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an hour and a half. When near ebullition, the vessel is occasionally rapped by the nuckle to ascertain whether it rings, for at the boiling point, the vessel ceases to ring, and is immediately taken off and set away to cool. As the sudden dumb fit in the vessel is to us a new fact in philosophy, we can only hazard the conjecture, that it results from the rapid rarification of the atmosphere in contact with the metal. Whoever has clouted cream in his coffee, or

his butter, will be sure to be pleased wiih ihe improvement, aye, and the economy too. Scalded milk, without cream is nearly equal in coffee to cream without scalding.

Be assured, reader, that clouted cream, gives a most cooling and pleasant relish to a well manufactured cup of coffee in the morning, that greatly allays thirst till the next meal.

Farmers' Gazette.

LARD LAMP.

It has been now about two years 3ince the idea of elevating lard from the kitchen to the parlor originated in the brain of some enterprising Yankee. When we were at the North last fall, we heard a great deal about lard lamps, and being somewhat curious about all new projects, we bestowed some pains on the investigation of the subject. We were soon satisfied that the softness of the light and the economy of the material would recommend it to general use, if any contrivance could be found to keep the lard at all times in a liquid state. To effect

this object we found patents had been taken out for forty-odd kinds of lamps. We tried a great many and found them, generally speaking, total failures: at last, we fell upon one that seemed to answer the purpose very admirably, and we supplied ourselves very liberally with lamps after that particular fashion. From that day to this we have burned nothing but lard on our premises, and every hour have had reason to be more and more pleased with our purchase. But Mr. Jesse Neale, of Ohio, presented to our notice a few days since a lamp, (the one repre-

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sented in the engraving) which, from ihe nature of its construction and a fair trial of its operation, we unhesitatingly pronounce far superior to any thing of the kind that has come under our observation. We will endeavor to describe it. This is a sectional view of the lamp, (a), the body of the lamp, is a hollow cylinder, in which the lard is placed ; the top (J), which fits on the cylinder (a), and is removable at pleasure, has .a hole in the centre through which the tube (c) can move up and down. To the lower end of this tube is fitted a piston or follower, which works tight in the large cylinder: in the centre of this piston, is placed a nut, which works upon the screw (d). Now when the top is removed, and the piston unscrewed and withdrawn, the lard is placed in the large cylinder; the piston is then replaced, and the tube being turned round, of course the nut descends upon the screw; this carries the piston or follower with it; the lard which is thus compressed, has no means of escape except through openings that are cut in the bottom of the piston and lead directly into the upper tube. By this means a lard candle is moulded, about the wicks, which are placed in ihe two small perforated tubes at the top of the lamp. The reservoir at the top is kept in a liquefied state by the heat of fhe flame and when it is exhausted one or two turns of the screw will replenish it.

In one of these lamps we placed ten ounces of common lard, and it afforded us a light fully equal to that of two spermaceti candles, for twenty-two hours. The peculiar softness and beauty of the light must recommend it to all those who suffer from weak eyes, or want to take care of strong ones. Not only is it superior to the oil lamp in economy and beauty, but it is infinitely cleaner and neater. A small portion only of the lard being liquefied at a time, an upset does not result in the puddle of grease, the hurrying after cloths, and the gentle exclamations of the good wife, that sometimes flow from the overturning of the oil lamp.

It is said that in this lamp may be burned the refuse grease of the house; this we know, that lard totally unfit for cooking, which may be procured for a very small price in the market, will burn excellently well. In short, we do not hesitate to venture the predic ion, that when the merits of this lamp are fully understood, the farmer's bill with the grocer for oil and candles, is 1 forever.

For the Southern Planter. ORANGE AGRICULTURAL CLUB. Mr. Charles T. Botts :

Dear Sir,—I am directed by the Orange Agricultural Club, to forward you for publication in the Planter, the following Report, and also the Inspection Report on Club Farm, No. 4, addressed to you on another sheet.

By a regulation of our Club, beside the general examination, made by every member, of the farm at which the Club meets, an Inspecting Committee is also appointed, to report specially, on its condition, management, &c. to the next meeting. Committees are also appointed on various other subjects interesting to the farmer, and individual members selected to prepare and read to the Club, essays on agricultural subjects of their own selection.

Yours, James Newman.

Orange County , Oct. 11, 1843.

POUDRETTE.

The Committee, to whom was referred the duty of testing the eificacy of some highly concentrated manure, on corn and other plants, submit the following, as the result of their experiments :

With a view to comply with the requisitions of the Club, we each procured from Mr. Chas. T. Botts, of the Planter, a barrel of poudrette at $2 50 per barrel. From the high recommendation given, and extraordinary virtues attributed to this material, we anticipated the most satisfactory results, and entered upon our experiments strongly predisposed in favor of its success. There was nothing in the appearance of the article obtained by us that indicated its true character, but the fragments of broken bottles, glass, earthenware, &c. &c. found in it.

It was applied, in the month of April, to wheat, at the rate of twenty bushels to the acre; to oats, when sowed, and harrowed in with them, at the rate of twenty-five bushels per acre; to early peas very heavily when sowed, and just before they bloomed ; to cabbage plants in the bed and sometime after they had been transplanted ; to beets, potatoes and vines, very heavily ; to com when planted and at several staees of its growth, at the rate of a gill to the single stalk ; and to tobacco, in June and July, at the same rate to the hill; and in no instance could the slightest benefit be observed.

Believing, notwithstanding, in the value of poudrette, when genuine, we are forced to the conclusion, that in this instance Mr. Botts was made the unconscious instrument of imposing upon us a spurious article ; and we hope that in future he will adopt some means by which similar frauds may be detected, and thus pre-

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vent the use of the genuine article, (if as valuable as represented,) from being discouraged.

James Newman.

Edmund Henshaw. Jas. Newman, Cor. Sedy-.

The only means we can employ to prevent such deceptions as are here complained of, is to afford every facility for their exposure. We never saw the inside of a barrel of poudrette, but sold it precisely as we received it from the manufacturer in New York. In justice, however, to Mr. Minor, the Agent of the Company, it is proper to state that the article here so unequivocally condemned was a part of the same lot with that so highly lauded by Dr. Garland in another part of this number. There can, however, be no mistake about the article tried by this committee: it is utterly impossible that genuine poudrette should be inoperative. It may be that a real and a spurious article have been sent us, and from contradictory reports that have been made from different quarters, we are inclined to suspect this has been the case. At any rate, a due regard for his reputation requires that Mr. Minor should investigate and explain this matter. No denunciations are too severe for the scoundrel who, for the petty sum that he would make by the fraud, would knowingly betray the confidence reposed in him, and impose on the farmer a spurious article whose worth-lessness could be detected only when the season for improving his crop was passed.

With these contradictory statements before us we should be pleased to hear what has been the experience of others with respect to this article of poudrette.

FARM REPORT.

The Committee appointed at a meeting of the Club, held on the third Saturday in July, to examine Club Farm, No. 4, (that of Jas. Newman, Esq.) have performed. that duty and submit the following report:

This farm consists wholly of Southwestern mountain land, the soil being generally a vegetable loam of various depths, reposing on a basis of red clay. When it came into the possession of its present proprietor, it had been greatly injured by bad tillage and an exhausting system of cultivation. The system introduced by him, however, has developed its great capabilities, and it is indebted for its present improved aspect, both to its susceptibility of improvement and to the judicious husbandry of its owner.

It was purchased some fifteen years ago at eight dollars per acre—a price, deemed at that

time sufficiently high, owing to its ruinous and exhausted condition. The four-shift rotation was first adopted, as less than one-fouth of the arable land was insufficient to produce the necessary quantity of corn for a small family.— But, by the free use of clover and plaster with partial grazing, by indefatigable industry in making and applying manures, and a judicious system of management generally, the fields are now clothed with heavy and luxuriant crops of clover and other grasses, the gullies and galls nearly healed, the thickets cleared up, and the farm well ditched. Thus, in the short space of fifteen years, this farm has not only been made to produce abundant crops of corn and wheat, (some of the fallow fields yielding of the latter from twenty to twenty-five bushels per acre,) but the culture of tobacco is now introduced with profit on improved land, and, in the opinion of your Committee, the value of the estate is trebled.

The rotation of crops now pursued is that of six-shifts;—First, corn ; second, wheat; third and fourth, clover; fifth, wheat ; and sixth, clover. There are about six hunched acres of arable land, besides two well located permanent pastures, consisting mostly of a northern hillside too precipitous for convenient cultivation. The laborers are eleven in number, comprising men, women and boys. There are six work horses and four yoke of oxen. The horses and cattle are not remarkable. Of the latter there are about forty. The sheep, however, are very fine. They are intermixed with the Eakewell blood, and would, perhaps, compare with any flock in the country, of whatever breed. About fifty are kept, mostly ewes, which yield an average of upwards of four pounds of clean wool. The ewes are never permitted to bear lambs until ihey are two years old, which, with occasional crossing and good grazing, not only causes them to yield more wool, but to attain greater size—many of them weighing from ninety to one hundred pounds nett mutton. Few of the hogs were seen. They are mostly of the Berkshire blood. Though this breed has lessened in reputation with most of us on account of its size, yet the owner of this farm highly approves of them, being satisfied that they are heavier than their appearance would indicate.

Though much of the manure had been applied to the tobacco and corn crops, and a good deal of straw, in a dry state, spread over the young clover, yet your Committee were sorry to find a larger quantity of each still lying about the farm-yards, than they would have expected from the well known industry and skill of the proprietor; though it may be said in extenuation, that, owing to the season, farming operations have been more than ordinarily retarded this year.

