^iZy^^--^ <J>^^-^f^^^<^^^^>^^- 



n 



mn'^ttKmMxtii 



VOL. XVIII. 



[JULY.] 



PuBLismoD Monthly. August & Williass, PuovjiuoTous. J;^ 




FRANK: G. RUEFIN, Editor. 



THE 




DEVOTED TO 



AGRIC ULTURE, HORTICULTURE, 



AND THE 



H(JUHEHOLl) ARTS, 




PRINTED AT RICHMONP. Ya,, 
BY MACFARLANE & FEKGUSSON 

1858. 




CONTENTS. 



Laying Farm-Yard Dung on Clay Fallows 

for Wheat, - - - 385 

Valedictory. — The New Tobacco Exchange 

in Richmond, - - - 387 

White and Red Wheat, - - 393 

McCormick's Reaper, - - 393 

A Fine Sale of Tobacco.— Kossuth. — To 

Subscribers.— To Postmasters and others 394 
To Teachers.— Whortleberries, - 395 

Trees and Fruit Buds v. Cold Water, - 396 
Powers of Vegetation to resist Extremes 

of Temperature, - - 397 

Grape Culture, - - - 399 

Tobacco, - . . 400 

The Horse and How to Use Him, - 401 

Saddle Horses, - - . 402 

Galls from Harness or Saddle, - 404 

Fatal Disease in Horses. — County Court 

Day at Paris, Ky., - - 405 

The Ingalls Cow, - - 406 

To Keep Butter Hard and Cool, - 407 

Quantity of Milk for a Pound of Butter, 408 
The Ox Breeze Fly, - - 408 

The Potatoe Weevil, - - 409 

Remedy for Fleas.— Antidote to Musqui- 

toes. — Overseers's Rules, - - 410 

All About Overseers, - - 411 

Short Letters to Overseers, - - 413 

Best Mode of Curing Hay, - - 414 



Functiona of the Roots and Leaves of 
Plants, '- - , - 

Sixth Annual Exhibition of the Virginia 
State Agricultural Society — Schedule of 
Premiums, . - - 

Defects in the Agricultural Productions 
of Albemarle County, 

Mr. Franklin Minor's Mode of Raising 
Hogs. — Stone Fencing, 

"Rhodes' Superphosphate of Lime," 

How shall we get Rid of Cabbage Lice ? - 

Disease in the White Oak Trees of the Up- 
per Valley, and of Apple Trees near 
Alexandria, 

Soapsuds, 

The Hog. — English Farming, 

Order and Economy on the Farm, 

Boot and Shoe Trade, 

The Rain — the Glorious Rain. — What is 
Silica ? 

Moths in Carpets. — Draught of Plowing 
at Different Depths.— Economy of Feed- 
ing Roots, - - . 

Deep Ploughing, - 

Live and Dressed Weight of Animals, 

Credits and Failures, 

British Agriculture, * 

An Amateur's View on the Propagation 
of New Varieties of Fruit, 

Simple Test for Guano, 



415 



417 



433 
434 
435 



435 
456 
437 
439 
440 

- 441 



442 
445 
445 
446 
447 

44S 

448 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 

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ADVERTISEMENTS 



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TH E 



K^i. 




Devoted to Agriculture^ Horticulture^ and the Household Arts. 



Agriculture is the nursing mother of the Arts.] Tillage and Pasturage are the two breasts of 
— Xenophon. \ the State. — Sully. 



FRANK. G. RUFFIN, Editor. 



AUGUST & WILLIAMS, Pkop'rs. 



Vol. XYIII. 



RICHMOND, YA., JULY, 1858. 



NO. T. 



From the Canadian Agriculturist, 

Laying" Farm- Yard Dnng on Clay Fal- 
lows for Wheat. 

The preparation of clay lands for a succes- 
sion of crops by the process of summer fallow- 
ing, which pulverizes the soil and removes all 
weeds and stones, reaches the condition of re- 
ceiving farm-fard dung for manure in the end 
of August or during the month of September. 
Early operations are the most effectual, and the 
best performances get the land ready in August 
for the reception of lime and dung. The first 
article, in a pulverized condition, is spread 
evenly over the land, and harrowed into the 
ground by a double tine of the common-pur- 
pose harrows. The farm-yard is laid in small 
heaps on the land, spread by the hand-forks 
evenly over the surface of the ground, and 
covered by one furrow of the plough. The 
dung may be carried in the fresh condition 
from the cattle yards, being the production of 
the latest store cattle, and from the soiling 
beasts that consume the green food, or it may 
have been placed in a heap on the field of land 
from the month of March to the time of use, 
and will have reached a partially, if not a half- 
rotten condition, when it is spread over the 
ground in August. The lumps of dung will 
•often not be covered by the plough, and lie on 
the surface, being pushed, before the coulter, 
and not falling into the bottom of the furrow. 
A lad or woman with a hand-fork fullows the 
plough, and throws the pieces of dung into the 
25 



hollows^ where they are covered immediately 
by the next furrow of ploughing. This pro- 
vision is made against the loss by evaporation 
from exposure of dung on the surface of the^ 
ground ; but the theory'- of loss from exposure' 
does not yet hold a confirmed dominion among 
undoubted facts. 

The common plough opens drills with one- 
furrow at convenient distances for green crops,, 
and on light soils the dung is well covered by 
one furrow of earth being laid over it. Clay- 
lands for wheat are drilled; in the same way by 
one furrow, the dung is spread along the hol- 
lows, and covered by splitting the ridglets with 
the plough. In this way the plough opens a 
drill in going the length of the field, and in re- 
turning covers a drill of dung by reversing the 
furrow. This mode covers the dung very com- 
pletely, and exhibits the field in the form of 
drills ; not highly raised, or widely formed, as 
for green crops, but flatly done, and executed 
for the sole purpose of covering the dung from 
exposure. A cross harrowing is required to 
level the ground when the land is seed-furrowed 
in October. The two drillings of one farrow 
are less labour than one ploughing, and cover 
the dung much better. Even the harrowing 
that is required before the seed-furrow, does 
not raise the expense to an equality with the 
ploughing of the dung into the ground. 

The wet nature of moist clay lands prevents 
the carting of dung on the surface in October,, 
and consequently, the manure must be applied 
at an earlier period, and the land ploughed 
again for the sowing, of seed. Cases occur- 



386 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



when the dung is applied in October; but 
chiefly on the grattans of beans and peas, and 
on some few clay lands of the driest nature. 
Few wheat soils admit the application of dung 
in October, unless the modern system of fre- 
quent draining has produced a dry condition to 
bear the necessary cartage. Consequent!}^ the 
dung is covered by ploughing in August, or in 
early September, and a seed-furrowing is done 
for sowing the seed in October. 

The hitherto refrigeration of our globe from 
a state of expired combustion in a fiery mass, 
renders necessary the use of decomposing bodies 
as manures, to afford by decay the caloric to 
vegetables, and raise the temperature of the 
ground, and also to place bodies in quantity 
together in the ultimate elements at insensible 
distances, in order to produce the same results 
of caloric and temperature, by the mutual 
auction of fusion and attrition. Hence there 
arises a most important consideration in what 
way, mode, or manner the articles of manure 
are to be applied, in order to afford caloric to 
the plants and temperature to the soil in the 
largest and most effectual manner that is pos- 
sible. Farm-yard dung buried in the cold clay 
ground can excite little action to raise the tem- 
perature of the soil — the quantity is too small 
to overcome the opposing resistance of clay and 
cold moisture, and the benefit is corresponding. 
Manure laid on the surface of the ground af- 
fords caloric in two ways; by sheltering from 
cold the vegetable growth, and by the residual 
decomposition of the substances sinking into 
.and mixing wnth the surface of the ground, 
and producing the usual effect of mixture and 
combination. Farm-yard dung will be best 
laid on young wheats as a top-dressing in 
February and March, by means of timber rail- 
wa.ys placed on the ground at regular distances, 
and moved to the required positions. On this 
railway there runs a light iron four-wheeled 
wagon, which receives the dung from the 
carts at the end of the field, c'onvej'S it along 
H the railway, and the dung is thrown from it on 
each side over the land in the quantity alknved, 
and to the distance that is convenient to the 
strength of a farm. The dung is immediately 
spread over the surface of the ground, and 
most carefully broken into small pieces, in order 
to cover every inch of ground for the purpose 
of a close protection. This performance must 
be very carefully executed, as the effect m ainly 
depends on its disposition. The vicissitudes of 
the weather in suns, raina, winds, frosts, and 
thaws, will destroy the matters of the dung, 
and exert a joint effect on the surface of the 
ground. In the usual dry season of sowing 
grass-seeds, the land is well harrowed, in order 
to mix the light alluvium with the remains of 
the dung, which will produce a most choice 
bed for the grass-seeds that are sown upon it, 
and pressed into a covering by an iron roll not 
less than a ton in weight. The harrowing pro- 
duces an alluvium top-dressing for the wheat 



[ that exerts a most wonderful effect on its growt' 
[and is regularly done in Poland as a part 
wheat farming. The mixture of the dur 
with the fine earth in the present mode, rais 
a bed for the grass-seeds that is not equalh 
in any other way, and the heavy roll press 
all matters together with the wheat plan 
almost invisible among the raised and comprc 
sed earth of the surface. The growth is qui( 
and rapid from this bed of favourable comp 
sition, and surprises every observation and e 
perience ; the grass-seeds are delighted in tl 
matrix of a most intimate comminution of sc 
that is so essential to their nature, and whi( 
is not obtained from the stale surface of a 
tumn-sown wheat, and manured at that tim 
This advantage to the grass-seeds is very larg 
and along with the superior benefitto the whe 
crop, constitutes a mode of applying farm-ja^ 
dung that is much beyond the value of tl 
common way during late summer or ear 
autunjn, which prevents the full action of tl 
manure, by denying the opportunities that a 
necessary for the full development of its powe 
The cold of winter follows the winter appHc 
tion, the increasing warmth of the returnir 
sun attends the use of the dung in the ear 
spring. 

It has happened to the writer of this essr 
to have had a very extensive and largely vari( 
experience in practical farming, both on turn' 
lands and clay soils; and the length of tl 
practice gave many opportunities of observ 
tion and experience. The prepared heap • 
farm-yard dung having fiiiled to complete tl 
manuring of a field of clay fallow in the er 
of August, a quantity of fresh dung from tl 
stable door was applied to cover the remnant" 
the ground, and it was strawy and rough b 
yond the power of being covered b}'^ the ploug! 
consisting of dry straws, and dry fecea^s of t\ 
horse. The dung lay exposed till Octobe 
when the land was seed-furrowed, and sow 
with wheat; the matters were better covere 
then than b}' the summer furrow, while tl 
harrowing pulled into pieces, and spread tl 



duns: over the surface. In winter the 



grouii 



was pretty well covered with fragnsents of dun; 
among which the wheat soon evinced a super 
ority that continued very visible till harves 
and the crop was larger and thicker on tl 
ground. The grass-seeds being sown in Apri 
the advantages are derived that have bee 
mentioned, as arising from laying the dung d 
the sui^face of the ground. This casual e: 
perience confirmed the mode now recommendc( 
of applying farm-yard dung, and it destroye 
in no small degree the theory of damage \ 
farm-yard dung by evaporation from exposure 
This theory has*^ been very justly doubte( 
though conviction requires a length of time t 
be entertained. There is also called in questio 
the fermentation of dung in heaps, and th 
fresh condition showed greater, at least equf 
results. J. 1). 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



387 




THE SOUTHERN PLANTER., 



RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. 



Valedictory. 

Prompted by a variety of reasons which are 
altogether private, and which therefore need not 
be recited, I have sold my interest in the South- 
ern Planter, and at the same time have resign- 
ed its editorial chair to another. I have not 
been unmindful of the character of the paper 
or the interests of its subscribers in my succes- 
sor. Dr. James E. Williams of Henrico county, 
a farmer, a man of industry and intelligence, 
and a gentleman of great suavity of manners 
and genuine kindness of heart. His purpose, 
as will be more fully announced by himself at 
the proper time, is to edit the Planter with dil- 
igence and fidelity to those who sustain it. I 
believe he will do it well also, in some respects, 
if not in all, better than I have done it. He 
assumes the duties of the place on the first of 
August, and I bespeak for him the support of 
all my friends. 

It is natural that I should feel regret at dis- 
solving the relations which 1 have held towards 
the agricultural public of Virginia for the last 
eight years, and proper that I should express 
it. In all that time I cannot hope to have esca- 
ped censure, if indeed I have been worth cen- 
suring ; nor to have pleased every body, which, 
to say. truth, I liave prefered not to do. But 
whether from the kindness of my friends, or 
the generally proper discharge of my own du- 
ties, or from both together, I have the consola- 
tion to believe that I have had my full meed of 
approbation, if not more than I deserve. Under 
such circumstances it were ungracious not to 
say that I had much pleasure in editing the 
Southern Planter. It has placed me in closer 
contact with old friends, and has made me ac- 
quainted with some of the noblest men of the 
State, and a few out of it ; and thus has produ- 
ced cherished intimacies with some whom other- 
wise I should have known but slightly if at all 



In the pleasure and improvement thus derived 
I have had a full reward for any time or trou- 
ble I may have expended on the Planter, to say 
nothing of the satisfaction I have experienced 
in enlarging the circle of my general acquain- 
tance, and in the reception of the hospitalities 
which have always been tendered me whither- 
soever I have gone. Such pleasures can but 
remain with me, often to be recalled, for they 
are graven upon the tablet of grateful memory 
to have their end when I have mine. 

I do not propose never again to enter the col- 
unins of the Planter, I presume I could not 
keep out of them if I would. At such times, 
then, as I may feel prompted by the spirit of* 
the past, possibly too often for usefulness to 
others or profit to myself, I shall contribute to 
the Planter. And therefore I need not now 
utter that painful word. Farewell. 

FRANK G. RUFFIN. 

Summer Hill, Chesterfield Co., June 1858. 



1% New Tobacco Exchange in Richmond. 

THE TOBACCO QUESTION. 

Meeting of Tobacco Planters in Prince Edivard. 

At a regular meeting of the TBush and Briery 
Agricultural Club, held at the residence of 
John A. Scott, Esq., on Saturday, the 22nd 
May, 1858, the following preamble and reso- 
lutions were unanimously adopted, viz : 

This Club apprehending that the establish- 
ment of a "Tobacco Exchange'^ in the city of 
Richmond is calculated to result in the transfer 
of the sale of all tobacco carried to that market, 
from the hands of the planter to the commis- 
sion merchant, do resolve: 

1st. That whilst we may use our commission 
merchants as agents for the sale of our pro- 
duce, at our own option, we Avili not be compel- 
led to resort to their agency against our will; 
and that we will resist such compulsion by 
every means in our power; and call upon our 
brethren throughout the tobacco growing region 
of Virginia to unite with us in this effort. 

2nd. That a Committee be appointed to col- 
lect and report to the next meeting of this club, 
all the information in their power in regard to 
the establishment, management and probable 
efi'ect (upon the planting interest) of the To- 
bacco Exchange in the City of Richmond; and 
particularly to ascertain whether and upon 
what terms the planters may sell at said Ex- 
change. 

3d. That the same Committee be directed to 
correspond with the agricultural clubs in the 
neighboring counties, and solicit some concert 
of action in resisting this violation of the long 
and well established usage of the country, and 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



invasion of the rights of the planter — by at- 
tempting to remove the sale of the great staple 
of the country, from the places appointed by 
law for its inspection and sale, to a self-consti- 
tuted Board of Merchants. 

4th. That we invite the attention of the plant- 
ing community generally to this subject of 
common interest, and solicit of " The Virginia 
State Agricultural Society" such co-operation 
as will tend to the maintenance of the present 
system, which has existed and operated well 
from the foundation of the Government; by 
which every planter may be his own merchant; 
sell his own produce at the Warehouses estab- 
lished by law for inspection, with no other 
agency and at no other costs than such as'the 
laws of the State have provided for his con- 
venience and protection. 

5th. That wa respectfully request of the 
Editors of the Southern Planter, the Richmond, 
Petersburg, Lynchburg, Earmville, Danville, 
Fredericksburg and Charlottesville papers, 
generally, to publish these resolutions. 

The following Committee was appointed 
under the second resolution, viz: A. D. Dickin- 
son, F. P. Wood, John A. Scott, P. 11. Jack- 
son and Branch J. Worsham. 

A Copy. ^ 

A. D. DICKINSONl* 
Secretary of the B, & B. Cliih. 

Recently the merchants and manufacturers 
in Richmond, who deal in tobacco, complaining 
of certain grievances and certain inconveni- 
ences resulting from the customary mode of 
selling and buying this important staple, estab- 
lished an Exchange, or place of meeting, sepa- 
rate and apart from any of the warehouses, for 
the purchase and sale of this commodity. 

This reform, operating certain changes in 
the mode of business heretofore pursued in re- 
gard to the sale of tobacco, has been made the 
subject of complaint by some parties, chief 
amon^ whom are most of the Inspectors and 
some highly intelligent and liberal-minded 
Planters. Among these latter are certain 
friends of ours who, constituting an agricultu- 
ral club, have brought its quasi official char- 
acter to bear on this question by the adoption 
of a series of remonstrant resolutions. We 
publish those resolutions at the head of this 
article, not less from a desire to show all possi- 
ble consideration to such worthy gentlemen, 
than because we mean to answer them, and 
think it but fair to let them speak for them- 
selves in advance of our reply. 

Taking advantage of the opportunity afforded 
us by the request to publish these proceedings, 
■we propose to examine this subject, and to 



prove that the merchants are altogether right 
in this movement, exercising nothing more 
than their own undoubted privileges, without 
the slightest "invasion of the rights of the 
Planter,^' and pursuing, from whatever motive, 
the course of an enlightened and intelligent 
commercial spirit, whereby they confer a bene- 
fit on the very persons whose*uterests they are 
assumed to be assailing. 

To understand the question we mustgo behind 
the present controversy, and glance at the 
course of the trade in tobacco ; and in doing so 
we shall notice incidentally some objections 
brought by the Inspectors, or a portion of them, 
to this reform. 

By the present law of Virginia, all tobacco 
previous to sale must be stored in one of cer- 
tain warehouses which are provided at State 
cost for its reception. Over these warehouses 
the State has control, and there subject the to- 
bacco to certain examinations and charges. 
In each warehouse are one or more In- 
spectors, with certain definite duties enjoined 
on them. These duties are two-fold: 1st. To 
inspect the condition and quality of the to- 
bacco, and to mark it on a sample taken from 
the hogshead, and in part on the hogshead it- 
self. 2nd. To attend to the weighing of the 
tobacco, so as to give the precise quantity to 
the seller. Of these duties the last, as being 
merely mechanical and a public convenience, 
may be tolerated, if the charges therefor be not 
too high. The first, or the inspection of quality 
and condition, is ridiculous folly. Whether an 
Inspector mark refused, i. e. bad, or not, on a 
hogshead of tobacco, makes not' one cent's dif- 
ference in the price. The purchaser judges of 
its quality for himself, and his opinion and that 
of competitors, influenced by the specific de- 
mand, fixes the price. Every planter knows 
this, and therefore knows that his payment of 
the Inspectors fees, for inspection of quality, 
is a mere gratuity to political patronage, a tax 
on him for the support of a pernicious princi- 
ple. This inspection of quality is indeed a 
barbarous remnant of a barbarous polic}', that j 
which attempted to secure a monopoly of the 
tobacco trade by burning all except the good 
tobacco, for which purpose every crop was re- 
quired to be brought to a public Avarehouse 
AVhere its quality might be ascertaineil. It 
ought at once to be abolished, as being alike a 
nuisance and a nonsense. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



389 



But for the support of these ofRcials certain 
charges are levied on the community and on 
the individual; and apprehensions have been 
expressed that they will be increased to com- 
pensate the inspectors at Richmond, who, by 
the establishment of the Tobacco Exchange, 
are like to lose other perquisites whose legality 
is doubted by some, whilst the policy of allow- 
ing them is questioned by a still larger num- 
ber. 

The present charges are as follows : 

For Inspector's salary in the city of Rich- 
mond, $360. 

On each hogshead, or cask, inspected by 
them, for opening, inspecting, coopering up, 
furnishing nails, marking and weighing it, fifty 
cents. 

For each hogshead or cask delivered out 
of their warehouse, twenty-five cents; and for 
coopering up a bad hogshead seventeen cents. 

For small hogsheads and for loose to- 
bacco, less than five hundred pounds, half the 
above amounts. — Code of Virginia, pp. 408, 
409. 

In addition to this the inspectors receive 
twelve and a half cents on each hogshead sold 
by them as public criers, and one dollar on each 
hogshead sold by them "as crier or agent" of 
the planter. It is these latter charges which 
it is supposed the establishment of an Ex- 
change will cause an inspector to lose, and 
which must be compensated to him by an in- 
crease of the other items of charge we have 
stated. 

Supposing an inspector to lose these, and 
supposing his present services to be worth pay- 
ing for, let us look at his present compensation 
to ascertain if there be any necessity for in- 
creasing it. As one of the inspectors of Shoc- 
koe warehouse has been most conspicuous in 
opposition to the new movement, he must al- 
low us, with a disclaimer of any feeling of 
hostility to him, Avith whom, indeed, we are 
happy to have very cordial relations, to select 
that warehouse in illustration of the fees of an 
Inspector's office. At that warehouse, as at all 
Others in Richmond, are two inspectors. There 
aTe inspected there annually about 16,000 hogs- 
heads of tobacco. At seventy-five cents per 
hogshead, the charge for inspection and de- 
livery will be just twelve thousand dollars: 
the charges on loose tobacco are believed to be 



not less than the half of that amount, or six 

thousand dollars. 

At 75 cents per hogshead, the charge for in- 
spection and delivery, is ... . $12,000 

On loose tobacco, believed to half the 
above, 6,000 

Add Inspectors' salary, $360 for each, 720 

. $18,720 
Reliable business men engaged in this trade 
informed us more than two j^ears ago that the 
inspectors, assisted by two active clerks at a 
salary of $1,000 each, and fifteen active hands 
for coopering, sampling, &c., at a yearly charge 
of $250 each, for hire and maintenance, would 
do all the work at this warehouse, the most ex- 
tensive, and, until recently, the most popular 
in the State. This foots up $5,750, which de- 
ducted from fees and salary as above, leaves 
$12,970 for both inspectors, or $6,485 as the 
salary of each. 

We make no war upon the inspectors per- 
sonally, in our hostility to the system they 
represent, nor will we do them intentional in- 
justice. If, therefore, they feel disposed to cor_ 
rect these statements by producing the authentic 
items of their salaries, we shall cheerfully ad- 
mit their correction. But we shall hold to our 
own statement in regard to the necessary, not 
the actual, expenses of inspection until they 
are disproved, because we have our estimates 
from disinterested gentlemen, not removed or 
displaced inspectors, who have an unquestion- 
able acquaintance with all the details of the 
tobacco trade. If, then, their statements be 
reliable, there is no danger that the new system 
will produce any increase on the present 
charges on tobacco, or any other risk than a 
possible loss of the services of some of the 
present inspectors, by resignation, with the 
probability that their places will be greedily 
sought by others with as good capacity for the 
business in hand. For we may rely on it that 
six thousand dollars per annum will not go 
a begging in the State of Virginia. 

The resolutions of our much respected friends 
of the Bush and Briery Club, assume that this 
movement of the commission merchant invades 
" the rights of the Planter." AVe respectfully 
ask, how ? There are two classes of commis- 
sion merchants engaged in selling tobacco in 
the State, to wit: the regular factor Avho sells 
at public outcry or by private contract for a 



39i) 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



commission of 2^ per cent., and the inspector, 
■who in his character of " crier/' or *' agent," 
sells at auction at his own warehouse, where, 
and by which mode alone, he can sell, for a 
fixed compensation of a dollar the hogshead. 
(We shall not stop to prove that the inspector 
is a commission merchant, for we presume no 
one will dispute so clear a fact.) Of these two 
classes, the regular factor has for his principals 
all the advantages of the market ; but the in- 
spector and "crier," or " agent," though he has 
gt-eat advantages for himself, has for his princi- 
pals only the privilege of one mode of sale. 
The planter chooses between them for himself, 
and under a doubtful construction of a most 
impolitic law he elects — say — to sell through 
the inspector. The merchants make no com- 
plaint of the planter for so doing, but impelled 
by certain considerations publicly set forth, of 
their own motion and at the suggestion of 
buyers of all classes, they project certain alter- 
ations in their mode of dealing. To carry out 
these alterations they rent a house, adopt rules, 
and appoint an auctioneer. Now this may, or 
rhay not, be very unwise, but whose " rights" 
have they invaded? or what more have they 
done than assert certain privileges of their 
own? True, they disregard those interests 
w^hich it is not, their duty to protect, that is, 
the interest of the inspector's customers. But 
what code of moral obligation, or what legal 
enactment compels men to protect interests not 
entrusted to them, or to respect "a long and 
well established usage," when they believe it 
disadvantageous to the interests of those they 
represent. As they live by attending to other 
people's business, and as there is an active com- 
petition among them, it is but just to them, 
because true to human nature, to suppose that 
they consult their own interests in studying the 
interests of those who employ them ; they have 
notlyng to do with the interests of those who 
do not employ them. If a planter sends his 
tobacco to an inspector, and a competing mer- 
chant can obtain for his principal a better price 
and a speedier sale than the inspector can get 
for his, he is right to do it; and he should be 
encouraged to do it because it will tend to raise 
the price of tobacco. The charge that his 
means of doing this invade the rights of others 
who seek a different mode of sale, is itself an 
invasion of his and every man's rights, because 



it is a blow, not so meant, but still a blow at 
freedom of trade, of action and opinion ; whilst 
to assume that their proceeding will reduce the 
price of tobacco is but to argue, either that 
they are aiming to reduce their own profits, or 
that they do not understand their own business, 
which, on the contrary, is better understood by 
a class who were never engaged in it them- 
selves, and therefore can never have known 
much about it. 

But our friends may contend, to use the 
phraseology of their resolutions, that this pro- 
ceeding of the merchants invades the rights of. 
Planters by "removing the sale of the great 
staple of the country from the place appointed, 
by laiv for its sale." We will answer that ar- 
gument, if we can, when they show that the 
law ever has appointed a place where, and 
where only, tobacco shall be sold : and when 
that law is cited we shall prove that it is of the 
very essence of tyranny. 

But what is the overt act in this invasion of 
rights ? There were three tobacco warehouses 
in the city of Richmond until the exigencies of 
a rapidly increasing trade, which very fact 
proves that Richmond is the best market, or 
that people are fools, demanded a fourth ; and 
it was last winter established by a law, unani- 
mously enacted. There had been always pre- 
viously a conflict of " sales," and this was ■ 
increased by this new establishment ; neither 
factor, buyer, nor manufocturer could attend 
all the "sales," and it was most inconvenient 
and laborious to them to attend the breaks ; 
these sales were not only made at four different 
warehouses, sometimes at the same hour, but' 
at the merchant's counter, on the street, any 
where. Obviously, as great inconveniences at- 
tended such an irregular mode of doing busi- 
ness, as if a man in the country, who was sell- 
ing out, had to seek a purchaser for each sepa- 
rate article instead of including the whole of 
them in a sale of personal property. Four large 
warehouses made rather a large area for an ex- 
change, to say nothing of offices and streets. 
To curtail it within reasonable limits, a room 
has been obtained of moderate and suitable di- 
mensions, within which the samples of tobacco 
are collected, and around thorn the sellers and 
buyers. About half the day's offerings or 
more being disposed of privately, and most 
probably the whole having been the subject of 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



301 



legotiution, the balance is either withdrawn 
Tom market for the time or set up at public 
luction to be cried by a man who is bound not 
io sell in any other way, and not to collect at 
ill, his charge being 122 cents per hogshead. 
[f the planter prrfer to sell by auction, a very 
jmall fee, 12J cents only, entitles him to do so, 
;he auctioneer taking charge of his samples at 
the warehouse, and producing them at the sale. 
Comparing this new system with the old, it 
would seem upon its face to present just the 
lifference that there would be in the country 
between a sale at the house and a sale all oyer 
the plantation, saving time and labour to all 
parties, and increasing competition by the fa- 
cilities offered to buyers. It certainly is no 
new thing. All over the world, where there is 
enough of a given commodity to sell, the neces" 
sities of trade have caused the establishment 
of just such institutions; and it is a shame, 
simply a shame to the merchants of Eichmond 
that they have not established a tobacco and a 
corn exchange long years ago. 

Bat our friends of the Bush & Briery Club 
see in this movement an effort to compel the 
Planter to sell through a merchant rather than 
by the cheaper agency of an inspector. This 
is a grave charge, involving not only the sin- 
cerity of their declarations, but the purity of 
their motives ; and it is a charge which leaves 
out of view altogether the fact that the buyers, 
who, as a class, number as many as the com- 
mission merchants, have been as decided in 
their advocacy, and as prompt in their adop- 
tion, of the reform, as the merchants them- 
selves. The following statement of , the causes 
which induced the establishment of the Tobac- 
co Exchange has been published to the world : 

*' Whereas, the experience of a few years 
past has produced the opinion generally with 
the tobacco dealers of the city of Richmond, 
that the increased facilities afforded to the far- 
mers and planters of Virginia and North Caro- 
lina for the transportation of their produce to 
market, has induced them to send to this mar- 
ket a larger proportion of the tobacco crop than 
in former years ; and whereas the great demand 
created by the large number of tobacco manu- 
facturers of this city, and shippers who receive 
the principal orders, foreign and domestic, for 
the purchase of tobacco, makes it to the inter- 
est of planters generally to prefer the Rich- 
mond market, and therefore is most likely to 
induce hither a still larger proportion of the 
crop ; and whereas the large and increasing 



trade in this branch of business has been at- 
tended with great inconvenience, if not to all, 
at least to the greater number engaged in it, 
and is now found to be almost impracticable 
with any degree of convenience and satisfaction 
to those of us to continue the old system of at- 
tending the daily sales of tobacco at three or 
more warehouses located at distant points of 
the city ; and whereas it is deemed desirable 
to afford the amplest facility to the trade at 
large, and believing that the interest of buyers 
and sellers will be greatly subserved in the 
economy of time as well as conduce to the con- 
venience and comfort to all alike ; It is, there- 
fore, recommended that a suitable central and 
commodious room be procured for the purpose 
of concentrating and conducting the regular 
daily sales of tol3acco, both privately and pub- 
licly, in lieu of the former custom of sales at 
the different inspection warehouses of this city. 
And whereas it has always been found condu- 
cive to the best interest of the trade that it 
should be conducted in accordance with such 
regulations as would best tend to protect the 
interest of all, secure unity of sentiment and 
action, and insure equality and fairness alike 
to all : Therefore, it is recommended that the 
following regulations be adopted by the trade." 

This statement, which distinctly asserts cer- 
tain facts as the cause of their action, was en- 
dorsed by the whole trade with a very few ex- 
ceptions : men of antagonistic interests, but fa- 
miliar with the subject, agreed to their truth. 
Now by what logic can it be contended that 
they are put forth in bad faith by one party 
only ? Or upon what principle of human na- 
ture can it be shewn that two other parties, to 
wit: the speculators and the manufacturers, 
whose interests lie together in another direc- 
tion, have volunteered in a conspirac}'' to com- 
pel the planter to pay commissions on his 
sales ? What motive could influence ihem to 
such a course ? 

The assertion is simply that Richmond is the 
best market in the State ; and statistics prove 
that there is more tobacco sold here than at all 
other points put together, and that the quantit3' 
is increasing : of course more buyers concen- 
trate here. There is then an inducement, in- 
dependent of sinister motives, to improve the 
cumbrous machinery of the trade ; and the at- 
tempt is made to do it in conformity with the 
precedents of other Emporia. The question 
then is whether Richmond is ready to imitate 
their example ; and in all such questions the 
first motive of commerce is policy ; as it is the 
only motive which the public cares to consider, 



592 



THE SOUTHERNT PLANTER. 



for be its intents wicked or charitable, the pub- 
lic looks only to results. 

But concede that this motive of compulsion 
actuates the merchant ; he now sells three 
fourths of the tobacco, and wants the rest. But 
as by the argument of the Bush and Briery 
Club, he lowers the price of the whole, and 
therefore must drive a part elsewhere, he is 
adopting a policy which gives him but few 
more, if any additional customers, and less 
commissions out of those he keeps. Their ar- 
gument then would not only convict the mer- 
chants of trickery, but of folly in that busi- 
ness which has been the study of their lives. 

Of other objections to the new arrangement 
we can recall but one that we deem worthy of 
notice, and that is that the buyers cannot now 
see the tobacco as it is broke ; to which the an- 
swer is that except to a certain extent we be- 
lieve they never did see it. This morning, for 
instance, June 16th, the breaks commenced at 
Public Warehouse at 6.} o'clock, A. M. We 
would like to know how many buyers had 
shaved themselves by that hour. When seve- 
ral hundred hogshead are broke each day, it 
is an impossibility for one man, or one house 
to witness the breaks, however desirable it may 
be ; and as the trade increases, if it shall in- 
crease, it will be still more beyond their ability 
to do it. We do not believe it is necessary, 
but if it be, it is either a reflection on the Plan- 
ter's skill, or a stigma on his integrity, which, 
be it one or both, we would advise him to re- 
move with all possible dispatch. If it be in- 
dispensible to watch them, it can be done for 
the future as it has been done in the past, by 
agfents whom the buyers keep in their pay for 
that purpose. 

One other point, and we have done. The in- 
spector's duties are either worthless or valua- 
ble ; and they are laborious if he discharges 
them. If they are worthless, then the office 
is a tax, and ought to be abolished. If they 
are valuable, then they ought to be dis- 
charged : and any employment of an inspec- 
tor's time which will interfere with their dis- 
charge is " an invasion of the rights of the 
Planter." Now our friends of the Bush and 
Briery Club think "the present S3^stem" of in- 
spections " has operated well from the founda- 
tion of the government." But at the same 
time they do all in their power to impede it, 



and advocate a policy, to wit : the encourage- 
ment of sales by the inspector, which would 
defeat it altogether. In his speech at the 
" meeting of the tobacco merchants" on the 
22nd of May last, Mr. McDearmon said " he 
and his brother Inspectors represented at least 
one fourth of the Planters who send their to- 
bacco to this market." One fourth of his own 
inspections is at least four thousand hogsheads, 
and he probably sells five thousand, to say 
nothing of loose tobacco, equal to at least one 
thousand more. Now six thousand hogsheads 
is the maximum sales of the largest commis- 
sion house in Richmond, and it takes more than 
half the time of that firm, and the services of 
several clerks, to attend to the business. Can 
the Inspector do the same amount of work 
and attend to his own official duties be- 
sides? lie cannot. Is not this then an offer 
of five thousand dollars to him to neglect his 
legitimate business ? 

But our friends of Bush and Briery invade 
not less the rights of the merchants, who ought 
to have some rights in another way. An In- 
spector is an officer of the law, sworn to decide 
impartially between certain parties. But they 
make him one of those parties, and give him 
interests which destroy, or tend to destroy, his 
impartiality, and to that extent destroy his use- 
fulness ; they make him a factor for a fixed 
compensation, and therefore a commission mer- 
chant, not only against the very policy which 
created his office, but in evasion of the Reve- 
nue laws of the State, which require a mer- 
chant to pay a tax on a license to trade. He 
trades but pays no tax : and this is not only an 
invasion but an outrage on the rights of others. 
If he be within the letter of the law, the law is 
a blot upon the statute book ; if he be without 
the letter of the law, our friends encourage him 
to break or evade it. Our friends then of Bush 
and Briery hold this alternative, either that a 
useless office shall be continued that they may 
have the advantage of sales at less than the 
regular commissions, or that they shall have 
for a small consideration the benefit of services 
already pledged to the public for a very large 
one. 

Of the policy of the Inspection laws we have 
nothing to say ; nor of the mode in which the 
Inspectors discharge their duties. We have on 
a previous occasion spoken fully on the first, 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



393 



and have laboured to have these laws repealed 
or niodified. Oa the last we have nothing to 
say. We have no charges to bring against the 
Inspectors, and our paper is not the tribunal 
before which we would arraign them if we 
had. 

"VYehave not even supposed a case of misde- 
meanor in office lest we should be thought to in- 
sinuate a charge. Having the honour to be on 
the best terms with such of them as we have 
the pleasure to know, Ave have sought to argue 
this matter as much as possible on prin- 
ciple ; to show impolicy, not impropriety; 
undue privileges, and not undue advantages ; 
and if they or any one else w^ish to reply, we 
shall cheerfully accord them a place in the col- 
umns of the Planter. We have argued it be- 
cause it was an important commercial question 
touching the interests o^ agriculture. 

