less liable to garget where this plant grows plentifully, or where they can crop th? leaves and tender stalks, which they will do if they have opportunity.

Saltpetre in used as a medicine in this disease—a table-spoouful being given to the cow in meal, on alternate days. Rut in bad cases, the treatment recommended by Youatt would probably be more effective. He recommends iodine in the form of an ointment—one part of hydriodate of potash with seven parts of lard. We have heard of this proving successful when other means had failed. Some of our readers may recollect a communication we published a year or two since from Dr. Eben Wight, detailing his experience in the use of this remedy. As it may be useful to our correspondent who has made inquiry respecting this disease, we copy the most important portion of Youatt's observations in regard to it:

If the inflammation continues or increases, or the bag should be so tender that the mother will not permit the calf to suck; and especially should the fever evidently increase, and the cow refuse to eat, or cease to ruminate, and the milk become discoloured, and mixed with matter or with blood, the case must be taken seriously in hand. The cow should be bled ; a dose of physic administered; the udder well fomented; the milk drawn gently, but completely off, at least twice in the day, and an ointment composed of the following ingredients, as thoroughly rubbed into the bag as the

cow will permit. (Rub down an ounce of camphor, having poured a tea-spoonful of spirit of wine; add an ounce of mercurial ointment, and half a pound of elder ointment, and well incorporate them together.) Let this be applied after every milking, the udder being well fomented with warm water, and the remains of the ointment washed off before the next milking.

If the disease does not speedily yield to this treatment, recourse must be had to iodine, which often has an admirable effect in diminishing glandular enlargements. The only objection to iodine, and which renders it advisable to give the camphorated mercurial ointment a short trial, is that while; by its power of exciting the absorbents of the glands generally to action, it causes the dispersion of unnatural enlargements, it occasionally acts upon, and a little diminishes the gland itself. This, however, rarely happens to any considerable degree, and will not form a serious objection to its use when other means have failed. It should be applied externally in the form of an ointment (one part of the hydriodate of potash being well saturated with seven parts of lard,) one or two drachms of which should be rubbed into the diseased portion of the udder, every morning and night. At the same time the hydriodate may be given internally in doses gradually increased from six to twelve grains daily.

The udder should be frequently examined, for matter will soon begin to form in the centre of these indurations, and should be speedily evacuated lest it should borrow in various parts of the bag, and, when at length it does find its way to the surface and bursts through the skin, irregular ulcers should be formed, at all times difficult to heal, and sometimes involving the loss of more than one of the quarters. Whenever there is any appearance of supuration having commenced, (a minute observation will enable the practitioner to discover the very spot at which the tumor is preparing to point,) the diseased part should be freely and deeply lanced, and an immense quantity of matter will often be discharged. It is generally bad practice to cut off the teat; not only is it afterwards missed in the milking but the quantity of the milk is usually lessened to a greater or less degree.

Should the tumor have been left to break, a deep and ragged ulcer will then be formed, and must immediately be attended to, for the neighboring part will be rapidly involved. Half of the bag lias in sumo cases become mortified in a few days, and diseased portions have either dropped off, or it has been necessary to rjemove them in order to stop the spread of the gangrene. The chloride of lime is an invaluable application here. The wound should be well cleaned with warm water, and then a dilute solution of the chloride freely applied to every part of it; not only will the unpleasant

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

489

smell of the ulcer be immediately got rid of, but its destructive progress will be arrested, and the wound will speedily take on a healthy character. When this is effected, recourse may be had to the Friar's balsam; but the occasional use of the chloride will be advantageous until the bag is perfectly healed.

Chronic indurations will sometimes remain after the inflammation of garget has been subdued ; they will be somewhat tender, and they will always lessen the quantity of milk obtained from that quarter. The iodine will seldom fail of dispersing these tumors. The ointment just recommended should be well rubbed in twice every day, and if the enlargement does not speedily subside, the hydriodate should also be given internally. Mr. Christian, of Canterbury, and the author's friend, Mr. May, of Maldon, relate two cases of chronic garget, in one of which the induration had existed four months, and occupied two of the quarters, and was accompanied by the occasional discharge of blood ; and in the other it had been observed more than a twelve month, and was increasing. An ointment was used by Mr. Christian, in the form of the iodine itself triturated with lard ; and a liniment composed of the tincture of iodine with soot by Mr. May. In the course of three weeks, the udder was in both cases as well as if it had never been diseased. The hydriodate of potash is, however, the most manageable and the most effectual preparation of iodine.

The causes of garget are various; the thoughtless and unfeeling exposure of the animal to cold and wet, at the time of, or soon after parturition, the neglect of physic or bleeding before calving, or suffering the cow to get into too high condition, are frequent causes. So powerful is the latter one, that instances are not un-frequent of cows, that have for some time been dried, and of heifers that have never yielded milk, having violent inflammation of the udder. The hastily drying of the cow has given rise to indurations in the udder that have not easily been removed. An awkward manner of lying upon, and bruising the udder is an occasional cause ; and a very frequent one is the careless habit of not milking the cow clean, but leaving a portion in the bag, and the best portion of the milk too, and which gradually becomes a source of irritation and inflammatian in the part. Connected with this last cause is the necessity of the advice already given, to milk the cow as clean as possible at least twice in the day, during the existence and treatment of garget.— Boston Cultivator.

Tobacco—the Insects that Infect it, and the Remedies.

Several young tobacco growers have asked us for something on tobacco this season. We commend the following article to them. Equally

do we commend it to our old planters, among whom we have some friends that will profit by it. Its clear and admirable style, will commend it to any one who reads the first paragraph, and its valuable facts and judicious suggestions will richly repay him who is tempted to read to the end.

Poplar Hill, July 4th, 1857. F. G. Ruffin, Esq :

My Dear Sir :—I have examined the Tobacco Plant as requested by you in a former communication, as regards the relative position of its leaves to one another and to the parent stem, and now give you the result, together 4 with a few other inklings connected with the culture of that weed.

In an extract you enclosed me, of a Lecture by Professor Agassiz, he says :

" In the vegetable kingdom, the principle holds. Leaves form regular series. They are arranged according to a regular succession of numbers or fractions. Consider a blade of grass. Its leaves spring alternately on either side. Commencing at the bottom of the stalk and going up spirally, you find the second leaf on the opposite side from the first, and exactly over it, the fourth over the second, and so on. You go spirally half way round from one to the other.

Now take marsh grass. Its blades are arranged round the stalk in the same way, but the distances are different. The second blade is one-third of the way around the stalk from the first. The next is two-thirds of the way around, and so on.

Take now a rosebush stem. The second leaf is distant from the first, two-fifths of the way around the stalk. The others follow each two fifths farther around, until finally the sixth is just over the first.

Take again a pine tree twig. The second blade is distant from the first three-eights of the way around, until finally the ninth blade is exactly over the first.

Other plants have their leaves arranged each distant from the other five-thirteenths of the way around the stalk.

So that we have a series of fractional distances, thus :

1-2

1-3

2-5

3-8

5-13

These fractions, it will be seen, do not differ much from each other. There, are none of them less than ^, and none of them are more than }. They form a regular ascending series, in which any two added together will make the third. Such is the uniform and careful arrangement of the countless leaves of the elms above our heads, and of the pine forests of yonder plains!

Turn now from plants to planets. Measure

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

the time in which each of them circles the sun. It is here:

Neptune

Uranus

Saturn

Jupiter

Asterodia

Mars -

Earth -

62,000 days.

31,000 »

10,000 "

4,330 "

1,600 "

- 680 "

- 365 "

Now examine these sums. The second is half the first; the third is one-third of the second; the fourth is two-fifths of the third ; the fifth is three-eighths of the fourth ; the sixth is five thirteenths of the fifth. So that we have again precisely the same fractions in the same order:—

1-2

1-3

2-5

5-13

Whence this strange similarity ? How can it be accounted for except by the.fact that the same Hand adjusted the blades of grass, which set in motion the Orbs of the Universe?

On examination I find that the leaves of the Tobacco Plant are distant each from the one bejow, just | of the way around the stalk. In this respect you will observe that this plant and the pine tree of our forests bear the same relative position. By this ratio the ninth leaf comes directly over the first, and thus it enables the planter to top with accuracy without the trouble of counting at each plant. All that he has to do, is to pull out the bud including this ninth leaf, if he wishes to top at 8, to leave it for 9, and to leave the one just over the second leaf from the bottom if he wibhes to top at 10 leaves, and so on up.

Another advantage in the growth of the plant is, that the 8 leaves, when fully developed, correspond with the four full and four half points of the compass, occupying fully the whole circumference, each leaf, not being shaded by any other, receiving the full light and heat of the sun, which is so very essential to its perfection in ripening. I have heard some of our best planters contend for this "reason that 8 leaves was all that nature intended should grow on tobacco, and that more pounds and more money could be made by topping at this number than at any other quantity. This is still a mooted point among planters, some contending for one number and some for another. Much depends on the character of the season, and still more on the fertility of the soil. Our "Farmers' and Planters' Club" instituted a series of experiments to test this point of the proper number of leaves to be left on the plant; and though the reports differed somewhat, still all proved that on good lands the plant would bear a higher number than 8, some making more pounds at 10 leaves, some at 12, and one gentleman endorsing 14 leaves as the number most profitable in pounds. There being not a great difference between the

present price of lugs and inferior leaf, and th e best grade of leaf, I am inclined to the opinion that more pounds and money can be made by topping at 10 or 12 leaves than at a lower grade. But for a high grade of shipping tobacco, or heavy rich leaf for strips, a less number is desirable. But enough on this point.

There is another point important in the culture of Tobacco, about which there is a lamentable ignorance among planters. I allude to the nature and habits of the various insects that prey upon its growth, from the seed to the fully ripe plant, and constitute the great evil to the planter. Much has been written about the Hessian fly, joint worm, chinch bug, and the various insects prejudicial to the cotton plant; but never yet have I seen any report on the various enemies to the Tobacco plant—their manner of propagation, habits, &c. And here I must notice, en parenthesise, the fact, that the Legislature of the State of New York lately made an appropriation, and employed an able entomologist, Dr. Fitch, to examine and report on the various insects of the State,—which report has just been published, and from extracts from it, I am satisfied that it ought to be in every planter's library, even in Virginia. Now, if our own State Legislature were to make a like appropriation, more would be done for her "Internal Improvements" than by the thousands annually voted to schemes that " begin nowhere, and end nowhere." Some of " the plagues" are upon us, and it behooves us to do everything in our power to ameliorate them, if we cannot eradicate them.

But to return. I have been not a little surprized in my interviews with my brother planters, to find how various and mistaken are their opinions about the simplest facts connected with these little marauders ; as for instance, the duration of life of the horn worm. Now, with no pretentions to superior knowledge on these subjects, I am induced to give my own theories and facts, hoping that it will provoke others of more experience to give the public the benefit of their observations. That these pests are alarmingl}'' on the increase, none will deny; and as I have no confidence in joint worm conventions, or chinch bug indignation meetings, I can see no other means by which their destruction can be effected, than by the planters' observing their habits and characteristics, devising means for their destruction, and communicating the results of their observations and experiments through some appropriate channel to the public,—and none more appropriate than the columns of your valuable " Planter."

