TH E 

Eft.-N 




Devoted to Agriculture, Horticulture, and the Household Arts. 



Agriculture is the nursing mother of the Arts. 

[Xenopiion. 



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



J. E. WILLIAMS, Editor. 



AUGUST & WILLIAMS, Prop'rs. 



Vol. XX. 



RICHMOND, VA., JULY, 1860. 



No. 7. 



In his remarkable experiments on the ac- 
tion of the salts of ammonia, Lawes obtain- 
ed in twelve years from an acre of the same 
field, by the use of mineral substances and 
salts of ammonia, produce in wheat and 
liewd, that the productiveness of a soil was I straw, amounting to 51,995 lbs. From a 
dependent on the quantity of humus, or car- second acre manured in the same way, the 



Liebig's Letters on Modern Agriculture. 

Letter IV. 

Up to a few yean ago, scientific agricul- 
ture taught, and all practical men firmly be- 



bonaceous remains of a preceding vegetation, 
contained in it. Without raising doubts on 
the efficacy in certain cases of the organic 



return reached 53,182 lbs. By the use of 

pure mineral manures, there was obtained 

from these two fields a greater amount of 

. { i the extent of 1 lbs. in one 

serted that nobody who possesses any know- lease, and 19,713 in the other, than from an 

matter, now believes that the unmanured field of similar size. It is quite 



ledge of the 

produce of a field in carbonaceous subfltan 
ces bears any proportion to the amount of 
humus in the soil, and that its fertility can 
in reality be estimated, as was formerly sup- 
; d, by this humus. 

We have now 1 more exact infor- 

mation on the part played by humus in ve- 
getation, and can predict in what cases it- 
presence will be beneficial or hurtful. Wo 
know that it is only useful when the soil 
co.itains in sufficient quantity the fixed min- 
eral constituents servieeable to plants ," and 
that it is without action when these arc 
wanting. By its decomposition in the soil, 
humus forms a source of carbonic acid, by 
which the fixed elements of food are ren- 
dered soluble, and capable of being distribu- 
ted in all directions. 



certain that by the employment of farm-yard 
manure, a similar, if not higher, return 
would have been obtained from both fields. 
There can, however, be no doubt that in 
both eases the salts of ammonia had taken 
the place, and produced the effect o\' the de- 
caying organic matter of this manure ; and 
it is not improbable that the same ciuse was 
in operation in augmenting the produce. 

It has been abundantly proved by facts, 
that the action of the salts of ammonia is 
no way proportional to the amount of nitro- 
gen in them ; hence it is evident that the 
salts as such, or the acids of the salts, must 
take part in the effect produced. The pre- 
cise nature of this co-operation is. however, 
not yet distinctly made out ; and from this 
cause has arisen the great discordance in the 



386 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[JULT 



views of the peculiar action of the salts of 
ammonia. Whilst some hold that the action 
can only be referred to the nitrogen, because 
the acid can be changed without, thereby 
materially altering the effect ; others assert 
that the soil already contains so much am- 
monia, that the increase of produce cannot 
be attributed to the small quantity of nitro- 
gen added in the salts of ammonia. They 
maintain that an acre of ground which con- 
tains in its upper ten inches of soil 10,000 
lbs. of ammonia or nitrogen, could not have 
its fertility increased two-fold by the addi- 
tion of 30 to 60 lbs. of ammonia. As in 
such a soil there was no want of nitrogen, 
the cause of the increased fertility must be 
sought. for in something else. 

The case is much the same with the ac- 
tion of nitrates as with that of the salts of 
ammonia. Nitrate of soda exercises a pow- 
erful effect, in certain cases, on the increase 
of grain and straw, and in others it is val- 
ueless. The experiments of Kuhlmann have 
shown that the bases also of these salts play 
some part in the action. From a meadow 
manured with 220 pounds* of nitrate of 
soda, an increase of crop to the amount of 
1807 pounds per acre was obtained; whilst 
from another portion of the same meadow, to 
which was applied the same quantity of ni- 
trate of lime (containing 1-J- per cent, more 
nitric acid), there was an increase of only 
609 pounds. Consequently the produce from 
nitrate of lime was f less than from the soda 
salt. If we ascribe the increase in he 
crop to the nitric acid, then the effect of 
the two salts is quite incomprehensible. 

The action of common salt appears in 
many cases equally incomprehensible. — 
In 1846, Kuhlmann obtained from ll'O 
pounds of sulphate of ammonia an in- 
crease of hay, amounting to 2228 pounds 
per acre ; a similar quantity of sulphate 
of ammonia, with the addition of 116 
pounds of common salt, gave an increase 
of 2792 pounds of hay. There were conse- 
quently 564 pounds more hay obtained (pei 
acre) by the addition of the common salt, 
than from the employment of the sulphate of 
ammonia alone. 

It might be supposed, that the want of a 
chlorine compound, which is contained in 
not inconsiderable quantity in meadow plants, 
was the reason, in the case of the common 



• We drop the foreign denominations of 
weights and measured. — [Ed. So. Planter. 



salt, of the increase of produce; but a sim- 
ilar difference, as in the above cases, was 
found in two other experiments, which j 
Kuhlmann made, in 1845 and 1846, with Ij 
sal-ammoniac alone, and with sal ammoniac j 
and common salt. The piece of meadow. I 
manured with 190 pounds of sal ammo- 1 
niac gave in the two years 3256 pounds 
per acre more hay than a piece of the same 
extent which was un manured. From an- 
other portion, to which were applied 190 
pounds of sal-ammoniac and 190 pounds of 
common salt, 5004 pounds of hay were ob- 
tained. Hence, by the use of common salt, 
there was an increase of a half more than 
from the sal-ammoniac alone. 190 pounds 
of common salt alone, without sal-ammo- 
niac, produced an increase of 1748 pounds 
of hay, the difference betwecu the two num- 
bers 3256 and 50b4 is not great enough 
to exclude the idea, that each salt has acted, 
just as if the other had not been present, or, 
in other words, that each salt has a special 
action of its own. 

In the summer of 1857, the effect of salts 
of ammonia by themselves, and mixed with 
common salt, on summer barley, was tried 
by the General Committee of the Agricul- 
tural Society of Bavaria, in a series of ex- 
periments made at Bogenhausen, in the 
neighbourhood of Munich. For th.s pur- 
pose, 18 plots, each of 1914 square feet in 
extent, were marked off in a field which had 
gone through the usual rotation of crops, 
having been, three years previously, man- 
ured with common farm-yard manure, and 
having borne rye, and then two crops of oats. 
Four of these plots were manured with salts 
of ammonia; one remained unmanured ; to 
four others were applied the same quantity 
of ammonia salts, and at the same time, to I 
each 63 lbs. of common salt. Each plot re-; 
ceived the same amount of nitrogen in the j 
ammonia salts. 

In estimating the quantity of manuring i 
matter to be employed, it was assumed that J 
44U lbs. of guano per English acre, corres- 
ponded to the full measure of farm-yard 
manure usually applied ; this gives twenty 
pounds of guano for one of the plots. A 
good sample of guano was selected for the 
experiments, and on being submitted to an- 
alysis, was found to consist of 14.53 water, 
33.38 ash, and 52.10 organic matter, of 
which 15.39 was ammonia. Twenty pounds 
of this guano, therefore, contained 3.07 lbs. 



I 



Til R SOUTH BRN PL A ST WW. 






of mm I m the 

i 

( of Ammonia 

Phrwpl 

\ 



ammonia 

29 G i per ct« Ammonia 
2190 

19.11 

In correspondence with this pereentaf 
ammonia, there were applied to two of the 
plots, I- and \\, !•! il)s. of carbonate of am- 
monia; to two others, II. ami VI., fl lbs. of 

nitrate of ammonia; to two Others, 111. ami 

\ 1 1 , L41 lbs. phosphate of immonia. Two 
plots, IV. ami VIII., received each 1 41 lbs. 
of crystallised sulphate of ammonia; another, 
lbs. of the analysed guano. The plots, 
V.. VI.. VII., VIII., received each at the 
same tiim* 61 lbs. «'i' common salt. 1 will 
here communicate these experiments in full, 

ffer other points of interest, In ad 
dition to the action which must be ascribed 
to the common salt. 

Produce i:f Barley (grain and Btraw), 
from the four {.lots manured with ammonia 
alone : — 

(in. \i.\. Straw. 

I. l4.o lbs. :;:>.•; lbs. 

II. re.6 3(5.8 

IV. 15.2 40.2 

The uninanured plot gave 15.0 40.4 

Produce of barley (grain and straw) from 

four plots manured with ammonia m/tts and 

common salt ; — 

Chain. Straw. 
v. 5 lbs. 

VI. :;•»:; ^o<> 

VII. 2 1.7 54.6 
VIII. 24.6 61.fi 

Increase of procure in plots V. t<> VIII., 
manured with common sail and salts of am 

* inonia. above that of plots I. to I \\, man- 
ured with salts of ammonia alone : — 

(iuAi.v. Straw. 
V. Is- Ibe. 28.8 lbs. 

VI. 17. (» j.;v 

VII. 5.7 ' 15.2 

VIII. lM.o 

In instituting experiments in practna' 

riculture with manures, the i I cto] 

nerally the only object kepi in view, l! 
this object be attained, the experiments an 
•aid to 1 r u |, [ n thii sense, the 

above experiments, both with and without 
common salt, are UttSUea Bsfal ; for the re- 
turns scarcely reach even - The ob 
jeet with which they were made was not 
however, to obtain a greater crop than the 



.•, but to i the 

raits of ammonia alone, sod with the addi- 
tion "f common salt. In thi they 

-uthYit inly to banish all doubt 

the physiological importance of common s;0t 

to the Bogenhausen fields. In . 

the crop was incressed by the addition «»f 

oommon salt. Common salt when used with 

carbonate of a . monia, doubfed the pr< 

of grain ; end with nitrate of ammonia, it 

; raised the return of corn 00 per eetit., — and 
I of straw 120 DOT eent. 

As the mixture of nitrate of ammonia and 
Common salt contains the elements of nitrate 

of soda, a counter experiment with the lat- 
ter sail on a plot ot the same field, made at 

the same time, is of much interest. 'I he 
plot manured with 101 lhs. of nitrate of 
soda, gave -1 lhs. grain, and 71 | lb-, straw; 
and by the addition of 61 lbs. of eomuion 

salt, the grain increased to 891 H >s - snd the 

straw to 7^^ lbs. Common s;ilt had. tin re- 
fore, also increased the action of Chili salt- 
petre. A mixture of these two salts produ- 
eed a still higher yield of grata, then a mix- 
ture of common salt and nitrate of ammonia, 
which contained the same proportion of 
nitrogen 'I he experiment with 241 lbs. of 
guano, on a plot of the sstae sizr. 
lbs. grain, and 781 lbs. straw. 

It i> quite certain, that in the actio)) of 
the pwano, which produced the crop next 
highest after the Chili saltpetre, an unmis- 
takable part \ a- played by the ammonia 
contained in it. On the other hand, how- 
ever, the experiments with oarbonate and 
niirate of ammonia show, that a quantity of 
ammonia, or nitrogen, equivalent to that in 
■Jo lbs of guano, and employed under the 

same conditions, was almost without effect. 

I will not, by further pursuing this >nh- 
ject, weaken tin 1 significance 01 the most 

important fact brought out by these experi- 
ments with the silts of ammonia, viz., that 
common salt, in reality, exercises a favoura- 
ble action on the growth* of nrraw plants in 
Bogenhausen fields, and increases the 

..■•table matter in them. 
The fact ia indeed not new in a riculture; 
but in a number of cases, in which Common 
-alt has been shown to be a USlful addition 

to other nanart 

sufficiently distinct and decided; and it i< a 
rule in natural inquiries that a fact QiSBt 
tiist of all be firmly established, b< fore we 
proceed to seek its explanation. 

The action of common salt is evidently 



388 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



Very similar to that of the salts of ammonia 
and nitrate of soda; but if we refer the ef- 
fect of these last two substances to their ni- 
trogen, because ammonia and nitric acid are 
food for plants, then this explanation will 
not hold good for common salt. For neither 
this salt nor chlorine enters as an element 
into the structure of plants, and it cannot be 
asserted that either of them is necessary, 
although both are frequently met with as 
constituents of the ashes of plants. 

The most recent observations on the com- 
portment of the soil towards the food of 
plants show how slight is the knowledge we 
possess of their mode of nourishment, and 
of the part which the soil, by its physical 
condition, plays in it. The comportment of 
the salts of ammonia, of chloride of sodium, 
and of nitrate of soda, towards the earthy 
phosphates in the soil, may perhaps assist us 
in throwing some light on their action, or on 
one of their actions, on the growth of plants. 

Like carbonic acid water, the sulphate, as 
well as other soluble salts of ammoni.i, pos- 
sesses the property of rendering the earthy 
phosphates soluble in water. 

We know of no other way in which the 
earthy phosphates are dispersed through the 
soil than by means of carbonic acid water. 
If it is true that one of the chief effects of 
humus, or the decaying remains of plants in 
soils or in manures, consists in its forming a 
source of carbonic acid, with which the air 
and water in the ground is enriched ; if it 



is also true that this carbonic acid water ren- 
ders the earthy phosphates soluble, and thus 
contributes to their distribution in the soil, 
then there can be no doubt that the salts of 
ammonia, which possess the same solvent 
property, can in this respect repl: ce the or- 
ganic matters, and thus exert an equally fa- 
vourable influence on the growth of plants. 

The same solvent property is also possess- 
ed among the salts of soda by Chili saltpe- 
tre and common salt. It has been recently 
shown that these two salts, even in the most 
dilute solutions, dissolve earthy phosphates 
to a very appreciable extent, and that con- 
sequently they must play a part in the pro- 
cess of the nutrition of plants, similar to that 
which is ascribed to carbonic acid water (to 
the humus) and to the salts of ammonia. 

From direct experiments it appears, that 
220 lbs. of sulphate of ammonia in solution 
in 0,900 galls, of water can dissolve 7.9 lbs. 
of bibasic phosphate of lime (POs, 2CaO, 
aq.) such as exists in bones that have been 
acted on by sulphuric acid ; or, in other 
words, 100 lbs. of sulphate of ammonia in 
4,500 gallons of water — dissolve nearly 4 
lbs. of phosphate of lime. In like manner 
123 lbs. of common salt, in 11,000 galls, of 
water, dissolve 7£ lbs. of bibasic phosphate 
of lime ; and 220 lbs. of nitrate of soda, in 
7,348 galls, of water, dissolve 5| lbs. of the 
same phosphate. 

Tribasic phosphate of lime (VO5, 3CaO) 
is much less soluble in these fluids. 



220 lbs. of 


In solution in water in 


Dissolve of tribasic phos- 
phate of lime, VOo, 
3 CaO. 


Sulphate of ammonia, 
Common salt, 
Nitrate of soda, - 


11,880 galls. 
11,000 " 
7,326 " 


71 lbs. 

2.6 * 



The seeds of the cereals, particularly 
wheat, contain phosphate of lime, and in 
preponderating quantity phosphate of mag- 
nesia. In many kinds of wheat the quanti- 
ty of phosphate of magnesia is four times, 
often ten times, greater than that of the 
phosphate of lime; and in like manner in 
the grain of rye, oats, and barley, the mag- 



nesia salt exceeds very greatly the phosphate 
of lime. These proportions are so constant 
that they cannot be ignored in the cultiva- 
tion of these plants. The comportment of 
the salts above-mentionce! towards phosphate 
of magnesia and ammonia, and phosphate of 
magnesia, appears, therefore of special in- 
terest. 



220 lbs. of In solution in water, in 


Dissolve of phosphate of 

Magnesia, PO5 

3 MgO. 


Nitrite of BOda, 
Common salt, 


73,260 lbs. 4| lbs. 
110,000 « 8£ " 






Til K SOI I II I.KN PLAN I : 



:;s!> 



Tli.' solubility in tin- same fluids of pli I mmoaia i 

Dissolve of 




The quantity of the earthy pliosj !. 
taken up by the above fluids does not ri 
proportion with the amount of salts in solu- ' 
lion, hut rather on the contrary with the di- 
lution of 

Tt is cpiite conclusive from those facts, ' 
that water containing ■ very small quantity 
If common salt, nitrate of soda, or a .-alt of, 
ammonia, acquires thereby the power, (which 
it does not possess, or only in a Blight 
living phosphoric acid, in the , 
form of earthy phosphates. These feeble 
solution*, therefore, react towards earthy 
itions of carbonic acid in! 
896 1' .ample, of sulphate! 

of ammonia produce the same solvent effect 
on phosphate of Km I8J galls, of car- 

bonic acid in solution in water; and 220, 
lbs. of common salt dissolve as much phos- 
iia and ammonia M a watery 
solution of Tl)".} galls, of carbonic acid. 
Direct c nts prove, that a very 

'vC up 
phosphorio aeid from a soil which contains, 
eartle. . and that this j 

given up by tli 

lution to ■ similar soil which is noi already, 
jphoric acid. 
If we submit to I ltlny the com-! 

portment of the .-alt- of ammonia, nitrate of 

: -alt toward- soils, W« 

that not one of I '- in tin 

form in which it has | 
ground. 

The ' ,:nnionia are immediately de- 

' ; the ammonia is retain- ( 
ed, whilst the acid enters into combination 
with lime, magnesia, alkalies, or, in short, 
with any b fancc in immediate con- 

tact and capable of combining with it. 



The act; of b 

two-fold nature. On the one hand, they en- 
rich the soil with ammonia; on the other, | 
their aeid gives rise BO new compounds | 
which come iuto operation. The all 
and alkaline earths which combine with the 
acid acquire thereby 
solubility, and are more readily dm 



through the soil. If the ground 

r lime, (1 bases 

are formed; but their influence, with the 

| :iou of that of gyp-uni, on cert. tin 
cannot be estimated very high. The 

I' sal-ammoniac, instead of sulph. I 
ammonia, gives rise to chloride of magne- 
sium, and chloride of calcium, which act 
rather unfavourably than otherwise on vege- 
tation. That salts of these bases are g 
rated by the action of soils on salt.- of am- 
monia, and that the new rt no par- 
ticularly favourable influence on the inc. 
of produce, are facts on which no doubt can 
rest. 

If, however, portions of the soil contain- 
ing in some places phosphate of lime or of 
magnesia in the form of coarse grain, or 
powder, or bone earth, come in contact with 

ammoniacal fluids, then there follows 
solution of these earthy phosphates, and their 

qnent diffusion through the soil. 

tnonia 

in the rapidity of their decomposition in 
contact with soils ; but the comportment of 
soda salt- is quite different. 

On -lowly filtering a .-'lution of nitrate of 
containing one-fifth per cent, of .-alt) 
through an equal volume of Bog 

loam, half of the salt passes through unab- 

I, whilst the other half is coin 
into nitrate of lime and nitrate of ma^ne-ia. 

Under the same oiroumstaneet three-fourths 

i>f a -olution of chloride of sodium remain 
ondeeompoM d. 

If, therefore, a field is manured with ni- 
trate Of ' , and tie 

titrated with a dilute solution of 
f'nned by rain, a greet port! 
them will remain unchanged in the ground] 
and in 

which, though in itself feebl 
crful by its eon tin nan 

Like tli ' ammonia, or a v. 

solution of carbonic acid produced by the 

of organic matter in manui 
limi of tie ne in 

contact with spots containing accumulatlbllf 






390 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



[July 



of earthy phosphates not fixed by the soil, 
most beeoine saturated with these phosphates, 
and thus convert them into a condition in 
which they can be diffused through the 
ground. If the earthy phosphates, when 
thus diffused in solution, come in. contact 
with other portions of soil not yet saturated 
with these salts, those portions absorb and 
fix these earthy phosphates, and the chloride 
of sodium or nitrate of soda retains, a second 
time, or more frequently, the power of ex- 
ercising the same solvent and distributing 
action over the earthy phosphates until the 
ultimate and complete conversion of the 
chloride and nitrate into a lime or magnesia 
Bait. 

When we consider how much the fertili- 
sing effect of bone earth is increased by the 
greater solubility and capability of distribu- 
tion in the soil communicated by the action 
of sulphuric acid, we cannot too highly esti- 
mate the significance of the properties, just 
described, of the salts of ammonia, chloride 
of sodium, and Chili saltpetre. 

The most abundant application of earthy 
phosphates in coarse powder, can in its ef- 
fects bear no comparison with a much small- 
er quantity which, in an infinite state of divi- 
sion, is dispersed through every portion of 
soil. A rootlet requires at the spot where 
it touches the soil a most minute amount of 
food ; but it is necessary to its functions and 
its very existence, that this minimum be 
found exactly at this spot. For if the food 
of plants be not soluble in water, then is any 
excess at any other spot as valueless to the 
function of nutrition of this rootlet as if it 
did not exist at all in the soil. Now, the 
salts of which we have been speaking, pos- 
sess the property of conveying these ele- 
ments of food from the spot in which they 
exist in superabundance to others in which 
there is a deficiency ; and even though their 
elements contributed in no way directly to 
the process of nutrition, yet, these salts must 
nevertheless exercise a marked influence on 
the increase of produce. 

When the sulphate of ammonia and Chili 
saltpetre have been completely transformed 
into lime and magnesia salts, and the chlo- 
ride of sodium into chloride of calcium and 
chloride of magnesium, this action then 
ceases ; and a second dose of these salts is 
then necessary to reproduce the action. 

]f the effect of the salts of amnion ia de- 
pends on the ammonia, we can scarcely com- 
prehend why, after a large application of 



them, that portion which has not acted dur- 
j ing the first year should not in the second 
come into operation, since this latter portion 
! is presented in the soil to plants in the same 
form as the portion which produced its effect 
during the first year. 

Sulphate of ammonia produces on alka- 
line silicates a reaction similar to that on 
earthy phosphates If this salt, in very di- 
lute solution, is brought in contact. with soil 
saturated with silicate of potash, and which 
does not give up a trace of its potash to 
I water alone, it instantly dissolves a certain 
quantity of this alkali, which may be easily 
detected by the ordinary re-agents. 

It is evident that the agriculturist, by the 
proper application of the chemical action of 
common salt, Chili saltpetre and ammonia 
salts, accomplishes the same object as by the 
| mechanical operation of ploughing, and by 
the action of the atmosphere in fallow. 

We should be committing an error, if, 
judging from similarity of solvent proper- 
ties, we concluded that common salt must 
have the same effect as a corresponding quan- 
tity of nitrate of soda. We know that, as 
I a rule, in these cases, the common salt is 
j converted into chloride of calcium, and the 
; Chili saltpetre into nitrate of lime ; and the 
; experiments of Kuhlmann have taught us, 
| that chloride of calcium by itself is abso- 
lutely ineffective, or rather is hurtful in the 
cultivation of plants, whilst nitrate of lime 
contributes materially to the increase of a 
hay crop. Nitrate of soda, consequently, 
acts favour tbly in two ways; chloride of so- 
dium only in one. Further, land plants can 
bear a considerable quantity of nitrates of 
soda in the soil, whilst chlorine compounds, 
beyond a certain very narrow limit, are de- 
cidedly hurtful. 

We designate as manures all substances 
which increase the produce of our fields, 
without knowing whether many of these 
may not simply act, by rendering the food 
already existing in the soil more capable of 
absorption and assimilation. The simple fact 
of their favourable influence on vegetation, 
is not yet a proof that they have acted di- 
rectly as food. We compare the work which 
the plough performs, to the mastication of 
food, for which nature has provided animals 
with a particular instrument; and, as may 
be seen from the experiments described 
above, many substances, such as common 
salt, nitrate of soda, and ammonia salts, in- 
dependently of the action which is due to 



- 



THE SOUTHERN VLANTKU. 



891 



their own element*, play a peculiar part, 

which 1 1 1 ; i \- lir compared to the digesting ac- 
tion of the stomach, ami in which they can 

partly replace each other ; and inasmuch 

then ;i» they prepare the fbod existing in the 
toil tor the process of nutrition, ami render 
it i' ore fit POT assimilation, they must i 
Farilv exert a powerful influence on the' 
growth of plants. 

We can now understand why these salts 
szereise a favourable action in the onltiva- 
tion only on certain soils, ami why on a 
leeond or third application of them, the 
lame effect is only partially, or not at all re- 
produced. 

An agriculturist in possession of fields con- 
taining ahu-. dance of phosphates, but une- 
qually distributed through them, would, 
all other conditions the same, undoubt- 
edly increase the activity of these phos- 
phates and thereby augment the produce of 
his fields, if he possessed the means of with- 
drawing the basic phosphates from the soil 
and restoring them in the form of super- 
phosphate. These means he actually em- 
ploys, when he manures his fields with Chili 
saltpetre, ammonia salts, or chloride of so- 
dium. 



Fur (he Southern Planter. 

Agricultural Geology. 
[Continued from the May number.') 

BY PROF. J. L. CAMPBELL. 
It hat been already stated, that the strati- 
fied rocks of the earth have been classified 
by geologists into seTeral dis inet groups, 

Sailed "Formations." ( )f these we can give 
but a brief and very general view. Jf the 
reader could be favored with a view of the 
neat lithographic cut, forming the frontis- 
piece of the work on Agriculture, from 
which the substance of this article is taken, 
it would greatly aid the memory in retaining 
1 knowledge of the relative position, and of 



the name- <-f the sewral formations. But, 
as the original figure it not within our r< 
at present', the ingenuity of the printer has 

contrived the figure given htlow, which may 

serve our present purpoi temporary 

substitute. It is designed to represent an 
ideal section the earth 'a crust, made at soma 

point Where all the formations are found. 
But the reader must beware of (ailing into 
the mistake of supposing that each OOS of 
these classes of rocks may be found every- 
where, as a constituent of the earth's crust; 
or that any one of them ever enveloped the 
whole globe; or that one of them cannot 
occur without being accompanied by the 
others; or that, when found, they uniformly 
all succeed each other in the order here 
given. 

By examining the surface of the earth, as 
rep r e s e nted by the top of the figure, it will 
be seen that one formation alone may give 
character to the rocks and soil for a distance 
of many miles together, as in the space be- 
tween a and b, where the Tertiary formation 
(8) crops out from beneath the Drift (9). 
Again, the Primary Kocks (1), on the ten 
of the figure, may have been deposited over 
a very wide section of ocean-bottom ; a por- 
tion of them may have been subsequently 
elevated above the sea-level, and have again 
subsided at the period when the New-Red 
Sandstone (5) was being deposited. A second 
upheaval may have brought this formation 
above the water, where it remained until the 
Tertiary period (8) when sinking beneath 
the ocean, it formed the bed upon which 
this newest of the regularly stratified for- 
mations was deposited. Thus rocks widely 
separated in the regular series where all the 
formations are r ep res en ted, as on the right 
side of the figure, are brought, under some 
circumstances, into close poximity, as at c. 
Taking the stratified rocks in their ascend- 
ing order, we shall give the most prominent 
characteristics of each formation. 




1. Pri.nnry Strntiiu>u Rook; 2, S.lurian ; 3, Ol.l R.M Sandstone; 4, Carboniferous or ( 
5, New Red Sandstone; 6, Oolitic n S, Tertiary; 9, Alluvi un an I Drift ; 

10, An Uustrntified Masi of Ign 



392 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



(1). Primary Rock* These are the 
lowest in the series, and rest upon unstrati- 
fied masses beneath, as at (10). They con- 
sist chiefly of — (1) Gneiss, which has been 
heretofore described. (2) Mica-slate, com- 
posed mostly of quartz and mica, the latter 
being in such quantity and form as to give 
a slaty structure to the mass. (3) Talcose- 
slate, similar to the last, but having talc in 
the place of mica. The same rock often 
contains portions of both mica and feldspar. 
The suface of this slate has a glistening ap- 
pearance and generally feels somewhat greasy 
when rubbed with the fingers, but not to 
the same degree as pure talc or soapstone. 
(4) Hornblende-slate t a compound mineral 
in which hornblende is mingled with quartz,, 
clay and feldspar. (5) Clay-slate, which 
has been described as a finely granular 
rock in thin layers. Its structure is fre- 
quently such in this formation, that it can 
be split into tiles for covering houses ; and 
when dressed off and framed it forms the 
"slates" used in schools. (6) Sandstones 
of various shades of color abound amongst 
the primary rocks. (7) Limestones are 
very often found interstratified with the 
slates and sandstones of this formation. The 
Primary stratified rocks, are also called 
M Metamorphic Rocks," in reference to the 
changes of structure through which they 
have passed, under the influence of heat 
from the igneous rocks upon which they 
rest. The term " Hypozoic" is also applied 
to them, in allusion to their position in the 
geologic series being below all the rocks 
containing the relics of animal life. They 
contain no fossils. 

We have an example of the class of rocks 
just described, covering a large part of the 
slope of country commencing on the eastern 
side of the Blue Ridge and extending 
nearly to the head of tide-water. Richmond, 
Petersburg and Fredericksburg, are each 
situated near the eastern margin of that 
section of the State, in which these strata 
are developed at the surface. 

(2). The Silurian Formation lies next 
in order above the Primary. It has some 
subdivisions of which we shall take no 
notice. The rocks entering most largely 
into its structure are limestones in great 
abundance, several varieties of slate, sand- 
stone* and conglomerates. 

Fossil shells, coral and encrinites abound 

Ome parts of this formation; but we 

cannot enter into any description of these — 

nor do they have any direct relation to agri- 



culture, except so far as their presence in 
the rocks has had an influence upon the 
quality of soils. 

The Silurian rocks are largely developed 
on the west side of the Blue Ridge, occupy- 
ing the whole Valley from New York to 
Alabama, and embracing several mountain 
ridges and smaller valleys lying along the 
western margin of the great valley. 

(3). The Old-Red Sandstone, or De- 
vonian,!^, the next formation in regular order. 
It rests upon the upper part of the Silurian, 
and dips westward beneath the coal-bearing 
strata, which occupy so large a portion of 
Western Virginia. Sandstones, slates and 
conglomerates* are the prevailing rocks of 
this formation. 

(4). The carboniferous formation lying 
above the Devonian, is distinguished chiefly 
by the immense beds of mineral coal found 
in it. The. coal is found in seams or strata 
of various degrees of thickness, with inter- 
vening stata of slates and sandstones. The 
lower part of this formation, in some places, 
contains large quantities of limestone ex- 
tending beneath the coal, and cropping out, 
sometimes very largely, around the margins 
of the coal fields. The extensive limestone 
formation of Greenbrier county, running 
northward into Pocahontas, and southward, 
with varying width, entirely across Tennes- 
see and into Alabama, is of the character 
just alluded to. On the western side of the 
same coal-field, this limestone is extensively 
developed in Tennessee and Kentucky. 

(5). Passing still further upward through 
the series of fossilliferous rocks, we come 
next to the New-Red Sandstone, which, in 
some countries, forms the boundary of the 
Coal Formation above, as the Old Red forms 
its boundary below. It is a singular fact, 
however, that this class of rocks is not 
found covering any part of our great West- 
ern coal-fields. We shall not stop to trace 
out its subdivisions into Upper and Lower 
New-Red, Permian, &c. The following 
notice of the geographical distribution of 
this formation is from Prof. H. D. Rogers' 
outline of the " Geology of the U. S. and 
Br. America," published in Johnston's 
Physical Atlas : — "The largest belt of all, 
or that of the Middle and Southern States, 
stretches from the west bank of the Hudson 
River, where it is upon the level of the 
ocean, inland in a S. W. direction along the 

* Conglomerates are rocks formed by rounded 
nobbles cemented firmly together, making very 
firm and strong masses. 