In conclusion we have to congratulate that 
large majority of Planters who acquiesce in, or 
approve, the reform, on its complete success. 

White and Red Wheat. 

Let us ask a question or so of the city mil- 
lers. 

When white wheat was worth two dollars a 
bushel, the price of red wheat was ten cents 
less. This was a discrimination of 5 per cent, 
against red wheat. Now when white wheat is 
w^orth one dollar and a quarter, why do the 
millers maintain a discrimination of the same 
amount per bushel, wdien the rate is advanced 
thereby to 8 per cent? And when wheat comes 
down to one dollar, if it ever does, do they 
mean to advance the discrimination to 10 per 
cent ? Can it be possible that the relative qual- 
ty of red wheat depreciates more rapidly than 
white ? 

We know it is said that the purpose is to en- 
courage the growth of white wheat, which is 
now furnished in too small quantity. But, Lst. 
The discrimination has not corrected the alle- 
ged evil, for, as we learn from a city miller* 
there was rather more red wheat in the market 
the past season than there w\as the season be. 
fore. 2nd. Every commission merchant knows 
that frequently there is more enquiry for red 
than for white wheat, red being wanted for 
mixing, and white being refused. 3d. We can 
hardly suspect as intelligent gentlemen as the 
millers of Richmond of so absurd a purpose- 
We say absurd, because it assumes that the 



millers know better than the farmer, what kind 
of wheat his land will grow best, and mulct 
him, if he follow his own experience, from 
5 to 10 per cent, according to a sliding scale, 
which slides the wrong way. If a farmer finds, 
as nine-tenths of them do, that red wheat is 
earlier and hardier, and therefore safer, than 
white wheat, he will raise it if left to himself. 
If discrimination induces him to attempt the 
more desirable but more delicate variety, then 
the miller has made him risk the production of 
wheat inferior both in quantity and sample* 
Now it is conceded that red wheat, from its 
thicker bran, does not make as saleable a flour, 
though really a stronger one, as white wheat, 
and that the difference is about 5 per cent. But 
we all know that quality and quantity is much 
more important to the market than mere vari- 
ety. 

If this be true, then it is plain that the pres* 
ent regulation injures both parties: if it be un- 
true, w^e should be glad to know it. One thing 
we venture to predict in confirmation of this 
view, and we appeal to all who may choose to 
testify : in the present season, w4ien the fly, 
chinch-bug and joint-worm have been ravaging 
the crop, and rust, already apparent in some 
districts, threatens to sweep the State, the red 
wheat will yield better in quantity and sample 
than the white. 

We know the millers may answer that the 
argument proves the correctness of a high dis- 
crimination, and that the farmer ought to be 
encouraged by a bounty on white wheat. But 
1st. If so, the bounty ought to be uniform and 
not fluctuating ; the standard ought to be the 
rule — red wheat — and not the exception — white 
wheat ; so that there should really be a rise on 
the white wheat and not a fall on the red. And 
2nd. Theirs would be a good answer if the 
white wheat was worth the difference. But as 
it is not, the true difference being about 5 pej 
cent", any higher discrimination is fictitious 
and mischievous. AVhen the miller deducts 5 
per cent, from his purchases, he can lose nothing 
by deducting 5 per cent, from his sales, whilst 
his average gains will be greater in consequence 
of the greater quantity and superior quality o» 
the wheat he grinds. 



McCormick's Reaper. 

Sometime ago, in an article we extracted 
from an exchange on the trial of Reapers at 



ot 



T II E S U T H ERS P L A N T £ K . 



Syracuse, no mention was made of McCor- 
mick's Reaper. We found none, and of course 
made none. Mr, McCormick calls our atten- 
tion to the fact, and wishes us to correct the 
injustice thereby done him. We do so with 
pleasure, and state that McCormlck's Reaper 
took the first premium at said trial. If Mr. 
McCormick had known that we had previous- 
ly expressed the opinion that such a trial of 
Reapers was not worth a button to test the 
merits of any of them, at a time when 
the result of the trial had not been reported, 
he would not probably have had cause to 
complain. 



A Fine Sale of Tobacco. 

One of our subscribers, Mr. Littleton Flippo, 
of Caroline, has shown us the account sales 
of his crop of Tobacco, the product of ten and 
a half acres, sold at the Tobacco Exchange on 
the 8th ult. The ten hhds. brought $2,455 65, 
or nearly $240 to the acre. Average $18 91. 

No. 1 , $31 00 ; -No. 2, $2^ 50 ; No. 3, $20 25 ; 
No. 4, 125 25 ; No. 5, $15 25 ; No. 6, $10 75 ; 
No. 7, ^16 00; No. 8, |13 62; No. 9, $10 02 5 
No. 10, 19 87. 



Kossuth. 

We are requested to say that Kossuth will 
continue his season until the 1st of September, 
This is intended to give an opportunity to 
those persons whose mares dropped their foals 
late, to send to him again if they desire it- 
But others may avail themselves of the same 
opportunity. 



To Subscribers. 

In consequence of the change in the Propri- 
etorship of the " Southern Planter," it is very 
important that our subscribers should remit 
the amount of their indebtedness with as little 
delay as possible. 

The amount due from each subscriber is in 
itself comparatively trifling, but in the nggre- 
gato it makes up a very large sum, and if each 
subscriber will consider this as a direct appeal 
to himself, and promptly remit the amount of 
his bill, it will be of infinite service to us. 

We conimenoc sending with this number the 
])ill to each subscriber who is in arrear, and 
shall continue to do so until all shall have been 



sent out. We ask, as a favor, a prompt re- 
sponse from all. 

The bills are made up to 1st January next. 
The fractional part of a dollar can be remitted 
in postage stamps. 

August & Williams. 

Juhj Isi, 1858. 



To Postmasters and Others. 

We are satisfied, .that with proper exertion, 
any person who will interest himself for us, 
will be able to make up a list of new subscri- 
bers for the " Planter," in almost any neigh- 
borhood, in this or any other of the Southern 
States. We ofi'er as an inducement to those who 
are disposed to aid and encourage us in our 
efiforts to extend the circulation of this paper, 
the following premiums in addition to our hith- 
erto published terms : 

To any person who will send us clubs of 
3 new subscribers and $6, — 

The So. Planter for 1857. 
6 new subscribers and $12, — 

The So. Planter for 1857 and '58. 
9 new subscribers and $18, — 

The So. Planter for 1857, '58 and '59. 
15 new subscribers and $30, — 

The So. Planter for 1857, '58 and '59, 
and a copy of the Southern Literary Mes- 
senger fur one year. 

To single new subscribers we will send the 
present \o\ume, (commencing with the number 
for January, 1858,) at the low price of $1 50, 
paid in advance. 

We call upon every one interested in promo- 
ting the progress and improvement of agricul- 
ture to lend us his aid in contributions of origi- 
nal articles on practical or scientific agricul- 
ture, in order that our paper may continue to 
be worthy of the confidence and support of 
those who have hitherto so liberally sustained 
it, and to whose interests its pages will con- 
tinue to be zealously devoted. 

August & Williams. 

July \sf, 1858. 



Such is the blessing of a benevolent hearty 
that, let the world frown as it will, it can not 
possibly bereave of all happiness, since it can 
rejoice in the prosperty of otliers. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



395 



To Teachers. 

We call the attention of persons engaged in 
teaching to the farm No. 3, advertised by ns in 
our list of f\arms, to be found in our adverti- 
sing columns. The school has a large paying 
patronage, is situated in the most healthy re- 
gion of Virginia, and presents to persons wish- 
ing to engage in such profession an opportu- 
nity rarely offered for a safe and profitable in- 
vestment. 

AUGUST & WILLIAMS. 



See advertisement of a " Farm wanted in 
the Salt Water region of Virginia.'^ 

' i J ' "■" ■ L! !i!MJgJ!L!L. ' J. ' ll ' ■■■ ■ iiU "" " ■'■ " ■ ■■!■ iii« j^» 

Inrtirulloral Iffiartramt. 



Whortleberries. 

In a paragraph in our last, we alluded to 
the improvement of the whortleberry by culti- 
vation, referring to an example which had 
been made in this vicinity. We have since 
met with an interesting article by Wilson 
Flagg, in Ilovey's Magazine of Horticulture, 
from which we take the following. We have 
long been of the opinion that the whortleberry 
was not duly appreciated, and trust that the 
arguments of Mr. F. may aid in causing a 
more just estimate to be placed on this " na- 
tive American" fruit. — [Eds. 

The whortleberry is strictly an American 
fruit; for, although it is not unknown in mid- 
dle and northern Europe and in some of the 
tropical Islands, it is in no part of the world 
so abunbant as in North America. It is in- 
deed highly probable that the whortleberry 
tribe of plants originated here, and from this 
point have spread themselves over other tracts. 
Whortleberries, however, are most abundant 
near the coast, especiaily in the northern parts, 
and form in the New England States one of 
the principal features of the landscape. No 
single species of this tribe has been reduced to 
cultivation, though any of them would proba- 
bly well reward the labor of the cultivator, if 
they were not abundant in a wild state. The 
fruit of these plants is well known only to the 
inhabitants of the New England States ; very 
little has been written upon it, and there are 
but few persons who are aware of the impor- 
tance of this gift of Nature to the inhabitants 
of North America. 

In the study of geographical botany we find 
groups of certain tribes of plants prevailing 
over extensive tracts of country, and abound- 
ing generally in regions that are contiguous. 
But sometimes they are widely separated, like 
the heaths which are found in Europe and in 
the Southern part of Africa. The whortleber- 



ries supply in America the place of the heaths 
in Europe, and in no part of the world are 
these two tribes found associated. The whor- 
tleberries are by far the most valuable gift of 
Nature of the two, being hardly less beautiful 
when in flower, and bearing also an excellent 
fruit. In this country they are sufficiently nu- 
merous to constitute alone a distinguishing fea- 
ture of the landscape. They are most abun- 
dant in the northern Atlantic States ; but they 
are found along the whole coast as far as the 
Cape of Florida. In the southern States are 
one or two species approachins: the size of trees, 
one of which, called the farkleberry, {vaccini- 
um arboreiim,) is an evergreen, and bears a 
very good fruit. 

In New England we reckon about nine or 
ten distinct species of Vaccinium. Botanists 
make no generic distinction between the blue- 
berry or bilberry, and the whortleberry ; but 
all who have eaten the fruit distinguish at 
once the whortleberry from the blueberry, by 
the flavor and not entirely by the color. The 
former is less accidulous, less mucilaginous, 
and contains a harder seed than the latter, so 
that they may be easily distinguished, when 
eaten, though their color and external appear- 
ance are the same. I observe that Bigelow 
makes the distinction between them in the 
English names he applies to the species, while 
Emerson calls them, indiscriminately, whortle- 
berries. The flowers of the two kinds differ as 
widely as their fruits ; those of the whortle- 
berries are more of a redish color, smaller and 
more contracted in the mouth than those of the 
blueberries. 

In the whortleberry division of this tribe of 
plants, are usually reckoned five species : 1. 
Vaccinium resinosum, which is the common 
whortleberry, or huckleberry. I prefer the 
former word because it indicates its derivation 
from hurdle, signifying berries growing on hur- 
dles or sticks. After the bushes were cut and 
bound into faggots, the berries being found 
upon them gave origin to their name. This 
first species is the type of the division. 2. V. 
frondosum, dangle-berry, sometimes called bul- 
let-berries. This is a late species, but the fruit 
is large and finely flavored. I have found it 
near Bartholomew's pond in Danvers, but it is 
rare. 3. V. virgatum, the blue whortleberry, 
a species that bears more showy floAvers than 
the others, and more elegant foliage. The fruit 
is not superior, however, to that of the resino- 
sum. 4. V. stamineum, green whortleberry, 
or deer-berry. This species is common at the 
South, and ripens its fruit, which is inferior, 
in September. 5. V. dumosum, the hairy 
whortleb*^rry, a large shrub, with very showy 
floM'ers and insipid fruit. 

In the bilberry division, there are four spe- 
cies described by botanists : 1. V. tenellum, 
the low blueberry, which bears the earliest and 
most beautiful fruit of the whole tribe, and is 
the smallest shrub of the genus. 2. The high- 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



"bush bhielierry, V. corymbosn, vrhich is a very 
large shrub, benrinp; a fine fruit. This, next 
to the V. resinosum, is the most valuable spe- 
sies, 3. V. disororphum, the black bilberry, 
resembling the last in all respects, except that 
its fruit is smaller, and black like that of the 
common whortleberry'. 

There is no tribe of plants that runs into so 
many varieties. There are no less than five or 
six intermediate varieties betvreen the low blue- 
berry (Y. tencllum) and the high blueberry 
(V. corymbosa) ; and the black bilberry, cor- 
responding in size with the last, subdivides it- 
self into several distinct varieties of all sizes, 
down to a dwarf species, as minute as the low 
blueberry. All these differ also very materially 
in their quality, the best comparing with the 
poorest, as the Baldwin apples compare with 
the common fruit for the cider mill. With re- 
gard to the color of the different berries, it may 
be remarked, that although there are bilberries 
which are of a jet and glossy black, there is no 
whortleberry which is decidedly blue, like the 
low blueberry. 

It would be impossible to estimate the value 
of these fruits to all classes of our inhabitants; 
but it may be safely asserted, that were the 
cherry and the whortleberry, with all their va- 
rieties, to become extinct, the absence of the 
latter would be the most painfully felt by the 
majority of our population. We have learned 
from Europeans to set a higher comparative 
value upon the cultivated fruits, even those 
which are equall^^ perishable, because the west- 
ern Europeans have no whortleberries, and 
have never learned to prize them. " In Scot- 
land,'' said a company of little Scotch girls 
whom I met in a whortleberry pasture, " we 
have no wild fruits ; all our fruits are in gar- 
dens." In this country, where whortleberries 
are so common and so abundant as to be found 
in all wild lands that are not too deeply wood- 
ed, these fruits are indeed one of our staple 
productions, of vastly greater value to us than 
the cranberry, though the latter, being' a less 
perishable fruit, is made an article of commerce 
and is more profitable to the individual owner 
of the lands that produce it. But for the space 
of two months of the year, from the middle of 
July to the middle of September, millions of 
bushels of whortleberries are consumed in the 
New England States, and are as great a lux- 
ury in their season as any fruit that cun be 
named. 

A fruit seems to be valuable to the public in 
proportion as it can be made an article of com- 
merce. There is some fallac}^ ho\v^ver, in this 
mode of reckoning its value. If a farmer owns 
a cranberry meadow, that produces an annual 
crop of one hundred and fifty bushels, on the 
average, from wliich he obtains a clear annual 
profit of two hundred dollars, it must be ad- 
mitted that this fruit is of more value to him 
than a whortleberry pasture that would pro- 
duce double this quiintity of fruit. lie gathers, 



packs into barrels, and sells the former, with a 
certainty of profit, and without danger of loss; 
while the latter, if gathered and sold in the 
market, would but poorly remunerate him for 
the labor and expense of gathering it. But 
were the value of the two kinds of fruit mea- 
sured by his own and his family's consumption 
of them, the whortleberry pasture would be 
more valuable than the cranberry meadow, be- 
cause his family would consume a greater 
quantity of whortleberries and blueberries than 
of cranberries. In a commercial sense, and 
considered with reference to the gains of the 
proprietor, the cranberry is the most valuable 
fruit ; but in a political sense, and considered 
with reference to the public, the whortleberries 
are the most valuable, and probably more so 
than any other equally perishable fruit which. 
the country produces. 

People have always been deceived by measu- 
ring the general value of an article by its com- 
mercial value. Hence the whortleberry pas- 
tures are called waste lands, which . are worth 
nothing at all except for pasturage. But were 
all these waste lands deprived of their produce 
of fruit, the want of it would be a grievous af- 
fliction to the community. How many indigent 
families depend on them for their whole sup- 
ply of summer fruit I and how many earn their 
livelihood, during the whortleberry season, by 
gathering these berries and carrying them to 
market! How many boys are prevented from 
robbing the orchards of cherries, pears and 
early peachers, by the opportunity of obtain- 
ing fruit in the whortleberry pasture ! The 
robin, the wax-wing, and other birds that con- 
sume our cherries, are diverted from the orch- 
ard and the garden by a good suppl};- of blue- 
berries in the neighborhood ; and our farmers 
would save depredations upon their trees, in 
considerable measure, by cultivating the earli- 
est varieties of the high blueberr}", by the sides 
of their fences and stone walls, instead of vain- 
ly attempting to keep these borders free from 
weeds and brambles. — Boston Callivoior. 



From the Ayn. Farmers' Mas^azine. 

Trees and Fruit Buds vs. Cold Water. 

Mr. Editok : — I may not be regarded as a 
" careful observer," but I will nevertheless at- 
tempt to give my views on the causes that kill 
fruit trees and fruit buds. Now, I may err in 
what I shall advance on this subject, for it is a 
theme upon which many singular opinions can 
be put forth, and yet all of tbera may look 
more or less plausible. 

In the county in which I live, (and it is more 
or less so in all the Northern States,) we often, 
in the winter months, have very cold weather, 
particularly, you know, in January and Febru- 
ary. The bud of the peach tree and other fruit 
trees sometimes expands in the fall, so that it 
is made more or less forward. Well, now, the 
cold weather of January comes on ; mercury 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



397 



drops in the tube of the thermometer dowxi to 
14° or 15° below zero ; the germ of the bud — 
a little peach in every sense of the word, just 
fiiirly organized — can not withstand this condi- 
tion of the weather (15° behnv zero) and conse- 
quently dies ; andwhen the weather " shackens 
up," or grows more moderate, the small minia- 
ture peach turns black, and never again recov- 
ers from the stroke it has received. The tree, 
which has grown rapidly, the shoots of which 
are vigorous and juicy, also receives a death 
stroke many times through intensely cold wea- 
ther, when the thermometer indicates a condi- 
tion of the atmosphere 15° or 20° below zero. 
There is a point in almost every thing beyond 
which it will not do to go. The peach tree in 
our more northern climates is particularly sub- 
ject to be killed by frost, and there are coun- 
ties in New York State where the peach can 
not be raised, the country being too .frosty. On 
high elevations it seems to do the best. AVe 
hear it reported that in Northern Illinois the 
people have not raised many, if any peaches, 
within the last tM'O or three years. Wh}'- is 
this? Plainly because the weather was too cold 
for the trees to recover from its effects in the 
spring. 1'he apple and other trees also have 
died in that State, as well as in Wisconsin. — 
Now, we have a large peach orchard, and in 
the winter of 1856, the weather being venj cold, 
thousands of branches died, and 1 removed 
them in the spring. Our apple trees also suf- 
fered amazingly hereabouts. Indeed, we really 
thought that a new system of the laws of na- 
ture had dawned upon us, so poorly did many 
of our quince, apple, peach and other trees 
look. Sometimes, very many times, fruit buds 
are killed in consequence of the cause which 
you mention, namely, " a sudden freezinrj after 
mild icecdlitr," but I believe this is not tlie case 
so frequently as through intensely cold weather. 
A peach blossom, or any other blossom, will 
stand quite a little frost, and yet the fruit will 
not be materially injured. Now, for instance, 
I have been making an examination of some of 
our peach buds. I notice that about two-thirds 
of them are dead this season, while Avhat re- j 
main look very well. AVhere the west wind I 
struck the most severely during the 24th of! 
February, or about that time, mercury being 
about 8° or 10° below zero, at that point the' 
buds are more frequently dead than on the east I 
side of the limbs or trees. Immediateily after; 
the cold "snap," I went into the orchard and j 
made the examination, and the buds turned outi 
to be dead as above mentioned. We all havej 
our peculiar notions about these matters, but I 
know that a shoot on a tiee which has had a 
rapid growth during the summer, is most likely 
to suffer from the cold of a subsequent winter 
on account of its tender organization. Now, a 
tree that is thoroughly acclimated, a native of 
the country, will stand the winter much better 
than some of " those celebrated imported varie- 
ties'' from France, &c. We can not raise the 



" raisin grape" with any kind of success in 
New York, and it dees not grow very well, I 
believe, in the southern part of Ohio. From 
the; e observations, if they be mainly true, it 
will be seen at once that the weather has its 
perceptible effects upon trees and their organi- 
zations, and that fruit buds must die on peach 
trees when tb.e thermometer indicates from 1,2° 
to 15° below zero. Apple tree buds are more, 
hardy, and will come out safe many times whe<i 
the weather is intensely severe, but when you 
gather the fruit, then you see what perceptible 
inroads the cold weather of the pi-evious winter 
has made upon your apples, &c. 

About the contraction and expansion of wa- 
ter — that matter I shall willingly leave to your- 
self and your correspondent. The subject is a 
very good one, but how to preserve our trees 
from the effects of cold weather is still more 
important in 'my opinion. Last winter the 
weather was generally mild, though we had our 
"cold snaps" in February. The season, how- 
ever, proniises very well for fruit of most kinds. 
The country wnll not, I think, be over supplied 
with peaches, but aside from this wholesome 
fruit, we may look forward to a bountiful fruit 
harvest. 

In conclusion, allow an old reader of your 
Journal to express his approval of the variety 
of matter which 'the " Farmers' Magazine'' 
contains. Give us a variety, with a rich spioe 
of miscellany, if you please. It is taken for 
granted, though, tb.at you know how to. manage 
your own Journal. W. Tapp-an. 

Baldivinsville, Onondaga Co., 
N.Y., April 10, 1858. 



From the Am. Farrners' Magazine. 

Powers of Vegetation to resist Extremes 
of Temperature. 

BY A FRIEND. 

It is most essential to the success of the ope- 
rations, both of the agriculturist and the hor- 
ticulturist, that as comprehensive a view as 
possible should be obtained of the organization 
of the vegetable kingdom, and of the powers of 
resistance that it possesses of the extremes of 
temperature. For although practically he may 
pass through life without ever even seeing the 
moss which in Laplaml not only lives, hut grows 
beneath the snow, and furnishes the frugal 
meal of the docile reindeer, and without boiling 
eggs for his breakfist reposed upon the herbage 
which we shall presently advert to as growing 
in the hot springs of the Himalaya mountains, 
yet the knowledge of such powers of endurance 
in different families of plants, when combined 
with other knowledge of various descriptions, 
connected with the organs of plants, tends im- 
mensely (if it does nothing else) to make the 
inquiring agriculturist cautious and careful in 
his experiments, and in the deductions which 
be draws from them. 



398 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



Hastily- formed conclusions are seldom very 
accurate in whatever branch of scientific inqui- 
ry they arrived at, and applied to. But in no 
department of practical knowledge is it more 
needful to guard against them, than in the pros- 
ecution of agricultural pursuits. Slight dif- 
ferences of temperature, of moisture, or of at- 
mospheric change, have frequently been suffi- 
cient to confound and to obscure the most care- 
fully conducted experiments. And in the much 
canvassed, but yet unsolved, problem of the 
potato disease, we have at this moment unfor- 
tunately patent evidence that our present ac- 
quirements in agriculture, have by no means 
attained a degree of efficiency, with which we 
can rest satisfied. 

Nothing is more surprising in the study of 
vegetable physiology than the variation of the 
powers of endurance of the extremes of heat 
and cold in diiferent families. And this is the 
more remarkable, because those powers appear 
to have little or nothing in connection with the 
texture of their organization. In reference to 
the powers of endurance of moisture and 
drought, it is otherwise, at least to a consider- 
able extent. For we find the Cacti family, and 
many others that are indigenous to climates 
that have long seasons of drought, are provided 
with organs that are calculated to retain, as it 
were, reservoirs of moisture, whilst the organi- 
zation of their cuticle is such as to lessen evapo- 
ration and exhalation from their surfiice. But 
in regard to the powers of resisting extremes 
of heat and cold, many families of plants with 
organizations of the most fragile texture, are 
found to have these powers equally ; some as to 
heat, others as to cold. 

This is a subject that deserves consideration 
in connection with the study of climate, to 
wdiich we have directed attention in recent 
numbers of this magazine, and the following 
description of the hot-springs of the Himalaya 
from Dr. Hooker's Journal, to which interesting 
work we referred in a preceding article, are 
well deserving attention : 

" The hot-springs (called Soorujkoond) near 
Belcuppee (altitude 1219 feet) in the Behar 
Mountains, north-west of Calcutta, (lat. 24 N., 
long. 80 E.,) are four in number, and rise in as 
many ruined brick tanks about two 3'ards across. 
Another tank fed by a cold spring about twice 
that size flows between two of the hot, only two 
or three paces distant from one of the latter on 
either hand. All burst through the Gueiss 
rocks, meet in one stream after afewyards, and 
are conducted by brick canals to a pool of cold 
water about 80 yards off. 

''The temperatures of the hot springs were 
respectively 169°, 170°, 173°, and 190° of the 
old, 84° at 4 P. M., and 75° at 7 A. M. the fol- 
lowing morning. The hottest is the middle of 
the five. The water of the cold spring is sweet 
but not good, and emits gaseous bubbles ; it 
was covered with a green floating conferva. Of 
the four hot springs the most copious is about' 



three feet deep, bubbles constantly, boils eggs, 
and though brilliantly clear, has an exceeding- 
ly nauseous taste. These and the other warm 
ones cover the bricks and surrounding rocks 
with a thick incrustation of salts. 

" Conferva abounds in the warm stream from 
the springs, and two species, one ochreous 
brown and the other green, occur on the mar- 
gins of the tanks themselves, and in the hot- 
test water : the brown is the best salamander, 
and forms a belt in deeper water than the 
green ; both appear in broad luxuriant strata, 
whenever the temperature is cooled down to 
168°, and as low as 90°. Of flowering plants, 
three showed in an eminent degree a constitu- 
tion capable of resisting the heat, if not a pre- 
dilection for it; these were all cyperacea, a cy- 
J3eri5, and an eleschar is, ]\?i.\mg their roots in 
water of 100°, and where they are probably ex- 
posed to greater heat ; and a timbrisfylis at 98°; 
all were very luxuriant. From the edges of the 
four hot springs I gathered sixteen species of 
flowering plants, and from the cold tank five, 
which did not grow in the hot. A water-bee- 
tle, colymbetes, and notonecta, abounded in 
water at 112°, with quantities of dead shells ; 
frogs were very lively, with live shells at 90°, 
and with various other water-beetles. Having 
no means of detecting the salts of this water, 1 
bottled some for future analysis." 

From the foregoing quotation it will be per- 
ceived tha^tthe temperature of the hottest spring 
was 190° Farenheit, which is but little below 
that of boiling water. And although not so 
luxuriant as in the cooler springs, yet vegetable 
life was found to exist and grow in that high 
temperature. Had a caJjbage or a potato been 
placed by the side of the conferva in that spring, 
it would have been soon cooked ready for the 
dinner-table ; and the powers of endurance of 
the action of heat possessed by a living plant, 
therefore, can be easily conceived. 

With such well attested facts before us. we 
may well hesitate before we form a decided 
opinion upon the adaptability of any plant of 
a new character, that it may appear desirable 
to introduce as an agricultural crop. It is not 
possible to judge of many, from the result of 
two or three trials only. Because although of- 
tentimos we may be quite right in the view we 
take of our first experiments, yet it will fre- 
quently occur that until by repeated trials wc 
become by experience well acquainted with the 
constitution of a new plant, we may attribute 
our success or our failure to causes which in 
fact had nothing to do with either. And there- 
fore we may so be led into error which further 
experiment would dispel. 

That this is so, will be evi;lent to any one 
who is familiar with the vast changes that have 
taken place within the last few years in the 
cultivation of fruits and vegetables. Many 
crops that some years back were considered to 
require years (especially in fruits) of previous 
care of the plants to produce them, are now 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



3Q9 



produced in less than one. And this with 
things that have been familiar to' the gardener 
fur above an hundred years. 

In fact the agriculturist no less than the hor- 
ticulturist, "svho would prosecute his calling 
with due reference to the guidance of scientific 
principles, will never assume that he has arri- 
ved at a knowledge of the bed mode of cultiva- 
ting any crop. Whilst he will be cautious not 
to experimentalize without due regard to pru- 
dence.andto principles, he will nevertheless be 
ever earnest in the *' forward'' effort, and will 
take care that bis labors are as steadily direct- 
ed by his judgment, as his plow is by his hand. 



From the Report of the Ohio Pomological Society. 

Grape Culture. 

At a meeting of the Society, on the 10th of 
July last, the undersigned were appointed a 
committee to inquire into the feasibility of 
grape culture for wine making, as a remunera- 
tive crop, and to suggest such remedies for mil- 
dew, and other incidental diseases of the grape, 
as might be supported by facts. After mature 
deliberation your committee present the follow- 
ing as the result of its investigations : 

That the crop may be made amply remune- 
rative in this vicinity and elsewhere, in positions 
favorable for its cultivation, there can be no 
doubt. The experience of many years by nu- 
merous cultivators has? decided this question 
beyond a cavil. The best proof in support of 
this assertion is, that grape culture is now wide- 
spread throughout the West and South-west, 
and largel}'' on the increase. F(jr every vine- 
yard abandoned from bad position, caprice, or 
carelessness, twenty new ones are planted. 
That the crop— like most other crops — is sub- 
ject to casuaUies, no one will deny ; but ex- 
perience has proved it to be as reliable as the 
apple, the hardiest of all our fruits. Even this 
year — the worst for mildew and rot that we 
have ever had—a majority of our vineyards in 
this vicinity will more than pay expenses, and 
a few will yield a handsome profit, while a 
small number prove almost an entire fixilure. 
In Missouri, the vintage this year is the best 
ever known in that State — some of the vine- 
yards producing over one thousand gallons to 
the acre; and in Georgia, even after injury 
from late spring frosts, the yield is very good. 
It is estimated that in this region vineyards fa- 
vourably situated will average^ for a series of 
years, with ordinary attention, two hundred 
gallons to the acre. It is known that one hun- 
dred gallons per acre will more than pay ex- 
penses. From this data the crop would appear 
to be remunerative. 

The great enemies to grape culture in this 
climate are the diseases known as the mildew 
and the rot, both closely allied, and both aris- 
ing from atmospheric changes. A sudden 
change of temperature, will produce mildew, 
in the form of a white powder, on the newly- 



formed bunches of grapes, and at a later pe- 
riod the rot, when the berries are almost full 
grown, is caused by the fungi known as the 
mildew, settling on the pedicel of the berry, 
and on the berry itself, discolouring and de- 
stroying it. In a brief report like tlie present, 
it would be useless to attempt a detailed scien- 
tific description of these diseases, for they are 
well known to all vine-dressers. And the com- 
mittee regret to state that no certain remedy 
has yet been discovered for their prevention 
or cure. 

On gravelly or sandy soils, or porous or well 
drained subsoils, these diseases are less pre- 
valent than on strong clay lands, and hill-sides 
are preferable to level or gently undulating po- 
sitions. But no position has been found en- 
tirely free from them ; nor has any kind of 
special cultivation or of pruning, after many 
expei'iments, been successful as a remedy. 

From all the information the committee has 
been able to collect both in this counft-y and 
in Europe, an application of sidphur and lime. 
according to the annexed, directions, promises 
to be more successful than any remedy yefc 
tried. In France it is said to have succeeded 
this season in preventing the ravages of thi 
"Oidium," a disease similar to the rot; and a 
member of this society, Wm. Orange, tried it 
on a portion of his vineyard with marked suc- 
cess. Vine-dressers are earnestly requested to 
give it a fair trial, and report progress at the 
end of the next season. 

R, Buchanan, 1 

S. MusHER, > Commiiice. 

M. Kelly, J 

Cincinnati, December 3, 1857. 

Recijjefor the use of Sulphur and Lime. 

Put half a bushel of unslacked lime and 
ten pounds of flour of sulphur in a forty gal- 
lon barrel, add five or six gallons scalding wa- 
ter, and keep stirring it till thoroughly mixed; 
then fill up the barrel with cold water, and 
cover up tight till wanted for use. This mix- 
ture syringed over the young bushes of grapes 
shortly after they are formed, it is said, will 
prevent mildew ; and again when the berries 
are nearly full grown, an application in the 
same manner may prevent rot. 

The flour sulphur alone is applied by dust- 
ing it over the bunches of grapes, and on the 
ground under them, at about the same periods 
of their growth, and omitting to syrinj^e with 
the sulphur and lime-water. Both applications 
might be tried on a portion of the vineyard to, 
ascertain which is the best — the sulphur and 
lime, the sulphur alone, or both together^ 

R. Buchanan, ] 

S. MosHER, [ Committee. 

M. Kelly, ] 

N. B. — Syringing plum-trees with the sul- 
phur and lime-water, it is said, will prevent 
the^ ravages of the curculio. 



400 



THE SOUTHERN PLA.^x .i. 



Tobacco. 

Respecting this popular article, and the 
manufacture of cigars, it may be expected, in 
our rambling notes that we should say a few 
words. It is well known that the tobacco plant 
is the product of but a small portion of the 
island — the southwest. A person confining 
himself to short rides from Havana and to the 
vicinity of the railroads, would see about as 
much of the weed growing as he would in 
Pennsylvania or Connecticut, the soil in the 
other parts not being more propitious to the 
flavor than that of our own country. Good to- 
bacco is thus a dear article, and becoming an- 
nually more so, as the cultivation recedes i'rom 
the great mart by the wearing out of the land, 
which is the case yearly. Formerly the, tobacco 
lands were about eighteen miles from the city; 
tiiey are now at least one hundred and fifty 
miles distant. Large dealers in cigars make 
their own cigars from the crops of the exten- 
sive tultivators whose tobacco is known to 
them and thus acquire a kind of monopoly of 
the best; smaller operators endeavor to have 
as good an article by assisting the grower to 
new lands and taking an interest in them. The 
consumer of a few thousand ciga,r8 watches his 
opportunity, and when sure of a good seroun 
or two, purchases and conveys it to his own 
house, where it'is manufactured under his own 
eye, from a known article, and therefore to his 
taste. The cigar-maker comes in to him for a 
week, more or less, and cheirges by the thou- 
sand. 

In addition to these plans, varied with the 
various degrees of enterprise and capital em- 
barked, there may be seen all over Havana, 
blacks and whites most industriously employed 
in rolling cigars; and, ten chances to one, if 
.you stop at a posada in your rides in the neigh- 
borhood, however humble, there will be found 
under a shed or in some corner, a parcel of 
dark looking fellows similarly engaged ; and 
yet, with all this industry, it is still a. wonder 
v/hence praeced all the million of smoking 
cigars which perfume the whole civilized world. 
Their source is to be sought for in out-of-the- 
way places, in garrets and private domains 
\vhich are out of sight, which are delivered 
more or less, daily, to the great dealers who 
supply the capital and the raw material, Ci- 
garitas are made by women and men who can 
follow at the same time another employment, 
such as keeping watch at the door of a hotel, &c. 

Numerous small manufacturers sell their 
article at a low figure to the great dealers like | 
Partigas or the Cabanas' houses, who subject! 
them- to a rigid picking; the best lookrn<^ on the j 
outside, and which may have cost, in the un- 
picked state, ten dollars per thousand, are num- 1 
ber one and will be charged to the unthinkiiig : 
American customer, who looks only to the ex- ' 
-tcrnal appearance, at fifty dollars, the second! 
at twenty or thirty, and the culling will find a' 
market at about the original price ; so that one i 



man smokes at six or seven cents the same to- 
bacco exactly that the better informed and 
more economical people get for one cent. The 
reputation of the (nominal) maker has much 
to do with the price, and this reputation, as in 
a thousand instances in all countries, is kept 
up outside appearance. When a particular 
brand, size, and shape have become popular 
in any country, strong efforts are made to keep 
up this appearance, and a stimulated article 
has to be resorted to the moment the demand 
exceeds the supply, which is always limited. 
Then come the various methods of deception ; 
the wrapper must be axact in color and it is 
dyed ; tl»e shape must be the same, and the 
maker skilled in this particular form must 
have a higher price, or he tv'ill go over to a 
rival house. ' V 

Instances of this kind of difficulties are.eon- 
stantly related, and an employer has frequently 
to advance large sums to his best workmen to 
keep them in good humor; when this quality- 
fails them, the rival will pay all they owe to 
get them into his workshop, the best makers 
being always in demand, and earning from two 
to six dollars a day, according to their skill. 