The insect enemies to the Tobacco plant are, as they come in the order of depredations—the boll worm, fly, borer, clover worm, grasshopper, bud worm, and horn worm.

To give all these due notice, w r ould make this communication too long and tedious, and

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER

491

I shall only allude particularly to the boll and horn worm. Having given my own theor} r and remedy for the Fly, in a former article, it is not necessary to repeat them now,—and I will pass over the others, merely stating, that, having made three satisfactory experiments with ground alum salt, sown broadcast, at the rate of a sack per acre, and harrowed in the winter fallow in early spring, as a remedy for the borer and clover worm, I feel fully warranted in endorsing its efficacy. In the last instance, strips were left not salted, which fully corroborated the value of the agent used.

First of all, then, I will notice a small worm that preys upon the seed while growing in the pod or boll, which—in the absence of any name—I will style the " Tobacco boll worm." Every planter must have observed in pruning his seed-heads, that many bolls fall off, or become partially discolored,—a lobe at a time, until the whole pod has the appearance of being prematurely ripe. On examination, a small hole about the size of an ordinary dress-pin will be found on the side of the boll; and if it be opened, the seed will be found imperfect, shriveled, and encased in a fine web. This is the work of the boll worm. They are about one-fourth or three-eighths of an inch in length, dark brown in colour, with a light head. 9?hey attack the boll about the time the see*d are perfectly formed, and in what is termed the milk state. I am perfectly satisfied, from experiment, that seed taken from these bored pods will not germinate, and during the last two or three seasons, I have seen many seed-heads nearly totally destroyed by these insects. Often have I heard planters complain, that after sowing thrice the usual quantity of seed on their plant beds, they were too thin ; and they attribute the failure to excessive use of guano, or to stable manure, thick coverings, or unpropitious seasons,—when the great evil was, that they sowed defective seed —-made so by boll worms. I give these facts credit for contributing more to a failure in having good stands in our plant beds, than every other cause combined. I know of no remedy for them, and can only recommend to others what I do myself: viz : turn out an excessive number of seed-heads, prune closety, and carefully pick off every boll on which I find a boll or puncture, before rubbing out seed for sowing.

And now lastly, though not least, permit me to pay my respects to the Horn Worm. Having had something to do with this fellow, I may be permitted to speak of him without reserve. During the last season, I closely watched in several instances the habits and transitions of this worm from the egg to the chrysalis, and am surprised at the difference in fact between its habits and the opinions of old and experienced planters on the subject. From memoranda made at the time, I gathered the following facts concerning its life. After the egg.is

deposited on the under side of the leaf of the Tobacco plant, by the Tobacco Fly, (Sphynx Carolina), it remains from 4 to 10 days before being hatched. This depends on the temperature of the atmosphere. Late in the fall the fly deposits the egg on the top instead of the under side of the leaf, that it may have the benefit of the sun to hatch it. As soon as the young worm leaves the egg, it commences feeding, and continues for about 48 hours, when it ceases for about 12 or 18 hours in order to deplete itself, after which it sheds its skin and removes to a new place to protect itself from the rays of the sun. If suddenly exposed to the heat of the sun, while in this tender state, it will perish. It then continues feeding until the sixth day, when it goes through the same process of depletion, and sheds its skin and again removes to a riew place of feeding. At this period the worm is not more than half an inch in length. About the tenth day it goes through a similar process, removing to a new scene of feeding; and again about the 15th day it sheds its skin for the last time. Up to this time the worm has not grown to more than f or 1 inch in length. It has lost from 4 to 6 days of time from feeding in the process of depletion and losing its skins, and has fed at four different places on the leaf or plant. It invariably changes its place after each process. After the last change, it feeds voraciously and grows very rapidly, and it is after this time that worms do material injury to the plant. Before this, the whole of the leaf destroyed by them, is not much larger than an old American dollar, and that distributed in several holes. They continue to eat up to about the 25th day, when they cease altogether—change to a very dark shade of green, and go into the ground and into the chrysalis state. They remain in this state for an uncertain period, depending on the heat to hatch them into the fly. Two years ago, I put some last cutting's into an old house, seldom used, in which there was a considerable quantity of old straw on the dirt floor. The worms fell from the Tobacco and burrowed into the floor. During the past season I cleaned out the house for the same purpose and found, after ' several days, that many Tobacco flies had just hatched out after remaining in the chrysalis state a whole year, being kept so by the damp, cold floor and covering. More can be done to prevent the ravages of the worm by catching the fly than by any other means. The monthly honeysuckle, growing in our gardens and around our bowers affords material aid for this purpose, and I have^ found by offering a small premium to little niggers that many will be destroyed while sucking the blossoms of the Jamestown weed usually growing about their quarters and the stables. I tried dropping cobalt in solution with sugar into these blossoms to poison them and cannot say that I succeeded in killing any flies. I watched and saw them suck the poison greedily and then go off evi-

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dently under its influence. I found that by dropping the poison in half a dozen blossoms, I effectually killed the plant in 24 hours.

As we cannot possibly catch all the flies, my next effort is to get the worms. I believe the practice of some planters around me in this work, is rather different from that in other Tobacco growing regions. It is this. We go over our crops rapidly, only looking for worms of a siae to do injury, and never stopping to catch little fellows. My hands worm from 4 to 6000 hills per day—thereby going over the crop twice a week. Nothing is so ' killing' tedious to me, as to watch over a big 1200 dollar fellow stooping over a little plant of Tobacco, peeping about; cracking eggs, and rubbing off poor little pigmies, while hundreds of big worms are eating—I would that I could say their heads off, at the other end of the row.

In a conversation with an old planter the other day on this subject, I remarked that I thought the moral effect of such slow work on hands was bad. "Yes," he said, " I hav.e no doubt that it has a very bad effect on their morals!" Our watchword is, "Touch light boys, and go along." I am satisfied that more worms, and those big ones, can be destroyed by this system than by the old custom of trying to catch all. You seemed surprised, when on a visit to us, at our worming and suckering two rows at a time. I know not the custom of planters in other regions, but it seems to me that if I wormed only one row at a time, after the old style of catching all, that by the time I went over my crop, the last portion would present nothing but a beggarly supply of stalks and stems. In these wormy times, a Tobacco field would exhibit nothing but " bare, poles."

Having bored your readers thus long, prudence prompts me to close ; but I cannot do so without asking that some one will give in your paper some statement of the habits of the clover worm, as he is known among us. I find a great variety of opinions as to- the origin and ultimate destiny of this insect. I have heard it gravely contended that these worms go into the chrysalis state, and come out the black bug about an inch in length that we find about wheat shocks—also that they changed to the field horse fly—the black clover worm corresponding with the black flies that we sometimes find on stock. I should be glad to be informed on this subject.

I remain yours, &c.

Frank Peyton.

Important to Farmers.

Messrs. Editors. —I have noticed statements through the columns of several papers of late, in regard to the present crop of wheat in the United States, &c.,-&c.

Now as far as my observation has gone, I can see no such prospects, as I have seen published through the newspapers, here of late; and I must say they are very much exaggerated.

I have no wheat of my own to dispose oi; but I would advise all those who have wheat i sell, not to be in a hurry about selling. B<< cause where there is one good crop of when this .year, there are fifty bad ones. I have coi suited with gentlemen who have travelle through the most of the Northern and Wester States, as well as a portion of the Canadas and from their account ordinary fields of whe; here in Virginia, were better than the be-, there.

Now where is there such great prospects fi such big crops of wheat this year. For we a know they are the " main States" in the Unk for wheat. And that generally of the fine ^ quality, and in abundance. To prove that th, is not the case, let every farmer make his ow calculation, by his own as well as his neig ^ bors crops ; and I guess he will find, instead i an abundance of wheat for home and foreig, demand, that there will not be more tha, enough for home demand, or such small am'oui over, that it would not be worth naming.

I would advise all farmers to keep the wheat until November, at least, unless they ca get $2 per bushel for it. Because in that tin all the small crops which the poor class of tl 1 community have, will have been carried in market, and have been ground by the " mil lers." That is what keeps the* price of whei down generally at the opening 6*f the marke The small crops are generally carried into ma, ket as soon as it is threshed, let the price 1 what it may; and the consequence is the mi lers have a plenty to keep them employed. An another very important item is this: soni farmers deposit their icheat on "storage," wilj the millers and merchants, and by so doing the have enough to grind and speculate on, unt the farmers are compelled to sell. In the mea ! time the farmer is losing interest on the amoun of money he gets for his wheat, while they ai turning it over and over again, without payin any thing on the amount of wheat stored wit them.

j Farmers! quit " storing" your wheat, an> you will get better prices for your grain, whici will be to your interest.

Moreover, farmers, don't listen to such err< neous statements as you sometimes see in th papers. Probably you are not aware that great many "Editors" are paid to publish sue statements, by the speculating part of the con munity; who, when the} 7 want to buy grab flour, d'c, they publish that the crops are i abundance ; and so soon as they get a suppl at the lowest figures, why then, as a matter ( course, it is scarce, and prices advance imnn diately. I know this from observation som years back.

For instance, the Editor of one of the prir cipal Northern papers, (a paper which has large circulation through the South, as well a other portions of the Union,) a few years sine was said to have gone on a trip to Europe, an

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493

sry steamer brought news from him, that the rvest was excellent, and in abundance, &c, . But it was ascertained very soon that he is in America, had not been to Europe at all. ell we all must know that he was paid to do ; or he would not have taken the pretended p to Europe, when he was in the United ates at some neighbouring town. " This is ry often done too."

Now, farmers, keep your eyes open, and have ne judgment of your own. Instead of lis-ling to speculators and others, who take no terest in your welfare, and you will not be ught napping so often.

And so far as my observation has gone, in->ad of a full average crop of wheat this sea-a, I don't think that there will be the third an average crop. Now I would advise all •mers to keep their wheat out of the market, less they can get $2 per bushel for it. As I humble opinion is, that those who hold on til the Spring will get $2 50 or $3. Don't ; a little pressure in the market cause you to •ce your wheat in.

A Minute Observer. July 15th, 1857.

lorttfulftiral Drpartmrnt

E. G. EGOIING, Contributor.

Peaches and Peach Trees.

The peach was introduced into the United

ites from England, about the year 1680, and

,s cultivated in lower Virginia about as early

in any part of. the country. There is no

rt of the world in which peaches are grown

>re largely and extensively than in this coun-

I Many growers in New Jersey have orchards

iging from ten to twenty thousand trees, and

sre are few even larger orchards in other

alities. It is a source of large revenue to

) growers, as the fruit commands usually

m fifty cents to four dollars the bushel.

The leading varieties are cling-stone and free-

ne, or as they are more generally known in

ginia, as plum and soft peach; and these

lin are divided into white, yellow and pur-

, according as the colour of the flesh is one

the other. There is an almost infinite varie-

of names given to different peaches, as to

tance, Early Red Rare Ripe, Old Mixon,

ite Heath, &c.; but all of these belong to

i of the before mentioned varieties. Time

i Is when the peach was suspected of possess-

; poisonous qualities, and considerable preju-

e attended its introduction into some coun-

tries, but we believe that all are agreed now that it is one of the choicest if not the choicest production of the orchard. It was, once, more extensively cultivated in this region than it is now ; the disease, known as yellows, having years ago attacked the trees and destroyed vast numbers, so that the farming community were discouraged from cultivating them. Of late years, however, our farmers have begun again to give more attention to peaches, and new orchards are being planted every year. To meet the wants of many who would cultivate, we propose some remarks on the culture of the peach, and some general rules for the conduct of the peach orchard.

