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peach orchard ; but the point of declination, is not in fact of any great moment. Experience proves that the north and ivest pitch, will, in ordinary seasons, produce the greatest amount of fruit; while the southern and eastern pitch, bring the earliest and richest flavored fruit.

u The training of a Peach Tree in a single stem, fyc. The evils arising from this mode of culture, ma}' be all easily and effectually remedied by substituting the following course of cultivation, viz:

"1. In planting the young trees in the orchard, say about one year after the ingraft, care must be taken, in the first place, to set them some ten or twelve feet apart; this distance will admit a free team passage about the orchard. Then, in

and safe bark into which the rain and sleet vnll not penetrate, nor xoill the frost or -post-worm find a ready entrance.

" 4. But should the white grub, in his rambles, or the black bug, in his flights, chance to reach one or two of these sprouts, or even all of them at a single visit, which in fact would be a very rare occurrence, and prey upon them, they would all die as a matter of course; but then the root is safe; it has felt neither the sting of the one nor the tooth of the other; and it will soon send up new and health}'' shoots,— an entire healthy and graceful peach tree.

" Experience has proved all this, and it has also proved, that, in such cases, an excess of shoots will often spring up, and make a too mi-

the next place further care must be taken to (nute clivision of lhe .hereby endangering

plant the roots of each seedling full eight inches j lhe hea] , h of , he whole femil of sprouls . lhere . tower m the earth than the depth at which it stood f ore ^ese sprouts must be trimmed out and the m the nursery. 1 his d.stance down places the I mmber gradmted to the condltion 0 f the soiL i n roots quite out of the reach of the bug and the j this trimming, however, some thought must be worm, and gives them a fair hold upon the had as t0 the " nature and gta , e of th ~ eroun(] its earth and the nutriment which it furnishes.— i ocatiori) pilchj &c> In poor land some three or Then, if it should so happen that the worm or i four shools a , e enough an d six or eieht in rich other insect, bark the tree and bore it, and even I S02 y

kill it at the ground, new shoots will immediately spring up from the safely bedded root, strong and full of health, and thus keep the orchard stock in good condition.

'• 2. In the spring, next following the planting of the orchard, each tree must be cut off at the ground. Then, from the root or stump thus left in the earth, fresh sprouts will soon shoot up, as in the subjoined cut, and these are to form the future peach tree.

" The thrift}' stems severed from the slump, may, if taken off at the swell of the leaf bud, be separated into slips of about ten or twelve inches in length, and planted some eight or ten inches deep in the earth, leaving simply a fair sprouting space above the surface. These slips, if the ground be rich, fine, compact, and kindly disposed, will also sprout and grow, forming roots downward, and shoots upward, and this too, as experience teaches, in six or eight cases, as an average, in every ten.

" 4. The sprouts springing from the deeply grounded root, and forming the^eac^ tree, are all held in an upright and family-like position, by the body of earth which surrounds them ; and although the ground in which they stand may be extremely rich, and full of appropriate nourishment,—and the sap very profuse, yet, being divided among so many suckers, it affords to each but a moderate share of nutriment; and that share may be easily regulated to suit any quality of ground by increasing or diminishing the number of sprouts.

" One great object in this mode of culture, is to secure, not a rapid, but a very moderate, not to say, slow growth of the tree, and at the same time, a sound and durable quality of timber, with a smooth

Then, as to the relative position and promise of the plants,—division is one object, the preservation of the largest and most thrifty, is another, and both, and all demand the exercise of judgment. But let it be borne in mind, lhat this surplusage of shoots, let them come whence and when they may. must be removed only at early trimming time.

" These thrifty sprouts, whether from the root of the nursery iree, or from one killed by lhe grub, will begin to bear fruit the second or third year; and by the sixth or seventh year, ihey become extremely prolific and elegant. In this way, the stock of peach trees may be preserved in a perfectly healthy state, secure from all ordinary casualties, the late spring frosts excepted, for many years; ay, for whole generations, and rarely show the symptoms of the yellows, as the sickly foliage is generally designated, or the decay of a root or a stern.

"It may here be observed that, in order to promote the purity of the peach orchard, and preserve the beauty and quantity of the fruit, the hog should be allowed the free range of the whole ground, from early grass time up to the ripening of the choice peach ; and when he is restrained from this range, all exposures of the roots of trees, to the ravages of insects, &c, should be carefully coveied up, and the ground left somewhat rounding or rising rather than hollow; for standing water is a deadly foe to the peach tree."

Mr. Forman indignantly complains of the impositions practised by some of the northern nurserymen, and threatens, unless bis general complaints produce a reformation, to give names

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and places, with a startling statement of practices that are resorted to by some of these gentlemen.

We would take this occasion to say to all our friends within striking distance of Richmond, that our old friend, Mr. Joseph Sinton, is prepared to supply any orders for fruit trees of the very best kinds. We believe the most implicit faith may be placed in the integriry and honor of Mr. Sinton. He has been long tried, and as far as we know, his trees have given universal satisfaction.

MANUFACTURE OF MANURE. If you have a family and keep a horse and cow—or cow only—you are able to manufacture, annually, one hundred cords of manure which shall be worth to you or to purchasers! who will be glad to pay you the money for it nine shillings, or even two dollars per cord.