The leaf requires to be in a particular stage 
of moisture to work to advantage, and you may 
see, as the evening hour of closing the factory 
comes on, the master mind is dropping or 
sprinkling his leaves and laying them out all 
over the rooms in various proportimis, accord- 
ing to ascertained necessity. And here an- 
other process is resorted to; this is of course 
the moment for dying the wrapper; but it is 
also the opportunity embraced to -flavor what 
is to constitute the interior; a popular brand 
must be kept as nearly as possible of one taste; 
as in wine, it is easy to deceive in this particu- 
lar, and the filling is immersed in a solution of 
other tobaccos, made to resemble as nearly as 
{)Ossible the flavor required. .Thus, a good 
tasted crop will flavor a whole invoice of cigars 
very probably manufactured from Virginia, or 
tobacco imported from some other island. This 
is done in wines of all countries, and it is surelj" 
as fiiir a transaction in cigars. 

Cigar making is a profitable operation, though 
it may be deemed of importance to the sugar. 
Both combined have made money extremely 
abundant during the late season of high prices. 
Eight millions of sj^ecie arrived in Havana in 
Mrwch,- and the rate of interest was but two 
per cent, per annum ;, new banks were going 
into operation on a speculative scale, and it was 
seasonably argued that cash so easily collected 
as it was would lead to the ruin of manj-'now 
called wealthy. Cuba has its revulsions as well 
as Now York and Philadelphia. 

The cultivation of the island is slovenly in 
the extreme. There is often as much difl5oulty 
experienced in ploughing the land as in a new 
clearing incumbered with stumps in the United 
States, from the underlying coral rock. — 
Horticulturist. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



401 



From the Farmer''s Practical Horse Farriery. 

The Horse and how to use Him. 

(concluded.) 
how to halter and lead a colt. 

As soon as you have gentled the colt a little, 
take the halter in your left hand and approach 
him as before, and on the same side that you 
have gentled him. If he is very timid about 
your approaching closely to him, you can get 
up to him quicker by making the whip a part 
of your arm, and reaching out very gently 
with the butt end of it ; rubbing him lightly 
on the neck, all the time getting a little closer, 
shortening the whip by taking it up in your 
hand, until you finally get close enough to put 
your hands on him. If he is inclined to hold 
his head from you, put the iend of the halter 
strap round his neck, drop your whip, and 
draw very gently ; he will let his neck give, 
and you can pull his head to you. Then 
take hold of that part of the halter which 
buckles over the top of the head, and pass the 
long side, or that part which goes into the 
buckle, under his neck, grasping it on the op- 
posite side with your right hand, letting the 
first strap loose — the latter will be sufficient to 
hold his head to you. Lower the halter a little, 
just enough to get his nose into that part 
which goes around it, then raise it somewhat, 
and fasten the top buckle, and you will have it 
all right. The first time you halter a colt, you 
should stand on the left side, pretty well back 
to his shoudler, only taking hold of that part of 
the halter which goes around his neck, then 
with your two hands about his neck, you can 
hold his head to you, and raise the halter on it 
without making him dodge by putting your 
hands about his nose. You should have a long 
rope or strap ready, and as soon as you have 
the halter on, attach this to it, so that you can 
let him walk the length of the stable without 
letting go of the strap, or without making him 
pull on the halter, for if you only let him feel 
the weight of your hand on the halter, and give 
him rope when he runs from you, he will 
never rear, pull, or throw himself, yet you will 
be holding him all the time, and doing more 
towards gentling him than if you had the pow- 
er to snub him right up, and hold him to one 
spot ; because he does not know anything 
about his strength, and if you don't do any 
: thing to make him pull, he will never know 
that he can. In a few minutes you can begin 
to control him with the halter, then shorten 
the distance between yourself and the horse, 
by taking up the strap in your hand. 

As soon as he will allow you to hold him by 
a tolerable short strap, and step up to him 
without flying back, you can begin to give him 
some idea about leading. But to do this, do 
not go before and attempt to pull him after 
you, but commence by pulling him very quietly 
to one side. He has nothing to brace either 
side of his neck, and will soon yield to a steady, 
26 



gradual pull of the halter ; and as soon as you 
have pulled him a step or two to one side, step 
up to him and caress him, and then pull him 
again, repeating this operation until you can 
pull him around in every direction, and walk 
about the stable with him, which you can do in 
a few minutes, for he will soon think when 
you have made him step to the right or left a 
few times, that he is compelled to follow the 
pull of the halter, not knowing that he has the 
power to resist your pulling; besides, you have 
handled him so gently that he is not afraid of 
you, and you always caress him when he 
comes up to you, and he likes that, and would 
just as leave follow you as not. And after he 
has had a few lessons of that kind, if you turn 
him out in a lot he will come up to you every 
opportunity he gets. You should lead him 
about in the stable some time before you take 
him out, opening the door, so that he can see 
out, leading him up to it and back again, and 
past it. See that there is nothing on the out- 
side to make him jump when you take him out, 
and as you go out with him, try to make him 
go very slowly, catching hold of the halter close 
to the jaw with your left hand, while the right 
is resting on the top of his neck, holding to his 
mane. After you are out with him a little 
while, you can lead him about as you please. 
Don't let any second person come up to you 
when you first take him out ; a stranger taking 
hold of the halter would frighten him, and 
make him run. There should not be even any 
one standing near him. If you are alone, and 
manage him right, it will not require any more 
force to lead or hold him than it would to 
manage a broke horse. 

HOW TO LEAD A COLT BY THE SIDE OF A BROKE 
HORSE. 

If you should want to lead your colt by the 
side of another horse, as is often the case, I 
would advise you to take your horse into the 
stable, attach a second strap to the colt's halter, 
and lead up your horse along side of him. 
Then get on the broke horse and take one 
strap around his breast, under his martingale, 
(if he has one on,) holding it in your left hand. 
This will prevent the colt from getting back 
too far; besides, you will have more power to 
hold him, with the strap pulling against the 
horse's breast. The other strap take up in 
your right hand, to prevent him from running 
ahead : then turn him about a few times in the- 
stable, and if the door is wide enough, ride out 
with him in that position; if not, take the- 
broke horse out first, and stand his breast up 
against the door, then lead the colt to the same 
spot, and take the straps as before directed, one 
on each side of his neck, then let some one 
start the colt out, and as he comes out, turn 
your horse to the l^ft, and you muII have them 
all right. This is the best way to lead a colt; 
you can manage any kind of a colt in this way 
without any trouble, for if he tides- to run 



402 



THE SOUTHER.N PLANTER 



ahead, or pull back, the two straps will bring 
the horses facing each other, so that you can 
very easily follow up his movements without 
doing much holding, and as soon as he stops 
running backward, you are right with him, and 
ready to go ahead. And if he gets stubborn 
and does not want to go, you can remove all 
his stubbornness by riding your horse against 
his neck, thus compelling him to turn to the 
right, and as soon as you have turned him 
about a few times, he will be willing to go 
along. The next thing, after you are through 
leading him, will be to take him into a stable, 
..and hitch him in such a way as not to have 
:him pull on the halter, and as they are often 
very troublesome to get into a stable the first 
few times, I will give you some instructions 
about getting him in. 

JHOW TO LEAD A COLT INTO THE STABLE AND HITCH 
HIM WITHOUT HAVING HIM PULL ON THE HALTER. 

You should lead the broke horse into the 

: stable first, and get the colt, if you can, to fol- 

jIow in after him. If he refuses to go, step up 

"to him, taking a little stick or switch in your 

Tight hand ; then take hold of the halter close 

to his head with your left hand, at the same 

'time reaching over his back with your right 

arm, so that you can tap him on the opposite 

side, with your switch; bring him up facing 

the door, tap him lightly with your switch, 

^reaching as for back as you can. This tapping, 

by being pretty well back, and on the opposite 

side will drive him ahead, and ke^p him close 

to you, then by giving him the right direction 

with your left hand, you can walk into the 

stable with him. I have walked colts into the 

^stable this way, in less than a minute, after 

men had worked at them half an hour trying 

to pull them. If you cannot walk with him at 

once in this way, turn him about and walk him 

; around in every direction, until you can get 

him up to the door without pulling at him. 

Then let him stand a few minutes, keeping his 

ihead in the right direction with the halter, and 

ihe will walk in, in less than ten minutes. 

.Never attempt to pull the colt into the stable ; 

that would make him think at once that it was a 

dangerous place, and if he was not afraid of it 

before, he would be then. Besides, we don't 

want him to know anything about pulling on 

the halter. Colts are often hurt, and sometimes 

killed, by trying to force them into the stable ; 

and those who attempt to do it in that way, go 

into an up-hill business, when a plain smooth 

road is before them. 

If you want to hitch your colt, put him in a 
tolerably wide stall, which should not be too 
long, and should be connected by a bar or 
something of that kind to the partition ; so 
that after the colt is in, he cannot get far 
enough back to take a straight backward pull 
on the halter, then by hitching him in the 
centre of the stall, it would be impossible for 
him to pull on the halter, the partition behind 



preventing him from going back, and the halter 
in the centre checking him every time he turns 
to the right and left. In a stall of this kind 
you can break every horse to stand hitched by 
a light strap, any where, without his knowing 
any thing about pulling. But if you have 
broke your horse to lead, and have learned him 
to use the halter, (which you should always do 
before you hitch him to anytliing) you can 
hitch him in any kind of a stall and give him 
something to eat to keep him up to his place for 
a few minutes at first, and there is not one colt 
out of fifty that will pull on his halter. — Ohio 
Farmer, 



Saddle Horses. 

WHAT THEY ARE, AND WHAT THEY OUGHT 
TO BE. 

The Americans have much to learn in 
the matter of saddle-horses; even the 
Southerners who ride a great deal, much 
more we of the North, who ride compara- 
tively little. An easily and stylishly going 
hack, well bitten and broken, is a phe- 
nomenon of rare occurrence among us. 

This doubtless is, in some measure, ow- 
ing to the greater demand for harne.<s hor- 
ses, which carries off nearly all the best 
animals in that direction. But the actual 
saddle-horse material in market is shame- 
fully mism.anaged. Very few dealers, 
stable-keepers or horse fanciers of any sort, 
have the first conception of what a saddle- 
horse is. (Our having no term that corres- 
ponds to the English hack, is an inciden- 
tal proof of this.) Their only idea of one 
is that he can carry a man without falling 
down or running away. They do not even 
know w^hat his gait should be. Thus I 
read some time since, in your western cor- 
respondence, that "a horse which could 
not rack was only half a saddle horse ;" 
and this opinion, I am sorry to say, is not 
confined to the West. Now, if there is 
anything more than another utterly ruinous 
to the formation of a class of hacks, (I 
shall continue to use the English term 
without fear of being misunderstood,) it is 
the idea that a hack should travel camel- 
fashion, with both legs on the same side of 
the ground at once. 

In the first place, tliis gait (call it am- 
bling, racking, pacing, or what you will,) 
is the most ugly and ungraceful ever de- 
vised for a quadruped. Some rackers look 
less ugly in motion than others, particular- 
ly some of the very fast pacers, which is 
partly because they are going at such alo- 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



40c 



Comotive velocity that you have not a 
chance to criticise their action. But siyle 
and beauty are terms inapplicable to ihe 
action of any racker. This I say not only 
of American horses, but of all horses that 
pace. When the Persians appeared last 
year in Paris, the general remark among 
connoisseurs was, " What fine horses, if 
they were only broken to a proper gait!" 
But the rack is defended on the ground 
of its easiness (to the rider, of course ; that 
it is a fatiguing gait to the horse, is gener- 
ally admitted.) Even here I believe its 
claims much overrated. If the racking 
motion does not lift the rider from the sad- 
dle, it often swings him (or her) sideways 
in a not very pleasant manner. It is as 
great a mistake to suppose all rackers easy, 
as all trotters hard. But let us admit that 
the rack is, on the whole, an easier gait 
than the trot; it is not by any means so 
easy as the canter, which our people would 
soon find out, if one in a hundred of them 
ever rode or saw a properly cantering 
horse. 

What is usually called a canter, in Amer- 
ica, is a hand-gallop, as fast or faster than 
a good round trot, and one of the hardest 
gaits a horse has, particularly if not accus- 
tomed to it. Thus I have seen a getitle- 
man liding a 3.15 trot, and a lady canter- 
ing alongside him. Now the real canter 
is something very different from this ; and 
as it is the essential pa.ce of a hack (though 
not by any means his only pace, as we 
shall have occasion to remark further on,) 
it may be well to explain it in detail. The 
canter proper is a slow gait, rather under 
than above eight miles an hour. A small 
or short-bodied horse usually has a short 
stride, which is generally the easiest, 
though not the handsomest cantei. A 
large horse witfi some blood (and a large 
horse must have some blood to be a good 
hack,) usually has a long stride, and may 
appear to be going faster than the rate 
above mentioned, but in reality is not, for 
he rests or dwells in his canter, lifting his 
feet slowly. 

The horse must canter on his right leg — 
that is to say, he must put out his off fore- 
leg in his stride. The reason sometimes 
assigned for this, that he looks better thus, 
is not the real one. There may be a sort 
of conventional beauty in it. In London 
or Paris it does not look well — that is to 
say it looks odd — to a connoisseur to see a 



horse cantering on the l?ft leg, because 
all hacks are trained to cimter on the right, 
but some horses are actually more showy — 
higher in their action, and more inclined 
to prance and curvet on the left leg than 
on the right. The real reason is a better 
one, that the canter of most horses is much 
easier when they put the right leg fore- 
most. I say of most horses, for there are 
exceptions to this rule, as to all others. 
Now and then you will meet a horse who 
who canters naturally on his left leg ; it is 
very difficult to start him on the right leg, 
and when 5^ou succeed in doing so, his 
pace is not so easy. But these are rare 
exceptions. Most horses are sensibly ea- 
sier on their right leg; there is no neces- 
sity for looking down to see which leg is 
first, you might tell it blindfold. 

He must start on his canter easily, with- 
out pulling or rushin-g. Whether he is 
walking or trotting, a gentle lift of the 
hand should set him off in a hand-gallop 
for the first fifty yards before he settles, 
nor require a hard pull afterwards to keep 
him from unsettling himself again, by 
quickening his pace to the same gallop. 
Still less must he slide into a trot, when 
not wanted to leave off cantering. 

But thoWgh the canter is the most essen- 
tial pace of the hack, it is not by any 
means his only one. When you do find 
an American saddle-horse that can really 
canter, he is pretty sure to have learned 
it at the expense of all idea of trotting. — 
But the hack must know how to trot at a 
moderate pace, both on his own account 
and his rider's. On his own account, be- 
cause the canter is an artificial gait, and 
however easy to the horseman, faiiguing 
to the horse if constantly persisted in. On 
his rider's, for many reasons. The canter 
is peculiarly a gait for summer; in cold or 
raw weather it is really too easy, and not 
exercise enough. The trot is a more ap- 
pro[)riate gait in many situations, especial- 
ly in passing through a town or village. — 
The canter is a slow pace, and should the 
equestrian be pressed for time, if his horse 
will not trot, he must run him, which is 
not pleasant on a high road, nor particu- 
larly beneficial to the horse's legs and feet. 
For these and many other reasons, the 
hack should be able to trot a good round 
trot of ten or eleven miles an hour. He 
must also have some notion of running, 
fast env)Ugh, at any rate, to get out of the 



404 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



way of any crowd of trotters or pacers — 
the only case in which it is right and pro- 
per to run a horse on the road. He should 
be capable of being bi'ought down from 
his run in somewhat less time than it lakes 
to pull up a locomotive. Of course, he 
cannot be expected to run as he canters, 
always on the right ]eg. He will some- 
times even change legs while running. 

Finally, he must be a good walker — not 
merely a safe one, but with a certain speed, 
say 3^ miles an hour; otherwise he will 
always be " paddling," or going "butter 
and e^gs" in company with other horses. 
The end of walking is to repose both horse 
and rider, and this kind of jig-jog does 
neither. There is a kind of dancing or 
dwelling trot, slower than a good walk, 
which some spirited and highly-trained 
horses have. It is a very nice accomplish- 
ment for a fashionable hack, but he ought 
always to be able also to walk when re- 
quired. 

A man riding much alone, and in all 
sorts of weathers, except the very worst, 
wants a pretty lively horse under him, one 
that is rather frisky than otherwise, and 
never requires urging. But riding in com- 
pany, especially in ladies' company, he 
wants a quiet horse. Now ih4 difficulty 
is that horses are very apt to excite one 
another when together; the same animal 
who, alone, will canter five miles without 
once bearing on the rein, or changing legs, 
will begin to haul and jump when he finds 
himself in a party. 1 have strong doubts 
if the two things are compatible. At any 
rate, it is well to bear this in mind. K a 
man rides enough to require two saddle- 
horses, (and lew who ride regularly can do 
with only one,) it is easy to choose them 
of different temperaments; otherwise he 
ir»ust make his selection according as he is 
likely to ride oftener alone or in company. 

It would be ibreign to our present pur- 
pose, and would occupy too much time to 
treat of the hack's points. We have only 
undertaken to speak of his gait. Never- 
theless, a few hints may not altogeiher be 
out of place. The first essential lor safety 
is that he have a good oblique tshoulder. I 
say ike first, for a horse with weak legs, 
or unsound feet, may break down, but a 
horse with a straight shoulder must, and 
will probably come on his knees just when 
you least expect it. Next to the shoulder 
come the fore legs and feet, which should 



be unexceptionable. A thrush, for in- 
stance, is only a small blemish in a har- 
ness horse, but a dangerous defect in a 
hack. Of the sort of neck that a hack 
should have, I treated at length last win- 
ter in an essay on Martingales. A horse 
that is short in the body will not be likely 
to run fast or pleasantly. Never buy a 
horse for the saddle if you can find traces 
of " interfering" anywhere on him, behind 
or before. Bad shoeing may have caused 
the habit, it is true, and good shoeing may 
be able to cure it, but the experiment is a 
risky one ; and recollect you cannot put a 
boot on him, as you may on a carriage 
horse. 

It is a pity our people do not ride more. 
The climate is sometimes made an excuse, 
but nobody who owns a "flyer" ever 
thinks it too cold to drive, and driving is 
much colder work than riding. If the 
summer mid-day is too warm, the morn- 
ings and evenings are delicious. There is 
nothing like riding for the liver, the part 
of the human frame most usually out of 
order in America. The 2:40 flyer is a 
great institution, and very well in his way, 
but for health and real enjoyment nothing 
equals the saddle. — Carl Bekson, in J\''. 
Y. Sjnrit of the Times. 

Remarks. — Few men have enjoyed 
better opportunity for observation, with 
better taste for judging, than the writer of 
the above. We knew his good father — a 
most eloquent clergyman of the Church of 
England, sojourning in New England over 
thirty years ago But Charlie was rich, 
from a family alliance with John Jacob 
Astor, and has spent much of his time in 
Europe, living in clover ; and if there are 
good horses in the world, and good horse- 
manship, he is as likely to know^ about 
them as any one. There are capital points 
in the above chapter. — Ohio Cultivator. 



Galls from Harness or Saddle. 

Major Long, in his written and valuable ac- 
count of his expedition to the Rocky Moun- 
tains, says tliat his party found Avliite lead, 
moistened with milk, to succeed bettor than 
anything else in preventing the bad effects of 
gall on their horses' backs, in their fatiguing 
march over the plains that border the moun- 
tains. Its efi'ects in soothing the irritated 
and inflamed surface was admirable. — 'Anier. 
Farmer. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



405 



From the Country Gentleman. 

Fatal Disease in Horses. 

We published some months since, an account 
of a disease in horses, then prevalent in Ten- 
nessee, together with an inquiry as to its cause 
and cure, from E. Link, Esq. This was copied 
in the Spirit of the Times, in a late No. of that 
paper we find the following letter on the sub- 
ject: 

Albuquerque, New Mexico, Aug. 10, 1855. 

My Dear Colonel — I cut the above notice of 
a "Fatal Disease in Horses,'^ from a " Spirit of 
the Times," published in June of this year. 

When I arrived in Albuquerque, in Septem- 
ber, 1853, the horses of my company were in 
very good health. In two or three weeks I 
observed that two of them' were attacked, as I 
supposed, with blind staggers, and I treated 
them for that disease. They died in ten hours 
after they were first attacked. Shortly after- 
wards I observed one of my horses standing 
•with his forehead pressed forcibly against the 
wall of the stable. It required great efforts on 
the part of two or three men to drag him away 
from the wall. The moment he lost the sup- 
port it afforded, he staggered wildly about 
the stable, and finally fell down and died, in 
great agony, in two or three hours Shortly 
afterwards I observed a horse attacked with a 
fit of trembling, as if he experienced some hor- 
rible fright. A cold perspiration broke out all 
over him, the water falling in frequent drops 
from his belly and flanks. No remedies which 
I could devise seemed to afford the least possi- 
ble relief. This horse also died in a few hours. 
Others were attacked in a similar manner to 
those to which I have alluded, and I never, by 
any method of treating which I could glean 
from books, or from others' experience, suc- 
ceeded in saving a single one, until fourteen 
had died in about twelve days. 

I observed that the first symptoms of an ap- 
proaching attack which each horse appeared to 
indicate — however Proteus-like in its phases 
the disease might eventually show itself —was 
a frequent shaking of the head and " flopping" 
of the ears. Then, generally, in an>^ hour or 
two, would commence moving about in' a circle, 
if he were left in an open yard — frequently 
staggering and stumbling in his walk. As his 
sufferings became more intense, he would some- 
times beat his head against a wall, until his 
eyes would become so swollen as to deprive 
him completely of sight. The horse never ate 
or drank after he became so far gone as to walk 
about as if on a ring ; and I never saw one 
that seemed to take the least notice of passing- 
objects after that time. 

After failing in every method I could adopt 
to save even one of the fourteen which 1 lost, I 
at length got Surgeon Abadie, of the Army, to 
dissect the head of one which had just died, 
with a view to discover, if possible, the cause 
of this sinoiular disease. The vessels of the 



brain were found very much engorged with 
blood, and a quantity of water was found be- 
tween the integuments that enveloped it. The 
skull was sawn asunder so as to expose the 
courses followed by the tortuous gallery in 
which are situated the organs of hearing. In 
this gallery, with his head imbedded in the 
tympanum of the ear, and his body so enlarged 
as to deprive him of the power of retrograding, 
even if he had desired to *' back out" of his 
position, the doctor found a large tick. He be- 
lieved that the horse had died from the presenc*^ 
of this insect, and the irritation resulting from 
his persistent bite. The doctor suggested pour- 
ing a tea-spoonful of sweet oil into each ear of 
every horse, and then in pouring a tea-spoonful 
of a strong decoction of tobacco (with, say, a 
gill of aqiia ammonia, to six gills of the de- 
coction,) also put into each ear of every horse. 
This I did as often as once a month for the 
whole of the succeeding winter. And from 
that time to the present, whenever I have seen 
a single horse holding his head on one side, 
and "flopping" his ears, I have had the whole 
number treated in this manner. Since then I 
have lost but three horses from this cause, and 
I have had more than a hundred at a time in 
my stables, at different periods since the fall of 
'53. I believe the disease alluded to by the 
correspondent of the "Albany Country Gentle- 
man," is the same which I had in my stables. 
If so, perhaps this communication, which I had 
but a few moments to scribble off, may be of 
some service. 

James Henry Carlton, U. S. A. 



From the Ohio Valley Farmer. 

County Court Day at Paris, Ky. 

It is a custom long established in some of 
the interior counties of Ky., to make " County 
Court Day" the occasion for the sale of mules, 
cattle, horses, and anything else that owners 
see proper to offer. Upon arriving in Paris 
last court day, (1st Monday in April,) I found 
the streets literally jammed with men, quadru- 
peds and vehicles. The noise was suggestive 
of Babel. Here was an auctioneer upon horse- 
back, selling a herd of mules, which owners 
and bidders had surrounded, and thus kept to- 
gether. Near by was another auctioneer, 
mounted upon a wagon, selling a lot of sewing 
machines; farther along a livery stable was 
undergoing ih^ vendue ordeal. Scattered at 
random through the streets were vendors of 
carriages, saddles, bridles, harness, fruit trees, 
and patent corn planters, which last, as ex- 
plained by a native, " drapped and kivered 
both." Occupying the more retired positions, 
were representatives from the mountain 
counties, with white pines, chinkapins, moun- 
tain honeysuckles, and tar for sale. The tar 
was put up in little kegs, with a view of being 
sold direct to the consumer. I was especially 



406 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



amused and gratified with one feature of the 
day's transactions. 

Just as an auctioneer had concluded one of 
his principal sales, a venerable looking old 
negro woman, mounted upon an ancient piece 
of horse-flesh, rode up and requested him to 
sell her horse, which he proceeded to do, after 
"Aunt Ann" had enumerated the many good 
qualities of her charger. These he repeated, 
adding: " Gentlemen, you all knoio Aunt Ann 
wonH tell a lie." After laboring about as hard 
as though a valuable thorough-bred of a gran- 
dee owner was under his hammer, he affected a 
sale at handsome figures. During the sale 
" Aunt Ann'' remained in the saddle, and 
although she was the most prominent feature 
of the crowd, she at no time, was treated with 
other than respect and consideration. 

Annexed will be found a condensed report, 
from the Paris Flag, of the principal sales of 
the day. I. N. L. 

Great Monthly Sale of Live Stock, &c., 
AT EouRBON County Court. — Last Mondy was 
decidedly the liveliest sale day we have had 
since the financial pressure commenced, though 
not to be compared to the sale days before that 
time, when over ^200,000 worth of stock and 
$1,500,000 of money changed hands. Mr. 
Hibler, the principal mule auctioneer, reports 
about 800 head of mules, 500 head of cattle 
and great numbers of horse offered. There 
was a decided improvement in the prices of all 
kinds of stock, and sales were more readily 
effected than at late courts. From his reports, 
and our own observations, we condense the fol- 
lowing : 

Sixty-two head of two year old mules sold at 
$116 per head; twenty do. at $146 75; thir- 
teen do. at $108 25; others down to $86; nine 
yearlings at $95 10; forty nine do. at $93 80 ; 
others as low as $66; broken mules at $350 to 
$293 ; horses from $347 to 59. Cattle two and 
three years old at $43, $37, $23, &c., yearlings 
at $30, $21, $16, &c. Mr. Hibler's sales 
reached about $35,000. The sales of the other 
auctioneers would swell the amount to $50,000. 

The banks afibrded some accommodations. 
The private money dealers operated at one and 
two per cent., many paying the latter price to 
prevent suit against them at coming court. 
The show of stallions was indeed a splendid 
one, about twenty-five of the finest horses in 
the country being upon parade. — Paris [10/.) 
Flag. 



The Ingalls fow. 

"VVe publish the following account of the 
Ingalls Cow for a reason. It is that persons 
who have animals of such qualities may turn 
their attention to perpetuating their stock. 
Many a man has an animal of similar, only 



not so remarkable properties, of no particular 
breed, which might be made, by judicious 
breeding, to leave descendants quite as good as 
herself. Now, indeed, such cases are acciden- 
tal because very few cows are bred to particu- 
lar bulls with reference to perpetuating their 
milking qualities ; but if this were done, the 
accident would become the rule. The plan of 
doing it is exceedingly simple, and is as follows: 
Let every one who wishes good milking kine 
get Guerrer's pamphlet — from J. W. Randolph, 
price 37 cents— and study the six or eight best 
escutcheons for milk — then select from his 
stock such animals as present these marks, and 
a bull of similar marks ; have the cows well 
milked and await the event in patience ; when 
after years of trial, such observers as Messrs. 
James Newman, of Orange, Raleigh Colston 
and R. W. N. Noland of Albemarle, John B. 
Crenshaw of Henrico, George Watt of Rich- 
mond and Wm. B. Sydnor of Henrico say a 
thing is true — as they do most emphatically of 
Guerrer's theory — it is time that other men of 
sense were beginning to act on it. 

Heretofore no breed of cattle has ever been 
raised with reference to quantity and quality 
of milk, and durability in milking. But it is 
as easy — nay, easier, to establish such a breed 
than to have brought the Short Horns or the 
Devons to their present high development. 

[Ed. So. Planter. 

This cow was owned by Hon. H. Ingalls, 
of Mercer, and sold by him to a gentle- 
man in Lowell, Massachusetts. While on 
her way to Massachusetts, she passed 
through this city, one morning, having 
travelled nearly all of a warm night, and 
while she stood panting and weary, rest- 
ing in the shade, we had a daguerreotype 
taken of her by Lamson, from which the 
above engravinor was made. This will 
account for the attitude she is in, and her 
lank appearance, for which the reader will 
make due allowance. One part of the 
portrait is, however, very correct, viz ; 
the udder, which, though at the time not 
so full as it sometimes was, is however, 
so well developed, that every one can 
judge that she was a superior milker. 

At that time (1847) we published in the 
Farmer answers to queries in regard to 
the cow. Mr. Ingalls gave us the follow- 
ing, being a statement of the yield of his 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER' 



407 



cow, in milk and butter for fourteen days, 
ending June 27: — 

First week, whole weight of 

milk, 353 lbs. 
Average per day, 50 " 7 oz. 

Greatest weight in one day, 53 " 8 " 
Whole weight of butter 1st 

week, 19 " 10 " 

Second week, whole weight 

of milk, 367 " 4 " 

Average per day, 52 " 8 " 

Greatest weight in one day, 56 '* 4 " i 
Whole weight of butter 2d 

week, 21 " 

Making 40 lbs. 10 ouncQs of butter in 
fourteen days, requiring 18 lbs. of milk to 
make one pound of butter. 

The cow is from the native breed 
crossed with the Durham, and is nine 
years old, of good size, gentle and docile, 
and does not look to be more than six 
years old. 

In answer to inquries made in the Far- 
mer respecting the parents of the cow ; 
Mr. A. J. Downes, of Mercer, a neighbor 
of Mr. Ingalls, states that this (the Ingalls) 
cow was raised by Mr. Newcomb True, of 
Mercer, and calved December, 1837. Her 
mother was brought into the town of 
Luther Burr, Esq., who bought her (the 
mother) of John Frizzell, of Starks, when 
she was two years old. Mr. Burr de- 
scribes her as being a little black cow of 
the native breed. She had a calf when 
two years old, and ai that time gave a 
very large quantity of rich milk, and con- 
tinued to increase in milk, till she was six 
years old. This season, running with two 
or three other cows in a very rich pasture, 
she gave a very large quantity of milk, 
and so large was her bag in proportion to 
her very diminutive body, that she excited 
great admiration. 

But she began to run down, and finally 
got so feeble that she could not get up 
alone, and all this time gave as much milk 
as either two of the other cows, which 
were considered first rate. As no one 
could tell what the matter was, a farrier 
was sent for, who examined her, but could 
not find that there was any disease about 
her. 

He ordered her to be kept up and fed 
on hay, as upon this fare she began to gain 
strength, after a while a little Indian meal 



was added, and she finally got over her 
weakness. 

Neither her milk nor butter was eyer 
weighed, but it is thought that she gave as 
much as the Ingalls cow. 

The infirmities of age began to creep 
upon her while young; her eyes began to 
grow dim, and her ears dull of hearing, 
and she finally became blind and deaf, but 
her appetite never failed. She would eat 
anything in the shape of food. 

She, like the celebrated Morgan horse, 
left a large family to hand her good quali- 
ties down to posterity. All her calves, 
with one exception, were heifers, and 
made first-rate cows for milk ; and they 
all seemed to inherit the good qualities of 
their mother to the third and fourth genera- 
tion. 

When about worn out, she was disposed 
of to Mr. True for ten dollars, and with 
much care and nursing he succeeded in 
raising from her one of the best cows this 
country ever afforded, the " Ingalls cow." 

This history comprises all that is known 
respecting the origin of the breed. Mr. 
Frizzil is not able to give any account of 
her — does not recollect what cow she came 
of. He kept at the time a number of cows 
which were good, but nothing extra. He 
thinks their superior milking qualities were 
not hereditary. 

This cow was certainly a very remarka- 
ble one, but no satisfactory reasons can now 
be given why she and her descendants 
have proved themselves so much more 
valuable for dairy purposes than many 
cows of this country. 



To Keep Butter Hard and Cool. 
A writer in the Scientific ^me7ican re- 
commends to the ladies a very simple 
arrangement for keeping butter nice and 
cool in the hottest weather. Procure a 
large, new flower pot of sufficient size to 
cover the butter plate, and also a saucer 
large enough for the flower pot to rest in 
upside down ; place a trivet or meat stand, 
(such as is sent to the oven when a joint is 
baked) in the saucer, and put on this trivet 
the plate of butter ; now fill the saucer with 
water, and turn the flower pot over the 
butter, so that its edge will be below the 
water. The hole in the flower pot must 
be fitted with a cork ; the butter will then 
be in what we may call an air-tight 



408 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



chamber. Let the whole of the outside of 
the flower pot be then thoroughly drenched 
with water and place it in as cool a place 
as you can. If this be done over night, 
the butter will be as " firm as a rock " at 
breakfast time ; or, if placed there in the 
morning, the butter will be quite hard for 
use at tea hour. The reason of this is, 
that when water evaporates, it produces 
cold ; the porous pot draws up the water 
which in warm weather quickly evaporates 
from the sides and thus cools it, and as no 
warm air can now get at the butter, it be- 
comes firm and cool in the hottest day. 



Quantity of Milk for a Pound of Butter. 

Much difference of opinion is enter- 
tained in relation to the quantity of milk 
required to make a pound of butter. It is 
true that there is a very great difference 
in the qualitj^ of milk from different cows. 
The feed, also, has much influence upon 
the richness of the milk. The milk of the 
Alderney cow will give much more butter 
from a given quantity of milk, than any 
other breed with which we are familiar — 
but it is very desirable to ascertain, as far 
practicable, what is the fair average of 
dairies, composed of the dairy cows of 
this country, and treated as our best dairy 
cows are by good dairymen. 

We requested a dairyman in this State, 
Joshua Holbert, of Chemung, to make 
the experiment, and furnish us with the 
result. He has done so and his statement 
will be found annexed. From this it will 
be seen that the fair average of the dairy, 
taking the season through, is fourteen 
quarts of milk for a pound of butter. We 
have made extensive inquiries since the 
statement was furnished, and the general 
expression of dairymen, in our own and 
adjoining States, corresponds with that of 
Mr, Holbert. 

It will be seen in the report which we 
give of Mr. T. Horsfall, of England, on 
the management of dairy cattle, that the 
same average is found in Mecklenburg, 
Prussia, Holland and Great Rritain. 

It is very important that our dairymen 
should make careful trial of different va- 
rieties of feed, testing the qualities of 
each, and thus ascertain what is the most 
beneficial, in addition to the ordinary pas- 
tures of the farm. Indian corn for soil- 
ing has been very successfully used in this 
State for dairy cattle — and in the severe 



drought of 1854, those of our dairymen 
who had this resource, were enabled to 
make their full complement of butter, 
while others suffered a very great reduction 
in their annual produce. The Chinese Su- 
gar Cane is recommended as favorable for 
this purpose, and its extensive culture 
during the approaching season will doubt- 
les test its value. The Stowell Evergreen 
corn has proved the most valuable variety 
for soiling that we have known in this 
State. We hope our dairymen will give 
attention to the subject, and communicate 
to the Society the results of the trials 
which may be made, with any variety of 
corn for soiling. 

JOSHUA S. HOLBERT's STATEMENT. 

B. P. Johnson, Esq : In order to ascer- 
tain the quantity of milk necessary to 
niake a pound of butter, I have measured 
several churnings of milk, and then, 
weighed the butter, and it takes now 15 
quarts of milk to make one pound of but- 
ter. I think, to take the whole time of 
niilking for the year, it will take 14 quarts. 
My father, John Holbert, thinks it will 
take between 13 and 14. Last fall, while 
feeding pumpkins, about 9 quarts made a 
pound. Joseph Holbert. Trans, JV. Y. 
State jlg. Society. 

The Ox Breeze Fly. 

OESTRUS BOVIS. 