Supposing that the reader intends planting an orchard of peach trees, the first thing to be considered, is, what peaches are most desirable, in answering which, we shall have an eye to such a selection as will give fruit for the longest period. Among the earlier varieties, we commend the Early Red Rare Ripe, Morris' Red Rare Ripe, George the Fourth, and Red Magdalen, and among the later, Washington, Malta, Heath peaches, and old Mixon. There are many others, but these are standards which may be relied on.

The next thing to be considered is the location of the orchard, and first concerning this, we have to remark, that it is an error to suppose that a southern exposure is best for the peach tree. On the contrary, a northern or western is preferable, for this if for nothing else, that in a southern exposure the trees come into bloom early, and the fruit is often destroyed by late frosts, which would not be so likely to occur with a northern exposure. There is this moreover, that the peach is an exotic and not perfectly adapted to our climate. The sap vessels are large, and there is a large amount of moisture stored up in them in the winter season.- When the weather is very cold the moisture here confined congeals, and any sudden thaw is apt to burst the cell tissues, if the expansion caused by freezing does not, and as this would materially injure the trees, a situation, in winter, where they would be least liable to sudden thaws, is surely best.

There is a common opinion that the peach is very fastidious as to soil. It is somewhat of an error. Peaches will grow in any soil, except perhaps a heavy clay, which retains too much

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moisture. A sandy or gravelly loam is best, though we have always known them to thrive better in a red clay loam on a subsoil of rotten shaly rock. There is such a locality or the old Richmond Turnpike; and for years, in passing, we have observed peaches growing and thriving there, when they were not to be seen elsewhere. It attracted our attention, and upon examination, we found, it to be such a soil as before described.

What is the best time to plant. According to our observation the fall of the year is preferable, but there is really little choice in this section. One advantage of fall planting is, that the tree is likely to get a good root-hold before winter, and sometimes will bear fruit the following season, which the spring planted tree rarely does, while on the other hand the tree planted early in spring, when the land is newly turned up, is likely to grow off more vigorously; and here, "at least, after the first breath of spring, there is usually wintry weather enough to settle the tree; so that, in fact, it matters little whether the trees be planted in spring or autumn.

Preparatory to planting, the soil. should be broken up very deep, and made as light and friable as possible. The holes should be dug at least three feet square, for a more foolish habit can hardly be conceived than that so common in Virginia of digging post holes for trees.* In throwing out the earth from the holes, put the top soil to itself to be first shoveled into the hole, so that the roots of the tree may come directly in contact with the top soil, and a moderate application of shell lime, will both tend to promote the growth of the tree, and to preserve it from those diseases which most affect it. When shell lime cannot be had, marl will answer an excellent purpose ; indeed the finest peaches which we have ever seen were grown on a gravelly knoll, near Petersburg, which was heavily marled in the'first instance. Persons sometimes have trees destroyed by worms or disease which might have been saved by the use of lime at planting. Before putting the tree into the earth, trim off with a sharp knife all bruised, mangled roots or parts of roots; and in removing them begin to cut on the under side, cutting upwards with a slanting cut, so that the cut will rest directly upon the soil, when roots will put off from the point where the cut was made. The tree is now

to be put into the hole, and special care mm be observed not to put the tree too deep. Th great error in Virginia, is that peaches ar planted too deep. In Scotland the peach i put on the top of the earth, and a hill mad round them, but while our climate is not hi mid enough for that, it is fatal error here t plant deep. In general, plant the tree n deeper than it stood in the nursery, and if thei is a departure either way, let them be pu shallower, so that the top roots may be ver; near the surface. To help the tree until firml established, a small hill may be raised aroun it at the time of planting, which is to be r< moved in a year or so afterwards. In add tion, it is always desirable to stake the youn trees, which will keep them steady until firml rooted, and will tend also to make the tree straight and symmetrical.

Nurserymen sometimes, either from ignc ranee or design, send to farmers trees alread diseased. Often, if the farmer will look at th roots of the young trees, he will find adherin to them, balls of glue, looking very much lik jelly, the sure indication of disease. Let n one receive or plant such a tree, for be assure it is worthless. This gum exudes from wound made in the soil by a worm, known a the peach borer, (Egeria exitiosa) whos attacks may be prevented by the free use d lime in the nursery and orchard. In one in stance, we used on 1000 young scions in ou nursery 20 bushels of lime, # and so rid theplac of this fatal enemy. No sign of his ravage could be found thereafter. The trees should b planted from sixteen to twenty feet apart everj way, the lesser distance being ample where th land is to be dedicated specially to orchart purposes, and the larger space being prope when it is intended to put in other crops.

The chief cultivation which the peach tre< requires, is to have the ground round abou the trees stirred and kept entirely free fron weeds and grass. No heavy crop should be cul tivated in the orchard, "but anything light ma^ be planted between the trees. There can b* 1 no doubt but that such stirring of the soil as ! would be given every year where some ligh crop was made, is advantageous to the peach and even deep ploughing has the tendency o:| stunting the growth of the tree and increasing' its productiveness. It is, however, of mosl

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495

importance that round about the tree shall be kept from sodding, and beyond this little is required save what we shall hereafter mention.

As appertaining to the cultivation of the orchard, we have to treat of the training, or pruning of the trees. The trees usually come into bearing in three or four years, and where fchey are left alone, generally have a good shaped rounded head and well garnished with leaves. The fruit, be it recollected, is borne on the young shoots of the previous year's growth, and in a young tree these are distributed throughout the tree. But the growth from year to year is chiefly from the outer extremities of the branches, and if the tree is left un-pruned, in a few seasons all the fruit-producing wood will be on the outside of the tree, and the interior of the tree is full of long, lean branches, with only the young fruit, bearing shoots at their extremities. The tree, therefore, has only half the number of young,-fruitful shoots which it would have had if they had been distributed throughout the tree, inv-stead of being confined to the outside, and then the limbs being long, and the fruit hanging on the outside, the tree is very liable to be broken especially when high winds are prevailing.

These evils are all to be avoided by pruning according to a system, which we shall attempt to describe, and which is known as the shortening in system, and which, regularly and rightly pursued, we venture to predict that the peach may be preserved in full vigour and productiveness, for a period of from ten to thirty years.

For the purpose of illustration, let us select a young tree in its first year's blossoming. It is usually from five to eight feet high, with a well-shaped head, branching out about three feet from the ground,— and the nearer to the ground the better, —and has yet never been trimmed, except perhaps so much as was necessary to correct any deformity in its shape. The last of February, or as early in the spring as possible, we commence pruning. This consists merely of shortening in, that is, cutting off half the last year's growth, over the whole putside of the head of the tree, as also upon the inner branches. As the average growth of the branch per year is from one to two feet, ,we shall take off from six to twelve inches I from each branch. This precise measurement

is not, of course, to be adhered to, but the stronger shoots should be shortened back, or cut off most; and any long or projecting limbs which destroy the balance of the head, should be cut off to an uniform, length. The cut should be made slanting, as that heals more readily, and should be made with a very sharp knife, that it may be clean and smooth. This course of pruning is to be followed regularly year after year, through the whole life of the tree, and the effect of it will be, to give the tree a thick, low, bushy head, filled with healthy, young fruit-bearing wood, and in summer with an abundance of dark green, healthy foliage, and handsome fruit.

It is very evident, that by thus cutting, you at the same time reduce the crop one half, and this might be objectionable to some persons who failed to consider, that it doubles the size of the fruit, and vastly improves its quality. Mr. Downing mentions two trees, standing near each other,—one of which was regularly shortened in, and the other unpruned—■ of the same age and size, and each bore about four bushels of fruit, but that on the pruned tree was nearly double as large as that on the other—the fruit on the pruned tree thus making up in size what it lacked in quantity. While, therefore, this process guards against that great evil, an over-crop, it at the same time provides an abundant supply of fruit-bearing shoots for the next year's crop,—improves the size and quality of the fruit, gives the tree a more handsome and more compact appearance, prevents the weight of the fruit, —aided by the winds—from breaking, tearing, and thus destroying the tree, adds to the vigour, and consequently prolongs the life of the tree,—and by shading the- trunk and roots of the tree, aids to protect it from disease and the ravages of the insect tribes. As illustrating its effect in prolonging the life of the tree, Downing, in his work on Fruits, cites two examples of trees in France, in one of which they had attained the age of sixty years, and in the other the age of one hundred years ; and that, too, in a climate not so favourable to the peach as that of this country.

These advantages, which the experience of cultivators in this country and in Europe show^to result from pruning in general, and especially from that system which we have

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here commended, ought to be sufficient to induce every owner of an orchard to bestow some care upon his peach trees. The contrary opinion and practice has usually prevailed in this region,—cultivators generally seeming to think that all that was needed was to plant the tree, and then leave it to shift for itself.

The peach tree is liable to two forms of disease, one known as the yellows, —a most fatal disorder; and the other the curl, which attacks the leaf, and is merely temporary in its effects. Besides, it is subject to the attacks of the borer, or peach-worm, to which we have before alluded.

The borer does great mischief, by girdling and eating the whole circle of bark just below the ground, which enfeebles the tree, and frequently causes it to die. The insect, in its perfect state, is a slender, dark blue, four-winged moth, somewhat like a wasp. It deposits its egg in the soft and tender bark at the base of the trunk, between June and October; and when the egg hatches, it becomes a small white borer or grub, which grows to three-fourths of an inch long, penetrates and devours the bark and sap-wood, and after passing the winter in the tree, it enfolds itself in a cocoon under or upon the bark, emerges in a perfect or winged form in June, and commences depositing its eggs, for a new generation.

It is not difficult to get rid of this pest. Indeed, if at the time the tree is planted, lime be plentifully used, as before directed, there is every probability that the tree will never be molested. But its exemption from attack may be rendered positively certain, by the application of lime every season. Persons have tried the experiment, time and again, of putting a peck or half peck of air-slacked lime around each tree, and the result has been, that all so treated were preserved, while those neglected were destroyed by the borer. Some persons use, for the same purpose, ashes, charcoal, clay, mortar; and others recommend air-slacked lime, or bleached ashes,—the shell lime being, in our judgment, preferable. This is the easier and simpler mode of dealing with the borer ; though some cultivators examine their trees every season, and when by removing the earth appearances of gum or

casting are seen, they cut into the tree with a knife, and remove the pest.

The yellows, —the greatest enemy of the peach tree,—seems to belong exclusively to the peach tree, and to be confined to this country. It may be recognized by the following symptoms. Upon the branches appear slender, wiry shoots, a few inches long, bearing starved, diminutive leaves. These shoots are protruded from latent buds on the main portion of the stem and larger branches, and the leaves are very narrow and small,—quite distinct from those of the natural size, and either pale yellow, or destitute of colour. The fruit ripens prematurely ; the first season of the disease it grows to nearly the usual size, but the following season will not be more than a fourth or half so large; and is always marked with external spots and specks of purplish red. Internally the flesh is more deeply coloured, especially around the stone, than usual when the tree is healthy. These are the infalible indications of the disease.