Suppose your barn is near your house. Suppose, also, you dig and stone up a large vault under the barn, into which all the urine of the horse or cow, and their other excrements shall be deposited. Let your sink drain also lead into this repository. On the way, between the sink and the barn, let the privy be placed, under which the soap suds and other washings from the sink shall be discharged, on a plank floor, into the depository under the barn. Let that be the common receptacle of the sink, privy and stable. Keep a horse or ox cart, or even a wheel barrow,—and between April and November, be sure to carry into that vault, sods or other materials from the roads and fields, amounting to three cords per week, for the whole season* 1 he next spring you will have at least, one hundred and fifty cords of manure, saturated with animal and human excrement, and the washing I of the sink and wash rooms, which will be of I the strongest and best kinds, and which will be! worth every cent of two dollars per cord In all human probability, the contents would brine you ! two hundred dollars. Is this not worth the 1 Pains ? It may all be made so much clear gain with little or no pecuniary cost to the housekeeper.—IF. A. Drew's Plough Boy

For the Southern Planter. OVERSEERS. Mr. Editor,—I am suffering under the most intolerable thraldom to which a poor devil was ever subjected, and unless you in your wisdom can afford me some relief, I must <r.ve up in «espair. I arn afflicted with an overseer who is one of the most faithful, industrious, obstinate, bard-headed and conceited beings that evr>r

walked on two legs. I am a young farmer, lately come into the possession of a large estate and the fellow's knowledge of the practical and mechanical part of my business, is absolutely necessary to me; moreover, his hard-fisted honesty, notwithstanding his ignorance and obstinacy prevents me from discharging him. In short! sir, I fear the old man of the sea was not seated more securely on the shoulders of poor Sinbad, than is this fellow on my premises. But whilst he continues here, I am the veriest slave on" the plantation; for I have no will of my own. I am fond of reading agricultural works and sometimes indulge in ideas of very extensive and judicious improvements; but to carry them out I am compelled to resort to the practical assistance of Mr. R., the gentleman before mentioned. Accordingly, in the blandest and most conciliating manner in the world, I suggest to him the advantage of trying some improved mode of culture that I have seen highly recommended in the Planter. He answers, " of course | Jf 1 order him to do it he will try it, but he , knows it will never do in the world ;" and sure i enough, it never does « do." If at considerable pains and expense I procure some improved implement, which has been brought to my notice ; m my agricultural papers, no matter how admi-; rably it may work for a day or two, whilst I am superintending it, in a little time I find it laid up in the barn, and I am briefly informed that it is " )0 ut of order and of no manner of ac-count.-' Thus, notwithstanding my great desire to adopt and profit by the improvements of the age, notwithstanding I feel confident that by improved culture the product of my farm | could be doubled, here I am, working exaeNy as my great grandfather did before me° continuing the same unscientific and destructive system that my venerable ancestor pursued. Is not this intolerable ? Yet, what am I to do 1 My neighbors tell me if I dismiss my present tyrant 1 shall probably get one in his place with more conceit and less honesty. Will you, Mr Editor assist me with your advice in this dilemma, and oblige

Your obedient servant, T. S

We feel for our friend, and will not withhold from him the consolation and assistance our poor advice can afford. In the first place then, we say to him, discharge your overseer and attend to your business yourself. With your superior intelligence and information, you can soon become infinitely better skilled in what you call the "practical and mechanical part of your profession," than the prejudiced, ignorant booby you have described, ever could be. If you must have a superintendent, take care to be superior to hirn in every department of your business,

T12

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and let that superiority be recognised and acknowledged.

Various causes have been assigned for the supposed retarded state of agriculture in the South, but in our opinion, nothing militates more against the progress of improvement amongst us, than the universal system of employing overseers. We know it is much the fashion, especially with the demagogue who wants their votes, to laud this class of men ; nor do we mean to say that there are not many honorable, liberal, intelligent individuals among them ; but our observation has lead us to the conclusion, that, for the most part, they are ignorant, prejudiced, and obstinate, in the extreme; and we have no doubt that the picture of his own situation drawn by our friend T. S., although perhaps a little highly colored, is a faithful portraiture of the influence exercised by these men upon southern agriculture.

Very large proprietors can afford to employ men of skill and intelligence to superintend their estates, but we respectfully ask if the small farmer, of three or four hundred acres, would not do better by attending to his own business than by employing another to do it for him ? Remember the old maxim, " if you want your business done, employ another; if you want it well done, do it yourself,"

The Pictorial Times and Illustrated London Neivs, containing descriptions of the Fair of the Royal Agricultural Society at Derby, were sent from this office to several of our exchange papers, and we suspect the Southern Planter and the South Western Farmer are indebted to us for the papers they have acknowledged from another source. Certain it is, we sent them copies of the papers mentioned.— Cultivator.

The only copy of these papers that we received were marked as coming from the office of the Agriculturist. But we are as much indebted to our friends of the " Cultivator" as if their intended kindness had been received.

EFFECTS OF DROUGHT PREVENTED BY

DEEP TILLAGE. To the Editor of the Southern Planter:

Dear Sir, —I made an experiment on a small scale during the past season, the object of which was to satisfy myself as to the advantage or disadvantage of close planting and deep tillage of corn with reference to its ability to withstand

the effects of a very dry season. The result as to the first branch of the experiment was unsatisfactory, while that of the second branch was a clear demonstration to my mind of the great utility of deep tillage, or subsoil ploughing where the soil will not admit of a deep upturning, in enabling the corn to resist the effect of drought. I selected a square in my garden through which a trench had been opened the previous season two feet deep and about eight feet wide. This trench was filled up and levelled with the common surface, and after manuring the whole broadcast with litter from the farm-pen, it was prepared and planted at the earliest period the season (a late one) would permit, at the distance of three feet each way, two rows running through the length of the trench, and the whole was thinned to two stalks in the hill. It grew off finely and was advanced to the critical stage of earing when the late drought occurred. From this the corn suffered great injury in general, but the part which grew over the celery trench retained its verdure and freshness during the prevalence of the drought, whilst nearly every blade of the remaining part of the square was frequently seen to be in a twist,

I submit the facts of this experiment—the public may draw their own inferences. Yours respectfully,

Cn. B. Williams.

