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crop from a small piece of rich ground. Col. Taylor uses this food for his horses.

1811 — Proportions of the Best Rumford Chimneys, According to * Mr. Jefferson. —Two feet deep at bottom; three feet and six inches high to the top of the arch; four feet wide; six inches height of the back above the arch; back to fall suddenly off nine inches ; three feet high enough for the arch. T. Coles, Esq.—twenty-one inches deep enough for any chimney.

1811, October 27.—I saw in Mr. J. H. Cocke's garden, at Bremo, a crop of potatoes dug—of the red, Buenos Ayres (Irish) potatoes, which turned out two and a-half bushels to the row of fifty-one feet, which makes upwards of 800 bushels to the acre! with rows two and a-half feet apart, as Mr. Cocke's were

Memoranda. —The nearest distance at which peach trees can be crowded is fifteen by twenty feet, and the wide rows should look to the South. They ought not to be cultivated near the bodies, and tobacco should be tied around these.

The sides of a ditch should form an angle of 135 0 with the plane of the bottom; and this should be observed in the largest ditches as well as in the smallest.

Ten bushels of red clover seed to 100 acres enough for rich land; but probably not enough for poor.

November 22— Memoranda. —Three grains to a corn-hill, one-half bushel corn will plant 10,000 corn-hills five feet apart. George Robertson plants corn five feet apart each way, and two stalks in a hill, where the land is strong, and five feet by three, and one stalk in the hill, where the land is thin.

1818 ; February 16. —New plough highly recommended by Mr. John Taliaferro, of the Senate. ' Jethro Wood, patentee; Thomas Freeborn, maker and vendor, in New York ; Mr. Jefferson's mould-board ; Samuel Adams, importer. These ploughs are numbered 1, 2, 3.

November 18— Rule for Ascertaining the Contents of a Corn-house. From Col. John Coles. —Multiply the number of cubical feet by four and divide the product by five, which will give the amount of bushels in ears; then divide by five, which will give the number of barrels in ears, and then divide by two, which will give the number of barrels of shelled corn.

Example.— A house 10 by 10 and 10 high—10X10=100X10=1,000, 1,000 X4=4,000-^5=800-f-5=160-^-2=80 barrels.

[February

OMNIUM GATHERUM.

Dear Planter-K S we sat in Judge Shay's court-room yesterday, Part 1st, in the arrangement of their city courts, and witnessed its stenographer taking down the evidence, the judge's instructions to the jury, etc how we did envy him his wonderful calling. We iust hought that had we been possessed of it, we had well nigh said "so long ago that the memory of man," etc., as my Lord Coke so quaintly puts it, you would have had to put up an addition up there in the Capitol (over which our venerable friend, Col. Sherwin McCrae, presides

ot w .r™ r?' ed iD mem ° ry Wkh that 0f the "comparable Geo Wythe Munford) so big, that the Newcomb Hall at Lexington, would hardly aiford room enough for our lucubrations. We could give columns, we were about to say, of what our ever active memory wrought, of what passed before our mind's eye, in only a few brief hours yesterday. *

We left Gotham at half-past six last night. Could you see us now we can t tell you at what hour, but in the « wee small" somewhere, you' would find us far up between heaven and earth, in the third story of our hostelry, with a bit of a drawer for a table, stolen from our wash-stand, our lamp on the upturned wash-bowl on a chair at head of our bed, and attempting to put one out of a thousand thoughts that rush through one's brain, in a shape, shall we say, to be enjoyed by your readers? When we tell them Jack Frost is having a high old time outside and in his ever insinuating way, incontinently reminding us he rules the hour, we hope they will appreciate 'em.

We are carried back in memory to.a delightful June morning, con-tvB.smgfeehngly with our present surroundings, four years ago, when on the Old Dominion steamer we set out from Norfolk for your city We were returning from Chicago, via Pittsburg, Reading, Valley Force when we took part in the second celebration, after its Centennial the' year before. All we heard, saw and felt that day, a folio volume wouldn t contain. On the hurricane deck of the steamer we presently made the acquaintance of a gentleman, a native of the Old North State a resident for a time of St. Louis, but for thirty years, we suppose, has been a practicing lawyer in New York. When I say that in our converse he said that his most entertaining reading was about agriculture and that of near a dozen journals of that sort that he took, the Planter occup.ed the place, in his judgment, of chief, you will set him down as an uncommon lawyer, I am sure. He said it was his purpose to pay his respects to its editor, did call, but he was disappointed, and the edi-

SOUTHERN PLANTER. 59

tor very much more so, when he learned from me who his ™ £™ It was in that pleasant ride up the James, that I learned for the first time of L Ju5ge Fullerton was as garner. He had acqmred a h.gh reputa il in the Beecher trial, hut few of your most intelligent readers ZltZ under what obligations he had placed us «*££££ purchase of Fairfax lands, in the face of remonstrance ^ h^fnen s many of whom regarded him as daft. 'Twas a species of madness so Sngly evidenced by Mr. Eurman, of Georgia-set forth so grapbi-cXin the article I sent you, and all of which I hope your readers

"we 0 .! X when I tell you that it was the kindness of my friend met onThe " 0 d Dominion," who invited me yesterday to Judge Shay s court gave me a comfortable seat in the bar; that Was the promi-uencounsel on one side, the successful one, and that Judge Fuller on was the prominent witness examined, you will appredate my interest, as also my envy, of the ihort-hand writer. There was much in the pro-11 n " of the court different from our mode. The jury occupying tweWe large arm-chairs in rows of four each, when taking the oath, stood up, each four with a Bible; the clerk, to the right of the judge, t deartones recited the oath from memory, and thejurors except on or two who affirmed, kissed the book, he again reelting the oath to the last The chair for the witness was near that of the judge and the iurv-both on his left. The stenographer was just in front of the jury, at a small table of his own. The gas was lighted ere the case was disposed of, when the clerk at once stepped up and paid each J^ dollar. Our friend was for years the partner of Judge Fullerton, and is now in the second year of acting as Marshal of the second district of the great State. As we walked to his office, he gave ub this interesting bit of history, that will be new to your readers. From the inception of our government, the State has claimed jurisdiction to the water s edge on the Jersey side, and that State, until the last few months, has recognized New York's right. Now she (New Jersey) claims the middle of the Hudson, and the question will be earned to the Supreme Court. Our friend, as might be expected, will not, under such peculiar circumstances, hold the position of marshal any longer. •

Imagine, Mr. Editor, how we were shocked last night-opening the N Y Post, on getting on the cars, to see the announcement of Judge Ould's death. Only a few days ago his eloquence thrilled us, in what he said at the meeting of the Bar of the State, in honoring the memory of our incomparable jurist, Judge Moncure, who has so lately preceded him to the spirit land.

[February m „TT iD /T f , t0 matterS P ertaini "g to agriculture, and things ger-

^0^ 4-f a my r to ta,k ° f ' and had - '*» * -o W^

introduction. Tis a s.ngular coincidence I met in this hotel just a week ago, a gentleman I am going to say something of, for the first time

been far apart, and our meeting unexpected. The Rev. J. M Burdick "J 6 ? f N ™ *>*. ■<« the Hudson, early in life shewingan nt sual mechanical talent, was taken hold of by Eliphalet Remington£. founder o the town of Ilion, Herkimer county, £ the mZw! theN Y. Central railroad, Erie Canal, and now the West Shore railroad to connect Jersey City with Buffalo. He was the inventor of fi e Rem-

he!dT 0 fE'u:o n n e t Ui, t l gUnSt ° that "^ he f ° M *• ^ heads of Europe to the extent of millions of dollars. Mr Burdick

came to R.ehmond to what he insists was a United States Fa ,in 858

Z^T7 tat 7 0nheUem[n Z t0na > tb ™ the father and his three son , Philo Samuel and Eliphalet, in exhibiting their plow-tlie first steel m ould-board and shear ever seen in the South, with theTtwo horse culrvator, first of its kind, and the first horse-hoe, the rifle pi tol and rifle-cane, eto He was accompanied from the Maryland Fat at Baltimore b y a Mr. Patterson, of Ohio, who, like Burdick was a focal Me hodist preacher, and who exhibited the first Buckeye mow r Mr. W.lloughby, of Pennsylvania, with his grain drill; an Episcopal minister, who presently married a widow near Petersburg, who represented forty negroes, he didn't ohjectto, and a Mr. Ingram,of Connect! cut, who had an invalid bicycle. He was a Method,* exhorter Co Dimmockwas marshal of the Fair. He assigned to Burdick a nice situation near the entrance, where he erected f platform and took the exhibits of his associates on it. Perhaps the third day of the Fair h

crewd W 6 b rf g , 0f WS friendS t0 make a S P eech > to at ct a

TZLZw^l \ ^^ 7^ L ° rd L >'° nS ' then -presenting England at Washington, entered arm in arm with Governor Wise. H?

had been exhibiting the difference in the character of his people and

ours, and was stating their dependence on each other, and remarked

"how unfortunate it would be was the Union ever to be evered," when

a drunken-madman in the crowd leveled a pistol, which, luckily for

him, snapped, and was preparing for a second shot, when Gov. wfse-

c ose by him-threw his arms around the would-be assassin, who was

l 0 r ci r 9te t d - ? e G0Ver " 0r mad * a ^ "tt'e speech that altyTd the exctement; sa,d it "was a mode of advertising the North had and that we were under obligations to them for thefr public spiritTn bringing to our Fair such interesting additions to our exhibit "etc

Burdick was greatly benefitted—took the highest premiums on everything he exhibited. At the Petersburg Fair, the next week, he was equally successful. President Tyler made a valedictory speech at the close of the Fair. At the Seaboard Fair at Norfolk the next week, he was also so, and sold his plow to an extensive market gardener for $25. As an item of history, the President of the road from Petersburg to Norfolk said to Mr. Burdick and his party, that if they would attend the Seaboard Fair at Norfolk, he would carry them and their exhibits there free of cost, and send them away the same distance; they gladly accepted, and were sent from there up to Fredericksburg.

There are many, very many, incidents he relates of those times. I might have said he spent his early years in Daniel Anthony's shops at Battenville, Washington county, New York. He was Susan B.'s father, who is the same age of Mr. Burdick, who married, as his first wife, a young lady raised by old man Anthony.

Because of a matter of business I hoped to have attended to at the Remington shops, I made a visit there a few days ago. They are at Ilion, Herkimer county, N. Y., and twelve miles east of Utica. The New York Central, now with four tracks, the Erie Canal, and the new railroad called the West Shore, starting in Jersey City, extending up the west side of the Hudson and south of the Mohawk, also passes Ilion. Its maximum grade is thirty; the Central is eighty, and 'tis said a lot of capitalists are building it who won't " bow the knee to the Baal"—the railroad magnates. We left Gotham at 6 P. M., and could only tell by the gas-lights of street lamps, when flitting through the villages and towns that meet the eye at every few miles to Ilion, 233 miles, we reached at 2 A. M. It has a population of about 4,500. Samuel, the middle of the three brothers, died a few weeks ago, who attended to outside business. He was familiar with the crowned heads of Europe, and sold them millions of dollars worth of guns. He negotiated a sale to the Sultan of Turkey of eleven millions worth of arms, that saved his empire in the big conflict with Russia at the date of the great fighting before Sebastopol. Philo, the oldest brother, with whom and his interesting family we became acquainted' at his lovely home,, overlooking the town, the beautiful valley of the Mohawk, and its picturesque surroundings. He informed us that they had compromised a big debt of about 2,000,000 with the Khedive at half, and thinks he might have saved it all, had he not been too fast.

We might fill columns in describing the extensive agricultural works, where perhaps twenty different kinds of plows are made. Also, cultivators of every variety, for cultivating corn, cotton, tobacco, and

with sulkey-rakes, hay-tedders, elevating hay-forks, harrows, scrapers, rollers, shovels, spades, forks of all kinds, hoes, with farm bells of same metal as the plow. In short, everything that a planter or farmer starting anew should need, can be found in the line of farming implements, and all things made by them are so honestly made, they out-sell the same goods in any market. I learned this interesting fact in regard to their plows, that discovering the process of melting steel and iron together, that is then melted a second time, which produces uniformity. The result is the chilled plow, the metal of which is only affected in quite a thin outside, little thicker than a sheet of paper, wears off, when the adhesive clays stick as badly as to the rough mould-board. With no disposition to disparage the plow-makers of your city, or the Valley, but for the reason stated, the Remington plan, for strength, durability, as for all the qualities of draft, etc., has no equal. You had at your last Fair the hay-tedder made at these works, that for strength and thorough effectiveness, has no equal. You gave it the first gold medal it has received, and because it is just perfected. The same tedder was taken to the Garfield Memorial Fair at Washington. It not only took the ribbon there, but the Government bought it to keep on perpetual exhibition. Now, it is of deep moment to your manufacturers, to your Andersons, Edmunds, Talbots, and others, that you should know that enterprising capitalists and manufacturers at Washington are negotiating for building it there. Richmond is where it should by all means be made, and there are no people more interested in this matter than the great hay-producing region in Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley. I do not believe there is any time to be lost. There certainly are more facilities to make it in your city than in Washington.

I might give you a column or two on what I saw of New York farming. Broom-corn is largely grown and made up at home. Think of the three little towns of Gloversville, Johnstown and Kingsboro to my left, in Fulton county, dressing near all the deer, goat and skins of sheep of Cape of Good Hope in the United States made into gloves. I could not but recall the change made since 1837, at the time I traveled from Buffalo to Albany. Then there were a few short pieces of railroad, staging the rest of the way. Think of Buffalo then, with 5,000 to 10,000, now between 75,000 and 100,000, and on last Sabbath fifty trains left there for the east, and made no impression on the bulk of accumulated produce, though the canal had been closed two weeks. There is an urgent demand it should be deepened five, and, indeed, ten feet. The villages then are cities now, and on a visit to Judge Jesse Buel, near Schenectady, I drove through a light sand, that would drift as in

the desert of Sahara. The Judge made an oasis of his farm. We took a run from New York in the night, up the New Haven and Hartford railroad. Lost connection at New Haven at 6 P. M., and learning the next train left at 1:30 A. M., lay down on the comfortable, slatted, broad benches for a snooze. The large depot, that the Chesapeake and Ohio should imitate in your city, was of most comfortable temperature, and Jack Falstaff or Senator Davis wouldn't be vexed by those abominable iron compartments across the benches, they could not by any means enjoy fundamentally. We have a holy horror of the products of " mother goose." We have unpleasant reminiscences in Rockingham, Pendleton, Highland, etc., of being put to bed in cold weather, to economize blankets, between feather ticks, with their sweaty, folky smells, from their use for generations, and the flavor of this sort so strong the moths wouldn't disturb them. We, too, have a remembrance one summer, in the dog-days, the mercury in the nineties, a lady friend, in her absent-mindedness, and before the days of Dr. Long, must have been reading Dr. Kane's narrative, sent us to bed. The feathers were mountain high, and had we got on to them, the evaporation would, by morning, have caused us to be taken for a brother of the shinny man. We tumbled them off and slept as we did at New Haven. Finding the benches so comfortable, slept to daylight; made an excursion into the town and made comparisons with what it was in 1837. Then a village of say 6,000, now it has 60,000 at least. The elms on the old capitol grounds and college had grown amazingly. A snow of the day before, followed by a rain, and the mercury by a sudden change to zero, the streets were like glass.

