THE 



s 



OUTHERN PLANTER 



P. 



DEVOTED TO 

AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, LIVE STOCK AND THE HOUSEHOLD. 



T. W. ORMOND, 
W. C. KNIGHT, 
W. C. JACKSON, 



Proprietor. 
Editor. 
Advertising Agext. 



44th Year. 



APRIL, 1883. 



No, 4. 



OOITTE1TTS : 



Farmers and Farming in Virginia in the Olden Time 

Grape Culture in Southside Virginia 

Reply to Mr. Stacy 

Some Practical Thoughts 

Orchard, Nursery, Fruits - 

Renovating Poor Land 

What Crops to Grow and how to Grow Them 

Cure of Chicken Cholera 

Another Remedy. 

Rotation 

Upland Rice , 

" Raised a Farmer's Daughter, now a Farmer's Wife, but not Insane yet " 
Ensils 



isilage. 



The First Devon Cattle in Virginia 

Crop Mortgages < 

Value of the Sweet Potato as a Food-Producing Plant 

Systematic Farming 

Saws, Old and New., 

Richmond, Virginia -. 

The Good Husbandman ... a 

Agricultural Items . 

Japan Clover .,.. 

Farming in the South 

The Perils of Work. , 

Agricultural Fairs as a School 

Extensive Farming — Experiments with Tobacco in Virginia 

Japan Clover 

Household Recipes 

Diversified Rural Industries 

A New Plan for Keeping Rofcds - 

Sir J. B. Lawes' Experiment* 

American Fruit for England 

Albemarle Farmers' Club Meeting 



159 
163 
164 
165 
166 
168 
169 
170 
170 
171 
172 
173 
174 
175 
177 
178 
179 
181 
182 
183 
184 
185 
187 
188 
189 
191 
192 
194 
195 
197 
197 
198 
198 



Editorial : 
Law and Farming: Incubators Again ; Piedmont Agricultural Society 199-206 

Editorial Notes : 
Subscriptions in Arrear ; Complimentary; Agricultural and Domestic Implements ; 

The Virginia Historical Society; Swindling Advertisers; J. W. Cardwell & Co.; 

Tuckahoe Farmers' Club; Henry T. Miller & Co. ; T. W. Wood, Seedsman ; 

The Virginia State Fair Grounds, &c, &c 207-210 



Richmond : J. "W. Ferg-usson & Son, Printers. 



RICHMOND FARM-IMPLEMENT HOUSE, 



::o:: 



Office, 1422 



::o:: 




::o:: 



Main St. 

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■VIRGINIA ^GOBISTT FOR 



McCORMICK'S REAPERS, MOWERS and (CORD) BINDERS. 

DEERE WHEEL WALKING AND RIDING CULTIVATORS. 

WALTER A. WOOD REAPERS, MOWERS and CORD BINDERS. 

FRICK & CO'S CELEBRATED '-ECLIPSE" ENGINES AND THRESHERS. 

"GRAY" and "EMPIRE" THRESHERS AND SEPARATORS. 

"THOMAS'" WHEEL HAY RAKES AND GLEANERS. 

THE BEST LINE OF AGENCIES IN AMEEICA. 
DonH fail to examine stock before buying. 




Champion" Barbed Wire. 



ENSILAGE AND FODDER CUTTERS, CORN SHELLERS OF ALL RINDS, 
SOUTH BEND CHILLED PLOWS, DIXIE PLOWS, STEAM ENGINES. 

ASHTON STARKE, 

Office: 1422 Mam Street. [W KICHMOND, Va. 



jEIA-STIC TRUSS 

Has a Pad differing from al I other*, 
5s cupshspo, with Self-Adjusting 
Ball in center, adaptsi tself to all 

Sadtions of the body, while the 
al iin the cup prososs bad th3 
IntoctlnasjnstnsoperscnwouW! 
*hh the Finger. Willi light 
pressure tho Hernials held securely 
aa y ft nani,ht, and . radical £re certain. Hi* ea^ dumb* 
tt£a cheap" Sent by mail. Circulars free. 




fe lv 



EGGLESTON T3USS C0« CMcaso. IH. 



PIGS. 

A choice lot just farrowed for which I am 
now booking orders. Prices reasonable. 
J. B. GRAY, Fredericksburg, Va. 
mar 1 — ly 



H. A. S. HAMILTON, 

Fishersville, Augusta County, Va., 

BREEDER OF PURE 

Southdown Sheep. 

My flock took seven premiums at Virginia 
State Fair in 1881. Am prepared to fur- 
nish buck of any age at reasonable prices. 

my 15—11^ 



CHEAPEST BIBLES! 



Furnished Agrents. 
500 Illustrations; 170 ex 



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TIKIE- 



SOUTHERN PLANTER. 

DEVOTED TO 

Agriculture, Horticulture, Live Stock and the Household. 



Agriculture is the nursing mother of the Arts. — Xenophon. 
Tillage and pasturage are the two breasts of the State. — SULLY. 


T. W. ORMOND, 

W. C. KNIGHT, - ' - 


Proprietor. 
Editor. 


44th Tear. RICHMOND, APRIL, 1883. 


No. 4. 



FARMERS AND FARMING IN VIRGINIA IN THE OLDEN TIME, 



No. g. 



1. Letter from Gen. J. H. Cocke to the Secretary of the Albemarle Agricultural So- 
ciety on the subject of Hessian Fly. 

2. Report to same Society by Frank Carr, Esq., on the subject of agricultural im- 
provement. 

Bremo, October, 181 7. 
To Peter Minor, Esq., Secretary the Albemarle Agricultural Society : 

Sir, — Believing the following facts to be new in the natural 
history of the Hessian fly, I deem them worthy to be communi- 
cated to the Society : 

1 st. That this destructive insect deposits its eggs on the blades 
of the wheat, indifferently at from half an inch to three inches 
from the main stalk or central shoot ; 

2nd. That they remain upon the blade, in the egg state, from 
5 to 7 days at least ; 

3rd. And that they are hatched into the worm or maggot on 
the blade. 

That the egg is deposited on the leaf or blade of the wheat is 
discoverable by close examination to the naked eye ; but may 
13 



160 



SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 



be put out of all dispute, to the dullest sight by the aid of a 
magnifying glass. The upper surface of a blade of wheat is 
formed into alternate edges and furrows running longitudinally, 
and the eggs are so sunk in the furrows, that they will not be 
disturbed^by drawing the blade thro' the finger and thumb un- 
der a considerable pressure. The shape of the egg is cylindri- 
cal, rounded at the ends and at first in color and appearance 
resembles a piece of amber, but as it approaches to hatching 
assumes a redder cast. 

On the 9th of October I first discovered the eggs on a piece 
of Lawlor, or fly proof wheat, which had been sown as early as 
the 2 2d September. The plants, at that time, generally had 
three leaves and there seemed to be a manifest preference in 
the flies to place their eggs on the second or middle blade, but 
they were found indiscriminately scattered upon the surface of 
this leaf from half an inch to three inches from its point of con- 
tact with the central shoot. In several instances as many as 
forty eggs were counted by the aid of a glass on a single blade. 
Particular eggs which were identified from day to day until 
they hatched, were found to remain upon the leaf— the shortest 
period of time five days, the longest seven. How long they had 
been deposited when they were first observed, is uncertain, but 
it is presumed some days, as the flies appeared in numbers out 
of all proportion, small to the vast multitude of eggs. In two 
instances only were the eggs discovered at the instant of their 
being laid by the flies, and in both of these cases the plants were 
destroyed in removing them to the house to subject them to 
closer examination, and thus the attempt was defeated to fix the 
period more definitely that the egg remains exposed on the leaf. 
As soon as the eggs hatch, the worms commence their jour- 
ney down the blade to its point of contact with the main stalk, 
and then down between the boot of the embrio stalk which it 
envelopes to the union of the boot and stalk at the crown of the 
plant Some of the worms were detected in the act of moving 
down the blade— but for the most part, after the disappearance 
of the eggs from the blade, by stripping down the boot, the 
worms were found in a state so minute as scarcely to be discov- 
erable to the naked eye, lodged near the root, just at that part 
of the plant which is the seat of all their mischief and where they 
are found in the subsequent crysalis state. 

When they have once placed themselves in this situation they 
are clearly beyond the reach of all remedies— but the fact being 
established that they remain from 5 to 7 days at least on the 



l^j SOUTHERN PLANTER. mi 

<bJad£SnQf the wheat, seems to hold ou/t jhfcimj prdspecipfchat 

cleans may be resorted to which will ai[3le^sffH»miiaifiih>qiff«j[(r>t 

entirely destroy them. May it not be afOfBx^erjm^tblllwojtJiTtj^- 

iMgy to watch t ^ e progress of tht flies ^dtia^so^JK^totibe^naoe 

found to have deposited their eggs to g&as&tiaecftf opj^ldserji off? 

There are many difficulties which present tJaem^eivJesntaD tcaa-- 

rying this suggestion into practice upo a. a\teegevs^fe, bah against 

so great an evil a partial remedy is b^tt^j^hamidn^iif.^uiacess- 

ful it may be found capable of extension ^M^ffieis&fcfpii jthv&itfj&dt. 

Publications have already appearedj&tatAng/ihe 'fex^tnpt^onj(©f 

grazed wheat from the wide spread f <d&p#gcJ^®as\f) ft Aea%**last 

spring — but my knowledge of thd rna^cfe^tl^th^vtimeniiQfea^:- 

tending further than the crysali^-^iatfete in^hidni tfeyis&Ygiao 

manifestly inaccessible to any remedy K ti$3& wabkbinast! <^ifciflfpi&e 

the plant, my mind naturally ref^rgdoth^fidffaQfcftd sasftenqtligr 

cause. Now it is clearly to bexotn-j^l^^nd^U^th^t'^hiavd^truc- 

tive insect may have been dey^i5©doto"kh^I©^gtjdU^jMb^r/<fehe 

leaves of the plant. ^aiskj V.) nol owi IJs-MlifecKSib 

[Read Hv&^ji&itfs^i arh \o sonshsqxsm 
arb bn£ ]£tb f?33wteK; jfrnco A .zdiob i Usodu noqu juq 

siom bsilqqs cfa fbidw ncR&foWjliB-s,i^ta^?n^fi^i 

Bear Sir,— In compliances^ W6> ^co^^ffiB^titliW^ 
committee of the Agricultural S8c^m c -Km&ndLt\& rr^P^kth 
member of the Society be^e^rW^o^al^a^^e^t^irm^l^ 
practices in Agricultural l^^WufW E^JnWffef fteSl6$@ 
thro' you to submit the f3Mb^M^i? ^«K™ lkfe tvfcwitttt" 

I am with respe&P 9 ^ oxi 9 F&iWi ^gg? 
3fb ^I^kd anon oo; — "li^ ^^ t^jrtfa ,*\W&* "V "msteim^ 
When I state that t^ e: pgfetke^ 

possession of the traq^of ^gsg^s^n^^g^q.^c^e^rtmswh&h 
I have been since tha^mg^^a^^^ 
agriculture, and that the wh^^a^w^^ 

35 or 4o acres which fa$ I ^ei^^a^^o years, was in woods, 
you will readily see that a specific answer to every question of 
the committee wili be unnecessary, and that a sense of duty 
alone could induc&^s JBrteo#M§j{^xS^^M *&#yrfi^n£ffying: 
to any of them, oiefchftlk s^leqJiirfiij^f^^i^doji^Mchianfip^i^ mkd 
opportunity wilb&riafofcbteteD^ H/jwoIcIhoI) 

" Quantity of lMki$&rt&y#b%l0* '-^Wftfefti ^e Q£§£^eM°I ^fefve 
cleared about thirty acres of land, my whole attention^fi^Vm^ 
been given to"1<hm<^e^. ^ 
and will conti£jfOT 
to grub not at all, to belt a considerable number otjfy^ijgggpr 



162 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 

trees, and to permit what is cut down to lie on the ground thro* 
the period which elapses between that and the succeeding 
spring, allowing sufficient time to clear the land for a crop of 
corn or tobacco, as its fertility fnay justify. I endeavour to clear 
as much as possible during the summer time while the leaves 
are on the trees. 

''If any, what proportion of worn out land?" — Of the 30 or 40 
acres which I have stated as having been cleared 20 years when 
I obtained possession, perhaps there may be two acres in vari- 
ous parts of it worn out. 

"Number of hands, horses, and oxen employed?''' — During the last 
year there were three men hands employed — at present I have 
six hands, five men and one woman. As the last year was given 
entirely to clearing land, there were no work beasts of any kind ; 
at present I have one yoke of oxen and two horses. 

"Quantity of planter, &c?" — On the open land in which I 
sowed two bushels of clover seed last spring there were at that 
time scattered two ton of plaister. Of this quantity, from the 
inexperience of the hands engaged in it, there were 1300 weight 
put upon about 5 acres. A comparison between that and the 
remainder of the field on which the plaister was applied more 
sparingly furnishes the only grounds of judging its effects, and 
I can at this time perceive no difference in the appearance of 
the clover on the several portions of the field of equal fertility. 
On the same field I have this spring put another ton of plaister. 

"Number and description of wheel carriages?" — These consist of 
one ox and one horse cart. 

" Number of cattle, sheep, and hogs?" — Sheep none, cattle, the 
two oxen already mentioned, one cow and three yearlings, these 
have only very lately been procured, and therefore I have had 
no opportunity of giving any answer to the last question of the 
committee. I have fourteen hogs." 

[Read May 12, 181 8.] 



One of the best modes of watering stock in winter is to have a cistern 
in one corner of the barn basement. If enclosed on all sides with a 
double wall it will rarely freeze in the coldest winters. The water that 
falls on a 30x40 feet barn will supply ten herd of stock through the 
winter. 

As a rule new fruits originated from seed, grown in seasons very 
unfavorable to their growth, are inferior. Our best grapes, apples and 
other fruits come from seeds grown when the fruit attained its greatest 
excellence. 



1883.] SOUTHERN" PLANTER. 163 



GRAPE CULTURE IN SOUTHSIDE VIRGINIA. 



Editor of Southern Planter : 

When I get astride of my hobby, I feel that I am enthusiastic, and 
apt to use language that will be deemed extravagant by those who have 
thought in the same channel. The question is, What shall we do for 
the renovation of our good old State ? — at least that portion of it in 
which you and I were reared, where rest the bones of our ancestors; 
where once stood the " log-cabin school-house," around which we 
played the classic game of hop-scotch, and in which we blundered over 
omnis gallia. What shall we do for the Southside, to restore, if not her 
youth, her wealth, strength and beauty? Has it never occurred to you 
how fatuous it was to expect sovereigns to pull us through the old deep 
and muddy ruts, as our slaves did, in what are regarded by some as the 
good old times ? Then you could crack your whip and drive through 
many difficulties, and in case of emergency could sell the team. 

*' But, I am not of those who grieve, 
For the good old days of Adam and Eve." 

It would be expecting too much of the new sovereign to suppose, 
that just as the burdens of government are thrown on his shoulders, 
and while he is called upon in a large measure to adjust and readjust 
matters of grave import to the State, that he should so devote himself 
to agriculture as to make the old staple crops of slavery times a paying 
business. What though his shoulders be Atlantean, and his intellect 
Websterian, still I think the burden is too heavy, and in this particular 
instance first-class labor and first-class statesmanship are incompatible. 

There is a remedy at hand — a nostrum, if you will — a sort of pana- 
cea for the many ills that our section is heir to. Of course I mean my 
hobby, the grape vine. The good old book says, " Go work in my 
vineyard." I would say to Southside Virginians, " go work in your 
vineyards." 

From several years' observation and experience, I am entirely satis- 
fied that the Concord grape is the most profitable crop we can make, 
and the most certain of all our fruits. It is so late blooming that the 
spring frosts rarely affect it, and a vine at the age of three years from 
the rooted slip is an abundant bearer, and at that age, if it has been 
properly managed, each vine is worth the average price of an acre of 
land as sold at auction ; worth it annually. My vines, the last year, 
with no further cultivation than one solitary ploughing, made me one 
gallon of pure juice to each vine. Then, let us get out of the old rut. 



18&T SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 

Abandon the culture of a nondescript tobacco, which requires the ser- 
vices of a newly- made sovereign all the year round, and when made 
and shipped to market nobody wants, except at a very low price. Seed 
more wheat, more oats and more grass. Eaise more cattle and of bet- 
ter jj^ades. Plant a good sorghum patch; and above all, plant out five 
hundred Concord grape vines on trial. You will soon wish it had 
been uve thousand ; but the five hundred will pay the expenses of an 
ordinary family, and you will have your grain, grass and cattle as a sur- 
plus. The brandy made from the grape in this county sold readily, and 
I believe has all been sold at four dollars per gallon, and the wine one 
dollar and fifty cents. 

My experience in wine-making is limited, but I have a notion that 
tne juice from the ripe, freshly-gathered grape requires no sugar; that 
from the fermented hulls and seeds does. 

E. I. H. Hatchett. 






REPLY TO MR. STACY. 



Mr. Uditor, — I was surprised to find in your last a repetition from 
Mr. Stacy, that I had attempted to decry the land in Amelia county. 
I thought my reply in your journal to this charge, when first made, 
Was sufficient to satisfy any reasonable person, or any one not determined 
W$V #0 be convinced. I will repeat the substance of my reply, as 
Ml*. Stacy may not have seen it, and also for the information of others 
w'bo may not have seen it, who have seen Mr. Stacy's article. 

I was writing to show that the wheat crop in Virginia was not a 
profitable one, and said that on good land it was frequently a failure, 
and instanced Captain Thomas Wily, in Amelia, having hauled from 
a field, on which he had seeded forty bushels of wheat, only two 
wagon loads of wheat, and Mr. John Selden, on Shirley, Charles City, 
having made scarcely enough to seed the land. In Captain Wily's 
case I stated that the land was good — land from which a tobacco crop 
had just been removed. This is all I said about Amelia lands. This is 
not decrying them. Why should I wish to do so, since my children 
own a tract of land in the county, which we wish to sell ? As to 
Charles City, was the reference to the crop on Shirley, one year, any 
effort or tendency to decry Charles City lands ? In the article which 
Mr. Stacy complains of, I said that our Southside counties are not gen- 
erally adapted to wheat, and I repeat it now. 

Respectfully, Th, Pollard 

February 24, 1883. 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 165 



SOME PRACTICAL THOUGHTS. 

Editor of the Southern Planter : 

From the frequent and excessive fall of rain and snow within the 
last six months, the farmer may anticipate a dry summer this season. 
I think, through your paper, that you may be the means of doing them 
much good, giving them some hints in the way of advice or suggestions. 
You are so well posted, and know so well what to say, that I feel it 
useless for me to write. 

I should first urge them to "pitch" their crops (corn and all summer 
and fall crops) upon their lands, anticipating a drought next suumer, 
advising them also to replow, and the thorough ordering of all 
lands that were broken up last fall. The Piedmont lands run to- 
gether after a winter of hard rains and deep snows, and if they 
not be treated in this way, become as hard as a brick when the hot sun 
of summer strikes them. I have always considered the replowing and 
ordering of it equal to a top-dressing of manure, besides making the land 
stand a drought much better; you can also work the land with half the 
labor to the horse in cultivating the crop. 

Give them your views about sowing grass seed, the time of sowing, 
the seed to be put in with a harrow on wheat land, &c, &c, all of which 
you know so well. 

There is another item that is much neglected — the pruning of apple 
orchards. To allow the sun and air to come in freely is all important to 
the gathering of more, better and prettier fruit, which will command double 
the price in a city market. All of the interlapping limbs, interfering 
with each, other, should be. taken out; if they are not, you will have 
small, insipid fruit. 

The winesap apple (which is the apple with us) from young trees ob- 
tain a good size, but being a vigorous grower, as well as bearer, the old 
trees furnish small and indifferent fruit, unless they are pruned every 
year. On a visit to Albemarle last summer, I was struck with the sad 
neglect of these trees ; they were loaded down with apples about the 
size of walnuts — tasteless, and too small to command a ready sale in 
market. Nothing pays better on the farm than this work at the proper 
time, and all parties that will avail themselves of the suggestions con- 
tained in an article prepared by you upon these subjects will freely ad- 
mit, at the end of the year, that this alone is worth more than their 
subscription to the Planter, 

Very respectfully, J. W. Woods. 



166 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 



ORCHARD, NURSERY, FRUITS. 



[For the Southern Planter.] 

Many of the operations that should have been performed last month 
will hold good for the present, and a little careful thought will suggest 
others which we may fail to mention. 

Planting done now will be in time, and trees are pretty sure to live 
in a moderate climate if properly planted, and protected around the 
roots with a good mulch. 

Seeds of trees for nursery stock may be planted now. Chestnuts, 
walnuts, acorns, peach stones, etc., are much more likely to germinate. 
Seedlings raised last spring will need mulching, and, if possible, be 
protected from cold winds by means of evergreen boughs or board 
fences. 

When trees are not planted at once in the orchards, it is customary 
to lift them from the nursery rows and heel them in. When managed 
in this way, they do not start until two or three weeks after those left 
in the nursery. There is danger, however, that the work will not be 
properly done, and many writers do not recommend it; but if the trees 
are carefully lifted, and no air-holes left around the roots when set in 
the trenches, the process is a safe one. This remark applies to the 
winter months. 

Ripening being the first step towards decay, the more this process is 
retarded, the longer, of necessity, the fruit remains in a sound condi- 
tion. The fruit-room should be opened whenever the temperature will 
permit, or when it is not warmer outside than in. 