PEAS AS AN IMPROVER. We have been requested by a subscriber to obtain some information for him upon the subject of using peas to improve poor land. In the absence of any original information we make the following extracts from a communication lately made by Mr. Edmund Ruffin to' an agricultural society in South Carolina:

" The almost universal mode of raising the pea crop in South Carolina is by planting among corn. The length of the summer permits this planting to be done after the corn is well advanced in growth, and for the peas to have time to perfect their growth after that of the corn has ceased. Universal experience seems to have confirmed the value and profit of the pea crop thus made. But this mode, however advantageous, seems to me of far less benefit, than either of several other modes. Of one of these I have myself had large and satisfactory experience, under a less favorable climate—and others I have but just seen in this neighborhood, or elsewhere in this State.

" Whatever may be the amount of product, or of profit, from raising peas among corn, as a secondary cultivated crop, it is attended with much trouble in the planting and separate tillage.

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" Peas (like red clover, which is also a plant of the pea tribe,) draw sustenance very largely from the atmosphere, by their system of broad leaves, compared to what they draw from the soil. Hence such plants take less from the land, and return more to it, than any others, and, therefore, are the best of manuring or meliorating crops, to be alternated with the more exhausting grain, and tillage crops. In this respect, red clover has stood unrivalled, because in the more northern and improved lands, where its admirable manuring and cleansing qualities have been fully experienced, peas cannot be as well raised. From some trials made here, there is good reason to hope that red clover may be raised to great advantage, even without lime, the application of which would ensure its perfect success. But, even if this were not so, the pea crop sown broadcast is scarcely less valuable than clover as a manuring crop, and superior to it in several other respects. And the great ground of recommendation of the pea crop, is that it may be introduced after either of several different grain crops, and to fill longer or shorter intervals of time, which would otherwise be fruitless for melioration, or serve to fill the land with foul weeds and depredating insects. In this manner, peas may be advantageously used to improve and add to any scheme of rotation of crops—lessening the exhausting operation and destructive effects of the worst rotations—or making one really improving and excellent, which without the addition of peas would be more exhausting than meliorating.

" The principal experience which I have had of peas as a manuring and cleansing crop in my own practice, was the sowing the field broadcast, upon a good and clean ploughing, and harrowing in the seed, (of the cow pea, or some other variety producing much vine and leaf,) about one and a half bushels to the acre. The crop at or near maturity of the more forward pods, should be well ploughed under about a month before the time to sow wheat. The wheat should be sown on the same furrow, and covered by the harrow. This is an admirable preparation, serving by the thickly covering and shading and smothering and subsequently killing of the peas, well to cleanse and also to manure the land, and to produce a much better crop of wheat than can possibly follow corn, cotton, and still more, wheat itself or other broadcast grain. The sole objection to ihis preparation is the cost of the ploughing for the pea seeding; and this perhaps may be often saved by a new practice of which I have recently learned something elsewhere. The black pea, and also a dark red pea, will lie upon the ground, or remain covered therein, through winter without rotting, and will germinate and grow in the spring. Availing of this property, these peas have been successfully sown both late in autumn Vol. III.—35

(or early part of winter,) with wheat, and in spring with oats. The peas grow but little until the grain crop is removed, and then grow rapidly, and soon form a good cover. It is not to be supposed that this plan will always succeed. But it has done well, on a small scale of operations, for three years as conducted by Wm. R. Davis, Esq. in Fairfield, and for six years on a larger scale, by Major J. Liulejohn in Union.

" If it be not desired to use the broadcast pea crop to prepare for and measure for wheat—or if it be preferred to save the crop for hay—then the latter may be done, as I had the benefit of seeing but a few days ago, on the neighboring plantation of one of your Society, the Hon. J. C. Calhoun. The crop of peas was mowed by the scythe; and after laying a few hours in the sun, and without being turned, the vines were put up in high and narrow cocks around a stake five or six feet high, to stand until cured enough to be stored in the house. This plan (which, by the way, with smaller cocks, is the best mode I have ever known of curing all kinds of grass for hay)—saves the trouble of turning the hay with forks, and the loss by such turning causing the dropping the leaves and shedding the ripe peas, as well as too much sunning the hay.— The provender thus saved is excellent, and the land is left clean for any succeeding crop. In this case, the cow pea was the varieiy used, and the sowing was in May, at the rate of two and a half bushels to the acre.

"A still more admirable plan of raising-peas I saw on part of the same plantation. The seed had been sown broadcast (one bushel to the acre) in the corn land at the last ploughing, which was in July. The crop of corn we suppose maybe twenty-five bushels to the acre; and the peas (as seen on the 26th of September) formed a thick and rank cover of the whole ground."

PLOUGHS. We have been in the habit of considering a guage wheel to a plough an appendage of very doubtful utility, and we believe it has been almost universally discarded in the few instances in which it has been introduced amongst our old fashioned Virginia farrneis ; al-ihough the truth is, we believe three-fourths of them never saw a plough with a wheel to it, and many of them have very little idea to what part it is attached. Yet we find the following remarks in the report of the committee who superintended the ploughing match at the grand State fair at Rochester, New York :

"Many of them came unprovided with a

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guage wheel, and the difference of draft was so great, with or without a wheel, that those who had not a wheel, borrowed one before they would go through with a trial. Your committee think this point settled in the minds of every one who saw this trial, that a wheel is an indispensable accompaniment to a good plough in sward land, or indeed in almost any other."

For the Southern Planter.

PLASTER OF PARIS.—CHARCOAL.