We were walking very boldly, though cautiously, and, not having had the slightest mishap, were meeting a venerable-looking gentleman— we suspected was one of the city-fathers, was about to accost him with the impertinent query, " Whether, in the event of a fall, resulting in a broken arm or neck, one could recover damages of the corporation," when, incontinently, our heels were in the air, and our ,

well, person in close proximity to mother earth. A rosy-cheeked damzel we overtook presently; on our saying something of how circumspectly it was necessary to walk, with a merry twinkle in her eye, asked if we hurt ourself ? In a prolonged trip to Say-brook, on the coast, in Middlesex county, we had, as a fellow-traveller, an intelligent gentleman, resident in New Haven, engaged in paper-making near Say-brook. He told us that the lands on the coast now brought as much per foot as in the towns, and farmers, and others, in Canada, Maine and elsewhere North, were building nice cottages, and would

spend three months, and, with their families, have all the comforts, as to society, &c, as at home, and the big hotels, with their Bonifaces, like Othello, found their occupation gone. Besides having them insured, would secure some one to the manor born, engaged in claming, oystering, fishing, &c, to look after them, at five dollars each, for the nine months. We took another railroad, the Valley, at Say-brook, running towards Hartford. We could tell you much of the little town of Essex, built, as all these towns, near the coast, among granite boulders, and of the varied industry of its thrifty inhabitants; of seeing a car-load of elephants' tusks being unloaded, averaging 100 pounds each, and of this and another little town monopolizing the ivory manufacture of piano-keys, billiard-balls, tooth-brushes, combs, buttons, &c. 'Twas in this same town of Essex, where the mementos of Jumbo's departed countrymen created a tide of reflections, that for variety, volume, &c, caused us again to revert to the stenographer, and covet his talents, we saw another novel sight, we are sure was the same to occur in Louisa, or Nottoway, or Southampton, it would attract a crowd, was it advertised, almost equalling in size the one that Jumbo himself would bring together. We have referred to the ice— well, it was a half-dozen of those prettiest of the oxen tribes, the Devons assembled before a smith-shop to be shod. Who of your readers in Virginia ever saw an ox shod ? Outside the shop proper, but under a shed adjoining, was an upright windlass with a rope, and a nooze at the loose end. This was put over the ox's head, and the tractable creature easily became kindly managed (Sambo is not known up there in that role), was coaxed up between two uprights, composing part of a frame, just wide enough to receive his body. Under him a wide belt of strong duck, with a rope in the end, is so fastened and drawn up by a windlass as to lift his body up sufficient for the two smiths to manage each foot on one side. With two pieces of rope, each foot is fastened down on a 4-inch square scantling, that on each side make the lower part of the stall, and extends behind the body of the ox eighteen inches. The smiths, each, after strapping the feet to the sill, doubled back, pare off enough of the outside of the hoof to level the small half shoe, that has a thin heel at the lower end and a similar one at the upper or small end, but turned at top to right, and is between the toes, and at both is much like that of the horse-shoe. With six small nails, it is soon nailed on, and, unless wrenched off, will last two months. The cost for a pair is $2.50; a horse, $1.50. The shoe, I should say, is wide in its lower half. Pardon me for indulging in this reminiscence : At the sale of the James -Beale Steinburger Farm, say forty

years ago, when John G. Meem, of Lynchburg, bought it, we were present. It lasted three days. We spent a night with the then venerable Henry Carpenter, father of Mrs. ¥m. Steinburger, then a widow, at his daughter's. She, after many years, married a Dane, a Lutheran preacher, of name of Rude, from whom the hill, rendered famous in the war, took its name. Mr. James B. Steinburger, son-in-law of Col. Andrew Beirne, of Monroe, was public spirited, and introduced the first Devon cattle into Virginia. We bought a cow and calf there—the first ever carried to Augusta. A friend at our elbow tells me that the first Devon cow, as he believes, brought to Virginia, was at the Fairs in Richmond in 1858, at Petersburg and at Norfolk, with a beautiful spring calf at her side. She was much admired, and so greatly enthused the crowd, that when led around the track, the ladies tossed wreaths of flowers to the owner, who hung them on her horns until they would hold no more. The owner remarked that, up to that time, he had taken seven hundred dollars on her and her calf at the several Fairs in the different States he had exhibited her. We intended to have stated that Rarey, the great horse-tamer, attended all these three Fairs, and not only created great enthusiasm, but reaped a harvest. A gentleman near Norfolk had a fine young horse, five years old, unbroke, he could do nothing with. He had one of his servants to ride its dam (the colt would follow any where) into the Fair Grounds, where Rarey had his tent. On its following the dam in, Rarey soon had it secured, the dam removed, and in about an hour the colt was so tame, his feet were handled like an old horse, an umbrella opened in his face, a buffalo robe opened out and pitched over his head, and, the final test, a rifle fired in his face, at which he pricked up his ears, but was perfectly gentle. The enthusiasm of the crowd knew no bounds. Rarey was a hero, and the next day there were not only other wild horses brought in, but those who crowded into his tent, to witness his process, at ten dollars each, soon distended his pockets. 'Twas the finale of that Norfolk Fair, when every one was in the best humor, that deserves mention. Mr. Patterson, of Ohio, the exhibitor of the Buckeye mower, had given the managers of the Fair an account of a mule-race he had witnessed at one in his State. Some twenty-five to thirty mules were put in the race, a mile in length, and while any one, white or black, who desired it, could ride, no one was permitted to ride his own mule, and the one that come in behind won the race, the stake being $50. For amusement, fun and scenes of a ridiculous character, nothing ever approximated it in Virginia, Patterson immortalized himself, and the crowd separated in the finest humor.

There was a matter I intended, at the proper place, to call your attention to. By a slight change, as it often occurs, to effect the most important ends, is often a failure. This has been so in the several attempts to make brick from dry clay. A Mr. D. B. Drummond, who claims to be of the family that gave name to our famous swamp, but at the date of his discovery, was in the Northwest, has succeeded beyond all peradventure. Our whole-souled, public-spirited, generous-hearted citizen, E. G. Booth, has given him almost a carte blanche to try his machine at Burwell's Bay, where, I hope, you will hear a good account of it. J. M. McC.

FIRE.

Mr. Editor, —There is perhaps no element in nature more useful, and at the same time more dangerous than fire.

I propose in the.present paper to offer a few thoughts on its dangers, and suggest some precautions by the observance of which they may be prevented or mitigated.

And first, with regard to dwellings and other buildings. Many, and indeed most of our old dwellings are covered with shingles, the outer parts of which, are more or less decayed; and in seasons of dry, windy weather, may easily ignite from sparks, especially when the chimney is allowed to get foul, so as to take fire from some unusual application of fuel. The danger from this source may be greatly lessened, if nat wholly prevented, by frequently burning the chimneys in time of rains or snows. Many valuable houses would be saved by timely attention to this matter.

Another wise precaution is always to have a good ladder on the house or near at hand, so that, in case of fire, water may be quickly applied to extinguish it.

Covering houses with slate instead of shingles as is now most commonly done in this region, is another wise precaution. Indeed two much caution can hardly be used in guarding against danger from fire.

Secondly.—We know of some and have read of many other well authenticated cases of persons being burned to death by an imprudent use of kerosine. It seems that some persons will never learn anything from such sad examples. They never seem to think there is danger till too late.

Thirdly.—Forest fires and the burning of fencing are alarmingly common in many sections of the country; and in most cases are the result of criminal carelessness. The consequences are often most

deplorable. Often an innocent neighbor's fencing is not only burnt, and his crops exposed to the ravages of neighboring stock, but his forest lands and timber are seriously damaged. I once heard a judicious old farmer say he thought the legislature ought to pass a law making it a penal offence for any one to put out fire into his new ground or elsewhere so as to endanger his neighbor, from March to December, without giving his adjoining neighbor notice of his intention to do so. For incendiary fires there is little hope of remedy except insurance in some solvent reliable company, if such can be found. For the safety of tobacco houses, perhaps the best safeguard is the mode of firing or

curing tobacco, now quite common, by flues.

M. B. S.

Fluvanna.

A PLEA FOR DIVERSIFIED CROPS.

Many of your readers will doubtless remember my article on diversified crops in the World, published in October, 1881. I endeavored to impress the importance of diversifying crops, and illustrated as best I could how this could be most successfully accomplished. I do not believe preaching one thing and practising another; so I endeavored to execute my plan this year and am more fully convinced than ever that a diversified crop is best in every respect. A farm that is not self-sustaining, is no farm at all. In other words, a farmer who can produce' everything that is necessary to home comfort, and will not do it, is not deserving the name. I contend that every farmer can raise nearly everything necessary for the farm and his family, on his own farm. No farmer need buy his corn, meat, flour, syrup, or any other commodity of the kind when it can be grown at home. Corn and oats can be easily and cheaply raised. A small plot of land, manured, will produce a great quantity of wheat. Syrup can be made from sorghum, planted on very ordinary land, and an acre or two will make enough for any ordinary family. Meat can be raised cheaply by giving hogs proper attention and care, and I might enumerate many things more that may be accomplished on a diversified farm. As for clothing, sheep do well nearly everywhere, and their wool will furnish clothing for the farmer and his family, besides furnishing delicious food for them. la addition to all this, we of the South can raise cotton, and have this for a surplus, with which to buy our groceries and other necessaries, besides laying by for a "rainy day." Farmers, as a class, would be the most independent people on earth, if they would only adopt this plan of diversifying their crops. It is the. sheerest nonsense and folly to confine ourselves to

one particular crop. If we do this, and that crop proves a failure, our all is done for that year at least. Better to have a diversity of products, even if the raising of them should not prove remunerative. We do not know at the time of planting which will pay best. It may be that the very crop which we thought would pay least at planting, at harvest-time will prove most remunerative. Therefore, it is best to diversify. There are other advantages connected with this. The crops by being rotated tend to improve the land. This is no small item. We should work our land so as to enrich rather than impoverish. No farmer, in my opinion, can fail in his avocation, and not be a farmer in the true sense of the word, who will adopt the plan of diversifying his crop. Let every farmer "live at home and board at the same place," by producing at home everything necessary for home consumption. This, indeed, then, will will be a land of prosperity, and we will hear no cry of hard times.

A. H, Mallory.

The Farming World. Morgan Co., Georgia.

This seems to come from a plain and practical Farmer, and hence it is copied.— Ed. S.P.

SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN TIDEWATER VIRGINIA.

The Planter asks for the practical experience of its readers on the above heading. Though not exactly on tidewater, I reside so near to it, that I feel myself one of those called on to give my modicum of information. From my owu experience on a small scale—having had more or less sheep on my farm ever since the war—I know that with common care no more profitable stock can be raised. My present stock of thirty consists of grade Cotswolds and pure or thoroughbred "Shropshire Downs." I have never lost any from disease. The flock averages six pounds of wool. The lambs, if dropped early, sell for $5 to our city butchery. "Shropshires" sell readily at from $10 to $20 each. I find it necessary to shear early, as they suffer from the heat. The sheep are put in the yard at night, with open sheds, to protect from dogs and thieves. Owing to our mild, open winters, very little feeding is required. Though my sheep are put up at night without feed, they are in very fine condition and the breeding ewes, if any thing too fat.

As to the profit, you may judge. Say eight sheep eat as much as one cow, and give a yearly clip of forty to fifty pounds of wool, worth, say thirty cents per pound. Each ewe gives at least one lamb, worth five dollars. I have said nothing of their value in improving, cleaning, and fertilizing the land, but it will more than pay for hire and labor in caring for the flock. Sheep do not poach our fields, but give the need-

ed solidity to our wheat fields which no other stock can do, and are ever a pleasing feature in the landscape. I never see a field given up to the broomsedge and "old field pine" but the thought comes, How soon a flock of sheep would change the scene and add to our country's wealth ! J. G. B.

AMELIA COUNTY LANDS.

THEIR CAPACITY FOR DIVERSIFYING PAYING CROPS.

Since Dr. Pollard's public depreciation of the lands of our county, we feel sensitive, and are glad to be able to call public attention to the fact, that we have lands capable of growing most any paying crop that can be grown in the southern country, and that we have public spirited men who have gumption and executive ability enough, to finish to success any undertaking they engage in. 1 enclose clipping from Danville Register of Dec 14th. please insert in next Planter and let the world know what we can do in our county, and what we are doing.

G. B. Stacy.

Danville as a Bright Tobacco Market. —Under this caption we mentioned the fact that a crop of bright tobacco raised in Amelia county by ^Lr. P. B. Crowder, had been brought to this market and sold at high figures, and it seems to have attracted considerable local interest. Gen. H. H. Hurt, of the Eagle warehouse, has given us a full account of the matter, not materially variant, however, from our understanding of it, except in the item of the prices obtained for the tobacco, which were larger than the figures given by the Richmond State from which we quoted. The prices obtained for the several lots in the crop were as follows : $13; $15.50; $22; $40; $59.

It seems that the point claimed to be demonstrated by this sale and its attendant circumstances is that the fine bright tobacco, for which the section of country around Danville is so famous, can also be produced in Amelia county, and that when brought to Danville for sale it commands equally as good prices as if raised in "the bright tobacco belt." Mr. Crowder raised this crop in Amelia county, cured it bright yellow, and sent it to the Danville market. It was put on sale at Eagle warehouse and offered as other tobaccos without informing buyers as to the locality in which it was raised. It was examined and bid for by the best buyers in the market, who judged of it according to the merit of its quality alone; and without any knowledge as to where the tobacco was raised by any of the buyers, the several lots were bought, respectively, at the good prices above stated, the purchasers being such well-known buyers as Mr. W. N. Shelton, Messrs. Dibbrell Brothers and others-Messrs. Hudson &McDearman, proprietors of the Eagle warehouse

here, have requested us to make this statement in justice to all parties, and especially to Mr. Crowder who is entitled to the credit of proving by experiment that such valuable bright tobacco can be raised in Amelia county.

HARM IMPROVEMENT.

Editor Southern Planter, —Your January number, which reached me yesterday, has so much of vital interest in it to the State of Virginia, that I take the liberty of congratulating you as Editor, for supplying so valuable a periodical, and your patrons for being able to get, through such a source, information which, if properly appreciated, and applied, would soon make Virginia one of the richest States in the Union. If the article giving the result of experiments made during the past year at the University farm is made proper use of, there will be hundreds of thousands of dollars saved the coming year in fertilizers alone. I have been a resident of this State since the spring of 1879, and have endeavored to impress upon the people the necessity of a change from their iudifferent mode of cultivating their lands; and also the fact that they were using fertilizers regardless of their intrinsic value. I have written for the "Country Gentleman," and the two agricultural periodicals published in Baltimore, a number of articles on this subject and on wheat culture; those articles have been largely copied from by exchanges, and although ray post office address was not given, in some way it was discovered, and I have received more letters making inquiries about where the fertilizer I was using could be obtained, and asking for particulars respecting its application, &c, &c, than I ever received in the same length of time in my life. I cite this to show the great interest felt by the agricultural community in this most important subject. My experiments with fertilizers corroborate the results produced on the University farm, showing conclusively that the most expensive element, in most commercial fertilizers (ammonia) is superfluous as an artificial application to land. I have tested the matter thoroughly on wheat, corn, oats and grass. I am now using and have been doing so for two years, dissolved South Carolina Rock and Kainit procured from Bowen and Mercer, Baltimore. A ton consists of from 1500 to 1700 lbs. Rock and from 500 to 300 lbs. of Kainit. They put it in good order to be used with the drill. I apply from 200 to 400 lbs. per acre, varying in quantity accordiug to quality of land. I expended over twelve hundred dollars in ammoniated fertilizers in making experiments and testing the best brands in competition with non-ammoniated before I was convinced of the loss I was sus-

taining. I now purchase an article at half the cost of the ammoniated, raise better crops, have finer sets of gras3, and my farm is rapidly improving.

Mr. Wm. F. Brockenbrough a particular friend, who married a daughter of Col. Smith, the owner of "Mantua 7 ' for many years, remarked to me during a visit a short time since, that this farm was more rapidly improving than any farm he ever saw, that he had never seen a farm changed so thoroughly in three years. I write this to show you and your readers what a Virginia gentleman, and practical farmer thinks of the effect produced by thorough cultivation, and the application of non-ammoniated fertilizers. You paid me the compliment of republishing an article written by myself for the "Country Gentleman" in your November number, page 247 verifying the views expressed by the author of the article on wheat, published in your January number, page 27. To substantiate those views, I herein give you the difference in the yield of wheat grown in the same field during the years of 1878 and 1879. I purchased this farm in the fall of 1878, and found at the time of purchase thirty acres'seeded as fallow in wheat. It was certainly put in very roughly, and without fertilizer, but the party who seeded it claimed that it was all right and would yield a splendid crop. A portion of the same field was planted in corn by a colored man the following spring. Finding comparatively no grass upon the farm (except wire grass), I had the thirty acres where the wheat was, harrowed when the ground became settled and dry enough in the spring, and sowed one gallon of clover seed per acre, applying at the same time 133 lbs. of the Maryland Company's superphosphate. This thirty acres produced exactly forty-six bushels of wheat; It was not worth cutting, but as I found there was a fine set of clover, I had it cut to give the clover the start of the many weeds that my predecessor's bad cultivation had left in possession of the land. Wishing to get the whole field in clover, and leave it in an improving condition, I had the corn taken from the adjoining portion (which produced less than two barrels per acre) and after thorough surface preparation sowed it in wheat during the fall of 1879, and applied 200 lbs per acre of superphosphate. The yield in this instance was over fourteen bushels per acre, but failing to get a set of clover, I had the same land ploughed and harrowed as soon after harvest as possible, and at the proper time put in complete order, and reseeded in wheat. The yield was again over fourteen bushels per acre, and this ''time a good set of clover. The part of the field first alluded to as producing but one and a half bushels of wheat per acre, produced the two succeeding a luxuriant growth of clover, which would have 6

cut two tous per acre; but as my object was to improve the land, it was neither grazed nor cut, but allowed to die and fall upon the ground. Last spring the clover was uniformly turned under with an "Oliver chilled plow (IVo. 20) and the land put in order for corn. The corn was then planted with a "Champion'' drill and 200 lbs. of acid-phosphate applied per acre, at a cost of two dollars. I, wish any person who is sceptical or captious about the judicious use of South Carolina Rock and Kaioit could have seen this field of corn. I am very sure their enthusiasm respecting the necessity of the artificial application of ammonia to land would cease. Although the insects and crows committed the greatest depredations, and caused the re-planting of more than half the field, which materially lessened the crop, the yield was from Ave to seven barrels per acre, where less than two barrels grew three years since, and one and a half bushels of wheat. And I would like the same parties to see the entire field as it is now seeded in wheat, with an application of 300 lbs. of acid-phosphate per acre, costing three dollars. I attribute this improvement in land and crops to thorough cultivation more than to the fertilizer, but triink the fertilizer a great auxiliary in facilitating the improvement.