Pears that have been carefully preserved will bring good prices now 
if neatly put up. The best method of marketing choice specimens is 
to pack in shallow boxes containing a single layer of fruit each, wrap- 
ping each pear in soft white paper. 

Covering plants, whether with earth or straw, should not be done too 
soon, nor left until too late. The proper time is just as the ground is 
about to freeze ; if covered before this period, there is danger of the 
the plants heating, and consequently, decay. 

Root cuttings of raspberries, etc., are very easily made, and where a 
stock of a new or valuable variety is needed, this is the readiest method 
of propagating. The roots are cut into pieces of two or three inches 
in length, and packed in a box containing earth ; the box should be 
provided with holes to allow the water to run off, and then buried in a 
dry place, deep euough to be safe from frost; if the ground is natu- 
rally moist, it should be drained. 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 167 

Gooseberries, currants and quince cutting, may now be planted, 
taking care to press the soil firmly against the lower ends of the 
cuttings. 

Grape vines. — This is the best season to trim grape vines, before the sap 
begins to flow. So many methods having been mentioned as to how this 
should be done, renders it unnecessary to repeat them ; but whichever 
method is adopted, it is best to leave upon each cane one or two buds 
more than are wanted, in order to guard against killing; the 
extra buds may be cut off after growth starts. The cane must not be 
cut off close to the bud, but leave about an inch of wood above each 
bud. The wood cut off in pruning (grape cuttings) may be used for 
propagation. Cut into pieces of six or eight inches in length, and tie 
in convenient bundles and bury in sand, and place in a cool cellar until 
good weather in latter part of March to put out. M. 

Note. — This communication shoald have appeared in February, but by some means 
was overlooked. The reader will be able to apply the suggestions it contains. It will 
not be too late to plant out fruit trees and grape vines when this number of the Planter 
is issued, but the pruning os grape vines should not be done after the sap begins to flow, 
so that they will bleed.— Ed. S. P. 



As a rule, a tree that is growing vigorously will not fruit much. To 
make a tree bear fruit there must be some check to its growth. After 
a certain age there is a natnral cessation of the growth, and trees then 
bear. But we do not always care to wait until that time comes. We 
want fruit sooner. This may be had by checking the growth in some 
way. The check must not be too violent, or the tree will be injured. 
It may be said briefly that all summer pruning, cutting back, root 
pruning, or any other practice that strikes at the life of the tree, or re- 
tards the growth in summer, tends to the formation of fruit buds. 
Among these are bending down, or gently breaking in branches, hang- 
ing weights on them, tying them down to stakes, slightly barking the 
tree or branches in June, etc. But it must be borne in mind that all 
such checking or pruning should be done carefully and judiciously, to 
balance or check the force of the tree and retard its wood growth, if 
the tree is large enough to bear and fruit is desired. 



Root-pruning fruit trees to make them bear is often necessary. Its 
object is to diminish the vigor of the tree, which induces fruitfulness, 
probably by the instinctive endeavor of any plant when threatened with 
destruction to hasten the seed-forming process by which its kind is 
perpetuated. 



168 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 



RENOVATING POOR LAND, 



It is slow, difficult, and expensive work to bring up worn-out land, 
but more especially land naturally poor, to a satisfactory degree of fer- 
tility. But it may be done. It has been done, but not all at once. 
We have known men of means put on twice the value of the land with 
the expectation of getting a large yield the first year, but they did not 
succeed. 

The best that can be done is to begin the fall beforehand, use all the 
available manure possible, or some fertilizer if it can be obtained, and 
sow some crop that grows quick, as rye or Italian rye grass, either of 
which will make considerable growth and be ready to turn under by the 
middle of May. This has taken no plant- food from the field. Much 
nitrogen and carbonic acid, some potash and soda have been abstracted 
from the soil and the air and stowed up in the easily decayed nitrogen- 
ous substance of those crops. Turned under in bloom, the heat of the 
soil with the moisture of the season will liberate the nitrogen and 
other elements provided in time to be appropriated by the roots of 
growing corn. 

I have no doubt but the best use that can possibly be made of a lit- 
tle manure or fertilizer is to furnish them to rapid-growing crops to be 
be turned as manure. 1 know it seems wasteful to turn under a heavy 
crop of rye in May in the hope of securing a crop of corn, but let the 
doubter try it on a small scale and be convinced. 

Later in the season the quickly-growing millets, beans, peas, and es- 
pecially buckwheat or fodder corn may be turned under as manure 
for the fall wheat. As lands get richer rag-weed often affords a profit- 
able crop turned under in bloom for another crop of wheat or rye. 
When any green corn is turned under, where practicable, it is desira- 
ble to scatter about ten bushels of lime to the acre, or two bushels of salt, 
while the ground should be pulverized at once. 

Frequent harrowing while the decomposition of the green materials 
is going on is actually manuring. Your neighbor may haul out his 
manure and dump it, or spread his fertilizer on rough, coarse ground, 
and you may reap largely the benefits of it if you keep the surface of 
your adjoining field in a finely pulverized state and frequently stir it. 

Some men make better corn on the same land by frequent harrow- 
ing than others by expensive manuring. On poor land, with a light 
purse, keep all the stock you can feed, keep it mixed with muck, if ac- 
cessible, or surface soil, raise crops without allowing them to seed, and 
turn under when in bloom for the next crop you wish to grow for the 
grain. — Practical Farmer. 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 169 



WHAT CROPS TO GROW AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



It is almost an absolute fact that our farmers never go outside of 
their farm or neighborhood boundaries for information as to the most 
profitable crops to raise. Papers are published to their special interest 
all over this country, and there is not one editor of any of these nu- 
merous publications who will not cheerfully open his columns to his 
patrons or the public generally for the dissemination of knowledge on 
the subject of agriculture. Business men in every other calling have 
their special correspondents everywhere, and by this systematic arrange- 
ment keep informed as to the demand and supply of specialty in which 
they are particularly interested, whether it be money, grain, stock, or 
stocks. Money lenders regulate their interest rates by the condition 
of the money market at head centres. Pork packers Hx the price of 
hogs by the supply and demand, and so on through the whole category 
of trade and commerce. It is not necessary for the farmer to enter into 
a complicated personal correspondence to effect the same ends of these 
other businesses, but every intelligent farmer can, through his agricul- 
tural paper, give valuable knowledge to his friends and co-workers in 
a far away land, by writing an occasional letter for publication, giving 
the general outlook of the growing crops, and what crops are being 
cultivated to the largest extent, whether cotton, tobacco, wheat, corn, 
barley, rye or oats. If stock, what kind, the supply and condition. 
A more general interchange of opinions through the press would in 
our estimation be of vast help to the farmers of this country. Years 
of fruitless toil are often spent in trying to grow crops that neither soil 
or climate are adapted to. 

Hobbies are as prevalent with farmers as any other class of people, 
and it is right to discuss these questions before the public. If A knows 
(or thinks he does) how to grow corn better and at a greater profit than 
B, he, in the interest of good fellowship, should try to enlighten B, and 
vice versa. Clover seed is being largely discussed just now. Whether 
a profitable crop, or not is known by the experience of some of our 
best farmers, and why shouldn't they state w T hat they know ? Success 
and failure in raising clover seed would, if known, have about an even 
stand off, and for this reason it is well that success and failure should 
compare notes, and thereby benefit others without experience. This same 
argument is equally applicable to the growing of all other products of 
this or any other country. We have time and time again invited 
our farmer readers to furnish us with their ideas about "what crops to 
grow and how to grow them." We now not only repeat the invitation, 
but insist vou shall do it. — South and West, 



170 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 



CURE OF CHICKEN CHOLERA. 

» 

To the Editor of the Southern Planter : 

I have received the following prescription from Rev. James E. 
McSparran, a member of the Virginia Conference of the M. E. Church 
South, as a preventive and cure of chicken cholera. He tells me he 
has tried it for years, and it yields most satisfactory results. 

"When signs of cholera appear, feed once or twice a week on salt 
dough, in proportions of one tablespoonful of salt to one quart of 
meal, to which add a spoonful of alum, dissolved. The salt and alum 
may be given, when the fowls are too sick to eat, in pills forced down 
the throat by opening the mouth and dropping the pill into the throat. 
In this case increase the proportions of salt and alum mixed in the 
crumbs of bread." 

You know, it is said, Methodist preachers are exceedingly fond of 
fried chicken. Whether this proclivity w r as the foundation of the above 
discovery or not, I do not know. At any rate, the Rev. gentleman's dis- 
covery is hereby published not only in the interest of the clergy, but 
of those who prepare chickens for them. If it accomplishes what is 
claimed for it, and I have no doubt it does, it will entitle Mr. McSparren 
to the gratitude of a large number of our fellow citizens, and will add 
many dollars to the wealth of the farmers ; and as such I send it to 
you for publication. Let the mistresses of the poultry yard try it 
and report. Very truly, 

Suffolk, Va. W. H. Christian. 



ANOTHER REMEDY. 



Editor American Poultry Yard : 

Dear Sir, — Through experience it has been proven that the cholera 
can be kept away from fowls. I will here state a remedy for keeping 
this dreadful disease from among our towls. Take a tight barrel, saw 
it in two in the middle, then wash it out good with hot water, so that 
there is not a particle of bad flavor in it. Then take two quarts of 
fresh lime and slack it, filling the tub or half barrel full of fresh water; 
when slacking, add one pound of alum to it and stir it good, let it stand 
until the sediment has settled and the liquor is clear, and it is ready 
for use. When using it, take one pint of the clear liquor and add it to 
one pail of fresh water, and give your fowls to drink during summer 
months, and you will find that you will not have any chickens dying 
of cholera. C. A. H. 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 171 



ROTATION. 

Editor of Southern Planter : 

I observe your reply to a correspondent in your March number upon 
the subject of rotation of crops. Permit me to suggest a system for 
seven fields, that I think would be the perfection of rotation for one 
who could afford to divide his lands into seven fields. (I use the word 
afford with due consideration and with special application to Virginia 
farms lying east of the Piedmont region, but to explain it would re- 
quire additional space of greater extent than I propose to occupy with 
this). 

1st year. — Corn. 

2d year. — Peas on part and tobacco on the rest. 
3d year. — Wheat. 

4th year. — Clover; don't graze before June 20th. 
5th year — Wheat; sow one gallon of timothy per acre. 
6th year. — Timothy; mow the best and graze. 
7th year. — Pasture for cattle and sheep. 
8th year. — Corn again, and so on. 

By the way, in two places in your number for March, I see tobacco 
spoken of as poisonous to the land. The old system of cleaning new 
grounds, cultivating them year after year in tobacco until they would 
no longer bring it, and then turning them out to waste was ruinous. 
So I think is the " tobacco-lot " system by which all the manures made 
on the farms are put year after year on the same land and the rest of 
farm cropped without help. But I regard, from my own experience, 
and from observation of the results with some of my friends, that 
under a proper system, tobacco can be so planted as to make it a most 
valuable assistant to the improvement of land. Put your manures 
(home-made) upon a portion of your cornfield every year and plant it 
in tobacco, then sow wheat and clover, and never put the same land 
back in tobacco until you have gone over the whole field with your 
tobacco system, and you will quickly prove that tobacco does not 
poison land. X. 

[We admit this communication of X in violation of rule. The law of all papers and 
journals requires that a correspondent who desires to appear anonymously must confide 
confidentially his name to the editor. In this case, we are sure our friend overlooked 
this well-established rule; and as his writing shows that he is, or has been, a practical 
farmer, we use this occasion to say that when he writes again he will let us know who he 
is, and at the same time to warn other correspondents in the same direction. We should 
have better agricultural journals if the farmers had less modesty, and were more fearless 
in placing before their brother farmers, through agricultural papers, their experiences, 
either anonymously or under a full signature. — Ed. S. P.] 



172 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 

UPLAND RICE. 



Considerable attention is now being directed to the culture of up- 
land rice. Until recently the erroneous opinion generally prevailed 
that rice could be grown successfully only in low, wet soils. Although 
there are numerous varieties of rice, it is practically divided into two 
kinds, the upland and the lowland, or mountain rice, the latter being 
cultivated in the southern states. 

In South Carolina, where upland rice is commonly grown, and where 
the soil is level, sandy and inclined to moisture, a yield of three bush- 
els of rice to one of corn has been obtained from the same field. In 
Alabama, level uplands with sandy loam, or stiff clay uplands, have 
produced crops beyond expectation. Also, in many parts of Georgia, 
even in the Chattahoochee Valley, 1,000 feet above the sea level, suc- 
cessful crops have been raised. Now that the practicability and the 
profits of upland rice culture have-been demonstrated, it is assuming 
an important place in agriculture. 

Of all the cereal crops grown, there is perhaps no other that will 
give as good returns for the small amount of labor and expenses at- 
tending its cultivation. It never has beeli known to rust and has few- 
er insect enemies than any other cereal; and there is always a ready 
cash market for it, either in the rough or cleaned, which in the rice 
mills is worth about $1.25 to $1.50 per bushel, and for seed rice $2 is 

, . • 'ly"o[K)I Ofl 

the usual price. * t p 

The profits of rice culture, where it has received proper attention, 
have, in some cases, been 100 per cent, on the capital invested. Good 
paying crops can be raised on any of the ordinary lands, pine or ham- 
mock, wet or dry. Very fine results have been obtained on the new 
pine lands, and still better crops on older lands. There are in some 
parts of Florida cultivators of poor pine lands, \\ ho grow rice in a 
small way, harvesting from twenty-five to fifty bushels to the acre. 
On the rich hammock lands from sixty to ninety bushels is not an un- 
usual yield of rough rice, or rice in the hull. 

In many places lands that have been worthless for any other pur- 
pose have produced a fair crop of rice, thus giving almost a clear gain, 
when the entire unfitness of the land for anything else is taken into 
account, and the very small outlay for seed rice, and an inconsiderable 
amount for labor — the average yield being fifteen bushels to the acre, 
worth from 75 cents to $1 a bushel. 

The culture of rice is very simple. It can be sown on the land from 
which the last year's vegetable crop has been harvested, or in the same 
fields with corn, sugar cft^ffi^ 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 173 

till it gets well started in growth, then it will take care of itself until 
harvest time, when it may be cut and handled much like wheat or 
other grain. It is said by those who have had experience in the busi- 
ness, that rice can be cultivated with much less expense and labor than 
cotton, and can be gathered cheaper. The straw, when properly han- 
dled, makes an excellent fodder for cattle. 

There are thousands of acres of unreclaimed and undeveloped land 
in the Southern States, particularly in Louisiana, which would make 
the very best kind of rice land, that can be had all the way from 25 
cents to $1.25 per acre, which, with little expense and preparation, 
could be made to yield incredible profits. — The South. 



"RAISED A FARMER'S DAUGHTER, NOW A FARMER'S WIFE, BUT 

NOT INSANE YET." 



I was raised a farmer's daughter, and am now a farmer's wife, and 
have not gone insane yet. I do not think it is the farmer's wives and 
daughters altogether that become insane. I think if we will look to 
the cities we will find more wives insane than there is among the hap- 
py farmers. What would become of our country if it were not for 
the good farmers, their wives and daughters? Young man, if you want 
a good wife, go among the farmers. Get one that will make your home 
happy for life. She will not wear out like one who has been raised a 
parlor lady, and never knew anything but to make fancy work, to crochet, 
needle work, and all those kind of things. They could not milk a cow, 
and when the husband comes in at night tired and hungry, all that he 
can hear is complaints from his wife. The cook don't please her. He 
has to get some one to wash, and when it is done, it is not well done 
and all those kind of things. The wife is already half insane, and is 
enough to cause the husband to be so, while the farmer's daughter, if 
her cook does not please her, she will turn her off, and say, " Go, I 
am not to be vexed out of my life and pay a trifling cook besides." I 
can do my own cooking, milking, washing and ironing if it is not con- 
venient to have it done, and go out in the sunny garden and pull grass 
and weeds from among the tender plants, and spend a great many hours 
thus toiling in the sun, but it does not hurt us, for sunshine is good 
both for the miud and body, while the happy husband is busy in his 
beautiful fields of growing crops that God has blessed him with, and 
remembering that He will bless those who earn their living by the sweat 
of their brow. He comes home at night ; supper is prepared ; the cows 
are milked, and everything done cheerful, and after supper is over the 
family all gather around the home circle beaming with happiness, and 
listen to father read the good old Farming World. 

New Prospect, Spartanburg, S. 0. E. C. F. 



^^^™ 



174 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 



ENSILAGE. 



Editor Massachusetts Ploughman : 

I have had the gold fever, hen, and other fevers at various times, and 
was quite sick ; but when I was taken down with the ensilage fever, I 
was the sickest man you ever did see, without any exception, having 
been thoroughly picked up, sold, taken in and made a fool of, and no 
mistake. I built a silo of 19 tons capacity. I filled it the 23d of June 
with red clover, uncut, covered it with plank, and weighted it with four 
tons of stones. In four months it had settled more than one-half, pass- 
ing through a tremendous heat. I opened it December 3 ; it was in 
good order except some four inches next to the wall. I showed a sam- 
ple to my neighbors ; they said it was as good as any they had seen. 
You will see I have got a good article, as the thing goes. Now comes 
the trial. I was feeding grain and two fodderings of English hay and 
one of meadow hay per diem. I left out one feed of English hay, and 
gave twenty-five pounds of ensilage to each animal. Now, this is the 
point where I began to feel quite unwell ; the milk fell off nearly two 
cans in four days. I then went back to the former feed. In three 
days' time they gave the same as before. I then fed twenty-five pounds 
of ensilage to each animal at night, instead of the foddering of meadow 
hay, without making any difference in the quantity of milk. The cat- 
tle eat it better than anything I have ever given them, except grain. 
The great heat the mass must pass through in the silo before it is fit to 
use is where it loses so much of its value. I feel that it is a failure and 
none can regret it more than myself. 

If there is any way of preventing the ensilage from passing through 
heat, it would then become a great success. 

Billerica, Mass., Jan. 20, 1883. John Fisk. 

[This, as is seen, comes from the home of Dr. Biley, the pioneer of the ensilage ques- 
tion in the United States. It seems, at the same time, to come from & practical farmer. 
Does it sustain the value of ensilage in the high latitude of Massachusetts? is the ques- 
tion presented. How about the States of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, 
Georgia, &c. ? Mr. Guy, of Chesterfield, Va., and Mr. S — , of Amelia, have, in our 
February and March numbers, presented strong arguments for their sections, but here 
our information stops, with strong opposing arguments of Mr. Lynham, Judge Christian 
and others.— Ed. S. P.] 



The fact should be generally known that new varieties of corn can 
be originated by planting from the small ears grown on the end of the 
tassel. By selecting the earliest of these, a predisposition to earliness 
may be fairly expected. 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 175 



THE FIRST DEVON CATTLE IN VIRGINIA. 



University of Virginia, 

February, 22nd 1883. 
Editor of the Southern Planter : 

In an article in the February number of the Planter , over the signa- 
ture J. M. McC — , page 65, the writer states the belief, that Mr. James 
B. Steinberger introduced the first Devon cattle into Virginia about 
forty years ago ; and that " the first Devon cow brought to Virginia 
was at the Fairs in Richmond in 1858 ; at Petersburg and Norfolk with 
a beautiful spring calf at her side." Although I cannot state the ex- 
act date, I am quite sure, that the admissible breed of cattle was in- 
troduced into the Tidewater counties some time anterior to the dates 
given by the writer. By reference to the American Farmer, vol. II. 
page 324, you will find an extract of a letter from Henry Clay, Esq., 
Messrs. Smith, Saunders, and Tegarden, dated Washington city, Sept., 
17th, 1817, as follows: "When at Baltimore, I went to see the cattle 
given to Mr. Patterson by Mr. Coke, and brought over from England 
this spring. They are blood red, without a particle of white about them, 
except the tip ends of their tails ; most beautifully formed, somewhat 
of the symmetry of deer; smooth, soft skins, but very small indeed; 
but as large as our native breed. Their excellence is said to consist in 
the docility and nimbleness of the oxen of that breed; and the rich- 
ness of the milk, of which, however, they do not give much." 

Again, same volume, page 406. The generosity of Mr. Coke of 
Holkham has secured to Maryland several cows and a bull of this breed 
[Devon]. Mr. Coke, of Norfolk, [England] is said to possess the breed 
in great purity. The steers are the fastest walkers of any breed, and 
are in great use for the plough and draught." 

Not very long after this period [1817], Mr. Patterson's pure bred 
Devons were brought to Gloucester county, Va., by Mr. Thomas Tabb, 
of Toddsbury, who married a relative of Mr. Patterson : and the breed 
was disseminated from this point to adjoining counties. Subsequently 
bulls of the same breed were obtained from Mr. Patterson and others 
in Maryland, so that for years anterior to 1858, high grade, as well as 
fine bred Devons, were in common use in the lower counties; and for 
several years before the war, the red color and Devon marks charac- 
terized a large proportion of the common cattle of that country. 

Attention is called to this fact especially, because it is my belief, 
that this breed of cattle is best adapted, of all others, to the Tidewater 
14 



176 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 

and granite sections of Virginia ; as well as to show that experience 
has proved their easy acclimatization and adaptability in other respects. 