J\Ir. Editor, —A distinguished politician of the West adopted as his motto, " Clay first, Clay last, and Clay all the time." My motto as a farmer is, Manure first, Manure last, and Manure all the time. It is a well known fact, that most of the farmers east of Richmond, who have been induced to sow plaster upon their fields, have long since given up the use of it as worthless, and upon some minds a strong prejudice exists against its use, not having seen, as they say, the least beneficial resulls from it.— Plaster is a very insoluble substance, requiring nearly five hundred parts of water to dissolve one of plaster. When it is sown upon the soil, therefore, and acts beneficially, it is owing to its chemical action. Unless it comes in contact with some substance in the soil capable of decomposing it, it will remain unchanged and inert, and no good result can be expected to follow its use. Professor Liebig's theoiy, that, plaster decomposes the ammonia that falls in rain water, I am disposed to call in question, for the following reason.* It is rational to conclude that the same quantity of ammonia, (which he says is always present in rain water) would be brought down in one place as in another, and the beneficial effects of plaster would be (according to his theory) everywhere alike manifest. This we know from experience is not the case. But I must be permitted to say that where the use of plaster comes to be properly understood, it is, in my judgment, destined to hold a high rank among the farmers of the East, as it now does among the farmers of the West. To all I would say, use plaster liberally in constructing your manure and compost heaps; never allow either to ferment without a proper admixture of ground plaster in the heap. In this way the plaster is decomposed, and two compounds are formed, sulphate of ammonia and carbonate of lime, and the volatile portion of the manure heap will be retained for the use of crops. And here I

* The fact that plaster and carbonate of ammonia mutually decompose each other when brought into contact at common temperatures I do not for a moment call in question. The decomposition, however, is slow. The quantity of plaster is so small generally when sown upon the surface, and the action upon some soils so different from that of others I cannot subscribe to his theoiy about rain water and plaster.

would respectfully urge upon my brother farmers to adopt some plan without delay to save the liquid manure of their animals. The ready wit of every farmer will suggest the manner of doing it. Some might be aided by reference to an article of mine in your paper, January number for 1842. If the solid and liquid excrements cannot be saved together in a well constructed reservoir, water tight, and protected from the weather, the solid may be fermented by pouring the liquid upon it, but don't forget the plaster. After fermentation especially, in all cases, it should be protected from the weather, or much of the value will be lost from drenching rains. I have nearly filled two sides of my sheet, but I must say something about

CHARCOAL.

Professor Liebig has said, charcoal previously heated to redness, will absorb ninety times its volume of ammoniacal gas. I have no doubt of it. Mark the words in italics, "previously heated to redness." Charcoal has also great affinity for carbonic acid, but it has a greater affinity for water than for any of the gases; when filled with either carbonic acid or ammoniacal gas, upon being made wet this gas will be liberated and the pores of the charcoal become filled with water. Now suppose from exposure to the atmosphere the pores of the charcoal should be filled with carbonic acid. Then place it over a stream of ammoniacal gas, the ammonia could not enter, because it could not displace the carbonic acid; but suppose the farmer should use charcoal in his manure heaps instead of plaster, and it should be in a condition to absorb the ammoniacal gas, the character of the ammonia is still the same; charcoal does not deprive it of its volatility ; consequently, the moment it is disengaged by the charcoal becoming wet, there is danger of a loss of all the ammonia.

I have made the foregoing plain remarks in regard to charcoal, because I perceive from the agricultural periodicals it is becoming very fashionable, and I fear many fatal mistakes will be the result.*

In conclusion, I must again say to all, use ground plaster liberally in your stables, cowsheds, manure and compost heaps, and the result cannot be doubtful.

I remain truly, yours,

Geo. Woodfin.

SALTING HORSES.

A curious fact is mentioned in Parker's Treaties on Salt. "A person who kept sixteen farming

* Charcoal is most usually recommended to be used about manure heaps to retain the ammonia,—I would not rely upon it. Will Mr. Drummond give us the practical results of his experiment with charcoal as a manure"?

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horses, made the following experiment with seven of them which had been accustomed to eat salt with their food. Lumps of rock salt were laid in their mangers, and these lumps, previously weighed, were examined weekly, to ascertain what quantity had been consumed, and it was repeatedly found that whenever these horses were fed on hay and corn, they consumed only about 24: or 3 ounces per day; but that when they were fed with new hay, they took six

ounces per day." This should convince us of the expediency of permitting our cattle the free use of salt at all times; and it cannot be given in so convenient a form as rock salt, it being much more palatable than the other article in a refined slate, and by far cheaper. A good lump should always be kept in a box by the side of the animal, without fear that it will be taken to excess.— Selected.

A GRUBBING FORK

We present our readers with an engraving and description (taken from Thaer's Principles of Agriculture) of an implement that will, we think, be found very useful in the tedious business of grubbing:

"Sometimes for the purpose of extirpating shrubs a lever is used, armed at one of its extremities wiih a very strong trident of iron, the prongs of which are usually 20 inches long.

'As they must be able to endure a great strain, the part of the instrument which joins the socket and the socket itself should be very strong. Into this socket a pole is introduced which serves for a lever, which should be stout, of solid wood, of ash if possible, and 15 or 20 feet long. To the extremity of the handle a cord is attached 8 or 10 feet long, with a cross bar, by means of which several men can exert their strength at once upon the lever. After the strongest lateral roots have been cut, the trident is thrust under the slock or stump, in an inclined position, then a block is placed under the handle or lever, which is placed so near the stump as to raise the extremity of the handle 10 or 12 feet, then by means of the cross-bar attached to the cord the workmen bring down the upper part of the handle till the roots yield to their efforts. By the aid of this instrument, simple a.s it is, astonishing things can be effected, and when it i3 insufficient more complicated machines will run great risk of being broken."

For the Southern Planter. COMMENTS.