You have no doubt, in replying to your correspondent, J. T. King, given him all the information necessary respecting the use of gas house lime, and explained w T hat is meant by dissolved South Carolina Rock. I will however give you my views regarding the former, corroborated by experience. In the year 1863 I purchased a very much worn-out farm in Talbot county, Md , and cultivated a portion of it in wheat that fall. I applied 200 lbs super-phosphate per acre, and sowed one gallon timothy seed per acre with wheat, and the following spring sowed same quantity of clover seed. This field was- a wheat stubble when plowed, and had been in corn the year previous. The crop of corn was five barrels per acre in 1862, and the yield of wheat in 1863 was seven bushels per acre. The yield of wheat in 1864 was twenty bushels per acre. As soon as possible after the wheat was taken from the land, there was applied fifty bushels of gas house lime per acre. The grass in a short time thereafter made a vigorous start, and soon a luxuriant growth, and when I sold the farm in 1867 it was regarded the finest grass field in the county. I think gas house lime excellent for grass ; and anything that will increase the vegetable growth upon land, will increase its fertility, and insure better grain crops. I do not approve of applying lime on wheat, either in fall or spring; on account of the possibility of delaying the wheat in ripening, and thereby causing additional risk from rush.

Now, Mr. Editor, I come to the last article that I propose to notice in jour January number; last but very far from being least, as it emrnates from a practical, intelligent agriculturists who demonstrates what can be done on poor laud with but small outlay. Mr. Furman starts at the right point, he quits politics as a profession ; he then informs himself what his land needs to increase its fertility ; he then applies with intelligence and industry the information gained, and the result is satisfactory. If the politicians of this once noble old State, would only let the laboring class alone instead of preying upon their credulity, and keeping it disorganized, and in a constant state of anticipation, expecting impossibilities, the result would be equally as satisfactory as Mr. Fur-man's farming operations.

And if every farmer in the state who can read, would do away with their prejudices against what they call book-farming, and try to realize the fact that ssch books are published by their best friends, and their contents written, in most instances, by the best and most successful farmers, and at once subscribe for the "Southern Planter," I am very sure that* in a short time each subscriber would appreciate the great assistance afforded them, and not hesitate to give full credit to the source from which such help came. And I further assert, without fear of contradiction, that if such a change in both politicians and farmers could be effected, that Virginia would very soon be able to throw of her shackles and re habilitate herself in the garment of independence and honesty. T. R. C.

Mantua Farm, Northumberland Co., Va.

FODDER CORN.

Too much cannot be written on this subject. It is the "philosopher's stone" for the East Virginia and southern farmers.

Not ensilage. This can only be made profitable by men of some means, who can fix up for it; but fodder corn is the poor man's hay, or rich man's hay either.

Within my experience there has always been a scarcity of "long food" in this section, for the reason that our lands are not adapted to grass except clover, and only on good farms could clover be grown,, and frequently even with best care the catch was a failure, and the de pendence was then upon corn fodder. Under the five-field system generally pursued on the river lands, only one-fifth was in corn, so there was a limited supply of forage. True, large crops of oats were raised, but this is a grain crop.

Such a thing as cutting down the corn and stacking when the grain was in the dough, or the fodder ripe, was never thought of. I remember a northern man doing it here twenty five years ago, but he was ridiculed for it—people said his corn would rot. I did it soon after the war to save labor, and a thoughtful neighbor remonstrated with me, but he went several times into the field to see how it was getting on, and the next season cut down ten acres of his.

I shuck the corn on the stalk and run it through the chopper with horse power the most of it, but the smallest is just thrown into the mangers, and the horses shuck it and eat the grain, shucks, and boot with no waste. The feed troughs are large.

As to the mode of curing, reference is made to an article in the Planter of September last by a "A Former Richmond Boy."

But I mean more than this cutting down the corn planted for grain. It must be planted for forage, not sown, though this is better than having none. It ought to be put in hills three feet apart, and dropped as thick as the "Old Dominion" or any planter will drop it, with smallest wheel on, and worked once with hoe and cultivated, and cut when the ear is in the dough state.

If the land is rich there will be a small ear on each stalk, and the stalk will be strong enough to support itself in the shock. If it is cut too green, it will not be as sweet or as easy to cure, will get tangled up, and will not make as much forage. Some people cut the corn before it tassels. This is a great waste; for one third of the fodder on a stalk of corn is above the ear when the tassel forms.

I said that this was the "philosopher's stone." There are thousands of acres in this section, and all over the State and the South, that are peculiarly adapted to corn, and will not make hay like the lands of the Valley and the West, but will grow more of this forage than the finest grass lands will. And so our people, even on lands which will not grow clover, need not be dependent on the hay meadows of Maine and New Hampshire.

But our people are slow to take hold of anything they call new, and the} 7 say of this that it is difficult to cure, and troublesome to feed, &c, which is not true, but reminds us that just after the war a thrifty farmer saw a freedman standing by the sun-side of his cabin on a winter morning, and said to him, "If you will cut down that acre of meadow and grub it and plant it, it will pay you back next summer." "I know it would, massy," said the darkey, "but cutting, and grubbing, and planting is tended with much labor."

Isaac H. Christian

Wilcox Wharf, Charles City Co.

OBSERVATIONS ON FARMING IN NEW JERSEY.

Mr. Editor, —Having passed a very delightful summer in Monmouth county, New Jersey, it is proposed, with your sanction, to give my ideas of that section of country, and to say something of the method of farming pursued there. In the first place, the roads, with very few exceptions, are fine, and which, necessarily, makes driving a source of pleasure; especial reference should be made to Rumson's road, which is assuredly charming; fine farm-houses and beautiful cottages, with well-kept grounds, gladden the mind and charm the eye as you drive merrily along the fine, hard road. Your company, as well as others of my friends, was missed in many of these excursions to make the whole perfect. With few exceptions, the farmers take much pride in their houses, out-houses and fences; everything looks nice, sweet and clean. The contrast between these farmers' houses and grounds and those of our section is great, and, to the writer, quite painful; here they are wide awake, industrious and not afraid of work, live comfortably and, in many instances, make money. The question naturally arises, Is this the case with our farmers ? It is feared the answer would be not for us, but against us.

These farmers indulge in diversified crops, such as wheat, corn, oats, rye, hay, Irish and sweet potatoes, &c. Many farmers have large orchards—apple and peach; and the trucking business is by no means neglected. In seeding wheat, two bushels and one peck are sowed to the acre on good land. If the latter is inferior, less wheat is sown; to which practice a demurrer was entered by your humble servant, to reverse this state of affairs, but they could not, or would not, see it—they appear in this matter to run in a groove, somewhat like other people. The average yield of wheat to the acre is about twenty bushels. The wheat is threshed in winter, or at such time as the farmer cannot do out-door work. By this method, two objects are had in view—the one, saving valuable time; the other, expecting a better market value for his crop. Corn yields one hundred bushels to the acre. The present crop looks remarkably fine, the stalks (four or five in a hill) large and tall, with two or more ears to each stalk, making a good yield of corn as well as fodder. Our corn-fields are quite insignificant in comparison. Irish potatoes yield, say, forty bushels to the acre. The hay crop is about three tons to the acre, consisting of timothy and clover. In sowing rye, three pecks to the acre is used. The yield is considered good. The truckmen can many vegetables and fruits. The tomato

largely cultivated for this purpose.

These farmers fancy the Jersey pig, but the writer does not like the breed; the animal becoming too coarse, and, in eating, does not taste as well as others, not having the same delicate flavor. The cattle appear to be of a mixed breed, being a cross of Holstein, Devon, Ayre-shire and the Channel Island cattle, which cross, in writer's opinion, will result in a miserable lot in due course of time. Pure blood is what is wanted in all animals (including the animal man). It is, therefore, evident, and should be understood everywhere and by all farmers, that pedigree is a very essential element in the value of cows in their milk-producing, as well as meat-producing, qualities.

Horses are the pride, if not the glory, of these farmers. This county has, for a long period, been noted for its thoroughbreds. A bad team is not to be seen; all are fat and sleek, showing care and attention in their management and grooming. Those farmers are careful of their stock; they look to the comfort of their animals and their profitableness. They are kept in well-built stables—free from all chilling currents of frost-laden air. Looked at simply in a pecuniary light, this method of keeping farm-stock brings the best returns. There is no farmer who, being able to own a herd of cattle or a flock of sheep, can afford not to house them well. He may let them feed at will from the stack of the best hay, but if they have no more shelter than the said stack affords, he will come to the conclusion, common to all bad agricultural practice, that farming does not pay. Stop all the cracks in your stable, and save your animals pain. The temperature of the animal body cannot vary very much, and therefore, when the weather grows cold, there is an increased demand for food to be consumed in keeping up the natural heat. A low temperature is an expensive condition, as every farmer knows, or should know, who has wintered his stock. There are but two general methods of overcoming the wearing and exhausting effects of severe cold weather—giving the animals an abundance of rich, palatable, heat-forming food, and securing them from exposure in warm and comfortable stables.

Green marl is the great fertilizing agent in this region. It is used quite freely, and the results are wonderful, for the soil is the same as that of the whole Atlantic slope. The farmers look over their stock early in the fall; sell what they can and do not want; do not keep stock all winter to be fed and housed at a considerable cost, for they find, when the spring comes, that it is worth no more, and perhaps less than it was in the fall, and this rule, these shrewd farmers apply, not only to cattle, but to sheep and poultry. Indeed, this rule may be applied to crops in the field, to orchards, and all the products of the farm.

It appears to be better to sell them than to hold for higher prices. There is always a risk in keeping, for prices may not rise, and the crops kept may be badly affected by very man} 7 causes. The wise and well-to-do farmer is not he who has a great surplus of stock or crops on hand. Success is as much due to the selling at the right time as in buying at the right price. It will not do to keep a salable article too long on hand. The same rule which governs the merchant should apply to the farmer—that of reasonable profits and prompt returns.

There are very fine orchards and a few vineyards. Apples pay very well if the trees are cared for and allowed the sole use of the ground they occupy. In the first place, as a rule, an orchard should be devoted to growing fruit. *It should not be regarded as a hay-field. The trees should have a supply of plant-food, available at all times for the trees, according to their wants; a heavily-bearing tree needing more than one not bearing. The tree that promises well should, of all others, be helped, whilst the tree that promises little and bears less, might prove a profitable one if feci and cared for. A farmer says: Any one acquainted with the habits of his trees, can generally judge when one is likely to bear much, and if in cultivated land, an extra amount of manure is workel in within reach of the roots early in the spring or fall before, the fruit will be better, and the tree will be more healthy and come out stronger the next spring after bearing; whereas, if they are not treated well, they are so frequently injured as to be worthless ever after. The best remedy and preventive for diseases and enemies, above all others, is to keep the trees in good condition by supplying a sufficient quantity of available plant-food for them—not once in awhile, but all the time—for one fruitful source of disease is alternate liberal food and starvation. Food is not available if improperly placed, and immediately appropriated by something else. Grass is looked upon as a troublesome pest in an orchard. The less hay obtained from an orchard and the more manure put into it, the better off*, financially, the farmer considers himself. They plow their orchards but little, and depend entirely upon manure. M.

The convenience of having ice at hand during the summer is best understood by making a trial of it for a single season. Farmers wno use ice one year will never again be without it. For a dairy it is almost indispensable. Farmers cau usually secure a supply of ice in the winter, practically without expense, after the ice-house is built, as the work would be done when men and teams have nothing else of importance to do.

FURMAN'S FARM.

[Continued from January iVb.]

"How much compost should be used to the acre?"

" It is hard to use too much. In France the average is 20,000 pouuds to the acre. A Georgia farmer will hardly average 100 pounds to the acre. I will average 10,000 pounds next year. Nothing pays near so well."

" How do you scatter so much to the acre ? "

Simplest thing in the world. I start a two-horse wagon through the field. I put eight negroes with half-bushel baskets, without handles, under their arms in the track of each wagon. They sift the compost out of the baskets as they walk along, and their baskets are filled from the wagon. I have changed the position of my cotton rows four inches to the right every year, so that the compost would be thrown in new strips every year. In this way I have fertilized my whole field, instead of enriching the same rows year after year. I shall hereafter broadcast it."

"Your whole secret then is cheap and intelligent manuring, and plenty of it?"

"Yes, I've shown you the money profit in manure. I've shown you the added value it gives to land. There are many other advantages. You make your crop quicker and with less danger. I made last year —mark this—47 bales on 65 acres in three months and five days. It was planted June 5th and the caterpillar finished it on September 10. I showed the agricultural society a stalk ^ve feet high with 126 bolls on it by actual count. The seed from which this plant grew was planted just fifty nine days before. Cotton grown this way can be picked with half the time and cost of ordinary cotton. On my cotton land this year I raised one hundred bushels of oats to the acre and after cleaning off" the stubble, I planted the cotton, one stalk of which I showed the convention."

"Of course in your five years of study you have discovered other improvements in cotton planting?"

"Certainly. One is not to drop the cotton seed in a continuous row, but simply to put a few seed in the hill where you want to plant. By strewing the seed in a sprinkled .row there is great waste. A cotton seed is like an egg. When the chick is born there is nothing left but the shell. The fertilizing power of this seed is lost. Worse than this;

it draws from the soil for the elements that make it grow. It is left to deplete the soil in this way for two weeks at least, and is then chopped down, leaving only one out of twenty plants to grow to fruitage. My plan is to plant four or five seed in a hill, the hills to stand in four feet squares. Of these I would let two plants to the hill grow to perfection. It takes from two to four hushels of seed to plant an acre in the old way. By my plan a peck to the acre is enough, and the soil is not drawn on to support a multitude of surplus plants for two or three weeks."

"Is planting in four-foot squares better than the old way ?"

"Yes, cotton is a sun plant and needs room for its roots. When cramped to 12 or 15 inches it cannot attain its perfect growth. My aim is to put the plants two together in four foot squares, and average from 72 to 150 bolls to the plant. This will give me a pound of seed cotton to the plant, or three bales to the acre."

What about hoeing your cotton ?"

"I never touch it with a hoe. The growth of cotton comes from the spreading filaments that reach out from the roots and feed it. If these are destroyed the growth stops until they are restored. I'm satisfied that three hoeings lost me eighteen days of growth, or six days each. I run a shallow plow along the cotton rows and never go deep enough to cut the roots. But these are mere details in which men may differ. The main thing is in the intensive system of manuring and the husbanding all the droppings and wastage of the farm for compost. I can take any 100 acres of land in Georgia, and at a nominal cost can bring its production from a sixth of a bale to three bales an acre in live years. Any man can do it."

"Is your system finding many followers?"

"My tenants are adopting the intensive plan and are very much encouraged. Some few neighbors are using my formula. I have sent out, I suppose, ^.ve hundred formulas for composting. The speech I made before the agricultural association created more excitement than anything for years. The members did not relish my statements, I saw plainly. They sent Mr. E. C. Grier, the secretary, to Milledgeville to see my crops and verify my statements. He is to day the most enthusiastic man in Georgia over the system I am working on."

"You understood," added Mr. Furman in conclusion, "that I have no possible interest in this matter outside of my crops. I have no receipt to sell, no phosphates, no fancy seed, no land. What I have done has been with common seed, on poor land, with cheap manure, and any man, without price or purchase, can do what I have done. I am

satisfied to make my money out of the ground, and I want none from my fellow farmers."

"Are you enlarging your work ?"

"Yes, but slowly. The difficulty with us all is that we try to farm with too much land. I'm good for $3,000 with two mules and sixty five acres. Next year I'll beat this. In the meantime I'm "bringing up" twenty five new acres. I never want over one hundred acres. These I will cultivate with three mules and I'll make 250 bales of cotton on them, besides all the corn and oats I need."

"I am anxious," he added, "to see my plan adopted. If it is done we shall have the best state in the world. "Why look at France ! Her recuperative power is the wonder of the world. And what is it based on ? Simply that she can raise two crops—one of these a lentil crop— in one season. But in middle Georgia I can raise three crops per season on a piece of land and leave it richer than when I started, viz: oats, cotton, or corn, and peas. There is nothing like it. Give me 100 acres of land like the 65 I now own, and I don't want and orange grove, or a factory, or a truck farm or anything else. I can live on my 100 acres of scrub land like a king, and lay up money every year.

Any Georgian can have this in five years, if he wants. The rule I have followed will bring it, just as surely as the sun brings heat and light."

And yet the best class of the State University graduated 23 lawyers, 6 journalists, and not a single farmer.

H. W. G.

This is a remarkable statement; but it is not less remarkable than that of Col. Beverly, made at the last annual meeting of the Virginia State Agricultural Society.

It shows what brains, good culture, and liberal manuring can do in cotton fields as well as grain and grass fields.

How many farmers in the south and Virginia will follow such an example?

Errata —In January No., in article headed "Furman's Farm," page 42, line 11, read 200 lbs. instead of 300 lbs. ; and in line 12, read 100 lbs. instead of 700 lbs.

The stubble, and even the weeds, that grow after a grain crop may serve a useful purpose in Winter, however unsightly they may appear now With a tall stubble the snow is kept on the field instead of being swept off by the winds, as it usually is where the surface is smooth. The young clover is even more sensitive to Winter killing than wheat and needs all the protection that can be afforded.

The straw that has been spread around fruit trees with advantage during Summer as a mulch, will now soon become a damage by harboring mice. It should be removed and a bank of earth be compacted around the tree to the height of a foot or more.

TUCKAHOE FARMERS' CLUB PAPERS.

No. I.

An Essay read before the Tuckahoe Farmers' Club by Capt. P. Guy, at the farm of Mr. Geo. Watt, on the "Best and most Economical Feed for Cattle, Ensilage, &c."