Your Committee object to the mode practiced

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here, of capping instead of tying wheat-shocks— many of which were in bad order, from being deranged by wind or otherwise. The corn and wheat crops were not as good as might have been expected from the fertility of the land.— The tobacco was very unpromising, owing to the prevailing drought. All the clover and other seeds used, are made upon the farm.

There are two very productive meadows, which contribute both to the revenue of the estate and to the compost heaps. One of them was, a few years since, an unsightly bog, which, since its reclamation, tends to beautify the farm.

In conclusion, your Committee can bear testimony to the fact, that the farm and all its appurtenances indicate much skill and good management, worthy the imitation of all.

E. P. Barbour. J. B. Newman, E. Goss.

Jas, Newman, Cor. Sedy.

SELECTING SEEDS.

Great improvement may be made by a judicious selection of seeds. Tn most all crops, some plants will be found more early, or in some respects superior to others. From such, seeds should be carefully selected.

If a cultivator desires to have any production earlier than usual, after procuring an early kind, let the first seeds that ripen, on a well grown and productive plant, be secured, and so proceed year after year, and in this way a variety will be obtained that will excel in earliness.

Every variety of vegetable may be rendered more productive, by selecting every year the seeds of the most productive and well formed plants. And this method of improvement will be found the cheapest that can be pursued, as the difference in the cost of good and poor seed is a mere trifle.

Select peas for seed that grow in long, full pods, on vines that bear abundantly, and if you would have thern earlier, take those which ripen first. Choose beans in the same way. Select seed corn from stalks that bear two or more good ears, and take the largest and best formed ears. Choose from stalks that are large at the bottom, and run off to a small top, not very high.

If you would have early onions and few scullions, select for seed a few that ripen first, and have a good form. Select the handsomest turnips for seed, having just the form you would choose, if you would have fine crops for the market; and by this selection for years, you will get a variety that may be relied on.

Follow the same rule in every thing. Like produces like, i3 a general law of nature; the same in the vegetable and animal kingdom: there are some exceptions, but not enough to

effect materially the general crop of production, and by these exceptions we may profit; for when the exceptions are an improvement, we may follow them out, and in a short time establish a new race of variety; but when the exceptions are inferior, we can reject them.

These exceptions to general rules offer great advantages, and a wide field for improvement, while the disadvantage is a mere trifle. As a spark will kindle a great fire, so from a single seed of superior excellence, large crops of this superior production may be raised, and widely disseminated for the benefit of thousands.

There is no subject of improvement so much neglected as this; it is within the means of all, and yet few give attention to it. Too many are content to plod on in the old way, and while they spend much in manure and cultivation, they neglect a much cheaper way of improvement, or to avail themselves of those made by others in this way, when at less expense they could accomplish it, and perhaps more effectually.

We selected seed from the first pumpkin that ripened, in a variety which we cultivated for several years, and last year some were ripe in two months and five days from the time of planting. Numerous instances could be cited of the above remarks, but it is so clear to every common observer, that no evidence is necessary ; but it is important that they be reminded of a subject so much neglected, and with so much loss.— Selected.

HORSES.

We happen to have in our possession the complete works of that quaint old author, Ger-vaise Markham, printed nearly two hundred years ago. Mixed with an infinite deal of superstition and nonsense, which belong, perhaps, as much to the age as the individual, we occasionally meet with information and opinions upon agricultural and other subjects that would grace the best publication of the present day. The old gentleman seems to have prided himself particularly upon his skill in horsemanship, which, as it was then practised, was a very difficult and recondite art. After giving the most minute and particular instructions for the management of the horse in his different paces, as in the Corvet, the Galliard, the Caracole and the Caragolo ; after giving directions for riding before a Prince and before a Lady, (curious they are in the extreme) he gives the following directions for teaching the horse the more homely but useful art of pacing. This very method, without alteration and without improvement, is

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at this day very successfully resorted to by drovers and breeders in the western part of this State:

TO MAKE A HORSE AMBLE.

Now forasmuch as there are a world of good horses which are not easie, and a world of easie horses which are not good, you shall by these directions following, make any horse ambie whatsoever:—First, then you shall understand, that practice hath made divers men believe, that divers ways they can make a horse amble, as by gagging them in the mouths, by toylmg them in deep earth, by the help of shooes, by gallopping and tyring, or such like, all which are ill and imperfect; yet the truth is, there is but one certain and true way to compass it, and that is to make a strong garth web, flat and well quilted with cotton, four pasterns for the smalls of his fore-leggs, under his knees, and for the smalls of his hinder lesgs somewhat below the spavins joynts: to these pasterns you shall fix strong straps of leather, with good iron buckles to make shorter or longer at plea sure, and having placed them about his fore-leggs, you shall take two several round ropes of an easie twist, made with strong loops at either end, and not above eight handfulls in length, and these the horse, standing to a true proportion, you shall fasten to the four slraps of leather, to wit, one of them to his near fore-legg, and his near hinder legg, and the other to his far fore-legg, and his far hinder leg-g, which is called amongst horse-men trammelling; with these you shall let him walk in some inclosed piece of ground, till he can so perfectly go in the same, that when at anytime you offer to 1 chase him, you may see him amble swiftly and truly ; then you shall take his back, and ride him with the same trammels, at least three or four times a day till you find that he is so perfect, that no way can be so rough and uneven as to compell him to alter his stroke or go unnimbly. i This done, you may first take away one tram-! mell, then after the other, and only wreath about under his fore-feet-locks thick and heavy great royls of hay or straw ropes; and so rifle them with the same a good space after, for it will make him amble easie; then cut them away, and ride and exercise him without any thing but the ordinary help of the bridles, and there is no doubt but he will keep his pace to your' full contentment and pleasure.

Now during this time of your teaching, if your horse strike not a large stroke and overreach enough, then you shall make the trammel the straiier, but if he over-reach too much, then you shall give it more liberty : and herein you shall find, that an inch straitning 01 an inch inlarging, will add or abate at least half a foot, an whole foot and direct stroke: and this much touching the teaching of any horse to

amble, of what nature or quality soever he be, or how unapt or untoward soever to learn.

TEMPERING EDGE TOOLS.

The art of hardening and tempering steel, without risk, for the various parposes to which this most important of all metals is adapted, is so little understood, even by many who work in it, that I presume a short communication on the subject would be acceptable. It often happens that tools on Which labor has been bestowed, are spoiled in tempering, to the disappointment of the purchaser and to the discredit of the maker. The following directions, which by experience will be found to be correct, are designed to remedy these inconveniences. Should you think a correct knowledge of this art of importance to the mechanical part of the community, you will please to give it a place.

Admitting the tool has been properly forged, without burning or injuring the steel, in order for a good temper, it should be carefully heated in a fire made with wood or charcoal, till it is of a red color, and then plunged into clean, cold water in a perpendicular direction. If the temper is to be that of an edge tool, the steel must then be ,made bright, hy grinding or scouring with a coarse stone, and held over the fire until it is of a deep yellow or straw color. This is the proper temper of edge tools, the most difficult part of which process is, to give the steel the least possible degree of even heat, to give it the greatest possible degree of hardness and strength. If the heat is continued beyond this exact degree, the pores of the steel will be so opened as to render it brittle, with but a small degree of hardness. Should the heat be carried beyond this degree by inattention or accident, the evil will not be remedied by letting it cool down to this color before it is cooled in the water; in this case it will be necessary to hammer the tool over again, in order to settle the pores of the steel together. The greatest care should therefore be taken in hardening a tool, not to heat it too hot, as its goodness depends more on this circumstance than is apprehended. Care should also be taken that it does not remain in the fire after it has acquired a proper heat; as even without a greater degree of heat the fire will soon coat it over with a thick scale, which will prevent the water from cooling it so quickly as is necessary, to render it as haid as possible.

Many small tools, such as punches, broaches, «fec, for clock and watch makers, may be tempered by the simple process of heating as above directed, and cooling them in hot water, a little below boiling 1 heal. This temper gives small tools great strength and a proper degree of hardness. Very small drills are best heated in a candle, with a blow-pipe, and cooled in tallow. Their temper is to be taken down the same as

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an edge tool. Tools for turning iron and steel receive a much greater degree of hardness by being cooled in quicksilver instead of water.— This method of hardening must be valuable to clock and watch makers, as well as to many other mechanics, who want tools as hard as possible.

The temper of a spring, after it is carefully hardened, is obtained by holding it over the fire, covered with tallow, till it blazes and burns off; the burning of the tallow should be continued for a minute or two on those springs which from their use are liable to break. Small springs, and other articles to be tempered spring temper, are more conveniently tempered in a sheet-iron pan, or case, with tallow, held over the fire until it blazes, when it is to be taken off and carefully shaken, while the tallow continues burning.

Saws and many other common tools, which require a file to sharpen them, pinions and arbors in clocks and watches, surgeons' instruments, except those designed for cutting, bayonets, sword blades, gun sticks, and various other articles, are of this temper.

Iron may be hardened by the process of what is called case-hardening. This is performed by enclosing the iron in an air-tight case, with charcoal dust and salt, and heating the same red hot for one or two hours, and cooling it in clean, cold water. The hammers and many other parts of gun locks are hardened in this manner. If the process is properly managed, iron and steel may be hardened without even altering the smooth surface of the instruments; the advantage of which is sufficient to induce the greatest attention in giving it the exact degree of heat,— Selected.