I 



THE SOUTH liK.N PLANTER 



:;:.:; 



". tide of the South mountain and Blue 
rtins in breadth, and 

ding in level, through the Slates of 
New dn.MV, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and 

Virginia, to near the centre of the latter, 

where il terminates. 

u Another nanosv strip of tlie same rock 

from a little north of the {toauokc 

River BOUtD-westward almost to the Yadkin 

in North Carolina; and between the main 
belt and this one, there occurs a small patch 
on the James River, in a position which 
indicates that originally they were all three 
connected." These rocks belong to that 
subdivision known under the name, "Tri- 

(C). Oolite and Lias. — "In many of 
the rocks of this series, small calcareous 
globules are imbedded, which resemble the 
roe of a fish; and, hence, such a rook is 
called roe$tone f or oolite. But this structure 
extends through only a small part of this 
formation, and it occurs also in other rooks. 

"The oolite series consists of inter-strati-; 
fied layers of clay, sandstone, marl, and , 
limestone. Tlie Upper portion, or that which ' 
is oolite proper, is divided into three BYStemsj 
or groups, called the upper; middle, and 
lower, separated by clay or marl deposits. 

" In this country no genuine oolite has 
been found. But tlie remarkable coal-field 

probably of the age of the oolite and lias, 1 
wn by Prof. W. B. Rog 
" Lias is a rock usually of a bluetsh color, 
mmon clay; and it is, indeed, highly 
argillaceous, but at the same time generally 
Sflsa I SOUS. Bauds Of true argillaceous lime- 
stone do, i; ir in it, as well a.- of cal- 
careous .-and. It has been usual to describe] 

Bseauber i f the oolite si vies. But it 

Is widely diffused, and very marked in its 
characters, and contains peculiar and very 
interesting organic remains/ 1 — Hitchcock. 

.ml fish are abundant in this 
formation, but striking peculiarity ' 

ists in the number and the immense 
size of it- 

(7). The Cbxtaczous Formation- takes 



'no from the chalk (crsfo) in which it 
abounds in some countries, especially in 

Europe. In this formation the <; . 
so successfully employed as a fertilizer in 
some | .,ur country, is found. ' I 

sand is also found in the higher strata. 

The Tertiary Formation is the 
highest division of tlie stratified rocks. The 
strata in it are generally more nearly hori- 



zontal than in any of tl. formations. 

of clay, li marl, and 

sand, with occasional 1- BSUm and 

lock-sail 

Many of the fossils of this period are the 
remains of plants and animal- I 

ssmbling those now living upon the earth. 

But in the rocks ^\' lower formation! 
fossils indicate that our earth was formerly 
inhabited by beings differing widely 
any now known to man. Tin; most r< I 
able feature of the tertiary period, i- 
in the number and size of its mammalia. 

The Tertiary rocks hi 
geologists into Eocene* Mcioccncj and PI 

; the Eocene being the lowest in 
position. Nearly the whole tide-Water . 
of the United States, extending from 
Jersey to the Bio Grande, is covered with 
this formation. In the States lying along 
the Gulf of Mexico, this class of rocks ex- 
tends, in some localities, inland considerably 
beyond the limits of tide-water. The west- 
ern boundary of the Tertiary, in Virginia, 
may be nearly defined by a line passing 
through Fredericksburg, Richmond and 
Petersburg. This line extends a little west 
of Raleigh, X. C., to Columbia, S. C, and 
Augusta, Ga., would mark its western limit 
still further South. 

(9). Alluvium and Drift. — Above all 

ywbore, 
quantities of loose material, broken down 
and worn off from rocks of every kind, and 
scattered over the surface. When this 
material is carried by water, ami 
along the valleys and in the bottom.- of | 
and lakes, it forms what is called "Alluvi- 
um," and soils thus formed are aUuvial. The 
material of which they are formed, ' 
ally collected from a considerable var*. 
rocks, and hence they have all the mineral 
elements nSOOBSSiy to render them fertile. 

In many pis currents of v. 

accompanied most probably by masses of 
ice, have swept over extensive regions, car- 
rying with them tlie abraded material from 
the various rocks, and hills, and mountains 
over which they have passed, and again de- 
positing it, as a mixed mass "f Band and 
clay, full of pebbles and boulders of almost 
every conceivable size and shape. This 
constitutes the "Drift formation." 

The Drift for. nt feature 

in the geology of some of our 

-, and ai- my points in the 

Northern and North-western I but it 

rarely occurs farther south than the Ohio 



894 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



River, except as local drift. It differs, of little crystals of quartz are but slightly 
Course, from the rocks beneath; and fre- j modified, forming, when set free, sand of 
fertile soil, immediately over 



quently gives a iertne 

rocks which would have produced only a 

barren desert. 

(10). Beneath the stratified rocks, in 
many places rising up through and often 
over-lying them, we find tlie uust ratified 
rocks. These bear no marks of having 



various degrees of fineness. From hilly 
lands the fine clay is gradually carried down 
into the low grounds, and a covering of 
sand, generally with clay beneath it, is left 
to form the poor, barren soils of the sur- 
rounding hills. But even where all the 
material of the granite is retained, the soil 
been deposited by water, but seem to be of is generally deficient in lime, magnesia, and 
volcanic origin. oxide of won. 

The most prominent minerals which enter When granite contains hornblende * as it 
into the composition of these rocks are Feld- j often -does, this furnishes lime, magnesia, 
spar, Hornblende, Epidote, Quartz, and Sand iron, and such a soil is generally pro- 
Mica. These combining, give us Trap ! ductive. Or, if granite and trap rocks occur 
rocks, Granite (including Syenite), and • on the same hill, the soils from both mi 



many less abundant varieties, of which we 
have not room to give a description. 

Origin of Soils. — Whenever the rocks, 
whether stratified or unstratified, are long ex- 
posed to the influence of air, rain, and frost, 



iay 
become mingled by the action of rain and 
frost, or by tillage, and thus form a better 
soil than either would form alone. 

Trap rocks, being composed, as we have 
learned, of feldspar and hornblende, are 
or even of air and rain alone, they are . acted upon by air and water, both mechani- 
gradually broken down, as heretofore stated, j cally and chemically. The result is a finely 
into small fragments. These undergo many I divided soil, to which the feldspar fur- 
subdivisions, until the little separated par-jnishes an abundance of clay and potassa, 
tides of sand and clay, mingled with such! with some soda; while the hornblende 
organic matter as previously existed in the yields lime, magnesia, and oxide of iron 
rock, or has meanwhile been growing among abundantly ; hence such soils are generally 
the fragments of its half-formed soil, become fertile. Some of the best soils of Eastern 
one mixed mass, and at the same time pass I Virginia are formed from Trap, 
through such chemical changes as adapt | The primary stratified rocks differ widely 
them to the great end for which they were! in composition and, as a consequence, give 



designed. 

The original quality of the soil must, 
then, be greatly dependent upon the char- 
acter of the rocks out of which it has been 
formed. It is not difference in the mineral 
composition of rocks alone, that causes 



a great variety of soil. We have a most 
extensive illustration of this in the greater 
part of the wide area, extending from the 
eastern side of the Blue Ridge, on the one 
hand, to the slope over which the rivers 
flowing into the Atlantic fall, before they 



differences in the nature of soils; the organic, 'reach tidewater, on the other; then, ex- 
fossil matter, deposited when the rocks were' tending northward, it becomes narrower as 
formed, seems often to have had a most 'it passes into Maryland, and extending 
striking influence. Any one may observe Southward into North and South Carolina 



for himself, in traversing a hilly or moun- 
tain* -us region, how suddenly he sometimes 
passes from one quality of soil to another, 



it spreads out to a still greater width than 
it has in Virginia. In this region there are 
some belts of fine soil, formed from rocks 



even in the same field. And in unculti- composed largely of feldspar and horn- 



vated lands, he may frequently meet not 
only with abrupt changes in the rocks and 
soil, but changes just as abrupt in the trees, 
shrubs, and weeds, which nature seems to 
have adapted to the varying quality of their 
mineral food. 

Pure granitic soils contain the disinteg- 
rated particles of quartz, feldspar, and mica, 
from the granite rock. The feldspar is soon 
decomposed, by the action of carbonic acid, 
into carbonate of potash and fine clay. The 



blende. There are other sections, in which 
the soils are composed of the ruins of 
gneiss and granite. These soils are sandy, 
and less valuable. Again, there are local- 
ities in which the soil has originated from 
rocks composed chiefly of quartz, with small 
quantities of mica or feldspar, or both. 
Such regions are hopelessly deficient in 



* Granite, containing a considerable amount 
of hornblende, is culled "syenite." 



I Til I SO T Til i: UN PL A NT B K. 

most important elements of mineral m irl) all the compact lira 



f< 



considerable amount of these itupuriti a, 



The Great Valley of Virginia ft a., ex- ^i« some contain not more than 

ample of rtie Silurian formation. Tho -•'""——'•"«■ ol time; and man; of 

,. ,, ,,. .,• , i , , tin: beds <>| calcareous shale have but a 

11 slope of tin* I »Iu«" Indue belon 

(I,,-. The rocks here, and on tho sSurs, ""."J 11 'l» : '»»".v "< <•''• carbonate, combiMj 

ifcndont some , ietanco into " uh • "W 'l" : '"" ; "■■* 

., ,. , ,, i . ,11.1 ,i not only disintegrate more rupidly, but also 

tin- val i v. are chiefly slate :t n« 1 hard sand- . ' : . . 

,■ i, i • i leave a umcli arger amount ol iv-idu iry 

I hese form light, unproductive soils: ,. , ... . J 

, , ,, i , matter than any of tin- more solid i<»ck.s. 

uml where tin- rocka are haul sandstones, .. * „ . , . , , 

• I i , r • Hence we centrally find them underlying 
they d sin slowly, break oil m i ' ■ i 

nta under the influence of de !£ U,1 V 0, *7: 

■ i i -i he soils resulting from limestone Unna- 

frost, and hum rough, unmanageable soils. . » . 

scend into the open valley, we find *»"■■ ™- ^'"■™llj productive, and rem, k- 

the formation consisting of a great variety * h *] we . U Bdt P t * d J * € *^ UT * '" Ff* 

of limestones, with vast beds of interatratf ? iml P~>» c'ops, and also produce good to- 

£ , i . i i ' ii . • • <• i Dacco. \\ here the ancient coral reels are 

i. dates and shales, all containing lossil _ , , .. „ .. r 

.i ii i i i» . ,i !•-.'♦• ioiind among the limestones ot this forma- 

6hells and coral. 1>\ their disintegration, . , , ,. , , . ,. , . 

■ rocka generally pive soils of fine J? "' ,hl ' c,a 7 1 whl ? b *^ } *T! {iUr \ {W '\ r 
quality. In most partsof this valley, the rocks ?ecaj, as well an that formed from the ad- 
have been very much tilted and warbed at J*" 01 * h *}<*> ls "* In . '"V/"""' ,nalt,r ; J 1 

the time of their upheaval, thus giving rise Wl . ! * 'be mineral elements required ID 

to a peculiar and interesting variety ,f wils of the best quahty. 1 he author has 

landscape. In many places we meet with \ Wk ' wA ; l,u ":° m \ ") *** l'^'T" 1 ^ q«fll- 

abrupt precipices, such as arc common **« clay found ma qainyo coral me 

along the banks of water-courses j in other »»estone, ;it ■ considerable distance > be- 

place., we find deep gorges, like that spanned nemth *• suHi,( ' e . ot ( Ic ^ nnd ' " *" 

by the Natural lir.dgc ; while the hss 8U b- ropnose this ammonia to havebeen produced 

|ime but no leas beautiful hills, with their ". the rock by the decay of the coral by 

gently undulating slop,, and rounded tops. * h "* ,[ *;' s b ™ H U P; : \'" 1 ■ ,( ' n " J?™ '* b * 

ire found to cover the greater part of the the clay after the rock has been disinte^a- 

nrface throughout the' whole length and ^ ••* ,,as ^ ^ carbonate >ol lime dia- 

Ith of this delightful section of our ■d^d «f »< ■•»* « ;i •**»* »»»» 

B* , tion of the tenacity with which ammonia 18 

held bj clay. 

ntury after century lias passed The mountain ridges lying along, the 

away, the solid rocks, U well ai the UtoTt wotern si.lc of the valley,' belong alto to 

brittle shahs, have been gradually hioken vv ) iat p^ | iavr ( . a ll t .d the Silurian foT- 

i into minute fragments by rain and m:i( j lin . lKre slate and samlstone prevail. 

fr Bt, while the carbonic acid brought down xhe slate foroN a mi) capable of consi 

by the rain-water has dissolved out much of blc ini]>n \niuiit ; hut the nndstOM is too 
the carbonate of lime, and left the clay to hard to form a soil suitable for tillage, ex- 
form soils varying in depth from less than (v}>t B | OB g x \w lower slopes of the r 
an inch to many feet. The depth of these :Ul d j M the falleyaj where the abrad d ma- 
clay deposits depends partly upon the steep- terial 1 collecting for many centuries. 
ness of the land, but still more upon the When clay from one ridge is Can 
Structure ai d composition of the rock. If down by water, and mingled with the sand 
the surface is steep, the greater part of the brought down from some neighbouring 
liberated clay may have been washed down ridge, and deposited along the bank 

into tome neighbouring valiey, forming streams, plant*, ineeeta, fresh-water s! 

there i deep, rich soil, and leaving the e tc, being mingled with it, very ferf 

rocky hill side almost naked. If the recks t( ,, n hmd. are Often formed, running in long 
were pure carbonate of lime, there could be narrow strips through ex- 
no residuum of elay and sand to produce almost barren mountains, 
soil; but the truth of the case is. that The SOikl of the Old B are 

— ■ extremely variable in our country. ^ ' 

•Shale is a brittle, imperfect form of slate. | uiarl and limestone are found in this forma- 



396 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



tion, the soil is generally productive ; but 
where the sandstones prevail, as they do ex- 
tensively in the mountainous parts of West- 
ern Virginia, lying along the eastern side 
of the coal regions, the soil is generally 
poor. 

In the Carboniferous or coal formation, 
many of the slates and sandstones form 
soils of no great value ; but belts of lime- 
stone and calcareous shale sometimes give 
corresponding belts of good soil. AVe find 
an interesting example of such limestone 
soils in the belt -which runs through Green- 
brier and adjoining counties, and around 
the base of the coal-bearing strata in our 
great Western coal field. The accumula- 
tions of detritus in the valleys, and along 
the streams, also afford good soils. Where 
the slaty lands of this, or any other forma- 
tion, lie in a horizontal position, they are 
impervious to water, and hence are cold and 
wet. These must generally be drained 
before they can be successfully cultivated. 

What has been said of the influence of 
the various kinds of rock upon the soils 
overlying the formations already mentioned, 
will lead us to the general conclusion that 
the quality of the land upon all the higher 
formations, must be as variable as the char- 
acter of the rocks themselves. The sand- 
stones generally give light, infertile soils, 
while those produced slates and shales are 
better ; and, when free from bituminous 
matter, and supplied with lime, are often 
very productive. 



Virginia! 
brought 



found. These nodules are scattered through 
the body of the marls, and through the sub 
soils of the fields far inland ; and are col 
lected for sale to the manufacturers of su- 
per-phosphate of lime, and other artificial 
lnanurcs. ,, (Ag. Cliem. p. 94.) Similar 
black pebbles occur 'in the Olive Earths j 
and Marls of the tertiary strata of Eastern! 
Virginia. Mr. Ruftin, the venerable and) 
distinguished President of the 
State Agricultural Society, first 
these to the notice of Prof. Gilham, of the 
Military Institute, by whom some speci- 
mens were analyzed. " After being crush- 
ed and thoroughly mixed, they were found 
to contain 56 per cent, of phosphate of 
lime !" — (Southern Planter, Dec. 1858.) 

The experience of the agricultural world 
has established a conclusion of great prac- 
tical importance in the selection of lands 
for tillage. It is this — that, among the up- 
land soils, none are so uniform!}/ and per- 
manently fertile, as those formed from cal- 
careous rocks. And next to these, the soils 
from the lime-bearing trap-rocks and syenites 
occupy the first place. Alluvial and drift 
soils, of course, are exceptions. 

STRUCTURE OF THE SOIL. 

In examining any soil which has been 
left undisturbed to pass through its natural 
stages of formation, we find the surface por- 
tions differing considerably from those 
nearer the original rocks. They differ not 
simply in appearance, but also in composi- 



Some of the formations have the elements tion > an <* consequently in fertility. 



of their own improvement treasured up 
within themselves. A striking example of 
this is seen in the marl beds, so abundantly 
deposited in the tertiary strata lying along 
our eastern coast. Many farms in the tide- 
water sections of Virginia, Maryland, and 
other States, have been most successfully 
and profitably reclaimed from almost hope- 
less exhaustion, by the judicious application 
of these tertiary marls. Besides the marl 
proper, little mineral nodules of a dark col- 
our are found in the same beds, or in con- 
tiguous deposits; and on being analyzed, 
they are found to contain a large per cent, 
of phosphate of lime. Prof. Johnston, of 
England, says : " This crag [a tertiary de- 
posit] is chiefly interesting to the agricul- 
turist from its containing hard, rounded, 
flinty nodules — often spoken of as coprolites 
—in which as much as 50 per cent, of 



It is both interesting and instructive to 
trace out the various changes which have 
taken place, in reducing the original rocks 
of the earth to the condition of arable soil. 
Let us take, for example, a calcareous for- 
mation, made up of limestones and calca- 
reous shales, which have just been upheaved 
by volcanic agency, and for the first time 
exposed to the disintegrating influence of 
the weather. The shales are rapidly 
crumbled down to the condition of clay, 
from which the rain gradually dissolves out 
much of the carbonate of lime, carrying it 
off to form "limestone springs." The more 
solid rocks are worn down more slowly, but 
not less surely, by the operation of the same 
causes. In this way a soil is gradually 
formed, supplied with all the mineral in- 
gredients of the rocks. But such a soil, 
produced by such a process alone, would 



phosphate of lime (bone earth) has been i still lack one important class of its elements 



I860.] 



THE SOUTH BRN I'LANTi: II. 






of fertility : it would still want tl 
matter which we .shall 
forming ni rtant offioea in 1 1 1 < 

If the n 

.■ may ho already presenl ; hut the 

to he collected from an- 

The new soil is booh provi- 

ded with the seeds of . . and 

■nei of various kinds, from older lands j 
and IQoh of thtiii as find hero their I 
; • mineral food, booh germinate, take 
lend oat their blades and I 
carbonic from the ail 

drink in the 
I oi' nourishment from rain-water, 
her with ammonia and mineral matter. 
Many of the roots soon pel etrato the lower 
: 1 for many i'ect, whence they 
draw up mineral sul and send them 

out in the sap, to be incorporated with the 
■genie food from the air, in the body, and 
I thee, and leaves of the growing plants. 
As tl . and the leu . 

trees fall and decay upon the surface, they 
leare a dark rich deposit of humu<, to serve 
as food for the same or other kinds of 
growth. In this way greet quantit; 
organic matter arc often accumulated, form* 
I with the clay a deep, rich vegetable 
mould. 

The mineral matter which once fed the 
yed leaves and urass, has not only been 

increased in quantity near the surface, but 

has also been so elaborated in the plants 

hicb it n ' now 

in the best possible condition to afford nour- 
ishment to subsequent crops growing upon 
the same soil. 

The portion of soil which has thus be- 
come enriched with or_ 1 mineral 

I the M BUI 
is the part usually cultivated. The M 
soil" is the layer upon which tl 
soil rests. It generally has but litt.. 
ganie matter in it: and, in the maji i 

fields in our Southern and Western S 

it has never been di- 

Oo rolling lands which have been long un- 
der cultivation, the BUrfnoCSOJl on different 

> a of the same hill is generally more 
uniform in its character than the sub-coil; 

becau>e the loose material on the surface 
becomes mingled, by the mechanical actios 
of the plow, rains, and frost; while the suh- 
soil, having been less frequently disturbed, 



!V- in which it ori| 

inatcd, and more m ailj, 



The Poor Customer. 
ood lesson ii taught in the foil 

sketch from the Boston < Hive Branch : 
u How much butt. 

• One half pound, if you please." 

'• And sugas '.'" 

* Half a pound." 
-• And these orang 

" I lalf a dozen, sir." 

" Von go by the halves today. Well, 

what speedy, ma'am, you're keep- 

ing better customers waiting." 

" Half a peck of Indian meal, and one 
fine Preach roll," said the woman ; but her 
lip quivered and she turned to wipe away 
a trickling tear. 

T looked at her straw bonnet, all hn ' 
at her faded shawl, her thin, stooping form, 
her coarse garments, and 1 read poverty on 
nil — extreme poverty. And the j 
pinched features, the mournful, but once 
beautiful face, told me that luxuries were 
not fir her. A:i invalid looked out ' 
his narrow window, whose pale lips km 
the cool, fresh oranges, for whose comfort 
the tea and butter, and the line French roll 
were bought, with much sacrifice. And I 
saw him sip tlie tea, and lasts the dainty 
bread, and psaisc the flavour of the - 
butter, and turn with brighten;:, 
the golden fruit. And I heard him ask her, 
kneeling by the saeeky hearth, to taste them 
wnii him. Ai. set the broken 

on the .-.;_.• to bake her I 
My : 

-• Bl ami by. when I am hungry." 

And " by and by," when the white lids 

of the sufferer wars olosed in sleep, i 

ver him with a blessing in her 
And .-he laid tl f the 

feast carefully by, and eat her bread un- 
molested. 

I Btarted from my reverie \ the grc 
hard upon me. 

•• Y 
Oh, 1 wanted to tell him h 

persecution, eentempt sa could not 

dim the hearts of hue gold, purified by 

many a trial, and that woman with ha lit- 

ind holl ■ 
the sight of God than many a trumpet- 
tongn I ] . who gave that he might be 

known of men. 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



From the Scientific Artisan. 

House Warming and Ventilation. 

Those who have made experiments for 
the purpose of determining the quantity of 
pure air required per minute by each indi- 
vidual, vary in their conclusions. They 
publish from 3 to 10 cubic feet, but when 
physiological facts in relation to size of 
lungs, health of persons, and various cir- 
cumstances are considered, we conceed the 
accuracy of either amount. 

We learn by science that the laws of 
nature do not long permit the enjoyment of 
health where pure air is not; and also 
when health is lost there can be no possible 
recovery of it without the aid of pure air. 
When we breathe, although the air in the 
lungs is on one side of a membrane and the 
blood on the other, a reciprocal action takes 
place between them. The blood receives 
through the membrane oxygen from the air, 
and at the same time the air receives from 
the blood carbonic acid gas and watery 
vapor. The amount of oxygen and car- 
bonic acid gas thus exchanged are said to 
be equal — that is, pure air taken into the 
lungs is expelled with about 85 per cent, 
carbonic acid gas and an equal amount of j 
oxygen has been taken from it b) the blood. 

It appears that a middle sized man, aged 
about 38 years, and whose pulse is 70 on an 
average, gives off 302 cubic inches of car- 
bonic acid gas from his lungs in 11 minutes, 
and supposing the production uniform for 
24 hours, the total quantity in that period 
would be 39,534 cubic inches, (agreeing al- 
most exactly with Dr. Thompson's estimate), 
weighing 18,683 grains, the carbonic acid in 
which is 5,363 grains, or rather more than 
11 ounces Troy. The oxygen consumed in 
the same time will be equal in volume to 
the carbonic acid gas. See respiration under 
Physiology in the Encyclopaedia Brittanica. 

It has been shown by experiment that 
pure air once breathed contains 85 per cent, 
of carbonic acid, and that the same air by 
continued respirations would not take more 
than 10 per cent. Hence the necessity in 
the preservation of health of breathing air 
but once as it enters and departs from a 
room. Proper ventilation permits the air 
to pass away after having been once breathed, 
for in respiration the air expelled from the 
lungs being warmed ascends and is not 
where it may be received by their next ex- 
pansion. But if by insufficient ventilation 



air is breathed more than once, it gives less 
oxygen to the blood and takes less carbonic 
acid and watery vapor trom it than is neces- 
sary for the preservation of health. The 
efficacious action of the blood ceases be* 
cause of the deleterious presence of car* 
bonic acid in the blood and in the air. Car- 
bonic acid gas has a little more specific 
gravity than atmospheric air, but the dif- 
ference is so slight that when in a current 
of air it is carried upward, or where there 
is no current it tends downward. When a 
multitude meet in a' room which has not 
been planned to admit fresh air, the car- 
bonic acid gas descends to the floor and 
from thence it accumulates upward. When 
it enters the nostrils of the assembly the 
faces of all become pale, most of them think 
impatiently of the pleasure of breathing 
out-door air, and some, perhaps, faint. I 
am persuaded that the germs of painful sick- 
ness and early death are thus often fixed in 
the human system. 

We reflect with astonishment upon the 
sad consequences of bad ventilation — the 
great loss of cheerfulness and success in 
the attainments of intellectual power. A 
healthy circulation of air is often disap- 
proved by the untutored. As needful 
medicine which is unpleasant to the taker 
may be rejected, so a healthy circulation of 
air by a morbid sensibility may be prevented. 
Because of bad ventilation children in 
school may dread their task. For want of 
pure air perhaps thviir digestion is impeded. 
They then feel as if a heavy burden was 
upon them. If they try to learn they sel- 
dom succeed. If they succeed in commit- 
ting a paragraph to memory it is soon for- 
gotten. Being ignorant of themselves and 
the causes of their maladies, they judge 
themselves incapacitated for intellectual pur- 
suits. 

It is from the same cause, very frequently, 
that religious congregations have many mem- 
bers who spend in church an hour of sleepy 
thoughtlessness, and return home without 
being able to tell the points of the speaker's 
discourse, though they had been where one 
of the most instructive and interesting ser- 
mons was preached. It is doubtless be- 
cause of bad ventilation that the power of 
the advocate of the gospel in the pulpit is 
much less than it otherwise would be. 
Houses of worship are mostly so constructed 
that the impure air is driven, by opening 
the door, upon the preacher. He, in the 






I 



T If E SOUTH K II X PL A NT BR. 






art of speaking, inhales it more injuri- 
than others. As a victim be maj be 
narked for an early death, 'i he sympathy 
and defense which lie would have ii ■ wild 
l», a-t of the forest should assail bias in 
the { tn I pit does set appear- to defend him 
from the consequences of bad ventilation, 
which fact, ifl ■ proof of the absent 
knowledge in relation to the subject. 

A Mi.» MANIC. 

Buffalo,?*. Y., Mayo, L8G0. 

From the Southern Rural Gentleman. 

The Lord's Prayer. 

We lay before onr readers the Lord's 
Prayer, beautifully paraphrased into an 
acrostic, by Thomas Sturtcvant, Jr., a soldier 
in the 26th regiment United States infantry. 

Our Lord and King, who reign'st enthroned on 

high, 
Father of light! mysterious Deity; 
Who art the gieat I AM, the last, the first, 
Art righteous, holy, merciful and ju.-t, 
la realm* of glory, scenes where angels sing, 
Heaven ifl the dwelling place of God our King, 
Hallowed thy name, which doth all names trans- 
cend. 
Be thou adored, onr great Almighty Friend, 
Thy glory shine* bey on I creation's .-pace, 
framed in the book of justice and of grace. 
Thy kingdom towers beyon I the starry skies; 
Kingdom satantic falls, but thine shall rise. 
Come let thine empire, O thou Holy one, 
Thy great everlasting Will he den ' 
U til God make known His will, His power dis- 

play I 
Be it the work of mortals to obey! 
Done is the great, the wondrous work of lore, 

On Calvary- ORMfl He died, hut reign* ah 

Karth bean the record in thy holy word, 

As Heaven adores thy love, let earth, () Lord; 

It shil idem in 1 1 1 " eternal -kies. 

Ii prai-ed ;n Heaven — for man die Saviour dies. 

//* songs immortal angels laud Hi- name, 

Heaven shouts with joy. an I saints his lo\ 

claim. 
Give us, O Lord, our food, nor cease no give 
Ls that food on which our souls may livp! 
This he our boon to-day. and days to come, 
Day without end in our eternal home; 
Our needy souls supply from day to day, 
Daily assist and aid us when we pray. 
Bread though we a.-k. yet. Lord thy bit 

lend, 
And make us grateful when thy :id ; 

Forgiv* our sins, which in destruction place 
E7fl the vile rebels of a rebel race, 
Our Indies, fruits ami tres| _ ve. 

Debts which we ne'er can pay. or thou re 
As we, Lord, our neighbor's faults 
We beg thou'dst blot ours from thy memory's 

book. 
Forgive our enemies, extend thy grace. 
Our souls to save, e'en Adam's guilty race. 



Debtor* to thee m gratitude and l( 

And in thai duty paid by saints aba 

I.e. id n- lo. in pin, and in ihy |fei 

/ i from the rempter and his In lii-h \. 
Not in our own, but In his name who bled, 

/'/ n 1 1 1 i 1 1 < • ii- our c\ cry lire. I. 

Temptation'* fatal charms help us to .-him, 

But may we conquer through thy conquering 

Son! 
r US from all which can annoy 
/ .s ill this world, and may our souls destroy. 

from all en hrm i ties which men betide. 

Evil and death, turn our feel aside ; 

For we are mortal worm-, and k leave to clay: 

Thine 'tis to rule, and mortals to obey. 

75 not thy mercy, Lord, forever free ! 

The whole creation knows no 6t)d but tie 

Kingdom and empire in thy presence fall: 

The King eternal reigRfl the King of all. 

Power is with thee — to thee be ^lory given, 

And be thy name adored hy earth and Heaven, 

The praise of saints and angel? i> thy own : 

Glory to thee, the everlasting One, 
Forever he thy triune name adored ; 
.linen! lb. sauna! blessed be the Lord! 



Poverty Not So Great a Curse. 
If there is anything in the world that a 
youn^ man should be more thankful for 
than another, it is the poverty which neces- 
sitates his starting in life under very gn at 
disadvantages. Poverty is one of tin 
tests of human quality in existence. A 
triumph over it is like graduating with 
honor from West Point It demonstrates 
stuff and stamina. It is a certificate of 
worthy labor creditably performed. A yoottg 
man who cannot statu! the test is not worth 
anything. He can never rise above a drudge 
or a pauper. A yoang man alio cannot 
feel his will harden as the yoke of poverty 
M upon him, and his pluck rise with 
(Very difficulty poverty throws in his way, 
m iy as well retire info some corner and hide 
himself. Poverty saves a thousand times 
more men than it ruins; for it only ruins 
those who are not particularly worth caving, 
while it saves multitudes of those whom 
wealth would have ruined. If any young 
man who reads this is so unfortunate 
be rich, I giro him my pity. 1 pity you, 
my rich yonng friend, because you are in 
dattlfljer. Yea) lack one stimulus to . 
and excellence, which your poor comj. anion 

You will be very apt, if 
have a soft spot in your head, to think your- 
self above him, and that sort of thing makes 
you mean, and injl 1. With full 

pockets and full stomach, and fine linen 
ami broadcloth on your back, yow heart and 
soul plethoric, in the race of your life you 



400 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



will find yourself surpassed by all the poor 
boys around you before you know it. 

No, my bo3 r , if you' are poor, thank God 
and take courage ; for He intends to give 
you a chance to make something of yourself. 
If you had plenty of money, ten chances to 
one it would spoil you for all useful pur- 
poses. Do you lack education ? Have you 
been cut short in the text book ? Remem- 
ber that education, like some other thing, 
does not consist in the multitude of things 
a man possesses. What can you do ? That 
is the question that settles the business for 
yt.u. Do you know your business ? Do you 
know men and how to deal with them? Has 
your mind, by any means whatsoever, re- 
ceived that discipline which gives to its 
action, power and faculty? If so, then 
you are more of a man and a thousand times 
better educated than the fellow who gradu- 
ates from college with his brains full of stuff 
that he cannot apply to the practical busi- 
ness of life — stuff, the acquisition of which 
has been in no sense a disciplinary process 
as far as he is concerned. There are very 
few men in this world less than thirty years 
of age, unmarried, who can afford to be rich. 
One of the greatest benefits to be reaped 
from great financial disasters, is the saving 
a large crop of young men. — Timothy 

TlTCOMB. 



Light. 