This fly has received various names, 
but in the larvce state it is generally knowa 
as warbles, or wurmuls, a corruption of the 
word wormholes. The parent fly, magni- 
fied, is a little larger than the common 
house fly, but is very hairy, and resem- 
bles a small humble bee, differing, how- 
ever, in the number of its wings, of which, 
like the house-fly, it has two only. The 
Thorax is black, the abdomen barred black 
and white, the tip orange, the head brown 
with black eyes, antennce small, legs black- 
ish, the whole body hairy, or downy, and 
the wings transparent, and | of an inch 
in extent. The ovipositur of the female, 
like that of all the breeze flies, is com- 
posed of a number of tubes which slide 
into each other like those of a telescope ; 
when she intends to deposit her eggs, she 
extends her ovipositor with an egg held at 
the end of it, and leaves the egg among 
the hairs, and on close contact with the 
skin. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



409 



Writers have differed considerably in 
regard to the method by which the parent 
insect de})osits her eggs. The earlier au- 
thors stating that she bored a hole in the 
skin of the ox, in which was deposited an 
i'gg ; but later and more accurate obser- 
vers have shown that this is not the case. 
When the egg is hatched, the little foot- 
less worm immediately penetrates the 
skin, and forms a cell under it, living upon 
mucus, or pus, formed by the irritation 
produced by its presence. When fully 
grown, it presents somewhat the shape of 
an ordinary grist loom, of a brownish color 
and rough. The hole by which it enters 
the skin when young, still remains open, 
and through this the animal breaths, the 
spiracles being placed at the apex of the 
abdomen, and this part of the body is al- 
ways visible in the aperture. When the 
larvaae has obtained its full growth, it 
works itself through this hole and falls to 
the ground, which it enters, and then un- 
dergoes its transformation to a pupa of a 
blackish color. These warbles are gene- 
rally found on young cattle, or those in 
good condition ; the fly selecting such, as 
better suited to the rearing of its young. 
Much difference of opinion exists as to 
the amount of damage which they do. 
Some think that their presence is rather 
beneficial than otherwise ; when they are 
very numerous, however, the animal loses 
flesh, and does not present as healthy an 
appearance as it did formerly. The best 
method of destroying these grubbs, is to 
open the hole a little with a sharp pen- 
knife, and press the tumor sufficiently to 
expel its inhabitant ; afterwards keep the 
part clean, and it will soon heal up. The 
grub should not be killed in the tumoi and 
left there, as it will putrify and produce a 
much worse state of things than if left 
entirely alone. Cattle are much excited 
by the presence of the flies, and run about 
in apparent terror. — Ohio Farmer. 



The Potatoe Weevil. 

Why is it that no notice is ever taken of 
this very destructive insect? The top of 
wheat by the grain weevil bears a far less 
annual proportion to its market value, than 
the potatoe suffers by a similar cause. — 
Our agricultural press is so silent on the 
subject, that full seventy-five per cent of 
potatoe growers are unaware of the in- 



sect's existence, or the loss they suffer 
by it. 

The insect is nearly the size of the cur- 
culio, or plum weevil. So far as I have 
been able to ascertain, the egg is deposited 
in the stalk of the potatoe about the end 
of June or beginning of July. The grub 
or worm is fully grown in a few weeks af- 
terwards, and commences with its exis- 
tence to bore downwards through the 
heart of the stalk, so weakening the 
power of the stalk to draw its proper sup- 
ply of moisture from the soil, that the first 
warm August sun completely dries up the 
plant, and all growth of the potato tubers 
of course at once ceases. But the larvae 
remains so long as the least particle of nu- 
triment, as is left, when it very rapidly 
passes through its chrysoloid existence to 
its common beetle form ; and about the 
end of September or beginning of Octo- 
ber, passes out of the stems into the soil, 
read}' to commence with the return of 
spring its annual depredations. 

The damage done by the insect is 
greater in dry seasons than in wet ones, 
for obvious reason. From careful obser- 
vation, I have no hesitation in saying that, 
in my opinion, the insect has done more 
to shorten our crops this season than the 
hot sun did. The late crops have done 
considerably better than the earlier ones, 
not because in the earlier part of their ex- 
istence they had not as hot suns to con- 
tend with, but chiefly because the strength 
of the insect is principally expended on 
the early crops. I believe it would not be 
too much to rate the loss to the potato 
crop by this insect, in this region at leasts 
at 50 per cent on the full crop. 

The history of this insect seems to be 
enveloped in mystery. Its existence in 
any numbers seem to be coeval with that 
of the potato disease. My own experi- 
ence of it is limited to the last four years, 
when examining some stalks in a three 
acre patch at Holmesburg, quite dead in 
the middle of August, 1852. I found the 
grub in every stem. Since then I have 
found that the insect had been observed 
by other parties of more investigating dis- 
positions, before. Whether it had any 
bearing on the original potato disease I 
feel unable to decide ; but the appearance 
of the two about the same time is a re- 
markable coincidence. I may, however, 
observe, that with the potato disease as it 



410 



THE SOUTHEKN PLANTEK. 



was at first developed, 1 am well acquaint- 
ed ; but have never seen since by any op- 
eration of this insect, nor indeed by any 
other agency the same appearance, and I 
am led to conclude that if this insect had 
no connection with the original disease, 
that peculiar disease has entirely left us, 
as I think, all our present losses are en- 
tirely attributable to it. 

Fortunately, in this instance we have 
the remedy in our own hands. About the 
middle of September, or earlier, if the 
stalks decay, they can be collected and 
burnt. Two or three years of this prac- 
tice would go far to eradicate them, if 
generally practiced. Even by the time 
this gets into print, many may still be 
found in the dead stems ; and, by being 
burnt, will go far to lessen the strength of 
the enemy for next season's campaign. I 
should have noticed it earlier, and in lime 
to have rendered the advice more useful, 
had I not expected that some account from 
worthier pens would have appeared some- 
where ; as I know many parties better ac- 
quainted with the habits of the insect 
than I am, and more fitted to point out the 
mischief it is causing. Of late years there 
is too much tendency in some quarters to 
ridicule and satirise any new idea ; and 
purely scientific persons, who have no pe- 
cuniary interest to serve by publishing 
their observations, shrink from the risk of 
controversy with those who, in their zeal 
for their own opinions, lose both good tem- 
per and the proprieties of literary inter- 
course ; aud thus the existence of many 
useful facts is unknown to those most in- 
terested, until blundered on by thick- 
skinned writers, like myself, whom the 
frequent use of the lash has rendered in- 
diflferent to praise, or callous to censure ; 
to the great injury of practical men. 

[Germantown (^Pa.) Telegraph. 



Kemedy for Fleas. 

Messrs. Editors — J. E. W., in your 
paper of 10th September, asks for a rem- 
edy for fleas. Nothing, I believe, but the 
Frenchman's powder will kill them ; but 
the following will keep them from his bed. 
Take five or six pieces of camphor of the 
size of a walnut; tie them up separately 
in pieces of cloth ; take them to bed, pla- 
cing them in different parts top and bot- 



tom, and I think he will sleep with less an- 
noyance from the pests. 

I learned the above remedy many years 
ago when in Paris, where fleas abound. 
A Subscriber. 
Jamaica Plains, Mass, 

[^Country Gentleman. 



Antidote to Musquitoes. 

The following letter was addressed to a 
London paper : 

" Sir : Allow me to hand you the follow- 
ing recipe as a certain preventive to at- 
tacks of musquitoes, black flies, &c. ; gly- 
cerine 4 oz., oil of spearmint 2^ drachms; 
oil of turpentine 4 drachms. The face, 
neck, hands, in fact all parts exposed, to 
be rubbed with the mixture. This was 
given me by an eminent' American physi- 
cian previous to going into the State of 
Maine on a hunting expedition. I never 
knew it used without perfect success," 

Overseers' Rules. 
The following rules were laid down by 
a good overseer in Jackson Parish, La., 
and published in the Times. Read them : 

1. Before going lo bed, I will think over 
what I have to do the next day, and note 
it down upon my slate, in order that it 
may be recollected on the morrow. 

2. I shall rise early, and never let the 
negroes catch me in bed of a mornino^, but 
see that they are all put regularly to their 
work. 

3. After rising I shall not idle about, 
but go directly at the business of my em- 
ployer. I shall see that the negroes are 
at their work ; that the horses have been 
fed, the cattle attended to, &c. If any of 
the negroes have been reported as sick, I 
sliall at once see that proper medicine and 
attendance are given. 

4. Wherever the neojroes are working, 
I shall consider it my duty to be frequent- 
ly with them, in oi der that I may see how 
they get along. I shall not content my- 
self with doing this once a day, but I shall 
do so repeatedly, observing every time 
what they are doing, and how they do it. 
I shall never permit them to do any work 
wrong if it takes the whole day to do it 
right. 

5. JVegroes. — I shall see that the ne- 
groes are regularly fed, and that they keep 
themselves clean. Once a week at least, 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



411 



I shall go into each of their houses, and 
see that they have been swept out and 
cleaned. I shall examine the blankets, 
&c., and see that they have been well 
aired; that everything has been attended 
to which conduces to their comfort and 
happiness. 

6 Horses. — I shall consider it my busi 
ness to see that the horses are properly 
fed and rubbed ; their stable is well liter- 
ed. When harnessed and at work. I shall 
see that their harness fits, and does not 
gall them, recollecting that these animals, 
though dumb, can feel as well as myself. 

7. Cattle. — I shall daily see that the 
cattle have been penned, that they have 
good water to drink ; and I shall at once 
see how 1 can best procure a ])asture for 
them. I shall let the cattle minder know 
that he is watched and held responsible 
for these things. 

8. Milch Cows. — I shall contrive to 
procure these the best pastures, if possi- 
ble. I shall feed them night and morning, 
and shall so manage it as always to have 
something for them to eat when penned. 

d. Houses, Fences, Sfc. — i shall endea- 
vor never to let these get out of order. 
The moment I discover any of them out 
of repair, I shall have them attended to, 
never forgetting that " a stitch in time 
saves nine." 

10. Carts, Wagons. S^c. — I shall observe 
the same rules about these as about the 
horses, &c., and shall never put off attend- 
ing them until I may want to use them, 
when I shall not have time to do so. 

11. Time. — I \vill always recollect that 
my time is not my own, but my employ- 
er's, and I shall consider my neglect of 
his business, as so much unjustly taken 
out of his pocket. 

12. Visits. — If any one calls to see me 
I shall entertain him politely ; but I shall 
never forget to attend to business on that 
account. '• Business first, and amuse- 
ments afterwards" shall be my motto. If 
any of my friends are displeased at this 
rule, the sooner they cease to be friends 
the better. — Southern Cultivator. 



All About Overseers. 
In this age of humanity and Christian 
enlightenment, no change of society is 
more remarkable, than that which has sub- 
stituted moral, for physical force, persua- 



sion for compulsion. In all the ramifica- 
tions of life, where authority is necessary 
this peculiarity may be traced from the ex- 
treme of capital punishment, to the minor 
penalties of social insubordination. The 
government has thought proper to do away 
with flogging in the Navy, States have 
abandoned the same in the penitentiaries 
and common prisons, and down has the 
reibrm come, until even the sage counsels 
of Solomon have been dis])uted, and "the 
spare rod and spoil the child" system of 
social management, has given way to ap- 
peal, to moral sense and considerate rea- 
son. A reform so g<meral and universal 
in its application could not take place 
without benefitting m some degree the ne- 
gro, who, of all classes of society, is most 
dependent for happiness upon the kind- 
ness and humanity of those who control 
him. The ameliorations in this respect, 
consist in the better character of overseers. 
As a class, they exercise an influence that 
is felt, wherever the reign of King Cotton 
is acknowledged. Upon their prudence, 
skill and industry, depends the millions of 
money for which the cotton crop is annu- 
ally exchanged. Upon their discretion, 
judgment and humanity depends the hap- 
piness, to a great extent, of the millions of 
slaves, whose muscular energies wield 
the implements of Southern husbandry. — 
Standing midway between the proprietor 
and his estates, it is in their power to 
strengthen the influenceof the one by en- 
larging the revenues of the other. Occu- 
pying grounds betwen master and slave, it 
is in their power to lessen the responsibili- 
ty of the former, by judicious management 
of the other. With such facts before us, 
how important to have the right sort of 
overseers .'' and what then constitutes a 
good overseer } 

First, then, he should be morally honest. 
Without this, it is not only in his power to 
wrong his employer, but even the rights 
of the negro are, in a great measure, in 
his hands. The proceeds of the planta- 
tion being placed under his care, or rather 
its means of subsistence, he can appropri- 
ate them to his use slightly to the detri- 
ment of the proprietor, but greatly to the 
suffering of the negro. 

Second, he should be humane. That is, 
he should have enough of true and genuine 
charity about him, to be above the revolt- 
ing consequences of malignant passion, 



412 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



and deal with a conservative hand, in all 
matters affecting the rights and bodily 
comfort of the slave. 

Third, he should be industrious. With- 
out this, the interests of his employer 
would be jeopardized, while the happiness 
of the negroes themselves would in no 
wise be enhanced. The consequences of 
his sloth would be felt in the receipts of 
the plantation, while the negroes would 
grow vicious and turbulent for want of 
proper restraints. Decay would soon write 
his name upon all the perishable objects 
around him, while disorder, confusion and 
misery each would struggle in a war of 
extermination, for an impious ascendency. 
A lazy overseer is a great evil to his em- 
ployer, but a positive curse to the negroes. 

Fourth, he should be a man of decision. 
This would always find him ready for 
emergencies, while it would enable him to, 
guide with a steady hand the reguli 
rounds of business. Without it, a loss of 
tirpe, a wrong application of labor and 
train of general ills would follow. His po- 
sitions once taken, and his choice made, 
his whole available force would move with 
the quick-step of an army. The piteous 
but deceitful whinings of the lying could 
not unnerve him, nor the insolent threats 
and menaces of the rebellious alarm him. 
With this, he could appropriate his labor 
to advantage, and keep a regular system 
of plantation economy. As weather and 
seasons changed, so he could dispose of 
his time and labor, and turn it to the great- 
est account. To see a man trying to kill 
grass with a hoe when his land is in order 
for the plow, or take ten men to do a job 
which five can accomplish is evidence of 
culpable indecision and want of method. 
Besides all this he often has rights to ad- 
judicate among negroes, and without a firm 
discriminating mind, his decisions would 
conflict with the plainest demands of jus- 
tice and common sense. 

Fifth, he should be a man of strict truth. 
Truth is not only a high moral embelifih- 
ment. but it is actually useful in all the re- 
lations of life. It prevents mistakes and 
wrangling on the plantation by keeping up 
a fair understanding, and making each one 
bear his own responsibility. An overseer to 
be swearing that he has corn as high as his 
head, and as clean as a parlor floor, w^hen 
it is not a foot high, and every square inch 
covered with a crop of verdant green which 



he did'nt plant, or to throw responsibility 
from his shoulders when censured by his 
employer, by swearing he told a negro to 
do thus and so, for which, to prove his 
sincerity, he will whip the negro, makes 
but a despicable show of character. 

Sixth, he should be a moral man. The 
idea that a man must swear, because 
he has negroes to manage, is a poor apol- 
ogy for the indulgence of a miserable, vul- 
gar habit. An overseer can have a well 
defined and prompt discipline without the 
use of profanity, and by keeping his tem- 
per and controlling himself with becoming 
dignity, can acquire a much easier com- 
mand over negroes, than by fretting him- 
self into a passion, which he must throw 
off by raging profanity. If he once gets 
into such a habit, negroes will watch for it 
like a sort of moral thermometer, and wait 
for his temper to get to cursing point, be- 
fore they feel inclined to heed him much. 
Then the example to them is pernicious. 
Every overseer should be an exemplar of 
decency at least to the negroes under his 
charge. It is rather an unfavorable argu- 
ment for the institution of slavery, to say, 
that a man cannot manage negroes with- 
out swearing, and one that we know to be 
false. 

Seventh and lastly, an overseer should 
be intelligent. The duties of a plantation 
require a clear practical mind, which 
should be cultivated by reading. Every 
overseer should take two or three papers, 
a majority of which should be agricultural. 
These he should read carefully, because 
they enlighten him on the subjects in 
which he is interested. Beyond that he 
might read, with profit, a few elementary 
works on agricultural chemistry. Time 
spent in this way will not only make him 
wiser, but it will give him character, and 
that will command situations at any time 
and place, at the highest rates. In this 
feature, overseers are more deficient than 
any others. The most of them we know 
to be poor men, who have had no advan- 
tage of education, and think that because 
they had not early opportunities, there is 
no use in trying for improvement at a la- 
ter period of life. But this is all a mis- 
take. The history of our country abounds 
in instances of men, who' have made 
themselves eminently great, by applica- 
tion to books, after the period and respon- 
sibilities of manhood had begun : and 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



41S 



there is no man of ordinary natural mind' 
who cannot add much that is useful and 
ornamental to his acquirements, by reading 
during spare hours. 

These are among the foremost charac- 
teristics, necessary to constitute a good 
overseer, and he that has these, will have 
the minor accomplishments growing from 
them. It is time, that overseers, as a 
class, were aspiring to that elevation of 
character to which they are entitled, and 
we are glad to know, that in a few years 
past, an evident change has taken place 
in their aims and position. The time is 
past, when the mere bull-dog qualities of 
a severe driver or task-master, are only 
required. While planters wish to employ 
men who are good disciplinnriaQS, and 
such as know how to command with de- 
cision, and order with discretion, they, in 
no instance, wish the services of the ty- 
rant, whose delight is in punishment and 
cruelty. Overseers, as thousands of in- 
stances readily attest, can secure the re- 
spect as well as the fear of the negro, and 
govern the plantrition in the absence of 
the proprietor with humanity and kind- 
ness. There are no set of men in the 
State, who could impart more valuable in- 
formation upon the system, if such it may 
be called, of Southern agriculture, and 
we invite them not only to subscribe to 
the Planter & Mechanic, but to adorn its 
pages with the lights of their experience. 
Our friend Harmon of Utica, has set them 
a good example, which it is hoped many 
will follow. By reading agricultural pa- 
pers, and observing closely the operations 
of nature in his pursuits upon the farm, 
he has made himself a ready writer and 
valuable correspondent to the leading ag- 
ricultural papers of the South. He has 
promised in future to pay his special re- 
spects to the Planter & Mechanic, and we 
know of no correspondent whose commu- 
nications deserve more attention either 
from the Planter & Mechanic, or its 
readers. In conclusion let us urge upon 
overseers the propriety of taking our pa- 
per, and reading it, and then writing for 
the same. The profits will be mutual, for 
while they will send us iheir dollar, we 
will send them a journal from which they 
will reap much valuable information, and 
through which they can impart to others 
the same. There are other things to be 
considered in a future number. 



From the Cotton Planter and Soil of the South. 

Short Letters to Overseers~No. 1. 

Dr. Cloud — Dear Sir. — Few positions 
in life are more responsible than that of 
an overseer on a Southern plantation, and 
it is to be feared that many persons under- 
take it without being aware of its respon- 
sibilities. You will therefore not think it 
amiss, if I preface what I have to say 
with a few remarks upon the nature of the 
vocation in which you are engaged. An 
overseer is the equal of his employer ; he 
is his confidential agent. He is entrusted 
with the care of his employer's estate, 
and upon the fidelity with which he dis- 
charges that trust, in a very large degree 
mubt depend the prosperity of that estate. 
You are just as responsible as the head 
clerk to whom the merchant would entrust 
the management of his mercantile afl^airs ; 
or the superintendant to whom the capi- 
talist would confide a manufacturing es- 
tablishment, or the teacher to whom a pa- 
rent would commit the education of his 
children. The nature of the trust is pre- 
cisely th(^ same in your case that it is in 
either of the other instances, though the 
duties which you may have to perform are 
different. Nor is your trust less complex 
than that of either of the other agents to 
which 1 have referred. The management 
of a Southern plantation involves faithful 
attention to a great variety of details. 
From the proper treatment of slaves 
which are placed under you, down to the 
most trifling matter on the plantation, are 
a thousand interests demanding your at- 
tention, and if you are unfaithful in any 
of these particulars, the interests of your 
employer must suffer somewhat. You 
have in your hands not only the result of 
the crop, and to that extent, the annual 
income of your employer, but the health 
and lives of the negroes, the care of the 
live stock and the farming utensils, are all, 
in a great measure, entrusted to your 
keeping, and thus you control not only 
the annual income, but the active invest- 
ment of your employer. With all these 
interests in your hands, you perceive that 
you are entrusted not only with the es- 
tate, but very largely with the peace of 
mind and consequent happiness of those 
who employ you. Surely, then, yours is 
a responsible ofiice, and it would be well 
if you should impress upon your mind a 



414 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



sense of this responsibility. Every prin- 
ciple of honesty and fair dealing requires 
that you should not carelessly undertake 
the duties of a relation which involves 
so much of responsibility. So necessary 
do I regard that you should fully appreciate 
the importance of this thought, that I will 
not divide your attention by introducing 
any other thought in this letter. You 
will hear from me again next month. 

Justus. 



From the Country Gentleman. 

Best Mode of Curing Hay. 

Messrs. Editors. — I notice that a con- 
troversy still goes on respecting the time 
of cutting and manner of curing hay, es- 
pecially timothy. I now intend giving 
my views at length, as it has been my 
study for half my life-time, to cut and 
cure at the time and in the manner most 
palatable to animals, and at the same 
time most nutritive. I believe nothing of 
food kind is nutritive, unless it has a good 
flavour or smell; therefore it is impor- 
tant, both for our own interests and for 
the comfort of the dumb animal under 
our care, that we should have their winter 
food prepared in the best manner we can 
to retain a good flavour. I will state my 
reasons for this opinion : I was informed 
long ago, by one who I suppose knew, 
that to make the tobacco plant a narcotic, 
it had to be gathered at a certain time, and 
cured in a peculiar manner. If not so 
gathered and cured, it would be insipid, 
or lose its naicotic quality, and would not 
be used by man ; and that beautiful flow- 
er, the fox-glove, requires to be gathered 
at a certain stage of its growth, and cured 
in a very peculiar manner, being dried in 
the dark, and then called Digitalis, a pow- 
erful medicine for both man and beast. 
So it is with other medicinal flowers and 
herbs ; they need a certain treatment, both 
in the time of gathering and curing; oth- 
erwise they are worthless. Such reading 
led me to try, and, if possible, find the 
best time for cutting and manner of curing 
hay ; and 1 doubt not, had hay been made 
for man, that centuries before the nine- 
teenth, it would have been a settled point 
by man, or good housewives, as to which 
is the best time of cutting and curing it, 
to answer our tastes. 

I will now give my time of cutting, and 



also manner of curing when cut by 
scythes, as also the manner which I think 
indispensable when cut by machines. 

As to time of cutting, I know that 
every farmer will agree with me, that 
nothing they ever fed to cattle, (that are 
fairly fed during the winter,) will put on 
as much fat or increase their weight near 
as much in a given time, (say two months,) 
as rich pasture. Therefore I argue that 
grass should be cut for ha}'', and not let 
it stand until it becomes dried hay before 
it is cut. If I could cut all my hay in a 
day or two or a little longer, I would let 
timothy stand until the seed was formed, 
but still quite soft; but as that cannot be 
accomplished in the time mentioned, I be- | 
gin when in full flower. 

When cut with the scythe, and the grass 
heavy, I did all the curing in the swath. 
Grass will stand a good deal of rain with- 
out injur}^ if left in the swath, when cut 
green. When I intend to take it in, if not 
thoroughly dry on fie lower side, if wet 
from rain I turn the swaths over before 
raking, if even somewhat green on the 
underside of the swath ; but if no rain 
had fallen, I raked it up, and took it into 
the barns. In that way it took a sw-eat if 
a heavy crop in the swath, and another 
sweat in the mow ; and I hold it indispens- 
able that hay, for either sheep or cattle, 
should have a sweat, and it is equally re- 
quisite as that tobacco or fox-glove should 
have their peculiar modes of curing and 
time of cutting. If a light crop cut with 
scythes, as soon as a little wilted, I raked 
up, put in good sized or rather large cocks, 
let it take a good sweat in the cocks, and 
let them alone until dry enough to take 
in. (Timothy hay cut green and cocked 
in a green state, will stand much rain 
without much injury if let alone.) In 
this way I always made fine flavoured 
hay, and my stock always did well upon it. 

But since we all around here cut our 
grass with machines drawn by horses, the 
mode of curing must be somew^hat differ- 
ent to make fine flavoured nutritive hay. 
The machine cuts and spreads it ns evenly 
as it grows on the ground ; therefore it 
dries much more suddenly than if cut by 
scythes, and the horse-rake ought to be 
started a few hours — (more or fewer, ac- 
cording to the temperature) — after the 
machine is started, and the grass put in 
cock, and not left until the machine has 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



415 



done a day's work, and until Ihe dew goes 
off next morning. If a high temperature, 
your hay will then be so dry that it will 
take no sweat; hence no flavour, and 
much less nutriment. The trouble with 
those men who make a trial of cutting 
green, is that they dry it so much in the 
hot sun that it cannot sweat in either cock 
or mow. I have seen stacks of hay in 
many places, the hay having been put up so 
dry, that if my arm had been long enough 
I could have put my hand through them, 
and that after they had stood for months, 
and the hay had no inore flavour, (except 
the little ripe seed left on,) than brush 
from a dead tree. I want to see no stacks 
or hay mows put up for me but will in a 
week or ten days become so solid that it 
is with difficulty you can push your hand 
into them one foot. 

Now, Messrs. Editors, I have given you 
as lucidly as I can my views and reasons 
for deviating from the rules laid down by 
far more learned men, as to the time for 
cutting and manner of curing timothy hay, 
and indeed all other kinds of hay I have 
had any experience with in this hot cli- 
mate. Yet I have no doubt but some of 
those men, possessed of good talents, will 
criticise my mode not a little, but all I ask 
is, that my brother workmg farmers will 
prove me and try me, and see whether I 
know anything of the true principles of 
making and time of cutting hay. Let 
them follow my plan strictly, and then 
either approve or condemn it, according 
as they find it. As haying will be in less 
than two months, I should be pleased if 
five hundred farmers in the State of 
New York would give my plan a trial and 
report. 

It is high time, in this age of enterprise 
in the world, that the true time and 
method of catting and curing hay was 
known, so as to make it most pleasant to 
the taste of the dumb brutes, and most 
profitable to the owner. 

John Johnston. 
Mear Geneva. 



Few things tend more to alienate friend- 
ship than a want of punctuality in our en- 
gagements. I have known the breach of 
a promise to dine or sup, break up more 
than one intimacy. 



Functions of the Eoots and Leaves of 
Plants. 

A growing plant gains a new mouth and 
stomach with every additional root and 
new leaf. The moisture of the soil which 
forms the sap of the plant, is taken into it 
by the extremity of the roots, or rather 
by the spon^ioles which terminates the 
ends of the fibrous roots. These possess the 
power of absorbing and selecting the ap- 
propriate food required for each variety of 
plants. At least, we cannot on any other 
principle, so well assign a plausible reason 
for the many and varied phenomena in 
vegetable life with which we are so fa- 
miliar. As a simple illustration of this, 
we will refer to chemical analysis. 

The straw of wheat requires much silica 
in its composition, amounting in the ash of 
good wheat straw to over 28 per cent., 
while in the straw of haulm of the field 
bean there is less than 2^ per cent, of 
silica. In the ash of the stems and leaves 
of beans there is 16| per cent, of potash, 
in the ash of wheat straw is less than one 
per cent. Why this difference of mine- 
ral matter in the two plants ? We all 
know they can be successfully grown side 
by side in the same field. Each different 
plant selecting from the soil just so much 
and no more, of the several soluble inor- 
ganic substances as are required for the 
perfection and maturity of each particular 
variety or species of plant. All the vari- 
ous phenomena of nature are the results 
of fixed laws, and no other reason can be 
assigned for their existence, than the will 
of the Creator — He hath so ordained it. 

The fluid taken from the soil by the 
roots of a plant, consists chiefly in water, 
holding in solution some of the gases and 
minute portions of saline and earthly in- 
gredients, such as potash, soda, lime, silica, 
&.C. The soluble substances in water or 
sap, as it rises into the stem and branches 
of the plant, for aught we know, may be 
gradually undergoing a series of changes 
from the time it enters the roots till it passes 
into the leaf. In the leaf we know it is 
to experience various important changes or 
modifications. 

The nearly crude sap in the leaf is sub- 
jected to the process of exhalation. By 
carefully conducted experiments, it lias 
been pietty clearly ascertained, that of 
the whole amount of the water taken up 
by the roots of plants, about two-thirds of 



416 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



it passes off by exhalation, or evaporation 
of the leaves. The amount of water daily 
evaporated by large-leaved plants, like the 
cabbage, pumpkin, grape, and sunflower, 
especially when under the influence of a 
warm, dry atmosphere, aided by the direct 
rays of the sun, is much greater than 
some persons may be aware of. Hales 
made an experiment with a sunflower three 
feet high, inclosed in a vessel, wiiich he 
kept for fifteen days ; and inferred from it, 
that the weight of the fluid daily exhaled 
by the plant was twenty ounces. Mr. 
Everett in his address at Buffalo, stated 
there had grown seven millions of counted 
leaves on a single tree." If Hale's three 
feet sunflower, with its dozen leaves, ex- 
haled twenty ounces of M'ater per diem, 
how many pounds will daily be evaporated 
by the " seven millions of leaves on a 
single tree?" Can any of our juvenile 
readers figure it out for us ? 

From the foregoing it will be seen that 
one of the important functions of the 
leaves of a plant, is to carry off the sur- 
plus water — to boil down, as it was, the 
crude, dilute sap, holding in solution the 
various salts or mineral ingredients that 
make up " part and parcel " of all plants — 
and thus, by a greater concentration of the 
mineral ingredients held in solution by the 
sap, they are more fully prepared to enter 
into the various chemical combinations 
with carbon, and the other organic constit- 
uents whicli make up the entire and per- 
fect plant in all its varied parts. 

But the leaves of plants, besides their 
exhaling power, have another important 
function to perform in the phenomena of 
vegetable life. It is through the agency 
of the leaves that most of the woody and 
other carbonaceous structures of plants are 
derived. Carbon in one form or another, 
is the leading combustible substance in all 
fuel generally used — in wood, coal, char- 
coal, oil, rezin, pitch, &c. While burning, 
the carbon unites with the oxygen of the 
atmosphere, resulting in carbonic acid — 
and every cord of wood burned, restores 
to the atmosphere just carbon enough to 
grow another cord. By passing into the 
air, the carbon is not lost; there is no such 
word as lost in the whole vocabulary of 
nature. Carbonic acid oras, thouo^h much 
heavier than common air, is by the great 
law of gaseous diffusion, equally difl:used 



through the atmosphere, composing abou^ 
l-2500th part of it. 

When sugar or salt is mixed with water, 
it dissolves and becomes invisible — when 
carbon is burned, it is in fact dissolved in 
oxygen gas, and the carbon becomes in- 
visible. By evaporating the water holding 
the sugar or salt in solution, we again obtain 
the sugar and salt in precisely the state 
they were in before solution. But we 
cannot, by any known chemical or other 
process, obtain carbon from carbonic acid 
in the form of wood, oil or starch. To do 
this requires the more efficient agency of 
vegetable chemistry. 

In the economy of nature, it has been 
so arranged that the healthy leaves of 
plants in sun light, can and do inhale from 
the air with which they are surrounded, 
the carbonic acid that seems so sparsely 
mingled with it — to do this the leaves 
have been endowed with very nice dis- 
criminating powers ; and further, they have 
the power of decomposing the carbonic 
acid, that is, separating the oxygen from 
the carbon, which they retain, and return- 
ing to the atmosphere the oxygen in a 
pure form. 

When a fresh leaf is examined by a 
microscope, its whole surface is seen to be 
covered with minute pores on each side of 
the leaf; each of these j)ores is a species 
of mouth, intended to receive food or to 
give off something that the plant no longer 
requires. A high magnifying power dis- 
covers more than 100,000 openings in a 
square inch upon the surface of some 
leaves ; others have not more than 600 
700. Analogous to this is the skin of ani- 
mals, which is perforated with a thousand 
pores in the length of an inch, through 
which the insensible perspiration passes. 

It is no more marvellous that the leaf of 
a plant can take in the carbonic acid of 
the air, separate it, and retain the carbon 
and reject the oxygen,* than it is that a 
grown up boy can take into his mouth a 
ripe peach and separate the stone and pulp, 
and swallow the pulp and spit out the 
stone. From whence did the boy derive 
his ability to pass the pulp of the peach 
through the gullet into the stomach ? From 
the same Being: that endowed the leaf 



* In 2'2 lbs. of carbonic acid, there is 6 lbs. of 
carbon and 18 lbs. of oxvgeii. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



427* 



with its inhaling and exhaling and separa- 
ting powers. One of these cases is as 
much a miracle as the other. 

To all land animals, when alive, has 
been given the power of inhaling atmos- 
pheric air. While in the lungs it undergoes 
a chemical change — the oxygen inhaled 
combines with carbon derived from the 
food, and is exhaled from the lungs as car- 
bonic acid. This process goes on continual- 
ly, and alike successfully in the wise man 
and in the idiot, in the sane and insane, 
asleep or awake ; and man is almost as un- 
conscious of this operation as the brute ; 
and the brute is as unconscious of it as 
is the leaf, in reversing the order of this 
operation. 

From the foregoing physiological views, 
we are enabled to draw some useful and 
practical hints in farm culture. 

As it is through the agency of the roots 
of plants that they derive their moisture 
and earthly constituents, and about one- 
third of their carbon, it is rea^^onable to 
suppose the greater the number of roots a 
plant has, the more rapid and larger its 
growth ; for at the ends of the rootlets are 
placed the mouths of the plant for supply- 
ing it with that portion of its food derived 
from the soil ; therefore deeply worked 
and finely pulverized soil is much more 
favorable to a luxuriant growth of plants 
(other conditions being equal,) than a 
hard, shallow-worked soil. In the well 
prepared soil the roots can freely pene- 
trate every square inch of it in search of 
food and moisture every where dissemina- 
ted through it, while the roots in the hard, 
ill-prepared soil will be few in number, 
feeble and stinted, and unable to supply 
the plant with food necessary to a luxuri- 
ant growth. After a farmer has prepared 
his land in the best possible manner for a 
corn crop, can it be for his interest, at the 
second and third time hoeing it, to run the 
horse-plow or other deep-stirring imple- 
ment so as to sever or cut off a large 
portion of the roots of his growing corn ? 
We have witnessed such a performance 
many a time. Corn under such circumstan- 
ces may, in favorable seasons, throw out 
new roots, and in part restore the loss, and 
a tolerable crop may be harvested, but it is 
our impression that such a course not only 
retards the growth, but lessens the amount 
of the crop. Why does the cabbage and 
turnip plant wilt and droop when trans- 
27^ 



planted.? 'Tis in consequence of having 
lost a portion of their roots and the ex- 
halation of moisture by the leaf is greater 
than its supply by the mutilated and re- 
duced number of roots. 

Every one that has transplanted ever- 
green trees knows how important it is to 
preserve the fibrous roots and keep them 
moist if they expect to be successful in 
planting them out. 

Cut off the root of a maple tree in " sap 
time," and the sap will flow from the 
severed root as freely as it will from an 
auger hole bored into the body of thti tree. 
Sever the roots of growing corn, and the 
sap will ooze from the cut roots so as to 
render the soil about them quite' wet. 
This loss of moisture by the roots, with 
that escaping by evaporatioh by the leaves, 
causes the corn to wilt, and in very warih 
and dry weather, we have known the 
leaves to become completely dried under 
'such management, while adjoining rows of 
corn, not having been disturbed by the 
plow, remained unscathed. 

As already observed, by the leavesMiie 
surplus water is exhaird, and carbonic 
acid inhaled and decomposed, and doubt- 
less there are other important chemical 
combinations and changes effected by and 
in the leaf. If so, is it good policy to 
pluck from growing cabbages, beets, tur- 
nips, carrots, and other succulent plants, a 
portionof their leaves for feeding cows, 
: hogs, &c. 

I Is the quality of the grape improved, 
and its maturity hastened by removing a 
portion of the leaves from^ the fruit-bear- 
ing branches of the vine a month or so 
before the usual time of the ri[iening of 
\ the fruit } We have seen this plucking off 
the leaves of a grape vine performed 
more than once, from the mistaken idea 
that the fruit would be larger and earlier 
by the removal of a goodly portion of the 
leaves of the vine. 

j Will the crop of corn be as heavy and 
(Valuable, ii the stalks are cut when the 
kernels are in the milk, as if left uncut, or 
until they had become dry? Says R. L. 
Allen: 

" The talks of corn ought never to be 
cut above the ears. The sap which nour- 
ishes the grain is drawn from the soil, and 
passing through the stem, enters the leaf, 
where a material change in the sap takes 
place. This prepares the sap for conden- 



428- 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



satian and conversion into the grain. But 
the leaves which jdigest the food for the 
grain are above it, and it irf while passing 
downward that the chani^e takes place. If 
the stalk be cut above the ear, nourishment 
is at an end — the corn may become firm 
and dry, but it will not increase in quan- 
tity; while if cut near the root, it not only 
appropriates the tap already in the plant, 
but it also absorbs additional matter from 
the atmosphere, which contributes to its 
weight and perfection." 