Allen, in his work on American Cattle, says, "This beautiful race 
has been considered by some English authors aboriginal ; and are 
claimed to have been known in England at the time of its inva- 
sion by the Romans. It is certain that their fineness of limb, uni- 
formity of color, delicacy of proportion, and depth of breeding, 
give their claims a distinction which no other race of cattle exhibit. 
They are like no others; and by no intermixture of any other known 
breeds, have they "been, or can they be produced." Again, he says, 
"Mr. George Patterson of Maryland, who for many years has owned 
the largest herd of pure bred Devon s in the United States — some sev- 
enty or eighty in number, remarked to the writer, in 1842, that his 
cows were better milkers, and yielded more butter on an average than 
any other breed." His stock is descended from some of the best ani- 
mals of Mr. Bloomfield, the principal breeder of the superior herd of 
the Earl of Leicester [Mr. Coke], and since crossed by occasional im- 
ported bulls from the same herd." 

The testimony of Mr. Patterson is all the stronger in favor of the 
Devon cattle, because he was the owner of other breeds of imported 
cattle with which he could compare them. In the American Farmer 
vol. II. page 315, in a foot note in regard to "the high prices" paid for 
imported stock, it is stated : " Thus the late Mr. John O'Donnel and 
Mr. Patterson, of Baltimore, imported [in 1805] a bull and two cows, 
from the successor of Bakewell Long Horn breed, which cost, when 
landed in America, $2,000. Four cows from Amsterdam cost $602.89. 
Before the death of Mr. O'Donnel, Nov., 1805, the stock were sold, 
and brought from $150 to $200 per head at auction." Nor are we to 
infer from these prices, that these cattle were so greatly inferior to the 
same breeds now. They were perhaps less thoroughly symmetrical, 
and characteristically marked, than the show breeds of the same kind 
at the present day ; but they doubtless possessed the same power of 
propagating their specific qualities, and of adaptation to the country, 
as those imported now. Our country is, however, large enough, and 
possesses a variety of climate, soil, and aliment well adapted to all of 
the improved breeds of cattle, horses, hogs and sheep when carefully 
managed. 

Jno. R. Page. M. D. 



The tongue is the worst part of a bad servant. 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 177 



CROP MORTGAGES. 



Nothing contributes so much to the advancement and material pros- 
perity of a State as the independence of its producing classes, and 
nothing is so necessary to their independence as freedom from debt. 
A success that is limited to a few classes, such as traders, merchants 
and speculators, is sure in the end to be disastrous to the country and 
entail financial loss upon the whole people. This is as true as the ax- 
iom that general prosperity is necessary to the stability and perpetuity 
of a State. Any system that tends to enrich the few at the expense of 
the many, is destructive alike to human happiness and political freedom, 
hence any order that teaches its adherents to discountenance the credit 
and mortgage systems has the general prosperity of the race for its ob- 
ject, and human happiness as the grand climax of its ultimatum. 

The mortgage system, prevalent with so many farmers in the South- 
ern States, has destroyed more happiness, wrecked more fortunes than 
any other one thing, and has been one of the most serious barriers to 
Southern success. We have but to cast an eye across the Mississippi 
to see the baneful effects of this ruinous system. Homes have not only 
been made desolate but lost, and their once happy occupants turned 
out upon the world penniless and in want. Debt is one of the griev- 
ous burdens of life — the most destructive to domestic tranquility, and 
yet more than one-half of the farmers of the South have borne its bit- 
ter galling load all their lives. Until producers are freed from this 
greatest evil of the age. Southern planters will never be a contented 
people. The farmers of Texas are in a better condition generally than 
perhaps any other State, except in its eastern and southern borders, 
and yet the mortgage system is not wholly eradicated here. 

What a farmer can promise himself when he is bound band and foot 
by a mortgage on the products of his labor, his teams. and farm imple- 
ments, we are unable to see, and yet thousands who ought to be our 
most useful and independent citizens are enslaved from year's end to 
year's end to their creditors, which, in a few years, generally results 
in the total ruin of tae debtor, who, in his desperate efforts to free 
himself from the chains of debt, abandons his home and tries his for- 
tunes "further west," and becomes a financial wreck. The man who 
is hugging to his bosom the delusion that the credit and mortgage sys- 
tem is a benefit to the poor mau has but to look to the condition of 
those who have been practicing it for any length of time to be con- 
vinced that it is a curse, with hungry ruin and desolation as its conse- 



178 SOUTHERN" PLANTER. [April 

quences. The difference between cash and credit will not fall short 
of 25 per cent, and sometimes, when there is a failure in the crop, 
and sacrifices have to be made to redeem pledges, it is even 40 to 50 
per cent. What business can stand such a strain on its income? It 
would in a little while involve the merchant and tradesman in bank- 
ruptcy and bring the speculator to financial ruin. How, then, can the 
farmer expect to succeed with such fearful odds against him? The past 
year has been one of comparative plenty, and the necessity for credit 
is not so great as it otherwise would be, and it is to be hoped it will be 
less prevalent, and as credit with a mortgage to secure payment is the 
nearest road to ruin the farmer can travel, he should guard against it 
as a deadly enemy. Let the teachings of the Grange prevail, "discoun- 
tenance the credit system that tends to prodigality and bankruptcy," 
and farmers will become the most independent and prosperous citizens 
of the commonwealth; without this they are doomed. 
— Belton, Texas, Farmer. 



VALUE OF THE SWEET POTATO AS A FOOD-PRODUCING PLANT, 



We see in some of our exchanges that Mr. H. C. White, State Chem- 
ist in Georgia, has analyzed the sweet potato, and found it to contain 
about half as much nutrition as Indian corn, two bushels potatoes 
equaling one bushel of corn for fat-producing purposes. We have 
seen no official statement of the analysis, but if this is correct it places 
the sweet potato, in nutritious qualities, very high in comparison with 
other root crops. Land capable of producing twenty bushels of corn 
per acre will make of potatoes from 100 to 125 bushels, which would 
give two or three times the value in food. 

We have always been of the opinion that the great value of the 
sweet potato crop in the Southern States was not duly appreciated and 
sufficiently utilized. Root crops are always mostly more prolific than 
grain crops. They exhaust land less, and give more in return for la- 
bor and for manure. Of course they are not as nutritious, pound for 
pound, as grain, but in the great increase of material they yield more 
nutrition to a given quantity of land than any of the cereals. Irish 
potatoes, turnips, beets, carrots, both in Europe and in our Northern 
States, are all justly prized as the most valuable of farm crops. The 
sweet potato is superior to them all as food for man and beast. It 
may be used for all the purposes to which the others are applied, and 
for many others besides. In the first state, just out of the ground, it 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 179 

makes an excellent substitute for arrowroot, by grating the pulp into 
water and allowing the starchy matter to subside. 

As a vegetable it is a favorite on every table, cooked in great variety 
of ways. As a desert it makes a better pudding or pie than a pump- 
kin. It is good food for stock of all kinds — horses, cattle, sheep, and 
hogs. We knew an aid planter once who always raised and abundance 
of corn and other provisions for his stock, but who was an enthusiast 
over the sweet potato crop, estimating it on the basis of the yield re- 
turned from the labor bestowed, as of more value than any other food- 
producing crop. 

Our best Southern varieties will probably soon become a very im- 
portant article of export to the Northern States. The farmers in Geor- 
gia are complaining this year that with an immense crop of their "yel- 
low yam," raised in expectation of shipment, there is no demand iu 
the Northern market for this variety, the Northern people preferring 
the dry, tasteless "Jersey yam" to their sweeter and more delicate 
"Georgia yam." The Jersey potato, like our "brimstone" and "leath- 
er-coats," are dry and mealy, with very little sweetness, and hence are 
preferred for the table to be eaten with meats like the Irish potato. 
If our Georgia friends could only show them how the "yam" should 
be cooked, this fancy would probably give way. The sweet potato, 
like unripe fruits, nuts, and other farinaceous products which contain 
much starchy matter, becomes very sweet on being kept for a few months, 
a large portion of the starch being gradually converted into sugar. A 
well-seasoned "yam" baked slowly, as it should be, is really more a 
fruit than a vegetable. The time will come when they will be prepar- 
ed in this way, and by being put up in sealed cans will become an 
important article of trade to the North as well as Europe. — Charleston 
News. 

SYSTEMATIC FARMING. 



System is the soul of success and progress in every handicraft, and 
most emphatically so iu farming. In order to make any satisfactory 
advancement it becomes necessary to adopt and carry out a well de- 
fined system of labor. Let this fact be deeply engraven on the memory, 
for no people are greater violaters of this sound business principle than 
farmers. As a consequence none have made slower progress in im- 
proving and elevating themselves than they. 

While we do not believe that their tardy advancement is owing en- 
tirely to their lack of method in the routine of farm life, yet there is 
no doubt but it has had much to do with. And unless farmers amend 



180 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 

greatly in this respect, themselves and their calling must inevitably 
continue at a low ebb. We know well enough that the varied and ex- 
tensive operations of a large farm are very hard to reduce to a thorough 
system, but something approaching it can be done and should be at- 
tempted, and till then it is vain to look for any decided progress. All 
should make the effort to reduce things to a system. The first attempts 
may be discouraging failures, but let all persevere. Failures are teach- 
ers, and every effort made renders each succeeding one easier and more 
certain of success. 

The farmer should take a prospective glance at the operations of 
the year, and then draw up some plan of operations to guide him. 
The farmer should have with him at all times a note-book and pencil 
to enter any suggestive or valuable thoughts as they occur. Many a 
happy idea would thus be preserved to him. Each day should have 
its routine of labors and duties all clearly marked out, for as is the 
days so will be the months and years. There ought to be a regular 
time for feeding the stock, a time for breakfast, a time to begin work, 
a stated recess at noon, and a regular period for closing the da) 's ope- 
rations at night. 

Another important rule is too much neglected. The farmer must 
order his work according to the state of the w T eather. He must have 
work for the rainy days as well as for the fair days. By ordering his 
work according to the w^eather, especially in winter, the farmer can 
perform more at less tax to the system than he otherwise would. One 
cannot work well in an open, exposed place on a cold windy day, but 
if he can shelter himself by a belt of woods he can do a good day's work. 
In this way the farmer can make better progress, and with more ease 
and comfort to himself and team, than he can by persisting in one 
thing till the job is finished. However desirable and wise it may be 
not to have "too many irons in the fire at the same time," yet the 
weather is so potent a factor in the labors of the farm that it is always 
well not to have any Mede and Persian laws to observe. This change 
of work to suit the conditions of the weather will not interfere with 
system. This is a part of the system. Of course there is a certain 
amount of daily routine that must be gone through with, despite the 
weather, but the field and farm work will readily admit of change 
in winter at least. 

We insist upon system. There is no getting along without it. As 
the farmer should have a map of his farm, so he should have the farm 
work all mapped out, as far as can be, and thus by having a definite 
object in view he would the more certainly arrive at a definite end. 
— Weekly Index- Appeal. 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 181 



SAWS, OLD AND NEW. 

Fashionable society is like the froth of a wine cask, whilst the best 
people, as the good liquor, rests quietly below. 

Music is the language of the soul. 

In landscape gardening the only art is in aggregating the beauties 
of nature. 

Intellectual poverty is the fertile bed of gossip : like the bitter per 
simmon, it flourishes only on poor soil. 

If you have an enemy, loan him money, and thus ruin him. 

Envy is the penalty of poverty of achievement. A lie has half ended 
its travels whilst truth is pulling on its boots. 

Are you slandered, don't try to run it down; but so act as to live it 
down. 

As salt at the table adds new flavor to every dish, so beauty in the 
household enhances every other pleasure. 

It is safer to limit our desires to our means, than to attempt to sat- 
isfy their infinite expansion. 

Moderation prolongs all our pleasures. 

Seek only those enjoyments, which make the body more healthy, 
and the soul more Godlike. 

The first law of health is to be at all times as far as possible, com- 
fortable : avoiding cold, heat, fatigue, and excess in eating and drink- 
ing. 

The best medicine is rest, fasting, cold water and sleep. 

Let us have a sound mind in a sound body. 

A man who gives away all his money, is like the hunter who has 
exhausted all his ammunition. 

Wealth is desirable, independence a necessity. 

Agriculture is the last in time of the great sources of wealth. 

Commerce, mining, manufacturing, and hunting and fishing is the 
most important support of the human race; and yet the cultivators of 
the soil are the pack horses in all nations. 

Monogamy is the basis of civilization. 

Man without religion is like a ship without a rudder or ballast; the 
passions gather into storms, and shipwreck is too often the penalty. 

Men are like rough diamonds, and education is the lapidist, upon 
whose skill depends the lustre of the jewels. 

Happiness is very equally distributed among men, like the wine cups 
at a banquet, however unequal in size, they may all be filled. 

Women, like sheep, only show courage when they go in crowds.' 

Modern science, plays havoc with old errors of faith and sentiment. 

The earth does move and the sun also. 



182 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 

The lion may be the master of the forest, but he does not hunt alone 
but in packs, like dogs. 

Man is the filthiest of animals; none other eats cured tobacco! In 
this he falls below the hog; which is inclined to be cleanly, when not 
subjected to his power. But in this as in other things, he is capable 
of extremes, rising in beauty and intelligence to the Gods, and sink- 
ing into hideousness and idiocy below the devils. 

How crime, and lost love, and banished hopes, scar the soul, and 
sink us into despair! 

Here lies the force of Christian religion ; our crimson is made as 

Whom the Gods love die young, 
white as wool ; our future made possible for purer and better life. This 
it is, that alone can condone the past, and minister to a mind diseased! 

A man forgives an injury sooner than an insult; an injury may be 
repaired, but an insult attacks our self-esteem, which seeks restoration 
only by vengeance. 

Ingratitude stings like the tooth of a serpent : therefore, bestow not 
favors which can never be repaid. 
White Hall Ky., 1883. C. M. C. 

[We recognise the writing and initials of the Hon. Cassius M. Clay. His long life en- 
ables him to verify the apothegms he has communicated. — Ed. S. P.] 



RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. 



From a paper prepared by a member of the Virginia society of this 
city, we are permitted to make an extract in regard to the manufac- 
turing interests and advantages of the city of Richmond, one of the 
most promising industrial cities of the "New South." 

"Richmond will soon have a population of 100,000. The people 
are eminently virtuous, refined, educated and hospitable. They have 
fully awakened to the necessity and policy of vigorous industrial ef- 
forts, and new avenues of trade are constantly being opened by the 
active spirits among them. Steam operated machinery is extensively 
used, but the unsurpassed water-power at the falls and along the canal 
is more generally utilized. Great manufactories have resulted from 
this, such as the Tredegar Iron Works, Old Dominion Iron and Nail 
Works (which many a Union soldier will sadly remember!) Franklin 
and Manchester Paper Mills, and numerous flouring mills and other 
works covering the banks of the canal and the river for miles of the 
city front, all operated by water power. Of the steam power works, 
"Vulcan," "Richmond" (iron), "Metropolitan." and "Shockoe" works 
are most prominent, though there are many others of importance. 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 183 

Tobacco is the staple of trade in the city. During the last year the 
sales of prepared tobacco exceeded 50,000 hogsheads, besides about 
8,000,000 lbs. of loose tobacco were sold. The internal revenue paid 
by Richmond on its tobacco business, in 1878, approximated $2,250,- 
000. Half a million dollars were expended the past twelvemonth in 
building, and the city is rapidly clothing itself in new and bright attire. 
In a little while she will be rehabilitated; filled with progressive ideas, 
and hurrying in mid-career toward that proud destiny which Jefferson 
predicted for it before the nineteenth century should lie down with the 
sleeping ages." 

[We have received a copy of the Industrial Monitor, published at Chicago, 111., in 
which the above extract is marked- It will be gratifying to the people of our city, as 
well as all the citizens of our State, to see that the capital of their Commonwealth"has 
a recognised importance as a trade and manufacturing centre. — Ed. S. P.J 



THE GOOD HUSBANDMAN. 



To become a successful farmer in the best sense of this expression, 
a more thorough knowledge of the principles of agricultural science 
are equally as desirable, as thorough information in regard to any pur- 
suit in which one should determine to engage with the view of making 
it a success. Thorough preparation in the line of one's chosen pro- 
fession or calling is the pathway that leads to success. One reason 
why so few graduate at our so called agricultural college in the farm 
department is because they do not make farming the centralizing idea 
of their lives and bend their energies in this direction. For too few 
comprehend the vast amount of practical knowledge which can be ac- 
quired at a properly conducted agricultural college and made servicea- 
ble on the farm. 

The good Husbandman shiuld acquire habits of accurate thought 
and investigation, which would not only enable him to compete with 
other professional men or tradesmen, but w T ould give him dignity and 
power. In the direction of specific education he should have sufficient 
knowledge of geology and chemistry to understand the composition 
of the soil he is to cultivate, and what plant-food it requires to produce 
remunerative crops. "It is a fact," says Prof. Orcutt, "which is beyond 
controversy, that every farmer who is ignorant of chemistry, works in 
the dark and is liable to misapply his labor and lose all." 

The mistake of mixing quick lime with ammoniated manures will 

suffice to show the importance of correct knowledge. Such informa- 
tion coupled with practical knowledge will show by paying results that 
brain work is the best ally of hand work on the farm. — American 

Grange Bulletin, 



184 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 



AGRICULTURAL ITEMS. 



It is stated that the State Chemist of Georgia has found, by analysis, 
that one bushel of sweet potatoes contains half as much nutrition 
as a bushel of corn — thus two bushels of potatoes equalling one bushel 
of corn for fat-producing purposes. If this statement is correct it is 
important, since land which will produce in the South forty bushels of 
corn to the acre, will produce from one hundred to one hundred and 
fifty bushels of sweet potatoes. 

While, in a degree, the heat of an animal is produced from the food 
it consumes, and therefore warm stables and steamed food and warmed 
water seem economical, yet it is doubtless true that animals are often 
greatly refreshed by drinking cold water. The thirsty man does not 
warm his favorite beverage, even if its effects be recognized in the sav- 
ing of food. 



The plan has been suggested of putting farm poultry-houses on 
wheels, that they may be moved from place to place, thus giving to the 
fowls fresh pasturage, clean surroundings, access to the stubble fields 
after harvest, insects and other food. Only a few moments would be 
required for moving the house from place to place ; but there might be 
times when tramping to distant fields to attend to the poultry might 
be somewhat inconvenient. 



Nothing is more generally useful on a farm than a sweep or tread 
horse-power. It can, with proper machinery, be applied to many pur- 
poses, sawing wood, cutting feed in winter, and grinding grain for 
stock. A good horse-power will thus save each year many times the 
interest on its cost, and with proper care will last many years. A small 
steam-engine will serve the same purpose, but most farmers have horses 
that must be fed whether worked or not. 



From the Agricultural Department at Washington, we find that the 
average price of corn in the United States for eleven years, from 1871 
to 1881, inclusive, appears to be about forty-three cents a bushels. The 
highest annual average was sixty-four cents in 1874, whilst the lowest 
was thirty-one cents in 1878. The aggregate value of the crop has in- 
creased in ten years from $435,000,00(Ho $759,000,000, though the last 
crop was the smallest for the past seven years. M. 

We thank our correspondent for these items. They are valuable and suggestive. — Ed. 



Obstinacy and heat in argument are surest proofs of folly. 



8183] .SOUTHERN PLANTER. 185 



JAPAN CLOVER. 

Editor Southern Planter, — I see Mr. Corbin wants to know something 
more of the Japan clover— Lebpedeza — and as I am very anxious to 
know more about it myself, I send you an article clipped from a north- 
ern paper last fall, and also a postal I received from Mr. J. W. W. in 
reply to a letter I wrote him, in hope they may draw out others on the 
subject. If it will act on our land as it does on North Carolina land, 
then it is what we have been looking for. I fully endorse Mr. Cor- 
bin's opinion of the Planter, and must have it if I have to go without 
my butter. Broomstraw. 

Bush or Japan Clover (Lespedeza striata).— J. W. W., Franklinton, 
K C, writes : " I inclose specimens of a plant that was discovered here 
sixteen years ago. I desire you to give both its common and botan- 
ical name. It speedily eradicates broomsedge and gives in its place a 
rich pasture of nutritious verdure which horses and cattle prefer to 
anything else. It generally blooms from the middle of August into 
September, and yields vast quantities of very small seed. It will doubt- 
less prove to be a godsend to the South, for it will be the means of 
making productive the poor, wasted, and turned-out lands, as its ferti- 
lizing principles are equally as good as those of peas or red clover when 
plowed under, and it grows thick and dense on the very clay itself 
where nothing else will take root. It is unlike other clover, as it never 
runs out, and grazing cannot destroy it. Where it eradicates broom- 
sedge, with its tough roots and clumps of sod, it changes the condition 
of the soil from tenacious, unmanageable turf, to a porous, loamy one, 
giving but slight resistance to the plow. After breaking it is in as 
good condition as regularly cultivated land, making certain a crop, 
which, under other conditions, would prove a failure the first season 
after breaking. There is no better grazing plant in the South, and as 
a proof that it bears mowing, Prof. J. C. Hines, of this place, has it 
growing in his yard, and has mowed it twice and it is ready for it" 
again, and on the bottom lands of Mr. Albert Cooke, of Franklin 
county, it is now waist high, and some few weeks back Col. C. M. 
Rogers, of Granville county, turned under a field of it that was breast- 
high to a horse. It is easily propagated, as it is immensely prolific in 
seed, which are washed over the land by rains, and are carried by stock 
over their range. It is rapidly spreading over a large section of this 
immediate vicinity, aud yet, while it is so aggressive, it is easily killed 
out with the plow, decaying quickly after being turned under like pea 
vines, and filling the soil with as valuable elements of fertility. When 
this plant grows it affords good grazing from soon after its appearance 
until frost, and adds greatly to the product of flesh and milk, and at no 
season of the year does it cause that flow of saliva in horses that the 
red clover does. Cultivation might materially develop this plant, but 
as yet it has been used only as a grazing plant and allowed to grow wild, 



186 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 



as it has shown that it is amply able to take care of itself and furnish 
rich pasturage and grazing ground without any care, trouble, or ex- 
pense to any one, and improves the land with each year's deposit. 
Whence it came is not known, but it is supposed to have found its way 
here from China by some means ; however, it is conceded to be a boon 
of the late * unpleasantness,' as it was found only at intervals along the 
wake of Sherman's army. North Carolina has it in two counties, South 
Carolina in one, and Mississippi in two." 