Light is essential to physical health and 
spiritual development. Many physicians and 
nurses fail (partially at least) in their min- 
istrations to the sick. All persons should 
breathe pure air freely and be exposed to 
natural light, during the day, and this is 
especially true of feeble, unhealthy or sick 
persons ; and yet the rooms of these latter 
are too often darkened, and consequently 
the patient languishes for want of light. 
This may be illustrated by placing a plant 
in the cellar, or other dark place. How 
eagerly it will chase the struggling rays of 
the sun, that may chance to find access to 
the place, and it will soon become pale and 
sickly fur want of light and heat from his 
genial rays. We may have another evi- 
dence of the efficacy of the air and light 
upon our own systems, by going out in the 
morning before the sun has reached his 
meridian. We return with buoyant spirits 
and a healthy glow upon our cheeks; but 
otherwise, if we go forth into the evening 
air after sunset, there will be a heaviness 



about the brain and a loss of vitality. Our 
physical systems draw refined electricity from 
the air filled with the sun's rays, giving us 
health and vigor of body and buoyancy of 
spirits; hence the necessity of having those 
rays emitted into the apartments of the 
sick. 



Picked up Proverbs. 

I send you a few proverbs, which I have 
picked up. I fancy they are all of the coin- 
age of this century. Some I have seen in 
print, others I have heard. 

" Fierce foes make firm friends." 

u Half the glory crowns we see, are only 
gilded crowns of thorns." 

" Trust not always to the brightest : 

" Know the winter-moon's the lightest." 

" God sometimes cut his flowers with a 
very rough knife." 

" A first class youth brings a third class 
age." 

" The wild oals of youth, change into the 
briers of manhood." 

" Life is company, Death is solitude." 

u Popularity is not love." 

" The heart is often better than the 
head." 

" Admiration without love, is sunshine 
without rain." 

" Grey hairs are the frostwork of age." 

" The skies won't go into mourning for 
our sorrows." 

" The sad -colored cloak of silence often 
covers the spotted clothes of ignorance." 

" Pleasant lies, once sown, come up 
prickles." — Rockingham Register. 



Comforts for Cattle. — Reverend Syd- 
ney Smith, of England, was something of 
a farmer, and used to visit his cattle daily, 
and feed and pat them, until they knew his 
voice and welcomed his coming. He used 
to do all in his power to make them com- 
fortable. He has been heard to say ; " I 
am for all cheap luxuries, even for animals ; 
now all animals have a passion for scratching 
their back-bones, they break down your 
gates and paling to effect this. Look ! this 
is my universal scratcher, a sharp edged 
pole, resting on a high and low post, adapted 
to every height, from a horse to a lamb. 
Even the Edinburgh Reviewer can take his 
turn ; you have no idea how popular it is. 
I have not had a gate broken since I put it 
up. I have it in all my fields." 



I 



THE SOUTH KKN PLANTER 



mi 



An Address 

On the Opposi ' of Exhausting and 

rtilizing System* of Agriculture, Read 

fore tin South Carolina Institute, at 

its Fourth Annual Fair t November \%th } 

BY EDM1 KD itrrnx, i 

[We omit tin' introductory part o( this ndtnir- 
inaiuly ■pplicablfl to the time. 
■ ami cirou instances of its delivery, but the 
■ubject discussed i- maral and perma- 

Dent interest to all intelligent improvers of the 
soil. We, therefore, desire to rescue it from the 
■ II to which it might be destined, if not 
committed to some more enduring form of pub- 
lication than the fugitive pages of the merely 
occasional pamphlet iii which we find it. — Ed. 
Botrrazai 1'lantkh.] 

The particular object of the address 
whirl) will now be road, is to exhibit in full, 
and place in contrast, the opposite results on 
a country an I people, of exhausting and im- 
provhuj systems of Agru ulture* 

In every feeling and opinion there is no 
DOre true and zealous Southerner than my- 
self. 1 have long studied the domestic life 
and institutions, and social and moral con- 
dition of the people of the slave-holding 
s, and in every important respect, 1 
may truly say, that L concur with, approve, 
and sympathize with yourselves on these 
subjects. Yet it is my present design and 
business not to treat of our many points id' 

perfect agreement of opinion, but of the 
few of difference; not to speak of your 

laudable work.-, but your errors; ami to ap- 
ply to the planters of South Carolina, cms, ue 
where deserved, as readily as I would ap- 
plaud them in other respects, which have 00 
relation to my present general su 
Even in the general system of southern 
mlture, in which there is so much to 
condemn. I cannot but admire the 61 
and intelligent ised by the cultivators 

to attain the object Usually sought — which 
is to draw from the land flic greatest imme- 
diate production ami profit If their ob- 
were instead, as it ought to be, the 
greatest continued products and profits, and 
that object wore pursued with as much 
ability, the people of South Carolina would 
soon stand in as exalted a position of agri- 
cultural success, as now and hereto!, i 
social and moral qualities, as men and 
citizens. Even for the few yean which have 



1 ; :,<- I investigated and reported 
upon your abundant resources for fertilisa- 
tion, and arged their use, if these ssean 

been properly applied, already the 

cultural production of half the amble lands 

id" the State might have been increased full 

fifty per cent. I may (hire to express this 
opinion, inasmuch BS en a newly pure! i 

farm, 1 have myself more than tripled thai 

amount of increase by the means recom- 
mended, and within the same short time 
since uttering the precepts for the like im- 
provement here. 

The great error of southern agriculture 
is the general practice of exhausting culture 
— the almost universal deterioration of the 
productive power of the soil — which power 

is the main and essential foundation of all 
agricultural wealth. The merchant, or 
manufacturer, who was using (without re- 
placing) any part of his capital to swell his 
yearly income — or the ship-owner, who 084 d 
as profit all his receipts from ft eight, allow- 
ing nothing for repairs, or deterioration of 
capita] — would be accounted by all as in the 
sure road to bankruptcy. The joint-stock 
company that should (in good faith, as many 
have done by designed fraud.) annually pay 
out something of what ought to be il 
served fund, or of its actual capital, * 
so much to the dividends, would soon ; 
the point of being obliged to reduce the 
dividends below the original aair rate, and, 
in enough time, all the capital would be so 
absorb* d. Yet this unprofitable procedure, 

which would be deemed the most in rvol- 
lous folly in regard to any other kind of 
capital invested, is precisely that which is 

still generally pursued by the ouRivatt rs of 

il in all the cotton producing States, 
and which prevailed as generally, and much 

r in my own country, and which, ivni 
now, is more usual there than the op] 
course of fertilising Culture. The recupe- 
rative powers of nature are indeed con- 
tinually operating, and to great effect, to 
repair the waste of fertility caused by the 
destructive industry of man, and but for 
this natural and imperfect remedy, all tl 
Southern States, and most of the Northern 
likewise, would be already barren deserts, in 
which agricultural labours would be hope- 
reward, and civilized men could i.ot 

me not be understood as extending 
censure to all southern agriculture, and 

charging this great defect as being univ. 



4 02 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



[July 



It is truly very general — but there are 
numerous exceptions, of which it is not my 
purpose to treat. My present business is 
with the errors and defects of southern agri- 
culture, and not with its points of admitted 
excellence — as, for example, the elaborate 
system of rice culture, and, for other tillage, 
the very general and commendable attention 
paid to the collection of materials for putres- 
cent manures. Nothing has appeared to me 
more remarkable in the agriculture of this 
region, than the close neighbourhood, (often, 
indeed, seen on the same property,) of the 
best husbandry, in some respects, and almost 
the worst in most others. 

The great error of exhausting the fer- 
tility of the soil is not peculiar to cotton 
culture, or to the Southern States It be- 
longs, from necessity, to the agriculture of 
every newly settled country, and especially 
where the land before being brought under 
tillage, was in the forest state. When first 
settled upon, forest land costs almost nothing, 
and labour is scarce and dear. Even if 
labour is more abundant, it still will be long 
before enough land can be cleared to allow 
changes of culture and rest to the fields; 
and for some years after each new clearing, 
it would be even beneficial to continue the 
tillage of corn, tobacco or cotton, so as ef- 
fectually to kill all remains of the forest 
growth. But as soon as enough land can 
be brought under culture, and has been put 
in clean condition, so as to allow space for 
change of crops and due respite from con- 
tinued tillage, the previous exhausting course 
will no longer be best even for early profit. 
Even in a riew country, while land is yet 
fertile, it is cheaper to preserve that fer- 
tility from any exhaustion, than it is to re- 
duce it considerably. And in an older agri- 
cultural country, like South Carolina, hav- 
ing abundant resources in marl and lime for 
improving fertility, it would be much 
cheaper, and more profitable, to improve an 
acre of before exhausted land, than it is to 
clear and bring under culture an acre of 
ordinary land from the forest state, allowing 
that both pieces are to be brought to the 
•Bime power and rate of production. 

New settlers are not censurable for begin- 
ning this exhausting culture. But they 
and their successors are not the less con- 
demnable for continuing it after the circum- 
stances which justified it have ceased. The 
svsicm was first begun in Eastern Virginia, 
because it was the first settled part of the 



b culture, and impoverishment of 
being con- 



present United States, and it continued to 
prevail almost universally, until since the 
course of my adult life began, and only has 
partially ceased since, because the country 
was nearly reduced to barrenness and the 
proprietors to ruin. From this erroneous 
policy, so long pursued in Virginia, and the 
manifest and well known disastrous results 
in the general and seemingly desperate ster- 
ility of the older settled portion of the State, 
the younger Southern States might have 
taken warning, and have learned to profit 
by the woful and costly experience of others. 
But it seems that every agricultural commu- 
nity must and will run the same race of ex- 
haust in 

land and its cultivators, befor 
vinced of the propriety of commencing an 
opposite course — after the best means and 
facilities for making that beneficial change 
have been greatly impaired by the lapse of 
time, and progress of waste of fertility — if, 
indeed, these means are not then irretrieva- 
bly forfeited. 

If, at this time, the work of improvement, 
with the aid of marl and lime, were pro- 
perly begun and prosecuted, there would be 
found here incalulable advantages over those 
of the pioneers in the like work in Virginia. 
These advantages would be — first, a tenfold 
better supply of far richer and cheaper marl 
than is found in Virginia; second, much 
more remaining organic matter, or original 
fertility of the soil, as yet unexhausted ; third, 
full information to be obtained of the ope- 
rations and opinions of thousands of expe- 
rienced and successful marlers to refer to, of 
which advantage there was almost nothing 
existing thirty years ago. In South Caro- 
lina more marling could now be done in a 
year, and in a proper manner, than was done 
in Virginia for the first twenty years ; and, 
though judging merely by analogy, I infer 
that the benefit would be fully as great in 
this region as in my own. 

And now I will state, from unquestiona- 
ble official documents, something of what 
has been effected in Virginia, not merely in 
cases of particular farms, and those entirely 
marled, which might show tripled or quad- 
rupled products and market returns, and 
tenfold intrmxie value, compared to their 
former low condition, but cases showing the 
bearing of the comparatively few marled 
and limed farms on the aggregate assessed 
value of all the lands in lower Virginia, and 
upon the receipts of land tax from the same, 






Til E SOUTB ERN PLANTER. 



403 



although m>t one-twentieth part of the whole 

tide water distrjol has vet been improved in 

fertility, or is in the least degree better I and, 
I My, the meat remainder is much poor- 
er) than when the marling of other lands 
first began to raise the general avers 

;ed values throughout this whole dis- 
trict 

It appears, from the latesl Btate ai 
men! of lands in Virginia, for 1850, that 

the actual increase of value in the tide- 
water district only, >ii)ce 1888, the previous 
incut, was more than seventeen mil- 
of dollars. On this increase of valua- 
and at the same rate of taxation, there 
i^ more than SI 7,000 increase of land tax 
alone accruing annually to the state treasu- 
ry. It is obTlOUS tha f any increased value 
OT lands, caused by their increased produc- 
tion, would necessarily require an increase 
of labour and of farming stock, and would 
produce proportional increase of general 
wealth of the improvers, and would add 
other receipts from taxes in proportion — all 
serving still more to augment the public 
revenue. 

The recent addition to the aggregate va- 
lue of land- in Eastern Virginia, is admit- 
be the effect of agricultural improve- 
ments; and that more than all the nett in- 
■ is due to marling and liming only, 
Would be equally evident, if I could here 
adduce the proofs, as I have done elsewhere.* 
Further; though 1838 was the date of the 
carli. nent made after marling and 

liming had begun to increase aggregate pro- 
duction and value of lands, it is an unques- 
tionable fact that the general impoverish- 



I twelv< and a quarter 

'millions, or nearly one and a half millions 

yearly. 

Now, bear in mind that these .v. 

results of the improving of all the tide- 

region, nor all of its much smaller 
arable portion, but, probably, of not more 
than one-twenjieth of the cultivated land. 
All the remainder, if uncultivated, ifl station- 
ary ; and if cultivated, is generally in a. 

continued course of exhaustion ; and the 
small quantity of enriched land had first to 
make up for all defi< f the imj 

ished, and lessenings ol production through- 
out the whole tide-water district, and after 

all such deductions, still exhibited a clear 

surplus of seventeen and a quarter millions 



of increased aggregate value. Tl 



us is 



the 



ment had been greater, and vab 



much 



lower, about 1828. And if this earlier time 
and __ i had been marked 

by an assessment then made, the full in- 
i!uc of lands from that time, would 
have appeared at 1 0.00> in 1850, 

;i and a quarter millions, 
counting from the already partially advance d 
improvement and enhanced valu< 
How< . my deductions and 

• r nothing, there will .-till re- 
main the proof, by official documents, of the 
actual increase of the value of lands in 



* In a communication recently ma^lo to the 
Agricultor if Virgin in. on M 8ome 

of the Results .«f the Improvement of land*. I>v 
Calcareous Manures, on Public Interests in Vir- 
ginia, in the increase of Production, Population. 
ral Wealth and Revenue to the Treasory." 



result of but the beginning, and a very re- 
cent beginning of measures for improvement, 
executed in every case, imperfectly, often 
injudiciously, and sometimes injuriously, 
altogether on less than one-twentieth of the 
space on which calcareous manures arc 
available. The great omitted space will 

thereafter be fertilized in the same manner. 
Then the actual increase of value of lands, 

■ founded on increased production, will be 
counted by hundreds 'oi millions of dollars. 
And this anticipated enormous amount of 
fertility and capital to be created, might, 
have been even now in possession, if our 
improvements by calcareous manures had 
been begun tlfirty years earlier, instead of 
there having been continued through all 
that time, the progress of wasting and de- 
stroying the remaining powers of the soil. 
South Carolina began exhausting culture 
much later, and is now lull fifty years lees 
advanced towards the lowest depth of that 
descent which we had nearly completed. If 
that future of fifty years of continued ex- 
haustion could now be cut off, and the im- 
provement of lower South Carolina by cal- 
careous manures could beat once begun aid 
continued, the loss of at least one hundred 

millions of dollar.- of now remaining value 
would bo saved, and a gain of three hun- 

iVom improvement won 1 
reached SOOner by the same fifty \ 
This would be better, by all the great 

value, than even the following out precisely 
the first sinking and now nt 
lower Virginia. In that culti- 

vators waited until the fertility of the land 
hid SO nearly expired, that it was BU] ; 
to be in arttculo morii — at the la 



404 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



before the work of resuscitation was begun. 

The comparative results of the opposite 
systems of improving and exhausting culti- 
vation may be thus illustrated. Suppose a 
certain investment of capital will yield 
twenty per cent, of present annual interest, 
or nett products, and two persons invest 
equal amounts in the business. The more 
provident one draws and spends but fifteen 
per cent, annually of his income, and leaves 
the remaining five per cent, to accumulate 
and to be added to his interest bearing cap- 
ital. The other proprietor draws each year, 
and spends all of the certain and annual 
average returns of his capital, and five per 
cent, more of the capital stock itself. He 
reasons (may I say it?) like many cotton 
planters, and infers that so small a detrac- 
tion from his capital will do no harm, as he 
will have so much the more of quick returns 
for immediate use or re-investment. In less 
than twenty years, one of these individuals 
will have doubled his original capital, and 
also his twenty per cent, income, and the 
other will have exhausted his entire fund. 

But it may be said, (as alleged in regard 
to the squanderers of fertility,) that as the 
latter person had received so much more of 
annual returns at first, he might have re- 
invested and thus have retained his over- 
draughts of annual products. If a planter 
— and, of course, his over-draughts had 
been from the fertility of his land — he might 
have bought another plantation, to work and 
to wear out in like manner. But even if so, 
wherein would be the gain ? He would 
have had the disadvantages of a change of 
investment, of removal, and making a new 
settlement.. But where one man would so 
save and re-invest his over-draughts from 
Ills capital, two others would use, or, per- 
haps, spend theirs, as if so much actual 
clear profit or permanent income. When 
the land is utterly worn out, and the total j 
capital of fertility wasted, (or the small 
remnant is incapable of paying the expenses 
of farther cultivation,) it will most generally 
be found that the channels into which the 
early full streams of income flowed, arc then 
as dry as the sources. 

I do not mean that it necessarily follows 
that the planter who exhausts his land, also 
lessens his general wealth. Would that it 
were so. For, then, such certain and imme- 
diate retribution would speedily stop the 
whole course of wrong doing, and prevent 
all the consequent evils. It may be rarely, 



and it might be never the case, that the ex- 
hauster of land becomes absolutely poorer 
during the operation. He will have helped 
to impoverish his country, and to ruin it 
finally, (by the same general policy being 
continued,) he will have destroyed as much 
of God's bounties as the wasted fertility, if 
remaining, would have supplied forever, and 
as many human beings as those supplies 
would have supported, will be prevented 
from existing. And yet the mighty de- 
stroyer may have increased his own wealth. 
Nevertheless, he does not escape his own, 
and even the largest share of the general 
loss he has caused. While thus destroying, 
say $20,000 worth of fertility, the planter, 
by the exercise of industry, economy and 
talent in other departments of his business, 
or from other resources, may have grown 
richer by $10,000. But if, as I believe is 
always true, it is as cheap and profitable to 
save as to waste fertility, in the whole term 
of culture, then the planter, in this case, 
might have gained in all $30,000 of capital, 
if he had saved, instead of wasting, the 
original productive power of his land. 

Even if admitting the common fallacy 
which prevails in every newly settled coun- 
try, that it is profitable to each individual 
cultivator to wear out his land, still, by his 
doing so, and all his fellow-proprietors doing 
the like, while each one might be adding to 
his individual wealth, the joint labours of 
all would be exhausting the common stock 
of wealth, and greatly impairing the com- 
mon welfare and interest of all. The aver- 
age life of a man is long enough to reduce 
the fertility of his cultivated land to one- 
half, or less. Thus, one generation of ex- 
hausting cultivators, if working together, 
would reduce their country to one-half of 
its former production, and, in proportion, 
would be reduced the general income, wealth 
and means of living, population and the 
products of taxation, and, in time, would as 
much decline the measure of moral, intel- 
lectual and social advantages, the political 
power and military strength of the com- 
monwealth. The destructive operations of 
the exhausting cultivator have most import- 
ant influence far beyond his own lands and 
his own personal interests. He reduces the 
wealth and population of his country and 
the world, and obstructs the progress and 
benefits of education, the social virtues, and 
even moral and religious culture. For upon 
the productions of the earth depends more 






T II K SOUTH ERN PL A NT Kit. 






- the in. ; by the 

people of any country, of those and all other 
blessings which a community can enjoy. 
There is, however, one very numerous class 
of exceptions to this general rule, which is, 
when an agricultural people, or interest, is 
tributary to some other people <>r interest, 
whether foreign or at home. Such excep- 
tions are presented in different modes, by 
the agriculture of Cuba being tributary to 

Spain, of many Other countries to their own 
despotic ami oppressive home governments; 
ami of the southern states of this confede- 
racy, to greater or less extent, to different 

pauper ami plundering interests of the north- 
ern states, which, through legislative enact- 
ments, have been mainly fostered and sup- 
ported by levying tribute upon southern 
agriculture and industry. 

The reai on why such woful results of im- 
poverishment of lands, as have been stated, 
are BOt Been to follow the causes, and spee- 
dily, is that the causes are not all in action 
at once and in equal progress. The labours 
oi* exhausting culture, also, arc necessarily 
suspended, as each of the cultivators' fields 
ively worn out. And when tillage 
. and any space is thus left at rest, 
Nature immediately goes to work to recruit 
ami replace as much as possible oi' the wast- 
ed fertility, until another destroyer, after 
many years, shall return again to waste, and 
in much shorter time than before, the smal- 
ler stock of fertility so renewed. Thus, the 
whole territory so scourged, is not destroyed 
at one operation. But though these changes 
and partial recoveries are continually, to 
some extent, counteracting the labours for 
destruction, still the latter work is in gene- 
ral progress. It may require (as it did in 
my native region) more than two hundred 
from the first settlement, to reach the 
lowest degradation. But that final result is 
not th rtainly to be produced by the 

continued action of the causes. I have wit- 
d at home, nearly the }t of de- 

line. But I have also witnessed, subsequent- 
ly, and over lar J, more than the com- 
plete resuscitation of the land, and great im- 
provement in almost every respect, not only 

to individual, but to public interests J not only 

in regard to fertility and wealth, but also 
in mental, moral and so.-ial improvement. 

Inasmuch as my remarks would seem to 
ascribe the most exhausting system of cul- 
tivation especially to the Blave-holding 
states, the enemies of the institution of 



slavery might cite my opinions) if* without 
Kjplanation which will now be offered, 
as indicating that slave labour and exh 
ing tillage were necessarily connected as 

Cause and effect. 1 readily admit that our 
slave labour has served greatly to facilitate 
OUT exhausting cultivation; but onh 

cause it is a great facility — far superior to 

any found in the non-slave holding itatd — 
for all agricultural operations. Of course, 

if our operations are exhausting of fertility, 
then certainly our command of cheaper and 
more abundant labour enables US to do the 
work of exhaustion, as well as all other 
work, more rapidly and effectually. But if 
directed to improving, instead of destroying 
fertility, then this great and valuable aid of 
slave-labour will as much more advance im- 
provement, as it has generally heretofore 
advanced exhaustion. The enunciation of 
this proposition is perhaps enough. But if 
any, from prejudice, should deny or doubt 
its truth, they may see the practical proofs 
on all the most improved and profitable 
farms of Lower and Middle Virginia. On 
the lands of our best improvers and farmers, 
such as Richard Sampson, Hill Carter, John 
A. Selden, William 15. Harrison, Willough- 
by Newton, and many others, slave-labour 
is used not only exclusively and in larger 
than usual proportion, (because more re- 
quired on very productive land,) but is 
deemed indispensable to the greatest profits, 
and operating to produce more increase of 
fertility, and more agricultural profit, than 
[pan be exhibited from any purely agricul- 
tural labours and capital north of fid 
and Dixon's line. 

There is another and stronger reason for 
the greater exhausting effects of Southern 
agriculture, and, therefore, of tiling- 
slave-labour. The great crops of all the 
slave-holding States, and especially of the 
I more Southern — corn, tobaOCO, and cotton 
| — are all ti! ed Crops. The frequent turn- 
ing and loosening of the earth by the plow 
and hot — and far more, when continued 
without intermission year after year — ad- 
vance the decomposition and waste of all 
organic matter, and expose the soil of all 
but the OlOSt level surfaces to destructive 
washing by rains — and rains the more 
heavy and destructive in power, in pr 
tion as approaching the South. The N rth- 
ern fanner is guarded from the worst of 
these results, not because 1 < c-la- 

bour, but because his labour is so scarce 



406 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



and dear that he uses as little as possible 
for his purposes* Besides this considera- 
tion, his climate is more suitable to grass than 
to grain, and his other large crops are much 
more generally broad-cast than tilled. 
These are sufficient causes why, in general, 
the culture of land in the Northern States 
should be less exhausting than in the 
Southern, without detracting anything from 
the superior advantages which we of the 
South enjoy, in the use of African slave- 
labour. 

At the risk of uttering what may be 
deemed trite or superfluous to many of those 
who now honour me by their attention I 
beg leave to state concisely, the fundamen- 
tal laws, as I conceive them to be, of sup- 
ply and exhaustion of fertilizing matters to 
soils, and aliment to plants. 

All vegetable growth is supported, for a 
small part, by the alimentary principles in 
the soil, (or by what we understand as its 
fertility,) and partly, and for much the 
larger portion, by matters supplied, either 
directly or indirectly, from the atmosphere. 
More than nine-tenths usually of the sub- 
stance of every plant is composed of the 
same four elements, three of which, oxygen, 
nitrogen, and carbon, compose the whole at- 
mosphere. The fourth, hydrogen, is one 
of the constituent parts of water; and, also, 
as a part of the dissolved water, hydrogen 
is always present in the atmosphere, and in 
great quantity. Thus, all these principal 
elements of plants are superabundant, and 
always surrounding every growing plant; 
and from the atmosphere, (or through 
water in the soil,) very much the larger 
portion of these joint supplies is furnished 
to plants ; and so it is of each particular 
element, except nitrogen ; much the small- 
est ingredient, and yet the richest and most 
important of all organic manuring substances, 
and of all plants. This, for the greater part, 
if not all its small share in plants, it seems is 
not generally derived even partially from the 
air, though so abundant therein, but from the 
soil, or from organic manures given to the soil. 

But though bountiful nature has offered 
these chief alimentary principles and in- 
gredients of vegetable growth in as inex- 
haustible profusion as the atmosphere itself, 
which they compose, still their availability 
and beneficial use ior plants are limited, in 
some measure, to man's labours and care to 
secure their bent fits. Thus, for illustration, 
suppose the natural supplies of food for 



plants furnished by the atmosphere to be 
three-fourths of all received, and that one- 
fourth only of the growth of any crop is 
derived from the soil and its fertility. Still, 
a strict proportion between the amount of. 
supplies from these two different sources, 
does not the less exist. If the cultivator'3 
land, at any one time, from its natural or 
acquired fertility, affords to the growing 
crop alimentary principles of value, to be 
designated as five, there will be added 
thereto other alimentary parts, equal to 
fifteen in value, from the atmosphere. The 
crop will be made up of, and will contain, 
the whole twenty parts, of which five only 
were derived from, and served to reduce, by 
so much, the fertility of the soil. These 
proportions are stated merely for illustra- 
tion, and, of course, are inaccurate. But 
the theory or principle is correct; and the 
law of fertilization and exhaustion, thence 
deduced, is as certainly sound. 

Then, upon these premises, there is taken 
from the land, for the support of the crop, 
but one-fourth of the aliment derived from 
all sources for that purpose. And, if no 
other causes of destruction of fertility were 
in operation, one green or manuring crop, 
(wholly given to the land, and wholly used 
as manure,) would supply to the field as 
much of alimentary or fertilizing matter as 
would be drawn thence by three other 
crops, removed for consumption or sale. 
But in practice there are usually at work 
important agencies for destruction of fer- 
tility, besides the mere supply of aliment 
to growing crops. Such agencies are, the 
washing off of soluble parts, and even the 
soil itself, by heavy rains, the hastening of 
decomposition and waste of organic matter, 
by frequent tillage processes and changes 
of exposure — and plowing or other working 
of land when too wet, either from rain or 
want of drainage. Also, a cover of weeds 
left to rot on the surface, or any crop plow- 
ed under, green or dry, as manure, is sub- 
ject to more or less waste of its alimentary 
principles, in the course of the ensuing de- 
| composition. Therefore it is nearer the 
! facts, that two years' crops or culture, for 
| market or removal, would require one year's 
I growth of some manuring crop to replace 
'and to maintain undiminished, or increas- 
ing, the productive power of the field. 
[The poorest and also the cheapest of such 
I manuring crops, will be the natural or 
|" volunteer" growth of weeds on land left 






Til i: SOUTH GRN PL A NTBR. 



407 



uncultivated, and i 1 ; and the bcsl 

dl will be furnUhcd in tie whole pro- 
test of a broad-oast sown and entire crop 
>ur own moat fertilising and valuable 

Thus of each mannring crop, (aa of all 
otlu •: f the fertilising matter thus 

given to the land, tlie cultivator has con- 
tribnted but five parts from the land, or 
its previous mannring, and the atmosphere 

has supplied fifteen parts. [f, then, the 
cultivator by still more increasing his own 
contributions, will give ten parti of ali- 
mentary matter to the land and crop, there 
will be added thereto from the atmosphere 
in the same two-fold proportion, or thirty 

. and the whole new productive power 
will be equal to forty. And if the soil is 
lifted by its natural constitution, or the ar- 
titieial change induced by calcareous appli- 
cations, to fix and retain this double sup- 
ply of organic matter, the land will not 
only be made, but will remain, as of much 
increased fertility, under the subsequent 
like course of receiving one year's product 
for manure, for every two other crops re- 
moved. But, on the other hand, if more 
exhausting culture had been allowed, in- 
stead of cither increased or maintained 
n — or if the crops take away more 

'lie matter than nature's three-fold con- 
tributions will replace — then a downward 

must begin, and will pn 
whether slowly or quickly, to extreme pov- 
erty of the land, its profitless cultivation, 
and final abandonment. In this, the more 
-", the cultivator's contributions of 
aliment, (obtained from the soil,) are re- 
duced from the former value, designated as 
five, first to four, and next successively to 
three, two. and finally less than one ; and 
nature keeps equal pace in reducing her 
proportional supplies, from fifteen, first to 
twelve, and so on to cine and MX, and leSB 
than tin. induce- 

ment is offered to enrich, rather than ex- 
haust the soil. For whatever amount 

of fertility the cultivator shall bestow, or 

whatever abstraction from a previous rate 
of supply he shall make, either the train or 
the loss will be tripled in the account of 
supplies from the atmoe furnished or 

withheld by nature. 

In another and more practical point of 
view, the loss incurred by exhaustuij 

ture, may be plainly exhibited. According 



to my views, (elsewhere fully -oils 

Buppc properlj as to 

mineral ingredients, do QOl demand for the 

maintaining and increasii 

production, more than the resting or the 
growth of two years in (very five, mainly to 

be left on the land as manure. TIicm 

the proportions of the five-field rot;, 
now extensively used on the most improv- 
ing parts of Virginia. And one of i 

two years the field is glased, so that, parts 
of its growth of mass is consumed, imtcad 
of remaining on the field for manure. To 
meet the same demands, the more Southern 
planter might leave his field to he co\ | 
by its growth of weeds, or natural gr; 
one year, (and also to be grazed,) and a- 
broad-cast crop of pea-vines to be pi 
under in another for every three crop> of 
grain and cotton. Bui the ready answer to 
this, (and I have heard it many times,) 
is, " What ! lose two crops in every five 
years ? I cannot afford to lose even one." 
It may be that the planter is so diligent 
and careful in collecting materials for p re- 
pared manure, that he can extend a thin 
and poor appjication, and in the drills only, 
over nearly half his cotton field; and per- 
haps he persuades himself that this appli- 
cation will obviate the necessity for reef 
and manuring crops to the land. The re- 
sult will not fulfil this expectation. But 
even if it could, the manuring thus l 
diiectly by the labour of the planter, is 
more costly than if he would allow time 
and opportunity for nature to help to ma- 
nure for him — whether alone, or Mill 1 
if aided by preparing for and sowing the 
native pea, to the production of which 
your climate is so eminently f avoir 
All the accumulations of leaves raked frost 
i >r pine forest, with the. slight addi- 
tional value which may be derived from 
the otherwise profitless maintenanc 

cattle, will supply lets of food to plants, 

and at greater cost, than would be furnish' 

ed by an unmixed growth of peas, all left 

manure. 

The native or Southern pea, (as it ought 



• In ominnnieaiion to ti 

State Agrioultaral B ititled • 

of ile> Theory and LaWfl of Rotal 
Crops, and tlieir practical application." I 
view* I iIi'imu especially applicable 'o ih< 
ricultnral condition of Sooth-Carolina, and of 
importance next to the main Subject of the pre- 
sent address. 