There is no well-settled theory of the cause of this disease; but so far as anything is known, it would seem to be mere exhaustion or feebleness in the tree,—as those trees are most subject to it which bear heavy crops of fruit every year; and it is most prevalent in those sections where the trees rarely if ever fail to bear. But whatever be the origin of the disease, it is fatal and believed to be conta-geous ; and is undoubtedly propagated by budding or grafting, whenever the bud or graft is taken from a diseased tree. The most luxuriant varieties are most likely to be attacked, and the yellow varieties more than others-. Slow growing sorts are not often attacked. Frequently the disease comes upon a single branch, and attacks no other part of a tree but in a few seasons it spreads over the whole tree ; and so, at its first appearance, it is better to destroy the tree at once.

Properly speaking, there is no remedy for this disease ; and the only prudent course is, wherever a tree shows the symptoms, cut it down immediately,—as by standing it will not only cumber the ground, but, if almost the universal opinion of cultivators be correct, it will spread the infection to other trees. Extermination is the rule for every tree tainted with yellows. Then the utmost care must be

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497

taken to procure healthy trees; and then to keep them healthy, pursue steadily from the first bearing year the system of pruning herein before recommended, which will prevent over-bearing; and then by guarding against the attacks of the borer, the tree will be preserved in vigour for a long period. All these, it will be observed, are measures of prevention, and this is all which, in our opinion, can be done,—as the disease once fixed upon a tree is incurable.

The curl attacks only the leaves, and usually appears in May or June,—the leaves curling up and becoming thick and swollen, with hollows on the under and reddish swellings on the upper side ; the leaves in two or three weeks falling off. It is caused by the punctures of a minute plant louse, (Aphis persicse.) Soft soap and water, or water in which tobacco has been soaked, applied with a syringe or garden engine, will free the tree from the insects for one or two years; but while they disfigure, they do not materially injure the tree.

There are two modes of propagating the peach, the one raising from the seed, and the other by grafting or breeding. Persons sometimes eat a fine, large, well flavored peach, and plant the seed, fondly imagining that they will secure a tree bearing fruit similar to that which they have eaten. Occasionally, the experiment succeeds, and the experimenter obtains a tree bearing just such fruit as he had eaten, or some other peach equally as good. Nineteen times out of twenty, however, the experiment fails. If the peach which had the seed, was borne upon a grafted tree, it will likely give him a seedling of the nature of the original stock on which the graft was made, or something else equally worthless, and but rarely will he obtain a good fruit. The probability of such an issue to his experiment is increased by the absence of many different varieties in the vicinity. Thus there is a locality in Caroline county, where for many years they have cultivated nothing but Heath peaches, and there the seed of the Heath planted, will almost always produce a Heath peach tree, which would not be the case if other varieties were introduced into that neighbourhood. This method of propagation is, however, too uncertain to be much indulged, except by those who are amateurs, and willing to plant a thousand trees, if out of that 32

thousand they can secure one excellent variety before unknown. If there are any of our readers who desire to raise new varieties of peaches, this method of propagation is reeommended to them.

The better, because the surer method of propagating the peach, is by budding or grafting, and for this purpose it matters little what be the character of the seed, so they be obtained from healthy trees. Oar custom has been for a long time, to plant the seeds of the commonest and most worthless varieties, such as are often found growing about old fields, and on the borders of forests in Virginia. From these seeds, a hardy stock and root is obtained, upon which we then graft such varieties as we wish to cultivate ; always of course the. very finest and best varieties which can be procured. The seeds are buried in heaps somewhere in the grounds, that the damps of winter may swell the kernel and burst the seeds, and early in the spring when the seeds are just about bursting, we plant them in nursery rows, giving them a plentiful dressing of lime. Sometime in the month of August they are budded, and the bud remains dormant during the winter, and the following spring the scion is cut off just above the bud, which forces all the sap from the root into the bud which then grows off and forms the future trees, corresponding of course in its character with that of the tree from whence the bud was taken. All suckers which make their appearance below the bud should be removed until at least the bud is firmly established. By this method of propagating infallible certainty is secured in the cultivation of any desired variety, and at the same time a more vigorous and hardy stock and root is obtained for the peach tree, a most desirable consummation.

The culture of the peach has always been found profitable, to say nothing of the pleasure which the eating of the fruit affords. On this latter point we need say nothing, as all our readers are doubtless well acquainted with the rich flavour of a ripe peach, and prize it no less than we ourselves do. Whether eaten alone, or with milk, the peach is a delicacy which no man with good taste thinks of despising. In tide water Virginia especially, which is eminently adapted to the peach culture, it must prove highly profitable, as the facilities

THE SOUTHEEN PLANTEK.

of communication with the Virginia Springs increase, and the annual visitants become more numerous. Already about Norfolk, it is we believe a source of considerable profit to the farming community, where the fruit is shipped to the Northern markets. In other parts of the state, where climate and soil are equally favourable, the peach culture has greatly declined of late, years without any sufficient and satisfactory reason, and we have heretofore shown that in all orchard products, this among others, Virginia is far behind many of her sisters, whom she should greatly surpass. Many objections which once existed to the culture of the peach, as the difficulty of procuring good and suitable trees, raised in our own climate and soils are obviated, since nurseries have sprung up within the borders of our own State, and trees- of almost every variety, certainly of all the better varieties can be had here at home. Everything conspires to awaken a new interest and zeal in the culture of peaches and it is with the hope of adding something to this impulse that this hurried sketcli has been written. May it accomplish that whereunto it is sent.

To Make a Lawn in New Land.

Persons settling at new places often desire to have a good sward in front and just about the dwelling, but fail to obtain their wishes for want of a little knowledge of the art of making lawns. Such individuals often break up the land, heavily manure it, sow the grass seed in the spring of the year, and then sit down with the fond anticipation of having in due season a beautiful lawn. Either a crop of weeds springs up and destroy the grass, or the scorching heat of summer dries it up, and the next year, instead of a beautiful green carpet, there is about the mansion a barren naked plot of earth, and the proprietor gives over his exertions, satisfied from the result of his experiment that nothing better was to be expected.

And assuredly, he is right in the supposition that nothing more ought to have been expected to result from the measures which he adopted. He went to work the wrong way and reaped the precise results which might have been confidently predicted by one better informed than himself. He is mistaken however when he supposes that it is impossible to have a lawn about his dwelling. If he is willing to use the

proper care and diligence it can yet be effected. Not without some labour, trouble and expense to be sure, but what is there worth having which can be had without these. Nothing; and he sadly underates the desirableness and value of a handsome lawn who is not willing to incur all necessary expense; and to bestow all needful labour to secure it. Supposing that those for whom we write are disposed to agree with us in the views so far expressed, and to be sincerely desirous of having a good lawn, we shall proceed to set down such suggestions as are likely to be useful in the making of a lawn in new land.

Where the dwelling is in the midst of the forest, the first step of course is to clear the land, of all the superfluous growth, leaving only such trees as are desirable for shade and ornamental purposes. Just about the house remove every thing, so as to have a clear space immediately around it for the sake of ventilation. The undergrowth is to be taken away altogether, except hollies, cedars, and other evergreens, and any flowering undergrowth of which there are some beautiful specimens, and in the clearing the soil, the roots are to be taken out carefully. Of course enough trees are to be left for shade. In selecting these', persons sometimes exhibit execrable taste by retaining tall, spindling trees, with bare trunks and a mass of foliage covering the tops, which they hope to make something of by what is termed topping. A very bad practice this, which never succeeds well, except with very young trees. Instead of doing this, choose young, vigorous trees, well shaped and twenty or thirty feet high, which after the removal of all the surrounding growth, come to be in a short time handsome shade trees. White oak, ash, poplar, maple and the like, are the trees to be reserved. Instead of leaving the trees scattered promiscuously over the whole grounds, let them stand in clumps here and there with open spaces between where rare ornamental shrubs and flowers can be planted, and it is an invariable rule, that the trees shall be in a line with either side of the dwelling, leaving the front open and clear, so that the view of the house to one approaching may not be obstructed.

Having thus disposed of the trees and undergrowth, the land is ready to our hand, to be converted into a lawn. This cannot be

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done in a day and the process which we shall prescribe will occupy about eighteen months. The grand object of the whole process is to get land clear of roots and weeds, and without the use. of the manure to make the land rich enough for the crop of grass. The land is to be broken deep and coultered, with a heavy coulter, except just about the growing trees where the breaking should be done with a grubbing hoe, so as not to injure the roots of such trees, and then to be rolled to pulverize all the clods, a direction which is to be observed every time that the land is ploughed. This first ploughing should be done in the spring of the year, because then the vegetation is growing and any hidden roots which would bring forth shoets, being then disturbed will die, whereas later in the year they would still be there to put up shoots another season. To enrich the land we would prescribe, that as early as practicable in the spring a crop of buckwheat be sown, which about the first of July is to be turned in with the plough, and a crop of peas be immediately put in. These are also to be turned in with the plough by the fifteenth of September. This will effect the double good of enriching the land and destroying all the weeds, admirably preparing the land for the reception of the grass seeds. After the peas are turned in then roll the land again, grade it, and rake it, and then at once sow the grass.

A word as to the proper manner to sow grass seed. Our habit has been to take two lines and stretch them across the grounds two feet and a half apart, parallel to each other, and then beginning at one end to go entirely across, scattering the seed from the hand across the space enclosed between the lines and passing the hand from side to side to the lines, so as to scatter seed over every inch of space thus enclosed ; and then leaving the line which stands next the outer verge of the space thus sown, we place the other line two and a half feet further, and so continue to place the lines and sow the seed until the entire grounds are gone over, and the seed thickly sown. Our reason for using this particularly is that where the seed are sown broadcast, as with wheat and oats, spaces will be left without seed, and nothing is more unsightly than a lawn with bare spots here and there. The ground is now again to be rolled to bury the seed.

The seed of the grass known as the Kentucky Blue Grass, is that which we would recommend for lawns.

The grass will appear sometime during the fall, generally will cover the surface pretty well by Christmas, and be high enough to cut some time during the spring, and to keep the lawn in good condition it requires to be cut through the spring and summer at least once in three weeks, and after each cutting to be well rolled. The grass should never form seeds and the neglect of cutting generally ruins lawns which otherwise would have long retained their beauty.

Here then is the routine which we would advise in making of a lawn on new land, and those who have lands already cleared and which have been cultivated will find it to their interest to follow the same course in making lawns about their dwellings. It is a plan which we have repeatedly tried, and known tried, and we have yet to learn of an instance where it failed to give the experimenter a heavily turfed lawn, nor do we believe that a failure is at all probable where these directions are implicitly followed. Other points scarcely less important, as the proper mode of laying off grounds, the proper arrangement of walks drives, and the best method of preserving lawns will be treated in future issues of the Planter.

Irish Potatoes.—Spring Prices.