It will be noticed that I have ceased to comment on the contents of the Southern Planter. This has been caused by the complaints of one who saj's I treated him rudely, or words to this amount. It should be remembered that in this manner of writing one has to travel an unfrequented path over rocks, hills and valleys, and through mud and water. In the case above alluded to I unfortunately got into the mud, and in the headlong efforts to extricate myself, I bespattered an unknown friend, of which he heartily complains. Now, behold the garments of my friend have been purified by the communication which my comments elicited, and in which he complains of me; but I am yet be-mired and silent, and determined to remain so unless the gentleman or the public shall see fit to lift me once more to a perpendicular.

Investigator.

We regret the determination of our correspondent. We are aware of the peculiar delicacy of the position he assumed as a commentator upon the contents of the Planter. There is no species of communication more useful than a fair, candid and gentlcmunly review of the opinion of others ; for it is only by a free and liberal discussion of points on which we differ, that we can expect to arrive at the truth. At the same

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time, there is nothing more objectionable in itself, or more calculated to restrain the communications of others, than an uncourteous, carping critique upon every thing that appears. We know "Investigator" to be a sound, practical, and successful farmer, and we hope still to have the benefit of his experience in the shape of " comments," always presuming that they will be marked by that kind regard for the feelings of others, which we know to be characteristic of the individual.

my health permits, some extracts from it from time to time. His fame as a farmer was known all over Virginia. T. I. P.

We have often heard of Dr. Meriweather and shall be much pleased to receive the extracts from his diary.

For the Southern Planter. REPLY TO R. R.

JSIr. Editor, —In reply to the communication over the signature of " R. R." on " Overseers' Wages," that appeared in your last number, I would say that, in consequence of bad health I have been unable to redeem the promise made in the May number of 1841, over the signature of T. I. P. that in a future communication I would undertake to show more fully " the bad results of giving an overseer an interest in the crop," and am now indebted to the assistance of " un copiste" in sending you this; and instead of having recanted my previous views and opinions concerning the bad practice of giving overseers an interest in the crop, time has only served to confirm me in them.

The practice of giving overseers a part of the crop was a custom that prevailed thirty years ago, and the errors and consequences of which the improvements of agriculture have tended greatly to expose; and there are now found comparatively few that carry out this system.

The late Dr. William Meriweather, of this county, the most scientific and practical farmer of his day, and who was half a century before his cotemporaries in farming, was never known to give an overseer a part of his crop. The conflicting interest of one year with the gradual improvements of the farm for subsequent years, is evident; and a conscientious employer would find it at once in direct opposition to the interest of the overseer to be engaged in improvements in which he would have no interest.

I will conclude with saying that I deem the practice altogether inconsistent with any thing like progressive improvement on a farm; and as you have so ably sustained my views on this subject, I leave you in future to answer any thing that mav be said upon it.

Yours, &c. T. I. P.

Jlmelia, JYov. 1, 1843.

P. S.—I would state that I have the promise of being put in the possession of the agricultural diary of the distinguished farmer mentioned, (Dr. Meriweather) and will send you, if

To the Editors of the Louisville Journal:

Gentlemen, —Having noticed in your paper a call on the farmers to send you their experience of this year in the different branches of farming and of the improvement of the soil, I will proceed to give you mine in the raising and ploughing under of broadcast corn. We had a field of thirty-seven acres which had previously and the year before been cultivated in corn, and the soil of which required renovating; and, believing nothing could be sown which would more speedily accomplish the end proposed than broadcast corn, I proceeded accordingly. The field, previously to being sown, had not been broken up and the old stalks still remained upon the ground.

About the latter part of April I commenced sowing. Upon thirty acres I sowed two bushels of corn per acre, and upon the remaining seven, three bushels per acre, and ploughed the whole under, old stalks and all, two inches deep.

It came up and all grew equally until about two feet high, when a marked difference began to present itself, and at the age of maturity that which was sown thick had scarce reached five feet high, whilst the other had attained the height of seven or eight feet. Hence we see, for two reasons, a decided advantage in favor of thin sowing: first, because it requires less corn ; and, secondly, your stalks will grow both larger and taller, and from my own observation I may add that less than two bushels per acre would perhaps be advantageous. And now comes the ploughing under. Finding it impossible, with the aid of a log-chain reaching from the beam of the plough to the end of the double-tree, to turn it under as well as desired, I determined to seek some other mode, and for that purpose knew of nothing better than the roller, which I accordingly procured, and commenced rolling it down by lands of suitable width for the plough to follow. The roller is of such weight that when drawn by two horses it will mash the stalks down flat with the ground, and 1 can unhesitatingly say that stalks, even ten or twelve feet high, may in this way be completely turned under to the depth of four inches without injury to the horses.

Were my only object the rapid improvement of the soil, within the shortest space of time, I would not seek further or better means than first sowing down thick with rye, which I would plough under just before the time of ripening,

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to prevent its seeding the ground, and upon which I would sow one bushel and a half of corn per acre; thus, in the same season, ploughing under a heavy coat of rye and corn, which, in the short space of twelve months, will equal if not surpass any benefit which can be derived from clover in two years.

Though last, not least, another important advantage to be taken into consideration is, that by this double process your land is less exposed to the deteriorating effect of the sun's rays, when a xye crop is ploughed under in June and corn sown broadcast, than when with corn alone you would be compelled if sown early to plough under in August, and consequently your land would be left exposed to the scorching influence of an autumnal sun.

October 12, 1843.

BOMMER'S MANURE METHOD PUT IN PRACTICE.

