THE 



Southern P 



OUTHERN TLANTER 

DEVOTED TO 

AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, LIVE STOCK AND THE HOUSEHOLD. 

Office, 26 Wilkerson's Hall, Ninth Street. 



T. W. OR.MOND. .... Proprietor . 

W. C. KNIGHT, -.-.. Editor . 

W. C. JACKSON, - ... Advertising Agent. 



46th Year. MARCH, 1885. . No. 



OONTE1TTS: 

t Self-Supporting Employment for Ladies in the South q 7 

I 1 he Education of Cows ,Xi 

, Barn-Yard Manure .J"ZZ"'."S.'Z " Jo7 

j Our East Indian Wheat Competitor '.. !■/« 

Combing Wools „ ,"*'.; """ fj" 

[ Greetings to the Planter, and New Industries in'Bu'ckingham'Countv '"" m 

! lop-Dressing , J " rrj 

Registered Jerseys Owned Near Richmond"!!!!.. ii« 

Enquiry as to Best Method of Feeding Cattle 117 

» The Wallachian Sheep ' \\l 

: Clubbing the Planter .'.....'..'".".'!."."!.""'.' \\l 

Home Economy and Small Industries "' Ton 

, %gs ....!."".'.'.'.'...'.'.'.'.'.'.■. 'I ,oo 

! A Reminiscence of Virginia \tt 

i Something About "Corners" .!!!........!. At 

Spurgeon and Huxley as Smokers .'." '. \t. 

i Farming in Pittsylvania ". ,„f 

The Value of Clover ' 1*5 

| Farmers' Clubs .. -£° 

High Cultivation }*° 

' Why Sheep are Profitable .'..., .".'."'.'.". V™ 

Culture of Wheat in Virginia ' tit 

Dairy Notes from the Dairyman tt. 

A Guardian Crop ..' 13 f 

(Making, Saving and Applying Manure ........!....'.. "!"!!!!".!!!!.!"'"!?!!" '! {3- 

Editorial : 

Grass for Pasture and for Hay 

A Pea-Fallow on Poor Land ,? 

141 

Editorial Notes : 

! The Farmers' Convention ; Virginia Normal School at Farnmlle; Virginia at New 
Orleans ; A New Use for Safe Deposit Vaults; Cream by Machinerv H ar ^ 
Magazine for March; In Babyhood ; North American Kw A Book About 

** 143-146 



Bichmond : J. W. Ferg-uason & Son, Printers. 



B^GREAT 6UNS!!«9 

ITJNPBECEDENTED LOW.PBICES^FOR 

Farm Implements for 1885. 

ASHTON STARKE, Richmond, 7a. 

"Iron Age" Cultivators, Malta Shovel Plows, 

"Deere" Wheel Cultivators, Lever Straw Cutters, 
Smoothing Harrows, Broadcasters, 

Sulky Plows, Wheelbarrows, Churns, &e. 
" Buckeye" Pumps" will force water anywhere. 
Iron Fencing for sections and yards put up in the country. 
New improved "Wood's" Mowers and Binders. 
Thomas' Hay Bakes and Tedders. 

T" A E^ p l&J ^% TT I ^^ |J I Don't buy a single implement until you have 
I F% fV E 1^1 \^ I I V^ mm m gotten our prices. We know we can sell you. 

" OLD HICKORY " WAGONS, BUGGIES, &c. 

[fe'6t] 

[ESTABLISHED 1866.] 

Wm. H. Palmer, President. John Ott, ■Secretary. John Enders, Vice-President. 

Southern Fertilizing Co., 

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, 



— MANUFACTURERS OF- 



STANDARD FERTILIZERS. 

For the Spring demand we have : 

1. — The " Anchor Brand " Tobacco Fertilizer, both for Plant-beds and the gen 

eral crop. (For Plant-beds this article is furnished in both 100 pound and 20( 

pound sacks, as may be desired.) 
2. — The "Anchor Brand" for Cotton.— This article, like the Tobacco Fertilizer 

has had nineteen years' continuous test in the field, and still holds its own agains 

all comers. 
3.— The "Anchor Brand" for Peanuts. 
4.— The "Anchor Brand" for Trucks. 
5.— The " B. P." (Ammoniated) for Corn. 
6.— The "Anchor Brand" for Potatoes. 
7.— The " B. P." (Potash Mixture) for Grape Vines, Fruit Trees and ft 

Composting. 
8.— The "F. B." (Flour South Carolina Bone). 

t^P" Apply to our representative at your trading point. If one is not found there at 
dress the Company direct Ife 3t] JOHN OTT, Secretary 



THE — 



SOUTHERN PLANTER 



DETOTED TO 



Agriculture, Horticulture, Live Stock and the Household. 



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



T. W. ORMOND, .... v 

w. a knight/ ; : n—' 



46th Tear. RICHMOND, MARCH, 1885. No. 3. 



SELF-SUPPORTING EMPLOYMENT FOR LADIES IN THE SOUTH. 

[This is another of the series of the Blair essays. Its author is Miss M. R. Bright of 
Greenwood, S. C. It> a8 one of the closest contestants for the first prize, and is well 
worthy of publication.— Ed. S.P.] 

Woman's true position in society has been, ever since the world began a 
subject of earnest discussion. Reams of paper have been wasted in arguing the 
question as to whether her mind is equal or inferior to that of man. While 
such empty questions were under consideration, woman's toilsome life was no 
whit brighter for all the arguments, pro and con. It is a proof of real progress 
that mankind has left the female intellect to seek its proper level, and ha & s be' 
gun to provide employment for woman, and to educate her for her work. Schools 
of traming are being established in every department of labor, and she is urged 
to develop her physical and intellectual powers to their fullest extent. 

Necessity long since forced this subject upon our sisters of the North With 
a dense population, and nine months of winter, woman's labor was a questioQ 
not of propriety, or suitability, but of existence. In consequence, the shops 
factories, offices-every available place in the North has long since teemed with 
women struggling for bread. 

In the South, the question did not assume such importance. With a mild 
climate and a fertile soil, we knew little of the conflict for food. True, we read 
of freezing and starving women and children, but it was a romantic tale, the 
truth ot which we could not realize. 
7 



98 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 

Slowly, but surely, society changes its tone, its customs, its wants. Many 
who in the past enjoyed luxury, are now compelled to support themselves by 
labor. Thus, the question of suitable employment for Southern ladies becomes 
one of practical interest. 

Until a period very recent, the avenues of employment for woman in all lands 
were few, and in those few, the rewards were too small to tempt any but persons 
driven by necessity. In the North, many of a poor but respectable class 
sought service in families ; others found employment in the cotton and woolen 
factories. These occupations not being adapted even to the poorer classes in 
the South, we see that Southern women were more restricted in a choice of em- 
ployment than were those of the North. The Southern woman of average in- 
telligence, when driven to support herself, was left to choose between the needle 
and the millinery shop. If well educated she generally became a teacher. 
There was no question of fitness for her work, for she had no choice. After 
the Civil War, these few employments were not adequate to meet the wants of 
the thousands compelled to labor for bread. Our ladies, trained only to adorn 
home, were unprepared to face the stern realities of life. A Charleston editor 
says of these days, "It was a painful and heart-breaking struggle for daily 
bread." 

However severe this dicipliue proved it taught us the useful lesson, that 
women should be trained to deal with practical life. In an age and a country 
in which property is never secure, every woman, whether wealthy or poor, 
whether of a higher or lower class, should be an industrious, useful, and self- 
reliant being, able, if circumstances demand, to sustain herself. In thus pre- 
paring herself for life, she need not abate one jot of the delicacy and retiring 
modesty which are the crown of a Southern woman. The days when a Southern 
lady may be a beautiful cipher are no more. In a time when the locomotive 
and the telegraph are feeble emblems of the rapid progress of mind, our women 
must, for their country's sake, advance with the rest of civilized mankind. 
They must study the best methods for improving their condition ; must find 
what departments of labor are best suited to the South, with its peculiarities of 
climate, soil, productions, social customs, laws, &c. 

Necessity, rather than philosophy, however, is teaching us these lessons, and 
in obedience to its law, we have entered many new fields of labor. Agriculture, 
manufactures, trade, the learned employments — all have been attempted by 
Southern ladies. Untrained as they were, they have succeeded sufficiently well 
to show that both by themselves and the world at large, their powers have been 
greatly underrated. 

In the study of those departments of labor into which women may enter ? 
we find that agriculture has been by no means barren of results. Ordinary 
farm work, even in its severest forms, is not unknown to them. In Europe, we 
find that they share the worst labors of the farm'; they, as well as the men, fol- 
low the plow and bear the heavy burden ; nor do they, on this account, seem to 



1885.] SOUTHERN PLANTER 99 

think their lot a hard one. Whether because American women are essentially 
less strong, or because the American idea of woman's social position forbids, it 
Js true that our women of the laboring classes do not generally undertake severe 
farm labor. It must not, however, be understood that they have been entirely 
excluded from such work. From the census report of 1880, we learn that the 
United States contains more than 500,000 female agricultural laborers. These, 
of course in the North consist of the hardiest daughters of toil, and, in the 
South, are confined almost exclusively to colored women. The same report num- 
bers 56,809 female farmers and planters, and 1309 female gardeners and vine 
growers. As our Southern climate is not favorable to the farmeress, we must 
look for the greater number of these to the Northern States. Yet, a Southern 
farmeress is by no means an unknown thing. 

During the Civil War and the years immediately succeeding, there were 
many female farmers. The husband absent or dead, the very lives of the fam- 
ily dependent on the little crop, many a Southern woman found herself com- 
pelled to do the roughest of outdoor work. Often a poor mother, with no aid 
except that obtained from two or three children, planted, tended, gathered and 
stored the crop. Some women aided in supporting the family by hauling 
wood for sale to the adjoining villages. 

During the year which Sherman's army overran Georgia, almost the entire 
crop of the northern portion of the State was gathered by the women. The 
country north of Atlanta being long occupied by Federal troops, the men were 
compelled to flee, leaving the growing crops to be tended by their wives and 
daughters. When the harvest came, these women collected in bands, going 
from farm to farm, and gathering the crop of each in turn. But for this, that 
section of the State would have been reduced to starvation. 

Southern women, at that time, were frequntly called on to superintend large 
plantations employing numbers of workmen ; with a resolution that rose to 
meet the emergency, they proved equal to the task. An instance of this kind 
occurred in a large plantation situated in a section of Georgia then occupied 
by but few whites. The superintendent being called to the army, his duties 
devolved on his wife. With nothing masculine in her disposition, a simple 
hearted cheery woman, she proved able to perform these duties, and not an 
interest of the large plantation was allowed to suffer. At one time she had to 
deal with a rebellious runaway workman, a powerful black. Without the 
quiver of a nerve, she alone arrested him, and, revolver in hand, marched him 
before her to the nearest point where she could deliver him to the proper 
authorities. 

Such instances, however, are called out by great emergencies, and serve only 
to show what women can do when aroused. 

There are, however, employments connected with agriculture, in which she 
may successfully labor. Among these, we may mention the dairy. Much of 



100 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 



the outdoor work is suitable to men only ; yet, in the South, the part of the 
work calling for less exposure may easily be performed by women. The ex- 
treme Southern States are not considered favorable to large dairy farms ; but, 
even in these, much might be done that has hitherto been neglected. The 
worthlessness of the dairy, in the South, arises to a great degree from the fact 
that in the absorbing interest of cotton, tobacco, rice or sugar plantations, the 
whole care of the cows is left to negligent hirelings. If any lady, owning a 
few cows, will try the effect of constant supervision of the quantity and quality 
of the food, the manner of milking, and the disposal of the milk and butter, 
she will be surprised at the result. 

Another employment, equally interesting, and requiring little exposure to incle- 
ment weather, is the care of poultry. A lady owning a home too small to per- 
mit large farming, might well connect the care of a few cows with the rearing 
of poultry, on a moderate scale. By giving her personal attention to these in- 
terests, she could easily gain an income sufficient for support. 

The preparation of fruit for the winter market might be made a source of 
profit. Throughout the South, large quantities of fruit every year run to waste. 
A lady could, at small expense, prepare conveniences for drying fruit, for can- 
ning it, for preserving it in many ways to make a dainty winter repast. With 
our unlimited facilities for fruit raising, it is strange that it is'so neglected. 
Our more thrifty Northern neighbors would make a respectable income from 
what we allow to rot on the ground. 

To one living near a large town, the cultivation of flowers, berries, &c, would 
be profitable. Ladies near New York and Philadelphia, by selling plants, cut 
flowers, bouquets and berries, gain a larger profit than could be derived from 
sewing or teaching. 

The care of bees, our ladies could make pleasant and profitable. 

A Louisiana lady, left without means, utilized all these small industries. A 
cart was each morning filled with the products of her home, and sent by a 
trustworthy agent to the adjacent village. There were a few fat fowls, the best 
of her vegetables, a basket of strawberries, or some other luscious fruit ; some 
fresh butter, beautifully stamped; a dish of curds and rich cream; another 
of the honey of that region, fragrant with the breath of orange groves — the 
whole bearing the impress of the daintiest taste. A sight of this cart before 
the door, was enough to tempt the dullest appetite. How many Southern 
ladies might, with industry and care, follow her example and derive a comfort- 
able income. 

Silk culture is attracting attention in the United States ; and to some extent 
in the South. Attempts have been made, at various times, to render it profi- 
table. It has hitherto been found difficult to compete with European estab- 
lishments. A recent newspaper informs us that in the silk mills of Italy, girlg 
of fifteen, for a day's work of seventeen hours receive twelve cents; and that by 
a system of co-operation, they manage to board for half this amount. As 
American operatives could not live on such wages, we can comprehend some of 



1885.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 101 

the difficulties to be overcome. Notwithstanding, new attempts have been made 
to develop the indnstry in this country, and with some success. Many women 
both North and South, are testing its possibilities. In silk mills of the United 
States, we find more than nine thousand women now engaged. As these manu- 
factures improve, so will the culture of the silk worm, thus offering employ- 
ment to Southern as to Northern women. All these employments are suited to 
persons accustomed to country life, and to outdoor exercise- Those who live 
in towns must seek other means of earning a livelihood. 

Thousands find employment in sewing, and the modern sewing machine has 
greatly increased the number of these. With all the advantages, however, of 
the sewing machine, there are some serious disadvantages. It is asserted that 
no other work so completely exhausts the body. In turning the machine, every 
muscle is brought into activity, and the stooping position necessary to keep the 
work in place, contracts the chest, bringing on all the evils resultant. Those 
who have become exhausted in other employments may, by changing the occu- 
pation, restore the wasted powers. We are told, however, that the sewing ma- 
chine women, having exhausted the whole system, is unable to recuperate. 

The great inventors of the day are in every business relieving us of the bur- 
den of toil. We plow, sow, and reap by steam. We pick cotton, separate it 
from the seed, pack it, card, spin and weave it — all by steam. Let some great 
mind, "on charitable thoughts intent" invent a sewing machine in which the 
motive power will not involve so terrible a waste of muscular strength. 

The idea, once so prevalent, that women are incapable in business life has 
disappeared before facts. They occupy successfully places of importance in 
business houses all over the land. The government offices in Washington are 
filled with busy women. In spite of jealous opposition, these have proved them- 
selves capable. It is said that in some of these positions, involving quickness 
and delicacy of perception, they excel male employees. 

Telegraph offices, both North and South, are frequently filled with ladies, 
and, in places not requiring night work, the business is suitable to them. In 
Atlanta, Ga., we are informed that in the printing offices ladies are engaged in 
setting type. Though we have not learned the success of this experiment, 
there is no reason why it should not prove satisfactory. Involving a standing 
position of the body, however, it is necessarily a fatiguing occupation. 

The idea i3 slowly gaining ground in the South that a woman should have 
some business knowledge, not being, as hitherto, the prey of every financial shark. 
Hence, in our common schools, our girls are receiving more thorough instruction 
in arithmetic and other studies useful in business. 

Saleswomen and ladies engaged in the various forms of trade are increasing 
in number in the United States. Many causes render commercial employments 
less disagreeable than they once were. Employers are less exacting and more 
considerate of the comfort of those under their control, regarding them less as 
money-making machines and more as fellow beings. Formerly, women em. 
ployed in mercantile houses were allowed only the lower and less profitable 



102 SOUTHERN" PLANTER. [March 

positions, and no encouragement was offered to induce them to fit themselves 
for better situations. Now, however, they frequently fill places involving both 
profit and responsibility. Statistics report in the United States more than two 
thousand female book-keepers and accountants. Southern ladies generally dis- 
like this class of occupation. Yet, when we consider that they do not require 
severe physical exertion, and are free from exposure to inclement weather, we 
cannot despise such opportunities for gaining a livelihood. If duty calls a 
lady to measure ribbons, velvets, and silks, to retail sugar and coffee, to fill a 
book-keeper's desk, or a telegraph office, or even to set type in a printing office, 
she can do these things with perfect modesty and dignity. Such employments 
are far preferable to the grudging bounty often bestowed by relatives and pro- 
fessed friends. 

Ornamental fancy work has ever been given up to ladies. In Europe and in 
the Northern States, this kind of work furnishes employment to many. In the 
South, however, we have used it only for embellishing our homes. Few attempt 
the higher and more artistic forms, and still fewer attempt to make it profita- 
ble. When, a short time ago, there was a call for fancy work of high order, 
and an attempt made to open a market for such work, for the benefit of South- 
ern women, there was a lack of skill sufficient to answer the demand. 

In china painting and other decorative arts, in designing, in engraving — 
in all kindred industries, the South is far behind. Women in Northern cities 
furnish designs for manufacturers of carpets, wall paper, furniture, calicoes, oil- 
cloths, &c, Some ornament trays, toilet sets, chinaware, while others paint 
photographs. Women draw on wood the scrolls, ornamental letters, &c, used 
in printing books, papers, business cards, &c, 

If a Southern lady wishes a design for embroidering or other fancy work, she 
sends North, and gets one made by a Northern girl with no more taste than she 
herself possesses. As our ladies are not at all lacking in taste or love of the 
beautiful, this neglect seems surprising. 

The cause lies partly in the pecuniary embarrassments, which, since the war, 
have so retarded the progress of the South. We have been too busily engaged 
in building up our ruined fortunes to spend time and money in the gratification 
of our love of beauty. A deeper cause, however, is our indisposition to under- 
take any new or untried employment. Because these things have not hithertc- 
been done by Southern women, no one thinks of inquiring whether or not there 
would be sufficient call for such work to render it profitable. 

A few years since, Peler Cooper, of New York, proposed to present to South 
Carolina a set of buildings to be used as a school of design for Southern women. 
He asked that a sum of money be added by the State as an endowment fund. 
The State authorities declined the gift, on the plea that the country was not pre- 
pared for such a movement, and that the school was not needed by the ladies. 

In high art there is in the South, in so far as regards the women, a complete 
dearth. While a few derive some profit from a knowledge of sketching and 
painting, none have attained to celebrity. Quite recently, however, more in- 



1885.] SOUTHERN" PLANTER. 103 

terest has been manifested. Decorative art has been more generally intro- 
duced into the female schools. An art school has been established in Charles- 
ton, where considerable attention is paid to china painting and other kinds of 
art. In this school, it is said that some creditable work has been done. Yet, 
it is a local school, intended rather to develop in the citizens a love of art, than 
to exert a general influence. 

As our financial interests improve, doubtless artistic talent will be developed. 
We hope soon to see established a school of design on a scale large enough to exert 
an influence over the whole country. Notwithstanding the opinions of wise 
men to the contrary, we believe such a school would, even from a business view, 
be beneficial to the South. Even now, there is more call for such work than at 
first thought appears. Southern publishers, it is true, are not able to have ex- 
pensive illustrations. People are not able to buy costly pictures and other 
decorations. Yet there are few, even of moderate means, who do not get from 
the North house decorations, fancy designs, ornamental work of many kinds, 
which might be furnished by home industry. Every book printed in the South, 
every newspaper, uses the simpler forms of wood engraving. Every business 
sheet contains illustrations to attract notice to some flaming advertisement. 
These simple illustrations are all obtained from the North. There is scarcely 
a town of any size where a lady cannot get employment in coloring photo- 
graphs. Yet people say there is no need for a school of instruction in artistic 
work. 

Of those employments requiring more or less of intellectual culture, the num- 
ber open to ladies is small. A few ladies write for lawyers and business men, 
and the number of these might be increased. Still fewer attempt, to earn 
money by writing for the press, but these are more to be pitied than those fol- 
lowing a more laborious occupation. Southern periodicals, partly from finan- 
cial pressure, partly from mistaken policy, seldom make the business profitable, 
even to the most talented writers. A Southern writer must look to the North 
for employment, and, with the country already teeming with literary aspirants, 
the prospect i3 poor. Since nothing is to be gained but the empty honor of 
writing for the press, our ladies of intellect seldom enter the arena as literary 
composers; therefore, the Southern authoress, with a few honorable excep- 
tions, remains undeveloped. 

The attention of ladies, both North and South, has recently been directed to 
the medical profession; and much discussion has arisen as to its suitability to 
women. Timid and prejudiced minds start with horror, and class the lady phy- 
sician with the female clergymen, lawyers, and presidential candidates, who 
have made such an unenviable reputation. Those of more advanced ideas con- 
tend that the study of medicine is proper for ladies, and that the interest of 
humanity require that the profession be open to them. In spite of opposition, 
the new idea i3 gaining ground. We find entered on the list of medical schools 
in the United States, five devoted to ladies ; namely, one each in San Francisco, 
Chicago, and Philadelphia, and two in New York. We hope that this list will 



104 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 

Boon be swelled by one in the South. There are also, in the United States, 
eighteen training schools for nurses, of which one is situated in Charleston S. C. 

The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, of the Methodist Church South, 
has recently sent a lady physician to labor with the Mission Church in China. 
Since she has spent several years in a Medical College and in a female Hospi- 
tal, she goes well equipped for her work. Those connected with the same church 
in the Indian Missions of the West, are pleading that a lady physician be edu- 
cated and sent to them. Here, as^elsewhere, we see that necessity controls and 
educates public opinion. 

People of judgment must desire to see Southern ladies interested in the Medi- 
cal profession. Yet, we must confess, that of all the employments in which a 
lady can engage this most demands a robust body and a well-balanced nervous 
system. 

The lady teacher has ever found favor in the South, and, as education in- 
creases, she is more appreciated. Every day new facilities are offered to her 
for improvement, not only in general culture, but in professional education. 
For the first time it is admitted that her opportunities for mental development 
should equal those of the male teacher. Southern institutions of learning have 
greatly raised their standard, though restricted means have prevented their 
highest development. As industry and energy remove these obstacles, her 
teachers will vie in intelligence with those of any other part of the world. 

Woman is by nature a teacher, and the school-room is her home. The notion 
that a lady teacher is necessarily cross, sharp, and disagreeable, is utterly false; 
in no other employment are her womanly powers so fully developed ; her mind, 
affections, and moral nature so strengthened and beautified. 