408 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



to bo called,) of such general and exten- 
sive culture in this and other Southern 
States, is the most valuable of manuring 
crops, and also offers great and peculiar 
advantages as a rotation crop. The seeds, 
(in common with other peas and beans,) are 
more nutritious as food, for man and beast, 
than any of the cereal grains. The other 
parts of the plant furnish the best and most 
palatable provender for beasts. The crop 
may be so well made, in your climate, as a 
secondary growth under corn, that it is 
never allowed to be a primary crop, or to 
have entire possession of the land. It will 
grow well broad-cast, and either in that 
way, and still better if tilled, is an admi- 
rable cleansing growth. It is even better 
than clover as a preparing and manuring 
crop for wheat. In one or other of the 
various modes in which the pea-crop may 
be produced, it may be made to suit well 
in a rotation with any other crops. Though 
for a long time I had believed in some of 
the great advantages of the pea crop, and 
had even commenced its culture as a ma- 
nuring crop, and on a large scale, it was 
not until I afterwards saw . the culture, 
growth and uses in South-Carolina, that I 
learned to estimate its value properly, and 
perhaps more fully than is done by any 
who, in this State avail themselves so 
largely of some of its benefits. Since then, 
I have made the crop a most important 
member of my rotation ; and its culture, as 
a manuring crop has now become general 
in my neighbourhood, and is rapidly ex- 
tending to more distant places. If all the 
advantages offered by this crop were fully 
appreciated and availed of, the possession 
of this plant in your climate would be one, 
of the greatest agricultural blessings of this 
and more Southern States. For my indi-j 
vidual share of this benefit, stinted as it is 
by our colder climate, I estimate it as add 
ing, at least, one thousand bushels of wheat 
annually to my crop. 

(to be continued.) 

It is better to love a person you cannot 
marry, than marry a person you cannot love. 
This is a short text for a long sermon, 
which human experience will continue to 
preach " until the last syllabic of recorded 
time." 



Gleanings for the Curious. 

KICKING THE BUCKET. 

The tradition among the slang fraternity 
as to the origin of this phrase is, that " One 
Bolsover, having hung himself to a beam 
while standing on the bottom of a pail or 
bucket, kicked the vessel away in order to 
pry into futurity, and it was all over with 
him from that moment — Finis!" 

BUMPER. 

When the Roman Catholic religion was 
in the ascendant in England, the health of 
the Pope was usually drunk in a full glass 
immediately after dinner — an Ion pere : 
hencp the word " Bumper." 

ROYAL SAYING. 

It was Alphonsus, surnamed the Wise, 
King of Aragon, who used to say, " That 
among so many things as are by men pos- 
sessed or pursued in the course of their 
lives, all the rest are baubles, besides old 
wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends 
to converse with, and old books to read. 

DUN. 

This word, generally supposed to be de- 
rived from the French Donnez, owes its 
origin, according to the British Apollo of 
September, 1708, to one Joe Dun, a famous 
bailiff of Lincoln in the time of Henry 
VII. He is said to have been so extremely 
shrewd in the management of his rough 
business, and so dexterous in the collection 
of dues, that his name became proverbial ; 
and whenever a man refused to pay his 
debts, it grew into a prevalent custom to 
say, " Why don't you Dun him ?" 

Old English Christmas Pudding. — 
To make what is termed a pound pud- 
ding, take of raisins well stoned, currants 
thoroughly washed, one pound each, chop 
a pound of suet very finely and mix with 
them ; add a quarter of a pound of flour, 
or bread very finely crumbled, three ounces 
of sugar, one ounce of grated lemon peel, 
a blade of mace, half a small nutmeg, one 
tea-spoonful of ginger, half a dozen eggs 
well beaten ; work it well together, put it 
into a cloth, tie it firmly, allow room to 
swell, and boil, not be suffered to stop 
boiling. — Ilarrisburfj Telegraph* 



It is not always the raggedest man that If you wish to have fine stock, feed them 
is the shabbiest fellow. well. 



i 






Til i: SO IT II ERN PL A NTK R 






Mistake of Young Men. 
[tit ■ great mistake Kato which many 

ican youth fall, tlmt manual labour 

aourable. To ! e a merchant, a 

law\( r, i doctor, an engineer, a military or 

r a shipmaster, is, in their ea- 

. much more honourable than it ii to 

I mechanic or farmer. It cannot Ik- de- 



witli. A g od knowledge of the methods 
of husbandry can be easily acquired. The 
implements of labour arc a- l'«»«.«1 nnd cheap 
M <:in 1"' found the world ovi r. 'I Ik- title 
of land is well secured ; the large mono po- 
uch as some of the countries of tin- < )1<1 
World arc buitbened with, can m 
here. What greater encoui eourd 

eicd that i other occupations require be isked by one who only desires to 

rtion. The doctor is often quite as comfortably and indcj.cnd.ntly:'' The fcr- 
v when his day's work is dona, ss the arcr, that honest, goodly farmer, is one of 
farmer or blacksmith ean he, hut he is not tln> most independent men in the 

half BO Mire of a quiet night's Bleep SI they World. He has the promise that seed time 

. and we all know to what hardships en- |nd harvest will not mil. lie may always 
gine< PS are exposed, as well as persons who plow in hope, and reap with joy. To till 

j the earth, then, is really an honourable 
We rigorous young men seek- calling. 

fog phots sa clerks in stores. They all I Hut H docs not require that a man should 
. and generally expect, some favourable be enslaved to the plow, nor that he should 
tin.' in the affairs of life, which "will lead make companions of his sheen and i 

on to fortune." Other men have BO- The shrewdest and most intelligent men, 
cumulated rast sums in buying and selling [who sit on our juries and help make our 
iiy not I ? is the language they laws, come from their farms and return to 
icly consider that hut a small them as soon as their duties terminate. 
■umber of these who embark, ever com- The good sense, sobriety, contentment, re- 
plete their voyage. Where lil'ty succeed, duatry, and love of order which eharacter- 

perhaps a hundred fail. j ize our American farmers, are among the 

But an industrious, thrifty farmer, sel- most important safeguards of public p 
dom fails to secure for himself and family and prosperity. 



f life. The skilful and prac- 
tical mechanic, too. is generally sure of a 
deration lor his labour, and with 
common prudence lie c:m provide a eomne- 
the future. That a princely for- 



Anu rican Banm r and- I 

« • • • » 
The Law of Life. 
i-." bbj - Guyot, "a law of life 



"There 

and growth, which, if taken in its m< 
tune can he heaped up by the plow, the era! formula, in its rhythm, is applicable to 
jack-plane, or tie we do noteey; all that undergoes the j f develop- 

ed that I is likely to ment. 

acquire lame on a farm, as at the bar. u All life. BS we h:ive said, in its most 

lint the history of the world will show, simple formula, may be defined in a mutual 
tlmt the men who 1. most for the exchange of refafiows. 

welfare of tie d whoso memories' M An exchange auppoeea at least two ele- 

are cherished with the . came ments, two bodies, two individuals, a duality 

from the hard-working ranks. Princely and a difference, an equality between them, 
fortu ! than won, in virtue of which the exchange is estab- 

and while the mod< ns of the lisl 

mechanic supply all the comforts " There is, then, at the foundation of all 
of life, they are attended with few temp- the phenomena of life, a 
tations to luxury, or extravagance, and two or more individuals, calling out an 
still fewer ri.-ks I, lolly Of fraud of tion ami reaction of one upon another, the 

Others. inc. --ant alternation of which OOTIBtitUt 

There ean be no doubt that agricultural movement we call life, and which gires birth 

employments are the moat natural to man, I to all the phenomena man- 

and there is no country on the globe in ifeatation. 

Which the facilities for pursuing these em- u Ld US endeavor, first, to detect this 

ploy ments are so great as in the United in inorganic nata 

States, requiring but a very small outlay of " The lamp that gives US li.L'ht, the 
money to obtain a respectable farm to begin that burns before our eyes, what else is it 



410 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



tJULY 



than one of those phenomena of inorganic 
life, the result of the mutual and repeated 
action of two heterogeneous bodies upon each 
other? We have, on the one side, the hy- 
drogen gas, conducted by the pipe, and 
brought into the presence of oxygen con- 
tained in the air. These are two bodies con- 
sidered as simple, but having different prop- 
erties. Place them in contact, under suita- 
ble conditions of temperature, and the mu- 
tual action immediately commences; they 
combine with an activity which becomes vis- 
ible to the senses by the rapid development 
of heat and light; and in this continuous, 
vital movement, their differences are extin- 
guished, or rather combine and harmonize in 
a new body, a product, the end of all this 
activity, in which the antagonism of the 
primitive elements has ceased. This new 
body is water ; it is a liqnid, and no longer 
a gas ; it is a body, all the physical proper- 
ties of which are different from those which 
compose it, which, as you know, play very 
different parts throughout nature. The same 
gas that serves to light us, contains also car- 
bon ; this also combines with oxygen to form 
a new body of carbonic acid gas, the proper- 
ties of which are all special in it. 

" Each of these new products may, in 
turn, enter into relations of exchange with 
others, and pass as an elementary body into 
a new combination, the result of which will 
be a body composed of four simple elements, 
but endowed, as such, with entirely different 
qualities, belonging to it alone. It may, in 
turn, become one of the elements composing 
a multitude of bodies; and it is thus that 
the sixty elements our chemical means have 
not enabled us to decompose, which chemists 
call simple bodies, supply nature with mate- 
ria Is sufficient ior the immeasurable variety 
of all the compound bodies that exist. 

" What do we see, finally, in all this phy- 
sical and chemical process ? A primitive 
difference between two substances, an action 
and reaction of one upon the other, and 
their combination in a new body, which may, 
in its turn perforin the same part." * * * 

" Without coming into combination, a dif- 
ference between two bodies excites none the 
;i vital movement. Place near each other 
a plate of zinc and a plate of copper ; these 
two enter immediately into an interchange 
of positive and negative electricity, and give 
birth to these powerful electrical and mag- 
netic currents which modern industry puts 
to such admirable use. I say, further, place 



side by side two plates of the same metal, 
but unequally heated, and there is establish- 
ed between them an interchange of temper- 
ature, and of electrical currents of the same 
nature. Thus every where a simple differ- 
ence, be it of matter, be it of condition, be 
it of position, excites a manifestation of vi- 
tal forces, a mutual exchange between the 
bodies, each giving to the other what the 
other does not possess. To multiply these 
differences, to increase their variety, is to 
render the actions and reactions more fre- 
quent, is to extend and to intensify life. 

" But let us pass to organized nature. It 
would be easy to demonstrate that the law 
we have just recognized is also that which 
governs the growth of the vegetable ; but I 
would rather trace it in the animal world, 
wherein it is expressed still more clearly. 

" Let us see, first, how nature proceeds in 
the formation of the organic individual, the 
animal. No one has shown this better than 
my. learned friend,* whom I need not name 
in this place. Thanks to him, these facts 
have become familiar, I shall need only to 
recall them to mind. 

" I begin with the animal considered in 
itself as an individual. In a liquid animal 
matter, without precise form, homogeneous, 
at least in appearance, a mass is outlined 
which takes determinate contours, and is 
distinguished from the rest; it is the egg. 
Soon, in the interior of the egg, the elements 
separate, diverging tendencies are establish- 
ed ; the matter accumulates and concentrates 
itself upon certain points; these accumula- 
tions assume more distinct forms and more 
specific characters ; we see organs traced, a 
head, an eye, a heart, an alimentary canal. 
But this diversification docs not go on inde- 
finitely. Under the influence of a special 
force, all these diverse tendencies are drawn 
together towards a single end ; these distinct 
organs are united and coordinated in one 
whole, and perform their functions in the 
interest and for the service of the individual 
commanding them. 

"What, then, has been the course pursu- 
ed here by nature ? 

" The point of departure is a unit, but a 
homogeneous unit, without internal differen- 
ces ; a chaotic unit, if I may venture to say 
so; for what is a chaos but this absence of 
organization in amass, all the parts of which 
arc alike ? 



Professor Agazziz. 



<r,o.] 



THE so IT II BRN 1'LA NTER. 



411 



"T1 lj it U 

liahrnonl of dii forma 

ami functions their Bpecial charac 

u Tlu' end ; it m ■ new unit, th 
or harmonic unit, if you please; for all the 
iodividnaJ organs are not fortuitously aasem- 
bled, l)ii hare each of them their plan and 
iona marked out. The totality of these 
•volu !inarily called i 

nt. 

■ 7/v rsi/lrtifi't/i ; 
it M tlie variety of Organs ami of functions. 

What, then, is the condition of i greater 
amount <>i' life, of i richer life, of a oomple- 

rowth for the animal? Is it not the 
multiplicity ind the variety of the special 

-.which are so many different means 

by the individual may place himself in; 
relation with the external world, may receive! 
the most varied impressions from it ; ami. so 1 

ak. may taste it in all its forms, and 

may act upon it in turn? "What an im- ; 

pease distance between the life of the po-| 

which is only a digestive tube, and 

that of the superior animals; above all, ofi 
man, endowed with so many ezquisi 

for whom tire world of mtfure, as well as the 

w<»rld of ideas, is open on all sides, awaking 

and drawing forth in ■ thousand various 

.ill the living forces wherewith 

flowed hi 
u And what we here say of Organic indi- 
viduals — is it not t indi- 
viduals, and particularly of human 

Is it evident that the same law of develop- 1 

pent is applicable to them? Here, again, 
hoim j iniformity, is the elemen- 

tary Btate, — th fcy, va- 

riety of elements, which call for and multi- 
ply exchanges ; and almost infinite sj>. r,',ii;. 
motion of the functions corresponding to the 
various talent - ry man by 

Providence, and onl halo action and 

lit to light by the I I wants of a 

complicated as ours, — these have, 
in all times, been ii ! state 

arrived it a high degree of improvement 

u Could we. indeed, conceive the possibil- 
ity rjfthii multitude of industrial talents thai 
have their birth in the wants of luxury, and 
are revealed l>y the thousand elegant no- 
things displayed in our drawing-r 
among the Indians of the Rocky Mo ntaios, 
sheltered by the few 1. ranches which form 

their wretched huts? The Commercial life, 
which tity of fi- 

liations of the globe — is it possible among aj 



people Whose ambition is limited t.» hitting 
in the neighbouring wild the animal t! 
to furnish food for the day ? Could w< 

the wonder.- of architecture unfolded 
among a people who have no public cd 
but the overhanging foliage of their foi • 
Had Raphael been horn among th. m, « 
giv< ii his admiral 
to the world '! And the prei 
treasure - of intelligence and of lofty thou 
oontained in our libraries, —where i 
they be, if human 
the simplicity a raise philosophy has called 

the simplicity of nature, but in reality the 
mOSl Opposed to the line nature of man ? 

u No, it is the exchange of products by the 

Commerce of the world, that makes the ma- 
terial life and prosperity of the nations. It 
is the exchange of thoughts, by the pen ami 
by speech, that sets in motion th 
or intelligence. It is the interchange of the 

sentiments and affections, that make- the 
moral life and secures the happiness of man. 
" Thus, all life is mutual, — is exchange. 
Tn individuals, as well as in societies, that 
which excites life, that which is the condi- 
tion of life, is difference. The pi 
development is diversity ; the end 18 the Jmr- 
monpout tnu'ti/ allowing all differences, all in- 
dividuals to exist, but coordinating and sub- 
jecting them to a superior aim. 

ery individual, nee 
rily forms a part of a organism than 

out of which we can not conceive its 
(nee, and in which it ha I -part 

By performing these functions, it 
to the higl e of perfection its 

own nature is capable of attaining. Unhap- 
py he who isolates himself, and rei'u 
enter into those relations of intercourse with 
others which BSSUTe to him superior hie. 
lie deprives himself voluntarily of tlit* nu- 
tritive sap intended to </wc him vigor, and, 
branch torn from the vine, dries up 
and perishes in his egoism. 

"A I ii Order, all is harmony in tin* uni- 
kUSe the whole universe is a thought 
of (iod ; and \i combination of 

organi h of which i» only an in' 

part of one still more BttbHmC Grod alone 
contains them all, without making a part of 
any. 



" Tay all necessary regard to filial and fra- 
ternal duties, so that aipor" 
*ance to the various relations of life." 



412 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[Jul? 



Humane Treatment of the Horse. 
"A merciful man is merciful to his becut. n 

The above proverb is worthy the attention 
of ail who own or use a horse; and more 
particularly during inclement seasons of the 
year. 

It is said that in no country, according to 
the population, arc the r e as many horses as 
in the United States; and we may add, that 
in no other country on the face of the earth, 
is that animal so badly used as here. 

The cause of this bad treatment is mainly 
owing to the fact, that the American people 
have less sympathy for the sufferings of the 
brute creation than those of other countries. 
Even the sufferings of our fellow men ex- 
cite far less pity in the breasts of Americans, 
than is manifested by the citizens of foreign 
countries. So great are the abuses of horses 
in our cities, that the authorities of New 
York, Boston, P iladelphia, and other large 
places, are almost daily arraigning cartmen 
and cabmen, and fining them for cruelties 
that they practice on their overtasked horses. 

So insensible are the public to such bar- 
barities, «that a man may be seen to knock 
down his horse, out of sheer anger towards 
his poor brute; because, perhaps, he is una- 
ble to perform impossibilities, and scarcely 
the least notice is taken of the act, unless it 
be a low jeer, or " horse laugh" at the suf- 
ferings of the prostrate beast. Scarcely ever 
do we hear a rebuke given to such wretches, 
unless it be so weak as to fail to convey any 
merited reproof. 

These things augur a seared, blunted, and 
brutalized state of the human mind, which 
is to be found in a lamentable degree in the 
people of the United States. Stage drivers 
have but a faint sympathy for the sufferings 
of horses under their charge, and generally 
the only care that is taken of them is caus- 
ed from a desire to retain their situations, 
rather than from any innate feelings of pity 
for the overworked animals in their charge. 

The same may be said of hired farm hands, 
with occasional exceptions ; and when a 
fanner finds that he has a man in his employ 
devoid of all kindness for the domestic ani- 
mals which he is required to feed or drive, 
he had better say to him, "John, we'll set- 
tle to-day, and you can find employ else- 
where." It is dangerous to have such a 
man upon the farm, and the sooner he is got 
rid of the better. 

The half civilized Arab is a model of 
kindness to his horse, in comparison with the 



deeds of the unfeeling human brutes of tin 
western hemisphere. He admits his favor- 
ite mare to all the rights and privileges oi 
the social circle. The Russian serf makes! 
a companion of his horse, and talks to him! 
with gentleness, as though he were possess- 



ed of 



powers. The wanderin< 



Tartar, though scarcely half-civilized, in- 
structs his horse with more care than he 
teaches his children, while in enlightened, 
christianized America, the horse is abused,) 
and made to perform much more labor than 
can be done, without endangering his health' 
and shortening his life many years. 

It is a cruel neglect of horses during cold, 
stormy weather, to leave them standing, tied! 
in front of some stone wall or house, with no; 
blankets to protect them, while their owners) 
are sitting unfeelingly by a good fire, for] 
hours at a time, without a thought on the! 
uncomfortable condition of their beasts,] 
which stand shivering in the wind or storm. 

In other cases, horses are driven into town| 
— Jehu-like — and tied to posts, with, per- 
haps, their feet in cold water, and after shiv-l 
ering for hours, are driven home again, and 
left in their stables without any attention j 
being paid to them that their condition de-;| 
mands. 

It is said that our horses are short lived ;j 
but is it any wonder that they are so ? Is 
it not rather a wonder that they live as long 
as they do, considering the usage that many 
receive ? 

The horse has a similar constitution to 
man. He will take cold by exposure as man 
does, and he w r ill be subject to disease, pro- 
duced by exposure, in a like manner. How 
important, then, it is that we should look 
well to his condition while in the harness, as 
well as when in the stable, that he may avoid 
contracting diseases which may render him ' 
unsound for life, and also impair his ability 
in a great degree, to perform the amount of 
labour that he could do, if he were sound. 
Southern- Rural Gentleman. 



Yellow Wash, — As the time for white- 
washing draws near, I would recommend 
the following for rooms that are not intend- 
ed to be papered, viz : — Prepare whitewash 
in the usual way, as for whitewashing; then 
take horse-radish leaves, as soon as they are 
grown enough, boil them as if for greens, 
pour the juice into the whitewash, and you 
have a beautiful bright yellow. — A. Will- 
son, Marccllus, N. Y., I860.— Neio Yorker. 



: ; 



Til K SO ITU KKN PL A \ ILK. 






Perseverance. 

Tip i who 
[a difficulties, with the firm determina- 
tion to c | < u r them, in spite of the barriers 

which oppose id pr og ress). We 

pould ■' lebrated 

. when be broadly asserted that • man 
might do any thin:: he chose, because God 
lii I livetj bin arms long enough, If lie 

would but take the trouble to extend them ; 
but we do nmst emphatically say that su 

ret to the grasp of meet men than is 
illy supposed, Indeed, obetaolee are 
bur the dykes which prevent the mire water 
of knowledge from towing fori time — thai 
pquiring mind, like ■ sinuous river swells, 
ami presses against the obstructing barrier 
• i) it ami the wide sea of intellect, 
h<>ur after hour, day after day it inor< 
and fed and swollen by numerous tributary 

streams, it at length bwi p the now 

Aeble but once formidable impediment, and 
■joicitiLc in its self-aoquired Btrength, sweeps 

Onward in triumph. The mind of man was 
never intended by its «rreat Creator to be in- 

1 Inward ! is the cry of everj 

Alas! there are some who, thinking them- 

'int' fools ; they travel onward, 

but like B wanderer in a dark morass, see only 

flitting ami uncertain lights which lure them 

on to perilous paths. There are others who 

scorning false gleams seek for the true ray- 

— men who lift their eyes from earth and 

overlooking the glow-worm behold the stars 
of Hope and Truth shining in the clear ^ky ; 

Ihicfa IS to I their daily paths in full 

Insurance that the seeds th< s the^rj 

travel along life's highway will spring up] 

and bear fruit They faint not, nor fall by 
the way; and though torn by thorns and 
ivc the reward of 
Heir patient endurance and unremitted per- 
severance — Success. — /»'■ dford S( ntincl. 



in tWO 

a similar manner >>\ . r 1 1 
The operation ghould be i • i n dry 

settled weath. r. 'I be SOap and alum I 
ally deOOm] in in- 

soluble varnish which the rain !«* uual 
penetrate, and this 

thus said to be effectually removed. Another 
method was some time since described 

by the way, the pre\ LOU I the 

ttoyal Institute 01 Architects. 1 

of sulphurizing oil as a varnish or paint, 

is .-aid to improve the color of brick ami 

stone, as well as preserve them. I. 

pared by subjecting eight parte of hi 

oil ami one part of sulphur to a temperature 

of 27s n in an iron vessel. It is. said to keep 

our both air and moisture, and pn vent de- 
of soot and dirt, when applied with 
a brush to the surface oi* abuildiug of briok 
or stone, or even of woodwork. — J. 
Builder. • 



;;:;: 



Protection of Brickwork. 
uetration of moisture through tin 1 
f brickwork may be obviated by 
following Bi lliple remedy : 
Three quarters ^A' a pound of mottled 

'.Ion of boiling 
Water, and the hot solution spread steadily 
with a flat brush over the outer >uria 

ickwork, taking care that il 
lather; this is to be allowed to dry for 
twenty-four hours, when a solution foi 
of a quarter of a pound of alum, dissolved 



From die Horticulturist, 
Love of Nature— Birds— The Chick-a- 
Dee. 

BY C. N. I'.F. Ml. NT. 

It is impossible that we should lie other 
than an admirer of Nature. In all our soli- 
tary rambles, whether upon the wild and 
lonely hill-side, or in the heart of the ; 
ral valley; at the edge of the minor-like 
lake, the bank of the babbling brook, Off 
along the border of the mountain rivulet — 
our eye is always tilled with beautiful and 

picturesque objects. Our ear sot n be. 
familiar with tin 1 tight carol of every bird 

which inhabits the thicket or the forest ; ami 

our eye is .-old made acquainted with the 
whole lovely family of flowers, which enamel 

irth, and enrich the air with their per- 
fume. There is not a wild flower that nods 

to us from the top of the verdant bank, or 
ice, or a bird that 

salates as with its voluble overture from its 

leafy dome, tl and 

call by name. 

We have ever been loVCTS of 1. ;?.;>, the 

They have ever bjb* 

I t.» us ali; or ami pure for this 

I. In our 
• Might that it was wrong to harm 
some kinds of birds ; bu( 
class that i oribed as doing injo 

the fanner, (while they were innocent!;, 
ployed in seeking their daily food,) and he 



414 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



[July 



that killed the most was the best fellow. For 
many years past we have supposed that the 
birds were rapidly decreasing, for their 
numbers in the fields and groves were few. 
A few years ago we moved on to Springside, 
our present habitation, where the cottage is 
surrounded with beautiful trees, and we soon 
found the birds made it their home, as they 
arrived from their southern journey. They 
were not allowed to be disturbed, and they 
built their nests and reared their young in 
the immediate vicinity of the cottage. In 
the month of June more than twenty varie- 
ties of birds made their homes on the prem- 
ises, to whose songs we could listen in the 
lawn and surrounding fields. No birds are 
allowed to be killed on the place, not even 



putation can be made of the insects which. 
birds devour. 

" Birds are the best of scavengers, the nim- 
blest hunters and adroitest butchers. They 
have no Grahamite scruples to agitate this 
worm and bug-loving tribe. They do not 
show their teeth to prove that they were ever 
designed for meat. They eat what they like, 
wipe their mouth on a limb, return thanks 
in a song, and wing their way to a quiet 
nook to dose or meditate, snug from the 
hawk that sails about in the air above. To 
be sure, birds, like men, have a relish for 
variety. They are the best of pomol.ogists. 
We charge every man and boy with positive 
cruelty and dishonesty who drives the birds 
from the garden in fruit time. On investi- 
tive saucy and impudent Cherry-bird that | gation it has been discovered that they never 



steals our fruit, or the Sparrow that robs us 
of our strawberries; the consequence 



is, 



their nu 
•Treat 



mbers have greatly increased. 



disturb sound cherries, and none but those 
that have worms in them." (?) We say, there- 
fore, spare the birth, and they will destroy 
'eat the birds kindly, and they will be- j millions of your worst enemies — the worms, 
come almost domesticated — follow the plowj We are not writing the history of birds; 
and pick up every straggling worm or grub we are not writing- methodically ; we aim at 
that is turned up from his dark dwelling. — no order. Ours is the humble task of re- 
For doing so they deserve well of the farm- cording a few observations called forth by 
er, and no honest man will cheat them out of the phases of the months ; we may therefore 
their part of the crop, much less kill them be pardoned for introducing the little birds, 
for trying to get it. I our favorites, whtfse visits to our section ap- 

There is no reason to believe, that al . I**r to be irregular ,...,, 
tliouah most birds live on a variety of food, I Look U P I,,to tbat b ™ n f whose beaut f 
vet each particular species of birds has a \ mm ^ ^eeps to and .ro, responsn-e to 

sreater partiality or fondness for some par- ! eTer * bl 5 atl J lnK r ?f I t,, ?* , " i , See { outhat 
;■• i I- j i? - ( ,-i nV- i merry, lively little (Jhick-a-dee, hopping 

ticular kinds ot insects or reptiles. This j , r'r» / , ± -, , • .<? *A ° 
A „' Ma i at * p u* i * i about from branch to branch in the ecstasy 

evinces a plan. Many species of birds fol- 1 ,, . ,. , , . L \ J . 

i • •]■ ,- r r i. J r r • t <? ot loyous freedom — now pecking pert y at 

low civilization, lhe same may be said of x , *M , , .. , \. ,, & . t J 

- „ i i • i o • . i i . . t jthe dun-colored cuticle oi the tree; now 

several kinds ot insects; or, at least, they I . . , . .. , , , ; 

m «n;, Kr „„;!«,. :* : a tt .i* 7 : seizing coyly in its beak some grub or ap- 

multi illy under its influence. Hence the ,., o° */ \ • ■, x1 ...p , ,-\ 
i- i, V i,„ m • - i . i ,i i hide: Most varied are the attitudes which 

birds follow, in order to reduce the number i a1 . . r 

*e ;„c««*o rru' „i n ■ , ? r 4.1 they now assume ; not an instant of repose 

ot insects, ihis also evinces a plan. Let , J ± , , ; ,, . ,a 

__ it,, . 1 i v xt 1 do they know; restless, creeping, calling, 

us then study and observe. No man can ' 

study *' Nature's works and ways," wi 

becoming wiser and better 



1 can -i , i '. -i 

1 I pendent, but ever in progress, advancing 



Birds," says an elegant writer, " are the 



with the cautious watcher. Beautiful birds 
are the Chiek-a-dees, whose actions we now 
stop for a moment to contemplate, and who 



best of entomologists. No ornithologist ever are now displaying their characteristic rest 
hunted specimen birds with more industry j lessness and vivacity in rose bush and fruit 
and perseverance than is exhibited by birds tree, to obtain a supply of hibernating in- 
thcmsclvcs in their researches. They dis- j sects. Most graceful and easy are their ac- 
port in the air, pene'rate every nook and tions. Hovering on the wing, ever and 
corner of thicket, hedge and shrubbery ; j anon lightly darting away and as lightly re- 
they search the bark, pierce the dead wood, j turning. 

glean the surface of the soil, watch for the Oh! it is not the deed of a noble heart 
spade-trench, and follow the plowman after . which can ruthlessly slaughter the little 
worms and larva). A single bird in one sea- ( feathered songsters of our lawns and groves 
son destroys millions of insects for its own — those brilliant Psalmists of Nature, who 
food and for that of its own nest. No com- are ever reiterating their jubilant songs of 






Til E SOUTH E RN PLA NTER. 






. nnd thanksgiving and loVe- 
meledioUS waited like in- 

senae to da npon tin* rammer lephjrt, and, 
ig unward and upward through the 
grand old woods, are caught aii'l re-echoed 
with new power and new beauty, and varying 
; by myriad tuneful choristers, until the 

air .-.■, ma filled with the very easenee of bar- 
asony, ami the embowered branches of the 
reading trees are oonyerted into a 
grand orchestral temple. 

We 1 »ve little birds. We delight, when 

Suffering, and care, and sorrow have left their 
impress upon our mind, or some dark shadow 
ut' Evil or Spirit of (J loom has crossed the 
brightest path of life, dimningonr faculties, 

Dying our perception of enjoyment, and 
filling uur very soul with the impn 

Melancholy, to stroll into the woods, leaving 
the artificial world behind us, turning our 
backs upon our fellow-men, and abutting 
ourselves up in a dose communion with t lie 
mysteries, and wonders, and beauties of Na- 
ture. 



i rom the ll<,mc Journal, 

N. P. Willis' Visit to tbe Watch Factory 
of the American Watch Company. 

***** 

Novelties in mechanism having always 
most interesting to me — seeming as it 

. supernatural and sudden apparitions 

of things hitherto deemed impossible — I ac- 
idly an invitation to go where 
I Made by machinery. 

How a watch should be made at all, is mys- 
tery enough j but that this ultimatum of 
human ingenuity in hand-labour should be 

reduced to mechanism, as thai a hundred 

watches can be made with the thought and 
labour hitherto cxpci.dul upon one, was a 
marvel worth making sure of having 
on this planet — being very likely to ! 
|ropped stitch" (like an antediluvian It si 
art) in a world to come. 1: there- 

fore, at some scientific party in the Even- 
our next plain t, the 

whether I hare bet d to Waltham, I 
am hsppy to have it to ssv that I \ 
the Watch Fact, ry, there, in one of the 
last years sf my previous I may 

add : ut which there 

is likely to be a rietercai curiosity, 1 think.) 
I TOOT Lanks comes (rem tin 

| 

From Boston to TValthaui, by railroad, is 



but the taking of I I few inn 

and our guide, Mr. Robbil of the 

Company of Proprietors, to whose com 
ooj faith and persevering make \. 

much ol* tin' bi the etitei 

is attributed, ) soon opened the door I 

Si the shop of the 'rime smiths. '11,' 

our party were brother artificers, Mr. Stuart, 
Mr. Til ton, and myself, being " manufac- 
turers of public opinion," and the fourth 

was a lady of an unsympathetic ; 

Miss Booth, the lady-historian of the "City 
of New York." To the worth-whilf-ative- 
of so intelligent a group of compan- 
ions, I owed the obliging particularity with 
which the riddles of mechanism were un- 
\ ravelled to us. 