In our article in the May number of the Planter, we made some statements concerning the prices of Irish Potatoes in this market, which seemed to be doubted by a correspondent from lower Virginia. To put this beyond all doubt, we called on several dealers, and the sum of our information, gathered from all, may be given in the words of George JR. Peake, Esq., of this city. He informs us that since the last of June he received a consignment of potatoes from the North, which he sold at $1 75 per bushel, and adds, that the average price for seed potatoes every spring is $1 25 per bushel. This statement we could verify, did we deem it material by the testimony of every individual engaged in the trade in this and the other Yi ginia cities; but surely that is not necessary. Our friends in the country may rest assured that all the potatoes which they can send to this market next spring, will

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bring them more than one dollar the bushel; and if the correspondent of the planter can afford to raise them at fifty cents, as he says, then we advise him to go ahead and cultivate them largely, especially as he professes to be able to keep them through the winter without difficulty. There is no reason why our spring markets should not be abundantly supplied with home potatoes, instead of those grown at the North ; and we trust that another season will find our Virginia farmers prepared to furnish all who want, with seed potatoes.

_ <o m » ►

About Turnips.

Any time between the tenth and twentieth of this month sow a full crop of turnips. Be careful first of all, to get good seed, a matter of prime importance too much neglected in Virginia. In the fall we shall say something on the subject of saving turnip seed, but for the present forbear. At this time we have to do with the sowing. Where small crops are to be made they may be put in drills, eighteen inches apart, sown thinly, and if too thick thinned so as to stand about eight inches in the row. Where larger crops are to be put in, this method is too troublesome, and they are to be sown broadcast. Our advice to every farmer is, to sow large crops of turnips, for this, among many other reasons, that they are easily kept during the winter and furnish a most excellent forage for cows and cattle generally. We advise that the crop be put in fresh land, and speak from experience when we say that there is no crop which is so largely aided by guano, as turnips. We make but little use of guano in our operations, except on turnips, and such have been the benefits which we have experienced from its use, in the cultivation of that crop, that we unhesitatingly advise every man who sows turnips to use guano. If they are'sown when the land is not very wet, we would recommend that the land be rolled to crush the clods. For an early crop, sow the red top turnip ; and for the later, White York and Large Norfolk,

Cucumbers for Pickling.

In planting cucumbers for pickling, lay off the land with a plough in rows, about three feet apart, open it very deep and drop in the drill lome good, old, well rotted stable manure.— With th§ coulter then mix the earth and ma-

nure well together, and then ridge up the earth over the drill. Plant the seed five or six inches apart and one and a half or two inches deep, and so let them stand until the vines begin to run. The reason for planting so thick is, that they are often attacked by insects which destroy more or less of them, and when the bugs or fiies do attack them use lime or soot, or tobacco trash, whichever may be most convenient, which is to be put on early in the morning, while the dew is on the vines. When the vines begin to run, thin them so as to leave them standing about eighteen inches apart. The obvious advantage of this mode of planting is that the vines can be worked with much more ease than if they are put in separate hills.

Last year we advised this mode through the Planter, and a gentleman in Henrico, who had always pursued the plan of planting in hills, and wh6 constantly failed partially or wholly, adopted our plan and had such success that he has tried it again this year, and pointed out to us the other day a large plat recently planted, expressing himself at the same time as delighted with the arrangement.

Planting Celery.

This is the proper season for planting celery in the beds, concerning which a few suggestions may not be amiss.

Choose a spot of rich, open ground, and lay it off into beds four feet wide. Dig the becis a spade deep, throwing the earth thus dug out, equally on either side of the beds upon the alleys. Then lay over the bottom of the beds old, well-rotted manure to the depth of four or five inches, which is to be incorporated thoroughly with the earth of the beds, and then over it to be thrown an inch or an inch and a half of earth from the alleys. Plant five rows in each bed, equally distant and eight inches apart in the rows, and then keep the plants free from weeds until they are ready for earthing. They are only to be planted in a wet season, and when the plants are drawn from the plant beds, clip the tops to five or six inches, and shorten the roots to about three inches. This is one mode of planting, and that which we prefer, for two reasons ; first because the plants are more easily preserved in winter, and secondly, because more celery can be raised on the same space.

There is, however, another method, which is

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to plant them in single rows or trenches, from eight to twelve inches apart in the row. When this is done, however, the hill is necessarily narrow, and the frost strikes through it more readily and injures the plant.

The directions for earthing will be given in a future number.

For the Planter.

Fruit Trees.

Sycamore Isle, July 1857. This seems to be an age in which there is a manifest desire, on the part of us farmers, to add to our comforts in every way. And there are few things so much neglected as raising fruit, which is one of the luxuries of life. I have known so many unsuccessful attempts to raise orchards, by loss of trees, that I have determined to give my experience, as I am now raising the second one, and have learned by former experience how to plant successfully, not having lost one tree in a hundred of my last planting. I prefer the trees selected from the nursery of the most rapid growth, and two years old; that is, the graft having grown two years on the stock. Let the land be prepared as for any hoe crop. And in the latter part of February, or 1st of March, dig the holes to put the trees in, about two and a half or three feet in diameter, and from fifteen to eighteen inches deep. Let the entire soil be thrown on one side of the hole, and the clay or subsoil on the other. After the digging is completed, immerse the roots of the tree in a tub of water. Throw back about three inches of soil in the hole. Then place the tree in the centre, sinking the top roots in the loose soil, and carefully spread the lateral ones at about the angle at which they grew. Shovel back the soil until the roots are all covered about an inch. Then press down the soil firmly. By this time the hole is rather more than half full. Then put in a layer of leached ashes and chip manure, that is well rotted, about an inch thick—cover with clay for three inches. Afterwards another layer of manure and clay mixed, until the hole is full enough, leaving it sufficiently concave to hold the rain water, and draw it towards the tree—packing the earth sufficiently to steady it; and if the tree is large insert a stake on the northwest side, confining the tree to it by any thing which will not fret the bark. This is sufficient until about the 20th May ; then manure well around the tree with any well rotted manure; and if the land is poor or the clay hard and stiff, put about a quart of lime to each tree, mixed with the manure, and hoe it in well. Nothing more is necessary the first season but to keep down the weeds around the trees until fall. Then in the month of November mulch freely with tobacco stalks. In the spring a small quantity of dirt may be thrown upon the stalks.

Cultivate the land annually in peas, and continue to mulch every fall or winter until the trees are strong and bearing, which, if well attended to, they will begin to do the third year. Never let any thing be planted nearer the trees than from three to five feet. Mr. Jones has said all that is necessary about the caterpillar. But there is a kind of wood louse which sometimes infest the bark, and maybe easily detected by its becoming rough and having an old appearance. This can be entirely prevented by washing the body of the tree with ley. Apply it, as you would whitewash, with a brush. If these directions are followed, no one will be without apples, if he keeps a good fence and permits no kind of stock to enter his orchard until the trees are grown, then hogs are beneficial, and the fruit will do them no harm, if the farmer has not the time or inclination to gather it. Wm. M. Woods.

Transplanting Strawberries in Summer,"

In reply to inquiries for the best mode of transplanting strawberries in summer, we furnish a few brief hints.

The best time is always early in spring, as, at that time, we have only to set out the plants with ordinary care, for all to grow. They will bear abundantly the second season, and if kept clean and cultivated, for two or three years afterwards. If allowed to run the season of transplanting, and not cultivated except in the early part of the season, they will give a full crop the next year, but not afterwards. Some good cultivators think it best and most economical of labor to plant a new bed every year, and to let the bed run full of plants, foi only one year's bearing. They find it easier to plant out a new bed in spring, than to cultivate the old one through the season. The crop is not, however, so fine, when thus treated.

Transplanted immediately after bearing, and while the plants are somewhat exhausted and consequently in a partially dormant state, strawberries will do well, and afford as good a crop next season, as by spring transplanting, but more care and labor are required. The ground is first to be prepared by properly enriching it. and making it clean and mellow. The amount of manuring must depend greatly on the previous character and condition of the soil. If naturally fertile, and if it has been well previously manured, little need be applied ; if not largely composed of vegetable matter a quantity of leaf mould or well prepared pent will be found very useful. Where much manure is needed, a compost with a large proportion of such vegetable matter is always best.

The plants should be selected from the youngest well rooted runners of the previous year. They should be lifted out with a spade, and the earth shaken off, and not pulled out, as is often done to the. injury of the roots. All the fully expended leaves are to be clipped off, leaving

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only the small, half-open ones. The roots are then to be dipped in mud made in a pan or pail for this purpose, thick enough to leave a coating on them about the fourth of an inch. They are then to be transplanted, spreading out the fibres as much as may be convenient, and taking care not to cover the crown. If the soil be dry, they should all be watered heavily, and an inch of mellow earth drawn over the watered surface, to fill up the settled earth. A mulching is then to be applied about an inch or an inch and a half thick, of fine, partly decayed stable manure. This will prevent the surface from drying and becoming hard and crusted ; and if watering should afterwards be necessary, which however can only happen in extremely dry weather, this mulch will keep the surface moist and in proper condition. Treated in this manner, all or nearly all the plants will live, and furnish an abundant crop next year.

Country Gentleman.

Time to Gather and How to Keep Pears.

One of the most important points in the management of pears, is to gather them at the proper time. Summer pears should be gathered at least ten days before they are ripe ; autumn pears at least a fortnight, and winter pears as nearly as possible about the time the trees stop growing. If left on until the commencement of the fall of the leaf, they are worthless. A pear ripened on the tree is generally not fit to be eaten. The usual way to determine when pears are fit to be taken in the house to ripen, is to lift them up on the tree ; if upon raising them up, they part readily from the stalk, they then can be picked off. Never shake down pears ; hand pick all, standing on steps for the purpose. They should be light, and so contrived that the ladder may be disengaged from the back at pleasure, fastening together by a bolt at the top; at the top should be a broad step to stand on, with room for the basket to hold the fruit. Have, in beginning to gather, hand baskets of different sizes, and also large baskets or hampers, and wheelbarrows. At the bottoms of the large baskets place some perfectly dry short fine grass or hay, from summer mowings, kept clean and dry for this purpose. You can also tell as a mark when the fruit is ripe, when it begins to fall (not windfall, or from the caterpiller.) If the fruit comes off without any force used, it is presumed to be ripe enough ; but sickness, &c, of the trees may make it seem riper than in fact it is.

If the fruit be in the least bruised, it will not keep; therefore the person on the steps must pick it carefully and lay it in the basket, and empty the small baskets into the large. When the fruit begins to fall itself, cover the ground under the tree with soft grass. Those that drop should be used first, as they will not keep near as long as those picked by hand.

In the fruit room lay dry soft grass on the

floor, and the fruit gently from the basket in heaps on the grass. To sweat the fruit, cover it two or three inches thick on the top with some of the grass ; the heaps may be two or three feet high. Let them lie in heaps two weeks ; then open and turn them over, Aviping each pear with a dry cloth, to be frequently dried during the process. The heaps then remain eight or ten days more, covered as before, then wipe the fruit and barrel or place in baskets, as they will sell better in bushel baskets, and they are then ready to be sent to market. Always gather fruit in dry weather, and when the dew is off, and not in the evening after the dew has begun to fall. Air should sometimes be admitted in the fruit-room.