While in all commercial pursuits, woman must from her nature be subordi- 
nate, and has no desire to be otherwise, in the school and college, she needs op- 
portunity alone to place her in the |front rank. We hesitate not to prophesy 
that in a few years the schools, especially the female institutions, will be almost 
entirely in the hands of women. Already she has a strong voice in the educa- 
tion of small boys, and, as the age advances, this influence will increase. In- 
stances are by no means unknown of a lady's filling with credit and dignity a 
professor's chair in a male college. 

Much, however, must be done, before the lady teacher can occupy her true 
place in the educational world. Public sentiment must demand teachers of 
higher mental culture. Our country and primary schools are far too frequently 
taught by half-educated girls, having no conception of their responsibility. 

The teacher's profession, like that of the lawyer, should be chosen for a life- 
time, and should claim an equally careful preparation. As the earliest impres- 
sions of a little child are ever the strongest, stamping the character in years of 
maturity, so the primary teacher requires more careful education than the 
teacher of more advanced pupils. Let our Southern lady teachers fully recog- 
nize these truths, and the idea of woman's intellecctual inferiority will soon dis- 
appear. 



1885.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 105 

In concluding this sketch it is not improper to add a word about woman's 
salaries. Formerly, it seemed to be an established principle that a woman, in 
whatever business, or of whatever ability, must necessarily receive a smaller salary 
than a man. Ladies tacitly subscribed to this false doctrine, and only recently 
have they summoned boldness to question its justice. Did a tailor engage a 
profitable job, he put it out to a tailoress at half price. Whether it was a fac- 
tory hand, a clerk, or a teacher, the employer hired a woman to save money, 
and the one fortunate enough to get the vacant place dared not question the 
employer's terms. A late periodical speaks of a school in which the principal's 
desk was vacated. The position was at once filled by a lady who had long 
been in the school. Though she filled it satisfactorily for several years, she re- 
ceived no addition to her salary. 

The President of a college, whose time was much occupied by matters of 
outside importance, employed a lady of experience as principal teacher. In 
addition to her own duties, she was expected to fill his place in school, attend- 
ing to all his duties of management and discipline. In the same school was a 
gentleman, who heard two or three recitations per day. Though grading 
below the lady as a teacher, he received three hundred dollars more per annum 
— three hundred dollars for being a man ! In short, wherever a lady was em- 
ployed, she was expected to do twice the work for half the money. 

For the credit of humanity be it said, that the world, slowly and reluctantly 
enough, but surely, is beginning to see the injustice of this. There is but one true 
principle on the subject. The same amount of work, equally well done, should re- 
ceive the same wages, whether the workman be a man or a woman. 

It must be said that in the South there is less of this discrimination than in 
the North. The generous Southern nature, ever regarding woman as a being to 
be cherished, seems disposed to grant equal wages, more from a feeling of kind- 
ness than from having philosophized on the subject. From the school reports 
of 1881 and 1882, we find that of the nine States in which public school sala- 
ries of gentlemen and ladies are the same, eight are Southern States. 

That union is strength, has been proved in every human institution, from the 
humblest department of labor, to the mightiest government of earth. As women 
are beginning to co-operate in their work — in temperance reforms, in missionary 
societies, in societies to facilitate progress and develop power in every field of 
labor — we may expect in the next age to see them occupy a position far in ad- 
vance of anything now known in the history of the sex. 



Now that winter has set in, an occasional allowance of green food may be 
had, when the ground is not covered with snow, for the cattle, by permitting 
them to graze on the growing wheat and rye, as no damage will be done the 
growing crop by being eaten off, provided the stock is not kept upon the pas- 
ture too closely. 



106 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 



THE EDUCATION OF COWS. 

A cow is certainly a reasonable creature. Its instinct in this respect 
is greatly increased by maturnity. A cow with a young calf certainly 
reasons, and if we wish to make the most of Ler instinct and reasoning 
capacity we must educate her. There is in all sorts of animals a dif- 
fering hereditary capacity for being educated — a reasoning debility, 
which aids them in understanding the desires of the owner and the 
means he uses for communicating this knowledge. A young calf in- 
herits chiefly the instinct of fear and self preservation, and the first les- 
son it requires is to overcome this instinct, which is natural, by an effort 
of reason which is wholly artificial. This is taught by the constant exer- 
cise of kindness and gentleness, until the natural fear is wholly expelled, 
and a docile confidence in its owner is created. This is the first step 
iu the education of cows. After this has been firmly established the 
cow learns by experience ; and surely the ability to learn from what has 
passed and to exercise memory, is reason, or closely akin to it. 

The first lesson to be given is the handling, and this is of the first 
importance, because a successful education in this respect avoids all 
the vices and disagreeable habits which detract so much from the value 
of a farm animal. The habit of kicking, which is utterly destructive 
of the value of a cow, may in every instance be traced to errors and 
sometimes vices in the early education of the animal; so too is a bad 
habit of withholding the milk, and all others which are so often com- 
plained of. One of these may be more particularly mentioned, viz., 
the habit of cleanliness. There are cows which can never be kept clean, 
and which seem to delight in fouling their udders, and hindquarters, 
and plastering sides with filth by dipping their tails in the gutter and 
lashing their flanks with them. This all comes from education. A 
well-trained cow has no such unclean habits, and ouce brought up iu a 
cleanly manner will preserve the habit and save a great amount of 
labor and worry thereafter. 

The feeding is also a manner of education. This fact is rarely 
thought of or considered and it is of the greatest importance. A cow 
is a machine for the conversion of food into milk and butter, and as 
the machine is more perfect, so the product will be more satisfactory in 
exact proportion. The training in this respect should begin with the 
new born calf. It is well known how any animal that has been starved 
in its early life is stunted all through its future existence, and how a 
well-fed calf will make a cow that has a large capacity for the consump- 
tion of food and its change into valuable products. The quantity of 
food, however, is not the only element in the calculation. Food varies 
greatly iu its character, and as it is more highly nutritous its products 
are richer and more valuable. But rich food and feeding call for a 
peculiar disposition of the digestive organs, and one of the greatest 
difficulties in the way of the high feeding of dairy cows is the inability 
to digest the concentrated foods which their owners are desirous of 
using. Many cows that have not been trained in this direction fail and 
perish from this inability to sustain a regular course of high feeding. 



1885.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 107 

It is therefore necessary to success in this direction that young animals 
should be "forced," as the term is, from their earliest infancy, and thus 
become able, not only to hold, but to use to the best advantage a large 
quantity of rich food, with a healthy proportion of such bulky food as 
may be required. In this article we do not propose to enter iuto details,, 
but simply to mention a few leading principles from the consideration 
of which details of practice may be resolved. And there is no other 
question appertaining to this subject which admits of greater diversity 
of practice and requires more study and practical investigation and ex- 
periment than this one of feeding. Training to milking is another 
branch of a cow's education which should not be overlooked. It is 
one thing to make a good milker and quite another to keep her good. 
In this respect the milker needs more training than the cow perhaps,, 
for the cow cannot be expected to be better than the teacher. Milking 
is a nice art and needs to be studied in the very best manner by the 
dairyman. We have read instructions in this respect which are alto- 
gether wrong and misleading and even disastrous in their effects. 
For instance, a writer once urged that heifers should be left unmilked 
for long intervals for the purpose of stretching their udder and making 
greater capacity. It is quite safe to believe that one who so thinks and 
advises is not a milker, and is not competent to teach the art to a no- 
vice, for he must evidently be a novice himself. For as soon as the 
udder is filled and the ducts gorged, the glands must stop secreting; 
an injurious congestive condition is induced, and reabsorption must 
occur, to the serious damage of the cow. There are several other 
points which might be referred to but we prefer at this time to merely 
suggest the consideration of the whole subject from the few texts here 
given. — Culpeper ( Va.,) Exponent. 



BARN-YARD MANURE. 

DIFFERENT METHODS OF HANDLING IT. 

No one questions the fact that to the farmer who keeps live stock of 
any kind the consideration of how he shall best manage, store and apply 
his manure is of paramount importance. 

The many who follow in the old ruts, doing only what they have seen 
done before, throwing the dung, as made, out of the windows behind 
the cattle, to lie under the eaves, sometimes during the hot summer,, 
and by others through winter until they plant, are of course reprehen- 
sible, because they neglect intelligent thought upon a subject of such 
great importance to them, often vital to their success; but others who 
have read and thought long and earnestly upon this subject have little 
satisfaction for their labor. Some of the devices for the stable to care 
for the manure as made, perhaps patented, seem to neat farmers ridic- 
ulous to absurdity, while possibly the neatness advocated by these ap- 
pears hardly less ridiculous to the economizer who planned stanchions 
with sides and feed troughs so arranged that as the manure accumulated 
under each animal, and it so stood higher, they could be raised to any 



108 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 

height. He advocated high ceilings, so that as spring approached the 
stock might still have room to stand between the pile and the floor 
above them without necessitating the labor-wasting practice of cleaning 
the stable. We confess to more charity for that other adviser who in- 
structs us to flush the stable floor twice a day with the hose. But he 
must seem finical to the'general farmer, and wasteful to numerous others. 

A class who would hold the inventor of the stanchion plan }n holy 
horror, and who have the support of large numbers, and of many ex- 
cellent writers, advise having a manure receptacle in the barn basement, 
beneath the cattle, which can be very handily reached by trap doors in 
the stable floors, and often couple with this plan the stabling of hogs 
on this manure " to work it over." Although satisfied with this ar- 
rangement in one such barn, the herdsman explained that it would'nt 
do to store hay over the cattle, as the breath ascending would damage 
it for use. Those who are satisfied with this plan would — I think many 
of them — object to a plan in New England barns, where the cows were 
tied with their heads to the outer walls of a square room, say thirty- 
five or forty feet square, leaving a square place behind them, say twenty 
feet square, into which their droppings were daily shoveled until they 
nearly reached the ceiling. 

The plan which advises that each day's droppings shall be at once 
deposited on the field they are to enrich is the ideal one if it were only 
feasible, which it is not, for besides the impracticability of always hav- 
ing the field on which the manure is needed ready for its use at the 
time the daily deposit is to be drawn out, storms, freezing and the soft- 
ness of the surface and of the intervening roadway, often make it 
necessary to defer hauling the manure for a few days. From what 
Messrs. Lawes and Gilbert have proven, and from the weight of testi- 
mony of good farmers, it seems probable that when the cost of hand- 
ling and turning the manure is taken into account, the greatest econ- 
omy is found in spreading the manure directly from the barn at its first 
handling on to land provided for it. As before said, this can not 
always, nor indeed generally, be practiced; and so we who don't want 
the manure under ourselves or our cattle must resort to some plan of 
storing it outside of the stable. 

While exposure to the cold and rain of winter seems less baneful in 
its deteriorating influence than exposure to the direct sun in summer, 
neither are good; and if a covered manure yard can be provided adja- 
cent to the stable, where the manure that can not at once be hauled to 
its final destination may be neatly piled, secure from sun and rain, the 
investment will doubtless be a wise one. And now I come to the 
point not clear to me. Shall this manure yard or court be floored? 
Shall it drain into a cistern? "Yes!" "yes!" "yes!" I hear in chorus. 
I grant you it is so writ in books, and good ones too ; but a cistern and 
heavy cement floor are both somewhat expensive, if well made, and I 
sometimes think them unnecessary. 

This is indeed what impresses me now as I am plan-thinking aloud 
and if my musings shall provoke the written thoughts and experiences 
of others who have considered the subject, so that they will establish 



1885.] SOUTHERN" PLANTER. 109 



the truth or falsity of the conclusions I reach, good may result. One 
error that besets even those farmers that really think is that the think- 
ing is of an indefinite, loose kind, and does not find result in some con- 
clusion — some settlement of the question investigated— and so become 
embodied in actual practice on the farm. 

All, I think, will agree that the place chosen and prepared for the 
manure pile should be hollowed from its center to its sides, so that the 
liquid manure should have no chance to run away from the pile, but 
instead, by reason of the sloping; sides of the bottom of the heap, it 
should run to the center of the floor of the heap, where many would 
put a cistern ; or, if the cistern is placed adjacent to the heap, then the 
bottom should so slope as to direct the drainage to it. 

I am told that cisterns into which liquid manure drains, though 
theoretically good, are seldom long " run"— that is, the job of emptying 
them is a very unpleasant, distasteful one, and in time is abandoned and 
the cistern is allowed to stand unused. 

Now for my inquiry, If the floor of the manure court or pile is 
the soft loam of the earth where it is located, will any loss occur? Of 
course iu such case it must be freed from stone and hollowed out as it 
would be if a cement floor was to be made. 

It seems to me in that case (except where the soil is sandy, which 
would not do as well if at all) the drainage from the heap will all be 
absorbed by the earth which— at first to the depth of two or three 
inches and afterward for perhaps five or six inches — would have to be 
removed with the manure and then replaced after each removal. This 
would not be an expensive process, even less so than the removal of 
the_ liquid manure by itself, and indeed the soil so used would be of 
positive manurial value. 

Sometime since I remember reading a defense of light soils from the 
imputation that they leached manure through them, written by a farmer 
on the light New Jersey sandy soil on which such excellent berries and 
melons are produced. He claimed to have filled a glass tube, say thirty 
inches high, with the almost white soil, and on to it for months to have 
poured dark liquid manure. He said that only clear water came through 
the bottom of the tube at the end of his experiment, and that the soil 
was not yet black for six inches from the top. He was not afraid, 
while growing crops, to risk any quantity of manure on his lands. 

It does not seem to me probable that a manure yard so constructed 
would lose any manure by reason of a lack of a solid floor, or of a cis- 
tern, while the economy of time and money in construction would be 
considerable and not less important. Many a one who hesitates about 
constructing the cement work, which involves finding and hirin°- me- 
chanics, would readily undertake the provision of the other yard in- 
volving the labor only of the farm force when not otherwise employed. 
It _i3 not forgotten that Messrs. Lawes and Gilbert state that in their 
soil some trace of the nitrates of their manure was found in the water 
issuing from their drains; but in stable manure there is only about 
four and a half to five pounds of nitrogen to one thousand pounds of 
manure, or say one per cent; and since the general plan is to spread 



110 SOUTHERN" PLANTER. [March 

the manure when first removed from the stable, when such a course is 
possible, that stored in the pile under protection from rain would not 
be likely to remain long, and probably the waste of nitrogen would 
not be sufficient to justify any considerable expenditure tor cistern or 
for a cement floor thick and strong enough to stand the strain of mov- 
ing and backing farm wagons and teams. — In Breeder's Gazette. 

A. K. Johnston. 



OUR EAST INDIAN WHEAT COMPETITOR. 

The report of the United States Consul Leonard, at Calcutta, on the 
Indian wheat crop of 1884, contains facts of interest to American 
wheat growers, who have already found India a formidable competitor 
in the wheat markets of Europe. He places the crop of 1884 at 244 
million bushels, the product of 26 million acres, giving an average per 
acre of 9£ bushels, as against the American wheat crop 6f 520 million 
bushels from 40 million acres, giving an average of 13 bushels per 
acre. The Indian crop is estimated at 46 million bushels less than in 
1883, when on imperfect returns it was estimated at 290 million bushels. 
On the question of the transportation of Indian wheat to market, he 
says that Delhi occupies the same relation to the market in India that 
Chicago does in this country. It is 1,200 miles from Calcutta, the 
point of export, or about 300 miles further than Chicago from her 
point of export. The river Jumna furnishes water transportation for a 
part of the way, while Chicago has a competing water way the entire 
distance by lake and canal, and which keeps down rail rates during the 
season of navigation. When at Calcutta the Indian wheat is more 
thau twice as far away from the European market as that at New York, 
giving apparently to the American farmer a decided advantage over 
his Indian competitor. This, however, is largely, if not wholly, 
overcome by the cheapness of labor and cost of living in India. Consul 
Leonard's estimate of the cost of wheat production is larger than have 
been made by other parties. It is for wheat laid down at Delhi 80 
cents per bushel ; freight charges from Delhi to Calcutta 19J cents, 
making the cost delivered at point of export, 99J cents. There is then 
to be added the transportation charges to the European markets. Con- 
sul Leonard being on the ground is of course good authority on all 
these points. But his estimate of the cost of wheat laid down at the 
primary market seems high, in view of the cheapness of labor in India. 
Its cost of production to the Indian farmer has been placed by some as 
low as 42 to 45 cents. The entire absence of improved implements 
and machinery in the raising, harvesting and preparing of the crop for 
market, adds to its cost even with cheap labor. Great Britain is rapidly 
extending the railroad system of India for the sake of opening up new 
wheat producing territory, and there is no avoiding of the fact that 
India is sure to become our principal competitor in the wheat markets 
of Europe. Our safety lies in the use of such improved methods as 
shall double our average per acre, enable us to grow all the wheat we 
need for ourselves and to help supply the deficiences of Europe on a 



1385.J SOUTHERN PLANTER. Ill 

diminished acreage, leaving the use of the ground released from wheat 
growing to be used for other purposes. This does not seem to be im- 
possible of accomplishment, in view of the fact that England's average 
yield is over 27 bushels per acre, and that the average of the last 
French crop was over 30 bushels per acre. — Farmer's Review. 



COMBING WOOLS. 



1st. Can you state what constitutes fine combing wool? What breeds 
or crosses of sheep produce it and where they may be found? What 
crossed on fine American Merino would produce it and where sheep 
suitable for such a cross may be had? 

2d. What kind of wool and sheep would Cotswold on Mexican ewes 
give? 

3d. I have a flock of fine Merinos and am tkinking of crossing to 
get fine combing wool, more mutton and better mothers. What 
should I do? Addison Oliver. 

Reply. — 1st. Fine wool is necessarily Merino wool, and whenever 
this is long enough to be combed it is known in the trade as "combing." 
There is no absolute standard of length, provided it can be manipulated 
by the combing machinery. Where introduced, manufacturers were eno- 
bled to utilize a shorter fiber — so that in extreme instances a fiber of 
two and a half inches has been combed. As a rule, however, wool 
sorters do not consider anything " combing" that measures less than 
three inches, in the natural state — that is just as it comes from the 
fleece, without stretching. 

Though length is an essential quality, it is scarcely less important 
than that of strength and uniformity of diameter of fibers. Without 
these requisites — which every practical breeder knows how to secure 
by uniform liberal treatment of the flock — there will be an excessive 
waste in broken fibers, tops, etc., technically known as "noils." This 
is by no means a dead loss to the manufacturer, as he can sell it to the 
trade or work it into a lower class of goods in which strength is not so 
great a desideratum, where it but takes the place of wools which can 
be purchased at a less original cost than fine combing, or delaine, wools 
command. 

As above stated, there is no blood outside of the Merino, in some of 
its types, from which fine combing wool can be obtained. The Silesian 
and French types have been bred more directly in this line than the 
American Merino — though there are many flocks of the latter yield- 
ing fleeces of fair combing qualities. Judicious selections from these, 
and a rigid exclusion from the stud of such animals as do not average 
as well as their progenitors, may be depended upon for soon bringing the 
clip up to combing length, while preserving the requisite fineness. 

A cross of any of the longer-wooled or mutton types will bring the 
wool of the cross-breed offspring up to adequate combing length, but 
the cross will necessarily so enlarge the diameter of the fiber as to un- 
fit it for U3e in the fabrics to which fine combing wool is devoted. 



112 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 

The increase in carcass value will in many instances more than com- 
pensate for the reduced value of fleece — a consideration to be weighed 
by each breeder for himself after a proper study of his relation to 
markets, etc. 

2d. Experiments in using Cotswold rams on Mexican ewes have 
been made in Texas, New Mexico and Colorado, but as the Merino is 
still so generally used there it seems safe to infer that the Cotswold 
grades have not made profitable pastoral sheep. The Mexican sheep 
has a long, coarse, open fleece. The low grade of the wool and the 
lightness of' fleece render it unprofitable under any but the most prim- 
itive management. The fleeces average one and a half to two and a 
half pounds, and are suitable only for carpet manufacture. A Cots- 
wold cross would improve it both in weight and quality, but could not 
be expected to do more than bring it into the lower grade of combing 
wools. The carcass would, of course, be vastly improved in size and 
meat-yielding attributes. While so many good sheep are for sale at 
the low prices now ruling it would seem difficult to figure out the econ- 
omy of beginning a flock on so low a foundation as the Mexican ewe. 
The Gazette is not prepared to recommend such a course in view of any 
facts as yet brought to public notice. When good, well-bred flocks 
advance to double the figures at which they can now be had, it will be 
time for the Mexican to again claim consideration as a profitable flock 
foundation. 

3d. Any of the mutton types will add to the size of the Merino car- 
cass and bring its wool into the " combing" grade — but it will no longer 
be fine — and the breeder who succeeds in making and keeping it uni- 
form in his flock will achieve what many a breeder before him has 
failed to secure. Breeders in New Zealand have been remarkably suc- 
cessful in establishing an intermediate variety by crossings of the 
Merino and Lincoln — the fleece of that variety of long-wooled sheep 
seeming to " nick" more successfully with the Merino than others ex- 
perimented with. Experiments in this direction have been going for- 
ward for thirty years or more, and very handsome flocks, quite as uni- 
form in appearance as the average of the " fixed" breeds in this country, 
are pointed to in vindication ol the claim to success by those breeders 
who have devoted to that cross the labor and a study of a lifetime. 

The fact is buyers have no little trouble in gettiug hold of what de- 
laine wool there is produced in the United States. No flocks of any 
considerable size yield it exclusively, though in many of the best bred 
Merino flocks is to be found on a portion of the animals. From these 
clips the desired fleeces are assorted, either before sacking or after reach- 
ing the warehouse or factory — commonly the latter. The writer was 
informed by the proprietor of a large woolen mill recently visited that 
he deemed himself fortunate if he secured from an invoice of Merino 
wool one-tenth of the fleeces that would grade as "delaine" and even 
from these fleeces certain portions were to be excluded, viz: bellies, 
necks, flanks, etc. 

In this fact is embodied a lesson for American wool-growers — the 
best prices are to be obtained for wools properly graded before ship 



1885.J SOUTHERN PLANTER. 113 

ment or sale. Foreign wool-growers understand this, and by applying 
their wisdom are enabled to get into American markets with wools 
which would not be salable at current prices if marketed in a condition 
corresponding with that of the homegrown clip. 

The existing demand for fine combing wools will doubtless do much 
to stimulate the breeding of long-fleeced Merinoes. The better prices 
which such wool command are powerfully supplemented by the deter- 
mination of many owners to reduce the size of their flocks, in fur- 
therance of which all animals not reaching an advanced standard will be 
disposed of — many of them for the shambles — the remainder for the 
improvement of grade flocks now, and for some time in the future, 
the main source of supply for the woolen mills of the United States. — 
Breeder's Gazette. 



GREETINGS TO THE PLANTER, AND NEW INDUSTRIES IN BUCK- 
INGHAM COUNTY. 

Dear Planter, — You and I were good friends long before and up to 
the war, and your monthly visits were most highly appreciated. 

The receipt of two numbers, so kindly sent me by your present edi- 
tor, vividly brings back to my mind many, very many events now long 
in the records of the past, but never to be forgotten. 

I am highly gratified at your present dress and style, and more so 
with the treat of good things which you have brought to me. I find 
articles well suited to the practical farmer, actively engaged in his 
daily duties, short and crisp, just such as he reads in the evening be- 
fore his last daily meal. 