This plant is known as bush clover and Japan clover, and botanically 
as Lespedeza striata. Usually it grows from six to ten inches high, and 
we have never before heard of it growing so high as above stated. It 
has been known in the South for thirty years, and is now quite com- 
mon, covering large tracts of turned out land and the roadsides in 
Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Mississippi. 
Its origin is unknown, but the seed has probably been introduced from 
China or Japan in some accidental manner. It has turned out to be 
one of those free gifts of nature to mankind which are more valuable 
than many things w T e pay dearly for. It is rapidly spread by animals, 
which graze upon it and drop the seed in their dung, and by birds in a 
like manner. It is doubtful if cultivation would be a means of improv- 
ing it; it seems to thrive with abundant vigor under its present cir- 
cumstances. 



Franklinton, N. C, November 3, 1882 
Dear Sir, — We sow the Japan clover in the winter on unbroken 
land. It will grow on wheat land or any other kind of land. The 
better the land, the more luxuriant it grows; can send you a packet 
of clean seed by mail for twenty-live cents, fifty cents and one dollar. 
Larger quantities will have to be in the dirt, as there is no other way 
to obtain them in any considerable quantity. 

Seed in the dirt will cost five dollars per bushel, boxed and delivered 
at the cars. 

Yours truly, J. W. W. 



Pea-cheese is considered, in China and Japan, a very important 
food. The peas are soaked in water for about twenty-four hours, 
strained and then ground in a mill with some of the water which has 
been put one side. The product is then filtered, the filtrate concen- 
trated by heat, and after skimming once or twice is cooled. The 
caseine is coagulated by plaster, and a salt, thought to be chloride of 
magnesium, added. The cheese is grayish w T hite in color and of an 
agreeable taste. 

It usually makes little difference in the time of ripening winter 
wheat whether.it is sown early or late. If it gets a vigorous though 
small growth it is just as likely to be early as if sown the last of August 
or first of September. Thorough preparation of the soil and heavy 
manuring are more important than early seeding. 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 187 



FARMING IN THE SOUTH. 



The Massachusetts Plowman has the following from one of its cor- 
respondents. We take it as evidence that the antagonisms against the 
South are dying out amongst the reasonable men of the north, and 
that they can say to their young men, "go South," as Mr. Greely once 
said, "go West." 

"I have grown in Hinds county, within twelve miles east of Vicks- 
burg, a fair crop of oats ; after harvesting, without manure or fertilizer, 
I housed a crop of sweet potatoes and specimens weighed 2 lbs., 1 lb., 
15 oz., of course best, but no search to select. I have grown on land 
where oats had been housed as above, thirty bushels of our "cow pea" 
and received a $10 cup as best crop. I have sown on land, cotton crop 
laid by in July and August, and oats and rye in August; grazed all 
winter; plowed in the spring after, and made corn or cotton, or, if I 
desired, left it for a crop. I have sown on a standing crop of corn, 
rye, cut down stalk — corn housed, of course — in January; grazed un- 
til in March, housed my crop in June, then a good pasture until it 
freezes. # 

I have seen as fine, as large onions in May and June from seed sown 
in the fall, as those grown from sets or buttons. I have grown two 
crops of Early Rose Irish potatoes, and the fall crop was the largest 
and finest. Dr. Ravenal grew ten tons Bermuda grass, near Charles- 
ton, S. C, I see published to day, Jan., 9. Better Red Astracan, Early 
Harvest, Winesap, Russel and Baldwin apples you never saw than 
we have. Solon Robinson, at my table about January 17, 1840, pro- 
nounced the latter equal to any he had seen, East or West." 



Glen Alpine Farm, Bedford Co., Va., March 3, 1883. 
Editor of Southern Planter : 

On page 150 current volume, Mr. Thomas F. Eaton, Cana, !N". C, 
asks for a formula for a good fertilizer for the sorgo crop. If he will 
use well-rotted cotton seed in the drill when he plants his crop, and 
scatter them in the furrow, I think he will find it what he needs. We 
have had no experience with stable manure on sorgo, but some years 
since experimented in Louisiana with well-rotted stable manure on a 
cut of ribbon cane, which stimulated it into a vigorous growth and 
prevented its ripening, consequently the quality of sugar and molasses 
was reduced and of decidedly inferior grade. Of late, I am informed 
that a fertilizer is manufactured from cotton seed and used extensively 
with satisfactory results. Yours truly, 

Eirie. 

Worth begets in base minds envy ; in great souls, emulation. 



188 SOUTHEKN PLANTER. [April 



THE PERILS OF WORK. 



There were three or four of us Michiganders at the same hotel in 
Montgomery, and all were amazed at the sight of so many colored 
men loafing their time away on the street. The man from Iona county 
finally thought he'd make a few inquiries, and beckoning to a stalwart 
black who had spent the last two hours on the curbstone, he asked : — 

"Have you any work to do?" 

" Not jist now, sah." 

"Have you ever tried farming?" 

"Oh, yes." 

"And how did you come out?" 

" Mighty slim, sah. De white folks down heah don't encourage de 
black folks 'tall." 

" How's that ?" 

"Well, in de fust place, dar's de rent ob de land. Dey might jist as 
well frow off* decent, but dey won't do it. Den if I git de land and 
sot out to borry a mule, nobody will lend me one." 

"Suppose you had a mule?" 

"Den whar would I borry a plow? Can't raise craps onless ye plow. 
Den when I got de plow an' went ober to Kurnel White's to borry a 
harness de kurnel wouldn't be home, or he'd be usin' all de straps he 
had." 

" Couldn't you make it go if you had land, seed, mule, plow and 
harness?" asked the Wolverine. 

"I reckon I might, but I dunno. 'Sposin de mule expired or de 
harness broke, or some nigger stole my plow?" 

"That's so." 

" An' the old woman might die, or one of de chill'en git snake bit, 
or it might rain fo' weeks widout a break. Tell you what, boss, you 
men from de Norf think it looks hard to see so many of us lyin' roun' 
de towns widout work, but you doan' know nuftin 'bout de perils of 
gittin' right down to hard work an' takin' all de chances. My ole 
woman says it seems like flyin' in de face of de Lawd, an' I reckon she's 
mighty nigh k'rect." — Detroit Free Press. 



The use of blinders and tight-check reins is going out of fashion in 
England. For a working-horse especially, the check-rein is an abomi- 
nation, compelling the horse to work in as awkward a position as a 
man with his hands tied at his sides. 



1883.] SOUTHERN" PLANTER. 189 



AGRICULTURAL FAIRS ASA SCHOOL. 



The value of improved horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, is not gener- 
ally known or appreciated in Virginia. There are so few of these im- 
proved animals yet in the State, that our people generally have not 
had an opportunity to know much about them, but the feeling to im- 
prove these domestic animals, is decidedly growing among the farmers 
of the Valley, and if properly encouraged and directed, will result in 
great good to the country. If not, this feeling may prove detrimen- 
tal, time and money be thrown away, and the improvement be almost 
if not entirely lost. Under the present system of labor, every kind 
of agricultural machinery must be resorted to, to enable the Virginia 
farmer to compete with the new, rich and cheap farming lands of the 
West, and the improvement of all kinds of labor-saving machinery for 
the farmers use is both rapid and great. 

Our young farmers must be educated in all these things before they 
can judge which suits their purpose best, which will be the most prof- 
itable for them to use, which will last the longest or give them the best 
return on their investment. They cannot be expected to know how 
to make the best selection of their farm and breeding animals, and all 
their machinery and farming utensils intuitively, without an experi- 
ence with or knowing of all these things, unaided and alone. To ob- 
viate this difficulty some of our intelligent and public spirited farmers 
have gotten up Agricultural Fairs. At these Fairs every age, sex and 
breed of domestic animals, every conceivable kind of labor-saving ma- 
chinery and agricultural implements, is got together and put on exhi- 
bition, also every different kind of farm product. The men who un- 
derstand best each of the different branches of agriculture, are selected 
to examine and compare all animals and articles, and award the prize 
to the best of its class. This m&kes the best possible school for the 
young farmer. Here he can see everything that he needs in every de- 
partment of his profession, compare them together and form his opin- 
ions, aided by the judgment of the most skilled and experienced judges. 
He can see more and learn more that will be of service to him, in three 
days at a good Agricultural Fair, than he can in three years at home 
in his general routine of business. In those States where they have 
the best of these fairs, and where they are best attended, you find the 
farmers the most intelligent and thrifty, and the best of all kinds of 
farm implements and labor-saving machinery. The best and most 
improved breeds of domestic animals and intelligent farm-labor, the 
best compensated for its services at the Fairs, present the best oppor- 



190 SOUTHERN" PLANTER. [April 

tunities for forming acquaintances that will be agreeable in future 
life, and useful, and to learn many new ideas from social intercourse 
with farmers from other neighborhoods and localities that will prove 
useful and profitable. There, too, honorable competition creates a 
commendable spirit of emulation, that will make us probably a little 
more attentive to, and thoughtful about our farming, which to day the 
least of it will do us no harm. Are not the farmers of this Valley 
nobly struggling to educate their children in such a manner as to make 
them good, useful and successful in business, and to accumulate a suf- 
ficient amount of means to start them in life f Then why neglect to 
build up and keep in operation these schools at which these grown-up 
children in the least possible time, and at the most trifling expense, 
can learn, to them the very most important and useful knowledge? the 
knowledge of all the best, most useful, and profitable animals, ma- 
chinery and utensils, used in their profession. Nothing will prove 
more expensive to the young farmer than the lack of knowledge of the 
best and most profitable farm animals, and nothing more annoying than 
the want of proper knowledge in selecting his farm machinery and uten- 
sils. Then give him the place and opportunity to acquire this knowl- 
edge before his little capital is invested in inferior animals and worth- 
less machinery* and save him a vast deal of loss, sorrow and annoyance. 
Ah, how much easier and better we aged farmers could have succeeded 
had we begun life with the knowledge and experience we have at the 
close. Then let us give to our brave young men, the light of our little 
knowledge and experience to enable them to avoid the errors, loss and 
annoyance we have endured. Let us do all we can to render these 
young, bright, hopeful hearts, the best service we can, and to put into 
their minds whatever of knowledge we possess, to enable them to avoid 
the snares and pitfalls that have caused us so much sorrow. Let us do 
all that is in our power to smooth the path of life for the noble, brave 
boys and charming girls of the Valley. We have traveled this path 
almost to its end, and we can do much to smooth it up for those dear 
ones so soon to take our places, if we teach them the little we know 
and so guide them by the, light of our experience as to enable them 
to begin where we leave off. But, my brother farmers, to accomplish 
this great good for the boys and girls we love so well, there must be 
more than two Rockingham names found on the rolls of the Agricul- 
tural Society of the Valley, and more than one name shown to take 
an interest in the advancement. 

George Chrisman. 
Warren Farm, Feb., 1883. 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 191 

EXTENSIVE FARMING-EXPERIMENT WITH TOBACCO IN VIRGINIA. 

Pittsburgh, February 15, 1883. 

Editor Farmville Journal, — Whatever diversity may exist as to the 
means to be employed, all farmers in the South, and especially in Vir- 
ginia, recognize and admit the necessity of using some means to im- 
prove the general agricultural condition of the country. Having been 
convinced myself that the remedy lay in a resort, not to fancy — but 
intensive or "high" farming, I undertook last spring to determine 
by experiment with tobacco whether that system would be as profitable 
in Virginia as elsewhere. 

Many of your readers knew of my undertaking this experiment, and 
I will here say were unanimously of opinion that it would be a failure. 
The advice and prognostications I received were by no means encour- 
aging, but I reflected that these friends of mine were educated in a 
school opposed not only to high farming, but, in a great measure, even 
to progress and enterprise. Moreover, I had letters from a number of 
Yankee farmers — growers of seed leaf tobacco in the Connecticut 
Valley — who assured me that they found tobacco growing profitable 
in proportion as they fertilized heartily. Encouraged by their uniform 
and brilliant success, I felt willing to take some risk in an experiment 
which I believed to involve some important issues. Accordingly, I 
purchased a lot of the Mapes' special tobacco fertilizer, which cost 
sixty dollars per ton in Farmville. This was applied at the rate of 
1,400 pounds per acre — one-half before planting and the rest at the 
first working. 

Most of your readers will remember that the immediate vicinity of 
Farmville suffered during the early part of last season from a long and 
severe drouth — so severe that it was impossible to get a good stand of 
tobacco, and in fact, at one time, it threatened destruction to the entire 
crop of tobacco and corn. Well, my tobacco suffered in one way as 
much as anybody else's, viz.> it was impossible to get a stand — but in 
another way it did not suffer nearly so much as that of others, L e., 
while other crops turned yellow, I am told that mine continued green 
and healthy looking. 

I here remark, by the way, that this was a direct refutation of one- 
of the strongest arguments offered against heavy fertilizing; that in 
case of drouth it would burn the crop up. I account for it simply by 
ttie fact that I used a complete, tobacco fertilizer — one made to con- 
tain all the elements and in the proper proportion found in the tobacco, 
plant, and hence there could be no reason why tobacco so manured! 
15 



192 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 

would suffer any more than any other. Had I used only Peruvian 
guano, or any other highly stimulating but incomplete manure, the re- 
sult might have been different. 

Well, as I said before, the dry weather absolutely prevented a good 
stand from being had, and, in addition to this, made many of the 
plants so late that on this account alone the crop was short one-third 
of what it would have been otherwise. Moreover, this tobacco being 
isolated from the main crop suffered very greatly from worms. How- 
ever, I am informed by my brother that the crop on being stripped was 
found to yield 1,200 pounds to the acre, and that the best of it was of 
the best quality, up to the date of its sale, offered in the Farmville 
market. 

On the whole, therefore, I congratulate myself, and I think my 
farmer friends will admit that my experiment was a success. The 
acreage planted was too small to admit any large returns, but. so far as 
it went, it indicates that the solution of the problem of tobacco culture 
in Virginia will be found in this : Plant less land, put on more ma- 
nure, cultivate better and cure and handle the crop more carefully. 

I am sorry I cannot give exact figures with reference to everything 
connected with this experiment, but will say this : The cost per acre 
<of fertilizer was forty-two dollars ; the proceeds of the crop per acre 
was ninety-five dollars, leaving fifty-three dollars to cover the cost of 
labor and the profit. Had we gotten a good stand of plants, and had 
not a large portion of the best tobacco been scalded by the sun, when 
cut, I think the proceeds would have been, at che least, one hundred 
and twenty-five dollars per acre, leaving a margin for labor and profit 
of eighty-three dollars per acre. — Verb. sap. 

Yours, &c, Geo. B. Morton. 



JAPAN CLOVER, 



[From Maine Farmer.] 

Mr. Editor, — I have recently read an article in the Farmer, written 
by Mr. S. W. Thomas, about the Japan clover in this section of N. C. 
I can heartily endorse what he says about it, and also give some addi- 
tional information. It has several qualities in common with clover. 
It is a trifoliate, and has a deeply penetrating root, and prefers a clay 
soil, growing and thriving like several others of the six additional les- 
pedezas found in this State, on the naked red banks and bottoms of 
gullies (hence it aids in arresting gully formation), and also it brings its 
supplies from the depths to improve the soil ; like clover, it is a good 



1883] .SOUTHERN PLANTER. 193 

grazing plant for all sorts of farm stock, and they seek it. Like clover 
it has a notable fattening quality, and it resembles clover in its chemi- 
cal composition. The following is its analysis : 

Japan Clover. — Nitrogenous, 16.6; fat, 4.1; ash, 5.92; lime, .99; 
magnesia, .56; potash, .88 ; soda, .51 ; phos. acid, .39; sul. acid, .20. 

Clover. — Nitrogenous, 12.3 ; fat, 3.0; ash, 5.65 ; lime, 1.92; magne- 
sia, .69; potash, 1.95; soda, .09; phos. acid, .56; sul. acid, .17* 

From the above, its fattening capacity is evident ; it surpasses that 
of clover. Its utility as an improver of the soil in comparison with 
clover is also explained by the analysis, its ash contributing to that end 
half as much potash, two-thirds of the phosphoric acid, and more sul- 
phuric acid. A notable advantage is that it thrives in an exhausted 
soil where clover will not catch at all. It requires for its perfection 
less of the more exhaustible soil constituents — those withdrawn in the 
cultivation of the common crops, and seems capable even of substituting 
soda for potash, for its own use, while it restores the latter out of the 
sub-soil. Another valuable quality is that it stands well our midsum- 
mer droughts, and grows luxuriantly on the summit of the Blue Ridge, 
at a height of 4,000 feet. It flourishes and blooms through the heats 
of August, and on till frost, furnishing pasturage after most other nat- 
ural forage and volunteer herbage has perished. And it is no small 
recommendation that it supplants and eradicates that worthless, un- 
sightly and disreputable plague of a plant, the symbol and the scourge 
of a declining agriculture, broomsedge, audropagan scoparius. This 
plant is destined to be ultimately introduced in all sections of this coun- 
try, yet its introduction will be slow on account of the difficulty of 
propagation, due to its habit of fruiting; the seeds, instead of being 
agglomerated in heads, as in the clovers proper, are scattered singly 
along the stem, maturing and dropping in succession throughout the 
season. Consequently the clover seed are obtainable only in moderate 
quantities. When once it is introduced into a section of country, it 
soon spreads for miles around, being carried by stock and washed by 
the rains. It never runs out. 

Franklinton, N. C. ' J. W. Walker. 



George May Powell makes the very good suggestion that sprouting 
acorns or nuts from the forest may be planted with no more trouble 
than the setting out of cabbage plants, and the training of the young 
to look after the growth of these u forest babies" would be one of the 
best means of inducing the incoming generation to take an interest in 
forestry. 



194 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [Ap" 1 

HOUSEHOLD RECIPES. 



BY A VIRGINIA LADY. 



Quick Waffles. — One cup rice (which must be boiled, and when 
done get thoroughly cold before using) three fourths pound flour, one 
heaping teaspoonful cream tartar, sifted with the flour; half teaspoon- 
ful soda, stirred in a pint and a-half of milk; two 'eggs beaten light; 
have your waffle irons hot and greased to prevent sticking. 

Light Cakes. — One quart flour, mixed at night with two kitchen 
spoonfuls of yeast, a piece of lard half the size of an egg, one well- 
beaten egg; thin with milk; set to rise. In the morning stir it up, 
drop from a spoon on a hot hoe, and bake quickly ; tear them open 
and butter. 

Jelly. — One box Cox's gelatine soaked in cold water, one pint, till 
nearly dissolved; the thin, yellow rind of two large lemons, and juice of 
three; one and one-half pounds white sugar. To this add one and one- 
half quarts boiling water ; set it on the fire till it comes to a boil, when 
add one pint good wine and strain. 

Blanc Mange. — To one quart cream add one pound sugar, half a 
pound of almond blanched and beaten fine; dissolve one box of gela- 
tine in a pint of milk, strain through a muslin bag into the cream boil- 
ing hot, stirring the blancmange hard all the time; having first wet 
your moulds with cold water, pour into them and set to cool. A tea- 
spoonful of vanilla, as a seasoning, or a little rose-water, improves it 
very much. 

Chocolate Mange. — One box gelatine dissolved in one pint milk ; 
pour this by degrees, while boiling hot, on five ounces grated choco- 
late, stirring it all the time; when cool, add four well-beaten eggs, 
pouring this into a kettle with one quart cream, in which has been dis- 
solved one pound sugar, let it boil till the chocolate is thoroughly 
melted and smooth, and the mixture has become much thickened ; 
pour into moulds, and eat with whipped cream. 

[We feel that we can give a guaranty to the foregoing recipes, for two reasons : 

1. They are furnished by one of the best housekeepers in the State. 

2. We have frequently sat at her table and partaken of her excellent food. 

Now, we wish to suggest and beg this lady-friend of ours that she will keep the Planter 
posted from time to time, if not each month, with her experience in domestic produc- 
tions and economy, and thus interest other ladies who read the Planter. We would sug- 
gest sausages — our favorite dish — and" lard- making, in their appropriate season, but in 
the meantime let us have something about butter, etc., etc. Home-made sausage, and 
bow to make it, will be almost as good to us as a breakfast on it, as the poor beef sausage 
we get in town is a discredit to all butchers, and wholly without relish, and worthless as 
to the money paid for it. 

The husband of this lady ranks amongst the best farmers of the State, and we have 
often appealed to him to make the Planter the medium for communicating to his brother 
farmers some of his practical ideas. As yet he has not heeded our request. Is it from 
natural, or even commendable modesty? We think not, for he ought to know that edi- 
tors have a way of covering the tracks of their correspondents. Is it from an indiffer- 
ence to the great subject of agricultural improvement, except within the bounds of his 
own fields? We know not. Then why?— Ed. S. P.] 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 195 



DIVERSIFIED RURAL INDUSTRIES, 



Charlottesville, Va., February 19, 1883. 
Messrs. McDonald $• Lee : 

In diversifying our industries we are simply laying the foundation 
for a prosperity that will be lasting. The old Commonwealth is be- 
coming noted for something else besides being the greatest tobacco- 
producing State, and she can well afford to surrender to her rivals the 
laurels in that line and be content with brighter ones won in other 
fields. 