We extract the following certificate of the value of the manure made by Bommer's process from the last number of the Cultivator. We have in our own possession the most satisfactorj' testimonials of its efficiency in producing speedy decomposition, and of the apparent value of the manure. But nobody hereabouts has yet had an opportunity of testing its effects upon a crop; although no one who has seen the manure after it is made, seems to have any doubts upon this point. As far as our information and experience go, the time required to produce perfect decomposition is rather underrated. Of course different materials will be longer or shorter in rotting, but we rather think that the average will require from four to six weeks. But our information is drawn from experiments made during the last summer, when the process was undoubtedly much retarded by the excessive rains for which the season was so remarkable.

"Messrs. Gaylord fy Tucker, —Being a subscriber and constant reader of your valuable agricultural publication, 1 frequently find there, articles on 'Bommer's Method of Making Manure.' As these articles are chiefly from the pens of agriculturists who have followed this method with entire success, it affords me unfeigned pleasure to be able, on my own behalf, also to bear testimony to the value of this method, and through the medium of your paper, to make the results of my experiments and operations known to my fellow-citizens. This I do, both for the sake of bringing before the public the great advantages derived from using the method spoken of, and the benefits insured

me by its application, and at the same time in order to render a deserved tribute to the truih.

" On purchasing Bommer's method last spring, I immediately prepared a heap in the presence of a few neighbors. I followed strictly the directions laid down in Bommer's book.— After the lapse of a fortnight, the heap was opened in the presence of a number of farmers, and our astonishment cannot be conceived on seeing the metamorphosis which had takes place, as we found all those weedy and stramineous materials of which the heap had been constructed, reduced to rich black manure, having an ammoniac smell, much more pungent than the best stable manure. Beholding so surprising a result, the farmers present formed themselves into a public meeting, and in that capacity nominated a committee from their midst, who were charged with the preparation of a report of what we had seen, to be sent to the agricultural press.

" I ploughed in this manure into one-half of a field intended for potatoes, and in order to institute, a comparison of effects, I put the same quantity of my best stable manure into the other half of the field. The effect on the soil was very nearly the same with both these kinds of manure ; but the vegetation on that part of the field which had been furnished with Bommer's manure, was more luxurious and the foliage of a deeper verdure, which I attribute to the richness of the saline matter which it contains, and which alone preserved the humidity of the soil during the severe drought of this last season. It is proper to remark also, that in the composition of the ' Bommer manure,' I employed simply such doses of the ingredients as were absolutely necessary to insure success in the operation of making it, and if I had increased these quantities, there is not the least doubt that the result of the Bommer manure would have been very far superior to that of any horse manure.

" Perfectly satisfied with my experiment and its results, I have put up fixtures near my barnyard for the purpose of preparing large quantities of this manure; and within the last two months I have made three heaps, which have yielded me between 200 and 300 loads of excellent manure. The last heap was composed entirely of 100 loads of sedge grass, nearly dry, with which I intermixed 40 loads of swampy matter, such as exists on my farm. All my outlay in purchasing ingredients to form the lye for this last heap, amounted to between $20 and $30, and in disbursing this trifling sum, I have made a heap of manure, which I would not dispose of for $250.

" I shall prepare other heaps of manure before the winter sets in, and those who may be desirous to see me at work and to assure themselves of the truth of what I have said, need

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

only call at my farm, and judge for themselves. The benefits which 1 derive from using this method are not inconsiderable. Before becoming acquainted with it, I purchased every year from three to five hundred dollars worth of manure, which I needed over and above that of my own farm-yard, for the two hundred acres which I have. Now I do not purchase one penny's worth, and I can make double the quantity if I choose. I have the advantage of producing my manure in the sowing and planting season. I can make it more or less strong, more or less fermented, so as to suit the soil and the kind of crop for which I want it; I spread and plough it in while it is perfectly fresh, and consequently in all its strength. These are some of the results experienced by me in using Bommer's method of manuring land.

Jerrit Kouwenhoven. Flatlands, L. I., Sept. 15,1843."

For the Southern Planter. AGRICULTURAL APHORISMS.

NO. VII.

As the stalk of corn in the field, so the young man ; both must be cultivated or their fruit will be chaffy.

Some men subsist by labor of the body, some by labor of the mind; a combination of both is important to success.

Some men write without thinking, some think without writing; the one is willing and not able, the other able and not willing.

There is no profit without capital. The merchant's capital is his money; the farmer's capital is his manure bank.

Winter time is hard by, and I venture to admonish every farmer to count his cattle, and then his hay stacks, and if the one shall exceed the other, then either sell, eat, give away, or kill the surplus to keep them from dying.

Agriculture is favorable to morals, to health, and to wealth.

Mankind might do without physicians, if they would observe the laws of health ; without lawyers, if they would keep their tempers ; without soldiers, if they would observe the laws of Christianity ; and perhaps without preachers if each would take care of his own conscience; but there is no living without farmers.

Argus.

Amherst, October, 1843.

FODDER. We observe that Mr. Ruffin, in a communication to an agricultural society of South Carolina, expresses the opinion, that more injury results to the grain from pulling the fodder and

cutting the tops of corn than is counterbalanced by the value of these substances as articles of food; so that if by being permitted to remain they were entirely lost, and the labor of gather-ingwere estimated at nothing, it would be better to leave them on the stalk. Some late experiments that he has witnessed in the manufacture of sugar from cornstalks in different stages of their growth, have satisfied him that the grain uses up and requires all the saccharine matter of the stalk and leaves, and that as long as there is a spark of vitality in these, they are ministering to the growth and perfection of the seed.

For our own part, we doubt not that the growth of the grain is often checked and that shrivelling is often produced by pulling the leaves and topping the plant too early. How the account will stand between the gain of fodder and the shrinkage of the grain, we are not prepared to sa}'. But admit that the superior character of the fodder secured by early pulling will not compensate for the injury to the grain ; still, we think even after the leaves have performed all their functions and the plant has ceased to grow, that the tops and leaves may be gathered to great advantage. The saccharine matter, even, has not been all exhausted as chemical analysis proves, and other nutritive properties undoubtedly remain. In the North even the lower part of the stock is recommended as affording excellent food, and fully justifying the labor and expense of gathering and passing through the cutting box.