Other articles for the older and graver readers, rich in matter for 
thought and reflection, and alike encouraging to the young men who 
are engaged in agriculture. 

Then I find matter for the genious of the prospector and inventor in 
mechanics, all furnishing food for the reading and considerate minds 
of our Virginia people, men, women and children. 

Many thanks to the editor for his kindly memory of old and present 
consideration for myself. Now, I will tell your readers some things, 
and give some facts which are sure marks of progress in material 
prosperity. 

There is in this county three distinct ridges of land, which have 
heretofore been regarded not very eligible for farming purposes, but 
they can show the finest bodies of pine, oak, hickory and poplar tim- 
bers to be found in any eastern region. 

Much of this fine timber was left on our streams or bluffs, and other 
locations which were inaccessible to the ordinary modes of conveyance 
8 ' 



114 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 



and had no market value. Recently a Pennsylvania gentleman came 
in from the logging regions of that State, and at once took in the situ- 
ation, and is now making a good thing of the new industry. 

The last freshet took to market some five or six hundred logs on the 
waters of the Appomattox river, and the new mode of conveyance is 
so simple and cheap that it is wonderful that it was never thought of 
or adopted before. 

Then we have some eight or ten steam saw-mills running on full 
time, and morning, noon and night we hear the steam whistle and the 
never-ending buzz of the saw. Mr. W. E. Gilliam has just erected a 
large 60-horse power engine, and commenced sawing the lumber to 
build a commodious house, and will saw, manufacture flour, grind tan- 
bark and sumac. These are gratifying evidences of improvement in 

that line. 

Some of our good people are engaged in raising fine grade stocks ol 
cattle, and one gentleman (a Marylander) has laid out a sheep-walk, 
and has stocked it with 650 sheep, some of them finely graded. 

Evaporators are being introduced, and enlarged areas are planted in 
fruit trees, and dried fruit will soon be one of our established in- 
dustries. 

The area in tobacco will be gradually lessened, and a greater variety 
of products will be raised in its place. 

This county is also well adapted to grape culture, and will furnish a 
fine field for that industry, and Buckingham wine will be well known 
in market soon. 

But we have to fall out of the old ruts, and get well on the modern 
highway of improvement, and our movements will be rapid and pro- 
gressive. 

These disjointed scraps of information, but facts, I have hastily 
penned, and you are at perfect liberty to alter, amend, or throw into 
the waste-basket, which will possibly be the most appropriate place Jot 
them. But I am, as ever, your friend, 

Buckingham, February 9th, 1885. S - 



TOP-DRESSING. 

[For the Southern Planter.] 

Mr. Editor,— The subject for discussion at the last meeting of the 
Tuckahoe Farmers' Club was, "The most profitable use of manure as 
a top-dressing in winter." The subject was ably discussed by Colonel 



1885.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 115 

= ■ ' .... . ■ ■ - ....--. — — - <tr- — ' 

Randolph Harrison, and he contended that the top-dressing of wheat 
in winter was often done, but rarely with profit; that he had tried sev- 
eral times, and it had not proved much of an advantage ; and that 
Prof. McBryde had made many experiments that way,*" all showing the 
same results, or very nearly so. Consequently, he argued, that top- 
dressing on grass was much more profitable, especially on clover; that 
the quantity of manure could be spread much farther, and a marked 
improvement would be the result; that timotby would thus be greatly 
improved, especially on lands not originally rich, and it would retain 
its hold of the land much longer in this way. 

"Well, such has been my experience with manures as a top-dressing, 
I have had lands almost run out in cultivated grasses to come out, and, 
with the indigenous grasses to help, to make a very good crop of hay, 
thus lengthening the stand a year longer than I expected. 

By using the manure in this way on clover, even when you intend 
to fallow it for wheat, you are able to cut the first crop as hay, and 
then have a fair cover to fallow for wheat, and in this way you can go 
over a larger surface with your manure, and help you more than if ap- 
plied directly to the soil when the wheat was sown. But our main 
idea was to utilize the manure in winter as fast as made, so as to get 
the full benefit before it was leached by rains, and to save important 
time in the spring, that we might then be plowing instead of having 
all the manure to haul and spread at that time. 

Some have contended that if spread in winter the rain would carry 
off the juices to the ditches and streams; but this is a mistake, for 
when it is warm enough for the juices to run from the manure the 
ground is soft, and will take them in at once, and before they go far. 

Before I close there is another idea I want to mention. I have heard 
all my life that the second crop of clover, if cut and cured for hay, 
would salivate horses if fed on it. Last August I saved quite a lot of 
clover hay, and began to feed my cows with it. The horses were in 
the same stable, and I gave them a little at first; but finding that it did 
not harm them, I fed them daily for two weeks, and not the first one 
was salivated in the least. I never dared do such a thing before, but 
I shall in the future. 

When I read your last number I was surprised to see what a few of 
our Virginia farmers were helping you to keep up a first-class State 
agricultural paper; so I determined at once to help you all I can, not 
that I have the ability to do much, but drops make the ocean. 

Very truly your friend, 

Manchester, Va. F. Gut. 



116 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 



[We thank our friend Gay for his communication, and for the last paragraph in it. We 
urgently request our subscribers to send us as often as convenient articles embracing 
their views and experience on subjects of practical agriculture. There can be no better 
way by which farming can be made interesting and profitable. Farmers owe it to them- 
selves that this method of communication with each other should at all times be active. 
In connection with the main subject of the article, we add what Dr. Armsby, of the 
Wisconsin Experimental Station, said. He says: "The loss of manure by leaching 
through the soil will be very small usually, because all respectably good soils have the 
power of taking up the valuable matters out of their solution in water and retaining them, 
ready to feed crops. Only on the lightest lands is there reason to fear any great loss. 
The only valuable part of the manure which can be converted into gas is its nitrogen, 
which may escape as ammonia. The extent of this loss has usually been overrated. 
Stable manure contains but a small proportion of nitrogen, and a still smaller proportion 
of this is capable of being quickly converted into ammonia and given off as gas. More- 
over, the organic matter of stable manure, its humus, has a considerable power of re- 
taining ammonia when it is formed ; and, finally, the conditions in the field are not favor- 
able to the format ; on and escape of ammonia. The manure is too scattered to get up the 
heat necessary to a vigorous chemical action, and its nitrogen is more likely to be changed 
to nitrates and dissolved out by rain. Even if ammonia is formed, however, it will not 
escape into the air unless the manure becomes pretty thoroughly dried out." The 
great saving of labor which may be accomplished by this method is a strong point in its 
favor, but careful observation leads us to believe that, aside from this consideration, a 
greater actual value is realized from the manure when it is thus spread, before it has lost 
much of its virtue by leaching in the barnyard.— Ed. S. P.] 



REGISTERED JERSEYS OWNED NEAR RICHMOND. 

Editor Southern Planter,— -The Planter has lately published descrip- 
tions of some of the Jersey herds in the State, and a notice of those 
owued near Richmond may be of interest to your readers. Mr. S. A. 
Ellison has nineteen registered Jerseys, mostly imported; Colonel R. 
Snowden Andrews has fourteen— a part imported ; Dr. J. G. Beattie 
has ten; Mr. John B. Davis has nine; Mr. T. F. Taylor has six, all 
imported; Mr. C. L. Miller has four; Mr. W. E. Grant has two; Col. 
Normand' Smith has two; Mr. Samuel P. Waddill has one; and there 
are probably others. All the above are registered, or entitled to regis- 
try, and among them are many of as finely-bred Jerseys as there are in 
the United States, purchased at prices far beyond the means of ordi- 
nary farmers. Nothing would show the utter worthlessness of many of 
the cattle raised in Eastern Virginia than their exhibition side by side 
with these Jerseys. _ 

The prospect for an exhibition of fine Jerseys at the ensuing State 

Fair is good. 

Henrico county, Va., February, 1885. 



1885.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 117 

ENQUIRY AS TO BEST METHOD OF FEEDING CATTLE. 

Editor Southern Planter, — Thousands of cattle are fattened in this 
county, and yet opinion is very unsettled as to the most profitable me- 
thod. It is contended by some that ensilage, stall or stable feeding, 
and partial or total confinement, fattens most rapidly and cheaply, and 
is altogether the best plan. Others, of extensive experience and excel- 
lent judgment, insist that "open" shelters, or the shelter of timber 
lands, and unrestrained liberty of exercise, is best for both cattle and 
feeder. And further, thatthe droppings being distributed by the cat- 
tle, saves the cost of hauling. Barnyard manure is saved with equally 
good results. It is also a mooted point, whether or not grass land is 
materially damaged by the feet of the cattle when the ground is soft, or 
whether it is not benefited. 

One of these systems involves so much less original outlay and ex- 
pense of labor than the other, that it would be desirable to know that 
the latter is certainly profitable, and also whether it affords greater or 
less advantages than the system of stabling. Of course, cattle of much 
higher quality can be used when stall-feeding is followed. 

Perhaps some of your correspondents who have tested the cheaper 
way will communicate the conclusions they have reached, with such 
particulars as may definitely support their views. 

"Chicago dressed beef" has become so potent a factor in the compe- 
tition of the West that the dollar will have to be made to sro as far as 
possible in Piedmont Virginia in cattle-feeding. Fauquier. 

[The subject presented in these inquiries is one we have often thought of and talked of 
with Piedmont graziers, but we find opinions differ. Not having any personal experience 
in the matter — having been raised and pursued the business of agriculture in the south- 
side of the State — we do not feel warranted in offering our own opinions, which are based 
merely on general principles. We therefore hope that the Planter will have responses 
from those who can speak from experience on the subject. There are many men in Pied- 
mont we could mention by name who can throw light on the question, but it is not proper 
to individualize. — Ed. S. P.] 



THE WALLACHIAN SHEEP. 

Editor Southern Planter, — I herewith enclose the description of the 
remarkable breed of sheep to which I called your attention : 

"Of the multiform varieties of our domestic rams, the most beautiful 
is that figured at the head of the present article — it is the Wallachian 
Sheep (Ovis Aries, Var. Stupsiceros, Linn), and the Cretan Sheep, of 
Pennant. Though said to be common in Wallachia, Hungary, Aus- 



118 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 

tria, and the western parts of Asia. * * * A few years since a 
splendid ram which came from Mount Parnassus was presented by Dr. 
Bowring to the Zoological Gardens. Like its relatives, peculiar to our 
parts of Europe, it was very stupid, but at the same time vicious and 
unruly, and of amazing strength. Its horns were very large, spirally 
contorted (some eighteen inches long), adding greatly to its striking 
and picturesque appearance. Its wool (if wool it could be called) dif- 
fered materially in quality and texture from that of our breeds. In- 
stead of being curly and matted, or felted into a mass, it was of great 
length, perfectly straight, close set, and beautifully fine, falling from 
the middle of the back, on either side of the animal, almost to the 
ground. On the face the hair was short and of a rusty black, the same 
of the legs ; on the body it was white. To this description it may be 
added that the horns of the male mostly rise almost perpendicular from 
the skull, making a series of spiral turns in their ascent, the first turn 
being the largest ; while in the female they diverge, taking a lateral 
direction. 

"According to Belon, the present variety occurs in Crete." * * * 
From the above description, this sheep has peculiar recommendations 
for our State — namely, from its black face and legs, and fleece of snowy 
whiteness and great length; that it has been duly reconstructed; and 
that the fleece has great value from its fineness and length of fiber. 
The length of their horns, with their spiral twists, together with their 
amazing strength, show their fitness for the "war-path," and by a judi- 
cious adjustment, on the part of the shepherd, of a few dynamite car- 
tridges to their tails they could go forth and graze at will, commanding 
the respect, at least, of the "yaller dorgs," if not that of our legal mem- 
bers of the Legislature. It must have been this mutton, of which the 
French tasted, which created their national aphorism, "Revenous a no» 
moutons." 

Let us have this breed imported into Virginia by all means. M. 



The food animals consume modifies the character of their flesh. 
Turnips yield a peculiar flavor to mutton. The flavor of mutton from 
sheep that have lived upon the highland is different from that of sheep 
which have obtained their food chiefly from the lowlands. The garlic 
of the meadows and some fragrant herbs modify the flavor of the meat. 
Oily food tends to make the fat soft. Hens partly fed on scraps of de- 
caying meat yield eggs that are at once unpleasant to the taste and un- 
healthy. Feeding animals for human food is, then, of great importance 
and demands experience. It is not enough that food makes fat — it 
should also impart an agreeable flavor. 



1885.] SOUTHERN" PLANTER. 119 

CLUBBING THE PLANTER. 

Editor of the Southern Planter, — As a very tardy scholar, I commence 
this communication, conscious that it ought to have been written longago. 
I would not, however, make this apology, but that it is your due. You 
are engaged in a noble work, stimulating the energies (and frequently 
the flagging energies), of the cultivators of our mother earth. You, like 
they, need your hands held up by co-operative sympathy and work, and 
I feel that my apparent indifference was calculated to exercise a depres- 
sing effect, and if my tardiness had not been unavoidable I could not 
excuse myself, but I think you will as readily excuse me as I do myself, 
when I tell you that the day I expected to have commenced getting up 
my club for this year, on November court day, I was confined to the 
house by sickness, and dare not to venture out. This threw me to De- 
cember court day before I could see all the parties I wished. Then I 
could only take the names to see how many I could get, that each might 
have the advantage of the graduated price, according to the number 
subscribed. Finding at January court that I was sure for twenty-five, 
if not thirty subscribers, I commenced collecting, and will remit you 
the names and amounts of subscribers. I expect to get most of them 
by Monday, when I will forward this. It is not an easy matter to col- 
lect from twenty-five or thirty subscribers in a sparcely settled neigh- 
borhood. But I have tried to do my best, and you must be satisfied. 

In getting up this club I came across some intelligent gentlemen, 
who assigned as a reason for not taking the Planter, that the writers 
were not experts, but common farmers, and frequently contradicted 
each other. That they preferred the consistent, uniform, symmetrical 
teaching of the accomplished professor of his art, to the fragmentary 
and contradictory information contained in the espistolary communica- 
tions which make up so much of the Planter matter, which has always 
appeared to me the great excellence of the work. The plain state- 
ment of observed facts, as observed in the field or while practically con- 
ducting the operations of the farm with the effort to account for them, 
or reason from them, is the only way of progress I know, and felt like 
writing to the publishers of several of the large weeklies and monthlies 
who have plied me with circulars and sample copies in abundance, so- 
liciting my co-operation, that their system of conducting their papers 
is too stereotyped for me. I prefer the free interchange of common 
thought, and if some of us sometimes make some stupid and foolish 
remarks, they are detected, pointed out and corrected, and we learn 



120 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 

more through making mistakes and correcting them than by gliding 
smoothly and pleasantly along in the beaten track. 

History shows that corruption has crept into systems, through the 
fact that the advocates, teachers and expounders of them have been of 
a fixed and stereotyped character, hence, the need of reformation, and 
that never comes till preceded by free and untrammeled discussion. 
Yes, sir, give me the Planter's method iu preference to all the ably 
edited stereotypes in the world. 

I am satisfied that the Planter is the best paper for the Southern 
farmer that is published, and the cheapest. S. 

Amelia 0. II., Va. 

[For the Southern Planter.] 

HOME ECONOMY AND SMALL INDUSTRIES. 

In these times of business depression and scarcity of money, it will 
be well for farmers to look around and reflect on the best ways of meet- 
ing the emergencies of the situation. 

Economy of present means is particularly demanded. Those who 
were so fortunate (?) as to have gone through the war, can realize how 
much can be done in this direction. Old clothes can be patched up 
and made to last a year longer. The same can be done with furniture, 
implements, and especially with non-essentials or luxuries. If many 
of the wealthiest people lived for four years without new store-clothes, 
with patched and darned carpets, with cracked china, with somewhat 
battered carriages, and confined their table supplies to home products, 
to serve the ends of war, why cannot all do something of that kind 
now? In many respects they would not be worse off from doing so. 
The sailors in a storm reef the sails and scud before the wind with bare 
masts till the storm is over. It is wise aud safe so to do. So let our 
people do in their business matters. 

I was reading in a Boston journal this morning that the dairy pro- 
ducts of this country amounted to $600,000,000, and the surplus sup- 
ply for sale was mainly raised by some four or five States. While 
other products are slow sale, these show little or no diminution in 
price. Such is the demand abroad that all the surplus finds ready sale. 
Another fact was also brought out, that as hard as times are, nevertheless 
that eggs are now being imported from Europe to supply the great de- 
mand for them in the United States. 

I am aware that this line of remark will do a certain class of Vir- 
ginia farmers no good. This class of people look with contempt on. 



1885.] SOUTHERN" PLANTER. 121 

any suggestion as to making money from any such "picayune" busi- 
ness as raising chickens, eggs, butter, &c, and nothing but the cold 
hand of poverty can bring them to such straits. But the new genera- 
tion growing up will take the idea more readily. A gentleman of 
Lynchburg told me his wife supplied his family with milk and sold 
from a cow bought for $25, over eighty dollars in milk. Good butter 
will bring in Richmond thirty cents the year round. At least I had an 
offer to pay that from a boarding house keeper, provided the quality be 
uniformly good. Now what will thirty cents buy? It will buy six 
yards of calico or cotton cloth, five pounds of sugar, two pounds of 
coffee, or a proportionate amount of tea. Would a pound of butter 
have bought anything as much in former years? So that you see there 
is a " silver lining " to this cloud. 

But, Mr. Editor, the farmers of Virginia can never hope to be really 
prosperous and progressive, so long as they are so reliant on outside 
people and tircumstances. If they must go abroad to buy their axes, 
hoes, plows, shoes, hats, clothes, furniture, in a word, everything they 
need in life, and even their coffins when they die, they ought not to 
complain that hundreds of things they might make or even find with- 
out making, on their land, will have to go for a market to the points 
where these hundreds of articles they yearly buy come from to find a 
market, and in these distant markets lose half their value from freights 
and charges. A goose can stand all night on one leg, but people who 
sell one thing, whether it bring cost or not, and have to buy many 
things at market rates may certainly count on the balance being on the 
wrong side at the end of the year. 

I never expect to see Virginia prosperous as long as I see cream com- 
ing every day, winter and summer, from the North to make ice-cream; 
or butter from New York; or apples from New England; or hay from 
Illinois, not only for livery stables in cities, but going out by rail to- 
country depots. A country that, in addition to buying abroad what 
has been named above, in addition to these would need to have a Grd- 
conda or an Ophir in every county to keep the balance on the right side. 

"We have many advantages in climate, soil, location; but as Moody 
said in regard to spiritual talents, we ''must use or lose" them. 

February, 1885. R. 



It is expected that 500,000 sheep will be shipped to England from 
New Zealand the coming year. 

The value of the sheep in Colorado is estimated at $20,000,000. 



122 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 



EGGS. 

Success in the poultry yard very much depends upon the ability to 
get the largest number of eggs in the shortest possible time. A hen 
can produce about so many eggs, and she may be fed so as to part with 
them in two years, in producing the same number. Quick work means 
greater profit, not only in production of eggs, but in the market value 
of the hen when eggs cease. We must learn the art of feeding so 
as to realize all that is possible before the hen is two years old, and 
then send her to the chopping block fat and ready for market. 

The production of eggs is a constant drain upon the hen. From one 
and a half to two ounces of highly concentrated food is secreted through 
the tissues daily in order that the eggs be formed, and this drain must 
be met. The hopper will not carry, or the stones grind unless the 
grain be supplied. Now this quantity of food, necessary to form the 
eggs, constitutes about one-half of what is taken into the system daily, 
the remainder going to form flesh and sustain the fowl. This de- 
mand for yolk, albumen and shell-forming material, goes on constantly 
and must be met, so that we may run this egg machine at full blast 
until the vital forces are exhausted. 

Here is the secret underlying all success and anyone who runs may 
learn. Out of the grains, bones and shells in their variety comes the 
supply which will meet the demands of nature, and these with proper 
exercise to sustain vitality are what is needed to keep up the flow of eggs. 



A REMINISCENCE OF VIRGINIA. 

FROM FARM TALKS OF BEN. PBRLEY POORE IN AMERICAN CULTIVATOR. 

Tobacco became the staple product of Virginia soon after the first set- 
tlement of the British colonists, and although many and stringent laws 
were enacted to prevent its cultivation, little attention was paid to any 
other crops beyond what was needed for home consumption. Attempts 
were made to encourage 'other branches of rural industry. But the 
Virginia landowners preferred the exhausting tobacco plants, with a con- 
tinuous cropping, shallow plowing and no supplies of fertilizers, until 
every particle of nourishment had been drawn from the soil by the 
plants or washed out by the rains. The implements used were small 
plows and heavy hoes, and when the tobacco had been gathered, cured 
and packed into hogsheads, these were rolled to the nearest inspection 
wharf. The roads were bad, and there were but few wagons, so a pole and 
whifnetrees were attached to each hogshead by an iron bolt driven in 
the centre of each head, and it was converted into a large roller. For 
many years the places for deposit and inspection of tobacco on the 
river were called " rolling houses." 

King James the First, prompted doubtless by his antipathy to "the 
Virginia weed," and "having understood that the soil naturally yeldeth 
store of excellent mulberries," gave instructions to the Earl of South- 
ampton to urge the cultivation of silk in the colony in preference to 



1885.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 123 

• 

tobacco, "which brings with it many disorders and inconveniences." 
In obedience to the command, the earl wrote an express letter on the 
subject to the governor and council, in which he desired them to com- 
pel the colonists to plant mulberry trees and also vines. Accordingly, 
"as early as the year 1623, the colonial assembly directed the planting 
of mulberry trees, and iu 1656 another act was passed, in which the 
culture of silk is described as the most profitable commodity for the 
country, and a penalty of ten pounds of tobacco is imposed upon every 
planter who shall fail to plant at least ten mulberry trees for every hun- 
dred acres of land in his possession. In the same year a premium of 
400 pounds of tobacco was given to a person as an inducement to re- 
main in the country and prosecute the trade in silk; and in the next 
year a premium of 10,000 pounds of tobacco was offered to any who 
would export £200 worth of the raw material of silk." About the 
same time, 5000 pounds of the same article was promised " to any who 
should produce 1000 pounds of wound silk in one year. 



SOMETHING ABOUT "CORNERS." 

Our honest farmer friends who have long labored under the impres- 
sion that all sales are made by actual delivery of the articles sold have 
much to learn in regard to some transactions to which they are stran- 
gers, and which are somewhat outside of the usual business methods. 

What is called a " corner" is simply one set of gamblers endeavoring to 
prevent another body from fulfilling their obligations. In ordinary 
business transactions the creditor is only too happy to give the debtor 
an opportunity to pay the debts due the creditor, but with " transac- 
tions on change" the case is very different, for just what the creditor 
then desires is that the debtor be utterly unable to pay auything. No 
goods are handled at all. It is simply a bet between two parties, one 
betting that he can deliver so many bushels of grain, or gold, or stocks 
at a fixed time, and the other party betting that he cannot do so. 