It is a curious necessity of a watch fac- 
tory that it should form a part of a beauti- 
ful landscape — a secluded place, a moist 
Soil, or the bank of a river, being requisite 
1 16 its Operations. The original sit- ol' Hie 
I factory at Uoxbury, was abandoned, because 
'the light and diisty character of the soil 
and the degree to which the atmosphere 
was charged with dust by the winds and 
the industrial movements of the neighbour- 
hood, interfered with the nicety of the 
work. Hence was chosen the present beau- 
tiful hillside on a bend of the Charles river, 
where the hundred or two of male and fe- 
male operatives, as they sit at their bei 
regulating the different movements of the 
machinery, can look out of the widows be- 
fore them, upon bits of river scenery that 
would enchant an artist. 

It is another poetic peculiarity i^ watch- 
making, at Waltham, at least, that the 
more delicate fingering of woman is found 
to work best at it. Of the large numl.tr 

of persons employed in the factory, more 
than half, if 1 observed rightly, wet 

she sisterhood left idle by the sewing ma- 
chine — a hsppy compensatksj of Jr. \i- 
dence ! Gradually, in this way, probably, 
the in-door employment of all trades and 
that do not require masculine 
;h. will be given over to v.. man. 
r J he Watch Factor} is of brick, two sto- 
ries in height, and i a quadn 

lar court, and, along the laced 

inner and outer windows, stand the work- 
benches at which are seated the pi 
of operatives — each of tin' one hundred and 
twenty parts of the Watch rcquii 

manufacture, ami adjustment What 
impressed me particularly, as I walked 



411 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



trough these long galleries of seated and 
patient artificers, was the exceeding deli- 
cacy and minuteness of it all — the inevita- 
ble machinery accomplishing, with such 
powerful exactness, the almost invisible 
wonders of transformation and construction, 
and human aid seeming only needed to 
supply the material and measure the work, 
with movements of hand scarce perceptible. 
The successions of minute instruments were 
like ranges of little fairies, each weaving its 
cobweb miracles, under a careful sentinel's 
superintending eye. It is the novelty of 
the YYalthain Factory that this is so — ma- 
chinery doing the hundred little dexteri- 
ties which have hitherto been done only by 
the variable hand of the workman. With 
the machinery once regulated, therefore, 
any number of watches of the same size 
and pattern arc made with invariable ex- 
actness — all equally sure to keep time, 
wlrereas, formerly, each watch was only a 
probability by itself. 

The minuteness of very essential parts of 
the watch astonishes the visitor. A small 
heap of grains was shown to us, looking 
like iron-filings, or grains of pepper from a 
pepper-caster — apparently the mere dust of 
the machine which turned them out — and 
these, when examined with a microscope, 
were seen to be perfect screws, each to be 
driven to its place with a screw-driver. It 
is one of the Waltham statistics which is 
worth remembering, that " a single pound 
of steel, costing but fifty cents, is thus 
manufactured into one hundred thousand 
screws which are worth eleven hundred 
dollars." 

The poetic part of a watch, of course, is 
what the truth in a woman's heart has been 
so often compared to — the jew r cl upon which 
all its movements are pivoted, and which 
knows no wearing away or variation — and 
to see these precious truth-jewels and their 
adjustment was one of my main points of 
curiosity. The aid of the microscope was 
again to be called in, to see these — the 
precious stones, as we first saw them in the 
glass phial, resembling grains of brilliant 
sand. They are rubies, sapphires or chrys- 
olites, inferior only to the diamond in hard- 
ness and to be drilled by the diamond's point 
into pivoted rclidnces. The process is thus 
described in the article to which I am in- 
debted for my statistics: 

u The jewels are first drilled with a dia- 
mond; and then opened out with diamond- 



dust, on a soft hair-like iron wire, their • 
perforations having certain microscopic dif- 
ferences. In like manner the pivots of 
steel that are to run in these jewels, without 
wearing out in the least, must be exquis- 
itely polished. Ry this operation their size 
is slightly reduced. The jewels and pivots,- 
after being thus finished, are classified by 
means of a gauge, so delicately graduated as 
to detect a difference of the ten thousandth 
part of an inch! the jewels are" classified 
by means of the pivots, the jewels and 
pivots of the same number fitting each 
other exactly. The sizes of the several 
pivots and jewels in each watch are care- 
fully recorded under its number, so that if 
any one of either should fail in any part of 
the world, by sending the number of the 
watch to Waltham, the part desired may 
be readily and cheaply replaced with un- 
erring certainty." 

Of this, and all the other operations, too 
minute for detailed description — the first 
cutting of the stamps and dies from sheets 
of brass, hardened and forming the barrels 
and chambers, coiling and fastening the 
main springs, gearing wheels and cutting 
their teeth, shaping of pinions and axles, 
cutting of escape-wheels, burning and 
marking the porcelain dials, ai;d final put- 
ting together and adjusting of the various 
parts — the superintendent, Mr. Denison, 
discoursed to us most interestingly. I could 
not but think, as I listened to this philoso- 
pher of mechanic art, telling us these beau- 
tiful secrets with his concentrativeness of 
voice and eye, and his brief expressive lan- 
guage, how much better it was than the 
"seeing of a play," or the reading of a 
novel. My two hours, of following him 
and listening to his "discourse with illus- 
trations" were like the passing of a dream. 

* * * * * * 

N. P. W. 



Cure for Founder. — A speedy, safe, 
and certain remedy for founder in the feet 
of horses, is contributed to the Cotton 
Planter, by a writer who testifies to its 
value. lie says: "Clean out the frog of 
the foot; let it be well cleansed by scra- 
ping off all the dirt. Raise the foot so as 
to be level — pour spirits of turpentine, a suf- 
ficient quantity, so as not to run over the 
hoof; then set the turpentine on fire ; and 
let it be entirely consumed." 






Til i: BOUTB ERN PLANTER. 



417 



YIKUINIA STATE AGRHTLTIRAL SOCIETY'S EIGHTH 

and tin: 

CENTRAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF VIRGINIA'S THIRD 

ANNUAL EXHIBITIONS UNITED, 

AND TO BI HELD AT THE 

HERMITAGE FAIR GROUNDS, RICHMOND, 

OCTOBER 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th, 1860. 



Schedule of Premiums, 



ESSAl 



WRITTEN 

TIOXS. 

Class 1. 



COMMIXICA- 



1. For the best Essay on the practical 
management of ■ form of not less than 

o(K) acres, devoted to the cultivation of 
com and wheat as staple crops. The D 
sary farm buildings to be described j the 
r division of the farm into fields; the 
in teams and farm hands net- 

;.!tivation ; the rotation of crops' 
led; the artificial grasses cultivated; 1 
the green crops plowed in for manure; the 
quantity and kinds of stock which may he 
illy and profitably kept upon it; and all 
other matters deemed necessary by the writer 
Stable and economical management 
distinct!;. r pre- 

paration of land for Corn and wheat, the 
times in the opinion of the writer for 
Wanting and sowin b, the me- 

thod | n the ms 

i . and fodder of 

rn, and in harvesting, preserving and 
hing the wheat crop, and preparing it 
for market — 

A Gold Medal of the value of S100 

u 2. 

2. For the I ultivation 
and n i, including the 
preparation of the plant-bed, and the rear- 

iult of plants; the preparation and manu- 
ring oi^ the land ; the number and | I 
construction of tobacco barns; the mode of 
taring, assorting, ordering, and pming for 



market; and the force to every thousand 
hills nccess-ary to cultivate the crop si; 
fully — 

A Gold Medal of the value of 



Class 3. 

8, For the largest product per acre, of 
com, wheat, Irish potato b potatoes, 

and turnips on one farm, provided that not 
less than 10 adjoining acres be cultivated 
in wheat, and 10 adjoining acres in corn, 
and not less than one entire acre in each of 
the other crops. Specimens of the crops 
to be exhibited with a written description 
of the mode of cultivation, and the force 
employed — 
A Silver Cornucopia of the value of J 

1. For the best Essay on Manuref 

dadiog lime, and the mode and time of ap- 
plying them, with a statement of the quan- 
tity proj er to 1 plied p< r ai re, for each 
of the several crops embraced in the rota- 
P the principal Staple or farm cr<'i is. 
t of Silv 

Class 5. 
For the 1" ptcd 

to Virginia, with a statement of the i 
mode ring the land; the tin 

ig ; and the oiiantity "I ' n to 

the acre. Also, the manner of curing 
crop. 

\ Silver Bowl, of the value of 



41S 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



Class 6. 

6. Best Essay on Swine, including a short 
history of the most approved breeds or 
varieties, and the beat mode of breeding, 
rearing and fattening them. 

A Silver Waiter, "of the value of $50 

Class 7. 

7. For the best Essay on Cattle and 
Sheep, and their breeds or varieties, includ- 
ing the principles of breeding and the best 
mode of rearing and fattening thera. 

A Silver Pitcher, of the value of $50 
• — 

Class 8. 

8. For the best Essay on Poultry, their 
varieties, and the most profitable mode of 
rearing them, distinguishing the game fowls 
and their treatment from others, and stating 
the comparative value of each bird. 

A Silver Basket, of the value of $20 



Class 9. 

9. For the best Essay on Fruit Trees, 
describing the varieties best adapted to Vir- 
ginia; the most desirable kinds to constitute 
an orchard; the time and mode of grafting, 
budding and planting, and the pruning and 
after cultivation. 

A Silver Goblet, of the value of $20 

Judges : 

N. Frances Cabell, Nelson. 
Wei. B. Harrison, Prince George. 
John R. Bryan, Gloucester. 
John C. Rutherford, Goochland. 
J. Roy Baylor, Caroline. 
Julian C. Ruffin, Prince George. 

Class 10. 

10. For the best experiments with Peru- 
vian Guano, and other mixed or manipu- 
lated' Guanos, or other artificial fertilizers, 
for three consecutive years, both in Autumn 
and Spring crop>s, report? of results to be 
made at each annual Fair, and the premi- 
ums, $500 for the former, and $250 for the 
Inter, to be awarded at the Fair of 1863. 



CATTLE DEPARTMENT. 

Class 11. — Durham Bulls of Native Stock. 

11. Best Bull 3 years old or upwards, $75 

12. Second best, 35 

13. Best Bull 2 years old and under 
three, 35 

14. Second best, 15 

15. Best Bull 1 year old and under 
two, 20 

16. Second best, 10 

Class 12. — Durham Cows and Heifers of 
Native Stock. 

17. Best Cow 3 years old or upwards, $40 

18. Second best, 20 

19. Best Cow or Heifer 2 years old 
and under 3, 

20. Second best, 

21. Best Heifer 1 year old and un- 
der 2, 

22. Second best, 



20 
10 

15 



Class 13. — Hereford Bulls of Native Stock. 

23. Best Bull 3 years old or over, $75 

24. Second best, 35 

25. Best Bull 2 years old and under 
three, 35 

26. Second best, 15 

27. Best Bull 1 year old and under 2, 20 

28. Second best, 10 



Specifications and Committee to be 
announced in the next, or August number 
of the Southern Planter. 



Class 14. — Hereford Coics and Heifers of 
Native Stock. 

29. Best Cow 3 years old or upwards, $40 

30. Second best, 20 

31. Best Cow or Heifer 2 years old 
and under 3, 20 

32. Second best, 10 

33. Best Heifer 1 year old and un- 
der 2, 15 

34. Second best, 8 

J^* Best Imported Durhams and Here- 
fords same premiums as the above, but the 
Imported breeds shall compete only in their 
own class, and must be superior to the na- 
tives of the same breeds to be entitled to 
receive a premium. 

fl^T No second premiums to be awarded 
to imported stock. 
Judges : 

Wm. B. Preston, Montgomery. 

Thomas L. Parish, Albemarle- 

J. A. Carter, Prince William. 

Dr. W. T. Walker, Goochland, 

Geo. M. Green, Fauquier, 






Til K SOUTH ERN PLANTER. 






: Bull 8 3 

ad under 

three, 

K> 
Bull 1 yen old and under 

two, 

40. Second best, 10 



1 1'.. — D( fNar 

tic 

41. B Id or over, 

20 
48. Best Oow or Heifer 2 years old 

and Mder :;. W 

4 \. Beeond I 10 

1 1 titer 1 year old and un- 
ier2, l."> 

46. Beeond best, 8 

J®"- Beet Imported Devons same pre- 
miums as tlie. above, but the Imported breed 
shall compete only in its own class, and must 
iperiOT to the Datives of the same breed 
to be entitled to receive a premium. 

fjfc nd 2>r: mtums to br awarded 

(■> imported ttock. 

Judy 

James Newman, Orange. 

Dr. John 11. v Llbcmarle. 

Rt bert L Wright, Londonn. 
u Wickham, Henrico. 

S. T. Stuart, Fairfax. 



f&'" I'm t I I. 

minmi a- the above, but the Imported i 

shall COmpeU only in . and 

must be superior to the nativ NfflC 

; to ho intitl. d in r. ceiye a premium 

1-. X<> si, -mid j.ri i/iiums t'> be awarded 

to imported ttoek. 

Jud'j 

John Willis, ( )rai 

Ah x. S. .Jonrs, Warren^ N. ('. 
L. Brace, Orange. 

Chesley Kinney, Au-usta. 

L. B. McClintic, Greenbrier. 



19.—Ald*rnty Hulls of Natwt Stock. 

69. Beal Bull 8 yean old or upwards, 

60. Beeond I 20 

61. Beat Bull 2 years old and u>: 

three, 26 



tiii. Second 



10 



17. — Ai,r.<hir. 

47. oldorupw 

Bull 2 years old and u: 
three, 

50. Second 1 l."> 

f»l. Beet J 5 ii 1 1 1 year old and under 



68. Best Bull 1 year old and under 
two, 15 

64. Second best, 8 



two, 



-Vcondbcst, 



1<» 



Class 18. — Ay 

Native Stock. 

53. M or upw 

54. Second b 

r or Heifer 2 years old 

and under 3, 20 

56. Second best, 10 

57. Inst Heifer 1 year old and un- 
der 2, 15 

58. Second best, 8 



Class 20. — Aiderney Gjics and Heifers of 
Native Sunk. 

65. Best, Cow 8 years old or upwards, 
61). Second best, 10 

<>7. Beet Cow or Heifer 2 years old 
and under 8. ] 5 

68. Second b< 

69. Best Heifer 1 vear old and un- 
der 2, 8 

7th Second b 5 

1GCJX~ Best Imported Aldemeyi same pre- 
miums as the above, but the Imported breed 

shall compete only with its own elass, and 
must he superior to the natives o\' the 
breed to be entitled to receive a premium. 

JJ6T" A r o teeond prt mnam to be turn. 

William Allen, Surry. 

Efowle, Alexandria. 
Edmund Berkeley, Prince William. 

Dr, EL II. Stuart, Kin- I 

Thomas S. Pleasants, Henrico. 



- 21. — Grade Com and 11 

71. Best Cow 3 years old or upwards, $20 

72. Second I 10 

73. Best Oow 2 years old u»d under 

three, 

7 4. Second best, 8 



420 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



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

Judges : 

John A. "Washington, Fauquier. 
Dr. P. B. Pendleton, Louisa. 
Chas. H. Rhodes, Chesterfield. 
Edward Sydnor, Hanover. 
John Gr. Jefferson, Amelia. 



Class 22.— Dairy Cows. 

75. Best Cow for the dairy, 40 

76. Second best, 20 

fi^ 11 Satisfactory proof of the quantity of 
milk given for two weeks previous to exhi- 
bition, and the quantity of butter made 
from a given quantity of her milk, will be 
required. 

Judges : 

Wm. B. Sydnor, Hanover. 
Hugh A. Watt, Henrico. 
Wm. H. Brander, Chesterfield. 
J. R. G-ates, Powhatan. 
Thomas P. Mitchell, Bedford. 



Class 23.— Yoked Working Oxen. 

To be truly working oxen, in working 
condition, their qualities to be tested in any 
manner the Judges may prescribe. 

77. Best Pair 4 years old or up- 
wards, $40 

78. Second best, 20 

79. Best Pair 2 years old and under 
four, 20 

80. Second best, 10 

81. Best Driver, (servants' premium) 5 

Judges : 

S. W. Ficklen, Albemarle. 
William D. Blanton, Cumberland. 
Col. John F. Wiley, Amelia. 
John L. Nicholas, Buckingham. 
Edmund T. Morris, Caroline. 



FAT STOCK. 
Class 24'.— Fat Bullocks. 

82. Best pair 5 years old or over, $50 

83. Best pair 3 years old and under 
five, 50 

84. Best single fat bullock of any 
age, 30 



Class 25. — Fat Cows and Heifers. 

86. Best single fat Cow 5 years old 

or over, $30 

87. Best single fat Cow or Heifer 3 
years old and under 5, 20 

Ji^T Fat Cattle exhibited for premiums 
must have been owned twelve months by 
the exhibitor. 



Class 26.— -Fat Sheep. . 

88. Best pen fat Sheep, 4 or more, $20 

89. Second best, 10 

90. For the best slaughtered Mutton, 10 

91. Second best, 5 



10 



Class 27.— Fat Hogs. 

92. Best pen fat Hogs, 4 or more, 

93. Second best, 
Judges : 

Philip B. Jones, Orange. 4 
William Wayne, Henrico. 
George Howard, Richmond. 
John Lindsey, Richmond. 
James Bowen, Albemarle. 



HORSE AND MULE DEPARTMENT. 

Class 28. — Thorough-bred Stallions and 
Colts. 

94. Best Stallion 4 years old or 
upwards, $100 

95. Second best, 50 

96. Best entire Colt 3 years old 

and under 4, 50 

97. Second best, 25 

98. Best entire Colt 2 years old 

and under 3, 30 

99. Second best, 15 

100. Best entire Colt 1 year old 



ider 2, 
101. Second best, 



20 
10 



102. Best entire Colt under 1 year 
old, 10 



Class 29. — Thorough-bred Mares and 
FUlies. 

103. Best Brood Mare 4 years 

old or upwards, $50 

104. Second best, 25 

105. Best Filly 3 years old and 
under 4, 30 

106. Second best, 15 

107. Best Filly 2 years old and 
under 3, ' 20 






Til E SOUTH MUX I' LA XTKK. 



421 



10 

109. Besl fillj 1 year old and un- 
der 2, 16 

110. Second 1 10 

111. Best Filly under 1 year old, ■ 10 

SjfiT No premium to be awarded to an 
unsound animal in the above olaSB. 
Judg< 

Judge Win. W. Crump, Kichmond. 

Col. Wm. Townes, Mecklenburg. 

George Booker, Hampton. 

Jefferson Peyton, Amelia. 

T. J. Deane, Richmond. 



Clasi 80. — Roadster StaUions and Colts. 

Adapted to Quirk Light Drawjht. 

112. Best Stallion 4 years old or 
upwards, 8100 

11::. Second best, 50 

1 1 \. Besl entire Colt 3 years old 
and under 4, 50 

1 15. Second 1 2-3 

116. Best entire Colt *2 years old 

and under 3, 30 

1 17. Second best, 15 

118. Best entire Colt 1 year old 

and under 2, 20 

119. Second best, 10 

120. Best entire Colt under 1 year 

old, 10 



Class 31. — Roadster Maret and FiUi 
Adapted to Quick Light Draught. 

121. Best Brood Mare 4 years old 
or o\ •- 

122. Second best, 25 
12:1. Beet Filly 3 years old and 

under 4, 30 

124. Sea nd 1 15 

125. Best Filly 2 years old and 
uinltT ."», 2( » 

12ii. Second 1 10 

127. Beet Filly 1 year old and 
under 2, 15 

L28. Second ' 10 

120. Best Filly under 1 year old, 10 
J&^Form and action to be considered as 
well as speed. No premium to be awarded 
to an unsound animal in the above class. 
Judge* : 

F>. W. llaxall, Charles City. 
Wm. H. Clarke. Halifax. 
Robert Carter, Fauquier. 
AVm. Berkely, Loudoun. 
Gray Boulwarc, Caroline. 



Class 32. — Roadster StaUions and < 
Adapted to Quick Coach Draught. 

180. Best Stallion 4 years old or 

upwards, $100 

181. Second best, 60 

Y-Yl. Best entire Colt .'J years old 
and under 4, 50 

!•'):;. Second best, 25 

L34. Best entire Colt 2 years old 
and under 3, 30 

135J Second bi 1 

B)»). Best entire Colt 1 year old 
and under 2, 20 

137. Second best, 10 

138. Best entire Colt under 1 year 



old, 



10 



Class 33. — Roadster Mores and Fidos. — 

Adapted to Quick Coach Draught. 

139. Best Brood Mare 4 years old 

or over, $50 

140. Second best, 

141. Best Filly 3 years old and 
under 4, 30 

142. Second best, 15 

143. Best Filly 2 years old and 
under 3, 20 

144. Second best, 10 

145. Best Filly 1 year old and 
under 2. 15 

1 10. Second best, 10 

147. Best Filly under 1 year old, lo 

8^, Form and action to be considered 
more than speed. No premium to be award- 
ed Is SI unsound animal in this el 

Judges : 

J. W. Ware, Clarke. 
Thomas Branch, Petersburg. 
Bnrwell Whiting, Clarke. 

B. W. L. Blanton, Prince Edward. 
Major T. Doswell, Hanover. 



ddle StaUions and Cbfts.— 
Adapted to tJi>: 
Riding Horse*. 

1 18. Best Stallion 4 years old or 

$100 
L49. Second 1 

150. Best entire Colt 3 years old 

and under 4, 5 I 

151. Second 1 27) 
1 ">2. Best entire Colt 2 years old 



and under 3, 






422 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



153. Second best, 

154. Best entire Colt 1 year old 
and under 2, 

155. Second best, 

156. Best entire Colt under 1 year 
old, 



20 
10 

10 



Class 35. — Saddle Mares and Fillies. — 
Adapted to the breeding of improved 
Riding Horses. 

157. Best Brood Mare 4 years old 

or over, $50 

158. Second best, 25 

159. Best Filly 3 years old and 
under 4, 30 

160. Second best, 15 

161. Best Filly ^ years old and 
under 3, ' 20 

162. Second best, 10 

163. Best Filly 1 year old and 
under 2, 15 

164. Second best, 10 

165. Best Filly under 1 year old, 10 

g^^No premium to be awarded in this 
class to an unsound animal. 

Judges : ? 

John A. Selden, Charles City. 
Sam'l B. Finley, Augusta. 
Dr. Cochran, Loudoun. 
Albert Aiken, Henrico. 
Nathaniel Burwell, Clarke. 



Class 36. — Heavy Draught Stallions and 
Colts. 

166. Best Stallion 4 years old or 
over, 

167. Second best, 

168. Best entire .Colt 3 years old 
and under 4, 

169. Second best, 

170. Best entire Colt 2 years old 
and under 3, 

171. Second best, 

172. Best entire Colt 1 year old 
and under 2, 

1 73. Best entire Colt under 1 year 
old, 



$50 
25 

30 
15 

20 
10 

10 



Class 37. — Heavy Draught Mares and 

Fillies. 

1 74. Best Brood Mare 4 years old 

or over, $25 

175. Second best, 15 



176. Best Filly 3 years old and 
under 4, 

177. Second best, 

178. Best Filly 2 years old and 
under 3, 

179. Second best, 

180. Best Filly 1 year old and 
under 2, 

181. Best Filly under 1 year old, 

B^^No premium to be awarded i 
class to an unsound animal. 
Judges : 

John M. Harrison, Loudoun. 

G-eorge W. Mo wry, Augusta. 

Wm, C. Scott, Powhatan. 

Sam'l C. Ludington, Greenbrier. 

John F. Lewis, Rockingham. 



$20 
10 

15^ 

8 



8 
5 

this 



Class 38.— Trials of Speed. 

182. Stallion in harness, 4 years 
old or over, for best time, not exceed- 
ing 3 minutes, first premium of 

183. Second premium, do. do. 

184. Entire Colt, 3 years old and 
under 4 years old, for best time, not 
exceeding 3m. 30sec, first premium, 

185. Second premium, do. do. 

186. Mare or gelding in harness, 
4 years old or over, for best time, not 
exceeding 2m. 50sec, first premium, 

187. Second premium, 

188. Mare or gelding, 3 years old 
and under 4, for best time, not ex- 
ceeding 3m. 15sec, first premium, 

189. Second premium, do. do. 



$100 
50 



75 
40 



100 

50 



75 
40 

o premium to be awarded in this 
class to any unsound animal. 
Judges : 

Ths. W. Doswell, Hanover. 

Dr. Richard Woods, Goochland. 

Thomas Bruce, Halifax. 

Dr. Prosser Tabb, Gloucester. 

Dr. Wm. P. Braxton, King William. 



Class 39. — Matched Horses in Harness — 
accustomed to be used together as such in 
pairs, for Quick Light Draught. 

190. Best pair Mares or Geldings, $50 



Class 40. — Matched Horses in Harness — 
accustomed to be used together as such in 
pairs, for Quick Coach Draught. 

191. Best pair Mares or Geldings, $50 



I860.] 



Tii E s out in: R x planter. 






( !lasa 1 1 . — Horn i inula- the Saddle. 

192. ln-st Marc or Gelding, $40 



1 !'.'). Second I ■ 

Form and action to be considered. 



2(1 



Class 42. — Iniiirs and Hbrtemantkip. 

1 '■!. Beet Ponj ridden by a lad 
under 14 years of age, the horse- 
manship also to be considered, $20 

196. Second I 10 

Judy l : 

Col. Philip St. Geo. Cocke, Powhatan. 
.lames M. M< rson, Goochland. 
Joseph 11. Anderson, Richmond. 
Coi W. B. Baskervill, Mecklenburg. 
David Chalmers, Halifax. 



Class 43. — Mules and Jacks. 

196: Rest Jack, 
197. Second best, 
•linnet, 
199. Second best, 



$50 
25 
30 
15 



f Kam-I.ambs, 4 




in number, 


15 


20!). Beat pen of Bwea,8 la num- 


15 


ber, 

210. Second best, 


211. Rest pea of Bwe-Laaabt) 4 




in i ninber, 


lo 


212. Second best, 


10 



Class 45. — Exported Fine Wool Merinot, 

213. Best Ram, 

214. Rest Ewe, 

JST" Imported Sheep not allowed to com- 
pete with natives, and must be superior to 
the native to entitle them to receive a pre- 
mium. 



Igk.The premiums to be awarded 
to none but the finest quality of 
.lacks and Jennets, as above classi- 
fied. 

200. Rest pair Mules, owned and 
worked by the exhibitor 1 year pre- 
ceding their exhibition, 25 

201. JJrst team of Mules, four or 
more, to be owned and worked as 
above, 40 

202. Best Mule Colt 8 years old, 
foaled in Virginia, 15 

SOS. Beat Mule Colt 2 years old, 
foaled in Virginia, 15 

304. Beat Hade Colt 1 year old, 
foaled in Virginia, 10 

206. Rest Mule Colt, a suckling, 
foaled in Virginia, 5 

Judg 

Angnstoi II. Di ew ij, Chesterfield. 
Sharpe Carter. NottOWl 
William Smith, Henri* 
Samuel Mc< I :irlotte. 

Francis B. Whiting, Clarke. 



Class 4G. — Fine )Vool Grades, including 
crosses of the above clot 

215. Rest pen of Ewes, 3 in num- 
ber, $30 
210. Second. best, 15 
217. Rest peu of Ewe-Lambs, 10 

Judges : 

Keith Marshall, Alexandria. 
G W. C. Whiting, White Sul. Springs. 
J. G. Raylor, Prince George. 
Raleigh Colston, Albemarle, 
William Garth, Albemarle. 



SHEEP DEPARTMENT. 

Class 44. — F Stock, 

including pure bred Spanish, >'< 
French and Silesian Merino*. 

206. Rest Ram, 

207. Second best, 10 



Class 47. — Middle Wools of purebred Na- 
tive Stuck, including Sou (ft J>< 
ford Downt and Other purt brads of 
Middle Wooh. 

218. Rest Ram, 

219. Second best, 10 

220. Rest pen of Ram-Lambs, 4 

in number, 15 

221. Rest pen of Ewes, 3 in num- 
ber, 30 

222. Second 1 15 
22:;. Beat pen of Ewe-Lambs, 4 



in number, 

221. Second be'st, 



16 

10 



Class 48. — Imported Middle WopU, includ- 
ing thi ai 

.'ini, 
220. B M Ewe, 

f-'->" Imported not allowed to compete 
with natives, but must be Miperior to I 
to obtain a premium. 



424 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



Class 49.— Middle Wool Grades. 

227. Best pen of Ewes, 3 in num- 
ber, $30 

228. Second best, 15 
229/ Pest pen of Ewe-Lambs, 4 



uber. 



10 



Dr. R. C. Mason, Fairfax. 

Burr Noland, Loudoun. 

Dr. John B. Harvie, Powhatan. 

Edward Cunningham, Powhatan. 

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



Class 50. — Long Wools of Native Stock, 
'including Bakewell or Leicester, Cotsicold 
or new Oxfordshire and Lincoln. 



230. Best Ram, 
230. Second best, 

232. Best pen of Ram-Lambs, 4 
in number, 

233. Best pen of Ewes, 3 in num- 
ber, 

234. Second best, 

225. Best pen Ewe-Lambs, 4 in 
number, 

236. Second best, 



$20 
10 

15 

30 
15 

15 

10 



Class 51. — Imported Long Wools, including 
the above varieties. 



237. Best Ram, 

238. Best Ewe, 



$30 
30 



Imported not allowed to compete with 
natives, and must be superior to them to 
entitle them to receive a premium. 



Class 52. — Long Wool Grades, including 
crosses of the above breeds with Natives. 

239. Best pen of Ewes, 3 in num- 
ber, 

240. Second best, 

241. Best pen of Ewe-Lambs, 4 
in number, 

Judges : 

Col. E. Fontaine, Hanover. 
Dr. W. L. Wight, Goochland. 
James B. Newman, Orange. 
John A. Scott, Prince Edward. 
F. P. Wood, Prince Edward. 



$30 
15 

10 



SWINE DEPARTMENT. 




Class 53. — Jjarge Breed: including 


Cites- 


ter, Russia, Bedford, Woburn, G 


razier 


and By field. 


^ 


242. Best Boar two years old or 




over, 


$20 


243. Second best, 


15 


244. Best Boar 1 year old and un- 




der 2, 


15 


245. Second best, 


10 


246. Best Breeding-Sow 2 years 




old or over, 


20 


247. Second best, 


15 


248. Best Breeding-Sow 1 year 




old and under 2, 


15 


249. Second best, 


10 


250. Best Sow and pigs, 


20 


251. Second best, 


10 



Class 54. — Small Breeds : including Nea- 
politan, Suffolk, Sussex, Essex, Berk- 
shire, Chinese and improved Hampshire. 

252. Best Boar two years old or 
upwards, 

253. Second best, 

254. Best Boar 1 year old and 
under 2, 

255. Second best, 

256. Best Breeding-Sow 2 years 
old or over, 

257. Second best, 

258. Best Breeding-Sow 1 year 
old and under 2, 

259. Second best, 

260. Best Sow and pigs, 

261. Second best, 



$20 
15 

15 

10 

20 
15 

15 
10 
20 
10 



Judges : 

Wm. M. Tate, Augusta. 