As manufactures are extended and our iron and coal mines devel- 
oped, and our wines and fruits are supplied to the markets of the 
world, and our choice timber is utilized, — this will become more and 
more manifest, until we reach a prosperity little dreamed of under the 
old regime. The trite apothegm, "He who who makes two blades of 
grass grow where one grew before," might well be paraphrased in fa- 
vor of one who developes a nesv and paying industry, if it be one which 
benefits his fellow men 

As we are here in Virginia confessedly unable to compete at present 
with the virgin soils of the West in the cultivation of grain for other 
than home consumption, and are also being crowded pretty closely by 
the competition of western farmers in some other productions, it be- 
hooves us to see if we have not compensating advantages in other di- 
rections. The writer has long believed that we have; and that we 
only need to arouse ourselves to reap the benefits. 

Hop-growing for instance, is just now one the most remunerative 
of agricultural pursuits. I grant that this is exceptional by reason of 
the failure of European crops; yet there are such great advantages in 
favor of this particular pursuit in Virginia, that I fancy they need only 
be named to be appreciated. The writer can speak from personal ex- 
perience, for he has in a small way grown hops, and was only deterred 
from entering into it largely because of his large interest in another 
special and new industry — that of grape-growing and the general cul- 
tivation of fruits. These advantages will be briefly enumerated: First, 
the quality of our hops is unsurpassed ; second, laud well adapted to 
hop culture is cheap ; third, the expense of poles in very many locali- 
tiesis but a trifle compared with the cost in New York — upon many farms 
the labor of getting them being the limit ; fourth, labor to gather the 
crop would cost less than half, and that is the heaviest item anywhere 
after planting and poles are provided; the fifth and greatest of all the 
advantages lies in the earlier maturity of the crop, and the peculiar na- 



196 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 

ture of the production. r l he cured hop gradually diminishes in strength, 
so that at two years of age it is comparatively of little value. 

At one year of age it is worth much less than the fresh hop. The 
Virginia grower of this cash production c< ming into market two or 
three weeks earlier than his competitors, would get the market price, 
plus the increased value of fresh hops over yearlings. This alone is 
an advautage equal to 50 per cent., one year with another. 

Such a year as the present, with exceptional high prices, it might 
be vastly more than that. It is believed that Piedmont Virginia is ad- 
mirably adapted to hop-growing. Perhaps sections of the Valley are 
also. Some doubt is felt as to the Tidewater section. Its adaptability 
might be ascertained without large outlay in any section. 

But, Messrs. Editors, there are other avenues, attention to which 
should be called, and with your permission I will in a future article 
show that if we but reach out we may reap — in the field of honey pro- 
duction, for instance. There is more pure nectar lost every year in 
the forests and fields of Virginia than would twice supply all her peo- 
ple with the sweets they consume and which are now produced in dis- 
tant neias. 

And yet in another direction lies an attractive field awaiting atten- 
tion. The osier willows can unquestionably be produced in unlimited 
quantities and more cheaply than elsewhere. All along our water 
courses are lands considered untillable, or at least untilled, where 
the osier would grow and produce wonderfully. This demand is prac- 
tically unlimited. One tittle town in .New York produces one thous- 
and tons — and better still they are worked up at home and the manu- 
factured products sent to the western markets. Thirty dollars per ton 
were paid for the crop green as cut. A visitor from that town, lately 
here, estimated from seeing mine that ten tons per acre could be grown 
here. 

Large amounts of dry peeled willows are annually imported from 

Europe, and the price in New York city for peeled dry willows is about 

ten cents per pound. 

J. W. Porter. 



Irrigation has not been largely practised in this country, and where 
it has been it does not prove profitable except for a few special crops 
like strawberries, which bring a large sum from a small area. Labor 
fs too dear in this country for the adaptation of many of the methods 
successfully practiced in Europe, and irrigation is one of this clasp. 
Besides, in most sections, the annual rainfall is sufficient if due care is 
given to making a deep, mellow soil that will hold a heavy rainfall 
without washing the surface. 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 197 

A NEW PLAN FOR KEEPING ROADS. 



It is a well-known fact that the present system of keeping the 
county roads is both inadequate and expensive. That it is inadequate, 
every road almost in the Commonwealth bears indubitable testimony 
upon its every mile, and almost every rod. And that it is expensive, 
count the pay of all the overseers of the roads, and two days' work for 
every citizen over sixteen years of age, and see what the aggregate will 
be. A pretty snug sum, surely. 

The present system does not keep the roads in even tolerable order 
for winter travel. It is time, then, to try some other plan. Now, it 
seems to us that the keeping of the roads, like the carrying of the mail 
and many other things, should be put out to the lowest bidder under a 
fixed maximum rate, and that the contractor should be required to keep 
his road up to a certain standard of excellence, or forfeit his pay. The 
county boards of supervisors should have the oversight of the roads 
without additional pay. A small tax of say fifty cents to the head on 
the voting population would, it is presumed, be ample to pay the seve- 
ral contractors, and the roads would be in good condition, and travel 
easy and pleasant all the year through. 

By this plan, failure to keep the roads in order would result in direct 
pecuniary loss, every citizen would bear an equal share of the road tax 
without the annoyance of being dragged out to work the roads when 
he has something very important to clo at home, and there would be no 
shirking of a disagreeable duty, as is now frequently done with impu- 
nity. There is no doubt we would get better roads, for there would be 
a disposition to see who would . have the best stretch of road. — Index- 
Appeal. 

SIR J. B. LAWES' EXPERIMENTS. 



Editor Southern Planter \ — Dr. Lawes' permanent field is an experi- 
mental one. From a journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of 
England, 1868, I quote as follows as to a 14-acre field at Rothamstead, 
on which wheat has now been grown for forty years in succession : 
" The field being divided into plots — I think twenty in number — some 
of which are unmanured, one receiving farm-yard manure every year, 
and the rest receiving each a different description or amount of artifi- 
cial manure; the same description and amount of manure having been 
applied on the same plot each year, for now forty years. In all other 
respects the management is the same over all the plots each year, and 
as tar as possible the same year after year. The result is that the dif- 
ference in the quantity and quality of the produce from year to year is 
mainly due to the varying character of the seasons. Most of the plots 
are T %ths of an acre each." As to thin seeding, Mr. Mechi, of Tiptree 
Hall, Essex, England, states that he grew from one peck to the acre in 
1864, 58 bushels per acre and 2| tons straw, and in 1865, 58 bushels 
per acre, straw not weighed. C. ; 

[The foregoing communication is from an English gentleman who has recently settled 
in Virginia.— Ed. S. P.] 



198 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 

AMERICAN FRUIT FOR ENGLAND. 

Consul King, writing from Birmingham to the State Department' 
says : Large quantities of American produce continue to be sold here* 
and many American "notions" are to be found. One or two firms 
seem to do a good business in selling American stoves and ranges; and 
I think that the dealers in American meat find the prejudice against it 
has generally disappeared, now that, for a time, the supply has been 
uncertain. 

I have spoken before of American apples and have suggested more 
careful packing, but I venture to urge this again. These apples are 
generally admitted to be better than European apples, and the taste for 
them is general, yet several dealers here have told me that they must 
cease to deal in them, because they arrive in such a condition that it 
is necessary to put a price upon the few that remain sound which pur- 
chasers object to paying. 

I have frequently wondered if our grapes, by careful packing, might 
not compete with Spanish grapes in the English markets Enormous 
quantities of Spanish grapes are sold in this country. ' Very fair ones 
can be bought at retail at sixpence a pound. They come carefully 
packed in sawdust, but they are tasteless, and I feel sure that if Amer- 
ican grapes could be offered here in as good condition, the variety, 
and superiority, and individuality of their flavor would recommend 
them, even at a slightly higher price — Scientific American. 

[This is a lesson for American producers and dealers in fruits, which we hope they 
will profit by.— Ed. S. P.] 

ALBEMARLE FARMERS' CLUB MEETING. 

Wednesday last was the regular monthly meeting, and there was a 
pretty full attendance of the ablest farmers of the community. F. 
Hugh McCullough was on hand for the first time since his accident. 

The usual routine being through, unfinished business was called for, 
arid Mr. Clark read a petition proposed to be presented to the Legisla- 
ture at its next meeting, and kindly prepared by our representative, the 
Hon. John B. Moon, on the subject of " Texas Cattle Fever," which 
having been approved, was laid on the table for signatures. 

The next matter was the Autumn Show, and Mr. Clark read a letter 
to him from Ashton Starke, Esq., of Richmond, offering to give a plow 
to the best young gentleman plowman under the age of 23, which was 
accepted with thanks. Mr. Clark also stated that a ladies' prize would 
be given, Mrs. Hy. Gantt having promised her assistance, for the best 
show of flowers exhibited in the form of table decorations — that is, 
as they might be arranged on a dinner or supper table. 

Then followed a very interesting address by W. Gordon Merrick, 
Esq., on "Grasses," which the Southern Planter would do well to obtain, 
and which elicited quite a lively discussion among the members, and 
Messrs. Leech and Cocke briefly narrated their experience. A vote of 
thanks closed the proceedings. 

[We clip the above from the Scottsville Courier. We should be glad to have Mr. 
Merrick's essay on "Grasses," and anything else this Association of Albemarle farmers 
may send us. — Ed. S. P.] 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 199 



Editorial 



LAW AND FARMING, 



We were met on the street a few days ago by a friend of the legal 
profession, who rather twitted us on our occupation as an agricultural 
editor, and said : " Nothing was ever made at farming." We replied, 
that we were once a lawyer with fifteen years' experience and a good 
practice, and we quitted the law to become a farmer, and had never 
regretted the act; and further, that if we could take those fifteen years 
devoted to law from our present age, we would be now guiding or 
directing the plow-handles, and leave to another our editorial chair. 
But as it is, we think we can now better serve the business of agricul- 
ture by writing of, than the practice of it. 

It is to our mind very strange that this apothegm — "Nothing is 
made at farming" — has taken so strong a hold on the minds of men 
engaged in the professions of law, medicine and divinity; and, indeed, 
of the merchants, tradesmen and manufacturers of the country. As 
to the men of the professions, they may hold themselves above the 
occupation of a farmer from a feeling of superior education and social 
position; and yet they are wrong in this: there is no higher education 
required, or social distinction more worthy, than that of an educated 
farmer. They judge by the masses, or to say a majority of farmers, 
who, it must be admitted, do not strive to elevate their calling by a 
proper education of their children or themselves, and, by consequence, 
social qualifications. As to merchants and tradesmen, they ignore the 
life and business of the farm, because their dispositions lead them to 
seek occupations which they regard as less laborious, and which will 
bring them money each day, whilst at the end of .the year they may 
be far behind a good farmer in substantial comforts and real profits. 

If " nothing is made by farming," the whole of the farmers, or about 
two-thirds of the people, would be bankrupt. It cannot be said that 
the farmers work and delve and produce large results towards the gen- 
eral wealth of the country, and that the products of their labor are 
wholly lost to them ; and yet, such a declaration is involved in the 
apothegm quoted. Such a proposition is really preposterous ; for if 
true, it would lead to the speedy bankruptcy of every nation on the 
globe, as well as the starvation of the whole of mankind. The truth 
is, that agriculture sustains and supports every other occupation, and 
the wealth of every nation is greatest in proportion to its agricultural 



200 SOUTHERN" PLANTER.- [April 



production. The people must live by food. This is an inexorable law 
of nature ; and this food must come from the tillage of the earth, which 
brings forth grains for bread and fruits for eating, with the incidental 
rearing of animals whose flesh is also food. Balance the account as 
you may, and these products of the farmer's labor must control and 
underlie all others. Then why depreciate an occupation on which so 
much depends? Educate it and elevate it to all that it deserves, and 
it cannot be regarded as a menial or even unprofitable profession. 

The true principle which should influence every liberal minded citi- 
zen outside of a farm, and his duty as well, is, that he should encour- 
age the farming pursuit in every possible way. Its profits may be, and 
are, small, in comparison with high-feed lawyers, and doctors, and high- 
salaried divines, the stock speculators, large and monopolied manu- 
facturers; but still, they are the drops which make up an ocean of 
wealth to the nations of the earth. 

There are some prominent reasons, and a number of less conse- 
quence, why the profits of farming are apparently, and in most cases 
really, small. The most important of these reasons are embodied in 
the words — imperfect cultivation, imperfect manuring, and imperfect rota- 
tion. These branches of culture in their perfect, or improved condi- 
tion, bring to the farmer full, or increasing, profits. It is not within 
the scope of this article to discuss those subjects, and they are men- 
tioned only for the purpose of awakening an interest in their consider- 
ation by farmers individually, and by farmers' clubs. 

Another of these reasons is, individuality and the need of co opera- 
tion, as in other occupations arid professions. The formation of neigh- 
borhood associations for the discussion of crops, the best methods of 
culture, the value and best methods for disposing of products, arrange- 
ments for correspondence with similar associations, and just and judi- 
cious legislation in respect to agriculture, are all means by which farm- 
ers may be consolidated in interest, protected in their rights, enabled 
to learn one from another, and thus secure the legitimate profits of 
their labor and investments. 



The German carp is undoubtedly the best fish for farmers. Its ad- 
vantages are that it grows rapidly, is an easy keeper, and will live in 
ponds so warm in summer that other fish will die. In winter it bur- 
rows in the mud, neithor making nor losing growth. A pond of four 
square rods will supply a family with fish. The female spawns in May 
and June, and one has been known to lay half a million of eggs. 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 201 



INCUBATORS AGAIN. 



The subject of artificial incubation is somewhat new to many readers 
of the Planter. It being an admitted fact that fowls can be hatched in 
this way, and in much larger numbers than by the natural process from 
a given number of laying hens, many questions are presented to the 
minds of inexperienced people; such as the construction and cost of an 
incubator, its management, the care of the chicks, etc. Having received 
a number of enquiries on all, and several of these questions, and having 
no practical or reliable information of our own, we have endeavored, in 
the interest of our enquiring readers, to procure it from others. 

We vvere favored in the early part of the year with a copy of a book, 
sent us by its author, C. E. Thorn, associate editor of the Farm and 
Fireside, published at Springfield, Ohio, which is entitled the Complete 
Poultry Book, and we made a brief notice of the same in our issue for 
January. Not knrwing of any better authority, we addressed a letter 
to Mr. Thorn asking his experience in respect to incubators, and have 
his reply, from which the following extracts are given : " I would re- 
peat the doubts expressed on page 43 of my Poultry Booh, that any of 
the patented incubators are materially better than a home made one, 
kept in a warm room or cellar. I quote the following from a practical 
poulterer who gives his chief attention to poultry raising, being a 
breeder of Plymouth Rocks : ' The Eureka Incubator, manufactured and 
sold by J. L. Campbell, West Elizabeth, Pa., will give as good satis- 
faction as any I ever saw; but there is not one man in a thousand who 
can get good results out of any of them. They are very complicated, 
necessarily so, and it requires a genius to run one successfully.' " 

The author, Mr. Thorne, in his book, gives his views of the general 
principles of artificial incubation as follows : 

"The Chinese and Egytians have, for thousands of years, had the 
secret of hatching eggs without the intervention of the hen. Indeed, 
it would seem almost a matter of course that the inhabitants of tropical 
countries should early have learned this art, from watching the method 
by which the eggs of turtles, alligators, etc., are incubated, being sim- 
ply buried in the warm sand of the river's bank. As early as 1750 the 
French scientist, De Reaumur, perfected a process of artificial incubation, 
which, though successful, was not practicable for ordinary purposes. 
During the past twenty years, however, the attention of poulterers has 
been freshly drawn to this question, and now the number of appliances 
for artificial incubation bids fair to equal the patent bee-hives. 

"The essentials of a successful incubator are three: an equable heat 
of about 105 degrees; sufficient moisture in the atmosphere to prevent 
an undue evaporation from the egg ; and ventilation. " * * * * 



202 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 

"It has been found that the mercury may rise to 110 degrees without 
injury to the eggs, provided it does not remain at that point more than 
a very few minutes, or it may sink as low as 50 degrees, for a corre- 
spondingly short time; but should it remain below 100, or above 106 
for many hours, all the labor expended upon the lot of eggs which the 
incubator may then contain will have been thrown away, while, as will 
be seen, it requires a very delicate instrument to quickly appreciate the 
difference between these degrees of heat. * * * * 

" The practical difficulty about these machines is the extreme deli- 
cacy of their construction, rendering them liable to get out of order in 
inexperienced hands, and thus to cause a great loss of eggs. Of course 
the manufacturers of each machine claim that theirs is absolutely per- 
fect, and that these objections pertain to all the others; but the testi- 
mony of disinterested parties who have given a large number of the 
best machines a thorough trial, is that not one of them is always relia- 
ble, and that all are sure to give trouble to beginners in their manage- 
ment, although one who has had experience in handling them may 
hatch a larger proportion of eggs than is usually done by the ave- 
rage hen. ******* 

He then gives a description of what may be termed a homemade 
incubator, except the galvanized iron tank which must be procured 
from a tinner, or worker in galvanized iron ; and this is supposed to do 
as good work as the more costly and patented machines. As we have 
not the illustrations given in the book, we have made some verbal 
changes which refer to them. He says : 

" Have a pine case made somewhat like a common chest, say three 
feet square. About a foot from the floor of this case, place brackets, 
and on a level with these screw a strong cleat across the back of the 
case inside. These are to support the tank. The tank should be made 
of galvanized iron, three inches deep and otherwise proportioned to fit 
exactly within the case and rest upon the brackets and cleat. The tank 
should have a top or cover soldered on when it is made. At the top of 
this tank in the centre should be a hole an inch in diameter with a rim 
two inches high, and a,t the bottom, towards one end, a faucet for draw- 
ing off the water. When the tank is set in the case, fill up all the 
chinks and cracks between the edges of the tank and the case with 
plaster of Paris to keep all fumes of the lamp from the eggs. Fill the 
tank at least two inches deep with boiling wa+er. To find when the 
right depth is acquired, gauge the water with a small stick. Over the 
top of the tank spread fine gravel a quarter of an inch thick ; over this 
lay a coarse cotton cloth. Place the eggs on the cloth, and set a kero- 
sene safety-lamp under the centre of the tank. The door of the lamp- 
closet must have four holes for ventilation, otherwise the lamp will not 
burn. The lamp-closet is the space within the incubator under the 
tank. Turn the eggs carefully every morning and evening, and after 
turning sprinkle them with quite warm water. Two thermometers 
should be kept in the incubator, one half-way between the centre and 



1883.1 SOUTHERN PLANTER. 203 



each end ; the average heat should be one hundred and five degrees. 
If the eggs do not warm up well, lay a piece of coarse carpet over them. 
If they are too warm, take out the lamp and open the cover for a few 
minutes, but do not let the eggs get chilled. If they should happen to 
get down to ninety-eight or up to one hundred and eight degrees, you 
need not think the eggs are spoiled. They will stand such a variation 
once in a while ; but, of course, a uniform temperature of one hundred 
and five degrees will secure more chickens, and they will be stronger 
and more lively. In just such an incubator as this one I have described, 
1 hatched over two hundred chickens two years ago " 

" Several forms of artificial mothers, however, have been invented^ — 
and most of them, of course, patented — of which the inventors claim 
that they far surpass the natural mothers, in that they do not drag their 
chicks through the dew, nor trample them to death, nor cover them 
with vermin ; all of which, no doubt, are positive advantages, but in 
practice these advantages have been offset by the lack of the instinctive 
care of the mother hen. The artificial mother may frequently be used 
to advantage, however, in supplementing that care. 

" The essential points of the artificial mother are a sheep-skin tanned 
with the wool on, or a piece of buffalo rooe or similar material, fixed 
with the wool side down upon a frame which will hold it just high 
enough for the chicks to creep under, and which may be raised to suit 
their growth ; and a system of pipes, or a water-tank similar to that 
used in the incubator, placed over the sheep-skin, and warmed as in 
the incubator. The ; mother ' should also be placed in a room warmed 
with a stove, for the more easy regulation of the heat. 

"While the incubator and artificial mother are certainly not what is 
claimed for them by some of the more sanguine of their advocates — 
especially those who have a pecuniary interest in selling them—there 
can still be no doubt that they may be made of great service in the 
poultry yard, in the hands of persons who have the time and natural 
adaptitude necessary to give that close and judicious attention to the 
details of their management which is absolutely necessary to success." 

Since the foregoing was written, we have had the opportunity for 
conversing with a gentleman, living near Richmond, who has had some 
experience with incubators. He says, " there is no difficulty in the 
hatching, but the greatest trouble, in the winter months, is to supply 
the artificial mothers. 19 These, of course, protect the chicks from undue 
cold and consequent death, and thus become the most important factor 
in artificial incubation. Chicks, if hatched in November, December, 
January and February, and properly reared, will come early upon the 
spring market and command a good price and a good profit. In our 
climate there are but few weeks, or even days, when, in the months 
named, the artificial motherhood could not be conveniently provided. A 
room of sufficient size, properly lighted by the rays of the sun, and at 
night and in cloudy and cold weather heated by a stove, and supplied 



204 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 

by the mothers described in the last paragraph we have quoted from the 
Complete Poultry Book, or others any ingenious lady could devise, would 
seem to be sufficient to secure success; but we think in our climate the 
pipes mentioned will not be needed. 