SCRAPS FOR THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

BY A GOOCHLAND FARMER.

" L." in the October number of the Planter, is mistaken in his theory of the cause of gapes in chickens. Lice are most assuredly not the cause, as I have had demonstrated in the last two years. No doubt they aggravate the disease, but they do not cause it. I have had in my hen-houses, which from a taste for raising fowls I superintend myself, not so much as a louse either in 1842 or 1843 : yet in both years, and especially in this, the gapes have been destructive to an unusual degree. The notion that the worm in the throat or lungs of the chicken, causes it to heave for breath, is a vulgar error. Many birds, perhaps all, have these worms: but no other bird but the chicken has the actual gapes.— Turkeys and Guineas have the sneezing which is a milder form of the same disease.

The cause of gapes in chickens has exercised the observation of very many people to discover it for half a century or more. When physicians Vol. III.—32

succeed in discovering the cause of the hooping-cough in children, we may hope to find out that of the gapes in chickens—not before. In truth the two diseases are extremely analogous, and no doubt each proceeds from some constitutional necessity, which is inscrutable from the nature of things. Worms in the throat or crop, or lice on the feathers, are symptoms, not causes.

But while we shall always be baffled to discover the cause of this destructive epidemic or endemic, for it is one or the other, among a very valuable family of fowls, certain facis which are well established, prove that it may be partially prevented or greatly mitigated. And first, has any one seen the gapes among their negroes' chickens? I never did, although I have looked out for them, and what is more, to my knowledge, I never saw the person who had. This I take it, is a very valuable fact. 1. The negroes' hen-houses are always small. 2. They have, of course, but few hens to inhabit them. 3. They are comparatively warm, and the chickens, young and old, are better protected from the cold.

Some length and minuteness of experience enable me to offer the following rules to your readers with strong confidence that they are founded in philosophy:

1. Have your houses small, close and warm.

2. Restrict your hens to six or eight.

3. If you have need to raise many chickens, multiply your houses at different points, but do not multiply your fowls within any particular house.

4. Have as many trees, and as little grass and weeds as possible, around your houses.

5. In the spring and early fall months, have your hovels for young chickens, tight and impervious to wind or rain, and frequently replenished with clean, dry straw.

6. Keep the chickens in the hovels until the dews are off in the morning.

7. For the first week feed thern upon bread baked dry and without salt. After that, you may give them tail-ends, (as we call it). Oats are first—rye second—wheat third—Indian corn fourth. Perhaps Indian corn small hominy would be as good and more generally convenient than any.

I annex a few other general rules; for although, Mr. Editor, to our fellow-citizens, the Carters, the Sampsons, and the Harrisons, and other distinguished farmers, this matter may look excessively small, yet unquestionably it is important to the comfort, plenty and economy of every family.

1. Cold feet are the proximate, though not the final cause, of the gapes and most of the diseases of chickens. Keep their feet warm and you will raise eleven out of twelve chickens in every brood. Our barn-door chicken is a rial ive [of Hindostan, where it is found in a wild state

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to this day, and consequently our climate is too harsh for it, save in June, July, August and September. To make it flourish, you must temper the climate to its southern constitution. In an old number of the Gentleman's Magazine, a particular description is given of the method of rearing chickens for market at a great establishment, for the purpose, in London, in which a large capital was profitably invested. The eggs were hatched by artificial heat, regulated by the thermometer. As soon as thus hatched, the chickens were transferred to another apartment, the floor of which was warmed by some contrivance underneath, and kept warm by rule, night and day. In the midst of this room was stationed a large artificial hen, with feathers fastened on by paste, under which the chickens hovered whenever they were so disposed. This, as well as I remember the date, was about 1763, or eighty years ago. I know not if any such process is now used in London for rearing chickens ; but I make no doubt it is, and that it can be profitablj' employed in the vicinity of all great cities. The daily consumption of barndoor fowls in London averages about ten thousand, or three million six hundred and fifty thousand a year: and to rear this incredible multitude, artificial means must probably be employed.

2. Turn out your stock fowls from the spring, not the fall broods. They then attain a larger growth, and of course their progeny are larger.

3. Let your fowls, if possible, range in the vicinity of a running stream.

4. Change your stock, the roosters at least, every two years—keep no hens over four years-old. White is the hardiest color. In the Arctic regions all animals turn white when the cold sets in, which 1 take to be the certificate of nature herself upon this point. But no color and no breed will do long without crossing and incessant attention.

5. I put little faith in lime, save only so far as it enters into the constitution of the egg shell. I have never been able to see the least effect from it. Gravel, I believe, would be more useful. In fact, since the cholera in 1832, the country has been somewhat lime-mad, and virtues, medical, chemical and agricultural, have been ascribed to it which it is doubtful if it possesses.

I address these hints, the fruit of actual observation, to the lovers of the old Virginia dish, fried chicken, and what is better yet, a boiled pullet with cariots, in March or April. By the way, Friars' chicken is the right phrase: for, the monks, who knew well what was good, especially in eating, drinking, &c. invented this dish, which, from Friars' chicken, has come to be called fried chicken. P.

We knew our friend was " great" at politics

and fishing, but had no idea he was so much of a foiuler. We really esteem his communication the very best we ever saw upon the important art of rearing chickens. We know and respect our correspondent's love of ancient lore, which we think has mislead him a little upon the subject of Friars' chicken. If to call chicken which is fried, "fried chicken," be a corruption, it is surely the most natural and excusable erroi of which we have ever heard.

SWINE MANAGEMENT.

In managing hogs, it is important that pigs should be farrowed at seasons of the year neither exceedingly hot or cold. April and September are the best months for the sows to pig. For this purpose they should go to the males the last of May or first of June, and in December. It is a good rule never to let breeding sows get very poor or very fat. From the time they go to the boars till within a month of pigging they should be fed regularly, but only in sufficient quantities to improve them slowly. As the time of pigging apptoaches they should be fed more bountifully. But if they become too fat, they often overlay their pigs, and are not usually careful with them. Many rules have been given for the management of sows at farrowing, but only a few plain directions will be of service :— 1st. Let no other hogs interfere with the sow; and 2d. Be certain she has water and a pleasant shelter in the lot. If she should happen to make choice of an unsheltered spot for her bed, a few planks, or a board shelter will protect her from the sun and rain.

Young pigs should become fat as soon as possible, and be kept so till they are ready to butcher. To effect this matter, the dams should have an abundance of rich food, such as kitchen slops, roots, boiled corn, &c.

It is a good practice to have a small pen with a hole, to admit the pigs, and a low trough for them to be fed from the time they are two weeks old.

When the pigs are from six to eight weeks old, if they have learned to eat well, they should be weaned. At this season there is greater difficulty than any other. Unless they have close attention they will become poor, sink behind the shoulders, and scarcely ever recover from it.— Let them have food regularly five times per day, and it should be such as will suit the stomach, and be most nutritious. Slops will answer a good purpose, for part of the time, but the food should vary eveiy day. Milk, boiled meal, slops, roots, and dry food, as corn, should be given daily. Hogs should have water at all times, and if salted every day, they will do the better for it. Grass and clover, are always acceptable

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to swine, and cymlings, pumpkins, and peas are very good, and artichokes, in winter, (except when the ground is frozen) are unequalled, particularly if the hogs have salt and a little dry food daily.

Care must be taken that hogs do not occupy the same bed too long, and by all means they should be kept from sleeping in stables, about manure heaps, in shucks, or wet, or old straw.

The cheapest pork is that which is made of pigs dropped in the spring and slaughtered the December following. By this process a winter's feed is saved, and by " pushing" the pigs will weigh from one to two hundred pounds at eight or nine months old. For large pork, the year olds will do tolerably well, but we think it bad econmy to have killing hogs more than twenty months old.— Tennessee Agriculturist.

For the Southern Planter. FARM BUILDINGS.

a. Po^i.s, on which the corn crib and granary are to be placed.

e > /. S- Doors to hay house. h. Stables. i. Corn house. /. Poultry house. p. Pig stye.

Mt. Airy, Pa., Sept. 14, 1843. C. T. Botts, Eso_.

Dear Sir,—I send you a drawing of farm buildings to save labor. On every good farm, buildings must be provided to preserve the crops. They may a.s well be congregated and form a bridge to enter thern in an upper region, and

save the kibor of pitching or hoisting up the produce. Carts can be constructed to tip up and deliver their loads either of ha}' or grain in the straw, or corn on the cob. The granary and corn crib should stand on legs, with tin bells around them to prevent vermin from ascending. Pivot bridges might be constructed perfectly safe from accident, to communicate between the different buildings. All buildings should be made as high as it will be safe to make them, on the score of economy, as the roof and foundation will answer for either a high or a low building, and when they are so constructed that you can enter the tops of them with ease, ihe inconvenience of height will be less objectionable,

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All buildings not standing on legs should have cellars under them ; their lower floors should be laid first with tin plates, and the planks nailed over the tin, to prevent rats or mice from ascending or descending. The cellar floors should be laid with small stones and mortar to prevent accidents of the rat species. Yours respectfully,

E. J. Pierce.

From the Farmers' Gazette.

TO BRING FORWARD VEGETABLES AND FRUITS.

A capital compost liquid manure may be thus made by any gardener. Take of the weeds you rake out of your grounds, a handful; of hog manure, a spade fall; dry leaves, wood ashes and lime, of each a handful—and put it at night into the tub, from whence you water your plants. With this liquid, in the morning, fill your water pots, and sprinkle liberally over the tops as well as the roots. The effect will soon be made apparent, in the increased vigor of your vegetation. K. P. Th.