Mr. President and Gentlemen: The objects of feeding cattle are two fold : First, to make money, and second, to make manure to improve the farm with. The last embraces both, for without manure, there is small chance, if any, of jnaking money. Therefore to use our resources to the best advantage and make the most of them is the best economy the farmer can practice. An old custom among our farmers, and one most generally followed, is to pull fodder from the corn in September, cut the tops, and later pull the corn, and after all, cut the stalks, thus going over the same land four times when once or twice would do better. Now, my idea is to cut down stalk and all. When it is time to pull fodder, shock up to cure and haul all at once to the barn, shuck off the corn, leaving shuck, fodder and stalk to be fed to your cattle, to be cut up if you have the power, and if not, feed whole in your barn yard, thus turning all not eaten into manure to be returned back to the land in the spring. The corn should be crushed on the cob if possible or at least broken in small bits, and fed to your cattle in stalls, then there is but little waste and each one gets his share.

If you can't raise enough forage in this way, sow corn in drills in the summer and cure it in the fall in shocks; but here an objection comes in that fodder cut late in the fall has to be left out until midwinter to cure sufficiently to put in a barn, and that the hauling from the field in winter is attended with many troubles, such as miry lands in warm wet weather and snow and ice in cold weather. And here comes in a plea for ensilage. If the corn is cut up in the fall and put in a pit these troubles are avoided and your feed is ready to be used when wanted. But some farmers, w T ho have never tried this way, raise many objections to it, yet I have not seen any objections by those who have tried it. I find that chemists who favor it can easily prove it good by analysis, but vice versa, if they do not like it, they prate about sour kraut, alcoholic fermentation, acetic acid, &c, and they say it contains from 80 to 90 per cent, of water. Now, gentlemen, for the sake of argument suppose it does; that is a good reason why there is great economy in it, for 100 lbs. of it dried would only have from 10 to 20 lbs. of corn-fodder, and 50 lbs. of ensilage is a daily ration for your animal and is enough, that dried would only be ten lbs. at most, and who would try to feed a cow on ten lbs. of corn-fodder per day expecting her to keep in good

condition ; and yet I well know that 50 lbs. of ensilage will improve her daily for I have tried it, so that 80 per cent, of water must have something good in it which is lost in curing.

Then it is complained that it takes so much time and trouble to cut it up. The cutting up has to be done any how to save waste, and is one-half easier done when green than dry. The only difference I can see is in the hauling, it takes about twice as long as when it is dry, but if the ground is dry when you wish to haul the green fodder and wet when it is cured, then there is hardly any difference in the hauling; and when fed as ensilage it is wet and ready for mixing meal or any thing with it; and again, your ox does not need to be turned out to water, as he will drink very little water, if any.

Other reasons are, it is costly to build silos. If your ground is good firm clay, go on a hillside and dig a pit, you need not wall it up with anything, but I find I can build good silos cheaper than I can barns to hold the same quantity.

ENSILAGE.

No. II.

While, in most things, I claim to be a progressive farmer and not slow to adopt any new ideas or methods to advance our agricultural interest, yet the club recognises the fact that I stand here alone in not yielding my assent to what is claimed as the great benefits of "Ensilage."

I ought to assign some reason for my apparent obstinacy, and yet must confess my ignorance of the details of this operation. Therefore I am not in a position to either discuss the subject as it should be, or give any opinion of weight.

Young, ambitious farmers, with limited means, are so often led into difficulties by captivating delusions, that we should be slow to lead them into any expense whatever without its corresponding benefit-The digging and preparation of this "silo" with its air tight, and absolutely necessary water proof, bottom and sides, is of itself a costly business.

The hauling of the fodder from the fields, cutting up, trampling and securing, all in given time, is another matter of considerable expense. And all to be conducted and accomplished at a time when we can least afford to do so—the months of September and October—our busiest season. Without a large and expensive force, other important matters? of seeding and otherwise, must be neglected by the farmer. If for

this operation you could select your time, the subject would be greatly relieved of opposition. But grant that you are successfully through with this burthen and at last have your u sour kraut," what insurance have you that you can so preserve it during the winter that in the winter or spring you may present it in such acceptable form as to educate your stock up to the point of eating a mass of stuff' the most disgusting to the sense of smell ?

I remember that one of oui; enthusiastic members brought a sample to my house at our meeting, only partially cured by this process as he said. You also remember how its odor permeated the house and clung to every member, and in our despair for relief it was suggested that as against the infliction of this nauseating stuff" there should be a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals. I contend that it ought not to have a place on any small farm. The large farmer with much stock and with much means may "indulge a fancy" in this respect, but he whose means are limited and can't afford a mere experiment of this character should count well the cost; and to such I would sound the alarm. Compute all the costs incident to this work, and under the most favorable circumstances of success, and I doubt much if it pays any one. If pursued at all, and a nice palatable dish is wanted to set before your cattle, I don't understand why corn fodder is alone used; why not mix the grasses, millet, pumpkins, turnips, beets, seasoned with tomatoes, &c, &c. ?

But if you must dish up corn fodder, why not take it as nicely and inexpensively dried and cured in the field, cut up, salted and mixed with mill feed, if you prefer, and your stock without further education, will smack their lips over it.

By chemical analysis Prof. Cook of Ohio, Prof. Jordan of Pennsylvania, the eminent Dr. J. B. Lawes of England, and others, found that they could detect no greater nutritive value in ensilage than in dried fodder; and this result was confirmed by feeding test. The cow thrived no better and gave no more milk, fed on ensilage, than on dried fodder properly prepared. The dried fodder loses but water, and that you would preserve and save by your silo porcess. The advocates of this process claim that if you feed too little or too much, its virtue is lost. But it takes a scientific fellow to find out this right way and right quantity.

It is stated in some of our agricultural papers that principally the owners of Jerseys, and men who made their money in other business than agriculture, are the great advocates of ensilage. How this is I do not know, yet I believe that monied men, and those who have other

business than agriculture, are best suited to establish fully this project. The plan of our Indians, it seems to me, was the more economical, if not better. They dug long trenches or ditches, and in it placed and covered up their green corn, and thus it was long preserved, uncut or bruised, for their winter use. This later day improvement on the Indian, if I mistake, has long ago had its trial in Germany, and probably other countries, but with no established success.

Prof. W". H. Jordan, of the Pennsylvania State College, is quoted as saying substantially, that in presenting the results of various analyses, showing the comparative value of ensilage and fresh corn fodder, he comes to the conclusion that as nothing came out of the Silo that was of value that did not go in, it is quite absurd to claim that green corn-fodder increases in value by being allowed to lie in a large mass and undergo a partial decomposition, and that the farmer who preserves grass in silos has lost his judgment.

This is a fragmentary note of my opposition—hurriedly stated, and no argument attempted. J. A. Lynham.

REPORT ON THE FARM OF GEORGE WATT, Esq.

No. III.

This farm lies in Hanover county, about ten miles from the city of Richmond, and very near to Henrico county. It embraces 449 acres in all. About 125 or 130 of this is in wood-land, 250 acres in upland, 35 acres of which is in hill pasture. About 75 acres in cleared lowland and iu woods pasture, with an abundance of water and grass.

On our visit there, last month, we found about fifty acres in corn, standing on the low-grounds of this farm, which borders on the Bosin Swamp creek and the Chickahominy river. This land is alluvial, in good heart and condition, and well adapted for corn. The yield of corn would, from its fine growth and large ears, be from six to eight barrels per acre. But lately seeded, and then just coming up, we observed about fifty acres in wheat and ten in rye. In grass, orchard mostly, including clover, there were some fifty acres. In potatoes, principally the sweet potato, that seems to delight in this particular country as no where else, and other vegetables, we found about thirty acres.

Of the cows, mostly grades, with a very superior Jersey Bull, thoroughbred—if that title be applicable to any stock, other than the horse, of which we doubt—sixteen in all; and some very handsome Jersey heifers. There were forty hogs and pigs—of Berkshire, Poland-China breed—and a better looking drove could hardly be found anywhere.

We regretted not to find here a flock of sheep. Six splendid mules are here kept to work this farm. The sheds, as arranged for this stock, was not exactly understood; they seemed to be unprotected and exposed, and so constructed as to shed all water into the barn-yard. But as to this Mr. Watt, no doubt, has some good reason not understood by us.

To all who know Mr. Watt it is hardly necessary to say that neatness, order and system characterize the worjs of his farm. And who is it, among farmers, that does not know him? As the Virginia Plow Maker, and for forty-two years engaged in this work, benefitting, and so greatly advancing, the cause of agriculture, his name has become a household word in Virginia and even the Carolinas. Travel through any part of Eastern Virginia and find the man that does not know the name of George Watt, the plow-maker, and at once that man " argues himself unknown."

As before adverted to, Mr. Watt's farm lies mostly in the midst of the great sweet potato and melon section of Virginia, and but few of us really know the great extent of the cultivation thereof these vegetables, and their great productiveness, as well as the thrift of the growers. Within this belt more ready money can probably be found than in any portion of our State of the same extent. Substantial improvements and contentment seem to prevail, and everywhere you are greeted with the "Hanover buggy," a two-wheel affair (for marketing vegetables), that seems the peculiar feature of this country.

In the view of your committee the general character of the land on this farm is regarded as too light and entirely unsuited to wheat; and grass can only be grown to any advantage now on the low flat lands bordering the creeks and river. The land where we found wheat is neither tenacious or stiff enough, and upon such we regard it as unwise to incur the labor and expense of wheat cultivation. The results are nearly always loss and disappointment. Upon the wheat, then coming up, Mr. Watt proposed, or intended, as he said, to sow 300 pounds of Orchilla guano. This did not strike your committee as wise farming. The time for the proper use of the Orchilla had passed, and it had best been deposited in the ground by the drill with the wheat at the time of seeding.

The sandy, friable character of the soil of this farm, or most of it, certainly that portion not embraced in the low grounds, on creeks and river, would eminently justify, in the opinion of your committee, its cultivation to be confined to vegetables, largely including sweet potatoes and peanuts, the last of which could no doubt be made profitable here,

certainly more so than wheat or grass. Also, rye and oats could be made, by the judicious use of green fallows, of which we regret to see no evidence of a profitable crop. The use of lime has also been sadly neglected. Our attention, in this respect, was called to the chance use of some fifty or sixty bushels of lime on a small spot of the land we speak of, while Mr. Watt complained of his manager's heavy application of it, we can but say that if in like manner (or say sixty bushels to the acre) it had been generally applied to all his land, the general improvement would have been as well marked as upon the small portion adverted to. We recommend that he turn under his rye next spring when flowering, and apply at least fifty bushels of lime per acre.

The "compost heap" we did not see, and regret not being able to speak of this valuable auxiliary to all good farming.

The industry and perseverance of the owner was noticed in the clearing up of a large body of w T oods, and thus through many difficulties and labor extending his farming operations, and the soil upon this portion responding handsomely in the fine growth of corn. But this is done at the expense, by belting and destruction, of a magnificent growth of timber, principally large oaks, some of them four feet through. This necessity we could but deplore. The rapid destruction of our valuable timber in this State is a matter of alarm, and should be seriously considered.

A notable feature in our delightful visit to this farm, was the sumptuous and enjoyable dinner of our host, which was almost exclusively gathered from the products raised by him on this farm.

This place is memorable in our history, for once it was the scene of tramping armies and contending forces. Scars and works of" grim visaged war" on house and land meet the eye all around. Here was once heard and seen the wild shout, carnage and blood of horrid war; and the pleasant October sun that smiled upon us on this day of our visit, was once lighted up with the angry glare and lurid gloom of the fire of Gaines' Mill—that went down in impenetrable darkness among the thousands of dead and dying of that fearful, dreadful day.

J. A. Lynham, Committee.

Since the decline in profitable grain farming in Great Britain, Eug-lish farmers are paying more attention to fruit, putting out orchards on land formerly devoted to tillage. This may not, however, indicate a lessened demand for American fruit for many years to come. The home supply of fruits in England has always been smaller than in this country.

POULTRY-RAISING A PROFITABLE EMPLOYMENT FOR WOMEN,

Editor Southern Planter, —As I have many friends and relatives who are readers of your valuable paper, I wish to give them my experience in poultry-raising. Left in destitute circumstances, with three fatherless children, I was driven to action. I bought twenty-five common hens and two Plymouth Rock roosters. My hens were young and healthy and good layers, because well fed. About March 1st, my brother came to visit me, and made me an incubator that held 240 eggs. The material cost six dollars, and it took him two days to make it. Between March 1st and July 1st, I hatched five incubators of egg*; in all 968 chicks. I sold them, when about three months old, at the hotels in the villages near by. The first sixteen dozen brought $100, or $6.25 per dozen. The next sixteen dozen brought $80, or $5 per dozen. The next sixteen dozen brought $81, and the remaining twenty-seven dozen that I sold, brought $72. Total, $333. I paid for feed $47.25, leaving, for my labor, $285.75, and this without any capital to start with. My brother, living in Pennsylvania, made an incubator after he went home, and cleared, on his chicks, $437. He did not raise as many as I did, but he shipped to New York, and got higher prices. I was too far from the railroad to ship conveniently. An incubator is easy to manage, and takes but little time—one hour a day being sufficient. You can hatch all the fertile eggs, and hatch them easily before you can get a hen to set. I have now five incubators, and expect to hatch 5,000 chicks next season, and I know I can clear fifty cents on each chick. I have only a small house and lot, but it takes but little room when you sell them so young. This is work that any woman, though in feeble health, can do. In fact, it is only good exercise, and very profitable. I know there are thousands of poor people who would turn their attention to poultry-raising if they only knew how much money they could make at it.

I hope that many of your readers, who are out of employment and. have leisure time, will try the poultry business, and report success.

Frensburg, JV". Y. Mrs. Annie S. Carr.

Coffee Grounds as a Fertilizer. —A lady of San Francisco lately received some plants from Mexico, and with the plants came the advice to fertilize them with waste coffee and coffee grounds. This was done, and the results were so satisfactory, that the same treatment was tried on roses, and the effect was a healthy and vigorous growth, and more and better flowers and of richer colors.— Am. Settler, London, Eng. 7

THE FARMER.

What Senator Vance said in an address at the Annual Fair held in Baltimore county, Maryland :

"In all lands it is honorable to plow, but, everywhere, all other men are better paid than the plowman. All men who handle the plowman's products get rich faster than he does in making them. The commission merchants, the carrier and the distributing factor, far outstep him in the race for wealth. Their palaces are built and maintained from his labor, and the great monopolies fatten upon the sweat of his face. The farm laborer, who works in the sun, receives, on the average, fifty cents per day; whilst the man who lifts his grain on shipboard, or into the warehouse, receives two dollars per day. The man who feeds our bodies receives about one-half that is paid to him who clothes or adorns them. He who furnishes us with the necessaries of life is infinitely worse paid than he who furnishes us the luxuries. The inequality does not stop here. It has become the custom to shift on his shoulders all the heavy burdens which he can be made to bear. It is a received doctrine with a large portion of the world that those who manufacture clothing, implements, &c, are justified in levying taxes most grievous and unjust upon those who manufacture food. They are made the beasts of burden of society. Instead of additional honor, there is a positive penalty imposed upon the grower of a bushel of wheat or an ear of corn. Disguise or sugar-coat it as you may, it comes to this : That the bread giver is under the ban. People affect to favor him, but, in truth, they use and plunder him. Yet the value of this class is almost equally as great in the maintenance of our political institutions as to the feeding of our bodies. The very nature of their business tends to make them conservative and independent. They constitute the safest repository of the theories of freedom, the securest of wardens of law and order. No strikes, no communism, no riotings or incendiary burnings can arise or continue among the homes of the farmers. Sudden changes in church or State, and all experiments, new or startling, have small chance with them. It is well worth the while of our best thinkers to inquire why things are thus with the man of the fields, and why it is his importance is not esteemed. There is something wrong in the constitution of our society. Where is it, and what is it? Is it in our legislation? In part, it undoubtedly is; though, after all, with us, legislation but follows public opinion. Public opinion must therefore be corrected."

POTATO ROT.

Editor Southern Planter, —Permit me, through jour paper, to inquire as to the cause, or causes, of tha universal loss sustained last fall by the rot in the Irish potato crop? Will not Mr. John Washington, of Caroline county, give us his opinion on the subject? as he is good authority on all that pertains to agriculture (and this crop has been, I think, a specialty with him). Following the directions given by M. W., in the May number of the Southern Planter, for the year 1881, with a good clover lot for a foundation, I made the unusual crop of 174 bushels per acre—mostly of large merchantable potatoes.

My crop was dug from the 6th to the 13th of November. A part of them were put up in 20-bushel bulks; the rest stored in the basement of my dwelling-house; the latter keeping best.

My own impression, as to the causes of rot, are:

First, The late growing weather in the fall left an unusual amount of sap in the potato at digging-time.

Second, The eight or ten days of warm weather immediately following the digging-time caused the bulks and piles to heat.

Third, The unusual large size they grew caused a good deal of hollow, or black heart, as it is called.

Fourth, I think they were slightly frosted before digging.

Hoping to hear from Mr. Washington, or any who is better qualified to judge than myself,

I remain, yours respectfully, &c,

John H. Berkeley.

Noels, Hanover Co., Va., January 10th, 1883.

[We hope Mr. Washington, or any other person who is familiar with the potato crop, will respond, through the columns of the Planter, to the enquiry of our correspondent. We venture the suggestion, without being able to fortify it, that potato-fields are fertilized exclusively with nitrogenous manures, such as stable and other rich farm manures, and in the absence of a full supply of these, with ammoniated commercial fertilizers. There is a large element of potash in the potato, which is necessary to its healthful development. If the land, or the manures applied to it, do not furnish the potash, the crop will suffer in healthful vigor, if not in yield. This potash may be supplied by the ashes yielded from the wood fires of the farm, and if insufficient, after careful preservation, the German kainit salts, sold generally by fertilizer men, will be the cheapest substitute.