Now that the subject is fairly under discussion, we hope that some 
of our enterprising lady readers will make experiments, which cannot 
cost them much if they should meet with failure, but if with success, 
they will be largely compensated. 

The summer hatching by the same process would, it is reasonably 
supposed, be attended by much less trouble, and result in a large in- 
crease in the number of fowls hatched and reared, as the hens may be 
kept laying and the incubator kept hatching, with but little need for the 
artificial mother. 

The New York World of 28th February gives the following : 

"Mr. Henry Stewart, who has had several years' experience with 
incubators, considers it an easier matter to hatch the chickens than to 
rear them afterwards. He believes many failures from patent incuba- 
tors arise from unnecessary attentions, such as turning the eggs every 
day and frequently moistening them. While he does not state that 
turning and moistening eggs results in any harm, he does say that the 
less they are handled when once in the incubator the better will be the 
results. He discourages attempts in this direction without the proper 
accommodations and appliances for keeping the young chicks in a de- 
sirable temperature with means for ventilation, &c. He advises as food 
for the first few days coarse oatmeal steeped in warm water or milk, 
this to be followed later on with coarse corn meal and bread crumbs." 

We take, also, from the Pacific Rural Press, San Francisco, of the 
3d March, the following : 

^Uditors Press, — As a friend of J. M. Halstead, who has watched 
with great interest from the first his experiments with his incubator, 
permit me to say a word in reply to Mr. T. J. Long's letter of Febru- 
ary 17th : In the hands of Mr. Halstead, and also in the hands of any 
one with patience and experience, his incubator as now constructed is 
an undoubted success. Miss Jennie Gates, of East Oakland, recently 
hatched 94 chicks from 120 eggs — her first attempt. C. P. Higgins, 
514 Fifteenth street, East Oakland, has had the incubator for six or 
seven months. His wife told me this morning that they had been suc- 
cessful in every way. I asked for the results of one hatch; she said 
they had hatched 97 out of 110, raised the chicks and made money sel- 
ling them at market rates. J. Sims, of Iron House Ranch, Antioch, 
has had two machines for months, and has made them pay him well. 
I have strong, healthy chickens of all ages in my yard, hatched by Mr. 
Halstead and Mr. Sims, and they are both cleaner and more healthy 
than those raised by hens, and I have had a much smaller percentage 
of deaths than I had with hens. Mr. H. suggested a little alteration in 



1883.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 205 

the incubator to Mr. Long, but he refused to make it. — E. Woolfenden, 
East Oakland, Cal" 

The Halstead incubator referred to, may be beyond the reach of those 
who are as far as we are from the Pacific coast, but it serves to illustrate 
that the principle of artificial incubation is not only practicable, but 
profitable when careful, or pains-taking people, supervise and control 
the operation. 



PIEDMONT AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The eleventh annual meeting of the stockholders of this society was 
held at the office of the secretary, iu this town, on Saturday ltst, the 
2nd inst. There was quite a full representation of stock present, either 
in person or by proxy. The most important business transacted was 
the election of officers and action in regard to the next annual exhibi- 
tion. 

Maj. Daniel A. Grimsley was unanimously re-elected president of 
the society, and Mr. A. R. Alcocke, by a like vote, was re-elected sec- 
retary. A committee of three was appointed with directions and 
power to name the Executive Committee tor the ensuing year. 

As to the date of the fair, the prevailing opinion seems to be that 
it will be decided to have it somewhat earlier than usual, probably a 
month earlier, so as to bring it about the middle of September, instead 
of the middle of October as heretofore. For many reasons, this ap- 
pears to be an excellent idea. The first, and one of the most impor- 
tant, of these is that in September the chances of bad weather are 
considerably less than in October. The weather gave our last fair a 
severe set-back, but for which, it was conceded, the attendance would 
have been larger than ever before. Another reason is that this time 
is more favorable for a good display of farm and garden products, a 
majority of which have no chance in October. It is probably true 
that the agriculturists have more work on hand in September than 
in October, but this consideration is overbalanced by the others. 

We clip the above from the Qulpeper Exponent, and take the occa- 
sion to say that we have long been of the opinion that the agri- 
cultural Fairs of our State should be held a month, or more, sooner 
than they are. The State Fair should be held in the second week of 
September, and the District Fair should precede and succeed it by 
weeks, so as to bring them all within the period embraced between 
the 10th of August and 20th September. 

We may briefly mention some of the reasons for this opinion : First: 
There will be better exhibitions of the products of the State. The ag- 
ricultural, horticultural, and floral products, which should be an inter- 



206 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [April 

esting feature, cannot be made so in the latter part of October. The 
Fairs are, therefore, ridiculously meager in products of this kind, 
and must rely on live stock, speed trials, side-shows &c. to interest the 
visitors. As to live-stock, speed trials, agricultural implements, house- 
hold products, ladies fancy work, &c, it can make but little difference 
as to time. Nothing would more enliven our Fairs than a full exhibition 
of the products of the farm, garden, orchard, vineyard, and the beau- 
tiful flowers which ^are in season in the early fall. Some may 
say that September would be too early for cattle, but how is it then 
that all the great cattle-producing States, north and west, hold their 
Fairs in August and September? 

Second: As to the State Fair we may say that the second week in 
September is the time when the merchants from the South, in many 
cases with members of their families, are moving northward to pur- 
chase their goods, and such an interesting event as a State Fair would 
arrest their attentiou and stop them for a few days in our capital city, 
and lead in many cases to new business relations. 

Third : Between the 1st* August and 20th September there is a let- 
up in farming work. The wheat has been cut, threshed, and generally 
sold, corn is laid-by and left to stand for gathering time in the late 
fall-months, and the hay has been secured and housed. There are, 
then, but two operations which would demand the farmer's time and 
interfere with a day-or-two's visit to an Agricultural Fair. In the grain 
districts fallowing for wheat must go on, and in the tobacco section 
some plants have to be cut, the worms and suckers have to be looked 
after; and some other occupations which we do not now take time to 
think of; but we put it squarely to those farmers who may feel them- 
selves hampered by fallowing and tobacco-work to say whether they can 
not so arrange as to spare a day or two to attend an Agricultural Fair. 

Before the question as to the time of holding the State Fair for the 
present year is definitely settled, we appeal to President Wickbam 
and the Executive Committee to re-consider their action with the com- 
mittees of the city organizations. The latter, we think, for reasons 
briefly given, were right in their efforts to secure the holding of the 
State Fair in September. 



Zeal without humility is like a ship without a rudder, liable to be 
stranded at any moment. 

Cheerfulness is also an excellent wearing quality. It has been 
called the bright weather of the heart. 



1888.] 



SOUTHERN PLANTER, 



207 



The Southern Planter. 



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EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Subscriptions in arrear — As there are 
a large number of our subscribers who are 
still behind in their payments, we will call 
their attention to the fact in this general 
way, and express the hope that they will 
remit the amount of their dues- 
Bills will be sent with the May number 
of the Planter to all who may then be ow- 



To our readers in North and South Car- 
olina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, 
Jjouisiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky, in 
each of which States the Planter has a 
good circulation, we appeal for communi- 
cations on subjects of interest to the agri- 
culture of their respective sections. In 
mentioning these States we do not mean 
to ignore others, for we have readers 
throughout the Union, and hope all will 
help to make the Planter acceptable where- 
ever it may go. 

We have seen some of our articles cop- 
ied as far as Oregon and California, and 
do not wish to see the sphere of usefulness 
of our journal circumscribed. 

16 



Complimentary. — It is not our habit to 
parade before the public what kind friends 
in their correspondence, or the Press in 
its notices, may say of us. We may be 
excused, in this instance, when we say 
that the following reference to the Planter 
came in a private letter to a friend who 
has kindly furnished it; and we take oc- 
casion to thank the author for his interest 
in our work. 

11 The Southern Planter, American Agri- 
culturist, and Home and Farm come regu- 
larly. Brains in all of them — more in the 
Planter than ever before. ' My salutations 
and cordial thanks to Col. Knight. The 
paper is worth fifty times its cost. The 
Jan. No is worth $o to any farmer who 
will read, think and practice. One article 
in it I would not take $50 for, viz., "Exper- 
iments Conducted by Prof. Page, of the 
university." In fact, the Planter, if taken 
and read by the farmers of Virginia, its 
value to them would be beyond computa- 
tion. All, or nearly all, its well written 
papers are exactly adapted to the present 
wants of the Virginia farmer. The Col. 
is working up tne paper so well, I will try 
and get him a lot of subscribers at our 
next Grange meeting on 1st Saturday in 
April." 

Agricultural and Domestic Implements 
and Machines, Fruit Trees. Grape 
Roots, Flower Seeds and Plants,. 
Small Fruits, such as Strawbrkrses, 
&c. 

We have on our advertising accounts a 
number of the articles enumerated, which 
we desire to close out at reduced prices to 
our subscribers whilst we pay full rates to 
the advertisers. These contracts for ad- 
vertisements payable in commodities were 
made by our predecessors, and hence our 
desire to close them up. Orders sent to us 
will be filled directly from the factories or 
nurseries. 



Mother Swan's Worm Syrup. — Infalli- 
ble, tasteless, harmless, cathartic; for fe- 
verishness, restlessness, worms, constipa- 
tion. 25c. 



Ladies will Find Relief — from their,- 
headache, costiveness, swimming in the 
head, colic, sour stomach, restlessness, etc,-, 
by taking Simmons Liver Regulator. It, 
is mild, safe and pleasant. 



208 



SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[April 



The Virginia. Historical Society — 
The "Dinwiddie Papers." — The Virginia 
Historical Society, in the due execution of 
its mission, desires to announce the early 
publication of The Records of the admin- 
istration of Robert Dinwiddie, Lt. Gover- 
nor of Virginia 1752-1757, a volume of 
which, to make 600 octavo pages, is being 
printed. It will be illustrated with steel 
portraits and wood cuts, and bound in 
cloth. 

The fullest elucidation of the text has 
been diligently essayed in definite foot 
notes on the material and social condition 
of the colony at the period, and much 
never before in print, is given. A special 
feature is the biographical notices of Eng- 
lish and American officials and of the in- 
dividual actors mentioned in the Records, 
including the family names of Allen, Ash- 
by, Ashe (N. C), Baylor, Byrd, Blair, 
Buchanan, Bullitt, Belcher (Mass. and 
N. J.), Bronaugh, Corbin, Chew, Carlyle, 
Cresap, Crogan, Calvert, Carter, Callaway, 
Dick, Dobbs (N. C), DeLancey, Eyre, 
Fleming, Fry, Fairfax, Fitzhugh, Fontaine, 
Grymes, Gooch, Glen, Gist, Harrisson, 
Hogg, Hamilton (N. J., Md., Pa., and 
S. C.), Hunter, Hanbury, Innes, Jefferson, 
Johnson, Lewis (E. and VV. Va.), Ludwell, 
Morris, McCarthy, Maury, Marye, Martin, 
Muse, Mercer, Mason, Norris, Ogle, Pat- 
ton, Pepperell, Peters, Preston, Read, 
Rowan, Randolph, Ramsay, Robiuson, 
Robertson, Rose, Sharpe, Shirley, Starke, 
Spotswood, Stith, Stephen, Trent, Tasker, 
Tucker, Talbot, Waggener, Wraxall, 
Wright, and numerous others in whose 
honorable record many living representa- 
tives will be deeply interested. 

Upon the completion of ' Dinwiddie 
Papers" the concluding volume of the 
"Spottswood Letters" will be printed in 
uniform style. The edition of 1,000 cop- 
ies is distributed only by exchange among 
learned bodies and to the members of the 
Society. None of the Society's publica- 
tions are sold. The annual dues of the So- 
ciety are $5; no entrance fee; Life-mem- 
bership $50. 

Correspondence is solicited with those 
interested in the objects and welfare of the 
Society, as well as the names of others 
who may be addressed in such behalf. 

R. A. BROCK, 

Cor. Sec. Va. His. So'y 

Richmond, Va., March 10, 1883. 

We invite attention to the above circu- 
lar of Secretary Brock, and hope his re- 
quest as to correspondence will be complied 
with. [Ed. S. P. 



Swindling Advertisers. — In our last 
issue there was a letter from Bumpass P. 
O., calling attention to the fact of the wri- 
ter having been swindled by one T. M. 
Smith, of Fresh Pond, N. Y. in the sale 
of pure-bred eggs. We have since receiv- 
ed a note signed by three respectable citi- 
zens of Hanover County who have been 
cheated in the same way by the same per- 
son. As these parties purehased the eggs 
by reason of having seen Smith's adver- 
tisement in the Planter iu the spring of 
last year, we feel called on to report the 
facts, so that others may be warned. 



J. W. Cardwell & Co. — Their adver- 
tisement in this issue of the Planter will 
indicate the line of their principal work. 
This firm dates back more than a third of 
a century, the senior partner being a con- 
tinuous member. We have had many 
dealings with it, and know that it is relia- 
ble in every respect. For many years its 
threshers and separators have been of ac- 
knowledged worth. The Little Giant Hy- 
draulic Cotton Press is, we think, of great 
value to cotton planters. Their Cotton Seed 
present announcement, but we can take 
Oil Mills we had not heard of until their 
them on full faith. No farmer will be dis- 
appointed who mav purchase the machines 
made by this firm. 



Tuckaho.e Farmer's Club. — We have 
had several invitations to attend the meet- 
ings of this club, but our engagements 
have prevented. Our heart and feelings 
are with them in their good work in the 
cause of agriculture. Our only complaint 
is, that they have not more frequently 
made the Planter a medium for commu- 
nicating to other farmers of the State what 
their work is; and thus, as one of their 
members, Mr. Watt, frequently says, 
'"make themselves useful as well as orna- 
mental." 



For Thick Heads. — Heavy stomachs, 
bilious conditions, — Wells' May Apple 
Pills — anti-bilious, cathartic. 10 and 25c. 



Unnecessary Misery — by billious and 
and dyspeptic sufferers who neglect to take 
Simmons Liver Regulator. Headache, 
constipation, piles, colic and indigestion, 
are cured by this pure, vegetable remedy. 



1883.] 



SOUTHERN" PLANTER. 



209 



Henry T. Miller & Co. — The adver- 
tisement of this firm calls to our mind 
many pleasant memories of our early life. 
We have known Henry Miller from his 
babyhood. His father is a cherished friend 
and was a schoolmate, and his grandfather, 
a wealthy merchant and farmer, was our 
most liberal patron when we followed the 
profession of the law. 

Henry is an artist in the line of his bus- 
iness, and his goods are of the best quali- 
ty, at low prices. 

The best of it is, that this firm makes 
its own goods, from selected materials, 
and employs twenty to thirty girls and wo- 
men, by which a living for themselves and 
their families is made. 

Ail who buy of H. T. Miller & Co will 
get their money's worth, and at the same 
time be dealing with agreeable and relia- 
ble gentlemen. 



T. W. Wood, Seedsman, — of this city, 
sends us an advertisement of a fertilizer, 
for which he is agent, for garden and farm 
use. 

The phosphatic principle which under- 
lies, as it would seem, ; 'the standard su- 
perphosphate, ammoniated dissolved bones, 
and U. S. Superphosphates," ought to 
make it a comparatively cheap fertilizer. 



The Virginia State Fair Grounds. — 
We call attention to the advertisement of 
Mr. Sprague, the denant of the grounds, 
who offers his services for training horses 
on the track for running, or trotting, and 
breaking of colts, &c. He also offers the 
track free for evening or morning drives. 



We call attention to the advertisement of 
King's fine ground plaster. 



Biliousness. — Millions of us are bil 
ious. We are a bilious race. Half of us 
are born bilious, with a predisposition to 
dyspepsia. The best known remedy for 
biliousness and indigestion is Simmons 
Liver Regulator. Try it. 



"Buchu-paiba." — Quick, complete cure, 
all annoying Kidney, Bladder, and Urina- 
ry Diseases. $1 Druggists. 



A Treatise on the Horse and His Dis- 
eases. — Published by B. J. Kendall & 
Co. Revised Edition. 
We consider this a valuable book, and 
are of opinion that every owner of a horse 
should possess a copy. The book contains 
thirty-five engravings showing the different 
positions assumed by sick horses, and in 
simple, comprehensive terms gives the 
symptoms and treatment of the various 
diseases to which horses are subject, and 
which any person of ordinary intelligence 
will understand. It contains quite a large 
number of receipts, with some remarks on 
4k a few of the medicines used for horses." 
This small and cheap treatise is recom- 
mended, and will prove satisfactory to 
every horseman. M. D. 

We have submitted the book to good 
medical authority, and are warranted 
thereby in commending it to the attention 
of farmers, as evidenced by the above no- 
tice by a distinguished army surgeon. 

We renew our offer in our last issue to 
send post-paid a copy to each new subrcri- 
ber to the Planter, and to each old subscri- 
ber who will pay his subscription for the 
current year prior to 1st May. 

Jg^^^ This premium does not apply to 
persons whose subscriptions are paid at 
clubbing rates. 



The Art Amateur and the Ladies' 1 Floral 
Cabinet, come regularly to our table, and 
it affords us pleasure to study and admire 
them, but it is hard to come up from our 
plain agricultural work and speak of them. 
So we sent copies to an appreciative lady- 
friend for such comments as she should 
make. She says they afforded her a great 
deal of pleasure, and of the Art Amateur, 
we quote her words: ''Though I neither 
paint or sketch, I still take a lively interest 
in the work of others, anl this magazine 
must prove invaluable to hundreds of peo- 
ple who do. Many of its designs are beau- 
tiful and original, so that it is not only use- 
ful to the Amateur but to the Artist, and 
in a high degree beneficial to many other 
people, inasmuch as it helps to educate 
their tastes." The Floral Cabinet she 
equally commends. 

"Rough on Rats." — Clear out rats, 
mice, roaches, flies, ants, bed-bugs, skunks, 
chipmunks, gophers. 15c. Druggists. 



210 



SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[April 



MAGAZINES RECEIVED. 

The March number of the North Amer- 
ican Review contains a number of articles 
of sterling interest. ^Amongthem, "mon- 
ey in elections," by Henry George; 'the 
subjugation of the Mississippi,' , by R. S. 
Taylor, &c. 

The Harpers — Monthly, Weekly, and 
Young People — are regular and appreciated 
visitors. 

The Century and St. Nicholas come reg- 
ularly also, and the former contributes to the 
edification of matured people, whilst, the 
latter is especially interesting to the young. 

The Popular Science Monthly we also 
acknowledge. 

The North American Review is especial- 
ly rich in its March number. 



CATALOGUES, &c 

Shenandoah Valley Academy, Winches- 
ter Va., Dr. C. L C. Minor, Principal. 

The Mapes Complete Manures and crop 
reports. 

Dunreith Nursery, by E. Y. Teas, Dun 
reith, Indiana. 

Ashly Phosphate Company" s Almanac 
and Primers. 

Garden and Flower Seeds, Plants. &c by 
J. A. Buel & Co , Spriogfield Ohio. 

E. Roe 1 s Small fruit farms and nurseries 
Cornwall-on-Hudson, N. Y. 

Corn and Potato Manual, by J. C 
Vaughn, Chicago, 111. 

Johnson & Stokes, implement catalogue 
Philadelphia. 

Howard Gelletti, Perennial Plants, Or 
chards, Shrubs, Climbers, &c Southwick 
Mass, 

Strawberry Culture, by Mat-hew Craw 
ford, Cuyahega Falls, Ohio. 

Last,though not least, Jno : Saul's Cat 
alogue of Plants, Flowers, Vines, &c. for 
the Spring of 1883. Our arrangements 
with Mr. Saul will enable us to supply bis 
stock to our subscribers at reduced rates, 
as we pay him in advertising at full rates. 
J. Saul, Washington, D. C. 

And the Pomona Nursery of Wm. Parry, 
Parry P. 0., New Jersey. Mr. P. is an 
occasional advertiser in the Planter, and 
we have found none more trustworthy. 



Southern Exposition — at Louisville, Ky., 
commencing 1st August, 1883, and con- 
tinuing one hundred days. 

We again call attention to this exhibition 
of the soil-products, manufactures, &c, of 
the Southern States. Like that at Atlan- 
ta, Ga., it will be of great advantage to 
the states of our section producing the 
great staples, cotton, tobacco, and grain, 
with minerals superadded, and whilst, not 
sectional in feeling or purpose ; will do 
much to advance the interests of the wh< la 
country. 



Hiram Sibi/ey & Co. of Chicago, Illinois, 
and Rochester, N. York. 

We have received from these great seeds- 
men a box of their choice garden seeds, 
which we have divided between two friends 
in the interior of our State, who we hope 
will report to us in respect to their quali- 
ties, &c. They send us also their Manual 
of Farm and Garden Setds, containing 
much of importance and interest to the 
farmer in respect to cultivation, manures, 
&c. Also their Manual on flax culture for 
seed and the fibre. 



Waiting a Claimant. — A challenge is 
offered to any one who cm produce a case 
of torpid liver that will not succumb to the 
influence of Simmons Liver Regulator, 
taken regularly by direction. 

Jg^^ Genuine : prepared only by J. H. 
Zeilin & Co. 



WANTED AGENTS r^r^T^s 

of America." It takes wonderfully. Price. $2, 
worth $3. Address FORSHEE & McMAKlJN, 
Cincinnati, Ohio. ap 21 




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

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



TXZZS BEST IS THE CHEAPEST. — There are low-priced imitations. 
We keep and sell the Genuine " Iron Age" Cultivators, perfectly made with steel hoes. 