To make it plain, some speculator goes into the market and offers 
10,000 bushels of wheat for sale, which he promises to deliver in one 
month, or at some future time agreed upon. Now, the speculator has 
not a single busbel t of grain, but he offers it at a certain price, say 90 cents 
a bushel. He is made to give some kind of security for his fulfilment, 
such as a deposit of a sufficient sum to pay the difference, should wheat 
fall in price. Thus if he offers wheat at 90 cents, and deposits 
5 cents for a fall on each bushel, should wheat get down to 85 cents he 
mu3t deposit more, in order to save his first deposit. What he is really 
trying to do, however, is to sell 10,000 bushels of wheat at 90 cents, 
to be delivered in one month. At the end of the month, should wheat 
fall to 85 cents, he does not have to deliver it, but simply walks up and 
pockets the difference in price — 5 cents — and during this time he has 
not handled an ounce of wheat in any shape. 

In the meantime the other gambler goes to work. He does not de- 
sire the wheat to be delivered, on paper, at 90 cents. So he goes to 



124 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 



work to get possession of all the wheat he can, making contracts with 
large numbers to deliver in one month also. By getting the control of 
these contracts he compels the seller to come to him for the wheat 
which is supposed to be delivered. As he fixes the price at 95 cents 
the sellers must pay him 5 cents per bushel or fail to deliver, and after 
the month has expired and he has "fleeced" the shorts, as the delivery 
gamblers are styled, the market prices fall to their original figures. 
Sometimes millions of bushels are thus gambled and the transactions 
become so large as to place the entire product in the hands of a few, 
the control of such quantities being known as a " corner." 

While the law does not tolerate a game of betting on faro, poker, or 
other forms of gambling, yet the farmers of this country, who do not 
gamble, are fleeced indirectly of millions of dollars through the specu- 
lators. And yet no one has dared to molest them, as they have become 
too wealthy and powerful. They are lawful highwaymen, who have 
the privilege of doing in a wholesale manner that which would consign 
a retail operator to prison. Until the evil is stopped there will be no 
end to panics. Business is legitimate, but speculative robbery some- 
thing else. — Farm, Field and Stockman. 



SPURGEON AND HUXLEY AS SMOKERS. 

Mr. Spurgeon once declared boldly that if anybody could show him 
in the Bible the command, " Thou shalt not smoke," he was ready 
to keep it. "I find," he said, in a famous discourse in the Tabernacle 
— "I find ten commandments, and it's as much as I can do to keep 
them ; I've no desire to make them into eleven or twelve. Why, a 
man may think it a sin to have his boots blacked. Well then let him 
givejit up and have them whitewashed. I wish to say that I'm not ashamed 
of anything whatever that I do, and I don't feel that smoking makes 
me ashamed and therefore I mean to smoke to the glory of God." 

For years Prof. Huxley, like Charles Lamb, toiled after tobacco "as 
some men after virtue." At a certain debate on smoking among the 
members of the British Association, he told the story of his early strug- 
nles in a way which utterly put the anti-tobacconists to confusion. 

" For forty years of my life (he said) tobacco had been a deadly poi- 
son to me. (Loud cheers from the anti-tobacconists.) In my youth, 
as a medical student, I tried to smoke. In vain! at every fresh attempt 
my insidious foe stretched me prostrate on the floor. (Repeated cheers.) 
I entered the navy. Again I tried to smoke, and again met with a 
defeat. I hated tobacco. I could almost have lent my support to any 
institution that had for its object the putting of tobacco-smokers to 
death. (Vociferous cheering.) A few years ago I was in Brittany 
with some friends. We went to an inn. They began to smoke. They 
looked very happy, and dismal. I thought I would try a cigar. (Mur- 
murs.) I did so. (Great expectations.) I smoked that cigar — it was 
delicious. (Groans.) From that moment I was a changed man ; and 
I now feel that smoking in moderation is a comfortable and laudable 



1885.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 125 

practice, and is productive of good. (Dismay and confusion of the 
anti tobacconists. Roars of laughter from the smokers.) There is 
no more harm in a pipe than there is in a cup of tea. You may poi- 
son yourself by drinking too much green tea, aud kill yourself by eat- 
ing too many beefsteaks. For my own part, I consider that tobacco 
in moderation is a sweetener and equalizer of the temper." (Total rout 
of the anti-tobacconists, aud complete triumph of the smokers.) 



FARMING IN PITTSYLVANIA. 

Editor of the Southern Planter, — As I have been taking your valu- 
able Journal for some time, and well pleased with it, I will try to give 
you some idea of my works for the past twenty years. I came home 
from the army iu 1865 and found my wife and two little children with 
the property I left her with when I entered the service, while many 
women that were left as she was had gone through with what they had 
at the commencement This was some consolation to me, so I accepted 
the first proposition offered me by which I thought I could make a liv- 
ing. An old gentleman gave me a half interest on a large old planta- 
tion. I would not agree to work but four hands the first year. The 
second year fifteen hands, and have worked as high as thirty since. 
Have always preferred to pay good wages and get choice hands. I 
have never had an occasion to go before a justice to settle any business 
matters. I act myself. Never warranted but one man, that cost me 
two dollars, and I lost the debt. I was solely dependent on my em- 
ployers the first four years — only made clear to my part four dollars 
during that time. I bought a little place of 117 acres; it was called 
by the name of Point Lookout, another was Starvation Hill. Some of 
the people remarked that I had moved there to finish perishing — would 
finish about next year. Thank God, I am on Point Lookout yet, have 
raised my children to be men and one daughter — five in all. 1 have 
added to Point Lookout until I now own about 800 acres here and 117 
in another place, and a half interest in 256 acres more at another place, 
all cleared. My principal work has been on tobacco, though I always 
try to raise a plenty of everything my land will produce. Never hauled 
any hay from market. My crops have never been under 13,000 pounds; 
from that to 50,000 pounds. On all my places my average has been 
from §9^00 to $30.00 per hundred. Generally make from 300 to 700 
bushels of grain, wheat and rye. Your fine harvesting implements 
that you speak of in your Journal would be of no use here ; we are 
obliged toehold on to the old way; our land is so steep and rough that 
it would be a general smash up to try to use them ; but when I read 



126 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 

of their use it almost puts me in the notion to sell all my possessions 
and buy a little place where I can use machinery, though I reckon 
I had better be satisfied doiug well, let others do better. 

I use from eight to twelve tons of fertilizers. A good deal of Alli- 
son & Addison's " Star Brand," and two other kinds manufactured in 
Baltimore — Sea Island, Giant B., and some of the best Peruvian I 
could get — could see but little difference in any of it. You can see 
from this whether I worked or not. There has been some done about 
me in the past twenty years. This is my first scribbling to any news- 
paper; if you think it worth room in your Journal, please assign it a 
place, not that I doubt any of it myself, but some one would say the 
old fellow is blowing. Pittsylvania Farmer. 

Mount Cross, Va. 

THE VALUE OF CLOVER. 

To the question of what is gained by plowing in a clover sod ? Henry 
Stewart replies as follows in the New York Times : 

There are, he says, three advantages — first, the mechanical effects 
upon the soil ; second, the addition of a certain quantity of fertilizing 
matter; and third, the chemical effects upon the soil. 

Just now it is very important to consider each of these very closely, 
because there is a popular opinion prevalent that the soil is actually 
improved by cutting and removing this second growth instead of plow- 
ing it under. This belief has been taught by agricultural chemists and 
by writers upon agriculture, and it has been widely adopted on the 
strength of the authority. But there are really no facts given to sup- 
port the prevalent belief in the effects of clover upon the soil, while 
common sense and reason are opposed to it. This will appear as the 
three points above mentioned are made clear. 

First. There are some certain mechanical effects produced upon the 
soil by the plowing-in of a clover sod, and these effects are greater in 
proportion to the bulk of the vegetable matter turned under. A quan- 
tity of green clover which would make a ton of hay is equal to four 
tons of the green matter. The roots and stubble of such a growth of 
clover will amount to an equal bulk of four tons more. Sixteen thou- 
sand pounds, or eight tons of green matter, is equivalent to 100 pounds 
upon every square rod of ground. When this is evenly distributed, as 
it is by plowing a growing crop under, in alternate layers of vegetable 
matter, and four, five or six inches of soil, as the furrows may be made, 
the soil is greatly improved in texture ; a light, sandy loam is bound 
together and consolidated by this fibrous matter intermingled with it, 
and a heavy clay is loosened, opened, and made more porous. Either 
soil is far better prepared for its occupation by a mass of roots, and is 
better enabled to hold the moisture requisite for the growth of a crop. 

Second. A quantity of clover like that plowed in contributes to the 



1885.] SOUTHERN" PLANTER 127 



soil a large amount of the most valuable fertilizing matter. The eight 
tons of clover leaves, stems and roots contain about 112 pounds of nitro- 
gen, twenty-six pounds of phosphoric acid, fifteen pounds of sulphuric 
acid, sixty pounds of carbonic acid, one hundred pounds of lime, sixty- 
seven pounds of potash, and about sixty pounds of soda, chlorine, mag- 
nesia, iron, etc. A ton of ordinary farm-manure contains nine pounds 
of nitrogen, ten pounds of potash, and four pounds of phosphoric acid. 
Therefore the eight tons of clover add to the soil as much nitrogen as 
twelve and one-half tons of manure. There is a considerable balance 
in favor of the clover, the greater, as nitrogen is the most valuable and 
costly of all the needed elements of fertility. But there is a deeper 
view to be taken of this considerable addition made to the fertility of 
the soil by the clover, and that is, it has been procured from sources 
where no other crop could procure it, and that is from a great depth, 
comparatively, in the sub-soil. Clover is a deep-rooted plant. It has 
a thick, fusiform tap-root, which penetrates to a great depth, and then 
sends out a multitude of feeders, which gather nutriment from a much 
larger space and depth of soil than any other plant. Furthermore, it 
has the habit of passing through its roots and leaves an enormous 
quantity of water, equal to 15,574 pounds per day for an acre, or in 100 
days about 770 tons. This is seven times as much as is required or 
used by a wheat crop, whose roots occupy much less space and remain 
near the surface. 

There is still another point to be noticed and which we must not 
omit. This is that while the clover plant draws up and transpires so 
large a quantity of water, yet the mineral matter held in solution and 
upon which the plant feeds is by no means proportionately large. It 
is, therefore, able to exist and grow in poorer soil than any other crop, 
and to subsist on much weaker food. It is as though an animal could 
live and thrive and grow upon milk diluted four times with water, and 
thus exist upon a very poor quality of food ; or as though it could in- 
crease and grow fat upon straw, eating and digesting four times as 
much for the same effect as another could do with the best hay and 
meal. This is the most important point to know and consider, why 
clover is so beneficial to soils, and why a farmer, by plowing in a clover 
sod, can grow a good crop of corn and another of oats, and still leave a 
remainder for the following small grain crop, or why, after a clover sod 
plowed in, in the summer, he can grow a very much larger crop of 
wheat than he could in any other way. 

These acids are set free and begin to act upon the soil. And we may 
also in this connection take into account the considerable quantity of 
the deeper roots of the clover, which are left in the soil to decay below 
the reach of the plow. The acids act upon the mineral water of the 
soil and decompose it. The carbonic acid has the property of dissolv- 
ing in water and conferring upon it the ability to dissolve silica, lime, 
and other minerals, while sulphuric acid combines with lime and sets 
free phosphoric acid which may have been in combination with it. 
Again, the porosity given to the soil by the mass of clover opens it to 
the admission of the air, and in its decay produces heat, and these in- 



128 SOUTHERN" PLANTER. [March 



fluences greatly accelerate and intensify whatever chemical action may 
be started by the decay of clover. 

In summing up the advantages which may be derived from plowing 
in a clover-sod — and we may say, at the same time, a crop of clover 
grown for this purpose — the following are the chief poiuts to be noted: 

1. Clover, from its habits of growth, may be produced upon soils too 
poor for auy other crop, because it gathers its food from sources beyond 
the reach of any other crop. 

2. Clover gathers from the soil more potash, lime, phosphoric acid, 
and other mineral matters, and also several times more nitrogen than 
any other crop. 

3. Clover in its decay sets free from the soil a considerable quantity 
of mineral matter, and also gathers from the atmosphere, during its 
growth, a considerable quantity of nitrogen. 

4. All these accumulations are brought to the surface, where they are 
made available for the use of succeeding crops. 

5. That in this manner clover affects a sensible and valuable improve- 
ment of the soil, both directly by its actual contributions to it, as well 
as indirectly by its favorable chemical action upon it. 

That these contributions of a clover crop to the fertility of the soil are 
not only in an immediately available form for the use of succeeding 
crops, but that they are additional to the very considerable, and indeed 
equally valuable, contribution in the form of fodder for the feeding of 
stock, which is returned in great part to the soil in the form of manure. 



FARMERS' CLUBS. 



Editor Southern Planter, — In the January number of the Southern 
Planter I noticed a short piece headed "Farmers' Clubs," in which 
the writer's views correspond so directly with my own that I have 
wished ever since reading it to write something on that most impor- 
tant question in connection with farming. The writer most urgently 
insists upon farmers to organize and to work in co-operation with each 
other. This question is one that has been urged upon the farmers 
by some of the most distinguished men of our country; but it seems that 
they are either dead to their own interests, or blind to understanding. 

I can well remember when there were several Granges in my county, 
though I was quite young, and my father was Master of one for some 
time. But now there is not an organized club of farmers in the county, 
to my knowledge. Organization among the farmers cannot be too 
strongly urged upon them. The farmers of our country are the most 
oppressed, and more imposed upon than any class of business men 
in the country. While they should be the most independent, they are 
most dependent of all our people. I am a farmer myself, though quite 



1385.J SOUTHERN PLANTER. 129 

young, and having had but little experience. I think it can be made 
the most profitable and pleasant occupation we can engage in. I have 
often taken this view of the position we occupy in connection with the 
business world. Every other class of business men are organized, and 
have a stated compensation fixed for their labor, and a certain per 
centage which they make on the money invested in whatever business 
they may be engaged in. But the farmer has no regular price which 
he may expect to get for his produce. 

Let us take, for instance, the farmer and £he country merchant. 
The farmer goes to his merchant to purchase some articles which he 
may need for his family, or some farm implement. "Good morning," 
says the farmer. " Good morning," says the merchant. " I want some 
sugar, coffee, clothing, and some plow-points and hoes," says the 
farmer. "I have them," says the merchant. "What do you ask for 
them?" says the farmer. "Well, so much per pound for sugar and 
coffee, so much per yard for cloth, so much a piece for plow-points and 
hoes." "I have some corn or wheat I want to sell," says the farmer; 
" what will you give per bushel for it ?" "I will give you so much," 
says the merchant. " Why, that is too little," says the farmer. " Well, 
that is all I can give," says the merchant. So they trade in this way. 

Now, perhaps the farmer may deal- with a commission merchant in 
some town or city. If so, he writes to his commission merchant to 
send him so much sugar, coffee, molasses, or meat, as the case may be; 
then he ships his wheat, tobacco, or whatever he may have for market, 
to his commission merchant, who puts the farmer's produce on the 
market for sale. Then comes the buyer, or speculator, and says, " I 
will give you so much per pound for the tobacco, or so much per 
bushel for the wheat." Let it be little or much, it must be sold. 
Then the commission merchant writes to the farmer, and sends him a 
bill of sale, deducting what the farmer owes him, and sends him a 
check for the balance — if there be any. 

Now, this is but a plain statement of simple facts, of every day oc- 
currence with the farmers and those with whom they have to deal. 

The point I wish to call attention to is this: that the farmer nowhere 
in his dealings with the business world exhibits that spirit of indepen- 
dence that nature has lavished upon him. He does not deport himself 
like his neighbours — the merchant, manufacturer, or machinist, and 
the many other classes of business men he has to deal with. When 
he wishes to buy anything for his family, or some farm implement, he 
does not go to the merchant or manufacturer and say, "I will give 
you so much for this thing or that," but says to him, " What will you 
9 



130 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 

take for them?" He then pays the merchant's or manufacturer's price 
for the articles. Now, it is the farmer's time to sell; but he does not 
do like the merchant or manufacturer — demand his price for his arti- 
cles — but puts his produce on the market, and takes whatever the spec- 
ulator is pleased to give, instead of saying, "If you don't give me so 
much per pound for tobacco, or so much per bushel for my wheat, I 
will not sell it," but submits to a very small compensation for his labor, 
puts his hands in his pockets, grumbles a little about hard times and 
low prices, then goes home, makes another crop, and disposes of it in 
the same way as the other. 

It has been said — and it is true — that the farmers are the bone and 
sinew of the world. Now, why not, instead of grumbling, assert your 
rights, and show the world your power by demanding just compensa- 
tion for your labor? 

But how to do this is the question. I will answer it. Organize 
yourselves and work in co-operation one with auother ; then petition 
the government for laws to protect your interests. 

I will stop here, as I have written more than I intended; and hopiug 
to hear something from some of my brother farmers on this very im- 
portant question, I am Yours truly, 

Charlotte Co., Va. Beginner. 

HIGH CULTIVATION. 

It pays to raise large crops, and I believe that the farmer who tills 
his acres well and manures liberally and intelligently, all he tills will 
he the winner in every contest for a living, and a competency from the 
farm. While I am perhaps not a farmer in the full sense of the word, 
I have always taken much interest in the business, and have generally 
managed to keep up a very respectable show of farming for a diversion 
from the routine of the duties in my bee-yard. There is no man liv- 
ing, I believe, who is more fully satisfied with his business than I am ; 
yet I think it would be difficult for me to say if I do not as well, like 
to go over my little farm at morning or evening when I have some 
time to spare to note the developments of my crops I try to have my 
farm work done carefully and well, so that I am not ashamed to have 
men come to see my iarm crops or my garden. And it is a real satis- 
faction to be able to show intelligent visitors something to interest 
them, so I never let such persons depart without going to see my onion 
patch, my big cabbages, and a score of other things on my farm. 

I took much pleasure in an experiment in high cultivation, last sea- 
son, with potatoes, on land made rich with superphosphate. It was 
rather ordinary land, and with ordinary cultivation would not have 
yielded more than 150 bushels to the acre. I had it plowed and har- 
rowed just before planting, and applied to it broadcast at the rate of 



1885.] SOUTHERN" PLANTER. 131 



half a ton of the superphosphate to the acre, and mixed it well into 
the soil with my harrow. The planting was done in hills, three feet by 
four apart, and one ounce of the fertilizer mixed with the soil in each 
hill at the time of planting, and one ounce more was strewn around 
each hill at the second hoeing. There were no weeds allowed to grow, 
and no "bugs" allowed to live. I had my cultivator run between the 
rows several times before the plants covered the ground, and had them 
twice well hoed with hand hoes. At harvesting I had each hill dug 
out and kept separate on the ground to dry, so that when they were 
ready to pick up we brought out my scales and weighed a number of 
the best hills separately, and the whole crop in the baskets as they were 
taken from the field. One of the best hills yielded 9| pounds of 
smooth, sound potatoes, another 8 pounds of merchantable tubers, and 
\\ pounds of small ones. Two hundred and thirty-seven hills gave 
collectively 1,528 pounds, or an average of about 6J pounds to the hill, 
and the whole patch averaged about 6 pounds to the hill, which, al- 
though they were planted so far apart — three feet by four feet — yielded 
at the rate of 363 bushels to the acre. Now if I had sought a large 
yield to the acre, I should have put the hills somewhat nearer together. 
At three feet by three feet, I think the average number of pounds per 
hill would not have been materially changed, in which event the crop 
would have come up to nearly 500 bushels to the acre. 

G. W. P. Jerrard. 
Caribou, 1885. 

WHY SHEEP ARE PROFITABLE. 

Lambs, wool, mutton and manure are the four cardinal points of 
sheep raising. Profit is not in the total amount derived, but the excess 
after the cost is deducted. A flock of sheep may not bring a very large 
fiurn and }et be profitable. In this connection we give an extract from 
the Sheep Breeder and Wool Grower, in which the editor alludes to a 
flock that had been a source of great profit, one of the reasons being 
as follows: 

"It is a fact that the flock did not consume a particle of grain, was 
carelessly handled and lived on food that would otherwise have been 
wasted. The owner of this flock assured us that the same treatment 
would have lost him a good per cent, of his cattle. It is safe to assume 
that good treatment of this flock would have given the good natured, 
easy-going master full 100 per cent, profit on his investment." 

We can corroborate the above by stating that on our Experimental 
Farm we have a flock of Oxford Downs that have received no grain 
since they were born, and yet they are fat enough for the butcher. 
They were given the liberty of a small pasture, upon which cows and 
horses had the same privilege, and long after the frost had apparently 
destroyed every eatable substance, and the larger stock had been re- 
moved, the sheep collected and consumed much that otherwise would 
have been of no value without their aid. They are now at the barn, 
and have had nothing but cornstalks to pick. 



132 1 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 

But our readers may think we are neglecting the sheep, and keep- 
ing them on a class of food that we do not recommend to others. The 
truth is, however, the sheep are too fat, and we do not wish them to 
become more so. Why are they too fat, may be asked. Simply be- 
cause they are of a breed that easily digests and assimilates all kinds 
of food, converting it quickly into wool and mutton. While we admit 
that the native sheep are active and forage well, yet we are satisfied 
that an Oxford can be fattened quicker and easier than a scrub. The 
organs of digestion are more perfect, hence the machinery for convert- 
ing food into flesh works more effectively. We have sheep weighing 
between 200 and 300 pounds, as fat as hogs, that have never received 
an ounce of grain, and are being wintered on corn fodder. We, how- 
ever, watch them closely. Should we discover that the fodder is insuf- 
ficient we will lose no time in giving them grain or anything else, but 
in this case the breed counts more than the trough. 

But any kind of sheep will prove profitable, because they save that 
which would otherwise be wasted. We do not think every hazard 
should be staked on wool, however, but that our breeders will endeavor 
to produce early lambs, first-class mutton, and a fair grade of wool. The 
increased fertility imparted to the soil upon which sheep are kept will 
almost pay the cost, but as the farmer does not see the immediate effects 
to the soil, he is prone to overlook this fact. But it exists, neverthe- 
less, and can be easily demonstrated. — Farm, Field and Stockman. 



CULTURE OF WHEAT IN VIRGINIA. 

Editor of the Southern Planter, — There was an article in the Dispatch 
of the 11th of February from Col. Harrison, Commissioner of Agri- 
culture, upon the subject of sowing Spring wheat, written in reply to 
Mr. Jno. W. Todd, of Augusta, asking his opinion as to raising Spring 
wheat and barley in that county. Col. Harrison's reply is sensible, 
and should be read by your readers. 

But the question is, does the wheat crop pay 1 Does it not cost more 
than it is worth in Virginia ? 