Much of the above is the English practice of gathering pears, and highly recommended by Mr. Forsyth, the practical English nurseryman. The most perfect way of keeping pears, is to pack in earthen jars, each pear separately wrapped in soft paper; put dried bran in the jar, then a layer of fruit, then a little more bran, and so on alternately; when full, gently shake the jar, fill up with bran and' paper at top of all; cover with a bladder to perfectly exclude ascession of air, then fit on the cover of the jar, and place in a dry room. Boxes made tight are also very good for packing away winter pears ; place a layer of cotton-batten at the bottom of the box, then a layer of pears wrapped in soft wrapping paper, then another layer of pears, then cotton, &c, on to the top; finish off with cotton, double sheets, and nail tightly down the lid, and you can then have some fine pears for New-Year.

The French pack winter pears in small boxes, round or square. The bottoms of the boxes and the sides, they cover with dry moss or soft paper to absorb the moisture, and lay them in layers, the largest at the bottom, and fill the interstices with dry moss or paper. They are so tightly packed that not one presses upon another, and no movement can take place among them. The moss and paper which separate them, absorb all moisture, and if one decays it cannot affect the others. Pears may also be well preserved in new barrels, with the interstices filled with powdered charcoal; they must be kept in about 40° temperature.

Downing says—" Many sorts of pears that are comparatively tough, if ripened in a cool apartment, become very melting, buttery and juicy, when allowed to mature in a room kept at a temperature of 60 or 70°." He also writes—" So important is the ripening of pears in the house, that most amateurs of this fruit find it to their advantage to have a small room . set apart and fitted up with shelves in tiers, to be used solely as a fruit room. Mr. Hovey states " he keeps his winter pears as he keeps his apples—in barrels in the cellar, and succeeds well. Pears can be placed also for preserving in tin boxes. Winter pears will generally sweat after the boxes have been filled a

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few days ; they should be then taken out and wiped dry. When the weather becomes cold, the boxes should be removed to a dry cellar. I am convinced that pears will ripen better in a dark closet than in a light room. I submit the above numerous ways of keeping pears to your subscribers, and they can themselves decide this season which is the best, by giving all a fair trial. And the winter varieties will come very acceptable to the New-Year visitors at your homes, and form a splendid dish on the holiday festive board. T. S. C. Clermont, N. Y.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

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"Speculations on the Price of Wheat.'' In the following article from the U. States Economist, we find the editor, Mr. KettelPs, opinion, as far as he can form one, on the price of wheat. He has in that article stated briefly, but forcibly, the whole case, and we recommend its perusal. In one respect we differ with him. We think his conclusions in regard to the quantity of wheat made in the United States are erroneous in making the crop too large. North of North Carolina the same winter and spring causes that reduced the yield of wheat in Virginia, and to which we alluded in our last issue, were as operative as here. South of that, the late spring frosts that killed so much cotton and corn must have done some damage. In the West, the winter was too severe for the wheat to have rallied to the extent of the assumed increase.

The following figures, extracted into the Economist, from the New York Courier, will be instructive, as showing the value of city estimates of country produce:

It is estimated from the present harvest that Ohio will produce and give as a surplus as follows :

Crop of Wheat, 1857, " 1856,

OHIO.

25,000,000 bushels. 18,000,000

Excess, Crop of Corn, 1857, " 185G,

Excess of Corn, Wheat,

7,000,000 85,000,000 60,000,000

25,000,000

7,000,000

Total excess, 32,000,000

Or in tonnage, 900,000 tons.

Thus, on the assumption of good crops, there will be, in round numbers, one million of tons in the State of Ohio in excess of 1856, and the larger portion to come East. The surplus will be equal to what was sent East last year, added to this excess.

Now it will be found that these figures assume an excess of forty per cent, or very nearly half as much again increase ; which is an impossibility.

To shew, however, the difficulties of arriving at a correct conclusion even from the best informed, we may state that on meeting a gentleman just from Albemarle a few days ago, we learned from him that the wheat crop of that county was the best ever made. Five minutes afterwards another gentleman from

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the same county and neighborhood told us, when we congratulated him on the good crop, that it was about the meanest harvest within the memory of the oldest inhabitant. And so of other places. In such conflict of testimony we find it difficult to form an opinion, and not very easy to credit newspaper statements.— Conclusions based on other circumstances than testimony alone may be formed with some hope of general accuracy, but exact knowledge is unattainable. To those circumstances the Economist has referred.

But of this the farmers may be assured, that they will get a pretty good price for their wheat throughout the year. It is an old saying that it takes two good crops to fill up the gap made by one bad one ; and the general failures of last year authorize us to apply the maxim to the present time.

Much depends on the English harvest, of which no man here can tell any more than the farmer of our country can tell of his own crop within six weeks of cutting it. There, as here, the weather just preceding, daring, and just after harvest, will make all the difference between a very good and a very bad crop ; and as their harvest alone consumes a whole month, and their grain ripens more slowly than ours, they are to that extent more subject to disasters. With this fact in view, we do not think it arrogant to say, that no man's opinion of the price of wheat in the month of October next is worth a groat.

Two things only we know: 1st. That wheat cannot fall greatly in any short time ; 2d. that it cannot drop down below its natural level of price for at least a year to come. That level is the value of the currency: and as that has been depreciated to the amount of twenty-five per cent, wheat of course must go up to that extent. So that if $1 was the natural price of wheat five years ago, it would now, under a similar proportionate supply, command $1 25. But as, under the influx of gold from Califor-fornia and Australia, a still further depreciation may be confidently expected, we may look for a corresponding increase in the price of wheat.

Except under the depression of an extraor-ry supply, or a period of general bankruptcy, we never expect to see wheat sell again as low as $1 25.

New York, July 15, 1857. The accounts all over the Union agree that the wheat crop of the United States is to be large, and from abroad the same news is confirmed down to the last dates, when the harvest of the south of France had commenced. That is to say, in round numbers, the agricultural labor of France, the United States and Great Britain, will receive a value of at least $250,-000,000 in wheat alone, as the consequence of a fine season. All other crops promise equally well. The most important at the North, hay particularly, will ensure cheap food. These circumstances point to a very large addition to the world's capital. Labor has been employed in turning floating capital into fixedness at a time when the annual supply of floating capital was diminished by bad harvests, alarge number of men were engaged consuming food and material in the Crimea, fighting and building forts. Still other thousands, were employed, consuming food and material by converting produce, iron and wood into railroads, while for several seasons this process was going on the harvest was short. In three successive years France lost in wheat by bad seasons $40,000,000 per annum. Her losses in vines and silk and inundations were as large, and losses in other countries were large. This year the tables have turned, the expenditure is smaller, and the products of the earth immensely greater. The question now arises what are we to do with our surplus quantities ? It will be found, however, that great as are the supplies the demands upon the United States, of course at lower prices, will be equal to those supplies. The exports from the United States of wheat and flour for several years were as follows, reducing the flour to wheat:

1854. 1855.

16,189,008 1,344,975

3,882,481 42,785

8,077,106 5,964,186

To Great Britain,

To France,

To other countries,

Total bushels, 28,148,595 7,351,946

1856. 1857.

10,845,617 - 11,557,364

6,565,429 5,019,381

15,257,744 16,000,000

To Great Britain,

To France,

To other countries,

Total bushels, £2,668,790 32,576,745

It is thus apparent that although the West Indies, Canada and South America sustain a regular demand upon the United States for wheat, yet the sum of the demand is a good deal effected by the state of business in Great Britain. We now observe that the wheat market of Great Britain has been as follows for several years, premising the quantities given in the table as British wheat " sold," are the quantities reported as sold in the 240 towns, the sales of which regulate the official averages, as follows:

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505

SALES AND IMPORTS AND PRICES OF WHEAT IN GREAT BRITAIN.

Sales, qurs.

1853, 4,560,912

1854, 3,913,257

1855, 3,211,786

1856, 5,046,736

1857, 5 mos, 2,159,700 1856,5 " 1,136,810

Imported, Price,

qurs. s. d.

6,235,860 53 3

4,473,085 72 5

3,211,766 71 10

5,207,147 73 2

1,118,279 56 Q

1,444,360 75 0

The crop of 1853 in England was injured to an extent estimated at the round number of 7,000,000 qurs.—say 56,000,000 bushels. This deficit added to the average annual import made a quantity of 96,000,000 bushels, requisite to supply the ordinary consumption. The stocks on hand from old crops, foreign and domestic, suffered, too, with an import of h\ millions for the wants of 1854. The stocks were, however, exhausted at the close of the year, although the high prices had checked consumption. The crops of 1856 were good, and with a moderate importation has caused prices to fall back nearly to those of 1853. The French crop last year was deficient 21,000,000 bushels, and this year, in both countries, the growing crops promise well. If we now look at the leading sources whence England has drawn her wheat for the years above enumerated, we shall form an idea of the sources of present supplies.

IMPORTS OF WHEAT INTO GREAT BRITAIN.

1853. 1854.

France, Russia, Prussia,

Denmark, Turkey & Egypt,

United States Others.

qurs.

97,235

1,010,701

1,144,202

292 915 Danube, 476',460 357,903 713,182 762,132

qurs. 143.047 546,841

672,842 248,451 287,798 302,905 417,607 816,737

4,915,430 3,431,227

1856.

qurs. France, 10,007

Russia, 759,459

Prussia, 222,681

Denmark, 177,216

Mecklenburg, 62,625

Turkey & Danube, 273,691 Egypt, 534,603

United States, 1,279,150 Others, 743,406

1857. 4 mos. qurs.

77,027

81,038

64,798

49,376

14,581 101,609 273,061

44,784

4,062,831

FLOUR.

764,279

1853. United States, cwt. 3,043,107 France, 854,730

4,621,506

1854. 2,510,910 219,283

3,646,505

3,900,259 784,498

France, formerly an exporter, is now become habitually an importer, the extent of the demand depending upon her harvest. This year her wants will be small, while the crops of Russia, Egypt and Germany, which the table indicates as the chief rivals of the United States in supplying England, will be good under the stimulus of the high prices that ruled last year. That the stocks are small, is chiefly the cause that prices are as well sustained as they are up to this moment. England received in 1856, a larger quantity than ever before, from the U. States, and she paid for it good prices. This year she will be able to buy her supplies at a low figure, because the producing countries are now competitors for sales. The countries of Russia, the Danube Provinces, Egypt and Syria, over the supplies from which the war exerted so much influence, are now recovered from those effects, offering a surplus, stimulated by high prices and previous disasters at the same time. France, who was the leading customer last year for those Mediterranean supplies, will, after harvest, which, in the southern departments, has already commenced, have ample supplies of her own. In England, as seen in the above table, these sales of English wheat from the last harvest, of home growth, which sufficed in the first five months of the present year to cause a fall of 20d. per quarter in price in the face of a diminished import on the eve of a good crop coming in, promises well. There is, however, still room for disaster to the crops of England, and, inasmuch as the stocks are so small everywhere, the smallest disaster would cause an active advance in prices. Freights are very low, both internal and external, the railroads having reduced fares in many cases on the great routes.

Morrison's Reaper.

We would not give much for the utility of an ordinary reaper trial, which bears about the same relation to actual field work that a holiday drill does to a real battle. But of this more hereafter, when we come to comment, as we suppose we shall do, on the account of the trial of reapers held by the United States Agricultural Society.