E. C. Jordan, Jordan's Springs. 

James M. Sublctt, Powhatan. 

Col. E. H. Herbert, Princess Anne. 

Thomas L. Dicken, Henrico. 



POULTRY DEPARTMENT. 

Class 55. — Gallinaceous Fowls. 



262. Best pair Game, 


$5 


263. Best pair Spanish Black, 


5 


264. Best pair White Dorkings, 


5 


265. Best pair Speckled Dorkings, 


5 


266. Best pair Silver-pencilled 




amburghs, 


5 


267. Best pair Gold-pencilled 




amburghs, 


5 






Til B SOUTH Kl!\ 1' LA NT Kit. 






268. Beat pairBlaci Bamburghs 

269. Best pair Dominiq 

270. Bent pair Silver Polanda, 

271. Beat pair Golden Polanda, 

272. Beat pair White Crested 
Polanda, 

27o. Host pair White Bantuma, 

27 1. Beat pair Black Bantunis, 

275. Best pair Mongrels, 

27<J. Beat pair Capons, 



Class 56.— -ZHldfcs. 

277. Beat pair Aylesbury, 

_7 S . Best pair -lava, 

279. Beat pair Muscovy, 

2180. Beat pair Poland, 

281. Best pair Rouen, 

282. Beat pair Mongrel, 



Class 57. — Geese. 

283. Best pair African, 
28 I. Beat pair Bremen, 

; pair Hong Kong, 

286. Best pair Mongrel, 

287. Best pair Wild, 



Class 58.— Turkeys. 

288. Best pair Domestic, 
Best pair White, 



s 

5 
5 

5 



ID 
5 
5 
5 



Class 59. — Guinea Fowls, l\a Fowls, & 

0. Best pair Guinea fowls, 

291. Beat pair Pea Fowls, 

292. Best pair Pheasants, 
193. Best collection of Pigeons, 

Judy- 

Dr. Erasmus Powell, Richmond. 
Chaatain White, Hanover. 
Richard Powell, Goochland. 

Win. H. Bagley, Lunenburg. 

J. MoL. Anderson, Caroline. 



DEPARTMENT OF FARM AND GAR- 
DEX PRODUCTION 

Class 60.— Tobat 

294. Best Shipping Leaf growth 
of 1859, 850 

Manufacturing Leaf 
growth of 18S 50 

296. Best Fancy Wrapper Leaf 



growth of 1859, 



50 



J8*ay To In- !• I by samples of the 

erop in whole and prised in I860. 

The same premium a are off) red for the 
Fair of 1S01 on Tobacco of the growth of 
1860. 

j;- To he represented by of the 

crop, in whole, prized in 1861, drawn and 
sealed hy the Inspectors of the Ware-house 
where the same shall have been inspected. 

Judges : 

John F. Wren, Henrico. 
John Jones, Richmond. 
Samuel Hardgrove, Richmond. 
James II. Grant, Richmond. 

E. O. Nolting, Richmond. 

Class Gl. — Manufactured Tobacco. 

297. Best specimen for general 
home consumption, 830 

Judges : 

David W. Burton, Lynchburg. 
Dr. George P. Ilolman, Fluvanna. 
John D. Hobson, Goochland. 
Benjamin C. Gray, Richmond. 
John W. Atkinson, Richmond. 



Class 62. — Flour, Grain and Corn 




' 298. 


Best barrel of Flour, 


$10 


299. 


Second best, 


5 


800. 


Best bushel of Wheat, 


10 


801 


Second h. 


5 


802. 


Beet bushel of Ri 


5 


808. 


Beat bushel of Oats, 


5 


804. 


Best bushel of Bar' 


5 


805. 


Best bushel of shelled White 




Cera, 




5 


806. 


Best bushel of shelled Yel- 





low Corn, 



The grain to be a fair sample of the 
crop of the Exhibitor. 

Judge* : 

Ro. B. Somcrville, Richmond. 
I>. S. Delaplane, Henrico. 
A.8S M. Janney, Richmond. 
Francis B. Hart, Richmond. 
Alex. Garrett, Richmond. 

I 03.— Othrr Staph Product 

307. Best bag of Cotton exhibited 
bv the grower, - $40 

8. Beat live gallons of Sorguin 
Molasses, 10 



42;> 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



309. Best barrel of Sorgum Su- 
gar, 10 

310. Best collection of Seeds rais- 
ed by exhibitor, ■ 10 

311. Best barrel of Rice raised 

by exhibitor, 5 

312. Best fifty pounds dressed 
Flax, 5 

313. Best fifty pounds dew-rotted 
Hemp, 5 

314. Best fifty pounds water-rot- 
ted Hemp, % 

315. Best fleece of Fine Wool of 
Virginia growth, 5 

316. Best fleece of Middle Wool 

of Virginia, growth, 5 

317. Best fleece of Long Wool of 
Virginia growth, 5 

Judges : 

Miles C. Seldon, Powhatan. 
J. B. McPhail, Charlotte. 
Abner Hllliard, Henrico. 
Granville J. Kelley, Culpeper. 
Rev. George G. Exall, Henrico. 

Class 64. — Beverages. 

318. Best specimen of domestic 
Wine, from a vintage of not less 

than 100 gallons, $20 

319. Second best, 15 

320. Best specimen of domestic 
Wine other than grape, 10 

321. Best barrel of Cider, 15 

Judges : 

Win. M. Harrison, Richmond. 
Rob. M. Burton, " 

Wm. II. Haxall, 
O. Cranz, " 

Dr. Monroe Banister, Amelia. 

Class 65. — Fruits and Fruit Trees. — All 
raised by the Exhibitor on this side of the 
Potomac, and suitable for Southern Cul- 
tivation. 

322. Best and largest variety of 
Apples, each labelled with its name, $20 

323. Best and largest variety of 
Pears, each labelled, 15 

324. Best and largest variety of 
choice fruits of different kinds, each 
labelled with its name, 10 

325. Best and largest collection of 
Apple Trees, 10 

326. Best and largest collection of 
IVar Trees, 10 



327. Best and largest collection 
of Peach Trees, 10 

328. Best specimen of Fig Trees, 5 

329. Best, collection of Grape 
vines, 5 

330. Best collection of Strawberry 
vines, 3 

331. Best collection of Raspberry 
plants, 3 

332. Best bushel of dried Apples 
cured by the exhibitor, 3 

333. Best specimen of dried 
Peaches cured by the exhibitor, 3 

334. Best and largest collection of 
native Grapes, 10 

835. Second best, 5 

336. Best collection of Foreign 
Grapes, 10 

337. Second best, 5 

Judges : 

Dr. Wm. H. Jones, Mecklenburg. 
James Ayres, Petersburg. 
Randolph Harrison, Goochland. 
James C. Luck, Caroline. 
Wirt Robinson, Richmond. 

HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT. 

Class 66. — Flowers. 

338. Best and largest collection of 



choice plants, 


$10 


339. Second best, 


5 


340. Best and greatest variety of 




Dahlias, 


5 


341. Best twelve Dahlias, 


2 


342. Best and greatest variety of 




Roses, 


5 


343. Best twenty-five Roses, 


2 


344. Best and largest collection of 




Crysanthimums, 


3 


345. Best floral ornament, 


5 


346. Best hand Bouquet not more 




than 8 inches in circumference, 


2 


347. Best and largest collection of 




Verbenas in bloom, 


3 


348. Best and largest collection of 




Evergreens, 


5 



349. Best and largest collection of 
hardy flowering Shrubs, 

Judges : 

G. A. Myers, Richmond. 
Thomas T. Giles, Richmond. 
Hubert P. Lefebvre, Richmond. 
John F. Whitfield, Powhatan. 
Robert L. Lancaster, Henrico. 






tii i: SOUTH i: R x i' i, a \t i: r. 






-t ami largest assortment 
of table regetablea, f&Q 

1 . Beat half down Ion. 

L' 

2, Bi si half doseu headi of cab- 

2 

353. Best half dozen Cauliflower , 2 

^r half doiefl Brooi 2 

- 

Plants, L' 

857. Baal peek of Ooi 



-t half dosen Parsnips, 2 

• bunch of Celery, 

• bunch oi 5 
M bushel of Erish Potal 5 
j| bushel of Bi 

S Beai acre of Erish Potato 

i 15 

rtitieil by two neighbours. 
Jmlj 

John Page, Hanover. 
EL < I. i onstall, Henrico. 

Thomas II. Ellis, Jlichliioiid. 

Thoa. B. Bis 



Charles Palmer, 



DOMESTIC DEPARTMENT. 

ii of fresh Iiut- 
;h;in 1" pound $l\"> 

1.) 

than 6 months old of 

1.") 
than 20 
}mn 10 

ml best, 5 

JST" TI I of making and pr< 

ing the B . id in 

writing by the exhibitor. 

.John B. Foung, I!o;: ' 

Edward < >■ \ terficld. 

Alex. Garrett, Richmond. 

J. Marshall Mc( 'no, A 
Logan Waller, Richmond. 

■Hi'i'S and I 
farm. 

, crimen of Honey not 
less than ten pounds, |0 



1" 



8 

I 

i ii 
the 



'>. Ue.-t Ham ( -uivd l»y exhibi- 
tor, 
;i7 1. Beeovd 

nan^With respeei to the premium 

y, the kiml of Hivo nsed, and 

management of the bees must be stated in 

writing, and also that the II taken 

without di 

iron I lams exhihit< d inn 
ed and the mode of Curing them m\ 
stated in writing. 

.Juthj> | 

Daniel B. Gardner, Henrico. 

Win. (). WinatOO, Hanover. 
A. I). Harris, Louisa. 

C. B. Look, Richmond. 

L. If. Burfoot, Chesterfield. 

Class 70. — Dometiic .'.' 

:)7 "). for the best and largest va- 
riety of Woolen < loods manufactured 
in Virginia, each specimen to he la- 
beled with a descriptive commercial 

name and the wholesale prion, a pre- 
mium of $100 

o7»*>. For the best and largest va- 
riety of Woolen Goods manufactured 
in any other slave Slate, if of equal 
or superior quality to those maim: 
tured in Virginia, bo Be labeled after 

ime mair: 
a premium of .".0 

7. for tl. i f Ne- 

gro Clothing manufactured in Vir- 
ginia, regard being t ad to quality 
and cheapness at wholesale pri 
o77 | Best ami . iriety of 

ip Shoes 
■*)77 and cheapest Wool 

;> 
ami cheapest Negro 

10 
Judg 

Horace I-. K- nt, Richmond. 

Samu. 1 Putn 

Thos. II. Pri » 

E B. lienthy. « 

William Breeden, u 

Samuel M. Price, ■ 



71 . — J i ■ re*. 

I Quilt, $5 

379. Second 1 3 



128 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



380. Best Counterpane, 

381. Second best, 

382. Best pair home-made Blan- 
kets, 

383. Best home-made Carpet, 

384. Best home-made hearth Rug, 

385. Best home-made Curtains, 
385. Second best, 

387. Best piece, not less than 7 
yards, Negro Shirking, home-made, 



Best fine long Yarn Hose, 
Best fine long Cotton Hose, 
Best Silk Hose of home-made 

Best five pounds of Maple 



388. 
389. 
390. 

silk, 
391. 

Sugar, 

392. Best home-made family bread, 

393. Best home-made pound Cake, 

394. Best home-made Sponge 
Cake, 

395. Best and largest variety of 
home-made Pickle, 

396. Best and largest variety of 
home-made preserves, 

397. Best and largest variety of 
home-made Fruit Jelley, 

398. Best five pounds of home- 
made Soap, the process of making to 
be described in writing by exhibitor, 
Judges : 

John Stewart, Henrico. 

Dr. Wrn. J. Cheatham, Amelia. 

Walter D. Blair, Richmond. 

James Vest, Louisa. 

T. M. Ambler, Fauquier. 

Class 72. — Ladies Ornamental and 
Work. 



Fancy 



399. 
dery, 

400. 

401. 
Work, 

402. 

403. 
Work, 

404. 

405. 
Work, 

400. 

407. 
Work, 

408. 

409. 

410. 

411. 



Best specimen of Embroi- 

Second best, 

Best specimen of Worsted 

Second best, 

Best specimen of Crochet 

Second best, 
Best specimen of Shell 

Second best, 

Best specimen of Leather 

Second best, 

Best specimen of Knitling, 

Second best, 

Best specimen of Netting, 



412. Second best, 

413. Best specimen of Needle 
Work, 

"414. Second best, 

415. Best made Shirt, 

416. Second best, 

417. Most extensive variety of 
useful, ornamental and fancy work, 
not excluding articles which may 
have had premiums awarded them 
under the above specifications a pre- 
mium of 



810 



Judges : 

A Committee of Ladies to be announc- 
ed at the Fair. 

Class 73. — Servants* Premiums. 

419. Best dozen assorted Baskets 
made of Virginia grown materials, $5 

420. Best set Plantation Hampers 
and Baskets, of not less than three 

in number of each, f> 

421. Best straw Hat, 5 

422. Best shuck horse Collars, 5 

423. Best straw Chair, 5 
424. Best door Mats, 5 

Judges : 

Albert Morris, Henrico. 
T. M. Leitch, Buchingham. 
Wm. B. Ross, Culpeper, 
John W. Wilson, Cumberland. 
Plummer Hobson, Goochland. 

MECHANICAL DEPARTMENT. 

AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY AND IMPLE- 
MENTS. 

Remarks and Special Rules in relation to 
Machinery, Implements and other produc- 
tions of Mechanic Art. 



All machines, implements, or other 
products of mechanical art, must be exhib- 
ited by or for their respective makers or in- 
ventors or improvers, to or for whom only, 
premiums for such articles 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 implement offered for 
premium, must be designated by the offerer 
by its cbmmercial name, or otherwise, such 
other concise description be given as will 
serve to identify it to-future purchasers; 
and also the then selling price of the article 
must be stated and marked on the labels 



»] 



TIM' THERN m.a 






and in tb miam! 
irticl 

The j u»l _rm. r vain.' must . 

have <I uo i .iinl dura- 1 
bility of :i n v machine or implement, as well' 

Us to its i ration while in 
rder. 

— Plough 

$10 

426. B< plough, ^ 10 

427. Best 1 horse plough, 5 

428. I! 5 

429. Beet subsoil plou 5 
180. Best new ground or coulter 

jlouji, 5 

431. Beet hillside plough, 

432. Beet water-furrow plough, 5 

lough for digging po- 
tatoes, . 10 

434 draining instrumen 

Other than the drain plough, 10 

435. Best cultivator for oorn and 
tobacco, 5 

48ti. Best cultivator for 2 horses, 5 

Jud'j 

l)r. Joseph M. Sheppard, Henrico. 
Charles L. Christian, Buckingham. 
Wm. Kenton, Jr., Loudoun. 
Strother Jones, Clarke. 
John A. Pickett, Goochland. 

75. — Dr . dec. 

487. Bed Broad-Casting Machine 
for sowing grain 810 

Drill with guano 
attachiw 40 

4:50. Beet Corn Planter with gua- 
no attaeliii- 10 

4 0>. Beet implement for 

and e rn, at or 

innn the bust till- 

• with or without guano, 15 

441. Best L t d 

20 

442. Best Turnip Drill, 8 

Judges : 

Gen'l Win. ]]. Taliafen ater. 

Richard Thornton, Cumberland. 
John x . Buckingham. 

II. (J. Richardson, r'armville. 
Hubert M. Taylor, Henrico. 

( 76.— v Wag 

443. l>est Wtgoo for farm net 



embn tod valuable im- 

provement that shall It <h- 

thv nf a premium, $20 

1 1 1. Best Horse Cart, eml 
new improvement v, 

miuui, 10 

'. I Jest Ox Cart, with h 

to 

44< ; . B •: body or ladd 

for hauling wheal in the sheaf, or 
hay or straw; niay be exhibited ly 
model, ■> 

447. Best and most numerous col- 
lection of saddles, bridles, coli .. 
hemes, harness, A:*-., 26 

44s. Best and most numerous as- 
sortment of Virginia dressed skins 
and leather, 25 

Judge* : 

Dr. Wiley J, Eppes, Buckingham. 

Col. V. Parrish, Cumbrrland. 

Bev. Jesse B. Armestead, Cumberland. 
Charles Friend, Prinee George. 
John \\\ Cardwell, Richmond. 

Class 77. — Farm Gate, Horse P<< 
Thresk\ 

440. Best Farm Gate, including 
binge and fastening, A:c, may be 
exhibited by model, $10 

4 ."><». Beet Sweep Horse power, 

451. Best Threshing Machine. 80 

452. l>(<r Machine for threshing, 
cleansing, separating, and bagging 

wheat at one operation, f>0 

Judg 

Dr. ' Newman, Orange. 

Dr. Robert Henderson, Cumberland. 
Charles 1'. Monoore, Culpe] 
Wm. Hooker, Buckingham. 

James M. WttlooX, Charles City. 



CllSS IS.— Straw and I I/H&, 

Oorn S/n/i-rs. 

468. Best Hay or 8traw Cutter, 810 

454. Beet Corn Shell 10 

••">. Best Grist Mill for hoT 
power, 10 

456. Best Hominy Mill, 

4.~>7. Beit Saw Mill for farm use, 10 

458. Best Root Cutter, 

459. l>est Steam toiler for conk- 
ing food for stock, 10 



430 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



[July 



Judges : 

E. G. Booth, Nottoway. 
t)r. W. R. Macon, New Kent. 
Dr. John E. Friend, Henrico. 
George Watt, Richmond! 
Garland Hanes, Henrico. 

Class 79. — Hay Press, Fan Mill, &c. 

460. Best Hay Press, $15 

401. Best Fan Mill, 10 

462. Best Stump Machine, 10 

463. Best Steel Spade Fork. 5 

464. Best Horse Rake for hay, 5 

465. Best Gleaner, 5 

Judges : 

Richard S. Ellis, Buckingham. 
Ambrose Ford, Cumberland. 
Win. A. Perkins, Cumberland. 
George W. Pettit, Fluvanna. 
Henry Webb, New Kent. 

Class 80. — Machines and Implements. 

466. For the most extensive and 
valuable collection of useful ma- 
chines and implements exhibited 
and made at any one Factory in 
Virginia, whether including sub- 
jects for other premiums or not, a 
premium of $50 

Judges : 

Dr. Wm. P. Moseley, Buckingham. 

John Rowlett, Petersburg. 

Thos. F. Nelson, Nelson. 

John Haw, Hanover. 

George Nicholas, Buckingham. 

Class 81. — Carriages and other Vehicles. 

467. Best and most numerous col- 
lection and variety of vehicles, made 

in Virginia, $50 

468. Best two horse family Car- 
riage, made in Virginia, 25 

Judges : 

James Gait, Fluvanna. 
B. W. Haxall, Richmond. 
G-. Z. Miles, Hanover. 
George M. Savage, Henrico. 
John Allan, Goochland. 



Class 82. — Miscellaneous. 

469. Best Pump adapted to deep 
wells, 



$10 



470. Best lifting and forcing 



15 



pump, 

471. Best Churn, embracing some 
new improvement deemed worthy of 

a premium, 10 

472. Best Sewing Machine for 
general use, 15 

473. Best Flour Barrels, certified 
to be a fair sample of 100; made 

and delivered by the exhibitor, 10 

474. Best and most numerous col- 
lection of useful articles of Cooper's 
ware, 15 

475. Best and most numerous col- 
lection of useful articles of Willow 
ware, manufactured in Virginia, 10 

Judges : 

N. C. Crenshaw, Hanover. 
Edward Steger, Buckingham. 
R. W. Haylor, Jefferson. 
W. F. G. Garrett, Henrico 
John Gannaway, Buckingham. 

Class 83. — Agricultural Steam Engine, 
Steam Plough and Steam Saw Mill. 

476. Best Steam Engine applica- 
ble to agricultural purposes generally 

as a substitute for horse power, $100 

477. Best Steam Plough well 
adapted to tillage purposes, as a sub- 
stitute for horse power, 300 

478. Best Steam Saw Mill, 50 



Richard Irby, Nottoway. 
Thomas Samson, Richmond. 
J. F. Barnes, Richmond. 
Charles Campbell, Richmond. 
Uriah Wells, Petersburg. 



Class 84. — Reaping and Mowing Machines- 

479. Best Reaping Machine, $50 

480. Best Rake and Reel for com- 
bination with Reaper, 20 

Judges : 

Hill Carter, Charles City. 
Wm. B. Tomlin, King William. 
George Hocker, Buckingham. 
John Seddon, Stafford. 
Edmund Ruffin, Jr., Pr. George. 

Class 85. — Farm Dwelling, &c. 

481. Best design of Farm Dwell- 






Tfi E SOUT ii i:i;n P Li 






big, out hou - 1 1 « 1 

groun 

Prof 'I'. H. William-',, 

II,.' i\o. Henrico. 

1k.pI V. WatkinB. Halifax. 
Dr. Charles C. Cocke, Fluvanna. 

('lass 66. — Mmerah <>/ Virginia. 

Collection and largest 
fariety of specimens of Virginia 
mineral-, S30 

Judy 
Prof. S. Maupin, T*ni\ Va. 

Prof. .). L. Campbell, Wash. College. 
Prof R. -1. Morrison, Wflr. ft M. Col. 
Prof D. bee Powell, Richmond. 
Prof. Win. Gilliam, Va. Mil. Institute. 

Class 87. — Truth <</ Fbugkt and Plough- 
img Mutch. 

Plough, as 
shown by work, §20 

484. Beat three or four horse 
plough, as shown by work, 80 

! 9^ All questions as to the class of 
plou-hs on trial to be decided by the 
Judg 

485. Best ploughman with horses, 10 
Second b 

■\*~. Best pkmghmaa with sfc 10 

488. Beoood best, 5 

JbsT* It is left to the discretion of the 
hcther or not to make two <i 
of premiums, one for white and anoint 
black ploughmen. 

Hon'l Wm. C. Hiv larle. 

Richard 1 1. Morris, Richmond. 
B. J. Barbour, < Grange. 

Win. Michaux, Powhatan. 
Nath'l P. Bowe, Henrico. 

— Premiums by Individual di 

489. A company otlemen 
propose to rati iption a 

sum of money to bo given as f: 
and second premiums to the two 
most successful competitors in a 
Hurdle race : 



• imium, |di of th i inscribed. 

2d Pretuiui the am i-ibcd. 

Judg 

Col. Thos. J". Randolph, Albemarle. 
Thomas S. Watson, Lot] 
H. C. Watkins, Chesterfield. 

Idinz li. Douthat, Charles City. 
Dr. J. Kayo, Westmoreland. 



Economy of Agriculture. 
There is no subject less Qoden 

more generally mistaken than this; nor any 
more essential to the prosperity of agricul- 
ture. Sufficient to afford matter foe an entire 
treatise, it cannot be embraced in • short 

chapter. ]>ut a short chapter may put 
minds upon the track, able to unfold its in- 
volutions with every branch of agriculture, 
and more especially to disclose its vulu •. 

Diminutions of comfoi Kuries and 

expenses, are too often mistaken for the 
means of producing the ends they obstruct ; 
and the rapacity which starves, frequently 
res the just retribution of a disappoint- 
ment, begotten by a vicious mode of avoid- 
ing it. From the master down to the 
meanest utensil, the best capacity for fulfill- 
ing the contemplated ends, is invariably the 

economy; and the same reasoning 
[which demonstrates the bad economy of a 
shattered loom, will demonstrate the bad 
I economy of a shattrcd constitution, or an 
imperfect state of body. The cottagers who 
inflict upon themselves and their families 
the discomforts of cold houses, bad bedding, 
and insufficient clothing, to acquire wealth, 
destroy the vigour both of mind and boo , 

ry for obtaining the contemplated end, 
at which, of COUTSS they never arrive. The 

r who BtS labourers, i- a still 

greater sufferer. Be loses she pr '-.'■ pro- 
duced by health, strength and alacrity; 
and suffers the losses Caused, by e. i 

lad dejection. In like manner, 
the more perfect, the D '.table are 

working animals and implements, and i 
saying by which the capacity of eitb 
fulfil its de>tiny in the best manie 
diminished, terminates with certainty in 
and not aofrequ 
Even the 
manuring is vastly affected by the plight of 
animals by which it is aided. 
A pinching, miserly system of agricul- 
ture may indeed keep a farmer out 
prison, but it will never lodge him in a 



431 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



[July 



palace. Great profits depend on great im- 
provements of the soil, and great improve- 
ments can never be made by penurious 
efforts. The discrimination between useful 
and productive, and useless and barren ex- 
penses, contains the agricultural secret for 
acquiring happiness and wealth. A good 
farmer will sow the first with an open hand, 
and eradicate every seed of the other. 

Liberality constitutes the economy of agri- 
culture, and perhaps it is the solitary hu- 
man occupation, to which the adage, " the 
more we give, the more we shall receive/' 
can be justly applied. Liberality to the 
earth in manuring and culture is the fountain 
of its bounty to us. ' Liberality to labourers 
and working animals is the fountain of 
their profit. Liberality to domestic brutes 
is the fountain of manure. The good work 
of a strong team causes a profit beyond the 
bad work of a weak one, after deducting the 
additional expense of feeding it; and it 
saves moreover half the labour of a driver, 
sunk in following a bad one. Liberality in 
w r arm houses, produces health, strength and 
comfort; preserves the lives of a multitude 
of domestic animals; causes all animals to 
thrive on less food, and secures from damage 
all kinds of crops. And liberality in the 
utensils of husbandry, saves labour to a 
vast extent, by providing the proper tools 
for doing the work both well and expedi- 
tiously. — Farmers Journal. 



From the Working Farmer. 

Fruit Culture. 

Messrs. Editors : — Plant-lice, in some 
sections of the country, have caused an in- 
mense destruction of apple trees ; especially 
in Michigan ; also within the past twenty 
years the orange trees of Florida have suf- 
fered immensely by their ravages. If they 
are not the same that infest the apple trees, 
they are very similar in all respects. — 
Where these insects abound, the smooth 
portions of the bark of the body and limbs 
of the trees are more or less covered with 
small, muscle-shaped shells. Those formed 
last year, now contain from 30 to 40 eggs, 
each of a white color, and when examined 
by the aid of a microscope, they are found to 
be in shape nearly like those of snakes. 
The insects usually hatch from the 25th of 
May to the 10th of June, varying perhaps, 
a few days from the above dates, according 
to the lateness or earlincss of the season. 



They soon disperse, fixing themselves upon 
the smooth bark, appearing as very minute 
white specks, scarcely perceptible to the 
naked eye. While the insects are in this 
tender state, is the proper time to destroy 
them, for if left for a week, each insect 
forms a new shell under which it deposits^ 
its eggs for the next year's crop, and it is 
hard removing these shells, when thus glued 
to the trees. Thoroughly washing and 
scrubbing the branches of the trees with 
soap-suds, applied with a stiff brush or 
woolen rag, will pretty effectually destroy all 
young and tender bark-lice. The injury 
done to the trees by these minute insects, is 
caused by their sucking the sap from the 
trees. " Various remedies have been tried 
in Florida, .to arrest their progress, and les- 
sen the injury done to the orange trees, such 
as fumigating the trees with tobacco smoke, 
covering them with soap, lime, potash, sul- 
phur, shellac, glue and other viscid and ten- 
acious substances, mixed with clay, quick- 
lime, salt, &c; but all have failed, partially or 
entirely, and it appears not to be in the 
power of man to prevent the ravages of 
these insignificant and insidious destroyers." 
Another destructive scourge of the apple, 
cherry, and some other trees, is the common 
caterpillar; but it is unnecessary here to 
describe to the farmer, or orchardist, this 
caterpillar, his color or habits, because they 
have been too long and too well known to 
every observing person to need particular 
description. As is generally known, the 
eggs for this year's crop were fastened about 
the ends of many of the limbs of the tree 
by a kind of water-proof varnish, for which 
the caterpillars have an excellent recipe. 
By carefully examining the ends of the 
limbs of the apple and cherry trees, between 
this and the bursting of the leaves many, of 
these deposits of eggs can be found and 
readily destroyed. Each of these "var- 
nished bracelets" contains from three to 
four hundred eggs, which hatch out about 
the time of the unfolding of the leaf. 
They immediately commence the formation 
of a little angular web or tent, between the 
forks of the branches, a little below the 
cluster of eggs. The sooner the nests and 
their occupants are destroyed, after this, the 
better. Various methods are practiced to 
rid the trees of these u useless intruders," 
sueh as burning the nests with lighted 
torches, scrubbing; them with soap suds, 



&c. ; &c. 



The best thing; I have used in 



I860.] 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTFU. 






adding trees of these disgustiny; IBM 
the spiral «>r Piokeriog brush, feed to the 

f a light, straight pole. By thrusting 

into the nests in the morning, before the 

illars have them, (they usually remain 

test till about nine o'elork) they can 
readily wound around tin? brush, 
ioh they ire easily removed and 
• the toot. A few times passing 
orchard during one week. 
»ods are hatched, making a 
tion of the brush, will effec- 
! ij>, and leave none for seed. 

u I and perseverance in the 

brush, will in time, save 
the o acres of orchard, hun- 

dreds an abundance of mor- 

tificatioi intment, besides re- 

warding ight of the verdant 

foliage, si, and rich fruits of 

his orchard j .oper season." 

The spiral ash can be had at the agri- 
cultural warehouses for a shilling or two 
each, and with careful usage they will last a 
lifetime. In the absence of the spiral 
brush, the head of a last year's mullen stalk 
tied to a pole, answers as a tolerable substitute 
for the wire and bristles. 

The August caterpillar lias increased in 
this section of the country in a .wonderful 
ratio, within the past five years. Probably 
the easiest and most effectual way of des- 
troying them would be to apply the lighted 
tctreh, upon the first discovery of their nests. 
These caterpillars attack a great variety of 
trees, presenting a most disgusting right 

Another late caterpillar seems to be largely 
on the increase ; they are very voracious, 
eating the entire crop except the main ribs. 
these generally congregate in masses upon 
the same limb, and make a clean sweep 
as far as they go. When found upon 
a small limb, perhaps the better way would 
be to cut or saw it off, and crush the depre- 
dators beneath the foot. They can be 
jarred off. 

All the above-named insects subsist upon 
the sap, or the leaves of the apple tree, and 
frequently they are in such numb* 
to seriously injure the growth of the tree, 
and nearly, or quite, ruin trie fruit crop. 

The borer, in some sections of the coun- 
try, is committing sad havoc with the apple 
orchards and nurseries. Dr. Fitch, of New 
York, stated in one of his recent lectures 
at New Haven, that the cure or remedy is 
found in a liberal application of soap to the 
28 



body of the tree. l>r. F. uses common 
soap, and applies it liberally in the :i.\ 
the lower limbs, and on the trunk, lie 
applies the soap about the fast of June, 
and after rains for a few It is well 

to apply it liberally where the large limbs 
start out, as Bght rains wash it down the 
trunks of the trees. If the above is a pro- 
tection against the ravages of the borer, it 
is an important discovery, and should be 
universally practiced by the owners of apple 
trees. It probably will not destroy the 
worms when once beneath the bark of a 
tree, but the remedy comists in making the 
tree so offensive to the " winged parent" of 
the borer, that it will not make use of the 
soaped tree as a place of deposit for its 
eggs. But aside from its use as a pre- 
ventive against the borer, the soap will be a 
profitable application to the tree. Perhaps 
whale-oil-soap may be equally good ; if so, in 
many places it can be more readily obtained 
than soft soap. Levi Bartlett. 

Warner, N. II., 1860. [Boston Cultivator. 

We would suggest in relation to the 
above, that the soda wash we have so often 
recommended, (made by heating sal soda 
red hot, and then dissolving one pound of 
the caustic soda in a gallon of water,) 
would be far superior for ridding trees of 
insects, to any solution of potash, or of soap. 
The potash, if sufficiently strong to decom- 
pose the cocoons and ova of insects, will 
also injure the coating of the bark of the 
tree, so as to render it a ready prey, later 
in the season, for insects of other kinds, 
while the whale-oil-soap, as usually manufac- 
tured, containing an excess of resin, will 
leave this resin on the surface of the tree 
filling the pores, and thus preventing them 
from exercising their excretory functions. 
Not so with the soda wash ; it will not injure 
any live plant, but will decompose readily 
all those parts which have lost their vitality. 