We do not mean to be understood as disparaging the nitrogenous manures as applied to potatoes or other crops. They are, in most cases, used too sparingly, as their function is to give vigor of growth ; but the substantial bases, such as lime, potash, &c. h must be supplied in some way to give full and healthful development.— Ed. S P.]

Editorial,

WESTOVER GRASS.

We made a visit to Westover in December last with a party of friends for the purpose of hunting. Being too old ourself to tramp about in pursuit of game, we left that amusement to our younger and more vigorous friends. We found our entertainment, outside of the cordial and generous hospitality of Major and Mrs. Drewry, in looking over the farm. We shall not undertake to tell of the Major's general management, for our purpose, now, is to speak of his grass -fields. An idea has long prevailed that grass-culture is only adapted to the Piedmont and Valley sections of Virginia, but we regard the fact as otherwise, without, in the least, discrediting the sections named. Virginia, the most central of all the Atlantic States, is blessed by a climate and soil in all her parts which can be utilized in any way that intelligent culture demaflds. Middle Virginia, worn down and impoverished by its tobacco and its three-shift-grain-system, is capable of profitable restoration under a system of five or six fields, embracing grass, and even including tobacco, if it be denied the exclusiveness usually given it. The Tidewater section has no tobacco, and is pre-eminently a grain and vegetable section ; but it is within the past twenty-five years that intelligent and energetic farmers have found out that it is one of the best grass sections. On the improved table lands of James river, from colonial times to the present, clover has been regarded as a farm necessity, and no lands elsewhere produce it better. But, mainly, since the war, timothy, orchard and other grasses have been introduced; and they catch hold of the land as if it were an old friend.

Upon thus stating our premises, we say that we rode and walked over a field of one hundred acres of timothy at Westover which cannot be beaten for thoroughness of stand, vigorous and healthful growth, by any other one hundred acres in Virginia; and, we may say, in any other State. The timothy seed were sown about the first of October, 1881, at the time the wheat was sown ; and, we think, on land on which a crop of corn had been grown the same year. Another hundred acres of clover-fallow were seeded the same fall in wheat, and re-seeded in the spring of 1882 in clover again; so that it will be seen that the Westover grass-fields are two each year, and so continuing in a regular rotation. These grass-fields are mowed, and usually yield of hay from two to three hundred tons, after leaving a supply for the farm.

In thus speaking of Westover, we only speak of what we have recently seen. All parts of the Tidewater section of Virginia are, with good management, capable of producing grass for stock-grazing and for hay. This section being essentially a grain section, grass is a necessary concomitant, and should not be neglected.

In the middle section, between Tidewater and Piedmont, we know that grass may be grown also, and it will contribute largely to the improvement of the land, provided a new system of rotation is adopted. The prevailing system of applying all manures to the tobacco lots, and then dividing the out-lying land into three shifts, or fields, to be rotated in corn, oats and pasture, will never produce any improvement, but yearly add to the waste and unproductive surface. Admitting that it may be wise to apply all farm-made manures to the tobacco lots, which are regarded as the main source of pecuniary income, the system may be well improved by sub dividing the three shifts so as to make six, and then, by a regular rotation of grain, green-fallows and grass, with moderate pasturage, the land will improve and, of course, the crops will be increased. But oh! how hard it is to get old-fashioned farmers out of their ruts. New efforts might lead to good results, whilst a failure would not be worse than their present practice.

P3NE SAWDUST.

Please inform me whether or not pine log sawdust is good to spread in horse stables to mix with the droppings and urine for manure, and what kind of crops will it suit the best to apply to. Also will it do to apply between strawberry rows for mulching without composting with something else; if so, will it have to be removed off the ground after the crop of berries are gathered or plowed in.—J. C. H., Hot Springs, Garland county, Ark., October 23, 1882.

Answer. —Pine sawdust has almost nothing of manurial value. It serves a good purpose as bedding for absorbing the urine, but contributes precious little to the food of plants. It serves also to loosen up very stiff soils when applied in large quantity; here the action is wholly mechanical. Being possessed of no decided hurtful qualities, it can be used for either of the purposes named above, but cannot be recommended for any special crop. Applied when fresh, in very large quantities, it might do a little harm from the resinous matter in it. Have never tried it as a mulch for strawberries, and do not remember to have seen it tried, but have an impression that it is not regarded as a good mulch for them. It retains moisture exceedingly well, and in that particular would suit the strawberry admirably.

We copy the above from the Southern Cultivator and Dixie Farmer;

and, as the same questions have been propounded to us, we will give our experience on the matter.

We have had a saw-mill at our barn for a period of twenty years, used for farm purposes, as the engine which propelled it did the threshing, corn-shelling, grinding, fodder-cutting, &c. As the sawdust accumulated, we thought it could be utilized as bedding in stables and cattle pens, and, one year, we used it in this way freely. Our disappointment was great when the manure, apparently of fine quality, produced no good results. Our subsequent observation and experience taught us that the sawdust generated a large quantity of pyroligenous acid, which is damaging to vegetation of all kinds. Our attention was first called to this fact by the leaching of the rains through the sawdust-pile and the destruction of the surrounding vegetation. The early discovery of this fact deterred us from using sawdust as a mulch for strawberries or young trees. If sawdust is suffered to remain subjected to the weather for many years, until all of this fatal acid is leached out, it may be mechanically beneficial in the way our brother of the Dixie Farmer has mentioned.

Our faith in the opinion expressed, is strengthened by the observation of the old pit, or hand-saw locations, before saw-mills came into general use, which spots, after the removal of the dust, remained apparently dead for years. We have no faith in sawdust as a manurial agent.

COTTON SEED MEAL

We have an enquiry from a subscriber in Rockingham county, Va., as follows: " There is one thing I will trouble you to answer in your next issue, as I suppose there are a number of farmers similarly interested ; that is, in regard to cotton seed meal. Now that it is becoming the interest of the farmer to sell his wheat rather than have it ground into flour, we want something to substitute the offal. It seems to me that cotton seed meal is our best substitute, especially to mix with corn meal for fattening cattle. What we want to know is, who or where to look for it, its cost, transportation, etc."

The cotton centres of the South, such as Atlanta, New Orleans, Savannah, Charleston and Memphis, must be applied to for the required iuformation ; but we would refer our correspondent to Major Chris-man, of his own county, who about a year ago made in the Planter a detailed statement of his experience with cotton seed meal, which was, as we remember, a very favorable one.

THE VALUE OF ENSILAGE.

We notice that the National Farmer, Washington, D. C, has made enquiries and published replies in several consecutive numbers on this subject. The responses have come mainly, if not altogether, from farmers north of Washington. We would like to hear from Virginia farmers and those further South. We have never doubted the value of ensilage in those sections of the country where cattle have to be stable-fed six to eight months of the year; but in Virginia, and States South, where a bite of fresh grass can be had almost through the entire winter-months, there may be a difference of opinion in respect to its value. We would, therefore, like to have, through the Planter, replies from farmers in Virginia and other Southern States to the same enquiries which have been submitted by the National Farmer, which are as follows:

1. Location of silo with reference to feeding-rooms.

2. Form of silo.

3. Dimensions of silo.

4. Walls of silo—materials and construction.

5. Cover.

6. Weight—materials used for, amount required and how applied.

7. Cost of silo.

8. Crops used for ensilage.

9. Method of planting and cultivation.

10. Stage of development at which fodder is most valuable for ensilage

11. Weight of fodder produced per acre.

12. Kind of corn best for ensilage.

13. Value of sweet-corn as compared with field varieties.

14. Preparation of fodder for silo—machinery used.

15. Filling the silo.

16. Cost of filling per ton of fodder put in.

17. Lapse of time before opening the silo.

18. Condition of ensilage when opened.

19. Deterioration, if <any, after opening.

20. Value of ensilage for milch cows.

21. Effects of ensilage on dairy products.

22. Value of ensilage for other stock.

23. Quantity consumed per head.

24. Method of feeding—alone, or with other food.

25. Condition of stock fed on ensilage, both as to gain or loss of weight and health.

2b\ Profitableness of ensilage, all things considered.

VIRGINIA STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

We are favored by the Secretary with the following proceedings of the Executive Committee on the 9th of January, and of the Society in general meeting on the next day.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

The Executive Committee of the Virginia State Agricultural Society met in President Wickham's office at 7 P. M., on the 9th of January. Present: General Williams C. Wickham (president), ex-President Col. W. C. Knight, advisory member, and Col. Thomas W. Doswell, Col. Kobert Beverley, Dr. A. 1ST. Wellford, Isaac Davenport, Jr., Thomas Watkins, Joseph Wilmer, and Major A. R. Venable.

The President called the attention of the Committee to the circular letter of the Chamber of Commerce and Commercial Club of Richmond, proposing to co-operate with the Society at the next State Fair. It was generally discussed and final action postponed until after a conference to be held with the members of those organizations at the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce next day at 12 o'clock M.

Col. Knight informed the committee of the death of Mr. William T. Scott, a former very active member of the committee, and offered suitable resolutions of respect, which were unanimously adopted.

On motion, the committee adjourned to meet at 12 M to-morrow, at the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce.

WILLIAM T. SCOTT.

The Executive Committee of the State Agricultural Society having heard of the death, on the 21st of December last, of William T. Scott, at his residence in Charlotte county, receive with regret and sadness the intelligence.

Mr. Scott was, for a number of years after the organization of the Society, a life member and an active and efficient member of its Executive Committee, and a prosperous and successful farmer, whose interest in the affairs of the Society and in the agricultural prosperity of his

native State never abated ; therefore,

i Resolved, That this committee, feeling the loss which has been sustained by the Society and the agricultural community by the death of Mr. Scott, direct that this testimonial be entered on the records of the Society, and that a copy be sent by the Secretary to the widow of the decedent, and that a copy be sent to the editor of the Charlotte Gazette.

THE STATE FAIR.

The committee appointed by the Chamber of Commerce and the

Commercial Club and the Committee of the Virginia State Agricultural Society met at 12 M., on the 10th of January, in the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce to confer as to the time of holding the next State Fair, and the best plan of co-operation between the business-men of the city and the Society in reference to the same, so that the attractions may be increased to such an extent that they will prove of material advantage to the trade of the city and the Agricultural Society.

After a general discussion of the subject by all the members of the committee, Major A. R. Venable, of the Executive Committee, offered a resolution that a committee of two members of the Executive Committee of the Agricultural Society be appointed, who, with the president, shall confer with similar committees of the Chamber of Commerce and the Commercial Club in regard to the time of holding the next Fair, and in regard to the assistance to be given the Society by the Chamber of Commerce and Commercial Club.

The resolution was adopted, and Gen. W. C. Wickham, Col. Robert Beverley, and Col. C. R. Barksdale were appointed on behalf of the Society, and Messrs. B. E. Blankenship, John S. Ellett, John Tyler, and Peter W. Grubbs on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce and Commercial Club.

These sub-committees subsequently met and agreed in a most satisfactory manner on all points touching the mutual interests of the city and the people of the State in respect to the Agricultural Society, which their subsequent action will develop.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE VIRGINIA STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of the Virginia State Agricultural Society was held at 7 o'clock P. M., 10th January, in the Senate chamber of the Capitol—President Wickham in the chair. On motion, Messrs. J. W. Porter, of Albemarle; Thomas W. Doswell, of Hanover, and F. T. Glasgow, of Richmond city, were appointed a committee on proxies, and to ascertain whether a quorum of the Society were present.

The committee having reported a quorum, President Wickham. then read the report of the President and Executive Committee, as follows:

To the Members of the Virginia State Agricultural Society :

Your President and Executive Committee respectfully submit the following report of the operations of the Society for the year 1882 :

Finding themselves embarrassed when entering upon the discharge of their duties by the large floating debt of the Society, they procured, through the kindness of the authorities of the city of Richmond, a loan from the city of $80,000, payable in ten years, interest payable semiannually at the rate of 5 per cent per annum. The interest upon this

debt bas been paid up to tbe 1st day of July, 1883, as tbe Society bad tbe funds, and we thought it best to tbus dispose of tbem. It took the whole of this loan, or within a few dollars of it, to pay the floating obligations that your committee found burdening the Society, and without this valued aid from the city of Richmond they would have been in a hopeless condition.

Being relieved of this burden, they endeavored in many ways to revive interest in the Society amongst the people of the State and to increase the list of life-members, and thus to obtain means for the considerable repairs that were found necessary to the buildings and grounds of the Society. In this, through the assistance of friends of the Society in different parts of the State, they were partially successful, though not as fully as they had hoped and expected. Yet by strict economy and close attention they were enabled to open the gates of the grounds on the morning of the Fair with everything in good condition and with some money ahead. Through the good offices of the people on Broad street and Council of Richmond and the authorities of the Richmond, Fredericksbug and Potomac railroad and the Richmond street-railway, all of whom evinced the greatest desire to contribute to the success of the Society's exhibition, we were enabled to offer to visitors to the Fair the means of reaching the grounds by steam-cars from Eighth and Broad streets. Without this help the exhibition would have proven a financial failure. The exhibition itself was, we believe, in the opinion of all who participated, highly creditable. Everything was conducted with good order and system, and nothing of an unpleasant nature of any kind occurred to mar the general satisfaction of the occasion. To a certain extent the exhibition was interfered with by the rain in the forenoon of the second day, and the receipts reduced by, doubtless, a considerable sum, yet on the whole the tinancial results of the exhibition were satisfactory; and the Society finds itself to-day with not a dollar of floating debt, with tbe interest on its bonded indebtedness paid up to July next, and with a balance of a little over $1,200 in bank as a reserve fund.

Your committee desires to make their most cordial acknowledgments to Chief-Marshal Ashton Starke, Secretary Geo. W. Mayo, and General-Ticket-Agent W. Chase Morton, for the zealous and efficient manner in which they discharged the duties of their respective positions, thereby contributing so largely to our success. They wish also to thank most sincerely the authorities and officers of the various railroads for the manner in which they met the requests of the Society and the facilities they afforded. The committee have reason to hope that the resultt)f the year's operations has tended greatly to revive interest in tue Society, and they earnestly invoke the friends of the Society to exert themselves to aid in enlarging the membership thereof and to do all in their power to create a general interest in the Society, and thus place it on an assured basis. There is no doubt on the minds of your committee that the effect of a successful operation of your Society is most beneficial to all classes of the people of tbe State, and to every branch of business, and they therefore earnestly and confidently appeal

to all to sustain the Society in its efforts to advance the prosperity of our people.

By order of the Executive Dommittee.

Williams C. Wickham, President.

The report was unanimously adopted.

The next business being the election of officers, President Wickham vacated, and Col. Robert Beverley took the chair. Mr. Thomas Wat-kins nominated General Williams C. Wickham for re-election as president, and he was unanimously elected. Col. Robert Beverley, of Fauquier, was elected first vice-president; Mr. Thomas Watkins, of Halifax, second vice-president; Mr. Burr P. Poland, of Loudoun, third vice-president; and on motion of Mr. A. L. Ellett, of Richmond city, Messrs. S. T. Stewart of King George; R. R. Carter, of Charles City; W. A. Burke, of Augusta; and Edmund R. Cocke, of Cumberland, were elected members of the Executive Committee to fill the vacancies caused by the four members retired under the constitution.

The thanks of tfhe Society were tendered Governor Cameron for the use of the Senate chamber.

On motion the Society adjourned sine die.

SPECIAL PREMIUMS TO BOYS FOR LARGEST YIELD OF CORN,

We have been favored by General Wickham, President of the State Agricultural Society, with the following official report to the Kent County (Maryland) Agricultural Society. It shows the wisdom of agricultural societies when they offer to young farmers, just entering on the business of agriculture, inducements to stimulate them, and, at the same time, to encourage agricultural tastes in young men who are so prone to look for honor and profit in other pursuits. We would suggest that General Wickham will urge his Executive Committee to offer similar premiums, and publish them in advance in the regular Premium-List.

Premium Corn Crops—The Contest Between Kent Boys—Manner of

Cultivating, etc.

The contest between Kent county boys for the championship in raising corn has been brought to a close, and the " belt" is awarded to Master Edgar A. Corey, son of John W. Corey, Esq. The following report gives particulars. We also give below the reports of the boys, describing the manner of planting, fertilizing and cultivating.

REPORT OF THE AWARDING COMMITTEE.

To Kent County Agricultural Association: Gents,—The undersigned

having been appointed a committee to award the premiums offered by Dr. A. P. Sharp (a member of the Society) and Kent County Agricultural Association, to the youths of Kent county for the best one-quarter acre of corn, make the following report:

Having carefully examined the different statements of the several contestants, together with the statements of the parties measuring the different crops, we find the youths have complied with the conditions in all important particulars. The result is as follows :

James R. L. Crouch - 21J

Medford T.Porter 25J

John C. Norris i 22J

Frank Walraven .' 18f

John E. Morris 23J

Edward Morris 25£

Edward A. Corey 28J

We therefore award the first premium of $20 to Edward A. Corey ; second premium of $13 to Edward Morris; third premium of $7 to Medford T. Porter; all of which is respectfully submitted.