The test to which a machine of this kind is submitted in going through a protracted harvest, would be, we presume, much more satisfactory to practical men; and for that class we propose to notice very briefly the trial, to which

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Morrison's Reaper was subjected under our personal inspection, upon our own estate, and at his request.

As we have before stated in our account of Caldwell's Reaper, which we tried last summer, the farm we occupy is very level, the inequalities in its surface, consisting of very slight, and in some cases, scarcely perceptible knolls, disposed with great irregularity of distribution and outline over a series of flats which, until drained, were shallow ponds during the winter. To drain such lands, which are a bed of impervious clay of from 20 to 30 feet in thickness, requires ditches, grips, or cross-drains, and deep bed furrows, arranged, generally, with a view to the natural fall, but sometimes, by deeper cuts, through slight elevations where particular considerations rendered it advisable. In addition to these, catch, drains, somewhat after the style of hillside ditches, but dammed on the lower side of each intersecting bed furrow, serve to direct the descending current, and the ooze of the water table, from the flat below.

Some of the land is ploughed in beds twenty feet; some in beds of thirty feet: and the depth of the water furrow, as compared with the crown of the ridge is, in the 20 foot beds, 12 inches ; in the 30 foot beds 15 inches by actual measurement. The depth of the cross-drains is 20 inches. But as the sides of the cross-drains have been graded off by plough and scraper, or by the hoe, and each bed furrow empties directly into the cross drain without the intervention of the barbarous " head bed," it follows, that at each point of such entrance, the bed furrow itself must have the depth of the cross drain. It was on such land, thus minutely described, that each may understand the thoroughness of test—that we operated Morrison's Reaper.

It is our principal to cut with, and not across, the bed furrows, up on one side of a bed and down another, crossing the beds at the end of the parallelogram, without cutting. But in very short lands, where too much time would be lost, we do sometimes cut around ; and, of course, across the beds. In this way,' and in crossing the various drains of all kinds, which cut into the parallelograms in all possible ways, a reaper must repeatedly cross every depression in its progress through the field.

It is obvious, that in crossing them where the depth varies from 12 to 20 inches, there must be a tremendous strain on the whole machinery ; and that many a reaper cannot stand it for two days, whilst, from the very construction of some of them, they will be racked to pieces in a few hours.

It is further obvious, that if there be no means of shifting the balance of the reaper* that the dead' pull, unavoidably incurred as it chucks into the drains, will be terrible to the horses, and very painful to the raker, jaring every muscle of the one and jolting every fibre of the other, and galling both, though in different places. We know it because we have tried it.

Now we have to say that we subjected Mr. Morrison's Reaper to this kind of test, and that it stood it well. On the ninth day the crank, which drives the knife, broke,—just the accident which occurred to Caldwell's Reaper on the sixth day ; and that was owing partly to our mismanagement in not inspecting the machine as closely as we should have done, but mainly to the fact that the iron of the crank was not good metal—it had a flaw in it. Putting in the other knife at once, it went another round, and bent that at the same place that the other broke at; when, on examining, we found that three small screws at bottom had been broken off, letting the crank down below the plane of its motion, and splitting off a small part of the machine. With two butt hinges and a few screws, we repaired the machine, straightened the crank, and got it to work again in two hours from the occurrence of the accident, when the journal box in which the crank works, (and which costs 25 cents,) broke from wear. Substituting another for that, the crank again broke, from defective iron, at the point where it was screwed to the journal, and we laid the machine aside, because we were nearly done harvest, and finished with Hussey's Reaper.

This was all the accident it met with in nine days ; and not until the ninth day.

We believe the average duration of harvest is ten days; and we think it safe and fair to assume that the wear and tear of a reaper, as we use it, may be estimated at the double of what it would be on other lands. If this be so, then this reaper would have gone without accident through very nearly two other harvests

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507

on other lands, a feat which none of them is believed to have yet accomplished. In our own experience with Hussey's Reaper, which we deem one of the very best, we have, in a less time of cutting, broke two bolts and so strained the reaper that we had to send it to the shop ; and we do not regard the accidents to Morrison's as at all material. We mention them, as bound in fairness to do, even at the risk of injuring the reputation of the maker; but we repeat, we do not regard them as material: and we will give our reasons. The great point in a reaper is that its principles of construction shall be right, and that accidents shall not occur in con'sequence of faults in that particular. But the accident in question did not Occur from any such defect. Another point is, that as " no machine is stronger than its weakest part," that part shall be easily reparable, and shall not, in a breakage, involve any great delay or expense in repair or renewal. In this case the boxes, which are subject to wear and tear, cost only' twenty-five cents, so that the cost of two during a harvest will not involve any expense. The crank, if made of more ductile iron, is not so apt to break, but only to bend, which can be easily remedied, or if it shall break, it can be repaired without stopping the machine, the extra blade being substituted, whilst that is undergoing repair. The whole strain of a reaper comes on the crank, which is yet necessarily the weakest part, if the whole is properly constructed. It is well, therefore, that if it does give way, it shall involve no serious loss or delay. Still we do not anticipate an accident necessarily to this reaper; and think that by the use of better iron and the substitution of an extra journal box at the right time, it may, and will, if properly constructed, go through a harvest without liability to any accident that may not with as much probability stop any other reaper.

In other points of its construction, except the knives, this machine is all that we could desire. The castings wore remarkably well; and not a bolt was broken or strained. The wood work we thought particularly strong. The joints are as close now as they were the day we took it to the field, and seemed entirely insensible to the jaring they underwent. This point we deem particularly important. Castings can be replaced more easily than timber in a reaper; and ought therefore to be

stronger in this point than in any other. We think this reaper has that merit.

It works more easily to the horse than any reaper we have tried, or seen tried, except Caldwell's, and it is beyond all question the easiest to the raker. A very simple contri" vance, which we cannot explain without a diagram, shifted the balance, (or ballast), of the reaper, adjusting it instantaneously to the great irregularities of surface over which it passed, thereby relieving the horses of a good deal of jar and dead pull, relieving the machine of much strain, and maki-ng the raker's seat comparatively easy. It is only necessary in proof of this, to state that our raker rejected all offers to spell him, and kept his place, with but little fatigue, through the whole harvest.

We are sorry that the machine was provided with cutters of so soft a temper, that we had to sharpen them with a mill 5aw file, and alternate them once a day. Thi3 was a shameful oversight or defect in the manufacturer, who, if he knew his business, must have known that he had no right to send such cutters out with a reaper. In other respects they were unexceptionable ; and are so constructed as to cut without clogging in damp or heavy wheat. We tried it once after a rain, and frequently in heavy dews—commencing generally at about 4 o'clock in the morning—and do not see how it can clog when the cutters are sufficiently sharp.

In cutting over the furrows, or along them on wet land, we found no stoppage to occur from clogging the wheels with dirt or mud, as is the case with Hussey's and several others.

There was a slight defect in delivering the grain, which gathered too much at the outside end of the knife, but this can be easily remedied.

As to the principles on which this machine is constructed, we deem it unnecessary to say anything. Unless a reaper be made on the simplest plan it is impossible to describe it accurately except by diagrams, which we cannot give. It is somewhat complicated, (though not more so than several other popular machines,) but not the less valuable on that account. If the simplest machine breaks in an important part, it is useless for that harvest; and that is all that can be said of a more complex one. If the com-plication amounts to a gain of power or ease,

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

strength or durability, one can well afford to study it out and understand it. We think these points are all secured by Mr. Morrison, who, to a natural mechanical genius adds a thorough theoretical and scientific knowledge of mechanical principles. The main point with the farmer is, not is the thing simple, but will, it do f

The machine itself will be exhibited at the next fair of the Va. State Agricultural Society just as it left the field, and every one can then see, not only the condition of a Reaper which has " been through the wars," but the point at which the accident occurred.

As to cutting capacity, we can only say that we cut over in one day twenty acres of land, and with a force to have fully manned the reaper, could, we presume, have cut over twenty-five. We see no reason why it should not easily have cut an acre every thirty minutes.

Some were travelling from stalk to stalk ; and others, being a very large proportion of the whole, were protected by the clods and crevices of the soil. These all missed the douche; and, when we inspected the plants in the afternoon, were quite lively, and sucking the soaped corn just as busily as ever, particularly at the foot of the stalk, where the greatest part of the solution had settled. We infer, therefore, that whilst soap-suds will kill the chinch bug, that it costs too much to apply it. What it might effect if applied as they leave the wheat field we cannot undertake to say. It may be worth a trial, but we are not sanguine of its virtues then.

Should any other' gentleman have made a more favorable experiment we will gladly publish it.

Chinch Bug.

In the last number of the Planter we took leave of the chinch bugs, and confided them to the friendly ants. We are sorry to declare what so many of our readers feelingly know, that these famine breeders have re-appeared in increased numbers, and are again doing great damage to the corn, though the wheat escaped them almost entirely, and the oats measurably.

It was stated hereabouts that soap-suds would destroy them; and that Scotch snuff, was also death to them. We have not tried the snuff, though others have, and, we think, with but little effect.

We stated a year or so ago, at the instance of a subscriber, that soap-suds would destroy them : but we were so doubtful of the full efficacy of the remedy, that we did not try it. Within a few days the reports in its favour, made through the columns of the Dispatch, were so favourable that we were induced to test it. We are sorry to say that the remedy, as we applied it, was not very successful. Making a strong solution of soap—a pound to ten gallons of water, we applied a pint and a half to each hill, at a cost of nine dollars per acre, exclusive of the labour of application, itself no light matter. All the bugs that the water touched died—a single drop seemed to sicken them; and three drops killed them dead. But the trouble was to apply it to all.

The Upperville Union Club for the Improvement of Horses.

The duties of the harvest field prevented us from attendiDg the late exhibition of the above club, which took place, for the second time, on the fifteenth of June last. We regret exceedingly that we could not be present.

We have several times urged the Farmers of Virginia to form just such clubs for the improvement of their various breeds of animals; but, so far as we know, this is the first successful attempt of the kind. We do not pretend to ascribe the formation of the club to the adoption of any views of our own: the gentlemen who compose it, are too public spirited and too intelligent to need any promptings from us on such a subject. But it is very naturally a pleasure to us to see such gentlemen not only concurring in the propriety of our opinions, but carrying out the plan to a successful issue. Indeed, the pleasure would be enhanced by knowing that their action was independent of our suggestions.

Their object, which the title of their associ-tion sufficiently expresses, is a very laudable one; and no locality offers a fairer field for its accomplishment than the counties of Fauquier and Loudoun. They have already fine stock there ; taken as a whole, perhaps, the best in the State, and better than can be found anywhere else except in Kentucky. But it may be improved. '

To one thing we would beg leave particularly to direct their attention, the improvement of sad-

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509

die horses. The large infusion of the Sir Archie blood into the racing stock of Virginia made sad work of saddle horses; the Eclipse cross, as in Boston, made matters still worse; and the blood horse is now considered unfit to ride. Then the introduction of the unmanly custom of driving in buggies, and the love of fast trotters has nearly completed the ruin. We speak with some knowledge on this subject, for we have been looking out, diligently, for six months for an animal of this description, and, except an old hack in the town of Manchester, we have neither seen nor heard of a first rate saddle horse. The breeds of horses for quick draft, and for heavier work, are good enough; but the style and configuration of that class are totally different from what is required for saddle horses, which seem to be going out of fashion. Like a great many of the good things of old Virginia, they areyield-jing to new fangled notions.