The unprecedented yield in the last three years of this crop is cer- 
tainly very encouraging. But when you and I can go back thirty years 
and remember how we failed to make one-third of the yield which has 
blessed our farmers in the last three years' crops, I am satisfied that 
the effort to raise wheat, at least in Eastern Virginia (all east of the 
Blue Ridge mountains), has done more to impoverish the farmer than 
anything else ; in fact, it has been the chief cause of his ruin. We 
must consider the vast amount of money paid out every year for fertili- 
zers, hundreds of thousands of dollars for costly machinery, such aa 
drills, reapers, threshers, &c. With all this cost, the actual report 



\ 



1885.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 133 

shows only eight bushels per acre as the average yield in Virginia. It 
is trae for the last three years the yield has been larger, but the price 
has been so reduced that the farmer must realize that the wheat crop 
has always " cost him more than it was worth." It is safe to say, then, 
that our farmers had better be asleep than to undertake to raise it as a 
monied crop. Any other crop (or nothing) will be a safer one than the 
wheat business. If half of the labor and expense should be used on 
any other crop, a better result will follow. There are other and new 
reasons to dishearten the wheat growers in Virginia. The freight on 
a bushel of wheat or .a barrel of flour from any point in the Far West 
is not more than what is paid by our people only one hundred miles 
from market. It would seem worse than folly for us to contend with 
our eight-bushel crop against the Western man with his thirty or forty 
bushels per acre. Again, wheat when sent to market is bought by a 
very limited number of purchasers — the millers, and they fix the price 
long before it is even ready for market — and other crops or articles 
sent to market finds hundreds of purchasers and a healthy competition. 
With an experience of twenty-five years (from 1852 to 1877), upon 
a good farm and reputation as a successful farmer, I made but three 
crops which were not injured more or less by rust; the yield these 
three years was twenty bushels to one sowed. I found that during the 
period when the wheat begins to head and as long as the grain is in 
the milk, or dough state, if we have warm, sultry nights, followed with 
hot days, the wheat will certainly be injured by rust, and this is surely 
the case east of the Blue Ridge, at least seven years out of eight years. 
It is very rare that they have warm nights in the valley as early as the 
last weeks in May and the first weeks in June, the time of heading and 
the grain forming, consequently it is rare that their crops suffer from 
rust, and invariably they make fine crops, and so it is that the valley 
and west of the Blue Ridge is adapted to wheat, whilst east of it is not 
adapted to it, and will fail seven years in eight to make a crop to pay 
expenses. What business man would you find in the city of Richmond 
that would deal in or handle an article that experience teaches him 
that he will lose money on year after year by the operation. W. 

[Oar correspondent has a right to express his views on wheat culture, but we differ 
■with them in toto, and may find opportunity hereafter to express our own. — Ed. S. P.] 



Ten-pound washed fleeces and 125-pound mutton carcasses should 
be the average for Merino flocks, says the Sheep Breeder, and the value 
of eachs heep should be from $4 to $5 per head. 



134 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 



DAIRY NOTES FROM THE DAIRYMAN. 

If there is one problem in dairying that may be considered settled r 
it is that cows do better on mixed feed than they do on a single ration. 
For this reason dairymen should study up the question of mixed feeds. 
There are a great many formulas, more or less practical and scientific. 
It is an excellent plan, when you see one of these in a paper, to cut it 
out and paste it in a scrap-book for future reference. For this purpose 
we give the following : A ration for one cow per day, comprising all 
the food elements, is thus estimated by a practical dairyman : Ten 
pounds of clover hay, costing 4 cents; ten pounds of straw, costing 2 
cents; four pounds of linseed meal, 6 cents ; four pounds of wheat-bran, 
3 cents; two pounds cotton-seed meal, 2 cents; four pounds corn-meal, 
3 cents — total 21 cents. This estimate is for what may be termed 
high feeding, and of a variety that fulfils all the requirements of a 
heavy milker. The prices put with each kind must of course be gov- 
erned by the location of each dairyman. He will find some higher and 
some lower in his most convenient market; and?if he can make it all 
work out a total of 21 cents, he should be satisfied. This 21 cents is 
pretty costly feeding, and cows that yield but 200 pouuds of butter a 
will not pay for such heavy feeding, and cows that are going dry should 
not be fed it; but if you have cows that will yield 300 pounds of butter 
a year, this ration will return the best profit for winter feeding. 



It is becoming quite the universal belief now-a-days that to gain any 
distinction in law or medicine the aspirant for fame or money must, as 
a rule, with very few exceptions, choose some special branch to distin- 
guish himself in. Does not the same rule apply to farming? If you 
wish to gain high honors or great wealth, are you not far more 
apt to succeed by choosing some special branch of farming, as stock- 
raising, truck-farming, or dairying, than you are if you become simply 
a general farmer? The fact is, that competition is so close and men's 
knowledge so much wider than formerly, and there is so much to learn 
about apparently the most important matters, that life is really too 
short to acquire all that is to be known about any given science. It 
takes all the time and patience one can muster to master one branch 
of it. Is it not, therefore, better to devote all our attention to one 
point than to scatter ourselves over a great many? If this be true, 
then the young man cannot too soon begin to decide which branch he 
he proposes to follow, and, having made his decision, he should set to 
work to study upon the subject — first, by procuring all the good books 
he can that treat upon it, and then he should look for practical demon- 
stration. If he chooses the dairy, let him again subdivide his choice 
and determine what branch of the dairy be will follow, and prepare 
himself accordingly. With a mind thoroughly equipped with all the 
book-knowledge he can obtain, the practical work, instead of becoming 
a burden, will be a pleasure, while his own enlightened wits will sug- 
gest many short cuts that his ancestors never dreamed of. 



1885.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 135 



A GUARDIAN CROP. 

A fortunate characteristic of the clover plant is, its continuous growth 
throughout the whole season. It is a well established fact, that the ex- 
ceedingly valuable and soluble compounds of nitrogen are most abun- 
dantly formed in the soil during the hot months of midsummer and 
early autumn. At this time the cereal crops are harvested, with the 
exception of corn. If the field is bare, there is no doubt that much 
fertility is lost whenever a rain comes to wash the soil of its richness. 
On the other hand, clover flourishes at this season, and guards the soil 
against loss. A large part of the fertility is stored up in the leaves and 
stems, and goes into the hay-barn, but an equal portion has remained 
in and on the soil as roots and stubble, and will become plant food for 
the next crop, through the slow processes of decay. In other words, 
the clover plant has transformed a large quantity of fertility from a 
very soluble condition, into a stable state, readily held by the leachy 
soil. The compounds of nitrogen, potash, and phosphoric acid, that 
have been removed in the hay, should find their way back to the soil 
in the barn-yard manure. The long continued experiments at Roth- 
amstead, to which farmers cannot be too frequently referred, show 
that a clover crop requires three times as much nitrogen for its growth 
as does a crop of wheat. In the face of this, the same experiments 
also teach that clover is especially beneficial as a crop to immediately 
precede one of wheat. In explanation of this apparent, contradiction, 
we need to remember that clover not only husbands the fertility of the 
soil, but gets it into a place and condition to specially favor the growth 
of the wheat plant. The field grains have only a few weeks to perfect 
their growth, and no time to seek after food not close at hand. They 
do not have the advantage of growing in the midsummer and early 
autumn, when, through soil-fermentation, the earth has its largest 
ready supply of plant food We see good reasons for a firm adherence 
to the old belief, that clover seed is the best manure that can be ap- 
plied to a loose soil. Let us grow more clover. Even if it is not four- 
leaved, it will bring "[good luck." — Dr. B. D. Halstead in American 
Agriculturist. 



MAKING, SAVING AND APPLYING MANURE. 

This was the subject discussed at the last meeting of the West Win- 
throp Farmers' Club. L. K. Litchfield opened the discussion, and 
gave his views as follows. He said, in substance, that no more impor- 
tant matter could come under the consideration of any farmer who de- 
sired to improve his condition as a farmer, and to increase or even 
maintain the fertility of bis farm. The farmer who does not, at the 
present time recognize the plain fact, that the extent of his production 
of farm crops is measured by the amount of fertilizing element applied 
to his soil, is a long way behind the average of his class. The ques- 
tion of dressing or fertilizing our farm land lies at the very foundation of 
all success in the business, and we must recognize the fact, and apply 



136 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 

ourselves and the resources at our hand or within our reach, to the best 
possible advantage. And this requires thought, earnest study and 
research. Under the present condition of farm lands in our vicinity 
and indeed, in all the older portions of our good State, every single 
crop we undertake to grow, whether hay, grain, roots, or fruit, we are 
compelled to apply some manural substance in some way to the soil, 
to ensure a remunerative return in product. Now, then, this being so, 
how important that we become informed in regard to "how to make, 
save and apply," the manure resulting from the feeding of our farm 
stock. I am glad the members are not satisfied with the discussion of 
this subject once in five or ten years, but desire a yearly review of the 
matter, and thereby note any change that has come through practical 
experience or from observation and experiment. 

Making Manure. It was said by one of our oldest and most exper- 
ienced members, some years ago, in speaking of the comparative value 
of bog hay, " That it would not make manure, and it is practically true, 
so far as quality is concerned ; and in considering this matter, we should 
bear in mind that the manure is proportionally better according as we 
give better feed to our animals. In maturing any grain crop, what- 
ever is of any value as a fertilizing element, is almost wholly concen- 
trated in the grain itself, thus rendering the stalk or straw which bore 
the grain of very little value as a manurial substance. So that, if we 
would make our manure rich in plant food we must feed the grain, or 
seed of the plants we use for fodder, in connection. If this is done, 
I claim we get a measure of profit from two sources, besides maintain- 
ing the productiveness of our lands. The manures made on different 
farms vary widely in value, from the fact that some farmers have not 
accepted the more progressive theory of a combination of grain and 
bay feed for animals, but contiuue to feed straw, corn fodder and hay 
only, through the long seasou that cattle are housed, while others feed 
liberally of bran, meal, cotton seed meal and other grain food, in addi- 
tion to a less amount of hay. In the crops of those farmers may be 
noticed a very wide difference in favor of those feeding grain. In the 
making of manure is comprehended the idea of addition to the pile 
from any available source to increase the) quantity, and also to retain 
the liquid and so far as is possible, the volatile elements of the dress- 
ing. Muck, dry clay, earth, leaves, straw, etc., anything having a pre- 
centage of value in itself and power to retain the elements, may be 
used to great advantage. 

Saving. In this connection, I will say that I think the best way to 
save manure, is to apply and thoroughly incorporate it with the soil 
just as soon after it is Jmade as is possible; but if obliged to keep it 
any length oftime, it,' should be under shelter, away from the drying 
winds, the sun, rain and snow. I would apply manure at any time of 
year when I have it, and could do so without prospect of loss by wash- 
ing. Every farmer should be the judge of his own particular circum- 
stances, and should inform himself as to the nature of his soil and loca- 
tion, its adaptability to one or the other of the several ways of incorpor- 
ating manure with the soil; for instance, a disk or Acme harrow would 



1885.] SOUTHERN" PLANTER. 137 

accomplish the work on a light or medium heavy soil, while the plow 
would be required on stiff heavy clay, [to do as good work. In my 
practice on my soil, I prefer to spread green manure on furrows in late 
October, and harrow smooth with " Acme" harrow, and again in 
spring as soon as in condition. 

Leon Cobb followed and said, "This is a big question; its magnitude 
is not fully realized by the common farmer. Times and methods have 
so changed in the last forty years that a good many have got left and 
are uow following the same practices as then, and consequently, are 
not successful. When we apply our manure, we want to do it in that 
way which will give us the most benefit. We want to know the nature 
of the soil we desire to fertilize, its power to take and hold plant food, 
its liability to the influence of the elements, and also the demands 
which the crop we are intending to raise on that soil, will make of it. 
I think if manure is plowed under, it will last much longer than if 
spread on the surface. If on top it will dry up, and is liable to wash 
away by heavy rains. Roots of plants go long distances in search of 
food; they go where the best feeding places are. Manure should be 
plowed in, in the fall of the year." 

W. H. Keith said farmers need all the manure they can possibly 
make, and we should give attention to the quantity a9 well as to the 
quality, by the free use of absorbents. I recognize the fact that poor 
feed makes poor manure, and advocate the feed of grain, in order to 
make a good quality of manure. It is not wise to apply manure in the 
hills for any crop. I think all barn manure should be spread evenly 
on the ground and thoroughly mixed with the soil, and if possible, to 
use phosphates to give the plants a good send off". I agree that it is 
quite necessary to know our soils. I think the fall the best time to 
apply manure ; to become plant food, it must be in a soluble state. 
The rains in fall, the action of frost in winter, and the warm sun of the 
spring time just prepare it and put it in shape for the plants to take up. 
Superphosphate is readily soluble in water or moisture, and this ac- 
counts for its quick work and the rapid growth when applied. I would 
apply manure in the fall, on furrows and lightly plow in. 

R. Alden says: Many years ago, when this club first started out on 
its grand mission, I advocated the feeding of grain to farm animals as 
a source of profit, and a means whereby our farms might be brought 
into a more productive condition. It was then a new idea, but was 
accepted by the 'most of us, and we have been improving our farms 
ever since, and now, fifty per cent, more stock is kept in this vicinity 
and on the same farms than before. Feeding of grain makes more and 
better manure. I spread all manure and harrow or plow in. 

Messrs. Samuel Crane & Son of this town are feeding a pair of horses 
with which they do all the farm work, as follows: Three pounds of 
chopped hay and two pounds of corn meal, (hay wet with hot water 
and meal put on it,) in the morning. Two pounds of oat meal at noon 
and the same ration at night as in the morning, makiug 6 lbs. hay and 
6 lbs. meal per day They are in fine condition and do lots of work. 
They are limited to three quarts of water at a time. — Maine Farmer. 

Winthrop, Jan. 12. 



138 SOUTHERN PLANTER. [March 



Editorial. 



GRASS FOR PASTURE AND FOR HAY. 

Every well regulated farm has its grass fields, and every intelligent 
farmer knows their value. With the Fall and Spring seasons there 
must be always a recurriug thought with all progressive farmers as to 
the condition of their grass lots and fields. Is it necessary to extend 
surfaces by sowing new seed, or to top-dress and keep in vigor land al- 
ready standing in grass? These are questions which should command 
the attention of the farmers now. If no new seeding is required, then 
the grass lots and fields should be top-dressed during Winter and early 
Spring with the best application that can be afforded for them. That 
which is most handy is wheat-straw, or barn-yard manure; but flour 
of bone, phosphate of lime and plaster should also be applied if either 
of them can be afforded. We speak, of course, of grass on land of 
moderate fertility, for rich land will not require such treatment, except 
at intervals, and the care of the farmer should be to press fertility for- 
ward in the beginning, so as to have a resting spell from labor and ex- 
pense, with better crops all the time. 

The two thoughts embodied in our heading are grass for pasture and 
hay. In regard to the former we wish to impress the idea that a few 
acres of lot pasturage contiguous to horse stables and cattle barns, well 
fenced, are the best paying acres a farmer can own. These lots, or 
paddocks, as our English friends call them, are invaluable to every 
stable and barn yard. They should not be too closely grazed, so that 
a good sod will be preserved; and they furnish in mild weather a con- 
venient nip in Winter, and a field for exercise for all animals, whether 
they be horses, mules, cows or hogs ; and in Summer the working aui- 
mals can, after being fed, be turned loose for exercise and fresh air. 

The field culture of the grasses opens the' largest and surest profits 
to the farmer, and this will continue so long as grass is the basis of 
food for stock, and grain and meat that for human beings. If a farmer 
has several fields well set in grass, and others which can come along in 
rotation, he may safely count himseif an independent man. He will 
then bank upon a capital equally as safe to him as all the millions ac- 
cumulated in a city bank of discount and deposit. 

It is not our purpose in this article to define all the benefits of grass 
culture, such as saving of labor, the feeding of stock, the improvement 
of the soil by natural processes of rotation, decay of matter, &c; but we 
desire to speak briefly of the grasses best adapted to pasturage and hay. 



1885.] SOUTHERN" PLANTER. 139 

In the middle section of the United States there are many prominent 
grasses of great value. Timothy for hay is invaluahle, but is a poor 
grazing grass. It may be raised anywhere in this section on well im- 
proved lands, and on the best soils of moderate stiffness and moisture 
in the most northern portion of the country. It is best to sow timothy 
seed in the Fall of the year, as early as September or the latter part of 
August, at the rate of a peck and a half to the acre, with a light sow- 
ing of rye or Winter oats, to afford a covering to the young grass dur- 
ing the Winter. In Virginia good catches have been had by sowing 
early in March on wheat fields after a harrowing to furnish a seed-bed, 
and such seedings shall be accompanied with a gallon of. clover seed, 
which will increase the chances of a stand of one, or both grasses. 

Orchard grass is fast growing into popularity, for the reason that it 
is adapted to any lands and climates where timothy will grow, and on 
land having less stiffness and moisture. It will flourish, too, better 
under shade; and whilst it grows in tufts, makes a good sod and good 
grazing at all periods of the year in the Southern-Middle States. It 
will also make a good hay if cut when in bloom and before the stems 
harden. The time and manner of seeding is the same as that of timothy, 
but not less than two bushels of seed should be used to each acre. It 
is especially desirable that clover should also be sown with this grass, 
as it fills the gaps between the tufts, and can be harvested with it, mak- 
ing a good mixture, which adds to the value of the hay crop. 

It is unnecessary to speak of clover as a distinct crop, for it is well 
known as the great ameliorating fallow crop by which fertility is kept 
np. When it is wanting, other green fallows — peas, &c. — must be re- 
sorted to. 

There are other grasses which come spontaneously in our clinate on 
well improved lands, and furnish excellent sod and pasturage. These 
are, chiefly, white clover and green sward; and like the Kentucky blue 
grass, they thrive best in natural limestone soils or the well limed lauds 
on tidewater. 

In this connection we copy from the Farm and Fireside, of Spring- 
field, Ohio, the following article on grasses: 

Kentucky Blue Grass. — This variety of grass is indispensable in 
every good, permanent pasture or fertile limestone soils. For making 
a first class lawn on such soils it is unexcelled. It is also known as the 
Spear grass of Pennsylvania, as June grass in New York, also as Eng- 
lish grass, Smooth-stalked, Meadow grass, Tallow grass and Butter 
grass. The names last given are doubtless due to the fattening and 
butter-producing qualities of the true poa pratensis. For dairy and 
stock-raising purposes it is unsurpassed. It gives a fine coloring and 



140 SOUTHERN" PLANTER. [March 



rich taste to butter and cheese, and the mutton of the Blue grass region 
of Kentucky and neighboring States always commands the highest price 
in the best-paying markets in the East. The pressure of the hoof of 
the sheep seems to be just the thing for the Blue grass, and the even 
distribution of the manure of the sheep makes the grass unobjection- 
able to other stock, and is a constant benefit to the plants. For Winter 
pasturage for sheep, Blue grass is unrivalled. It is much superior to 
Orchard grass for forming a sod, but the latter makes a very fair sod 
if thickly sown, and possesses the advantage of being better adapted to 
the soil of high uplands, where the Blue grass cannot be so success- 
fully grown. Where white clover is native to the soil, and Blue grass, 
Orchard grass and a little red clover are sown, the latter will soon dis- 
appear and the Stalwart Orchard grass and its peer, the Blue grass, 
will, with the incoming white clover, produce a pleasing variety. 

English Blub Grass. — This exceedingly valuable grass on lands 
that are adapted to the Kentucky Blue grass, as well as upon those 
somewhat more moist, such as black prairies and river bottoms. A 
well-known writer on agricultural topics, who has had more than 
twenty years' experience with it in Southern Ohio, says: "In the Eng- 
lish Blue grass we have a grass which combines, to a greater extent 
than any other plant in common cultivation, the desirable qualities of 
timothy for hay and the Kentucky Blue grass for pasture; furnishing, 
as it does, an early pasturage, or an abundant early mowing, followed 
by a most luxurious aftermath, which springs up immediately behind 
the scythe, and continues fresh and vigorous through the drouths of 
August and until all vegetation is browned by the frost." 

Advantage of Mixing Grasses. — The greater the variety of the 
choicest grasses the better for the thrift of the cattle and other stock 
that feeds upon it. In pastures especially, " variety is the spice of life." 
When seeding with the well-tested sorts, sow several others that will 
not run out the " old reliable " varieties. For instance, if there is a 
probability that white clover will be lacking when the sod is established, 
sow about five pounds to the acre. Sow also, upon each acre seeded, 
one or two pounds of Sweet-scented Vernal grass (anthoxanthum odora- 
tum), which is also one of the earliest Spring grasses, as well as one of 
the latest in Autumn. This variety is distinguished for its fine per- 
fume while drying, which it communicates to the hay with which it is 
mixed. Other varieties have special merits which should be ascer- 
tained and utilized. Another advantage in mixing grasses is that an 
early variety shades the tender blades of a later one, and it in turn 
shades the exposed roots of the one that has passed the vigorous period 
of its growth, aud when the more hardy varieties are at last nipped by 
frost, they, too, spread their protecting blades over those that are most 
valuable in mid-Summer, to shield them from the storms of the coming 
Winter. W. M. K. 

An Indiana farmer states that he cured heaves in horses by withhold- 
ing hay from them and substituting green food in its place. 



^m 



1885.] SOUTHERN PLANTER. 141 



A PEA-FALLOW ON POOR LAND. 

Editor Southern Planter : 

Dear Sir, — I would like to get such information as to what would 
be the best and cheapest way to get a good growth of peas (black) on 
poor land for the present year. 

By giving me the above information, you, or any of your subscribers, 
will greatly oblige, Very respectfully, 

Old Church, Hanover Co., Va. C. L. T. 

It would seem like "bringing coals to Newcastle" to undertake to 
tell a farmer near Old Church, Hanover, how to manage a pea fallow. 
The most distinguished agriculturist of Virginia, the late Edmond 
Ruffin, Sr., farmed on his Marlburne estate, near Old Church, and was 
the first farmer of the State to advocate by his writings, and to test 
by practical experiments, the value of pea-fallows in the tide-water 
section. His grandsons, now living on the same estate, are familiar 
with his views, and we call on Mr. Julian M. Ruffin to respond. It 
may be that the Marlburne lands are not poor, and therefore do not 
come within the letter of our correspondent's inquiry. We who have 
been more used to poor lands, and to efforts to improve them, may 
then be pardoned for writing in advance of our friend Ruffin. 

Poor land will not bring a growth of peas of much value. It must 
be fertilized in some way which will give a growth of vines and peas, 
which will add to the fertility of the soil when turned under. Our 
plan would be this : Break the land in early spring, and let it lie for 
the early grass seeds to vegetate ; harrow it as often as may be neces- 
sary to keep down any growth of grass or weeds; at the first harrowing 
apply two or three hundred pounds of bone dust, or any other phos- 
phatic manure; and from the middle to the last of May harrow in a 
bushel of peas to the acre, with about one hundred pounds of an amo- 
niated fertilizer to give a quick start. The peas will be ready to be 
turned in when about half the pods are matured, and a sufficient quan- 
tity picked for seed for the following year. Wheat or winter oats 
should follow the in-turning of the pea-crop, and at the same time 
should be added and applied broadcast a mixture of phosphate of lime 
and kainit, in the proportion of two to one, amounting to three or four 
hundred pounds to the acre of this or any other good phosphate manure. 
After the grain and fertilizers have been harrowed in, and when the 
land is fresh, clover or other grass-seeds should be sown. 