New Haven, \5th May, 1843.

JOHNSON'S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AGRICULTURE.

We once more call the attention of our readers to this valuable work. The publication is now complete, and we have been indebted to the liberal and enterprising publishers, Messrs. Carey & Hart, for the numbers as they were issued.

The author of this work, Mr. Cuthbert W. Johnson, is esteemed one of the most practical and scientific farmers in Europe. His object has been to present, in the most accessible form, a bird's eye view of the opinions and doctrines of that galaxy of talent which has lately shed its light upon the subject of agriculture.

The English edition, which of course contained a great deal of matter that was irrelevant to our climate and institutions, has been overhauled by a gentleman of Pennsylvania, with whom we have not the happiness to be personally acquainted, but whose reputation as a man of science is hardly greater than his celebrity as a practical and successful farmer. Whilst he has subtracted much that was valueless to the American farmer, he has added to the views of Liebig, Lindley, Lowe, &c. the labors of Buel, Jackson, Dana, and a host of American authors, which has probably doubled the value of the work.

Even if the matter were less meritorious than the character of the Editor warrants us in supposing it to be, the convenient form of its arrangement would recommend it to the consideration of every farmer. Here is a work which may be had for four dollars, less than one-third the price of the English edition, where the agriculturist can turn at once to any subject upon which he may desire information, and find an epitome of all that science and observation have yet discovered. We know of no better investment that can possible be made of a half dozen turkeys.

From the American Farmer.

CHARCOAL AS A FERTILIZER.

It will be recollected by our readers, that in our last two volumes we have published several able papers upon the virtues of charcoal as a fertilizer of the soil, and of its supposed efficacy in the preservation of wheat from rust. One of these papers, by Judge Hepburn, particularly points out cases in which lands which had been dressed by charcoal had grown wheat free from rust, when wheat grown on other lands, contiguous, which had not been so treated, had suffered greatly from that cause. We allude to these circumstances now, with a view of introducing the subjoined paragraph to the notice of our readers ; by which it will be seen, that in France the same virtues have been ascribed to charcoal as in our own country. Of the precise mode of action by which this exemption from rust is produced, we are not prepared to speak positively ; but will claim permission to observe, that it may be owing to the very great affinity which charcoal is known to possess for ammonia, and the reluctance with which it gives it out after having once absorbed it. If the opinion which is now gaining strength and consequence, that the cause of rust is plethora, and that ammonia is one of the chief aliments or food of plants, be correct, the preventive properties of the charcoal may arise, first, from its absorption of ammonia as formed, and, secondly, from its yielding it slowly to the wheat plant in the last stage of the maturing of its stem, thus, as it were, hindering it from feeding to that degree of excess productive of repletion, and the consequent disruption of the stem of the plant. At all events, as the rust is one of the most disastrous diseases in its effects, to which the ivheat crop is subjected, we think that the use of charcoal to a limited extent, by way of experiment, is worthy of the consideration of every wheat grower. If it should, on trial, fail of the anticipated efficacy, it can do no possible injury either to the grain or to the soil, and may be beneficial to the latter, in supplying it with sili-

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cate of potash, a substance of vast importance to all grain crops, and especially useful in giving strength and elasticity to the straw.

With these remarks we will direct attention to the following paragraph :

Charcoal as a Fertilizer. —We have been astonished at the enormous increase of the wheat crop in France within the last eight or ten years, and have devoted some attention to the investigation of the subject. It appears that charcoal—an article that can be obtained here for a tithe of its cost in France—has been extensively used, and with marked effect, in fertilizing the wheat lands in that kingdom. A correspondent of the New Farmers' Journal, an English print, states that during a sojourn in one of the central departments of France he learned that some of the most productive farms were originally very sterile; but that for a number of years their proprietors had given them a light dressing of charcoal, which had resulted in a large yield of wheat of excellent quality. Since his return to England he has tried the experiment upon his own lands with the same happy effect. The charcoal should be well pulverized, and sown like lime, after a rain or in a still, damp day. Even in England, the "writer says, "the expense is a mere trifle, in comparison with the permanent improvement effected, which on grass is truly wonderful."— He states one other very important result from its liberal use. "I am quite satisfied that by using charcoal in the way described rust in wheat will be entirely prevented; for I have found in two adjoining fields, one of which was coaled and the other manured with farm-yard dung, the latter was greatly injured by rust, while that growing in the other was perfectly free from it."— Buffalo Commercial Advertiser.

THE AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST'S ALMANAC.

We are indebted to Mr. A. B. Allen for a copy of his farmers' Almanac, which, in addition to the usual lunar and solar information, contains copious directions for the monthly guidance of the farmer and gardener, both at the North and South. The whole, comprising some fifty-odd pages, is neatly done up in pamphlet form and furnished at the extremely low price of twelve and a half cents.

For the Southern Planter.

FALL PLOUGHING.

Mr. Editor, —I have been a subscriber to the Planter from the start, and now, after several years have rolled over, it gives me great pleasure to accord my testimony, humble as it may

be, to its great and increasing value and usefulness. I have said, I have taken your paper all the while, and yet, sir, I have never written one line for it—and for the simple reason, that I could not bring myself to believe, that any thing, emanating from my judgment or experience, could possibly benefit any one of your readers, all of whom I am induced to believe are belter farmers than myself. I< have determined, however, at a venture, to depart from this line of procedure, and to offer my testimony in favor of fall ploughing. The article of "C." in your late number (October), which I have just read, induces me to take pen in hand, and do battle, with right good will, for what I consider the quintessence in managing a clay farm, Doctors will disagree.

Mr. C.'s land is the very land of all others that I should recommend to be ploughed in the fall. But strange to say, he has tried it, and failed. Why 1 Because he did not do the thing right. My land, or a portion of it, is of this kind of clay, that "runs together like putty," and yet, I think I have experienced the greatest advantage in fall ploughing. I conceive the error, of all those who object to this system, to consist in not re-ploughing their land. Now there is the gist of the matter. Let Mr. C. select a piece of stiff clay land this fall, plough it in beds, (single beds of five feet width) trench it well with the plough, and open the trenches with hoes, as he would in such land for wheat, so as to keep it well drained during the winter; and in the spring throw up the same beds ivith single ploughs when the land is in good order, and note the result. Let all objectors to this system do so, and give the result.

I do believe with Mr. C. that you had better let your land alone, than not to replough it—it will "run together like putty," and will not make any thing like as good a crop as if ploughed in the spring. My experience tallies with his. I have tried his plan—now let him try mine. The more "judicious" a farmer is, the more he will be out with fall ploughing, unless he re-ploughs. Land re-ploughed, works better the season through, produces better, and you will find, if the season is dry, that in putting in wheat, the re-ploughed land is more spungy, and easier to work—my negroes even observed this fact the past fall.

Respectfully, R.

MEDITERRANEAN WHEAT. To the Editor of the Southern Planter:

Sir, —In a late number of your paper appeared a communication from Mr. R. B. Haxall, which was copied into the Richmond Whig, relative to the Mediterranean or Fly-Proof Wheat, which is so totally at variance with my experience and observation, that I, a stranger to yourself, desire

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to give him and the agricultural public, through your journal, the results of my cultivation of that wheat. And I am sorry to see you, Mr. Editor, uniting with Mr. H. in depreciating a variety of wheat of which neither he nor you can know any thing. Indeed, Mr. H. even condemns the wheat before he has ground a single bushel. His objections are two:—first, that it is unfit for the manufacture of good flour; and secondly, he hints, and gives the au-1 thonty of Dr. Gains, of Hanover, for one in-stance of the fact, that it will not generally prove as productive as the red May wheat. I will consider the latter objection first.

The best proof of the productiveness of any! kind of grain consists in repeated instances of the gathering of heavy crops. And I will recount the various facts which have come under my knowledge, relative to the Mediterranean wheat. Two years ago 1 procured from the State of Delaware ten bushels ; one half bushel of which I gave my brother. The nine and a half bushels I sowed about the middle of October, partlj' on a small piece of land which had given an indifferent crop of tobacco, and partly on corn field. I reaped one hundred and five bushels, being about seventeen bushels per acre, and eleven for each bushel of seed. Last fall I sowed about the same time in October, on a tobacco lot of nine acres, ten bushels of this wheat. The land had been somewhat improved, and partially manured the preceding spring; but the farm, after a long course of bad management, came into my possession about four years ago, and of course I have not yet improved any of it highly. Moreover, my overseer sowed the lot much too thin : he should have put two bushels per acre. A small portion of the crop is not yet cleaned, but from the quantity already fanned out, I know the product cannot be less than about one hundred and seventy bushels. I also sowed this wheat and the red May in my corn land, endeavoring to give them an equal chance, as to the quality of soil, time of sowing, &c; and I am confident I shall find the product of the former, when cleaned, much greater than that of the latter. Whilst growing, the difference was extraordinary. My brother's half bushel yielded seven bushels, on land I thought very thin. Last fall he sowed about six bushels on about four acres of corn land, which had been tolerably well manured in the spring. He reaped sixty-five bushels. I sold a neighbor ten bushels last fall, which he sowed partly on flat land, after corn, and partly on higher ground. All his neighbors think his crop will be one j hundred and fifty bushels. In every instance I have mentioned we could not have reaped much more than half as much from any other kind of wheat; nor, in four years, have I heard of any crop, or part of a crop, in my neighborhood, which has approached the cases above specified.