The "IRON AGE" as a Cultivator. 



The Most Popular and Efficient Cultivator evir put into the Field. 
It may appear like extravagant praise, but we fully believe no implement has ever 
been introduced that has become at once so widely and deservedly popular as the gen- 
uine IRON AGE. We keep always in stock a full line of the best cultivating implements^ 
and are the sole agents for the IRON AGE CULTIVATOR and BROWN WALK- 
ING CULTIVATOR, which we guarantee to be the best of all the WHEEL CULTI- 
VATORS. We are also sole agents for all the PLANET, JUNTOR, Goods, including 
Cultivators, Horse Hoes, Garden Drills, Wheel Hoes, &c. Send for Special Planet, Jr., 
Catalogues. 

mhtf 



N. M. SMITH & CO., 153! Ml M, Eisteosi V). 



BECKWITH'S ANTI-DYSPEPTSC PILLS 

The best and most reliable An ti- 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 United States. Judges of the Supreme Coun. 
Governors of States, United States Senators and Physicians of the highest standing are 
among those who attest their value from personal tests. 

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

40 Pills in a Box — Pricej 3£> Cents. 

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

E. R. BECKWITH, Pharmacist. 

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




EDIGREESEEDS 

frc^* ESTABLISHED <**£& 

^^ NINETY-EJCHT YEARS ®3* 



For the MARKET GARDENEfi.VtCWO 

EEDS 



r the mAR!CET CARDEKEK 
For the PRIVATE FAMILY 

CrOWn hy mjrg;p>8vP>g on ou.r.ow-i.F_armc 



B^" Handsome Illustrated Catalogue and Rural Register ?REE TO AEE. 
MERCHANTS, SEND US YOUR BUSINESS CARDS F H TRADE EIST. 

DAV1B LANSRETH&SONSjSEED GROWERS, PHILADELPHIA 



s , B 0*BmDGEB R OA^ASTs E£ ^ ?0 ^ 




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 "STROWBRIDGt" IS FULLY WARRANTED TO DO AS REPRESENTED. 

Read the following, which are sample testimonials, of which we have received hundredi 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 as 
follows: " We have ustd the Broadcast Seeder for several seasons, with entire satisfaction. Have seeded an- 
nually over two hundred acres of different kinds of grain. We consider the Seeder an indispensable imple- 
ment 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 iis work. It is all you claim for it. W. J. LYNHAM. 



PRICE, Si36- 



Manufacturea "by the DES MOINES MANUFACTURING COMPANY, Des Moines, Iowa. 

SOLD IN IfcieHMOISri}, VA., BY 

M@l MARK®* @©&»l 4g©mf • 



At whose warerooms the Broadcaster can be seen in operation. 



JULIEN BlNFORD. 



L. B. Tatum. 



W. D. BLAIR & CO. 

(ESTABLISHED 1829), 

Dealers in Fancy Groceries, Tcas,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 1865. 



Standard Guaranteed 



ALMSON & ADDISON, 



MANUFACTURERS OF 




"STAR BRAND" SPECIAL COMPLETE MANURES 

FOR EACH OP THE FOLLOWING CROPS: 

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

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

— DEALERS in — 

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

OFFICE-J322 Cary Street. ■» nmil WkM AM|\ \t K 

FACTORY-Opposite Rocketts,/ Kll/n IVI %JviUj W fkm 

All orders and communications promptly attended to. fe tf 



Wm. H. Palmer, Pres't. 



John Ott, SecV 



John Enders, Vice-Pres't. 



THE SOUTHERN FERTILIZING COMPANY 

[ESTABLISHED 1866.] 

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. 

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

MANUFACTURE THE CELEBRATED 



"ANCHOR 




BRAND" 



PATENTED 



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



FERTILIZERS 



SOUTHERN FERTILIZING CO., Richmond, Va. 



IT CURES 

SPAVINS, SPLINTS, CURBS, RING-BONES 



All Similar Blemishes, 

And Remones the Bunch Without Blistering. 




For man it is now known to be ONE OP THE 
BEST, if not THE BEST LINIMENT EVEti 
DISCOVERED. 

SAVED HIM EIGHTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS. 

Dr. B. J. Kendall & Co. : ' Adams, N. Y., January 30. 1882. 

Gents.— Having used a good deal of your Kdndall's Spavin Cure with great success, I rhought 1 world let 
you know what it has done tor me. Two years ago 1 had as speedy a colt as was ever raised in Jefferson 
county. When I was breaking him, he kicked over the cross-bar and goi fast and tore one of his hind legs 
all to pieces. I employed the best larriers, but they all said he was spoiled. He had a very large thorough- 
pin, and I used two bottles of your Kendall's Spav n Cure, and it took the bunch entirely off, and he sold 
afterwards for $1,800. I have used it for bone spavins and wind galll, and it has always cured completely 
and lefc the leg smooth 

It is a splendid medicine for rheumatism. I have recommended it to a good many, and they all say it 
does the work. I was in Witherington & Kneeland's drug store, in Adams, the other day and saw a very 
fine picture you sent them I trier) to buy it, but could not ; they said if I would write to you that you would 
send me one. I wish you would, and I will do vou all the good I cac. 

Very respectfully, E. S. LYMAN. 

Send addref-s for Illustrated Circular which, we think, gives positive proof of its 
virtues. No remedy has ever met with such unqualified success to our knowledge, for 
beasts as well as man. 

Price, $1 per bottle, or six bottles. All druggists have or can get it for you, or it 
will be sent to any address, on receipt of price, by the proprietors. 

Dr. B. J. KENDALL & CO., Enosburgh Falls, Vermont. 



WeUQHerMm 



We claim our SEEDS are unsurpassed in the world, and desire that all shall give them a trial to 
testtheirsreat superiority, feeling sure of making a permanent customer of every purchaser, 

and to introduce tnem info thousands of new OWE Hfll IAD amounting at our regular prices 
homes, we will send free by mail, on receipt of Uilf. L9tPLB.Mll to $2.55, HEP" OUR SPECIAL 
INTRODUCTION BOX OF SEEDS, making- a Complete Family Vegetable Garden, 

containing large size packets of all the best, new, and standard varieties, as fellows:— 3 Remark- 
able New Cabbages, Royal German Drumhead, Earliest Favorite Savoy, Early Cannon Ball ; 3 Delicious 
New Melons, Cuban Queen, Sweet Icing— Water, and Golden Gem— Musk; 2 Superior New Onions, South- 
port Yellow Globe, Extra Early lied; New Perfect Gem Squash; Wonderful New Tomato, Early Mayflower; 
Earliest known Sweet Corn, Marblehead; American Wonder Pea ; Ivory Pod Wax Bean; 'Philadelphia 
Prize Lettuce; Extra Early Egyptian Beet; New Pliila. Perfection Beet; Champion Moss Curled Parsley; 
Early French Breakfast Radish ; GoldenGlobe Summer Radish ; Calif orni a Mammoth Winter Radish; Improved 
Long Orange Carrot; Sugar Parsnip ; Mammoth Tows Pumpkin ; Improved Green Prolific Cucumber; Long 
White Salsify; New Thick Leaved Spinach; Earliest Snow Ball Turnip. S3"" Send a Ss>l BIEE OI 
postage stamps in an ordinary letter, and you will receive the box by return mail, and if not satisfied, 
we will return your money. 3 Boxes mailed for only $2.50. 



contains LARGE PACKETS of each of the following Choice New Varieties: Cuban Queen 
Watermelon, sweet, luscious, and grows to enormous size, weighing over 100 lbs ; Montreal Improved 
Nutmeg Melon, the largest and finest musk-melon in cultivation ; Eclipse Beet, extra early, deep blood, 
fine turnip shape, very tender and sweet ; Southport Yellow Globe Onion, early, large and fine flavor; 
Southport Red Globe On/on, large, handsome and best of all the red varieties; Royal German Drumhead 
Cabbage, handsome, large, late, sure heading variety, pronounced by all the finest in the world; Earliest 
Favorite Savoy Cabbage, surpassing the cauliflower in delicious richness; Perfect Gem Squash, flesh sweet, 
•rich and dry, enormously productive and best of keepers ; Mayflower Tomato, earliest, large, smooth, 
brie-ht red variety, superior to ail others in great beauty and productiveness, 3 Collections 
mailed for $1 - With each of the above collections we enclose a present for your wife, mother, or 
daughter. Our FLOWEIt COLLECTION, comprising Ten Packets of the Choicest Flower 
Seeds, sent post paid on receipt of 25 Cts. 5 Collections, $ 1. The above 3 Complete Collections 
(in all 46 large packets) mailed for SI. 50. These UNPARAEEEEED OFFERS should be 
taken advantage of at once. We warrant all our seeds strictly fresh and genuine. We supplied, last 
year, over l5,OOOnew customers, and have received hundreds of unsolicited letters sayirg our seeds 
were the best ever planted. Our New Illustrated Catalogue sent FREE to any addreBs. 

JOHNSON & STOKES, SEED GROWERS, PHILADELPHIA, PA. 




THRESHING 

MACHINES, 

Cardwell's Thresher and Separator. 

The SIMPLEST, CHEAPEST and BEST THRESHING MACHINES made, 
mounted on two or four wheels, as may be desired. Threshes the grain clean from the 
straw, and separates it perfectly. SEND FOR CATALOGUE. 

" Little Giant" Hydraulic Cotton Press. 

The BEST AND MOST POWERFUL PRESS MADE; is quick and durable, and 
gives entire satisfaction — makes a 600-pound bale with ease. 

COTTON SEED OIL MILLb. 

SMALL AND LARGE.' SEND FOR CIRCULAR. 

Manufactured oy J. w. cardwell & oo., Richmond, ?t 

[ap 3t] _________ 

What Farmers and Traders want to lake GOOD PAYING CROPS is 

FIRST-GLASS FOOD FOR THEIR CROPS 

AT A REASONABLE PRICE. 



It is with pleasure I announce that I have been appointed agent for Lister Bros' cele- 
brated Fertilizer, which from personal experience I believe is equal to any in the United 
States. 

PRICED. 

Standard Superphosphate $44 per ton I Ground Bone... $42 per ton 

Ammoniated Dissolved Bones.. 42 " | U. S. Superphosphate 40 " 

ANALYSES ON APPLICATION. 

TESTIMONIALS. 

Mr. T. W. Wood: Henrico Co., Va., February 23, 1883. 

This is to certify that I have during the last nine years used on an average 8 tons per year of Lister 
Bros' ground bone on farm and garden products, which has given me the best results. I consider it superior 
to any I have ever used. J. P. BADENOCH. 

Mr. T. W. Wood : Brook Hill, Henrico Co., Va., February 28, 1883. 

It is with pleasure I testify to the splendid effect of Lister Bros' Bone Fertilizer on Corn, Oats, and all 
kinds of Vegetables. I consider it the best I have used. 

WILLIAM LrNDSAY, Manager for J. Stewart, Esq. 
Mr. T. W. Wood : Henrico Co., Va., February 23, 1883. 

I have used Lister Bros' Fertilizer on general crops, and found it first-class. The cabbages I used it 
upon last year grew so rapidly as to surprise my neighbors. J. S. QUARLES. 

Hoping to be favored with your orders, and also for any kind of seeds you may require, 
I remain, yours respectfully, 

T. W. WOOD, Seedsman, 
Corner Sixth and Marshall Streets and 1530 Main Street, RICHMOND, VA. 



THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. 

The Hand-Book of the State of Mississippi now ready for distribution, containing a 
Geographical, Geological and Agricultural Description of the State. Sent free of charge 
to all who desire to learn something about Mississippi. Address E. G. WALL, Com- 
missioner of Immigration and Agriculture, Jackson, Hinds Co., Miss. ap 6t 




AN HONEST OFFER. 

If you are sick or ailing, no matter what your complaint, write to 
us and we will send you ON TRIAL one of our large ELECTRIC 
MEDICATED PADS to suit your case, provided you agree to 
pay for it if it cures you in one month. If it does not cure you it 
costs you nothing to try it. Different pads to cure Dyspepsia, Rheu- 
matism, Liver and Kidney Diseases, Files, Lang Diseases, Asthma, Ca- 
tarrh, Lame Back, Ague, and many other diseases. Marvelous cures 
being daily made in cases where all other treatments have failed. 
Prices very low. Remember these are not little medals, but large 
Pads made of Roots and Herbs, combined with Electricity. We do 
not ask you to buy them blindly, but merely to try them at our risk. 
Book, giving prices and full particulars, free. Address at once 

ELECTRIC PAD M'F'G CO., BROOKLYN, N. Y. 




ap It 



ELKHART CARRIAGE AND HARNESS MANUFACTURING CO. 

Manufacturers of all Styles of Carriages, Buggies, Spring Wagons, Single and Double Harness. 

We have no agents, and No. 4 2.Two.seated Buggy with Pole 

if what vnu order is not /*«■- 

[satisfactory we pay all $85 

expenses. IS'o. 42 Buggy 

(see cut,) is just the same as 

others sell at $130. Top Buggies 

at $!)() fine as usually sold for 

$125 to $140. Our Harness are ail J 
•>. 1 Oak Leather. Simrle, $8.50 to? 
, ). Everything fully wan-anted Be- 
fore buying send for our Illustrated 50 
paere catalogue kiikk. Address W. B. 
PBATT, Sec'y, Elkhart, Indiana. 





We Retail at Wholesale Prices. 

ap 4t 



Ship anywhere with priviSege of 

EXA1VI.NSNC5 BEFORE BOY8NC. 



ATLASW 

INDIANAPOLIS, IND., U. S. A. 

MANTJEAOTTJBEBS OF 

STEAM ENGINES 
End BOILERS. !Hg |g| 

CARRY ENGINES and BOILERS IN STOCKfor IMMEDIATE DELIVERY ~ 







SIBLEY'S SEEDS 



of AIX PLANTS, for AEI, CROPS, for AEL CM-/ 

MATES. All are tested ; c uly the best sent out. 
Grain and Farm Seed ManaVi'; History and best methods I 
of culture of Grains, Root Crops, Grosses, Fodder Crops, Tree* 
Planting, etc. only lOcts. Annual Catalogue and Frice List of c 
several thousand varieties, FREE. . ruUK *" U4, 

HIRAM SIBLEY & CO. Rochester, N.Y., Chicago, III. 





_ _lt*3iS , l_ 
The Planet Jr. 8eed-DriTls,~Wheel-lIoes andTforse-Hoea are without an equal in the world! We have never before ofl 
them so perfect, or in such variety, nor published bo clear and full a Descriptive Catalogue of them. We guarantee it to interest 
every one who plants seeds or cultivates the soil. It is a beautiful descriptive work, of thirty-two pages, with over Thirty New 
Engravings, showing the tools nt worU among Onions, Beans, Celery, Ac, and also contains a chapter on the proper Cultivation 
of t'rop». Send vour own address, and ten neighbors' most interested in Farming and Gardening, and we will mail it free. 
8. L. ALLEN & CO., Patentees and Sole Manufacturers of the PLAM KT JK. GOODS, Nos. 1.-7 and 129 Catharine St., Pnila., Pa. 



jan6t 



ESTABLISHED IN 1870. 

STONO-PHOSPHATE COMPANY, 

WE OFFER TO THE PLANTERS 







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 00. 

^CHARLESTON, S- C.:: 



SOLUBLE GUANO- Highly Ammoniated. 

DISSOLVED BONE— Very High Grade. 

ACID PHOSPHATE— For Composting. 

ASH ELEMENT— For Cotton, Wheat, Peas, &c. 

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. 

GENUIN3 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] 



SEEDS! 

RiBtYlc.nS I It pays tohave good tools and seeds. 

Rinnr'J''^<? a It pays to buy of a reliable house. 

Run^rnVr.'— -i 9 " ™u yw y° u to seud for our 

fcJRbERYtf-.l 8 Illustrated Catalo gue. 

PLEMENTS 




WE ARE THE 
SOLE 

WESTERN 
AGENTS. 



Philadelphia Lawn Mower, 
Cahoon Broadcast See 1 Sower, 
Matthews' Seed Drills aud 

ether fir t-ela?s g.^eds. 
Everything for the Lawn, Gar- 
den, Greenhouse cr Nursery. 
Y.'s WARRANT everything as represented 

fllli SIBLEY & CO, 

SEDS AND IMPLEMENTS, 

Fully illn^-ited Catalogue sent free. 
Rorfh enter, W.TT. Chicago. F " 



THE BEST STRAWBERRY 

— abonanza for FruitGrowers South 
and West, as it withstands droughts 
and sunburn best of all. Extremely 
vigorous grower, immensely produc- 
tive, berries extra large, bright red, 
ripens extra early, ship 300 miles or 
oyer. Send to HEADQUAR- 
TERS. Colored picture and de- 
scriptive price list free. Also 200 
varieties Grapes, Easpberries, etc. Kieffer, Peach 
Trees, etc., at lowest rates. My Hand-Book on Fruit 
INEr " 




Culture, 30c. 
ap It 



R. H. HAINES, Moorestown, N. J. 



SOUTHERN AKMNAiE ■ » «<S- 

TERKD JERSEYS for sale at fair prices. 
Eight registered Jersey cows, from 4 to 8 years old, 
bred to choice registered hulls. 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 im- 
ported sire and dams, and both solid, fancy colors. 
Also, 6 purebred unregistered Jersey heifers, from 6 
to 16 months old, all from good butter stock. Ad- 
dress RO-WE'S CO-OPERATIVE STOCK FA KM, 
Fredeiicksburg, Va. jantf 



■iilMIM;IIWI.I:M.ll 



ANEW AND VALUABLE TREATISE OX SUGAR 
CANES, (including the Minnesota Early Amber) and their 
manufacture Into Syrup and Sugar. Although comprised 
jn small oompass and furnished free to applicants, it is the 
BEST PRACTICAL MANUAL ON SUGAR CANES 
th't has vet been published, 

BLYMYER MANUFACTURING CO 

Cincinnati O. 

jteann/ l7r ' w, "* r * °f Steam Sugar Machinery. Steam Engines 
Victor Cane Mill, Cook Sugar Evaporator, etc. 

ap It 



B UILDING MANILLA 

or material resembles fine leather, is used 



WATER- 
PROOF _ 

This water-proof j 

for roofs, outside walls of buildings, and inside in place 



of plaster. Catalogue & 111 U r»V Pft 
sample»free.(Estab.l866) W . II . T A I & U U i 



Camden, 



"THE BEST IS CHEAPEST." 

engines, THRFQHPRQ sawmills, 

HorsePowers [ nnCOnLnO Clover Hullers 

(Suited to all sections. ) Write for FREE Illus. Pamphlet 
and Prices to The Aultman & Taylor Co., Mansfield, Ohio. 



Are you DEAF? 

FERRIS' PESTORATIVE will invariably CUKE 
you. It is endorsed by all home and foreign physi- 
cians and scientists. It eures where all other means 
fail. Don't neglect to send for circulars; it will pay 
you. Ask your Druggist for it. EDWIN FER- 
RIS & 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 
y, Pa. Send stamp for circu- 
fely 




JOHN E. DOHEETY, 

822 EAST MAIN STREET, 



Solicit 



s an exam 



ination of his 



FOR, ^ALL 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 satisfac- 
tion gnaranteed. 




Warranted true. 



Prentiss, 

Poekllnarton, Duchess, Lady Washington, Yer-^ 
(Cenncs, Moore's Early, Brighton, Jefferson, etc. 

Prices reduced. Also othor Small Fruits and all older varie- 
ties Grapes. LARGEST STOCK IN AMERICA. 

Illustrated Catalogue free. T.S. Hubbard, Fredonia.N.Y. 



Sep- 



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 Sheridans 
Condition Powders are absolutely pure and 
Immensely valuable. Nothing on earth will make hens lav like Sheridan's Condition Powders. Dose, I teasp'n- 



fbltol pint food. 

deiyeot 



Sold everywhere, or sent by mail for 8 letter-stamps. I. S. Johnson & Co., Boston, Mass. 



MANHOOD 




KNOW THYSELF. 

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

The untold miseries that recult from in- 
discretion in early life ma r be alleviated 
and cured. Those who doubt this asser- 
tion should purchase ar.d read the new 
medical work published by the Peabody 
Medical Institute, Boston, entitled the 
Science of Life : or, Self Preserva- 
tion. Jt is not only a complete and per- 
fect treatise on Manhood, Exhausted Vi- 
tality, Nervous and Physical Debility, Pre- 
mature Decline in man, Errors of Youth, 
etc., but it contains one hundred and twen- 
ty-five prescriptions for acute and chronic 
diseases, each one of which is inval- 
uable, so proved bj, the author, whose ex- 
perience 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, em- 
bellished with the very finest steel engrav- 
ings, guaranteed to be a finer work in every 
sense — mechanical, literary or profession- 
al — than any other work retailed in this 
country for $2 50, or the money will be re- 
funded. Price, only $1.25 by mail. Gold 
Medal awarded the author by the National 
Medical Association. Illustrated sample 
sent on receipt of six cents. Sei d now. 

Address PEABODY MEDICAL IN- 
STITUTE, or Dr. W. H. PARKtiR, No. 
4 Bulfinch street, Boston, Mass. The au- 
thor may be consulted on all diseases re- 
quiring skill and experience. ja ly 

"ho5"oughbred " 

SHORTHORN CATTLE. 