If the farmer is not disposed to apply manures as heavily as sug- 
gested, he must be content to take two years or more for the operation 



142 SOUTHERN PLANTER.' [March 

of improvement. Apply the first year one-half of the fertilizing ma- 
terial to the peas, and after fallowing in the first crop sow a bushel of 
rye to the acre, and in the month of May following turn this crop un- 
der, and then sow another crop of peas. This to be followed in the 
fall with an application of good phosphatic manure, and the seeding of 
wheat or winter-oats, and grass-seed as before stated ; and we would 
advise orchard-grass and clover mixed — two bushels of the former and 
a gallon of the latter — to each acre. 

All farmers on tide-water who can get shell or stone lime delivered 
at convenient wharves should use it, or the marl which abound in that 
section; but it will not at first substitute the fallows and fertilization 
mentioned, but will keep up a permanent fertility afterwards. 



A breeder of Shropshire Downs claims the following advantages in 
their favor : They are the best adapted of the fine grades to herding 
in large flocks ; they are hardy, and endure cold winters with much 
less nursing than some other breeds; they are good feeders and fora- 
gers; they have extra good fleeces; they are very prolific breeders; 
they are unsurpassed for mutton. The crosses of the Shropshire on 
common ewes are said to make the best lambs of any grades. 



It is a great fault with many farmers to allow their cattle the range 
of the farm, thus getting more exercise than is good for a milch cow, 
trampling the field and making muddy paths, while the frost-bitten 
food that they pick up is of reduced benefit, and leaves the fields bare 
and exposed to the winter's severity. It is an error to suppose that 
late grass, frost-bitten and bleached, is of more value as food than for 
plant-food and protection. Leaving the grass unfed is, in effect, green 
manuring without the expense of turning it under. 



The result of grain-farming and stock-farming, says the Canadian 
Breeder, may be summed up as follows: The grain farmer spends all 
his energies in getting all he can out of the land during the short 
period intervening between the beginning of spring work and the end 
of harvest; or perhaps he may have a few acres of wheat, which he 
sows in the fall, and, after sprouting, waits till the advent of spring to 
renew its growth; while the stock-breeder has his work at his hand 
the whole year round, but his herd manures the land, reaps the crop, 
and caries it to market. 



There is no way to prevent bots in horses but by removing the nits 
from the hide whenever deposited thereon. 



1885.] 



SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



143 



The Southern Planter. 



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EDITORIAL NOTES 



THE FARMERS' CONVENTION. 

(To Meet in this City on the 
15th April Next.) 

In our January issue we called attention 
to the proposed assemblage of the farm- 
ers of the State. It is well to remind our 
readers of the plan for getting up this con- 
vention. One delegate at large is com- 
missioned by the President of the State 
Agricultural Society in each county, with 
the duty of calling meetings of farmers of 
their respective counties for the election of 
two representatives from each magisterial 
district to the convention. We learn from 
the Secretary of the Society that the com- 
missions for delegates at large for the 
counties have been issued, and many favor- 
able responses have been received. It, 
therefore, remains with the farmers in 
their district meetings to fill up the list of 
delegates. From the interest and activity 
displayed in many of the counties it is al- 
ready assured that the convention will be 
a large and influential one. But it is very 



important that every section of the State 
should be well represented, so that if any 
of the proceedings demand future legisla- 
tive action to confirm and establish them, 
the fulness and representative character of 
the convention may be such as will have 
sufficient weight and authority to direct 
and control the votes of the members of 
the Senate and House of Delegates. These 
remarks are made especially with reference 
to the southwestern and distant counties 
to induce them to consider the important 
results that may be obtained by means of 
the convention, and to urge them not to 
permit the inconveniences of location to 
prevent their being fully represented. We 
would also suggest that the county meet- 
ings prepare, or have their delegates pre- 
pare, proper subjects of importance to 
their interests, to be submitted properly to 
the convention, which will prevent confu- 
sion and allow due consideration of such 
matters, instead of taking the time of the 
meeting in the discussion of undigested 
and unnecessary resolutions. 

Farmers should assert themselves in 
every legitimate way to advance their 
interests. All trade occupations have 
their organizations, and why not the farm- 
ers? Farming is at the foundation of 
every business, for it feeds all; and why 
should it be subject to tradesmen, manu- 
facturers, and all others who are fed by its 
products? 

The proposed State Convention may be 
regarded as a combination, and it is all the 
more important in that respect. We take 
from the Lynchburg Advance the following 
words, called forth by the meeting of the 
Farmers' Congress at the New Orleans 
Exposition, which are pertinent to our 
subject : 

" There is not only no reason why farm- 
ers should not combine for their own in- 
terests, but every reason that they should 
They directly pay toll to all manufactories) 
and these combine and secure legislation 
that benefits them, vide all the tariff bills. 
They pay toll to patent rights. Look at 
the barbed wire, sewing machines, &c. 
Look at the royalties. The farmer pays 
these, and legislation makes him pay, and 
legislation is secured by united and com- 



144 



SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[March 



bined action. So of railroads, these com- 
bine, and the farmer pays transpoitation. 
So of everything that the farmer and plant- 
er uses, and so in his tobacco and fruit, he 
pays a direct tax, and all these benefits to 
other interests as well as burdens on agri- 
culture are secured, one way or another, 
by the organized action of those interested. 
The farmer has had but little opportunity 
for such combinations. The Grangers, it 
was asserted, would do this work, but 
somehow or other it got to be an office- 
holding body in many respects, and the 
real farmers gave it up. Now, we have al- 
ways welcomed these organized moves of 
the agriculturists, because the agriculture 
of this country is its real foundation, its 
real, reliable basis. We hope the New 
Orleans Exposition may greatly aid them. 

VIRGINIA NORMAL SCHOOL AT 
FARMVILLE. 

We have, since November last, publish- 
ed in each issue an essay on "Self Sup- 
porting Employment for Ladies of the 
South." This is sufficient evidence of our 
interest in the subject of female education 
and the employment which should follow it. 

We must here note that the Normal 
School at Farmville is a new institution, 
under the presidency of Dr. W. H. Ruff- 
ner, the leading public-educator of the 
State, and we have seen from several of 
our exchanges that the school is in a pros- 
perous condition. 

This is its organization : Hon. W. H. 
Ruffner, Principal; Miss Celeste E. Bush, 
Vice-Principal; Miss M. Pauline Gash, 
Miss Lillian A. Lee, Miss Carrie T. Bart- 
kowsky, Assistant Teachers ; Hon. J. L. 
M. Curry, President; F. W. Watkins, Sec- 
retary and Treasurer. 

We add the words of Dr. Ruffner in the 
late School Conference in this city: "De- 
velop the women, they will develop the 
people, and the people will develop the 
State." 



of the products and manufactures of this 
grand old mother of States cannot fail to 
impress one with the vastness and richness 
of her resources. 

The competency and courtesy of the 
commissioner, his untiring patience and 
energy in attention to visitors to the Ex- 
position, reflect great credit on those who 
have selected their representative for this 
grand occasion in the person of Colonel 
Finney. 

A New Use For Safe Deposit Vaults. 
One of our well known New York seed 
firms has now on deposit in the Mercantile 
Safe Deposit Company's vaults four hun- 
dred pounds of Henderson's Snowball 
Cauliflower Seed, which at the selling price 
of one buudred dollars per pound shows 
the value of this seed to be forty thousand 
dollars. Not only is this plan of deposit- 
ing in vaults found to be cheaper than in- 
surance, but what is of more importance is 
that if the seed should be destroyed by fire 
this quantity necessary for their trade could 
not be replaced at any price in time for 
their Spring sales. When it is considered 
that four hundred pounds of Cauliflower 
seed will under favorable conditions pro- 
duce nearly thirteen million plants, which 
when headed for market and sold at even 
eight cents per head will produce the sum 
of three quarter of a million dollars, the 
value this vegetable has attained in this 
country, where twenty-five years ago it was 
almost unknown, becomes readily appa- 
rent. 



Virginia at New Orleans. — The fol- 
lowing is from the New Orleans Times- 
Democrat of the 11th instant : It is a pleas- 
tire to invite the attention of the public to 
the Virginia exhibit in the Government 
Department of the Exposition, to which 
vast crowds of visitors are daily thronging. 
A ramble through the labyrinthine aisles 



Cream by Machinery. — Every Dairy- 
man and Creamery making butter by set- 
ting milk, in any form, is losing fifteen to 
twenty-five per cent, in quantity, and un- 
dergoing useless expense for ice, besides 
wasting time and not producing as good an 
article as is possible. 

The De Laval Cream Separator, adapt- 
ed alike to the twenty-five cow dairy and 
the thousand cow creamery, and run by 
one-horse power, extracts the cream from 
milk fresh from the cow. Saves ice, labor 
and expense, and saves the first cost in the 
increased quantity of butter in a short 
time. In use in the best dairies and cream- 
eries in America and Europe. It is the 
simplest, cheapest and best. Endorsed by 
the Judges of the great London Dairy Fair 
as the best centrifugal machine in all par- 
ticulars. Address, for catalogue and full 
particulars, 

DE LAVAL CREAM SEPARATOR CO., 

Jos. H. Real, Pres't, 

32 Park Row, New York. 



1885.] 



SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



145 



Harper's Magazine for March. — In 
connection with the approaching inaugura 
tion of President Cleveland, two papers 
promised for the March Harper's will have 
especial interest. One of the treasures of 
the library of Mr. Tilden is a good-sized 
book, bound in calf, filled up in the hand- 
writing of Thomas Jefferson. It is the fi- 
nancial diary of the great man, kept by 
him from January 1, 1791, while he was 
Secretary of State, up to 1803, covering 
thus the first two years of his Presidency. 
Among its entries is a careful summary of 
all his expenses from March 1, 1801, to 
March 1, 1802, showing an expenditure of 
$32,634.84, the various elements of which 
are given in detail. Jefferson had as great a 
dislike of presents as Mr. Cleveland, and 
even .insisted upon paying the duty on cer- 
tain wine procured from the Spanish minis- 
ter, who had imported it duty free for his own 
nse. He also paid sixteen cents a pound 
for a monster cheese, evidently sent to him 
as a present. There is also " In an Old 
Virginia Town," by Fred. Daniel, a Vir- 
ginian, with six illustrations by one of 
Richmond's best artists — Shepard. 



In Batjyhood for February " The Baby's 
Bath," with all that pertains to it, by Ma- 
rion Harland, makes one of the most in- 
teresting and practical subjects yet touched 
upon by this magazine. Subscription price 
$1.50 per year, or $2.20 with the Planter. 
18 Spruce street, New York. 



North American Review for March, 
current, contains interesting and instruc- 
tive articles contributed by national writers. 
We mention one by our ex-Senator, J. W. 
Johnston, on ''Railway Land-Grants." 
New York, 30 Lafayette Place, is the ad- 
dress of the publishers. 



A Book about Poultry — Containing 100 
pages, fine illustrations of all the different 
breeds, plans for houses, instructions for 
caponizing, directions for doctoring, how 
to manage incubators, etc., and having a 
beautiful colored lithographic frontispiece 
of a group of land and waterfowls — has been 
received by us fiom the Associated Fan- 



ciers, 237 South Eighth St., Philadelphia. 
They will mail it to any address on receipt 
of 15 cents, and it is well worth 50 cents. 

Complimentary Notice. — Of all the pub- 
lications of nurserymen, there is no other 
that can be compared with Lovetfs Guide 
to Fruit Culture. It is really a valuable 
work on Horticulture, giving, as it does, 
full instructions for planting, pruning, cul- 
ture and management of fruits of all kinds, 
and impartial descriptions of all worthy va- 
rieties. It is a book of over 70 pages, with 
an illuminated cover, elegantly printed and 
embellished with hundreds of engravings 
and several colored plates true to nature. 
Everybody at al! interested in fruit culture 
should send to J. T. Lovett, Little Silver, 
New Jersey, and get a copy. See adver- 
tisement in this number. 



The Farmers' Congress. — The Farmers' 
Congress at New Orleans Saturday ad- 
journed sine die. A resolution endorsing 
in the highest terms Col. Robert Beverly, 
of Virginia, for appointment as Commis- 
sioner of Agriculture, if the bill creating 
that office shall be passed by Congress, 
was adopted. 



BOOKS AND MAGAZINES. 

The publishers, D. Appleton & Co., of 
New York, have sent us a book entitled 
"Origin of Cultivated Plants," by Alphonse 
De Candole. It is a philosophic treatise, 
which will interest every inquiring mind. 

■' Prairie Experience in Handling Cattle 
and Sheep," by Maj. W. Shepherd, R. E. 
Illustrated, pp. 215. Orange Judd Co. , New 
York. This is a valuable book to all ranch- 
men and those who handle large herds. 

"Practical Poultry Book, for both the 
Farmer and the Fancier." Pp. 100. Pub- 
lished by the Associated Fanciers, 237 
south Eighth street, Philadelphia. Well 
illustrated, and interesting to persons en- 
gaged, or proposing to engage, in the poul- 
try business. 

"The Peanut Plant, its Cultivation and 
its Uses." by B. W. Jones, of Virginia. 
Illustrated. Orange Judd Co., New York, 
publishers. Pp. 69. No man can better 
write of practical peanut culture than Mr. 
Jones, who lives in the middle of the pea- 
nut section of Virginia. 

" Proceedings of the First National Con- 
vention of Cattlemen, and of the First An- 
nual Meeting of the National Cattle and 
Horse Growers' Association in the United 
States, held at St. Louis, Mo., November 



146 



SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[March 



17th to 20th, 1884." Pp. 126. This seems 
to be a valuable book to cattle and horse 
men. 

"The Tobacco Remedy," by Gen'l T. 
L. Clungtnan, of North Carolina. Pp. 46. 
Published by the Orange Judd Co., 751 
Broadway, New York. It tells of many 
complaints which can be relieved by the 
use of tobacco. 



The Century Magazine for March, cur- 
rent, has been received; also St. Nicho- 
las; and both filled, as usual, with beauti- 
ful illustrations and good reading. Both 
published by the Century Company, N. Y. 

REPORTS, &c. 

Department of Agriculture (U. S.) : 
Special report of the organization, &c, of 
seven Agricultural Schools in Germany, 
Belgium, and England, made to Commis- 
sioner Loring. 

Report on the numbers and value of 
farm animals in the United States; the 
cotton-crop, and its distribution; freight 
rates, &c. 

Annual Report of the Connecticut Ag- 
ricultural Experiment Station for 1884. 

The State of Georgia : The Country, the 
People, the Productions. Part 1, outline 
view, by Hon. J. T. Henderson, Commis- 
sioner of Agriculture. 

Report of Soil-Test of Fertilizers under 
direction of the Commissioner of Agricul- 
ture of the State of Georgia. &c. 

Report of the Tennessee Weather Ser- 
vice, by the Bureau of Agriculture, Hon. 
A. J. McWhirter, Director. 



CATALOGUES. 

Colonel T. J. Boyd's list of Coal, Iron, 
and other mineral and timber lands in 
Wythe and Bland counties, Va. 

John Saul, Washington, D. C, sends us 
his Catalogue of Plants for '85 ; also his 
catalogue of garden and flower seeds; and 
also a descriptive catalogue of a selection 
of roses for '85. 

Gregory's Annual Illustrated Catalogue 
of Warranted Seeds — vegetable, flower, and 
grain — grown by James J. H. Gregory, 
Marblehead, Mass. 

Peter Henderson & Co.'s Manual of 
everything for the garden, handsomely il- 
lustrated, 35 and 37 Courtlandt street, 
New York. 

Ellwanger & Barry s Descriptive Cata- 
logue of Fruits, Mt. Hope Nursery, Ro- 
chester, N. Y. 

Cayuga Lake Nurseries, H. S. Anderson, 
Union Springs, N. Y. 

Samuel Wilson, garden, field and flower 
seeds, Mechanicsville, Pa. 



Landreth's— 1774 to 1885— Rural Regis- 
ter and Almanac. A good book. 

J. B. Moore & Son, new seedling grapes 
and new asparagus, Concord, Mass. 

Bowdich's (illustrated), garden, flower, 
and agricultural seeds, &c , Boston, Mass. 

Edward Gillett (annual), perennial plants, 
orchids, alpine shrubs, climbing, aquatic 
and bog plants, Southwick, Mass. 

W. A. Smith, for 1885, 1018 Market 
street, Philadelphia. 

Shaker Seed Co , Mt. Lebanon, N. Y. 

Frank Ford & Son, small fruit plants, 
vegetable seeds, &c, Sunnyside, Ravena, 0. 

J. T. Tillinghast, reliable seeds at honest 
prices, La Plume, Pa. 

Joseph Harriss (illustrated), vegetable 
and flower seeds, Rochester, N. Y 

Bryant's Nurseries, Princeton, 111. 

A. D. Cowan & Co., seedsmen, New 
York. 

J. B. Gray (annual), Fredericksburg, Va. 

NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. 

Electric Manufacturing Co. Alden & 
Bro. See advertisement. 

W. H. Fay & Co., Camden, N. J. , Manilla 
Roofing. Ayer & Son. 

Peter Henderson & Co. New York, Seed 
Catalogue. Rowell & Co. 

Wells, Richardson & Co., Burlington, 
Vt., New Improved Butter Color. H. P. 
Hubbard. 

Rev. T. P. Childs, Troy, Ohio, Catarrh 
Cure. Alden & Bro. 

Call Publishing Co., Chicago, Cyclope- 
dia. Universal reference. 

Continuance of advertisement of G. B. 
Lynes, Albemarle Co., Va. 

Lamborne Road Machine Co., Media, 
Pa. No community can afford to be with- 
out good road machines. 

Rumsey Bros., Westfield, N. Y., Cattle 
and Swine. Alden & Bro. 

VIRGINIA 

Co-operative Stock Farm. 
Herd-Registered Jersey Cattle 

OF BEST STRAINS 

A. SPECIALTY. 

Largest herd in Virginia, and first premium at 
Virginia State Fairs. Kept on four farms. 

Cotswold, Shropshire, and Southdown Sheep ; 
Berkshire and Jersey Red Swine, and all the leading 
varieties of land and water fowls. Address 

A. P. or M. B. ROWE, 
CO-OPERATIVE STOCK FARM, 
jan 3t Fredericksburg 1 , Ta. 



Frorp^ni vaptet 
10c Vor Poultry 
Sa ff»TM«fc,C' 



uiDE.CircufaraJ 
StonyzBro'ofc^s 



A Safeguard. 

The fatal rapidity with which slight 
Colds and Coughs frequently develop 
into the gravest maladies of the throat 
and lungs, is a consideration which should 
impel every prudent person to keep at 
hand, as a household remedy, a bottle of 
AYEE'S CHEERY PECTORAL. 

Nothing else gives such immediate relief 
and works so sure a cure in all affections 
of this class. That eminent physician. 
Prof. F. Sweetzer, of the Maine Medical 
School, Brunswick, Me., says: — 

"Medical science has produced no other ano- 
dyne expectorant so good as Ateb's Cherry 
Pectoral. It is invaluable for diseases of the 
throat and lungs." 

The same opinion is expressed by the 
well-known Dr. L. J. Addison, of Chicago, 
111., who says: — 

"I have never found, in thirty-five years of 
continuous study and practice of medicine, any 
preparation of so great value as Ater's Cherry 
Pectoral, for treatment of diseases of the 
throat and lungs. It not only breaks up colds 
and cures severe coughs, but is more effective 
than anything else in relieving even the most 
serious bronchial and pulmonary affections." 

AYER'S 

Cherry Pectoral 

Is not a new claimant for popular confi- 
dence, but a medicine which is to-day 
paving the lives of the third generation 
who have come into being since it was 
first offered to the public. 

There is not a household in which this 
invaluable remedy has once been in- 
troduced where its use has ever been 
abandoned, and there is not a person 
who has ever given it a proper trial 
for any throat or lung disease suscep- 
tible of cure, who has not been made 
well bv it. 

AYER'S CHERRY PECTORAL has, 
in numberless instances, cured obstinate 
cases of chronic Bronchitis, Larnygitis, 
and even acute Pneumonia, and has 
saved many patients in the earlier stages 
of Pulmonary Consumption. It is a 
medicine that only requires to be taken in 
email doses, is pleasant to the taste, and is 
needed in every house where there are 
children, as there is nothing so good as 
AYER'S CHERRY PECTORAL for treat- 
ment of Croup and Whooping Cough. 

These are all plain facts, which can be 
verified by anybody, and should be re- 
membered by everybody. 

Ayer's Cherry Pectoral 

PREPARED BY 

Dr. J. C. Ayer & Co., Lowell, Maes 
Sold by all druggists. 



KING'S EVIL 

Was the name formerly given to Scrofula 
because of a superstition that it could be 
cured by a king's touch. The world is 
wiser now, and knows that 

SCROFULA 

can only be cured by a thorough purifica- 
tion of the blood. If this is neglected, 
the disease perpetuates its taint through 
generation after generation. Among its 
earlier symptomatic developments are 
Eczemaj Cutaneous Eruptions, Tu- 
mors, Boils, Carbuncles, Erysipelas, 
Purulent Ulcers, Nervous and Phy- 
sical Collapse, etc. If allowed to con- 
tinue, Rheumatism, Scrofulous Ca- 
tarrh, Kidney and Liver Diseases, 
Tubercular Consumption, and vari- 
ous other dangerous or fatal maladies, are 
produced by it. 

Ayer's Sarsaparilla 

Is the only powerful and always reliable 
blood-purifying medicine. It is so effect- 
ual an alterative that it eradicates from 
the system Hereditary Scrofula, and 
the kindred poisons of contagious diseases 
and mercury. At the same time it en- 
riches and vitalizes the blood, restoring 
healthful action to the vital organs ana 
rejuvenating the entire system. Thisgreat 

Regenerate Medicine 

Is composed of the genuine Honduras 
Sarsaparilla, with lellow Dock, Stil- 
lingia, the Iodides of Potassium and 
Iron, and other ingredients of great po- 
tency, carefully and scientifically com- 
pounded. Its formula is generally known 
to the medical profession, and the best 
physicians constantly prescribe Ayer's 
Sarsaparilla as an 

Absolute Cure 

For all diseases caused by the vitiation of 
the blood. It is concentrated to the high- 
est practicable degree, far beyond any 
other preparation for which like effects 
are claimed, and is therefore the cheapest, 
as well as the best blood purifying medi- 
cine, in the world. 

Ayer's Sarsaparilla 

PREPARED BY 

Dr. J. C. Ayer & Co., Lowell, Mass. 
[Analytical Chemists.] 

Sold by all Druggists : price $1 ; six 
bottles for $5. 



JOSEPH M. BLAIR, 

IMPORTER AND DEALER IN 



FANCY' 



GROCERIES 








FINE TEAS AND WINES 



803 Main Street (Pace Block), 

RICHMOND, YIEGINIA, 
SAMPLES AND PRICES FURNISHED UPON APPLICATION. 




AOT 

EGOT AWARD 



STEAM ENGINES, 

iB.FAKdFHAB.Iork.Pa., 
Cheapest and best for all pur 
poses — simple, strong, andduv 
table. Also Horse Pow 
ers and Gin Gear. 

Saw, Gbist Ain> Cob 
Hills, Gins, Pbesses 
aid AlACHHTEirr gener- 
ally. Inqniriespromptly 
answered. 



OFHERi? 

* AT %, 

CENTENNIAL. 

Send for Catalogue. 