From the Southern Cultivator. ON CLEARING LAND.

Messrs. Editors, —Permit me, through your paper, to communicate some of my ideas to my brother farmers on clearing land—I might say experience. The plan I have tried successfully for several years, is this:—I grub, cut the firewood, and rail timber, kill the timber left standing, and split the rails in the course of the fall and winter; heaping no more brush than will give me sufficient pass-way to haul the fire-wood out as I need it. In that condition I let it lay one year, with the exception of shrubbing the ensuing summer, and the spring following I have a fine piece of mellow new ground, ready for inclosing and cleaning up, the standing timber all dead, the fibrous roots, the leaves and trash all rotten, and the land very often producing a double crop the first year. Nor does it stop there; for I believe the good effects may

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279

be seen for six or eight years after. Need I tell any rational man that the first year's rest is worth more in enriching the soil, when the brush and timber are lying on it, than any two or three years after it has been in cultivation ? Let me invite them to look at our wood-lands, with the growth so dense that you can scarcely ride through it, the face of the earth covered two or three inches deep with leaves, and ask them to determine whether, if all be cut and burnt off the same winter, as is usually done, their land is not greatly impoverished 1 Need I argue with my brother farmers so plain a case 1 I think not; for if they will reflect one moment on the two plans, I believe they will try mine, and I venture to say if once tried they will pursue it in future.

My next clearing I expect to let lay two years, with all cut and killed on it but the rail timber, and the second winter I will cut and split the rails, leaving all on the ground one year, and I expect by doing so my land will be worth more than double the same lands cleared in the usual way.

And now, Messrs. Editors, in looking over your paper, I am surprised to find so few contributing towards supporting it with their practical modes of farming. We want Georgia farming—surely no place needs improving more than middle Georgia—and I do hope that there is intelligence and patriotism enough in middle Georgia to make your paper appear what every good citizen should wish it to be."

Robert Caldwell.

For the Southern Planter.

GALLS AND GULLIES.

Mr. Editor, —From the wretched system of cultivation in many parts of Virginia, the farms present an uncomely aspect from innumerable galls and gullies. Experience has taught me that these may be stopped without any very great labor. Every one in the field intended for corn, ought to be stopped. It is the more necessary, because observation will soon teach one that when the hill sides are deeply ploughed and kept well cultivated, that but little superfluous water passes down the gullies ; and hence there is less danger of their washing out after having been filled up. The best time for the operation is as soon as the land thaws after a severe freeze; or during some wet time when it would not be proper to work in the fields. I commence by running a two-horse plough up one side and down the other, so as to throw the dirt into the gully. The horse next the gully should be coupled to the other by a long cord, and that to the trace of the other below the attachment of the ' backhand. This precaution ■will be found necessary, so that if he fall in he

may not pull his fellow after him. The gully is a convenient deposit for any thing lhat may lie in the way, such as logs, stumps, rocks, brush, &c, but they are by no means essential for the success of the operation.

It is generally necessary to have some hands with hoes, mattocs, &c. as there are many places that the plough cannot reach in consequence of the zigzag form of the gully, until some digging be done. Also many gullies have forks, or prongs, so lhat the ploughing cannot be done until a crossing place be made near the main gully. I am in favor of continuing the operation only until the place becomes such that a single-horse plough can cross with ease, and then leave the balance to the gradual washings of after years. When I have arrived at this stage I cover the whole place well with manure and sow small grain, (or peas,) and turn in the manure and small grain together, and then sow a mixture of different kinds of grass seeds with plaster of Paris, and cover the whole with straw. In a few days the grain will put up through the straw and hold it so closely to the earth that the most washing rain will not remove it. I prefer a mixture of red clover, herdsgrass and greensward seeds.

In the subsequent cultivation of the field the gullies should remain untouched by the plough or hoe ; and in a little time the grass will form such a sward as to catch a sufficiency of dirt, during the washing of rains, to render the original gully nearly level.

Those who have not tried this plan may be incredulous ; but such as doubt, may examine my farm and see for themselves, that gullies thus treated, have seldom been injured by washing rains. It is often the case that less time will be required to stop a gully than would be lost in turning the plough during the cultivation of the crop.

Every farmer ought to get clear of his gullies in four or five years, according to the number of shifts he may have on his farm.

I can say but little of the efficacy of hill side ditches to prevent gullies from washing out, but do not doubt their usefulness. I should have tried them if my professional engagements would have permitted me.

If the foregoing should not benefit any one, it may serve to elicit information from some person more competent to instruct.

R. D. Palmer.

October 28, 1843.

WOUNDS ON HORSES.

Take one-quarter of a pound of saltpetre, half a pint of spirits of turpentine—put them together in a bottle, and shake up before using.— Apply to the wound with a feather three times a day.— Central New York Farmer.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

TOBACCO AND CORN.

We make the following extract from a very excellent essay read by Mr. Richard F. Darra-cott before the Agricultural Society of Hanover:

TO THE HANOVER AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Essay on " the propriety of extending the culture of Tobacco" and the best means of cultivating the same.

In considering the utility of cultivating tobacco, it is deemed advisable to enter upon an estimate of the comparative value of that and the corn crop, for a portion of which it is usually substituted. All will readily admit, that the crop which affords the largest profit to the planter, on the labor expended, will enable him, other things being equal, to make the greatest improvement of his farm, and to enhance the comforts of his home.