Wm. W. Stephens, J. P. Nicholson, H. P. Smith, Henry T. Massey,

Committee.

REPORTS OF THE BOYS.

My land was flushed May 26, and harrowed three times ; signed out 3J feet, and corn planted in steps on the 28th May. A mixture of henhouse manure and dirt was applied to each hill of corn. After the corn came up I harrowed it. It was nearly all destroyed by insects, and was replanted June 15th. I bar-plowed it, then cultivated it; threw the furrow to it, then cultivated it again; recultivated it, plowed it again, and then hoed it. James R. L. Crouch.

I spread five loads of barn-yard manure, flushed with two-horse plow, crossed one way 3J feet, dropped it 1J feet apart; harrowed first, then bar-plowed; cultivated down, put furrow to it and levelled down; put woods manure and plaster in the hill. Planted white corn and covered with plow. Medford T. Porter.

My ground was a year old clover sod; I used ten wagon loads of good stable manure on top and plowed in; harrowed it a good many times, then run the rows 3J feet apart; used rich dirt mixed with ashes and hen-house manure in the rows; planted the corn about 15 inches apart in the rows; covered with plow, thinned it down to two stalks in the hill; cultivated several times; hoed it once and plowed once, throwing the furrow to it, and cultivated the middles—that was the last working. It was planted on the first of May. The corn was very thick and the drouth hurt it some. John C. Norris.

On the 5th of April I manured my lot over with coarse stable manure

and plowed the manure under. The ground was then let lay for three weeks, when I manured it again with tine manure. On the 11th of May I cultivated the ground .over, and planted; the corn was covered with a hoe, and the ground rolled; rows about 3f feet apart, and the hills about 20 inches. On the last day of May the corn was thinned and then cultivated; after that the ground was cultivated twice and plowed once. Blades pulled September 10. Frank Walraven.

The land I used is a white clay loam, good for either wheat or corn. It was plowed on the 4th of April, harrowed once, and manured with hog-pen and wood-pile manure; then cultivated it twice and harrowed it once; crossed it out 3 feet one way, and put two grains in about 1J to 2 feet apart the other, with about a handful of residiuum to every four hills. Covered it with two small farrows with a one-horse plow; harrowed it with a twin harrow before it came up. It was cultivated three times and plowed once, and then let lay until it was cut and husked. John E. Morris.

The ground I selected was a loamy soil, for the past twenty years had grown peach trees, and clover in addition the last two. The trees being removed the ground was lightly covered with hog-pen manure. After plowing, it was covered with manure from cattle while fattening the previous winter, making in all about ten cart loads. The corn was planted about May 20th, in rows 3J feet one way and If the other; when thinned one stalk was left in one hill and two in the next, and so on. The corn w T as worked five times during the season—the last working as late as the middle of August; first by cultivating, then bar-plowing, then cultivated again, then with a two-furrowed plow throwing furrow to corn, then leveled with cultivator. The corn planted was white, obtained from Mr. Edward Plummer, and was said to yield 6| bushels to the barrel. E. A. Corey.

JERSEYS AT THE STATE FAIR.

We have published in our last issue an interesting and instructive article from Dr. Ellzey, entitled, " Shorthorns at the State Fair"; and we now propose to say something of the Jerseys. In number they, probably, exceeded any of the improved breeds, and, by good judges, were said to be of superior quality. Dr. Beattie, Thomas Branch, J. Julian Pratt, and the Messrs. Rowe were the principal, if not the entire, exhibitors in this class. The Rowes had the most numerous herd, and several imported cows and a bull of perfect breeding. The most of their animals were of their own breeding, and of merit, as the awards given them showed.

There seems to be now a large enquiry for Jerseys, and consequently prices have advanced, and the demand is, possibly, greater than the

home supply, especially for heifers and heifer-calves. Bull calves can be bought cheaper to cross on native stock; and this cross makes a good grade for milking and other purposes. The Jersey grade steers make neat and trim animals that mature early. It would be well for farmers in the Middle and Tidewater sections of our State, and other Southern States, to look closely to this breed of cattle, and see how far it will meet the demands of their respective sections.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES.

The most profitable apples and pears are those that do not ripen until the approach of cold weather. They can be shipped long distances, and will keep a long time. They can be disposed of in the spring, when there is no small fruit to come in competition with them. They are better for drying or making cider than the early fruit.

It is claimed that a full feed of hay to horses, following the feeding of concentrated food is wasteful, for the reason that it crowds the first out of the stomach before proper digestion has been accomplished. And so, in order to secure best results, hay should be fed at first and the concentrated food afterwards.

Give fattening cattle as much as they will eat, and often—five times a day. Never give rapid changes of food, but change often. A good guide for a safe quantity of grain per day to maturing cattle is one pound to every hundred of their own weight; thus an animal weighing one thousand may receive ten pounds.

A successful Boston florist says he seldom fails to root slips of the most tender and rare plants. He credits his success to a layer of oats placed under the usual layer of sand in which they are planted. When moistened, they act as a stimulant and feeder to the tender roots of the slip.

The high price of corn has greatly diminished the glucose product. Sugar can now be grown as cheaply from cane as it can be made from corn at present prices. But when corn is cheap, the profits of glucose making are so great that there will always be a demand for this purpose, and thus prevent corn falling as low as it has in years gone by.

SOUTHERN PLANTER.

101

The Southern Planter.

SUBSCRIPTION: $1.25 a year in advance, or $1.50 if not paid in advance.

TERMS OF ADVERTISING.

PAGE RATES.

One-"ighth page One-fourth page One-half page.. One page

12 Mons.

$ 20 00 40 00 80 00 140 00

COLUMN RATES.

43r" Special rates .for cover.

4®* Reading notices, 25 cents per line, of brevier type.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

CLUBBING.

It implies new subscribers when two or more journals are combined. If only one journal, then it implies that a given number of new subscribers shall combine and make one remittance for the whole. If, after their subscription expires, the same persons desire to continue it, they should send in advance, and at one remittance, the amount necessary to represent each contributor. This is just and proper in view of the deduction made from the regular subscription price. Some persons who contribute to clubs think it a privilege, after the year has expired, to continue their subscriptions at the reduced price if they pay at different times of the new year, and, of course, not in advance. This is not admissible on any principle of justice.

When two or more papers are ordered at an agreed price for clubbing, the person ordering should send, in addition to the price named, thirteen cents, which is the cost of & postal order, to be sent to the

paper published in some other city or town. If this is not done, the paper receiving the order is subjected to an expense, which, after its reduced rates to the club, makes a losing business.

We ask our correspondents and agents to remember these things.

THE BROTHERHOOD.

The Industrial South and the Southern Planter live and work in the same room. The South teaches of the philosophy, progress, and incentives to production in all fields, and the Planter of its practice on the farm. Having written these words, we look back, and it appears that we have given our room-mates a more important work than we claim for ourselves. But how is it? Our side produces the bread, the meat, the butter, the eggs, the vegetables, the fruits, etc, on which all subsist; so that the big work shops, mines, railways, and other productive industries of which our friends write, are all dependent on the practical farmer at last. A happy and prosperous New Year to all classes ! Send us $2.60 and we will send you the Brotherhood for the year 1883.

This notice seems to close with the idea of money, but it is not so. If the people can do without our papers, we can do without their money ; and yet we hold that our papers are worth largely more than the money asked for them ; and, furthermore, without reading there is no progress, even if it is bad reading, for intelligent minds are often excited into action by the errors of the writings they read and are capable of analyzing.

TOBACCO SEED.

We call attention to the advertisement of our friend, Major Ragland. The Major has been long known for his devotion to the tobacco interests of the State, and, probably, he is alone in his efforts to improve this important staple by attention to the production of the purest seeds. Pure seeds lie at the foundation of the production of any crop. As to tobacco, there is a great importance in selecting seeds suited

\

SOUTHEKN PLANTER.

[February

to the soil and the type which it is desired to produce.

But few persons know the extent of Major Ragiand's tobacco seed production, and his well-known character justifies us iu advising all tobacco raisers to consult and procure from him some of his select varieties.

A KN4BE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

This is the heading of a clipping apparently made from the Baltimore American. We see it in many of our exchanges, including some of an old and established character. Why is this clipping so extensively made by editors? Not from a fact that can interest the people—that the White House has a Knabe piano. Js it not an ingenious way for cheap advertising? We have nothing to say against the Knabe piano, but we think editors should never fall into the snares of advertisers, even if their papers are fairly paid for it. It so happened that this same clipping came to us with a proposition to pay a specified sum if admitted as our own selected matter. The proposition found its place in the waste-basket; and what strikes us now is, to see how extensively this extract has been made, apparently a free selection from the Baltimore American.

There is another way of forcing upon editors notices of nostrums which may happen to find a place in the advertising columns of their papers ; and this class of advertisers are particularly watchful of the appearance, or non-appearance, of such notices; when, in point of fact, the editor knows no more of the article advertised than the man in the moon, as such notices are furnished cut and dried. For ourself, we want nothing of the kind. If an advertiser has a commendable article, and we see merit in it, a notice will be cheerfully given.y-ee of cost, but in our own words. Otherwise we should be held responsible, and properly so, by our readers, for commending unworthy things. We appeal to other editors to say whether this is not a correct position?

' Va., for the month of January, 1883, is truly the farmers' gem. Under the editorial management of W. C. Knight, Esq , its reputation for practical usefulness iu the sphere of Agriculture has greatly increased, until now it stands the peer of the many able publications of the kind in the Union. We will rejoice to see this home publication liberally sustained by the farmers of Virginia, and if they will do so we will soon have golden opinions from them as regards its merits. Price, $1.25 per year; clubbed with the Spirit we will furnish both at $3 per annum.

We clip the above from the Spirit of the Valley. Thankful for the compliment, we accept the offer to club on the terms named, and hope the Spirit's and the Planter's lists of snbscribers may be increased thereby.

The Southern Planter, Richmond,

Southern Fertilizing Company and Messrs. Allison & Addison. —We call especial attention to the new advertisements of these companies. Their prepared fertilizers are too well known to require any commendation from us. Send for their circulars and price-lists.

In this connection we may mention that we have received from Secretary Ott our friend Ragland's excellent essay, entitled, "Tobacco : How to grow and cure it, especially fine yellow," which every tobacco planter should read.

D. Landreth & Sons. Seed-Growers. — We call attention to the enlarged advertisement of this old and well known firm, which comes to us through the advertising agency of N. W. Ayer & Son, of Philadelphia. We have also received their handsomely illustrated Catalogue for 1883, which is free to all on application.

The Landreths. known to their business for about a century in their family succession, grow their own seeds and give the fullest quantity. Those who have lived on a business so long, cannot afford to weaken it by the slightest taint of fidelity to their trade.

J. H. Zeilin & Co.—These gentlemen are amongst the most reliable of our advertisers. They are not of the dodging kind, but come squarely up to their obligations,

SOUTHERN PLANTER,

103

which shows the value of their advertised goods. Fortunately, we have had no occasion to use Simmon's Liver Regulator, but its general merits are so well recognized that we can favorably mention the " Centennial Calendar; or, Simmon's Liver Regulator Almanac," a copy of which we have received.

The Farmer's Annual Hand-Book. Prepared by H. P. Armsby, Ph. D., Professor of Agricultural Chemistry in the Storr's Agricultural School ; and F. H. Jenkins, Ph. D., Chemist to tbe Connecticut Agricultural Experimental Station. lOmo. Cloth—50 cents. D. Ap-pleton & Co., publishers.

"We have received from Messrs. West & Johnston, booksellers and stationers, of this city, this excellent manual or handbook. It is the very thing to give the farmers much information, in a handy and convenient form, on many things touching household and farm matters as they almost daily occur. It also has blank pages for daily memoranda of current business, and properly ruled lines for a cash account. Its use will methodize business, and in this way will be worth one hundred times its cost each year.

The Almanac and Hand-Book of the Ashley Phosphate Company, Charleston,

S. C, for 1883.

We acknowledge receipt of this publication. It is issued for advertizing purposes. It is accompanied with a number of humorous cards for the same purpose—the book being filled with illustrations of the same character. We must say, frankly, that we do not fancy this form of advertising. It does not address itself to the intelligence, but, rather, the ignorance of readers. Still there is much of practical interest and value in the selected articles and excerpts contained in this almanac, and farmers, as we say here, or planters in the South, would be benefitted by obtaining a copy by postal addressed to the Ashley Phosphate Company.

These Charleston phosphate deposits are

wonderful. Our matter for this number of

the Planter being made up and in the

hands of the printer before the receipt of

8

this almanac, we are denied the privilege, until our next number, of copying the article designated, "The Origin of the Charleston Phosphates." We can refer to an interesting article in this number from the pen of T. R. Crane, of Mantua Farm, Va., in which much is said of the value of those phosphates.

The Century for February—the midwinter number—contains a frontispiece portrait of Mr. George William Curtis, which is a beautiful engraving by Cole. The accompanying article is from the pen of S. S. Conant, of Harper's Weekly. Mr. Joel C. Harris, "Uncle Remus," has recently completed a sketch of life in the mountains of Georgia, which the Century will publish in two or three parts under the title, " At Teague Poteets."

Prize Essays on Onion Culture. Pp. 80.

Published by D. Landreth & Sons.

We have been favored with a copy of this pamphlet, and have read it with much pleasure. It seems that the Messrs. Landreth offered liberal premiums for the best essays on Onion Culture. The offer produced responses from States North, South, East and West, and showed up this industry in an attractive form, as detailed statements of cost and profits are given. The largest profits appear to have been made in Connecticut and North Carolina. Small farmers, who desire to diversify their crops, and make from $100 to $200 per acre, should send to Messr3. Landreth & Sons, Philadelphia, for a copy of these essays. Price, 25 cents.

Report of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Virginia for the Year ending July 11th, 1882.

We have received this Report and read it with interest. The institution under its new management is shown to be in a good condition. We have not time to notice it iu detail, but we see a prominent statement to the effect that the farm from 1873 to 1881, inclusive, cost the College about an average of $2,000 per annum, and since the present management took charge, "it has not cost one cent, but is not only self-supporting, but yielding a revenue."

SOUTHERN PLANTER.

[February

Origin and History of Tndtan Corn. By Dr. J. H. Parrish, of Saundersville, Tennessee.

We have been favored by Dr. W. H. Gwathmey, of this city, with this interesting and instructive publication. We hope soon to find a place for it in the columns of the Planter. The Indian corn crop has grown to such large proportions, that every thing of historical or practical interest concerning it, should command attention in every State of the American Republic.

We learn from Dr. Gwathmey that Dr. Parrish is a native of Virginia, and this makes his writing all the more interesting in connection with the grain, which is the foundation of the "Virginia hoe-cake," and at the same time, the State's wealth.

Virginia history, as we understand it, sliows that Indian corn was first discovered and cultivated here.

Report of the United States Commissioner of Agriculture for the year 1882.

We have received from Commissioner Loving his Annual Report.

It is an interesting compendium of the progress of agriculture and kindred subjects in the whole country for the past year. It shows that the appropriations made for the Department are not all expended. All agriculturists will read it with interest; but we notice it is reticent in respect to sorghum culture and sugar therefrom, which General Le Due was so enthusiastic about.

The Popular Science Monthly for January, 1883.

This is an excellent number of this popular journal. We note, in our line, the con-elusion of Dr. Miles' "Scientific Farming at Rothamsted."

The Popular Science Monthly for January. This is an excellent number, being filled with choice reading. From our point of view, the article of Dr. Miles on "Scientific Farming at Rothamstead " interests ua most".

SOME GOOD REASONS

WHY THE

SOUTHERN PLANTER

SHOULD BE

Taken and Read by Farmers

USED FOR ADVERTISING

Business Men.

1. Because its form is such that it can be conveniently bound and preserved.

2. Because it is the oldest agricultural journal in Virginia—now in its forty-fourth year.

3. Because it has an able class of practical correspondents.

4. Because it admits no political topics in its columns.

5. Because, in its long career, it has received the kindest consideration from the Press.

6. Because its editor, for forty years, has been engaged in practical agriculture.

7. Because its subscription bas been reduced from $2.00 to $1.25 per annum, to bring it to the means of all farmers who desire to read.

8. Because it has a circulation in all the States of the Union.

|||| g\ jm people are always on the lookout for lAf I V~ l_ chances to increase their earnings, WW I «\ r and in time become wealthy; those W | %J §m who do not improve their opportunities remain in poverty. We offer a great chance to make money. We want many men, women, boys and girls to work for us right in their own localities. Any one can do the work properly from the first start. The business will pay more than ten times ordinary wages. Expensive outfit furnished free. No one who engages fails t o make money rapidly You can devote your whole time to the work, or only your spare momenta. Full inlormation and all that is needed sent free. Address Stinson & Co., Portland, Maine. janly

SOUTHERN PLANTER.

105

The Century and St. Nicholas for January came to us in good lime, filled, as usual, with much to instruct and amuse. These popular journals cannot be too highly commended.

The Ladies' Floral Cabinet (New York city), closes its eleventh year with the December number just received. Its new managers have made most decided improvements with each issue, closing the year with the best number we have ever seen. To lovers of the popular Gladiolus, Mr. Allen's essay will be a rare treat; to Rose growers, the article of Mr. F. Lance, of Quebec, will repay perusal; but admiration will centre in the full page illustration of a new Rose, the "Alpha,'* given on page 232, with its accompanying description ; numerous other articles of a floral nature add to its attractiveness, while in the literary departments there is much to interest all members of the household. Wives, mothers, sisters and daughters will duly appreciate the articles on "Home Decorations," with illustrations, "How we trimmed the Christmas Tree," What we shall Wear," and "Household Hints."