In the above capital remarks -^veiind only one 
thing to except to. It seems to be inferred 
that the depth and tilth of a given soil 
being sufficient, it is injurious ever to break 
the roots, and corn and cabbages are given in 
proof of the inexpediency of cutting the roots. 
Mow it is true, v^^e think, that if the roots of 
the plant are disturbed vehen the plant is fruc- 
tifying, injury is done thereby to the product; 
but while the plant is young, we think that 
with some sorts, breaking the roots is a decided ' 
advantage. Thus the cabbage is always larger i 
and better if "pricked out." before it is 
transplanted — i. e., if it is transplanted, and 
as soon as it begins to grow, transplant- 



ed again. Again, in the case of tobacco,! 
every planter knows that when his plants are 
spindling, and the leaf narrow, that a close 
coultering, which runs so nearly under the 
roots, that the plants shake as the coulter 
passes under them and the leaves wilt directly 
after that, a much more vigorous growth with 
a broader development of leaf follows imme- 
diately — and the effect is equal to a good ma- 
nuring. It is with cabbages likewise. 

With corn, especially when the tendency is 
to run to stalk, a ploughing at the proper time, 
say when the corn is from knee to waist high, 
that gives a deep tilth and necessarily breaks the 
roots, causes it to throw out more roots, and to 
change its habit of growth to the manifest bene- 
fit of the ear. 

Whether it be that there is a .tendency 
in every plant where vitality is impaired to 
reproduce itself more quickly, on the principle 
of " a poor man for children," we do not pre- 
tend to say, though that is the theory of an 
eminent Freoch Physiologist. But the fact is 
indisputable, and is judiciously acted on by 
both the gardener and the farmer. — Ed. So. 
Planter. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



417 



C«<'S« 



SIXTH ANNUAL EXHIBITION 

OF THE 

VIRGINIA STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

TO BE HELD AT PETERSBUEG 

ON THE 
2nd, 3rd, 4tli, and 5tli of November, 1858. 



SCHEDULE OF ERE]Sd[IXJ]MS. 



BRANCH I. 

Premiums for JExperiments. 

'.. First Grade. 

1 to 5. For^.eaeh of fiv.e best exper- 
iments on any important and doubtful or 
isputed ques.tioH oc questioas of practical 

;riculture ; eacli experiment covering not 
!?s than four acres of land and including a 
erles of not less than eig'bt different matters 
f trial, observation, measurement, correct 
stimate, or comparisoai of results ; and more- 
ver. by its proper direction, accuracy of 
erformance and the careful and ftiU report 
f procedure and results thereof sliall 

rve to furnish VciJu^Jble; instruction, for 
•actice on the sidjject investigated, to 
hich it relates-, v/hetlier two or -more ex- 
:jrinients shall be on the same subject, 

each, on a diffeicnt one, a pi;emium of 

Seco7id Grade, 

6 to X5. Fo^ each of ten other- next 'J3est 
cperimejits, of similar character and 

;rit with the a,bove ,<lescr>be<.l, but fall- 
g short of the-. full requisitions"^ for the . 
regoing, a preinium of . 



^, 



Third Grade. 



$10Q 



16^to 35. For each of twenty other aacu- 
te and instructive experiments, or se- 

27 



riesof experiments on onegeneral subject, 
of merit and useful value, a premium of 10 

Judges. 

Edmiiad Ruffin, Jr., Prince George. 

■Dr. Jno. B. Harvie, Powbatan. 

Dr. Gary C. Gocke, Fluvanna. 

James B. Jones, Ghesterfield. 

R. H. Gunningham, Culpeper. 

SUBJECTS FOR EXPERIMENTS SUG-, 
GESTED. 

While., it is by no means intended to limit the 
range of selection to the subjects here enumera- 
ted, it has, nevertheless, been thought proper to 
suggest them, as of practical importance, and 
worthy to be tested by careful investigation. 

COMPARATIVE EXPERIMENTS OF THE SECOND GRADE. 

1. In Feeding CattfS — Showing the compara- 
tive cost of fattening in the open air, and in 
sheltered stalls, on ground and unground, coolced 
and uncooked foad. 

2. In Feeding Sheep — Showing the comparative 
cost of fattening at large or in confinement tin- 
der like conditions as above. 

3. In Feeding Hogs — Showing the compara- 
tive cost of fattening under like conditions as 
above. 

4. In Mdfiuring T^Aeaf— Showing the relative ef- 
fect of ammonia and the phosphates, and a com-- 
bination of both kinds of manure. 



i 



418 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



5. In Feeding Farm Horsey — The best and most 
economical mode of feeding farm horses. The 
cost to be stated. 

6. In Draining Land — The best experiment 
on thorough draining of not less than two acres 
of land, with or without tile — the approximate 
cost and the improvement compared with simi- 
lar adjacent undrained land to be stated. 

7. In Drilling and Broad-Casting Wheat — The 
best experiment, having particular reference to 
superiority of product, economy of seed and legs 
liability to " heave" in winter. 

8. Selecting Seed Corn — For t-he test experi- 
ments in selecting seed corn, with a view to in- 
crease the nmnber of ears — showing' the ^Sect 
of such increase on the weight of the corn, and 
its capacity, if any, to increase the amount of 
corn grown on a given quantity of laiidi^ - For 
instance, can ordinary up-land be made to grow 
a good three-eared stalk on the same area that 
produced a good one-eared stalk ? 

EXPERIMENTS OP THE THIRD GRADE. 

9. Manuring Corn — For the best experiments 
in applying manure to corn, showing the kind, 
quality, and cost of manure, and the mode of its 
application. 

10. Level and Ridge Culture of Corn — For the 
best comparative experiment, showing which is 
the most economical and profitable mode of cul- 
tivation. 

11. Corn Culture in Drills and hi Checks — For 
the best comparative experiment, showing which 
is the most economical and profitable mode of 
cultivation. 

12. The Proportion of Shucks per Barrel of 
Corn — The best experiment to ascertain the pro- 
portion which shucks and corn reciprocally bear 
TO each other. 

13. On Continuous Cropping — For the best ex- 
periment on the continuous cropping of the 
same field in India'n corn. 

14., For die best ex- 

periment on the oontinuons cropping of the same 
field in wheat. 

15. ' For tlie best ex- 
periment on the continuous cropping of the same 
•field in oats. 

16. Application of Phosphate of Lime — For the 
best experiment applied to clover and peas. 

17. jipplicafion of Ammonia — For the best ex- 
periment applied to clover and peas. 

18. Combined Application of Ammonia and Phos- 
phate of Lime — For the best experiment of the 
application of these, in certain definite propor- 
tions, to clover and peas. 

19. Yield of Flour from Wheat — For the best 
experiment to show what ought to be the pro- 
portion of flour yielded by a given qiuintity of 
wheat. 



Remarks and Special Rules for Branch I. 

The superiority of merit or value of -any two 
experiment?^ claiming the sam?; or lil^e ju-emi- 
um», will be decided in rcferen(!e to alio nearest 
approximation to the following conditions : 

ist. The comparative extent and coujpleteness 



of the processes of experiment, and the appa- 
rent accuracy of the procedure. 

2nd. The clearness of the report. 

3rd. The utility of the information so con- 
veyed. 

Exact measurements of results alwnys will 
add much value to reports of experiments, and 
should not be omitted whenever the case may 
require such exactness. But in many other cases, 
estimates of comparative results, or prodvicts, by 
the eye, may serve, if sufficient for the ease and 
for reaching correct conclusions. 

BRANCH n. 

Premiums for Written Communicaiions. 

First Grade. 
30 to 40. For each of the five best es- 
says or written communications, whether 
on the same or on difierent subjects of prac- 
tical agriculture, or on scientific agricut- 
ture, strictly and usefully applicable to 
practice, of high order of merit and utility 
for instruction — and conforming to the re- 
quisitions of the general rules on the sub- 
ject, a premium of , . . . -$50 

Second Grade. 

41 to 50. For each often other and next 
best essays or written communicatio«ns as 
above described, but which may fall sliort 
of the requisitions for the higher oflTers, a 
premium of . . . . . 20 

Third Grade. 

51 \(9i 70. For each of twent}^^ other 
next best instructive written communica- 
tions of new facts in agriculture, a pre- 
mium of . . . . . J.0 

71. For the best treatise on gardening, 
suited to the climate of Virginixi, to be not 

less than one hundred pages, ... $5 

72. Best treatise on the cidture and 
management of Broom Corn, . . . . 10 

Judges. 
J. Ravenscroft Jones, Brunswick. 
Richard Irby, Nottoway. 
Jamcf! C. Bruce. Halifax, Va. 
B. Johnson Barbour, Orange. 
Alex. R. Holladay, Henrico. 

Remarks on. and Special Rules for, Branch II. 

ESSAYS AND OTHER WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS. 

1. Essfiys and other written articles on prac- 
tical subjects, must be founded mainly, and on 
scientific sidijects, at least partly, on the writer's 
practical experience and personal observation or 
investigation ; though portions of each may rest 
on other aiuhorities, to be stated particularly or 
geuerall}'-, as required by the case. 

2. The award of superiority to anyone writ- 
ing over others on the same subject, •vi'ill be 
made in reference to its probable greater utility 
to agricultural «mprovemei)t or profit, f^s well as 
,to the al)ility with which the subject is treated. 

3. In matter designed to instraet Or to guide 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



419 



practical labours, clearness and fullness of tie- 
tails will be deemed a high claim to merit — and 
next conciseness. Nothinj^ necessary for instruc- 
tion should be omitted, and nothing included 
that can be omitted without injury to the value 
of the instruction. 

. 4. Written Communications to the Executive 
Committee may be sent in at any time — the ear- 
lier the better — as they will at once be referred 
to the Committee on Essays, who will thus be 
enabled to scrutinize, and the more correctly ta 
estimate by comparison, the relative merits of 
the different Essays submitted for their exami- 
nation. 

5. It is required that all written communica- 
tions to the Society, received at any previous 
time and published by order of the Executive 
Committee, and which have not been duly con- 
sidered, and denied premiums by the judges, 
shall be still held and considered as claiming, 
and in competition with any more recent writ- 
ings for premiums offered, and for whifch any 
such writings may be suitable, and farther, even 
the previously published >vritings, ^vhic'h had 
been duly, considered by the jitdges at the pre- 
ceding Fair, and to which premiums were de- 
nied, shall still be held vtnder review and consid- 
eration, by the judges for the next year's premi- 
ums, not to again be placed in competition, 
but for the purpose of being compared as to 
degrees of -merit with the later writings then 
under consideration and adjudication for pre- 
miums. 

6. When a premium has been awarded at a 
previous time to an essay, any other and later es- 
say or written communication on that subject, to 
obtain a premium, nnist be either deemed to have 
important additional value compared with the for- 
mer one so honoured, or otherwise be very differ- 
ent in matter, or JTianner of treatment, as well as 
of a -Sufficiently high order of merit. 

7. All written communications to which may 
be awarcted premiums, will be publishedin the 
Transactions of the Society; and any others 
offered to compete for premiums, and not obtain- 
ing that honour, will be published in like man- 
ner, if deemed worthy by the Executive Com- 
fnittee. 

BRANCH III. 

BEST CROPS OF DIFFERENT FARMS. 

For the best product averaged per acre, of 
each of tlte following crops grown in 1857. or 
1858: 

1st Class. 

J|@* Jf raised on fen acres of land in a hndy. 
the annexed premiums. 

73. Indian corn, low-grounds, $-30 

74. do., high-land, 50 

75. Wheat, 50 

76. Tobacco, 50 

77. Cotton, 30 

78. Oats, 'iO 
7U. Field peas, :^0 
80. Rye, 30 
4^1. Barley, "30 



82. T-imothy, herds-grass, or other hay, 

of artificial grass or clever, 30 

JK@°° If raised on fve act'es of land in a body. 
the annexed premiums. 

83. Clover seed, weighing GO lbs. to the 
bushel, $20 

84. Timothy seed, weighing 46 lbs. to 

the bushel, " 20 

85. Orchard-grass seed, weighing 14 lbs. 

to the bushel, 20 

811 Sweet potatoes, 30 

87. Buckwheat, 20 

88. Irish potatoes, if raised on 2 acres 

of land in a body, 20 

89. Turnips, if raised on 2 acres of 

land in a body, 20 

90. Pumpkins, if raised on 1 acre of 
land in a body, 10 

91. Ground peas, if raised on 1 acre of 

land in a body, 10 

Crops offered as largest produ-cts must have 
their amounts fixed with snfhcietit accuracy to 
en-able the judges to decide upon their merits. 
The testimony will be the best t-liat the nature 
of the case may admit, and such as -will be sat- 
isfactory to the judges. - . ' 
Judges*' 

Chas. P. Moncure, Culpeper. 

Philip B. Jones, Orange. 

A. Nichol,' Petersburg. 

J. J. Hite, Clarke. 

Edward Hill, King William. 

2nd Class. 

BEST SAMPLES OF TOBACCO. 

For the best sample of prized Tobacco of the 
growth of 1857, not less than 5 pounds, the an- 
nexed premiums. 

92. For the best English shipping leaf, $20 Of) 

10 CO 



93. For the second best, 

Judges.* 
For the best Continental 



94. 
leaf, 
95. 



dripping 



20 CO 
10 CO 



For the second best, 
Judges* 

96. For the best fine bright Manufactur- 
ing Wrapper, 20 GO 

97. For the best sweet chewing Manu- 
facturing Fillers, 20 CO 

Judges.* 
The sample's must be carefully boxed, marked 
and forwarded to the Secretary's office at least 
one week before the Fair, that they may be 
arranged foi' eshibitio'n in their -approp-riate 
elapses. 

BRANCH IV. 

HORSES. 

Thorough Bred— 1st Class. 
g@^ Awards to be made without regard to 
performance on the turf, and the judges are, re- 
quired to rejeaj: any animal competing in this 



* The Judges are not yet appoii^ted. 



420 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



division, witU which there is not furnished' a 
complete pedigree, showing the purity of blood 
on. the side of both dam and sire. 

98. For the best thoroughbred stallion, $40 00 

99. For the second best, 20 00 

100. For the third best. 

Certificate of Merit. 
lOlo For the best thorough bred mare, 20 00 
102. For the second best, 10 00 

103« For the third best, 

Certificate op Merit. 

104. For the best entire colt foaled since 

1st January, 1855, 10 00 

105. For the best entire colt foaled since 

1st January, 1856, 10 00 

106. For the best entire colt foaled since 

1st January, 1857, 7 50 

107. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 1855, ■ 10 00 

108. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 1856, 10 00 

109. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 1857, 7 50 

110. For the best foal dropped since 1st 
January, 1858, ■ ' 5 00 

^^^ No premium to be given in the forego- 
ing class to an animal that is unsound. 

Judges. 

Wm. W. Crump, Richmond. 
Geo. Booker, Hampton. 
W. H. Southall, Albemarle. 
0. P. Hare, Prince George. 
W. H. E. Merrett, Brunswick. 
D. W. Hax^ll, Charles City. 

The Horse of General Utility — 2c? Class. 

111. For the best stallion for useful and 
elegant purposes combined, $40 €0 

112. For the second best, 20 00 

113. For the third best, 

Certifcate of Merit. 

114. For the best brood mare for use- 
ful and elegant purposes combined, 20 00 

115. For the second best, 10 00 

116. For the third best, 

Certificate of Merit. 

117. For the best entire colt foaled since 

1st January, 1855,' 10 00 

118. For the best entire colt foaled since 

1st January, 1856, 10 00 

119. For the best entire colt foaled since 

1st January, 1857, ' 7 50 

120. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 1855, ' 10 00 

121. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 1856, 10 00 

122. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 1857, 7 50 

123. For the best foal drojipcd since 1st 
January, 1858, 5 00 

124. For the best pair of matched 
horses, '25 00 

125. For the second best pair of match- 
ed horses, ♦ 10 00 

12G. For the best single harness horse, 
mare, or gelding, . , , 16 00 



127. For the second best, 10 00 
^^ No premium to be given in the fore-.t 

going class to an animal that is unsound. 
Judges. 
Charles Selden, Charles City. 
Marcellus Bell, Petersburg. 
Benjamin "Wood, Albeinarle. 
Samiiel S. Bradford, Culpeper. , 

Dr. T. P. Temple, Hanover. 

Quick Dgaught Horses — 3rd Class. 

128. For the best stallion for quick 
draught, $40 00- 

129. For the second best, 20 00 

130. For the third best, 

Certificate of Merit. 

131. For the best brood mare for quick ) 
draught, 20 00- 

132. For the second best, 10 00 

133. For the third best. 

Certificate op Merit. 

134. For the best entire colt foaled since 

1st January, 1855, 10 00 

135. For the best entire colt foaled since 

1st January, 1856, 10 00 

136. For the. best entire colt foaled since 

1st January, 1857, 7 50 

137. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 1855,- 10 00 

138. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 1856, 10 00 

139. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 1857, 7 50 

140. For the best fo^l dropped since 1st 
January, 1858, 5 00 

141. For the best pair of matched horses 

for quick draught, 25 OQ 

142. For the second best, 10 00 

143. For the best single harness horse, 
mare, or gelding, 15 00 

144. For the "second best, 10 00 
Mares and geldings tliat have been run in a 

regular race cannot compete for the above pre- 
miimrs. 

Jg^°" No premium to be given, in the forego- 
ing class, to an animal that is unsound. 
Judges. 

Samuel B. Finle}, Augusfta. 
Albert Akin, Henrico. 
Thomas Branch, Petersburg. 
Wm. M. Harrison, Richmond. 
Dr. Wm. P. Braxton, King William. 

Heavy Draught Horses — Ath Class. 

115. For the best stallion for heavy 
draught, $40 00 

146. For the second best, 20 00 ' 

147. For the third best, 

Certificate of Merit. 

148. For the best brood mare for heavy 
draught, 20 0^) 

149. For the second best, 10 00 

150. For tlie third best. 

Certificate of Merit. 

151. For the best entire colt foaled since 

1st January, 1855, 10 (X J 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



421 



152. For tlie best entire colt foaled since 

1st January, 1856, 10 00 

153. For the best entire colt foaled since 

1st Janiiary, 1857, 7 50 

154. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 1855, 10 00 

155. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 185G, 10 00 

156. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 1857, ' 7 50 

157. For the best foal dropped since 1st 
January, 1^58, 5 00 

158. For the best pair heavy draught 
horses, 20 00 

159. For the best team of heavy 
draught horses, not le~ss than four, 30 00 

[To be tested on the Fair Grounds according 
to such plan as may be prescribed by the 
Judges.] 

Jl^"" No premium to be given, in the forego- 
ing class, to an animal that is unsound. 

Judges. 

Richard G. Haden, Botetourt. 
Wm. Rogers, Loudoun. 
Geo. W. Mo wry, Augusta. 
Ro. Black we 11, Lunenburg. 
Silvanus Johnson, Petersburg. 

Saddle Horses— 5th Class. 

160. For the best stallion for the sad- 
dle, $40 00 

161. For the second best, 20 00 

162. For the third best. 

Certificate op Merit. 

163. For the best brood mare for the 
saddle, 20 00 

164. For the second best,, 10 00 

165. For the third best, 

Certificate of Merit. 

166. For the best entire colt foaled since 

1st January, 1855, 10 00 

167. For the best entire colt foaled since 

1st January, 1856, 10 00 

168. For the best entire colt foaled since 

1st January, 185-7, 7 50 

169. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 1855, 10 00 

170. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 1856, 10 00 

171. For the best filly foaled since 1st 
January, 1857, 7 50 

172. For the best foal dropped since 1st 
January, 1858, 5 00 

173. For the best saddle horse, mare, or 
?elding, 20 00 

174. For the the second best saddle 
horse, mare, or gelding,- 10 00 

175 For the best pony, 5 00 

Jl^"" No premium to be given, in the forego- 
tig class, to an animal that is unsound. 
Judges. 

L. D. Crenshaw, Richmond. 

Dr. Henry Lewis, Brunswick. 

Burwell Whiting, Clarke. 

F. W. Eppes, Nottoway. 

Dr. J. P. Goodwin, Diav.'iddie. 



mules and jacks — 6th Class. 

176. For the best jack, $40 00 

177. For the second best, 20 00 

178. For the best jennet, * 20 00 

179. For the second best, 10 00 

180. For the best pair of mules, to bo 
owned and worked one year preceding 

their exhibition, • 15 00 

181. For the best team of mules, 4, or 
more, to be owned and worked 1 year pre- 
ceding their exhibition, 25 00 
, 182. For the best mule colt, 3 years old, 
foaled in Virginia, 10 00 

183. For the best mule colt, 2 years old. 
foaled in Virginia, 10 00 

184. For the best mule colt, 1 year old 
foaled in Virginia, 7 50 
\ 185. For the best mule colt, a suckling, 
foaled in Virginia, 5 CO 

Judges. 
Nath. Burwell, Clarke. 
Wm. Berkeley, Loudoun. 
A. H. Drewry, Chesterfield. • . ; , 

Samuel McGehee, Charlotte. 
Col. Christopher Haskins. Lunenburg. 



Sho7-t Horns or Durhams, and'Herefords^ of Isaiive 
Stock — 1st Class. 

186. For the best bull, 3 years old a,nd 
iipwards, 40 00 

187. For the second best, 20 00 

188. For the third best, 

Certifica^tb of Merit. 

189. For the best cow, 3 years old and 
upwards, 40 00 

190. For the second best, 20 00 

191. For the third best, 

CERTIFrCATE OF MBglT. 

192. For the best bull between 2 and 

3 years old, 30 00 

193. For the second best, 15 00 

194. For the third best, 

Certificate of Merit. 

195. For the best bull between 1 and 2 
years old, 20 00 

196. For the second best, 10 00 
197- For the best heifer between 2 and 

3 years old, 20 00 

198. For the second best, 10 00 

199. For the best heifer between 1 and 

2 years old, 20 0€ 

200. For the second best, 10 00 

201. For the best calf or heifer under 1 

year old, 10 00 

For the best Lnported SJiort Horns and Here- 
fords, same premiums as the above, but the 
Imported breeds shall compete only in their own 
class. 

Judges. 

Joseph Cloyd, Pulasld. 
D. S. Read. Botetourt. 
James K. Marshall, Fauquier. 
Wm. B. Brown, Leesburg, N. C. 
C. W. C. Whiting, Cu]pej)er. 



422 



THE SOUTHEHN PLANTER. 



Devons, of Native Stock — 2d Class. 

202. For the best bull, 3 years old and 
ui)wards, $40 00 

203. For the second best, 20 00 

204. For the third best, 

Certificate op Merit. 

205. For the best cow, 3 years old and 

u]. wards. -^ 40 00 

206. For the second best, 20 00 

207. For the third best. 

Certificate of Merit. 

208. For the best bull, between 2 and 3 
years old, 30 00 

209. For the second best, 20 00 
■' 210. For the third best. 

Certificate of Merit. 

211. For the best bull, between 1 and 2 
years old, 20 00 

212. For the second best, 10 00 

213. For the best heifer, between 2 and 

3 years old. 20 00 

214. For the second best, 10 00 

215. For the best heifer, between 1 and 

2 years old, 20 00 

216. For the second best, 10 00 
217'. For best calf or heifer under 1 

year old, 10 00 

Best Imported Devons^ same premiums as the 
above, but the Imported breeds shall compete 
only in their own class. 

Judges. 

A g. Matthews, Wythe. 
T. L. Farish, Albemarle. 
Daniel Hatton, Nansejnond. 
H. K. Burgwynn, Halifax, N. C. 
Cassius Dulany, Prince William. 



Ayshircs and Alderneys, of Native StocJc — 3rd 
Class. 



218. For the best bull, 3 years old and 
upwards, 
■ 219. For the 
220. For the 



30 00 
15 00 



second best, 
third best. 

Certificate of Merit. 
221. For the best cow, 3 years old and 
upwards, 30 00 

2*22. For the second best 15 00 

223. For the third best, 

Certificate op Merit. 

224. For the best bull, between 2 and 3 
years old, 15 00 

225. For the second best, 8 00 

■ 22G. For the third best, 

Certificate of Merit. 
227. For the best heifer, between 2 and 
3 years old, 15 00 

■ 228. For the second best, 8 00 

229. For the best bull, between 1 and 2 
years old, ' 15 00 

230. For the second best, 8 00 

231. For the best heifer between 1 and 

2 years old, 15 00 

232. For the second best, 8 Oo 

233. For the best culf or lieifer, under 

1 year old, 10 00 



For the best Imported Ayrshires and AlderQieys. 
same premiums as the above, but the Imported 
breeds shall compete only with their own class 

Judges . 

Col. J. W. Fairfax, Loudoun. 
Dr. John R. Woods, Albemarle. 
F. T. Ridley, Southampton. 
John Willis, Orange. 
Wm. B. Sydnor, Hanover. 

Grades — Ath Class. 

234. For the best cow, 3 years old and 
upwards, 30 00 

235. For the second best, 15 00 

236. For the third best. 

Certificate op Merit. 

237. For the best heifer, between 2 and 

3 years old, 10 00 

238. For the second best, 5 00 

239. Jor the third best. 

Certificate op Merit. 

240. For the best heifer, between 1 and 

2 years old, 10 00 

241. For the second best, ' 5 00 

242. For the best heifer, under 1 year 
old. 5 00 

This class includes native stock or crosses of 
any of the foregoing breeds with the native 
stock. 

Judges. 

Henry B. Jones, Rockbridge. 

T. F."Epes, Nottoway. 

D. C. Kent, Pulaski. 

Dr. A. A. Campbell, Nottoway. 

John Page, Clarke. 

DAIRY cows. 
Uh Class. 

243. For the best cow for the diary, $30 00 

244. For the second best, ' 15 00 

Judges. 

Raleigh Colston, Albemarle. 
James Newman, Orange. 
John B. Crenshaw. Henrico. 
Edward Sydnor, Hanover. 
Wm. S. Fontaine, King William. 



Working O.rcn — C)th Class. 

245. For the best yoke of oxen over 4 
years old, $30 Oo 

246. For the second best, 15 00 

247. For the best yoke of oxen under 4 
year3 old, 30 00 

248. For the second best, 15 00 
The oxen to be tested according to rules to be 

prescribed by the Committee of Award. 
Judges. 
S. T. Stuart, Fairfax. 
Dr. William R. Nelson, Hanover. 
Wm. S. Jones, Frederick. 
AVm. C. Scott, Orange. 
C. W. BurMcil, Roanoke. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



42c; 



FAT STOCK — CATTLE. 

lih Class. 
240. For the best pair aged fat steers, 50 00 

250. For the second best pair, 30 00 

251. For the best pair of fat steers, un- 
der 4 years okl, 50 00 

252. For the second best pair, 30 00 

253. For the best pair fat cows or 
heifers, 50 00 

254. For the second best, 30 00 

255. For the best fat cow, over 4 years 

old, 25 00 

25G. For the second best, 15 00 

257. For the best fat heifer, 25 00 

258. For the second best, 15 00 
250. For the best single fat steer, 25 00 
2G0. For the second best, 15 00 
The owner will be required to state the mode 

of fattening in all cases. 

Judges. ^ 

Samuel H. Bell, Augusta. 
Cloyd McGavock, Pulaski. 
C. J. Amiss, Augusta. 
C.J. Stovin, Fauquier. 
•Dr. Edwin Watson, Pulaski. 

SHEEP AND SWINE Wl ClciSS. 

261. For the best pen fat sheep, 4 or 
more, 10 00 

262. For the best pen fat hogs. 4 or more, 10 00 

263. For the best slaughtered mutton, 5 00 

Judges. 
Wm. Patrick, Augusta. 
Col. J. S. Clarke, Surry. 
H. Carrington Watkins, Chesterfield. 
E..C. Robinson, Amelia. 
Dr. J. F. Early, Greene. 

SHEEP. 

FIKB WOOL, OP NATIVE STOCK. 

1st Class — Including Spanish, Saxon, French, and 

Silisian Merinos. 

.264. For the best ram, 20 00 

265. For the second best, 10 00 

266. For the third best, 

Certificate of Merit. 

267. For the best pen of ewes, three in 

in number, 20 00 

268. For the second best, 10 00 

269. For the third best, 

Certificate of Merit. 

270. For the best pen of ewe lambs, 4 

in number, 10 00 

271. For the best pen of ram lambs, 4 

in number, ^ 10 00 

Grades — 2nd Class — Including the same varieties 
as 1st Class, 

272. For the best pen of ewes, 3 in 
number, 20 00 

273. For the second best, 10 00 

274. For the third best, 

Certificate of Merit. 

275. For the best pen of ewe lambs, 4 

♦n number, 10 00 



Judges. 

Col. R. H. Allen, Lunenburg. 

R. Y. Henley, King and Queen. 

Dr. C. R. Prichard, Warrenton. 

Gen. M. W. Ransom, Garysburg, N. C. 

Dr. Ro. Randolph, Clarke. 



middle WOOLS, OF NATIVE STOCK. 

South Doivns- — 3rd Class. 

276. For the best ram, 20 00 

277. For the second best, 10 00 

278. For the third best. 

Certificate of Merit. 

279. For the best pen of ewes, 3 in 
number, 20 00 

280. For the second best, 10 Oi) 

281. For the third best. 

Certificate of Merit. 

282. For the best pen of ewe lambs, 

four in number, 10 00 

283. For the best pen of ram lambs, 

four in number, 10 00 



South Down Grades — ith Class. 

284. For the best pen of ewes, 3 in 
number, . 20 Ol; 

285. For the second best, 10 00 

286. For the third best. 

Certificate of Merit. 

287. For the best pen of ewe lambs, 4 

in number, 10 00 



Oxford Downs — 5th Class. 

288. For the best ram, 20 00 

289. For the second best, 10 00 

290. For the third best, 

Certificate op Merit 

291. For the best pen of ewes, 3 in 
number, 20 00 

292. For the second best, 10 00 

293. For the third best. 

Certificate of Merit. 

294. For the best pen of ewe lambs 4 

in numl^er, 10 OO 

295. For the best pen of ram lambs, 4 

in number. 10 00. 

Oxford. Down Grades — ()th Class. 

296. For the best pen of ewes, 3 in 
number, 20 0(t 

297. For the second best, 10 00 

298. For the third best. 

Certificate op Merit. 

299. For the best pen of ewe lambs, 4 
laumber, 10 00 

Judges. 

Richard J. Gaines, Charlotte. 
J. Marshall McCue, Augusta. 
Rufus K. Fitzhugh; Greene. 
John A. Scott, Prince Edward. 
John A. Lancaster, Buckingham. 



4U 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



LONG WOOLS, OF NATIVE STOCK. 

If.h Class. 



20 00 
10 00 



300. For the best ram, 
•301. For the second best, 

302. For the third best, 

Certificate of Merit. 

303. For the best pen of ewes, 3 in 
number, 20 00 

304. For the second best, 10 00 

305. For the third best, 

Certificate of Merit. 

306. For the best pen of ram lambs, 

4 in number, 10 00 

307. For the best pen of ewe lambs, 4 

m number, 10 00 

Jl^^ The long wooled breeds include Bakewell 
or Leicester, Cotswold or New Oxfordshire and 
Lincoln. 

Long Wool Grades — 8th Class. 

308. For the best pen of ewes 3 in 
number, 20 00 

309. For the second best, 10 00 

310. For the third best, 

Certificate of Merit. 

311. For the best pen of ewe lambs, 4 

in number, 10 00 

This class of Grades comprises any of the 
crosses of the above long wools on native stock. 
Judges. 

Benj. A. Donald, Bedford. 
O. R. Funsten, Clarke. 
Sterling E. Edmunds. Halifax. 
T. G. Baylor, Prince George, 
Capt. William Dillard, Surry. 



foreign sheep, 
9tk Class. 

312. For the best imported Merino ram, 

313. For the second best, 

314. For the best imported Merino ewe, 

315. For the second best, 

316. For the best imported South Down 
ram, 

317. For the second best,' 

318. For the best imported South Down 
ewe, 

319. For the second best, 

320. For the best imported Oxford 
Down ram, 

321. For the second best, 

322. For the ' best imported Oxford 
Down ewe, 

323. For the second best, 

324. For the best imported Bakewell or 
Leicester ram, 

325. For the second best, 

326. For the best imported Bakewell or 
Leicester ewe, 

327. For the second best, 

328. For the best imported Cotswold or 
New Oxfordshire ram, 

329. For the second best, 

330. For the best imported Cotswold or 



20 


00 


10 00 


20 


00 


10 


00 


20 


00 


10 


00 



10 
20 


ou 

00 


10 


00 


20 


00 


10 


00 


20 


00 


10 


00 


20 


00 


10 


00 


20 


00 


10 


00 


20 


00 


10 


00 



New Oxfordshire ewe, 20 00 

331. For the second best, 10 00 

Imported sheep not allowed to compete with 
natives. 

g@^ The judges of awards on fine wools 
will also adjudge the premiums on imported 
Merinos. The judges on' middle wools', the 
premium.s on imported South Downs and Ox- 
fords, and the judges on long wools, the premi- 
ums on imported Bakewelis and Cotswolds. 



Cashm-ere Goats — 9th Class. 

332. For the best pair Cashmere goats, 
male and female, 20 00 

333. For the best pair, cross of Cash- 
mere with native goat. 

Certificate of Merit. 

judges. 

Mann P. Nelson, Jefferson. 
James M. Sublett, Powhatan. 
Capt. William Nelson, Hanover. 
John H. Flood, Appomattox. 
Dr. S. P. Christian, New Kent. 



swine. 
Large Breed. 

334. For the best boar over 2 years old, 

335. For the second best, 

336. For the best boar 1 year old^ 

337. For the second best, 

338. For the best breeding sow over 2 
years old, 

339. For the second best, 

340. For the best sow not less than 6 
months and under 18 months old, 

341. For the second best, 

342. For the best lot of pigs, not less 
than 5 in number, nor less than 2, and un- 
der 5 months old, and of the same litter, 

343. For the second best, 
The large breed includes Chester, Russia 

ford, Woburn, Grazier, -Hampshire. Duchess 
nty, native and grades. 

Small Breed. 

344. For the best boar over two vears 
old, ' . 

345. For the second best, 

346. For the best boar 1 year old, 

347. For the second best, 

348. For the best breeding sow, over 2 
years old, 

349. For the second best, 

350. For the best sow, not less than 6 
months nor more than 18 months old, 

351. For the second best, 

352. Far the best lot of pigs, not less 
than 5 in numben-, nor less than 2 and 
untier 5 months oltl, and of the same litter, 10 00 

353. For the second best, 5 00 
The small breed includes Neapolitan, Suffolk. 



20 


00 


10 


00 


15 


00 


8 


00 


20 


00 


10 


00 


15 


00 


8 


00 


10 00 


• 5 


00 


a, Bed- 


< Coim- 



20 


00 


10 


00 


15 


00 


8 


00 


20 


00 


10 


00 



15 00 
8 GO 



Essex, Btrkshire, Chinese, natives and 



grades. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



425 



Judges. 

E. C. Jordan, Jordan's Springs. 
John Trimble, Angusta. 
John F. Bootten, Madison. 
Abm. Carrington, Prince Edward. 
John W. Dyer, Chesterfield. 



Additional Premiums to Premium Animals. 

354. For the best b«ll of any breed on ex- 
hibition, 

355. For the best cow of any breed on ex- 
hibition, 

356. For the best stallion of any breed on 
exhibition, 

357. For the best brood mare of any[ 
breed on exhibition, 

358. For the best, ram of any breed on ex- 
hibition, 

359. For the best ewe of any breed on ex- 
hibition, 

360. For the best boar of any breed on ex- 
hibition, 

361. For the best breeding sow of any 
breed on exhibition, 

Judges. 
S. W. Ficklin, Albemarle. 
Chas. C. Tate, Wythe. 
Dr. A. T. B. Merritt, Richmond. 
Robert Carter, Fauquier. 
Hugh G. Guthrie, Augusta. 



386. For the best pair wild Turkeys, 2 00 

387. For the best pair crested Turkeys, 2 00 



Geese — "ird Class. 

388. For the best pair eojinmon Geese, 

389. For the best pair wild Geese, 

390. For the best pair China Ceese, 

391. For the best pair Bremen Geese, 

392. For the best pair Poland Geese, 

393. For the besfc pair African Swan 
Geese, 



Duch 



-4th Class. 

ir of white Poland 



394. For the best pf 
Ducks, 

395. For the best pair Muscovy Ducks, 

396. For the best pair Aylesbury Ducks, 

397. For the best pair common Ducks, 

398. For the best pair summer Wild 
Ducks, 



2 00 



2 00 
2 00 
2 00 
2 00 



2 00 





POULTRY. 






Chickens — Ut Class. 




362. 


For the best pair Cochin China, 


$2 00 


363. 


For the best pair Imperial China, 


2 00 


364. 


For the best pair White Dorkings, 


2 00 


365. 


For the best pair Red Chittagong, 


2 00 


366. 


For the best pair Gray Chittagong, 


2 00 


367. 