The scaly insect is readily removed from 
the surface of the pear tree, by a single 
washing with a saturated solution of caustic 
soda, while the bark itself is left entirely 
uninjured. — [Er>. 

A noble person needs but a plain garment 
to set it off; a beautiful picture, but a sim- 
ple frame ; a great thought is best dressed 
in the simplest language. But all these 
need a spirit of understanding to be appre- 
ciated. 



434 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



From the United States' Economist. 

Steam Ships between New Orleans and 
Liverpool. 

The South is earnestly bestiring itself to 
establish a regular line of cominunicatioft 
with Europe. The prospectus is out of a 
new line of steamers, six in number, to run 
regularly between New Orleans and Liver- 
pool, touching at an Irish port, and proba- 
bly also calling at Havana. The Company 
is entitled the "British and American 
Southern Steamship Company," and is to 
commence operations with a capital of 



just now in such a position that she can 
afford to be liberal. Her trade is annually 
increasing to an immense extent, and she 
might lose even a very large slice of her 
present commerce and feel it but very little.. 
She is becoming very powerful too as a com-, 
mercial rival ; and it may be well for our 
Southern enterprisers to remember that she 
will considerably annoy them by her uncon- 
querable competition. 



$1,000,000, 



twenty thousand' shares, 



which are to be taken up equally in Eng- 
land and America. The vessels are to be 
first class propellers, constructed capable of 
making the passage within twenty-five days. 

It is gratifying to witness the quickening 
of Southern commercial enterprise, of which 
this undertaking and the formation of the 
Belgian Direct Trading Company are sub- 
stantial evidences j and, in the present case, 
the prospects of success are as encouraging 
as the spirit ( of enterprise is commendable. 
If the Southern States have had a danger, 
it has been in their confining themselves tco 
exclusively to the developing of the re- 
sources of their soil, whilst purely commer- 
cial enterprises have been neglected. 

This movement will tend undoubtedly to 
the diversion of a portion of the Southern 
trade of this city, and those who feel the 
consequences, will, of course, be no friends 
to the new enterprise. Such regrets, how- 
ever, are quite unavailing. If the mer- 
chants of New Orleans find it to their in- 
terest to transact their business directly with 
Europe they will unquestionably do so, and 
it is an unwise and selfish policy that would 
wish to see business take any other course. 
The true interest of the country lays in 
each section managing its own affairs in a 
manner most conducive to its own prosper- 
ity. If New Orleans thinks she can ad- 
vance her interests better by trading on her 
own account, why who would not say let her 
dissolve the partnership now existing be- 
tween her and New York. We shall be ex- 
ceedingly sorry to lose a customer so wealthy 
and prompt;* but if it should prove that we 
must do so, we shall not. turn cross and 
slight her praiseworthy efforts at indepen- 
dence, but wish her goodie and good luck, 
and turn our attention to the cultivation of 



For the Southern Planter. 

Best Shape for a Maul— How to Feed 
and Train Work Oxen— Recommenda- 
tion of a New Ground Coalter— Reply 
to M\ C. Crenshaw, Esq. 

Lexington, Va., June 4th, 1860. 

Editor of the Southern Planter : 

Thinking the following facts, accumulated 
in between thirty and forty years experience 
as a farmer, may be of service to the public, 
I give them to you to dispose of as you may 
think proper. 

1st. With a maul, shaped as a mallet, a 
man can maul one fourth more rails than 
with the straight maul in ordinary use. 

2nd. Work 'oxen should be fed exclu- 
sively on the offal of the farm, such as corn 
stalks, shucks and wheat straw. If suffered 
to taste better food, they will not eat enough 
of the coarse food to keep them in working 
order. Great pains should be taken *in 
breaking them — to walk briskly and to trot 
with the empty cart, in going for a return 
load, by which much time is saved, and a 
much greater amount of work performed 
by the team. They should also be carefully 
trained to obey the word of command. I 
ihave seen a team of oxen so trained that 
the driver could pass them through a gate 
as far as they could hear his voice, without 
touching a post ; and he could, by word of 
command, make them move in a complete 
circle. This team would trot with an emp- 
ty cart, nearly as fast as horses, and would 
thus perform more work in a day than two 
teams broke in the usual way. Oxen broke 
and fed in the way recommended, are of 
more value on a farm, than either horses or 
mules, as they cost nothing to keep them, 
which more than compensates for the dif- 
ference in the amount of work performed 
by well broke oxen and horses, or mules. 

3rd. I would direct public notice also to 



some new source of demand. New York is an instrument used in Eastern Virginia, 



I860.] 



THE SOUTH BRN PLANTER. 



AVi 



1 the Dew ground ooalter. It is 
of a square bar of iron, about an inch wide, 
and fifteen inches in length, with a coalter 
bill, and strongly braced to the beam be- 
hind with an iron brace. It ihonld be 
worked with oxen, as horses are apt to fret 
at the sudden jerks and stoppages they en- 
counter in breaking up new ground. It 
will tear up and break all the smaller roots, 
and the ploughman should have a hatchet 
with him. to cut the larger roots. By the 
f this plough, I have known 70 acres 
of new ground got in and cultivated in a 
i, where the same force could not have 
got in and cultivated more than ten or fif- 
teen acres, by the old method of grubbing 
and hoeing. The implement is also used to 
open the beds for planting corn, by attach- 
ing two short mould boards to it. I have 
also known it used to run in the water fur- 
in corn fields in dry seasons with good 
effect. 

RClTiY TO MR. CRENSHAW. 

In the Whig of the 1st of June, I notice 
a letter communicated by you to the editors, 
from N. C. Crenshaw. Esq., in which he 
appears to have been led into a fatal error, 
by information derived, as he says, from an 
iienced farmer. This farmer informs 
him, that although unripe wheat may be 
safely put up wet, the same is not true with 
regard to ripe wheat. Now I can affirm 
from well tested experiment, that el 
the reverse is true, "fis true, that in both 
tflderable beat is generated from 
the wet straw, which dries both straw and 
grain; but with regard to the ripe wheat 
both straw and grain arc preserved, and the 
former, with so little injury, that horses ami 
cattle feed freely on it. I have had, I admit, 
no experience in putting up green wheat 
wet. but from what we know with regard to 
stacking green hay, we may safely Conclude 
that where ripe wheat would dry, without 
injury to the grain, or material injury to the 
straw, green wheat put up wet, would be apt 
to rot and result in a total 1 i j. re- 

nounce, with perfect certainty, that ripe 
wheat may be put up wet without dan. 
either grain or straw, which I am persuaded 
cannot be affirmed with regard to green 
wheat, tested by actual experiment, which 
is the only evidence worthy of considera- 
tion, on all subjects. One well at 
periment is much more to be relied on than 
the most plausible theorv. 

WM. GARNETT. 



P. B. — Cn a tommunication to the Whig 
I have corrected the error in which Mr. 
Crenshaw Beems to have been 

W. G. 



Fur tltc tihuthern Planter. 

Jl hi 5th, I- 
Dear Sir: — In your last number of the 
Planter "A Friend" wishes to know the. 
name and description of a bug or insect that 
propagates the vermin on his young fruit 
trees. He does not say what kind of 
they arc, but I presume them to be | 
trees, as 1 have seen the insect he describes 
on my own, but have never known thi 
attack the apple tree. I cannot tell him 
the name or give him a descri ption of the 
insect that produces the little bugs, but I 
think I can tell him something of more im- 
portance in regard to them, that is, a t 
dy or how to destroy them. I have tried it 
On my own trees, and have seen it tried (on 
my recommendation) by some of my neigh- 
bours with entire success. It is to sprinkle 
some amber (water in which tobacco has 
been steeped) on the trees, and sprinkle 
some fresh slacked lime on them while wet 
with the amber. If he should not succeed 
in destroying them the first time, t 
again, and I am sure he will not be troubled 
with them again that season. The lime 
probably would answer without the amber. 
ISome of my neigh 1 they hav 

stroyed them with lime alone, put on \ 
the trees were wet. 

TSYl.Y.W 



New Ventilator. 

A correspondent of the New York Tribune 
proposes a plan for ventilating rooms warmed 

res, which is as follows: Apply a 
cal pipe to the frunt of the chimney, into 
which the lower end should enter befow the 
stove-pipe, and the upper end approach within 
a few inches of the ceiling. In its open 
.1 air from the top of the room re 
down and into the chimney to till a partial 
vaccuurn occasioned by the draft from the 

stove-pipe above. By applying a damper to 

; e, its capacity may he ftdjui 
sired. — Annual of Scienlu 



Respect your whole kindred, so that you 
may display genuine harmony. 

He parteular in habits of economy, in or- 
der to be careful in the expenditure of 
money. 









436 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



[July 



for the Southern Planter. 

What Alderman Mechi says about Fat- 
tening Cattle on "Boards" instead of 
Bedding. 

Experience has shown that in order to 
succeed in farming, we must produce a 
much larger quantity of meat on our farms 
than at present, and at less cost. In order 
to do this advantageously, it becomes ne- 
cessary to consume a large portion of the 
straw of the farm, cut into chaff, and cook- 
ed with meal or ground oil-cake. We are 
thus deprived of the usual cattle bedding, 
and must find a substitute for the straw 
thus fed. The difficult question in agri- 
culture is, how to get the best return for 
your straw, your root and your green crops. 
My own' practice has convinced mc that 
this can best be done, by consuming much 
of the straw whilst feeding the root and 
green crops. This cannot be effected with- 
out steaming or cooking the straw, cut up, of 
course, into fine chaff and mixed with other 
materials, and given warm to the animals. 
The feeding of the straw crop being thus 
indispensable to profit, how shall we dis- 
pense with it for bedding ? My practice is 
to keep my animals on boards. Having 
practiced the system rather extensively, I 
will communicate to you the details of it ; 
observing, that although attended as every 
system must be with certain disadvantages, 
the balance of benefit is sufficiently consid- 
erable to induce me to continue and extend 
it. The quantity of stock I now have on 
boards is : lambs, 100 ; sheep, 50 ; calves, 
60; bullocks, 30; cows, 10;. pigs, 200. 
I arranged the floors of my stalls as fol- 
lows : I may say that the bars or planks 
may be either of straight yellow deals, 
or of straight-grained hard woods. The 
latter are to be preferred for heavy ani- 
mals, as they wear off the edges of the 
deals. The floors are set over pits from two 
to four feet deep. It is necessary, occa- 
sionally, to level the manure to prevent its 
touching the boards, as it would soften them 
and cause them to break. 

Dimensions of the Planlcs of the Floors. 
Inches Inches Space 
thick. wide. between. 
Inches. 
For Bullocks, 3 4 1$ 

" Sheep,. l£ 3 ]£ 

" Pi^s, l£ 3 \\ 

ii Small pigs and 

lambs, 1$ 3 1 

" Calves, 2 3 If 



The area allowed for each animal and its 
feeding apparatus is, in my practice as fol- 
lows, (though Mr. "Worms uses boxes 8 
feet by 9 feet for a pair of bullocks, weigh- 
ing when fat 40 to 50 score) : 

Areas allowed each Animal in superficial 
feet. 

Small sheep, 8 square feeU 

Large do 10 " 

Small bullocks 30 to '40 " 

Large do , 50 to 60 " 

Small pigs, 6 to 8 " 

Large do 9 to 11 " 

I should say that we never sweep the 
floor; but the animals are perfectly clean. 
Of course the manure is taken from under 
the boards direct to the field, without the 
intervenient expense of double carting, 
shooting, or turning over of a dung-heap. 
The effect on the crop is unmistakable. 
One man on my farm feeds and entirely at- 
tends to 250 pigs. It would require two 
men on the old straw-bed system. Our 
pigs are never cramped now. Formerly, 
they used to be, owing to the manure heat- 
ing under them, and the cold giving those 
parts rheumatism. 

One stout lad, at 3s. 6d. per week, will 
feed and attend to 30 bullocks ; another at- 
tends to 60 growing calves. Before I leave 
the boarded floors, I must jconfess that I 
never like the look of those animals so well 
on them as I do on a little mountain of 
clean straw, or a nice .green pasture. But 
this is not a question of fancy, but profit, 
and I am quite sure that the system is very 
advantageous. It is true we like a soft bed, 
and so do the animals ; but our medical ad- 
visers recommend hard ones. 

As soon as the bullocks are transferred to 
these floors, they seem quite astounded ; 
their performance is pitiable and ludicrous. 
The sense of danger and insecurity is very 
apparent, and they seem afraid to move. 
Still their appetite does not fail them. All 
their excrement, solid as well as liquid, 
passes readily through the openings into the 
receptacle below. But will they lie down ? 
Certainly not. For twenty-four hours they 
resolutely maintain this standing, with 
rare exceptions. I then spread a light fork- 
ful or net-work of straw under them, and 
in a few minutes they are all comfortably at 
rest. The straw soon works through the 
openings, and now they repose comfortably 
on the bare boards. 



I860.] 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



4:;: 



The bulloeks on these open floors arc 
cleaner than those on the straw, although 
Che former are never swept. The heavy 
pressure forces the liquid to the surface 
through the layers of straw in the latter, 
and keeps the animals wet. When the 
open boards are first tried, there is nothing 
pleasing to the grazier's eye, especially 
when compared with the unlimited supply 
of the ordinary straw sheds. The edges of 
the boards are new and sharp, and the fre- 
quent lifting of the foot indicates fear and 
discomfort. In lying down and rising up, 
the sharp edges probably give pain/ but in 
two or three weeks all this passes off, the 
edges get smooth, and you will find your 
animals lying in various and easy positions. 

I attach great importance to these open 
floors; they will enable us to keep almost 
any quantity of stock. The manure re- 
quires no turning or fermenting ; there is 
no expense of littering or frequent removal, 
and no loss of ammonia by fermentation. 
The comfort is great in every respect. 
Some of my pigs and sheep have been six 
weeks over my liquid manure-tank without 
the slightest symptom of ill health, although 
I feared it when I made the trial. Gyp- 
sum is strown on the boards every morning. 
Burned earth is an essential auxiliarily 
to boarded floors. About a peck of gyp- 
sum to ten bullocks is enough, sprinkled 
every morning on the boards is highly 
necessary and beneficial. Every manger 
should have a large lump of rock salt, and 
a water-trough always supplied'; the ani- 
mals will not drink more than what is 
proper. The same remark applies to pigs 
and sheep. 

There is a very powerful development 
of the muscles on boards — so much so, that 
in fattening pigs, not bred on the boards, I 
have known some of them to get capped 
hocks. It is surprising how quickly you 
may fatten young pigs on these boards. 
They find it inconvenient to run about, and 
so divide their time between eating and 
sleeping — a most agreeable operation for 
the account-book. 

There can be no doubt the animals are 
perfectly healthy on these floors. Consid- 
ering the confinement and heat, this rather 
surprises me, especially with the pigs fed 
entirely on meal ; for the effluvia from 
under them certainly is powerful enough 
to discolour the paint. 

Another question connected with the 



boards system is the fly question. Where 
you have a plenty of food, warmth and 
stock, you will have abundance of flii^. 
My bullocks could never lie down in the 
day time, owing to their attacks ; and, of 
course, the continued lifting of their 
prevented fattening. By darkening the 
feeding-houses, I entirely removed this nu- 
isance, and had the gratification of putting 
my animals in a most profitable state of re- 
pose; for if ^m have ten millions of flies, 
not one will Bite in the dark. 

Mr. Mechi said at Hadleigh, u He had 
all his animals on boards, and was ex- 
tending the operation ; and he assured the 
society they would succeed, as he had done, 
in making better manure, more manure, 
and more meat, by having their animals on 
boards, instead ' of putting them on straw 
and removing that straw after it had been 
worked into muck, and turning it over and 
re-carting it after it had lost many of its 
soluble properties. Instead of that, let 
them take the pure excrement from the an- 
imals*, carry it on the soil, and plow it in, 
and he was sure their crops eo treated would 
exceed those grown with the primest guano. 
He should naturally be asked, what he did 
with his straw? He replied, "Eat it," 
that was, he let the cattle eat it, and he 
could keep four times as much stock. He 
could assure them, that if they increased 
their stock in proportion, taking care to add 
something better to the straw, they would 
get more manure, of a better quality, and 
grow more grain. He thought, also, that 
they did not manage their cattle well ; that 
was, that they did not administer their food 
in the best mode. He was convinced that 
one-half the food administered in the usual 
way, passed through the animal undigested. 
This led to tire consideration whether it 
would pay farmers to administer a smaller 
amount of food perfectly available to the 
stomach of the animal. He must think 
they were making a great mistake in giving 
so much food to their animals, or so great 
waste. A bullock would not put on more 
than two pounds of meat per day, probably 
not more than one, and the average, very 
likely, would not be more than one and a 
half; a stone per week, 10 lbs., would be 
lOd. a day. If they gave that animal 2s. 
worth of food, which was often done, he 
could not pay for it. He might make ma- 
nure in return for his food, but it was im- 
possible that he could pay for more thau a 



438 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



given quantity. He repeated that his ani- 
mals were all on boards. He assured them 
that the animals neither required grooming 
nor bedding, and it was one of the beauties 
of this principle, that they might have a 
thousand bullocks, hogs, or sheep on boards, 
and they would require neither sweeping, 
littering, or attending to in any way beyond 
Ihe mere act of feeding them; yet they 
would be as clean as possible, and fit for a 
lady's drawing-room. He was- often asked 
by those who came to look at his animals, 
— bullocks, pigs and sheep, — " How often 
do you sweep the floor V " Not at all ; 
they sweep it themselves." He assured 
them, that by the addition of a little gyp- 
sum on the boards, the ammonia was per- 
fectly fixed, there was no disagreeable 
smell at all, and the manure was taken 
away at intervals, just as it might be 
wanted. 



The Sun. 

" The sun, the great awakener of* life' 
the king of nature, shoots his burning rays 
every day athwart the face of the waters. 
He causes the invisible vapours to rise, 
which, lighter than the air itself, unceasing- 
ly tend to soar into the atmosphere, filling 
it and constituting within it another aque- 
ous atmosphere. In their ascending move- 
ment, they encounter the colder layers of 
the higher regions of the atmosphere 
which perform the part of coolers. They 
are condensed in vesicles, that become visi- 
ble under the form of clouds and fogs 
Then, borne along by the winds, whether 
invisible still, or in the state of clouds, they 
spread themselves over the continents, and 
fall in abundant rains upon the ground 
which they fertilize. All the portion of 
the' atmospheric waters not expended for 
the benefit of the plants and of the animals, 
nor carried off anew into the atmosphere by 
evaporation, returns by the springs and 
rivers to the ocean whence it came. ,; 



order 



Instruct the rising generation, in 
to check evil habits and practices. 

Put down false speaking and accusation, 
so that you may protect and rescue the 
honest and innocent. 

Set the highest estimate possible on aca- 
demical learning, so that you may advance 
the scholar. 




%\t jiffuijwn planter. 



RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. 



A Holiday Trip among the Farmers. 

We have lately had the pleasure of visiting 
some very kind friends of the " Southern Plan- 
ter," in the counties of Albemarle, Augusta and 
Rockbridge j and* as we shall ever look back to 
this visit as a season of unalloyed happiness to 
us, we propose to speak of what we saw as the 
means of letting our friends there know that we 
have not forgotten them, and of communicating 
" the News" of that fine agricultural region of 
our State, to the readers of the Planter every- 
where. 

We had a regular holiday, and felt inclined to 
make the most of it, as it has been a long, long 
time, since we enjoyed a similar benefit, and if 
inclination alone had been consulted, we should 
scarcely have set out for home, until we had 
"no where else to go to." Here it is all work, 
and every day in the week is so much alike, 
that it would be a difficult matter to tell Saturday 
from Monday, except that on the former there is 
more work to do than usual, and it does not so 
often rain as it used, to do when we were a school- 
boy. We were very much gratified at the kind- 
ness we received, which was of that cordial, 
unselfish sort that one may expect from the 
farmers of Virginia wk-enever he enters their 
abodes. We were told that we should do as we 
pleased, and we cannot help saying, " sub rosa," 
that we at once communicated this fact to our 
"better half," as affording her a hint of the ex- 
istence of a species of restraint which would 
frequently be salutary to our dispositions. 

Of course it pleased us to see all the horses, 
cows, sheep, hogs, crops, &c, that we possibly 
could, for we cannot help being particularly in- 
terested in all of these things. 

We visited first, Mr. S. W. Ficldin near Char- 
lottesville, who is well known to the readers of 
the Planter, as au enthusiastic admirer and 
breeder of fine horses and cattle. We found his 



I860.] 



Til B SOUTH BEN V L A NT BR. 






;ul;il animal> ; among 

them bis tine Morgan stallion "Black Hawk''— 
a horse of groat powatr and speed, combined 

with beauty — a splendid " Ahdallah" marc — a 
filly by "old Ml;' ' ami a lo1 pf heauti- 

nil colts oi' Morgan, ami " Cleveland Bay" blood. 

Aiikiiij! the cattle we noticed a \ v,y large ami 

handsome Durham Bull. Some Short Hum 
Cows which Mr. F. brought from Kentucky feast 
year, and several handsome Devons. We alto 
noticed some tine "Chester" pig* These were 

all line of their class, but no better than - his 
large, powerful, riding horse, which for strength, 
appearance and excellence of gaits, we have 
rarely seen equalled. 

After a ride to Monticello, and the University 
of Virginia, both of which are objects of deep 
interest to us, we .took the Cars for Ivy Depot, 
and made our way to the hospitable mansion of 
Dr. John R. Woods, who is also a public spirited 
breeder of fine stock. We spent several most 
delightful days with the Dr., who has a beauti- 
ful and highly cultivated farm. We employed 
our time in looking at the various fine specimens 
of blooded stock — fields of luxuriant orchard 
grass and clover, and in talking on agricultural 
matters generally. 

Dr. Woods has imported from England a no* 
ble specimen of the Cleveland Bays — a Stal- 
lion, rightly named "Symmetry," five years old 
this spring. We saw him soon after his arrival 
in this country last fall, and were amazed to 
find him so much grown and improved since 
that time. He is very large, notwithstanding 
which, he has a ver; I stylish carriage, 

and is one of the smoothest and mos*t rapid walk- 
ers, we have ever seen. We hope the Dr. will 
have him trained to harness, for we should 
from the action displayed in his walk, that 
he would become a fine trotter with proper 
handling. We found in the pastures some very 
fine Brood mares with Colts — the get of Mr. R. 
H. Dulany's imported Cleveland "Scriving- 
ton,"' and to HarelQck," (imported by Dr. Woods, 
and since sold to some gentlemen in the South) 
— a large flock of sheep, pure Costwolds. and 
South Downs crossed with Cotswold. Thte was 
the finest flock of Sheep we ever saw ; among 
them was an imported Cotswold Ram, of such 
size that we had the curiosity to measure him, 
and found his length from the top of his eyes, to 
the root of his tail to be four feet ten inches — 
his girth behind the shoulders, four feet six in- 
ches, and his width across the shoulders twenty 



inches. His wool had been closely sheared, so 

that tl Bmenl given above, i-. tb 

■ 

ored, w« suppi tot infei toi to him. 

\\\- I ■ . \. 

Tobacco grounds foT this y 

so thoroughly pulverized and manured, tl. 

UO longer wondered irlnj it \v;is that the- ipiality 
of his last . ood. 

This neighbornood is a particularly successful 
Tobacco growing section, lying on Ivy Creek ; 
the soil a rich ehoeolate clay, retentive- of 
ures, and well adapted to all of our staple 
On every farm, we saw line held- of grass, and 
we thought it a shame that Virginia should bring 
from the North, her supplies of hay, when she 
can grow it of much better quality, than that 
furnished by the North. The wheat <yop if a 
perfectly disheartening failure throughout this 
region, as it is also in most of our State, and this 
has so often been the case of late years, that we 
believe the best thing the farmers of the lime- 
stone region could do, would be to raise hay in 
its stead. We have recently seen Baled hay, 
raised in Orange county, sold in this market at 
$1 45 per hundred pounds, and in less than 
twenty-four hours after its arrival. Would it not 
pay the farmers of Albemarle, Augusta and 
Rockbridge, to raise hay instead of Wheat ? We 
think it would. Near Ivy Depot are the farms 
of the Messrs. Garth, Gilmer, Southall, Noland, 
Colston, McGee, and others, all of them first rate 
lands, and if Tobacco was raised as a general 
thing all over the State, as it is among 1 1 1 - - 
tlemen of Ivy Creek neighbourhood, we don't 
think "EzekieFs Haw Restorative' could save 
us from becoming a bald headed set, i. e. if 
trouble produces baldness and it is as trouble- 
some a crop there, as it is in Henrico. We saw 
on one farm, a "Tobacco patch' 1 of sixty 
" or thereab< I 

The more if the country, the m. 

were pleased, and the more we felt it to be ex- 
cusable for FtryaaaeM to be proud of the Old 
Dominion — having within her own booh 

element riiy and greai 

We proved to our heartfelt satisfaction 'he j 
of her claim to unlimited hospitality, ami kind- 
ness to the stranger within her gates. 

The various Colleges and Schools of this 
charming section of the State, are in a very flour- 
ishing condition. The "chairs"' being til! 
the University of *~irginia. the Virginia Military 
Institute and Washington College, by men of tab 



440 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



[July 



ent, energy, and administrative ability, it is now 
well known that those persons who bear off their 
Diplomas from these Institutions, are not the re- 
cipients of mere " empty honors," but only wear 
the laurels they have fairly won. 

The "Military Institute" should be ever fos- 
tered and cherished by the State, since our 
young men are there furnished with a thorough 
education for the mind, and the body comes in 
for a course of training well adapted to promote 
the health and strength of the " Cadet," and to 
make him useful to the Commonwealth whene- 
ver she wants him for her defence. 

Applications are pouring in from all quarters 
for admission into the Corps of Cadets ; and it 
has become necessary to enlarge the buildings 
and accommodations. We were very glad to 
hear from Col. Smith, and Major Gilham that a 
gentleman of another State, had generously added 
Ten Thousand Dollars to Col. Cocke's gift of 
Twenty Thousand to the "Institute" — in order 
that her boundaries may be enlarged in propor- 
tion to her usefulness. The same gentleman now 
offers if Virginia citizens will give a similar sum, 
to increase his donation by ten thousand dollars 
more. We hope sincerely that Virginia " will 
cover his pile" and " go" many thousands " bet- 
ter." 

In conclusion, we beg permission to offer to 
all the good friends we met in our trip, our heart- 
felt thanks for their kindness to us. We shall 
be glad to repay them " in kind," as far as we 
can, and whenever they will afford us the op- 
portunity. May prosperity and happiness ever 
attend them. 



The Crenshaw Wcfolen Company. 

A Woolen Company under the" above title has 
been incorporated, with a capital stock of $130,- 
000 and located in the City of Richmond. 

The Corporators are Messrs. Frank G. Ruffln, 
Lewis D. Crenshaw, Purcell, Ladd & Co., Cren- 
shaw & Co., Mitchell & Tyler, Joseph Brummel, 
George D. Fisher, John H. Montague, John Cur- 
rie, Jr., Joseph F. Powell, Goddin & Apperson, 
Smith & Harwood and John Waterhouse, — an 
association of gentlemen whose integrity of 
character, loyalty to the South, and zealous de- 
votion to the interests of Virginia, afford a cer- 
tain guaranty that the enterprise they have un- 
dertaken, for her liberation from humiliating 
vassalage and dependence upon the North, will 
not only be conducted upon patriotic principles, 
but with an enlarged liberality^ which will com- 
mend their establishment to public confidence, 
and with such intelligence, perseverance, and 



economy as must result in the successful achiev 
meat of the objects of the association. In proof 
of what we have said, let us advert to the or- 
ganization of the company, that it may be seen 
what a high order of business capacity and com- 
mercial and general intelligence has been put in" 
requisition for the administration and direction 
of the affairs of the company. 

The following gentlemen have been elected 
to the offices they respectively fill : 

Lewis D. Crenshaw, President. 

Wellington Goddin, "] 

P. W. Harwood, f ., ,-.. . 

John H. Montague, f other ^ rectors ' 

Samuel P. Mitchell, J 

Crenshaw & Co., General Agents for the pur- 
chase of wool and for selling the manufactures 
of the company and 

John Waterhouse, Superintendent. 

Mr. Waterhouse, has given practical proof of 
his fitness for the post which has beed assigned 
him. He had the charge of the Woolen Mill 
which was burnt here in 1853, for a year or two 
previous to that event, and had succeeded by 
his good management in getting it in a condition 
for successful and profitable operation when the 
fire occurred. 

The Company will use the Crenshaw flour 
mills, replacing the milling apparatus which has 
been removed, by the most approved machinery 
for the manufacture of woolen fabrics, adapted 
to Southern trade. 

Operations will be commenced early in July 
with the manufacture of nearly every descrip- 
tion of woolen goods that are wanted in Virgi- 
nia and the South, from the best coarse cloth for 
negro clothing to the finest fabrics for gentle- 
men's wear. 

The general agents will purchase all kinds of 
wool from the coarsest grades, up to the finest 
saxony. We are informed, they have already 
purchased over 50,000 lbs. of Virginia wool, and 
wish to get their whole supply of her native 
growth if practicable. They will pay "outside 
prices" for their raw material and will sell their 
goods at fair rates, that is, " upon the live and 
let live principle." They expect to use in the 
next twelve months 200,000 lbs. of wool, and if 
their efforts shall be met by a correlative move- 
ment on the part of the merchants and consum- 
ers of Virginia, who have committed, themselves 
to the policy of protecting home industry and 
direct foreign trade, the company will so add to 
their machinery as to increase their consump- 
tion of wool to 300,000 pounds per annum. It 
ie needless to add anything more, and yet we 



I860.] 



Til I SOUTH BBN PL A NTK11. 



441 



the Pi Slper- 

in tend* in and Corporators m sueh 

nmple assurance ol 1 1 1 « - most satisfactory ami 

faithful fulfilment of the obligations they have 

D their relation t.» the South and t<» 
I the company the manifestation on 
the part of Virginia at least, a full sonse of re- 
a in her relation to them. 



Hogs— Different Breeds. 

Our opinion has lately been so often asked in 
relation to the breeds of twine best adapted to 
ants of the farmer, that we have -concluded 
iWM through the columns of the " Plan- 
ter, " and thereby avoid the necessity of writing 
many letters. A good judge of swine, said in 
a letter published sometime ago in one of our 
agricultural exchnnges, that the best form a 
bog could have to indicate a profitable carcass, 
would " closely resemble a round log, with four 
pin* stuck in it to rcpreo en t the lege, with a 
small head and tail added to it."' This would 
undoubtedly prove a good model, and might 
boast of ps good hams as some of the "hickory 
bams" of which everybody has heard that have 
occasionally " been sent down South " in com- 
pany with " wooden nutmegs " and saw-dust 
cayenne pepper. 

The right kind of a hog for anybody to raise 
is one having a small head, a long round body, 
short legs, wide across tho shoulders, deep 
through tho chest, with a full round ham and 
broad back. It is important to avoid in Breed- 
ing Sows a very dished face, (which makes the 
and countenance look very much like that 
of the bull dog.) as they are when thus marked, 
almost invariably bad nurses and deficient in 
instinct. 

There are several breeds of "improved hogs," 
all of which are good, when carefully bred ; i. 
e., when only the best of the pigs in a litter are 
turned out for breeders. Any breed will rapidly 
deteriorate if cave is not taken in selecting" L) . 

The Chester County Hog is the favorite breed 
of all those who desire great size. 