The Mediterranean is assuredly a fly-proof wheat. I sowed it in one instance, adjoining purple straw, and in another, in close contact with the red May. The purple straw was almost destroyed, and the red May somewhat injured by fly ; wfcnlst not one could be found in the Mediterranean. The latter is so early a wheat as to be entirely free from rust also.— Notwithstanding the low estimate yourself and Mr. Haxall put upon this wheat, 1 must deem my own experience more satisfactory than the pre-judgment of an extensive miller who has never manufactured a barrel of flour from it, or the passing sneer of an agricultural journal, that i* is "an exploded humbug." 1 shall, therefore, continue its culture, being convinced it will ordinarily }-ield from one-half to one-third more than any other wheat.

Mr. Haxall's main objection, that the wheat is unfit for the manufacture of good flour, shall be briefly despatched. On this point I have but one fa<n to state; but that is conclusive. I lately sent to a manufacturing mill in my neighborhood, on the South Anna River, thirteen bushels of this wheat, requesting Mr. Payne, the owner of the mill, to make the best flour he could, and hoping, as the result has proved, that I might show the fallacy of Mr. H.'s opinion. Mr. Payne wrote me that the wheat made 441 pounds of flour, which he says is of the best quality. Whether he included the toll in the above quantity I do not know; but if he did, it is probably as good a yield as could be expected of any red wheats. The quality of the flour is really admirable. It is the very best I have ever had ground, and as good as the best of Richmond manufacture. Mr. Haxall himself would. I have no doubt, be content to have his always like it; and if he will only give the wheat a fair trial, he will, I am sure, speedily confess his error. If our cook (a raw hand) makes good bread to-night, I will send down a loaf to your office to-morrow, by my wagon, in the hope that you will give Mr. H. occular proof of his mistake, and will make public acknowledgment of your own.

Your obedient servant,

H. N. Pendleton.

Louisa County^ Oct. 1, 1843.

The communication above was received during our absence from the city, and the loaf with which it was accompanied was submitted to a gentleman in whose opinion we have the greatest confidence—he pronounces it to have been excellent. We have no doubt from his representation of it that we could much easier have digested the bread than the style and tone of Mr. Pendleton's communication. Mr. Haxall is fully able to answer for himself; for

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255

our part we have no "acknowledgment" to make: what Mr. Pendleton chooses to term our " passing- sneer" we are ready to repeat. It was simply a statement that we sold several lots of this wheat in 1841 at a very high price, and that with the exception of Mr. Poe, the purchasers had expressed the opinion in 1842 that it was a poor thing. Whatever other people may think of it, we know that Mr. Haxall is not singular amongst the millers of Richmond in the estimate he puts upon the quality of this wheat.

From the Farmer's Monthly Visitor.

HOW TO SHARPEN A RAZOR.

Who that has had his voice change from the tenor pipe of adolescence to the bass tone of manhood—who that has reaped weekly, or of-tener, his chin for a twelvemonth, that does not know, or thinks that he does, how to sharpen a razor 1 It is a very simple matter; only give it a good, keen, smooth, easy cutting edge, and it is accomplished ; and any one may, but can every one do this ? How does it happen that new razors are generally keen, cut the beard at first smooth and easy, and that three-fourths of them never after the first edge is spoiled are brought to their primitive goodness of edge 1 — Can this be in the making? Is it possible to have the very edge of any better stuff than that which lies close behind it; and yet would not this seem to be the case, for as we all understand as we believe, that the fault is in the metal rather than ourselves. But in spite of this, I cannot help believing that there was much wholesome and agreeable truth in the remark of an elderly man, who heard a stripling cry out against his razor, as he winced before the glass; " My boy," said he, " the good razors are in more abundance than the good sharpeners." In confirmation of this, do we not find in every considerable town and city, persons who deal in the exchange of razors, always readyupon the payment of a trifling difference, to give a second hand article with a keen hair cutting edge, for one that has tried the temper and patience of an excellent self-esteemed sharpener; and this same good-for-nothing article the following day perhaps is equal to any ever tried— " part of the stock of a deceased barber, the very best judge of razors in the whole city."

If these surmises show us the truth, and that the fault is rather in ourselves than in the cutlers, have we not something to learn in the way of putting a good edge upon this by no means unimportant instrument that we use so often ? I have thought that the subject is of sufficient importance to receive special attention, and that in our academies, and if not there, in our col-

leges, a professorship in the art of sharpening razors would add more to the durable happiness of the scholars, than some that are sustained. Temper, time and money would be saved by it.

We may smile at this idea, as hardly worth a second thought, and yet is there not much that is taught in these places, which maintains a big little man of consequence, that is never after used in life, and while the fashion holds, do we not all require shaving, and that often too ? We may know the Hebrew, as well as it can be, which few will understand if we use it, and yet be ignorant of the foundation of the daily practice of shaving.

Methinks we are spending too much in the preface, and that it is gelling time to come to the edge of the matter. Be it so then—the affair only requires a little time, considerable judgment, and some care. Most razors then are badly sharpened from using a strop of leather to put the final edge on, or a soft, or stuffed strop purchased for the purpose, either of which renders the edge what is called round, or so thick near the real edge that it will pull the beard, but not cut it off. We farmers all know that a scythe or axe with a round edge will not go, and call for the grindstone: and can we expect a razor to work with a round edge ? Yet a soft strop, or strop by way of refinement, produces this edge as certainly as if it were sharpened upon the inside of a ring. A razor strop then should be of thin leather upon a perfectly level, and perfectly hard surface; this will keep the edge sufficiently thin, and not wear it round. The next thing is always to draw from heel to point; and when it is sharp, leave off, for too much is as great an error as too little.

In moist weather the beard cuts easier than in dry: hence take more time in lathering the face in the latter case. The Egyptians rub the chin with soap for a considerable time before shaving, and in this preparation do pretty easy work with a dull tool; but both in good order are best. Accustom yourself to lay the razor as flat upon the face as possible, for this puts the edge at right angles with the beard ; a slope is rather digging than cutting. When the job is over, dip it in hot water—wipe it dry—touch it twice or three times lightly on the strop, and either wrap the razor up, or put it in a case to exclude the air, for as the air will rust, so it will soon spoil the edge of a razor.

With these precautions we may do our own shaving with ease, and always with more advantage of time and money than when done by others.

A Farmer who Shaves himself.

CURE FOR CORNS. Corns may be cured by binding them tight at night with a piece of spunge moistened in a

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solution of pearl ash. The com may be brushed off in the morning, having been dissolved by the action of the caustic.

For the Southern Planter. BEES.

Mr. Editor, —In the August number of the Planter, information is asked, relative to the "comparative merits of different bee-hives. : '— The bee has attracted from the earliest times the attention of poets and philosophers. Virgil calls honey " Coelestia dona," (one of the gifts of Heaven,) and the history of this insect has been detailed by a number of authors, as Swam-merman, Reaumer, Hunter, &c. But to return from this digression. Having been very successful in raising bees, I have concluded to give you my views on this subject.

In constructing a hive, the first enemy to guard against is the moth or candle-fly; this insect usually lays its eggs under the hive, when worms are soon hatched, and if not removed, will ascend the hive and certainly destroy the bees.

To prevent the moth laying its eggs under the hive, I have for the last several years cut a mortise in the bench about an inch deep and about two inches larger than the hive, and the hive is then set in this mortise, and the space o.' about one inch all around it is filled with mortar, then three one-inch auger-holes are bored in the hive about two inches from the bench, for the egress and ingress of the bees ; and a small auger-hole through the bottom of the bench to let off water, should any get under the hive. I have near night watched the moths attempting to enter through these holes, and seen the bees chasing them away.

I made another experiment this year to obviate the attack of the moths. It was to cut a groove in the sides of the hive running up at an angle of about thirty degrees and commencing about two inches from the bottom, and after the bees are hived have a board ready, and slide it up close to the back of the hive, leaving the board projecting in front about one-half an inch for the bees to light on, and the same space between the front plank and the board, for the bees to enter: by this plan the worms are prevented by the board from ascending and getting to the honey, and the trouble of using mortar is also saved. I think it will succeed, but the experiment has been so lately commenced that I cannot decide with certainty.

The size of the hive is of great importance; my opinion is, that it should never be more than one foot square, nor more than eighteen or twenty inches high, and small or late swarms should be put in still smaller hives. If the hives are large, the bees do not throw out as many

swarms, nor are they able to protect themselves as well as in smaller ones. A box about six inches high, and not quile as large as the stand, may be put on the top of those that appear to be full of honey; an auger-hole or two being bored in the top of the stand, and the box screwed on. The bees will soon fill it with delicious white honey; and this plan saves the difficulty and trouble of the old way of robbing.

The ant is also an enemy to be guarded against. The best plan, or the least trouble, is to' have cotton carded into bats, and then tied around the legs of the bee-bench; this will prevent the ascent of the ants until the rains beat down the small fibres of the cotton, when they must be renewed.

The best location for bees, I think is in the open air under the shade of a tree; for the warm side of a house is objectionable, as the bees, by the warmth of their location, are induced to venture out in cold weather, get chilled, and are unable to return. I have a hive in my garret that has done well for several years.— The room is almost entirely dark, all the light holes having been carefully stopped, and carefully guarded against rats. The hive sits on a bench only a few inches from the holes in the end of the house through which the bees pass, and the legs of the bench have bats of carded cotton tied around them to obstruct the ants.— Every year I am enabled to cut off from the outside of this hive a quantity of the most beautiful honey-comb.