For the best pair Black Poland, 


2 00 


368. 


For the best pair White Poland, 


2 00 


369. 


For the best pair Silver Pheasants, 


2 00 


370. 


For the best pair Golden Pheasants 


, 2 00 


371. 


For the best pair Spangled Ham- 




burg. 




2 00 


"372. 


For the best pair white or red game 


,2 00 


373. 


For the best pair Bra-mah Pootra, 


2 00 


374. 


For the best pair Virginia game. 


2 00 


a75. 


For the best pair Black Spanish, 


2 00 


376. 


For the best pair Indian Mountain, 


2 00 


377. 


For the best pair Wild Indian 




game, 




2 00 


378. 


For the best pair Sumatra g^me, 


2 00 


379. 


For the best pair Ostrich game. 


2 00 


380. 


For the best pair Bolton grays. 


2 00 


381. 


For the best pair Sea-bright Ban- 




tams. 




2 00 


382. 


For the best pair Java Bantams, 


2 00 


383. 


For the best pair Great Malay, 


2 00 


384. 


For the best pair Jersey Blues, 
Turkeys— 2nd Class. 


2 00 


385. 


For the best pair common Turkeys, 


2 00 



5th Class. 

399. For the greatest variety of Poultry 
by one exhibitor, 10 00 

Judges. 

William M. Bagley, Lunenburg. 
J. McL. Anderson, Caroline 
Rev. Jeremiah Porter, Richmond. 
Daniel Dyson, Chesterfield. 
^Wm. P. Winfree, Chesterfield. 

BRANCH V. 

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. 

Remarks and Special Rides for Branch V. 

All machines, implements, or other products 
of mechanical art, must be exhibited by or for 
their respective makers or inventors or improv- 
ers, to or for whom onfy, premiums for such ar- 
ticles must be awarded. Persons who hold such 
articles by purchase, or as matters of traffic, will 
have no claim to "a premium. 

Every machine or impl'fement off'ered for pre- 
mium, must be designated by the offerer by its 
commercial name, or otherwise such other con-' 
cise description be given as will serve to iden- 
tify it to future purchasers ; and also the then 
selling price of the article must be stated and 
marked on the labels and in the published re- 
ports of premium articles. 

The judgment of superior value must have 
due regard to the cheapness and durability of 
any machine or implement, a^ well as to its 
more effective operation while in good working 
order. 

Class I. 
Ploughs, Cultivators, &fc. 

400. For the best 3 or 4 horse plough, $10 00 

401. For the best 2 horse do, 8 00 

402. For the best single do, 5 OO 

403. For the best shovel do, 5 00 



426 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



404. For the best sub-soil plough, '5 00 

405. For the best new-ground or coalter 
plough, 5 

406. For th^ best hill-side plough, 5 

407. For the best cultivator for corn, 5 

408. For the best cultivator for tobacco, 5 

409. For the best cultivator for two 
horses, 5 

401. For the best wooden-frame harrow, 6 

411. For the best iron-frame harrow. 6 

412. For the best doraiii and furrow 
plough for opening and cleaning out water 
furrows, 10 00 

Judges. 

John A. Porter, Orange. 
Z. R. Lewis, Nelson. 
Dr. Richard Epps, Nottoway. 
W. W. Anderson, Dinwiddle. 
John Coleman, Halifax. 



Class II. 
Drills, Broadcasters, ^c. 

413. For the best broadcasting or drill- 
ing machine for sowing grain or grass 
seed, mo 

414. For the best wheat drill, 20 

415. For the best broadcasting machine 
for sowing guano, 20 

416. For the best lime spreader, 20 

417. For the best corn planter, 10 

418. For the best seed drill, 3 
41&. For the best attachment to drill for 

drilling guano, 15 00 

420. For the best implement for sowing 
and covering peas among corn, at or imme- 
diately following the last tillage, and 
cither with or without guano, 15 00 

Judges. 

T. J. Randolph, Albemarle. 
John Haw, Hanover.^ 
Robert Douthat, Charles City. 
Pr. Robert Harrison, Prince George. 
Augustus Drewry, Chesterfield. 

• — . 

Class III. 

Wagons, Carts, Harness, <^c. 

•^'421. For the best wagon for farm use 
' " 422. For the best dumping wagon, 

423. For the best horse cart, 

424. For the best ox cart with iron axle, 10 

425. For the best wagon body, or lad- 
der, for hauling wheat in the sheaf, or hay, 
or straw, may b»exhibited by model, 

426. For the best set of M^agon harness, 

427. For the best liarness for horse cart, 

428. For the best ox yoke, 

Judges. 

Charles Friend, Prince George. 
Col. Josei)h Tuley, Chirke. 
Wm. II. Betts, Lunenburg. 
Col. Josiah Dabbs, Halifax. 
E. R. TurnbuU. Brunswick. 



Class IV. 
Boilers, Clod Crushers, and Farm Gate. 

429. For the best smooth roller, ^ 

430. For the best pegged roller, to be 
exhibited by model, 

43*1. For the best clod crusher, 

432. For the best farm gate, including 

best hinge and fastening, to be exhibited 

by model. 

Judges. 

B. F. Dew, King and Queen. 
John A. Scott, Farmville. 
Wilson Win tree, Powhatan. 
Dr. Richard Haskins, Brunswick. 
Dr. Brodnax, Gaston, N. C. 



10 00 



10 00 
10 00 



5 00 



Class V. 



Horse Powers, Threshers, Separators, ^-c 

433. For the best sweep horse power 

434. For the second best sweep horse 
power, 

435. For the best threshing machine, 

436. For the best machine for threshing, 
cleansing and separating wheat at one op- 
eration, 

437. For the best machine for gathering 
clover seed, 

4S8. For the best machine for hulling 
00 I and cleansing clover seed, 

Judges. 

Charles H. Carter, Nottoway. 

Wm. Irby, Lunenburg. 

James Beazley, Greene. 

Thomas Bruce, Halifax. 

W. H. Anderson, Prospect Depot. 



$25 OC 



10 


00' 


20 


00' 


30 


00 


20 


00 


20 


00 



10 


00 


10 


00 


8 


00 


10 


00 


• 5 


00 


5 


00 


2 


50 


2 


50 



Class YI. 

Straw and Boot Cutters, Corn Shellcrs, Mills, ^c. 

439. For the best hay or straw cutter 

for horse power, .^10 00'] 

440. For the best hay or straw cutter for 
hand power, 5 00] 

441. For the best horse power cutter, for 
GUttnig cornstalks for fodder, 15 00 

442. For the best corn .sheller for horse 
power, 10 00 ' 

443., For the best corn sheller for hand 
power, 5 I'l) 

444. For the best grist mill for horse 
power, .. 10 < 'I' 

445. For the best saw mill, for farm use, 10 lii 

446. For the best corn and cob crusher, 10 00 

447. For the best root cutter, 2 50 

448. For the best steam boiler for cook- 
ing food for stock, 20 00 

Judges. 

Peter P. Bottc, Prince George. 
S. S. Gresham, King and Queen. 
Wm. Overton, Louisa. 
Dr. Robert Pattcson, Littleton, N. C. 
John Harris. Mansborough. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



427 



Class VII. 
Fan Mill. Hay Press, Ditching Machine^ ^c. 

449. For the best fanning mill, $10 00 

450. For the best hay press, 15 OC) 

451. For the best stump machine, 30 00 
45-2. For the best ditching machine, 30 00 

453. For the best rotary digger, 30 00 

454. For the best steel spade fork, 2 00 

455. For the best horse rake for hay, 5 00 
45G. For the best gleaner, 3 00 
457. For the best brier hook, 1 00 

Judges. 

D. R. Stokes, Lunenburg. 
George Shuey, Augusta. 
William C. Graves, Orange. 
George Watt. Richmond. 
John Taylor, Jr., Culpeper. 



Class VIIL 

458. For the most extensive and valua- 
ble collection of useful machines and im- 
plements exhibited and made at any one 
factory, whether including subjects for 
other premiums or not, a premium of $25 00 

Judges. 
P. P. Nalle, Culpeper. 
W. J. Watkins, Charlotte. 
E. G. Booth, Nottoway. 
John Ro.wlett, Petersburg. 
Judge Thomas Rufiin, Alamance, N. C. 



Class IX. 
Miscellaneous, 

459. For the best pump adapted to deep 
wells, $10 00 

460. For the best water ram in opera- 
tion, 

461. For the best scoop or scraper, 

462. For the best levelling instrument, 
suitable for draining operations, 

463. For the best churn, 

464. For the best sausage cutter, 

465. For the best washing machine, 

466. For the best sewing machine, 

467. For the best machine for shearing 
sheep, 

468. For the best tide gate or model of 
same, 

Jii,dges. 

Ed. Friend, Dinwiddle. 
Andrew Nichol, Petersburg. 
John G. Powell, Nottoway. 
M. L. Anderson, Albemarle. 
F. P. Wood, Prince Edward. 



Class X. 

Agrivultural Steam Engine. 

469. For the best steam engine, applica- 
])le to agricultural purposes generally, as 
a substitute for horse power, $50 00 



10 


00 


10 


00 


10 


00 


4 


00 


2 


00 


2 


00 


10 


00 



15 00 



10 00 



Judges. 
Wm. Allen, Surry. 
Dr. M. M. Harrison, Brunswick. 
E. H. Herbert, Princess Anne-. 
William Benton, Jr., Loudotm. 
H. E. Shore, Nottoway. 



Class XL 

Ploughing Match. . 

470. For the best ploughman with 
horses, $10 00 

471. For the second best ploughman 

with horses, 5 00 

472. For the best ploughman with 
steers, 10 00 

473. For the second best ploughman 

with steers, 5 00 

474. For the best dynamometer, 10 0" 

Judges. 

Fielding L. Douthat, Charles City. 
L. H. Taliaferro, Culpeper. 
Ed. A. Marks, Prince George. 
Wm. Michaux, Powhatan. 
Wm. H. Turnbull, Dinwiddle. 

Class XII. 
Trial of Plojighs. 

475. For the best two horse plough ^ 
adapted to the section in which trial is 

to be instituted, $20 00 

476. For the best three or four horse 
plough adapted to the section in which 

trial is to be instituted, 20 00 

There shall he three separate trials of ploughs : 
one for the Tide-water, one for the Piedmont, 
and one for the Trans-montane section of the 
State. These trials shall be held ^respectively, 
after due public notice, at such times and places 
as shall be appointed by the chairman of the 
Committee of Award for the section in which 
the trial is to be made. 

The judges will award the premiums oflered. 
only to such implements as may be deemed 
fully worthy of that distinction. 

The relative merits of all the ploughs sub- 
mitted for trial shall be tested upon each of the 
several points contained in the following scale, 
and full report thereof shall be made to the Ex- 
ecutive Committee. 

scale of points for ploughs. 

1. Economy of Power, or the least resis- 
tance to draught according to depth and 
width of furrow^, 20 

2. Facility in changing the set, so as to 
give more or less land, or greater or less 
depth, without disturbing the proportionate 
width of furrow and without alteration of 
harness, l(f 

3. Sieadiness of action, with as little la- 
bour to the ploughman as comports with 
the proper control and guidance of the 
plough, 10 

4. Adjustment of all the parts in harmo- 



428 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



15 



10 

10 

100 



nious relation to each other, so that each 
shall duly perform its appropriate func- 
tion, 

5. Effectiveness of operation, cutting a fur- 
row, the width of which shall bear a due 
proportion to the depth thereof, and also 
cutting the furrow slice of tiniform thick- 
ness and lifting and turning it at the pro- 
per angle with the least degree of fric- 
tion, 

6. Strength, durability and simplicity of 
construction. 

7. Price and facility, and economy of re- 
pairs, 



Judges. 

TIDE-WATER. 

Robert Douthat, Charles City. 

Robert M. Taylar, Henrico. 

J. M. Willcox, Charles City. 

Dr. Richard Eppes, Prince George. 

Fielding L. Taylor, Gloucester. 

PIEDMONT. 

Richard H. Carter, Fauquier. 

Dr. R. C. Mason, Fairfax. 

R. H. Dulany, Loudoun. 

Dr. William N. AVelford, Culpeper 

William Benton, Sr., Loudoun. 



TRANS-MONTANE. 

Charles Grattan, Rockingham. 
John A. Herring, Rockingham. 
John McCue, Augusta. 
James M. Ranson, Rockbridge. 
R. G. Haden, Botetourt. 



Class XIIL 
Trial of Heaping and Moiving Machines. 

All. For the best reaping machine, $25 00 

478. For the best mowing do, 20 00 

479. For the best grain cradle, 5 00 

Judges. 

Tucker Carrington, Clarksville. 
J. Randolph Bryan, Gloucester. 
Thomas M. Bondurant, Buckingham. 
Clayton G. Coleman, Louisa. 
Joseph Jesse, Caroline. 



BRANCH VL 
Class I. 

FRUITS AND FRUIT TREES. 

480. For the best and largest variety of 
apples suitable for Southern raising, each 
labelled, $10 00 

481. For the best and largest variety of 
pears, 8 00 

482. For the greatest number of choice 



varieties of diflerent kinds of fruit, 10 00 

483. For the best and largest collection 
of apple trees, suitable for Southern rais- 
ing, 10 00 

484. For the best pear trees, 10 00 

485. For the best peach trees, 10 00 

486. For the best fig trees, 5 00 

487. For the best grape vines, 5 00 

488. For the best strawberry vines, 3 00 

489. For the best raspberry plants, 3 00 

490. For the best bushel dried apples, 3 00 

491. do do peaches, 3 00 

492. Model or da-awing of the best kiln 

for drying fruit, 10 00 

Judges. 
Paul C. Venable, Mecklenburg. 
Gen. E. P. Scott, Greensville. 
Col. Wm. P. Tate, Greensville. 
Julian C. RufRn, Prince George. 
Yardly Taylor, Loudoun. 

Class II. 

FLOWERS. 

493. For the largest and choicest collec- 
tion of plants, $10 00 

494. For the second best, 5 00 

495. For the best and greatest variety of 
dahlias, 

496. For the best twelve dahlias, 

497. For the greatest variety of roses, 

498. For the best twenty-five roses. 

499. For the best and largest collection 
of chrysanthemums, 

500. For the best floral ornament, 

501. For the best hand bouquet, not more 

than eight inches in circumference, 2 00 

502. For the best and largest collection 

of verbenas in bloom, 3 00 

503. For the best and largest collection 

of evergreens, 5 00 

504. For the best and largest collection 

of hardy fiowering shrubs, 5 00 

Judges. 
Rev. A. J. Leavenworth, Petersburg. 
Thos. T. Giles, Richmond. 
Col. Alex. Taliaferro, Culpeper. 
Robert B. Boiling, Petersburg;. 



2 


00 


2 


00 


-5 


00 


2 


00 


3 


00 


5 


00 



John E. Lemoine, 



do. 



Class IIL 



VEGETABLES. 



505. For the largest and best assortment 



of table vegetables 

506. For the best 
beets, 

507 
508 
509 
510 
511 
512 



$10 00 



dozen long blood 



For the best dozen head of cabbage. 
For the best dozen cauliflower, 
For the best dozen broccoli. 
For the best dozen carrots, 
For the best dozen egg plants, 
For the best peck of onious, 

513. For the best dozen parsnips, 

514. For the best bushel of Lish pota- 
toes, 



2 00 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



429 



515. For the best bushel of sweet pota- 
Itoes, 2 00 

Judges. 

Wm. Sayre, Hanover. 
Joseph Sinton, Henrico. 
Henry Jrvine, Norfolk. 
Thomas Gentry, Prince George. 
James R. Read, Dinwiddie, 

BRANCH VH. 
Class I. 

BUTTER AND CHEESE. 

516. For the best specimen of fresh but- 
ter, not less than ten pounds, $10 00 

517. For the second best specimen of 
fresh butter, not less than five pounds, 5 00 

518. For the best firlcin or tub of salted 
butter, not less than six months old, 10 00 

519. For the second best firkin or tub of 
salted butter, not less than six months old, 5 00 

520. For the best cheese, not less than 

20 pounds, 10 00 

The method of making and preserving the 
butter and cheese to be stated by the exhibitor. 

Judges. 

Daniel Lyon, Petersburg. 
Gary Breckenridge, Botetourt. 
T. M. Ambler, Fauquier. 
Wm. Brownley, Petersburg. 
Ed. 0. Watkins, Chesterfield. 



Class II. 
Honey, Bee Hives, and Bacon Hams. 

521. For the best specimen of honey, 

not less than ten pounds, 5 00 

The honey to be takeri without destroying the 
bees — tlie kind of hives used, and the manage- 
ment of the bees to be* stated by the exhibitor. 

522. For the best bee hive, 10 00 

523. For the best ham, cured by exhibi- 
tor, 8 00 

524. For the second best, 4 00 
Manner of curing to be described by exhibi- 
tor, and the hams exhibited to be cooked. 

Judges. 
Alex. Garrett, Richmond. 
John F. Whitfield, Powhatan. 
Dr. T. J. Pretlow, Southampton. 
Thomas S. Gholson, Petersburg. 
W-m. B. Green, Dinwiddie. 

Class I. 
Household Manufactures, 

525. For the best quilt, 5 00 

526. For the second best qviilt, 4 00 

527. For the best counterpane, 5 00 

528. For the second best counterpane, 4 00 

529. For the best pair home made blan- 
kets, 5 00 



530. For the best home made carpet, 5 00 

531. For the best home made hearth- 
rug, 3 00 

532. For the best set home made cur- 
tains, 5 00 

533. For the second best set home made 
curtains, 3 00 

534. For the best piece, not less than 7 
yards home made negro shirting, 3 00 

535. For the best piece, not less than 10 
yards, winter clothing for negroes, to be 
woven by hand, 5 00 

536. For the best piece, not less than 10 
yards, heavy woollen jeans, to be woven 

by hand, • 5 00 

537. For the second best piece, not less 
than 10 yards, heavy woollen jeans, to be 
woven by hand, 3 00 

538. For the best piece linsey, not less 

than 7 yards, to be woven by hand, 5 00 

539. For the second best, 3 00 

540. For the best 5 lbs. maple sugar, 5 00 

Judges. 

D'Arcy Paul, Petersburg, 
J. B. Ferguson, Richmond. 
A. G. Mcllwaine, Petersburg. 
W. C. Hume, Orange. 
"W. B. Ross, Culpeper, 



Class II. 

541. For the best fine long yarn hose, 3 00 

542. For the best fine long cotton hose, 3 00 

543. For the best silk hose of home 
made silk, 5 00 

544. For the best specimen of home 
made wine, 

545. For the best home made bread, 
54G. For the best home made pound- 
cake, 

517, For the best home made sponge- 
cake, 

548. For the best varieties home made 
pickles, 

549. For the best varieties home mad^" 
preserves, 

550. For the best varieties home made 
fruit jelly, 

551. For the best sample home made 
soap, the process of making to be describ- 
ed by the exhibitor, 5 00 

Judges. 

A. C. Morton, Petersburg. 
Lewis Graves, Orange, 
Edward Cunningham, Powhatan. 
Dr. E. Robinson, Petersburg. 
PI. A. Hall, Fauquier. 



Class III. 
Ladies^ Ornamental and Fancy Work. 

552. For the best specimen of embroi- 
dery, 8 00' 

553. For the second best, 6 00 



5 


00 


5 


00 


3 


00 


3 


00 


3 


00 


3 


00 


3 


00 



m 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



554. For the best specimen of worsted 
work, 

555. For the second best, 

55G. For the best specimen of crotched 
work, 

557. For the second best, 

558. For the best specimen of Vv^ax work, 

559. For the second best, 

560. For the best specimen of shell 
work, 

561. For the second best, 

562. For the best specimen of ornamen- 
tal leather work, 

563. For the second best, 

564. For the best specimen of block 
work, 

565. For the second best, 

566. For the best specimen of knitting, 

567. For the second best, 

568. For the best specimen of netting, 

569. For the second best, 

570. For the most extensive variety of' 
nseful^ ornamental, and fancy work, not 
excluding articles which may have had 
premiums awarded them under any of the 
above specifications. 

Judges. 

Mrs: John S. Williams, 1 

" James Ayres, j 

" M. P. Dunn, [ 

" Wm. Bra^g, | 

Miss Susanna Parrish, 



8 


00 


6 


00 


8 


00 


6 


00 


8 


00 


6 


00 


8 


00 


6 


00 


8 


00 


6 


00 


8 


00 


6 


00 


8 


00 


6 


00 


8 


00 


6 


00 



10 00 



Petersburo;. 



DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES. 

Class I. 

571. For the best flour of white wheat, 

572. For the best flour of red wheat. 

Certificate of Merit. 

Judges. 

David H. Branch, Petersburg. 
Andrew Kevan, do. 

Asa M. Janney, Richmond. 
Branch T. Hurt, Petersburg. 
Wesley Grigg, do. 

Class II. 

573. For the best manufactured to 

Certificate 

Judges. 

Natb'l Blick, Petersburg. 
Geo. P. Ilolman. Fluvanna. 
Wm. Martin, Henry. 
V. Witcher, Pittsylvania. 
Samuel Williams, Petersburg 



bacco. 
OF Merit. 



Class III. 

574. For the best shod horse, 

575. For the best horse shoe^ 



5 Ofi 
5 00 



Judges. 

Reuben Ragland, Petersburg. 
Alex. Kerr, Richmond. 
Dr. James E. Williams, Henrico. 
Charles Mann, King George. 
F. K. Nelson, Albemarle. 



Class IV. 

576. For the best pair bed blankets, 

577. For the best pair servant's blankets, 

578. For the best piece of woollens, 

579. For the best piece of cotton cloth, 

580. For the best piece of cloth or web-j 
bing, suitable for horse collars and har- 
ness, 

581. For the best and greatest variety ofj 
coarse, strong, and cheap shoes, 

582. For th« best and cheapest wool 
hats, 

583. For the best collection of coarse wool- 
len fabrics for farm purpose, 



584. For the best and cheapest negro 



brogues, 

Judges. 

T. M. Leitch, Buckingham. 
James M. McNutt, Farmville. 
James P. Marshall, Charlotte. 
Col. D. A. Weisiger, Petersburg. 
Josephus Hurt, . do. 

Class Y. 

585. For the best dozen baskets of differ- 
ent kinds, made in Virginia, of Virginia 
grown material. 

586. For the best set of plantation ham- 
pers and baskets, not less than three in 
number, 

Judges. 

James C. Gates, Chesterfield. 

Henry Cox, Henrico. 

Wm. C. Jones, Surry. 

Thos. Jones, Richmond County. 

Col. Alex. Fleet, King & Queen. 



Class VI. 

587. To the first individual in Virginia 
who shall establish and maintain in suc- 
cessful operation for six months, a factory 
for tubular draining tiles, on the most im- 
proved plan, a premium of 

588 For the best and cheapest speci- 
mens of tubular draining tiles, 

589. For the best hydraulic water pipes, 

Judges. 

Julian C. Ruffin, Prince George. 

J. Percival, Ricinnond. 

P. Shiughter, Culpeper, (Woodville- 

R. C. Mason, Fairfox. 

James M. Garnett, Henrico. 



$10 00 



5 00 



5 00 



50 00 

5 Go 
10 00 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



431 



BRANCH Vm. 



Honorary Testimonials to each individual of 
Virginia who, previous to 1858, has discovered 
or introduced, or brought into use any principle 
process or facility generally, or any improve- 
ment by whicli impo^-tant value has been gained 
ibr the agricultural interests of Virginia. 
Judges. 

N. Francis Cabell, Nelson. 
Wm. C. Rives, Albemarle. 
Win. B. Harrison, Prince George. 
Thos. J. Randolph, Albemarle. 
R. M. T. Hunter, Essex. 
John Todd, Isle of Wi^ht.' 
J. Mayo, Westmoreland. 
Wm. S. Simpson, Petersburg. 



BRANCH IX. 

Class I. 

Special Premiums for any useful subjects not 
embraced under any of the foregoing heads. 

590, Discovery in Virginia of mineral 
phosphate of lime in sufficient quantity 
to be valuable for sale and distant trans- 
portation as manure, a premium of 50 00 

If more than one claimant, the most valuable 
discovery to have the avi^ard. 
Judges. 



Class III. 

594. For the fullest and. best chemical 
analysis of the whole vegetable product 
of any good manuring variety of the South- 
ern pea, in vines, leaves, roots ami pods, 
at the time of the first pods being ripe 
- — or of each of these prodiicts separately, 
and their relative dry weights stated — and 
also separately of another sample of like 
ripe seed of the same variety — with the. 
results (and particularly of nitrogen) stat- 
ed, together and in comparison with the 
results, heretofore ascertained and pub- 
lished by chemists, of Indian corn, wheat, 
oats, European peas, clover, &c., a pre- 
mium of 50 00 
Judges. 

Prof. S. Maupin, University of Va. 

Prof. Wm. Gilham,ya. Mil. Institute. 

Prof. J. S. Campbell, Wash. College. 



£Same committee as Class II.] 



Class II. 

591. For the best drained farm, or part 
thereof, the formerly wet and then well 
drained portion of land to be not less thaji 
one hundred acres. The superiority of 
claim to be determined by the extent and 
labour of the works, their fitness and suc- 
cessful results, the amount and benefits 
produced, and profits made by the opera- 
tion, a premium of 50 00 

592. For the best drained 20 acres, to be 
determined in like manner, a premium of 20 00 

593. For the best drained farm by open 
ditches, and water furrows, reference be- 
ing had to costs, 20 00 

To obtain the first and. second named premi- 
ums, it is required that the claimant shall pre- 
sent an accvirate map or ground plan, of his 
drained land, and of the principal drains, with 
approximate and sufficiently correct representa- 
tions of all necessary minor points , also pro- 
files or levelled lines of cross-sections and the 
principal lines of drains; together with a sufli- 
ciently clear written description of the whole 
w^ork and the general results thereof. 

Judges. 

Wm. W. Gilmer, Albemarle. 
Josiah Burruss, King William. 
Robert Tomlin, Hanover. 
John G. Lane, Rappahannock. 
Wm. H. Clarke, Halifax. 



Class IV. 

595. For the best plan of preserving 
wheat from the time of harvest until it is 
sent to market, including shocking, stack- 
ing, and securing against weavil — to have 
been tested by satisfactory personal experi- 
ence, and to be accompanied by full and. 
accurate written descriptions and draw- 
ings if necessary, 15 00 
Judges. 

Wm. Overton, Louisa. 

William B. Harrison, Prince George. 

Gen. John H. Cocke, Fluvanna. 

Wm. Old, Sr., Powhatan. 

Thos. S. Watson, Louisa. 



DISCRETIONARY PREMIUMS. 

Judges. 

Gen. 0. G. Clay, Campbell. 
Henry T. Garnett. Westmoreland. 
Col. Geo. Townes, Pittsylvania. 
Dr. W. II. Perry, Lunenburg. 
Alexander Donnan, Petersburg. 

BRANCH X. 

Premiums offered by Individual Donors. 

Premiums to be proposed of not less than 
twenty dollars value by auy public spirited in- 
dividual or association of individuals, who may 
thus desire To induce experiment, investigation, 
or discussion, on any particular subject of in- 
quiry which shall come under the general ob- 
jects of the Society: In any such case the pre^ 
mium shall be oliered in and by the name of the 
individual donor, or association, but shall be 
awarded, as all other premiums, by the ExecH'. j 
tive Committee, acting under the general regu- 
lations of the society. Otters under this branch 
may be made at any time, admitting of sufficient 
public notice thereof being given previous to 
the day of av\-ards. 



432 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



For the Southern Planter. 

Defects in the Agricultural Productions 
of Albemarle County. 

An Essay read before " Hole and Corner Ch(b, 
No. 2, of Albemayie Go.,'' by Dr. Jno. i2. 
Woods. 

The duty imposed on me of preparing an 
essay on some subject connected with agricul- 
ture, has been delayed in its performance, from 
the fact that every topic I could think of had 
so often been discussed, nothing new was left 
at my disposal. 

Under the circumstances, I shall endeavor to 
expose what I conceive to be errors in our sys- 
tem of farming, and to suggest changes which 
I deem necessary for that improvement and re- 
generation of the soil, which every enlightened 
agriculturist must desire. The heavy tax in- 
curred in the purchase of Peruvian Guano, the 
large amount of labor and manure expended 
in the cultivation of tobacco and the almost 
universal habit of cultivating so extensive a 
surface, are errors which, unless corrected, 
must greatly retard the improvement of t::e 
country in many respects. 

The delusive impression, that guano would 
not only produce remunerative crops of wheat, 
but permanently improve the soil, stimulated 
the farmers to purchase an immense amount, 
and too late, they find it to be only a powerful 
stimulant, losing its efficacy unless the dose is 
considerably increased and ultimately impover- 
ishing the soil. 

While it has benefited a few, if it had never 
found its way into our country, I allude to our 
peculiar region, I am confident its condition 
would have been far better than we find it to 
be at this time. Enabling us as it has done, to 
grow wheat on soils too much exhausted for 
this peculiar crop, has, to some extent, paraly- 
sed efibrts which we would have been driven to 
make, to bring them up to that degree of fer- 
tility which has been styled the wheat point. 
Let me suppose for a moment, that the amount 
expended in its purchase, had been invested in 
what are known to be permanent fertilizers, 
the different salts of lime, the sulphate, carbon- 
ate and phosphate, and food for the fattening of 
cattle, doe§ any one doubt, but that the capaci- 
ty of the soil, for the growth of both grain and 
grass crops, would have been greatly increased. 

In riding over several fiirms, on which guano 
had been extensively applied, and the usual 
quantity of grass seed sown, I was struck with 
tlie naked appearance of the field, — I had never 
seen them presentingso bare and uninvitingun 
appearance. This may be partly attributal)Ie 
to the several dry sprir»f;s, but the repeated fail- 
ure in the stand of clover for a series of years, 
since the introduction of guano, leads me very 
strongly to suspect that its application 'is pecu- 
liarly prejudicial to the early growth of this 
our most valuable fertilizer. That the expen- 



diture of so large a sum has very sensibly in- 
creased the monetary pressure I have no doubt, 
and but for the high price which tobacco has 
commanded, the effect would be much more se- 
riously felt. It is needless forme to enlarge on 
this: a subject affecting so immediately our 
pocket nerve, must command attention. 

We come now to the remaining proposition, 
that the labor and manure expended in cultiva- 
ting large crops of tobacco and such an im- 
mense surface, are the greatest obstacles to suc- 
cessful improvement. I do not wish to be un- 
derstood as recommending that high degree of 
i cultivation practised in parts of Europe, where 
! labor is exceedingly cheap and lands enormous- 
ly high, but seeing what has been done, by ren- 
ters or tenants, not the owners of the land, in 
soils far inferior to ours naturally, should at 
least stimulate us to imitate their example, as 
far as our altered circumstances will admit. 

To make the tobacco crop at all remunerative 
when selling at ordinary prices, not only must 
it occupy the choicest spots on our farms — but 
all of the manure gathered together from every 
available source must be rendered tributary to 
it, all other work must yield to the planting, 
almost endless Avorraing and succoring, the cut- 
ting and curing, &c. To the growers of tobac- 
co, 1 need scarcely allude to the everlasting 
struggle which a full crop entails, and the im- 
perfect and hurried manner which all of our 
farming operations are performed. If we had 
such a soil as that of Southern Kentucky, Illi- 
nois or Missouri, where tobacco is grown, on 
any portion of the farm, without consuming all 
of the manure made, its extensive cultivation 
would be less objectionable, but, its application 
entirely to soil already good, for the production 
of a crop returning nothing to it, must ulti- - 
mately render the largest portion cultivated in 
other crops still poorer. Clover and plaster 
may assist in preserving somewhat its fertility, 
but when relied upon alone, before many 3-ears 
their efiicacy will be greatly impaired. I by 
no means wish to recommend the total aban- 
donment of the cultivation of tobacco, when 
commanding remunerative prices, but the mak- 
ing of only sufficient to give employment in 
weather too disagreeable for the performance of 
out door labor, — that the return realized for a 
few years, would be considerably curtailed, I 
readily admit ; any change from the worst to 
tiie best system, will be liable to thi^ objection. 
The advantages of this change in all of its 
bearings, would more than compensate. It 
would enable us to perform all of our farming 
operations more thorough and perfect, to erect 
more permanent and substantial farm build- 
ings; to sow our wheat much earlier, making 
the chances for a good yield much better, and 
almost ensuring a good stand of grass, which 
is very uncertain when sown as late as we are 
generally in the habit of seeding a considerable 
part of our crop. To apply more labor and 
manure to the corn crop, to attend more to the 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



433 



making and savin j^ of hay, a crop too much 
neglected and indispensable to the rearing of 
fine horses and cattle. To save our owm grass 
seeds, clovx3r, timothy and orchard grass — -to 
make better enclosures, permanent, &c., when 
stone was convenient — to give more attention 
to ditching and droning and clearing our farms 
of the various pests, briars, sassafras, garlick, 
&G. — to provide more comfortable fixtures, shel- 
ters, lots, &c.,for our stock. The manure from 
which, protected from the rain, would be dou- 
bly as valuable, and half the feed consumed 
would keep them in better condition. 

Our sheep and hogs, also, if protected from 
the snow, storms, &c., would be much healthi- 
er, consume less, and their lots properly littered 
would furnish valuable manure, which at pres- 
ent is. lost. 

To pay some attention to the culture of roots, 
which have been the basis of the wonderful 
revolution in English and Scotch agriculture, 
with more time and larger resources, to im- 
prove the quantity and quality of our manure 
banks, the only bank the farmer should have 
much to do Avith, and applying it to our hun- 
gry hills and ridges, thus covering them with 
verdure, we might profitably introduce impro- 
ved breeds of stock, which under our present 
system would rapidly deteriorate and prove 
anything but profitable ; and last but not least, 
more attention could be given to the orchard, 
to the planting and cultivation of the choicest 
variety of fruits, so conducive to health and 
comfort, and in addition might be made a source 
of considerable profit. 

There are other considerations of a higher 
and nobler nature which I might urge, more 
leisure could be given to the beautifying and 
adorning our homes ; all of our improve- 
ments have hitherto been mainly directed to 
providing for our ph3^sical wants ; we have done 
but little to refine our taste or feelings; our 
home should be made attractive and interesting, 
that our children may look back to it wherever 
they may go, as the dearest spot on earth. The 
early impressions received there, mould, in a 
great degree, their future character and destiny. 

The above views, though hurriedly and im- 
perfectly expressed, are the result of long 
thought and deep reflection. If they but serve 
to awaken an interest in the importance of the 
subject I shall be amply compensated. 



For the Planter. 

Mr. Franklin Minor's Mode of Eaising 
Hogs. 
RiDGWAY, June 3rd, 1858. 

Dear Bnffin: — I intended to answer Mr. 
Jones' call about my hogs in time for your 
June number, but was suddenly called from 
home two weeks ago, and am just returned. It 
matters little, however, as there is really no se- 
cret about the hogs. 
28 



In Beceraber, 1857, I killed 100 hogs, which 
averaged2432lbs. neat; five of them were 21, and 
the others 19 months old. There was nothing 
new or fiishionable in the breed. 

From birth to October they were fed with the 
sows, on 1| bushels of meal, half corn and half 
oats, made into swill, and one bushel of shelled 
corn, in a large field poorl}'- set in clover. 

From October to May they ran in the woods, 
and made their own beds, veithout shelter ; du- 
ring which time they were fed twice a day on 
shelled corn, IJ bush, at a feed. In May they 
were put into a thinly set clover field, and fed 
with corn, as in the winter, until the wheat 
was threshed, when they were put in the stub- 
ble fields, and fed with one half as much corn. 
Early in September we began to feed them 
with green corn, stalk and ear, as much as 
they would eat. When the stalk was dry, the 
ears alone were fed. 

They were healthy and thrifty all the time. 
Once in two weeks we gave them ashes and 
salt ; and occasionally, on rainy days, un- 
leached ashes were strown over their backs 
while they were eating to prevent mange. 

The pork Avas too large to be saleable ; but I 
hope you will find the bacon eatable when you 
visit me in July. 

Truly Yours, 

Franklin Minor. 



For the Planter. 

Stone Fencing. 

The best sized stone for a fence, is the larg- 
gest which can conveniently be moved ; and 
the best shape is slab or flat ; but in the gen- 
eral all sizes and shapes must be used, as to be 
had. 

In building a house, the stone must be tied 
in every direction ; in building a fence they 
should be tied crosswise only, for it cannot fall 
lengthwise. 

Many fences which I see are made for beau- 
ty instead of strength ; the consequence is, 
presently down falls the fence, — and then for 
patch-work, and away goes beauty. A stone- 
mason is not the man to put up a stone fence, 
for he will be too tedious and neat, consequent- 
ly too costly. 