SAWMILLS 




„3 ml VerticalEngines.witb. ortrithoutg. g- a 





Send t'cr 

Catalogue. 



wheels, very convent 
ent, economical and 
completein every de« 
.tail, best and 
• cheapest Vert- 
ical in the 
.world. Fig. 
' 1 is engine 
linnse-jPig. 
g2ready for 
iroad. mg2 

The Farquhar Separator 

{Warranted) 

Penna. 

Tork, r.u 
Lightest rlnrft, 
exit durable. 
■irnpt-rt. aicat 

economic 1 

«cd r—fecl in 



-::^23S gSlSS !|'L>|| , ^^PI 3IL7ES UZTAt 

separators. ^^^ip^ Parts ExjosWoh. 





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. Bells at 
aight and gives perfect satisfaction. Illustrated 
Price-List and samples free. Agents wanted. 

C. H. DANA, West Lebanon, N. H. 
Orderthrough the Southern Flanter. 

RockfordWatches 

Are unequalled in EXACTING SERVICE. 
^jig^fc^ Used by the Chief 

<*^__>^iHTl(&J) ''"Cr; 'wjCQ Mechanician of the 
^Sjf ifjk^W.* *'°*ofa* U. S. Coast Survey ; 
by the Admiral 
commanding in the 
V. s. Naval Observ- 
atory, for Astro- 
nomical work ; and 
by Locomotive 
Engineers, C on- 
dactors and Kail- 
way men. They are 
recognized as 
or all uses in which close 
time and durability are re- 
quisites. Sold in principal 
cities and towns by the COM- 
PANY'S exclusive Agents 
Ucadtng Jewelers,; who give a Full Warranty. 




THE BEST 



Sedgwick Steel Wire Fenoe 




Ii the only general purpose Wire Fence in uae, being s 
Strong Met- Work Without Barbs, It wi 1 1 turn dogs, piga, 
■heep, and poultry, at well as the moat vicious stock, 
without injury to either fenoe or stock. Itisjust the fence 
for farms, gardens, stock ranges and railroads, and very 
neat for lawns, parks, school lots and cemeteries. Covered 
with rust-proof paint for gal vanized) it will last a 1 ife-tim». 
It is Bnperlor to Boards or Barbed Wire in every respect. 
We ask for it a fair trial, knowing it will wear itself 
into favor. The Sedfrtricfa Gate*, made of wrougbi- 
Iron pipe and steel wire, defy all competition f n neatness. 
strength and durability. We also make the best and 
cheapest All Iron Automatic or Salf-Opsntng Oat*, also 
Cheapest and Neatest All Iron Fence. Best Wire 
Stretcher and Post Auger. Also manufac- 
ture Russell's excellent Wind Engines for 
pumping Water, or geared engines for grinding 
and other light work. For prices and particulars ask 
hnr'l wa rfdealerB. or address, mentioning paper. 
9EIMJ WICK BROS. M fro.. Richmond End. 

je ly 

THE BEST CATTLE FASTENING. 

Smith's Self- Adjusting Swing StancMon. 

The only practical Swing Stanchion in- 
vented. Thousands in use. Illustrated 
circular free. Manufactured by BROOKS 
& PARSONS, Addison, Steuben Co., N. 
Y. Ashton Starke, Richmond, Va., Ag't. 

myly 




=EUREKA!= 

Is the Standard Incubator the world over. 
Made by J. L. CAMPBELL, West Eliza- 
beth, Allegheny Co., Penn. aul 

Dr. GEORGE B. STEEL, 

723 Main Street, Richmond, Va. 
Chas. L. Steel, M. D., D. D. S., Assistant 
oct ly 



She oldest Agricultural Journal In Maryland, 
and for ten years the only one. 




an 3t 



Sawing Made Easy. 

MONARCH LIGHTNING SAVING MACHINE 
SEKTT OIST 
30 I>^VYS» 



TEST TRIAL. 




For logging camps, wood -yards, farmers getting out 
Btove wood, andall sorts of log -cutting— it is unrivaled. 
Thousands hoI/1 t/p/iW?/, A boy of 16 can saw logs last and 
easy. Immense saving of labor and money. Write 
for elegantly illustrated catalogue in 6 brilliant colors, 
also brilliantly illuminated poster in 5 colors. All free. 

Agents Wanted. flt'l Ttumc\l )»<>*■ QuirUy. 

MOIIAltCH ffiFG CO., (A) 203 State St, Chicago, DL 
fe5t 



J0> 



VIRGJNIA.HOG H GHOLER<V CURE^ 

* HOG VcHOLERA.IT COMPLETELYvERAOICATEsV, 
" THE DISEASE AND>;FATTEh45 feOGS. \ 
IT CURES CHICKEN, CHOLERA. 

IMc,,,-' -'-AGENTS WANTED J'iujjVUES' ■ 

'N EVERT, COUNTT IN THE SOUTH ANU 
"* "*SEND FOR PARTICULAR^ (.,.0 J 

BUTLER, WINSTON*CO.B0Xbt 

^ NORFOLK.VA. ' 



HOME INBUSTBT! 



je ly 

T. W. WOOD, 

Seedsman and Florist. 

1518 E. Main St., Richmond, Va- 

All kinds of Seeds and Plants 

Agent ior Lister Bros.' Standard Fertilizers. 

Catalogues mailed tree on application. 

Mention the Planter. fe ly 



a 



DIXIE SHIRTS! 

AOME" DRAWERS 



FINE DRESS SHIRTS a specialty. 

UNDERWEAR of all kinds ready made 
or to measure at short notice. Write for 
prices and printed blanks for self-measure- 
ment. We employ the most experienced! 
cutters and skilled operators. We use the 
most improved steam machinery -in our 
factory. 

We guarantee the quality and fit of every 
garment that goes from our factory. Cor- 
respondence solicited. 

H. T. MILLER &, CO., 

MANUFACTURERS? 

Cor. Ninth and Main Sts., Ricfiiijai 

[oct ly] 




Address, TAYLOR MFC. CO. 

this Paper.) Cuawbur«burL.. 



my ly — alt 



J. T. GATEWOOD, 

DEALER IN 

Fine Groceries 

LIQUORS AND FEED. 

116 E. Broad Street, Richmond, Va. 

Famiiies having a surplus of anything produced 
in the Dairy, Barnyard or Garden, will do well to 
advise with me. Correspondence solicited, ja ly 

IFOIEL SALE I 

THOROUGHBRED HORSES 

AND SHORTHORN CATTLE. 
PURE COTSWOLD SHEEP 

And BERKSHIRE PIGS. 

Address, R. J. HANCOCK, 

oc 12t Overton, Albemarle Co., Va. 



SEED CORN! 

I have an excellent corn which I will sell for seed. This corn is very prolific, and weighs when well 
matured sixty pounds to the struck bushel. Brings on the market two and three cents more than any other 
corn. This corn is suitable for bottom lands and heavy clay soils — a hard, white flint corn, standing more 
water than any corn known. I have oft times had it flooded with but little or no damage. I never average 
less than fifty bushels to the acre, and this amount on land running in corn from seven to thirty years. In 
1881 1 measured 105 bushels shelled corn from one selected acre. I can supply any person wanting good 
Seed Corn for bottom lands or table lands, or more elevated heavy clay soils, at SI per bushel, delivered on 
the cars at Bremo, if bags are furnished free by purchaser, or will ship through Messrs. Simpson, Bass & Co, 
or Messrs. Sublett, Cary & Co., of Richmond, Ta., I furnishing bags, at $1.15 per bushel. 

fe tf B. H. BRAGG, Bremo Bluff, Fluvanna Co., Va. 



UPPER JAMES RIVER VALLEY. 

All things considered, the advantages of this section cannot be well over-estimated. 
The advantages are, viz. : Health and salubrity of climate, good and productive soil, 
abundant supply of pure water, excellent timber, an inexhaustible supply of the staple 
minerals (coal and iron), accessible to the best markets with rapid transit. These lands 
are now cheap, yet must rapidly increase in value, and make sure and speedy fortunes to 
those Vho secure them at present prices. Send stamp for pamphlet, giving full particu- 
lars. Address, W. A. PARSONS, 

fe Maiden's, Goochland Co., Va. 

HARNESS THE WIND 

BY USING THE 

MANVEL 

WIND ENGINE, ^m 

Carrying Wind Mills on hand at Boston, New York City, Roch- 
ester, N. Y., Philadelphia, Pa., and many other points, operating 
our experienced men to plan and execute work from these points, en- 
ables us to do buperior work promptly, thus insuring satisfaction to the 
buyer. We contract to force water from wells or springs to any point 
for Farmers, Dairymen, Gardeners, Florists. Villages, Private Residences. &c. We can 
refer yon to parties using. Write for our Catalogue and Power Engines, Pumps, Tanks, 
&c, giving us an idea of the kind of work you want done. Address all communications 
to B. S. WILLIAMS & CO., Kalamazoo, Mich. 

fe4t 

DAIRYMEN and FARMERS ( HOC DISEASES.— The "Arm and Hammer" 
should use only the "Arm and Hammer" brand S brand Soda and Saleratus is used with great 
for Cleaning and Keeping Milk Pans Sweet and ) success for the prevention and cure of HOG 

Clean. It is the Best for all ' CHOLERAandotherdiseases. 

Household Purposes. S Mix with the animal's food. 





"ARM & HAMMER BRAND" 




To insure obtaining only the "Arm & Hammer" brand Soda, 
or Saleratus, buy it in " pound or half pound " cartoons which 
bear our name and trade-mark, as inferior goods are sometimes substituted for the "Arm & Ham- 
mer brand when bought in butt. Ask for the " Arm & Hammer" brand SALSODA (Washing Soda). 
Jan 4t 



tfs» 



MS 




PECIPIC 



Eighteen years of terrible headache, disgusting nasal dis- 
charges, dryness of the throat, acute bronchitis, coughing, 
soreness of the lungs, rising bloody mucus, and even night 
sweats, incapacitating me from my professional duties, and 
l*>!i^IT^>, Dr ' n S'. n g me t° tne verge of the grave — all were caused by, and the result of 
nasal catarrh. After spending hundreds of dollars and obtaining no relief, I 
compounded my Catarrh Specific and Cold Air Inhaling Balm, and wrought 
upon myself a wonderful cure. Now I can speak for hours with no difficulty, and can breathe 
freely in any atmosphere. T. P. CHIL»S. 

niUOFn OlPfclftIP D°y outa ke cold easily? Have you a cold in the head that does not 
LHMULII uluilALu getbetter? Have you ahackingcough? Is your throat affected? Are 
you troubled with hoarseness? Soreness of the throat? Difficulty in breathing? Have you 
pain in the head between and above the eyes ? A sense of fulness in the head ? Are the pas- 
sages of the nose stopped up? Is your breath foul ? Have you lost all sense of smell ? Are you 
troubled with hawking ? Spitting? Weak, inflamed eyes ? Dullness or dizziness of the head ? 
Dryness or heat of the nose ? Is your voice harsh or rough ? Have you any difficulty in talk- 
ing? Have you an excessive secretion of mucus.or matter in the nasal passages, which must either 
be blown. from the nose, or drop back behind the palate, or hawked or snuffed backward to the 
throat? Ringing or roaring or other noises in the ears, more or less impairment of the hearing? 
If so you have CATARRH. 

Catarrhal cases have applied to me for relief. Many thousands have re- 
ceived my Specific, and are cured. We add a few of the many hundreds ot 
unsolicited certificates which have been sent to us by grateful patients— 

My wife is entirely cured. I. V. COLLINS. Corcket.Tex. 
Your remedy has cured me. M.ALSHULER.Mattoon.Ill. 
Your treatment has cured my daughter of Catarrh, in- 
duced by a severe attack of measles. 

John W. Riley, U. S. Express Agent, Troy. O. 
Your treatment did me great good. 1 have not lost a 
day bv sickness this year. 

Ab'ner Graham, Biddle Uni'sity, Charlotte, N. C. 
I have used your Catarrh treatment, and am cured. A 
' thousand thanks to you for so sure a remedy. 

Fannie Dement, Dyer Station Tenn. 
The medicine did for me all you represented. 

T. H. MESSMORE, Cadillac. Mich. 
My health is fully restored. The horrid and loathsome 



120,000 



disease is all gone. My lungs feel all right. 

Mrs.W. D. Lincoln, York, Neb. 

Your treatment has cured me ; Your inhalers are excel- 
lent. This is the only radical cure I have ever found. 
E. S. Martin, M. E. Church, Port Carbon, Pa. 

I have so far recovered that I am able to attend church, 
can walk half a mile, have a good appetite, and am gain- 
ing all the time. MRS. A. N. MUNGER, Detroit, Mich- 

Now I am cured ; head free ; air passages all open, and 
breathing natural. A thousand thanks to you for so sure 
a remedy. (TUDGK) T. COLLETT, Lima, Ohio. 

I was thought to have had Consumption, and had suf- 
fered many years with what was really Catarrh, before I 
procured your treatment. I have had no return of the dis< 
case. (Miss) Louie James, Crab Orchard, Ky. 

Cliilds' Catarrb. Specific 

Will effectually and permanently cure any ease of catarrh, no mattei how des- 
perate. The treatment is local as well as constitutional, and can only be obtained 
at. Troy, <>. We especially desire to treat, those who have tried other remedies 
without success. 

Childs' Treatment for Catarrh, and for disease of the Bronchial Tubes/can be taken at home 
I with perfect ease and safety, by the patient. No expense need be entailed beyond the cost of 
I the medicine. A full statement of method of home treatment and cost will be sent on appli- 
cation. Address REV. T. J». CHILDS, Troy, Obio. Mention this jiajer. 



nth II 



I Many Agents are Making S5 to SIO per Oay " 
Sicllinq our New Work on Farming, 
Sinjrle Copies mailed for 83.50. Send for 
falJe^J^ontemj^iiii^Tprtiis lo Agents. PETER HENDERSON <S CO 



iovhehmntt 

35 & 37 Cortlandt Street, New York. 
im-an inm 




Opens Tuesday, December 16, 1884. 



In the presence of the Presidents of the Amer- 
ican Republics, viz: Arthur, of the United 
States; Diaz of Mexico ; Barrios, of Guatemala; 
Bogran, of Honduras, 

The Colossal Exhibit 
of all Time! 

Sixteen (16) Immense Exhibi- 
tion Buildings : 

One — the Iarg-est building ever erected, another 
— the largest Conservatory in the World. 

BO Acres of Space Under Cover! 

low Transportation Bates from all 
**«rtnts. Ample Aeeonmiotlat ions ai 
Seasonable Sates for ail Visitors. 



During the period of the Exposition, from 
December 16, iSS-j, toj une i, 1S85 the tempera 
tare at New Orleans averages 65 Fahr. The 
lawn and shrubbc-ry rem in green, flowers 
nloom, fruits ri pan, and all lands of vegetables 
grow and mature. 

Full information promptly furnished. A 1- 
ci-ess., f 

E. A. Bl'BKE, Dirertnr Oener I, 
\"ew Orleans, la. 

an 2t 




rs^ 



MANILLA 




^TK^ui\\^.^ Ya><o£\\ 



Is CHEAP, STRONG, easy to apply, does 
not rust or rattle. Is also A .SUBSTITUTE 
FOR PLASTER, at Half the Cosr; out- 
lasts the biiiJdinjf. CARPETS AM) RC(iS 

of game, double the wear of oil cloths. Catalogue and 
«*nplesyre«. W. H. FAT & C O., Camden, N.J. 
mh7t 



LAMBORN ROAD MACHINE 




UGHT, STROS«. KIMPI.E, IURA15I.E. 

4AMS0RN ROAD MACHINE CO,. Limited. MEDIA, PA 
h 3t 



AnniTr Send six cents for postage, and re- 
I rlllCi ceive free, a costly box of goods 
which will help you to more money right away than 
anything else in this world. All, of either sex, suc- 
ceed from first hour. The broad road to fortune 
opens before (he workers, absolutely sure. At once 
address, TRUE & CO., Augusta, Maine. mh 6t 

LUCERNE OR 

ALFALFA CLOVER. 

The best, forage crop for the lands of the South. 
Produces larger yields and stands a drouth better 
than any other crop. 

All kinds of CLOVER and GRASS SEEDS. 

Prices on application. 

HENRY W. WOOD, Seedsman, 

fe 3t Sixth and Marshall Sts., Richmond.Va. 

Send Ten Cents and get a sample 
copy of the 

Southern Poultry Guide 

A monthly journal devoted exclusively to 
Fancy Poultry, Pigeon and Pet Stock. It 
is interesting to both old and young, and 
should be read by every one interested in 
the improvement of poultry. To adverti- 
sers it offers extra inducements. The cir- 
culation is large, and it is the only journal 
of the kind published in this part of the 
Southern States. The subscription price is 
only $1.00 per year. Address 

E. B. McARTHUR & CO., 
tf Meridian, Miss. 

CHESAPEAKE AXD OHIO RAILWAY 

—FROM— 

CINCINNATI, LOUISVILLE and 
COLUMBUS, OHIO, 

— TO— 

CLIFTON FORGE, STAUNTON, 

CHARLOTTESVILLE, and 

RICHMOND, VA. 

LAND BUYERS and parties from the 
West and Northwest, who are looking for 
New Homes in the mild climate of Virginia 
and the Carolinas, will find the 
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 

the only direct route to Virginia. 
Call on Agents of the Seneca Route, 
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific. 
J. H. MARTIN, General Agent, Indian- 
apolis, Ind. 
Or following Agents of C. and 0. Ry. : 

W. P. FOSTER, 108 N. Third Street, St. 

Louis, Mo. 
FRANK W. BUSKIRK, 171 Walnut St., 

Cincinnati, 0. 
J. J. ARCHER, Gen. Pass. Agent, Scioto 

Valley Railway, Columbus, O. 

H W. FULLER, 

General Passenger Agent, 
C. W. SMITH 
au.tf. General Manager, Richmond, Va. 



§&w» f s sw&§e&is§ 9 

^TA.SPTI]NrC3-T03Sr, ID. o. 

The undersigned offers a fine stock of the following: New Pears, New Peaches, New Cherries, New 
Grapes, New Strawberries, &c, Fruit Trees of all kinds. )t •".*? ^H 

An extensive stock, viz. ; Plums, Cherries, Apricots, Apples, suitable to the South, &c. Grape Vines, 
Strawberries, Raspberries, &c, new sorts Evergreens, New Ornamental Trees, New Shrubs, &c, Small sizes, 
suitable for Nurserymen, as well as large stock in great variety. 

DUTCH BULBS — Large importations direct from the leading growers in Holland. First quality Bulbs, 
Hyacinths, Lilies, Tulips, &c. New and rare Greenhouse Plants, Winter Blooming Plants. 

NEW ROSES — Bennett's Hybrid Teas, Queen of Bedders, New French and English Roses, &c 

4SF Everything at low rates. Catalogues mailed to applicants. 

no 6t JOHN SAUL, Washington, D. C. 



Corner of Ninth and Grace St., Richmond, Va. 



STRICTLY FIRST-CLASS IN ALL ITS APPOINTMENTS 



This Hotel fronts upon the beautiful Capitol Park — the most elevated, central and 
fashionable portion of the city. 

TERMS: $2.00 AND $2.50 PER DAY. 



STEPHEN HUNTER. 



Proprietor. 





wplanet jr^mm A PM! 

As lately introduced, hag no equal in t^e world. Its excellent work in the held 
has distanced that of all competitors. It i-s, in aorae sections, doing in one 
passage, the work of four or five old-style implements, and in other* super- 
ceding the cumbersome and expensive* two-horse tools. The "PLANET 
JK" HAND SEED-BRILLS AIV1> WHEEL HOES are the 
newest and hest, lightest and strongest known. There are 7 distinct tools, 
each with special merits, no two alike or the same price ; all practical and 
labor-saving. Let no Farmer or Gardener fail to study up during the 
winter evenings our 1885 CATALOGUE, which gives reduced prices, 
careful and exact engravings of these different machines, and such descrip- 
tions as will enable the reader to judge correctly of their merits. Thirty 
pages and forty engravings. Free to all. Correspondence solicited. 

S. L. Allen & Co,, Mfrs., 127 & 129 Catharine St,,Phila„ Pa. 
[dec 4t] 

w Warranted to Crow, 

or order refilled gratis. 1 Iiavc sold vegetable ana tiower 
seed to over a million farmers and gardeners in the 
United States, perhaps some are your neighbors, if so ask 
them whether they are reliable. Mr. Thomas Henshall of 
Troy, Kansas, writes me: "For 26 years I have dealt with 
you. I have lived in Iowa, Missouri, Colorado, and Kan- 
sas, and no matter what the soil or climate, the result 
was always the same, to wit: — religiously honest 
and good." This is the kind of seed I raise and sell. The 
Hubbard and Marblehead Squash, Marblehead 
Corn, Marblehead Cabbages, Ohio Potato, Eclipse 
Beet, are some of the vegetables of which 1 was the original in- 
troducer. A Fair with $500 in premiums. Seemycatalogue,freetoall. 
DIES .1. U. GREGORY, (Seed Grower), Marblehead. Mass 




£gU] E&g?H Q Mg g 

If yon ure sick or ail in? no matter what your complaint, write 
to us and we will send you On Trialoae of our large Klectrie 
Medicated A|»pliiiiircM to suit your case, provided you 
agree to pay for it, if i t cures you in ono mouth. If it does not cure 
you i I costs yon nothing to try it. Different Appliances to cure Dys- 
I p&piria, Rliewnvtlism, Liver and Kidney Disease*. Piles, Lang Dinpftsm.Afithrim, 
CaUu rh, Lnma Hurl;, Aqne, nihility, and many other diseases. Remem- 
ber we do not ask yon tn buy them blindly but merely to try them at 
. our rink. 76.0:10 Caret made during 1333 in cases where all other tre&t- 
; mentsh-id failed. Price very low. Illustrated book Riving full partio- 
1 ulars and blank for statement of yaur case sent free. Address at 
once. ULECTIUO M'^'U CO., S64 State St.. Brooklyn. N.Y. 




mb 2t 




QUEENS SOUTH 

PORTABLE 

FARM MILLS 

For Stock Feed or Meal 
for Family use. 

10,000 in Use 

Write for Pamphlet. 

Simpson & Gault 

Nl'F'C CO. 

SUCCESSORS TO 

STRATJB MILL CO. 
CINCINNATI, 0. 

Complete & Cbeap Flour Mill Outfits. 



fe 3t 




ALL TESTED 

TRIE TO NAME. 

Immense Stock. 

P A T A T ftPTTT? ( 1885 > telling all about 
WAlALUuUL UI.D aod NEW varie- 
ties, full DESCRIPTIONS- profuseiy IEI.US- 
TRATED. much valuable INFORMATION. 

6ent to all applying FREE. Large stock Fruit 
Trees, Small Fruits and Vines, 
fe 3t J. C. KVERITT, Lima, Ind. 

TO FARMERS AND SHIPPERS. 

THE 

American Co-Operatiye Dairy Co. 

INCORPORATED MAT 24, 1884, 

WITH A 

CAPITAL STOCK OF $100,000. 

Offer extra inducements for consigners of 

Batter, Eggs, Beans, Cheese, Poultry, 

Game, and all kinds of Farm 

Pri'dnce. 