We hope our friends of the Upperville Club will bear this in mind.

The officers of the club for the year past were

R. H. Dulany, President.

George Ayres, Vice President.

H. A. Hall, Sec. and Treasurer.

There are three classes of stock : quick draft, heavy draft, and saddle horses. The premium list gives twenty dollars for the best yearling and five dollars for the second best in each class, and the same premiums for the two and three year olds, making an aggregate of two hundred and twenty five dollars.

At the exhibition just held, these 'premiums were awarded as follows.

JUDGES.

George Burwell, J. W. Armstrong,

— Edmunds, Samuel Rector,

U. Byrnes.

RIDING STOCK.

1st Class. — Yearlings. 1st Premium. A Tom Colt. Jesse Richards. 2nd " A Tom Colt. H. F. Carter.

2nd Glass — Two year olds. 1st Premium. A Messenger Filley. H. G Dulany.

2nd Premium. A Messenger Filley. John P. Dulany.

3cZ Class — Three year olds. 1st Premium. A Messenger Filley. Hugh

Rodgers. 2nd Premium. A Messenger Colt. Robert

Carter.

JUDGES. John M. Harrison, Dr. John Rust, Zeph. Turner, Chase.

quick draft.

1st Class. — Year-lings.

1st. Premium. Messenger Filley. Robert

Carter. 2nd Premium. Messenger Filley. J. T. Smith. 2nd Class — Two year olds.

1st Premium Samuel Ashby

2nd Premium. Messenger Colt. Welby Carter.

3rd Class — Three year olds. 1st Premium. Messenger colt. H. McKinster. 2nd Premium. Messenger Colt. Richard Brierly.

JUDGES.

Robert Beverly, Hugh Rodgers,

Herod Thomas, Burwell Whiting,

Jesse Richards,

heavy draft. 1st Class. — Yearlings. No premiums awarded, the colts not being entitled to any.

2nd Class. — Two year olds. 1st Premium. John Harrison. 2nd Premium. Alexander Grayson. 3rd! Class. — Three year olds. 1st. Premium. Cobham Colt. R. H. Dulany. 2nd Premium. Isaac Harrison.

We understand from the friend, who was kind enough to furnish us the memoranda from which the above report was compiled, that the colts were remarkably fine, except the yearlings, which were not in as good.condition as last year, a fact which the dreadful weather of last winter may explain.

The same officers were re-elected for the ensuing year. •.

In conclusion we would respectfully suggest to those gentlemen, 1st, that they hold their show a little earlier—say, on the first of June. Any man can get a colt into pretty fair order

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

on blue grass and clover. But it takes some little skill and care to bring him into the ring in good condition by the first of June. It will stimulate breeders to take more care of their colts ; and it will give them the whole summer and fall to grow in. Another benefit of the change in our opinion is, that it would allow the Editor of the Southern Planter to attend, which, under the present arrangement, that worthy gentleman cannot do, seeing that he is always cutting wheat about the fifteenth of June, and has made it a rule all his life never to leave the plantation whilst that work was going on.

2nd. That they offer a premium to best and second best saddle horses, raised or gaited by a member of the Club.

Deferred Articles.

Several communications came to hana* too late for this No., and will appear in the next. Our friends will please send in their favours as early in the month as possible.

Jgigp^ " See advertisement of Lindsey's Force Pump."

For the Southern Planter.

Roll on the Ball!

TILLERS OP THE EARTH, TAKE HEED ! !

Peruvian, Colombian, Mexican, and other Guanos excelled, and all Artificial Fertilizers perfectly annihilated by Fair Mixture's

CoRNUCOPIAN OR CONGLOBATED SUCCEDANEUM-!

The subscriber feels that he must suppress his enthusiasm. The agricultural public, so often imposed upon by ignorant or mercenary compounders, is not yet ready to echo that shout of Eureka with which he hails every barrel of his Succedaneum. He must be calm, and content himself for the present with a simple recital of the most astonishing facts and results.

After many years of silent sympathy and sorrow for the much maltreated farmers and planters of our beloved Union, the subscriber determined to advance to the rescue, for their benefit exclusively; and asking nothing for himself, but the consciousness that he had given a more smiling landscape and richer harvest to his country.

He paused for a moment to ask himself what are the wants of American agriculture ? The answer was obvious. Away with that narrow, sectional, miserable policy, which would teach each man to study the wants of

his own particular farm or soil. We want a fertilizer for a continent,—something that has " the odour of nationality ;" that will induce vegetation to spring forward (if the figure may be pardoned) in the sunlight of patriotism, and in the stealthy increments of its growth, keep time to the music of the Union.

We want a light, portable, concentrated manure. In this fast age, it is now generally conceded, that none but old fogies are slow enough to use the domestic manures of a farm. Lands must be improved by telegraph as it were. Guano has quickened the apprehensions of men, as it has stimulated the jaded powers of the soil. But guano is evanescent in its character, dissipating its strength in vegetative extravagance, and leaving no wreck, except of fortune, behind. Its traffic, too, is an odious monopoly in the hands of foreigners, thus depriving native Americans of their jus right to make fortunes out of their fellow-citi zens. Besides all this, the supply is precari ous,. as the best received opinion is, that the large deposit on the Chincha Islands, was the natural but transient result of a diarrhetic epidemic among the birds of the Pacific, which has long since ceased. A substitute must be found. This is poorly supplied in the so-called Phosphatic Guanos, whose results and appearance would indicate, that they were more intimate with Cape Charles than the Gulf of Mexico. And, moreover, the subscriber cannot believe it was ever intended that any nation should be forced to bring its sources of fertility from foreign soils.

Where, then, is this Succedaneum ? Why, scattered at our feet, not exactly " like flowers," as the poet remarks, but crushed, despised,—nay, almost loathed by unfeeling and unreflecting men. " Follow nature/' said Colonel Benton ; " study the grades of nature's engineer, the buffalo, if you would have good roads ;" and in the same spirit, the subscriber would say to the farmer, study the habits of that humble insect which has also afforded the great Missourian a striking illustration. AVe forbear to give that contemptuous appellation by which this industrious scavenger has heretofore been known. It will readily be recognized when we remark, that it is the same which, (as Fluellen says of Fortune,) "has its feet ever upon a spherical ball, which rolls, rolls, rolls." We now deem it proper to reinvest this despised insect with its more appropriate and classical title of Scarabcc-us Stercorarius, (order—Coleoptero—ovbiculi-fera.) If, as the subscriber thinks, it be destined to work an entire revolution in agriculture, fill up all the great reservoirs of grain, maintain happy millions at home, and feed famishing millions abroad, there would seem to be a peculiar propriety in its adoption as a national emblem, as the Athenians of old wore a golden grasshopper for a cogni-

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

511

zance. Thus, this despised insect which, till now, has only called forth a passing jest at its wonderful power of retro-calcitration, will come to he associated with the idea of national fertility and unbounded production.

This, then, is the basis of the Cornucopian. Nature has its secrets, the subscriber has none. But let no farmer delude himself with the idea, that he can now prepare this Succedane-um for himself. The Scarabceus, enterprizing and migratory in its nature, has wandered over every variety of soil, has selected the quintessence of all fertilities, is rich in the phosphates, and redolent of ammonia—but the exact proportions in which it should be mixed with other materials, to fix its ammonia, graduate its strength, give instantaneous action, and yet durability—these are formulae which the subscriber has obtained with much labour and outlay, and must remain secret until he is reimbursed, and then he will gladly, proudly, make them known to his brother farmers. For the present, he deems it sufficient to state, that he warrants (legally, morally, and agriculturally,) that every bushel of the Conglobated Succedaneum shall contain at least four of the Scaraboei, with argosies attached, and defies the strictest scrutiny and analysis to detect a smaller proportion.

The Cornucopian is adapted to all soils, and to the production of all plants. It should be used liberally, for there is not the slightest danger that, like guano, it will over-stimulate the soil. The subscriber would caution the agricultural public, that they must not be disappointed if it fails to show any marked results for some time. This is what the subscriber desires. Avoiding evanescence, he has sought to graduate its powers in exact proportion to the wants of the crop. Lands in the neighborhood of the factory sell for five dollars advance on the average rates, if it is proved that they have been treated with Cornucopian. Farmers should, therefore, continue to apply it from year to year, without reference to results, assured as they may be, that they are enriching their children, whilst the patriot will be elevated by the thought that he is fertilizing for the untold generations of his country.

In this connection the subscriber begs leave to say, that he is now compounding a fertilizer, (of which more hereafter) from the "Seventeen Years' Locust," which he thinks will keep up the soil during the interval of their seclusion.

In conclusion the subscriber offers, in proof of the virtues of the Cornucopian, the following certificates from eminent agriculturists ; and the accurate analysis of the distinguished chemist, Dr. Litmus Precipitate, whose close investigations make him a rival of the Nantucket Captain, and enable him in the darkest night to tell his exact whereabouts by the odor of the soil beneath his feet.

Sulphurous Canopy, April 1st, 1857-F. Mixture, Esq:

Dear Sir :—The chemical examination of the " Cornucopian" is highly satisfactory. It has at least two per cent of matter soluble in water. There is a slight-trace of phosphate of lime, and a decided suspicion of potential ammonia. I AM SURE IT WILL NOT INJURE PLANTS. I

was particularly struck Avith what you call its graduated power. Tried by the usual tests, it was now an acid and then an alkali—at one moment it absorbed oxygen, and at the next evolved carbonic acid. It amounts almost to an organism, receiving constituents in their normal condition and returning them in a nascent state. I deem it unnecessary to give a more accurate quantitative or qualitative analysis, as there are many other constituents whose value the public would not appreciate—but have no hesitation in saying that, if you continue to manufacture this article equal to the sample sent, you will win and wear the title of benefactor of your country.

Chemically Yours,

Litmus Precipitate.

P. S.—I am prepared (please say to your customers) to give full and accurate analyses of soil at $10 for each sample.

Certificates from practical farmers.

Pine Thicket, June, 1857. F. Mixture, Esq:

Dear Sir :—I am delighted with the Cornucopian. At first was disappointed, but recollected what you said about "graduated power," and "meeting each exigency as it occurred," and found it fully verified.

Tried it on a roasting-ear patch. One ear came out after another till there were seventeen on a stalk each ripening just in time for table use. In another field, (being short of horse feed) put a handful to the hill—product, twenty-two ears on a stalk, and all hard on the 4th of July, two days after the silk appeared. Beats Peruvian Guano to death! Shall want 40 tons next fall. John Swietwitness.

Sassafras Wilderness. Tried your new manure (can't recollect the name) and think it has more sense than nine men out of ten. At first thought it was a humbug—neighbors laughed and said the F. in your name stood for Fraudulent. My turn came next. Other people's wheat grew finely in early spring—mine stood still. Theirs killed by a late frost—mine put out then and made a fine crop. You ought to have two agents here. William Sweareast.

Briery, 1857. Greatest manure for tobacco I ever saw: Plants stood without any season, and did'nt re-