Let the comparison be made thus: Take an acre of land rich enough to produce eight barrels of corn, and estimate the value of the crop as follows: Eight barrels of corn, at 15 shillings per

barrel, $20 00

Four cwt. of blade fodder, at 50 cents

per cwt. 2 00

Shucks, stocks and top fodder, may be

put at 2 00

$24 00 Land that will produce 8 barrels of corn per acre, will, with equal certainty, bring 10 cwt. of tobacco, which being estimated at $4 per cwt. will produce the sum of 40 00

Giving a balance in favor of the tobacco crop of $16 00 It is manifest, that to make a crop of tobacco, requires more labor than to make one of corn; but much of the additional labor requisite to be done, is performed by small and infirm hands, and at a season of the year when not much else of importance is found to engage the farmer's attention ; and when the weather is so inclement, that it would be imprudent to employ the laborers out of doors. The more convenient and cheaper transportation of the crop to market, is a saving to the planter, by no means to be overlooked in the estimate. Another advantage properly placed to the credit of this crop, is that it is a cash article. The farmer receives the whole sum at once, and may immediately make such disposition of it, as his necessities require or his inclination prompts.

It is difficult to estimate with accuracy, the difference in the amount of labor required for the cultivation^ the two crops, but it may be safely asserted, that it does not amount to more

than $6 per acre, against the tobacco crop; which being taken as the difference, will leave still in its favor, the sum of $10 per acre.

The foregoing estimate, if correct, settles the point, that tobacco, and that at a low price, is a more profitable crop than corn, its natural competitor. It will of course be understood, that if there takes place any considerable change in the prices of these articles, the estimate should vary according to the change; and that in districts of country where the soil has a peculiar fitness for corn, and is illy adapted to the growth of tobacco, the reverse of the above calculation will most likely prove true.

If, then, we have established the fact, that more profit is realised for one year, from one acre of land cultivated in tobacco, than in corn, we will next proceed to the consideration of the comparative injury sustained by the land, when cultivated in the one or the other crop. The prevailing opinion is, that tobacco is the greater exhauster of the two, and that no farm can be kept long from rapid deterioration, on which it is extensively cultivated. This erroneous opinion, I think, has been fixed in the minds of the present generation, by the land killing system pursued by our ancestors; who, finding it the most money making crop, and that their rich lands, cultivated in it, would pay them a large per centage on the capital invested, cultivated them year after year, successively, without regard to the necessity of rotation in crops, and without much regret at witnessing their manifest depreciation, under a system of the most exhausting cultivation, well knowing that from the abundance of rich virgin land in this country, they could easily, when they had exhausted one farm, obtain another. Such a course of tillage was well calculated to induce those, who judged from appearances, and without reflection on the subject, to conclude, that tobacco was more injurious to land than any crop whatever. Eut, on proper investigation of the matter, no reason will be found, to justify such a conclusion ; while, on the contrary, there is abundant ground to sustain a different opinion. For, tobacco being a tap root plant, draws a portion of its support from beneath the soil, while its many broad leaves receive a large portion of nourishment from the carbonic acid and carbonate of ammonia, contained in the atmosphere. Another advantage arising from the cultivation of tobacco is, that wheat grows better when preceded by it, than by any other crop. The greatest objection to the tobacco crop is, that it affords a very small amount of offal, from which manure maybe made; but this evil is more than compensated for in the excess of profit arising from the tobacco; for, according to the foregoing estimate, the whole of the offal of the eight barrels of corn made on the acre, amounted, in value, to four dollars only, the manure itself

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281

amounting to probably not more than one dollar, on the value of one tierce of lime, which being subtracted from the sum remaining, in favor of the tobacco crop, would still leave a handsome surplus to be expended, if desired, in enriching the land. It may also be given, as a reason for the cultivation of this article of luxury, that the greater portion of it is consumed, and, of course,

paid for by the subjects of foreign nations, and. serves the purpose of commerce, instead of specie, which it may be to our interest to retain at home. Again, by making tobacco, we necessarily abstract a portion of labor from the cultivation of corn, and keep up the price of a staple article, that might otherwise sell so low as not to compensate the farmer for making it,

CHURNING APPARATUS

We have had a great many inquiries lately for a good churn. Although we pretend to some little acumen in telling good butter when we have an opportunity of tasting it, we confess ourselves rather ignorant of the means by which it is made. We have transposed from the 'American Agriculturist" the engraving above, and the letter below in reference to it. The writer is a distinguished farmer, and we have no doubt an excellent judge of the apparatus he recommends. If the principle is a good one, it is very apparent that a footboard and upright may be substituted for the ground and the tree, and thus a machine may be formed, which, being removeable in falling weather, will secure us good butter, "hail, rain, or shine." Has any body got a better chum than this 1 If so, let us hear from him.

Slangollen, Ky., Oct. 9, 1843. In my late visit to Virginia, I met with an efficient churning apparatus, a side drawing of Vol. Ill—36

which is given above. Its merits are its cheap-ness and simplicity. A boy or girl of twelve years of age can with great ease work three or four churns. The principle, you will perceive, may be applied to any number of chums, worked by any motive power proportioned to their number and capacity. All the parts are of wood, except the crank, axis of the fly wheel, and pins. The beam is fourteen feet long, divided into two parts by the iron pinion which it turns ; of these parts the shortest, or that next the churns, is six feet, the .other eight. The fly wheel is of wood, five feet in diameter, made with a heavy rim. The crank is adapted to the depth of the churns. The chums should be placed on a board with marks to indicate the exact position of the base of each churn. Take out the pins in the upright shafts, and the churns are detached, and may be removed.

John Lewis.

HUZZA FOR HENMCO. We have been informed that Mr. John M. Botts has raised this year one hundred bushels