The two pages of music are welcome features of this number. Any of our readers are entitled to a sample copy of the Floral Cabinet at half price (six cents) by mentioning our publication when they send, and any of our readers who formerly took the Cabinet may have sample copy free.

We have arranged to club the L*dies' Floral Cabinet and our paper at 82.00 for both publications, and that entitles all who order the two at one time to the Floral Cabinet's specially grown seeds or bulbs, which go post free to all who order through this office.

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RUSSIA BEATEN BY THE UNITED STATES.

The late reports from Russia are calculated to dissipate any apprehensions which may have been entertained that the United States could not successfully compete with that country in the production of breadstuff's for European markets. Russia has in former years sold wheat .to other European countries to a large extent, but it does not follow that it realized a profit on the cost of production, for it may have been then, as it is asserted to be now, that producers were forced by their immediate necessities to realize. According to the St. Petersburg correspondent of the New York Sun, Russia has "thrown up the sponge''' in the contest for supremacy as the granary of the world. It is stated that "Russian farmers and grain dealers and the public at large are panic-stricken. Millions of peasants have hastened to sell their grain in order to pay the arrears of taxes and sundry debts. But the prices have been exceedingly low, and now many of them are penniless, and have no provisions for the coming winter. It is even said that the Minister of the Interior has already admitted that he has not means enough to save the peasants from starvation and to provide them with seed for future crops."

This is a sad state of affairs for the farming interests in Russia, but it is conclusive evideitce that the primitive methods of farming in Russia cannot compete with the modern and improved labor-saving appliances of this country. The sulky-plows and reapers of the United States are too much for the hoe and the sickle of Russia. But it is not the producers only who suffer, for it is stated that the Russian grain dealers have lost fully ten per cent, on their investments. Probably the cost of production of wheat in our country is much less than in Russia, and our transportation facilities are so much better, that the difference in the cost at the seaboard is much less here than there.

A Russian grain merchant is reported as saying: "The American •cheap grain has completely undermined us. It is clear that we cannot compete with our trans-Atlantic friends. Do you think that a man with a hoe can compete with a man with steam plow ? That represents our respective conditions. Our agriculture is in a primitive state and our transportation in its infancy. In spite of dear labor, American grain costs the producer one-half as much as Russian grain, and besides, in America an acre of cultivated soil yields three times as much as we get from our soil, which as yet knows no manure."

There are also complaints that although millions of roubles have been spent in boring for petroleum upon the shores of the Caspian sea, and that abundant supplies have been found, still the American article is supplied so cheaply that it is impossible to compete with it in foreign: markets, and even in Russia itself it is used more extensively than the home product.— Cincinnati Price Current.

DG E BROADCASTJ^Oj^

Millions of dollars worth of SEED and VALUABLE TIME have been lost for the want of a perfect Broadcast Seed Sower that would do its work rapidly and well. The "STROWBRIDGE " fills the great want, exactly- The seed is not thrown up into the air to be driven by the wind in all directions, but it goes directly to the ground where wanted. It is the CHEAPEST, SIMPLEST and BEST BROADCAST SEED-SOWER in the market. A common-sense, labor-saving machine. It sows perfectly all kinds of Wheat, Rye, Flax, Barley, Oats, Buckwheat, Peas, Corn, Hungarian Millet, Clover, Timothy; also Plaster, Lime, Salt, Guano, Ashes, and all the various Phosphates—in fact, everything requiring broadcasting—and does it more evenly and better than by any other method.

THE "STROWBRIDGb" IS FULLY WARRANTED TO DO AS REPRESENTED.

Read the following, which are sample testimonials, of which we have received hundreds from farmers who have used them and know what they are talking about:

The well-known firm of W. M. Fields & Bro., Stock Breeders and Importers, Cedar Falls, Iowa, write us a' follows: " We have used the Broadcast Seeder for several seasons, with entire satisfaction. Have seeded annually over two hundred acres of different kinds of grain. We consider the Seeder an indispensable implement to any farm for either seeding any kind of small grain or seeds. It is a wonderful labor saver, and materially facilitates the farm work. We cheerfully recommend it to every one.

Yours respectfully, W. M. FIELDS & BRO ,

Willowedge Farm, Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Ashton Starke, Esq : Richmonl, Ya., January 17, 1883.

Bear Sir, —I have tested the Strowbridge Broadcast Seed Sower in sowing rye, clover seed and plaster, and am fully satisfied with its work. It is all you claim for it. • W. J. LYNHAM.

PHIOB, $26.

Mannfactrt by tie DES MOINES MANUFACTURING COMPANY, Des Moines, Iowa.

SOLD IN RICHMOND, VA., BY

At whose warerooms the Broadcaster can be seen in operation.

■—^———————————— i-.i.i— .i— —..—^— »in»iini mmm ,>j...^ii,». | I, IH1B

JULIEN BlNFORD. L. B. TaTUM.

W. D. BLAIE & CO.

(ESTABLISHED 1829),

Dealers in Fancy Groceries, Teas, Wines and Liquors

And Manufacturers' Agents for KEY WEST and other Fine Cigars,

1109 Main Street RICHMOND, VA.

Proprietors of the Celebrated " B- SELECT," "GLENWOOD," "MONTROSE" and "ALPHA" WHISKIES; also, HARVEST WHISKEY in Great Variety.

ESTABLISHED IN" 1870.

STONO-PHOSPHATE COMPANY,

CHARLESTOlSr, S- O-WE OFFER TO THE PLANTERS

SOUTH dOUM PHOSPHATE ROCK

GROUND TO A POWDER AS FINE AS WHEAT FLOUR—

"PHOSPHATE FLOATS,"

FOR APPLICATION TO

GRAIN, GRASSES, AND FOR COMPOSTING.

The Rock is subjected to FREQUENT ANALYSIS by the Company's Chemist, and is of the BEST QUALITY.

For TERMS, etc., address the Company.

SAMPLE sent by mail upon application. del2m

ASHLEY PHOSPHATE GO.

-OHARLI^TON, S. O.::

SOLUBLE GUANO— Highly Ammoniated.

DISSOLVED BONE : Very High Grade.

ACID PHOSPHATE— For Composting.

ASH ELEMENT— For Cotton, Wheat, Peas, Ac.

FLOATS —Phosphate Rock, reduced to an Impalpable Powder by the Due Atomizer, of Highest Grade. SAMPLE sent on application.

SMALL-GRAIN SPECIFIC— Rich in Ammonia, Phosphoric Acid, Potash, Magnesia and Soda.

GENUINE LEOPOLDSHALL KAINIT.

The above FERTILIZERS are of very high grade, as shown by the Official Reports of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

For TERMS, ILLUSTRATED ALMANACS, &c, address

THE COMPANY.

N. B.—Special inducements for Cash Orders. [6mjy]

THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.

o o

CO

O

M

W

M

Q

o o

$

This Corn Planter, invented and patented by If. M. Smith, accomplishes what has always been a desideratum in Corn Planters, namely: absolute certainty as to the quantity of seed planted, and as to the distance between the hills.

We have been unable for two years past to fill all our orders for these goods. This year we have three hundred of them nearly ready now, and hope to meet the demand.

fe it H. M. SMITH & CO., Manufacturers.

BECKWITH'S ANTI-DYSPEPTIC PILLS

The best and most reliable Anti-Dyspeptic Medicine ever offered to the Public.

For more than seventy years this medicine has maintained its high reputation. No remedy wa" ever offered to the public sustained by such forcible certificates of wonderful remedial properties. Presidents of the Unitea States, Judges of the Supreme Court, Governors of States, United States Senators and Physicians of the highest standing are amon<* those who attest their value from personal tests.

E. R Beckwith, Pharmacist, now manufactures these invaluable pills from the Original Recipe of his grandfather, Dr. John Beckwith.

40 Pills* in *i Box—Price, S£> Cents.

Sufferers from DISORDERED STOMACH or DERANGED LIVER, with their attendant complications, will find relief from these pills. Sold by Druggists Generally.

E. H. BECKWITH, Pharmacist.

fe tf Cor. Market and Halifax Sts., Petersburg, Va.

= TOBACCO 8EED.=

The BEST VARIETIES, new and old, for every type of tobacco. Describe soil and name type you wish to produce, and the best will be sent you at 25 cents per ounce. Descriptive List FREE.

fe tf R. L. RAGLAND, Hyeo, Halifax Co., Va.

MAKE HENS LAY

An English Veterinary Surgeon and Chemist, now traveling in this country, says that most of the Horse and Cattle Powders sold here are worthless trash. He says that Sheridan's Condition Powders are absolutely pure and Immensely valuable. Nothing on earth will make hens lay like Sheridan's Condition Powders. Dose, 1 teasp'n-fulto 1 pint food. Sold everywhere, or sent by mail for 8 letter-stamps. I. S. Johnson & Co., Boston, Mass.

delyeot

AJmImISON <£ ADDISON,

MANUFACTURERS OF

"STAR BRAND" SPECIAL COMPLETE MANURES

FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING CROPS:

TOBACCO, WHEAT, COTTON, CORN, OATS, VEGETABLES AND GRASS,

Pure Flour of Raw Bone, Acid Phosphate, Ground Phosphate Rock, Sulphuric Acid.

—DEALERS IN—

German Kainit or Potash, Nitrate of Soda, Plaster, &c.

OFFICE-J322 Cary Street. i Oi/f*EJSUIOiU!Sr^ \i A

FACTORY-Opposite Rocketts, j flBwri Vtt XfVilJj V Ma

$@^ All orders and communications promptly attended to. fe tf

< j MMMmJlnmlB3n g IM m»HH»fl»lMB»> y""™ , ™" ' l ' l , " UJ ° l! °™ ,,,, " — * MWM * MM ™^ " -^———c—»n———

Wm. H. Palmer, Pres't. John Ott, Sec'y. John Enders, Vice-Pres't.

THE SOUTHERN FERTILIZING COMPANY

[ESTABLISHED 1866.1

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

*

Factory: 2001,2003,2005, 2007 Dock Street; Office: 1321 Cary Street.

manufacture the celebrated

"ANCHOR </J c : > BRAND"

PATENTED

For COTTON, TOBACCO, WHEAT, CORN, OATS, PEANUTS, GARDEN TRUCKS, POTATOES, TURNIPS, and other Root Crops.

FERTILIZERS

These goods have had the fullest test of time, and continue to do the work expected of them. Will be glad to answer inquiries from farmers. Address

fe3t SOUTHERN FERTILIZING CO., Richmond, Va.

CHILDS' IMPROVED AMARYLLIS TREATEA and CATALOGUE for 1883.

The above cut represents our beautiful new Amaryllis Treatea or Fairy Lily. It is one of the most beautiful o the great Amaryllis family and one of the prettiest of all flowers, either for pot or garden culture. It commences to grow and bloom profusely immediately after planted and creates a sensation wherever seen. Itgrowsl2to 15 inches high, flowers very large, pure white, and sweet scented. Planted in the garden thev bloom during May, June and July, but in pots they will bloom also in Winter. To thoroughly introduce them we offer large select bulbs at very low prices, and send them by mail post-paid, packed secure from frost and guaranteed to arrive in

canvassing their neighborhood get orders for from 10 to 100 at 15cents each, and by purchasing them at dozen or hundred rates make a handsome profit. Many have made $5.00per day selling the'm. JlGJSXTS WAKTEB in every town to sell these Bulbs. With each order we send full directions for culture.-

SEEDS, BTTI^BS AND PLAJfTS.-Our large, beautifully illustrated catalogue sent free to all who anticipate purchasing anything in our line. New and beautiful Lilies (100 kinds) Amaryllis, Gladiolus, Tuberoses, Carnations, Roses, Flower and Vegetable Seeds, and Small Fruits. Our list of Lilies and Amaryllis is the best in America. We are the largest retailers of named Gladiolus in the world. We will send by mail post-paid 10 superb named Gladiolus, 10 sorts for 60 cents; 12large double Pearl Tuberoses tor 85cents; 5 fine hardy Lilies for 75 cents. See catalogue for other special offers. Our illustrated book of Lilies describes 200 varieties and tells how to grow them, 15 cents per copy post-paid. Preserve this advt. as it may not appear again in this paper, and remember that our goods have an established reputation, are warranted true, and go to all parts of the world. Address

"* J. LEWIS CHBLDS, Queens, N. Y.

fe It

MfALom

» +t - M>yV eeetalt>lle and Flower Seed Catalogue for

•©A. 1888 will »« sent FAKE to all who apply. Customers of

**/*,_ last season need not write for it. All seed sent from my f establishment warranted to be both fresh and true to name, so far, that should it prove otherwise, 1 agree to refill the L order gratis. My collection of vegetable seed is one of J the most extensive to be found in any American catalogue and a large part of it is of my own growing. As the I original introducer of J- arly Ohio and fiurbank [ potatoes, Marblehead Early Corn, the Hubbard Squash, Marblehead Cabbage, J'hinney'a Melon, and a score of other new Vegetables, I invite the patronage of the public. In the gardens and on the farms of | tl^se who plant my seed will be found my best advertise-ment. James J. H. Gregory, Marblehead, Mass.

ja 3t

JOHN E. DOHEETY,

822 EAST MAIN STREET,

Solicits an examination of his

Fine Stock of Foreign Goods

FOR, FALL AND WINTER,

UNEXCELLED FOR VARIETY, STYLE AND QUALITY by any offered in this market. Will be made by skilled workmen in the LATEST AND MOST APPROVED STYLES at PRICES THAT MUST SUIT.

N. B.—SHIRTS, COLLARS and CUFFS made to order as heretofore and satisfaction guaranteed.

Franklin Davis

Edward H. Bissell.

RICHMOND NURSERIES.

Hi! Bt¥IS A CO, 400 Acres in Nursery Stock! 100 in Orchards! 100 in Small Fruits!

We offer to our customers an immense stock of APPLES, PEACHES, CHERRIES, APRICOTS, GRAPES, &c—all the standard sorts. Also, the new varieties of FRUITS, ORNAMENTAL TREES, SHRUBS, ROSES, &c, Wholesale and Retail. To dealers we can offer stock on favorable terms, and the best facilities for packing and shipping. Catalogues mailed on application.

FRANKLIN DAVIS 8l CO.,

Office: 10L3 Main Street, RICHMOND, VA.

The Planet Jr. Seed-Drills, Wheel-Hops and Horse^Hnes are without an equal ia the world I We have never before offered them so perfect, or in such variety, nor published so clear and full a Descriptive Catalogue of them. We guarantee it to interest every one who plants seeds or cultivated the soil. It is a beautiful descriptive work, of thirty-two pages, with OTer Thirty New Engravings, showing the tools :it work among Onions. Beans, Celery, &c, and also contains a chapter on the proper Cultivation of('ro?)s. Send vour own address, and ten neighbors'most interested in Farming and Gardening and we will mail it free. B. L. ALLKN & CO., Patentees and Sole Manufacturers of the PLAflET JR. GOODb, Kos. 127 and 129 Catharine St., Phila., Pa.

jan 6t

The

New

Extra quality. Warranted true. Cheap by mail. Low rates to dealers. Illustrated Catalogue free. T.S, Hubbard, Fredonia.N. Y.

equality.

ipby

sep—9t

IWiVlEilS ¥ @l TH&OII

The Session begins on the FIRST OF OCTOBER, and continues until the Thursday before the fourth day of July ensuing.

The Institution is organized in separate Schools on the Eclectic System, embracing FULL COURSES OF INSTRUCTION IN LITERATURE AND SCIENCE, and in the PROFESSIONS OF LAW, MEDICINE,

ENGINEERING AND AGRICULTURE.

THE EXPENSES of the student (except, such as enter the practical laboratories), exclusive of the cost of text books, clothing and pocket money,'are from $356 to $391, according to Schools selected; or, for those who economize by messing, these expenses are from $266 to $300. No charge for tuition candidates for the ministry unable to meet the expense.

Apply for Catalogues to F. W. Page, Secretary, P. O. University of Virginia, Albemarle county, Va. JAMES F. HARRISON, M. D., Chairman of the Faculty.

apl 15—ly

Catalogue and Prices of

PEDIGREE SEED

Sent Free to any Address.

D. LANDRETH * SONS fffl&ftEHR*

feb 2t

m AWARDED BY VA. STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

THIS LATCH NEVER PAILS TO LOCK.

p P P*

CO e+ P rt-CD

W 03

S 3

09

B

^ICHMONQ,VA-

D*QH9 3 QPQ 0*.B

^ 2 «■ p-o g »

(lO*

3 •-3 O 5f

O ~> 3 S^Mg-

02 ^ ~> ? O ° ^ "~ l^l&W^pt>^

03 °S T 3.3 S « Q g'SS.S-S H So

sr" * »

3

2. a. a _. p.

=T£ 3

Write to AUTOMATIC GATE LATCH, 1442 Main Street Bttni Va.

Dana's White Metallic Ear Marking Label, stamped to order with name, or name and address and numbers. It is reliable, cheap and convenient. Sells at eight and gives perfect satisfaction. Illustrated Price-List and samples free. • Agents wanted.

C. H. DANA, West Lebanon, N. H, de

Established 1840.

THE CELEBRATED

"BRADFORD"

PORTABLE MILL

CORN, WHEAT & FEED,

FLOUK MILL MACHISERY.