MERINO SHEEP and BERKSHIRE 
PIGS. Bred and for sale, at moderate 
prices, by S. S. BRADFORD, 

ja 1 — ly Cidprper, Va. 

■ I !■ !■!■ IIIMIMI Mill Mil ■aH»— 

people are always on the lookout for 
.chances to increase their earnings, 
and in time become wealthy; those 
who do not improve their opportu- 
nities remain in poverty. We offer a great chance 
to make money. We want many men, women, beys 
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. moments. Full information and all that,, 
is needed sent free. Address Stinson & Co., Port- 
land, Maine. janly 



WISE 



SEEDSl 

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. Descrip- 
tive Catalogues mailed free on application. 
T. W. WOOD, Seedsman, 

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



SAVE MONEY! 




E'.ery ITurmor should 
k^ ,v mat 8 cts. pet- 
bushel can be paved 
^in raising 1 Cam, 546 cts. in Wlusat, cn_ 2 cts. per 
lb. on Cotton by the use of a .:«^«i M 

THOMASSMOOTHlNa HARROW 

Also manufacture the Pci-fi-cteu PUJLVJiii li y.EK 
■which contains 7 2 sh rp s-teel blades, co\triny 10 
feet at each sweep. v> arrnuttd the most power! ul 
Pulverizer ever invented. Forpanmhiet contain- 
ing illustrations of both machines at work, and hun- 
■ dreds of names of tho?e who ui-e tnrt recommend 
them, address THOMAS HARROW CO. Geneva,**. Y 

fe3t 

Sawing Made Easy. 

The New Improved 

MONARCH LIGHTNING 

Is the cheapest and best. 
JA boy sixteen years old 
can saw logsfast and easy, 
Sent on lest trial. Sent} 
postal for Illustrated Catalogue containing testimon- 
ials and full particulars. AGENTTS WANTED. 
Monarch Lightning Saw Co. , 163 Randolph St. , Chicago. 

jan 4t 

GEORGIA MELONS! 

CHOICE SEED FROM SELECTED FRUIT. 
/RATTLESNAKE, (or STRIPED) \ 

V SCALY-BARK' f (DARK GREEN.V 

The Premium "Watermelons of the World ! Seed from 
choice crops of Kichmond County, and from selected 
large melons of perfect qualities. Price, ounce 20 cents 
pound $2.00. Postage 16 cents nerlb. Address 

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

jan 4t 

0% ■■ ffc ^p not, life is sweeping by, go and dare 
O L ^J* § before you die, something mighty 
■ I 1 11 I anc ' sublime leave behind to conquer 
8El»w 1 time. $66 a week in your own town. 
$5 outfit free. No risk. Everything new. Capital 
not required. We will furnish you everything. 
Man j' are making fortunes. Ladies make as much 
as men, 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. Hai^ 
lett & Co , Portland, Maine. janly 

Artificial" 

ar Drum. 
* As invented and worn by him 
perfectly restoring the hearing. En- 
tirely deaf for thirty years, he hears with 
them even whispers, distinctly. Are 
not observable* and remain in posi- 
tion without aid. Descriptive Circular 
Free. CAUTION : Do not be deceived 
by bogus ear drums. Mine is the only 
successful artificial Ear Drum manu- 
factured. 

JOHN GARMORE, 

Filth & Race Sts., Cincinnati. O. 



B 



DEAF, 



Garmore's^ 



nov6t 



wubkifJU^i 



COLLECTION OF 

5EEDS.«!PLANT5 



(Embraces every desirable novelty of m fl fij 5 I A I 
the season, fully described in their mniiunk 
ofEVERYtHlNGWle 



GARDEN 






which for 1888. contains PETER HENDERSONS 
"Revtsed Instructions on Vegetable and Flower Cul- 
ture," making it a condensed Gardening Book, having 
all the latest information known to the author of •* Gar- | 
dening for Profit." Mailed free on application* 
(flease state in what paper you saw this). 

Peter Henderson & Co.,® 

35 & 37 Cortlandt St., New York. 



ap It 



SUP CORN 

SIBLEY'S PRIDE t°h f e NORTH 

Ninety-day yellow-dent, the earliest Dent Corn 
grown, 16-rowed. Originated in Northern Iowa. 
Ripened perfectly in 1882, the worst Corn season in 
25 years, m Northern Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, New 
York, Connecticut. Vermont, etc. ; in some sections 
where Dent Corn Def ore has been a total failure. 

GOOD SEED CORN IS SCARCE ; SECURE THE BEST 

Our Grain and Farm Seeds Manual contains histo- 
ries and directions for culture of Corn, Wheat, Bar- 
ley, Rye, Oats, Potatoes, Grasses, Roots, and all 
Farm Crops, with descriptions of all new and 
standard varieties. Only lO cents. 

Sibley's Farmers' Almanac, with valuable essays 
on special crops, lO cents. w 

Annual Catalogue and Price List of Flower, Vege- 
table, Field and Tree Seeds and Plants, FREE. 

HIRAM SIBLEY & CO. Seedsmen, 

Rochester, N. Y. and Chicago, 111. 
ap2t 




'JUT Pomona 

5nnn ki?j fer ' s hybrid 
,UUUpFARS In Orchard, and 
Rft flfin In Nursery, propagated 
UU,UUU exclusively from Standards. 
No Buds or Scions taken from DWARFS. 
NIGH'S SUPERB Strawberry. HAN- 
SELL Raspberry, Blackberries. New Grapes 
and Currants. Fruit, Shade, and Orna- 
mental Trees, Vines, and Plants in variety. Catalogue free. 
WM. PARRY, Parry P. O., New Jersey. 

ap 3t 

.A.. T_ BURR'S 
STANDARD 

CARRIAGE REPOSITORY 

1505 Franklin Street. 

Custom-made work. Buggies, Phaetons, Carriages 
and Farm Wagons at wholesale factory prices. All 
work warranted. ap ly 



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



ACENTS 



janly 



BUY THE BEST! 



MILLER'S 



i i 



ACME" 



SHIRTS AND DRAWERS 

FINE DRESS SHIRTS a specialty. 

UNDERWEAR of all kinds ready made 
or to measure at short notice. Write for 
printed blanks for self-measurement. 

READY-MADE SHIRTS at from 75c. 
to $1.75 each. Sert by mail on receipt of 
price, and six cents in postage stamps. 

Our 75c ''Acme" is the best shirt ever 
made for the money. 

TRY ONE. 

H. T. MILLER & CO., 

MANUFACTURERS, 

Cor. Mai Main Ste.,BictoonilJa. 

[ap 6i] 

WALL PAPER. 



FASHIONABLE DESIGNS 



PARLORS, HALLS, CHAMBERS, &c. 

SAMPLES AND PRICES MAILED FREE. 



H. BARTHOLOMAE & CO., 

MANUFACTURERS, 

124 and 126 west 33d St., NEW YORK. 

DR. HENRY FROEHLING, 

ANALYTICAL & CONSULTING CHEMIST 

Laboratory: 17 South Twelfth Street, 
RICHMOND, VA. 

T^UiERSXiXE FARM. 

THOROUGHBRED HORSES, 

Shorthorn Cattle, Cotswold Step, 

J^TSiTD BERKSHIRE PIGS 
For Sale. Apply to R. J. HANCOCK. 

June ly Overton, Albemarle county, Va. 



SedgwiokSteel Wire FenGe 




lathe only general purpose Wire Fence in use, being a 
8trong Ket-Work Without Barbs. It will turn dogs, pigs, 
eheep, and poultry, as well as the moat vicious stock, 
without injury to either fence or stock. It is just the fence 
for farms, gardens, stock ranges and railroads, and very 
neat for lawns, parks, school lots and cemeteries. Covered 
With rust-proof paint (or gal vanized) it will last a life-time. 
It is Superior to Boards or Barbed Wire in every respect. 
We ask for it a fair trial, knowing it will wear itself 
into favor. The Sedgwick CJntea, made of wrought- 
iro i pipe and steel wire, defy all competition in neatness, 
strength and durability. We also make the best and 
cheapest All Iron Automatic or Self-Opening Gate, also 
Cheapest and Neatest All Iron Fence. For Prices and 
Particulars ask Hardware Dealers or address the Manu- 
facturers. Best Wire Stretcher and Post 
Aosor. SEDGWICK BROS., 

Jlention this paper. Richmond. Ittw 

COTTONSEED 

OF ' 

NEW SORTS! 



JOKES' IXPROVRD ft»etOL,IFJC— long sta- 
ple ; has produced 2 bales per acre as a common 
crop; first prize at Atlanta Exposition. Found 
per mail, 70c, bushel by ireigbtor express, $5. 

NcKlBBIN HYRK1U- short staple; yields of 
1,500 and 2,000 lbs. and upwards per acre are re- 
ported; very branching; first prize for best 12 
plants at Atlanta Exposition. Pound bj mail, 
70c; bushel, $5. 

HE K.L.OBJG— short staple; has been thoroughly 
tested throughout the South ; \y 2 bales per acre a 
common yield. Pound by mail. 45c; bushel, $3. 

OZiftR SILK— long staple ; fine silky fibre ; very 
branching ; matures early ; hardy ; has yielded 
1,400 lbs. of lint cotton per acre. Pound by mail, 
45c; bushel, $3. 

Improved Varieties of Cow Peas and 
other Southern crops, are specialties. We carry 
the largest stock of Tested Seed for Mar- 
ket Gardeners of any Seed House. Send for 
catalogues. 

HIRAM SIBLEY & CO., Seedsmen, 

Chicago, 111. Rochester, N. Y. 



|fe b» £% a week made at home by the industrious. 
w~ m ■ I Best' business now before the public. 
Jm ff # Capital not needed. We will staityou. 
W I &m Men, women, boys and girls wanted 
everywhere 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 enor- 
mous pay, by engaging at once. Costly outfit and 
terms free. Money made fast, easily and honorably. 
Address True & Co., Augusta, Me. janly 



CHESAPEAKE MD OHIO RAILWAY 

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 lor 

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

SOLID TRAINS with Pullman Sleeping 
Coaches, run through daily between Wash- 
ington, Richmond, Charlottesville, Waynes- 
boro, Staunton, Clifton Forge and Louis- 
ville 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 tuli information, call on 
the nearest Chesapeake and Ohio agent, or 
address 

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

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



GHAPE VIMS AM) M\\\ MAPLES 

FOR SikliB! 

I have some finely-rooted Concord Grape Vines 
for sale. Price, $4 per hundred ; 60 cents per dozen, 

Sacked and delivered in Richmond. Also, a few 
iorlou Seedling — price, $10 per hundred; $1.20 per 
dozen. .Now is the time to set out Sugar Maple, the 
most beautiful of all shade trees. They are from 5)/£ 
to 8 feet high, and finely rooted. Price, 75 cents 
for single one ; $ti per dozen, and $40 per hundred. 
1 have but a few left. 

Dr. THOMAS POLLARD, 
fe tf 619 west Main St., -Richmond, Va. 



EGGS 

town, Mass. 



For Hatching, from all the lead- 
ing varieties of Poultry. Send 
stamp for large illustrated circu- 
lar. Oak Lane Farm, Belch er- 
fe3t 



The State Fair Grounds 

Having rented the track and stables at these 
grounds, I will give pergonal attention to training 
of horses on the track, the breaking of colts and 
stallions to harness, and the standing of stallions, 
both trotting and ihoroughbred, for the season. 
There are good lacilities for grazing and watering 
stock. 1 have had twenty-eight years' experience in 
these matters, and acknowledge no superior. 

Address A. E. SPftAGUE, 

mh 6t Exchange Hotel. 

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. 




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

Patents obtained through us are noticed in 
the SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, which has 
the largest circulation, and is the most jinfiu- 
ential newspaper of its kind published in the 
world. The advantages of such a notice every 
patentee understands. 

This large and splendidly illustrated news- 
paper is published WEEKLY at $3.20 a year, 
andis 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 news- 
dealers. 

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





DEDErTcl . 

are sent anywhere on. trial to operate against all 
other Presses, the custom- 
er keeping the one th„t 
suits best. No one has ever 
dared Bhcw up ary other 
Press, as Jjederick's Press 
■ i8 known to be beyond 
competition, and will bale 
■wilh twice the rapidity of 
,any other. The only way 
'.inferior machines can be 
I Bold is to deceive the in- 
exnerienced by ridiculously 
f.'.lse statements, and thus 
6011 without signtor seeing, 
and ewindle the purchaser. 
[Working any other Press 
1 alongside of Dedcrick's al- 
iways sells the purchaser a 
Dederick Press, and all 
1 know it too well to show 
up. Address for circular and location Of Western 
and Southern storehouses and Agents. 

P. K. DEDERICK & CO., Albany, N. Y. 
ido istot :btjy 

JERSEY RED PIGS 

until you have read the price-list and testi- 
monials of the herd which carried off the 

Great Sweepstakes Premium 

at the Virginia State Fair, and which is the 
largest herd South. Send for circular to 
T. LOVELOCK, 
mh ly Gordonsville, Va. 



DARBY'S 

PROPHYLACTIC FLU. 

For the prevention and treatment of 

DIPHTHERIA, SCARLET FEVER, 

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, Con- 
tagion and Epidemics. 
Use as a Gargle for the Throat, as a Wash 
for the Person, and as a Disinfectant 
for the House. 

A CERTAIN KKMS;»Y A^ATWKT ALL, 
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. 

Neutralizes at once all noxious odors 
and gases. Destroys the germs of diseases 
and septic (putrescent) floating impercepti- 
ble in the air or such as have effected a 
lodgment in the throat or on the person. 

PERFECTLY HARMLESS USED 
INTERNALLY or EXTERNALLY. 

J. H. ZEIL1N & CO., Proprietors, 
Manufacturing Chemists, Philadelphia, 
rice, 50 cents per bottle. Pint bot- 
tles, 81. nov ]y 



F. Stearns' No. 1 Fertilizer 



To the Farmers of Virginia : 

Gentlemen, — We continue to manufacture this 
SUPERIOR FERTILIZER, composed of PURE 
BONE MEAL (partially dissolved), combined with 
FISH GUANO, ANIMAL MAIMER, and POT- 
ASH 'muriate). 

We 'grind the bone and fisb ourselves, and can 
vouch for its purity. Nothing can be better for 
tobacco and all spring crops, as testified to by the 
best farmers in Virginia who have used it. Price, 
$10 per ton on boaid ears in Richmond. Our PURE 
BONE MEAL, ground fine, on hand, and for sale at 
the same price. 

Send in year orders at an early day, as our stock 
will be limited. Address 

STEARNS & HALSEY, 
No. 15 Fifteenth street, Ricuinond, Ya. 



Franklin Stearns, ) 

,SEY. J 



Morton Halsey, 



mh It 



Notice to Farmers! 

In addition to mv regular business, I am now 
grinding my "STANDARD" BRAND OF PLAS- 
TER, which is unequalled by any on the market, 
and which I intend shall become universally popu- 
lar on its own merits. Having carefully selected my 
lump, I can furnish the best quality, and having the 
capacity for grinding fifty tons per day, 1 can give 
cousumer| the advantage of having it freshly ground, 
as I will not keep a supply on baud, but grind it af- 
ter receiving orders on shortest notice. Price, Ac, 
on apllication. WILLIAM T. KING. 

3400 to 3500 Williamsburg, avenue, 

mh 3t Postoffice Box 1. 



Grohilla Guano for Corn! 

BEST ^^13 OH%iPEST! 

We desire especially to call the attention of farmers to the superior merits of Orchilla 
Guano as a Fertilizer for Corn. The advantages resulting from its use are not only an 
increased yield and better quality of corn, but its effect will .be seen in the permanent 
improvement of the soil, and in its benefit upon future crops. 

Orchilla Guano has been used for corn quite extensively in Maryland and Pennsylva- 
nia for several years past with the best results, and also, to a limited extent, in some 
portions of Virginia daring the last year very successfully, and we offer it again this 
year, feeling fully satisfied that a tria"l is all that is needed to convince the most skeptical 
that it is not only the cheapest but the best Fertilizer in the market. 

TKCJS CHEMISTS ZEINTDOlFtSE IT. 

The Department of Agriculture of the State of Virginia, under the administration of 
Dr. J. M. Blanton, have recently undertaken the analysis of every brand of Fertilizer 
sold in the State. The Report of the work done in that "respect, by Prof. W. I. Gas- 
cotne, the well known Chemist of the Department, during the Fall Season of 1882, has 
just been published. It embraces the analysis of seventy-five different brands of Fertili- 
zers, and certifies to the actual value of their several constituents as developed by the 
analysis. A reference to this Report exhibits the following remarkable results : 

1. The actual value of most of these Fertilizers falls below the prices asked for them ! 

2. Where the actual value exceeds the price asked, the excess, in very few instances, 
reaches 10 per cent. 

3. In the case of ORCHILLA GUANO, the certificate of the chemist is "Actual 
value $41.12," which is more than 60 per cent, over the price asked for itl 

This official statement is only corroborative of similar results, furnished us privately 
"by other chemists of high reputation in Virginia and elsewhere; notably Prof. Mallet, 
Dr. Dabney, Prof. Taylor and others. According to Dr. Dabney, the cash value of the 
sample analyzed by him, was $43.97. Prof. Taylor's, by the same calculation, was 
$44 32. 

We are permitted to copy a portion of a private letter from Prof. JOHN R. PAGE, 
of the University of Virginia, as to practical results : 

University op Virginia, January 23, 1883. 
***** j nave use d Orchilla Guano very successfully on root crops, 
as you might expect from its high percentage of Phosphoric Acid. * * * I 
repeat whatl have said repeatedly, that high-priced ammoniated fertilizers can- 
not be used in a large majority of the worn-out lands in Virginia profitably, 
until those lands have been prepared by drainage, thorough tillage — the use of 
lime compounds and vegetable matter ploughed into the soil. Until the land is 
prepared thus, there is nothing to hold the nitric acid and ammonia in the soil, 
and it is carried off by the drainage and atmosphere before the crop can use it, 
which often results in no profit and no permanent improvement to the land. I 
have used the Orchilla Guano this fall on wheat. * * * 

Yours, &c, John R. Page. 



Send for our LITTLE BOOK containing the letters of scores of Virginia farmers, 
bearing testimony to the fact, that the Lime Compound which has done them the 
best service, is ORCHILLA GUANO, with its 40 to 50 per cent, of Bone Phosphate of 
Lime. 



W@©»M®^®,«A¥1jE§ is @@ 



e» 



■IMPORTERS- 



64 Buchanan's Wharf, - BALTIMORE. 



CHAS. G. SNEAD, Importers' Agent, RICHMOND. Va. 



wm YlfLOW 




GET ON TRIAL THE 

WATT CHILLEB 

lyPERIOR IN EVERY ESSENTIAL OF 

STRENGTH, DURABILITY, ECONOMY, LIGHT DRAUGHT, 

PERFECT BURIAL OF VEGETATION, THOROUGH DISINTEGRATION 01 
THE SOIL, FREEDOM FROM CHOKING. Warranted to be as represented, am 
sold subject to approval by trial. Return at our expense if not satisfactory. 

WATT No. D E and No. A B W PLOWS are the favorites in the Cottor 
States. They are the only perfect combined Turning and Cultivating Plows made. Th< 
BEST and the CHEAPEST for Corn, Cotton, Tobacco and Vegetables. 

I^Send for Illustrated Circulars. 1 ^ 

________ 

made of the best material and fin- 
ished in the most attractive manner. 
We are prepared to furnish at prices 
as low as any first class Wagon can 
be sold. Every Wagon warranted 
for twelve months. All expecting to 
purchase Wagons will find it to their 
interest to examine our stock and 
prices. 

COKN S HELLERS for HAND OR POWER, separating Corn from 
Cob, and guaranteed to shell clean. FAN ATTACHMENTS for blowing out chaff and 
dust. 

RICHMOND CHAMPION CORN PLANTER. 

WITH OR WITHOUT FERTILIZER ATTACHMENT. 

It is driven entirely by cog gearing, and 
therefore entirely dispenses with the very 
unsatisfactory and vexatious worm gearing, 
which has given so much trouble hereto- 
fore by cutting and wearing out. Has re- 
movable .seeding plates, so that the farmer 
can use one with holes, adapted to the size 
of the grains of corn he is planting ; or for 
Beans, Peas or Broom Corn. These seed- 
ing plates can be changed in a moment by 
any farm hand. The Fertilizer Attachment 
is so simple and so complete in itself that 
any farmer can attach or detach it in a few 

moments at his pleasure. Every Champion Corn Drill is made so that the Fertilizer can 
be put on at any time when the farmer wants it. The fertilizing material is dropped be- 
hind the drop tooth, and in front of the covering shares, thereby insuring a proper dis- 
tribution and covering of the fertilizing material. By this admirable arrangement, it 
prevents the fertilizing material getting: on the seed plate and clogging up and preventing 
its proper working. ORDER EARLY. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. 

ALL INTERESTED in the use and sale of IMPROVED IMPLEMENTS 

AND FARMING TOOLS, including Adjustable Iron-Frame Cultivators and Horse 
Hoes, Walking and Riding Cultivators, Mowers, Reapers and Threshers, Wheel Rakes, 
Farm Wagons, Grain Drills, Broadcast Seed Sowers, Harrows of various patterns, 
Plows, Plow Castings, and plow material of all kinds, are invited to send for Special 
Circular and Price- Lid. 

tf. T7& CALL - Richmond, Va. 

jy 




CHAMPION CORN DRILL 

WITH 

FERTILIZING ATTACHMENT.