This company is duly established by law, and far- 
mers, shippers or dealers can depend upon prompt 
and honest returns for all consignments. 

For particulars address J. W.WHI TE, Sec'y, 
31 Beach street, Boston, Mass. 

fe 3t Mention the Planter. 

DAVID 3. PROSSER, 

Manufacturer and Wholesale and Retail 
Dealer in 

Saddles & Harness 

Of all Grades and Prices. 



Large Stock of Sad- 
dles, Harness, Bri- 
dles, Collars, Hames, 
Horse Blankets, 
Whips, Spurs, &c. 

Repairing of every 
description cheaply 
and neatlydone. 



No. 1328, cor. 14th and Main, Richmond, Va 
Mention the Planter. fe 3t 





Chester White, Berkshire 
and Poland-China Pigs, 
Fine Setter Dogs, Scotch 
Collies, Fox Hounds, and 
Beagles, Sheep and Poultry, 
bred and for sale by W. 
GIBBONS & CO., West Chester, Chester county, 
Pa. Send stamp for circular and price-list, fe ly 

THE NEW ENGLISH COMPANY, 



Sale and Purchase of Land in Virginia, 

Have many enquiries for the purchase of 
farms and real estate, and have already 
made extensive sales at good prices. Those 
wishing to sell or buy land, ori farm prop- 
erty, should apply at once to G. B. Lynes, 
Ivey depot, Albemarle county, Va. 

Parties wishing to look at farms can be 
boarded by advertizer. 

G. B. LYNES. 

mh 7t 



DEDERICK'S HAY PRESSES. 

the customer 

keeping the one 

that suits 







Order on trial, address for circular and location ol 
Western and Southern Storehouses and Agents. 

■ P. K. OEOERICK & CO., Albany, N. Y. 

myly 

A FRAGRANT BREATH. 



MEADE & BAKER'S 



Carbolic H* 



An essential requisite for the Toilet. Heals all 
diseases of the Gums. Disinfects decayed Teeth. 
An excellent gargle for Sore Throat. A delicious 
and fragrant Mouth Wash. Purities the breath. 
Prepared only by 

T ROBERTS BAKER, Pharmacist, 

919 east Main street, Kicbmond, Va. 
FOR SALE RV ALL DRUGGISTS. 
Price, 50 cents a bottle. 

Caution.— Beware of worthless imitations of style 
of wrapper, bottle and label. Ask for Meade & Ba- 
ker's, and take no other. nol2t 

HJRCELL HOUSE, Norfott, Va. 

Conveniently located and all modern improve- 
ments. PHILIP F. BKOVVN & BRO., Prop'rs. 

Blue Ridge Springs, Va., 

BOTETOURT CO., VA. 

The celebrated Dyspepsia Water and charming 
summer resort. 
jetl 



OPIUM 



PHIL. F. BROWN. 

. ....IJniSrnrefc 
at hs. - -""!' \\i : ij^iii. jiain. .Book 
of particulars sent Free. 
B. jl. WuuLLEi.M.D., Atlanta, Oft. 



ap 1 



THE SCIENCE OF LIFE. ONLY $1. 

BY MAIL POSTPAID. 




KNOW THYSELF. 



A Great Medical Work on Manhood. 

Exhausted Vitality, Nervous and Physical Debili- 
ty, Premature Decline in Man, Errors of Youth, and 
the untold miseries resulting from indiscretion or 
excesses A book for every man, young, middle- 
aged and old. It contains 125 prescriptions for all 
acute and chronic diseases, each one of which is in- 
valuable. So found by the Author, whose expe- 
rience for twenty-three years is such as probably 
never before fell to the lot of any physician. 300 
pages, bound in beautiful French muslin, embossed 
covers, full gilt, guaranteed to be a finer work in 
every sense — mechanical, literary and professional — 
than any other work sold in this country for $2.50, 
or the money be refunded in every instance. Price 
only $1 by mail, postpaid. Illustrative sample, 6 
cents. Send now. Gold medal awarded the author 
by the National Medical Association, to the officers 
01 which he refers. 

This book should be read by the young for instruc 
tion, and by the afflicted for relief. It will benefit 
all. — London Lancet. 

There is no member of society to whom this book 
will not be useful, whether youth, parent, guardian, 
instructor or clergyman — Argonaut. 

Address the Peabody Medical Institute, or Dr. 
W. H. Parker, No. 4 Bulfinth Street, Boston, Mass., 
who may be consulted on all diseases requiring skill 
and experience. Chronic and obstinate diseases that 
have baffled the skill of ali L I ET A ■ other 
physicians a specialty. Suc h Wu & fK Li treat- 
ed successfully without ^^ |J %# C> C I Ef 
an instance of failure. | I *S d Ezz 3 

Mention this paper. ap ly 




~ UIDE 

FRUIT CULTURE/ 



Is a sumptuously illustrated 
book of over 70 papes. It 
tells liowto grow fruits of all 
kinds, gives honest descrip- 
tions of all worthy Small 
Fruits and others; represent- 
ing the largest stock in the 
U. S. It contains full instructions for planting, pruning 
and obtaining Fruit Trees and plants ; and a fund of in- 
formation invaluable to all interested in fruit culture — 
especially beginners. Price, with plates 10c.; without 
plates fie. Trice lists free. We ship to all points safely. 
J. I. LOTETT, Little Silver, New Jersey. 
fe2t 



CRAFTS, STOCKS, TREES— Everything 
Nurserymen, Fruit Grower* and Amateurs. 
STAKE NURSERIES, LouiNiana, jtio. 

51st year. 300 acres. fe 2t 




ie2t 



STEVENS 

FRENCH BUHR 

gggn*MILLS 

Thecheapest and BEST 
mills in the world. Prices 
S SO and u pwards, sub- 
ject to cash discount. 
Send for circulars to^ a 

A.W . STKV ENS ic SON t|| 
AI'KL'ltN, N. Y. 

CD" if tncten <*■• paptr 




SHAKER'S 

FAMOUS 

GAR0EN SEEDS 

New Crop at Greatly Reduced Prices. 

If you want Splendid Vasretables and 
Beautiful Flowers, always plant them. Spe- 
cial inducements to Grangers and Market Gar- 
deners. Splendid Illustrated Guide mailed 
Free to All who want seeds. Write for it. En- 
dorsed by the leading Agricultural journals of the 
country. Established 1794. Address 

SHAKER SEED CO., 

fe 2t Alt, Lebanon, N. T, 



NEfgHli i Sing«r , ES:. , r.^$ 

Including: an $8.00setof 

'extra attachments of 9 
pieces and needles, oil and 




15 



usual outfit of 12 pieces with each. 
Cuaranteed perfect. War- 
ranted 5 vears. Handsome, 
durable, quiet and light running. 
Don't pay $30 to $50 for machines no 
better. We wll 1 send ours anywhere on 
trial before payina. Circulars free. 
_ Save $15 to $35 by addressing 
& CO.. *' Third Ave., Chicago, Ilia. 



Dli IICDCDDV a valuable Fruit, succeeds on 
LUCDCnlll all soils, and is a profitable 
fruit to grow for market. Two dozen plants by 
mail, 81. Descriptive price-list free. 

DELOS STAPLES, 
fe 2t West Sebewa, Ionia Co , Mich. 



D 




Water Wheels & Millstones 



Best and Cheapest in the 
World, Manufactured by 

A.AMoacb&Bro., Atlanta^ 

46 page Catalogue Free. 




Real Estate Agent, 

P. O. Box 216, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. 

Buyers of Real Estate are directed by this Agency 
to the very greatly favored sections of Virginia, em- 
bracing the Piedmont counties, the James River 
Valley west of Richmond, and the Valley of Virginia 
and West Virginia contiguous to the great C. & O. 
Railway DOUN'S LAND ADVERTISER free. 

Correspondence solicited with buyers and sellers 
of Real Estate. flcB>Enclose postage stamp. 



Strawberry 

. Raspberry 

'WWW Blackberry 

,«s~ Currants, Crapes, Fruit 

3 Trees, Ac All BEST old sorts and 

|NEW. " »V KINH. MAKI.KUKO, (OlIKT, '♦AY, 

. -.-yK-.Ki.v ru'Nl'KK, maciKa, K1EFREK. .<;«« 

J**-^*' Catalogue Free. J. 8. tOLLlNb, Buorestortn, S.± 

oc 7t 




w 



AI\ITFn LAniE8 ANI > GENTLEMEN who 

nil I »-Uwislitomake#8io#4adayeasilyatr.heir 



own homes. Work sent Ivy mail. No canvassing. Address 
with stamp Crown il'f'g. Co., 294 Vine St., Cin'ti.O. 



JERSEY BULLS 

From TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS to TWENTY- 
FIVE HUNi RED each. All ages, colors and 
strains of blood, including 

Stoke Pogis, 

St. Helier, Carlo, 

Farmer's Glory, 

Coomassie, etc. 

AH American Jersey Cattle Club Herd Register ; 

healthy, vigorous and thrifty ; superior 

individually, as well as in 

BREEDING and COLOR. 

Naw is the time for farmers to improve their 
herds by grading up with the Jersry through a good 
bull, and this the opportunity, while the most fas- 
tidious can be suited. There is 

NO BETTER INVESTMENT 



GOOD JERSEY BULL 

For the Dairyman, and one can never be bought 
lower than now. We can supply one for Seventy- 
five Dollars to One Hundred, good enough for any 
herd. We have the 

largest and Best Selection of these 
Animals in America. 

Choice YOUNG COWS and HEIFERS always on 
hand and for sale. 

BE LAVAL JERSET HERB, 

mh It Glen Ridge, N. J. 

C. LUMSDEN & SON, 

823 Main Street, Richmond, Va. 

Fine Watches, Jewelry, 

Clocks, Spectacle*, Wedding Rings, dec. 
[ap ly] 




THIKTY YEARS.' EXPERIENCE In the busl. 
neas enables me to offer the BEST STRAINS of 

VEGETABLE, FLOWER, AND FIELD SEEDS. 

For PURITY, Vitality, and Superior Quality, 

they cannot he excelled, especially for those who 
appreciate a choice stock of seeds. «- A trial is re- 
quested and they will recommend themselves. 
Smith's Seed Catalogue, with select lists of 
Vegetable, Flower and Field Seeds, and Bulbs also 
Implements and Garr I r-n Requisite*, mailed to all 
applicants free. W.tl. H. SMITH, Sredsman, 
(Late of the Firm of Henry A. Dreer) Dhilorl'o 
I3»-1018 MARKJET STREET. rilllaQ i, 
jan 3t 

rOff TOUR CT.OYER AM) TIMOTHY 

._} WITH THE 



m 




MICHIGAN WHEELBARROW SEEDER. 

Send far cir<rnla.r describing latest improvements. 
WASOS GliiUS, Hr aier, Calhr.un Co.. Mien. 
fe2t 




BRADLEY BUTTER BOXES 

The sweetest, cheapest and most attractive 
small butter package ever offered. Butter sells 
quicker and brings better prices for family trade 
than in any other package. Send for descriptive 
price list. CHAS. P. WILLARD & CO., 280 
Michigan St., CHICAGO. 

dec 4t 



FOR SALEl&s^s 



each or $8 
per pair, a few 

ight 

2 months old 1st of February. Also, pigs out of 
Jersey Red Sow by large pure Berkshire Boar, the 
most desirable cross. Will exchange one of these or 
pure bronze gobbler for a pea-hen. Bronze Turkeys 
for sale. WILLIAM F. JACKSON, 

fe 2t Jetersville P. O., Amelia Co , Va. 

SIBLEY'S 

S*TESTED* 
EED 

13S" SEND lor our ILLUSTRATED and DE- 
SCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE ofgCFRP 
Vegetable. Flower, and Field 9CCM9 
ni A M TP C BULBS, FLORISTS' SUP- 
rLAn E O PLIES and IMPLEMENTS 
of ALL KINDS, mailed FREE on application. 

HIRAM SIBLEY& CO. 




ltOCHESTEli, N. Y. 

322.32G E. Main St. 

jan 3t 



CHICAGO. ILL, 

200-206 ftanriolph St. 



The Largest 
Stock of 



Select varieties in the World, suited to every 
type to choose from. PEBUREE Sr MIS, 
from 10 to 50 years, under improvement, and new 
kinds of Unsurpassed Excellence. Qnal- 
ity Guaranteed, and Prices Lower than ever. 
Price Eist FREE. 
ja at. it. E. RA«I,Asi>, Hj to, Va. 

TRAVELERS' REST STOCK FABM. 



Breeder and Shipper of Registered 

Jersey and Shorthorn Cattle 

Pure Cotswold. Sheep and Regis- 
tered Poland-China Swine 

Of the most approved type and breed. Now book- 
ing orders for spring pigs. Choice lot of Bull and 
Heifer Calves for sale. Send for Cutalogue. 
P. O. Address, Fredericksburg, Va. fe 2t 




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dlLVBTCBS. \rt ^^^^ g°^ g^ ^^ w Q K f n J 

BMALL FUUIT8 AND TREES. LOW TO DEALERS AND PLANTERS. EVERYTHING FIRST-I 

CLASS. FREE CATALOGUES. GEO. 8. JOSSELYN. I KEDONIA. IV. Y. I 



jan 6t 



ALLISON &, ADDISON'S 




BK^ZCnTID : 



^ TOBACCO Af— 



THIS MANURE has the stimulating properties of Peruvian Guano, 
and in dry weather it creates a moisture and keeps the plant grefcn 
and growing. 

It will be to your interest to use this Fertilizer on your PLANT- 
BEDS as the best possible guarantee for a plentiful supply of HEALTHY, 
STOCKY PLANTS with thick leaves and an abundance of roots, which 
wili bear transplanting much better than those raised with Peruvian 
Guano. 

We recommend it with the utmost confidence. 



•For sale by Agents at all points in the Tobacco-growing sections 
of Virginia and North Carolina. 

ALLISON & ADDISON, Manufacturers, 

RICHMOND. VA. 

lHfHiIff@t¥llHll4 

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

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

ENGINEERING AND AGRICULTURE. 

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

Apply for Catalogues to W. A. Winston, Secretary, P. 0. University of Virginia, Al- 
bemarle county, Va. JAMES F. HARRISON, M. D., Chairman of the Faculty. 

HIGGINS EUREKA ENGLISH HIGH GRADE 

DAIRY A.isr> table: 

Has no equal for Purity, Strength, Flavor, Uniform Grain of Crystal, Keeping Qual- 
ity, Perfect Dryness and Cheapness. Butter and Cheese salted with it carried the High- 
est Premiums over everything else, wherever put in competition. The Queen of Eng- 
land uses it. Hotels and Families should use no other. Salt is the cheapest article in 
the household. Why not use the best? 

FOR. SALE BY 

Importers and Dealers in Fancy Groceries 

RICHMOND, VA, 

[dec ly] 



SALT 



mil & WHITE, 



VIRGINIA STATE 

INSURANCE COMPANY. 

OFFICE: 1006 MAIN STREET, RICHMOND, VA. 

INCORPOEATED I2ST 1865. 

CASH CAPITAL, - #300,000. 

Insures Dwellings, Stores, Merchandize, and other property against loss or damage by fire 
I DIRECTORS.— J. L.Bacon, President; Thos. W. McCance, Vice- President. Wm. H. Haxall, Jame 
Alfred Jones, Thos. Atkinson. 

Eo. E. Richardson, Sec. Jno, B. Grant, Jr., Ass't Sec. W. G. Maury, Solicitor. 

O- Agents in all the prominent Cities, Towns, and Villages of Virginia seply 

BELMONT STUD & STOCK FAR 

Was commenced in 1847, and has been continuously improved, and two grazing farm 
added, with the kind of stock my experience has adopted as best suited to our country* 
wants. I have bred only from stallions or mares of my breeding or importation, and 
suited to the wants of any section, and will sell any of above of three years old and over, 
and in plain, unpampered condition, will let stallions, if not sold on safe business terms, 
for seasons of 1884. I have bred of several breeds of Cattle, but of late years only the 
Pure Shorthorns, and have all ages for sale, especially young Bulls, Heifers and Calves. 
I breed only the best Berkshire Swine, and have a number of Boar and Sow Shoats and 
Pigs for sale ; also, White Brahma Fowls and their Eggs. There may be other stock as 
good, or better, but my experience has settled on these, and I feel that I am doing a pub- 
lic good to forward the propagation of these improved breeds. 

S. W. PICKLIN. 

Near Charlottesville, Va„ Jan. 1st. 1884. ap ly 

THE GREEN Hill. HERD OF SHORT' 

HOKS OA'ITLE is headed by the pure Bates' 
Illustrious Rose of Sharon Bull, Hogarth, winner 
of eleven sweepstakes and first prizes at Virginia 
Fi.irs. 
We offer for sale FINE YOUNG BULLS of the 
highest breeding and individual excellence ready for 
spring service. The sires and dams of the above bulls have won many premiums. Wili sell cheap. Cor- 
respondence solicited. Address C, B. McDONALU & CO., 
jan 3t Blacksburg. Montgomery Co., Va 




Send for 

Catalogue 

and 

Prices- 




ATLAS ' 



WORKS 



INDIANAPOLIS. IND., U. S. A 

. MANUFACTURERS OF 

STEA M ENGINES& BOILE RS. 

Jarry Engines and Boilers in Stock ««» 
for immediate delivery. 




J> 12t 



WALKER --the BEST 

I Warranted 5 years, satisfaction guaranteed or money refunded. Tbe 
[Best, most Efficient, and Durable Washer In the world. 
J Has no rival, the only machine that will wash perfectly clean without rub- 
Can be used in any sized tub, or shifted from one tub to another 
, iii a moment. So simple and easy to operate the moBt delicate 
lady or child can do the work. Made of Galvanized Iron, and 
the only Washer in the world that has the Rubber Bands on the 
Rollers, which prevent the breaking of buttons and Injury to clothes. 
H PCNTC Uf n WTCn Exclusive territory- Betail price, S8.00. 
HUL.il I Intttn I L.U Agents' sample, $3.50. Also the cele- 
brated KEYSTONE WRINGERS at Manufacturers* lowest price. 
Circulars free. We refer to editor of this paper. Address ERIE WASHER CO.. Erie* Pa. 

nov 6t — alt 




FARMERS, USE 

OECHILLA GUANO! 

The BEST and CHEAPEST for ALL CROPS. 

That OECHILLA GUANO positively and permanently enriches the land; that it in- 
creases the crop and improves the quality of the land ; and that it never fails to ensure a 
luxuriant growth of grass for succeeding years, are facts which 10,000 farmers, who are 
nsing it in the States of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania are willing 
to testify. 

This guano is found on the Orchilla Island, in the Carribbean Sea, and comes to us di- 
rect by vessels, and all we do to it on arrival is to screen out the lumps and bag it. 

We guarantee Orchilla to contain from 35 to 45 per cent. Bone Phosphate Lime. 

And not only does it furnish, in high percentage, this most valuable of all fertilizing 
elements, but (unlike acid Phosphate, which has its sole merit in the small percentage of 
phosphoric acid which it contains), Orchilla furnishes, as shown by an exhaustive analy- 
sis by Prof. J. W. Mallett, of the University of Virginia, a number of other valuable 
fertilizing substances, comprising Magnesia, Chloride Sodium, Chloride Potassium, 
Sesqui Oxide Iron, Carbonate Lime, Sulphate Lime, and others, making up the entire 
ona hundred parts ; giving the farmer 2,000 pounds of actual fertilizer in every ton he 
buys; and in a combination, formed in nature's laboratory, that cannot be attained by 
any manipulation. 

THE CHEMISTS ENDORSE IT. 

Every cargo of Orchilla is analyzed before leaving the Island, that we may be sure that 
none is brought away below our guarantee ; and this analysis is verified by another anal- 
ysis after the arrival of the vessel in port. These analyses have always been confirmed 
by the State Chemists, and others who have analyzed it subsequently. 

We refer to Doctors Gascoyne and Taylor, of Virginia ; Dabney, of North Carolina ; 
White, of Georgia, and Leibig, Lehman, Williams, Toney and Wilson, of Baltimore, 
who have all made separate analyses of Orchilla. 

ORCHILLA lb LOW- PRICED— because we have left off the cost of manu- 
facture. 

ORCHILLA IS SUCCESSFUL— because it is Nature's own provision for her 
exhausted fields. 

And by its wonderful clover-producing qualities, it converts the cheap and 
barren high lands, like those of Eastern and Southern Virginia, into soil as fruitful as 
the Valley of the Shenandoah. All who have ever used Orchilla say, that as a grass 
grower it has no equal. 

ORCHILLA FOR WHEAT. 

For years the farmers of Maryland and Virginia have been testing Orchilla for wheat, 
side by side with the high-priced ammoniated goods, and the constantly-increasing de- 
mand for Orchilla shows how well it has stood the test. Not only has it made as much 
wheat (for less money), but it has left the land covered with grass and permanently im- 
proved. Give it a trial. Respectfully, 

BALTIMORE, IS/LTD. 



TRAVERS SNEAD&CO. ImDorters' Agent, 1326 Cary St.. Riclimoiid, Va. 

We sell Orchilla at a low price. Send for our LITTLE BOOK, giving testimonials of 
farmers who have used it for years. nov ly 



THE 

ROSS FODDER & ENSILAGE CUTTERS 

HAVE RECEIVED over 240MEDALS 

AND HIGH AWARDS OF MERIT. 

Successful at every competing trial at 
cutting. Will do more work with less 
power than any other Cutters made. THIS 
WE GUARANTEE, and warrant every 
one to give satisfaction. We furnish these 
Cutters with a capacity of TEN TONS per 
HOUR, down to fodder cutters of one 
man power. We can meet the varied 
wants and tastes of all, in size, price and make. 

CUT YOUR CORN-STALKS.-It has been thoroughly and practically demonstrated 
that by cutting corn-fodder, instead of feeding it whole, our machine can be actually paid 
for upon three to six acres of stalks, according to the size of the machine, while the ma- 
nure is improved fifty per cent. Cattle will eat the cornstalks up clean when cut by our 
machine, because the feed is left soft and palatable. 




A 



IMa 



jan ly 






ASHLEY PHOSPHATE CO. 

"CHARLESTON", S. O.:: 

FLOATS AND KAINIT MIXTURE of best materials, thoroughly 
mixed by machinery, containing Bone Phosphate, 25 to 30 per cent. ; 
Sulph. Potash, 12 to 14 per cent., besides Magnesia and Soda and 
Lime, &c. 

SOLUBLE GUANO- ' Highly Am moniated. 

DISSOLVED BONE- Very High Grade. 

ACID PHOSPHATE- For Composting. 

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

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

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

GENUINE LEOPOLDSHALL KAINIT. 

nf T NnrST e ™ RT C ILI ZERS are of very high grade, as shown by the Official Reports 
of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. 

. ^, Terms t ' Hand-Books, ; Agricultural Primers, and good Articles on Floats, Peas and 
Ash H/lement, Kamit, &c, address the 

ASHLEY PHOSPHATE 



N. B.— Special inducements for Cash Orders, 
to order of best materials. 



COMPANY, 

Special Formulas made carefully 
[ja ly] 



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