They are unequalled, we think, for producing 
large meat (" middlings" particularly) fur farm 
laborors; but they are not well suited for "fam- 
ily bacon." The only objection we have to 
them is, that the sows are white, and generally 
too large. This, hewever, is regarded by many 
only as a matter of taste, for white bogs are 
usually more popular than black. 



We pi for black hogs, only b< y are 

not at all liable • bile white 

will have it, unless very great care is tal. 
D1 it. 
As a mere item of I. canty, a white or *■; 
color is certainly desirable ; but the blackest 
hog is usually black only through the scarf skin, 
which polls off when loaldetl. W« h 

suffering with mange, nor 

r owned a white one that failed to have 
it. For this reason our individual preference 
into the '■ Improved Berkshire, the Skin- 
ner or Neapolitan, and the Essex ores 

The Sujfolks are beautiful animals, of hand- 
some proportions, with a great tendency to take 
on fat — very thin hair, and a scarf skin so deli- 
cate as to be easily peeled oil' by the sun. For 
our own use we would prefer any of the other 
breeds named. 

The Black Berkshire, when well bred, we re- 
gard as the mott beautiful of all hogs, and it 
must have been one of this breed who formed 
the subject of the old song, "There was a lady 
loved a swine,'' &c. 

We have heard butchers object to them as 
opening badly when slaughtered, and that the 
intestinal fat had a peculiar blue color. Of the 
truth of the assertion we know nothing. They 
are easily fattened, and are quiet and thrifty in 
certain habits. This may be true of all the im- 
proved breeds, except the C^hcster — of which, the 
thorough-bred are unquestionably the bent 

The "Skinner- . mv common in the 

vicinity of Richmond some twelve or lifteeu 
years ago, but have almost entirely dieappc 
They were, in fact, the Neapolitan, and took their 
m Virginia and Maryland from the late 
John S. Skinner, who first introduced them, and 
who was a lir>t rate judge as well as an ardent 
admirer of every kind of blooded stock. 

The Essex have sprung from a cross of the 
iitan with the : -hire, it is said. 

They have inherited the thin hair and coal black 
skin of the Neapolitan, and by judicious breed- 
Lined foin the mder 
n ami ham. with eiariicr maturity. V- 
garil them as chiefly valuable for crossing with 
larger and coarser-boned stock, and have found 
the cross with the Chesters a good one, while one 
or two crosses, which we have tried with the 
.ire, disappointed us — the produce having 
as a general thing the characteristic marks of 

without any in- 
crease of size. The Suffolk and Essex hogs are 
perhaps smaller than any other of the improved 



442 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July 



breeds ; but always weigh well in proportion to 
bulk of carcass, as they are very compact. 

The Irish Grazier is a good hog, but so scarce 
as to make it hardly worth while to mention 
them. 

The Improved Hampshire is a finely formed 
hog. The only objection xve could urge against 
them is, that they are so often white. Whenever 
we have seen a black or spotted one we have 
admired it greatly. Mr. Peyton Johnston of 
this city imported in 1856 some of this stock 
from the Duke of Buford's estate, Gloucester, 
England. The breed is a compound of the Es- 
sex, the Chinese, the Neapolitan and the im- 
proved Berkshire races, the large old English 
Hampshire being the foundation upon which the 
improved Hampshire was based. To those who, 
like ourselves, object to white hogs, we may say, 
by the way, that Mr. Johnston has now some dark 
spotted sows, which are beauties. One of them, — 
Princess by name,— -we particularly remember 
as the winner of a good many premiums, and as 
looking like just what a hog ought to be. 

It is better to raise hogs of a good breed, if you 
raise them at all, than to be bothered with the 
mean, roguish, old fashioned "alligator" and 
"land-pike," unless like an old acquaintance of 
ours, you are fond of fresh meat. He used to 
say that he liked the "Possum-faced" breed of 
hogs better than any other, because he was fond 
of fresh meat, and cou kl swear that they were one- 
half face and the other half legs at the time they 
were put up to fatten, so that every ounce of 
flesh on their bodies at "killing-time" was of 
recent manufacture, and exactly suited his taste. 

In raising swine— -we repeat it— -the breeders 
should be selected of good form, no matter by 
what name they may be distinguished, and the best 
and only such of every litter of pigs should be 
"turned out" for that purpose. 

To those who believe that "the breed is all in 
the corn crib," we would say, try a fair experi- 
ment with a "possum face" and one of any 
of the "improved breeds," both to be fed with 
the same kind and quantity of grain or slop, and 
see for yourselves what the result will be. We 
say in advance, "blood will tell." 



Our friend, Gray Boulware, of Bowling 
Green, Caroline county, will please accept our 
thanks for a very fine Berkshire pig, which has 
just arrived. She does credit to her family, 
all of whom boast of a long line of ancestors of 
high blood. 



Underdraining. 

The principles of philosophy upon which the 
advocates of this system of agricultural improve- 
ment base their theory are too well established, 
both by scientific deductions and practical de- 
monstration, to require further discussion. — % 
Whilst, however, the most incredulous are in- 
disposed to acknowledge the ameliorating in- 
fluences which underdraining has upon the 
soil, and the benefits which the growing crops 
derive therefrom, yet its general adoption as a 
part and parcel of our system of farming de- 
pends in a great measure upon the progress of 
invention in developing some mode by which 
the labor of underdraining will be expedited, 
and cheapened. This, like every other step in 
the onward march of agricultural improvement, 
is in advance of the age, and must await a like 
progress in the mechanical arts to render its 
application practicable. The cost of under- 
draining deters many who are convinced of its 
beneficial effects from attempting it, even on a 
small scale, and much valuable land in our 
State is, from this fact, permitted to lie out as 
reservoirs of stagnant water, and homes for frogs 
and reptiles, that, under the ameliorating system 
of drainage, would become the most valuable 
meadow and pasture land. 

The beneficial influence of drainage is not 
confined only to low, wet, or marshy lands, but 
similar advantage (although not to so great an 
extent) results from the thorough underdraining 
of apparently high, dry land, particularly where 
the character of the soil is of a stiff', cloggy tex- 
ture, and consequently very retentive of water. 
With the present facilities, however, of under- 
draining, but few persons are willing to incur 
the heavy expense of underdraining, except 
where it is indispensable for the reclamation of 
swampy or marsh lands. As a system for the 
improvement of lands, and the augmentation of 
crops, we cannot hope for its general introduc- 
tion and appreciation until the cost can, by 
mechanical operation, be brought within the 
means of the farmer of limited capital. That 
this may and will be done we have no doubt* 
The mole-plan is an approximation that savors 
of final success,. although now subject to objec- 
tions. A late invention, for which a patent has 
been granted to the inventor, Mr. F.B. Scott, of 
Buffalo, claims the attention of the public, and 
if it is all that the patentee claims for it, surely 
we may congratulate the agricultural world upon 
a triumph of mechanics in the saving of labor, 
as important in its results to the amelioration of 



I 






T'l i: SOUTH ERN P lanti: n. 



M3 



H lit of iu produ 

the propelling power of 
• nitting the Interchai 

rnoilit 

utility in iu lication, we can only 

I llowing 11 

: I ulv Enquirer," which we 

transfer to our column*, thai our readers may 
their own estimate of its peculiar virtues. 

c. 

scott's automaton excavator. 

This is BU invention for which a patent has 
been grnnt- r. B. 8 of this city, and 

which deserves more than a passing notice. 
"M . v ,tt ha- now on exhibition, at his shop. 
:". I Main stre< working model, 

beautifully finished, which better illustrates the 
Ition than any description which could be 

n a paper. We were much interested in 

our examination of it, and are happy to find 
that .• ring such flattering testimonials 

from so many men whose judgment stands high 
in the community. 

\V thin the last few years, much attention is 

beginning to be paid to the System of thorough 

ige, as a in oniplishing the most 

remarkable results in the improvement of farm 

The ^rcat difficulty in the way of its 

general adoption is. its being so expensive an 

taking, although when once accomplished, 
it proves a very profitable investment. Any- 
thing which tends to reduce the cost of thorough 
drainage will tend to its more rapid introdue- 

also, the more there is done, the more the 
ill be redi l example: drain tile, 

which are now furnished at ten dollars 
thousand, can. when the demai: - more 

at, be as easily sold f»r i\\c. If. in the 
m equal saving could be e; 
in cutting the trenches tor receiving the tile, 
which is now done by manual labor, the 
draining would be reduced nearly one half. Mr. 
Scott claims that, by his machine, this can be 
accomplished; and he certainly is sustained by 
the opinio;; of the best practical and 

scientific men in the city. 

In describing the advantages of the machine, 
we will let Mr. Scott speak for himself: 

"There :i s, rotated on a wheel 

which makes ta minute. If 

spade should cut at an edrance of half an 
inch, it woidd give six inches advance at a rev- 
olution, which, at the rate of tv utions 
per minute, would give six feet advai. 
minir at hour, or nearly 220 rods 
per •' id one-third for stoppage', and 

50 rods per day, with a two-l: 
and three men; which, if it were four (bet deep, 
would take from thirty to forty men to :• 
plish in the same time by manual labor. The 
machine is adapted to work in the moel 

every part being made to clean itself. 
It brings up the earth, and. by a simple process, 
carries it oil" and deposits it on one side. It cuts 



the whole depth ' >ing over tin- ground' 

i 'Mr wheel 

without throwing any part out of. gear. 1 

OUt a trench for puttil 

removing one-half the quantity of earth i 

sary by manual labor. I: i that 

striking large stones will not br< 

the machinery, and ii sen dig out the smaller 

It admits of being built light and , 
hie, and at tin- tame time p great 

power. It i- simple in m< construction. I 
ide to move itself from one Iocs 

another, without any additional power. It ad- 
mits of being Worked by manual labor, like a 

i. or calori 
can be adapted to pi hing, and. 

to cutting sewers for city dm 
■gulated 00 determine 

the inclination or fall which shall be given to 
the trench below." 

Mr. Scott has forwsurded drawings ami specifi- 
cations to have it pate n ted m Europe. 



Error Corrected. 

To the Editor of the Southern Planter: 

In looking over the May number of the Plant- 
er, my attention was attracted by the heading 

-A Valuable Table," on page 284, in which the 
linear dimension! m measures are put 

down in figures. As your intention v. 
course, to give information, I take the liberty to 
say that they 'are all incorrect, except t!, 
and 5th — the barrel and the gallon. The Ith 
lie proper dimensions df B "half bushel," 
and not of a M peck." 

The others are entirely wrong. 

SUBSCRIBER. 

//me. LSI 



Remarks BY the EdROB. — We are much in- 
debted liber'" for the above commu- 
nication, calling our attention to the palpable 
errors contained in the short article, entitll 
Valuable Table, - ' transferred to our page.- (with, 
out the lea- ) from 
one of our exchanges. 

In regard to the half bushel and peck, wo 
'. ttle doubt but that the original con. 
tained corr <>f both, and t!. 

close « ^raph in relation to the peck 

misapplied to that the half 

bushej, and the balance of it omitted by some 
printer, through whose hands it ha 

g of our i apply the sen i 

mode of expunction to the Srti 

eferred to 1 i't the 

following corrected copy, with lb -tored 

to the place it ought to have occupied in that 
article, whl pi M WiW l>e found valuable 

to many of them ." 



444 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



[July 



\% 



A VALUABLE TA.BLE. 

[Corrected from May number, page 284.] 

A box 24 inches by 16 inches square, 28 inch- 
es deep, will contain a barrel — five bushels. 

A box 24 inches by 16 inches square, 14 inch- 
es deep, will contain half a barrel. 

A box 24 inches by 16 inches square, 5.6 inch- 
es deep, will contain a bushel. 

A box 12 inches by 11.2 inches square, 8 
inches deep, will contain half a bushel. 

A box 12 inches by 11.2 inches square, 4 
inches deep, will contain a peck. 

A box 8 inches by 8 inches square, 4.2 inches 
deep, will contain a gallon. 

A box 4 inches by 8 inches square, 3.9 inches 
deep, will contain, within a small fraction, half 
a gallon. 

A box 4 inches by 4 inches square, 4.2 inches 
deep, will contain one quart. 



Dr. John N. Powell's Farm. 

In the latter part of May, shortly after our 
June number had gone to press, which accounts 
for the late appearance of this notice, we spent 
an afternoon, with a few friends who accompa- 
nied us, at the hospitable mansion of Dr. John 
N. Powell, six or eight miles from this city. We 
there saw, in the order and arrangement of his 
farm, very much to excite in us the most favora- 
ble impression of his judicious and skillful 
management. The doctor has a compact and 
picturesque farm of more than seven hundred 
acres, bordering the Chickahominy, including 
rather over one-fourth part of rich bottom land 
of that famous river, and with the exception of 
a field in front of his dwelling, which is level 
enough to have required, in his judgment, the 
ditches which traverse it, the balance, highland, 
consisting of graceful undulations and gradual 
and lengthened slopes, affording ample natural 
channels for its drainage, with very few, if any, 
exceptional cases of exposure to the too precipi- 
tous discharge of surface water, and consequent 
detrition of the soil. We saw neither gall nor 
gulley to mar the beauty of the landscape; and 
if the doctor found such on his entering into 
possession of the premises, we can well imagine 
that he lost no time in burying the loathsome 
spectacle out of sight. 

The soil of the upland is of a stiff, tenacious 
clay, but not without a sufficiency of sand, suita- 
bly to adapt it to wheat. It was, as we suppose, 
naturally infertile, and hard to cultivate, but if 
such was the case, its present improved con- 
dition on'y affords the higher testimonial of the 
skillful administration of the proprietor, who 



has successfully conquered all these natural 
disadvantages, and removed them out of the 
way. The chief element of this improvement 
is the farm-pen, where no means ^are neglected 
for producing and preserving the largest amount 
of putrescent manures, which the careful hus^ 
bandry of all the resources of the farm will 
allow. 

The stables, cow-sheds, straw-racks, corn- 
house, barn, &c, and the construction and inclo- 
sure of the stock-yard, are all models of their 
kind, and we recommend them to the imitation 
of his neighbors. The crop of wheat, of which 
he sowed about two hundred bushels, and put it 
in with Bickford and Huffman's drill, a part 
with entire success upon pea-fallow, was magnifi- 
cent; it was just then fully headed, and promised 
an average yield of from 20 to 25 bushels per 
acre. The best portion of this wheat (for fine 
as it all was, it admitted of degrees of compari- 
son) was a new white variety, bearing the name 
of '' Bowers," which we thought could not fall 
much short of 30 bushels to the acre. 

After viewing the outbuildings, crops, &o 
without having seen the doctor's fine stock and 
splendid clover fields, which were too distaat 
for present inspection, but the quality of which 
we could not undervalue, for — reasoning a poste- 
riori — from effect to cause — the abundant speci. 
mens of the finest butter and richest milk and 
cream which fell under our observation, could 
be ascribed to nothing short of the existence of 
fine cattle and rich and abundant clover pastures. 
Returning from this general review, which we 
were reluctantly compelled to do, by the wane 
of day, we passed through his flourishing and 
exuberant strawberry beds, which had yielded 
their fifty and sixty quarts per day, (of the finest 
descriptions, for we know not how long,) and 
there were gathered and ready for market next 
morning about the same number of like mea- 
sure. 

During the balance of the time allotted to our 
very pleasant and instructive visit, we regaled 
ourselves at the social board, loaded with the 
choicest of creature comforts, where we had 
reason to know that the skill and housewifery 
of our obliging hostess would suffer no dispar- 
agement by comparison with the good manage- 
ment displayed by our gentlemanly and courte- 
ous host, in the successful administration of his 
department. 

We crave pardon for the freedom with which 
we have written. The fact is, we saw so much 
to approve and commend that we could not 



I860.] 



Til B BOUTH i:k\ PLANTER 



445 



withhold th" htl and if 

we have I 11 r fnem! 

which his modesty would have coin inn 

shrink. ifrieultuieJ 

irnood timt the lighi of In- example should 

e hidden under n bmlnd, for wn hold 

it to be u law of Dhrine eueetmonl that no man 

livelh unto him.»elf. hut If houinl to c- mtribute 

nf hii knowledge an I 

of all with whom he sustains the relation of 

Leiahbor. 



When to Harvest, and how to Shock 
Wheat. 

T late for its appearance in the Juno num- 
ber, the following communication was received 
pom X. C. Crenshaw, Eeq.j ami that the sug- 
na which it contains might bo published 
in time for this year's harve.-t, we availed OUT* 
of the kindness of the Editor of the 
to lay them before the public through the 
medium of that paper. The communication is 
mm copied from the Whig, as we deem it 
worthy of permanent record in the pages of 
urual for future reference. As Mr. Gar- 
nett thinks an experienced farmer has led Mr. 
.Crenshaw into what he considers a fatal error 
in regard to the greater safety of shocking, un- 
ripe than fully ripe wheat, when wet, we pub- 
lish in this number a communication from Mr. 
ling his views on the sub- 
ject. This communication is preceded by 
valuable suggestions by him on other 



lbbery Hill, Hanover. 
Friend Williams : 

In ootnpiiance with my promise, I send 

the following statement : 
Bome years ago, I hired a man to cut wheat 
iction. 1 disci 
him. As ho left the held where the hands were 
at work, he passed through a Onece of wheat 
that was just in the d and, being an- 

gry at being discharged, cut a row through the 
field. The seasen was a wet one, and tl 
attacked the field. When we came to r 
I found the row he cut and left on the ground, 
died, plump wheat, while all around it 

IS time back I saw a recommendation in 
the Planter from Garuett, to p ro cee d to cut 

and shock wheat in wet weather. As an ex- 
periment, I cut ;i I thirteen shocks of 
wheat, that was barely ripe, in a drizzling rain. 
Some days after, the weather became t\ 

d and dried ten of the shocks, fearing to 
risk so much. 1 found them keeping well. The 



remaining three sbooks eared and kept as well 

a- any lUOOkl I put up that s>-a 

I mentioned this circumstance '■> an ol I 
experienced farmer, who inform it the 

Wheal kepi beoeOSC it had not fully matured 

ami dried when cut. That when wheal be- 
came fully nid dry, it eould not be 
put up wet with. »ut spoiling, as it WOOid 
tainly heat nnd sprout, lb- further Said that In? 

it and shocked green wheal that cured 

well without being, opened* 

Last harvest, I cut and put up a lh< 
wheat in a very green State, which cured well ; 

Sin Was plump and line. Having I 
that seed wheat should always be allowed 10 

thoroughly ripeji before being cut, I kept that 

shock and sowed it to itself; it came up as 
well, and is now looking as well «s the 1 
my wheat, on the same quality of land. 1 I 

I Delude, l.-t. That it i-* be.-t to cut wheat 
that is likely to have the rust as soon as it is in 

the dough state; 2d« That it Is not sale to cut 

and shock wheat fully matured except when 
dry. 

I do not wish any farmer to do more the pres- 
•nt season than make experiments to test the 
truth of the above conclusions. 
Respectfully, 

N. C. CRENSHAW. 



Bell Haven, 



Acoomac Co., Va., 
June 1st, 1860. 



Editor of the Southern Planter, Richmond: 

Gent. — Have you any information why Cab- 
bages have the Big Root, and if so, what is the 
CaUse, and what the remedy ! I have a square 
in my garden that bad the Big Ro il las! 
in the early Cabbages, which I removed and 
then SOI out others for the fall which had no 
I >t. This spring I find iir the -ame square 
Big Root, and no Big Root in the next square 

adjoining, all manured alike, plants out of the 

same bed, from ' planted out at 

■lie time, mid worked alike. Please let 
me hear from you on the subject. 
Yours truly, 

A. J. Ward, I\ M. 



remarks by tub kdit.-r. 
We referred* Mr. Ward's inquiry to Mr- Rcn- 
M of our Baoet intelligent and experienced 
gardeners, whoes observation has impressed 

him with the opinion, that tho " Big R 
owing to the existence of sourness in the soil. 
He has heard it said that this has happen 
light, dry soft, but no such case ba9 come under 
■tion. 
Ws hare seen the same d 
berry plant, ami as in every instance it was de- 
veloped in wet soil, we had come to the con- 
clusion at which Mr. Rennie had arrived in 
relation to the Cabbage. Lime and drainage 



44G 



THE S0UTHE11N PLANTER. 



[July 



ire in our opinion the true remedy; but the 
Application of the lime without drainage would 
probably avail nothing. 



Mediterranean Wheat. 

Having heard that Mr. Peyton Johnston had 
a very fine field of Mediterranean wheat which 
we intended to have visited before harvest, 
but were disappointed, we applied to him 
for a memorandum of particulars respecting it, 
in response to which he has furnished the fol- 
lowing statement : 

" Field No. 1. — The grain was sown last Octo- 
tober, on ground that had been in potatoes. 
It was worked with a double plow, then har- 
rowed, when guano at the rate of 100 lbs. to the 
acre was scattered over and plowed in cross- 
wise with a single plow. The usual quantity 
of Mediterranean wheat was then sown broad- 
cast, and the land dragged and rolled. 

" Field No. 2, was in turnips last fall. It had 
been well manured for that crop. On my way 
to the Central Agricultural Fair last October, 
I observed that Mr. Bowe had sown wheat in 
the spaces between his turnip crop, which in- 
duced me to have the cultivator run between 
the rows of mine. I then had the wheat sown 
and dragged in with a single-horse harrow. 
This was done the first week in November. 
The wheat grew well, and looked as if sown 
by a drill machine. Both fields were grazed 
by the cows when the ground was hard, up to 
the 1st April, when they were again rolled. 
No. 2 being the best land, has the finest crop, 
the avarage yield is pronounced to be by judges 
about thirty bushels to the acre. The seed 
sown was from the produce of one bushel, had 
of Mr. David Landreth, of Philadelphia, in 
1858. The grain was imported that summer for 
him from Triest, and sold at $5 per bushel. 
The head is large and well filled with piuinp 
grains; the yield of straw is not much. 

" A sample of the seed can be seen at the 
Planter's Office, or at 115 Main street. 

"June 22d, 1860. P. Johnston." 



Acknowledgments. 

We omitted in our last to include in our notice 
of Mr. C. L. Flint's treatise on cattle, his able 
and extended report, as secretary, to the Massa. 
chusetts board of agriculture, and to tender him 
our thanks for a number of copies, (which we 
have distributed among our friends,) of his ad- 
mirable, illustrated tract on the cultivation of the 
grasses. We intended also to have acknow- 
ledged thankfully the receipt from C. L Bartlett, 
Esq., of Boston, of a copy of his pamphlet on 
the history • economy, as a manure ; and modes of 
applying Peruvian Guano on the farm and the 
garden, and copies of his republication of the 
above tract on the Grasses. 






Agents for this Journal. 

Mr. A. T. MOOKLAR is our Agent for th 
counties of Essex, King William, Caroline, King j 
and Queen and the lower part of Hanover, viz 
Hanover C. H. and Old Church post offices. 

Mr. EDGAR BURROUGHS, for Princess Anne 
county. 

Mr. ISAAC IRVINE HITE, traveling agent 
has bills against subscribers in the counties of 
Orange, Nelson, Amherst, Albemarle, Spotsyl 
vania, Stafford, King George, Louisa and Flu- 
vanna. 

Mr. J NO. P. JOHNSTON is our agent at Dan- 
ville. 

Mr. W. L. SMITH has, at present, bills against 
subscribers in the counties of Amelia, Powha- 
tan and Chesterfield. 

Mr. GEO. C. REID is agent for Norfolk coun- 
ty and vicinity. 

Mr. T. B. MONTAGUE is agent for Glouces- 
ter county. 



"Hospital for Slaves." 

Drs. Hancock, Peachy and Luckett, Proprietors 
For rates of charge for Board and Treatment 
see our advertising sheet. 

We call attention to this new establishment, j| 
where sick negroes are provided with comforta 
ble quarters, proper diet, nurses and medica 
treatment. The physicians are all well known 
here. Dr. Hancock is an old and valued frien 
of ours ; and we are very sure that the hospita 
and its in-mates will be thoroughly and properl 
attended to. 



The California Culturist. 

A monthly of 48. large octavo pages. W. 
Wadsworth, Secretary of the California Horti 
cultural Society, editor and proprietor. Town* 
and Bacon, printers, San Francisco. 

It contains a variety of useful and interesting! 
articles on agriculture, horticulture, &c, and iri 
its mechanical execution is a model of artistic 
taste and beauty. 



Mr. J. J. Hite's Land Agency. 

We desire to call attention to Mr. J. J. Hite's 
Land Agency advertisement. Mr. Hite has the 
advantage of an extensive acquaintance in his 
section of the State, and his business qualifica- 
tions ensure a faithful discharge of all duties 
entrusted to him. 






' 



THE S(H' Til KRX PL A NTER. 






Patent Well Curb. 
We parahaMd oi II. ll. Bmi loring 

the bi « ' ,!,,r ;i ] 

coTitris . I - W'. l; (' n\" : i ';. lor DM M 
ns it was set ever the mouth of the well. 

We found it very useful and oonvenieal then, 

nml it is doing . NT. 

Mr. Smith has since Improved tlio apnaratio, 
\dt it much Stronger, and affixed a 

••brake" 10 it, Which prevents the DUoket from 
running down the well if the haiulle should ac- 
cidentally slip from the grasp of the pi 
drawing water. 

This is to excellent contrivance, we think, 
and we wonld advise cnir country friend- 
amine it, If they should want anything of the 

kind. 

«■••»» 



rV. S. II. Baylor's farm, M 
vertising sheet for terms, \c. 

This farm is situated in a rapidly improving 
country, near navigable water and the 
Kiver Rail] 



Cattle's Tongues— Curry Combs. * 

The tongue of a cow or ox is suggestive. 
It is armed with a compact bed of spitfes, 
very rough to the touch, and adapted to a 
varic: . With this pliable member, 

'it draws grass beneath the teeth for crop- 
ping, and all Other articles of food when 

It comes in play in reach!; 
into the limbs of trees for foliage or fruit, 
or in reaching over walls and U I 
forbidden 

IB disturbing the hairnnd skin on all parts 
of the body within reach, and the iriac 
ble parts of the head are curried by mutual 
accommodation. No Bight is more common 



ound 
the root- of the hair, np the i 

it is in 

tongue dors this partially, bul 1 and 

ourry-comb do it -till better. Thi 
performed for the horse quite regularly, 
cause he is more frequently exhibited in the 

nee of his owner, and the oleanli 
of the carriage, and of the clothes of the 

family, depend somewhat open the condition 
Of the skin of the horse. J Jut the ox, the 
cow, and the young animals, are sadly 
looted. It is not nnfrequently, that a yoke 

of oxen will come out of the stal le in the 
Spring, with a thick plaster of filth upon 

their hams, tho accumulation of a whole 
Winter — a disgrace to humanity, and to the 

good husbandry of the owner. 

All these animals manifest their pleasure 
at the use (A^ the card and curry-comb upon 
their skins, and after a little practice, the 
young stock will come as regularly for their 
carding, as for their food. it is an excellent 
method to tame heifers that are to bear 
their first calves in the Spring. They be- 
come accustomed to the handling of man, 
and submit to the first milking without 
much resistance. It is equally good for 
steers that are soon to be brought under the 
yoke. They become so gentle under gentle 
treatment, that they are easily broken to 
the yoke, and mak> tractable team, 

than »by the ordinary process. The card is 
a much better persuader, than the ox whip. 
This is excellent but I, and 

they should be taught to keep the card 
moving. — Am* rican Ag rit uk m it t. 



Spayed Cows. 
A writer in the American Stock Journal 

- that Mr. I 'add, Veterinary Surg 



in a herd of cattle than this reciprocal toilet h^ successfully performed the above 0] 
of the tongue. Here is nature's hint for ti()M u| [„ for] milk, without | 

the Use of the card and curry-comb. 'J he.-e through the iter. 



tools are especially called lor in Winter, 
when cattle a: with their. 



u I ' •• to witne 

operation on I: E. R. 



heads confined, so that they can not use Anderson, Eeq. w ; rial of 



their tongu -kin. 

It is said by olo , that a good 

currying, brushing and rubbing down once 
a day, is equal to a feed of oats for a horse. 



eiu r ht cows spa 

ry that he has determined I 

other animals from time to time, M they 
come into full milking, to the BSJ 



rexthiama; lonhtJ mmii unt ii his entire herd, of some fifty 

that it greatly promotes the comfort and i K . a ,p j, 



health of It removes 

all tilth from the skin, which is apt to accu- 
mulate in stab! _ is attend- 
ed to daily 



'• Put away all strange notions, in order 
ry the prof 
The skin is constantly throw- tion that is correct and upright" 



448 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[July I 




Daily Work. 

Who lags for dread of daily work, 
And his appointed task would shirk, 
Commits a folly and a crime; 
A soulless slave — 
A paltry knave — 
A clog upon the wheels of time. 
With work to do, and store of health, 
The man's unworthy to be free, 
Who will not give, 
That he may live, 
His daily toil for daily fee. 

No ! Let us work ! We only ask 
Reward proportioned to our task: 
We have no quarrel with the great ; 
No feud with rank — 
With mill or bank — 
No envy of a lord's estate. 
If we can earn sufficient store 
To satisfy our daily need, 
And can retain, 
For age and pain 
A fraction, we are rich, indeed. 

No dread of toil have we or ours ; 
We know our worth and weigh our powers; 
The more we work the more we win : 
Success to Trade ! 
Success to Spade l 9 
And to the Corn that's coming in ! 
And joy to him who, o'er his task, 
Remembers toil is God's own plan; 
Who, working, thinks- — 
And never sinks 
His independence as a man. 

Who only asks for humblest wealth, 
Enough for competence and health ; 
And leisure when his work is done, 
To read his book 
By chimney nook, 
Or stroll at setting of the sun. 
Who toils as every man should toil 
For fair reward, erect and free : 
These are the men — 
The best of men — 
These are the men we mean to be ! 



Work on and win ; 
Life without work is unenjoyed! 
The happiest are the best employed ! 
Work moves and moulds the mightiest birth, 
And graps the destinies of earth ! 

Work on. 

Work sows the seed; 
Even the rock may yield its flower — 
No lot so hard but human power, 
Exerted to one end and aim, 
May conquer fate, and capture fame! 

Press on. 

Press onward still: 
In nature's centre lives the fire 
That slow, though sure, doth yet aspire ; 
Through fathoms deep of mould and clay 
It splits the rock that bars its way ! 

Press on ! 

If Nature then, 
Can tame beneath her weight of earth, 
When would her hidden fire know birth ? 
Thus man, through granite Fate must find 
The path — the upward path of mind ! 

Work on. 

Pause not in fear ; 
Preach no desponding, servile view — 
Whate'er thou will's! thy will may do! 
Strengthen each mighty nerve to bend 
Truth's bow, and bid its shaft ascend! 

Toil on. 

Be firm of heart; 
By fusion of unnumber'd years 
A Continent its witness rears; 
A drop 'tis said, through flint will wear; 
Toil on, and Nature's conquest share ! 

Toil on. 



Work. 

Attend, oh man, 
Uplift the banner of thy kind ; 
Advance the ministry of mind! 
The mountain height is free to climb, 
Toil on— man's heritage is time ! 

Toil on ! 



Leaf by Leaf the Roses Fall. 

Leaf by leaf the roses fall, 

Drop by drop the springs run dry 
One by one, beyond recall, 

Summer beauties fade and die ; 
But the roses bloom again, 

And the spring will gush anew, 
In the pleasant April rain, 

And the summer sun and dew. 

So in hours of deepest gloom, 

When the springs of gladness fail, 
And the roses in their bloom, 

Droop like maidens wan and pale, 
We shall find some hope that lies 

Like a silent gem apart, 
Hidden far from careless eyes, 

In the garden of the heart. 

Some sweet hope to gladness wed, 

That will spring afresh and new, 
When griefs winter shall have fled, 

Giving place to rain and dew- 
Some sweet hope that breathes of spring 

Through the weary, weary time 
Budding for its blossoming. 

In the spirit's glorious clime.