An opinion prevails that if bees have sufficient room that they will not swarm, but this is a mistake; for mine in the garret regularly swarm every spring.

Hoping that the above remarks may be of service, and that many, by them, may be enabled to enjoy " laborum duke lenimen,"*

I remain yours truly, M.

Prom the South Carolina Planter. ANOMALOUS DISEASE OF HORSES.

Mr. Editor, —Partly from taste, as well as circumstances, I have devoted a good deal of attention within the last ten years to farriery, and as anomalies in so important a practice, should not pass unnoticed, I select your valuable journal to report such cases.

You have, doubtless, heard of farriers "cutting the hooks out of the noses of horses."

I accidentally saw this operation performed, on a horse with weak eyes, that was restored ; and had reason to believe success had, in many similar instances, attended this operation.

The operation was done by cutting asunder two tendons on each side the nasal bone, and which took their origin on this bone.

* The sweet solace of our labors.

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257

I sometime after this, had a horse, when about fully grown, (as usual with horses so predisposed) become weak eyed. He had a puckering on the inner corner of the upper eyelash, which by all traders, is regarded as a sure index of doubtful eyes, and that the predisposition will develope itself in the summer of the sixth year. . Having dissected the head of a horse, blind from this cause, and found the aforesaid tendon— after originating on the nasal bone, to be inserted in an expansive form on this corner of the upper eyelash; which fact, disclosed to me the philosophy of the operation, viz: that a disproportionate growth of the head and this tendon, at maturity, caused the tendon to draw so closely upon the ball of the eye, as by pressure to destroy the sight, which, when separated by the knife, caused a relaxation and consequent relief to the eye. I operated upon my horse, and his eye has been entirely restored.

Fully three-fourths of the blind horses I've seen, I am well assured, {from this puckering appearance) were blind from this cause, and could have been cured by this operation.

It may be proper to remark, that hooks is a misnomer. Indeed, I do not believe that hooks (or pterigium, as it is called in the human subject) exists in the horse. The cartilage which is exsected in the usual operation, for what is conceived to be hooks, is the consequence of inflammation, by that pressure upon the ej T e I have described. The predisposition to this, is doubtless, hereditary, often occurring in one, or both eyes of the same family.

In your next, I will refer to another anomaly causing blindness, blind-teeth.

Fairfield.

OXEN.

We have been surprised to observe that at the late ploughing match of the Newcastle County Agricultural Society in the State of Delaware, an ox team, the property of Mr. Hol-cornb, ploughed an eighth of an acre in twenty-one and a half minutes, out-walking the horse teams, thirteen in number, by about a couple of minutes. We have very little idea in this part of the country of the perfection to which breeding and training have brought this useful animal amongst our northern Lrethren.

For the Southern Planter. "SAND HILL HOGS"—NO GO. Mr. C. T. Botts:

Dear Sir, —Your October number of the

Planter reached rne last evening, and, as usual,

I sat down and read it at once, for the meeting

and communing with my agricultural friends,

Vol. III.—33

through the agricultural papers, is one of my greatest enjoyments. It seems so neighborly to have them drop in, though by proxy, and impart what is going on in different sections of the country. Oh! sir, how I do desire to make a visit and take you by the hand on your native soil. But these confounded hard times keep me, as I presume it dees many others, at home. 1 Well, perhaps it is all for the best; let it be so, but, thanks to pen, ink and paper, I will have a little chat with you at any rate.

Now, about this "Sand Hill Hog," which I find delineated in your last number of the Planter, J are you really in earnest in recommending that j ancient, and to many, well known breed of ■ swine, to me for the improvement of my Berk-shires ? Why, sir, according to my notions in i these matters, there could be only two points I gained by the cross, and I very much doubt whether either would add much to my sales or my pork barrel. There are, however, a certain class of farmers, no, I cannot call them farmers, who are in the practice of allowing their hogs to shift for themselves, and if they can get a breed that will out-run their neighbors' dogs or a locomotive, that's the hog for them ; but I have my doubts as to their willingness to pay one for the trouble and expense of procuring them, for I observe the terms are extravagant, in the extreme, quite beyond my means, and not at all suited to the times. This, however, does not lessen my obligations to j'ou for your kin I offer to procure "as pure a specimen of genuine blood as ever rooted in the sand hills of Alabama."

You will be surprised, I presume, when I inform you that we have nearer home, if not the identical breed, something as much like them "as one pea is like another." On my way home from Albany, yesierday, I met a large drove on their way to the Boston market, among which I noticed two that so nearly resembled your portrait as to be taken for the originals, with the exception of having more ears and less tail. This may be accounted for by their having " more foot" in escaping the dogs, by which means their ears have been preserved, and a fashion our western farmers have of cutting off their pigs' tails to save food!

This reminds me of hearing, a few years since, a young man relate some amusing incidents in his travels in one of our western States, where they were in the habit of treeing and shooting their hogs as we do squirrels. He also said that they were in the habit of tying knots in their tails to prevent them from slipping between the rails of the fence and encroaching on their neighbors' crops ; and everj' hog found wilhout a tail was considered an outlaw and free game for sportsmen. The very fact of their having no tail was considered evidence of their having been old offenders, and probably lost their tails in making the attempt, while the

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knot was tied, to " enter their neighbor's cornfields."

There is a class which, probably might be benefited by a cross of your " Sand Hill Hog," who consider it a cardinal point to have them pretty well up in the world, even at the expense of long shanks. It is but a few days since, I received a letter from a gentleman complaining about some breeding sows I sent him. He says, " Most of my sows are too low, —that is, not tall enough to please most persons." And it is not long since a man called to purchase a South Down buck. He wanted a yearling; 1 had but two, and offered him his choice. After examining and handling them over several times he made choice of the one I considered the best, and marked him. Finally before he left the yard the two happened to stand side by side, he immediately dropped on his knees, took an observation across their backs and said he had altered his mind, and would take the other, for he luas the tallest! So much for person's taste and judgment.

But to return to the (! Sand Hill Hog." On a careful examination of the portrait, there is but one possible advantage he would be to me that I can think of. I have a piece of newly cleared ground of about two acres, filled with white pine stumps, which 1 have endeavored to plough, but found it rather troublesome, breaking my ploughs and worrying my horses—possibly if I had had a lot of the "Sand Hill Hogs" to turn in, it would have been broken up without any tear and wear of plough or horse flesh.

And now, sir, I have come to the conclusion, under all circumstances, of being contented with the breeds I now possess, viz: Berkshire, Neapolitan and Improved Chinese. My principle is to stick to a breed until I can find a better.

I remain, sir, a friend to improvement, and Your obedient servant,

C. N. Bement.

Three Hills Farm, Oct. 12, 1843.

Our friend seems quite indignant at the bare suggestion of mingling the blood of the Berk shire with that of the ignoble " Sand Hill."— Now, the latter is an older if not a belter race, and we presume in hogs as in men, the indivi dual is to be esteemed for his long line of ancestors rather than for his own peculiar merits.— We thought too upon every principle of breeding, that if a hog at the cost of five hundred dollars was crossed upon one for which one hundred dollars was asked, the produce must be worth three hundred dollars. It was for these reasons then that we ventured to hint to Mr. Bement a union between the two houses of " Berkshire" and "Sand Hill."

If Mr. Bement, in despite of the hard times, will come to Virginia, where his name is almost as familiar as at Albany, we will promise him a welcome from every farmer in the State. But if circumstances forbid us the pleasure of his company, we hope, " thanks to pen and paper," frequently to enjoy a communion in spirit, if not in person.

PROPER DEPTH FOR SEEDS.

Various experiments have been tried to determine the proper depth at which seeds should be put. The following is the result of an experiment with maize.or Indian corn :

That which was planied at the depth of No. 1. 1 inch, came up in 8^ days.

11 ii

9-i

2

2i

3

10 11| 12 13

17|

2. 3.

4. 5. 8. 3h "

7. 4 "

8. 4^ "

9. 5 "

10. b\ "

11. 6 "

The Nos. 8, 9,11, were dug up after 22 days, and it was found that No. 8 had an inch more to grow to reach the surface of the earth. Nos. 9 and 1J had just sprouted, but were short, and three inches below the surface. No 10 came up in 17^ days, but the tender leaf remained only 6 days green, and then withered. There is no experiment which shows more clearly the advantage of a shallow planting in a soil not too loose, and trodden down, than this. The more shallow the seed was covered with earth, the more rapidly the sprout made its appearance, and the stronger afterwards was the stalk. The deeper the seed lay, the longer it remained before it came to the surface. Four inches was too deep for the maize, and must, therefore, be for yet smaller grain kernels.

Petri gives an experiment made on rye, with the following results. The first column shows the depth at which the seed was put; the second, the number of days that elapsed before it appeared above ground; the third, the number of plants that came up :

Depth. Appeared. No. plants.

1-2 inch. 11 days. 7-8

1 " 12 " all.

2 inches. 18 " 7-8

3 " 20 " 6-8

4 " 21 " 4-8

5 " 22 " 3-8 « « 23 " 1-8

The root-stalk forms itself always next below the surface of the ground, and if we place the

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grain deep, it must first put out its sprouts to I shallow sowing, if the seed is only so far co-the surface, and form its side branches in a | vered as to sprout, and the germ is protected nearer connexion with the air. We never find . from immediate contact with the air, is prefera-that the sucker-roots are ranged from below to; ble to laying the seed deep, because it springs above, but the contrary. I up quicker, and acquires a stronger growth, and

From the experiments of Ugazy, who tried | has hardier plants, seventy-six with different grains, it is clear that! Burger's Economy of Farming,

DYNAMOMETER.