To make a stone fence strongly and expe- 
ditiously, will require several months experi- 
ence. 

Having determined on tfie proper site for 
your fence, deposit as many stone on either 
side as you think will be sufficient. If the site 
is level or nearly so, no further preparation is 
necessary, but stretch your line and go to work. 
It is well to use two lines, one on each side, so 
that there be no shifting about of the line. 
Raise your line or lines some eight inches or 
more from the ground, so that the foundation 
stones may be placed underneath, thus making 
a shoulder or jog on the exterior of the fence, 



434 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



of some inches, depending on the size of the 
stone. Lay the largest rock first, and the larg- 
est continually until the fence is complete. 

Three feet at the base, four feet six inches 
high, and tea or twelve inches at top, is an ex 
cellent fence ; but with good stone a body of 
less dimensions will suffice. 

As the fence rises, lift the line, and be mind- 
ful to begin to batter or slope the wall at the 
foundation, and continue to batter uniformly 
to the top. 

My fences lately made look rough, becaifse 
I pay no attention to a face stone, but head all 
to the line, both sharp pointed and rough. 
The stones should be laid flat, and kept level, 
to do which it is sometimes necessary to fill in 
with small stones. Be slow and particular in 
laying the foundation, a little faster in the 
body, and near the top small stones require a 
quick motion, or but little is done, — always be- 
ing mindful not to leave a stone to jostle in 
the wall. 

To build a stone fence horizontally on a hill- 
side, the lower half of the track should be 
dug down to a level. On this level build as 
above recommended, putting all the best stone 
in the lower si'le of the wall, for there is little 
danger of a fence falling up hilL And re- 
member to batter the lower side in proportion 
to the steepness of the ground ; so that if very 
steep, all the battering shall be below, and the 
upper side perpendicular. 

When the stones are at hand, a man who un- 
derstands the business, can put up from one 
and a half to four rods of fence in a day ; the 
amount depending on the size and quality of 
the stone. 

I have a man now making stone fence for 
me, boarding himself and gathering his own 
stone, at four shillings the rod, who is averag- 
ing two and a half rods the day. I am satis- 
fied that if the stone were at hand he would 
make from four to five rods the day. But the 
stone are good, and none more than thirty 
feet distant. 

After a fence is two feet high, I can head on 
the stone as fast as two men can hand them to 
me. The great art is in dropping the stone in 
proper place, so that no further handling shall 
be required. About one hundred and eighty 
common sized stone will build a rod of fence. 
Work niQ,e hours in the daj, and liandle one 
stone the minute, and you M'ill have made 
three rods of fence ; and surely a man can do 
this. 

At this work at least two men should work 
together, particularly where the stones are 
large. The tools required are a grubbing hoe, 
crow bars, and large hammer, — and drills 
where blasting is necessarj'. A piece of iron 
an inch square and four feet long is all sufficient 
for a crow bar. JIammcr it round about two- 
thirds its length, and round the point a little, 
and it is ready for ripping up sLono. 

He who has the stone should put them into 



a fence, particularly if he is scarce of timber. 
And if he has the timber, better sell it with 
the land, and expend the proceeds in stone 
work. 

Where large stones are scarce and small ones 
plentiful, the foundation of a fence may be 
made of the small ones, provided broad stones 
are placed on these, — being mindful to make 
the foundation about four feet wide ; and it 
would be well to run a large plough furrow on 
each side, casting the earth inward, so as to 
make a trench for holding the foundation stone. 

Where stones of all sizes are scarce, a good 
fence can be made of stone and wood. A fence 
two feet Lur inches at the base, three feet 
high, and six inches at top, Avill require only 
about half the stone of a fence three feet base, 
four and a half feet high, and twelve inches 
top. By laying a rail on the top of a three 
foot stone fence, driving stakes on either side, 
and capping with poles, you viill have a good 
fence about four and a half feet high. The 
stakes should be locust, and the poles should 
be chestnut, — and the longer the poles the 
stronger the fence, and fewer the stakes re- 
quired. If you have the chestnut but not of 
suitable size, you can with maul and wedge 
soon make them suit. 

A stone fence will last as long as one could 
desire ; a r:iil fence must be renewed every 
twenty or thirty years, although of chestnut. 
A wood fence requires continual repairs, a 
stone fence needs but little attention. 

In the general, to make a* stone fence, the 
cost will not exceed more than three times that 
of a rail fence ; and where the stones are ta- 
ken from a valuable field, a credit on cost 
should be given for their ridance. 

The Virginians pay taxes on too much land ; 
they should own much less, and fence up and 
take better care of that they have. Land not 
worth fencing is not worth having. 

For every stone which you pick up and move 
you shall have a credit ; for every valuable 
tree which you cut you shall have a debit. 

What did the Creator make all these stones 
for? 

June, 1858. ZA. DRUMMOND. 



jpor the Planter. 

''Rhode's Superphosphate of Lime." 

Mr. Editor. — The June No. of the South- 
ern Planter contains another lengthy and pret- 
ty excited article in reply to a few innocent, 
and certainly well meant remarks which I hap- 
pened to say in favour of " Rhode's Superphos- 
phate of Lime." Mr. ' B." sticks with iron 
muscles to " guano stimulating the plant," 
and tries hard to ridicule my expression that 
" guano stimulates the soil." 

I still contend that guano doea stimulate the 
soil ; because, we know that the phosphate of 
lime contained in soils is very insoluble in 
water, and therefore not fit for assimilation by 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



435 



Plants ; and we know, also, as an established 
fact, tl)at the ammoniacal salts contained in 
Peruvian guano act in such a manner on the 
above Phosphate of Lime as to form phosphate 
of ammonia, which is soluble in water, and 
a most welcome nutriment to plants. Does 
guano, then, stim-wlate the soil ? or, what is 
the same thing, stimulate the infijredients of 
the soil so as to make them available for food? 

I now wish to hear a similar reasoning' by 
which Mr. "B-" was induced to stick, so ob- 
stinately, to his " guano stimulating the plant." 
This expression of his I consider nothing but 
an empty phrase ; and all the " pitching into 
me" by Mr. " B.'^ made from the beginning 
the impression on my mind of " a great cry 
and no wool." 

If Mr. " B," can prove his assertion to the 
satisfaction of the numerous readers of the 
Southern Planter, they will necessarily infer 
that I am right,'~and always will be right, and 
that Mr. " B." had no substantial ground for an 
attack on me. But if he cannot prove his as- 
sertion, then our readers must infer that I am 
right, and Mr. " B." is wrong again. 

That guano stimulates the soil, I could have 
Said to the farming community of the w-hole 
globe. Why, then, should I not thus address 
the leading journal of the "Great West?" 
Will Mr. " B." face the music and answer? 
X OF THE Republican. 



In the next issue of your valuable journal, 
will you favour us with some light upon the 
subject? 

Very respectfully, W. B., Jr. 



For the Planter. 

How shall we get Rid of Cabbage Lice ? 

Beuna Vista, June 1st, 1858. 

3fr. Bifffin. — Ever since I had a garden it 
has been more or less infested with Cabbage 
lice, but never, until now have they done any 
serious damage. In early spring I had a great 
number of very fine Cabbage, and set out more 
than my usual number for seed, — and from 
them the lice have spreid in every direction 
through the garden, and although the plants 
which I transplanted look remarkably flourish- 
ing, and are ahead of most of my neighbours' 
in size, yet scarcely a plant is free from this 
miserable little vermin. Not having before 
been seriously injured by them, 1 have been 
disposed to jeer those who complained of them, 
and attributed their suffering to negligence in 
the enriching of their soil ; but now that I am 
affected to a degree bordering on destruction 
to my Cabbage crop, I am disposed to cry for 
help, and write to ask of yourself or some of 
your correspondents, if they can suggest any 
remedy. I am now trying to destroy them by 
rubbing them off with the hand, but this must 
be attended with great injury to the ^lant, as 
the bud, where the vermin chiefly congregate, 
has to be subjected to a severe ordeal in the 
way of manipulation ; and sensitive and tender 
as it is, the consequences must be very delete- 
rious. 



Disease in the White Oak Trees of the 
Upper Valley, and of Apple Trees near 
Alexandria. 

We submit the following correspondence to 
the public, because it involves two matters of 
public interest. We are indebted for Dr. 
Fitch's letter to the kindness of B. P. Johnson, 
Esq., the Secretary of the N. Y. State Agri- 
cultural Society. We are none the less thank- 
ful to Dr. Fitch, however, who would no doubt 
have answered our letter quite as readily if 
directed to him in the first instance, which we 
certainly should have done, if we had known 
his whereabouts. * 

For the Southern Planter. 
Big Lick, Roanoke, May 27th, 1858. 
Gentlemen: 

For the last two or three years the neigh- 
bourhood of Christiansburg has been infested 
with a w^inged bug somewhat resembling a 
beetle, heretofore unknown, and which threatens 
to destroy all the groves of white and black oak. 
These bugs are about a half inch in length,, 
with long wings resembling the transparent 
wings of the locust, doubled under, longitudi- 
nally, and encased as the wings of the beetle- 
class usually are. They have four anterior and 
two posterior legs, serrated and covered with* 
needles. The body is short, thick and round.. 
They emerge from holes in the ground after' 
sun-down, and with considerable noise light 
upon the trees in countless swarms, where they 
continue their depredations until morning, 
when they retire to their cells in tl\e ground. 

On the' farm of Mr. Eskridge, near Chris- 
tiansburg, they have appeared in succession, 
during the last two or three years, and have- 
already destroyed, to a considerable extent, two- 
noble groves of native forest oak, reserved oui 
his estate. Many of the trees destroyed are- 
white oaks, measuring from three to five feet 
in circumference, and unless a mode can be- 
devised to rid his estate of these pests, another- 
year will probably leave him without a tree in; 
either grove. Thus far, they have confined- 
their ravages to the white and red oak, and only 
these when standing in groves. The unbroken, 
forest, as yet, is untouched. 

It is useless for me to occupy your time in^ 
dilating on the seriousness of an evil which at-- 
tacks the noblest tree of our forests, and threa- 
tens to sweep away in a season the proudest, 
ornament of our lawns and the most valuable^ 
tree in our woods. You will, at a glance, ap- 
preciate the importance of this matter, andl 



436 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



will, I trust, provide us with such light as you 
possess, or can derive from your extensive cor- 
respondence. 

I think there is a gentleman in Massachu- 
setts, (a Dr. Harris,) who has devoted many 
years to the subject of entomology, and especi- 
ally to that branch which relates to those in- 



East Greenwich, New York. 
Hon. B. F. Johnsox: 

Dear /Sir— The clusters of little yellow grains, 
producing discolored spots on the apple-leaves 
of Mr. Mason's orchard, are not the eggs of an 
insect, though they resemble them; but areai 
minute vegetable, a species oi fungus, proba- 



sects interesting to the agriculturist, who, if bly belonging to the genus >S'p7«(Hria of botanists, 
applied to, could inform us what this animal i The leaves of a barberry bush in my yard are 
is, its habits and the mode of guarding against at present affected by a fungus having con- 
its depredations. I siderable analogy to this, as will be seen from 
Your prompt and energetic attention to tnis'some of them which I enclose herewith, on ex- 



matter will be very gratifying to many of your 
subscribers. 

Respectfully, 

W. M. Peyton. 

Near Alexandria, 27th May, 1858. 
Mr. F. Ruffin: 

Dear Sir — I enclose two or three leaves taken 
from a tree in my apple orchard, as specimens 
of the different stages of a disorder, under the 
influence of which the orchard has been suf- 
fering, declining and dying for some years 
past. I do not understand it myself, nor can I 
find anybody who does, though I have called 
the attention of many to it. The orchard had 
'been planted some years before the attack was 
made — the trees were, many of them, well 
grown and vigourous in appearance ; and as 
the soil was various in quality, some of the 
trees were poorly progressed, and others occu- 
pied the gradations between the two extremes. 
It first appeared upon the trees of a cider- 
apple, sold to me as the "Robertson Red," af- 
fecting at first but few — but gradually extended 
from year to year, until not only the whole of 
that kind became affected, but last year it ex- 
tended to other trees. It has not only widened 
in extent, but has increased in virulence, so 
that a great many trees have died under its in- 
fluence, and I am apprehensive I shall lose my 
whole orchard, unless I may be helped to a 
remedy ; and my object is to ask y^r aid in 
the premises, if you know what it is, and the 
remedy. I take it for granted that it is the work 
of some insect, as I believe every blemish upon 
the leaves of tree's is, of whatever kind they 
may be. It is not unlike small-pox in its ap- 
pearance — on some of the leaves there are but 
few marks, whilst on others it appears in the 
confluent form, as you will observe. It may be 
proper to say that the orchard has been culti- 



amining them with a magnifying glass — those 
on the apple-leaves being at a younger stage of 
their growth than those upon the barberry. 
Almost every species of plant and tree has, i^\ 
addition to insect depredators, one or more 
pavastic plants of this kind living upon it. 
And how very pernicious these fungi are liable 
to become, is shown by the Ovidium, the species 
which attacks the grape vine, and which has 
caused such an extensive failure of this fruit, 
in vine growing countries, of late years. 

I would recommend Mr. Mason to dust some 
of the affected trees with flour of sulphur. As 
this fungus has its seat upon the upper surface 
of the leaves, sulphur can readily be sifted over 
them, thus applying it directly upon the dis- 
eased spots. I would apply it to some of the 
trees when dry and to others when wet with 
the morning's dew, and watch the result. 
Against some of these fungi sulphur is a most 
ef&cacious remedy; but it may not be so to 
others. 

As to the insect which is infesting the oak 
trees in Mr. Peyton's neighborhood, without 
knowing vehether it is the leaves, bark or wood 
of the tree which it attacks, the manner of its 
attack, the color of the insect, and a few other 
particulars, all my Yankee blood will not en- 
able me to give a guess as to its name, 
which will be of a farthing's value. But if 
Mr. P. will send us a specimen of this insect, 
we can give him the information he desires, 
free from all doubt and uncertaintj'. It can 
readily be enclosed in a small tin box, with a 
little cotton to hold it in its place, and sent by 
mail. 

Asa Fitch. 



Soapsuds. 

In days that once were, the soapsuds went 
vated in its early being with more regularity [ to the gutter as regnlarl}' as the washing-day 



than recently, though it has been cultivated 
up to the present at least once in three years ; 
and now I have hogs running in it, as has been 
the case all the Winter and Spring; and I was 
gratified to observe that they have been root- 
ing, with especial industr}-, under every tree, 
and yet the malady is more extended now than 
ever before. If you can help me out of my 
difiiculty, I shall be very much obliged to you. 
Very truly and respectfully yours, etc., 

R. C. Mason. 



was ended ; and there are too many who allow 
the plan to be followed in the present day. xVU 
do not yet seem to have learned that a tubful 
of strong soapsuds is worth as much, as a 
fertilizer, as a wheelbarrow of good manure. 
Now efrery bucket of soapsuds should be 
thrown where it will not be lost. The garden 
is a good and convenient place in which to dis- 
pose of it; but the roots of grape-vines, young 
trees, or anything of the sort, will do as well. — 
British Farmer's Magazine. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[^From the Valley Farmer. 

The Hog. 

Good feeding will, in a great measure, 
make up any natural deficiency in almost 
any kind of stock, but to have a good 
breed as a foundation to build upon is an 
important consideration. 

Experience has proved that the hog 
which attains the greatest weight in from 
twelve to eighteen months, makes the best 
return and largest profit. It will not be 
necessary in the present instance to dis- 
cuss the origin and qualities of different 
breeds. These have generally taken their 
names from the person (after some years 
of judicious breeding) introducing them, 
or they have been called by the name of 
the county where they took their origin. 
But after their dissemination in various 
parts of the country, and especially after 
crossing for some generations, the original 
type becomes almost extinct, the progeny 
perhaps still bearing the name. From 
this fact T deem it unimportant whether a 
hog be called Berkshire, Byfield, Suffolk, 
&c., provided he possesses the form, size 
and general appearance requisite to make 
such an animal as has been spoken of 
above. In making a selection for profita- 
ble feeding take a hog with a long and 
round carcass, small head, short legs, 
broad shoulders, full hams and moderate 
sized bone. My observation has led rne 
to conclude that spotted and dark colored 
hogs are generally hardier and more 
thrifty than white ones. Avoid in-and-in 
breeding. By this course the form may 
be perfected but the constitution is lost. 
Sows carry their young nearly four months. 
They should only be allowed to have two 
litters a year. One early in the spring 
another sometime in . the fall. By this 
means we avoid the necessity of extra 
feeding and attention with sows having 
pig.s in bad weather. In extreme cold 
weather they eat their pigs. If confined 
in a pen they will sometimes become dis- 
satisfied with their quarters and eat their 
young. To prevent this feed them well 
just before farrowing with greasy slop and 
refuse meat, this destroys their unnatural 
appetite. Let them range freely and 
choose the place for their bed. leaves or 
prairie hay makes the most wholesome 
litter that hogs can be in. Any kind of 
straw is bad to produce mange, and lying 
in stable manure is especially «o. This is 



a most ruinous disease, but if taken in 
time may be cured in the following way. 
First wash thoroughly with strong (warm) 
soap suds. Then rub dry and annoint be- 
hind the ears, on the breast and on the 
inside of the legs with sulphur and grease, 
(well mixed.) Put a little sulphur occa- 
sionally in their slop and keep them out of 
the rain. 

Sows should be well fed when suckling, 
arid as soon as the pigs are old enough to 
drink slop, let them have it freely. In 
this way they get a good start, which is a 
considerable item in making a good hog. 
Castrate pigs when four or five weeks old, 
and spay the sows as soon as they are 
large enough to handle. The farmer who 
who has plenty of apples will find them 
quite j)rofitable in giving his fattening 
hogs a start. The process of fattening 
should be commenced in the fall as early 
as convenient, thus taking advantage of 
time when the business of feeding is not 
so disagreeable as in cold weather, and 
when hogs take on flesh most readily. 
They will be found to gain most rapidly if 
confined in close quarters, protected from 
the weather, and on a pl'ank floor in order 
to prevent rooting. Of course, large num- 
bers must be treated differently according 
to circumstances. In feeding large num- 
bers, the common practice is to turn a 
drove into a field of corn, and with smaller 
ones to gather and throw the corn to them 
in large quantities, but in my opinion the 
day is not very far di.^tant when agricultu- 
ral furnacies for cooking food will be in 
general use. Experiments have proved 
beyond any reasonable doubt that there is 
an immense saving, (especially in fatten- 
ing hogs,) by preparing food for stock in 
this way. Grinding corn, cooking and 
feeding in about the same consistence of 
mush is probably the best mode of prepar- 
ing food for hogs. Havihg them well 
fattened there remains but one other 
transaction for the farmer, viz : to get a 
good price for them and hand them over 
to the executioner. *** 



English Farming. 
Butler Abbey is the residence of Thos. 
Crisp, E.^q., one of the most noted breed- 
ers of short-horn cattle, of swine, and of 
Suffolk cart horses, in that part of Eng- 
land. I spent several days under hivS hos- 
pitable roof, and gave his stock of animals 



43? 



T U E .S C U T 11 E R N P L A N T E U 



a pretty thorough examination. He farms 
about 3,000 acres, and has hundreds of 
cattle and horses, and thousands of sheep. 
Perhaps a ride round the farm, for it is 
quite too large to walk over, may give an 
idea of a large farm.er's affairs in that part 
of England. Mr. Cri>p is, like most farm- 
ers, a tenant, and not the owner of the 
land he occupies. These tenancies, usu- 
ally, I find, are not by a written lease, but 
by a sort of understanding, not quite defi- 
nite enough for my taste, regulated much 
by the cusfoms of the particular estate. 
A large proprietor. Lord somebody, or the 
Duke of something, owns some 20,000 or 
30,000 acres, which has been in the fami- 
ly a thousand years, or at least, from the 
time of William the Conqueror. This 
proprietor usually gives no personal atten- 
tion to his estates, so far as the rents are 
concerned, but intrusts all such afFaiis to a 
steward who makes his bargains with the 
tenants, and the lord of the domain some- 
times does not even visit a farm in a gene- 
ration, the tenant occupies at a fixed rale, 
which he pays half-yearly in cash ; and 
although neither party is bound for more 
'than the year, the tenant often occupies 
for his lifetime, and his son takes the farm 
at his decease. Landlords are willing to 
give long leases, but tenants seem to pre- 
fer the yearly system, so far as I have ob- 
served. 

The tenant farmer seems to go on and 
make the permanent improvements, often 
at great expense, and lays out his work as 
if he owned the fee simple ; and on the 
whole, homes are more permanent in this 
land of mere tenants, than in our land of 
fee-simple owners with migratory habits. 
The farmer pays a rent of, say five dollars 
per acre, annually, for his land, and con- 
ducts operations in his own way, provided 
he does not cut down trees, or plow up any 
pasture land, or disturb the game, such as 
hares, and partridges, and pheasants, 
which go where they please, and do as 
much damage as they like, unmolested. 

A "keeper" — that is, a game-keeper — 
lives on the estate, whose business it is to 
protect the game, and catch the poachers 
who presume to touch these animals, who 
are held as sacred as the geese in Rome's 
capital. The game laws are, and ever 
have been, a fruitless source of crime and 
suffering, and always will be, till human 
nature is thoroughly changed. On every 



estate where T have been, I have noticed 
with indignation the ravages of these use- 
less animals called game in the fields of 
the finest wheat, while neither farmer nor 
labourer, dares even drive them away, on 
penalty of his lord's displeasure, and the 
loss of his lease next year. I will say, 
however, that properly viewed, this waste 
of human food is not the loss of the farm- 
er, but of the landlord, because land not 
subject to the preservation of game is, for 
that reason, leased at a higher rent. 

There are no large barns for grain and 
hay in the South of England, as with us, 
but those products which we so carefull3'' 
protect are never housed. I have dis- 
cussed the topic a good deal with farmers 
here, and they have reasons for their 
course ; some I cannot venture to answer. 
They say they cannot afford the expense 
of barns, and that, if they could, hay 
would heat and burn up by spontaneous 
combustion if put into them. The climate 
there is much more moist than ours, and [ 
think the storms are not so violent. Hay 
does not dry so readily nor injure so much 
in the stack as with us, and, on the whole, 
if English farmers like their mode best, 
we will find no fault with t'lelr judgment ; 
but I am sure it is poor economy for New 
Englanders to follow their example in this 
particular. The low price of labour, and 
the high price of building material in Eng- 
land, make in favor of stacks and against 
barns. 

In Mr. Crisp's farm-yard, I saw an origi- 
nal of the farm-yards in which Landseer, 
and Herring, and other ])ainters of ani- 
mals, so much delight. Around in some 
order, though with no great regularity, are 
huge stacks of wheat, and barley, and 
hay, and straw, as large as goodly sized 
barns all neatly thatched and trimmed. 

There is a donkey quietly meditating upon 
the better condition of half a dozen cart- 
horses that are standing to their knees in 
straw, eating rye-grass and clover from 
the rack ; and there a dozen of black pigs 
of two months, with their maternal relative 
rooting about the very feet of the horses. 
Flocks of ducks are waddling about in the 
same yard, and hens and chickens mix into 
the scene in crowds. A big dog is chained 
to the gate, and a smaller one is barkmg 
to any stranger who" approaches. Under 
the long tiled-roofed shed, a dozen carts 



I 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



439 



keep company with as many long- handled, 
long-nosed, long-beamed })lows. 

A steam-engine is puffing away, quietly 
and busily, with a thrashing machine. 
Two or three men are passing up the 
sheaves from the rick, and two women on 
the top of the thrasher receive it and 
unite the bands, while two or more men 
are pitching the straw on to a new stack ; 
about as large and high up as a forty-foot 
barn ; while on the top of the same stack 
a boy is mounted on a horse of near a 
ton's weight, riding constantly about to 
tread down the straw. The horse and 
rider remind you of an equestrian statue 
on a very large pedestal ; and as the horse 
is gradually rising higher and higher, you 
wonder how he is ever to get down again, 
seeing that the stack is perpendicular on 
every side, and fifteen feet high already; 
Everywhere is straw a foot thick — about 
the yards, in the stables, in the cow 
stalls — the greater object seeming to be to 
tread it down for manure. 

We went down to the tide-water which 
bounds one side of the farm, and examined 
the embankment against the sea. The 
embankment extends about twenty-two 
miles, and the "marshes" (as the drained 



land, I am satisfied, would double in value, 
at small expense, by draining with tiles, 
when we have them at a fair price, and 
know how to use them. 

1 nave not space now to speak particu- 
larly of the crops of wheat and other 
grain, nor of the culture of the root crops, 
nor of the magnificent stock of cattle, 
swine, and sheep, nor of the plowing with 
those queer, old plows, straight furrows for 
half a mile, such as I never saw in Ameri- 
ca. We have had many talks about plows, 
but they have one argument in favor of 
their ungainly implement. Their work is 
far better than ours, and it is either be- 
cause they have better plows or hold 
them better, and our farmers and plow- 
makers may settle that question as they 
can. 1 have seen a man in England, with 
a yoke of oxen fastened in collars, like 
horses, with blinders on, and bits in their 
mouths, guiding them with reins, and 
holding the plow himself, striking out 
lands eight rods long, with no stakes ex- 
cept at the ends, absolutely straight, so 
that I could not see an inch variation in 
the distance. It is a common operation 
here to plow land into ridges for mangolds, 
drill four rows at a time with a horse-drill, 



lands are called) are some of the most; and when the crop is up, to horse-horse 



valuable wheat fields T have ever seen. 'I 
have since examined the "Lincolnshire 
fens," and the mode of drainage by im- 
mense steam-engines, as well as large 
tracts t-eclaimed from the sea elsewhere, 
and I feel safe in saying that the heaviest 
crops of wheat I have seen in England 
are upon these fens and mashes. They 
require a peculiar treatment, and ii differ- 
ent rotation from the uplands ; but the 
whole subject is well understood, and may 
be studied with advantage by all of us 
who live on the banks of rivers, or on the 
coast of the Atlantic. 

Upon one part of the estate we found 
brick and tile w'orks, where all the opera- 
tions of making, setting, and burning drain 
tiles were 
which has 

tion, and I have seen various machines in 
operation in several places, and have nar- 
ri)wly watched the methods of laying out 
the drains and laying the tiles. I am 
more impressed with the importance of 
the subject to us at home. Much per- 
haps of our New England soil requires no 
draining, but much of our most valuable 



four rows at once. I think bad plowing is 
one of our national sins. — JYew England 
Farmer. 



gomg on. This is a subject 
especially occupied my atten- 



Order and Economy on the Farm. 

Without order on the farm, peace of 
mind, success and profit are impossible. — 
Watchfulness and care are implied in this 
forcible word, order. Who is the farmer 
that does not know of serious accidents 
happening to animals and crops for want 
of proper care ? Some farmers are negli- 
gent of their animals when at grass', as if 
no accident could happen. We once knew 
a most excellent horse to get on his back 
in the furrow of a pasture field that was 
"seeded down" with a grain crop grown 
on "lands" or ridges. Sheep of good 
quality (and what farmer should grow any 
other) are liable to meet with similar acci- 
dents — so, too, to be injured by dogs, etc., 
and for which care seems, after all the ex- 
periments have been madc^, to be the best 
remedy. 

The farmer should not allow his cattle 
that are used in his farm work, to be scat- 



440 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



tered indiscriminately over his fielda. In 
the most busy season it often happens that 
a great deal of time is lost in catching 
working animals that are let out on pas- 
tures while the men eat dinner. In the 
heat of a hot day, as at noon, horses and 
oxen would do much better in the stables 
if supplied with green food. For such 
purpose no farmer should be without the 
necessary quantity of clover to be used as 
soiling. We do not refer to that grown on 
meadow land with grasses, but to clover 
produced on meadow land heavilymnnured. 
Such clover will be succulent, and while 
it furnishes a highly nutritive feed for 
working animals, it prevents them from 
having a desire to consume large quanti- 
ties of water. Clover grown in the man- 
ner referred to, would produce the second 
season three crops. After each cutting it 
shohld be heavily top-dressed. If the 
pastures are bare from being over-stocked, 
or parched by the heat of summer, the cat- 
tle should be fed on clover or other soiling. 
The value of it for increasing the quantity 
and quality of milk and butter, will soon 
be understood by any person who pursues 
such a course. This system of practice 
has its influence in saving time. If the 
fences are bad, or that cattle roam in the 
w^oods, by the feeding of special green 
food in a particular place thus causing cat- 
tle to come in search of it, much time may 
be saved. We know of a shiftless, disor- 
derly farmer — and perhaps there are oth- 
ers as well as he — who drives his cattle 
three or four miles to be milked, often w^hen 
above their knees in mud. He has seve- 
ral horses to spare, and milk cans growing 
rusty for want of use. He does not esti- 
mate the loss arising from such a practice. 
His cattle travel in coming home twice a 
day to be milked, and returning to the pas- 
ture, make four journeys equal to twelve 
miles — when the roads are muddy 
the labor is much increased — the feet of 
the cattle become subject to disease — 
while travelling they are not feeding, and 
consequently not supplying the raw mate- 
rial from which to make flesh, milk or but- 
ter — they dung on the road and its manu- 
rial effects are lost to the pasture — anil in 
addition to these losses, arising from care- 
lessness or a want of " order upon the 
farm," the time of a man or boy is also 
lost in making the journeys referred to. — 
Working Farmer. 



Boot and Shoe Trade. 

In the month of May, 1818, the good 
sloop called the Delight came into the port 
of New York, freighted at Boston with a 
full cargo of boots and shoes, consigned 
to Spoflbrd & Tileston, the first boot and 
shoe-jobbers of importance in New York, 
who then commenced supplying the ship- 
ping demand from this port instead of 
Boston. 

These gentlemen were therefore the first 
to introduce, extensively, the wholesale 
boot and shoe trade into this city. The 
manufacture was confined at that time to 
New England, whence they received sup- 
plies on commission. The trade rapidly 
extended, but in 1829 there were only 
four jobbing houses in this branch of in- 
dustry. 

The large sales of boots and shoes for 
shipping induced Messrs. Spofford & Tile- 
ston to invest capital in a line of ships to 
ports in the South, for which they became 
agents as well as principal owners, and 
which being successful, led them to be- 
come large ship owners, and at length to 
abandon the boot and shoe trade to others. 
The boot and shoe manufacture of this city 
and its environs is therelbre of modern 
date. It now forms one-third of the whole 
manufacturing power of the country. — 
New England and Pennsylvania still re- 
taining two thirds. This proportion is ra- 
pidly changing in favor of New Yoik. In 
this city there are about fifty-five boot and 
shoe jobbing houses, doing business to the 
extent of fifteen to sixteen millions of dol- 
lars yearly. 

Common goods, such as men's pegged 
boots and brogans, women's pegged and 
common sewed shoes and gaiters are man- 
ufactured in the villages of New England, 
namely: Lynn, Haverhill, Worcester, Mill- 
ford, Natick, Randolph, Abington, Read- 
ing, Danvers, Georgetown, Stoughton, and 
several other places in the State of Mas- 
sachusetts. 

The better kinds of goods, such as men's 
and women's fine sewed boots and shoes 
are manufactured in this city, in Newark, 
N. J., and other small places adjacent. 

There is but one other branch of manu- 
facturing industry that has increased so 
rapidly as the boot and shoe business, and 
that is the clothing trade. 

There are some boot and shoe jobbers 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



441 



whose business amounts to from $800,000 
to $1,000,000 annually. 

It is a fact not generally known that the 
manufacture of boots and shoes is the 
largest domestic trade in the States. Each 
New England village, town or city in 
which this industry is carried on, is gene- 
rally devoted to one kind or style of 'boot 
or shoe ; and many are built up exclusive- 
ly by this special industry. There is no 
country that can compete with us either as 
it regards prices or quality. We export 
largely to South and Central America, the 
West India Islands, and Australia. The 
sales also to California are very heavy. 

The Eastern manufacturers have suffer- 
ed considerably in the late financial trou- 
bles, and are much crippled in means. A 
great many of them not being able to meet 
their engagements at maturity, but requir- 
ing renewals, all of which are not yet paid, 
are suffering in their credit, and the con- 
sequence is a falling off in the supplies, so 
that some kinds of goods are getting scarce. 
The leather-dealers have had to come for- 
ward to the relief of their customers. 

The leather-dealers are a powerful body, 
and are well able to sustain a temporary 
suspension of payments from their custo- 
mers. Their paper is considered the best 
in the market, and commands the readiest 
pale at all times. The wealthiest houses 
anfiong them have bought large quantites 
of hides to store for future time. This 
speculation is expected to repay them by 
sustaining the prices of leather, but the 
boot and shoe dealers only buy from hand 
to mouth, being of opinion that the leather 
dealers will not be able to carry out their 
plans successfully. 

The tanners, as a body, are poor, and 
have to borrow their capital from the lea- 
^jther dealers on unfavorable terms, perhaps 
jpaying a high rent for their tanneries as 
Iwell, and selling under contract to their 
I creditors ; so that their profits are thus re- 
duced to a minimum. They seldom have 
an opportunity of taking -advantage of a 
favorable state of the market. The tan- 
neries are numerous along the sides of the 
Pennsylvania and Erie canals and railroads 
of this State and that of Pennsylvania, at 
the nearest points to the forests of hemlock 
in the interior, on which they are mainly 
dependent for their tan. — JVew York Inde- 
.j^endent. 



The Rain— the Glorious Rain. 

Who, but those who till the soil, can re- 
alize the importance of one good, soaking 
rain ! Throughout all the month of June, 
and part of July, not a drop of rain fell 
in this vicinity to gladden the earth. For 
many days and many nights, did we look 
for signs. The signs came. " But all 
signs fail in dry weather," and for days 
and days, and weeks and weeks, no rain 
came to gladden the earth or us. At length 
our trusty negro, Jerry, came with counte- 
nance beaming with dusky joy, and an- 
nounced the important news: ^' Master I 
wese get rain fore night, Ise seen de red go 
over heatiful this mornin.'^ And true to 
the negroe's prophec}'', the rain did come, 
and such a rain! a glorious rain! from 
drooping death, every thing in the vegeta- 
ble kingdom has sprung into mystic life. 
The Red went over. Reader, do you com- 
prehend the deep philosophy of our black 
Newton? If not, we will explain. If in 
the morning, the Eastern and Western 
horizon are skirted with high clouds, and 
just before the sun makes his appearance 
the clouds in the East begin to be tinged 
with red, gradually diffusing the hue over 
the arch, until all the West is golden, "the 
Red has gone over," and it will rain in 24 
hours. It is the peculiar density of the 
clouds that takes its tinge from the rising 
sun, which denotes the rain ; and although 
the sun may rise in unclouded glory, we 
have found our philosopher, Jerry's, pre- 
diction almost always verified. We fear 
there are many of our readers that do not 
rise early enough to see the ^'red go over.^^ 
It will begin about half an hour before sun 
rise, and be dissipated as soon as the sun 
makes his appearance. The " Retl" has 
gone over, and we have had a rain, a rain ! 
a glorious rain ! — Cotton Planter and Soil* 



What is Silica? 

Silica is a mineral substance, commonly 
known as flint ; and it is one of the won- 
ders of the vegetable tribes, that, although 
flint is so indestructible that the strongest 
chemical aid is required for its solution, 
plants possess the power of dissolving and 
secreting it. Even so delicate a structure 
as the wheat straw dissolves silica, and 
every stalk of wheat is covered with a 
perfect, but inconceivably thin coating of 
this substance. 



442 



THE SOUTHEKN PLANTER. 



Amid al! the wonders of nature which 
we have had occasion to explain, there is 
none inore startling than that which re- 
veals to our knowledge the fact that a flint 
stone consists of the mineralised bodies of 
animals, just as coal consists of masses of 
mineralised vegetabh^ matter. The ani- 
mals are believed to have been infusojial 
animalculae, coated with silicia shells, as 
the wheat straw of ' to-dny is clothed with 
a glassy covering of silica. Tlie skeletons 
of animalculag which compose flint may be 
brought under microscopic examination. — 
Geologists have some difficulty in deter- 
mining their opinions respecting the rela- 
tion which these animalculce bear to the 
flint stones in which they are found. — 
Whether the animalculje, in dense masses, 
form the flint ; or whether the flint merely 
supplies a sepulchre to tlie countless mil- 
lions of creatures that, ages ago, enjoyed 
each a separate and conscious existence, 
is a problem that may never be solved. — 
And what a problem ! The buried plant 
being disentombed, after having lain for 
ages in the bowels of the earth, gives us 
light and w^armth ; and the animalcules, 
after a sleep of ages, dissolves into the 
sap of a plant, and wTaps tiie coat it wore 
probably " in the beginning, when God 
created the heavens and the earth, and 
when the earth first brought forth living 
creatures," around the slender stalk of 
waving corn ! — T/ie Reason Why. 



necessary to press 



the least, as it is not 

hard, heat and steam being the _^ , 

aiid they do the work efl^ectually on worms 
and eggs. Then the camphor will doubt- 
less prevent future depredations of the 
miller. — Maine Farmer. 