Send for descriptive Circular. Address plainly

THOS.BRADFORD&CO.

1M, 176, 178 W. Second St., CINCINNATI, O.

jan3m

SOITTHEKW ACCLIMATED ISFGIS-TEKFO .tERSEYK for sale at fair prices. Eigbt registered Jersey cows, from 4 to 8 years old, bred to choice registered bulls. Also imported bull Jersey Express No. 5771; solid color, black points; dropped December 20th, 1879: and several registered bull calves, from 6 to 9 months old, two from imported sire and dams, and both solid, fancy colors. Also, & pure bred unregistered Jersey heifers, from 6 to 16 months old. all from good butter stock. Address ROWE'S CO-OPERATIVE STOCK FARM, Fredeiicksburg, Va. jantf

BELMONT

Stock & Stud Farm.

I continue to breed Thoroughbred, Riding, Trotting, Light and Heavy Draft Horses. The best families of Shorthorn Cattle and Berkshire Swine for sale at prices and terms to induce sales without jockeying. Those stallions not sold early in the year may be farmed on sound business terms to suit clubs, individuals and patrons.

S. W. FICKLIN, jan Near Charlottesville, Va.

MALES' "PERFECTION" RIDING SAW.

Three Days' Trial Given.

Saws by weight *f operator, runs lighter, has

more power, longer and quicker stroke.makinf

•120 strokes per minute. One man doeB

2 men's work with ease. A boy 15

does the work of 2

men. Agon tswnnt-

ed. Afck your

dealer. Clr-

culars free.

The S. Males

Agr'l Co., Hamilton, O.

jau2m

A"BA a week made at home bv the industrious. \. § Jj Best business now before the public. ■lfe I M Capital not needed. We will staityou. \0 I mm Men, women, boys and girls wanted every ft lure to work for us. Now is the time. You can work in spare time, or you can give your whole time to the business. No other business will pay you nearly as well. No one can fail to make enormous pay, by engaging at once. Costly outfit and terms free. Money made fast, easily and honorably. Address True & Co., Augusta, Me. janly

NONPAREIL

FARM h FEED MILLS

The Cheapest and Best.

Will Crush and Gr nd Any thing, Illustrat d Catalogue FREE.

Address L J.MiLLEK, Cincinnati,a

nov4t

//

?^9v^a*/HiAvvwo^nJvio Wi UdUfs

fe

.ELASTIC TBUSS

I Has a Pad differing from al I othen, is cup ahapa, with Sel'-Adjusting Bal 1 in center, adapis i tsel i to all positions of the body, wly.le tha Ballin thecuppreageBbaeScthB latBBiteoBjnstasape-: £■:::; would ■with tha Flsger. With light pressure theHernia 13 b:l;l securely

Bayand night, and a radical cure certain. HU eaz7 } 6-jxa.W

Slid cheap. Sent by mail. Circulan free.

EGQLESTOH TSUS3 CO., CMss;;g. IU. fe lv

Are you DEAF?

FERRIS' PESTORATIYE will invariably cure you. It is endorsed by all home and foreign physicians and scientists. It eures where all other means fail. Don't neglect to send for circulars; it will pay vou. Ask your Druggist for it. EDWIN FERRIS & CO., Piker Building, Cincinnati, O. jaly

Premium Chester White, Berkshire and Poland China Pigs, Fine (Setter Dogs, Scotch Shepherds and Fox Hounds, bred and for sale by ALEX. PEOPLES, West Chester, Chester county, Pa. Send stamp for circular and price-list. fa ly

EGGS

town, Mass.

For Hatching, from all the leading varieties of Poultry. Send stamp for large illustrated circular. Oak Lane Farm, Belcher-fe3t

AH OFFER TO FARMERS.

I have invented a Self-Supporting Board Fence. Needs no posts, can be made in the barn on rainy days; costs 30 cents a rod less than post and board fence. It is not patented, but for 30 cents I will send Illustrated Fence Treatise, telling how to make it, and one of the following Premiums: 1st, a one foot boxwood pocket rule. 2d, Kendall's Horse Book, 1U0 pages, 35 illustrations. 3d, one package of Sugar Trough Gourd, Acme Tomato, Prize Head Lettuce, Verbena, and Phlox, or all of the abovr for 00 cents.

Address WALDO F. BROWN, Box 75, Oxford, O.

fe2t

BEST MARKET PEAR

PEACH, PLUM, PEAK, A PPLE,

Ql lM'E and other t.

STRfiWBERRiE$.»n,S;

Ooumng,Crescent. Ke)iliicL>.;

,:!2yer 1000. Ba*i . <'n-b.

berries, Currants,: u sort i I ;.-11 r* /■incs raxhprices. Senri fori J. B. t«LLiJ»S,Mourt*town.r.. J.

jan3t

DARBY'S

PROPHYLACTIC FLUID.

For the prevention and treatment of

DIPHTHERIA, SCARLET F E V E R,

SMALLPOX, YELLOW FEVER,

MALARIA, &c.

The free use of the Fluid will do more to

arrest and cure these diseases than any

known preparation.

Darby's Prophylactic Fluid, a safeguard against all Pestilence, Infection, Contagion and Epidemics. Use as a Gargle for the Throat, as a Wash for the Person, and as a Disinfectant for the House. A CEHTAIN KKMKIftY A^AI^'ST ALL CONTAGlOirs DISEASES.

Neutralizes at once all noxious odors and gases. Destroys he germs of diseases find septic (putrescent) floating imperceptible in the air or such as have effected a lodgment in the throat or on ihe person PERFECTLY HARMLESS USED INTERNALLY or EXTERNALLY. J, H. ZEILIN & CO., Proprietors, Manufacturing Chemists, Philadelphia. gig^Price, 50 cents per bottle. Pint bottles, $1. nov ly

HANQFI I The Most Remark. IIHllOLLLaMoKasuberryever Produced. Send for full account and a beautiful chromo of it. The finest stock in the U. S. of

SMALL FRUITS,

embracing all valuable varieties, also a superior stock of Fruit Trees. Lovett's Small Fruits are the best. Catalogue, brilliantly illustrated (colored plates), tell* ing how to get and grow them, honest descriptions, fair prices, free. The most beautiful and useful Fruit Catalogue ever published. J. T. X.OVETT, Little Silver, N. J., Introducer of Cuthbert Raspberry <£ Manchester Strawberry.

fe2t

G

KfM Gold Watches

Sia.K„a>itE^S«iSantl FAXCI GOODS

Gift with Every Book!

<M r\r\r\ worth •>■ * i kefui, uifts

SPIUUU Willi EVKRY I.UUO BOOHS.

Send 3c Stamp for Catalogue. Agents Wanted. PHILADELPHIA PREMIUM BOOK CO., 252 north Eighth street, Philadelphia, Pa. mch 15 12l

<2

tteen we South

FARM MILLS

For Stock Feed or Meal for Family use.

10,000 J3ST TTSE. Write for Pamphlet.

Simpson & Gault M'fg Co.

Successors to Stradb Mill Co. CINCINNATI. 0.

For the Farm and Garden. All varieties. Best quality. White Russian Spring Oats, Seed Potatoes, and all kinds of Grass and Clover Seeds Vegetable Plants- Descriptive Catalogues mailed free on application. T. W. WOOD, Seedsman,

RICHMOND, VA. Cor. Sixth and Marshall streets. Branch Store, 1580 Main street. fe 3t

AVE MONEYS

jan3m

E* ery .Farmer should * /w that '3 cts. per lf-hel can be saved

^in raising C^m, 5£j ct\ in Yvhout, znl 2 cts. per

lb. on Cotton bv the uso of a

THOMAS 8M00THiN9 HARROW

Also manufacture the Pei iYt'tetl PUIjV&LI \l y.EK

which contains 'i"£ sh r'i> : teel blades, covering IO feet at each sweep. "VS errrmxd Ihe most i*«>weriul Pulverizer ever invented. For pamphlet containing illustrations of both machiuestt work, and hundreds of name" cf the; e who n-e and recommend them, address THOMAS HARROW CO. Geneva.N.Y

feat

Sawing Made Easy.

The New Improved

MONARCH LIGHTNING

Is the cheapest and best.

A hoy sixteen years old

can saw logsfast and easy.

Sent on lest trial. Send postal for Illustrated Catalogue containing testimonials and full particulars. AGENTS WAITED. Uonarch Lightning Saw Co., 163 Randolph St., Chicago.

jan 5t

g____

CHOICE SEED from SELECTED FRUIT. /^RATTLESNAKE, (orSTRJPED) \ V SCALY-BARK', (DARK GREEN.);

The Premium "Watermelons of the World! Seed from choice crops of Richmond County, and from selected large melons of perfect qualities. Price, ounce 20 cents pound 12.00. Postage 16 cents ner lb. Address

J. H. ALEXANDER, Drug and Seed Store. Augusta, Georgia.

jan 4t

REST

$75 outfit free. net required.

not, life is sweeping by, go and dare before you die, something mighty and sublime leave behind to conquer time: $66 a week in your own town. No risk. Everything new. Capital We will furnish you everything. Many are making fortunes. Ladies make as much ashmen., and boys and girls make great pay. Reader, if you want business at which you can make great pay all the time, write for particulars to H. Hal-lett & Co., Portland, Maine. janly

Garmore'sE^'S?^".

£ As invented and worn by him

perfectly restoring the hearing. .Entirely deaf for thirty years, he hears with them even whispers, distinctly. Are not observable,-and remain in position without aid. Descriptive Circular Free. CAUTION: Do not be deceived by bogus ear drums. Mine is the only successful artificial Ear Drum manufactured.

JOHN GARMORE,

Fifth & Race Sts., Cincinnati, O.

nov6t

MANHOOD

KNOW THYSELF,

A BOOK FOR EVERY MAN. YOUNG, MIDDLE-AGED AND OLD.

The untold miseries that result from indiscretion in early life ma r be alleviated and cured. Those who doubt this assertion should purchase ar.d read the new medical work published by the Peabody* Medical Institute, Boston, entitled the Science of Life: or, Self Preservation. It is not only a complete and perfect treatise on Manhood, Exhausted Vitality, Nervous and Physical Debility, Premature Decline in man, Errors of Youth, etc., but it contains one hundred and twenty-five prescriptions for acute and chronic diseases, each one of which is invaluable, so proved by the author, whose experience for twenty-one years is such as probably never before fell to the lot of any physician. It contains 300 pages, bound in beautiful embossed covers, full gilt, embellished with the very finest steel engravings, guaranteed to be a finer work in every sense—mechanical, literary or professional—than any other work retailed in this country for $-2.50, or the money will be refunded. Price, only $1.25 by mail. Gold Medal awarded the author by the National Medical Association. Illustrated sample sent on receipt of six cents. Send now.

Address PEABODY MEDICAL INSTITUTE, or Dr. W. H. PARKER, No. 4 Bulfinch street, Boston. Mass. The author may be consulted on all diseases requiring skill and experience. ja ly

AIDING SAWiNG-MACHINE

Warranted to saw oft' a J3 foot Log in 2 Minutes.

The cheapest Sawing-Machine made. The weight of the rider does half of the work. A 40 Acre Farm in Mo. or Wis. will be given to the purchaser of a Machine that will not do all we

claim it to do. The great lawsuit over this patent resulted in our favor. You may not see this again, so write now for our free Saw book. United States Manufacturing Co.,Washington, D. 0<

fe

A Million Readers.

The Popular Monthly is sold at every news-stand, at every depot, on any train in the United States, and is seen and read every month by a Million Readers. It meets the wants of everybody. Pictures explain what the pen fails to express.

128 ILLUSTRATED PAGES EACH MONTH.

Stories.Travels, Scientific and Instructive Articles, Fun for the Boys and Girls. On receipt of $8.00 the Popular Monthly will be sent to any address for one year, together with one beautiful

CHROMO EACH MONTH FREE

Making- twelve beautiful Pictures given away during the year*

These are alone worth the price charged for the Magazine Agents can make big rr zine. Sample Copies of th sent on receipt of 35 cents

Agents can make big money taking ..rders for this Magazine. Sample Copies of the Popular Monthly and one Picture

Address) MRS. FRANK LESLIE,

I 53, 55 & 57 Park Place, New York.

Greenfield Cutlery Co.

Manufacturers of

Superior Solid Steel

Silver Plated Pie, Butter, Table, Dessert, and Tea Knives, to Match.

ALFORD, WARD & DAVENPORT,

85 CHAMBERS ST., NEW YORK.

In order to introduce our ffoods to the people, we will send by mail, prepaid,

1 Pie Knife, $2.00 | 6 Table Knives. $3.oU

1 Butter " 60 6 Dessert " 3.25

6 Tea Knives, 3.00 | or any portion pro rati*

mch 1—ly

AGENTS

can now grasp a fortune-. Outfit worth $10 tree. Address E. O. HIDEOUT & CO., 10 Barclay St., N. Y.

janly

Received Mai

AND

HIGHEST AWARD

OF MERIT

at t CENTENNIAL.

Send for Catalogue.

SAWMILLS

STEAM ENGINES, A.B.FARQUHAB,York,Pa.,

Cheapest and best for all purposes—simple, strong, and dir rable. Also Horse Pow era and Gin Gear.

Saw, Grist and Cob Mills, Gins, Presses and Machinery goner- § ally. Inquiries promptly answered.

^ jr. VerticalEngines.witU or without a g* w m wheels, very t;onvcni- *sf^ IT **" :

ent, economical and ^^fe^, & , complete in every de- ^^^P^W^ H-( tail, best and • cheapest vertical in thoi world. Pig. j 11 is engine \ I inusa. Pig.

-.2 ready for ^(11 V/ ^^.^ni Send f'cr - ,': r^^^-Catalogu?.

The Farquhar Separator *l §©£

(Warranted) Jg^^sa dStijBk £%*

Penna.

Agricultural^ Works,

York, Pa. Lightest draft, most durable, oimptat, most

economic -1

tnd perfect in rje. vVaatosno " fTci'n. rlenns it

Eiasass $mz r tJ*l i silver medaj,

ssEPAfSATcsc, ^^p^ip^ Paris Exposition.

\—>» - TNoot— '—A <~rxtr,lorue. Address A. B.Farquhar, Tork,P*

sep 1—eot

CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO BAILWAY

Opened through the beautiful BLUE GRASS region of Kentucky to Louisville and Cincinnati. Connecting at these cities with all of the Great Lines of Railways diverging for

Indianapolis, St. Louis, Chicago, Kansas City, Nashville, Memphis, and all principal points West, South and Southwest.

SOLID TRAINS with Pullman Sleeping Coaches, run through daily between Washington, Richmond, Charlottesville,Waynesboro, Staunton, Clifton Forge and Louisville and Cincinnati without change.

SHORTEST & MOST DIRECT ROUTE

and the only route without transfers, Avoiding the uncertainty by other routes of making connections.

For rates and full information, call on the nearest Chesapeake aud Ohio agent, or address

C. W. Smith, H. W. Fuller,

Gen'l Manager. Gen'l Pass'r Agent.

We continue to act as solicitors for patents, caveats, trade-marks, copyrights, etc.,for the United States, and to obtain patents in Canada, England, France, Germany, and all other countries. Tliirty-six years' practice. No charge for examination of models or drawings. Advice by mail free.

Patents obtained through rts are noticed in the SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, which has the largest- circulation, and is the most influential newspaper of its kind published in tho world. The ad vantages of such a notice every patentee understands.

This large and splendidly illustrated newspaper is published WEEKLY at $3.20 a year, and is admitted to be the best paper devoted to science, mechanics,inventions, engineering works, and other departments of industrial progress, published in any country. Single copies by mail, 10 cents. Sold by all newsdealers.

Address, Munn & Co., publishers of Scientific American, 261 Broadway, New York. Handbook about patents mailed free.

OODSE

sof NiceVejr-tful

Isthebn

etables, Beautiful

Flowers, and J5i£ farm crops. o«r

ed is testediowi-

s7j <& \P" "X f «^;*M,tality and purity,

/,'/''/'/ %sJ, / teH=r—^ and only tho "~ ,JBEST offered. 'We are the Iarg-r Mr}est farmers, seed growbrs & dealers anywhere. Spring Catalogue f Flower, Vepeta-)le,F;irm,andTree '.'Seed, free. Catalogue of Flowering ulbs and Plants tor house and garden.free. Si ble ?/'s Fanners'A lmanac.%h'M prize essays on special crops,North'n or South'n edition, lOctS. Grain and Farm Seeds Manual —history.descnp-tions, culture of best Grains,Grasses,Potatoes, 10 cts.

HIRAM SIBLEY & CO., Seedsmen,

Rochester, N. Y. and Chicago, I1L

Jan ly

Educated and practical growers now assent to our motto ** That the further North Seeds are grown the earlier their product will be."

We offer this year a full line of Standard Potatoes, true to name, grown on dry upland; Scotch Fyf e and Blue Stem Wheat; White Russian Oats; Etampes Cabbage, said to be one week earlier than Earl y York; our North Star Yellow Dent Corn still takes the lead, and for fodder is equal to any; of onion seed, tomatoes, carrots, peas, &c, &c, a full line and large crop, all 1882 growth on our own farms. Wild Rice for duck ponds always on hand for Spring or Fall sowing. 7th Annual Catalogue. Free. T. M. METUALF, Grower, Importer &- Jobber, St. Paul, Minn. ja2t