The engraving represents a plan of dynamometer, the invention of a very ingenious gentleman, Mr. Joshua Davis, of the county of Charlotte. From the working of a model which Mr. Davis has left at our office, we should not hesitate to pronounce this the simplest and most perfect instrument for the purpose for which it is intended, that has yet come under our notice. In frtCt, we consider that Mr. Davis has effected a great desideratum—he has produced this valuable instrument in a form, which makes it accessible to every farmer. A carpenter and blacksmith will do the whole work in a couple of hours. Under such circumstances no man who uses a plough, should be without this test of the draft upon his horses ; for this constitutes now pretty much the great difference between one plough and another. The engraving speaks for itself; it is hardly necessarj' to say that the beam of the dynamometer is attached to the beam of the plough at (o), that the horses are attached to the ring at (a), that (e) is a strong steel spring, and that the movement of the scale (e) indicates the draft that is applied.

MEDITERRANEAN WHEAT. To the Editor of the Virginia Herald:

Sir, —In ihe Herald of the 8th instant, (September, 1843,) an extract from the Southern Planter i3 published, which contains the copy of a letter addressed by R. B. Haxall, Esq., to the editor of that journal, and which offers to the farmers of Virginia the advice of that distinguished manufacturer of flour, as to the most

advantageous species of wheat to be adopted and cultivated by them. At the same time he takes the occasion to denounce a species of wheat called Mediterranean, recently introduced into Virginia, as unfit for flour, and unproductive. The unfitness of this wheat for flour, Mr. Haxall infers from its dark oppearance; he never having submitted it to the test of the manufacturer—and to corroborate this opinion of his, formed on the appearance of the grain, he refers us to the authority of Mr. Inspector England, who states, that judging from the appearance of the grain, the Mediterranean is an unfit wheat for Richmond flour. But he also says that no flour made of it had come under his inspection. Now in forming this opinion, but more especially before an opinion coming from such high authority was published, it is respectfully suggested to these gentlemen, that they should have observed an adage, as true as it is old, that the true test of a pudding is to taste it.— If, however, Messrs. Haxall and England meant to express the opinion that this wheat was unfit for flour of a superior grade, such as is manufactured in Richmond and at other mills, out of pure white wheat for family use, no doubt they are correct; for the obvious reason that this is a red wheat, and no red wheat ever did, or ever will, produce such flour as that described above. All which is claimed for this wheat, in that respect is, that it will yield as much and as good flour as any other red wheat; and this has been confirmed in Delaware, where this wheat has been extensively cultivated for the last twenty years. At first, the Delaware millers, judging from the appearance of the grain, decided that it was unfit for good flour; but on a full trial of it they yielded that opinion, and now take it, as they have done for many years, freely and with-

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out abatement from the market price of other kinds of wheat; so do distinguished millers in the Valley of Virginia and east of the mountain, after trying it. If Mr. Haxall will cause this wheat to be manufactured, and then pronounce it more unfit for flour than other red toheat is, such a decision would merit great consideration. In the mean time I am constrained to give credit to those who have tried and approved of it, to the extent above stated. Mr. Haxall, or the Editor of the Planter, (I am not certain which,) claims this wheat as "an old acquaintance," and denounces it as an " exploded humbug." Now there is something of mistake in this, seeing that it has only been about three years since the writer of this first introduced this "old acquaintance and exploded humbug" into Virginia. But Mr. Haxall not only denounces this wheat as unfit for flour, but condemns it as being unproductive, except that it may have been productive in a few particular instances, and adds, that if inferences be drawn from these particular instances, that such is its general character, farmers, he is sure, will find themselves mistaken. All this is quite correct; and yet in order to establish his assertion that the wheat is unproductive, the only evidence he offers is a single instance in which Dr. Gaines made less of this, than of the red May wheat. It seems, then, that though Mr. Haxall warns us against forming a favorable opinion as to the general character of this wheat, in consequence of its success in particular instances, he denounces it because it failed in a single instance to produce as good a crop as the red May wheat. Opposed to this single instance of Dr. Gaines, I am warranted, on the best authority, to state, that it is the concurrent opinion of the best farmers in Delaware and Pennsylvania, that this wheat, side by side, or anywhere, under the same circumstances, is more productive than any other wheat known to them. Such is the opinion of all in this, and other sections of the country, where it has been cultivated the two or three years past. Besides these testimonials, affirming the productiveness of this wheat, is the fact, published on good authority, that a gentleman in Maryland, Mr. Carmichael, made from twenty acres of land, one thousand bushels of the Mediterranean wheat, this present year, and I have a letter from Commodore Jones, in which he says, that a specimen of this wheat which he obtained from me, though sowed late in October, 1840, and under rather unfavorable circumstances, produced forty measures for one of seed. Other similar results could be enumerated to sustain the productiveness of this wheat. But Mr. Haxall and the Southern Planter, have overlooked the real merit of this wheat and its singular benefit to all farmers, where the Hessian fly exists. It is the only known wheat which can be sowed in proper seed-time—that

is, from the first to the twentieth day of September, and resist the ravages of the Hessian fly in the fall. It is the only known winter wheat which forms a hard ground joint in the spring, before the fly in the spring attains the maggot state—and as it attains maturity from eight to ten da^s earlier than any other winter wheat, it is never materially injured by rust.— To farmers, then, who are subject to the ravages of this destructive insect to their wheat crops, especially to such as have suffered from it as I have, I confidently recommend the Mediterranean wheat. For myself, sad experience has taught me, that I am bound to adopt that wheat for seed which will certainly, not casually, resist the ravages of the Hessian fly. This, I know, the Mediterranean wheat will do, and at the same time yield, according to the season, and the land it grows on, as good a crop as any other wheat, and will weigh from sixty to sixty-four pounds to the bushel. To give it a full and fair test in all these respects, it should be sowed between the first and fifteenth days of September—minding to give a full allowance of seed, according to the strength of the land, and not to cut it till quite ripe. If cut in the moist, or dough state, as wheat sometimes is, the grain of this, as does the grain of all red wheat, assumes that dark appearance, which has brought it into such bad repute with Messrs. Haxall and England. If any one will present a species of wheat that will resist the fly, escape rust, yield better flour, and produce more grain to the acre, than this wheat, he may justly denounce it; but, till that occurs, I shall, for one, adhere to it. By the way, in regard to the red May wheat, so justly commended by Mr. Haxall, for the beauty and quality of its grain, I obtained a parcel of it some twenty years since, from a friend on James River; but after three or four trials of it, I was most reluctantly forced to abandon it; because if sowed in any reasonable time in the fall, owing to its delicate root, the fly destroyed it. If sowed later to escape the fall fly, owing to the same cause, the frost of winter, was fatal to it. Such was the result as to several other species of forward wheat of which I made trials. September 11, 1843.

We clipped the foregoing from the " Herald," and handed it, together with Mr. Pendleton's communication, to Mr. Haxall, from whom we received the following reply :

Mr. Editor, —T addressed you a communication, which appeared in your September number, in relation to the merits of the Mediterranean wheat, and promised that you should hear further from me on the subject in time for publication in your number for October. I regret that I could not carry out my wishes in this respect

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as it has now become almost too late in the wheat sowing season to discuss this matter further. A few weeks since I sent to the mill of Mr. Bragg-, in this city, one hundred bushels of this variety of wheat, with the request that it should be carefully ground, as an experiment to test its fitness for the manufacture of a superior! quality of superfine flour. The proceeds returned to me from the one hundred bushels are ' only fifteen barrels of good, but not superior, superfine flour; which, as you will perceive at once, is a yield of only one barrel of flour from something over six and a half bushels of wheat; j a result which every miller and farmer must j know is very unfavorable. In extenuation of so bad a yield, Mr. Bragg's millers' represent that the wheat was damp,—which I have no ! doubt was the case—but not more so, I think, than one-half or more of all the wheat arriving j at Richmond about that time. So far, then, as this experiment goes, it confirms the opinion I expressed against the adaptation of Mediterranean wheat for the manufacture of flour to come up to the standard of the Richmond City Mills ; for what may fairly be inferred would have been the quality of this flour if the ordinary quantity of five bushels to the barrel had been taken to market ?

When I ventured before to say something against this wheat my object was not to condemn it altogether, but more to call the inquiring attention of farmers to it, before they gave full credence to the wonderful accounts of it, and particularly, before they had extensively purchased it for sowing this fall, and I little thought that I should excite so much feeling as is manifested in the communication addressed to you on this subject by Mr. H. N. Pendleton. I can say to this gentleman that his mode of discussing a matter of this sort is not the proper one by which to arrive at satisfactory results. It appears to him very strange that I should say anything against this wheat before having it ground into flour—and a similar notice has been adopted, but more respectfully expressed, by a writer in the Fredericksburg Virginia Herald. To both of these gentlemen I have to reply and defend what appears to them so unreasonable, by saying that I have had an experience of about twelve years in judging of many varieties and all qualities of wheat by their appearance only, and have yet to discover my ignorance in so doing, and whilst I have great confidence myself in such evidence, I did not ask your readers to give full faith to it—but on the contrary I promised to give them further proofs in ihe actual grinding of the wheat, and this would have been sooner done but for circumstances which I could not control.