Draught of Plowing at Different Depths. 

It has been laid down in the books that 
the draught of a plow increases rapidly 
when the furrow is deepened, or, in math- 
ematical terms, according to the squares of 
the depth ; that is to say, that if the draught 
at four inches deep be 252 lbs., at seven 
inches it w^ill befis 49 to 16, or 756 lbs. — 
But the experiments of Pusey have proved 
that this is erroneous. He found that in 
plowing a funow nine inches wide and^re, 
inches deep, the draught was 322 pounds.; 
at the same width and in the same soil, 
six inches deep, it was 308 lbs. ; at seven 
inches, 350 lbs. ; at eight, 420 lbs. ; atmwe,. 
434 lbs. It will be seen that the rate of 
increase is much less than has been gene* 
rally supposed ; and the facts above indi- 
cated furnish an additional argument in 
favor of deep plowing, and one seldom al- 
luded to b}^ agricultural writers. — Maine 
Farmer. 



Moths in Carpets. 
An "Experienced Housekeeper" writes 
the New York Tribune, concerning these 
pests, as follows: Camphor will not stop 
the ravages of moths after they have com- 
menced eating. Then they pay no regard 
to the presence of cimphor, cedar or to- 
bacco — in fact, t rather think they enjoy 
the latter, if anything else than humanity 
can. Nor will the dreaded and inconve- 
nient taking up and beating always insure 
success, for I tried it faithfully, and while 
nailing it down, found several of the worms 
" alive and kicking" that had remained 
under the pile unharmed. I conquered 
them wholly in this way: I took a coarse 
crash towel and wrung it out of clean wa- 
ter and spread it smoothly on the carpet, 
then ironed it dry with a good hot iron, 
repeating the operation on all suspected 
places, and those least used. It does not 
injure ihe pile or color of the carpet, in 



From the Country Gentleman. 

Economy off Feeding Roots. 

Although we are almost continually, 
hearing the praises of root crops from nu- 
merous writers of the agricultural press, 
such encomiums being echoed through the 
country on account of their great yield, 
as compared with other farm crops ; and 
although this great aggregate yield per 
acre, their succulency, and other accredi- 
ted qualities, are not to be denied ; still 
writers on this subject have not, in many 
instances, proved themselves true theo- 
rists — theory being alwnys a consistent 
ideal of the best practice — but rather co- 
pyists of a popular idea not> really well 
understood, except by practical men who 
have had perce})tion and judgment suffi- 
cient to enable them to deduce correct 
principles from experience of their own, 
or that coming under their own observa- 
tion. This class of the best friends of ag- 
riculture, together with correct judges 
from observation, know w^ell that there are 
many things to be considered, as affecting 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



443 



the value of any crop for agricultural pur- 1 
poses, besides large relative yield ; espe- 
cially when the profits of such produce 
are indirectly derivable from its consunnp- 
tion and reproduction in another form, by 
ineans of stock, on the premises ^vhere it 
is raised. For instance, there is the, 
amount of meat-food in beeves, or the in- 
crease of weight in store stock, as well as 
the quantit}' of manure that can be made 
from it, together with the exhaustion of the 
soil, and the relative cost of production 
and feeding out as compared with other 
crops, more especiall}' with such as are of 
well established value in the climate, and 
suitable to the season of feeding and the 
locality where raised. All these ques- 
tions must com.e into the estimate, in de- 
ciding the reul worth of any kind of pro- 
duce to the ordinary farmer or farmer of 
moderate means. Nor is this all ; for, in 
practice, we have to consider furthermore, 
of any crop we propose to feed, whether 
it be really adapted to the physiological 
habits of our animals, and suitable to the 
ever influential conditions of climate and 
season. 

Through much of the discussion on this 
subject, these conditions of the root-crop 
question have been frequently merely 
hinted upon, or altogether evaded or pass- 
ed over ; the omission, as I conceive, be- 
ing fatal to the value, and the real ground 
of impracticability in the views generally 
enunciated on this topic. 

Feeding root crops, as bagas and tur- 
nips, to stock in the fall, is attended gene- 
rally with inconveniences and results that 
do not pertain to or result from the use of 
dry food, as corn-stalks, h^y, &c., at this 
season. Late in autumn the grass crop, 
or its residue, becomes comparatively dry, 
and more dry, till it approaches pretty 
nearly the texture, as to ilryness, of hay 
itself; and therefore, when at length grass 
feed has come to an end, and stock is put 
upon dry food, it feels no ill consequences 
from such change of diet — the animal sys- 
tem having been gradually and consistent- 
ly ])repared, by the diminution of succu- 
lency incidental to grass feed of the sea- 
son. 

As diseases, sometimes of a serious 
character, result as frequently from sudden 
and great changes of diet as from other 
causes, if not more so, changes in the 
character of food, as ,from dry to green 



and succulent, must inevitably be accom- 
panied by corresponding consequences, 
modified however by quantity and shelter. 
Hay and other dry food has ])eculiar value, 
arising from its natural fitness, and free- 
dom from this objection. As the succu- 
lency of food is gradually diminished from 
its highest state in summer to its driest in 
autumn, the s}'stems of animals are in 
ike gradual manner contracted in dimen- 
sions by reason of the reduced proportion 
of fluids in their food; the contents of the 
system become more condensed, the whole 
muscular fibres more constringed, and the 
animal, from being less relaxed, more able 
to bear the cold snaps peculiar to autumn, 
as well as better adapted to the approach- 
ing severity of winter. 

These snaps — as they are designated — 
came on generally without foreseen indi- 
cations, or such premonitions as would be 
necessary to enable us to regulate {"eed ac- 
cording to temperature. This being im- 
}>racticable, feed in the autumn should be 
adapted to the necessities of the system 
in cold weather, rather than its requisites 
when the temperature is warm ; because 
the tendency of temperature is towards 
increased cold. Dry food is obviously 
more suitable than such as is succulent, 
because it is more constringing or rather 
less relaxing in effect. Bearing on this 
viewMs the well-known susceptibility of 
the system of any animal, to the influen- 
ces of cold in proj)ortion to its condition 
of laxity, at all seasons — more especially 
when exposed to the sudden and extreme 
changes of our fall temperature ; and till 
the cold of winter becomes more equable, 
steady, and continuous. Food of a cold 
and watery nature, when taken into the 
system at such times, must necessarily ab- 
sorb and neutralize and thereby divert 
from its natural purpose of keeping the 
body warm much of the internal heat ; 
but dry food is free from this not unim- 
portant objection, also. 

When the mean tem.perature has become 
graduall}' colder, more heat is, with equal 
exposure — whatever may be true in excep- 
tional instances — necessarily abstracted 
through the animal's hide; hence, if more 
nutritious food, or food with less heat-neu- 
tralizing properties, be not given, the ani- 
mal must lose flesh. More nutriment is 
therefore necessary to keep up a given de- 
gree of animal heat, as cold increases or 



444 



THE SOUTHERN" PLANTEE. 



winter approaches. It is true more nutri- 
tion can be obtained by the consumption 
of more food ; but it should be remem- 
bered, first — that the digestive organs have 
but lim.ited power ; and, second — that as 
* the whole muscular system — muscles be- 
ing the agents of dlgtistion — has contract- 
ed — abdomen and stomach of course in- 
cluded — in proportion as the food oi' sum- 
mer has gradually diminished succulency, 
and consequently in bu'k, till it has be- 
come substantially dry fall feed. There- 
fore more nutrition could be obtained only 
by increasing the number of meals, thus 
breaking upon the well established requi- 
sites of rest and regularity of feeding ; 
time for the work and recuperation of the 
digestive orgfans. 

Insensible perspiration, as the escape of 
watery parts of the food — after digestion — 
through the skin is called, is also much 
reduced by increased cold ; the pores or 
vents shutting up, as it were, to prevent 
heat being abstracted or the equalization 
even going on, when bodies of different 
degrees of warmth come in contact with 
one another ; this rule holding as well 
with warm hides and the cold air, as with 
your warm feet and a cold stove. Hence, 
when food containing too large a propor- 
tion of moisture is given, the excess of 
moisture is carried from the system through 
the bovv'els and kidneys; because the skin 
refuses their egress in the form of vapor, 
and relaxation and greater liability to take 
cold surely follow such excess of water 
in the evacuations. 

A given amount of nutriment can also 
be served out to animals in much less 
time, and consequently at less cost in dry 
than an equal amount in succulent food. 
Though this objection is of less importance 
than the unfitness of roots to the general 
concomitants of the season, still it is of 
weight enough to turn the scale in favor 
of dry, nutritious food in the fall, suppo- 
sing the balance of advantages, as between 
such and succulent roots, was in other par- 
ticulars generally equal ; the more espe- 
cially is this true, when the relative value 
of labor here is compared with its cost in 
the more equable climate of the British 
Islands. 

Accordingly turnips, bagas, wurzel, Sec, 
whatever may be their aggregate yield per 
acre — which is frequently very great — 
contain, notwithstanding, too much water, 



even if they were much more nutritious 
than they are, to be suitable as food for 
store stock when subject to ordinary expo- 
sure in this climate late in the fall. 

For, instead of having a reduced amount 
of water in proportion to the nutriment, 
they contain in fact more water, and are 
more succulent and relieving than grass at 
midsumm.er — being therefore inconsistent 
with the general condition of food, of the 
state of the animal's system, temperature 
of the atmosphere, he, which usually pre- 
vail in later autumn. Containing far too 
little nutriment, substantial food, in pro- 
portion to bulk — aside from their watery 
and heat neutralizing character — roots do 
notsupply nourishment and heat enough 
to support the animal's strength and com- 
fort, without unreasonable and hurtful en- 
gorgement of stomach and bowels ; for 
the animal may be filled without being 
fed — the appetite still craving, whatever 
the bulk of food he may have swallowed — -. 
till real nutriment enough has been given 
him to supply the demands of his ever 
wasting and renewing bodily structure. 

Considering such facts and their certain 
influences, we cannot otherwise conclude 
than that it is injudicious for ordinary far- 
mers, those with only the usual conveni- 
ences and capital, to feed roots to store or 
fattening stock in the fall. In England, 
where to-day sheep are scooping our tur- 
nips in the field, and where women can 
be found in sufficient numbers to pull up 
the bowl shaped lower lialves with turnip 
hooks, for 12 cents per day — that all the 
manure of the crop may be left on the 
ground — and where the temperature is so 
equable that sheep have only the bl.je sky 
for an overcoat, and need no other shelter, 
except from heavy rains — sheep are profi- 
tably led on turnips in the fall. Cattle 
are also fed large quantities of roots, the 
extra labor there required being cheap, 
and therefore no real offset to the ])rofit 
of the practice, climatic conditions being 
generally favorable. But here we have 
another and widely different climate, and, 
in my opinion at any rate, ordinary far- 
mers — as the mass of the profession will 
ever be, relatively — may occupy their 
time and energies far more profitably and 
consistently by draining, manuring, and by 
every practicable meajis, improving the 
quality, and increasing the product of their 
grasses, which in some form, are the iiat- 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



445 



ural and most economical fall feed for 
stock — rather than raising roots for that 
purpose — the latter being merely the copy- 
ing of a practice, without the possibility 
of securing the conditions of climate and 
cost which make it consistent and econom- 
ical. 

In the spring season the tendency of 
temperature, bodily conditions, &c., are in 
the opposite direction, .and we may then 
act according to the circumstances of the 
season, and with some degree of reason 
and consistenc}'-, provided we can provide 
roots or their equivalent for feeding at that 
season of the year. J. W. Clark. 

Deep Ploughing. 
We are all too apt to follow blindly in 
the beaten track. The first plow was a 
tough, forked stick, whereof one prong 
served as a beam, while the other dug the 
earth as a coulter. Of course, the plow- 
ing was only scratching — necessarily so. — 
It would have been preposterous to expect 
the plowman of Hesiod's or of Virgil's 
time to turn up and mellow the soil to a 
depth of fifteen or sixteen inches. Down 
to the present age, plowing was inevitabl}^ 
a shallow affair. But iron plows, steel 
plows, subsoil plows, have changed all 
this. It is as easy to-day to mellow the 
earth to the depth of two feet, as it was a 
century ago to turn over a sward to the 
depth of six inches. And our fierce, try- 
ing climate, so different from the moist, 
milder one of Great Britain, Ireland, or 
even of Holland and the Atlantic coast of 
Germany, whence our ancestors migrated, 
absolutely requires of us deep plowing. — 
Drouth is our perpetual danger. Most 
crops are twenty to sixty per cent, short 
of what they would have been with ade- 
quate and seasonable moisture. That 
moisture exists not only in the skies above, 
but in the earth beneath our plants. — 
Though the skies may capriciously with- 
hold it, the earth never will, if we provide 
a rich, mellow subsoil, through which the 
roots can descend to the moisture. The 
hotter and dryer the weather, the better 
our plants will grow, if they have rich, 
warm earth beneath them, reaching down 
to and including moisture. We can not 
and we need not plow so very deep each 
year to assure this, if the subsoil is so un- 
der-drained that the superabundant mois- 
ture of the wet season does not pack it. 



Under-draining as the foundation, and 
deep plowing as the superstructure, with 
ample fertilizing and generous tillage, will 
secure us average crops, such as this sec- 
tion has rarely ever seen. Our corn should 
average from fifty to seventy bushels per 
acre; our oats still higher. Every field 
should be ready to grow wheat if required. 
Every grass-lot should be good for two or 
three tons of hay per acre. Abundant 
fruits, including the grape and the pear, 
should gladden our hill-sides, and enrich 
our farmers' tables. So should our chil- 
dren seek no more, in flight to the crowd- 
ed cities, or to the wide West, an escape 
from the ill-paid drudgery and intellectual 
barrenness of their fathers' lives, but find 
abundance and happiness in and around 
their childhood's happy homes. — Horace 
Greeley. 

: < » » . > ■ 

Live and Bressed Weight of Animals. 

The following rules for computation, 
which we believe to be accurate, and 
which may be of use to many of our read- 
ers, we cut from the 0/iio Cultivator : 

1st. For finding the net weight of stock, 
etc , where one-fourth is taken out, or al- 
lowed for tare. 

Rule — Multiply the gross weight by the 
decimal 8 tenths, and the product will be 
the net weight. 

Example — Suppose a farmer has a hog 
that weighs 34.5 gross, how much will he 
weigh net? 345 ><i 8-= 276.0. Ans. 

2d. To find the' gross weight, having the 
net weight. 

Riile — Divide the net w^eight by the de- 
cimal 8 tenths, and the quotient will be 
the original gross weight. 

Example — What is the gross weight 
of a hog that weio-hs 345 pounds net ? — 
345-:-.8=431i. ^Ans. 

3d. To find the price per hundred net, 
where the price per hundred gross is given. 

Rule — Divide the price pr hundred gross 
by the decimal 7 tenths, and the quotient 
will be the price per hundred net, and 
vice versa. 

Example — How much per hundred net 
will a farmer get for his hogs, who sells 
them for three dollars and forty cents per 
hundred gross ? $3.40-:-.8=$4 25. Ans. 

Thus it will be seen that $3.40 gross, is 
the same as $4.25 net. The reasons for 
these are obvious; comment is therefore 
unnecesary. — Jimer, Farmers^ Magazine, 



446 



TH E SOUTHERN PLANTErv. 



Credits and Failures. 
The vStatistics that have been published 
of the failures resulting from the late pan- 
ic, revive an interest in those which re- 
sulted from the operation of the U. States 
general Bankrupt Law of 1841. We have 
compiled the following table, which shows 



the number of applicants for relief under 
that law, the amount of debts and assets 
or property surrendered, as compared with 
the number of firms now in business, the 
number failed last fall, and the amount of 
their debts, with the population at each 
period. The general results are as follows : 





Population. 


No. failed. 


Debts. 


Assets. 


State tax valuat'n. 


40, 


17,500,000 


33,739 


$440,934,615 


$43,697,307 


.$2,926,565,110 


55, 


28,192,100 


5,123 


299,801,000 


156,021,000 


8,780,696,469 



The number of creditors in 1841 was 
1,049,603, and the ultimate payments 
were very small. It is to be borne in 
mind that the bankrupt proceeding em- 
brac(?d all the bankrupts caused by the re- 
vulsions of 1837 and the three succeeding 
years; that is lo say, the majority of the 
persons who were then in a state of insol- 



vency, whereas the present return is only 
of those who actually failed last year. If 
we now take a table of the population and 
valuation of the leading States in 1840 and 
1855 with the debts at each period, we 
shall observe the progress of wealth, as 
compared with debts. The following are 
all official figures : 







^'^^o 






1957 


> 


j 


Population. 


Valuation. 


Debts. 


Population. 


Valuation. 


Debts. 


1 




$ 


% 




$ 


$ 


Maine 


501,793 


28,807,687 


16,539,300 


653,197 


127,110,190 


1,069,000 


Massachusetts 737,699 


208,360,407 


24,752,932 


1,133,123 


573.342,286 


43,621,000 


; Connecticut 


309,978 


97,122,497 


10,409.273 


384,110 


203,739,8:'3 


1,129,000 


i ' Rhode IslciD 


d 108,530 


32,f)40,000 


2,191,102 


166,500 


111.175,174 


4,6.9,000 


1 New York 


2,428,921' 


627,554,784 


172,136.820 


3,470,059 


1,402,859,564 


150,612,000 


! Pennsylv'nia 1,724,033 


294,509,187 


31,965,723 


2,542,960 


581,731,304 


36,420,000 


Ohio 


1,519,467 


110,196,239 


1-,198,102 


2,311,000 


869,877,351 


6,868,000 


Kentucky 


779,828 


217,453,041 


16,241,171 


1,113,110 


411,009,198 


1,764,000 


Indiana 


.085 866 


95,019,110 


11,192,102 


1,198,100 


290,418,148 


1,636,000 


Illinois 


476,183 

9,275,298 


63,198,107 


14,498,396 


1,242,917 
14,215,076 


324,121,000 


9,332,000 


Total 


1,774,861,259 


317,184,921 


4,895,384,048 


257,051,000 


Increase 


- 


. 


- 


4,939,778 


3,120,522,789 




Decrease 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


60,133,921 



This is a singular result. With an in- 
crease of 4,939,778 in the population, and 
over three thousand millions in taxable 
property, and after an expenditure of 
$700,000,000 in railioads, the liabilities of 
bankrupts are $60,133,921 less. In other 
words, the debts in 1840 were $35 per 
head, against a valuation of $200 pr. head. 
In 1857 the debts aie $18 per head, against 
a valuation of $355 per head, or thus: 



1840 
1857 



Debts 
per head. 

|35 
18 



Valuation 
per head. 

1200 
355 



The people owed in 1840 seventeen per 
cent, of the assessed property, and in 1857 
five per cent., and will ])ay one-half. — 
These figures are well calculated to inspire 
confidence in the resources of the whole 
country. If a very large amount of float 



ing capital has been absorbed in tije con- 
struction of railroads, so has a considera- 
ble quantitvbeen invested in ijold, at least 
to the extent of $150,000,000, forming a 
very available resource to meet foreign 
debts, but internally, in a national point of 
view, it is only an expensive machine of 
trade, like railroads. It promotes the ex- 
change of industrial products, but absorbs 
a considerable capital in its production, and 
beyond its use as a medium for the trans- 
fer of other commodities Irom hand to 
hand, is not of itself ilsetul. There is no 
doubt but that a nation would prosper and 
grow rich without the use of any gold and 
silver whatever, to a certain exte-ijt propor- 
tioned to the productions of other results 
of industiy. Commerce progresses all the 
better for its use, but too much of it is in- 
jurious since it will create expansion in pri- 
ces, breeding revulsion, by which its surplus 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



447 



\v']\] be purged oflT. The above figures show 
that the amount of credits outstanding at 
the time of the panic was in no degree 
sufficient to produce such a result. — U. S. 
Economist. 



British Agriculture. 

The addresses to the members of the 
Surrey Agricultural Association at the an- 
nual meetings contain a great deal of use- 
ful information indicative of the progress 
and present stage of British Agriculture. 
The following passages may be taken as a 
sample of its quality: 

"There are, I believe, about twenty- 
nine millions of inhabitants in the United 
Kingdom, and the population is increasing, 
it is estimated, at the rate of one thousand 
a day. There are, it is calculated, seventy- 
seven millions of acres, at a rental of one 
hundred and twenty-seven millions of 
pounds sterling per annum, in the area of 
these kingdoms, fourteen millions of which 
are unimprovable waste, but twelve and a 
half millions are uncultivated, but improv- 
able land ; and we are said to grow, on an 
average, fitty-one million quarters of corn, 
and this corn crop is reckoned to be an 
average worth one hundred and twenty 
millions pounds sterling per annum. In 
England we have a population of eighteen 
or nineteen millions, and we grow about 
thirteen or fourteen million quarters of 
■wheat ; and taking the estimate of con- 
sumption at one quarter per annum per in- 
dividual, made in Mr. Pitt's time, at the 
instance 'of that eminent statesman, when 
wheat was 11. per bushel, we shall find 
that we have to import five million quar- 
ters of wheat annually for home consump- 
tion. Now the importation for the last six 
years was about 4| millions of quarters 
annual average, and for the previous six 
years four millions. In 18.56 we imported 
more than eight millions of corn and grain, 
of which above four millions were wheat, 
three-fourths million quarters Barley, more 
than 1 1-7 million quarters Oats, 3-8 mil- 
lion quarters of Beans, and nearly four 
million cwt. of meal and flour. Nor was 
that all the food which we brought from 
abroad. Our total annual consumption of 
butcher's meat amounts to 750,000 tons. 
The sheep of the British Isles are believed 
to amount to thirty-five millions or more, 
of which England possesses twenty-seven 
millions ; and of cattle in the United King- 



dom there are eight millions. One quar- 
ter of these sheep and cattle are said to 
be consumed every year, and the value of 
each sort thus consumed is estimated at 
twenty million pounds sterling. Now, we 
import on an average of the last few years 
about 300,000 live animals, though during 
last year a smaller quantity, viz: 52,019 
oxen and bulls, 9,843 cows, 21,444 calves, 
135,588 sheep, 9,471 lambs, and 9,916 
swine and hogs — total 238,251 animals, 
mostly from Hollaml, Denmark, and the 
Hanseatic towns ; we import also about 
600,000 cwt. of meat, 400,000 cwt. of 
cheese, a like quantity, 400,000 cwt. of 
butter, besides a variety of 'other articles 
of food, to the aggregate value of forty- 
five millions of pounds sterling. From 
this view of the largeness of our importa- 
tions, we might be led to look forward with 
fear, to the occurrence of circumstances 
which might militate against our supply 
of food from abroad — such, for instance, 
as the increase and improved condition, 
and therefore increased consuming power, 
of the inhabitants of those countries from 
whence this supply is drawn ; but no such 
apprehension need, I think, be entertained, 
when we reflect upon the largely increas- 
ing amount of corn cultivation in countries 
where agriculture has not previously flour- 
ished, or think of the fertile lands of the 
American Far West, the improving agri- 
culture of more than one portion of Afri- 
ca, the opening out the rich valley of Ar- 
menia by the proposed Euphrates Railway, 
or the many other places in which agricul- 
ture is improving — the certain effect of a 
constantly opening British market. At the 
same time, I think that we should endeav- 
or to do our utmost to grow fo)d for the 
consumption of our own people. It was 
the opinion of the late Duke of Welling- 
ton, that we ought not to depend upon a 
foreign country for food ; and much, no 
doubt, niay be advanced in support of that 
proposition ; but I prefer to take lower 
ground, and to say if we can produce food 
at a profit let us do so. But the question 
will arise, How shall we best set about the 
work of increasing our home supply of 
food? Shall we produce the requisite 
amount by putting into cultivation the 12| 
million acres of land lying waste, but im- 
provable ; or shall we apply ourselves to 
increase the production of the land under 
cultivation } My answer is, Let us do 



448 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



both — let us cultivate all the land of the 
country which will pay lor such cultiva- 
tion, but first let us improve the tillage of 
that which is now under culture, and look 
to advancing knowledge to aid us to de- 
velope to the utmost the latent powers of 
those fields which we have now in hand." 
Gardeners' Chronicle. 



An Amateur's View on the Propag-ation 
of Kew Varieties of Fruit. 

In a late number of the Horticulturist, W. 
Creed, of Rochester, N. Y., advances a new 
idea which may prove of great benefit to those 
■who are engaged in the most praiseworthy ef- 
fort to produce new and improved varieties of 
fruit, either from natural or artificial fertiliza- 
tion. An experienced nurseryman can distin- 
guish many varieties of the apple, pear, and 
other fruit trees, by some peculiar characteris- 
tics of leaf, branch, color of bark or habit of 
growth, as well as he can distinguish one man 
from another by his peculiar feature^, and in 
many of the varieties of apples, and pears par- 
ticularly, we can determine their identity (and 
they may mostly all be learned) by any one of 
these features, and with them all combined the 
mere novice may soon learn to distinguish 
them. 

In regard to these peculiar characteristics 
the writer assumes that " the most important 
contrast in these distinguishing points, so far 
as the propagation of new varieties is concern- 
ed, is in the seeds themselves ; take up your 
knife and half quarter a pear from each of the 
above varieties named. Compare the seeds and 
the contrast will be as equally convincing as in 
the fruit, foliage, &c. In reference to the seeds, 
however, we may expect that ninety-nine in a 
hundred in any particular variety closely re- 
semble each other in shape, furm, fcc., peculiar 
to that variety, and producing seedlings exhib- 
iting a close ajjiaily to each other, and, therefore, 
not likely to result satisfactory to the experi- 
menter ; but as soon as we find a marked dif- 
ference in the formation of a single seed in any 
select variety, that seed should be chosen by the 
amateur, for in that seed (which apparently is 
one of nature's freaks) is the symbol (in em- 
bryo of a new variety, whether "gooil," " very 
good," or " best," will be left for providence to 
work out, man also doing his share in the mat- 
ter. Another part of the success, it is evident, 
will depend upon tlie choice of tiie best varie- 
ties, from Avhich to select one of these ' freaks,' 
or * spurts,' which are more or less traceable 
throughout the wln)le classification of vegetable 
physiology, and intended by an all-wise Being 
to excite the wonder and admirat#n of man, 
prompting him to energetic action, and to study 
out the workings of nature in all its beauty and 
complicity." 

Ileusoning from analogy, there seems to be 



some plausibility in the theory suggested. It 
is one of the established laws of nature that 
like nearly begets like. If we examine the 
seeds of any specimen of a particular variety 
of pear or apple, we discover a striking simi- 
larity of form and color in them, which renders 
the conclusion a safe one that the little fila- 
ments in the blossom, connected with the em- 
bryo of each seed, and which constitute the 
pistils or female organs of the blossom, have 
been fertilized with pollen of the same variety, 
but in an orchard containing many kinds of the 
same fruit, many of these diff'erent varieties 
blossom at the same time, and the pollen is cast 
by the wind, or carried by insects from one tree 
to another ; this coming in contact with a sin- 
gle filament or female organ of a fruit of a dif- 
ferent variety, and some peculiarity of the male 
parent is at once stamped upon the seed in its 
embryotic state, and this peculiarity is extended 
to the future tree and fruit, producing a new 
variety, partaking in part of the combined char- 
acteristics of both parents more or less modi- 
fied. This is an interesting question to the am- 
ateur and experimenter, in producing new va- 
rieties of fruit, and one, the truth of which, 
may be easily tested by an experiment in arti- 
ficial impregnation. If the seeds produced in 
this manner differ materially from those im- 
pregnated on the same tree, in the natural way, 
it is safe to conclude that the difference was 
stamped upon them by the male parent from 
another variety. 

It is well known to intelligent fruit growers 
that there are certain varieties of the apple, 
and of the peach particularly, that more surely 
produce their own kinds from seed than other 
varieties do. This is either owing to the period 
of blossoming, earlier or later than the trees of 
the same class in general, which renders the 
blossoms less liable to be fertilized from pollen 
from other trees, or to some peculiiirity of the 
blossoms of the variety that is likely to prevent 
the contact of the fertilizing powder from other ; 
kinds. 

We give these varioiis hints upon an interest- 
ing subject that experimenters may have them 
in mind, with the hope that some light may be 
cast upon the subject. 

"We have arrived but at the threshold of in- 
vestigation and scientific progress, and every 
new idea that is likeh' to aid investigation and 
promote improvement is worthy of attention. 

Valley Farmer. 



Simple test for Guano. — A bushel of gu- 
ano, if pure, weighs almost exactly seven- 
ty pounds ; if adulterated with light sub- 
stances (which is rarely the case), it will, 
of course, weigh less. If clay, marl, sand, 
&c., have been used, they will be materiall}'- 
increased, and so far as this test applies, 
gross adulterations will be easily detected. 



SOUTHERN PLANTE1?,-ADVEKTIS1NG SHEET. 



AUGUST & WILLIAMS' 

Agricultural Registry and Agency Office, 

t the olHce of the Sonthern Phmier, No. 150 Main Streetj RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. 
subscribers are engaged in tlie business of 

jUYiisrG ^:NrD SELLiisra la-Nds, 

outing orders tor all kinds of 

iRICULTURAL MACHINERY Al IMPLEMEiTS. SEEDS. 

IMPROVED STOCK, of every variety, &c., 

election and shipment of which we will give our personal attention. 

have now on hand ibr sale^ a large number of Farms in various sections of the State, (see 
to be found in another part of this paper), to suit persons ol" the most limited or enlarged 
and will cheerfully furnish information respecting any of them upon ai){)lication. 

are also Agents Ibr the sale of 

** Phelps' Patent Combination Bee-Hivej" 

which can be seen in operdtion at oui- dffice. 

s f)ur design to make our office a kind of "Farmers' Head-Quarters/' and cbi'dially invito 
I call and see us when in the city. They will find cbnstantly on our tfible a number of the 
icultural periodicals in the country, always open for their inspection and information, iind 
'. receive and remit subscriptions for the same, /Vce of charge. 

Lv 1, 1858. ATTGUST & WILLIAMS. 



•A^IItsTTS. P^IISTTS* P^IISTTS. 

PURCELL, LADD & CO., 
iDH.xjc3rca-iJS"rs, 

No. 122 Main Street, corner 13th, BICHMONO, VIRGINIA, 

low prices, a large and well assorted stock of articles in their line — embruciiig 

'AINTS, COLORS, VARNISHES, OILS, &C. 

IS' WHITE LEAD, MACHINE OIL. 

;W J. WHl IE ZINC, Horsehead brand, PARIS GREEN, 

CHROME GREEN, CHROME YELLOW, 

VERDIGRIS. TURKEY UMBKE, 

TERRA l)£ SIEWNA, LAMI^ OILS, 

LINSEED OIL, SPTS. TURPENTINE. 

/ulors for Paiatersj Coach Makers, anil dlher.<5, Dry and Oil Paint Brushes, Sand Papci, and a very 

largb stock of best 

ising nearly every size niadfc. We are a!i»o prepared to take orders for Imported 

Polished Plate^ Sky Light and Ornamental Glass. 

Particular attention to paokinfj and forvvtirdinr all goods— and the qualilv warranted. 

' PURCELL, LADD & CO, Druggists, 
1S58. l'2-2 Muiu Street, Richnioud. 



SOUTHERN PLANTER— ADVERTISING SHEET. 



Corner of Grace and Foushee Streets, RICHMOND, VA. 

The next Session of this Institution will open on the FIRST DAY OF OCTOBER, 
and close on the First Day of July, 1858. 

TERMS FOR THE SCHOEASTIO YEAR, 



For Board, 

For Washing, - - - 

For Lights, 

For English Taititm, 

For Modern Languages, (each,) 

For French, when studied exclusively of 

the English branches. 
For Latin, - 

For Music on Piano, Harp, Guitar, Or- 
gan or Singing: 

For one lesson (of an hour) a week, 



$200 

20 

G 

40 

20 

40 
20 



40 



Ft)r two lessons (of an hour) a week. 
For three lessons (of an hour) a Aveck, 
For four lessons (of an hour) a week, 

For the use of Piano, 

For Drawing, frcnn Models, 

For Drawing, from Nature, 

For Painting in Water Colors, 

For Oil Painting, 

Primary Department— for Children un- 
der 11 years of age, - ;-;. - 



P 



REFERENCES: 

The Patrons of the School. — Right Rev. Bishop Meade, Right Rev. Bishop Johns, Right 
]>ishop Elliott (vf Georgia, Right Rev. Bishop Cobbs of Alabama, Rev. Moses D. Hog 
D., Rev. Charleys H. Read, D. D., Rev. T. V. Mo ..re, D. D., Rev. B. Gilderslevc. The 01 
of the Episcopal Cliurch in Virginia. 

!F A 6 XT X. T "^ 

HUBERT P. LEFEBVRE, A. M., PrincipaL 



Rev. II. S. Kepfler, 
AViLLiAM G. Williams, a. 
John P. Little, M. D. 
R. A. Lewis, M. D. 
Eliodoro Camps, 



John A. Calyo, 
C. W. TniLow, 
W. F. Grabau, 
Mrs. a. E. J. Gibsox, 
Miss Mary Gordon, 



MAD'ELLE L. VILLEMET, French Governess. 
All letters to be directed to Hubert P. Lefebvre, Richmond, Va. 



Miss E. Bartlett, 
Mrs. M. Taylor, 
Mad'me M. Estvan, 
Mad'elle Lacy, 
Charles H. Ros«en, 



Eourth Annual Catalogue of | 
Thoroughbred North Devon Cattle, 

tite property of 
C. >S. WAINWRIGHT, "TtiE Meadows,' Rhine- 
beck, Duchess Co., N. Y. 
The suhpcriber has just issued his CaTalogue for 
llic ]>refPi)t season, cmitaiiiinff full pedigrees of all the 
uniuuils composing; his herd at this date. 
Tkkms ok Sale, &c.: 
He oifi^rs nt private sale some half a dozen youriff 
Bulls, and about the same tiuuiber of females; all of 
them of the very fust quality, and either bred or im- 
ported by himself. 

Copies, with tiie prieesmnrked against such animals 
as are for pale, iriav lie had by addressiue: him as above. 
,„av-3t '• C. S. WAIiNWRIGHT. 

Why is it that E. P. Nash of Petersburg 
Continues to sell so many Pianos ? 

Tin-: ANSWER IS PI.AIN AND THUTII- 
FUI. AS FOLI^OVVS: 

iJecausc. for more than ixventy years he has con 
s(-ientiouslv avoided sellinp any but the best ilistni- 
mciltsl And the natural result has bcon, that every 
ouo of the 'I'hoMsaiids of Pianos he has 
s(dd has had the elfect of sellin? others, 
and thus year after year, his sales have 
increased imtil, to meet the demand, he fnids it ne- 
cessary to keep on hand a stock of Jioui lorly to 
fifty Iiistrumcnis ; but supjioso for n inoment that 
his Pianos had been of doublful (|nality. can any 
(•undid, tbinkiiif person fail lo see, that the public 
would long since have found it out, and the results 
liave been n falling, nfl tii-Iind of" 



lunv — tf 



increase in sales. 
F. I'. NASH. 
Petei.>burf;. \'a. 



[Jaly%7- 

548 "XC RE8^ O 

:ormge.mi1rsali 

IS'ear Barboursvillc^ and six Miles from (lot 
■ villc DepoL ,-^ '. 

To both i)liices there is an excellent McA 
ize.l road. About one-fourth of ihelniul is 
ily timbered, the balance is cleared and 
adapted to the growth of GRAIN and TOBA 
There are 

Fifty Acres of Blue Run L« 
Grounds ; 

which is very line Meadow Land. Tlu 
provements consist of a conilbrtable <l\\) 
and all necessary out houses^ in good vi 
There is n large 

APPLE OHCHAHI^, 

and an abundance of other fruit. The nci 
hood is licalthy, and the society inferio.r ii 
in the State. The farnr is remarkably 
U-atered; aiid is (as all acquainted with i 
testily) equal to any of its size in the c( 
For terms and further information, addrc- 
sub.scriber at Bakihhirsvillk, ()ii.\nok Co. 
WM. C. GR.W 

I also wish to sell, w ith the land or se]. 
one moiety of a valuable SAW and 
MILL, Within one mile oJ' the liinii. 

luay — tf