Mr. Pendleton has gone beyond any one I have heard of in hi3 estimate of this wheat for making superior flour, and thinks it equal to

the best of Richmond manufacture; whilst the writer in the Virginia Herald claims for it only an equality with other red wheat. Even this last I am not prepared to concede in the present state of my information, and will now express the opinion that the red May, purple straw and other varieties of red wheats usually cultivated in this portion of Virginia, will in their most perfect condition and quality produce more and better flour than the Mediterranean in like condition and quality, and I am thus convinced by the appearance of the wheat, the formation of the grain, its complexion, brightness, &c. It may be, that the cultivation of the Mediterranean wheat in this vicinity is not very well understood, and the samples I have seen not the best of the kind; for I observe that the writer in the Virginia Herald recommends that "it should be sowed between the 1st and 15th of September, and not cut till quite ripe."

It is only with the quality of this wheat and its fitness for making good flour that I claimed to have any knowledge, derived from my own observation, and I should not have mentioned its unfavorable yield upon the farm of Dr. Gaines except for the fact that I heard of it about the time I was writing to you and felt, it my duty to make it public to check what appeared to me too great a desire among many farmers to purchase this wheat for sowing this fall before they had formed an intimate acquaintance with its properties. Since that date I have been in the State of Delaware, where the Mediterranean wheat is well known, and the information I obtained concerning it differs materially from that in the Virginia Herald derived from the same State, and I can account for the discrepancy only by the supposition that opinions there disagree concerning it. I was told there that the Bran-dywine millers had not become reconciled to it, and purchased it more from necessity than choice. But in regard to productiveness it was in high favor among farmers; for moderately improved lands yielding fifteen to eighteen bushels per acre. Upon the best lands the yield was not in proportion, being inclined to grow too high, and consequently to tumble.

The great yield obtained by Mr. Carmichael and Commodore Jones, as stated in the Virginia Herald, is certainly very favorable to this kind of wheat, and if the like can be effected here, it is destined to become a favorite wheat, but not, I hope, to supplant the beautiful white wheats, which I am confident are essential to maintain the present ascendancy of Richmond City Mills flour. I shall now take leave of this subject for the present season, at least, and wait further trial with the next crop, either to confirm or remove the impressions I have adopted concerning Mediterranean wheat.

Yours, truly, R. B. Haxall.

October 24, 1843.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER

For the Southern Planter. COVERED DRAINS OR BLIND-DITCHES.

JYIr. Editor, —I have not long been a reader of your very valuable paper, and although I subscribed for, and have obtained all the numbers, bad health has as yet prevented my reading them with desirable attention. So many valuable things have been said in them, that it would seem there could not much be added, at any rate, by me: I will, however, say a word on the above heading, having seen the subject touched several times in the Planter, and in the July number, by Mr. Morriss. It has always been a subject of wonder to me how, or rather why blind-ditching (as I choose to call it) should require much labor or expense. If you have a large or main ditch, (as is a matter of course) cut your side ditches sloping into it, (according to Mr. Morriss) varying the size agreeably to the situation of the land ; put in the bottom of these ditches two pine poles by the side of each other, say about six inches in diameter at the but and break the joint with a third, letting the large ends extend to the edge of the main ditch, and so continue the poles to the end of your cross-ditch; throw back the earth and I will insure the land may be worked through all time, as green pine poles seldom, if ever, rot when buried in a wet soil. If there be trash or brush at hand chopped to pieces and scattered on the poles, it would do no harm; indeed, land that is not very wet, may be greatly benefited, and in some instances sufficiently dried, by cutting your ditches as above, and simply returning the earth, after a few days, from whence it came, without any thing else being placed in the bottom.

Respectfully, A Subscriber.

Poivhatan, Oct. 19, 1843.

This plan, with various others, has already been recommended in the Planter. But we remember that this subject constituted one of the topics of discussion with the Farmers' Club of Henrico last summer. There it was unanimously agreed that these pine pole ditches would not last more than three, or four vears, at the farthest. The members of the Club seemed to be vividly impressed with the value of under-draining, but they seemed also to concur in the opinion that unless stone could be conveniently obtained for the bottom of the ditch, it was hardly worth making. One gentleman, however, who found it necessary to substitute something for the poles, which had entirely rotted, having no stone, was at that time in the course of an experiment with cypress plank.— We think this also will likely prove a failure •

for although even a green pine pole will, to use our correspondent's expression, last through all time if buried in the soil so as to be completely excluded from the air, yet there is no situation in which timber will sooner rot than in one of these ditches, with one side next the earth, and the other alternately exposed to air and water.

For the Southern Planter. HARD TO BEAT.

JSlr. Editor, —A gourd vine grew on the Frederick's Hall estate this year from which was gathered on the 10th of this month four hundred and three gourds, being the largest yield ever heard of. Besides ihe four hundred and three, there were a good many destroyed, say some twenty or thirty. They were all fully matured, and though the above may appear almost incredible, it is not the less true; I think, therefore, 3-011 will join me in saying, "It is hard to beat."

Your friend, R. R. P.

Frederick's Hall, Va., Oct. 17, 1843.

NORTON'S SEEDLING. We see that a Mr. Longworth has been furnishing the-good people of Boston with a grape that has attracted much attention. He was unaware of its origin, but has offered a premium of five hundred dollars to any one who could excel it. The connoisseurs of Boston have determined it to be the Norton's seedling, a slip of which it is supposed accidentally found its way among some other vines obtained by Mr. Long-worth from Virginia. This grape, which derives its name and celebrity from our late townsman, Dr. Norton, is not only valued for its wine making properties, but it is esteemed by many the finest table grape we have. Our old friend, Mr. John Carter, of this vicinity, U prepared to furnish either slips or roots of this admired variety, at very moderate rates.

From the American Agriculturist.

VIRGINIA LANDS.

Dear Sir, —I am thus far on my return from an exploration of that part of Virginia lying within a circuit of fifty to one hundred miles from this place, and do not hesitate to say, that considering its advantages as an old country, it is much to be preferred for settlers from the north, than any part of the west with which I am acquainted. Lands can be had here, that are really quite eligible, from five to fifteen dollars per

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acre; and though apparently poor and exhausted, there is abundant material close by for renovation. I shall give vou details hereafter, not having time now. Our company have about concluded to settle at , but more of this anon.

Wheat and other grains have proved a good crop; corn looks well now, though it has suffered some from the drought..

Yours, sincerely, * G. A. C.

Washington, D. C, Jiug. 4, 1843.

We wish we had more than the initials of the correspondent of the "Agriculturist." We honor this gentleman and his associates for their sagacity. With them we believe that there is no portion of the west that offers such inducements to the intelligent, industrious settler, as the low priced lands of Virginia.

It is not less strange than true, that these lands, which are preferred by our sagacious neighbors to any investment that they can make in the west, are sold nine times out often for the purpose of effecting a removal to the western States. The demand for Virginia land is becoming very great amongst the northern emigrants. They have not yet penetrated into the " bowels of the land," but have been satisfied with what they have found in the border counties of Loudoun and Fairfax. We hail the advent of these enterprising strangers amongst us with great pleasure, and yet, it is a melancholy sight to see the old proprietors, ignorant and obstinate as they are, pushed from their stools and driven into the wilderness by the superior intelligence of these foreigners. The new comers have been, doubtless, readers of agricultural papers : they are " book farmers;" they have kept up with the improvement of the age, and now they come here, and with a few pieces of silver they bribe our poor, ignorant, deluded people to quit forever their kindred and home3, to yield their delightful climate, their grateful but abused soil, to abandon the fellowship of men, and condemn themselves to lives of unremitting labor in the midst of a howling wilderness. Truly, our northern friends have read works on agriculture to some purpose !

not procure a male in the neighborhood to breed from, not that my wish to test the relative merits of the two stocks or my confidence in the superiority of the one over the other, have in any degree abated. So earnest was I, that I even sent to Baltimore, where, notwithstanding the kind exertions of Mr. Sands, of the American Farmer, I was unable to procure one. The cross of the Berkshire upon the other, has most frequently the effect of teducing the size of the Dicken hog considerably, and of producing a small animal with great propensity to take on fat. None of my subsequent experiments in crossing have equalled the first.

W. H. Richardson.

For the Southern Planter.

BERKSHIRES AND DICKEN HOGS.

Mr. Editor, —Please inform your correspondent T. G. T. in the September number of the Planter, that the arrangement between Col. B. and myself to match the Dicken hogs against the Berkshires was not effected, because I could

For the Southern Planter. TOBACCO.

Mr. Planter, —Tell your tobacco makers, in curing their tobacco they may save half their time, half their wood or coal, and half the danger of burning, by letting in the air near the bottom of their houses, leaving the door open. The air should be admitted all round the house at bottom regularly and freely. It is worth the trying, and they will then know for themselves, and the tobacco will never sweat nor scald.— Never burn a slick of green wood under tobacco if you wish to cure it well. J. H.

IMPORTANT TO LADIES.

An English paper has the following card to all fair lovers of worsted work:

" Half a pound of soft soap, half a pound of honey, one pint of English gin, mix all well together, and, with a sponge, clean the work with it, and then apply cold water in the same manner ; dry with linen—the brightest colors will be uninjured."

The companionship that exists between an Editor and his readers, naturally begets a desire upon the part of each to know occasionally how the other is getting on in the world. We take this opportunity, therefore, as our third volume is drawing to its close, to inform our friends that the prospects of the Planter were never brighter or fairer. After years of unrequited toil, we are